After decades, Olympus is retiring its brand name (at least with cameras and lenses). They’ll now be known as OM System. But as a kind of swan song, they’ve reached back into their impressive photographic history to launch a new camera bearing the old “Olympus” branding: the OM-1.
It’s not the first time that they’ve used the model number OM-1. The original was a film SLR way back when (apparently launched in 1972). And it’s a camera I have a particular soft spot for: it was my first SLR and one that I used for several years when I was first dipping my feet into photography.
There’s a lot to like about this new, digital version of the OM-1, and I’ve really enjoyed shooting with it. It’s small and very portable. It’s weatherproofed. It has an impressive set of features. There’s a respectable range of lenses to choose from. And it’s just plain fun to shoot with.
The OM-1 is well worth a look if you’re after a high-quality camera to take with you on your travels and aren’t already locked into the Nikon/Canon/Sony universes.
Olympus OM-1 vs OM System OM-1. I’m referring to this camera here as the Olympus OM-1, in large part because it carries the Olympus name right there on the front of the camera. But you will often see it referred to as the OM System OM-1.
As a technical matter, the company that makes it is actually now known as OM System. The Olympus brand is now focused on medical and scientific products, and it seems likely that the OM-1 will be the last new camera to carry the iconic name.
Olympus OM-1 sample photos
Here’s a selection of sample images I’ve taken with the OM-1. (I’ve also posted a set of OM-1 photos focusing specifically on high ISO in low-light shooting).
I’ve tried to include a range of different scenes and shooting situations, with an emphasis on everyday travel-style shots. And I’ve deliberately not done anything fancy with these. They were originally shot in RAW but have had only the lightest touches of processing in Lightroom (mostly a slight bump in contrast and maybe a little in the exposure setting). But since the point here is to get a sense of the camera’s performance, I didn’t want to overshadow it with too much processing. I haven’t applied any extra noise reduction, sharpening, optical corrections, or enhancement filters or presets.
You can click on each image for a larger full-size version.
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 4000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OLYMPUS M.12-100mm F4.0 lens zoomed to 15 mm (35mm equivalent: 30 mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 250. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 14mm (35mm equivalent: 28mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/11 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 80. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 16000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 54mm (35mm equivalent: 108mm) with an aperture of f/11 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 75mm (35mm equivalent: 150mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 22mm (35mm equivalent: 44mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 2500. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 41mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm) with an aperture of f/4.5 and sensitivity of ISO 500. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 13mm (35mm equivalent: 26mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 1250. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 13mm (35mm equivalent: 26mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 2000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 21mm (35mm equivalent: 42mm) with an aperture of f/11 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 80mm (35mm equivalent: 160mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 13mm (35mm equivalent: 26mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 61mm (35mm equivalent: 122mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 40mm (35mm equivalent: 80mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 2500. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 41mm (35mm equivalent: 82mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 32mm (35mm equivalent: 64mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 4000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 24mm (35mm equivalent: 48mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/5.0 and sensitivity of ISO 20000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 250. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/11 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 17mm (35mm equivalent: 34mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 80. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 500. This taken quite close of a small diorama in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 35mm (35mm equivalent: 70mm) with an aperture of f/11 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/8 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 13mm (35mm equivalent: 26mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 12800. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 32mm (35mm equivalent: 64mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 320. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 32mm (35mm equivalent: 64mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 2000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 80mm (35mm equivalent: 160mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 1600. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 4000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 75mm (35mm equivalent: 150mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 12800. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II lens zoomed to 12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm) with an aperture of f/2.8 and sensitivity of ISO 2500. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 23mm (35mm equivalent: 46mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 4000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 25600. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 100mm (35mm equivalent: 200mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens zoomed to 15mm (35mm equivalent: 30mm) with an aperture of f/4 and sensitivity of ISO 200. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelI took this photo with an Olympus OM-1 at ISO 20000. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
I take photos for a living. Now based in Washington, D.C., I have spent the last 30+ years shooting across seven continents — from underwater environments to mountain peaks. My images and time-lapses have appeared in major newspapers, magazines, museums, professional sports stadiums, and even on massive architectural scrims covering world-famous buildings.
I started this site in 2009 to field-test gear, share problem-solving solutions, and share what I've learned in shooting around the world. I only review gear and services I have personally used. No armchair opinions — just real-world experience. Because, for me, the fun is in the making of the photo.
