Olympus released the AIR to the US market (preorders at Amazon, Adorama, GetOlympus, BHphoto). To see how it works watch the new video I posted above. There are also first hands-on reports:
Adorama writes: “For $499.99 (including standard kit lens) you can turn your smart phone into a full-functioning, feature-rich Micro Four Thirds interchangeable-lens camera. It’s a great option for travelers who want the flexibility and quality of a “real” camera but the convenience and sharing capabilities of a smart phone. For those who already own one or more Olympus or Panasonic MFT cameras, the Air gives you even more options with your current collection of lenses”
ThePhoBlographer writes: “Pretty much everything that you’d expect with an Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera is transferred to the phone when they let their powers combine.”
Imaging Resource writes: “The Olympus AIR is without question one of the most fun cameras I’ve used in years!”
22 Responses
It’s bigger than a number of mft camera-lens combos and with far worse handling.. I’d be more interested in Android in a mft-camera..
Why do you want the Android inside the camera? Or you like to recharge your batteries twice a day?
Otherwise, if that wasn’t a troll post, I think you have missed that Oly supplied a SDK for the Air for the Android/iOS apps:
http://opc.olympus-imaging.com/en/tools/toolssdk/
IOW, you can already have apps for your camera. They just run not on the camera itself – but on the connected mobile phone.
Apps to do what, exactly, that can’t otherwise be done with proper equipment?
Custom filters, custom user input settings, custom menus, sharing to social media, face-recognition, inbuilt photo editing, better HDR, panorama and so on. Custom EVF, other things we can’t think about. The list goes on an on. If they want the camera marked to abything other than a small niche, app support is a must.
Just have a look at what Sony is doing with it’s Playmemories apps
https://www.playmemoriescameraapps.com/portal/
Some of them are interesting to me but a bit too expensive IMO.
With android play store most of these apps should be very cheap.
Right, that was my point. To have the app on the camera camera, to easily upload to social media, Flickr, etc.
Then you’ll need a touch screen interface on the camera. Kinda defeats the point of an embeddable camera.
Every mft-cam has a touch screen. I want it with android. Read my post.
Irrelevant. The subject is the Air, which doesn’t have a screen. Or rather, uses a phone (or tablet, or PC, or anything you can imagine) as a screen.
It isn’t a competitor for a GM1, its intended as a large sensor imager for creative applications. Think low-light computer vision, or high image quality camera traps, or remotely activated astrophotography.
Samsung actually released a camera built on Android a while ago, and it flopped, IIRC; at least I haven’t heard a peep about it in years. Android is an interesting, if flawed, phone OS, but the flaws (resource inefficiency, mostly) get to be too much in a device that doesn’t get carrier subsidies.
“Irrelevant. The subject is the Air, which doesn’t have a screen”.
Yeah, I know.
That is what my comment was directed towards: That I’d rather have a mft-camera with android, or another way of implementing apps to share directly to flickr, blogs and social media without relying on a second device. In other words my comment was related to the Air, which kinda makes it a bit relevant, I think… You know, like
From Merriam-Webster dictionary:
noun rel·e·vance ˈre-lə-vən(t)s
Definition of RELEVANCE
1
a : relation to the matter at hand
Dictionary.com:
1.
connected with the matter at hand
Anyway, as far as the Samsung camera you’re talking about, that thing was HUGE. Like a Galaxy Note with a camera.
I would like to see a mft-camera with the same size and ergonomics as the present ones, but that can share to the internet without having to connect to a secondary device first.
I’m sure there are use cases for lens cameras. I just can’t find any that interest me.
When I read “let their powers combine” in thephoblographer excerpt, It was like an instant flashback to watching Captain Planet as a child lol! Am I the only 80s kid here? 🙂
I am going to buy it … as soon as it costs less then 200 Euros. I think especially with the 25 mm prime it could be one of the most fun cameras to shoot with
Lack of IBIS is a serious omission. They could have at least included some older 2-axis version.
Amazon US has a body only for $299. Can that be right when with kit lens it’s $499? What am I missing?
I find a cylindrical camera with an insufficient grip to be anti ergonomic. Relying on an external device means keeping both charged and connected. Existing compact system cameras are much better for handling any large lens, and fixed lens compact cameras like the Sony RX100 offer a wide range of focal lengths and are more practical. This device is the “odd man out” IMO, mainly intended to capitalize on the lens lineup. The video is stiffly narrated from a script and the woman’s blouse is hideous.
Its funny how many people don’t get what “Think outside the SLR” means.
For that special moment easily get the air out your pocket and then your smartphone and then spend 10 minutes trying to pair them and fit the two together -it looks like such a pleasure to use; I don’t see the point -not small, poor ergonomics, no IBIS, there are better drone cams -what is it for?
Yep. My GM1 is probably smaller and no assembly required. With cameras like the GM1/GM5, etc.. I’m not sure if these devices have much value. I like the idea in theory, but the practicality is questionable.
No IBIS and no EVF. Horrible vision in (direkt) sunlight. Only applicable in very few scenarios.
Many smartphones have pretty good visibility in direct sunlight…
“A new concept”
I wonder what would sony say about that 😉