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!

Working with the Sony NEX-5n and 18-200mm lens

As a practice for a future project, I asked my nephew Ben to see if he could shoot a video of me working with the NEX-5n and 18-200mm lens. We managed it despite terrible light, and a very cold wind. The photographs weren't that great but the video turned out OK, and I was pleased with it.

It was his first experience of working with the Olympus E-P3 and 12mm f/2 lens. The Olympus is very good for hand holding with its in-body stabilisation. I added stabilisation during editing in iMovie and despite a few "wobbles" its worked quite well. I'm actually growing to like the wobble effect!

The dark glasses aren't an attempt at anonymity, due to an eye related problem I have to wear them whenever I photograph outdoors. Hence my enthusiasm for the NEX-5n's OLED viewfinder, which is polaroid friendly.

I was keen to show how nice the lens is to work with. Whether or not its "too big" for the camera is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned and I'm much more interested by how it works as an outfit. For me it works very well. As you can see I'm very comfortable with it, and its certainly not particularly heavy. When we got home, we compared it to a m4/3 camera with a 14-140mm zoom. While the Panasonic camera / lens combination is slightly smaller, its around the same weight and personally I like the feel and layout of the Sony system better.

Weather for editing

Sony NEX-5n 18-55mm

The weather has been terrible lately, grey skies, mist and drizzle. However I've got a lot of editing and uploading done. Tomorrow hopefully - SUN!

Leica M9 Zeiss 50mm f/2 T* Planar

Sony NEX-5n Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron

Sony A77 30mm f/2.8 Macro

Sony NEX-5n 18-200mm

Sony NEX-5n 30mm f/2.8 Macro

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Worcester with Olympus E-P3

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Wonderful warm sunny day. I went to photograph Worcester, with particular attention to the new canalside development which has recently been completed.

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

I then walked alongside the River Severn to the Cathedral. City centres that are centred around rivers are always very attractive, and with its wide path alongside the water Worcester is particularly scenic.

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

I used my Olympus E-P3 plus 12mm f/2 and 45mm f/1.8 lenses. I was hoping I would come to some decision about what to do with my m4/3 gear in which I've got about £3000 invested but hardly use. However I'm no nearer deciding whether to keep it, sell it or expand it. I certainly enjoyed using the E-P3 and I got some good pictures. 

When my choice was between a large heavy DSLR / lens combination or m4/3 there wasn't really any debate. But that situation has now changed with the arrival of the Sony NEX-5n and the A77. The NEX system is obviously pretty light and the a77 plus my two lens kit (30mm and 85mm) isn't heavy either. Both give great image quality plus more MP's plus less "troublesome" files. 

However the pure pleasure I get from using the E-P3 is difficult to consider giving up. If only it didn't look so good!!

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus Lens Hoods

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2 45mm f/1.8 Lens Hoods

Finally tracked these down, in stock, at the Olympus UK store (which turned out to be in Belgium!!)

And yes they look gorgeous!

BUT

Lenses should come with hoods provided.

If they are going to be an "accessory" they should be available at the same time as the lens.

These are very expensive for what they are.

Olympus are not alone in pulling these "accessory scams" but that doesn't make them any less guilty. Whoops - did I say guilty? Didn't mean it honestly. (Olympus being of course honest as the day is long)

Now of course if they were tupperware.........

Silver Machine

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8 12mm f/2

Was it the light, which was wonderful, the fact that I've found the "sweet" apertures for these lenses, that my constant tweaking of my "Leica M9 simulation" preset for Adobe Camera Raw has finally produced what I'm looking for or simply the fact that these are great lenses, that produced a set of wonderful images yesterday?

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

This was the first time that I had been out for some serious shooting with this combination, and I was mightily impressed. Beautiful colour, and really sharp. 

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

Olympus E-P3 45mm f/1.8

The resolution was just incredible, though unfortunately flickr reproduction doesn't do it justice. 

Olympus E-P3 12mm f/2

I just wasn't expecting these to be SO good. My love hate relationship with Olympus Pens is definitely heading back towards the former!

Panasonic G3 Lumix 45-175mm X lens review - Part 3

These are a couple of comparisons between the 45-175mm on a Panasonic G3 with stabilisation on and off. Then the same thing with the lens on an Olympus E-P3. 

