It's happened again!

GetBusyLiving

GetBusyLiving

Suspended / Banned
Messages
171
Name
Caroline
Edit My Images
No
Just one month ago, I bought an Olympus OM-5 and today, I have received a text from Olympus announcing the OM-5 Mk ii, shipping in July, for just fifty pounds more than I paid for mine. OK, there's not much on the new camera that bothers me about not having it, but nevertheless, it's so annoying.

Years ago I bought Microsoft Surface 6 tablet, less than six weeks later, they came out with the Surface 7 for the same price. OK, that was a long time ago and the tablet is still working fine but nevertheless, it peeved me at the time.

Fortunately, a telephoto zoom I bought for the Olympus was second hand so I don't have to worry about that as the upgraded version was already out, and I knew about it.
 
Same happened when I bought my MacBook Air M2. The M3 was released and they knocked £100 off. Then a few months later, the M4 and doubled the base memory.
 
You have to think that whatever you buy be it a camera, car or computer it's already obsolete once it's on sale as the company concerned are already working on the next one. For cars it's not to bad as the motoring magazine usually print launch schedules far in advance so you have a good idea when the next releases are due. Smaller items such as computers and cameras are harder to judge possibly due to there being fewer magazines and those there are complying with manufactures confidentially requests.
 
Could be worse I suppose. When the MOD order something for the military, it's usually obsolete while still in the design phase ;).

I'm not concerned, as I say, it's not as if the new features will make much difference; I'll just pretend the new one never came out. One thing that would have been nice on my camera that they have now put on the new model, is a USB C port; I would probably have used that. Mine has a micro USB socket and it's is such a pain trying to get the charging cable in as they never fit easily and for a 50/50 chance of getting the orientation right, I swear I get it wrong 80% of the time. Again, none of this really matters as I use a charger that I retained from my old Olympus M-E-10 and it uses the same battery.

My second-hand 100-400mm telephoto doesn't sync its IS with the camera so I wouldn't use the camera IS on the new model either. The stated 7.5 stops on the new version is only achievable with Sync-IS lenses, none of which I have, so it's little better than my current model.

The sensor is the same size.

Actually, as I look through the detailed review of the Mk ii on Digital Camera World, I can see that almost all the new things—new menu, a CP button (whatever that is), USB C—are largely irrelevant to me, so apart from paying roughly the same price as a new model released some two months later (I would have loved it to be cheaper), I haven't really lost anything. Also, any video improvements (if there are any, I haven't checked) would be utterly wasted on me as I've never used a photographic camera for shooting video in my life.

There, I've convinced myself that all is well with my world once again :).
 
velocette said:
You have to think that whatever you buy be it a camera, car or computer it's already obsolete once it's on sale ...
Click to expand...
There is one simple way to avoid "buyer's remorse": make it a rule to always choose second hand and benefit from the seller's mistake!

Film Cameras.jpg
 
Yes, these days I do tend to buy used. I only bought my OM-5 new because I was trading in a load of Nikon stuff (too heavy for my old hands now) and it was there and effectively free (well kind of, you know what I mean.
 
I was looking at this earlier. What Nikon did you move from and interested to know what you feel you lost from the Nikon to OM transition.
 
Last edited:
Isn't that the same with Iphones? By the time you swipe your card to buy the Iphone 64+pro the 65+pro S is out..... :exit:
 
Tulipone said:
I was looking at this earlier. What Nikon did you move from and interested to know what you feel you lost from the Nikon to OM transition.
Click to expand...

Well, firstly, I lost a lot of money. I had a D850, and enough lenses to cover from 12 to 600mm in several steps, a flashgun, bags, straps, and so on.

Secondly, I lost a lot of resolution. The D850 has a 46Mp sensor and the Olympus has only 20. I lost a lot of light because my Nikon lenses had big maximum apertures.

Most importantly though, I lost a lot of weight (not off my hips, I'm afraid).

