I don't understand how OMS management cannot grasp that you, Robin Wong and Rob Trek are more important to their business that their entire marketing department.
Agreed! And to these three I would add another of my personal favorites, Peter Forsgård, another former Olympus ambassador and professional photographer from Helsinki, Finland. As with these 3, watching his videos is like visiting with an old friend, who just happens to be an expert in photography and Olympus/OM systems. The new OM really should give some official recognition and $ to these fine folks! 📷📷📷📷
@@TigerPaw193 Definitely; 👌👌👌 Add Sulantoblog, that micro 4/3 guy, Markus Pix, Rich Photography, Etchd Photography and Gary W to that list as all been instrumental towards MFT system...especially on UA-cam!
@@TigerPaw193 add a blogger from Russia "Sla Vanifatev - СЛАВА ГОВОРИТ!" to this list. he makes wonderful comparisons of lenses and cameras, which no one does on the whole UA-cam
@@matttheking1655 These guys are all great vloggers but the point that Drazen as making was about OMS management giving credit to their Ambassadors and perhaps some of their past Ambassadors. The people that you mentioned are often more general and tend to focus on Panasonic gear or they are less dedicated to the Olympus product brand (e.g. M4/3 guy). You did turn me on to Gary W, thanks for that! I'll have to poke through his videos. Of course Sulanto (Panasonic) battles head on with Peter Forsgård (Olympus) in some of their guest vlogging videos.
Spot on. Nobody can tell what system I've used (Nikon, Fuji, m4/3) when I deliver my work. I'm getting older too... full frame systems are no longer my first choice.
You were part of the reason I switched from Canon to Olympus in early 2018. Again I switched from Canon and I started on an E-M1 mk1. It’s more the size and weight of the system rather than the camera body. I shoot both Olympus and Lumix and my G9 is not much smaller and lighter than the current mirrorless canon or Sony bodies but the lenses……oh the size and weight of lenses is streets apart from FF. I won’t go back again
Long live MFT. I switched from Sony to Olympus years ago and couldn’t be happier. Low cost, light weight, great in body stabilization and custom setting but most the size. I always have a camera with me now and it’s Olympus.
I have a confession to make. I mostly watch your videos for your images. Nothing more needs to be said. Your eye and the way you create relationships between texture, colour and the subject, is sublime.
I came from.Canon FF and APSC and was surprised how good the IQ in M4/3 is, for half the price and weight. Not getting any younger so the compact form factor and light weight gave me more energy and willingness to go out and shoot.
Nikon to Panasonic in 2017 and no regrets. I only ever carried one camera body on my long hikes before then due to weight. Now even with two bodies, I'm at half the weight. No camera failures either. It's nice knowing you can tale along extra lenses and not be concerned with the weight or space.
I've probably recounted this on here before, but here goes again. I started using Olympus in the latter half of the 1970s with an OM-1, and I'm still using them today. Not the same one as I killed that one - weather-sealing would have saved it back then. When I decided to move to digital, an Olympus E-500 was my first DSLR. Not great in low light, but I liked it for everything else, even if some pros looked down on it. However, a work opportunity meant I had to switch to a larger format sensor, so I went with Canon and for almost a decade I stuck with them, until last year. I wanted to upgrade to mirrorless and had my eye on a Canon R6. Not being a full-time pro, it struck me as being big outlay, and if I wanted to upgrade to fast RF glass (I shoot live music so fast glass is essential) they are really bloody expensive. As a music photographer it seemed counterintuitive to go to M4/3, especially listening to the masses, and many UA-cam "experts". But I've never been one to follow the crowd. Even back in the 1970s, Olympus weren't considered "serious" cameras because of their size, until everyone started copying them. As you can guess, I'm no spring chicken, so camera and lens weight were a big factor in my decision, along with price. Before committing to a new camera, I bought the original EM-1 used from MPB, just to get a feel for them. As soon as I got it in my hands it felt like coming home. It was just like holding my beloved OM-1. The menu system was a bit weird, after Canon, and it took a little while to adjust to the button placements. However, this was towards the end of lockdown and my DSLR had only been used for digitising film during said lockdown, so the long break meant my muscle memory (along with my actual muscles) had gone away. Once I got back out to gigs I was taking the Canon and the Olympus, after a couple of shoots the Canon stayed at home and has since remained on the copy stand. I could see very little difference in image quality, up to 3200, and if anything the images were sharper due to better autofocus and the IBIS, and the Zuiko lenses are amazing. I even bought PureRAW because of concerns about the noise levels, but I never bothered to use it very often as they seem fine. The strange thing is, I've had more commissions and paid gigs since switching to Olympus than I got in the previous decade. Possibly a coincidence due to post Covid differences, but I have no real way of testing why. I just know that I'm now committed to Olympus/OM System, and have possibly spent more than I would have if I'd gone with the R6, but have also got a lot more great lenses and camera tech for that money, and I really enjoy shooting with them, which is the important thing.
I too went with µ4/3, and the image quality is just as professional as anything else, especially with M.Zuiko Pro glass, and now a couple of Leica 1.7 zooms. However, I use those lenses on Lumix bodies. I’m awaiting an updated Pen-F mark II… If I had gone the FF route, I would have spent twice the amount for the same gear, with marginal performance or quality gains… …
I totally agree. It was Robin Wong who got me convinced to go with Olympus (I had some old film loyalties from decades ago to start with too). And Jimmy your fun, exhuberant and informative style of channel is keeping me informed, excited and inspired!
As you I also bought the E-M1 original. I love it. Often getting shots that I'm sure that I would have missed due to fine AF performance and the valuable IBIS feature. It's so covenient to use. I was shooting some Macro with the 60mm this morning and thanks to the IBIS and some good light I didn't need a tripod. That meant that I was able to get subjects in the shot that would not have been possible had I taken the time to set up a tripod.
Hi Jimmy, This is an excellent video as it puts emphasis on the fundamental issue facing photographers... buying and using whatever gear best meets their individual needs. I sold all of my full frame gear back in July 2015 and haven't missed it for even a second. After I made the switch to smaller sensor cameras none of my clients could have cared less about what gear I was using. Their only concern was that I was able to produce the work that they needed for their businesses. I'm a relatively new to M4/3 and the Olympus/OM System products. In over three years I've yet to find a situation where my Olympus gear wasn't up to the challenge. Tom
Wow Jimmy, the production quality of this video proves your point. Fantastic video, all valid points! I will echo one of the points you made: build quality. One of the most important factor to me is that build. Not until I got my EM1-3 did I have the confidence to not worry about the weather. This confidence has literally allowed me the freedom to go nearly anywhere, on any adventure I want to go on without the worry of the weather...the adventure is mine!
Did you see all the videos of people taking the original E-M5 into the shower? (The camera still worked, but I dunno about long term after that.) But Olympus is the only manufacturer who will quote a true IPX water resistance rating.
Here from Nikon FF and APS-C DSLRs. I still like them and use them, but I just bought a bunch of used Olympus bodies and lenses. I love the system. Portable and FUN! I find myself having an MFT kit with me whenever I can.
I have been shooting with Micro Four Thirds since 2010, like you went from film to digital using Canon, mainly using my m/u43 for travel and holidays because of smaller size and weight and after a few years just made the switch completely, and not looked back, shooting with both Lumix and Olympus bodies and lenses, even got a few old bodies converted to shoot infrared and full spectrum.
In 2017 I bought my first Olympus camera. Later I sold all my Canon stuff and I chose Olympus as the system of the future partly because of the IBIS. I've never regretted it. It is the ideal combination of weight and quality for me. And as you rightly point out in your videos, it is the one behind the camera that makes all the difference.
Great opinion, I myself 3rd year coming up since switching from m43 to Nikon full frame and the image quality difference is night and day, more than happy with the switch, m4/3 simply doesn't cut it for low light work I do... have a great day.
I’ve used Pen-F for more than 5 years, I carried it with me every trip around the world. Reliability is the main reason! I can trust that camera will keep the moment and image as I expected. And. It never failed! The shutter count is now 200k but it’s still working fine. And of course, Pen-F is the sexiest camera. :)
Try since 2005, love the format! I can take my EM1X and the 300 F4 into hostile desert environments and not worry at all. By the way, those EM5 nk1 shots are amazing! It's all about the brain behind the camera. Cheers!
As you may remember Jimmy, I switched to Micro Four Thirds in 2019 and I couldn't be happier. For me the Olympus cameras have better portability, are rugged, reliable, have super IBIS and I think the Olympus lenses are the best I have ever owned. And like you, never had any complaints about image quality. And as you may have seen from my concert shoots, forget those stories about bad low light performance. And my Panasonic LX100II may not be as rugged as the Olympus cameras, it has also proven to be reliable and capable of delevering good image quality and is my companion when I want travel really light. I have asbsolutely no regrets about switching to Micro Four Thirds.
Great video, Jimmy. 🙂 I love my Olympus and Lumix cameras and lenses. I am an over-enthusiastic amateur! But their small size, ruggedness and reliability count for a lot to me too. And the technological features and image quality are astounding. 😎 When is the photo walk in London happening? Hint! 😉 Paul 😎
I'm also a concert shooter (see my comment above), and coming form Canon FF DSLR, I've seen little difference in noise levels, without some serious pixel peeping, and I shoot in some really badly lit venues.
Having shot 8"x10" I still remember being flabbergasted about the color saturation of my first slide on a MacBeth light tray, both as-is and through an 8x magnifying loupe. The point of large format was precisely that: better saturation and gradation. Not necessarily a lot more sharpness. When we define an 85mm lens at 135 full frame as "portrait lens" then at 8"x10" you need a 600mm or so for the same angle of view. Which means that Depth of Field becomes so shallow that it is a problem rather than an advantage - and this is why "we" needed tilt/shift and Scheimpflug's Law to work with that. And f/128. And strobe packs starting at 1,200 Ws. The point with "film" is grain - well not the grin itself, but the empty space between the grains that becomes visible when you blow your image up. That reduces saturation and impacts the perception of gradation. And because a larger format needs less magnification, it retains the perception of saturation and gradation longer (*). That doesn't happen in digital. In the sensor, photosites (the real sensors) practically border each other and the corresponding data elements in the raw file have no distance between them anymore. When we blow this up, we get to a point where we need more pixels than ar in the raw file. Here it becomes critical how this "invention of pixels" is done. I would call a basic version, "upscaling", and a more in-depth analysis that considers context, "upsampling". If we upsample a digital image, this has the effect of filling the empty space that we would have in film. The saturation we get in a print or on a large display depends in the first place on the upsampling algorithm and second on the quality of the display medium. We can convert a full frame image shot at 14 bits depth to 32 bits per channel in Photoshop and the improvement in gradation will surprise you, even on an 8 bits per channel monitor. The saturation we experience from the monitor/display really depends on how good that thing is (and its settings). With print, it depends on the paper and inks we use. This is to say, I do not need to go to a larger format camera with more weight. Would I go smaller, to APS-C or MFT? No, I'm invested in full frame. But, the arguments above can be used against that choice. Another related thing in "digital" is megapixels. People might coo for years about their 36MP being better than their 24MP before that. Well, human perception of sharpness (detail resolution) follows linear lines and MP are an area number. As MP are take from X * Y photosites in the sensor, linear comparison means we should not compare X*Y (=MP) between cameras, but one camera's X with another camera's X. If we want to see 2x better detail resolution, then we need 2X * 2Y = 4X*Y= 4MP. Yes, 96MP is two times as good as 24MP, in that sense. To turn that aournd, 60 is not a lot better than 24. Ceteris paribus. With lenses that ar good enough to resolve the best of the two. In full frame, that ceteris paribus requirement is however violated. A 24MP full frame camera typically has a fuzzy filter (AA filter, low pass filter). That makes raw processing easier, but reduces contour sharpness (and low light performance and color space and dynamic range). And the fuzzy filter causes vignetting. Especially when photosites get denser. At 36MP it does not really work anymore and we do not need it for raw processing any longer. Hence (as first) the Nikon D800E did away with that fuzzy filter - but it took some time for the likes of Adobe to modify their raw processing algorithm now the fuzzy filter was gone. What's the point re MFT? Well, an APS-C Nikon D500 has no fuzzy filter because the photosites are as small as in a much higher MP full frame camera that has no fuzzy filter for that reason. And this improves sharpness (and make depth of field shallower). We can safely assume that MFT cameras have no fuzzy filter. This does mean however that everything being smaller, every optical thing has to be designed and manufactured to higher precision levels. As prices in many industries relate directly to the weight of the end product, MFT should be a lot cheaper, but, if applied, higher production precision will negate that in part. And so a friend's G9 with an excellent MFT Leica zoom came very close to my Z 7ii with S-class prime. (*) The exception in film was Kodachrome. It was only available in small format. This is a negative three layer black & white (B&W) film where the layers have either red, or green or blue sensitivity. The film would be B&W developed first and this developed negative was next saturated with red, green and blue color into each of the separate layers. This would completely fill the empty (negative) space. Next the exposed-developed silver was washed out and the result was an extremely saturated image with almost zero empty space. Some photographers liked this so much that they would shoot test images on polaroid with their Hasselblad and then shoot the real image with their Nikon or Leica on Kodachrome. With its peculiar tone, there was no better film to shoot the Masai in Africa, considering their skin tone, the earth, the landscape, their jewelry. His Kodachromes may have inspired Norman Rockwell to choose his color palette in his illustrations and paintings.
