Been mostly mirrorless for ten years

 It's been about ten years since I was mostly using mirrorless cameras.

I had the Olympus OM-D E-M1 in the summer of 2014 and the Panasonic GH4 in December.  I'd been using the Olympus E-1 since April 2004 and the E-5 since 2012, along with the Panasonic GH3.

 

I photographed sports with the E-1 for quite a while.  When I got the E-5, I also got the ZD SHG 35-100mm f/2.0, which was amazing for swimming and basketball photography.  You could practically hammer nails and dunk the equipment and it would still work.

The GH3 was a bad choice for me.  I didn't do video and it excelled at video and didn't do quite that well for stills photography.  The EVF had a purple tint.  The Panasonic X 35-100mm f/2.8 was 2/3 the price of the Olympus 35-100mm f/2.0 but it was 1/10 the lens.  The latest Leica-branded 35-100mm f/2.8 seems to be much better.

In late 2013, I got a call from Olympus and they invited me to see some unannounced camera.  That camera was the E-M1.  It was supposed to take my lenses and make them work as well as on my Four-Thirds equipment.  That didn't work as expected.  I had my backpack with two SHG lenses and more HG lenses.  They worked but the E-5 was much faster to focus.  I declined to promise that I would buy one but that I would keep quiet about my experience.  I hoped that a production model would be much better.

In early summer 2014, I was frustrated with the GH3 and traded it for an E-M1.  It was better than the GH3.  The color of the viewfinder was more like real life.  The GH3 was purple-tinted.  The E-M1 responded like a real camera, not just a video camera with a modification for still photography.

I moved to California and my first week, I was photographing at skate parks.  My timing plus a fast burst mode got me a lot of winners.  I still used the dSLR and did just fine.  Having just the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 and the Panasonic X 35-100mm f/2.8, I didn't have as much lens versatility as I did with the dSLR.  I had an adapter but the speed just wasn't good enough.  It was better to use the dSLR and get the shots than to miss them.

When the GH4 was available in December, I started recording video.  It was cumbersome because the GH4 had no In-Body Image Stabilization and the Lumix X 35-100mm f/2.8 had Optical Image Stabilization that made video worse.  The Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 didn't have any problem but it was too wide for what I needed.  That Olympus Pro 12-100mm f/4.0 would have been ideal, if they'd only had it sooner.

In the last week, I've seen quite a few videos on the E-M1.  The latest OM-1 Mk II seems very much like the original E-M1 but better.  To me, the E-M1 was the reason to have a mirrorless camera.  I remember trying the Fujifilm X-T1 but it wasn't very good and the mirrorless camera bodies from Sony were worse.  Photographing sports, I didn't spend 45 minutes photographing a flower.  I also didn't spent a lot of time in post processing.  I had a certain look and that took a little while for each, and I could put some samples up and wait for orders.

 When you look for cameras now, you'll see many more mirrorless cameras and lenses than you will dSLRs.  The dSLRs still exist and a number of them are being sold, but most of the old is being retired.  You can thank Panasonic and Olympus for this revolution.

I have continued with the Panasonic S5 Mk II, which is 135 Format and heavier than I've had for a while.  That Olympus E-5 in the photo was rather heavy and so was the 35-100mm f/2.0.

Update 2024.12.01: I was thinking about how much has changed.  They were trying to find a good way to identify mirrorless camera systems. ILC, MILC, CSC, and more were used.  I remember going to a store in Dayton, Ohio.  I'd been to one of the same company's stores in Cincinnati, Ohio and they had a decent selection and no brand fanatics.  A salesperson greeted me and asked how she could help.  I said that I was looking for micro Four-Thirds equipment and she took me to the Sony equipment.  I said "no, I want to see micro Four-Thirds equipment.  Olympus and Panasonic are the brands." and she replied "It's all micro Four-Thirds." and I walked out of the store.

Many people back then couldn't differentiate between mirrorless cameras as a category and micro Four-Thirds as a sub-category since Panasonic and Olympus developed the idea and made it a reality.

Update 2025.05.01: Nikon has recently released the Z5 Mk II and the Z50 Mk II.  Both Nikon and Canon have come to the point with their mirrorless bodies that they feel as micro Four-Thirds felt in 2014.  Fujifilm has been there for years.  Pentax is still selling dSLRs.

GH5 soon? GH4 with me for over two years

I was thinking that I'd only had the GH4 for a little more than 1 year, but it has been 2.  Strange how time seems to pass.  It's been almost 5 years since I started with micro Four-Thirds, with the GH3 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.

In about 36 hours, Panasonic will announce the GH5.  So far, the rumors have indicated very little.  It's getting a higher resolution sensor.  It's getting a higher resolution EVF and a higher resolution rear display.  It will be able to record at higher bit rates, including 4K at 60p, and possibly 120 fps or 180 fps for 1080p.  There is a new hotshoe-mounted interface device.

The 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lenses are to be revised.  Hopefully, they'll fix the pathetic OIS unit in the 35-100mm f/2.8.  The stutter in video was just as bad after the firmware fix.

Speculation is everything now.

I have one big wish--that the AF be tremendously improved.  Whether I'm recording video clips and the AF suddenly goes away or I'm trying to take a still photograph of someone and it locks onto the fence or wall behind the person, I need improvement.  Supposedly, they've divided the AF areas to provide a more granular set but it didn't feel as the number of CDAF areas were the problem.  It was that the camera body became too busy to be bothered with AF.

It's odd that I can be sitting and I point the GH4 in a slightly different direction and I can hear it working on AF, but if I need it to take care of it while doing the half-press on the shutter release button, it's off in lala land just enough to be a problem.

I've still had problems with the EVF blacking out while I'm wearing non-polarized sunglasses but that isn't really a problem for me.  Muscle memory helps me get my shots.

Since Sony and Canon have stepped up their game, Panasonic must arrive with much better technology and I'm not enough of a brand fanatic to believe that they have.  I believe whatever Venus Engine processor they use will be better but it always comes up a bit short.  They've become better at removing chroma noise, but not enough to make anything over ISO 3200 usable for me.

To me, they should have the same sensor with 121 cross-type AF PDAF and CDAF points that the E-M1 Mk II has.  This would solve many problems, if used correctly.  Panasonic told us that they didn't need PDAF and that using pixels for PDAF degraded image quality.  I suspect that they didn't use the best technology.

Whatever comes, they will likely underestimate demand and eek out a few units, so that people will wait months for their camera body to arrive, even if they receive a boatload of pre-orders.

I hope that Panasonic overwhelms us with good news about the GH5 and the 35-100mm f/2.8 replacement.

What, no PDAF?  Are they stupid, cheap, or both?  For the price, PDAF should be included.

I'm underwhelmed.  Yes, it's better than the GH4, but it would be difficult to not improve on the GH4.  Apparently, the sensor outputs at 1.7x the speed, they say, but isn't 480 2.0x 240?  Hopefully, the replacements for the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 are up to full speed instead of lagging.  They aren't--the same 240 fps that the originals did.  I'm wondering if they fixed the OIS in the 35-100mm f/2.8 or just re-did the exterior, as with the 20mm f/1.7 lens.  At least, they reduced the price from the maximum of the original.

I was unimpressed with the 35-100mm when I used it on the E-M1 instead of the GH3 because it was so much slower.  It's slow on the GX8 also, but of course, not on the GH4.  In the revised version, they say 240 fps, which seems the original figure, but it never seemed to work well, for me, on anything but the GH3 or GH4.  It was slow on the GX8 and E-M1, for me.

At least, the GH5 finally has 5 axis image stabilization, and hopefully, the new routines in the Venus Engine 10 image processor will help them keep up.  Its speed improvement was less than impressive, considering that the GH4 was overwhelmed at times and didn't keep up.  It almost feels as though the new processor was good enough for the GH4.

It's both brilliant for the film maker, and brilliantly flawed for the rest of us.

Update 2019.04.01: It's been over two years and a lot has happened.  The GH5 is still there, but there are also the G9 and the GH5s.  For film makers, the GH5s is a great way to get things done, but for the extra expense.  It's definitely not for a stills photographer, as it has 10.28 MP and costs more than the GH5, but without in-body image stabilization.  That camera body is the G9 with IBIS and 20 MP and much better auto focus.

