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What's the story so far? OMD-EM5

ggibson

Well-known member
E-M5 seems great... just waiting for the price to drop! Actually, I had to buy a new laptop for school this month, so I don't think a new camera will meet with wife approval. The GF1 continues to serve me well.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
If I should guess, a digital CL would be a m4/3 camera, not a 35mm one, something along the lines of the GX1 and made in Japan by Panasonic. I think developing another 35mm camera and setting up a production line would hurt production of existing models. The best we can hope for is probably more Leica developed lenses for m4/3. I have the original 4/3 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 and that's a superb piece of optical engineering.


Edit: An important point is that the CL was actually a Japanese camera made in Japan also. A GX1-like camera with a viewfinder, which would probably make it slightly larger, would probably be that camera. I use the L1 on a daily basis for the time being, and although the viewfinder is crap, I enjoy it a lot. I even consider buying another body plus the 25mm f/1.4 to make it "complete".
You are probably correct. I will go for the Pana version. Not willing to pay extra for the different logo.

A GX-1 with a built in EVF (should have been the case to start with) and a tilt or even better swivel LCD, that would be irresistible.:)
 

DavidL

New member
Interesting thread from the top of my fence and I seem to have a similar viewpoint to Vivek. I've decided to wait to see what Canon and Panasonic bring out. I'm looking for a retirement outfit so I can keep supplying stock pics and therefore not needing mega mega pixels. I really like the look of some of the Olympus primes, don't we all, but don't want to mix and match.
"I hate the big decisions that cause endless revisions in my mind" courtesy of The Velvet Underground
David
 

DavidL

New member
This thread seems to get the same kind of answers as if a bunch of six-year-olds were asked "Do you like ice-cream?" :ROTFL:
I'm afraid I have to interject here. Yes ice cream is OK but, and I do mean but, there is nothing in the realm of frozen deserts that compares with Ben and Gerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt it even surpasses the ice cream version and of course is healthier with the coolest name yet given to a desert.
David
 

Millsart

New member
Sold Fuji X100, Fuji XPro and Sony NEX7 all in favor for the OM-D

I might add that Johns' grip look very nice and very comfortable, however, for me, the biggest benefit of the Olympus grip is the added shutter release button which is now lower and more forward, much like the NEX7's.

Its a question of ergonomics and a given person may prefer one or the other, but ideally could get their hands on both and see what would work for them.

I know for my hands, it would be rather awkward to have the added grip but then try to reach back to original shutter button on the top plate of the camera.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
Millsart:

i share your concern, but found when i use my grip, my second finger rests on top of the grip, in a perfect spot to turn the dial, and my first finger is free to trip the shutter or function buttons. the actual "gripping" is done with the last two fingers
 

Hosermage

Active member
Gave the OM-D a real work out this past weekend... went to a friend's child's 1st birthday at a splash park and went to Legoland the next day. Since it's sharing the bag with the M9, I didn't have room for extra lenses, so I brought the 12-50mm kit lens for the zoom and splash-ability. Just reviewed the files last night and today, I feel the OM-D files needs a lot more work than the M9.

Before this weekend, I've been shooting with the PL25 lens and I didn't feel the colors to be that bad. But almost every images from this weekend I'm seeing with the kit lens needs some work. I'm starting to think that perhaps Olympus was right to have the default "warm" color setting turned on because under normal daylight, the color from the kit lens is too cold.

The autofocus is still amazing, and the battery was good... still have 1/2 left after two days of shooting (not constantly on). I blame this less than ideal experience on the kit lens... next time out I'll use the PL25 and will see how it does.
 

m_driscoll

New member
Is that a joke?

The X2 has the advantage of allowing one to use Olympus' EVF. Granted that the Leica label will be prominently absent. :(
Actually, the X2 might be a good compliment to the OMD and an M. Fixed lens; excellent IQ; no muss, no fuss. An excellent photographer, of my acquaintance, recently, left his Leicas, including an S2, at home and took only the X1 to Hawaii. Resulted in some stunning photos. 'Limits' can enhance creativity.

Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Matt, I certainly agree that "limitations" can be helpful. However, the beauty of an interchangeable lens system is that it can be made into a compact one lens camera while a P&S cam can never be changed to work the other way.

It will be very entertaining if someone starts a thread on 'S2 vs X2' though. :D
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Gave the OM-D a real work out this past weekend... went to a friend's child's 1st birthday at a splash park and went to Legoland the next day. Since it's sharing the bag with the M9, I didn't have room for extra lenses, so I brought the 12-50mm kit lens for the zoom and splash-ability. Just reviewed the files last night and today, I feel the OM-D files needs a lot more work than the M9.

