Kathy & I recently decided to take a long weekend to Waynesville, North Carolina, and I decided that it would be an excellent opportunity to try out the second of the two cameras that I have been wanting to try. While I wasn’t (and still am not) looking to replace my Canon gear, I have been wanting to try a few of the “state of the art” mirrorless cameras. I decided a while ago that of all the cameras to choose from, I was most likely to choose between the Fuji XT1 and the Olympus OMD EM1.
Back in January I rented a Fuji XT1 from Lensrentals and tried it out over a weekend in Charlotte. I wrote about the experience in a couple of posts, here and here. So for the weekend in Waynesville I decided to rent the other camera, an Olympus OMD EM1. Yes, I know the punctuation isn’t quite correct, but it’s too hard to get that alphabet soup arranged correctly!
Whenever the time comes to replace my current camera system, I know that my two priorities are going to be image quality and handling. The 5D Mark III checks all the boxes for image quality, and after 12+ years of using Canon DSLRs the handling and layout of the menus is second nature to me. My only real reason for giving that up would be to find comparable image quality and good handling in a camera that is smaller and lighter. I can get used to just about any menu system given enough time, so I’m not too concerned about that.
My impression from the Fuji was that I really liked the files. I felt like the image quality was very good, and that it would likely be a suitable replacement for the full sized DSLR. My only real objection was that the camera felt too small for my hands, and I never felt like I had a secure and comfortable grip on it. That could probably be solved with one of the accessory grips sold by Fuji and others, but I didn’t get a chance to include that in my rental. Since January, Fuji has also come out with a larger “pro” level lens that might give me something more substantial to hang on to.
Being a firm believer in Murphy’s Law, I had had a feeling that when I tried the Olympus I would really like how the camera handled but that I wouldn’t like the files as much. But I’ve been a fan of the more square aspect ratio of the 4/3 cameras since my 6×7 medium format days, so I knew that would be a plus. From the moment I opened the box, assembled the camera and lens and held it in my hands, I had the feeling that “this is it.” In fact, the entire weekend I was daydreaming about how I could get the Canon gear boxed up and sent off to trade it all in on the Olympus and a supply of lenses. I really liked the way it handled, and other than the 30 minutes I spent trying to figure out how to get the lens out of Manual Focus mode (little did I realize that the Olympus 12-40 has a “push-pull” clutch mechanism to change between auto and manual focus) and the well-documented frustration with the menu hierarchy, it was a breeze to use.
As luck would have it, I came home from a nice relaxing long weekend into a hectic week so my time to evaluate the files immediately was quite limited. I boxed up the camera and sent it back to Lensrentals, and downloaded the files to my computer. I snuck a quick peek at a few of the photos before heading off to bed, and was astonished to find that my initial impression was “yuck!” I even told Kathy – who had been patiently listening to me sing the praises of the Olympus all weekend – that my initial reaction was “leave your credit card in your wallet.” She was as surprised to hear it as I was to say it.
I’ve now had a chance to spend some quality time with the files in Lightroom, and my impression has improved significantly. I’m going to try to tread very carefully here, because (a) I’m only trying to describe my experience and am not trying to write a comprehensive review, (b) I know a lot of people whose photography and opinions I respect who use the Olympus, and I’m not trying to question anyone else’s opinion, and (c ) I am by no means a qualified camera tester.
In general I don’t find the image quality to be bad or anything, but my impression is that the files do not have the contrast, sharpness and color rendition that I get from my Canon cameras and that I saw in the Fuji files. They seem to be a little noisier than the Fuji files and I don’t feel that they have the dynamic range of the Canon or Fuji files. I suspect that this is due to the smaller sensor as much as anything. They seemed to require a little more sharpening and noise reduction than the Canon and Fuji files, and don’t seem to respond as well to large adjustments.
Admittedly I have not spent nearly as much time with either the Fuji or the Olympus files as I have with my Canon files, and I have processed a lot of Canon files over the years. I may have “gotten lucky” with the Fuji files, and given more time I might find the key to the Olympus files. But based on my limited experience with both of them if I had to make a choice I would probably have to choose the Fuji over the Olympus at this point in time. I would just need to find a solution to the lack of a grip, which I think would be pretty easy to accomplish.
