Olympus OM-1

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, kye said:

It's a rare day when a camera ticks all boxes for anyone..

Not just bodies, but lenses also, so when a company has both...

Before I went L Mount, Olympus was my first choice, - the brand that came closest to my spec as an entire system.

The only 2 deal-breakers for me were I wasn't 100% convinced with the low light capability and the lack of 10 bit 4k 60p.

OM-1 addresses both of those issues, at least in regard to the video side of the equation.

No other brand does. I've checked every single combo possible including all the non-native lenses and there is not a single system that checks every box.

L Mount = AF + lenses

Fuji = lens fails for video.

Canon = overheating, real or artificial warnings...no thanks, plus the R6 and R5 are big plastic lumps (EOS R came last in my build/feel test 2 years ago). Expensive RF glass and I don't want to adapt.

Sony = A7iv closest to my needs, but has a couple of negatives for me.

Sigma = let's not go there. GREAT glass, niche cameras.

Nikon = Internal video spec on the Z6ii

Panasonic GH6 = Obviously I don't know the answer 100% but I suspect the AF will be improved, but still not great (but happy to eat any one of my various hats if it proves to be otherwise) and it seems it will be even more video-orientated and has been to the pie shop.

The OM-1 on the other hand fits that ethos I was chasing when I went from chonky boy D3s's with big zooms to dinky X Pro1's with primes, ie, more compact, lighter, more nimble...and after some familiarity, allowed the kit to get out of the way allowing for more creativity.

I felt towards the end of my time with Fuji, I was beginning to fight the system and fudging various things in order to simply make it work as best as I could.

That's how I feel about the current L Mount set up I currently have...in regard to my specific needs, - it's getting bloated and I'm wrestling with it somewhat and having to come up with workarounds and aaaaaaaaaaargh, I might talk about kit a lot, but I actually don't really care about it as anything but as a tool.

I just want 'it' to do what I need it to do. Nothing less and also nothing more, which is why I don't give a fig about 4k 120p or 8k or 100 frames per second stills.

Hold on to see what the XH2 is? Much as I'd like to as I like Fuji as a brand, the same question comes back, - what about the lenses? I don't want to have to select something that isn't quite right, but the best option available.

4/3rds between Panny and Olympus, IMO has the best lens options by a mile such as:

17mm f1.2, 45mm f1.2, 10-25mm f1.7, 25-50mm f1.7 and equivalence be damned, but 35, 85, 20-50 and 50-100 would be a DREAM combo for my needs so; 34, 90, 20-50 and 50-100 is as close as is possible.

1 hour ago, John Matthews said:

However, my guess is that a PEN-F ii will be on the horizon.

I had forgotten about the Pen F, - one of my favourite cameras I never owned.

I was shooting Olympus (EM5 mkii's) for video when I moved to France 6 years ago and was toying with Pen F's for stills, but went all in on Fuji for photo and video so it never happened.

Could be of interest, but if...and it's still an if (though more likely than not likely) I move to OM for my video needs, I will have to test for stills because right now, I can't see much touching my S1R (other than similar level cameras, but it crushes my old XT3 easily).

1 hour ago, John Matthews said:

Good for you to get a bunch of jobs lined up. Not easy in this economy.

Around 50% postponements from 2020 and 2021 and the rest new bookings.

It would probably have been around 25 totally new bookings without the postponements as I had to turn a lot away.

My comfort zone is actually around 20-24 as each job is an average 12 days commitment; travel, attendance, office etc.

[kye]

37 minutes ago, John Matthews said:

Yes. What I meant was weather sealing, size, weight, bulk and look. From the photos I've seen, it doesn't really look like a hybrid camera anymore. Like someone else said, it's a mini S1H. Personally, I think that's really cool, but I'm not sure how "run and gun" it'll be or if the AF is just hype with no substance or the real deal.

Yeah, we'll have to see I guess.  There's a shot of it with no lens showing the mount, so we should be able to compare it to the GH5 using that as a reference.  I might give that a go and post in the other thread.

