Why Olympus or M43 users should keep their gear?

[Pitachu]

Precisely. My EM5 Mk3 with all the lenses still function perfectly.
Why is there a need to sell them of just because of a change in ownership of Olympus?

M43 users already weight the pros and cons 1 - 2 yrs ago before deciding on M43 instead of FF.
M43 meet our needs better at that time and probably now.

In fact, M43 has certain lenses focal range and aperture which is not even available on FF?
eg. 10-25mm F1.7 [ideal for indoor video) (there is no 20-50mm F1.7) on FF
eg. 300mm F4 (available on FF but the equivalent 600mm F4 cost $18000!!!!!)
eg. 60mm F2.8 Facro (there is no 120mm F2.8 Macro lens)

The above is of course useless to anyone using FF and only need a few prime or a 24-105 (like my son),

Think carefully before you get rid of your M43 system. There are still GEMS in it.

I did spend some time looking at all the Sony lenses to see how they can cover some of my needs
before "authorizing" my son to upgrade to the A7R3! I realized that there are some gaps which a FF cannot cover
and definitely want to keep my M43 system.

I will not stop you from getting another system, but my advice is look at all the features and lenses available
before deciding to use 2 system to complement one another or migrate over and sell off your M43 system.
Full Frame to me is NOT the holy grail system that meet all the needs of all the users! FF is better in some ways
but not everyway!

 

[Pitachu]

Just sharing my journey as a photo enthusiast.

I just got my iPhone 12 Promax. It is quite a big jump in image quality from the iPhone X which I have been using for 3.5 yrs until the battery is no longer good.
I used to attach a pancake lens to my tiny Olympus EM5 Mk3 whenever I want to use it when I am on a casual outing (eg. bring my kids to zoo).
I think the iPhone 12 Promax, with its computational photography, can come close to a mirrorless with a pancake lens, including the Sony A7c
(as mentioned, not because the Sony 7c is no good, but pancake lens are really just average lens).

I went to a Sony showroom again over the weekend and try out some telephoto lens with the A7R3. I tried the Super Convenient Lens 24-240, which is also just as average and even the 70-300 FE lens does not impress me for its size. I felt the Sony A7R3 is really really good with primes for image quality or at least with its higher end Zoom (eg. 28-70 F2.8). WIth sensors like 42mp or 61mp, it is totally not forgiving for lower budget lenses.

So back to the point. I always love zooming onto Animals and one of the weakest link of a mobile phone is telephoto. So I decided to try something, hunt for a M43 100-300 lens (200-600mm equivalent) which I managed to get for a few hundred to attach to my EM5 for telephotos. Quite excited to try my iPhone 12 and 200-600mm combo (its so tiny it fit in my fist) on my coming trip with my daughter to the zoon during the school hols.

If you are having a M43 system, pls share your thoughts why you are keeping or selling it

 

[skf]

The 100-300 is a nice lens. For the Panasonic 1st version, there are wide variations in its optical performance at the tele end. The first copy I bought, I had to pull back a bit from the tele end, about 270~280 mm. I sold it off. I found another which I was happy with the 300 end. Sold that off when I got my Panasonic 100-400. I am not sure about the 2nd version.

Erm, do note that we still need to pay attention to the shutter speed and hand holding technique at the tele end. That lens is so light that we may over estimate our capabilities with growing age

And still waiting for the Oylmpus 150-400

 

[Pitachu]

I did look at the Pana 100-400, but decided to waited for the Olympus 150-400 (for my birding fetish).

I always believe in having a small handy setup when I am casually with friends or family and not other photographers.
Pana 100-300 works well for me in these scenarios. It's quite unbelievable that I can get up to 600mm F5.6 equivalent lenses
which fit in my palm.

Quite sure my wife will freak out if I bring the Pana 100-400 or 150-400 for our family outings with kids
I can easily put my EM5 with Pana 100-300 in my small sling bag which is not even a camera bag.

