Editor’s Note: (Tuesday, January 05, 2021 at 10:29 AM): We have added additional details about the transition, provided to us by an Olympus spokesperson.
Olympus has confirmed in an announcement on its website that it’s completed the transfer of its imaging division to OM Digital Solutions, the subsidiary of Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (JIP) that now controls the Zuiko and OM brands.
Olympus first agreed to sell its imaging business back in June 2020, when it announced JIP would be the new stewards of its camera brands. Further details were unveiled in September 2020, when Olympus laid out the framework for how the transfer would take place.
This new announcement, embedded above, confirms the transition has been completed as expected, effective January 1, 2021. In it, Olympus says Shigemi Sugimoto has been named President and CEO of OM Digital Solutions under JIP. It’s business will be ‘digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, IC recorders, etc. centered on mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.’ The company starts out with 37 billion yen ($ 360.9 million) and has 2,000 global employees at inception.
The announcement says sales and research and development will take place at the OM Digital Solutions Co. building in Takakuramachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, while production of equipment will take place at factories in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
We’ve also learned OM Digital Solutions has licensed the use of the Olympus brand name. So, in addition to the OM and Zuiko branding, the cameras will continue to be released under the Olympus brand ‘for the foreseeable future.’ This won’t always be the case, but an Olympus spokesperson told us they are ‘unable to provide the exact duration of its use, at this time.’
The Olympus spokesperson also clarified details of the transition, saying OM Digital Solutions ‘will retain Olympus leadership and capabilities in Research and Development, Production, Sales and Marketing.’ The roadmap will also remain unchanged under the new owners, according to the spokesperson. ‘Services, repairs and warranties will continue, and customers will receive full support for future purchases,’ as well.
OM Digital Solutions CEO and President, Shigemi Sugimoto, is quoted in the announcement saying (via machine-translated text) ‘[OM Digital Solutions] will continue to supply high-quality and highly reliable products [and] will continue to develop unique products for the creation of new value.’
What exactly this new endeavor entails remains to be seen, but we’ll get our first preview of Olympus’ brands under JIP in the form of a new website that will go live tomorrow.
Olympus has announced a firmware update that will enhance the capabilities of its flagship E-M1X sports camera. Some of the features will be cascaded down to the E-M1 III, E-M1 II and E-M5 III.
Exclusive to the E-M1X is ‘Bird detection AF’, which expands the camera’s AI-trained subject recognition system. Bird AF will focus on the eyes of birds, or their bodies if the eye isn’t visible. This subject-aware AF can be used in conjunction with the camera’s Pro Capture pre-buffering mode, to increase your chances of getting the perfect birding shot.
Both the E-M1X and E-M1 III will gain the ability to output Raw video data streams that can be encoded as ProRes RAW if the cameras are connected to an Atomos Ninja V external recorder. The output is 12-bit with Olympus saying it allows ‘exposure adjustment,’ which we’re hoping means the resulting ProRes RAW footage will be compatible with a full range of post-shot adjustments.
These two cameras will also gain a ‘Focus Indicator Display’ mode that provides a focus guide, based on phase-detection distance information, when manually focusing.
In addition, the E-M1X, E-M1 III, E-M1 II and E-M5 III will all receive an update to improve the image stabilization performance while shooting video. The company explicitly mentions panning, which suggests it will be better at distinguishing between accidental and intentional camera movement. Finally, the firmware will provide all four cameras with the ability to use focus-stacking mode with the new 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO lens.
Press release
FIRMWARE VERSION 2.0 FOR THE OLYMPUS OM-D® E-M1X
Introducing Bird Detection for Intelligent Subject Detection Autofocus
Center Valley, PA, November 17, 2020 – Olympus is pleased to announce the latest firmware upgrade for the Olympus OM-D E-M1X mirrorless camera, Version 2.0. Scheduled for release on December 2, 2020, this new version of firmware adds Bird Detection to Intelligent Subject Detection Autofocus, an AI-based deep learning technology. With this new function, the camera automatically prioritizes detection of a bird’s eye, for focusing and tracking, so the photographer can concentrate on composing images and capturing the moment. The new firmware also includes various functional improvements, such as RAW video data output to support professional video production. Additional firmware upgrades are available for the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, E-M1 Mark II and E-M5 Mark III. All available updates can be accessed at: https://getolympus.com/firmware.
OM-D E-M1X Firmware Version 2.0 with Bird Detection
Bird detection has been added to Intelligent Subject Detection Autofocus, and can recognize a variety of birds of all sizes. When using this version of firmware, the camera focuses primarily on the bird’s eye and switches to detect and track the bird’s head or body if its eye is not detected. This feature performs well even in birds’ natural habitats, where trees, plants and other obstructions tend to come between photographer and subject, allowing the photographer to concentrate on framing. This functionality can be used in conjunction with Pro Capture, which is also a popular feature for photographing birds. Pro Capture mode virtually eliminates shutter lag and reaction time by recording sequential frames before the shutter release is pressed fully, and ensures the camera never misses decisive moments, as when a bird takes flight or captures its prey. Birds are detected across the entire AF coverage area when shooting with all M.Zuiko® Digital lenses, inclusive of super telephoto zoom lenses. The functionality works even at the periphery of the screen, offering a greater level of freedom for framing.
