Wish list for 2018?

SpinOne wrote:

Antal I Kozma wrote:

I wish for a new Olympus pro camera with drastically reduced menu complexity...

That's what the SCP is for.

Just give me the basics, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual, exposure compensation, spot metering, matrix metering.

You can very easily set these up, with custom dial modes and customized buttons.

Oh yes, one territory I'd like to see significant improvement is AF. So that my single point AF would be able to pick out that little bird in the maze of branches in the bush without hesitation.

Hopefully, the E-M1 Mk ii firmware (whenever it comes out) will bring some big AF improvements.

Thanks for the reply.

You see this is my problem, I have no idea what SCP is...... Must be good  for others, but I am not an acronym fellow. Cameras get so much complexity built into them that photographers who would like to have "professional simplicity" just get frustrated with 90% of the "rich feature set" built into them.

You see, I keep referring to tools like the OM-3 was. Simple and professional. A Hasselblad 500 CM, a Nikon FM2 or similar. Well built professional grade equipment. That is what I would wish in a new Olympus camera. Yes, good AF, wide range of usable ISO, exposure compensation and AF fine tuning. Those I would like to have but most of the rest could get stripped from my dream camera.

I changed settings or locked in wrong settings so many times now on my OM-D E1 MK II by accident that it robbed me from getting a number of nice images while on the trail. I sat down a few times, scratched my head and tried to figure out how the heck I got to a certain setting when last time it was so easy to change this or that.

I worked out a "down to basics" setting for myself just to bug it up by accidentally changing something within the complexity of the buttons, dials and menu system while I was concentrating on following a tiny bird in the bush. I had no idea how I changed my settings and I usually had to go home frustrated and spend an hour on trying to figure out what went wrong. Maddening, why not just make a camera that most advanced and pro users would be able to use without getting into a myriad of sub menus and settings to conquer.

Custom dial settings? Again, just have the basics up front and put the rest deep under some "custom setting menu" if you want to have those for "competitiveness and marketing".  Just the basics please, basics without getting into extra brain work to figure out how to set the camera to a simple working mode. As I said, give me a digital version of the OM-4 or OM-3 and that is all I need to work either for pleasure as a retired photographer or professionally if an old client wants me to do a job for them.

Anyhow, I am too old and just do not get it why make something so complicated when all is needed a simple set of tools and the photographer's knowledge to get good results.

I guess that I am in the minority and today's "photographer" wants to have a set of space age  features and menus to push and browse in. The subject matter remains the same but now we get to the same results with much more complex gear..........

Best, AIK

photohounds wrote:

A premium or PRO 7 or 8mm f/2,8 prime?

But there is already an Oly Pro 8mm 1.8!

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Had equivalence disease when switching from 6x7cm to MINI 35mm format. Now cynical marketing men call it: "full (Marketing) frame".
.
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Panny GM7.

Failing that, I want Panasonic to release their remaining GM5 cameras into UK.

RobbieBear wrote:

photohounds wrote:

A premium or PRO 7 or 8mm f/2,8 prime?

But there is already an Oly Pro 8mm 1.8!

It's a fisheye lens.

When talking about the desire for ultra-wide primes, the majority are looking for rectilinear primes.

jeffharris wrote:

RobbieBear wrote:

photohounds wrote:

A premium or PRO 7 or 8mm f/2,8 prime?

But there is already an Oly Pro 8mm 1.8!

It's a fisheye lens.

When talking about the desire for ultra-wide primes, the majority are looking for rectilinear primes.

Fair point. I had not considered that.

There is also the 7-14 which is also 2.8

In 2018 just release the following:

Pen-F2

• Update the Sensor (20MP - but add effective PDAF on it, or effective CDAF - I don't care which, but I'd like it so that people stopped gripping about the C-AF+Tracking)
• 10-15fps with C-AF+Tracking
• Pin-point AF like the Panasonic cameras
• 4K (Have 0 need for it, but necessary for others)
• 1080p/240fps
• Mic/Headphone Jack
• Improved Battery Life
• Larger EVF (Again, I'm fine with the current one, but make it larger like the G9)
• Weather Sealed
• Same body/similar weight/Same Grip
• Touch Focus in Video in S-AF mode

Panasonic 50-200/4

• All I ask is that is be as good optically as the Canon 70-200/4L IS USM.

