Olympus E-M1 w/ 12-40 as a travel camera?

[MiikeS1]

Hi all,

I will be travelling for 3 months in Asia at the start of the new year. I am looking to pick up a kit that is light weight (relative to DSLR), weather sealed, has accurate AF and plenty of physical controls/customization options.

I currently shoot a Pentax DSLR with a 16-50 2.8 lens that is weather sealed. However, the Olympus EM-1 with the comparable focal length 12-40 2.8 weighs 13 ounces less and would allow me to bring a more compact tripod as well for travel (looking at the MeFOTO backpacker).

I am thinking of buying the EM-1 with the 12-40 2.8 to complement a Ricoh GR and a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens that I already own as a travel kit. Would you recommend a different combination instead of the Olympus M-1 or lens? Any other lenses worth looking into for travel photography? My budget is around $1500 for body and lens (I plan on buying both used).

Thanks!

 

[Harold66]

Jim

The budget primes I'd consider are the Samyang 7.5mm fisheye and/or the Sigma 60mm f/2.8. Each is selling now for about $200.

Hardly a good choice for someone who wants to travel light !

i do not think those focal lengths are that useful for 99.99% users

H

 

[NCV]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

 

[Jim Salvas]

Jim

The budget primes I'd consider are the Samyang 7.5mm fisheye and/or the Sigma 60mm f/2.8. Each is selling now for about $200.

Hardly a good choice for someone who wants to travel light !

i do not think those focal lengths are that useful for 99.99% users

H

 

[Harold66]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

 

[NCV]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

 

[Harold66]

Jim

The budget primes I'd consider are the Samyang 7.5mm fisheye and/or the Sigma 60mm f/2.8. Each is selling now for about $200.

Hardly a good choice for someone who wants to travel light !

i do not think those focal lengths are that useful for 99.99% users

H

 

[Harold66]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

 

[Jim Salvas]

I'm going to drop this discussion. You have your viewpoint and I have mine, but your viewpoint seems to leave little room for others.

I have over 60 years of photographic experience. I respect your viewpoint. You don't respect mine. I guess that's OK.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I backpack with the pair and really enjoy its versitility and ruggedness. The lens is sharp across the zoom range and goes to near macro at 40mm. I pair it with the kit 40-150 for reach and sometimes a fast prime.

Budget for extra batteries and a coated pola filter.

Highly recommended.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[TomFid]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

 

[Harold66]

I'm going to drop this discussion. You have your viewpoint and I have mine, but your viewpoint seems to leave little room for others.

I have over 60 years of photographic experience. I respect your viewpoint. You don't respect mine. I guess that's OK.

 

[guido1953]

Hi all,

I will be travelling for 3 months in Asia at the start of the new year. I am looking to pick up a kit that is light weight (relative to DSLR), weather sealed, has accurate AF and plenty of physical controls/customization options.

I currently shoot a Pentax DSLR with a 16-50 2.8 lens that is weather sealed. However, the Olympus EM-1 with the comparable focal length 12-40 2.8 weighs 13 ounces less and would allow me to bring a more compact tripod as well for travel (looking at the MeFOTO backpacker).

I am thinking of buying the EM-1 with the 12-40 2.8 to complement a Ricoh GR and a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens that I already own as a travel kit. Would you recommend a different combination instead of the Olympus M-1 or lens? Any other lenses worth looking into for travel photography? My budget is around $1500 for body and lens (I plan on buying both used).

Thanks!

Are you going to areas of Asia that are safe? IMO, I would never take my high end gear to Asia for fear of theft. Take a cheap camera with no appeal.

My Nikon was stolen in Thailand....

Regards,

Guido

 

[Harold66]

Hi all,

I will be travelling for 3 months in Asia at the start of the new year. I am looking to pick up a kit that is light weight (relative to DSLR), weather sealed, has accurate AF and plenty of physical controls/customization options.

I currently shoot a Pentax DSLR with a 16-50 2.8 lens that is weather sealed. However, the Olympus EM-1 with the comparable focal length 12-40 2.8 weighs 13 ounces less and would allow me to bring a more compact tripod as well for travel (looking at the MeFOTO backpacker).

I am thinking of buying the EM-1 with the 12-40 2.8 to complement a Ricoh GR and a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens that I already own as a travel kit. Would you recommend a different combination instead of the Olympus M-1 or lens? Any other lenses worth looking into for travel photography? My budget is around $1500 for body and lens (I plan on buying both used).

Thanks!

Are you going to areas of Asia that are safe? IMO, I would never take my high end gear to Asia for fear of theft. Take a cheap camera with no appeal.

My Nikon was stolen in Thailand....

Regards,

Guido

Really ? and which countries would you consider safe ?

Truth is theft can happen anywhere, especially if you are not cautious about your environment

Harold

 

[jim stirling]

Why not consider the Lumix 12-35 2.8. It is much lighter and smaller and the image quality is about the same as the 14-40.

Most of the stuff on my blog was shot with an EM5 + 12-35.

--
http://nigelvoak.blogspot.it/

There are good reasons NOT to consider the 12-35mm in this case. The 12-35mm is a very good lens but not as good as the 12-40mm from Olympus ESPECIALLY on an olympus body where some of the aberrations are not corrected as they would on a Panasonic body

add to that the smaller reach which is more meaningful as the mere numbers would indicate . 70mm is too short for head and shoulders portraits

Of course the OP said he would buy used so maybe he would come on a dealer deal on either lens

Harold

--
thedemandingtraveler.org
www.haroldglit.com
www.modelmayhem.com/haroldglit

I shoot RAW process in DXO. No problems with CA or other stuff.

