1.Idiosyncratic Japanese Camera Makers

For this second entry in our series on photography, I’ve put together an overview of several idiosyncratic Japanese camera makers: Olympus, Panasonic (Lumix), Pentax, and Fujifilm. I’ve also included recommendations for each class of camera and type of lens.

Each of these brands have something distinct that sets them apart from the three I covered in my previous article. Olympus proudly carries on a design tradition from its film camera days in its popular retro-styled cameras. Panasonic, a household name when it comes to electrical appliances, has a great series of lenses it has co-developed with iconic German camera maker Leica. Pentax, which has a long history as a maker of medium format cameras, is known for adorably small cameras that pack no-nonsense features and functionality. And Fujifilm, which has found new life in cosmetics developed using its film-related technologies, is as beloved as ever by camera enthusiasts that swear by its color science.

Each brand has a lineup of serious mirrorless DSLRs geared towards high-level amateur photographers, but their entry-level models offer excellent performance for the price. These products are especially recommended for users who are looking for an upgrade from their smartphone cameras.

What’s great about the cameras I’ve listed below is that they all demonstrate what makes each brand unique—meaning you can choose the one that best fits your lifestyle or sense of fashion.

2.Olympus

Until Canon surpassed it in 2018, Olympus long enjoyed the largest market share of the domestic mirrorless DSLR market. Its success is largely due to the Micro Four Thirds system it developed in partnership with Panasonic, which made it possible to design more compact, affordable cameras. The brand is also known for the stylish design and easy-to-handle nature of its products, which have made it especially popular among female users. That being said, I also recommend this maker to beginners who are serious about getting into photography, as you can obtain a camera body and zoom lens for around 100,000 yen. In 2019 it will be interesting to see if Olympus can fight back to regain its number one spot.

●Olympus DSLR picks

●OM-D E-M1 Mark III
The E-M1 is Olympus’s flagship Micro Four Thirds camera, equipped with high-performance photo and video features. It is packed with a plethora of features that can be customized according to your preferences to make the camera even more photographer-friendly, but some are likely to find the customizable features to be overkill. This camera is a little on the expensive side.

●OM-D E-M5 Mark III
The E-M5 is the E-M1’s little brother. While in terms of performance it clocks in slightly lower than the brand’s flagship, it is a well-balanced all-rounder that packs advanced Olympus technologies into a compact, lightweight body. The performance is incredible for the price.

●Olympus compact camera/entry-level model picks

●PEN E-PL9
The PEN E-PL9 is the latest model in Olympus’s PEN series of stylish, high-performance entry-level mirrorless cameras. This is a great option for beginners looking for something more advanced than their smartphones, and is especially popular among female users. Despite its very portable size, it can shoot 4K video, and is equipped with in-body image stabilization. The built-in flash is also a plus.

●PEN-F
The PEN-F was originally developed by Olympus in 1963 as the world’ first half-size SLR. The latest model carries on the design legacy while coming equipped with similar features to the OM-D E-M5 Mark II. This is an attractive option for those looking to carry around a camera as a fashion statement.

●Olympus lens picks

Olympus mirrorless DSLRs use a lens mount called Micro Four Thirds that it co-developed with Panasonic.

●M.ZUIKO PRO
This series of lenses is designed for professional use, meaning they take high -resolution photos under all circumstances.
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 17mm F1.2 PRO (wide angle lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 25mm F1.2 PRO (normal lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 45mm F1.2 PRO (medium telephoto lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO (high powered zoom lens)

●M.ZUIKO PREMIUM
This is a series of high-resolution fixed focal length lenses with advanced optical performance.
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm F2.0 (wide-angle lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm F1.8 SLV (normal lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm F1.8 (medium telephoto lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 30mm F3.5 Macro (macro lens)

●M.ZUIKO
This is the brand’s basic range of standard lenses.
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ SLV (pancake zoom lens)
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-150mmF4.0-5.6II EZ (high-powered zoom lens)

3.Panasonic (Lumix)

Panasonic offers a lineup of cameras under the brand name Lumix; if you’ve watched Japanese TV at all over the past several years you may have seen TV commercials staring actress Ayase Haruka. Lumix cameras are ideal for those looking for a camera to carry around that makes a stylish fashion statement. The brand has developed a series of lenses in partnership with German camera maker Leica, which, along with its own original lenses, are surprisingly affordable for the high quality.

●Panasonic (Lumix) mirrorless DSLR picks

●LUMIX DC-G9 PRO
The LUMIX DC-G9 PRO is Panasonic’s flagship Micro Four Thirds model, the counterpart to Olympus’s OM-D E-M1 Mark II. It is a mirrorless DSLR equipped with a well-balanced set of advanced features perfect for the semi-professional photographer.

●Panasonic (Lumix) compact cameras/entry-level models

●DC-LX100M2
The DC-LX100M2, which comes equipped with a bright Leica 24-75mm zoom lens, is a high-performance camera you’ll want to take wherever you go.

