Olympus Air A01 16MP Micro Four Thirds Lens-Style Mirrorless Digital Camera Body with 14-42mm EZ Lens, Black

2018-05-29T20:00:00

Interesting concept, but in the end, until this is up and connected to my iphone - it takes me too long and the entire setup is a bit to cumbersome and is lacking some of the advantages you are used to have with olympus like the IBIS.

Torsten

Originally posted at

2017-07-14T20:00:00

This seemed like a really good idea, but it did not work out for me. I tried using this while pairing this with a pancake lens and my Samsung Note smartphone. Overall it was just to cumbersome and fiddly to assemble things together before taking a pics. The software interface was not user friendly either. I tried using this was a couple of months, but it never worked well enough for me in terms of convenience.

KL

Originally posted at

2017-05-01T20:00:00

Finally I can take nice pictures and easily share them. Before if I didn't move the pictures off the camera right away, I might forget about them for months or more.

Steven

Originally posted at

2016-10-19T14:02:03

Excellent 16MP pics. I've had intermittent connection loss to phone and tablet now and then, but not frequent. Wish I could swap out batteries (not customer accessible), or be able to use USB. power (camera must be off to charge thru USB). Longer exposure than 4 secs would be nice, or a bulb mode. Being an open platform is a plus I guess. Fairly useless without a tablet or smart phone. All in all a nice simple very compact micro 4/3 camera.

CLY R.

2016-08-15T20:00:00

I have had the AIR 101 for a year now. I have taken about 1500 images with it. I have four lenses for it, a macro, wide, and two zoom lenses to cover the range of 18-300. It has traveled with me and is a constant companion, but like some companions, it can be annoying. It fits with the concept of choose a sensor, choose a lens and choose your accessories. Which I think in some ways, is the future of cameras. The problems I have are the same as most, low battery life - solved by buying a battery pack that I plug into the camera. Heat can be an issue at times. I have found that if my phone isn't fully charged, there are problems.. So patience is required, this is not a 10FPS camera. It is also first generation. A couple of tips I learned along the way: A small tripod is your best friend. A small LED light source is handy. A case is a good thing. Don't be afraid to shoot in manual mode, use a metering app for your phone or bring a small one. Small tripod clamps are good for hiding the camera. A small battery charger system should be purchased if you plan on using the camera for an extended period. Say more than two hours. It's a great conversation starter. I built a small underwater rig using a mason jar and a piece of thin clear plexi for the lid and with a good rubber gasket was able to use the jar's screw on lid with no leaks. Didn't go deeper than nine feet. . It would be nice to have a flash port. But I use the LED light in my phone to illuminate some things and have a small portable LED that works in a pinch. I shoot professionally, and no, it's not a primary camera. It is however good for setting up in a place and shooting time lapse or where you want it hidden and taking an occasional photo. I've also used it to shoot video although would like a mic port. The audio is fair- at best. With it's "hackability" I think in time we'll see some solid firmware changes, like shooting at 24FPS, 60 FPS and so on. As well as support products. But if you're a social media shooter, working on a tight budget, don't want to lug around a big camera but want quality images, ability to change lenses and ease of use - this is a good camera for that type of work. And after a year, it's proved to be rugged, and within its limitations of battery life, heat and speed - a decent camera.

Stuart

Originally posted at

2016-07-20T20:00:00

This is a fascinating product and I like using it. I got it in hopes it would compensate for the loss of my right hand and in large measure the AIR A01 it does so. It isn't perfect but it is a great step in the right direction.It was difficult to pair the camera with my IOS device but once achieved things worked as advertised. It could use a flash, I guess, and maybe a handgrip but basically it is fun and easy to use. I'm pretty happy with it and it will do things an iPhone can't.

Jack

Originally posted at

2016-06-11T20:00:00

The camera itself is a great instrument to take great pictures. I have one 14-42 m-4/3 zoom and an adapter to MFT that accepts all my Four-third lenses. I've been plying with the camera for the past 2 months but have encountered problems of connection between the Air and my IOS device. I was trying to photograph my daughter's graduation inside the Basketball arena at her University and there was no way to get a connection. the connection has also failed in another places with less steel structure and it is frustrating that I cannot count with this device as my handy camera. I also find that the suite software is not completely intuitive as it should be when pairing with an IOS device and it takes a good extra time to change the settings once you are working, not just a flip of a button. One big disadvantage of the system is the inability to fire an external flash with it. Also in despite of being an open platform, I have not seen other apps on this camera beyond the bundle software. I'm not a developer but having both, BT and WiFi that send signals overtime a picture is taken, there could be a signal to activate a flash radio-trigger that will then fire a flash. I have not seen new tutorial videos neither on Olympus site nor in youTube. I'm curious to know if this camera is not getting the attention it deserves neither from Olympus nor the users and developers and that is sad. I have not received either any notification of firmware update from Olympus. It is a great concept but needs further attention to be reliable and practical. Still the new smartphone with relatively high megapixel chips and tons of apps, are more practical and reliable to use that the Olympus Air.

