Five years before Micro Four Thirds came along in 2008, there was the Four Thirds system. Spearheaded by Olympus, Four Thirds was Micro Four Thirds with a mirror box, a smaller-sized DSLR.
The system was never a huge success, the mirror box did not allow Olympus to take advantage of the smaller sensor and make a diminutive body; but that didn’t stop Olympus releasing fifteen bodies over a seven year period, culminating in the E-5 which can still be found for sale today; if you look hard enough.
Just another dead format, if it were not for the lenses which are regarded as some of the best lenses ever made. Once Micro Four Thirds came along, owners of these lenses looked forward to mounting them on the new format cameras. You could do this, with an adapter, but auto-focus speeds ranged from abysmal to appalling. Four Thirds lens and camera owners have long been asking when Olympus were going to offer a body that would handle both Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds lenses with good auto-focus speeds.
And here it is, the EM-1:
Except it isn’t; because it has not officially been announced yet.
The Engadget website had an article and video all set up to be released once the camera was announced. But someone discovered the page hidden away and leaked it. They also put the video on YouTube, but that was taken down. But you can download it here. Five minutes long and worth a watch.
To me, the camera doesn’t have the elegance of the EM-5 in the looks department, but I am sure it will provide all the latest enhancements that we saw in the EP-5, plus some extra goodies. But as I don’t have any Four Thirds lenses to stick on it, it is not going to attract me, especially at the high price I expect it be introduced at ($1500?). Still, well done Olympus for continuing to introduce new products; and there is rumour of a tasty new lens to come along with the EM-1 announcement. Sadly, nobody has leaked details of it yet.
Comments 🔗
2013-08-19| Chang Noi saysLenses …. the last time I did hold a lens it was of the weight & toughness that you could use it as assault weapon. But I was last week playing with some different Olympus lenses for the MFT and I think if you put one on the table and a ventilator could blow it away. Are the all plastic?
I did just see that some shops here are offering promotions on both the Olympus OMD-5 as on the PEN EP-5 / EPL-5 (free fish-eye lens or 10% discount).
2013-08-19| Andrew saysI would hope for that price that they will include the MMF-3 adapter needed to use the 4/3 lenses but knowing Olympus and their method of not including lens hoods you will probably have to shell out another $180 for the adapter - or it will be a kit with whatever the new lens is and the adapter for north of $2000…a few months from now should be a better time to buy an EM5 or EP5…
2013-08-31| Spike saysIt will be extra because most people won’t want it; and because that is what Olympus does.