I just finished watching a lighting tutorial over at Max Yuryev's YouTube channel where he shows the difference between using a slow kit lens vs. a moderately fast prime. He was limited to f/5.6 on the variable aperture zoom, meaning he had to crank up the ISO to 1000, whereas with the prime, he was... Continue Reading →
Leica vs. Panasonic! Plus More Studio Lighting
https://youtu.be/k0VYnzHMv5A I'm still playing around with my new studio light, the Lishuai LED 100WB-56, a 100 watt monolight, along with a Godox softbox and reflector. The light is distributed under the Fotodiox name in North America. Last time, I shot while there was still daylight, this time I shot in the evening and the colors... Continue Reading →
Test: Lishuai LED 100WB-56, Leica 12mm f/1.4, Rode VideoMic Pro
For my first video with studio lighting, I'm using the Lishuai LED 100WB-56, a 100 watt daylight balanced fixture, along with a Godox softbox. Kelvin temperature was set manually in camera and Panasonic's Image App was used to focus and start recording. The video was uploaded straight to YouTube from the memory card. My studio... Continue Reading →
Which Zoom Lens for My GH5?
I can't recall ever seeing a negative review over at Mirror Lessons, but this is as close as it comes. To my shock and horror, they recommend getting the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 or the Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 rather than the heavily promoted PanLeica 12-60mm f/2.8-4. Just one reason being, the Leica 12-60 is really only... Continue Reading →
Sigma Art 18-35mm f/1.8 Lens Test on Hold
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Sorry to those who were expecting to see a field test of the Sigma Art 18-35mm f/1.8 with the Lumix G85, but looking at my clips, they only confirm what I already knew about the lens - that it really, genuinely is tack sharp from wide open with the Metabones Speed Booster... Continue Reading →
Field Test: Fuji 90mm f/2 + Olympus 25mm f/1.2
As promised, a field test of the Olympus 25mm f/1.2 shot on the Lumix G85 and the Fuji 90mm f/2 shot on the Fuji X-T2. At $1,200.00 USD, not sure if I'd trade in my Leica 25mm f/1.4 just yet if you've got one: the Olympus is sharp, but it's no match for the Sigma... Continue Reading →
Field Tests of Olympus 25mm f/1.2 and Fuji 90mm f/2 Almost Complete!
I've almost wrapped up shooting with the Olympus 25mm f/1.2 with the Lumix G85 and the Fuji 90mm f/2 on the X-T2. As it turns out, both lenses are excellent. Although I'm finding myself using back button focusing more and more, the clutch manual focus on the Olympus is a wonderful feature, one I wish... Continue Reading →
The Best Lens for the Panasonic Lumix GH5
The Panasonic Lumix GH5 will be released next month, and many are trying to decide which lens to buy for their camera. It would appear that many in the online community have settled on one of Panasonic's zoom lenses, either the G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 v.2 or the PanLeica 12-60mm f/2.8-4. Yet not a... Continue Reading →
Field Test: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8 Lens
Here's a quick and dirty test of the insanely good Olympus 75mm f/1.8, shot on the Lumix G85. Settings: Contrast -2, Sharpening -5, NR -5, Saturation at default. https://youtu.be/fIHoNCQJxos Music by Eric Matyas http://www.soundimage.org
Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 vs. Leica Nocticron: Round II
Both lenses are sharp as a tack. Both have beautiful color rendition. But for head and shoulder shots, nothing touches the Leica for bokeh, except perhaps the insanely sharp Olympus 75mm f/1.8. https://youtu.be/O0tRTKA397g Music by Eric Matyas http://www.soundimage.org
Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 vs. Leica Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2
I hadn't used my Sigma lens in over something like a year because I couldn't find any way to stabilize it with the GH4. Luckily, the G85 and Metabones came to the rescue, and now I'm finally able to use this incredible piece of optical engineering. Should you buy the Leica or get the Sigma... Continue Reading →
Fast Fuji Primes: Worth the Cost?
Don't get me wrong - I love Fuji lenses, and I can well understand why so many reviewers own or would like to own at least half of the 23 or so lenses in Fuji's catalogue. Their build quality is on par with or even better than Zeiss. They are all metal and glass, and... Continue Reading →
It’s Common Knowledge: Sigma Lenses Are Total Crap
I wrote in an earlier post how camera reviewers are often blamed for inaccuracies or omissions in their coverage, whereas it is often readers who value features and specs over image quality, reliability and usability who are to blame. For example, video-oriented cameras with exceptional IQ but lacking IBIS are categorically dismissed as absolute failures by... Continue Reading →
Field Test: Fuji XF 50-140mm f/2.8
As usual, all shots were taken around Book Street in District 1, Saigon. The build quality of this monster is on par with Zeiss. The focus, zoom and aperture rings are dampened to high hell, which I happen to love. Autofocus is fast and completely, utterly silent. The 16-55mm f/2.8 amazed me, the 35mm f/2 astounded... Continue Reading →
Field Test: Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 WR
I'll make this one brief. The Fuji 35mm f/2 is a must-have lens. It is compact, beautifully designed, and the optics are superb for such a small instrument. https://youtu.be/NkFAsUnvz2Y Free background music from JewelBeat.com
Field Test: Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
https://youtu.be/S0_ODY-GRFo The Fuji 16-35mm f/2.8 is a monstrous lens: it's got 17 elements and weighs 655 grams. One thing it is not is a lens you'd want to take with you on vacation. It's not the perfect all-rounder you want to keep on your camera either, like Panasonic's 12-35mm f/2.8. It's too unwieldy to carry... Continue Reading →
Field Test II: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN for MFT
Just as in my previous tests, this clip was shot on Book Street, near the Saigon Central Post Office in Vietnam. This time, half the shots were made with the Zhiyun Crane brushless gimbal stabilizer, the rest with the camera mounted on the Edelkrone Slider Plus Small and iFootage Wild Bull T7 carbon fiber tripod.... Continue Reading →
Field Test II: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron
Many photographers and filmmakers balk at spending more on a lens than they paid for their camera. But there is no reason not to purchase the best glass for your Lumix camera, even if the body cost only $500, because your camera is only as good as the lens. https://youtu.be/dOToESitZd4 Free Background Music from JewelBeat.com
Why I’m Not a Fan of Universal Zooms
A forum member over at EOSHD interested in purchasing a Panasonic Lumix G80 was considering either the Lumix 12-60mm or 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lenses that come with the camera. Apparently in Spain, you can't buy the camera without a lens. What follows is my response. First of all, there is something shady about not offering... Continue Reading →
Field Test: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron
When I did a search on YouTube, most of the 'tests' I saw of the Nocticron were of weeds and garbage (literally), with shutter speed set at 1/000 second (because the uploader didn't want to shell out for an ND filter); or set exclusively at f/1.2 (WTF?), when stopping down to f/2.8 gives you 30... Continue Reading →
The Daejeon Chronicles 