Last update: 23rd October 2025
Do you think it's worthwhile to become an expert in everyday disciplines like brewing a cup of coffee, cooking a healthy meal, or being an event or wedding photographer or a ranger at a South African wildlife reserve like the Kruger National Park? Although I may not be a professional photographer in 2025, I had the privilege to develop an excellent understanding of the digital imaging process. Are you comfortable with the technical and optical aspects of photography and digital cameras?
Some of the most basic elements of digital photography are the camera/lens combination, exposure, sensor saturation, and SNR. The camera's aperture and shutter speed values control the reflected light exposing the sensor, which is an exact copy of the subject or scene. This does not change with computational features like GND filters, Gradation options, or V-LOG profiles. We manage reflected light with the so-called 4th exposure variable, which includes a flash, diffuser, or time of day. Does this mean social media talking points like dynamic range or noise are not 100% accurate?
Olympus E-M10 IV with the M.Zuiko 45mm f1.8 lens. ISO3200, f6.3, 1/25. I converted the RAW file in Workspace (Low noise filter).
The Olympus E-M1 III and the M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens are some of the finest M43 products. The Olympus R&D team excelled in firmware options, offering more control over the technical limitations of the image sensor. The result is Olympus cameras with high-sensitivity sensors, M.Zuiko Pro lenses, advanced TruePic image processors, computational features, the Enhanced RAW Format, and post-processing options like Workspace. Olympus successfully leveraged the sum-of-parts concept, while competitors focused on more megapixels, larger image sensors, and the premise that physical size is a reliable measure for technical efficiency. These include typical technical aspects like image noise, dynamic range, sensor saturation, and SNR. (See the photo/electrons graph for more)
Is physical size really a reliable measure for technical efficiency?
The Micro Four Thirds (M43) format benefits from a wide selection of quality M43 lenses. Olympus and OM System M.Zuiko lenses are known for affordability and high-quality optics. An in-depth discussion of the design philosophy behind Olympus cameras, M.Zuiko lenses, and the M43 digital sensor format would take months. Meanwhile, some forum experts argue that Olympus produced inferior quality and released cameras with lower image quality in an attempt to rebound from a corporate scandal. This raises more questions about the reliability of opinions shared by social media experts.
See this article for more about the E-M5 III and the "corporate" scandal.
PS. The images in this article is best viewed on a large computor screen.
Figure 1
The above illustration depicts a typical challenge photographers are facing on a regular basis. Why did the shutter speed drop by 1 EV in aperture mode and a focal length of 56 mm, or why did the sensor receive only 0.5 EV more reflected light? The variable aperture of the 24-200mm lens changed by -0.5 EV, which caused less light to reach the sensor. The resulting shutter speed advantage was +0.5 EV, which improved the noise in the image to the right (study the histograms). Olympus cameras and the large selection of M43 lenses make it possible to select the right camera and lens combination for our photography needs. For instance, the Lumix 35-100 f2.8 IS lens would have improved the SNR and image quality by up to 2 stops from f2.8 to 4.5. See my articles for more information.
The M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens
The M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens is the only ultra-wide-angle M43 zoom lens with a constant f2.8 aperture. It delivers exceptional results and is surprisingly small for an f2.8 wide-angle zoom lens. For example, the deep FOV benefit of M43 cameras makes the 7-14 mm an exceptional lens at f2.8. We have no less than five excellent M43 wide-angle lenses with variable and fixed apertures. What makes the 7-14 mm Pro lens unique is its secondhand pricing. Why would one buy a used 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens and not the newer 8-25mm f4 Pro lens? Price is one reason, but more importantly, it's about application and what you want from a particular lens. The M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 Pro is one of the best low-light options. The images below were taken with the E-M1 III and the M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 Pro lens. I converted the Enhanced RAW files with my preferred RAW converter, Workspace.
