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M4/3 bodies: Wealth of Choice, Quandry for Me

JBurnett

Well-known member
I now live in a beautiful part of my country (Canada) in which I feel very at home (hooray). But I'm also far from a bricks and mortar store, and the ability to personally hold and play with intended purchases. Yes, I know that good on-line retailers will accept returns when an item is unsuitable, but I'd rather get it right (or close to right) the first time.

I currently shoot with two Panasonic G3's, which replaced my G1. I wanted the upgraded sensor, and loved the price (the 2nd one was just $250 US new on closeout). I still prefer the G1's size, and the extra, on-body, direct controls.

I'm now thinking about upgrading, with better sensor again being a motivator (DR, in particular). I'm still not (yet) interested in video. IBIS would be helpful for use with my prime lenses (eg. 75mm) but I've lived without it so far. I dislike menu-diving when shooting, and appreciate external, direct controls.

What a lot of choices!

Panasonic GM5: Too small for me, based on G3 experience.

Panasonic GH3/4: Love the thought of more external controls, but these do look bigger than I want, especially if I'm carting two (again, I've never actually held one).

Panasonic GX7: IBIS is a plus, but I'm not sure about the form factor. Stock seems to be dwindling, and price seems to be holding.

Panasonic G7: From picture comparisons, this body looks like the right size, form factor, and has desirable external controls. I wish Panasonic had included IBIS. 4K video is neither her nor there for me.

Olympus E-M1: This also looks like a great body to hold and work with. I've never dealt with Olympus's menus or layout, so there would be some adapting to do.

Olympus E-M10: Similar IQ to E-M1 at (currently) half the price? From pictures, it all looks a little cramped on the camera. But, then, I do tolerate the G3's.

Olympus E-M5: The high-res mode is not essential but intriguing. I do shoot both found and created still life images, and big prints can be beautiful.

There are many other features (such as improved AF or tracking) that would be nice to have, but are not really essential for the subjects and way that I shoot.

If anyone has any insights, particularly if you have experience with a variety of these bodies, I would appreciate your comments.
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
Hi, John,

I have come to digital photography (from analog and 20 years of not shooting) with the Panasonic G1. I was very happy at that time both with IQ and Form Factor (I have small hands). I still have that G1 but it is modded for IR photography now. I replaced the G1 with a GH2 because I wanted video also at that time. Still shooting with that GH2, but video only.

The big step for me was when I bought the E-M5 (first version) that had IBIS. I'm a fan of vintage lenses, the IBIS multiplied my keeper rate by 5 :D:D
Later, I bought an E-M1 that is my main camera for stills.
If I need higher resolution than the sensor can offer (and that happens quite often), I shoot panoramas and stitch them in Photoshop or recently in Lightroom ... so no E-M5 Gen2 for me.
I found the menus of the E-M1 (or E-M5 before) somewhat unpractical, but I have learned to live with them, and there are always the external controls ...
Video on the E-M1 is also good enough for me, so I will not upgrade the GH2 anytime soon ...

I have no experience with the recent Panasonic offerings, the form factor is not what I like, and they lack IBIS, which has become mandatory for all my next camera purchases ...

I hope this helps you, and success with your search ;)
Rafael
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
Thank you very much for your thoughts, Rafael. I'm glad to hear that the transition to the Oly interface wasn't a deal-breaker (I'm assuming one spends a lot of time configuring in the beginning, then much less as time goes by). Although I don't use many vintage lenses, I do use quite a few primes (12, 17, 25, 45, 75). And, at my age, I've started leaving the tripod at home more often on longer hikes. So IBIS would indeed be very welcome.

What was your motivation to move from E-M5 to E-M1, and was anything addressed with E-M5 II or E-M10?
 

Elderly

Well-known member
I'm glad to hear that the transition to the Oly interface wasn't a deal-breaker (I'm assuming one spends a lot of time configuring in the beginning, then much less as time goes by). 0?
Except when a firmware up-date wipes your settings!
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
What was your motivation to move from E-M5 to E-M1
John, in our family, we work the other way around :p:p
My nephew needed a camera, so he got the FZ30 from my son, my son receiving the G1 from my wife (not the IR one, we have two G1). Making that the wife received my E-M5, and I was "forced" to get me a new E-M1...

Good tactics also to avoid discussions with SWMBO about new cameras ;)

C U,
Rafael
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
My path into mFT was from FT SLRs at first: I bought a Panasonic G1 in late 2008 when they were first released. Mostly used my FT SLR lenses and a couple of adapted lenses on it, and it worked very well. I had a GF1 for a while and it was nice but a little cramped in my hands; I gave it to a friend.

