Genuine Dilemma

[Graham_of_Rainham]

I appreciate that this has been discussed at length and that it's really a personal decision. However:

In the absence of a definative statement of support from Olympus for the Four Thirds system;
do I sell up and swap to Micro Four Thirds

With a reasonable investment in FT lenses, the 14-35 in particular, I'm reluctant to give up such a quality lens at the focal lengths I use most.

Now that Panasonic have announced the 12-35 f/2.8 and 35-100 f/2.8, these have specs., that are VERY tempting.

I could go "Old School" and get HQ primes at 12, 45, 75 (at some considerable cost) but I really would miss the flexibility of the zooms.

SO:

Has anyone out there got a good crystal ball or spotted anything that may help in making this decision, or do I just carry on with what I have, wait and see, while wondering if there will ever be a right time to make a change.

[peak4]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I can't help you with your personal choice, but this might be worth reading

http://www.1001noisycameras.com/2012...s-as-well.html

Particularly the first link
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/n...11_539411.html

Perhaps posting this link over on DP Now might be worth while to see if Yoshi is able to supply a precis.

The Google translation is at best a bit iffy
http://translate.google.com/translat...11_539411.html

[StephenL]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I can certainly commend the E-M5 with a nice set of primes. I suppose one factor may be what you could get for your system, and if you might find it financially better to "jump" now before/in case others do the same and knock the socks out of the market.

Sorry, but the crystal ball has had a vasectomy!

[Zuiko]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I appreciate that this has been discussed at length and that it's really a personal decision. However:

In the absence of a definative statement of support from Olympus for the Four Thirds system;
do I sell up and swap to Micro Four Thirds

With a reasonable investment in FT lenses, the 14-35 in particular, I'm reluctant to give up such a quality lens at the focal lengths I use most.

Now that Panasonic have announced the 12-35 f/2.8 and 35-100 f/2.8, these have specs., that are VERY tempting.

I could go "Old School" and get HQ primes at 12, 45, 75 (at some considerable cost) but I really would miss the flexibility of the zooms.

SO:

Has anyone out there got a good crystal ball or spotted anything that may help in making this decision, or do I just carry on with what I have, wait and see, while wondering if there will ever be a right time to make a change.

Keep Calm and Carry On!

Seriously, as you say it's a personal decision. I think we have to accept that the writing is not only on the wall for Four Thirds, but well and truely all over the floor and ceiling too! But when the day comes that the plug is finally pulled, it won't suddenly render all the camera bodies and lenses unusable. My old E-500 is still going strong in the hands of my daughter, she absolutely loves it and realizes that she is lucky to have such a camera at her age.

The question is, could you be satisfied with the E-5 as the pinnacle of the Four Thirds System, knowing that it will last for years and be replacable second hand quite cheaply for years after that, but will never be improved upon?

Before answering that question, you should also perhaphs consider that it is highly likely that at some point in the (hopefully not to distant) future, Olympus will introduce technology into Micro Four Thirds bodies that fully resolves the focusing issues of using Four Thirds glass. Suddenly, keeping all those yummy HQ and SHQ lenses might seem like a great decision, with only a new body to fund (and maybe one or two MFT primes).

I would also like to move fully to MFT, but for rather different reasons than you, I suspect. If I was still fully fit and healthy I would quite happily go the E-5 route, on the basis that I love the design, form, function and handling of my E-3. Recently, on my Tollesbury recce, I absolutely loved using it again, but it came at a price. Although I didn't walk very far and I coped at the time I was concious of the weight, including a substantial tripod, and the next day I felt physically drained. It also aggrevated one of my delicate knees and I'm still hobbling in discomfort days later. So for me, if I could afford it, the full transition to MFT would be a no-brainer. My ideal kit would be the E-M5, Panny 12-35mm (subject to confirmation of performance), Panny 7-14mm, Olympus 45mm and Olympus 40-150mm, plus an adaptor to use my Sigma 105mm macro (I focus that manually anyway). I hasten to add that I wouldn't carry all those lenses at the same time and would probably keep my existing Panny 14-45mm to use as a light weight walk-about with the E-M5.

If I was in your shoes I think I would continue with my existing kit until Olympus resolves the FT lens focusing issue but, as I say, that's really only something that you can decide.

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

... you should also perhaphs consider that it is highly likely that at some point in the (hopefully not to distant) future, Olympus will introduce technology into Micro Four Thirds bodies that fully resolves the focusing issues of using Four Thirds glass.