On the G3 the Mega OIS is engaged. I've used Type 1 which works best for me. 

On the E-P3 the mega OIS is disengaged (the camera doesn't know how to turn it on) and I used the in body IS. Again Type 1 which works best for me.

As ever there are larger versions available via flickr > Actions > View all sizes > Original.

I used the lens at around 175mm and 1/15th. sec. as my shutter speed.

Here is the G3 test.

Panasonic G3 Lumix 45-175mm X lens

This is the E-P3 test.

Olympus E-P3 Lumix 45-175mm X lens

The images you see are the only ones I shot. I didn't take a batch and select the best.

I'll let you make up your mind as to which is best, but they both look pretty impressive to me.

DISCLAIMER.

There's one thing that should be made clear however. "Tests" like this are subject to all kinds of variables. How I hold each camera and the design of the camera are important. I obviously tried to keep it as similar as I could and made sure that I braced myself, breathed in etc. in order to make all the shots as stable as I could. However that is no guarentee of consistency.

The problem with any test of Image stabilisation and that I guess is why you don't see too many, is the fact that its almost impossible to devise an "objective" way of doing it. Certainly I can't think of one since it involves hand-holding different cameras.

I think its impossible to say which is the "best" system as I think this depends on the individual photographer and how they work. Some of us may find it easier to work with lens based systems, some with body systems. The latter obviously gives more choices, since not many lenses have any form of IS built in.

Finally, its not something I do a lot of. I very rarely use these kinds of shutter speeds hand-held, so I'm no expert. I have a reasonably steady set of hands, and the majority of my images are hand-held, but I tend to use much faster shutter speeds for this.

Panasonic G3 Lumix 45-175mm X lens review - Part 2

OLYMPUS EP-3 Panasonic Lumix 45-175mm X lens

I tried the 45-175mm with my Olympus E-P3 and again was pleased with the results. The fact that the lens doesn't extend when zooming is a nice feature. My Olympus 14-150mm telescopes out quite dramatically and can look very odd. However the 45-175mm is WYSIWYG.

150mm f/5.5 ISO 400 1/200 sec.

175mm f/5.6 ISO 640 1/200 sec.

175mm f/5.6 ISO 200 1/200 sec.

175mm f/5.6 ISO 250 1/200 sec.

The lens is definitely softer wide open. Though this is a "smooth" softness. I think it has rather nice bokeh for a lens of this type, which helps. Wide open it would work very well as a "flattering" portrait lens. It is important to remember that this isn't a 45mm f/1.8, and that biting crisp definition just isn't here. But having said that, it gives a very pleasing look. Its even across the frame which is nice, and doesn't have that "busy" out of focus area look that many zooms of this type have.

175mm f/5.6 ISO 500 1/200 sec.

116mm f/5.3 ISO 800 1/200 sec.

144mm f/5.6 ISO 250 1/200 sec.

One of the things contributing to the look, is that it seems to be have quite low contrast. I'll discover whether this is true the more I use it.

68mm f/6.3 ISO 160 1/320 sec.

107mm f/6.3 ISO 160 1/500 sec.

175mm f/5.6 ISO 160 1/15 sec.

Two things that I always look for to assess the quality of a lens are, firstly, how quickly does it get to those "sweet" apertures. The answer with this lens is very quickly. f/6.3 is very nice and by f/8 its performing really well. Secondly, I always check to see how well a lens responds to sharpening. Poor lenses tend to produce worse images when sharpened up, but good lenses produce nice crisp images. Thats certainly the case here, and a bit of discreet smart sharpening in Photoshop produces very nice files.

So, a light lens with good handling and an interesting zooming feel, nice bokeh, decent results when stopped down a tad and a reasonable price. Whats not to like?

Incidentally, I loaded the new firmware for the G3 and it gives a display on the back showing you what focal length you are selecting. It also apparently gives control over the zoom speed and allows both manual selection of the zoom and the ability to retain where you were when the camera was switched off. I'm going to try these out when I give the lens a test for video, which it is obviously designed for.

So far I like it. Its nothing spectacular, just a good solid piece of kit that fills in a gap for me and allows me to shoot some telephoto material with decent image quality without breaking my back. I have no hesitation in recommending it.