At some point, I stopped using the G1 for some reason; I went back to FT SLR for a time afterwards using an L1 and E-1, then an E-5 replaced the L1s. The E-5 menu structure was complex but logical—I figured it out pretty quickly.

I closed my photo business at the end of 2010, only a few months after I'd gotten the E-5. While I liked the E-5 a lot, it was large and I wasn't keen on carrying it all the time. I kept the smaller E-1 and sold the E-5 and most of my lenses to a friend (who is still using them today for his freelance business).

In September 2013 when the E-M1 was announced, I ordered one right after I saw one in person at the local shop. This is the "fusion" camera I'd been looking for, a camera to use with both my remaining FT SLR lenses (11-22 and 35 Macro) as well as new mFT lenses (fast, short primes). It arrived in October 2013. The menu system is similar to the E-5 but deeper. It has far more features than I've used. But for me, it's really been the mainstay of my more technical shooting needs since I got it. Excellent design in the ergonomics, beautifully put together, and once you learn and set a configuration that works for you, a cinch to use. The IBIS is outstanding, the lenses are excellent, and I find that its "wee little sensor" stands up to the much-acclaimed Sony A7 sensor for noise and quality right up to ISO 6400. It's simply a great camera.

I find it easier to understand the menus by seeing an overview of all the options and settings ... Here's my template and an example with my settings in it. Once you see that as overview, the manual is easier to follow. :)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25268645/EM1_settings/E-M1_Settings_BLANK.pdf
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25268645/EM1_settings/E-M1_Settings_EXAMPLE.pdf

enjoy!
G
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
John, in our family, we work the other way around :p:p
My nephew needed a camera, so he got the FZ30 from my son, my son receiving the G1 from my wife (not the IR one, we have two G1). Making that the wife received my E-M5, and I was "forced" to get me a new E-M1...

Good tactics also to avoid discussions with SWMBO about new cameras ;)

C U,
Rafael
Yeah, I hear ya. Unfortunately, the only "forcing" in this family is me being forced to wait a long while between upgrades. :cry:
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
In September 2013 when the E-M1 was announced, I ordered one right after I saw one in person at the local shop. This is the "fusion" camera I'd been looking for, a camera to use with both my remaining FT SLR lenses (11-22 and 35 Macro) as well as new mFT lenses (fast, short primes). It arrived in October 2013. The menu system is similar to the E-5 but deeper. It has far more features than I've used. But for me, it's really been the mainstay of my more technical shooting needs since I got it. Excellent design in the ergonomics, beautifully put together, and once you learn and set a configuration that works for you, a cinch to use. The IBIS is outstanding, the lenses are excellent, and I find that its "wee little sensor" stands up to the much-acclaimed Sony A7 sensor for noise and quality right up to ISO 6400. It's simply a great camera.

I find it easier to understand the menus by seeing an overview of all the options and settings ... Here's my template and an example with my settings in it. Once you see that as overview, the manual is easier to follow. :)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25268645/EM1_settings/E-M1_Settings_BLANK.pdf
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25268645/EM1_settings/E-M1_Settings_EXAMPLE.pdf

enjoy!
G
Thanks for your input, and for the settings, Godfrey!
 

rayyan

Well-known member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
Well, that's a 150mm EFoV. So a 25 (normal) is probably the right pairing. But if you want to do Macro, you want either the M.Zuiko 60/2.8 or Macro-Elmarit 45/2.8.

G
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
Maximum 2 lenses of which one is the 75mm and one a macro... then the other should be the PanaLeica 45mm Macro. I haven't owned it, but it's supposed to be excellent. The Zuiko 60mm Macro is too close in focal length to the 75mm if you ask me. I would add the Zuiko 25mm too. It's relatively inexpensive at $350, and only 136g.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
To the OP:
The logical upgrade would obviously be the G7, a camera that I consider buying myself. But, one of my priorities is video, and I would like to have 4K. If your priority is mostly photography, I would look at any of the three Olympus models, the E-M1, E-M5 II or E-M10. The latter is a great bargain and price is similar to the Panasonic (although I prefer the Panasonic ergonomics compared to this model). The other two are more expensive, and massive upgrades from your G3 bodies.

The G6 was by many called the GH2.5. In many ways, the G7 is a GH3.8.
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
Personally, I would pair the 75mm with the 12-40mm zoom. It's not macro but does focus reasonably close, and the range is what I'd want for travel.
 

