Windows 10 preview shows big changes are coming

Microsoft promised big changes to Windows 10 with the Fall Creators Update, and it’s backing that up in spades with a new Insider Preview. Available to brave testers on the “Fast Ring,” the release brings redesigned notifications in the Action Center, much improved handwriting and stylus support, upgrades to Cortana and the Edge browser, improved HDR support and more. The release may be Microsoft’s biggest Insider Preview yet, judging by the massive post explaining all the new features.

The changes begin right from the start menu, which now features the so-called “acrylic” transparent design and easier resizing as part of Microsoft’s new Fluent Design System. That carries through to the Action Center (above), which also gets the Acrylic treatment and easier customization options. On the taskbar, you can pin Microsoft Edge sites, making it easier to access Amazon, Reddit and other sites, assuming you’re not a Chrome or Firefox user. Edge also gets a true full-screen mode via a simpler F11 toggle.

Cortana, Microsoft’s able voice assistant, has suddenly become better at handwriting, too. You can use any active pen, including the Surface model, to lasso onscreen information and trigger Cortana. “Find a website with upcoming event info, or an event poster someone shared in social media,” Microsoft writes.

Handwriting is getting more support beyond Cortana, with new features in the handwriting panel that convert your scrawls to text on the fly, while shifting it when you lift the pen so you can keep writing. You can also select text to edit it, make corrections by overwriting the incorrect text, use ink gestures like strikethough, join and split to fix text, and input emojis via pen. Finally, there’s pen scrolling and a new “where’s my pen” option (above) in case you can’t remember where you put it down last.

Microsoft has improved input in other areas, by adding emojis to any keyboard via Windows key shortcuts, while introducing a new XAML touch keyboard that work betters when Windows 10 is in tablet mode. ePub books get notes and annotations, and local media detection is improved for apps like Photos, Groove and Movies & TV, too. Finally, there’s a new “HDR and Advanced Color Settings” page that’ll make it easier to set up your display, should you be so lucky to have one that supports HDR.

There are numerous other changes that you can see here. Insiders on the Fast Ring should see the new 16215 Insider Preview release now (also dubbed #TacoHat), and for more info, Microsoft plans to do a Windows Insider webcast on its Mixer channel every month.

Source: Microsoft

Samsung’s beastly 49-inch QLED display is built for gaming

It would almost be ridiculous not to buy a 4K TV without HDR, since you can get such sets for under $500 — so it’s weird that we haven’t seen many HDR PC displays yet. Luckily, Samsung has some big news on that front: It’s releasing three new QLED monitors that sound like a dream for gamers. All, including the 27- and 32-inch CHG70s, plus the rather insane 49-inch CHG90 model, offer a 1.07 billion color palette, one millisecond refresh rate, and wraparound 1800R curvature.

Samsung says the QLED tech, which has only been used on large-format TVs so far, “showcases games exactly as developers intended, dramatically improving picture quality and gameplay with crisper colors and sharper contrast.” If you’ve got HDR content, you’ll theoretically see better black levels, a wider color gamut and extra brightness compared to a regular screen.

Specifically, it offers an impressive 95 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 professional color space, a 144 Hz refresh rate and four-channel scanning tech “to deter motion blur throughout the entire screen,” Samsung writes. The monitors are also the first with next-gen Radeon FreeSync 2 support, making setup for games easier (there’s no word on NVIDIA G-Sync support). The displays should be ideal for flight simulation, FPS and action-oriented games, Samsung says.

QLED tech uses LCD panels lit by LEDs, but unlike regular LED displays, Samsung uses “quantum dot” nanoparticles with more precise colors and lighting. While it doesn’t have the same perfect contrast of OLED pixels that produce their own light, it has some other advantages. In theory, it can go brighter, as Samsung’s latest QLED TVs produce between 1,500 and 2,000 nits, and display colors more accurately, with a 100 percent DCI-P3 color volume — something Samsung called a “world first” at CES last year.

