Micro 4/3 I am nuts - bought a Pany GH2 ... hoping it was the right move

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
I am totally crazy. As if I didn't have enough cameras already, I bought a GH2 today. Wasn't expecting to do it, but just so happens that the local shop here in Houston had a couple of GH2's (and Sony A55's for anyone that's looking for one), and I just couldn't resist.

I bought an A55 not more than a couple of months ago, but donated it to my father this past week. I always use that as an excuse -- "well, now that Dad has the camera, I need another one ..." Of course, it remains to be seen whether or not he will actually keep the A55, because I know my Mom will be telling him (or may have already told him) something along the lines of -- "your son spoils you, you don't need another camera ... your DLux2 is more than enough camera for you ... someone is going to rob you with all those fancy cameras that you carry ... they are too heavy for you to be lugging them around ... etc."

Anyhow, I digress. So now I'm the proud owner of a GH2 + 14-140 lens. Haven't taken a single shot with it yet. I have some reservations about its high ISO capabilities now that I've been spoiled by the APS-C sensors in the Sony A55 and NEX-3. I don't expect it to be as good as the APS-C sensor cameras, but I'm hoping that it will be significantly better than my EP2.

I haven't played with my GH2 yet. But the AF speed on the GH2 that I was playing with at the store was pretty awesome. I'd say it's about the same as the A55, and maybe even a tad bit faster. However, it does a back and forth before locking the focus. It's definitely more quiet. The shutter noise is just as loud. That's weird given that there aren't any mirrors slapping. But what do I know about cameras (other than buying them). I'm sure there is some other moving part that's making the clanking noise.

Ok ... anyway ... I'm looking for validation here that the GH2 is awesome, and worth every penny! I was actually thinking about getting a Pentax K-5 after donating the A55 to Dad. The K-5 (according to the reviews I've read) has awesome low light capabilities and so many cool looking pancake primes. And it's weather sealed. Oh well. I guess I'll get that some other day when the tax man gives me a nice refund (hopefully).

I am crazy ...
 
I had an A33 for a few days and now have the GH2. They're very similar in performance I found. Both VERY fast and precise AF and quick in operation. I had a killer Zeiss lens on the A33 when I had it and the IQ was a bit better than the GH2, but not by a lot - and most of it I attribute to the lens. My Nex has the same sensor and it doesn't strike me as better than the GH2 except maybe a bit more dynamic range. I don't think you're crazy. Because if you're crazy, then I'm crazy, and I don't want to confront THAT possibility!

-Ray
 
Thanks Ray! I needed the validation. I have/had a Sony/Zeiss 16-80 on the A55 and a couple of inexpensive fast primes (35/1.8 and 50/1.8). They were all pretty nice.

As for the GH2, I'm also not sure if getting the 14-140 combo was a good idea. Would have saved a huge chunk of money by getting the 14-42 combo. That 14-140 sure is an expensive lens (relative to other m4/3 lens) for a lens that is not particularly fast. It sure is nicely well built though.

Does anyone have experience with the 14-140? I keep thinking that I should get the cheaper combo, and maybe get something like the 7-14 instead (at a later time). I hear that the 7-14 is the "must have" lens. The 7-14 would come in handy if I ever visit the Trevi Fountain.
 
Armanius, I don't know you well enough to call you crazy. Actually, I've been wondering where you've been.

I think there is an Internet virus that is highly communicable between certain photographers on certain photo forums.;)
 
Please post some GH2 pics when you can Armanius. I sympathise with your dilemma! I really like my Zuiko 50mm macro lens but can't find anything in micro 4/3rds that it will focus fast enough on! I bought an EPL1 but I REALLY need a viewfinder and I'm thinking of selling out of the 4/3rds altogether and buying a Pentax K5 with macro or maybe the Sony SLT55. I've been waiting for more opinions regarding the GH2 but the K5 would appear to have it all (notwithstanding the teething problems!!!!) and with a small macro would still be quite compact.
 
Does anyone have experience with the 14-140? I keep thinking that I should get the cheaper combo, and maybe get something like the 7-14 instead (at a later time). I hear that the 7-14 is the "must have" lens. The 7-14 would come in handy if I ever visit the Trevi Fountain.
I've owned the 14-140 twice. The first time I tried it with my (then) epl1 and hated it and sent it back within a day. Its a very big and heavy lens and there was no way I was gonna be happy carrying that combo around all day on vacation. Which to my mind, is what these superzooms are good for - travel lenses for walking around all day. I then got the Olympus 14-150 and loved it. It does everything the 14-140 does (with a little extra at the long end) and is WAAAAY less to carry around. I spent a month in Europe with it and loved it. Then I got the 14-140 on the GH2 also because that's what I could find and thought it might feel ok on the larger camera. But I did a bunch of back to back shots with the 14-150 and then sold the 14-140 again after a couple of days. Even on the GH2, its a load and the 14-150 isn't. For sure the 14-150 isn't stabilized, so its better mated to an Oly than a Pany body, but I did a lot of the kind of shooting I'd generally use this lens for while traveling and I didn't really miss the stabilization for that kind of shooting. When I encounter low light, that lens is coming off anyway and for really long shots, I'll be using the stabilized 100-300.

