Tamron 70-300/4-5.6 VC VS Olympus 40-150/4-5.6R

Zoom comparison today!
These are roughly equivalent field of views, given that the Olympus is a little bit tighter at the widest end with 40mm being roughly an 80mm FOV to start.

I picked these lenses because I think that when people decide to buy lenses like these, they are looking more at the equivalence in field of view, not the actual focal lengths.  Yes, there are going to be differences in depth of field and compression, but they are very similar in reach and how you will be able to compose with them.

While these might not be award winning images, they are more than enough to give you the idea of the sharpness and real world usage of these lenses.

The kit used:

Olympus OM-D E-M5
Olympus 40-150/4-5.6R bought used at $100

Nikon Df
Tamron 70-300/4-5.6 VC bought new $350

I went out to my local park and walked around and just started shooting.  Exposure wise, the Nikon and Olympus were pretty much dead on for every shot.

In the wider focal lengths, the IQ from the 2 lenses were pretty close, with only a slight end going to the Nikon/Tamron combination.

Where there is a larger disparity is when you get to the 300mm FOV.  The Olympus really started losing some clarity and sharpness once we got out beyond the 100mm focal length setting on the lens.  That is when we are pixel peeping at 100%.  How this equates into real world is a different matter as you'll see from some head to head examples.

Nikon Df/Tamron Image

Olympus OMD EM5/Oly Lens Combo

 I almost never show images without putting my post processing stamp on them.  Once that is done, the gap between the 2 kits are narrowed.

I will say this, though....possibly in defense of the Olympus optic...I think the lightness of the kit is a bit of a detriment for shooting these longer lenses.  Without the weight for resistance, I think that I am having some issues adjusting to shooting this lens hand held out beyond the 100mm focal length.  Even with the IBIS, I am going to need more time to get used to shooting this lens at the long end.  I'm also wondering if the added weight of the HDL-6 Olympus grip might help add just that little bit of extra weight to give it a better feedback.

The Tamron was not without its issues either, at least in reference to my usage of it.  There were some test shots that the shutter speed was 1/1250 at 300mm at I forgot to turn the VC off.  There was some visible blurring of the fine details because the VC got confused.  For those unfamiliar, if you leave the VC on and put the camera on a tripod, the VC can actually introduce blurring because it compensates for camera movement when there is none.  I believe this same phenomenon occurred here.

So, just know that I am not claiming this test to be scientific....it is definitely more real world usage.

On the IBIS/VC note - they both worked very well and when needed, kicked in and worked great.

Olympus on the left, Nikon/Tamron on the right.

At the end of the day, and for the price, the 40-150 optic is very good.  It is also noticeably smaller than the Tamron/Nikon equivalent lenses in the range.  Using the same Maxpedition "Mongo" shoulder bag, I can fit the Nikon Df with the Nikon 24-85 zoom attached and the Tamron 70-300mm and that pretty much takes up the main compartment.  With the Olympus kit, I can fit the EM5, and all 4 of the Olympus lenses(17/1.8,45/1.8, 12-50,40-150) I own in the bag and still have room left over.  So, take that for what you will...all of you who are looking for a smaller kit.

Nikon on the left/Olympus on the right

When you look at a lot of the head to head shots, after the post processing is complete - only but the most picky of pixel peepers are going to be able to know/tell which lens/camera was used for these shots.

Sensor Cleaning - I don't know why I resisted!!

For those who own interchangeable lens digital cameras, the time eventually comes when you notice too many "dust bunnies" or other various specs of dust, lint or "string" on your images at smaller apertures than can be fixed by a clone or healing tool in Photoshop.

I, like many, used to fear cleaning my own sensor.  I'd paid to have others do it.  Who wants to bungle up their thousand dollar camera just trying to clean it.  Let the professionals do it, right?

Well, that all changed for me when I noticed that my Nikon D300 was showing signs of needing a sensor cleaning.  The camera was running fine otherwise, not ready for a CLA(clean, lube, adjust) that is is done from time to time.  Watching some videos on KelbyOne a few weeks ago, I ran across RC Conception doing a segment on the Visible Dust and Copper Hill Images sensor cleaning kits.  He compared the 2 kits, but the video was about the proper way of cleaning the mirror chamber as well as the sensor itself.

