Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)
  • More camera talk (4/3 fast lens content)
  • molgrips
    Free Member

    Right, following on from yesterday’s flash comments you lot have got me thinking about fast primes for my Oly*, for nice possibly candid photos of people and softly lit stuff indoors. I like to capture the mood of an evening or a dull day spent indoors, and whilst I can manage fairly well with careful flash use, things are better without.

    Seems like I have two choices:

    Sigma 30mm f1.4
    Sigma 24mm f1.8

    f1.4 would be nice but 30mm is getting a bit long when you consider the crop factor of 2 on my camera. 30mm also smaller, and has a high speed focusing motor which could help with people shots, but a non-rotating front element is always nice on the 24mm. Both are similarly priced.

    * Yes, I know I said it was too expensive.. it’ll be a loong time before I actually get this so it’s almost hypothetical 🙂

    mightymarmite
    Free Member

    Do you want to retain AF ? Its a trade off but going manual and utilising the various adapters it does open up huge opportunity to invest in non 4/3 lenses.

    Will require stop down metering however.

    Benefit also being that should you go to a more traditional 2/3 format in the future you’ve already got some kit together.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Yes, AF is a must. MF is bad enough but without a split circle I can’t see how it’s useable tbh if you don’t have a tripod to steady the zoomed in live view. You can retrofit a split circle prism to all Olympus E system cameras apparently EXCEPT mine. Quite annoyed by this, as I’d use MF a lot more if I had one.

    geoffj
    Full Member

    You can retrofit a split circle prism to all Olympus E system cameras apparently EXCEPT mine.

    Why don’t you just get a proper Canon or Nikon?

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Cos that would cost a lot of money 🙂 Plus there are advantages to Olympus but I suspect you are trolling.

    Do Canons and Nikons have split circles then?

    mightymarmite
    Free Member

    That does limit the options somewhat … to basically what you have already listed (plus some more expensive leica / zeiss glass). Have you looked at the katzeye focus screens to ensure they don’t do one for your particular model ?

    Although I’ve never had an issue MF’ing with the GF1 relying solely on the LCD, It is quite useable with a variety of lenses and makes a great backup option.

    The added benefit (from what I understand at least … I don’t own any Olympus bar an old OM series) is even with a MF lens fitted in body IS is retained which would help further.

    The micro 4/3 standard does open up a few more options regards lens selection so other option could be to keep an eye out for a cheap(er) earlier model (GF1 included). You would also be able to use your existing lens(s) with this.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Do you have an opinion on those Sigmas?

    I could be tempted by a m4/3 camera for a variety of reasons, are there good fast prime equivalents there?

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Spooky. I was just moaning about the lack of fast lenses for m4/3 on the other camera thread.

    The choice of fast primes on m4/3 is dire. But, if you can face MF, vignetting and softness at outer edges then c-mount lenses are an option.

    mightymarmite
    Free Member

    Only sigma I have owned was a 70-200 F2.8 that back focused horribly, since have steered clear simply as a result of the backup that sigma provided in that particular instance. They do make excellent optics, just let down by irregularities in quality control (which I guess all camera makers have been guilty of).

    Have both the Panasonic 20 1.7 and the 14 2.5 and both are surprisingly good (esp the 20mm). Biggest benefit is it will all fit in a thinktank lightening fast case and stay in the bottom of the camelbak without concern.

    To give you an idea its footprint with the 20mm fitted its exactly the same as an iphone laid flat.

    I initially purchased it as a poor mans M8, and to carry me through until an M9 became more affordable but to be honest its fairly difficult to justify the difference in price in 75% of situations.

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    Whichever lens you choose, you probably need to hurry up as Sigma have states they are stopping 4/3 lens sales!

    On the other hand I’m pretty sure Voigtlander have just signed up for m4/3 😉

    You could always get a daisy wheel convertor for an older OM lens which would give you focus confirm, I still can’t understand why Panasonic have focus confirm built into their 4/3 cameras, yet Olympus don’t!

    I keep my old L1 specifically for the older Leica and OM lenses as it’s so easy to use them with this camera compared to my E3!

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Have both the Panasonic 20 1.7 and the 14 2.5

    But… if you’re looking for depth of field the 20mm is mediocre and the 14mm 2.5 is just slow. They’re the equivalent of 40mm f3.4 and 28mm f5 (on FF).

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    In fact having a quick google lead me to the new Nokton m4/3 .95 it’ll be manual focus of course but I’m used to that with my Leica lenses and my Bessa R2a

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    The Nokton is a converted c-mount lens.

    mightymarmite
    Free Member

    5Th … how have we moved on to looking for depth of field ? the OP was asking about faster primes for candid shots, hence the increased DOF at the given aperture is a benefit I would have assumed.

    Acceptable field of focus at f1.7 on a FF camera is going to be a matter of inches if the subject is anywhere near close.

