Fun with an Olympus E-PL2

[Bassraptor]

I recently picked up a good deal on an Olympus E-PL2 ... with 17mm lens. Was curious about m4/3 cameras and this came my way in time for a holiday in Krabi. Turns out to be the most fun I've had in a while with a camera, because I had to work hard to get what I wanted (or close to) ... here are some samples. Guess I can put away my DSLRs when I go on holidays! The E-PL2 was so easy to carry around and use ...

Inside a lagoon in the midst of the sea
Krabi lagoon.jpg


View from the beach on one of the lovely islands
Krabi sea.jpg


At the Tiger temple cave complex ... built-in flash on, thankfully, parts of the cave were lit
Krabi cave.jpg


This guy at the walk street market was trying to be a statue ... painted his whole body pink ... some flare there obvious, high ISO
Krabi man.jpg

[dwRK]

welcome to m43...i gave up on dslr long time ago already...among all the m43 cams...i like the epl2 the most...

the jpeg engine is also most amazing...and you can tweak just about any settings there is...

[Bassraptor]

welcome to m43...i gave up on dslr long time ago already...among all the m43 cams...i like the epl2 the most...

the jpeg engine is also most amazing...and you can tweak just about any settings there is...

What lenses do you have? Was wondering if I should also look at the 12mm or the Panasonic/Leica 25mm ... but so expensive! I want to stick with prime lenses, no slow zooms for me ...

[Blu-By-U]

The cheapest is the ZD45/1.8, Bright and cheap. Next, 20/1.7. I am usually with only this two..may be adding the 75 when I get a windfall.

[dwRK]

What lenses do you have? Was wondering if I should also look at the 12mm or the Panasonic/Leica 25mm ... but so expensive! I want to stick with prime lenses, no slow zooms for me ...

ya...my sentiments exactly...people say smaller cams and lens should translate to cheaper pricing...this not going to happen because of lower volume sales compare to the big 3...i see this as "paying" for miniturization...there is going to be some new lens anouncement soon supposedly at lower prices...

i have the samyang 7.5mm, sigma 19mm and 30mm, and the old 14-42? v1 kit that i don't use...the reason i have these was i wanted to see what can i do with the cheapest of cheap... this is a challenge i put on myself...not spend more than US$200...the samyang was an exception...

anyway...here is my views on m43 lenses that interests me...

samyang 7.5mm - $300. this lens is so sharp across the frame and free of any ca and flare. this is a MUST GET if you like super wide. sharpness is better than any canon, nikon, sony, pentax, panasonic, etc...i'm serious! because it is so good...you can use software to convert to rectilinear and the picture still comes out amazing...and you have the fisheye effect that no other can create...cheaper than any dslr equivalent.

pany 8mm - auto focus fisheye...the samyang is half the price...so no thanks.

oly 12mm - this is a great lens and i like it a lot...but its $800 so i'm not going to get this. shooting outdoors, i can use the samyang, walk closer, convert and crop if required...the 12mm only comes in if you need f/2. cheaper than canon/nikon/pentax 14/2.8

pany 14mm - this is sharp 80% of center and soft at the corners...its a pancake compromise. you can get this <$200 on ebay new unbox...some folks selling rm750is on lowyat.net...this is sharper than the oly 17mm. i haven't bought this becuase i'm thinking of getting the rx100...otherwise its a no brainer for budget wide...cheaper than canon/sony/sigma 20/2.8

sigma 19mm - $200. not as sharp as the samyang...some ca...relatively sharp across...not as wide as 14mm. i'm used to the "38mm" fov because i had a nikon cp4500 and shot a lot of it...50% of the time i with i had the 14mm. the other 50% of the time is perfect for social head shots acroos the table and group shots outdoors...its slower at f2.8...and even slower starting up...delay of 1-2 sec i deemed power on self test as in pcs...

here is my ahem review...
http://www.photomalaysia.com/forums/...ort-Impression

pany 20mm - $360. faster/brighter than the sigma 19mm...maybe a tad sharper in the center...softer in the corners...again pancake compromise. slower focusing. most sold m43 lens. more expensive than sigma 19mm. about the same/cheaper than dslr equivalent...

pany 25mm - good fast lens...$550 too much to pay but if you need f1.4...the 35mm/1.8 dslr lens are cheaper...yes i compare with 1.8 because dof is about the same...

