Cameras, cars, and a load of snow

Last Friday, I was passing through a tiny village when a truck typical to farming was slowly approaching my position on the road, hazard lights running.  I couldn't imagine what was so important on the farm that they were hauling something in the dark.  As I felt as though my seat had passed the end of the truck--WHAM!!  In a few seconds, I realized that my driver's side mirror was gone.  In a few seconds more, I thought that, being where I was, some high school football players were bored and had baseball bats.  Trust me, it happens a lot.  They usually beat mailboxes--except for a certain uncle's mailbox which was specially made and fortified and probably bends or breaks baseball bats.

About a month and my car is damaged.  The truth is that a simple scratch probably would have caused as much emotional damage.  I'm never okay with it when the car is new.  I need to gather estimates but the weather has been terrible and 24 hours ago, we were working on 8 inches of snow.  I've since cleared the half of my driveway where my car sits.  I hope that it's just a typical big storm and not one of many to come.  I pity those on the east coast, especially those in Virginia where the electricity seems to go out with a strong wind and a couple of rain drops.

That's a sad thing.  Whether I was living in Philadelphia or Florida, the hurricane news was always that North Carolina and Virginia were without power.  Of course, Florida had surges multiple times a day and the system always seemed on the edge of disaster.  Hurricane Charley, Frances, and Jeanne tested those systems even further in 2004.  My development was next to a Florida Power/Progress Energy repair depot but the crews drove under a problematic cable that needed repair for more than 6 days.  Even the phone company had to put a generator on their box and the sewers didn't have power to work.  I could only imagine living in Virginia because, as I mentioned, a couple of drops of rain and some wind seemed to knock out the power all over the state.  Of course, there, many historical sites were in low-lying areas and prone to flooding.

I was going to go out after the snow had fallen and take some photos with the new camera but I felt ill after shoveling snow and enjoying (sarcasm) the temperature.  Lingering frostbite takes the pleasure out of winter.  I don't really mind the shoveling so much and I'm better at it now.  It's interesting to have enough snow to shovel it from the windshield.

I've been learning more about the Panasonic GH3.  Once I learned that the camera was set up too much like a consumer camera, I disabled the "auto review" setting and the viewfinder barely freezes at all.  I'm hoping that any lag is caused by the SD cards I'm using.  You'd think 45 MB/sec. would be enough speed but 94 MB/sec. should help, if the camera can keep up.

Besides, I needed higher capacity cards.  My 1092 12 MP photos (16 GB card capacity) came down to 812 16 MP photos and that's below my typical number for basketball games.  Unfortunately, the GH3 doesn't have two card slots that I can find, and the door/cover opens far too easily, especially since the body is weatherproofed.  However, I ordered two 32 GB cards for double the capacity and then, I can use the 16 GB cards back in the E-5.

I also ordered the weatherproofed Four-Thirds to micro Four-Thirds adapter Olympus makes.  I'm not sure how good the combination will be but the GH3 is a larger body than most micro Four-Thirds bodies and nearly as big as the E-1, so it should work reasonably well with several lenses like the Panasonic/Leica 25mm, ZD 14-54mm, ZD 50mm macro, and ZD 50-200mm.  I'm still disappointed in the lack of good zoom lenses for micro Four-Thirds and the rather expensive pricing for the Olympus fixed focal (prime) lenses.  Are the 12mm f/2.0 and 75mm f/1.8 worth close to $1000?  I'm still not sure the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 was worth US$1399.99, although that's inexpensive for such a lens in that category.  The equivalent Canon and Nikon (70-200mm f/2.8) lenses are a bit less than double that.

Of course, pity the poor Sony lover who has a slim selection of mediocre lenses, and apparently 1 great lens.  They're either mounting old Minolta lenses that were mediocre or the re-vamped Sony versions via an adapter.  Who knew I'd ever be talking about electronics companies' cameras or that I'd have one.  Sure, in the broadcast and movie industry, they're giants but in still photography, not so much.  Even Minolta, which Sony bought, was not known to make equipment that was more than mediocre.  Sony has actually improved them and that's difficult to believe since Sony has become the brand name for adequacy.  Over the past 10 years, they've become more boring than Panasonic.

It should be interesting to see where it all goes.  Olympus is prepared to announce their E-P3 replacement in a few weeks and they have a professional model in the autumn.  Panasonic is about to replace their GX1 model.  Both have new lenses to be revealed, as do Sigma (Artisan line?), and Schneider(-Kreuznach) should be releasing their high end primes very slowly but with full electronic connection compared to the various others.  Considering the price of Olympus lenses for micro Four-Thirds, Schneider isn't looking much more expensive.

