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  1. martink111

    New Venus Laowa 7.5mm f/2: first impressions and a few questions...

    Surprisingly enough, even with a 15 mm equivalent I still have to be careful with my focus for no other reason than the lens is sharp enough that it’s pretty obvious when it’s not fully in focus. Sure you could stop it down to 56 or F8 and at normal viewing distances it would seem OK but pixel...
  2. martink111

    New Venus Laowa 7.5mm f/2: first impressions and a few questions...

    I kind of figured that was the case and to be honest I have kind of come to terms with this lens. Yes it is weird but it is also amazing. I would recommend it over the 9-18 any day. It definitely brings out the creativity in you...
  3. martink111

    Night shots

    Here are some moonlit shots at the town of Cofrentes, Spain. The scenery in this part of the country is absolutely lovely but as much as anything it is the solitude you can get here as well that really sells it to me!
  4. martink111

    Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT 'Compact Dreamer' Lens Review

    Thanks. I kind of expected that was the case. As far as getting a larger filter is concerned, I’m kind of out of luck there. I’m already using a 62mm filter with Xume adapter and it still shows up. I would rather live with cropping and still be able to change filters quickly (and sharing them...
  5. martink111

    Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT 'Compact Dreamer' Lens Review

    The very far corners are vignetting; on that shot I had a neutral density on and it was clipping the corners. I was more concerned about the more subtle darkening that radiated outward. That issue in itself is not such a big deal. My bigger problem is with white balance. I have a feeling that...
  6. martink111

    Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT 'Compact Dreamer' Lens Review

    Yeah unfortunately I didn’t have any good examples at the moment. The shot below is kind of typical though: very bright centers with overly dark edges. I’m guessing this is very likely phenomenon common with ultra-wide angles but I never noticed it on my 12 mm lengths
  7. martink111

    em1.2 vs em 5.2 in high iso astro?

    I do think it has better highlight preservation but I haven’t noticed much improvement in the shadow noise over the 16 megapixel. What that does mean is that you can expose to the right and get more reliable results. What I’ve been doing lately is doing HDR three shot brackets (0, +2, -2) and...
  8. martink111

    Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT 'Compact Dreamer' Lens Review

    I was kind of wondering about that myself. I just picked one up about a month ago and while it is incredibly sharp and contrasty, it seems at times to be too contrasty. Especially wide open, it’s pretty easy to end up with a shot that is dark at the edges and blown out in the center, but even...
  9. martink111

    Good value lens m4/3rds for beginner portrait

    Depending on which camera you have, it can actually be easier. I have an EM1mkii that has a very fast electronic shutter mode. Using that, you can bracket focus pretty much any lens. That takes focusing out of the equation (so long as you don’t mind deleting extra pictures afterwards). With it...
  10. martink111

    Is my Laowa 7.5mm Defective?

    One thing I've noticed with this lens is that you still need to be careful with slower shutter speeds. If you are hand-holding at slow speeds, the center of the image can be tack-sharp at seemingly crazy shutter speeds (I can get down to 10 seconds on my EM1mkii). However, the edges of the...
  11. martink111

    Lenstip reviewed the Laowa 7.5mm f/2

    Wow! My lens is off! I ended up doing the same thing yesterday using a 12 F2 and a 12 to 40 for reference. I attached my “corrected“ marker strip in the photo below: I noticed that the rear light baffle is a threaded on piece on this lens which was loose to the touch. I unscrewed it and...
  12. martink111

    Lenstip reviewed the Laowa 7.5mm f/2

    That was kind of my thought too. I’ve run some additional tests and concluded that against my Olympus 12 F2, it is actually only a span of F2 to f11 for the entire lens range. What I mean by that is if I correct the exposures so that a shot at a plain wall and identical composition match as...
  13. martink111

    Lenstip reviewed the Laowa 7.5mm f/2

    Yeah sorry about the double-posting (I kind of thought this thread might be old and I didn’t want to flood it with pics anyways). Thank you for the very detailed analysis, it is a lot to digest but very helpful. What I meant by 2/3 of a stop is that against a plain background, if I increment...
  14. martink111

    New Venus Laowa 7.5mm f/2: first impressions and a few questions...

