(Micro Four Thirds Just Took A Big Step Up)
DISCLAIMER: Crop factor and the associated focal length multiplier only affects field of view. I prefer to reference this as effective focal length but others use FOV. Feel free to use whichever term you like.
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I love small, lightweight, inexpensive, powerful cameras. I became interested in the M43 format in the Summer of 2009 when these cameras first started shipping. By 2010 I had purchased my own Micro Four Thirds system and over the ensuing years have upgraded or added to that system many times.
I like these cameras so much that in the summer of 2013 I released a lynda.com training title with my pal Rich Harrington called Up & Running With Micro Four Thirds Cameras. (Updated in 2015.)
But when it comes to M43, even though my heart is in it, my head hasn’t been because of three things:
1. Lack of long lenses
Initially, M43 cameras simply didn’t come with lenses that were fast enough, long enough, or sharp enough for me to get the subject as large in the frame as I need it to be when I shoot birds. The system lacked a super high-quality 600mm lens. The big zooms for M43 cameras were also too slow and not contrasty enough for my taste.
That has been rectified “bigly” by the superior Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f4.0 PRO Lens which, when paired with an Olympus MC-14 1.4X Teleconverter gives me an equivalent focal length (EFL) of 840mm. It’s sharp and fast to focus either way.
When it comes to zooms, the Olympus M.ZUIKO 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Lens and the Panasonic LUMIX G LEICA DG VARIO-ELMAR, 100-400mm, F4.0-6.3 ASPH Lens offer anywhere between 80-300 f/2.8 (EFL) and 200-800mm f/4-6.3 (EFL) respectively.
All the aforementioned lenses are top-notch with great handling and all have solved my lack of long lenses in M43 problem.
2. Lack of sufficiently reliable and fast continuous autofocus
I couldn’t get autofocus that would allow me to get the kind of results as a bird photographer I’ve come to expect out of flagship DSLRs like the Canon 1DX MK II. Most M43 systems autofocus quite well on static subjects, but when it comes to birds in flight they simply can’t cut it.
The new OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II camera body has solved that problem. While it won’t catch up with the AF on the newish Canon 1DX MK II, it also doesn’t cost $6200 and doesn’t weigh half a ton. And it’s very good. When you practice with it, learn how it works, how to deal with it (as you’d be required to do with any sophisticated AF) you can tune it to your liking and coax results that approach what top-of-the-line, full-frame DSLRs could do just a few years ago. The Olympus E-M1 Mark II comes with an entirely new autofocus system, featuring 121 on-sensor phase-detection points. There is one in-camera processor exclusively devoted to AF so it’s really very good. Even in bad light it acquires focus quickly. In my opinion the AF problem is hereby solved and it will only get better.
3. Lack of sufficient image quality to print 30×40” prints
Lastly, image quality (while excellent) hasn’t been sufficient some times for the really big prints I often make of my bird photography. I can make 20×30” prints from the legacy flagship M43 cameras but rarely am I happy with the results I get when printing longer than 40” on the longest side.
The new OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II camera body has also mostly solved this problem. Literally the first thing I did was take a picture of my handy-dandy test chart (it’s actually my business license) and print it 30×40”. It looks pretty darn good, especially at appropriate viewing distance. There is noticeable improvement in small details over image files made using previous versions of this and other top M43 cameras. If people can make big prints from their iPhone then there’s nothing wrong with printing from M43. So now that’s out of the way.
And…
I could stop right there and be happy with the new OM-D but there’s more to brag on.
The handling is great. The battery life is the best I have ever seen on a Micro Four Thirds camera. In fact, battery life approaches the same experience you would have with a top DSLR. I also love the new in-body stabilization when worked in conjunction with a stabilized lens. Let’s just say I won’t be bringing a tripod NEARLY as often as I used to on my future field trips. In most cases a small, lightweight monopod is more than enough.
The camera is very sturdy and weather-sealed. I shot with it in a light drizzle using a weather sealed lens with no problem. The MKII also delivers very high-quality video and superb JPEG colors straight out of the camera if you’re into that sort of thing.
Oh yeah, and the MKII offers a ridiculous 18-fps frame rate (WITH Continuous AF engaged) which is faster than any flagship DSLR on the market!
Olympus has finally offered a second SD-card slot although only the top slot is video/fast card capable. (NOTE: there might be compatibility issues with 128GB cards in the number one slot so check with Olympus to make sure your card works.)