Update: so far, I've tried the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4, which is rather huge.  It seems to work quite well and even focuses reasonably quickly.  I'm not sure whether it supports contrast detection auto focus by default.  I also tried my ZD 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 and it worked quite well, possibly focusing more quickly than it does on the E-1.  Okay, okay, so that's not saying much.  I always thought that the E-1's auto focus was defective but it wasn't.  I can't really tell whether the new cards help or not but they'll be put to the test this weekend.

Backlash for the Panasonic DMC-GH3, why?

I've seen a lot of negative comments about Panasonic's new body, the DMC-GH3.  I'm taking them in the context that people just hate change.

The body is bigger for better handling of larger lenses and for better ergonomics, including 5 function buttons.  To me, being bigger is a benefit, not a problem.  That the weight has only mildly increased, including the magnesium alloy structure, is a plus also.  It's also weather-sealed, and that's great for me.

I've been looking at micro Four-Thirds since it burst onto the photographic scene and I've been somewhere between disappointment and laughter.  After the Olympus E-P2 was announced, I joked that it would be the E-P14 that would finally be the complete solution.  Today's announcements have resolved that--there is no E-P5, and given the proximity of the price to the E-M5, it's no wonder.  How do you justify the E-P3 when the E-M5 gives so much more?

Now that the E-M5 has changed things, the GH3 is changing things even more.  If the photographs from the GH3 are as good as the E-M5, that will really push back the APS-C set.  The E-M5 image quality is said to be so good that to step up, you'll need to go to 135 format-sized sensors, like those of the Nikon D600 and Canon 6D.  I hope that the GH3 will match that, but I'm skeptical of Panasonic's ability with still images.

I would like to move to the GH3 but I'm still noticing the lack of superior optics where I need them, and I'm not wanting an adapter to make my current lenses work.  Panasonic has a wonderful 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6 lens, except that it's not really wonderful, except in focal length.  It's a budget lens and if they made a similar focal length, higher quality X-series lens for double (maybe triple) the price, I'd be there with cash for both the 100-300mm and the GH3.

Getting light, high quality equipment for a reasonable price is never wrong.

Zeiss and Schneider are continuing to work on new micro Four-Thirds mount lenses with full control.  Unfortunately, what I've seen so far duplicate focal lengths that are already available.  Still, the lenses are being built, even if they're slow to arrive.

I'm still disappointed in how people have reacted to the GH3 today.  It reminds me of the 1960s when Detroit's car makers' plan to make faster cars was to increase the size of the engine, without thought to brakes, handling, or fuel economy.  You could buy a European car that could make a 2800 mile cross-country trip at higher speeds with much greater safety with much less fuel usage.  Does that make Canon or Nikon General Motors and the other Ford?

Schneider micro Four-Thirds lenses announcement

So, you may have seen elsewhere an announcement from Schneider-Kreuznach that they'll have a micro Four-Thirds 14mm f/2.0 lens available in the autumn of this year and two more lenses available in 2013.

Does this seem a disappointment?  I don't believe so, but what's interesting is that, from what I've read, they have an intention to produce the lens for the Sony E-mount also.  What's missing from the announcement is Samsung's NX-system, given their working relationship with the company.  I might be seeing more than there is but it seems too quiet.

My first thought was that Zeiss promised several lenses, all of the cine variety, but what Schneider-Kreuznach will be making has full electronic contacts and auto focus--at least, the 14mm f/2.0 shown today.  I suspect the other two lenses will be equally gifted.  Zeiss will remain the top choice for video with some amazing lenses allowing a lot of precise control.

I've already seen a few comments about the 14mm f/2.0 being too close to Olympus' own 12mm f/2.0.  Supposedly, the distortion on the 12mm is rather significant, although raw development software may compensate for that.  Personally, I think the current group of micro Four-Thirds lenses are very low end to satisfy the small and light crowd.  If you compare the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4 lenses for Four-Thirds and micro Four-Thirds, you'll see what I mean.  It may still be a great choice for micro Four-Thirds, but it's obvious which one is better overall.

I continue to see reviews and impressions of the Olympus E-M5 body, comparing it to dSLR bodies 3 times the price, favourably.  That sounds great, but are we to use adapters to have amazing lenses?  I'm unconvinced and keeping my money safe.

On the other hand, Nikon just introduced a budget 135 format lens: 24 - 85mm f/3.5 - 4.5.  This seems to confirm a budget 135/FX format body, the D600.  I guessed that the price would be around US$2000, but that now seems relatively high and I'm thinking more about $1700.  That will really push the D300s successor down and likely eliminate most of the economy bodies.  The only bad thing I'm expecting about the D600 is that it probably won't be weather-sealed.  Budget-minded people won't notice.

