Does Olympus Still Have a Place in the Camera Market?
![pros and cons of olypmus cameras](https://i2.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dps-pros-and-cons-olympus-cameras.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
These days, all the camera headlines seem to be dominated by Canon, Nikon, and Sony, with the occasional mention of Fujifilm thrown in.
Olympus, with its Micro Four-Thirds system, rarely makes the news. And popular resources frequently neglect Olympus in their recommendations, suggesting âBig Threeâ bodies for photographers selecting a mirrorless system.
But what is this about? Why doesnât Olympus, a camera company with a history stretching back to the early 1900s, get any attention?
![The Olympus mirrorless camera system](https://i1.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy4.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
Is this a mistake?
Or does Olympus no longer have a place in todayâs camera market?
Thatâs the question that this article will answer. Iâm going to explain the benefits and drawbacks of Olympus cameras compared to other manufacturers.
And then Iâm going to give a verdict:
Whether Olympus is a manufacturer that still makes sense in todayâs worldâŠ
âŠor whether Olympusâs time is up.
Letâs get started.
![Person holding an Olympus mirrorless camera.](https://i2.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy5.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
The cons of Olympus
No camera system is perfect, which means that there are going to be some photographers that wonât be satisfied with Olympusâs products.
Here are the key issues that consistently come up with Olympus cameras, issues that help explain why Olympus hasnât been getting much interest of late:
1. The micro-four-thirds sensor
In many ways, the lack of interest in Olympus stems from one thing:
![The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II.](https://i2.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy6.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
Olympus only produces Micro-Four-Thirds mirrorless cameras. The company offers zero full-frame options and zero APS-C options.
Canon, Nikon, and Sony all produce full-frame mirrorless cameras. Even Fujifilm, which ignores full-frame, offers APS-C sensors that push smaller sensor technology to its limits.
Why is this such a big deal?
Larger sensors offer two key qualities over smaller sensors:
Better high-ISO capabilities.
And better dynamic range.
So if youâre someone who requires either of these features, youâre going to feel compelled to buy a full-frame option over a more limited MFT body. For instance, youâll be hard-pressed to find landscape shooters who donât use a full-frame body. Landscape photographers frequently deal with high dynamic range scenes and need to maximize low-light image quality, which is why a full-frame camera is the tool of choice.
2. Resolution
A larger sensor doesnât guarantee high resolution.
But it is closely correlated with it. All of the high-resolution camera models in the mirrorless market today are full-frame.
And when it comes to the megapixel race, Olympus hasnât been doing so well. The companyâs most professional bodies top out at about 20 MP, with some of their models only coming to 16 MP.
![Olympus's bodies just don't compete on megapixels.](https://i1.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy10.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
Hereâs the thing about megapixel counts:
While they often donât much affect the average photographerâŠ
âŠthey are real attention grabbers.
A big portion of camera headlines is dominated by the latest megapixel marvels, which means that Olympus, with its 16 and 20 MP sensors, just doesnât get much coverage.
![The E-M10 Mark III is a low-resolution camera.](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy3.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
And resolution is talked about so frequently that the need for a high megapixel count is burned into the mind of almost every beginner photographer.
Donât get me wrong:
Megapixels do matter.
But they only matter to some photographers â those that need to maximize detail, printing sizes, or cropping potential.
For others, more megapixels are just a comforting spec, but not a feature thatâs truly necessary.
3. Crop factor
Hereâs the final issue with Micro Four-Thirds cameras:
You get a huge, 2x crop factor.
And this makes basic wide-angle lenses (e.g., in the 20-30mm range) become standard focal lengths.
![Several Olympus mirrorless cameras.](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy7-1.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
For landscape photographers, this is a huge issue. For sweeping scenic shots, youâre going to need a system that can offer true wide-angle coverage.
Though this 2x crop factor can be a benefit for photographers requiring a lot of reach, such as those who shoot sports or wildlife.
4. Electronic viewfinder quality
Itâs a fact:
Olympusâs electronic viewfinders just arenât that great.
Their best cameras offer a 2.36M-dot resolution, and it just doesnât look that good compared to many Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm options.
So for photographers coming from DSLRs and requiring a clear, sharp EVF experience, Olympusâs options donât cut it.
