Kevin Raber Vide0

[seamus finn]

Just finished watching Kevin Raber's excellent two-part video review of the Olympus OM-D EM1 and the Fuji XT-1. Apart from the splendid technical and other information, the man's infectious enthusiasm is a joy to behold.

[Jonathan Cross]

I have just watched the two videos and like the first one.  IMHO the two cameras have very different approaches - the Fuji with its dials and the Olympus with its buttons.  The Fuji seems easier to understand, but the Olympus seems to be easier to adjust on the fly once one has mastered all the customisable functions.  The second video starts well, but I am disappointed that all the samples at the end are from the Olympus and there is not a similar set of samples from the Fuji.  This has taken the edge off my $10 spend. 

[Christopher Sanderson]

... The second video starts well, but I am disappointed that all the samples at the end are from the Olympus and there is not a similar set of samples from the Fuji.  This has taken the edge off my $10 spend. 

This is a fair comment and deserves some explanation.

I avoided all but one 'comparison' shot in the video since by the time the photographs are transferred to video, then compressed and delivered via the web, any real validity for a conparison of IQ is pretty meaningless. 100% blowups on static web pages are better for that as indeed are Kevin's comments about excellent IQ from each camera.

Rather the photographs are there more as a casual visual bonus within the video than anything else. Kevin & I found the locations at the very end of that day's shoot. The fact that they were all shot with the Olympus is simply circumstantial.   

[seamus finn]

Hello,

On the main point: I never inhabit this sector of the site, but I will now. When I viewed Kevin's (if he'll pardon my familiar expression) videos, I was amazed at his boyishness, expertise, patience and enthusiasm for his art,  I thought I had lost it.

When my wife died about a year ago after a four year battle with cancer (and I have my own personal ongoing struggles on that front), interest in photography and everything else drained. She used to accompany me everywhere, knitting patiently in the car as a young woman, while I went about my fruitless photographic endeavours.  Good job I made some nice shots and had an eye because  later on as a newspaper editor, I ended up supposed to pick the best for the day and know what I was doing for the front page.
 
So, what is the point of this message?

Well, having seen Kevin's  in the field (Part 2) at his age, twisting on worn-out knees, patiently waiting for the right light, admitting to having been a two-fisted drinker (maybe jokingly and everybody else)), and so on and so forth,  I was inspired and invigorated and I'm hoping I may have found my redemption thanks to him because I took up my camera in a serious way for a very long time today and went on a jaunt.

My old Canon 5D and two lenses went to the tribe, and even though I may or may not have got anything,  I thank you, Kevin, for relighting my spirit,  for enabling me to live again.  I had a great day, thanks to you.

Yours sincerely,

Seamus  Finn,
Ireland.

[Schewe]

Well, having seen Kevin's  in the field (Part 2) at his age, twisting on worn-out knees, patiently waiting for the right light, admitting to having been a two-fisted drinker (maybe jokingly and everybody else)), and so on and so forth,  I was inspired and invigorated and I'm hoping I may have found my redemption thanks to him because I took up my camera in a serious way for a very long time today and went on a jaunt.

Having the opportunity to have shot along side Kevin on various shoots and workshops, I can attest to Kev's enthusiasm and dedication to getting the shot. In fact, he's a real pain in the arce...the worst was when we shot in Australia. We had a 3:30AM call time with no hot water for coffee and had to drive 1.5 hrs (not counting the breakdown of the 4 wheel bus we were on). When we finally got to the location, the sun was just about ready to come up and the entire bus scrambled to run out into the field to set up a shot. We got the shot (just barely). The cool thing was after the sunrise shoot, the crew laid out a nice breakfast and we had a great time.

That nite, Kev and the rest of use closed down the bar and we were off again the next morning (a bit later, I think it was 4:30 or 5AM the second day). Don't ask me about the bugs on the sidewalks (and the hotel rooms) that made walking at nite a really crunchy situation.

That schedule lasted the entire workshop...predawn call, shoot, seminars in the late morning/early afternoon then sunset. Rinse and repeat!

