Drool…. if this is the OM-D, this is MY new camera

Not sure if the photo above of the new Olympus OM-D is legit or not (I call fake, but maybe not) but I have to say that if the camera looks like the one above I will be in heaven…and I think that the rendering above is pretty damn accurate to what we will be seeing in a few days. This will be the camera to replace my PEN for all of my Micro 4/3 lenses and I have no doubt that this will be the best Olympus to date.

It’s no secret that I love the Oly Micro 4/3 cameras, namely the E-P series. The OM-D IS IN FACT that “Pro Pen” many of us have been waiting for. Weather sealed body, 16Mp sensor, built in EVF, classic OM looks with a modern flair, speed, speed and more speed, manual dials and buttons, swivel LCD….this one seems to have it all for $1200. The big “official” announcement is less than a week away and I am sure that pre-ordering will be available that same day.

2012 is already gearing up to be the year of the camera. NEX-7’s are starting to ship, the Fuji X-Pro 1 is coming soon, the new Pentax I posted about yesterday is also arriving soon and now the Olympus OM-D. Wow. We haven’t even heard from Leica yet but my senses tell me they are planning something soon. I mean, they have to be. If they sit back much longer they will be losing more and more of their X1 customers who will move on and buy one of these bad boys. Time will tell!

Oh and Kenko-Tokina also announced a new 300mm f/6.3 mirror lens for Micro 4/3 and I must say, it is looking mighty fine on the white E-P3…

117 Comments

  1. Steve, I am 100% with you. The OM-D looks like a real camera. It has a manliness to it, like the old days when we used to drool over such cameras. Yet it is still much smaller than the D4 or EOS1 series and more compact than the Canikony DSLRs. Somehow the smooth sculpted looks of the EOS and NIKON range today, now appears Old fashioned…haha what a paradigm shift. Yes it will be on the top of my list versus the Nex7 and Fuji Pro. I think its because of the killer looks and it will just be a competent camera. My Ep2 will be the stealth, play camera and the OMD will the business and serious end. Fitted with my Voigtlander 25mm f0.95, it will feel just great. It will handle the heavier stuff like my Canon 58mm f1.2 lens as well because of the grip options. I think it will evolve to be a great system camera like the old OM range. I can fit the Grip or add the vertical grip too, so it seems we can beef it up for ANY job. I am in love.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/paparazzi666/6830752411/

    • “Fitted with my Voigtlander 25mm f0.95, it will feel just great. It will handle the heavier stuff like my Canon 58mm f1.2 lens as well because of the grip options. I think it will evolve to be a great system camera like the old OM range. I can fit the Grip or add the vertical grip too, so it seems we can beef it up for ANY job.”

      Voigttlander have announced 17.5mm f0.95 for m43.
      (If they bring out at 45mm f1.2 for m43 game set & match).

      The grip along with 4.5fps whilst AF tracking & 5 axis IS gonna breathe new life into 43 lenses on m43.

  2. Im wondering if the E-P3 will get a price drop any time soon. What is Olympus’ track record with things of this nature? Anyone know?

  3. I guess this will be the look, and I’m like you, Steve, I want to own this…Before this, Fuji XPro is on top of my list, but after seeing its price tag, now Olympus OM-D will be on top of my list…

  4. Steve, I’m guess you won’t see this as this thread is a bit old now, but… I’m wondering if you’ve seen images of the 75mm 1.8. Looks like it could be an awesome lens. Looking forward to your impressions of that one.

  5. Looks like a nice looking camera. BUT if it’s M4 it JUST can’t match a full sized APS-C sensor!. If any body caught the DxOMark sensor review of the Pan GX1 it only scored a 55. Compare that against a Nex-7 or Nikon D-7000 in the 80’s or ok more in this ballpark a NEX5N. All the APS-C sensor cameras came in above 80 or at 77 with the Nex5n. It’s not just about a SCORE, but seems M4 just “can not compete on high ISO” not even close and also dynamic range. SO what’s the point? It’s not going to be pocketable REALLY, so who cares if it has every control under the sun available. Only great thing I know about M4 are the lenses are vastly superior to any current Nex lens,but Sony should catch up one of these days. To me getting excited over the OM-D is like getting excited over a Ford Pinto with a million options.

    It’s still a Ford Pinto…THIS camera will always be limited by it’s smaller sensor..it just AIN’T gonna beat a full APS-C sensor…sort of my opinion backed up by facts.

    • Usually DxOMark findings are not useful for much, but I agree that an APS-C sensor would most likely have better IQ than a 4/3 sensor.

