Pining for a Pen

Olympus E-PL3 12mm f/2 lens

The bulk of what I've been shooting recently has been with the Sony NEX-7. However from time to time I feel the need to use one of my Olympus Pens and get my m4/3 fix. Yesterday it was the E-PL3 plus 12mm and 45mm lenses. I was using a polarising filter, so left my lens hoods at home. Without those, these two lenses are very small and with the camera make a really light outfit. M4/3 does mostly get the size / weight / quality equation right.

One thing I should mention, that despite my positive write up of the Olympus 12-50mm zoom, these two primes are a good deal sharper. Yes more lens changing and less versatility but superior quality. The 45mm is, as ever, one of the best value lenses you can buy for any camera system. If you own a m4/3 outfit and don't have one of these then you are missing a treat. Its sharp, fast, beautifully made and cheap. 

Olympus E-PL3 45mm f/1.8 lens

Olympus E-PL3 12mm f/2 lens

Olympus E-PL3 12mm f/2 lens

Olympus E-PL3 12mm f/2 lens

Olympus Colour - OM-D samples

Olympus E-P2 45mm f/1.8

In the past I was never a great fan of Olympus colour, but having worked with it and come up with ways to make it work for me, I now like it very much. I've come up with a raw conversion / photoshop workflow that gives me warm, strong and almost Leica colour which seems to be very popular with the people who buy my pictures.

Olympus E-P2 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P2 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P2 45mm f/1.8

On matters Olympus there are some ISO samples from the OM-D here.

 

http://fourthirds-user.com/2012/02/high_iso_comparison_between_the_olympus_pen_ep3_and_omd_em5.php

The high ISO shots are very impressive, and look to have a 2 stop advantage over previous Olympus m4/3 cameras, and at least a 1 stop improvement over the G3 and GX1. If this is a Panasonic sensor, and all indications are that it is, what on earth have Olympus done to it?  More to the point, why haven't Panasonic done the same? If this high ISO performance turns out to be achievable under all circumstances, then I can imagine quite a few opinions and attitudes towards m4/3 as a system are going to change.

The OM-D EM-5 with its fast AF, high speed shooting, built in EVF, 16MP, modular system and now it seems excellent low noise high ISO performance, is sure to turn a few heads. It almost seems too good to be true and I'm waiting until I get my hands on one to see what it can do in the "real world". However this could be one of the most exciting cameras for years. True professional level performance and features in a small light package. Olympus are reluctant apparently to describe it as such, but that means little, since photographers bother less about how cameras are described than the manufacturers and pundits.

If this high ISO performance is able to be replicated, then it suddenly opens up all sorts of possibilities that we m4/3 users thought were beyond our cameras. The kind of results that, it seems, would be possible with the OM-D and lenses such at the 45mm f/1.8 would suggest that m4/3 is moving to another level. One that I will freely admit, I didn't think it could achieve. Interesting times!

My "new" Olympus m4/3 camera - m4/3 "pixie dust"

So not so new after all. I've just bought this from the Olympus Market refurbished ebay store. It cost me the outrageous sum of £148. German manual and lead, but apart from that brand new and unused.

I love the E-P2! My favourite Olympus Pen and therefore my favourite camera ever. Absolutely gorgeous, a joy to look at and hold. Its fitted with the new VF-3, which is fine for me. Not quite as sharp as the VF-2, but good enough. For me it has the great advantage of being polaroid dark glasses friendly, so any loss of resolution is compensated for by the fact that I can actually see through it with my preferred sunglasses. Another advantage for me is that the E-P2 lets me shoot at ISO 100. Yes I know Olympus say the base ISO is really 200 and you're supposed to get reduced dynamic range, but anyone who has ever used one of these at ISO 100, will know what I know, the files look better, with less luminance noise. However Olympus don't let you have that option anymore. Including the new OM-D. Nikon, Canon, Leica and Sony let you have an (artificial) low ISO option, but not Olympus. Ho-Hum!

Had a brief chance to try it out yesterday in dull, freezing cold weather. But the suns out this morning so I can give it (and the E-PL3) a good workout.

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Olympus E-P2 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P2 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P2 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P2 45mm f/1.8

One things is for sure, that ISO 100 setting certainly shows what the 12mm and 45mm lenses can do. Excellent files, beautifully sharp and very clean. m4/3 is capable of very attractive looking files, if we are allowed to use the best quality settings. (Note to Olympus, please change the firmware in the OM-D to include an ISO 100 option, an ISO 50 option would be nice as well.)

PIXIE DUST

In a recent Dpreview forum, someone quoted from this blog, and also wrote this, which I liked and got me thinking.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1041&thread=40555632&page=2

"Whatever pixie dust Olympus has "infused" with the E-M5 does seem to be tickling the lizard part of people's brains. I guess it's part marketing, part by design.

