Petition to OM Digital Solutions

Firmware Update for the original OM-1

Firmware Petition Team Firmware Petition Team
Firmware Update for the original OM-1
in Tokyo, Japan

Don't leave the loyal users of original OM-1 behind!

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

  1. Source: OM System Firmware Updates; retrieved February 12, 2024
  2. For full quotation see following background information: OM Digital Solutions Q&A July 2022: Great outlook, AIAF vs Tracking AF;retrieved February 12, 2024
20. February 2024

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OM Digital Solutions

Background information

On January 30, 2024, OM Digital Solutions announced a successor to its flagship camera. Less than two years after the original OM-1 became available, the OM-1 MK II provides, beyond new features, also improvements of autofocus and subject recognition, for which many users of the original OM-1 had already asked.

In a 2022 interview, OM Digital Solutions representatives stated:” The update could be done at the firmware level. We cannot provide any details, but we are considering the evolution of AIAF based on market conditions and customer feedback”. This statement was made in response to the question, “Will it be possible to update the AIAF algorithms via firmware updates?”1

The five firmware updates which were released for the original OM-1 until today have primarily addressed stability issues and minor performance improvements.2 But none of them has introduced the improvements for which we had hoped after this interview. Hence, many original OM-1 users have continued to ask for those improvements of the reliability of the AF system and of the subject recognition which the new OM-1 MK II is now offering.

When asked after the OM-1 MK II launch, OM Digital Solutions representatives responded that there are currently no plans to make such improvements also available for the original OM-1. This triggered controversial reactions in the user community. Multiple users and reviewers expressed dissatisfaction and frustration. Some recent comments of reviewers and users of the original OM-1 reacted using rather strong and polemic language, e.g. the headline “The World’s Most Expensive Firmware Update Costs $2,399.99”3. And some individual statements in user forums went so far to say that they plan to stop investing further in OM System products or even switch their camera system to other brands.

This implies the risk that such debates may amplify a possible decline of users’ confidence in the OM System brand and products!

A firmware update with feasible improvements for the original OM-1 would be by far the best way to counter this risk. We are convinced that especially users of the original OM-1 would highly appreciate such a move. Typically, users of OM System’s flagship cameras invest also in considerable inventories of lenses and other OM System products. Hence, supporting their sustained loyalty through an OM-1 firmware update will also be highly beneficial for OM System.


1) Source: OM Digital Solutions Q&A July 2022: Great outlook, AIAF vs Tracking AF, 150-400mm eye candy and more!; retrieved February 12, 2024
2) As with any electronic device, a camera consists of hardware and firmware. Firmware is the software that tells the hardware how to function. Firmware is essential to operate the camera in a stable manner, performing functions as described and expected by users.
3) Source: THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE FIRMWARE UPDATE COSTS $2,399.99, retrieved February 12, 2024

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Firmware Petition Team
Firmware Petition Team
Started this petition 2 months ago
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