Support my channel by purchasing this printable PDF digital calendar: garyw.website/2023calendar Feel free to jump to any part of this video: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Mistake 1 - Choosing only pro level cameras/lenses 03:08 Mistake 2 - Using only one brand of Micro Four Thirds brands 05:08 Mistake 3 - Not checking out older cameras and lenses 07:01 Mistake 4 - Not bringing M43 camera when you go out 10:14 Mistake 5 - Planning to switch to other camera formats
My friend took the Sony A7C over her Olympus E-M5 Mark III because it was just as compact and she reasoned that Tamron lenses for Sony were about the same price as the Olympus Pro lenses. She sold off all her M43 equipment but realized she didn't like how big the Tamron lenses and the quality was not the same. She came back to Olympus.
I keep both systems but i don't get why you'd use m5 which is not compact at all for a mft, not to mention those ugly panasonic. I replaced my m10 with ep7 just because it was a bit smaller.
@@cristibaluta EP7 is a beautiful camera but it's not available in the States. I don't think she was going for the ultimate smallest camera body but it was more about high quality small f/2.8 lenses. That's why I had said she didn't like how big the Tamron lenses and the quality was not the same. Nothing to do with the camera body. Also, while the EP7 is nice, no EVF, phase detection, weather sealing, Pro Capture and focus stacking. Lots of compromises to go with the smallest body. All things both of us like to use that isn't available with the EP7 or the EM10.
@@RobShootPhotos Yeah, the price was high for all this missing features, they don't matter to me though but the sh1t plastic quality does unfortunately.
Very sensible points. Totally agree as a newcomer to MFT. I still like FF but MFT is fun and practical. May I add two points: 1. I don't like changing lenses in the field as it takes time and junk will always find its way onto the sensor. With the size of MFT systems, I can carry say an OM-5 with a 12-40 f2.8 as my main camera and another camera with a complimentary lens, say a PEN-PL8 with 9mm f1.7. This way I grab and shoot, no slowing down, no barrier of changing lenses and no risk of dirt on sensor. This is largely possible because MFT is so small, especially the lenses. 2. It's all about perspective. I've been into photography since 1980, when I carried around a Pentax K1000 with a 50mm f2 lens, eventually I added other lenses but Pentax always made small, sensible offerings. My MFT camera system in 2023, say the OM-5 with 12-40, is lighter, smaller, yet still more robust than anything film camera could have ever been. Moreover, the image quality at base or high ISO is far better than anything I could have achieved with film or slides - this is true whether you're talking about resolution, colour accuracy, dynamic range or aberrations. Film will plenty good enough for many generations, and MFT surpasses that. Do many need more than what MFTs is capable of? I doubt it. Carry on and click, click, click.
I've had the GX85 for almost a year and haven't played with it much. It's my first personal camera, after being fortunate enough to have been provided a Nikon Z7 for years for my job in Public Affairs with the National Guard. I've been comparing the GX85 to it all the time and thinking it's not good enough, to the point I keep looking at the Lumix S5iiX. But you are 100% on the money, even when I brought my Z7 with me when I traveled, not for work, I hated hauling it with me. Hated it. It sat in my hotel room most of the time. This video has really made me excited to just buckle down and play with my GX85 daily to get better. Travel/street photography is all I do, so I have no need for anything more. Now to just learn what lenses will best suit my needs. Thank you so much for this video! I am truly excited to learn my camera now.
I've shot with e-m10 with the 25 and 45 primes for almost 10 years. But lately, I felt the itch to go bigger. So, I got the OM-1 with 12-40 and 40-150 pro :) Now I can still do pocketable - with one of the primes, or a little bit bigger with the pro stuff. Still way lighter than my friends with FF. The best proof is that I have my camera with me at all times, while my friends keep theirs at home.
Hi Gary, agree with many points here, I own an E-M5 III (owned a GX9 before) with 15 and 42.5mm f/1.7 Panasonic and 75mm f/1.8 Olympus. I "lost" the aperture ring on the 15mm but whatever, if I had a 17mm f/1.8 Olympus I wouldn't have it, and the dual-IBIS on the 42.5mm but it doesn't really matter for what I do with it. I think one of the biggest mistake is to think that micro 4/3 is only good for wildlife and sport because of the crop factor. It's a fact, larger sensors are better in low-light situations, for wildlife and some sports you often have to deal with bad light, lenses with small apertures (above 100mm, it's hard to find better than f/2.8 or even f/4) and a fast shutter speed. But the good question is not "is a bigger sensor better?", yes it is, but "when can you tell the difference for what you do?". The more you increase ISO the more you can see it, and obviously the less you increase ISO the less you can see it. So when you use "standards" lenses, between 12 and 100mm (24 to 200 equivalent in FF), for landscapes, street or even portraits when you don't need a very fast shutter speed and can have at least f/2 lenses, micro 4/3 is a really good option. Except if you start to buy really fast primes or zooms like 42.5mm f/1.2 or 10-25mm f/1.7, because it costs and weighs the same or even more than FF equivalents. If you plan to do this, it's a better option to switch to a bigger format. Another little mistake is to say that APS-C is great and not far from FF but micro 4/3 is not enough because it's too small...micro 4/3 is 17x13mm, APS-C is 23x15 and FF is 36x24, basically if you think APS-C is enough, micro 4/3 is almost as enough (height 13mm against 15mm, it's not such a big difference). APS-C is bigger mostly because it has a 3:2 ratio. So yes, if you look at the same resolution, APS-C is not much better than micro 4/3 with high ISO, if you really want better high ISO performance FF or MF are better choices. Adding the fact that, Fujifilm apart, other brands in APS-C are really limited with APS-C lenses and you have to buy FF lenses (which don't loose their weights or cost less if you have an APS-C camera ^^), micro 4/3 with f/2.8-f/4 zooms and f/1.7-f/2 primes is a better option to have a compact, light and polyvalent camera than APS-C or FF. Sadly, the disrespect for micro 4/3 didn't help the sells and it's hard for Panasonic and Olympus (not really anymore, as they sold to JIP and became OM System) to plan some investments for the future in this format.
Alex, great points! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I think what you said are true, MFT isn't just for sport, and also APS-C isn't that much bigger than MFT. I hope MFT gets more love in the future 😁
@@Gary_W Thanks Gary 😉, even if I'm afraid the MFT situation won't change in the future as long as everybody keeps saying that APS-C is much bigger without having and idea of the real sensor sizes (when you see the hype for R7/R10...) and only see the crop factor as a wildlife advantage 🙄. Photography is not a matter of gear but if those saying that just knew how it works they would see how much it's not a matter, how better MFT is in many ways and would buy less APS-C and FF 😅.
@@mvhan911 Better reactivity, better built, better AF especially for low-light and less huntings, pixel shift, pro capture...for the price I can only complain about the EVF, not better and even a little worse.
Great video -- I agree 100% with everything you said -- only I would add one more HUGE mistake, and that would be basing one's camera system needs by comparing everything at 100% on a computer screen. I have photos on line, photo prints hanging on my studio walls and around my home, and prints in exhibits -- and not a single image is anywhere near a 100% crop of the original. Those images include shots made with a 6X7 Bronica Medium Format System and shots made with a 5 MP Olympus E-1 Four Thirds Camera, as well as shots made with current model Olympus m4/3's camera bodies. Not a single person could tell me which was shot with which system. I recently obtained a very clean used Olympus Digital Pen-F, and don't know if I've ever had so much fun with a camera -- and that's what really matters to me.
Good points. I have a G9 and GX85. I rarely use the latter, but only because I got it for my wife. It produces excellent results even with the 12-32 and 45-150 "kit" lenses. I also mix and match lenses (Lecia 8-18 and 100-400, Lumix G-X 35-100 f/2.8, Oly 60mm Macro, and Mitakon 25mm f/0.95). The only potential downside is that "non-native" lenses don't get the benefit of dual IS (but those last two lenses have no IS anyway and the G9 has 6.5 stops of IBIS). With regard to IQ, even 1" sensors can produce stellar prints in most conditions (and 1/2.3" sensors/phones can work well except in really bad conditions). Anything larger than MFT is beyond overkill (especially with amazing software such as DxO DeepPRIME and Topaz DeNoise). The whole point of MFT is that it's so small and light that you can take it anywhere. Now, there are times when any ILC is impractical (such as walking dogs), in which case I'll take my Lumix FZ1000 "bridge" camera (as it's easy to shoot one-handed and changing lenses with dogs is problematic) and I get amazing shots with that (but "only" in the 25-400mm range and it's not weatherproof). I bring my entire G9 kit (16-800mm EFL) on trips and it all fits into a small sling bag that weighs about 5kg (including batteries, filters, flash, etc, plus an Oly TG-5). "Trading up" to larger formats is a fool's errand. Your photos won't be any better and you'll get fewer as you won't want to carry all that bulky, heavy stuff as often or as long.
Thank you for the comment and for adding some good points! That is really the beauty of MFT, I agree with what you said, it really hits the right spot of size, performance, and quality. Cheers! 😁
I moved to m43 from FF. Find it liberating, have G9 and a GX880 and can always have a camera with me and both use the same lenses. FF came out with me rarely due to size, so any benefits were mute. M43 is ideal for the enthusiast photographer who fits their hobby around life vs going out specifically to shoot. With small fast lenses and superior IBIS on G9 I find m43 fine in low light and rarely need more than 1600 iso. DoF with the excellent Olympus 45mm f1.8 is more than shallow enough for me. Keep up the good work Gary 👏
I have a Nikon D5600, a Panasonic G80 and a 12 year old Panasonic FZ 38 which works as well as the day i bought it. I can take very good images with all of them. The quality of the G80 matches the D5600 and the old FZ38 can produce amazing results that come very close to the other two. Totally agree that you don't have to have the biggest and best.
You have made some great points Gary! When I was younger, I was able to use larger cameras and zoom lenses, but now I am content to stay with the MFT system. Looking back on my progress as a serious amateur photographer, I see that some of my best photos were taken with either an Olympus or a Panasonic camera. And even though new MFT cameras have some fantastic specs and features, I think two of the best ever made are the Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark 1 and the Panasonic GH4. I own a Panasonic system, and I am comfortable with it. The only additions I plan to make are perhaps the Olympus 75mm and Panasonic 9mm lenses. For the kind of photography I do, MFT works just fine.
@@sadeqsegaraga8766 When it came out, it had a great combination of size, IBIS, weather sealing and feature set. It was a big step up from the E-PL series I had been using. Of course, newer cameras have updated sensors and capabilities, but the Mark 1 was great in its time.
Thank you Daniel for the kind comment! EM5I and GH4 are both classic cameras and I really respect these cameras! They are quite revolutionary during that time, and even today they are still relevant. Thanks for sharing, cheers! 😁
@@danielcaudillmedia one big thing the e-m5i is missing though, is the Focus Peaking! I do agree with you, it was great when it came out, but it was indeed the only 5 axis IBIS camera, with no focus peaking, and for that reason, I can't consider it as best ever made. I could live with the lower resolution screens, but missing peaking makes me take e-m5i off the list of cameras I would suggest to anybody. I would suggest an e-m10ii before I would the e-m5i, because of focus peaking. The e-m5ii was a pretty big step up from the e-m5i, while keeping the extremely great build quality.