Some great wisdom and your personal photo journey history. I switched when the E-M5 was released. A year before I brought my wife a Pen camera. Maybe it was the E-P3. I found it very fun to use. So when the E-M5 was released I brought it and never look back.
My intro to MFT was the Panasonic G7 which I bought because I wanted a small camera that I could do both pictures and video on a trip to Alaska. I was impressed by the quality of the images and the ease of switching between pics and video. Over time, I went on to buy am Olympus E M1 II and started to buy more lenses. Then I bought a G9. Finally, I bought a Pen F. All of them get regular use even though I have FF systems from Canon, Nikon and Sony. The size and weight is a big factor, but if the picture quality wasn't there, I wouldn't use them.
Id love to try an OM-5 or 1. I have a Ricoh GR3x, which i love, but would like to get a camera with interchangeable lenses. What i love about the GR is the image quality and portability, but not so much the lack of weather proofing or durability.
I, too, put a strong emphasis on reliability and ruggedness, and the fact that I can get very high quality with much less bulk and for nearly half the price is fantastic! However, the driving reason I switched to Olympus was that I could get all of that in a camera it simply felt better in my hand than any other camera I had ever held. Every time I pick up my Olympus, it feels not so much like a tool than an extension of myself, and that really supports the creative process and my overall enjoyment of photography.
Well Jimmy I still have and use my E-1, with over 100k shutter activations. Also still use a E-30. But for enlargements, is shoot with medium (film) and 4x5 .KB
Thanks, Jimmy, for a great video explaining your decision to use Olympus/OM System cameras. I have the EM5 iii, and the OM-1 and I'm excited about the possibilities that this system has opened up for me. Please keep up the good work!
I've never had a reliability issue with any of my Leicas. The most i've had to do with type 262 was get the sensor cleaned. Old M8 did have a sensor flaw that was replaced in 3 months.
You may be lucky, I have my M240P frozen many times while I am shooting. I also had same issues with M10P. Of course, my mechanical M2 and M6 are fine (and reliable).
Back in my film only days I primarily shot weddings with medium format film cameras. In 2011, I began using Olympus E-p1 and E-P3 micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras for weddings. I had very happy with my micro 4/3 lenses, image quality, and the size of my Olympus cameras but the bodies broke too often for me to rely on them for professional work. In 2015, I switched from micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras to Fuji X-Pro APS-C mirrorless cameras.
Yep, M4/3 is Great! (except in iso's above 1600 in low light -I'm using an Em1 mark i and Em10mark iii professionally) Versatile, enduring, light, you name it... Great video by the way ;) -as always-
Great video Jimmy! Recently switched to a G9 ( there was an offer too good to be true ), but my thoughts apply to both companies. Adore the size, the tactile experience, build quality, lack of bugs (looking at you Fujifilm), and I am blown away by the speed of focusing and the accuracy! Slowing adding consumer grade glass to broaden the kit, which surpasses, in image quality more expensive glass that I have used in the past. Reviewing images on a ten inch i-pad, I cannot perceive any noticable difference between my G9 and previous XT2....apart from more keepers as the IBIS is amazing! I agree the features in these amazing cameras broadens their appeal, and photographic skills. My only regret is not moving to the system years ago!
You always talk sense Jimmy. My first MFT camera was the Panasonic GF1, which I still have. Now I’m using the OM1, mainly for bird photography. Cheers, David.
I started with my loved GH1 in fotography. Now i shoot with the GX8. My Last two Shootings i only used the GX8 an the 20mm f1.7... and yes, there ist a devil who visits me at night am whispers: "you need fullframe, you need the bokeh of an 85mm f1.4" ... But when i wake up, i Take my GX8 and i know why i Love it so much. Ist tiny, it has an great Viewfinder and it is undestroyable... I Hope so much, Panasonic will Bring a new gx10 or gx8 Mark 2 wich can ne an really alternative to my gx8 (maybe the om5?)
I still have my original model OM-D E-M5 which I use with a variety of Oly and Pan lenses. Every time I pick it up it makes me smile, it just feels so 'right' in my hand.
I also owned the original 5D, and I would not call it a “professional” camera. It was a consumer camera. The 1D series was the pro Canon. What’s incredible about micro4/3 is we get pro build and reliability for consumer prices.
Underpinning most of Canon’s success was their marketing. Even when canon was in its hay day Nikon was a far superior product. Canon always short changed its consumer level users by deliberately reducing capabilities of their sensors by their firmware. Magic lantern was the first replacement firmware to provide irrefutable evidence to the world that this was the case. Anyway I’m just lovin my M43 collection.
@@prabhakarrao4922 same in the film era. Lots of bells and whistles on a Canon, but if you wanted rugged reliability for professional use, you bought a Nikon. AF reversed that, and it took Nikon 20 years to catch up again.
lol... no offence buddy, but Canon 5d is a professional camera. i.e a generation of photographers fed their families with the original 5d and their successors. and I own one today, as a Nikon fanboy, I can appreciate how good the original 5d is TODAY. I can guarantee you when it comes to image quality 2005 5D will beat any and every m43 camera.
Love my em5 mkiii but my old em10mk 1 has a great flip screen which I much prefer. Great light cameras. Leave my Nikon d700 full frame at work for studio shots of products for web use. Olympus ibis is futuristic!
I’ve been using Olympus cameras for 30 years plus . Gave up Yashica and Canon and went digital when I went to Japan (used a UZ? With a 10*zoom)! Built up to an E3 system and on through all the EM range and now the OM-1 . I have these humble and amateur opinions Jimmy. Consistency ! The update procedure has always been iffy and open to misfortune although I am appreciative of the fact I can update camera and lens. The real consistent winners through the years are lens and camera construction - always top draw and now the sheer delight of image stabilisation! With the Olympus/OMD I feel I have the gear and potential to get the shot ,with colour, that I see/ want. Take care Jimmy.
I upgraded to FF for one reason: I missed the dreamy look of f1.2 on full frame. Proper eye tracking autofocus has been a bonus too for moving subjects. I still love the experience of shooting with my Olympus gear though, so I’ve kept it for my casual/personal photography.
I achieve that "dreamy" look a different way using my Olympus, with the Mitakon 25mm f/0.95, Lensbaby 22.5mm f/3.5 tilt, and the weird looking Lensbaby Trio 28mm. True, it's not the same as f/1.2 on FF, but I've saved tons of $$$ in the process and my viewers can't tell (or believe) that I shot those on m4/3. 😄
@@Seanonyoutube Oh yes, I used this setup (as with all my manual lenses) for static subjects. I rarely shoot things that move anyway. As for difficulty in focusing, it's not much different from focusing with a FF 50mm f/1.8 (manually focusing that is).
Great summary Jimmy, and I agree totally with everything you said. Many people mistakenly think they need to buy the biggest and best if they're gonna bother to carry a real camera, otherwise they can just use their phones. But Micro Four Thirds actually combines the best of both worlds. True the FF bodies have gotten small enough to compete in size against m4/3, but the size and price of their pro-grade glass is astronomical. You can't beat the size, weight, and selection of lenses for m4/3!
Thanks Jimmy, I have a lumix system, G90, GX8 and some glass. I am from old school 35mmfilm but took the plunge a couple of years ago and am also enjoying video work (many reason for choose the Panasonic gear!) I have started editing in Resolve 17 and am enjoying it, but quite a learning curve. Always enjoy you vids and feel more contented with my system what with all the NON BELIEVERS! 🤣 Lots of gear reviewers out there, not so many good photographs! Best. Martyn
When I studied photography in the 70's most of the students were using Nikon cameras - F and nikkormat models. When I went to buy my camera I was shown the relatively new OM-1. The smaller size and weight, and fine build quality immediately appealed to me. I have been using Olympus ever since for small format work. The image quality of M4/3 is certainly better than anything 35mm film can produce.
My first digital slr was an Olympus E-1 with a 14-54 Zuiko lens. I also have the 11-22mm and 40-150mm lenses, and recently added a 12-60mm. Great system, but not the smallest or lightest. I also have a Nikon D810 full frame, and of course the same comments about size and weight apply. I also have an EM-10 Mk II and an EM-1 Mk I. Plus I have just bought an EM-1 Mk III on eBay. Various lenses as well Due to the small size and low weight of MFT, they of course make ideal travel cameras.
I'm going on 6 mos. I bought my first Olympus digital camera, an E-M5 Mark II, after receiving an Olympus 35 RC film camera from a neighbor. I fell in love with the solid feel of these cameras despite their small size. Now I'm hooked. Although, I love all the cameras, there is something special about the feel of the E-M5 Mark II that is special, and I've held hundreds of cameras. Micro Four Thirds is definitely not dead and is such a fun system because it is weather sealed, relatively inexpensive, and most importantly compact which means I reach for it over my APS-C or Full Frame cameras. I'm thinking of buying a second E-M5 Mark II rather than 'upgrading' to an E-M1 series or OM-1...although an extra 4 MP would be nice
This is the video i needed this week as I have GAS for full frame gear again. To get most of the features I love from my EM1ii I have to spend so much money for the equivalent modern Full Frame body. Went shooting yesterday with my kids and I exposed for the sky at sunset. I was able to recover A LOT in post. Paired with simple prime lenses and I get pretty good bokeh. I’m also doing client studio headshots and it holds up Very well. I am and remain pleased.
I wish you would expand on your statement at 9:27 about “not being a photoshop guy, I take what I get”. I feel the same way, knowing raw files will need some editing, and that it is sometimes fun to try some more expressive edits. It would be interesting to hear how you walk that fine line.