Interesting comments about the emotion side of things. That's why I found it intriguing that such a dichotomy exists with those who talk smack about the E-P/L3's shortcomings, yet for some reason still gravitate back to these cameras despite many owning arguably technically superior offerings (NEX/Panasonic bodies etc.)"

So why do I (We) keep coming back to m4/3? Why is the OM-D, easily the most drooled over camera for ages, and apparently has incredible numbers of pre-orders. After all its a 16MP camera (plenty of those about) with this small(er) sensor thats not that great at high ISO and dynamic range. I expect the sensor to be very similar to the GX1, despite Olympus's claims that its not, so a decent performer at low ISO's, but compared to that in the NEX-5n, probably not as good. So why do I want to use that rather than my 5n? Indeed why do I want to use my 12MP Pens rather than the 5n and also the 24MP NEX-7?

Well for me its this.

I just think these things look so "right". The lens to body ratio is right, the design is right, the layout and handling is (mostly) right. These things look good and feel good, and just for good measure they take good pictures too. Not the best maybe, but for those of us who don't want to photograph black cats in a coal mine, freeze a speeding bullet or shoot 12 frames a second of a celebrity embarrassing themselves, they do just fine.

In the 1990's Apple decided to make their computers look more like PC's, with the consequent loss of market share. They almost went under. Whatever you say about Steve Jobs, he knew that to get those lost Apple fans back, something more than just saying how wonderful their product is was required. Style works. Style is appealing. Style makes us buy stuff. We may not know why we like it, we just know we do. Olympus make very pretty cameras. Panasonic do occasionally as well. Sony don't. The NEX-7 may be a great camera but I just don't love it.

When m4/3 started I hoped that it would become what it is turning into now. An attractive, high-end (but not ridiculously expensive) system that would offer benefits in terms of size and weight and not compromise (too much) on image quality. With a series of sensor tweaks Panasonic have achieved terrific stills quality with their sensors, and it should be said almost unbelievably good video capture. They and Olympus have managed to squeeze all sorts of technological goodies into their cameras to satisfy the gadget freaks, while at the same time managing to keep the more traditionally biased photographers happy at the same time. The word harmonious keeps popping into my head. The system seems integrated, thought out, and even though it may have evolved in a somewhat haphazard way, when you put the cameras and lenses together as in the picture above, it looks complementary.

The other phrase I keep thinking about is "democratic leica". By this I mean a Leica sensibility, but one that doesn't need a large amount of disposable income to indulge it. A system that is almost the complete opposite of the large DSLR. Though in the OM-D we may have, somewhat incredibly, the best of both worlds. Plus, whatever we think we should do and despite telling ourselves that it doesn't matter, how many of us would rather take out a camera we think looks good than one which takes better pictures? I'm not ashamed to say that applies to me. After all, as I constantly bang on, there really isn't that much difference between what they all produce anywhere. Put a Nikon D7000 image and a Panasonic GH2 image taken in 3:2 ratio and at ISO 200 side by side in a blind test and ask people to spot the difference. I doubt many could. Print both out or publish them in a magazine and I suspect the differences become less apparent.

I have no trouble whatsoever selling m4/3 shots, for publication, for advertising for all kinds of social and commercial uses. In fact in certain situations people actually prefer the m4/3 "look". If I felt I was compromising my earning potential in any major way, I wouldn't use it, but I don't feel I am, so I can indulge myself happy in the knowledge that I'm able to deliver the goods while still enjoying the experience that goes into that. If I need more pixels then I can always stitch images together anyway.

Reading between the lines of Kirk Tucks post on the OM-D http://soundimageplus.blogspot.com/2012/02/kirk-tuck-on-olympus-om-d.html I get the impression that, should the camera check out OK, he is planning to use it for his pro work. And why not? Despite all the reservations, all the criticism, all the perceived shortcomings, again and again that small sensor proves itself capable of achieving results, under normal circumstances, that we didn't think it could. If it does this while allowing us to enjoy using the system and yes enjoy the look of it as well, then thats something to be celebrated. I've written some unkind words about Olympus in the past, but the one thing I've consistently made clear is how much I love their designing abilities. Simply the best as far as I'm concerned. And thats something that shouldn't be underestimated, since if we can't take pleasure in what we use, life would be a much less enriching experience.

Some recent digital excursions

m4/3

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Multi image panoramic stitch

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2 Multi image panoramic stitch polarising filter

Despite all the advantages of the NEX-7, I still have a preference for the colour and on-screen look from m4/3 files. Also despite having to stitch images together to get a large file size and having to handle the restricted dynamic range, I do very much like the finished result.

