Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X 35-100 f2.8 HD
This is second post for today which isn't something I normally do but I wanted to get these images out to you. I think some of you will be interested in seeing how the Panasonic 14-140 f4-5.8 (the original and not the newer version) performs on the OM-D which is the subject of my next few posts.
I must admit, it brought tears to my eyes just looking at them perform this balancing act.
975
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 52 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 1/500 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X 35-100 f2.8 HD
This is one image that contained a lot of CA. I was quite horrified when I first looked at it. Lightroom managed to eliminate all of it with just a couple of seconds work. If you think that the sky should be blue, you'd be mistaken. Those were storm clouds coming in and about 30 minutes later it started to rain.
1125
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 68 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 1/500 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X 35-100 f2.8 HD
Taken at a focal length of 89mm (35=178mm).
Please note a change to the layout. You can now post a comment directly under the image for the days. Some control is necessary but that is way of things these days. Please take advantage of this and I'm looking forward to any comments you may have.
1034
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 89 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 1/640 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X 35-100 f2.8 HD
Taken at a focal length of 62mm (35=104mm).
1163
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 62 mm
Aperture: f/5.0
Exposure Time: 1/2500 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X 35-100 f2.8 HD
The following images are from a family of cable/wire balancing artists that were performing during the weekend. It wasn't just a one-off performance but a series of performances during the two day event. Must have been exhausting because the concentration needed during a performance must have been tremendous. Really exhausting! They were very good too.
The 35-100 f2.8 lens turned out to be a blessing during the performance because I could get from the nearest point to the far side of the cable fixing point. The square was very crowded and moving about to get the best shot wasn't an option, you just couldn't move at all. So all the following images were taken from a static point which was a real shame. I could see where I needed to be but just couldn't get there.
There won't be a lot of text in the following posts, I just want to show how the lens performs.
1044
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 68 mm
Aperture: f/4.0
Exposure Time: 1/3200 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X Vario 35-100 f2.8 HD
This was taken at 100mm full zoom. Again I just made a few exposures just to make sure I managed to get a sharp image. I'm sure this feeling of not being able to hold this combination steady will dissipate with time. Well I hope so anyway. I did manage to get most of the images sharp with the first exposure, it's just that the combination is so light to hand hold. The OM-D with the Panasonic 14-140 f4.5-5.8 is a lot heavier and easier to handle.
What I found interesting were these cranes all over the city, just hoisting these huge cages full of people up and down all day long. As you can see from the image above, they proved to be popular. People who didn't managed to get tickets to visit the skyscrapers used one of these to see the city from high up. And believe me, they were quite high.
959
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 100 mm
Aperture: f/4.0
Exposure Time: 1/1000 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X Vario 35-100 f2.8 HD
Not a lot of text with this image. Just showing the quality at the shorter end, namely 35mm.
When something was happening on stage, you couldn't move past it because of the crowds. On this particular day, there was a million people walking around the centre of Frankfurt. It was the "Skyscraper Open day" again.
983
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 35 mm
Aperture: f/4.0
Exposure Time: 1/800 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G5 - Panasonic G X Vario 35-200 f2.8 HD
I've left this image as I saw it. It's just been converted from raw with default values in LR4.4. Look carefully at the crane cables and the cage itself. It shows clearly how much CA I'm getting in these images from the G5. Normally I would remove this but what I'm trying to show here is that you have to spend some more time on each image. Do this on a few hundred images it adds up.
When I took this image I had a feeling that the camera wasn't at all stable in my hands and I took about 5 exposures to how they all turned out. All images came out fine but just the feeling that the camera wasn't stable had me hesitating about using this system in the future.
What I did try out was the OM-D with the original Panasonic 14-140 f4-5.8 and there is a lot of CA in the images that really needs eliminating. I'll be posting those images (with CA removed) at the end of the month (or thereabouts). The problem with that lens is that it is heavier than most lenses in the Panasonic stable (and Olympus for that matter). I bought the lens to do video but my enthusiasm for video hasn't really been great so far. That has to change however, as it is becoming part of being a photographer. It's expected these days and if you say to your clients that you just can't do video, my feeling is that client will look elsewhere for an allround photographer.
1039
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 80 mm
Aperture: f/3.5
Exposure Time: 1/4000 sec
ISO: 160
Panasonic G X Vario 35-100 f2.8 HD
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100 f2.8 Power O.I.S HD
This is a combination I really haven't tried much. Don't ask me why because I think it's a great lens that gives the images a certain pop and is very sharp, even at f2.8. When you consider the size of the full frame 70-200 f2.8 zooms you really appreciate the size and weight of these newer m4/3 lenses. They don't come close to the size and weight of those, and as everybody keeps mentioning, it's at the end of the day that you appreciate it when your back and arms don't complain and you still have enough energy to something else.
Partner this up with the 12-35 f2.8 and the 25 f1.4 (which I do) then you have the Holly Trinity of Panasonic m4/3 lenses. You are covered from 24 - 200 in 35mm terms with the 25 f1.4 for low light work. All of the above mentioned lenses are sharp with great micro contrast. That focal range will cover everything a photographer might need when going out on a normal working day. I have read of people putting these lenses on an Olympus body and they seem to work fine. I just have one reservation on this; CA. On Panasonic bodies the CA should be removed in camera automatically but it is not on an Olympus body. No problem you say if it's removed automatically but in my experience is that CA is not removed completely. Maybe I'm wrong here but since I'm a raw shooter I was under the impression that this is also done to those raw files. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Now, if I'm getting CA when using it on a Panasonic body then what's it going to be like on an Olympus body.
Only one way to find out and I'm going to be testing all 3 lenses on an Olympus OM-D. When I don't know, but the sooner the better as I would like to know this myself as soon as possible. If it's not too bad then I will be using these lenses with a mix of Olympus and Panasonic bodies. The reason for that is that I feel the 30-100 f2.8 would handle better with a bigger body than the G5. Maybe a GH3 would be better because of the grip and it's a little bigger than the G5. The G5 just feels too small and light to me with this lens mounted as I don't think it's quite stable enough. I have the grip for the OM-D and it's a little heavier than the G5 and that would work too. I just have to go out and test it. The 12-35 f2.8 handles ok on the G5 and I have no problem using that combination.
936
DMC-G5
Focal Length: 35 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 1/3200 sec
ISO: 160
Sony Nex-7 - LEA2 - 55-200 f4-5.6
This is a composite of the graffiti images I took the other week. Since I didn't have another lens with me at the time and I couldn't back-up any further because of some fencing the lens was really a little too long for this purpose. As I was there three more photographers came up and started to take photos as well. These weren't in a group because they came at different intervals. Some were professional I believe because of the gear, and it was during a normal working day. I could be wrong but that is the impression I got.
Some amazing graffiti you must admit.
1187
unknown
Focal Length: unknown
Aperture: unknown
Exposure Time: unknown
ISO: unknown