gwilliams6

From Andrea Pizzini Photography:

"Is this the end of OM Digital? Or is there more exciting stuff is coming down the road?" Your thoughts on the "updates"

Main topics include:

A mostly firmware updated new OM-1, ver. 2. Why not just give firmware updates for OM-1 users.

A reissue of a wide zoom with just a name change to OM-system from Olympus name.

An issue of a 150-600mm lens that is the same as the Sigma 150-600mm fullframe E-mount/L-mount lens, but charging $2700 USD for it, which is $1200 USD MORE than the Sigma 150-600mm fullframe lens $1499 USD price.

What do OM-system users think of all this?

Cheers

gwilliams6

From Andrea Pizzini Photography:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ1xfXgAt_g
"Is this the end of OM Digital? Or is there more exciting stuff is coming down the road?"

Your thoughts on the "updates"

Main topics include:

A mostly firmware updated new OM-1, ver. 2. Why not just give firmware updates for OM-1 users.

A reissue of a wide zoom with just a name change to OM-system from Olympus name.

An issue of a bigger, heavier 150-600mm lens that is the same as the Sigma 150-600mm fullframe E-mount/L-mount lens, but charging $2700 USD for it, which is $1200 USD MORE than the Sigma 150-600mm fullframe lens $1499 USD price.

A new lens roadmap that eliminates a lens from the previous lens roadmap.

What do OM-system users think of all this?

Cheers

BebuLamar

It's the beginning of OM Digital because it's the first camera with the OM System name badge.

gwilliams6

That is the point, it is kind of disappointing if that is what is coming from the new OM system.

Cheers

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Actually the OM-5 was the first.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I do not know who Andrea Pizzini is but OMDS is still the same Olympus of the past. When the company was sold it was sold with all of the designers and employees. Those designers and employees are making the cameras, lenses and firmware.

Forgive my ignorance but I do not know what is exactly what you mean by making firmware available to OM-1 users. If you do not like the price of the new lens and the same focal lengths are represented in a lens made by Sigma then buy the Sigma if it fits OM bodies.
Lenses are updated the same as cameras, nothing wrong with that. If they have reissued a wide zoom I bet it has something new in its optical formula. I am not aware of which lens you are talking about but to me that is not important. If I have the old lens I will not switch to the new one.

They have just announced new products and among them what seems to be a new 90mm macro lens, for those who love macro photography. If you ask me I believe they are doing pretty good.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

The world will not morn there passing.
However, the company that bought them out did bring out two new lenses and a camera. So maybe not gone quite yet.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

The OM-1 does not have enough memory or processor power to handle the algorithms that are in the OM-1 Mod 2. Processor power and processor, support electronics, and memory costs drop 50% every couple of years. I suspect the OM-1 Mod 2 has improved A-D converters that speed up the data pipelines. I understand that you can now review images and change settings while data is written from the buffer to the memory card. If you haven't noticed. Sensor design hasn't changed in Nikon, Sony, Fuji, or Canon cameras in the last few updates either (Sony's global shutter won't be introduced in anything except the A9 because it is too expensive and has significant limitation other than shutter speed. Fuji has increased the number of megapixels, but the sensor technology is the same.) All of the changes from all of the camera manufacturers are based on faster processors, better algorithms, and additional memory. This will be a problem for them, because cameras are already so good that the changes aren't relevant to most photographers. (If you can capture 50+ frames per second with 95% in focus, is it really worth $2,500 to $6,000 to get to 99% or 100%? If you can already focus in 8 milliseconds on an animal's eye instead of the grass in front of it, do you need a better AF system? Image stabilization is already so good that a tripod is no longer necessary with most of the newer camera systems.)

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Not sure what to make of yesterday's announcements.

The OM-1ii has some improvements immediately noticeable in computational photography; increased stops in the ND filter and the addition of the graduated ND filter. There has been an improvement in the AF with the tracking feature now possibly working and better subject detection. It has the same processor as the previous model, but increased RAM and other changes in the electronics made these possible. It seems unlikely that a firmware upgrade will bring these to the previous model which will not be popular to the MFT crowd. I don't shoot much video, so I'm not sure if the changes (if any) in video shooting brings it closer to the Panasonic MFT offerings. The introduction of the Mark II seems partially drive by the requirement to remove the name Olympus from the camera body and lenses. I think it would have been better to change the name now, wait a year or so and come out with a true Mark II. They could have (or still might) make a firmware upgrade to the Mark I for the time being.

The 150-600 lens is greatly overpriced from the original version, although there are significant changes done to work on the MFT platform. The electronics was improved so you get SyncIS where the lens IS works in conjunction with the body IS, but only on the Mark II. There needs to be a firmware upgrade to the OM-1/5 for this feature to work on them. I'm looking forward to comparisons of this lens with the 150-400; it's 1/3 the price so the image quality won't be the same but how different.

The new version of the 9-18 is a cosmetic change to remove the name Olympus and replace it with OM System, there have been no apparent changes to the number of lens, coatings, etc. unlike the version 2 of the 12-40 PRO lens which was a redesign.

The lenses don't interest me. I enjoy my OM-1 and try some BIF/wildlife with the 100-400. The AF is not up to the FF offerings but comes through with spectacular results but not consistently. If I really get interested in this type of shooting, I'll watch the reviews of the wildlife photographers with the Mark II and their impressions on the new AF. Might rent the O-M1ii and 150-400 or 150-600 this spring.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

"...The electronics was improved so you get SyncIS where the lens IS works in conjunction with the body IS, but only on the Mark II..."

Pretty darn sure both my OM1s IS synch with my 150-400's OS.

I haven't checked out all the specs on the mark II yet, but from what I've seen it's more than just firmware. The built in ND filter alone is very interesting. I wonder if you can rotate it?

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

IS has increased to 8.5 stops, buffer is 2X bigger, ND has both in-camera and live changes (full ND, graduated ND, 3 choices of line, etc.), and other changes.

Does the Sigma lens have 7 stops of image stabilization like the OM 150-600? The lens is designed to take the 2X teleconverter and be handheld (2400 in 35mm terms). Can one do that with Sony, Canon, and Nikon? Does the Sigma have IP53 weatherproofing like the OM 150-600? How certain is everyone that the two lenses are that identical in true design?

Canisdirus

Om doesn't have the capital to come out and hit a home run...

It's a slow wind down...has always been the intent.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

And that ball is going, going, gone...

Canisdirus

More like a sacrifice fly...and out of gas.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

Well, you'd have to back that up with facts. But that's not your strong suit, is it?

I mean, you keep harping on that, and OMDS keeps coming out with great new cameras and lenses.

But whatever makes you happy...