GAS Dear Giary!

Tomorrow I will meet the next desire face to face. Feeling sort of bad to be giving in, because after the last spring I've been in a place to rather reduce than to collect more. So far I haven't managed to sell anything within the last 6 months because the Panasonic S1 isn't moving at all. My last two batches of acquisition (December '21 and March '22) have been failures in certain senses, and they've also been expensive batches. No wonder if I've been holding my horses.

But yes, exploring the territory of a flagship Olympus makes a lot of sense. I have the lenses, adapters, even speed boosters, tools already in place. Pen-F was an excellent picture maker in most ways. The shortcomings it had -- ergonomics and CDAF performance/accuracy -- the beefier E-M1.2 addresses those exact points.

The deal is good. With the grip and batteries there's basically only about 300 € left to pay for the body. I'm just a bit worn out at the thought of getting this experience with a beat up example. That's why I insist on seeing the camera F2F. I'm ready to walk away.

The seller is not a random trader joe, he appears to be a big Olympus fan who also has an E-M1X and I suspect the new OM-1.

The other deal is basically just as good (E-M1.2 + 15mm BCL + 7-14 Pro = 1000 €) but it's double the investment and then I'd need to buy extra batteries for the body.

~

Anyway. I'm left thinking that the quietness on the GAS front is also due to the fact that I have explored most territories I am interested in exploring.

  • DSLR: With Nikon Df and Pentax KP, I've explored the DSLR enough to have an understanding of what it could be at its best (although this gear that I have doesn't reach it fully).
  • Rangefinder: Leica M240 is a tour de force by itself and I have a very clear understanding what the rangefinder is and what a new model such as M11 offers me.
  • FF mirrorless: I admit this is a territory I have only minimally explored with Panasonic S1, (of course there was a longer period with Leica Q) but it's something that doesn't excite me terribly.
    • Give me time and perhaps I trade in the Panasonic S1 for a Nikon Z6? But not yet...
  • APSC/M43 mirrorless: I have covered this land pretty well, but I want to reach some summits and study certain nooks and crannies.
    • E-M1.2 is such a summit.
    • Fuji Xpro2/3 is another summit of interest, but it would be a lot more climbing to get there because I lack existing lenses and system around it.
    • Fuji XT3/XH1 is occasionally on my radar simply because I forgot to explore some options and features the last time I had it. Nothing an Xpro2 couldn't do of course, I don't need to do them both...
Last year I climbed the Panasonic G9 summit but it wasn't terribly exciting nor offered me much over the GX80.

And yes, I'm here reaching for the stars while there's known problems and maintenance inside my own kingdom. It's just hard to bite the bullet.
 
Ah, I'm already envisioning me some good dark time photography with the speedboosted Nikkor 50mm/1.4 that becomes a 35mm f/1 on the Olympus. No need to step away from ISO 200 for that photography.

On GX80 the speedboosted Nikkors are a bit unwieldy (on G80 I haven't actually tried for some reason yet) and on an E-M1.2 they should be at their best.

These older gen Panasonics fail at night photography because of their conservative live view amplification parameters. Maybe it's because of CDAF requirements, maybe something else. The live view gets choppy, even with a f/1 lens on it. Will eagerly study how the Olympus will do in my demanding applications.
 
Here we are, with a heavily used E-M1.2. The files seem impossibly crisp for some reason. Shouldn't be any crisper than what Pen-F shot (as both cameras are 20 megapixel sensors without an AA filter?) but it could be simply because I am accustomed to the 16-mp Panasonic look, and I don't necessarily remember the Pen-F files in accurate detail.

The IBIS works very differently on E-M1.2 than on Pen-F. Interesting.

Due to cloud coverage, intense humidity and the fact that the sun does go down at 9 PM, I got to put the camera under a heavy stress test right away. I think it surpassed all my expectations. There were some seriously dark paths that we took Saturday night. Unlit jogging paths where you couldn't distinguish any contrasty feature in the foreground, your only chance at a sharp focus was at silhouetted trees against some city-lit clouds.

Leica M still reigns king for focus accuracy at a such difficult scene but I think the EM1.2 could manage a shot or two. I didn't have the Leica M for A/B comparisons with me but I'm 100% certain neither camera could have focused at foreground objects.