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Multi image panoramic stitch 

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2 Multi image panoramic stitch polarising filter

With careful exposure and processing m4/3 certainly "punches above its weight" and these images, all ending up at between 60-80MB each certainly have the potential for large scale reproduction and heavy cropping. I do have to do some work to get them to this state but after doing it for a few years, I have all sorts of photoshop "tricks" that allow me to produce a clean, sharp, contrasty, artefact free file. 

The reason I've stuck with it for so long is the excellent colour from the Panasonic sensors and the low strength anti-aliasing filters that they use. Sony don't seem inclined as yet to let their sensor "off the leash" and demonstrate exactly what it can do. Samsung seem also disinclined to do that and its going to be interesting to see what the Fuji X-Pro 1 sensor can do.

Its certainly true that this weaker AA filter can cause problems, but I'd rather it was that way than have a soft image. Its often stated that m4/3 has to try and compete with APS-C sensors and DSLR's. I see it the other way round. When you talk about final image quality and how files look when viewed and published, in many ways APS-C sensors and DSLR's have their own catching up to do. Now I wonder if there's anyone who could remove my NEX-7 AA filter?

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Multi image panoramic stitch

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2 Multi image panoramic stitch polarising filter

f/1.2 lenses

I tried out my Voigtlander 35mm f/1.2 lens with the NEX-7 and also for the sake of comparison, borrowed back my Nikon 50mm f/1.2 MF lens.

Sony NEX-7 Voigtlander 35mm f/1.2

Sony NEX-7 Nikon 50mm f/1.2 MF lens

Sony NEX-7 Voigtlander 35mm f/1.2

Sony NEX-7 Nikon 50mm f/1.2 MF lens

Both lenses go some way to negating the effect of the AA on the Sony, and produce very sharp files. (But then they can both be used on m4/3 too) I think the Voigtlander is very marginally sharper but the Nikon has a slightly warmer colour balance. Both are top class lenses and demonstrate yet again that there is really no substance to this "designed for digital" myth that manufacturers come up with to justify the prices of their lenses. m4/3 and Sony NEX cameras now have great systems for using these manual focus gems from the past, and they are difficult to beat for engineering, build and optical quality. 

Whether that difference is enough to justify using them exclusively, I'm not sure. Certainly the 12mm and 45mm Olympus lenses I was using for the pictures at the top of the page are pretty good, and the 45mm f/1.8 in particular is something special. However if you're a sharpness junkie like me, you may think it worthwhile. And you like the feel of beautifully constructed metal lenses in your hand, then they certainly give these modern cameras a real "classy" feel.

The continuing appeal of m4/3 (A moderately serious post)

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2 45mm f/1.8 lenses

Cute aren't they! Despite all my adventures with the Sony NEX system and my liking for the handling, design and file quality, I'm still very attracted to the m4/3 system. Its actually quite difficult to explain why, but despite everything else I use, I keep coming back to it.

I think its a combination of many different things, none of which makes the system "better" for me, but which put together means that I enjoy using it and the pictures it produces. I should, I suppose, be using my NEX-7 all the time, as it produces the biggest files, and there's no doubt that its a more well-featured camera than anything that m4/3 has come up with so far, but I still need my m4/3 fix every now and then. 

So whats the appeal?

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2

The 4:3 ratio is something I like. As can be seen from all the Pentax 645 film scans I'm posting, its a format I like and have used for many years.

The depth of field advantage is very useful for someone who shoots travel/landscape and architecture. I very rarely use differential focus, and generally need my images to all be in sharp focus. Using the Olympus 12mm, for example, means that I can happily use f/4 and f/5.6, knowing that I will be getting similar DOF results to using a 24mm lens at f/8 or f/11 on a 35mm / FF system. This allows me to use faster shutter speeds when I'm hand holding resulting in sharper images. This was a tremendous advantage yesterday when I was shooting these castle images, as I was working in a gale, and was almost blown off my feet a few times. Without being able to use wide apertures and fast shutter speeds I would have had real trouble getting sharp pictures.

I obviously appreciate the size and weight advantages, and there is no doubt that the system has the best balance between between lens and bodies of all the CSC systems. It also has by far the most comprehensive lens range.

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens + Polarising filter

There's also no doubt that at low ISO's the Panasonic m4/3 sensors produce very high quality files. I've learnt to deal with the luminance noise that the 16MP sensor produces even at base ISO, and I've always liked the colour and overall look of the images. Plus the fact that the sensor seems to use a lighter anti-aliasing / low pass filter than the NEX system makes the images look sharper on the screen.

