Fifty years since the radical Olympus OM-1 SLR first appeared, the new OM System OM-1 is announced. It looks like another giant leap forward for photography.
The growing number of converts to Micro Four Thirds have long awaited a new flagship OM Systems model, and it has finally arrived. The new OM-1 looks as revolutionary as its film namesake was when it was released half a century ago. Built with the needs of the system’s users in mind, and not kowtowing to pressures of their competitors’ marketing departments, this camera appears an uncompromising leap forward from its predecessors.
This model will be the last camera bearing the Olympus name. It was kept because of OM Digital Solutions wanting to celebrate the legacy of this camera. Going back to the original film OM film SLRs, and then through to the Olympus E series, and OM-D models, they have always been innovative, packing cameras with new and unique features. Will this model be the same? The short answer from me is a definite yes.
The Robust Build, IP-53 Weather Sealing, and Weight Make It the Ideal Adventurer's Camera
Its recent predecessors were known for their sturdy, dust and splash-proof design, plus their lightweight. The OM-1 is no exception, its magnesium alloy body has been taken a step further, weather-sealed to the IP-53 standard to match the recently released and much-heralded Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO Lens.
The new OM-1 with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO Lens
The camera is also freeze-proof to -10°C, making it particularly attractive to landscape, wildlife, sports, and adventure photographers. Despite this, the camera weighs just 599 grams, including the battery and memory card. With the smaller, lighter lenses, I can see this is going to be the camera of choice for many outdoor photographers and those who carry their kit around with them
Will the Exceptional Performance, Features, and Functionality of the OM-1 Outshine its Rivals?
The OM1 is no slouch when it comes to all-round performance. The new TruePic X (pronounced X not ten) image processor has up to 3x faster processing power than its predecessors. It allows high-speed sequential shooting up to 50 fps with continuous autofocus, and 120 fps with single autofocus. To cope with this exceptional shooting speed, both card slots are now UHS-II SD compatible.
That extra fast processor will also speed the computational photography unique to this system. Current users of the OM-D cameras enjoy such features as the Live Composite mode that adds just new light to a single frame (great for light painting, light trails, and lightning), Live Time that allows you to watch a long exposure gradually develop on the rear screen or viewfinder, the digital Live ND filter that now has been increased to six stops; ND 64, plus a high-resolution mode. These will all perform faster, not to mention Pro-Capture, which I will come to later.
The electronic viewfinder is hugely improved on the previous models too, with approximately 5.76 million dot resolution, a viewfinder magnification of up to 1.65x, a negligible display delay of 0.005 seconds, and 120 fps high-speed display performance. Additionally, the viewfinder is blackout free
More big news is the sensor. It is a 20-megapixel stacked BSI Live MOS Sensor that increases maximum normal sensitivity to 25,600, expanded to 102,400, and the camera includes new noise reduction software. This backside-illuminated Quad Pixel Bayer pattern stacked CMOS sensor also gives a far wider dynamic range than its predecessors. That greater performance is far more important to most photographers than a higher pixel count, which for most of us just means bigger image files.
The Olympus cameras have always been renowned for their image stabilization. The upgraded “5-axis sync IS” gives seven stops of stabilization in the body, eight when coupled with a compatible lens. The camera includes a new “Handheld Assist” feature that helps capture slow shutter speeds without a tripod.
OM Digital Solutions say the autofocus has been redesigned and improved too. A quad-division photodiode configuration allows for On-chip Phase Detection in both vertical and horizontal directions. There are now 1,053 AF points, all cross-type.
The high-speed calculation capabilities of the new TruePic X processor and the new AF algorithm enable high-speed, high precision focusing on the subject no matter where it is in the frame.
The model is, of course, equipped with the system’s unique AI detection, and the subject recognition has been improved and new subjects added, with cats and dogs now recognized, along with birds, formula cars, helicopters and airplanes, motorcycles, and trains.
The fifty frames per second blackout-free AF/AE tracking is at approximately 20.37 Megapixel, with up to 120 fps AF/AE locked ultra-high-speed sequential shooting. When using Pro Capture, which is designed for capturing shots before the shutter button is fully depressed, it allows sequential shooting up to 50 fps (AF/AE tracking), and up to 120 fps (AF/AE locked). These speeds outperform such cameras as the Nikon Z9, the Canon R5, and the Sony a7 IV.
The new OM-1, of course, has the Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system that vibrates 30,000 times a second, cleaning the sensor of dirt.
The shutter is tested to over 400,000 actuations, well above most other cameras in the price bracket. The night view mode makes it easier to view subjects in the dark, and Starry Sky AF makes it easy to focus on the night sky. The camera also has separate AF-On and AEL buttons for back button focus.
