see also:

• Micro Four Thirds system
• Sony FE E-mount full frame lenses
• Canon R full frame and APS-C mirrorless camera system
• Nikon Z full frame mirrorless system

• Olympus OM-D E-M10 III + kit zoom + 45mm f/1.8 + 75mm f/1.8
  • not weathersealed
  • cost: $US599 + $US254 + $US599 = $US1452
• Sony a7II + kit lens + 85mm f/1.8
  • cost $US1049 + $US598 = $US1648 but no telephoto
  • unfortunately, there are no affordable short telephoto Sony lenses similar to the Olympus 75mm, the closest is the Zeiss 135mm f/2.8 which is $US2000
• Canon EOS RP + zoom and wide aperture prime
  • Canon EOS RP ($AU 1899) (plus optional RF-EF adapter ~$AU199)
  • Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 macro IS $AU699
  • Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS $AU1640 (there is no budget RF zoom, portrait lens or short telephoto as yet)
  • cost: $AU1899 + $AU699 + $AU1640 = $AU4238 = $AU2999

• Olympus OM-D E-M5 II + 25mm f/1.2 + 45mm f/1.2 + 75mm f/1.8
  • weathersealed pro lenses except for the 75mm lens
  • cost: $US779 + $US1099+ $US1149 + $US599 = $US3626
• Sony a7III + 55mm F1.8 Carl Zeiss + 85mm f/1.8 Zeiss Batis + Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8
  • cost: $US1999 + $US998 + $US598 + $US2000 = $US5595
  • allows 0.5EV marginally shallower DOF and better Eye AF tracking as well as around 1EV better high ISO image quality
• Canon R with RF-EF adapter and EF lenses
  • Canon R $AU2899
  • Canon RF-EF adapter $AU189
  • Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
  • Canon EF 85mm f/1.8
  • Canon EF 135mm f/2

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 II + 25mm f/1.2 + 45mm f/1.2 + 75mm f/1.8
  • weathersealed pro lenses except for the 75mm lens
  • cost: $US1499 + $US1099+ $US1149 + $US599 = $US4326
• Sony a7RIII + pro primes
  • Sony a7RIII $AU3499
  • Sony FE Planar 50mm f/1.4 $AU1998
  • Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM $AU2288
  • Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF lens $AU2299
  • Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 $AU2899
• Canon R + pro primes
  • Canon R $AU2899
  • Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 $AU3089
  • Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 $AU3799
  • no RF 135mm lens as yet

• Olympus OM-D E-M1 II + 7-14mm f/2.8 + 12-40mm f/2.8 + Panasonic 50-200mm f/2.8-4.0
  • fully weathersealed
  • high optical image quality
  • high build quality
  • f/5.6 DOF in full frame terms (f/8 at 300-400mm)
  • weight: 574g + 534g + 382g + 655g = 2.1kg
  • cost: $US1999 (incl 12-40mm) + $US1297 + $US1699 = $US4995
  • $US2400 cheaper and almost 1kg lighter than the Sony kit but it has 1 EV less shallow DOF
  • carrying the telephoto zoom is far more comfortable than the Sony 100-400 with the camera and lens weighing only 1.2kg compared to just over 2kg for the Sony option
  • alternatives:
    • Olympus 12-100mm f/4
    • Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 760g $US1149
    • Panasonic 50-200mm f/2.8-4.0 655g $US1699 close focus 0.75m
• Sony a7III + Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G + 24-70mm F4 CZ + Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
  • weight: 650g + 565g + 426g + 1400g = 3.06kg
  • cost: $US1999 + $US1700 + $US1199 + $US2499 = $US7400
  • reasonably weathersealed
  • better eye AF tracking, but ergonomic / menu issues
  • option for much more expensive and heavier f/2.8 zooms but no affordable options beyond 200mm focal length
  • f/4 full frame DOF thus 1EV shallower DOF and perhaps 1EV better image quality if don't need the deeper DOF
  • 24-70mm is very soft away from centre at all focal lengths even on stopping down and has a complex distortion pattern and uses 67mm filters
  • alternatives:
    • cheap kit lens: Sony 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS $AU329
    • Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.5 OSS $AU1350
    • Sony FE PZ 28-135mm F/4 G OSS $AU3399
    • Sony 70-200mm F4 Sony G OSS 840g $US1499 but has soft corners even stopped down and is soft in the centre wide open at 200mm and obviously doesn't get to 300mm like the Olympus does, or to 400 as does the Panasonic
    • Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens $US2498 1.4kg close focus 0.98m

• Olympus E-M1 Mark II + Olympus 12-100mm f/4
  • weight: 574g + 561g = 1135g (25% lighter)
  • cost: $US1199 + $US1199 = $US2398
  • the Olympus lens gives the best optical results for any 8x zoom lens ever made
  • alternatives:
    • Olympus mZD 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 16x zoom lens $US899
• Sony a7III + Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS
  • weight: 650g + 780g = 1430g
  • cost: $US1999 + $US998 = $US2997
  • unlike the superb Olympus lens, the Sony lens has poor reviews for build quality and optical quality - satisfactory up to about 100mm, beyond that it degrades quickly and by 150mm it becomes very soft with poor resolution and contrast.