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Photography news and reviews

Olympus

Olympus has a long history in photography, making its name back in the days of film with iconic 35mm SLRs like the OM-series and the miniature half-frame Pen cameras. It took a bold step into the digital world with the Micro Four Thirds format, and it's now looking as if that might slowly be paying off. The sensor is smaller, but so are the cameras and the lenses.

Olympus OM-D E-M1X

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TypeMirrorless
Sensor sizeMicro Four Thirds
Resolution20MP
Lens mountMicro Four Thirds
Burst mode18fps/60fps
Video4K 30p
User levelExpert/professional

Olympus has launched a new flagship wildlife, documentary and sports camera using much of the tech in the existing OM-D E-M1 II but in a bigger, tougher body with some significant enhancements.

The OM-D E-M1X uses a 20.4-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, so it’s a bold move for Olympus to pitch it up against pro models with full frame sensors four times larger.

[Read more…] about Olympus OM-D E-M1X

Olympus launches pro-spec FL-700WR flash alongside E-M1X

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Olympus’s new flash setup consists of the FL-700WR flash and a wireless transmitters and receivers. The FL-700WR flash follows the pattern of other high-end dedicated flash systems from other camera brands. It comes with 180-degree swivel and 90-degree bounce capability, and guide number of up to 42m at ISO 100 and the ability to be used on its own or as either a commander for controlling additional flash units or as a receiver that can be triggered remotely.

Olympus’s flash system uses radio control to avoid issues with lighting and to work without direct line of sight, even with the flash behind the camera, at a range of up to 30m. The FL-700WR can control up to three remote flash groups and any number of additional units within those groups.

It’s been designed to be compact and light weight, and the FL-700WR is also dust, splash and freezeproof, so it shouldn’t be a problem shooting in the rain, for example.

Olympus claims a recycle time of 1.5 seconds at full power with NiMH batteries or 2.5 seconds using alkaline cells. It also says the FL-700WR can keep up with the E-MX1 at 10fps when set to 1/16 power. The company says the new flash is also compatible with its cameras’ High Res Shot, Focus Stacking and Focus Bracketing modes.

Other features include a Multi-flash mode for long exposures, Super FP flash for high-speed sync, first and second-curtain sync and a TTL mode with pre-flash. The FL-700WR also as an LED lamp built in for shooting video, with a 77-degree angle of illumination and 100 lux brightness at 1m.

The FC-WR and FR-WR remote transmitter and receiver units are sold separately and could prove useful for multi-flash remote setups where you’re using different brands or types of flash. Both are dust, splash and freezeproof. The FC-WR, like the FL-700WR flash, can control up to three groups with independent settings for each, while the FR-WR receiver has a sync terminal for regular commercial flash units.

Available: Late February 2019
Price: FL-700WR flash €349, Wireless Commander FC-WR €299, Wireless Receiver FR-WR €199
More information: Olympus UK & Ireland

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 150- 400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO super telephoto zoom lens is on its way

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At the same time as announcing its new flagship OM-D E-M1X camera, Olympus teased a new supertelephoto zoom due to arrive in 2020. Olympus is aiming the E-M1X at pro sports, wildlife and documentary photographers, so this powerful addition to its pro lens range will be an important selling point for the new camera.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 150- 400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO offers the equivalent of a 300-800mm focal range on a full frame camera, so although its constant f4.5 might sound modest by pro super telephoto standards, it’s actually very good, given this lens’s effective focal range.

Not only that, the new lens includes an integrated 1.25x teleconverter which boosts its focal range to 400-1000mm in 35mm camera terms. And as if that wasn’t enough, it will be compatible with the M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20, which will further boost the focal range to an impressive 800-1600mm equivalent.

Olympus bodies, including the new E-M1X, already have image stabilisation built in, but the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO will have its own in-built image stabilisation which will work alongside the camera’s to provide the best possible stabilisation effect – this combination of in-body and in-lens dual stabilisation is becoming increasingly popular amongst mirrorless camera makers.

Exciting as it is, though, this new lens is still under development and will not arrive until 2020. The new Olympus MC-20 2x teleconverter is scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2019, however.

In the meantime, Olympus users already have access to the impressive M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 300mm 1:4.0 IS PRO and versatile M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40‑150mm 1:2.8 PRO.

Available: 2020
Price: TBC
More information: Olympus UK & Ireland

Olympus vs Panasonic: who has the best lenses?

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Both brands use the same MFT lens mount and in principle you can use any MFT lens on any camera. But each company still makes its own range of lenses, and given that most users would probably prefer to stick to own-brand lenses, who’s got the best range?

Olympus Winter cashbacks and E-PL9 free lens offer

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Olympus Europe announced its winter promotions on October 1st where buyers can claim up to £85 cashback (UK currency) on selected bodies and lenses.

With cashback deals you pay the full price at the checkout then submit a claim for the cashback value to Olympus, so you do get the advertised saving, but not straight away.

The promotion runs from October 1st 2018 to 15th January 2019 and as long as your purchase is made between those dates you will qualify.

The prices below are quoted in UK £, but you can go [here](https://bonus.olympus.eu/) to select your own country for more information.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 III

£85 off the OM-D E-M5 II and E-M10 III

The E-M5 II is Olympus’s mid-range DSLR-style mirrorless camera. It’s compact and powerful but getting pretty long in the tooth now and there’s some speculation it’s due for an update.

The E-M10 III cashback deal looks good value, though. This is Olympus’s ‘baby’ DSLR style mirrorless camera, but it’s actually very powerful and quite appealing to enthusiasts and experts too. The only drawback is the 16-megapixel sensor. It’s fine, but not as tempting as the 20-megapixel sensor in Olympus’s top models.

Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8

£65-85 off selected lenses

You can get £85 cashback on the following M.Zuiko lenses:

• 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 £85
• 12mm f/2.0 £85
• 75mm f/1.8 £85
• 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II £85

And there’s a £65 cashback deal on these two:

• 17mm f/1.8 £65
• 60mm f/2.8 Macro £65

These cashback offers can be combined, so you can get as many bodies, lenses or combinations of each as you like to claim cashback on all of them.

Olympus E-PL9

Free 30mm f/3.5 lens with the E-PL9

The E-PL9 is the latest Olympus PEN camera designed for bloggers and stylish snappers. The price stays the same, but if you buy one between October 1st 2018 and January 6 2019 at participating dealers, you get to claim a free M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm f/3.5 macro portrait lens normally worth £249.99.