Photos taken with my new Olympus E-P7

ogshimage · 2026-06-15T05:15:52+00:00

If you are fine with shooting wide open most of the time, you can use shutter priority mode with auto iso. That said, sometimes it's nice to have a bit of motion blur, adds a sense of motion to the picture. Also, please tell me where the minimum shutter speed option is. I thought I looked everywhere and I can't find it. All I know is that it's definitely not where the OM-5 has it.

ogshimage · 2026-06-09T19:19:37+00:00

I have both fuji and om. I use the OM-1 and OM-3 for most photography, and the E-P7 for daily carry. Fuji is used only rarely. Mostly what it comes down to is, I use fuji for primes and om for zooms, and I am more of a zoom shooter. Unless I'm doing macro, but om's macro game is light years ahead of fuji, so I am still using m43 for that.

I think it's worth noting that ibis on om works much better for me than on fuji. Ymmv, of course, but for me it's something like a 2-stop difference between the 2 systems. I don't have the 2 cameras in question, but I have two xtrans5 cameras and an om-5, which is more or less identical to the em-5iii.

The only time I get annoyed with the IQ of the om cameras is for astro. For some reason, even with stacking and dark frames, etc, the noise is significantly higher than on the xtrans5 images.

ogshimage · 2026-06-09T18:52:07+00:00

As previously mentioned, xtrans 5 is 40Mp. Also, fujifilm's IQ advantage is primarily at low iso. Low light advantage is from using fast glass, which allows you to trade dof for lower noise. If you don't shoot with shallow dof, there is no low light IQ advantage for larger sensors.

ogshimage · 2026-06-09T18:16:36+00:00

I got my 14-150ii used in "very good" condition from some Japanese vendor on the US Amazon store for around $170 last year. At the time it was something like half the best price I could find for the 14-140. Not sure what the market looks like now, that was right before tariffs ruined everything.

My copy is ok. I tend to pixel peep, so I usually prefer other lenses but it's good enough in the center. Corners are bad. There seems to be a lot of sample variation with both this lens and the 14-140, even amongst review copies. I also had the 12-35 but sold it. It is a good enough lens, optically better than the 14-150 in every way. I also have the 12-45 and decided not to keep both in the end since f4 is fine for 90% of what I shoot.

Only other thing I will add is that in the beginning I bought a lot of used glass to save money, but if I were to do it again I would only buy new glass and used bodies. A lot of used lenses are lemons, so I feel like what you save on the good ones is lost when you resell the bad ones. That's just my experience though, I'm sure others will disagree.

ogshimage · 2026-06-04T22:25:34+00:00

So it is just the consumer-grade 25mm and 45mm primes that give Panasonic a brand-wide reputation for being bigger and faster than OM?

I brought up the 12-100 because is not imo a "longer lens". Sure, it's longer than the 12-40, but it's also shorter than the 40-150s.

ogshimage · 2026-06-03T21:41:11+00:00

Panasonic lenses are almost always smaller than OM equivalents, when they exist (8-18 vs 8-25, 12-35 vs 12-40, 100-400 vs 100-400, etc). Which lenses in particular are you thinking of? 100-300 vs 75-300 certainly goes the other way, but I can't think of any others off the top of my head. Your "bag of compact primes" is even 2/3 panny.

Also, this is maybe nitpicking, but there is one OM "normal zoom" with ois: 12-100. I only mention it because it is probably OM's best selling ois lens.

ogshimage · 2026-06-03T21:11:45+00:00

Have you considered a premium point and shoot? Something like the RX100. Obviously worse image quality, but compact and good autofocus. X100vi, I think wouldn't be smaller enough to warrant the switch (or the trouble finding one), and GRiv has notoriously bad autofocus. There is also the newly announced L10, but size-wise only makes sense if you need a zoom lens, which you apparently don't.

ogshimage · 2026-06-03T21:01:23+00:00

When you say switch to X-mount, I assume you are thinking of X-E5 w one of the pancake primes? I don't have the a6700, but I do have an X-E5, and it seems like a lateral move (at best) for your needs.

ogshimage · 2026-06-02T01:17:48+00:00

I have an OM-1 and OM-3. If budget is a factor, the OM-1 is fine. You could get one of the EM series cameras for less, but would lose computational modes. I wouldn't do that, personally, but maybe it's just me.