I suspect your appreciation of Kev's enthusiasm means a lot to him. He runs till his tongue hangs out and yes, he can knock back drinks till, well, others say no mas!

[Kevin Raber]

Seamus and Jeff, My thanks.  I love what I do and love it better when I know someone else benefits from it.  Thanks for the kind words. 

Kevin

[David Mantripp]

Just watched the video and +1 from me for the enthusiasm! Thanks, Kevin (and Chris)

I can't really afford either camera, but springing $10 for the video was money well spent.  What struck me was the lack of emphasis on lens "quality".  If one believes the armchair experts and various trolls on the forum sprawl, the Lumix 100-300, for example, is only better than a coke bottle in that the coke bottle would need an adapter. And yet Kevin cheerfully shoots with it without comment, even given that the same web experts will proclaim that "Fuji glass" is a close contender for the Second Coming.  So in the real world, the actual margin of satisfaction between a dreadful piece of trash like the 100-300 (or Olympus 70-300), and, say, the Zeiss Optus, is not really all that significant.

That's really my take-away from this.  For 99% of purposes, adequacy in cameras and lenses was reached and surpassed ages ago (in internet years), and we can finally get on with enjoying photography.

Both really nice cameras, it seems. My vote would go for the Olympus, mainly because my lenses would fit on it :-)

[Rand47]

I don't know where Kevin "is" on the XT-1 currently... but my take-away from the excellent video was, "I like this camera, but I want to like it more."

I was attracted to the XT-1 from reading about it.  And after watching Kevin's video I rented one and an 18-55 from Lens Rentals (great outfit by the way - easy, professional, quick delivery of essentially "new" equipment - this was my first experience with them [but I digress  ]).  The camera/lens arrived just today, and after about an hour with it, "I liked it, but I wanted to like it more" and it is off my list of cameras for consideration.

Kevin, thanks for your review... it fully comports with my sense of things and was very helpful.
Your enthusiasm is contagious! 

Rand

[Kevin Raber]

Thanks,  We will soon release a NEW concept.  Camera Instructional Video and we launch with the Fuji XT-1.  Everything you want to know about operating the Fuji XT-1 produced like we do the Lightroom and Capture One videos.  We'll make an announcement about this soon.

And, I love the Fuji and have been shooting with it all week.

Kevin Raber

[Rand47]

Thanks,  We will soon release a NEW concept.  Camera Instructional Video and we launch with the Fuji XT-1.  Everything you want to know about operating the Fuji XT-1 produced like we do the Lightroom and Capture One videos.  We'll make an announcement about this soon.

And, I love the Fuji and have been shooting with it all week.

Kevin Raber

Kevin,

That's a GREAT concept!  I'll look forward to it.  (Sony A7r - hint, hint, that's coming next in the rental list!)
I continue to receive great value from all of my LULA tutorials and would appreciate camera specific information in that same style.  Make sure you get that guy w/ the Hawaiian shirts involved! 

Best regards,
Rand

[Rand47]

And, I love the Fuji and have been shooting with it all week.

As I got more accustomed to the XT-1 during my rental period, I began to appreciate it more.  For someone who comes from the film world, I found the direct access to familiar controls "with a familiar form factor" very nice.  Ultimately what makes it a non-starter for me is what you mentioned about the histogram display.  I ended up leaving any image review "off" so that I could more quickly hit the button to bring the image w/ histogram up.  Quite a pain in the butt.  Also, the size of the camera is a problem for me.  I have large hands.  It is a tad too small.   After I packed it up for return shipment, I dragged out my a900 and played with it for a while.  Ahhh.... it was like putting on my favorite slippers after wearing too-tight shoes all day!  :-)   The a900 with vertical grip just feels "right" in my hands.  And that OVF... dang, it is BEAUTIFUL!  I keep wanting to like EVFs... I guess I'm a dinosaur.

Image quality-wise... I was "satisfied" but not impressed.  My DP Merrills have ruined me in that regard - even with their severe limitations in handling and high ISO performance.