State of mFT today

[Michiel Schierbeek]

... and from time to time i think i have to leave the party ....

Don't worry there are partys everywhere...

 

[jnewell]

Jono, interesting advice.

Is the Olympus body 100% compatible with all Panasonic lenses? I thought I read somewhere about some features on Panasonic lenses not working as well with Olympus bodies?

LouisB

I have used a variety of O and P lenses on a GX1, G5 and OM-D and have not noticed any issues at all. (I don't own the 20/1.7 so I can't comment on the 'chattering' issue with that lens. IIRC, Pansonic bodies correct for LCAs in-camera, but Olympus bodies don't, but I think that's the only design/spec issue between the two branches of the m4/3 family.

 

[jnewell]

Excellent summary. I'd add -

1. I was initially disappointed by the CAF performance of both Olympus and Panasonic bodies, but even shooting pictures of crew races the SAF performance of the latest generation of bodies is so good that as a practical matter I don't feel handicapped.

2. I think the G5 is almost at the level of the OM-D in terms of image quality, and as far as I can tell from looking at pictures online and reading user reports, the GH3 seems to have essentially reached the level of the OM-D. I think the next generation of bodies from Olympus and Panasonic are going to make it really clear that for almost any purpose m4/3 is a very good choice. :thumbup:

Right now, m43 hits the sweet spot for me for general SLR-type photography. That's as opposed to rangefinder, which area the Leica M's fulfill for me. Professionally I mostly use Canon, as they have the superb 17 and 24mm TSE lenses.

In prints, the extra quality from the full frame cameras rarely makes a difference over m43 images.

When carrying the cameras, especially with a range of lenses, the difference between m43 and FF is huge, and APSC is unfortunately much closer to FF than m43. The NEX cameras are fine if you can live with one or two lenses of modest focal range, but lose their size advantage as soon as you demand something more.

Depending on where I'm going I carry 2 m43 bodies and the 7-14, 12-35, 35-100 and 100-300 along with maybe the 20 or 25/0.95 all in one Domke 803 bag. A Nikon or Canon FF camera with 2 moderate lenses will also fully fill the bag. Alternatively, I can also use the 7-14, 14-45 and 45-200 with the 12, 20 and 45 providing speed. This also fits in the 803, and provides for somewhat different situations while being lighter.

As has been noted, the biggest downside to m43 cameras is the very poor focus tracking performance. If I need that, I still use an SLR with mirror and prism.

The main thing is that the m43 system allows me to take a very flexible system with me easily, without having to compromise lens selection due to size and weight, and I always take the best pictures with the camera and lens I have with me.

Those days when I go out with only a 35 or 50 for street shooting, the M9 with a Summilux is a much better choice (or possibly an RX1; I haven't yet tried one), but it and I fare poorly when I am on vacation in Africa and I wish to take a frame filling shot of a lion.

The OM-D is now a camera that has reached a certain 'good enough' level. There will be many advances, but for me at present the OM-D with a decent lens has reached a certain Goldilocks stage.

If some company comes up with a multilayer sensor that doesn't have all the negatives of the Foveon sensor but retains the good points, has a decent system behind it and a reasonable price, I might go for it. Hopefully, it will be an m43 format.

Henning

 

[Leigh]

I suppose if I knew what mft was I might care, but I don't, so I don't.

- Leigh

 

[JBurnett]

I suppose if I knew what mft was I might care, but I don't, so I don't.

- Leigh

mFT = Micro Four-Thirds = M4/3.

I remember once when a co-worker boasted to me that her husband had just become an MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional). Though I knew she was referring to this status, I asked (innocently), "Oh, you mean he's a Male Chauvinist Pig?" Dont'cha just love acronyms?

 

[biglouis]

I suppose if I knew what mft was I might care, but I don't, so I don't.

- Leigh

It's worse than that, Leigh. We're talking about mFT CSCs.

LouisB

 

[Leigh]

Unfortunately, the internet resembles an explosion in an acronym factory.

