Cafe Racer
Senior Member
Interesting. I wonder if OMDS have actually released a camera that hadn't already been developed by Olympus.
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New OLYMPUS branded camera
- Thread starter Cafe Racer
- Start date
gary0319
Forum Pro
I don’t recall the published timeframe for this changeover, maybe I missed it. And what about the E-M10 IV which is still being sold under the Olympus name?
Cafe Racer
Senior Member
Olympus E-M10iv released in 2021 before the announcement.
the bluesman
Senior Member
It has the new quick access Ghosting button and improved low light performance with good creepy noise control
OpticsEngineer
Veteran Member
"What's the purpose of OMDS using the previous brand name that they announced they were removing from their entire product portfolio back in 2022?"
That is kind of an interesting question. What is possible for OM Systems to do now would all be covered by the contracts that were put in place at the time the separation from Olympus happened. There is an infinite number of things that might be in those contracts, and we can only guess at what they are. But it kind of looks like being able to use up existing bodies without removing the name Olympus is one of them.
As far as the purpose, there is almost an infinite set of possibilities there too. I work in a major corporation, and I have seen all kinds of nutty things be done so an executive here are there will get their bonus. In one case a few executives had a floor in a building remodeled incorrectly to meet a deadline for their bonuses, knowing full well the floor would be torn out when it failed customer inspection, and the customer knew what was happening and were sending certified letters months in advance of the shoddy completion, telling them they would not accept the remodel. (I was on the customer side of that one, so I knew the guys sending the letters)
But back to the Olympus situation, it could be something really simple like someone gets their bonus if all the parts are used by a certain date. Or there is a tax implication. One can think up all kinds of scenarios.
That is kind of an interesting question. What is possible for OM Systems to do now would all be covered by the contracts that were put in place at the time the separation from Olympus happened. There is an infinite number of things that might be in those contracts, and we can only guess at what they are. But it kind of looks like being able to use up existing bodies without removing the name Olympus is one of them.
As far as the purpose, there is almost an infinite set of possibilities there too. I work in a major corporation, and I have seen all kinds of nutty things be done so an executive here are there will get their bonus. In one case a few executives had a floor in a building remodeled incorrectly to meet a deadline for their bonuses, knowing full well the floor would be torn out when it failed customer inspection, and the customer knew what was happening and were sending certified letters months in advance of the shoddy completion, telling them they would not accept the remodel. (I was on the customer side of that one, so I knew the guys sending the letters)
But back to the Olympus situation, it could be something really simple like someone gets their bonus if all the parts are used by a certain date. Or there is a tax implication. One can think up all kinds of scenarios.
gary0319
Forum Pro
You statement says “all of its current product lineup” . We could read this to mean that the 10.4 and the 10.3 Astro are both not considered part of the current lineup……which may be true. I think the E-M1 series is not making the name change because, like the E-M10 series, both are being sunsetted. This Astro looks like nothing more than a limited one-off edition. Nothing nefarious to see.
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cba_melbourne
Veteran Member
It's intended to be attached to a telescope. Instead of a dedicated astro camera.
A standard camera body is much easier to setup and use for a beginner. An astro camera may be cooled and needs a filter wheel for color and has to be hooked up to a laptop to take any pics and needs an external focusing device etc etc. Another advantage over a dedicated astro camera, is that this EM1.3 can still be used as a normal camera to take any conventional pictures you take with cameras. So it is not a dead investment if it turns out the owner does not enjoy astrophotography.
Hence beginners start out with an adapted DSLR or MLC. This EM1.3 is intended just for that. The IR filter has been changed to let H-Alpha light through, it has some software functions to make use on a telescope easier, and it has an in-body filter holder. It will also be very suitable with standard lenses to take wide angle shots of the night sky.
All in all I think it is a great idea from OM, to tap into another (albeit very small) niche. They need all business they can get. I wish them success - but in my experience few telescope owners will buy an expensive brand new MLC camera for that, most will either buy an older used DSLR camera, or a small entry level dedicated astro camera that fits instead of the telescope eyepiece.
