[Light and small items are absolute justice outdoors! 】I took pictures of Naki rabbits at Mt. Hakuun and Mt. Higashi Nupukausinupuri for two consecutive days with "OM SYSTEM OM-1" and "M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS".

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I'm photographer writer Saito Chitose. The family of three are enjoying an outdoor life, mainly traveling in a camper van, in order to photograph the spectacular views of Hokkaido and wildlife.

I introduced digital SLRs for my work in about 2000, so it's already been a quarter of a century. In the meantime, the common sense of many cameras has changed. The other day, for the first time in a few years, I climbed the 1,200m-class mountains, Hakuunzan and Higashi Nupukausinupuri, using the Micro Four Thirds standard OM SYSTEM as my main equipment, two days in a row, and photographed the Near-endangered Naki Rabbit at each of the scree areas. the light, small, and robust OM SYSTEM was more comfortable than I expected, so I would like to share with you all about it.

What is OM SYSTEM in the Micro Four Thirds standard?

The Micro Four Thirds standard uses an image sensor that is approximately 1/4 of the size of a 35mm full size. The big attraction is that the entire camera system is compact and lightweight.

Lightweight, compact, robust, ideal for outdoor use. OM SYSTEM camera system

If you've ever wanted to photograph and record your outdoor activities and have become interested in serious cameras, then I think the phrases that most people have heard of are full-size or 35mm full-size phrases that are synonymous with high-performance digital cameras that most people have heard of. In short, the image sensor is about 36 x 24 mm, known as a full-size 35mm size, and it uses large sensors among general smartphones and digital cameras, making it easy to increase resolution and many high-performance ones, and most professionals use this standard, making it the most high-performance digital cameras that have interchangeable lens types.

I, who test and review lens performance on my life's work, naturally, I use this camera system that supports full-size 35mm size, but unfortunately it has the disadvantage of being heavy, large and expensive. the OM SYSTEM OM-1 which uses the Micro Four Thirds standard, is introduced this time, and the size (area) of the image sensor is approximately 1/4. The Micro Four Thirds standard image sensor is approximately 1/4 of the 35mm full-size standard.

If the image sensor is large, the size per pixel will be smaller even if the number of pixels (image resolution) is increased, so S/N (※) is good, meaning that the image quality is good, noise is not easily produced even if the sensor sensitivity is increased, and many positive effects can be achieved by increasing the basic performance of digital cameras. For this reason, many professional and high-end aircraft all use a 35mm full-size sensor size with a large sensor size, but there are also some disadvantages. Since the sensor size is basically area, the square affects the square, but cameras and lenses also need to be designed to fit this size, so the size (volume) is influenced by the cubic power.

*S/N (ratio): The ratio of signal to noise. The higher this value, the more beautiful the image, and the less deterioration in image quality is required even in dark scenes.

In the early days of digital cameras, large sensors are overwhelmingly superior to pursuing higher image quality. However, about 25 years ago when I first introduced interchangeable lens digital single-lens cameras, the number of pixels for digital cameras was around 3 million pixels, and the number of pixels for 35mm full-size, multi-pixel models now has a lineup of high-performance models with over 60 million pixels.It is not uncommon for the author, who mainly writes articles online, to limit the sensors of 35mm full-size cameras to a smaller APS-C range and use them with a smaller number of pixels.

Actually, when I first first appeared, I only had a sensor size of about 1/4 of the full 35mm size, so is it okay in terms of image quality? I was thinking about the Micro Four Thirds standard, but in a sense, the image quality of digital cameras is a time of maturity for ordinary users, and on the other hand, it is a camera standard that should be noted.

Among them OM SYSTEM cameras are tough models designed for outdoor use. From here OM SYSTEM will provide you with toughness that is safe for outdoor use with minimal weight and high image quality that can withstand serious animal shooting. I thought so.

So this time, I'll be climbing the mountain for two days in a row using the high-end model, the OM SYSTEM OM-1 M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 a teleconverter that improves telephoto performance . I was so happy with this result that I would definitely share it with you all.

