Bokeh quality EM1X + Olympus 300/f4

[Autoxave]

I am new to the Olympus system.

I find the bokeh quality of this camera (EM1X ) + lens combo (Olympus 300/f4) rather harsh and rather unpleasant compared to cameras that I am used to such as Fujifilm XH1 and Nikon fullframe. Here is an example image. What is your opinion?

 

[whumber]

That's why I switched to the Panasonic 200mm f/2.8. You lose a bit of reach even with the TC attached but the bokeh is much better in the transition area.

 

[Geo Wharton]

Yep, me too. It's the lens. Nothing to do with the camera. I'll stick with my 300mm f/4.

 

[C-L-P]

I'd say it's more the background that's the issue.

Seems the angle of attack was a bit high, maybe getting lower and removing the ground as the backdrop will help.

I admit the Olympus lenses can be pretty harsh in transition but we can mitigate against it... Sometimes...

If it wasn't possible on this occasion to "get low" please ignore me, I don't mean to be condescending.

To finish on a high note, it does seem to be tack sharp. Plus any photo with my spirit animal is a good photo indeed!

 

[Donald B]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

 

[mcabato]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

for Wildlife you sometimes crop out very distant animals … and the 4/300 is trimmed for that Purpose to have ultimate sharpness, which trades it in for bokeh Quality.

use a SHG lens like the 2.8/90-250 or 2.8/300 and you get superb bokeh.

br gusti

 

[Paul Auclair]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

yep...all garbage images

--
as always,
thank you fellow DPR members for your kind words and encouragem

 

[Okapi001]

I am new to the Olympus system.

I find the bokeh quality of this camera (EM1X ) + lens combo (Olympus 300/f4) rather harsh and rather unpleasant compared to cameras that I am used to such as Fujifilm XH1 and Nikon fullframe.

So why don't you use your Fuji and Nikon?

 

[MarkDavo]

What are your camera settings? The data doesn't show.

I found an informative article on bokeh below.

https://photographylife.com/what-is-bokeh

I am new to the Olympus system.

I find the bokeh quality of this camera (EM1X ) + lens combo (Olympus 300/f4) rather harsh and rather unpleasant compared to cameras that I am used to such as Fujifilm XH1 and Nikon fullframe. Here is an example image. What is your opinion?

--
Cheers, Mark
Wouldn't be dead for quids

 

[Autoxave]

I am new to the Olympus system.

I find the bokeh quality of this camera (EM1X ) + lens combo (Olympus 300/f4) rather harsh and rather unpleasant compared to cameras that I am used to such as Fujifilm XH1 and Nikon fullframe.

So why don't you use your Fuji and Nikon?

Do not have appropriate lenses to shoot wildlife in terms of Fuji and too many images out of focus in terms of Nikon.

 

[Autoxave]

What are your camera settings? The data doesn't show.

I found an informative article on bokeh below.

https://photographylife.com/what-is-bokeh

ISO 400, f/4 and shutterspeed 1/8000 sec

 

[Donald B]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

yep...all garbage images

Not into birds.

Don

--
Olympus EM5mk2 ,EM1mk2

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/9412035244

past toys. k100d, k10d,k7,fz5,fz150,500uz,canon G9, Olympus xz1 em5mk1

 

[Paul Auclair]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

yep...all garbage images

Not into birds.

me neither.

Don

--
Olympus EM5mk2 ,EM1mk2
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/9412035244
past toys. k100d, k10d,k7,fz5,fz150,500uz,canon G9, Olympus xz1 em5mk1

--
as always,
thank you fellow DPR members for your kind words and encouragement.

 

[Donald B]

Its the lens. Shame really, my 14 150 lens are silky smooth by comparison.

Don

yep...all garbage images

Not into birds.

me neither.

Don

Nice shots. I want a 14 150 2.8 PF lens the same size as the original

Don

--
Olympus EM5mk2 ,EM1mk2

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/9412035244

past toys. k100d, k10d,k7,fz5,fz150,500uz,canon G9, Olympus xz1 em5mk1

 

[Messier Object]

Those are all beautiful shots with backgrounds which don’t detract from the subject.

However I’ve seen lots of images posted here where that lens renders close-background grass and foliage as a horrible mess.

We can’t always choose or arrange the background and often we are stuck with what’s there.

Peter

 

[Paul Auclair]

Those are all beautiful shots with backgrounds which don’t detract from the subject.

However I’ve seen lots of images posted here where that lens renders close-background grass and foliage as a horrible mess.

im sure I own more than a few myself.

I’d like to see the same image -same Av, framing with same background, same distance from subject to background- shot with different lenses( from different manufacturers if you like).

Would those images look different somehow?

We know we can always blame the lens...but we also know there are other factors in play that we should also be considering.

We can’t always choose or arrange the background and often we are stuck with what’s there.

Peter

--
as always,
thank you fellow DPR members for your kind words and encouragement.

 

[MarkDavo]

Those are all beautiful shots with backgrounds which don’t detract from the subject.

However I’ve seen lots of images posted here where that lens renders close-background grass and foliage as a horrible mess.

We can’t always choose or arrange the background and often we are stuck with what’s there.

Peter

Peter, that has been my experience too. This is of a Scarlet Robin against a distant background. Looks far more pleasing than many of the close background shots I have taken.







--
Cheers, Mark
Wouldn't be dead for quids

 

[drj3]

Fuji has no lens with an equivalent FOV as sharp as the 300mm f4, so that makes comparison of bokeh for equivalent focal lengths difficult. The 100-400mm is less sharp at 300-400mm and its "more corner softness notable at the wider apertures - Imaging Resource" would tend to soften backgrounds

I would expect a Nikon FF camera with its shallower DOF to have a less busy background if you are using a lens of equivalent FOV like the 500 f4 or 600mm f4.

The Olympus 300mm f4 is "completely flat across the frame and extremely sharp corner-to-corner - Imaging Resource" which can cause the slightly out of focus areas to be somewhat busy.

 

[drj3]

Those are all beautiful shots with backgrounds which don’t detract from the subject.

However I’ve seen lots of images posted here where that lens renders close-background grass and foliage as a horrible mess.

We can’t always choose or arrange the background and often we are stuck with what’s there.

Peter

I agree with you. However, the OP's background would not have been very attractive with any lens.

There was an early review (I don't remember which one) that specifically compared the 300mm f4 to the FTs Olympus 300mm f2.8 with the same close backgrounds. The FTs lens was obviously better at f2.8 and a little better at f4, but the difference was small. There was not a noticeable difference in sharpness.

 

[whumber]

The Olympus 300mm f4 is "completely flat across the frame and extremely sharp corner-to-corner - Imaging Resource" which can cause the slightly out of focus areas to be somewhat busy.

I disagree with this statement; the Panasonic 200mm f/2.8 and Olympus 150mm f/2 are both extremely sharp across the frame and exhibit none of the bokeh issues seen in the Olympus PRO lenses.