Aha, but will they actually do it?
It is doable, Sony have a thing for it, it was doable two or more years ago but so far ... nothing, just a steady increase in CD-AF speeds.

It is also doable to bring out another DSLR body with current sensor improvements but that's also a complete unknown.

Oh, my post doesn't help does it ... sorry.

[DJMC]

[OM USer]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

Deciding to jump into the digital age (well I had an old P & S that took an age after you pressed the shutter to take a picture) I went for MFT and the E-M5 on the grounds that the E-5 was just too big and the FT roadmap looked poor (ie no new small FT body with up to date sensor). I do miss the opportunity to try those great lenses however (especially the 50-200 SWD). Until your current system no longer meets your needs (or until MFT gets PDAF) I would continue to take great photos with the excellent kit you have.

[timg]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

If Olympus DO fix the PDAF/CDAF issue, they'd sell a few less m43 lenses perhaps?

...but they may also sell some more HG/SHG lenses instead... as there are 2 solutions that have already made it to market by other manufacturers (adaptor with transparent mirror by Sony and PDAF on sensor by Nikon and now Canon) I'm sure Olympus has looked at all the possibilities.

This is purely my own speculation but I wouldn't mind betting that they're waiting until they have the perfect solution rather than having a half-baked one, simply because I imagine the cost of developing such a solution would be less that the cost of developing a full range of m43 HG/SHG lenses.

m43 already has by far the best range of lenses of any mirrorless system to date... imagine if they can add instant access to the top line 43 lenses too? That would really cement m43s position...

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I can certainly commend the E-M5 with a nice set of primes. I suppose one factor may be what you could get for your system, and if you might find it financially better to "jump" now before/in case others do the same and knock the socks out of the market.

Sorry, but the crystal ball has had a vasectomy!

u knock, was it ?

[Greytop]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I've almost completed my move to m4/3rds, a few months back I didn't think I would (although I had the great little E-PL2) but I guess I had started the slippery slope.
My E-PL2 twin lens kit has now gone to one of our daughters, she too is selling her (Pentax) D-SLR system to make way.

Now with the E-M5 and as you have pointed out the 12-35 and 35-100 on the way I'm satisfied that I have made the move.
Interesting and telling point is that I have managed to get all my m4/3rds kit into my recently purchased Think Tank Retrospective 5. OK it looks a bit swollen but it's possible
No more heavy back packs!!

[stryker]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

I too have made the move to m4/3rds. I have had a Panasonic G1 for quite a while now and my Wife has a G2. I found that having used the focussing on the G system cameras the 3 point system on my E510 awkward and outdated so that more or less made the decision for me.
I have sold all the camera and lenses on here and treated myself to the Lumix 45-200 & 20mm F1.7 and looking forward to some reasonable weather to be able to get out.
In September we are going to Suffolk, on the way call in at Wex and hopefully will be able to have a serious look at the EM-5 as a possible upgrade path.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

Looking back at how quickly Olympus went from E-P1 to E-P3, I'm hopefull that there will be a similar progression on the OM-D. Not sure how much better they can make it, other than to add provision for the full use of the FT lenses with PD AF.

Certianly very interesting times, but with such a wide variety of options, I find myself unsure of which way to go...

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts and comments, the do actually help.

[timg]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

Looking back at how quickly Olympus went from E-P1 to E-P3, I'm hopefull that there will be a similar progression on the OM-D.

That would be nice, then there might be a few EM5s going cheap as people upgrade!

[Jim Ford]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

Looking back at how quickly Olympus went from E-P1 to E-P3, I'm hopefull that there will be a similar progression on the OM-D. Not sure how much better they can make it, other than to add provision for the full use of the FT lenses with PD AF.

When I've mentioned the OM-D on a wildlife forum, it's been sneered at because the focus locks initially when shooting high frame rates. It seems that this presents a problem with fast moving wildlife ie birds in flight. If Olympus can sort that it would be a big plus I would think.

Jim

[JonSchick]

Re: Genuine Dilemma

No more dSLR for me now - made the move to m43 completely and don't regret it.

One other thought to throw in.... It pains me to say this but I can't see there being much demand for four thirds dSLR kit in the future (I know that not everyone will agree with me here) and it may be worth getting out while you can still sell secondhand for decent prices. I already know of some dealers who won't take four thirds cameras and lenses as trade ins any more, as they can't sell them.

At a time when Canon and Nikon are about to launch full frame bodies within spitting distance of the cost of the E-5, I think the idea of a continued line of professional level Four Thirds bodies is increasingly far-fetched.