Personal gear review

[Iron]

Pentax K200D PGR

I have this camera for quite a while now and I believe I am already warranted to make a review of it. I acquired this because I was truly intrigued by the brand and by the images I see online.

Main pointers:

• I like the OVF. I know that Pentaprisms can be a bit brighter but the resolution I get from OVFs in general is just so satisfying. There isn't any extinction with polarised glasses, images are sharp and the colours, of course, don't degrade over time like EVFs do
• The CCD sensor renders really high-contrast images to the point that I have to make a completely different style in Darktable just for it.
• AA batteries - I already have 8 Energizer 2300mAh batteries and a fully-charged set of 4 can last from 900 to 1250 shots depending on conditions. AA batteries are also everywhere so if we get to have a zombie apocalypse and we lose power, at least, I can still be able to document everything with alkaline AA batteries from different households.
• Everything is just well-built. There are no squeaks at all and the whole camera screams quality the moment I touch it.
• Ergonomics - Everything is just very well-placed. It is a 690g body but because if well-thought-of ergonomics, much like the 590g E-M1 II, I don't get tired carrying it. I did street with it and without any strap, at all, although I have already placed a vintage Olympus strap on it but it may be temporary. I may opt for an Op/Tech one because they are just well-made (in Montana, USA). There are people who bought an OP/Tech strap 30 years ago and they still use it today.
• Pentax lenses - They are optically corrected and they just have a different feel for me. It's hard to explain.
• K-Mount - These lenses have been around since 1975 and there is just so much to choose from. We have around 2,600 K-mount lenses from Pentax and 3rd-parties. I mitigated my GAS with the system so I am good, for now.
• Images - They remind of my film days. At ISO 200, I now can almost distinguish a Pentax image from ones from other brands. The DNG RAW do not need much tweaking, even for landscape. B&W images have plenty of contrast.
• Green button - This extra 2-second operation before pressing the shutter button is worth it considering that the exposure will just be correct. I don't mind using it on the street.
• The screw-drive lenses can be challenging for some. I don't mind it, although for birding, I sometimes need to pre-focus to prevent the camera from hunting or locking onto something near the foreground.
• This model doesn't have Live View so it's old-school pure OVF only.
• The weather-sealing is phenomenal, although, I keep the seals lubricated, closed and clean all the time.
• The ISO goes up to 1600 only so I have to watch my shutter speeds in low-light.
• I wear glasses most of the time and with them on, I don't see the edges of the viewfinder. This can be solved with the use of contact lenses + sunnies.
• The images are ridiculously good in print. They are not as sharpened as most modern mirrorless alternatives but they just turn out well. Again, it's hard to explain but it brings be back to the moody shots we got with film.

Overall, I am satisfied and surprised by the performance of this Pentax from 2008. Is it a system that can be used solely for photography? Yes, of course. They do make good photographs and I understand now why Pentaxians stick with the brand.

 

[theoldsmithy]

I have swapped out the RX100 Mk 4 (its IQ is really good for the size, but the size is just too small) and bought a Panasonic GX80 with 12-32. I know I had, and sold, a GX9 this year but I miss quite a lot about that camera, and the Gx80 has most of its good points for a lot less money!

 

[davidzvi]

Sorry in advanced for the book (I must be taking after @MoonMind )
Background from another thread where I was considering selling off some or all my current gear and getting back into Nikon with the Z:

I sold off my PL15 and PL8-18 recently. My intent was to get the new O8-25 Pro with the proceeds. In the meantime, OMDs announced the O20 Pro…. I'd be happy to part with my P20 and PL25 for it.

Should I instead sell my E-M1.2 and O12-100 and get a Z? with the Z24-200. Then get the Z14-30 instead of the O8-25 and O20?

I could keep my Pen F, O9 BCL, P14, and PL25 (or trade for the O25 for size and weight advantage). Then decide later about my S56 and O12-45 Pro.

Well step one. My Pen F, 12-45 Pro, P20 are gone. In their place I have a new to me X100v and WCL….

…. I have a Z5 on its way, and a line on the 24-70 locally….

So where am I now?

