Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Micro Four Thirds Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
  

Archive 2022 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm

  
 
akepp
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


Hello there.
Now I am using EM1iii with Pana 100-400mm and Sony A7iv with 200-600mm. I am wondering if I will have to keep only one system, would the new OM-1 with pana 100-400mm lens be as good, or better than, A7iv with 200-600mm for bird photography? 150-400mm would be out of my reach. I seem to grab EM1iii more than A7iv due to its portability and weight these day but have to admit the image quality of A7iv with 200-600mm even with 1.4x converter. For my type of photography, most of the time I feel the need of longer than 800mm. Ideally would be A7r5 with about 80MP do we can get about 2X crop factor.
Also would I gain anything major, besides be able to add 1.4x converter, if I switch from pana 100-400 to olympus 100-400?

thank you so much,

Passakorn



May 04, 2022 at 10:19 AM
gunmetal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


akepp wrote:
Hello there.
Now I am using EM1iii with Pana 100-400mm and Sony A7iv with 200-600mm. I am wondering if I will have to keep only one system, would the new OM-1 with pana 100-400mm lens be as good, or better than, A7iv with 200-600mm for bird photography? 150-400mm would be out of my reach. I seem to grab EM1iii more than A7iv due to its portability and weight these day but have to admit the image quality of A7iv with 200-600mm even with 1.4x converter. For my type of photography, most of the time I feel the need of longer than
...Show more

It will be better than the A7iv in some areas and worse in others.

Wins
- Cheaper
- Faster bursts: 50 and 120 frames vs 10 (and the 10 on sony takes you down to a compressed file compromising dynamic range)
- Silent Shutter that is usable. It's possible the A7iv e shutter is usable so this would be a wash. A7riv was horrific.
- Pro capture
- Lighter weight glass
- Better EVF
- Better weather sealing
- Slightly lighter body

Losses
- Image quality
- Supports CFExpress which means quicker read/write teams and I would think better buffer potential
- More Mega pixels to play with for cropping

I'm sure I'm missing some where the Sony wins. But I think if the image quality of the M43 system is acceptable to you, it's kind of a no brainer. Especially if you think weight and portability will play a role. I owned the 200-600 and as lovely as it was, it's massive.





May 04, 2022 at 02:49 PM
molson
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


gunmetal wrote:
It will be better than the A7iv in some areas and worse in others.

Wins
- Cheaper
- Faster bursts: 50 and 120 frames vs 10 (and the 10 on sony takes you down to a compressed file compromising dynamic range)
- Silent Shutter that is usable. It's possible the A7iv e shutter is usable so this would be a wash. A7riv was horrific.
- Pro capture
- Lighter weight glass
- Better EVF
- Better weather sealing
- Slightly lighter body

Losses
- Image quality
- Supports CFExpress which means quicker read/write teams and I would think better buffer potential
- More Mega pixels to play with for cropping

I'm sure
...Show more

The compressed RAW mode on the Sony cameras is still better than the 12-bit RAW files from the Olympus cameras in terms of noise performance and dynamic range, and when you're using the Sony in modes that don't compress the files, the quality is a lot better.

Since the Panasonic lens doesn't provide Sync IS with the Olympus bodies, you may find that the Sony combo gives you slightly better image stabilization (at least that's what I noticed with the A1; I have no experience with the A7 IV).

The 50 fps and 120 fps burst rates being an advantage might be debatable, depending on how and what you shoot; I find dealing with hundreds of nearly identical images difficult enough, just from shooting at 20 fps - and I never resort to 30 fps on my A1.



May 05, 2022 at 10:28 AM
dulebohn
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


I'n not a pixel peeper, to me both setups take fabulous photos. I switched from Sony to Olympus (In my case, I have the OM1 and 300/4) for two reason - size and weight. The difference is huge and, for us 70+ers, makes a major difference on long hikes here in Florida.


