Hmmm, which camera and lens combo did I use?

 Last update: 6th July 2026

Do you trust social media influencers repeating "bigger is better" lines while reviewing and expressing opinions about OM System and Olympus cameras? Why is "sensor size" not a variable in the exposure formula? Why do full-frame advocates make us believe full-frame sensors capture more light? Does the "more light commercial theory" undermine our ability to manage the performance of the sensor? What do image sensors need to capture the picture? How do we manage the sensor's performance? Sensor performance is linked to the exposure formula and the reflected light reaching the sensor. Do we or the size of the sensor determine how much light is reaching and exposing the sensor?

Why did Olympus sell an innovative and promising imaging business?

PS. If you didn't know it's possible to manage your sensor's performance..., ask why?

This is a handheld photo with no focus stacking and an aperture of f6.3...

These images illustrate key benefits of the digital MFT sensor format and the Olympus and OM System digital imaging process. I converted and prepared these images in OM Workspace. Imagine using your camera's TruePic imaging processor to convert and edit your raw files in Workspace.

Which camera and lens did I use?

Consider the most hated MFT lens, receiving constant negative feedback on social media. Why would they hate this lens so much? Start by listing the MFT lenses with the most negative feedback...

I used the 4/3rds aspect ratio for both the landscape and portrait version...

Why do FF advocates promote sensor size, or large sensors "capturing more light," in 2026? One of the reasons marketers created the "bigger is better" theory was the physical size of full-frame DSLRs and lenses. They needed a competitive alternative for the commercial success Olympus enjoyed with the size/weight benefit of MFT cameras and the innovative OM-D E-M5 and E-M1 from 2012/13.

Some of the sales lines were background blur or the shallow depth-of-field (DOF) of full-frame sensors and the promise that full-frame cameras have less noise and more dynamic range. Depth of field is an optical characteristic linked to the size of the sensor, and noise and dynamic range are technical efficiencies linked to the design criteria, manufacture, and materials used in the sensor.

Instead of focusing on accurate information, marketers doubled down on the "bigger is better" theory with questionable marketing techniques like repetition and astroturfing. For example, they pushed portrait photography when they saw the benefits MFT cameras offered in wider DOF applications. The "capture more light" theory was created to explain less noise and more dynamic range.

PS. Study the photons to electrons graph for more on sensor saturation (dynamic range) and SNR (noise).

I used exposure, iEnhanced options, and tonal controls to "develop" these photos...

How do I study marketing trends and the digital imaging process of Olympus and OM System cameras? I have an engineering and marketing background, which helps me to follow marketing trends and keep only those technical points relevant to digital photography. In the past I followed and discussed my thoughts on photography forums. Today I follow technical and marketing trends with AI. Finally, I use basic engineering principles to study and explain digital cameras and the digital imaging process. The key is to present only the information that could benefit digital photographers.

Study this article and this article for more on noise and dynamic range...

PS. I used the OM System OM-5 with the amazing and tiny Olympus M.Zuiko 9-18mm f4-5.6 lens.