Returning to micro Four-Thirds, does it seem that Panasonic and Olympus have done the impossible?  They've taken the Four-Thirds system, put it on a diet, and made it tasty--so tasty that even professionals are biting.  Lens mount adapters help, of course, but between the E-M5 and DMC-GH2, micro Four-Thirds is being used in surprising places.

Update 2013.09.04: Still waiting for any Schneider lenses for micro Four-Thirds.  Since the other lenses available already are mostly mediocre (except for the Olympus 75mm f/1.8, 45mm f/1.8, and 12mm f/2.0), and the Zeiss film-making lenses, the format could really use some great optics.

Update 2014.03.10: Still waiting almost two years later, and the world is moving forward.  Tamron hasn't produced their 14-150mm lens either.

Seeing my earlier update, it's amazing that we have three different OM-D series bodies now and the D600 has already been replaced, and there has been no D300s successor.

Schneider-Kreuznach and micro Four-Thirds

Supposedly, an announcement is coming in the next week from Schneider-Kreuznach about lenses they're making available for the micro Four-Thirds format.

I have a few questions about this like:

Will these be electronically compatible, fully usable with auto exposure and auto focus?
What happens to Samsung's NX-system, if Schneider-Kreuznach adds to micro Four-Thirds?

When Panasonic added a low end (micro Four-Thirds) professional video camera, which is high above the micro Four-Thirds still camera bodies, to their line, it set a new tone for the format.  Suddenly, a number of cine lenses became available, even to those using the DMC-GH1 and DMC-GH2 bodies for video recording.

Now, the sense of putting a US$3000 lens on a US$800 body may not seem reasonable but given what you can do with a properly-hacked GH2, it's not completely insane.  It's also not completely different than taking a US$3000 body and adding an US$8000 lens and professionals do that all the time, don't they?

I still don't see me getting into the video business, though trying video may give me a better, more flexible perspective on still images.  I've barely experimented with the Live View functionality, even though I can see limited use for it for photographing animals or shooting over a crowd.  (Should you be hovering a heavy dSLR and heavy lens over someone's head, trying to get a shot into the crowd?  Justin Bieber might hit you, if he doesn't like it.)

In any case, Schneider-Kreuznach could really change the balance of things if they offer lenses that are fully compatible with micro Four-Thirds, so that they work with auto focus and auto exposure.  Their lenses have been Samsung's only hope to get more serious users buying their NX-system.  If they lose that exclusivity, it would doom the mostly-sinking ship, and provide micro Four-Thirds a new boost against Sony's NEX-system, if Sony's format isn't included in their plans or the announcement.

They made their announcement and I wrote about it in this post.

iPhoneography?

Adorama has sent me a couple of flyers and e-mails with some wild accessories for iPhone 4S.  iPhone 4S, seriously?  I was thinking that when I turned the page.

Here is the link to their page: http://www.adorama.com/iphonetoolshed

I was noticing a few things in particular:

• Holga has a lens filter kit $29.99
• Steadicam has a device for making smoother videos $179.95
• Schneider Optics has a case and 2 lens set $189.00
• Cineskates rolling tripod for video US$284.95

These aren't really cheap items, except the case/filter kit, and they're not toys really.  Can you imagine doing serious work by using 10 iPhones with various angles of view to record a scene?  I couldn't do it, but if people could work with Super 8 film, why couldn't they do it with 1080p recordings?

Add to these hardware products a number of enhanced still and video software products on iPhone itself, and you've got a capable on-the-go studio.  Once again, it's not for me, but if you're creative and lacking money but have several friends with an iPhone, it could work.  Who says you need US$5000 and up for video equipment?

As a long time (8 years) dSLR user and someone who has done a lot of photography since the 1970s, I wouldn't have an iPhone as my camera, but for people who want a snapshot, it's quite good.  I would imagine that the video capture is quite good, as well.  The head-to-head phone tests I've seen rate the iPhone 4S camera as one of the best.  Seeing What Digital Camera engage in such tests makes me laugh because I never thought phone cameras would be so good so early.  They're my go-to magazine and if they're taking it seriously, there could be something to it.  Maybe this digital revolution will continue.

The only trouble I see in using an iPhone 4S for serious photography/videography is that the phone needs a serious case and I'm not sure most of the special purpose cases will keep the glass from breaking.  There have been some faint rumours of an Apple camera, about the time Polaroid showed their Android-based camera, but I doubt Apple will get into that business again.  The QuickTake series died along with the Newton OS/Messenger/MessagePad lines but you should never count against Apple.  Who knew that they'd be the most valuable company (on paper, at least) in the world.

Waiting for the Panasonic DMC-GH3 (got it!)

