Switch from Canon to OM System? - DPChallenge Forums

Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra

07/08/2024 02:43:21 AM · #1

So...I've been a Canon shooter since before I bought my Powershot G5 way back in 2003. My first DSLR was a 10D and for a while I had a 5D mkIV until I sold it to buy a Canon R8. Needless to say, I have a ton of EF lenses and a few RF lenses. If I stay with Canon, I'm pretty much stuck with using adapted EF lenses since the RF lenses are so expensive and Canon won't license any 3rd party companies to use the AF system. This pretty much negates any advantage in size/weight that comes from having a mirrorless camera. Sure Canon lenses are great, but the RF lenses, especially the f2.8 zoom lenses, are out of reach.

A friend suggested I look at the OM system to see if it might fit my needs better. They let me borrow an OM-5 and a lens. My first thought was, "Damn...this thing is T-I-N-Y!", but once I stareted shooting with it...I found it overall to be pretty damn awesome. Light, fast and responsive...and then I started doing some light painting using the Live Composite mode. I was amazed, I did light painting in a room with the lights ON and I could watch the image change as I painted it. I haven't seen any real hit to image quality, but I also haven't shot my Canon side by side with an OLY camera and pixel peeped?

Has anyone recently changed to the OM system? Has anyone considered it and not done it? Anyone else thinking about switching away from Canon? Pros? Cons?

I figure I can dump my Canon gear and replace it with 2 OM-5 bodies, a 12-40 f2.8, a 40-150 f2.8, 17mm f1.8, 25mm f1.8, 60mm f2.8 macro for about $0 once the dust settles. I'll keep my EF Tilt/Shift lens for studio work

Tiberius

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

07/08/2024 04:15:54 AM · #2

I dumped my 6D and my L glass to simplify everything. I considered the Oly but then I said no choosing R6MK2, kit lens 24-105mm 7.1 for the full frame. Didn't have much time to extensively test it but so far I'm very pleased. I also got a 50/1.8. Not sure how useful is me info. Good luck picking up.

GinaRothfels

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

07/08/2024 05:29:59 AM · #3

They both have their pros and cons, so I'm still using both. Aside from light painting (which I haven't tried yet), I prefer the way pre-burst works on Oly/OM cameras. When you use pre-burst on a Canon camera, as soon as the camera goes to sleep, it reverts to normal shooting. On an OM camera, that doesn't happen. With Canon, you also have to extract the photos which are saved as a group, while OM saves each one separately. And if you use the art filters on an OM camera with the camera set to RAW, it saves a filtered jpg as well as the unedited RAW. Canon only saves the filtered image.

My main reason for buying my OM-D E-M5 III however was for IBIS. Of course some of the newer Canon cameras have IBIS too, but I'm very small and not as strong as I used to be, so those with IBIS are too big for me.

The auto-focus is better on my Canon. Service for OM system cameras in South Africa is almost non-existent. I only have to drive about 40 minutes to take my Canon for repair if needed, while my Oly would have to be sent to Portugal! And I don't like the OM focus peaking. I learnt to use focus peaking using my Canon EF-M cameras after reading that it's easier to use with the camera set to B&W. Unfortunately that doesn't work with OM cameras. As soon as you try to focus manually, the display reverts to colour.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

07/08/2024 10:08:33 AM · #4

I switched from Canon APS-C to micro 4/3 a few years ago, a bit before Canon jumped into mirrorless. Pretty happy with it. Image quality it way beyond my last Canon, an EOS 50D, but it's also several decades of technology advances.

I started with a used Olympus E- PM2 from a pawn shop, moved to an EM10, and current main camera is an EM5 mk3. I also recently bought a Lumix G9 mk1, but it is larger, so doesnt get used as much for travel. Still learning my way around that one.

If you are interested in getting into M 4/3 on a budget, and in the US, I have an EM1 MK1 with a 14-150 in the for sale forum.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

07/08/2024 02:40:09 PM · #5

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

As my travel camera, I have a couple of Canon APS-C EOS-M cameras (M6 mkII and M200) which I love for the small size and weight, but I don't love because to get an f2.8 zoom lens means carrying the EF lenses.

I currently have an E-PL7 and 3 lenses. I can see this one being my "pocket" camera and the larger cameras being my work cameras.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

07/09/2024 02:16:04 PM · #6

Spork, I do think that small/light RF-native primes and zooms will get built out... especially, look at what Sigma does in the next 9-12 months, they have announced that they will be developing native RF lenses, and specifically (only, for now) for APS-C.
Otherwise, the RF ecosystem is light on light-weight. I still don't think I could personally contemplate a complete system switch, but that is just me. If I were to do so, I would be really looking closely at my target system's viability into the future, as the only thing worse than changing systems is changing again, not by choice.

ETA: My shift from EF to RF could be viewed as a system change, but softened considerably by cross-compatibility.

Message edited by author 2024-07-09 14:17:07.

