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

Hi all
Re: new Mike Lane video where he 'finally' finds a good reason to switch to the OM1 mk2 over the mk1

I don't recall what Mike covers here being mentioned anywhere else..... especially the first part about the OM1 mk1 not recording frames when zooming with some zoom lenses.

View: https://youtu.be/jXicxOocsXE?si=nD0_CL8NEDOLvPGX


I thought this would be of interest to both MK1 & MK2 owners :)
 
I thought I'd post this in our own thread because it has just made "Explore" in Flickr.
I've no idea on the algorithms they use, but it's a nice little cheer up!

Shot in a private game reserve just outside The Kruger NP with the Oly OM1 and the OM Systems 150-400mm f4.5 t/c1.25................

Male Waterbuck by Malcolm Fisher, on Flickr
 
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Stunner malc well done
 
Well I've gone down a slightly different lens route after asking about different prime lenses! All of that information I have digested and now know what is good and what lenses to look out for.

To maximise the focal lengths available to me I've bought the 9-18mm and also the 40-150 f4-5.6 lenses. Picked up for pair for less than £200. Here's hoping the write up matches the lenses and both have good optics. I also bought the Olympus auto opening lens cap for the 14-42mm PZ lens.

The 12-45mm f4 is my next purchase so I have a pro lens that's all weather to match the camera.
 
Well I've gone down a slightly different lens route after asking about different prime lenses! All of that information I have digested and now know what is good and what lenses to look out for.

To maximise the focal lengths available to me I've bought the 9-18mm and also the 40-150 f4-5.6 lenses. Picked up for pair for less than £200. Here's hoping the write up matches the lenses and both have good optics. I also bought the Olympus auto opening lens cap for the 14-42mm PZ lens.

The 12-45mm f4 is my next purchase so I have a pro lens that's all weather to match the camera.

Never used the wide one, but the 40-150mm R is fabulous. Much better than it has any right to be - I just sold my 40-150mm F4 pro, which is definitely better in most ways (metal, weather sealed, bit sharper, faster etc) but I actually missed the tiny 40-150mm R. So I've got another on the way.
 
I’ll second that the 40-150 R is known as the plastic fantastic for good reason ,it punches way above its price range
 
That does back up what I’ve been saying for a while Olympus doesn’t make any really bad lenses
 
That does back up what I’ve been saying for a while Olympus doesn’t make any really bad lenses
I think this is what’s blown me away as someone who’s shot full frame for the last 4-5 years. To have an 80-300mm equivalent lens that you can just slip in a hoodie pocket and come away with an acceptable image is incredible. No ones going to deny there isn’t some fringing and C/A but as a cheap pocketable lens it’s really surprised/impressed me :)
 
Have you got it. What’s the verdict ?

Arrived today, had a quick test.

It's very good! It's the same sensor and firmware mostly, so I'm quite familiar, but of course in a smaller body you don't get the same stabilisation so live ND is missing (see post above - I loved live ND as well).

However, it has some real advantages over the em1 series cameras, notably:

- colour/black and white switch. All cameras should have this.

- art filters have more customisation than I'm used to - perhaps I just missed this in the em1 iii

- Tiny little pop up flash is useful in a pinch.

- the mode dial has "art" and "advanced photography" modes - art is fun for instant Instagram stuff, but the advanced photography makes it trivially easy to access multiple exposures, HDR etc.

- touchscreen seems super responsive compared to what I'm used to

- super light weight and small. Seriously, it's actually pocketable, unlike most popular fuji models or the nikon ZF, which is huge (for example).

Image quality is the same, obviously, as the em1 iii. Absolutely brilliant.

Drawbacks are... Well, the body feels more plasticky than I'd like. I do prefer the feel of the pen Epl7 which has a metal and plastic body, but the dials on this feel very sturdy.

And the autofocus system is contrast detect. Seriously, OM system, put phase detect in. I don't need it but the em1 iii had insane autofocus speeds...

Other than that, it's a fantastic camera for me. I will not be getting rid of the epl7 but they can live in the same bag.

Oh, and it came with the electronic zoom pancake kit lens, which I have a very positive opinion of from before. A bargain for £550. Could sell the lens for £100 if I wanted.

What I'd like to see from OM system next?

The same idea, but with metal body, weather sealing (even if only very basic level) and live ND. Don't care if it has the new 20mp stacked sensor or the old one, the old one is fantastic anyway.

And an EVF would be nice, although I imagine would require a larger body. Unless they can make it a Sony style pop out one where the flash is.

As it is, I'm thrilled. A pen f ii would really round this out - ep7 bargain camera for enthusiasts like me, and a pen f ii to compete with the fuji xe series, complete with weather sealing and evf. But would it sell? Not sure really.
 
I should add I know less than nothing about how to make a camera and I'm sure there are plenty of reasons why some of the features (such as live ND) are not present. For one thing, big computing = big heat management. Maybe it's a physical limitation.
 
Arrived today, had a quick test.

It's very good! It's the same sensor and firmware mostly, so I'm quite familiar, but of course in a smaller body you don't get the same stabilisation so live ND is missing (see post above - I loved live ND as well).

However, it has some real advantages over the em1 series cameras, notably:

- colour/black and white switch. All cameras should have this.

- art filters have more customisation than I'm used to - perhaps I just missed this in the em1 iii

- Tiny little pop up flash is useful in a pinch.

- the mode dial has "art" and "advanced photography" modes - art is fun for instant Instagram stuff, but the advanced photography makes it trivially easy to access multiple exposures, HDR etc.

- touchscreen seems super responsive compared to what I'm used to

- super light weight and small. Seriously, it's actually pocketable, unlike most popular fuji models or the nikon ZF, which is huge (for example).

Image quality is the same, obviously, as the em1 iii. Absolutely brilliant.

Drawbacks are... Well, the body feels more plasticky than I'd like. I do prefer the feel of the pen Epl7 which has a metal and plastic body, but the dials on this feel very sturdy.

And the autofocus system is contrast detect. Seriously, OM system, put phase detect in. I don't need it but the em1 iii had insane autofocus speeds...

Other than that, it's a fantastic camera for me. I will not be getting rid of the epl7 but they can live in the same bag.

Oh, and it came with the electronic zoom pancake kit lens, which I have a very positive opinion of from before. A bargain for £550. Could sell the lens for £100 if I wanted.

What I'd like to see from OM system next?

The same idea, but with metal body, weather sealing (even if only very basic level) and live ND. Don't care if it has the new 20mp stacked sensor or the old one, the old one is fantastic anyway.

And an EVF would be nice, although I imagine would require a larger body. Unless they can make it a Sony style pop out one where the flash is.

As it is, I'm thrilled. A pen f ii would really round this out - ep7 bargain camera for enthusiasts like me, and a pen f ii to compete with the fuji xe series, complete with weather sealing and evf. But would it sell? Not sure really.
Thanks for the detailed reply. That’s very useful.
 
I should add I know less than nothing about how to make a camera and I'm sure there are plenty of reasons why some of the features (such as live ND) are not present. For one thing, big computing = big heat management. Maybe it's a physical limitation.
It's also market differentiation. It's a smaller, cheaper camera so some features are left out so it doesn't crowd the next one up the line.
 
They are staffed by idjits that don’t know there arse from there elbow
 
Was at an event (not as photographer) and had taken my OM-1 to get a few shots when I was idle.

Shock! Battery on 1%. In the past this would have been a deal breaker. Then I remembered the in-camera USB C charging, and just gave it a boost with my computer charger. (y)
 
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