      • Agreed overall about DxOMark.but at least it’s some sort of real reference. That said, I admit to being a bit more of a gadget nut besides loving photography. I say this because I own a Pentax K-5, The 5N, The Fuji X100 and HAD The pana GF3 Micro Four. I DON’T need so many cameras hah and I’ve had a NEX-7 on order seems forever..(Then I’ll prob sell my 5N)

        My favorite camera though is my X100..I love the silky type pictures with amazing skin tones. THE GF3 was NOT a bad camera but as to DxOMark, I have to say comparing all the cameras I own..their ratings are pretty spot on at LEAST as far as iso noise goes and dynamic range.

        Of course there’s a WHOLE lot more to a good picture than just ISO and dynamic range. For example to ME, my X100’S pics are somehow always more pleasing to me than my Pentax K-5. The K-5 never has correct skin tones without fixing raw..greens don’t look like Fuji or Olympus green. Point is agreed, DxOmark may be Scientifically correct but in the real world it’s just a reference point I guess. I actually REALLY liked my GF3 dopey as it was..and other than it’s poor high ISO I thought it took great shots and IT was Micro Four. Even it’s cheapy 14mmkit lens was miles above any Nex lens I know of. But to go back around again..DXO or whoever..I’m thinking no Micro Four Sensor is going to equal a full sized APS-C sensor OVERALL. So back to the discussion, I THINK the new Olympus starts out with a bit of a handicap though maybe not a huge deficit.

        Or to sum up my book a point and shoot’s sensor1/2.33″ or whatever it is, CAN’T equal a Micro Four. But to a smaller degree then why should M/F = a larger full sized APS-C. That was my point.

        I say M/4 OVERALL is sort of a compromise. If WITH a zoom lens they made a M/4 as small as say a Canon S100 OR 95 well then fine I’d make that tiny compromise and there’s a benefit.. But seems the OM-D it’s not THAT small..so why compromise as you can have your APS-C and eat it too. Well don’t eat it..:)

    • You are missing the point of m43. The point (which has been proven many times over now), is that lenses with equivalent FLs and apertures (not in terms of DOF, but brightness only) in m43 land are MUCH MUCH smaller and lighter than their APS/FF (or even classic 4/3) counterparts, making the overall packages much lighter. This is the take home message. People who buy into the system already know about the sensor’s limitations.

    • Yup, OMD – and OM-D …. both look as if they are stuck in the 80’s.

      Personally, I prefer OMD (band) to this modern offering.

  6. To me it looks like Olympus has built the Leica M9 of the MFT system (if, that is, IQ is going to match the design and built quality). I find it hard to imagine that we will see a sensor going beyond the 16 MP resolution for this size sensor. Or, if we do see one, it probably won’t be leaps and bound ahead (noise, DR, etc.) than what we get with this OM-D body.

    I know that right now it’s still all conjecture but to my eyes this looks very promising indeed esp. If you are going to work with manual focus lenses a lot.

    At first I was looking for a cheap entry point into the MFT system to get my feet wet. The GF2 with kit lens for instance is very cheap (in Europe) right now— 300 € or about USD 390. Add the 12 and 45 mm Olys and the 25 mm/ f0,95 Nokton I’d have had a very nice kit.
    IF Panasonic had made their new high resolution EVF backwards compatible then that’s probably the combination I would own right now.

  7. Still don’t see a matching (black) fast, high-quality lens for a 35mm equivalent.

    So what you do with a nice body and no lens?

  8. The original OM cameras were full frame cameras and there was an OM lens system with its own mount. I wonder how this new camera fits in with that system?

  9. Guys, help me understand something here. With this kind of investment, why on earth wouldn’t Olympus use a APS-C senosr instead of a Micro 4/3rds? This camera looks like it will be bigger than the Fuji X100 and Leica X1 and yet it will have a smaller sensor with more pixels packed onto it. Sounds like a recipe for noise to me.

    • Olympus is heavily invested in micro four thirds lenses right now and as far as I know they don’t have any APS-C sized lenses so they wouldn’t make an APS-C camera if they don’t have lenses to sell for it.

      the X100 and Leica X1 are small because they have fixed lenses. They would be larger if they had interchangeable lenses.

    • Have you asked Olympus? I’m sure you can find their address on-line. Maybe they don’t know about the APS-C cameras, you could enlighten them. Good luck. Please let us know what they answer.

  10. OK, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that the photobucket picture is just goofy. It’s just a photoshopped rendering of a film camera.
    What would be the purpose of the large battery compartment (on the bottom) on a digital camera? Looks like it would fit 8 Double-A’s.
    If it has an EVF, why the huge pentaprism?
    Although it’s hard to judge from the picture, it just looks too big.
    And finally, it doesn’t look “retro”. It just looks OLD. A 1985 design.

