Why does OM1II lose focus during BIF sequences? FW Update?

I wasn’t expecting this thread to take such a negative turn. It has been suggested that user error, improper settings, or other variables may be the reason for the less-than-perfectly focused sequences I’ve experienced.

Here’s my perspective: The OM-1 is marketed as OM System’s flagship camera, promising top-tier performance. Their website specifically states, *“Never miss a moment with a large buffer size for sequential shooting, enhanced AI Subject Detection AF, and blazing performance.”* Clearly, this camera is aimed at users who expect the highest levels of speed and accuracy. Of course, marketing claims should be taken with a grain of salt—other manufacturers make similar statements—but the reality is, I’m not alone in my experience. Several YouTubers have reported the same issue I’ve mentioned: out-of-focus frames in bird-in-flight sequences.

It has been noted that other OM-1 photographers achieve spectacular results, which has led to the implication that user error is the primary factor in my case. However, I’ve captured many sequences where the majority of shots were in focus, just as others have, yet I’ve observed an inconsistency that is difficult to quantify. In certain situations, the OM-1 loses focus on a detected bird and reacquires it several frames later.

I believe this could be addressed through an algorithm refinement in a firmware update. Imagine if OM System were to release a firmware update stating: *“Firmware 1.3 improves bird tracking accuracy in ‘Bird’ detection mode, resulting in a greater number of in-focus frames during burst sequences.”* I’m sure most users would welcome such an improvement.

I started this thread to hear from others who might be experiencing the same issue, hoping that OM System takes note. I suspect their team occasionally monitors discussions like these to gather feedback for internal product development. I’m a huge fan of the OM-1 Mark II and believe the OM-1 is an incredible camera—one that could be even better with continued refinements based on voiced real-world user experiences.

I will remain hopeful of OM System releasing a FW update that includes improved bird tracking- I think such an update would be appreciated by many. For those of you that don't need such an update because of your stellar abilities- happy shooting!

Steve Nunez~South Florida Artist
www.stevenunez.com
OM System OM1II

SteveNunez said:

I wasn’t expecting this thread to take such a negative turn. It has been suggested that user error, improper settings, or other variables may be the reason for the less-than-perfectly focused sequences I’ve experienced.

Here’s my perspective: The OM-1 is marketed as OM System’s flagship camera, promising top-tier performance. Their website specifically states, *“Never miss a moment with a large buffer size for sequential shooting, enhanced AI Subject Detection AF, and blazing performance.”* Clearly, this camera is aimed at users who expect the highest levels of speed and accuracy. Of course, marketing claims should be taken with a grain of salt—other manufacturers make similar statements—but the reality is, I’m not alone in my experience. Several YouTubers have reported the same issue I’ve mentioned: out-of-focus frames in bird-in-flight sequences.

It has been noted that other OM-1 photographers achieve spectacular results, which has led to the implication that user error is the primary factor in my case. However, I’ve captured many sequences where the majority of shots were in focus, just as others have, yet I’ve observed an inconsistency that is difficult to quantify. In certain situations, the OM-1 loses focus on a detected bird and reacquires it several frames later.

I believe this could be addressed through an algorithm refinement in a firmware update. Imagine if OM System were to release a firmware update stating: *“Firmware 1.3 improves bird tracking accuracy in ‘Bird’ detection mode, resulting in a greater number of in-focus frames during burst sequences.”* I’m sure most users would welcome such an improvement.

I started this thread to hear from others who might be experiencing the same issue, hoping that OM System takes note. I suspect their team occasionally monitors discussions like these to gather feedback for internal product development. I’m a huge fan of the OM-1 Mark II and believe the OM-1 is an incredible camera—one that could be even better with continued refinements based on voiced real-world user experiences.

I will remain hopeful of OM System releasing a FW update that includes improved bird tracking- I think such an update would be appreciated by many. For those of you that don't need such an update because of your stellar abilities- happy shooting!

Steve Nunez~South Florida Artist
www.stevenunez.com
OM System OM1II

Click to expand...