RAW Video Data Output to the Atomos Ninja V HDR Monitor Recorder
4K 30P/25P/24P and Cinema 4K 24P video recorded on the OM-D E-M1X can be output as 12-bit RAW data and recorded in ProRes RAW format on the Atomos Ninja V HDR monitor recorder, enabling advanced professional video production post-processing tasks, such as adjusting exposure and color grading of recorded footage. The latest firmware for the Atomos Ninja V HDR Monitor Recorder will be required to enable this support. The firmware can be accessed here: https://www.atomos.com/firmware/ninja-v .
Focus Stacking Support for the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO Lens
With this firmware, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO supports in-camera Focus Stacking, bringing the total to 11[i] compatible lenses.
Improved Video Image Stabilization Performance
The video image stabilization algorithm has been updated for natural recording with minimal shake, even when panning.
Supports Focus Indicator Display
This feature makes it possible to quickly check the focusing direction and approximate focus position during manual focusing.
OM-D E-M1X, OM-D E-M1 Mark III, OM-D E-M1 Mark II, and OM-D E-M5 Mark III Firmware Upgrades
Firmware Version 1.2 for the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, Version 3.4 for the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, and Version 1.3 for the OM-D E-M5 Mark III will be released simultaneously with firmware Version 2.0 for the OM-D E-M1X on December 2, 2020. Visit the following website for further details: https://getolympus.com/firmware.
Olympus Firmware Upgrade Version 2.0, along with the other firmware upgrade versions mentioned here within are available free of charge on the Olympus website beginning on December 2, 2020.
[i] OM-D E-M1X Focus Stacking compatible lenses:
M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm F1.8 Fisheye PRO / ED 30mm F3.5 Macro / ED 60mm F2.8 Macro /
ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO / ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO / ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO /
ED 12-45mm F4.0 PRO / ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO / ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO /
ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS / ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO
Olympus’ new 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x is one seriously-impressive piece of kit. Offering 1000mm equiv. of reach when using the built-in teleconverter, it’s a great option for wildlife photography. Handling-wise, we found it a bit lighter and smaller than its massive focal range suggests and the perfect companion for the twin-grip OM-D E-M1X.
This is an initial sample gallery; we’ll update it again soon when we get a break from the pervasive Pacific Northwest rain. In the meantime, these should at least give you some idea of this lens’ potential.
See our Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x initial sample gallery
It’s here! We’ve known that the Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x was coming for a long time, and mockups have been on display here and there at trade shows (remember those?) for a year or so, but now it’s official. Designed for professional and advanced amateur photographers, especially fans of wildlife and sports, the Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x is shaping up to be a seriously impressive lens for serious Micro Four Thirds shooters.
Click through this article to learn more.
Focal length range
First let’s start by going over its focal length range. This is a 150-400mm tele-zoom, which covers an equivalent range of 300-800mm in full-frame terms. Meanwhile, its constant maximum aperture of F4.5 works out equivalent (in full-frame depth-of-field terms) to F9. The built-in teleconverter provides a boost in magnification of 1.25X, and when activated, the lens effectively becomes a ~190-500mm F5.6, or an equivalent 380-1000mm zoom.
Up to 8 stops of stabilization
That kind of focal length reach is impressive, despite the relatively slow aperture, and Olympus insists that the lens is fully hand-holdable, even at an equivalent focal length of 1000mm. Boasting a claimed 4.5 stops of stabilization as standard and up to eight stops of stabilization at the 150mm setting in combination with Olympus’s newest high-end ILCs (dropping to a claimed six stops when zoomed all the way), our experience so far suggests that this is indeed a lens which can be shot without a tripod. At least for a short while…
Size and weight
A tripod is still a good idea for extended shooting, because while undoubtedly smaller and lighter than an equivalent lens for full-frame would be, at 4.1lb (1.9 kg) you will quickly feel the weight of the 150-400mm around your neck – especially if it’s mounted on an E-M1X. Olympus has kept the weight down as much as possible by liberal use of reinforced plastics (including a ‘Heat Shielding Coating’ to stop sunlight from heating up the internals) over a magnesium-alloy chassis, with carbon fiber employed for the large detachable hood.
Weather-sealing
As we’d expect from a lens in Olympus’s ‘PRO’ lineup, the 150-400mm is sealed against dust and moisture, and is rated for use in conditions as cold as -10°C (14°F).
Despite its long reach, the 150-400mm accepts conventional 95mm screw-in filters. Several third-party options are available, but Olympus will be selling one alongside the new lens for $ 324.99.
Optical construction and autofocus
Optical construction of this tele-zoom lens is complex, consisting of 28 elements in 18 groups. The optical design comprises several special glass elements, including four ED elements and two ‘HR’ high refractive-index elements. The built-in 1.25X TC alone accounts for seven elements, in four groups.
