Landmark mFT cameras

mFT has always been the trailblazer even since its inception. As a result a number of mFT cameras can be regarded as landmarks in the development of both mFT itself and of interchangeable lens cameras in general.

I regard the G1, the GH1 and E-M5 as such landmark cameras, for various reasons. Just realized that no non-SLR shaped cameras are on this list of mine. What is your list? And your reasons?

My reasons:

G1: this camera started the entire mirrorless business.

GH1: this camera made mirrorless a popular video tool choice.

E-M5: I give up on trying to formulate a single-sentence sound bite, so it's a landmark because I say so

not mft but,

panasonic fz5, olympus xz1 definatly the em5

but i do love my new em5mk2



--
Olympus EM5, EM5mk2 my toys.
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/9412035244
past toys. k100d, k10d,k7,fz5,fz150,500uz,canon G9, Olympus xz1

I think:

GH2

E-M5

GM5

Pen F

My (limited take) would be:

G1, GH3 (I think it was the GH3 that was hacked for the format... or was it the GH2?), EM1 mk2

Jonathan Gladstone said:

My (limited take) would be:

G1, GH3 (I think it was the GH3 that was hacked for the format... or was it the GH2?), EM1 mk2

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I think gh3 was probably the least impactful of the GH's, albeit I could be wrong here. Anyhow GH2 was made famous for its having hacking abilities. Can't remember if GH1 was hackable, but then again, GF1 was so can't see why not.

[stupid autospell...]

--
Hubert
My non-digital gear: Agfa Isolette, Ricohflex VII, Bessa R, Bessa L, Zorky 4, Fed 2, Konica Big Mini, Konica Auto S2, K1000, Yashica Electro 35 GX, Recesky
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2034/2457111090_00eafbf8a4_m.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peppermonkey/

I'm not personally familiar with Panasonic MFT cameras, because I don't own one.

But for Olympus MFT, I think the hands down winner of the landmark MFT camera should be the E-PL1.


E-PL1

Aside from it's affordability, the E-PL1 looks like a digital Leica for the masses.

The look is elegant, clean, simple, and really hasn't been exceeded as an example of what a MFT camera ought to look like, to this day.

This camera had a built in flash, HDMI output, and menus so deep it needs it's own guide book.

Everything from Olympus since the PL-1, has just been icing on the cake.

Once you can take a photo like this one, with a cheap lens, what more do you reasonably want, from a MFT camera?



This may be the first photo I took with my E-PL1. These gadgets personified what MFT should be all about, light, cheap, retro looking, futuristic, cameras:





Olympus cameras being identified with Olympus colors and MFT, started with the Olympus E-PL1.







Humansville is a town in the Missouri Ozarks

tt321 said:

mFT has always been the trailblazer even since its inception. As a result a number of mFT cameras can be regarded as landmarks in the development of both mFT itself and of interchangeable lens cameras in general.

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I agree.

tt321 said:

I regard the G1, the GH1 and E-M5 as such landmark cameras, for various reasons. Just realized that no non-SLR shaped cameras are on this list of mine. What is your list? And your reasons?

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But I can't imagine if you want a camera for taking good pictures why the shape matters, especially if that shape makes it more difficult to use. I have absolutely no objection to SLR-shaped. What I don't want is a flipping mirror. Especially with the EM1 II, nobody should need a flipping mirror any more, even if they thought they needed one before... (I didn't.)

G1 - my first mirrorless. I still have it, converted to infrared

Then I got a Sony A77. They also have excellent engineering, but in recent years they've been spending all their efforts on FF and I do not want FF.

I got an EM5 to supplement my A77 (I often carry two cameras and the G1 was by then infrared). Nice small camera that I was using more and more over the A77. It's now going to a grandchild.

I was lusting after something new since it had been years since I bought a camera. Sony made nothing I wanted. I read about the OM1 II and bought one. I LOVE it! The improved image stabilization is a game changer for people who hate tripods (me). Also like the other features like pro capture, focus bracketing (and stacking if you have the right lens, which I don't). After getting the OM1 II, I no longer loved my A77 or my EM5, so I'm going to sell my A77, give away my EM5, and I bought an Em5 II to supplement my EM1 II.

