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Metabones Speed Booster focal reducer lens adapters for Sony NEX, Micro Four Thirds and Fuji mirrorless cameras

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013

Metabones has just announced 0.71x focal reducer lens adapters which they have named “Speed Booster” for a variety of mirrorless cameras including Sony NEX, Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds, and Fuji-X.
adapter

Although expensive at $US599, these adapters will significantly add to the versatility of these camera systems as they will allow:

high image quality reduction in effective focal length and thus field of view will be closer to that of the native lens field of view – on a 1.5x crop camera such as Sony NEX, the crop factor becomes 1.09x, while on a 2x crop factor Micro Four Thirds camera, the crop factor becomes 1.42x (almost the same as a 1.3x crop APS-H Canon 1D dSLR camera)
effective aperture for exposure becomes 1 stop brighter, as in effect, more light is squeezed onto the sensor, in other words, it gives you 1 stop higher ISO in effect which can also mean 1 stop less noise
the Canon EOS adapter will allow aperture change, optical IS, EXIF data, presumably MF-ring activation of magnified view, and, on the post-2006 EF lenses, slow autofocus – an adapter which can do all this at last given that the long awaited Birger Engineering adapter that was meant to achieve these functions has not eventuated.
and of course, if you use a Olympus camera such as the E-M5, you will get sensor based image stabilisation to any lens – and perhaps you may not even have to dial in the focal length – we shall have to wait and see on this aspect
the white paper promises excellent correction of spherical aberration as well as field curvature, coma, astigmatism, distortion, and chromatic aberration. Intentionally, it has a very small amount of undercorrected spherical aberration at f/0.90 to improve the bokeh when the Speed Booster is used with ultra high speed f/1.2 objectives. Aberrations should be considerably less than with front-mounted wide adapters.
being a focal reducer, it increases resolution and contrast (MTF) compared with using the lens without this adapter as it should compress aberrations
improves telecentricity by moving the exit pupil further away and potentialy could reduce vignetting
improves image quality of wide aperture legacy film lenses due to improved interaction with low pass and IR filters on the camera sensor, although it appears that image quality may be worse in the corners with some lens combinations such as when using cheap 50mm prime lenses
physical length is reduced by 6mm on Micro Four Thirds and by 4mm on Sony NEX compared with using a normal adapter

Thus on a Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera, here are some awesome possibilities:

Sigma 8-16mm DX lens = image stabilised 5.6-11.2mm ultra wide angle zoom lens which is even wider than the Micro Four Thirds 7-14mm lenses but the fixed lens hood may become visible
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 tilt-shift lens = image stabilised 12mm f/2.8 lens which will give the same field of view and depth of field as a 24mm f/5.6 tilt shift lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/2.8 lens image stabilised
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II lens = image stabilised 17mm f/1.0 lens which will give the same field of view and depth of field as a 34mm f/2.0 lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/1.0 lens image stabilised
Canon 50mm f/1.2L lens = image stabilised 36mm f/0.85 lens which will give the same field of view and depth fo field as a 72mm f/1.7 lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/0.85 lens image stabilised
Canon 85mm f/1.2 lens = image stabilised 60mm f/0.85 lens which will give the same field of view and depth of field as a 120mm f/1.7 lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/0.85 lens image stabilised
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G II lens or Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 lens = image stabilised 60mm f/1.0 lens which will give the same field of view and depth of field as a 120mm f/2.0 lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/1.0 lens image stabilised
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L lens = image stabilised 96mm f/1.4 lens which will give the same field of view and depth of field as a 190mm f/2.8 lens on a 35mm full frame camera, but exposure value of an f/1.4 lens image stabilised

The adapter will open up many exciting possibilities, particularly for those who already have full frame lenses.

Adapters will be available for Canon EF/EF-S, Nikon F/G/DX, Leica R, ALPA, Contarex, Contax C/Y , and Olympus OM lenses.

Note that cropped sensor lenses such as EF-S and DX can be used on Micro Four Thirds with this adapter as long as they do not have fixed lens hoods such as the Nikon DX fisheye, or the Sigma 8-16mm zoom, but the image circle is too small for use on Sony NEX size sensors.

Interestingly, I posted in Feb 2010 about a patent by Olympus for a similar type of adapter which would be a 0.5x reducer (2 f stops) for use with Olympus OM lenses, and it was hoped they would be incorporating SWD or contrast detect AF elements as well which would add fast AF to Olympus OM lenses when used on Micro Four Thirds cameras. Unfortunately, this has not seen the light of day, but perhaps this adapter from Metabones may inspire them to produce such an adapter.

See a review of the Metabones adapter by EOSHD from a video perspective here.

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Tags: adapters, Canon, Four Thirds Micro, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, Olympus, Olympus OM, Panasonic

Best cameras of 2012

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

Best cameras for 2012 depends upon what purpose the camera is needed for.

Nevertheless, a poll of 14,807 readers on dpreview.com gave the following:

Olympus OM-D EM-5	23.3%	(3457 votes)
Nikon D800/E	22.1%	(3273 votes)
Canon EOS 5D Mark III	14.4%	(2133 votes)
Nikon D600	7.8%	(1156 votes)
Sony Cyber-shot RX100	7.1%	(1056 votes)
Fujifilm X-Pro 1	6.2%	(914 votes)
Sony Cyber-shot RX1	5.6%	(831 votes)
Sony Alpha SLT-A99	4.2%	(617 votes)
Pentax K-30	3.3%	(485 votes)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3	2.2%	(328 votes)
Canon EOS 650D / Rebel T4i	1.8%	(266 votes)
Sony Alpha SLT-A57	1.2%	(172 votes)
Olympus PEN-Lite E-PL5	.5%	(79 votes)
Olympus Stylus XZ-2 iHS	.3%	(40 votes)

This list would certainly be a good starting point for those looking to buy a new camera as it does list the most important cameras of 2012.