Basically something like a Nikon 1 AW-1, which is a good size, but further simplify to one battery/card door, with an EVF, a big battery for extended use (E-M1 mkII battery).  And a selection of tough lenses - some compact armoured primes and wide zoom.

Time to move past the tiny 2.3 sensor Olympus!!

Ditto!!!

Good idea.  If we cannot have a GM5 update, then this would be great.

1. Olympus OM-D E-M7 (20MP with PDAF),
2. Compact Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-36mm F3.5-5.6.

My 20mm F1.7 was lost on a business trip. I actually haven't missed it that much due to using other fast primes on each end of the focal length. I just enjoyed the compactness but every time I go to buy a replacement, that slow AF gives pause. If they could make an update with zippy AF I would be happy...until I see the price.

Olympus crack at the 1" sensor compact game. I've had a go at it through the Canon G7x mki and G5x. A couple of years ago I found them to be too soft but now lugging a kid around, this tech punches well enough. From a fine tuning standpoint, I like the Olympus exposure system indicating orange highlight blowout or blue shadow loss. Much more informative to what I want to preserve in the photo vs Canon's histogram system. Also, I'm finding the colour rendering of the Olympus cameras more favourable.

A mid market CAF competent m43. E-M1 mark ii is way too expensive, even on refurb and quite over capacity. My E-M1 mki does my travel and event photos. It does some of my sports and my  Canon 7D1 the rest. Perhaps the E-M5 mkiii akin to the 80D and D7500.

Small body like the GM5 but with sensor updates and IBIS.

DDCanon30yrs wrote:

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I'd love to see...

Lenses:

The PRO primes are very nice, but not for me. I love, and have all of, the 'premium primes.' I'd like to see a few 'premium' zooms that focus on high quality at a small(ish) size. For example, I'd love to have something like the new Panasonic 8-18 made by Olympus.

Yes, I'd also like to see some "above kit level" zooms, i.e. something in the 10-25 range that is not "pro" weight and price.  Something like the 14-150 in quality.

In cameras, an E-PL9 with more features and less size.  An E-M5 III that is the same size as the II, with 20MP BSI, 4k, and external mic jack.  And NOTHING else the size of the G9.

150/2 4/3rds update from Olympus:

- Fast focusing

- Native m43 of course

- Make it sharper wide open (and stopped down) (same league as the 75/1.8)

- Work really really well with the 1.4x TC

n3eg wrote

In cameras, an E-PL9 with more features and less size. An E-M5 III that is the same size as the II, with 20MP BSI, 4k, and external mic jack. And NOTHING else the size of the G9.

Sadly, the rise in smartphone technology is pushing the likes of Oly and Panasonic to focus their efforts on the more pro kit which always seems to get bigger.

I think the epl range may be a casualty of that. Perhaps, it already is with the lack of innovation from e-pl7 to 8.

I wonder if their omissions in the new e-m10iii may be well considered. This camera becomes entry level MFT but, Oly know that most users will, more than likely, seek to upgrade, inevitably forcing us towards the more enthusiast and pro level bodies.

I wouldn’t rule out a high quality GM replacement though just yet. If Panasonic, or even Oly (that would be interesting) think the niche is a big enough one then who knows!

n3eg wrote:

DDCanon30yrs wrote:

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I'd love to see...

Lenses:

The PRO primes are very nice, but not for me. I love, and have all of, the 'premium primes.' I'd like to see a few 'premium' zooms that focus on high quality at a small(ish) size. For example, I'd love to have something like the new Panasonic 8-18 made by Olympus.

Yes, I'd also like to see some "above kit level" zooms, i.e. something in the 10-25 range that is not "pro" weight and price. Something like the 14-150 in quality.

In cameras, an E-PL9 with more features and less size. An E-M5 III that is the same size as the II, with 20MP BSI, 4k, and external mic jack. And NOTHING else the size of the G9.

M4/3 is certainly well supplied with big DSLR style bodies, especially with the rumours of a new GH5 variant coming.

Personally I came to m4/3 to downsize so big bodies don't interest me much. Hopefully Olympus/Panasonic will release at least one or two small but high-end cameras over the next year or so.

n3eg wrote:

In cameras, an E-PL9 with more features and less size. An E-M5 III that is the same size as the II, with 20MP BSI, 4k, and external mic jack. And NOTHING else the size of the G9.

Someone's been reading this, because both the E-M5 III and E-PL9 are listed in the latest 4/3 Rumors poll.  The E-M5 III is currently leading.