OMD EM-1 Leaked on Engadget

[Ross the fiddler]

The good news is that now we can all stop calling the E-M5 "the OMD". My overly pedantic nature will be happy with this feature alone.

Gordon

Goodonya Gordon! I would love to have the OM-D E-M1 to add to my OM-D E-M5 as two bodies are so much better for getting 'that' shot without fumbling around changing lenses, but we can but dream, some of us.

 

[dhazeghi]

I think you're probably soo right & someone is going to have a red face because of it. The quality of the mock-up body wasn't really up to public viewing. I wonder if Olympus will come back with some sort of announcement to counter any damage done by this leaked video. Probably not till announcement day.

The video looks pretty official. The guy begins by introducing himself - he's an Olympus America rep. The body is functional too - it's not a mock-up.

As to the leak, that has nothing to do with Olympus and everything to do with engadget posting the file and somehow not realizing that it was indexable by google. I suspect there will be some very unhappy people at Olympus America regarding engadget's incompetence.

If you want an upgrade next year, then wait for when that upgrade (to the E-M5) will be released early in 2014 & it may (most likely) include the same EVF as the VF4.

That could be. I'd rather they stuck with the VF2 and added the PDAF instead for the E-M5+/E-M6. I can't really imagine them doing both - would make it hard to sell the E-M1.

 

[MAubrey]

The video looks pretty official. The guy begins by introducing himself - he's an Olympus America rep. The body is functional too - it's not a mock-up.

The one on the tripod certainly isn't a mock-up. But that's the only one that we ever see turned off and in use. The one in his hand is a different camera and is never actually used...and its the one that looks a little off.

 

[daum]

Too much like a DSLR. Sticking to the E-P5.

 

[ALMANST]

The grip material and setting dials look to be prototypes and not final product. Atleast.... I hope so. It could very well be the quality of the video and photos, but the first thing I noticed was how ghastly those features looked.

The grip looks like cheap rubber and the dials look very clunky. Hopefully they'll take styling cues from the EM5 in those areas, cause what they have right now is very unfitting for the type of camera their trying to market this as.

 

[Ross the fiddler]

The video looks pretty official. The guy begins by introducing himself - he's an Olympus America rep. The body is functional too - it's not a mock-up.

I probably should have said a prototype perhaps, but he doesn't actually turn that one on that he holds. The finish & dials gives the impression it isn't a production one anyhow, unlike the operating camera (attached to the prototype portrait grip) on the tripod & the shake demo machine.

Too much like a DSLR. Sticking to the E-P5.

Isn't it great with all the choice we have.

 

[RT_Panther]

Too much like a DSLR.

 

[nstelemark]

The grip material and setting dials look to be prototypes and not final product. Atleast.... I hope so. It could very well be the quality of the video and photos, but the first thing I noticed was how ghastly those features looked.

The grip looks like cheap rubber and the dials look very clunky. Hopefully they'll take styling cues from the EM5 in those areas, cause what they have right now is very unfitting for the type of camera their trying to market this as.

Sadly I strongly suspect that this is far too late in the cycle to expect that these are not very very close to final. This is likely an internal video, but I think that these are close to production bodies (ie they may be hand made but finish and spec wise I bet they are final models).

I never liked the SL-1 and sadly this is what this reminds me of. The question is will the feature set overcome the look.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

The good news is that now we can all stop calling the E-M5 "the OMD". My overly pedantic nature will be happy with this feature alone.

Gordon

Call it what you like, Flash. As far as I'm concerned, it will be the OM-1D.

 

[daum]

Isn't it great with all the choice we have.

Sure is, this camera will be great for people who would like a heftier body. Can't wait to see how it renders images.

 

[drd1135]

The grip might change a bit before the final production model, if only for cosmetic reasons. As a radical alternative, however, I would personally be happy with a lower end model with fewer external controls and a nicer touchscreen. My experience with the EOS M has convinced me it's possible to make a much more effective control surface on the LCD. The biggest problem I see is being able to disable it when it's just hanging there to avoid inadvertent input. Near the face a proximity sensor might work. In my little world, an OMD with fewer buttons but the VF4 EVF would be very tempting. I realize I may alone in this, but maybe not.

 

[absolutic]

I like what I see. to me OMD is unusable without the grip, with any lenses other than 14/2.5 perhaps. Now I wished they had a beefier 'fatter grip' not the very narrow grip that they designed there, because more room for fingers.

I like that they changed the placement of idiotic on/off switch on EM5 which is located in the most illogical space and is tiny.

I like that they replaced the tiny buttons with larger buttons and levers and spread them around the body

I like that certain functions are at the top dial - this is like pro cameras like Nikons DXXX do it. I love having the functions by levers/dials so I don't have to go into menus to change common things. These are all welcome

Is the display 3 inches or they were able to sqeeze a larger display? Would be interesting.

Another wish I had was a build-in flash for fill-in. That obviously DID NOt happen, Olympus is not doing it, instead supplying the ugly useless flash. Sounds like maybe there was no space to do the flash? GX7 somehow found some space.

I also had a wish for more MP, like 24MP sensor with the same low light capability of present 16MP sensor, as I was generally happy with OM-D EM5 low light noise up to ISO3200, and I never need to go above 3200 with modern lenses. Looks like they keep recycling that 16MP Sony sensor instead.

Overall, every change made is good, and I clearly would be looking toward EM1 vs GX7.

 

[dhazeghi]

Sadly I strongly suspect that this is far too late in the cycle to expect that these are not very very close to final. This is likely an internal video, but I think that these are close to production bodies (ie they may be hand made but finish and spec wise I bet they are final models).

