Olympus announces OM-D (E-M5)

UPDATE, 11th Feb, 2012: the OMD E-M5 is available to pre-order, please see the links below.

Olympus has announced a new flagship model, the E-M5, the first in the OM-D series sitting at the top of its micro-four-thirds (MFT) system. The new camera features a 16-MP L-MOS sensor and adopts the same lens range as the PEN series, however the OM-D (E-M5) as it's being called, has a built-in 1.44 million dot electronic viewfinder (EVF), new five axis image stabilization system, 'world-beating' FAST AF system all wrapped in a weather sealed magnesium alloy body. Olympus say the new AF system is the fastest currently available of 'any interchangeable lens camera' (ILC) including pro-level DSLRs (and quite a claim though the company is clear that's as of November 2011).

As well as incorporating a 120fps L-MOS sensor, and FAST AF system that featured on the E-P3, lens control communication has improved, resulting in an AF speed increase with MSC compatible lenses. The OM-D is capable of of sequential shooting at up to 9fps (dropping to 4.2fps with AF invoked). Live View black-out times (return times) have been noticeably reduced due to separate processor cores found in the TruePic V1 processor, though timings have yet to be announced.

The EVF features a 100-percent field of view with a 1.15x max magnification and 18mm eye-point, while a new EVF Creative Control feature is said to permit monitoring of highlight and shadow brightness in the viewfinder using a tone control overlay. White balance, magnification and aspect ratio can similarly be adjusted without the eye moving away from the viewfinder.

The OM-D is the first to feature a five axis image stabilization system, correcting not only for yaw and pitch but also , horizontal and vertical shift and rotary motion (rolling). Olympus says the system is particularly effective at compensating for high magnification stills (such as macro shooting), but it's not clear if the same system is used in the MSC IS system, adopted for movie capture. The new camera adopts the MOV format (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264), for movie clips up to 29-minutes as well as the less compact AVi (Motion JPEG) option with linear PCM audio used for both modes.

The OM-D also has a tilting 3.0 OLED touch sensitive panel with 610K dot resolution that's capable of displaying video at the equivalent of VGA resolution (though it's not clear at this time if that's accounting for the different screen ratio). A new Live Bulb feature updates the LiveView image on the rear-panel monitor at preset intervals and also allows the user to assess the final image during the exposure and to adjust the exposure time accordingly.

OM-D main features:

· Speed - the world’s fastest* FAST AF auto-focusing system plus 3D tracking for improved moving object tracking performance
· 16.1-megapixel new Live MOS sensor, for high resolution and excellent low-light performance
· 1.44 million dot high-definition electronic viewfinder, with unique optical design to reduce vignetting, 100% field of view and very short display time lag
· Powerful TruePic VI image engine, for faster recovery time and excellent image quality (still image shooting sensitivity as high as ISO25600)
· Ultra-effective in-body image stabilization using the world’s first*1 5-axis IS, for blur-free movies and stills with any lens
· Compact, lightweight body in the tradition of the famous OM series, in magnesium alloy and enhanced with proven dust-/splash-proof capability
· Fully compliant with the Micro Four Thirds System standard
· Additional lens options under development - the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm 1:1.8 and the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 macro

Additional features:

· Tilt LCD (3.0-inch swivel-type OLED monitor, capacitive touchscreen panel with fast response)
· Full HD (1920 x 1080), now in MPEG4 (AVC/H.264)
· New Echo effect for movies (one-shot echo and multi-echo)
· Live Bulb feature, updating the Live View image on the rear-panel monitor at pre-set intervals during bulb shooting
· New “Key Line” Art Filter, making the picture look more like an illustration by enhancing the edge lines; and new variations “Cross Process II” and “Dramatic Tone II”

The OM-D is available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 for $1299 / £1149.99. Body only price $999 / £999 inc VAT.

 

Pre-order the OM-D E-M5:

Please follow the link to pre-order the E-M5 at Adorama.

B&H Photo are also taking pre-orders, please follow the link here.

Amazon (all countries), please follow the link here.

UK readers can pre-order the E-M5 with the ED 12-50mm at Jessops for £1,149.95, please follow the link here.

Warehouse Express have various combinations available to pre-order here.

For more information, please visit www.olympusomd.com

Thank you for buying through this site's links.

