No idea about CSC / micro 4/3 etc etc (ditching SLR etc)

Donnie

Donnie

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Right, I've been kidding myself for about a year now hanging onto 5d, 40d, lenses, bags, tripod, triggers, flashes, car rig, etc etc so I've decided to get rid of it all.

I do have a little pocket camera (fuji xf1) just for when im away on a weekend rally on the lambretta etc, but Im interested in the whole micro 4/3 scene, however, I know NOTHING of these.

So, I want to know if anyone here has a link to a site or even a thread on here (ive searched but cant find a specific one) to give me an inkling about these so I can decide whether or not they might be worth a go.

I'll admit right now I have no mojo at all at the moment, so if i do bother then it'll be second hand and cheap eg i just saw that the fuji xm1 is cheap?

Anyway, any help would be appreciated.
 
The Fuji XT-1 is a cracker and uses APSC sensor I myself had this dilemma and eventually went Olympus EM5II because the lens selection is far greater and I can also use Panasonic bodies

However the Fuji is still up there as one of the best APSC out

Good luck
 
Lots of images etc HERE
18 moths ago I did the same as you are thinking, ditched the DSLR and went CSC with an Olympus E-PL5 and a Lumix GX1. I now have 4!
Never regretted the change, especially when climbing the hills with the (much) lighter gear!
 
The main difference between m4/3 and the other (APSC) CSC cameras is that due to the size and shape of the sensor the lenses are much smaller too so as a whole package they can rock in quite a bit smaller and lighter than the likes of Fuji/Sony. Also, as the system is more mature there are many many lenses to choose from.

Image quality is excellent too, even though the sensor is a bit smaller and you get inbuilt stabilisation which (in the OMD range) is easily the equal of any in-lens system.

The only thing you lose is some of the ultra-shallow DoF than you get from the larger sensors. That said, there are rumours of Oly releasing some f/1.0 primes which would be amazing and replicate f/2 DoF on a FF which is more than narrow enough for most things, here's hoping!
 
You might want to choose between with, or without a viewfinder. EVF.

Then there is the choice of which size camera body suits you best.

Then see if you can manage with few direct controls and buttons, or if you want lots.
 
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My limited knowledge says that the sensor of the micro 4/3rds EPL5 was the same size as the OMD range.

I may well be wrong, but certain I have read it somewhere...........

Certainly the reduction in size of the kit helps when out on a trek.

Whether you take to the smaller grip and feel is your decision.

I have gone from Pentax Ist stuff, and still do feel the need for a larger grip, but I think quality wise there is a huge improvement due to anno domini.......

MJ (IMHO)
 
Donnie said:
Wow, lots to look at there, I have to admit im swayed by the olympus offerings due to the lens options with both oly and panasonic.

At least that's my initial impression.
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Well you wont go wrong with either of them.
The EPL range is small and light, the Lumix G series is a little larger, but not much and lenses will fit both.
Go to a local camera shop and see if they fit your hands and purpose.
 
Do you not have a currys / pc world? they do a range of M43. I made the switch to M43 last November from a Canon 60D, i haven't looked back since, i got fed up of lugging my kit around and it ended up sat in a cupboard, i take my olympus E-M10 pretty much everywhere now.
 
▲What he said :)
 
I still shoot with Canon DSLRs (5D & 70D) and a pair of Olympus OMD E-M5Mark II with Olympus 12-40 f2.8 and an Olympus 40-150 f2.8 lenses.
The Olympus bodies are now seeing the most use. for a lot of subjects.
The only time I have had problems with the Olympus was shooting motor racing when trackside (it was ok when shooting relative stationary subjects).
The Canon 70D ran rings around the Olympus bodies when it came to tracking fast moving subjects.
 
I agree and it does make me think to cut all the GAS out the full pro range in the locker is enough for any man. With the 60mm macro too ooo and a Nocticron

I'm off again LOL
 
The GH4 s***s all over the 5D.

It's the best camera in its price range by FAR. But people come with their pre-conceived ideas about sensor sizes being the be-all and end-all, and for some reason seem to be very loyal to Canon/ Nikon, despite the fact that their DSLR range is living about 10 years in the past.

But that's good for me, if people keep buying canon/Nikon and not the superior Panasonic/ Sony alternatives, then the prices will stay low for me! [emoji28]
 
You know something, whilst I still love my Nikon DSLR's (D810 and D750) and the output is incredible (especially at high ISO's), I was testing my EM5 II against my D750 last night, (D750 fitted with the 50mm F1.8 AF-S and the EM5 with the Olympus 17mm F1.8, and up to about ISO 3200, I really couldn't' see much difference between them, but what I did notice is that the EM5 II got the white balance spot on (under incandescent lighting), and the images were quite a bit sharper than the D750 as well.It seems to me to get the best out of the DSLR's you need to use really high quality lenses rather than kit lenses, however with M43, even the kit lenses seem tack sharp.