    So after a whole lot of internal debate, I finally broke down and picked up the Laowa 7.5 over the other obvious choices (Pany 7-14 f4, Pany 8-18 f2.8-4 or Oly 7-14 f2.8). My rationale for the Laowa ended up being simple: I could either look for a walk-around replacement that I'd be comfortable...
  15. martink111

    Lenstip reviewed the Laowa 7.5mm f/2

    A quick question here: I just bought this lens and I’m noticing some very strange behavior as far as aperture goes. It has a noticeably poor transmission wide open (lagging typically about 2/3 of a stop from my other lenses at the same aperture), but each stop down corresponds to only about 2/3...
  16. martink111

    Good value lens m4/3rds for beginner portrait

    I would look into an old M42 mount Pentax Super-takumar 55f1.8 or 50f1.4. All manual (of course) but very inexpensive and amazingly sharp at f2.8 and higher (f2 for the 50f1.4). I have both along with an Oly 45f1.8: the Oly sits at home while the 50+ year old Taks get all the action. Love...
  17. martink111

    Looking for a very fast telephoto lens

    You should easily be able to find a Nikkor 180 ED 2.8. That is a phenomenal lens… Especially with an EM1 mark II. Got mine in very ugly cosmetic shape from KEH for $250
  18. martink111

    Rumor: Refreshed Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 to be announced today 8/27/19

    I'm a huge fan of this lens- its basically what sold me on Micro Four-thirds. Before I got started with the GF3, I had several Canon APS-C ten-series bodies and much of the time I shot with a Sigma 30 f1.4. The Pana-Leica blew it out of the water in handling, color, sharpness- everything...
  19. martink111

    7artisans 50mm f1.8 M4/3 Announced

    I would agree with the color and contrast part for the legacy lenses, but sharpness can be pretty impressive. I have a Supertak 55f1.8 M42 mount that is "ok" wide open, but unholy sharp at f4 and up. I routinely use that lens with the EM5 high res mode, it is at least sharp enough to...
  20. martink111

    San Gabriel Mountains- Backpacking in the East Fork (6/22/19 - 6/23/19)

    Thanks. I really like the high res mode, not so much for the increased pixel count but the greatly improved detail and color when resampled to match the native resolution. The first day was much brighter and clearer than the second. The first morning in particular was really nice. This...
  21. martink111

    San Gabriel Mountains- Backpacking in the East Fork (6/22/19 - 6/23/19)

    The main reason I switched from a larger SLR to Micro 4/3 is for portability and ruggedness. What better test of this rig than a 2 day, 25 mile slog up the San Gabriel River's East Fork! The gear: EM1 mk ii, 50-200 f/2.8-3.5 Non-SWD, 12-40 f/2.8 and 25 f/1.4 Ross Peak in the clouds Looking...
  22. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    Did not know that. Thanks!
  23. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    That's VERY handy if you are using focus bracket
  24. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    That's my guess. Considering that dxo takes about 2 minutes per raw file on my I5 at home on it's high-quality noise reduction it wouldn't surprise me that the camera has to sweat a little
  25. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    A big area they improved was with fine detail at mid ISOs. I was playing with it at 800 and HI noise reduction- the DRIVE PRIORITY mode gives big blotches of smoothed-over details on a fabric area I was testing. The same exact exposure using DETAIL PRIORITY yields full detail in those areas...
  26. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    One area that will be very nice for is with birds. I find myself often needing to push both higher f-stops (to sharpen the lens and get deep enough DOF) while still needing to hold a higher shutter speed. You can fudge it with a minimum shutter setting, but that is a cludge and doesn't give...
  27. martink111

    New E-M1 mkII firmware w AF enhancements; +minor new E-M1X fw

    One thing I have noticed with Olympus firmware updates is that they oftentimes bury something very useful without mentioning it much. In case you're not aware of it, they have now enabled auto ISO in full manual mode. This is game changing!
  28. martink111

    New Member Introduction Thread

    DPReview has a surprisingly toxic atmosphere. Who would have thought Canon vs Sony would bring out more crusader rage than anything on Reddit?! Glad this place is friendly.
  29. martink111

    San Gabriels- Big Mermaids Canyon, 6/2/19 (a live-fire test of the EM1 mk ii)

    Here in the LA area, we have plenty of obscure yet fantastic back-country canyons and washes to explore. This morning, I decided to check out "Big Mermaids Canyon", a minor tributary of the San Gabriel west fork just east of Cogswell dam. There are no trails here and you can't get very deep in...
    • martink111
    • Thread
    • california featured hiking landscapes water wildlife
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Nature
  30. martink111

    Go to a Rodeo (very photo heavy)

    Does a piggy rodeo count? ;)
  31. martink111

    Show clouds over your country - one shot

    Storm near San Gorgonio Peak
  32. martink111

    Northrup and M43 - "Normal" buying cycle

    I have the non SWD 50-200 and aside from the utterly useless AF on anything but an EM1, that lens is amazing. However, now that I have an EM1mkii and I can actually use it as intended, I'm starting to feel the itch for something with faster AF (40-150?)
  33. martink111