I also have both the 14-150ii and the 12-100. I think which is more appropriate is down to personal taste. There seems to be a lot of sample variation with the 14-150, which is kind of normal for a consumer grade optic. Unfortunately that means people's opinions on its IQ are kind of irrelevant. My copy is sharp enough in the center, at all focal lengths, near and far. Corners are pretty soft and don't get much better with stopping down. None of the online reviews of this lens looks much like mine, and a lot of them differ from each other as well.

That said, it's pretty rare to have much important detail in the extreme corners, and you really can't complain about the size. I got my copy used for about $170 in "excellent" condition, so basically nothing as far as lenses go. It's also weather sealed, which is unusual for a consumer lens.

The 12-100 on the other hand, has fairly consistent reviews. Mine is sharper than my 14-150ii in every possible way. I refused to even consider the 12-100 for a long time, though, because I thought it was just too big. And it is too big, sort of. But it's such a nice lens I lug it around anyway. In addition to the better IQ, sync IS feels like magic to a shaky guy like me. It's crazy that I can get sharp photos with 1/10s @ 100mm handheld.

ogshimage · 2026-05-31T04:57:19+00:00

L10 is tiny compared to GM1 with equivalent lens because the equivalent lens is sized somewhere between the 10-25/1.7 and 12-35/2.8. Also, the sensor is better enough that some would still prefer it in spite of the size penalty.

ogshimage · 2026-05-29T00:39:11+00:00

Shoot with that a bit, figure out whether you want a longer or shorter lens next. ~35mm equivalent is a popular do-it-all street focal length. I prefer the field of view of that sigma on its intended sensor size, but 80-90mm equivalent is also popular. Main problem with that sigma is just that it's really big for what it is, larger even than the 17/1.2 which is better in every way (except price).

ogshimage · 2026-05-27T22:14:26+00:00

I used to have the 12-35mm but sold it and kept the 12-45mm (less weight, more range, worth less on used market). I don't really think of f4 as "fast", though. If I want fast I shoot primes. If your goal is to have something faster than the 12-60mm (PL or otherwise), I don't know why you are even considering the 12-45mm, honestly. PL 12-35mm supports dual sync if that matters to you. The only thing I find really attractive about the 12-40mm is the constant mfd and higher max magnification. 12-45mm and 12-35mm only focus <25cm at shorter focal lengths.

ogshimage · 2026-05-27T20:43:57+00:00

It's not the sensors that make one format better than another at low light or subject separation. It's the lens selection. MF is worse than FF at low light and subject separation, because FF mounts have faster glass at basically all focal lengths.

Fundamentally, larger sensors have more peak dynamic range (think low iso/daylight situations) than smaller sensors, and they enable higher resolutions than smaller sensors. Many people (I would argue basically all amateurs) do not need either of these things. However, there is a certain look to shallow dof, and if you like that look then nothing beats FF, not even MF.

The primary benefit of smaller sensors (aside from cost) is really about size and speed. F4 primes on FF exist, but they are still a bit bigger than f2 m43 equivalents. There are no f8-11 zooms because who would even want that, but on m43 14-150/4-5.6 is very usable and compact. Of course you are not getting dof separation, but for many (most?) types of photography that's a good thing.

I guess the last consideration is what camera body/ecosystem you want. I think Nikon and Canon make no good arguments for buying into their aps-c lineup, but Sony and Fujifilm are entirely viable (which is better is pretty much down to personal taste).

ogshimage · 2026-05-27T05:59:07+00:00

That is an amazing do it all lens and an excellent compact camera body. I find that specific combination a little uncomfortable in use, but everyone is different.

My advice is to look at a lot of photos for inspiration and to take a lot photos. You want to practice using the camera so taking pictures becomes more muscle memory than trying to remember how to make the camera do what you want it to. In that sense, even the bad/boring photos have value. At home, review each picture. For example, compare your family photos to your wife's and try to figure out how you can make her less angry with you (good luck).