I perfectly understand you man, I'm in the same journey, just I was shooting with Nikon DSLR, before switching. The Canon was a couple of years before that :)
Hello Jimmy have been watching your video's for some time now and I have two the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs I went of photography for about three years then my boss asked me to get him a replacement for his Sony that had broken so I got him a Nikon 1 J1 and thought my Nikon D800 had a broken shutter so get something smaller to take photos on the street and it not look huge. So took a look at the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs it was at a nice price new with kit lens extra lens in November of 2022 and started taking photo's again first in auto for a week or so then went manual there is nothing I wound change with the first camera so then got hold of a Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the battery pack at a very nice price this was just before me and the wife went to wales so only had the camera about four weeks now thinking of getting the Olympus OM-D E-M1X and a nice pro lens you may thing I am mad but that's me so I shall save for that now and us the two I have for now ps the Olympus OM-D E-M1 seems to have a sharper image that the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs although they both have the same sensor sorry for going on lol PS now a number three Olympus OM-D E-M1X kind regards Howard Rollinson
I'm using a Nikon D5100 which is APS-c format. A few years back I did have a chance to shoot with a Panasonic G85 with a 12mm to 60mm lens. I pushed the camera to the limits with stills and videos, it performed impressively. It almost made me switch from APS-c th M4/3, but in the end I stuck with my Nikon. Still, there are times I wish I had the lighter weight and in body image stabilization.
I essentially started with Olympus with the GE X5, then EPL1 then Nikon D70, D90, D700 then Sony A mount (A99) then back to the OMD and there I will stay. My actual first camera was a Kodak instamatic.
Yes, I'm missing out on resolution with a m43 camera (the new GH6 has 25 MP, and there are APS-C cameras with 20 MP out there - so it is actually not that different anymore), and low-light performance is worse. Overall, prices (especially for good lenses) are decent, and weight is considerably lower. And I do get some neat features "on top", like the pixel-shift high-res mode (and yes, I do actually appreciate and use it). I now and again look around for another system, but I'm never satisfied with what I would get - there's always something that my current system is already capable off, and what would cost me a lot of money to get with another system. As I'm currently quite happy with my Pen F (my only gripe is the lack of weather sealing), I most likely stay with m43 (if I want it really large, I go 4"x5" on film, not those hilariously tiny MF sensors … 😁).
I'm just a beginner hobbyist and recently got second hand gear - OM-D E-M1 mk2 , 14-40 f/2.8 , 100-400 f/5-6.3 and Micro 60mm f / 2.8 . This covers all my needs, i wanted to shoot wildlife and macro and this costed me like 1/3 the price i would've paid for something with a bigger sensor. The camera body is absolutely professional grade, the lenses are very small and great quality , much cheaper than the competition for bigger sensors. The only reason i could switch to something else is if they stop supporting the format
I have owned MFT cameras since 2013 but decided to transfer to a Fuji XT-3 this year mainly due to the lack of lenses for MFT here and also I felt the more analogue fell of the Fuji was easier for me to come to terms with I just dont like scrolling through menus to make changes. However The body and 18-55 and 55-200 lenses weigh considerably more than the GH2 and 4 lenses. Whilst I now have a higher resolution sensor this was not a reason for the change. On a side issue I was pleased to see you are still posting videos. I though the one from the other week was your swan song. Great stuff and keep em coming
You really mix a lot of arguments and yes, I sold my work done with Olympus gear over years to clients, too. But thats not a real argument. Also the size factor. When I see you sitting there with that big lens on you OM I asked you - size, really!? A lot of the mFT Pro lenses are surprisingly big for what they are. I bought an A7RI with a 50mm F1.8 to test the system 8 years ago and used it in parallel and the quality the Sony delivered, compared to Olympus and Canon 5D MKII was astonishing, even with the cheap lens. I loved mFT for the smaller lenses (9-18mm, 40-150mm F4-5.6, 45mm F1.8, 25mm F1.4 etc) but they completely gave up to build more smaller stuff, instead they focused on big and heavy gear. Thats the total opposite of what they're claiming. An OM-1 is nothing else like my A7RIII in size and weight. Lenses like an Pana/Leica 25mm F1.4 II are way more expensive like a cheap 50mm F1.8 but you don't get a better perfomance, as they gave up updating their lenses. And then comes the point, where you put expensive F1.2 lenses infront of a mFT sensor and there the story ends. When I have to pack may bag with Oly lenses, I'm to close to FF now. Take the 40-150mm F2.8. I use a Tamron 70-180mm on a 42mpix sensor, where you hit a button on the camera and you're in APS-C mode so this thing gets a 270mm at the end and you still have the amount of pixels you just get from mFT. Same size, 50g more. Do the same with an A7RIV and it's 60mpix sensor and crop manually even further. I put the super leightweight and cheap 85mm F1.8 on and have two lenses in one, as I hit the APS-C button and this thing gets an 127mm. OM today, is just about the IBIS and the computaional photography. They're in an own league in this department but the rest is gone. If someone tells me, yeah but you can use smaller bodies and lenses, I just answer do you tryed an RX100VII or G5XMKII? The image quality is to close to mFT, as they offer ISO100/125, but I put them in my pocket. And think about that, I sell pictures that are shot with these cameras to big companies and agencies, too.
I came from canon 5D MK III to MK IV to lumix GH4 then the G9 plus the OM-1. I’ve held onto the G9 as I’ve taken it through freezing cold and tropical forests and it has never let me down. Right now I’m getting to know my OM-1. Both are amazing cameras.I’m in my late 60’s and started in photography with the Minolta XD7 which served amazing well till mid 1990’s! Superb build quality & reliability I must say. The Canons alas I was never really happy with except the 5D mk 3 with magic lantern firmware. The 5D mk IV had all sorts of issues with purple banding which Canon Repair in New Zealand refused to do anything about although there is so much evidence that individual units had these issues and in many cases canon USA had simply replaced the affected units or repairs them. Moving on… with the G9 & OM-1 I am totally satisfied and don’t really see any need for an upgrade. The OM-1 is amazing in low light conditions and far surpasses any of the Canons I e ever owned.
What an excellent video Jimmy. I was lucky enough to get an “open-box” OM-1 from Wex a month ago while I still have my Sony A1 and 200-600mm etc. I got myself a used 300mm Olympus and loved it. Like you said, you have to weigh up all the pros and cons. For me, with bad arthritis in my legs, the Sony system was punishing to carry. The Olympus is so unbelievably easy to walk around with! Admittedly, I still wish the images were of a slightly higher resolution for cropping flexibility but the quality of the images I’m capturing have far more detail than I achieved with the Sony. I’m sure it’s because of the better image stabilisation. Like you, my overall feeling about photographing with this smaller system has made me feel a joy and excitement about taking photos that I haven’t felt for ages. I just grab the camera and hang it on my shoulder whenever I go out for a walk and I’m always ready. I found the opinions of you and Mike Lane very compelling in deciding to switch and I have now booked pickup of my remaining Sony gear by MPB. Thanks for your superb channel Jimmy, peace!
I was considering selling my main MFT camera (Lumix G9) to buy a Lumix S5. I would still have my Olympus M5 Mark. III for MFT but after editing some files from my G9 last night, I remembered how much I love the look of MFT. Sometimes images can look like paintings and I love that charm. I’ll have to get similar photos with my M5 Mark III and see if the Sony MFT sensor in the Olympus will get me a similar look. If so then I may sell my G9 anyways and dwell into full frame. I’m young so I really want to explore full frame before I settle back into MFT. And the Lumix S5 is the best bang for buck in full frame just like the Lumix G9 and Olympus M1 Mark II are the best bang for buck in the MFT system.
By all means explore FF, but to give µ4/3 its due, you really should explore the best glass the format has to offer. Like: M.Zuiko 75/1.8, technically produces the best image quality for the format. Followed by the Leica 42.5/1.2 Nocticron. Any of the M.Zuiko Pro series of lenses, and the various Leica primes and zooms as well… …
@@Superz3ro I own the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 (which isn’t as sharp as the underdog 12-45mm f/4), Leica 8-18mm, Leica 25mm f/1.4 II, Olympus 17mm f/1.8, and the underrated Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R II. Along with the Pergear 25mm f/1.8 which is amazing value for the money. I have owned the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 but had to sell it because I needed the money. I have considered buying it again and I won’t have to wonder what it’ll be like because I know first hand how amazing it is. But that money being put towards the Leica 42.5mm could be put towards the Lumix S5 with a Lumix S 35mm f/1.8.
I have a Panasonic s1 and it is spectacular for photography. It has the best image quality of any camera I have used, but it doesn't help me get better pictures. It does help me in low light or with night photography and it also helps with depth of field. I shoot Micro Four Thirds most of the time, but full frame has definitely been useful too! Each system has benefits, it is whether or not you have the need to utilize those specific things. I have the Sigma Art 14-24mm art for the S1. The images out of that pair are amazing! but it weighs as much as a tank! haha
I have Fuji XT2 but find myself using my OMD EM1 2 more and more. Considering another lens purchase or maybe an upgrade to the OMD EM1 3 given the price reduction but not really sure if I need the minor improvements
hmm great points except Ive had 2 screens fail on MFT cameras...specifically both with fully articulating screens. yes you guessed it the ribbon came loose in the camera...dont try to fix yourself!
Thanks for a great video. I agree with you about Micro Four Thirds. I have been shooting on Micro Four Thirds since I bought the Olympus EP1 in 2010. I have no complaints with the results from any of my Olympus and Panasonic cameras. Extreme low light and astro photography is the only area I really notice a difference. The only photographer who could benefit from full frame is a pro that specializes in low light photography or one that needs extra large prints 3ft and bigger. I have a full frame Panasonic S1. The low light performance is substantially better than any of my Olympus cameras, but I also have a gh5 that I end up choosing much more than the S1 because of the feel and portability of the system. I started with a Canon DSLR like you and I agree that photography is more about the image captured than the quality of the pixels with a large print. I love Olympus colors and their cameras are fantastic. I shoot mainly Panasonic now because of video, but one thing is for sure......I'm not a Canon fan anymore. The image from the OMD em5 and the OMD em1 is my favorite of all the Micro Four Thirds sensors. It has a very film like look to it. Thanks for a heartfelt realistic video.
I came from Pentax. As a compact companion i once bought a Ricoh GR but i didn't become a wide-angle fan. Then i bought a Lumix GX800 with 12-32mm and was amazed at the quality. The small zoom was much better than my Pentax zoom. The "big" Pentax DSLR then just lay at home and i soon switched completely to Olympus MFT also because i didn't want a DSLR anymore. I also love the 4:3 aspect ratio.
I love OMD - EM1 mk 1; mk 2; mk 3 and Pen F from 2014 onwards . . . before that I had E-1; E-400 then E-3 and before that E-10 and E-20 . . . and even before that 2* OM-4 and OM-1 so I have been an Olympus user since the early 1970s . . . and now I MUST BUY the new OM-1 . . . but where can I buy one, I cannot find it anywhere!
Technology nerds don't necessarily gravitate to best of best image quality. Computational photography is what got my attention with Olympus. I was looking at Fujifilm back in 2017 because of looks and sensor size and pixel resolution. Went in a camera store and saw the Mark II of E-M10, 5 & 1 next to the Fujifilm. Didn't like the button and dial feel of the Fujifilm after I played with the E-M5 & 1. Saw the interesting features that didn't exist in any other camera. Then I was totally impressed with what the E-M10 Mark II had for the price. Spent a half a day there and probably the salesman didn't think I was going to buy anything. Bought the E-M10 Mark II with the lens kit, two more lenses, flash and an extra battery that day. Well... I got more than that now and don't regret it.
