Best Accessories for the OM System OM-1 Mark II: What’s actually worth buying

Of all the cameras that I own, the OM System OM-1 II is probably the most self contained. By that, I mean it is the closest to a complete system of any camera I own and why I rate it as one of the best cameras available. You don’t need filters thanks to its computational modes, you rarely need a tripod thanks to its amazing IBIS, but there are a few key accessories that really complete the OM-1 II. I’ve owned the OM-1 mark II for well over a year and before that I had the OM-1 for several years. I use it in Scotland for landscape, family and wildlife photography where it excels with its best in the industry weather sealing. Below are the accessories that I have bought with my own money and personally use with my OM-1 II that are actually worth buying. 

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I’ve personally tested and genuinely use.

Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap

Although the OM-1 II is a fairly compact camera and can be easily carried on the smaller Peak Design Camera Leash, I prefer using the Peak Design Slide Lite with my OM-1 II as it is more substantial, is wider and so more comfortable to carry for longer periods and with enough strength to hold even my heaviest OM System lenses like the 100-400mm II. It features a one-hand adjustment so can be fitted to taste although I must be a bit useless as I find I have to adjust it with two hands.

What really sets it apart is the Anchor Link system. Once you’ve used it, it’s hard to go back to threading straps through metal lugs. You attach the Anchors to your camera lugs and then simply clip the camera strap in to those. It’s really secure, means that you can remove the strap quickly when you want to and if like me, you have more than one camera, you can simply move the strap between multiple camera bodies when needed.

I’ve owned mine for several years now and used it heavily through heat and dust in Asia to wind and rain here in Scotland. It’s coped with all that use and still shows hardly any signs of wear.

If you often shoot your OM-1 II with smaller lenses like the f/4 zooms or 1.8 primes then you may prefer the Peak Design Camera Leash as it’s smaller, thinner and is easier to stuff in your pocket when not in use. It also features one-handed adjustment (which I can actually use one-handed) the same Anchor mounting system and is easily strong enough to carry the OM-1 II with all but the heaviest of lenses.

The ideal situation is to own both straps and simply swap between them depending on what lens you plan to use on a given day. That’s exactly what I do.

Peak Design Capture Clip

If you want instant access to your camera but don’t like having a camera strap around your neck then the Peak design Capture Clip is a fantastic carrying solution for anyone like me, who hikes with their OM-1 II.

It’s a metal mount that attaches to any backpack or bag shoulder strap with a plate that attaches to the tripod mount of your camera. You can then simply slide the clip (with camera attached) into the mount and remove it with the press of a quick release button.

For any hikes, where I want the camera instantly accessible but also want the ability to keep both hands free, the Capture Clip has become my favourite way to carry the OM-1 II. It frees up your hands and unlike a camera strap, the camera remains in place without swinging or feeling awkward. I use the Capture Clip with a variety of cameras up to the Nikon Z8 with 24-120mm f/4s lens attached so it easily copes with the weight of the OM System OM-1 II + 12-40mm f/2.8 pro or similar sized setups.

It’s made from high grade metal, has been out in all weathers with me and shows no sign of rust. Its mounting plate is also inter-changeable with the Peak Design Travel tripod so switching between the two is quick and easy for those rare times when I use a tripod with the OM-1 II.

I’d go as far as saying that it’s the best way to carry the OM-1 II if you’re heading out for long walks with the camera. I have mine permanently attached to my hiking backpack and use it constantly.

Keeping the OM-1 II clean

The OM-1 II is the kind of camera that I take anywhere, in any weather. Sometimes I put it on the ground when I’m stopped, it gets wet, it gets muddy and it keeps going. With that kind of use, it’s only right to ensure I at least have the ability to clean it off when I get home as well as giving it a little bit of extra protection.

Expert Shield Screen Protector

I’ve tried many different screen protectors over the years but I’ve settled on using Expert Shield versions due to their easy application, strong protection and clarity. This is the one area where you can offer the OM-1 II a little extra protection to protect the important rear LCD screen and for less than the price of a coffee and slice of cake.

Camera Cleaning Kit

After a rough day in the field, I am meticulous about cleaning the camera down to ensure it’s ready for its next outing. If it’s covered in mud or gunk then the OM-1 II is so well sealed that I’ve seen people literally rinsing it off under the tap. I don’t do that but I do use the camera cleaning kit below which includes everything that you need to remove mud splashes, grass seeds, dirt and dust. I normally wipe the camera off with a microfibre cloth to get it reaonably dry, once dried I blow off all the remaining dust with the included rocket blower.

The best Memory cards for the OM System OM-1 II

The Om-1 II is a fast camera, with its stacked sensor and fast burst shooting rates. To ensure that my memory cards can keep up I use two different kinds, but always from Sandisk. The reason is that in my 20 years of photography, I have never had a Sandisk card fail on me, unlike other brands. I find that a 256gb card is about the perfect size before they start becoming too expensive, while giving plenty of capacity for thousands of photos.

For normal photography use, I have lots of affordable Sandisk Extreme Pro SD cards which are rugged, reliable and plenty fast enough for landscapes, family and general use. They work perfectly well even with the OM-1 II’s Hi-res files. For wildlife shooting, you will need a faster card or the camera will slow down as soon as you fill the buffer. For that I recommend the latest Sandisk Extreme Pro V-90 cards.

Power

The OM-1 II has decent battery life but even so, computational modes, IBIS and a 5.6 million dot EVF consume battery power. I no longer recommend buying loads of batteries for each camera that you own as theyre not cheap and now that almost every camera has the ability to be charged by USB-C it just makes more sense to spend that money on a powerbank that can also be used to power other devices or multiple cameras. I’d recommend getting one genuine OM System BLX-1 battery for your camera and then investing in an Anker powerbank. That’s exactly what I have now settled on after using multiple different third party batteries for my OM-1 II and not being happy with their performance.

I use an Anker Nano Powerbank when I am just out for a day or two and need the ability to quickly top up the camera. It has enough power to fully charge the camera’s battery multiple times and has an integrated cable which means I’m never scrambling around to find wires. It’s also small enough that I never begrudge carrying it. This is my everyday carry and the exact one that I use.

For more power, when I’m staying out longer, have multiple devices to charge or am away on trips, I use another Anker powerbank with an integrated USB-C cable that has 20,000 mAh of power which is plenty to charge up multip camera batteries, my phone and my Ipad Pro. This is the exact one that I use:

The OM System OM-1 II is an incredibly versatile camera that is built to be taken everywhere and do everything. It’s the only camera that offers an IP weather resistance rating, the only one that I’ve ever seen washed under faucets to be cleaned. It can basically stand up to anything that you throw at it while being capable of virtually any type of photography you can dream of. It doesn’t require a lot of accessories to make it complete, just a few well chosen ones that work seemlessly and make the experience of owning the OM-1 II even better.