Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

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Birma
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by Birma »

Great story Henry. The return of the prodigal camera :)
Nex 5, Nex 6 (IR), A7M2, A99 and a bunch of lenses.
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

I have been shooting Olympus m4/3 cameras for exactly 5 years since May 2012. I spent a few minutes in Lightroom to check out a few statistics. I have been using the Olympus PEN-F, E-M10II, E-M10, and E-M5 and I have shot about 30k photos using them in the last 5 years. The ISO breakdown for the photos is this:

24k: <= ISO 200 (Olympus base ISO is 200, but sometimes I use the expanded ISO settings below 200, rarely though)
2.5k: <= ISO 400
1.6k: <= ISO 800
0.9k: <= ISO 1600
0.5k: <= ISO 3200
0.4k: <= ISO 6400
0.05k: <= ISO 12,800
0.01k: <= ISO 25,600

Even though while traveling I take most of my photos using the 14-150mm f4-5.6 I still am able to usually shoot at low ISO. The Olympus base ISO is 200 so that helps. I also have faster lenses such as the 20mm f1.7, 25mm f1.8, 45mm f1.8, and 14mm f2.5 that I use.

I have used m4/3 for travel in Nepal, Turkey, India (twice), Sri Lanka, Bali (twice), Taiwan (twice), Malaysia, Thailand (twice), Spain, France, and Hungary. And, of course, I have used them a lot in Japan and the U.S. too! :)
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

I sure am enjoying my PEN-F. I happened to read these 2 user reports today from people who have added it to their other non-m4/3 gear.

Olympus PEN-F
Miniature. Mirrorless. Mighty. Changing my mind about Olympus’ most misjudged camera


https://mariusmasalar.me/olympus-pen-f-25e291eda979

Second City Stroll-About (with the Pen-F)

https://fathersonphotoblog.wordpress.co ... the-pen-f/

At the end he mentions the new 2.0 firmware which caused a problem for him and some others. Thankfully, I am one of the many who do not have the problem with 2.0. I hope Olympus comes out with 2.1 or 2.01 very soon though.
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

The Two Most Beautiful Retro-Styled Cameras -- Fuji X-T20 and Olympus PEN-F

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.co ... meras.html

As I have said elsewhere, retro is not a particularly meaningful word with regards to camera styling, IMO, since it is so arbitrary. A 2017 camera that looks like a 1986 camera is not retro, but one that looks like a 1985 camera is retro? Cameras are devices to hold a sensor (digital or film) and controls to manipulate exposure, focus, etc. Successful designs to do those things exist and the case that holds it all together is sort of a matter of taste. Much like autos, sexual partners, etc. :lol:
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by the_hefay »

With my Panasonic GF7, I really like the small form-factor for carrying, packing, and traveling; and also I like the somewhat retro styling of it. M4/3 is a great format for making small cameras, with small lenses. However, I still prefer a big 'ol slr for handling. With the grip on my slr's (I couldn't say "larger grip" because the GF7 doesn't have one) especially on my a580 and a77m2, I have a place to put my fingers that are holding the camera. On my Panasonic GF7, I always feel like I'm holding it with my finger tips. Believe it or not, I have a harder time operating the GF7 with one hand than I do my a100, a580, or a77m2. But all that being said, each of my cameras have their advantages and disadvantages and I'm not looking to get rid of any of them.
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bakubo
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

bakubo wrote:I sure am enjoying my PEN-F. I happened to read these 2 user reports today from people who have added it to their other non-m4/3 gear.

Olympus PEN-F
Miniature. Mirrorless. Mighty. Changing my mind about Olympus’ most misjudged camera


https://mariusmasalar.me/olympus-pen-f-25e291eda979

Second City Stroll-About (with the Pen-F)

https://fathersonphotoblog.wordpress.co ... the-pen-f/

At the end he mentions the new 2.0 firmware which caused a problem for him and some others. Thankfully, I am one of the many who do not have the problem with 2.0. I hope Olympus comes out with 2.1 or 2.01 very soon though.
This Fuji user also has bought himself a PEN-F and wrote an interesting article for an Olympus magazine:

Assumptions, Photography and the Micro Four Thirds System article in the debut issue of Olympus Passion Magazine

https://www.bradleyhanson.com/blog/2017 ... n-magazine

He also wrote this on another forum:

