My First Camera (interchangeable lens)
- Edson Jules
- Apr 6, 2020
- 2 min read
Before buying my first camera, I spent weeks and months doing research on which one was right for me. I spent countless hours on YouTube learning about the different camera mounts and brands and using cameras in manual mode. I’ve read lots of articles to lead me in the right path. I also visited many stores to try them out from B&H in NYC and my local BestBuy and Target.
There’s so many to choose from. When it come sensor size there is Medium Format, Full Frame, APS-C, or Micro 4/3. Because I mostly want tot do this as a hobby, Medium Format was not considered due to the high price tag. When it came to DSLR vs. Mirrorless, I chose Mirrorless as that was what everyone was moving towards (in 2017) and it was smaller and lighter. In the end, it came down to 3 different cameras.
I was mainly looking at the Sony A7ii, Olympus OMD EM10 Mkii, and a Fujifilm (don’t recall the exact model). I liked Fujifilm because of the colors it can capture and the look and design of the camera bodies. I was considering the Sony A7ii because it was full frame and it can produce a more shallow depth of field over the others. I decided to go with the Olympus EM10 Mkii as my first.
Reasons I went with the Olympus OMD EM10 Mkii include, but not limited to, price, size, and features. I bought it as a kit on Amazon for around $700 and it came with many things including two lenses, a camera bag, and a memory card and editing software codes. If I went with any other choice I would have paid $200-900 more and would not get any lens. Most people recommend spending less on a body and more on the lens when first starting. The Olympus had more features that I cared for, including a full touch screen, IBIS, and a built in intervalometer for timelaspes (something i enjoy). Even though most people don’t recommend the M4/3 sensor I do like the small body size and small lenses. Most can fit in my pocket with no problem and it would allow me to carry more lenses and still be compact and light weight.
There was a newer model of the Olympus OMD EM10 Mkii that came out a few months earlier Olympus OMD EM10 Mkiii but the main difference was the addition of 4K video. I was not into videography at the time so I save money by going with the older model.
Fun Fact: I did purchase a Sony A7ii a year later but decided not to use it and I returned it. I also had the Panasonic G7 and returned that. Now I currently have the Olympus OMD EM10 Mkii, Olympus OMD EM5 Mkii, and Panasonic GH5 (mainly for video). I also own several Olympus film cameras.
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