Yeah - there's no way it'll be shipping in a month unless these are close to final samples. But why do you think the video is internal? They were the ones who sent it to engadget after all.

 

[hkpzee]

I have the add-on horizontal grip pretty much "glued" to my E-M5, so it doesn't actually look much different from this E-M1, prototype or not.

The on-sensor PDAF, which makes AF on 4/3 lenses as fast as m4/3 lenses, is a feature that is intriguing enough for me to seriously consider trading my E-M5 for it. This, together with the new GX7, would make a pretty complementary system, albeit a really expensive one!

 

[drd1135]

Yeah - there's no way it'll be shipping in a month unless these are close to final samples. But why do you think the video is internal? They were the ones who sent it to engadget after all.

Could the video be older?

 

[gotak]

Ok I'll jump in.

1) I didn't like the look at first but it's ok after looking at the photos for a while.

2) I will wait and see how this works before I decide. I have a itch to drop my canon stuff and if the phase AF is good as in enough to track moving objects with 4/3 AND m4/3 glass the decision would almost write itself unless the new canon crop sensor really makes darkness into light.

3) I have no expectation of seriously improved ergo. Sure it's got a grip but you can add that now to the E-M5 and frankly it's only needed if you have a big lens and need to shoot one handed. The thing that speaks louder are what's missing. On my canon 7Ds kit I can change ISO, drive mode, AF mode and flash comp with 1 button and a twirl of a wheel. That's not going to be the case with this. But that said if they implement a good touch screen solution that isn't stupid and the dictionary definition of awkward it could be improved.

4) Size, ouch that grip looks like it's going to take up some space. Ok that's fine, but I came to m4/3 for a small system that can work similar to a DSLR. I feel that maybe they could have done with a smaller grip.

5) The guy who keeps saying m4/3 is a fad in North America. Well maybe just the hype has died a bit. But the issue isn't the cameras are no good or the system is bad. The problem is both Panasonic and Olympus are about useless at getting the word out there. When's the last time anyone in North America saw an Ad on TV? As a small company they need to get the word out but that cost money and maybe they don't want to spend it. I don't think Canon and Nikon makes money so much from repeat sales. It's almost a decade since my older bro got his first Nikon DSLR and 1 super zoom, and he has only purchased 1 flash since then. And now he's thinking of getting a canon 60d because it's cheap. People like him are the bread and butter for entry level DSLRs and they are not great repeat customers. Vs people like me spending 10k on canon stuff in the first 3 years...

 

[flash]

Looks like they keep recycling that 16MP Sony sensor instead.

How is that even possible? To reuse the old sensor? It's been mentioned already a few times. But unless Sony/Olympus had PDAF sensors on the EM5 chip this is a new sensor, plain and simple.

Gordon

 

[Ross the fiddler]

Call it what you like, Flash. As far as I'm concerned, it will be the OM-1D.

Does that mean D for David. :tongue:

 

[Linh]

On my canon 7Ds kit I can change ISO, drive mode, AF mode and flash comp with 1 button and a twirl of a wheel. That's not going to be the case with this.

I would even settle for the ability to custom map every button with every function available. They'd need a good menu system, but would love to see this.

How is that even possible? To reuse the old sensor? It's been mentioned already a few times. But unless Sony/Olympus had PDAF sensors on the EM5 chip this is a new sensor, plain and simple.

Gordon

I think people have different ideas of "new" sensor. This is new, as it has PDAF sensors, but IQ wise, it'll likely be pretty close to the E-M5. No significant gains. So depending on how PDAF helps, for IQ hunters, this "E-M1" is lackluster.

There's way too much rumor and not enough fact to make any real opinions I think. Other than the grip looks kinda strange to me. And the Fn1. Looks weird, but it might just be alright with that grip.

 

[Ross the fiddler]

Ok I'll jump in.

1) I didn't like the look at first but it's ok after looking at the photos for a while.

2) I will wait and see how this works before I decide. I have a itch to drop my canon stuff and if the phase AF is good as in enough to track moving objects with 4/3 AND m4/3 glass the decision would almost write itself unless the new canon crop sensor really makes darkness into light.

3) I have no expectation of seriously improved ergo. Sure it's got a grip but you can add that now to the E-M5 and frankly it's only needed if you have a big lens and need to shoot one handed. The thing that speaks louder are what's missing. On my canon 7Ds kit I can change ISO, drive mode, AF mode and flash comp with 1 button and a twirl of a wheel. That's not going to be the case with this. But that said if they implement a good touch screen solution that isn't stupid and the dictionary definition of awkward it could be improved.

4) Size, ouch that grip looks like it's going to take up some space. Ok that's fine, but I came to m4/3 for a small system that can work similar to a DSLR. I feel that maybe they could have done with a smaller grip.

5) The guy who keeps saying m4/3 is a fad in North America. Well maybe just the hype has died a bit. But the issue isn't the cameras are no good or the system is bad. The problem is both Panasonic and Olympus are about useless at getting the word out there. When's the last time anyone in North America saw an Ad on TV? As a small company they need to get the word out but that cost money and maybe they don't want to spend it. I don't think Canon and Nikon makes money so much from repeat sales. It's almost a decade since my older bro got his first Nikon DSLR and 1 super zoom, and he has only purchased 1 flash since then. And now he's thinking of getting a canon 60d because it's cheap. People like him are the bread and butter for entry level DSLRs and they are not great repeat customers. Vs people like me spending 10k on canon stuff in the first 3 years...

I can use one button for each of those parameters & then turn a dial to change it on my E-M5 (with all the customisable buttons available) so the E-M1 is going to be even better in that regard.