It was however, only a month ago that I really have my very first hands-on experience on the Micro Four Thirds system with the purchase of my first mirrorless; The Olympus PEN EPL6.
M.Zuiko 45mm F1.8 Lens
( Out Of Cam Pic Taken with the M.Zuiko 14-42mm Kit Lens )
I first noticed the Olympus PEN a few years ago during the debut of the first PEN, the EP1. In fact, I think that Olympus has done a very good job with the PEN series, appealing to users who were upgrading from point and shoot and bridge cameras. With a very retro look, similar in many aspects to the original PEN from the 1950s, its a constant reminder that Olympus has been in the camera business for a long long time.
While my initial plans was to go Full Frame for my next camera purchase; By upgrading from my current EOS 60D to either the full framed 6D or even the 5DMk3. It was however after reading about the well-received Olympus OMD EM5 last year and hearing about how good it is, I began to research into Micro Four Thirds seriously.
There are countless of Micro Four Thirds resources available both online and offline for anyone wanting to learn more about the format but the official Four Thirds website ( www.four-thirds.org ) is a very comprehensive site for beginners and I have gotten much of my needed information there.
Just a couple of months back I gotten a little bit more excited with the upcoming launch of the OMD EM1 and finally I decided to go for the Micro Four Thirds system.
I love photography and would love to snap pictures of anything wherever I can and like what they say, " The best camera is the one that is always with you ". After entering the world of Micro Four Thirds, I am further convinced about my right decision to shed weight and go small. Sure, its nice to have a Full Frame. And it feels great shooting with one but after weighing all the 25 advantages and 1 disadvantage of Full Frame vs APS-C, I decided to give Full Frame a miss. This one and only disadvantage being.... my bank account balance.
As you see, I am only a recreational photographer with a day time job with tonnes of bills to pay, I shoot merely as a hobby and I do not see the need to upgrade and go Full Frame. Neither do I require the size of the mighty Canon EOS1DX or the muscular Nikon D4 to impress any customers.
The pictures that I shot are for me and my family's pure viewing pleasure and I do not make any money out of photography. The only exception being selling away a small tripod for $40 which I got it for free during my purchase of my EOS60D. And that was like years ago and now we have the improved EOS70D coming along to replace the aging EOS60D.
With the small, compact and light weight MFT gear, I have the flexibility to bring it anywhere and everywhere I go and not missing a shot while retaining the picture quality.
The worst thing that can happen to any photographer is finding something great to shoot and only to learn that the camera is not with him. A smaller compact camera would be an ideal daily supplement. Sure, most mobile phones with the built-in camera may suffice for some people, but it gets very frustrating to find a poorly taken out of focus, blur or under/over exposed shot from the mobile phone camera which no amount of photoshop can salvage the image.
The day when photographers would ditch their DSLRs for mobile phone cameras would be the day when mobile phone makers come up with Full Frame sensors in the phone with detachable lens and the ability to shoot in RAW. Nothing is impossible given the rate of technological advancement in digital photography, considering that we already have Full Frame compact DSC-RX1 from Sony. However until such a day comes, the mobile phone camera may be the last resort for the serious photographer. Most probably this day will never come; Image the look on the customers' face when their wedding photographer turns up with a mobile phone...
The day when photographers would ditch their DSLRs for mobile phone cameras would be the day when mobile phone makers come up with Full Frame sensors in the phone with detachable lens and the ability to shoot in RAW. Nothing is impossible given the rate of technological advancement in digital photography, considering that we already have Full Frame compact DSC-RX1 from Sony. However until such a day comes, the mobile phone camera may be the last resort for the serious photographer. Most probably this day will never come; Image the look on the customers' face when their wedding photographer turns up with a mobile phone...
Anyway, talking about a serious photographer and his gear, well to me, I believe that how well a picture is taken is very much dependent on a photographer's skills and to a secondary extent, his photographic gear. Going Full Frame from APS-C is not going to guarantee any better pictures, just like buying expensive kitchenware is no guarantee for delicious food. Time and effort must be spent to improve one's photographic and culinary skills. Personally, I am still very much learning about the finer points in photography and with my new Micro Four Thirds tool, I can learn and have fun all the time. In fact, this will be a very good complement to my existing APS-C!
Out Of Cam Pic Taken with the M.Zuiko 45mm F1.8
After experiencing with the Micro Four Thirds format for almost a month, I am quite impressed by the smaller format and the image quality it offers. In fact, as I began to study this format extensively, I noticed that many APS-C or even Full Frame users are also switching to this format as well. There are also just as much comparisons on APS-C vs MFT out there as you would find on the Canon-vs-Nikon debate. In fact, if we were to sit down for such a debate, it might be even longer than the OJ Simpson trial ( longest trial in US history ).
Honestly, there are pros and cons for each format and and whichever format is better really depends on one's intended use of the system. It all boils down to the individual's goal, shooting style and preference.
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