@@dublbude I didn't say the EM5 was the best ever made. My point was that, for its time, and the manner in which I used it, it had a combination of features that made it a great camera. Even DP Review stated that "The E-M5 is, without question, the most accomplished Micro Four Thirds camera we've yet seen."
Thanks for the video. A few years ago, I bought the following: Olympus E-P1 micro 4/3 digital mirrorless body Olympus E-P3 micro 4/3 digital body Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens Cameras and lenses produced great images. However, the bodies broke so many times that I could no longer depend on them for commercial work. Eventually, I preplaced them with Fuji APS-C mirrorless.
Thank you for sharing your experience and I am sorry those E-P bodies broke, hopefully you can put together a better and more reliable system with your Fuji system. Cheers 😁
4:50 much worse than in-camera distortion correction is the lack of dual IS across manufacturers. For dual-IS you need the lens and body to be from the same manufacturer. Both problems is because the m4/3 system isn't fully open.
Thank you for mentioning that. I have a 200-400 mm Panasonic Leica zoom that I’m using with a Lumix GX-8. I’ve considered getting an Olympus OM-D III but I wouldn’t want to lose the dual OIS.
I agree with your points. But I always have two bodies of the same model. I find that having different models of my camera slows me down. Different menu systems different button layout. When information in the EVF is not in the same place. so even though I agree with you on not just chase new gear, when ever a new model is releasing. But when I buy I buy two and pass the old model on.
Great overview and really good stuff. I've been using m43 for past few years and have come to a lot of these conclusions as a hobbyist who doesn't want to spend a ton of money. Third party manual lenses are interesting, small, and very inexpensive. Plus, that process of learning manual lens use on modern digital bodies makes it so much easier to get more out of the camera!
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. Manual lens is definitely a good point! It's really fun to use and also makes it easy to get a unique look out of manual lenses.
I started off with Panasonic m43, moved to Fuji APS-C, with a cheap Fuji, moved up to more expensive Fujis, tried Canon in between, was never happy and came back to a cheap m43 Panasonic (G100) and am happy again.
I agree on all points. You’re doing a great job, Gary. 👍🏼 I’ve found that adapting inexpensive vintage glass to my MFT bodies has helped me become a much better photographer because it forces me to gain something like muscle memory respective aperture, shutter speed, iso, and focus rather than merely trusting the fully automatic functions of IA. When it all began to truly click, I began to see opportunities for swirly bokeh, motion blur, more creative compositions, etc. As a result, for instance, I’ve come to really appreciate my little Olympus 17mm f/1.8 for its manual focus clutch, mounted on my unstabilized, consumer grade GF10. I’ve got pro grade equipment too, but I enjoy seeing what I can get from more modest kit.
I've switched back to te O.M. system film cameras. I forgot how challenging they were, but they sure are a lot of fun. Just do a lot of reading, and after just 1 roll of film, you will de surprised at your new found skills.
I’ve become a collector of LUMIX cameras I love MFT so much. I agree with everything you say in the video. While I don’t own any Olympus or OM cameras, I do own a few Olympus lenses. Love the 45/1.8 and the 9mm body cap. The 15mm body cap is not a standout, but still a fun collector piece. The G9 is a legit pro model, and the GM1 is an absolute gem. All the ones in between are great cameras for enthusiasts and some pros. MFT is the best balance of IQ, cost, weight and size.
I have the G9 and GM1, too. I like the feel of the Mft lenses on the GM1. It really gives the impression of being worth to take a smaller sensor because the combination is so handy and unobtrusive. GM1 is 1/3 weight of G9 ! It also high quality metal body.
Yes. All of this. It’s like you were reading my mind. I’ve “downsized” to m4/3. In much the same way that I went, in the 1970s, from Canon F1 system to Olympus OM-1. I’d started on 1950’s Leicas, in the 1970s. And now, I feel like M4/3 system is much like Barnack’s original vision.
Thank you for all of your enthusiasm and well done videos! It’s refreshing to see someone who is truly passionate about photography and their gear..that’s not the latest and greatest! We forget that some of the best images taken in photography from individuals like Ansel Adam’s did not have anywhere near the technology and megapixels that we have now, and his photos still amaze people to this day!
#4 is so true. I went to my sisters wedding in San Diego California. This was my first time on that side of the the country for a very good reason and I contemplated taking my new G9M2 with me for the trip because I only had a single personal item bag for all of my luggage on my flight. Truly I did have the room and I could have taken my camera with me but I had just bought a new phone, and I was hopeful it would be enough for the trip. A galaxy s24+. I couldn't find an ultra or an iPhone pro on an Xperia 1 in my area before the trip, so bad planning on my behalf, but to think I spent $799 sticker, and $954 actual, and felt like a fish out of water without my camera the day of the wedding. The photos I took with that phone were so bad compared to my old G7 camera, I never even shared any. At this point I don't know if an ultra would've made any difference. Phones do not compare but I say that with a grain. It was all just before my trip to California so I didn't really have time to test. Either way my camera is coming with me next time. Really there's more to it. My old phone an LG V60 thin q 5G, had a bad charging port and took forever to charge wirelessly. My folks wanted me to get something that would stay charged while we were traveling as a group to coordinate. I wanted something smaller than the camera that I had just got to capture important moments, but not to to weigh down my pack or make me have to pay for extra bags, so I thought the phone camera was actually a good idea. I also didn't want to spend another $1,600 to $2,000 on another device because that's what an iPhone pro or galaxy ultra will cost me if it had enough storage space, and I didn't want to lock myself into a still pretty expensive commitment in order to gain access to a new phone. My v60 thin q was $400 brand new and now that I think of it, it might have actually been better than that $800 s24+ phone. The Xperia phone is the only phone that's worth it to me. It has the good camera like the iPhone, and the galaxy ultra, but it has a headphone jack with a DAC, and an SD slot like my V60 thin q 5G, but further more, it has forward firing speakers, and an HDMI in port to connect to a camera like my G9M2 to use it as a monitor. It's the only phone that for me is actually worth the money, and I know that nobody buys them, but I honestly hope they don't stop making or updating them before I can afford one. Even if the other phones took good photos, I would sacrifice so much in a phone, and I would sacrifice so much money. You can get an LG V60 thinq 5g right now for $180 and that's going to be a better phone than an $800 galaxy s24+ cameras and all. For an additional $100 you can get the dual screen case making it able to compete with the likes of Z fold and Z flip and razor phones now. For $30 on top of that you can get a digitizer pen that gives it the features of a galaxy note.
I like your explanations. You are right Gary. One of the biggest davantage of the micro 4/3 is the performance of the system versus the weight of the lens and the camera compared to the full frame and Aps. I like so much the compacity of the micro 4/3 camera. Thank for your great videos.
I have a full format and a uFT system. I am the photographer of my daughter's indoor handball team and my camera is a FF canon with a 70-200 zoom. For my long moutain hikes or bike trips I use uFT and even in everyday life there is always a GX7 with a 1,7/20 in my backpack. This September I met a guy in the Mont Blanc area. I used my uFT equipment and only his smartphone and left his Sony A74 back in the shelf.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Yes that happened a lot, I have many friends traveling to beautiful places, only to left their bulky cameras behind and take the pictures using only their smartphone. Cheers 😁
I’m looking at buying a gx9, I have a Nikon D810 and the weight as you rightly say, stops me taking it out as often as I’d like, and micro 4/3 seems to me to be the best option, oh and carry on producing great videos👍
@@Gary_W Yes, it is a nice camera, and improvements over the GX85 / 80 model include a dial on the top for exposure compensation, and more importantly a 20MP sensor of which you can set a minimum shutter speed on your camera. For street photography, I am using 1/400s as the lowest shutter speed and letting the camera adjust the ISO. For lenses, my new favorite is the Lumix 30mm which is fast to focus, and more accurate at focusing ( reliable ) by far than with the Lumix 25mm f1.7. It is sharper and more reliable. The Olympus 45mm is sharp. The Lumix 12-60 kit lens, which come with GX-9 is pretty darn good for a kit lens. If you enjoy a wider view, the Lumix 14mm for $198 is the bargain. I still have the GX-85. When shooting with that camera, on the street, use Shutter Priority instead of Aperture, as you cannot set min. shutter speed. Take care, Loren
Hi Gary, It really comes down to the type of photography/video work that someone does, as well as how often they use computational photography technologies. Spending additional dollars on constant aperture f/2.8 lenses may be required for example when doing video work in lower light conditions and when needing the flexibility of zoom lenses. Some computational photography technologies are limited to specific lenses and same brand bodies. A few years back I tried a pro Panasonic body and a couple of that brand's pro f/2.8 zoom lenses and found that the auto focus performance did not meet my needs. I returned the gear for a small restocking charge. In June 2019 I bought into the Olympus/M.Zuiko system and absolutely love my gear. It has been able to handle everything that I've asked of it. Tom
Hello Thomas, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience. I agree with you, sometimes pro grade equipment is required, especially in a professional work environment. I was just pointing out that maybe our shooting style doesn't always require that, because I know some beginners who invested in pro grade bodies and lenses ended up not bringing their equipment at all. 😁 Regarding Olympus system, I am also interested to try the 12-40mm f2.8, my Pan 12-35mm f2.8 started to have some issues and I might need a replacement for some event photography and video needs. 😄 Anyway thank you once again for your comment Tom, cheers! 😊
@@Gary_W Hi Gary, I agree that not everyone needs pro grade gear. Folks should always logically assess their photographic needs and buy whatever gear is appropriate for them. Tom
Hello Gary. I am a new friend here from Singapore. Until now, I still stick my Olympus EM5 mark 1, even though it is 10 years old. I really like my camera because it is very compact and light. And it fulfills my needs for bird photography and shooting videos for my youtube content. Thank you for sharing this video and you really inspire me.👍🔔
I still use the em5 original myself. They didn't really update the sensors too much from it on the new cameras. Just more and more features 😆. Shame they didn't continue with the legendary tilt screen though.
Mistake 5: I did Nikon, Sony, m43 (both Panasonic and Olympus), Fuji... and now BACK to m43, lol. Oh dear. So much money wasted. This is over a 13 year period. Man, what an idiot. When I switched to m43 I should have stayed there, lol. I have a PEN-F, E-M5 III, and E-M5 II now and they absolutely do everything I need. The E-M5 II and some lenses is always in a bag in my car now. I've learned. I've even provided older m43 cameras to daughters, grandchildren and a niece for them to get started. The used market is full of amazing values if you shop carefully. Where were you in 2012, lol! (I probably wouldn't have listened anyway...) Great video.