The new High Res Shot mode is not just a gimmick – likewise “pro-capture.” These really work but they do take getting used to.
DINGS!
What don’t I like about the new OM-D? There’s not much to complain about. When you’re an early adopter (I received one of the first of these to ship) there are inevitably things to work out. So far I am not in love with the fact that you can’t enter playback mode while the buffer is full. I still think the menus are a bit too much. Less is more and a simpler camera interface would be welcome. The buffer fills a bit too quickly for my taste (but then again I am used to the Canon 1DX MK II which has NO LIMIT on its buffer.) The shutter button is almost too sensitive. I am sure I will get used to it but I accidentally fired off a couple of bursts more than once (it’s only digital so I don’t have to pay for it at least!) The manual that comes with the camera is pretty thin but if you dig around on the Olympus site you should be able to find a digital copy of the REAL manual that better explains things. The camera is very expensive for a Micro Four Thirds camera body, but I didn’t say it isn’t worth the money. I think it is worth the money. Unfortunately, if you don’t have the money it doesn’t matter if it’s a great camera. The price point will send some photographers elsewhere.
Conclusion
This is a fast-handling camera that has every pro feature you can imagine. It’s expensive but I think it’s probably worth the price. It’s also smaller and lighter than its DSLR counterparts. It’s good enough that I can use it instead of the heavy, bulky full-frame DSLRs I used to have to rely on. It works with some fantastic Olympus glass but as a bonus, also works with the superb lenses produced by Panasonic for the M43 system. The main thing I can’t get over is how small, and light weight the kit is in comparison to my usual stuff. It may seem like a heavy rig to those of you who are not wildlife photographers but it’s amazingly light weight to me.
I need more time to develop a more in-depth look and opinion, but so far I’d say highly recommended.
Scott Bourne
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I was fortunate to use the camera for a day during the launch in South Africa shooting wildlife and birds. Not being a M43 or an Olympus user took some time to get use to but also allow one to be critical comparing to the current system in use. It is indeed a very impressive Camera and the lenses mentioned are fantastic plus some of the shorter zooms and primes. Build quality and IQ of the lenses is of high standard.
My concerns for making an change or spending serious money on a M43 system and then the Olympus as I have not used the Panasonic system as yet, revolves around these issues. I am sure in future they will/might be addressed.
Handling, The EM 1ii is already bigger than the EM 1 plus add the battery grip to give it n bit more bulk for handling with the bigger lenses and add battery capacity. The camera I used had a fully charged battery and was run flat after 411 shots. Maybe it was me but this remains a major problem especially if you shoot at 18 fps. The battery is sucked dry very fast. The LCD screen being on all the time and sensitivity consistently changed settings. Having to flip the screen around to shut it down was the only option. Olympus Sales Manager made a not to address this. The other handling issue is that the front dial sitting around the shutter release had almost no resistance when turning, I was shooting in Aperture Priority Mode and found that the f stop constantly changes during shooting. As I pressed the shutter and touched the ring it would just turn and change settings. This was also noted. This was the case on all 6 camera’s that were on test.
The next issue was that when we used the TC1.4 on the 300 f4 at least 3 of the camera’s would lock and freeze. It also happened on the 40-150. But I am sure this can be solved.
For me as a FF DSLR user the increase in DOF on the M43 lenses to double the DOF f4 to f8 effect because of the 2x crop factor would require some adjustment. I has its benefits that you get double the DOF but retain the same light should you need a bigger DOF. This would require some mindset change. Think DOF of a landscape but shoot like a sports photographer when you do action.
Another impact is the ISO performance trade off with stabilization is a great concept and the stabilization is impressive. For slow moving and static subjects this trade off is great, however, with fast action higher ISO is needed to support the high shutter speed. As I shoot a great deal in low light this would pose a challenge. But that is the trade off with small sensors.
I do however see that this system could become a serious option for wildlife especially for those who often have to travel by small aircraft and maybe as a second system. That is my interest. But given the current price of the bodies and the top end lenses. especially the “super zooms” it remains a difficult decision. For the current Olympus users, this camera is a must upgrade. It is streets ahead of the M1.