The M.Zuiko 12-200mm f3.5-6.3 lens
What if the comprehensive range of M43 lenses is one of several reasons why real M43 photographers hardly ever need more megapixels? The M.Zuiko 12-200mm f3.5-6.3 is an excellent multipurpose lens and one of several reasons for not having to crop. It's possible to correctly frame and capture almost any scene from 12 to 200 mm, or 400 mm with the 2x digital converter. In other words, some need to crop to 20MP, while M43 photographers capture correctly framed images at 12, 16, or 20MP.
Olympus E-M1 III with the M.Zuiko 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 lens. ISO800, f6.3, 1/1600 I converted the RAW file in Workspace.
A fascinating aspect of the size and handling benefits of M43 cameras is illustrated by the slight color changes between the two images in Fig. 1. The image on the left was cropped in Workspace, and the one to the right filled the frame at a focal length of 56 mm. The camera measured a wider view with brighter skies on the left and more dark areas in the image to the right. Accurate exposure and white balance readings and the TruePic image processor are the main reasons why Olympus is famous for its Kodak-like colors. Another crucial aspect is having more tonal data to work with when the histogram is moving to the right. The benefits of learning more about digital cameras are huge.
My grandson and I enjoyed a photowalk with his Panasonic G3 and Lumix 14-42 and 45-200 lenses, which I purchased for $120 in Dec 2024. Our goal was the late afternoon sun and painting with light while enjoying photography and the beautiful Bodensee village. We had so much fun experimenting with light and different creative ideas. The camaraderie of spotting and photographing those unique light paintings was priceless. We have so many new ideas for our next photowalk.
Olympus E-M1 III with the M.Zuiko 12-200mm lens.
The M.Zuiko 12-200mm f3.5-f6.3 is a smaller lens option for day-to-day photography. My wife prefers her 14-150 because the 12-200 weighs more and is a little bigger. I think the 14-150mm is a great lens but prefer the 12-200 option. The IQ combined with the physical size and zoom ratio of the 12-200 is unbeatable. I appreciate why photographers want lenses like the M.Zuiko 50-200mm f2.8 Pro. The 12-200 mm is an amazing alternative for those looking for a smaller but capable package.
These highly acclaimed M.Zuiko lenses offer a range of 7 to 200 mm, fit into my shoulder bag, and have all the benefits and characteristics of ultra-wide-angle and long-range lenses. Surprisingly, the 7-14 mm, f2.8 Pro is selling at lower used prices than the 12-200 mm f3.5-6.3 lens. Both these lenses offer a distinct 3D look. The DOF advantage of the M43 format further enhances the 3D look.
Canon EF 24-105mm versus the Olympus12-200mm lens.
The following images were taken with the Olympus E-M1 III and the 12-200mm lens. I converted the RAW files with PhotoLab 7 and use a similar workflow for PhotoLab as Workspace. I prefer PhotoLab 7 because the modern AI look reminds me of those surreal HDR images. That and the Olympus sum of parts strategy make spotting and capturing the right moment fun, knowing that it takes only small tweaks to highlight the painting with light effects in my RAW files and Workspace.
Why do I think social media advice on noise and dynamic range is generally inaccurate? The advice most photographers get is something like, "Smaller sensors have more noise and less dynamic range." Social media experts also claim higher ISOs cause more noise. The truth is, dynamic range and noise (sensor + shot noise) are a function of the camera's design criteria. Higher ISOs mean the sensor is underexposed and at a lower SNR. The social media version offers only one option, whereas the truth has various options to manage the SNR. That's why one image has more noise while both were taken at ISO3200 (Fig. 1). Dynamic range is similar but needs a more in-depth conversation. See my articles for more. Can we trust any advice coming from the social media information layer?
It's often better to buy a used Lumix 35-100mm f2.8 lens for the M43 camera you already own than to buy an expensive Sony camera. How many M43 photographers made the mistake of purchasing an older FF camera or an expensive Sony with a silly "kit" lens because quality FF lenses are simply too BIG in price, size, and weight? I tried several FF combinations and always returned to M43. Folks, the basic technical and optical truths illustrated in this article apply to all digital cameras.
Best
Siegfried
