E-M1X too heavy with Olympus 100-400mm handheld?

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Whitefall

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Hi folks,

I’m considering an Olympus E-M1X and Olympus 100-400mm purchase for birding. I’m wondering if the combo is too heavy to handhold. Does anyone have any experience with these? I tend to go on 2 hour walks with a sling strap, no tripod or monopod.

The E-M1X body with batteries weighs 997g and the lens weighs 1,120g. So 2.1kg combined. The most I’ve handheld before was 1.6kg and I found that ok.

The OM-1 is much lighter at 599g, but it’s also £900 more expensive (used vs used). I’d buy the E-M1 mark ii/iii instead, but bird tracking AF is only available on the M1X and the OM-1 (a feature I think I’d find beneficial).

I feel like it’s the M1X or find another £900. I’d be very grateful for peoples’ thoughts/experience. Thanks.
 
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Sound heavy to me , That's more than 4 bags of sugar
 
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Whitefall said:
Hi folks,

I’m considering an Olympus E-M1X and Olympus 100-400mm purchase for birding. I’m wondering if the combo is too heavy to handhold. Does anyone have any experience with these? I tend to go on 2 hour walks with a sling strap, no tripod or monopod.

The E-M1X body with batteries weighs 997g and the lens weighs 1,120g. So 2.1kg combined. The most I’ve handheld before was 1.6kg and I found that ok.

The OM-1 is much lighter at 599g, but it’s also £900 more expensive (used vs used). I’d buy the E-M1 mark ii/iii instead, but bird tracking AF is only available on the M1X and the OM-1 (a feature I think I’d find beneficial).

I feel like it’s the M1X or find another £900. I’d be very grateful for peoples’ thoughts/experience. Thanks.
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I think the @the black fox has used this combo so should be able to give you some useful insight.
 
I'm not a birder and I use a Panasonic G9 with the Leica 100~400mm, but this is close enough in weight and size to the Olympus outfit you're considering to be relevant

That said, my experience is that while the dual image stabilisation is useful, the outfit is heavy enough that sticking a monopod into the lens mount makes the whole process much easier. If you're doing this, use a ball head and keep it loose, so that you're just adding a third leg to your own two.
 
Thanks for the thoughts so far, much appreciated! Still watching to see if any folks handhold similar setups
 
This will be purely down to the individual, some can hand hold combos like the 2.3kg 150-600mm plus a 1.27kg Nikon D6 for example. I can use combos like this but not for extended periods. I use the A1 and 100-400mm (2.1kg) hand held for extended periods with little issue even though I have fibromyalgia so unless you have an underlying condition I’d have thought you’d be fine. However, why not try it out on the olympus test and wow (if they still do it) and try for yourself (y)
 
As commented by others it can be down to the individual.

I used to use Canon and my 5D mk3 & 100-400mm mk2 IS became a burden......though was good for handheld shooting.

My M1X & 300mm (not sure that lens compares to the Oly 100-400mm weight wise?) was/is way more manageable.

YMMV and only by trying will you know......weight figures alone don't tell the story, how it balances on the hand is important.
 
I handhold my Sony a9 with the 200-600mm, l bracket and arca Swiss plate, so a total of approx 2.2kg all day. I also have fibromyalgia and other health issues, but I manage ok. Its purely down to the individual on what’s too heavy.

I can also handhold it down to about 1/10s and still get sharp shots thanks to the very good IS of the lens and the Ibis of the body.
Carrying a tripod or monopod isn’t really feasible for the type of stuff I shoot and the places I go to shoot them, so handholding is the only option.
 
Long time Oly user here in my 60s with one or two ailments have both the EM1X and the OM1 with a grip shoot both the 150-400 and have had the 100-400 on both bodies very hand holdable but as others have said its down to individual requirements
 
Unless you’re a total weakling it’s most definetly hand holdable . I use The E.M1X with both the Olympus 100-400 and now the heavier 300m f4 pro hand held with no problem at all .. the i.b.I.s helps but the balance of the rig is the main Factor .

And let’s put this in perspective I’m not a bouncy teenager I’m 77 and have a dodgy ticker and can’t walk to far these days . As yet I have never used either a tripod or monopod with ANY olympus set up .

So stop worrying and just buy it

and I’ll just add the OM1 while being a slightly newer camera is still beset with nigglely problems I keep reading of people having to send them back due to stuck dials and other problems .. the M1X is built like a brick
 
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F1.2 said:
Sound heavy to me , That's more than 4 bags of sugar
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Do You not do the shopping it’s equal to one bag of sugar .
 
the black fox said:
Do You not do the shopping it’s equal to one bag of sugar .
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Don't reckon you do either, 2.1kg or 4lb is about two standard bags of granulated :)

Maybe a bit younger than us Jeff, we knew everything weight wise was judged by a 2lb bag of sugar or a 1/2lb pack of butter.
I'm pretty much fully metric, but still convert back to imperial for everyday comparisons.

Back to hand holding I can manage a G9 and 200/2.8 which is also about two bags of Tate & Lyle's finest.
Someone younger with better working shoulders and less shakes should cope easily.
 
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Whitefall said:
Hi folks,

I’m considering an Olympus E-M1X and Olympus 100-400mm purchase for birding. I’m wondering if the combo is too heavy to handhold. Does anyone have any experience with these? I tend to go on 2 hour walks with a sling strap, no tripod or monopod.

