Happy birthday to me: the better gift?

[tino84]

Hi, birthday is closer and it's a perfect way to spend some money in (used) gear!

I have an e-pl5 + evf3. I'm happy with it, but I am tempted to search something better in low light/high iso to shoot concerts.

As sensor it''s the same of om-d series, I don't think will gain something upgrading to e-m5. otherwise, this would be the best m4/3 camera I can afford with my budget (comes for about 450€)

So I was thinking to swap to other systems bodies, as sony, with f3 (160€)or nex6(450€), or better, due to lower cost, a fuji x-e1(300€), as backup of my e-pl5

But also, it has to be a CLEAR improvement over high iso, otherwise I can check to find another good lens in m4/3 system, as 25mm f1.8 (400€)/1.4 (480€)or samyang 7.5/12mm f2 (300/350€)

another cheaper option could be a focal reducer to canon mount, but I'm not sure if I could take advantage of 1 f-stop in difficult lightning without having some minor issue (as blue dots in direct lightning)

So, too many options to me, check for your help and tips
Thanks to all

PS: at very least, I could upgrade to e-pl6 (250€), due to HDR that I will use for panoramas, or e-pl7 (380€), with new sensor and focus point, and 3-axis IBIS, so for om-d e-m10 (even if I yet have vf3, controls are much better to me in om-d series, even is to say that e-pl7 has a dial more than previous e-pl)

 

[barry]

The 17mm f1.8 is another good lens option, or the 45mm Oly or 75mm.

How close to the stage would you be at the concerts?

Barry

 

[tino84]

I yet have 17 and 45mm, both very useful.
It depends, sometime you can go straight under the stage, sometimes you have to stop few meters before due to security. Usually I try to stay closer as possible

 

[pcnyc]

Same sensor, but e-m5 has 5 axis IBIS, which will help in low-light.

IMHO, of the other body choices you listed, only the fuji will give you noticeable improvement over high ISO, however, x-e1's AF speed is quite bad compared to m43 and doesn't have IBIS for the primes, so it evens out.

 

[tino84]

Same sensor, but e-m5 has 5 axis IBIS, which will help in low-light.

IMHO, of the other body choices you listed, only the fuji will give you noticeable improvement over high ISO, however, x-e1's AF speed is quite bad compared to m43 and doesn't have IBIS for the primes, so it evens out.

yes, 5-axis is a very good thing, but at concerts is relatively helpfull, because you have to stay about around at maximum 1/60 as lowest speed, as you have to catch movements on stage.

on fuji, AF speed as you wrote, is the first doubt: slower than m4/3, and on fuji's forum I red about even that to match better iso, has to underexposing scene. So I'm in doubt if quality and bigger sensor can deliver a better image against m4/3. Who wins between "fast 81 points af and good iso + ibis, or larger sensor, better iso handlings - no ibis - underexpose"?

 

[tino84]

another question, would be a pdaf sensor (like nex6) a good improvment on AF speed?

 

[tino84]

ok, I can also choosing on 3 bodies:

- olympus e-pl7-em10
thin, yet have lens,IBIS,fast af,pen is thiner,om-10 has dual dial
cons: not a major improvement?

-sony nex 6
hybrid AF,small,easy focus peaking,and good sensor
cons: few and expensive lenses, hybrid AF would be that effective? really better than m4/3?

-fujifilm x-e1
image quality
cons: slower af,underexpose on high iso, mitigating good quality vs m4/3?

 

[HarryS]

For this kind of shooting. you should have fast lenses. How much do you want to spend? I don't know if you lose or gain in ISO going to the nex 6 from the EPL5, It's probably a slight gain, but you already have the 17mm and 45mm f1.8's. You'll want equally fast lenses for the nex, and it would be nice if they had IS. That might cost 2X what the nex6 body costs.

For that same reason, there's no big improvement going to a different M43 body unless you also do video. The 5-way IBIS in my EM5 works with any lens, and really gives steady video. That's something my EPL5 cannot do, as IBIS has to be turned off on the EPL5 for hand held video. At least I think so. It's not fun to watch the whole video shimmer and change size as the IBIS goes to work on an EPL5.

Maybe the Olympus or Panasonic 25mm's will fill in a gap for you. How about the Olympus 75mm f1.8. I cannot justify that one at $899 USD, but I did pick up a $220 Rokinon 85mm f1.4. I hear the cine version is sharper, and it's around $300..The 12-40 is probably nice too, and smaller than the Rokinon. Still expensive.

 

[drd1135]

I think your best call would be either a faster lens or a refurb E-P5 (since you have an EVF) or EM5. The advantage will be the 5 axes IBIS. Here's an interesting summary of high iso performance of various bodies

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/07/13/we-present-our-2014-high-iso-8x10-showdown

 

[tino84]

thanks to both.

As you write, I'm staying with m4/3, too much expensive buy another system with good af lenses.
So will remains samyang lenses (I would spend about 250€ on lenses, more I would take some more money and buy something AF) or a newer body like e-m10/e-pl7, due to newer ImageProcessor, better ibis, handlings and dial(s) (and why not, hdr and art filter). E-m5 has the same core system than mine e-pl5, apart the beautiful 5axis ibis. Sorry drd1135, but an used e-p5 is out of budget for me (here in Eu it comes for about 120-150e more than e-pl7/e-m10).
So, don't know how much helps having a core system as E-m1, or a good samyang lens

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

In my opinion the NEX or Fuji will not give you much better low-light high-ISO pictures in the real world,
and the lenses you have are already good.

Maybe a tasty new VF-4 would make your eyes happier ... or the new e-pL7 stabilisation (and good price) helpful with shutterspeed at the concerts.

 

[tino84]

thanks, I didn't took under consideration upgrading vf, maybe...

e-pl7 is tempting, but don't know how far in af would be vs e-pl5, otherwise I can wait for e-m5 mk2 or e-pl8...

 

[tino84]

ok, I think choice will be easier now..

when I founded a good price for a samyang 7,5 and a 25mm 1.8, my e-pl5 lcd decided to pass away.. no sign,only black screen. I changed battery, lens, removed SD, nothing to do, black screen

 

[tino84]

ok, so now I have a little budget and I'm choosing between gx7 and e-m10/e-pl7, but I cannot easily find differences on Af performances..

 

[Turbofrog]

ok, so now I have a little budget and I'm choosing between gx7 and e-m10/e-pl7, but I cannot easily find differences on Af performances..

The general consensus is is that there is very, very little difference in AF performance between present generation M4/3 bodies. The only ones that are standouts are the GH4 when used with Panasonic lenses, and the E-M1 when used with old Four Thirds lenses. It used to be that Panasonic lenses would focus slightly faster on Panasonic bodies, and the same was true with Olympus lenses on Olympus bodies, but I think the differences are pretty trivial.

Basically, I wouldn't factor AF into your decision at all.

 

[tino84]

I saw that performances between cameras are pretty similar, and if also af is the same (even with different focus point), so it's all about convenience and use. I could buy e-pl7 because is cheaper and with newer filters, for few more I could gain vf (yet have a vf3 anyway) and flash with om-d m10, or going also on the gx7, gain tiltable flash and vf and a tremendous -4 ev, but for an higher price,