Samsung also worked with developers including EA studio Dice and Ghost Games to enable HDR tech for titles like Need for Speed and Star Wars Battlefront II.

All three monitors have identical specs, except that the 27- and 32-inch models are Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) while the 49-inch model features an unusual widescreen UHD (3,840 x 1,080) display and has an extra mini-Display Port. The prices are not too bad, but you’ll still have to suck it up some — the new models run $599, $699 and $1,499 for the 27-inch, 32-inch and 49-inch models, respectively. We’ll get a close look at the 32-inch model at E3, so stay tuned.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Teardowns Confirm 2nd-Gen Butterfly Keyboard on New MacBook, New MacBook Pro Designs Largely Unchanged

iFixit has posted its teardowns of Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook and 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, revealing that apart from the advertised performance boosts the models are largely unchanged from the previous models.

The only really notable change comes in the 12-inch MacBook, which Apple has updated with a second-generation butterfly-mechanism keyboard, as found in the 2016 MacBook Pros, according to iFixit. As some readers will remember, Apple’s 12-inch notebook debuted in 2015 with a redesigned keyboard that some users criticized for a lack of travel that they felt made it harder to type on.

Apple used a tweaked version of the same keyboard design in its 2016 MacBook Pros, which most users felt was an improvement with “better give”, and the same keyboard now adorns the latest MacBook. According to iFixit:

The keyboard trigger looks like a more classic switch this go-around. The plastic butterfly mechanism appears to have thinned out to accommodate the new switch form factor. The keystroke and travel feel about the same to us, so perhaps the real change is reinforcement for repeated use.

Overall, iFixit gave both of Apple’s new notebooks a 1 out of 10 on the repairability scale, owing to their soldered-down RAM, processor, and flash storage, along with glued-down batteries. The scores are in contrast to Apple’s new 4K 21.5-inch iMac, which was awarded a surprising 3 out of 10 for repairability, thanks to Apple’s use of replaceable memory modules and socketed Kaby Lake CPUs.

The refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro models feature Intel’s seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, improved Intel and AMD graphics options, with the 12-inch laptop also gaining faster SSD storage. The 12-inch MacBook costs $1,299 for the base model, while the base 13-inch Touch Bar Pro costs $1,799. The 15-inch MacBook Pro pricing begins at $2,399.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, MacBook
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Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now), MacBook (Buy Now)
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Fox Now iOS and tvOS Apps Updated With Combined Content From FX, FXX, and Nat Geo

Fox Networks Group this week announced that Fox Now, its main app for streaming shows like Empire and Prison Break, has gained additional content from the company’s other networks, including FX, FXX, and National Geographic (via Variety). The update arrives first on iOS and tvOS and will continue to roll out on other devices throughout the year.

In total, around 500 hours of TV shows will now be available on Fox Now, which also includes a live TV feature and access to popular films. Users will have to provide a log-in for a paid TV provider in order to gain access to the four channels’ content within the app. On Apple TV, Fox Now does support Single Sign-On, letting users sign into the Apple TV once and access all of the content available to them across devices.

Existing streaming apps for FX and National Geographic — FX Now and Nat Geo TV, respectively — will continue to function as normal. Now, users will simply have Fox’s updated app as a hub experience for the collection of channels to watch a wider variety of shows, including Fox’s 24: Legacy, FX’s The Americans, FXX’s You’re The Worst, and National Geographic’s Genius.

Fox Now has also gained a UI update with the addition of new channels, featuring full-screen video across the app “to emulate the look and feel of linear TV,” as well as the ability to “restart” live TV so users can go back to the beginning of a broadcast if they’re late. There’s also a personalized For You section, and the app will curate shows for users by networks and genres.

The latest Fox Now app update “represents a significant increase in our capabilities and focus, and ensures our viewers will always have the best experience possible when watching our award-winning television brands,” said Brian Sullivan, president and COO of Fox Networks’ Digital Consumer Group.

