Overnight, Olympus announced some updates to its plans for the remainder of 2020, giving an update on the availability of the highly-anticipated 150-400mm f/4.5 lens, as well as an updated lens roadmap and firmware update plans for the OM-D E-M1X camera.

The announcement follows the news that Olympus intends to sell its camera division to Japan Industrial Partners by the end of the year.

Lens updates

Originally announced in January 2019, Olympus released an update about its upcoming M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC 1.25x IS Pro lens. Anticipated for late this year, the company announced that the lens’ development is on target, and should ship in winter 2020.

The lens marks Olympus’ first with a built-in 1.25x teleconverter, making for a 35mm field of view of 1000mm.

In addition to the 150-400mm f/4.5, the company released an updated lens roadmap. Two new lenses have been added — the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8-25mm f/4 PRO lens as well as an unspecified macro lens.

In its news release, Olympus promised to “continue enhancing its lens lineup to maximize the unrivaled system portability made possible by the compact, lightweight, high image quality of the micro four-thirds system.”

There is no word on when the 8-25mm f/4 PRO and the undisclosed macro lens will be released.

Upcoming E-M1X firmware update

Additionally, Olympus announced the development of an upcoming firmware update for the E-M1X camera. The update will add Bird Detection capability to the camera’s Subject Detection Autofocus, making it easy to capture birds during flight. This update is also scheduled for winter 2020.

OM-D Webcam beta for Windows

Olympus has now made it easier than ever for those working at home to conference through a digital camera, with its new OM-D Webcam software. Now available for Windows 10 in beta, OM-D Webcam allows users to turn their Olympus cameras into high-quality webcams for use with video conferencing software.

The software is compatible with Olympus cameras that support tethering: The E-M1X, E-M1, E-M1 Mark II, E-M1 Mark III and the E-M5 Mark II. All that’s needed to connect is the USB cable provided with the camera at purchase.

OM-D Webcam can be downloaded through Olympus’ website. It is available for English and Japanese languages.