Raphael

Originally posted at

2016-05-12T20:00:00

I've been an avid photographer for about 40 years, and I was curious about the Air. I thought it would be another "toy" in my bag, but I've found that it gives me a whole new perspective on photography. The angles and views that I can get with the Air are like no other camera. Close-up pictures are amazing since I can get the camera into spots that I usually wouldn't be able to get to. Event photography is amazing! I can hold the camera high above my head, down at my knee, around a corner, etc and still get great shots with the viewfinder in my hand. I love the easy layout of the controls & settings on my smartphone - all the features that I'm used to using on my OM-D series camera are available on the Air. The Air generates a lot of interest from spectators, especially in a crowd. I wish I could get a commission from Olympus because I've already sold a couple of Airs in the first week I've owned it! If you are already a user of micro 4/3 cameras & lenses, the Air is the next step you need to take. It'll give you a familiar system to use in an entirely new way, and you'll have an extra/backup camera body too. The only problem I'm having is now I want to buy more lenses to compliment the unique capabilities of the Air!

darrell

Originally posted at

2016-03-17T20:00:00

As the reviews indicate, this is a small, fun unit. It does take great photos, has many great lenses available but as you study the unit; think of things that your 'regular camera' can't do. Like shoot remotely, mount on a monopod/pole and explore out-of-reach areas It may need some help with lighting, maybe a hand grip. These are trivial, the core is there in the Air 01. I am still exploring and expanding my uses of this gem. Last thought; consider if you have a micro four thirds camera now and maybe some lenses, those lenses fit and the Air 01 costs less than most lenses and can use your lens inventory.

Jerrold

Originally posted at

2016-01-31T19:00:00

Camera itself takes good pictures. My sweat and swear has been using it, getting it connected! I did with both IOS and Android... it won't connect easily. After hours.. I found it connected the wi-fi to one of the paired smartphones and bluetooth to the other... AHA!! Then I set one of them in flight-mode and find the Air still won't connect. Reason; the smartphone dropped the Air OR the Air dropped the connection (?) thereby smartphone connected to a local network... I set it back manually and ... then the smartphone is connected to the blue-tooth-speakers nearby, dropped by the Air again... I closed everything nearby OFF and FORGET home network on smartphone. YES! After way to long time. I want the air to connect to SAME device on both wi-fi and Bluetooth without all the extra miles... I tried the camera with 40-150 PRO lens, nice touch focusing! I have taken pictures "blind" with 14-42 3.5-5.6 EZ... looks good, takes som practice.. I'll write when I have more on sound for video etc. I'll use it as extra camera for work with OM-D MarkII, unless I tire. Or get a separat screen for use with it exclusively..

Kristin

Originally posted at

2015-12-13T19:00:00

This is a very good cellphone option were you can do all the creative shots found on using dslr. If you already have the lenses it will be a more cheap option. But I hope you can also make a body grip option like the ones on medium format cameras were it has a monitor and EVF and has a grip. It should have direct connection instead of Bluetooth. Now we have a modular camera :-) upgradable by lens, sensor or body camera grip like medium format. Hope you can start that kind of trend. First modular mirrorless camera. I will give you 100 stars for that innovation.

Mark H.

Originally posted at

2015-10-27T20:00:00

If you want to try something differently - I guess ithis is the smallest MFT combination on the market if you don't take your smartphone into account. Connection to an Iphone is a bit of a pain, when your Iphone is in range of your homes wlan and is connecting to that and not to your AIR camera. Connection is also not very fast. So don't expect that you have this camera on quickly and that you Combination with the 17 mm 1.8. is nice and gives you a manual focus ring - with some practice you can even shot without your iphone connected and this is then very fast.

Torsten

Originally posted at

2015-09-27T20:00:00

I am a great fan of Olympus: OMD-EM5/OMD-EM5 II, plus tons of lenses. I pre-ordered the AIR A01 with great expectations. I was among the very first photographers to receive it and test it. Here my impressions: 1) A great concept. The quality of the images is as good as my EM5's, without the bulk. 2) The setup process left a lot to be desired. Olympus needs to improve the instructional material available to purchasers. 3) The battery life is short and there is no way to have a spare battery on hand. When you run out of juice, you are stranded. 4) The actual shooting experience is SLOOOOOW! I was hoping to use this camera for street photography. I found myself missing the shot several times, because of the slow response when changing settings and focusing. I believe it's all due to the slow response of the dedicated WI-FI connection. All in all, I love this device, but I strongly recommend that Olympus improve its speed performance via a firmware upgrade. Thank you, Olympus.

