Life is slowing down and size is having an impact.

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

You are experiencing a life change. Big time. Stop worrying about gear. You don't have (and won't be able) to take a camera everywhere you go. As others have pointed out, there will be diaper bags, strollers (prams?), and an infinitely unimaginable array of paraphernalia to take along.

There is life to live beyond photography. If you feel you must have something, buy a high quality pocketable P&S with a good zoom range, automatic flash, keep the camera set on auto, and go document your kid's life. Unless you plan on printing a whole crap-ton of photos (you won't), that's all you need. Keep your current gear for after you settle in and have a handle on the demand of this new responsibility.

Sometimes I just need a slap on the face .... thank you

 

[John King]

Sometimes I just need a slap on the face .... thank you

Here's another -

Give up gaming!

It's a time wasting addiction ...

 

[John M Flores]

You are experiencing a life change. Big time. Stop worrying about gear.

For sure, but at least give Ovidiu a couple more weeks fretting about it in this forum before reality hits!

 

[Armoured]

When I had my Oly 12-40mm f 2.8 Pro I wasn't a happy camper indoors because in the winter my living room couldn't get me exposed well under ISO 3.200 and 1/30 sec at f 2.8, in the summer is a bit better but not by much. ... I'm not a big fan of the skin tones when you go up on ISO between 3.200 and 6.400.

I have the same issue with high ISOs on these cameras - I don't like the results much above about 1600 (YMMV). Another reason to prefer the primes - and my point about the 12-40 is not that it's ideal, but that if I want a zoom indoors, in a pinch the 12-40/2.8 is tolerable.
I also have the same issue with compacts that you mentioned: shutter lag and I'd add indoor usage not better. I can handle a compact for outdoors in good light so for some travel or a just-in-case on the way to the park or whatever.
Anyway, for the kid - as you have a couple primes, perhaps just stick with what you have for now. You probably are used to the size of your Em1 anyway. Down the road you could always pick up a used EM10 for your light body or casual usage.

 

[Aristophanes]

I was thinking about something in the lines of that but since getting a Sony RX100 Mark III for my girlfriend I've noticed that more compact cameras haven't yet overcome the shutter lag and I don't think I can live with not getting the moment right, once of the reason I shot short bursts. Else I would probably be happy with an RX10 and RX100 from landscape and wildlife to portraits and travel pictures.

Hell ... even the idea of going JPEGs only has been torturing my mind as a way to minimize PC time (outside of gaming of course) and processing chores. Don't know if I can live with leaving image quality on the table for the sake of convenience.

I've been in your shoes. My advice:

• Lightweight for outings. EM5.3 + 14-150. You're looking for memories and snaps that cannot be accomplished with a smartphone. Must. Be. Portable. Fast AF.
• Get good with the flash. Really good. Bounce especially. Critical for indoors m43. You just need it for fast moving kids. Works wonders and can be fun and creative.
• 15/1.7 or 17/1.8 for indoors, natural light. 25/1.8 will also do very well and can be short portrait.
• Video is your friend. Smartphone. ILC is the backup or for something less spontaneous, more constructed.
• A softened LED light source can help for many situations, stills and video.
• You need wider angles far less than you assume. If in that situation, your mind should think "video".

That's it.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I hate to say it, but you might be leaning on your smartphone a lot in the next few years. You’ll want convenience, ease, and portability. Sure, a dedicated camera will be great for staged baby photo moments, but you’ll also probably take a lot of videos. I really didn’t pick photography via a dedicated camera back up until my 3 were old enough to be mobile on their own, and even then, you have to be willing to give up shots for the sake of keeping a good eye on the kids. Hobbies and interests can take a back seat for a while, IMO. Life changes with kids, and it’s a good change. Your kid needs you way more than your camera does! Enjoy the time!

 

[PakkyT]

A few quick thoughts on the original post.

1) Yes you will miss 12mm if you switch to 14mm.

2) While smaller, the "200" is not even in the same class as the "100" Pro in terms of image quality. I think you may be disappointed getting the "200". As others mentioned, a 12-60 might be a better compromise.

3) Don't worry too much about all the stuff a baby makes you drag around. Your best purchase for all of this will be the stroller you pick. Get one with a big basket and hefty enough to handle extra weight if you need to hang a bag(s) off of it or being able to tether the dog to it. My wife and I often would take the stroller a "wee bit" longer than our kids needed it for certainly places (the fair, etc.) because it was simply to much convenience to have a "shopping cart" with you all the time and so long as you had a kid in tow no one cared. If you thought shopping for a camera bag was hard, wait until you start shopping for strollers!

