CENTER VALLEY, Pa., May 8, 2017 — Today, Olympus announces a series of powerful new firmware updates that enhance the performance of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, Olympus PEN-F and select M.ZUIKO^® PRO and PREMIUM lenses. The updates are available immediately and are designed to bolster Olympus cameras and lenses with the latest functionality, including true compatibility with the new Profoto Air Remote TTL-O, to strengthen the performance for the professional and enthusiast photographer.

Olympus is dedicated to providing ongoing product functionality and performance improvements to expand the capabilities of their cameras. The E-M1 Mark II, Olympus’s latest flagship camera designed to withstand the rigors of professional use and deliver outstanding images, is upgraded to Version 1.2. The E-M5 Mark II, a high-performance compact system camera that features Olympus’s advanced in-body 5-Axis Image Stabilization, is upgraded to Version 3.0. And the PEN-F, a beautifully crafted camera with creative functions ideal for street shooters and those with an affinity for sophisticated industrial design, is upgraded to Version 2.0.

The recent updates are comprehensive and go beyond compatibility with the Profoto Air Remote TTL-O. The E-M5 Mark II has been enhanced with features that include “Save Settings and Mysets” for saving camera settings on a computer, and a midtone adjustment function has been added to Highlight & Shadow Control for even greater control over the tonal quality of images. The PEN-F now offers touch-to-select Art Filters while viewing the effect in real time, and users can set the slowest shutter speed allowed before the camera raises the sensitivity in ISO AUTO. For the E-M1 Mark II, High Res Shot and Focus Stacking Modes are now compatible with non-Olympus flashes, and AF HOME settings are saved when the camera is turned off.

Firmware Version 1.1 for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO and Firmware Version 1.2 for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO improves silent sequential shooting performance when image stabilization is active on the E-M1 Mark II. Firmware Version 1.1 for the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO also improves 5-Axis Sync IS performance when paired with the E-M5 Mark II and the E-M1 Mark II.

Main Features

1. Compatibility with Profoto Air Remote TTL-O

The latest firmware upgrade delivers compatibility between the Profoto Air Remote TTL-O and the E-M1 Mark II, E-M5 Mark II and PEN-F models. The Profoto Air Remote TTL-O wirelessly integrates the Profoto Air TTL Flash with these cameras, providing Olympus users with seamless integration with products from one of the leading manufacturers of lighting and light-shaping tools.

Simply attach the Profoto Air Remote TTL-O to the hot shoe for quick remote control of all functions. For more information on which functions can be used, please see the Profoto website: http://profoto.com

2. “Save Settings and Mysets” function saves camera settings on the user’s computer

The convenient “Save Settings and Mysets” function has been added to the E-M5 Mark II and PEN-F to easily save the user’s customized settings on their computer and restore them on the camera when necessary. This feature is useful for applying the same settings to multiple cameras and saving complex settings when upgrading firmware.

3. Midtone adjustment function added to Highlight & Shadow Control

The new midtone adjustment function has been added to the Highlight & Shadow Control on the E-M5 Mark II to provide control over bright and dark sections of a subject and to give users complete control over the tonal properties of the image.

4. AF Target Spot Metering provides spot metering at the focus point

AF Target Spot Metering is now available on the E-M5 Mark II to effectively link the AF Target position and spot metering area.

5. Touch to select Art Filters while viewing sample images on the screen

Sample images that demonstrate the effects of the Art Filter are now shown at the bottom of the PEN-F’s screen. Users can simply view and touch the sample Art Filter image on the screen to instantly activate that option.

6. Set the shutter speed to begin raising the ISO sensitivity in ISO AUTO

It is now possible to control the lowest shutter speed setting on the PEN-F. This allows users to predefine a minimum shutter speed so that the ISO sensitivity increases in low-light situations rather than slowing down the shutter speed. This is convenient for handheld shooting in low-light environments.

