Olympus E-M1 First Shots posted: Pixel peep test images taken with the new OM-D flagship mirrorless camera

 

 

Introduced earlier this week, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 stands as the company's new flagship mirrorless camera that's hoped will build upon the success of the acclaimed (and beloved) OM-D E-M5. We've already started testing the E-M1 in the IR Lab, and we've just posted First Shots -- a set of still life images and more -- for your pixel peeping pleasure. We bet many of you are just as excited as we are to see how the OM-D E-M1's photos look.

Why are we so excited? Well, the E-M1 not only now the top-of-the-line model in the OM-D series, but also it's a welcome replacement for the long-in-the-tooth Olympus E-5 digital SLR. In one smooth move, Olympus has given the OM-D series a new aspirational benchmark, and answered the concerns of photographers shooting with its Four Thirds-series SLRs, who've long wanted to know the future of their seemingly-dormant format. And it's answered in style, delivering a camera that combines the best of both the SLR and mirrorless worlds, and adds some significant, brand-new features, as well.

The 16-megapixel E-M1 is the first Olympus mirrorless camera with on-chip phase detection autofocus, resolving performance issues when shooting with Four Thirds lenses. It has a mightily impressive electronic viewfinder which is, in essence, a refined version of the well-received VF-4 viewfinder accessory. It also boasts a higher-resolution tilting monitor, and adds freezeproofing to its roster of outdoor-friendly shooting features. And acknowledging that sharing is key, it sports in-camera Wi-Fi connectivity, although this, too, has been refined since we first saw it in the PEN E-P5 compact system camera. 

But that's enough talk about the camera -- it's time to look at its photos! Using our image quality Comparometer™, you can pit sample pictures taken with the E-M1 side-by-side against those from the E-M5 -- or any other model we've tested. Go check them out, then come back here and post in the comments section below what you think about them. We've also got a few dozen real-world gallery images that you can analyze to your heart's content, too.

See First Shots taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 here. And be sure to read our first impressions Olympus E-M1 review for a closer look at the camera's new features. Stay tuned for our full Olympus E-M1 review in the coming weeks.