The OM-1's Improved Video
Except for the image stabilization, which has been improved even further with this camera to what they describe as “industry-leading”, video was an area where the previous models were a little behind the competition. But this camera has been brought up to date with enhanced video functions: 4K 60p should give smooth, high-definition videos, and high-speed movies. Full HD videos deliver a maximum 240p.
The camera also supports H.264 (8bit), H.265 (10bit), and Multi-Frame Rate for recording video clips over 30 minutes in length.
In addition to RAW data output up to 12 bit 4:4:4 to external devices for advanced post-production tasks, the OM SYSTEM OM-1 supports OM-Log for a greater level of freedom over imaging expressions thanks to color grading, which allows users to capture highlights and shadows without overexposing or underexposing shots. The new HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) video picture mode has been added for easier HDR video recording.
There's a New Menu on the OM-1 too
The menu system on Olympus cameras has met with criticism in the past, partly because it was necessarily complex; the massive number of customizable functions were the reason. Consequently, the menu screen configuration has been completely redesigned. Menu items have been split, merged, and reclassified, with simplified descriptions, making it easier to find the desired functions, and changing settings should be easier for first-time users. This makes sense as there are ever-increasing numbers of photographers migrating away from heavier, more cumbersome systems. Hints on the screen will not only tell you what a particular menu does, but why one is grayed out.
Two New M.Zuiko Professional Lenses Announced Too
It doesn’t stop there. OM Systems have released two new professional zoom lenses: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II and M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0 PRO.
Both lenses offer the same IP53 weather resistance as the new ON-1 body and are also operable to -10°C. In addition to water, oil, and dust repellence, the new fluorine coating on the lens front elements reduces friction, making them easier to clean with a blower
The shorter zoom lens offers improved optical performance on the Mark I version, which is a favorite of many Olympus shooters. It has a fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8.
This model uses an optical design with 14 elements in 9 groups (1 EDA lens, 2 aspherical lens, 1 DSA lens, 2 ED lens, 1 HD lens, 2 HR lens) with 4 aspherical lenses including a DSA lens effectively placed to achieve a compact, lightweight form and superior depictive performance of an M.Zuiko PRO lens.
Designed to give the best quality when using the High Res Mode on the OM-1, it is said to effectively compensate for aberrations that occur when zooming, results in high resolution from the center to the edges of the frame across the entire zoom range. It has a close-up shooting performance with a maximum image magnification of 0.6 x 1, and it supports the OM-1’s in-camera focus stacking.
Meanwhile, the 40-150mm f/4.0 PRO is a compact, lightweight mid-range telephoto lens that claims to be the most compact, lightweight model of its kind, with a fixed aperture of f/4.0. It’s only 99.4 mm long (124 mm long when in use) and weighs just 382 g. Considering this gives the equivalent angle of view as an 80-300 mm lens on a full frame camera, this is a compact and lightweight professional-grade lens that is comparatively tiny. It also has a close focusing distance, 70 cm this time, with maximum image magnification of 0.41 x.
Availability and Pricing of the OM-1 and New Lenses
The cameras and lenses will all be available at the beginning of March, and there are offers available on the pre-orders.
- OM-1 Body Only: $2,199.99 USD; $2,799.99 CAD; €2199.99 Euros; £1,999.99 GBP
- OM-1 Kit with M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II: $2,799.99 USD; $3,599.99 CAD; €2799.99 Euros; £2499.99 GBP
- M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II: $999.99 USD; $1,299.99 CAD; €999.99 Euros; £899.99 GBP
- M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0 PRO: $899.99 USD; $1,149.99 CAD; €899.99 Euros; £799.99 GBP
- HLD-10 Power Battery Holder: $349.99 USD; $449.99 CAD; €249.99 Euros; £319.99 GBP
- BLX-1 Lithium Ion Battery: $99.99 USD; $129.99 CAD; £79.99 GBP
My Conclusions About the OM-1 Release
Despite the negative campaign aimed at damaging the brand, especially since Olympus cameras were rescued and turned around by JIP, OM Digital Solutions is clearly thumbing its nose at its detractors. It's releasing three top-of-the-range, feature-packed items that will please the current Micro Four Thirds users, who have been crying out for a new camera with an improved dynamic range. That decision to choose dynamic range over more megapixels is a good one; 20 million is more than enough for most photography, and many photographers are now clued into the pixel count myth.
It also will be attractive to those migrating from heavier, cumbersome systems. The improved usability and the choice of using AI to capture shots will also appeal to new photographers who are just learning the technicalities of photography.
Furthermore, Olympus was always known for the quality of their lenses, and they have pushed this even further.
