Olympus for Wildlife Photography-Reasons to my switch

NOVEMBER 2016 – My switch to Olympus

I have come to a decision to change my photography kit. Because I expect that this decision might raise a few eyebrows I am going to write a few words to set things straight as I am used to people reacting to my choices of new photo gear rather emotively. When I sold all of my Nikon equipment 8 years ago and switched to Canon, I received countless emails asking me what happened or if I know anything about Nikon going bankrupt and similar. Now, I am switching from Canon to Olympus. Why? What prompted me to make the switch? Is it forever? Will I regret it?

I have been using Canon for a few years now, and I am still convinced that it is among the best in digital photography. Canon lenses that I carry in my camera bag are all sharp, resistant and really fast. Canon bodies can store an enormous amount of data and offer unprecedented ergonomics. Personally, I haven‘t yet to reach my limit in using Canon for creating engaging and creative photographs. In the past, I used to carry just three lenses. Currently, I have six of them. Personally, I blame my inner craving to shoot animals in more diverse ways using different angles that I have not tried before. By checking the EXIF data on my photographs taken over the past two years, I concluded that I am using more varied focal points than ever before. Naturally therefore, I am totally content with the number of my lenses and their capabilities. Unfortunately, the negative side of this configuration is its weight. Typically, not to limit my creative scope of photography, I am constantly carrying all of my gear on all my expeditions. 14kg may be bearable for a short while, but during the course of a long shooting day, I can feel quite tired from continuously taking my heavy bag off and putting back on again a few minutes later. As a result, weighed down by all this weight, my mind is not always concentrating on taking pictures. Plus, any movement through a rainforest is much more strenuous than in continental forests. Lastly, keeping the weight of my gear aside, a photographer needs to withstand a range of various external hardships such as incessant bugs, unbearably hot and humid weather and often very difficult terrain.

When I shoot, I often take a rather unorthodox approach not typically recommended in photography textbooks. Against all the recommendations, I take a majority of my shots hand holding my camera and not using a tripod. In the case of a tele-zoom on a body with a grip, I am permanently holding about 4 kg. Luckily, when using a macro lens, that drops down to 2 kg. Often, seeking the desired composition for my photographs puts me in rather scabrous positions. So understandably, during long and demanding expeditions I often feel drained just from carrying and holding my heavy gear. So, upon returning from my trips towards the end of 2016 (Amazonia, Borneo), I started to contemplate reducing my gear. However, selling off just a fraction of my gear would significantly reduce my conceptual options, that I am used to thanks to my current lens setup.

I believe that fate calls for its attention to itself. Coincidentally, when I contemplated changing my gear, Olympus came out with a new body E-M1 Mark II. Their line of Mikro 4/3 never appealed to me until then. Suddenly, I saw a new way how to maintain my varied spectrum of focal points and take some load off of my hands and back at the same time. Anyway, to cut a long story short, after long and thorough research and personal experience, I decided to focus on using Olympus technology. For now at least.

I have been applying myself to photography for some years now, and I am fully aware of all the ups and downs of switching to a new system. I am convinced, however, that I will find my own way for bringing new angles in taking bold pictures of animals. Conclusively, those who like my style, will not be disadvantaged in any way. I love exploring new avenues, and therefore I do not see this switch as some compromise but as a fantastic opportunity to make the most of the new possibilities offered by new (to me) generation of technology. True, it is possible that from time to time I may whine about the possibilities offered by my current setup. And it is even possible that I may come back to Canon in some distant time in future.

Why Olympus? Did you forget Sony, Fuji and others?

In all fairness, I didn’t switch to Olympus but to Olympus E-M1 Mark II. It’s this camera and this body only that I was so impressed by its possibilities and ergonomics that I’d even started to consider the switch. Having inspected the current selection of all the other bodies on the market, this was the only one that I felt interested in. In all honesty, should Olympus not come out with this model I’d continue carrying on my back what I currently have. By making the switch, I wasn’t aiming just to reduce the weight of my bag. I was above all, seeking to add real value, albeit in slightly different criteria. Knowing there is a long line of other alternatives, this specific Olympus gave me exactly what I was looking for.

