Upgrade from my OM-D e-m1?

This question is as much a test of adding a thread to the forum as an actual question. the E-M1 is doing quite nicely but there is always a question
whether the v.ll, or lll stands head and shoulders above and beyond the e-m1 I currently use.
Thank you to the DPRevived crew for their work to bring this web page to life.

All I can say is that I found the EM1.2 a surprising upgrade from the EM1.1. IQ was better than expected and usability was improved. I now have the OM1 which has a lot more functionality than the EM1.2 but the basics are the same.

If you shoot one of the subjects that has subject recognition or you only shoot jpegs, the OM1 is definitely better than the EM1.2.

I’d start by looking at an EM1.2 and see if the added features of the EM1.3 are worth it for what you shoot.

Andrew

Seems I better get back to DPReview's report on the Mk2 to check on the details. Thanks for the feedback. Always room for another camera!

I upgraded to the mk ii and was surprised by how much better it was. I’d love a mk iii or M1 but it’s not worth the cost to me. Hand held hi res tempts me though…. I hate lugging a tripod.

Yeah, the Mk II was a big jump up from the Mk I for me. I still kinda prefer the Mk I form factor and size, but in every other way the II was an improvement. Resolution, IQ, performance… and for someone who shoots a lot with manual lenses like me, the ability to store 10 sets of lens data and have them written automatically into EXIF is a godsend.

Haven’t seen enough improvements in the III to warrant an upgrade, and I can’t afford the OM1 right now. :(

The only thing I miss from the original EM1 is the tilting LCD. The EM1 mark II is better in every other way

I am still using my EM1 too, and have really been tempted to upgrade it after all these years. For me, the EM1 was a dramatic improvement over my already great EM-5. and it is still very capable of getting excellent results. And when the results aren't good, then it is usually my fault and not the fault of the camera.

My dilemma is that the EM1 is still a better camera than I am a photographer. So I really don't need an upgrade, I just would like to have one. And I think the big step up was the EM1 II. As far as image quality goes, the EM1 II, EM1 III and OM1 are all pretty much the same camera, with more features added. If you need those newer features, then the EM1 III or OM1 makes sense..... but if you don't, then the EM1 II is all you really need. And right now you can find good used copies at very reasonable prices.

But truthfully speaking.... the EM1 is still a GREAT camera. The EM1 II is just better in so many ways, and worse in one way since it has that "videographer" screen that flips out to the side. I really hate that!

You don't know exactly what your E-M1 is lacking? Then you don't need a new camera body. Spend the extra money on better lenses instead.

Too much uncertainty surrounding the E-M1 line now anyways. How long will the BLH-1 be available? And the OM-1 design is not the same either. Hopefully, there will be an OM-3 to carry on the E-M1 lineage.

If something happens to my E-M1 II then I would just replace it with E-M1 III, and that's the only reason I would get it. Camera bodies are a waste of money, don't spend money on them unless you really have to.

[quote="@doady"]
You don't know exactly what your E-M1 is lacking? Then you don't need a new camera body. Spend the extra money on better lenses instead.

Too much uncertainty surrounding the E-M1 line now anyways. How long will the BLH-1 be available? And the OM-1 design is not the same either. Hopefully, there will be an OM-3 to carry on the E-M1 lineage.

If something happens to my E-M1 II then I would just replace it with E-M1 III, and that's the only reason I would get it. Camera bodies are a waste of money, don't spend money on them unless you really have to.

I upgraded to the EM1.2 for specific reasons, especially for BIF, but I continued to use the E-M1 as a backup and

Sorry, messed up my previous post and don't know how to withdraw it.

I upgraded from an E-M1 to an E-M1.2 mainly for BIF photography. However, I continued to use the E-M1 as a backup and for when I wanted to use two bodies. Frankly, for most photography I didn't find much difference between them and could shoot with either.

However, as others have said, the E-M1.2 has a large number of other small improvements on the Mk1 and, with current used prices for the Mk2, I think that an upgrade is a no brainier.

I actually skipped the Mark II and went straight to the Mark III because of the screen, but in retrospect that was a real mistake since there really was an improvement in the camera in every way.

The original E-M1 is still an excellent camera and I used the hell out of mine, but there was no going back once I upgraded my first body and upgraded my second body as soon as possible.

The shutter died in my E-M1 so the mkll it was. 16mp to 20mp certainly helped. AF didn't come into it though, I just don't need AF, so it was certainly a big upgrade being a bird shooter with pro capture. Everyone has different needs for sure.

Danny.

Well, in England, the mk ii is really cheap second hand right now. I bought mine recently in mint condition from a commercial site for about £500, so nothing to lose I'd say.

(Previously I had Panasonic G80 so good step up from 16 to 20 mpix and it's a better sensor. Body obviously much better.)

I had one of those M1.1's with the dial problem and after two trips to Olympus it wasn't fixed. When it became unusable I sent it back one more time and they actually fixed it and I'm still using it for intermediate sized lenses (12-60mm, 30mm and the 12-100mm lenses) particularly when I want to use that tilting screen.. But I continue to be a bit wary of its reliability. When the M1.3 came out I was looking for an upgrade to the EVF ( I thought they would include the newer 3.6MP EVF that the G9 had!), the ProCapture and and better feeling that it wouldn't fail … However that lack of EVF, price and a very good sale on the M1.2 took me there... the M1.2 is an upgrade in many ways but mostly not where I use it. I still haven't come to terms with the number of files that ProCature gives when used but I find it an upgrade for sitting birds. I use this lens principally with longer, heavier lenses – O100-400, SLR O50-200, and the 12-100mm lens (also the Sigma Macros – but recently I noted that one of the SW upgrades to the camera has apparently removed support for AF with those lenses as they no longer AF with that camera but still do with the M1.1) I have not upgraded to the new OM1 mainly because I don't want to add another battery to my collection!! and I really don't need any of the upgrade features (except that better EVF.).

WhyNot

First, you seem to be quite adept at adding threads. I wish I had your savvy. :-)
Second, both upgrades offer many improvements but you haven't stated your needs/wants or funds. There are many comparison sites and reviews on this topic, so there are plenty of resources about the technical differences. Without knowing what you use or want to use your camera for, we can't say.

If you are looking around for reviews on the M-1 II, just be aware that reviews done before firmware v3 came out won't give you a good understanding of the camera's AF performance.

Low light sensitivity is greatly improved! Will be a while yet before I look for good used Mark III altho' focussing seems THE big improvement and the lure for me to add (not replace E-M1.2) an E-M1.3.

My E-M5 Mk2's grip never felt right to me even with a metal grip. Looking at older reviews and comparing photos with the E-M1 series, it seemed that the E-M1 was a better match for what I wanted. Previously, I had let concerns that I had read about concerning dial and lug problems dissuade me from getting the original E-M1. Finally, I decided to get the E-M1 Mk3 since folks were selling their copies to move to the OM1. I spent some time trying to get the Mk3 new from my preferred retailer before looking at the used market and finding a mint Mk2 for a price that I couldn't pass up.

Others have addressed the upgrade question (my knowledge of the E-M1 is based on specs and not experience). However, I can tell you the the Mk2 is a REALLY nice camera! It is a really rugged camera with crazy good IBIS, reliable autofocus and plenty of features. I had read/watched the original reviews but it is important to realize that this camera got significantly better thanks to firmware updates.

Jim

^ Is there really a big difference from the firmware?!? One of the main reasons I bought an EM1.2 was the allegedly better autofocus over previous bodies, but I didn't notice much (if any) difference from the EM5.1.

What would be really useful for me is the joystick to move the AF point around quickly, found on the EM1.3 and OM1...