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If the camera can be used for normal terrestrial photography without having to change the white balance, that’ll be quite interesting. Typically, modified astro SLRs have the IR filter removed which makes them less suitable for normal daytime use as it skews the white balance.
When I got interested in astro photography, I started off with my OM1 coupled to a dedicated astro 200mm lens, I could still get decent photos of nebulae without modifying the camera, but the red colours were not so prominent (can be fixed in post processing). Galaxies were fine as no hydrogen alpha present. I moved quickly to a cheap dedicated astro camera (without cooling) which I can control with my iPad and of course is designed to capture all wavelengths of light.
But to get back to the dedicated Olympus astro camera, it’ll only be truly useful if it can be used in daytime mode as well as full astro mode. But it would be even better if it had an inbuilt sensor that compensated for the earth’s rotation, allowing 2 minute exposures with no star trails, like the Pentax astro camera. Now that would be very interesting.
When I got interested in astro photography, I started off with my OM1 coupled to a dedicated astro 200mm lens, I could still get decent photos of nebulae without modifying the camera, but the red colours were not so prominent (can be fixed in post processing). Galaxies were fine as no hydrogen alpha present. I moved quickly to a cheap dedicated astro camera (without cooling) which I can control with my iPad and of course is designed to capture all wavelengths of light.
But to get back to the dedicated Olympus astro camera, it’ll only be truly useful if it can be used in daytime mode as well as full astro mode. But it would be even better if it had an inbuilt sensor that compensated for the earth’s rotation, allowing 2 minute exposures with no star trails, like the Pentax astro camera. Now that would be very interesting.
Quailane
Well-known member
The E-M1 Mark III predates the branding switch. It is an E-M1 Mark III that is being sold. As long as they make the E-M1 Mark III, it will say Olympus on it, just like the other bodies that they continue to sell that say Olympus on them.
Think of an E-M1 Mark III that says OM System next to an OM-1 that says Olympus and imagine how silly that would be.
I thought this was a joke when I first saw the headline onlineOMDS will launch a 'new' camera branded Olympus rather than OM System. It's an E-M1 iii Astro. This seems odd as I thought the brand name was changed to OM System so no more Olympus branded products. Do they have a new contract to use the Olympus name? Why an Olympus E-M1 iii Astro, wouldn't an OM System OM1 Astro make more sense as far as brand identity is concerned? It seems odd unless there's been some internal mistake with the product photo.
J
jjbinx
Guest
I thought that they changed the filter to one that extends to pass H alpha and then does a sharp cutoff before the Near Infra Red starts - not the usual IR modification which removes the filter for full-pass spectrum
it wil be “truly useful” in its intended Astro role. People won’t be buying it for normal photography and that’s one reason why the older model Mark III is a good choice. It has Starry Sky AF. The lack of AI subject detection and the high frame rates of the OM-1 won’t be relevant.
I’d expect most buyers will be using this camera attached to a scope with an EQ mount
jj
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gary0319
Forum Pro
The examples in the article were with only a 75mm f/1.8 mounted and the camera on an equatorial mount, there was no mention of the camera being intended to be used with a telescope. My son gets pretty nice images of nebula and galaxies with just his OM-1 100-400 lens and an equatorial mount.
Humansvillian
Senior Member
Years and years ago General Motors had the Fisher Body Works make car bodies for Chevrolets.What's the purpose of OMDS using the previous brand name that they announced they were removing from their entire product portfolio back in 2022?The purpose of a converted Astro camera is to mount to a big telescope.They're also in business to turn over existing inventory not sit on it indefinitely!OM Systems is in business to sell brand new $2,400 OM1.2 cameras, and brand new OM5 cameras at $1,000.The E-M1iii appears to have been unavailable for some time now, so where has this surplus stock been hiding?! Wouldn't it make sense to keep this camera available until they've depleted all stock?They have a surplus stockMaking a variant of a camera is not unusual but after announcing in 2022 that the Olympus branding would be removed from their entire product portfolio it seems like an odd move as far as brand identity is concerned. They've already released two cameras and several lenses with the OM System branding. If this is old stock being "re-engineered" then why not at the same time 're-engineer' a new top cover with the OM System branding on it? I would have thought maintaining brand name consistency would be an important aspect of their brand identity.I surmise they are old stock/inventory and they have been re-engineered to make the sensor more sensitive to Astronomy usage.OMDS will launch a 'new' camera branded Olympus rather than OM System. It's an E-M1 iii Astro. This seems odd as I thought the brand name was changed to OM System so no more Olympus branded products. Do they have a new contract to use the Olympus name? Why an Olympus E-M1 iii Astro, wouldn't an OM System OM1 Astro make more sense as far as brand identity is concerned? It seems odd unless there's been some internal mistake with the product photo.
