Blown away by Olympus
Olympus is a brand that has been around for years. Their relatively recent foray into the mirrorless 4/3rd cameras has put them solidly on the map as one of the leading camera manufacturers in this category. It is not surprising since they are the pioneers in this format and have come out with more generations than any other brand. In the process, they have fine-tuned their mirrorless cameras into fabulous photography instruments.
I first discovered the Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera some two years ago. Truth to tell, the day I held it, I immediately fell in love with it. It was small, light and could take really great photos. My big DSLR camera has remained unused since then.
The new Olympus OM-D E-M1, the latest in this series of cameras was released last year in Japan. I only got hold of a review copy now. Let me just say that I am blown away by it.
The camera is small compared to the regular DSLRs. That’s how mirrorless cameras are, and its size is a big deal if you are carrying a camera strapped on your neck for hours. But its smallness is packed with goodies that can surprise and delight even the pros.
The heart of every digital camera is its MOS. This is what captures the light. In this E-M1, it is a 16 megapixel live MOS and the TruPic II image processor that makes its pictures superior in image quality because of its hi-res and high sensitivity. The minimum ISO is 100 and the maximum is 25600.
Its metal body, size and ergonomic design makes it actually nice to hold. It feels solid. The viewfinder is even much improved compared to the E-M5 which actually was already quite good. Its response is much faster and is clearer and more accurate. Its cat’s eye control makes the viewfinder adjust brightness automatically depending on the situation. And yes, the viewfinder is customizable and there are three settings to choose from.
The image stabilization supports every lens you can use. It has an 81 point focus area, fast AF and can shoot 10 frames per second. And by the way, its fastest shutter speed is 1/8000 sec and claims to have ‘the shortest shooting time lag in its class’.
The monitor is a touchscreen, which is great for scrolling and enlarging. And I love the way you can angle it when holding the camera for almost every angle high and low.
As a habit, I shoot mostly on manual mode even if the E-M1 is great to shoot on any mode actually. It is a breeze to get the settings you want because they are almost all just a press, a click or a switch away. When it comes to ease of us, this camera is a real winner. The Zuico- made lens I am using, a 14-42 mm lens is sharp and captures the photos in beautiful stunning detail.
One difference between the old EM-5 and its new upgrade the EM-1, is that the latter is now WI-FI capable. You can now easily share photos online by way of your smart phone which can also serve as your camera monitor and remote control. This is a wonderful add on that makes shooting , say, selfies a walk in the park.
I was also able to try the OM-D E-M10 for a ride. It is an even smaller, more compact camera than the top of the line E-M1. It feels right and can do a lot of what the more expensive E-M1 and E-M5 cameras can do. It may have its limitations when it comes to its shutter speed (1/4000 at its fastest) , and a few other things. But for half the price of its big brother, it is a camera worth having.
But what you will miss though is it does not have the all weatherproofing that the EM-5 and the new E-M1 have where you can shoot under rainy and extremely dusty conditions.
If you are thinking of buying the new E-M10 versus the old E-M5, get the newer one since it has almost the features of the E-M5 plus a few more.
Some photographers out there still cannot take the 4/3 camera format seriously. They still look at it as inferior and like sticking to the traditional DSLRs that they have invested in. But more and more, with the giant strides in product development and marketing from companies like Olympus, it won’t be too long before this tinier, lighter camera becomes the standard.
