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

Its still crap as far as i can see,how can a system when its locked on say a seagull leave a white seagull as you pan past a black lamp post and think its staying with the target, gone back to single point.

Agreed. Tracking is certainly not a strongpoint and I now leave that option switched off.
 
With Canon and Nikon now launching their new line of Mirrorless cameras (about time), it seems that the time of the DSLR is nigh, and within a few years will no doubt be consigned to history. Also, Fuji are about to launch their new XT-3 and there’s even rumours of Panasonic getting into Full frame mirrorless. With all this exciting activity in the mirrorless world, one might ask where this leaves Micro Four Thirds.

It’s clear that camera bodies at least from rivals such as Sony for example, can be made as small as some of the more “pro” M4/3 bodies (EM1 MK II, G5, G9 etc), but full frame lenses are still bigger and heavier. There was some talk on another forum that with Panasonic’s upcoming announcement this might mean that they will cease future development of M4/3 to concentrate on their full frame offering. So again, where does this leave M4/3?

Well it seems (if you believe the rumours) that Olympus at least is preparing a new Pro level M4/3 to sit above the current OMD EM1 MK II with a new revolutionary sensor? Now quite what that means is anyone’s guess, but if there is a new “super” pro model coming, it got me thinking what I would like to see over the current EM1 MK II, so just for a bit of fun, I thought I’d scribble down a few thoughts. Fell free to comment or even tell me it’s crap, I really don’t mind.

BTW, items marked with an Asterix are areas / features that would need to be included for me to consider an upgrade (as I currently have an EM1 MK II and a Panasonic G9), all the others are nice to have’s.

1. *Better sensor – by that I mean a small bump in resolution (maybe 24-26mp), but with at least 1 stop (or more) better High ISO performance, and slightly better DR (although to be fair the EM1 MK II isn’t that bad as it is). Obviously, this is limited by physics and will probably still trail the best FF sensors by quite a bit, but we’ll see.

2. *Better AF-C performance including tracking. I would rate the EM1 MK II about as good as a DSLR from about 5-6 years ago, but it’s nothing like as quite and responsive as my Nikon D500 or D4 was when I had them

3. *More AF-C group area options and more AF points. Having the ability to create custom AF groups would be nice to. The current single, 5, 9 or all at times is a bit limiting.

4. * Two USH-II card slots

5. * USB charging – My G9 has it and it seems more and more cameras are coming with this and it would be great to power the camera from an external USB battery pack.

6. * AF joystick – my G9 has it, my D500 and D4 had them, (and even my X-T2 that I had for a while), and I find it the best and most convenient way of moving the AF points.

7. * Video – better AF-C in video mode, and more slow-motion options (120FPS in 1080P for instance like the G9 and others). 4K @ 60fps would be nice, but not essential (for me).

8. Better (higher resolution) EVF and higher resolution rear LCD.

9. “My Menu” area of the menus so that the most used menu items can be grouped into this much smaller custom area.

10. A one touch 100% magnification button (maybe pressing in on the AF joystick like it was on the D500) ?

11. Better battery life from the existing BLH-1 battery (although the EM1 MK II is pretty good already, especially for a mirrorless camera).

12. Whilst I quite like the fully articulated screen on the EM1 MKII sometimes it would be nice just to tilt it (like the EM1 MK I was). I think Sony sometime ago had a pretty nifty screen mechanism which could fully articulate but also when folded in against the body, could also tilt up or down (would be nice)?

13. 14 bit raw

14. Hand held High Res mode. Probably currently not technically possible but if anyone can make it happen, then most like Olympus can.

Anything else I’ve missed ?
 
With Canon and Nikon now launching their new line of Mirrorless cameras (about time), it seems that the time of the DSLR is nigh, and within a few years will no doubt be consigned to history. Also, Fuji are about to launch their new XT-3 and there’s even rumours of Panasonic getting into Full frame mirrorless. With all this exciting activity in the mirrorless world, one might ask where this leaves Micro Four Thirds.