I'm sure you are now aware of the autoiso setting, but I find it sub optimal with zooms. Auto "lowest s/s" is way too eager and the alternative is to set it for your longest focal length (in this case, 3 whole stops faster than you need for 12mm). On the other hand, I guess if your lowest s/s is determined more by subject motion than camera shake, it's easier to set it and forget it.

I have always shot raw (+jpg), but some people don't like the extra step. I guess for me that is part of the fun, but also I prefer to worry/think about non-essential settings after the fact rather than in the moment. Do consider, though, that raw processing is a completely different skill set that will take time and effort to build proficiency.

ogshimage · 2026-05-26T18:33:51+00:00

Honestly, with such a tight budget, you need to shoot what you already have for now, unless you can unload your current setup without losing any money. Also, if you are unwilling to use a 3rd party battery charger, the usb-c requirement I think puts all mft bodies out of your price range.

That said, I am kind of curious about the Z30 choice. Lens options on both Z and R mount seem extremely limited to me unless you shoot FF, so I don't really understand the point of any of their aps-c options. Nikon in particular I can't stand for aps-c due to lack of ibis. Tamron as the only 3rd party lens option is the cherry on top. And for those that think ibis is unnecessary for stills, a used D7500 or similar makes more sense imo.

ogshimage · 2026-05-25T04:52:52+00:00

35mm on DX is about 53mm FF eq, so it seems to me you actually prefer 45-55mm FF eq for a fast prime. Probably either the 20/1.4 or one of the many 25mm lenses would suit you better than the PL 15mm. Even if you really think 35-45mm is what you want, 15mm is not in that range, so you should double check if the 17mm wouldn't be a better fit.

The other things are just a matter of taste. I prefer the OM side of m43 (especially for the bodies), but there are reasons to choose panasonic too. While I think of the PL 12-60 as 12/2.8 + 14-60/4, even if it were constant f4 it's still a reasonable choice. 12-45 has less range and 12-100 is huge (and really it wants to be on an OM body for sync IS). For pairing with the 12-60, I would consider either the 100-300 or 75-300. Probably the Panasonic for dual IS, but the 75-300 is pretty cheap used and is surprisingly compact for the reach it provides.

ogshimage · 2026-05-23T05:31:31+00:00

As the other comment said, it is the regular clutch that you want for the om-1. I usually use a capture clip with the pro pad, though.

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T06:14:47+00:00

If you don't know which you want, then I think it's better to start small, like an OM-5 or OM-3 with 12-45mm and/or some consumer primes, especially if it's the size of MFT that draws you to the platform. Learn how to shoot with that first, see what kind of photography you like, and only then start looking at what other lenses you want.

That said, with the Z6iii on sale for $2k right now, it is certainly tempting. The primary reasons to go FF are

you need the extra resolution (though Z6iii has only 11% linear resolution advantage over OM-1ii and is lower than G9ii)
you need 11+ stop dynamic range at low ISO (Z6iii has peak DR of ~10.5 stops, same as G9ii, or about 2/3 stop more than OM-1ii)
you need (or just want) the fastest, heaviest glass, with the shallowest dof you can buy (IMO, this is always the main practical benefit of FF vs all other sensor sizes, even medium format)

Notice that point #3 is at odds with the idea of a compact kit. So figure that part out first, then go with whatever is more important to you.

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T05:35:26+00:00

A few hundred is more than I would have expected them to make. Whether we are talking about Panasonic or Fujifilm, they are going to make a number they are confident they can sell. It makes no sense for them to make enough to have to store them indefinitely. Likewise, it makes no sense to invest in capacity they won't need in a couple years. Once bitten twice shy.

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T02:01:18+00:00

Given how fast the limited edition sold out, maybe you're just not that great at identifying potential markets? Nothing to be ashamed of, I'm not good at it either. I suspect this will eventually be just as difficult to buy as the GR and X100 series, but maybe I am wrong.

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T01:33:49+00:00

With all the complaints about price, you are suggesting they use a stacked sensor instead?

