From the OM-1 to the OM-1

Thank you very much for your time and the opportunity to learn more about your work! Would you like to start by introducing yourself?
My name is Kit Weitnauer, and I now live in Idaho’s Teton Valley, which is adjacent to Wyoming. Many people call the area on both sides of the mountains Wydaho. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia USA, and I lived and worked in the Atlanta area all my life. At first, my wife and I only visited Teton Valley on a part-time basis, but after we retired, we moved there full-time.

Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/7.1 . 1/2000” . ISO 3200

LEFT: Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 8mmF1.8 Fisheye . F/2.5 . 1/125” . ISO 200
RIGHT: Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mmF2.8 @110mm . F/6.3 . 1/1250” . ISO 200

Interestingly, your first camera was an Olympus, more specifically the OM-1! Could you tell us how you chose your first camera and what others followed when you switched to digital?
Nearly 50 years ago, when I was in college, I purchased the original Olympus OM-1 single lens reflex camera from Atlanta’s iconic department store, Rich’s – that was when department stores still had camera departments. I remember standing at the counter, being shown and handling various cameras. The OM-1 was the one that appealed to me the most. The only lens I purchased was a 50mm – I’m not sure I had much awareness of other options. I took pictures of all sorts of things, often landscapes. A friend had set up a darkroom, and we learned how to develop black and white film and make prints of various sizes. I used the original OM-1 for many years, mostly for photos of family events or vacations. Sometimes I used slide film and other times color negative film for prints. Years later, I scanned the prints using a desktop scanner, and I used my OM-D E-M1 Mark III to photograph the slides using a tripod and a jerry-rigged lightbox.

Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 56-210mmF4.0 @56mm . F/6.3 . 1/1250” . ISO 200

In 2010 I purchased a Nikon D7100 and, over time, the following lenses (DX AF-S 12-24mm; DX AF-S Nikkor 35mm; AF Nikkor 28-105mm and AF Nikkor 70-300mm). For the most part, I took pictures of family events, but also landscapes and some wildlife.

In 2012 I purchased the very small Sony RX100, which became my go-to travel camera, which I sometimes still use when traveling.

Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 80-300mmF5.6 @300mm . F/5.6 . 1/800” . ISO 800

LEFT: Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 80-300mmF5.6 @300mm . F/5.6 . 1/800” . ISO 1000
RIGHT: Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/1600” . ISO 200

Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.0 . 1/1600” . ISO 200

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.0 . 1/2000” . ISO 200

What kind of subjects are you most interested in, what do you usually like to photograph?
My photography centers around wildlife, particularly birds – and now that I have the new OM-1 with the subject detection feature, birds in flight. I also take photos of the varied landscapes of Wydaho and other beautiful places. I still enjoy taking photographs at family gatherings, sports events that our grandchildren participate in, and anything that catches my eye.

We understand that you’ve always had an interest in the outdoors. What kind of activities do you do in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming?
In the summer, we hike, float down the river in kayaks or on stand-up paddleboards, fish (once in a while), and bike. In the winter, we ski (mostly downhill but some cross-country) and snowshoe. We enjoy visiting Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and other national parks and wilderness areas in the region.

Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.5 . 1/2000” . ISO 1250

LEFT: Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.0 . 1/3200” . ISO 2500
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/5000” . ISO 640

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/4000” . ISO 500
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.6 . 1/4000” . ISO 320

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 + MC-20 @600mm . F/8 . 1/1250” . ISO 3200

Meanwhile, you switched your camera system. The decision to move to Olympus came about in search of a camera light enough to carry on your travels, but without compromising image quality?
Once we started spending time in Wydaho, I knew I wanted to spend more time taking photos of the magnificent landscapes and diverse wildlife. For wildlife, one option was to get one or more longer telephoto lenses for the Nikon, but I knew I would be reluctant to take that gear in a kayak or out in snowy or other inclement weather, and I also wanted something smaller and lighter. Those concerns lead me to consider, and ultimately choose, Olympus. I purchased the OM-D E-M1 Mark II in May 2017.