3 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

Not just bodies, but lenses also, so when a company has both...

Before I went L Mount, Olympus was my first choice, - the brand that came closest to my spec as an entire system.

The only 2 deal-breakers for me were I wasn't 100% convinced with the low light capability and the lack of 10 bit 4k 60p.

OM-1 addresses both of those issues, at least in regard to the video side of the equation.

No other brand does. I've checked every single combo possible including all the non-native lenses and there is not a single system that checks every box.

L Mount = AF + lenses

Fuji = lens fails for video.

Canon = overheating, real or artificial warnings...no thanks, plus the R6 and R5 are big plastic lumps (EOS R came last in my build/feel test 2 years ago). Expensive RF glass and I don't want to adapt.

Sony = A7iv closest to my needs, but has a couple of negatives for me.

Sigma = let's not go there. GREAT glass, niche cameras.

Nikon = Internal video spec on the Z6ii

Panasonic GH6 = Obviously I don't know the answer 100% but I suspect the AF will be improved, but still not great (but happy to eat any one of my various hats if it proves to be otherwise) and it seems it will be even more video-orientated and has been to the pie shop.

The OM-1 on the other hand fits that ethos I was chasing when I went from chonky boy D3s's with big zooms to dinky X Pro1's with primes, ie, more compact, lighter, more nimble...and after some familiarity, allowed the kit to get out of the way allowing for more creativity.

I felt towards the end of my time with Fuji, I was beginning to fight the system and fudging various things in order to simply make it work as best as I could.

That's how I feel about the current L Mount set up I currently have...in regard to my specific needs, - it's getting bloated and I'm wrestling with it somewhat and having to come up with workarounds and aaaaaaaaaaargh, I might talk about kit a lot, but I actually don't really care about it as anything but as a tool.

I just want 'it' to do what I need it to do. Nothing less and also nothing more, which is why I don't give a fig about 4k 120p or 8k or 100 frames per second stills.

Hold on to see what the XH2 is? Much as I'd like to as I like Fuji as a brand, the same question comes back, - what about the lenses? I don't want to have to select something that isn't quite right, but the best option available.

4/3rds between Panny and Olympus, IMO has the best lens options by a mile such as:

17mm f1.2, 45mm f1.2, 10-25mm f1.7, 25-50mm f1.7 and equivalence be damned, but 35, 85, 20-50 and 50-100 would be a DREAM combo for my needs so; 34, 90, 20-50 and 50-100 is as close as is possible.

I had forgotten about the Pen F, - one of my favourite cameras I never owned.

I was shooting Olympus (EM5 mkii's) for video when I moved to France 6 years ago and was toying with Pen F's for stills, but went all in on Fuji for photo and video so it never happened.

Could be of interest, but if...and it's still an if (though more likely than not likely) I move to OM for my video needs, I will have to test for stills because right now, I can't see much touching my S1R (other than similar level cameras, but it crushes my old XT3 easily).

Around 50% postponements from 2020 and 2021 and the rest new bookings.

It would probably have been around 25 totally new bookings without the postponements as I had to turn a lot away.

My comfort zone is actually around 20-24 as each job is an average 12 days commitment; travel, attendance, office etc.

I think one of the biggest challenges with cameras is that there are so many features.  You can literally tell someone that you want 12 features, they recommend you a camera, and you realise that you'd eliminated that camera because of a 13th feature or criteria you forgot to mention.

I mean, who'd have thought that along with all the crazy tech stuff that you'd have to specify to someone that the camera not shut down to stop itself catching fire.  I mean, I also don't want my camera to give off toxic gas, but I wouldn't have thought that would need to be specified!

This is one of the reasons I am so critical of almost every camera manufacturer focusing on resolution about 4K - it's a feature that most people don't want but it comes at the cost of almost every other feature.