I've been rather interested for the DMC-GH2 for a while now.  It's a comfortable camera body with a sizeable and growing count of lenses with a passion for video.  Okay, passion may be a bit much but this article suggests exactly that.

The fact that video doesn't quite have nearly as much resolution as still photos do (for now), suggests that micro Four-Thirds bodies should be quite capable of doing good video.  However, this body in particular has a particular strength, a multiple aspect ratio sensor.  It doesn't have to compromise on aspect ratios including 16:9, 3:2, or 4:3 and I believe, 1:1.  That's an advantage.

Zeiss have already released several cine lenses and I read that Schneider would be doing the same with their own products for the system.  Mostly, this was for the more impressive Panasonc AG-AF100 but they apply to any camera body that has the micro Four-Thirds mount.  Of course, many people stepping up from point-and-shoot models won't be interested in manual focus but just want to capture videos of their child or pet.  The lenses are also priced so that only the most interested will be willing to pay.

Panasonic introduced some power zoom lenses, similar to what you might have used on a point-and-shoot digital or Olympus' IS-series of integrated 135 format cameras way back when.  They provide home movie convenience with some good optical quality.  Notice that I'm not saying great optical quality.  Panasonic and Olympus have gone on record as saying that micro Four-Thirds products should stay small.  They don't want to scare away users the way they did with Four-Thirds.  Keeping things small and light means limiting optical quality.  I'd like a better compromise, but I'm not the target audience for their products.

The GH3 has been rumored to have better dynamic range and light sensitivity.  Considering the GF5, it will likely have a revised processing engine, as well.  What surprised me was that a rumor suggested a slightly lower pixel count.  16.x MP isn't exactly high or low, but I can only imagine that they're willing to sacrifice pixels in order to increase dynamic range and to reduce effective noise.  It may end up that there will be a higher pixel count and the newer sensor will use better techniques and op-amps to reduce the noise.  I'd think that they will increase the sensor output speed to increase auto focus speed and performance during sports photography. (In reality, the continuous auto focus is some interesting predictive auto focus and it predicts that I don't want to focus in the right places, but only sometime.)

Given that I've seen a number of professionals hanging 2 or 3 SLRs around their neck, wouldn't they be happier with 2 or 3 GH3s around their neck, if it meets all the criteria, including better lenses?

I can see the point where Olympus and Panasonic are going to realize that their current lenses aren't a match for the sensor quality and they'll have to design new lenses similar to Olympus' SHG line or say that they don't care, that it's someone else's market.  (It's sad that the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 lens just isn't a substitute for the Olympus ZD 35-100 f/2.0.  Besides the image quality, I find it too small.)

It's an interesting time for digital photography, and given the complexity of a reflex camera, it's a wonder that mirror-less cameras haven't been popular until now.  I'm interested, but only just.

Update: Panasonic has apparently scheduled a meeting partway through July.  There seem to be reductions and/or discounts in certain equipment at the moment, as if they're at end of life.  There have been a number of suggestions that several lenses are going back for a makeover.  I'd think they were going to add their Power O.I.S. and weatherproofing, but they may also try to reduce size or correct their sometimes too high chromatic aberration to work better with Olympus bodies.

It's not a total surprise but the G5 has been introduced without the GH3.  Since the G5 is using the possibly same 16 MP sensor from the G3, I wonder if it's really likely that they'll not change the GH3 sensor either.  In a way, it's good for them to get a handle on image quality at a certain resolution, especially since they're fighting larger sensors for stills.  How patient can we be?

Update 2012.12.22: People have been receiving their GH3 bodies somewhat slowly.  It seems as good as anyone could hope.  There were a number of complaints about the size, but it's smaller than Olympus' E-1, which started Four-Thirds.  I'm finding the E-1 a bit small for the Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-35mm and 35-100mm lenses, which makes sense why the E-3 and E-5 were larger.  I'm really not certain about using the GH3 with an adapter.  Sources say that a upscale Olympus body is coming toward the end of 2013, and there has already been an Olympus patent showing an adapter with phase detection auto focus.  For me, an OM-D sized body won't do it.  The OM-1N I had was slippery with the 75-150 f/4.0, so imagine a body that size with a lens much, much heavier and bigger.  On the other hand, my E-5 and 35-100mm and FL-50 slid off a plastic seat onto the pool deck and kept working, so maybe it won't matter.

Update 2013.02.26: I received my own GH3 and it's been interesting--better than expected in many ways, but still not great for photography although good.  I still find the Olympus E-5 to be a bit better, and much more predictable.  The Olympus MMF-3 adapter is quite helpful in getting the SHG and HG lenses attached to the GH3 for higher image quality.