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E-420 + 12-60mm SWD...

Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
This is turning out to be my favourite walkaround combination... extremely compact, but seriously powerful.

Here are some shots over the last couple of days.

1/160s f/4.0 at 17.0mm iso100


1/200s f/5.6 at 60.0mm iso100


1/320s f/5.6 at 12.0mm iso100


1/250s f/4.0 at 60.0mm iso100


1/250s f/5.6 at 12.0mm iso100


C&C Welcome...

Kind Regards

Brian
 
Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
Thank you Joan, I'm gradually finding it easier to find interesting things to shoot... must be something to do with practice ;)

Kind Regards

Brian
 
J

JeffCharles

Guest
Brian,

Very nice photos.

I have a 14-54. I assume that it would also carry well with the 420, since the bigger 12-60 does. In addition to using my 14-54, I may get the two kit lenses for a light-weight kit. Of course, I have been thinking about the 14-150, but it is one expensive lens.

I wonder what your experience has been with three things that matter to me:

  • Quick and accurate AF in reasonable light
  • Reliable and predictable matrix metering. I.e, it may not always nail the exposure, but when it doesn't, it is easy to figure out why.
  • ISO 800 and 1600 that I don't need to think twice about using if I need them

I am looking forward to your E-420 safari report, but I'd appreciate your initial impressions on these points. A good benchmark for me is how the E-420 compares to the E-1 on each of them.

Jeff
 
Last edited:
Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
Hi Jeff,

welcome to one of the more interesting, civil and well moderated photography focused websites around!

Thank you, and yes - the 14-54 is even lighter/easier to carry... but the extra reach and IQ of the 12-60 is quite addictive ;)

I'm sorry, I'm not a professional reviewer... so I can only give you my honest impressions, which are also biased by my personal requirements for my kit.

The AF is quick and accurate in reasonable light, and CAF works reasonably well too... though obviously not in the same speed class as the E-3 - I like the simplicity of centre spot focusing.

Metering is improved over all previous generations, in line with E-3. Accurate even across the board with legacy lenses.

ISO 800 no problem... 1600 I'd only use in emergencies, I'm a 'good light' shooter, where the Olympus shines.

I'm looking forward to getting our report published too... sorry it's taking a while, but I'm answering stuff on forums at the same time so hopefully you won't feel starved of info :)

Kind Regards

Brian
 
J

JeffCharles

Guest
Thanks for your reply.
Brian Mosley said:
...
I'm sorry, I'm not a professional reviewer... so I can only give you my honest impressions, which are also biased by my personal requirements for my kit...

ISO 800 no problem... 1600 I'd only use in emergencies, I'm a 'good light' shooter, where the Olympus shines...
Click to expand...
Professional reviews are useful, but reports from people who have learned to get the best from a camera add a lot.

I am also a good-light shooter (mostly), but what seems to be "good light" is often not enough, depending on focal length, max available aperture, and usable ISO. For example, I was at a paragliding event last weekend. A good hour before sunset, I needed an exposure of 1/60 and f/3.2 at ISO 400. I had the 14-54 mounted on my E1 at the time, but my 40-150 (original version) would have been barely usable at 150mm, even at ISO 1600.

I guess it comes down to there being no substitute for fast glass and usable high ISO in some situations.

Jeff
 
W

wbrandsma

Guest
Excellent Brian. I really like the first photograph and the last one. The lost looks like a diptych.
 
Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
Hi Jeff, you're right... today we went out with the E-420 + 12-60mm SWD (which Karen took) and I had the E-400 + 135mm f2.5 (set to f4)... fast glass needn't be expensive (but unfortunately legacy glass takes more skill with MF, and isn't as sharp as ZD glass)

A very pleasant walk with the kids, not weighed down by kit... just walking and shooting, very relaxed!

One of Karen's shots...
E-420 + 12-60mm SWD
1/125s f/3.8 at 40.0mm iso200


One of my shots from the same walk...
E-400 + Hexanon 135mm f2.5 legacy lens
1/160s f4.0 at 135mm iso100


Kind Regards

Brian
 
J

JeffCharles

Guest
Brian,

Another couple of very nice photos. Are they OOC jpegs? The colors are good, like your first set.

Jeff
 
Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
Hi Jeff, I shoot RAW... although the E-420 produced good jpegs. These were both converted with Bibble Pro.

Thanks for your comments

Brian
 
helenhill

helenhill

Senior Member
Re: E-420 + 50mm f2 Cron

and another on the way home....too bad it happened so fast fom the car....the grd probably would have caught this
but theres still abit of magiic about it ;)
 
Brian Mosley

Brian Mosley

New member
Hi Helen, I find that the E-420 is super fast with the pancake lens - the autofocus is fast enough to capture split second scenes...

I like the shot of Eric, quite cool:toocool:

At last, I have an E-420 posting buddy! :D

Kind Regards

Brian
 
Joan

Joan

New member
Wowee! Congrats, Helen! Love the shots and I may be joining the E420 brigade pretty soon, too. Still trying to decide but the more I see the more I think I should just do it. Waiting for the kit with the pancake to be available.
 
helenhill

helenhill

Senior Member
me & the Oly 420 Playing.....wanted to go overboard in processing
Experimenting, if ya know what i mean ..... What do you think? Best, H
 
Joan

Joan

New member
That is very cool, Helen! It gives me sort of an Art Nouveau feeling with the colors and the rendering. I like it! :thumbup:

What software are you using to experiment?
 
helenhill

helenhill

Senior Member
Re: E-420 & 50mm f2 cron...

another day of play ......Rain Rain:) go away
trying to develop 'bokeh' consciousness after some time w/the grd2
 
helenhill

helenhill

Senior Member
Joan said:
That is very cool, Helen! It gives me sort of an Art Nouveau feeling with the colors and the rendering. I like it! :thumbup:

What software are you using to experiment?
Click to expand...
Thanx Joan!
I'm on a 30 day trial w/ APERTURE & LIGHTZONE
but neither support RAW files (w/the 420)
so if anyone can let me know of an easier way.......
otherwise I am slightly tweaking with the Olympus Master 2 software
converting to JPEG dropping it into IPHOTO (from my mac) & Exporting here
Jeez too much to do

Best, H
 
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