Olympus OM-D E-M5, E-M1, E-M10 - Mk1, Mk2 & Mk3 Owners Thread

Eyon said:
New to this thread, almost too much information to read!

My main camera is a Nikon D800 which I'm very happy with. I own 7 f-mount lenses so am not looking to convert to M43 or Olympus for the majority of the shooting. However, I am very tempted to have a little walk about camera for when I am out and about. Okay, I could use my D800 and 24-70 f/2.8 but it's a little over the top to take when I just go out in London to see friends etc. I really like the look of the OM-D E-M10, from a physical stand point. I reminds me a lot of my Mother's old OM-1 which although I own, I have never used. I like that classic silver body with the pentaprism area which doesn't feature so much with other brands.

My question is, given a typical walk around every day camera, is the mk3 worth it over the mk2 and the mk1? I can pick up a used mk1 for dirt cheap, put a little f/1.8 prime on it and have the perfect camera. Does the mk2 improve on this significantly? I'm fairly sure the mk3 isn't for me as the raised price isn't worth it for what I wish to use it for.

Any recommendations greatly appreciated.
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EM10ii is the bargain of the moment with the cashback offer.

I used to own a whole load of Nikon FF gear, I bought an EM10 as a 'travel camera' and then sold my Nikon gear 9 months later having not touched it at all...
 
I don’t know about the mk1 or mk3 but th3 mk2 is a staggering bit of kit and at current brand new price of circa £250 after cashback it’s a total steal
 
the black fox said:
I don’t know about the mk1 or mk3 but th3 mk2 is a staggering bit of kit and at current brand new price of circa £250 after cashback it’s a total steal
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The mkIII adds nothing really, just 4k. It's actually built with more plastic than the mkII.
 
the black fox said:
I don’t know about the mk1 or mk3 but th3 mk2 is a staggering bit of kit and at current brand new price of circa £250 after cashback it’s a total steal
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Where are you finding it for this price? Wex is showing it for considerably more at £384 post cashback.

MPB for "like new" is £294 which seems a good price, though I'd rather "is new"....
 
@Eyon I bought an EM10 mkii after talking to the Olympus rep who was running a demo day at my local L.C.E. His advice was that there was no real benifit in the mkiii unless you were into 4K video. I can't really comment on the mk1 as I have never seen one.
 
Pag said:
@Eyon I bought an EM10 mkii after talking to the Olympus rep who was running a demo day at my local L.C.E. His advice was that there was no real benifit in the mkiii unless you were into 4K video. I can't really comment on the mk1 as I have never seen one.
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Thanks! Reading around this seems to be a theme. I've no interest in video so mkII it is.

Now, where do I get the cheapest possible :banana:
 
bought mine from SRS MICROSYSTEMS two weeks ago for £299 plus £65 cash back giving a new price of £234 ,give them a bell see if theres any left
 
They are bold little fellows aren't they.

Cracking image of a Robin........one minor crit is that though the MFT will have wider DoF compared to the equivalent full frame, using f5.6, at what I surmise was fairly close in, the beak is OOF :( Though is gratifying to see that the DoF is not as wide as I feared it might be :)
 
Rosedalelad said:
Hi Guys,
... So I'm looking at a few options, one of which is M4/3 and particularly the OM-D E-M10 mk 2 with the kit 14-42 lens. How does this combination stack up? I'm only an enthusiastic amateur so I don't need or want huge amounts of expensive gear - just to be able to do a nice 24 inch print now and then. Any (constructive) comments would be appreciated :)
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Eyon said:
...
My question is, given a typical walk around every day camera, is the mk3 worth it over the mk2 and the mk1? I can pick up a used mk1 for dirt cheap, put a little f/1.8 prime on it and have the perfect camera. Does the mk2 improve on this significantly? I'm fairly sure the mk3 isn't for me as the raised price isn't worth it for what I wish to use it for.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

So here's my 2p. I have the EM-10 Mkii which I upgraded from the E-M10 Mki which in turn was a step up from the E-PL5.
I bought the Mki to get a built in EVF, flash and a second control wheel. The E-PL5 with add on EVF or flash was a bit clumsy.

