The OM-1, the first in 50 years, was the OM-D that had evolved into the royal road.

This is the OM-1 of the 21st century. It will be released in March and the direct sales price is 272,800 yen (tax included) for the body only.

One year has passed since the digital imaging department was separated from Olympus and became a new company called OM Digital Solutions. Finally, the new company's first flagship model was announced. The OM SYSTEM OM-1 is said to be the last camera with the OLYMPUS logo. From a position, it will be the successor to the "E-M1 Mark III", but it is the first as a new company, and it is the 50th anniversary since the first OM-1 (originally M-1) appeared in 1972. The OM-1 was revived at a turning point. Well, in 1972 the M-1 was released instead of the OM-1, and the name was changed to the OM-1 the following year. It's an OM-1 from the new brand "OM SYSTEM", but the fact that it still says "OLYMPUS" on the body makes me want to retort, but that's okay. Considering the continuation of the series, it would have been difficult to suddenly change there.

OM-1 is a flagship machine that has greatly enhanced basic performance

I had the opportunity to touch the OM-1 just a little bit, so this is the report. The OM-1 is a flagship mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera that uses a Micro Four Thirds mount. While inheriting the basic design of the E-M1 Mark III, it also incorporates elements of the E-M1 X, giving it a slightly smoother overall feel. The OLYMPUS logo is on the forehead, and the OM SYSTEM logo is in the lower right. The grip has become deeper, and the angle of the shutter button and the position of the dial have inherited the "E-M1 X". It's a small detail, but the button on the left shoulder has become concave, and the design of the rear electronic dial has also changed. The size is the same as the E-M1 Mark III, but it's easier to grip, and it seems to be more responsive and comfortable to use. But the problem is the content, so I tried to summarize the important points.

1) Completely new image sensor

This is the most important thing. The image sensor has been fully renewed. Although the number of pixels has not increased (20.37 million pixels), it is the first "backside illumination laminated sensor" in the series. Stacked sensors are no longer uncommon, but this is (probably) the first time Micro Four Thirds has used them. The features of this type are that the pixel size can be increased to the limit and the signal readout speed can be increased. The former has an effect on image quality. The conventional E-M1 series had poor image quality at high sensitivities as a digital SLR, but the practical ISO sensitivity has increased from ISO6400 to ISO25600, and the dynamic range has also increased by one step. I'm planning to actually shoot this area in the review, but it's a good choice to prioritize image quality and dynamic range at high sensitivity, rather than increasing the number of pixels. On the other hand, the signal readout speed is very effective when shooting with the electronic shutter. This greatly reduces distortion when shooting fast-moving subjects. I want to check it properly when I review the product. Another new "quad pixel structure". It's like a quad version of a dual pixel, which captures phase information in both vertical and horizontal directions. Achieved 100% AF coverage with 1053 points. In short, AF performance has improved.