This year I decided to focus more on film photography as a means to better focus on the process of making a photograph. It’s a means for me to slow down and be part of the moment that’s being captured and not just firing off shot after shot without ever fully connecting to my subject. Still, there’s a reason we’re all shooting digital and there’s but a handful of places that develop film – so it came time to weigh some options.

Back in late February, I found myself really in a bind – my GX85 had officially died and I was sitting on some really good, really new lenses that would be hard to replace with FujiFilm equivalent gear. Also, add to the mix the fact that my X-Pro1 doesn’t allow for any external mic to be added and my dilemma just worsened. While I don’t shoot video often, I realized that most of my video reviews were shot primarily with my GX85. Faced with the option of either selling my Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) gear, biting the bullet and trying to find a suitable option in Fuji’s X-Mount lineup; I realized I wasn’t ready to jump the MFT ship just yet.

Going Back to Micro Four-Thirds

Enter the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II – the mid-tier option in Olympus’ OM-D camera line up. While in March 2018, the E-M5 II is a little long in the tooth, the truth of the matter is that it still is an amazing camera if you’re doing any kind of travel photography or professional work.

The Olympus E-M5 II is one of my favorite MFT cameras available due to its size and output performance. While it doesn’t boast as many megapixels as its younger counterpart, the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, I found that the E-M5 II is more than capable of a wide range of applications.

Video on the E-M5 II

The E-M5 II may not have the wealth of video options that a camera like Panasonic’s GH4/GH5(s) might have, but it isn’t a slouch either. If you’re looking for a simple set up with the option to pipe audio through an external mic, the E-M5 II is a great option.

Outside of the occasional run-and-gun video clip, I found myself not using many of the camera’s video capabilities. In an attempt to figure out a streaming solution for a local church though, I found that the E-M5 II does provide a “clean” HDMI-out signal so you could in theory set the camera up for live streaming.

Sample Gallery

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Conclusion

As illustrated above, the E-M5 II is comfortable in just about any situation you can put it in. From event photography, product shots, and as a street shooter, the E-M5 II is adaptable and when paired with Olympus’ Pro lineup of lenses, it’s hard to find a camera that can deliver more bang for your buck.