Each user will be able to access their Fox Profile to see customized favorites, recommendations, notifications, and continue watching the next episode in a series, all of which will sync across devices. The Fox Now app can be downloaded from the iOS App Store [Direct Link] and tvOS App Store for free.

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With Pandora’s new AutoPlay feature, your music never has to stop

Why it matters to you

Not only does AutoPlay let you keep listening to music, it’ll also grant you access to content otherwise exclusive to other streaming services.

“Please don’t stop the music” isn’t just a Rihanna lyric — it’s now a command that Pandora has begun to obey. On Thursday, June 8, the streaming service announced a new feature for its Premium customers (which is to say, those who pay to listen to their music ad-free). It’s called AutoPlay, and it “keeps the music playing so the tunes you love never need to stop.” Whether you’re listening on an iOS or Android device, AutoPlay will let you “effortlessly switch from on-demand to lean-back listening that is completely personalized and unique to you.”

Basically, it means that when your selected song, playlist, or album ends on Pandora Premium, the music won’t just stop. Instead, AutoPlay will take over, playing music that is somehow related to what you were just listening to. Really, it’s the bread and butter of Pandora’s functionality — figuring out what you’ll likely enjoy listening to based on what you’re already listening to. “Whether you’re hosting a party, working out at the gym, road tripping, or any other activity, the soundtrack to your life will continue playing,” Pandora says.

But is this really enough to convince folks that it is worth it to pay the $10 a month Premium costs? It could be, if you consider, as Variety has, the fact that AutoPlay effectively allows Pandora to bypass exclusive album deals, and also share music that is supposedly Apple or Tidal exclusive. As Variety explains, “The moment an album ends and Pandora transitions to a personalized radio stream, the licensing terms for that music also change. This allows Pandora to effectively play any song, regardless of whether it has the rights to serve up that song on-demand or not.”

So if you’re a Pandora Premium subscriber, you’re in for a musical treat. You automatically have access to AutoPlay, and you can manage the feature by going to Settings and then clicking on Advanced. Alternatively, you can just manage via a toggle that appears on the bottom of any track, album, and playlist.

Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage goes on sale in India

Galaxy S8+ with more memory and storage is now available in India.

If you haven’t picked up the Galaxy S8+ in India yet, you’re in luck. Samsung has launched an upgraded variant that offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage for ₹74,900 ($1,156). As a refresher, the standard model comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, and retails for ₹64,900.

Whereas the standard variant is available in Coral Blue, Maple Gold, and Midnight Black color options, the 6GB model is sold in just the Midnight Black hue. The ₹10,000 price hike is steep, but you do get more memory and storage, and Samsung is incentivizing the new variant by throwing in a free wireless charger that costs ₹4,499 ($70) with every order.

Read: Galaxy S8+ India review

If you’re picking up the 6GB model directly from Samsung using an ICICI credit card, you’ll receive ₹2,500 in cash back. There are attractive EMI options as well. If you’re interested, head to the link below to take a look.

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New rumor suggests OnePlus 5 will cost ₹32,999 ($510) in India

OnePlus 5 may turn out to be the company’s costliest phone yet.

The OnePlus 5 will be launching in India on June 22, where OnePlus is hosting a major launch event for the first time in the country. A teaser from yesterday showed off the device for the first time, confirming dual rear cameras and a design that’s similar to that of the OPPO R11.

We haven’t heard a lot in terms of pricing, but a new rumor out of True Tech suggests the OnePlus 5 will retail for ₹32,999 ($510) in the country. That’s for the base variant with 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage. The publication also mentions a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage that will allegedly be sold for ₹37,999 ($590).

OnePlus has traditionally managed to offer its products at a $30 markup when seen against the U.S. retail price — the OnePlus 3 retailed for ₹27,999 ($430), and the OnePlus 3T was launched for ₹29,999 ($465). Going by that logic, it’s likely the OnePlus 5 will retail at around the $479 mark in the U.S. Thankfully for Indian consumers, the OnePlus 3T will be on sale until later this year.

