The second of the bigger mirror-less cameras from Olympus, the E-M1 reinvents the an SLR from the 70s with bits of today, making it a standout camera for tomorrow.

Great design and weight; Two megapixel viewfinder is very clear; Supports WiFi and wireless shooting with smartphone app; Smartphone camera application can show images building in real time; Lock button for keeping shooting mode selected; Lots of buttons; Comes with small external flash

While we like the amount of buttons; this number may confuse people; Screen only pops out at various angles; as per normal with other Olympus cameras; No built-in flash; Colour filtration modes only officially apply to JPEG; and while can be used with movies; can't be shut off in these modes

The OM-D E-M1 represents the best that Olympus has to offer in the compact system camera (CSC) market. It's a Micro Four Thirds-based, interchangeable lens camera that balances the needs of pros and enthusiast photographers in one neat, and solid package.

Strong build quality; Excellent controls; Excellent image quality; Fast performance

Shutter button too squishy for our liking; Some noticeable LCD and EVF flickering under fluro lights

This review supplements the detailed 'First Look' at the OM-D E-M1 , which we published in September and focuses upon the new camera's performance in our standard suite of tests with the new M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens , which is reviewed separately.

It was only a year and a half ago when Olympus showed that a small, stylish camera with no mirror and a little sensor could hang in the big leagues. Many photographers instantly fell in love with the OM-D E-M5 .

The 16 megapixel E-M1 is the company's top micro four thirds camera. It has a 2.36 megapixel electronic viewfinder, dual contrast and phase detection auto focus, five axis sensor-shift stabilisation and built-in Wi-Fi with remote control from a smartphone. The LCD swivels on the vertical plane.

On the other side of the bodyshell – which comprises magnesium alloy covers and is both fully sealed and insulated – is a dedicated compartment for the memory card which is just so much more convenient than having it share the battery's compartment in the base.

Having come from a SLR and Dslr background, this camera I believe will be a first model in the dominance of DSLRs in the enthusiast/pro sector. It is amazingly fast, sharp, bright and versatile. Just allow a lot of time to adjust to the menu system and controls.

Compact; Build quality; Screen size

Battery life

Retro is in. Or at least, most camera-makers seem to be saying so. Though I\'ve never found anything wrong in that approach, it does seem like the legendary OM series from Olympus has taken a step in the wrong direction and seems to have lost itself in the design wilderness.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 surpasses everything that we have seen so far from an ILC. Providing amazing performance and image quality that rivals a lower level pro mode dSLR, this much smaller camera is ready to go anywhere and perform in all situations. Read more in our Full Conclusion .

iAuto shooting mode is accurate and easy in all situations; Dedicated Video Capture Button is always ready to record Full 1080p movies; Sealed Body and Magnesium Alloy frame provide a tough; go anywhere camera; Excellent overall image quality; Great Low-Light performance; Manual Mode offers complete...

No built-in flash - possible to forget or not bring the included attachable flash unit; Highest ISO settings are unacceptable due to image noise; Very high price tag for an ILC

The OM-D E-M1 is the best mirrorless camera ever from Olympus, and it's attracting interest from serious photographers who had, up until now, ignored Olympus and Micro Four Thirds technology. But the E-M1 deserves all the attention--it's the new champ in the "lightweight heavyweight" class.