EM1-Mk3 or EM1x

[ashburtononline]

Which to get ? .... I shoot news, sport, people, street, candid etc. I have successfully used my 3x EM1's for several years which with a bit of servicing have proved excellent for me ... 100K+ on 2 bodies and 55K on the other. Its time to upgrade and I'm thinking of an EM1x to replace my two oldest EM1s. Here in NZ, the cost of an EM1iii, with battery pack and extra battery is very very close to the price of an EM1x. ( i have always used battery packs on my bodies ... never took a photo without one. I need the batteries). The one thing that bothers me with the X is the fact that I cannot use my Olympus wrist straps as for some reason they omitted the base lug!

Anyone using these two? Thoughts recommendations please. Not interested in the Mk2 / Panasonic .... need something for the next 3 years.

 

[whumber]

Do you often shoot with winter gloves? Do you plan to shoot motorsports a lot? If either of those are a yes then the E-M1X may be worthwhile, otherwise the E-M1iii is really the better option for most. The E-M1iii currently has some advantages like much better eye-AF and better button customization but that will likely come to the E-M1X in a firmware update. If I could only have one it would definitely be the E-M1iii plus the optional battery grip. As a second camera the ergonomics of the E-M1X are great but I wouldn't want that form factor to be my only camera.

 

[comment23]

Based on your usage I would strongly recommend the X. As far as I can see there are strap lugs on both sides and the tripod mount at the base. What else were you looking for?

 

[ashburtononline]

Sorry ... I use the Olympus Grip Strap GS-5 on my bodies .... a throw back to my Leica R4MOT days Cannot fit one to the EM1x ... shame! The tripod mount will be in use with a QR plate attached. I shoot a lot of Real Estate too .... I'm honestly in two minds and have not ruled out either. The strap WILL fit on the MK3. BTW, I detest the swivel screen on both!

 

[ashburtononline]

Do you often shoot with winter gloves? Do you plan to shoot motorsports a lot? If either of those are a yes then the E-M1X may be worthwhile, otherwise the E-M1iii is really the better option for most. The E-M1iii currently has some advantages like much better eye-AF and better button customization but that will likely come to the E-M1X in a firmware update. If I could only have one it would definitely be the E-M1iii plus the optional battery grip. As a second camera the ergonomics of the E-M1X are great but I wouldn't want that form factor to be my only camera.

Actually, I do use fingerless gloves in the winter when its needed ..... actually I just priced both and the MK3 works out at US$9 more expensive so there is nothing in it. I like how the shutter in the X is rated to 200K I think I'll talk to the repair tech and ask his opinion ....

 

[djtaylor7]

Whichever you buy, if you are thinking of buying soon be careful of getting it directly from Olympus, as it comes from Australia, and the 12-45 F4 I bought as we came into level 3 was last seen in Sydney on the 1st. I suspect everything else has higher priority.
I know you said you were not interested in the Mk2, but Auckland Camera Centre are selling them at the moment for NZ$1,999 which is a very good price.

 

[mazdaman]

This is a good watch its long but a real world shooter may help you decide

 

[ashburtononline]

This is a good watch its long but a real world shooter may help you decide

Doesn't do anything I need that the X doesn't. Thanks for your input though!

 

[Deleted member 29884]

I have got both. It is difficult to advice. For sport only, I would probably go for EM1X, because of the grip and a bit better button layout. And viewfinder.
At least, I would wait until the firmware upgrade for EM1X comes out. It may help you decide.

Or, take both. You can not make a mistake this way

 

[GBarrington]

In my mind, the "1X" is a tool designed for special uses (action & news), while the "1" is more of a general-purpose design. I don't see how one can compare the two in a meaningful "Rule of Thumb" way in that it is the user's own unique needs and frequency of how it would be used which would decide which model makes more sense.

 

[turbodieselvw]

i use the peak design clutch with my EM1x. i find it does't fit the smaller EM1.2 body as well, though. https://www.peakdesign.com/products/clutch

 

[Mack]

I use a RRS L-plate on both the E-M1 II and E-M1X and have a wrist or hand strap on both. I like the wrist/hand strap over the neck ones as it gives me some added insurance that I won't let go of the thing while attaching or changing portrait-to-landscape positioning on the tripod. The long ones are less of a play toy for the kids, dog, or cat to pull them off the counter too (ahem!).

The hand strap I use on the E-M1 II is the Camdapter leather one that RRS sells or can buy off the Camdapter website. What I found was if you position the wider side to the top of the camera, much like what is shown in the Peak One link above, it is hard to get to the shutter area controls with the width at the top. Turning it so the wider part is at the bottom works out better for me than trying to come up with extra finger joints to get to the buttons with the wide part at the top if the grip is snug.

I ended up making my own leather one for the E-M1X with the wider part located at the bottom. There's photos of it somewhere on this site, but since the website facelift I cannot find any of my old photo posts here.

