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Images with new 45-200

barjohn

New member
Here is an image shot with the 45-200, indoors, no flash, 1/15 at f 4.5, 45mm and ISO 800 then I cropped the image and applied a little sharpening. That's it. Using LR. My wife was the model. This was shot handheld!
 
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barjohn

New member
Here is a shot with the following settings:
1/60 sec @ f4.8 ISO400 at 109mm shot outdoors, no flash. Developed in LR no post processing.
 
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peterb

Member
Wow, John, the 45-200mm is a LOT sharper than I'd heard! Very impressive. So far, it looks like BOTH initial Panasonic G1 lenses are winners that make fine place holders until Pany rolls out some faster (say f2.8 or better) optics.

Although I suspect Olympus may lend a hand here should they decide re-engineer some of their phenomonal f2.0 zooms that cover 28 - 400mm (in 35mm speak) with aplomb in the MFT mount (in anticipation of their Olympus Pen-like MFT creation they're currently working on) and, of course, full AF capability which, even with the 4/3's adapter the current, weight I might add, super optics do not do.

Peter
 

barjohn

New member
The amazing thing to me is that ISO 800 is not bad, not as bad as the numbers might suggest. At 100% you can see it but I could print an 8 x 10 without it being a problem. Also, note the 1/15th second hand held exposure.

I find the color to be the most accurate of any camera I have owned which includes the M8, G7, D-Lux 3, and the Nikon D90.
 

rich s

New member
I'm really quite impressed by the 45-200 as well.
Here are a few examples, all in JPG:







Next, I need to test my Leica R 90mm on the G1 and do a few comparisons.
 

peterb

Member
John,

It's funny. I just left a post on the Leica User forum talking about how spoiled we've become with our expectations at high ISO's these days. At one time we reveled in Tri-X and its graininess. Then when T-Max came out with its more uniform grain structure and promise of films at higher ISO's it was still grainier at ISO 400 than today's standards but we rejoiced nonetheless. And Kodak, after initially withdrawing Tri-X satisfied that a major achievement in film had been reached, had to bring it back because so many howled at the loss of 'character' that was displayed by the smoother, superior T-Max! And T-Max 3200, the first real breakthrough in high speed film was also a film riddled with boulders that made up the image, but because it was the only game in town folks were elated.

Between you, me and the wall, with this perspective I feel the G1 (and many digital cameras by the way) up to 1600 (and in many cases 3200 and beyond) is incredible by yesterday's standards. In black and white ISO 3200 in digital is still better than T-Max 3200 ever was. (And I don't think there was a color version beyond 1600 and all the Super Max stuff from 800 on up was grainy as hell!)

What people did in the past and what made Leica so legendary was the range of optics that were f2.0 or faster that helped compensate for films that were so grainy thus allowing better image making (at faster shutter speeds wide open) with the slower, smoother looking films.

These initial lenses for the G1 are, in my opinion, superb. They're sharp, contrasty and exhibit very little chromatic aberration from what I've seen (and read). And, with the option of being able to use faster extant optics of Leitz et. al until Panasonic and Olympus roll out faster lenses there's even more promise.

But your point is well taken. Look what you can do at ISO 800 and an f3.5+ lens. Amazing. Simply amazing.

Peter

Peter
 

monza

Active member
I just left a post on the LE forum talking about how spoiled we've become with our expectations at high ISO's these days.
Indeed. I think most of it has to do with all these 100% crops on the web.

How many people print out at 100% and have people view them at a couple of inches? :)
 

barjohn

New member
It is human nature to seek perfection and never be satisfied with less. This is a good attribute that causes every science and art to progress. Do I want better high ISO and even more detail? You bet! Technology is moving us there albeit not as fast as any of us would like. :)
 

peterb

Member
John,

I'm all for progress. And I do feel companies should continue to strive to improve the quality of images at higher ISO's. (Just as audiophiles continue to push for superior sound staging, cleaner more distortion free output and palpable imagery out of their sound systems.) I'm just amazed at some of the apoplectic reactions to the 'noise' at ISO's of 800 on up when from your photos and tons of others it's simply not as bad as people are making them out to be. (And I defy you to tell me how bad an iPod is sonically compared to some tube gear although the mere suggestion of comparing these components would cause a lot of ballyhoos among the audio elite.)

And as Monza pointed out, all too often we've been assessing images posted on the Web cropped at 100% at the pixel level which most of us simply do not do when we see a striking shot in real life. Aside from engravers at the U.S. Mint who looks at images at that level all the time?

We take in the content of the image and react accordingly. Rarely going...wow great shot of that Sasquatch. But oooooo too bad about the dreadful noise in the shadows of those ferns it was running through.

I dunno. Your shots only pointed out how good everything has become and how, at the same time, out of whack some of our expectations may have become.

Peter
 
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fordfanjpn

Member
I think this is a great idea. I'd love to see more of what people are getting with the 45-200. Here is one of mine hand held (or actually "belly held" since I hold the camera against my not-insubstantial gut and use the LCD to frame and shoot). Keep 'em coming!

Bill
 
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Henry Goh

Member
I'm pleasantly surprised by the image quality that I'm seeing here. When I looked at DSLRGEAR.com, I saw what I thought was rather poor performance from this lens. So much so, I had planned to get the Leica D Vario Elmar instead. Perhaps I should rethink now. Thanks.
 

barjohn

New member
The one the follows was shot at ISO 800, 1/40 sec @ f 4.5 with kit lens at 20mm and handheld.
 
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barjohn

New member
Here is another shot at 1/4 sec, f 4.5, ISO 160 at 20mm, hand held. In this photo there was some camera shake so the focus is not quite as tack sharp.
 
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barjohn

New member
One more for today shot at 1/6 sec at f 4.5 ISO 400 @ 18mm, and hand held no flash.
 
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W

wblynch

Guest
Those available light shots are great. Your wife looks so cute at the buffet, I think she likes getting her picture taken.

I was ready to write off the 45-200 from initial 'reviews' but you've proven this lens is worth having.

Thanks!
 

barjohn

New member
Below are some images to help you visualize the reach of the 200. The first shot is taken with the 14-55 at 14mm to give you the perspective from which the other photos were taken. The camera position stayed the same for all the shots. Then using the 45-200 and you can see at the start of the covered walkway and then all the way to the back of the covered walkway in the last two.
 
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mark1000

New member
Hi Guys, new member here, thought i'd add a shot (purely a test shot).



200mm 400@35mm hand held, just cropped and auto levels in CS2.





Mark.
 
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