We’ll have to wait until June 20 to find out more, but for now it looks like the OnePlus 5 will cost around $40 more than its predecessor.

OnePlus 5

• Latest OnePlus 5 rumors
• OnePlus 5 confirmed to have Snapdragon 835
• OnePlus 3T discontinued to make room for OnePlus 5

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Google is making it easier for carriers to communicate over RCS

Google “hub” model allows carriers to implement RCS with ease.

RCS is a next-generation communication protocol with read receipts, group chat, support for high-definition images, and more. The goal with RCS is to bring SMS and MMS to feature parity with the likes of Facebook Messenger, and Google has been leading the charge on that front. Earlier this year, the company rebranded Messenger to Android Messages, making it the de facto messaging app for RCS.

Google is also working closely with carriers to make RCS ubiquitous on Android — the platform’s answer to iMessage. There are inherent challenges involved in getting carriers to talk to one another over the protocol — over the years, carriers have built additional features into their own messaging clients as a means of differentiation. For instance, AT&T and T-Mobile both offer RCS, but their version isn’t compatible with Sprint’s implementation, which uses Google’s recommended universal profile.

Rogers is another carrier that uses the standardized universal profile, and earlier this week the Canadian carrier announced that its RCS solution is interoperable with Sprint. To bring further intercompatibility among carriers, Google’s VP of communication products Nick Fox stated that the company is using a “hub” model to get carriers connected to one another over RCS. For instance, a carrier connected to the hub will be able to connect to all the other carriers also connected.

We are deploying a “hub” model, so that carriers can interconnect to the hub once to get access to all other carriers connected to the hub.

— Nick Fox (@RealNickFox) June 5, 2017

The model makes it far less cumbersome for carriers to get set up with RCS as they don’t have to develop individual connections with other carriers, saving resources and time. The move should lead to more carriers adopting the messaging protocol in the future.

Galaxy S8: How to make custom animated GIFs

No matter how you pronounce it, everyone loves a good animated gif!

Samsung introduced the feature for quickly creating custom animated GIFs with the Galaxy Note 7, and the feature has carried over to the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Tucked away in the edge functionality is a quick tool for recording custom animated GIFs from almost anything being displayed on the screen.

It’s quick and easy way to create animated GIFs from your own recorded video or your favorite online sources. A note, however, that certain apps such as Netflix restrict you from screen recording a GIF from their content, but other apps like YouTube and Plex work just fine.

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How to record an animated GIF

Find a video that you want to turn into an animated GIF and get things queued up.
Swipe left from the right edge of the screen to access the edge panel functionality.

• If you’ve already disabled the Edge panel, here’s how to re-enable it.

Swipe to the left twice to navigate to the Smart Select tools.

Tap Animated GIF. This brings up the selection tool for creating an animated GIF.

Tap and drag the animated GIF selection tool to where you want to capture the GIF. It’s the white circle at the top of the selection tool.
Use the corner tools to adjust and change the GIF dimensions.

Tap High quality to choose the quality level of the GIF: high quality or normal quality.

To avoid having static frames in your GIF, tap Play on the video before tapping record.
Tap record to start recording your GIF. Tap stop to end the recording.
You be given a preview of your animated GIF. If you’re satisfied with it, tap Save to save it to your photo gallery, or tap Share to share it via a messaging or social media app.

You’re able to record GIFs up to 15 seconds in length. The GIF file size will depend on the image quality you selected and the length of the GIF, so you’ll want to keep that in mind.

How to draw on your animated GIFs

Another feature built into this feature is the option to draw annotations on your animated GIFs before you save.

Once you’ve captured your animated GIF, tap Draw.
Long press on Pen to bring up the pen tool options.

Tap on your preferred drawing tool.

Tap your preferred color.
Write a message. (This is where the Note 7’s stylus came in real handy).
Tap save.