The Z5 and 24-70 lasted about 2 weeks, the X100v lasted a little over 3 weeks. Both are now gone. I still have my Olympus E-M1.2 body and the following lenses: O9mm BCL, O12-100mm Pro, O75-300mm, P14mm, PL25mm, and S56mm. I also added a new E-P7 import, it’s not yet available through OMDs in the US.

What did I learn?

The X100v. A great camera that can be configured to be simple to use. Wonderful sensor, responsive controls / interface, good AF, and solid build. I definitely prefer the tilt screen over articulated, especially for a camera like this (smaller rangefinder style whether an EVF or not). I like the AF joystick and direct controls. I liked the persistent AF point display for zone and wide, a little thing but a handy reminder where the AF point is without having to do a half shutter press.

It can also be very complicated and easy to get deep into the weeds. I had to do a couple resets at one point because it was taking a couple seconds to save every image. The issue turned out to be I had Clarity set to +1. While it’s not really that much bigger or heavier than the Pen F + P14mm was, it seemed like it was. And then of course no IBIS. I guess if my shooting style was still eye to the viewfinder, it wouldn’t make much difference. But the reality is that’s not how I shoot anymore.

In the end I decided it was too much camera and tying up too much money for what I wanted to use it for to justify keeping it.

The Nikon Z5. This one was more of a surprise to me. Great image quality. Familiar handing for the most part. But it’s also bigger in person. Bigger in the hand when I can really go back and forth between it and my E-M1.2. I’ve taken my E-M1.2 + O12-45 Pro on walks around the neighborhood just carrying it in my hand. I’m honestly not sure I would have done that with the Z5.

I think this one also comes down to what and how I shoot now. It was great to the eye shooting. But the fact that I’m enjoying the EVF-less E-P7 might just say it all. It’s funny, but the more I played with it when I got it, the less I was excited about having.

Do I miss my Pen F? The build and feel? Sure. Whether you like or dislike the flat soap bar design, it’s just a solid body and all the controls feel great. I don’t miss the articulated screen or the EVF so far. Nor do I miss all the features I rarely, if ever, used. When it comes down to it I’m a pretty basic shooter. I mainly shoot in Aperture priority with auto ISO and adjust the exposure comp, that’s about it 80%-90% of the time now. I’ve never bothered setting any of the user/custom settings. Not even when I was shooting events, I shot in manual mode 95%-98% for events.

Pen E-P7. So far, I’m really pleased with the E-P7, it’s smaller and lighter than either the Pen F or X100v. No, it doesn’t have the build of the Pen F. But there’s the tilt screen and it’s just easier to use. It does still have many of the “advanced” features of the Pen F and E-M1.2. But they’re all grouped out of my way, available if I want them. Maybe I’ll even play around with things like Live Time and Live Composition more if I didn’t have to remember the settings every time I want to try them.

The one thing I did play around with on the Pen F, the monochrome modes, is definitely better. The profiles themselves seem pretty close to the same. But the controls and interface are more intuitive. I always thought the jog lever on the Pen F didn’t really add anything and I never used the Art Filter or Color Creator on the front dial.

What’s it missing? Well sure I’d rather have an EVF instead of the popup flash. And yes, it’s missing the 4th pin in the hot shoe to power the Oly FL-LM3. At least I can tilt the popup up for bounce, not as helpful in portrait mode. Otherwise? I wish I could assign metering to one of the function buttons. I wish I could change the arrow pad to direct AF control.

What's next?

I think I'm going back to my original plan. I'm going to pick up another O12-45 Pro, I'll order an O8-25 Pro (maybe I'll actually get one this year). Depending on the size of the upcoming O20 f/1.4 Pro I'll either swap my PL25 f/1.4 for it. Or if it's a lot bigger than the PL25, maybe I'll get one and swap the PL25 for the O25 f/1.8 as a smaller option for E-P7.

Beyond that? I don't think I'll be a buyer for the announced O40-150mm f/4 Pro. There are two other lens placeholders on the roadmap that I will be interested in. They seem to be in the 50-225 range (pretty hard to tell for sure) and that's the range I really want, For now I have the 75-300 to cover my telephoto needs.