The E-M1X body with batteries weighs 997g and the lens weighs 1,120g. So 2.1kg combined. The most I’ve handheld before was 1.6kg and I found that ok.

The OM-1 is much lighter at 599g, but it’s also £900 more expensive (used vs used). I’d buy the E-M1 mark ii/iii instead, but bird tracking AF is only available on the M1X and the OM-1 (a feature I think I’d find beneficial).

I feel like it’s the M1X or find another £900. I’d be very grateful for peoples’ thoughts/experience. Thanks.
Click to expand...
For me, there are really two different questions here: carrying and using.

short answer related to carrying

I wander around for well over two hours, but rarely longer than 4 hours, with a Nikon D500+battery grip + 200-500 Nikon zoom or Nikon 300mm f4+1.4TC.

The body + 300mm combination set up is 2.64kg (I've just weighed it). The 200-500 adds 1kg to this weight..

I use an Optech sling and don't really find the 2.6kg an issue, You are definitely aware of it, but I don't end the day with any after effects of carrying it. I am much more aware of the 200-500 , but still don't find it that much of an issue.

But I am specifically going out to take photographs, not casually grabbing opportunistic bird shots while out doing something else.

For casual non-bird focussed photography, I use an Oly EM1 mkIII with a 12-200 zoom where I don't even need to think about the weight or bulk. But for serous bird photography, even as a not that fit 67 year old, I wouldn't hesitate at choosing the EM1x over the Oly EM1 Mk III unless you have a specific health, or other issue, But, by far my preference would be an OM1 + Grip (see below), which I am guessing would be around the same weight as the EM1x.

I've found that as I have a double camera sling, if I actually "add weight" e.g. a small bag with a small telescope to the second camera connections, it balances the weight and makes carrying the camera +telescope more comfortable than the camera on it's own. Less so with the telescope + 200-500 combo where the total weight becomes more of an issue for me, even if the balance is better. The "sometimes" issue with this particular strap is that it can slip away from your should and cut into your neck, but the whole set up still feels a bit better when the weight is balanced. Some single camera straps seem better designed in this respect e.g. Black Rapid, but I've never used them.

Long answer, to do with taking rather than carrying

When it comes to taking pictures I find both combinations difficult to handhold to my eye for more than a few seconds, or maybe minutes, when waiting for a bird to do something, or waiting for the wind to blow reeds away from an egrets eye etc. Even just holding the camera in a "ready to put to my eye" position for more than a minute or so, can be an issue. This isn't an issue when following a flying bird, as I'm not that aware of the weight with either set up when panning for a few seconds.

My wrists/fingers also struggle when trying to keep BBF pressed and keeping the focus point on the bird. It's even worse as if I am taking vertical pictures without the battery grip, because of how you need to twist your hand - hence me accepting the additional weight of the battery grip. But, I have always found handling a camera with a grip much easier than without one, not just for birds.

In terms of sore wrists, especially with the 200-500, as I find it bulky and awkward to use I can fairly frequently end up with painful wrists and fingers at the end of the day (I have mild arthritis). This is especially the case if I have had a day with a lot of changing settings around as the wrists have to "take the the weight" while adjusting menu of dial settings.

So once the weight (plus size) gets to around 3.6kg, I am much more aware of it when "taking" pictures, but the oly combo comes no where near the weight and bulk of the D500+ 200-500 combo.

My normal practice at the moment is to carry monopod with a camera quick release and while predominantly working hand held, I use the monopod when I need to hold the camera steady for a few minutes. If I'm not walking around, I still prefer a tripod however
 
Speaking as a fairly weedy and ageing female - I hand hold an OM1 (lighter than an EM1x) plus 300mm + 1.4 extender (which I believe is heavier than the 100-400, but to me feels better balanced). I walk for 3 hours regularly with this set up. I always take a spare battery, but virtually never need it unless I’ve gone out with one that’s well used. I let the camera sleep after a minute or so of non use.

Sometimes, as the other day, with hares very close, I have to play statues for a long time and my hand can begin to shake, but mostly it is just fine. I am a regular swimmer, so my arms might not be all that weedy :ROFLMAO:

I think you need to try handling this combination and see how it feels for you.
 
Just out of interest.

I use a Panasonic 100-400mm on a Panasonic GX80 which is a small evf in the corner camera and I have no balancing or handling issues, So, if the Olympus E-M1X has some indispensable features and abilities then fair enough but if not maybe look at a smaller camera to reduce the bulk and weight.
 
I got the 2 bags - 4 bags mixed up
 
F1.2 said:
I got the 2 bags - 4 bags mixed up
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To be fair, you can get half size bags of sugar, and double size where we shop - but for me I’d say just over 2 usual bags :ROFLMAO:

@Whitefall I think the subject detection is definitely worth having. My OM1 hasn’t had any niggly problems, and the EM1x does appear to be a real bargain at the moment.
 
Bebop said:
To be fair, you can get half size bags of sugar, and double size where we shop - but for me I’d say just over 2 usual bags :ROFLMAO:

@Whitefall I think the subject detection is definitely worth having. My OM1 hasn’t had any niggly problems, and the EM1x does appear to be a real bargain at the moment.
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to re-iterate on that when I first got my E-M1X at the start of the year and still had the 100-400 I took a burst of a short eared owl at twilight just over 50 shots with CAF+TRK and bird i.d enabled . pretty sure well over 40 were sharp and useable ,all hand held.
I was totally gobsmacked and advertised my 1-mkiii the day after
 
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