But I don't understand the tie-in with Computer Sciences Corporation. :loco: :bugeyes:

Thanks.

- Leigh

 

[k-hawinkler]

Acronym Definition
CSC Computer Sciences Corporation
CSC Co-Secant
CSC Coastal Services Center
CSC Contract(ing) Services Company/Corporation
CSC Civil Service Commission
CSC Card Security Code (credit cards)
CSC Correctional Service of Canada
CSC Chadron State College
CSC Customer Service Center
CSC Child Study Center (various universities)
CSC Children's Services Council (Florida)
CSC Cour Suprême du Canada (Supreme Court of Canada)
CSC California Service Center
CSC Cosecant (trigonometry)
CSC Criminal Sexual Conduct
CSC Customer Support Center
CSC Canadian Securities Course (Canadian Securities Institute)
CSC Content Security and Control (Cisco)
CSC International Convention for Safe Containers
CSC Construction Specifications Canada
CSC Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens
CSC comp.std.c++ (newsgroups, usenet)
CSC Civil Service Club (Singapore)
CSC Command and Staff College
CSC Computer Science Course (education)
CSC Convention for Safe Containers
CSC Canadian Society of Cinematographers
CSC Career Service Center
CSC Connecticut Siting Council
CSC Carrier Supporting Carrier (Cisco)
CSC Civil Service College (Singapore)
CSC Canadian Society for Chemistry
CSC Computer Security Center
CSC Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
CSC Client/Server Computing
CSC Campbell Scientific (Canada) Corporation
CSC Commission de Sécurité des Consommateurs
CSC Carnegie Science Center
CSC Code of Student Conduct
CSC China Steel Corporation (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
CSC Computer Science Conference
CSC Convention on Supplementary Compensation (nuclear agreement)
CSC California Strawberry Commission
CSC Conspicuous Service Cross (New York state)
CSC Computer Service Center (AMSEC)
CSC Church of Scientology of California
CSC Centre for Social Cohesion (think tank; UK)
CSC Cornering Stability Control (BMW)
CSC Contactless Smart Card
CSC Computer Software Component
CSC Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (visual impairment)
CSC Computer Software Configuration
CSC Certified Service Center
CSC Common Service Centre (India)
CSC Client Service Center
CSC Congregation of the Holy Cross (religious order)
CSC Contemporary Security Canada (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
CSC Commonwealth Science Council
CSC Construction Safety Council
CSC Chinatown Service Center
CSC Computer Services Corporation (various locations)
CSC Comprehensive Skills Certificate
CSC Customer Self Care
CSC Case Study Committee
CSC Computing Services Centre (University of Malta)
CSC Command and Staff Course
CSC community support center (US DoD)
CSC Convoy Support Center
CSC Common Signaling Channel
CSC Certified Sous Chef
CSC Cop Shoot Cop (defunct band)
CSC Central Security Control (US Air Force, Security Forces)
CSC Corps Support Command
CSC Combat Support Company
CSC California State College
CSC Center for Scientific Creation
CSC Client Support Center
CSC Certified Security Consultant
CSC Commercial Space Center (NASA)
CSC Customer Service Consultant
CSC Container Service Charge (shipping)
CSC Connaître les Syndromes Cérébelleux
CSC Carrier's Carrier
CSC Convertible Static Compensator
CSC Child Study Centre (Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
CSC Congolese Trade Union Congress (Republic of the Congo)
CSC Centre for the Study of Conflict (University of Ulster)
CSC Certified Senior Consultant
CSC Commission Scolaire de la Capitale (French)
CSC Customer Supply Center
CSC Crazy Sexy Cool
CSC Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa
CSC Concurrent Supercomputing Consortium
CSC Conseil Supérieur Consultatif (French)
CSC combat support center (US DoD)
CSC Command & Staff College
CSC Communications Systems Center
CSC Computer Systems Command
CSC Center of Scientific Computing (Finnish Center for High-Performance Computing and Networking)
CSC Cultural Survival Canada
CSC Chinese Shao-Lin Center (Kung Fu school)
CSC Cost and Schedule Control (DoD)
CSC Chicago Symphony Chorus
CSC Current Source Code
CSC Conical Shaped Charge
CSC Cell Site Controller
CSC Creative Systems Corporation
CSC Cryonics Society of Canada
CSC Chinese Students Club (Columbia University)
CSC Certified School Counselor
CSC Correspondent Services Corporation
CSC Chevron Science Center (University of Pittsburgh)
CSC Command Senior Chief
CSC Citizens to Save California
CSC Cincinnati Service Center
CSC Current Source Converter
CSC Channel Service Committee
CSC Coastal Surveillance Center
CSC Controlled Series Capacitor
CSC Centre Street Church (Canada)
