New Olympus High End m43 Camera

[ptomsu]

Well in reality the Panasonic doesn’t add any of the technical desires that you were hoping for and it’s unknown how it’ll do with M lenses - but there’s a great chance that the L-Mount lenses will perform better than the M lenses (similar to how the R lenses were optically better than M but larger). So the real question is - do you see yourself ever buying another M body because if not maybe it’s best to offload your lenses (that aren’t unique like the Noctilux or the Mandler 75 Summilux) and buy native lenses for your future system of choice.

Just my opinion thiugh. I’m sure the 50 Summilux L is probably superior to the M Summilux and maybe the Panasonic LUMIX S Pro 50 is too.

To be honest I very much agree with you! I might keep a small number of unique M lenses like the Nocti and the 1.4/75 and the 2/35 and 2/90, as these also reming me on some personal adventures I went through with them and just move on otherwise - I actually start liking this idea!

 

[iiiNelson]

To be honest I very much agree with you! I might keep a small number of unique M lenses like the Nocti and the 1.4/75 and the 2/35 and 2/90, as these also remind me on some personal adventures I went through with them and just move on otherwise - I actually start liking this idea!

Yeah... It's sort of the place I've come to in realizing that many of the newer premium mirrorless designs are technically superior to lenses made even 10-20 years ago. I still adapt when I want a specific look or just because it can be fun to adapt vintage lenses in general. In reality, though the one lens I miss from Leica M is the 35/2 Summicron version 5 because I haven't found a 35mm lens that is quite as good as it as a whole. The Sony Zeiss 35/1.4 gives me a lot of the optical magic but it's large. The Sony Zeiss 35/2.8 is a lens I only kept for 2-3 months before I offloaded it for an adapted Sigma 35 Art lens. The 35 Cron didn't play well with the high megapixel Sony cameras but it was "ok" with the first generation A7. The CV 35/1.2 version 2 was the only M mount lens I kept and it also played well with Sony cameras as well. It's a lens that great for people shots from 3-30 ft, but like most Voigtlanders isn't the best for landscapes or shooting at infinity.

In any case, I think you'll like the convenience of having autofocus lenses available (assuming if functions well enough without needing to fight the camera) and I still think it's worth waiting a few months to be able to adequately test everything you may be considering all over again side by side - be it Nikon, Panasonic, Fuji, Canon, Sony, etc.

 

[k-hawinkler]

Tre my current favorite 35mm equivalent lens GF45. :thumbup:

 

[iiiNelson]

Tre my current favorite 35mm equivalent lens GF45. :thumbup:

I still haven’t made up my mind on Fuji systems as a whole. I love what they’re doing over there but there always seems to be something holding me back from them personally.

 

[k-hawinkler]

I still haven’t made up my mind on Fuji systems as a whole. I love what they’re doing over there but there always seems to be something holding me back from them personally.

Tre I agree with you that the Fuji GFX 50S would not work for me if it was my only camera. Hopefully the 100S improves across the board.

Maybe one picture (27 focus stacked images) taken with the GF45 is okay to post here. :grin:

 

[bensonga]

Friday March 1st. Based on the latest info from my local shop, that's when I expect to pick up my E-M1X in Anchorage.

Lots of discussion about the camera in this thread Has anyone else here actually placed a pre-order or have definite plans to buy one when it is released?

It will certainly be an interesting contrast to the Sigma sd Quattro I've been shooting with lately.

Gary

 

[ptomsu]

Friday March 1st. Based on the latest info from my local shop, that's when I expect to pick up my E-M1X in Anchorage. :grin:

Lots of discussion about the camera in this thread :talk028:. Has anyone else here actually placed a pre-order or have definite plans to buy one when it is released?

It will certainly be an interesting contrast to the Sigma sd Quattro I've been shooting with lately.

Gary

Not sure why to compare the EM1X to the Sigma by any means these are definitely totally different beasts.

No I have not any plans to buy an EM1X (I know from my experience I should never say never) but as from what I know about this camera it is just so much in a different direction as what I expect from the future of m43. I still am happily shooting with my EM1.2 and from what I heard there will be a lot of FW upgrades coming for this camera that will improve it's functionality even more.

When I am up to spending €/$ 3000.- it will for sure not be in m43 anymore. I will rather go FF and there are basically 2 paths that would be possible - first with Nikon Z7 as their lenses are simply marvellous and exactly what I expect from such a system, second with Panasonic S1R as there is huge potential in that mount through the L-mount alliance, but I will wait for another year or so before I finally decide and see how their lens systems work out by then.

Fuji X would be another option but as I want to keep m43 for the I really need compact, the difference between m43 and APSC is still too small that this would justify the investment. I have just recently compared images taken with the EM1.2 and the X-T3 in both LR and C1Pro (latest SW updates) and simply cannot see a big advantage in IQ from any of these systems AND also RAW developers. So although the X-T3 and even more the upcoming X-H2 are very intriguing for me and I would like to own one of them, there is not enough difference between these 2 systems.

