I've been following several threads on this forum re: Olympus OM-D E-M5. I'm interested in selling my Canon 7D to move to the Olympus system.

My concern is: Is the Olympus capable to shoot a wedding professionally? I know for still portraits it seems more than capable, but how about focusing in low-light, flash use, etc.? Anyone have wedding samples with the camera?

There is a thread on this subject in our wedding forum: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1148415/0?keyword=om-d#10957012

Our member Ryan Chai (FM id: ryan21) does weddings exclusively with m4/3 gear for a few years already and is a happy user of the OM-D E-M5. His website shows that it is the photographers first who makes good photos, the camera and lenses are just tools: http://www.ryanchaiphotography.com/portfolio/

If your shooting style works for it, I'd say yes. I think most users have found the AF Tracking to not be sufficient for weddings/action. I dont think it would work for me for weddings.

Personally I'd wait until the PDaf on sensor versions are out. Or just have a d90 or t1i backup body with a nifty fifty for when you need cdaf.

Eh...there need to be significant improvements in continuous autofocus before I'd want to use the E-M5 for weddings. In single shot, it's fantastic, though for flash use, I'd rather use a GH3, as Panasonic's AF is faster in low light and far more precise (much smaller AF areas possible).

Image quality wise, I think you could easily create great images with it. There are fantastic fast zooms now, and really high quality primes with a sensor that has excellent dynamic range and fairly good high ISO capabilities. Pros shot tons of weddings with 1D Mark IIs, and the OM-D is better than or equal to that camera in essentially every image quality metric, and even in single shot autofocus performance (though the mark II crushes in in continuous AF).

I have no experience with Panasonic's AF other than the GF-1, so i have no comment there- but in every other way, i agree with Jman's statements.

Perhaps you'll get more useful responses in the wedding forum. I know of 2 or 3 that have mentioned they use it, I think TTR does, but not sure.

Customers are likely to be taken aback when they see how small your camera is. You can argue about how uninformed people are blah blah blah and only the results matter blah blah blah, but people expect professionals to use equipment that looks more substantial than what they are familiar with.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

EOSFUN, I took a look at the link you provided. That's helpful. At the end of the day, a camera is a tool for me. I currently shoot with a Canon 5D classic and the 7D. So I'd at least still have my full frame SLR if I swapped the 7D for the OMD. After a look at Ryan's work, I think I'm sold.

smcphotos wrote:

Anyone have wedding samples with the camera?




Samples aren't really going to tell you the whole story. What good is a great shot if there were 20 missed shots you didn't see, know what I mean ?

m4/3 can produce some nice images, but so could a camera phone, just the same as a Nikon D4 could end up ruining the shot/moment.

Really the question isn't so much if the EM-5 is capable of weddings, but rather if YOU, as the photographer are capable of weddings with it. A camera, any camera, needs to fit into your own shooting style and way of working.

It all comes down to the type of shoots you and your clients discuss/expect. If your working with a second shooter and what you dictate their roles to be, they type of venue and ceremony etc.

One of the forum members, cputeq, shot a wedding using an OM-D. The pictures actually look quite good though quite a few shots were missed due to the autofocus in the camera. He actually details the experience in using at a wedding in this thread.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1153149/0?keyword=wedding#11003485

Just think about this: 10 yrs or so ago, there were many wedding photographers shooting with Canon 10D, 20D - which is are less advance than the OM-D (or even behind the Nex-5). So, it's more talent skills than technology, which it could only help makes photographer's life more easier. As for me, after 3+ weeks with OM-D, I wouldn't miss my 5D or even 5D-III if I have one. Too much weight compare with what I can carry all day long and every where.

I haven't shot a wedding with mine, but I have shot a few concerts and brought it on vacation with me and I am more than happy with it.
Oh-also shot the Led Zeppelin movie premiere with it and a few corporate jobs with my lights and pocket wizards. No one ever really even noticed it was a "small" camera...but I supposed they would if you weren't 5'2 but as big as a football player

Good point! The OM-D with a good prime is as good as the 7D IMO.

Sam tran wrote:
Just think about this: 10 yrs or so ago, there were many wedding photographers shooting with Canon 10D, 20D - which is are less advance than the OM-D (or even behind the Nex-5). So, it's more talent skills than technology, which it could only help makes photographer's life more easier. As for me, after 3+ weeks with OM-D, I wouldn't miss my 5D or even 5D-III if I have one. Too much weight compare with what I can carry all day long and every where.

I gave it a try at my last wedding, shot primarily with the 45/1.8 on the OM-D. Kept a 35L on 5D3 for my wides. It worked out well, image quality while not as good as full frame, is closer to 7D level.

I am now just dreaming about a OM-D full frame! and it would be the very first camera that I willing to pre-order

I've use both my OM-D and GX-1 at a wedding.

I am completely happy with the file IQ.

I was not happy with the handling and responsiveness/AF. Rapid-response shooting is not something the OM-D is cut out to do (or any CDAF camera, really) - it's decent, but a good DSLR is just better.

I've said this on several occasions to various coworkers - I love my m43 setup, but for event shooting, I would rather use a good DSLR setup.

I shoot weddings professionally with DSLRs, and owned an OM-D for a few months. The AF capability, while good enough for most photography, is nowhere near "up to speed" for professional wedding work. Reception dancing, for example, where your subjects are moving quickly in low and constantly changing light, simply humbles that AF system instantly.

I have on the other hand shot some commercial (i.e. static) professional work with the OMD, but weddings are DSLR territory.

smcphotos wrote:
I've been following several threads on this forum re: Olympus OM-D E-M5. I'm interested in selling my Canon 7D to move to the Olympus system.

My concern is: Is the Olympus capable to shoot a wedding professionally?


No! Not unless you feel like rooking the customer or doing it for free slash near free.