…but this is bullsheet.
I’ve been using Olympus cameras since 15 June 2014, when I bought an OM-1 to replace my large, chunky Canon 40D and its failed 24-105 f/4L lens. It went with me on a European trip in 2016, and a New Zealand trip in 2017. In early 2020 I bought a second hand OMD E-M5 Mk II to use as a second / backup camera for a wedding that I was shooting. This was fortunate because on 27 December 2020 I was doing a shoot at the beach when… ZAP! The E-M1’s monitor emitted a white flash and… died. I thought of seeing whether I could get it repaired but suspected that the cost would not be worth it. Aside from which, the EM-5 Mk II is an excellent camera; true, it was one grade down from the EM-1 Mk I, but it was also newer. Still, newER is relative; the model was released in February of 2015. While mine is unlikely to be a “first off the line” model, it’s still likely to be a few years old.
In early 2023 I decided that it was time to get a new primary camera since I wanted some of the newer features (especially in video), it’s always have two just in case, and having two good cameras can be very useful when shooting special events where you want to have lenses with different focal lengths mounted. The New Year sales were on, so I ordered an OM Systems (which had bought the Olympus camera business) OM5, the successor to the Olympus E-M5 range. It was either that, or one of the last remaining E-M1 Mark IIIs. The OM1 was out of the price range that I wanted to pay, though I would have liked to return to the first division again. Logical me knows, though, that having the “1” branding is less important than the value, and the performance gap between the OM1 and OM5 just wasn’t there. Also, the OM5 was only slightly ($AUD100) more expensive than the E-M1 Mk III… and that includes factoring in a $500 cashback gift card on the EM-1 III. I am NOT a fan of gift cards. The cash outlay on the EM-1 Mk III would thus be much higher. The OM5 had a slight edge in some areas compared to the E-M1 III from being a newer camera, but not in battery life, unfortunately. I’ll come back to that.
Let’s leave aside that the seller advertised the OM5 as shipping “in 3-5 days”, took the payment from the credit card, and then sent me an e-mail about a week later telling me that “It may be here next month”.
Anyway… it arrived earlier than expected. Specifically, today. I unpack it, do an unboxing video and think… hang on, where’s the charger?
There. Isn’t. One.
Yes, OM Systems have skimped by for the first time ever not supplying a gorram charger for a camera’s battery. Instead you need to charge the battery IN the camera using a USB cable.
OK.
You know how you should always keep an eye on batteries charging because over time they will get old, damaged, can overheat and in extreme cases catch fire? Yeah, you REALLY want that to happen INSIDE YOUR DAMN CAMERA, don’t you? Not only that, but as far as I can see on their web site, there IS no charger available for separate purchase.
Oh, one other thing. When you take the battery out of its compartment you open a solid trap door. When you have to charge by USB you have to constantly shift a little rubber tab which is held onto the body by a flimsy piece of plastic to get access to the USB port. Now think about what the longevity of that scrap of plastic will be.
Not only THAT, but it’s good to see that OM Systems has retained the fine tradition of Olympus batteries. Total recharge time, according to the manual, is up to 4 hours. For a single battery.
Remember that scene from Titanic where Captain Smith splutters “4 HOURS???” when told how long it would take the nearest rescue ship to arrive? Yeah, if you’re shooting a festival or a wedding or some kind of event the next day and need a conservative three batteries, that’s 12 hours in the camera. Half a day. Just to get three lousy batteries charged. Remember to set your alarm for every few hours the night before, although I’ve had the original (partially charged) battery that came with the camera in for over 2 hours now and the little red charging light is STILL on. Don’t expect to get much sleep.
Look, I get that companies need to cut costs, but cutting something that has been in pretty much every box since digital cameras came out isn’t even funny. And to have seemingly failed to provide even an after market charger borders on the irresponsible, making the camera a questionable proposition for serious photographers who always carry multiple batteries. Of course there may be one… after all the OM site is congested by mystical, magical, visionary bulldust far more than clean, hard technical data and it may be that I just haven’t been able to find it.
That aside, is the camera any good? We shall see.
PS: I just went to attach the neck strap. It is thinner, lighter shorter and less robust than the one for the E-M5 and E-M1. Much.
MUCH.