It’s clear that camera bodies at least from rivals such as Sony for example, can be made as small as some of the more “pro” M4/3 bodies (EM1 MK II, G5, G9 etc), but full frame lenses are still bigger and heavier. There was some talk on another forum that with Panasonic’s upcoming announcement this might mean that they will cease future development of M4/3 to concentrate on their full frame offering. So again, where does this leave M4/3?

Well it seems (if you believe the rumours) that Olympus at least is preparing a new Pro level M4/3 to sit above the current OMD EM1 MK II with a new revolutionary sensor? Now quite what that means is anyone’s guess, but if there is a new “super” pro model coming, it got me thinking what I would like to see over the current EM1 MK II, so just for a bit of fun, I thought I’d scribble down a few thoughts. Fell free to comment or even tell me it’s crap, I really don’t mind.

BTW, items marked with an Asterix are areas / features that would need to be included for me to consider an upgrade (as I currently have an EM1 MK II and a Panasonic G9), all the others are nice to have’s.

1. *Better sensor – by that I mean a small bump in resolution (maybe 24-26mp), but with at least 1 stop (or more) better High ISO performance, and slightly better DR (although to be fair the EM1 MK II isn’t that bad as it is). Obviously, this is limited by physics and will probably still trail the best FF sensors by quite a bit, but we’ll see.

2. *Better AF-C performance including tracking. I would rate the EM1 MK II about as good as a DSLR from about 5-6 years ago, but it’s nothing like as quite and responsive as my Nikon D500 or D4 was when I had them

3. *More AF-C group area options and more AF points. Having the ability to create custom AF groups would be nice to. The current single, 5, 9 or all at times is a bit limiting.

4. * Two USH-II card slots

5. * USB charging – My G9 has it and it seems more and more cameras are coming with this and it would be great to power the camera from an external USB battery pack.

6. * AF joystick – my G9 has it, my D500 and D4 had them, (and even my X-T2 that I had for a while), and I find it the best and most convenient way of moving the AF points.

7. * Video – better AF-C in video mode, and more slow-motion options (120FPS in 1080P for instance like the G9 and others). 4K @ 60fps would be nice, but not essential (for me).

8. Better (higher resolution) EVF and higher resolution rear LCD.

9. “My Menu” area of the menus so that the most used menu items can be grouped into this much smaller custom area.

10. A one touch 100% magnification button (maybe pressing in on the AF joystick like it was on the D500) ?

11. Better battery life from the existing BLH-1 battery (although the EM1 MK II is pretty good already, especially for a mirrorless camera).

12. Whilst I quite like the fully articulated screen on the EM1 MKII sometimes it would be nice just to tilt it (like the EM1 MK I was). I think Sony sometime ago had a pretty nifty screen mechanism which could fully articulate but also when folded in against the body, could also tilt up or down (would be nice)?

13. 14 bit raw

14. Hand held High Res mode. Probably currently not technically possible but if anyone can make it happen, then most like Olympus can.

Anything else I’ve missed ?
I think it will be a long time before DSLRs die off tbh. These new Canikon mirrorless are quite a way off the top level DSLRs, or even DSLRs of a similar price point in terms of performance (I'm sure the final image will be top notch though). Sony are the only ones at the mo that appear to be able to create a mirrorless with genuine DSLR challenging performance (talking overall performance), although Fuji and Panny are making great strides, with Olympus just a little way off.

As for m4/3, the future is certainly a little bit uncertain. If the rumours are true and Panny are going to make a leap into the FF market it would suggest to me that they think FF mirrorless is the future and m4/3 might suffer from it. I certainly think that m4/3 will be even less of a pros choice than it already is, and will just be for those that want a lighter/smaller package. Trying to predict what consumers want is tricky. Part of me thinks that people are getting more picky and expect/want FF but then I look at how well the 1" bridge and compacts seem to be doing and this goes against it.

I for one hope that m4/3 sticks around, it's that perfect blend of size and IQ imo.
 
its all in the realms of the shape of things to come at the moment , as the saying goes DONT PANIC !
 