😁😁 I know some other people who are switching back to M43 too after some time. Sometimes we have to experience so many other systems first before we can understand which system is best. I definitely was very fortunate to be able to borrow some full frame cameras and experiment with them before I decided to switch to M43, so that I can confidently conclude that M43 is my preferred system. Thank you for the kind comment John! Cheers 😁😁
Love the enthusiasm you show in your video. Recently bought a Lumix GX85, based in part on your videos. Much easier to travel with than my Lumix FZ1000
I get your points but I can only agree with getting other than the pro lenses. The olympus 75mm and 45mm f1.8, the 12mm f2 and the panasonic 20mm f1.7 are stellar, produce wonderful results and really lighten your camera bag. On the body side, I only use 1 pro class body for how much better it is to use than other smaller alternatives and I do stick to olympus, now oms, because the autofocus is much better than the af in panasonic pro cameras... the em1 ans now om1 are small enough to fit and not overweight your bag, or pocket...
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, yes relatively speaking even an OM1 is still smaller than most full frame cameras and combined with lens it is also still lighter than most full frame cameras. I guess it really depends on the photographer's requirement in this case.
If you are using a LUMIX body, you might consider sticking to LUMIX lenses. For the simple reason that the DFD (depth from defocus) technology that LUMIX uses is optimized for LUMIX. So you camera will focus faster and more accurately with a LUMIX lens. That said, another great video.
Thank you for adding important clarification Jeffrey. I think it is true, but some Olympus lenses also still can focus pretty quick using Panasonic cameras even though they are not DFD, so it really depends on how "fast" you need the focus to be. Thank you once again Jeffrey, cheers 😁
MFT camera systems are so tough you do not need a camera-specific padded bag. I know Panasonic do a standard drop test on them in their boxes - 30-ft onto concrete. The box may break but camera intact. I've been using MFT since E-PL1 (not quite the first but close) and never had a problem with just a small courier bag, or indeed a coat pocket.
Wonderful presentation. On low light, I wonder if full frame really has an advantage. The issue is depth of field. It is said MFT has a two stop depth of field advantage over FF. So if one needs to stop action , and have depth of field, (like macro or birding), wouldn't one need to stop down full frame two stops causing longer shutter speeds? Maybe I missunderstand, but it seems a longer shutter speed will blur a moving image. so with FF, part of the image would be out of focus, or the main subject blured from motion.
I think it really depends on the usage, but for your examples like macro and bird photography I think stopping down could be useful, and yes that means increasing the ISO to get adequate shutter speed on full frame. Some full frame cameras can really give significantly cleaner images even at high ISO compared to M43, but nowadays I don't really care about that since I don't print my images that often, and the noise on my M43 pictures doesn't really bother me, they look quite organic anyway 😄. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😁
You are right - when taking the same picture with the same depth of field and same motion blur, the m43 camera will operate at two stops lower ISO than a FF camera. For sensors of the same vintage the noise is usually very similar.
It has an advantage in a realistic situation, especially when a stop of iso matters For film and what not , lets take f2.8 as a standard , due to the smaller sensor size , an mft at 1600 will show the same iso as a full frame on 2500 or 3200 " Why not get an f2 lens ? " The moment you drop an f2 lens , you also drop in an f2 on the fullframe to be fair Also about the depth of field Assuming birding , the opposite is true where the larger crop is better ( reason why some birders still use bridge and apsc cameras )
Great tip Gary. I'm trying to use my kit more often and try various setting to learn from. What is your favourite setting to use on your photography? P, A, S,M etc? I usually set to P or iA 😂
Thank you! I used to shoot M for maximum control, but lately, I'm mostly in A most of the time just to freeze the aperture and S when doing street photography or high speed action photography. Cheers!
Great video with some excellent advice! I especially liked your example of someone with a FF system which is so large and heavy that they leave it at home sometime. I have so many great photos because I can always take one of my MFT bodies and a lens or two. Any photo you get is infinitely better than the one you didn't get.
I feel like m43 is getting a resurgence. I've seen prices of used gm5, gm1, gx7 etc. start to climb. I was surprised to see the GM5 back up to around $600 used! You used to be able to grab one at or under $100 in around 2019.
I mix and match Olympus. & Panasonic lenses and bodies. This works bye and bye. On the other the lenses and bodies don’t fully communicate. I get dual IS with OIS Panasonic lenses and bodies. Not so with Olympus lenses on Panasonic bodies. I love my GX bodies. Started with the GX85. Upgraded to GX9. Love the L monochrome D jpeg B&W. This is my favorite B&W simulation. Just purchased a GX8. It was the flagship body about six years ago. It is still a killer body. Bought it for 80% less than the new price! I love when people want to upgrade their photography and sell their M43 gear for full frame gear. That allows me to upgrade my gear at a good price. Other than the G9 all my M43 gear was purchased preloved. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
Eyeing on Sony A7C with their 40 2.8. The weight is the same as PenF + 20 1.4. Only the sensor size, weather sealing and price are different. But for the telephoto range m43 is still cheap, good and way lighter and smaller. 45 1.8 is my favorite lens. So I decide to stay and got 20 1.4 for my PenF.
Im strongly considering switching from FF to MFT. Besides image quality there seems to be so many benefits to it. And the image quality can be rectified in different ways, so im wondering if it really does make sense to stay with FF.
I used to think that FF is the way to go, especially after trying Canon 5D Mk iii, and A7R. But for travel, they are simply too heavy and I was only able to bring very minimal amount of gear, which is not ideal.
Gary, I am assuming that you are not just a connoisseur of nice guitars but you most likely play?! For your opening of your videos, you should consider creating your own cool riff to be played. I think it would be a nice touch...if you play :) ha! Great points. I have 2 larger type M43 models, G9 and Em 1 Mk ii. Both great cameras with a nice assortment of lenses. However, I have one bag set aside strictly to keep with me whenever I head out in a non-photography planned trip. In that bag I have the Em10 Mk iii with 3 sigma's *16,30, and 56mm...along with that Olympus 75mm you've shown a few times in this video. Whether its street shots or landscape that presents itself, those 4 primes married to that camera body are wonderful. Small bodies are fun and the quality is just as rewarding! Consider my first suggestion, Gary! Can't wait to hear it 🙂
Thank you for the kind comment and also for the suggestion! Good idea actually, I will consider playing my guitar for a bit on the intro 😁. Wow nice setup! I love to hear more about those 3 Sigma lenses that you use, I'm interested to get the 16mm in the future, but I'm waiting for the price to drop. Cheers 😁
the only good thing about this whole "MFT is dead" is all the trendy people dumping their lenses dirt cheap, managed to pick up some real pearlers in the last few months for a song - Lumix 12-60 4-5.6 and 35-100 F/2.8, 14-140, and Olympus 75 f1.8 all for far less than half the new prices... bad thing, with my my GX7 finally starting to give up trying to get a GX9 as a replacement, no new stock in the country, used ones selling on eBay for almost (or even MORE than) the cost of a new one - finally found a new one at normal retail but it seems to be getting delivered by slow boat, hopefully have it in a week or two.
Yes, that's really the good news about the MFT is dead thing that's going on, plenty of cheap used lenses and bodies! Hopefully your GX9 will arrive soon, enjoy that beautiful camera! 😁
I use old GX1 and GF2, whicih I bought used, along with Oly 17mm pancake, Lumix 25mm, and 12-35mm. Tried some adapters for Minolta, Nikon and Oly SLR lenses and 4/3 to M4/3 adapter and that is huge mistake...the quality not there in the sharpness and difficult to use.
I came here because of interest in using low cost lenses or doing DIY tilt-shift; mirrorless M43 does these well, I hear. My weakness is focus. I don't know if I'm wearing low-quality glasses or what. I just have a heck of a time with manual forcus. What's the cheapest M43 with an EV?
The cheapest one with good EVF might be either the old Panasonic G7, or the Olympus E-M10 series. But in my opinion, it is much easier to focus using the LCD screen and just use both peaking and punch in zoom for manual focus aid, you don't really need an EVF for that.
Good one, sums it up really. Mix and match for the tailored outfit for everything from just bringing a camera going about everyday business up to the semi-heavy pro level gear. M43 is a fantastic system! Subscribed. 🙂
For the me it's about the grip and weather sealing. The next pen with om-1 grip and om-1/5 weather sealing, and I would pick it with no doubt. But the tg-6 is in my pocket when walking around.
I agree with everything you said Gary. Many of Micro Four Thirds' perceived shortcomings can be overcome with today's crop of AI-powered editors (noise, sharpness, bokeh). The urge to "upgrade" to FF is very strong, esp with all the FF fanboys out there. But the FF manufacturers are actually "dumbing down" their systems, like introducing super slow zooms and f/8 telephotos in their effort to better compete against Micro Four Thirds!
Thank you for the knowledge.. i don’t know when i’m going to buy panny camera. The G100 is cute. But limited recording time is a dealbreaker to me. Thus i opted to ZVE10. I just love that small lenses MFT cameras have to offer. Maybe I’ll wait for G95 replacement in 2023..
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Yes the G100 recording time limit is quite restricting. Hopefully you'll be able to build your perfect camera and lens setup! Cheers 😁
@@Gary_W i love the simplicity of G100..and seeing you took all the lenses in one bag is impressive . Size of camera really important to me. That is why i’m waiting for next panasonic camera iteration. Maybe i make the jump.
@@Mraz75 Yes, the beauty of M43 is to be able to shrink the size and weight of the gears, but still keeping the performance and quality. All the best for you Draz! G100 seems like a good camera, it reminds me of the good old GM5 that I was so obsessed with a little while back then! 😁😁
Panasonic M43 cameras were the first to lift that dumb recording time restrictions. There is a long list of Panny cameras without these limits, but unfortunately, you've picked one of only few cameras that aren't.
Lens correction - if you keep your mft camera and lens firmware updated, the lens corrections will be in place. If the camera is older than the lens it may need updating. Whenever I have attached a newer lens to an older camera that has no further update available, it has recognised the lens without any problem. This leads me to believe the lens corrections are held in the lens firmware. This is logical, to store everything for the lens in that lens, but can find no confirmation from the manufacturers,
M43, particularly Olympus has more compact system and with that much better WR sealing on camera bodies and lenses for outdoor use - you will see in tests than Sony, Nikon and Canon are scared to even say their equipment is sealed and have poorer results compared to Olympus. You can have 50MP but it won't help when its raining for hours or saltwater spray is hitting your camera.
I agree to a point. There are different tools for different jobs. For maintaining a low profile like street photography or times when lugging around heavy gear is not practical, I'll shoot with my GX85 or M1 mkii. But when it really matters, I'm shooting high resolution full frame. Sorry mft lovers, there is a major difference between systems if you plan on making money.
I have to agree, M43 might not suit every scenario. For some demanding photo needs, full frame or APS-C might be a better choice. Where M43 shines is on size and weight reduction, especially for travel and casual everyday photography/video needs.
I wouldn't say thriving with MFT having a 2.8% market share in an ever decreasing market. Panasonic have been shifting their MFT models towards videoographers and vloggers and moving more towards FF for photographers. Olympus was a great name in the world of photography, but now it's gone, and any potential new users to the system will not be filled with inspiration looking at a camera with OM SYSTEM on the front. The OM-5 release was nothing short of underwhelming, and Fujifilm have definitely stolen a march in the market with the release of 3 new flagships.