The E-M10 Mkii has better stabilisation 5 axis vs. 3 axis on the Mki - this was one of my main reasons to upgrade.
Better EVF - more dots!
Silent shutter - can come in handy
Faster max shutter - in very bright sunlight I found myself limited

The Mkiii came out and they dropped a few features in the cause of ease of use and promoted some to simpler access.
IIRC Flash trigger stuff which I'll never use and MySets which I don't use either.
They added 4K video but I don't do video and don't have a 4K TV so not interesting to me.

IIRC they all use the same sensor - the JPG engine is incrementally better but if you shoot RAW it doesn't matter.

It was substantially more expensive so I went with a used Mkii.

So the Mkii is my main camera - the 14-42 EZ pancake is either my 1st or 2nd most used lens with the Olympus 17mm f1.8.
My bare minimum kit is the camera and 14-42 unless it's evening in which case it's the camera and the 17mm.

I group my pictures into albums based on the body and the lens so you can see what I've done with the Mkii and the 14-42mm EZ.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/amcuk/albums

Recently SRS had the Mkii body at a silly good price + cashback which made it simple decision. They've now climbed back up so it's not quite so clear cut but I would still consider that the sweetspot.

If I had the money I'd consider the PEN-F but thats a lot more money.

You can try the Mkiii for nothing on Test and Wow if you're near enough to one of the participating dealers.
https://wow.olympus.eu/en_GB/choose
 
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AMcUK said:
So here's my 2p. I have the EM-10 Mkii which I upgraded from the E-M10 Mki which in turn was a step up from the E-PL5.
I bought the Mki to get a built in EVF, flash and a second control wheel. The E-PL5 with add on EVF or flash was a bit clumsy.

The E-M10 Mkii has better stabilisation 5 axis vs. 3 axis on the Mki - this was one of my main reasons to upgrade.
Better EVF - more dots!
Silent shutter - can come in handy
Faster max shutter - in very bright sunlight I found myself limited

The Mkiii came out and they dropped a few features in the cause of ease of use and promoted some to simpler access.
IIRC Flash trigger stuff which I'll never use and MySets which I don't use either.
They added 4K video but I don't do video and don't have a 4K TV so not interesting to me.

IIRC they all use the same sensor - the JPG engine is incrementally better but if you shoot RAW it doesn't matter.

It was substantially more expensive so I went with a used Mkii.

So the Mkii is my main camera - the 14-42 EZ pancake is either my 1st or 2nd most used lens with the Olympus 17mm f1.8.
My bare minimum kit is the camera and 14-42 unless it's evening in which case it's the camera and the 17mm.

I group my pictures into albums based on the body and the lens so you can see what I've done with the Mkii and the 14-42mm EZ.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/amcuk/albums

Recently SRS had the Mkii body at a silly good price + cashback which made it simple decision. They've now climbed back up so it's not quite so clear cut but I would still consider that the sweetspot.

If I had the money I'd consider the PEN-F but thats a lot more money.

You can try the Mkiii for nothing on Test and Wow if you're near enough to one of the participating dealers.
https://wow.olympus.eu/en_GB/choose
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Many thanks - all good info and I'm giving it some thought

Thanks again
 
I love doing macro.
I have the Olympus 30mm macro. Has anyone got the 60mm? Is it worth the upgrade?
It will be on a em10ii
 
I'm struggling with the high resolution mode on my EM5MK2 in the studio with my 2 Lencarta Smartflash 2's.

I realize I can only go to F8 so have turned the lights right down.

The problem I'm seeing is when shooting in full manual at 1/125 or 1/200 second I'm getting a dark shot up to 7/8 of the way across the frame.
i.e. the last 1/8 of the image is visible to the right.

It must be a shutter sync issue but I'm blowed if I can work it out.

If I shoot at 1/15 sec I can see the whole image but it's blown out.


Do you think the answer is to shoot with no ambient light (just the modeling lamps on) or something else.

Ideally I'm hoping someone has experienced this issue and has overcome it.

I can upload an example image tonight if I've not explained the problem sufficiently.

Thanks in advance,

Terry.
 