And then again who knows what's coming on the 28th?

 

[Bobby T]

I’ve had more time to do more reflecting, as well as looking over my own work. Due to my next lens being on preorder. This time looking at it not from the perspective of what I’ve shot that I think I’ve done well with. But instead, looking at the images I like more now. Combined with having shot the SiO with the 90mm. Has changed my perspective.

I have canceled my pre order on the 33 1.4. My thoughts are that I don’t want a 35, or 33. Instead, I feel that a 50mm will be more inline with how I want to shoot. There have been times in the past where I only had a 16/56 pairing. This will be similar with an 18/50 pairing. Plus I’ll have the 90mm. Now I just have to finalize which 50.

 

[MoonMind]

Sorry in advanced for the book (I must be taking after @MoonMind )
Background from another thread where I was considering selling off some or all my current gear and getting back into Nikon with the Z:







So where am I now?

The Z5 and 24-70 lasted about 2 weeks, the X100v lasted a little over 3 weeks. Both are now gone. I still have my Olympus E-M1.2 body and the following lenses: O9mm BCL, O12-100mm Pro, O75-300mm, P14mm, PL25mm, and S56mm. I also added a new E-P7 import, it’s not yet available through OMDs in the US.

What did I learn?

The X100v. A great camera that can be configured to be simple to use. Wonderful sensor, responsive controls / interface, good AF, and solid build. I definitely prefer the tilt screen over articulated, especially for a camera like this (smaller rangefinder style whether an EVF or not). I like the AF joystick and direct controls. I liked the persistent AF point display for zone and wide, a little thing but a handy reminder where the AF point is without having to do a half shutter press.

It can also be very complicated and easy to get deep into the weeds. I had to do a couple resets at one point because it was taking a couple seconds to save every image. The issue turned out to be I had Clarity set to +1. While it’s not really that much bigger or heavier than the Pen F + P14mm was, it seemed like it was. And then of course no IBIS. I guess if my shooting style was still eye to the viewfinder, it wouldn’t make much difference. But the reality is that’s not how I shoot anymore.

In the end I decided it was too much camera and tying up too much money for what I wanted to use it for to justify keeping it.

The Nikon Z5. This one was more of a surprise to me. Great image quality. Familiar handing for the most part. But it’s also bigger in person. Bigger in the hand when I can really go back and forth between it and my E-M1.2. I’ve taken my E-M1.2 + O12-45 Pro on walks around the neighborhood just carrying it in my hand. I’m honestly not sure I would have done that with the Z5.

I think this one also comes down to what and how I shoot now. It was great to the eye shooting. But the fact that I’m enjoying the EVF-less E-P7 might just say it all. It’s funny, but the more I played with it when I got it, the less I was excited about having.

Do I miss my Pen F? The build and feel? Sure. Whether you like or dislike the flat soap bar design, it’s just a solid body and all the controls feel great. I don’t miss the articulated screen or the EVF so far. Nor do I miss all the features I rarely, if ever, used. When it comes down to it I’m a pretty basic shooter. I mainly shoot in Aperture priority with auto ISO and adjust the exposure comp, that’s about it 80%-90% of the time now. I’ve never bothered setting any of the user/custom settings. Not even when I was shooting events, I shot in manual mode 95%-98% for events.

Pen E-P7. So far, I’m really pleased with the E-P7, it’s smaller and lighter than either the Pen F or X100v. No, it doesn’t have the build of the Pen F. But there’s the tilt screen and it’s just easier to use. It does still have many of the “advanced” features of the Pen F and E-M1.2. But they’re all grouped out of my way, available if I want them. Maybe I’ll even play around with things like Live Time and Live Composition more if I didn’t have to remember the settings every time I want to try them.

The one thing I did play around with on the Pen F, the monochrome modes, is definitely better. The profiles themselves seem pretty close to the same. But the controls and interface are more intuitive. I always thought the jog lever on the Pen F didn’t really add anything and I never used the Art Filter or Color Creator on the front dial.