Having another look at your images, I decided I have trouble seeing a bird's eye, let alone the shape of a bird's head.
So, I'm amazed the camera produced even one image "in focus".
Especially with that background fluttering in frame, distracting the AF system.

SteveNunez said:

I wasn’t expecting this thread to take such a negative turn. It has been suggested that user error, improper settings, or other variables may be the reason for the less-than-perfectly focused sequences I’ve experienced.

Here’s my perspective: The OM-1 is marketed as OM System’s flagship camera, promising top-tier performance. Their website specifically states, *“Never miss a moment with a large buffer size for sequential shooting, enhanced AI Subject Detection AF, and blazing performance.”* Clearly, this camera is aimed at users who expect the highest levels of speed and accuracy. Of course, marketing claims should be taken with a grain of salt—other manufacturers make similar statements—but the reality is, I’m not alone in my experience. Several YouTubers have reported the same issue I’ve mentioned: out-of-focus frames in bird-in-flight sequences.

It has been noted that other OM-1 photographers achieve spectacular results, which has led to the implication that user error is the primary factor in my case. However, I’ve captured many sequences where the majority of shots were in focus, just as others have, yet I’ve observed an inconsistency that is difficult to quantify. In certain situations, the OM-1 loses focus on a detected bird and reacquires it several frames later.

I believe this could be addressed through an algorithm refinement in a firmware update. Imagine if OM System were to release a firmware update stating: *“Firmware 1.3 improves bird tracking accuracy in ‘Bird’ detection mode, resulting in a greater number of in-focus frames during burst sequences.”* I’m sure most users would welcome such an improvement.

I started this thread to hear from others who might be experiencing the same issue, hoping that OM System takes note. I suspect their team occasionally monitors discussions like these to gather feedback for internal product development. I’m a huge fan of the OM-1 Mark II and believe the OM-1 is an incredible camera—one that could be even better with continued refinements based on voiced real-world user experiences.

I will remain hopeful of OM System releasing a FW update that includes improved bird tracking- I think such an update would be appreciated by many. For those of you that don't need such an update because of your stellar abilities- happy shooting!

Steve Nunez~South Florida Artist
www.stevenunez.com
OM System OM1II

Click to expand...

It's because the OM System cameras' bird detect AF don't actually track the birds. It is constantly researching for a bird within the frame, and it has very little time to do it, because it needs to be able to focus on a moving subject at 50FPS.

This is the trade off that nobody talks about. There are basically 2 different types of AF systems for bird AF. Ones like the OM-1 and Canon R7, where the camera is hyper active and constantly searching for a bird in the frame, and there are cameras that actually track and follow a bird, like Sony A7RV, Canon R5.

They are just different methods, and they have pros and cons. Excel in certain situations, and suffer in others. The problem with cameras like OM-1 and R7 is that you'll get a lot of micro hunting and pulsing. You will get some slightly out of focus photos in a burst sequence, even if it's a super clean background with great lighting. That's because the engineers have decided that it's better for the camera to constantly search for the subject, incase it accidentally mistook something that isn't a bird as a bird, and it's stuck onto that incorrect subject. If it's constantly looking for a bird, you'll be guaranteed some shots in focus. Very sticky cameras like the R5, they are much more likely to stick onto the wrong thing and it just won't latch onto the subject. When the camera gets it right and focuses on the bird, it works out great. But when the camera gets it wrong, the camera doesn't know it got it wrong. You can't think of the cameras like a person. They never really know whether what they've focused on is actually a bird or not. A very sticky system is risky because it means the camera is programmed not to leave the target its chasing, and sometimes, the camera focuses on something that isn't a bird. A hyperactive system is less risky because it keeps trying to acquire a new target, but that also means you're bound to get out of focus shots, even if the lighting is great and the situation is supposed to be "easy". That's why the OM-1 subject acquisition speed is so quick too.

If you've used a sticky system, then you will get frustrated when the camera guesses wrong and it's stuck on the wrong thing - you can keep repressing the AF button and it'll still latch onto the wrong thing. It's a different type of suffering. With OM-1, you will suffer with out of focus burst sequences, even when the task isn't even difficult.