I "need" two cameras. I often walk around with two cameras with different lenses and besides, everybody needs a backup camera. Although I've never had a camera die, you never know...

So for me it's technology and I agree mFT is where it is. And Sony, if you like FF...

For me it was the GF1 and 20mm combo { which is still own } that enticed me into m43 the combo defined what m43 is all about .







--
Jim I am Sam I am not

After some of the earlier models, like the GF1, it would be…

GH2. It legitimized M4/3 as a hybrid stills and video platform.

GM1. Tiny camera, big results.

GX7. What the earlier GF-GX and PENs should have been in terms of a broad feature set and excellent handling without the need for awkward, bulky and expensive add-on EVFs or grips.

The GF1 with 20mm lens and the EM-5 mark i get my vote.

Well, I think there are two categories here.

1) Impact to the photographic industry as a whole. I.e. a camera that has somehow impacted how the market sees m43 or cameras as a whole.

and

2) Classic: or a camera that is deemed a classic for M43 but not necessarily impactful to the industry as a whole.

According to Impact:

Panasonic G1: only because it's what started M43 and put M43 on the world stage even though it didn't 'do' much. More like a foot in the door.

Panasonic GH1: Only because videographers gave pause to at least notice its existence, albeit I don't think it sold 'that' well.

Panasonic GH2: The camera that had caught the eyes of all videographers, budding video enthusiasts, budding filmmakers etc. The one landmark camera that put M43 on the map and caused everyone interested in video to consider. Specially when it's hacking abilities was introduced.

Olympus E-M5: The one M43 camera that caught the eyes of normal photographers and practically caused the start of the whole retro camera craze (well, I think E-M5 was the one that started it...was there another camera?). From a stills photography standpoint, the one camera that everyone equates M43 too.

Panasonic GH4 (and possibly GH5): 4K to the masses with 4.2.2. Basically, the camera that is so far ahead in features (for its price point) that cause all other manufacturers to give chase (albeit, Sony has done a stunning job of catching up since).

Classics

Panasonic GF1: the first and possibly the only true classic M43 camera produced by Panasonic. Small and stacked chock full of features (in it's time) including the, now classic, 20mm 1.7 lens. The one M43 that was considered the poor mans Leica when it came out. The epitome of what M43 stands for (well, in general terms anyhow).

Olympus E-P1 + E-P2: E-P1 was the one that started Olympus on M43 and it was a beauty. The first to start the Olympus IBIS fame (there were other cameras that had IBIS). Small sleek with decent features. Unfortunately rather pokey in AF (albeit, that was helped by rather unimpressive kit lens though it did have one redeeming feature...it's collapsible ingenuity). E-P2 only because it fixed a number of problems E-P1 had...mainly the lack of EVF (albeit, optional EVF).

Panasonic GH2: Most famous Panasonic M43 camera from the perspective of videographers.

Olympus E-M5: Most famous M43 camera was impactfull and was a classic.

Panasonic GM1/5: Well, not sure if this should be in here but it "IS" the tiniest M43 camera ever with build quality that exceeded expectations (and priced accordingly too high to be sold in great numbers). Besides, probably a bit too early to be considered a classic.

Honorable mention:

Olympus E-PL1: from a budget camera point of view, it did really well I think. If it had sold enough that it had put M43 on everyones mind, i.e. a modern day Kodak Brownie, then it would instantly go in the Impact and Classic section but sadly it didn't do nearly enough. Still, was a best seller I believe (albeit, when it went on a fire-sale), at least from an M43 standpoint.

Olympus E-M1: was sorta overshadowed by E-M5 and was a slight let down ONLY because E-M5 was such a significant model which the E-M1 just couldn't catch up too even though technically it was in another category all together.

Olympus Pen-F: Would probably be a classic but it was one of those gorgeously crafted items that everyone lusted for but hardly anyone bought, mainly because of price (although it's target of JPG shooters may also have had impact).

Dishonorable mention:

Complete and utter lack of marketing from Panasonic

Oh, and the Panasonic G10. The one camera that was deemed a complete and utter failure. What the heck were they thinking?

