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Fun with 4/3rds cameras/ Image Thread

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Devon Shaw

Guest
Getting back into Micro Four Thirds. Conspicuousness of the 7D has started weighing me down.

 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Walking In Guadalupe River Park #7


Olympus E-5 + ZD 50mm f/2 Macro

The above photo is part of a set of seven new landscape works I've posted to flickr.com. Clicking on it will present a slide show.

Thanks for looking. Comments appreciated.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
@ Godfrey

wonderful colors - seems the E5 is performing extremely well

I am still in decision mode to go for it .....

Peter
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
@ Godfrey
wonderful colors - seems the E5 is performing extremely well
I am still in decision mode to go for it .....
Thanks!

I'm lovin' it, for me it was certainly the right camera to go with. While I'd still like to find that perfect complement in a more compact camera for the limited times I would like to carry less camera, it's a luxury that I don't need. This camera performs beautifully, the FourThirds SLR lenses are excellent :: it just works and gets out of my way.

There's nothing better I can say about a camera than that it "gets out of my way." Equipment so often gets in the way of Photography ... !
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Thanks!

I'm lovin' it, for me it was certainly the right camera to go with. While I'd still like to find that perfect complement in a more compact camera for the limited times I would like to carry less camera, it's a luxury that I don't need. This camera performs beautifully, the FourThirds SLR lenses are excellent :: it just works and gets out of my way.

There's nothing better I can say about a camera than that it "gets out of my way." Equipment so often gets in the way of Photography ... !
I agree to that! I would love a Leica R or S type of behavior as I am a long year Leica shooter, so this would be the camera to go best out of my way. But from my times I used the E1 and even the E3 I know that Olympus comes very close to that level.

And the E5 seems to have overcome all the limitations of the E3.

WRT IQ - how good would you rate that compared to other top of the line APSC DSLRs? And how compared to Nikon D700 (my current setup)? I am not talking (asking) about high ISO performance as the D700 would be the winner here, but general IQ ....
 

kweide

New member
I agree to that! I would love a Leica R or S type of behavior as I am a long year Leica shooter, so this would be the camera to go best out of my way. But from my times I used the E1 and even the E3 I know that Olympus comes very close to that level.

And the E5 seems to have overcome all the limitations of the E3.

WRT IQ - how good would you rate that compared to other top of the line APSC DSLRs? And how compared to Nikon D700 (my current setup)? I am not talking (asking) about high ISO performance as the D700 would be the winner here, but general IQ ....
100% agree. Although i am still thinking a Leica M camera would be a wonderful addition my E-5 was the right decision and combined with Zuiko lenses it is a "dream come true solution" for me. Now i am still waiting to get a E-Ppro as my "always with me" companion. Otherwise i need to buy a M9 which would be not a bad idea at all but it has no Zuiko lens support :) and some female resistance and objections to overcome :)

Klaus
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
100% agree. Although i am still thinking a Leica M camera would be a wonderful addition my E-5 was the right decision and combined with Zuiko lenses it is a "dream come true solution" for me. Now i am still waiting to get a E-Ppro as my "always with me" companion. Otherwise i need to buy a M9 which would be not a bad idea at all but it has no Zuiko lens support :) and some female resistance and objections to overcome :)

Klaus
I am actually on the clip to buy a M9 for being able to make again use of all my wonderful M glass in the digital world. Issue why I am still hesitating is, that I was burned so much with the M8 and also the Leica M primes, while wonderful lenses, are somehow limiting when it comes to the flexibility of zoom lenses.

So I kind of consider the E5 and pro grade Zuiko glass as more flexible and useful - for me! Will decide over the next few weeks what to do. That I will sell my Nikon stuff is almost done deal for me, but what to buy from that money is still open ....

I am very intrigued by the E5 and results. And I would love to have a set of the pro grade zooms for it - 7-14, 14-35, 35-100 ..... could not be too much wrong going that direction I guess.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... WRT IQ - how good would you rate that compared to other top of the line APSC DSLRs? And how compared to Nikon D700 (my current setup)? I am not talking (asking) about high ISO performance as the D700 would be the winner here, but general IQ ....
I'm not particularly good at making comparisons like this, mostly because I think they're irrelevant to me. I haven't seen dramatically significant differences in image quality for my raw workflow and image/print needs since DSLRs with 6 Mpixel sensors became reasonably affordable. It's more what lenses I'm using. The current standard of 10-14 Mpixel cameras in all the various sensor sizes all do a darn good job on image detailing with a good lens and a sturdy tripod.

Where camera improvements since 2003 have been significant to me are in responsiveness, sensitivity, noise control and dynamic range. I don't own a half dozen different brands of the latest equipment available to do sensible comparison testing, but with the E-5 I see almost 11.5 stops of DR at ISO 1600 (!) in my tests (with excellent acutance) and very useable sensitivity/noise at ISO 3200 (even at ISO 6400 with some reservations and work). At ISO 1250 or less, noise control is superb.

Color, etc ... that's all a matter of rendering and camera calibration. I have my own set of custom camera calibration profiles and a bunch of Lightroom presets that help me get started when I'm rendering my photographs. What camera I'm using is really a small matter in this regard when working raw image files.

I also like FourThirds' more square image proportions and more DoF with larger apertures. I'm not a participant in the current fad of "ultra razor thin" DoF ... ;-) ... I need enough DoF to actually encompass what I want in focus and having two stops faster shutter speed is useful to me for hand-held work.