Before this weekend, I've been shooting with the PL25 lens and I didn't feel the colors to be that bad. But almost every images from this weekend I'm seeing with the kit lens needs some work. I'm starting to think that perhaps Olympus was right to have the default "warm" color setting turned on because under normal daylight, the color from the kit lens is too cold.

The autofocus is still amazing, and the battery was good... still have 1/2 left after two days of shooting (not constantly on). I blame this less than ideal experience on the kit lens... next time out I'll use the PL25 and will see how it does.
I have tried many of them (m4/3 and Nex etc) and I can tell you that so far allways and each time I realized just how good the M9 still is.
BUT I think it would be not really fair to compare a 400$ kit zoom with a 2k$ Leica prime lens, and a m4/3 sensor to a full frame sensor.
I see it that the OMD can do many things the Leica can not - it is weatherproof, you can use zooms, you can shoot video, you can shoot longer tele, and it has a fast AF. And you get pretty good IQ.

Also when you compare images with comparable DOF you often have to shoot a m4/3 lens (like the 20/1.7 or 45/1.8) wide open (where most lenses do not show their full potential), while you could shoot a ff lens stopped down 2 stops (lets say a 35mm or 90mm at f3.5).

I have had the OMD only for 2 weeks now but so far I use it more often with primes (mainly 20 and 45mm) because it leaves me more room for shallow DOF (which I like).
But it is nice to have a weatherproof zoom in the bag. I like outdoors activities and here the OMD fits the bill very good for me so far.
 

nostatic

New member
Gave the OM-D a real work out this past weekend... went to a friend's child's 1st birthday at a splash park and went to Legoland the next day. Since it's sharing the bag with the M9, I didn't have room for extra lenses, so I brought the 12-50mm kit lens for the zoom and splash-ability. Just reviewed the files last night and today, I feel the OM-D files needs a lot more work than the M9.

Before this weekend, I've been shooting with the PL25 lens and I didn't feel the colors to be that bad. But almost every images from this weekend I'm seeing with the kit lens needs some work. I'm starting to think that perhaps Olympus was right to have the default "warm" color setting turned on because under normal daylight, the color from the kit lens is too cold.

The autofocus is still amazing, and the battery was good... still have 1/2 left after two days of shooting (not constantly on). I blame this less than ideal experience on the kit lens... next time out I'll use the PL25 and will see how it does.
A couple of weeks ago I was in TN at a music/nature camp and shot over 1600 photos. I took the 12-50 kit, 25/1.4 and 45/1.8. Basically I shot the zoom during the day and then the primes indoors at night. Looking through things I can say that the primes gave *really* good results. By comparison the kit zoom wasn't up to snuff, BUT it was so convenient under the shooting conditions that is was a good complement. I was on my feet the whole week and not having to use my feet to zoom in some cases was a nice plus :D

http://nostatic.com/content/bnc-2012-photos
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Mine arrived today (black, body only). I had already purchased the Oly grip. Put my Pana 20/1.7 lens on it to start, but my main reason for getting the OMD is in body stabilization with manual focus Leica R and Nikon AIS lenses.....so I'll know if it's a keeper once I've tried those lenses on it. Still enjoy my Pana G1 and GH2.

Actually, I 'm sure I will keep it....the real question is whether I will like it enough to still be shooting with it 3 months from now.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I am still very happy with the OMD. Actually I have long time not been as enthusiastic with a new camera as with the OMD, last time that was with the E1 if I remember right.

Especially with the 1.4/25 Leica and 1.8/45 Olympus lenses this camera is a dream. Next I will get the 75-300 and the 2/12, that shall then be my lineup for the next future.

The best about the OMD is it's size, IBIS, perfect color and rugged design. Meanwhile I also really like the EVF!
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I am still very happy with the OMD. Actually I have long time not been as enthusiastic with a new camera as with the OMD, last time that was with the E1 if I remember right.

Especially with the 1.4/25 Leica and 1.8/45 Olympus lenses this camera is a dream. Next I will get the 75-300 and the 2/12, that shall then be my lineup for the next future.

