So finally saying goodbye to m4/3 (sad)

LandscapeWhisperer wrote:

bluehighwayman 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.

Gee I'm all choked up reading your post. Not to be snarky but when I left Pentax for M4/3 I didn't post a farewell to the system on DP. In fact I felt no emotions at all so it made me feel rather cold and empty inside seeing this post. Perhaps I should go into therapy as I never feel anything when switching brands say of batteries or light bulbs. I'm an avid cyclist but didn't feel anything switching from Giant to Specialized! Thank you for making me realize that the products we own deserve to be publicly recognized for the service they provide. When switching brands one should feel the need to tell others of the sadness they feel at having to make such a decision.

I have to now find a blog for toasters as I'm switching from KitchenAid to Hamilton Beach. That toaster was in our lives for 10 years faithfully toasting our bread, bagels, and frozen waffles. I should have known to call for help when one of the slots just wouldn't work anymore. Instead I coldly went to the store and bought the Hamilton Beach unboxing it right in front of the KitchenAid. I ruthlessly unplugged the KitchenAid and tossed it in the trash. Feeling no guilt we are now even enjoying using the Hamilton Beach Toaster Oven. Anyway this is making me tear up so I've got to go to the toaster blog to confess my total ignorance and hope in some way make up for my complete blindness! I'll let everyone know I switched from a KitchenAid four slice toaster to a Hamilton Beach toaster oven and now feel that same sadness you feel switching brands! Perhaps that is redemption thank you for opening my eyes!

I would take the contrary view - that the camera is such an integral extension of the creative process that if you don't feel an emotional attachment to it, something has short-circuited your interaction with it.

I still regularly use a Leica M3 and an M7 because I like working with these cameras. I just wish that someone made the digital equivalent with a 42 mega pixel BSI sensor with IBIS and a viewfinder with better eye relief.

I just got a GX8 and am starting to feel the same kind of connection with it. It's a great camera with some egregious flaws showing that Panasonic doesn't know much about still photography, but I like working with it in spite of those flaws.

Yeah, the GX8 is a camera I have a love/hate relationship with. My wife has one, and a couple of Olympus bodies from the same era, but she often turns to her Olympus cameras as they are easier to get good results from.

Both the E-M10 II and the GX8 has the same awesome viewfinder!

Gnine wrote:

Tord S Eriksson wrote:

A lot of HD guys would never place their bums on anything but an HD, and many of them will kill you if you dent their rides!

You'll notice I wrote motorcycles. Not "lifestyle symbols", or butt jewelry

For me motorbiking was a means of transport, that ended one day in Scotland.
I was lucky, and survived, and was back at work, ASAP, that is eight years later.

No bike no more.

The Grumpy Snapper wrote:

PoohBill wrote:

Well, from the number of responses, this looks to be an effective way to get attention. Will you no longer participate in this forum?

Hard to believe the number of responses to some pointless navel gazing. Pretty much sums up photo forums these days.

...written by a "these days" photo forum member, who chose to nick himself Grumpy Snapper. Please pardon, but this is made my day, seriously...

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.

Fer sure it's a great little system. But 1" sensors with 24-100 / 24-200 zooms will safely provide equal or better IQ. No regrets .

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.

Here's a shot from today, in lousy weather conditions (rain, cold, and overcast), by my wife, no PP, just a little crop.

Looks like a big cuckoo, but is actually a tiny house sparrow chick, possibly two months old.

The restrictions with small sensors is that to get good results you need low ISO, thus a static bird works, moving birds need higher ISO, thus you need to use lots of PP, or extra light, or both, to do that successfully with an m43, or CX, camera.

Here a little extra light was used (in the form of the tiny built-in flash), that was all. No PP of any kind, just a minor crop.

Getting rid of so much gear, but still having a more complete system than many people have our can even afford to have?

Feeling sad about now only having two bodies, some pro lenses and a bunch of other lenses?

Is this privilege at work?

Smallpox 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.

Fer sure it's a great little system. But 1" sensors with 24-100 / 24-200 zooms will safely provide equal or better IQ. No regrets .

Sensors of the same number of pixels and size, from the same generation, are by nature better the bigger they are.