Sergio

Originally posted at

2015-08-20T20:00:00

This is a good camera. Small , you can change lenses lenses, and it is reasonably price. It's better than any phone camera you'll use and yes, you get professional results. However there are a couple of things that I am certain will be coming if this format sells and while I'm not an early adapter of anything, this little gem of a camera feels like the future: choose a sensor, choose a lens, chose a recording device, and drive it with an app. But what it needs is a way to do flash photography, a mic in and audio out jack for those using it to shoot video. Also need to be able to adjust the FPS rate through the app. And sometimes the focusing is a bit iffy. But that being said, I used it on a photo shoot as a test camera and was pleased with the results. If you shoot for social media, this is the camera to get. If you're budget conscious and want a good camera, get this one. If you want to attract a crowd, this will do that too!

Stuart

Originally posted at

2015-08-16T21:00:00

The first thing to note is the camera does not (at this time) come with an instruction manual. Nor did I find one online. That being said, the camera was relatively easy to figure out without one. These are just some of the highlights from my experience with the AIR. There are several good in-depth reviews on other websites. The concept of this camera is a good one—using your smartphone as a viewing screen and control panel for your camera. And while the execution is very good for a first attempt, I think there are a few improvements that could be made. The build quality on this camera is excellent. The body is metal and feels sturdy. The plastic phone bracket that snaps onto the back feels sturdy enough as well. The oversized shutter button is easy to find. The setup process with your phone is fairly easy. The setup wizard does a good job of walking you through the process, and I was up and running in just a few minutes. The camera creates its own WiFi that your phone connects to. This means that in order to use your phone for other things, you'll have to consume your data or disconnect from the camera. The other thing to note is the startup time. The camera's WiFi shuts down when the camera goes to sleep. Starting the camera back up means you may have to reconnect to the camera's network. It's best to use it with a micro SD card. It takes a few seconds to transfer a raw image from the camera to your phone. Reportedly, it doesn't have the greatest battery life. I didn't run the battery out completely, so I don't want to speculate. But considering that you're consuming the camera and phone batteries, a dual port charger may be in order if you're going to be out all day. Sadly, it does not have in-camera image stabilization. So I paired it with a Panasonic Lumix lens that has in-lens stabilization. The combination appeared to work great. While the phone bracket did accommodate the OtterBox case on my iPhone 6, it felt like I was stretching the springs to the breaking point. The camera recognizes horizontal and vertical orientations when you turn it. Shooting with the camera and phone held horizontally is great. Turning the pair vertically presents a problem. With the phone clipped in at an angle, finding your subject becomes a little awkward because you're no longer looking "straight" through the camera. The OA. Central App is fairly user friendly. The ability to shoot in Program (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Priority (S), and Manual (M) mode was a big plus to me. I like the ability to choose the settings myself. Most of the settings are easy to understand can be adjusted quickly. You have the option of touch to focus or touch to focus + shoot. I think it is mostly personal preference. There were times that focusing and shooting in one action was useful. At other times, I didn't want to snap a picture each time I touched the screen. I did not play with the Amazon Cloud functionality. Overall, I think the Olympus AIR is a good camera for what it is. Like any first generation idea, I think it needs a little refining. For someone who has not invested in a system, this may be a great option. It certainly presents more creative options than your phone. And the image quality is clearly better. If you're looking for an alternative to your Micro Four Thirds body, this may not be for you. Honestly, the experience is unique enough that you have to decide for yourself.

ANDREW P.

2015-08-01T20:00:00

Wow, this little Air A01 is really fun. Have had it for about a week now and finding a complete new way to have fun with photography. There is such a sense of freedom. You are completely unencumbered with this thing. Use it with your smartphone, or not. Use it with your smart tablet, or not! I'm looking forward to trying out some candid street photography without aid of the phone or tablet. Did one day of shooting with it this way and it is kind of fun having to wait until "later" to see what you were able to get. It seems somehow freeing to spend more attention to where and how to get the shot and less about studying the screen for how you did. You can get into tight spaces and odd angles. Just really, really fun. I have been thrilled with the quality of the photos. The set up was relatively easy and once you do establish your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection with your smart-whatever, the next time you go to connect it is quick and easy. The only thing a little slow is going from picture taking mode over to viewing the pictures on your device. Other than that, no complaints!

Cokie

Originally posted at

2015-07-25T20:00:00

I'm really impressed with this small camera It's really small Nice to handle .. The shutter is really fast .. Quiet.. I like the image quality I use it with the 45mm lens and it's doing a really good job Olympus should put a better instructions manual in the box I dislike the battery lifetime.. I wish I could change the batteries Little bit pricey .. Otherwise I'm glad to have this little thing..

Saeed

Originally posted at