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Sony does micro 4/3

Terry

New member
I know there is a lot more circuitry involved than just the sensor but I don't really think the files seem that similar to process.

I would hardly call the sensor in the GH2, G3, GX1 crappy.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I know there is a lot more circuitry involved than just the sensor but I don't really think the files seem that similar to process.

I would hardly call the sensor in the GH2, G3, GX1 crappy.
Of course you're right Terry - the files seem like Olympus files - that blue and green is not like anyone else. I agree the 16mp Panasonic files are okay.
 

Rawfa

Active member
Nobody here said anything about the GH2, G3 or GX1 having crappy sensors. But all anyone has to do is go into forums like this to look at the results and read all the reviews out there to come to the conclusion that the OMD sensor really is a visible step above any micro 4/3 sensor so far.

These days I´m moving towards hybrid cameras and I feel it´s too bad the OMD doesn´t have an amazing video function like the GH2 (high bit rate codec, 24p, full manual control over video and audio, mic input...and most of all hackable :) ), otherwise I would´ve gotten an OMD instead of a GH2 in a heartbeat.
 

httivals

New member
For me, at least, another big advantage of the GH2 is the multi-aspect sensor. Now, if a future OMD, has a multi-aspect sensor + IBIS, then I'd switch pretty quickly.
 

Diane B

New member
I've been debating the move to an EM5 and if I will see significant results from my G3 to EM5 enough to make it worthwhile. Regardless, I will still "probably" wait until after Photokina since nothing photographically lurks and I'm hardly without cameras. I do think I'll gain some from IBIS, probably some DR but LR4 usually makes that not much of an issue. I may or may not like it ergonomically better--nothing within reasonable driving distances to handle it to know. I honestly know this is more of an itch than any need LOL, but its hard to not even give it a go...... Luckily or not, its pretty doggone hard to get it seems (I would likely buy body only, black) so its all rather moot for me for now.
 

sangio

New member
I've been debating the move to an EM5 and if I will see significant results from my G3 to EM5 enough to make it worthwhile. Regardless, I will still "probably" wait until after Photokina since nothing photographically lurks and I'm hardly without cameras. I do think I'll gain some from IBIS, probably some DR but LR4 usually makes that not much of an issue. I may or may not like it ergonomically better--nothing within reasonable driving distances to handle it to know. I honestly know this is more of an itch than any need LOL, but its hard to not even give it a go...... Luckily or not, its pretty doggone hard to get it seems (I would likely buy body only, black) so its all rather moot for me for now.
Diane:

My impressions after a few days;

I've been quite surprised by how effective the IBIS is, much better than the OIS in my lenses.

I think the ergonomics, without the grip, are similar to the G3, from what I recall.

The OM-D's EVF and LCD are better, the touch screen is great, but I do miss having a fully articulated LCD.

I hated the menu setup the first day; I can tolerate it now; and it should be OK once I save some custom configurations.

About IQ, I've been comparing it to the G1 output. The OM-D is better, but with good light and proper exposure, the G1 does surprising well up to ISO 400. Differences were greater at higher ISO. These were RAW files processed in LR 4.1

Your G3 has much better IQ than the G1, so I'm not sure that IQ alone would be enough to upgrade to the Olympus. You're being wise to wait for Photokina and see what comes up.

Cheers,
Santo
 

henningw

Member
Diane:

My impressions after a few days;

I've been quite surprised by how effective the IBIS is, much better than the OIS in my lenses.

I think the ergonomics, without the grip, are similar to the G3, from what I recall.

The OM-D's EVF and LCD are better, the touch screen is great, but I do miss having a fully articulated LCD.

I hated the menu setup the first day; I can tolerate it now; and it should be OK once I save some custom configurations.

About IQ, I've been comparing it to the G1 output. The OM-D is better, but with good light and proper exposure, the G1 does surprising well up to ISO 400. Differences were greater at higher ISO. These were RAW files processed in LR 4.1

Your G3 has much better IQ than the G1, so I'm not sure that IQ alone would be enough to upgrade to the Olympus. You're being wise to wait for Photokina and see what comes up.

Cheers,
Santo
I've had the GH2 and G3 since they came out, and have now had the OMD for 3 weeks.

The image quality difference between the 3 is minimal; I'd say 1/2 stop extra dynamic range and 1/2 stop difference in noise behaviour. I got it mainly for the IBIS, which makes my Leica lenses from 35mm on up useable, and makes the 12, 20, 45 and 7-14 more useable. Ergonomically, I still like the GH2 better, but the OMD is better than the G3 and much more customizable, of course. The menus on the OMD are poorer than the Panasonics, mostly because a lot of the options on the OMD are not discoverable or fathomable without the manual or other help. Once it's set up, it's fine but I always have the manual with me on my iPhone.

The IBIS works very well at short to medium focal lengths, but the Panasonics OIS is certainly better at the longer tele lengths, which makes sense.

I really don't like the screen always being out; the rotating screen on the Panasonics is much more to my liking. I find the OMD touch screen very hard to use; the sensitivity of the Panasonics is much better but wouldn't work for me unless I can flip the screen. The screen and EVF quality is a bit better than the Panasonics, but not enough to matter to me.

One of the things I like most about the OMD is the highlight/shadow display in the viewfinder, which makes optimal exposure a snap and will definitely make the most of the image quality available. Digital having made me very afraid of highlight clipping has caused me to often underexpose on the Panasonics, which won't be the case on the OMD.

