Nikon Newbie looking for advice - OM-1 + 150-400 Pro zoom - system swap to Z9 or A1

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abc123brian said:
Considering some of the options here have quite poor apertures for shooting wildlife and others are quite expensive, have you considered adding a Z8 + 400mm F/4.5 S + 2x TC to the list? It seems most are of the opinion that using the lens with the 1.4x TC and cropping provides similar results as the 2x, but it seems like a reasonable way to get to 800mm in Nikon the lightest possible way. I think it might even be reasonable to consider Canon‘s 800mm F/11 with the R5 for a cheap alternative over the 100-500mm with 2x TC.
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Ok, I added the Z8/400 f4.5/2x combo to the list. I didn’t add the 800mm f11 Canon because I ran out of time. Maybe later.

Instead of reposting the whole list, I edited the last version, above. Will you recheck my figures? I just used prices and weights from BH. Seems like that is a pretty awesome combo! The bigger downsides are 800mm max, and f9.
 
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Palmor said:
I did some back-to-back but only at ~ISO3200 here: https://bcgforums.com/index.php?thr...-birds-and-wildlife.13925/page-13#post-229339

Edit: for some reason the link brings you up a few posts from mine.. if it does just look for the snowy owl photos on that page.

Generaly you are going to have ~2 stop worse ISO performance between the two, so if you shoot FF now shoot 2 stops higher ISO and that will give you a sense for what you’ll get.
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Just to clarify for myself, are you saying that at the same ISO, a MFT sensor will give the appearance of ISO that is 2 stops worse than the equivalent ISO on a FF sensor?
 
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carbon said:
Ok, I added the Z8/400 f4.5/2x combo to the list. I didn’t add the 800mm f11 Canon because I ran out of time. Maybe later.

Instead of reposting the whole list, I edited the last version, above. Will you recheck my figures? I just used prices and weights from BH. Seems like that is a pretty awesome combo! The bigger downsides are 800mm max, and f9.
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Looks good. That list should help people compare available options.
 
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Hi. I'm new here. I have the OM-1 + 300f4 lens and it does pretty good for my uses. It definitely struggles when shooting in low light and lacks the DOF I like with Nikon gear I've had in the past. Good threat discussing options; I have my eye on the Z8 not because it can do a lot more than my OM-1 can for wildlife, except the low light and dof, but to consolidate my kit with my other Z camera/gear. Of course, it has bonuses like being able to get 45mp images of moving objects, whereas the OM1 hi res shots are only for static subjects, but I'm mostly interested in the BIF capability compared to the OM1. I'd probably get the 500 f5.6 or 400 f4.5 w/tc.
 
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With modern sensors and current noise reduction offerings most shots can be taken at ISO 3200 wth the old Olympus E-M1 cameras and used to produce large prints. I have fewer than a handful of prints made from images shot at very high ISO setting with FX cameras.

There is also the aspect of cost and convenience. A full frame 600mm f/4 lens costs around $15,000 and weighs over 7 lbs (my last two weighed 11 lbs and 8.4 lbs). An Olympus 300mm f/4 provides the same angle of view and costs $2,800 and weighs 3.25 lb, so half the weight and one quarter the cost. For overseas travel or just mobility in the field the MFT kit weighs a lot less and all the lenses can be used without need for a tripod.

I was amazed when I photographed a macro subject with the 300mm f/4 lens at a distance of two meters and shooting hand held with a shutter speed of 1/10s and got a series of perfectly sharp images. The Olympus are the only cameras at this time where the image stabilization of the camera and the lens are combined in a significant manner. It is much better than I get with the Z9 and my S lenses.
 
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I guess I see the z8 as being able to match the OM1 in wildlife af and tele lenses but also double as a high mp portrait/landscape camera (plus it works with my existing z lenses). As for fl in dx crop, f stop, dof, and ISO, it seems the z8 would come out ahead, but not by much.

I agree the IBIS on the oly is fantastic.
 
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As an example of using both systems... my wife and I are heading to Costa Rica and taking a small puddle jumper to our final stop (a remote-ish part of the Osa Peninsula). What to take? Space and weight requirements extremely limited. Subjects from frogs to birds, plus landscapes.

I'm taking the OM-1, 12-100 f/4, 300 f/4, TC1.4, and 60 f2.8 macro. Olympus TG-6 as backup/waterproof.

It really isn't a hard choice. My Nikon gear would be a Z9 (don't have a Z8), 14-30 f/4, 24-120 f/4, 100-400 f/4.5-5.6, TC1.4. Didn't even consider adding the 500PF. Just about twice as heavy and twice as bulky. The difference is really apparent when you load a pack.

Would you choose differently? If we had a little more latitude packing I would probably choose the Nikons, but under the circumstances...
 
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Calson said:
The Olympus are the only cameras at this time where the image stabilization of the camera and the lens are combined in a significant manner. It is much better than I get with the Z9 and my S lenses.
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Except most reviewers have Panasonic's m43 Sync-IS/Dual-ID implementation as being on par or slightly better and you have more options for it with Panasonic cameras and lenses as they started out with OIS and later added IBIS (Olympus went the other way). ;)
 
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