So finally saying goodbye to m4/3 (sad)

MinAZ wrote:

It's been a long journey, from 4/3 to m4/3 and owning various cameras and lenses from both manufacturers, and now finally, it is time to say goodbye. In the end, I will say this: I got many great images from m4/3, it is a very decent system for those whose needs it fits, and Olympus in particular has some very nice glass. There are a few advantages unique to m4/3. But ultimately, shooting m4/3 and full frame side by side for several years, I can no longer deny that I feel more confident with the full frame system. Its not that I usually can't take the photo with Olympus, but that, let's face it, the files coming out from the full frame are just easier to edit (this was the smoking gun in the end).

So I have sold all my gear except for a few things that I am keeping just for fun/travel/wildlife photography: the OMD-EM1 Mark II (still like this one for the IBIS, and high-res mode), the PEN E-PL6 (for fun and when I travel), a couple of pro lenses for wildlife and travel, a bunch of the fun lenses, and I decided to keep the speedlites because you really don't get that much for selling them. But I've gotten rid of all the rest.

So did I make the right decision? I don't know for sure. But I have been using both systems extensively, and as the age of Full Frame mirrorless is ascendant (and the bodies become almost as compact as the EM1 line), I just cannot justify owning both anymore.

Fair enough... although it seems you still have more m43 gear than many here lol!

Just curious... did you ever process RAW with DXO Photolab 2 + PRIME? If this software did not exist, I probably wouldn't have invested as heavily in m43 as I have.

MinAZ wrote:

It's been a long journey, from 4/3 to m4/3 and owning various cameras and lenses from both manufacturers, and now finally, it is time to say goodbye. In the end, I will say this: I got many great images from m4/3, it is a very decent system for those whose needs it fits, and Olympus in particular has some very nice glass. There are a few advantages unique to m4/3. But ultimately, shooting m4/3 and full frame side by side for several years, I can no longer deny that I feel more confident with the full frame system. Its not that I usually can't take the photo with Olympus, but that, let's face it, the files coming out from the full frame are just easier to edit (this was the smoking gun in the end).

So I have sold all my gear except for a few things that I am keeping just for fun/travel/wildlife photography: the OMD-EM1 Mark II (still like this one for the IBIS, and high-res mode), the PEN E-PL6 (for fun and when I travel), a couple of pro lenses for wildlife and travel, a bunch of the fun lenses, and I decided to keep the speedlites because you really don't get that much for selling them. But I've gotten rid of all the rest.

So did I make the right decision? I don't know for sure. But I have been using both systems extensively, and as the age of Full Frame mirrorless is ascendant (and the bodies become almost as compact as the EM1 line), I just cannot justify owning both anymore.

In my situation the cost out weigh the benefits of going Full Frame. Sure there are times I needed the extra fire power of Full Frame but the majority of the time M43 is perfect for me as an amateur.

There is one thing I had notice is the megapixel race with the Full Frame companies. I think Fuji XT3 had demonstrated you don't need Full Frame anymore for most photography genres. Fuji can pretty much do what the Sony A73 can do for most photography genres. This is why in my opinion there is now a Full Frame megapixel and lens race. They are trying to distance Full Frame as much as possible from the smaller formats by capitalising on Full Frame sensor by adding a lot more megapixels and creating big glass for these huge dense sensors.

So the question is when will M43 catch up to the Xt3? While you could argue Fuji 1.4 lenses can compete with Full Frame 1.8 lenses and therefor when it comes to thin depth of field, M43 is at a disadvantage. However, next year we could see new generation of M43 sensor with almost Xt3 performance.

MinAZ wrote:

So I have sold all my gear except for a few things that I am keeping just for fun/travel/wildlife photography: the OMD-EM1 Mark II (still like this one for the IBIS, and high-res mode), the PEN E-PL6 (for fun and when I travel), a couple of pro lenses for wildlife and travel, a bunch of the fun lenses, and I decided to keep the speedlites because you really don't get that much for selling them. But I've gotten rid of all the rest.

For some people the gear you still have would mean they're moving IN to the m43 system. 

acfo wrote:

MinAZ wrote:

acfo wrote:

MinAZ wrote:

So I have sold all my gear [...]

Good for you. Better let someone else enjoy the gear than let it gather dust.