Press release:

Faster, sharper, smarter: the dust and splash-proof Olympus OM-D, with game-changing IS, electronic viewfinder and stunning new lenses

London, February 8 2012
Olympus is taking the forty-year pedigree of the OM series into the next generation with the launch of the OM-D, featuring the world’s first*1 5-axis image stabilization (IS) system to eliminate blur in stills and movies.

See the blur reduction effect live via the fast electronic viewfinder, while simultaneously benefitting from the fastest*2 auto-focus of any interchangeable lens camera (including all D-SLRs) with a further refinement of the world-beating FAST AF (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology) also found on the popular PEN series models.

The camera’s innovative new 16.1 megapixel high-resolution Live MOS Sensor works in tandem with the powerful TruePic VI image processing engine to achieve outstandingly refined image quality and high sensitivity.

The integrated 1.44 million dot high-definition electronic viewfinder lets the photographer to check manual adjustments to brightness and colour tones on-screen and with a new interface for exceptionally easy viewing.

This faster, sharper, smarter camera comes attractively packaged in a durable dust-/splash-proof magnesium-alloy body that ensures lets the OM-D go-anywhere. New accessories such as the optional HDL-6 power battery holder grip, MMF-3 Four Thirds mount adapter and FL-600R electronic flash add to its adaptability, while two new lens options – the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm 1:1.8 and the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 macro – are under development and will extend creative applications for the user.

The OM-D (E-M5) comes in a silver or black body.

The OM-D is available from April 2012 as a kit with the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 for £1149.99. Body only price to be confirmed.

Additional Images

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

For more information please visit www.olympus.co.uk, or www.olympusamerica.com

Olympus OM-D EM-5 carries Sony sensor, yes or no?

[Update] -The general consensus is that the OM-D E-M5 uses a Sony made sensor, and that is interesting for a number of reasons. When I attended the launch of the Pen E-P3 in Vienna, Austria the rumor beforehand was that sensor was made by a rival to Panasonic, but when it was subsequently announced at 12-megapixel, everyone (me included) assumed the sensor was from the same source. But what if it wasn't? And what if the sensor used a four-colour filter array; R, Gr, B and Gb (emerald)? Who might have made that?

At first I discounted reports that the Olympus OM-D E-M5 carried a Sony made sensor, simply because it requires a huge investment to fabricate a new format like this for a single camera manufacturer, let alone a single model. But the Japan based site, DC Watch are reporting the comments made about Sony as the fab-maker by the Olympus President were directed towards the camera and not a microscope, which was apparently the subject being discussed at that time. Sony is a supplier of sensors for the maker's digital compact cameras, as well as their microscopes it seems, but we're still really none the wiser concerning the origins of the sensor in the OM-D EM-5. A spokesperson for Olympus UK declined to comment.

Jessops announces pre-order of Olympus OM-D E-M5, adds free battery grip

UK dealer Jessops is offering the Olympus HDL-6 battery grip (pictured above), worth £250, when pre-ordering the new Olympus OM-D E-M5. Please follow the link here for further details. Orders over £50 qualify for free next day delivery (UK only).

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Olympus announces OM-D (E-M5)

Pre-order Olympus OM-D E-M5

The OM-D E-M5 is available to pre-order from Adorama as a kit with the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 for $1299. Body only price $999.

Please follow the link to pre-order the E-M5 at Adorama.

Please use the following links for other retailers:

Amazon (all countries). Try this link for Amazon UK (if the first link doesn't redirect).
B&H Photo & Video (US) are also taking pre-orders.
Jessops (UK) has the E-M5 with the ED 12-50mm for £1,149.95. (UPDATE, 28Feb, 2012; now with free HDL-6 battery grip, worth £250)
Warehouse Express (UK) have various combinations available to pre-order.

Thank you for buying through this site's links.

Contact

For more information, please visit www.olympusomd.com

Related Posts

Olympus announces OM-D E-M5

Adobe releases ACR 7.1, LR 4.1 adds support for Fuji X-Pro1

Adobe has introduced ACR 7.1 and LR 4.1 adding support for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Fujifilm X-Pro1, Nikon D800, Leica M-Monochrom and Olympus OM-D E-M5. (Lightroom 4.1 was released as RC2 but didn't have support for the Fuji X-Pro1 Raw (.RAF) files).

