Can I expect this level of IQ from a
OM-1 +
100-400?
- Example
- Example
- Example
- Example
The photos are from a
D500 +
Sigma 150-600 C (by a different user). I love the detail/sharpness/low-noise/vibrance.
I'm basically new here, and I've reached a point where I'm going in circles with research. I'm close to pulling the trigger on the MFT kit, however I don't have any reference when it comes to the real-world IQ tradeoffs be between it and an ASP-C / FF setup. I've read I can expect noisier photos from ~6k ISO, but I lack the experience to know if it bothers me.
Instead, it seems easiest to just use those photos as a reference for what speaks to me. I love the IQ, and they're similar to my style: portrait (close-up) shots of stationary birds.
I'm not as interested in BIF or birds-in-landscape. I'll mainly be shooting hand-held on day hikes. I'm drawn to the Olympus kit for portability followed by the modern tech. It would be the best of both worlds if it could produce those kinds of shots. However if that's questionable, I'd feel drawn to the
D500 setup and just toughing things with the added weight.
I've seen photos from the Olympus kit that I love. For example, here's
(screenshots) that originally drew me to the OM-1. I love the sharpness and vibrance. Worth noting is they're using the
40-150 instead of the
100-400 which was surprising given how tight they are. On the flipside, I've also seen some that were nowhere near as polished as the ones above, and the authors seemed to be proud of them
Budget is ~$2,500. I've found a used version of the
OM-1 +
100-400 kit for ~$2,600. Plenty of the
D500 kits to be found. A local shop has both available to rent for a week (sans the
100-400 - they only have the
40-150).