Fuji fudges the high ISO performance by hiding NR even in the RAW files. This reduces noise, but adds detail smearing. The Oly files actually have more detail, especially in low light. I was a hardcore Fujifilm shooter for 4 years, converting many people over the years based on my experience. Once [one] of my Fuji bodies died (the original XPro1), I bought a Pen F and fell in love with Olympus far superior lens system, IS, touch screen and image quality. I wrote up something for the debut issue of Olympus Passion magazine. Since they charge for the magazine, I shared it at the resolution of the PDF files, but will repeat the text in a separate post to make it more readable. I also agree with the poster above (stiblee) that the film simulations on the Pen F are better than Fujifilm, too.

By the way, I recall the huge uproar in the early days of the Sony A700 because it also did NR on the raw files. Many called it "cooked raw" and they lambasted Sony for doing it. It didn't bother me much though. Sony later came out with a firmware update that allowed you to turn off raw NR though. I recall that Pentax was lambasted for the same thing. I don't know if current Pentax cameras do it though.
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

Here are a few recent new m4/3 gear releases:

​Body:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G850 (G800, GF9) -- name depends on region

Lenses:

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 II Power OIS
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS

Olympus is rumored to have some new stuff coming soon too. I guess m4/3 isn't dead yet. :lol: Things change and anything can die, but we aren't there yet. :lol:
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

Well, it has been about 5 months since my last gear update so here are some new things since then:

Body:

Olympus OM-D E-M10 III
Panasonic Lumix DC-G9

Lenses:

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 Pro
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.2 Pro
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm F2.8 Power OIS
Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN

I guess m4/3 isn't dead yet. :lol:
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

This is an interesting video by Joe Edelman (a fashion photographer). It is his 6 month status report.

My Olympus Camera Gear - The 6 Month Report Card

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFGEqze ... e=youtu.be

It's been 6 months since I switched to Olympus cameras and a lot of people have been asking for my thoughts about micro four thirds and the Olympus camera brand. Now that I've had more time with my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the M.Zuiko lenses, I want to share my thoughts with you - let you know what my favorite lenses are and also tell you what I wish I would have known BEFORE I made the switch.

For those of you that are happy with your Full frame or APS-C cameras - I don’t want to waste your time - this video isn’t a tutorial and it’s not going to teach you a new photography technique. You may or may not know that just over six months ago, I sold all of my Nikon equipment after 40 plus years as a Nikon shooter and I moved to the micro four thirds sensors and Olympus cameras. I will tell you that making the switch has really put the fun back in my photography. The Olympus cameras are smaller and lighter. They are built every bit as solidly as the bigger dslr’s - they have better ergonomics and more features than most of the competition. And I would be remise if I didn’t point out that these are probably the sharpest lenses that I have ever worked with.


**************************************************************************

And here is his original video from 6 months ago. Also, very interesting.

Goodbye Nikon! Why I switched to the Olympus OM-D E-M1Mark II and the micro four-thirds format

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx2ny12phQg

I am now a proud owner of Olympus cameras and lenses and I am enjoying everything that the micro four-thirds format has to offer. I have made the switch from Nikon and my full frame and APS-C camera bodies to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera bodies and Zuiko Pro lenses.

This video is the story of why I switched to Olympus.

My new Olympus camera system includes 2 OM-D E-M1 Mark II bodies which are 20.4 megapixel cameras.

I have three zoom lenses and four primes. The zooms are all Zuiko Pro Series lenses - the 7-14mm f/2.8 wide angle, the 12-40mm f/2.8 and the 40-150mm f/2.8

And if you are wondering about the 35mm equivalents of these lenses - just double the numbers - the 7-14 is the equivalent of a 14-28mm full frame lens. The 12-40 is equivalent to a 24-80mm full frame lens and the 40-150mm is equivalent to an 80-300mm full frame lens.

My new kit also includes four Olympus Zuiko rime lenses… the new 25mm f1.2 Pro lens and the just released 45mm f/1.2 Pro lens with its feathered bokeh. I also have a 30mm f/3.5 macro lens and a 300mm f/4 Pro lens which is a 600mm equivalent and great for shooting sports - if I add the 1.4 teleconverter this becomes an 840mm equivalent lens.