I use Nikon 1 J5 which 1" 20.4MP sensor is the same as is used in early RX100, RX10, and RX0 cameras, probably using the same, or very similar,  processors (sensors and processors are often sold together as they are made for each other).

My wife has an RX100 with a very similar sensor, also made by Sony.

My wife also has a GX8 m43 camera, also with 20.4MP, whose surface area is roughly double the 1" sensor's.

I have a Nikon D7500, and APS-C camera, with a 20.4MP Sony sensor, whose area is roughly double the m43 camera's.

All three cameras use Sony sensors, of roughly the same generation, if not exactly.

Using as equal lenses as possible (thus the RX100 is a bit special with its fixed zoom, so lets disregard it for now), in good lighting conditions, there is not much difference in image quality, but as light worsens the noise in the smallest sensors become apparent, and eventually even the D7500 start to suffer.

There is no way around bigger is better, but as technology improves and image processing improves the smallest become better and better, but that is also true for the biggest there is. The smallest will never catch up, but by stacking images even a tiny sensor can sometimes do wonders. But the present crop of MF cameras are awesome, and they are also moving forward.

In the end, it is one's ability to move heavy loads, need for big images, and pay for the equipment that sets the limits.

I am pretty content with 20MP cameras, and lenses in the 6.7-600mm range, that don't weigh a ton, nor cost a fortune.

But, sadly, bigger is better but is 1" enough for you, don't worry about the big boys, they will always be one step, or many, ahead of the rest of us!

Through my life I've probably spent as much on cars as on cameras and lenses, and my motorbike costs have not been that far behind.

Now I have three 1", three DX, and one FX camera, plus a few I never (or almost never) use. Hope to get a modern FX, one day.

I have one car, no motorbike, and it suits my life quite well.

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 you're saying goodbye to M43 but you still have about twice as much (and twice as good) M43 gear as I do?

New Day Rising wrote:

Getting rid of so much gear, but still having a more complete system than many people have our can even afford to have?

Feeling sad about now only having two bodies, some pro lenses and a bunch of other lenses?

Is this privilege at work?

To have a healthy income, and some wealth, is naturally a privilege, but how one spends one's money is entirely up to the person in question.

Some spend millions on travel, on new cars, guns, big houses, security, new ladies, and whatever they fancy, other own vast tracts of land and never spend a nickel outside what they need for their sustenance, who are we to say what's a privilege, or not?

I am quite poor now, but I bought my gear before I retired, thus I can get by. Not everyone my age can get by and thousands in Europe lives in boxes under bridges, so I think I am privileged.

There is no war in my country, and all get medicare, almost for free. Yes, that's a privilege.

My country is a democracy, with fair elections, and very little political violence of any sort.

The drug dealers seem to roam quite free (no matter what the police try), and seem to try their best to kill each other (and the prisons are overflowing with inmates surviving these battles).

So if someone, like the OP, wants to sell some cameras, let him, and if he wants to make it public, it is his life. Not ours.

Goodnight!

Tord S Eriksson wrote:

New Day Rising wrote:

Getting rid of so much gear, but still having a more complete system than many people have our can even afford to have?

Feeling sad about now only having two bodies, some pro lenses and a bunch of other lenses?

Is this privilege at work?

To have a healthy income, and some wealth, is naturally a privilege, but how one spends one's money is entirely up to the person in question.

Some spend millions on travel, on new cars, guns, big houses, security, new ladies, and whatever they fancy, other own vast tracts of land and never spend a nickel outside what they need for their sustenance, who are we to say what's a privilege, or not?

I am quite poor now, but I bought my gear before I retired, thus I can get by. Not everyone my age can get by and thousands in Europe lives in boxes under bridges, so I think I am privileged.

There is no war in my country, and all get medicare, almost for free. Yes, that's a privilege.

My country is a democracy, with fair elections, and very little political violence of any sort.

The drug dealers seem to roam quite free (no matter what the police try), and seem to try their best to kill each other (and the prisons are overflowing with inmates surviving these battles).

So if someone, like the OP, wants to sell some cameras, let him, and if he wants to make it public, it is his life. Not ours.

Goodnight!

Totally agree, with everything. I just want to mention that in my country there is a promotion of idea that medicare is a right - human right.

