A Lovely View

E-M1, m.Zuiko 12-50

So I'm still suffering from some system angst. Don't get me wrong, for the most part the m43 kit is working quite well for me.

The challenge is really how long will that remain the case.

Nikon's now announced their first APS-C mirrorless body, the Z50. It's solidly mid-range but does add a couple higher-end bits like dual control wheels and the kit zoom is impressively tiny. Not 14-42 EZ tiny, but respectably close.

The specs have also leaked on next weeks E-M5 III announcement, and they fail to impress. It really looks like Olympus stuffed the E-M1II's now 3 year old sensor and processor into an E-M10III body with weather sealing and a bit bigger EVF. The UI honestly looks like something of a downgrade over the mkII, the EVF is smaller, the battery is smaller and there's really no capability evolution based on what's known now. No Live ND or Handheld Highres. Unless there's a real surprise next week on items not in the spec list leak I just don't see what I'd get out of getting this body. And since this would be the body I'd otherwise be looking at as an eventual replacement for my current E-M1, that brings up the question of what do I replace the E-M1 with.

I spent some time in a camera store today looking over my options. Frankly, a DSLR is just out, I'm not interested in the large body and heavy weight. Sony has nothing I'd be happy with short of the very spendy A7RIV. I was quite pleasantly surprised by how nice the EOS RP handles, a pity that there's no small & compact lenses in the system at all. the EOS M stuff is a dead end, and I don't like the handling that much.  I already know I like the handling on the Fuji and Nikon mirrorless bodies but Fuji has a couple gaps in their lens line and Nikon basically doesn't have a lens line in APS-C. That will change, but not quick enough for this cycle.

I came home with the conclusion that regardless of how things are going with Oly's body development, there's nothing better out there for my needs. I could see a return in the future to Fuji or maybe Nikon, depending on how things evolve there. frankly if Fuji brings a WR UWA to match the 16-80, it would be pretty much all set for me.