Jakes I think I saw your comment on the Olympus FB forum and you mentioned a launch camera. Not sure if it was a production model but I didn’t experience any problem with the 1.4 TC and got great battery life. Your experience is your own but so is mine. I wouldn’t have any problem recommending either the battery life or the use of the TC on this camera based on my experiences. And I am not sure how on the one hand you can complain about the size of the OMD camera yet talk about being a FF user and NOT complain about the size of the FF camera. And you’re comments about DOF are surprising to me. DOF is ALWAYS controlled by subject to camera distance – ALWAYS. If you’re working close to your subjects with longer lenses, DOF at f/22 can be 1/100th of an inch. If you’re shooting a bird flying 80 yards from you against a blue sky DOF may be 100 yards at f/2 or f/22 and will be virtually identical (in terms of BOKEH). Lastly f/8 is f/8 is f/8 no matter what the size of the sensor — regarding light pass through.
You can turn off the LCD screen by disabling the “EVF Auto Switch” and manually toggle between the viewfinder and the screen. At least that’s what I’m doing on the Mark 1.
I took the EM1 II out on it’s first job last Saturday, a winter wedding where we did spend a good amount of time outside taking snow shots in 17 degree temperatures. I did have a grip on the camera and definitely could have shot the entire day with two batteries. I changed one out just because I was paranoid of the cold weather taking the life out of the batteries quicker. So, my experience with battery life is much in line with Scott’s – an excellent experience.
As a fairly long time Panasonic GH/GX owner. I’m curious as to how the AF stacks up against the GX8. The GX8 made some real improvements in AF. Any comparison in that area Scott?
Hi Rich the GX8 has very good and accurate AF but nothing compared to the OM-D E-M1 MK II. It is now the high bar for the rest of the industry. Continuous AF – tracking moving subjects can be done with the Panasonic but it’s a breeze with the Olympus. I expect the new Panasonic GH5 may have more to offer.
I kind of expected that answer. Olympus seems to have moved the bar very high for Panasonic and a new release of the GH series.
Your comment on price is understandable and your comments on the mirrorless podcast are good. An additional factor is the cost of development of a totally new camera. This includes the tooling for the new body, electronics, firmware and assembly instructions. Not to mention extensive testing. I have no idea how many people are on the new product team at each manufacturer. I’m sure it would surprise a lot of photographers and pundits. The manufacturers need to be able to recover these costs.
It would be interesting if you could do some detective work and talk about this factor on one of the podcasts. My guess is that one of the reasons Canon and Nikon don’t move into the mirrorless realm in a significant way is the cost of redoing their whole lens line up. Not to mention the cost of supporting both their traditional high end cameras and a new mirrorless line up.
Thanks Rich and I think you are right. I do believe the Japanese Yen conversion and problems in that region from earthquakes et. al. have contributed to the need for higher prices. It shocks me that people will pay $850 for a smart phone with a camera but complain about $2k for a tour-de-force in technology like the new Oly. Likewise I am hearing that Panasonic might debut the GH5 at a similar price and if the performance in that camera is also similar I believe it will be worth the money too.
Scott glad to see that like myself have gone to a much lighter system as we age. Carrying around a Canon 500 mm with gimbal mounted on a Gitzo is not the fun it used to be. Do you have any plans for producing a ebook how to set up EM-1 mk 2 for shooting wildlife and birds?
Hi Arnie I don’t know if I’ll have time to do that but I will be passing along some tips from time-to-time as I get more familiar with the system. It will be a while before I feel like I’ve fully learned the camera’s capability. I’ve had a lot more time in the field with the big Canon gear and that I knew like the back of my hand. Now I am like a rookie starting over from scratch 🙂
Scott, if you feel the shutter release is a little too sensitive why not customise the camera to back button focus? I use it all the time and it works very well with C-AF TR and 18 fps for birds in flight etc.
Hi Pete I am the rare bird (pun intended) who strongly dislikes back button focus. I find it slows things down for BIF. Even Artie Morris has backpedaled on this and he used to be the biggest proponent of it anywhere. For me it doesn’t work and now that I have more experience with it – it’s less a problem. I am used to it now.
Hi Scott,
thanks for this post in special and your outstanding podcast in general. I really like the pragmatic way you evaluate things, especially when it comes to gear.
I’m looking forward on your further experiences with the m43 and maybe to see some pictures you took with it.
Please keep up your very inspiring contributions!
Cheers from Germany,
Peter
Thanks Peter in a few days I’ll be posting a follow up piece with sample images.