Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/12/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Having given up all of my Leica equipment to a non-photographer ex-wife, I am taking the majority of photos using my E-M5 with the Panny 20 mm or Zuiko 45 mm now. Not surprisingly, I was doing better with the M8 and 35/1.4 at 640 than I have been with the E-M5 at 400. A part of the difference comes not from the technical attributes of the cameras and lenses, but I have always found Leicas to be "engaging." I probably squeeze the shutter release with more determination, with my breath held and between the heart beats. With the E-M5, I am only slightly more engaged than I am with the iPhone. Also the Leica is a lot steadier in hand, too. Also, I have a feeling that the in-body stabilization is turned off above some shutter speed. If I am not careful, I often get blurry pictures with the E-M5, I've found. Still, the E-M5 is not a bad camera: it's probably capable of producing the finest quality images for the money/size than just about all others cameras in existence, but it just isn't a Leica, period. I am dreaming of the day I can buy a Monochrom and an M, with an APO-Summicron 50mm and a few other drool-worthy lenses... 21/1.4, 28/2.0... Then a 50/1.4 and a APO 90/2.0 again... Sigh. Sent from my iPad On Dec 28, 2012, at 9:13 PM, Ric Carter <ricc at embarqmail.com> wrote: > thanks > > ric > > > On Dec 28, 2012, at 11:55 PM, Peter Klein <pklein at threshinc.com> wrote: > >> The following is unscientific, but probably useful. These pictures were >> shot at the same house, in the same general situation (festive >> occasions), with much the same lighting, some of the same people, and too >> much food. The difference is that the first picture of each pair below >> was taken with a Leica M8 and 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH at ISO 640. The >> second picture of each pair (Christmas Eve this year) was taken with an >> OM-D E-M5 and a Panasonic 20/1.7 at ISO 3200. Each pair was taken at >> roughly the same place, and so has similar lighting unless the bulbs were >> changed to something different in between the pictures. >> >> Both lenses were used somewhere between wide open and closed down one >> stop. Everything was shot RAW and processed with Capture One, using the >> defaults, and making the white balance look reasonably good to my eye, >> but without my trying to go against the basic nature of the camera. >> >> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/friends/erevxmas2011/L1008813.jpg.html> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/xmaseve2012/PC240049-w.jpg.html> >> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/friends/NewYear2011-12/L1009035.jpg.html> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/xmaseve2012/PC240053-w.jpg.html> >> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/friends/erevxmas2011/L1008832.jpg.html> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/xmaseve2012/PC240067-w.jpg.html> >> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/friends/ErevXmas09/L1005913.jpg.html> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/xmaseve2012/PC240069-w.jpg.html> >> >> Feel free to browse the rest of the folders if you want to see more. >> >> Here's what I'm seeing so far: >> >> 1. The M8 with 35mm Summilux is clearly sharper when properly focused. >> But the E-M5 with 20/1.7 is quite usable. Note that the difference in >> sharpness is less when both cameras are set at ISO 800, but it is still >> there, and you can see it even in these Web-sized JPGs. >> 2. Despite the E-M5's wonderful image stabilization, I can get sharper >> shots at ~1/60 with the M8 than I can with the E-M5. >> 3. The M8 is biased towards pink/magenta, the E-M5 towards yellow. (Yes, >> I'm using an IR filter on the M8). >> 4. The E-M5 at 3200 is a bit noisier than the M8 at 640. From other >> sessions not shown here, I see that at 800/640 the E-M5 seems a little >> less noisy than the M8 in the shadows. So 1600 may be the "sweet spot" >> for the E-M5. I'm going to shoot New Year's Eve at ISO 1600 rather than >> 3200, and see how that fares. >> >> --Peter >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information