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Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

djrocks66
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

Hello all, I just recently picked up the OM-1 and some nice Olympus lenses. I mainly shoot Nature, wildlife and landscapes. I occasionally shoot portraits and family portraits. I was using the Nikon Z system for the last 3 years but had to sell everything to purchase the Olympus gear. I wish I could have kept a Z camera but just couldn't. My main reason for switching was I wanted to get the 300mm f4 and 1.4 tele to use with the OM-1 for wildlife. I would build the rest of the system from there. I also wanted to be able to have a smaller kit as I have back problems and I am not getting younger

I have been happy with everything so far. I haven't shot any portraits yet and was just wondering if anyone shoots the M 4/3rd system and mainly shoots portraits and family portraits. I know the cameras are just tools for the specific job but I was hoping to see some work from the talented members here. Mainly the lenses you suggest. I was thinking of picking up the 7artisans 50mm f/0.95. Has anyone used this lens? Are the Olympus Pro 25 & 45 that much better as far as image quality and bokeh compared to the f1.8's? I'm not concerned about build quality or weather sealing for those.

Thanks in advance, Dom

Jun 01, 2022 at 06:02 AM

FJR1
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

djrocks66 wrote:
Hello all, I just recently picked up the OM-1 and some nice Olympus lenses. I mainly shoot Nature, wildlife and landscapes. I occasionally shoot portraits and family portraits. I was using the Nikon Z system for the last 3 years but had to sell everything to purchase the Olympus gear. I wish I could have kept a Z camera but just couldn't. My main reason for switching was I wanted to get the 300mm f4 and 1.4 tele to use with the OM-1 for wildlife. I would build the rest of the system from there. I also wanted to...Show more →

Great questions, Dom--I, too, gravitate toward nature and wildlife, but I have found the Olympus 45's, both 1.2 and 1.8, as well as the Olympus 75 f/1.8 to work nicely for occasional family portraits--mostly informal, contextual shots.

Here's a recent one with the 45 f/1.2, which I currently prefer for its separation, although the small form factor of the Olympus 45 f/1.8 makes it a really handy lens. The 75 f/1.8 is a little long (150mm FF equivalent), but it works well outdoors and can also serve as a mid-telephoto.

OM-1 OLYMPUS M.45mm F1.2 lens 45mm f/1.6 1/160s 200 ISO 0.0 EV

Jun 01, 2022 at 06:28 AM

djrocks66
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

Thank you! Great shot! Do you think the difference between f1.2 and f1.8 as far as bokeh is noticeable? Sharpness as good on both?

Jun 01, 2022 at 07:00 AM

Robin Smith
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

I think it fair to say that the 25 and 45 f1.8s have a good reputation, so I don't think you lose much by just getting them and see how you get on. I have the 25 and 45 PRO, and wonder about getting them myself because they are so small. The 45mm f1.2 is an exceptional lens. The 25mm PRO is good but a little less special. The 75mm is on a par with the 45mm, but at 150mm equiv is rather too much for most family portraiture. Its small size is a real plus though. If I were in your shoes I would get the small 25/45 f1.8s. I have, however, not tried them.

Jun 01, 2022 at 10:27 AM

djrocks66
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

Thank you for your reply. I just picked up the 45 f1.8 and have the 25 f1.8 coming. The 45 is tiny

Jun 01, 2022 at 10:32 AM

FJR1
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

djrocks66 wrote:
Thank you! Great shot! Do you think the difference between f1.2 and f1.8 as far as bokeh is noticeable? Sharpness as good on both?

Yes, bokeh differences are noticeable but sharpness is similar. Best of luck with your decisions.

Jun 01, 2022 at 05:53 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

I shot Oly for the first 4 years of my son and pretty exclusively used the 17/1.8 and 45/1.8 for portraits/family shots and always found the bokeh and sharpness to be really nice. I don't see the value of the Pro lenses for that application, personally.

Jun 02, 2022 at 10:15 AM

lucanus81
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

I do take photos to family and kids using exclusively m/43. This is my setup:
- for studio work I use 90% of the time the 12-100f4. I don’t need a shallow DOF. 10% are artistic shots where I really need that f/1.2 (think about halloween pictures where you want to expose for candles inside a pumpkin to have that wonderful ambient light)
- outdoor I usually use the 17/25 f/1.2 for close portraits, and the 45 f/1.2 when I want kids to not notice me too much and capture more “authentic” shoots.

