I’ve received a lot of feedback from micro four thirds users thinking to switch to Fujifilm. I was and I’m still am, a micro four thirds user. When I only had the MFT system, I was dreaming over the idea of how much a Fujifilm or a full frame camera will improve my photography. Is this true? Lets see what I have to say now:
Micro Four Thirds Advantages and Disadvantages Over Fujifilm /APS-C
- overall I think the system it’s cheaper, the prices on the used market are well beyond Fujifilm or Sony
- the small micro four third sensor will force you to see the light – not thinking about the light you’ll get some penalty in your image quality; also this is true for every photography system
- very good IBIS – that means you can makes pictures that you aren’t able to do with other camera systems – long exposure hand held – for the moment just x-t4 and X-S10 are having IBIS, but the M43 system has the best IBIS (especially Olympus)
- you don’t get the texture and details that you can get with a full frame or APS-C camera – but a good lens will resolve more! See Olympus Pro Lenses.
- you get much more noise, ideal it’s to use maximum ISO 1600 on the latest sensor
- for large prints you don’t have any problems – I have clear and beautiful prints done in house and I can make larger prints A3+ too. Also if you need a larger print, the enlarge software are doing miracles!
What You’ll Miss On Fujifilm From A M43 System
- you’ll miss the IBIS (be sure that you will miss it!)
- you’ll miss the weight & volume of the overall systems
- you’ll not have a true 50mm equivalent full frame lens small and at a decent price (33mm f1.4 it’s the only one, 35mm f2 it’s a 53mm and it feels)
- at pixel level that x-trans sensor will give you some worm artefacts that can be seen even in Fuji jpeg files, so be aware
- it’s possible to miss the wider field of view depending on your photography; for street photography, macro photography and landscape photography a M43 system could be more pleasing for some photographers
What You’ll Get on Fujifilm
- you’ll get better texture, color, optical compression , details, optics, tones, rendering
- better bokeh with normal prime lenses
- but not having that IBIS you must raise the shutter speed – depending on the type and style of the photography that you are doing this could be a problem!
Videography
- it depends on your needs
- but I think Micro Four Thirds has the best lenses. Pair this with IBIS, think about the Lumix 10-25mm f1.8 lens. Combine Lumix 10-25mm f1.8 lens with Olympus OMD EM1 MKiii and you’ll have a superb setup!
- Fujifilm video camera as X-T4, X-H1, X-S10 and in the future X-H2 and so on. But they don’t have the lenses of a MFT system and their AF it’s not much better.
- Sony APS-C or a full frame camera will offer you better AF and options.
How To Get Good Quality Images From Your Micro Four Thirds Camera
- Shoot RAW if don’t do that already
- Use the best glass that it’s out there: Olympus Pro Grade Lenses are a good start
- Use lenses with f1.4 and f1.2 aperture
- Don’t go beyond ISO 1600 with the latest sensor (OMD EM1MKII/MKIII, Lumix GH5, Lumix G9, Lumix G90, EM5MKIII, EM10DMKIV etc.)
- Use Cobalt Profiles to get good color tones, grade and color transition – website here and see what I think about cobalt profiles on Fuji here
- Use Capture One
- Use a good denoise software (DXO Pure RAW, Affinity Photo, Topaz Denoise)
Conclusion
One major difference, despite the sensor are the lenses. Fujifilm lenses are pretty good, and if they aren’t so good they less good ones (like Fujinon 27mm f2.8 pancake) are helped by the BSI APS-C sensor. So on MFT you have many lenses, but some aren’t optically good (I need to review some of the). The good optically lenses are the pro grade lenses. Also the pro zooms are very good. And I’ve heard some of the new lenses are almost good as the pro ones. So be aware of the lenses and the light!
If you really want better image quality and this is your last goal, than go to full frame. An APS-C sensor will not offer you miracles.
The APS-C will not offer you better prices and significant image quality. You obtain a maximum of 30% depending on your photography and videography. Sony A7C with a small zoom and with small prime lenses from Sigma and Samyang will deliver you better image sharpness. But it’s possible that you’ll not like the color – so you’ll need Cobalt Profiles also. So my advice is try to get a PRO lens for the type of photography that you are doing, and install Cobalt Profiles with Canon/Nikon Colors or what colors you want, see the results and think after that. Even the normal Cobalt Profile will offer you better results than Adobe standard profiles or camera match.
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