--
I shot with Nikon SLRs and Leica RF 35mm film cameras for many years. They both got out of the way for me. What I'd like is a Leica RF like camera with one, maybe two focal lengths ... the M9 would be delightful but it's a tad pricey for what I really need. The Fuji X100 is looking appealing if I'm willing to give up the longer focal length, the latest Oly Pen with a pair of Noktons (25mm f/0.95 and 40mm f/1.4) might be the ticket too. But the Pens don't have quite the handling joy that I think the X100 will. Time will tell, I'm in no rush at all.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I'm not particularly good at making comparisons like this, mostly because I think they're irrelevant to me. I haven't seen dramatically significant differences in image quality for my raw workflow and image/print needs since DSLRs with 6 Mpixel sensors became reasonably affordable. It's more what lenses I'm using. The current standard of 10-14 Mpixel cameras in all the various sensor sizes all do a darn good job on image detailing with a good lens and a sturdy tripod.

Where camera improvements since 2003 have been significant to me are in responsiveness, sensitivity, noise control and dynamic range. I don't own a half dozen different brands of the latest equipment available to do sensible comparison testing, but with the E-5 I see almost 11.5 stops of DR at ISO 1600 (!) in my tests (with excellent acutance) and very useable sensitivity/noise at ISO 3200 (even at ISO 6400 with some reservations and work). At ISO 1250 or less, noise control is superb.

Color, etc ... that's all a matter of rendering and camera calibration. I have my own set of custom camera calibration profiles and a bunch of Lightroom presets that help me get started when I'm rendering my photographs. What camera I'm using is really a small matter in this regard when working raw image files.

I also like FourThirds' more square image proportions and more DoF with larger apertures. I'm not a participant in the current fad of "ultra razor thin" DoF ... ;-) ... I need enough DoF to actually encompass what I want in focus and having two stops faster shutter speed is useful to me for hand-held work.

--
I shot with Nikon SLRs and Leica RF 35mm film cameras for many years. They both got out of the way for me. What I'd like is a Leica RF like camera with one, maybe two focal lengths ... the M9 would be delightful but it's a tad pricey for what I really need. The Fuji X100 is looking appealing if I'm willing to give up the longer focal length, the latest Oly Pen with a pair of Noktons (25mm f/0.95 and 40mm f/1.4) might be the ticket too. But the Pens don't have quite the handling joy that I think the X100 will. Time will tell, I'm in no rush at all.
Thanks for that very open answer! I appreciate.

I also tend to see the possibilities of the E5 with some good 43 lenses as a big advantage. If real higher resolution is needed then nothing will top MF, so I have the H3D39 for that. But in the area of 10-24MP I think the E5 (although on the lower end of the resolution curve) seems to be a real winner. In combination with good lenses of course.

M9 seems to be really good, but what you say is right, for the few occasions I would use or need it it is very expensive. I also do not want to warm up the pixel race here, but I somehow have the feeling that a M10 with 36MP (the next generation FF chip which was already introduced by Kodak) would really be a revolutionary step for the digital M line and my stomach tells me that it is not so far out. So investing in a M9 today is maybe a bit of waste of money if it is not really needed for majority of work.

I will give the E5 a try. Will ask my dealer that I can test shoot an E5 for a few days.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Cambodia with the GH1 again, but a different set of lenses. I'm getting more impressed with this camera every day. This one has no adjustments whatsoever, except sharpening for web, and even that is very modest, plus perspective. Jpeg from the camera.

GH1 with Pana 7-14mm @ 12mm and f/8

 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Here's one shot at noon under the clear, tropical sky. Slight curves adjustment to reduce the contrast. I suddenly realised that this camera has an almost-Xpan built in. Very convenient :)

GH1 with Zeiss CY 85mm f/1.4 @ f/8

 

kweide

New member
Simply stunning. Jorgen, your pictures are so beautiful. I always enjoy them a lot. Wish i could go to Asia for a roundtrip ... :)

Klaus
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Thanks a lot, Klaus. Much appreciated. Unfortunately, pic-upload.de is still censored here in Thailand, so I can't see your last photo.
 

DHart

New member
Wonderful images Jorgen... I was especially interested in seeing the above pic with the Zeiss C/Y Planar 85/1.4, as I just picked one of these up as my first legacy lens for my GH2/GF1 kit. From the looks of it, I'd guess shot at f/5.6 or perhaps f/8?

I've had the lens for a few days, but the adaptor just came today, so I've been eagerly testing it out tonight on things around the house... driving my wife and my dog crazy with requests to pose for me. ;-) I'm looking forward to see what I can pull out of it. It's ok at 1.4, but crisps up much nicer at f/2 and especially f/4-5.6. I bought it primarily for shallow DOF still and motion portraits with the GH2. Will probably shoot mine at f/1.4 - 2 quite a bit for "the look". I can achieve this easily with my 5DMkII and gear, but wanted to try to achieve the same look with m4/3. Glad to see a fellow Zeiss 85/1.4 m4/3 shooter!
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Thanks, DHart. The last one is probably at f/4. It's cropped a bit, so the distance is longer than what it appears to be. The lens is amazingly sharp from f/2 to f/8, but also f/1.4 is very good. The contrast is much lower when shooting towards the sun, even when the sun is not in the frame. I'm looking for a shade. Will probably buy a generic one, since the original is difficult to find and a bit complicated with a step-up ring for each lens.

Colourwise, the GH1 and Zeiss lenses seems to be a perfect match. I don't do any adjustments whatsoever. The 50/1.4 is very good also, of course, and I plan to buy the 135mm f/2.8 as well. For wider lenses, there are more convenient alternatives around, particularly those from Voigtänder, and obviously the native m43 lenses.
 

bcf

Member
Colourwise, the GH1 and Zeiss lenses seems to be a perfect match. I don't do any adjustments whatsoever.
Is this a JPEG or a RAW? If RAW, ACR/Lightroom of something else? I do like the colour.

How would you compare the 85/1.4 with the Zuiko 100/2.8 or 85/2, if you have tested them on the G1H?
 
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