Did I Make A Mistake Ditching Canon for Olympus?

[@ElectronInc]

Switched from Nikon to Olympus 3-4 years ago, for travel reasons after leaving my nikon d7000 and my adored 18-35 sigma in a drawer for more than a year. The simple fact that I was not in love with the camera results because I could not get what I wanted from it, the size and the weight were a big issue. It also coincides with when I was told everybody could do what did with my pictures. Then after ditching these people and due to this coming trip in Japan, I decided to invest in a different system, light, that doesn’t cost a kidney and got the em10 mkII and a couple of fast prime lenses. This camera is a joy to use and I just love it so much. Not only I fell in love again with photography but I finally was proud of myself. Now I still have this camera and have the em1 mkII with a 12-40 2.8. This system is a treat!

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Looks like you’re using the same camera and lens as me. It’s a really nice combination isn’t it.

[@nellatrab]

Me too

[@palamj2]

Chris I have the same camera and I’m glad you are challenging all the negative myths of micro 4/3rd cameras.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks John. To me the system is underrated and a lot of the negative points that keep cropping up seem somewhat unsubstantiated from what I’ve seen and experienced.

[@xaositectz]

there no negative myths- it's a fact that Panasonic and Olympus are developing very, very few lenses and it's also a fact that the general image quality it 2 stops lower than full frame systems. I find it very weird that a lot of m43 owners get so defensive about these facts. These are not up to debate by the way. These don't mean that m43 is not good enough for most cases, because it is, and it has very special lens and features, that is also true. But it is also true, that you can buy something like the sony a6700 with a cheaper lens than an olympus pro and have better image quality and better autofocus at a better price than the flagship m43 with a pro lens, and in many cases even a smaller/lighter setup.

[@ronpearce7198]

Switched from Canon to Olympus about 8 years ago . It brought the fun back in my photography and have absolutely no regrets! Their Pro glass is outstanding. Low light has not been an issue either.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I only have the one pro lens at the moment but I’d like something longer and something wider…. Lenses. I’m talking about lenses.

[@markwoolass3986]

​@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto if anything Olympus lenses prove size doesn't matter 😂 I love the 45mm f1.8 lens. And am looking at some point adding 75mm 1.8 to my collection. 👍

[@christinasmith9032]

I really like your surreal “night” images. So fun. Love your channel.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thank you Christina 💪🏻

[@briankennerley5833]

Lovely photos, just came across your videos, excellent content. I bought an OM-5 recently for a light travel set up, had it for one week then sold all my canon gear and bought the OM-1 plus lenses, I use the OM-5 for street due to its size. Brought the fun back into photography for me 👍🏻

[@gideonliddiardphotography]

I mainly shoot bands and artists performing in venues including pubs and clubs, which really pushes the ISO (up to, and at times above, 6400) and use M43. My main body lens combos are a EM-1 mk ii and a Lumix 20mm f1.7 or Oly 45mm f1.8, the resulting images are good enough that they are used by the bands for promo work and have been exhibited. 've never found the 'challenges' of M43 to be a limit, and the size advantages in venues are a massive plus.

[@markhoffman9655]

Agree - I've jumped into 4/3 and then M4/3 - and not once in 15 years have any publications or wedding customers ever questioned the quality of the images. The biggest nay-sayers are just Fool Frame trolls!

[@Jwitherow1964]

I too have a lot of full frame cameras, and I have recently bought my first micro 4/3 the Om 1 kit, so far I am loving photography again thanks for your time.

[@Dangle9000]

Always love to see this familiar bit of coastline. Some fantastic comments about Micro Four Thirds, I'm about to get a "new" camera. Not a mega expensive full frame Canon, but a nearly-6-year-old Lumix GH5 - and I can't wait to get out and enjoy it!

[@Media-oq9ux]

I have been using cannons for 35 years. My newest one is 12 years old. The technology that’s available in the GH5 in my recent G9 is making photography fun again.

[@jeffslade1892]

The GH5 will be great for video (I have a GH4) but for stills you probably want a G9 or E-M1iii. All very similar used prices, I have the G9, its stabilisation is probably the best of any current camera, but only Dual and DFD when using Lumix lenses. It will handle Olympus lenses pretty well and an Olympus will handle Lumix lenses pretty well, but they are not rock solid like Dual-IS. DFD is faster than Ollie PDAF and only recently beaten by Sony. Which means Olympus lenses do focus more slowly than Lumix and can hunt. Mmm, low light is back cat in the coal hole without flash. Nighttime, low ISO, small aperture, long shutter, tripod, and don't believe the exposure meter because it is looking for 18% grey, fix the WB. One thing Olympus could do which Lumix does is make changing the metering mode quickly accessible.

[@corykphotography]

OM System/Olympus Microfourthirds cameras were the key to unlocking my passion with photography. I am all in on stills but I bet if I became videocentric I am sure Panasonic M43 would make me love it. I started with an EM10 mark ii then upgraded to the EM5 mark ii. I still have the 5 but last week I purchased an EM1X and still I am just as passionate but now slightly more confident. Ive considered canon full frame and I recently sold off my Nikon Apsc gear. I will absolutely be sticking with OM System/Olympus for the long haul. Everything I need and more can be found within the system. Cheers my guy, your work is great!

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Cory. Looks like we took very similar paths with the Olympus cameras. I hear the Panasonic GH5 is a very good video camera if that’s the route you want to take.

[@corykphotography]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto It has been a great path to be on! Yeah I can agree with the GH5 for video. Seems to be the top choice for a lot of creators and videographers and I can understand why. If I did go that route it would definitely be a top contender. For now and for awhile I will be sticking with stills and exploration with OM System/Olympus gear. I still havent found my niche. And something I love about Olympus OMDS cameras is that they are capable of any genre of photography.

