The Olympus OM-1 is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this 12 months. It is an iconic digital camera, one which has its share of analog-loving devotees. So it is becoming that OM System—the digital camera model previously referred to as Olympus—is bringing out the primary digital OM-1 this 12 months. The stacked sensor tech inside the brand new mannequin is an enormous step ahead for photographers utilizing the Micro 4 Thirds system and OM tells us that it is going to be the final digital camera with the Olympus badge, a tribute to the unique OM-1.
The OM-1 takes its design cues from Olympus OM-D cameras, particularly the E-M1 sequence, and is the clear follow-up to the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, a 2020 launch. The 2 cameras share the identical primary kind, with many controls falling underneath finger in the identical positions. However whereas the E-M1 Mark III was the reheated dinner plate version of the E-M1 Mark II, the OM-1 looks like an all-new digital camera, made contemporary to order. We acquired an opportunity to deal with it and our first impressions observe beneath.
OM-1: Within the Hand
The OM-1’s physique design has been refreshed with controls that each feel and look higher. Different ergonomic enhancements embody a deeper handgrip and a shutter button that rests extra naturally underneath the index finger at a steeper angle. It is constructed powerful, too, with a magnesium alloy body and IP53 climate resistance; that is excellent news for nature photographers who use Olympus gear for out of doors work.
The digital camera’s design lends itself to handheld pictures, particularly. The OM-1 mounts its sensor on a stabilizer, so any lens (even these with out stabilized optics) profit from that further stability. The digital camera is not an excessive amount of to hold both at nearly 1.3 kilos. I paired the OM-1 with a number of of the purpose-built lenses for the system to this point, together with the slim 20mm F1.4, a brand new 40-150mm F4, and the venerable 300mm F4 telephoto prime. All three steadiness properly, together with the comparatively heavy 300mm. An add-on grip with vertical controls and house for an additional battery is offered if you happen to choose a bigger physique type.
The OM-1’s viewfinder is improved as properly. It is as massive to the attention as many full-frame SLRs (0.83x) and includes a 5.76-million-dot OLED panel. The result’s a transparent, massive picture within the viewfinder. The show is appropriate for motion pictures too; it refreshes at 120fps. The digital camera’s articulating rear show is helpful for waist-level and tripod shooters. The display additionally swings out to face ahead, so vloggers can use it for direct-to-camera recording.
The digital camera’s menu techniques profit from a redesign. The short on-screen menu is now cleaner, with a extra streamlined grid-and-column association; it appears to be like a bit much less haphazard than on the E-M1 Mark III. This panel is navigable by contact however nonetheless is not customizable. The principle menu is all new as properly. OM Methods moved the tabs from a aspect column to the highest and I discover the typeface a little bit bit simpler to learn. You may’t navigate the principle menu by contact, although—as an alternative, you need to depend on digital camera dials and the rear management pad.
OM caught with mainstream SD reminiscence format for this launch. The OM-1 has two slots, each of which help SDXC UHS-II media. The digital camera makes use of a brand new battery (the BLX-1) that CIPA charges for 520 photographs. In follow, you may doubtless get extra photographs per cost. For reference, in my at some point of testing to this point, I netted about 400 exposures with 60% left on the battery; that is with out utilizing any steady drive seize modes.
Stacked Sensor for Velocity and Computational Pictures
Modifications aren’t simply on the surface: a brand-new picture sensor powers the OM-1. That is the primary huge inside revamp since 2016’s OM-D E-M1 Mark II went to a 20MP sensor. The OM-1’s chip retains the identical pixel depend however is constructed round a a lot newer structure—Stacked CMOS. The OM-1 is the primary time we have seen that used outdoors the full-frame format (amongst fashions with swappable lenses).
We have seen what Stacked sensor tech can do in different cameras. Full-frame our bodies just like the Canon EOS R3 supply blisteringly quick seize charges, made doable by an structure that places photosensitive pixels, DRAM reminiscence, and processing into one unit. It has been a comparatively high-end characteristic till now—the $3,500 Sony a9 had been the bottom price mannequin earlier than the OM-1. Its $2,200 body-only value is actually on the excessive aspect for Micro 4 Thirds however reveals that bleeding edge tech is lastly trickling right down to lower-cost fashions. The chip within the OM-1 retains up with the high-priced competitors—it helps 120fps Uncooked imaging with locked publicity and focus, plus manages 50fps when monitoring topics and delivering constant autoexposure from body to border.