Micro Four Third is a GEM! For it's compact size and ruggedness. I believe that computational photography is the future and AI based processing is the way forward which is something that is already being implemented on higher end MFTs and personally think that this feature like the IBIS is better implemented on smaller bodies with smaller sensor which will be revolutionary. That being said I enjoy using my EM5 Mark III with a wide variety of compact and versatile lenses that micro four third provides! Cheers 🍻
Hi Jimmy. What a great video and so very true. I'm a former UA-camr who had a small, mostly photography, channel. I focused on camera techniques and discouraged my viewers from thinking that they always had to buy the latest camera. Is it any surprise that I was WAY down on any UA-cam search... even if someone specifically searched for my name! I am an enthusiast photographer who does side-gig professional work because people like my photos. Being a camera junkie I had a lot of different brands of cameras (even Pentax). For my professional work, I use FF cameras (first Nikon, now a Canon 5D IV), but mostly because I'm so comfortable with the bodies, and it is easy to adjust them on the fly because of this. I don't want to look in a manual when I'm doing work for someone. However, I have always used smaller cameras for my hobby/travel stuff. For years I used an Olympus PL2 and then an EM10 (original). I loved those cameras! Lately, I have been using a Canon M6 Mark II, which I also love. My switch away from Olympus was more about trying something new than anything else. Recent cameras are smarter, but I think that you can do just about anything with cameras as old as my Nikon D300 (I think that one came out in 2008). My D300 still works great after all of these years (although I don't use it very much anymore for no particular reason). For me the biggest real advances in new cameras are their video functions. I left video to do still photography in the late 1990s (strange, I know), so having the latest video features is not that important to me. Yes, newer cameras have intelligent autofocus, but I can focus a camera. Yes, newer cameras have gigantic pixel counts, but I rarely need more than 12 MP, and often less. I do a lot of photography for the web and many of those images have to be reduced to less than 2 MP. I have shot many events with excellent results using cameras in the 12-22 MP range (I shot events with a Nikon D700, and a Nikon D3 then a Canon 5D III, and now a Mark IV). I don't need 30 fps to do the limited sports shots that I do. Much of the "number" advances in cameras just slow me down by giving me too many images to sort that are also too bloated in size. I love to shoot nature/landscapes and old small towns and having a lightweight camera is a must. My current Canon M6 II lens collection isn't pro-quality, but I still make pretty awesome images with them. It is more about seeing things differently than anything else I can easily sling a small camera on my side and go hiking. In addition, people don't take much notice when I'm shooting in a small town if I'm using a camera that doesn't look too threatening. Keep up your thoughtful and excellent videos. Thank you for saying what experienced photographers know. I hope this video finds it way to some newbies who have been convinced that they have to spend 10K for a body and a few lenses to make nice photos, as this is not true. There are so many used cameras out there, and awesome lens systems that are inexpensive and that will do just about anything that you want them to do with a little planning and thought. Heck, I can take great photos with my iPhone, however, I miss the controls and the ability to add accessories-which hinder me from doing my best work. Cheers Mike (Dr. Mike of Savvy Savvy and the drmikekuna blog)
I wonder if OM has good potential in paparazzi camera market as it’s small, sneaky, reliable and telephoto friendly. In terms is size some clients do feel small camera suggests unprofessional photographers. This is the image that hard to change. It is so in Asia not sure in US.
Hi Jimmy. Nice video clip as always. Just got back from a wildlife trip to Romania. One lady in our small group had the OM-1. I am still waiting for mine on a pre order at the beginning of March. In addition my 150-400mm pro lens is still with OM Systems since April concerning issues of focus between camera and lens. As a M 4/3rds user with EM1 mark iii cameras and a variety of lenses including 300mm and 40-150mm etc etc I would have expected a more prompt response. Shame I do not get Gold Prestige membership as I do with Porto Bay hotel group or Silver Executive membership as I have with British Airways with continual use and with appropriate priority and advantages. Not over impressed with OM Systems response at the moment. They should have more consideration for their regular customers. When are you doing a photo walk ?? Peace 😊😊
You should get a quicker response for sure. I am not sure how OM works at the moment as their customer service/repair centre is still overwhelmed by all the transitioning. But I am not in that department and wouldn't know much. But hope you get a reply soon. Photowalk is happening and I just posted a poll in the community page asking which Sunday is best for people.
I think m4/3 got bad rep from Panasonic’s poor autofocus. It’s the reason I switched to Sony full frame as my main choice. However I recently picked up my em1m2 and forgot how amazing that camera was.
iI do alot of very very low light street work and the question that concerns me is noise and loss of detail in faces while doinf street work in available light. what are your thoughts and experiences?
I enjoy videos like this. I shoot Panasonic and love using both the cheaper and the Leica lenses. Reliability and quality are hard to beat. I live in the Philippines and cameras and lenses need to survive monsoons and 100% humidity.
I currently have a Canon 5D Mk iv along with the 24-70 and 70-200 lenses and some primes. But I was recently given a 12 megapixel Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f1.7 lens. I enjoyed using it so much that I decided to buy a used E-M1 original release. I love it too. It came used with a 14-42mm kit lens at just $420 CDN. And I'm testing a used 60mm macro for purchase consideration. I'm seriously considering offloading the Canon gear and purchasing a good used E-M1 Mk ii and some serious pro lenses. My thoughts are the 8-25mm and 12-100mm zooms and a 45mm prime. That would pretty much mimic what I have in full frame. I expect that I'd be pretty happy with that setup. Can anyone weigh in on this and give some thoughts. Would I really see a benefit in moving to a Mk iii when my focus is still photography landscapes and macro? I may not even require a macro based on some of the close focusing that the 8-25 can produce and I have seen some close up work shot using the 100mm FL of the bigger zoom that were stunning! I am getting more shots that are sharp in some cases, especially hand held macro work. Yes, I may miss the 30.4 megapixels, but by how much. If I take my time and learn to compose better the lower resolution should never really be an issue. In fact it shouldn't be an issue anyway now that software has been developed that can mitigate any of these concerns. M43 is a truly underestimated format that we should just learn to love for what it is. I wish that I'd had the foresight to go Oly when I went Cany a few years ago.
I think whether original E-M1 or E-M1 III is good enough for you really depends on your shooting style for those genres. You could definitely notice a difference whenever IBIS comes in handy and whenever you need better low-light/high ISO performance. For example, good IBIS (E-M1 II / E-M5III upwards & newer) is really helpful when doing macro handheld, but mostly irrelevant when using a tripod.
Clean your sensor, dust spots can happen with any digital camera and are caused by changing your camera lenses in a dusty environment or not making sure your lens is clean before attaching it to your camera.
Question ..,,Will the development of AI either in software or in camera w/ M43 OM Systems and Panasonic be equal to FX Nikon or similar Canon results . I feel that Pixel may be more of selling point people want more , but can you tell the difference ????
I picked up my first professional camera in 1970 while stationed in Japan. It was a Nikomat w/43-86mm zoom. I stuck with Nikon for over 50 years but age lack of mobility and reduced income led me to Olympus in Feb of this year! I still have my Nikomat which sits in a place of honor in my home. I can honestly say that my used EM-1 mkii is a professional grade camera and has brought the joy of photography back! The image quality is beyond reproach! The size, weight and features are outstanding. Combine this with built in image stability and I have a platform that is far better than what I was using! The resolution is a perfect combination that results in reasonable file sizes, image quality, and the ability to provide prints any client would be proud to display!
Using m43 as my secondary system (in addition to full frame) for a good compromise between size, image quality and cost. If I could wish for more it would be high speed AF on par with full frame flagships like Sony A1, Nikon Z9 and better cross brand compatibility for in lens stabilisation between Olympus and Panasonic. A small upgrade in resolution to 24mp and slightly more dynamic range (say 0.5 to 1 stop more) wouldn't hurt too. And finally - Olympus should bring out the E-PM3. A mini body with the latest technology. But overall, happy camper.
Great Video!! I think those who wander the photo channels on UA-cam endlessly need to understand the brands or formats should just be a ...State of Mind,,, for lack of a better way to say it. I was looking to replace the Leica film cameras I had in the 90s. I looked at the Sony NEX cameras when they came out, but the early lenses and the controls were a joke. I ran across some people using micro 4/3 gear and they had an OMD em 1 and some Panasonic Leica lenses and I knew I had found my place. I bought a 15mm 1.7 Panasonic before I had M4/3 body. I imagine it was similar to what drew you to the system... you just know it when you find it. If M4/3 doesn't fit that for you,, find what does and go shooting. For me.. this fits my price, size and performance comfort zones.. with features that enhance the way I shoot.
Rugged reliability. For sure. I go on long hikes in the backcountry of New Zealand. A couple of weeks ago I had to cross a big river a few times. I wrapped up all electronic gear deep in my pack for some deep crossings, like nipple height. That worked. On my way back I didn't bother wrapping my Olympus M5 Mark III with pro 12-45 zoom that was around my neck. Unfortunately, I found myself swimming and the camera went underwater for at least a minute. Yikes!! It took a day to dry out properly, and the EVF fogged up, but it seems to have worked normally from that point on. That was a fair test for the waterproofing, although I don't recommend this experience. Stabilisation helps take excellent images in the forest gloom. Kinda like my old OM1n that I used for about 20 years, in New Guinea jungles for 5 months, etc. And that was after I lent the poor camera to my brother and he managed to rip the back off. I had it Gaffer taped up for about ten years, but other than being a pain to swap my slide film, it produced great images.
My personal beef with m43 is the existence of fujifilm. X-S10 has same body size, good stabilisation, small lenses and waaay better sensitivity and dynamic range. M43 has even smaller lenses and longer zooms but anemic light sensitivity and weaker processor made me switch to fujifilm. I like it a lot better. Not even talking about overcomplicated menu system in Olympus
I don't understand how OMS management cannot grasp that you, Robin Wong and Rob Trek are more important to their business that their entire marketing department.
Agreed! And to these three I would add another of my personal favorites, Peter Forsgård, another former Olympus ambassador and professional photographer from Helsinki, Finland. As with these 3, watching his videos is like visiting with an old friend, who just happens to be an expert in photography and Olympus/OM systems. The new OM really should give some official recognition and $ to these fine folks! 📷📷📷📷
@@TigerPaw193
Definitely; 👌👌👌
Add Sulantoblog, that micro 4/3 guy, Markus Pix, Rich Photography, Etchd Photography and Gary W to that list as all been instrumental towards MFT system...especially on UA-cam!
@@TigerPaw193 add a blogger from Russia "Sla Vanifatev - СЛАВА ГОВОРИТ!" to this list. he makes wonderful comparisons of lenses and cameras, which no one does on the whole UA-cam
She shoots Panasonic, but I hope you guys watch Emily at Micro Four Nerds.
I won’t watch Matti Sulanto anymore, he’s all about Sony.
@@matttheking1655 These guys are all great vloggers but the point that Drazen as making was about OMS management giving credit to their Ambassadors and perhaps some of their past Ambassadors. The people that you mentioned are often more general and tend to focus on Panasonic gear or they are less dedicated to the Olympus product brand (e.g. M4/3 guy). You did turn me on to Gary W, thanks for that! I'll have to poke through his videos. Of course Sulanto (Panasonic) battles head on with Peter Forsgård (Olympus) in some of their guest vlogging videos.
Spot on. Nobody can tell what system I've used (Nikon, Fuji, m4/3) when I deliver my work. I'm getting older too... full frame systems are no longer my first choice.
