I wanted to share my rationale behind my decision to buy the Olympus OM-D E-M1.1 several years ago.
The E-M1 replaced my D300. It has OK video, a tilting touchscreen, wifi, good AF, and is lighter and more compact, so it was more likely to come with me. That of course is offset by the lenses I attach to it but I think it’s well worth the IQ. Combined with fast primes for stage shots/ bar gigs and portraits, meant I have a relatively compact kit.
First of all, I prefer to keep costs down by buying a model after the latest version has been released. That late in the game, there was lots of information available about the strengths/weaknesses of the E-M1 and so I was able to quickly make an informed decision.
Features
I have shot a number of gigs with a wide range of cameras over the years. I am a professional writer and use my camera to illustrate my articles. While the OM-D coped admirably at the time, there is more of a push today to produce videos for social media, so that has to be taken into account when the time comes to upgrade later this year.
But since I moved back to South Africa my needs have changed. Due to the high crime rate, street shooting is not an option and I have switched to becoming more of a travel/wildlife photog.
The E-M1 ticks those boxes.
Handling
I quite like the feel of the Em1 as it is closer in size and weight to the OM2, my first SLR. This was a major influence on my buying decision for a camera that would replace my Nikon D300, the camera that stayed at home. Compared to the X-T1 – which I shot in the store alongside the Em1 – the OMD gives the impression that it was designed for pro use. From the moment I picked it up I was able to take control of the aperture and shutter speed, WB and ISO without taking my eye from the viewfinder; just like the D300. With the X-T1 I had to look away from the EVF to check my settings and change them when necessary. Which is fine for certain types of photography but not for the way I shoot. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of analogue-style controls
Secondly, I could easily locate the buttons which enhanced the overall handling compared to the XT1 which, had I purchased it, I would have also have bought something like Sugru putty to modify the Fuji’s buttons so I could find them by touch with my eye to the EVF. Which is kinda silly, to say the least.
The E-M1 also felt good in my hands without an added grip, which is what I needed to make the XT1 comfortable to hold without my pinky finger slipping off the edge. That said, I will be adding a battery grip to the EM1 in the not too distant future.
Battery life
Battery life is important to me. If you run out of power you may as well not be at the gig. I have had a flat spare once (somewhere in the West Bank with no access to power) and never again. So, I fully intend to buy the grip this year with two extra batteries. I will carry the third spare in a zippered pouch of my Kata “Reflex C” strap, making it 4 in total. Kata hailed from Jerusalem, Israel, and was an innovative camera bag manufacturer with many high end products, before being bought by Manfrotto. I also have their R101 backpack, which is unique in design and meets my needs for a compact and rugged bag to take on assignment.
Lenses
This was my third biggest purchase motivator. In my experience as an editorial photographer I only needed a superzoom and one or two fast primes to cover every gig, street demo & conference, hence my lens choices:
- Olympus 12-100/4
- PL 15/1.7
- Sig 56/1.4
My reasoning was to cover all focal lengths with a high-IQ zoom and only then get fixed focal-lengths for low light and portraiture, rather than the F2.8 zooms, which wouldn’t offset the M43’s poor high-ISO performance by much.
DoF
The smaller APSC sensor has the advantage of a deeper DOF ensuring a higher percentage of in-focus images which is important when shooting reportage/documentary.
Russel of Joburg 