Three lens kit

Albert Valentino wrote:

jeffharris wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

With the addition of the E-M5 III, I've now begun to use my 14-150 as my standard mount. So now my usual kit includes the 5.3, the 14-150, and

the Olympus 8mm FE Pro for the wide stuff (the 5.3 now has in-camera lens correction to give me a 5mm rectilinear view).

Gary, when you use the in-camera correction to get 5mm FOV, is the file still 20mp? If not, how big, and does that mean the two other rectilinear settings are also smaller, but less small respectively?

I only do the widest setting and the rectilinear JPEG is 5184 x 3888. The Fisheye is the same.

Thanks. Does it also do/defish raw files or just jpg?

The raw files will be fisheye straight out of the camera. I use Olympus Workspace and it will defish the raw to give an almost exact match to the JPEG file. The gallery image I posted was most likely defished in WS, although I often use the JPEG, so not sure which I used, they look exactly the same.

Thanks, Good to know that a fisheye capture can be defished as a raw file or jpg and still be a 20mp file. I figured the defishing would also involve cropping and reduce the resolution.

When a fisheye image is “corrected” you do indeed lose information as the image is stretched to make it appear “normal”, to make curved lines straight.

If you’re going to shoot fisheye, why not work with and celebrate the fishiness of the images instead of trying to make them something they’re not. Drag queen photography… 😜

I agree 100%. I do shoot fisheye for the virtues of fisheye, and have been for almost fifteen years over three systems. I was just inquiring for the perk of having more versatility with an Olympus fisheye vs my Rokinon fisheye, especially getting the 5.5mm FOV and the potential to someday shoot astrophotography with a faster lens. Since the Olympus fisheye is not cheap, I would need to be able to do more to justify the cost 😃

Before opting for the Olympus, I too shot the Rokinon 7.5 and loved it. In fact the Olympus is not quite as "fishy" as the Rokinon. The autofocus of the Oly is a great help. I do about 50/50 FE or Rectilinear with the Olympus. For museum and gallery work the rectilinear is a wonderful asset,

And Jeff, if there is information lost, I have yet to see it make a difference...so insignificant for my purposes.

Examples of both FE and Corrected...

Personally, I think your kit is too much "bunched together" for my taste. 14-42, 25 and 50: 24 to 100 eq.

None of these lenses is more than OK for what it  does, however Super the Takumar is. the lens coating is old school but I agree it makes a very nice portait lens.

My first µ4/3 kit was 2-lens: 14-45 + 45-200. Good IQ on the first, OK IQ for the second on the high end. Nice range, not so good in low light.

Next lens was the PL 24 F1.4. Great resolution / contrast + low light capability. More versatile than a 50 F1.4 for most occasions.

Next was the 7.5mm Rokinon fish-eye to cover ultra wide angle at low cost. This was supplanted (with substantially more pocket change, even used) by the 7-14mm F4.

Last is the 100-300 MkII. And that's not mentioning my venerable 58mm F1.4 Rokkor (your Takumar is a contemporary to that one) and Rokkor 100mm F3.5 macro.

So. what 3 lenses would I bring to a party? Well it completely depends on what / where I want to shoot. Full daylight? 7-14 + 14-45 + 100-300. Architecture?: 7-14 + 25 + 14-45.

To conclude, there is no "ideal" 3-lens kit.

Wonder about a 12-100 + 25 F1.2 + PL 100-400...

gary0319 wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

Albert Valentino wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

With the addition of the E-M5 III, I've now begun to use my 14-150 as my standard mount. So now my usual kit includes the 5.3, the 14-150, and

the Olympus 8mm FE Pro for the wide stuff (the 5.3 now has in-camera lens correction to give me a 5mm rectilinear view).

Gary, when you use the in-camera correction to get 5mm FOV, is the file still 20mp? If not, how big, and does that mean the two other rectilinear settings are also smaller, but less small respectively?

I only do the widest setting and the rectilinear JPEG is 5184 x 3888. The Fisheye is the same.

Thanks. Does it also do/defish raw files or just jpg?

The raw files will be fisheye straight out of the camera. I use Olympus Workspace and it will defish the raw to give an almost exact match to the JPEG file. The gallery image I posted was most likely defished in WS, although I often use the JPEG, so not sure which I used, they look exactly the same.

Thanks, Good to know that a fisheye capture can be defished as a raw file or jpg and still be a 20mp file. I figured the defishing would also involve cropping and reduce the resolution. I assume that it cannot produce a defished raw file in the camera to be processed in another raw converter, but that is fine by me. Amazing that the virtues and firsts of the Olympus system exist yet still tend to get little respect. For myself, the system is king and has never made me yearn for anything else 😃

Having used Olympus cameras now for about 5 years, I've come to realize that the true power of Olympus is not just doing what Canon or Nikon do in a smaller and lighter format, but doing the things that Canon and Nikon and Sony don't do.

However, too many people on this forum seem reluctant, or unable, to even explore the features they have at their fingertips.....and then complain about how Olympus fails to live up o the competition.

Well said 👍

Viernes wrote:

I was reading an old post on The Online Photographer about the traditional lens kit, and I realized that that has been my approach to photography for years.