In an increasingly competitive and shrinking market, this camera seems as if it really is revolutionary. Pushing the boundaries and being early adopters of new technologies is what the Olympus brand was always about. That is good for the photographers and the industry. What is more, they seem to be continuing to do this by offering top-class equipment at a fraction of the cost of other flagship models. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the camera and putting it through its paces.
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James Popsys might not be the best example here. In the meanwhile he's moved to Sony full-frame, but I guess that's a matter of endorsements ;-)
Canon was way, way behind on sensor technology ten years ago. That did show in their image quality, but they seem to have mostly caught up with Sony now. What that tells you is that, unless you're looking at a 2020-2022 Canon image, you have not really seen their best. Sony is still improving, too, which floats many boats... the OM-1 seems to be using the IMX472 sensor from Sony, similar level of tech to the A1 sensor (IMX610)... maybe even a beyond...
I don't think most people get the difference between consumer level product and a higher grade one. They talk about price, sensor size, 'for that money I can get full frame' etc, etc. Yes, for that price one can get a brand new full frame camera. It will not have the same level of weather sealing (or weather sealing at all), the ability to shoot 50 photos per second with AF (!), or even the 25 per second offered with the 'slow lenses', the ability to record video in 4k at 60 frames per second with no crop and AF, the ability to work with external power, the best IBIS on the market (or IBIS at all), just to name some. Otherwise yes, full frame it will be...
Or "more megapixels".
Your post gave me a thought. At some point, just about the only people still buying cameras will be people who actually know something about cameras. That's a very different market from what camera makers have had in the past. Are we already getting there?
Wow, outperforms a Nikon Z9! You compare a 3/4 with 2.5 less resolution to full frame 48MP. Has it still shutter or what is the revolution here?
In shutter speeds, yes.
Just to show I am putting my money where my mouth is, I've pre-ordered one.
Awesome Ivor… we’re hoping to be up your neck of the woods at some point next week, couple of days exploring Northumberland.
Enjoy your trip, Stuart. If you are near to Amble, feel free to give me a shout. Google me, all the contact details are on my website.
Will do Ivor, stunning part of the world.
That's great, Ivor!
I would be especially interested in reading your review, after you've used it for a month or three. Especially if you have gain insights on how it performs for fine art / very large print use. If it can yield high quality very large prints, then I couldn't think of a reason not to switch over, especially if more long telephotos become available over the next year or two.
There are some pretty good telephotos already. The 300mm prime is a beautiful lens. The 100-400 (equivalent to 200-800 full frame) is a great too. This lens is amazing, but beyond the reach of my pocket: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1574176-REG/olympus_m_zuiko_digit...
Holey Shamoley! The pricetag on that lens!
I shoot at a true 800mm more than any other focal length. With my old full frame Canon gear, it's pretty cheap to get to a true 800mm at a true f5.6, due to my Sigma 300-800 being available for under $3,000.
If getting to that with the MFT gear is going to cost me more than I have ever paid for a car, then I may not be able to switch over. Hopefully somebody makes some true 800mm focal lengths in MFT mounts that are much more affordable than that lens you posted the link to. If these MFT cameras continue to gain popularity, it's only a matter of time before all of the 3rd party manufacturers start making truly huge supertelephotos for them. They've done it for many other mounts and systems, why not MFT?!
The 150-400 also has a built in 1.25 teleconverter that takes it up to 1000mm full frame equivalent. The demand for it took Olympus by surprise and they ran out of stock when it was first released. It's a bit out of my price range too, but I would love to have one. It's an incredible bit of glass, and really lightweight too.
Thankfully, there are less expensive options: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1576153-REG/olympus_v315070bu000_...
I really don't know why big lenses for MFT aren't supported by Sigma and the others.
Ivor Rackham said,
"I really don't know why big lenses for MFT aren't supported by Sigma and the others."
I think it is about the numbers. They are in this for the profits, and I think they can't make enough profit with a lens that won't sell in large numbers.
Most really long lenses, like 500mm and up, are sold to wildlife photographers. And in all my life I have only seen one wildlife photographer using a MFT camera. He is a close friend of mine, and he was only using MFT that one day because he is an ambassador for Fugi, and they wanted him to do some wildlife work with some new camera they sent him. All of the other times he shoots wildlife with his Nikon full frame gear.
So there are hardly any serious / professional wildlife photographers using MFT cameras, hence the lack of 3rd party manufacturers making wildlife lenses for them.