The G85 is actually quite good, as a GH4 alternative and shortly, its successor should be available, if the rumors are true.  20 MP, 4K video, and a small-ish body.  That might be worth it, just to get an enhanced version, even if it is small.  Since the G85 already has the Dual IS to make the joined stabilization stronger than either lens OIS or IBIS, it could be an alternative, especially if the price drops due to its replacement.

Using the Olympus E-5 as an E-M1 substitute

I've been using Olympus equipment since 1990.  It always felt like the best combination of technologies came together.

I bought a couple of the early Olympus digital cameras and wasn't incredibly happy.  They worked but the time just wasn't right.  When I bought the E-1 in April 2004, nothing else felt right or seemed to produce the right photos, especially the Nikon and Canon alternatives in the price range.  I was annoyed about the 4:3 ratio that Olympus chose, but that mimicked 6x4.5 format cameras and I understood that.  It just didn't make sense to people using 3:2 ratio film.  Kodak may have been instrumental in pushing the shape, as they were in shaping Medium Format digital sensors.

I finally added the E-5 in 2011.  It wasn't the quantum leap forward I had hoped.  It seemed more like the Nikon D300 from 2007, instead of a body introduced in 2010.  It was better than the E-1 but not what I was hoping.  It worked better in so many ways but as I've already mentioned, it felt like a body from 2007.

Later, in 2012, I bought a Panasonic GH3 and 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.  It was somewhat better in lower light, with very good AF functionality down to EV -3 and later EV -4.  The ISO sensitivity seemed better but I suspect that the numbers weren't as accurate.

While waiting for the GH4 to replace it, I traded the GH3 for the E-M1.  I'd already used the E-M1 and it was better than okay, but didn't seem a replacement for the E-5, even though Olympus said that it was.

I've tried it with Four-Thirds lenses on occasion and stop fairly quickly.  It is more likely a easy way to re-use current components than to be a replacement for the E-5.  The size and the functionality is not oriented toward Four-Thirds equipment.  Having phase detect pixels was more a patch than a solution.

Yesterday, I wanted to photograph a graduation for a friend.  I brought the ZD 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 which was my most-used lens.  I tried it with the E-M1 and this resulted in a lot of frustration.  It hunted and hunted and hunted.  I'd had more success with the E-M1 previously, and also with the GH4.  I retrieved my E-5 and it worked quite well.  So much for the E-M1's world's fastest AF--that doesn't apply to adapted lenses.  The E-5's predecessor was another with "world's fastest AF", but these things fade quickly, don't they?

75+ yards, not bad but dynamic range could be better

At the graduation, the E-5 was heavier but wonderful.  Sure, the older technology isn't quite as able to provide great photos I've been getting from newer sensors but getting the shot was important, especially from almost the other end of the football field, the 25 yard line.

I'm pleased to use the correct tool for the job.  Using equipment to advantage always helps.  It's just too bad we can't have a 16MP Sony sensor put into the E-5 to get the best of both worlds.

Panasonic GX8: great second body to GH4, alternative to Olympus E-M1

I'm a long time Olympus user, having used the OM-1N, IS-20DLX, D-300L, C-2500L, E-1, E-5, and E-M1.  My first micro Four-Thirds camera body was the Panasonic GH3.  I traded this for the E-M1 before the trade-in value might have fallen.  About nine months ago, I got the Panasonic GH4.

Today, I bought the Panasonic GX8.  It is quite a bit of money, but it's also a bargain compared to the GH4, giving you a lot of the functionality, plus having a couple of unique items.  I happened to get it with the 12-35mm f/2.8 lens, when there was a US$100 instant rebate on the lens, and an additional US$200 instant rebate on the bundle.  This made the combination about US$1900.00.

For me, the GX8 fills a gap while my Olympus E-M1 is out for repair.  Someone damaged the eye cup mount with a BMX bike, and I apparently passed the 150,000 shutter actuations for which the shutter mechanism is rated.

The GX8 also helps as a secondary 1080p video camera.  There are times when I could put one of the camera bodies on a tripod and let it record separately, while I work the other by hand.  The E-M1 is sufficient for video, but it's hardly great.

Why I like the GX8:

The mode dial is right above the exposure compensation dial.  The mode dial includes 3 custom settings, although the C3 position holds 3 separate sets, just as the GH4 does.

The other dials are similar to any other Rangefinder-like mirror-less body.  There are a number of function buttons, labeled and unlabeled, but the Fn buttons have no numbers.

The fully-articulated rear display is extremely useful, as it is on the GH4.  However, it's the tilting EVF that is so amazing.  The display used seems to be the same one that the GH4 has.  The display is extremely clear, and so is the rear display.  Oh, and the rear display can be turned inward, to save on battery life, and to protect it.

The grip is substantial.  I wish that the battery was substantial but it isn't.  I'm still trying to determine if it's the same battery from the GX7.  (It's supposedly the battery used in the GH2.)  However, the grip feels amazing without being huge.  I have complained about the Olympus E-M1 grip and the tiny battery.  This is what they could have done with the grip.

I'm sure plenty of people will complain about the overall size.  The size is a benefit for me, and I have no pre-determined size limit for micro Four-Thirds, especially coming from Four-Thirds.  The E-M5 is uncomfortably small, and the E-M1 is uncomfortable because of the angular grip.  I never have held the GX7 but I would expect that it is too small for my comfort.  My hands and my use don't represent anyone else: Your mileage may vary.

I took a few shots before the battery died.  (Since it had been out for a few days on the shelf, the battery had been depleted.)

Moon cakes through the window

Update 2015.09.12: Battery life is extremely bad for me so far.  I thought that having the rear display closed would help.  I'm really not sure, but something seems terribly wrong.  I had taken some photos the morning on September 11th, from/to the post office.  I didn't touch the camera until Saturday the 12th.  I took a few photos while walking to a skate park.  Got a few photos there and it complained about the battery.  I didn't have the extra, third party battery, so I turned it off and walked back to the car without taking any video.

On the up side, people may find the shutter sound to be endearing--it's like a leaf shutter's sound.  Hopefully, that doesn't mean that it isn't durable.

Maybe, I've missed some settings.  I found that I had not saved to a custom set after switching to raw files, and I got JPEG files at the skate park today.

As you may have already seen in another blog entry, I'm not sure if the Dual I.S. is working properly.  I expected more from the GX8 + 12-35mm f/2.8.

Update 2015.09.14: Yesterday, I shot at a familiar skate park only with the GX8.  Now that the custom set has been saved, the camera is more likely to do what I want.  As a stills camera, it is quite useful.  However, since December I've been doing video, mostly with the GH4.  It's a tough act to follow.

The GH4 has a good set of physical controls and a great grip holding a great battery.  I can go through three E-M1 batteries and still have a charge left on my second GH4 battery.  The GX8 battery is 1220 mAh, just like the E-M1 battery.  With the GX8's display facing inward, it might not use as much energy, plus you can't easily change the focus point, as you can on the E-M1.

The GX8 defaulted to the same 1080p video parameters that I use on the GH4.  I could go for higher quality but I'm not making films.  I'm making skate park videos.  It has to be fairly steady and you need to be able to keep up with the action.  Naturally, you can do 4K, but I've had around nine months to do that and I've found very little use for it so far.

The real disadvantage of the GX8 is the placement of the video enable/disable button, which is on the top plate.  Yes, I should have a finger up there already, and I do--for the shutter release.  The placement of the video button is inconvenient, but as anyone can adapt, it isn't a serious problem.  It does take a certain acclimation to get it to work reliably, but it's not as bad as my trouble with the GH4's button where I have to almost stab it sometimes to get it to start/stop.

Processing the video files was exactly the same as with the GH4, and it should be easy to mix files from the two.

I also tried the Face Detection and while it works in the strictest sense, it's not very reliable.  It works, but there is a delay, whereas the Olympus E-M1 finds faces almost immediately, and rarely has a false positive.  Considering how poorly the E-M1 does video, the balance is just fine.  Why else would I have Olympus and Panasonic equipment?

Update 2015.09.15: The GX8 works quite well in stills shooting situations, better than I expected.  I stopped quickly last night to get photos of a double rainbow and it didn't take as long (as the GH4) as expected to wake from sleep.

Update 2015.09.30: An ugly EVF problem has returned to me with the GX8.  Using the EVF with sunglasses can often end up with a blackout.  The GH3 was bad and I learned to adapt to the E-M1 and GH4.  Immediately using the GX8 without the sunglasses, it was fine.  The EVF's vertical angle doesn't matter.  It's the angle of the sunglasses to the EVF that causes the problem.  I hope that I can adapt, and the problem lessens.  There is another eye cup available but it's barely available.