The IBIS is wonderful. Must be better than that of Pen-F, despite this being more civilized in its nature. Handheld (against eye) 1/3sec, 70mmeqv seems to be mostly sharp stuff. I also notice some scenes that I successfully test-shot with 1/1.3 sec and even 1-sec exposures with 70mmeqv. With GX80, forget about it! I also took some handheld (not against eye) 70mmeqv 1/1.6sec exposures with a 33% success rate.


Here we have a grossly overexposed image of a dark path at midnight. It's both overexposed at capture time and I further pushed the file in post great deals (between +1.4 EV and +2.1 EV). I'm impressed with the camera's performance at the field and also with the files!

2022-08-20 (Sat) 23-38-51.jpeg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Both of the cameras have unique little things to them, sadly not shared probably due to patents.

Maybe G9 has the better body including EVF but the EM1 lineup is comfier in its size. One has PDAF, AF limiter, preset MF features, the other has a joystick to control focus points and the possibility to set up AF Near/Far back button focusing. Not to mention Panasonic's sensible focus tools (when you have "full field" autofocus mode on, you can simply apply the joystick to focus on a 3x3 section and then instantly get back to full 225x225 AF area when you press the OK button). And let's not forget about Panasonic's super clear menus. Panasonic's live histogram and levels are much nicer than what Olympus has always used. Also, I haven't checked Olympus' smart phone integration yet but Panasonic's implementation so far is the only one that just works. Panasonic also has/supports three configurable dials of exposure control so that you can have the entire triangle at your fingertips.

What is sorely missed in all other cameras is the Olympus live time feature. It's a reason alone to own an Olympus camera. Both have live composites but such photography feels too much computery to a purist like myself.

I'm currently going through the Olympus setup menus. I just enabled FPS booster and boy does it give me a smooth ride, even under lowish light. Panasonics simply won't allow me to have similar experience. On the downside, the image on the EM1.2 looks a bit soft, as if they run noise reduction on the live feed for me. The low-rez components (compared to G9) don't help in this matter either. Would like to get a gritty grainy image instead of a soft look. Maybe there's an option for it available.

I did this first round of setting things up without the help of an online manual. Next up, I will open the PDF and go through everything again.
 
It's very early yet but the first impressions of the banged up EM1.2 have been most favorable.

I don't expect that manual focusing some adapted lenses will be very enjoyable but having speedboosted Nikkors for wintertime strolls is going to be lit. My Nikkor 28/2 turns into a 20mm f/1.4. Who knows, maybe I stop regretting buying this lens once I see how it handles on the E-M1.2? Then there's the broken 50mm f/1.4 that becomes a usable 35mm f/1 when adapted.
 
I built myself custom set C1 around manual focus lenses. (Most likely it's the only custom slot I'll ever need.)

Map MAGNIFY to AEL/AFL button,
Map LENS EXIF INFO to movie record,
Map TOGGLE FOCUS PEAKING to Fn1.

I sure hope that I don't need to dive down to the menus every time I need to change the focal length of a dummy adapted lens, that it suffices to use the Lens info feature.

What is nice is that f.ex Pro Capture will work with dummy lenses. There was a lot of grief when the camera with the first firmware 6 years ago wouldn't allow PC unless the lens was one from their Pro lineup.
 
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mike3996 said:
I don't expect that manual focusing some adapted lenses will be very enjoyable but having speedboosted Nikkors for wintertime strolls is going to be lit. My Nikkor 28/2 turns into a 20mm f/1.4. Who knows, maybe I stop regretting buying this lens once I see how it handles on the E-M1.2? Then there's the broken 50mm f/1.4 that becomes a usable 35mm f/1 when adapted.
Click to expand...
Just as a side note: what about the Olympus/OM Systems 20mm f/1.4 pro? It seems to have some character in it's rendering, in my eyes more "special" than most MFT lenses.
 
You're right, it would be a nice lens to try. I just have the speed booster and nikkors already in my closet so it is the logical place to start. Despite this, I have browsed the selection of Olympus f/1.2 Pro lenses online... pricey stuff. :)
 
Telefoto seems to have a sale on the 20mm f/1.4 pro. 595€ is a lot more reasonable than the normal asking price of 699€. I gave a passing thought myself to the Oly lens back when I still had my GX80, but I already had the Panny 20/1.7 and the price was too close to the Sony 40mm G, so I passed. But it does still look like an interesting little thing for the MFT system...
 
I'm not going to run into anything yet but I noticed that the modest Nikkor 20mm f/1.8G lens would become an attractive 14mm f/1.25 speedboosted. It most certainly will not be a match for Leica 28mm Summilux in either image quality or shooting experience/usability but it would be a night-capable set indeed.

