I missed so many wildlife action shots but the OM System OM-1 Mark II finally solved that issue, and right now, it's $400 cheaper

A photo of a person holding an OM System OM-1 Mark II with a 150-600mm telephoto lens — (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)

As a wildlife photographer, it can be very frustrating when your camera can't keep up with the animals and birds you're trying to capture. Trust me, I know the struggle. I've been photographing wildlife for over four years, and missing an action shot still hurts when I've waited hours for a bird to show up. Thankfully, cameras have come a long way, and there are a few that featuring such blistering drives, it's nearly impossible to miss an action shot.

Take the OM System OM-1 Mark II, for instance. I spent a month testing this camera, and I took some of my best photos yet with it. As it's Presidents' Day today, why not treat yourself to a highly capable wildlife camera? Right now, the OM-1 Mark II's body is $400 off at Adorama, so you can grab it for $1,999 instead of $2,399!

One of the OM-1 Mark II's biggest selling points is its 120fps high-speed drive, and you also get Pro Capture which starts buffering a running series of photos at 120fps when the shutter button is half-pressed, ensuring you don’t miss any action. The 120fps drive is fantastic for when you're photographing birds in flight or animals sprinting, but for moments when you don't need such high drive, you can drop it to 10fps, 12.5fps, 16.7fps, 25fps or 50fps.

The OM-1 Mark II also features blackout-free shooting, which means that there are no black screens between shots, enabling you to keep a constant view of your subject as you shoot.

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A photo taken on an OM System OM-1 Mark II Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera — (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)

The OM-1 Mark II features a 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds sensor so while you don't have a lot of room for extreme cropping, rest assured that the photos are suitable for sharing on social media or for creating small prints. This is a great camera for enthusiasts who want to later upgrade to even better kit.

I also love the colors captured by the OM-1 Mark II, as you can see in the gallery above. The photos of the kingfisher have come out beautifully, with the blues and oranges popping and appearing bright, creating a lovely contrast in the otherwise dark scene.

A black OM System OM-1 Mark II Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you're out and about photographing wildlife, you'll need a camera that handles well. The OM-1 Mark II is a joy to use, thanks to its comfortable and ergonomic sculpted grip as well as straightforward and well-positioned buttons and dials. Enthusiasts and beginners will have no problem getting to grips with it. It's a good step up from smartphones too.

I'd recommend pairing the OM-1 Mark II with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 IS telephoto lens, which has a (full frame equivalent) focal length of 300-1200mm, giving you plenty of reach to photograph birds and animals that are far away. The lens is $500 off at Adorama right now, and it's fully weather-sealed and features excellent image stabilization, enabling you to capture shake-free handheld shots.

If you're looking to take up wildlife photography either as a hobby or as your business, I can't recommend the OM-1 Mark II enough. Today is a superb time to get the camera as it's $400 off — and won't be for long!

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Nikita is a Senior Writer on the Reviews team at Tom's Guide. She's a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, flying a drone (she's a licensed drone pilot), at a concert, or watching F1. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro. You can follow her photography account on Instagram here.

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