Is a NEW E-M1 Mk2 worth in 2022 ?

After a lot of research, I've narrowed down my search to a micro four thirds camera. A brief backround is in this thread's first post.

My main goals are:

• A better travel companion than my iPhone 11 and my old Sony A100. Mostly pictures, but occasional vlogging should also be possible.
• Wildlife Photography. Macro and normal zoo work for now and proper birdwatching in the future when the budget allows for a telephoto zoom
• Having worked as a digital artist, I am also intrigued to do some light painting work and learn more about it. Something which I've longed to do, but failed most of the time with my limited setup of A100
• I intend to keep it as long as possible. Just like I've kept A100 and old Minolta glass till now.

I have zeroed in my search on the following options ordered by decreasing priority:

1. E-M1 Mark II: I am more leaned toward this camera as this camera will fulfill all my needs, plus the live composite option would make it easier to work with long exposures.
   The issue is that I was not able to find a single used piece here in my area(checked electronics markets in 4 main cities in my state). Apart from Canon and Nikon, used cameras from other brands is almost non-existent here. I am getting a new one line with 12-40 F2.8 Pro lens for about $1700.
   As e-m1 mark ii is already 5 yrs old, is it worth spending on a new one in 2022 ?
2. E-M5 Mark III: This is also a comparable option which is of a similar price in the Indian market. With a 12-45 F4 Pro, it retails at $1750. So to me, it seems a less lucrative option than E-M1.
   Is it costlier than E-M1 and comparatively less value for money?
3. Panasonic G9 : To me, G9 is almost the same as an E-M1.2, minus the live-composite option. In some cases, it is even better than E-M1, like 60p 4K video. It is also a little bit bigger in size, but that would not be an issue with my bigger-than-average hands. It is available with 12-60 F2.8-4 for about $1550
   Will I miss on features like live-composite if I chose the G9?
4. I have also considered smaller option like E-M10 Mark IV. Body only option is not available here, so I have to get with 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. That with a separate 12-40 Pro lens is costing much more, $2200. Or E-10.4 with 14-150 be good enough as a starting point?  That one is costing me $1250. 

From what I've read in other comparison threads, it seems I won't go wrong with either of these options. It's just because of these singular points I am not able to decide on one. I plan to add Oly 40-150 / PL 45-150, Oly 60mm f2.8 Macro after 1-2 months. Next year, I plan to add PL 100-300mm / PL 100-400mm / Oly 100-400mm depending on the one unit I buy now.

Would love to hear from some users of these devices.

PS. For those who would suggest sites like ebay.com, it is very cumbersome to import in India now. The average import duty we are imposed is about 30%. And that also depends on the local customs officer. I've seen cases where customs officers demand as high as 50% of the declared price, just because they can. So, I opted not to go into that hassle.

I have had all three cameras, each has its own plus and minus points as you would expect. Most disappointing to me was the E-M1 iii, considering the extra cost I didn't think it was much of an improvement over the Mk ii.

Best value if you are buying today has to be the G9, although the E-M1 ii is still a good camera for the money. The only one of the three I still own is the G9 so that shows how I feel about the choices.

Mark II used prices have really taken a hit lately making the price/performance really-really good. At least in my opinion.

Trolleyman wrote:

I have had all three cameras, each has its own plus and minus points as you would expect. Most disappointing to me was the E-M1 iii, considering the extra cost I didn't think it was much of an improvement over the Mk ii.

Best value if you are buying today has to be the G9, although the E-M1 ii is still a good camera for the money. The only one of the three I still own is the G9 so that shows how I feel about the choices.

Thanks for your input. I have seen similar views in many E-M1.2 vs G9 threads. My only doubt with the G9 is about long exposure photography. Can we somehow replicate the Live Composite feature of Olympus in Panasonic?
If yes, then it is a win-win. I will buy G9 right now. Also, its bundle with 12.60 F2.8-4 is available cheaper than E-M1.2

Alseyn wrote:

Mark II used prices have really taken a hit lately making the price/performance really-really good. At least in my opinion.

