Help with fast 25 options per use case

[Mike Arledge]

Hi hive mind. I still have my EM1-X and its main use case is the climbing gym, where I value its durability and sealing, and easy flip to portrait orientation.

I currently have the Oly 25 1.8 and the Oly 45 1.2 (this is often too long until the person is nearing the top of the wall). My daughter is soon to start local competition circuit, so I want to step up from 1.8 to either 1.4 or 1.2 to increase shutter speed at the ISOs I am comfortable shooting at - generally need 1600-2500 with the bad indoor lights.

I am looking at three options really.

PL 25 1.4 II - can be had used for under $350 USD - like that it is weather sealed, but not experience with it.

Oly 25 1.2 PRO - like the build of the 45, but harder to pack than the smaller options, have not been wowed by its IQ

Oly 20 1.4 PRO - used to own it, kinda regret selling it, but again, never was wowed by it indoors.

MAYBE 17 1.2 PRO - more expensive, harder to pack, and likely would need more cropping.

I value AF speed here and from there, looking for best contrast wide open. Anyone have experience shooting indoors at ISOs of around 1600-2000 with these lens who can offer any inputs?

 

[Mike Arledge]

Some sample images with my current 25 - these are kind of best case scenario with lighting etc.





And for context, I tried my Nikon Z6 and a VIltrox 50mm F2 to see how the files compared, but I really don’t want to be hauling that rig into all the dust and chalk, the EM1-X is really what I want to be sticking with, its way less worries.

 

[sherman_levine]

If you save in raw and use e.g. DXO PL8 for processing, 6400 is easy, and 12800 will look cleaner than your sample ISO 1600 image.

Why not give that a try before you change hardware. Opening the aperture will also limit your DOF, so it has its own costs.

These are straight from DXO PL8 at full resolution (cropped as needed). I generally clean them up a bit in Topaz Sharpen but these don't use Topaz


ISO 12800


ISO 6400

--

Sherm
Sherms flickr page

P950 album

P900 album RX10iv album
OM1.2 150-600 album

 

[Sam Bennett]

Hi hive mind. I still have my EM1-X and its main use case is the climbing gym, where I value its durability and sealing, and easy flip to portrait orientation.

I currently have the Oly 25 1.8 and the Oly 45 1.2 (this is often too long until the person is nearing the top of the wall). My daughter is soon to start local competition circuit, so I want to step up from 1.8 to either 1.4 or 1.2 to increase shutter speed at the ISOs I am comfortable shooting at - generally need 1600-2500 with the bad indoor lights.

I am looking at three options really.

PL 25 1.4 II - can be had used for under $350 USD - like that it is weather sealed, but not experience with it.

Oly 25 1.2 PRO - like the build of the 45, but harder to pack than the smaller options, have not been wowed by its IQ

Oly 20 1.4 PRO - used to own it, kinda regret selling it, but again, never was wowed by it indoors.

MAYBE 17 1.2 PRO - more expensive, harder to pack, and likely would need more cropping.

I value AF speed here and from there, looking for best contrast wide open. Anyone have experience shooting indoors at ISOs of around 1600-2000 with these lens who can offer any inputs?

Honestly I would get comfortable using higher ISOs so you can use f/2.8 zooms. Even though it looks like she’s just bouldering, you likely will find a single focal length to be too limiting in terms of the shots you can get. I would be looking at something more like the 40-150/2.8, or the 12-40/2.8 if you want dramatic angles up the wall.

 

[Mike Arledge]

If you save in raw and use e.g. DXO PL8 for processing, 6400 is easy, and 12800 will look cleaner than your sample ISO 1600 image.

Why not give that a try before you change hardware. Opening the aperture will also limit your DOF, so it has its own costs.

These are straight from DXO PL8 at full resolution (cropped as needed). I generally clean them up a bit in Topaz Sharpen but these don't use Topaz


ISO 12800


ISO 6400

I think it’s different levels of quality of light here. I have PL8 and Adobe Enhance ready to go, but the indoor light can make things pretty crappy really quickly at those ISO levels. I would prefer faster glass for predictability.

 

[Mike Arledge]

Hi hive mind. I still have my EM1-X and its main use case is the climbing gym, where I value its durability and sealing, and easy flip to portrait orientation.

I currently have the Oly 25 1.8 and the Oly 45 1.2 (this is often too long until the person is nearing the top of the wall). My daughter is soon to start local competition circuit, so I want to step up from 1.8 to either 1.4 or 1.2 to increase shutter speed at the ISOs I am comfortable shooting at - generally need 1600-2500 with the bad indoor lights.

