Mirrorless MFT advice

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peter
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Ok I have as my main my D500 and sigma 150-600 this I plan to keep for my birding and the odd jet etc :)
my second is a D7200 which I have a sigma 17-50 for a tamron 10-24 and a sigma 50-150
this is what I am debating losing for a MFT setup (possibly keep the 10-24)
I would like to keep 2 dials as i am just used to having it available and I would not want to spend more money so my gear would have to cover the cost of what I get :)
I do not know much about the MFT setups apart from it's more compact etc, which is what draws me to it as more portable etc.
ideally I would like to cover the range ish I would be losing so somewhere from 10-150

i know superzoom compacts wont do what i want the mrs has a TZ80 which she is happy with the snaps but its just not clean enough pics for me and is not responsive enough.
 
If you want compact have a look at the Panasonic GX80, it's a RF style 16mp MFT camera that is IMO quite a bargain considering how good it is. The only drawbacks (again IMO) are the relatively poor by todays standards EVF and not having exposure compensation in manual mode.

Lens wise I have Oly 17, 25 and 45mm f1.8 primes and zoom wise I have the Oly 9-18mm which is a compact collapsible wide lens, the tiny 14-42mm Mega OIS and the compact 45-200mm. I also have the excellent Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8. I can recommend all and they all crop up at reasonable prices on the used market.

I don't know what your budget will be but having used a few older MFT bodies if going with Panasonic I'd personally try and stick to the later ones on which they cured the shutter shock issue, I don't know if Oly bodies are affected by this. If you want to keep the kit compact maybe an RF style body will help you there and if so I'd start at the shutter shock free GX80.
 
If you want compact have a look at the Panasonic GX80, it's a RF style 16mp MFT camera that is IMO quite a bargain considering how good it is. The only drawbacks (again IMO) are the relatively poor by todays standards EVF and not having exposure compensation in manual mode.

Lens wise I have Oly 17, 25 and 45mm f1.8 primes and zoom wise I have the Oly 9-18mm which is a compact collapsible wide lens, the tiny 14-42mm Mega OIS and the compact 45-200mm. I also have the excellent Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8. I can recommend all and they all crop up at reasonable prices on the used market.

I don't know what your budget will be but having used a few older MFT bodies if going with Panasonic I'd personally try and stick to the later ones on which they cured the shutter shock issue, I don't know if Oly bodies are affected by this. If you want to keep the kit compact maybe an RF style body will help you there and if so I'd start at the shutter shock free GX80.
Olympus bodies have anti-shock mode (really it’s just an electronic first curtain) which I use 100% of the time and have noticed 0 ill effects.
 
Olympus bodies have anti-shock mode (really it’s just an electronic first curtain) which I use 100% of the time and have noticed 0 ill effects.

Good :D I like the RF style ones as they're more compact than the mini SLR style cameras but sadly the only RF style Oly with a VF is the lovely but quite expensive one.
 
Good :D I like the RF style ones as they're more compact than the mini SLR style cameras but sadly the only RF style Oly with a VF is the lovely but quite expensive one.
It is lovely to look at but not to hold imo. The EM1 is the best ergonomically imo.
 
It is lovely to look at but not to hold imo. The EM1 is the best ergonomically imo.

Drat. I've always fancied one but the cost has always put me off so I struggle by with the cheaper Panasonics.
 
Drat. I've always fancied one but the cost has always put me off so I struggle by with the cheaper Panasonics.
One for sale on here a few weeks back for around £550, bargain imo. Don't think he managed to sell it.
 
so at the moment the suggestions are GX80 and EM1 both at a quick look look nice and on mpb etc would be within budget :) (the em1 ii would be way over budget lol)

is there much between the pair and pro's and cons etc,
 
If you're looking for an e-m1, join e-group.uk.net There is one with a grip for sale for £460 and the last one went for under £300.

Wex have a lot of them for sub £450
 
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You have just missed out on the Olympus cash back offers but I picked up a brand new om.d10-mkii from s.r.s a couple of weeks ago for £299 with £65 cashback bringing the retail down to £234 with thirty months warranty . Worth checking out there website SRS Microsystems
 
I'm now running with a gripped panasonic G80 and a recently purchased Olympus EM10, mk II.
The G80 goes motor racing (not going to get into the whole debate of CAF here - I often manual focus with old fim era lenses) and the Olly will be my travel/days out type camera. The Olly is currently fitted with a PL 15mm, but I am looking at getting a panasonic 12-32 to make it almost pocketable.
Although there are plenty of photos on-line, if you want me to take a couple of "top down" photos showing dials/layout, then please let me know.
 