sigma 30mm - $200. impulsive shopping...its actually quite sharp...a bit more ca than the 19mm...quite good for portraits...sometimes i wish it was longer...like the...

oly 45mm - $400...KL prices surprisingly cheaper than usa...very nice range...and fast...no dslr/apsc equiv...i'd say probably about the same...

oly 75mm - $900...perhaps the most perfect lens there is...like the samyang better than anything else on earth...i'm thinking of getting the nex-6 so holding off for now... compare to the 100/2 zeiss, 90/2.5 leica...its half price...vs the canon/nikon dslr about the same price...maybe even value for money...

pany 7-14mm - $900...but very good wa zoom...covered by my samyang...

pany 12-35x - $1300...i can get a sony a57 + 16-50/2.8 for $1400+...but its going to be big and heavy...

pany 14-45mm - $270...best normal kit zoom. came with the pany g1 kit so so long ago...still being made and sold because it is really good...the latest oly 14-42mm R is also quite good.

oly 40-150mm R - $300, but sometimes on sale for $200.

pany 100-300mm - $500...good long tele zoom...don't have a use for the range yet so haven't bought this...

so if i were to start over on budget primes...i'd do samyang 7.5mm, pany 14mm and sigma 30mm. for a little bit more reach & $... i'd swap out 30mm for the oly 45mm. throw in a 40-150mm and i'm done. the samyang is a specialty lens but at this price good to have in the bag...

for all zoom travel/convenience...pany 14-45mm and oly 40-150mm R...these are not your typical budget iq dslr zooms...outdoors printed to a4 size you probably won't see much differences compare to the primes...i'd still add the samyang

if you're happy and keeping the 17mm...a 45/1.8 would be a good next toy...if you wanna go wider a 14mm may be too close, 12mm nice but expensive, the samyang will be fun to play. again adding a 40-150mm to complete the longer end...

a 7.5mm, 14/17mm, 45mm, 40-150mm kit won't break the bank...

25/1.4...your call...have fun...

btw forgot to mention you can get a lens adapter and use most of your dslr lenses...especially if they are small and light like the pentax da lens...

ps...here is the samyang...you can see bigger on flickr...

P3230101 by dwRK, on Flickr

[Bassraptor]

Thank you, that is some extremely useful info for reference. Lovely shot, too! Where did u get the samyang from? I tried the Nikon-m43 adaptor but since I have only one D lens, rm300 seems to much to spend ...

[Blu-By-U]

Thank you, that is some extremely useful info for reference. Lovely shot, too! Where did u get the samyang from? I tried the Nikon-m43 adaptor but since I have only one D lens, rm300 seems to much to spend ...

I don't think dwRK is quoting in RM..It's US$. IF it's RM, I would have gotten everything in his list!!

[dwRK]

yes all in us$...one less digit and easier to remember...

there is one of two lens that is cheaper in kl than the usa

china adapters are about $30 on amazon/ebay...agree rm300 is too much to pay...singapore is cheaper...

the 14mm you can check the shops for open box...sometimes the shop break up the dual lens kit and sell the zoom and put the 14mm up...

snapshot ooc ok lah samyang photo of one of the office location on office pc...have it as politically correct wallpaper...you can see the sharpness...this one i think is either f5.6 or f8

[Bassraptor]

The Pany 25 f/2 tempts me ... meanwhile, the oly 17 f2/8 continues to entertain me ....

P8120760 copy.JPG

P8120772 copy.JPG

[Bassraptor]

And more things I shot on a trip ... why am I still using a DSLR....?

PA091159 copy.JPGPA091197 copy.JPGPA091207 copy.JPG PA091209 copy.JPG

[Bassraptor]

Shot for fun with a newly-acquired lens ... technique and lighting still need loads of work, but like the quality of the lens ... guess which one?

PA191297 copy.JPG

[dwRK]

too small to tell lah...

...and i find that cheap lenses can also take good photo...can only tell which is better when pixel peep comparing with another.

anyway i'm going to guess 12-50mm.

ps...good control on relection...bottom part needs more light...looks unbalance

[Bassraptor]

Think fixed length ...

[Bassraptor]

Btw, dwRK, u familiar with the Pany-Leica 25mm f/1.4, right? Got some questions about it ...

