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How many Four Thirds camera users are here? (not m43)

bensonga

Well-known member
I just spent some time looking thru threads on this forum going back to the first one I could find on 10/27/2008. I was looking for threads on the Four Thirds cameras and lenses. This was right about the time that m43 cameras were introduced and so naturally the vast majority of new threads were about m43 cameras and lenses. I was surprised at how quickly new threads about 4/3rds DSLR cameras and lenses disappeared from this forum.

I’m just curious now...how many here are still using either 1) 4/3rds DSLR cameras or 2) 4/3rds lenses?

Gary
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I just spent some time looking thru threads on this forum going back to the first one I could find on 10/27/2008. I was looking for threads on the Four Thirds cameras and lenses. This was right about the time that m43 cameras were introduced and so naturally the vast majority of new threads were about m43 cameras and lenses. I was surprised at how quickly new threads about 4/3rds DSLR cameras and lenses disappeared from this forum.

I’m just curious now...how many here are still using either 1) 4/3rds DSLR cameras or 2) 4/3rds lenses?

Gary
I sold all my 43 gear (E5, 2/14-35 and 2/35-100) back in 2012 and have not looked back since then. This was mainly caused by the massive move from Olympus to m43 and the already back then foreseeable lack of future support for 43 as a system. And history proved me right!

I previously also had owned the E1 with several 43 lenses including the 2/150 as soon as it became available (this was in 2003 - I was an early adopter), which I loved at this time and later the E3 with several lenses, but the E3 did never come close to the original E1 IMHO. The E5 finally was the best 43 camera I ever owned, but with its 12MP sensor already limited when it reached the market in 2010.

Your milage obviously varies when it comes to cameras and lenses, as I almost never would like to go back to any 43 gear, except the wonderful 2/150, but using it only on my EM1.2.

Having said that I wish you sincere joy with your gear and look forward to lot of images :thumbs:

Peter
 
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Paratom

Well-known member
I just spent some time looking thru threads on this forum going back to the first one I could find on 10/27/2008. I was looking for threads on the Four Thirds cameras and lenses. This was right about the time that m43 cameras were introduced and so naturally the vast majority of new threads were about m43 cameras and lenses. I was surprised at how quickly new threads about 4/3rds DSLR cameras and lenses disappeared from this forum.

I’m just curious now...how many here are still using either 1) 4/3rds DSLR cameras or 2) 4/3rds lenses?

Gary
I still use m43 for some things:
- for underwater photography in an underwater housing. The larger DOF is an advantage here, and the size is much more compact than DSLR, specially if you include the housing and the dome.

- For sports events of my kids. The EM1+40-150/2.8 is much more compact and still fine compared to the 90-280mm which I own for the Leica SL.

So in my opinion the lens size and sensor size is a good compromise between IQ and size specially for tele-applications.
I also admit I really like Olympus colors.
I now also own a Leica L as a more compact camera, but it lacks some features like IS /OIS and also the primes are not as fast and the zooms have a somewhat limited range. The dx sensor has some advantages though IMO.

On the other side I am not sure about the f1.2 m43 lenses. If you put a 25/1.2 on a EM1II or G9 its allmost the size like a FF Z7/Z6 with a 50/1.8, and the latter gives you more DR, more resolution, better high ISO, larger viewfinder,...
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
My L1 plus Zuiko 9-18mm and PL 14-50 has been up for sale for a year now locally. I think I'll take them back soon and start using them, eventually replacing the camera with an E-5 or E-620. I might add a couple of lenses too, probably the small tuna.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I just spent some time looking thru threads on this forum going back to the first one I could find on 10/27/2008. I was looking for threads on the Four Thirds cameras and lenses. This was right about the time that m43 cameras were introduced and so naturally the vast majority of new threads were about m43 cameras and lenses. I was surprised at how quickly new threads about 4/3rds DSLR cameras and lenses disappeared from this forum.

I’m just curious now...how many here are still using either 1) 4/3rds DSLR cameras or 2) 4/3rds lenses?