I'm hoping the E-M1X get the "Starry Sky" added to it like the newer E-M1 III has to help with night focusing. The E-M1X does have the faster dual SD UHS-II slots though as well as the onboard GPS (Which eats batteries if left On!). The extra weight of the E-M1X is a drawback as I often resort to the E-M1 II for its smaller size and weight. Tough call.

 

[stevedo]

I like how the shutter in the X is rated to 200K I think I'll talk to the repair tech and ask his opinion ....

E-M1 Mark iii shutter is rated to 400k - https://www.olympus.co.uk/site/en/c...m1_mark_iii/e_m1_mark_iii_specifications.html

Edit - I checked the Olympus site and the 1X is also rated at 400k

 

[Deleted member 29884]

I have just finished a photoshoot done with both EM1X and EM1-3. There is no significant difference in CAF - both were very good, almost perfect.
EM1X has got better grip, I would personally say much better grip, and better button layout for quick sport shooting. But with two EM1-3 I would have the same result.

And to the endlessly discussed CAF performance - both are far beyond the border, where it does not matter. The only thing that matters is you to make a interesting shot

 

[ac12]

Since you ALWAYS shoot with the battery grip, I would go with the EM1X.

The integrated vertical grip is inherently more durable than a screw on battery grip.​

To me, the advantage of the EM1 (not the X), is that you can remove the battery grip to get a smaller lighter camera than the EM1X.

As an old man, weight is an issue for me, so the EM1+battery grip is how I would go. Because I can remove the battery grip to make it lighter.​

As for the wrist strap, you will have to find something different for the EM1X.

 

[JDS]

So, with the holiday deals it's trade in an old E-P3 and get the E-M1X for $1700, or get an E-M1 Mark III for $1400. I'm about to pull the trigger on the X (especially since it's effectively the same price once I get a battery grip for the 1.3), any reason to hesitate from people who have both? Motorsports in a post-pandemic era would be a major use case for the camera, so I expect it's a no-brainer to get the X. But if 1.3 users feel their cameras are equal in capability, the smaller size might be worth thinking about...

 

[Robstar1963]

So, with the holiday deals it's trade in an old E-P3 and get the E-M1X for $1700, or get an E-M1 Mark III for $1400. I'm about to pull the trigger on the X (especially since it's effectively the same price once I get a battery grip for the 1.3), any reason to hesitate from people who have both? Motorsports in a post-pandemic era would be a major use case for the camera, so I expect it's a no-brainer to get the X. But if 1.3 users feel their cameras are equal in capability, the smaller size might be worth thinking about...

Hi @JDS
For Motorsports (or indeed now for birds in flight) I would definately go with the 1X without question
If it were not for either of these AI subjects then I would recommend the Mk3 as it is more versatile being able to be used with or without the grip
Having used the 1X for Motorsports I would consider it a backwards step to go with the Mk3 - the 1X is very effective with vehicles
The Viewfinder on the 1X is also larger which is a bonus as is the unparalleled dust and weather resistance - it really is very well engineered
If you’ve not handled an X you’ll be surprised how big it is but it is very comfortable to hold
It is imo though too big if it were not going to be used for the AI ?

 

[JDS]

Hi @JDS
For Motorsports (or indeed now for birds in flight) I would definately go with the 1X without question
If it were not for either of these AI subjects then I would recommend the Mk3 as it is more versatile being able to be used with or without the grip
Having used the 1X for Motorsports I would consider it a backwards step to go with the Mk3 - the 1X is very effective with vehicles
The Viewfinder on the 1X is also larger which is a bonus as is the unparalleled dust and weather resistance - it really is very well engineered
If you’ve not handled an X you’ll be surprised how big it is but it is very comfortable to hold
It is imo though too big if it were not going to be used for the AI ?

That's just what I needed to hear- I know it's quite big, but I had a chance to play with one at an Olympus event when it was launched and I found it extremely comfortable to hold. My order will be sent soon, very excited- and thanks for the quick feedback!

 

[ac12]

As Rob said, I would love the EM1X.
BUT . . . how often do I need to use the vertical battery grip function?
For me, too little. So it would be a size/weight penalty for the majority of the time.

IF you can use it more, then it makes sense.
Or if the size/weight is not an issue for you.

 

[Phocal]

As Rob said, I would love the EM1X.
BUT . . . how often do I need to use the vertical battery grip function?
For me, too little. So it would be a size/weight penalty for the majority of the time.

IF you can use it more, then it makes sense.
Or if the size/weight is not an issue for you.

You know, when I switched to Olympus from Canon I pretty much stopped shooting in portrait. It mostly had to do with Olympus didn't treat the focus point location separately between horizontal and vertical orientation. This forced me to move the focus point whenever I changed and with the awkward placement (I shot the original EM1 up until I got the X) of the pad to change focus point just made it a pain in the ass. With my X and how it treats vertical and horizontal separately (including home point) and the ease I can move the focus point with the joystick in the exact same location in either position I have started shooting a lot more in vertical. One of the those little changes that reviews don't mention but make a huge difference in use.