Alternative to Olympus OMD EM10 MkIV

[JoeW]

I'm teaching a photo class for beginners. One of my participants has an Olympus OMD EM MkIV and she hates it. She finds the menu system to not be very intuitive. The manual isn't much help either. She asked me for possible alternatives to replace this--so that's what I'm asking for help on.

1. I know, everyone's first question is going to be "what's her budget?" I don't honestly know what her upper limit is. I do know she's not interested in and doesn't need something like the Nikon Z9 so please, no professional package recommendations. I think she's probably comfortable paying up to $2,000 but would prefer less. And frankly, her needs are very focused (no pun intended). She shoots interiors and exteriors of properties (she's a high-end real estate agent, usually pays for staging, usually pays for a photographer but occasionally will need to shoot on her own because she needs photos that day or to show an element of the property the photographer didn't capture that a client has a question about). And she gets a lot of deer in her backyard and wants to be able to shoot them from inside her house. And those are the two things she has immediate interests in shooting. I know, they call for two different lens and different needs.

2. She currently has an Olympus OMD EM MkIV and hates it. She likes the size and weight. She has 3 lens (including a nice long-distance zoom and a great interiors wide angle) that she likes and finds useful. But it's the camera body/make she hates.

3. So there are a couple of questions/thoughts I'd be interested in getting comments and recommendations on:
--Any other camera options (besides Olympus) she can use those lens on? I assume not since it's a 4/3rds sensor and only Panasonic is really in that market. But I'd like to see if she has any other options she that allow her to avoid replacing the lens she likes if she switches bodies.
--She sees the value in moving to a full-frame sensor, though that's not a "must-have" I think.
--She'd like something that provides better support/instruction options, probably less dependent on menus. For instance, we've got people in the class with Nikon and Canon DSLRs and she envies how quickly and easily they can do things like: set ISO, change WB, or a range of other very basic functions for anyone who wants to do more than just set it on "P" and take snapshots.
--She doesn't need a touch screen, is fine using a view-finder, doesn't need an articulated screen.
--She likes having a smaller/lighter camera because she'll throw it in her purse when she's visiting a property.

Okay, given that background, what recommendations do you suggest she look at or consider?

 

[RAZKY]

I'm teaching a photo class for beginners. One of my participants has an Olympus OMD EM MkIV and she hates it. She finds the menu system to not be very intuitive. The manual isn't much help either. She asked me for possible alternatives to replace this--so that's what I'm asking for help on.

1. I know, everyone's first question is going to be "what's her budget?" I don't honestly know what her upper limit is. I do know she's not interested in and doesn't need something like the Nikon Z9 so please, no professional package recommendations. I think she's probably comfortable paying up to $2,000 but would prefer less. And frankly, her needs are very focused (no pun intended). She shoots interiors and exteriors of properties (she's a high-end real estate agent, usually pays for staging, usually pays for a photographer but occasionally will need to shoot on her own because she needs photos that day or to show an element of the property the photographer didn't capture that a client has a question about). And she gets a lot of deer in her backyard and wants to be able to shoot them from inside her house. And those are the two things she has immediate interests in shooting. I know, they call for two different lens and different needs.

2. She currently has an Olympus OMD EM MkIV and hates it. She likes the size and weight. She has 3 lens (including a nice long-distance zoom and a great interiors wide angle) that she likes and finds useful. But it's the camera body/make she hates.

3. So there are a couple of questions/thoughts I'd be interested in getting comments and recommendations on:
--Any other camera options (besides Olympus) she can use those lens on? I assume not since it's a 4/3rds sensor and only Panasonic is really in that market. But I'd like to see if she has any other options she that allow her to avoid replacing the lens she likes if she switches bodies.
--She sees the value in moving to a full-frame sensor, though that's not a "must-have" I think.
--She'd like something that provides better support/instruction options, probably less dependent on menus. For instance, we've got people in the class with Nikon and Canon DSLRs and she envies how quickly and easily they can do things like: set ISO, change WB, or a range of other very basic functions for anyone who wants to do more than just set it on "P" and take snapshots.
--She doesn't need a touch screen, is fine using a view-finder, doesn't need an articulated screen.
--She likes having a smaller/lighter camera because she'll throw it in her purse when she's visiting a property.

