UKH

Any thoughts or reviews of the olympus om-d e-m10 iii for hills/climbing/adventure? 

In reply to medomjones:

One downside to it is that you'll spend 5 minutes saying the model name whenever you meet someone that asks you what camera you have.

In reply to medomjones:
If you can stretch to the Em-5 (maybe II) then you get extremely good weather proofing and a very tough adventure camera.

Good cameras and very nice lenses, just so you are aware Olympus are struggling financially like many other camera manufacturers but they and M4/3 are among the most vulnerable and may not be around long term. 

In reply to medomjones:

I've got a mark i. Great wee camera, almost pocket sized with the right lens. Great choice of lenses between Olympus and compatible Panasonic options. 

I won't hesitate to buy a mark ii or iii when I  see the right used one that takes my fancy.

As Jethro Kiernan says opting for the EM5 gets you a weather-sealed body but not all the lenses are weather-sealed, and those that are tend to be PRO range with hefty price tags.

In reply to medomjones:

I have a mkii and love it, great camera, great size and great lens selection - however rather than a mkiii I'd probably get the e-m5 ii, especially for outdoor use due to the weatherproofing

In reply to jethro kiernan:

It's a nice camera and I loved it. However, mine broke 3 times until I gave up - I think it was only 1.5 or so years old. Dials are just glued in and held by plastic, on/off switch stopped working, etc. It was literally falling apart. 

I am only a weekend warrior and not a professional, so it wasn't used daily. But then I don't treat my cameras like babies either. For the context, I Have also broken Fujifilm X100F (shock damage most likely, optical/electronic VF wasn't switching) and GX85 (water damage, but that was fair enough IMHO). 

Been enjoying Panasonic G85, but been thinking of selling it in lieu of a new iPhone Pro once it comes out and maybe treat myself with an older/secondhand Sony RX100. I just find camera gear easily gets to 2kg+, which limits the choice of where I can bring it.

OP: Cameras of such (or higher) price are as good as the lenses you put them on, so you'll need to account for that. 

In reply to medomjones:

Unless you need the features of an M10 just get a secondhand M5 to suit your budget.  I'm still running my M5 with no real problems. Shutter got sticky at 10k actuations and was repaired with no fuss.  Mine has been snowed on, rained on, and splashed with seawater without missing a beat.  Eyepieces can get knocked off and lost if you leave the camera dangling round your neck, but they're 'sacrificial'.  The 17mm F1.8 is a good mountain lens - small, light, perfect for pics of your second and wide enough for landscapes.

In reply to medomjones:

As others have said, stretch £50 more and get an EM5ii for better weather sealing and a bit more camera for your money. I had one for a while and they're great outdoor cameras. 

All,

Thanks for your advice, EM5ii looks to be a better option secondhand.

very much appreciated

In reply to Toerag:

I treated myself to a 17mm f1.8 last month. It's a great little lens, I can't wait for the freedom to try it out when the country opens up again.

In reply to medomjones:

Another awesome lens is the Panasonic 15mm 1.7, very good as a climbing, landscape and general lens

In reply to LucaC:

One thing to take into account with the weather sealing of the em5 is that most of the basic lenses are not weather sealed. otherwise, I fully agree that the em5 is the better choice.

The new model has the advantage that it has amazing stabilization, which means you can do nice handheld landscape shots with relatively long exposure, which is a nice to have at the end of the day when walking off the hill during and after sunset.

In reply to medomjones:

I have the MK 2, and love it. I can carry it anywhere strapped round my waist and with an 18-42mm lens, it is excellent for landscapes. Main controls are well positioned , and the camera is well built with a pleasing slightly retro look. Only downside is that being mirrorless, it is possible to get dirt on the sensor during lens change.

In reply to nathan79:

my favourite lens, it's pretty much permanently attached now

In reply to jethro kiernan:

Same old "M4/3 won't be around much longer" talk......people have been saying that for the past 10yrs at least!!

In fact more companies have signed up to the M4/3 format as its great for pro-video.

I almost bought the Oly EM5 as its a great weatherproof pocket sized camera, but instead got the OMD EM1 MK2...& have their Pro 12-40mm f2.8..just 1kg total weight as my standard camera/lens combo that I take everywhere..its got a bigger battery & is even more weatherproof than the EM5.

Mind you my previous "go anywhere" camera was an Oly TG-4...just about the best tough camera out there..

In reply to Snowdave:

I agree some cinematography has adopted M4/3 But they also use a lot of bespoke cinematic lenses and adapters So not really of benefit to Olympus . Video was never Olympus’s strong point and they are struggling financially, I’d be sad to see them go

In reply to medomjones:

For the people climbing with the e-m5ii, how do you carry it while climbing? I love it with the 9-18mm and Panasonic 20mm but haven't quite found a good carrying system yet. Especially one that lets me access and shoot it easily one-handed.

In reply to theoots:

I’ve had the Mark II and now have the Mark III (via a Pen-F). The III usually has the Panny/Leica 15mm 1.7 on it, (my god, what a lens!) or occasionally the Panny 12-32, (which is tiny but also very good for its size/speed). The latter literally fits in a jacket pocket. The former does but it’s bulky so it’s in a small bag clipped to my harness, or a bumbag MTBing, or sometimes clipped to a rucksack strap using the excellent Peak Design Capture Pro clip. 
 

I don’t have any sort of lanyard and haven’t dropped it yet! 

In reply to medomjones:

I had one for a few years and served me well. Despite not having full weatherproofing, it survived just fine hanging on my harness on several Scottish Winter trips. Now have an EM-5.

Highly recommend the 9-18mm F4.5 for outdoor landscape shots, and also the 12mm F2. I know Jon Griffith rates them very highly if that's any kind of recommendation.

In reply to theoots:

Just in a Crumpler Pouch on a quick release strap around my waist. I attach the camera itself to my harness using a retractable lanyard, which has saved it from "accidents" on several occasions. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/T-Reign-Retractable-Gear-Tethers-Cases/dp/B00HJL6R...

In reply to Si Withington:

Could I ask what exact bag you use clipped to your harness? I currently use an Osprey bag (Ultralight, large) but don't like it all that much. I've looked at the Lowe Pro Dashpoint 30 but it doesn't quite seem to fit my camera.

It looks like the PannyLecia 15mm is just a little smaller than my 9-18. I also have the 12-32, it's great!

In reply to planetmarshall:

What size/type of Crumpler Pouch do you use? Do you happen to have a photo of this setup in action, I'm having trouble picturing it. 

In reply to theoots:

Its this I think: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/487291-REG/Lowepro_LP34983_0EU_Apex_...

Had to strip out some of the padding to make the fit better. The III is slightly smaller than the II but the II fitted fine also, especially with the 12-32  

In reply to planetmarshall:

These photos are brilliant! 

In reply to medomjones:

Have had the e-m10 for years now, has served its purpose well. A bright side is that it is also lighter than the average dslr.