Key specs
Sort: Mirrorless
Sensor: 20.4MP Micro 4 Thirds
Lens mount: Micro 4 Thirds
ISO vary: 200 to 102,400
Viewfinder: Digital, 5.76 million dots
Video functionality: 4K 60p / FullHD 240p
Weight: 1.13 lbs
Dimension: 5.47 x 1.52 x 3.15 inches
Reminiscence card kind: 2x SD
The primary ever digital camera from OM Digital Options can also be the final ever digital camera with the Olympus title on it and the OM System OM-1 additionally carries the burden of getting the identical mannequin quantity as one of the legendary cameras ever made.
Fortunately, the OM System OM-1 completely lives as much as the pedigree of the unique Olympus OM-1 movie digital camera. It’s, merely, the perfect all-round Micro 4 Thirds digital camera ever made, doing the Olympus title proud in its last outing – and proving that OM Digital (new proprietor of the Olympus model) is a critical participant within the imaging trade.
It packs a stacked, back-side illuminated sensor that delivers a most burst velocity of 120fps, placing it on par with Nikon’s flagship-grade Nikon Z8 (with a few caveats). And whereas the sensor’s native decision is 20.4MP, a Excessive-Res Shot mode can shoot 50MP handheld or 80MP on a tripod (once more, with caveats).
It is the perfect weather-sealed digital camera available on the market, providing unrivalled IP53 certification. It additionally possesses essentially the most rock-solid picture stabilization there may be, with 7 stops of in-body stabilization as commonplace and eight when utilizing the producer’s particular Sync-IS lenses. And by way of video, it will probably shoot as much as 4K 60p in 10-bit 4:2:0 internally or 12-bit ProRes RAW externally.
A real basic observe instrument, it caters to each style; it has devoted Starry Sky capturing modes that make it one of many greatest astrophotography cameras, and blistering autofocus with animal detection makes it one of many greatest wildlife pictures cameras as properly. Due to the broader depth of discipline supplied by Micro 4 Thirds’ 2x crop issue, it is even one of the competent cameras for macro pictures.
OM System OM-1: Design
Being a continuation of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 line, the OM-1 feels so much like cameras such because the E-M1 Mark III. Which is to say that it’s clear, compact, modern and slim, however with out being so tiny that it will probably’t be held by large palms – and it has a deep, chunky grip providing loads of buy. An elective battery grip will increase the handgrip and doubles the battery life (to 1,000 pictures) do you have to want it.
Not like extra junior EM / OM fashions it has a joystick, for fast focus level changes, and management dials recessed into the back and front of the physique (quite than sitting on the highest plate) for quicker and extra snug capturing. The rear display is a totally articulating affair, providing final versatility for each stills and video, whereas the digital viewfinder is a high-speed, high-resolution OLED that includes a 120fps refresh price (for blackout-free capturing) and 5.76 million dots.
The physique itself is best weather-proofed than some other interchangeable lens digital camera obtainable, licensed to the IP53 commonplace. For context, meaning it will probably nonetheless function even with 3 minutes of steady water being sprayed on it from a 60° angle. The magnesium alloy chassis is constructed to final, as is the shutter mechanism —which is sweet for 400,000 actuations.
When it comes to menu design, the much-maligned Olympus menus of previous have been fully reworked to make them prettier to have a look at, simpler to navigate, and extra instinctive to search out issues — and the Tremendous Management Panel quick-menus are nonetheless there to make capturing so simple as potential.
OM System OM-1: Performance
The OM-1 has a lot performance that it virtually would not appear actual. Let’s begin with a few of the computational pictures, which regularly will get missed in evaluating this digital camera.
We have already talked about the Excessive Res Shot mode, which makes use of the digital camera’s stabilization system to shift the picture sensor incrementally whereas taking a sequence of pictures, artificially rising its floor space and, thus, its efficient pixel depend. This allows you to take 50MP or 80MP photos, however the caveat is that your topic must be fully motion-free (in any other case motion shall be captured between the a number of frames).