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

This is a few years old but might be an interesting comparison

https://mcaughtry.photo/om1-for-birds-in-flight-better-than-the-a9/

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

Thanks Sherm, interesting read….

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor. My old DSLR doesn't have such a problem. Neither does my Canon R5. I think my old Lumix G9 had better focus too. It isn't just an issue with wildlife, something is not quite right with the OM-1's AF at a fundamental level. There is also something wrong with the IBIS too. If you lock it down on a tripod with all stabilization and lens OS turned off, punch in to maximum zoom, you can see micro movement. It's not actually completely steady. It jumps a little bit, by a few pixels. There are many little issues here and there with these cameras that most people don't notice, and don't get talked about. I notice it because when I conduct lens testing, these issues start to clearly reveal themselves.

HicHic said:

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor. My old DSLR doesn't have such a problem. Neither does my Canon R5. I think my old Lumix G9 had better focus too. It isn't just an issue with wildlife, something is not quite right with the OM-1's AF at a fundamental level. There is also something wrong with the IBIS too. If you lock it down on a tripod with all stabilization and lens OS turned off, punch in to maximum zoom, you can see micro movement. It's not actually completely steady. It jumps a little bit, by a few pixels. There are many little issues here and there with these cameras that most people don't notice, and don't get talked about. I notice it because when I conduct lens testing, these issues start to clearly reveal themselves.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify, do you have the OM-1 mark I or mark II ?

Thanks,

3dpan said:

HicHic said:

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor. My old DSLR doesn't have such a problem. Neither does my Canon R5. I think my old Lumix G9 had better focus too. It isn't just an issue with wildlife, something is not quite right with the OM-1's AF at a fundamental level. There is also something wrong with the IBIS too. If you lock it down on a tripod with all stabilization and lens OS turned off, punch in to maximum zoom, you can see micro movement. It's not actually completely steady. It jumps a little bit, by a few pixels. There are many little issues here and there with these cameras that most people don't notice, and don't get talked about. I notice it because when I conduct lens testing, these issues start to clearly reveal themselves.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify, do you have the OM-1 mark I or mark II ?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

Mark 1

HicHic said:

3dpan said:

HicHic said:

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor. My old DSLR doesn't have such a problem. Neither does my Canon R5. I think my old Lumix G9 had better focus too. It isn't just an issue with wildlife, something is not quite right with the OM-1's AF at a fundamental level. There is also something wrong with the IBIS too. If you lock it down on a tripod with all stabilization and lens OS turned off, punch in to maximum zoom, you can see micro movement. It's not actually completely steady. It jumps a little bit, by a few pixels. There are many little issues here and there with these cameras that most people don't notice, and don't get talked about. I notice it because when I conduct lens testing, these issues start to clearly reveal themselves.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify, do you have the OM-1 mark I or mark II ?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

Mark 1

Click to expand...

Have you forgotten the OP is talking about the OM-1 II ?

HicHic said:

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor.

Click to expand...

This has certainly been the case with the E-M1 series in C-AF. The focus would vary even with a flat, static test focus. The FocusStepCount exif parameter (from memory) shows the variation. It may be that something in the low-level AF system has carried over to the OM-1 series.

There may also be an issue with that FocusStepCount parameter or rather the focus steps themselves. A single focus step appears to be the smallest integerised increment of the AF system and varies with focal length and focus distance but can represent quite a large physical distance. i.e. one focus step change can move the focus from behind a bird to in front of it.

After spend far too long investigating whether there was a way around this focus variability, I gave up at the E-M1 III. Obviously the OM-1 series is way better in many ways but I never got to try that.

HicHic said:

My old DSLR doesn't have such a problem. Neither does my Canon R5. I think my old Lumix G9 had better focus too. It isn't just an issue with wildlife, something is not quite right with the OM-1's AF at a fundamental level. There is also something wrong with the IBIS too. If you lock it down on a tripod with all stabilization and lens OS turned off, punch in to maximum zoom, you can see micro movement. It's not actually completely steady. It jumps a little bit, by a few pixels. There are many little issues here and there with these cameras that most people don't notice, and don't get talked about. I notice it because when I conduct lens testing, these issues start to clearly reveal themselves.