[@ericrjennings]

I’ve been watching you for a bit and it seems you’re having more fun now than you were before. Also, you’re spot on about KZbin blowing specs out of proportion…. Nice work and nice photos.

[@trevorbrooks813]

Hi Chris, I'm so glad you're happy with the switch. Once you nail the exposure M43 can do anything you want it to. Chin up, summer's coming. Thanks for posting.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I’m very much looking forward to the summer. This winter has been a long one for the photography 😐

[@AndyCuthbert]

Love those images that come out of Olympus cameras. I am personally a Nikon shooter, just like the color science, but watching your latest videos make me want to pick up a Olympus. Great videos as well. Keep up the good work. 👏🏻👏🏻

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks for watching and supporting Andrew. Pick one up, most of the Olympus bodies from the 10s to the 1 series are reasonably priced on the used market now.

[@fujiuser1968]

Do it,I was a Nikon D7000 series shooter until a week ago ;-)

[@ElectronInc]

@@fujiuser1968 Fellow former D7000 user ! I was not happy with the results I got from this camera. Then entered the EM10 Mkii and it felt like a breeze of fresh air

[@fujiuser1968]

A few weeks ago my other half decided she would like to get into photography,and it just so happens my local camera shop had an excellent condition E-M10 mk2 with the EZ 14-42 lens...she fell in love with the look of the camera straight away,then she got to hold it so needless to say I had to get my wallet out..lol..well to cut a long story short I took her for a photo walk,myself using my Nikon D7000 series,and when I uploaded the photos for comparison I was blown away...needless to say I myself am now a M4/3 convert,albeit with a E-M1 mk1..a lot lighter than my Nikon gear with better results 🙂

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Image quality negativity is a fun one with these cameras, when you actually see the images side by side with another camera the penny drops. Yes theirs a smidgen more noise but so what. That EM10 Mark ii is a really good little camera in my opinion.

[@a_visualcue]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto Quite honestly, EM10 mark II I had the most fun with. The next iteration of this model lost a lot of manual settings of the predecessor, which is sad. My friend bought one and was disappointed that they took a lot of control from the photographer. But the camera itself, to him, is still pure joy, especially for the night shots. The ability to shoot night photos handheld in the city is his biggest love. I currently use for my street photography an EM5 Mark II, most often combined with the Olympus 17 mm 1.8. Or paired with an old manual 24 mm f2 Vivitar (this glass is from 1980). I just put the combo in my jacket pocket and off we go! Such a joyful experience. And the picture quality is more than enough :)

[@Mike-vd2qt]

I had a D7000, focusing problems...

[@2ShoesPhoto]

I almost "upgraded" from my Olympus Em-1 MK3 to a Canon or Sony Full Frame, and then decided I liked the compact camera I already had, so I went ahead and upgraded to the OM-1 and I just love this new camera more than I ever thought I would. It just does everything pretty well for a filthy casual.

[@GuidoVanDeWater]

Good video some nice images. Someone mentioned your channel to me and I'm glad he did. I'm a landscape photographer with my own youtube channel to and also an olympus / om system user. We have a lot in common I guess and I always like to follow other olympus users. Looking forward to seeing more videos from you! Grt guido

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks for checking me out mate. I’ll have a look at your channel a little later on!

[@frewphotos]

Love watching your videos recently, just got into olympus coming from canon with a 12-40 on the way, cant wait to try new stuff like landscapes! Gorgeous pics mate!

[@mattgermond7957]

Beautiful Chris! The lighthouse at night pics are exquisite! I’m loving my em1iii and can’t put it down for street photos in NYC. This video makes want to bust out my tripod for landscape 😊

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I’d still love to visit NYC but it’s just far too expensive for me to get over.

[@CheikoSairin]

I've been using my Olympus EM5 camera for almost 4 years now and still love it, even though I still have a Canon camera.

[@EnerGeezerSquirrel]

I find that when I do long exposures and want to start the shot at the beginning of movement, estimating the "action" to fill the shutter interval leads to hit-or-miss results. I've found that a wireless trigger allows for the starting of the exposure at a precise moment without requiring the (estimated) 2 second delay. Some 3rd party "triggers" can contain intervalometry settings, delay shooting capabilities, etc...clever little gadgets.

[@peregrineclarke]

I'm with you all the way, I had Canon and Fuji gear but took a 'leap of faith' into the Olympus range and have never looked back, personally, I can't fault them at all. Currently using an EM1X and a Pen F digital 👍

[@williammobbs3502]

Hi Chris, An excellent video, which debunks the “you must have a Full Fame sensor camera” to get good photos. I moved away from high end Canon gear (1DS & IDX) to the Olympus and Panasonic MFT Systems and like you I have not regretted it one bit. Half the weight, half the size and much cheaper also. Just got a new OM-1 Mark II, which will give you a clear indication on what I think of OM-1 and OM-1 Mark II. I also have a MFT Panasonic GH 6 for my video projects. Traded in all my Canon stuff and with the proceeds got myself a M-Zuiko Digital 150-400mm f4.5, TC 1.25 IS Pro lens. Very expensive, but some of the results I have achieved go way beyond my own expectations. Since moving to MFT I have a new level of enthusiasm and passion for my photography.

[@robmcd]

4:50 Nice beach. Much love from Australia.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

There is actually a beach down there, I promise!