The best about the OMD is it's size, IBIS, perfect color and rugged design. Meanwhile I also really like the EVF!
Hi Peter,
I think it was the E5 not the E1 ;)

By the way I also like the 45/1.8, dont have the 25/1.4 but the 20/1.7 which is so nice and compact.
The 2/12 is cute and sounds tempting - I still dont know if I need the f2.0 in a wideangle (and the 9-18 is much better than I hd ever expected for such a small zoom...at least on the EP2-I havent used it on the OMD yet).

One nice thing about the OMD is that -IMO-that the camera is still smaller than a dslr but on the other side -specially with the handgrip-large enough to hoild it real stable.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Hi Peter,
I think it was the E5 not the E1 ;)

By the way I also like the 45/1.8, dont have the 25/1.4 but the 20/1.7 which is so nice and compact.
The 2/12 is cute and sounds tempting - I still dont know if I need the f2.0 in a wideangle (and the 9-18 is much better than I hd ever expected for such a small zoom...at least on the EP2-I havent used it on the OMD yet).

One nice thing about the OMD is that -IMO-that the camera is still smaller than a dslr but on the other side -specially with the handgrip-large enough to hoild it real stable.
Hi Tom,

actually I was referring to the E1, which at the time some 8 years ago gave me this great new feeling of a revolutionary new product - remember at this dime it was competing with Nikon D2X or D100 or Canon 20D (the 5D has not been released) and it was really much smaller compared to the competition, but delivering exceptional results. Later Oly lost ground and the E3 was a real disaster (at least for me) and the E5 while a great camera is IMHO the last one of the E system - the future is definitely the m43 system and the EM5 is marking for me the first really serious camera in that lineup.

Anyway I find your observations about the 9-18 interesting, I kind of never really checked this lens, but it might be a good alternative in the WA area. Still I want to own the 2/12 :)

The handgrip is one of the nest investments I will make.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
.....Actually, I 'm sure I will keep it....the real question is whether I will like it enough to still be shooting with it 3 months from now.
Ha-very good analyses. I guess thats the main question for many of us on getdpi for many of those cameras.
 

Moonshine

New member
i have thinking of getting an omd in time to come but just unsure of the image quality. I know the pana leica 25mm is a great lens but the pics taken with it and the omd on steve huffs website seem average..
How good is the image quality with this camera without using the kit lens and primes instead?
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
i have thinking of getting an omd in time to come but just unsure of the image quality. I know the pana leica 25mm is a great lens but the pics taken with it and the omd on steve huffs website seem average..
How good is the image quality with this camera without using the kit lens and primes instead?
Especially wit the Leica 1.4/25 m43 lens the quality is STUNNING! Really stunning!!!

The 1.8/45 is also very much above average.

The kit lens I really love because it is small, light and covers a decent range and IQ is not bad!

Peter
 

shadzee

New member
I returned mine

I'm sad to say I returned mine due to the inability to easily set the camera to center-point AF, and making that AF area very small and have it STICK. I just wanted to shoot this way all the time :banghead:

Here is a cross-post on DPR from my feeling regarding this matter:
==================

The Oly Burger:
- We've just introduced the best burger in the world

Customer:
- Fantastic. It tastes wonderful
- Why do I need to cut it in fourth before I can eat it?

The Oly Burger:
- It's the best tasting burger in the world
- We've given you many tools to cut it in forth before eating

Customer:
- I've always just taken the burger out of the wrapper and bit into it
- I don't understand why I have to cut it in forth before eating it

Oly Burger Fan:
- Look, there is a white plastic knife in the box
- Cut the burger in half first
- Turn in 90 degrees, and cut it again.
- You'll have 4 equal parts, and then you can eat it
- The smaller pieces are MUCH easier to handle

Customer:
- I don't understand. I just want to eat the burger
- Why do I have to do all that to just eat a burger

Oly Burger fan:
- Oh come on. It takes less than 10 seconds to cut the burger
- Here is a trick: Take a sharp knife from home, and you can reduce the cutting time to 4 seconds.

The Oly Burger:
- We make the best tasting burger in the world

Customer:
- Are you kidding me?
- Still, it tastes pretty good.
- Maybe some day they will decide to sell a burger in whole.

Oly Burger fan:
- You're just too lazy.
- It's just a burger. Get over it.

The Oly Burger:
- We make the best tasting burger in the world
 

pophoto

New member
Now, the big question. I know I know, I'm still playing to the ice cream questions, but here's to shamelessly asking: Would any of you shoot this thing professional and walk away and not feel embarrassed about have it done it with the MFT camera, more specifically the OMD EM5?
 
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