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 12-40mmF2.8 @40mm . F/5.6 . 1/500” . ISO 200

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 + MC-20 @600mm . F/8 . 1/2000” . ISO 1000
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/3200” . ISO 800

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/2000” . ISO 2000
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/640” . ISO 1250

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 + MC-20 @600mm . F/9 . 1/1250” . ISO 200

In your opinion, the upgrade from the E-M1 Mark II to the E-M1 Mark III, and from that to the OM-1, has always meant significant improvements that you could definitely perceive? What’s your advice for anyone who has an E-M1 Mark II and is thinking of upgrading?
I liked the E-M1 Mark II and took thousands of photos with it. I upgraded to the E-M1 Mark III in March 2020 and took thousands of photos with it, too. While I was happy with both cameras and usually very happy with the results I was able to obtain, my “hit rate” with birds in flight was not great. I longed for the subject detection capabilities of the E-MIX, but I had no interest in a larger camera body. As you might expect, I was excited when the new OM-1 was announced, and I ordered it immediately and have used it since March 2022.

I think the new OM-1 is a massive upgrade over the E-MI Mark III. I was astonished at how fast – instantly really – the Bird Detection worked. Does it always work? – no, brush or twigs between me and the bird can sometimes confuse it, but the hit rate is pretty amazing. I would recommend the new OM-1over the E-M1 Mark II or III to any wildlife photographer.

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/7.1 . 1/2000” . ISO 200

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 + MC-14 @420mm . F/5.6 . 1/1250” . ISO 200
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/5000” . ISO 800

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.6 . 1/1250” . ISO 640
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/5000” . ISO 800

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/5.0 . 1/3200” . ISO 640

Now that you have significant experience using your OM-1 to photograph this kind of subjects (birds, wildlife, travel/outdoor), could you share your thoughts about the behaviour of this camera?
Recently I was staying at a home on the marsh in coastal Georgia and was walking downstairs to the patio with the OM-1 in my hand (turned on, but probably “asleep”). The M. Zuiko ED PRO 300mm was attached, and the mode dial was turned to C1, where I keep my settings for birds in flight. A large bald eagle that I had not seen suddenly took off from the marsh and the flapping of its wings caught my attention – I swung the camera up to my eye, saw the eagle in the viewfinder and pressed the shutter button. I got 17 perfectly focused and well-framed images in 3 seconds. I am reasonably sure this would never have happened with either the E-M1 Mark II or III.

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/4000” . ISO 1600

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/4000” . ISO 800
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/2500” . ISO 2500

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/5000” . ISO 320
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/5000” . ISO 400

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/3200” . ISO 320

In his wonderful OM-1 manual, the fabulous wildlife photographer Petr Bambousek says this: “In wildlife photography, the speed of your reactions is more important than the speed of the camera.” True – knowing the functions of the buttons and dials like the back of your hand allows the photographer to react in the moment, but if the photographer’s instant reaction is frustrated by the slow operation of the camera, the moment is lost. The speed of this camera’s ability to focus on a fast moving subject like a bird in flight is a game changer for me.

The OM-1’s increased processor’s speed has encouraged me to use some of the computational features that were available on the E-M1 models, but were a bit sluggish, such as handheld high-resolution shots and Live ND. Knowing that subject detection works so well for birds has caused me to use both silent sequential modes and ProCapture. It is also my experience that the Cat and Dog subject detection works very well with moose, elk, and pronghorn, and not surprisingly, with foxes and coyotes.

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/8 . 1/2000” . ISO 200

LEFT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/2000” . ISO 1250
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/6400” . ISO 1000

LEFT: Olympus E-M1 MK III . Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mmF2.8 @150mm . F/8 . 1/500” . ISO 200
RIGHT: Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/2000” . ISO 3200

To conclude, what is your current setup of cameras and lenses?
● OM-1 camera body
● M. Zuiko 17mm F1.8
● M. Zuiko PRO 8mm F1.8 fisheye
● M. Zuiko PRO 12-40mm F2.8 zoom
● M. Zuiko PRO 40-150m F2.8 zoom
● M. Zuiko PRO 300mm F4 telephoto
● MC 14 and MC 20 teleconverters

iPhone 12 Pro . F/2.4 . 1/60” . ISO 320

LEFT: Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 12-40mmF2.8 @40mm . F/5.0 . 1/320” . ISO 400
RIGHT: Sony DSC-RX100 . Sony 28-100mmF1.8-4.9 @10.40mm . F/1.8 . 1/40” . ISO 3200

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 12-40mmF2.8 @26mm . F/2.8 . 1/400” . ISO 200

Olympus E-M1 MK II . Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mmF2.8 @62mm . F/9 . 1/640” . ISO 200

Olympus OM-1 . Olympus M.Zuiko 300mmF4.0 . F/4.0 . 1/3200” . ISO 640