[@kcphotogeek6207]

I was genuinely shocked how good my GH5 was at high iso for night street/urban. People do forget that aperture is the same for light sensitivity on mft as it is ff, but the depth of field is doubled meaning you can achieve lower iso for your exposure where depth of field is the same. For example F1.7 on MFT will be the same depth of field as F3.4 on full frame. I’ve shot the same scenes at the same time with a GH5 and a Sony A7 II at night here in Manila, the GH5 holds it own and in some cases surpasses the full frame. Glad you’re happy with the Olympus lighthouse shots looked great 👍

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

This is a point a lot of folks seem to miss: aperture is aperture, the light coming through is the same on which ever system you’re using. The depth of field is affected, but the light is exactly the same.

[@RobertSigmund1]

Will it? People do neglect the fact that the smaller image from a smaller sensor needs to be enlarged more than an image from a larger sensor to have the same print or screen size. When you enlarge more, you also enlarge the unsharpness of the parts of the image that are not in exact focus.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Viewing distance should also be taken into account. You can print a billboard with an image taken from a smart phone. My EM1 MKii has a smaller sensor than my old Canon 7D yet the image resolution is higher: producing a larger image.

[@kcphotogeek6207]

@@RobertSigmund1 there comes a point where MP and sensor will impact the size of print but that’s often larger than people think. You’d want to be getting into the realm of 40” by 30” before seeing the benefits of full frame and more(larger) pixels. The majority of hobbyist photographers don’t print most of their work and those that do will rarely print more than 20” by 16”. Even a lot of professionals won’t print big sizes for the majority of their work, that’s why so many wedding photographers go for 24mp.

[@AguilaDeOnix85]

I really enjoy your landscape photos. I hadn't done much landscape since my Lumix FZ70 days but just got the Oly 12-40 for $400 USD (a bargain for that lens, to me). Planning on getting back into landscape and also it's a wider lens for some more environmental shots of snakes (certainly excited about that!) Great video, as always.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Blaine. It’s a really nice lens to use. My only pro lens at the moment though. Done everything I’ve asked of it so far!

[@colinclayton4775]

Great photos Chris. Particularly like the night shot of the lighthouse. I have to say a big thanks to you - because it's your fault I switched from Canon to m43 after watching your vlog on the e-m10 ii (Have kept the 7D though for posterity) I bought one the following week and was hooked, so recently bought the e-m1 ii also. As you said, absolute game changer! Love that stretch of coastline and look forward to your vlogs. Keep them coming! 😊

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Colin. Do you live local to the area?

[@colinclayton4775]

@Chris Baitson Unfortunately not Chris. I live near Leicester but holiday in that area occasionally - Bridlington, Whitby, Withernsea etc..

[@awksedgreep]

I was so sick of my extremely expensive Nikons missing focus when I needed it most(D800E). I have so many more keepers and as such moments captured on m43. Never looked back.

[@howardswd]

Hi Chris, found your channel and subscribed. I use both Canon (5D iii) full frame and micro 4/3rds (Panasonic GX80 and G9 mk 1), horses for courses as they say. Interested in how you attach your camera to the shoulder strap of the bag, could you provide some details please?

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

That’s called a Capture Clip, mine is the V2, from Peak Design.

[@howardswd]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto Thank you, will chase down.

[@LeeMcCarthy-db8fd]

I was Nikon for 35 years. Last year I got fed up with waiting on a list for a Z9, and saw Andy Rouse, a great professional wildlife I have followed for years, had made a video on his switch to Olympus. He is not affiliated to them so it was an unbiased opinion. Based on that I went to test their kit. I had never sold any of my old gear a I find it hard to let go, but I decided to go all in and sell the lot. I bought 2 x EM1-X and an OM-1 plus various lenses. For my needs, sport and wildlife, it has been fantastic. The weather sealing is superb, i have washed sand off under a tap. Put 2 pictures side by side, and you wouldn't know what system was used, and the features are unmatched. If it's good enough for many award winning professionals, then it's good enough for anyone else. OM Systems are worth a test if you are changing kit.

[@richardfink7666]

I swapped my Z6II for an OM1 and have never regretted it.

[@vermis8344]

2 E-M1Xs and an OM-1 - that's dedication! I only have one E-M1X and an OM-1. 😂😉

[@georgemahlum6542]

Great Video...I have been using M43 gear (often alongside FF) since the Olympus EP1 came out...2009??..Now I pretty much exclusively grab the Oly/Pany gear over any of my remaining FF equipment. (I am an expat retired in Bangkok...I just turned 70)... and I have been a photographer on and off since the late sixties as a kid.

[@jenshagelstein7695]

hi Chris, which is your favorite lens with the filter?

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I love the 12-40 2.8!

[@mudgie069]

There are really only two minor downsides of M43. Very low light photography and if you require huge amounts of Bokeh. If that isn't important then m43 for me can compete with the best camera systems out there. Nice video as always.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thank you Howie. Appreciated.

[@lanceevans1689]

And both of those issues are resolved by using one of the ever increasing options of super wide f-stop lenses available.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

@@lanceevans1689 the 45MM 1.8 I own is a wonderful example of such a lens.

[@PaulPadoan]

Yup, in a nutshell.

[@lanceevans1689]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto Exactly Chris. And in truth, when you start going beyond that, it becomes hard to focus on anything. Anything moving at least. This is true for any format. The old 5D/FF with blurred backgrounds, same problems.

[@martindenny8642]

Been olympus fan for last 50 years since I bought my first OM 10 having previously been given a trip 35 as a birthday present. Now use olympus micro 4 /3 still love it.

[@BilloBob1231]

Just did the same traded all nikon gear for olympus! Love it

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Welcome to the club. You won’t regret it.

[@IanWheldale]

I clocked the Synco wireless mic. I am intending to get one and had decided on either the Godox or the more expensive Comica. However just looked on Ali and it's about the same price as the Godox £100 and a bit for 2 mics and a receiver, How have you found it? Any problems? Certainly sounds good.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Mic sounds ok. Works well enough but sometimes audio drops out but for the money it’s a decent mic.

