If you spoke to me about photography you'd know:
I love my Olympus gear
I won't say that the other brands are bad- because they're not. The current quality of new and affordable cameras is such that there is a camera out there for almost everyone.
I love my Olympus gear
I won't say that the other brands are bad- because they're not. The current quality of new and affordable cameras is such that there is a camera out there for almost everyone.
When I teach people about cameras, while I share my experiences, I encourage people to see what works for them - teaching the fundamentals to help people find their own way..and use what they've learned as a stepping stone to learning even more. Every brand has a philosophy, of sorts, and knowing the fundamentals goes a long way to understanding which of the philosophies suit you best. I can thank my photography friends and mentors for that.
Back on topic, in a rather unconventional move, Olympus have piled on the goodies recently.
This week they announced several releases which has caused a stir in my fellow Olympians. And for good reason. I'll try not to go into the nitty-gritty technical specifications too much. There are plenty of great sites available for that. What I want to discuss is why these recent announcements are relevant.
Back on topic, in a rather unconventional move, Olympus have piled on the goodies recently.
This week they announced several releases which has caused a stir in my fellow Olympians. And for good reason. I'll try not to go into the nitty-gritty technical specifications too much. There are plenty of great sites available for that. What I want to discuss is why these recent announcements are relevant.
1) The announcement of the successor to their OMD E-M5:
The OMD E-M5 II
Not the most creative name, I know. But then you hardly ever hear Canon users complain about their multiple "D" series cameras (1D, 5D, 6D, 7D...mark 1, mark 2, mark 3...you get the picture [pun intended]).
Already reviews are flyout out thick and fast (like this), and it seems the general consensus is: This camera is a worthy successor to the E-M5.
For the uninitiated, the E-M5 was the first in the OMD range of mirrorless cameras from Olympus. Their other mirrorless range, the PEN series, is still going from strength to strength, offering lots of features at an affordable price.
But the "OMD" label is the flagship. It's the pioneering camera that has paved the way for mirrorless cameras to be considered more than just a toy to the serious photographers. Some still aren't convinced of course, but you get that sometimes.
So what's so good about the E-M5II? Well, being a flagship camera it has to bring something new to the scene. And it's done that with achieving 40 megapixel (MP) high resolution, high detail images using a "pixel-shift" technique. The return of the flip-out rotating screen (from the E series DSLRs) is also a welcome sight.
What does that last sentence of gibberish mean?
It means that, for still shots using tripods for now, you can get some really good shots which previously existed only in the price range of professionals! It's a similar technique used in certain high end cameras.
But that's not all. Camera manufacturers are becoming more than aware that the cameras, originally used for taking photos, are being used to capture video. Why waste all of those awesome lenses? The power now available in our latest cameras has paved the way to achieving cinematics which previously was restricted to expensive dedicated video equipment. One camera for photos and video.
The OMD E-M5II introduces more video recording formats and filters, and also makes use of stabilisation technology also used for photography. While not as great as other offerings (e.g. Panasonic GH4 - also a mirrorless camera btw), the E-M5II is a greater all-rounder with phenomenal potential in it's versatility.
It is the new experience that the new OMD E-M5II brings which sets it apart from its precedessors. In that respect alone it is worthy of taking the reigns as a pioneering camera.
The OMD E-M5 II
Not the most creative name, I know. But then you hardly ever hear Canon users complain about their multiple "D" series cameras (1D, 5D, 6D, 7D...mark 1, mark 2, mark 3...you get the picture [pun intended]).
Already reviews are flyout out thick and fast (like this), and it seems the general consensus is: This camera is a worthy successor to the E-M5.
For the uninitiated, the E-M5 was the first in the OMD range of mirrorless cameras from Olympus. Their other mirrorless range, the PEN series, is still going from strength to strength, offering lots of features at an affordable price.
But the "OMD" label is the flagship. It's the pioneering camera that has paved the way for mirrorless cameras to be considered more than just a toy to the serious photographers. Some still aren't convinced of course, but you get that sometimes.
So what's so good about the E-M5II? Well, being a flagship camera it has to bring something new to the scene. And it's done that with achieving 40 megapixel (MP) high resolution, high detail images using a "pixel-shift" technique. The return of the flip-out rotating screen (from the E series DSLRs) is also a welcome sight.