The lower frame rate of burst mode can be a problem for skate park photography, but shouldn't be a problem for any other application.  Between the E-M1 (10 fps) and the GH4 (12 fps), I can overdo it, but with the correct timing, I can get almost any shot.  The Nikon D7200 is supposedly a good sports body and at 6 fps, it's a bit slower.  It works well enough, except in lower light, where the D7200 won't allow me to take a photo, except in the extreme ISO Black and White modes.

Update 2015.10.18: DxO Optics have been testing the GX8.  As they're assessing each camera body for their software configurations, the measurements should be accurate but how much it really means, I'm not sure.  Looking at many of their results, I would think a lot of camera bodies are unusable.

 

GX8 has the best score, but not the Sports ISO figure.  However, I have the GX8, GH4, and E-M1, plus the Nikon D7200.  The D7200 is rated much higher at 1333 and I'm not really seeing the improvement.  It could be the same way I used to look at Olympus E-5 and Nikon D300 photos.  The E-5 photos looked about the same at ISO 1600 as the D300 looked at ISO 2500, better but not incredibly impressive.

There is a bigger difference between the scores than I've seen in real world experiences.

Batteries: D7200, E-M1, GX8, GH4, E-5

Update 2015.10.19: Took a quick photo of the batteries, where the  GX8 and E-M1 batteries are far too small at 1220 mAh, especially since the GX8 has a good-sized grip.  The battery for the Olympus E-5 has 1620 mAh capacity.  The Panasonic GH4 has 1860 mAh and the Nikon D7200 battery has 1900 mAh.  The dSLRs can last a great deal of time on the battery, and so can the GH4, even though it has an electronic viewfinder.  Sadly, the GX8 and E-M1 don't have enough capacity.

Update 2015.11.19: The GX8's 1080p video capabilities are good, and it's a responsive body.  Using video from it and the GH4 is easy and any visual differences, not due to the lenses, seem absent.  I'm ordering a third battery, just in case.

Since the E-M1 is back from repair, it's interesting to have a couple of compatible bodies from different companies.  It's much easier to get the E-M1 to do face detection, so people photography is better with Olympus.  Of course, video is better with Panasonic.  Having smaller cameras is quite good, except for the small batteries, though the GH4 almost always feels like an extension of my hand.

The tilting EVF has been of occasional use, but I wasn't sure it would be an asset or not.  During extremely sunny days, it can eliminate problems at certain angles where I would have to use the rear display but the articulated display is more functional for architectural shots.

Update 2015.11.25: Post focus is included in firmware version 2.0 and it's fun to try.

I'd never tried 4K Photo mode previously, but I held the shutter release and let it do its thing and then, let go.  Since it uses video mode, the electronic shutter is employed and there is no shutter noise.

You then tap the rear display in the upper left hand corner where the icon seems to show multiple layers.  Once in that mode, I selected a point on the display, and it asked if I wanted to save to a photo.  When I confirmed that I did, it saved a file that seemed to be focused where I wanted.

I'm not sure if there is anything more to it.  That seemed so easy to do without instructions.

Update 2015.12.26: Someone told me that the E-M1 and the GX8 were completely different kinds of cameras.  I couldn't understand how the placement of the EVF from corner to center changed the way that the body worked.  I use the two almost interchangeably.  To me,  every camera body (not of the same model) will be a bit different.  We adjust, do we not?

As it has become colder, it's more difficult to do video, since I'm often wearing gloves.  The recording button on the GX8 is particularly small but even the button on the GH4 is difficult to activate without gloves.

Update 2016.01.01: Went to San Francisco and took a few photos as a tourist with the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7 and a wide angle/macro converter, as an experiment.

Panorama with 25mm f1/.7, wide converter

A buddy used the panoramic mode and it worked well enough.  Conditions were not exactly favorable, as it was nearing sunset and the wide angle/macro converter adds optical problems to a lens that isn't amazing.  I probably should have tried the iPhone to take another panorama, but I'd run out of power.

Update 2016.02.22: The GX8 continues to impress with both stills and video.  Equally, it has some of the same occasional difficulty with AF that the GH4 has.   The interaction between the 25mm f/1.7 and the GX8 at a skate park left me wondering if they're both in need of firmware updates.

I was surprised to find that the firmware has a number of languages available, unlike the GH4 with only English and Spanish.  I wonder why French wasn't included on the GH4, given that Canada and the U.S.A. are so close.  Coming from Olympus, Japanese is always available and the GH4 really messed with me, so it's good to have Japanese available on the GX8.


Update 2016.09.27: For a while now, I've seen user experiences and reviews on the GX80/GX85/GX7 Mk II that suggest that it surpasses the GX8.  I'm not sure.  The sad thing is that the G8/G80/G85 is now available and seems to be everything that the G80 is, but with a weather-sealed dSLR-style body.  Except for the Panasonic 25mm f/1.7, I've had a very good experience using the GX8.

If there is one flaw, it's the same one as the GH4 has--the CPU is underpowered.  However, it loses focus less than the GH4.  Using Face Detection is an unfortunate mess, unless I have loads of time to wait.  Otherwise, it defaults to the 49 area scatter pattern, which is less than helpful, unless I truly want to focus on the fence or wall behind the person.  Olympus is far ahead in adding Face Detection to any AF mode.

Firmware updates haven't helped much.  They've added functionality, such as Post Focus.  Post Focus is a simple process to emulate what the Lytro brand cameras do.  You take a number of photos at different focus points automatically and choose the one you want to keep.

Update 2016.11.13: As I've seen with the newer Panasonic bodies, the IBIS from the smaller GX85/80/GX7 Mk II and G85/80 is much better, plus they've implemented an electromagnetic-driven shutter mechanism to correct for shutter shock or whatever the term is.

Out of all the comments I've seen, only one person has said that he gets some value from the GX8's IBIS and he said that he got better shots than with the GH4.  That is not my experience, unfortunately, nor does it seem to be the experience of the majority of commenters.  I have better shots with the GH4, and certainly with the Olympus E-M1.

If it works, I can't tell any difference.

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 fisheye lens, Nikon D7200, and Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 in the works

I've been shooting so much that I haven't had much time to write.

I received my Olympus 8mm fisheye lens and I'm quite pleased.  I'm extremely happy with it, but it takes some acclimation to its ultra-wide angle.  I'm working on a specific report of my experiences.

July 5th, I got a special deal on the Nikon D7200 and Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens.  I've been shooting so much that I haven't even had a chance to write more than this about the combination.  I have plenty to say, especially since this is the first real attempt to switch brands--or at least, add to my arsenal of tools.

I haven't used any Nikon equipment since film SLRs.  It's taking some time to get good work done.  Their whole design work, electronic and physical, lacks clear thinking.  I appreciate that they have a status display, but if should be interactive, instead of just being frustratingly informative.

Something interesting and frustrating was learning how to switch from the factory setting of auto focus scatter pattern with 51 focus points to 1 focus point.  There is a button located within the AF/MF switch to the left of the lens mount.  Is it labeled?  No.  You hold it and rotate the rear dial to change patterns.

In any case, I am finding many new user problems that I didn't find with the Pentax K-50.

My main reason for buying the D7200 was its low(er) light performance.  I first took it out at 11/23 at night.  It was a frustrating experience, especially since AF supposedly works to -3 EV--what was standard with the Panasonic GH3 way back when it was introduced.  Half of the photos I tried to take just would not happen.  Subsequently, I took the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic GH4 out at similar times.  The E-M1 struggled a bit but the GH4 didn't hesitate.  How good is the image quality of a camera body that won't take an image?

My first impression of the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 is that it's small, light, and too short in its focal length range, especially compared to my Olympus 14-35mm f/2.0.  It's also not weather-sealed which could be a major problem.  I didn't pay full price for it, which helps alleviate some of the shortcomings.  If you think it's not small or light, take a look at the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 lens.

I'll take some time to write about these experiences in detail.

Nikon has introduced the D7110, errr, D7200

After two years, the D7100 has been replaced/surpassed.  Strangely, it is a very minor update.

I'd commented a while back that they could have released a bigger still frame buffer in an updated camera body called the D7110.  This is practically what they've done.