    The available light passed through the lens is not affected by the reduced format, hence f1.7 on 4/3 is the same as f1.7 on a 10×8 field camera, so bit confused as to wether we are talking about depth of field, or available light with your conversions?

    f1.7 is certainly considered fast, and f2.5 is still up there being just over a stop less.

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Sure, depends on your requirements. High ISO negates most of the value of fast lenses as far as low light is concerned these days and usually conversations about large apertures are purely about DOF.

    My big frustration with my m4/3 is limited ability to control DOF which may shape my perceptions.

    mightymarmite
    Free Member

    If you like the look of the Nokton, have a look at the nikon f1.2, works well with the Novoflex adaptor and considerably less investment. Ok so you lose an aperture blade in the process … but hey … cant have everything.

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    Sorry it was my fault for going off the topic a little, talking about the Voigtlander lenses!

    I quite like the Sigma 10-20mm! I’ve tried it on both Nikon and Olympus and it’s always impressed me by it’s quietness and speed of focusing, so the other Sigma Primes should be good too. I always thought of 80-90mm in full frame as being ideal for portraiture, you’re then not right up in peoples faces!

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    I’ve had two Sigmas (still have one). They have variable colour casts (from lens to lens), which is why I got rid of one of them (I couldn’t stand the colours). The other one is fine.

    They do have a poor reputation with QC though, but… an excellent reputation for customer service. So if buying new test properly and get it sorted out if there’s a problem.

    Back to the original question I’d probably get the 30mm. I think the extra length will be useful as often as it’s a problem so the extra speed is a bonus.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    hence the increased DOF at the given aperture is a benefit I would have assumed

    Quite right. I don’t want super thin DoF – having someone’s nose in focus and their ears out doesn’t make for a good shot 🙂

    Yes high ISO does solve a lot of problems but my camera’s not so hot on it.

    HOWEVER

    Just figured out that I’ve been using the wrong settings all this time and now the high ISO performance is nothign like as bad as I thought it was. So now I’m going back to the world of ISO 3200 for a play 🙂

    Quick one though – am I right in thinking I can’t use m4/3 lenses with an adapter on 4/3? Coverage won’t be good enough will it even if an adapter existed?

    The Panny 20mm f1.7 looks good though, a better lens than the Oly 25mm f2.8?

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    You’re right, 4/3 only downwards onto M4/3rds.

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Yeah, the registration distance is too great.

    I’ll happily use iso 3200 on my olympus.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I’ll happily use iso 3200 on my olympus.

    I will now I turned gradation from auto to normal. Turns out auto is only for use in certain situations 😳

    PePPeR
    Full Member

    And Olympus can do high ISO’s occasionally!

    This is at ISO3200 IIRC, cos I’d been taking photos at a party the night before and had forgotten to reset the camera DOH!

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    An iso1600 shot (and there isn’t much light). Olympus master is actually pretty good at handling noise in RAWs and if it isn’t moving the stabilisation lets you use pretty slow shutter speeds.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Olympus master is actually pretty good at handling noise in RAWs

    Does it do the same algorithm as the camera or is it better?

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    I don’t know, I’ve never tried jpeg. But you can tweak exposure, and every other setting, so you stand a better chance of getting a good result even if the algorithm is the same. You can change the NR setting too, which is something that may not be convenient to do ‘real time’.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I’ve never used Olympus Master.. I use the Adobe RAW plugin (ineptly)

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    It’s certainly worth giving Master a try.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    So the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 looks good but 800 notes is a bit much 🙂

    I think maybe I’ll plump for the Oly 25mm pancake since I fancy it anyway and see if I decide I want the two extra stops. Then maybe I’ll try the Sigmas.

    This is after I go for a 9-18mm wide angle.. I think.. hmm.. choices…

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    DOF aside, I find f2.8 adequate for low light candids. I can get focus lock and noise is fine.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    You end up using ISO3200 in that situation a lot then? Or do you get away with less?

    Just checked ebay – from HK the Oly is only £150 new, but also found a Panasonic 25mm f1.4 at AU$400.. won’t stay that low of course.. but I’m watching it anyway 🙂

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    I usually use auto iso which maxes out at iso1600 without feeling the need to go higher. That copes with anything down to camp fires OK. Going to 3200 isn’t an issue either mind, but isn’t normally required.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I recently adjusted the auto ISO range and found it was blowing through the range and I was on 1600 almost all the time.

    I wish you could change the auto preferences – like change how slow the shutter should go before it starts ramping up the ISO – and have it easily changeable because sometimes you might be happy down to 1/8s, sometimes 1/60.

    Of course I do just use manual settings but programmable auto would be quicker than faffing with buttons. I feel a right tit going ‘hold it there.. look at me, keep looking at me..!’ whilst I fumble for buttons.

    Or more than two mymode settings.. or even an easy way to access both of them. One programmable button is not enough.

Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)

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