What does that last sentence of gibberish mean?
It means that, for still shots using tripods for now, you can get some really good shots which previously existed only in the price range of professionals! It's a similar technique used in certain high end cameras.
But that's not all. Camera manufacturers are becoming more than aware that the cameras, originally used for taking photos, are being used to capture video. Why waste all of those awesome lenses? The power now available in our latest cameras has paved the way to achieving cinematics which previously was restricted to expensive dedicated video equipment. One camera for photos and video.
The OMD E-M5II introduces more video recording formats and filters, and also makes use of stabilisation technology also used for photography. While not as great as other offerings (e.g. Panasonic GH4 - also a mirrorless camera btw), the E-M5II is a greater all-rounder with phenomenal potential in it's versatility.
It is the new experience that the new OMD E-M5II brings which sets it apart from its precedessors. In that respect alone it is worthy of taking the reigns as a pioneering camera.
2) Olympus announce their Olympus Air camera
It's funny how something which failed previously suddenly works now.
For Sony it was a failure. Their lens-style cameras failed to capture the imagination of people despite being a very innovative product.
For Olympus it's a revelation. The buzz in the air around my friends which use Olympus cameras is a sense of enablement. There are two main factors in this.
For one thing, Olympus have made the mount for the Air camera available for anyone with a 3D printer to create their own mounts.
The second thing is that they have made communications with the camera accessible to developers by releasing a SDK (software development kit) so that anyone can develop their own iOS/Android applications.
These two points means there is an enormous level of scope in which the Olympus Air can be modified and manipulated for use in a multitude of situations. Add to this the micro-four thirds lens range and the possibilities are even bigger!
For now, the Olympus Air A01 is limited to Japan, though looking at the price point, it would sell quite well here in Australia too.
It's funny how something which failed previously suddenly works now.
For Sony it was a failure. Their lens-style cameras failed to capture the imagination of people despite being a very innovative product.
For Olympus it's a revelation. The buzz in the air around my friends which use Olympus cameras is a sense of enablement. There are two main factors in this.
For one thing, Olympus have made the mount for the Air camera available for anyone with a 3D printer to create their own mounts.
The second thing is that they have made communications with the camera accessible to developers by releasing a SDK (software development kit) so that anyone can develop their own iOS/Android applications.
These two points means there is an enormous level of scope in which the Olympus Air can be modified and manipulated for use in a multitude of situations. Add to this the micro-four thirds lens range and the possibilities are even bigger!
For now, the Olympus Air A01 is limited to Japan, though looking at the price point, it would sell quite well here in Australia too.
The success of Olympus in recent years, from almost disappearing into non-existence, to the heights it has reached to date, I feel can be attributed to a decision made a long time ago: The lens mount system.
Micro four-thirds lenses are derived from the four-thirds open standard, designed to be a digital photography format. This allowed lens manufacturers to produce lenses for the format without proprietary licenses or restrictions - just follow the mount specification so that all micro four-thirds cameras can use it. This has allowed other manufacturers to support the format with little in the way of licensing fees or restrictions. Olympus lenses are still highly regarded, but now they share the range with many other manufacturers. There are also now a number of converters out there which will convert almost any lens system to be usable on micro four-thirds format, which means there is sufficient versatility to have an impact across many brands of lenses. People can now move to micro four-thirds without the fear of needing to throw away/sell their treasured classic lenses, and the spectacular results from their old lenses are update to the digital age.
It was a risky decision by Olympus, as it was probably made at a technological stage that could have been considered too early. Indeed the old Olympus four-thirds camera range, while having a good following, struggled to match the heavy-hitting Nikon and Canon camps whose DSLRs continue to do very well. With the advancements in sensor size and quality, as well as the leaps and bounds made in image processing, the micro four-thirds technology has started to come of age, with the evolution of the DSLR to the mirrorless, all-digital, camera.
For Olympus to continue with its pioneering spirit, only time will tell what they will come out with next. They have set a high bar for quality, features, and usability bundled into a small package which will be difficult to beat.
I still can't wait to see what happens next.