As many already know, Olympus recently became OM System. It would be easy to fall into the trap of talking about what this change might mean for its products. But OM System’s new OM-1 Camera is such a triumph that dwelling on its previous name would be a waste of space. The new OM System OM-1 Camera is a micro-four thirds power house.
Key features of the OM-1 Camera:
- Backside Illuminated Quad Stacked CMOS Sensor
- 1053 Phase Detect, Cross Quad Pixels AF
- AF points cover 100% of the image
- Up To 120fps in Single AF
- Up To 50fps in Continuous AF
- TruePic X Processor 60x more power
- 5.76 Million Dot EVF
- Live ND64 (6 Stop ND)
- IP53 Dust, Splash and Freeze Proof
- 4K video Up To 60p
- Full HD Video Up To 240p
- Up To 4:2:2 10 Bit Internal Recording
- New User Interface
- Dual UHS-ii Card Slots
- USB-C PD Power
Anyone familiar with the previous E-M1 series is going to be right at home with the OM-1 as, on the outside, things seem very similar. Aside from a new AF-ON button for back-button focus, there’s relatively little change. Although, once you pick up the OM-1 camera and start using it, and it’s clearly been upgraded on the inside.
A Detailed Viewfinder
The first thing you’ll notice is the clear and detailed electronic viewfinder. The EVF on the OM-1 is a 5.76 million dot OLED display with a smooth 120fps refresh rate. The rear screen is fully articulated and now has more pixels. This is handy for shooting photos or video, and also makes the redesigned menu system much clearer.
Impressive AF Sensor
Of course, it’s the sensor that really matters. The OM System OM-1 Camera has a new 20 million pixel sensor that’s packed full of new technology, delivers one-stop better dynamic range, and less noise. It’s a backside illuminated, stacked, quad pixel autofocus sensor. Put simply — it’s faster in every way.
Thanks to the quad pixel autofocus, it can also find focus in low light or on low contrast scenes. Because the autofocus points now cover 100% of the sensor and there’s 1,053 of them, they can be selected in a variety of ways including creating your own focus pattern.
TruePic X Processor
This is all driven by the new TruePic X processor which delivers the power to bring features previously only found on the E-M1X. This includes subject detect AF, which is an AI algorithm that can find and focus on birds, trains, planes, cars, and now cats and dogs.
The TruePic X processor also speeds up other aspects of the cameras computational photography, something Olympus cameras have always excelled at. Focus stacking and high resolution shots now process twice as fast in camera. Additionally, the Live ND effect has jumped to ND64, which is like having a 6-stop ND filter inside your stills camera.
Continuous Shooting
If sports or wildlife is your subject matter of choice, you’ll be interested in the continuous shooting abilities of the OM System OM-1 Camera. The headline number is a blistering 120 frames per second of JPG or RAW images. However, that is only available as a fixed AF option. If you need continuous AF, the OM-1 maxes out at a mightily impressive 50 frames per second. Both speeds are also available in Pro Capture mode, which effectively lets you capture moments in time before you press the shutter.
Video Capabilities
The changes for video users are equally impressive. Of course, there’s 4K 60p which can be up to 4:2:2 10bit. If you want to slow the world down, there’s also 240fps in full HD. Other nice touches include customizable zebra stripes, no time limit on recordings, and external recording at up to 4:4:4 12bit RAW. The improvements in auto focus are also carried over into video (including face and eye autofocus) which helps make the OM System OM-1 Camera a very capable video camera.
New Lenses
Along with the new OM-1 camera, OM System also announced two new lenses to their lineup. The new M.Zuiko 12-40mm Pro Mark II builds upon the success of the original lens. Everything that was good before is still here. It keeps the manual focus clutch and the customizable function button on the side. The improvements are mostly on the inside with the updated design further reducing flare and ghosting, useful when shooting into the light. The new lens is now IP53 rated, so it’s dust, splash and freeze proof. OM System has also added a new water repellant coating on the front element, which is also much easier to keep clean.
The M.Zuiko 40-150mm F4.0 Pro is an entirely new lens which joins the growing lineup of OM System F4.0 lenses. The constant f/4 aperture makes this lens around half the weight and size of its f/2.8 stable mate — perfect for photographers who need to travel light. Having the “Pro” tag also means that this lens is IP53 rated as dust, splash and freeze proof to 14°F. And finally, it’s worth remembering that this is a micro-four thirds lens. Its 40-150mm focal length equates to the same reach as an 80-300mm lens on a full frame (35mm format) camera, but in a much smaller and lighter package.
Final Thoughts
It seems that OM System has addressed and improved every aspect of its cameras with the OM-1. So much so that there’s not enough space here to talk about things like dual card slots — both of which are the fast UHS-ii type — or the improved IP53 rating for weather sealing and the new long-lasting battery. Whatever type of photography you do, the OM System OM-1 Camera has massively stepped up its game.
