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Olympus' high-end OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera arrives in December

The flagship mirrorless model starts at $2,000 in the US.

If you've been jonesing for Olympus' ultimate take on a mirrorless camera, the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, you now know when to expect it... although it's going to cost you. The flagship cam will arrive in stores by late December for $2,000 body-only in the US, or £1,850/£2,400 in the UK for respective body-only and 12-40mm f/2.8 kit lens versions. That's a lot to shell out for a 20.4-megapixel Micro Four Thirds shooter, but Olympus is betting that the E-M1 Mark II's tricks are worth the money.

As before, it's mostly about speed. The sensor, TruePic VIII processor and 121-point autofocusing system contribute to some extremely fast shooting. You can fire away at up to 18 frames per second with continuous autofocusing and autoexposure, or 60FPS with focus and exposure locked. There's also a 120FPS electronic viewfinder, and a Pro Capture mode that eliminates delay by buffering photos the moment you half-press the shutter button. Not that Olympus isn't concerned about quality: on top of a higher dynamic range and lower noise at high ISO levels, you can shoot stills in an effective 50-megapixel mode and record 4K video in the wider-aspect Digital Cinema Standard (4,096 x 2,160). You're paying a premium, but you should be getting a lot.