[Django]

17 minutes ago, kye said:

Yeah, we'll have to see I guess.  There's a shot of it with no lens showing the mount, so we should be able to compare it to the GH5 using that as a reference.  I might give that a go and post in the other thread.

comp was already done in the leak video..

[kye]

10 minutes ago, Django said:

comp was already done in the leak video..

Man, the GH6 looks so much larger with a huge lens on it than the others do without any lenses at all!

GH5 is 725g, so basically zero extra weight.

For me the size is really the height, with the width a distant second.  For example, comparing my GH5 and GX85 the widths are almost the same, but the "look at me and my huge camera" factor comes from the height:

I'd definitely trade height for depth.

[Django]

21 minutes ago, kye said:

GH5 is 725g, so basically zero extra weight

That is with battery and memory, GH6 weighs 823g with those included.

A far cry from OM-1’s 511g, the exact same weight as it’s original 1972 35mm counterpart! Gotta love that attention to detail..

[John Matthews]

1 hour ago, Django said:

A far cry from OM-1’s 511g, the exact same weight as it’s original 1972 35mm counterpart! Gotta love that attention to detail..

511g is the weight "à l'Olympus" (without the memory card and battery). The real weight is 599g.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1688415-REG/om_system_v210010bu000_om_1_mirrorless_camera.html/specs?sts=pi&pim=Y

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

1 hour ago, Django said:

That is with battery and memory, GH6 weighs 823g with those included.

A far cry from OM-1’s 511g, the exact same weight as it’s original 1972 35mm counterpart! Gotta love that attention to detail..

Fun fact - last year I come across an OM-1 (the film one) for auction with a 50mm f/1.8, gave a US$ 80,00 bid, and won. Got the camera, was in VERY good condition, and the lens was pristine.

My E-M10 MK III was sold this week, hence this is the replacement. 🙂

[MrSMW]

Another fun fact and that is as a child growing up in the 70’s, the original film OM-1 was my Dad’s camera.

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

6 hours ago, John Matthews said:

Maybe. My impression is also that a integrated battery grip model is unnecessary at this point. However, my guess is that a PEN-F ii will be on the horizon. I only judge it because OMDS is demonstrating that they are also a company that commemorates the past and so many people have asked for a new PEN-F. The E-P7 didn't cut it in its build quality.

This is what I doubt - and was one of the reasons that I moved to Fuji.

Panasonic last lens launches were the 1.7 zooms, and the only camera rumored was the GH6. OM is beaten the drum of "wildlife / ruggedness", and launching PRO lenses. Looks like that they will focus in these niches, and only in higher price / higher margins.

After the G9 (which, maybe, got a sucessor, but I don't bet on it), Panasonic released the GX9 (VERY underrated camera, it is very good, but is a GX85 slightly upped) and the G95 (GX9 internals in a bigger body, plus some little extras). No proper GX camera (with good EVF, lots of controls), the GM line is vanished.

Olympus crippled the amazing E-M10 MK II in the MK III, and the MK IV is just a new sensor. The E-P7 was kinda hinted to be the Pen F sucessor. The E-PL and E-PM lines are dead.

My guesses: Panasonic will launch the GH6, maybe a G10, and wait. Maybe a G100 and a GX10, but if these cameras did not sell, they will kill their MFT line. And all these occasional financial publications talking about they thinking to sell their camera division remembers me a lot the Samsung and Olympus cases.

OM will probably launch an OM-5. A proper Pen F sucessor would be amazing, but AFAIK, despite all the enthusiasts crying for a sucessor, the original Pen F sold much less than antecipated - because of the high price, and a sucessor proabaly would be in the US$ 1100 range, with a X100V costing $1400 with a lens, or an X-E4 at $849,00.  

If Panasonic and Olympus could make a turn in the MFT sales, I guess this is the last MFT generation.

[John Matthews]

24 minutes ago, Marcio Kabke Pinheiro said:

This is what I doubt - and was one of the reasons that I moved to Fuji.