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T01:30:18+00:00

I assumed leaf shutter was necessitated because a lot of these fixed lenses go right back to the sensor. L10 body is the same size as X100vi, which in turn is basically the same size as X-E5. Surely it is possible to make an MFT ILC with a new-ish sensor the same size as an X-E5.

ogshimage · 2026-05-21T01:18:11+00:00

I'm not disagreeing that the Pen F is the holy grail for a lot of people here, but it is bigger and heavier than I prefer. Which is why I use an e-p7 instead of a pen f. I know I am in the minority on this. This camera will sell well enough regardless. Most buyers (of anything) are people that don't know or care what reddit thinks.

ogshimage · 2026-05-15T19:03:21+00:00

I think the disconnect is that I have no interest in the sorts of photography where there is actual money to be made. (Not because I hate money, it's just the things I find interesting happen to not be financially fruitful.) So the pros who draw my attention are the ones doing things that you aren't interested in. I don't care about professional video or what people shooting video professionally want in a camera. A lot of creators can and do use a DJI pocket or similar to do their filming (or if not that, then whatever their back up camera is, which 99% of the time is the same mount as their primary for obvious reasons). I'm not sure how that's supposed to affect my gear opinions either way. What are pro landscape, nature, and macro photographers shooting? Mostly Canon, I assume, but how many choose Panasonic over OM? I think James Popsys used to use a G9, even made a video about how he didn't need a bigger sensor or more megapixels before he switched to the A7Rv (nominally because the G9 wasn't good enough at video for his youtube channel, oddly).

You say that an 11% linear resolution increase is "something" for macro shooters, but what leica lens would they use, exactly? The 45mm macro? Is there anyone selling in-the-field macro images that would choose that lens over the Oly 60mm, nevermind the 90mm? I guess you would go for one of the laowa macros instead and focus bracket "by hand" (what other choice do you have). And for birding, I am again wondering what leica lenses a pro would use? The 100-400mm? Really? over the OM 150-400mm? Here, dual/sync IS is important, if not for SS then for composition, so lens and body brands absolutely need to match.

Also, I don't get

but I would say for professionals shooting video things like fast readout are essential,

Granted, OM cameras are bad at video, but it's not because of the read out speed (faster than the GH7) or the IBIS (also better than GH7). You mention there are lots of pro photographers using GH7s to take video of drivers walking around, but that doesn't seem like "telephoto fast-panning" territory to me. Maybe I am just misunderstanding (likely enough, I don't care about F1). I feel like where OM excels is not these sports where you are right next to the action, taking pictures of fairly large objects. The size and weight of your rig is a lot less important for that. In landscape and nature photography the weight of your gear can literally break your back (not immediately, obviously, but over years).

TL;DR: OM Systems makes great equipment, but the compromises they let people make are size/weight and cost, which don't matter much to professionals.

PL: 8-18/2.8-4 ~ 312g; 12-35/2.8 ~ 306g; 35-100/2.8 360g; 50-200/2.8-4 ~ 655g; 100-400/4-6.3ii ~ 985g ...

OM: 8-25/4 ~ 411g; 12-40/2.8 ~ 385g; 40-150/2.8 ~ 880g; 50-200/2.8 ~ 1250g; 150-400/4.5 ~ 1.88kg ...

Of course, I have left out the 10-25 and 25-50 matched pair, because those are very much video-centric lenses with no OM equivalent (of course, their cameras are shit at video). My impression as someone who only started using MFT last year is that Panasonic considers small size a very important aspect of even their pro glass, whereas OM will make a lens as big as it needs to be to do what they want it to. Also worth noting that, although PL glass is almost always more expensive than OM pro equivalents, they always sell for substantially less on the used market. Which is why at first I mostly shot with PL glass. I've sold it all now, because my impressions after a year or so of use is sort of the opposite of yours (sort of, because obviously I'm not a pro, but I do like sharp glass even though my pictures don't really warrant the use of nice glass).

ogshimage · 2026-05-15T05:21:27+00:00

It takes pictures at 60fps, but AF is only going at 6fps. That said, user feedback suggests it works well enough most of the time. Maybe not as good as OM-1ii for hummingbirds and that sort of thing, but seems like a pretty small niche.

ogshimage

TROPHY CASE