    I would expect the OMD to be just slightly larger that the EP-x cameras, and take design cues from them. More like a (prettier) Panasonic G3 than like the camera in the picture. Certainly not bigger and lumpier than an E-620!

    Of course, I could be wrong. We’ll know in 4 days.

    • Grips needed to balance heavy lenses when holding OMD.
      Without grip camera is pen size.
      OMD on its own is classic OM4Ti in modern guise.

    • I’m with you at the moment – what’s the point of adding phony SLR features – fake pentaprism hump, dated 1980’s styling and – most accurately a battery holder (we assume) shaped like a clunky old motordrive.

      OM-4ti meets E-5 … all in a twee Pen sized package. If this is what Olympus designers have actually come up with, it’s a possible second nail in their coffin after the recent financial scandal.

      Too lame a design, and inaccurately targeted, if it is the genuine article. Neither a DSLR to rival Nikon or Canon – nor a true step forward in current high-end mirrorless design.

      Or – it could just all be smoke and mirrors until the REAL deal is launched ….

      • From the response I am reading, I think you may be fairly unique in your negative reaction to the styling… most seem to be drooling over this.

        I would actually prefer something a bit more modern and low key… more similar to my Ricoh GXR with a viewfinder. That said, I will probably order one of these in black because it will be small, have IBIS, the latest m4/3 sensor and I will be able to use it with all my great m4/3 lenses.

    • On second look……
      In the picture of the person holding the (blurry) camera, the shape of the camera DOES look like the photobucket picture, and it is about the size of an EP-2 with a pentaprism.
      Looks like the lens to camera proportion might be different. Lens looks bigger in the blurry picture, but who can tell.

      Whatever. If this is basically an EP-3 with a viewfinder, I’ll sell my current Olympus and Panasonic cameras and buy one, maybe two.

  11. The camera is very small. Nowhere near the size of the Fuji X Pro.

    A lot of people at Dpreview forums have been estimating its size by the size of the lens it’s using when the same lens is fixed to other current models

    for comparison of size check here:

    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1041&thread=40507170

    I would say that is very small. Not GX1 small, but not a huge camera as the pictures might trick you into believing

    Oh and for those interested in comparing camera sizes in general, check this website out:

    http://camerasize.com/compare/

  12. So an (almost?) fullsized pro dslr camera (not very pretty looking, unlike OM’s of yore) with a micro 4/3’s sensor? No way. These pics can’t be right.

  13. If those pics are legit, that Olympus really went a long way to give the camera SLR look. I am really looking forward to see it in flesh (once available). I just may start to consider to get into m4/3 – some great lenses out there and now the OM-D.

    I hope Steve will get one for review ASAP.

    • Indeed– and therein lies the biggest failure imo. There is no excuse for an evf not to be mounted on the side edge of the camera. None. Nada. Absolute nonsense.

      And i still love and use my om3– more advanced camera in many respects than my 5d2 or m9 etc. but with an ovf, there was no practical choice to placement.

  14. Huge hump on the top i don’t like, unless they have hidden something really good under it.A tweaked vf-2 doesn’t sound like it’s gonna make this “BUMP” on the viewfinder any prettier.

    Looks damn solid though.Really awaiting 8 Feb for exact specs on sensor and VF.

    What does everybody here and Steve has to say about the 1st full photo’s of the “Pro PEN” “OM-D”

  15. I’ve very excited about this camera. When I bought my GF-1 I thought I could live without a VF or just buy the add on one from panny if I really needed. Well I did buy the add on one cause I missed having one so much, then it turned out to be complete garbage. Now I’ve been living without a VF for a long time, waiting for a u4/3 to get one built in.
    As much as the X-Pro 1 looks awesome, I think this will be my next camera. I just LOVE that classic OM styling(assuming this isn’t a fake picture).

  16. That grip has turned it into a MONSTER! (pic at 43rumors) with a thing that big, what’s the point in taking out the mirror?
    Still, guess it’s nice to have the option of a big pro type of handling if you want it, think I’ll be putting mine on a diet though! Much prefer the more subtle view finders as per the nex-7 and fuji x-pro1

    • heehee thanx
      OM4T & black OM1/OM2

      [img]http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj524/picrumors/Olympus_OM-D-E-M5_front.jpg[/img]
      [img]http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj524/picrumors/Olympus_OM-D-E-M5_back.jpg[/img]
      Probably means SD card slot is on the side = cool.

      [img]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii301/moviemonster6/back-no-grip.jpg[/img]
      rear without grip & without extended battery.