What’s it missing? Well sure I’d rather have an EVF instead of the popup flash. And yes, it’s missing the 4th pin in the hot shoe to power the Oly FL-LM3. At least I can tilt the popup up for bounce, not as helpful in portrait mode. Otherwise? I wish I could assign metering to one of the function buttons. I wish I could change the arrow pad to direct AF control.

What's next?

I think I'm going back to my original plan. I'm going to pick up another O12-45 Pro, I'll order an O8-25 Pro (maybe I'll actually get one this year). Depending on the size of the upcoming O20 f/1.4 Pro I'll either swap my PL25 f/1.4 for it. Or if it's a lot bigger than the PL25, maybe I'll get one and swap the PL25 for the O25 f/1.8 as a smaller option for E-P7.

Beyond that? I don't think I'll be a buyer for the announced O40-150mm f/4 Pro. There are two other lens placeholders on the roadmap that I will be interested in. They seem to be in the 50-225 range (pretty hard to tell for sure) and that's the range I really want, For now I have the 75-300 to cover my telephoto needs.

And then again who knows what's coming on the 28th?

Interesting observations about the Z 5; I remember not taking to the Z 6 immediately because I found it surprisingly hefty, coming from other cameras - but for me, the gains in use outweighed (ha!) the additional bulk (which, to be fair, wasn't that big to begin with). I grew into liking that body more and more over time and today prefer it over almost every other body; that said, I still opt for the smaller lighter form of the Z 50 (which really feels like a shrunken Z 6/Z 5 - it's not as full-featured as either, though) quite frequently, especially as an EDC. So I understand your love for smaller, capable bodies. To this day, I've kept my around for this reason ...

M.

 

[gordo]

In the continuing evolution of my gear, health is increasingly becoming an issue to be considered wrt gear choice.

Shooting the X100F exclusively so far for October has highlighted the fact that stability is definitely now an issue. Going forward I'll either need to use cameras with IBIS, or shoot exclusively from tripods (which isn't always possible). Highly possible the F will go, and a 27/2.8 WR will join my X-H1 for general use as a walk-around camera. Since the X-H1 will be staying, I'll most likely keep the 16-55 and 90/2.

Other lenses may go depending upon the next decision point, the airshow next month. Whether or not it's time to put the cameras down and just sit back and enjoy the shows, or take a serious look at how my gear works for airshows and adjust if needed. I think this was mentioned previously, might be a shift more towards landscape and trying to do some serious improvement there.

Future gear purchases (other than possibly the 27) will be on hold until I upgrade my outdated computer equipment. My desktop is almost 9 years old and is choking on the most current Affinity update working with 24mp files. Moving to 40+mp files simply won't work on the current machine. Any replacement will be a home-build or a custom build, and I'll need a better and slightly larger monitor as well.

 

[MoonMind]

Another observation that may influence future decisions: Haptics can't be jugded by appearance - nor by size and weight.

Case in point: Compact Camera Meter

I have sorted them by weight (rather than size). I own all those lenses and have a use case for every one of them.

But one of them is slightly shaky at the time being: One would think that the 24-70mm f/4, being the lightest and smallest, is the most comfortable to carry. But it clearly isn't. In the hand, the MC 105mm f/2.8 (the second heaviest and clearly longest lens!) balances best by some margin, followed by the 24-200mm f/4-6.3. The 24-70mm f/4 feels strangely hefty for its size - not a lot better than the much heavier 24-70mm f/2.8. Now, with that lens, its weight is clearly dominating the handling - but otherwise, it feels very balanced *for what it is*, quite a bit better than expected in fact. The *only* lens that is surprisingly "bulky" is - the smallest and lightest.

I know that it may only be me. But I read similar accounts from quite a few people. The 24-70mm f/4 is a very nice lens optically and well worth owning for its compact build and performance alike; however, it's still not my favourite walkaround lens. The MC 105mm f/2.8 is currently being used for the SiO challenge - so I know I'm not imagining it, after all, I've been carrying it for at least half an hour on the Z 7 II every day for 24 days now.

So, it's a question of *balance* - I think we should think about this more often; in a way, I have when I sold on some magnificent glass I just wasn't using (the Sigma f/1.4 primes ...). And I will definitely use the 24-70mm f/4 daily for at least a week once SiO is over to find out if I can adjust to it better. If not, seeing as I have a lot of options available, I may move it on. Not because it's bad - but I want my gear to be sufficiently desirable; a lens that has all the makings of a nice one shouldn't present me with reasons *not* to use it.

