Feb 20, 2024

OM-1 Firmware Update Petition - I've Signed Up, You Can Too!

A group of OM System photographers and supporters have started an online petition to get a new Firmware Update for the original OM System OM-1 camera! I applaud this initiative, and I fully support their efforts. I have signed up the online petition and you can also do your part to have our voices heard! OM Digital Solutions had promised "regular, robust firmware updates" for their cameras on their official website, but they clearly abandoned this when they released the OM-1 Mark II with minor updates and merely some "firmware tweaks", which could have been made available for the original OM-1 via a firmware update. Also, the OM-1 only received minor, incremental firmware updates and has not seen an update since May 2023, that was about 8 months ago. The petition is a show of faith from the core OM System fans and supporters, and myself being one, I do want that firmware update 2.0 happen for OM-1 original. You can do your part by signing the online petition here (click). 


Full disclaimer: I am not associated to, or know anyone on the Firmware Petition team. They reached out to me and asked if I was OK to help spread the word about the petition through my platform. Our thoughts and feelings about OM Digital Solution's actions, or inaction (lack of firmware updates for OM-1) aligned and I really appreciate their initiative in starting this petition drive. As someone previously involved heavily with Olympus, being their employee at a time, and an ambassador after that, it was not ethically correct for me to organize, or start such a movement. However, as a current OM System consumer, and perhaps one of their largest fan and supporter, I fully support the petition and I signed up immediately when the petition went live. 

I genuinely do want OM System to succeed, and I want Micro Four Thirds to continue making great products. In order to achieve that, they should not turn their backs to their customers, especially when so many have voiced up about their discontent on the lack of meaningful firmware updates on the OM-1 original. My only hope is that OM Digital Solutions starts to take this feedback and the customer's voice seriously, because we are all on the same page. This petition proves that we are still loyal, we still care and we want them to be better, and I strongly believe they can do better. 

Here is the excerpt from the official petition page, which you can sign up here (click) if you have not done so. 

"As dedicated photographers who have embraced the OM System brand, we find immense joy and value in utilizing OM Digital Solutions’ innovative products. These tools have not only helped to enhance our photographic skills, but they have also become integral to our creative processes.
In this spirit, we have a desire to contribute to the sustained success of the OM System brand. Therefore, we take the liberty to ask OM Digital Solutions to reconsider its decision to limit access to the now published substantial firmware-based improvements to the new OM-1 MK II.

This excludes users of the original OM-1 like us from improvements, especially of autofocus and subject recognition, even though such improvement needs have been expressed since a long time by users and reviewers.

We still hope and expect that OM Digital Solutions will hold to its own commitment:

At OM SYSTEM, we're committed to keeping the technology in your camera on the cutting edge. We offer regular, robust firmware updates to protect your investment.1

In accordance with this commitment and in the interest of fostering brand loyalty and amplifying the enthusiasm of users like us, we strongly advocate for the inclusion of firmware updates addressing autofocus and subject recognition enhancements also for the original OM-1. Already in 2022, OM Digital Solutions representatives had stated in an interview that ”… The update could be done at the firmware level…”2
Please consider this petition as a sign of our commitment to the OM System brand and of our desire to contribute to its sustained success.

OM System's vibrant customer community stands as one of its greatest assets - a community renowned among all camera brands for its passion, engagement, and loyalty.

Very truly yours

The Petition Team and the petition supporters"

This is the time we come together, and let our voices be heard! Go sign up the petition now!

Please support me & keep this site going:

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you 100% and have signed the petition. While I occasionally shoot animals, and rarely (almost never) shoot vehicles, I usually have people in my EVF. The AF face and subject integration for humans that was upgraded in the mk ii version is of interest to me, and would seem to be a firmware upgradable type of feature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I would appreciate the human AI AF improvements too!

      Delete