Incidentally, due to the increased performance of digital cameras themselves, even though I started out as a hobby of cameras, I am unable to keep up with the high-end models over the past few years, although it is not possible to keep up with the high-end models. While it is a price range that is difficult to recommend to friends and acquaintances as a camera for outdoor hobbies, wildlife photography, and family recordings, the OM SYSTEM with the high-end body OM SYSTEM OM-1 , and the ultra-telephoto zoom " M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS" is a barely realistic price, which is a big reason why I went out and took a photo with the OM SYSTEM

Recommended points

• Lightweight and compact camera system with Micro Four Thirds sensor
• A realistic price with high cost performance due to its lightweight and compact size
• A robust camera system that is typical of OM SYSTEM, which is strongly focused on the outdoors.
• It uses a small sensor, making it strong for telephoto photography and is superior for wildlife photography.
• Easy and quick focusing with AI subject recognition AF is extremely comfortable
• Long-term operation with large battery that is safe even outdoors where power cannot be secured
• It uses a moderate number of pixels, making it easy to handle image file size

Points that interest me

• Without an ultra-wide-angle lens, the wide-angle side is a bit unsatisfied
• "OM SYSTEM OM-1" itself isn't as small as you might think

Main Specifications and ratings

Detailed review

"OM SYSTEM OM-1" I want to go see the Naki Rabbit with just as light as possible.

You will need to quickly photograph the Naki rabbits, which occasionally appear from among the rocky areas, with a super telephoto lens. Therefore, it is safe to say that it has high camera performance that allows you to capture moving objects well.

"I want to take a picture of a Naki rabbit!" In the summer, I want to photograph the sea rabbit, one of Hokkaido's most prestigious animals. This is a semi-endangered species that traveled to Hokkaido during the ice age, and is said to have been unable to return, and have settled in the highlands of Hokkaido. It is only found in Hokkaido in Japan, and to be precise, it is called the "Ezona Rabbit." Her adorable appearance has captivated many people and is known as nicknames such as "Nucky."

However, in order to meet the sea rabbit, which only lives in cooler highlands, you will need to climb the mountain. Unfortunately, as a middle-aged man and old man who lacks exercise, it is quite difficult to climb mountains with super telephoto lens camera equipment, rain gear and food, even if it's a day trip, drinking water to stay at the screech area where the rabbit lives on the summit, cold weather gear in case of emergency, and portable toilets. If possible, I would like to make my luggage lighter and make it easier to climb.

However, as mentioned in this article, quality is essential to be sufficiently usable in commercial media, and simply catching a quick-moving Naki rabbit cannot compromise on high-speed focusing or ultra-telephoto shooting. After considering these, I chose the OM SYSTEM high-end bodies the OM SYSTEM OM-1 , the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS , and the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 .

brought M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO as a standard lens for photographing mountain climbing Now we have prepared a camera system that covers 24mm equivalent to 1,120mm equivalent in 35mm format.

Now, the total weight is

• OM SYSTEM OM-1 (approx. 511g)
• M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS (approx. 1,120g *Excluding tripod seat)
• M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 (approx. 105g)
• M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO (approx. 561g)

Total above, 2,297g.

Incidentally, the 35mm full-size main telephoto zoom lens (150-600mm class) I usually use is over 2kg depending on the weight of the lens alone. In other words, the camera body, super telephoto zoom, standard zoom, and teleconverter are usually only the weight of one super telephoto zoom lens. What's more, the lens volume is practically half. It has the advantage of being overwhelmingly small and light.

I lined up a 500ml stainless steel thermos of the "M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS" with a telephoto end equivalent to 800mm. The compactness of the ultra-telephoto lens stands out.

The advantage of "light equipment" that I was convinced of at Mt. Hakuun

This is a photograph of a young individual who was born this year. It looks like a casual photo, but due to the high-speed shutter, the ISO sensitivity has increased to 2000.