However, the newer auto focus module is more responsive in low light, similar to how it works in the D750, down to -3EV.  It also has built-in WiFi, just like the D750.  It includes the Expeed 4 processor and better ISO sensitivity.  Interval shooting has been improved from 999 shots to 9999.  Auto bracketing has been improved.  Maybe, that's enough for a D7120.  Maybe.

At US$1199.99, is it enough?  In two years, the Canon 70D, 7D MkII, Pentax K-3, Olympus E-M1 and E-M5 MkII, Panasonic GH3 and GH4 (and various models from Sony, such as the a6000) have become competition.

I've wondered why it has taken Nikon so long to replace the D300 properly, as well as the D700.  It's not a surprise that the D7200 is so similar to the D750, just as the earlier two were connected.  (Ricoh-)Pentax' K-3 seemed a proper successor to the D300 with some great functionality, hampered with typically Pentax firmware.  (As a perennial underdog, I wonder if the firmware had been written by Olympus that the K-3 would take a huge share of the US$1000-2000 interchangeable lens camera market.)

I'm not saying that the D7200 isn't welcome.  I'm saying that it's just a bit late.  Those who were waiting might have gone for the D750.

It feels as though Nikon doesn't believe that the market is worth much, or any, development.  That seems reasonable since it took Canon 3 years to revise the 7D.  It seems as though there isn't much money to be made in camera bodies under US$3000 for Nikon or Canon.

Thankfully, the price is good at US$1199.99.  Hopefully, this means that the D7000 won't continue to be sold.

In any case, with the buffer handled, the D300 should have a proper successor, but in a more economical model.  The Expeed 4 processor and revised image sensor should clear up the noisy photos issue from the D7100.  The bigger range of ISO sensitivity speaks to the noise elimination in the sensor, and the better processing of the Expeed 4 processor.

I'm not in love, but I'm definitely in like.

Update 2015.04.03: Having shot indoors at Woodward West during a scooter competition, ISO 3200 was a necessity, as 1/250th of a second shutter speed was a minimum.  Unfortunately, the Olympus E-M1 is as its usable (my opinion) limit, as is the Panasonic GH4 for still photos.  The GH4 1080p video looked okay, though.

While I don't regularly shoot in such situations, I have enough times that I might want a more capable body.  The D7200 is that body.  Is it good enough at ISO 3200 to make a purchase around US$2600?

Obviously, it's not just the US$1199.99 for the D7200 but the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 is the same price, and of course, taxes count.  The 135 Format-effective 22.5-45mm focal length range is slightly wider (but a lot shorter) than my current effective 24-80mm or 30mm fixed focal length.  I would prefer a bigger range but keeping good image quality is important.  If I used a superzoom lens, why bother with a better camera body?  I could just buy an ultrazoom compact camera and throw it all away.  Perhaps, a Pentax 645Z with a 3x normal zoom?  The D750 might be able to keep up, though I might have to switch the zoom range to 24-70mm but I suspect that will raise the price quite a bit to get a weather-sealed lens.  Is US$1199.99 enough for low light?

Update 2015.07.08: On Sunday, I bought the D7200 and Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8, quickly replacing a Pentax K-50 and kit lens that was only an experiment.  Someone I know had a camera stolen, and I gave the Pentax K-50 to him.

I'm having many new user problems, especially since this is the first Nikon product I've used extensively since film.  I chose not to buy the D100 or D70 back in 2004.

The Black & White ISO 51, 200 and 102,400 modes are interesting.  They only produce JPEG files but they work.  It bothers me that the ISO selection shows both ISO Auto and ISO 100, for instance.  As far as I'm concerned, it should show one or the other, but not both.  Showing a specific Auto ISO range makes sense.

It's not difficult to find the metering choices, but the auto focus choices?  They seem to be impossible to find.  Hopefully, they are hidden in plain sight.  It seems to be a sub-selection on a left-hand, rear-side button, but working the button to get that function is odd.

I took the D7200 and 18-35mm f/1.8 out around 11 at night and it didn't work nearly as well as either the Olympus E-M1 or Panasonic GH4.  In many cases, the camera refused to work at ISO 25, 600, even though the E-M1 and GH4 would work.  Alternatively, I had trouble with the E-M1 and the GH4 in the daytime.  That wasn't amusing.

It will take a while to be accustomed to another brand, although shooting is fairly reliable.

I needed to update to Phase One Capture One Pro version 8.3.1 to have raw file compatibility.

Update 2015.07.27: I've been having too many new user problems.  It was confusing that there is a menu option for 51 or 11 auto focus points, but nothing about the pattern.  I found the control encircled by the AF/MF switch.  It still didn't seem incredibly intuitive.  The camera body is reliable.  It's amazing to have 6 frames per second though, and think of it as slow.  The Olympus E-M1 does 10 FPS and the Panasonic GH4 does 12.

I'm working on a full report of my experiences.

Familiarizing myself

Using the High ISO Black & White modes

Update 2015.09.20: The D7200 is a good camera body, but it's not incredibly better than the Olympus E-M1 or Panasonic GH4.  Yes, the sensor is bigger.  That gives the body great potential to be better.

Since I've got some experience with it, I'm getting better photos.  Having the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens makes it a good combination.  However, it's a very slight improvement over what I can do with micro Four-Thirds.  The Olympus E-M1 has great facial recognition, so accurate focus for portraits with it is easy to get.  The Panasonic GH4 and GX8 do fine, but they take more time.  Naturally, with Phase Detection AF, there is no facial recognition and a slight mis-calibration of the lens can mean auto focus will not be in the correct place.

For skate park photos, it's not bad but the burst rate isn't fast enough to get the action every time.  Got to say that the extra 1.3x mode is helpful, and I can get a similar effective focal length as with micro Four-Thirds.  Also, when it's dark, the GH4/GX8/E-M1 EVF is much more useful, as I can actually see what's happening.  With the D7200, I see the dark, just as I do with the Olympus E-1 and E-5.

Thanks to the bigger buffer (and the 6 fps burst rate), the D7200 doesn't fill up that quickly.  If you consider 12 fps from the GH4, 43 photos come pretty quickly before the camera slows down significantly, there is a difference from the D7200.

Update 2016.01.11: It's been about a week since the emotional replacement for the D300, the D500, was announced.

Had this been available at the same time as the D7200, my choice would have been for the D500.  The D7200 is sufficient, but doesn't feel substantially better than my micro Four-Thirds camera bodies, even if a few of the available lenses are worth the switch.

The extra US$800 gets you three times the focus points, a better metering array, a big buffer, and an Expeed 5-class processor for better stills work.  The ISO 1 million+ sensitivity probably isn't very useful, but it is there, at least, for bragging rights.  Having ISO 51,200 in the normal range instead of a high ISO black and white mode means that ISO 6400 might actually provide reasonable photos and ISO 3200 might be usable in everyday situations.  I'm not finding ISO 3200 to be all that usable, except for Instagram and the high ISO modes are only useful for getting the shot when the light isn't there.

Panasonic GH4 vs GH3 vs Olympus E-M1 (vs GX8?)

I've had the Panasonic GH4 a little over a week now.  I just did some video clips yesterday, pretty much for the first time, although I took a couple of video clips with the GH3.

I had the GH3 for over a year and wanted to trade it before the trade-in value dropped too far.  Unfortunately, it took a while to get a GH4.

I was enthusiastic about the changes to the GH4 because the GH3 was occasionally inconvenient, particularly, the EVF.  Given that the GH3 was the first mirror-less camera body I'd ever used, getting used to the electronic viewfinder was difficult enough, but it always felt a bit broken.

I even had a problem when I was wearing non-polarized sunglasses where the viewfinder at some angles would be blacked out.  I seemed to have a similar problem with the Olympus E-M1, but that seems occasionally to be a problem with the proximity sensor.  I realized that when I saw the image on the rear display.

In any case, the viewfinder of the GH4 seems much better.  There may be some odd behavior but I've only noticed positive results.  As usual, the viewfinder is so bright that I can see better than just using my eyes.  Despite the size difference between the E-M1 (0.71x compared to 135 Format) and GH4 (0.67x), I find the GH4's viewfinder to be very good.  Size is not an issue.  It is surprising that 1024x768 is an advanced resolution for an EVF.  The FujiFilm X-T1's viewfinder is bigger at 0.77x but doesn't seem incredibly better to me, though I don't use it every day.  The GH4's functionality is good enough that I could give up optical viewfinders, and that is difficult for me to believe.