And that’s it!

Create your own highlights

The animated GIF feature on the Galaxy S8 works best with your own media on apps with a portrait mode. Since the Galaxy S8’s edge features are only available in portrait mode, you’ll need to launch it from your app drawer before launching media streaming apps such as Kodi that switch to landscape on launch.

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The uses here are limitless. You can use this feature to snag clips from your favorite content on YouTube, Plex or other media streaming apps, but the best use, in my opinion, is making custom animated GIFs from videos of your friends, family, and pets. It’s a cool feature that’s been kind of tucked away, but it’s definitely worth messing around with.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II review: The most formidable Olympus camera, ever

If you’re unfamiliar with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 from three years back, it was the company’s flagship compact system camera (CSC), built to a really high standard. We happened to really like it (ok, we loved it).

Now we have the second-generation model, the small and mighty Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. With a mini-DSLR-like form, weather-sealing, solid magnesium chassis and heaps of manual controls methods, the Mark II is a small camera to be taken seriously.

Its huge price tag, at £1850 body only, is a clue at just how seriously this camera is to be taken. With competition from the Panasonic Lumix GH5, Nikon D500 and a range of full-frame cameras such as the Pentax K-1, Nikon D750 and Sony Alpha 7S, can Olympus’ altogether more complex offering make a dent in the interchangeable lens camera market?

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II review: Design

• 134.1 x 90.9 x 68.9mm; 574g (body)
• 3.0-inch fully articulated LCD touchscreen
• 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder
• Splashproof, dustproof and freezeproof
• Built-in Wi-Fi for sharing images

So how does the OM-D E-M1 Mark II compare to its predecessor? Aesthetically the cameras are much the same. The Mark II is a touch bigger and heavier than the original, but not by much. The newer camera’s grip is taller, more pronounced and virtually moulds to the hand too, which we find makes it more accommodating for larger pro-spec lenses (we used 7-14mm f/2.8 and 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko lenses in this test).

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We like the layout of the E-M1 Mark II. The two main control wheels are at your fingertips and easily rotated for changing exposure settings such as aperture and shutter speed or exposure compensation. The button layout of the two cameras is very similar, with minor shifts not really worthy of mention.

The camera is hugely customisable too, which makes it both excellent for pros and potentially confounding for newbies. The various function buttons can be assigned to most controls. We chose, for example, to have the Fn1 button set to access ISO and white balance and the Fn2 button to apply the 2x digiconverter.

As for the LCD touchscreen, it is now fully articulated (the E-M1 had a tilt touchscreen only). It’s a lovely screen. When tweaked to its brightest setting, it can be seen clearly even in bright daylight. You’ll need to give the screen a wipe periodically to get rid of smudges that come from using the touch function, though.

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Wi-Fi also works well. The free-to-download Olympus Image Share app gives control over basic camera settings for remote shooting and quick image uploads to your phone.

It’s a shame that the E-M1 Mark II is still limited to a minimum ISO 200, though an extended ISO low mode is available (to ISO 64). The mechanical shutter has a maximum 1/8000sec shutter speed, however, which goes some way to compensating using ISO 200 in brighter lighting conditions with fast aperture lenses. There’s also an electronic shutter which is capable of 1/32,000th second and won’t degrade the 200,000-count shutter life either.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II review: Image stabilisation

• Built-in senor-based 5-axis image stabilisation
• Lens-based stabilisation also available (lens dependent)
• Micro Four Thirds lens mount (Olympus, Panasonic and more)

The old rule for sharp handheld pictures was to use a shutter speed equivalent or greater than the focal length. So 1/30th second for 30mm. In the E-M1 MkII that rule is tossed out of the window, for its image stabilisation system is the best built-in one we have ever seen.

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A revised 5-axis stabilisation gives up to 5.5 stops of stabilisation with any Olympus Micro Four Thirds lens, and a claimed 6.5EV with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro M.Zuiko lens (which we can’t verify, as we’ve not had that lens in for test).