Click to expand...

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Click to expand...

I think the A9 III would certainly be the ultimate in tracking and consistency at the moment. See - https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1881202/6#16769374 for example. But this wouldn't be the case with the older A9 I and A9 II.

It appears that the A9 III gets it's performance from both the subject detection chip and, probably more importantly, it's global shutter with 24mp resolution allowing very frequent AF calculations. The higher megapixel A1 II doesn't appear to match up performance wise because there is more data to read and slower read speed.

Whilst I would love the AF performance of the A9 III, I couldn't give up the 50 mp resolution of the A1 and since the A1 II doesn't match the AF performance of the A9 III, I've stuck with the A1. For now anyway.

SteveNunez said:

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

I have also noticed the AF variability in CAF with an OM1 mk1 and OM M1 mk3. The issue become more noticeable at long zoom ranges (325mm+) even at moderate distances, like 150 ft. with an Oly 100-400. Similar with the Oly 75-300mm at 300mm. As a work around, I shoot a burst with E shutter and then pick out the best pics. Interesting discussion.

Greg

Tony Rogers said:

HicHic said:

SteveNunez said:

HicHic, you're the first person to make that statement- I'm not doubting you but do you have further info on this?

I am considering a jump to the Sony A9 series as I really want better tracking and I've read really good things about the Sony A9. I'll use the OM1 to the best of my abilities in the meantime but unless a FW update changes things I think the days of me being an OM owner are numbered.

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the discussion- much appreciated.

Happy shooting friends~

Click to expand...

Just from my experience of using the different systems and how they behave. There's really no definitive better method. For instance, the R5II is approaching wildlife AF like how the OM-1 is. There have been many reports of the R5II being hyperactive and jumping off the target, but it's also faster to find the subject and has fewer issues finding it. It just doesn't stick to it as well as the original R5. It's just a trade-off. That's why there are some users who love the R5II's wildlife AF compared to the original R5, and also users who much prefer the original R5. They just excel in different situations.

But I think the OM-1's issue is that there's something wrong with the AF system at a fundamental level. Even when I am shooting a test chart using single point AF, it is common for many of the shots to vary in focus, with only a handful of shots actually achieving critical focus. Some of the shots can be quite off. This was something I noticed when I was shooting test shots to test my lenses on numerous occasions - the OM-1's ability to nail critical focus is quite inconsistent. I really don't have a good explanation for why it is so poor.

Click to expand...

This has certainly been the case with the E-M1 series in C-AF. The focus would vary even with a flat, static test focus. The FocusStepCount exif parameter (from memory) shows the variation. It may be that something in the low-level AF system has carried over to the OM-1 series.

Click to expand...

It is like this even in S-AF mode.

What are your results in mechanical shutter? I recognize you loose pre-capture and slower FPS, but I am curious if you are having the same issue photographing the 'traditional way'.

SteveNunez, it is hard to tell from your images but approximately what was your focal length and distance to subject in this example? I noticed with my Z8 that focus would drift with long lenses and distances due to environmental factors between me and my subject fooling the AF into thinking the subject was a little closer or a little farther away than it was. I recently switched to the OM1 to lighten my load and have had great success so far at small distances. I am eager to learn more before summer arrives.

Thanks, everyone! This thread has been incredibly informative.

Based on the insights shared here, it seems the OM-1 cameras lack a dedicated AI chip and don’t actually "track" subjects in the traditional sense. Instead, they detect subjects and attempt to maintain focus, which can give the illusion of true subject tracking during burst sequences. That makes sense, as I don’t recall Olympus ever advertising AI-driven subject tracking like Sony does.

What puzzles me is how well the OM-1 Mark II detects birds in dense, busy backgrounds yet struggles to maintain focus (burst sequence) on a clearly visible bird in the frame. Instead, it often shifts focus to the background, something I’ve noticed multiple times during burst shooting, as others have also mentioned here. This suggests that tweaking the shooting algorithm could improve performance.

