wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

I shot with (mostly) Nikons from 1970 'til 2017, and Leica rangefinders, Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, Mamiya TLR, Ricoh, Olympus and others I've forgotten alongside. Switched from film to Nikon digital in 2004 and took -0- film images after that. My normal Nikon kit included the trilogy of f/2.8 zooms covering 17-200mm, but I had many other zooms and primes available over the years, mostly FF from the film days. My last Nikon bodies were a D7000 (DX) and a D600 (FX).

On a whim I bought a used Lumix GX85 at the local camera store in 2017 because a friend (with WAY more photo equipment - including a 48 inch photo printer) had one and raved about it. I loved the smaller size and lower weight, and even with the tiny 12-32 collapsible kit lens I found the MFT image quality to be more than good enough for my purposes. I pretty promptly switched to MFT equipment, and sold my Nikon gear in 2018.

I've gone through the Olympus OM-D EM1 bodies, and have settled on the MkIII with a MkII for backup. (I tried the Lumix G9, which is a lovely machine, but I get MUCH better/faster autofocus on my young speedy grandchildren in low light with the Olympus bodies so I let the G9 go.) I have a collection of Olympus and Lumix prime and zoom lenses from 9-18mm through a 45-150mm kit zoom, and except for the Oly 12-40 and PanaLeica 12-60 f/2.8 zooms they're all smaller and lighter than any Nikon lens I had. A typical kit for me now is the MkIII body with the 12-40 or 12-60 zoom lens, plus the 9-18 zoom and an Olympus flash. If I think I might want the 45/1.7 I have a coupler to stack it with the 9-18 and still have a lens package smaller and lighter than the "big" zoom on the camera. All in a bag less than half the size and way less than half the weight of what I used with the Nikons. For a quick shot around the house, like an owl on a fence post or a deer in the front yard, the MkIII with a Lumix 12-60 kit zoom (my favorite walkin' around package) sits on a counter ready to grab.

I have NEVER had the thought when processing a file in Lightroom "gee, if I'd used my full frame Nikon gear I could make a better print of this." My needs are simple, though - I make 8x8 B&W prints with Canon Pro 10 printers, that get bound into books for family members. No posters, and no blowups of tiny sections of an image. If there's a difference in depth of focus at f/2.8 between the MFT and my old FF images I don't notice and so don't care. As I said, the image quality from the 20MP sensor is more than good enough for what I print.

What I DO think of fairly regularly, although only in passing, is how small and light my kit is. One of my most vivid memories of a Nikon shoot was the weekend I rented a 300/2.8 to use at a horse show (in the film days, probably with an F100, my favorite Nikon film body) and how much my shoulder still hurt on Monday when I took the thing back to the camera store to turn in. (I snarled at 'em asking why they didn't give me the wheel set for it, because even attached to a monopod carried over my shoulder it was a BEAST to move around.) Then last year I rented the Olympus 40-150/2.8 (80-300 FF equivalent) to use at another horse show and thinking what a delight it was to have a package that fast, small and light WITH a wide zoom range to boot, compared to the howitzer of a Nikon I had carried around years earlier. I don't do enough horse shows now to justify owning that particular Olympus lens, but if my needs change (it's up to my daughter, who rode in LOTS of shows when we paid for it, but since she got married . . . ) I will be happy to add that lens to my MFT arsenal. Although, to be honest, I switched back and forth with a Lumix 45-150 kit zoom over the 2-day show, and the kit lens did an awfully good job too.

So overall, if weight is an issue, by all means take a good look at MFT as an alternative for your FF gear. If you have especially demanding requirements (be honest about it - we all want "the best quality possible", but if you have to pixel-peep to see the difference, and can only see it in a split screen, side by side comparison, do you reeeeeeally need it?) you probably should consider renting an outfit that approximates what you currently use. And set up a careful side by side test to see if the ACTUAL OUTPUT (not pixel peeping) from the new gear will do what you need.

dick ranez

Unless you want to make poster size prints, the m4/3 systems can make excellent images. The high end cameras may shave a few dozen ounces off the body weight, but the real difference is in the lenses - particularly with longer focal lengths. You can get a very nice complete kit for what you paid for the R5. Check out the Olympus pro series. If you do video, check the Panasonic offerings. Good luck.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I think going to M4/3 is a good idea. As for carrying even this small and light camera, I suggest finding some kind of hip harness to get all the weight down low.

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Wow that’s a big change right there!!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thank you, I am going to actually at some point buy the 12-40 2.8 but after I sell my current Canon gear. I love night sky and I think this may be a great lens for that.

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Oh wow! Thanks! I love that this new gear is so much lighter!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thanks for the suggestion! I am going to part with the Canon gear, have to organize and take pics before posting of course. I’m going to use the funds for some Olympus glass and just keep one camera. I really done require more than that to be honest. Thank you again!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thanks for that suggestion! I really am going to just stick with the OM-1 as I don’t require additional cameras. I have seen the reviews on the Sony and they were really good.

Navywife66 Loc: NC

That is a very nice choice indeed! I’m really liking the features on the OM-1 especially with the high res hand hold option. My spine sends mixed messages to my fingers and sometimes they work and sometimes they quiver. I love handholding my camera over using the tripod too. Good luck with your new gear, I hope to see some pics!!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Yes yes yes I saw those features and really think they sound fun! I’m not a professional, just creative and so I think it’s a great match for me! I’m loving the night feature of being able to compose the shot in the dark, huge help that will be instead of using my camera flashlight lol! Thank you! And btw the R5 is a wonderful camera that I so wanted to have and enjoy!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thank you, I will look into those lenses!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the information too!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Thank you, I will post here first then on a couple of canon sale boards. I appreciate that information though!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Oh wow that’s awesome! Did you post any pics on this site? Love to see some! Thank you too! Photography is my pain Manegement that’s for certain!

Navywife66 Loc: NC

Lots of great info for sure!