I really like my 10mkii, but find that the optional grip transforms the handling. It adds to the height of the body by about 1cm, so makes things a little bulkier (still small though) but I wouldn’t take if off now, especially with any of the heavier lenses.
 
I really like my 10mkii, but find that the optional grip transforms the handling. It adds to the height of the body by about 1cm, so makes things a little bulkier (still small though) but I wouldn’t take if off now, especially with any of the heavier lenses.
Would you not consider a used EM1 then instead as it gives you a bigger viewfinder, weather sealing, and better AF for roughly the same size as EM10 + grip?
 
Would you not consider a used EM1 then instead as it gives you a bigger viewfinder, weather sealing, and better AF for roughly the same size as EM10 + grip?

Never noticed the weather sealing and at a look the gx80 is not so that to me is a big + in the em1's favour
 
Not sure what your budget would be but if you have a John Lewis local have a look to see if they have any EM1 in, my local store have about 3/4 with the 12-50 lens reduced to clear at around £600
 
Not sure what your budget would be but if you have a John Lewis local have a look to see if they have any EM1 in, my local store have about 3/4 with the 12-50 lens reduced to clear at around £600

My budget will be determined by the nikon kit I sell :) so unfortunately I can't afford to buy until I sell but don't want to sell till I know what I will replace it with.
I would guess my total budget would be about 800-1000 depending on what I sell :)
 
ok well yesterday afternoon and today has thrown a spanner in the works so to speak for me.
today at the shooting comp a friend had a em1 with 40-150 on it with him, it was not really that much smaller than my D7200 with 50-150 on it.
also yesterday me and the Mrs were at Whitby and when near the abbey there was some thistles next to us with bees on.
the mrs got her TZ80 out and started snapping away and was very close, the wing detail etc was brilliant.
i had my d7200 with me and 50-150 2.8 17-50 2.8 and tammy 10-24 i could not compete with her at it i was incredibly surprised.
i did get some very nice vista shots though :)
all this together has made me think that a M43 is maybe not what I want but maybe instead a top end compact or maybe bridge which would both also give me the advantage of no lens swapping etc.
.
 
ok well yesterday afternoon and today has thrown a spanner in the works so to speak for me.
today at the shooting comp a friend had a em1 with 40-150 on it with him, it was not really that much smaller than my D7200 with 50-150 on it.
also yesterday me and the Mrs were at Whitby and when near the abbey there was some thistles next to us with bees on.
the mrs got her TZ80 out and started snapping away and was very close, the wing detail etc was brilliant.
i had my d7200 with me and 50-150 2.8 17-50 2.8 and tammy 10-24 i could not compete with her at it i was incredibly surprised.
i did get some very nice vista shots though :)
all this together has made me think that a M43 is maybe not what I want but maybe instead a top end compact or maybe bridge which would both also give me the advantage of no lens swapping etc.
.

But don't forget that your friends 40-150mm (was it the Pro f2.8 version?) because of the 2.0x crop factor equates if 35mm terms to an 80-300mm lens that is optically superb. On the Nikon at 1.6x crop factor (or is that one a x1.5 ??) he is getting in 35mm terms an 80-240mm equivalence....................oh and do not forget the EM1 combo surely is lighter than the Nikon combo
 
i am thinking maybe something like the TZ200 now looks a reasonable good compact has some zoom and has a 1 inch sensor
 
ok well yesterday afternoon and today has thrown a spanner in the works so to speak for me.
today at the shooting comp a friend had a em1 with 40-150 on it with him, it was not really that much smaller than my D7200 with 50-150 on it.
also yesterday me and the Mrs were at Whitby and when near the abbey there was some thistles next to us with bees on.
the mrs got her TZ80 out and started snapping away and was very close, the wing detail etc was brilliant.
i had my d7200 with me and 50-150 2.8 17-50 2.8 and tammy 10-24 i could not compete with her at it i was incredibly surprised.
i did get some very nice vista shots though :)
all this together has made me think that a M43 is maybe not what I want but maybe instead a top end compact or maybe bridge which would both also give me the advantage of no lens swapping etc.
.


