stratokaster
Top Veteran
- Location
- Dublin, Ireland
- Name
- Pavel
I think Micro 4/3 was (and still is) one of the most exciting developments in photographic technology. I had quite a bit of fun shooting first my Olympus E-P1 and then my Panasonic DMC-G2. However, recently I've become increasingly frustrated by the limitations of my gear and of the format itself.
The first issue is dynamic range. I travel a lot and often need to shoot in a bright and contrasty light. Unfortunately, Panasonic G2 doesn't have a lot of highlight headroom. This means that I need to use negative exposure compensation to save highlights. But because of its narrow dynamic range I often get completely blocked shadows that don't really recover well: they become riddled with ugly magenta and green blotches.
The second issue is noise. This issue is closely related to the first one. ISO 200 shots are distinctly noisy, ISO 400 - even more so. ISO 800 shots are usable only if I have managed to nail both the exposure and WB, otherwise the image will completely fall apart during PP.
Those 2 problems could be partially solved by buying a more advanced camera (specifically, Panasonic GH2). However, this is where the third issue comes to play. Panasonic GH2's availability (at least in the country where I live) is still sporadic at best. It's been out of stock for 5 months. The same is true for many Micro 4/3 lenses. Of course, I could order GH2 from abroad, but why should I buy Panasonic products if they don't really care about their customers? Also it raises some suspicion about Panasonic's commitment to the system and the overall longevity of Micro 4/3. After all, 4/3 and Pentax were plagued by the same availability issues, and where are they now? Canon, Nikon and Sony somehow happen to better manage their supply chains — and it looks like those systems are here to stay. Pure coincidence, I know.
The fourth problem is limited DOF control with Micro 4/3. I'm not really into 'bokehgraphy,' but often I want just a hair more background separation. And no, I don't want to buy the Nokton.
All of those issues, especially the third one, make me want to ditch Micro 4/3 and buy into another system. The problem is, I don't know where to go.
Unfortunately, I have a very specific set of requirements. First of all, the camera should have a full-featured video mode and input for an external microphone. Manual audio level adjustment is also very welcome. High-quality viewfinder (built-in or clip-on) also is a must. I often shoot with external strobes, it means that the camera should have a hot-shoe. Unfortunately, this rules out all the mirrorless cameras out there (apart from Panasonic GH2, but I won't buy it for the reasons stated above). It means that I am forced to buy a DSLR, but which one?
Canon EOS 600D (or 60D) has all the features I need, but I'm not sure I can live with an optical viewfinder. I think I'm spoiled by EVFs with all their useful facilities (live histogram, instant exposure preview, etc.). The other option is to wait for the Sony A65 which is excellent — it packs all the technology and most of the features of A77 into a smaller and lighter package.
What do you think?
The first issue is dynamic range. I travel a lot and often need to shoot in a bright and contrasty light. Unfortunately, Panasonic G2 doesn't have a lot of highlight headroom. This means that I need to use negative exposure compensation to save highlights. But because of its narrow dynamic range I often get completely blocked shadows that don't really recover well: they become riddled with ugly magenta and green blotches.
The second issue is noise. This issue is closely related to the first one. ISO 200 shots are distinctly noisy, ISO 400 - even more so. ISO 800 shots are usable only if I have managed to nail both the exposure and WB, otherwise the image will completely fall apart during PP.
Those 2 problems could be partially solved by buying a more advanced camera (specifically, Panasonic GH2). However, this is where the third issue comes to play. Panasonic GH2's availability (at least in the country where I live) is still sporadic at best. It's been out of stock for 5 months. The same is true for many Micro 4/3 lenses. Of course, I could order GH2 from abroad, but why should I buy Panasonic products if they don't really care about their customers? Also it raises some suspicion about Panasonic's commitment to the system and the overall longevity of Micro 4/3. After all, 4/3 and Pentax were plagued by the same availability issues, and where are they now? Canon, Nikon and Sony somehow happen to better manage their supply chains — and it looks like those systems are here to stay. Pure coincidence, I know.
The fourth problem is limited DOF control with Micro 4/3. I'm not really into 'bokehgraphy,' but often I want just a hair more background separation. And no, I don't want to buy the Nokton.
All of those issues, especially the third one, make me want to ditch Micro 4/3 and buy into another system. The problem is, I don't know where to go.
Unfortunately, I have a very specific set of requirements. First of all, the camera should have a full-featured video mode and input for an external microphone. Manual audio level adjustment is also very welcome. High-quality viewfinder (built-in or clip-on) also is a must. I often shoot with external strobes, it means that the camera should have a hot-shoe. Unfortunately, this rules out all the mirrorless cameras out there (apart from Panasonic GH2, but I won't buy it for the reasons stated above). It means that I am forced to buy a DSLR, but which one?
Canon EOS 600D (or 60D) has all the features I need, but I'm not sure I can live with an optical viewfinder. I think I'm spoiled by EVFs with all their useful facilities (live histogram, instant exposure preview, etc.). The other option is to wait for the Sony A65 which is excellent — it packs all the technology and most of the features of A77 into a smaller and lighter package.
What do you think?