Fuji GFX is simply too large and I never ever would go back into an MFD ecosystem, even with the most attractive prices. I also have no need for 100MP so any development in that direction is fine but clearly not for me. We are currently tight before the introduction of next generation high resolution FF sensors and these will be in the range of 60MP while the low end FF standard will become 36MP - so this already is pointing in a direction which I hardly will need.

One simple remark WRT EM1X high res shooting mode with 50MP - comparing that to the Z7 or the S1R you have natively high res with around the same resolution without any potential of artefacts etc. So this alone rules out investing any money and effort in the Olympus EM1X.

 

[iiiNelson]

Friday March 1st. Based on the latest info from my local shop, that's when I expect to pick up my E-M1X in Anchorage. :grin:

Lots of discussion about the camera in this thread :talk028:. Has anyone else here actually placed a pre-order or have definite plans to buy one when it is released?

It will certainly be an interesting contrast to the Sigma sd Quattro I've been shooting with lately.

Gary

Olympus is coming to the local camera shop tomorrow so I may check it out if I have time but I don’t have any real interest in the camera for myself to be 100% honest. The price is more than I’d ever spend on Micro 4/3 but it’s justified for a specific type of photographer IMO.

 

[bensonga]

Not sure why to compare the EM1X to the Sigma by any means these are definitely totally different beasts.

They certainly are Peter. For me the contrast of shooting experiences, capabilities and output between different cameras and lenses is clearly a big part of what I enjoy about photography. That and printing the resulting images.

Gary

 

[Elderly]

Lots of discussion about the camera in this thread Has anyone else here actually placed a pre-order or have definite plans to buy one when it is released?

Gary

I'm going to sit this one out.

For my use the incremental advances over my EM1 Mk2 are just not worth the extra cost;
and for ME the larger size and weight is a real downer - the EM1 Mk2 is already at or slightly beyond the limit
of what I want to carry around as a travel camera.

Even if its sensor performance and viewfinder were noticeably better than the EM1 Mk2 (the improvements I really want)
and I was prepared to carry the extra weight, the bulk of the built-in grip (with my prefered lens combinations) means that I would have to abandon my
two as small as I can get away with camera bags, and they too are at the limit of the size I want to carry around.

Maybe I'm just not as interested in equipment as I used to be - In my old age I just enjoy walking around taking photographs; my professional days of a Volvo estate packed full of cameras, lighting, tripods, ladder etc. and a back-up for every eventuality within my control, are well behind me.

 

[bensonga]

I'm going to sit this one out.
For my use the incremental advances over my EM1 Mk2 are just not worth the extra cost; and for ME the larger size and weight is a real downer - the EM1 Mk2 is already at or slightly beyond the limit of what I want to carry around as a travel camera.

I certainly agree with you about wanting to minimize the size and weight of a travel camera kit. With the exception of trips specifically for motorsports or similar activities I won’t be traveling with the E-M1X. A pair of GX8s is still my preferred travel combo.

I think the E-M1X will be a significant upgrade from my only Olympus body, the E-M1.1.

Gary

 

[k-hawinkler]

I

I'm going to sit this one out.

For my use the incremental advances over my EM1 Mk2 are just not worth the extra cost;
and for ME the larger size and weight is a real downer - the EM1 Mk2 is already at or slightly beyond the limit
of what I want to carry around as a travel camera.

Even if its sensor performance and viewfinder were noticeably better than the EM1 Mk2 (the improvements I really want)
and I was prepared to carry the extra weight, the bulk of the built-in grip (with my prefered lens combinations) means that I would have to abandon my
two as small as I can get away with camera bags, and they too are at the limit of the size I want to carry around.

Maybe I'm just not as interested in equipment as I used to be - In my old age I just enjoy walking around taking photographs; my professional days of a Volvo estate packed full of cameras, lighting, tripods, ladder etc. and a back-up for every eventuality within my control, are well behind me.

I certainly agree with you about wanting to minimize the size and weight of a travel camera kit. With the exception of trips specifically for motorsports or similar activities I won’t be traveling with the E-M1X. A pair of GX8s is still my preferred travel combo.

I think the E-M1X will be a significant upgrade from my only Olympus body, the E-M1.1.

Gary

E-M1.2 and E-M1X major upgrades over E-M1. :thumbs:
E-M1X over E-M1.2 too marginal for me. :facesmack:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I'm waiting until the end of the year. If I decide to do more professional work by then, I'll probably buy the E-M1X or one of the top Panasonic models, probably in addition to one (cheap) full frame body. The new Canon is tempting, since it's as small as most high end m4/3 bodies and will do what I need it to do, low light and portraits.