If one wants a high image quality, compact, versatile, interchangeable lens camera, then Micro Four Thirds system is probably the best for most people and these are represented here by the Olympus E-M5, Olympus E-PL5 and the Panasonic GH-3 – the latter having the best video quality and features of all the listed cameras.

If one does not care about interchangeable lenses and just wants good image quality and compact camera size, then the Sony RX100 and RX1 along with the Olympus Stylus X-Z2 should be high on your list – see dpreview’s roundup of best compact digital cameras for enthusiasts.

If you want a digital SLR, then the full frame cameras are the way to go if you can afford them – the Nikon D800 and its cheaper version, the Nikon D600, the Canon 5D Mark III, or perhaps the Sony Alpha SLT-A99.

Wish you all a Happy New Year for 2013.

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Tags: cameras, Canon, E-M5, Four Thirds Micro, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, Olympus, Sony

The new Canon 6D and Nikon D600 entry level full frame dSLRs compared to the new Sony SLT alpha A99

Tuesday, September 18th, 2012

It has been an exciting week with the announcement of of new cameras from all the major manufacturers.

I am sure all of the cameras for which I have posted blogs this week will be fantastic cameras capable of brilliant image quality.

As excited as I am about the new Micro Four Thirds gear, such as the new lenses on their road map, the new PEN cameras with their important image quality upgrade, and the awesome videographer’s camera, the Panasonic GH-3, it is the raft if entry-level full frame dSLRs that have been announced which finally bring full frame dSLR photography to the enthusiasts for around the $2000 mark which may be the most significant of all the announcements.

Why is this such a significant event?

If you can buy a full frame dSLR for about $2000, why bother with a cropped sensor dSLR unless you are primarily doing sports or wildlife photography where you need all the telephoto reach you can get?
After all, unlike Olympus, neither Canon nor Nikon really have committed to making great lenses for their cropped sensor cameras – all the really good lenses are designed for full frame sensors, so you may as well buy a full frame dSLR rather than a $1,000+ Canon or Nikon cropped sensor dSLR.

Let’s compare the new full frame cameras.

The most exciting of them in my mind is the Sony SLT alpha A99 as it is the only one truly optimised for Live View and thus videography and accurate manual focus using magnified view assist, as it is the only one with full time electronic viewfinder and fulltime phase contrast AF system (although we do need to wait and see how well it really does perform given past SLT cameras have not quite matched their hype in this regard).

Not only these features, but of critical importance to those using prime lenses for still photography is that the Sony SLT has sensor-based IS built-in – something that neither Canon nor Nikon have in any of their cameras.

The Canon 6D and Nikon D600 are both good cameras missing some features of their more expensive counterparts.

Their AF system has been scaled down – in the Canon 6D it only has 11 AF points instead of 61 points on the 5D Mark III, while the Nikon D600 has 39 points instead of 51 on the Nikon D800. This means gaining AF outside the central area requires AF then recompose techniques – this also applies to the Sony SLT A99.

Presumably, the 6D will have the same deficiency as its expensive cousins, the 5D Mark III and 1D X – inability to AF when using a lens with aperture smaller than f/5.6 such as an f/4 lens with 2x tele-extender – this will limit the utility of these cameras for wildlife photographers!

The burst rates are modest ranging from 4.5fps for the 6D, 5.5fps for the D600 and 6fps for the Sony SLT.

In particular, their shutter system is lower end with a fastest shutter reduced to a consumer level of 1/4000th sec and a flash sync reduced to 1/200th on the D600 and only 1/180th sec on the 6D – heck even the new Olympus PEN cameras have a flash sync of 1/250th sec!

This is VERY important for fashion and outdoor portrait photographers using lenses such as the 135mm f/2.0 and fill-in flash. Without image stabilisation, a shutter speed of only 1/180th second is really pushing your luck in allowing sharp hand held photos consistently.

In this regard, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera with its built-in 5 stop image stabilisation system, matched with the superb Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens and Olympus FL-600R flash which can sync at 1/250th sec, accurate closest eye, face detection AF anywhere in the frame (no need to AF and recompose and worry about AF microadjustments) will most likely give you far more accurately focused and sharper photos whilst still having a similar perspective and a shallow enough depth of field to make your subject really pop.

On this same matter, if you need even shallower DOF at 35mm focal length and you are doing flash photography outdoors, then the new Sony RX-1 full frame fixed lens compact with its silent leaf shutter and flash sync to 1/2000th second would be ideal although at $2,800 it is not cheap!

Of note, the Sony SLT A99 gives you the best of all worlds in this regard – sensor-based IS plus flash sync of 1/250th sec, and a fastest shutter of 1/8000th sec.

For video work, the 6D and D600 only have mono mics, and 30p/25p/24p frame rates and thus no option for slo-mo work whereas the Sony has a more usable 60p/24p plus stereo mics, but none will really compete in functionality and image quality with the new Panasonic GH-3, although the D600 and the A99 both allow the option of uncompressed video output.

For a detailed table of the main differences between all the current full frame dSLRs, see here.

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Tags: Canon, dSLRs, full frame, Nikon, Sony

Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs full frame dSLR 30″x40″ print quality – not easy to pick the difference!!!

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Last weekend I attended the Digital Show in Melbourne where Olympus had a very prominent stand showing off their fantastic new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera.

To prove a point they invited pro photographers along to shoot a model in studio conditions with their full frame dSLR and processed these RAW shots and printed to 30″ x 40″ prints.

These prints were compared with 30″ x 40″ prints shot at the same time from the E-M5 out of camera jpegs using the 12-50mm lens.

I must say, I really hard a very hard time telling which was the full frame dSLR shots, the prints were that close in quality!

And this is comparing prints from RAW files shot with Canon 5D Mark II and Nikon D700 with pro lenses to the E-M5 with a consumer kit lens!