CSC Computational Sensors Corporation
CSC Circuit Switching Center
CSC COSPAS/SARSAT Council
CSC Center for Surface Combat
CSC Cryptologic Support Center
CSC Club Sport Cartaginés (soccer, Costa Rica)
CSC Camillian Social Center (Rayong, Thailand)
CSC Computer Software College (India)
CSC Cost Sensitive Classification
CSC Clock Switch Card (Cisco)
CSC Computer Sciences Canada, Ltd.
CSC Central Site Controller (PCS)
CSC Certificate of Substantial Completion
CSC Congregation of the Sisters of Charity
CSC Contingency Support Center (NASA)
CSC Chief Culinary Specialist (US Navy)
CSC Coastal Sea Control
CSC Connecticut Surety Company
CSC Communication System Control
CSC Conservation Supply Curve
CSC Concurrent Small C
CSC Cosmo Scientific Consultant
CSC Conventional Systems Committee (DAB)
CSC Cherry Semiconductor Corporation
CSC Co-Site Constraint
CSC Crime and Safety Committee
CSC creeping line single-unit coordinated (US DoD)
CSC Computer Security Coordinator
CSC Convention for Safety Containers
CSC Call Signalling Channel
CSC Center Staff Chaplain
CSC Configuration Status Control
CSC Conventional Selection Combining
CSC Combat System Coordinator
CSC Control Signaling Code (ITU-T)
CSC Criticality Safety Committee
CSC Centre de Soudage et de Contrôle (French)
CSC Core Support Capability
CSC Chief Commissaryman (Naval Rating)
CSC Canteen Service Company (vending machines)
CSC Central Switching Controller (PCS)
CSC Car Seal Closed
CSC Chagossian Social Committee
CSC Coalition for Smart Competition
CSC Custer Sportsmen's Club
CSC Coalition of Spirit-Filled Churches, Inc.
CSC Context Specific Collaboration
CSC Change Schedule Chart
CSC Clan Southern Comfort
CSC Commodity Software Change
CSC Codemasters Software Company Ltd.
CSC California Sheep Commission
CSC Civilian Support Center
CSC Combat System Console
CSC Chinese Society of Cryptography
CSC Christian Service Charities, Inc.
CSC Curriculum Service Canada
CSC Cell Star Corp
CSC Computer Setups and Consulting
CSC Canadian Somali Congress
CSC commander in chief’s (CINC’s) Strategic Concept (US DoD)
CSC Civilian Supervisors Course
CSC Command Status and Control Register
CSC Comprehensive Science Catalog (US Geological Survey)
CSC Contaminated Soil Cleanup (air quality/environment)
CSC Circular Scattering Cluster
CSC Central Sign Council (Greenfield, WI)
CSC Crime Scene Coordinator
CSC Combined Synchronization Cell
CSC Colorado Springs Cablevision
CSC Control Systems Converter
CSC Cut & Sew Complete (S&S Furniture)
CSC Cable Spreader Chamber
CSC Command/Community Support Center
CSC Computer Set Control
CSC Child Support Collector
CSC Customer Systems Certification
CSC Central Station Control
CSC Cadet Squadron Commander (Civil Air Patrol)
CSC Captain Sea Cadets
CSC Chesapeake Systems Consultants (Marietta, GA)
CSC Comparative Science of Cultures
CSC Calgary Science Centre (Canada)
CSC Cardinia Shire Council (Australia)
CSC Cost Sharing Contract
CSC Club Subaquatique de Caen (French underwater club)
CSC Congrégation de Sainte-Croix (French: Congregation of Holy Cross)
CSC Corporate Service Corps
CSC Convention sur la Sécurité des Conteneurs (French: Convention on the Safety of Containers)
CSC Carl Sandburg College (Galesburg, Illinois)
CSC Capture et la Séquestration du Co2 (French: Capture and CO2 Sequestration)
CSC Cardiac Science Corporation (Lake Forest, CA)
CSC Compiègne Sports Cyclistes (French: Compiègne Sports Cycling; Compiègne, France)
CSC Confidential Security Corporation (Peoria, IL)
CSC Caluire Sporting Club (France)
CSC Collaborative Supply Chain (logistics)
CSC Charleston Stage Company (Charleston, WV)
CSC Claude Spanghero Communication (France)
CSC Castleton State College (Castleton, Vermont)
CSC Centre Social et Culturel (French: Social and Cultural Center)
CSC Comm South Companies, Inc. (Dallas, TX)
CSC Cisco Systems Capital (computing)
CSC Cocker Spaniel Club (dogs)
CSC Capture et Stockage du Carbone (French: Carbon Capture and Storage)
CSC Community Services Committee (various organizations)
CSC Car Styling Club (France)
CSC Comité Supérieur de Contrôle (French: Superior Control Committee; Belgium)
CSC Cahier Spécial des Charges (French: Special Contract Specifications; Belgium)
CSC Ciba Specialty Chemicals (Basel, Switzerland)
CSC Charles Schwab Corporation (financial holding company)
CSC Client Server Communication (computing)
CSC Centre de Recherche Scientifique et Technique en Soudage et Contrôle (French: Center for Scientific and Technical Research in Welding and Control)
CSC Club Sportif Cosnois (French sports club)
CSC Center for Sex and Culture
CSC Cyngor Sir Ceredigion (UK)
CSC Compact System Camera
CSC Continental Silver Club (car club; France)