The 100-300 is a nice lens. For the Panasonic 1st version, there are wide variations in its optical performance at the tele end. The first copy I bought, I had to pull back a bit from the tele end, about 270~280 mm. I sold it off. I found another which I was happy with the 300 end. Sold that off when I got my Panasonic 100-400. I am not sure about the 2nd version.

Erm, do note that we still need to pay attention to the shutter speed and hand holding technique at the tele end. That lens is so light that we may over estimate our capabilities with growing age

And still waiting for the Oylmpus 150-400

 

[Blu-By-U]

If you are going to just view photos taken on a small viewing platform, then those smartphones are really catching up with the dedicated cameras (mirrorless or not) Having said that, there are clip-on lenses for smartphones and some really good quality ones can really make a difference. Hence there will be in due time make carrying/using a dedicated camera may not be an viable option. But till then, I will stick with my EM1.3 with my assortment of lenses.

A simple test on quality, that moon. try shooting it to see those craters. When you can differentiate the peaks and craters, then it's time to just bury all your cameras.

Take these 2 images. One is with a P30 and the other is with EM1mk2

 

[skf]

...

Quite sure my wife will freak out if I bring the Pana 100-400 or 150-400 for our family outings with kids
I can easily put my EM5 with Pana 100-300 in my small sling bag which is not even a camera bag.

Hmm.. not so much about M43 gear, but you can take a look at Tenba 's BYOB inserts series. I have the three of them - smallest, biggest and the in-between sizes; each for different setups. The camera gear and required spare batteries and quick cleaning gear fits into the insert. The whole insert goes into any regular sling bag. Can be found on Shoppee, Lazada and Amazon; but do need to stop and compare prices a bit to get a good price.

 

[skf]

If you are going to just view photos taken on a small viewing platform, then those smartphones are really catching up with the dedicated cameras (mirrorless or not) Having said that, there are clip-on lenses for smartphones and some really good quality ones can really make a difference. Hence there will be in due time make carrying/using a dedicated camera may not be an viable option. But till then, I will stick with my EM1.3 with my assortment of lenses.

Indeed, there are many smart phones with great cameras and there are good clip on lenses. Nowadays, when you join tour groups, you hardly see any camera users; mostly smart phones..

I was at the Malaysia Sky mirror two years back. The tour operators actually used handphones (mainly Hwawei and Oppo) to take photos for the group. I didn't notice any clip on lenses. They were mainly using different perspectives with props to achieve the different effects which was the highlight of the tour.

 

[Blu-By-U]

I know that feeling..The only crazy fella in the group using a camera and worst, it comes with a whole bag of lenses. Also during lunch, everyone is showing off the number of likes on their facebook while we are still trying to connect our phone to the camera.

But we can crop, zoom in , adjust wrong WB, straighten and best, still have enough MB to look good on those tiny screens

 

[swifty]

If you are going to just view photos taken on a small viewing platform, then those smartphones are really catching up with the dedicated cameras (mirrorless or not) Having said that, there are clip-on lenses for smartphones and some really good quality ones can really make a difference. Hence there will be in due time make carrying/using a dedicated camera may not be an viable option. But till then, I will stick with my EM1.3 with my assortment of lenses.

A simple test on quality, that moon. try shooting it to see those craters. When you can differentiate the peaks and craters, then it's time to just bury all your cameras.

Take these 2 images. One is with a P30 and the other is with EM1mk2

The quality of the first shot run rings around the second one. If that first shot isn't from the EM1.3 then I'll have egg on my face

 

[swifty]

I'll share why I'm still using m43.
It's actually quite simple, it has the lens/es that I want to use.
I don't consider m43's IQ a drawback, and certainly not when my most used lens is a constant f/1.7 zoom. I simply am hardly limited by my gear.
So as long as m43 continues to produce unique lenses (and by unique I mean looking at the whole package including it's physical, optical and mechanical attributes) I will continue to consider buying m43 products.
Until my current gear becomes superseded in a meaningful way, I don't see a lot of reasons to dump it.