Okay, given that background, what recommendations do you suggest she look at or consider?

I recommend the lady find an instructor who knows enough about photography to explain her camera's manual.

 

[JoeW]

I recommend the lady find an instructor who knows enough about photography to explain her camera's manual.

Just a tad snarky aren't you Razky? I am working with her. And that is the default--explain the manual. But that doesn't change the fact that she finds the Olympus menu system to not be intuitive. And the question was about if she's got a reasonable alternative.

 

[webestang64]

I suggest contacting B&H photo to see what adapters are available to use OMD lenses to Canon/Nikon.

 

[ac12]

Unfortunately using the advanced features of cameras is not always easy to learn.
That is why there are many books specifically on different cameras. Where the author explains how to use the camera, better than the manual. I recommend she start with one of those books.

Another is Rob Trek's Youtube series. Although he does not have a series specifically on the EM10-mk4, he does have one on the mk2, which is pretty similar.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyBjgg0NvOrO9YKofpu2vA-E7BOBQpdNc

As for micro 4/3 camera, I'm afraid she is stuck.
For micro 4/3, it is only Olympus or Panasonic.

However, she could go to a different m4/3 camera, either Olympus or Panasonic.
I happen to prefer the EM1 over the EM10, because the EM1 has two buttons on the left deck that I use ALL THE TIME. To do those functions on the EM10, I either have to use the Super Control Panel (SCP) or the menu. I think the EM5 has similar buttons on the left deck.

If she does not know how to use the SCP, she may need to be taught on how to use the SCP, because it is pretty useful.



One issue that I think she is seeing is, the dSLR has dedicated button for white balance, ISO, and other functions.
But the EM10 is smaller than a dSLR, so does not have the space for those dedicated buttons. So the EM10 has to do that in a different way, the SCP or menu.
There is no free lunch.

Full frame has benefits, but also a cost. The full frame camera is BIGGER and HEAVIER.
Don't fall into the mirrorless marketing trap that mirrorless is smaller than dSLR. While the mirrorless FF cameras are smaller than the dSLR, the lenses are the SAME SIZE (as the dSLR lenses). So she isn't going to be able to put a FF camera into her purse. Unless she is carrying a mother's baby purse. IOW a BIG purse, or a back pack.


She can customize some of the buttons for functions she uses often.
Example, I have changed the button with the red dot to let me change the ISO.
I press and hold the red dot button, then turn the rear dial to whatever ISO I want. Easy. Just like having a dedicated ISO button on the dSLR.
You have to read how to reprogram the controls in the manual or the books.


Having used Canon, Nikon and Olympus, each camera and menu system is different, and the menu could be/is different for different camera models as well. So if she liked Canon model A, she could hate Canon model B.
The further upscale she goes, the more options there are in the menu, and the more complicated it is.
If she thinks the Olympus menu is bad, I have had Sony users tell me that the Sony UI "stinks."

As bad as the menu is, you get used to it.
You learn that this function A is "here" and function B is called "x."
That is what I have had to deal with on the Nikon, Canon and Olympus that I've used.
If it is not clear, make a "cheat sheet" of where to find function Y.

As for other brand/camera, it depends.
I've used the Canon T7i and there are some things that constantly confuse me on how to set. Enough that I've made a Powerpoint lesson, just for me. Or I send the student to ask another student who knows Canons.

There is no perfect camera, each brand/camera has it's own pros and cons.

 

[ac12]

I suggest contacting B&H photo to see what adapters are available to use OMD lenses to Canon/Nikon.

You are not going to want to do that.
The m4/3 image circle is much smaller than a FF sensor.

 

[LWW]

Was that really needed RAZKY?

 

[weepete]

That's a difficult one. The mirrorless market is still pretty open and I don't think there's any clear frontrunners just yet in the entry or enthusiast space. Indeed, I think a lot of companies are deliberatley nerfing mirrorless models in order to maintain product segmentation with exising products.

If you've a few students in your class with different systems, she could ask to have a shot and see if there's something that sticks out. Or if she likes Canon or Nikon, go with one of those brands.