May 06, 2022 at 09:26 AM
Robin Smith
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


I think the term "good" is too broad. Both are good. The Achilles heel for most of us with the Sony is the huge 200-600mm. If you are happy with the size of that then why not use that. But I would certainly prefer the size and the additional reach of the Olympus-Pany setup. Of course you can crop with the Sony, but then you are losing out on the resolution which takes you back to where you are with the m43. The OM1 has a faster frame rate and ProCapture that might be good for your intended purpose. I think the OM1 may provide a better EVF feedback that the A7IV when shooting at high fps, but don't know as I have yet to get mine. Certainly the OM1 has much higher fps than the Sony. When you say "most of the time I feel the need of longer than 800mm" indicates to me that you are just not getting close enough and whether you have the 200-600mm or the new 150-400mm Oly that will probably not be the deciding factor.


May 06, 2022 at 10:10 AM
gunmetal
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


molson wrote:
The compressed RAW mode on the Sony cameras is still better than the 12-bit RAW files from the Olympus cameras in terms of noise performance and dynamic range, and when you're using the Sony in modes that don't compress the files, the quality is a lot better.

Since the Panasonic lens doesn't provide Sync IS with the Olympus bodies, you may find that the Sony combo gives you slightly better image stabilization (at least that's what I noticed with the A1; I have no experience with the A7 IV).

The 50 fps and 120 fps burst rates being an advantage might be
...Show more

Yes. But I didn't say that because the Sony file gets compressed when shooting at 10fps that it became worse quality than the OM-1. I just said that it gets a reduction in quality from its files not shot in High+. And I also said IQ in general is where Sony shines. And I should have included that the Sony AF performance is still class leading despite the sizeable improvements made by OM-1.

I don't have direct comparison experience with IS. I used the E-M1ii with the Panny 100400 and the stabilization worked great. I used the A9 and the 200600 and the stabilization worked great.

Higher bursts is never a disadvantage if the user is able to disable it. 50 FPS (and even 120) is extremely helpful in being able to get the exact moment you are looking for. But yes, combing through a ton of files is time consuming. If you were shooting an Osprey diving into the water going after a meal, you wouldn't want 30 FPS?



May 06, 2022 at 10:35 AM
faunagraphy
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


gunmetal wrote:
It will be better than the A7iv in some areas and worse in others.

Wins
- Cheaper
- Faster bursts: 50 and 120 frames vs 10 (and the 10 on sony takes you down to a compressed file compromising dynamic range)
- Silent Shutter that is usable. It's possible the A7iv e shutter is usable so this would be a wash. A7riv was horrific.
- Pro capture
- Lighter weight glass
- Better EVF
- Better weather sealing
- Slightly lighter body

Losses
- Image quality
- Supports CFExpress which means quicker read/write teams and I would think better buffer potential
- More Mega pixels to play with for cropping

I'm sure
...Show more

You missed out the biggest reason - the OM-1's incredible autofocus!

Aside from the burst rate, the OM-1 is the first MFT camera that has dependable AF. For one, its AF isn't hesitant at all for stationary subjects, like that of older OM-Ds. More importantly, it doesn't fail you in BIFs, even with challenging situations. Is it 100% reliable? No, it is not. But when it misses, it refocuses quickly.

I wish I had good examples to share, but RAW files aren't supported on most programs yet and OM Workspace is a PITA to use. But even when I'm shooting swallows over water, for example, the camera isn't confused by waves and gains focus even at very close range, and even if the subject is at the very edge of the frame. This is totally unlike older OM-Ds which were hit or miss at the best of times.

Also, the details are sharper and I can shoot at ISO 10,000 or 20,000 and still have usable results. The sensor is "only" 20 MP but much better.

This is a $2200 camera that's competing well with the A1 and A9 series in terms of AF. If OP used an A9 or A1 it would be a toss-up but they'd definitely get many, many more keepers than with the A7iv, not even considering the burst rate.

OP: the Oly 10-400 is slightly sharper at 400mm but not worth trading in if you're happy with your Panasonic. The weight is similar but the Panasonic is a lot smaller and that has to count for something. MirrorlessComparisons has a great article on this topic: https://mirrorlesscomparison.com/micro-four-thirds-lenses/olympus-100-400mm-vs-panasonic-100-400mm/

If I'm not mistaken, you'd also get 50 fps with the Olympus vs. 25 fps on the Panasonic, but 25 fps is plenty.