Of course, these conditions were not showing off the main advantage of full frame dSLRs over the E-M5 such as ultra shallow depth of field but it was a very surprising comparison nevertheless!

I just wish I took a few shots of the side-by-side print comparisons!

See a quick video on the contest hosted at cnet.com.

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Tags: Canon, dSLR, E-M5, Four Thirds Micro, full frame, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, Olympus

New cameras compared – Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs Canon 5D Mark III vs Nikon D800

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

In the past few weeks 3 exciting new cameras have been announced, all 3 of them have feature sets which many would have only dreamed of a couple of years ago, so how do they compare on paper:

The specs compared:

Firstly, what they have in common:

weatherproofed, magnesium alloy body construction
100% viewfinder coverage
1080i HD H.264 video (up to 29min 59secs per clip) with audio level control and optional stereo mic inputs
SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card support
timelapse recording (Olympus and Canon via cable, Nikon in-built)
wired remote control (and wireless via optional propietary or 3rd party wired devices)
remote TTL flash support (Canon adds radio wireless TTL flash support previously only available on Canon/Nikon via Pocketwizards)
HSS/SuperFP high speed sync flash
multi/spot/centre-weighted metering
AE bracketing 2,3,5,7 frames
WB bracketing
self timer
aperture priority, shutter priority, programmed auto, manual exposure modes
live view (always Live view on the Olympus and automatically switches from screen to EVF; Live View clunky on Canon and Nikon due to presence of mirror)
similar shutter ratings of ~150,000 frames (although I believe the Olympus is rated at 100,000 frames)
AF assist lamp
optional external battery portrait mode grips

	Olympus OM-D E-M5	Canon 5D Mark III	Nikon D800
Price body only	$US999	$US3499	$US2999
Weight	425g/15oz	950g/33.5oz	900g/31.8oz
Size	122 x 89 x 43 mm (4.8 x 3.5 x 1.69″)	152 x 116 x 76 mm (5.98 x 4.57 x 2.99″)	146 x 123 x 82 mm (5.75 x 4.84 x 3.23″)
Sensor	16mp Live MOS Micro Four Thirds size (17.3 x 13mm) 4:3 aspect 2x crop factor	22.3mp full frame (36x24mm)	36.3mp full frame 76.5Mb RAW files!! (36x24mm), 25mp 1.2x crop mode or 15mp DX mode
LCD	3″ OLED, 614K dot 3:2 tiltable, touch. Usable even in bright sun. Just touch subject for near-instantaneous AF and shutter release.	3.2″ 1040K dot fixed LCD, not touch	3.2″ 921K dot LCD fixed, not touch
HD video	1080i 60i (30p); 20 or 17mbps quality; Art filters; Echo mode; 5EV IS for all lenses; C-AF possible; stereo mic; 2x digital zoom; no live video out? no timecode;	1080 30p/25p/24p with i-frame, SMPTE time code, OIS, no C-AF; mono mic; moiré-reduction; uncompressed live video out is only 720p; 60fps only in 720p; no swivel or tilt screen;	1080 30p/25p/24p 8bit 4:2:2 live HDMI out, OIS, no C-AF; mono mic; 60fps only in 720p; no swivel or tilt screen; 36mp sensor may degrade HD video quality due to need for more binning/line skipping; videographers should avoid the D800E as there is no anti-alias filter.
shutter speeds	60sec – 1/4000th sec	30sec – 1/8000th sec	30sec – 1/8000th sec
Burst rate	9fps (AF 1st frame only); 4.2fps C-AF; 3.5fps AF +IS;	6fps with full C-AF x 18 RAW	4fps in FX mode or 6fps in DX mode with full C-AF but requires external battery otherwise it is 5fps.
Lens artefact correction to jpegs	automatically for many dedicated lenses including distortion and lateral CA. Installed via firmware automatically.	automatically for up to 29 Canon lenses for both axial and lateral CA. User must download and install the profiles.	no?
Camera shake aids	industry leading 5 axis 5EV works with all lenses and in movie mode and in EVF; no need for mirror lock up as no mirror	optical IS in some lenses; requires cumbersome mirror lockup for critical work at slower shutter speeds or high lens magnifications (macro or super telephoto) but cannot do mirror lockup and self timer together.	optical IS in some lenses; requires cumbersome mirror lockup for critical work at slower shutter speeds or high lens magnifications (macro or super telephoto) but cannot do mirror lockup and self timer together.
Manual focus aids	Fast, easy 5EV IS stabilised magnified view	poor MF aids, magnified view Live Mode cumbersome, no IS support	poor MF aids, magnified view Live Mode cumbersome, no IS support
S-AF	fastest and most accurate AF for slow moving subjects; face detect AF; Eye detect AF – can AF on left, right or nearest eye – superb for portraiture/fashion photography!	Average AF speed requires microcalibration for each lens for accuracy; Face detect AF even in phase contrast AF?	Average AF speed requires microcalibration for each lens for accuracy; Face detect AF even in phase contrast AF. Sensors work to -2EV light levels.
C-AF	35pt 3D tracking even at f/8 lenses BUT tracking is currently only for slow moving subjects and is unreliable	61pt (41 cross pts incl. 5 double cross pts) very good tracking (phase contrast) but not as highly featured as the Canon 1D X which has a dedicated DIGIC 4 processor for AF and a 100K pixel metering system to support it. Subject-based configuration presets to at last make C-AF configuration easier. BUT NO AF with lenses f/8 or smaller (as with the Canon 1D X)!!	51pt very good tracking(phase contrast); 1 cross and 10 horizontal sensors active at f/8.
ISO range	200-25,600, auto ISO can set upper and lower limit. (no iISO as on Panasonic);	50-102,400, autoISO allows minimum shutter speed as well as ISO limits. autoISO works in M mode.	50-25,600, 5-level focal-length sensitive autoISO
Max. bulb duration	8min including Timed Bulb and Live Timed modes with intermittent visual assessment of image during exposure!	8min?	8min?
flash	No built-in flash but bundled compact unit, 1/250th sync, can set slowest shutter speed to use when flash fires in an auto mode.	No built-in flash, 1/200th sync	Built-in pop-up flash, 1/250th sync
White balance presets	12 + 1 CWB	6 + 1 CWB	12 + 5 CWB
Scene modes, Art	23 scene modes including 3D Stereo, plus Art Filters	Picture Styles	None
Exposure compensation	+/- 3EV	+/- 5EV	+/- 5EV
Multiple exposures	yes 2 frames RAW	yes	no?
Viewfinder supports	dual axis levels, grid lines, live histogram with histogram of AF region included, image stabilisation for any lens, magnified view mode, aspect ratio view, shutter speed/aperture simulation, art filter effects view, contrast control graph, AF selection	electronic overlay: grid lines, AF selection, customizable warning exclamation mark.	AF selection, dual axis levels.
other	compact high quality lens system optimised for video;nice, simple ergonomic controls	lower noise at high ISO; narrower DOF possible; fast AF for super telephoto lenses; in-camera HDR; top panel LCD; pro level sports AF features;	high resolution images but large file sizes; narrower DOF possible; fast AF for super telephoto lenses; top panel LCD; pro level sports AF features;
tilt/shift	easier MF but 2x crop factor; can convert any Nikon lens to a shift lens; can convert most full frame lenses to tilt lenses; can use Canon, Nikon and Olympus OM shift lenses. Widest tilt-shift is only 28mm in 35mm terms (eg. using a Nikon 14mm lens with an adapter).	live mode MF cumbersome but 17mm and 24mm tilt-shift available	live mode MF cumbersome but 24mm tilt-shift available
connectivity/ extra cards	USB 2.0; opt Bluetooth;	USB 2.0; wifi/Bluetooth; CF card; opt. GPS;	USB 3.0; wifi; CF card; opt. GPS;

