olympus EM1 or 5 users: can you help me?!

[femi fan]

Hello forum members, i'm new on this forum. I'm an experienced amateur photographer who had an Olympus OM2 for a long time, and my current camera is the Olympus E510 which i bought about seven years ago. I'm not quite so clued up on digital format really, and suspect i've never very well exploited the features on this camera, or the digital format in general. Just to give a brief background.

I want to treat myself to an upgrade - i feel i'm due one. I've decided on the EM1 over the EM5. I have read a few threads on this forum, in particular the long one on this model camera. It helped me in my choosing process. But i do have a couple of questions to help me further, if i may?

I'm in Chiang Mai, and i have sourced a price for body+12-50mm at 45,000 baht, or body+12-40mm at 62,000 baht, a quite hefty increase. The shop owner said the quality of image was better (yeah, what does 'better' mean?!), but that more macro-style shots would be better suited to the 12-50 lens.

First question: can users give me their input on which lens i might choose and why? I'm already spending more than i wanted by not going for the EM5 camera, so if the big difference in price can be justified, i'll go for it. I do like taking close-ups, and i want maximum image quality i can get, but clearly it's got to be noticeable! I don't need specs just for their sake, but great if they really do offer noticeable improvements. My main subject matter is landscape, but close-up of flora and fauna is fun too.

Second question: do people recommend any accessories for me to buy? What is the included small flash like? I'm sure i'll be getting an extra spare battery. Some sort of battery grip thing?

Third question: general, just any other tips on buying, or owning this camera?

I believe i'd like to make proper efforts to display photos at exhibitions, put onto a wesbite i'm soon going to build, and perhaps sell my photos by having things like calendars made, or whatever. I love looking at my best photos printed out at a good size, ie more than 10x8. in short i want to resurrect a flagging hobby and actually do more than that.

Many thanks in advance

[FracturedRabbit]

E-M1 - Great choice and sure you will enjoy it.

1.

The 12-50mm is an OK lens, but the image quality of the 12-40mm is so much better. It's also better built, waterproof, and has a very slick clutch mechanism to facilitate manual focusing. The 12-40mm is also F2.8 throughout its range which is very useful. The 12-50mm has a macro facility. The 12-40mm is not a macro, but it does focus very close for a standard lens, enough to capture complete flowers, larger insects and others. If you really want to get into macro later, the 60mm dedicated macro lens would be the one to get.

Here are a couple of close-up shots taken with the 12-40mm:

S5219019 by pattayadays.com, on Flickr

S4226861 by pattayadays.com, on Flickr

Here's a review I did of the 12-40mm:

http://www.pattayadays.com/2013/12/olympus-12-40mm-review/

A lot of comparison with other lenses which are of no help to you; but might be useful.

The 12-40mm is my walkaround lens with my E-M1 and I use it more than any other; they go well together!

2.

A spare battery or two is certainly useful. Two will get you through a long day. The little flash is OK for fill-flash; it can also be used to control a remote flash (it sends encoded settings to the remote flash as part of the light signal). The optional battery grip has been offered for free recently with the E-M1/12-40mm kit in Thailand; maybe that is still on offer? If not, wait and see if you feel you need the extra grip before indulging. An extra battery is all you really need to get you started; plus a lens protection filter on the 12-40mm if you feel the need. Get a fast memory card too.

3.

The E-M1 has a LOT of configuration options. Here is a post that describes some of the physical controls:

http://www.pattayadays.com/2013/12/moving-from-the-e-m5-to-the-e-m1/

When you get it, be prepared to spend a couple of days reading the manual, playing with the camera, and researching on-line. Once you understand it and have it set up, it is a joy to operate; but there is a learning curve!

Feel free to ask any other questions; PM me is you wish.

[femi fan]

Thank you for your comments!

I suspected that i'd need to get the 12-40 lens. If i'm going to burn the money for the EM1, i don't want to compromise myself on the main lens, although it sort of confuses me why Olympus would create such a great camara but not a standard lens of comparable quality? One of the reasons for me changing is to get the max quality i can so that i will only have myself to blame for low-quality images!

When you say the image quality is so much better, do you mean looking on the computer screen, or on biggish prints? And any particular kind of subject matter where this quality is readily apparent?

EM5 + 12-50 lens less than half the price of the EM1 + 12-40 lens… it's quite a difference! I have to steel myself not to change my mind!

I will read through your links shortly.

I'll look into that optional battery grip next week when i return to the shop. But what exactly is it? Does it mean i can have two batteries in the camera at the same time? Where does the grip go? is this good for people with big hands?

Ah yes, lens protection filter. I used to use them years ago, but not for my latest camera. What filter do you suggest, a skylight? Or is that a dinosaur kind of filter now?!

I had meant to ask about memory cards. I'm not clued up on what is 'fast' compared to normal? Any particular memory size recommended too?

In the box i saw at the shop today, they only had a basic camera instruction manual, with a CD for the main bulk of instructions. That disappointed me a bit, I like a paper manual. Is this the standard offering with the camera?

Oh, i'll enjoy the learning curve! But i also need to improve my digital learning too. The new camera should give me heaps of motivation to do the necessary. Many thanks for your offer for future help which may see me uptaking!

[FracturedRabbit]

The 12-50mm was originally the kit lens for the E-M5. When the E-M1 came out they didn't have the 12-40mm available yet, so stuck on the 12-50 or you could buy body only (as I did). Then along came the 12-40mm which is the obvious partner for the E-M1, but they kept on offering with 12-50mm as well. So now you can buy body only, 12-50 kit and 12-40 kit. The normal price for the 12-40 kit is 71k, so the 62k is a nice reduction, especially if you can get with the grip (check with Big Camera). The 12-40mm will delight you; the 12-50mm will not and you will want to change for something better over time; false economy!

The Pro lenses from Olympus are just so much better than the other zooms. You can see it on the screen and it will no doubt translate into better prints and an ability to print larger (more detail, contrast, better colour, sharpness).

"EM5 + 12-50 lens less than half the price of the EM1 + 12-40 lens" 45k compared to 62k...

I use a clear protection filter. Olympus do their own (PRF-D62 Pro), or a good quality one from the likes of B&W.

I use a Scandisk Extreme Pro. Won't make much difference on single shots; but if you are shooting several frames a second it helps clear out the buffer quickly.

The manual is on the CD. I downloaded it to my tablet for reference. There is loads on the web as well, worth researching.

[femi fan]

Will digest all this with more time at the weekend, but thanks for the reply again. The money will have to be spent! The deal i've quoted is for the rest of the month. You have added to my building excitement! Cheers.