What I've gained:

Well, everything is cheaper and everything is lighter. I can now cover [FF equivalent) from 24mm to 800mm with just two lenses and the total weight of everything at once (camera and two lenses) is 2kg. The camera and my telephoto lens fit into the little handlebar bag I have on my E-bike and if I want to take the 12-45mm as well, I can put that in my shorts pocket.

Resolution-wise, it's not really a problem with the lenses I have, since I don't have to crop heavily, especially with the equivalent 800mm lens—although it is f5-f6.3 and wide open it's not as good as a wide-open Nikkor.

Yes, I've lost a few things but the biggest thing I've gained is the fact that if I'm just popping out and not necessarily on a photographic trip, I can still take my camera with its 12-45mm without needing a bag, or van Damme's muscles, but at the same time, if I am out seriously photographing, MFT serves me quite well. If you really want to make it small, and you can find one, there is a 20mm f1.7 prime (can't remember if it's Panasonic or Olympus) that makes the camera and lens combo little bigger than a Fuji X100V.

Yes, I miss the huge Nikon and I sold at completely the wrong time as though the camera held a lot of its value, the non-mirrorless lenses are comparatively worthless in and will only become cheaper as more people move to mirrorless Nikon Zs and don't want to use the adapter.

Oh, I also don't miss that massive mirror calling all sorts of attention to me.

All told, I'm happy with my change of system. While I never thought I would be happy with anything other than full-frame, being almost forced to change (because of the weight) has not been the terrible move I thought it was going to be.

I can't necessarily recommend it as everyone's choice of equipment is personal to them; but it worked for me.
 
I found myself in much the same position - my arms shaking holding the FF & 150-600 and lugging a huge bag with all the 'required' equipment with me on a day out. The 150-600 went first, followed by the 100-400 and then finally the rest of it. I needed to accept old age and carting heavy stuff didn't work for me and I needed to give up one or the other. The trouble is I am now concerned to take the plunge into non-full frame and looking for something with fewest compromises.

For a few quid more you could have had the OM1-ii but chose the OM-5. No regrets there either?
 
Tulipone said:
I found myself in much the same position - my arms shaking holding the FF & 150-600 and lugging a huge bag with all the 'required' equipment with me on a day out. The 150-600 went first, followed by the 100-400 and then finally the rest of it. I needed to accept old age and carting heavy stuff didn't work for me and I needed to give up one or the other. The trouble is I am now concerned to take the plunge into non-full frame and looking for something with fewest compromises.

For a few quid more you could have had the OM1-ii but chose the OM-5. No regrets there either?
Click to expand...

A few quid? The OM-5 is a grand, the OM-1 is over two.

I could have gone for the OM-D E-M10 for less money as that one is only about £650, but one has to dive in somewhere (and anyway, the name is far too long!).

Eventually, I did what I do when choosing a new phone: I trawl review sites, YouTube videos, opinions on forums, then after hours and hours—when I'm heartily fed up of the whole thing—I say, "Sod it, I'll have that one" and just buy the pretty one, come what may. It usually works ok since everything these days is much of a muchness under the hood—a camera takes pictures and a model from any reputable maker is probably going to do a pretty good job, unless you are specialising.
 
Last edited:
GetBusyLiving said:
A few quid? The OM-5 is a grand, the OM-1 is over two.

I could have gone for the OM-D E-M10 for less money as that one is only about £650, but one has to dive in somewhere (and anyway, the name is far too long!).

Eventually, I did what I do when choosing a new phone: I trawl review sites, YouTube videos, opinions on forums, then after hours and hours—when I'm heartily fed up of the whole thing—I say, "Sod it, I'll have that one" and just buy the pretty one, come what may. It usually works ok since everything these days is much of a muchness under the hood—a camera takes pictures and a model from any reputable maker is probably going to do a pretty good job, unless you are specialising.
Click to expand...
If it takes you that long to choose no wonder a new model is out soon after :p
 
Stop chasing the latest updates and just enjoy what you have.

