Almost ready for an m4/3 camera, have some questions

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

Today after picking up my Pentax *istD from the repair center (I cleaned the virewfinder with lighter fuel, and fogged it) I took a few shots on the streets, and noticed an awful backfocusing issue. I got home, laid a ruler flat, mounted the camera on the tripod, and shot with different lenses to check if the backfocus is due to the camera or lens. The result: focusing is all over the place, and varies a lot from lens to lens. With the Rikenon 50/2 there's *a lot* of backfocus, the Mamiya 55/1.4 is spot on, the SMC Tak 55/2 has a very slight front focus. The only nice thing is that my custom focusing screen and AF confirmation always agree with each other.

I am really annoyed, not being able to trust my camera when focusing manual lenses is tough. I always wanted to get an m4/3 camera to use my Konica lenses, so maybe this is the right time. I'd still like a viewfinder, and since he EP-2+vf or EP-L+vf are too expensive, I might settle on a G1. My question is: how hard is it to focus manual lenses? I know there's a zoom feature, but since I often shoot moving subjects I won't be able to zoom much. Is the vf at its default magnification sufficiently precise to focus?

Any other things I should know? My alternative is to get a new Pentax body, probably the K-x, mainly for its excellent high ISO performance.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I have/had Nikon d50, Olympus E-1, E-300 and E-500 and I did shoot same frames with Orio's 5D. Panasonic G1 focusing is best from all a joy really.. so don't worry and back LCD is huge with super resolution. I use always EVF + MF mode 10x magnification perfect!

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

usayit · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

I have a G1 with no m4/3rd lenses but adapted to M, PK, and M42. I also have the Samsung twin of your *ist used with PK lenses which will auto stop down and meter at full aperture.

The EVF in the G1 (GH1 too) is amazingly pretty good... In most conditions, I'd rank it probably 80% of most consumer viewfinders which are usually pentamirror based rather than pentaprism. It's amazing to think that they managed to create a display with 1,440,000 dots in the surface area of roughly a postage stamp. Its significantly easier to focus in the EVF than the G1's LCD. The Add on EVF for the GF1 (I assume the Olympus too) isn't up to the same specification since it is equipped with a significantly lower resolution display. As such, I wouldn't recommend the GF1 or Olympus equivalent over the G1 for manual lenses. Also note, the EVF in the G1 seems to display more information than the GF1. One last G1/GF1 minor difference... the G1 has a sensor that switches between LCD and EVF automatically as you bring the camera to and from eye-level. The GF1 requires a press of a button.

In good light with short focal length lenses are stopped down (more DOF), I can pretty much nail focus just like any other manual camera (without zooming). For more critical focus, you have the option of digitally zooming (10x i think) in for critical focus. I really really like this feature with manual focus. So the procedure is basically 1) set aperture 2) bring EVF to my eye 3) focus 4) optionally hit the left button in the back of the camera and select area to activate digital zoom 5) adjust for critical focus 6) tap the shutter button to go back to full view 6) compose 7) trip shutter. There's also the added benefit that the EVF will adjust its brightness automatically AND that the EVF has all of the features (preview and histogram included) that the back LCD displays. This makes it especially easy to examine the photos in bright daylight as the light is blocked out.

Now the bad news since you said you shoot moving objects.

The G1's continuous mode is pretty much worthless to me. I think it is a limitation in the camera but as continuous mode takes pictures, the EVF blacks out (longer than typical mirror boxed SLR) and briefly shows the previous frame just in time for the next cycle. Live view is never brought back up. This makes it impossible to keep a moving subject in frame and composed. There is no way to turn off this feature. I believe this is a limitation in the G1 in that it cannot operate in both live view and record at the same time. I am not sure if this has been resolved in later versions of the camera.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

m4/3 is nice for experimentation, but nobody will escape full frame

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

I do not own a µ4/3 cam because of two reasons:
1. I have too much stuff already and
2. I do not own any Leica M-lenses.

If I owned M-lenses, I would surely have a µ4/3 cam. Wink

usayit · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

usayit · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

usayit · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

usayit · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 24 Location: New Jersey, U.S.A.

revers · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 11:31 pm Post subject:

[quote="

OH so very true.. I completely forgot that this isn't just "any" other photo-forum.[/quote]

I had to laugh at this. You see, I was shooting today with three lenses on my G1, a Minolta & a Vivitar manual focus & one being the Panasonic 45-200 auto. I shot these two frames with the Panasonic in manual focus - just seemed natural. Very Happy