r/OMSystem

I gave the PEN's built-in Live ND a try.

Under bright daylight like this, without using an external ND filter, being able to capture a 1-second handheld exposure of traffic flow—probably only OM SYSTEM can pull that off.

My blog

OM5 M2 w/PL9 @f8, 1/1000th.

Still in the initial phase of appreciating the PL9mm lens. Compact, fast, and has decent flare when called upon. I have on occasion, had the dreaded “purple blob” when shooting into the sun, but life is always filled with small challenges.

I have an om3 and a couple of amazing full frame cameras for events, but I still love to grab the OM5 for outdoorsy things. I sold mine when I got the om3 (which is great) but actually missed it enough to get the slightly updated version. Paired with the 12-45 f4 it just gets out of the way on hikes, handles terrible weather, and still creates pleasing images. Somehow my "worst" camera is my favorite.

A couple recent mallard hen shots while sitting on the docks. It’s nice to sometimes just enjoy the calm in the common.

OM-1 mkII w M.Zuiko 50-200mm f2.8 PRO

Today was Keelung's annual street-closing celebration, the "Eagle Carnival." The area from Keelung Station to the Miaokou Night Market was closed to traffic, bringing together dozens of local community groups for lively performances.

I took the new OM SYSTEM PEN along with the 14-42mm III and 12-100mm F4 PRO to soak in the festive atmosphere and capture the action. The 12-100mm PRO proved to be the ideal choice for street events. Highlights included giant balloons, samba dancers, creative handmade props, recycling-themed floats, and multicultural performance troupes—the energy of the crowd was incredible throughout the day.

Key takeaways on the new OM PEN:

1. Flash compatibility: Like the OM-5 II, it does not support OM's smallest flash, the FL-LM3.
2. Face-priority AF: Face detection is quick, it operates across the entire frame. You cannot restrict detection to a specific focus zone (it will still lock onto a face in the corner even with center-point selected). Workaround: In the AF settings, assign the shutter button to AF-area priority and the AF-ON button to face-detection priority.The OM-3 can be set to automatically track focus within a selected area.
3. AF speed: Similar to the OM-5 II; slower than the OM-3 and OM-1 II.
4. Battery life: The new battery performed very well, easily lasting a full day of shooting.
5. Ergonomics & layout: The CP button is placed too close to where the right thumb rests, leading to accidental presses. The overall grip comfort is not quite as secure as the OM-5 II.
6. Subject detection: While the face detection is sufficient for general use and it adds cat/dog recognition, the lack of bird detection is a bit disappointing.
7. Size & controls: Both cameras are fairly close in size and weight, with the main difference being the viewfinder hump (EVF). Personally, I prefer the control dials on the OM-5 II.

Buying Recommendation:

If you shoot mostly outdoors, prioritize image stabilization, prefer a better grip, and plan to use it as your main body, go with the OM-5 II.

If you want a compact setup for urban street shooting, value the out-of-camera color profiles, want a secondary carry-everywhere body, and need better face detection, go with the PEN.

Full post is available on my blog:

my bolg

A few shots I like that I took while in Poland

This guy (and sometimes his mates) drops by regularly. I had the camera close by, so I grabbed some handheld shots.

(Reposted: I accidentally resized the first upload to 400px instead of 4000px. Doh!)

Gear and processing:

• First two shots: 40-150mm f/2.8
• Remaining shots: 40-150mm f/2.8 + MC-14 1.4x teleconverter (f/4)
• All shot in RAW with minor tweaks and no noise reduction
• Resized to 4000px; last photo is cropped