Manufacturers release something new every year because they know people have been conditioned into buying the latest and greatest.

If you think about it what does the iPhone 16 really do that the iPhone 8 didn’t
 
As you can see from my signature I stopped chasing new gear a very long time ago. I got my iPhone 15 pro max just 1 week before they bought the 16 out but then again I was upgrading from an iPhone 11.
Must admit it does niggle for a few seconds then I just forget it.
 
To be fair there is usually a good period between camera model updates - but Apples relentless drive to bring out something, even if it isn’t ready to be released such as iPhone 16 / Apple AI, is worrying. All to keep the share price high and consumers poorer with a model almost superseded. Who still buys a new Apple device mid way through the year?
 
I bought my EM1-X for £450 a bargain for such a lovely camera, I always buy used. I sport the venerable Zuiko 50-200 that's a great lens for birding. I also bought 45mm 60mm macro and 17mm f1.8 all used..
It's not too relevant but I just wanted to show happiness with used things it's a nicer feeling
 
tijuana taxi said:
Must be galling knowing you could have got an OM-5 ii in Beige :)
Click to expand...

It's an odd decision for a colour, but I quite like it. If I was in the market for one, would I get it in 'sand beige', I just might, also it's nice to have the option of a different colour and I think more manufacturers should do it on higher-end cameras; imagine a press photographer sporting a bright pink Nikon!

MK1 Photography said:
I bought my EM1-X for £450 a bargain for such a lovely camera, I always buy used. I sport the venerable Zuiko 50-200 that's a great lens for birding. I also bought 45mm 60mm macro and 17mm f1.8 all used..
It's not too relevant but I just wanted to show happiness with used things it's a nicer feeling
Click to expand...

I do that with lenses now and I have previously bought one camera used, although generally I do like shiny things and prefer new, if only for the psychological reason that I mostly know where it has been.
 
It's a pain when it happens, but sometime you just have to let it go.

I bought a lens recently as I had a need for. it specifically that weekend. Following week it was reduced, I elt it go because I had a real need for it that weekend, annoyed, yes, but it happens.
 
GetBusyLiving said:
It's an odd decision for a colour, but I quite like it. If I was in the market for one, would I get it in 'sand beige', I just might, also it's nice to have the option of a different colour and I think more manufacturers should do it on higher-end cameras; imagine a press photographer sporting a bright pink Nikon!



I do that with lenses now and I have previously bought one camera used, although generally I do like shiny things and prefer new, if only for the psychological reason that I mostly know where it has been.
Click to expand...
I used to always buy new but getting older I see the value in used more often than not
 
Stick some paint on one side of the plastic part of the micro usb plug so you can see which side is which.
 
GetBusyLiving said:
A few quid? The OM-5 is a grand, the OM-1 is over two.

I could have gone for the OM-D E-M10 for less money as that one is only about £650, but one has to dive in somewhere (and anyway, the name is far too long!).

Eventually, I did what I do when choosing a new phone: I trawl review sites, YouTube videos, opinions on forums, then after hours and hours—when I'm heartily fed up of the whole thing—I say, "Sod it, I'll have that one" and just buy the pretty one, come what may. It usually works ok since everything these days is much of a muchness under the hood—a camera takes pictures and a model from any reputable maker is probably going to do a pretty good job, unless you are specialising.
Click to expand...
hmm for a starter the MKii om5 has been rumoured for a few months now so no surprise there , the few upgrades in it make your choice a good one . and if you had properly gone into it OMS themselves were recently ( might still be?) selling the OM1 MKi with two lenses at a silly price I believe the camera body worked out at around 3 to 4 hundred pounds . . I have now sold most of my olympus short and wide angle lenses due to little use and just retained the 300mm f4 and 1.4 tc ..thats the killer combo for sharpness ,, and funnily enough recently bought a nikon D500 and now added a tamron 150-600 G2 as you noted DSLR gear is at rock bottom prices so it made good sense
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top