PERFORMANCE: MULTI-FRAME
various ISO speeds, this shot was taken at ISO 1600. The images were edited in OM Workspace. Looking closely, you may notice the adjusted highlights in the 14-bit are cleaner, but the difference was minimal for all tested ISO speeds.
With moving water and branches blowing in the breeze, this scene wasn’t ideal for multi-frame shooting. But since the building was stationary, I set the OM-1 Mark II up to shoot Tripod High- Res Shot in 14- and 12-bit. Shooting at
12-bit
14-bit
Final word
Verdict The OM System OM-1 Mark II is an impressive camera. Its AF system is superior to the OM-1 so well worth taking a look at, while the larger buffer, rubberised dials and 14-bit High-Res Shot are somewhat less useful for most people. However, as a keen scenic shooter and filter user, the Live GND filter is something special. It’s a great innovation and enough to make me consider upgrading to the OM-1 Mark II. It works very well and with great flexibility, so all you need is a polariser. The OM-1 Mark II is £2199 body only so around £700 more expensive than its predecessor at current street prices. If you want a pro-level Micro Four Thirds camera and don’t need the benefits proffered by the latest model, the original OM-1 is a bargain while stocks last. Ultimately, though, the OM-1 Mark II is a compelling proposition. 24 /25 FEATURES
There are significant additions in the OM-1 Mark II, most notably the Live GND shooting mode. The AF is more reliable and capable for video, and better for stills too
23 /25 HANDLING
Excellent control layout, a good menu system and plenty of customisable controls all add up to a camera that’s great to use
24 /25 PERFORMANCE
There’s much to admire in the camera’s stills and video output. The AF is great, but subject detection can still struggle to nail sharp focus with moving subjects The camera costs £2199 body only, which is £700 more than the OM-1’s current street price. That’s quite a hike, but the updated AF skills and new features justify it
FLUID MOTION Live ND is a popular OM System computational feature and the OM-1 Mark II has an extra stop with ND128 (7EV). This was taken handheld for 1sec with the new ND128 setting
24 /25 VALUE FOR MONEY
Take the shot, and the camera will need a second or so to apply the effect, but there’s no problem shooting handheld. All in all, the feature worked well; the effect was realistic and effective. It certainly opens up a new creative avenue, especially if you’re not a filter user currently. As a keen filter user myself, a virtual option is welcome. The OM-1 Mark II’s Live GND works brilliantly and I’m sure it will be very popular. The only grad missing is the reverse ND for sunrise/sunset shooting, so perhaps that will come next, in three strengths and gradation styles.
mode, took a reading from the highlights to assess the difference, engaged the appropriate strength ND and positioned it to suit. The results looked excellent, so the next step was to try the feature with autoexposure modes. Shoot with actual filters alongside autoexposure, and you may have to dial in some underexposure to retain the filter’s effect. Fortunately, this is not the case with the OM-1 Mark II’s grads, which can be used with any exposure mode without needing to adjust compensation. That’s right – any adjustments you make can be seen in real time.
There’s much to like in the OM-1 Mark II, but whether it will tempt OM-1 owners to upgrade is up for debate. In terms of image quality, the two cameras are, in practice, the same. The OM-1 Mark II’s superior AF is worth having but its predecessor’s AF is no slouch either. The bigger buffer has its uses too, though I can’t see 14-bit High-Res Shot and rubber-finish command dials being major pulls. For me, the major attraction is the Live GND feature, which I would use a lot and means not having to tote around a filter system. Overall, the OM-1 Mark II is a worthwhile upgrade.
95 /100 OVERALL
The OM-1 Mark II is an inspiring camera to use. Its impressive feature set will appeal to a broad range of photographers
PROS Great handling, strong AF skills, larger buffer, ingenious Live GND feature, slower shooting modes without blackout, the potential of 14- bit High-Res Shot CONS No real imaging benefit compared with its predecessor, a fair bit more expensive
Issue 115 | Photography News 37
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