Answered my own question in case anyone else has problems

"Take note that the flash sync with the electronic shutter used is limited at 1/20sec fastest. Careful consideration of ambient light (or how to control/reduce it) is important. "



So there we go, no ambient light and 1/20 sec. max
 
GreenNinja67 said:
Answered my own question in case anyone else has problems

"Take note that the flash sync with the electronic shutter used is limited at 1/20sec fastest. Careful consideration of ambient light (or how to control/reduce it) is important. "



So there we go, no ambient light and 1/20 sec. max
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Aye, I got into the habit of switching to MS only when using flash [which I really only do for macro atm] - puzzled me to begin with, thought my TT350o was a dud

On the macro lenses, the major difference will be the min focus distance, you have more space between you and the subject on the 60mm - also you get the focus limiter on the 60mm. Both lenses will be tack sharp, most macro lenses tend to be.
 
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Skyline said:
I love doing macro.
I have the Olympus 30mm macro. Has anyone got the 60mm? Is it worth the upgrade?
It will be on a em10ii
Click to expand...
The 60mm allows you to get further from the subject.
 
Simplythebeast said:
These are the originals....




View attachment 131002 View attachment 131003 View attachment 131004
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Thanks :)

As part of my researching and need for relative reach the 300mm with or without the 1.4x TC seems a bit marmite. Some praise it and show excellent sharpness.....though possibly where they have filled the frame and a few others have been disappointed by what is supposed to be the flagship lens??? The examples you have posted all seem a tad soft,.........lens and/or settings performance???

One thing I did read about and I wonder if it has been helped by firmware version 2 is C-AF with tracking, again only some posts I have seen elsewhere/here(?) say using "tracking" with the C-AF does not work too well as it reduces the number of in focus/sharp keepers.

I am going tomorrow to handle an EM1 mk2 and take my own SD card......no idea which lenses the shop has but will then see how I get on with the feel and handling especially in regard to the viewfinder because I wear glasses and hope I can see the scene and data OK with minimal compromise.

Thanks once again and for any other user experience & insight you might have :)
 
Just bought an Olympus 45mm f1.8, what a great little lens at a very decent price, definitely a bargain.
(won't mention the lack of a hood and the extortionate £29.99 for the genuine one)
 
Lots of macro / nature pics in this thread, so may I interject with some pics of cars, pretty much the only thing I take pictures of.

These are from recent meets of a short oval formula called Oval Track Legends, in which my son competes (car #114). This weekend we were at Ipswich and Yarmouth for a double-header, and the Yarmouth pics in particular I'm pleased with as the light was gorgeous, late evening, 6pm start, 9pm finish, and I feel I'm finally getting on top of this panning lark!

I think these are all EM1.2 with 40-150mm PRO + MC14 TC







 
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Are there many trade-offs on mixing Olympus bodies with Panasonic lenses, e.g. Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic 100-400?
 
gramps said:
Are there many trade-offs on mixing Olympus bodies with Panasonic lenses, e.g. Olympus E-M5 and Panasonic 100-400?
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Newcomer to this m4/3 lark, but know the dual is only works on a Panasonic body. Also one of my Panasonic lenses has an aperture ring, that doesn't work on an Olympus body.
Read you can get vignetting mixing the two, but that was just anecdotal ramblings on a forum
 
mark.roper said:
Lots of macro / nature pics in this thread, so may I interject with some pics of cars, pretty much the only thing I take pictures of.

These are from recent meets of a short oval formula called Oval Track Legends, in which my son competes (car #114). This weekend we were at Ipswich and Yarmouth for a double-header, and the Yarmouth pics in particular I'm pleased with as the light was gorgeous, late evening, 6pm start, 9pm finish, and I feel I'm finally getting on top of this panning lark!

I think these are all EM1.2 with 40-150mm PRO + MC14 TC







Click to expand...

Nice set and illustrates what that combo can do, thanks for sharing :) .and yes you do appear to have gotten the hang of panning ;)
 
Right, this hi res mode with flash is p***ing me off.

Anybody had success with studio strobes and wireless flash transmitter?

Here's last night's efforts:

Set camera to manual and set shutter speed to 1/20 second (maximum the E Shutter will do on flash).
Set aperture to f8.
Take a 16MP shot to ensure correct exposure (both studio heads fire wirelessly ok)
Set Hi Res to on (with a 4 second delay before the shot is taken and a 2 second delay for flash recharge).

