The Differences I've Found Between In Using Fujifilm And Olympus Camera Systems

I had to stop and make a photograph of this sign.  You figure
it out!  Lol (click to enlarge)

The other day I was having breakfast with a couple of photography friends.  During our conversation one of them started lightheartedly admonishing about me talking him into buying Olympus gear (he had been a Canon 7D shooter) a few years ago and then me selling mine and only keeping my Fujifilm  gear.

It's true.  However, even though I’ve now moved away from Olympus, I still recommend the brand and the format to my friends and those who may ask my opinion.  I didn't move away from Olympus or m4/3 for any defect or shortcomings with the gear or image quality.  I moved away due to the haptics and operation of Fujifilm cameras.  Above any others, the way Fujifilm has engineered their cameras' (and lenses') controls and menus, they just work best with my brain and muscle memory.  In fact, I'll admit the Olympus E-M1 camera feels better in my hands due to the nice grip and forward positioned shutter button, but it can't match the Fujifilm cameras for ease of use.

After using both Olympus and Fujifilm for several years, what differences do I find when photographing with them and what difference in image quality do I see?  First, these are my opinions.  Opinions are not right nor wrong, just my thoughts the way things work for me and how I may judge image quality.  You may judge these same things completely differently and that's okay.  We are all different, have different experiences on which to fall back, have different priorities and different priorities, wants and needs.  (Remember this paragraph when you see or read an Internet or YouTube 'expert' tell you why a camera is the best thing on earth or not worthy of your consideration.  They almost always write from only their own point of view, what's important to them and don't care about what may meet or not meet your needs.)

In a general sense, I'll make the following statements about image quality:

Between my Fujifilm gear and my Olympus gear, I have found minimal differences in image quality in my “normal photography,” which are the conditions under I normally photograph. I’m not talking about the exceptions, extremes or outlying circumstances one may encounter.  In those cases the larger the sensor, especially the latest ones with backside illumination and stacking are normally better along with the most powerful image processor.  I've captured some of the absolute best photographs I've ever made and made some of the loveliest prints ever with Olympus m4/3 gear.  Hands down.  Overall image quality is a wash in my experience.  I don't see the difference in sensor size a real differentiator any longer.

I found a slight difference in digital noise at higher ISOs between the two formats with m4/3 having a bit more noise.  That difference can be easily be negated by one of the new AI based noise reducing plug-ins, such as Topaz DeNoise AI, On1 NoNoise AI or DXO Deep Prime noise reduction.  I think this can also be said when compared to full frame cameras as well.  Maybe not in every circumstance, but it most, in my experience.  Technology is the great equalizer.  In other words, digital noise almost ceases to be an issue any longer no matter what sensor size your camera may have.  Almost.  There will be exceptions, of course.

The other difference at higher ISOs between the m4/3 and APS-C files is that I think the m4/3 files break down, resolution-wise (fine detail), sooner than do the Fujifilm files.  Yes, noise can be reduced or eliminated, but even with the AI based noise reduction plug-ins, at ISO 6400 and above, the Olympus files suffer from fine detail degradation more quickly. But how often you you really photograph at ISOs of 6400 or higher?  If you do regularly and you are you using a m4/3 or APS-C camera, you’ve probably picked the wrong format.  What is the saying?  "Go big or go home!"  That can be true for extremely low light/high ISO work.

The dynamic range between the two formats is very similar.  I would give Fujifilm the edge because the sensor and image processor are newer than the older technology found in the Olympus cameras.  That may change when OM Digital Solutions introduces their self-professed "Wow" camera next year.  In any case, again, under normal photographic circumstances it has been a non-issue for me.  No disadvantage.

I find myself using the Fujifilm JPEG files much more often than I did with my Olympus cameras.  They are beautiful, colorful, sharp, and very pleasing.  I found that, although the Olympus JPEG files are nice, they needed a bit more editing to optimize them and aren't nearly as nice as the Fujifilm JPEG files.  Fujifilm gives us so many options to configure a camera to optimize JPEGs for our subject matter (very colorful, saturated, low saturation, contrasty, flat, black and white) and to our liking.

Here are some differences I find between using the two camera systems:  

I don't find any real difference between the size and weight of both systems, with the exception as to when you get to the really long lenses.  Then the m4/3 lenses definitely have an advantage in size and weight.  The E-M1 Mark III with the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 lens (my normal configuration) attached as compared to the X-T4 with the 16-55mm f/2.8 lens are similar in size and weight.