Just today, I had a positive experience with the GH4's magnified manual focus view, unlike that of the GH3.  My experience with focus, whether manual or automatic was difficult on the GH3.  I was just moving from optical viewfinders and the resolution on the GH3 viewfinder was not great, and the distortions were not helping.  Plus, the magnified view was just a huge problem, getting in the way of my ability to follow the action while focusing.  Using the GH4, the magnified view was shown in the center, and I was able to see around it to keep up with the action.  It's apparently possible that you can move it to suit you.

The battery is the same as the battery of the GH3, and the GH4 seems to sip battery power, though I generally leave the rear display in the closed position, rarely browsing what I have just taken.  I wish that I could have done this with the E-M1.  Its economical design seemed more of an attempt to use already-available parts than to create a serious replacement for the E-5 dSLR, for which it seems Panasonic created, with the GH3.

The rear display of the E-M1 can't be protected because it can't be reversed.  It can be accidentally activated (far too easily, though I'm adapting), especially showing the focus point selection display, further depleting the battery life needlessly.  Practically the first thing I noticed when I got the E-M1 was that I could not fold out the rear display to take a portrait-oriented photo of a building from a very low angle.  You can slide it down or flip it up, but it shows a consumer-oriented display mechanism, unlike that of the E-5, GH3, or GH4.  Of course, my E-1's rear display couldn't be reversed either, but that came with a plastic screen protector and of course, didn't have touch capabilities.

The E-M1 does not seem to sip battery power, and my first experiences with the camera body was that I would run out of power early, and end up being a door stop, and I would have to get the E-5 out of the bag.  As the battery is small, so is the grip.  I have acclimated to the E-M1's grip, but it can be uncomfortable coming from a dSLR, unlike the GH3 and GH4 grip.

Using each body, I find myself referring to every SLR, all the way back to my first Fujica SLR but focusing on the Olympus E-1, my first dSLR, which felt instantly intuitive.  The GH3 and GH4 have the drive mode selector on the left shoulder of the top plate.  I feel it might be better to have exposure controls there, including ISO and exposure compensation.

As well, Olympus should have done something similar with the E-M1, assigning it to aperture control rather than having the front dial assigned to exposure compensation.  It was uncomfortable moving to the E-M1 from the E-5, and there are still times when it has been unintuitive, making for accidental changes that I didn't want.

I could hope that all companies come to use a standardized menu interface, but it feels that it won't happen any time soon.  Olympus' Super Control Panel is really amazing, and Panasonic's Quick Menu is satisfactory.  The regular menu systems are the opposite with Panasonic's being more easily navigated, in contrast to those from Olympus (8 levels within the Tools Menu, seriously, Olympus?).  The extra video options on the GH4 should make professional people working in video happier.

I've recorded a few videos and it went well.  Outdoors, it looked very real in 1080p, much like some documentary.  Indoors, there was a similar feel, even though it wasn't extremely bright.  Having been at the skate shop and their half pipe a couple of weeks earlier with the E-M1, I was surprised at how responsive and accurate the GH4 was.  I used the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 lens in both cases.

Checking the photos and videos later, I was so pleased that the focus was great, surprisingly great.  The photos and videos looked as though there was much more light than what the E-M1 had.

While I was taking video, I tapped the shutter release a couple of times and ended up finding two JPEG files.  I need to analyze them further, but they were taken at unfortunate times and I wouldn't be able to use them.

There was a problem for me finding the button for video recording, but even when I left my thumb on it, I wasn't always able to start or stop recording when I expected.  It's recessed to avoid accidental use.  I'm sure I'll become acclimated to it eventually.  I was thinking that it might be better if the video capture button was near the shutter release--in the front.

Many people value image stabilization and it may save me at some time.  I haven't noticed that it works or not, whether it's in a lens or working the sensor platform.  With the GH4 (and previously, the GH3) and 12-40mm f/2.8, I have no image stabilization, and I don't see any problem.  I finally bought a tripod about a year ago, and I've used it so few times.  When photographing sports in lower light situations, what will help other than more lighting?

At ISO 3200, you probably don't want to use the photos as your best work but from what I've seen, that could also be the story for APS-C and 135 Format sized sensors, as well, except for a very select few that include ISO sensitivity at 102,400 or greater.  Regardless, film didn't do so well at ISO 3200--or 1600 or 1000.

Panasonic GH3 Pros:

• 1080p image quality and video format/bit rate flexibility
• Video industry support
• Grip comfort and battery life
• Multiple function buttons
• 5 custom sets--3 positions on mode dial
• Fully-articulated rear display
• Silent mode

Panasonic GH4 Pros:

• Lower light auto focus ability and responsiveness
• 4K/C4K video
• Video industry support
• Video format/bit rate flexibility
• Grip comfort and battery life
• Improved EVF over that of the GH3
• Multiple function buttons
• 5 custom sets--3 positions on mode dial
• Fully-articulated rear display
• Manual focus magnification mode
• 1/8000 of a second shutter speed
• Silent mode

Olympus E-M1 Pros:

• 5-axis image stabilization
• Electronic ViewFinder clarity
• Button feature set toggle switch
• Responsiveness
• Phase Detection pixels for tracking, and PDAF with Four-Thirds lenses
• Effective Face detection
• 1/8000 of a second shutter speed

I appreciate the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic GH4 equally.  The extra money for the GH4 is consistent with its extra functionality and ease of use.  While I felt a bit betrayed by Olympus for the mess they created after the E-1 (Four-Thirds) body was released, the E-M1 is a very good camera body on its own, but with micro Four-Thirds lenses.  10 fps (E-M1) vs 12 fps (GH4)?  They both work really well.  I've seen plenty of reviews that say that none of these bodies are good for sports but I get my shots, though the GH3 made it much tougher and caused me to return to the E-5 dSLR in many cases.  The only real problem is the lack of wonderful lenses but Olympus is working on that.

The GH3 should be a great body for anyone who is interested in high quality 1080p video, with still photography on the side.  The price has come down quite a bit and it's a good compromise, especially with the fully-articulated rear display.  I was able to get some good architectural photos at a very low angle, thanks to it.

I'm not even sure that the E-M1's video capabilities have improved over the E-5 and without the fully-articulated rear display, it's not nearly as flexible.  Still photography is its domain and for the size of both the body and the system's lenses, I doubt there is a better compromise.

That said, the E-M1 is now the second most used body in my bag, rather than the E-5.  I doubt that will change once I'm more accustomed to the GH4.  It is both supremely comfortable and it's extremely capable.  The little problems I had with the GH3 seem to have been fixed.

Update 2014.12.13: I've found that the GH4 and E-M1 really automatically focus micro Four-Thirds lenses well (although there is an odd performance issue between the E-M1 and 35-100mm f/2.8).  I'm seeing mixed results with my Four-Thirds lenses.  The E-M1 and 50mm f/2.0 macro are a great match.  The E-M1 works better with the 50mm lens than any other body, including the Olympus E-1 and E-5.  I need to really plan and test, but my 2004 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 wasn't very good with the E-M1.  I suspect that Olympus only tested with the SWD version.  It seemed that it worked well with the GH4.

As I'd found when I was using the GH3, auto focus was better with my Four-Thirds lenses than with the E-1 in low or ordinary light.  My E-1 may have had a problem with auto focus, though it seemed okay in bright light.  The E-5 is still faster with Four-Thirds lenses than the GH4, GH3, or E-M1, except with the 50mm macro.  The 14-35mm f/2.0 is often a pain with auto focus but usally works reasonably well even with the GH4 and E-M1.

Update 2014.12.26: The GH4, as with the GH3, often focuses on something else entirely than what I put in the focus area.  It often finds a fence way behind the person I want to photograph.  Apparently, face detection is not useful.

Update 2014.12.30: Panasonic Face Detection asks me to register a face when I try to use it.  If this happens every time I need to use it, it's going to be a pain.  I hope it works beautifully.

I shot some 4K video the other day.  I tried to pass it through the Sony 4K-upscaling Blu-Ray player and it wouldn't handle it.  Maybe, it didn't like the file format.  I need to transfer to a USB stick and feed it directly through the TV's port.  That works.

Still having more fun/frustration with the auto focus.  It seems to randomly lose focus in the middle of what I'm shooting.  For a professional, it shouldn't be a problem since they won't likely be using auto focus at all--or the native lenses that suppose auto focus.  I'm learning, although, I'm looking at lenses that aren't native or those which won't have an electronic interface.

