Olympus OM-D E-M1X

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X is a mirrorless camera from 2019 built around speed and ruggedness rather than compactness. It uses the Micro Four Thirds sensor format and the Micro 4/3 lens mount.

Its combination of a high maximum burst rate, weather sealing and built-in GPS points it toward action, wildlife and outdoor photographers who work in unpredictable conditions.

Owning one involves some commitment. The body weighs 997 g and measures 144 x 147 x 75 mm, so it needs a substantial amount of bag space, and it runs on two BLH-1 batteries.

The 20 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor works with a dual TruePic VIII image processor. That resolution covers prints and everyday use comfortably, though heavy cropping leaves less latitude than a higher-resolution sensor would give.

For action, the camera can shoot at up to 60 fps. That figure is a maximum rather than a sustained rate, but it gives you a real chance of catching a brief peak moment in fast sports or wildlife sequences.

Autofocus uses a 121-point system, and in-body stabilisation reduces camera shake so you can handhold slower shutter speeds than you otherwise could. It counters your own movement, not the motion of your subject, so it pairs naturally with the fast burst rate for static scenes in low light.

Framing comes through a 2,360,000-dot electronic viewfinder, and the ISO range runs from 200 to 25600. A top shutter speed of 1/8000 second gives you the option of wide apertures in bright light.

The E-M1X records video up to 4K resolution, and frame rates reach 60 fps at the camera's maximum setting. Treat those as separate ceilings until you confirm the combined recording mode you need, but the two figures together suggest flexible coverage of both standard footage and smoother motion work.

A built-in timelapse function handles interval recording inside the camera, so you can compress slow events such as clouds crossing a skyline or shadows moving across a landscape into short sequences without carrying an external intervalometer.

Recordings are saved in MPEG-4 or MOV, both widely used recording formats. If you shoot video alongside stills, the same weather-sealed body and in-body stabilisation that help your photographs also steady handheld outdoor filming, since the stabilisation counters camera shake rather than subject movement.

At the back you get a 3-inch TFT LCD with 1,037,000 dots. It is a touchscreen and it flips out, so you can set the focus point with a tap and shoot from waist level or overhead instead of guessing at angles.

Weather sealing protects the body against dust and moisture, which matters for anyone shooting coastlines, mountains or long lens sessions outdoors. It resists the elements rather than making the camera waterproof, so reasonable care still applies.

Built-in GPS tags your files with location data as you shoot, which helps with logging wildlife sightings or travel routes. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also on board for wireless connection to other devices.

Lighting options are limited in one respect: the camera has a built-in flash but no support for external flash units, so anyone who relies on strobes or hot-shoe speedlights should factor that in.

Two card slots accept SD, SDHC and SDXC media with UHS-II support, so you can fit two high-speed cards in the camera at once and carry double the recording media inside the body.

Power comes from two BLH-1 batteries, and the rated battery life is 870 shots. That figure is an indication of endurance rather than a promise for every outing, since the measurement conditions behind it are not specified, and carrying spares covers long assignments.

USB charging is available, which makes topping up between shoots straightforward. Check that your particular charger or power bank works with the camera rather than assuming every USB source will.