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Do I need to upgrade from Pen-F to EM1-ii, G9, GX9?
- Thread starter framedinspirations
- Start date
rsmithgi
Senior Member
For occasional moving subjects, I would recommend a used E-M1-I. It is plenty good enough for capturing that kind of action. You should be able to get a good quality used E-M1 for around $500.
Keep the Pen F for times when you want a smaller camera. Best of both worlds.
Keep the Pen F for times when you want a smaller camera. Best of both worlds.
framedinspirations
Active member
So I got to try out a GX85 today and did some back-to-back testing with the 40-150 with my favorite subjects.
Disclaimers:
1. This was my first attempt using a Panny camera.
2. I used JPG rather than RAW for the comparison.
3. The Panny was in 9 point focus mode the whole time. The PEN was a mix of small single point and 9 point.
Assessment/Lessons Learned:
1. Despite my hypothesis that the GX85 would run circles around the PEN for quick auto-focus and CAF, there wasn't a big difference, at least with the 40-150 2.8. Ignoring operator error (like missing the dogs), I was around 30% sharp and another 20-30% so-so on both cameras. I might give the GX85 a slight edge, but not a big one. Perhaps there would be a more significant difference with a Panny lens (35-100 or 100-400), but I don't have any Panny zooms.
2. Because of the unpredictability of the dogs' movement, some pix required a lot of cropping. In these cases, the PEN had a slight advantage thanks to a few extra pixels.
3. The GX85 had a slightly warmer temperature (again, JPG, not RAW).
4. A couple folks said I needed to keep the shutter speed up. Upon further review, I completely agree. Even at 1/800-1/1250, some of the photos still have a slight blur! In hindsight, I might try 1/2000 to absolutely nail the images (at the expense of ISO of course).
5. On the PEN, switching to low burst rate (5 fps) definitely helped a lot.
A few photos follow with minor Lightroom tweaks (with EXIF this time). First 3 are GX85, last 3 are PEN-F.
I wish I had a OMD-EM1ii or G9 for comparison. Unfortunately, I don't know any more friends with these cameras.
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
Disclaimers:
1. This was my first attempt using a Panny camera.
2. I used JPG rather than RAW for the comparison.
3. The Panny was in 9 point focus mode the whole time. The PEN was a mix of small single point and 9 point.
Assessment/Lessons Learned:
1. Despite my hypothesis that the GX85 would run circles around the PEN for quick auto-focus and CAF, there wasn't a big difference, at least with the 40-150 2.8. Ignoring operator error (like missing the dogs), I was around 30% sharp and another 20-30% so-so on both cameras. I might give the GX85 a slight edge, but not a big one. Perhaps there would be a more significant difference with a Panny lens (35-100 or 100-400), but I don't have any Panny zooms.
2. Because of the unpredictability of the dogs' movement, some pix required a lot of cropping. In these cases, the PEN had a slight advantage thanks to a few extra pixels.
3. The GX85 had a slightly warmer temperature (again, JPG, not RAW).
4. A couple folks said I needed to keep the shutter speed up. Upon further review, I completely agree. Even at 1/800-1/1250, some of the photos still have a slight blur! In hindsight, I might try 1/2000 to absolutely nail the images (at the expense of ISO of course).
5. On the PEN, switching to low burst rate (5 fps) definitely helped a lot.
A few photos follow with minor Lightroom tweaks (with EXIF this time). First 3 are GX85, last 3 are PEN-F.
I wish I had a OMD-EM1ii or G9 for comparison. Unfortunately, I don't know any more friends with these cameras.
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
Albert Valentino
Forum Pro
As a side note, if you exceed shutter speeds of 1/1000 sec you might want to turn off IBIS.So I got to try out a GX85 today and did some back-to-back testing with the 40-150 with my favorite subjects.
Disclaimers:
1. This was my first attempt using a Panny camera.
2. I used JPG rather than RAW for the comparison.
3. The Panny was in 9 point focus mode the whole time. The PEN was a mix of small single point and 9 point.
Assessment/Lessons Learned:
1. Despite my hypothesis that the GX85 would run circles around the PEN for quick auto-focus and CAF, there wasn't a big difference, at least with the 40-150 2.8. Ignoring operator error (like missing the dogs), I was around 30% sharp and another 20-30% so-so on both cameras. I might give the GX85 a slight edge, but not a big one. Perhaps there would be a more significant difference with a Panny lens (35-100 or 100-400), but I don't have any Panny zooms.
