Shooting in Low Light with Olympus OM-D E-M5

One of the strongest and best features of the Olympus E-M5 (and the E-M1) is the 5-Axle In-Body Stabilization. After a few days of use with the E-M5, and shooting in various lighting conditions, I can confirm that it's extremely effective, easily as good as the lens-based stabilization, and it works with all lenses attached to the body. I am absolutely loving this amazing feature.

I took Mike Aubrey's advice, and set the ISO to a lower maximum of 1600, so that the Auto-ISO will force the shutter speed to be lower, since the E-M5 seems to favoure higher shutter speeds (higher ISO). With a 50mm lens (100mm equivalent in 35mm), I can shoot at 1/25s and the images are sharp; even at 1/13s, it's still tack sharp. With a very fast lens, you can practically shoot in the dark with very little available light. I wish the NEX-6 (and the A7/A7r) has this incredible IBIS feature.

William - E-M5 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens. Click for larger.

Port of Toronto at night - E-M5 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens. Click for larger.

Never ending snow - E-M5 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens.

Canon 28mm f2.8 IS & 24mm f2.8 IS Lenses

Mystic Lamps -- NEX-5N & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens.

Today we are bombarded with product announcements from many companies in the photography business.  The Nikon D800 got a lot of attention with the highest resolution sensor on a consumer DSLR; a whopping 36MP of it.  This kind of resolution was strictly medium format back just couple years ago.  It shows how far digital photography has gone.  Anybody needs that 36MP is completely another business.  Just imagine 70+ MB RAW files.  Storage is cheap, but this is insanity.

But, I am more interested in the Canon lens announcements.  The long waited 24-70mm f2.8L is a bit of a disappointment for many, as it lacks the image stabilization (IS).  The more consumer friendly 28mm and 24mm f2.8 IS are far more interesting, in my opinion.  This is the sign that Canon has finally started to revamp their consumer primes, at least for these two, which were introduced near the beginning of the EOS.

Frankly, these two lenses are a complete surprise for lots of people.  In fact, I didn't read anything about them before they were announced.  I would be completely happy with them, if the image quality holds up, which I have no doubt it would, until I saw the retail price of $800 for the 28mm and $850 for the 24mm.  The currently selling price of them is $330 and $450 Can$ respectively.  The addition of IS doubles the price of the existing lenses.  Canon is getting a bit greedy here, don't you think?

Toronto Mounted Police

Mounted Police -- NEX-5N & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens

Even in this age where everything is motorized, Toronto still has the mounted unit that patrols the city.  Quite often you will see them around the downtown streets,  or the know that they have been there from the horse droppings left behind.  I guess it's more of a tradition than mobility.  Sure the horses will run faster than human, but pretty much everything that requires mobility is done on cars and motorcycles.  I do welcome the presence of the horses though.  I think they look great and is sort of an attraction for tourists.

Allen Gardens -- Winter 2012

Bugs -- NEX-5N & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens.

Sally bought brand new Canon T3i for Christmas.  I must say it's a really nice camera.  The swivel screen is probably the best improvement from the T2i that I had last year.  I thought it was time to see some colours instead of all the gray and bare tree branches outside. Along with Dillon, we went to Allen Gardens and did some shooting.  I brought my 1D III with the EF 180mm f3.5 macro lens, as well as the NEX-5N and a few lenses.  Ended up shooting mostly with the NEX-5N.  If it was not for the occasional fast action shots for my kids' sports, I wouldn't even need this camera.  A light full frame and the small pocketable camera like the NEX will probably satisfy me.

Unknown Flower -- Sony NEX-5N & Kifitt 90mm f2.8 Makro

I find it more fun and relaxing using small and light gear.  The Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine lens and the Zoomar Kilfitt 90mm f2.8 Makro were two lenses that I used.  Strictly speaking, the Kodak is not really a macro lens, but has the close focusing feature which I really like.  It's insanely sharp, but unfortunately has the swirling effects when shot wide open at moderate distance.  At macro range, the swirling is not really visible.  The Zoomar Kilfitt 90mm f2.8 Makro is one of my favourite macro lenses.  It's very low contrast at large apertures renders the pictures with dreamy but not unsharp quality, but when stopped down, it's very sharp.  The wide apertures are perfect for portraiture.  The Kilfitt is one of those lenses that I likely will never sell.

Communication -- NEX-5N & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens.

Why a Bargain Could Push You into the Deep End

Algoma Provider Toronto -- Panny G1 & Kodak 50mm f1.6 cine lens. Click for larger.

Most of us have one or more "lucky" moments in our life time.  The most common is buying something much cheaper than the market value.  Last week, I was browsing in a store than sells second hand stuff, and noticed a lens on the shelf.  It was a Leica M-Mount Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f1.4 MC, with a original hood.  The owner didn't know anything about lenses and consequently, I bought it for a ridiculously low price.  To me, this could mean trouble.

Around 2005, I started using manual focus lenses on my digital SLR.  It all started with a cheap 50mm M42 mount lens.  Then I got hooked, and started to try different mounts and eventually any kind of lenses that can form images.  As of today, I have spent many thousands of dollars on manual focus lenses, not to mention more than a grand on adapters.