[@robertavery8002]

Thanks for a great video Chris - really helpful sharing your settings and techniques with us. As an aside I've been a micro four thirds user for sometime for the same reasons you are, and thoroughly enjoy getting out with much lighter, less expensive but very capable kit.

[@alessandrof.1058]

thanks thanks thanks! Many youtubers sell FF as a cure for photographic ills. but hardly anyone realizes that the other formats are also really performing, cheap and just as professional. the micro four thirds is immediately sold as a series B kit. but there are many photographers who use it as a professional kit. in print it holds up very large dimensions and with the high resolution shooting function, the sensor acquires all the information on all the color channels, making tonal passages similar to a super fullframe or a foveon sensor.

[@markwoolass3986]

Great video. Love the Olympus system. I switched a few years ago from sony alpha and loved it since.

[@giannimoisson4000]

Great video, thank you.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thank you Gianni!

[@Apollolabsphoto]

Similarly switched from Sony a mount system and felt like I had an upgrade in sensor, the dynamic range of the pen is also astounding. And I know exactly what you mean finding a refound love of photography

[@dieseldavey]

Even though I still have canon gear and love it I also have the om1 system and I pick that up first. 👍🏻

[@jeffslade1892]

They're tools. You can have both 😎 My FF is 135 film 😉

[@Casmael01]

Really enjoying the videos man ❤

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks, Dude!

[@Drmikekuna]

I remember when the Canon 6DII came out. Influencers lambasted it because of its poor dynamic range. To hear their opinions you would think that it was the worse camera ever made. However, its dynamic range was better than the Canon 5D III, which is likely one of the most used and beloved cameras ever. Hmmm. I agree that Micro 43 cameras have features that make them desirable. However, their most desirable attributes are their small size and light weight. You absolutely can't beat that in many situations.

[@Gipsy-Danger73]

I just jumped in and picked up an Olympus MFT Camara mainly because of these KZbin videos of photographers who enjoy these Camaras. I love my Canon and will just use both systems because both companies make great Camaras in my opinion. My Canon EOS 7d mark Ii is still my favorite wildlife Camara and I've tried many others that are newer and cost more. This new Olympus is just making street photography so much more enjoyable and I absolutely love the feel, size, and mechanics of these Camaras. My point is don't choose if you can do both. So many great old Camaras out there and they all have their own signature imaging.

[@dankisch]

Like the 400d shutter sound in your videos when you're showing the images. Just can't mistake it :D

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Is it a 400D? That’s ace you recognise it 🤪

[@Rnder72]

Another good one Chris. Yep, it all about the photographer, the photographer behind this keyboard is still growing and having fun. Long exposure is not my thing, but will definitely have to give it a go.

[@andymok7945]

I have used Canon DLSR gear for many years. When I go back into photography, I chose micro 4/3 systems and have never regretted a single second. Also seeing what Canon has been doing lately, would not want their gear. In the early days of 4/3 I was not impressed, but it has become very usable lately. Now with the great noise reduction software can do amazing things. Having smaller and lighter lenses has been a great thing. To do the equiv. that I have with my 4/3 system in Canon would be cost me a fortune that I do not have or could justify. Also requiring to use a tripod with those heavy lenses would be a major pain and make one lose out on many photos. I mainly photograph wildlife.

[@T.M.G2014]

would you recommend micro 4/3 for wildlife if they do a lens that would suit

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

LUMIX do a 100-300 which would work really nicely.

[@T.M.G2014]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto I’ve just bought an Olympus OM-D E-M1 with 14-42 and 40-150 for just now , hoping to get a bigger zoom next couple month , you made me jump to 4/3 but I’ll start with the mk1 for now

[@truckernige]

Hi Chris, i like your style, i’ve subbed.. keep it up lad. 👍

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Nige! Appreciate it mate.

[@MikeRinz]

Selling my Sony gear to buy a second MFT camera. Noticed that the only time I use larger sensors is when I do portraits and that's it. And with a modern MFT sensor and pic engine I can get almost the same result in low light conditions as with a bigger sensor, so no regrets.

[@jeffslade1892]

Using the "equivalent lens" for portrait does not work. We still need to use the same focal length to get the same foreshortening on MFT but move back (typically the 45mm not the 20mm). Which changes things so we need an even longer lens. And then the further to the subject so the deeper the DoF, close in the DoF is shallower. Portrait is possible but we have to re-think it. It's not the same set up. We cannot do the super shallow DoF. And then I'm thinking more weddings where you're probably not right in close to the portrait model. It should be possible to get better low light with MFT than with a big sensor. The first instinct is to use a wide aperture but this is the wrong way, it wants to be closed more, still use a low ISO if possible but a longer shutter, which is where the stabilisation comes in. The tighter aperture cleans up and sharpens the image. This actually applies to any camera but you do need stabilisation to hand hold a slow shutter. Where you must use a fast shutter in low light is where it gets tricky and you have to use that high ISO. My G9 is not at its best at ISO 25600 but can be acceptable if the light quality and contrast is good enough.

[@sourcebased]

@@jeffslade1892 I agree, it is not worse but different. One of the benefits is you do only need to stop down half as much on MFT to get the same DoF as with full frame! This lets you shoot with lower ISO or faster shutter speed in low light compared to full frame to get the same exposure and equivalent composition. So unless your portraits really need the extreme shallow DoF only full frame can get you, the difference is not really a disadvantage.

[@chrisbrown6432]

Excellent photographs. I am pleased you like micro four thirds and I like them too. I also like full frame. My latest Canon R6 and Canon R7 have as good a dynamic range as Olympus and also focus peaking too. They lack composite photography settings too and do not have quite as good image stabilisation yet, but they are getting there. It is wonderful with some very expensive R lenses.

