Only if you bury your head in the past few months, do you feel the lack of enthusiasm for the OM-1. The company’s new camera formerly known as Olympus caused quite a stir. What is it like in the real world? I’ve owned the OM-1 for over three months. Am I still as enthusiastic about it as when I first bought it?
That excitement is primarily due to the doubling of the dynamic range of OM System OM-1 compared to its predecessor, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, and quadrupling noise control. Then there’s the AI-driven subject recognition system. Third, the brand’s unique computational photography features like Live Time and Live Composite are astounding. The former lets you watch a long exposure develop on the viewfinder or rear monitor. On the other hand, Live Composite just adds new light to the image, which is great for light painting. Plus, available ND filters are now up to ND64. Then there’s IP-53 weather sealing, the only ILC with that rating.
Best of all, you have the ability to capture high-resolution images that use variable sensor technology to produce images of up to 8 MP. There’s also a host of video enhancements, including C4K 24p-60p, time-lapse, and high-speed up to 100 fps. Of course, the 7 stops of image stabilization is also worth mentioning. That increases to 8 stops when used with a compatible lens. Oh, then there’s the 120 fps, in-camera HDR mode with raw output and the diminutive size of its Micro Four Thirds System. Then I almost forgot to mention Pro Capture, the facility to buffer photos before the shutter-release button is fully pressed, which permanently records only when it’s set, meaning no more action shots are missed.
I wrote about people in My initial review of the OM-1 right after I first bought it. In the three months since, I’ve used it for day-to-day exposures, wildlife expeditions, flying bird photography, weddings, business events, and the numerous workshops I run. So does it make a difference in the real world? You bet yes.
I handle a lot of cameras. From large and heavy top dinosaurs to cheap mass-produced beginner DSLRs that appear to be made from the same plastic used in cheap toys, most all through my hands. The OM-1 Feel powerful and built to last.
The body is slightly smaller and lighter than most other mirrorless cameras. But the significant size advantage comes when you consider the system as a whole. The smaller, more amazing lenses in the M.Zuiko line of professional lenses are tiny compared to equivalent full-frame lenses. Furthermore, the OM-1 strikes a difficult balance between ergonomics and customizable functionality.
I often wonder why so many full-frame photographers commit to staying with a DSLR despite all the advantages offered by a mirrorless system, and maybe some of it is due to the difference in camera performance. balance; you need a big camera to balance a big lens. I’ve previously tried huge 300mm to 600mm lenses on full frame mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, and Sony, but they felt heavy and unwieldy. Some are too large to hold comfortably. The DSLR camera acts as a counterweight. For some people, the combined weight and bulky size of the DSLR/long lens combination doesn’t bother them. In that case, I understand why some big system photographers don’t change to mirrorless bodies, despite all the advantages it will bring.
This problem does not occur with the OM-1; it always looks well balanced, whatever lens I use with it. Because the equivalent lens ratio on the Micro Four Thirds system is smaller, they are better suited to thinner, smaller bodies. The OM-1’s body isn’t much smaller than that of full-frame mirrorless cameras of its time, but the much more compact comparison lenses make the difference in balance and ergonomics.
This is not a cheap camera, the OM-1; it doesn’t mean that. But compare it with other stacked sensor cameras released around the same time. Like everything in photography, sensor size has both advantages and disadvantages. Price is one of the OM-1’s significant advantages over these larger cameras. The Sony A9 II costs $4,498, more than double the price of the OM-1. Meanwhile, Nikon z9 for $5,496and Canon R3 is a whopping $5,999.
So at $2199Although it is a top-of-the-line flagship camera, the OM-1 is excellent value compared to other stacked sensor alternatives.
Using the OM-1 in the field
I have big hands and long fingers. I easily manipulate the buttons and dials on the OM-1. My son’s hand is smaller than mine, and I just asked him to try it. He also finds it comfortable and easy to use. So is my wife, who is relatively small and has tiny hands. Curiously, the smaller E-M5s also fit many of my family’s hand sizes. Therefore, I expect a lot of thought to go into ergonomics during the design phase.
The camera is designed for right- and right-handed people. I’m lucky to be right-handed and right-eyed. When shooting action, I like to keep both eyes open to detect subjects outside the frame that I might want to capture. This smaller system helps facilitate that.
Give a thought to those who are left-eyed. Most cameras are at a disadvantage to those holding the camera with the left eye in that the camera body and right hand obscure the view on that side. I tried shooting with my left eye with the OM-1, and although my peripheral vision is less than when using my right, I can still see enough to detect a bird flying my way or a person moving. Exciting action on the street.
