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I'm one of those people who seem to always root for the underdog. Unless my team is directly involved, I have always taken the side of the underdog, the left behind, the disadvantaged and the one that is not supposed to succeed. That's just me. I want the underdog to rise up and overcome all obstacles and win. In my mind, the micro4/3 format and system have always been the underdog and have had the odds stacked against it. Micro4/3 has always had to fight, scrap and dig for some respect. I like that. I like the fact that Olympus, Panasonic and the rest of the micro4/3 consortium has so far beaten the odds. Just barely, sadly, but are still in the game.
Move those thoughts to a personal level and I feel using micro4/3 for professional level work is a challenge. I love challenges. I want to show that I can get as good images from my micro4/3 gear as others from their larger format gear. I may have to work a bit harder, but you know what, I've always enjoyed working a bit harder than the next guy to succeed.
In my mind, I still think the micro4/3 format is the best combination of size, weight, price, lens selection, versatility and image quality. To be honest, I've recently have had thoughts that maybe the APS-C format now holds that position, but no, it doesn't.
First, APS-C does not have the lens selection that is available with micro4/3. Second, it doesn't have the extensive features available only in micro4/3 cameras (think about the AMAZING Pro Capture and 60fps, for two) and third, when you add in the software plug-ins such as Topaz DeNoise AI, Topaz Gigapixel AI, Topaz Sharpen AI, DXO PureRaw and Photoshop's new Super Resolution tool you can not only equal APS-C but in almost all cases surpass it in quality. In fact, you can come close to equaling full frame in all but the most extreme cases. By having this new, advanced machine learning technology available to us, the playing field has been dramatically flattened. All APS-C sensored cameras have is a larger sensor. Not much more.
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In 2012 I bought an Olympus E-M5 and a couple of consumer grade lenses that had been recommended by Brooks Jenson, the editor and publisher of Lenswork Magazine. I was traveling extensively and was tired of carrying around my rather large and heavy Nikon gear, especially the f/2.8 triad of huge and heavy zoom lenses lenses. I remember saying to myself (and writing numerous times in this blog) that I wanted to go smaller, lighter but keep excellent quality. Frankly, I was amazed, not only of the quality of images I was able to make with the E-M5, but also the feeling I got when using it. I felt re-energized. I felt I had new creative juices flowing and my enthusiasm for photography jumped 100%! Now, I think I felt that way because, as now, you aren't supposed to be able to make good photographs with a camera that has such a small sensor. Well, from 2012 to just a couple of years ago when I retired from professional photography, I was selling stock photography all over the world made with my Olympus gear and never once did a single buyer or art director complain about my images being too soft, not enough resolution, bad color or any other reason.
Now, to add icing to the micro4/3 cake, since 2012 and owning 5 different mico4/3 cameras, I've never had to clean a sensor. Not even once. That is remarkable. And...I've used them in about every situation you can imagine from desert dust, to snow, to pouring rain to sandy beaches in the wind. I'm not sure what magic Olympus has cooked up, but they have created a sensor cleaning system second to none.
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I find myself back in the position I was in two years ago having three complete camera systems, three different sensor formats and my desire to reduce and downsize. The last time I went through this I decided to sell most of my Fujifilm gear as it was halfway between my Olympus micro4/3 format gear and my Nikon full frame gear. Made logical sense to me. Well, if I decide to sell today, I would sell my Nikon gear. I just can't find a technical reason to keep full frame gear. As I previously mentioned, using the software now available to us, I can pretty much duplicate anything I could do with my Nikon gear. Fujifilm gear? Well, I still love using it as it is my favorite when it comes to haptics, dials, buttons, etc. It's 'old school' and I'm 'old school' in that I used dials on film cameras for 30 years before digital came along and using Fujifilm gear is like going home again.
A year ago I really worried that micro4/3 format was going to quickly go away. I no longer think that. Even though Olympus and Panasonic have not recently introduced new, updated cameras in the last year or more, I'm not surprised as the upheaval and economic chaos caused by the worldwide pandemic, the business shutdowns, supply chain interruptions and then add in Olympus' decision to divest the camera division, and it is understandable why not much has been released. But now I think we (and they) are past that. Things are looking better. The executives of both OM Digital Systems and Panasonic have repeatedly told us that they plan on continuing and introducing new cameras and lenses. The OM Digital Solutions chief technical officer just recently and very publicly announced that they will have something very special for us before the end of the year. Panasonic as well has repeatedly told us they will not abandon micro4/3 (and they shouldn't since they have only about 2% of the full frame market). Personally, I am of the belief that the format will survive and push forward into the foreseeable future.
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How about traveling with a tiny E-M5 Mark III with the superb 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens attached. There isn't much you can't capture during your travels with that small kit. It is very small, lightweight, unobtrusive and is capable of capturing most any image you may want to take while traveling.
There are so many lenses that easily meet professional standards from both manufacturers. In fact, the lens + accessory catalog ranges from 7mm to 1600mm. APS-C can't match that. The big boys can but can you afford a Nikon or Canon 600mm f/4 and pay from $12,000 to $14,000? Or would you rather pay $2800 for an equivalent Olympus lens? You get my point.
Finally, when it comes right down to it, I really like shooting with my Olympus micro4/3 gear. It brings me great satisfaction and, if you've been reading this blog for any time at all or gone to my website, you've seen the kinds of images I produce with my gear.