That's very true Steven, maybe thriving is not the most correct word, but more or less still "alive". Recently I have some friends switching from larger camera formats to M43, and it seems like there are (at least locally) growing interests on smaller cameras, especially M43.
Thank you for sharing! Those cameras are very respectable. I still also have a GX8 which was released at the same time with EM5II, and it still does produce fantastic image quality too in my opinion 😁
I mean the most fatal mistake when shooting m43 is when shooting lowlight like indoor at night with just under a dim room lamp. Like in cafe, restaurant or something. I like m43 cuz i shoot random street pics when there's always enough light and its small
Hi Gary, I own a GX9 and would like to ask you which of these two lenses you recommend for street photography, the Oly 17mm f1.8 or the Panasonic 20mm f1.7? Thanks and happy New Year! Cheers from Portugal.
Thank you for the kind words! Both Oly 17 and Pan 20 are excellent lenses. The Pan 20 can definitely isolate your subject more easily because of the tighter focal length which means more background blur. However, 17mm is more forgiving in my opinion, I found that using wider lenses for street photography is easier.
What about the Samsung S23 Ultra and the latest iPhones? How would you as an MFT user rate such phones for photography, compared with MFT systems? (I am torn between the two, about to buy one or the other soon, and any feedback would be great.)
If you need to upload your photos fast and you don't really care about the process of photography (setting the camera, framing the shots carefully, etc), then definitely the phones will have good image quality as well as video quality. However if you want better image quality (more detail) and just more enjoyment out of the photography process, MFT is definitely the way to go.
Very helpful video. Have you heard the rumour that Sigma intend to produce two new 14mm and 20mm lenses? Do you know if this is the case? I would be interested in the 14mm for sure.
Thank you Michael for the kind words! No I haven't heard about those Sigma lenses, although right now I am contemplating whether I should replace my Pan Leica 15 1.7 with a Sigma 16 1.4 😁
Will do in the future, but basically I have my AF mode button set to show punch-in when using MF lens, and also I have peaking as well, and those two features helped me to nail focus with the Laowa if I'm focusing on a specific subject. Otherwise, for the usual landscape photography with that lens, I will just focus to hyperfocal distance (I did some tests with the lens, and marked the hyperfocal on the focus ring) and the lens will have everything in focus from about 4 metre all the way to infinity even at f2.
One of the biggest knocks on 4/3 is the limited resolution and inability to make large prints. With AI software now available, has anyone compared upscale 4/3 images to full frame images? Do we still need 60 mp sensors in the new AI world?
I used to print 16MP images from my M43 cameras for outdoor banner ads, it worked pretty well as it is. But yeah, I'd love to try some upscaling software in the future if I ever need to print again.
Pentax Q s-1 Pentax MX-1 Pentax Q7 Panasonic Lumix GM1 Panasonic Lumix GM5 with view finder Canon EOS M Wanted to ask for an opinion hope you can help me as I'm not aware much of what to get just some basic need for a hobby and the selection above is what I narrowed it down, just wanted to know which one of then are more compact and fun to use Would really appreciate it
Compact and fun would probably be Pentax QS1 or Q7, but I have no experience with Pentax Q series. I can imagine GM5 will be a fun camera for me, especially since I already own M43 lenses. EOS M definitely no no, I had it and it's the reason why I switched to MFT. MX-1 could be fun, but I think interchangeable lens camera would be better. So either QS1, Q7, or GM5.
11:20 literally no m4/3 camera can reliably C-AF video. None. Sure, in some cases you might get the help of a focus puller (although that's also impossible with many m4/3 lenses, because so many are focus-by-wire, making manual focus pulling extremely difficult), but usually you don't have that.
Now that they announced S5II with PDAF, I think it will be possible for Panasonic M43 cameras to finally have PDAF in the future, thus reliable CAF during video!
I tried to stay away from adapting lenses, not due to performance or IQ, but because I prefer the simplicity of less gear. Speedbooster should be fine, IQ and performance shouldn't be an issue, however it's an extra thing you have to take care. Also using speedbooster means mostly using larger DSLR lenses than the smaller native M43 lenses.
It's Alpaka Go Sling Mini. It's actually not a camera bag but it fits my M43 gear perfectly. I made a quick review about it here: ua-cam.com/video/uUo3oJkgXzM/v-deo.html&ab_channel=GaryW
still everytime i do potrait job for my friends, i still feel i wish i have full frame camera or at least APSC. for the other job like landscape, product, and macro, the MFT is very2 good. my olympus em5 mk2 has that high resolution mode, so i am very satisfied with the result. but everytime the object is human, especially potraits, beauty potraits or fashion potraits, i always wish i have a full frame. its just physics and artistic demands. we cant open a water melon using pocket knives, even if we can do it with some efforts the results is not good. the bigger the knives the easier to do it. so, sensor size still matters depends on what is the subject we shot.
Thank you for sharing your honest opinion. I agree that for certain situation bigger sensor could still give some benefit, but then again, I really think that really depends on the requirement. I personally am happy with the portraits taken using my MFT cameras and lenses, but I know some people require even shallower depth of field. Thanks once again! 😊
@@Gary_W i bought my Olympus because of your videos too 😁 my requirements are products photography and landscape so MFT works really well. but when my friends ask me to shot her portraits then i really fill it lacks on that job. i wish MFT can evolve on software department like implementing faux bokeh just like how smartphone do than it will be perfect. just like how MFT implemented high res mode to overcome it low megapixel
@@wingofwinter888 I've used Olympus Micro Four Thirds bodies and lenses, along with Panasonic lenses for professional portraits for 10 years and have never felt anything lacking in the results I've gotten. Getting the right amount of background blur generally amounts to choosing the right focal length and subject distance. Personally, I do not like a portrait where the only thing in sharp focus is the subjects eyes -- it does not portray reality, nor is particularly flattering in my opinion. More times than not I have found that I need to increase depth of field in a portrait, rather than decrease it. For example, my favorite portrait lens for executive head and shoulder portraits is the wonderful Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8, which I almost always shoot at 85mm @ f/4 to get sufficient sharpness from the nose tip to ears -- after all, its a 'head' shot, not an 'eye' shot. However, your personal artistic needs are what matters to you, not mine.
@@Gary_W Your conclusions are very similar with mine. I always carry em5iii, 12-32, 75-300ii and 45mm in my backpack for business. And I have 7.5mm Laowa too. My em1x, g9... and Canon fullframes always stay at home because they are too heavy lol. I use fullframes when needs very shallow depth of field only (almost use 85mm f/1.2). In every other situations MFT system could be a good solution.
Great video, I love my full frame kit and wouldn't give it up, but weight keeps either extra lenses or the whole camera system back at the hotel when travelling. So I recently added a second system of the GX80/85 with 12-32 and the Olympus 45 1.8 - super small and light, but most importantly the image quality, even in low light is remarkable. Super value too as my second system :-)
Today's camera gear exceed the requirements of enthusiasts. You have to pixel peep to tell the difference between formats, and only you would ever care about the difference. The most important thing is to go out and take more pics. Any gear that encourages you to do that is great gear. There is no point in spending lots of money on something that only sits in the drawer.
Support my channel by purchasing this printable PDF digital calendar: garyw.website/2023calendar
Feel free to jump to any part of this video:
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Mistake 1 - Choosing only pro level cameras/lenses
03:08 Mistake 2 - Using only one brand of Micro Four Thirds brands
05:08 Mistake 3 - Not checking out older cameras and lenses
07:01 Mistake 4 - Not bringing M43 camera when you go out
10:14 Mistake 5 - Planning to switch to other camera formats
My friend took the Sony A7C over her Olympus E-M5 Mark III because it was just as compact and she reasoned that Tamron lenses for Sony were about the same price as the Olympus Pro lenses. She sold off all her M43 equipment but realized she didn't like how big the Tamron lenses and the quality was not the same. She came back to Olympus.
Happened to many people that I know too. In the end, better spec isn't always the best. Thanks for sharing, cheers! 😁
I keep both systems but i don't get why you'd use m5 which is not compact at all for a mft, not to mention those ugly panasonic. I replaced my m10 with ep7 just because it was a bit smaller.
@@cristibaluta EP7 is a beautiful camera but it's not available in the States. I don't think she was going for the ultimate smallest camera body but it was more about high quality small f/2.8 lenses. That's why I had said she didn't like how big the Tamron lenses and the quality was not the same. Nothing to do with the camera body. Also, while the EP7 is nice, no EVF, phase detection, weather sealing, Pro Capture and focus stacking. Lots of compromises to go with the smallest body. All things both of us like to use that isn't available with the EP7 or the EM10.
@@RobShootPhotos Yeah, the price was high for all this missing features, they don't matter to me though but the sh1t plastic quality does unfortunately.
Wait , how is the quality not the same ? , A7c uses an improved a7iii sensor with even better af
Very sensible points. Totally agree as a newcomer to MFT. I still like FF but MFT is fun and practical. May I add two points:
1. I don't like changing lenses in the field as it takes time and junk will always find its way onto the sensor. With the size of MFT systems, I can carry say an OM-5 with a 12-40 f2.8 as my main camera and another camera with a complimentary lens, say a PEN-PL8 with 9mm f1.7. This way I grab and shoot, no slowing down, no barrier of changing lenses and no risk of dirt on sensor. This is largely possible because MFT is so small, especially the lenses.
2. It's all about perspective. I've been into photography since 1980, when I carried around a Pentax K1000 with a 50mm f2 lens, eventually I added other lenses but Pentax always made small, sensible offerings. My MFT camera system in 2023, say the OM-5 with 12-40, is lighter, smaller, yet still more robust than anything film camera could have ever been. Moreover, the image quality at base or high ISO is far better than anything I could have achieved with film or slides - this is true whether you're talking about resolution, colour accuracy, dynamic range or aberrations. Film will plenty good enough for many generations, and MFT surpasses that. Do many need more than what MFTs is capable of? I doubt it.
Carry on and click, click, click.
I took your advice; I bought a cheap Olympus e-m5 ii and 17mm f1.8. Couldn't be happier!
Great combo, enjoy!
a friend gifted me this combo a month ago and I'm addicted
I switched from full frame to M43 years ago and no regrets. I love the lenses and small size of the gear. Great video, thanks for sharing.
I've had the GX85 for almost a year and haven't played with it much. It's my first personal camera, after being fortunate enough to have been provided a Nikon Z7 for years for my job in Public Affairs with the National Guard. I've been comparing the GX85 to it all the time and thinking it's not good enough, to the point I keep looking at the Lumix S5iiX. But you are 100% on the money, even when I brought my Z7 with me when I traveled, not for work, I hated hauling it with me. Hated it. It sat in my hotel room most of the time. This video has really made me excited to just buckle down and play with my GX85 daily to get better. Travel/street photography is all I do, so I have no need for anything more. Now to just learn what lenses will best suit my needs.
Thank you so much for this video! I am truly excited to learn my camera now.
Glad I could help! Enjoy your GX85, it is a fantastic little camera!
