charleswendt

Also you Canon lenses on my Olympus OMD E-M10 mark II and my Sony a6000 with the use of an adapter.

drsdayton Loc: Dayton, Ohio

I moved to an Olympus OMD EM1ii about 18 months ago. I'm just an enthusiast...but have been in that category for almost 50 years - so have some history.

I really like the camera (and lenses). I have attached a sequence I captured recently. Pics may be less noteworthy than the fact that I captured these amidst some serious folks with nikons / canons and BIG lenses.

I had a Zuiko 300M, with a 1.4 TC... That's about as big as Olympus gets, and I was (happily) dwarfed by the 600M lenses around me.

Having said that, with this rig I don't exactly look like a tourist snapping pics :-).

I'd do it again.

Doug

Thinking about taking off

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Beginning the stretch

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Testing...

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Bye Bye

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Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

Some time ago I changed from a heavy Canon 7D mark II and 70D system (which included a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS and a Canon 100 - 400mm f4.5/5.6L IS mark II, to an Olympus EM1 mark II system. The EM1.2 is a fantastic camera and in my hands easily surpassed the 7D mark II. I also owned an Olympus 12 - 40mm f2.8, Oly 40 - 150mm f2.8, Oly 300mm f4, Oly 12 - 100mm f4, Oly 60mm f2.8 macro and Oly 1.4TC. As far as I'm concerned, every one of the above mentioned lenses is stunning, especially when used with the EM1.2. Given your physical limitations, I would recommend the 12 - 100mm f4 and the 40 - 150mm f2.8 + 1.4TC. The 300mm f4 is the best lens Olympus currently produce, but it is a little heavy and has a limited application. The 40 - 150mm is stunning and produces superb results, even with the 1.4TC fitted. You may find many of the above available on the secondhand market and provided you use a reputable company (MPB, KEH in the US, MPB, London Camera Exchange, Castle Cameras in the UK) you can make huge savings. I assume being a disabled vet means you are an ex- squaddie (soldier) rather than an ex - vetinary surgeon - hence I included US companies. Good luck.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

The Olympus 0M-1 Mk II could be a little heavy for you. It is a very good professional camera but its AF is not like the AF of a dSLR which is better for wildlife. I use the EM-10 Mk II, a smaller and lighter camera that offers 17 Mp. that should be enough for your needs.
The resolution of these cameras depend more on the optics than the camera itself. In general I dare to say that Olympus lenses are among the sharpest lenses I have ever used, professionals or not.

I repeat this often, when we do our part the camera and lens will do their part and I include sharpness here.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I have an Olympus e-m5 Mark II and am also 71. I adore it! The 5 Mark 2 is a little lighter than the m1. I initially paired it with the 14-150 II lens and then the 25. Both are a joy around the neck. Also the 5-axis image stabilization makes a huge difference. I can hand hold nearly everything except night and long exposures. I actually find the image quality to be better than what I got from my Nikon, or maybe it’s because I use this camera so much more that I’ve gotten better. There are a lot of rumors that Olympus will be coming out with a III version this fall with 20 mega pixels and the same weatherproofing. My camera survived a Maid of the Mist trip at Niagara Falls without any protective covering. Whether you go for the 1 or the 5, you won’t be sorry.

Dave Sr Loc: Nazareth, Pennsylvania

As an avid hiker, now 74, I gave up my Nikon D800 system and went to the Oly EM1 quite a while ago, then the EM1 MKII. The 12-100 f/4 pro is my walk around lens. I love the system. The image stabilization allows hand held water fall shots at 1/4 sec. Electronic modes as 'live comp' and 'pro capture' yield photos that I simply couldn't capture otherwise. I get extremely sharp 11x14 prints. And the whole system is much lighter than the full frame Nikon system. I'm very happy with the decision to switch to the 4/3 system.

Thorburn Loc: Virginia

I started with the OM-1n many years ago and haved to the Pen F digital and am still going strong and am looking at the OMD E10 Mlll
And the holy grail of prime lens.

banders26 Loc: Illinois

Put one in your hand and try it out. Reading about a device is good but you should try it before you buy. If it is not comfortable in your hand you may not use it.

Linda S.

https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2016/11/01/the-olympus-e-m1-mkii-review-part-1-iceland/

Above is a review when the reviewer was in Iceland...my trip in 2/20. As I am an avid user with a Canon 5D Mark 4 and primarily L lenses, 70 years old and weakening upper body strength, I too will be looking for a new system after my Iceland trip.

I have a quick question. What is this adapter everyone is talking about? What happens when a full frame lens goes on a 4/3 camera body?

Thank you in advance.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Will someone say something bad already about these cameras!

bikerguy

I would not use the Canon L lenses on the Oly. They will work fine. However, you are giving up the advantage of the micro 4/3 system, namely size. The Oly Pro series lenses are as good as the Canon L lenses, much smaller and lighter. T see the difference in size look at the Tim Boyer you tube channel. He is abird photographer that switched from Canon to Oly.

