ptomsu
Workshop Member
Only to clarify - I jumped on mirrorless already 10 years ago with Panasonic and Olympus - when almost nobody here in this forum and elsewhere was taking mirrorless serious. So you do speak to the wrong one if you think I was (and still am) not following new groundbreaking technologies already very early - maybe unfortunatelyDo you not think that the L-Mount lenses are every bit as good optically if not better than the Canon RF lenses? That’s what I was specifically speaking about.
We can all say that DFD is BS but there was a time people said that about Mirrorless in general. Now we are here 10-15 years later and everyone has jumped onto Mirrorless. People didn’t understand the big deal about dual pixel or Sony Hybrid focus until now when everyone wants their brand of choice to incorporate their own proprietary version of it. Maybe Panasonic won’t succeed but I happen to think they will. There are absolutely tangible benefits to not having PDAF focus sites robbing the sensor of light and resolution. I sincerely hopes Panasonic (and L-Mount Alliance by association) succeed in developing this technology because it does mean real improvements to image quality, color retention, and lowlight performance. There is a processing bottleneck and algorithms is refine but ultimately the system is good enough in still photography today that the differences are minimal (unless you’re talking about extreme AF cases like the A9). If we aren’t comparing the A9 to the Panasonic/Leica cameras the differences in performance aren’t as great as your making out and it’s coming from a person that does still shoot Sony, uses their professional services, and has used every current camera in some capacity except the A9II.
Now as far as the Canon... I truly do hope they’re back on the innovation train. I was hoping they were 2 years ago when they introduced the RF camera. I tried it out with the hopes that it would fit my needs but I found it to be the absolutely least comfortable of all Mirrorless cameras to hold onto. It also had a fully articulating screen (which I don’t want on my primary cameras) and I find the rear screen on the Panasonic S1/R (or Fuji cameras) to be perfect. Then there was the weird Touch Bar that’s thankfully gone now. All of theses added up to a deal breaker for me personally but I still thought they had something great because of their lens lineup. The lens choices are excellent but I didn’t like a single thing about the body. The 28-70/2 is a must have lens without a question. The 50/1.2 and 85/1.2 DS are as well. The 24-105/4 might be the best kit lens ever made... well until I tried the Panasonic. Optically the Canon is slightly better perhaps. The Panasonic is more versatile IMO though because it has limited focus breathing and a 1:2 macro capability. I feel like Nikon should’ve updated their 24-120/4 when they released the Z as their kit lens instead of the 24-70/4. I think it would’ve intrigued more people and tides them over until the f/2.8 and fast primes could be released.
Now with Canon, I do have what I feel is a reasonable fear that when the full spec sheet comes out they will hurt their position and the trust of the consumer because something may be crippled. I still see them as a company that plans strategically to get people to move into their Cinema EOS line for pro video. Maybe they’ll surprise us all but I’m waiting on “the catch” to this announcement now that some of the Shock has worn off.
Call me cautiously skeptical but holding onto some semblance of hope and optimism. I do feel like if we are all objective we can agree with this regarding Canon’s track record.
WRT Panasonic - I would hope they can make their DOF tech work as it should - say competitive to Canon DP or Sony's latest incarnations - but I doubt. Is it fair to still doubt that after so many years not reaching (almost reaching) the final goal?
WRT Canon - absolutely agree that one has to be cautious but what we hear now from the rumours at least one can be excited again about Canon. This has 2 parts IMO - 1) cameras and their R5 promises to finally excel even WRT sensor performance but of course still needs to be seen and 2) the RF lenses they are all very well designed IMO and optically stellar - though pretty pricy.
WRT L mount glass versus RF glass - from all my lifelong experience I am pretty sure I would highly prefer the red ring RF lenses from Canon over any Sigma and Panasonic lens. Leica L mount is a different story but then for me the Leica part is dead mainly because of prices and also the limited Leica L mount lineup - I am more a zoom guy in the end and that RF 2/28-70 has absolutely no competition, as does the RF 2.8/70-200.
It is fire that you love and like Panasonic and I wish you all joy and satisfaction with that system, albeit for me after trying it at some events this is absolutely a no go for me.
Can we just keep it that way - if Canon really excels with their R5 and ticks almost all boxes for me and Nikon does not bring the equivalent (which is not as easy as their S lens lineup is not what I am really lusting for - their new 2.8/70-200 looks absolutely no go for me for example) then I might very well jump into Canon FF with 1 or 2 or 3 RF lenses and run that system in parallel to my Olympus Pro system, maybe based then on the mediocre EM1.3
And you keep enjoying your Sony and Panasonic systems as well