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OMD E-M5 MKII impressions

marlof

Member
Jono, that's déjà vu all over again. :-D

The EM5II looks like a great camera. I'll keep passing the open stores for now...
 

raist3d

Well-known member
I have to say as much as I am enjoying the new camera, the Fuji files have this "pizzaz" I am not quite seeing in my OMD. Not that the OMD files are bad. Just that it's like Fuji has the photos painted on metal. Very chromic.

It's as if the OMD EM5 MKII still had some level of AA filter or something.

But I know if I go OMD (and looks like that's the way I am heading), I am giving something up for the size. I guess it's hard to give up the Fuji color richness.

- Ricardo
 

scott kirkpatrick

Well-known member
The OM-D E-M5 Vii has super powers. Not only does it get under the skin of recovering GASaholics, it even has psychotherapeutic abilities. Has anyone noticed that Jono has remembered to whom he loaned his tripod?

I'm curious about the qualities of the AF in this firmware release. How does it handle scenes with multiple fast moving objects: small children, dogs, basketball players...?

scott
 

jonoslack

Active member
The OM-D E-M5 Vii has super powers. Not only does it get under the skin of recovering GASaholics, it even has psychotherapeutic abilities. Has anyone noticed that Jono has remembered to whom he loaned his tripod?
Yes Scott . . . but I haven't asked for it back yet!
I'm curious about the qualities of the AF in this firmware release. How does it handle scenes with multiple fast moving objects: small children, dogs, basketball players...?

scott
Incidentally - I'm finding startup time to the EVF to be rather slow - any hints on improving it?
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I have to say as much as I am enjoying the new camera, the Fuji files have this "pizzaz" I am not quite seeing in my OMD. Not that the OMD files are bad. Just that it's like Fuji has the photos painted on metal. Very chromic.

It's as if the OMD EM5 MKII still had some level of AA filter or something.

But I know if I go OMD (and looks like that's the way I am heading), I am giving something up for the size. I guess it's hard to give up the Fuji color richness.

- Ricardo
Ricardo,

this is exactly what/how I feel about IQ from Fuji versus Olympus - and I must say nothing changed over the past 3 years.

The Oly's typically excel in AF speed and performance, size, system size, etc, but IQ wise I still very much prefer the Fuji files.

Hard to decide which way to go, so for the time being I decided to follow both tracks :D

Peter
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
this is exactly what/how I feel about IQ from Fuji versus Olympus - and I must say nothing changed over the past 3 years.

The Oly's typically excel in AF speed and performance, size, system size, etc, but IQ wise I still very much prefer the Fuji files.
Hmm. While Fuji ergonomics had something to do with it, the basic reason I didnt like the Fujis was that the colors seem off to my eye and the files always seemed mushy, particularly in the greens. I much prefer the Olympus more neutral raw files.

G
 

jonoslack

Active member
I'm with Godfrey on the colour. I like the neutral Olympus colour, and I had a real issue with mushy greens in the X-T1. Not all the time, but unpredictably and quite badly.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Am I the only one who thinks AWB on the E-M5 II seems to work very well?
Getting the WB right IMHO is a big first step of getting natural looking colors.
For my eyes the OM-D cameras, in particular the E-M5 II, seem to deliver on that count.

But for me there are two important reasons for the OM-D cameras, namely:

* a second to none IBIS
* telelenses that I can carry around all day

With the E-M5 Olympus finally got a sensor on par with the industry.
Once that was achieved other factors gain on importance IMHO.

I have seen great portrait shots with Fuji cameras and their excellent prime lenses.
But somehow a state of the art IBIS goes a long way for me to be interested in a particular camera - assuming all other characteristics being about equal.
 

scho

Well-known member
I just shipped off my Fuji gear (X-T1 and 3 lenses) for sale after using the OMD E-5II. Will use the proceeds for the 40-150 Oly lens. I could never come to terms with Fuji X raw processing results - inconsistent.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
I just shipped off my Fuji gear (X-T1 and 3 lenses) for sale after using the OMD E-5II. Will use the proceeds for the 40-150 Oly lens. I could never come to terms with Fuji X raw processing results - inconsistent.
The 40-150/2.8 PRO is an outstanding lens.
It also works great with the 1.4x teleconverter.
 

raist3d

Well-known member
The fuji color can be quite neutral if you either choose the fuji Pro neg std or hi somulation or do so in lightroom itself with the new fuji profile. It is as neutral as it gets. If you use Astia (soft), pro via (standard) or velvia (vivid) the fuji will go after its films which are known to impart a certain tonal an color response.