Other features of Lightroom 4.1 include;

The ability to process HDR TIFF files. (16, 24 or 32-bit TIFF files)
Additional Color Fringing corrections to help address chromatic aberration.
Save photobooks created in the Book Module to JPEG
Publishing photos to Adobe Revel is now accessible via a Publish plugin
Corrections for issues introduced in previous versions of Lightroom.

The update is free to existing users and can be found here (page down to the bottom).

Buy Lightroom 4.1 from Amazon.

List of new cameras supported:

    •    Canon EOS 1D X
    •    Canon EOS 5D Mark III
    •    Canon EOS 60Da
    •    Canon PowerShot G1 X
    •    Fuji FinePix F505EXR
    •    Fuji FinePix F605EXR
    •    Fuji FinePix F770EXR
    •    Fuji FinePix F775EXR
    •    Fuji FinePix HS30EXR
    •    Fuji FinePix HS33EXR
    •    Fuji X-Pro1
    •    Leaf Credo 80
    •    Leica M Monochrom
    •    Leica X2
    •    Nikon D4
    •    Nikon D800
    •    Nikon D800E
    •    Olympus OM-D E-M5
    •    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
    •    Pentax K-01
    •    RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5
    •    Samsung NX20
    •    Samsung NX210
    •    Samsung NX1000
    •    Sony Alpha NEX-F3
    •    Sony Alpha NEX-VG20
    •    Sony Alpha SLT-A37
    •    Sony Alpha SLT-A57

Olympus OM-D E-M5 in stock, for now

We've had an Olympus OM-D EM-5 in for review for a while and it's certainly one the most convincing cameras of its type for reportage and for documentary use, especially when paired with with the 12mm f/2.0, Leica 25mm f/1.4 and 45mm f/1.8. Perhaps unsurprisingly then the camera is hard to find in stock, especially here in the UK. Jessops are out of stock but it can be found at the internet retailer WEX (Warehouse Express) in black; body only (£999), or c/w with the impressively fast focusing 12-50mm zoom (£1,149).

If you prefer Amazon (UK) try here (chrome body is even harder to find, though there are some with the 12-50mm).

For customers in the US, the EM-5 is in stock at the following retailers:

Adorama

Amazon US

B&H Photo (now out of stock)

Thank you for buying through this site's links, it won't cost you extra.

Olympus rewrite history with digital PEN

Olympus has officially released the mFT Digital Pen, we'll have more details later. However, in the meantime head over to the Olympus USA site for sample videos and stills.

UK press release :

The Olympus Pen: a legend returns

London, 16 June 2009

In 1959, Olympus changed the face of photography by pursuing one simple idea: create a camera as easy to use and carry as a pen. Designed by renowned style guru Yoshihisa Maitani, the Olympus Pen triggered a camera boom that would last through the end of the 1970s. Today the legend comes alive again in digital form with the release of the E-P1. This first groundbreaking Olympus Micro Four Thirds model comes at a time when mirrors are no longer a necessary component for digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. Incredibly small size, retro style, and ease of use are a nod to the Pen’s past. However, D-SLR quality and a host of new features place the E-P1 at the leading edge as Olympus innovative technologies reimagine the future. Now everyone can have the best of both worlds: high-end design and D-SLR performance. The E-P1 will be available for purchase in July 2009 at a retail price of £699.99

When he originally designed the first of many Pen cameras, Maitani could not have suspected that he was starting a revolution. Selling over 17 million units, the Pen became one of the most trusted, popular, and successful camera series ever. The removal of the mirror box in the 21st century has brought the legendary series back. Mirror-less construction is the foundation for both the Olympus Pen E-P1’s stunning new design and its remarkably compact size. Everyone will fall in love with the camera’s irresistible retro-look. It is reminiscent of the classic Olympus Pens, which were cherished for their compactness, usability, and affordable price.

Five decades later, the E-P1 promises to honour the memory of its famous forefathers. It hails the beginning of the next generation of the digital era. In addition to all the advantages of Olympus imaging technology, the new ultra-compact hybrid device can even record HD quality movies with sound and stunning creative effects familiar from still photography. In addition to the application of Art Filters, it includes the ability to vary depth of field, angle of view, and autofocus during recording.