Oh, I agree with you, cheap lens, like my 17mm, is also damn good already, but sometimes, something itchy ...

Lens is the new 60mm macro ...

[dwRK]

congrats!!! that is a great lens!!!

i know the itchy feeling...got a fuji x-e1 kit on order, thinking of getting pany g5, 12-35x, 100-300...pokai this year...

i've played with the 25/1.4...i'm familiar with the fov...don't have/own it...but shoot me the question anyway...

btw...picked up a pany 45-175mm...here are two from pany 45-175mm...oly 40-150mm or new pany 45-150mm should give about same iq...the pany 45-150mm has a marginally better MTF but i like the 45-175mm because it's non-extending...

@45mm

PA060760 by dwRK, on Flickr

@175mm

PA050627 by dwRK, on Flickr

[Bassraptor]

dwRK: Great pix, make me want to go out and shoot now!!!

Okay, over the past few days, I tried two units of the Pany-Leica 25mm lenses at my friend's shop. On my E-PL2, and an OM-D and Pany GF5 from the shop. This is what we observed after mounting each of the units on the various bodies.

The moment the camera is switched on, the aperture constantly adjusts to the light, opening wider or closing. You can hear the sound, and view it while looking down the lens barrel. This, even without your finger on the shutter button. It doesn't happen during playback. I called the Panasonic people and they are a bit blur on this, although it is written in the manual than when shooting, this is normal. A Panasonic tech finally said it shouldn't happen and to send back a lens (if I bought it), along with camera body, for them to check. Anyway, my friend called later to say a few of their customers had bought this lens, all had similar behaviour, but thought it normal. No issues, some have been using the lens for 6 months without anything going wrong.

My thoughts are, even if this is how the lens is made, won't it drain camera battery and affect the lifespan of the lens?

Anything you know on this is appreciated

[Bassraptor]

BTW, I hear E-PL5 will be in stores early Nov ... waiting ...

[Blu-By-U]

....Okay, over the past few days, I tried two units of the Pany-Leica 25mm lenses at my friend's shop. On my E-PL2, and an OM-D and Pany GF5 from the shop. This is what we observed after mounting each of the units on the various bodies.

The moment the camera is switched on, the aperture constantly adjusts to the light, opening wider or closing. You can hear the sound, and view it while looking down the lens barrel. This, even without your finger on the shutter button. It doesn't happen during playback. I called the Panasonic people and they are a bit blur on this, although it is written in the manual than when shooting, this is normal. A Panasonic tech finally said it shouldn't happen and to send back a lens (if I bought it), along with camera body, for them to check. Anyway, my friend called later to say a few of their customers had bought this lens, all had similar behaviour, but thought it normal. No issues, some have been using the lens for 6 months without anything going wrong.

My thoughts are, even if this is how the lens is made, won't it drain camera battery and affect the lifespan of the lens?

Anything you know on this is appreciated

I have both versions of the 25mm. the 4/3 and the m4/3. I notice that on both the lenses.

I notice that when I couple the 4/3 version on my then E-PL1 and had that problem. Did not use that lens on the m4/3 after that as i was afraid the aperture motor's life may shorten. The same is happening to the m4/3 version but reading from many forums, there is nothing wrong with the lens. The aperture is working to protect the sensor from excessive light.

So now when I am now using the 25mm lens, I switch off the camera when not in use.

Referance on the subject.
http://m43photo.blogspot.com/2011/12...-clicking.html

[dwRK]

its normal...the iris is constantly adjusting making that clicking noise working together with the sensor gain so that you get a nicely "exposed" picture on the lcd/evf...

yes it will drain the battery but its part of the mirrorles design...thats why you can get 800-1000 shots for dslr vs 200-300 shots for mirrorless...and reason i always have spare batteries...

w.r.t. lifespan from wear and tear, the movements are minute...the weight of the iris is like nothing...so don't worry about it...if any the electronics will fail earlier...

...get what you need/want and enjoy...

[dwRK]

BTW, I hear E-PL5 will be in stores early Nov ... waiting ...

thanks...going to pass...prefer cam with evf/ovf because holding up to eye level tugging in hands/arms i can steady it better than the dirty diaper hold...especially when doing longer lenses...and getting vf2/3 didn't appeal to me...