After watching and pondering, doing some more research on both systems - reading reviews from others on each as well as reading information on the 2 companies websites, I settled on getting a Copper Hill Images system.

You can buy individual pieces of the system or there are a series of kits on the website.  They have an all inclusive kit, which I passed on because there were some pieces that I just did not think I needed.  Instead, I got 2 smaller kits, a wet clean kit and a dry clean kit.

Whenever buying a cleaning solution, keep in mind the sensor size you are working with.  Some items are size specific.  The D300 requires a 14mm size swab set, so I got those first.  The Copper Hill Images site has a page that will let you know what sizes you'll need based on the camera you have.

Before beginning to clean your camera sensor, make sure to read the included instructions and go to the Copper Hill Images website and review the information there as well.  There are a lot of important points that you'll want to know before starting.

The wet kit came with a bottle of Eclipse, which is the cleaning solution.  a 14mm swab, a package of full size pec-pads as well as a package of pre-cut pads and stickers to fasten the swab.  The pads are special made material to prevent sensor damage from scratching.  If you have never cleaned your sensor yourself or ever before, the wet cleaning is a good place to start.

The dry kit includes a specially made bristle brush, a Giottos Rocket Blower, and some vellum paper.  The rocket blower can be used to blow dust directly off the sensor as well as charge the bristle brush.  Charging the brush will help draw dust and debris to the bristles.  The vellum paper is also used to charge the brush bristles.

What I did to clean the D300.

First, I wanted to know just how bad the sensor dust was.   I pointed the camera to a clean wall, put on my 50mm f/1.8D lens, set the aperture to f/22.  The image revealed the extent of the dust on the sensor.

Before getting to the sensor, we need to clean the mirror and exposed chamber.  I removed the lens and used the rocket blower to get the lint and dust from the mirror.  I held the camera with the opening pointing down, so that the dust that is moved by the blower would fall down and out of the camera.  I replaced the lens to not allow any dust in the air to get back onto the mirror.

Now it is time to move to the sensor.  In the D300, there is a menu option to lock up the mirror for cleaning.  I followed the instructions for locking up the mirror, then removed the lens.  Now, looking into the camera, you can see the sensor.  I placed the lens back onto the camera until I got the wet swab ready.

Follow the instructions in the kit for attaching a pad to the swab.  The swab, when bought new comes with a pad already attached to the swab.

The Eclipse solution comes out of the bottle very fast and you do not need to squeeze the bottle at all.  I put one drop of solution on one side of the swab, and one drop on the other side.  Wait 20-30 seconds to allow the solution to wick into the pad and distribute evenly.

Now, is the moment of truth.  Be careful to not touch anything but the sensor with the swab.  The side walls of the sensor housing may have lubricants/oils on it and you don't want that on your sensor.  It is difficult to clean off.
In one motion, swipe the sensor from one side to the other, then drop down and swipe back.(A more detailed set of instructions with pictures come with your kit.  It will make more sense to you.)

Remember to only use one side for one swipe.  Don't reswipe with the same side of the swab.  If you do, it will deposit the dirt you just removed to a different place on the sensor.

If you have some stubborn spots, you may need to repeat this swabbing process - but always remember to use a clean swab every time.  NEVER REUSE A DIRTY SWAB.

A wet cleaning was all I needed to do to get 90% of the dust off the sensor.  I took another test shot, and I saw just a few small bits at the bottom left of the image.  I locked up the mirror again and used the rocket blower.  I finally got a clean image from the sensor.  All dust and debris GONE!!

The dry kit is used in a similar way, except, no cleaning fluid is required.  You simply apply a static charge to the bristle brush using the rocket blower and/or the vellum paper, then swipe the sensor with the same motion s you would the swab.  The brush is specifically sized as to be the exact size of the sensor, so swiping in one direction covers the whole area.

