How many megapixels do you want in an M?

R2D2 wrote:

Tim van der Leeuw wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

+3 These two systems (M and R) are for shooters with entirely different priorities. Make the right choice even if it hurts.

R2

I'm almost a complete beginner when it comes to photography. I bought the M5 about a year ago not knowing what my style of shooting would be, or anything.

I bought it because it is light, small, has small light lenses, and good, flexible controls. And fit within the budget I had at the time.

Definitely fits the profile of most of us here!

I didn't yet know what limits the camera, sensor, or lens-system would have and how that would impact me. Yeah, I know from reading reviews that the sensor wouldn't be as good as a comparably priced Nikon DSLR, but I liked the compactness of mirrorless and couldn't yet see how exactly it would affect me.

"Know Thyself." It takes a while.

Well, regards to what shooter I am, it turns out I like macros (flowers and insects), landscapes (to some degree), and nighttime shooting (with or without the stars being very prominent).

Great stuff to be shooting!

For both insects and nighttime shooting I'd like to be able to drop the ISO quite high so I can have a faster shutter-time for a given aperture.

For those starting out with macros I highly recommend using (well-diffused) flash. Flash will help combat both camera shake and subject motion blur (at even small apertures and low ISOs).

I sometimes aid with an extra lamp but I don't have any flashlight equipment, diffusor, etc. That type of equipment is all still new to me.

From the EF-M 28mm Macro on the M5...

And here some of my own macro shots from the M5...

I had a small light helping me on this one as it was evening, low light indoors. Shot with the 28mm EF-M macro.

Shot in the bright sunlight. Cropped. Shot with the 28mm EF-M macro.

This one is shot with the 24-70mm f/4.0L on the M5

You likely already have the tools necessary to shoot outstanding macros. Hard work and practice are next.

Ah yes, I know... Lots of patience and hunting for good shots.

For nighttime shots (and low light in general), a long long time ago there used to be a camera support called a tripod.

Tripod... Gotcha.

I think this will do for a tripod, for the time being.

But don't worry, I'm not going to foist one on you. I hate using them myself!!!

What can help is a bigger and cleaner sensor of course, but that won't solve the problem entirely. It'll gain you a stop, maybe two.

So what to do? Get better with what you have (if upgrading to FF isn't in the books).

Yup, that's what I'm working hard on!

Have you tried Canon's "Handheld Night Scene Mode" or "Multi-shot Noise Reduction?"

Nope, haven't tried those. I shoot RAW+JPEG mostly, generally in Av mode. But I don't mind the tripod, not at all, so that probably works out OK

Do you shoot bursts and cherry-pick the best? (I gain about a stop in handhold-ability).

Yep, when subjects are moving a lot (either by themselves on in the wind) I quite often do that.

Tried the "string tripod?" (Google it). Have you used something like the "Twist Grip" handholding technique? (uses isometrics to gain stability).

Haven't tried those things yet. Will look that up sometimes.

How good is your noise reduction technique/program?

DxO PhotoLabs is what I use most often, at the moment. Its noise-reduction seems quite alright, to me.

I'm longingly looking at a lot of gear and evaluating what it could do for my shooting but in the end, I'll probably stay with the M5 for a while and save up money for a good system in a year or two, or spend it on other accessories such as an extra lens here or a filter there.

Window shopping is a ton of fun. Setting up a roadmap is great incentive. And targeting a specific need (like a new lens) will pay big dividends.

Yup, is what I'm working on now. That roadmap, what to get next to incrementally improve my technique.

Technique and technical understanding are not the end-all and be-all of good photography, but they're the basis so I'm working on those basics now.

In the end I hope to have 2 bodies and lenses I can use on both, so that I can use 2 lenses without much hassle and use each body for it's own strengths.

If you really need better autofocus for instance, then the M6ii would be the next logical step in the M System.

Or perhaps an M5 mark ii. Should probably also have focus-stacking.

But I think that I will be better of saving up for a bigger FF DSLR or mirrorless, like a Nikon Z6.

Or perhaps go for the Fuji APS-C cameras, they still appear to be a step up from the M5.

But keep in mind that barring the need for improved low light/action AF, the M5 is a very capable camera. I shot with one for two years (and enjoyed the heck out of it). For myself, a BIF rig is really the only thing I need beyond the M6ii that I have now. And my output requirements are quite high (12x18" or larger prints for gallery display/sale).

I hope this helps quell the G.A.S. for a while!

Holler back with any specific questions!

R2

Thanks for your advice!

Some more recent shots I made.

Long exposure night-time shot. (Yes, it was totally dark at night and there was no moon. This is what you get for a 17 minutes exposure... )

Luminmous clouds