If the TX80 is getting better shots than your Nikon gear then the problem isn’t with the equipment...
 
If the TX80 is getting better shots than your Nikon gear then the problem isn’t with the equipment...

the TX80 does not get better pics than my nikon gear it just perchance happened that we were in a situation where all the gear i had with me was not appropriate for my needs at that point where as her point and shoot could do it.
 
Compact cameras like the TZ80 are well and good for outdoors in great light, they usually have decent macro capabilities too as they have fixed lens and they try to give you a little of everything. But the image quality is never going to be near as good as Dslr or M43 even. They will fall apart in low light, they have crap AF, they may have a lot of zoom range but the IQ gets softer on many of them the more you zoom - and the IQ won't be wonderful to begin with, like i said, in anything but great light conditions.
 
Compact cameras like the TZ80 are well and good for outdoors in great light, they usually have decent macro capabilities too as they have fixed lens and they try to give you a little of everything. But the image quality is never going to be near as good as Dslr or M43 even. They will fall apart in low light, they have crap AF, they may have a lot of zoom range but the IQ gets softer on many of them the more you zoom - and the IQ won't be wonderful to begin with, like i said, in anything but great light conditions.

i know what the TZ80 is as my mrs has one
i was looking for something more portable for myself than the d7200 and a array of lenses.
my suggestion above was maybe a TZ200 which appears to be a much better spec than the TZ80.
 
i know what the TZ80 is as my mrs has one
i was looking for something more portable for myself than the d7200 and a array of lenses.
my suggestion above was maybe a TZ200 which appears to be a much better spec than the TZ80.

I should hope you do, as you brought it into the discussion, hence my post! In your OP you said yourself it wasn't impressive and was unreliable, but later you said it got amazing shots for your Mrs - I'm guessing this was in very good light?

The TZ200 would be much better indeed, but it's still not going to give image quality as good as an M43 body with a half decent lens. If it's just for those times you want to travel light, and shoot out doors, it'll be fine, but again it's going to be a let down indoors or in dim/bad lighting
 
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I should hope you do, as you brought it into the discussion, hence my post! In your OP you said yourself it wasn't impressive and was unreliable, but later you said it got amazing shots for your Mrs - I'm guessing this was in very good light?

the shots were not amazing just better up close than i could get on my dslr at the time lol
yes the light was good :)
i thought M43 was going to be the camera for me to be more compact etc but now having seen one in person it would not be as portable as i would like and then still lens swapping etc.
i know i am maybe sounding fussy or awkward but i would like to make sure i buy right rather than twice.
i will never part with my D500 and it's lenses as i know a DSLR can't realistically be matched but i would like something portable that can take decent snaps so to speak :)
 
and to feel totally stupid now i have just gone to look at my bee shots that were taken from some distance back as minimum focus not that near and the quality i thought was not great knocks the spots off hers lol.
 
I still think m43 is the compromise you are looking for, only not the camera and lenses you were looking at.

The only time m43 isn’t the best compromise (for me) is if you want something that will truely fit in your pocket, otherwise it has great IQ and small lenses unless you go for the f/2.8 pro lenses. And even then, today I used my sister’s Nikon D750 with 24-70 f/2.8 and it was huuuuuuugh! Absolutely massive compared to my EM1ii with 12-40 pro. I picked up her other D750 with 70-200VRii attached and was astounded that people put up with the weight. I did used to shoot Nikon full frame myself but swapped to m43, none so pious as the recently converted...
 
Agreed. I have a d500 too and I never think I’ll take my e-m10 mk2 to shoot motorsports instead of the Nikon. Or I’ll bung the d500 and 16-80 into my laptop bag for the cycle to work instead of the Olympus and my 12-32.

Once you get your head round different systems for different circumstances, you’ll be ok.
 
I still think m43 is the compromise you are looking for, only not the camera and lenses you were looking at.