      Looks like hump has flash popup
      & some unknown magic

      • So, what we will see is a E620 without mirror, or a PEN, finally with electronic viewfinder. Otherwise cold coffee. No reason to buy into this concept.

    • OM4Ti with grip & extended battery

      [img]http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2/images/md20m4.jpg[/img]

  17. Actually the image looks like a fake. Look at how clumsily the letters “OM-D” are “glued” to the body, and what’s with the E-M5?

    • It’s stitchet together from a number of “leaked” small crops of the body. Naturally it would look like a fake. But see my post below, it seems to be the real thing.

  18. You guys are AMAZING !
    I applause you, no I bow down…

    How can you say things like “It will outsell…” or “it will have a better IQ than…” ???

    Have you ever seen a photo ? Have you ever hold it in your hand ?

    No !!!! So, stop talking about something you obviously never owned or touched !!!

  19. Hans – they were a bit alternative even back then. ‘Enola Gay’ is one of their signature songs, and is one that makes you think more than just a little. You should have a listen to it, and see what you think. The ‘Enola Gay’ was the name of the bomber that dropped the A-Bomb on Hiroshima.

  20. Thanks Guys, for clearing up my mistake. I don’t know that musical outfit and I don’t think I’ve been
    missing much. Cheers, Hans

  21. Cant wait, was just at the store about to buy the E-P3 then heard about the O-MD and X 1 Pro coming soon. On another note, we cant get the E-P3 in white in Australia! Talked to an Olympus Australia Rep, she said my best bet would be to check with Olympus Japan as to why we cant get it. Olympus Japan said its up to Olympus Australia – going in circles here…

  22. February 8th is marked on my calander for the new Olympus reveal… Ep5, K-01, Nex7, K-5 I have no clue now lol. Buying my first new camera since 1985 at the end of April. Thanks for the great site Steve. Your photos and insight have got me back into this amazing hobby/profession.

  23. Jeez, that video clip is awful. I could’nt watch it all. Image quality is rubbish and that music gave me skin rashes. Is that the official Olympus video sample? Hope not.

    • No… it’s an old rock group from the 80’s called “OMD”. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.

    • Hans is about to get hurt!

      No respect for OMD? C’mon! They were one of the great 80’s synth bands.

      🙂

  24. No, that is still not the camera that I dream of. The real big bang would be a DSLR, yes a DSLR, with an opto-electronic hybrid viewfinder as large as in the Nikon F6, 12MPix 35mm sensor (so called full format), which delivers the legendary image quality of a Nikon D700, in a small body similar to a Nikon FM2 or, yes, an Olympus OM.

  25. Are there any ‘hard facts’ about the OMD, apart from an under exposed partial image ( which may be
    a fake ) ? I could not find anything. So far I read excited gibberish nonsense. Somebody even compares the image quality with the X pro1. Nothing wrong with getting excited but there seems to be
    very little actual fact about this camera. Cheers,

  26. Interesting to see how much progress they’ve now made with the sensor. To me it looks like the µ4/3 sensors have been improving very slowly all the time they’ve existed. Small improvements here and there, but essentially same generation sensors.

  27. OMD!!! Brought the ‘Best of OMD’ off iTunes a month or so ago….very cool and lots of memories of my youth when I had plenty of their vinyl. Camera looks interesting too 🙂

  28. A lot of people are bashing this on micro 4/3 rumors already… Because rumors are saying it will have the same sensor as the gx1/g3 and they’re also complaining that the evf will only be 1.44. I’m exited about this and the Fuji. I just hope the sensor is fantastic on the oly!!

  29. These are the issues I have with my E-P1:

    – Noticeable image noise at ISO 800, distracting noise at ISO 1600, practically unusable at ISO 3200.
    – Slllooooowww AF, practically unusable in low light
    – Awful AF tracking
    – No EVF
    – Awful, clunky menus
    – No RF support for off camera flash
    – No AF illuminator
    – In body image stabilization is not only hit & miss, but doesn’t work well at all with my 45mm 1.8.

    The E-P3 addresses of all but the 1st, 3rd, and 4th issues. The OM-D has an EVF, so check that off the list, too.

    If the OM-D’s sensor gives me 2 stops better noise characteristics as is rumored – meaning ISO 3200 on the OM-D is equivalent to ISO 800 on the E-P1 (the G3/GX1 sensor apparently already achieve this, so it’s certainly plausible) – then the only real issue that remains to be seen is how good is the continuous AF tracking. If it’s solid, then sign me up, too. If not … well, still, probably sign me up 🙂

  30. Temptation is lurking just round the corner… If the image quality is what I was used to with the E-P2, and increases in proportion with the mp count, it’s a winner, certainly at that price point.

