GrandNagus50
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You are posting the the M43 forum, which will definitely have a pro-switching to M43 bias; just thought I'd point that out.
Negatives:
Olympus was sold to another company (JCP?) not long ago and its future is uncertain. Panasonic Lumix seems still committed to M43 (a brand new camera just came out) but they also are full speed ahead into full-frame gear.
The vaunted and much-desired Olympus 150-400mm lens is backordered into the next century, it seems. If you order one, be prepared to wait a LONG time for it, so you will need a shorter-term strategy for using your new camera for wildlife and such (100-400mm and or 300mm f4).
The Olympus OMD-EM1X is a capable camera with lots of cool features (including "bird tracking"), but it is surprisingly heavy and even with recent discounts, kind of expensive. I like the camera, but I think they should have designed a removable battery pack instead of building the two-battery design into the camera itself.
Other companies are moving full bore towards higher-quality sensors with lots of megapixels and room for cropping images while maintaining quality. Olympus' current sensor(s) are ok for now, but what about in a few years? There is discussion of Olympus coming out with a newer version of its flagship EM1X with a new Sony-designed sensor, but given the shakiness of the company in its new incarnation, who knows?
So part of the decision hinges on whether you have a big stake in "the long haul," as opposed to having a nice camera system to use in the next few years, maybe five years, after which it might be obsolete and not worth much in resale.
ADVANTAGES:
This gear is, overall, easier to tote internationally than larger-format gear, especially if you shoot long lenses for birds and such. Taking a big 500mm or 600mm on lots of international flights nowadays is getting iffy, given size/weight limits on carry-on baggage. Olympus gear is smaller and lighter overall, though detractors will point out that the OMD-EM1X plus say, the 300mm f4 Pro are heavier than some Canon or Nikon bird photography rigs (Nikon example: Z7 plus 500mm f5.6 PF).
Despite what detractors say, images from Olympus and Lumix cameras are really high quality, and though there is more image "noise" at really high ISO levels, the improvement in noise reduction software (e.g., from DXO and Topaz) has made this issue way less significant. I get really usable images from my M43 gear at ISO 4000 and above. Also, although the dynamic range is a bit less, I use both full frame and M43 gear and I don't find this to be a big deal, as long as I am shooting RAW images.
Olympus/Panasonic cameras have cool features like "pro capture," in-camera focus stacking, etc. My guess is that over the next few years these bells and whistles will become standard in digital cameras, but for now, M43 can do some things that larger format cameras cannot, as far as I know.
Personally, I use both Nikon and M43 gear, and am happy bridging both worlds. If I were just starting out in full frame gear I would for full frame mirrorless, reluctantly, go with either Canon or Sony, as their cameras currently are ahead of Nikon's, and Nikon has been darned slow to come out with its next mirrorless flagship, the Z9. But I am pretty invested in Nikon gear so I am not rushing out to sell everything and switch. But I digress.
Bottom line: if you want a good system that is compact and portable and will serve you well over the next several years, M43 is a great format. If you worry about "the longer run," who knows?
Doug Greenberg
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