One criticism I’ve heard about the OM-1 is its ability to track people. I disagree with this because it’s just too cool compared to many cameras I’ve used. AI-based bird, animal and car tracking is even better. A friend who works in the Navy describes the AI-based object detection as having “military precision”. However, the ability to recognize human faces and eyes is not bad. I used it for all the photos I took at a wedding last weekend, and it didn’t miss a beat. However, I anticipate including human AI, possibly in a future firmware update.
I have always been pleased with the quality and sharpness of the pictures I have taken with my previous Olympus digital cameras, since the E-510 I owned many years ago and even a bridge image that I had at the same time. But details in the photos taken with the OM-1 are surprisingly sharp. That has a lot to do with the new sensor, the In-body Image Stabilization System (IBIS), and of course, the high-end lenses.
Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw have always sharpened Olympus raw files (.orf), and many professional Olympus users have been frustrated by Adobe’s poor-quality raw conversions compared to other software. Capture One and ON1 appear to be the favorites for professional users of the system, plus the exclusive OM Workspace, where raw files are best developed. To deal with noise at high ISOs, something is exceptionally well controlled anyway. I’m happy to shoot up to ISO 125,000 and ON1 NoNoise and Topaz DeNoise both work well for extra cleaning if desired. However, for the images used in this article, I used OM Workspace, which has its own AI-based sharpening and noise reduction feature. It works well.
I disable sharpening when running raw files through various third party processors. When shooting weddings and portraits, I always soften my skin so as not to reveal any irregularities in every single pore of the skin inside every wrinkle. The OM-1’s finest details take photos to the next level for most other types of photos. That, in part due to the doubling of dynamic range, led me to begin capturing seascapes that I had captured with previous iterations of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and E-M5. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with the photos from those older cameras. I still happily carry the E-M1 on my morning bike ride, but the OM-1 is a huge step up.
I don’t do as much in certain genres of photography as I would like; I’m just too busy. However, I see some great macro results from Geraint Radfordand Studio work by Gavin Hoey is prominent. Both are using OM-1.
Battery life is great. I bought three extra batteries when filming weddings and events. During an all-day wedding shoot, I changed the battery once at a convenient time mid-afternoon when it had discharged to 45%. The latter battery was still more than 50% when I finished at 9pm. I didn’t have to change batteries during a four-hour wildlife session. I bought the option BCX-1 external battery charger for its versatility. I think it will be beneficial when combined with energy bankbut so far, I don’t need to use it.
What I do and don’t like
I can honestly say that the OM-1 is the best digital camera I’ve ever owned or used, and I’ve used it a lot. It lives in “Wow Camera” state.
I love its robustness and its 400,000-shutter rating, putting many other similarly priced models to shame. Environmentally, its lifespan is important, as the world’s resources are limited and we should expect quality products to last. It would be great if OMDS made a commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its products, but at least they’re not as green-cleansing as some other brands seem to be. doing. The good news is that they appear to be recruiting photographers to their global ambassador program from different backgrounds, helping to democratize photography. That must be great for our art.
There are a few small things I would improve on. Keyhole screw slots on the bottom of the charger make it wall mountable. Plus, is it time for all camera manufacturers to stop providing us with neck straps and shoulder straps instead?
Supplies for both the camera and its accessories have been held up because of unprecedented demand, but backorders are selling out right now.
There was also a minor software glitch that a few people had (I didn’t) that was quickly resolved with a firmware update. But it’s rare that any complex technology isn’t updated for the same reasons. My camera lost its date and time settings during the firmware update, but again, that’s not a big deal.
These are the little things. Overall, this is a good camera in a league of its own. It is not one end of all trades but a master of many trades. It meets the needs of photographers with improvements that I’ve heard other camera users say: “Why doesn’t my camera have that feature?” In time, they probably will, but until then, it’s certain that OMDS will bring a host of new features, much like its Olympus legacy of the past. Like Olympus has stated with the E-M1 Mark II, it’s over-engineered. There are a lot of things that I will never use, out of curiosity, but they will be features that attract others.
Is it a success? Everything I heard behind the scenes sounded like a punch to the nose for naysayers and expectants, who had wrongly predicted an ominous future for the brand. Exiting the medical field of Olympus, which had influenced and limited research on camera systems was a success for OMDS, freeing OMDS from the restrictions imposed on it. I personally know five people who have swapped their old systems with other brands and purchased the OM-1. I can’t think of any other camera that has happened. Even if you are exclusive to another manufacturer, it is a good thing to have different brands in the market because it promotes progress through competition, especially when one of the brands is innovative. like OMDS. So I’m glad Olympus’ legacy has been revived. Plus, I’m also looking forward to the rumored OM-5.
