Olympus / OM System Art Filters - A Review of ART 16 - Instant Film
This is the second article where I discuss the built in art filters on my Olympus e-m1 mark ii. As far as I know, most modern Olympus or OM System cameras include these art filters. The Olympus e-m1 mark ii has a dedicated dial on the mode selector specifically for ART mode, although I believe this setting was removed on the latest OM System OM-1.
As I mentioned in my first article where I reviewed Art Filter 13 - Vintage I, I’ve always seen these filters as something of a gimmick. Olympus’ 16 art filters have never impressed me the way Fujifilm’s 19 film simulations do. But for the sake of giving them a fair shake, I decided to take my camera on a few photo walks and give them a try.
I was pleasantly surprised with the results from my first attempt. On the back of my camera screen, the photos from Art Filter 16 - Vintage I looked horribly oversaturated and unpleasant, but I actually enjoyed them when I brought them into Lightroom and saw them on the big screen. They definitely had a “vibe,” perhaps not one I would use every day, but one I would be open to using again. You can see all the sample photographs here.
The absence of the disappointment I thought I was going to feel, led me to quickly select another art filter for testing. The last few days, I’ve been shooting with Art Filter 16 - Instant Film.
I had a very similar experience with this filter. After taking a few photographs, I really didn’t like the previews on the back screen. Each image looked overly-contrasty with a heavy magenta cast. I began to suspect Art Filter 16 was going to let me down… but I continued shooting.
Having seen the final results, I’m glad I didn’t give up too early. While I don’t like the Instant Film filter as much as Vintage I, I’m generally happy with the results. Yes, they are definitely unique, but seeing the world tinted magenta isn’t too overbearing.
Verdict: This is a fun art filter for special occasions. It isn’t something I would use for everyday photography, but I would consider using it again to keep my photography fresh and creative.
