burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2016/03/when-will-micro-43-equal-medium-format-film-we-have-the-definitive-answer.html

This is an interesting read. Anyone who has used both formats professionally already knows the answer.

The rest of you might be surprised!

scootersurfs Loc: Buckeye, Az

That was interesting. I've been debating switching to micro 4/3's and selling all my Canon gear. Just might do it after reading the article. Thanks for posting.

Clemens Loc: Maryland

I think he is one of the best "unknown" photographers out there today

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

There are plenty of reasons to switch and not to switch. All photo gear has its advantages and disadvantages.

M43 works for me, but then I don't cover professional sports or do lots of birding work or wall-sized landscape prints. I also don't work in extremely low light levels very often.

For general travel, training documentation, photojournalism, portraiture, and even most commercial applications, m43 is fine. Since over 90% of images wind up on the Internet these days, m43 has quality to burn.

There are m43 camera bodies to fit many different tastes. Some have EVFs. Some don't. Some are tiny and meant to fit compact, pancake-style lenses, but they'll take any m43 lens. Some are almost dSLR like. Some look like early 1960s rangefinders, but with all the modern conveniences.

The lens selection is extensive, now, and growing all the time. Some of the lenses are in their third or fourth generations. Olympus and Panasonic and Leica are making some fine pro glass. Some of the lenses are weather-sealed.

Olympus has in-body image stabilization, which works with most m43 and adapted lenses. They are starting to make lenses with in-lens stabilizers, too, so they can emulate the DUAL IS of Panasonic's newest bodies.

Many Panasonic lenses already have stabilizers in them that work with the GX8 and its DUAL IS feature.

The list of existing lenses that can be adapted to work on m43 cameras is extensive. Several companies make adapters, speed boosters, or focal length extenders to match lenses to m43 cameras. Canon lenses can generally be the most compatible, with AF and auto-aperture functional on some adapters.

I saw my first m43 cameras when they were introduced to the USA at PMAI 2009. As an avid CaNikon user, I laughed then. I'm not laughing any more... What a difference 7 years has made!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I may be surprised, but not to the point of giving up medium/large format photography, simple as that. Hell, I'm not even giving up 35mm photography.
--Bob

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ctein, I assume you mean?

Yes, he is quite good. I remember seeing him at photography trade shows. He wrote extensively for the photography trade press, back when I was reading 8 to 12 periodicals a month, well before the World Wide Web came along.

He's recently co-authored a NY Times Best Selling science fiction novel with John Sandford, Saturn Run. He writes weekly columns for TOP (at the link above), and makes a decent living selling fine art prints and doing print making for others.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Bob, I need to find people like you who don't already have film cameras, so they can buy all my old film gear!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Thanks for the link. Never been a professional, but I've had the same hunch. I've got a few prints from a Mamiya C330 that I processed in Bessler drums with the Bessler 2 step color process. That was tedious and I doubt I was as good at it as I thought I was.

Now my primary camera is a small Panasonic LX100. Printing through Lightroom to a Canon dye ink printer is producing results that I think are a lot better. There is nothing tedious at all! I can go from shutter button to print in mere minutes. I'm probably not as good as I think I am with this process either!

Building a darkroom then buying a Mamyia C330, a color Dichroic head, a set of processing drums and an electric roller was a significant expense. A Panasonic LX100, $10 a month for Lightroom and $100 (or so) for a Canon printer is pocket change in comparison.

Color printing is a lot more fun now. It is a great time to be a photographer!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

You should take a look at the Leica 100-400mm zoom reviews... It might satisfy you ---except your wallet --- more than the 100-300 on your GX7.

Gotta love that LX-100, though. It's a nice package!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I've had the LX100 for over a year. It is a wonderful camera.

I'm screwing up my courage to buy the 100-400 and a GX8 with it. I use the 4K capability of the LX100 a lot. I want 4K for wildlife.

My view of myself in the photographer mode is having both the LX100 and GX8/100-400 handy.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Showed up yesterday....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX86kXFN7RU

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yeah, Dan's put more on his blog in the past, too...

http://naturalexposures.com/corkboard/

The one missing link in m43 optics has been availability of great long lenses. It looks like the wait is over... They're finally starting to appear.

Kuzano

Tell us what you have. It may be that simple?

Lars

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

bronica ETRSi with normal and portrait lenses
Canon new F1 with a couple --- normal and something I haven't used in 20+ years
Minolta SRT-100 with normal and 135
Nikon F3 with pin-registration back and precision viewfinder reticle for perfect multiple exposures
Nikon FTn with 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 55mm f/3.5 Macro Nikkors; Vivitar 135mm f/2.8
Omega B22XL enlarger with GraLab 300 timer
Nikon EL 50mm f/2.8 enlarging lens
Bogen 60mm wide angle enlarging lens for 6x6

All that's from memory. It's in a closet. I don't use it.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I don't think that will ever happen!