Update 2015.01.20: I went to take some portraits.  I'm not a portrait photographer but the E-M1 is quite good, partly because of face detection.  Focus rarely fails.  I really need to set up face detection on the GH4 to see how it works with the 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.

I keep wondering about the value of Panasonic going it alone with their DFD technology only working on their lenses.  They need to work with Olympus for the sake of the format.  On the other hand, I've noticed the slower performance between the 35-100mm f/2.8 on the E-M1 versus the GH3 or GH4.

Update 2015.02.09: The GH4 continues to impress in most cases.  The auto focus is still a bit inaccurate (focusing on the fence behind a person rather than the person where the single focus point is place) and it would be better if it worked better with Olympus lenses since the premium Panasonic lenses are generally only adequate.  That said, I bought the Panasonic/Lumix/Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens the other day.  It has the typical purple fringing that seems to define Panasonic lenses but AF is almost always accurate.

I took a trip down south to San Diego and the LA/OC area, photographing at skate parks, both still and video.  I also used the GH4 and Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 at a small concert venue and it performed very well, and I managed to hold it fairly still.  Even though I was close to the speaker, it recorded the sound very well, and the video was good.

I bought some new USB drives, with USB 3.0 speed and copied the 4K video files onto one of them.  After connecting it to the USB 3.0 port on the TV, I didn't really see improved performance.  I'm just not sure the problem is with the TV or the GH4, given that they cost me about the same amount of money.  There was something in Panasonic's latest firmware for the GH4 that mentioned improved playback of 4K files but I figured that it was for the rear display or the viewfinder.

Update 2015.12.11: Things have changed a bit in a year.  The Panasonic GX8 and Nikon D7200 have moved the E-5 out of my current tools.  In many ways, I have regretted buying the E-5. Until the GH4 or E-M1, there was no incredibly-usable alternative for my Four-Thirds lenses.

I looked at jumping to Nikon instead of buying the E-5 but the price of lenses was so significant that I hesitated, and the D300 was looking old in 2011.  Since I now have the D7200, I'm not sure a Nikon body would have made me feel really good about the switch.  While I get good image quality from the D7200, it isn't a clear difference over the E-M1 and GH4.  It also doesn't work as well in lower light conditions.

The GX8 works in most conditions as well as the GH4 and E-M1.  It's really small and the battery has about the same capacity as the E-M1, which isn't much.  Since the rear display isn't exposed, that should save a bit of battery life.  I have three batteries, as I have for the E-M1, versus two for the GH4.

I still pull out the GH4 first, as I've created over 120 videos in the last 12 months, mostly from video clips shot at skate parks.  The GX8 has become a good companion to the GH4 for video.  I used the E-M1 so much in a year that I had to have the shutter replaced, as I had apparently exceeded the 150,000 actuations.  At 10 frames per second, that isn't difficult to do.

Almost all of my equipment is still weather-sealed and the GX8 adds to that.  One of my most-used lenses, the Panasonic/Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens is not.

Update 2016.11.24: Almost two years from when I got the GH4, I'm pleased to use it the most.  I have over 100 videos on YouTube and appreciate the body's size and weight and battery life.  The GX8 is fine at times but the grip doesn't quite match my hands, even if it's better than the E-M1's grip.  Battery life for the E-M1 and GX8 are fairly bad.

I got rid of the Nikon stuff.  It was marginally better with the lenses I had.  Finding weather-sealed lenses was a major problem.  Some of the lenses had a fluorine-coated front lens element and that was the extent to the weather-resistance.  That's sadly amusing.  You can depend on FujiFilm and Pentax for APS-C systems with clearly marked "WR" weather-resistant lenses.  Sigma Sport line lenses are also weather-resistant.

The Olympus E-M1 has been succeeded with a Mk II model that is superior in most every way.  The price is the sticking point for many people.  In an era of almost zero inflation, the E-M1 Mk II is US$300 than Olympus dSLR flagships and something like US$700 more than the E-M1 was at launch.  It feels as though the extensive AF grid will make it worth the extra $300 over what I expected and the dual card slots, articulated rear display, and more show real value.  It's still a difficult price if you're moving from the E-5 dSLR, especially when the Panasonic GH4 feels so much better.

I'm glad to be using micro Four-Thirds for exactly what the reviews say isn't easily possible--sports.  I don't know how other people photograph sports, but what I've seen people show me needs to be improved.  For American Football, they can keep their Nikon D5.  It's obvious that it works well.

Panasonic GH4 is in my bag

It's just before Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A. and the sales are all over the place.  One of the national broadcasters mentioned that electronics would be cheaper before Black Friday, and cameras and other photographic equipment generally falls into line with electronics.

I read that Panasonic has reduced the price of the GH4 by $200.  Adorama, B&H Photo, and Mike's Camera (Colorado and California) have said that this is an instant rebate.  Mike's Camera ended this instant rebate on November 26th--today.

I braved holiday traffic to drive 30+ miles to buy the camera body.  I met with a salesperson with whom I'd previously talked.  I asked about the body, and he checked their web site, and I bought it, even using my extra battery from my GH3 to try it.  (My battery appeared to be fully charged, even though I traded my GH3 in early June.  That makes it almost six months since it was charged.)

At $1499.99, the body is somewhat more reasonable for me, and it's the same price I paid for my Olympus E-5.  That also makes it less than half the price of the Canon 5D MkIII, its nearest (hybrid) competitor in the business.  Well, actually, the 5D MkIII was the competitor of the GH3, and the expanded 4K capabilities and high bit rates at 1080p add to the differences between the GH4 and the 5D MkIII, above those between the 5D MkIII and the GH3.

The salesperson mounted an Olympus 25mm f/1.8 lens, so I could check the body.  The lens seemed almost tiny, though not as small as the 15mm f/1.7 approved by Leica, designed and made by Panasonic especially for the GM1/GM5.  The image through the viewfinder seemed improved (it has over double the density) over my memory of the GH3.  I didn't notice that much difference from the E-M1 I use regularly, or from my memory of the FujiFilm X-T1.

I used my sunglasses briefly, explaining about the blackout problem that I had with the GH3, and I currently have with the E-M1 on occasion.  It only happened on occasion, but it happened enough that muscle memory was my only way around it with the GH3.  I'm guessing that it may still occur.  Perhaps, switching to polarized sunglasses may help.  It isn't a problem with optical viewfinders.

Of course, it took a few minutes to find settings to change, to try to personalize it similarly to my GH3.  I was pleased to see many video additions in the menus, bringing up the professional specification.  I can't say enough how great it is that the GH3 and GH4 have 5 slots for settings.  I only used two slots with the GH3 and that might be the same with the GH4, although I'll be more focused on video this time, so I might use more.

The most wonderful thing about the GH4 is the instant familiarity.  Panasonic wisely chose to keep ergonomic choices almost all the same.  They added a lock to the mode button, something it has in common with the E-M1--and the Olympus E-1 from way back when.

I just checked the What Digital Camera (my go-to magazine) review for the GH4 and E-M1 and they said that the design of the GH4 was an 85 and the E-M1, 95.  In the text, they complained about the GH4 having so many buttons but appreciated the dSLR-like design.  Strangely, everyone else seems to like that you don't have to dig through menus, and the Panasonic menus are a bit less extreme than those of Olympus.  The magazine has had a complete change of staff and they seem to work toward advertisers more than 10 years ago.  89% for the GH4 vs 92% for the E-M1 isn't a huge difference.  However, I would say that, given Olympus' poor video performance and uncomfortable grip, the two are equal at least.

One of the bigger issues for me with the E-M1 was the combination of the small battery and small, angular grip.  Now that I have 3 batteries for the E-M1, I don't run out of power early, but I don't use it nearly as long as I used my dSLRs, so I'm still concerned.

With the GH3, I never had a problem where I exhausted both batteries during a long day of shooting.  Since the battery is so much bigger than that of the E-M1, there is definitely a difference.  Getting battery grips for each won't help much, as either grip only holds an extra battery, though they might help with using my Four-Thirds 35-100mm f/2.0 (3.64 lbs./1650g) lens.  I was never happy with that balance on the GH3 and I've never bothered to try it for more than a few minutes with the E-M1.  Of course, with the tripod collar attached to a tripod, the balance issue goes away.  Naturally, this was never a problem with the Olympus E-5, which is only as big as the Nikon D7100.