Gary
I never got into 4/3 because cost was prohibitive when I was in the market for my first system camera. I elected to go with Canon back then because it was much cheaper to get into. By the time 4/3 was an option again it was well on its way to being replaced by Micro 4/3 and thus I took the chance on waiting on the Panasonic G1 and invested my camera money there exclusively for about a year. I always liked many of the Panasonic and Leica 4/3 lenses and there were a handful of unique Olympus ones. I almost bought a E620 at one point but held off until the G1 was available because I’ve always preferred Panasonic’s colors and look.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I still have my Olympus E-1 (manufactured October 2003), ZD 11-22/2.8-3.5 ED, ZD 50-200/2.8-3.5, ZD 35/3.5 Macro, and ZD 25/2.8, along with EX-25 and EC-14. I power it with a BLM-5 battery now (more shots per charge than the BLM-1). It's still my favorite DSLR, although I have to admit that I haven't used it in a while. Its raw files process even better now in LR 6.14 than they did in Olympus own raw converter, and the JPEG files remain as good as they ever were.

There's something about that ancient sensor with its heavy antialiasing filter that remains unique and appealing in imaging. :D


Olympus E-1 + ZD 50mm f/2 Macro
ISO 100 @ f/4 @ 1/500 second

I often feel that I should pick up another of those ZD 50/2 Macro lenses. I sold that one to a buddy in New York who uses it still with the E-5 that I sold him, as well as his newer E-M1 and E-M1 II bodies... I just don't use the system enough anymore to warrant spending the money.

I bought the E-1 used in 2007 or 2008 for a pittance because the E-3 had been released. It had barely been used with fewer than 3200 exposures on the counter. I've added about 12,000 exposures to the actuations count since. The lenses still fetch a decent price, but the body next to nothing were I to put it on the market. That's why it's still on my shelf...

G
 

JoelM

Well-known member
I've heard that that 50-200 2.8/3.5 lens is amazing. Sharp from corner to corner wide open.

Joel
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I've heard that that 50-200 2.8/3.5 lens is amazing. Sharp from corner to corner wide open.

Joel
It is, it is an excellent performer. AND it gets even better when you fit the EC-14 1.4x teleconverter. Olympus did a superb job there: that teleconverter is a perfect optical match to both the 50-200 and the 150/2 lenses.

What the EC-14 cleans up on the 50-200 rendering is a small amount of falloff when wide open, a result of trying to keep the lens reasonably compact and having a slightly too small front element. With the 1.4x magnification, the falloff is outside the captured frame.

Olympus lenses, in their pro and top pro lens lines, are every bit as good performers as Zeiss and Leica, IMO. The E-System pro class bodies and lenses were masterpieces of balanced, superb performance in their day. The E-1 is one of the most ergonomic DSLRs ever made and still a fine performer, regardless of its being only 5 MPixel and very slow on write times with that ancient Kodak sensor.

G
 

bensonga

Well-known member
It is, it is an excellent performer. AND it gets even better when you fit the EC-14 1.4x teleconverter. Olympus did a superb job there: that teleconverter is a perfect optical match to both the 50-200 and the 150/2 lenses.

G
As it happens, I just ordered a EC-14 yesterday to use with the 150/2. :D

I've also been looking at the 50/2 macro...they are relatively inexpensive now.

Has anyone used the 90-250/2.8 lens?

Gary
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
As it happens, I just ordered a EC-14 yesterday to use with the 150/2. :D

I've also been looking at the 50/2 macro...they are relatively inexpensive now.

Has anyone used the 90-250/2.8 lens?

Gary
Never used the Big Bazooka, but I've seen many photos made with it that are just superb quality.

You cannot go wrong with the 50mm f/2 Macro ... it focuses a bit slowly sometimes, but aside from that it is one of the three best macro lenses I've ever used. And it's a beautiful lens for portraiture and still life work as well. Be sure to acquire an EX-25 tube for it if you want to do 1:1 magnification.