Further equipment
Equipment lens: M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Professional II
Finest huge lens: M.Zuiko 7-14mm f/2.8 Professional
Finest zoom lens: M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Professional
Spare battery kind: OM System BLX-1
Then there’s the Stay ND mode, which successfully provides you built-in ND filters of as much as 6 stops. Wish to take blurry waterfall pictures with out exterior ND filters or shrinking your aperture? Now you may. There’s additionally Starry Sky AF, which presents correct astrophotography autofocus and an image-stabilized mode to accommodate handheld astro pictures.
It achieves a primary in autofocus expertise, too, being the primary digital camera to own Cross Quad Pixel AF. You have most likely heard of Canon’s Twin Pixel AF, utilized in cameras just like the Canon EOS R5, which options two photodiodes per pixel for extra correct efficiency. The OM-1 has 4 photodiodes per pixel, which mixed with the Deep Studying algorithms presents extremely strong autofocus.
Whereas it is a stills-first system, the video seize right here continues to be fairly spectacular: 4K as much as 60p and FullHD all the way in which as much as 240p are on provide, with a log profile and HLG mode, 10-bit 4:2:0 utilizing H.265 HEVC or 8-bit 4:2:0 with H.264. Lengthy GOP and All-I are each obtainable, and if recording to an exterior monitor you get the choice of 12-bit 4:4:4 ProRes RAW.
OM System OM-1: Efficiency
The brand new back-side illuminated sensor within the OM-1 produces efficiency by no means earlier than seen on a Micro 4 Thirds digital camera, and counters many longstanding criticisms of the system.
Dynamic vary and ISO noise have each been dramatically improved, the previous by a few cease and the latter producing a lot much less noise when capturing at larger sensitivities. OM claims that the efficiency is on par with full-frame sensors, which is not strictly true in my expertise — however having used Micro 4 Thirds cameras for ten years, I can affirm that that is not like something the system has ever achieved earlier than.
As famous, the digital camera is able to 120fps burst capturing, however that is with locked AF/AE (and the buffer tops out at round 90 pictures). That mentioned, the OM-1 can shoot full-resolution 20.4MP photos at 120fps, whereas the Nikon Z8 can solely shoot low-res 11MP photos at 120fps (although AF is not locked). For capturing with full autofocus, you may shoot bursts at 50fps — although solely half a dozen M.Zuiko lenses assist the total AF actuation velocity.
As ever, one of the vital modes on the Professional OM / Olympus cameras is Professional Seize. This data as much as 70 frames even earlier than you press the shutter; whenever you’re sitting there with the shutter half-pressed, ready to your topic to maneuver, the digital camera begins buffering frames. While you totally depress the shutter, it saves the latest 70 frames plus the 50fps (with AF/AE) or 120fps (locked) pictures that comply with it. So, if you happen to’re capturing wildlife or sports activities, you will by no means miss that essential second by being a half-second too sluggish to press the shutter.
And, whereas it isn’t fairly up there with Canon’s impossibly good topic detection, the autofocus is snappier and stickier than all however essentially the most superior skilled our bodies available on the market.
Do you have to purchase the OM System OM-1?
With blistering velocity, pre-shutter capturing, wonderful autofocus, ND capturing with out ND filters, handheld astrophotography, and 80MP imaging the OM-1 is the cleverest digital camera available on the market proper now.
And the largest promoting level is the smallest: that is essentially the most compact and light-weight pro-grade digital camera system you should purchase, due to the small nature of Micro 4 Thirds lenses. Take into account this: The chunkier Nikon Z8 with the large Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 lens weighs a mixed 5lbs, however the OM-1 with the M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Professional (an 80-300mm equal) weighs virtually half as a lot at simply 2.8lbs.
If you’d like a powerhouse digital camera with the smallest footprint potential, look no additional than the OM System OM-1.
If the OM System OM-1 is not for you
The OM-1 does so many issues, we’ll recommend some alternate options for various functions. If you’d like one other crop sensor powerhouse for wildlife and sports activities, look to the Canon EOS R7. With its 32.5MP sensor, 30fps bursts, oversampled 7K video and the perfect autofocus within the trade, it is a monster for motion pictures.
For an astrophotography digital camera, we might advocate the Pentax Okay-1 Mark II with its devoted astro options – together with a red-screen night time mode, illuminated buttons and Astrotracer tech that makes use of GPS and picture stabilization to comply with the celebrities!
Lastly, for an additional all-singing and dancing technological marvel, you may’t go fallacious with the Canon EOS R5.