Olympus announces new firmware for OM-D E-M1, including boosted AF performance

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 has already wowed us with its excellent image quality, and fast AF speeds. Now Olympus has rolled out a firmware update for the camera, packing a number of minor fixes, and also promising better autofocus.

The new firmware is available through the Camera Updater app from Olympus, and offers:

1. Supports compensation for chromatic aberration when using the E-M1 and Panasonic’s LUMIX G VARIO 14-140mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./POWER O.I.S. (H-FS14140) together.
2. Enhanced stabilization of shooting in the Sports mode and Children mode of the SCN mode or C-AF.
3. Improved live bulb image quality while noise reduction is on.
4. Improved AF operation.

We've reached out to Olympus to clarify what the "improved AF operation" will actually entail, and will update this piece if and when we hear back from them — but any sort of performance boost is always a welcome addition.

Olympus has also announced firmware updates for the M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ lens, and Stylus XZ-2 at the same time. The firmware for the lens fixes:

1. Correction of occasional unstable shooting after using EX. Tele Conv. when used in combination with a Panasonic camera.

And the XZ-2 update brings:

1. Improved AF performance when Single Target is selected in low light.