 

[hazwing]

Congrats on the new one coming along the way!

I vote get a small and light rig for the first couple of years of life, something that doesn't take up too much space in a nappy bag. Carrying around a nappy bag and all the extra baby/toddler paraphernalia, doesn't leave you wanting to carry around a dedicated camera bag as well. Particularly during times when it's just yourself and the kid.

Go with a smallish body and a prime lens... your 15mm will do the trick. The 42.5mm also is good for tighter portraits, particularly when they are smaller and don't move around a much. I think the 25mm is actually a nice middle ground focal length, and the 25mm 1.4 would be my own preference.

As they get active a zoom will give you a bit more flexibility. A slow one like the 12-100 will be fine out doors, but 12-40 2.8 is probably the best your going to get indoors (unless you shell out for a PL10-25).

To be honest I have felt a little let down with m43 tracking with CAF, having only used em1mk1 CAF or older. Quite a few missed focus shots of an active toddler. Not sure how the latest iterations of em5mk3 or em1mk3 fare, I assume it would be better. Would love to have eye tracking CAF that I see in the sony cameras.

 

[NoSeconds]

Your best bet is to piss off all that other crap and get the Ricoh GR3. It's the only thing you'll be able to use with one hand for good results while juggling a baby/stroller/nappy bag/puppy and angry strung-out wife...

Congratulations on the Bub, welcome to the best/worst time of your life...

 

[MichailK]

My sister in Zurich has been constantly sending me photos of my nephew as he grows up, started almost 3 years ago with a 5S and now she has a 6S and keeps denying that newer iPhones are much better camera wise. “Live“ photos and short videos make up most of the documenting of my nephew growing up and trust me, they capture the moment maybe not in the most refined way but they do the job. I would suggest a good (i)phone with proper (i)cloud subscription to keep everything in sync. Then having on you a small body with a fast AF prime, could allow the more staged snap to be taken when the occasion arises - as I see with my sister, with a kid around that occasion is not that often happening and a nice rig would just be a waste of resources used too little to make sense.

 

[DeeJayK]

...Pany Leica 15mm f 1.7 because it's the widest and fastest lens before perspective distortion kicks in (at 12mm the corners can feel quite stretched sometimes) and I found myself shooting between 14mm and 17mm with my zooms the most when I was doing street photography.
...

The PL15 will be an ideal "baby" lens. Paired with a GM5 (or GM1) it would be a great addition to the diaper bag.

Maybe I should give the Oly 14-150mm a second chance, the price is quite cheap compared to what I paid for 4 years ago, or maybe the 3rd gen Panasonic 14-140mm. It's very helpful to know that the grip of E-M5 Mark III doesn't handle very well the 450 grams weight.

I've tried both the O14-150 and the P14-140 (v1 and v2) and settled on the Panny based on the quality of the images I was getting with each. This is my primary lens for family vacations/ outings where photography is not a primary focus (at least not for the wife and kids). I'd love to have a weather resistant v3 P14-140 drop into my lap.

Right now I can't afford to add to my camera gear so it would have to downgrade/sidegrade to afford it, that's why price is a consideration ... As much as I love my E-M1 Mark III (it still looks brand new because of the vinyl camo wrapping kept it safe).

As hard as it might be to part with it, if I were in your shoes I'd think about selling the E-M1.3 and putting the proceeds into a small body, or maybe something like a Sony RX100. That will be "enough" camera to get you through the toddler years. At that point, if the diapers haven't completely absorbed your disposable income, you can grab an E-M1.3 (or E-M1.4) and re-load for the "kid" stage.

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- K

 

[DeeJayK]

Here's another -

Give up gaming!

It's a time wasting addiction ...

Kinda like online forums?

- K

 

[Tili]

Honestly, I started my m43 journey with a fresh new baby. I Use the GX9 + P20 f1.7 a lot as a baby isn't going to move a lot anyway. Now that she is walking I use the O45 f1.8 more. For video I use the O14-42 EZ Pancake. I've recently purchased an cheap mint EPL-8 for some selfie / vlogging action.

Anyway it's been great. I've never felt held back by the gear.

 

[CR-NVanPhoto]

Ahhh....to be young again...wait...I still have a 12 and a 6 year old.