You were part of the reason I switched from Canon to Olympus in early 2018. Again I switched from Canon and I started on an E-M1 mk1.
It’s more the size and weight of the system rather than the camera body. I shoot both Olympus and Lumix and my G9 is not much smaller and lighter than the current mirrorless canon or Sony bodies but the lenses……oh the size and weight of lenses is streets apart from FF. I won’t go back again
Thanks mate!
Long live MFT. I switched from Sony to Olympus years ago and couldn’t be happier. Low cost, light weight, great in body stabilization and custom setting but most the size. I always have a camera with me now and it’s Olympus.
I have a confession to make. I mostly watch your videos for your images. Nothing more needs to be said.
Your eye and the way you create relationships between texture, colour and the subject, is sublime.
Thanks! Great video. Love my OM System & Olympus systems and the lenses.
You, Peter and Robin were the main influencers in restarting photography and choosing Olympus to do so. Not regretted it for one minute
Fantastic commentary. I just love my Olympus and Panasonic cameras!
I came from.Canon FF and APSC and was surprised how good the IQ in M4/3 is, for half the price and weight. Not getting any younger so the compact form factor and light weight gave me more energy and willingness to go out and shoot.
Great story, Jimmy! Thanks for sharing. Also, I really like the color grading you did on this one.
Thanks Rob! glad you like the 'new colours' ahha
Nikon to Panasonic in 2017 and no regrets. I only ever carried one camera body on my long hikes before then due to weight. Now even with two bodies, I'm at half the weight. No camera failures either. It's nice knowing you can tale along extra lenses and not be concerned with the weight or space.
Same here. I also used to shoot with nikon.
I've probably recounted this on here before, but here goes again. I started using Olympus in the latter half of the 1970s with an OM-1, and I'm still using them today. Not the same one as I killed that one - weather-sealing would have saved it back then. When I decided to move to digital, an Olympus E-500 was my first DSLR. Not great in low light, but I liked it for everything else, even if some pros looked down on it. However, a work opportunity meant I had to switch to a larger format sensor, so I went with Canon and for almost a decade I stuck with them, until last year. I wanted to upgrade to mirrorless and had my eye on a Canon R6. Not being a full-time pro, it struck me as being big outlay, and if I wanted to upgrade to fast RF glass (I shoot live music so fast glass is essential) they are really bloody expensive. As a music photographer it seemed counterintuitive to go to M4/3, especially listening to the masses, and many UA-cam "experts". But I've never been one to follow the crowd. Even back in the 1970s, Olympus weren't considered "serious" cameras because of their size, until everyone started copying them. As you can guess, I'm no spring chicken, so camera and lens weight were a big factor in my decision, along with price. Before committing to a new camera, I bought the original EM-1 used from MPB, just to get a feel for them. As soon as I got it in my hands it felt like coming home. It was just like holding my beloved OM-1. The menu system was a bit weird, after Canon, and it took a little while to adjust to the button placements. However, this was towards the end of lockdown and my DSLR had only been used for digitising film during said lockdown, so the long break meant my muscle memory (along with my actual muscles) had gone away. Once I got back out to gigs I was taking the Canon and the Olympus, after a couple of shoots the Canon stayed at home and has since remained on the copy stand. I could see very little difference in image quality, up to 3200, and if anything the images were sharper due to better autofocus and the IBIS, and the Zuiko lenses are amazing. I even bought PureRAW because of concerns about the noise levels, but I never bothered to use it very often as they seem fine. The strange thing is, I've had more commissions and paid gigs since switching to Olympus than I got in the previous decade. Possibly a coincidence due to post Covid differences, but I have no real way of testing why. I just know that I'm now committed to Olympus/OM System, and have possibly spent more than I would have if I'd gone with the R6, but have also got a lot more great lenses and camera tech for that money, and I really enjoy shooting with them, which is the important thing.
I too went with µ4/3, and the image quality is just as professional as anything else, especially with M.Zuiko Pro glass, and now a couple of Leica 1.7 zooms. However, I use those lenses on Lumix bodies. I’m awaiting an updated Pen-F mark II… If I had gone the FF route, I would have spent twice the amount for the same gear, with marginal performance or quality gains…
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I totally agree. It was Robin Wong who got me convinced to go with Olympus (I had some old film loyalties from decades ago to start with too). And Jimmy your fun, exhuberant and informative style of channel is keeping me informed, excited and inspired!
As you I also bought the E-M1 original. I love it. Often getting shots that I'm sure that I would have missed due to fine AF performance and the valuable IBIS feature. It's so covenient to use. I was shooting some Macro with the 60mm this morning and thanks to the IBIS and some good light I didn't need a tripod. That meant that I was able to get subjects in the shot that would not have been possible had I taken the time to set up a tripod.
Hi Jimmy,
This is an excellent video as it puts emphasis on the fundamental issue facing photographers... buying and using whatever gear best meets their individual needs. I sold all of my full frame gear back in July 2015 and haven't missed it for even a second.
After I made the switch to smaller sensor cameras none of my clients could have cared less about what gear I was using. Their only concern was that I was able to produce the work that they needed for their businesses.
I'm a relatively new to M4/3 and the Olympus/OM System products. In over three years I've yet to find a situation where my Olympus gear wasn't up to the challenge.
Tom
Wow Jimmy, the production quality of this video proves your point. Fantastic video, all valid points! I will echo one of the points you made: build quality. One of the most important factor to me is that build. Not until I got my EM1-3 did I have the confidence to not worry about the weather. This confidence has literally allowed me the freedom to go nearly anywhere, on any adventure I want to go on without the worry of the weather...the adventure is mine!
Did you see all the videos of people taking the original E-M5 into the shower? (The camera still worked, but I dunno about long term after that.) But Olympus is the only manufacturer who will quote a true IPX water resistance rating.
Here from Nikon FF and APS-C DSLRs. I still like them and use them, but I just bought a bunch of used Olympus bodies and lenses. I love the system. Portable and FUN! I find myself having an MFT kit with me whenever I can.
I have been shooting with Micro Four Thirds since 2010, like you went from film to digital using Canon, mainly using my m/u43 for travel and holidays because of smaller size and weight and after a few years just made the switch completely, and not looked back, shooting with both Lumix and Olympus bodies and lenses, even got a few old bodies converted to shoot infrared and full spectrum.
In 2017 I bought my first Olympus camera. Later I sold all my Canon stuff and I chose Olympus as the system of the future partly because of the IBIS. I've never regretted it. It is the ideal combination of weight and quality for me. And as you rightly point out in your videos, it is the one behind the camera that makes all the difference.
Great opinion, I myself 3rd year coming up since switching from m43 to Nikon full frame and the image quality difference is night and day, more than happy with the switch, m4/3 simply doesn't cut it for low light work I do... have a great day.
Good video. Some great images .
thank you for this video! 😊
I’ve used Pen-F for more than 5 years, I carried it with me every trip around the world. Reliability is the main reason! I can trust that camera will keep the moment and image as I expected. And. It never failed! The shutter count is now 200k but it’s still working fine.
And of course, Pen-F is the sexiest camera. :)
Try since 2005, love the format! I can take my EM1X and the 300 F4 into hostile desert environments and not worry at all. By the way, those EM5 nk1 shots are amazing! It's all about the brain behind the camera. Cheers!
As you may remember Jimmy, I switched to Micro Four Thirds in 2019 and I couldn't be happier. For me the Olympus cameras have better portability, are rugged, reliable, have super IBIS and I think the Olympus lenses are the best I have ever owned. And like you, never had any complaints about image quality. And as you may have seen from my concert shoots, forget those stories about bad low light performance. And my Panasonic LX100II may not be as rugged as the Olympus cameras, it has also proven to be reliable and capable of delevering good image quality and is my companion when I want travel really light. I have asbsolutely no regrets about switching to Micro Four Thirds.
Great video, Jimmy. 🙂 I love my Olympus and Lumix cameras and lenses. I am an over-enthusiastic amateur! But their small size, ruggedness and reliability count for a lot to me too. And the technological features and image quality are astounding. 😎
When is the photo walk in London happening? Hint! 😉
Paul 😎
I'm also a concert shooter (see my comment above), and coming form Canon FF DSLR, I've seen little difference in noise levels, without some serious pixel peeping, and I shoot in some really badly lit venues.
Having shot 8"x10" I still remember being flabbergasted about the color saturation of my first slide on a MacBeth light tray, both as-is and through an 8x magnifying loupe. The point of large format was precisely that: better saturation and gradation. Not necessarily a lot more sharpness. When we define an 85mm lens at 135 full frame as "portrait lens" then at 8"x10" you need a 600mm or so for the same angle of view. Which means that Depth of Field becomes so shallow that it is a problem rather than an advantage - and this is why "we" needed tilt/shift and Scheimpflug's Law to work with that. And f/128. And strobe packs starting at 1,200 Ws.
The point with "film" is grain - well not the grin itself, but the empty space between the grains that becomes visible when you blow your image up.
That reduces saturation and impacts the perception of gradation. And because a larger format needs less magnification, it retains the perception of saturation and gradation longer (*).
That doesn't happen in digital. In the sensor, photosites (the real sensors) practically border each other and the corresponding data elements in the raw file have no distance between them anymore. When we blow this up, we get to a point where we need more pixels than ar in the raw file. Here it becomes critical how this "invention of pixels" is done. I would call a basic version, "upscaling", and a more in-depth analysis that considers context, "upsampling". If we upsample a digital image, this has the effect of filling the empty space that we would have in film. The saturation we get in a print or on a large display depends in the first place on the upsampling algorithm and second on the quality of the display medium. We can convert a full frame image shot at 14 bits depth to 32 bits per channel in Photoshop and the improvement in gradation will surprise you, even on an 8 bits per channel monitor. The saturation we experience from the monitor/display really depends on how good that thing is (and its settings). With print, it depends on the paper and inks we use.
This is to say, I do not need to go to a larger format camera with more weight. Would I go smaller, to APS-C or MFT? No, I'm invested in full frame. But, the arguments above can be used against that choice.
Another related thing in "digital" is megapixels. People might coo for years about their 36MP being better than their 24MP before that. Well, human perception of sharpness (detail resolution) follows linear lines and MP are an area number. As MP are take from X * Y photosites in the sensor, linear comparison means we should not compare X*Y (=MP) between cameras, but one camera's X with another camera's X. If we want to see 2x better detail resolution, then we need 2X * 2Y = 4X*Y= 4MP. Yes, 96MP is two times as good as 24MP, in that sense. To turn that aournd, 60 is not a lot better than 24.
Ceteris paribus. With lenses that ar good enough to resolve the best of the two.
In full frame, that ceteris paribus requirement is however violated. A 24MP full frame camera typically has a fuzzy filter (AA filter, low pass filter). That makes raw processing easier, but reduces contour sharpness (and low light performance and color space and dynamic range). And the fuzzy filter causes vignetting. Especially when photosites get denser. At 36MP it does not really work anymore and we do not need it for raw processing any longer. Hence (as first) the Nikon D800E did away with that fuzzy filter - but it took some time for the likes of Adobe to modify their raw processing algorithm now the fuzzy filter was gone.
What's the point re MFT? Well, an APS-C Nikon D500 has no fuzzy filter because the photosites are as small as in a much higher MP full frame camera that has no fuzzy filter for that reason. And this improves sharpness (and make depth of field shallower). We can safely assume that MFT cameras have no fuzzy filter. This does mean however that everything being smaller, every optical thing has to be designed and manufactured to higher precision levels. As prices in many industries relate directly to the weight of the end product, MFT should be a lot cheaper, but, if applied, higher production precision will negate that in part.
