IBIS reliability on OMD

Hi all,

I'm thinking of taking the plunge and going with the OMD (from a GF1), mainly because I want to get IBIS as I use mostly primes (predominantly PL25 & OLY45) and shoot in low light situations (which seems to be a common usage here). I was thinking of picking it up at Amazon Japan (I live in Tokyo) which would have the standard 1 year warranty, but noticed that a local camera shop has it as well, but with a 5% higher price (so ~$50 more). The difference, is that the local store will provide an extended warranty with that 5% fee (3 years instead of 1). I've never really had an issue with a camera failing before, but I was wondering about the reliability of IBIS. I've heard from various reviews that the IBIS rattles around and makes noise (which I can deal with), but was wondering if that constant movement may make the IBIS part of the camera the first to fail. How reliable has IBIS been on other OLYs (not the OMD, as that hasn't been out long enough to have any failures... I hope)?

I've been using my Pentax DSLR with sensor-shift image stabilization for almost 5 years now, and never had any issues with it. I frequent the Pentax forums and I don't think I've ever seen a post by someone who's had their sensor shift mechanism fail.

I see nothing inherent in the sensor shift concept that would make it any less reliable than shifting a lens element.

Never mind the small price difference and warranty issue.

If you want the local camera store to still exist when you may need it you better support it by buying locally. If the price is ridiculous (which in this case it is not) then the store deserves to go out of business but if they are reasonable they need your support!

--
Slowly learning to use the Olympus OM-D E-M5.
Public pictures at http://debra.zenfolio.com/ .

tsunam99 said:

Hi all,

I'm thinking of taking the plunge and going with the OMD (from a GF1), mainly because I want to get IBIS as I use mostly primes (predominantly PL25 & OLY45) and shoot in low light situations (which seems to be a common usage here). I was thinking of picking it up at Amazon Japan (I live in Tokyo) which would have the standard 1 year warranty, but noticed that a local camera shop has it as well, but with a 5% higher price (so ~$50 more). The difference, is that the local store will provide an extended warranty with that 5% fee (3 years instead of 1). I've never really had an issue with a camera failing before, but I was wondering about the reliability of IBIS. I've heard from various reviews that the IBIS rattles around and makes noise (which I can deal with), but was wondering if that constant movement may make the IBIS part of the camera the first to fail. How reliable has IBIS been on other OLYs (not the OMD, as that hasn't been out long enough to have any failures... I hope)?

Click to expand...

Personally I believe that the IBIS is unlikely to fail. However, this is one of those times that you actually get something for the small up charge from purchasing locally. I would buy it from the shop around the corner.

I'd go with the local store. Heck, if you have any issues, they'll help. They'll clean the sensor and lenses probably; and if it plays up, you can check with them first.

Anyhow, $50 is a no brainer. Such insurance elsewhere, is worth a lot more than $50. It's a great deal, better than the net one, and you get to talk to the people at the store.

Sean Nelson said:

I've been using my Pentax DSLR with sensor-shift image stabilization for almost 5 years now, and never had any issues with it. I frequent the Pentax forums and I don't think I've ever seen a post by someone who's had their sensor shift mechanism fail.

I see nothing inherent in the sensor shift concept that would make it any less reliable than shifting a lens element.

Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat as Sean, and agree with him. Never heard of any IBIS failing, though I'm sure now it will happen.

--
Russ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rfortson/
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/russfortson
Even bad photography can be fun

No one here knows. We hope it is very reliable. There have been several reports of E-M5 IBIS failures on this forum already, but I hope mine turns out to be problem-free the whole time I own it. I never had any IBIS problems with my Sony A700, Sony A100, or KM 7D.

--
Henry Richardson
http://www.bakubo.com

Paying via certain credit cards doubles or triples the manufacturers warranty.

Amex typically doubles, I have seen promotions that say "buy something in the next 90 days and we'll triple the original warranty".

I don't like that the entire sensor unit is free to smack around the chamber while the camera is off. It seems like it would be better protected if it was locked in place like the typical lens shift stabilization systems. This is the only thing keeping me from getting the OM-D. Being this neurotic sucks, because I love everything else about the camera!

Sean Nelson said:

I've been using my Pentax DSLR with sensor-shift image stabilization for almost 5 years now, and never had any issues with it. I frequent the Pentax forums and I don't think I've ever seen a post by someone who's had their sensor shift mechanism fail.

I see nothing inherent in the sensor shift concept that would make it any less reliable than shifting a lens element.

Click to expand...

+1

I no longer have my Pentax but my personal experiences were the same as yours during the four years I used it, and like you, I think I have never seen a forum post talking about the SR (shake reduction) mechanism being out of order.

no problems so far (E-P1)

With modern electronic gear, it either fails in the first 48 hours of operation, or it never fails. That simple fact is why the 'extended warranty' business is so profitable. Quite often, stores will sell the gear at no profit, making it up with the extended warranty that most people never use, which is why salespeople tend to be so insistent on that.

I bought an E3... six years ago? The IBIS still works, never been a moment's problem. In fact, across an E1, E330, E3, EP1, EM5, and numerous lenses, I have never had a piece of Oly photographic gear develop a problem.

TrapperJohn said:

With modern electronic gear, it either fails in the first 48 hours of operation, or it never fails. That simple fact is why the 'extended warranty' business is so profitable. Quite often, stores will sell the gear at no profit, making it up with the extended warranty that most people never use, which is why salespeople tend to be so insistent on that.