I've shot with e-m10 with the 25 and 45 primes for almost 10 years.
But lately, I felt the itch to go bigger. So, I got the OM-1 with 12-40 and 40-150 pro :)
Now I can still do pocketable - with one of the primes, or a little bit bigger with the pro stuff. Still way lighter than my friends with FF.
The best proof is that I have my camera with me at all times, while my friends keep theirs at home.
Hi Gary,
agree with many points here, I own an E-M5 III (owned a GX9 before) with 15 and 42.5mm f/1.7 Panasonic and 75mm f/1.8 Olympus. I "lost" the aperture ring on the 15mm but whatever, if I had a 17mm f/1.8 Olympus I wouldn't have it, and the dual-IBIS on the 42.5mm but it doesn't really matter for what I do with it.
I think one of the biggest mistake is to think that micro 4/3 is only good for wildlife and sport because of the crop factor. It's a fact, larger sensors are better in low-light situations, for wildlife and some sports you often have to deal with bad light, lenses with small apertures (above 100mm, it's hard to find better than f/2.8 or even f/4) and a fast shutter speed. But the good question is not "is a bigger sensor better?", yes it is, but "when can you tell the difference for what you do?". The more you increase ISO the more you can see it, and obviously the less you increase ISO the less you can see it.
So when you use "standards" lenses, between 12 and 100mm (24 to 200 equivalent in FF), for landscapes, street or even portraits when you don't need a very fast shutter speed and can have at least f/2 lenses, micro 4/3 is a really good option. Except if you start to buy really fast primes or zooms like 42.5mm f/1.2 or 10-25mm f/1.7, because it costs and weighs the same or even more than FF equivalents. If you plan to do this, it's a better option to switch to a bigger format.
Another little mistake is to say that APS-C is great and not far from FF but micro 4/3 is not enough because it's too small...micro 4/3 is 17x13mm, APS-C is 23x15 and FF is 36x24, basically if you think APS-C is enough, micro 4/3 is almost as enough (height 13mm against 15mm, it's not such a big difference). APS-C is bigger mostly because it has a 3:2 ratio. So yes, if you look at the same resolution, APS-C is not much better than micro 4/3 with high ISO, if you really want better high ISO performance FF or MF are better choices.
Adding the fact that, Fujifilm apart, other brands in APS-C are really limited with APS-C lenses and you have to buy FF lenses (which don't loose their weights or cost less if you have an APS-C camera ^^), micro 4/3 with f/2.8-f/4 zooms and f/1.7-f/2 primes is a better option to have a compact, light and polyvalent camera than APS-C or FF.
Sadly, the disrespect for micro 4/3 didn't help the sells and it's hard for Panasonic and Olympus (not really anymore, as they sold to JIP and became OM System) to plan some investments for the future in this format.
Alex, great points! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I think what you said are true, MFT isn't just for sport, and also APS-C isn't that much bigger than MFT. I hope MFT gets more love in the future 😁
@@Gary_W Thanks Gary 😉, even if I'm afraid the MFT situation won't change in the future as long as everybody keeps saying that APS-C is much bigger without having and idea of the real sensor sizes (when you see the hype for R7/R10...) and only see the crop factor as a wildlife advantage 🙄.
Photography is not a matter of gear but if those saying that just knew how it works they would see how much it's not a matter, how better MFT is in many ways and would buy less APS-C and FF 😅.
How do you assess the EM5iii vs GX9 ? Is it better especially regarding Autofocus ? Thanks !
@@mvhan911 Better reactivity, better built, better AF especially for low-light and less huntings, pixel shift, pro capture...for the price I can only complain about the EVF, not better and even a little worse.
@@alexverbeke2228 thanks for feedback!
Great video -- I agree 100% with everything you said -- only I would add one more HUGE mistake, and that would be basing one's camera system needs by comparing everything at 100% on a computer screen. I have photos on line, photo prints hanging on my studio walls and around my home, and prints in exhibits -- and not a single image is anywhere near a 100% crop of the original. Those images include shots made with a 6X7 Bronica Medium Format System and shots made with a 5 MP Olympus E-1 Four Thirds Camera, as well as shots made with current model Olympus m4/3's camera bodies. Not a single person could tell me which was shot with which system.
I recently obtained a very clean used Olympus Digital Pen-F, and don't know if I've ever had so much fun with a camera -- and that's what really matters to me.
That's all that matters! Enjoying the process of photography, and enjoying the pictures taken using the camera!
Good points. I have a G9 and GX85. I rarely use the latter, but only because I got it for my wife. It produces excellent results even with the 12-32 and 45-150 "kit" lenses. I also mix and match lenses (Lecia 8-18 and 100-400, Lumix G-X 35-100 f/2.8, Oly 60mm Macro, and Mitakon 25mm f/0.95). The only potential downside is that "non-native" lenses don't get the benefit of dual IS (but those last two lenses have no IS anyway and the G9 has 6.5 stops of IBIS). With regard to IQ, even 1" sensors can produce stellar prints in most conditions (and 1/2.3" sensors/phones can work well except in really bad conditions). Anything larger than MFT is beyond overkill (especially with amazing software such as DxO DeepPRIME and Topaz DeNoise). The whole point of MFT is that it's so small and light that you can take it anywhere. Now, there are times when any ILC is impractical (such as walking dogs), in which case I'll take my Lumix FZ1000 "bridge" camera (as it's easy to shoot one-handed and changing lenses with dogs is problematic) and I get amazing shots with that (but "only" in the 25-400mm range and it's not weatherproof). I bring my entire G9 kit (16-800mm EFL) on trips and it all fits into a small sling bag that weighs about 5kg (including batteries, filters, flash, etc, plus an Oly TG-5). "Trading up" to larger formats is a fool's errand. Your photos won't be any better and you'll get fewer as you won't want to carry all that bulky, heavy stuff as often or as long.
Thank you for the comment and for adding some good points! That is really the beauty of MFT, I agree with what you said, it really hits the right spot of size, performance, and quality. Cheers! 😁
I moved to m43 from FF. Find it liberating, have G9 and a GX880 and can always have a camera with me and both use the same lenses. FF came out with me rarely due to size, so any benefits were mute. M43 is ideal for the enthusiast photographer who fits their hobby around life vs going out specifically to shoot. With small fast lenses and superior IBIS on G9 I find m43 fine in low light and rarely need more than 1600 iso. DoF with the excellent Olympus 45mm f1.8 is more than shallow enough for me. Keep up the good work Gary 👏
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your thoughts! M43 is definitely my most favorite camera format!
I shoot on Fujifilm APS-C, but a lot of your points apply to this people using that system as well!
Thank you for the kind words!
Great video, I moved to MFT from Canon 4 years ago, and don't miss anything from the move.
Hi Gary, I absolutly agree. I was testing a lot and after 3 years without M43 I am back and I love it
Good to hear! Thanks for sharing!
I have a Nikon D5600, a Panasonic G80 and a 12 year old Panasonic FZ 38 which works as well as the day i bought it. I can take very good images with all of them. The quality of the G80 matches the D5600 and the old FZ38 can produce amazing results that come very close to the other two. Totally agree that you don't have to have the biggest and best.
You have made some great points Gary! When I was younger, I was able to use larger cameras and zoom lenses, but now I am content to stay with the MFT system. Looking back on my progress as a serious amateur photographer, I see that some of my best photos were taken with either an Olympus or a Panasonic camera. And even though new MFT cameras have some fantastic specs and features, I think two of the best ever made are the Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark 1 and the Panasonic GH4. I own a Panasonic system, and I am comfortable with it. The only additions I plan to make are perhaps the Olympus 75mm and Panasonic 9mm lenses. For the kind of photography I do, MFT works just fine.
Can you share the reasons why you think Em5 mark i is great?
@@sadeqsegaraga8766 When it came out, it had a great combination of size, IBIS, weather sealing and feature set. It was a big step up from the E-PL series I had been using. Of course, newer cameras have updated sensors and capabilities, but the Mark 1 was great in its time.
Thank you Daniel for the kind comment! EM5I and GH4 are both classic cameras and I really respect these cameras! They are quite revolutionary during that time, and even today they are still relevant. Thanks for sharing, cheers! 😁
@@danielcaudillmedia one big thing the e-m5i is missing though, is the Focus Peaking! I do agree with you, it was great when it came out, but it was indeed the only 5 axis IBIS camera, with no focus peaking, and for that reason, I can't consider it as best ever made.
I could live with the lower resolution screens, but missing peaking makes me take e-m5i off the list of cameras I would suggest to anybody.
I would suggest an e-m10ii before I would the e-m5i, because of focus peaking.
The e-m5ii was a pretty big step up from the e-m5i, while keeping the extremely great build quality.
@@dublbude I didn't say the EM5 was the best ever made. My point was that, for its time, and the manner in which I used it, it had a combination of features that made it a great camera. Even DP Review stated that "The E-M5 is, without question, the most accomplished Micro Four Thirds camera we've yet seen."
This is a great message coming from someone who shoots mainly full frame cameras (Pentax, Sony and Canon). The MFT system is very underrated.
I hope my wife is as cooperative as yours. I have a Lumix G7 and just purchased a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 lens. Can’t wait to use it.
She is definitely very patient! Great setup, enjoy your G7 and 20mm!
Thanks for the video.
A few years ago, I bought the following:
Olympus E-P1 micro 4/3 digital mirrorless body
Olympus E-P3 micro 4/3 digital body
Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens
Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 lens
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens
Cameras and lenses produced great images. However, the bodies broke so many times that I could no longer depend on them for commercial work. Eventually, I preplaced them with Fuji APS-C mirrorless.
Thank you for sharing your experience and I am sorry those E-P bodies broke, hopefully you can put together a better and more reliable system with your Fuji system. Cheers 😁
4:50 much worse than in-camera distortion correction is the lack of dual IS across manufacturers. For dual-IS you need the lens and body to be from the same manufacturer. Both problems is because the m4/3 system isn't fully open.
I agree, this is quite a problem too.
Thank you for mentioning that. I have a 200-400 mm Panasonic Leica zoom that I’m using with a Lumix GX-8. I’ve considered getting an Olympus OM-D III but I wouldn’t want to lose the dual OIS.
I agree with your points. But I always have two bodies of the same model. I find that having different models of my camera slows me down. Different menu systems different button layout. When information in the EVF is not in the same place. so even though I agree with you on not just chase new gear, when ever a new model is releasing. But when I buy I buy two and pass the old model on.
Thank you for sharing, good point! I think as long as the way you set your gear fits your needs then it's all good! 😁
Great overview and really good stuff. I've been using m43 for past few years and have come to a lot of these conclusions as a hobbyist who doesn't want to spend a ton of money. Third party manual lenses are interesting, small, and very inexpensive. Plus, that process of learning manual lens use on modern digital bodies makes it so much easier to get more out of the camera!
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. Manual lens is definitely a good point! It's really fun to use and also makes it easy to get a unique look out of manual lenses.
The best camera is the one you're willing to take daily with you. Very true.
