Micro 4/3 Considering switching systems...

huggernaut

New Member
I currently shoot with a Sony NEX 5 that has served me pretty well over the last few years.

I've been using a mixture of the Sigma 30mm 2.8 and some legacy primes.

The things I'm struggling with with my NEX currently: NO VIEWFINDER has been brutal. Slow AF slow startup. Lens selection (really need a fast normal lens and maybe a cheaper long zoom for vacation shots)

The other day I stopped in a camera shop and played with the OMD and was FLOORED by the AF speed.

My question to you guys is, would I regret the change to a smaller sensor? Have any of you switched from APS-c to m43? How was the transition?

Thanks!
 
on a pure IQ basis i dont think you will notice a deficency between these two. however, the oly is very chunky compared to the sony. i too must have a vf, but was not happy with the feel of the omd, or frankly the 'look' of the photos compared to the previous PEN sensor. of course, these are both subjective.

might i suggest you also consider the fuji xe1. it is very small and rangefinder-like (not 'chunky'), has a vf, and has an apsc sensor. the native lenses are excellent and easily adapts legacy glass. tbh, i personally think the fuji IQ blows away m4/3, whether oly or panny. and cost is comparable.

tou may want to do what i did which is rent both to try them out.
tony
 
From a Nex 5 I think you'll find the OMD a big improvement. AF speed, as you noted, general operations and controls, great EVF, great stabilization, incredible range of available lenses. And the sensor is even an improvement, if not a huge one. And if lack of lenses is one of your big issues (it was what chased me away from Nex), m43 is gonna be better. Nex is getting better in that regard, but m43 is pretty much a fully mature system in terms of lens selection at this point.

BUT, the newer Nex bodies are pretty great too. So if lenses aren't a big issue to you, you might want to pick up a Nex 6 or 7 or wait for whatever the new 7 upgrade turns out to be. The controls are better, the built in EVFs are incredible, the sensors are better, leapfrogging over the OMD (although also not by a huge amount). The AF, as I understand it, still isn't in the league with the m43 bodies (with most lenses - a few older lenses slow that system down a bit).

So, bottom line, if you want the variety of lenses available with m43, I'd go for it. The best of m43 sensors will never quite match the quality of the best APS sensors, but the differences are getting awfully small. And compared to the Nex 5, its all a step up. But if lenses and AF speed aren't at the top of your list of priorities, I'd take a more serious look at one of the newer Nex bodies with the built-in EVF. They're a whole lot nicer than the Nex 5 in a number of ways...

-Ray
 
I have both systems. OMD is my dslr replacement/vacation camera with the lens selection and af speed. I was switching to nex due to sensor before OMD, but OMD & newer Oly cameras use Sony sensor which leveled the field. Finally focus peaking will be coming with E-P5. For manual lenses nex is the system that I use.

If you stay with nex, I highly recommend nex-6 with the viewfinder and additional controls for manual focusing which helped me compared to 5n+viewfinder. The speed booster and contax g af adapters gives me more lens options and full frame dof. Most of m43 lenses has electronic correction with lenses vs Sony was using more optical corrections on the lenses. Now with smaller lenses Sony started to use heavy electronic corrections also, eg Sony RX100 & 16-50mm lens.
 
Over the last 30 years or so I have flipped SLR systems a number of times - Pentax/Ricoh (K Mount) => Contax (C/Y mount) (better glass) Contax => Nikon (Contax ended) Nikon => Leica R (better glass) Leica R => Nikon (could mount Leica glass)

In between I have flirted with Olympus (both OM and 4/3) and of course have run a "parallel world" with Leica M and more recently Ricoh GXR, which in turn has been replaced with Fuji. Leica has been, and remains my constant for the past 20 years and will stay so in glass and (film) bodies but my brand loyalty otherwise has more to do with what I want to shoot and need to do that than the desire to stick with a name for no good reason. Thing is, brands constantly play catch-up and leapfrog with one another - look at Canon and Nikon - so if you do stick, with some notable exceptions, you will eventually end up with the "best of breed" - for a while, at least, until the next iteration.

So. My advice is if you want to hold on to your money, stick with what you have. If you want to change, decide why you want to change and what features or capabilities matter to you, then go for the absolute best example of that which you can afford.
 
Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I did consider the XE-1, but after shooting with a friend of mine's (granted it was only for an evening) I felt like the AF was still pretty slow and hunted a lot. I wonder if I could just get an x100s and grab a long zoom to leave on the 5 body to use on vacations and be happy with that.

I doubt I'd see a TON of difference in IQ no matter where I go with these systems.

I wonder if if the NEX 6 AF speed would be good enough with the 35 1.8...
 
OMD's sensor is on par if not slightly better than the NEX5. But the AF is definitely much better. If you don't mind a clip on EVF, you can also look at the smaller EPL and EPM series. But you do sacrifice the number of physical controls in exchange of a smaller body (if not using the EVF). Or wait for the EP5, with focus peaking for your manual lenses.
 
One thing I forgot is the ergonomics. For me, Sony nex bodies with the grip is much more easier to hold with bigger lenses compared to Oly cameras. Oly cameras I needed to upgrade/add grip. So that made OMD bigger for me...