JBurnett

Well-known member
To the OP:
The logical upgrade would obviously be the G7, a camera that I consider buying myself. But, one of my priorities is video, and I would like to have 4K. If your priority is mostly photography, I would look at any of the three Olympus models, the E-M1, E-M5 II or E-M10. The latter is a great bargain and price is similar to the Panasonic (although I prefer the Panasonic ergonomics compared to this model). The other two are more expensive, and massive upgrades from your G3 bodies.

The G6 was by many called the GH2.5. In many ways, the G7 is a GH3.8.
The G7 does look very nice (specs & ergonomics), and would be an easy transition for me to use. I wish it had come with at least the IBIS that debuted in the GX7. If I were more into video, it would be a no-brainer.

The E-M10 seems like a really good deal to get IBIS and a better sensor than my G3. Here in Canada, Olympus is selling bodies right now for $450 Cad. (about $367 US). From the specs, it looks like the viewfinder is about G3 resolution, but less magnification, whereas the other cameras have a significantly improved viewfinder. Last concern with E-M10 is AF in lower light, but then I have no idea how it compares to what I've got. It might be just as good or even better, but I recall reports that it lags behind the E-M1.
 

Annna T

Active member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
Well if you like macro, the 75mm doesn't fit really well in a 2 lenses outfit, because it has a rather long minimal focusing distance. For versatility, I would add the 12-40mm F2.8 zoom, which is remarkable at all apertures and good at all focals. A very uniform and sharp lens. It seems that sigma has a macro lens that is very good value for the money.
If you only want two lenses and like macro, then the 60mm macro may suits you better than the 75mm (which I own and is a superb lens). Unless you are satisfied with the 12-40mm which has a minimum focusing distance of 20cm (aka ok for flower closeup)
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I am getting interested in Olympus.

For travel, af, and ..I have always wanted to do macro.

Video..simple Vimeo stuff would be fine.

Maximum 2 lenses..one is a done for me, the 75mm. What else?

Best.
In your case I think bets would be the EM5 II. This is definitely an excellent camera especially for the photographs you usually take (from what I know as you have posted here). The EM1 while still the better camera overall might be too bulky and video is definitely much better on the EM5II.

For lenses I would take the 1.8/17, which is an excellent lens and gives you a 35 equivalent, which I think you might really like (judging again from the photographs I have seen from you). And then the 1.8/75 is just marvelous, although it results in a 150 equivalent for FF, which I am not sure you really like. Other than that the 1.8/45 is a great, cheap and small lens.

Maybe the new 14-140, which very often comes as kit lens for the EM5II would be a great allrounder and pretty cheap as well.

Later you always have the possibility to go for the 2.8 pro zooms if you desire, although they are pretty large compared to the other lenses I mentioned so far.
 

mediumcool

Active member
I have a perspective which may be useful; I have owned three m4/3 cameras, a Lumix GF-1 (stolen with a 50mm Pentax-M f/1.7), a Lumix G3 (under-appreciated I reckon) and an Olympus E-M5 (not mkII). First two were bought used from eBAY, and the E-M5 purchased new in February for $499 AU with the 14–42 kit lens (since sold for $130 making the cost of the E-M5 a reasonable $370).

I wasn’t all that happy with the GF-1 due to poor high ISO results and the lack of a viewfinder. The G3 was much better, but the Olympus E-M5 is better again.

I have set it up so that focus is activated by the front Function button and ISO by the back Function button. I use program exposure auto, with the combination of shutter speed and aperture adjustable from the rear control wheel, and EV over- and under-exposure controlled by the front wheel. So I don’t have to dive into menus very often. Didn’t take long to set it up to my liking, but I used online articles to help me.

The anti-shake lets me shoot hand-held down to about an eighth-of-a-second with a roughly 50–50 success rate (I am 63 and getting a bit less steady over time).

I use a number of 4/3 lenses—the 50mm macro is superb, as are the 14–54 and the 11–22, all very useable wide-open. I also have a 20mm Lumix which is pretty good.

HTH.
 
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mediumcool

Active member
Re short teles, I understand that the Lumix 42.5mm f/1.7 is much better wide-open edge-to-edge than the Zuiko 45/1.8. But the Lumix costs more!
 

jonoslack

Active member
HI John
Well, I've had all the Olympus cameras - right now Emma uses an E-M10, and I have an E-M1 and an E-M5 mark ii

Get the E-M5 mark ii - it's just a wonderful sorted camera - nicer and quieter than the E-M1 with better IBIS, high res mode - just lovely

Go For It!
 
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