So What Ever Became Of Olympus?

OM System became of Olympus. And they are right here, right now, for the new buyer or the old owner - both get a chance for some very good photography.

I asked the OM man a two-part question; what on the stand would be good for a new OM System buyer, and what would be there for the older Olympus owner. And remember we’re playing with words here - both OM System and Olympus mean Micro 4/3 cameras now.

So, new buyer gets a choice of OM-1 or OM-5. Both with more stabilisation than they ever had before, pixel shift recording, hi-res shot modes, 5K video recording, file bracketing and stacking in-built, and IP. 53 weather sealing. One in a larger body with a few more bells and whistles and one in a slightly smaller and less expensive one. Both do more than most people can imagine, but that leaves a good deal of thinking room. Both use the same lenses.

Both are smaller and lighter than most DSLR cameras…small form always being one of the designs features of most Olympus cameras even back in the film SLR and travel camera days. There was always a solidity about the Olympus cameras that has carried on right through to current production.

The OM lens that the new buyer chooses will match what they want to do with the system. They’ll all fit, and will be smaller and shorter than full-frame equivalents.

The old buyer ( old in the sense that they already possess an Olympus camera body ) will probably do well to look again at the lenses. Even if they are longdistance shooters, the telephotos and zooms will be easy to carry.

But howzabout this one - a new 90mm macro that can pair with a teleconverter to go from the close to the closer. 2:1 x to 4:1 x magnification - not just 1:1, Couple this with in-lens image stabilisation and you have a fighting chance to actually see deep into the macro world on a steady basis. Combine this with the in-body stabilisation aspects of OM System cameras and you may leave your tripod at home, thank you.

Well, don’t, actually. If you want to do focus stacking with your new OM System camera it will still be a good idea, and if you want to combine it with a focusing rack you’ll be even happier. Decide how to light the Little World, because you may be looking into darkness - CE has light rigs that will show anything up.

SO…whatever became of Olympus? It has become whatever you want to make of it right now.