Ah, here we go: Compact System Camera (CSC)

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Unfortunately, the internet resembles an explosion in an acronym factory.

- Leigh

:OT:
It's indeed problematic, particularly when the acronym is used instead of finding or using words that can actually be understood by people.

Take ATM. While most people in the world will understand what an ATM is, few outside English speaking countries know that it stands for the inedible, 7 syllable Automated Teller Machine. This, in spite of the fact that in some European countries, it's called a Minibank, as fast to say as the acronym and consisting of two internationally recognised words. The world is indeed a strange place :loco:

And why then isn't a Minibar called a SADS, or Semi Automated Drink Storage?

 

[ustein]

glad we are so off topic

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

glad we are so off topic

Oh, but it's very on topic. There's an ATM next to the entrance of my camera pusher, and I frequently have to go out to use it when I unexpectedly find an item in the shop that I can't live without.
Plastic money is not popular among Thailand's camera retailers, since it chips a sizable chunk off of their relatively slim profit margins.

 

[drofnad]

So are you assuming that your life will be over in just a few days?? ;-) Technology changes that fast currently that I would be rather careful with that kind of (absolute) statement.

I took Amin's statement to be simply that were he forced
to choose NOW, that is what he'd do. And I'd think that
such a condition would tend to make cost less important,
since it has that period to be allocated over.

Now, with all the enthusiasm expressed for the OM-D E-M5,
I'm curious as to why Amin chose another m43 body (which I'm
guessing, from context --see nothing obvious on body...--,
is the Oly E-PL5) ?

- - - - -

It was noted above that even if 35mm FF cameras can be reduced
in size/weight, then so too, further, m43. To this, though, I'll
counter that one's hands stay the same size : there is "small
enough" and maybe --IMO-- "too (dang) small for comfort".
So, one might wonder if a reduction of FF pushes into some
reasonably ideal range of handling, and but for spies wanting
cameras fit into a corsage or something, there would be nothing
to being smaller, for the photographer.