OK, downsized to 16mp the D750 might look a tad better, but honestly, to my eyes M4/3 really has come a long way and is now served my some fabulous bodies from Olympus & Panasonic, and some really superb lenses from the Olympus Pro Line up, Panasonic Leica, fantastic primes etc. It really is a very well rounded system now and I really am loving it.
 
i agree soot i was at my dads last night for his 83rd birthday and he had his D800E out, photo vs photo the EM5II is pin sharp in fact sometimes sharper.
What i do like though about his D800E and the D810 is i was sat in the dusk in his back room and i was taking photos in P mode auto everything apart from i set Aperture to F2.8 on his 24/70 Nikkor, and took a few, it was like the flippin sun was shining in the room. amazed me the Low light stuff. flowers that looked dull to my eyes were bright and vibrant.

I'm saving up :)
 
Sootchucker said:
You know something, whilst I still love my Nikon DSLR's (D810 and D750) and the output is incredible (especially at high ISO's), I was testing my EM5 II against my D750 last night, (D750 fitted with the 50mm F1.8 AF-S and the EM5 with the Olympus 17mm F1.8, and up to about ISO 3200, I really couldn't' see much difference between them, but what I did notice is that the EM5 II got the white balance spot on (under incandescent lighting), and the images were quite a bit sharper than the D750 as well.It seems to me to get the best out of the DSLR's you need to use really high quality lenses rather than kit lenses, however with M43, even the kit lenses seem tack sharp.

OK, downsized to 16mp the D750 might look a tad better, but honestly, to my eyes M4/3 really has come a long way and is now served my some fabulous bodies from Olympus & Panasonic, and some really superb lenses from the Olympus Pro Line up, Panasonic Leica, fantastic primes etc. It really is a very well rounded system now and I really am loving it.
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Glad to hear a EM5 II comparison with the D750. I have the D750 but was looking for a smaller 1 prime set-up and the EM5 II and 17mm seem ideal for photo and IBIS handheld video. I shouldn't opt for another system set-up and stick to something like the RX100 stuff but the EM5 II keeps appealing for many reasons.
 
Donnie said:
Right, I've been kidding myself for about a year now hanging onto 5d, 40d, lenses, bags, tripod, triggers, flashes, car rig, etc etc so I've decided to get rid of it all.

I do have a little pocket camera (fuji xf1) just for when im away on a weekend rally on the lambretta etc, but Im interested in the whole micro 4/3 scene, however, I know NOTHING of these.

So, I want to know if anyone here has a link to a site or even a thread on here (ive searched but cant find a specific one) to give me an inkling about these so I can decide whether or not they might be worth a go.

I'll admit right now I have no mojo at all at the moment, so if i do bother then it'll be second hand and cheap eg i just saw that the fuji xm1 is cheap?

Anyway, any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you want to downsize and simplify? On that basis mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILCS) are definitely a good shout. I think if you are new to it all, before diving into m4/3rds, you should try to answer these questions:

Do you still need to shoot fast moving targets like sports photography?
Do you tend to rely on high ISO and low light gathering abilities?
Do you rely on shallow DOF in a lot of your photography?
Are you happy to shoot with only the rear LCD to compose, or do you want an EVF (electronic view finder)?
Do you want your camera body to feel more like a DSLR or a rangefinder style format?

Based on the above it may help to steer in the right direction. There are other alternatives to m4/3rds such as APS-C systems from Sony and Fuji not to mention full frame from Sony which is still surprisingly compact (in terms of body). It's the overall package size where m4/3rds wins on being smallest, since the lenses can be smaller for the sensor size.
 
Donnie youll like this 1 then, lovely bike taken with 12-40 pro on EM5II, got a few more if you wanna see em :)

 
Smilingatconfusion said:
But that's good for me, if people keep buying canon/Nikon and not the superior Panasonic/ Sony alternatives, then the prices will stay low for me! [emoji28]
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The GH4 you mentioned is hardly cheap?!

As to the OP - E-M5Mark II would get my vote if you wanted to go smaller. It might be a route I go down at some point, but cant fault my gear and the size is not an issue so no need at the moment.
 
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Thanks again all, I have to admit Id not thought about currys / pc world, we have one of each so might pop over there later and check out the offerings.

clicktor said:
It sounds like you want to downsize and simplify? On that basis mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILCS) are definitely a good shout. I think if you are new to it all, before diving into m4/3rds, you should try to answer these questions:

Do you still need to shoot fast moving targets like sports photography?
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Not particularly, I do a bit of panning with slower scooters etc but that's once in a blue moon, I don't go shooting at track days or the like.

Do you tend to rely on high ISO and low light gathering abilities?
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Again not particluarly, though I did have a phase of using a 10 stop filter for some shots but not that often.

Do you rely on shallow DOF in a lot of your photography?
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It's nice but I don't rely on it

Are you happy to shoot with only the rear LCD to compose, or do you want an EVF (electronic view finder)?
Click to expand...

I do like a viewfinder, but it's not a dealbreaker, when i use the little fuji xf1 it doesnt bother me.

