OM-1 NAME REVIVED ON THE FIRST OM SYSTEM CAMERA

IN THE HISTORY of photography the OM-1 model number is a significant one, let alone in the subsequent history of Olympus, so it’s appropriate that it’s been resurrected on the first camera in the new era of OM System products. The company formerly known as Olympus is now OM Digital Solutions and the brand formerly known as Olympus is now OM System… but just to confuse you, the new mirrorless Micro Four Thirds format OM-1 is also badged Olympus. However, it’s the last time you’ll see it on a camera, because OM Digital Solutions was allowed to use it one last time to, appropriately, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original OM-1. Still with us? So, in a nutshell, the new OM-1 is not only the first OM System camera, but also the last Olympus camera too. It’s actually quite neat when you think about it. Will it be as collectible (and famous) as the original? Time will tell.

However, there’s no question that OM Digital Solutions has gone all out to build something special. The new OM-1 is about the same size as the OM-D E-M1 Mark III – which, presumably, it’s replacing – but it’s got a lot of the E-M1X’s goodies while also being faster and boasting a brand new sensor which enables a brand new autofocusing system that’s even cleverer than before.

The sensor has the same effective resolution as the devices used in both the E-M1X and E-M1 III, but it’s a completely different stacked BSI design with an arrangement of photodiodes for phase-detection autofocusing which OMDS calls ‘Cross Quad Pixel AF’. This uses X-shaped arrays of four photodiodes at each pixel point – so 80 million in all – which collectively are able to determine the subject distance. Additionally, this arrangement provides 100 percent frame coverage to the benefit of both tracking and focusing on subjects at the edges. There are 1053 user-selectable AF points.

The stacked sensor design allows for a faster read-out which, along with the next-gen ‘TruePic X’ processors gives the OM-1 some serious speed – up to 50 fps (at 20.4 megpixels res) with full AF/AE adjustment and both JPEG and RAW capture. The caveat is that AF adjustment at 50 fps is only supported by selected PRO series lenses (currently just six). Lock the AF/AE to the first frame and you can shoot at 120 fps, but this is a little hobbled by a burst length of around 90 frames. The ‘ProCapture’ pre-release frame buffering can also operate at 50 and 120 fps. Obviously these speeds are with the camera’s sensor-based shutter, but a physical focal plane shutter is retained with continuous shooting at 10 fps. The OM-1 has dual memory card slots for SD devices and both have UHS-II speed support. It’s powered by a new, higher-capacity battery – the BLX-1 – which is good for around 520 shots, and there’s a new optical battery/vertical grip.

The E-M1X introduced intelligent subject recognition to AF tracking and its capabilities are expanded with the OM-1, adding birds, cats and dogs to aircraft, racing cars (and bikes) and trains. Face/eye detection for humans has been improved, but remains separate as it’s based on the AF system while the object recognition is processing data from the pixels differently. Also inherited from the E-M1X are the high-speed multi-shot capture functions, namely ‘High-Res Shot’ and ‘Live ND’. The high-res mode uses pixel-shifting to deliver up to 80 megapixels (with in-camera compositing) and the ‘Live ND’ now has a ND64 setting which represents a six-stop exposure reduction. The ‘Live Composite’ function – which builds long exposures from multiple shots, but only recording changes to bright light sources such as stars – has a duration of up to six hours and can now be used with the in-body image stabilisation for hand-held shooting (at much shorter exposure times obviously).

The OM-1 is very much about leveraging the size and weight benefits of the M43 sensor so the OM-1 is compact, but not surprisingly small particularly when compared with the Alphaseries full frame Sonys. The bodyshell is a magnesium alloy casting with sealing against dust and moisture to the quantifiable IP53 standard plus insulation to enable shooting in subzero temperatures. There’s a new OLED-type EVF with a resolution of 5.76 megadots (previous OM-D models have used LCD panels), 0.83x magnification (35mm equivalent) and a refresh rate of 120 fps. The monitor screen also gets a boost in resolution – up to 1.62 megadots – and is full adjustable for tilt and swing, with touch screen controls. Cause for much rejoicing is a completely redesigned menu in terms of both presentation and operation, eliminating many of the Olympus-era obscurities and mysteries. It’s colour-coded, much better organised and easier to navigate.

For video, the OM-1 steps up to 4K DCI and UHD at 50/60 fps and Full HD at up to 200/240 fps internally, with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour when using OM-Log and HLG (HDR) recording. There’s the option of either the H.264 or H265 codecs. A 12-bit 4:4:4 Apple ProRes RAW output is available for external recording via HDMI to a supporting Atomos Ninja recorder.

OMDS is describing the OM-1 as the “OM System Flagship Model” which it is, presumably, by being the only OM System camera at present… as opposed to the OM-D line-up where you’d have to think that the E-M1X is still the king. Nevertheless, the OM-1 is still very much a pro-level camera with sports, action and wildlife photographers in mind given the portability and the 2.0x focal magnification factor which delivers more compact telephoto lenses.

The OM System OM-1 is available locally now priced at $3299 body only. OM System products are distributed by OM Digital Solutions Australia, and for more information visit https:// olympus-imaging.com.au, or turn to our full test in this issue.