Hokkaido accounts for approximately 24% of Japan's land area. Even though it is within Hokkaido, the mountains of the Daisetsu Mountains, where the Naki rabbits live, are quite far from Chitose City, where I live. Even if you use a toll road in one way, it takes about 2.5 hours, and if you go on a public road, it takes about 3.5 hours. A round trip takes 5 to 7 hours. If you're going out, you'd like to take some photos all at once. So, with the introduction of Micro Four Thirds' OM SYSTEM, my luggage was much lighter, so I stayed in a camper van, and on the first day I photographed the rabbits at Mt. Hakuun in the Daisetsu Mountains, and on the second day I photographed the rabbits at the scree (a looming rocky area where the rabbits live) at Higashi Nupukausinupuri, and on the second night I made a rather tight schedule, returning home.

Recently, there have been many sightings of brown bears in Hokkaido, so I have been climbing mountains to avoid sunrise and dusk times, such as the Kawaito and Tatsugata, so even if I go early in the morning, I arrived at the trailhead of Mt. Hakuun after 7am. From there, head to the scree field where the sea rabbits often appear near the summit. The climb time is roughly an hour. There are toilets at the trailhead, but there are no toilets on the trail or near the summit, so if you are staying at the scree area for a certain amount of time and taking photos of the Rabbit, don't forget to bring a portable toilet.

is about half the size of the backpack that last time has a full 35mm camera system . It weighs less than half, but it's much lighter so climbing is very easy. We arrived at the scorching ground about 15 minutes earlier than last time.

It is useful in times of disasters, so we recommend always having a portable toilet. The photo shows Captain Stag's "Portable Toilet Sukkiri-san."

Intelligent subject recognition faster than expected: Amazing AI subject recognition AF

A photo of a Naki rabbit that doesn't know when and where it will appear. AI subject recognition AF, which detects the eyes on the screen and focuses even when you change the framing, is really useful.

After enjoying the view of the scree area near the summit of Mt. Hakuun, I started taking pictures of the Naki rabbit, and what surprised me when I used OM SYSTEM OM-1 In fact, there have been reports that the overall image quality of digital cameras has not evolved in recent years, and the number of pixels and image quality has not evolved very dramatically.

However, many camera enthusiasts have mentioned the dramatic evolution of digital single-lens cameras over the past few years, which is the evolution of AF performance. " OM SYSTEM OM-1 " is also equipped with AI subject recognition AF developed using deep learning technology. " OM SYSTEM OM-1 ", it is said that in addition to the human faces on the screen, it will continue to follow the eyes of formula cars, motorcycles, planes, helicopters, railways, birds, animals (dogs, cats), and achieve focusing that cannot be followed by human operations.

The performance of this subject-recognition type AF has already reached a level that cannot be followed by human operation, and is also dramatically effective in shooting wild animals such as sea rabbits. It can take even a very high chance of taking advantage of the shutter chances that traditional cameras that do not recognize subjects. This function is now essential for shooting moving objects, but because it requires complex and fast calculations, it is also a function that tends to be higher performance in newer, more sophisticated devices. The "OM SYSTEM OM-1" allows you to comfortably adjust the focus of this subject recognition type using AI subject recognition AF.

OM SYSTEM OM-1 which supports high-speed continuous shooting with a maximum continuous shooting speed of approximately 120 frames per second , is a camera that allows you to take extremely comfortable photographs of moving objects such as wild animals.

The subject detection AF is used to detect animals such as dogs and cats. AI subject recognition AF is a function that you can't let go of because of its comfort once you use it.

The robust and lightweight magnesium alloy body with dustproof and waterproof grade IP53 is safe

If you've gone to the mountain, you'll want to photograph a variety of different images, so the filming time will be longer. It is a very useful performance that has a good battery life at this time.

The OM SYSTEM OM-1 uses a large-capacity lithium-ion battery called the BLX-1, so 520 photos can be taken using the method according to the CIPA test standards. Incidentally, under the conditions where I was actually photographing a rabbit, I was able to photograph more than half a day with just one battery. Thanks to this, I was able to take good photos from 7am until after 4pm on my way home, without worrying about the remaining battery level.