I’ll undoubtedly have more to say on the subject over the next week or two, and I will certainly post some additional photos and commentary as I get to them. I might actually bring myself to make a purchase at some point in the near future. But we have a big trip coming up in June and there is no compelling reason to rock the boat. Kathy & I will be taking our first-ever trip to Colorado in June, and I’m planning to go with the tried and true Canon kit. I know it well, am confident that it will give me the results I want, and other than schlepping it through the airports we will be doing most of our travel by car, so the size and weight will not be as big of a factor.
If you were hoping for a little bias confirmation bias, sorry for the disappointment. 😉
I’m glad I saw this post. I wasn’t in the market for a new camera until I booked my Cuba trip… funny how that happens. 😉
I’ve had the same “problem” Faye. There’s something about a big trip that gets the itch for a new camera started. And there’s pretty much only one way to scratch that itch.
I love that you’re going to Cuba. I’ve been saying that we need to get there while we can, before the influx of American “investment” ruins the experience.
Tom, I’ve been shooting with the Fuji X-T1 and Steve Lyons has been shooting with the Oly OMD EM-1. We’re both happy as can be with the cameras.
I have a grip on my Fuji and Steve bought the battery grip for the Oly. Both work well.
We still have our Canon gear but it was never our intention to replace that stuff. If you’re doing walkabout shooting then the mirrorless cameras beat the DSLR hands down on weight and size. We both enjoy the situations with the mirrorless where carrying the DSLR is a pain in the &*()@#$%
BTW, you might want to check out what the upcoming firmware 4.0 will offer for the Fuji next month. Unlike Canon, Fuji is constantly improving the camera through firmware updates that aren’t just nasty but meaningless bug fixes,
Thanks, Ron. It’s very tempting to think about just buying an additional camera. But I have the same problem with buying another camera that I struggled with on the subject of a point & shoot – namely the problem of deciding when it was OK to take the “good” camera and when it was OK to have the “good enough” camera. I only want to have one camera, and I want it to be the one that best suits my needs. So far as long as I’m able to carry the Canon and it does what I need it to do, that’s the one I want. Realistically I think either one of those cameras would do as an “only” camera, and it will eventually be important enough for me to make a change. But until then I’ll put up with the sore back, or buy a bag with wheels!
A very good writeup, Tom. As you know, of course, I have the E-M1 and the E-M5 and really like them both. Of course, I prefer the “1”, because it feels so good in my hands. Regarding the files, I don’t have any problems with them. They suit my style, tastes, and expectations … but then again, I’ve never really compared them side-by-side to my D300 or D700. I believe most of the photos, 12 x 18, that I have hanging in my house were taken by those two cameras.
As for the files, they are pretty ho-hum straight out of the camera. The JPEG files have a nice look and pop, but the raw files need a bit of tweaking and, mind seem to be a little underexposed, for my taste, but the detail is always there. The sensor is smaller than the Fuji, so I’d expect a bit more noise, but overall, it’s a great camera and is always my go-to for travel.
Nothing in my possession beats the D700 for macro and for those cases that need shallow depth of field. It’s the best, but it is a beast.
Sounds like, overall, you enjoyed the experience. Good to hear. I’m glad that since I’ve bought the E-M1, I’ve not had the itch to buy another camera. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen again, after all, I’d like to go to Cuba, too! LOL
Paul, you were one of the people I thought about when I made my cautionary comment about this not being a full review, and that a number of people whose opinions I respect own this camera! 🙂
Truthfully, I don’t think I would have a problem with the files from this camera. And to be fair I haven’t made prints from either of the cameras, and for me that is ultimately the test. Looking at files at 100% probably isn’t fair, for a number of reasons.
I agree with your comment about the files being really flat out of the camera, and I think that was the basis for my initial reaction. As you can see from the photos, I was able to get them looking pretty darned nice, and I’m confident that some more time with the camera would result in even better fine tuning.
