Travel photography – this is where I started, and, to be honest, this is what I still like most of all my shooting experiences.

Travelling with kids though imposes some equipment limitations – in what you can carry. So size and weight matter, and they matter a lot.

Recently I was travelling with SONY RX10. Small, versatile, providing good results. But I missed the wide angle, the proper manual control of zoom lens, the wide aperture the prime lenses can provide.

So I started looking for an alternative.

I had 3 options :
- SONY A7R or, even better, A7R II
- OLYMPUS OMD E-M1
- FUJIFILM XT-1

Firstly I gave up on Sony. May seem strange considering I really liked RX10 model and A7R series would be a step forward. Probably, if I had the money.

A7R II – being the new boy in town – is very expensive, and for the second hand one at reasonable price I would have to wait a bit. Or bit longer. Or forever.

A7R – price within reach, but…. I will not question the camera quality or capability – these are exceptional. Not so the Sony lenses, though. In almost every comparison test I have seen they were second to Canon, Nikkor or Olympus. But wait, you can get an adapter and use Canon lenses with it, right ? Well, yes, but the main reason for change was to get lighter. What would be the point getting the lighter camera, but making up the weigh with an adapter and still have the same, heavy Canon lenses ? for me – no go. Olympus or Fuji, then.

First – youtube. Watched as much as I could, for example here :

Comparison between OLYMPUS OMD E-M1 and FUJIFILM XT-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2RUz-Hyy1E

Then – best site for equipment tests and reviews : Optyczne.pl

Olympus was tested here :
http://www.optyczne.pl/245.1-Test_aparatu-Olympus_OM-D_E-M1-Wst%C4%99p.html

The verdict – reviewer’s choice award.

However – the same award went to FujiFilm XT-1, but it slightely lost to Olympus on their overall score :

But lets say it is draw.

To the lenses, then. Here, 2 factors were deciding :
- first I have found a website / blog praising one of the Fujifilm lenses, illustrated with….pooor quality photos.
- secondly I have found 2 excellent reviews of Olympus M.Zuiko lenses :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjdya4umwls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtfdDZFC8k0

I was almost convinced, but there was one more thing to do – to get my hands on the cameras. And….dials seemed more easy and intuitive on Fujifilm, although I liked the feel of both cameras. But then came the lenses…. As soon as you get Olympus Pro in your hand you know that when they call them PRO, they mean PRO. And the size of some Primes….I could fit few in my pocket while on the go !

That did it. Came back home and hunted on ebay. Fought hard, won the battles. And here it is – my new toy :