Olympus em-1 MIII vs Sony a6600 for BIF?

[aksclix]

Wondering if there’s any comparisons out there already for Olympus em-1 Miii paired with 100-400 native vs t Sony a6600 and the 70-350? I have the latter and I wonder if swapping it with an Olympus setup would make me regret? I like the 275mm extra focal length in the compact setup.. but the Sony 70-350 (525mm eq at the far end) is a killer combo at that focal length.. I’ve not been disappointed but just wondering if that extra focal length worth the compromise. Does the Olympus 100-400 perform reasonably well in low light? i don’t want to end up with sufficient reach and images that look like garbage (unless it’s a picture of garbage )

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

If you need the reach, you have to add a 1.4x TC to the Sony. Then it's probably a toss up with regards to image quality, at least with the E-M1 III. The new OM-1 might actually perform better. In addition, the Olympus offers better IS and the OM-1 probably better AF than the Sony. The OM-1 also has a much better viewfinder.

Be aware also that if using software like DXO PureRAW and/or Topaz DeNoise, the noise argument fades away rather fast. It's a question of needing the reach or not, and of course being willing to spend the money.

 

[aksclix]

Thank you for the response. Sadly, the Sony 70-350 does not take a tele converter. The rear element just isn’t compatible. The Sony a6600 already had the a9’s sensor and it is pretty awesome. I’ve heard the Olympus has issues tracking with AF? I don’t know if that’s completely true or it’s on par with Sony. OM-1 is too expensive for what it is.. I can’t pay $2200 for a m43 sensor camera.

I do use the topaz s/w and yea noise isn’t an issue anymore. The Sony’s setup still comes out as the most compact one compared to Olympus’ setup.

will probably rent it and see for myself once

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thank you for the response. Sadly, the Sony 70-350 does not take a tele converter. The rear element just isn’t compatible. The Sony a6600 already had the a9’s sensor and it is pretty awesome. I’ve heard the Olympus has issues tracking with AF? I don’t know if that’s completely true or it’s on par with Sony. OM-1 is too expensive for what it is.. I can’t pay $2200 for a m43 sensor camera.

I do use the topaz s/w and yea noise isn’t an issue anymore. The Sony’s setup still comes out as the most compact one compared to Olympus’ setup.

will probably rent it and see for myself once

The AF of the Olympus has been inferior to that of Sony, but the OM-1 is supposed to be better. As for price and value, that depends on many factors. For equipment that will last for many years, none of these cameras are expensive.

 

[aksclix]

When you put it that way, yes sure.. but a Sony a9 + Sony 200-600 would come at a cheaper rate today. It is miles better in IQ compared to a m43 setup.. so, for me a secondary setup should also be very cost effective! I am very happy with the Sony a6600 and 70-350.. it is extremely compact! Maybe a 32MP Sony APSc would solve my problem with reach.. as I could crop a bit more

 

[iiiNelson]

I’d guess the Sonybis a much better option for AF. As for lenses it might be worth exploring some of the Sigma DN DG options for the telephoto side if you need more reach.

 

[aksclix]

I have the Sony 200-600 already paired to my a1. Just for hikes, walkabouts and general always-with-me type of setup is my a6600 and 70-350. So, having something really compact is key for this purpose. That is why I considered the Olympus combination but I’ve always been on the fence about the m43 sensor. Image samples of BIF I’ve seen did not impress me. The detail just isn’t there. Having good light becomes critical to get good images I felt.. APSc is already a step down from the FF gear I have.. so I needed some convincing and some reassurance that the Olympus gear will live up to my expectations. Basically, it should be better than the a6600 and the 70-350 combo else it’s not an option.