And so a friend's G9 with an excellent MFT Leica zoom came very close to my Z 7ii with S-class prime.
(*) The exception in film was Kodachrome. It was only available in small format. This is a negative three layer black & white (B&W) film where the layers have either red, or green or blue sensitivity. The film would be B&W developed first and this developed negative was next saturated with red, green and blue color into each of the separate layers. This would completely fill the empty (negative) space. Next the exposed-developed silver was washed out and the result was an extremely saturated image with almost zero empty space. Some photographers liked this so much that they would shoot test images on polaroid with their Hasselblad and then shoot the real image with their Nikon or Leica on Kodachrome. With its peculiar tone, there was no better film to shoot the Masai in Africa, considering their skin tone, the earth, the landscape, their jewelry. His Kodachromes may have inspired Norman Rockwell to choose his color palette in his illustrations and paintings.
Some great wisdom and your personal photo journey history. I switched when the E-M5 was released. A year before I brought my wife a Pen camera. Maybe it was the E-P3. I found it very fun to use. So when the E-M5 was released I brought it and never look back.
My intro to MFT was the Panasonic G7 which I bought because I wanted a small camera that I could do both pictures and video on a trip to Alaska. I was impressed by the quality of the images and the ease of switching between pics and video. Over time, I went on to buy am Olympus E M1 II and started to buy more lenses. Then I bought a G9. Finally, I bought a Pen F. All of them get regular use even though I have FF systems from Canon, Nikon and Sony. The size and weight is a big factor, but if the picture quality wasn't there, I wouldn't use them.
Nice little video at the end too!
Cheers buddy
Id love to try an OM-5 or 1. I have a Ricoh GR3x, which i love, but would like to get a camera with interchangeable lenses. What i love about the GR is the image quality and portability, but not so much the lack of weather proofing or durability.
I, too, put a strong emphasis on reliability and ruggedness, and the fact that I can get very high quality with much less bulk and for nearly half the price is fantastic! However, the driving reason I switched to Olympus was that I could get all of that in a camera it simply felt better in my hand than any other camera I had ever held. Every time I pick up my Olympus, it feels not so much like a tool than an extension of myself, and that really supports the creative process and my overall enjoyment of photography.
Great video!!
Well Jimmy I still have and use my E-1, with over 100k shutter activations. Also still use a E-30. But for enlargements, is shoot with medium (film) and 4x5 .KB
Well done and very valid points. Canon to G9 for Sports/Action Photography....and haven't looked back.
Love your thinking Jimmy and this video has some great production values too. Love looking at your work too?
Thanks, Jimmy, for a great video explaining your decision to use Olympus/OM System cameras. I have the EM5 iii, and the OM-1 and I'm excited about the possibilities that this system has opened up for me. Please keep up the good work!
I've never had a reliability issue with any of my Leicas. The most i've had to do with type 262 was get the sensor cleaned. Old M8 did have a sensor flaw that was replaced in 3 months.
You may be lucky, I have my M240P frozen many times while I am shooting. I also had same issues with M10P. Of course, my mechanical M2 and M6 are fine (and reliable).
Back in my film only days I primarily shot weddings with medium format film cameras.
In 2011, I began using Olympus E-p1 and E-P3 micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras for weddings. I had very happy with my micro 4/3 lenses, image quality, and the size of my Olympus cameras but the bodies broke too often for me to rely on them for professional work.
In 2015, I switched from micro 4/3 mirrorless cameras to Fuji X-Pro APS-C mirrorless cameras.
I've used my non-weather-sealed E-M10 with 45/1.8 in the rain multiple times. Works till this day :)
Just switched fir the omd mkii. Fir all the reasons you just stated…. Love the smaller system large selection of lenses that won’t break the bank…
Yep, M4/3 is Great! (except in iso's above 1600 in low light -I'm using an Em1 mark i and Em10mark iii professionally) Versatile, enduring, light, you name it... Great video by the way ;) -as always-
Great video Jimmy! Recently switched to a G9 ( there was an offer too good to be true ), but my thoughts apply to both companies. Adore the size, the tactile experience, build quality, lack of bugs (looking at you Fujifilm), and I am blown away by the speed of focusing and the accuracy! Slowing adding consumer grade glass to broaden the kit, which surpasses, in image quality more expensive glass that I have used in the past. Reviewing images on a ten inch i-pad, I cannot perceive any noticable difference between my G9 and previous XT2....apart from more keepers as the IBIS is amazing! I agree the features in these amazing cameras broadens their appeal, and photographic skills. My only regret is not moving to the system years ago!
Your pictures are lovely.
You always talk sense Jimmy. My first MFT camera was the Panasonic GF1, which I still have. Now I’m using the OM1, mainly for bird photography. Cheers, David.
I started with my loved GH1 in fotography. Now i shoot with the GX8. My Last two Shootings i only used the GX8 an the 20mm f1.7... and yes, there ist a devil who visits me at night am whispers: "you need fullframe, you need the bokeh of an 85mm f1.4" ... But when i wake up, i Take my GX8 and i know why i Love it so much.
Ist tiny, it has an great Viewfinder and it is undestroyable...
I Hope so much, Panasonic will Bring a new gx10 or gx8 Mark 2 wich can ne an really alternative to my gx8 (maybe the om5?)
I still have my original model OM-D E-M5 which I use with a variety of Oly and Pan lenses. Every time I pick it up it makes me smile, it just feels so 'right' in my hand.
I also owned the original 5D, and I would not call it a “professional” camera. It was a consumer camera. The 1D series was the pro Canon.
What’s incredible about micro4/3 is we get pro build and reliability for consumer prices.
Underpinning most of Canon’s success was their marketing. Even when canon was in its hay day Nikon was a far superior product. Canon always short changed its consumer level users by deliberately reducing capabilities of their sensors by their firmware. Magic lantern was the first replacement firmware to provide irrefutable evidence to the world that this was the case. Anyway I’m just lovin my M43 collection.
@@prabhakarrao4922 same in the film era. Lots of bells and whistles on a Canon, but if you wanted rugged reliability for professional use, you bought a Nikon. AF reversed that, and it took Nikon 20 years to catch up again.
lol... no offence buddy, but Canon 5d is a professional camera. i.e a generation of photographers fed their families with the original 5d and their successors. and I own one today, as a Nikon fanboy, I can appreciate how good the original 5d is TODAY. I can guarantee you when it comes to image quality 2005 5D will beat any and every m43 camera.
@@arunashamal 😂🤣
Based on many of the comments on this video. Micro 4/3 is definitely still alive and kicking!
Love my em5 mkiii but my old em10mk 1 has a great flip screen which I much prefer. Great light cameras. Leave my Nikon d700 full frame at work for studio shots of products for web use. Olympus ibis is futuristic!
I’ve been using Olympus cameras for 30 years plus . Gave up Yashica and Canon and went digital when I went to Japan (used a UZ? With a 10*zoom)! Built up to an E3 system and on through all the EM range and now the OM-1 . I have these humble and amateur opinions Jimmy. Consistency ! The update procedure has always been iffy and open to misfortune although I am appreciative of the fact I can update camera and lens. The real consistent winners through the years are lens and camera construction - always top draw and now the sheer delight of image stabilisation! With the Olympus/OMD I feel I have the gear and potential to get the shot ,with colour, that I see/ want. Take care Jimmy.
I upgraded to FF for one reason: I missed the dreamy look of f1.2 on full frame. Proper eye tracking autofocus has been a bonus too for moving subjects.
I still love the experience of shooting with my Olympus gear though, so I’ve kept it for my casual/personal photography.
I achieve that "dreamy" look a different way using my Olympus, with the Mitakon 25mm f/0.95, Lensbaby 22.5mm f/3.5 tilt, and the weird looking Lensbaby Trio 28mm. True, it's not the same as f/1.2 on FF, but I've saved tons of $$$ in the process and my viewers can't tell (or believe) that I shot those on m4/3. 😄
@@Centauri27 sounds difficult to get eyes tack sharp with such a fast manual focus lens…especially if your subject is moving even a little…
@@Seanonyoutube Oh yes, I used this setup (as with all my manual lenses) for static subjects. I rarely shoot things that move anyway. As for difficulty in focusing, it's not much different from focusing with a FF 50mm f/1.8 (manually focusing that is).
@@Centauri27 yeah, I shoot families including children outside, so AF is critical for me.
Great summary Jimmy, and I agree totally with everything you said. Many people mistakenly think they need to buy the biggest and best if they're gonna bother to carry a real camera, otherwise they can just use their phones. But Micro Four Thirds actually combines the best of both worlds. True the FF bodies have gotten small enough to compete in size against m4/3, but the size and price of their pro-grade glass is astronomical. You can't beat the size, weight, and selection of lenses for m4/3!
Thanks Jimmy, I have a lumix system, G90, GX8 and some glass. I am from old school 35mmfilm but took the plunge a couple of years ago and am also enjoying video work (many reason for choose the Panasonic gear!) I have started editing in Resolve 17 and am enjoying it, but quite a learning curve. Always enjoy you vids and feel more contented with my system what with all the NON BELIEVERS! 🤣 Lots of gear reviewers out there, not so many good photographs!
Best.
Martyn
When I studied photography in the 70's most of the students were using Nikon cameras - F and nikkormat models. When I went to buy my camera I was shown the relatively new OM-1. The smaller size and weight, and fine build quality immediately appealed to me. I have been using Olympus ever since for small format work. The image quality of M4/3 is certainly better than anything 35mm film can produce.
My first digital slr was an Olympus E-1 with a 14-54 Zuiko lens. I also have the 11-22mm and 40-150mm lenses, and recently added a 12-60mm. Great system, but not the smallest or lightest. I also have a Nikon D810 full frame, and of course the same comments about size and weight apply.
I also have an EM-10 Mk II and an EM-1 Mk I. Plus I have just bought an EM-1 Mk III on eBay. Various lenses as well Due to the small size and low weight of MFT, they of course make ideal travel cameras.
I'm going on 6 mos. I bought my first Olympus digital camera, an E-M5 Mark II, after receiving an Olympus 35 RC film camera from a neighbor. I fell in love with the solid feel of these cameras despite their small size. Now I'm hooked. Although, I love all the cameras, there is something special about the feel of the E-M5 Mark II that is special, and I've held hundreds of cameras. Micro Four Thirds is definitely not dead and is such a fun system because it is weather sealed, relatively inexpensive, and most importantly compact which means I reach for it over my APS-C or Full Frame cameras. I'm thinking of buying a second E-M5 Mark II rather than 'upgrading' to an E-M1 series or OM-1...although an extra 4 MP would be nice
The E-m5 mark iii would get you the extra 4MP and the lighter weight of the original E-m5. Newer electronics might be a plus also.
This is the video i needed this week as I have GAS for full frame gear again. To get most of the features I love from my EM1ii I have to spend so much money for the equivalent modern Full Frame body.
Went shooting yesterday with my kids and I exposed for the sky at sunset. I was able to recover A LOT in post. Paired with simple prime lenses and I get pretty good bokeh. I’m also doing client studio headshots and it holds up
Very well. I am and remain pleased.
I wish you would expand on your statement at 9:27 about “not being a photoshop guy, I take what I get”. I feel the same way, knowing raw files will need some editing, and that it is sometimes fun to try some more expressive edits. It would be interesting to hear how you walk that fine line.