I think I could still do 90% of my work with a single lens: the 25mm f/1.2. It is the best lens I own. I tried first the 25mm f/1.8 but the Pro version has a different rendering.

I am no talented but you can see some of my work at @ lucastoppaphotography. Each photo has an hashtag with the lens I used.

Jun 02, 2022 at 04:01 PM

djrocks66
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

lucanus81 wrote:
I do take photos to family and kids using exclusively m/43. This is my setup:
- for studio work I use 90% of the time the 12-100f4. I don’t need a shallow DOF. 10% are artistic shots where I really need that f/1.2 (think about halloween pictures where you want to expose for candles inside a pumpkin to have that wonderful ambient light)
- outdoor I usually use the 17/25 f/1.2 for close portraits, and the 45 f/1.2 when I want kids to not notice me too much and capture more “authentic” shoots.

I think I could still do 90% of my work...Show more →

Thank You!

Jun 02, 2022 at 10:02 PM

djrocks66
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

RoamingScott wrote:

I shot Oly for the first 4 years of my son and pretty exclusively used the 17/1.8 and 45/1.8 for portraits/family shots and always found the bokeh and sharpness to be really nice. I don't see the value of the Pro lenses for that application, personally.


	https://live.staticflickr.com/5614/15511188060_f359e20261_h.jpg


	https://live.staticflickr.com/5161/13973727773_4fdd025b9a_k.jpg


	https://live.staticflickr.com/8824/17081033938_a25917f779_k.jpg


	https://live.staticflickr.com/1474/24910869401_1e8881ca10_k.jpg

Thank you for your reply and pictures! Much appreciated.

Jun 02, 2022 at 10:03 PM

WT21
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

I love my sigma 56/1.4. I’m on my phone and no access to pics, but Google for examples. It’s not too big, pretty fast, and a lot less expensive than the 1.2 options but still solid results for portrait and family.

Jul 04, 2022 at 11:54 AM

Jorgen Udvang
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

Here's one with the Samyang 50mm f/1.2. It's a lovely portrait lens, best when stopped down a notch to f/1.4 or 1.8. Only manual focus. Photo taken with the G9.

Jul 16, 2022 at 10:40 PM

johnvanr
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

There are many good lenses for portrait photography in the system. At the top range the 45mm f/1.2, but it's large, and the 75mm f/1.8, a stunning lens. The Panasonic Nocticron matches the f/1.2.

The 60mm macro is also a nice option, while the Sigma and the 45/1.8 are also really nice and all are smaller than the above options.

For the 50mm-equivalent, I prefer the Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 over the Olympus 25mm lenses, as it provides a good middle ground between the larger Olympus and the slower Olympus.

Unless you go into the cheap zooms, you can't really go wrong with MFT lenses as far as image quality is concerned. Background just depends on your aperture, but most MFT prime lenses can be shot wide open, which is not the case for most affordable FF lenses of any brand.

Jul 17, 2022 at 08:56 AM

dcisive
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

I just got a 25 f1.2 Pro the other day. Its impressing me so far. I also do some wedding work as well as family and individual portrait work professionally along with my Real Estate work. I'll be adding a 8-25 f4 Pro for that. But so far that 25 f1.2 Pro is winning me over. I worked with a Canon RF50 f1.2 with a R5 Canon body and frankly this is easily in that league.

Jul 17, 2022 at 05:30 PM

fsi22
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Portraits and Family Portraits with Micro 4/3rd

Pro Glass is next level. Some of my favourite across any system.

Pro lenses render highlights very differently. The feather the edges, gives a more STF look. The colour rendition is different from the other Panasonic and Olympus lenses.

They are also very fast focusing. The 25mm is my most used lens, ever.

With Pro lenses, I shoot jpg and shoot with highlights in fore/background alot more as it flattens them out in the most beautiful way, to my eye.

E-M1MarkIII OLYMPUS M.45mm F1.2 lens 45mm f/1.2 1/320s 320 ISO 0.0 EV

E-M1MarkIII OLYMPUS M.25mm F1.2 lens 25mm f/1.2 1/500s 200 ISO 0.0 EV

OM-1 OLYMPUS M.25mm F1.2 lens 25mm f/1.2 1/500s 2000 ISO 0.0 EV

OM-1 OLYMPUS M.25mm F1.2 lens 25mm f/1.2 1/500s 400 ISO 0.0 EV

Jul 17, 2022 at 06:15 PM


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