Summary of pros and cons:

Olympus OM-D E-M5

great value for money
compact quiet non-intrusive system with lovely compact and movie optimised lenses delivering adequate image quality and narrow depth of field capabilities for most people
industry leading image stabilisation and manual focus solutions
fastest, most accurate AF for stationary or slow-moderately moving subjects with option for near-instantaneous AF and exposure just by touching the subject on the touch screen
tiltable OLED touch screen
lots of visual aids in the viewfinder including being able to activate image stabilised magnified live view easily for ANY lens
fast 9fps burst rate albeit with AF only on 1st frame and no IS (a very reasonable 3.5fps for full AF and IS or 4.2fps with AF and no IS)
1/250th sec flash sync with new flashes
adequate HD video for most people with some very nice special effect options , unique built-in IS which works on every lens which means perhaps the end of having to work out how to use and carry big expensive camera stabilisation rigs whilst walking and video – the main downside is no 25p/24p mode and no live HDMI out capability
ability to use almost any lens ever made including Leica, Canon and Nikon as well as Olympus Four Thirds and OM lenses
much easier to use camera and flash system than the Canon or Nikon cameras (flashes are simpler but just as versatile, while the absence of a mirror greatly simplifies the user interface and the many Scene modes and Art filters makes use easier and much more fun and easier creativity is possible)
Timed BULB and Live BULB mode makes night time shots on tripods much easier and more fun.
smaller and less expensive tripods and backpacks possible
less expensive high quality wide aperture prime lenses
ability to hand hold longer telephoto field of view lenses with ease
underwater housing
C-AF may not be adequate for fast moving subjects
no WiFi file transfer (only optional Bluetooth transfer to phones of web-sized images)
no GPS option at present
no radio wireless TTL flash at present (I would think Pocket Wizards would be seriously looking into Olympus support to expand their market now that Canon have entered into their niche)
more noise at high ISO but most should be using low ISO anyway
DxOMark tests show the new Micro Four Thirds lenses such as 12mm f/2.0, 25mm f/1.4, and 45mm f/1.8 offer comparable optical quality to the full frame pro equivalents (see recent posts), at much less weight, size and cost.
jpegs will display on iPhoto on the new iPad3 unlike those from the Canon or Nikon which are too big (iPhoto can only handle up to 19mp)
unbeatable as a compact minimally intrusive, light weight travel or social photography kit

Canon 5D Mark III:

perhaps the best implementation of a relatively affordable full frame dSLR yet
lovely optical viewfinder with fast phase contrast detect AF for moving subjects
sensible 22mp sensor promises a much better compromise of resolution, dynamic range, and image noise as well as file storage size compared to the Nikon D800
full frame sensor allows even shallower DOF possibilities than the Olympus but for many inexperienced users this just creates more difficulties
radio remote TTL flash but flash sync only 1/200th sec could be a deal breaker for strobists and fashion/wedding photographers
full use of the wonderful range of Canon L lenses at the designed uncropped field of view – but they are expensive, big and heavy, and the older ones may not be adequate optically.
optional GPS
25p/24p HD video but no 60i for slow-mo movies and only mono mic
1/8000th sec allows wide aperture shots in bright sunlight without having to resort to ND filters or polarising filters
Digic 5+ processor (same as in the 1D X) is 17x faster than the Digic 4 processor in the Canon 5D Mark II
like the Canon 1D X though it cannot AF with lenses at f/8 or smaller so you cannot use an f/4 super telephoto lens with a 2x teleconverter!!!
jpegs will NOT display on iPhoto on the new iPad3 as exceed the iPhoto limit of 19mp
fantastic, versatile, general purpose full frame dSLR just a pity flash sync is a bit slow and you can’t AF with f/8 lens combos.

