Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I went to local exhibition in November where they have all of the latest mirrorless. Z, R, Pro 3.
But I was most impressed with Pen F and thier MF/AF lenses.
Most not impressed, Pro 3, huge camera for its sensor size without IBIS and OvF with its frames fells like cheap glass.
But non of the modern EVF are for my street photography. They are for stand still photogs. Panning with any of those modern EVF is still failure of underperformance.
But I was most impressed with Pen F and thier MF/AF lenses.
Most not impressed, Pro 3, huge camera for its sensor size without IBIS and OvF with its frames fells like cheap glass.
But non of the modern EVF are for my street photography. They are for stand still photogs. Panning with any of those modern EVF is still failure of underperformance.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
While I love the simplicity of my Leica CL, I still find it hard to let go of my Olympus E-M1 and it's because of the extraordinary versatility that the complex menu system and all of its implied configurability afford. The Pen F model is similar.
Olympus makes some superb lenses, most of their cameras are outstanding, and image processing with their raw files is a piece of cake unlike with some other camera sensors. The 4:3 format is actually one of the things I prefer about the system ... 3:2 always seems a bit too oblong to my eye.
But then I'm a square kinda guy.
G
Olympus makes some superb lenses, most of their cameras are outstanding, and image processing with their raw files is a piece of cake unlike with some other camera sensors. The 4:3 format is actually one of the things I prefer about the system ... 3:2 always seems a bit too oblong to my eye.
But then I'm a square kinda guy.
G
JeffS7444
Well-known
I've owned a Pen-F for awhile, nice camera. Curious that I have to press a button to get a depth of field preview, but I wasn't seeing any other way to do that. Compact zoom lenses for M43 have been a lot better than expected: Both Panasonic 12-32mm and Olympus 14-48EZ are decent performers and the combo can be squeezed into a jacket pocket.
phofseth
Established
I bought a PenF about 5 years ago when it was new. Brilliant idea of short mount allowing all kinds of optics including my ancient Leica R stuff.
Also good to skip mirror mechanics and enable enlarging the middle spot to focus, EXCEPT that the focus and spot-metering point moves at random when you squeeze the body in order to steady a heavy lens. Auto speed settings following from choice of aperture + manual override works well.
There are bells and whistles, but I do not care much about frail and error-prone autofocus mechanisms. I can do focus stacking and HDR on the computer so those bits are irrelevant. Stabilization works fine and the consequent option of high resolution following from sensor movement works when using a tripod.
I only use the camera to take pictures, not for phone transmissions, so draining the batteries with wifi to transfer pictures to a phone is not on. but I do miss a cabled USB link when using a tripod. The Canon system which I used before allowed the use of my big screen laptop.
The menu lacks a "do nothing" option for all the buttons, otherwise the un-manly study of the handbook index answers everything-
My conclusion is that for purposes of serious photography, the Pen F can be much simplified and improved so as to be like a digital M-3. If the Nikon Z7 and the PanS-1R had not been so fat and full of expensive trivia they would have been a serous alternative.
p.
Also good to skip mirror mechanics and enable enlarging the middle spot to focus, EXCEPT that the focus and spot-metering point moves at random when you squeeze the body in order to steady a heavy lens. Auto speed settings following from choice of aperture + manual override works well.
There are bells and whistles, but I do not care much about frail and error-prone autofocus mechanisms. I can do focus stacking and HDR on the computer so those bits are irrelevant. Stabilization works fine and the consequent option of high resolution following from sensor movement works when using a tripod.
I only use the camera to take pictures, not for phone transmissions, so draining the batteries with wifi to transfer pictures to a phone is not on. but I do miss a cabled USB link when using a tripod. The Canon system which I used before allowed the use of my big screen laptop.
The menu lacks a "do nothing" option for all the buttons, otherwise the un-manly study of the handbook index answers everything-
My conclusion is that for purposes of serious photography, the Pen F can be much simplified and improved so as to be like a digital M-3. If the Nikon Z7 and the PanS-1R had not been so fat and full of expensive trivia they would have been a serous alternative.
p.