M.

 

[davidzvi]

Very interesting @MoonMind. It wouldn't surprise me if what you're seeing didn't also influence what I saw with the Z5 and 24-70. But it's a focal length I need and no way I could justify the f/2.8.

Edit: I should add that one of the issues might also have been that the Z5 + 24-70 f/4 was competing against the E-M1.2 + 12-45 f/4. A combo that I shot more in about 9 months than I shot with the 12-100 f/4 in about 3 years. Though to be fair to the 12-100 that also comes down to around the house versus going out to shoot.

 

[MoonMind]

Okay, two goals for the next couple of weeks:

• I want to get to the bottom of the Canon G1X III's weather sealing - strange as it might seem, I've never really put it to the test. If the camera survives, all the better, if it doesn't, well - at least then I know for certain that it doesn't fill the very niche I keep it for. After all, I *have* a rather compact all-weather combo: the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III with the 12-45mm f/4 PRO (or, for lower light situations, the Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 II). Yes, it's bigger, but it's also a proven worry-free solution.
• I want to find out if I can actually grow to like the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S after all this time - and I mean haptically. Optically, the lens is worth every cent and gram, but somehow, I can't seem to like it as a carry-around (I carry my cameras in the hand during photo walks). The upcoming Z 24-120mm f/4 S may be very worthy replacement - not because it's smaller, but because *if* a lens is somewhat heavy, I might as well use a more versatile one; besides, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III with the 12-45mm f/4 PRO can cover for the Z 24-70mm f/4 S as a compact option anyway.

To sum up: The Olympus OM-D E-M5 III with the 12-45mm f/4 PRO is potentially saving my skin *twice* here ... Interesting.

M.

 

[davidzvi]

I'm kind of glad the Z5 didn't work out for me after the Z9 announcement. It saved me about $4,000 between the 24-120 and 100-400.

But seriously, even though the Z isn't what I need or want right now; I still remain very impressed with what I see coming from Nikon. The Z9 seems like an incredible tool. And I'm very glad to see that Nikon stayed with their 24-120 range instead of following Canon, Panasonic, and Sony with 24-105. And while the 24-120 is a little longer than the others, it is the lightest.

 

[mpeterson]

• I want to find out if I can actually grow to like the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S after all this time - and I mean haptically. Optically, the lens is worth every cent and gram, but somehow, I can't seem to like it as a carry-around (I carry my cameras in the hand during photo walks). The upcoming Z 24-120mm f/4 S may be very worthy replacement - not because it's smaller, but because *if* a lens is somewhat heavy, I might as well use a more versatile one; besides, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III with the 12-45mm f/4 PRO can cover for the Z 24-70mm f/4 S as a compact option anyway.

I'm totally with you on the 24-70. I like the size, the weight is ok, and the image quality is outstanding (at least as good as the 24-70/2.8G I used to own). But in spite of all that I've never really bonded with the lens. I think it's mostly the clutch/lock thing, which I understand the reasoning for but dislike. I've had it for some 15-16 months now, and I constantly find myself wondering if I should just swap it for the Z 24/1.8S lens. I have the 50 and 85, so the 24 would make a good companion in that f/1.8 set. But then I use it for a project or trip and see the images...and it stays. However, like you, I'm curious to see what the 24-120 ends up bringing to the table in terms of image quality relative to the 24-70.

All that said, now that I have the Z 40mm f/2, at least for now that has become my default/EDC lens on my Z bodies due to its small size. Most likely, for me the 24-70 will become that lens that stays in the bag until occasions (mostly events or travel) when I specifically need the versatility of a mid-range zoom.