Olympus’s ‘Z Nano’ coating is used to keep transmission and contrast high, and the front element is coated with fluorine to help repel dust and moisture.
The 150-400’s focus group is driven by a stepping motor. We found focus speeds to be very quick (Olympus claims that this lens is 25% faster than the 300mm F4 Pro) and the motor is nearly silent.
Minimum focus and max magnification
Minimum focus is 1.3m (51″) across the entire focal length range, which equates to a maximum magnification of 0.57X, increasing to 0.71X when the built-in teleconverter is used. While it wouldn’t be our first choice for true macro photography, this is impressive for a tele-zoom lens, and makes the 150-400mm very versatile when it comes to smaller subjects like butterflies.
Customization
Being a professional-grade lens, the 150-400mm features no fewer than four customizable L-Fn buttons, as well as preset focus buttons to quickly recall a saved focus position. The new Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x will be available at the end of January, 2021, at an MSRP of $ 7,499 ($ 10,000 CAD).
The post Is the Olympus Sale a Sign of Things to Come for Other Camera Companies? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away, or 2014, as most would call it), when I first started writing about photography, I created an article on my photography predictions for 2015.
In that article, I wrote about how one or more manufacturers would stop producing cameras. I specifically named Olympus (and Pentax) as companies I could see not surviving long-term. My prediction has unfortunately come true with the recent Olympus sale (six years later, but I was still right!).
This history lesson shows two things:
Talk of camera manufacturers not surviving has been around forever.
Eventually, some camera companies will fall victim to the ever-shrinking photography market.
After years of rumors and denials, June 2020 saw the sale of Olympus to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). This is the same firm that acquired Sony’s VAIO PC business back in 2014. It now seems (although it’s yet to be confirmed) that JIP will most likely be dropping the name “Olympus.”
The sad loss of Olympus shows that digital cameras are an ever-decreasing market and begs the question:
Is Olympus a one-off? Or is the Olympus sale a sign of things to come?
Unfortunately, it will not be long before we no longer see the name Olympus on a camera.
A small caveat
For this article, I will simply concern myself with digital camera divisions. I know that companies such as Nikon and Canon have huge businesses outside of cameras, but that doesn’t mean they won’t close their digital camera divisions if they become financially unviable.
What is happening to digital camera sales?
Digital camera sales are still in decline.
To give you a sobering statistic, over 98% of all digital cameras sold are smartphones. As cameras in phones continue to improve, the small percentage of compact digital camera sales will more than likely continue to shrink to zero.
But there will always be a market for more serious digital cameras. Such cameras are aimed at those of us who enjoy photography beyond a snapshot. For those who photograph either for a hobby or an income, there will always be the need for a larger camera with more advanced features.
That said, figures are continuing to trend downward and are not looking good. There are Japanese analysts who are saying that, unless the industry rapidly changes, it will begin to collapse. How true this is depends on several factors, but one thing is for sure:
We are heading toward rock bottom.
The quality of phone cameras means the compact camera market is shrinking rapidly.
The Corona effect
A recent report by Slackline showed that the camera industry has been hit incredibly hard by COVID-19. The camera market came in at number three on a list of the top 100 fastest-declining e-commerce categories in 2020 (only beaten by luggage and briefcases).
The reason for this is obvious:
People are not traveling or attending events for which they could justify the purchase of a new camera. Add to this many professionals who are simply not upgrading due to a major drop in income, and you are seeing a perfect storm for any camera company that may be struggling financially.
The perfect holiday camera, if only we could go on holiday.
We are about to hit rock bottom
Back in 2019, Canon president Fujio Mitarai talked about the continuing drop in sales and the expectation that, in two years, the market would drop by around 50%.
Canon estimates that the total market will be about six to eight million prosumer and professional cameras. In 2019, when Mitarai made his statement, the sales of interchangeable lens cameras were estimated to be around 10 million.
When you see figures like that, it is hard to imagine every camera brand still being able to compete.
But who will dominate? And who will be left to follow the route of Olympus?
King Canon
A while back, I said that Nikon & Canon could go the way of Kodak.
But right now, it definitely doesn’t look like Canon is going anywhere. Figures published by Nikkei show that, in 2020, Canon owns 45.4% of the market.
Canon was late to mirrorless technology, and many (myself included) thought the EOS R and EOS RP were subpar compared to what Sony was putting out. However, Canon had huge success with the 5D line, as well as cameras such as the 7D. This meant that many were still happy with their bodies and would only be purchasing lenses, flashes, etc.
It was a misstep by Canon to underestimate mirrorless, but honestly, it didn’t hurt them too much. The sales of the EOS R and RP showed that Canon has a loyal and longstanding fanbase.
Add to this the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6, as well as their success (overheating aside), I cannot see Canon losing its market share in the next 12-24 months. So if Canon is safe, who is most at risk?
Canon’s hottest release, the R5, sees the company continuing to dominate the market.
We need to talk about Pentax
Pentax’s stubborn refusal to move away from the DSLR is a potential sign that they may be heading for significant trouble in the very near future.