With Canon and Nikon now launching their new line of Mirrorless cameras (about time), it seems that the time of the DSLR is nigh, and within a few years will no doubt be consigned to history. Also, Fuji are about to launch their new XT-3 and there’s even rumours of Panasonic getting into Full frame mirrorless. With all this exciting activity in the mirrorless world, one might ask where this leaves Micro Four Thirds.

It’s clear that camera bodies at least from rivals such as Sony for example, can be made as small as some of the more “pro” M4/3 bodies (EM1 MK II, G5, G9 etc), but full frame lenses are still bigger and heavier. There was some talk on another forum that with Panasonic’s upcoming announcement this might mean that they will cease future development of M4/3 to concentrate on their full frame offering. So again, where does this leave M4/3?

Well it seems (if you believe the rumours) that Olympus at least is preparing a new Pro level M4/3 to sit above the current OMD EM1 MK II with a new revolutionary sensor? Now quite what that means is anyone’s guess, but if there is a new “super” pro model coming, it got me thinking what I would like to see over the current EM1 MK II, so just for a bit of fun, I thought I’d scribble down a few thoughts. Fell free to comment or even tell me it’s crap, I really don’t mind.

BTW, items marked with an Asterix are areas / features that would need to be included for me to consider an upgrade (as I currently have an EM1 MK II and a Panasonic G9), all the others are nice to have’s.

1. *Better sensor – by that I mean a small bump in resolution (maybe 24-26mp), but with at least 1 stop (or more) better High ISO performance, and slightly better DR (although to be fair the EM1 MK II isn’t that bad as it is). Obviously, this is limited by physics and will probably still trail the best FF sensors by quite a bit, but we’ll see.

2. *Better AF-C performance including tracking. I would rate the EM1 MK II about as good as a DSLR from about 5-6 years ago, but it’s nothing like as quite and responsive as my Nikon D500 or D4 was when I had them

3. *More AF-C group area options and more AF points. Having the ability to create custom AF groups would be nice to. The current single, 5, 9 or all at times is a bit limiting.

4. * Two USH-II card slots

5. * USB charging – My G9 has it and it seems more and more cameras are coming with this and it would be great to power the camera from an external USB battery pack.

6. * AF joystick – my G9 has it, my D500 and D4 had them, (and even my X-T2 that I had for a while), and I find it the best and most convenient way of moving the AF points.

7. * Video – better AF-C in video mode, and more slow-motion options (120FPS in 1080P for instance like the G9 and others). 4K @ 60fps would be nice, but not essential (for me).

8. Better (higher resolution) EVF and higher resolution rear LCD.

9. “My Menu” area of the menus so that the most used menu items can be grouped into this much smaller custom area.

10. A one touch 100% magnification button (maybe pressing in on the AF joystick like it was on the D500) ?

11. Better battery life from the existing BLH-1 battery (although the EM1 MK II is pretty good already, especially for a mirrorless camera).

12. Whilst I quite like the fully articulated screen on the EM1 MKII sometimes it would be nice just to tilt it (like the EM1 MK I was). I think Sony sometime ago had a pretty nifty screen mechanism which could fully articulate but also when folded in against the body, could also tilt up or down (would be nice)?

13. 14 bit raw

14. Hand held High Res mode. Probably currently not technically possible but if anyone can make it happen, then most like Olympus can.

Anything else I’ve missed ?


Maybe I’m not the right person to be debating camera tech as I’ve long since stopped caring much as any modern camera is good enough BUT, I don’t think Panasonic’s involvement in m43 really has that much bearing on Olympus’s future, the lens size of FF means I’ll never (re)adopt, the only thing that drives me nuts about Oly cameras is that I can’t assign a function to a button and have it switch that function on and off (e.g. AF mode, spot metering, etc) irrespective of what mode it is in).

It is clear that Oly has started to prosper (comparatively) in a world trending towards FF and I don’t see why they can continue to do so. Size is their main selling point and until smart phones reach the capability of a m43 camera they should be ok.
 