I should also disclose that I use multiple systems and the same applies for other systems. I buy the unique lens/es that I'm interested in, in that system and continue to use it until something supersedes it in a meaningful way that'll make me upgrade.

 

[swifty]

I did look at the Pana 100-400, but decided to waited for the Olympus 150-400 (for my birding fetish).

I always believe in having a small handy setup when I am casually with friends or family and not other photographers.
Pana 100-300 works well for me in these scenarios. It's quite unbelievable that I can get up to 600mm F5.6 equivalent lenses
which fit in my palm.

Quite sure my wife will freak out if I bring the Pana 100-400 or 150-400 for our family outings with kids
I can easily put my EM5 with Pana 100-300 in my small sling bag which is not even a camera bag.

$7500 USD apparently.
It’s in a different league to the Panasonic 100-400 but I think it’s priced about what you’d expect a 150-400 f/4.5 with built in TC to be, regardless of the format.

 

[Blu-By-U]

Bingo..but no prize. (am not sponsoring for that 150-400)

 

[Pitachu]

Yep, the world is changing very rapidly. Mobile Phone is now able to simulate wide aperture shots by measuring distance of main subject and background and blurring the background. Only thing Mobile has not caught up is telephoto shots (though Samsung is using a 108 MP sensor to enable digital cropping to simulate zooming in, image quality is not so good yet). But the day will come.......

Meanwhile, I am planning to use my new Iphone 12 promax to shoot all my casual family outings as most of these shots are NOT for photo art but for memory sake. Plus, the post processing on the latest generation of phone cameras are incredible.

 

[Pitachu]

I started a new thread on the
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO Lens

$7500 USD apparently.
It’s in a different league to the Panasonic 100-400 but I think it’s priced about what you’d expect a 150-400 f/4.5 with built in TC to be, regardless of the format.

 

[swifty]

Speaking personally I don’t enjoy smartphone photography. It’s not the results that’s the issue. Results have been fine for some time now on their intended publishing medium (other mobile devices). And their connectivity cannot be beaten and I think are the best devices for quick grabs.

It’s the process of photographing. I place a lot of emphasis on the ergonomics and UI of the camera I use so from that respect smartphones will never replace a dedicated camera for me.

 

[Blu-By-U]

I have not been following the phones sensors..are you sure it's 108mp..if those tiny sensors can pack that amount of pixels, then the fourthirds sensor can go to over 1k pixels and the FF can be over 4k. I think it's just fake 108mp..interpolation or something to that.

Yep, the world is changing very rapidly. Mobile Phone is now able to simulate wide aperture shots by measuring distance of main subject and background and blurring the background. Only thing Mobile has not caught up is telephoto shots (though Samsung is using a 108 MP sensor to enable digital cropping to simulate zooming in, image quality is not so good yet). But the day will come.......

Meanwhile, I am planning to use my new Iphone 12 promax to shoot all my casual family outings as most of these shots are NOT for photo art but for memory sake. Plus, the post processing on the latest generation of phone cameras are incredible.

 

[Pitachu]

Check out the specs of the Samsung Note 20 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

I have not been following the phones sensors..are you sure it's 108mp..if those tiny sensors can pack that amount of pixels, then the fourthirds sensor can go to over 1k pixels and the FF can be over 4k. I think it's just fake 108mp..interpolation or something to that.

 

[Blu-By-U]

I did. The samsung sensor is still smaller than Oly's sensor and Oly now only pack 21Mp while samsung packs 108Mp. So it can mean that this Oly and mft have still much much more room for Mp expansion.

 

[Pitachu]

I thought of that too. But then, when I look at the A7R4 @ 61Mb, the 20 megapixel M43 sensor is already as dense (based on pixel per sq in).
Anyway, the Full Frame A7R4 has also reach its limits, with some reviewers noted that the noise level is slightly higher at high ISO compared to the 42mp A7R3.
So it looks like it will be challenging for M43 to increase the megapixel beyond 20mp.

 

[Blu-By-U]

So how did Samsung manage to get 108Mp into that tiny phone?