My current photo bag contains: Olympus E-M1 Mark II, M.Zuiko 9mm/8 Fisheye, M.Zuiko 25mm/1.2 Pro, M.Zuiko 7-14/2.8 Pro, M.Zuiko 12-100/4 IS Pro, M.Zuiko 40-150/2.8 Pro, M.Zuiko 300/4 IS Pro and TC 1.4x.

Click right mouse button to better resolution of Macaw below

Hi-Res images

Before I go to image quality, I must stress that one of the arguments for this camera was the fact that it can shoot 50MP .jpg and 80MP RAW files in High Res Shot mode. Such an image is so detailed that it can even compare with a superb Canon EOS 5Ds(R). In the case of a 20MP Olympus, this presents certain limitations, though. To start off with, it is not possible to use F-stops above f/8. An image is created by a movement of a stabiliser while 8 individual images are stacked on each other. Understandably, the camera cannot be moved even a tiny bit, and the scene should be absolutely static. Despite it not being a 100% replacement I have tested this on several scenes and will certainly use it when appropriate. Also, when shooting objects in motion (i.e. leaves, running water etc.), one might encounter certain issues. Olympus made a huge improvement from the last version of this camera (same software as in E-M5 Mk II), and when shooting waterfalls, I found the outputs completely satisfactory and packed with tons of details.

Colour coded auxiliary indicators

I find it extremely interesting to personally customise what colour I want as AF selection indicator or even the grid itself. Available are not only some 5 given colours but a whole RGB palette. This camera definitely offers some options that are beyond my understanding.

Metering correction

This option is very intriguing. What it allows you to do is that when you have a feeling that the exposure is constantly under or over exposed, you can set your menu to automatically correct the exposure so that you don’t have to do it manually. I am aware that for example, Canon 1D has this option to a certain degree. Nonetheless, E-M1 Mark II allows you to set this with every metering mode.

Spot Metering

Personally, I rarely use spot metering. Mainly because no camera that I ever used had an option to set it at the offset from the selected AF target. Nevertheless, the E-M1 Mark II has exactly that. It measures spot exposure away from the AF centre point and always from the centre of the focus plane. Therefore, the camera offers 121 target points that you can set spot metering to. So simple. Yet, for Canon cameras, a prerogative exclusive to a 1D.

Other exposure settings

I will mention one more feature that I really like. I finally have a camera that can customise the self-timer operation. Personally, I find given settings of 2s (too short to stabilise any quivering) and 10s (too long) very limiting, though I’d say that to program this must be a fairly easy task. At the same time, I appreciate that I can set the shutter speed up to 60s. Usually, 30s is sufficient, but from time to time I wouldn’t mind having the option of e.g. 35s or longer (e.g. to capture more stars with a faster lens). In the same way I am impressed with ability to set the shutter speed over 1/8000s up to 1/32000s.

AF Microadjustment

Most cameras these days allow you to adjust AF accuracy. Olympus is no different, and as you may have guessed, it doesn’t end there. What Olympus added is that you can correct your AF targets either on the whole surface or independently in its 25 different areas with a single or group of 5×5 AF points. In each area, you can manually adjust the AF accuracy to a wide or telephoto end of the lens. Frankly, I cannot imagine changing these settings with every lens and test every area, but I love the idea that it is possible, especially if a certain area would permanently fail to meet my expectations.

Image Stabilisation

Not sure if I’ll ever understand this, but the camera boasts in-body integrated stabilisation system. Thus, every mounted lens is stabilised. Every one! Something I have never seen in a DSLR. Knowing my style of shooting, I can tell that I will be able to handheld my camera even at 4-5s on the wide-angle lens; 1/6s when using a 150mm lens (equivalent to a 300m lens with an FF) and 1/ 15s on a 300mm lens (equivalent to a 600mm with an FF). In addition the in-body image stabilisation co-work with already stabilized lenses 300mm/4 and 12-100/4. I can see it using when shooting stationary objects as well as in motion, landscape or even inside a cave where you can’t use a tripod. All in all, I can think of many new scenes that I used to ignore. I’ll have loads of fun with this, I bet.

Is it all?

Undoubtedly, this small camera is fully packed with so many functions that I could go on and on. There are certain things that as a DSLR user I’ve been utterly astounded by. To name a few, for example, a possibility to internally stack macros or an option to view online the progress of your long exposure shots ( e.g. star trails) and much much more.