Would love to take you on a tour of the Desert Southwest!
Forgot I used to have a Fuji s5pro, amazing jpegs and colours plus to ok Nikon lenses. So so slow though. Great camera for portraits.
I perfectly understand you man, I'm in the same journey, just I was shooting with Nikon DSLR, before switching. The Canon was a couple of years before that :)
Hello Jimmy have been watching your video's for some time now and I have two the Olympus OM-D E-M1
and the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs I went of photography for about three years then my boss asked me to get him a replacement for his Sony that had broken so I got him a Nikon 1 J1 and thought my Nikon D800 had a broken shutter so get something smaller to take photos on the street and it not look huge. So took a look at the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs it was at a nice price new with kit lens extra lens in November of 2022 and started taking photo's again first in auto for a week or so then went manual there is nothing I wound change with the first camera so then got hold of a Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the battery pack at a very nice price this was just before me and the wife went to wales so only had the camera about four weeks now thinking of getting the Olympus OM-D E-M1X and a nice pro lens you may thing I am mad but that's me so I shall save for that now and us the two I have for now ps the Olympus OM-D E-M1 seems to have a sharper image that the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs although they both have the same sensor sorry for going on lol PS now a number three Olympus OM-D E-M1X kind regards Howard Rollinson
I'm using a Nikon D5100 which is APS-c format. A few years back I did have a chance to shoot with a Panasonic G85 with a 12mm to 60mm lens. I pushed the camera to the limits with stills and videos, it performed impressively. It almost made me switch from APS-c th M4/3, but in the end I stuck with my Nikon. Still, there are times I wish I had the lighter weight and in body image stabilization.
I essentially started with Olympus with the GE X5, then EPL1 then Nikon D70, D90, D700 then Sony A mount (A99) then back to the OMD and there I will stay. My actual first camera was a Kodak instamatic.
Yes, I'm missing out on resolution with a m43 camera (the new GH6 has 25 MP, and there are APS-C cameras with 20 MP out there - so it is actually not that different anymore), and low-light performance is worse. Overall, prices (especially for good lenses) are decent, and weight is considerably lower. And I do get some neat features "on top", like the pixel-shift high-res mode (and yes, I do actually appreciate and use it). I now and again look around for another system, but I'm never satisfied with what I would get - there's always something that my current system is already capable off, and what would cost me a lot of money to get with another system. As I'm currently quite happy with my Pen F (my only gripe is the lack of weather sealing), I most likely stay with m43 (if I want it really large, I go 4"x5" on film, not those hilariously tiny MF sensors … 😁).
I'm just a beginner hobbyist and recently got second hand gear - OM-D E-M1 mk2 , 14-40 f/2.8 , 100-400 f/5-6.3 and Micro 60mm f / 2.8 . This covers all my needs, i wanted to shoot wildlife and macro and this costed me like 1/3 the price i would've paid for something with a bigger sensor. The camera body is absolutely professional grade, the lenses are very small and great quality , much cheaper than the competition for bigger sensors. The only reason i could switch to something else is if they stop supporting the format
I have owned MFT cameras since 2013 but decided to transfer to a Fuji XT-3 this year mainly due to the lack of lenses for MFT here and also I felt the more analogue fell of the Fuji was easier for me to come to terms with I just dont like scrolling through menus to make changes.
However The body and 18-55 and 55-200 lenses weigh considerably more than the GH2 and 4 lenses.
Whilst I now have a higher resolution sensor this was not a reason for the change.
On a side issue I was pleased to see you are still posting videos. I though the one from the other week was your swan song.
Great stuff and keep em coming
You really mix a lot of arguments and yes, I sold my work done with Olympus gear over years to clients, too. But thats not a real argument. Also the size factor. When I see you sitting there with that big lens on you OM I asked you - size, really!? A lot of the mFT Pro lenses are surprisingly big for what they are. I bought an A7RI with a 50mm F1.8 to test the system 8 years ago and used it in parallel and the quality the Sony delivered, compared to Olympus and Canon 5D MKII was astonishing, even with the cheap lens.
I loved mFT for the smaller lenses (9-18mm, 40-150mm F4-5.6, 45mm F1.8, 25mm F1.4 etc) but they completely gave up to build more smaller stuff, instead they focused on big and heavy gear. Thats the total opposite of what they're claiming. An OM-1 is nothing else like my A7RIII in size and weight. Lenses like an Pana/Leica 25mm F1.4 II are way more expensive like a cheap 50mm F1.8 but you don't get a better perfomance, as they gave up updating their lenses. And then comes the point, where you put expensive F1.2 lenses infront of a mFT sensor and there the story ends. When I have to pack may bag with Oly lenses, I'm to close to FF now. Take the 40-150mm F2.8. I use a Tamron 70-180mm on a 42mpix sensor, where you hit a button on the camera and you're in APS-C mode so this thing gets a 270mm at the end and you still have the amount of pixels you just get from mFT. Same size, 50g more. Do the same with an A7RIV and it's 60mpix sensor and crop manually even further. I put the super leightweight and cheap 85mm F1.8 on and have two lenses in one, as I hit the APS-C button and this thing gets an 127mm.
OM today, is just about the IBIS and the computaional photography. They're in an own league in this department but the rest is gone. If someone tells me, yeah but you can use smaller bodies and lenses, I just answer do you tryed an RX100VII or G5XMKII? The image quality is to close to mFT, as they offer ISO100/125, but I put them in my pocket. And think about that, I sell pictures that are shot with these cameras to big companies and agencies, too.
Recently XH2S seems making some huha over about computational photography. Wish there's a comparison video on that beast with om system.
I came from canon 5D MK III to MK IV to lumix GH4 then the G9 plus the OM-1. I’ve held onto the G9 as I’ve taken it through freezing cold and tropical forests and it has never let me down. Right now I’m getting to know my OM-1. Both are amazing cameras.I’m in my late 60’s and started in photography with the Minolta XD7 which served amazing well till mid 1990’s! Superb build quality & reliability I must say. The Canons alas I was never really happy with except the 5D mk 3 with magic lantern firmware. The 5D mk IV had all sorts of issues with purple banding which Canon Repair in New Zealand refused to do anything about although there is so much evidence that individual units had these issues and in many cases canon USA had simply replaced the affected units or repairs them. Moving on… with the G9 & OM-1 I am totally satisfied and don’t really see any need for an upgrade. The OM-1 is amazing in low light conditions and far surpasses any of the Canons I e ever owned.
What an excellent video Jimmy. I was lucky enough to get an “open-box” OM-1 from Wex a month ago while I still have my Sony A1 and 200-600mm etc. I got myself a used 300mm Olympus and loved it. Like you said, you have to weigh up all the pros and cons. For me, with bad arthritis in my legs, the Sony system was punishing to carry. The Olympus is so unbelievably easy to walk around with! Admittedly, I still wish the images were of a slightly higher resolution for cropping flexibility but the quality of the images I’m capturing have far more detail than I achieved with the Sony. I’m sure it’s because of the better image stabilisation. Like you, my overall feeling about photographing with this smaller system has made me feel a joy and excitement about taking photos that I haven’t felt for ages. I just grab the camera and hang it on my shoulder whenever I go out for a walk and I’m always ready. I found the opinions of you and Mike Lane very compelling in deciding to switch and I have now booked pickup of my remaining Sony gear by MPB. Thanks for your superb channel Jimmy, peace!
I was considering selling my main MFT camera (Lumix G9) to buy a Lumix S5. I would still have my Olympus M5 Mark. III for MFT but after editing some files from my G9 last night, I remembered how much I love the look of MFT. Sometimes images can look like paintings and I love that charm. I’ll have to get similar photos with my M5 Mark III and see if the Sony MFT sensor in the Olympus will get me a similar look. If so then I may sell my G9 anyways and dwell into full frame. I’m young so I really want to explore full frame before I settle back into MFT. And the Lumix S5 is the best bang for buck in full frame just like the Lumix G9 and Olympus M1 Mark II are the best bang for buck in the MFT system.
By all means explore FF, but to give µ4/3 its due, you really should explore the best glass the format has to offer. Like: M.Zuiko 75/1.8, technically produces the best image quality for the format. Followed by the Leica 42.5/1.2 Nocticron. Any of the M.Zuiko Pro series of lenses, and the various Leica primes and zooms as well…
…
@@Superz3ro I own the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 (which isn’t as sharp as the underdog 12-45mm f/4), Leica 8-18mm, Leica 25mm f/1.4 II, Olympus 17mm f/1.8, and the underrated Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R II. Along with the Pergear 25mm f/1.8 which is amazing value for the money. I have owned the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 but had to sell it because I needed the money. I have considered buying it again and I won’t have to wonder what it’ll be like because I know first hand how amazing it is.
But that money being put towards the Leica 42.5mm could be put towards the Lumix S5 with a Lumix S 35mm f/1.8.
I have a Panasonic s1 and it is spectacular for photography. It has the best image quality of any camera I have used, but it doesn't help me get better pictures. It does help me in low light or with night photography and it also helps with depth of field. I shoot Micro Four Thirds most of the time, but full frame has definitely been useful too! Each system has benefits, it is whether or not you have the need to utilize those specific things. I have the Sigma Art 14-24mm art for the S1. The images out of that pair are amazing! but it weighs as much as a tank! haha
I have Fuji XT2 but find myself using my OMD EM1 2 more and more. Considering another lens purchase or maybe an upgrade to the OMD EM1 3 given the price reduction but not really sure if I need the minor improvements
hmm great points except Ive had 2 screens fail on MFT cameras...specifically both with fully articulating screens. yes you guessed it the ribbon came loose in the camera...dont try to fix yourself!
I just want help getting things right with my external Feelworld FHD screen, I just get a screen for watching photos. Need to mirror the lcd screen
You need to set the HMDI output in the menu. But depends on which cameras features may be limited.
@@Red35Photography I turned Time code off and on and suddenly it worked. Strange stuff
Thanks for a great video. I agree with you about Micro Four Thirds. I have been shooting on Micro Four Thirds since I bought the Olympus EP1 in 2010. I have no complaints with the results from any of my Olympus and Panasonic cameras. Extreme low light and astro photography is the only area I really notice a difference. The only photographer who could benefit from full frame is a pro that specializes in low light photography or one that needs extra large prints 3ft and bigger. I have a full frame Panasonic S1. The low light performance is substantially better than any of my Olympus cameras, but I also have a gh5 that I end up choosing much more than the S1 because of the feel and portability of the system. I started with a Canon DSLR like you and I agree that photography is more about the image captured than the quality of the pixels with a large print. I love Olympus colors and their cameras are fantastic. I shoot mainly Panasonic now because of video, but one thing is for sure......I'm not a Canon fan anymore. The image from the OMD em5 and the OMD em1 is my favorite of all the Micro Four Thirds sensors. It has a very film like look to it. Thanks for a heartfelt realistic video.
I came from Pentax. As a compact companion i once bought a Ricoh GR but i didn't become a wide-angle fan. Then i bought a Lumix GX800 with 12-32mm and was amazed at the quality. The small zoom was much better than my Pentax zoom. The "big" Pentax DSLR then just lay at home and i soon switched completely to Olympus MFT also because i didn't want a DSLR anymore. I also love the 4:3 aspect ratio.
I love OMD - EM1 mk 1; mk 2; mk 3 and Pen F from 2014 onwards . . . before that I had E-1; E-400 then E-3 and before that E-10 and E-20 . . . and even before that 2* OM-4 and OM-1 so I have been an Olympus user since the early 1970s . . . and now I MUST BUY the new OM-1 . . . but where can I buy one, I cannot find it anywhere!