I think you missed the point where I mentioned about the used market here in India. I've checked offline markets in 4 cities and online websites for used items. No existence of any model of E-M1(s) and even G9.
I've also calculated the prices on Ebay + Import / Customs Taxes in India. The used kit of E-M1 Mark II with shipping and customs would cost me approx $1500. Which is just $200 short of a new kit here. Wierd world :unamused:

I live with the original E-M1 for a number of years and can still live with it. Anyway, I upgraded to a E-M1.2 last August and then bought a E-M1.3 in September not because the 1.2 was bad, but because it is so good that I also wanted Live ND and HHHR. E-M1.2 represents the best value imo, if you don't need the extra features.

Customs duties in India are a mess. If I were you, I'd fly to Dubai, purchase a camera there and get rid of the box (or fold it and pack it separately).

There's really no point in paying an additional 50% or even 100% over the price of an item. And you'd get a small vacation out of it.

Hong Kong is another great place to purchase cameras, esp. used ones, but more expensive to get to and travel in.

Alternatively, if you have friends or family visiting from a country like the US in the coming months, you could purchase the camera on EBay and ask them to bring it with them. I made a few camera purchases this way when I lived in India.

To answer your question, no - a new E-M1ii isn't worth it. Is it worth $800 or $1000 that it costs in the US? Yes, it is. It's great camera. Is it worth purchasing it new when you could get a used one for $550-700? No, it isn't. It's a very well-made camera and a used one in good condition will work well for many years, so it isn't worth it to spend an additional 40% more on a new camera. It won't be "better" than a used one.

Now if the price difference between a new and a used one weren't as much, then of course it would make sense to buy a new one.

E-M1 II has the worst EVF I've ever used, extremely washed out colours and low refresh rate. Otherwise it is a pretty good camera. I would never buy a new one at this point though. Just look for a low shutter count used model.

Cameras, probably more than most other things, have an extreme range in how much people use them. From "hardly ever" to "daily".

And they are engineered to take the most heavy use. If they weren't able to take daily use, those people would make a lot of posts with pictures of their damaged cameras. This in particular for top line models like the EM1.

How do you know how much a camera has been used? Look for two things:

- Shutter count, below 10k or so

- no dents indicating fall damage (paint rubbed off the corners is fine)

For the EM1 mark 2 in particular, there was somehow huge sales of it. Much less of the 3. So there's a LOT of used ones on the market, and the prices have gone very low.

Basically, I don't know what you can get a new one for, but check out the prices of second hand with low shutter count and no visible damage. Have no worries about buying one, many people use cameras less than 1% of what they are designed for.

gursharan-info wrote:

Alseyn wrote:

Mark II used prices have really taken a hit lately making the price/performance really-really good. At least in my opinion.

I think you missed the point where I mentioned about the used market here in India. I've checked offline markets in 4 cities and online websites for used items. No existence of any model of E-M1(s) and even G9.
I've also calculated the prices on Ebay + Import / Customs Taxes in India. The used kit of E-M1 Mark II with shipping and customs would cost me approx $1500. Which is just $200 short of a new kit here. Wierd world :unamused:

Thats a tough spot, I'd go with the G9, but you, sounds like the em1ii is the best choice.

Might be a bit over the odds price wise, but if it has what you want, its the right one.

Its a better camera today than when it wowed the industry and won prizes at its release

One firmware update enabled PDAF in video, pretty massive upgrade XD

Get the one that suits you best, not the best value one, if the budget allows.

YES.  Definately.  It's a great camera for today and tomorrow..  I have both the EM1 ii (and iii) and the G9.   I don't use the G9 much, not because it's not a great camera, but I've stuck more with Olympus brands - and live composite - focus, PDAF. and live composite are great on EM1 mark ii.  I say - Get it and be happy.

Peace.