G
 

marlof

Member
I still have my E1 with 14-54, but hardly ever use it. It has been retired when I bought the E3. That one was sold to finance the m43 purchases, but the E1 is special (as is my first m43 camera, the EP1). Sometimes I fiddle with it, but I have a hard time getting reacquainted with an OVF, especially the tunnel like experience of the E1.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
You cannot go wrong with the 50mm f/2 Macro ... it focuses a bit slowly sometimes, but aside from that it is one of the three best macro lenses I've ever used. And it's a beautiful lens for portraiture and still life work as well. Be sure to acquire an EX-25 tube for it if you want to do 1:1 magnification.
G
Done and done. I should have both of these later next week.

Thanks for the recommendations Godfrey.

Gary
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Today I took some identical test images with the FT Olympus E-5 (12mp) and 50-200/2.8-3.5 lens and the mFT Panasonic G85 (16mp) and PL 50-200/2.8-4 lens. A very unscientific, but "real world" test. I could see some differences when pixel peeping at the images on my computer. That said, I'm always MUCH more interested in how images look when printed. So I made some prints. First a US letter size (8.5x11 inches) and then 13x19 inches. The 8.5x11 inch prints were nearly identical. I could see a small difference in the larger prints, but only upon close examination.

It amazes me how good the images are from the E-5 and these HG and SHG FT lenses.

Gary
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Here is one of the test images I shot yesterday with the E-5/HG 50-200mm at 200mm and the G85/PL 50-200 also at 200mm.
Both photos were taken hand held.

Gary

E-5


G85
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
As it happens, I just ordered a EC-14 yesterday to use with the 150/2. :D
I've also been looking at the 50/2 macro...they are relatively inexpensive now.
Has anyone used the 90-250/2.8 lens?
Gary
I never owned a 43 camera, but I own five Olympus m43 cameras.
I got four Olympus 43 lenses around the time Olympus dumped their remaining 43 lens stock at half price. I got two used and two brand new old stock lenses, m43 to 43 adapter, EC-14, and EC-20.

Besides the 50-200/2.8-3.5 ED SWD I also own the three tuna SHG lenses, namely:

• 150/2.0 little tuna,
• 90-250/2.8 I call z-tuna, z for zoom, and of course
• 300/2.8 big tuna.

This is a shot with z-tuna.



Olympus E-M1MarkII + ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 90-250mm 1:2.8 @ ISO 320, FOCAL LENGTH 250.0 mm, APERTURE f/3.2, EXPOSURE TIME 0.0004s (1/2500).

I have 45 images in this sequence of one junco swooping down on another one!
https://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pi...-SHG-Pro-Cap-Hi-FW-20-Aerial-Combat/i-MGvHNMV
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Exceptional photo. I don't se photos taken with that lens so often, but it appears to be first rate too. :thumbs:
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Sorry, I just noticed that you asked about the 90-250. (The 50/2 ED is one of my all-time favourite lenses by the way...worth way more than the current used value)

The 90-250 is a really special lens, not the fastest focusing by means but the AF is accurate. The OOF-area qualities are simply sublime!

Captured this with my E-M1.2 and 90-250 last summer in a local garden. 102mm/f2.8

Terrific image, love the colors. Thanks.

Following another shot with the 90-250 with 2x TC at 500mm. :LOL:



Olympus E-M1MarkII + 90-250mm Lens + 2x TC @ ISO 1250, FOCAL LENGTH 500.0 mm, APERTURE f/8, EXPOSURE TIME 0.001s (1/1000).

Now a similar shot with rolling shutter artifacts from the electronic shutter of the E-M1.2.



Olympus E-M1MarkII + 90-250mm Lens + 2x TC @ ISO 1250, FOCAL LENGTH 500.0 mm, APERTURE f/8, EXPOSURE TIME 0.001s (1/1000).

As the E-M1.2 and E-M1X share the same sensor readout time of 1/60 s I have no interest in the E-M1X. :banghead:
 
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