The old 16mp m4/3 sensor

[nzmacro]

Just going through an old folder here with bird shots and old Canon tele lenses with the E-M10 (original) and the E-M1. The 16mp sensor was and IMO still are excellent. No doubt some of my best shots have come from those two cameras and the 16mp sensor.

Yes, nice to have the m4/3 20mp sensor for sure and maybe even the GH6 26mp new sensor, but those old sensors can still hold their own today.

So a few shots from the 16mp sensors

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M10
• 1/3200 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Manual exposure
• ISO 500

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M10
• 1/3200 sec
• Spot
• Manual exposure
• ISO 200

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M1
• 1/2000 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 320

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M10
• 1/800 sec
• Spot
• Manual exposure
• ISO 320

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M1
• 1/500 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Manual exposure
• ISO 200

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M1
• 1/8000 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 320

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-M10
• 1/1600 sec
• Pattern
• Manual exposure
• ISO 500

Always fun looking back on the older sensors and I did start with the 12mp m4/3 sensors. There was a difference there for sure, but I think a lot of it progressed with new tech being done besides just the mp.

All the best folks and just an old fart reminiscing over the older sensors is all.

Danny.

 

[jalywol]

Those are spectactular!

I have to admit to using the 16MP GM5 more, right now, than the 20MP GX9, for everyday stuff. Since I got the S5, most of my "serious" shooting (if you can call it that ) is being done with that system. So, the GM5 goes with me when I want small and convenient. The sensor is great in good light, and the diminutive camera puts people at ease, so it's a nice thing to have in social situations. Yeah, the GX9 is better, but it's not up to what the FF can do, esp in iffy light, soooo....

 

[nzmacro]

Those are spectactular!

I have to admit to using the 16MP GM5 more, right now, than the 20MP GX9, for everyday stuff. Since I got the S5, most of my "serious" shooting (if you can call it that ) is being done with that system. So, the GM5 goes with me when I want small and convenient. The sensor is great in good light, and the diminutive camera puts people at ease, so it's a nice thing to have in social situations. Yeah, the GX9 is better, but it's not up to what the FF can do, esp in iffy light, soooo....

Besides all that how are J good to see you oh great multi format user. A pleasure J as always.

Danny.

 

[jalywol]

I'm still having forum shock
No idea where I will end up, so just giving them all a bit of a tryout. I do like how the photos post here, though.
-J

 

[AlbertM43user]

While 20Mp sensor would allow more cropping, and some opinion that the new 20Mp models might produce higher IQ image (better image engine, higher DR of sensor?), TBH I really not found 20Mp output better than 16Mp output obviously in real life. At least not from day to day samples found on the old DPR over the years. I rarely crop my output and so just 4Mp extra resolution won't be a big enough reason for me to upgrade...

I am still very happy with the 16Mp models (the 7 years old G85, 4 years old GX85 and 2 years old GX850) or even the older (8 years old) GX7.

 

[Pete_W]

The main difference I noticed between my GX85 (16Mp) and G95 (20Mp) was that the G95 handled shadows a little better.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

I cracked along with a 12mp FF sensor in a Canon 5D for at least 10 years, maybe longer, and the images it produced were quite wow-worthy for my audience and I did not need anything better. More recently the 16mp and 20mp 4/3 sensors still do a similar job and that for me is good enough. I don't see any of my usual audience for my theatre images asking for better. So I figure that once we get to good enough the urgency to upgrade falls away.

This is quite easily seen by the level of new camera body sales - the market has matured and users are hanging on to their older gear before they think about upgrading. Wearing out is more the reason for change than necessity for great images. But there is always a market for following the current fashion .....

Hopefully I will be able to post some of my earlier images once I get time and figure out how to easily resize to 4Gb. I intend to be more regular image poster on this forum. (Brave words)

The dpreview forum did have an issue with its more rigorous forum structures where if you had some good kimages taken before a change of mount system then they did not support the forum on which you might be posting. Here it has the flexibility to be posted on a different forum but our regular correspondents should still be able to easily see where these posts have been made.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Just going through an old folder here with bird shots and old Canon tele lenses with the E-M10 (original) and the E-M1. The 16mp sensor was and IMO still are excellent. No doubt some of my best shots have come from those two cameras and the 16mp sensor.

Yes, nice to have the m4/3 20mp sensor for sure and maybe even the GH6 26mp new sensor, but those old sensors can still hold their own today.

So a few shots from the 16mp sensors


View attachment 1080


View attachment 1081

View attachment 1082

View attachment 1083


View attachment 1084

View attachment 1085

View attachment 1086

Always fun looking back on the older sensors and I did start with the 12mp m4/3 sensors. There was a difference there for sure, but I think a lot of it progressed with new tech being done besides just the mp.

All the best folks and just an old fart reminiscing over the older sensors is all.

Danny.

Always worthy Danny, and we cannot actually see the effort that you must have made to capture them - but a bit of positive feedback has to be worth while.

 

[AlbertM43user]

The main difference I noticed between my GX85 (16Mp) and G95 (20Mp) was that the G95 handled shadows a little better.

Might be, likely the higher DR of 20Mp sensor would be the reason behind? I have no 20Mp model to compare.

Until now I still don't worry too much on this front for my SOOC JPG shooting. Majority of time I would deal with the lightness of the frame right (as much as possible) on shooting. If single shot couldn't get it, I would use Highlight/shadow or HDR (in-camera or exposure bracketing). Shadow lifting in PP would be used only if I have no alternative to improve my output.

I suppose 20Mp sensor models might need less of the above to work with? It doesn't bother me too much since by the end we have to be adaptive at some points.

 

[AlbertM43user]

I cracked along with a 12mp FF sensor in a Canon 5D for at least 10 years, maybe longer, and the images it produced were quite wow-worthy for my audience and I did not need anything better. More recently the 16mp and 20mp 4/3 sensors still do a similar job and that for me is good enough. I don't see any of my usual audience for my theatre images asking for better. So I figure that once we get to good enough the urgency to upgrade falls away.

This is quite easily seen by the level of new camera body sales - the market has matured and users are hanging on to their older gear before they think about upgrading. Wearing out is more the reason for change than necessity for great images. But there is always a market for following the current fashion .....

Hopefully I will be able to post some of my earlier images once I get time and figure out how to easily resize to 4Gb. I intend to be more regular image poster on this forum. (Brave words)

Try the free FastStone. The resize feature (a button and set the resize parameters, e.g. 50% etc) could quickly resize an image for posting here while the IQ would not be degraded too much (at 100% view).

The dpreview forum did have an issue with its more rigorous forum structures where if you had some good kimages taken before a change of mount system then they did not support the forum on which you might be posting. Here it has the flexibility to be posted on a different forum but our regular correspondents should still be able to easily see where these posts have been made.