07/10/2024 02:24:59 AM · #7

Originally posted by kirbic:

I also mentioned having some EOS-M cameras...I think that camera system is ideal for me, with some critical issues. I've always though a pocket-sized interchangeable lens camera would be perfect and I thought I'd found it with the M200, M6 mkii and M50 mkii. I'd hoped that Canon would make some EF-M f2.8 zooms and continue to develop the system. Unfortunately, Canon decided to abandon the system and instead go exclusively with the RF mount cameras. And, of course there's nothing like the M200 or even the M6 mkii with an RF mount. So I have my "little" travel camera system and my "big" camera system for work, that means two sets of lenses with only the adapted EF lenses shared between them. I have to admit that the M6 mkii with the EF 50mm f1.4 mounts to it using a speedbooster to turn it into a 56mm f1.0 is a dream for portrait work...I might keep the M6 just for that.

I guess we'll find out, I have an OM-5 and a 12-45 f4 on the way, should be in my hands Friday. Maybe I'll send it back...maybe I'll have a fire sale on Canon gear...

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

07/10/2024 07:39:39 AM · #8

Originally posted by Spork99:

... the M6 mkii with the EF 50mm f1.4 mounts to it using a speedbooster to turn it into a 56mm f1.0 ...

How does that work (changing effective aperture)? I get the focal length calculation, but not the aperture.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

07/10/2024 09:08:33 AM · #9

Originally posted by Spork99:

I guess we'll find out, I have an OM-5 and a 12-45 f4 on the way, should be in my hands Friday. Maybe I'll send it back...maybe I'll have a fire sale on Canon gear...

Pretty much the combo I bought several years ago. EM5 mk3 with that lens. I did find myself wanting a little more reach, so eventually bought the 12-100 F4 Pro. It's slightly front heavy on that small body, but gives me a single lens travel kit for when compactness matters.

07/10/2024 12:31:52 PM · #10

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by Spork99:
... the M6 mkii with the EF 50mm f1.4 mounts to it using a speedbooster to turn it into a 56mm f1.0 ...

How does that work (changing effective aperture)? I get the focal length calculation, but not the aperture.

The speedbooster is like the opposite of a teleconverter, it has a 0.71x focal length multiplier, so it really changes the 50 mm lens into a 35.5 mm lens. (On an APS-C camera like the M6 mkii, that works out to a 56 mm equivalent). The physical diameter of the aperture doesn't change. The f number is the ratio of the focal length to the diameter of the aperture. So for a 50 mm f1.4, the diameter of the aperture is 50/1.4 or 35.7 mm diameter. Since the optics of the speedbooster change the focal length to 35.5 mm, the f number for the lens becomes 35.5/35.7 or 0.99.

Clear as mud?

Message edited by author 2024-07-10 12:45:40.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

07/10/2024 12:37:22 PM · #11

Originally posted by Spork99:

... Clear as mud?

Actually - you did well. Got it. Thanks!

07/18/2024 06:19:26 PM · #12

Soooo... for those of you who might be interested, I know I said I'd ordered the OM-5 and 12-40 f4, but at the last minute, I decided to buy an OM-D M5 mkiii on eBay instead. Since it arrived, I've been using it every day and so far, I'm impressed. It's about the size of my Canon M6 mkii, but has a better LCD setup and a built in viewfinder. The camera handles like a dream too. I'm still not 100% comfortable with the menu system, there's still a lot of "I know I can set that, where do I find it?" moments, but in general, it all makes sense and I don't see any long term roadblocks there. I'm also excited about the prospect of dealing with only one main lens system, unlike my current situation where I have EF, RF and EF-M lenses and adapters and all of that mess to deal with. I'll be glad to say, "Oh, here's my 2 f2.8 zooms, they fit on all of my working and travel cameras."

So, that's it, I'm selling all of my EF lenses, my EOS3 film camera, all of my EF-M lenses and cameras. I'm going to hang on to my R8 and the 3 RF lenses I have mostly so I can shoot with my vintage Canon FL lenses and I'll have a "loaner" camera... At least I'm keeping that stuff for now.

I'm also going to pick up a used OM-1 so I'll have 2 bodies. The mk2 is about $2400 new, but the mk1 goes for about half of that used.

My big question is which lenses do I pick?

Anyways, thanks for entertaining my ramble and for the advice. We'll see how it goes.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

07/18/2024 08:37:57 PM · #13

Originally posted by Spork99:

My big question is which lenses do I pick?

Very much an "it depends" question. My default lens now is the Olympus 12-100 Pro. It used to be the Tamron 14-150, but I like having a wider short end and was impressed with the 12-45 that came with my camera. I often carry the Laowa 7.5mm F2 since it is so small, just in case I want it.

Oh. One thing I just thought of: For a long time On my EM5 I had a problem with burst mode often being grayed out so I could not select it. What I eventually determined was if you select the keystone comp function, it is incompatible with burst mode because of the in camera processing time it takes. (I had it mapped to the button at the base of the lens, so it was often getting activated by accident) Even setting it to zero doesn't work. You HAVE to go into the menus and turn the function off.