2. Because of the unpredictability of the dogs' movement, some pix required a lot of cropping. In these cases, the PEN had a slight advantage thanks to a few extra pixels.
3. The GX85 had a slightly warmer temperature (again, JPG, not RAW).
4. A couple folks said I needed to keep the shutter speed up. Upon further review, I completely agree. Even at 1/800-1/1250, some of the photos still have a slight blur! In hindsight, I might try 1/2000 to absolutely nail the images (at the expense of ISO of course).
5. On the PEN, switching to low burst rate (5 fps) definitely helped a lot.
A few photos follow with minor Lightroom tweaks (with EXIF this time). First 3 are GX85, last 3 are PEN-F.
I wish I had a OMD-EM1ii or G9 for comparison. Unfortunately, I don't know any more friends with these cameras.
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
--
If you don't get older and wiser, than you just get older.
Nice photos but the 1/1000 shutter speed isnt causing the blur, its from the camera not focusing accurately.So I got to try out a GX85 today and did some back-to-back testing with the 40-150 with my favorite subjects.
Disclaimers:
1. This was my first attempt using a Panny camera.
2. I used JPG rather than RAW for the comparison.
3. The Panny was in 9 point focus mode the whole time. The PEN was a mix of small single point and 9 point.
Assessment/Lessons Learned:
1. Despite my hypothesis that the GX85 would run circles around the PEN for quick auto-focus and CAF, there wasn't a big difference, at least with the 40-150 2.8. Ignoring operator error (like missing the dogs), I was around 30% sharp and another 20-30% so-so on both cameras. I might give the GX85 a slight edge, but not a big one. Perhaps there would be a more significant difference with a Panny lens (35-100 or 100-400), but I don't have any Panny zooms.
2. Because of the unpredictability of the dogs' movement, some pix required a lot of cropping. In these cases, the PEN had a slight advantage thanks to a few extra pixels.
3. The GX85 had a slightly warmer temperature (again, JPG, not RAW).
4. A couple folks said I needed to keep the shutter speed up. Upon further review, I completely agree. Even at 1/800-1/1250, some of the photos still have a slight blur! In hindsight, I might try 1/2000 to absolutely nail the images (at the expense of ISO of course).
5. On the PEN, switching to low burst rate (5 fps) definitely helped a lot.
A few photos follow with minor Lightroom tweaks (with EXIF this time). First 3 are GX85, last 3 are PEN-F.
I wish I had a OMD-EM1ii or G9 for comparison. Unfortunately, I don't know any more friends with these cameras.
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
HornOUBet
Senior Member
Yes.
WhiteBeard
Senior Member
If you can keep your eye on the ball - good idea for golf, baseball, tennis and dogs with balls in their mouth - you might try a small center box for focusing the GX85.
Yes indeed. Panny DFD focus works only with Panny lenses. Good for Panny sales, bad for owners of good Oly lenses...
Yes!!! It's good to see one's advice followed from time to time!
5. On the PEN, switching to low burst rate (5 fps) definitely helped a lot.
A few photos follow with minor Lightroom tweaks (with EXIF this time). First 3 are GX85, last 3 are PEN-F.
I wish I had a OMD-EM1ii or G9 for comparison. Unfortunately, I don't know any more friends with these cameras.
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
framedinspirations
Active member
So I tried the PEN-F with 40/150 2.8 one more time and had pretty good results! First, the complete list of lessons learned:
1. Dogs are FAST! Even at 1/1000, I sometimes had actual motion blur. 1/1600 pretty well stopped the action. I used shutter priority and let the camera adjust ISO and aperture for me.
2. Use CAF 9 point when the dogs are pretty close. Use small single point (centered) if they're a bit farther away.
3. Use low burst rate (5 fps).
4. If possible, pre-focus to something relatively close to where the dogs are before actually focusing and taking the shot. (I missed one really awesome opportunity because I was focused 20' away and one of the dogs jumped high in the air about 75' away!) Thanks to whoever suggested focusing on the tennis ball as a starting point!