Sort of against this comes a similar consideration that if the
m43 sensors are putting out such IQ as is roughly equal for
many purposes, why ... pay more for what might only be
distinguishable in pixel-peeping contests? (I mean, heck,
if folks are watching videos on phones & tablets, ... !!)

- - - - - -

One of my thoughts about Nikon was that with APS-C & FF,
one could --with FF lenses-- get a sort of expanded focal range
by swapping between bodies : regular & cropped, i.e.. (I recall
meeting a fellow shooting for Smithsonian(?) who at the time
had his wide (14-24) on a D300 (=>21-36) and telephoto on
the D3 (Sigma 100-300?); to this, reversing lenses he could
have a wider range; so, ... 14-24 / 21-36, 100-300 / 150-450.)
Something similar using two m43 bodies needs an extra two
lenses. (But costing/weighing it out, m43 maybe wins?)

-drofnad

 

[paparazzi666]

Brian[/QUOTE]

This thread has turned out much better than I expected. The thoughtful views have been most enjoyable reading.

Here's what I like about mFT (Mind you, I'll be speaking mostly about the Lumix side of the equation as I have very little experience with Olympus).

1. (Like most people here) The size. In the digital age I was pretty much chagrined by the hefty offerings that seemed like people were hauling an albatross around their necks. I made the plunge into the realm with Leica's Digilux 2 feeling that digital at that time had achieved parity with film. That camera was bulky but not nearly as bulky as DSLRs. Then I saw the Lumix G1. A camera that was small but not too small. But with a thickness (the main part of the body not the grip that's often erroneously included in these measurements) that seemed no thicker than the Leica M6! I was sold. The GF1 and others also had a remarkable form (as well as the Olympus' digital homage to their 35mm Pens and now the OM).

2. The EVF. While there's certainly a love-hate relationship amongst aficionados I am one who loved it IMMEDIATELY. Coming off the experience with the Digilux 2's very 'grainy' EVF (which I thought was pretty cool despite what others felt) the EVF of the G1 was a quantum leap. Did I miss an OVF? A little. But the EVF gave me the equivalent of an HUD that fighter pilots enjoyed with all sorts of information and grids that could be super imposed (or not) over the image providing what I felt was a complete command center while engaged in shooting. Today we're seeing EVF's with resolution and clarity that make the original one I saw in the G1 seem absolutely pre-historic.

3. CDAF. At first the ugly step-sister to PDAF but now fully into it's own. It's blazingly fast. And deadly accurate. And, except in the most extreme low light circumstances is for the most part on a par with the best of PDAF in terms of speed and accuracy. (And for videographers a godsent as the preferred means of AF while filming.)

5. A growing line of lenses and then some. Okay, the original lens I got, the ridiculously slow 14-45mm (28-90mm equiv.) zoom kinda sucked. But then Panasonic unleashed the 20mm f1.7. Then a Leica 45 Macro and a Leica 25mm f1.4. Then a 7-14mm f4 (nearly as good as the Oly FT version). And the 14-140 video monster. Then for big game hunters the 100-300mm f4. And now again copying Olympus FT optics offering two fixed f2.8's zooms: a 12-35mm and 35-100mm. Meanwhile Olympus has upped the ante with some nice jaw-dropping m-offerings of their own: the 12mm f2, 17mm f1.8 (which is a better focal length IMHO than Pany's middling 20mm f1.7), THEIR 45mm f1.8 Macro and their luscious 75mm f1.8 (a wow if ever there was one). And if that wasn't enough, mFT opened the floodgates for EVERYONE ELSES's optics from Nikon to Canon to Zeiss to Leica to Tamron to Samyang to Sigma to... And while these are mostly MF lenses the close-up patch borrowed from Digilux 2 days seems to work rather well as the overwhelming evidence on various threads in this section can attest. (Next step: Peaking.)