~

I explored what my options would be to adapt Pentax K lenses to M4/3. Sadly the most interesting one seems to be unattainable.

  • ✔️Pentax K mount lens with aperture ring, unreduced focal length: trivial to adapt.
  • ✔️Pentax K mount lens without aperture ring, unreduced focal length: there seem to be adapters with aperture control.
  • ✔️Pentax K mount lens with aperture ring, 0.7x reduction: seems to be doable with a K-EF adapter, stacked with an EF-M43 speed booster.
  • ❌Pentax K mount lens without aperture ring, 0.7x reduction: seems like I'm outta luck.
The digital APSC lenses should be boostable to M4/3 (with a little falloff in the corners) so it's a shame there seems to be no adapters to do this?
 
mike3996 said:
It most certainly will not be a match for Leica 28mm Summilux in either image quality or shooting experience/usability but it would be a night-capable set indeed.
Click to expand...
If you mean the Summicron then I sort of get it. But the Summilux? I believe that while the Nikkor G doesn’t have the Summilux name, is big, without distance markings and housed in plastic, it’s actually better than the Summilux for certain things like optics (yes, I said that), rendering and, if anyone like that sort of thing, sunstars, in fact it’s the very best there is for that. Seriously, try it, for your Nikon camera(s) as well as speed booster to m43. The creative possibilities with a lens with that wide and an aperture that fast are amazing when you’re shooting as close as 20cm as you can with that lens.
 
Yeah why not. You got me sold. (Did you mean the 20mm f/1.8G?) Sadly the one cheap 20/1.8 was gone quickly.

After the initial favorable experience with E-M1.2 (I haven't had much time or energy to stroll much more with it since the acquisition 10 days ago) I've been getting some of that old time GAS about lenses again. Hell, to my shame I admit one of the first things I did was to check the price levels of E-M1 Mark 3's also!

To address this lens acquisition plan, perhaps I'll try a new thing to put aside 200 € and then by December I can get a lens with the savings.

What it shall be, I guess the used market offerings decide.

  • Olympus 25mm f/1.2
  • (Oly 20mm f/1.4?)
  • 40-150 f/2.8 Pro
  • 50-200 SWD? :D (Somebody has had one locally for sale w/ the adapter for a long time)
  • 12-100 Pro?
  • Panasonic 14-140ii
  • The said 20/1.8G
 
Tili said:
Hmm why are you wondering about the E-M1.3. What would be the reason to replace it for you?
Click to expand...
So far nothing but the fact that the Mark2 that I bought is well worn.

(I'm, like, that was the point!) I aimed to buy a cheap example so that I can experiment the camera without taking a big loss on possible resale.

A considerable part of my favorable first impressions is that the camera didn't cost me a grand.

I've had plenty of tertiary cameras that I wanted to get rid of, not because they were crummy to use but they were too much money for being tertiary cameras. Fuji XT3 in early 2020 was a prime example. A wonderful camera but at 1300+ EUR it was too much for a dust gatherer. Panasonic G9 with its 700 € price tag was also at the boundary. This E-M1.2 with its concrete cost of 500 € or creatively calculated cost of 350 € is much better.
 
mike3996 said:
So far nothing but the fact that the Mark2 that I bought is well worn.

(I'm, like, that was the point!) I aimed to buy a cheap example so that I can experiment the camera without taking a big loss on possible resale.

A considerable part of my favorable first impressions is that the camera didn't cost me a grand.

I've had plenty of tertiary cameras that I wanted to get rid of, not because they were crummy to use but they were too much money for being tertiary cameras. Fuji XT3 in early 2020 was a prime example. A wonderful camera but at 1300+ EUR it was too much for a dust gatherer. Panasonic G9 with its 700 € price tag was also at the boundary. This E-M1.2 with its concrete cost of 500 € or creatively calculated cost of 350 € is much better.
Click to expand...
Yeah I get that, prices now are getting very odd tho.

Agreed, I would never be happy with a Fuji X-T3 that was 1300+. That's very steep!

1 year ago:
I bought a mint Fuji X-Pro1 for €280 (wanted a pretty one to look at). I see them being sold for ~500(!) now.
I bought a mint Fuji X-T3 for €850. That prices has hardly changed now. With the XT-4 and the X-H2s It should have gone down.

No idea what is going on.
 

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