●DC-FT7
The DC-FT7 is one tough, ruggedly built camera that is waterproof down to 31 meters, dust-proof, shock-absorbant, and able to withstand cold temperatures down to -10℃. It’s suited for outdoor photography or for shoots that involve a lot of movement.

●Panasonic (Lumix) lens picks

●LEICA DG
These are Panasonic lenses made in partnership with Leica for the LUMIX G series.

LEICA DG SUMMILUX 15mm / F1.7 ASPH. (wide angle lens)
LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. (normal lens)
LEICA DG VARIO-ELMAR 100-400mm/F4.0-6.3 ASPH. (super telephoto zoom lens)

●LUMIX G
This is Panasonic’s series of lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system.

LUMIX G 25mm/ F1.7 ASPH. (normal lens)
LUMIX G VARIO 7-14mm / F4.0 ASPH. (super wide-angle zoom lens)
LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 II ASPH. (normal zoom lens)
LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45-175mm/F4.0-5.6 ASPH. (telephoto zoom lens)

4.PENTAX

Pentax developed Japan’s first SLR camera in 1952, and has long had a strong following among camera enthusiasts. Today the camera brand is owned by Ricoh Imaging Company. A number of the brand’s cameras are available in upwards of 100 colors, and are great if you want something a little unique.

●Pentax medium format digital camera pick

●PENTAX 645Z
The biggest advantage medium format cameras have over SLRs is the definitively greater resolution. These cameras produce photos of natural landscapes with details you wouldn’t have noticed with the naked eye. Compared to camera makers that specialize in medium and large format cameras, like Hasselblad from Sweden and Phase One from Denmark, Pentax holds its own in terms of performance, and its cameras are considerably more affordable. The 645 series was first introduced in 1984, and the 645Z is the latest, most advanced model.

●Pentax full size DSLR pick

●PENTAX K-1 Mark II
The Pentax K-1 Mark II has a sturdy build that is suited for photography in harsh conditions. I recommend it for landscape photography and other types of outdoor photography. One drawback is that compared to other cameras in its class, it’s relatively bulky and heavy.

●Pentax lens picks

●645 mount
These lenses are designed for the Pentax 645 series. The flange focal distance is 70.87 mm.

D FA645 55mm F2.8AL[IF] SDM AW (normal lens)
DA645 28-45mm F4.5ED AW SR (super wide-angle lens)
FA645 150-300mm F5.6ED[IF] (telephoto zoom lens)

●K mount
Pentax has been using the K mount system on all of its SLR cameras since 1975. The inner diameter is 48mm, and the flange focal distance is 45.5 mm.

DA 35mm F2.4AL (normal lens)
DA 50mm F1.8 (medium telephoto lens)
DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE (telephoto zoom lens)

5.Fujifilm

As the times began to transition from film to digital, Fujifilm—which, as the name implies, originally produced photographic film—foresaw the impending shift and forged a path forward by diversifying and building new businesses—and focusing on mirrorless DSLRs. All the while it never forgot its history, designing cameras with that classic look that photography buffs love. The brand also has a reputation for its superior color reproduction.

●Fujifilm medium-format mirrorless cameras

●GFX50S / GFX 100S

Fujifilm leapfrogged from its signature X series of high-end mirrorless DSLRs to the medium-format mirrorless class, completely circumventing the full size DSLR class. This is one of the highest resolution cameras out there, and the distinctive Fujifilm color reproduction makes it doubly appealing. This camera is suited for portraits and other studio work as well as landscape photography.

●Fujifilm compact camera/entry-level model pick

●X-T100
The X-T100 packs Fujifilm’s world-class mirrorless DSLR technology into a compact, lightweight body that sports a classic design. This entry-level model gives you excellent performance for the price. The LCD screen can be tilted, and also flips out to the side 180 degrees. The camera takes high-resolution photos for its class, but lacks in-body image stabilization.

●Fujifilm lens picks

●G mount
This mount is used on Fujifilm medium-format mirrorless cameras. The inner diameter is 65 mm, and the flange focal length is 26.7 mm.

GF63mmF2.8 R WR(normal lens)
GF120mmF4 R LM OIS WR Macro (medium telephoto macro lens)
GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR (normal zoom lens)

●X mount
This is the lens mount used on the Fujifilm X series. The inner diameter is 44 mm, and the focal flange distance is 17.7 mm.

XF23mmF2 R WR (wide angle)
XF35mmF1.4 R (standard)
XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R OIS (standard zoom)
XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8RLMOIS (telephoto zoom)

6.Epilogue

In this second installment of our series “Adventures in Photography", I wrote about Japanese camera manufacturers Olympus, Lumix, Pentax, and Fujifilm. In the next article I’ll be writing about Japanese lens makers and camera accessory makers.