Cleaning your sensors should not be intimidating, and after doing it once, I cannot believe I have not done it myself sooner.  I'll be sure to get the appropriate kit for my full frame cameras as well.  So long as you don't muscle the process and follow the instructions, you should have no problems at all.  Plus, with just 2 cleanings, the cleaning systems will pay for themselves when you compare the price of a "professional" cleaning.  Plus, there is no risk of shipping the camera somewhere or losing time with the gear as this literally takes minutes to complete.

Fuji X100s, Fuji X-T1, Olympus OM-D EM-5, Olympus OM-D EM-5 – My Comparison

Olympus OMD EM5
Image © Olympus

Fujifilm X-T1
Image © Fujifilm

Fujifilm X100s
Image © Fujifilm

From a previous post, you’ve heard that we sold off all out Fuji X cameras and got the Nikon Df.  We are happy to report that we are still very much pleased with the Nikon Df and use it whenever we can.

The Df is my daily carry camera – it is with me 95% of the time.  So what about the other 5%.   Those are usually those times when having  the Df is not practical.  I’ve been wanting/lusting after what the Fuji X100s has to offer.  I’ve only passingly handled the X100 and thought with all the improvements the X100s had to offer, it would be that much better.

Walking into my favorite camera store this recently, I had every intention of leaving with the X100s.  However, my friends there gave me the opportunity to use and handle the following cameras:

Fuji X100s, Fuji X-T1, Olympus OM-D-EM-5 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1.  I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about all these cameras and I could not pass up the opportunity to work with them all head to head.

I do not have sample images from all of the cameras, as this report is not as much about image quality as it is handling and performance speed. 
If we are honest, I think we know that the Fuji will have the IQ edge, especially in the realm of the hi ISO.  We will concede to that right now.

One of my main issues with the Fuji system has always been the speed at which the camera performs.  This includes powering up, waking from sleep, accessing menu items and AF speed and acquisition.

Let us have a quick rundown of the positives.

Fuji X100s
Feels great in the hand.
Solid build.
OVF is nice, clear and bright.  EVF is a great alternative to have.
Upgraded MF(compared to the X100) is much better to use.
Great 23mm f/2 lens

Fuji X-T1
Solid build.
Fit my hands like it was custom made for me.
EVF was comprehensive and responded quickly to orientation changes.
The top dials were solid and had a nice click to them. I did not think that I would accidentally knock any of them out of their position by accident.
It seems to be the fastest responsive Fuji X camera to date(accessing menus, powering up, waking from sleep).
Very quick AF in comparison to the other X cameras.
Great prime and zoom lenses.

Olympus OM-D EM5 and EM1
Very quick AF.
Solid build quality.
Good EVF.
Nice feel in the hand.
Great prime lenses.

Now let’s talk about what everyone wants to know – which is, when compared to each other, what do I think?

We need to level set/full disclosure and let you know what the shooting conditions were.
When using an ILC, the kit zooms were used(The ones that claim “world’s fastest AF” in the ads…lol).   For the Fuji, it was the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS…the Olympus used the 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3.
Images were taken/AF performance tested inside the camera shop, which had fluorescent lights.  It was dim, but probably a little brighter than your average indoor environment.

Also, this is not a scientific test.  It is my learned observation and experiences that I am reporting on.

We are going to start with the Fuji cameras since the X100s was what I thought I wanted the most and the X-T1 is what everyone is currently talking about.  The AF speed on the X100s was still about the same as the X100, maybe a little faster.  It did seem a little more sure, but it did have quite a bit of front to back shuffle before locking into focus.  Once it got focus, it was almost always 100% accurate.   Unfortunately, the X-T1 suffered from the same front/back shuffle before locking focus.  Yes, it is very fast – probably the fastest AF I’ve seen in any X camera to date….but Fuji still seems to have a way to go on getting the AF to something great and not just adequate.  I was disappointed in this behavior…which is sad because I so much wanted Fuji to be better than what it was.  On the plus side, it is nice that the X-T1 can track focus in a continuous shooting mode.

One of my biggest handling issues with the Fuji X cameras are AF point selection.  I’ve gotten so used to my DSLRs and the 4 way pad being dedicated to picking the AF point – it was one of the reasons I had for deciding to drop my X-E1.  This still is an issue here for both the X100s and the X-T1.

