Hands On With the OM System OM-1: Stacked Sensor Tech Comes to Micro Four Thirds
The Olympus OM-1 is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It's an iconic camera, one that has its share of analog-loving devotees. So it's fitting that OM System—the camera brand formerly known as Olympus—is bringing out the first digital OM-1 this year. The stacked sensor tech inside the new model is a big step forward for photographers using the Micro Four Thirds system and OM tells us that it will be the last camera with the Olympus badge, a tribute to the original OM-1.
The OM-1 takes its design cues from Olympus OM-D cameras, specifically the E-M1 series, and is the clear follow-up to the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, a 2020 release. The two cameras share the same basic form, with many controls falling under finger in the same positions. But whereas the E-M1 Mark III was the reheated dinner plate edition of the E-M1 Mark II, the OM-1 feels like an all-new camera, made fresh to order. We got a chance to handle it and our first impressions follow below.
The OM-1's body design has been refreshed with controls that both look and feel better. Other ergonomic improvements include a deeper handgrip and a shutter button that rests more naturally under the index finger at a steeper angle. It's built tough, too, with a magnesium alloy frame and IP53 weather resistance; that's good news for nature photographers who use Olympus gear for outdoor work.
The camera's design lends itself to handheld photography, in particular. The OM-1 mounts its sensor on a stabilizer, so any lens (even those without stabilized optics) benefit from that extra stability. The camera isn't too much to carry either at just about 1.3 pounds. I paired the OM-1 with a few of the purpose-built lenses for the system so far, including the slim 20mm F1.4, a new
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