Camera Shopping Help

* Prices here are in USD and from the manufacturer sites. I am planning to go look for actual prices in stores the first weekend in September. I will update the prices to Won then.
* There are other brands out there, but I did not intend this to be an exhaustive list. I would like to get more up to speed on this format and will eventually do a post including other brands.
* If you just want my final recommendation, go straight to the end of this post.

 

With a member of Mannam Photoclub and two people I know saying they want to buy cameras but don’t know what to buy, I thought I would look at what is available out there at the moment.

As it happens I was listening to a podcast about a week ago where a professional photographer said that with the quality of Micro Four Thirds where it is at the moment, he would buy one as a main camera. Only think holding him back was that other photographers would laugh at him for not having a “proper camera”. This makes me rather confident when I advise new buyers to consider these smaller lighter cameras.

As is stand now it seems that Olympus and Panasonic, the creators of this format of camera, are still leading the way. Think of them as the Canon and Nikon of the DSLR world, except that here Olympus seems to be just that tiny bit better.

So, where to start? Because this is still a rather new format, the improvements between models can be quite big, meaning you should consider buying the newest models, rather than priced down or second hand older models. When it comes to lenses it would seem like buying the lenses made by the manufacturers of the camera bodies would be the best way to go.

The first one I will mention here comes from Olympus. This one headlines their brand with the gorgeously retro looking OM-D E-M5. It was designed to be a full replacement for a DSLR and at that price it had better be. It will set you back about $1000 and give you a 16.1 mega pixel sensor with a whopping ISO 200-25600. My brand new DLSR only goes to 12800, so I don’t see how you will get quality images on a smaller sensor at an ISO higher than that. Another sometimes useful feature is the tilting screen. Unfortunately it does not swivel like the Panasonic I will talk about later, but you will still be able to get interesting angles.

The Olympus E-P3 will cost a little less, but bit it seems to be a smaller version of the OM-D E-M5. For $900, depending on the lens you choose, you will be provided with a 12,3 megapixel sensor and an ISO range of 200-12800. For a sensor of this size it seems like a much more reasonable range. In terms of looks it is still rather retro looking, but much more minimalistic and less “pro” looking.

Olympus’s E-PM1 was designed to be the Mini version of the E-P3. It looks very similar with just a few line changes and offers most of the same features, but in a much lighter cheaper package ($400). Unfortunately most of the great Retro look is lost in this model and it is said to have a rather plastic feel to it. If you don’t have the extra money to spend, then don’t shy away from buying cheaper camera like this. In the end the lenses and photographer make great photo. The camera body just helps. Use the money you save to get that special lens you would rather be using.

Panasonic leads their brand with the Lumix G5, which looks like a mini version of a larger DSR. It is rather cute and tidy in my opinion. It comes in at either $700 or $900, depending on the kit lens you choose. Feature wise it compares well with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 with a 16 mega pixel sensor with an ISO of 160 – 12800. Its screen has full swivel to get you in to really strange shooting angles. A big selling point for this one is that it is quite a bit cheaper than the high end Olympus.

The last camera I will talk about is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. It is far cheaper of the two Panasonics and also a bit smaller. For your $450 you will get a 12.1 mega pixel sensor with ISO 160-12800. Unlike the Olympus option at this price, this camera looks more like something a pro will keep handy. No girly lines here.

None of these cameras are bad, some are just a bit better. If you have the money to spend, get one of the big buys, and if you and something smaller, get the medium priced Olympus. If you are looking at Micro Four Thirds because you have a budget, then get one of the smaller cameras. I’d suggest Panasonic as it is supposed to be more user friendly at the moment. If you want full reviews, try reading more at sites like dpreview.com or photographyblog.com

Lastly I should mention lenses. Kit lenses are usually not that bad, but if you are like me they are not what you are looking for so, you might want to consider getting extra lenses. If you are looking to keep it as small as possible Pancake Lens will be what you are after. They will most likely be wide angle lenses at around 14mm focal length. If you want something more serious that will give you great artistic options, go for a 25mm(50mm equivalent) prime lens. If you need a good all round lens then get the kit lens, usually 12-44mm or a 12-35mm lens. The 12-35mm is equivalent to a full camera’s 24-70mm, a lens many pros like to walk around with.

Lenses are one of those things I can’t really give you specifics for. You should get the best you can afford, without going overboard, and be sure you will use what you buy. I have met many people, who, like me, spend 95% of their shooting time with a 30mm (50mm equivalent) lens. There is no zoom, you get great quality and the focal length is about the same as what the human eye sees.

*****

With all of this I will give my personal recommendation. If I was to buy a camera now I would get a Panasonic DMC-GF5. It is small, stylish, and cheap. It is also said to be great for both beginners and advanced users.

Because I love the natural view of a 50mm equivalent lens, and because I love the artistic capabilities that a fast, big aperture gives me, I will go straight for the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH ($600, Ouch! But oh-so-sweet photography.). If you want to keep your camera in your handbag and want a very small lens that is very close to this, go for the LUMIX G 20mm / F1.7 ASPH instead.

Lastly you will need an all-round lens for when you travel, a lens that will let you zoom out from a wide angle to a nice close view. For this you could take LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm / F2.8 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S ($1000. Yikes! Stay with the kit lens, children)

(Last update 28.8.2012)