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Fun with the Olympus OMD

jonoslack

Active member
The OMD does very well, but no, I wouldn't put it still on the same field/category of those last two. The high ISO of that Sony sensor is still better as its still its DR and tonality (14-bits raw vs 12-bit raw - and yes, the K-5/D7000 do use the bits). But I agree the OMD does very well.

- Raist
I think it does look pretty good. Thank you for posting that, that's the kind of shot/situation I want to see the OMD going through. It's no K-5 but it's pretty good, and it doesn't have to be as good as a K-5 to be of interest to me.

How was the AF in this situation (referring to speed, obviously the shot seems reasonably in focus).

Thank again.

- Ricardo
Hi Ricardo
I'm trying to be economical with my posts, so you'll excuse me for two birds with one stone.

I agree, it's not quite up there with the K5 and the D7000 at high ISO . . . but it's quite close, and just for once it's nice to see a 4/3 sensor not drastically under performing (I've never been convinced by the excuses for 4/3 on the basis that the sensor is smaller), sure, it's cropped at the edges, but otherwise it's much too close for the size of an APSc sensor for that to be a limiting factor - it's the cr@p sensors that Panasonic have come up with that are to blame!

So - having agreed that high ISO not as good as a K5/D7000 (but close), I'll go on to AF . . . I don't really use tracking focus, and I suspect that like everything outside Nikon it's not really very good . . .but, like lots of previous Olympus cameras the single shot AF seem very accurate, the difference between this and previous cameras is that it also seems very fast. This picture was taken by touching Sim's eye on the LCD - AF and capture was as good as instantaneous - and that's with the light assist turned off (does anyone really focus by flashing lights in people's eyes?!)
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Hi Ricardo
I'm trying to be economical with my posts, so you'll excuse me for two birds with one stone.

I agree, it's not quite up there with the K5 and the D7000 at high ISO . . . but it's quite close, and just for once it's nice to see a 4/3 sensor not drastically under performing (I've never been convinced by the excuses for 4/3 on the basis that the sensor is smaller), sure, it's cropped at the edges, but otherwise it's much too close for the size of an APSc sensor for that to be a limiting factor - it's the cr@p sensors that Panasonic have come up with that are to blame!

So - having agreed that high ISO not as good as a K5/D7000 (but close), I'll go on to AF . . . I don't really use tracking focus, and I suspect that like everything outside Nikon it's not really very good . . .but, like lots of previous Olympus cameras the single shot AF seem very accurate, the difference between this and previous cameras is that it also seems very fast. This picture was taken by touching Sim's eye on the LCD - AF and capture was as good as instantaneous - and that's with the light assist turned off (does anyone really focus by flashing lights in people's eyes?!)
The AF I am interested enough here is single, not tracking or CDAF. It's how I shoot on streets. I wonder if someone walking towards me would be an issue though.

Thanks for the info, it's what I am interested in.

- Ricardo
 

jonoslack

Active member
The AF I am interested enough here is single, not tracking or CDAF. It's how I shoot on streets. I wonder if someone walking towards me would be an issue though.

Thanks for the info, it's what I am interested in.

- Ricardo
Hi Ricardo - the touch / shutter works really well, and is really fast. For someone walking towards you on the street, you just touch the LCD and it takes the shot - it's impressively quick. A series of shots might be different. Tracking focus I haven't tried, but dPreview had it as a shortcoming and I've no reason for disbelief.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Jono,

really like your shots! Especially the yellow flower is magnificent! The 12-50 is a clear winner on the OMD IMHO ....

Peter
Thanks Peter.
The 12-50 is a real conundrum. So many people have been rude about it. But it's a real 'do anything' lens, a Jack Of All Trades (I'm sure this is what it's intended for) - of course, it isn't perfect (which 4 times zoom is) but if you're willing to stop down a little you can have sharp corners at 12mm - and of course the macro mode isn't as good as the PL 45 . . . but it does HAVE a macro mode!
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Thanks Peter.
The 12-50 is a real conundrum. So many people have been rude about it. But it's a real 'do anything' lens, a Jack Of All Trades (I'm sure this is what it's intended for) - of course, it isn't perfect (which 4 times zoom is) but if you're willing to stop down a little you can have sharp corners at 12mm - and of course the macro mode isn't as good as the PL 45 . . . but it does HAVE a macro mode!
I was initially rude, but now it all makes sense. The lens is ok. But the important thing is: slow decent zooms, fast high quality primes. This is where 4/3rds failed and what Olympus is doing now. And I like it. It makes all the sense in the world. I still wish they did the slower zoom more on the constant F4 side of things but I guess F4 for the size and range can still be a bit fast.

- Raist
 
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Terry

New member
I don't have a cat or a dog so most new cameras get the required flow shots. So, nice when new cameras come out in the spring. Thoughts on the camera coming soon.













At the Carmel Mission



 

jonoslack

Active member
Uwe, Terry, Gilpen
Great shots all - Uwe - I hear what you say about the 14-140 compared to the Sony 18-200 . . . .have you tried the little Olympus 14-150 - I had one back in the autumn with the EP3, and thought it a fine lens (and it is small too).
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Uwe .
the peeling paint reminds me of the first photo I ever had blown up and framed . . it was probably in the mid seventies, and probably taken with a Contax 139.

I have to say that I'm a big fan of the 12-50 kit lens. It seems to me that it's just what a kit lens should be - small and versatile with decent image quality. Of course, we all want it to be tiny with perfect image quality, but something has to give somewhere!

all the best
 
G

gplatt

Guest
Jono

Not sure if you've commented on this elsewhere, but knowing how much you like the focus peaking on the Nex, how do you find using manual focus lenses on the OM-D?

regards
Guy
 

jonoslack

Active member
Jono

Not sure if you've commented on this elsewhere, but knowing how much you like the focus peaking on the Nex, how do you find using manual focus lenses on the OM-D?

regards
Guy
Hi There Guy
I'm afraid I haven't even tried any of them . . . I might try some of the R lenses, but I don't have a m4/3 to R adapter at the moment.
Manual focusing in general works okay on a tripod for macro, but I find it pretty disturbing when you're trying to get the composition right and it keeps zooming in and out.

I guess that in the end I decided that I wasn't really going to use either camera for manual focus lenses - that's what the M9 is for.

Two things spring to mind.
1. Focus peaking is the best
2. the stabilisation on the OMD would be wonderful.

A draw perhaps!

all the best
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
I find it pretty disturbing when you're trying to get the composition right and it keeps zooming in and out.

The stabilisation on the OMD would be wonderful.
Hi, very interesting thread !

I was looking at the OMD to use it with MF lenses (long focal lengths, 300-1000mm) for birding. I thought the 5-axis ibis would be a wonderful help both for focusing and shooting (if I read correctly).

But, what's that "zooming in and out" about ?

C U
Rafael
 
B

boyzo

Guest
Re: 2 with OM-D

The sensor is really good {not like a Panasonic at all} its Sony
Oly 50/f2 macro



The Oly 14-42IIR

 
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