All in all I'm very happy with the OMD, but as far as image quality is concerned, I don't see a need to go from the current Panasonics to the Olympus. I only shoot raw and have profiled all my cameras, so the colour quality is pretty much the same.

Henning
 

kwalsh

New member
I'm not following the menu complaints on the E-M5. Yes there is a lot in there for customization but after that I'm rarely if ever in the menus. The SCP controls essentially everything you'd use normally!
 

sangio

New member
I've had the GH2 and G3 since they came out, and have now had the OMD for 3 weeks.

<snip>

One of the things I like most about the OMD is the highlight/shadow display in the viewfinder,

Henning
Just FYI, several people in another forum have commented that under some circumstances, the "blinkies" are more accurate with the EVF refresh set to Normal rather than High. I prefer the live histogram, so I can't speak to the veracity of that claim.

Regards,
Santo
 

Diane B

New member
Thanks all. Good things to consider. I have the G1, GF1 and G3 (yes, I'm very lax about selling off camera and gear LOL).

The articulating LCD that turns inward is nice, but I might like tilt also but would feel need to use screen protection (I do on GF1 only). IBIS for MF lenses would be nice. I don't feel I need it for ZD9-18, 20, 25/1.4 and do have OIS for 45/2.8 and -4-45 S well as 45-200, not tele shooterso it serves me for few times though I've considered something like 14-150, etc . G3 is as small as I would want to go so EM5 with added grip (unlikely 2nd battery part as I don't want to add that much size and used battery grips on DSLRs for years) might be the ticket, allowing me to make smaller occasionally.

Hopefully my nearest good camera store will get it in. I called, they have no idea when though its on their web site for preorder and they are a preferred Oly dealer or whatever you call them.

In meantime you've given me more to chomp on.
 

RichA

New member
For me, at least, another big advantage of the GH2 is the multi-aspect sensor. Now, if a future OMD, has a multi-aspect sensor + IBIS, then I'd switch pretty quickly.
I honestly don't care if the camera has a sensor mode to fit a TV screen.
I still think 4:3 makes more sense than 16:9 (unless you shoot video all the time) or 3:2 which just wastes lens illumination circle real estate and less often matches finished, cropped images used online or in print.
 

kwalsh

New member
I certainly enjoyed the multi-aspect sensor on my LX3 and GH2. That said, both cameras stayed on 4:3 most of the time. I find it a better starting point than 3:2, most of my output is 5:4, 7:5 or occasionally 1:1 and starting at 4:3 is better than 3:2 in all of those cases. Don't shoot 16:9 enough to have multi-aspect make or break my buying decision.

Ken
 

CPWarner

Member
I'm not following the menu complaints on the E-M5. Yes there is a lot in there for customization but after that I'm rarely if ever in the menus. The SCP controls essentially everything you'd use normally!
Ken,

I agree with you on this. The menue's were one of my concerns with the E-M5, but in use I have found them to be pretty straight forward. The super control panel is a very effective. I find any new camera takes a while to get used to, but this has not been a difficult transition for me.

Cliff
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
I honestly don't care if the camera has a sensor mode to fit a TV screen.
I still think 4:3 makes more sense than 16:9 (unless you shoot video all the time) or 3:2 which just wastes lens illumination circle real estate and less often matches finished, cropped images used online or in print.
I've always wondered about image circle efficiency. A quick calculation shows that the percentage of the image circle covered by different formats is:

63% for Square,
61% for 4:3, and
59% for 3:2.

I was expecting a wider range. Of course, my formula,
(4/Pi)*(x y)/(x^2 + y^2) could be wrong. It is midway through the first coffee of the morning... :sleep006:

--Matt
 

sangio

New member
Ken,

I agree with you on this. The menue's were one of my concerns with the E-M5, but in use I have found them to be pretty straight forward. The super control panel is a very effective. I find any new camera takes a while to get used to, but this has not been a difficult transition for me.

Cliff
This is one of my favorite comments about the OM-D menu from The Online Photographer's blog...
"But for now we're stuck with the malformed offspring of a drunken fling between an engineer and a marketing hack."

Okay, it's really not that bad, but coming from the G1, it is a PITA by comparison.
Partly because it has more flexibility and options to tweak or adjust; partly because the G and GH series use more external controls bypassing the menus, and partly because a Japanese Dilbert likely had a hand in the menu design.

The SCP and custom Mysets on the OM-D really help. I no longer swear at the camera...:banghead:

Cheers
Santo
 

RichA

New member
I've been debating the move to an EM5 and if I will see significant results from my G3 to EM5 enough to make it worthwhile. Regardless, I will still "probably" wait until after Photokina since nothing photographically lurks and I'm hardly without cameras. I do think I'll gain some from IBIS, probably some DR but LR4 usually makes that not much of an issue. I may or may not like it ergonomically better--nothing within reasonable driving distances to handle it to know. I honestly know this is more of an itch than any need LOL, but its hard to not even give it a go...... Luckily or not, its pretty doggone hard to get it seems (I would likely buy body only, black) so its all rather moot for me for now.
Depending on the kind of shooting you do and the lenses you now own, 1/2 again as many shots could be usable because of in-body I.S. That is what I found when I stopped using an E-510 and went to something without in-body I.S.
 
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