Recently when I would talk to people about photography they would ask my why I chose Olympus. I’ve had my Olympus EM1 Mark II for almost 3 months now and if you haven’t watched already I have 3 other videos about my Olympus camera - unboxing my Olympus, choosing a camera and my setup and customization.
I bought the EM1 Mark II over the Mark III because of the cost of the camera compared to where I was with photography.
I know the EM1 Mark III has some new features that are amazing but when I was looking for what camera to buy I found comfort and inspiration when photographers I followed on Instagram wouldn’t use the top line camera or the most expensive equipment and yet they were able to produce absolutely beautiful, stunning images because of how they worked with their camera and their creative eye.
I found that inspiring!
Here are 6 of my favourite features about the Olympus EM1 Mark II:
#1 - Continuous Shooting
If your camera has continuous shooting you can set the camera to take x number of frames, every so many seconds so I have mine set for 10 frames, timed at 5 seconds and an interval length of .5 seconds.
So when my fiancé and I travel I can setup my tripod up, my camera to continuous and get self-portraits of us that are more professional and better than “selfies”.
Here’s a comparison of when we were using a selfie-stick in Greece with my iPhone (when I didn’t have this camera) to when we were in Banff (when I had the Olympus EM1 Mark II and a Manfrotto Tripod).
#2 - The Grip
My second favourite feature is the grip. I don’t have large hands so this experience might differ for you but I find the camera grip quite comfortable.
I don’t tend to carry the camera off my neck anymore with a camera strap so having a comfortable grip is important so I don’t drop the camera and I can freehand with it.
#3 - Articulating Screen
When I was looking for a camera a mandatory feature it needed to have was a fully articulating screen.
With the screen I can get low, get high and still be able to see and not bend in an uncomfortable position just to see.
Here are some shots I took where I required an articulating screen.
#4 - Weather Sealing
According to the Olympus website the EM1 Mark II is splash proof, dust proof and freeze proof.
I haven’t experienced it with dust proof or freeze proof setting yet but I did take it out in the rain several weeks ago and it held up nicely.
When you travel you never know what the weather will be like. When we were in Greece there was one particular day that it hailed like crazy for an hour.
Having a camera that can stand up to the different kinds of weather is super important.
#5 - Lightweight & Compact
If you compare the EM1 Mark II to a Canon M100, SL1 or SL2 or the Rebel series it is probably heavier. However, I love how compact the camera is.
My biggest fear when I was searching for a camera was that it would be too bulky or heavy that I wouldn’t take it out for small trips - eating out, going for coffee, etc., and I would leave it at home or the hotel room.
Having a selection of bags that I can carry my camera in and having certain accessories has helped with that. You can check out the post What’s in My Camera Bag for a full description of what I carry and what I use.
#6 - Customization
The Olympus EM1 Mark II is super customizable!
One of the customizations I have changed since my original video is back-button focusing.
My AEL/AFL button still enables my ISO and White Balance but instead of pressing the shutter button half-way to focus I have moved it now to the FN1 button.
Thus, when I go to shoot I first press the FN1 button to focus then the shutter to capture.
I love travel photography so a lot of my favourite features make travel photography easier. These are my 6 favourite features of the Olympus EM1 Mark II that I suggest you think about if you are looking for a camera for travel photography.