Do you want your camera body to feel more like a DSLR or a rangefinder style format?
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No preference at all

Based on the above it may help to steer in the right direction. There are other alternatives to m4/3rds such as APS-C systems from Sony and Fuji not to mention full frame from Sony which is still surprisingly compact (in terms of body). It's the overall package size where m4/3rds wins on being smallest, since the lenses can be smaller for the sensor size.
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I think that as Im quite new to it im only looking at something initially quite inexpensive so many of the top end ones are out of the question for me at the moment.

I mean, looking at wex photographics used section there's stuff there for sub £100! http://www.wexphotographic.com/used-compact-system-cameras/b3240?sortby=1

I guess i need to go to my local shop and compare the feel of some of them first then start comparing what's available.

I hear great things about the fuji x range, i know kevin mullins loves them, but then the Oly's tempt me as Ive said due to the wider range of lenses.
 
Smilingatconfusion said:
... people come with their pre-conceived ideas about sensor sizes being the be-all and end-all, and for some reason seem to be very loyal to Canon/ Nikon, despite the fact that their DSLR range is living about 10 years in the past...
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Uh-Oh! The 'living in the past' mirror-huggers are going to take exception to this, and tar all m43 users with the same brush!
 
Smilingatconfusion said:
For a camera that produces video quality on a par with the RED Epic, it's cheap.
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Just for the sake of clarity i have no idea what a red epic is, sounds like a cheesy sci fi space ship or possibly something from ann summers ;)

Anyway, as I say, I have NO interest whatsoever in video, none, so it's not a factor in my choice. :)
 
If you are going m43rds and are only interested in stills, might I recommend looking into some of the Olympus bodies? You mention you want it inexpensive to start with. Perhaps have a look at a second hand OMD EM10? This is a good camera and very cheap now that the new MKII is out. It offers 3 axis IBIS and gives you access to all the m43rds lenses. Depending on what you like to shoot and your preferences, you could start out with a kit lens or a couple of nice primes? The Oly 45mm is good bang per buck, as is the Panasonic 20mm (although slow to focus). Otherwise if you want a pro zoom, you could look at the 12-40 Olmypus f/2.8. But...this is quite a big lens for the small EM10 body and is better suited to the EM1 with larger grip.

The benefits of looking at the APS-C line of MILCs are basically that you get the benefits of the larger sensor size with better dynamic range, slightly better noise control and shallower depth of field opportunities. The main two systems that I considered when looking were Sony and Fuji.

With Sony you have the NEX camera range and the Sony A6000 with E mount lenses. Weaker lens line up with possibly a lack of direction to the future as Sony have stated they are focusing on FE full frame lenses. In terms of camera bodies though they are fantastic. The sensors are obviously very good being Sony and bodies are refreshed often and packed full of features including high resolution sensors like the 24mpin the A6000. The A6000 also has possibly the best AF system in the mirrorless world, with the exception (so I have read) of the new Panasonic GH4 which is 3 times the price though.

With Fuji you have the X system. Fuji have done a great job in bringing lenses out in such a short time and they are generally very well received. In fact, all of the lenses in X system are very good, offering lovely primes through to arguably the best quality kit lens for any camera system, the 18-55 f/2.8-4. The X-T10 and X-T1 are great cameras you should consider looking into. The Fuji AF is not as fast but has improved with the latest version 4 firmware recently. Fuji uses a unique sensor as they put in their own X trans technology on top, which differs from a more normal bayer sensor layout. Due to this, Fuji X trans sensors perform differently, in some cases better and some worse.

If you like shooting JPEGs rather than RAW, Fuji and Olympus are known for having very pleasing JPEGs, and in particular "Fuji colour" is praised with their JPEGs.

I hope that gives a bit of an overview.
 
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Fuji X all the way, though I did find my old Panasonic GH1 sharper, not much beats the Fuji XT1 as an overall package. There is a 6 foot tall shot of mine on public display taken with the GH1, so there's certainly nothing to worry about going mirrorless.
 
I keep coming back to the olympus range i have to admit as they seem to be best in my likely budget, the fuji xt is out of it and i don't personally feel the sony lineup is for me.

the omd10 looks a good buy but at the edge of my budget and i see currys do the epl5 kit currently at 299 which looks the cheapest in the uk currently with a
14-42 mm f/3.5-5.6 II R Zoom Lens & 40-150 mm f/4.0-5.6 R Telephoto Zoom Lens so this may be the way for me to get into mirrorless with a good focal length range to cover most eventualities then if happy i can upgrade later?
 
Donnie, see you are near Bedford, bit of a trek but I am near Bury St Edmunds and have various m43 gear from em1 and em5mkii ep5 epl5 etc as well as some canon m series you are welcome to arrange to come over and play with them if you want to.
 
B1ts said:
Donnie, see you are near Bedford, bit of a trek but I am near Bury St Edmunds and have various m43 gear from em1 and em5mkii ep5 epl5 etc as well as some canon m series you are welcome to arrange to come over and play with them if you want to.
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Very good of you to offer mate, tis a bit of a trek for me though.
 
Donnie would that lambretta cost a lot I posted or just a well looked after one?
 
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