Can't seem to find the right m4/3 camera

Foto4x4 wrote:

Max5150 wrote:

Thank you everyone for all the info. Very useful.

At this point in the life cycle of 4/3, what your feeling on the 20mp sensors vs 16mp? If focus should be on the 20mp, that basically means GX8/9, G9 which is getting a bit large for a compact kit, or OM 1 iii, which honestly is more than I want to spend on 4/3.

I’d be interested in what you’re used to shooting with to avoid going off tangent.

I am mainly a M4/3 shooter these days. EM1.2 for primary body and a GX9 as backup or casual shooting of non critical work, though to be frank, it’s images are very very close to the EM1.2. Not much at all between them until you take handling, EVF, customisation and so on, into account. The EM1.2 is my most enjoyable setup ever when matched with Olympus’s Pro lenses and the PL100-400. But then you’re getting into large lenses.

What don’t you like about the A6500 lens choices? As a long term Sony user who got frustrated with their APS-C lens line up, I must say the A6300 is nice with their 18-135 (maximum flexibility) or a couple Sigma primes (19, 30, 60) which I have only recently bought for the heck of it. Those three lenses with the A6500 IBIS would make a decent setup. But for outstanding IBIS, the EM1.2 is a marvel and in a compact body, the GX9 is close too.

More info please so responses can be targeted better.

My current line up:

1) I shoot a fair bit of ice hockey and soccer with a Nikon D7500 and 70-200 f2.8. I may sell the D7500 and go with a mirrorless FF to pick up a bit more light and cropability. This is not a kit I'm interested in lugging around anywhere else for now. Just using it for sports, family/special events.

2) Sony A6500, Sony FE 10-135, 10-200, Sigma 30 f1.4 Had this before I got the D7500 outfit. Unfortunately, I'm just not impressed. I don't think the focusing is that great. It's useless for hockey and other fast sports unless in very good light. I don't like the Sony colors, ergonomics not great, the Sony lenses are over priced and FE lenses not fantastic performance. The FE lens selection isn't great, so if I want good performance I'm pretty much buying full frame lenses for it. As such, I might as well enjoy the benefit of a FF sensor, so I'm going to sell it. I know there are all sorts of adapters that allow all sorts of additional lenses, but I'm looking more for a system. I have old Nikkor glass that yielded spectacular shots on this body, but it's a bit of work.

3) I travel a fair bit and over the years have whittled what I lug around down further and further. I currently travel with a Sony RX100 which I use a lot and plan to upgrade to a more current model. I also have Nikon J5 with 6.5-13mm, 10-100mm, and 18mm 1.8. The J5 is a very good street shooter, takes nicely balanced photos, with good color, focuses like a laser beam, and generally makes a nice small kit. On the downside, it does not have a viewfinder, and isn't great in low light. I generally don't miss the viewfinder but there are occasions in which I do.

So the m4/3 could fit into a couple niches outside of the sports role; namely, travel and general photography. I do wish the m4/3 had a phase detection focus component, but since I've never shot with one, so I'll reserve judgement. I'm not a pixel peeper. I just want a well balanced photograph and an ergonomic platform that's easy to use and get what I need it to do easily. I don't foresee making prints larger than 16x20, much less even12x18.

Lastly, on the advice of some commenters, I'm going to play with a couple of Olympus models and get to know them better.

Hope this helps