| Olympus OM-D EM-1 |
I was lucky to have been offered the opportunity to work with the Olympus OM-D EM-1 for a little
over one month. I was loaned the camera (a micro 4/3rds sensor), the Pro Zuiko 12-40 (f:2.8) and
the 60mm Macro. I usually do not discuss the equipment that I use to make my photographs but this
experience will be the exception!
The EM-1 is a truly exceptional camera. The build of the body and lenses is reminiscent of the
quality built into cameras of the 1960s and 1970s. It feels SOLID! The lenses, though small are
built exquisitely. There is no feel of "plastic" anywhere. The operating buttons and dials are where
they should be.... my fingers found them without taking my eyes away from the viewfinder. While on
the topic of the viewfinder... It is an "EVF." That is an electronic viewfinder. In effect it brings "what
you see" in the viewfinder is what you get. There is no checking the back display to see the effects
of your settings. That includes depth of field, exposure compensation and in-camera effects that
you have added in camera. The ability to change image aspect ration and see it in the viewfinder in
real time is great (especially when I can set it to square 1:1 and use the tilting back monitor to
emulate a waist level finder!).
The user interface is not cluttered with menus buried within menus. It seems to have been
designed by a photographer and not an engineer. Although a truly professional quality camera
there is plenty of "fun" stuff to discover: add effects, image within image, toning,...... the list foes on
and on.
I have attached several images that I made in that short month. All of these images are from
JPEGs. They are low resolution for the web but they are quite impressive in quality with very little
or no after capture work.
If you have the opportunity to experience using this little camera with big results do NOT pass it up!
over one month. I was loaned the camera (a micro 4/3rds sensor), the Pro Zuiko 12-40 (f:2.8) and
the 60mm Macro. I usually do not discuss the equipment that I use to make my photographs but this
experience will be the exception!
The EM-1 is a truly exceptional camera. The build of the body and lenses is reminiscent of the
quality built into cameras of the 1960s and 1970s. It feels SOLID! The lenses, though small are
built exquisitely. There is no feel of "plastic" anywhere. The operating buttons and dials are where
they should be.... my fingers found them without taking my eyes away from the viewfinder. While on
the topic of the viewfinder... It is an "EVF." That is an electronic viewfinder. In effect it brings "what
you see" in the viewfinder is what you get. There is no checking the back display to see the effects
of your settings. That includes depth of field, exposure compensation and in-camera effects that
you have added in camera. The ability to change image aspect ration and see it in the viewfinder in
real time is great (especially when I can set it to square 1:1 and use the tilting back monitor to
emulate a waist level finder!).
The user interface is not cluttered with menus buried within menus. It seems to have been
designed by a photographer and not an engineer. Although a truly professional quality camera
there is plenty of "fun" stuff to discover: add effects, image within image, toning,...... the list foes on
and on.
I have attached several images that I made in that short month. All of these images are from
JPEGs. They are low resolution for the web but they are quite impressive in quality with very little
or no after capture work.
If you have the opportunity to experience using this little camera with big results do NOT pass it up!