Olympus is the company that developed the four-thirds standard and then later paired with Panasonic to share technology and the micro four-thirds standard evolved. The consortium formed by these two companies now includes companies like Zeiss, BlackMagic Design, Fujifilm, Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Schneider, Iowa and a bunch of others - all with the goal of producing cameras and lenses that conform to the four-thirds standard.

Why now - at this point in my career after using Nikon for so long and right before they are hopefully gonna come out with a mirrorless camera???

I did it because for the last two years while I have been making these YouTube videos and traveling the country teaching and talking with photographers of all different skill levels from all around the world - my head has been filled with the anxiety from photographers worrying about Full Frame Is Better - More Mega Pixels are Better - More Dynamic Range is Better - Sony is Better - Nikon is Better - Canon is better. I hear this stuff day in and day out in the very next sentence I hear the complaints about the cost of equipment and size and weight all the while these same photographers are struggling to improve their craft.

The only helpful advice that I can offer to these folks is to ignore what everybody else is doing and remember why they picked up their very first camera. 99 percent of the time - it was NOT because they cared about how somebody else took pictures or about megapixels or dynamic range or any of that stuff.

I remind them when they first picked up a camera it was FUN and that's why they picked it up again and again and got hooked. The more I tried to persuade photographers to get back to having fun - mainly because it's easier to learn and improve when you are having fun - the more I realized I was making the same mistake. My advantage though was that I did the bulk of my learning long before we had megapixels to worry about or an internet full of photographers to compare myself to. When I learned photography the focus wasn't on gear - sure you wanted to have the right gear for the job - but you also had to learn to solve problems. You focused on the image that was in front of your camera.

So in short - I decided to take my own advice.

before some of you start getting defensive about your full frame cameras or APS-c cameras - please note - I have not said it's wrong to use them or that you should switch. I am just telling you why I switched, because I've had literally hundreds of people ask for an explanation on the various social media platforms where I share my photos. So please don't accuse me of saying one brand is better than another. I am just telling you what is best for me.
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by aster »

.

Hi Bakubo; :)

I read your post and watched the videos with interest. He's so right; when photography gear takes over the reason we started taking photos in the first place, that triumphant feeling of fun we used feel disappears.

Great to rediscover why we ever touched a camera and started shooting: for fun and because the whole process made us happy. Must remember that. :)

Thanks for sharing,
Yildiz
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

The guy who made the videos, Joe Edelman, sounds like he has studied the modern style of TV reporting and learned it well. I mean the over the top, emotive, overly enthusiastic way of talking. I don't like that much, but it is the current TV style. I try not let that distract from his 2 rather interesting videos. :)

Yildiz, yes, I try to keep the fun part of taking and making photos uppermost also. Gear is also sort of fun, but it takes a backseat to the photography for me.
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by sury »

Yes, I do suffer from Dunning-Kruger effect and the panels 1 and 2 in Henry's post are perfect examples of suffering from that syndrome. :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E ... ger_effect

https://www.dpreview.com/news/750079130 ... nk-you-are
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

sury wrote:Yes, I do suffer from Dunning-Kruger effect and the panels 1 and 2 in Henry's post are perfect examples of suffering from that syndrome. :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E ... ger_effect

https://www.dpreview.com/news/750079130 ... nk-you-are
Interesting!
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by bakubo »

Yildiz, with regards to having fun with photography, that is what I was talking about in this thread awhile back:

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/vie ... f=3&t=9020

Here are 2 recent ones at 1200mm equivalent using the 2x DTC and the Olympus 75-300mm at 300mm using the 20mp PEN-F and 16mp E-M10II. I don't present these as great photos and I wasn't trying to squeeze the best quality out of them. While playing around I had a few that were even better technically than these 2, but they were very uninteresting photos of uninteresting subjects (building walls, bushes, etc.) I had a UV protection filter on the lens, wide open, and handheld so several strikes against getting the best results. While we were in Kyoto for a month recently I was out on the 8th floor balcony of the furnished condo we rented and pointing to a street intersection some distance away. I think both of these are slightly cropped so maybe more like 1300mm or 1400mm equivalent. :lol: Resized to 10mp they still looked pretty good.

Of course, some people can't have any fun with photography, but to each his own! :)
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Re: Visiting the past in Virginia (Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 gear)

Unread post by aster »

Hi Henry; :)

Yes, I read those posts too.

Let's just enjoy photo shooting... :)


Yildiz
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