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 12mm f/2

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens

Panasonic GX1 Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens

And then of course there are the aesthetics of the camera and lenses themselves.

Late last year I was becoming heavily involved with the NEX-5n, and was using it virtually exclusively. However, I still couldn't resist the GX1. My long standing love / hate relationship with the Olympus Pens has been well documented here and just when I thought I'd got the Japanese corporate answer to the Sopranos out of my system, they have to go and come up with this.

 OK, I know this is a fake, but its not going to look radically different to this.

Olympus sure know how to push my buttons. These are my favourite camera designs of all time.

 

The small SLR design with a pentaprism and a silver / black colour scheme makes me go weak at the knees, always has. It may have something to do with the fact the my first "serious" camera was the Pentax ME Super, pictured above, but I've been waiting for a decent equivalent of this for ages. It looks that Olympus are about to do just that with their heavily leaked OM-D. Not only have they seduced me with the look, but they have finally (FINALLY!) decided to use a bigger sensor and have also decided to make it a more robust, weather-sealed body. I guess the 12-50mm weather-sealed lens was a pretty heavy clue that a comparable body was arriving, since what use is a sealed lens without a sealed body. 

There is no way I will be able to resist this, no way I won't have my name down for a pre-order the moment I'm able to do that and no way, I fear, that I won't probably love it to bits and use it despite all its shortcomings, which being an Olympus it will probably have.

If I wasn't taking pictures for a living, I would be using an E-P3 exclusively. I wouldn't care that the images a bit "grainy" at low ISO's, that its got a sluggish shutter button, which tends to make the lighting fast AF a bit redundant, that its got a "peculiar" menu system and that its only 12MP. Despite all my reservations, I loved using it. Its a miracle I managed to sell it, since I tried several times putting it on ebay and then always took it off again. I was about to do the same last time, when someone inconveniently bought it!!

However now I have the OM-D to dream about. I just can't help myself. Of all the cameras announced over the past few years, this is the one that has excited me most. It won't have the best image quality, it won't have the best handling, but if its anything like I think its going to be, it will sure look gorgeous. 

Olympus, I hate you! (But I love your cameras)

My m4/3 dilemma

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

I'm still undecided as to what to do with my m4/3 gear. Yesterday I took out my Olympus E-P3 plus 12mm and 45mm lenses and both enjoyed the experience and got some useful pictures. I was shooting multi images, which I later stitched together using photomerge in Photoshop. This produced high quality, high resolution files.

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

However there's nothing here that can't be done using my Sony gear, and in many cases that gear can do the job easier, better and quicker, without increasing the weight I carry around.

Because of the improvements in the NEX-5n, from what went before, and because of what that camera offers in terms of image quality, dynamic range, high ISO performance, viewfinder, speed of operation etc. I'm finding it hard to justify using my Olympus and Panasonic cameras. The a77 with two prime lenses is also a very light outfit and that offers me 24MP, incredibly fast operation, built in spirit level etc. 

Despite all this, I still love my E-P3 and have definitely got a yearning for the GX1. This is all well and good, and I never feel guilty about owning cameras. However I really don't like having cameras sitting on the shelf collecting dust and not being used. This is certainly the case with my Panasonic G3, and I don't want to see the same thing happening with a GX1. A burst of using it when it first arrives, followed by it just sitting there.

Because my two Sony cameras cover everything I need and want, the situation has changed from when my choice was between a heavy DSLR or m4/3. When the NEX-7 finally becomes available, offerering all those a77 MP's in a smaller lighter package, I can't really see myself using much else. The NEX-5n already does everything that a camera like the Nikon D7000 did for me. Its an extraordinary thing to write to think that such a small camera can do that, but then I never used the D7000 to its limit anyway. From the video I posted yesterday, you'll get some idea of how I work, and indeed that is how I use my cameras the majority of the time. I'm also convinced that the NEX-5n would handle any event or commercial work that turns up as well, I've tested it a similar situation and its fast, responsive and produces great images.

And yet I still love using the E-P3. And yes I love using it for more than its looks! Provided I use AF lenses (apart from the clicking 25mm f/1.4) and avoid fiddling about with manual focus, it works great. The new AF is a real improvement and the 12mm and 45mm are superb high quality lenses that are a joy to use. I can get high resolution and satisfactory file size, though I do have to do that by stitching images together, and they have great colour and sharpness. Its a bit more work, using the stitch programme and cleaning up the luminance noise from blue skies, but not that much, so if m4/3 was my only alternative I could live with it quite easily.

I really don't know how this will end up. Usually I decide these things on impulse, so don't be surprised if at some point I announce I have sold all my m4/3 gear. But then don't be surprised if I announce I've sold all my Sony gear either!