When mounting the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 lens outside the store, I found that the lens operated at full speed again, in contrast to its performance on the E-M1.  I had not used it significantly since the Panasonic Repair Facility had checked it.  The few times I tried it with the E-M1, the frame rate was significantly slower than Olympus' 12-40mm lens, which made no sense, since it was very fast on the GH3.  This makes the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens important for the E-M1.  I expect that the color from the lens will be equally better over the 35-100mm f/2.8 as the 12-40mm f/2.8 was.  I thought that there was a problem with the GH3, until I used the 12-40mm f/2.8 on it.  It should be interesting to see how fast the frame rate of the GH4 will be with the 40-150mm f/2.8 lens.

I'm hoping to try some skate park video soon, using the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens.  I don't know much about video but I took a few with the GH3.  I don't have an enhanced speed card to handle 4K video but learning how to handle video is more important at this time.  Responsiveness with my current SanDisk Extreme Pro card seemed much better than with the GH3.

Oh, and concerning the bag, I'm afraid that I've got to re-distribute equipment again to emphasize the smaller equipment, though I still want to use my Four-Thirds lenses through the adapter.  I hope Crumpler has something appropriate.

Update 2014.11.28: Ouch!  The firmware needs to be updated and for some reason, I'm unable to update it for various reasons.

First, the U.S. Panasonic web site ends up with only a Windows executable when I open the .zip file I've downloaded.  Perhaps, I didn't see a Macintosh-related link or the web site incorrectly detected that everyone uses Windows.

I used the Japanese web site that I'd used for the GH3 and that seemed to give me the correct file, but the camera body doesn't recognize that there is an update available when I go through the procedure.  I'm sure I'll be fine with firmware version 1.1 instead of 2.0, for a while anyway, but whatever.  Panasonic continues to be an administrative screw up.  What was downloaded was labeled AH4 instead of GH4.  I got something different tonight, and have updated my GH4.

Taking the GH4 and 35-100mm f/2.8 to the skate park, it performed well, but not with as much performance as expected.  (Continuous AF is enabled by default.)  Auto Focus accuracy was acceptable, similar to the GH3.  I'll try it with the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 at a later date.  It didn't feel as fast or responsive as the Olympus E-M1 and 12-40mm f/2.8.  Auto Review is also enabled, which not only slows things down, as it does with the GH3, but it's also a battery waster.

Update 2014.12.01: I ordered a 4K-capable SD card from Adorama.  It's interesting that these cards were UHS-I, class 10, U 3.  Do I need such a card right now?  Probably not, but having dedicated for-video storage would be a good idea, especially on those days when I've been busy taking still photos.  I'm a little short on cards now that I have three bodies that take SD Cards.

I had a chance to buy a higher capacity SanDisk card but, after viewing several descriptions of the card, I couldn't determine the exact performance.  One mentioned 95 MB/sec., while others mentioned 60 MB/sec. and 80 MB/sec.  They were also labeled Extreme or Extreme Plus because the company changed the name at some point.

Update 2014.12.07: Part of my order was not readily available, so I ended up at Best Buy getting a 4K-capable card.  It was about the same price for 32GB as Adorama had for 64GB.  That's not the worst I've seen.  At least, it's a SanDisk card.  They had the Extreme and Extreme Plus cards, but this one is labeled Pixtor.  I've barely used it for anything.  I thought that the card would enable 4K options immediately, but that happens through the Creative Video mode on the mode dial.  Getting past the GH3 is taking time.

I'm impressed with how responsive the GH4 has been, especially in low(er) light.  I went to a skate shop with an indoor half pipe, and shot both still photos and video.  I was there a few weeks earlier and the E-M1 struggled with the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens but the GH4 didn't seem to have any problem at all.  That doesn't mean that it's great in the dark.  It isn't.  I could use more lenses at f/1.4 or wider than my older Leica/Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 from the Four-Thirds system.

The Voigtländer lenses look good.  There is a 10.5mm f/0.95 that should be available soon (okay, officially Q1-Q2 2015), and that is wide enough to get skate park shots easily, and should be good for sharp landscape shots at a less aggressive aperture.  Is US$1000 or more too much for a manually focused lens?  It depends on your wallet, of course, and whether you can make money from it.  The other three (17.5mm, 25mm, 42.5mm) have all been rated well and many people are satisfied with what they do.

Update 2014.12.31: The Panasonic card is flaky and has had general errors in both the GH4 body and the computer SD Card slot.  Almost naturally, the SanDisk card isn't a problem--I've had to have one replaced in the past, but only one.

I'm having some struggles learning the GH4.  I'm not finding it as instantly familiar as I thought I would--or at least, I'm not as successful with it as I had hoped.  As I go further with it, I'm finding little issues.  The drive mode dial has been accidentally moved.  The burst mode position is adjacent to a +/- burst mode position that allows you to take bracketed auto exposure photos.  For instance, it will take photos at -1/3 EV, +0 EV, +1/3 EV, much like HDR preparations.  Your bracketing settings will affect the latitude of the exposure range.  It is useful, although there have been times when I was getting a series of shots and naturally, it stops at three and the action continues without me.  Yes, I should be more aware of my settings.  I'm sure I saw it in the viewfinder and didn't really notice as the +/- didn't seem so significantly distinct.

The GH4 is so capable that it could be 6 months before I'm really comfortable.  It's been a little over a month that I've had it now, so getting casual photos are easy but action photos are usually more involved.  I've basically given up the use of the E-M1 to get up to speed with the GH4.

2015.01.09: The auto focus still isn't everything it should be, with continuous auto focus or not.  During video, it will lose focus completely, which is a great effect that people like, except that it will do it at the wrong time.  That's not unlike the Olympus E-M1.  Maybe, the 12-40mm f/2.8 isn't feeling well.  I was using the 35-100mm f/2.8 the other day and I noticed that the auto focus on the GH4 was similar to the E-M1, lower performing burst speed, but with better AF accuracy.

2016.12.07: It's been over two years since I got the GH4.  I've got over 100 videos on YouTube.  Most are skate park videos but I have some music performances and random things, also.  The camera itself does a very good job, except for AF.

I've got a number of Panasonic lenses and it loses focus on those, as well as while using the Olympus lenses.  It just seems too busy to bother with auto focus duties, but in this price range, it shouldn't have such a problem.  I'm not asking it to track someone.  I want it to focus on the single area I select while I move the camera.  It has predictive focus--it's always busy.

I'm still learning.  I've been learning to do time lapse photography because I wanted to try some shots while driving, to condense little road trips as I've seen someone else do.

Since the GH4, I've bought the GX8 and GM5.  The GX8 has very good 1080p video which matches what I get from the GH4, and that is so useful at skate parks since I'll have the 35-100mm f/2.8 on one and the 12-35mm f/2.8 on the other.  The E-M1 doesn't come close and I suspect that the GM5 won't match either.

The GH5 should be released in spring.  What the whole feature set is, no one outside Panasonic knows, and I'm not certain even they know at this point.  3840x2160 at 60p is one of the few things that are guaranteed to be included.  They've shown mockups of the body and it's agreeable, but nothing is much different.

The new sensor may be 18MP or 20MP, but they're not saying.  The new Olympus E-M1 Mk II has a 20MP sensor with 121 cross type AF points--both PDAF and CDAF.  Many speculate that they will use a lot of the same equipment in the GH5.

Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH3, part 2

Having used the GH3 extensively, and traded it recently while the trade-in value was still good, and now, having the E-M1, I've been making mental notes about things that work and don't work.

I'm warming up to the E-M1, having taken 2300+ shots on Saturday.  It is both a great and annoying camera body.

Auto Focus and Burst Mode

The auto focus is fast.  I have found in single auto focus mode that it can almost always keep up.  Of course, as the light is diminished, every auto focus system loses.  It has surpassed the AF of the GH3, although I have noticed a huge difference in burst mode and/or AF with the Panasonic 35-100mm lens.  It works significantly more slowly than the 12-40mm.

This lens is able to be focused very quickly on the GH3 and works at the full 6 fps in burst mode.  On the E-M1, something is not working correctly, as there is a noticeable difference in frame rate.  Perhaps, the lens is only able to work at 6 fps with OIS off?  I'll check again when I get my GH4.

However, it focuses very well with the Leica/Panasonic Four-Thirds 25mm f/1.4--the 62mm filter size lens, not the tiny micro Four-Thirds version.  I still have yet to use my other Four-Thirds lenses with it.  I should really see how the 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 performs, as this is my go-to lens for outdoor sports.