Nikon D800:

36mp full frame dSLR but perhaps Canon has the better sensor compromise
25mp 1.2x crop mode
lovely optical viewfinder with fast phase contrast detect AF for moving subjects
can be used with DX lenses in cropped mode – but what DX lenses are worth using?
full frame sensor allows even shallower DOF possibilities than the Olympus but for many inexperienced users this just creates more difficulties
1/250th sec flash sync and radio remote TTL flash but only via 3rd party PocketWizard devices
full use of the wonderful range of Nikon F lenses at the designed uncropped field of view – but they are expensive, big and heavy, and the older ones may not be adequate optically.
optional GPS
intervalometer built in
25p/24p HD video but no 60i for slow-mo movies and only mono mic but importantly for some, it does have live HDMI out
1/8000th sec allows wide aperture shots in bright sunlight without having to resort to ND filters or polarising filters
fantastic option for wedding/fashion/landscape photographers who may benefit most from 36mp and will generally use them at low ISO and the high flash sync is a nice bonus compared to the Canon 5D MIII
full frame or 1.2x crop jpegs will NOT display on iPhoto on the new iPad3 as exceed the iPhoto limit of 19mp
6fps 15mp DX mode may be very handy for sports photographers as they effectively gain 1.5x crop telephoto field of view whilst keeping file sizes down, plus they can use f/4 lenses with a 2x teleconverter and still get AF.

Final thoughts:

My old Olympus E510 Four Thirds dSLR was capable of making nice 20″x30″ prints, and this new Olympus E-M5 is purported to have substantially higher image quality than the old E510, and now that the E-M5 has most of the features and more that the semi-pro full frame dSLRs have, one has to seriously consider, do they need to pay 3x as much and carry twice the weight and size of a full frame dSLR?

Very few photographers print larger than 20″x30″ if they print anything at all.

The professionals will tend to migrate more to medium format for their landscape and studio work, while the Canon 1D X and Nikon D4 may suit them best if they are sports photographers.

The main issues that really kill image resolution are AF accuracy, camera shake and optical quality, and it is on the 1st 2 of these issues that the Olympus E-M5 has significant advantages over the full frame dSLRs whilst at least being comparable and at times better wide open on optical quality given their lenses don’t need to cover such a large sensor.

The biggest problem in not getting the photo at all is not having the camera with you – and with this issue, small size counts for a lot – and it is here again that the Olympus wins hands down.

For most of us, the Olympus E-M5 will address our needs very nicely indeed and save us a LOT of money and bulk.

Those who already have lots of pro level Canon or Nikon glass, wedding photographers, or those who need to shoot fast moving subjects or very low light moving subjects regularly, or want radio remote TTL flash, will look forward to the new Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800.

Each of these cameras offer a high level of video features but differ on the details, so the very serious videographers will want to wait until more examples of their video capabilities are exposed, and then also compare them with the likes of the hackable Panasonic GH-2 (a GH-3 is expected to be announced in September), or perhaps a Sony NEX 7.

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Tags: Canon, Four Thirds Micro, Nikon, Olympus

DxOMark tests show the Micro Four Thirds PanaLeica DG 25mm f/1.4 compares well with the Canon and Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lenses on a full frame dSLR

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

DxOMark have just tested the Panasonic Leica-DG 25mm f/1.4 lens for Micro Four Thirds and it does well against the Canon and Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lenses, even though this Micro Four Thirds version is not as sharp as the incredibly sharp Four Thirds version (the Panasonic Leica D 25mm f/1.4 lens).

Of course the depth of field wide open will only be similar to that at f/2.8 on these full frame lenses but otherwise performance is not too different, as they have similar light gathering and the local blurring of an f/1.4 lens, indeed the increased DOF wide open can be used to advantage for environmental portraits in low light.

Brief summary of the tests:

sharper wide open and a f/2.0
much less vignetting
more distortion (1.5%) and CA but still well controlled

The full frame kits have the advantage of the benefits of a full frame sensor but when used on the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 the Panasonic lens effectively gains 5EV of 5-axis image stabilisation.

Following the earlier tests on the Olympus 12mm and 45mm lenses, this further supports the iage quality available in Micro Four Thirds without the weight size and expense of dSLR systems.

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Tags: Canon, Four Thirds Micro, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic

DxOMark lens tests show the Micro Four Thirds Olympus 45mm f/1.8 portrait lens seems sharper with less vignetting and distortion than a Nikon 85mm f/1.4G on a Nikon D700, at 1/5th the weight and price!!

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

DxOMark has tested the Micro Four Thirds Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens on a Panasonic GH-2 and shows that despite its very compact and light size and sub-$400 price tag, it seems sharper and with less vignetting and distortion wide open than a much more expensive, heavier and larger Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G at f/1.4 or f/2.0 on a Nikon D700 full frame.

Let’s look at the test results compared to the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G on a full frame 12mp Nikon D700 dSLR:

at f/1.8, corner sharpness is similar, but central sharpness is better than the Nikkor lens at f/1.4 or f/2.0
at f/4-f/8 overall sharpness and centre sharpness is better than the Nikkor lens at the same aperture
degree of distortion is half that of the Nikkor lens although distortion level is low
vignetting is about half that of the Nikkor lens at f/1.4-2.0 compared to the Olympus lens wide open at f/1.8 but vignetting becomes comparable at f/2.8 on each lens
CA is well corrected on both lenses
Nikkor lens uses expensive, large, 77mm filters while the Olympus lens uses tiny, cheap, 37mm filters
Olympus lens is optimised for movies and fast contrast detect AF whereas the Nikkor lens is not.
when used on an Olympus OM-D, you gain 5 stops of 5 axis image stabilisation which is not available for the Nikkor lens on a Nikon camera.
Olympus lens allows faster more accurate AF for slow moving subjects with option of subject eye detection when used on an OM-D or E-P3 or E-PL3 camera
the Nikkor lens weighs 5x as much and is almost twice as long and 5x the price!!

