Today’s news is two-fold: Olympus is now OM SYSTEM, and to kickstart this new brand identity, the brand is releasing the M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO lens. This lens signals a change in identity but also shows a respectable level of commitment by OM SYSTEM, with the promise of many more things to come, including a Micro Four Thirds camera.
OM SYSTEM, part of OM Digital Solutions, will be the branding for all future products, beginning with today’s lens. The Olympus name will still be around for some time and support will, of course, still be available for existing cameras, lenses, and accessories. It should also be pointed out that new OM SYSTEM items will maintain total compatibility with Olympus items; for example, this new OM SYSTEM lens will work perfectly on Olympus cameras.
One of the highlights from today’s announcement of the name OM SYSTEM was also the development announcement of a new Micro Four Thirds camera that will feature the new branding, as well as emphasize its tenets of compactness, portability, computational photography, dependability, high-speed performance, stabilization, and image quality.
Regarding the more concrete release of today, OM SYSTEM is debuting the M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO lens, a Micro Four Thirds prime that fits neatly within the existing lineup of PRO lenses from Olympus. This 40mm equivalent lens is characterized by its bright f/1.4 design and impressive rendering quality, specifically in how it handles shallow-depth-of-field imagery and produces distinct feathered bokeh. The wide-normal focal length is also an especially versatile choice for a variety of subjects, ranging from portraiture to street to landscapes, because it hits that field of view sweet spot between being too wide and too narrow.
Optically, it features a combination of ED, HR, and aspherical elements and there are ZERO and fluorine coatings that improve contrast and help keep the front element clean. Physically, the lens is expectedly durable, with dust- and splash-resistant sealing when used on a weather-sealed Olympus camera body. An MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) autofocus system also keeps focusing performance quick, quiet, and accurate to benefit both photo and video applications.
It’s exciting to welcome OM SYSTEM to the scene, especially with such a versatile lens as its debut release.
What are your thoughts regarding OM SYSTEM’s first lens? Do you have comments or questions about the transition from Olympus to OM SYSTEM? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section, below.
2 Comments
According to OM Digital there is NO manual focus clutch on this new lens, but it was probably left off in to keep the size, weight and price down. This appears to be lean & mean M.Zuiko PRO design at its most efficient.
Correct, that was a mistake on our end, fixed now! Agreed on the other points, it's good to see a nice and solid design like this that mixes a super useful focal length with a fast f/1.4 max aperture. It looks to be a great option for travel shooting.