Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Launch

OM-D Action Factory, Prague

After the announcement of the OM-D E-M5 Mark II, Olympus Europe invited various photographers and photography journalists to Prague, to a former water purification plant, to get a hands on opportunity with the new camera.

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. Setsuya Kataoka (General Manager, Product & Marketing Planning Dept, Olympus Imaging Corp), addresses the photographers and journalists gathered. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Various scenarios were set up were one could try some of the aspects of the camera; a video station “Movie on the run”, a low light situation “Beauty In The Dark”, light painting “Mysterious Lights” and a workbench scene to try the 40mp high resolution mode “Devil in the detail”.

Beauty In The Dark

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. Model Radka Vachalova. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. Model Yulia Kazakova. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

After splitting up into groups of four, we went around the amazing venue, walking through tunnels and industrialised rooms to see and shoot the various scenarios. My review of the OM-D E-M5 Mark II can be found HERE in a previous post. This post will help show the abilities of this wonderful photographic tool; a camera that is definitely on my list!

Movie On The Run

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant with several miles of underground tunnels. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Devil In The Detail

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A work bench, shot at the high resoltion 40mp setting. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A work bench, shot at the high resoltion 40mp setting. Image shows entire image. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A work bench, shot at the high resoltion 40mp setting. This shot shows the detail resolved and is a crop of the full frame shot shown above. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Mysterious Lights

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. Light painting by Zolaq. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

The Live Composite facility shows the image forming on the back of the camera’s LCD, as it’s being photographed on long exposure (the image above taking minutes to form as the lights are painted in by Zolaq. Once the photographer judges the image to have been made, the shutter can be closed. It’s similar to watching a print develop in a darkroom tray.

New Lenses

Interestingly, the two new Olympus M.Zuiko lenses due for official announcement soon were at the event, as pre-production models. They were however fully working samples. Pleased to say they were solidly built, focused smoothly and quickly and will add some very useful wider angle ability at fast apertures to the Micro Four Thirds range of cameras.

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. A sample of the new M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 PRO zoom lens. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Olympus OM-D Action Factory with the new E-M5 Mark II, Prague, Czech Republic. A former water purification plant. A sample of the new M.Zuiko 8mm f1.8 Fisheye lens. February 09, 2015. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

The Prize Of Prague

On a personal note, it was lovely to be back in Prague; my first visit was in 2006 to receive the Prize of Prague from the Mayor of Prague, open my solo exhibition and strangely, give a press conference and a couple of TV interviews!

The exhibition is hung. In Prague to receive the Prize of Prague and view my solo exhibition which was part of the prize. September 2006. Photo: Edmond Terakopian