I am looking at three options really.

PL 25 1.4 II - can be had used for under $350 USD - like that it is weather sealed, but not experience with it.

Oly 25 1.2 PRO - like the build of the 45, but harder to pack than the smaller options, have not been wowed by its IQ

Oly 20 1.4 PRO - used to own it, kinda regret selling it, but again, never was wowed by it indoors.

MAYBE 17 1.2 PRO - more expensive, harder to pack, and likely would need more cropping.

I value AF speed here and from there, looking for best contrast wide open. Anyone have experience shooting indoors at ISOs of around 1600-2000 with these lens who can offer any inputs?

Honestly I would get comfortable using higher ISOs so you can use f/2.8 zooms. Even though it looks like she’s just bouldering, you likely will find a single focal length to be too limiting in terms of the shots you can get. I would be looking at something more like the 40-150/2.8, or the 12-40/2.8 if you want dramatic angles up the wall.

She is doing lead for these comps, and while a zoom might be handy, I used the 40-150 2.8 indoors and it was actually too long until she was higher up, and I already have the 45 1.2 here for when I want the dramatic angle. If it were smaller and lighter I would be all over the 10-25 1.7 zoom, it would be awesome I imagine.

 

[Sam Bennett]

Hi hive mind. I still have my EM1-X and its main use case is the climbing gym, where I value its durability and sealing, and easy flip to portrait orientation.

I currently have the Oly 25 1.8 and the Oly 45 1.2 (this is often too long until the person is nearing the top of the wall). My daughter is soon to start local competition circuit, so I want to step up from 1.8 to either 1.4 or 1.2 to increase shutter speed at the ISOs I am comfortable shooting at - generally need 1600-2500 with the bad indoor lights.

I am looking at three options really.

PL 25 1.4 II - can be had used for under $350 USD - like that it is weather sealed, but not experience with it.

Oly 25 1.2 PRO - like the build of the 45, but harder to pack than the smaller options, have not been wowed by its IQ

Oly 20 1.4 PRO - used to own it, kinda regret selling it, but again, never was wowed by it indoors.

MAYBE 17 1.2 PRO - more expensive, harder to pack, and likely would need more cropping.

I value AF speed here and from there, looking for best contrast wide open. Anyone have experience shooting indoors at ISOs of around 1600-2000 with these lens who can offer any inputs?

Honestly I would get comfortable using higher ISOs so you can use f/2.8 zooms. Even though it looks like she’s just bouldering, you likely will find a single focal length to be too limiting in terms of the shots you can get. I would be looking at something more like the 40-150/2.8, or the 12-40/2.8 if you want dramatic angles up the wall.

She is doing lead for these comps, and while a zoom might be handy, I used the 40-150 2.8 indoors and it was actually too long until she was higher up, and I already have the 45 1.2 here for when I want the dramatic angle. If it were smaller and lighter I would be all over the 10-25 1.7 zoom, it would be awesome I imagine.

If she’s lead climbing, then I imagine she’ll be more in the 40-150 range most of the time?

Sounds like maybe you need a second body, not a new lens!

 

[addlightness]

Sigma 30/f1.4 - I use this when my kids were in HS basketball. I used to carry two cameras, one with 25/f1.8 and the other 45/1.8. With the Sigma, I just need one. I shoot from the bleachers.

 

[Mike Arledge]

Sigma 30/f1.4 - I use this when my kids were in HS basketball. I used to carry two cameras, one with 25/f1.8 and the other 45/1.8. With the Sigma, I just need one. I shoot from the bleachers.

I had forgotten about the Sigma line, good call, will look into that as well now.

 

[Oldwino]

PL 25-50. Great lens, worth the size penalty. F1.7 is nice too.
I prefer the 20f1.4 over the PL25. The PL25 just never did it for me, and I generally prefer the PL rendering over the Olympus lenses.

 

[Mike Arledge]

PL 25-50. Great lens, worth the size penalty. F1.7 is nice too.
I prefer the 20f1.4 over the PL25. The PL25 just never did it for me, and I generally prefer the PL rendering over the Olympus lenses.

if I were to get one, it would likely be the 10-25 I think, as I can swap to the 45 1.2 I have when I need reach, but the more I think about it, the less I think I want to have a zoom in the gym with all the chalk dust, but I will think on that.