    Share your Golden Hour & Blue Hour Photos

    Shot this one a while back on a mtb ride. EM5mki & 17f1.8
  34. martink111

    Share Birds

    Got this one this morning with my EM5mkii and Nikkor 180f2.8ED AI-S:
  35. martink111

    Shootout Olympus 300mm Lens Shootout - A Real World Comparison of Three Olympus Lenses

    Have you noticed any issues with focus accuracy on the 75-300? I was very disappointed with the output I was getting with my EM5mkii until I started looking carefully and seeing that almost every single shot was ending up slightly front or back focused (something I never ran into before with...
  36. martink111

    Nikon lenses on M43 bodies

    A great option for a fast telephoto for an EM5 or EM1 is the Nikkor 180ED2.8 AI-S. My copy is ugly as sin and has been badly abused, but the images compare favorably with any of my modern zooms: EM5mkii with Nikkor 180ED2.8 at f4, ISO 100 and 1/30s. The stabilizer works wonders on this...
  37. martink111

    Lizards, snakes, toads, frogs, turtles and other reptiles & amphibians

    Ran across this guy on my ride just 20 minutes ago at Chino Hills State Park. He was NOT happy! EM5mkii with Oly 75-300 @ 179mm, ISO 100, f5.9, 1/200 second
  38. martink111

    Advantage of EM1 MKII Over EM5 MKII

    I was actually referring to the EM5s. The EM1 works perfectly. There is something odd with the EM5MKII. When it works right, it is amazing
  39. martink111

    Advantage of EM1 MKII Over EM5 MKII

    I've noticed a lot of the same annoying issues with the Mark 2 myself. It really stands out once I got it back from servicing that those problems magically disappeared. In particular, my 75 -300 and 45f1.8 seemed to be really hit-or-miss, but once I got it repaired they've worked flawlessly...
  40. martink111

    Advantage of EM1 MKII Over EM5 MKII

    It is kind of hard to describe, but even though there is a difference in image quality, the em5 Mark 1 and Mark 2 still do not feel inferior as far as output goes. Whereas when I had my old Canon 30d and then upgraded to the 50, I simply could not use the 30 again afterwards it was just too...
  41. martink111

    Advantage of EM1 MKII Over EM5 MKII

    Between the greatly improved tracking autofocus, the low ISO performance, and the greatly improved stabilizer, the EM1 is an incredible machine. I'm especially impressed that even at ISO 64, there is still a decent amount of head-room that you can pull down highlights... That was impossible on...
  42. martink111

    Advantage of EM1 MKII Over EM5 MKII

    I was actually pretty conflicted about it at first. I did get the opportunity to upgrade to an EM1 Mark II when my em5 Mark II went in for my extended warranty SquareTrade repair. At the time, it looked very likely that they would simply cash it out so I used the opportunity to buy an EM1 Mark...
  43. martink111

    My anniversary of visiting Gubei Water Town

    Nice! I've been to a village in Suzhou similar to there- it's beautiful
  44. martink111

    Blackstar Canyon, Silverado CA 5/15/19

    Here is a set from Blackstar Canyon here in Orange County. Early morning with the EM1 mkii, Olympus 12f2, Pana-Leica 25f1.4 and the Zuiko 50-200 ED. The low light capabilities of this camera continue to blow my mind!
  45. martink111

    Share Birds

    ... here's a few with some PS tweaks. I need to get a decent raw converter/editor. Any recommendations?
  46. martink111

    Share Birds

    Probably, but this was just a test anyways... I live nearby this park so I'm riding and taking pictures there pretty much every other day. I am curious to see how much more leeway these raw files have compared to the older 16-megapixel output. The highlights in particular seem to be much better...
  47. martink111

    Share Birds

    I just got my new EM1 Mkii yesterday, so this morning I got to take it out for a spin. All shots taken with a Zuiko 50-200 ED 2.8-3.5 (Non-SWD); all of them cropped but otherwise no post-processing. I'm absolutely blown away by this camera! The green heron and the rabbit were both shot at or...
  48. martink111

    Any fix for the dreaded E-M1 front dial problem?

    Glad to hear it. I've heard rumors of build issues on the mk I, but at least for the EM5 mki, it was pretty much bomb proof
  49. martink111

    Any fix for the dreaded E-M1 front dial problem?

    So far as anyone here has seen, is there any problems similar to this on the EM1MKII yet? Looking to upgrade in a few weeks.
  50. martink111

    Any fix for the dreaded E-M1 front dial problem?

    Well, they obviously know about this when the EM5MKII has a mode dial lock. Unfortunately, while they fixed that they added a really crappy power switch design. I had two fail on me
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