In 2020, the company’s statement of “Pentax believes in the future of DSLR photography” seems crazy. The sale of DSLR cameras has dropped massively since 2017.
Reading that first statement, you may think I am bashing Pentax’s managerial decisions, but I feel the problem may lurk a little deeper.
You see, I don’t think Pentax currently has the budget to develop a mirrorless camera from scratch. They have reached a point where they would need significant time and effort to do this, which comes at a significant cost.
Also, part of their recent brand statement was this line:
“When you take a picture with a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, the light passes through the lens and, in turn, the optical viewfinder. You view the image directly with your eyes, and feel it with your heart.”
This reminded me of Fuji’s “Pure Photography” vision at the launch of the X-Pro3. Could this mean that Pentax is aiming for a niche of customers who will want to continue to use DSLRs? It certainly could be a strategy, but I am not sure how this will work in practice. I don’t think there will be enough DSLR sales to allow this to work. Even if it does, it will seemingly lead to tiny R&D budgets.
Whether it is down to budget or that Pentax truly believes in their vision and wants to create a niche, who knows? One thing that we do know is that the market has moved to mirrorless. By refusing to move with it, Pentax looks too far behind to come back, which is sad to see.
I truly feel that, as a company, Pentax will slowly fade into obscurity and then close its camera division.
Will the decision to stick to DSLRs hurt Pentax?
Could one of the big companies follow?
The obvious point this leads to is whether one of the bigger companies will eventually fall. I think it is a case of, “While that is unlikely, nobody is too big to fail.”
The way Nikon has been overtaken in camera sales by Sony signifies a shift in the market. Nikon is set to release a new flagship mirrorless camera very soon, which will likely keep them comfortable for a while.
Here’s the longer-term question, though:
Will the market sustain three major players?
If the answer is “No,” then you would have to say, simply based on recent performance, Nikon looks to be the most likely to fade away.
I feel the Fab Five of Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Panasonic are here to stay. All of them are releasing amazing cameras and pushing things forward.
However, I feel that, over time, the market will be dominated by Canon and Sony, with Nikon starting to compete with brands such as Panasonic instead of the new Big Two.
That said, if the leaks about the upcoming Nikon releases are true, I may have to eat my words.
The high-end specialists
The decline in sales to professionals due to COVID may be posing big issues for brands such as Hasselblad and Phase One. These companies’ main market is almost exclusively professionals who need the very best quality images. Again, the coronavirus issues will be having an effect on sales.
Could this be enough to topple one of these companies? I honestly don’t know, as they play their cards very close to their chests. But there was something I found during my research for this piece that did make me think that all may not be perfect in Hasselblad land.
In a 2019 interview, Hasselblad’s head of sales for Europe, Uwe Moebus, said: “There are fewer professional photographers and it is getting harder and harder for professionals to make decent money.” He then spoke of the desire for amateurs to start using Hasselblad.
These comments hint at a shrinking market for Hasselblad and its need to diversify. With COVID, we will have to assume that this will not have gone as well as hoped and could be the sign of problems to come.
Does Hasselblad really need the amateur market?
Video is key if you want to keep up
While photography seemingly continues to decline, the video market is continuously buoyant in comparison.
This is due to YouTube being the new TV and the large number of YouTube channels popping up everywhere. There is also a market for crash cams in major film production. The idea of destroying a brand new camera is heartbreaking for most of us. However, when on a Hollywood budget, a relatively cheap camera that can be used with little regard to its survival (except for the memory card) is perfect for the job. This is a growing market for camera manufacturers.
The fact that Netflix has approved the use of the Panasonic S1H as a production camera creates a market that goes way beyond photographers and YouTube creators.
Sony has always been great with video; it is a huge reason for their success. The release of the 12-megapixel a7S III shows Sony releasing mirrorless cameras for video first (if not almost entirely). Obviously, this has become a hot topic (bad pun intended) with the Canon EOS R5. As a stills camera, everyone agrees it is a masterpiece. However, Canon marketed it almost solely based on its video features. All of the complaints, problems, and potential boycotts are based on this.
When shooting in 8K, you can extract a 35-megapixel still frame from the footage. In a field such as headshot photography, where you are looking for the perfect expression, you can now capture 30 shots per second, continuously. Shoot a minute of video, skim through until you find the perfect expression, then export the frame as a large megapixel file. This may well become the future for certain types of photography.
Sony’s video-first stance is clear to see.
How a decreasing market will be bad for consumers
Those of you reading this are probably part of the shrinking market segment that will continue to buy interchangeable lens cameras.
However, while the market and consumer needs will dictate which companies survive and which fall, the fact is that the Olympus sale will impact the whole industry.
While I feel that technological developments will continue, budgets for research and development will be cut. Fewer camera sales mean less ability for the engineering departments to push new technology. This may lead to a future with new models having smaller, more incremental updates rather than exciting, huge leaps forward in camera technology.
Again, I feel the future will be driven by video and the developments will come from Sony’s and Canon’s high-end cinema lines.