When using the 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko lens at 12mm, however, we would normally be able to get sharp handheld shots with a shutter speed of 1/30sec. With stabilisation activated, we were able to achieve sharp images at this focal length with a shutter speed of 1-second or even more. That’s insane. Likewise at 40mm (80mm in full-frame terms), 1/2sec exposures were acceptably sharp.

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We wouldn’t normally give image stabilisation its own section in a review, but the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II merits the feature. It is quite incredible.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II review: Speed

• 121-point on-sensor phase-detection hybrid autofocus system
• Up to 18fps with continuous AF tracking (60fps in single AF)
• BLH-1 battery with 440 shot-life (950 shots in quick sleep mode)

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II’s speed is a speedy camera indeed. It’s quick in every way. Start up time, focusing, capture and image playback – the entire experience is satisfying.

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No compact system can match the start up to picture capture time of a similarly priced DSLR, but the E-M1 Mark II is not far off and just about as good as it gets for a mirrorless camera. It’s quicker than the original E-M1 too.

With both electronic and mechanical shutter options for image capture, there is a wide choice of shooting modes. The electronic shutter offers image capture up to a staggering 60fps in the Pro Capture High mode, with single autofocus.

What’s more, half depress the shutter button and the camera can record up to 14 frames before the shutter is fully depressed – you know, in case your reactions aren’t quite as quick as the camera. Which is more than likely.

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If you want continuous tracking AF, then the electronic shutter offers a mere 18fps (detect the sarcasm). We’re not aware of any other camera that can shoot this many frames in succession. Even in the mechanical shutter mode the top burst rate speed is 15fps.

As for the length of burst – which for us is what really counts – at approximately 50 images it’s less than one second in the Pro Capture High mode. However, use the 10fps continuous low mode (with the mechanical shutter) and a JPEG burst will keep going until the memory card is full. It’s impressive.

It’s easy to forget when you have been using the electronic shutter because it is so discreet. Therefore, it’s important to remember to switch back after using the shooting modes with electronic shutter, like Pro Capture High mode. We found a handful of accidental 60fps bursts, when expecting to playback a single image. Oops.

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It’s only really during the processing of these massive Pro Capture High image sequences that the camera cannot be used fully. You won’t be able to view images while buffering takes place, which can be irritating – especially as a raw & JPEG burst in Pro Capture High takes close to a minute to clear. We also preferred to turn off long exposure noise reduction (NR), because the waiting time while the camera processes is too long.

The new 121-point hybrid AF system is, again, impressively quick and marks good progress by Olympus. Autofocus is accurate for static subjects in all lighting conditions. Shooting indoors at night and one time having walked 400m into a dark tunnel, the focusing latched onto subjects quickly.

We tested the continuous AF tracking in reasonable light, selecting a moving subject pre-capture. The best results are in continuous low 10fps and single frame shooting, with the hit rate of sharp shots being very high. There is a little back focusing sometimes, but all in all we’re impressed.

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One major downside to the E-M1 MkII – which is something all mirrorless cameras suffer – is its relatively poor battery life. Olympus has gone some way to addressing this in the E-M1 Mark II with a new BLH-1 battery that gives up to 440-shots on a full charge (we found that figure conservative, though), which is a 25 per cent improvement from the E-M1, but still not outstanding. Select the sleep mode and it goes up to 950-shots, which is more like it, proving good enough to last a full day’s shooting.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II review: Image quality

• 20.4-million-pixel MOS sensor
• ISO 200-6400 (64-25600 expanded)
• 4k video capture

A new sensor in the E-M1 Mark II records images at 20.4-million-pixels, compared to 16-million-pixels in the E-M1. As far as our eyes can tell from identical images between the E-M1 and E-M1 Mark II, this increase in resolution has not come at the expense of image quality in low contrast light.

