OM Digital Solutions releases a new camera, the Olympus OM-1, and two new weather sealing lenses: the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II and OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro.
As a nod to the past, the new OM-System OM-1 retains the Olympus name. However, it is also reported that it will be the final camera model following JIP's announcement last year that the Olympus Imaging division would be renamed 'OM Digital Solutions.'
It's a subtle, reverent nod to Olympus's past that fans will appreciate.
To those users who are unfamiliar, OM Digital Solutions Corp is a new company formed following Olympus sold off its imaging division to Japan Industrial Partners last year.
First Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm
According to Digital Camera World, with a 35mm equivalent field of view of 24-80mm, it features 14 elements in 9 groups (including four aspherical elements), 9 aperture blades, a 62mm filter thread, a 0.2m minimum focusing distance, and an ultra-compact 69.9 x 84mm body smaller than a soda can.
Additionally, the lens is interchangeable with the original Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro trinity lens.
Except for the increased rating, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II hasn't changed much, although it now offers an improved image quality in the same compact, lightweight body as the original version.
Second Lens: M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm
Whereas the standard zoom lens is a fairly well-known feature due to its identical optical formula, the OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro is a completely new proposition.
Digital Camera World stated that with the same "fundamental structure" as the Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens, this new f/4 version shrinks the 160mm and 760g frame of its big brother to a small 99.4mm (124mm when in use, un-retracted) and 382g frame - users can compare the old and new lenses in the gallery above. This equates to an 80-300mm equivalent lens that users can carry around in their pockets.
Both lenses are rated IP53. IP53 indicates that the device is protected against a limited amount of dust ingress.
Both lenses are weatherproof to the same degree as the camera body, with an IP53 rating and freeze resistance to 14°F. Additionally, they will feature a fluorine coating on the front-most lens, which repels water, oil, and dust and simplifies cleaning.
The Olympus OM-1
Ephotozine stated that the Olympus M1 has the compact advantages of the Micro Four Thirds format while being a full-frame camera. The noise levels, durability, ISO range, and inclusion of some special features such as in-camera focus stacking are the highlights of the new camera.
According to PopPhoto, the OM System OM-1 is a Micro Four Thirds camera based on a stacked, backside-illuminated (BSI), Live MOS sensor with a resolution of 20 megapixels. Additionally, it comes equipped with the latest TruePic X image processor, which is said to be three times faster than previous camera models.
Here are a few features of the OM System OM-1:
ISO 25,600 is the maximum native ISO.
Image stabilization based on a 5-axis sensor provides seven stops of stability (up to 8-stops with certain lenses)
Burst shooting at 120 frames per second with AF locked, 50 frames per second without AF points
1 053 cross-type AF points on the sensor
Enhancements to subject detection (now with dog and cat detect)
EVF with a resolution of 5.76 million dots and a refresh rate of 120 frames per second
