Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Actually, I did have an opportunity on a excellent condition GF1 for less than $600, but passed once I saw the comparison results on the higher ISOs between it and the E-P2. I much prefer the look of the Olympus higher ISO as its a more uniform, film-like grain where noise is concerned, and that type of grain cleans up nicely in LR3.

After watching the show "Hoarders: Buried Alive", I've realized that I have more gear than I use on a regular basis ... rushing to buy a body now because of this thread would feeding my camera hoarding/addiction, LOL.

I wonder how many of us on here are addicted to the gear? We should start a thread about it. I really think I do have an addiction to this stuff, just my need to eat and support my daughter cut into my camera spending, LOL.

I hear ya! I too, am a gear head. In addition, I'm also a bag-a-holic. I have more than a dozen camera bags In fact, I got into paid photography so that I could feel better about spending $$s on gear, lol.

Here you go. I won't bother trying to out-do Doug on his review, since that would be pointless, but I have a couple of things for you.

Downsized OOC .JPG


The field of view, based on what's in shot

Oh dear, what to do, what to do.

The EP2 is only about $100 more expensive at Henry's compared to B&H. So I most likely will buy it here. I just love the 9-18 lens. There is no way I can justify buying the 7-14 so this might be a good compromise. I'll be in NY in May so maybe I'll buy the regular 9-18 lens there for my E-510 there (with an adapter for the Pen). So I guess if I do this, I should get the 14-42 with the Pen.

Whaddya think?

It's nice to have a zoom and the 14-42 makes for a fairly portable combination, but the 17mm gives a set-up that will fit in a coat pocket.

Right now I'm fighting the urge to plunk down a deposit on the u4/3 9-18.

Thx Rob! There appears to be barrel distortion. However, hard to say, as you tilted the lens upwards lightly, for a classical skewed perspective. I have used the 7-14 from the same spot with no visible barrel distortion. Cheers.

I was sitting on the bench at the time. You may want to re-shoot in order to verify your perspective.

Thx! Will do next time I'm there (I was standing up when I took my test shot).

I keep putting my E-P1 up to my eye because it feels like it should have a VF. And all i get is smudges on my screen from my nose.

If I wanted to get a legacy lens adapter with an eye towards eventually using any of said lenses acquired on a proper film rangefinder body, would an M-mount adapter make the most sense? The voigtlander Bessas would seem to be the most sensibly-priced RF bodies out there right now.

Yep, an M mount adapter would be the way to go, in order to use Leica M & Voigtlander Bessa bodies. Just keep in mind that these lenses have longer MFDs than regular DSLR lenses. Cheers.

I've seen this a few times with Olympus posts, what is OOC

Out Of Camera ...

Looks like a firmware update is coming down the pipe for the GF1 - May 10th.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1004/10042 ... rmware.asp

I just updated my E-P2 to the new f/w (1.1). AF is noticeably faster now!

Also, very cool to be able to access the menu via EVF.

Was just to remind people it's Oly's Firmware day!

Picked up a used Pany 45-200 - very nice.

Congrats! From Alex?

Yup. You know him? Nice guy.

Yep, he's on RFD. I was gunning for the lens too, but you beat me to it, Ha ha.

So was I!

I found him on CL - http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/yrk/pho/1701929892.html

Looks like the Oly 14-42 isn't as good as the Panasonic 14-45 when it comes to AF speed:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1004/10042 ... rmware.asp

Now if only Panny would update their firmware to speed up AF...
Or better yet, improve their high ISO output...
or allow to set minimum shutter speed in various modes...

As you guys should be aware by now I am a newbie to digital photography and love to ask stupid questions.

What is the fascination with these small bodies when you put a huge honking lens on it? Wouldn't you have been better off with a DSLR?

What is it that I am not understanding?

You don't have to put the huge lenses on them, and usually, you don't. It's just funny to do so on occasion (the Oly 35-100/2 looks funny on my G1).

I'm tempted to get the GF1 and the pancake as my P&S cam for my next vacation trip. All this talk is making me itchy to get one sooner. lol

It's a guy thing. Don't even try to rationalize or understand it. 'nuff said.

A few notes on m43 from somebody who's been shooting m43 for over a year now (I think I may have been the first G1 shooter in the TPMG).

Despite what some have claimed elsewhere, Image Quality is every bit as good as APS-C DSLR's at low and middle ISO's, High ISO quality lags, but that's true for all 4/3rds stuff and while the best APS-C DSLR's have up to a 2 stop advantage, that doesn't make the m43 cameras bad, they're quite decent up to ISO 1600 and 3200 is definitely usable with NR.

You get full function from Panasonic and Olympus m43 lenses on each others cameras, but some control over IS modes is lost on the Oly's since they're designed around Body IS.

The must-have lens is the Panny 20/1.7. It's stellar, especially in comparison to the m.Zuiko 17/2.8. The 20 is sharper wide open than the 17 ever gets (and the 17 is a pretty good little lens). Sadly, I've got only the 17.

The best overall body right now is the E-P2, it's EVF in particular is a bit better than the G1/GH1 EVF (same resolution, a little sharper due to a slightly lower magnification). The G1 remains the best choice of the DSLR-style bodies, but the G2 looks to be a nice replacement when it ships next month.

Get the Panasonic DMW-MA1 adapter rather than the Oly version if you want to use regular 4/3rds lenses. They're identical other than finish and the Panasonic adapter is noticeably cheaper. Note that if you want to adapt SLR lenses, a MA1 adapter and a collection of cheap eBay 4/3rds adapters is the most economic option, I'd avoid the direct-to-m43 adapters unless its for a mount that cannot be adapted to 4/3rds like FD or M mount.

The 4/3rds mount Zuiko Digital 40-150 f4-5.6 makes a great compact telephoto and can be had for next to nothing (payed $130 for mine, open box). It has Imager AF support so it AF's on the Panasonics, but is no speed demon.

If you want a 2 lens kit and can deal with an 0.7m MFD and manual focus, the Voigtlander Nokton 40/1.4 is cheap and excellent. M mount adapters are easily available from Voigtlander or Panasonic. Rangefinder lenses in general are a great combination with m43 cameras, but MFD is generally poor and they're manual focus only. Still they're the best options for adaptation since unlike SLR lenses they don't need a large adapter.

I am an old fart with a large collection of good quality pre auto focus legacy glass. The M4/3 camera have vary narrow bodies, leaving a lot of room for an adapter (and still maintain infinity focus) so I can use all my old lens. In addition the old glass is very fast compared to the new stuff. My 50mm 1.4 becomes an effective 100mm 1.4 on a m4/3 camera. With relatively good high ISO quality it becomes a real sweet night shot street camera.
For a small investment (E-PL1) I can push into large investment DSLR territory with the legacy glass.

I should note my usual carry kit with the G1 is the m.Zuiko 17/2.8 and either the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35/2.5 or the Nikkor-S.C 5cm f1.4 LTM (the latter being an old Nikon Leica-mount lens). I'll sometimes carry the 14-54 II and 40-150 for a 2 zoom kit, I rarely use the Panasonic 14-45 OIS.