Press the shutter button and 8 images are taken and the screen then says busy with a line going left to right (this tells me the 40MP file is being created)

Get the card onto the mac and the RAW file sizes are only 15MBs (and no .ORI file)


Take a test hi res shot on the bed with no flash and I get a 120MB Raw file with corresponding .ORI file


What am I doing wrong / have I set incorrectly?

Do I have to increase the flash recharge time to 4 seconds? I remember reading something about this but thought it only applied to the supplied Olympus flash)
 
tijuana taxi said:
Just bought an Olympus 45mm f1.8, what a great little lens at a very decent price, definitely a bargain.
(won't mention the lack of a hood and the extortionate £29.99 for the genuine one)
Click to expand...

I might trade my 60mm for that some time, find it a bit tight fof most scenarios and not long enough for others

I really fancy the sigma 16mm the more I research it, it's for everything I want bar the size, but I've had bigger primes. It's weather sealed, focuses very close (as the suggested min focus is from the sensor plane and the lens is so long it focuses closer than the likes of the Panasonic 15) and it is 1.4 for decent money and possibly one of the sharpest primes for m43. Never going to be stealthy though .
 
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Cagey75 said:
I might trade my 60mm for that some time, find it a bit tight fof most scenarios and not long enough for others

I really fancy the sigma 16mm the more I research it, it's for everything I want bar the size, but I've had bigger primes. It's weather sealed, focuses very close (as the suggested min focus is from the sensor plane and the lens is so long it focuses closer than the likes of the Panasonic 15) and it is 1.4 for decent money and possibly one of the sharpest primes for m43. Never going to be stealthy though .
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I am of the opposite opinion, like m4/3 for the diminutive size of the lenses and even the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 is perhaps larger than I wanted really (it is a nice lens though)
My daughter came over yesterday evening and she has the Olympus 25mm f1.8, quite a bit smaller and again a nice lens image quality wise

Life is all about compromise though, so if it suits why not?
 
tijuana taxi said:
I am of the opposite opinion, like m4/3 for the diminutive size of the lenses and even the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 is perhaps larger than I wanted really (it is a nice lens though)
My daughter came over yesterday evening and she has the Olympus 25mm f1.8, quite a bit smaller and again a nice lens image quality wise

Life is all about compromise though, so if it suits why not?
Click to expand...

M43 for me was all about the IBIS in the beginning, then the overall lighter package in the bag - not so much lighter/smaller lenses when shooting. I do like neat and tidy though when out and about, but I was used to mammoth, stupid looking big lenses on the D800 for years :D It's the only reason not to get the 16mm, size. It's got everything else I want. I do wish it was at least an inch shorter, more about the size of their 30 1.4, but it is what it is. Will have to ponder some more
 
Away at the moment in a small village in Spain, have a week and a bit to practice taking what I believe are House Martins, or Swallows as I called them for 2 days. All on EM5mkII and 100-400. First birds I've taken with his combo, and I have to say they are past my skill leel. Am trying a mixture of manual focus and Single Focus, easiest near the nests. I have never in my life binned so many shots of nothing- they don't have move fast!

HouseMartin by alligator1975, on Flickr

HouseMartin2 by alligator1975, on Flickr

HouseMartin3 by alligator1975, on Flickr

This was a bit odd - cross between a house martin, barn owl and grumpy santa.

HouseMartinCross by alligator1975, on Flickr

HouseMArtinIncoming by alligator1975, on Flickr

HouseMartinFlying8 by alligator1975, on Flickr
 
I've tried C-AF + tracking with my motorsports photography and find it a bit hit and miss.

When shooting a busy scene it might lock on to something I didn't intend, and then the opportunity is lost, i.e. the car I was aiming at is gone. Using C-AF, assuming my panning is up to scratch, I can fire off 'x' number of shots and ensure at least some of them are in focus.

On the occasions I have tried it however, (used it at Snetterton a couple of months ago, single car on track against a plain background) it was superb, grabbed a spot on the car and didn't let go. I think it depends on how easy it is to establish the lock in the first place.
 
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