However, in my case, I need to not only photograph the Rabbit on the set, but also take a look at the mountain climbing scenes that have passed before I reach it. Naturally, on mountain trails, there are places where you have to use both hands to climb, and sometimes you cannot completely protect your camera. Therefore, my camera has many minor scratches. The "OM SYSTEM OM-1" is lightweight and compact, but is a high-end professional model. Therefore, the body is made of magnesium alloy and is firmly sealed, and the dust and waterproof grade is IP53. You can walk safely on mountain trails and other places. However, please be careful as it is pointless if the lens does not support dust and water resistant.

The OM SYSTEM OM-1, a high-end model for professionals, uses a double card slot that provides higher reliability for data backup. This point is also encouraging.

Even the Micro Four Thirds, which you're sure to be in a camper van, is sufficient quality

The photo was taken outdoors during the day, and the ISO sensitivity was 1000 in the photos shown. I was worried about the high-sensitivity noise that I was worried about, but it's hardly noticeable at the size I used online.

The full-size 35mm camera I usually use has an effective pixel count of over 40 million pixels. In contrast, the "OM SYSTEM OM-1" has an effective number of pixels of approximately 20.37 million. As for the number of pixels, if you focus on displaying on monitors such as web media, 8K monitors can display up to approximately 33 million pixels, but at the moment, even a typical 4K monitor only has approximately 8 million pixels. If 8K image quality becomes a commonplace, 20.37 million pixels may not be enough. However, the photos you are currently viewing in OUTDOOR GEARZINE are about 1,760 x 1,173 pixels (approximately 2 million pixels). Incidentally, the image size of OUTDOOR GEARZINE is larger than other web media. Considering data size, etc., it seems that it will be quite the future that 8K-class images will be easily handled on web media. Currently, I feel that 20 million pixels on the camera are sufficient, unless it's a film photograph.

Actually, what I was concerned about was the narrow pixel pitch more than the number of pixels. For "OM SYSTEM OM-1", it will take about 3 ㎛. This is the pixel pitch equivalent to a camera with approximately 80 megapixels when considered in a 35mm full size. Due to the narrow pixel pitch, I was afraid that a large amount of noise would be generated at high ISO sensitivity. However, when I checked the data of the Naki rabbits I had actually taken on the camper van I had been sleeping in that day on a laptop monitor, there was less noise than I expected. Since photographing Naki rabbits is done in a scuffy field that is relatively in good sunlight, it seems that they don't use that high ISO sensitivity, but it is common to use a high-speed shutter to prevent camera shake and subject blur with ultra-telephoto lenses, so it is not uncommon to use high-ISO sensitivity for this. As expected, there is more ISO sensitivity than the 35mm full-size machines I usually use, but considering the APS-C size multi-pixel machine, it can be said that the image quality is quite imminent.

Also, recently I have been working on web articles, and I often resize it to the level of full HD for web media, and even with high ISO sensitivity, I am convinced that the "OM SYSTEM OM-1" can be used more than adequately for work.

A frog was photographed on a dimly lit mountain trail while descending from Mt. Hakuun. The ISO sensitivity is 2500, but I don't think you'll notice any noise when using the size online.

On the second day, "Toh Nupukausinupuri" was also able to take a pleasant photo with little fatigue.

This is a photo taken at the summit of East Nupkausinupuri. Many people don't have to go to the summit, but rather the destination is the screeching area where the sea rabbit is located, so it gives the impression that it is a passing point.

I took a nap at a nearby road station, and on the second day I climbed "East Nupukausinupuri" and photographed the Naki rabbit. East Nupukausinupuri is a mountain at an altitude of 1,252m, but I heard it would take about an hour to get to the summit and an hour and a half to the scree area where the Naki rabbits were located behind it. However, OM SYSTEM my luggage was light, and there was almost no fatigue from climbing Mt. Hakuun the day before, so I was able to climb comfortably in about an hour. By the way, there are some preferences, but if you want to climb while enjoying the scenery, I think Mt. Hakuun is better, and if you have a high chance of encountering the sea rabbits, I think Higashi Nupukausinupuri is recommended. Both are easy to understand mountain trails and short climbing times, making it a mountain climbing course that is no problem even for beginners. That being said, it is only natural that you will need to prepare solid equipment and climb.