There does not appear to be anything much in favor of the super expensive Nikkor lens, except that being used on a full frame sensor provides 3 significant advantages:

improved dynamic range and high ISO performance
f/1.4 aperture allows better capabilities for capturing moving subjects in low light
f/1.4 aperture on a full frame dSLR allows for shallower depth of field and even better ability to blur the background and blur the region around the subject

Nevertheless, for most situations, the Olympus lens will give sufficient ability to blur the background and give shallow depth of field to function very nicely indeed as a portrait lens, even if its depth of field is similar to f/3.5 or so when using the Nikkor lens on a full frame camera.

At 1/5th the weight and cost, thank you very much Olympus, I know which option I will take on my travels and for parties, and family photos in the park!

If you really want shallower depth of field at this focal length on a Micro Four Thirds camera, you can always resort to the Cosina Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/0.95 lens, although it is manual focus, bigger, and more expensive than this lovely Olympus lens.

If you want an even sharper lens with macro capability, one can always use the incredibly sharp Olympus Four Thirds ZD 50mm f/2.0 macro lens via an adapter – and then you can also use the Olympus Ring Flash as a fill-in flash for your portraits.

But before we leave this lens, let’s look at how it compares with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 lens on a Canon 5D Mark II full frame dSLR:

the Canon lens is sharper at all apertures – partly due to the higher resolution sensor, but even when used on a 5D Mark I it still seems marginally sharper.
the Olympus lens has less distortion and almost half the amount of vignetting wide open and at f/2.8, but a touch more CA wide open
the Canon lens uses a 58mm filter, and weighs just under 4x as heavy, and 50% longer but is priced at a similar price point
I must admit, my personal experience of the Canon lens seems a lot worse than these tests indicate when looking at the CA levels which to me are quite problematic wide open on the Canon lens.
the Canon lens is an older design which does not have circular aperture blades and thus the Olympus lens should have nicer bokeh stopped down
Olympus lens is optimised for movies and fast contrast detect AF whereas the Canon lens is not.
when used on an Olympus OM-D, you gain 5 stops of 5 axis image stabilisation which is not available for the Canon lens on a Canon camera.
Olympus lens allows faster more accurate AF for slow moving subjects with option of subject eye detection when used on an OM-D or E-P3 or E-PL3 camera.

The DxOMark tests on the Canon lens surprisingly beats both the Olympus and the much more expensive Nikkor lens, although it has been known for its sharpness but significant CA.

That said, the Olympus combination of movie capability and 5EV IS along with 1/5th the weight makes it a compelling choice for travel when compared with either the Canon or the Nikkor lenses.

So now we have at least 4 compelling autofocus lens scenarios where Micro Four Thirds competes admirably for even full frame options let alone APS-C dSLR options, and at a much more compact, light and cost effective kit beautifully designed for travel – I can’t wait for the Olympus OM-D E-M5 to get to market to make the most of these lenses.

Oh… the other great autofocus lenses for Micro Four Thirds available now are:

Olympus 12mm f/2.0 wide angle discussed in the previous post
Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens – the brilliant party lens
Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens – high quality wide aperture standard lens

Coming later this year are the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 which will be very high on my wish list, the Olympus 60mm f/2.8 1:1 macro and the f/2.8 zoom lenses from Panasonic.

Very exciting times to be a photographer not wanting to carry around large lenses and cameras, and the lens tests so far show these easily beat the smaller Nikon 1 lenses in terms of image quality, while the larger sensor of the Micro Four Thirds will provide enough ability to blur the background which the Nikon 1 system will struggle to achieve.

Oh, and I don’t compare it with the tests on a Nikon DX dSLR or a Canon APS-C dSLR as I just don’t see much point in owning a cropped sensor dSLR now that Micro Four Thirds cameras AF faster than them with comparable image quality at low ISO, plus you get the 5EV 5 axis IS for any lens when using the Olympus OM-D camera.

But there are still good reasons to buy full frame dSLR to compliment a Micro Four Thirds kit for those wanting to push the boundaries of shallow DOF, high ISO, or higher dynamic range photography, or for those who need more than 20mp to print larger than 20″ x 30″ prints. Well-heeled Canon full frame dSLR users may want to consider the extremely expensive slow AF but superb Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 lens if they really want to push the boundaries.

ps.. Sony NEX users have the option of the Sony E 50mm f/1.8 lens but this has not been tested by DxOMark yet and it has a field of view of only a 75mm lens in 35mm camera terms which is quite a bit too short for a portrait lens which historically has been 90-100mm focal length in 35mm terms and it is designed to be a cheap $120 consumer lens. Thus NEX users are out of luck in a true high quality autofocus portrait lens at this stage unless they resort to the much larger Sony alpha lenses.

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Tags: Canon, Four Thirds Micro, Nikon, Olympus, portrait

DxOMark lens tests – the Micro Four Thirds Olympus 12mm f/2.0 lens compares well with a Canon 24mm f/1.4L II lens and seems to beat the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G lens, both of which are 5 times heavier and more than twice the price

Friday, February 17th, 2012

43rumors.com posted a blog post highlighting the DxOMark lens test of the Olympus m.ZD 12mm f/2.0 lens has revealed some interesting findings further confirming Micro Four Thirds can achieve high image quality results comparable in resolution to even full frame pro lenses on a APS-C or full frame camera.

“With its extraordinary sharpness for a micro 4/3 lens, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 is a winner.

Pitted against the Nikon 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8, this Olympus 12mm holds an overwhelming advantage. Even more impressive is the fact that this lens can compete with much bigger lenses, such as the Canon 24mm L-series mounted on a 7D.

In short, it really does seem that a high-quality, fully micro 4/3 camera-lens combination is perfectly capable of replacing an APS-C combination — and the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 is a particularly high-quality micro 4/3 lens!”

So I decided to look a little deeper.

Their tests show that it has “remarkable sharpness in the centre, although less so in the corners, with minimal vignetting or CA but significant distortion of 2.5% on a Panasonic GH-2 which may require software correction”.

