jonpais

Max Yuryev's complete review of the Olympus OMD E-M1 Mark II. Some of his conclusions: much lower bit rates than advertised, unreliable AWB, no real flat profile, no center weighted or spot metering in video mode, dynamic range limited, worse low light performance than the G85, can't trust the AF-C, audio preamps the worst he's ever heard.

Yes, I'd pretty much given up on adapted lenses myself, I much prefer having a smaller, lighter kit. My back was about to give out this morning. But I thought since so many are considering pairing the Sigma 18-35mm with the GH5 that there might be some interest in seeing how it performs on the G85, which is why I'm making another video.

I think having that big, beautiful EVF and LCD screen with such high resolution will help a lot with manual focusing.

The camera doesn't hold still long enough in your wonderful video to really tell. That brings up another point - that when the camera is moving around a lot, you're throwing away the 4K resolution. I'm a little surprised you weren't impressed with the Sigma as much as you expected, since I'm not easily impressed with much myself (those words should be engraved on my tombstone!), but the Sigma fairly blew me away. @Fredrik Lyhne Why is it that the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 became an overnight success with filmmakers all over the world if not for its wide aperture and high resolution?

You make some good points, and I really should eat more fruits and vegetables. While I don't often shoot wide open, many of the clips in my field tests have been shot between f/2-f/3.5, which would have required raising the ISO on a slower lens, which, true enough, wouldn't be the end of the world. I haven't done a direct comparison between the Fuji 90mm and the Olympus 75mm, but I think that would be a very close race, they're both exceptionally sharp. You just gave me an idea for another video there.

Yeah, even though this is the 25mm, all the videos I've seen with the Voigtlanders look fine, so I've got no idea what I was doing wrong.

Hi Fritz, I only took the Nokton out a few times, it's been a while now, so I don't recall which apertures I was using, but it wasn't wide open. I really don't even recall if I was using a tripod or not - I believe I used it on the Zhiyun Crane and on a slider. Really frustrating, it's the only lens I've ever used where I just couldn't get a sharp picture. Crazy, because I know the lens is great, I've seen plenty of sharp looking videos online. After I finish making a field test of the Sigma 18-35mm, I've got two more lenses left, the Nokton and the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. So maybe in a couple weeks, I'll have another go at it.

All's good. One less item I've got to buy.

Oh! Misunderstood then.

This has already been posted in the Zhiyun Crane thread. Unfortunately, my experience with the Nebula 4000, which has remained in my closet for a couple years now, has forever tainted my feelings towards Nebula. It remains to be seen whether it is actually self-balancing, I believe others are skeptical as well. After all, why wouldn't Nebula have made this ability a headline feature rather than burying it halfway down in their promotional literature? The video does not really clearly show us how this works in practice either. If this really was a self-balancing gimbal, you'd think the vide would be titled, The World's First Self-Balancing Single Handed Gimbal! Actually, I don't believe it's self-balancing at all, it's just got more powerful motors. Not only that, but Zhiyun is supposed to be releasing a new model very shortly that also has a higher payload capacity as well, and they are very responsive to customers, whereas I'm not so sure about Nebula. So if the only party trick is that the Nebula's got more powerful motors that make perfect balance less critical, the Zhiyun should be able to do the same.

Continuing the field tests of all my lenses, the next in line is the venerable Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 with the Lumix G85. I was suffering from back pain when i woke up this morning, still am, so the last thing I wanted to do was carry around that honking piece of glass, but I did anyway, though I didn't end up shooting much. Looking at the few clips on my Mac when I got home, I was reminded of just what at incredible instrument the Sigma is - tack sharp even wide open, beautiful color rendition. So yeah, I do think shooting APS-C and full frame glass on m43 is a pain in the butt, but light gathering ability, bokeh balls and the super 35 look aside, if you're after the ultimate in resolution, good focal reducers with quality glass might be a better choice than many native m43 lenses. I should add that I'm just going by what I've seen from my Sigma lenses with the MB SB XL: Lens Rentals .com has already published several articles showing that focal reducers can actually degrade image quality. And although every single reviewer who's tested the slow PanLeica 12-60mm f/4 kit lens with the GH5 is praising it to the heavens, I will eat my vegetables every day if it holds a candle to the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8. Lastly, as far as build quality goes, the Sigma is all plastic and rubber, while the two Vario zooms I own are mostly metal - yet the Sigma feels solid, the focus and zoom rings are heavily dampened, while the Panasonic Vario lenses feel like Fisher Price toys made in China. Of course, I expect the Leica designed kit zooms to have far better build quality.

As promised, a field test of the Oly 25mm f/1.2 shot on the Lumix G85 and the Fuji 90mm f/2 shot on the Fuji X-T2. At $1,200.00 USD, not sure if I'd trade in my Leica 25mm just yet if you've got one, the Oly is sharp, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN. It does offer a nice manual focus clutch system though, which I wish was incorporated in all my AF lenses. The Fuji lenses are getting kind of boring to test, since they're all outstanding, and the 90mm f/2 is no exception to the rule. Looking at the files from the X-T2, the images are so crisp and detailed, I only wish it had IBIS so I didn't have to use a tripod or monopod for support. Like just about all of Fuji's lenses, the 90mm f/2 has an aperture ring and is all-metal. Aside from Voigtlander, I don't believe there's another manufacturer east of Germany that produces such solidly built lenses. One thing to know if you're in the market for the 90mm is that the lens will make clunking sounds when moved unless attached to the body and in record mode. I'm given to understand that is because of electromagnets that only become active when actuating recording. Music by Eric Matyas www.soundimage.org

Never in my life have I seen such awful warp stabilized footage.