The thing is, though:
In purely photographic terms, what more do we actually need?
Is it really that bad?
Well, this has all been doom and gloom. Is there any silver lining?
The fact that, even when the market hits the predicted bottom, there will be enough money for several manufacturers to continue working with still gives us hope. The camera launches in 2020 have been spectacular and show no signs of stopping despite the Olympus sale.
In terms of photography, I really feel we are in a position where technology can no longer give us huge improvements. Maybe a stop more dynamic range here, a little less noise there.
But as a photographer, what else do you need right now? Autofocus systems are amazing. Noise at high ISOs is fantastic. Frames per second are almost video-like. We don’t need new technology; we need more creativity, and that is still solely down to the one who pushes the button.
The post Is the Olympus Sale a Sign of Things to Come for Other Camera Companies? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
After perusing some vacation photos and weeping ever so gently for a lost world in which international travel was feasible, I pulled myself together and made some selects to add to our Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro sample gallery. From lizards to crocs and jungles to cityscapes, take a virtual visit to Queensland in our updated sample gallery.
And in case you missed it, check out our field review of the Olympus 12-100mm F4 here.
The Olympus 12-100mm F4 IS Pro is a rugged, professional-level zoom lens with a focal length range that can cover almost any everyday situation. It also focuses impressively close, only adding to its versatility. It’s the kind of one-lens solution that might tempt you for travel photography in particular, but these types of lenses often trade convenience for outright image quality – so is that the case here? Let’s find out.
Jump to:
Handling | AF and stabilization | Image Quality | Conclusion | Samples
Stabilization: Up to seven stops with Olympus bodies
Filter thread: 72mm
Close focus: 1.5cm (0.6″) at 12mm; 27cm (10.6″ at 100mm)
Maximum magnification: 0.3x at wide end of zoom (0.6x 35mm equiv.); 0.21x (0.42x 35mm equiv.) at tele end
Diaphragm blades: seven
Hood: LH-76B (included)
Weight: 561g (1.24 lb)
Optical construction: 17 elements in 11 groups
The Olympus 12-100mm F4 is pretty much up for anything. Like a good Port Douglas sunrise. ISO 200 | 1/6400 sec | F4 | 47mm
Back in 2018, which feels more like two decades ago instead of two years, I took the Olympus 12-100mm F4 on a vacation to Australia for three weeks as my main lens alongside a single bright prime. Mounted on an OM-D E-M1 Mark II, it seemed to me to fit the bill of a reasonably sized solution for just about everything I’d want to photograph. Plus, I knew from prior experience that the Olympus kit would stand up to just about anything mother nature could throw at me.
Full disclosure: I organized and paid for this personal trip on my own, and the choice to bring Olympus gear was my own as well.
All images edited in Adobe Camera Raw 13 with adjustments limited to white balance, exposure, highlights, shadows, white and black levels. Sharpening at ACR defaults; noise reduction at 25 luminance, 25 chroma.
Handling and design
The M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 joins Olympus’ Pro lineup of prime and zoom lenses, offering top-notch build quality, with claims of dust-proof, splash-proof and freeze-proof construction. It has a manual focus clutch mechanism, giving the feel and very nearly the response of a mechanical focus ring, even though it’s technically a focus-by-wire system. The large, metal-ribbed zoom ring has just the right amount of resistance to it.
The manual focus clutch mechanism in its pulled-back position
The stabilization switch and customizable L-Fn button
There’s no denying it, hold this lens in your hand and it just oozes quality. Nearly everything is metal, though even the plastic IS switch on the side of the lens doesn’t so much ‘snap’ into place as ‘thunk’.
What you get in exchange for this feeling of solidity, though, is some heft. At 561g (1.24 lb), it’s very nearly the weight of an Olympus E-M1 Mark III, and significantly weightier than the E-M5 Mark III and E-M10 Mark IV. That said, the larger grips of the E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X mean it actually balances quite well on those bodies.
Autofocus and stabilization
Autofocus on the Olympus 12-100mm F4 is extremely quick, whether you’re shooting close-up or far away. The bokeh isn’t half-bad either, considering that’s fencing in the background. A more in-depth look at bokeh is coming up later in the review. ISO 200 | 1/250 sec | F4 | 100mm
The Olympus 12-100mm F4 racks through the entirety of its focus range really quickly. It’s perhaps not quite as quick as some Panasonic lenses designed to take advantage of those cameras’ Depth-from-Defocus technology, but it’s more than fast enough for any wildlife I encountered, both inside and outside the Australia zoo.
The rapid AF speeds also make it easy to use the lens when you’re near minimum focus distance, allowing for easy capture of close-ups without necessarily needing to resort to manual focus.
Great stabilization with slower shutter speeds helped to keep my ISO values low a lot of the time, even when working around the F4 max aperture. ISO 250 | 1/3 sec | F4.5 | 12mm
The stabilization promised by the combination of the 12-100mm F4 and the E-M1 Mark II was part of the reason I could see past this lens’ F4 maximum aperture for general use. It wouldn’t be great for shooting fast action in failing light, but it was perfect for images like this travel snap of a crazy-colored hostel under warm sunset light.