Ultimately I think I could be equally happy with either camera, and that is part of the reason I’m not going to jump to conclusions. I do want to work with the files from each camera some more and will undoubtedly make a few prints. And that will be the real test. And I may rent them both again with different lenses, just to see how that goes. I’m really glad that someone came up with a way to do that! 😉
Tom, it sounds like you spent some quality time with the E-M1, and the X-T1. I’ve not shot with the X-T1 but find my self satisfied with my E-M1. The ergonomics are good for me and the files can be quite good, although I’d agree they appear a little flat when brought into Adobe’s RAW converter. I assume, you were shooting RAW? That’s another variable I’ve found when looking at RAW files…not all RAW engines treat all files equally. I’ve seen some variance (better/worst) when evaluating solutions other then Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Still I’ve hear some great things about the X-T1. I could probably be happy with it too. 🙂
Thanks, EB. You and the “Two Pauls” were who I was thinking of and trying extra hard to be objective for! 😉
I think processing the RAW files from the two cameras is what made the biggest difference for me . I wanted to use Adobe’s translation of the respective camera profiles, and found that the Fuji files looked great after just applying the basic profile. I added some sharpening and just a little noise reduction on a few of the files and they were pretty much good to go. The Olympus files took a little more adjustments, with contrast and clarity especially. And they needed a lot more noise reduction, particularly at higher ISOs. So there are obviously differences between how Camera Raw handles the files from those cameras, but as you can see, I did finally get some results I was happy with.
Like you, I think I could be equally happy with either camera if someone just handed one to me. But I did want to do some actual evaluating, and might ultimately decide for one over the other for some reason I haven’t yet thought of. Who knows, I may make some prints from each camera and find a completely different result than I have so far!
I think you know that I too am an EM1 user and that I did sell all of my Canon stuff to get the Olympus gear. In my case, it was basically a question of weight and lens cost. The OLY lenses are lighter, cheaper, and for the most part just as good as Canon lenses. The comments about flat RAW files are generally true – they definitely need tweaking. But that’s fine with me. In my opinion it’s easier to add contrast and “punch” than it is to remove it.
I own the 12 – 40 mm lens you used and I have to say that it’s not one of my favorites. Sometimes it focuses perfectly but sometimes it doesn’t. I haven’t figured that one out yet. In fact, if there’s a weak spot in the Olympus system it’s AF. My personal opinion is that it’s not always reliable. So I’ve gone back to complete manual control of the camera. Combined with “focus peaking” it works pretty well. My favorite lens is the 75 mm f/1.8. I can honestly say that I’ve never used any lens – even L-series Canon lenses – that’s any sharper. It’s an amazing prime. A weird focal length, but amazing.
I know that comparing any camera with a full size SLR is an unfair comparison, and agree that if weight and cost were the main factors that changes the equation considerably. Although I will admit that when I pulled the 5D bag out of the closet last weekend after sending the Olympus back, I had a very rude awakening about just how much difference there is between the two! Weight and size just may prove to be the deciding factor sooner rather than later!
I’ve heard good things about the 75, too. That does seem a little long for a prime but I can think of a lot of things I could use one for.
Wow, love the first image, it really pops for me. Love my X-E1 but because it works for what I use it for. Since I carry a camera everywhere, it works for me because of its size and ease of use. About the only time I shoot raw is with landscapeso and usually in both raw and jpeg. When I pickup my Nikons they feel really heavy and almost awkward for a short period of time. At this point in time I have not interest in adding any Nikon gear and instead think about adding some Fuji gear.
In my opinion you are a very talented photographer and make excellent images no matter what camera was in your hands. Hope that boosts your ego just a bit.
Monte, you are too kind, but thank you. Ultimately a camera is just a tool, and once we understand the basic controls one should work pretty much the same as another.
I knew that those dancers would make a great subject. The colors are vivid and the dancers themselves are just exotic enough to be visually appealing. I’m not sure about all the tattoos, but they seem to work well on them. 😉
Have you thought of checking out the Sony mirrorless options?
Hey, Hillel B. Thanks for stopping by. I have so far limited my choices to the Fuji and the Olympus. There are obviously lots of choices out there, but based on discussions with people I know, reading lots of reviews and just deciding which ones I like the looks of, I came up with those two. Renting cameras is fun but it isn’t cheap, so at some point I just need to stop. Or buy something! 😉