For comparison, my experience with the G9II was that, while it was slower to detect and acquire focus on birds in flight, once it locked on, it maintained focus consistently throughout the sequence and rarely drifted. If Panasonic can achieve this with its new hybrid AF system, one would hope OM System could refine its own AF to address the drifting issue many have reported.

I really like the OM-1 Mark II, but the inconsistency with bird-in-flight autofocus has me considering other systems. While the G9II is tempting, its slower focus acquisition—without a firmware update to improve it—means I'd just be trading one issue for another. Ideally, we’d have OM-1’s fast acquisition paired with the G9II’s reliable tracking. Either brand could refine its AF to create the ultimate system!

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this discussion. I’ve learned a lot and appreciate the thoughtful input. Hopefully, this thread helps others experiencing similar focus issues, and perhaps OM System takes note and addresses the focus drift in a future firmware update. That would be fantastic!

I want to end my reply on a positive note so here are a few shots with the OM1ii and OM 150-600 lens at my local wetlands here in Delray Beach, Florida.



























--

Steve Nunez~South Florida Artist
www.stevenunez.com
OM System OM1II

Lovely collection. I particularly liked the great egret from below

--

Sherm

Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

Great images Steve. Not sure what you mean about dedicated AI. Olympus has been advertising this since 2019 with the EM1X.


Back then they used a second TruPic VIII chip to run the AI.

From DPR:

Perhaps the most recognizably new capability of the E-M1X is autofocus that has been trained by machine learning to recognize and focus on specific types of subjects. This is one of the first times a manufacturer has made clear it's done this (though Sony has acknowledged taking a similar approach, since Olympus disclosed this).

The E-M1X is among the first cameras on the market with AF modes trained to identify specific subjects. Machine learning is increasingly being used by manufacturers for more accurate face and eye detection, or to identify animals and other objects, in real-time. At launch the E-M1X can detect trains, planes and automobiles. These modes are smart enough to not only track the outline of say, someone riding a motorcycle, but actually focus on the rider's helmet, or the cockpit of the plane.

The OM-1 also has AI on TruePic X which is 3X faster than TruePic VIII

SteveNunez said:

Thanks, everyone! This thread has been incredibly informative.

Based on the insights shared here, it seems the OM-1 cameras lack a dedicated AI chip and don’t actually "track" subjects in the traditional sense. Instead, they detect subjects and attempt to maintain focus, which can give the illusion of true subject tracking during burst sequences. That makes sense, as I don’t recall Olympus ever advertising AI-driven subject tracking like Sony does.

What puzzles me is how well the OM-1 Mark II detects birds in dense, busy backgrounds yet struggles to maintain focus (burst sequence) on a clearly visible bird in the frame. Instead, it often shifts focus to the background, something I’ve noticed multiple times during burst shooting, as others have also mentioned here. This suggests that tweaking the shooting algorithm could improve performance.

For comparison, my experience with the G9II was that, while it was slower to detect and acquire focus on birds in flight, once it locked on, it maintained focus consistently throughout the sequence and rarely drifted. If Panasonic can achieve this with its new hybrid AF system, one would hope OM System could refine its own AF to address the drifting issue many have reported.

I really like the OM-1 Mark II, but the inconsistency with bird-in-flight autofocus has me considering other systems. While the G9II is tempting, its slower focus acquisition—without a firmware update to improve it—means I'd just be trading one issue for another. Ideally, we’d have OM-1’s fast acquisition paired with the G9II’s reliable tracking. Either brand could refine its AF to create the ultimate system!

Click to expand...

The G9II's AF works like the R5 in that it switches to tracking after it has acquired focus on the subject. It is a much stickier system and will produce higher keeper rates for perched subjects and less erratic birds in flight. The trade-off is slower acquisition time, and it will have instances where it tracks the wrong thing and is stuck on the wrong thing without being able to jump back onto the subject.