As I was packing for a family trip a few days ago I took a picture of my super light go-everywhere photo bag.

1. A 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar + Fotodiox adapter.
2. A Meike 25 f/1.8.
3. An Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6.
4. An Olympus E-M5. Despite some flaws I really like it.

1. I have the same Super Tak with speedbooster and straight adapter.  Fun to use either way.

2. I have the Oly 25 f/1.8 and Zhongyi f/0.95.

3. I will be selling the 14-42 soon.  I have a lens that tested just barely better with more range - the Kodak Pixpro 12-45.

I usually go out on foot with just one lens now:  the Olympus 14-150 on my E-M5 III.  If I'm "packing" I bring whatever I think I might use.  Right now I'm in Philadelphia for a funeral and brought my on foot kit along with my computer bag stealth kit, the GM1 with 12-32 and a 0.6x WCON for inside rooms.

An all-rounder: PL 12-60

Something longer: P 35-100 2.8 (if events) or 100-300 (if wildlife)

Something small & fast: PL 15 1.7

Viernes wrote:

So, what’s your story? Which camera and lenses do you pick when leaving the house?

For the holidays with my in-laws, I took an 8-18mm, a 12-32mm and a 45-150mm.  Of course, I only have one other m43 lens.

I'm going to take this question as "if I could only have a three lens travel kit what three would that be?" style question and the answer for me is below:

No budget is not an issue (currently own )

Panasonic G9 body

PL 8-18mm 2.8-4

PL 12-60mm 2.8-4

PL 50-200mm 2,8-4

If I was on more of a budget (had a lot of this in the past)

Panasonic G9 (its a really good value)

7-14mm f4

14-140mm 3.5-5.6 (its a better lens than most people think

and some fast prime 25 1.7/8

Daniel Parrett wrote:

I'm going to take this question as "if I could only have a three lens travel kit what three would that be?" style question and the answer for me is below:

No budget is not an issue (currently own )

Panasonic G9 body

PL 8-18mm 2.8-4

PL 12-60mm 2.8-4

PL 50-200mm 2,8-4

If I was on more of a budget (had a lot of this in the past)

Panasonic G9 (its a really good value)

7-14mm f4

14-140mm 3.5-5.6 (its a better lens than most people think

and some fast prime 25 1.7/8

why not replace the 12-60 with with the 25 f1.4 for low light

Because that would eliminate by far my most used lens.  I have a 25mm 1.4, its probably my least used lens.  I have a tendency to like longer or shorter lenses, my olypmus 45 mm 1.8 gets more use and I'm tempted to get a 15mm 1.7.

Daniel Parrett wrote:

Because that would eliminate by far my most used lens. I have a 25mm 1.4, its probably my least used lens. I have a tendency to like longer or shorter lenses, my olypmus 45 mm 1.8 gets more use and I'm tempted to get a 15mm 1.7.

Thanks that makes sense. My 25/1.4 gets me my best pictures but i don't use it as much as I should.  Finding I prefer the space savings of the 20/1.7 over light gain and smaller dof.

Viernes wrote:

I was reading an old post on The Online Photographer about the traditional lens kit, and I realized that that has been my approach to photography for years.

As I was packing for a family trip a few days ago I took a picture of my super light go-everywhere photo bag.

1. A 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar + Fotodiox adapter. I’ve had this lens for nearly 30 years now (it came with a Spotmatic my dad gave me when I was 8 years old). It’s my most used lens, by far. I absolutely love it.
2. A Meike 25 f/1.8. Not the sharpest lens out there, but I like it.
3. An Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6. Regular, average, nothing to write home about. I just keep it for the autofocus, as I need that to take pictures of my kids running around.
4. An Olympus E-M5. Despite some flaws I really like it.
   

   

The whole bag is extremely small and light, thank you m4/3!

So, what’s your story? Which camera and lenses do you pick when leaving the house?

I think the Oly 12-40 2.8 is all you need on the body of your choice.  It covers quite a lot and the quality of the photos is excellent.  The constant 2.8 is a bonus.

It always depends on what I want to go for.

My 3 lens kit is 7-14mm F2.8, 12-40mm F2.8 and 40-150mm F2.8 with MC-14 with the E-M1MkII.

When I want to go lighter, I take the E-M1 and 7-14mm F2.8 and 14-150mm F4.0-5.6. For evening expected I also take the 12-40mm F2.8 into my bag.

For very light I only take my E-M1 and 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 - but that's 1 lens kit

I have both, the E-M1MkI and E-M1MkII. I always decide before going out, which I take.

For longer road trips I take both bodies and then the EM1MkII stays with the 40-150 F2.8 + MC14 and the E-M1MkI is for the shorter lenghts.

Thx to Oly even the first 3 lens combo fits into a small Nova 180 from Lowe Pro and the range is from 7-210mm !

Jan

Late to the party, but...

Outdoors:

• Rokinon 7.5mm FE
• Pana 12-35
• Oly 40-150 R

Indoors:

• Oly 8mm FE
• Pana 15
• Oly 45

(I love the 8mm FE for indoors - such interesting results, and despite f1.8 it is easy to get everything in focus. I de-fish in post if desired.)

Of course I have other lenses and there are many possible combinations, but these two are "typical".