A lot of good advise here. I would echo a lot of the thoughts expressed here

1st gen (my 12 year old)

While iphones and other camera phones were definitely around already, i had the same mentality as i was a Pentax shooter when my first one joined us in the world. That tank was great in the rain blah blah but had less than optimal AF. I learned pretty quickly that the camera phone was my friend for candids but did like many recommend here and got a good decent quality pocket sized camera. There were no RX100s back then so had to live with a Nikon P5100 and then later a Panasonic LX5. Both were decent but had to say that i took better pics with the Pany. The iphones also served their purpose but i ended up moving to an E-M5.1 after i moved away from the Pentax. I then did the EM1.1, E-PL5, but never really took either of them as handling but convenience was a factor. the EM5.1 was great with my P12-35 but always struggled a bit with lens swapping....
In retrospect i probably would have done great with a P12-60 or something like that.

2nd gen (my 6 year old)

Hiking my belt up adn thinking i can do better, what happened was more and more iPhone use with the 8+ it could take decent photos and could not afford an RX100....at least not unless i was able to get rid of more gear. So stuck with what I had but said, i would give the EM1.1 a go as i sold off the Em5.1 used the 12-35 for L general use, the O17 1.8 for indoor shots, and a 45-175 for a bit more distance as the 2nd gen was a rapid runner/mover. I also picked up a cheap Fuji XP90 for taking to the pool and beach. While it was not the greatest camera, shooting like a machine gun helped catch a few keepers and not having to worry about the water and sand was a godsend for those far away trips. As he got older i noted that i took the EM1.1 less and relied on all of the other compact cameras as it was just to dang heavy to bring and had to carry all the other wonderful stuff you need for a kids notwithstanding an older and a younger one. You know, things like extra clothing, food, this and that. My camera bag stayed at home.... I ended up getting a few neoprene wrap type things so i could use a more generic bag and force a carry of the camera but noted that i tended to leverage the smaller cameras and devices regardless.

The tech nowadays is amazing. You can get an enthusiest compact camera for relatively reasonable prices but a whole lot of power in them (e.g. 1" sensors with big zooms) I really have tried to not do that personally as I know that I may just sell off all my ILC gear and really do not want to part with the glass. As the kids get older i have noted that each of them want to take a pic or two and seem somewhat interested in 'cameras' vs the phone. I really want to keep that distinction as devices are just that. Entertainment stuff which happen to just have a camera on them. So... i decided to pick up an old E-PM2 (!), a 14-42EZ, and treat myself to an E-M5 MKIII with 14-150 II. Still have the Fuji, the cameraphone but have noted that it is so easy to just drop the E-PM2/EZ or the EM5.3 /EZ and its amazingly small and light. That and I can share batteries to boot! I take the E-M5.1/14-150 for general use and that one has been great for when I go to the park or playground as it is still lightweight, can take a few bounces and splashes. While I do not have a 12-100, I would agree with all of the feedback here. Stick with the lighter lenses and body, and likely will have to keep a few things with you. The camera that is with you and easy to grab is the one that will take the shot. My kits are not perfect but have managed to find a balance of usability and function, along with trying to keep my own tech satisfaction in the mix. The bigger and heavier lenses will find use over time and eventually you will find time for more of your own hobbies, or as it transitions to possibly include your kid as the peanut gets older.

 

[Armoured]

Can tell you what not to do - don't get in a box of medium format film thinking you're going to have time to mess with that old Rollei TLR you have in the display case. Two minutes with a kid and that reversed orientation will do your head in.

 

[doady]

One-handed photography while shopping or walking a dog with the wife and kids? A dedicated camera is for times when you are dedicated to photography, but maybe you are dedicated to other things now. Maybe just forget Olympus and just use your smartphone. Best camera is the one you can take with you, right?

 

[PakkyT]

Maybe just forget Olympus and just use your smartphone.

Any Olympus with a prime lens is WAYYYYYYYYY more manageable shooting one handed than is any smartphone, especially if you want to shoot in landscape orientation.

 

[Hendrik]

Any Olympus with a prime lens is WAYYYYYYYYY more manageable shooting one handed than is any smartphone, especially if you want to shoot in landscape orientation.

This. Not to mention the minimal shutter lag. Even moderately active kids can be considered as action subjects. The problem is that dedicated cameras are inconvenient to use other than right-handed.

Video is another matter altogether and smartphones can be very useful, even one-handed, right or left.

 

[Aristophanes]

You won't be able to rely on the smartphone.

Kid will be playing Sloppy Birds on it or something.

 

[DeeJayK]

You won't be able to rely on the smartphone.

Kid will be playing Sloppy Birds on it or something.

Nah, kids these day come with their own tablets. I'm not sure how it works, but I think they're issued before you leave the hospital.

- K