Micro 4/3 Merging System bounderies Fullframe (D600) to Fourthird (GH3)

[Richard Lin]

Naveed, thanks for sharing the size comparison link. That is extremely useful.

I agree with most of what everyone is saying here. I do hope we will soon arrive at a day when we don't have to argue so much about digital noise, color bit depth any more.

My camera journey started with the Pentax MX, a wonderfully small, fully mechanical camera, then I moved up to the LX before I plunged into the auto focus world with an Canon Elan (what happened to eye-control focus). My favorite non-digital camera is the Canon EOS 3. I also inherited a Rollei 35 (talking about small, FF) and a hasselblad and assorted lenses from my dad.

After a few Canon EOS bodies, I now use the aging 40D. But as I am more interested in travel and street photography and less nature/landscape, my current Panny GX1 is almost perfect. But as most of you have guessed, the image quality is not quite there yet. My big Canon gears are reserved for sport and macro only.

This year's Photokina is very interesting indeed. I was disappointed by the lack of a Canon 7D replacement though.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Naveed Akhtar]

Fuijifilm X-Pro1, 18, 35 & 60 mm Fuji lenses and, nikon D600, Nikon 50 mm f1.4 & 24-85 mm kit lens.

Thanks MacJim for sharing your story and what a lovely camera inventory you got now. But I really admire your courage buying Leica FF and lenses. I also spend some good time with D80 and later D90 and what amazing cameras these are, no doubt D90 is the most popular camera on flickr and dpreview. It was probably that time with D90 or Canon 300D Rebel before it, that I always had a hope that one day soon CaNikon will build some small body FF camera. You can see my signature that I am keeping before the release of Nikon D800, for the same reason. But later it was Pany GH1 that really excited me. I bought it to do some experiments on videos but its ease of use and superb handeling hooked me with it, I didn't expect it's so easy and fun to produce such great results. For the last three years I bought so many other cameras but nothing could replace GH1. I took it on almost every journey I made in last three years coupled with many other cameras, but never went out without it. So the release of GH3 is something really big for me with its size bigger than GH1/2 I am still considering it as it's still roughly the size of D90.

You said very well and I completely agree its the metering system and amazing Contrast based AF in Live View coupled with Movies where GHx series clearly shines but one thing where it slightly lacks is even with its very expensive kit lens, GH3 still needs some primes to produce my desired results. F2.8 on 4/3 is not a wide enough for me to replace my m43 prime lenses. Its bright enough but not shallow enough on DOF side for the portraits. Fullframe is the only system that offers such flexibility. I wouldn't mind buying more expensive and double the size of a lens for m43 than 12-35 f/2.8; but if it would be as bright as f2 or otherwise as flexible as 12-60mm. But I think Pany or Oly won't develop such lens to keep the size and price low. Here Canon 24-105 f4 should be very good alternative on a small Canon Fullframe body. This could be an ultimate travelling setup where I will have least worry about changing lenses. So I am waiting till December for Canon 6D and will most probably get it with 24-105L, or GH3 kit or D600 or NEX6 or Fuji XE-1 well in the mean time am happy I still got GH1 with me and I will still keep it for extreme wide and extreme tele lenses, even if I will move up to FF.

 

[Naveed Akhtar]

Richard, I guess I need to borrow a film camera to truely appreciate the real manual world and films, as all those stories of experienced photographers like yourself are quite inspiring.

Well said about the time to come, I think it is almost here. Arguing over marginal differences on noise, color depth and dynamic range is only silly with recent generation of digital cameras. Unless someone is a professional in one field and his requirements can only be met with only one specific type of equipement. Today we prefer what fits in our hand well and looks good to our eyes and match our lifestyle

After a few Canon EOS bodies, I now use the aging 40D. But as I am more interested in travel and street photography and less nature/landscape, my current Panny GX1 is almost perfect. But as most of you have guessed, the image quality is not quite there yet. My big Canon gears are reserved for sport and macro only.

You got an excellent combo Richard, though I am not very keen in APSC cameras these days, 40D is deffinately one of the most succesful DSLR. GX1 can also prove very good value if you are taking photos at low ISO and do some post processing.

This year's Photokina is very interesting indeed. I was disappointed by the lack of a Canon 7D replacement though.

This year's photokina is a real killer. So many amazing cameras its only confusing to decide on one or even on two Canon 7D is an amazing camera, and Canon probably won't upgrade it in near future, as at this moment it is only trying to implement 7D's technology into fullframe and smaller APSC and EOS-M bodies. IMO, not until it will implement a proper hybrid AF and new sensor in next rebel! Camera body wise 7D is already top notch, can't see how they can improve on it!

Cheers