BUT .... I think this is going to change. With the enormous amount of press that MFT cameras are getting, almost all of it immensely positive, I look into the future and see thousands and thousands of wildlife photographers switching to MFT over the next decade or two. And when there are tens of thousands of people using MFT cameras for very serious and professional wildlife work, then there will be a great demand for truly long lenses to fit these cameras. That's when Sigma and the others will start making such lenses - when they can make millions and millions of dollars of profit off of them.
EDIT: I did a bit of looking things up, and realize now that the Fujifilm gear that my friend is an ambassador for is actually not MFT. I knew it had a small sensor, and just assumed that meant MFT. Didn't realize there are other kinds of small sensors on the market. My mistake.
Hi Tom, I don't think I could agree with the "hardly any" when it comes to wildlife photographers using MFT, it's one of the big appeals of the system and I know several locally here. It may well be a regional thing where you get clusters of people using similar systems, so I see them, and you see more from another brand. Admittedly, there are not as many MFT users worldwide as there are Canon, Sony, or Nikon.
Here are a few of the pros I can think of off the top of my head whose work is worth looking at, all with quite different styles of shooting. If you are interested, give them a Google!
Andy Rouse
Tesni Ward
Andre Boss
Rob Cottle
Marisa Martínez Vicente
Brooke Bartleson
Marcin Dobas
Oay, Ivor .... I do not disagree with you. But I think we have different acquaintances and different experiences because we live in vastly different parts of the world. I know, personally, a couple hundred serious wildlife photographers, and mr friend John is literally the only one I have ever known to use a small format (Fugi) for wildlife. And even he only used it a few times, at Fiji's bidding.
I suspect that using MFT for wildlife may be mostly a UK or Europe thing. Honestly, here in the United States, there is still very much a "bigger is better" mindset that permeates the entire culture in so many ways. We love and pursue big SUVs, big houses, big boats, big bank accounts, big ... well, big everything, really. I know things are different in many other parts of the world, which could explain why I know SO MANY wildlife photographers, and yet have never heard of any of them using MFT for wildlife, while you can mention several who do.
I don't know that it is necessarily a regional thing, but see it as more of a national thing. I traverse the entire U.S. regularly. I live in the Pacific Northwest, but spend a few months back in the Mid-Atlantic each year, then a month or two in the Rocky Mountain states each year, then a few weeks in California, and try for a week or two in Florida and a few weeks in the deserts of Arizona. I mean, I really get around, and meet up with other wildlife photographers everywhere I go in the U.S. And still never seen or even heard of anyone using MFT for wildlife.
If / when I make the move to MFT, I will literally be the only one I know in the whole country who will be using MFT for that purpose!
There's a lot to be said for being unique! Yes, maybe it's a cultural thing.
Brooke "Little Bear" Bartleson is a professional wildlife photographer based on your side of the pond, based in the Rockies I think. Her work is something else: https://littlebearwildlife.com/ Well worth a look.
Ivor,
Yes, Brooke's work is quite wonderful. I went to her website, and noticed that she doesn't offer any prints larger than 20" by 24". That is really small, and I find it odd that she doesn't offer any larger sizes. Could it have anything to do with the small sensor size that she is using? It kinda concerns me, as I am considering a switch to MFT for the better image quality. But if it has better image quality than full frame, then why wouldn't she offer larger prints? The more I look into this the more confused I get.
On her website, it seem like every picture is offered at 32" by 40".
Could you please supply a link where the bigger prints are available?
When I go directly to the link that Ivor supplied, this is what I see under every category:
You're comparing apples with oranges!
Have you checked out the 150-400? It is weather-sealed and includes a switchable 1.25 teleconverter, making it a 190-500 lens, with the Fool Frame reach of a 380-1,000 lens! And it is incredibly lightweight for its capabilities.
I don't want to deprecate Sigma, which makes some very fine lenses, but again… apples to oranges. Compare the 150-400 to camera-makers' own lenses with that capability, and you'll see that $7,500 is a bargain! You can't touch similar Canon or Nikon glass for that little. (That is, if there are even "similar" lenses! Does Canikony have any lenses with integrated, switchable teleconverters?)
That sounds quite impressive!
Jan Steinman said,
"You're comparing apples with oranges!"
Jan, of course I am comparing apples with oranges. If one is not sure about whether to eat an apple or an orange, then the sensible thing is to compare the apple with the orange to determine which will be best for one's snack.
Likewise, if I am not sure whether it is best to continue on with my huge aperture lenses and large sensor, or to get a system that has tiny sensors and lenses with less depth of field, I should compare the two very different systems with one another to determine which one will be best for my needs, moving forward.
Hi Tom, I reached out to Brooke and got a reply. She says she produces the super-sized prints with no problems at all. Hope that helps.