I went M43 in 2010, never looked back, the compact form and ability to use my M series Leitz lenses clinched the deal (I moved from Canon)
Panasonic Lumix user her. Congratulations!
Technology nerds don't necessarily gravitate to best of best image quality. Computational photography is what got my attention with Olympus. I was looking at Fujifilm back in 2017 because of looks and sensor size and pixel resolution. Went in a camera store and saw the Mark II of E-M10, 5 & 1 next to the Fujifilm. Didn't like the button and dial feel of the Fujifilm after I played with the E-M5 & 1. Saw the interesting features that didn't exist in any other camera. Then I was totally impressed with what the E-M10 Mark II had for the price. Spent a half a day there and probably the salesman didn't think I was going to buy anything. Bought the E-M10 Mark II with the lens kit, two more lenses, flash and an extra battery that day. Well... I got more than that now and don't regret it.
Micro Four Third is a GEM! For it's compact size and ruggedness. I believe that computational photography is the future and AI based processing is the way forward which is something that is already being implemented on higher end MFTs and personally think that this feature like the IBIS is better implemented on smaller bodies with smaller sensor which will be revolutionary. That being said I enjoy using my EM5 Mark III with a wide variety of compact and versatile lenses that micro four third provides! Cheers 🍻
Hi Jimmy. What a great video and so very true. I'm a former UA-camr who had a small, mostly photography, channel. I focused on camera techniques and discouraged my viewers from thinking that they always had to buy the latest camera. Is it any surprise that I was WAY down on any UA-cam search... even if someone specifically searched for my name!
I am an enthusiast photographer who does side-gig professional work because people like my photos. Being a camera junkie I had a lot of different brands of cameras (even Pentax). For my professional work, I use FF cameras (first Nikon, now a Canon 5D IV), but mostly because I'm so comfortable with the bodies, and it is easy to adjust them on the fly because of this. I don't want to look in a manual when I'm doing work for someone.
However, I have always used smaller cameras for my hobby/travel stuff. For years I used an Olympus PL2 and then an EM10 (original). I loved those cameras! Lately, I have been using a Canon M6 Mark II, which I also love. My switch away from Olympus was more about trying something new than anything else. Recent cameras are smarter, but I think that you can do just about anything with cameras as old as my Nikon D300 (I think that one came out in 2008). My D300 still works great after all of these years (although I don't use it very much anymore for no particular reason). For me the biggest real advances in new cameras are their video functions. I left video to do still photography in the late 1990s (strange, I know), so having the latest video features is not that important to me.
Yes, newer cameras have intelligent autofocus, but I can focus a camera. Yes, newer cameras have gigantic pixel counts, but I rarely need more than 12 MP, and often less. I do a lot of photography for the web and many of those images have to be reduced to less than 2 MP.
I have shot many events with excellent results using cameras in the 12-22 MP range (I shot events with a Nikon D700, and a Nikon D3 then a Canon 5D III, and now a Mark IV). I don't need 30 fps to do the limited sports shots that I do. Much of the "number" advances in cameras just slow me down by giving me too many images to sort that are also too bloated in size.
I love to shoot nature/landscapes and old small towns and having a lightweight camera is a must. My current Canon M6 II lens collection isn't pro-quality, but I still make pretty awesome images with them. It is more about seeing things differently than anything else I can easily sling a small camera on my side and go hiking. In addition, people don't take much notice when I'm shooting in a small town if I'm using a camera that doesn't look too threatening.
Keep up your thoughtful and excellent videos. Thank you for saying what experienced photographers know. I hope this video finds it way to some newbies who have been convinced that they have to spend 10K for a body and a few lenses to make nice photos, as this is not true. There are so many used cameras out there, and awesome lens systems that are inexpensive and that will do just about anything that you want them to do with a little planning and thought. Heck, I can take great photos with my iPhone, however, I miss the controls and the ability to add accessories-which hinder me from doing my best work.
Cheers
Mike (Dr. Mike of Savvy Savvy and the drmikekuna blog)
I wonder if OM has good potential in paparazzi camera market as it’s small, sneaky, reliable and telephoto friendly.
In terms is size some clients do feel small camera suggests unprofessional photographers. This is the image that hard to change. It is so in Asia not sure in US.
Hi Jimmy. Nice video clip as always. Just got back from a wildlife trip to Romania. One lady in our small group had the OM-1. I am still waiting for mine on a pre order at the beginning of March. In addition my 150-400mm pro lens is still with OM Systems since April
concerning issues of focus between camera and lens. As a M 4/3rds user with EM1 mark iii cameras and a variety of lenses including 300mm and 40-150mm etc etc I would have expected a more prompt response. Shame I do not get Gold Prestige membership as I do with Porto Bay hotel group or Silver Executive membership as I have with British Airways with continual use and with appropriate priority and advantages. Not over impressed with OM Systems response at the moment. They should have more consideration for their regular customers. When are you doing a photo walk ?? Peace 😊😊
You should get a quicker response for sure. I am not sure how OM works at the moment as their customer service/repair centre is still overwhelmed by all the transitioning. But I am not in that department and wouldn't know much. But hope you get a reply soon. Photowalk is happening and I just posted a poll in the community page asking which Sunday is best for people.
I think m4/3 got bad rep from Panasonic’s poor autofocus. It’s the reason I switched to Sony full frame as my main choice. However I recently picked up my em1m2 and forgot how amazing that camera was.
iI do alot of very very low light street work and the question that concerns me is noise and loss of detail in faces while doinf street work in available light. what are your thoughts and experiences?
I enjoy videos like this. I shoot Panasonic and love using both the cheaper and the Leica lenses. Reliability and quality are hard to beat. I live in the Philippines and cameras and lenses need to survive monsoons and 100% humidity.
I currently have a Canon 5D Mk iv along with the 24-70 and 70-200 lenses and some primes. But I was recently given a 12 megapixel Panasonic GF1 with 20mm f1.7 lens. I enjoyed using it so much that I decided to buy a used E-M1 original release. I love it too. It came used with a 14-42mm kit lens at just $420 CDN. And I'm testing a used 60mm macro for purchase consideration. I'm seriously considering offloading the Canon gear and purchasing a good used E-M1 Mk ii and some serious pro lenses. My thoughts are the 8-25mm and 12-100mm zooms and a 45mm prime. That would pretty much mimic what I have in full frame. I expect that I'd be pretty happy with that setup. Can anyone weigh in on this and give some thoughts. Would I really see a benefit in moving to a Mk iii when my focus is still photography landscapes and macro? I may not even require a macro based on some of the close focusing that the 8-25 can produce and I have seen some close up work shot using the 100mm FL of the bigger zoom that were stunning!
I am getting more shots that are sharp in some cases, especially hand held macro work. Yes, I may miss the 30.4 megapixels, but by how much. If I take my time and learn to compose better the lower resolution should never really be an issue. In fact it shouldn't be an issue anyway now that software has been developed that can mitigate any of these concerns.
M43 is a truly underestimated format that we should just learn to love for what it is. I wish that I'd had the foresight to go Oly when I went Cany a few years ago.
Good lens choices. I would add the 30 mm macro for flowers etc stationary macro photos.
I think whether original E-M1 or E-M1 III is good enough for you really depends on your shooting style for those genres. You could definitely notice a difference whenever IBIS comes in handy and whenever you need better low-light/high ISO performance. For example, good IBIS (E-M1 II / E-M5III upwards & newer) is really helpful when doing macro handheld, but mostly irrelevant when using a tripod.
So! lately been shooting with the D750 and the 23-120mm, but had dust spots!!!! NEVER with the Oly cams!
Clean your sensor, dust spots can happen with any digital camera and are caused by changing your camera lenses in a dusty environment or not making sure your lens is clean before attaching it to your camera.
Question ..,,Will the development of AI either in software or in camera w/ M43 OM Systems and Panasonic be equal to FX Nikon or similar Canon results . I feel that Pixel may be more of selling point people want more , but can you tell the difference ????
I picked up my first professional camera in 1970 while stationed in Japan. It was a Nikomat w/43-86mm zoom. I stuck with Nikon for over 50 years but age lack of mobility and reduced income led me to Olympus in Feb of this year! I still have my Nikomat which sits in a place of honor in my home. I can honestly say that my used EM-1 mkii is a professional grade camera and has brought the joy of photography back! The image quality is beyond reproach! The size, weight and features are outstanding. Combine this with built in image stability and I have a platform that is far better than what I was using! The resolution is a perfect combination that results in reasonable file sizes, image quality, and the ability to provide prints any client would be proud to display!
Wow only 6 years. I started with an E-510 and then an e-5. I got you by a decade or so.
My wish for MFT, is to have s camera like a Fuji XF70, or GR3. Tiny camera with a fixed lens, I will dream on.
Yes, Micro 4/3 is highly and macroly "Sticky"!
And the legend goes on.
Does perfectionism come into play anywhere in there?
Using m43 as my secondary system (in addition to full frame) for a good compromise between size, image quality and cost.
If I could wish for more it would be high speed AF on par with full frame flagships like Sony A1, Nikon Z9 and better cross brand compatibility for in lens stabilisation between Olympus and Panasonic.
A small upgrade in resolution to 24mp and slightly more dynamic range (say 0.5 to 1 stop more) wouldn't hurt too.
And finally - Olympus should bring out the E-PM3. A mini body with the latest technology.
But overall, happy camper.
Great Video!! I think those who wander the photo channels on UA-cam endlessly need to understand the brands or formats should just be a ...State of Mind,,, for lack of a better way to say it. I was looking to replace the Leica film cameras I had in the 90s. I looked at the Sony NEX cameras when they came out, but the early lenses and the controls were a joke. I ran across some people using micro 4/3 gear and they had an OMD em 1 and some Panasonic Leica lenses and I knew I had found my place. I bought a 15mm 1.7 Panasonic before I had M4/3 body. I imagine it was similar to what drew you to the system... you just know it when you find it. If M4/3 doesn't fit that for you,, find what does and go shooting. For me.. this fits my price, size and performance comfort zones.. with features that enhance the way I shoot.
Rugged reliability. For sure. I go on long hikes in the backcountry of New Zealand. A couple of weeks ago I had to cross a big river a few times. I wrapped up all electronic gear deep in my pack for some deep crossings, like nipple height. That worked. On my way back I didn't bother wrapping my Olympus M5 Mark III with pro 12-45 zoom that was around my neck. Unfortunately, I found myself swimming and the camera went underwater for at least a minute. Yikes!! It took a day to dry out properly, and the EVF fogged up, but it seems to have worked normally from that point on. That was a fair test for the waterproofing, although I don't recommend this experience. Stabilisation helps take excellent images in the forest gloom.
Kinda like my old OM1n that I used for about 20 years, in New Guinea jungles for 5 months, etc. And that was after I lent the poor camera to my brother and he managed to rip the back off. I had it Gaffer taped up for about ten years, but other than being a pain to swap my slide film, it produced great images.
My personal beef with m43 is the existence of fujifilm. X-S10 has same body size, good stabilisation, small lenses and waaay better sensitivity and dynamic range. M43 has even smaller lenses and longer zooms but anemic light sensitivity and weaker processor made me switch to fujifilm. I like it a lot better. Not even talking about overcomplicated menu system in Olympus
Great video. Which Olympus camera(s) do you shoot your video on?
OM-1 :)
13:50 I spy a shot in Lisbon, am I wrong?
Yes, good eyes!!!