The OM-4 introduced several innovations, most notably its advanced multi-spot metering system, which allowed photographers to take up to eight spot readings and average them for precise exposure control. This was revolutionary at the time and made the OM-4 a favorite among professionals.

The camera features a durable, all-metal body, a large and bright viewfinder, and compatibility with the high-quality Zuiko lens range. Its shutter speeds range from 1/2000 of a second to 240 seconds in manual mode, and it includes both manual and aperture-priority automatic exposure modes.