Even when climbing Higashi Nupukausinupuri, the camera equipment is much lighter than when it was for a full-size 35mm size, so it was extremely comfortable to climb.

It's very light, at about 2kg, even if you put an ultra-telephoto zoom lens with a telephoto end equivalent to 800mm, a professional camera body, a 1.4x teleconverter, and a standard lens, making it very easy.

The ultra-telephoto-resistant lens system is extremely light and extremely easy

Another advantage of the camera and lens system itself is that you can easily take pictures with a 35mm equivalent equivalent of 1120mm using a teleconverter and carry it on hand.

When I was shooting with a 35mm full-size camera system, I used a 150-600mm ultra-telephoto zoom to photograph wildlife. In contrast, for OM SYSTEM, which is based on the Micro Four Thirds standard, " M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS " is sufficient. you can take 35mm size 200-800mm equivalent shooting with the " M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS What's more, it weighs about 1,120g (excluding tripod seating), which is about half the 150-600mm class for the 35mm full size.

When shooting outdoors, simply half the weight is a big advantage, but since the image sensor size is about 1/4, the lens can only be an image-forming area of ​​about 1/4. This also has the advantage of combining the lenses in a lightweight, compact manner, while also allowing for high image quality. The point is that it is compact, lightweight, and easy to design high-performance lenses. What's more, it's lightweight and compact, so even if you increase the quality, it also has the advantage that it's easy to keep the price down.

However, 35mm full-size cameras have a function called cropping, and by limiting the range of image sensors used, most cameras can take pictures with a lens of the same focal length at 1.5 times the angle of view. The 150-600mm class allows for shooting equivalent to 225-900mm. I'm used to shooting in the 900mm equivalent class, so I brought the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 to film the Naki Rabbit on the OM SYSTEM OM-1 with the "M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS". It weighs only about 105g. This teleconverter reduces the brightness by one step, but it increases the focal length of the lens by 1.4 times, so the range that can be taken is equivalent to 280-1,120mm. Another major attraction of OM SYSTEM is that its body, ultra-telephoto zoom lens, and teleconverter cost less than 2kg, but is also able to take ultra-telephoto shots equivalent to 1,000mm.

Additionally, the OM SYSTEM body itself has a powerful image stabilization function of up to seven levels, but the light camera system means that even those who have no muscle strength and are not used to shooting ultra-telephoto lenses can enjoy shooting with an ultra-telephoto lens fairly easily. One of the major attractions of OM SYSTEM, including the OM SYSTEM OM-1. In fact, I was surprised to see that there were few photos of the Naki Rabbit photographs this time. Even if you're used to it, it seems that the lighter the equipment you use, the fewer photos of camera shake are reduced.

If you bring the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14, which weighs approximately 100g, together, you can shoot at an angle of view of over 1,100mm.

It's inevitable that you'll want a wider angle lens.

The equivalent of 24mm does not mean that the angle of view is narrow. However, it is also true that when photographing mountain trails, you may want an even more ultra-wide angle.

The Micro Four Thirds standard provides an angle of view equivalent to twice the focal length of the lens, due to the small size of the image sensor, but this characteristic works in a positive way for telephoto photography such as shooting with a Naki rabbit. However, when shooting wider areas are desired, the angle of view is twice the focal length of the lens, which is negative. like M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO that I brought with me this time, OM SYSTEM are in the wide-angle end 12mm class, and can achieve an angle of view equivalent to about 24mm in 35mm format, so I didn't have to worry about the narrow angle of view as a standard lens. However, of course, there are scenes where you want an ultra-wide angle of view, and it is true that in these scenes, I wanted an ultra-wide angle zoom lens with a starting 14mm, such as M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO

you add M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO" to this camera system, The widest angle of the system is equivalent to 14mm to 1,120mm, with a telephoto of one camera body, three lenses, and one teleconverter weighing approximately 2831g. Even if there are other accessories, this system is less than 3kg, and has a powerful subject recognition AF, image stabilization, a robust dustproof and waterproof body, and is lightweight and compact, making it a perfect camera system for outdoor activities.

