With camera in hand, I'm back and ready to ride...well almost!

Over the years I've been involved with this blog, I have moved almost exclusively to the Micro Four Thirds system for most of my imaging needs. As detailed elsewhere in the blog, this actually started with the very capable Panasonic DMC-GF1. Fast forward some 7 years and many pictures later, I am still using MFT or M4/3 cameras. I now use 2 slightly different Olympus OM-D series bodies. My first OM-D purchase was the EM5 Elite, followed by a nearly new EM1 Mk1.

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As can be seen here, when purchased my secondhand Olympus EM1 had under 300 shutter actuations! The camera was less than 4 months old (I have the purchase receipt) and fortunately for me, considerably cheaper than if had I purchased it brand new. Despite the EM1 being a fairly major upgrade of the older EM5, my go to camera is definitely the earlier EM5 Elite. Paired with the excellent Olympus HLD6 2-part grip, the EM5 is a little chunky, but still extremely comfortable in my hands. I have tried the EM5 with the grip removed. Configured in this way, the camera does have a significantly smaller footprint. Everything was fine, until I realised the camera was then so small that it was near impossible to hold, let alone take pictures with....The joys of Hemiplegia!

I have a small but carefully chosen collection of MFT mount lenses. The first one I acquired was absolutely free; the excellent Panasonic 14-45mm. This lens was given to me by my father. He'd owned it for some years, but had only taken 60 or so pictures with it, so the lens was essentially new when it came to me. Due to what he cheerfully describes as his “rapidly advancing old age”, last year my father decided to end his life-long love affair with all aspects of photography. Subsequently he gave his remaining camera equipment (including an unused Fuji X100) to his son...Many thanks, Dad!

Back to my lenses. The underrated Olympus 12-50mm EZ was my first actual lens purchase. Many months later, I bought the plasticky 40-150mm R, which again is an Olympus product. I'm told this is quite a gem of a lens, but other than a few quick test shots, I've not really had time to use it. I've saved what is probably my best lens until last. My personal favourite, the diminutive M.Zuiko 14-42mm EZ pancake. To date, this tiny zoom lens has spent almost its entire life attached to my EM1.

My most recent acquisition is a fully manual MFT lens, the Neewer 35mm f/1.7, purchased just a few weeks ago from Amazon. If like me you started with photography in the 1980’s, I think you'll find this lens really does represent superb value for money. Yes I understand that it cannot be as good as the more expensive branded equivalents. However, those lenses are at least three times the cost of this one. Top-notch metal build quality, together with super smooth aperture and focus rings, actually add to the experience.

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I believe this photo clearly illustrates the quality of this very affordable Chinese lens. IQ may not be brilliant, but it is certainly more than adequate for my purposes. By the way, the picture was taken after both Image Magnification and Focus Peaking had been enabled on my OM-D EM1. Whilst the EM5 does support Image Magnification, I am not aware that it provides Focus Peaking with any lens. I did investigate an Internet hack that claimed to enable some kind of Focus Peaking feature on EM5 bodies. Sadly and for reasons unknown, this hack did not appear to work on my particular camera.