As for mushy greens this is a complete non issue in iridient, capture one or Even now lightroom if you push in lightroom tese tail alder to at least 75% if not 100%. On a Bayer sensor lightroom will give you grain artifacts hen doing this. With an XTRaNs sensor lightroom will give you detail. It was thanks to ala escape phoographer I bumped into this and it's because of the way xtrans data responds to the mathematical sharpening algorithms.

What I am not seeing in the omd va the fuji files is the same severL of micro contrast (that "seems as if it still has an AA filter comment), the color tonality and richness, the dynamic range. This is comparing with my xe-1, an x-t1 will do even better thanks to further sensor tweaks and 14 bit raw data (omd and x-e1 has only 12 bit raw files) which increases tonal transition and avoids posterizarion.

The one area sensor wise that the omd did surprise me was in its ability to hold color at higher ISO and the further tweaks olympus did to avoid banding at high ISO or extreme shadow push (vs original em5). The fuji does fine here too, but I was expecting the omd to fall apart in this area quicker than it does.

On the micro contrast- the very nikon 1 j4 seems to do better here (when in a well exposed scene for its dr and with the right primes)

The omd em5 mkii allegedly doesn't have the AA filter but perhaps it could be olympus anti color Moire algorithms (guesstimate) that take a little toll on the sharpness.

Of course this is part of the tradeoff you go by going smaller as a system. I like snall so on that end the omd appeals. And the response time is a step above fuji for sure.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I do agree fully with Ricardo - the Fuji colors are just more neutral if you wish or you can easily choose whatever film-effect we know (remember) from film times. Especially the Classic Chrome effect is something reminding me on Kodachrome, while Provia for me is how I usually see and remember the shot. And the really great thing - you can apply these film simulations in LR to RAW files, so these are not limited to JPEG and can be changed as you desire. Well - in the light of all these Irident discussions - I for myself cannot find too many differences between LR, C1 Pro and Irident for either Olympus or Fuji RAWs - so the only effect for me using Irident so far is to complicate the workflow (mind you I am using LR and C1Pro simultaneously).

Also WRT detail and sharpness Fuji is better for me than Olympus, this may be due to what Ricardo described, but reiterating from my side - I never had any issues here from LR or C1 Pro.

The Olympus is not far apart, but it definitely is apart from the Fuji results. Where the Oly shines is responsiveness, AF modes, operability of the complete system etc. - here Fuji can still learn and I am sure they will! The advantage Fuji has is especially the larger APSC sensor, which will easier allow to increase resolution without sacrificing IQ.

Interesting to see what develops out of this competition in the future, but currently both systems have their place for the photpgraphy I do!
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I do agree fully with Ricardo - the Fuji colors are just more neutral if you wish or you can easily choose whatever film-effect we know (remember) from film times. Especially the Classic Chrome effect is something reminding me on Kodachrome, while Provia for me is how I usually see and remember the shot. And the really great thing - you can apply these film simulations in LR to RAW files, so these are not limited to JPEG and can be changed as you desire. Well - in the light of all these Irident discussions - I for myself cannot find too many differences between LR, C1 Pro and Irident for either Olympus or Fuji RAWs - so the only effect for me using Irident so far is to complicate the workflow (mind you I am using LR and C1Pro simultaneously).

Also WRT detail and sharpness Fuji is better for me than Olympus, this may be due to what Ricardo described, but reiterating from my side - I never had any issues here from LR or C1 Pro.

The Olympus is not far apart, but it definitely is apart from the Fuji results. Where the Oly shines is responsiveness, AF modes, operability of the complete system etc. - here Fuji can still learn and I am sure they will! The advantage Fuji has is especially the larger APSC sensor, which will easier allow to increase resolution without sacrificing IQ.