The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO is a very excellent standard lens, with a brightness of 4.0 and covers a wide angle equivalent to 24mm at the telephoto end.

Summary: I'm surprised that Micro Four Thirds' OM SYSTEM is now enough

We recommend all the perfect OM SYSTEM for size, weight, image quality, price, etc.

I think the camera selection can vary depending on whether you want to climb a mountain to take a photo, enjoy climbing the mountain and taking a picture, or what you prioritize.

I have been an editor for digital camera magazines for about 25 years now, and of course I have been pursuing more high-performance cameras and lenses, and have tested a variety of cameras and lenses. And although lens performance has evolved over the past few years, I have felt that the image quality of the digital camera itself has not improved much. In a sense, the entire digital camera market has entered the market at a time when it is currently in a mature state where the market or users do not want any better image quality or pixel count.

So I was once again curious about Micro Four Thirds, which uses a small image sensor of about 1/4 of the full 35mm size, and OM SYSTEM , which offers a high-end model with a robust body for the outdoors that I like. I tried out OM SYSTEM OM-1 which is positioned as a professional

The Micro Four Thirds standard provides a large advantage in size, weight and size due to the small image sensor, but in terms of image quality, the large 35mm full-size image sensor is basically superior. The pixel pitch, which indicates the size per pixel, is considerably smaller, so even though it is 20 million pixels, I also felt a sense of concern about the quality. However, I have actually used it and tested the ultra-telephoto and high-speed shutters with high ISO sensitivity, but it is more than enough for use in commercial web media. If you're going to film a hobby or take a hobby, it feels like it's completely over-quality.

I also actually photographed a Naki rabbit and felt that the intelligent subject recognition: AI subject recognition AF from " OM SYSTEM OM-1 " was quick and practical. I've seen people say that the AI ​​subject recognition AF of the OM SYSTEM OM-1 than the high-end professional machines from other companies, which are priced at a price range where 1 million yen is visible on the main unit I feel that the class is different from -1

I OM SYSTEM 's OM-1 is just right at the moment is due to camera performance such as size, weight, pixel count, image quality, file size, AF and robustness, but I think this price is actually a very important factor. For those who want to take a mountain climb, want to take a picture of a sea rabbit or take a picture of the beautiful mountain scenery, such as outdoor hobbies, and want to take a picture of their hobbies, I feel that a camera that achieves the right price, size, and performance is better suited to the overwhelming high quality and high performance. I feel that OM SYSTEM Four Thirds, which uses slightly smaller image sensors, planning on using OM SYSTEM OM-1 for outdoor photography for a while

OM SYSTEM/Olympus OM-1 Body Black

created by Rinker

OM SYSTEM/Olympus

¥197,500 (As of 13:18:10, 2025, 2025, Amazon researched - Details)

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OLYMPUS Micro Four Thirds Lens M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS BLK Black

created by Rinker

OM SYSTEM/Olympus

¥153,500 (As of 13:18:10, 2025, 2018, Amazon researched - Details)

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Details and purchase of "OM SYSTEM OM-1" from OM SYSTEM

For product details, see OM SYSTEM OM-1

Saito Titoce

Former monthly camera magazine editor. While pursuing the spectacular views of Hokkaido and the wildlife, I was completely hooked on the outdoor life of camper vans and sleeping in my car. While traveling the entire country with his 2-year-old son and wife, he is a photographer writer who photographs and writes everything he has experienced, not only cameras and lenses, but also outdoor camping, child-rearing, PC gadgets, cooking, and dieting. OUTDOOR GEARZINE plans to write a variety of articles, focusing on the QOCL (Quality of Camping Life) Improvement Committee, which will improve the quality of life in camping and camper vans.

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