OM System OM-1 review | TechRadar

The new OM System OM-1 is here. Recognize the camera but not the name? That’s because it’s a new line from OM Digital Solutions, which bought the sinking Olympus imaging division in 2021. A natural successor to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, the OM-1 will be the last camera to have the Olympus name etched on its body. But it’s what we hope will be the first of many bearing the new OM System branding.

A warm tribute to the original 50-year-old Olympus OM-1 35mm SLR, and a fitting swansong for the Olympus name, the OM-1 is a hugely capable camera, and a joy to shoot with. Everything that we’ve loved about the Olympus Micro Four Thirds system over the years is cranked up a notch here, with tangible improvements in virtually every department, especially handling, power, AF speed (and accuracy) and computational modes.

Special mention goes to the first ever ‘stacked’ Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor. It packs the same 20MP resolution as previous Olympus sensors – which will be disappointing for some – but the new BSI (backside-illuminated) stacked design offers faster readout speeds and features Quad Pixel AF with 1,053 cross-type AF points that cover the entire sensor. The result is improved AF speed and accuracy, provided you select the appropriate AF mode for the scenario playing out before you.

The OM System OM-1 camera on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

Tracking AF is far from perfect. Like many cameras, the OM-1 lets you manually select the type of subject you want to track, but for some reason people- and face-detection is not included in this menu. For ease of use, we prefer Nikon’s auto-subject-tracking approach. Also, while subject acquisition is quicker, tracking AF is not as sticky as some other systems when line of sight is disrupted.

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