No more Olympus. Now OM System.
- Thread starter jlyle
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Olympus OMD E-M5 plus Olympus and Panasonic lenses. I was an early proponent of mirrorless technology. I believe that photographers really want to see what the sensor sees, not just the reflection through the lens. I do prefer the ergonomics of eye-level reflex prism style viewing for most applications, but it is nice to have both.
Ardy
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I have all oly 60mm - 30mm - 12-50 (rarely used) - 9-18. Above water 100-400 new, 1.4x, 25mm, 14-150.
In the car, I grabbed a cheap EM5mk1 with 14-42 and 40-150 for $US75 and just leave it there.
EM1 Mk2, EM5 Mk2 (diving) and the em5 above.
Very happy with the manure they have put out over the years.
In the car, I grabbed a cheap EM5mk1 with 14-42 and 40-150 for $US75 and just leave it there.
EM1 Mk2, EM5 Mk2 (diving) and the em5 above.
Very happy with the manure they have put out over the years.
Ardy
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Bolty, I use both as I find the 60mm very good for the very small but hard to focus UW, I use the 30mm for a general lens with a bit of 1:2 macro. Both are very handy, wish Oly had stuck with the 50mm macro lens format.
Technology? Do not care - it is the quality of the shots and the cost/weight that impact my decisions. I have some great shots with an Oly 520 and 50mm lens from Lembah 10 years ago. We get so many crap shots UW that I prefer a rig that is easy to use and performs well. I use flash all the time so I don't need low light performance (different for my bird stuff where it would be handy).
Used a Nikon Film camera for years and bought a Nik full frame recently as there was a lot of chatter about the quality etc, only kept it for 6 months and sold it, too heavy and no better than an EM1 to my mind. The 2x factor is VERY useful in birding and general photography. My current birding set up is 100-400 (200-800) +1.4x which takes it to 1200mm approx. Taking photo's handheld with that rig is something you would be hard pressed to do on a Ni/Can and about 1/3rd of the money.
Not sure OM will do the right thing but happy with what I have, I noted that second hand lenses have gone up in value when I expected them to go down.
The story about the photographer at a dinner party is always useful. Hostess "You take beautiful photo's you must have a great camera", Photographer "You provide wonderful dinners you must have a great stove!"
I read an article about an old French photographer from the late 1800's and early 1900's being interviewed and asked about cameras. He asked to borrow the interviewer's 1/2 frame Oly film camera and finished off the film in it immediately. The interviewer said they were the best photos that ever came out of that camera!
Give a good artist a camera and basic instructions and they will get better photo's than you every time.
Technology? Do not care - it is the quality of the shots and the cost/weight that impact my decisions. I have some great shots with an Oly 520 and 50mm lens from Lembah 10 years ago. We get so many crap shots UW that I prefer a rig that is easy to use and performs well. I use flash all the time so I don't need low light performance (different for my bird stuff where it would be handy).
Used a Nikon Film camera for years and bought a Nik full frame recently as there was a lot of chatter about the quality etc, only kept it for 6 months and sold it, too heavy and no better than an EM1 to my mind. The 2x factor is VERY useful in birding and general photography. My current birding set up is 100-400 (200-800) +1.4x which takes it to 1200mm approx. Taking photo's handheld with that rig is something you would be hard pressed to do on a Ni/Can and about 1/3rd of the money.
Not sure OM will do the right thing but happy with what I have, I noted that second hand lenses have gone up in value when I expected them to go down.
The story about the photographer at a dinner party is always useful. Hostess "You take beautiful photo's you must have a great camera", Photographer "You provide wonderful dinners you must have a great stove!"
I read an article about an old French photographer from the late 1800's and early 1900's being interviewed and asked about cameras. He asked to borrow the interviewer's 1/2 frame Oly film camera and finished off the film in it immediately. The interviewer said they were the best photos that ever came out of that camera!
Give a good artist a camera and basic instructions and they will get better photo's than you every time.
I like that "manure" comment. I count on accidnerlty getting a good shot. Even the worst occasionally luck out 
.
And if the Oly will do back button focus, set it up!
James
.And if the Oly will do back button focus, set it up!
James
Although I agree with the "general" theme of what you said but advancement of technology does make a difference in at least two ways, first making it easier for the novice to get started with their photography and to get immediate feedback to improve. I wish I was able to see my pictures immediately after I took the pictures when I started with u/w photography almost 30 years ago when I started with a range finder camera and then with the Nikon N90. Technology, in general, also allows the more knowledgeable photographer to improve on their technique and the quality of their pictures. It allows to you do more with what you have if you know what you are doing. If I were to buy a new camera today, I'd want to buy a camera with today's technology not a 5 or 6 year old technology that is way out of date. This is what is happening with OLY so far. I love the concept of M4/3 but OLY/OM is making it difficult to stay with them in face of the superior technologies offered by the big names especially since they are now making full frame mirrorless cameras that offer a LOT more than what the OM line has today.
OLY's troubles and its having to sell the photography equipment to outsider (yet keeping a small stake in the new company) has a lot to do with OLY's inability to compete in the market.
Ardy
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Bolty, all camera suppliers are under the pump from what I have read. The mobile phone with a housing seems to be the way many of those under 30's are going. They know how to drive it as they use it all day and if they are going for a dive it will produce some decent pictures these days. Doesn't suit me but I suspect in 20 years time there will be no DSLR's around.
I'll be way past the final dive (6ft) by then.
I'll be way past the final dive (6ft) by then.
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