Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

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Archive 2009 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

lovinglife
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p.1 #1 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

I just saw this link for a 4/3's converter for M lenses:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0904/09042401cosinaadapter.asp

Any opinions here? Seems like a good choice for a compact system, with the potential to use some nice lenses.

May 06, 2009 at 11:08 PM

cdgerston
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p.1 #2 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

I haven't used this combination yet myself... but I've been curious as well and I've been reading user reports and reviews at various sites. Here's a few places to look:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/m-43.shtml?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=205
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/digital-forum/77719-reidreviews-com-g1.html
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4559
These sites above actually have several new and old threads going about the G1... use the search functions there.
In addition to these opinions, you could check out Sean Reid's website, reidreviews.com If you're not already familiar with his site, he does great reviews of a variety of stuff, but primarily rangefinder cameras and lenses, and he did a very detailed review of the G1 with m-mount lenses. His is a subscription site so I can't link the article. But his conclusions are that G1 is not a great camera for m-mount lenses, primarily because the sensor and the lenses just don't match each other very well, especially wider lenses. I'm simplifying an otherwise very informative article by a very good reviewer and writer, so if you haven't already got a subscription to reidreviews, and you're interested in rangefinder photography, treat yourself to a subscription. http://www.reidreviews.com/reidreviews/

The reviews overall appear mixed: some are happy with the G1 and RF lenses, some not so much.

At any rate, from the reading I've been doing, I think I'll wait for a while and see where Panasonic and Olympus are going with this technology before making the leap. If one of them makes a camera with a sensor that works well with m-mount lenses, I may just get one.

May 06, 2009 at 11:33 PM

lovinglife
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p.1 #3 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

Thanks for the links! I will take a look.
I would imagine manual focus could also be a pain with the small sensor size..
The thing that intrigues me is the compact size, which I'm interested in..

May 06, 2009 at 11:59 PM

mawz
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p.1 #4 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

Note the M adapters are for m43 cameras, not 4/3rds, 4/3rds register is far too long for M lenses. Manual focus is very easy with the G1 EVF, easier than any sub-35mm SLR finder and arguably easier than most 35mm format finders.

I'm currently shooting with the G1 and a mix of native, 4/3rds (via MA1 Adapter) and Contax/Nikon/M42 mount SLR lenses.

The general thing with the G1 and adapted lenses is that it's great with 35mm-100mm lenses, wider than 35mm may have issues and longer than 100mm tends to show lag issues in the EVF unless you're on a tripod.

May 07, 2009 at 12:28 AM

lovinglife
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p.1 #5 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

mawz wrote:
Note the M adapters are for m43 cameras, not 4/3rds, 4/3rds register is far too long for M lenses. Manual focus is very easy with the G1 EVF, easier than any sub-35mm SLR finder and arguably easier than most 35mm format finders.

I'm currently shooting with the G1 and a mix of native, 4/3rds (via MA1 Adapter) and Contax/Nikon/M42 mount SLR lenses.

The general thing with the G1 and adapted lenses is that it's great with 35mm-100mm lenses, wider than 35mm may have issues and longer than 100mm tends to show lag issues in the EVF unless you're on a tripod.

Just curious -- how is it easier to focus a G1 than a full frame camera?
also, does the G1 give focus confirmation beep?

Thanks!

May 07, 2009 at 04:55 AM

olyacme
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p.1 #6 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

epuja wrote:
Just curious -- how is it easier to focus a G1 than a full frame camera?
also, does the G1 give focus confirmation beep?

The G1 has a full frame 4/3" sensor. However, it's a µFT camera which means no reflex - unlike the conventional SLR FT models. ie, you focus with the main sensor as projected in a (high quality) electronic viewfinder. For MF lenses, this is as good as it gets.

May 07, 2009 at 05:03 AM

Jonas B
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p.1 #7 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

epuja wrote:
Just curious -- how is it easier to focus a G1 than a full frame camera?
also, does the G1 give focus confirmation beep?

For situations when you are not in a hurry the G1 is the best camera for manual focusing I have used. The firmware can be tweaked to further improve the manual focusing experience but it is already at the top as it is.

The G1 viewfinder is roughly the same size as the 5D viewfinder. When focusing manually a small portion of the viewfinder can be enlarged to 5 or 10 times. The camera is 100% live view but you have this view in the viewfinder, not on the LCD screen (well, the big, articulation high resolution LCD xcreen is there as well as an option) so you get a clear view also in bright daylight and with the dioptre set to your eyes.

For legacy lenses it takes two (not more, not less) button presses to get the enlarged view, with AF enabled µ4/3 or 4/3 (adapted) lenses you can set the camera to automatically bring up the enlarged view when moving the focusing ring.

Focus is also pretty easy and mostly dead on when not enlarging the screen. Try one to see all this for yourself - it changed my mind about electronic viewfinders. The systemis not without faults or areas that can be improved but it really works very well.

May 07, 2009 at 05:00 PM

Jonas B
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p.1 #8 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

olyacme wrote

...)
The G1 has a full frame 4/3" sensor.

...that must mean the GH1 has a fuller frame sensor?

May 07, 2009 at 05:02 PM

mawz
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p.1 #9 · Opinion on 4/3 Cameras with M lenses

epuja wrote:

Just curious -- how is it easier to focus a G1 than a full frame camera?
also, does the G1 give focus confirmation beep?

Thanks!

One of the characteristics of a high resolution EVF is the fact that any texture on the subject pops out obviously when the lens comes into focus. It's more noticable on the G1's EVF than any reflex finder I've ever used. Also the ability to magnify the view by 5x or 10x in the finder is a big boon for slower work. But it's quite possible to focus accurately when shooting in a faster-paced environment as long as you aren't getting caught behind the EVF replay (which makes continuous advance mode more of a crapshoot than anything else).

May 07, 2009 at 11:17 PM


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