Actually, I haven't got any Panasonic primes! As of next week, my m43 lenses will consist of the Leica 12mm f/1.4, Voigtlander 17.5mm f/0.95, Oly 25mm f/1.2, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 and Oly 75mm f/1.8. I've got two Panasonic zooms, the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8, both of which have been sitting unused and which I'd like to sell, but it will be difficult to find a buyer in Vietnam, since practically nobody shoots m43 here. I find the Nokton virtually impossible to focus, I was going to let that one go too, but perhaps it will be easier once I get the GH5, since it's got a much better EVF and LCD. As for focusing, I find the peaking on my G85 pretty inferior to that of the X-T2, which is why I've assigned Monochrome Live View to one of the function buttons. Up until recently, my white balance had been all over the place, so i wouldn't even know what difference if any my lenses were making color-wise. All I can say is, I really like the colors I'm getting from the two Olympus lenses I've got. I'm busy editing a field test of the Fuji 90mm f/2 and the Olympus 25mm f/1.2 at the moment. The Olympus, which cost some $1,200.00 USD, is sharp, but not blisteringly sharp like my Sigma 30mm, which only cost around $300.

I put an order in for some LED lighting for video, my very first. I'll be getting Chinese versions of some popular Fotodiox models for vlogging, short films and possibly some pinups. A while back, Dave Dugdale did a review of these lights and said they were virtually identical to Fotodiox, except for the price. I'd wanted to get Aputure lighting, but they're not available here, and they cost a small fortune anyway.

Thanks, Fredrik. I should have the lens in my hot little hands early next week. There are a lot of variables, such as the light from the windows, the difference in depth of field and so on, but the 12mm looks sharper to my eyes, especially when glancing at the mat and the lines of the black cabinets or wall on the right.

Shoot in the early morning or late evening?

@Eric Matyas Hi Eric, I'm currently editing a video I hope to post this weekend and I'm using one of your non-looping tracks. The clip is 3 minutes long, the music, 1-1/2 minutes. How do I use it? I've just been overlapping tracks to make them longer in the past, but is there a better way? Also, can you tell me how you use looping tracks? Do you just lay them end-to-end? Sorry, really stupid when it comes to this. I'm using FCP X. Thanks!

Yeah Phil, we're requiring approval now.

Why are you preaching the benefits of h265 to me? Tell it to Sony or whoever - I'm already pretty familiar with h265. And why don't you stop twisting my words around Mark? You are pretty slippery, with each new post you say you didn't mean what you said in the previous post. You did say, and I don't need to quote you again, that it was a case of corporate greed. Nothing at all to do with me, whether I want h265 or not. Nothing to do with whether h265 is better or not. You made an unsupported allegation against Panasonic, and I showed you were wrong, and now another barrage of your fantasy world. This may shock you, so please sit down first, but you don't speak for all filmmakers. You may want h265, but don't presume everyone does, not right at the moment anyway. Same as USB-C and Apple, whom you also seem to hold a grudge against. Why don't you just watch and listen to the interview with Sean Robinson and take it up with Pansonic? It's obvious you are targeting Panasonic, you let Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax and Fuji off the hook. How do you know none of them are prepared to implement h265? Are you an engineer for Sony? Anyhow, done talking with you.

Oops! Guess you're right! ?

I never said I was against choice. Where did you read that? I would be more than happy to be able to choose between h264 and h265. What I object to is baseless accusations, name-calling that has no basis in fact. You say your point is not to hypothesize on the reason, but you already have by calling Panasonic greedy. I've already given my reasons why it can't be greed: first, because Panasonic has equipped the GH5 with more features than any of the competition, which is the quite the opposite of greedy behavior; secondly, because it appears Panasonic has already paid the licensing fees for h265. Why anybody would be looking for an answer to your question on this website is beyond me: If you bothered to watch the video interview with Sean Robinson, he explains at length why Panasonic hasn't implemented h265 for video. And while I would like the option of having h265, I don't think you can speak for everyone when you say, 'we as shooters want it', anymore than I can say, 'we as shooters want 8K'. You want it, I can go on shooting without it. Incidentally, I use a Mac for editing, and h265 would be very inconvenient for me. Are you going to tell me to purchase another computer? Edit: Mark, what's your beef against Panasonic, anyway? Why do you keep harping on Panasonic, when you should be asking why none of the major players is offering h265 (Sony, Canon, Fuji, Olympus...)

Nobody replied, so I've already mashed the two together. If it turns out to look like hell, I'll do individual videos. Almost 2 hours of footage I've got to trim down to around 2-1/2 minutes, probably gonna take a few days. Believe it or not, it was this video that convinced me I had to own the Leica. I've been trying to find suitable fast primes to replace my two Panasonic Vario zooms, the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8. This should just about round out the set: 12mm f/1.4 Leica, 25mm f/1.2 Oly, 30mm f/1.4 Sigma, 42.5mm 1.2 Leica, and 75mm 1.8 Oly. Your shots with the 15mm look phenomenal, BTW.

I'm not trying to put you on the spot here Mark, but do you even know how much camera manufacturers must pay in royalties for h.265? Because if the cost of entry is small, call it what you will, but it can't be greed; if the fees are astronomical, it's not greed but prudence: especially as having h.265 on a phone requires no effort on the consumer's part, whereas editing h.265 can be a hassle for those who don't have the latest and greatest computers. In any case, since Panasonic is already implementing h.265 for 6K Photo, I'm guessing that it's the latter.

Ordered the Panasonic Leica 12mm f/1.4, should arrive sometime next week. Hopefully posting a quick and dirty video by next Friday.