IIRC whilst still under Olympus or was it shortly after the changeover to OMDS? There were two such modified models aimed at the highly niche museum & specialist "archive records" usage market. So, such re-engineering is nothing new!
Over the years GM bought Fisher and every car that rolled one a minute off a Chevrolet assembly line had a plate in the door that read
Body by Fisher
There wasn’t one thing in the world my mother wanted my father didn’t figure out a way to buy for her, and she never wanted anything he couldn’t afford.
In the summer of 1970 my Mama was disgusted with the faded paint on hsr 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 and she wanted a green Chevrolet.
It cost $3,000, the 65 Ford was worth $800, and he bought it for her. We drove it to the local cafe named the Shady Nook.
The men went out in the twilight, inspected the new car, and on the door sill was
Body by Fisher
I never see a Chevrolet today I don’t remember, they were bodied by Fisher.
So long as one old man lives, who was a kid when the Olympus M1.3 came out, anything OM makes will regarded as an Olympus.
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Humansville is a town in the Missouri Ozarks
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J
jjbinx
Guest
I didn't see a link to the OMDS site - just read it and there is also one image there from the 300mm f/4
I think OMDS are marketing to a wider potential user base than I first thought, but most buyers of a camera suitable only for Astro will be serious astrophotographers'
I wonder if this camera will appeal to those Astro togs who are are not currently MFT system owners - there is already the Canon Ra and many dedicated astro imaging cameras out there
jj
Cafe Racer
Senior Member
I wonder if OMDS have actually released a camera that hadn't already been developed by Olympus. Maybe that old man is right to regard anything OM as an Olympus!Years and years ago General Motors had the Fisher Body Works make car bodies for Chevrolets.What's the purpose of OMDS using the previous brand name that they announced they were removing from their entire product portfolio back in 2022?The purpose of a converted Astro camera is to mount to a big telescope.They're also in business to turn over existing inventory not sit on it indefinitely!OM Systems is in business to sell brand new $2,400 OM1.2 cameras, and brand new OM5 cameras at $1,000.The E-M1iii appears to have been unavailable for some time now, so where has this surplus stock been hiding?! Wouldn't it make sense to keep this camera available until they've depleted all stock?They have a surplus stockMaking a variant of a camera is not unusual but after announcing in 2022 that the Olympus branding would be removed from their entire product portfolio it seems like an odd move as far as brand identity is concerned. They've already released two cameras and several lenses with the OM System branding. If this is old stock being "re-engineered" then why not at the same time 're-engineer' a new top cover with the OM System branding on it? I would have thought maintaining brand name consistency would be an important aspect of their brand identity.I surmise they are old stock/inventory and they have been re-engineered to make the sensor more sensitive to Astronomy usage.OMDS will launch a 'new' camera branded Olympus rather than OM System. It's an E-M1 iii Astro. This seems odd as I thought the brand name was changed to OM System so no more Olympus branded products. Do they have a new contract to use the Olympus name? Why an Olympus E-M1 iii Astro, wouldn't an OM System OM1 Astro make more sense as far as brand identity is concerned? It seems odd unless there's been some internal mistake with the product photo.
IIRC whilst still under Olympus or was it shortly after the changeover to OMDS? There were two such modified models aimed at the highly niche museum & specialist "archive records" usage market. So, such re-engineering is nothing new!
Over the years GM bought Fisher and every car that rolled one a minute off a Chevrolet assembly line had a plate in the door that read
Body by Fisher
There wasn’t one thing in the world my mother wanted my father didn’t figure out a way to buy for her, and she never wanted anything he couldn’t afford.