 

[scho]

I'll wait and see what trickles down to the E-M1II in firmware upgrades.:watch:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

The guys in this video are all paid followers of the Olympus cult. However, what they are discussing is not some made up stories, and it's exactly what I'm looking for in a travel camera; total reliability whatever the conditions are. I do travel to some hostile places and I don't treat my cameras like Meissner porcelain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DgQjeIltkk

 

[ptomsu]

The guys in this video are all paid followers of the Olympus cult. However, what they are discussing is not some made up stories, and it's exactly what I'm looking for in a travel camera; total reliability whatever the conditions are. I do travel to some hostile places and I don't treat my cameras like Meissner porcelain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DgQjeIltkk

Yeah, this camera is really impressive when it comes down to reliability. I had hoped though that Olympus would at least go with a new BSI sensor to further improve low light and high ISO capabilities - unfortunately they decided not to do so.

Having said that my thoughts were circling around many things photography and videography over the last few weeks. With all these new FF mirrorless launches I was very keen to see if I could like any of the mirrorless FF systems released - Panasonic, Nikon, Canon - and whenever I started calculating weight and size of a potential preferable setup for my purposes I came to the point that all these FF stuff still becomes to big, heavy and expensive. One example - take the S1R with 1.4/50 - a dream setup when it comes to IQ etc. but immediately turning me off when it comes to price, portability etc. This can be said for all the other systems as well - took Panasonic just as an example.

Now what happened yesterday is that I took out my EM1.2 to shoot with the 40-150 PRO and I was blown away again by the speed and accuracy of AF-Tracking as well as by the quality of the final images. And then I thought - do I really need anything FF? Do I really want to get the headache of changing systems and/or adding FF now that I have a nearly perfect functioning system for me? And the answer was always a clear NO!

So I will definitely keep my Olympus m43 gear, will have a hands on with the EM1X Friday next week in Vienna and see how all this develops. Maybe the EM1X is overkill for me but then I can just continue with my EM1.2 that was already improved so much since it touched the marked to years ago by FW and will further be improved where some of the EM1X features will tickle down to the EM1.2 over the next months. What can you actually better ask for?

Another side note - I just updated the EM1 which I gave to my daughter 2 years ago with the latest FW 4.6 (I guess) yesterday and this became again just a new camera. AF absolutely reliable and fast and also tracking working perfect. All that increased my confidence in what Olympus is doing once more.

Just showing you 3 shots I took yesterday with my EM1.2 and the 40-150 PRO to show how perfectly this combo still works and let me assure you - eye tracking and face tracking worked blazingly fast! And I think this thread needs at least some pictures although they are not shot with the EM1X

First my grandson

2019-02-19_0002.jpg by ptomsu, on Flickr

Second my older daughter

2019-02-19_0011.jpg by ptomsu, on Flickr

Third my younger daughter

2019-02-19_0045.jpg by ptomsu, on Flickr

 

[ptomsu]

Another great video showing how great the EM1X works in the right hands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ffBhoCZaM

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

+1 to all that, Peter. Last weekend, I did some casual shooting, one body with the PL 45mm Macro and one with the Zuiko 12mm. It's astonishing how different the PL lenses are from the Zuikos, and how these cameras change personality depending on the lens make. This is so prominent that I might choose to have two lenses at the same focal length for my most used ones, letting the intended use decide which on to take.

I might buy a full frame body in the future, but I'm in no hurry. When I do, it might be the smallest, cheapest body with one or two primes, just to have the option of very shallow DOF when needed or wanted. An RP or a Z6 with a 50mm f/1.2 might be enough.

 

[Knorp]

It's astonishing how different the PL lenses are from the Zuikos, and how these cameras change personality depending on the lens make. This is so prominent that I might choose to have two lenses at the same focal length for my most used ones, letting the intended use decide which on to take.

That statement deserves an explanation, Jørgen ... :lecture:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

That statement deserves an explanation, Jørgen ... :lecture:

Colour rendering and contrast. I've noticed earlier how the Zuiko lenses resemble what I experienced from Zeiss lenses; images that "cut through the haze" and deliver punchy, colourful Velvia/Kodachrome style images almost under any circumstances. What I haven't noticed earlier is that the PL (and Panasonic) lenses tend to render softer colour tones, often more pleasing, and clearly different.

One is not universally better than the other, just different, and the "punchiness" of the Zuiko lenses can be a bit much sometimes (as it also often was with Velvia/Kodachrome and indeed with Zeiss lenses), but it's nice to have a choice. It also underscores two other facts:

- There's more to lenses than sharpness and bokeh.
- Photos are not reality. The "reality" a lens renders is an interpretation as designed by some Japanese or German lens professor.

Here are two photos taken within a couple of minutes, first the PL 45mm f/2.8 Macro @ f/5.6:

Then the Zuiko 12mm f/2 @ f/5.6:

Here are two more samples, taken within 5 minutes of each other, first the PL 45mm f/2.8 Macro @ f/6.3:

Then the Zuiko 12mm f/2 @ f/4:

All photos taken in RAW with GX8 bodies. No corrections or sharpening. There are slight variations in exposure, but not much change when I adjust exposure trying to match them.