6. IQ. Initially not too shabby but steadily improving ever since. Olympus and Panasonic seem to have realized that 16 MP is certainly plenty for a good 300 DPI image in a coffee table book or a magazine spread. And every gallery. And with each iteration the one weakness, high ISO noise, has been their focus (pun intended). The OM-D with (I think) Sony's (mostly likely EXMOR like) sensor has been performing impressively at ISO 3200. And there's no reason to think that the GH3 with it's waterproof, full metal MG++ jacket wouldn't be the same. I don't know about you but with Oly's new faster optics and the new sensors I see a grand slam for most situations besides sports and extreme low light PI work with spousal indiscretions. Video, which is not something I'm into, has similarly seen advances that, for the most part, put mFT first on most short lists.

7. Body design. While I mentioned size initially there is a lot to be said for the thoughtful body designs of these creatures. Panasonic and Olympus seem to have struck a right balance of software driven features as well as good old mechanical layouts. A blend of good intuitive menus as well as a careful offering of essential (and apparently preferred by most) buttons and dials and their placement. Realizing that touch screen success in smartphones would have certain advantages (with the right software) in a camera and incorporating them is nothing short of genius. Finally a word or two about camera noise. From the very beginning I've really liked the low-pitched shluck of the G1 and everything after that has been just as non-attention grabbing. Initial reports of the totally silent shutter of the GH3 seem to be a mixed bag. But I'm certain that any issues will be worked out with a minor improvement in the firmware.

Do I find anything to fault?

Probably the two things that any camera with a larger sensor can offer: (1) shallow depth of field. This is simply a matter of physics. And there's nothing you can do about it although SLR Magic's 0.95 lenses can certainly bring you closer. But I've also experimented with the Brenizer method (as Tessalator has as well) which, if you don't mind the extra work of taking and stitching a number of smaller files together, allows you to achieve results that no larger frame sensor could give you (unless of course it's also being used in a Brenizer context) because the lens equivalents simply don't exist (a 28mm f0.8????). And (2) better low light performance. This clearly has come a long way (although I still tend to shoot at ISO 100-360 out of habit) but with others shooting quasars at ISO 12600 it's hard not to be a little envious. (Of course, if low light shooting is your raison d'être for image making you probably wouldn't be using this system anyway! )




(Note there are others but these two are the most glaring.)

So for my money, I really like how far mFT has come, where it's at and if past performance is any indication of future possibilities...where it's going.

Size: I loved that Digilux2 and today the m43 gives a much better interpretation of the EVF than that. But the look and feel was so practical.

The EVF: Aww you are exaggerating, the G1 was a fabulous benchmark with ample magnification, much better than those really small optical DSLR versions of the lower grade models from Canikon.

Lens range: Don't forget using c-mount lenses and almost anything, maybe even a coke bottle...LOL

Design: The G3 like a baby SLR and the Oly Pen were the first m43, I remembered having to queue to buy my Pen, design was desirable.

AF: CDAF on my Epm2 is Fab and even on my old Ep2 with lenses like the 45/1.8 are as fast as I feel is needed, for my predominantly portrait work.

DOF: solution 1. Use the SpeedBooster and gain one f-stop back out of 2 stop loss, in terms of DOF.
Solution 2: the Brenizer method, To me if you are going to photoshop stitch you might as well just use gausian blur and overlay one blur over one sharp and selective reveal the blur. It's not as easy and neither is the Brenizer method, but it can produce the same look of wide angle shallow DOF.

IQ: IQ was bad 10 years ago. IQ 5 years ago had improved so much and was already very good. m43 from the start had good IQ. It's just that with digital we can pixel peek to the microscopic level that we can determine otherwise. Shoot an image with a 5 year old dslr and compare that with todays camera side by side and if you dont read the exif, or pixel peek, it's hard to tell the difference.