 

[MoonMind]

I'm totally with you on the 24-70. I like the size, the weight is ok, and the image quality is outstanding (at least as good as the 24-70/2.8G I used to own). But in spite of all that I've never really bonded with the lens. I think it's mostly the clutch/lock thing, which I understand the reasoning for but dislike. I've had it for some 15-16 months now, and I constantly find myself wondering if I should just swap it for the Z 24/1.8S lens. I have the 50 and 85, so the 24 would make a good companion in that f/1.8 set. But then I use it for a project or trip and see the images...and it stays. However, like you, I'm curious to see what the 24-120 ends up bringing to the table in terms of image quality relative to the 24-70.

All that said, now that I have the Z 40mm f/2, at least for now that has become my default/EDC lens on my Z bodies due to its small size. Most likely, for me the 24-70 will become that lens that stays in the bag until occasions (mostly events or travel) when I specifically need the versatility of a mid-range zoom.

Interesting observations, though I think I'm fine with the collapsible part (I extend the lens immediately after taking the camera out of the bag, and it stays that way). We'll see. And, once again, yes, the eventual arrival of the Z 40mm f/2 might change my perspective on the (smaller) size of the Z 24-70mm f/4 S - in the sense that I might come to the conclusion I no longer need it.

But like you, I really like the quality of the results from the kit zoom ... a lot.

On the other front, I made kind of a mistake today that turned into quite an interesting experience: I took the E-M5 III alongside the G1X III ... and had to kind of force myself to use the Canon often enough to get some usable results; furthermore, the Canon's AF struggled in the fading light quite a few times. I'll have to compare those two cameras directly on a more even playing field - I had the Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 II on the Olympus, it'll be the 12-45mm f/4 PRO next time. Anyhow, I'm much more pleased with the results from the Olympus this time around. Nothing to do with the original test case - however, the Olympus can reliably withstand quite a bit of rain anyway ... If anything, more food for thought. Or doubt.

M.

 

[agentlossing]

I am 90% sure I will move from the GRIII to the GRIIIx, at least until the next 28mm Ricoh GR model is introduced, whenever that may be. While I love 28mm, I believe the 40mm FoV works even better as an everyday carry camera, for me. The 28mm is immensely versatile between its ability to capture wider vistas, while still being capable of isolating subjects when I am able to get closer, plus I've mentioned that I find shooting vertically to be a good way of isolating a subject (the eye travels left-right before it travels up-down, I suspect, and the ability to cut off the horizontal elements lets the FoV function more effectively, as long as you can be creative enough with your vertical composition), and the 35mm crop on the GRIII is still decent resolution.

However, the normal GR is still hard to make those snap grabs on short notice, when you can't take time for composition or aren't in position to be able to get closer. For those, the 40mm is perfect. It still captures a wide enough view for me to get a bit of the scenery, even from a car window. Plus on the street I feel like the promise of the stealthy GR is finally able to be fulfilled in the style that I like to shoot. I'm not Garry Winogrand with a 28mm, or perhaps a better way to put it is that I don't have access to places where people are spaced out on the streets the way they were in Winogrand's day. I've gotten some that I like, but mentally my positioning and reflexes are more finely attuned to something akin to a 40mm. I've had a chance recently to actually shoot some street with the GRIIIx, and got a few shots I really liked. That's settled my fears to a large extent. My GRIII is a year old, so (even with the extended warranty I bought) I'm down to two years of coverage left, which is the same as I'll have with the GRIIIx (one year + a second year offered by my Visa credit card), just in case the rear wheel goes awry or dust gets on the sensor (sign of the cross).

The only other problem with this transition will be that I won't be able to convert any RAW file in-camera anymore with the GRIII. Not a big deal, except when I want those characteristic looks that GR cameras offer that are hard to replicate in post. Also, it's highly unlikely that GRIIIx support will come to DXO PhotoLab 4, which I purchased fairly recently. PL5 is released and I will likely need to pay for the upgrade to be able to edit GRIIIx DNGs in that program. Upgrade prices aren't all that bad, but also more than I like to pay for software.

 

[gordo]

Observations and ruminations from the airshow today.

I still really really love going to see mil aircraft, especially the old warbirds. I've missed it. I want to continue shooting if the tremors can be dealt with.

And tying into the first thought, I need to continue to work with the docs and do whatever treatments and therapy is needed to keep improving. The airshow today kicked my posterior, and I was in a "premium" area with seats and spent the airshow mostly seated - no roaming the show. I stopped shooting as I became tired. And left shortly thereafter as my back started having small spasms.

