COLOGNE—Olympus is appealing to the consumer and enthusiast market with its Photokina announcements. Its top-end model, the OM-D E-M1 is one of the best mirrorless cameras we've ever reviewed, and it's getting an update later this year in the form of the E-M1 Mark II.

The camera offers the fastest shooting rate of any mirrorless camera that we've seen, even surpassing the 15fps rate delivered by the short-lived Samsung NX1. The E-M1 Mark II can shoot at 18fps with continuous focus enabled, and up to 60fps with locked focus. Those numbers are for full-resolution, Raw, or JPG image capture.

Its autofocus system is newly designed and covers more of the sensor than the original E-M1. The Mark II uses 121 focus points, all of which are cross-type, and all of which support phase and contrast detection. To better track action, its coverage area is expanded to the central 75 percent of the frame from top to bottom and 80 percent from left to right.

It also has a neat feature that can help you capture a shot that you may otherwise miss. You can enable a buffering mode that captures 14 photos, again in full resolution, Raw, or JPG format. As a camera with an elecronic viewfinder, you'll need to rely on its refresh rate to track moving action. The Mark II features an EVF that refreshes at 120fps with a mere 6ms lag time.

The body is built tough, with full dust, splash, and freeze proofing. Its battery is improved, delivering more capacity and faster charging. The body also has a newly designed grip that pairs better with long glass like Olympus's 300mm f4 PRO lens. There are dual memory card slots, another feature that's oft-requested by photographers.

The image sensor resolution has been improved to 20MP, and like its predecessor is stabilized along 5 axes. It's the first Olympus camera to support 4K video capture, both in the 16:9 UHD format and the wider 2:1 Cinema 4K variety. Video bit rates are available at up to 237Mbps. Dynamic range has been improved by 1 stop, which will be evident in stills and video. And, if you need more resolution for a still image, you can use the High Res Shot mode to capture a 50MP photo, but be aware that only works in conjunction with a static subject.

Pricing and availability are not yet set.

Pros who use Olympus to pay bills will also have a new safety net available, in the form of the Pro Advantage program. For $99.99 a year, working photographers gain access to top-tier support, expedited repairs, two cleanings per year, and a loaner camera if your equipment requires more than three days to fix. It's open to photographers who own two or more upper echelon bodies (the E-M5, E-M1, PEN F, and successors are eligible), and three M.Zuiko PRO or Premium lenses.

Enthusiasts who have bought into the Micro Four Thirds mirrorelss system will want to pay attention to new lenses and flash that Olympus is showing off at Photokina. First there's a premium long zoom, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO, a stabilized zoom with an 8.3x range (24-200mm full-frame equivalent). Its design is sealed against splashes and dust, making it an ideal companion to a premium body like the E-M1 Mark II, and when paired with a body with 5-axis stabilization it is rated for 6.5 stops of compensation.

It's designed as a walkaround lens for those times when you want to pack light, but promises not to make the optical compromises that plague many long zoom designs. At its wide angle setting it can focus on subjects that almost touch the front lens element, magnifying them at 1:1.7 life-size, and it still manages a 1:2.4 magnification ratio at its closest telephoto focus distance. To aid in macro shooting the lens barrel acts as a clutch to quickly switch between manual and autofocus. The lens is priced at $1,299.99 and will ship in November. Canadian pricing is higher at $1,599.99.

It's joined by a wide aperture standard-angle prime, ideal for low-light and shallow depth of field photography. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f1.2 PRO is the first f/1.2 lens from Olympus. It's large for a prime, just a bit smaller than the 12-100mm zoom, and promises to capture images that are sharp from edge to edge, even when shot at f/1.2. It's also protected from dust and moisture, and offers a 19.5cm working distance from the front element for 1:4.5 magnification. The prime is priced at $1,199.99 and ships in October. Canadians will have to pay $1,499.99.

Rounding out the lens announcements is a new macro, aimed at serious photographers and amateur enthusiasts alike. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm F3.5 Macro supports greater-than-lifesize magnification at its closest focus point, 1.25:1, but can still focus to infinity. It's a fairly compact optic, with a front element that's small enough to accommodate 46mm front filters, and is just a bit longer than a standard-angle lens, making it a fine choice for everyday photography. It ships in October and is priced at $299.99 in the US and $399.99 in Canada.

Entry-level shooters in want of a solid, affordable mirrorless camera have looked to the EPL series, including the current E-PL7 model, for its balance of size, style, and imaging power.

The E-PL8 doesn't make a lot of changes internally—the same stabilized 16MP image sensor is used, video still tops out at 1080p, Wi-Fi is built-in, and the burst rate stays steady at a very speedy (for its class) 8.5fps. There have been some software improvements, including improved flash balance when taking selfies in dim conditions (there's still no built-in flash, but Olympus includes a small external flash in the box), and an automated selfie self-timer. But for the most part, the camera is the same in terms of imaging power.

Its cosmetic design is refined. The LCD still flips below the body in order to face forward, but the body is now finished in your choice of black, white, or brown leatherette. The handgrip has been redesigned, it's now a small oval, and the edges of the anodized aluminum chassis are more rounded.

The PEN E-PL8 will go on sale next month. It's priced as $549.99 ($649.99 in Canada) as a body only and at $649.99 ($749.99 in Canada) when bought with the 14-42mm II R zoom lens.

Finally there's a new flash for the Olympus system. The FL-900R (above) is the most powerful strobe you can get for an Olympus camera and is sealed against dust and moisture. It has a large LCD so you can adjust settings, an LED light for video recording, and it can act as a commander for off-camera strobes. An IR filter is included to negate its light output if you want to use it solely as a commander without adding light to a scene. The flash will ship in October and sell for $579.99 in the US and $729.99 in Canada.