Their overall lens test score (which suggests similar quality maximum print size and is determined by the lens, camera resolution and sensor noise) for this lens on a GH-2 was 19 at f/2.0 which just beat the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II pro lens on a Canon 7D at f/2.8 – this seems a strange comparison to me given that field of view is 36mm not the 24mm of the Olympus lens, and the aperture is stopped down 2 stops. It was much, much better than the Nikon 1 Nikkor 10mm f/2.8 lens which is a 27mm equivalent field of view lens.

So let’s look at how the Olympus lens compares with a Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II pro lens on a full frame 20mp Canon 5D Mark II dSLR:

Olympus lens at f/2.0 is sharper in the centre 1/3rd than the Canon lens at f/1.4 or f/2.0 but corners are less sharp (check out the Field Maps under Measurements – Resolution)
at f/2.8 on each lens, the sharpness levels across the frame a fairly similar
the Olympus lens has much less vignetting but more distortion (2.5%) – this seems to differ from photozone.de tests so there may be a lens sample issue to explain this or perhaps distortion is corrected on Olympus cameras whereas DxOMark scores are based upon uncorrected RAW files.
the Olympus lens at f/2.0 has marginally less CA across the frame than the Canon lens at f/1.4 or f/2.0
Canon lens uses a large, expensive 77mm filter, while the Olympus lens uses a petite, cheap 46mm filter
the Canon lens weighs 5 times as much and is well over double the price of the Olympus lens
when used on the Olympus OM-D, the Olympus lens gains 5EV 5 axis image stabilisation which partly compensates for the better high ISO performance of a full frame sensor

Now lets compare it to a Nikon AF-s Nikkor 24mm f/1.4ED G on a Nikon D700 full frame dSLR:

Olympus lens at f/2.0 is much, much sharper in central 2/3rds and perhaps comparable in the corners at ANY aperture of the Nikon lens (check out the Field Maps under Measurements – Resolution)
Olympus lens has much more distortion
Olympus has much less vignetting at f/2.0 than the Nikon at f/1.4 but comparable at f/2.0
Olympus lens at f/2.0 has less CA across the frame than the Nikon lens at f/1.4 or f/2.0
Nikon lens uses a large, expensive 77mm filter, while the Olympus lens uses a petite, cheap 46mm filter
Nikon lens is 5x heavier, twice as long and about 2.5x the price – from these resolution results I would feel really bad carrying that around when there is a much lighter, cheaper sharper option.
it is of course possible that the difference between a 16mp GH-2 and a 12mp D700 requires some adjustment to these resolution tests for direct comparison, however DxOMark states that in the case of resolution tests, results are normalized (stretched for a cropped sensor) to a 24x36mm output, which would lower the resolution score of a lens measured on a cropped sensor vs a full frame sensor.
I must admit I am not sure I understand why a 2010 Nikon designed lens at that price could be worse at wide apertures than a much smaller, cheaper lens on a sensor a quarter the size, but perhaps the tests using a 24mp full frame which show that this lens produces much better edge to edge sharpness across the frame from f/5.6-11 than either the Olympus or Canon explains what this lens was optimised for – and it wasn’t low light shooting at wide apertures but landscapes and architecture at mid-apertures.

The Olympus lens is also optimised for movies, and the OM-D image stabiliser will also work during movie mode, but is not weatherproofed like the pro lenses.

The Canon and Nikon lens with its f/1.4 aperture will be better suited to low light moving subjects and will allow more local blurring adjacent to the subject, while the full frame sensor will allow higher ISO and also smaller apertures to be used before diffraction limitations impair resolution.

There are good reasons why professionals will still want the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II lens on a full frame dSLR, but it is very reassuring that for most purposes, the Micro Four Thirds kit will give comparable, and in some circumstances, better results at a much lower price point and a much smaller, lighter package.

There are no comparable quality lenses at 24mm field of view in the other mirrorless camera systems such as Sony NEX or Samsung NX, and there are no comparable f/2.0 or faster 24mm field of view equivalent lenses available on the Canon APS-C or Nikon DX systems.

This Olympus lens is another great reason to consider Micro Four Thirds along with the other fantastic little prime lenses such as the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 – again there is NO COMPARABLE lens for other mirrorless or dSLR systems!

You know which one I will be taking on my travels!!!

More on Micro Four Thirds lenses and on comparisons of lens availability for the different mirrorless camera systems.

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Tags: Canon, Four Thirds Micro, Nikon, Olympus

Seems Canon and Nikon watching on the sidelines while their leadership in camera sales burns and threatening to be totally taken over by Micro Four Thirds

Friday, February 10th, 2012

No one doubts that Nikon and Canon are the 2 joint leaders by a long shot in the pro dSLR marketplace.

Until June 2009, this was the situation with their consumer level dSLRs as well.

Then out of the blue, Panasonic and Olympus radically changed the game with their hugely successful Micro Four Thirds system.

This is particularly the case for sales in Japan if the data from these charts are to be believed.

In early 2009, Nikon and Canon shared ~75% of total dSLR sales, Olympus struggled with 5% with their Four Thirds system and Sony was averaging about 10%.

Once Olympus joined Panasonic in the Micro Four Thirds system in mid 2009, the pair increasingly cannibalised Canon and Nikon dSLR sales in Japan to the point that by August 2011, Canon and Nikon had roughly equal share of only 40% of all dSLR/mirrorless sales, while Olympus and Panasonic now shared a whopping 30% of these sales, and in terms of units sold according to lens mount, Micro Four Thirds hit the lead in Japan in mid-2011 with over 30% of unit share, compared with Canon EF at 20% and Nikon F at under 25%! The initial surge in the Sony NEX sales has dwindled from their peak of 20% to fall to 12%, although not helped by the Thailand floods which has delayed their NEX 7 model.

No wonder lens manufacturers started jumping on the Micro Four Thirds band wagon in late 2011!!

Mirrorless cameras account for 45% of all dSLR/mirrorless camera sales in Japan by Sept 2011 – this was not even remotely thought of in 2008!