So, to me there's a good reason for a superzoom when traveling, but I just don't particularly like that one. Its great for video, btw, but that means nothing to me.

In terms of the 7-14, its a great lens, but very expensive and not all that versatile being so wide. The Oly 9-18 is also very wide (but not quite AS wide), is a lot smaller when collapsed, is a good deal less expensive, can take filters, and is more versatile because the 18 at the long end is a pretty good walk around length (like the 17mm pancake). So I'd look at both of those and decide which you like better. If you've gotta have the extra width, then you've gotta have the 7-14. But if you don't, I think the 9-18 is a really good alternative.

-Ray
 
If you're nuts, nuts is good! Time and use will show you that choosing the GH2 was a good move. And that the 14-140 is a worthy lens indeed.

As for the 14-140, I'm impressed as heck with this lens. Especially with the OIS. I have repeatedly found that I can shoot this lens hand held, at full telephoto extension (280mm equivalent!) at 1/15 second and get crisp results. Amazing. Here's a snap I grabbed at a party recently. Interior of the room with walls behind me, and windows behind my subject. I shot the GH2 at ISO 2500, 14-140 lens @ 140mm, handheld, 1/15th sec.

From RAW, no PP except a slight crop:

P1010028.jpg
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From RAW, ISO 2500!, only slight NR applied

P1010028-2.jpg
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Please post some GH2 pics when you can Armanius. I sympathise with your dilemma! I really like my Zuiko 50mm macro lens but can't find anything in micro 4/3rds that it will focus fast enough on! I bought an EPL1 but I REALLY need a viewfinder and I'm thinking of selling out of the 4/3rds altogether and buying a Pentax K5 with macro or maybe the Sony SLT55. I've been waiting for more opinions regarding the GH2 but the K5 would appear to have it all (notwithstanding the teething problems!!!!) and with a small macro would still be quite compact.

I'll start a new thread with my first impressions of the GH2. Hopefully, it'll give you some additional opinions.
 
If you need help, I would be willing to dust off the e620 and take if for a ride.
 
I've owned the 14-140 twice. The first time I tried it with my (then) epl1 and hated it and sent it back within a day. Its a very big and heavy lens and there was no way I was gonna be happy carrying that combo around all day on vacation. Which to my mind, is what these superzooms are good for - travel lenses for walking around all day. I then got the Olympus 14-150 and loved it. It does everything the 14-140 does (with a little extra at the long end) and is WAAAAY less to carry around. I spent a month in Europe with it and loved it. Then I got the 14-140 on the GH2 also because that's what I could find and thought it might feel ok on the larger camera. But I did a bunch of back to back shots with the 14-150 and then sold the 14-140 again after a couple of days. Even on the GH2, its a load and the 14-150 isn't. For sure the 14-150 isn't stabilized, so its better mated to an Oly than a Pany body, but I did a lot of the kind of shooting I'd generally use this lens for while traveling and I didn't really miss the stabilization for that kind of shooting. When I encounter low light, that lens is coming off anyway and for really long shots, I'll be using the stabilized 100-300.

So, to me there's a good reason for a superzoom when traveling, but I just don't particularly like that one. Its great for video, btw, but that means nothing to me.

In terms of the 7-14, its a great lens, but very expensive and not all that versatile being so wide. The Oly 9-18 is also very wide (but not quite AS wide), is a lot smaller when collapsed, is a good deal less expensive, can take filters, and is more versatile because the 18 at the long end is a pretty good walk around length (like the 17mm pancake). So I'd look at both of those and decide which you like better. If you've gotta have the extra width, then you've gotta have the 7-14. But if you don't, I think the 9-18 is a really good alternative.

-Ray

Hi Ray! When you use the Oly 14-150 with the GH2, do you have problems with distortion and chromatic abberations? I read that with the 14-140, there is an automatic software correction used in conjuction with the GH2. With the Oly lens on a Pany body, I think there wouldn't be the software correction. Can you confirm or deny this? Thanks!
 
Hi Ray! When you use the Oly 14-150 with the GH2, do you have problems with distortion and chromatic abberations? I read that with the 14-140, there is an automatic software correction used in conjuction with the GH2. With the Oly lens on a Pany body, I think there wouldn't be the software correction. Can you confirm or deny this? Thanks!

I haven't noticed any problems, but its gotta be pretty bad before I would. The Oly bodies don't correct for CA either, btw, and its takes a pretty special circumstance for it to be bad enough for me to worry about. I think that any RAW processor worth its salt handles the basic distortion issues automatically - I believe Aperture does because I've never noticed any. Here are a couple of sunny landscapes I took yesterday with that camera/lens combination. They look fine to me. These are obviously reduced for Flickr but looking at 100%, I can see some very minor CA in the upper right hand branches of the first and none on the other two, due to the angle of the sun I guess. And not enough in the first to see unless you're really looking for it. I would never correct for it - others might.

Bottom line for me is the lack of stabilization is the only issue I think I'd ever have with this combination and I just don't see using it in low enough light for that to be an issue. Other's tolerances may vary!

-Ray

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