  31. that same rumor site just posted yet another leaked image, a little view of the back of the camera.

    I hope some of you guys that get this new Oly want to sell me a gently pre-owned EP-3! 🙂

  32. The OM-D looks like it might be pretty great. Even though I moved on to an M, I still look back on the shots I took with the Oly EP with great fondness. Oly seems to have a great vibe when shooting and I think it is reflected in the pictures you caen get with it.

    On the other hand, the Fuji X-Pro shots that were released a few days ago looked pretty soft to me when I looked at the larger files. While the shots themselves were good, I couldn’t really find anything in the landscape shots that looked really sharp. I hope this is not the case with that system. It, too, looks like it could be a great system.

  33. The photo rendering looks pretty good, but gotta say the ad copy is pretty terrible… doubt Olympus would write anything like that!

    • It’s fake. The layout is weak. Olympus is not going to show all of that cluttered upside down type on top of the long lens barrel without showing any glass–it takes too much away from the design of the body. It’s just not professional. The angle of the photo matches the angles of the leaked images. You’re right about the copy being weak, too.
      Someone did a nice job of fabricating a camera using leaked images, though.

    • “for those who want to “take part”, “create”, and “share”.”

      OMG

      How about for those who want to “take pictures”?

  34. Same price as NEX-7, equal features. A comparison is gonna be interesting, let’s hope the new sensor is an upgrade to µ4/3 as well!

  35. nahhh. i will stick to my E-5. zuiko four third lenses on m43 is not a goos idea for now (with adapter)
    and difference between 12mo and 16mo are not enough to “upgrade”.

    • As another E-5 owner, I’m interested should a few of the key rumors prove true. “5-axis” IS sounds both intriguing and possibly game-changing; a weatherproof 4/3 adapter would be welcome for pairing the new camera with HG and SHG lenses and at long last, a built-in EVF (my biggest reason for being a µ4/3 holdout). While 16MB is just gravy, considering how good GX1 output looks and then bringing in Olympus color management, I can certainly envision potential IQ benefits.

    • The label is on the top plate which means the user/photographer will see it correctly using the camera (for the times you forget what you’re holding in your hands I suppose 😉 but viewed from this angle it looks kind of upside down…

    • I don’t think it matters – too many differing font styles to make this a genuine article – cut & paste mock up I feel ….

      Too early to get excited – like Steve, I call FAKE!

      • I’m thinking about trading my Canon 7D for the new Olympus OM-D. I’m really loving these new cameras. In your opinion, is the Olympus OM-D a suitable replacement for the Canon 7D or would it serve best as a mate, grab & go, to the 7D in a 2 camera system?

    • Is OMD a m4/3 dslr?
      Is this what Olympus marketing meant by One Magic system.
      If so :
      how have the done it & what kind of AF does it have
      does it thus need just a basic adapter for 4/3 lenses.

      • Ok im going out on a limb and saying
        OMD EM5 is a m4/3 dslr.

        (Thats why 12-50mm is photoshopped onto 43 rumour photo so we cant see the mirror).

        This why Olympus marketing has called it One Magic system

        :

        One Magic system is thus :
        E series dslr concept
        +
        EP3,EPL3 VF2 best of
        +
        OM4 styling.

        Hence the name E (series dslr) M (m4/3) 5 (continuing OM4).

    • [img]http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/e_p1/imgs/6/2/62e0ff85.jpg[/img]

      [img]http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/e_p1/imgs/e/d/ed48d6a7.jpg[/img]

      Pretty much same size as EP3 + VF2

      • These two are a forumees impressions.

        :

        [img]http://f.cl.ly/items/1i3l1X130R080001310K/Screen%20Shot%202012-02-05%20at%2011.33.01.png[/img]

        EP3 body compared to OMD EM5.
        Another forumees impression.

    • Howdy folks.
      Images floating around the web.

      :

      OMD EM5

      [img]http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/having_anicetime/OMDEM5.jpg[/img]

      VF is better than VF2. VF2 is only 0.58x magnification. EM5 VF is 0.92x .

      :

      Underwater housing
      [img]http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/having_anicetime/OMDEM5UNDERWATERHOUSING.jpg[/img]

      :

      Dimensions 4.8 inch (W) x 3.5 inch (H) x 1.7 inch (D)

      compared to EP2 + VF2
      [img]http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/having_anicetime/EP2VF2VSOMD.jpg[/img]

      compared to XPro1
      [img]http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/having_anicetime/FUJIXP1VSOMDEM5.jpg[/img]

      compared to G3, GF2
      [img]http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a465/having_anicetime/GH2G3VSOMDEM5.jpg[/img]

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