7. Improved AF Targeting Pad on the rear LCD monitor

The firmware update makes it possible to use touchpad operations on the PEN-F even if your nose touches the rear LCD monitor while looking through the viewfinder. The AF Targeting Pad provides the freedom to move the AF point on the rear LCD monitor using touch operations while keeping your eye on the viewfinder.

8. High Res Shot and Focus Stacking Mode compatibility on non-Olympus flashes

The E-M1 Mark II’s powerful 50MP High Res Shot and Focus Stacking Modes are now supported with both Olympus flashes and flashes from other manufacturers.

9. Automatic switching to rear LCD monitor when shooting with the viewfinder

When shooting through the E-M1 Mark II’s viewfinder during Rec View, the camera now automatically switches to the rear LCD monitor for image playback when the eye is moved away from the viewfinder.

10. AF HOME settings saved when camera is turned off

Previously, AF HOME settings were reset after the E-M1 Mark II was turned off. The firmware upgrade saves the user’s AF HOME settings even if the camera is turned off.

Additional Improvements

• Improved viewfinder color reproduction during shooting for the E-M1 Mark II lets users compose their image while viewing color more accurately.
• Improved stability for battery level display for the E-M1 Mark II.
• Lens firmware upgrade improvements:

(1) M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO Firmware Version 1.1 and M.ZUIKO Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO Firmware Version 1.2 improves silent sequential shooting performance when image stabilization is active on the E-M1 Mark II.

(2) M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO Firmware Version 1.1 improves 5-Axis Sync IS performance when paired with the E-M5 Mark II and E-M1 Mark II.

via Dpreview

You remmeber the big Olympus scandal? Well there is some news. BBC reports:

Six executives sacked by Japan’s Olympus have been ordered to pay more than half a billion dollars in damages after a massive accounting fraud. The camera and medical equipment firm brought the case against ex-chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and 15 others.
A Tokyo court found Kikukawa and five others liable for $529m.
The ruling comes comes six years after former chief executive Michael Woodford exposed his colleagues for falsifying accounts to conceal losses of $1.7bn.
The scandal was one of the biggest financial frauds in Japan’s history, but Kikukawa and two other executives who pleaded guilty never went to jail. Instead, they were given suspended sentences of up to three years.
An Olympus spokesman declined to comment, saying the former employees could appeal against the ruling.
One of the six men found liable by the court has since died, but his family could still be held responsible for his share of the damages, according to the AFP news agency.

The good news for Olympus is that for the first time in 7 years the imaging division managed to make a profit in 2016! Read the full 2016 financial year report.

There is a new Kickstarter project for a “convertible” lens system:

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System consists of a lens base that’s mounted to your camera and several convertible lens components. By interchanging the front components, you can shoot photos or videos at three different fixed focal lengths — 35mm, 50mm and 80mm. An Art Lens System unlike any other; it offers you all the freedom of a zoom lens without compromising on prime lens quality, and it’s the only convertible Art Lens out there to work with a range of modern-day analogue and digital cameras. Each component is assembled by using the finest multi-coated glass and crafted to produce exceptionally sharp focus and strong, saturated colors for stunning high-definition images — even when you’re shooting close-ups at 0.25m/9.8” with Thalassa (35mm), 0.4/15.7” with Despina (50mm) or 0.8m/31.5” with Proteus (80mm). This is an Art Lens System that lets you take beautifully intimate shots, allowing you to get near enough to capture every last detail of your subject. And because it’s so small and lightweight design, you can take it with you everywhere.

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System: Aperture Comparison from Lomography on Vimeo.

Cool!

There is the Megapixel race, the High ISO race and in those days the talk is all about frames per second race. The Sony A9 killed the headlines with the amazing 20fps shooting without blackout.

But just for fun…did you ever wonder what’s the fastest camera on earth? Well here it is:

A research group at Lund University in Sweden has developed a camera that can film at a rate equivalent to five trillion images per second, or events as short as 0.2 trillionths of a second. This is faster than has previously been possible.