Black out with sunglasses

My Oakley sunglasses and the EVF combine to give me black-out conditions in bright sunlight, as with the GH3.  I should try my free Jack in the Box sunglasses to see if those change the situation.  I've saved a number of photos by simply using muscle memory.  I've even got to the point where I don't have the camera to my face at times.

Battery life

The battery life is horrible.  Who thinks a small battery is a good idea with a powerful EVF, and with an uncovered rear display that wants to show you everything much of the time?  Of course, it's better if you don't use the rear display at all, and I've found ways to minimize my use of it but the EVF still drains the battery quickly, along with the 5-axis stabilization.  It's my mistake to think that the E-M1 will go as long as the GH3, but it seems to end just as the GH3 is warming up.

Grip

The grip is still uncomfortable.  The GH3 is probably the camera body with the most comfortable grip on the market right now, for me, anyway.  It's right up there with the Nikon D800 and the Olympus E-5.  I suspect that Olympus wanted to save money by using an existing battery, and designed the grip around it--to be too small.  I've heard from a number of people that it's just fine.  Maybe, they have fatter fingers than I have.  Someone suggested that I buy the battery grip, but it will be difficult to use its bigger grip in landscape orientation.

Accidental changes

Accidental control changes are too easy.  Coming from the E-1 and E-5, the front and rear dials change aperture and shutter speed, depending on the mode, of course.  The front dial of the E-M1 changes exposure compensation, by default.  Sure, it's a new user error, but considering that the E-M1 was meant to be the replacement for the E-5, they should have left the functionality as it was (with the E-1, E-3, and E-5), and allowed an optional change for those who wanted it.  It's also far too easy to switch the auto focus point.  Yes, I've been using a single point because I don't like the typical scatter pattern.  I will accidentally tap the OK button (enabling the Super Control Panel) and arrow keys when I'm not shooting, and then, I miss shots, and have to return to reset it, missing more shots.  If the rear display was on a fully-articulated panel that could be closed, this wouldn't happen.

Super Control Panel

The Super Control Panel really is a great way to display and change controls.  The Quick Menu from Panasonic really doesn't work well for me, and I spend more time trying to figure out how to get to what I want and to change it (not just view it and think that I've changed it)--than to actually change it and get back to shooting on an Olympus body.  Does the Olympus menu system suck?  YES.  Does the Panasonic menu system suck?  YES.  People claim that Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc. have a better system.  They don't.  They all suck.  It's the Super Control Panel/Quick Menu kind of interface that helps you get work done more quickly when the body lacks physical controls.

Rear Display

This bugs me the most.  Why didn't Olympus use a fully-articulated display, as with the E-5?  Having used the GH3 to get very low architectural photos with the 12-40mm f/2.8 lens, I can only guess in doing this with the E-M1.  The display doesn't flip out.  It goes up or down.  Having the panel out in the open all the time leads to all sorts of possible dangers.  It's also responsible for accidental control changes and reduced battery life.

Four-Thirds lenses

I have not used my Four-Thirds lenses extensively with the E-M1.  I have used the Leica/Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens--the one with the 62mm filter size with the E-M1.  As with the GH3, it focuses well.  From what I understand, it was meant to be compatible with Contrast Detect AF, as the Leica Digilux 3 was designed for Live View, as well as the typical dSLR optical viewfinder experience.  Thankfully, for this lens, we're in drought conditions.  I would hate to have a downpour and find that a US$1000+ lens is ruined by rain.  I have probably used it fewer than 10 times outdoors.

I'd really like to see if the 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 works well with it, as I use it for cross country meets.  Olympus' micro Four-Thirds 40-150mm f/2.8 will become available later this year, but it doesn't reach nearly as far.  Sure, I can carry a load and run the course, because...no, I only do that occasionally when I cannot see past the corn fields.

Olympus has done a good job creating a top end model for micro Four-Thirds.  It's not what I'd hoped that it could be, to replace my E-5.  Yes, the performance is good.  No, it's not quite right.  Panasonic thought more about what the photographer wanted and put that into the design of the GH3 and GH4.  In fact, the GH3 felt like the true successor to the E-5.  It's the kind of design where you don't have to think how to use it--you know how to use it.  On the other hand, the E-M1 is fiddly, unlike the E-5 or E-1.

Olympus E-M1 auto focus tracking for sports

I've been an Olympus equipment user since the 1990s.  I've gone through various bodies since my initial OM-1N.  When Olympus showed that they were ready for dSLRs, I bought an E-1, 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 and 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5--all weather-resistant equipment, which was good since I was in Florida where the hurricanes, daily summer rains, and the construction dust would damage most equipment easily.

I used the equipment out in three hurricanes and it's still functioning beautifully.

Since then, I bought an E-5 body.  The odd, less ergonomic design was bigger, more Nikon-like and made it easier to balance the 35-100mm and other SHG lenses.

I recently, and somewhat temporarily traded my Panasonic GH3 for an Olympus E-M1.  I'd been using the GH3 for indoor sports where flash was a serious problem and where lighting was as advanced as the 1950s.  It worked reasonably well.  The E-M1 is a bit more useful with the 5-axis image stabilization, but is uncomfortable in my hand.  They should have created a new, bigger battery and used it to create a bigger, better grip like that of the E-1, E-5, or GH3.

In any case, I've taken some good photos with it, but I had not put it to the test with sports.  Between moving cross country and schools being out, I didn't have much of a chance to photograph sports.

The other day, the Lathrop, California Generations Center had its grand opening celebration and I was able to photograph some skaters.  I think the E-M1 acquitted itself quite nicely, as you'll see.  I still can't wait for my Panasonic GH4 but I must.

Update 2014.07.05: I used the E-M1 with my Four-Thirds Leica 25mm f/1.4--the big, heavy one made for the Leica Digilux 3 body.  It worked pretty well with auto focus in low light.  Perfect it wasn't, but conditions were far from perfect.

Update 2014.07.25: I've noticed in the last few days that the E-M1 will suddenly not focus properly.  I assume that it's still busy writing to the card but that's not always the case.  Perhaps, it's cleaning up after itself.

Update 2014.10.29: The other day, I tried the full area (what I call splatter) auto focus pattern and got plenty of photos where nothing was in focus.  This seems as good as it was on the E-5, prior to switching to a single point for AF.

I'm planning to try the 5 area AF to see how it works, but I don't have much hope.

Update 2014.12.03: Geez, the 5 area AF made sure that I didn't get any in-focus photos.  Everything was crap.

About a week ago, I bought a Panasonic GH4.  I've been able to use it in varying conditions, and in darkness around sunset, it wasn't great, as expected.  However, indoors, photographing skaters on a half pipe, it was amazingly good, and more responsive than the E-M1 was.  I took many video clips, and they all looked surprisingly bright.

Update 2015.02.20: Any moment now, there should be a firmware update, version 3.0, that will increase the tracking speed frames per second rate from 6.5 to 9.0 fps.  They apparently came up with a better algorithm to use the 37 phase detect pixels.

Update 2015.03.13: I tried the C-AF + Tracking option and while it works, it seems to lag.  It could be the circumstances--artificially-lit skate park during the evening but I suspect it would still be laggy in good light, just better.

Regardless, I find the auto focus, especially with face detection, quite good and better than the GH4 for stills.  The GH4 auto focus is quite capable for video.  Panasonic really needs to update the firmware for a few small things.

Update 2015.12.19: I'm still amazed how good the single AF is, especially with face detection enabled.  I've got a lot of photos--so many that I had to have the shutter replaced.  The shutter is rated at 150,000 actuations.  At 10 frames per second, you can get there quickly.

I bought a Nikon D7200, mostly for wide angle shots.  I tried to use it at skate parks and it's adequate.  It's a good substitute for the Olympus E-5 that I was using for high school sports.  Just like the E-5, the continuous AF is great.  However, working at skate parks, nothing I have can beat 10 or 12 frames per second that the E-M1 and GH4 can do for capturing the whole sequence.  Sure, the Samsung NX1 could do it at 15 fps but who knows whether it's going to be available or not.

I also bought a Panasonic GX8 and the behavior of the AF is similar to the GH4.  Even with face detection enabled, it may detect a fence behind the person.  That all changes when it's recording video, as with the GH4.  I really appreciate having the GX8 and I've been using it since I sent the E-M1 for repair.