Skip to main content

Olympus pokes fun at DSLRs, wants people to avoid ‘DSL-Arm’

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - DSL-ARM Documentary
Looks like Samsung isn’t the only mirrorless camera maker having a laugh at the DSLR’s expense. Olympus has found a lighthearted way to promote its O-MD E-M5 Mark II. A new advertising campaign includes a mockumentary series that highlights the syndrome of “DSL-Arm,” which affects people who carry heavy DSLR cameras.

The series includes two short films and a behind-the-scenes look at the actors and how they approached the challenge of DSL-Arm. The syndrome supposedly causes the right arm to lengthen due to the constant weight of carrying a DSLR.

The cure? Of course, a smaller, lighter camera. Specifically, the E-M5 Mark II Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, which is “nearly half the size of a traditional DSLR.”

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - DSL-ARM

Olympus actually used the E-M5 Mark II to film the campaign. The camera, which earned our Editors’ Choice award, is capable of shooting high-quality stills and videos, thanks in part to a five-axis image stabilization system. It may be half the size of a DSLR, but it’s no weakling when it comes to performance.

We’re not sure if many pros will ditch their DSLRs because of “DSL-Arm,” but for new users looking to step up to an interchangeable lens camera, a smaller shooter like the E-M5 Mark II is appealing.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - DSL-ARM
Enid Burns
Enid Burns is a freelance writer who has covered consumer electronics, online advertising, mobile, technology electronic…
The best photo printers you can buy in 2024
Alan compares draft, standard, and high-quality photos from Epson's EcoTank ET-8500.

A comparison of draft, standard, and high-quality photos from Epson's EcoTank ET-8500. Tracey Truly / Digital Trends

If you love sharing photo prints or building physical photo albums, you might want to upgrade to a photo printer. When manufacturers optimize printers for pictures, the results can match or exceed that of the best printers available.

Read more
Crutchfield sale: Save on Canon, Sony and Nikon mirrorless cameras
Canon EOS R5

Photography can be a fun and even lucrative endeavor, although it also can be exceedingly expensive, with some of the best full-frame cameras on the market easily reaching and even exceeding one or two thousand dollars, and that's without taking into account the cost of the lenses. Luckily, there is a great sale at Crutchfield right now on various cameras and camera kits, and you can actually grab yourself some excellent cameras, whether you're just starting out or want to upgrade to the next level. To that end, we've picked some of our favorite deals below, although it's well worth checking out the full Crutchfield sale that's happenning now.

What you should buy in Crutchfield's camera sale
If you're just starting out with photography and don't want to spend the thousands of dollars you do for the slightly better cameras that you'll find in the mid-range, the Canon EOS R100 is an excellent option, and this kit includes a lens as well. It has a 24.1-megapixel sensor for high-quality photography, a 3-inch screen so you can get a better sense of what you're filming, and, of course, the RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 lens that the kit comes with. It can also connect with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and all of that comes packaged at , which is $100 off the usual $599 price tag.

Read more