Final note. I find it really interesting that many of those photographers who give high praise the camera in the iPhone and the Sony RX100 series of cameras also say that micro4/3 has too small a sensor to be a serious camera. I say, make up your mind. You can't have it both ways.
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In the end, long live the underdog?
Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
All content on this blog is © 2013-2021 Dennis A. Mook. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution. Permission may be granted for commercial use. Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.
Greetings Dennis -
ReplyDeleteI too have both Olympus (EM-1 mark II + 12-100 zoom) and Nikon (Z50 and D500 with several lenses). I don't have a great need for full-frame right now so APSC & micro 4/3rds works. The Olympus is used for event & indoor work and the Nikon setup is more for sports/wildlife work. Both systems produce great photos and are fun to use.
Of course we don't know the future of the new Olympus (OMD) company yet, but I hope they keep the line going with innovative products. I do see prices rising based on lower volumes and the quality level of any new products will be a concern, so I will continue using what works best for my photos, and so far, micro 4/3rds has a place in my workflow.
Thanks Chris.
DeleteExcellent summation of micro4/3 in 2021! My only suggestion would be to replace the somewhat negative "compromise" in the third paragraph with the more positive "combination."
ReplyDeleteJon, thanks for the input. I’m my own editor and everyone knows how difficult it is to edit one’s own work. Typically, I’ll edit a post three times, making changes, trying to improve flow and meaning as well as for grammar, spelling and punctuation.
DeleteNot a criticism, Dennis. Your columns are among the best of the internet photography sites. Just the old PR writer in me coming out, always thinking with a glass-half-full slant!
DeleteNone taken. As you well know, it’s really helpful to have another read one’s writing with fresh eyes. Thank you again.
DeleteYour photos prove that the micro4/3 system is good enough for anything. I especially like the lighthouse and the farmer(?) standing in the field.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marcus. You are very kind. Also, I have a micro4/3 gallery on my website. That reminds me, I need to add to it.
DeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteMy yearly plan was to use M43 for all photographs except landscapes and BIF. IQ+portability matter to me these days. My assumption was that the dslr AF+200500 was better choice for BIF. Recently I stumbled into a heron, ibis, tern, and duck photography paradise. The numerous birds ignored me and went on about their frequent flights, dives, while feeding. I photographed them for about an hour with Nikon FF and Olympus equipment. Assessing the results, I found the image quality between formats to be very similar. Both cameras had AF issues with birds flying towards me and with the erratic terns. The FX performed better with birds in darker shadow areas. The high frame rate of the Olympus was invaluable.
I have rented the Olympus 100-400+teleconverter for another try. This time the Nikon FF will have a wide view lens. I don't expect to find the same scene but maybe.. Oh, I think the Olympus 75-300 is the world's best small and light telephoto lens. The Laowa 7.5 is the world's best tiny wide angle after distortion correction in PS. I would like to travel Europe with the EM5 +12100 you mentioned with the 7.5 in my shirt pocket.
Thanks for your input. I’ve made several long road trips with only an Olympus body and the 12-100mm lens. At times I’ve also taken along the Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 lens for those times when I may need those shorter focal lengths. In either case, it is a small, lightweight and versatile kit. I’ve never been disappointed.
DeleteThe 100400 is an excellent lens. I had great fun using it on flying birds and at sunset. However, I think the 300mm with the f4 aperture has the significant advantage of about 1.5 stops in maximum aperture. This can be critical in avoiding the ISO 6400 for low light images of wildlife.
DeleteAnother advantage is the IS sync between camera and lens. With the 100400 you can only use the lens or camera IS. Still very good as you can steady the camera but not the subject.
Next rental will be the 300 f4. The 300 appears expensive unless compared with the 600mm f4 FF alternative for $12,999 or $1,912 a pound. I'll be using m43.
The price/weight/size/performance of the Olympus 300mm f/4 PRO lens is unsurpassed, in my opinion. A good photographer friend of mine has the Olympus 100-400mm lens. He loves it and by all accounts, it is an excellent optic. I’ve thought about buying one but right now My wife and I are building a house and all of my spare money is tied up. Maybe in the future.
DeleteHello Dennis,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs, as always. The Heron is stunning! You are obviously very skillful with both camera and keyboard to produce such excellent results. What proportion of the end result is inherent Olympus 4/3 image file quality and what proportion is the result of manipulating the raw file with powerful software?
Kind regards
Jeff Thompson
Jeff, thank you. Actually, that is pretty much a straight photo from my E-M1 Mark III with the 40-150mm f/2.8 lens. I made some routine Lightroom adjustments but no magic. I didn't use any plug-ins nor any other technique other than the sliders in Lightroom's Develop module.
DeleteI was testing the Pro Capture function of my camera, buffering about 20 frames at half press of the shutter, then at full press, the last 20 buffered frames are written to the card along with those captured after I fully pressed the shutter. Another amazing Olympus feature ensuring you never (and I mean never) miss peak action. No other manufacturer offers that feature. It can be applied to sports, your kids' activities, birthday parties when blowing out the candles or any other genre of photography when peak action happens quickly.
Sorry to disappoint. But it is just a straightforward shot from superb gear.
Not disappointed - amazed! I had the impression from your post that the camera produced good files that responded well to the software tools you mentioned. The camera is indeed superb. It also helps that you know what you're doing as well.
Delete