[@chrispatmore8944]

I started using Olympus cameras in the late 1970s, and when I decided to go digital 30 years later I naturally went for an Olympus DSLR. It was great, until I tried shooting live music. It just wasn't cut out for it, so I swapped to a Canon DSLR for a decade or so. When the pandemic lockdown was ending I decided it was the right time to switch to mirrorless. I also wanted a much lighter kit, because I'm no longer a spring chicken. After much internal debating, and being scared off by the price of the new Canons and the RF lenses, I went for a used Olympus EM-1 to give it a try. Once I'd adapted to the menu system and different button placement, it felt totally right for me, something the Canon never quite did. Maybe it was the feel of it after 40+ years of shooting an OM-1. I was still shooting live music, where a starting ISO of 3200 is normal, and I was still getting images that matched the 6D I had been using, or maybe even better, certainly for nailing focus and exposure. Using Olympus has also made me look at other genres I never considered before, such as macro, which it is perfect for. I can't see myself going back to 35mm sensors again, especially as those Zuiko lenses are so good, and a fraction of the cost of equivalent Canon glass. My plan to reduce spending and the weight of my camera bag didn't really work as I ended up buying lots of lenses, even if I don't always carry them all at once. Although I rarely use them, it's great to have all those amazing, groundbreaking features, such as Live ND, Live Composite, High Res and Focus Bracketing, when they are needed.

[@neildonaldson2454]

Glad you are enjoying your mft setup. Nice 👍 pictures. Could you share what filter system you are using and size. Or mention the setup in your next film. Many thanks.

[@dougjarvis3824]

Great video, love Flamborough

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Doug. So do I. It’s a great area to explore.

[@lensman5762]

You have made some very good points and some great photographs. As Ansel Adams once said " The most important part of any camera is six inches behind it ." MFT cameras really lack nothing but huge MP count and more importantly Dynamic Range compared to the Full Frame cameras, and possibly some noise in the shadow areas . The latter is more to do with Nikon cameras rather than Canon, as my old EM5 MKII has the same practical dynamic range as my canon 5D MKII, which lacks behind my EM1 MKII. Canon improved the situation with the MKIV but not by much in practical terms. Compared to Nikons , the MFT sensors really do show a weakness, but so do quite a few Full Frame cameras at very high prices. The lack of weight, flexibility and the superb IBIS more than compensates for a few weak points. For information, my D7200 has just about the same DR as my D810, which is astonishing as the D810 is still unsurpassed for DR.

[@jeffslade1892]

Bailey adds, "comfy shoes". If you care to look at the actual sensor noise (e.g. Photons to Photos) you will find the 4/3 sensor is quieter than the big ones. The reason being it is easier to control noise on a small sensor, and they don't produce as much heat, which is noise, as larger sensors do. The most popularised "low light performance" divides the result by the ratio of sensor areas, which is 3.98. Which is wrong. The code of practice (test standards) for sensor testing says, "thou shalt not correct for sensor area". Comparing my GH4 alongside the Nikon D600 some years ago we could see little or no difference, and the GH4 would continue shooting through dusk after the Nikon had packed up and gone to bed. My G9 can eat three GH4 for breakfast now (except movie). Perhaps strangely the G7 which was the GH4's B-cam, is still a current model, it can do everything the E-M5ii can but not as nice to fondle. But that is camera technical capability, not six inches behind it.

[@lensman5762]

@@jeffslade1892 The sensor might be cleaner according to the numbers, but in practice, the shadows are noisier and they also suffer more if the exposure is biased towards controlling the highlights. What you can draw out of near blackness with a D810 is nothing short of astounding, but this is not the way I shoot. My roots are still in film photography, so I try and get the exposure right in camera where possible.

[@sourcebased]

Have a look at computational high res mode. It not only raises the resolution from 20mp to 50 or 80mp on a tripod, dynamic range, colour and overall image fidelity also take a big step up. The only downside is the subject needs to be rather static. Look for a recent video by Thomas Eisl about it, in the end he shows that it even can be used for portraits. He found out that using it with ISO as high as 100000(!) produces a very unique filmic look in this application.

[@lensman5762]

@@sourcebased Thank you for the heads up. This ' Computational High Res ' is not a new trick. It was not invented by either Olympus nor Panasonic or Sony. It was invented by Nasa during the first missions of the Hubble Space Telescope, when they found out that the Deep Sky Imaging camera of the telescope was undesampling, or in simple terms the active matrix mirror array of the telescope had much more resolution than the onboard camera/sensor was able to resolve. The process is commonly known ( in astronomical circles ) as DRIZZLE, but the proper name is Variable -Pixel Linear Reconstruction. We used to and still do employ this process when deep sky imaging by moving the imaging scope randomly ( order of seconds of arc ) during imaging, in fact the computer moves the EQ mount. It is a very complicated and involved process. As years have advanced and so has the technology, Olympus and Panasonic used the highly advanced IBIS mechanism of their MFT sensors to simulate DRIZZLE in camera. To explain how noise is reduced during the ' Stacking ' process is beyond the scope of this text, but random noise is reduced and since this ' Dynamic Range ' depends very much on the ratio of ' Good ' signal to Bad ( Noise ), so does the apparent Dynamic range, although neither the Dynamic Range nor the sensitivity ( this so called ISO ) of a digital sensor can be altered. The use of this High Res Mode, is strictly for instudio product photography, where the camera has to be mounted on an absolute solid base. An EM1 MKII has Pixel Pitch of 3.3 Micro Meter ( 0.033 Milimeter ), You can work out yourself how much the camera moves even mounted on a solid platform during a 10 mph breeze. As for the flm look, I just use my Leica Ms or 4X5 cameras when I have the time.