EDIT: I confused the AF performance of the Sony A7iv with that of the A7Riv, so please ignore that part. I guess the A7iv will have a similar, slightly better AF performance but you get many more keepers with the OM-1 thanks to its burst rate. The OM-1 would be much quicker to acquire focus and to refocus.



May 06, 2022 at 03:07 PM
jcisaacs
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


akepp wrote:
Hello there.
Now I am using EM1iii with Pana 100-400mm and Sony A7iv with 200-600mm. I am wondering if I will have to keep only one system, would the new OM-1 with pana 100-400mm lens be as good, or better than, A7iv with 200-600mm for bird photography? 150-400mm would be out of my reach. I seem to grab EM1iii more than A7iv due to its portability and weight these day but have to admit the image quality of A7iv with 200-600mm even with 1.4x converter. For my type of photography, most of the time I feel the need of longer than
...Show more

I recommend the Olympus 100-400 over the Panasonic 100-400 because it supports all ProCapture modes. Although I do like the Panasonic for its size, if you are only going to have one super telephoto, it should be the Olympus.

But, if you don't mind cost/size/weight, then get the Sony.



May 06, 2022 at 09:32 PM
akepp
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


Thank you very much for all of the comments. I should explain more a bit about my experience.

I got into the Sony because the 200-600mm lens. I used Canon EOSRP with canon EF100-400 ii with both 1.4 and 2x and I felt that quality with TC was not good enough. (Some times. I was thinking if I got the R5 in stead of sony, would I be happy with that setup?) I started with the A7r4 but did’t really like it so I sold the camera but kept the lens along with both 1.4 and 2x TC. Then I got a6600 so that I can still shoot photos of birds. AF was ok for the small camera.
About the same time, I got EM1iii to replace pana GX9 that I already used with the pana 100-400 for small setup which I like very much. I do think that this setup (em1iii with pana 100-400) has rather poor AF performance in low light (ie at about iso 1600 f6.3 shutter speed about 1/100 or darker, it will hunt, especially for a small target like birds.)

I feel the need of 422 10bit video so I start to look around. Ninja V with em1iii would be too much investment for a few years old camera. Then I got the A7iv.

To me I could say that for the same distance A/B A7iv+ 200-600 has better image quality than EM1iii+Pana 100-400 plus ability to crop a bit more. Bird AF is also good and rather sticky to the birds when it locks focus. Sony setup is just so bulky that it is hard to be a grab and go setup if the trip is not specifically for photography like a work related or family trip. If the purpose of the trip is photography I take both system anyway and camera bag starts to reach 15kg easily.

Although I do a real serious birds photos (a complete blind setup etc) which 100-400 or 200-600 is long enough as birds are close, most of the photography these days are casual. After working in remote area, I may have an hour or two of my free time during the trip to walk around the park or forest and do not have much time to do a real bird photography set up. Birds around here are skittish and don’t like us to get close. That is why I say some times I need longer than 1000mm.

It would be really nice if I could keep only one system to reduce the cost and weight. OM-1 would be a nice option if it work well with the pana or olympus 100-400, especially for BIF. If I could afford the 150-400 I will keep only olympus system with no hesitation at all.

Thanks a again for all of the inputs.

Passakorn



May 06, 2022 at 09:56 PM
ajamils
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


Is there any update on this comparison? I currently own A7VI and 200-600 but seriously considering O-M1 + 100-400 for longer reach and smaller setup.


Aug 21, 2022 at 07:35 PM
Tom Reynolds
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


What is overlooked in this discussion is the time necessary to get the subject in the frame.

Let's assume that both the OM-1 and a Sony A-1 will find the bird and its eye virtually instantly once it is in the frame.

There is still the time needed to raise the camera from where it was being held and sight on the bird. My personal experience is that the lighter camera/lens will get on the bird faster. Therefore, the OM-1/100-400 panni will get the subject in the frame slightly faster than the 100-400 Olympus which will get there noticeably faster than the A1/200-600.