For stationary subjects, the class-leading image stabilisation can in effect boost the camera’s performance in low light. This is because the level of light entering through the lens can be increased by using a slower shutter speed to still get those shots nice and sharp (of course this does not apply to moving subjects, unless you want the movement all blurry.)

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In the low light of a church and with no tripod to hand, without stabilisation we would have needed to use ISO 6400 for sharp shots with the exposure settings of f/11 and 1/30sec. With the image stabilisation system at our disposal, however, the ISO 200 setting could be used thanks to the slower possible shutter speed of 1-second.

With control over lighting and in ideal lighting conditions, the E-M1 Mark II is highly capable of sharp and dynamic pictures, with a pleasing colour rendition. It’s only in the less-than-ideal lighting conditions that the smaller-scale sensor of this camera is pushed – namely its dynamic range, for scenes containing both high brightness and deep shadows. Even with +3EV in post, however, we still found crisp detail in shadow areas, with very little luminance noise and only a hint of magenta colour noise.

We found evaluative metering often led to some slight overexposure, so it can be worth dialling in -0.7EV exposure compensation to avoid that loss of detail (or use HDR mode). It is much easier to recover detail from shadow areas than highlights, too.

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Overall, the E-M1 Mark II isn’t the best for high-ISO shooting, but it’s so full of features that it helps remove the need to shoot above ISO 6400 quite as often. Olympus really has done what it can to offer solutions to highlight just how strong Micro Four Thirds can be.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II review: High Res Shot mode and 4K video

• 50-megapixel (8160 x 6120) Hi Res Shot mode (tripod only)

There’s another trick up this camera’s sleeve, too. In ‘High Res Shot’ mode, the E-M1 Mark II records a raw & JPEG image at a resolution of approximately 50MP – that’s a huge increase from the 20-megapixel standard – by shifting the sensor eight times (using the stabilisation system in a different way) and taking a photo in each position, then combining these pictures into one.

High Res Shot mode is only suitable for stationary subjects (unless you like the blur of movement) and you’ll need a way of keeping the camera still, preferably with a tripod. In addition, a cable release or shooting wirelessly via the Image Share app helps for best results. One thing to note: the tripod bush beneath the camera has moved, meaning the battery door isn’t necessarily accessible when a plate is attached underneath.

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There’s also 4K video capture, which has finally been introduced into Olympus’ range. The camera is a very able performer, with crisp and dynamic 4K footage at 24fps (with a 237Mbps bit rate). Coupled with the excellent image stabilisation and smooth focus, the E-M1 Mark II is ideal for those handheld videos.

Verdict

The E-M1 Mark II is not only better than the original model in every way, it’s better than most mirrorless in every way too.

Principal to its success is the built-in image stabilisation – which is the best sensor-based system we’ve ever used – and its super-quick reactions across the board, from start up, to autofocus, burst speed, capture and playback.

Of course, no camera is perfect. The Mark II’s issues aren’t inconsolable ones, though, as it’s only the high price point and relatively small sensor size compared to some similar-price cameras that we would call into question. Such larger-sensor cameras do have the upper hand when it comes to high-ISO image quality too. And this Olympus is a different animal to a full-frame DSLR, for good and for bad.

Ultimately, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is currently the best Micro Four Thirds camera for advanced photographers. That, in a nutshell, is why it’s well worth its asking price.

Alternatives to consider

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Panasonic Lumix GH5

• £1699 (body only)

The 4K king. Panasonic take a more functional than designer stance, but the GH5 is one exceptional mirrorless model. It’ll give the E-M1 MkII a run for its money in almost every department.

Read the full article: Panasonic Lumix GH5 review

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Nikon D500

• £1799 (body only)

If there’s a camera to put into context the E-M1’s high price, it’s the Nikon D500. Ok, so it doesn’t have an articulated LCD screen, but with a larger APS-C sensor those image conscious will be lured in by its potential.

Read the full article: Nikon D500 review