Scott Bourne calls the E-P3 his "new favorite portrait camera" - Page 2

mgowin · #11 November 14th, 2011, 12:33 PM

Objections noted, but it's worth observing that Scott Bourne doesn't call the E-P3 his "new favorite camera;" he calls it his "new favorite portrait camera." He probably won't dump all his other gear in favor of the E-P3; horses for courses and all that. If he picks up a GX1 next month, that may become his new favorite portrait camera. The larger point he's making, I think, is that MFT (and, presumably, other smaller format sensors) is good enough for professional work. I'm not selling my Nikon gear--for the work I do and the images I want to create, it still has a place in my bag. I'm hoping the E-P3 and MFT lenses, as a new and somewhat different set of tools, will help me achieve my vision in new ways.

I've been following Kirk Tuck for a few years, reading his blog regularly, seeing him on a few forums, own a couple of his books. For those seeking magic bullets--the best camera, the best lens, the best light, etc.--a word of advice: DO NOT FOLLOW KIRK TUCK. Kirk goes through gear like some folks go through shoes. He wrote a book on lighting with (mostly) Nikon speedlights then sold all his Nikon gear. He's a fan of the Olympus Pen cameras but just got a Nikon V1 and loves it. He shoots Canon DSLRs and film on a Hasselblad. Horses for courses.

There's always something shinier and newer at some point but, in the end, they're all just tools to help us make pictures. And making pictures is what it's all about, no?

Art · #12 November 14th, 2011, 12:57 PM

completely agree. My E-M1+Oly 45mm is all I need for portraits. MUCH easier than a DSLR due to great and quick face detect (with eye detect) on new Oly bodies. Not to mention that such setup still looks like a P&S camera so your subjects won't feel intimidated.
Similar DSLR setup - e.g. Canon rebel + 50mm f1.4 is much bigger and heavier while I am not so sure that Canon 50mm f1.4 is as sharp and contrasty (w/creamy smooth bokeh) at f1.8 as Oly is wide open. Also, eq.90mm is still better than eq.80mm (on rebels) for portraits. Nifty fifty is out of the question, I wouldn't even touch that lens for portraits (bokeh looks like bubbles reminiscent of cheap cctv lenses).

0dBm · #13 November 14th, 2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgowin

But maybe, like me, they're also getting older and just tired of carting a boatload of gear around.

Operative words are "older" and "tired."

I did a wedding recently (as second shooter) using just two

bodies and two native lenses. I didn't miss the gear that the primary shooter was lugging around.

Aniseedvan · #14 November 14th, 2011, 05:00 PM

I'm getting 45mm gas again...
Just as I think I'm talking myself out of it, this is talking me back into it!

I think the way I will justify it is, it's a cheaper way of getting an 85mm prime for my FF Nikon

Pelao · #15 November 14th, 2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgowin

Objections noted, but it's worth observing that Scott Bourne doesn't call the E-P3 his "new favorite camera;" he calls it his "new favorite portrait camera." He probably won't dump all his other gear in favor of the E-P3; horses for courses and all that. If he picks up a GX1 next month, that may become his new favorite portrait camera. The larger point he's making, I think, is that MFT (and, presumably, other smaller format sensors) is good enough for professional work. I'm not selling my Nikon gear--for the work I do and the images I want to create, it still has a place in my bag. I'm hoping the E-P3 and MFT lenses, as a new and somewhat different set of tools, will help me achieve my vision in new ways.

I've been following Kirk Tuck for a few years, reading his blog regularly, seeing him on a few forums, own a couple of his books. For those seeking magic bullets--the best camera, the best lens, the best light, etc.--a word of advice: DO NOT FOLLOW KIRK TUCK. Kirk goes through gear like some folks go through shoes. He wrote a book on lighting with (mostly) Nikon speedlights then sold all his Nikon gear. He's a fan of the Olympus Pen cameras but just got a Nikon V1 and loves it. He shoots Canon DSLRs and film on a Hasselblad. Horses for courses.