Even though I'm not in the shape I need to be, shooting was OK from my standpoint, until I tired. Even with the X-H1 + grip + 100-400.

Speaking of the 100-400. No complaints about the IQ and handling of the lens.

On to the X-H1. I'll have to address this in bullet points.

• This show was a mix of slow prop aircraft and very fast jets. Lots of very erratic movement. Very little announcement of where the aircraft was coming from, crowd left/ crowd right/ behind and overhead. Some of the arcs around the sightline I had were fast enough I couldn't react quick enough to grab a shot. Some of the jet flybys were just below the speed of sound.
• The camera did not like Arizona early fall heat. Direct sunlight and temps in the upper 80s (31-32°C) plus heavy use made the camera hot enough it was really uncomfortable to touch certain areas.
• Possibly related to the heat, there were several times the camera took several cycles of the power switch to power ON, after sitting OFF and in the shade of my body between aerial performances. There were also several times where the EVF went black and took multiple actuations of the back AF and shutter button to recover, almost like the shutter stuck closed. I've never previously had these issues. I'll see how the camera does after resting a day or two.
• EVF. Wow. Made shooting the show much more difficult. Fuji needs to seriously up their game in this regard. Blackout and lag were pretty bad IMHO.
• AF and AF tracking. I tried all of the AF Tracking modes, plus the custom mode I had input. After trying all 5, I ended up using the custom setting as it was staying on target much better than any of the others. And it still constantly delivered OOF images, and sometimes would break lock from the aircraft and relock and track blue sky. Other times where there was definite contract between a darker-toned aircraft and light blue sky, the AF system couldn't even lock focus on the aircraft. I don't recall this much of a problem at airshows with my old D700 a decade ago, most of my issues were my technique and lack of knowledge.
• The one area where the majority of the problem was me, was the slower shutter speed shots for the old warbirds. Just at a cursory glance, it seems that most of those OOF issues are due to deterioration of my handholding skill.
• edit to add note about battery life. Not too bad, but not great. I was used to shooting all show and changing a battery or two near the end of the show with DSLRs. Today I needed a full set and most of the other, and the third battery in the camera itself is over half drained. MILC, EVF, etc... quite a difference.

So, food for thought going forward. Health and tremor control will be the determining factor on continuing to shoot airshows. I don't personally believe Fuji is going to up their game near the point of Canon or Nikon (Sony is a non-starter for me due to the way their cameras + lenses fit my hands/ fingers). Time to wait and see what happens. If I keep shooting this stuff it could mean a shift back to Nikon for me. Maybe.

 

[John King]

@gordo Gordon, I fully understand the impact of health problems. Three heart operations over the last 3 years, plus a mitral valve replacement about 18 years ago. All my lumbar discs and facet joints are knackered, causing pain and muscle spasms (Targin and Valium. ... ). Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, etc, etc.

Maybe look at a mFTs kit for smaller size, lower weight and the best IBIS and weatherproofing around. Might suit your physical condition better than bigger and heavier kit? My E-M1 MkII will shoot 60 fps at a pinch ...

All the best with your health. Balancing medications is essential, and basically can be very difficult. I take about 15 different medications, some multiple times daily. It's difficult! Good relations with all your doctors is key. I consider my relationship with my general practitioner to be absolutely pivotal.

 

[Iron]

+1 for the E-M1 II, @gordo. I know a couple of photographers who sold their gear a few years before MFT/M43 was introduced when they developed tremors. They said they never thought they would shoot again until the E-M1 was released. The camera fits my hand like a glove. The IBIS is just out-of-this-world excellent.

 

[John King]

+1 for the E-M1 II, @gordo. I know a couple of photographers who sold their gear a few years before MFT/M43 was introduced when they developed tremors. They said they never thought they would shoot again until the E-M1 was released. The camera fits my hand like a glove. The IBIS is just out-of-this-world excellent.