I started off with Panasonic m43, moved to Fuji APS-C, with a cheap Fuji, moved up to more expensive Fujis, tried Canon in between, was never happy and came back to a cheap m43 Panasonic (G100) and am happy again.
Thank you for sharing! M43 definitely is a very enjoyable camera format.
I agree on all points. You’re doing a great job, Gary. 👍🏼
I’ve found that adapting inexpensive vintage glass to my MFT bodies has helped me become a much better photographer because it forces me to gain something like muscle memory respective aperture, shutter speed, iso, and focus rather than merely trusting the fully automatic functions of IA. When it all began to truly click, I began to see opportunities for swirly bokeh, motion blur, more creative compositions, etc. As a result, for instance, I’ve come to really appreciate my little Olympus 17mm f/1.8 for its manual focus clutch, mounted on my unstabilized, consumer grade GF10. I’ve got pro grade equipment too, but I enjoy seeing what I can get from more modest kit.
I've switched back to te O.M. system film cameras. I forgot how challenging they were, but they sure are a lot of fun. Just do a lot of reading, and after just 1 roll of film, you will de surprised at your new found skills.
I’ve become a collector of LUMIX cameras I love MFT so much. I agree with everything you say in the video. While I don’t own any Olympus or OM cameras, I do own a few Olympus lenses. Love the 45/1.8 and the 9mm body cap. The 15mm body cap is not a standout, but still a fun collector piece. The G9 is a legit pro model, and the GM1 is an absolute gem. All the ones in between are great cameras for enthusiasts and some pros. MFT is the best balance of IQ, cost, weight and size.
Thank you Scott for sharing your setup and for the comment! Cheers 😁
I have the G9 and GM1, too. I like the feel of the Mft lenses on the GM1. It really gives the impression of being worth to take a smaller sensor because the combination is so handy and unobtrusive. GM1 is 1/3 weight of G9 ! It also high quality metal body.
Yes. All of this. It’s like you were reading my mind. I’ve “downsized” to m4/3. In much the same way that I went, in the 1970s, from Canon F1 system to Olympus OM-1. I’d started on 1950’s Leicas, in the 1970s. And now, I feel like M4/3 system is much like Barnack’s original vision.
Thank you for sharing! M43 is really the way to go for us who much prefer a solid performing camera system but in a significantly smaller package.
Thank you for all of your enthusiasm and well done videos! It’s refreshing to see someone who is truly passionate about photography and their gear..that’s not the latest and greatest! We forget that some of the best images taken in photography from individuals like Ansel Adam’s did not have anywhere near the technology and megapixels that we have now, and his photos still amaze people to this day!
Thank you very much for the kind words! 😁
#4 is so true. I went to my sisters wedding in San Diego California. This was my first time on that side of the the country for a very good reason and I contemplated taking my new G9M2 with me for the trip because I only had a single personal item bag for all of my luggage on my flight. Truly I did have the room and I could have taken my camera with me but I had just bought a new phone, and I was hopeful it would be enough for the trip. A galaxy s24+. I couldn't find an ultra or an iPhone pro on an Xperia 1 in my area before the trip, so bad planning on my behalf, but to think I spent $799 sticker, and $954 actual, and felt like a fish out of water without my camera the day of the wedding. The photos I took with that phone were so bad compared to my old G7 camera, I never even shared any. At this point I don't know if an ultra would've made any difference. Phones do not compare but I say that with a grain. It was all just before my trip to California so I didn't really have time to test. Either way my camera is coming with me next time.
Really there's more to it. My old phone an LG V60 thin q 5G, had a bad charging port and took forever to charge wirelessly. My folks wanted me to get something that would stay charged while we were traveling as a group to coordinate. I wanted something smaller than the camera that I had just got to capture important moments, but not to to weigh down my pack or make me have to pay for extra bags, so I thought the phone camera was actually a good idea. I also didn't want to spend another $1,600 to $2,000 on another device because that's what an iPhone pro or galaxy ultra will cost me if it had enough storage space, and I didn't want to lock myself into a still pretty expensive commitment in order to gain access to a new phone. My v60 thin q was $400 brand new and now that I think of it, it might have actually been better than that $800 s24+ phone. The Xperia phone is the only phone that's worth it to me. It has the good camera like the iPhone, and the galaxy ultra, but it has a headphone jack with a DAC, and an SD slot like my V60 thin q 5G, but further more, it has forward firing speakers, and an HDMI in port to connect to a camera like my G9M2 to use it as a monitor. It's the only phone that for me is actually worth the money, and I know that nobody buys them, but I honestly hope they don't stop making or updating them before I can afford one. Even if the other phones took good photos, I would sacrifice so much in a phone, and I would sacrifice so much money. You can get an LG V60 thinq 5g right now for $180 and that's going to be a better phone than an $800 galaxy s24+ cameras and all. For an additional $100 you can get the dual screen case making it able to compete with the likes of Z fold and Z flip and razor phones now. For $30 on top of that you can get a digitizer pen that gives it the features of a galaxy note.
I'm using Lumix gx85 + Panasonic 25mm f1.7 and i can't tell how i am happy with this kit. Light,fast,usefull.
I like your explanations. You are right Gary. One of the biggest davantage of the micro 4/3 is the performance of the system versus the weight of the lens and the camera compared to the full frame and Aps. I like so much the compacity of the micro 4/3 camera. Thank for your great videos.
Thank you for the kind words! 😁
I have a full format and a uFT system. I am the photographer of my daughter's indoor handball team and my camera is a FF canon with a 70-200 zoom. For my long moutain hikes or bike trips I use uFT and even in everyday life there is always a GX7 with a 1,7/20 in my backpack. This September I met a guy in the Mont Blanc area. I used my uFT equipment and only his smartphone and left his Sony A74 back in the shelf.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Yes that happened a lot, I have many friends traveling to beautiful places, only to left their bulky cameras behind and take the pictures using only their smartphone. Cheers 😁
I’m looking at buying a gx9, I have a Nikon D810 and the weight as you rightly say, stops me taking it out as often as I’d like, and micro 4/3 seems to me to be the best option, oh and carry on producing great videos👍
GX9 is a fantastic little camera, it's a direct upgrade from my GX85 and I'm sure you will enjoy it! Thank you for the kind comment, cheers! 😁
@@Gary_W Yes, it is a nice camera, and improvements over the GX85 / 80 model include a dial on the top for exposure compensation, and more importantly a 20MP sensor of which you can set a minimum shutter speed on your camera. For street photography, I am using 1/400s as the lowest shutter speed and letting the camera adjust the ISO. For lenses, my new favorite is the Lumix 30mm which is fast to focus, and more accurate at focusing ( reliable ) by far than with the Lumix 25mm f1.7. It is sharper and more reliable. The Olympus 45mm is sharp. The Lumix 12-60 kit lens, which come with GX-9 is pretty darn good for a kit lens. If you enjoy a wider view, the Lumix 14mm for $198 is the bargain. I still have the GX-85. When shooting with that camera, on the street, use Shutter Priority instead of Aperture, as you cannot set min. shutter speed. Take care, Loren
Hi Gary, It really comes down to the type of photography/video work that someone does, as well as how often they use computational photography technologies. Spending additional dollars on constant aperture f/2.8 lenses may be required for example when doing video work in lower light conditions and when needing the flexibility of zoom lenses. Some computational photography technologies are limited to specific lenses and same brand bodies. A few years back I tried a pro Panasonic body and a couple of that brand's pro f/2.8 zoom lenses and found that the auto focus performance did not meet my needs. I returned the gear for a small restocking charge. In June 2019 I bought into the Olympus/M.Zuiko system and absolutely love my gear. It has been able to handle everything that I've asked of it. Tom
Hello Thomas, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience.
I agree with you, sometimes pro grade equipment is required, especially in a professional work environment. I was just pointing out that maybe our shooting style doesn't always require that, because I know some beginners who invested in pro grade bodies and lenses ended up not bringing their equipment at all. 😁
Regarding Olympus system, I am also interested to try the 12-40mm f2.8, my Pan 12-35mm f2.8 started to have some issues and I might need a replacement for some event photography and video needs. 😄
Anyway thank you once again for your comment Tom, cheers! 😊
@@Gary_W Hi Gary, I agree that not everyone needs pro grade gear. Folks should always logically assess their photographic needs and buy whatever gear is appropriate for them. Tom
Luckily i went to Sony APSC for years, now i’m all in with MFT. Really grateful for hobbyist like me.
MFT definitely is better for hobbyist, the smaller size means more probability of carrying the camera around with you. Cheers!
@@Gary_W thank you Gary.. keep on doing what you are doing now, you are always inspiring
Good one Gary, thank you. Your enthusiasm is infectious!!! I am taking my M43 out now
I am glad I could inspire you to take more pictures 😁
Hello Gary. I am a new friend here from Singapore. Until now, I still stick my Olympus EM5 mark 1, even though it is 10 years old. I really like my camera because it is very compact and light. And it fulfills my needs for bird photography and shooting videos for my youtube content. Thank you for sharing this video and you really inspire me.👍🔔
Hello Cheiko, thank you for the kind comment! EM5 mark 1 is really a respectable camera! Cheers 😊😊
I still use the em5 original myself. They didn't really update the sensors too much from it on the new cameras. Just more and more features 😆. Shame they didn't continue with the legendary tilt screen though.
Mistake 5: I did Nikon, Sony, m43 (both Panasonic and Olympus), Fuji... and now BACK to m43, lol. Oh dear. So much money wasted. This is over a 13 year period. Man, what an idiot. When I switched to m43 I should have stayed there, lol. I have a PEN-F, E-M5 III, and E-M5 II now and they absolutely do everything I need. The E-M5 II and some lenses is always in a bag in my car now. I've learned. I've even provided older m43 cameras to daughters, grandchildren and a niece for them to get started. The used market is full of amazing values if you shop carefully.
Where were you in 2012, lol! (I probably wouldn't have listened anyway...)
Great video.
😁😁 I know some other people who are switching back to M43 too after some time. Sometimes we have to experience so many other systems first before we can understand which system is best.
I definitely was very fortunate to be able to borrow some full frame cameras and experiment with them before I decided to switch to M43, so that I can confidently conclude that M43 is my preferred system. Thank you for the kind comment John! Cheers 😁😁
Love the enthusiasm you show in your video. Recently bought a Lumix GX85, based in part on your videos. Much easier to travel with than my Lumix FZ1000
Thank you for the kind words!
I get your points but I can only agree with getting other than the pro lenses. The olympus 75mm and 45mm f1.8, the 12mm f2 and the panasonic 20mm f1.7 are stellar, produce wonderful results and really lighten your camera bag. On the body side, I only use 1 pro class body for how much better it is to use than other smaller alternatives and I do stick to olympus, now oms, because the autofocus is much better than the af in panasonic pro cameras... the em1 ans now om1 are small enough to fit and not overweight your bag, or pocket...
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, yes relatively speaking even an OM1 is still smaller than most full frame cameras and combined with lens it is also still lighter than most full frame cameras. I guess it really depends on the photographer's requirement in this case.
