New to m4/3, little dissapointed

Hi all!

I buy a used camera from a friend, the E-M5 with 14-42 kitlens to compensate a broken NEX-6 and kitlens. But I am not so happy about the digital quality I get. I do prints in local one hour photo and their max is 40x30cm for 5,99 euros and then I did a two test images and they are great and sharp but the file just lacks the punch.

800%

pixel peeping some of the details and they look somewhat soft on computer.

Should I sell it off or buy something better? I love the size and handling! Would the 12-40mm be better or just get a 20Mpix?

I can't tell anything from the image you posted. Maybe post a full size version of the original image.

rsmithgi wrote:

I can't tell anything from the image you posted. Maybe post a full size version of the original image.

Ditto.

Interesting comments.

Since you are pro, and a pixel peeper, sell everything to cut your loss.

Why not consider a full frame digital camera , or a MF digital camera like the MF Fuji, or MF Hasselblad?

Report what you decide to get.

Good luck.

For pixel peeping purposes, those images look oversharpened with too large sharpening radius. Changing the radius/brush size should help.

The kit lens is still just a kit lens, don't except miracles at pixel level.

Sony is that you?

..go into the menu and look at your Picture Mode settings. 'Vivid' should look punchy and if desired you can further increase contrast and saturation there too.

Your composite image in B/W doesn't really illustrate anything. Next time, it's better to just post an actual image (or crop thereof).

It's pretty obvious from the image you posted that you cranked up some sliders (or in-camera settings) way too much. Try not doing that, should help. Excessive noise reduction and sharpening are a great recipe for poor facebook-style image.

Also, maybe you got a lemon of a kit lens. I know that my 14-42mm kit was pretty bad past 25mm. If yours is similar, I don't blame you for being disappointed.

It would be more helpful for you to post images from the NEX 6 that you apparently like, and similar shots from the EM5 that demonstrate the differences you don't like.  Kit lenses, in particular, seem vary a good bit in quality.  And the kit zoom is not going to anywhere close to as good as one of the good primes or the f/2.8 zooms.

There should not be a whole lot of difference between the NEX 6 and the EM5.  I've owned both and think the 6 has a little better sensor while the 5 has a number of features that help make up for that difference in other ways, such as excellent IBIS and better ergonomics.  But you need a good lens on them to see what they can do.  For the Sony, the 50mm f/1.8 is pretty darn good for the money.  On the EM5, the 45mm f/1.8 is also very good for the money.

Finally, if "punch" is your issue, have you tried the iEnhance color mood and increased contrast?

Based on your reference to your broken NEX 6, I assume you think it is better than your EM5.  I think they are awfully close.  If you prefer Sony's colors, then buy an a6000, which is nicely priced now.

peeppixel wrote:

Hi all!

I buy a used camera from a friend, the E-M5 with 14-42 kitlens to compensate a broken NEX-6 and kitlens. But I am not so happy about the digital quality I get. I do prints in local one hour photo and their max is 40x30cm for 5,99 euros and then I did a two test images and they are great and sharp but the file just lacks the punch.

800%

pixel peeping some of the details and they look somewhat soft on computer.

Should I sell it off or buy something better? I love the size and handling! Would the 12-40mm be better or just get a 20Mpix?

Of course you should sell and buy something better, with more pixels to enjoy peeping.

Also I did not understand your posted photo. Is it a photo of the 40 cm x 30 cm printout?

It seems to me that you have not shot with that broken NEX-6 you replaced either. If you have, you should have some levels of expectation of the outcome; that is the results from NEX-6 and E-M5 should be very close in IQ, with kit lens!

You shot the tiny bed of white flowers at ISO-1600 in black and white the blew up the tiny white specks 800% and observed softness! Well, you expect too much.

You should go ahead sell everything and get a full frame with kit lens, shoot the same flower bed at ISO-1600 then report back to the forum and make your case.

peeppixel wrote:

Hi all!

I buy a used camera from a friend, the E-M5 with 14-42 kitlens to compensate a broken NEX-6 and kitlens. But I am not so happy about the digital quality I get. I do prints in local one hour photo and their max is 40x30cm for 5,99 euros and then I did a two test images and they are great and sharp but the file just lacks the punch.

800%

pixel peeping some of the details and they look somewhat soft on computer.

Should I sell it off or buy something better? I love the size and handling! Would the 12-40mm be better or just get a 20Mpix?

If you only want to pixel peep, I suggest you buy a Press camera or a Hasselblad... If you want to do large prints, look at this post of murals with µ4/3. People at that office seem satisfied but then again, they don't view the prints from 10 cm with a magnifying glass.

Third option, upgrade slightly to a µ4/3 20 MP camera: Panasonic GX8, GH5 or Olympus Pen-F , EM-1 MkII.

If you just want to make good photos, your present camera will do just fine...