(as i mentioned above, I totally agree with you)

Tord S Eriksson wrote:

New Day Rising wrote:

Getting rid of so much gear, but still having a more complete system than many people have our can even afford to have?

Feeling sad about now only having two bodies, some pro lenses and a bunch of other lenses?

Is this privilege at work?

To have a healthy income, and some wealth, is naturally a privilege, but how one spends one's money is entirely up to the person in question.

Yes, it is. That is not what I am questioning.

Some spend millions on travel, on new cars, guns, big houses, security, new ladies, and whatever they fancy, other own vast tracts of land and never spend a nickel outside what they need for their sustenance, who are we to say what's a privilege, or not?

Of course it is the OP's right to spend his money as he chooses. It is the attitude of "I have far more than most people, but feel sad and as if I have nothing just because I don't have even more than others" that bothers me.

Maybe that attitude is something other than privilege. Whatever, it's a strange kind of deluded thinking.

I am quite poor now, but I bought my gear before I retired, thus I can get by. Not everyone my age can get by and thousands in Europe lives in boxes under bridges, so I think I am privileged.

Yes, you are - as am I compared to many people. But neither of us is saddened and feeling like we have nothing.

There is no war in my country, and all get medicare, almost for free. Yes, that's a privilege.

As with mine. It is a privilege - a blessing, if you will.

My country is a democracy, with fair elections, and very little political violence of any sort.

Same

The drug dealers seem to roam quite free (no matter what the police try), and seem to try their best to kill each other (and the prisons are overflowing with inmates surviving these battles).

Same (at least the prisons)

So if someone, like the OP, wants to sell some cameras, let him, and if he wants to make it public, it is his life. Not ours.

Yes, it is. But that is not quite the point I was commenting on. Never mind.

Goodnight!

Good night (or good morning, from here).

-- hide signature --

tordseriksson (at) gmail.....
Owner of 1 Canon, 1 Olympus, 1 Pentax, 1 Ricoh, 1 Sony, and a lot of Nikon, cameras.

True, but I would suggest if you had just chosen to title your initial post as “So finally saying goodbye to some m4/3 (sad)”, this whole thread might have taken on a whole different tone.

The Grumpy Snapper wrote:

Bassaidai wrote:

The Grumpy Snapper wrote:

PoohBill wrote:

Well, from the number of responses, this looks to be an effective way to get attention. Will you no longer participate in this forum?

Hard to believe the number of responses to some pointless navel gazing. Pretty much sums up photo forums these days.

...written by a "these days" photo forum member, who chose to nick himself Grumpy Snapper. Please pardon, but this is made my day, seriously...

My primary reason for being here is to get material for blog posts extracting the urine out of current photo forums and the various "experts" who live on them in fishing boats.

Yes, I hear ya. Everyone got his own agenda to keep sticking around. And I see we both make use of, and are equally appreciative, of this and alike forums.

For wildlife, it seems full frame is stronger. (except the lenses are monstrous)

You should keep one µ4/3 body and a fast prime to have something compact.

Anyway, you'll be back, once you realize µ4/3 is the happy medium. You'll find yourself leaving the full frame gear behind, then you'll remember and come back. That's my bet, anyway.

I dabbled in full frame too. By the time they were truly capable, the lenses were just too big and heavy.

The bonus when you DO come back is that you can adapt some of the big glass for µ4/3.

Smaug01 wrote:

For wildlife, it seems full frame is stronger. (except the lenses are monstrous)

You should keep one µ4/3 body and a fast prime to have something compact.

He is keeping two m4/3 bodies, including a flagship E-M1ii, and "a bunch" of lenses, including some pro lenses.

Anyway, you'll be back,

He hasn't gone anywhere. Downsized while keeping a full system's worth of gear.

once you realize µ4/3 is the happy medium. You'll find yourself leaving the full frame gear behind,

That's what he has decided to do and is keeping a full m4/3 system for travel and a range of other purposes and a full frame system for his most serious work.

then you'll remember and come back. That's my bet, anyway.

I dabbled in full frame too. By the time they were truly capable, the lenses were just too big and heavy.

The bonus when you DO come back is that you can adapt some of the big glass for µ4/3.

He isn't going anywhere.

-- hide signature --

-Jeremy
*********
"Rudeness is the weak person's imitation of strength."