In fact "why I upgraded ONE of my three OM-1 cameras to the mk2.
Anyone who shoots, or is considering shooting, an OM Systems OM-1 for bird photography knows, or ought to know, that there are tradeoffs between the m43 format and a full frame format, a Nikon Z-8/600pf for example.
If the goal is ultra-low weight, ruggedness, compactness and low acquisition cost, then the OM-1 and a 100-400 zoom is an obvious choice. If one makes that choice, then most probably one is giving up some image quality to the Z-8/600pf competitor. Well, what can one do about that? For example, for perched birds can OM Systems highly developed High-Res computational mode produce equivalent detail. Even hand-held, you do wind up with a 50mp raw file, but I have my doubts that it is equivalent to what a Z-8/600pf can produce. Birds-in-flight, however, may favor the OM-1/zoom as the evolved ProCapture (pre-capture) and the flexibility of a zoom may produce better action images if not higher IQ images.
Interestingly, the equation changes when the OM System shooter chooses one of the two pro lenses applicable to bird photography. In this case the new Mark 2 may change the equation somewhat. First, in both the case of a 300f4 and the case of a 150-400 the native IQ is likely to be equivalent sans the subject isolation advantage of the full frame sensor. The Mark 2 extends these capabilities.
1-The mark 2 has better image stabilization than the mark 1 and a pro lens works in conjunction with the camera's image stabilization to produce incredible image stabilization. For perched birds that makes using High-Res mode more effective. More importantly the image stabilization allows the OM shooter to dramatically slow the shutter speed to reduce ISO and increase dynamic range. True, even perched birds move but professionals are having good success firing off sequences @ 50 f/s expecting to get some images where the bird is not moving. So, with a mark 2 and a pro lens can I use these two techniques to get perched bird images the equivalent of the Z-8/600pf? I think I'd like to find out.
2-The mark 2's buffer is something like 250 shots so @ 50 f/s I still have 5 seconds worth of shooting. So when I am tracking a BIF in flight why am I not always in ProCapture mode. After all something unexpected may very well happen and if I routinely store 1/3 second (17 frames) in pre-capture I won't miss it. I think, going to Laguna Seca Ranch, I want a shot of a male Painted Bunting in flight flying towards me. So, my plan is the track every male Painted Bunting I see in ProCapture @ 50 f/s and then spend 2 months sifting through a zillion images for that one great shot.
Anyhow, that's why I upgraded one OM-1, the one that has a 300f4 attached.
Anyone who shoots, or is considering shooting, an OM Systems OM-1 for bird photography knows, or ought to know, that there are tradeoffs between the m43 format and a full frame format, a Nikon Z-8/600pf for example.
If the goal is ultra-low weight, ruggedness, compactness and low acquisition cost, then the OM-1 and a 100-400 zoom is an obvious choice. If one makes that choice, then most probably one is giving up some image quality to the Z-8/600pf competitor. Well, what can one do about that? For example, for perched birds can OM Systems highly developed High-Res computational mode produce equivalent detail. Even hand-held, you do wind up with a 50mp raw file, but I have my doubts that it is equivalent to what a Z-8/600pf can produce. Birds-in-flight, however, may favor the OM-1/zoom as the evolved ProCapture (pre-capture) and the flexibility of a zoom may produce better action images if not higher IQ images.
Interestingly, the equation changes when the OM System shooter chooses one of the two pro lenses applicable to bird photography. In this case the new Mark 2 may change the equation somewhat. First, in both the case of a 300f4 and the case of a 150-400 the native IQ is likely to be equivalent sans the subject isolation advantage of the full frame sensor. The Mark 2 extends these capabilities.
1-The mark 2 has better image stabilization than the mark 1 and a pro lens works in conjunction with the camera's image stabilization to produce incredible image stabilization. For perched birds that makes using High-Res mode more effective. More importantly the image stabilization allows the OM shooter to dramatically slow the shutter speed to reduce ISO and increase dynamic range. True, even perched birds move but professionals are having good success firing off sequences @ 50 f/s expecting to get some images where the bird is not moving. So, with a mark 2 and a pro lens can I use these two techniques to get perched bird images the equivalent of the Z-8/600pf? I think I'd like to find out.
2-The mark 2's buffer is something like 250 shots so @ 50 f/s I still have 5 seconds worth of shooting. So when I am tracking a BIF in flight why am I not always in ProCapture mode. After all something unexpected may very well happen and if I routinely store 1/3 second (17 frames) in pre-capture I won't miss it. I think, going to Laguna Seca Ranch, I want a shot of a male Painted Bunting in flight flying towards me. So, my plan is the track every male Painted Bunting I see in ProCapture @ 50 f/s and then spend 2 months sifting through a zillion images for that one great shot.
Anyhow, that's why I upgraded one OM-1, the one that has a 300f4 attached.