The Olympus Pen E-P1 reinvents high-end stylish photography for the new millennium. The new model and its two accompanying Micro Four Thirds lenses will hit stores in July 2009. The E-P1 will be available for a retail price of €TBC.

The Olympus Pen E-P1 – main features:
Small & stylish design
• Extremely small and light-weight Micro Four Thirds System
• Stylish design with metal finish
• Two colours

SLR image quality
• 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor
• TruePic V image processor
• Built-in IS with max. 4 EV steps efficiency
• Adapter for all ZUIKO DIGITAL & OM lenses

Easy operation
• New developed GUI for easiest operation via Live Control
• Automatic recognition of common scenes possible with i-Auto
• Clear skin with e-Portrait
• Two dials for easy handling
• Face Detection and Shadow Adjustment Technology
• 20 shooting modes (5 exposure modes, i-Auto mode, 14 scene modes)

Creativity & HD Movie
• HD Movie with stereo sound featuring depth of field and Art Filters
• Art Filters, Multi-Aspect ratios
• Multi Exposure function
• Art Filters can be applied to previously taken RAW images in the camera and with Olympus software
• Enhanced creativity with special lenses e.g. fisheye is available via Four Thirds lens adapter


Additional features of the Olympus Pen:
• HDMI TV interface
• Linear PCM sound recording
• Level gauge
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface
• Three frames per second with sequential shooting (max 14 in RAW mode)
• ISO 100-6400 for wide-ranging sensitivity
• Versatile bracketing functions for white balance and exposure
• Reliable Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system
• Based on the Micro Four Thirds Standard
• Wide dynamic range in highly lit areas
• Simultaneous writing of RAW and JPEG
• SD memory card (SDHC compatible)
• High-speed data writing and lossless RAW compression for quick processing
• Large 7.6cm/3.0” HyperCrystal LCD
• AE/AF lock functionality for individual customisation
• Auto gradation adjustment to prevent blown highlights and
blocked-in shadows
• Remote release possible via the optional remote cable RM-UC1


The Olympus Pen E-P1 is available in the following configurations:
• E-P1 Kit Silver/Black
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens black)
• E-P1 Kit Silver/Silver
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver)
• E-P1 Kit White/Silver
(E-P1 body white & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver)
• E-P1 Pancake Kit Silver
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver & VF-1)
• E-P1 Pancake Kit White
(E-P1 body white & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver & VF-1)
• E-P1 Double Lens Kit
(E-P1 body silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens silver & M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens silver &
VF-1)


New accessories:
• M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens
• M. ZUIKO DIGITAL 17mm 1:2.8 Pancake lens
• MMF-1 adapter for all Four Thirds lenses
• MF-2 adapter for all OM lenses
• FL-14 flash
• VF-1 external optical view finder
• Leather strap in white and brown
• Leather body jacket in white and brown

* 35mm equivalent

Olympus announces working on new body for E-series lenses

Olympus has today issued a statement saying it intends to continue to support the DSLR based (retrofocus) Four Thirds lenses with a new body, presumably aimed at semi-professionals like the E-5 and E-3 before it. Although this statement is understandably brief, reading between the lines, I think we'll see a departure from the current E-5 body (some kind of hybrid mirrorless camera, perhaps).

 

Press Release

Olympus working on new body for top-pro lenses

Akira Watenabe, manager of Olympus Imaging's SLR planning department, confirmed today that the company is definitely working on a body to deliver the focusing performance expected by users of the Top Pro (aka Super High Grade) lens series like the ground breaking 90-250mm f2.8 fixed aperture zoom.

Watenabe has been delighted with the success of the OM-D which has pushed the boundaries of performance for system cameras but acknowledged that it did not deliver with the legacy high end lenses from the E-System. Whilst further information wasn't forthcoming, he was keen to emphasise that Olympus is actively developing a solution and will announce more details in due course.

www.olympus-esystem.com

Olympus announce firmware update for OM-D E-M5

Olympus have released a firmware update for the OM-D E-M5.  

The update will be available on the OIMC website from today.