These seize charges are overkill for a lot of disciplines, however photographers who ceaselessly take care of fast-moving topics ought to respect the flex. The OM-1 depends on a totally digital shutter to fulfill these speeds, a technique that has some pluses and minuses. On the optimistic aspect, the view by means of the lens is uninterrupted, which is an actual profit for preserving the lens pointed at topics in movement. And with an extremely excessive burst price, you usually tend to freeze the proper second in time.
On the draw back, excessive burst charges create numerous pictures so that you can cull by means of, working in venues with digital signage might be tough, and flash sync is a reasonably sluggish 1/100-second. To assist sidestep these shortcomings, the OM-1 features a mechanical shutter able to 10fps seize and sync with an exterior flash as fast as 1/320-second. Like most mirrorless cameras, the OM-1 does not have an in-body flash.
Olympus cameras are well-known for his or her in-camera computational enhancements. OM System takes the identical strategy however leverages the Stacked CMOS sensor and its TruePic X processing engine to energy its varied multi-shot modes. The OM-1 helps excessive decision, HDR, simulated impartial density (for longer exposures), and focus stacking (for macros) modes, amongst others. The high-res, impartial density, and HDR modes all help handheld work and the up to date processor gives 4 occasions the ability of the older TruePic IX chip for speedier in-camera processing.
The processor additionally comes into play for topic recognition. The OM-1 is the primary digital camera we have seen with a Cross Quad Pixel AF, a spotlight technique that splits every pixel into 4 elements. The tactic attracts higher depth maps of a scene than twin pixel and masked section pixel strategies, which OM leverages for topic recognition. The OM-1 has discrete detection modes for automobiles and bikes; airplanes and helicopters; trains; birds; and home animals. It additionally helps face- and eye-detection for folks in its normal focus mode.
As for video, OM does not push the decision to epic ranges; the digital camera tops out at 4K decision and a most 60fps recording price. 16:9 UHD and wider 17:9 DCI side ratios can be found, too. You may swap between commonplace shade profiles in an 8-bit H.264 format or swap to a flat or HLG profile and 10-bit 4:2:0 recording with H.265 compression. Uncooked recording is an possibility, however you’ll want to add an Atomos Ninja V or V+ recorder to make the most of 12:bit 4:4:4 ProRes.
If there’s an underwhelming side to the OM-1, it is high-frame-rate video seize. Different stacked sensor fashions ship 4K120 sluggish movement, however you are restricted to 4K60 right here, ok for half-speed playback in 30fps tasks. If you wish to sluggish movement down additional, you’ll want to drop to 1080p, the place 120fps and 240fps body charges can be found.
New Lenses
OM System is bolstering an already intensive line of Micro 4 Thirds lenses with two new choices. The primary is an replace to the Olympus’ premium commonplace zoom, the 12-40mm F2.8. The brand new OM System 12-40mm F2.8 Professional II sports activities a refreshed optical design with a shorter minimal focus distance and IP53 safety to match the digital camera. It’ll price $999 within the US and $1,300 in Canada.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0 Professional can also be coming to market. This can be a new entry—an ultralight telezoom with a retractable barrel, inside zoom optics, and IP53 safety. It is available in at $899 for US prospects and $1,140 for these in Canada.
The OM-1 prices $2,199.99 body-only as talked about, however you will get in with the brand new 12-40mm II as a equipment for $2,799.99. Prospects in Canada should take care of greater pricing—$2,799.99 for the physique and $3,599.99 for the equipment. The digital camera is about to go on sale in early March similtaneously the brand new lenses. OM is providing an additional battery and three years of guarantee protection for purchasers who order the digital camera early. In case you’re on the fence, verify again for a overview quickly—we could have extra to say concerning the OM-1 as quickly as we have put it by means of its paces.