Canon and Nikon seem to be caught out by this demand for high image quality, large sensor, quiet, compact cameras with small lenses which mirrorless have brought to the marketplace and captured the attention of a public who had their appetites wet with point and shoots but deciding they wanted more image quality but not the bulk of dSLRs.

Nikon has finally entered the mirrorless marketplace but their choice of sensor size which severely limits ability to blur the background seems strange as it is unlikely to attract their dSLR users nor the ladies moving up from point and shoots.

Canon is still to enter the mirrorless market and one wonders if they have left their run too late to stop the Micro Four Thirds juggernaut – a force that will only grow ever stronger now that they have finally created a metal bodied, weatherproofed, awesome camera with an amazing built-in IS which works in movie mode, 9fps, flash sync 1/250th sec, remote TTL flash and the fastest AF available.

We have Panasonic using their expertise in the video market to create great video quality Micro Four Thirds cameras, while Olympus builds on its OM and Four Thirds experience to develop nice photographers cameras such as the newly announced OM-D E-M1 which I expect will sell like hot cakes when it is available in April 2012.

The sheer versatility of the Micro Four Thirds system with lens adapters for almost any lens ever made and they become image stabilised when used on an Olympus body, and when used with shift or tilt adapters, become shift or tilt lenses – this is just not a possibility with dSLRs unless you use the massive medium format or large format lenses.

But in the end it may be the vast array of lovely compact lenses available in Micro Four Thirds mount such as 7-14mm f/4, 12mm /2.0, 20mm f/1.7, 25mm f/1.4, 45mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8 macro, 75mm f/1.8 which all come in under $1000 and offer fantastic image quality which will mean that MFT’s will be a force to be reckoned with over the next few years.

Why would most people bother even considering a dSLR in this environment if it is not full frame or for sports / professional use?

Canon and Nikon are likely to be increasingly squeezed in the top end as more and more professionals move to medium format systems to distance themselves further from the non-professionals and to stay competitive in a difficult market.

Sure the new Nikon D800 will shoot 36 megapixels, but it won’t be the same quality imagery as a 50mp medium format and this is where Canon and Nikon may find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Their only “safe place” lies in the photojournalism, wedding and sports arenas but that will not be enough for them so Canon will be forced into the mirrorless market as well whether it likes it or not.

Mirrorless cameras are bringing the fun and the image quality to the masses and it is hard to see the momentum faltering!

I bought my 1st mirrorless in mid 2009, will be buying the OM-D E-M5 in April and I can’t see myself buying a dSLR ever again, unless I upgrade my Canon 1D Mark III to a full frame version one day.

Micro Four Thirds sales in Australia would be far stronger if Panasonic and Olympus Australia changed their ridiculous pricing strategies which tend to price their products 30% higher than US prices encouraging Australians to buy their cameras and lenses overseas. Please guys, with the $A higher than parity with the $US there is no excuse for this.

Take for example Panasonic Australia, the much loved Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 pancake lens retail price in Australian stores is $A599 (down from the $A799 RRP on Panasonic’s website in 2009), but Australians can have it delivered to their home from overseas for $340 brand new in a box – even allowing for 10% GST the Australian RRP is just ridiculous!

All very fascinating and exciting for us enthusiast photographers who can reap the spoils of the fight – no longer do we have a duopoly!

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Tags: Canon, Four Thirds, Four Thirds Micro, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony

Finally, Nikon produce a hi resolution semi-pro full frame dSLR, the Nikon D800, to compete with the aging but highly successful Canon 5D Mark II – time for a Canon 5D Mark III

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

Nikon has just announced an upgrade to their excellent but aging 12 megapixel Nikon D700 full frame dSLR.

After several years of not challenging the 20 megapixel Canon 5D Mark II on resolution and price, they have finally produced a comparable camera, the Nikon D800, with a class leading 36 megapixels.

Brief over view of the Nikon D800:

36 megapixels full frame sensor
15mp DX 1.5x crop mode when using DX lenses
1.2x crop mode
91,000-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering III System
Advanced Scene Recognition System
improved 51-point AF system (15 cross-type AF sensors, 9 of which are active with lenses up to f/8) with face detection in OVF mode
EXPEED 3™ image processing engine
native ISO range of 100-6400, expandable to 50-25,600
in-camera High Dynamic Range (HDR) image capture
access to Picture Control presets via a dedicated button on the back of the body
weathersealed, USB 3.0, CF and SD card slots, intervalometer, optional GPS, 900g
921,000-dot, 3.2-inch fixed LCD monitor without touch
flash sync 1/250th sec
shutter speed 30sec – 1/8000th sec
popup flash GN 12m at ISO 100
AE bracketing only up to 1EV steps which could be limiting for the HDR types out there.
4 frames per second (fps) in FX mode at full resolution; 6 fps in DX mode using the optional MB-D12 Battery Pack;
1080 30/24p and 720 60/30p HD video with full manual control, uncompressed HDMI output (8 bit, 4:2:2), B-frame compression H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, mono mic, dedicated headphone jack for accurate monitoring of audio levels while recording. Audio output levels can be adjusted with 30 steps for precise audio adjustment and monitoring. Stereo mic jack can also be adjusted with up to 20 steps of sensitivity. Video recording can be set to be activated through the shutter button, opening a world of remote applications through the 10-pin accessory terminal.
RRP $2995

There is also a Nikon D800E with identical features but without an anti-alias filter which comes in at $300 more.

There is much to like about the Nikon D800E, and studio/landscape photographers are likely to love it, but 36mp may be too much for most enthusiasts.

Now let’s see what Canon do with their soon to be announced Canon 5D Mark III.

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Tags: Canon, D800, dSLR, full frame, Nikon

Gary Ayton photography

Photography news and tips aimed at the advanced amateur as an adjunct to my extensive photography wikipedia