On the lens side, there is no replacement for Oly 75-300mm lens on the nex or fuji side as the lens uses the advantange of smaller sensor size. Panasonic lenses usually are bigger esp with stabilization built on the lenses. Sony lenses 55-210 or latest Fuji 55-200mm zooms are also much bigger/longer. That makes OMD hard to replace for the long end.

Sony 35mm af speed is similar to other nex lenses, eg not too fast or slow. It is slower then OMD+Panasonic 25mm 1.4 with same dof, but sizewise Sony combo is smaller. Sony 35mm lens is pretty good lens as Roger from lens rentals compared to Zeiss 32mm and Sigma 30mm:
LensRentals.com - Finally Got Around Touit

Also according to Sony rumors:
) SR5: After some delay Sony finally has set the shipping period for the new NEX-7 successor. The camera is set to ship in worldwide stores by mid October. Announcement of course will be made earlier. I still have no confirmed specs but now that Sony has finally set the date it will be only a matter of (short) time until I get them
2) SR4: The 85mm f/1.4 lens will be announced too.
3) SR4: A high quality zoom is coming too.
4) SR3: NEX-5 successor and more lenses.
 
or wait to see what the sony/oly (soly?) partnership produces.

the fuji x-series definitely isn't really for speed - you take your time, adjust settings, compose, and click. you become a better photographer. and these cameras just make you want to photograph. my x-e1 & x100s are definitely bigger than my nex-7. i think i prefer the evf on my nex-7 though. but the lens lineup from fuji make more sense. and i can't wait for their upcoming lenses. but they're definitely going in the right direction. i hate that zeiss followed sony's focal range with their touit lenses instead of filling in where fuji didn't. but the fujinon lenses are amazing especially at their prices.

(Sent from my EVO via Tapatalk)
 
or wait to see what the sony/oly (soly?) partnership produces.

the fuji x-series definitely isn't really for speed - you take your time, adjust settings, compose, and click. you become a better photographer. and these cameras just make you want to photograph. my x-e1 & x100s are definitely bigger than my nex-7. i think i prefer the evf on my nex-7 though. but the lens lineup from fuji make more sense. and i can't wait for their upcoming lenses. but they're definitely going in the right direction. i hate that zeiss followed sony's focal range with their touit lenses instead of filling in where fuji didn't. but the fujinon lenses are amazing especially at their prices.

(Sent from my EVO via Tapatalk)

How's the x100s focus speed? I know it's probably not as fast as the OM-D, but if it's as fast or faster than the PDAF Nex 6 it would be a serious contender for me. I've often wondered if I could get away with the x100s as a walkaround/everyday body and lens combo and get a longer lens for the nex 5 just for those rare instances when I want it, the Sigma 30 (I know it's a bit longer than the x100s, but I would adjust) has basically been glued to my NEX since I got the lens.

I don't really have time to take the "wait and see" approach right now though, going to Mexico for my honeymoon next month and want to have everything sorted by then so I can capture the images I'm after.
 
I use more mf lenses on nex, but pdaf makes it more accurate focusing, not faster focusing on nex. It has not much speed improvement but it prevents eg the backfocusing, etc.
 
How's the x100s focus speed? I know it's probably not as fast as the OM-D, but if it's as fast or faster than the PDAF Nex 6 it would be a serious contender for me. I've often wondered if I could get away with the x100s as a walkaround/everyday body and lens combo and get a longer lens for the nex 5 just for those rare instances when I want it, the Sigma 30 (I know it's a bit longer than the x100s, but I would adjust) has basically been glued to my NEX since I got the lens.

I don't really have time to take the "wait and see" approach right now though, going to Mexico for my honeymoon next month and want to have everything sorted by then so I can capture the images I'm after.
you're right - not as fast as the omd-em5, but it's accurate. and this thing can really see in low light. i can only imagine how much improvement future firmware could make it. it is still fairly new. i can't really compare to the nex-6 pdaf as my nex-7 was contrast. i never had an AF lens for my nex-7 since i quickly sold the kit lens off for a cv nokton 35mm f1,4. i've seen a video from 'mike kobal' comparing the AF from his x100s vs his rx1. i think i remember him saying they were very similar. if anything, the x100s was possibly a bit faster. are you able to test one out?

(Sent from my EVO via Tapatalk)
 
you're right - not as fast as the omd-em5, but it's accurate. and this thing can really see in low light. i can only imagine how much improvement future firmware could make it. it is still fairly new. i can't really compare to the nex-6 pdaf as my nex-7 was contrast. i never had an AF lens for my nex-7 since i quickly sold the kit lens off for a cv nokton 35mm f1,4. i've seen a video from 'mike kobal' comparing the AF from his x100s vs his rx1. i think i remember him saying they were very similar. if anything, the x100s was possibly a bit faster. are you able to test one out?

Quick update: today while perusing B&H online they happened to have a used x100s in stock. I jumped on it!
 
The whole APS-C to m4/3 comparison is a bit of a wash at the moment IMO as regards to technical image quality. The biggest differences I find in output between the various brands (Olympus, Panasonic, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Samsung) are mostly subjective, so I make make my choice on how the cameras work and the lens choices. I think that Sony has made some good moves recently to counter the long held view that their lens selection is poor, their bodies are too small and the controls and menus leave something to be desired. Sony isn't my personal choice in cameras, but if you like it there is a lot more available now in the NEX system that may address what you think is lacking in your current equipment.
 
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