And really, the nice thing about the M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 is that unless you need to stop down for depth of field or another reason, the lens is more than sharp enough to just shoot wide-open all the time.
Image quality
Olympus’ line of Pro lenses has a history of being renowned for their great image quality, and the M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 is a strong performer in most respects.
Sharpness
The lens maintains a great level of sharpness throughout the zoom range, and it doesn’t get hazy or fall apart if you’re close to your subjects. So while there were times on this trip where I stopped the lens down, it was usually to get more depth of field, not to increase sharpness.
Things stay nice and sharp even at 200mm (equiv.), and with a relatively close distance to the subject. ISO 200 | 1/200 sec | F4 | 100mm
On the wider end of things, the 12-100mm is more than a match for the 20MP sensor in the E-M1 Mark II even at F4. This is great news for users that might be leery of a Micro Four Thirds lens that ‘only’ opens up to F4, as well as those users that want to take advantage of the high-res shot mode.
Wide open, the Olympus 12-100mm is plenty sharp across the frame for the 20MP sensor. Click-or-tap-through for the full-size image. ISO 200 | 1/2500 sec | F4 | 12mm
Vignetting and distortion
As is the case with most lenses designed for mirrorless systems, the M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro has some non-optional software corrections built into its design. These are applied automatically to the Raw files. So while characteristics like vignetting and distortion appear really well-controlled, it’s likely that software is partly responsible. You can see in the image above that there’s still some vignetting in the extreme corners, but it clears up somewhat as you zoom in.
There’s a bit of vignetting at the wide end of the zoom, but it’s not too objectionable. ISO 200 | 1/5 sec | F4.5 | 12mm
Again, likely due to built-in software corrections, there’s not much to complain about with regards to distortion either. There looks to be a small amount of barrel distortion at the wide end of the zoom, and without much in the way of pincushion distortion at the longer end of the zoom. Check out the vertical lines present in the two images below to get a sense of how the lens’ distortion will (or won’t) impact your images.
At longer focal lengths, there’s not much in the way of distortion at all. ISO 200 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 | 80mm
Click through to see a small amount of barrel distortion in this image at wide-angle. ISO 1250 | 1/10 sec | F4 | 12mm
Bokeh
While this lens was never going to be a bokeh machine owing to its F4 maximum aperture, you can absolutely get some subject isolation depending on your distance to subject and focal length.
For snapshot portraiture, you can get some subject isolation even in the middle of the zoom range. ISO 200 | 1/250 sec | F4 | 54mm
In most cases, the bokeh is nice and smooth. You’ll struggle to really blur the background fully away unless you’re real close to your subject and at near maximum zoom. Unfortunately, if your background is full of lots of out-of-focus highlights, you may sometimes notice it looks a bit ‘busy’, with rings around the outsides of the ‘bokeh balls’ and in some cases some ‘onion ring’ effects.
I found the bokeh in this image to be a bit ‘busy’ for my taste. ISO 200 | 1/800 sec | F4 | 100mm
For smaller subjects, you can get close and zoom in for nice isolation. ISO 640 | 1/60 sec | F4 | 70mm
Flare and sunstars
Flare and loss of contrast aren’t serious issues on the 12-100mm F4, even with the sun in the frame. What I was never really sold on, though, were the sunstars. They just didn’t ‘sharpen up’ even as I stopped down further, which then softened up the rest of the image due to diffraction.
After all, F11 on Micro Four Thirds is F22 equivalent for full-frame systems, so if you’re stopping down to the same aperture you would on 35mm to get better sunstars, your sharpness will drop off a cliff. Admittedly, I did put up with some diffraction to get some fantastic sunstars with the M.Zuiko 17mm F1.2 on this trip, so it seems like this is just a slight weak point of the 12-100’s design.
Flare is pretty well controlled, but I’m not super sold on the sunstars; stopping down might help more, but on Micro Four Thirds, that’s guaranteed to soften the image. (And apologies for those couple specks of dust, as well). ISO 200 | 1/800 sec | F8 | 13mm
Lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration
The M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 does a pretty good job keeping chromatic aberrations at bay. If you look closely, though, you will see some fringing in challenging situations. The bottom-left corner of the below image shows some residual fringing around the leaves; the built-in corrections look to have taken care of much other fringing, but left the purple behind. At least this type of CA (lateral) is easy to remove.
Less easy to deal with is the bit of fringing around the slightly out-of-focus sticks just to the right of the center of the frame; this is longitudinal CA, and you can see a bit of it in as green/cyan fringing in the reptile image earlier in the review. So it’s there, but we’ve definitely seen worse.
But jumping back to bokeh for a moment, I think the biggest issue with this image (other than the subjects, if you’re not a fan of bats) is the severe onion-ring bokeh in the highlights behind the flying mammals.