Yes, the difference is only a split second but @ 25 f/s that is often the best 5 images before the subject turns away.

Tom



Aug 22, 2022 at 12:17 AM
galenapass
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


akepp wrote:
Thank you very much for all of the comments. I should explain more a bit about my experience.

I got into the Sony because the 200-600mm lens. I used Canon EOSRP with canon EF100-400 ii with both 1.4 and 2x and I felt that quality with TC was not good enough. (Some times. I was thinking if I got the R5 in stead of sony, would I be happy with that setup?) I started with the A7r4 but did’t really like it so I sold the camera but kept the lens along with both 1.4 and 2x TC. Then I got
...Show more

I agree with most of the comments here. Personally, I find the 200-600/A1 combo to be light and easy to hand-hold but that is really my experience and varies from individual to individual. What concerns me the most is the abysmal performance of the PL100-400 compared to the Sony 200-600. My PL copy is not as sharp as the Sony lens and it has trouble with strongly backlit situations, producing flare and chromatic aberration. If you have a good copy of this lens I think you will be quite happy with the Olympus setup. The problem is rolling the dice to get a good copy. Another lens possibility is the Oly 300mm Pro (plus 1.4x tc) which is a much better lens than either the PL-100-400 or the Oly 100-400. For birding I find I am on the long end of the zoom 90+% of the time anyway. Since I have bought the 600mm GM and the Oly 300mm Pro I hardly touch my zoom lenses (Sony 200-600/PL100-400) anymore.....again a personal preference.



Aug 22, 2022 at 09:30 AM
johnvanr
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


I've never owned all the mentioned gear at all or at the same time, but after dabbling for a few years with Canon's big whites (first 500/4 and then 600/4), Nikon's 500 PF, Sony's 200-600mm and various Olympus setups (100-400 and 150-400), the one that pulled me totally to Olympus was the combination of the OM-1 and the 150-400mm lens.

No other combo would have persuaded me to move from any of the other setups, as they all have their advantages in either IQ or a combo of IQ and weight/bulk. The OM-1 is the only Olympus camera that's fast enough for birds and the 150-400mm lens is the only Olympus lens as sharp as the other lenses wide open (which is where bird photography happens anyway).



Aug 22, 2022 at 05:31 PM
johnvanr
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


I should add that no lens will give you that subject separation that a 500mm or 600mm f/4 will give you. That's the one thing my Olympus 150-400mm cannot match.

To me, it doesn't matter that much, because I could only use those f/4 lenses on a tripod, while I can walk around with the Olympus lens, which I much prefer.



Aug 22, 2022 at 05:33 PM
ajamils
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


That combo also costs around $10k compared to a lot cheaper A1+200-600 😊. I can understand that it is a premium lens but over $7k seems to be over priced.

johnvanr wrote:
I've never owned all the mentioned gear at all or at the same time, but after dabbling for a few years with Canon's big whites (first 500/4 and then 600/4), Nikon's 500 PF, Sony's 200-600mm and various Olympus setups (100-400 and 150-400), the one that pulled me totally to Olympus was the combination of the OM-1 and the 150-400mm lens.

No other combo would have persuaded me to move from any of the other setups, as they all have their advantages in either IQ or a combo of IQ and weight/bulk. The OM-1 is the only Olympus camera that's fast
...Show more



Aug 22, 2022 at 07:46 PM
Sagar
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


How did you arrive at lot cheaper A1 and 200-600 combo?

At BH Sony A1+200-600 costs $9133 vs Olympus OM1+150-400 costs $10,427. Olympus lens comes with built in TC. If you add 1.4 TC on Sony, Olympus kit is $1000 costlier partially thanks to all ruggedness and weather proofing

This is not to say Olympus lens is not overpriced, but total kit cost is pretty much even. Whether compromises for either system are acceptable or not is the real question.