If Panasonic and Olympus go FF Mirrorless and abandon M43 I predict they wont exist in five years.
M43 is popular for a reason,,,,,it is popular despite FF camera availability and its popular despite FF Mirrorless (Mainly Sony) availability.
M43 isnt going anywhere for a while.
 
All I get is - "You do not have permission to view media within this album."
Is it just me???
 
Two new lenses arrived today :clap::banana::beer:

Enjoy that 17mm. You'll kick yourself the first time you change it on the body, accidentally engage the focus clutch and can't work out why you can't auto focus ;)
 
Thought you m4/3 guys might find this interesting. Here's two shots, one with arguably the best FF on the market in terms of IQ (D850) and 24-70mm f2.8, one with the EM1 and 12-40mm f2.8. They are both screen shots of my exported images so there's no EXIF and can't be enlarged (beyond the 2676 x 1788 I uploaded them at) to pixel peep. Pretty damn close imo. Unfortunately they're not exactly the same framing, but close enough ;) Best viewed on Flickr as they look sharper, at least they do on my computer)


Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.11
by TDG-77, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.51
by TDG-77, on Flickr




Edited text above.
 
Last edited:
Thought you m4/3 guys might find this interesting. Here's two shots, one with arguably the best FF on the market in terms of IQ (D850) and 24-70mm f2.8, one with the EM1 and 12-40mm f2.8. They are both screen shots of my exported images so there's no EXIF and can't be enlarged to pixel peep. Pretty damn close imo. Unfortunately they're not exactly the same framing, but close enough ;)


Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.11
by TDG-77, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.51
by TDG-77, on Flickr

The EM1 Mk1 is still a great camera.
 
Here's two shots, one with arguably the best FF on the market in terms of IQ (D850) and 24-70mm f2.8, one with the EM1 and 12-40mm f2.8.

What a fantastic way to make a most excellent point. A wake up call for all those who have been thinking "If it ain't FF, it's no good" of late!
 
What a fantastic way to make a most excellent point. A wake up call for all those who have been thinking "If it ain't FF, it's no good" of late!

Sadly most of those types wouldn't ever drop in to an M43 thread, it would be beneath them :rolleyes:, they would also have a tonne of excuses as to why the images look pretty much the same - probably claim the D850 image was much heavier cropped
 
What a fantastic way to make a most excellent point. A wake up call for all those who have been thinking "If it ain't FF, it's no good" of late!
Amended the post above as I forgot to say that the images are larger on Flickr but can't be enlarged past 2676 x 1788 for pixel peepers ;) They look sharper on flicker too.

Looking at the above FF even produces bigger images than m43 :rolleyes: Everything is bigger about FF..
Whilst I know this is tongue in cheek, obviously the D850 are much bigger and so can be blown up bigger and maintain better quality. However, most people won't view on anything but a computer screen, or print beyond A4 in which case the quality of the images are almost identical (y)
 
They seem to open okay for me. I'd guess that the lower one is D850 but was a bit on the fence. Certainly not much to separate them.
 
I'd marked them as private like a muppet, they're public now (y)
 
I certainly could not tell which was which - the 12-40 does truly seem to be a special lens also.

Here is one from my Spain trip. Not amazing, but I like it and only possible as I had the kit with me I would not normally have done with my old set-up.

2018-09-06_10-48-05 by alligator1975, on Flickr
 
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Al it wasn't too difficult with the oly to get these shots.
 
Thought you m4/3 guys might find this interesting. Here's two shots, one with arguably the best FF on the market in terms of IQ (D850) and 24-70mm f2.8, one with the EM1 and 12-40mm f2.8. They are both screen shots of my exported images so there's no EXIF and can't be enlarged (beyond the 2676 x 1788 I uploaded them at) to pixel peep. Pretty damn close imo. Unfortunately they're not exactly the same framing, but close enough ;) Best viewed on Flickr as they look sharper, at least they do on my computer)


Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.11
by TDG-77, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2018-09-06 at 13.34.51
by TDG-77, on Flickr




Edited text above.
I prefer the top one,bit more detail and less saturated.
 
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