The only time m43 isn’t the best compromise (for me) is if you want something that will truely fit in your pocket, otherwise it has great IQ and small lenses unless you go for the f/2.8 pro lenses. And even then, today I used my sister’s Nikon D750 with 24-70 f/2.8 and it was huuuuuuugh! Absolutely massive compared to my EM1ii with 12-40 pro. I picked up her other D750 with 70-200VRii attached and was astounded that people put up with the weight. I did used to shoot Nikon full frame myself but swapped to m43, none so pious as the recently converted...


ah ok I realise now my friend had the 40-150 2.8 which is massive compared to the other 40-150's etc. i just assumed foolishly they were all the same.
 
I owned the D800E for years, had the 24-70 2.8, the 70-200 2.8 VRII, a 300mm F4, a 150mm 2.8 macro, a 35mm 1.4 and an 85 1.8. Have I ever missed that lot in a backpack? Hold on till I ask my back ....

it's just quivered in fear at the mere mention of all that :LOL:
 
ok well yesterday afternoon and today has thrown a spanner in the works so to speak for me.
today at the shooting comp a friend had a em1 with 40-150 on it with him, it was not really that much smaller than my D7200 with 50-150 on it.
also yesterday me and the Mrs were at Whitby and when near the abbey there was some thistles next to us with bees on.
the mrs got her TZ80 out and started snapping away and was very close, the wing detail etc was brilliant.
i had my d7200 with me and 50-150 2.8 17-50 2.8 and tammy 10-24 i could not compete with her at it i was incredibly surprised.
i did get some very nice vista shots though :)
all this together has made me think that a M43 is maybe not what I want but maybe instead a top end compact or maybe bridge which would both also give me the advantage of no lens swapping etc.
.
The 40-150mm lens you’re referring to is a pro grade f2.8 lens, which needs to be compared more to the 70-200mm f2.8’s you get for Nikon etc, in which case the Olympus is significantly smaller and lighter.

The other Olympus 40-150mm is f4-5.6 R is light as a feather, in fact it’s so light it feels like a cheap toy. Fortunately it’s very good optically. Don’t know the exact weight but feels like it can’t be much over 100g
 
and to feel totally stupid now i have just gone to look at my bee shots that were taken from some distance back as minimum focus not that near and the quality i thought was not great knocks the spots off hers lol.

Dunno what the TZ200 is like but I have a TZ100 and it's ok, much better than any small sensor compact I've had anyway. It's biggest problem is the lens which can be a bit soft and from what I've read this is just a result of the compromises in making a small big range zoom like these cameras have. It's ok for whole pictures viewed normally though and it does surprisingly well in more challenging light and it has a useable EVF too.

Just in case anyone is interested there's a thread about the TZ100 including a quick comparison to my Sony A7 on page 1...

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/panasonic-tz100.653653/page-2

I don't know if the TZ200 is any better so take all this with a pinch... but the TZ100 good though it is is a bit behind MFT for image quality if you go looking for the differences.
 
If you've got 800 - 1000 to spend (or will have) you should be able to afford an EM5MK2 kit with the brilliant 12-40 f2.8 pro lens from HDEW.

Add the 40-150 R lens secondhand and you've got a good combo and lens set.

I use my 40 -150 from everything from portraits to landscape and I'm always chuffed with the results from a £70 lens.



40 -150

[url=https://flic.kr/p/26QXyG1]Rosie by Terence Rees, on Flickr[/URL]



12-40 Pro

[url=https://flic.kr/p/29AJJ7a]Eye by Terence Rees, on Flickr[/URL]
 
Would you not consider a used EM1 then instead as it gives you a bigger viewfinder, weather sealing, and better AF for roughly the same size as EM10 + grip?

I did consider it yes, or a 5mkii. Cost came into the equation too though, along with the available functions.
I’d like a 1mkii to cover all the bases!
 
If you've got 800 - 1000 to spend (or will have) you should be able to afford an EM5MK2 kit with the brilliant 12-40 f2.8 pro lens from HDEW.

Add the 40-150 R lens secondhand and you've got a good combo and lens set.

I use my 40 -150 from everything from portraits to landscape and I'm always chuffed with the results from a £70 lens.



40 -150

Rosie by Terence Rees, on Flickr



12-40 Pro

Eye by Terence Rees, on Flickr
That eye is great for my drawing practice,thanks Terry
 
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