I currently shoot micro 4/3 cameras and lenses. Having experimented with APS/C sensor DSLR (Pentax) and even full frame (Sony RX1) in recent years, I have happily settled on the mirrorless format.

Why? The micro 4/3 Olympus and Panasonic cameras have, for me, the right balance between size and image quality. A street set up with one camera and a single prime lens slips into a coat pocket and looks discrete.  A landscape kit with three zoom lenses, two bodies and a couple of filters fits easily into a medium camera bag. The early sensors on these cameras back in 2010, had obvious limits when pushing the ISO and with fast sport action compared with other pro gear. But the latest technology has narrowed that gap.

Not only that, but Olympus and Panasonic share compatible lenses across the micro 4/3 platform, and they are good quality glass!

I have realised how easy it is to spend large amounts of money changing gear, but how much more enjoyable to find a system or camera you like and stick with it.

In my bag I have…

For street photography:

Olympus Pen F – fantastic retro camera with 20 mp sensor and unique front dial to adjust for gritty black and white jpeg images.

17mm f1.8 lens – great all round wide angle with useful pull back mechanism for manual & zone focus

Olympus 45mm f1.8 lens – a small telephoto creating beautiful images

Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens – a stunning long telephoto with amazing clarity

Olympus 9mm body cap fisheye lens – not amazing quality, but great for dramatic wide footage

I also use the Panasonic LX100 camera– one of the smallest m4/3 cameras with fast integral zoom, full external controls and silent operation.

For landscape:

Panasonic GX8 camera– the latest weatherproof rangefinder style body – very comfortable to hold and versatile controls and viewfinder

(Also my Olympus Pen F when I need two bodies)

Olympus 9-18mm f4-5.6 lens – a compact ultra wide landscape zoom – ideal size vs quality combo

Olympus 12-50mm f 3.5-6.3 lens – an all round weatherproof wide to telephoto lens, perfect for outdoor conditions

Panasonic 45-150mm f4-5.6 lens – a small telephoto zoom with good optics

(all these three take 52mm Cokin filters, so that I can swap around without fuss, depending on the scene)