The Future: Yea, fully agree, I ditched the DSLR since my Oly Pen Ep first version and never looked back. Did I miss anything? Not for what I shoot, which is glamour models.... stream here.
SLR Magic 35mm f1.4 on Olympus Epm2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

But overall, m43 is matured and practically compact. The only system that offers 5 f0.95 lenses from SLR Magic to Voigt, and with the Speedbooster, the look and feel of full frame images is almost within reach. I think we are in an age where technology gains will not improve image quality a quantum leap anymore, we do not need to buy the latest camera and rush to buy it because of small increments in image quality (like Foveon technology). It's so tough to be working for Nikon or Canon as the shelf life of a new camera is about as long as a banana. But since I love technology I do hope m43 continue to provide inspirational new innovations as it's a format that delivers great results. When Pro's adopted 35mm in the old days, they were laughed at as medium format was the only thing acceptable. But what happened to MF? It lost it's flavour to the smaller format. m43 is the new 35mm.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

... as the shelf life of a new camera is about as long as a banana.

Love this :thumbup:

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

OMD-M5 or E-PL5

I edged into this area in a backwards way. I have a Leica M(240) on order, likely to arrive in summer 2013, and I picked up the VF2 electronic viewfinder a few months ago during crazy Christmas sales at a tiny fraction of the Leica price. I had to convince a Leica salesman that I could tolerate the inferior aesthetics of a viewfinder that didn't say Leica in an elegant script, but I managed to steel myself and do that. But what good is a viewfinder with no camera? I wanted to see if I would like using it with medium telephotos, so one thing led to another. Now I have the E-PL5, 45/1.8 and longer stuff. I find it is a whole different way of seeing and lots of fun to boot.

Now that I am comfortable with the not-watertight, somewhat harder to control E-PL5, I would like to know if there have been careful comparisons between the two (three, really, but the PM2 is too stripped down for me to find interestng) models. Are the images really the same, is the stabilization and AF the same, how important do people find the menu-based ("live list!!") controls of the E-PL5 compared with the larger number of thumbwheels on the OMD? It's painful to translate the (online) manual of the E-PL5 into logic, so I haven't dared to wrestle with the manual of the OMD. Have others?

Sean Reid and Carl Weese have each told me they can see the effect of the admittedly weak AA filter that Olympus uses in its M5 gear, by comparing with other cameras. Does it bother anyone?

scott

 

[ptomsu]

Cannot comment on the IQ from the EPL5, but what I do not like about it is that it has no built in EVF and also lacks the new 5-axis IBIS, which I personally found more than excellent!

I would not care so much about weather-sealing, as most m43 lenses are not weather sealed anyway, but the EM5 for me is the perfect camera for everyday shooting.

I also do have a M on order, but more and more I am thinking if I really need this, as the EM5 and m43 meanwhile gives me almost perfect results and a perfect system for my needs.

Anyway if the VF2 brought you into m43 then you should be happy about that

 

[k-hawinkler]

I now have an E-P2, OM-D E-M5, and an M240 on pre-order.
Love the progress in 5-axis vs 2-axis IBIS.
What got me interested in m4/3 gear was the Fun with OMD thread in this forum.
The real reason I got the OMD though was to see how a good IBIS camera gets along with my Leica lenses.
I also like the extra reach of my APO 280/4 with the crop factor of 2.

Thanks to everybody for the great pictures in that thread.

Best, K-H.

 

[jnewell]

the shelf life of a new camera is about as long as a banana.

That being the case, the question inevitably arises: will it blend? Fortunately, there is an answer: Will It Blend? - New Olympus Cameras Get Mixed by Blendtec - YouTube

 

[biomed]

There is are some reported issues with the 7-14 Panasonic on Olympus bodies concerning distortion correction, but nothing that can't be handled in PP. I use Panasonic bodies but have tried Olympus lenses without any issues. A friend uses Panasonic lenses on his Olympus without any problems.

 

[biomed]

Acronym Definition
CS................
Ah, here we go: Compact System Camera (CSC)

You missed Completely Silly Concept