If you are using a LUMIX body, you might consider sticking to LUMIX lenses. For the simple reason that the DFD (depth from defocus) technology that LUMIX uses is optimized for LUMIX. So you camera will focus faster and more accurately with a LUMIX lens. That said, another great video.
Thank you for adding important clarification Jeffrey. I think it is true, but some Olympus lenses also still can focus pretty quick using Panasonic cameras even though they are not DFD, so it really depends on how "fast" you need the focus to be. Thank you once again Jeffrey, cheers 😁
@@Gary_W if price was equal on both lens
One capable of dfd and one that doesnt
Why would you buy one that doesnt ?
MFT camera systems are so tough you do not need a camera-specific padded bag. I know Panasonic do a standard drop test on them in their boxes - 30-ft onto concrete. The box may break but camera intact. I've been using MFT since E-PL1 (not quite the first but close) and never had a problem with just a small courier bag, or indeed a coat pocket.
Wonderful presentation. On low light, I wonder if full frame really has an advantage. The issue is depth of field. It is said MFT has a two stop depth of field advantage over FF. So if one needs to stop action , and have depth of field, (like macro or birding), wouldn't one need to stop down full frame two stops causing longer shutter speeds? Maybe I missunderstand, but it seems a longer shutter speed will blur a moving image. so with FF, part of the image would be out of focus, or the main subject blured from motion.
I think it really depends on the usage, but for your examples like macro and bird photography I think stopping down could be useful, and yes that means increasing the ISO to get adequate shutter speed on full frame.
Some full frame cameras can really give significantly cleaner images even at high ISO compared to M43, but nowadays I don't really care about that since I don't print my images that often, and the noise on my M43 pictures doesn't really bother me, they look quite organic anyway 😄.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 😁
You are right - when taking the same picture with the same depth of field and same motion blur, the m43 camera will operate at two stops lower ISO than a FF camera. For sensors of the same vintage the noise is usually very similar.
It has an advantage in a realistic situation, especially when a stop of iso matters
For film and what not , lets take f2.8 as a standard , due to the smaller sensor size , an mft at 1600 will show the same iso as a full frame on 2500 or 3200
" Why not get an f2 lens ? "
The moment you drop an f2 lens , you also drop in an f2 on the fullframe to be fair
Also about the depth of field
Assuming birding , the opposite is true where the larger crop is better ( reason why some birders still use bridge and apsc cameras )
Good job Gary, I watched so many camera video, yours is one of best. I like it very much.😊
Thank you very much, means a lot to me. Cheers! 😁
Great tip Gary.
I'm trying to use my kit more often and try various setting to learn from. What is your favourite setting to use on your photography? P, A, S,M etc? I usually set to P or iA 😂
Thank you! I used to shoot M for maximum control, but lately, I'm mostly in A most of the time just to freeze the aperture and S when doing street photography or high speed action photography. Cheers!
Great video with some excellent advice! I especially liked your example of someone with a FF system which is so large and heavy that they leave it at home sometime. I have so many great photos because I can always take one of my MFT bodies and a lens or two. Any photo you get is infinitely better than the one you didn't get.
Thank you for the kind words!
I feel like m43 is getting a resurgence. I've seen prices of used gm5, gm1, gx7 etc. start to climb. I was surprised to see the GM5 back up to around $600 used! You used to be able to grab one at or under $100 in around 2019.
I hope you're right, it will raise the price of the used M43 items, but hopefully it will motivate the manufacturers to develop M43 further!
I mix and match Olympus. & Panasonic lenses and bodies. This works bye and bye. On the other the lenses and bodies don’t fully communicate. I get dual IS with OIS Panasonic lenses and bodies. Not so with Olympus lenses on Panasonic bodies.
I love my GX bodies. Started with the GX85. Upgraded to GX9. Love the L monochrome D jpeg B&W. This is my favorite B&W simulation. Just purchased a GX8. It was the flagship body about six years ago. It is still a killer body. Bought it for 80% less than the new price!
I love when people want to upgrade their photography and sell their M43 gear for full frame gear. That allows me to upgrade my gear at a good price. Other than the G9 all my M43 gear was purchased preloved.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
Good point, I also benefit from people selling their M4/3 gear because I can get lenses for significantly cheaper price. Cheers Marty!
Eyeing on Sony A7C with their 40 2.8. The weight is the same as PenF + 20 1.4. Only the sensor size, weather sealing and price are different. But for the telephoto range m43 is still cheap, good and way lighter and smaller. 45 1.8 is my favorite lens. So I decide to stay and got 20 1.4 for my PenF.
Good to hear! Definitely M43 can be a better choice for telephoto needs.
So enthusiastic, really this love and passion is so contaminating. M43 really has a great community of passionated shooters
M43 is truly an amazing camera format, it definitely changed my life and that makes me become quite sentimental with M43 😁
M43 PQ is good enough for me. The old M43 cameras are small and light, I usually carry one when I go out
I agree with you about the camera system
EP1 20mm 1.7 works great and cost me $149 in perfect condition on ebay a year ago
Perfect combo and really good price! Cheers 😁
Im strongly considering switching from FF to MFT. Besides image quality there seems to be so many benefits to it. And the image quality can be rectified in different ways, so im wondering if it really does make sense to stay with FF.
I used to think that FF is the way to go, especially after trying Canon 5D Mk iii, and A7R. But for travel, they are simply too heavy and I was only able to bring very minimal amount of gear, which is not ideal.
Gary, I am assuming that you are not just a connoisseur of nice guitars but you most likely play?! For your opening of your videos, you should consider creating your own cool riff to be played. I think it would be a nice touch...if you play :) ha! Great points. I have 2 larger type M43 models, G9 and Em 1 Mk ii. Both great cameras with a nice assortment of lenses. However, I have one bag set aside strictly to keep with me whenever I head out in a non-photography planned trip. In that bag I have the Em10 Mk iii with 3 sigma's *16,30, and 56mm...along with that Olympus 75mm you've shown a few times in this video.
Whether its street shots or landscape that presents itself, those 4 primes married to that camera body are wonderful. Small bodies are fun and the quality is just as rewarding! Consider my first suggestion, Gary! Can't wait to hear it 🙂
Thank you for the kind comment and also for the suggestion! Good idea actually, I will consider playing my guitar for a bit on the intro 😁. Wow nice setup! I love to hear more about those 3 Sigma lenses that you use, I'm interested to get the 16mm in the future, but I'm waiting for the price to drop. Cheers 😁
the only good thing about this whole "MFT is dead" is all the trendy people dumping their lenses dirt cheap, managed to pick up some real pearlers in the last few months for a song - Lumix 12-60 4-5.6 and 35-100 F/2.8, 14-140, and Olympus 75 f1.8 all for far less than half the new prices... bad thing, with my my GX7 finally starting to give up trying to get a GX9 as a replacement, no new stock in the country, used ones selling on eBay for almost (or even MORE than) the cost of a new one - finally found a new one at normal retail but it seems to be getting delivered by slow boat, hopefully have it in a week or two.
Yes, that's really the good news about the MFT is dead thing that's going on, plenty of cheap used lenses and bodies! Hopefully your GX9 will arrive soon, enjoy that beautiful camera! 😁
I use old GX1 and GF2, whicih I bought used, along with Oly 17mm pancake, Lumix 25mm, and 12-35mm. Tried some adapters for Minolta, Nikon and Oly SLR lenses and 4/3 to M4/3 adapter and that is huge mistake...the quality not there in the sharpness and difficult to use.
Sold my Pana 20mm f/1.7 and Oly 45mm f/1.8. Missing the image quality, and planning to buy them again 🥲
Great observations. Enjoyed this episode, Gary. Yes, I'm sticking with M43. Outstanding value for money.
Thank you for the kind words! M43 is definitely a really great camera system!
I came here because of interest in using low cost lenses or doing DIY tilt-shift; mirrorless M43 does these well, I hear. My weakness is focus. I don't know if I'm wearing low-quality glasses or what. I just have a heck of a time with manual forcus. What's the cheapest M43 with an EV?
The cheapest one with good EVF might be either the old Panasonic G7, or the Olympus E-M10 series. But in my opinion, it is much easier to focus using the LCD screen and just use both peaking and punch in zoom for manual focus aid, you don't really need an EVF for that.
What camera and lens did you use to record yourself in this video? it looks great!
Thank you! I used the Panasonic G85 and Panasonic Leica 15mm for recording myself in this video.
Gary, loved your video. You really make a great case for the MFT system. Keep up your good work.
Thank you for the kind words!
Another great video. I love adapting older vintage lenses to M43.
Thank you for adding an important point! Adapting manual lens is another cool thing to do in M43.
Good one, sums it up really. Mix and match for the tailored outfit for everything from just bringing a camera going about everyday business up to the semi-heavy pro level gear. M43 is a fantastic system! Subscribed. 🙂
Thank you for the kind words! Cheers 😁
Very good assessment , thank you!
For the me it's about the grip and weather sealing. The next pen with om-1 grip and om-1/5 weather sealing, and I would pick it with no doubt. But the tg-6 is in my pocket when walking around.
Villiam thank you for your comments and for sharing your experience with Micro 4/3! Cheers 😁
I always have a MFT with me. Never leave Home without it!
I agree with everything you said Gary. Many of Micro Four Thirds' perceived shortcomings can be overcome with today's crop of AI-powered editors (noise, sharpness, bokeh). The urge to "upgrade" to FF is very strong, esp with all the FF fanboys out there. But the FF manufacturers are actually "dumbing down" their systems, like introducing super slow zooms and f/8 telephotos in their effort to better compete against Micro Four Thirds!
I agree with what you said Carl, thank you for sharing your thoughts! Cheers!
Thank you for the knowledge.. i don’t know when i’m going to buy panny camera. The G100 is cute. But limited recording time is a dealbreaker to me. Thus i opted to ZVE10. I just love that small lenses MFT cameras have to offer. Maybe I’ll wait for G95 replacement in 2023..
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Yes the G100 recording time limit is quite restricting. Hopefully you'll be able to build your perfect camera and lens setup! Cheers 😁
@@Gary_W i love the simplicity of G100..and seeing you took all the lenses in one bag is impressive . Size of camera really important to me. That is why i’m waiting for next panasonic camera iteration. Maybe i make the jump.
@@Mraz75 Yes, the beauty of M43 is to be able to shrink the size and weight of the gears, but still keeping the performance and quality. All the best for you Draz! G100 seems like a good camera, it reminds me of the good old GM5 that I was so obsessed with a little while back then! 😁😁
Panasonic M43 cameras were the first to lift that dumb recording time restrictions. There is a long list of Panny cameras without these limits, but unfortunately, you've picked one of only few cameras that aren't.
@@izytraxx yes i have picked the current camera of panny. I now realize that new camera doesn’t mean good camera.
Excellent video! Long live Micro Four thirds!
Thank you for the kind comment!
Lens correction - if you keep your mft camera and lens firmware updated, the lens corrections will be in place. If the camera is older than the lens it may need updating. Whenever I have attached a newer lens to an older camera that has no further update available, it has recognised the lens without any problem. This leads me to believe the lens corrections are held in the lens firmware. This is logical, to store everything for the lens in that lens, but can find no confirmation from the manufacturers,
Thank you for adding an important point!
