Some shots with E-M1+40-150 & D810+70-200

Alan:

Thank you for taking the time to experiment with your E-M1 and comparing it to the D810. I got an E-M5 when it first came out, which my wife now uses for her work; I got an E-M1 to replace it. I loved both before the PRO zooms came out… and now, with the PRO zooms, I love them even more. With just the two PRO zooms + the TC I can essentially replicate most of the functionality of my Nikon FF system. Never mind the possibilities in the future with the 7 -14 (I never got the Nikon 14 – 24 due to flare)… or the 300 later this year).

I kept my Nikon gear primarily for CAF performance of some of the sports I shoot. Then I came across the following http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3643051#forum-post-53340748; I began my CAF comparisons (D800E v E-M1) when the 40 – 150 2.8 arrived… I was able to get almost as many keepers with the Oly as with the D800E (some of it may have to do with the greater DOF of the M43 optics). In any case, good enough… so I began to sell some of my Nikon gear toward the end of last year…

… had some extra time this weekend and, like you (but prior to seeing your post) shot identical setups with both my Oly and Nikon…. compared all sorts of focal lengths (12/24 – 150+TC/400)… ISOs, adjusting F stop for DOF, etc…

… I shot things around the house and garden, just like you… handheld and on tripod etc. All RAW and converted in LR.

I the loaded all images in LR to compare them at 100% magnification. I sometimes shot the Oly first, then Nikon, sometimes the other way around. So in LR, sorted by time, there was no consistent image listed first… I compared them, ignoring the camera used, to see which images looked technically better and which ones I just “liked” better.

In approximately 9 out of 10 of the 100 or so comparisons, the images that I obtained from the E-M1 were “better”, both technically and from just a “look” perspective. Almost all were sharper. Bokeh was not relevant (did not shoot portraits). For my style photography, mostly landscapes and sports, more DOF is preferable to creamy bokeh anyway…

Perhaps the most meaningful difference was when it came to “spontaneous” macro. Now, I have the Nikon 200mm micro (macro) which is an incredible lens, something Oly does not offer (the 60mm is great, except for distance to subject). But use of that lens requires planning, set up, etc. – you don’t carry that lens around for every day shooting. But I do run into interesting macro things on many days when I have a normal zoom on my camera. The Oly lenses (both of them) focus so much closer, never mind IBIS available only via the Oly (the Nikon macro does not have VR) that for every day macro spontaneous macro opportunities, the Oly is far superior in every respect I can think of. In bright light (without flash) either lens can produce tack sharp handheld macro shots (well, sort of macros 1:3) that would be impossible to replicate with the D800E with a normal zoom.

I had one more concern: prints. Although I’ve produced decent 20 x 30 canvas prints with 16MP (and even 8 & 12MP) cameras over the past 10 years, I still had some concern in re to final print quality of the Oly sensor relative to the D800E. I mean, there MUST be something extra with all those 36MP… So, after I got the PRO lenses, I ordered several 20 x 30 canvas prints of various subjects. Upon receipt, I really could not tell the difference… nor could others whom I have asked to evaluate the prints (none of whom are photographers). So, odd as it may seem, but in MY world, given what I shoot, the E-M1 actually produces superior result to what I can obtain from the D800E. I look forward to seeing what those 40MP files (of static subjects) will look like in the near future…

Now we all know in certain specialized settings, with certain very detailed subjects, perhaps dark scenes, the D800E would produce superior results… Also, no question the D800E is FAR superior in low light AF performance (both CAF and SAF), but for my style of shooting, low light CAF does not matter. And even the E-M1’s relatively poor low light SAF can be overcome (with the zooms) using MF with focus peaking.

I haven’t sold my D800E just yet (given the very low value I would get for it…) but once I master using the Nikon Micro on my E-M1 (or maybe the E-M5II?) I cannot see any reason to keep the D800E and the remaining “general purpose” FF lenses. I’ll keep my 200mm Nikon Micro for specialized macro work; it will be interesting to discover the macro possibilities combining that legendary Nikon lens, with the M43 DOF, with 40MP images…

Thank you again for sharing your “let me just try what matters to me” D810 and E-M1 analysis, which almost exactly mirrors my own experience from test shooting this weekend. Given my lack of need for low light CAF these days, my FF days may be numbered.

Stefan