I bought an E3... six years ago? The IBIS still works, never been a moment's problem. In fact, across an E1, E330, E3, EP1, EM5, and numerous lenses, I have never had a piece of Oly photographic gear develop a problem.

Click to expand...

My vast experience as well as friend's and relatives would very much contradict that argument. I would be willing to admit that if it lasts 48 hours, than most likely, it will last YEARS. Not forever.

All electronics (okay, almost all) have capacitors in them and even the best solid state "military grade" capacitors have a certain useful life to them. So long as there were no manufacturing faults, more likely than not any solid state system is probably going to last for a few years and maybe even "many years". Non-solid state systems however do not abide by that rule, and the IBIS is not a solid state system. I think it is likely it WILL last years, but it just depends on the use and abuse. Just like I love Sigma's new linear motor system, but the focusing element does float lose when off. Odds are it'll last as long as any other modern lens' focusing unit, but at the same time, abuse it and it will likely die quickly.

For example, give it a nice hard shock enough times, even something that wouldn't damage the housing, elements, etc is likely to damage that linear motor/the focusing mechanism over time. So...you know, don't try to play you Sigma 30 or 19mm as a maraca.

When it comes to cameras the only cameras I have had die were as a result of "user" "negligence". In one case it was a cracked LCD by being run over by a bicycle after having been dropped (my first digital camera, a 1.4mp Olympus). The only other camera I had die was a Canon A510 that had the lens assembly jammed by my oldest son when he was 18 months and tried to shove it back in (hard) when the camera was on.

I'm a pure MF, adapted, non-native lens user... with an incoming OMD on the way

...I just hope Olympus will fix the IBIS to work with adapted lenses in Video-mode asap or in their next FW update... as I take as many videos as I do still pictures, if not more.

TrapperJohn said:

With modern electronic gear, it either fails in the first 48 hours of operation, or it never fails.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, digital cameras are not just electronic devices. They are also mechanical devices with moving parts. IBIS is one of those. The shutter is another. The control wheels, buttons, etc. are other moving parts. For a DSLR there is also a moving mirror. I don't buy extended warranties either since they a rarely pay off. But, there are lots of mechanical things that can fail in a digital camera.

--
Henry Richardson
http://www.bakubo.com

fooddudeone said:

I just sent Olymmpus a message. I requested for a firmware update for::

1 (priority) IBIS to work in video-mode for non-native adapted lenses
2. 24p video
3. Higher bit-rate video

Here's the link:
https://support.olympus.co.jp/.../en/contact/index.cfm?consumer=ProDigitalSLR

If you guys can send them a message too, for IBIS to work in video-mode with non-native lenses, that would be great!

Click to expand...

Weekend bump... don't forget to email/message Olympus and request for IBIS in Video-Mode with Non-Native Adapted Lenses

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it sounds like there is a good chance that the IBIS system does not have any moving parts at all; the sensor package "floats" in a magnetic field that the system can adjust by varying currents to electromagnets. That would mean no mechanical wear to worry about, you would just have the usual chances of electronics failing. So it might be more reliable, assuming that you don't get a DOA unit. Then again, maybe there is some failure mode with these systems that we don't know about yet.

fooddudeone said:

fooddudeone said:

I just sent Olymmpus a message. I requested for a firmware update for::

1 (priority) IBIS to work in video-mode for non-native adapted lenses
2. 24p video
3. Higher bit-rate video

Here's the link:
https://support.olympus.co.jp/.../en/contact/index.cfm?consumer=ProDigitalSLR

If you guys can send them a message too, for IBIS to work in video-mode with non-native lenses, that would be great!

Click to expand...

Weekend bump... don't forget to email/message Olympus and request for IBIS in Video-Mode with Non-Native Adapted Lenses

Click to expand...

FIxed Link = https://support.olympus.co.jp/cf_secure/en/contact/index.cfm?consumer=ProDigitalSLR

azazel1024 said:

My vast experience as well as friend's and relatives would very much contradict that argument. I would be willing to admit that if it lasts 48 hours, than most likely, it will last YEARS. Not forever.

Click to expand...

Any part that moves in it's operation, sure.

azazel1024 said:

All electronics (okay, almost all) have capacitors in them and even the best solid state "military grade" capacitors have a certain useful life to them.

Click to expand...

Decades ago when vacuum tube amplifiers had paper-compostion capacitiors, sure. Or perhaps high-voltage capacitors in your old analog television, maybe. Other than that, the capacitors used on PCBs in cameras (ceramic, mylar, polycardonate, polyproplyene, etc.) are oustandingly reliable. Lager valued (Capacitance) electrolytic (polarized) capacitors are somehwhat less reliable, but for the most part they are very well engineered, quite reliable, rated well over their operating voltages

azazel1024 said:

So long as there were no manufacturing faults, more likely than not any solid state system is probably going to last for a few years and maybe even "many years".

Click to expand...

Agreed.

I can't speak for the OM-D as I've only had it for a month but I've had 2 Pentax DSLR's that I have used previously since late 2006 that work in a similar manner (magnet based floating IBIS) and neither have ever had an issue. I wouldn't sweat it basically...
--
Sinan
http://sinantarlan.zenfolio.com/