The E-M1 MkII is simply the best camera to hold I've ever held. The first appearance of my osteoarthritis was in my thumbs and wrists. BUT, I can hold my E-M1 MkII with adapter and my FTs 50-200 f/2.8-3.5 hanging on my middle finger! The lens alone weighs over 1.1 Kgs ...

The E-M1 MkII + 12-100 with the sync-IS is simply superb, spooky good. Even I can get 6-7 stops out of the sync-IS. Me think it 'mazing. The 12-100 is actually the best lens I've ever owned or used, and there have been some beauties, including a clutch of Leitz Summicrons, etc.

The DR and IQ are excellent.

Even my little and tiny kits are "good enough" to print beautifully at 17x22" on my R3880 - and I have pretty high standards.

 

[Iron]

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 PGR

I believe I have used this extensively already to qualify for a PGR.

Main points:

• The menu system is newer but is as intuitive as the one on older models, specifically, my GM5.
• The IBIS is handy when shooting with unstabilised lenses. In terms of camera shake, at a 1-second exposure, the shutter speed will already flash in red and camera shake is present 50% of the time. I get up to 2-second exposures already with the OIS of the 12-32mm so my experience demonstrates the effectiveness of the OIS vs IBIS, at least with the GX9's. In video, the IBIS prioritises avoiding distortion so even with an unstabilised wide-angle lens, distortion is almost very tame. Dual IS gives a gimbal-like experience in video. I don't have to put the camera on my little tripod and on my shoulder anymore to stabilise shots just like with the GM5. I still prefer doing the tripod method because I really do not like any distortion in my videos.
• For me, the EVF needs the DMW-EC5 eyecup to increase contrast. When the light source is in front, using the EVF can be very challenging without the eyecup. The GM5's EVF is much smaller but I didn't need to cover it at all even when the light source/sun is in front. I am not sure why.
• It's easier for me to handle the setup just because of the good-enough grip it has in the front and at the back.
• The weight is 2x my GM5, so that is significant, especially for a rangefinder-style body, and it's not pocketable unless I use my coats with larger pockets. I have used the GX9 as an EDC and it's possible but with a small bag instead of the pocket. The ballast that the 400g body creates is not comfortable when it's in a jacket/coat pocket.
• L.Monochrome.D is superb, especially when viewing using a computer monitor.
• The increased resolution and absence of the AA filter does not show up in my large prints and even with 3rd-party printing. I have printed using the GM5, GX9 and K200D and I don't see that much difference, at all. The highlight-shadow gradient is much more detailed in the K200D, though, making prints look much more natural.
• The 1/200 sec flash-sync is handy with my macro endeavours.
• The shutter has a 2-curtain mechanical shutter, vs 1 only in the GM5, and while, it has a lower-frequency sound, the amplitude is higher. It sometimes turns heads but people don't really bother as I always look very, very gray. The GM5's shutter, while has a higher frequency, has a much, much lower amplitude.
• I agree with Rob Trek that gripping the polycarbonate body feels like gripping a plastic screwdriver handle. The body is still solid.
• I am a left eye shooter and the tilting EVF can sometimes be useful.

People I know still thought I was carrying the GM5 just because they have the same proportions/body-style.

It's a highly-recommended street/overall-use camera.

 

[Iron]

The E-M1 MkII + 12-100 with the sync-IS is simply superb, spooky good. Even I can get 6-7 stops out of the sync-IS. Me think it 'mazing. The 12-100 is actually the best lens I've ever owned or used, and there have been some beauties, including a clutch of Leitz Summicrons, etc.

That Olympus 12-100mm is highly-regarded. There are E-M1 II + 12-100mm photos on Flickr that have exposures up to 15 to 20sec!

Even my little and tiny kits are "good enough" to print beautifully at 17x22" on my R3880 - and I have pretty high standards.

We say maximum satisfaction when we are able to produce such good prints from such tiny-bodied cameras.

I have just sold my other business printer. I am thinking of getting a printer with a larger DR, probably from Canon or Epson.

 

[John King]

@ironI can't speak for the modern Epson printers, but my R3880 is a ripper. 32 bit, and covers most of the visible part of the ProPhotoRGB colour space. It's a pigment ink, so no fading ...

Schewe & Fraser speak highly of it.