- OM-5 II of the OM system is a modest upgrade of OM-5
- Available in three colors, including a limited edition sand beige
- Body Only Prize is £ 1,099 (American price / Australia TBC)
I am a fan of OM System Micro Four Cameras. They are compact, suitable for travel, compatible with a wide range of superb objectives, offer incredible image stabilization for an easy portable shooting, and their methods of calculation photography are addictive.
OM system cameras have struck the brand on many fronts. But what they also struck, it seems, is a ceiling. Example – The new OM OM -5 II system. He comes from two and a half to three years after OM -5, but you would not know – there is so little to differentiate the two cameras.
It is not a bad thing in itself, we always assess OM-5 as a superior travel camera. But where Panasonic adds significant improvements to its Micro Four Thirds cameras, in particular for video capture in Lumix GH7 and Lumix G9 II, in OM-5 II, we get a USB-C load, video color profiles and a reflected menu. That’s almost everything.
I cannot say that I am surprised. Since OM Digital Solutions has acquired Olympus, the most notable updates we have seen in new cameras are the change of brand of the OM system. I always hoped something bigger in OM-5 II, however. If the OM system invested properly in the Micro Four Thirds system, there has been enough time since the acquisition began to introduce new technology.
Instead, what we get is the same MFT 20MP sensor with a 5 -axis image stabilization, a modest touch screen 1.04 m point and an EVF race 2,36 m point of 2.36 m, although wrapped in a retro and robust body. OM -5 II always looks like the room, and I am a fan of limited edition sand beige – it looks fabulous.
At least, the legendary Olympus brand was not completely killed and continues to live under a new name, because I always believe that there is a place for such cameras.
Micro Four Thirds Cameras, in particular the philosophy inherited from the design of Olympus, reaches a certain ideal point of quality / portability. I just want OM System to give fans a little more to be enthusiastic about going ahead.
Can we never expect significant improvements again?
The types of glass glass have preached a destiny and gloom for the four -thirds Mirco for some time now.
“The system is not dead,” comes the response of fans who like what the camera system represents; Superb quality of construction, a wide range of optics for specialized interests such as fauna, observation of birds and more, all in a light system which weighs a fraction of full frame.
But the fact remains, perhaps more specifically for the OM system rather than for Panasonic – we have not seen any decent updates of its new cameras for years.
If the OM system was actually investing in future MFT cameras, I think we would have started to see it this year. Earlier in the year, he launched OM -3 – the first in a series with a slightly different retro style. It was a pleasure to shoot with it, but not because of major technological improvements, but because Micro Four Thirds remains a really fun and versatile system with whom to shoot.
I’m glad MFT is there to stay a few more years until the next update cycle is lands. However, at that time, I am slightly concerned about the fact that we will discover that the system sang its final song, to live only by its fans.
Do you like Micro Four Thirds photography? What do you think of his future? Let me know in the comments below.
