Another new OMD owner

[dhsimmonds]

If you can'y beat 'em, join 'em! I recognise a few names and avatars here.
So yes I got my new all black OMD with 12-50 lens yesterday following a phone call from my local LCE who were also able to sell me a spare battery!

I soon had the batteries charged, menus all sorted and the cam set up, hopefully how I like it!

David, like you I still have my X-Pro-1 kit and I am hoping that the OMD after a full evaluation might replace my Sony A900 and A77, what do you think?

The camera's firmware is 1.2 and the lens is 1.1, is that the latest? I would have thought so as the cam and lens was only delivered to LCE yesterday but one never really knows.

Hope to post some pics later.

 

[Braeside]

Hi Dave!

A spare battery as well!

Well, it has replaced my A900, though to be honest I wasn't using the DSLR much as I was enjoying the Ricoh GXR A12M so much, and then got the X-Pro 1 in addition. I always said I wasn't interested in m4/3 but the OM-D has changed my opinion.

You are right, you must do your own evaluation and determine if the camera meets your requirements. One comment on the Olympus, it is the first camera that I actually had to read the manual to find out how to do some basic things. It is very flexible, but there are an awful lot of menu options in there.

You may be aware, but just in case, you need to install the Olympus software to upgrade the firmware over USB. You can't just download it and put it on an SD Card as with other cameras.

I'd need to check the firmware myself, between all my cameras here I have lost mental track of what rev they are all at!

 

[ptomsu]

While the OMD is REALLY GOOD, hoping that a m43 camera can replace a FF kit is just wishful thinking. Maybe for an individual it can do, because the demands of this individual are only up to a certain level (which can be pretty high WRT OMD) but FF will always be able to deliver better results. As MFD is then the next level above.

Not even the best marketing can change the limits of physics. What can change which camera we use and prefer is what we change in our own mind and where we say for us "This is enough, ...."

Enjoy the OMD!

 

[dhsimmonds]

While the OMD is REALLY GOOD, hoping that a m43 camera can replace a FF kit is just wishful thinking.

Oh yes I am fully aware of that!! I bought my A900 some 41/2 years ago now and it really is a great camera.

But one's needs change, especially when the wrong side of 3 score years and ten! Currently when on safari for example I take the A900 and a77 bodies with 70-400G plus a shorter zoom lens on one of them. To do serious wildlife you do need both reaches as the darned crittters make a habit of coming too close for the longer reach sometimes!

I also no longer make large prints, just album size prints as the serious stuff is all done by dpi these days, so large files need to be downsized to very much smaller, so why not start smaller and 16mpx is more than enough so long as the DR is adequate, which until the OMD's Sony sensor came along it really wasn't in 4/3rds IMHO. IQ is a must and improved ISO performance is what makes this little camera so appealing.

So for ME I am hoping that the OMD lives up to it's albeit very young reputation. I shall have to add a longer reach lens and here I am thinking of the Pana 100-300 giving me an effective reach of 600 which is exactly what my A77 with the 70-400 provides.

As you say great in theory, now I have to put it into practice!!

 

[Braeside]

One thing I would add Dave, is that the Olympus IBIS is excellent, I feel better than the SSS in the A900. The Panasonic 100-300 lens is one that I have and it does a pretty good job. Focus tracking is always going to be the problem with contrast detect AF compared to phase detect on the DSLR. Get the optional grip if you are going to be using longer lenses and need more battery life while on Safari.

Will be very interested in how you find the camera yourself.

Cheers

 

[dhsimmonds]

Thanks David, yes IBIS was another attraction!

If all goes well with the OMD then I shall probably buy another OMD body or at least when the next iteration comes along! I always like to have a back up body with a shorter reach lens with me. For now the Xpro1 will suffice but it has an even slower AF!!

 

[brian1208]

While the OMD is REALLY GOOD, hoping that a m43 camera can replace a FF kit is just wishful thinking. Maybe for an individual it can do, because the demands of this individual are only up to a certain level (which can be pretty high WRT OMD) but FF will always be able to deliver better results. As MFD is then the next level above.

Not even the best marketing can change the limits of physics. What can change which camera we use and prefer is what we change in our own mind and where we say for us "This is enough, ...."

Enjoy the OMD!

on the other hand, the best camera is the one you have with you. If weight is an issue then you are more likely to have the EM5 + lenses with you than you are a bag of FF kit (leastwise, that's the case for me )

You are of course right in absolute terms however, one can't beat the laws of physics!

 

[dhsimmonds]

One thing I would add Dave, is that the Olympus IBIS is excellent, I feel better than the SSS in the A900. The Panasonic 100-300 lens is one that I have and it does a pretty good job. Focus tracking is always going to be the problem with contrast detect AF compared to phase detect on the DSLR. Get the optional grip if you are going to be using longer lenses and need more battery life while on Safari.

Will be very interested in how you find the camera yourself.

Cheers

I really love this little gem. I have added the grip and Pany 100-300 lens.
Could you please advise do you switch IBIS off or the lens IOS? The 600mm reach is similar to the Sony 70-400G when used on the A77 ie EQ 600mm but one hec of a lot lighter and smaller!

 

[Braeside]

I switch OIS on the lens off, and keep the IBIS on, Dave.

I have things set so that when I half press the shutter the IBIS comes on to give a stabilised EVF view.

 

[jnewell]

I've tried it both ways and come to an unscientific semi-conclusion that it doesn't matter much which I use...results come out about the same. If I were forced to pick, I might give a 55:45 edge to IBIS over OIS, but it's definitely within my margin of personal error.

 

[dhsimmonds]

One thing I would add Dave, is that the Olympus IBIS is excellent, I feel better than the SSS in the A900. The Panasonic 100-300 lens is one that I have and it does a pretty good job. Focus tracking is always going to be the problem with contrast detect AF compared to phase detect on the DSLR. Get the optional grip if you are going to be using longer lenses and need more battery life while on Safari.

Will be very interested in how you find the camera yourself.

Cheers

Thanks David and jnewell. It's what my instinct tells me but it's always worth double checking. Anyone tried the Leica 45mm Macro?

 

[brian1208]

Anyone tried the Leica 45mm Macro?

I have just received a used but mint one and first impressions are very positive. Its bigger and heavier than the 45 f1.8 and maybe not so brutally sharp but my first few shots made me happy.

These are both 100% crops of 997 pixs on the longest side, max res JPG files, hand-held (with a fair breeze blowing things about). Sharpening set to zero, contrast to +1

(EDIT: Hmmm - they have lost a lot of detail loading through photobucket and are significantly better in the original, but at least they give a clue as to how it performs)