--
Hubert
My non-digital gear: Agfa Isolette, Ricohflex VII, Bessa R, Bessa L, Zorky 4, Fed 2, Konica Big Mini, Konica Auto S2, K1000, Yashica Electro 35 GX, Recesky
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2034/2457111090_00eafbf8a4_m.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peppermonkey/

Although I'm primarily an Olympus user, I think the GF1 should be regarded as the first landmark mFT camera. It's compact, portable and comes with a very sharp pancake lens (the 20mm 1.7) What a classic! The Olympus followed suit and came up with the EP series. The EP1 looks ultra sexy but then initial buyers felt cheated when the EP2 came out (which is what the EP1 was supposed to be.) The EPL1, IMHO, is the Oly representative of this period. It's dirt cheap, produces very sharp results, and helped to expand the mFT user base.

For the DSLR type, the G1 is revolutionary for being the pioneer but I think the GH1 and if not the GH2 is the landmark camera. First, they have multi-aspect sensors, which I don't know why, they don't implement this anymore. The GH1 also comes with the 14-140mm lens, which is one of the very first versatile all round lens. The GH2 is hackable and started this fad, against the Canon, for indie and serious video work.

The other landmark camera, no doubt, is the EM5. I still remember the buzz when rumours of this incredible camera was leaked. The 5-axis stabilization is mind-blowing and till this day, I still regard it as some kind of alien technology. This also led to Panasonic putting IBIS into their later LUMIX cameras. The introduction of the EM5 also marked the beginning that mFT high ISO can be competitive enough for professional work. Olympus always trailed behind Panasonic in autofocus but from EM5 onwards, things are different. The GH4, on the other hand, is a beast for video work as well as still photography, it's a landmark hybrid camera. The DFD AF technology implemented is not only fast but also accurate (Olympus IMHO can be as fast, but sometimes didn't really nail the focus.)

The other cameras, even the flagships, are built on the EM5 and GH4. I think the next mTF camera is yet to come.

peppermonkey said:

Olympus Pen-F: Would probably be a classic but it was one of those gorgeously crafted items that everyone lusted for but hardly anyone bought, mainly because of price (although it's target of JPG shooters may also have had impact).

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Landmark camera doesn't mean it has to be a bestseller too. Pen F will surely be in every good museum of digital cameras, next to some Leica.

Okapi001 said:

peppermonkey said:

Olympus Pen-F: Would probably be a classic but it was one of those gorgeously crafted items that everyone lusted for but hardly anyone bought, mainly because of price (although it's target of JPG shooters may also have had impact).

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Landmark camera doesn't mean it has to be a bestseller too. Pen F will surely be in every good museum of digital cameras, next to some Leica.

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As an excellent example of derivative design.

GM1 and GM5. Hellova 1-2 punch there...

Okapi001 said:

peppermonkey said:

Olympus Pen-F: Would probably be a classic but it was one of those gorgeously crafted items that everyone lusted for but hardly anyone bought, mainly because of price (although it's target of JPG shooters may also have had impact).

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Landmark camera doesn't mean it has to be a bestseller too. Pen F will surely be in every good museum of digital cameras, next to some Leica.

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Hardly any M43 were best sellers besides possibly the E-M5 and GH2. Well, the latter being a best seller for a video camera since it hardly sold in great numbers from a pure stills camera point of view.

I just don't think the Pen-F was a landmark camera simply because the one overriding importance for the Pen-F is its looks. Not saying it's a bad camera, not in the least. And not saying it's a novelty as it's a competent camera, but over time, the only thing most people will remember about the Pen-F is how sexy it looked. Now, if that was enough to propel the camera to be a best seller, then yes, for sure, it would be a landmark camera but it wasn't a best seller or even one that sold in great numbers even from a M43 perspective.

Yes it does cause a hardware lust attack, but that alone surely does not make the camera a landmark?

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiafei/

tt321 said:

We in this forum probably don't commonly realize it, but for unit sales, the best selling mirrorless ever is the GF3. That probably caused the GF line to be permanently revisited by Pana.

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I'm not saying it wasn't but was it really the best selling m43 camera? I would imagine it was the best selling m43 in Japan but I doubt it sold in great numbers out side of Asia... but who knows, maybe it did...