Long ago I told myself to steer way from M-mount lenses, because they are usually very costly, albeit very good quality optics.  Getting the Nokton 40mm f1.4 could be the start of another expensive adventure.  I have already gotten the M to NEX adapter, and have started looking at other M-mount lenses.  The short flange of the M-mount means the adapter is relatively thin, which mean M-mount lenses look very good on the NEX body.  I can see the allure of a fast, yet small M-mount lenses on the NEX.

Can't wait to try the Nokton 40/1.4 on my NEX-5.  It should be back tomorrow if all goes well.

I am just hoping I won't go over the cliff.

NEX-7 It Is

Pretty Flowers -- Panasonic G1 & Kodak 50mm f1.6 Cine Lens. Click for larger.

Thanks to all who have given me your thoughts on NEX-5N/NEX-7.  Today, I took out the Panasonic G1 since my NEX-5 is in the shop, and I can't believe how much I missed the EVF, and how much easier it is to focus manually through it.  The EVF is already very good in the G1, I can't imagine how much better it is in the NEX-7.  Therefore, I have decided to wait for the NEX-7.  Will sell the NEX-5 and get the NEX-7 with the black kit lens and the E-Mount 50mm f1.8.  I would love to get the Zeiss 24mm f1.8 but it's more than a grand.  It will have to be in the next year's toy budget.

I know it will be a torturous couple of month before I can get my hands on the NEX-7, I just hope I won't be disappointed with the image quality.

Sally's Favourite Hair Bow

Hair Bow -- NEX-5 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 cine lens @ f1.6. Click for larger.

Tried the Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 on the NEX-5 and I was surprised to find that there is just very slight vignetting at close range wide open.  Stopping down or focusing further away will vignetting quite a bit more.  This lens produces very strange swirling affects at wide apertures, like the Dallmeyer Speed 1 inch f1.5 that I had.  Some like this affect, but I find it annoying after a little while.  My favourite feature of this lens, other than it's extremely sharp optics, is the close focusing capability, as you can see in this picture.

Shinobi

Graffiti -- Panasonic G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 C-Mount. 

The Kodak 50mm f1.6 was the first Kodak cine lens that I have with close focus.  At first I had no idea what that little "dial" on the lens barrel was for, be cause it does nothing when you pull it.  It took a while before I realized that I needed to pull and hold the "dial" up, while turning the focus ring.  This allows the lens to extend and thus focus closer.  Very handy to have as it doubles as a macro lens in a pinch.

Dizzying Effect

Dizzy Swirls, Moss Park -- Panasonic G1 with Kodak 50mm f1.6 Anastigmat @ f1.6. Larger Picture.

Some people really like this kind of effect, but it just makes me dizzy and gives me headache.

Sample Macro Shots from Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6

Took a few shots in people's gardens. The macro mode on the Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 is extremely good and versatile. A very welcome feature, since many c-mount lenses in this focal length have very long minimum focus distance.


Fall Leaf on car hood -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 @ f2.8. Larger Picture.


The Fly -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 @ f2. Larger Picture.


G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6. Larger Picture.

Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 C-Mount

This lens reminds me of the Dallmeyer Speed 1 inch f1.5 c-mount lens I once had. The very high center resolution and sharpness and swirling background when taken wide open. However, there is one very nice little feature that I like very much - macro.

This lens has a macro feature that allows you to focus extremely close. If you look at the picture of the lens, there is a little knob on the lens barrel. To focus closer than the normally 0.6 meter (2 feet) minimum focus distance, just lift the knob and turn the focus ring to the left and you can focus as close as a few inches. Come in handy for the occasions when you need a macro lens but don't have one.

This copy of the lens I have is considered in very good condition. The focusing ring is very smooth, and the aperture ring turns nicely as well. Total joy to use.

I am, however, annoyed by the swirling background. It's interesting for a little while, but it really gets to you after some use. The focal length of 50mm (100mm on the G1) is perfect as a portrait lens. It's sharp enough (actually very sharp) wide open to be used regularly. Like the Dallmeyer, even when stopped down significantly, the edges are not very sharp. No doubt because it was designed for 16mm film, and may be fine used on its intended device -- movie camera.

The lens is non-coated, but colour from it is fantastic. You would never guess that the picture is taken with a lens many decades old, if not for the swirling background or blurry edges with some light vignetting.

Compared this lens to the Kodak Cine Ektar 63mm f2, both are very sharp wide open, but the 63mm produces a more traditional, normal looking picture with exceptionally good bokeh. The 50mm f1.6 is great for occasional use, especially in low light shot in black and white.

The last thing I want to point out, is that the native mount on this lens is not c-mount, but a proprietary Kodak S mount. I found a c-mount adapter for it, which was not easy and very hard to find one.


Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 -- G1 & Kodak Cine Ektar 63mm f2. Larger Picture.


Yonge Street -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 @ f1.6. Larger Picture.


Reflection -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6. Large Picture.


Window of a class room -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6. Larger Picture.


Bench in evening sun -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 @ f1.6. Large Picture.


Untitled -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6. Larger Picture.


Ryan -- G1 & Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6 @ f1.6. Larger Picture.