I switched from the Canon 77D and three lenses ranging in ff equivalent from 16mm to 480mm to the E-M1MII and three lenses ranging from (ff equiv) 18mm-600mm. I reduced the weight by over a pound without sacrificing image quality. Additionally, packing gets much easier because everything is smaller.

We went to Iceland 2 years ago, it is a fantastic place. Hope you can shoot the Aurora Borealis.

sidpearce

After 70 years carting Nikon and Canon SLRs and digital bodies and lenses around the World, my back decided it had had enough. I then purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ1000. The quality and standard of 20x19 competition prints I can produce is superb. I suggest you take a peak at it!! It might suit.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Micro Four Thirds (the sensor platform AND lens mount used by Panasonic, Olympus, and Black Magic) is a great platform. It is the ONLY platform that will provide SIGNIFICANT weight savings in a bag with a camera body and three equivalent lenses. However, there are a few caveats:

> You will GAIN one equivalent f/stop of additional depth of field for any equivalent focal length. (i.e.; If you use a 35mm prime lens on your Canon, the prime lens that has the most similar field of view on the Olympus would be 25mm (really 56mm, but you can only find that on a zoom. Because of the actual difference in focal length, the shorter lens has greater apparent depth of field.)

> You will LOSE 2/3 to one equivalent f/stop of low light performance (i.e.; You will gain that much noise at the same high ISO on both cameras.)

Before you buy the Olympus, I strongly recommend you read reviews of its direct competitor, the Panasonic Lumix G9, and then borrow, rent, or try one in a camera store at the same time you play with the Olympus. The G9 uses the same sensor, has the same lens mount, can share the same 100+ native Micro 4/3 lenses, and although it is 3 ounces heavier, it fits many folks' hands better. It also has a much friendlier menu system.

The Olympus OMD E-M1 MII and Panasonic Lumix G9 produce identical raw files. The camera's JPEG processors are subtly different, so you might like one over the other. The reviews at dpreview.com have galleries of sample photos from each:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m1-mark-ii

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-dc-g9

One of the notable differences between these two is that Panasonic is more video-centric. Both record video, but Panasonic has the edge on video features and performance.

GREAT lenses are available from Olympus, Panasonic, Panasonic Leica (they are partners), Voigtlander, Rokinon, Sigma, Samyang, Meike, Tamron, and others. Here's a very extensive list of over 110:

http://wrotniak.net/photo/m43/lenses.html

Additionally, plenty of adapters can mount various brands of dSLR and cine lenses on Micro 4/3 bodies. A few of them are focal length reducers that also magnify light intensity onto the sensor. Some of them retain automation with certain brands of lenses, but most are manual. If you have Canon EF glass, that is the MOST adaptable, although don't look for the great AF performance of your 80D.

Image stabilization is one of the main differentiators between these brands. Oly has always had either the best, or nearly the best in-body image stabilization (IBIS) on the market. Panny has traditionally put their image stabilizers in their lenses (Mega OIS, and the better Power OIS). But a few years ago, Panasonic came out with their DUAL IS and DUAL IS 2 systems. These coordinate IBIS and OIS, combining the best attributes of each. It's a bit different approach, that is better at longer focal lengths than is IBIS alone. So of course, Olympus has started including in-lens stabilization in some of their premium telephoto and zoom lenses.

One feature you will miss from the 80D is its excellent rapid action autofocus. Micro 4/3 are mirrorless cameras. Because they use electronic viewfinders, and contrast-detect AF, they are better at focusing on static subjects than dSLRs. dSLRs typically use phase-detect AF, which is better for moving subjects. That may affect your decision.

Whatever you do, good luck! There is no bad camera, and no perfect camera... just the camera that is most suited for your use. Again, read reviews, watch reviews on YouTube, and borrow, rent, or handle prospective purchases in a store.

Zooman 1

I staid with Canon and went to the Canon R and lens adapter. I had been using the 80D and 7D M II. Waiting to get the Canon 24-240mm for the R as I think it will be a good all around lens, if it ever shows up. I really like the full frame of the R.

Also am 76 with arthritis problems.

Jerry Coupe Loc: Kent, WA

I am 70 years old. I switched to the Olympus EM 1 MK II body from a Canon 5D MK II about three years ago do to a left shoulder injury and subsequent replacement of the ball in that shoulder and the resultant limited range of motion.
I am very satisfied with the micro 4/3rd format and have used the system on trips to BC and Alaska for bear images and Tanzania on an African safari. My most used lens is the 12-100mm f4 and it is a solid pro quality lens. I also have the Panasonic 100-400 mm lens for birds and wildlife. (these two lenses give me Full Frame FOV equivalent of 24-800 mm) I have added a 7-14 mm wide angle and enjoy the 60mm macro lens as well.

At higher ISO's the MFT systems have a bit more noise but anything up to 1600 is dang good. LR cleans up most noise at higher ISOs.

If weight is the number one issue, then the 5 or 10 models may be good options and other non-pro lenses from Olympus and Panasonic are significantly lighter as well. I am very satisfied with my Olympus kit.