Well done, as usual. How would you rate the E-M1 for portrait photography compared to the previous Oly cameras you've been using?

Alfred Molon wrote:
> Well done, as usual. How would you rate the E-M1 for portrait photography compared to the
> previous Oly cameras you've been using?
>
Alfred,

Thank you for the kind words. This was my first studio session with the E-M1, so I'm not sure I'm ready to make a comparison to my trusty e-30 and e-3 yet. Here are some first impressions though, with the MMF-3 adapter and latest firmware, my 4/3 lenses AF worked _almost_ as well as they did on my previous bodies. I keep the lights off when doing studio shoots, so the only available light is from modeling lamps and a small halogen light I use to keep the model's pupils constricted. I used the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 zoom primarily on this shoot and there were a couple of times where it hunted or struggled to get a focus lock, but overall it performed very well. I tried using some OM legacy lenses, but was having some issues with the camera (my lack of familiarity with the settings) and moved on from that. I didn't notice a huge difference in image quality. At this point I would say I like the e-3 or e-30 slightly more than the E-M1 for studio work, primarily because the AF works a little better. I have a feeling that opinion will change as I become more familiar with the E-M1.

Where the E-M1 really shines is for EVERYTHING else. The ability to shoot at much higher ISO (I've taken usable shots at 6400 ISO!), the improved dynamic range (now I don't have blown highlights in every outdoor shot), and the EVF, which allows me to use my older OM lenses with confidence. I haven't bought any m4/3 lenses yet, so the AF issues are due mainly to my desire to want to continue to use my 4/3 lenses. I'm sure the m4/3 lenses have better AF. Using the OM lenses allows me to make some great images with a really small kit (although I did put a battery grip on the E-M1 right away). I resisted buying the E-M1 for a long time because of the small size, the price, and the fact that Olympus hadn't really worked out the issue of AF with legacy 4/3 lenses. I'm glad I waited until they were able to address the AF issue with the latest firmware, and I'm glad I bought it. I'm very happy with it so far, it has greatly exceeded my expectations.