Category: Camera Reviews

Reviews of camera bodies, old and new

Nikon D3200 vs Olympus OMD EM5 for General Photography (updated in 2025)
I personally own a Nikon System with Olympus being my sub system. Back in 2014, my D3200 was mainly for high MP work while the OMD was for street and general shooting.
Nevertheless, this period in the early 2010s still remained the age of DSLRs, though the revolution of mirrorless cameras is currently under-way. There are times when I still favour a DSLR and here are some reasons I do bring my DSLR out.
1. Ergonomics, the bigger Nikon D3200 or the smaller OMD EM5
Somehow, I still feel that handling on the Nikon D3200 is better, despite the it being an entry level body.
Being able to tweak everything on an OMD is nice, but the small body with the strap lugs digging into my palm or fingers really don’t cut it.
A Nikon D3200 with a small prime like the 35mm or the 50mm is still a very compact package. Somehow, this set just sits in my hand really comfortably. Even if you do have large hands, the pinkie can be tucked under the camera for a 3 fingered right hand grip.
Note the difference in size, the OMD EM5 with a grip and Panasonic Pancake Lens vs the Nikon D3200 and Nikon AFS 50mm 1.4G
2. Pixel count, 16 in the EM5 vs 24 in the D3200
Say all you want about high megapixels being terrible in light, but when you can shoot in good light, having more MP is rarely a bad thing. If not, why do people bother with high MP medium format? That extra 8 MP meant that extra bit of cropping allowance. Also, i do have the lenses which allow me to resolve that extra bit of detail. This brings me to my next point.
100% crop from photo taken with D3200 using 50mm at f4 with diffused strobes at ISO 100, note the amount of detail even at this level of magnification.
3. Lenses, Nikon F Mount vs Olympus M4/3
I was already a serious Nikon shooter for some time before I dived into M4/3. As it stands, I own a small arsenal of FX lenses and quality primes for the F mount, compared to 2 small primes for the Olympus, the Panasonic 14mm 2.5 and the 45mm 1.8.
The AF on the OMD and the two primes are fast enough for most people, but nothing beats the feel of the lightning fast AF of the Nikon AF-S 24-70 f/2.8, even on the entry level D3200, and the images that pop out of the camera. However, I doubt if most people really need that extra burst of AF speed offered by the professional grade lens.
Finally, take note of the tremendous price difference between just the 24-70mm ($1800 second hand) and the two primes($450 for both). *Take note this was back in 2014, in 2025, based on checks on Carousell, Singapore’s second hand market.
this set was sold at S$299 in 2021.
This D3200 set with lens is being sold at S$225 in Jul 2025
Camera Recommendation
Personally, in 2025, I’d recommend the lighter combination especially for people doing this as a hobby. Given a choice, most people will like prefer something small and lightweight despite the minor image quality compromises.
PS. Prefer something bigger? I talk about the Nikon D700 vs the Canon 5D Mark II here.
July 15, 2025
Adapting Nikon Telephoto Lenses to Micro Four Thirds Cameras
Getting a longer reach using full frame lenses on Micro Four Thirds
An Micro Four Thirds adaptor costing just SGD$30 was used to mount the lens onto my Olympus OMD EM5. The full combination included the adaptor, a Tamron 1.4x Teleconverter and the Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4.
This gave a set up that had an 840mm effective focal length, albeit with full manual operations, including focus and aperture adjustments.
This effective focal length would no doubt be very appealing to bird photographers on a budget, also to those looking for long reach without the accompanying bulk and weight.
Controlling the adapted full frame lens on the Micro Four Thirds camera
Operating the set up required patience, lots of it. The adaptor allowed the control of aperture, with some clicking heard when adjustments are made.
Focus is done manually, by activating the magnification feature of Olympus cameras using one of several customisable buttons found on the OMD.
I personally use Fn1, but anybody can choose to customise the OMD operation using another Fn button.
It must be noted that the focus is made harder due to the physical stopping down of the aperture blades, making for a darker viewfinder image. This is partially offset by the fact that the OMD has an EVF, allowing the artificial brightening of the image preview to some extent.
Image quality is decent, I find that the lens performs better on native cameras like the D3 and even the D3200 with its high pixel density. This is only natural since lenses are generally optimised for their own system.
The hassle of having to use this lens on a tripod in field conditions together with full manual operation may restrict its effectiveness for birding, which will no doubt be its primary application.
During a birding trip to the Chinese Gardens in Singapore, I was able to get some shots of stationary birds like perching Kingfishers only.
Jittery ones such as the Ashy Tailorbird proved impossible to capture using this setup. Some sample shots of my birding trip have been included for illustration purposes.
Image Quality of the adapted telephoto prime on the Micro Four Thirds camera
Plaintain squirrel shot using Nikon AF-S 300mm f4 on m4/3
This plantain squirrel seemed to be fetching straw for its shelter. It was rather still and gave me ample time to set up and take a few shots before it scampered off.
Water monitor lizard shot using Nikon AF-S 300mm f4 on m4/3
I managed to snap a Malayan Water Monitor Basking by the pondside. I could have done better justice to this particular scene with the magnificent backlighting, pardon my poor skills.
Here is a common Kingfisher observing fish from its perch, which later dived into the water. The set up was too cumbersome to track the bird with as it flew off.
There was no issues with image quality regarding sharpness for the lens adaptation. Another thing was that the IBIS of the Olympus EM5 helped with hand holding, though the long focal length and the need to manual focus meant that you will likely be using the entire set up using a tripod.
Should you adapt a full frame telephoto lens onto a micro four thirds camera?
Your mileage may vary with both your skill and luck. Some users may simply use the lens on a Nikon D7100 or the new D7200, with their built in 2x crop factor mode which allows the entire viewfinder to be covered with the 51 AF points, allowing for superb tracking ability.
Nevertheless, one may find this combination suitable for their use, since a cheap adaptor can be had easily and the native x2 crop factor of the Micro Four Thirds system is useful for extending telephoto purposes.
July 15, 2025