I think Olympus is going in the wrong direction.
I would agree if this was their ONLY direction. But the jury is still out on this one. We still haven't seen any updates for Olympus' mid range products. And it has been quite some time since Olympus produced a new mid range lens.
If Olympus goes forward offering nothing but big, heavy, and expensive cameras with relatively small sensors.... then I would agree that direction would be a mistake.
Go big, with big bodies and big lenses and you have no advantage against FF. Go small where nothing much exists apart from Panasonic and it is possible to play on the logistical and phycological advantages over FF.
It is a fool’s errand trying to compete on image quality against FF cameras.
If size weight and price are the same, then why would anyone prefer the much smaller sensor? If this product is aimed at pros, aren't they the group that wants the best in every category... and not just in "latest computational tech?"
No, Marty, not really. It's the well-heeled amateurs and wannaby-pros who rush out to buy the latest and the fanciest features. Just take a good look at the US Nikon D5 or the Canon 1D, both priced at well over twice the EM1X.
Pro's need reliable, durable cameras that can be manhandled, provide some room for error and work in a reliable and predictable way. That's what the general durability and "handability", larger control surfaces, customizable menu systems and very fast finder refresh clearly aimed at.
Incidentally, every single computational trick will eventually be used on cameras with full frame sensors. So perhaps Olympus only has a temporary advantage in that area. Those full frame cameras can ALSO have dual quad processors, huge buffers, blazing fast frame rates, and built in ND filters... plus a sensor four times larger.
Plus lenses that also tend to be much larger, and, especially, have a smaller zoom range.
And while that hand held high resolution mode is nice, lets remember that EVERY single shot taken with a Sony A7R III is "high resolution." And without any stacking, pixel shifting or other processor effort.
Olympus has essentially decided to enter the Daytona 500 with a car just as big and as heavy and as expensive as all the other cars in the race. But the Olympus car only has 2 cylinders. But it has better brakes, better seats, and a nicer suspension. None of which will help them win the race.
At a certain point the larger-sensor argument gat a bit silly. Especially when many more images are taken with cell-phones rather than cameras, sometimes even by "serious photographers. Just look at how well Honda did with their supercharged small engines!
I love my M43 kit because it is portable, I can carry a bagful of lenses and a couple of bodies all day.
Also I found on a trip to Bologna the other day in a place where cameras are not always welcome, nobody takes much notice of you with a little EM5. If I got my D810 out I might have had some problems.
I will be interested to see the reaction here to your post, as you have up to now been a champion of M43.
It actually is funny... in a very ironic way. For ten full years the M4/3 faithful have willingly accepted the smaller sensor disadvantage in exchange for compact size and less weight for their bodies and lenses. But today, many of them are willing to accept a small sensor WITH a huge, heavy and expensive body.
Big, yes. Huge? Just put one, even with the 12-100 lens beside a Nikon D5 or Canon 1D, with their standard, much smaller range zooms. Now you will see huge. Pick them up. now you will experience "heavy".
It is like they pivoted and now have total amnesia about those advantages. In fact, some even deny that smaller size and weight ever was an advantage!
Most user reports and reviews that I've seen simply state that it balances better with large lenses, and that the larger size is well-used for better spaced out, textured controls.
Don't get me wrong. Some people will actually want and need an EM1X. The EM1X really is one heck of a camera. But those people are in a very small group.
Possibly. Luckily most don't live where it's minus 20C much of a six month long winter. Tends to make a double-handgrip camera with "glovable" controls somewhat attractive, even if it weighs three-quarters of a pound more.
The vast majority of M4/3 won't want this product. They are still patiently waiting for mid range upgrades that may never come.
As I am, for most other shooting.
, I'm left thinking "if this is the best Olympus can do, do I still want to keep buying Olympus cameras, locking myself further into the format?"