There's always something shinier and newer at some point but, in the end, they're all just tools to help us make pictures. And making pictures is what it's all about, no?

Nice summary.

What I take from all this is what I already know: for many photographers, and for many forms of final output, MFT has really opened some doors. I love my GF1, but also acknowledge it's limits for some of what I do. The newer sensors don't fix those limits - but that doesn't make MFT weak. It just means I will need any additional system for some things that re important to me.

Ned · #16 November 14th, 2011, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgowin

Objections noted, but it's worth observing that Scott Bourne doesn't call the E-P3 his "new favorite camera;" he calls it his "new favorite portrait camera." He probably won't dump all his other gear in favor of the E-P3; horses for courses and all that.

Nope, he didn't say he would dump all his other gear in favor of it... but he did say he would dump his Leica M9 and two Leica lenses in favor of the E-P3!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Bourne

How much do I like this camera? Get ready to be floored (and angry if you’re a Leica fan) – I am selling my Leica M9 and my 35 and 90mm lenses. While the bokeh on the Leica glass is better, it also cost 10 times as much and it’s not THAT much better. I also admit to my old eyes having trouble focusing the LEICA 90mm f/2.5 Summarit-M. With the PEN I have great autofocus.

So I am selling my Leica kit in favor of my E-P3/45mm lens combo. I will be assailed from all quarters and disowned by the Leica elite. I don’t care. I am making portraits that my clients love and finding myself able to concentrate on the subject, not the camera. That’s a good thing.

David Tait · #17 November 15th, 2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan F/2

I've been shooting with Nikon DSLRs for a long time now, but Olympus m43 cameras offer a pretty neat package which negates any of the disadvantages. The jpegs are amazingly good; m43 prime lenses are eye bleeding sharp; RC flash control is awesome with a camera the size of my iPhone and IBIS really works. It's truly a near-complete micro system. I don't really care if doesn't do great low light, I have a D3 for that. People seem to argue high ISO while ignoring the real advantages to the system.

Quite right too! It's horses for courses for many of us who kept an interest in DSLRs to cover the shortcomings of IQ etc found in some m/43 shooting situations.

Bhupinder2002 · #18 August 4th, 2012, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgowin

Scott Bourne: The Olympus E-P3 + Oly 45/1.8 =
MG

Thank you so much for posting this link and I am glad that my impression of Oly 45 mm 1.8 best portrait lens for MFT system gets confirmation from a well established photographer .Oly 45 mm 1.8 is the best glass in MFT lens line which money can buy .Scott summed up everything very nicely . MFT has very capable and interesting lens line up now .
Cheers
Bhupinder

Rudi · #19 August 4th, 2012, 07:28 AM

Thanks for posting the link. The Olympus E-P3 + Oly 45/1.8 was my favourite

combination too. But I have to ask: Why do people in these forums have to keep reaffirming their decision to shoot with

? It's often touted as the right choice (vs. I assume the *wrong* choice). And it's always an example of someone famous (or infamous) also shooting with

gear.

Why do you care what anyone else shoots with?

It's like the guy who is currently shooting the Olympics with a Panasonic camera. And it makes the news! I mean, really???

Why should I care what he shoots with? All I want to see are the pics, and I will either like them or not. It's that simple.

It's like people (in real life, not online) who ask me whether I shoot with Nikon or Canon. Like it matters.

Rudi · #20 August 4th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgowin

It's interesting to me to see a number of longtime veteran photographers like Scott Bourne, Kirk Tuck, Larry Price and others embracing the smaller formats like MFT. They wouldn't, obviously, if the image quality was poor.

It's also interesting to see Kirk Tuck return to shooting portraits on medium format film lately, with his Hasselblad. So he clearly does not believe that his Olympus cameras are the final answer. In fact, in a lot of his latest posts, he has moved away from his Olympus

gear to other systems, systems better suited to the job at hand (he has a new Sony DSLR, etc).

I think what you will see is that a lot "of longtime veteran photographers" will shoot

alongside their other systems, in addition to what they already have. And they will usually pick the best tool for the job at hand.