[...] except for a few things that I am keeping just for fun/travel/wildlife photography: the OMD-EM1 Mark II (still like this one for the IBIS, and high-res mode), the PEN E-PL6 (for fun and when I travel), a couple of pro lenses for wildlife and travel, a bunch of the fun lenses, and I decided to keep the speedlites because you really don't get that much for selling them.

???

But I've gotten rid of all the rest.

You're joking, right?

Nope, sold it all at a KEH buying event in my local town, except for the two bodies and a couple of lenses (and accessories).

That must have been quite a collection of bodies and lenses. To let go of that must have been a hard decision.

Yeah, it was. I pretty much had everything except the 300mm.

Clayton J wrote:

Is it bad manners to ask how much stuff you actually unloaded?

Let me put it this way. Have you ever been to a KEH buying event? They pay for your stuff up front after checking it and they will zip it up right there and mail it to their HQ for you. It's actually a great way to sell used gear because you get the same prices as you do online. The only thing is, there are usually only 1 or 2 KEH buyers at each event. Put it this way - there were some very unhappy people at the back for the line. I had my wife help me unload the boxes of gear from our minivan, and as she handed me the last box she asked "You sure?" I said "Yes". She said "We took some great photos with these didn't we" I said "Yes". She was happy about the check we got from KEH though.

glassoholic wrote:

MinAZ wrote:

It's been a long journey, from 4/3 to m4/3 and owning various cameras and lenses from both manufacturers, and now finally, it is time to say goodbye. In the end, I will say this: I got many great images from m4/3, it is a very decent system for those whose needs it fits, and Olympus in particular has some very nice glass. There are a few advantages unique to m4/3. But ultimately, shooting m4/3 and full frame side by side for several years, I can no longer deny that I feel more confident with the full frame system. Its not that I usually can't take the photo with Olympus, but that, let's face it, the files coming out from the full frame are just easier to edit (this was the smoking gun in the end).

So I have sold all my gear except for a few things that I am keeping just for fun/travel/wildlife photography: the OMD-EM1 Mark II (still like this one for the IBIS, and high-res mode), the PEN E-PL6 (for fun and when I travel), a couple of pro lenses for wildlife and travel, a bunch of the fun lenses, and I decided to keep the speedlites because you really don't get that much for selling them. But I've gotten rid of all the rest.

So did I make the right decision? I don't know for sure. But I have been using both systems extensively, and as the age of Full Frame mirrorless is ascendant (and the bodies become almost as compact as the EM1 line), I just cannot justify owning both anymore.

Fair enough... although it seems you still have more m43 gear than many here lol!

Just curious... did you ever process RAW with DXO Photolab 2 + PRIME? If this software did not exist, I probably wouldn't have invested as heavily in m43 as I have.

Well I still have some m4/3 as you say, maybe I will give that a go. What is the difference with DXO? Does it do a particularly good job with Olympus raw files? I no longer own any Panasonic bodies so that wouldn't be useful to me.

Gary Martin wrote:

Strange post; we say goodbye to people, not inanimate objects like photo gear. And why be sad? You are just changing up your tools as a photographer, which I see as a good thing. In particular, it sounds like you are refining your kit to use what you perceive as the best tools for the job - that seems like a rational approach to me. Instead, this thread (with that post title, especially) is more likely to devolve into flame-bait, unfortunately, especially with all the insecurity around here concerning sensor-size "inadequacy." I hope that wasn't your intention.

No and I sincerely hope it doesn't. That would be the opposite of my intention.

Belgarchi wrote:

I would keep both. There is a large difference in terms of sensor size / resolution and weight of these systems.

Why not keep the M43 for discreet reportage, nature trekking, sports, air travels, wildlife for example, and FF for high resolution, low light, interiors, urban and nature landscape (near your car) photography?

It's a lot of gear lol. My entire closet is full of photography stuff, and we called quits when my garage started filling up to. Yeah, Houston we have a problem. We needed to downsize so we just couldn't keep everything.

RED i wrote:

MinAZ wrote:

but that, let's face it, the files coming out from the full frame are just easier to edit (this was the smoking gun in the end).

LOL, you should probably learn to expose properly first.

Pleased to see that, after all these years, the m43 forum remains the same: a snobby, righteous 'It's user error!' post can always be found inside a thread that does not blatantly praise m43 as if its the second coming.