In the summer of 1970 my Mama was disgusted with the faded paint on hsr 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 and she wanted a green Chevrolet.
It cost $3,000, the 65 Ford was worth $800, and he bought it for her. We drove it to the local cafe named the Shady Nook.
The men went out in the twilight, inspected the new car, and on the door sill was
Body by Fisher
I never see a Chevrolet today I don’t remember, they were bodied by Fisher.
So long as one old man lives, who was a kid when the Olympus M1.3 came out, anything OM makes will regarded as an Olympus.
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Cafe Racer
Senior Member
There's nothing nefarious about resurrecting an old camera. It's a cheaper way to introduce another model; little to no additional R&D and design costs, just like the repurposed Sigma full frame lenses. At approximately £1600.00/$2000.00 for this modified old Olympus E-M1iii, it seems like a nice little earner if it sells.
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gary0319
Forum Pro
Agree. It seems the E-M1 III technology has found new life beyond its time, first in the OM-5 and now the Astro. If only there were a bunch of unused Pen F bodies laying around.
Cafe Racer
Senior Member
Something tells me they're gonna find some!
gary0319
Forum Pro
Of course they could also replace the older E-M1 II tech in my E-M10 IV with the 10.3 tech for a “new” OM10, but I like the idea of a new Pen street camera better and let the 10 series sunset permanently.
Bobapingu
Veteran Member
OMDS makes cameras for photographers, Olympus makes cameras for looking up but holes. Nothing wrong with that.I wonder if OMDS have actually released a camera that hadn't already been developed by Olympus. Maybe that old man is right to regard anything OM as an Olympus!Years and years ago General Motors had the Fisher Body Works make car bodies for Chevrolets.What's the purpose of OMDS using the previous brand name that they announced they were removing from their entire product portfolio back in 2022?The purpose of a converted Astro camera is to mount to a big telescope.They're also in business to turn over existing inventory not sit on it indefinitely!OM Systems is in business to sell brand new $2,400 OM1.2 cameras, and brand new OM5 cameras at $1,000.The E-M1iii appears to have been unavailable for some time now, so where has this surplus stock been hiding?! Wouldn't it make sense to keep this camera available until they've depleted all stock?They have a surplus stockMaking a variant of a camera is not unusual but after announcing in 2022 that the Olympus branding would be removed from their entire product portfolio it seems like an odd move as far as brand identity is concerned. They've already released two cameras and several lenses with the OM System branding. If this is old stock being "re-engineered" then why not at the same time 're-engineer' a new top cover with the OM System branding on it? I would have thought maintaining brand name consistency would be an important aspect of their brand identity.I surmise they are old stock/inventory and they have been re-engineered to make the sensor more sensitive to Astronomy usage.OMDS will launch a 'new' camera branded Olympus rather than OM System. It's an E-M1 iii Astro. This seems odd as I thought the brand name was changed to OM System so no more Olympus branded products. Do they have a new contract to use the Olympus name? Why an Olympus E-M1 iii Astro, wouldn't an OM System OM1 Astro make more sense as far as brand identity is concerned? It seems odd unless there's been some internal mistake with the product photo.
IIRC whilst still under Olympus or was it shortly after the changeover to OMDS? There were two such modified models aimed at the highly niche museum & specialist "archive records" usage market. So, such re-engineering is nothing new!
Over the years GM bought Fisher and every car that rolled one a minute off a Chevrolet assembly line had a plate in the door that read
Body by Fisher
There wasn’t one thing in the world my mother wanted my father didn’t figure out a way to buy for her, and she never wanted anything he couldn’t afford.
In the summer of 1970 my Mama was disgusted with the faded paint on hsr 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 and she wanted a green Chevrolet.
It cost $3,000, the 65 Ford was worth $800, and he bought it for her. We drove it to the local cafe named the Shady Nook.
The men went out in the twilight, inspected the new car, and on the door sill was
Body by Fisher
I never see a Chevrolet today I don’t remember, they were bodied by Fisher.
So long as one old man lives, who was a kid when the Olympus M1.3 came out, anything OM makes will regarded as an Olympus.
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