Compared to the firmware version 1.1 the new version 1.2 has following improvements:
    •    Improved sleep recovery operation
    •    AF target is indicated while using C-AF+TR in sequential shooting mode L
    •    M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm 1:3.5-6.3 underwater support has been added when using underwater macro or underwater wide mode the lens will move automatically in tele or wide setting

Panasonic secure equity bid in Olympus Corp

According to reports from an Asian news agency, Panasonic is said to have secured an equity stake in Olympus Corp to the tune of $635 million, after the investment loss scandel that wiped millions off the share price of the camera and endoscope maker earlier in the year. The company already supplies Olympus with sensors in the PEN and OM-D series cameras but, while this may bolster the camera divisions of both companies, the report concludes Panasonic is looking to enter the lucrative medical instruments and healthcare industry after falling profits. An additional report states Olympus is set to announce up to 2,500 lay-offs from the loss-making camera division later this week.

Olympus announces M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8 macro under development

Olympus has announced two new lenses are under development - the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm 1:1.8 and the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 60mm 1:2.8 macro. The 75mm lens adopts a high-quality metal barrel and fast
maximum aperture for portraits and indoor sports shooting, while the dust and splash proof 60mm lens features 1:1 macro and a closest shooting distance of just 0.19m. It's expected the lenses will be available later in the year.

Contact

For more information please visit www.olympus.co.uk, or www.olympusamerica.com

Related Posts

Olympus announces new OM-D (E-M5)

New products available for pre-orders via Jessops

With CES in Las Vegas last month and and then CP+ in Yokohama, Japan earlier this month plenty of new and exciting cameras have been announced aimed at enthusiasts and professionals. I thought I would recap what's available for pre-order through Jessops for UK readers - thank you for buying through this site's links

Canon EOS-1DX - £5,299.95
Canon G1 X £699.95
Nikon D4 - £4,799.95
Nikon D800 - £2399.95
Nikon D800E (with out AA filter) - £2689.95
Olympus OM-D E-M5 - £999.95
Fuji X-Pro1 - £1429.95

Canon announces EOS-M as expected

After leaks via the rumor sites (presumably the soure is the affiliate retailers (not Amazon)) Canon has indeed announced their first mirroless EOS-M model as expected. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of innovation, though, like, Nikon they now have a platform to compete with the likes of Panasonic/Olympus and Sony, should they ever decide to do so.

All of the system can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

From this picture, the new mount adaptor appears not to have rubber sealing, suggesting no pro-level EOS-M model for sometime. Olympus recently upgraded theirs (MMF-3) for use with the introduction of OM-D and SHG lenses.

Fuji officially announce the X-E1

As expected, Fuji has officially announced the X-E1, packing the same 16-megapixel X-Trans CMOS as the original X-Pro1 but in a smaller lighter body. There's no hybrid viewfinder - no real loss in my opinion* - it has instead a new 2.36million dot OLED which Fuji describe as 'top-class'. The camera is launched with the new fast kit lens (not a budget offering) 18-55mm f/2.8-4.0 image stabilized zoom and 14mm f/2.8. This is the camera Olympus should of launched in my opinion, although I do rate the OM-D E-M5 (and its sensor) very highly, particularly for discrete use and visual note-taking. X-Pro1 sales will plummet in light of this (the X-E1 is smaller, lighter, cheaper, has a more detailed EVF and uses the same sensor), so what will the X-Pro2 bring other than a higher resolution sensor (I expect to see 24-megapixels in the next iteration)? The X-E1 looks like a serious contender to the Sony NEX-5 /7 offerings and Olympus OMD E-M5, that is providing Fuji has improved the handling and operation and assisted Adobe with the RAW file decoding. That might just be too much to ask for, we'll see.

*Especially if you intend to use it with longer lenses.

The full press release can be read here (UK version). The US release can be found here.

Pre-order options

Fuji X-E1 (black body) $999: Adorama | B&H Photo

Fuji X-E1 (chrome body) $999: Adorama | B&H Photo

Fuji X-E1 (black c/w 18-55mm) $1399: Adorama | B&H Photo

Fuji X-E1 (chrome c/w 18-55mm) $1399: Adorama | B&H Photo

Leica Adaptor

One of the attractions of the EVF is that the image frame will be filled when used with third-party lenses (bear in mind the APS-C 1.5x crop factor), that's also the case with the existing X-Pro1 (when using the EVF).

Buy the Fuji /Leica M lens converter $199: Adorama | B&H Photo