Panasonic last lens launches were the 1.7 zooms, and the only camera rumored was the GH6. OM is beaten the drum of "wildlife / ruggedness", and launching PRO lenses. Looks like that they will focus in these niches, and only in higher price / higher margins.

After the G9 (which, maybe, got a sucessor, but I don't bet on it), Panasonic released the GX9 (VERY underrated camera, it is very good, but is a GX85 slightly upped) and the G95 (GX9 internals in a bigger body, plus some little extras). No proper GX camera (with good EVF, lots of controls), the GM line is vanished.

Olympus crippled the amazing E-M10 MK II in the MK III, and the MK IV is just a new sensor. The E-P7 was kinda hinted to be the Pen F sucessor. The E-PL and E-PM lines are dead.

My guesses: Panasonic will launch the GH6, maybe a G10, and wait. Maybe a G100 and a GX10, but if these cameras did not sell, they will kill their MFT line. And all these occasional financial publications talking about they thinking to sell their camera division remembers me a lot the Samsung and Olympus cases.

OM will probably launch an OM-5. A proper Pen F sucessor would be amazing, but AFAIK, despite all the enthusiasts crying for a sucessor, the original Pen F sold much less than antecipated - because of the high price, and a sucessor proabaly would be in the US$ 1100 range, with a X100V costing $1400 with a lens, or an X-E4 at $849,00.  

If Panasonic and Olympus could make a turn in the MFT sales, I guess this is the last MFT generation.

If M43 is in trouble, so is Fuji and FF. I'm not really bothered by companies closing up shop as there are still a bunch of cheap bodies and lenses for a lifetime- that's just reality (I probably have enough right now). You make a really good point about margins and I suspect there will be pressure from investors to make money.

The Olympus sale was a little more complicated than what many think. Yes, Olympus couldn't make money in M43, but this was primarily debt from scandals and a new factory. The sale of JIP eliminated much of the debt and allowed them to restructure. I think there are significant opportunities for them. In video, they could do damage as they don't have a cinema line to protect unlike Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. Also, it's a fact that many people just won't use a phone for photography or video (me included).

The reason I think there might be a new PEN-F is that OMDS is showing they're interested in nostalgia of former great cameras and the PEN-F is one of them. I'm not sure it matters that people want or don't want to buy it and they can price it in a way that makes sense to their profits... someone's going to buy it.

In terms of Panasonic, I truly believe they don't know what they're doing anymore. They're doing too much and not enough with all of their imaging business. I'm worried for them, much more than OMDS.

[Amazeballs]

Sadly I must agree that MFT is dying. It would probably still exist in some sort of form for much longer beeing an open system I would imagine some manufactureses still produce MFT gear once in a while, but if OM and Pana fail to make any siginificant money out of those cameras they WILL shut down their MFT camera divisions. This is just a reality. 

[MrSMW]

I think one of the problems MFT has is when they allow bodies or lenses to get too big because then folks cry, "but I can get a FF camera the same size!" often with higher spec and cheaper prices.

With the shorter focal length 'pro' glass, there isn't much difference in size compared with FF equivalents, but when you get to the longer stuff, there is a much bigger difference.

All I do know is that the appeal of MFT for me is when it's kept as compact and light as possible. Like Bruce Lee.

I was thinking back earlier today that one of the 2 set ups I have enjoyed the most (not talking about ultimate quality of output or spec sheets, but the feeling I had using the kit) was:

A pair of Fuji X Pro-1's with the original trinity lenses of 18mm, 35mm and 60mm. 

also

A pair of OMD EM5 mkii's with the f1.8 trinity of 17mm, 45mm and 75mm.

I want to get back to something like that, but with a requirement for a third body due to my hybrid capture work needs.

[John Matthews]

1 hour ago, Amazeballs said:

Sadly I must agree that MFT is dying. It would probably still exist in some sort of form for much longer beeing an open system I would imagine some manufactureses still produce MFT gear once in a while, but if OM and Pana fail to make any siginificant money out of those cameras they WILL shut down their MFT camera divisions. This is just a reality. 