Interesting to see what develops out of this competition in the future, but currently both systems have their place for the photpgraphy I do!
I guess I just don't like the Fuji cameras or their notions of colors and processing requirements. Olympus makes better cameras for me, and I greatly prefer their out of camera files and the processing required.

As I've said before, I've seen excellent results out of every camera currently on the market, so it's all the "other stuff" that usually guides my purchases. :)

G
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
K-H is right Bart - keep away from stores - especially don't look at the silver one (actually I chose the black, but that's just a reflection of my black heart).

Resistance is Futile

Selling my A7ii - wannabuy?
Hi Jono
Allow me to ask: If you hadn’t got the Leica M, would you still sell the A7II and prefer the E-M5II instead? And why? Colours seem to be a tiny bit more “rich” and more “complete” from the A7II, or? The E-M5II looks more neutral but also a bit more “cold”/clinic?
And how about the subjective feeling for the two cameras? Which will do the better talking to you, instant handling etc.?
Thorkil
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Jono
Allow me to ask: If you hadn’t got the Leica M, would you still sell the A7II and prefer the E-M5II instead? And why? Colours seem to be a tiny bit more “rich” and more “complete” from the A7II, or? The E-M5II looks more neutral but also a bit more “cold”/clinic?
And how about the subjective feeling for the two cameras? Which will do the better talking to you, instant handling etc.?
Thorkil
HI Thorkil
No indeed, I guess if I didn't have the M, then I'd definitely keep the Sony - but I'd also keep the Olympus, I think the combination of µ43 and full frame is really useful .

I've always liked the non-committal colour of the Olympus cameras, and to be honest, the lens line up compared to the Sony is a no-brainer (on quality / size / price). M lenses play better on M cameras (we all know that) .

Also, with respect to the Fuji cameras - I'm with Godfrey - the colour is instantly seductive, but finally rather un-satisfying: maybe things have changed, but I found the X-T1 produced randomly smudgy greens (quite un-repairable) -not often, but certainly enough to be a show stopper.

The Olympus cameras seem to be successful Jack of All Trades - but the lenses are really special.
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
Thank you! :) helpfull and....not (while I wouldn't buy both of them...)
but the comfortable size, weight at the E-M5II and with the upcoming 7-14/2.8 together with the 12-40, it might be a wise choise.
Thorkil
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
HI Thorkil
No indeed, I guess if I didn't have the M, then I'd definitely keep the Sony - but I'd also keep the Olympus, I think the combination of µ43 and full frame is really useful .
...
I've always liked the non-committal colour of the Olympus cameras, and to be honest, the lens line up compared to the Sony is a no-brainer (on quality / size / price). M lenses play better on M cameras (we all know that) .

The Olympus cameras seem to be successful Jack of All Trades - but the lenses are really special.
Jono, I think we're on exactly the same page. Now that I have the M-P, I find myself liking it much more than either M9 or Sony A7. Given my collection of R lenses, I'll be evaluating them on the M-P as soon as the mount adapter arrives, after which the A7 body might well be relegated to be for pinhole and other edge uses only.

The Sony simply doesn't inspire the same confidence in use that I get with the Oly and am getting with the M-P.

G
 

scho

Well-known member
Jono, I think we're on exactly the same page. Now that I have the M-P, I find myself liking it much more than either M9 or Sony A7. Given my collection of R lenses, I'll be evaluating them on the M-P as soon as the mount adapter arrives, after which the A7 body might well be relegated to be for pinhole and other edge uses only.

The Sony simply doesn't inspire the same confidence in use that I get with the Oly and am getting with the M-P.

G
The Leica R lenses also work well on the E-M5II, particularly in HR mode. Shot below with the Leica R 50mm Summicron on the E-M5II. Processed raw in Irident and then exported 40 MP jpeg to Flickr.

 

raist3d

Well-known member
Godfrey - I am with you on workflow and on all current caneras. All current cameras are good and it's a matter of mixing and matching preferences.
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
The Sony simply doesn't inspire the same confidence in use that I get with the Oly and am getting with the M-P.

G
Such words are essential to me.
Finally when it comes to everyday use, its a matter of which camera you will have lust for grabbing on your way out. And that lust will be the essence of your instinct overall conclusion and make you moving on in a mental easier way...
Thorkil
 
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