Conclusion
What we like
What we don’t
Sharp across the zoom range
Built like a tank
Resistant to flare
Incredibly versatile range
Very good stabilization
Low distortion
Bokeh can be busy
Sunstars aren’t the best
Some CA present, even with built-in corrections
Heavy
Expensive
And so, as happens occasionally on this site, I will be forced to eat some of my previously published words. I’ve said before that I don’t need a zoom on vacation. And I said I like cameras that are small and light, maybe even pocketable. Well, it turns out that I may have become a convert to zooms, depending on the destination.
If I myself was in the Olympus ecosystem, this is a lens I’d strongly consider. Also, this is the beach on which I got sunburned through my shirt. That Australian sun is no joke. ISO 200 | F9 | 1/320 sec | 20mm
The M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 provides such a versatile range in such a well-built package that I really did feel ready for anything. From dimly lit church interiors and landscapes to portraits and wildlife, the 12-100mm can handle pretty much anything. No, it won’t blur backgrounds to oblivion most of the time, and when you do get some subject isolation, the backgrounds will occasionally look a bit busy. Sunstars aren’t the best (nor the worst), and some people will have trouble accepting an F4 zoom on a Micro Four Thirds body.
On the other hand, the stabilization offered by this lens (when mounted to a compatible body) is pretty insane, which allowed me to keep my ISO values lower much of the time. I also love being able to hand-hold images at 1/10th of a second to get some motion into a scene while the surrounding environment stays tack sharp.
ISO 200 | 1/160 sec | F4 | 28mm
I think the biggest knock against this lens is the price; with an MSRP of $ 1299, it’s a costly proposition. There are a few Olympus options that fall within this focal range that are less expensive and built similarly well, but that’s just the nature of this particular offering.
If you want solid image quality and don’t want to be fumbling around and changing lenses on a beach next to a sweltering Australian rainforest, the M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 IS Pro is well worth considering.
Scoring
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro
Category: Superzoom Lens
Optical Quality
Build Quality
Autofocus
Image Stabilization
Ergonomics and Handling
Value
PoorExcellent
Conclusion
The Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro IS is a solid option for travel and generalist photographers using the Micro Four Thirds system. It doesn't grant you the blurriest backgrounds nor the most compact dimensions available among other Olympus lenses, but it's well-built, offers excellent stabilization and gives a great zoom range to match almost any situation you find yourself in.
Good for
Travel and generalist photography, including landscape and architecture work.
Not so good for
Situations where you need a fast aperture as well as a fast shutter speed to freeze the action, as in low-light sports imagery.
84%
Overall score
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In a press release shared today, Olympus has confirmed it’s come to a finalized agreement with Japan Industrial Partners Inc. [JIP] to transfer the Olympus Imaging business at the beginning of 2021.
In the announcement, Olympus says it’s transferring its Imaging business to a new wholly-owned subsidiary called the ‘New Imaging Company.’ On January 2, 2021, 95% of this company will be transferred to OJ Holdings, Ltd., a company created by JIP specifically for this transfer.
The acquisition includes all of Olympus’ global Imaging business, including all research and development, as well as manufacturing facilities. Sales, marketing and R&D operations will be relocated to a new headquarters located in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan, while production will continue at Olympus’ Vietnamese factories in the Dong Nai province.
Olympus says the ‘New Imaging Company will continue to provide high-quality, highly reliable products’ and notes the ‘Zuiko and OM brands, which are grounded in optics and digital imaging technologies cultivated by Olympus over many years […] will be appropriately positioned to further pursue new developments.’
Once the deal is complete, Olympus will focus on its Medical and Scientific Solutions with a mission to ‘making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.’
Press release:
Olympus Agreed on Transfer of Imaging Business with JIP
Tokyo, September 30, 2020 – Olympus Corporation (“Olympus”) today concluded a definitive agreement with Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (“JIP”) regarding the transfer of the Olympus Imaging business. Under the agreement, Olympus will transfer its Imaging business to a newly established wholly-owned subsidiary of Olympus (the “New Imaging Company”), through an absorption-type split. This is to be followed by transferring 95% of the shares of the New Imaging Company on January 1, 2021, to OJ Holdings, Ltd., a special purpose company established by JIP.
Olympus began the manufacture and sale of cameras using the Zuiko lens in 1936 and became one of the world’s leading camera makers. Olympus was among the first companies to make small, lightweight compact cameras with professional quality, such as the award-winning Olympus ‘OM’ and ‘Pen’ series. Driven by the desire to make people’s lives more fulfilling around the world, the company applied innovative technology and unique product development to distinguish itself in a highly competitive industry.
In recent years, however, the market has shrunk rapidly due to the evolution of smartphones, leading to a significant downturn for the digital camera market globally. Despite taking various steps to improve its cost structure and efficiency, Olympus’ Imaging business recorded operating losses for three consecutive fiscal years up to March 2020.
