Micro FourThirds systems

25/02/11

I've become quite a fan of the new Micro FourThirds system, and cameras such as the Olympus PEN or the Panasonic Lumix GF1. It's amazing to think how technology has progressed in the last five years alone, and that you can now have top-notch image quality in a camera that weighs next to nothing and that you can squeeze into your pocket.

I've used two cameras that use the Micro FourThirds system: the Olympus PEN E-PL1 and the Panasonic Lumix GF1. I'm currently using the latter, and I have to say that these little cameras are quite astonishing. Both are 12MP cameras that can be bought body only or with a kit lens - usually a zoom lens. The Lumix GF1 comes in two kits: one with a 14-45mm zoom lens or a 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens, which in particular has received some very good reviews. I own the 14-45mm lens, the 20mm lens and the 45-200mm lens and I can confidently say that the image quality produced by this lot is nothing short of amazing, especially when shooting in RAW. Is it as good as a Canon 1Ds Mk II with a 24-70mm f/2.8 L? No, but we're getting there.

There are two main reasons why I bought one of these cameras: image quality and size. These days I normally shoot with Canon 1D series bodies and L glass, and despite the fact that gear like this can produce outstanding images (in the right hands) it is also big, heavy and never fails to attract attention, which, considering the times we live in, with its hysteria and paranoia, can be a right pain at times. I was intrigued by the fact that you can now – with good technique – get this sort of quality in a small, light and inconspicuous camera. That was exactly what I was looking for and so I went out and bought the Olympus PEN E-PL1 first. I loved it, it's a great camera. The images it produces are fantastic, and the camera is light, small and inconspicuous. The layout of the menu is straightforward and the camera feels pretty good in your hand – very intuitive. However, one thing I wasn't too happy with was the lens. Despite the fact it did exactly what it said on the tin, it felt very plasticy, cheap and flimsy – noticeably worse even than Canon's 'nifty fifty' 50mm f/1.8 – and when you normally shoot with Canon L glass it is something you won't be able to ignore. The Olympus zoom kit lens does have one good thing, though, and that is that it's collapsible, meaning the overall size of the camera/ lens combo can be reduced when not in use. This is something the lens on the Lumix GF1 doesn't do unfortunately, but instead it feels noticeably better built than the Olympus kit lens. When I bought the Lumix GF1 I straight away felt I had entered a completely different sphere altogether. The build of this camera is fantastic and especially the lens, despite also being plastic, feels much more solid and operates a lot smoother. All of the Panasonic lenses have a metal lens mount and come with a case and lens hood, except for the 20mm. The GF1 is also a very intuitive camera regarding the menu layout and the way it handles in general. To my eye there's not a lot of difference in image quality between the GF1 and the PEN – they're both pretty amazing – but I feel that the GF1 is a fraction better, especially so when shooting in RAW.

I've been using the GF1 for a while now, and I'm not ashamed to say that I have barely touched my Canon 1Ds Mk II since. That should tell you something. Yes, the GF1 is quite expensive (it's still around £400 - close to the price of an entry level DSLR), but for me worth every damned penny, as it's perfect for my way of shooting and my kind of photography. It's light, small, inconspicuous, very well built, extremely portable, yet you can be confident that the images produced are of outstanding quality ... and it looks pretty sexy as well! Are there any real negative points to it? There probably are, but I haven't found any yet – certainly none that I would consider worth mentioning. No camera is perfect, period. Some say the choice of lenses available for the Micro FourThirds system is still pretty poor, but the GF1 comes with a 14-45mm lens, you can buy another 45-200mm lens, a dedicated macro lens and UWA lens ... what more could you seriously want or need?! There are also adapters available for use with 3rd party or old manual lenses so, no, it's not really a negative as far as I'm concerned.

Is it gonna replace my Canon 1D series bodies and L glass? No. Professional Canon (or Nikon) gear is still way ahead of the Micro FourThirds system in terms of pretty much everything, but the way things are going, who knows what things are gonna be like in another 5 years time .....

(Copyright ©2011 Oliver Rauer)