The same could be said all manufacturers. The good news is that M43 transcends companies- more like an open standard. Nikon dies and everything with it dies too- same for Sony, Canon, Fuji, Pentax, etc.

[John Matthews]

1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

A pair of OMD EM5 mkii's with the f1.8 trinity of 17mm, 45mm and 75mm.

I have all of those with the E-M5 iii and they're just great! The E-M5 series/GX80 with small, light primes represent everything that's great about the system. I wish they'd make another longer prime like a 150mm f/2.8 prime. I really haven't tried the longer stuff, but that's where the future is for M43.

[Video Hummus]

OM-1 is launched. It's a homage of sorts to the film OM-1 from Olympus. It's a great M43 photography camera for landscapes, wildlife, adventure travel photography.

Now launch "OM-1X" pivoted from a pro level MFT sports body (dead market) to pro level video body with new and improved 12-35, 35-100 F/2 43rd lenses revamped and redesigned for MFT. Focus on practical video focused utilities like:

• false color
• waveforms
• LOG
• great look and feel of image

Hit the few key specs like oversampled 4K up to 120p, PDAF, 10-bit, no overheating or record limits. Push unique Olympus features like enhanced IBIS modes and live IBIS feedback assist tools for video.

[bjohn]

8 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Another fun fact and that is as a child growing up in the 70’s, the original film OM-1 was my Dad’s camera.

It was Jane Bown's camera too: https://www.anatomyfilms.com/jane-bown-65-years-with-olympus/

I've been a Jane Bown fan forever, and it's worth reading the article to learn about her minimalist approach: she took some of the most memorable portraits of the 20th century, all with natural light (she never carried a flash), never used a light meter, and brought her two cameras (one with a Zuiko 50mm and the other with a Zuiko 85mm) to her shoots in a shopping bag.

[Video Hummus]

21 minutes ago, bjohn said:

It was Jane Bown's camera too: https://www.anatomyfilms.com/jane-bown-65-years-with-olympus/

I've been a Jane Bown fan forever, and it's worth reading the article to learn about her minimalist approach: she took some of the most memorable portraits of the 20th century, all with natural light (she never carried a flash), never used a light meter, and brought her two cameras (one with a Zuiko 50mm and the other with a Zuiko 85mm) to her shoots in a shopping bag.

Great article. Thank you for sharing. I really admire her no fuss process. Very refreshing and inspiring in todays tech obsessed gear shit show.

[Amazeballs]

I could imagine MFT holding its ground (for video makers), if they would implement some key innovations, like:

- build-in nd

- some sort of super IBIS that combines their awesome mechanical stab with digital and creates a gimbal-like stabilization 

- big bright 5 inch display, so you don't need to fiddle with an external monitor

- DJI like focusing system

But that is just my imagination 😁 nobody gonna implement that. 

P. S. And I personally am OK with FF-like size, if they would do something like that

 

[Amazeballs]

I kept thinking what could a great MFT product and I got an idea that I think has some potential:

What if.. DJI would make a much more compact a stripped-down version of their Ronin 4D in MFT format?

Like a middle-ground between their tiny Osmo and huge and expensive 4D. They already done it actually with their Zenmuse drone gimbal. Now just update it with Ronin 4D tech, make it as compact as possible and that would be a very intresting product. 

Now DJI is a company that could surpise everyone. 

[John Matthews]

1 hour ago, Amazeballs said:

I kept thinking what could a great MFT product and I got an idea that I think has some potential:

What if.. DJI would make a much more compact a stripped-down version of their Ronin 4D in MFT format?

Like a middle-ground between their tiny Osmo and huge and expensive 4D. They already done it actually with their Zenmuse drone gimbal. Now just update it with Ronin 4D tech, make it as compact as possible and that would be a very intresting product. 

Now DJI is a company that could surpise everyone. 

I'm glad you're seeing the potential of M43 as an open standard... DJI would NEVER do that for ANY FF maker with a proprietary mount.