[@sourcebased]

@@lensman5762 Wow thank you for writing this up, I did not know this! Very interesting indeed. This mode is not a toy at all and has been improved greatly with the OM-1 regarding speed especially. With the hand hold mode it works even without a tripod. A Leica and or medium format would be on my whish list indeed but as long I am discontent with important aspects of my photography like composition, I do not yet allow myself to get one.

[@peterem]

amazing shots! i never thought mft is capable of this. as always, its all about the photographer!

[@derekgpony]

Awesome video Chris. I've been a long time Olympus user and as I enjoy all sorts of different photography, I appreciate the smaller size. Still get great results. And your photography is awesome. I was going to ask you about your filter system, but I found it in your links. Looks like a nice system. I was thinking of upgrading my filters and yours looked quite interesting. Keep up the great work and awesome videos. Just discovered your channel a short time ago and quite impressed.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks man I appreciate that! I’m not sure if my new system is in the links but it’s the K2 by Freewell that I’m using at the moment.

[@derekgpony]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto Thank you. I’ll check it out.

[@gordon3988]

For photography outdoors…can’t imagine how you would miss it most of the time, especially in poor weather or when you need to hike in. Must love it! What do you use for the video side? Lovely intro btw.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Gordon. The video is recorded on an EM5 Mark ii with the kit lens.

[@glenharris2617]

Great content again Chris 👍

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Thanks Glen

[@g0fvt]

I thoroughly enjoy my M43 cameras, more than any previous ones. It is very easy to take too much notice of the critics, many of them have never used them. A light camera encourages you to go out and about and practice your craft.

[@robb8773]

I love the M43 system. I have an EM1 Mark III with Pro lenes. I sell my work on line and at galleries and have never had a buyer say "oh, I'm not buying your work because it wasn't shot with a FF camera".

[@AA-ni3km]

Hi Chris, on the photo you took with the stairs and the waves, there were a few things that you could have lined up but didn't - particularly the handrails at the bottom and the cliffs could have gone into a corner at the top ... ?

[@danram69]

hi keep up the good work i have just bought a micro 43rds camera after seeing your vids , so please carry on mate

[@keith.anderson1257]

5.03 in and was that a seal behind you?

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Yea it was. I didn’t notice until I got home. The area is full of them.

[@tintin69rr]

Great videos I’m Still on the fence at min I’m using canon r6 for landscape and r7 for wildlife I’m tempted at min keep the r6 and landscape gear for now get the r7 px with the rf 100-500 for the Olympus om-1 and 300 mm f4 and a Olympus pro wide angle lens to try it all out completely then maybe px the rest of the canon gear towards the Olympus 150-400 f4.5 it’s all so tempting and daunting at the same time

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I’ll be honest I almost crapped myself trading all of the Canon gear I had for the Olympus stuff. I’ve not looked back. Granted my Canon mirrorless was only the RP and my main camera was the 5DMkiii but I’ve honestly not missed them.

[@tintin69rr]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto yeah I know the feeling my last big swap like this was just couple of years ago had the 7dmk2 5dmk3 ef 100-400 mk2 px the lot towards the mirrorless r6 and 100-500 now on the fence again I’m almost at the point of clicking choose pick up day with mpb but it’s scary lol

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

@@tintin69rr if you’re scared about the whole MFT thing from full frame here’s some advice. People buy my prints. Not once had anyone asked about the sensor size, camera make or model.

[@robfielding100]

Nice video Chris. I switched to Olympus from Nikon last year mainly for the night shots ability in light painting. It is a brilliant camera. Still getting used to the menus and what it can be pushed into doing.

[@mc256]

It really depends on the type of photo you practice, for me who mainly do street photography (and a little landscape) I am delighted with my OM10 mk II and I love its tilt-only screen. I also have an em5 mk III but I mainly use it when I need better AF and better weather sealing.

[@benjaminrussell1049]

I am very much intrigued by MFT (for the size and aspect ratio) but the one thing holding me back is needing the shallow depth of field.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Shoot long, wide open and close up. Plenty of shallow DOF to be had. MFT and shallow depth is a myth.

[@jackiecaswell7064]

Great photos again, especially the night shot of the lighthouse. Is the Olympus camera easy to get use to for a beginner or is it more for a professional like yourself? I do like the fact that it’s smaller than the Canon and it does take amazing photos. It’s just the menus seem mind boggling 😅

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Once you get used to the menu system it’s not actually too bad. Coming from using Canon cameras for so many years it’s took some getting used to but they’re not as scary as they seem.

[@kbarrett1844]

M43 is very good for Landscape photography due to its inherent DOF advantages.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

This I have found. f11 has suddenly become f5.6 and the images are by proxy a little sharper. It’s a fun little thing isn’t it.

[@paulleonardsmith7861]

Good for you, I shoot Nikon and Olympus, they both have there places in my photography, schools , graduations etc . A group shot with 200 kids , Nikon d810 . Portraits of nursery kids Olympus M1x . It's just a tool

[@josgeusens4637]

And the fabulous in camera stabilization works on every bloody lens you put on it. Whether it's a lens from the 50's or a brand new one.

[@gstrummer]

Great vid. Thank you!

[@AlgPortfolio]

I also have Olympus, but struggle a bit with low light photographs and post processing. Can you show how you work on bringing out the best from raw image?

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I can make a video around this if it’ll help, certainly.

[@marcel9568]

Please do! I am also curious about out of camera images with no editing. I would love to see the noise or not people talk about. Everybody talks about noise reduction software. I just want to shoot a photo, crop and rotate if necessary and that’s it.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

Ok, next video I’ll do JPG out of camera images!