For practical purposes the image quality is equal.

--
http://nigelvoak.blogspot.it/

Do you have both lenses ? this is not what the serious tests say. Granted they are both good lenses and the difference in IQ is not huge . it is there although

Harold

--
thedemandingtraveler.org
www.haroldglit.com
www.modelmayhem.com/haroldglit

The serious tests taken at for example lenstip seem to suggest that overall both lenses are neck and neck . In fact their conclusions of both lenses are pretty much interchangeable.

Panasonic 12-35mm

Pros:

Small, solid and compact casing,

Excellent image quality in the frame centre,

Very good image quality on the edge of the frame,

Well corrected chromatic aberration,

Moderate coma,

Splendid, quick and silent autofocus,

Efficient image stabilization.

Cons:

High vignetting,

Huge distortion at the wide angle of view,

Weak performance against bright light.

Olympus 12-40mm

Pros:

Solid casing, mostly made of metal,

Excellent image quality in the frame centre,

Very good image quality on the edge of the frame,

Very good correction of chromatic aberration,

Moderate astigmatism,

Splendid, fast and silent autofocus,

Sensible performance against bright light.

Cons:

Huge distortion at the wide angle of view,

Distinct coma at the maximum focal length,

Noticeable vignetting at the shortest focal length.

Sure you can cherry pick certain areas to make either lens look better but over all they are both very capable. I would be happy to muse either lens I have the 12-35mm mainly as I use Panasonic bodies and the OIS combined with it smaller lighter body make it my choice. Though you cannot really go wrong

12-35 vs 12-40 it is very much swings and roundabouts

 

[drinnon]

I went to Turkey with my EM-1, spending time walking around Istanbul, then hiking along the south coast. To keep things small and light I just took the 17mm prime, and 70mm prime. Most of the time I used the 17mm, but had the 70mm for the telephoto capacity, and candid street photos. Turned out to be a good combo.

 

[Bob657]

Mike, just to muddy the water: you might also consider the 14-150 ii as your walk around lens, it's slower than the 12-40 but offers much more range (but not as wide), is weather sealed, and is much lighter. I have the 12-40 which I love but I have to say the 14-150 quality is fairly close, I'd pair it with a fast prime of your choice.

You also may find you don't need a tripod, Oly's IBIS is absolutely amazing!

Sounds like a fun trip,

 

[jim stirling]

Hi all,

I will be travelling for 3 months in Asia at the start of the new year. I am looking to pick up a kit that is light weight (relative to DSLR), weather sealed, has accurate AF and plenty of physical controls/customization options.

I currently shoot a Pentax DSLR with a 16-50 2.8 lens that is weather sealed. However, the Olympus EM-1 with the comparable focal length 12-40 2.8 weighs 13 ounces less and would allow me to bring a more compact tripod as well for travel (looking at the MeFOTO backpacker).

I am thinking of buying the EM-1 with the 12-40 2.8 to complement a Ricoh GR and a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens that I already own as a travel kit. Would you recommend a different combination instead of the Olympus M-1 or lens? Any other lenses worth looking into for travel photography? My budget is around $1500 for body and lens (I plan on buying both used).

Thanks!

Are you going to areas of Asia that are safe? IMO, I would never take my high end gear to Asia for fear of theft. Take a cheap camera with no appeal.

My Nikon was stolen in Thailand....

Regards,

Guido

Really ? and which countries would you consider safe ?

Truth is theft can happen anywhere, especially if you are not cautious about your environment

Harold

Obviously one can be unfortunate and have gear stolen anywhere, none the less there are areas with very low levels of theft and others with staggering levels of theft.

 

[G1Shooter]

jim stirling wrote: Obviously one can be unfortunate and have gear stolen anywhere, none the less there are areas with very low levels of theft and others with staggering levels of theft.

I have traveled extensively in the Western Pacific, SE Asia and South America with camera gear. The only place I have had one stolen was in Alberta, Canada!

 

[Harold66]

Hi all,

I will be travelling for 3 months in Asia at the start of the new year. I am looking to pick up a kit that is light weight (relative to DSLR), weather sealed, has accurate AF and plenty of physical controls/customization options.

I currently shoot a Pentax DSLR with a 16-50 2.8 lens that is weather sealed. However, the Olympus EM-1 with the comparable focal length 12-40 2.8 weighs 13 ounces less and would allow me to bring a more compact tripod as well for travel (looking at the MeFOTO backpacker).

I am thinking of buying the EM-1 with the 12-40 2.8 to complement a Ricoh GR and a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens that I already own as a travel kit. Would you recommend a different combination instead of the Olympus M-1 or lens? Any other lenses worth looking into for travel photography? My budget is around $1500 for body and lens (I plan on buying both used).

Thanks!

Are you going to areas of Asia that are safe? IMO, I would never take my high end gear to Asia for fear of theft. Take a cheap camera with no appeal.

My Nikon was stolen in Thailand....

Regards,

Guido

Really ? and which countries would you consider safe ?

Truth is theft can happen anywhere, especially if you are not cautious about your environment

Harold

Obviously one can be unfortunate and have gear stolen anywhere, none the less there are areas with very low levels of theft and others with staggering levels of theft.

Yes and I do not think that most asian countries have staggering levels of theft

H

 

[Jim Salvas]

I'm going to drop this discussion. You have your viewpoint and I have mine, but your viewpoint seems to leave little room for others.

I have over 60 years of photographic experience. I respect your viewpoint. You don't respect mine. I guess that's OK.