John

Skeeterbytes wrote:

I'd pick E-M1ii over the E-M5iii for the better burst performance and more rugged construction. I prefer the E-M1iii for HHHR, Live ND, Starry Sky, improved eye-detection, and better IBIS, but don't know if that fits in your budget constraints.

I sometimes use the M1ii and M1iii together, and will vouch for the M1ii being a relevant camera in 2022.

Cheers,

Rick

Good Point. Thanks for the input.

Atho wrote:

gursharan-info wrote:

After a lot of research, I've narrowed down my search to a micro four thirds camera. A brief backround is in this thread's first post.

My main goals are:

• A better travel companion than my iPhone 11 and my old Sony A100. Mostly pictures, but occasional vlogging should also be possible.
• Wildlife Photography. Macro and normal zoo work for now and proper birdwatching in the future when the budget allows for a telephoto zoom

The EM1 II offers a very useful variable frame rate for focus stacking (3-15 frames can be chosen) which is especially useful for macro photography. The EM5 III does not offer this.

• Having worked as a digital artist, I am also intrigued to do some light painting work and learn more about it. Something which I've longed to do, but failed most of the time with my limited setup of A100
• I intend to keep it as long as possible. Just like I've kept A100 and old Minolta glass till now.

I have zeroed in my search on the following options ordered by decreasing priority:

1. E-M1 Mark II: I am more leaned toward this camera as this camera will fulfill all my needs, plus the live composite option would make it easier to work with long exposures.
   The issue is that I was not able to find a single used piece here in my area(checked electronics markets in 4 main cities in my state). Apart from Canon and Nikon, used cameras from other brands is almost non-existent here. I am getting a new one line with 12-40 F2.8 Pro lens for about $1700.
   As e-m1 mark ii is already 5 yrs old, is it worth spending on a new one in 2022 ?
2. E-M5 Mark III: This is also a comparable option which is of a similar price in the Indian market. With a 12-45 F4 Pro, it retails at $1750. So to me, it seems a less lucrative option than E-M1.
   Is it costlier than E-M1 and comparatively less value for money?
3. Panasonic G9 : To me, G9 is almost the same as an E-M1.2, minus the live-composite option. In some cases, it is even better than E-M1, like 60p 4K video. It is also a little bit bigger in size, but that would not be an issue with my bigger-than-average hands. It is available with 12-60 F2.8-4 for about $1550
   Will I miss on features like live-composite if I chose the G9?
4. I have also considered smaller option like E-M10 Mark IV. Body only option is not available here, so I have to get with 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. That with a separate 12-40 Pro lens is costing much more, $2200. Or E-10.4 with 14-150 be good enough as a starting point? That one is costing me $1250.

From what I've read in other comparison threads, it seems I won't go wrong with either of these options. It's just because of these singular points I am not able to decide on one. I plan to add Oly 40-150 / PL 45-150, Oly 60mm f2.8 Macro after 1-2 months. Next year, I plan to add PL 100-300mm / PL 100-400mm / Oly 100-400mm depending on the one unit I buy now.

Would love to hear from some users of these devices.

PS. For those who would suggest sites like ebay.com, it is very cumbersome to import in India now. The average import duty we are imposed is about 30%. And that also depends on the local customs officer. I've seen cases where customs officers demand as high as 50% of the declared price, just because they can. So, I opted not to go into that hassle.

Sorry to hear about the government’s greedy hand in your country.

That's a point about macro in favor of E-M1.2, which I completely forgot. Thanks
Yes, the government is greedy about import taxes.  Due to this most of the electronic product's prices are higher. Any product costing $1000 roughly equates to INR1,00,000 prices in India, about 25% more than the dollar equivalency.

Space the final frontier wrote:

I live with the original E-M1 for a number of years and can still live with it. Anyway, I upgraded to a E-M1.2 last August and then bought a E-M1.3 in September not because the 1.2 was bad, but because it is so good that I also wanted Live ND and HHHR. E-M1.2 represents the best value imo, if you don't need the extra features.

Yes, I don't need those features. Also, E-M1.3 far exceeds my budget allocated for the camera body.