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 takes on the pro camera market

by fotovolo · Jan 24, 2019

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.

On the other hand, the smaller format means a lighter system overall, the new camera is cheaper than full frame pro equivalents and Olympus has steadily built up an impressive range of professional lenses.

The E-M1X body has an integrated grip and duplicated controls for both horizontal and vertical shooting. It’s dust, splash and freezeproof, and with two BLH-1 batteries installed (the same type as the E-M1 II) it can capture up to 2,580 shots on a single charge. These can be recharged via USB, and if you have a sufficiently powerful charger (it can go up to 100W) both batteries can be charged in as little as two hours.

The E-M1X’s party trick is its 60fps burst mode, which it inherits from the E-M1 II. It also has a Pro Capture mode which buffers the last 35 frames continuously while the shutter release is half-pressed and stores them when the shutter button is pressed fully for ‘retroactive’ capture. The 60fps frame rate is with the focus locked on the first frame, though, and the maximum speed with AF/AE tracking enabled is 18fps.

The autofocus system keeps the same 121 on-sensor AF points as before but Olympus has ‘redeveloped’ its algorithms for much better performance. It now uses focus information from recorded images to help track erratically moving subjects and now comes with different AF target modes using groups of up to 25 AF points, custom AF settings for horizontal and vertical shooting and new ‘intelligent subject detection’ for motorsports subjects, aircraft and trains.

Images are stored via twin UHS II card slots, made possible by the camera’s dual TruePic VIII image processors, which also improve the overall responsiveness, startup and ‘wake’ times. Olympus has extended its High Res Shot mode options so that the 80MP tripod mode is joined by a 50MP handheld mode (made possible by the dual processors) which should allow high-res image capture without a camera support.

There’s also a new gyro sensor which improves its in-body image stabilisation system and offers up to 7.5 stops of compensation when using the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO, which has its own in-built stabiliser acting in unison.

Other features include in-built GPS plus temperature, pressure and compass sensors, a live ND filter simulator which offers 5 strength levels and shows long exposures building ‘live’ on the screen.

The movie features are similar to those in the E-M1 II, and while the E-M1X can shoot Cinema 4K and 4K UHD, it tops out at 30p and can’t match the 60/50p capabilities of some Panasonic models. It does now come with an Olympus OM-Log400 mode, however, and can capture full HD at up to 120fps.

Will the OM-D E-M1X succeed? It will certainly appeal to pros already committed to the Olympus system, but it’s going to be a pretty hard sell against full frame rivals from the other big makers.

Available: Late February 2019
Price: £2799.99 body only
More information: Olympus website

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

by fotovolo · Jan 24, 2019

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

by fotovolo · Jan 24, 2019

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?

by fotovolo · Dec 31, 2018

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

by fotovolo · Oct 1, 2018

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.

£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.

£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.

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.

Olympus x Bleu de Chauffe (fancy blue bags for the PEN-F)

by fotovolo · Mar 5, 2018

If you’re the ruthlessly practical sort that questions the price and possible pretentiousness of everything, then you need to look away now. If you think life should be about style and image and nice things, then you might want to keep reading.

Olympus has teamed up with “artisanal” French leather maker Bleu de Chauffe to produce four stylish accessories to go with its Olympus PEN-F camera.

The PEN-F, as well as being a rather good high-end Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, is also designed with more than a dash of retro class, to appeal to a more discerning and (probably) more affluent market than the typical digital camera, so this prestigious Gallic tie-in makes a lot of sense for the PEN-F brand.

Bleu de Chauffe is, we’re told, known for its high quality and sharp designs. These accessories are hand-made in France and inspired by “the industrial universe of the twentieth century”. In practical terms, they’re designed to carry not just your camera but all the other paraphernalia of our electronic existences, including phones, tablets and laptops.

There are two briefcase-style bags in two sizes. The larger bag is the Arles (below), which is designed to accommodate two PEN-F bodies, 2-3 lenses and a laptop. Its dimensions are W 40cm x H 27cm x D 13cm and it comes with an RRP of £549.99.

The smaller bag is the Bologne, which is design for a single PEN-F body, 1-2 lenses and a small laptop or tablet. It measures W 32cm x H 25cm x D 12.5cm and will cost £399.99.

The Prades pouch is like a laptop sleeve but for cameras, and is designed to take a PEN-F with slimline lens like the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14‑42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Pancake zoom. It measures W 31,5cm x H 19,5cm and comes in at £169.99.

Finally, if you can contemplate spending £199.99 on a camera strap, the Giraud adjustable leather strap is made to last but thin, light and very comfortable, we’re told.

Joking aside, we do spend a small fortune on camera kit, lenses, holidays, cars, smart suits and whatnot, so a little bit of luxury here and there in your photographic life doesn’t seem such a crazy idea. All these products go on sale from March 2018.

The Olympus E-M1 Mark II, E-M5 II and PEN-F get firmware updates

by fotovolo · Feb 28, 2018

Firmware updates are great. Your camera’s hardware technology may be fixed from the moment it leaves the factory, but many of its features and capabilities are set by its internal processor – and a firmware update can bring substantial improvements, usually because the designers have found a better way to control and exploit the camera hardware.

So if you have an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, an OM-D E-M5 Mark II or an Olympus PEN-F, this could be your lucky day. All you need is the Olympus Digital Camera Updater, an Internet connection and a few spare minutes.

Olympus has released firmware updates for three cameras, but it’s the OM-D E-M1 Mark II that’s the big winner.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II firmware version 2.0 update

These enhancements are all going to sound pretty specific, but if you own one of these cameras they could prove highly useful:

In the Pro Capture mode the number of pre-captured images increases from 14 to 35. That gives you more time to react with your trigger finger when the action starts. All lenses are now compatible with those mode too.
There’s a new Small AF target setting in both single and continuous AF modes. This lets you set a more precise AF target.
The in-body Focus Stacking feature now works with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS Pro lens, bringing the number of lenses supported in this mode up to eight.
You now get in-body Fisheye distortion correction when shooting with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm Fisheye Pro lens. This means you can use it either as a fisheye or, with the correction enabled, as a regular wide-angle lens with no fisheye effect. You even get to see the corrected image in Live View before you take the shot.
A new Flicker Scan function shows how much fo a scene is flickering when shooting with LED light sources in silent electronic shutter mode, helping you find the best shutter speed.
Olympus’s new Bleach Bypass Art Filter has been added. I’ve seen this on the new Olympus E-PL9, and it’s pretty cool, with a high-contrast, low saturation look.
Other improvements include better continuous autofocus, improved image stabilisation for movies and more natural panning, improved response in tethered shooting and a better battery level indicator.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II firmware version 4.0 update

It’s not so exciting for E-M5 II owners, I’m afraid, with just two new features:

You can now apply Focus Stacking in-camera, with a total of eight M.Zuiko lenses, just like the E-M5 Mark II.
You get the new Bleach Bypass Art Filter here too.

Olympus PEN-F firmware version 3.0 update

Again, it’s just a handful of improvements for this camera, but worthwhile nonetheless:

New ability to transfer and save Monochrome and Colour Profiles settings of images captured with the PEN-F to the camera via the Olympus Digital Camera Updater (version 2.1)
Shading effects added to the Colour Profile Control and Colour Creator, for a “wider range of photographic expressions”.
The new Bleach Bypass Art Filter (you knew that was coming by now, right?

Links

Don’t forget, if you want to apply firmware updates to these or any other Olympus model, you’ll need the Olympus Digital Camera Updater.