Both the X100s and X-T1 felt good in the hand, albeit they have different ways of gripping them.  The X-T1 is beefier and felt very natural to hold, especially coming from using a DSLR.

Moving on to the Olympus offerings of the OM-D EM-5 and the OM-D EM1.  I want to begin by saying that I was never a fan of m43 in the past.  I always had a preconceived bias against it because of the smaller sensor size.  That has all changed now that I was able to handle one and see what it is all about.

Yes, we cannot get around physics and there are just some things that a smaller sensor just cannot do.  I’ve noticed that there does not seem to be as large a dynamic range as the Nikon or Fuji cameras I’ve shot in the past.  I will say that I was impressed at just how useable the files were from the Olympus cameras up to ISO 2000.  It starts getting a little rougher around ISO 3200/6400…but if you nail exposure and don’t have a lot of pitch black areas….you can still have a good JPG to work with.

Now… getting to what really impressed me on the EM5/EM1.  The AF performance was almost instantaneous.  I mean…I could not believe what I was seeing here.  Same lighting conditions and with a slower (aperture wise) kit zoom lens, the Olympus nailed focus immediately and without any back/front dance as was seen in the Fuji offerings.  I bounced all over the place grabbing focus at different distances and at different focal lengths.  It did not seem like I could trip up the Olympus AF.  Even with the contrast detect only AF of the Olympus OM-D EM-5 it was direct, to the point and accurate.  I was surprised here…but in a very good way.  I heard people before praising the AF performance, but I did not think it to be this good.

The speed also moves over into the menu usage and boot up times as well.  The menu systems run very quick and smooth.  They are a bit deep, lots of options and they are not in any way similar to what I’m used to with my Nikon or Fuji menus.  Startup from power off to on was very quick.  Not DSLR instant, but way better than the Fuji cameras – not including the X-T1.  Fuji listened and boosted the start up time for the X-T1.  Good job on that.  

At the end of the day, what does all this mean??  It means that I walked out of the camera store with an Olympus OM-D EM-5 and 12-50mm kit.

Image © Olympus

Do I still want a Fuji X100s?  Well, yeah...maybe in the future.  However, by the time I am ready for that - Fuji may very well have a full frame X200 to replace the X100s....at least I'm hoping that is the inevitable direction.

EM5 12-50/3.5-6.3
1/30, f/5.3, ISO 2000

Want more information?  OK…lets talk about it.

When comparing the above systems, the Olympus was the most DSLR like in looks and control.  The only thing that the Fuji X offerings had a resounding lead on over the Olympus was in sensor size and hi ISO image quality.  The Olympus was better in almost every respect beyond that.  And at base ISO - the Olympus m43 sensor is doing just fine.  The image examples on this page should let you see that.

EM5, 12-50/3.5-6.3
1/20, f/6.3, ISO 2000

Add to this, the fast prime lenses for the Olympus system are way smaller, and can be found cheaper never hurts.  I even preferred the EVF of the Olympus over that of the Fuji X-T1.  Yes, the Fuji has more unique features, but I thought the smearing of the Olympus was not as pronounced in the low light shooting conditions as the Fuji.  Honestly, I still prefer an OVF…but those seems to be looking more and more like a feature we will see less of as we progress into the future.
In my mind, and for my way of shooting, if I need extreme low light, super high ISO performance, I’ve got my Nikon Df/D700 to choose from.  The Olympus gives me a very responsive performance machine in a smaller package.

EM5, 17/1.8
1/640, f/2.8, ISO 100

I was honestly surprised I walked out of there with an m43 camera.  I’ve shot with it for only a few days, but I am so happy with this cameras performance at this point.  I did have a slight moment of regret at first, when I ran through an initial set of images.   For some reason, I was not getting that "pop" or "wow factor" that I expected from the images.  I thought that I was perhaps missing something as this is a new camera system to me.  After a few days of research, I did realize 2 things.  1 - optics on the OM-D matter.  The kit 12-50/3.5-6.3, while convenient and weather sealed is not the sharpest or most contrasty lens.  I noticed an immediate increase in IQ when I put on the 17/1.8 or the 45/1.8 prime lenses.  2 - for some unknown reason, Olympus gives you the OM-D cameras setup as base as possible.  I mean, they have a higher jpg compression on by default and the default noise reduction is a bit much as well.