Under such circumstances, Olympus concluded that, by carving-out the Imaging business and operating the business under JIP, its business structure would become more compact, efficient, and agile, and it is the most appropriate way to realize self-sustainable and continuous growth. With a loyal following and long history of innovative products, the New Imaging Company would be committed to building on Olympus’ accumulated expertise and to continue providing customers with innovative, high quality cameras under the new business structure.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our customers for their patronage and support of Olympus products, and for their passion devoted to photography. I have the utmost confidence that this transfer is the correct step forward in sustaining the value of our products and services,” said Yasuo Takeuchi, President and CEO of Olympus Corporation.
“At the same time, I am certain that this opportunity is the best choice for our long-time patrons, new customers and photography enthusiasts. Under the new company, the development, manufacturing, sales and service functions will continue tight collaboration to introduce new products that will satisfy customers,” Takeuchi added.
The agreement applies to Olympus’ global Imaging business, which includes all R&D and manufacturing facilities currently dedicated to its Imaging business. The New Imaging Company will continue to provide high-quality, highly reliable products. Built on a solid foundation, including the Zuiko and OM brands, which are grounded in optics and digital imaging technologies cultivated by Olympus over many years, the New Imaging Company will be appropriately positioned to further pursue new developments.
Head of sales and marketing, R&D and designing departments for imaging products will be relocated to the headquarters of the New Imaging Company in Hachioji, Tokyo. Production will continue at the location in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, where imaging products are currently manufactured. The New Imaging Company will continue to provide customer support for the imaging products which have been manufactured and sold by Olympus.
Following the transfer of the Imaging business, Olympus will concentrate on Medical and Scientific Solutions, in our ongoing efforts toward making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.
Information on the New Imaging Company is as follows. Company name: OM Digital Solutions Corporation Location: Hachioji, Tokyo Representative Director: Shigemi Sugimoto Business operations: Operations involving the manufacture and sale of digital cameras (primarily mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras), interchangeable lenses, IC recorders, and other audio products Capital: Not fixed
For the details about the company split and the transfer of shares, please refer our corporate disclosure “Signing of Definitive Agreement for Divestiture of Imaging Business.” (https://www.olympus-global.com/news/ir/2020/)
The post Nikon’s 2019 Mirrorless Shipments Lag Behind Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Last month, we reported on Nikon’s decreased 2019 market share (Nikon now sits behind both Canon and Sony, but ahead of Fujifilm, Panasonic, and Olympus).
And we can now follow that up with additional data that highlights Nikon’s struggles, recently published in Nikkei article.
In 2019, over eight million interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) were shipped, and here’s the breakdown by camera manufacturer:
Canon: 4.16 million ILCs
Nikon: 1.73 million ILCs
Sony: 1.66 million ILCs
Fujifilm: 500,000 ILCs
Olympus: 330,000 ILCs
Other Manufacturers: 280,000 ILCs
These numbers are pretty much what you’d expect, with Canon leading the digital camera manufacturers by a large margin and Nikon in second place, closely followed by Sony. Fujifilm sits at the back half of the pack, then Olympus, while Panasonic and Ricoh/Pentax fail to make the top five.
Here, we can see that Nikon still remains competitive, even as Sony threatens its position. But bear in mind that these numbers include all interchangeable lens cameras, not just mirrorless models.
And when you look at mirrorless cameras (MILCs) alone, Nikon’s position becomes much more tenuous:
Sony: 1.65 million MILCs
Canon: 940,000 MILCs
Fujifilm: 500,000 MILCs
Olympus: 330,000 MILCs
Nikon: 280,000 MILCs
Others: 240,000 MILCs
As the data indicate, Sony is firmly on top, though I expect its lead will narrow over the next year or so. Canon’s dedication to its full-frame mirrorless system, as displayed in the EOS R5/EOS R6 release, will boost Canon’s numbers to at least become competitive with Sony.
But for Nikon, the future isn’t looking so rosy. It’s now been two years since the release of Nikon’s initial mirrorless offerings, the Z6 and the Z7. And while we’ve gotten two additional mirrorless cameras to show for it (the full-frame Z5 and the APS-C Z50), Nikon hasn’t even outperformed Olympus, a company in the process of selling its unprofitable camera division.
It’s clear that Nikon has big plans for the future (rumors of a Nikon Z8 abound), and Nikon recently announced several impressive Z-mount lenses. But right now, the company seems to be held up primarily by DSLR sales, which just doesn’t seem sustainable.
Let’s just hope that Nikon manages to turn things around in the coming years. For me (and, I imagine, for most photographers), more camera choice is pretty much always better.
Now over to you:
What do you think about Nikon’s recent camera sales? Do you think the company will make a comeback? What do you think Nikon needs to do to be successful? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post Nikon’s 2019 Mirrorless Shipments Lag Behind Sony, Fujifilm, and Olympus appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm F5-6.3 IS offers an equivalent focal length range of 200-800mm, making it perfect for casual wildlife and motorsports photography. Relative compact, lightweight and weather-sealed, the 100-400mm also offers powerful image stabilization, which works with the 5-axis in-body system used in current Olympus mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.
We took the 100-400mm and an OM-D E-M1 Mark III to the Pacific Raceway here in Washington State recently, to see how it performs.
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