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

I'm not a pro photographer, I'm an architect and a serious amateur, doing all of the photographic work for my company as well as for pleasure. I've owned Oly since I bought a Trip 35 in 1977 and moved on to OM1, OM2n, OM4Ti, E-1 & E3. I then changed to FX Nikon with a D700, followed by a D800 and now a D810. But, late 2013, bought an E-M1 so I could use my old Oly glass that was gathering dust and, since I was so impressed, I bought a selection of MFT lenses. I use both systems and love both. The 36MP Nikon is superb - but - it is bulky and heavy and often I don't need 36MP. Thus, my Oly equipment has become my daily, carry-everywhere camera gear. I got home this afternoon after an exhausting week and decided to grab my Oly and 40-150 (which I have had for about a week) and walked around my house looking for subjects. I then decided to put the equivalent lens on my D810 and shoot the same. I also shot both camera side-by-side for comparison and I thought some of you might like to take a look. This is not a scientific test or anything, just me shooting the same thing and looking at each. All were hand-held.

D810 + Nikkor 70-200 and E-M1 + 40-150 Pro

D810 + Nikkor 70-200 and E-M1 + 40-150 Pro

Nikon D810 + Nikkor 70-200 & Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150 Pro

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro - by accident I messed up here and shot this at f3.2 and not 2.8. It was too dark to redo it when I realized it...

Nikon D810 + Nikkor 70-200mm

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro +/- 1:1 crop

You can see of course the difference in the 1:1 crop of the D810, but, the Nikon setup is almost double the price...

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro

What I found was that, as advertised, I could get a lot closer and focus on the dead rose with my 40-150 than I could with the equivalent Nikkor.

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro - Again, I could get much closer to it and focus than with my Nikkor equivalent.

Nikon D810 + Nikkor 70-200mm - This was as close as I could get with my Nikkor.

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro at 100mm (200 FX eqiv) - The back end of my car with my Oly, I liked the light and reflections.

Nikon D810 + Nikkor 70-200mm at 200mm - the same shot as with my Oly.

Oly E-M1 + Zuiko 40-150mm Pro +/- 1:1 crop, see the next one foe D810 at 1:1

SO, that's it, I hope some of you found this interesting.

Thank you very much- m4/3 does well even against fx.
Nice car too!

Thanks! Yes, I'm very impressed with my E-M1. The Nikon definitely has the edge but it is almost double the price so it should but, I really find that a lot of the time I just don't need 36MP and the associated increased drive space, backup space an so on. If I want the ultimate quality, I carry the D810 but, I carry my E-M1 every day and have had some absolutely beautiful results with it. I have a public Facebook page and just show some of my photos there. https://www.facebook.com/alanrphotography

The first photos showing a comparison of size really sums it up.

The best camera is the one you have with you!

After  thirty years of Nikon film & digital I moved to the OMDE5 & some good glass.

My camera is always with me.

I now make more images than I ever did.

Our choice of cameras has never been better.

Like automobiles there are very few products that are substandard.

The choices now are of personal preference; unless you are a pixel  peeper.

The light was fading fast and I shot with my E-M1 first then followed up with the D810, also hand held. Unfortunately I shot at f3.5 for most of the outdoor shots with my E-M1 and at f2.8 with the D810. I only realized this when I shot the back of my car and then set my Oly to 2.8. Nevertheless, I thought it was interesting to see... I want to try a test using a tripod on a good day to look at both just as a matter of interest.

My shots here may not do the D810 justice Tony as it was getting dark quickly and the sun had dropped down to almost behind the leaves making the D810 shots look a bit washed out. My experience using both, and often shooting the same scenes with both, is that the resolution of the D800/810 is absolutely astounding and it holds an amazing amount of detail so, with a crop, one has more to play with. Its low-light and low-noise performance is also phenomenal and pips my E-M1 there, as does its focusing ability in locking onto fast moving subjects like bikers on a motocross track. I have had tremendous difficulty using my E-M1 with such fast action with a high percentage of throw-aways and low percentage of keepers whereas, at the same event on the same day, a very high percent of keepers with my D800 and few throw-aways. (I haven't tried my 810 at fast action yet but it is apparently better than the 800). I've tried various settings for focusing and have not been able to get fast action right with my E-M1 so far.

Again, I'm not a pro and these weren't taken in identical conditions as they were a few minutes apart - just interesting I thought. I am very impressed with my E-M1 and extremely happy with both systems.

Here's a link to an album of mine from a recent trip with shots using both systems: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.476418549165165.1073741846.181715518635471&type=3

dpreviewreader wrote:

Alan GR wrote:

The light was fading fast and I shot with my E-M1 first then followed up with the D810, also hand held. Unfortunately I shot at f3.5 for most of the outdoor shots with my E-M1 and at f2.8 with the D810. I only realized this when I shot the back of my car and then set my Oly to 2.8. Nevertheless, I thought it was interesting to see... I want to try a test using a tripod on a good day to look at both just as a matter of interest.

I'd be interested in such a comparison.

me too as I had the D800 with a 70-200 VrII... now I thinking if I want to buy the 40-140 oly F2.8..so such a compro for me would be very useful

Exactly. I never argue about which brand is better than another. They all have advantages and disadvantages and it comes down to which one you like and think will best suit your needs. The diminutive size of the MFT system, combined with its superb quality, has made it the camera I carry every day to work in case I come across something to shoot. My Nikon system is phenomenal - but it is heavy and bulky. When I go on a photographic trip now I carry the Nikon and E-M1 in a small Manfrotto backpack but, every day, my E-M1 is with me.

I really like the OOC colors from the Olympus shots better than from the Nikon shots...

Hello Paul, you're welcome. I have a few... 12mm, (very useful to me as an architect) 17mm, 45mm (very nice for portraits) 60mm macro (I've had some wonderful shots with this) 75mm, 12-40mm Pro, 75-300mm and 40-150mm Pro. The lenses I have used the most are the 12mm and the 12-40mm. I am eagerly awaiting the super-wide pro zoom that should be coming out later this year. (I still have my E-3 and a couple of lenses for it too, including the 7mm fisheye that I use with the adapter on my E-M1. Well, it's after 1am here now and I must head for bed.

I shot this with my E-M1 at the Queen concert in Dallas with my E-M1 & 12mm

Very interesting thread. Thanks for posting. People often compare one system with another but the truth is each has its strengths. I wonder if you have hit the sweet spot with the OM system andthe Nikon D810. That should cover most needs? Just need a few $ 

I've noticed the nikon a little less consistent with wb, not necessarily better or worse but particularly in the dead rose shot, nikon is far cooler ,and in another rose shot looks warm. Do you find that with normal shooting as well?

The last shot of the Mercedes badge the Olympus looks sharper to me,

Also the Olympus does have a nice oof although not as blurry as the Nikon ,seems the nikor has less round balls in the back light leaf shot and has a raindbow effect I normally love rainbows ,not sure if this was intended.

Anyway two super set ups its a shame the em-1 does not track focus as well as the Nikon and the ff has the advantage of 36mp to play with .