Thanks sop much for that, Ivor. Her response goes a long way toward bolstering my opinion of MFT gear.
Tom Reichner wrote: "tiny sensors and lenses with less depth of field…"
Y'know, it's sorta funny, but back in the pre-internet film days, there were these things called "photography magazines." At least once or twice a year, they'd all have articles about how to get *more* depth of field!
You can certainly get thin DoF with a µ4/3rds sensor.
There are two aspects to DoF: 1) focal ratio, commonly mis-known as "aperture" (talk to a telescope aficionado about "aperture" someday :-) and 2) reproduction ratio, or the ratio between the real-life apparent size of an object, and its apparent size when viewed.
Note that there are lot more ways to manipulate the latter than the former!
Fun fact: if you print your µ4/3rds images at 1/4 the area of your full-frame images, *they will have exactly the same DoF!* (All other things being equal.) Also, if you stand twice as far away while viewing the same-sized print, *they will have exactly the same DoF!*
So, the first thing to do is get half as far away from your subject, and you'll have the same DoF! (Macro folk have been fighting thin DoF forever. It's ironic that, for all the wailing about "too much DoF" that full-frame sorts complain about, µ4/3rds types can be a bit smug when shooting macro!)
Of course you can combine the two aspects of DoF by choosing the largest aperture you have and getting as close as you can.
The following was done with a 50mm ƒ/1.2 vintage lens on a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra, for an effective 35mm ƒ/0.85. I set the lens to its minimum focus, then moved back and forth to focus the shot.
"You can't do that with a postage-stamp-sized sensor!" Yes, you can.
When photographing wild animals, which is pretty much the only thing I ever photograph, one is usually already as close as one can possibly get. I have already set up binds, carefully established feeding stations, shooting towers, etc., as close as possible to the wildlife. To tell me, "just get half the distance from the subject" is rather naive and shows that one is not aware of the fact that I am already as close as possible. Camera to subject distance is normally a given in wildlife photography - meaning one is already as close as one can get. So the only way of changing the DOF in such situations is to use gear that is conducive to subject isolation and increased degree of background blur.
You can also get "half the distance" by using 1.4 times the focal length — and long lenses in µ4/3rds are both relatively light and inexpensive!
But yea, I hear you: if you've already got your whole situation planned out for full frame, it's going to take effort to make something work in µ4/3rds.
This 500mm ƒ/4 image has the same depth of field on µ4/3rds as a 350mm ƒ/4 lens would have on full frame.
The digital ND filter is nice. I first encountered one in my FS7M2 (I mostly do video), and was immediately spoiled by it.
Yes, it's a feature that was in the Mark III version of the E-M1. This new model has an extra stop, up to ND64. I'm looking forward to comparing it and combining it with my glass filters,
I had to look up the FS7M2 - that's a nice bit of kit! It would be great to see some of your work if you want to share it.
I switched over to Sony from Canon a number of years ago. If I was switching now this would be my target camera. It’s clear to see why so many wildlife photographers have made the jump to the Olympus system.
Yes, there are a lot of wildlife and macro photographers swapping over to the system. The extra reach coupled with the portability, and that incredible FPS rate must be a big attraction. Although I do some of wildlife, I am looking forward to using it for landscapes and seascapes. Again the portability is a big thing for me, and that extra dynamic range of this new sensor will make a big difference.
I am really impressed with this camera. What I like most are the computational photography aspects/features, and especially the hi-res modes for landscape photography, since that's my thing. I would most likely buy this if I didn't buy a camera body recently.
Thanks for the comment, M Hector. What camera did you go for?
Hi, Ivor. I purchased a Sony A7R IV. I had been waiting and waiting for Canon to come out with a successor to one of their APS-C mirrorless cameras, and when it never materialized beyond that M50 Mark II widely seen as something that was only comparable to a firmware update of the Mark I. I decided that it was time to move on and up. I am quite happy with my decision. But this OM-1, were it released when I was in the market for a new device, would have really caught my attention.
There is always the debate over sensor size, sure. And I wanted more megapixels. But this OM-1 with its two hi-res modes would have satisfied that criterion for me because I do a lot of landscape photography.
Just being an IT person and devices geek, I really hold the computational photography aspects high on my list of what makes a device exceptional. Sony also pays attention to this, although this OM-1 really shines bright in that regard.
Thanks for that comprehensive reply. The great thing about the high res mode is the edge-to-edge sharpness, something that drops off with a lot of higher resolution camera/lens combinations.
I have a feeling that this would have been my new baby, this camera. Maybe a future version of it will be mine if I expand my collection of gear. Thank you for the article and discussion!
It's certainly a fine piece of kit. Thanks for the great comment.