Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5]   Go Down

Author Topic: New Camera from Olympus  (Read 40785 times)

jjj

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4728
    • http://www.futtfuttfuttphotography.com
Re: New Camera from Olympus
« Reply #80 on: September 19, 2013, 01:09:32 pm »

yes but.
I have yet to see very many excellent wildlife photos taken on MFT.  There is lots of nice wildlife snapshots out there, but very little excellence in wildlife on MFT.
Not surprising really as MFT is still a very new format and SLR type cameras such as the two Olympus models that are likely to be used for that sort of thing are even younger. One you can't even buy yet. And lenses are still appearing.

Logged
Tradition is the Backbone of the Spinele

tkarlmann

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19
Re: New Camera from Olympus
« Reply #81 on: September 22, 2013, 04:56:03 am »

http://www.custombrackets.com + arca clamp

I typically rotate both flash heads to fire somewhat towards behind me (bounce off walls/ceiling), 2 flashes allow lower output from each - faster recharge - less heating w/o going to serious flashes like from Quantum or more power when necessary... this is for situations when I really need to carry both camera and flashes in hands together... not for a studio or other situations when I can just arrange off camera light and keep only a camera alone in hands.

Thanks for the Bracket info.  I guess I went the Quantum route.  I don't like Quantum's latest 'interface units' for digital -- do not seem to work as well as Nikon's flash.  But those Quantum heads are really great for off-camera light -- I've got 3 or 4 of them -- all sorts of reflectors, I have the X2's I think.
Logged

BJL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6600
Wildlife often benefits often smaller pixels, not directly from more of them
« Reply #82 on: September 22, 2013, 09:54:44 am »


The willingness of Olympus to stand pat at 16MP is one of the things I like about them.  they don't seem to be compelled to turn-it-up-to-eleven.

On the other hand, for wildlife and bird work, resolution is king.  You always are cropping and you always want more resolution because the little critters rarely come and perch on your studio portrait stool under perfect light.
I slightly disagree: the benefit for wildlife photography that you attribute to the cropping latitude given by more pixels is more specifically the benefit of smaller pixels, and thus high angular resolution from a given focal length. The other way to improve resolution on a given small/distant subject is of course longer focal lengths.

If you stay with one format, the pursuit of smaller pixels does indeed mean needing more of them; often a surfeit of pixels followed by heavy cropping. But what I like about using a smaller format system like 4/3" for wildlife is that you usually get those smaller pixels even though the pixel count before cropping is a bit lower, and so a somewhat shorter focal length gets the job done. In particular,
Nikon One at 14MP > MFT 16MP > highest current APS-C resolution > any current 35mm format camera
for the wildlife reach of a given focal length.

So what MFT currently somewhat lacks, and Nikon One severely lacks, is good long telephoto lenses that are native to the system and AF well with it. I am fairly happy with the Olympus 75-300 (”150-600 in my coat pocket") but brighter long telephoto options would be nice, which is why I am hoping that MFT PDAF will revive my 50-200.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2013, 10:00:33 am by BJL »
Logged

fike

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1413
  • Hiker Photographer
    • trailpixie.net
Re: Wildlife often benefits often smaller pixels, not directly from more of them
« Reply #83 on: September 22, 2013, 11:38:48 am »

I slightly disagree: the benefit for wildlife photography that you attribute to the cropping latitude given by more pixels is more specifically the benefit of smaller pixels, and thus high angular resolution from a given focal length. The other way to improve resolution on a given small/distant subject is of course longer focal lengths.

If you stay with one format, the pursuit of smaller pixels does indeed mean needing more of them; often a surfeit of pixels followed by heavy cropping. But what I like about using a smaller format system like 4/3" for wildlife is that you usually get those smaller pixels even though the pixel count before cropping is a bit lower, and so a somewhat shorter focal length gets the job done. In particular,
Nikon One at 14MP > MFT 16MP > highest current APS-C resolution > any current 35mm format camera
for the wildlife reach of a given focal length.

So what MFT currently somewhat lacks, and Nikon One severely lacks, is good long telephoto lenses that are native to the system and AF well with it. I am fairly happy with the Olympus 75-300 (”150-600 in my coat pocket") but brighter long telephoto options would be nice, which is why I am hoping that MFT PDAF will revive my 50-200.

All you say is absolutely true.  Right now the best compromise for me with wildlife photography is the 7D with a 100-400.  That may change with the E-M1.  I too have the 75-300, but I find it to have subpar sharpness above 250mm and that couple with the problematically large focus points in the E-M5 has meant I haven't had many keepers with it. Canon has a small and excellent 300 f/4 that would balance well on an OM-D, but without autofocus is a bit impractical for wildlife.  I am not very good at manual focus. I do it occasionally for static subjects like macro, but for birds (BIF), it is really not easy.
Logged
Fike, Trailpixie, or Marc Shaffer

Vladimirovich

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1311
Re: New Camera from Olympus
« Reply #84 on: September 22, 2013, 11:44:51 am »

The willingness of Olympus to stand pat at 16MP is one of the things I like about them.  they don't seem to be compelled to turn-it-up-to-eleven.
it is not a willingness, it is a simple unavailability of > 16mp sensor... you shall be old enough to remember "willingness" of Olympus "to stand pat at 12mp" which disappeared the moment Sony made 16mp in a proper size... so it will be till the moment when somebody offers them a decent 20/24mp sensor in 43/m43 size.

http://www.lenstip.com/116.1-article-Interview_with_Akira_Watanabe_Manager_-_the_main_Olympus_E-P1_designer.html

"...

KM: Olympus has declared an end to the megapixel race. Does it mean we will have 12 MPix in Micro 4/3 for a long time? Is there any chances we will see a lower megapixel range? A matrix with 8-10 MPix could improve dynamic range, reduce noise, increase speed and increase sensitivity. Who decides on the amount of pixels?

AW: I have not said we will stop the pixel race nor stop at 12M, but I think pixel count is now less important than before, since we have already exceeded 10M pixels and satisfying most of the applications in terms of resolution that normal customers require.

..."

see, they were not standing there even then ;D
Logged

ned

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 172
Re: New Camera from Olympus
« Reply #85 on: September 22, 2013, 03:53:09 pm »

As i got better with my bird photography I worried less and less about cropping. Some of that can be mitigated by understanding how to get closer. I've found that if you have to crop too much, it probably wasn't a great shot anyway. A high percentage of my bird work the last year and a half or so has been photographing the ducks in our area. In doing so I've gotten to know the E-5's auto focus system quite well as well as the cameras noise profile. I basically didn't shoot over ISO400 due to the underwing shadow noise creeping in. Much over ISO800 and the light has faded so I really didn't do a lot up there.

Not concerned with the EM-1's noise but the C-AF system and the small focus point setup will be something I check out when I can rent one. Would have liked it if the EM-1's screen could flip around for protection, my equipment is not babied out in the field. I owned the Olympus OM350mmf2.8 lens and used with the OM cameras I never complained about the size of the camera, you just hold it by the lens.

The Zuiko 300mmf2.8 is such a quality lens optically and physically it deserves a great camera behind it.

Logged
Pages: 1 ... 3 4 [5]   Go Up