5. I found I could keep focus better if I kept a bit more distance from the dogs and zoomed closer to 150mm, rather than staying close in and using 40-60mm.
6. Naturally, practice makes perfect. Work on keeping the fast-moving hounds toward the center of the frame (even if it means doing some cropping in post).
Of course I'd have a higher success rate with the EM1-ii or G9, but until the price comes down, I'll stick with the PEN.
With that, my BIFs (beagles in flight). Some still aren't perfect, but a lot better than my initial attempts! Thank you all for your assistance!
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
1. Dogs are FAST! Even at 1/1000, I sometimes had actual motion blur. 1/1600 pretty well stopped the action. I used shutter priority and let the camera adjust ISO and aperture for me.
2. Use CAF 9 point when the dogs are pretty close. Use small single point (centered) if they're a bit farther away.
3. Use low burst rate (5 fps).
4. If possible, pre-focus to something relatively close to where the dogs are before actually focusing and taking the shot. (I missed one really awesome opportunity because I was focused 20' away and one of the dogs jumped high in the air about 75' away!) Thanks to whoever suggested focusing on the tennis ball as a starting point!
5. I found I could keep focus better if I kept a bit more distance from the dogs and zoomed closer to 150mm, rather than staying close in and using 40-60mm.
6. Naturally, practice makes perfect. Work on keeping the fast-moving hounds toward the center of the frame (even if it means doing some cropping in post).
Of course I'd have a higher success rate with the EM1-ii or G9, but until the price comes down, I'll stick with the PEN.
With that, my BIFs (beagles in flight). Some still aren't perfect, but a lot better than my initial attempts! Thank you all for your assistance!
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
Skeeterbytes
Forum Pro
Great results, happy pups in play pop now. Nice work!
Cheers,
Rick
Cheers,
Rick
User5456214890
Leading Member
Glad you have made this a study in learning. We should all be as persistent. Would like to add one more thing that I myself have not experimented with but want to try with BIF's, not the beagles of course. That is to play with the IBIS-1 or 2 or 3? They adapt to all around stabilization, horizontal movement (panning), or objects that are coming directly toward you. It might be worth trying. Wish I could give you more insight to these features. Anyway, good luck with your BIF's.
Jim
Jim
WhiteBeard
Senior Member
From what I see, these dogs aren't beagles, this is a beagle:So I tried the PEN-F with 40/150 2.8 one more time and had pretty good results! First, the complete list of lessons learned:
1. Dogs are FAST! Even at 1/1000, I sometimes had actual motion blur. 1/1600 pretty well stopped the action. I used shutter priority and let the camera adjust ISO and aperture for me.
2. Use CAF 9 point when the dogs are pretty close. Use small single point (centered) if they're a bit farther away.
3. Use low burst rate (5 fps).
4. If possible, pre-focus to something relatively close to where the dogs are before actually focusing and taking the shot. (I missed one really awesome opportunity because I was focused 20' away and one of the dogs jumped high in the air about 75' away!) Thanks to whoever suggested focusing on the tennis ball as a starting point!
5. I found I could keep focus better if I kept a bit more distance from the dogs and zoomed closer to 150mm, rather than staying close in and using 40-60mm.
6. Naturally, practice makes perfect. Work on keeping the fast-moving hounds toward the center of the frame (even if it means doing some cropping in post).
Of course I'd have a higher success rate with the EM1-ii or G9, but until the price comes down, I'll stick with the PEN.
With that, my BIFs (beagles in flight). Some still aren't perfect, but a lot better than my initial attempts! Thank you all for your assistance!
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
15 minute exposure and no movement whatsoever...
BTW, your first shot makes a good point for Beagles In Flight!
framedinspirations
Active member
I couldn't help it... Two more BIFs (beagles in flight) with the PEN-F and 40-150 2.8. Enjoy!
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
framedinspirations
Active member
That's what my beagles look like AFTER the BIF photos.From what I see, these dogs aren't beagles, this is a beagle:
15 minute exposure and no movement whatsoever...
BTW, your first shot makes a good point for Beagles In Flight!
--
Mark
www.framedinspirations.com
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