The pros of Olympus
Though Olympus doesnât get much attention, there are things that Olympus is doing better than pretty much every other camera manufacturer out there:
1. Camera and lens size
One thing that Olympus does really, really well:
Camera system compactness.
![Compact Olympus camera](https://i2.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy2.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
This is where the micro-four-thirds sensor really starts to pay dividends, keeping camera body size way down and keeping lens size equally small.
In fact, while cameras by Sony and Fujifilm, in particular, are often very compact, these systems will often come back to bite you when buying lenses. Mirrorless glass is often as big as DSLR glass, and this can be a problem. For one thing, bigger and heavier is just a pain to deal with, plus big lenses feel unbalanced when mounted on a compact camera.
So if youâre a travel photographer, youâll love how easy it is to pack Olympus kit.
If youâre a street photographer, youâll love how small and unobtrusive Olympus systems really are.
And if youâre a wildlife photographer who spends days hiking in the field, having a light, small body can be a real lifesaver.
2. Shooting speeds
If you take a close look at Olympus specifications, youâll see that a number of their cameras offer shooting up to 60 frames per second.
And Iâm talking still photography, not video.
![Some of Olympus's cameras offer truly incredible continuous shooting speeds.](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy9.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
Let me clarify:
You can shoot at 60 fps with no caveats, no cropped sensor, no drawbacks (though it is with the electronic sensor, rather than the mechanical one).
This is a huge benefit for anybody doing high-speed or action photography. Of course, youâre going to fill up your memory cards pretty quickly if you use the 60 fps option all the time, but this high-speed option is dead useful in certain situations where you just canât miss the shot.
And by the way, you also have an option to shoot in Pro Capture mode, which ensures that the camera starts taking photos when you press the shutter button halfway. Then, when you finally press the shutter button down all the way, the last dozen or so images are saved to your memory card (along with any images taken after you fully hit the shutter button). This is fantastic for getting unanticipated shots, be it in sports or wildlife or event photography.
So if youâre the type that wishes for serious high-speed shooting capabilities, the Olympus cameras are definitely worth a look.
3. Image stabilization
Hereâs the final key benefit of Olympus cameras:
They offer the best in-body image stabilization of any mirrorless camera system.
Some Olympus cameras offer seven or more stops of stabilization when including a stabilized lens, which allows for handholding down to 1s and longer (depending on the focal length and the steadiness of your hands).
If youâre the type of photographer who prefers to work without a tripod, this is the absolute best possible way to do it. You can capture gorgeous scenics using narrow apertures and not have to worry about camera shake.
Plus, even for the tripod-happy photographer, there are going to be times when carrying such support just isnât feasible. But if you have an IBIS-equipped Olympus camera with you, youâll be able to get a similar range of shots without a tripod.
So does Olympus still have a place in the 2020 camera market?
Absolutely.
![Lenses that mount on Olympus bodies](https://i1.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/olympus-camera-market-copy1.jpg?ssl=1&is-pending-load=1)
Though Olympus systems do come with a few drawbacks, they also include characteristics that no other camera manufacturer can match. Characteristics such as:
- Camera and lens compactness
- High-speed continuous shooting
- In-body stabilization
Are these benefits worth it for everyone?
No. If youâre a landscape photographer who plans to make huge, wall-sized prints, youâre going to want to pick a different system. If youâre a sports photographer who requires the best autofocus system that money can buy, Olympus probably isnât your best bet either. And if youâre an event photographer who consistently shoots with four or five-digit ISOs, then I doubt that Olympus is for you.
But if youâre a photographer who prizes a compact system over everything else, someone who:
- Travels frequently
- Goes on long hiking trips
- Needs blazing-fast continuous shooting
- Needs an unobtrusive system for street photography
- Just hates being weighed down by heavy equipment
- Doesnât like carrying a tripod
âŠthen Olympus is going to be just what you need.
So before you buy a Sony, Canon, Nikon, or Fujifilm body, ask yourself:
Might Olympus be the better choice?
Maybe itâs not. You might do better with another system.
But itâs at least worth considering!
What are your thoughts on this? Do you have anything you could add? Please do so in the comments!