In my opinion Olympus should have priced it between $5-6k or dare I say like Nikon 500 PF. If Olympus had been $1-2k cheaper, it would have made it extremely competitive with comparable FF kits washing off small sensor sins . But Olympus traditionally have always over priced their exotic lenses since their 43 days.

ajamils wrote:
That combo also costs around $10k compared to a lot cheaper A1+200-600 😊. I can understand that it is a premium lens but over $7k seems to be over priced.






Aug 22, 2022 at 09:04 PM
ajamils
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


You are on FM. Who pays retail prices for Sony gear? . You can buy the same combo from B&S forum for A LOT less than that. On the other hand, Olympus is not easy to come by and even then price is not far away from retail.

Also, whether we agree on it on not but there aren't many people interested in shilling out $7K for a lens while almost everyone who wants one can easily get a Sony lens. Like you also mentioned, people usually dont mind paying for FF lenses but regardless of capablities it is more difficult to justify m4/3 lens.

Sagar wrote:
How did you arrive at lot cheaper A1 and 200-600 combo?

At BH Sony A1+200-600 costs $9133 vs Olympus OM1+150-400 costs $10,427. Olympus lens comes with built in TC. If you add 1.4 TC on Sony, Olympus kit is $1000 costlier partially thanks to all ruggedness and weather proofing

This is not to say Olympus lens is not overpriced, but total kit cost is pretty much even. Whether compromises for either system are acceptable or not is the real question.

In my opinion Olympus should have priced it between $5-6k or dare I say like Nikon 500 PF. If Olympus had been
...Show more




Aug 22, 2022 at 10:27 PM
Tom Reynolds
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


I would not purchase the 150-400. Although it is a great lens it defeats the reason for the OM-1-small and maneuverable. Instead, I would get a 100-400 for $1400 and a 300 f4 for $2900. That is a $6500 solution that is 2 pounds less.


Aug 22, 2022 at 11:37 PM
Sagar
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


Haha that’s right.

I am also with you on price part. I am bit hesitant to spend $7k+ specially on Olympus lens as I am skeptical about their long term future. Right or wrong, I would not have similar hesitation if I have to splurge $7k on CanNikon or Sony.

Now if I have to compare with Oly 100-400 wirh Fuji 150-400 it becomes more difficult

ajamils wrote:
You are on FM. Who pays retail prices for Sony gear? . You can buy the same combo from B&S forum for A LOT less than that. On the other hand, Olympus is not easy to come by and even then price is not far away from retail.

Also, whether we agree on it on not but there aren't many people interested in shilling out $7K for a lens while almost everyone who wants one can easily get a Sony lens. Like you also mentioned, people usually dont mind paying for FF lenses but regardless of capablities it is more
...Show more



Aug 23, 2022 at 02:20 AM
palmor
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · New OM-1 with 100-400mm vs Sony A7iv with 200-600mm


akepp wrote:
Hello there.
Now I am using EM1iii with Pana 100-400mm and Sony A7iv with 200-600mm. I am wondering if I will have to keep only one system, would the new OM-1 with pana 100-400mm lens be as good, or better than, A7iv with 200-600mm for bird photography? 150-400mm would be out of my reach. I seem to grab EM1iii more than A7iv due to its portability and weight these day but have to admit the image quality of A7iv with 200-600mm even with 1.4x converter. For my type of photography, most of the time I feel the need of longer than
...Show more

IQ will be roughly the same between the EM1 III and OM-1, except you will get more in focus shots. But the actually IQ will be will be hard to distinguish (assuming you are shooting RAW).

To step up in IQ on the M43 side you'd need to get the 300 F4. In my experience (I've had the Pany 100-400 and now have the 300 F4) the 300 F4 is has much better IQ, even with the 1.4x TC attached. I know that still leaves you a little short of focal range however. I have not used the 2x TC with the 300 F4, I've seen some people say it's great and some say it isn't but you could potentially rent the lens and TCs and see what you get out of it.

What M43 needs is a long telephoto priced between the 300 F4 and the 150-400. Something like the new Nikon 400 f4.5 for example would be incredible on M43.




Aug 23, 2022 at 06:28 AM
1
       2       end




FM Forums | Micro Four Thirds Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.