Hope m43 still alive in next 10yrs
M43, particularly Olympus has more compact system and with that much better WR sealing on camera bodies and lenses for outdoor use - you will see in tests than Sony, Nikon and Canon are scared to even say their equipment is sealed and have poorer results compared to Olympus. You can have 50MP but it won't help when its raining for hours or saltwater spray is hitting your camera.
I hope so too! I really enjoy M43 so much, it fits like a glove for all my photography and video needs!
Great video. Agree with all points fully.
Thank you for the kind words!
I agree to a point. There are different tools for different jobs. For maintaining a low profile like street photography or times when lugging around heavy gear is not practical, I'll shoot with my GX85 or M1 mkii. But when it really matters, I'm shooting high resolution full frame. Sorry mft lovers, there is a major difference between systems if you plan on making money.
I have to agree, M43 might not suit every scenario. For some demanding photo needs, full frame or APS-C might be a better choice. Where M43 shines is on size and weight reduction, especially for travel and casual everyday photography/video needs.
I wouldn't say thriving with MFT having a 2.8% market share in an ever decreasing market.
Panasonic have been shifting their MFT models towards videoographers and vloggers and moving more towards FF for photographers.
Olympus was a great name in the world of photography, but now it's gone, and any potential new users to the system will not be filled with inspiration looking at a camera with OM SYSTEM on the front.
The OM-5 release was nothing short of underwhelming, and Fujifilm have definitely stolen a march in the market with the release of 3 new flagships.
That's very true Steven, maybe thriving is not the most correct word, but more or less still "alive". Recently I have some friends switching from larger camera formats to M43, and it seems like there are (at least locally) growing interests on smaller cameras, especially M43.
I'm still using em1 and em5ii with the best pro olympus glass the results are simply at par with new bodies from other brands apsc or full frame
Thank you for sharing! Those cameras are very respectable. I still also have a GX8 which was released at the same time with EM5II, and it still does produce fantastic image quality too in my opinion 😁
I mean the most fatal mistake when shooting m43 is when shooting lowlight like indoor at night with just under a dim room lamp. Like in cafe, restaurant or something. I like m43 cuz i shoot random street pics when there's always enough light and its small
With large aperture prime lenses, I do find that it is more than possible to get good picture under darker condition with Micro 4/3
Love your energy, Gary! I'm thinking of buying the GX85 and I've already watched a few of your videos. Subbed!
Thank you very much for the kind words! Cheers 😊
Hi Gary, I own a GX9 and would like to ask you which of these two lenses you recommend for street photography, the Oly 17mm f1.8 or the Panasonic 20mm f1.7?
Thanks and happy New Year!
Cheers from Portugal.
Get the PL 15mm 1.7.... focuses quickly and accurately and image quality is excellent
@@phillipgoldsworthy8531 Thanks for the feedback 👍
Thank you for the kind words! Both Oly 17 and Pan 20 are excellent lenses. The Pan 20 can definitely isolate your subject more easily because of the tighter focal length which means more background blur. However, 17mm is more forgiving in my opinion, I found that using wider lenses for street photography is easier.
What about the Samsung S23 Ultra and the latest iPhones? How would you as an MFT user rate such phones for photography, compared with MFT systems?
(I am torn between the two, about to buy one or the other soon, and any feedback would be great.)
If you need to upload your photos fast and you don't really care about the process of photography (setting the camera, framing the shots carefully, etc), then definitely the phones will have good image quality as well as video quality. However if you want better image quality (more detail) and just more enjoyment out of the photography process, MFT is definitely the way to go.
Very helpful video. Have you heard the rumour that Sigma intend to produce two new 14mm and 20mm lenses? Do you know if this is the case? I would be interested in the 14mm for sure.
Thank you Michael for the kind words! No I haven't heard about those Sigma lenses, although right now I am contemplating whether I should replace my Pan Leica 15 1.7 with a Sigma 16 1.4 😁
gm series and em10 series are the best thing to happen in the world of photography.
Love my gm1 and gm5. 👍🏼
I truly respect those series, I was really obsessed with GM5 back then, but it's difficult to find one at a reasonable price here.
@@Gary_W the price aside they are so rare and such gem that it is hard to find anywhere. you were obsess meant that you had given up on it?
@@fongtan yes nowadays I'm very happy with my GX85 so I'm no longer looking for the GM5 anymore 😁, but it still gets my respect!
@@Gary_W while using my GM5. I develop a habit of stuffing it in my pocket.
please tell me is it worth buying the viltrox ef-m1 for my G85?
Top 5 mistakes:
- buying mft body
- buying mft lenses
- buying mft flash lamp
- buying mft grip
- buying mft battery
If possible, please review tt artisan 17mm for mft. thankyou in advance.
Hi Gary can you show us how to focus using Laowa lens?
Will do in the future, but basically I have my AF mode button set to show punch-in when using MF lens, and also I have peaking as well, and those two features helped me to nail focus with the Laowa if I'm focusing on a specific subject. Otherwise, for the usual landscape photography with that lens, I will just focus to hyperfocal distance (I did some tests with the lens, and marked the hyperfocal on the focus ring) and the lens will have everything in focus from about 4 metre all the way to infinity even at f2.
Thanks Gary how do you set af mode to punch in when using manual lens?
why are the photos taken with micro four thirds are unusually darker? I am not a pro, I am still trying to figure out but somehow struggle a lot.
If you use aperture priority, shutter priority, or program mode, adjust the exposure compensation by about 1EV or so. Hopefully this will help!
One of the biggest knocks on 4/3 is the limited resolution and inability to make large prints. With AI software now available, has anyone compared upscale 4/3 images to full frame images? Do we still need 60 mp sensors in the new AI world?
I used to print 16MP images from my M43 cameras for outdoor banner ads, it worked pretty well as it is. But yeah, I'd love to try some upscaling software in the future if I ever need to print again.
Pentax Q s-1
Pentax MX-1
Pentax Q7
Panasonic Lumix GM1
Panasonic Lumix GM5 with view finder
Canon EOS M
Wanted to ask for an opinion hope you can help me as I'm not aware much of what to get just some basic need for a hobby and the selection above is what I narrowed it down, just wanted to know which one of then are more compact and fun to use
Would really appreciate it
Compact and fun would probably be Pentax QS1 or Q7, but I have no experience with Pentax Q series. I can imagine GM5 will be a fun camera for me, especially since I already own M43 lenses. EOS M definitely no no, I had it and it's the reason why I switched to MFT. MX-1 could be fun, but I think interchangeable lens camera would be better.
So either QS1, Q7, or GM5.
@@Gary_W really appreciate your reply and thank you
I agree . subscribed . cheers .
Thank you for the support!
Thanks Gary . 👍
This is great, thanks. You’re a little close to the camera
Sorry about that, thank you for the kind words! 😊
11:20 literally no m4/3 camera can reliably C-AF video. None. Sure, in some cases you might get the help of a focus puller (although that's also impossible with many m4/3 lenses, because so many are focus-by-wire, making manual focus pulling extremely difficult), but usually you don't have that.
Now that they announced S5II with PDAF, I think it will be possible for Panasonic M43 cameras to finally have PDAF in the future, thus reliable CAF during video!
What are your thoughts about using a mft camera and a speed booster? Or is that only something that filmmakers do?
I tried to stay away from adapting lenses, not due to performance or IQ, but because I prefer the simplicity of less gear. Speedbooster should be fine, IQ and performance shouldn't be an issue, however it's an extra thing you have to take care. Also using speedbooster means mostly using larger DSLR lenses than the smaller native M43 lenses.
What is the make of the mini camera bag you are using in the video
It's Alpaka Go Sling Mini. It's actually not a camera bag but it fits my M43 gear perfectly. I made a quick review about it here:
ua-cam.com/video/uUo3oJkgXzM/v-deo.html&ab_channel=GaryW
What is the camera you use in this video? Thanks
The video was recorded using Lumix G85
still everytime i do potrait job for my friends, i still feel i wish i have full frame camera or at least APSC.
for the other job like landscape, product, and macro, the MFT is very2 good. my olympus em5 mk2 has that high resolution mode, so i am very satisfied with the result.
but everytime the object is human, especially potraits, beauty potraits or fashion potraits, i always wish i have a full frame. its just physics and artistic demands.
we cant open a water melon using pocket knives, even if we can do it with some efforts the results is not good. the bigger the knives the easier to do it.
so, sensor size still matters depends on what is the subject we shot.
Thank you for sharing your honest opinion. I agree that for certain situation bigger sensor could still give some benefit, but then again, I really think that really depends on the requirement. I personally am happy with the portraits taken using my MFT cameras and lenses, but I know some people require even shallower depth of field. Thanks once again! 😊
@@Gary_W i bought my Olympus because of your videos too 😁
my requirements are products photography and landscape so MFT works really well.
but when my friends ask me to shot her portraits then i really fill it lacks on that job.
i wish MFT can evolve on software department like implementing faux bokeh just like how smartphone do than it will be perfect.
just like how MFT implemented high res mode to overcome it low megapixel
@@wingofwinter888 I've used Olympus Micro Four Thirds bodies and lenses, along with Panasonic lenses for professional portraits for 10 years and have never felt anything lacking in the results I've gotten. Getting the right amount of background blur generally amounts to choosing the right focal length and subject distance. Personally, I do not like a portrait where the only thing in sharp focus is the subjects eyes -- it does not portray reality, nor is particularly flattering in my opinion. More times than not I have found that I need to increase depth of field in a portrait, rather than decrease it. For example, my favorite portrait lens for executive head and shoulder portraits is the wonderful Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8, which I almost always shoot at 85mm @ f/4 to get sufficient sharpness from the nose tip to ears -- after all, its a 'head' shot, not an 'eye' shot. However, your personal artistic needs are what matters to you, not mine.
Bener mas 👍🏽.
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@@Gary_W Your conclusions are very similar with mine. I always carry em5iii, 12-32, 75-300ii and 45mm in my backpack for business. And I have 7.5mm Laowa too. My em1x, g9... and Canon fullframes always stay at home because they are too heavy lol.
I use fullframes when needs very shallow depth of field only (almost use 85mm f/1.2). In every other situations MFT system could be a good solution.
Great video, I love my full frame kit and wouldn't give it up, but weight keeps either extra lenses or the whole camera system back at the hotel when travelling. So I recently added a second system of the GX80/85 with 12-32 and the Olympus 45 1.8 - super small and light, but most importantly the image quality, even in low light is remarkable. Super value too as my second system :-)
Richard thank you for sharing your experience with Micro 4/3! Enjoy your GX85, it is a really great camera. Cheers 😁
Today's camera gear exceed the requirements of enthusiasts. You have to pixel peep to tell the difference between formats, and only you would ever care about the difference. The most important thing is to go out and take more pics. Any gear that encourages you to do that is great gear. There is no point in spending lots of money on something that only sits in the drawer.