[@ElectronInc]

I was at times struggling with editing pictures taken in low light conditions. First step for me to help with this issue: get a great fast lens. I also decided to limit my auto-ISO min and max to avoid my camera to go crazy to not select higher than 1600, and also trust more the awesome Olympus IBIS. Then I use a post processing app with AI de-noizer feature. There are plenty available, mine is Luminar Neo, which works great.

[@AlgPortfolio]

@@ElectronInc I use topaz denoise, I find that it tend to destroy many details though. Is there a difference between first editing picture in Lightroom and then removing noise or first removing noise?

[@carmenfissenden2530]

These little cameras have often been overlooked because of being referred to as MFT . It is the micro part that is misleading ; when in fact it is reference to being smaller than four-thirds . It is not smaller in quality and being something that takes up less space means it is more likely to be carried places . Our phones have replaced the smaller consumer cameras and in many respects they are making our cameras appear redundant . For my part , my phone is my wide angle and and standard prime is glued to my camera , with a portrait lens tucked in to the camera bag as and when it is called upon . I am happy to work close to people and enjoy the tilt screen over the articulate one. I have no interest in making videos and just photographer who likes to travel light with a dslr like camera over a range-funder .

[@Jgatti41]

I switched from Olympus/OM systems to Sony. Traded off my Sony for 2 Olympus bodies and 8 lenses, and sold my Sony lenses. Just bought another Sony but will be keeping both systems. For me the OM-1 and E-M1 mark III just fall short in some key area's. 1- focus tracking outside the AI auto focus is horrible on both. The Sony A7 IV destroys it. 2- ISO and dynamic range. 3-- Getting the shallow DOF I grew to like on FF just isn't as good no matter what lenses I have used with my Olympus gear. Not the 45 1.2 or even the odd focal length of the 75 1.8 I will happily use both systems. I used to be a firm believer in the size and weight comparison. After a friend let me use his A1 paired with the 70-200 2.8 II while I had my E-M 1 mark III with the 40-150 2.8 My gear may be lighter, but oddly even being 1lb heavier, the sony was so well balanced it felt lighter in my hands. I won't ever take my Sony hiking, I won't shoot with it in harsh weather. I know people who do but I have my Olympus gear for that.

[@Rbraden]

The thumbnail had me thinking this was gonna be a LinusTechTips video.

[@bosamuelsson5814]

Now the editing programs, e.g. Lightroom, have functions that fix the noise better than ever. Then there is no longer a need for a full-frame sensor.

[@S3mj0n]

I always find it weird when people bash M43 with stuff like "all pros use FF, low light quality is bad, iso noise is bad" etc. Guess what? 90% of amateur and hobbyist photographers will not notice it when they upload a pic to Instagram where the compression kills it anyways. Obviously FF got better quality if you buy relatively new and expensive cameras, but you also carry around more weight. When i go to the zoo or nature park to photograph animals, i dont want to carry around 3-5 kilos in lenses and camera. I take my OM-5, the 40-150 2.8 and maybe the 12-45 f4 or a fast prime and carry around 2kg at most. Also lets be honest, most peopel are not good enough, and that includes me, to benefit from better and more expensive FF equipment. Its obviously completely different for pros because they have a different use case scenario

[@davidfryman1028]

I just traded my Canon gear in for a GH6. Use it for my professional real estate photography and videography I'm loving it.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

A lot lighter to carry around? I got sick of lumping all the Canon gear around all the time.

[@buchsg]

I own a lumix g9 but never get to like the Panasonic color science… I prefer to use my old 5d classic or Nikon d700 just for the color itself, my preferred one is a phase one df with an old aptus ccd digital back (for the same reasons I don’t and will not own any Sony or new canon) My son own a om10 Mkii I need to try it to see if I like the file it produces

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

I had an old GX7 and I was never all that in love with it. My old Canon 5D3 was fantastic and Canon really did get that one right. The Olympus stuff is nice though, give it a try.

[@biggstavros5876]

I added an Olympus EM10 mk2 to my canon collection. Both systems have their pros and cons. I just find the Olympus fiddly with my big hands lol

[@gunnarblomquist4412]

For image quality yes!

[@stmsaiya]

Proving .that once again, u don't need a full frame camera. only a great lens, same as apsc only wide lens to get the same view of full frame camera.

[@tuftyhill]

I also feel photographers get hung up on the MP's even if they are only posting on SM platforms. To be honest 24mp is adequate for most people's needs unless of course they will be cropping heavily. I switched from Nikon FF to the Fuji mirrorless system about 8 years ago and have no regrets whatsoever. I enjoy my photography more now using the Fuji than I ever did with the FF Nikon

[@sweeneyTodd-de4by]

Came across your channel while looking for beginners video,can you recommend me a good 2nd hand camera without spending a fortune please

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

It all depends what you’re looking for. I got my Olympus EM5 Mark ii and a couple of lenses for around £400.

[@djmouglie]

I have my Nikon d810 and my Panasonic GH5 .. and well i like them both and they have their strengths and weaknesses. Coming from the Nikon i hated the worse image quality and smaller megapixels. Its just not as good for big mega crisp portraits with shallow depth of field. But for video well the GH5 is lightyears ahead, and in this day and age it gets more and more often i get asked to do video instead of photo or at least both. So my next camera is gonna be the GH6. I could also go with the Nikon Z series but they are just not there with video specs or at least not without spending twice the money and i would still have issues with using some of my older F mount lenses. So GH6 it is and then keep my D810 for specific shoots.

