Barn Owl

I just wrote a note to Jan Wagner with a request for him to field test a 4/3 OM System/Olympus OM1 camera and a couple of its wildlife photography/scenic lenses. With a fast check in YouTube, there are several photographers switching to the OM system. There is no way to tell the connection those photographers have with Olympus. I think Jan Wagner could provide an objective review. Further, I would be interested in knowing from UHH pro-level members what they have discovered in the serious field testing the 4/3 OM System. Realistically for many of the UHHers, the $$$$ of the higher level full frame RF Canon lenses and Sony bodies are not within our price range.

ricardo00

There are quite a few individuals who use the OM system and you can find reviews by them, presumably unlike the pro photographers not getting paid by OM Systems. I have been tempted to try it, primarily to save weight. However many of the people I know like the OM 150-400mm with a built-in TC, which at $7,500 and 4.1 pounds, doesn't save one either money or weight (there also is a long wait time to get this lens). I mean to rent it some time and try it but many stores don't have it to rent and the places where I can get it, it costs a fair amount to rent for a week the camera and this lens. Also I am pretty happy with my current system. I had hoped to go shoot side by side with people who use it but this has fallen through several times. I don't want to start a "war" of words, I think the OM system is quite good and am sure Jan Wagner would be able to get great pictures with it. But personally I would prefer trying it in my own hands and if I had a nearby friend who had one and was willing to let me borrow it, would love to try it out.
PS. Interestingly there seem to be very few people on the photographic trips I go on (ie. 0 out of the 13 photographers in my last two trips) so if one has a problem, it might be hard to borrow things from others. The OM users may prefer going with a guide who used this system?

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

If you believe the 150-400 is heavy and expensive, you should try to imagine what a full frame equivalent would cost and weigh.

That would be a 300-800 f/4.5 zoom with a built in TC that would get you 1000mm. It hurts my shoulders just thinking about it, and you'd be cryung all the way to the bank.

And you probably wouldn't get nearly as good weather sealing or IS.

gwilliams6

Here is one review/ comparison I found. I do not know if this is from any brand-supported reviewers, so I cant vouch for any paid bias or not.

From Photography Life: Best Camera for Sports and Wildlife Photography in 2023
https://photographylife.com/best-camera-wildlife-photography

The OM System is excellent for wildlife shooting and I know many who love it. We wont get into a debate into the image quality pros and cons of micro 4/3rds vs APS-C vs Fullframe. Use the format that suits your image quality needs and be happy.

Full disclosure, I have used APS-C and fullframe for my wildlife shooting in the past, and I prefer fullframe image quality with high megapixel cameras like my 50mp Sony A1, and 61mp A7RIV, and fullframe E-mount lenses from Sony, Sigma, Tamron that can resolve those high megapixel sensors.

However you would not go wrong to go to the superb OM System. You can make excellent photos with it, and save size and weight. Not sure how much money you will save in the long run with the best OM lenses, but that needs you to do further research .

If after doing your research you find the OM system is best for you, go for it and be happy.

Cheers and best to you all.

ricardo00

In so many ways, this analogy is flawed. It is something that I really don't want to argue but if you seriously believe that a f/4.5 lens on a micro 4/3 sensor is the equivalent of a f/4.5 lens on a full frame sensor, then the micro 4/3 system is perfect for you.

Barn Owl

ricardo00, Thanks for your response. Any and all recommendation on topic are appreciated.

Barn Owl

moonhawk, You and I must have similar age concerns on packing heavy lenses and needing to take a bank loan to buy a lens. Thanks for your response.

Barn Owl

gwilliams6, Thanks for this link. I will definitely spend some time reading it.

gwilliams6

You are welcome.

Cheers and best to you.

Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

The following wildlife photographers have no affliliation to OM Systems. I suggest you check out their YouTube chammels. Mike Lane, FRPS (fellow of the Royal Photgrahic Society), Roger Hance, FRPS, Andy Rouse (winner of 24 international awards). One other outstanding landscape/architecture photograper is Derek Forrs, though he recently became an OM Sytsems ambassador, though he was not an ambassador for Olympus. On a personal note, I swapped my Sony A9 and A7R4 for Olymus/OMS gear and now run two OM1 bodies and a few wildlife orientated lenses. I would not have anything else.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The best advice I can give you is to head over to https://naturalexposures.com/category/micro-four-thirds/ and see what Daniel J. Cox has to say about the OM-1 and wildlife photography. Dan has used Nikons, Lumix G and GH series, and Olympus/OM Systems gear, and several other brands over the years. He is a serious wildlife photographer, photo tour conductor, and has put plenty of wildlife images on the covers and pages of National Geographic and other well known publications.

There are many good reviewers on YouTube who have praised the OM-1. Chris Nichols and Jordan Drake did a couple while they were still at http://www.dpreview, and you can find them on the DPReviewTV channel on YouTube, or via the DPReview site. Chris uses the OM-1 frequently.

I'm a Lumix Micro 4/3 user because I record both video and stills, and Lumix is better on the video side. But the OM-1 is currently as good as it gets for stills on Micro 4/3. Either brand can use the other's lenses. There are dozens and dozens of lenses for m43.

Jerry Coupe Loc: Kent, WA

I changed to Olympus m4/3 system in early 2017 after a shoulder injury that made my FF Canon gear too hard to handle. I really like the size and the selection of Olympus gear. I have shot this kit in Tanzania, British Columbia, several times in Alaska and in the state of Washington, photographing wildlife, both birds and animals.

My experience is that in low light at ISO 6400 shooting eagles and also bears, the images are a bit noisy. When I am smart enough to keep 'exposure to the right' then the noise cleans up pretty good in LR. Most of these images are with the Panasonic/Leica 100-400 lens, not the Oly 150-400.

I suspect that the really high megapixel FF gear from Nikon, Canon and Sony will produce images a bit sharper at the same ISO levels, but for many of us amature photograpers, the quality is very good with Olympus kits.

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

Of course it's not a fair comparison, because the FF equivalent simply does not exist. Also the Oly has a significant advantage in size, weight and price, in hand-hold ability and depth of field. (Unless you're of the mind that only getting a couple of eyelashes in focus is a plus--- )

Seriously, though, it is apples to oranges, but my comparison is valid, because f/4.5 is still f/4.5 on any size sensor

And don't forget Hand held high resolution of 50 MP, or tripod mount 80 MP, both of which reduce noise greatly.

So yes, Oly m/43 IS perfect FOR ME. And they'll pry my 150-400 from my cold dead hands.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

And the Olympus is easily shot handheld. I don’t have that lens but their 100-400 f/5-6.3 is also a very nice lens and even easier to handhold at about 2 1/2 pounds.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Yes as far as DOF is concerned. So a FF 300-800 f/9 would still be pretty big and heavy and not have the light gathering ability of the Olympus 150-400.