Olympus cameras are packed with many more features than has my X-T4.  Most of the features, which are nice to know are available if I need them, go unused by me as I have little need for many of them.  However, the extra features are a 'nice to have' but also can cause unintended consequences.  Read below and you will better understand.

The Fujifilm menu system is easier to use to me.  It is simple, intuitive, easy to find what I'm looking for and allows me to create several pages of "My Menu" to put the most used settings (beyond the 16 that are on the Q-Menu) right at my fingertips.  I never have to stop and 'hunt' for a setting and take the chance of missing a photo opportunity because I can't change a camera setting quickly and easily.

Olympus menus are much more complex.  But there is a reason.  Olympus packs so many features into their cameras that it makes the menus very complex.  There just is no getting around that.  Olympus has been the leader in the industry in creating new and innovative features that help all kinds of photographers capture the images that they are after.  That said, once the menu system 'clicks' with your brain, things are relatively easy to find, for the most part.  You just have to hope it clicks!  However...

Olympus cameras would frustrate me on occasion as I would want to change a setting or employ a feature only to find the menu item grayed out and, for the life of me, I could not figure out why.  The result?  A missed opportunity.  A lost photograph.  After returning home I would have to look it up in the PDF user's manual or online.  I really didn't like that when it happened and that shouldn't happen.  I would like to see OMD Solutions have an informational box pop up when you scroll to a grayed out menu item telling you what other setting needs to be turned off before you can invoke this one.  It shouldn't be hard to do and would be extremely helpful.  This issue was my most frustrating with my Olympus cameras.

Fujfilm's controls just meld with my 30+ years of using manual 35mm film camera indoctrinated brain.  I don't have to think very hard to find and change a setting.  The 'muscle memory' still exists.  

As far as the actual dials and controls, I found Olympus' 4-way pad and exposure compensation dial superior to Fujifilm's.  The difference being the knurling on both controls and the perfect amount of force needed to rotate the exposure compensation dial.  I find I have to use a thumb and finger to move my X-T4's exposure compensation dial but the E-M1's dial rotates perfectly with just a thumb.  Both cameras could do better with some of the buttons.  I find I had to use Sugru to raise the profile of a couple of buttons on both cameras so they could easily be found and distinguished form adjacent buttons without taking my eye from the viewfinder.

The Fujifilm's lenses are just a little bit larger and heavier.  I do miss some of the smaller, lightweight Olympus prime lenses but…I find myself almost never using primes over my excellent zoom lenses.  I wouldn't say either manufacturer has better lenses, just different.  Both make extremely good lenses.  I've been happy with the build quality, image resolution, contrast and fast focus from both manufacturer's lenses.

I think Olympus and the m4/3 consortium (primarily Panasonic) has a much better overall mirrorless lens line than does almost any camera manufacturer, including the big three.  At least for the kinds of photography I practice.  The lenses are very well built, focus fast and are sharp.

I still think the Olympus lenses focus faster and better than my Fujifilm lenses.  They literally 'snap' into focus.  I'm referring to AF-S focusing in that statement.  However, for tracking moving subjects, the X-T4, IMHO, does a better job.  Again, the technology is newer.  We'll see what OMD Solutions comes up with next year and we'll see what Fujifilm does next year with an X-H2 (or X-T5) to improve what we now have.

The lens I miss the most is the Olympus 12-100mm f/4.  That lens is amazing and I wish 

Fujifilm would make a comparable optic—a 16-140mm f/4 WR LM IS.  That would be the sweet spot for me with a Fujifilm system.  Being that there is no indication Fujifilm will, I could go as far as to say that if I ever wanted to reduce my gear to one camera and one lens, that 12-100 would be the lens on whatever the latest Olympus camera might be at the time.  I could be happy with just that.

Right now, I am very happy with everything about my Fujifilm gear.  Could I go back to Olympus and be happy?  Yes, with a qualifier.  If so, it would probably because my interest in photography had been reduced to just owning and carrying a camera and single lens with me to record whatever I happened upon that struck my fancy as I moved about my day.

Those of you who use (or have used) both Fujifilm and Olympus—I would be interested to hear from you about the differences you have found.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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