[@1949]

From your face in the thumbnail i thought this was a Linus Tech Tips video.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

It has been said…. I don’t see it 😂

[@thomasocheltree4170]

Trying it right now. We’ll see …

[@yoki9743]

Hi Chris, first and foremost, as I have said before ...love your videos and your way of shooting is very much like how I use the Olympus system, but... and there is always a but as we all know... can you just drop a few of the "jump forward, jump backward" scenes you use to emphasise a point..., as its really off putting and I hate to be a stick in the mud but it detracts from what you are trying to do so you do yourself no justice, which is sad as like I have said ... your channel is a super photography channel and it would be a shame to cheapen it with gimmickry.... apart from that... cant wait to see the next one... cheers Yoki... oh and love the way justify using MFT... good on you man...Yoki..

[@testdev4596]

For landscape you can use any system especialy when your final result has nothing to do with reality.

[@aerialfilm1]

The joke about some bloke on the internet couldn’t have been more true.

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

It had to be said 😁

[@aerialfilm1]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto and you were more eloquent than I would have been 😉

[@death-by-ego]

I was just scrolling down, saw the thumbnail and thought "Hey. Its Linus doing a camera review." Then I saw the channel name and thought, "Oh... is someone doing a video reacting to Linus doing something with a camera?" Then I clicked on the video and said, "Oh.... this is NOT Linus from linustechtips."

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

You’re not the first to make that reference. I wonder if anyone sees Linus and thinks “Is that Chris Baitson?” Now that’s a question 😃

[@cameraprepper7938]

YES !

[@johnvillalovos]

Are you and @DavidFlowerOfficial using the same ideas for videos 😆 His latest video was: Did I make a mistake Ditching Sony for Micro Four Thirds?

[@ChrisBaitsonPhoto]

He’s a mate of mine. I did it on purpose 😂

[@johnvillalovos]

@@ChrisBaitsonPhoto I got you both in my KZbin rotation 🙂 Subscribed to both.

[@jeffslade1892]

Yeah. You are probably still using "Canon" techniques with MFT, like the all filters. The gain control lets you compress highlight/shadow. The colour gain can be fiddled with. Any changes you make "for the jpeg", alter the raw exposure. The stabilisation lets you hand-hold slow shutter. Low ISO will produce best image, as on any camera, but you should not be seeing appreciable noise until ISO 3200 or possibly higher (prolly of more interest for wildlife). As the ISO goes up there is a small trade off with reduced dynamic range. I don't have the E-M1ii but do have the E-M5ii, PEN-F and G9 (which has the same sensor as the E-M1iii), not much difference in final results.

[@IvanAgram]

Simple. Price and weight. Lenses are waaaay more affordable than FF. And the weight and size are much more convenient. Also... You can get Oly m1 ii for $500 plus a PRO f4 or f2.8 lens for another 300-500. Compare this with Z6 with a similar pro lens.

[@LeBironzilla]

The 1600 iso come from a loong time ago when Olympus did use a Kodak sensor.... The E-300 was so bad that 800 ISO was out of question. When the E-510 came out you could doing 800 iso and 1600 was not really usable. Also the fourthirds did not have a lot of prime lens, F2.0 was rare. That why people did bought the 50mm F2,0 It was the most common prime avaible. Otherwise you did have sigma lens 24 mm 1,4 wich was discountinue really quickly them the 30mm 1,4 and the 50mm 1,4. The 30MM was plague with front focus issue (and not way to correct it in any camera). At the end of the life of Fourthird Pansonic did realse a 25mm 1,4. For 1000$..... (2008 money). So yours only other choice was to use the SHG pro lens and Gosh they were expensive (14-35F2.0) That lens is still the best optical zoom lens I never saw for Micro Fourthird. But still you get the point why low light was bad on fourthirds and why it did carry over. Now fourthirds is really close to APS-C..... THe camera did still have this issue until The E-5. Now today you can use 3200 iso without any issue and you have so much prime that you really do not need to go higher than this. I do have my F0,95 VOiltager for those occasion. We have the most open option for low light lens that not event funny. Mfourthirds Alone have the most complet lens setup and then you add the lecacy lens try to find a system as flexible on this one on the lens side.

[@ddsdss256]

Of course not (I went for the click-bait with a strong suspicion of your conclusions as I'm a huge advocate of MFT). Five years with my G9 and I have no desire to go bigger (or smaller--it's close to the "perfect" size). Especially with DxO DeepPRIME XD and Topaz DeNoise, I have no problem shooting at ISO 6400 (or even higher). "Worst case," beyond that I might get a bit of "film look" (not at all a bad thing and something I often emulate in post--not a fan of the sterile, over-sharpened "digital look" often seen from high-MP/larger fomat rigs). The point is, I've always got the right (relatively small) lens, rarely use a tripod (I'm not big on long exposures), and my images look the way I want them to look, so what's not to like?

[@martinhughes5509]

Not many people selling prints these days, theres no need to carry them big lenses about any more i changed from nikon 5 years ago hand on heart never regreted it one bit, i have my freedom at last, even todays crop sensor lenses are bigger than mft lenses and more expensive and my prints still look brill.

[@williamreymond2669]

"Did I Make a Mistake Ditching Canon for Olympus?" No. My first Canon [not my first camera] was an A-1, I was 18 years old, which would have been 1983. That camera unfortunately died in a boating accident in 1986, when I capsized in the middle of Limon Bay in Panama. Forty years later I'm finally -fully - ready to send all of my full-frame Canon swag to KEH, and I will remain solely Micro Four Thirds until something vastly better comes along. And we seem to, in many ways, as a hobby and profession, heading in the wrong direction Cameras have become like pickup trucks lately, unnecessarily bloated driven so by forces that seem to have little to do with what most people really want. So, now we are all supposed to be reassured that our impulse to switch to a smaller, dare I say more 'agile' system is fundamentally correct. Yes.