EM5, 12-50/3.5-6.3
1/80, f/5.6, ISO 1600

Keep an eye out for a future post where I discuss how I setup the OMD EM5 to be optimized for the way I shoot.  There are quite a few steps, but once its done, you never have to do it again.

EM5, 17/1.8
1/60, f/4, ISO 640

And to end this all out - here is a random thought from me about mirrorless and the US market.   This is just my theory and is in no way scientific.
When I look at the mirrorless camera offerings, the majority of them looked a lot like the point and shoot style cameras we have been seeing for years.  I think this hurts their perception because for years "professionals" used DSLRs and they have a certain look to them.
Now that entry level DSLRs are sometimes less expensive than some point and shoots, no one wants to have their "pro" camera mistaken for a point and shoot...thus the mirrorless cameras don't get the marketing credibility that the DSLR still has here.

EM5, 17/1.8
1/1250, f/4, ISO 100

I think Olympus saw this and when they went from the PEN design to the OM-D design, they will get a lot more of the casual users accepting it a "pro" level body because of the design.  I think Fuji has understood this too and thus the look of the X-T1 will make it a more attractive option.
Once the everyday folk understand that the mirrorless camera can come in many shapes and sizes, they will be more widely adopted.  Again...just a theory, and a fraction of the reason that mirrorless is having a rough go of it here in the states.

Diana f+ Camera Has Just Arrived

After several weeks of waiting, I've finally received my Diana f+ Instant Camera.

The kit I received came with the Diana f+ camera, the Instax Mini back(adapter lens), the 120 film back(120 take up spool and spool adapter,masks for endless panorama and 12 shot), Diana Flash, flash adapters, flash gels, and manuals and close up adapter.

My first impression is that despite the camera being made of plastic, it appears to be pretty well made.  All the backs and adapters fit together well and all the buttons function as they should.  The controls are pretty straight forward.

Getting the kit seemed like the best deal.  I really wanted the instant back to potentially use with some other film cameras I have.  My thought was that if the plan didn't work out, I could still use the Diana camera with the Instax Mini film.

Instead of having numeric representations of shutter speed and aperture, the Diana camera has letters and symbols.  Below I will list the generally accepted values for the settings on the camera(culled from various sources around the internet and my own experience with the camera):

Shutter Speed
"N" = 1/60th
"B" = bulb - as on any camera with this setting, the shutter stays open as long as the shutter release is held down.  The Diana comes with a small plastic piece that can be placed into the shutter slot to keep it down during particularly long exposures.  The way I use this, is that I setup the camera in the position and aperture setting I want to use.  I leave the lens cap on, set the shutter into the down position and then remove the lens cap.  Wait for the desired time, then replace the lens cap.

Aperture
Pinhole = f/150
Sunny = f/22
Party Cloudy = f/16
Cloudy = f/11

Film
Any 120 film will work with the 120 back installed.  If using a meter to determine exposure, do so as normal.
The instant back uses the Fuji Instax Mini film.  This film is rated at ISO 800.  When the adapter lens is fitted to the camera body, behind the lens, it drops the exposure by 1 EV, so treat the film as ISO 400 when taking into account exposure readings.

My one issue with the Diana Instant Back is that it uses the not common CR2 batteries. It would be great if the camera allowed for use of AA or AAA batteries(alkalines or rechargeables).  The CR2 are expensive purchased locally, so I recommend getting them from an online retailer.  I've found them online in various places for half of what it would cost me in a brick and mortar store.

Exposure
This is an all manual camera, so I used my light metering app on my Moto X to verify the what the instructions for the camera said to some hard values.  It was pretty spot on.

Parting Thoughts
Really - this is a fun camera to shoot.  I still have a lot more time I want to spend with it, but I can see me using this more and more.  Once I get the hang of it, I'll try and adapt the Instax back to other analog cameras I own to see if we can make it work with them as well.