Gordon should be a permanent contributor. His videos are great, I've been following him for a long time. I've even bought his book. His channel is brilliant and doesn't IMHO get the attention and following it deserves.
You really only need 2 AI labels: 1. Made with AI For photos that were created with AI from scratch 2. Edited with AI For original photos that were edited with AI which may include color grading etc. or object removal
I honestly think we need a label for the original photos, taken by real cameras. Why? Because content that is created with AI will surpass soon the original created content.
Would option 2 be used when you use AI to make a mask for you? Does anyone care about the fact you're not willing to sit there for hours doing masking? Think it would be better if people just played a comment saying e.g. generative AI was used to expand the image (only background was affected)
@@LukaszFrankowski I think this is easy to solve if the label is "Edited with generative AI", or something that makes clear that it's about image generation, not an algorithm that helps make selections.
@@gigamomentNo, mate. You are basically saying AI sex with VR simulations is better than intimacy with a human. I cannot disagree more. For the people who take photographs, the reimagining of the photographer's experience through the image is never going to be replaced by AI. Having the most realistic surreal sight is not photography. However, for the laymen who have no interest or related experience, what you say is true. Many people who never had a loving relationship will argue VR AI porn will be the best. Unfortunately, the number of people holding that view is growing by large margins.
As somsone into OM Systems and full -frame Panasonic, conpletely agree with both those assessments. Very slow start to the year but hopefully potential for some more excitement if they can get over their current hurdles.
agree with Gordon on more interesting smaller bodies from the major manufacturers, i.e. ZF is cool, and Fuji doing great. And his analysis on aperture rings on lens is on point. great analysis on the brands and where they are. good ep.
OM Systems - PEN F mkii -> usb-c, TruePix 10 processor, awesome C-AF --> OM Systems already has great lenses, especially with the rest of the MFT lenses available. Or call it the OM-10. After all, the original OM-10 film camera was a very successful camera and an engineering marvel. OM Systems has a bright future. Hope they see that.
Yes, I’m hoping for them getting as much of the guts of the OM-1.2 into a smaller body as they can. Let’s call it the OM-5.2 for now. I’d also like to see them make more 1.4 primes. The 20mm is a fantastic, compact lens. The 1.2 primes, whilst optically excellent, are pretty massive and heavy so detract from the benefits of the MFT system in my opinion.
Gordon is legendary and always makes sense. Brand should ask him for advise before launching new products. When Chris said content creator was a small market, I don't know what he talked about, since there are at least 10m CC today.
You guys are doing a great job… for camera reviewers. I love to see you occasionally step back from that role, and offer reviews as photographers, which can offer a different perspective.
I'd agree with pretty much all the grades and comments. I can't add much other than it's obviously been a gap-year for Sony but we'll likely get multiple cameras next year. They still deserve huge credit for being the only company actually innovating and making generational jumps in camera tech, with a global shutter. Nikon and Fuji are the brands of the moment, taking advantage of a quiet year for Sony, getting plenty of shine and it's great to see.
As an OM user, I find your assessment fair. The point about *winding down* by Olympus is very accurate, also there's a massive amount of administrative and IT work that goes into an acquisition like this. I really hope they'll pick up speed, because the system itself is fantastic. I don't mind their focus on outdoor, and I think it makes sense to first focus on a niche. But also, a new Pen-F is way overdue :)
Though Chris and Jordan are my go to folks for 1st impressions of any newly released gear, Gordon's reviews which I rely most. Mostly they come out while products are still new. DPR comes out with review that matters when everyone else have had their say!
Wow, love seeing Gordon! He ads so much to the discussion! With the economy being at it is, I think camera companies are going to be making smaller point and shoot cameras to meet the desire of carry cameras. Good reviews and thanks!
The Viltrox Pros for XF mount are incredible lenses and much cheaper than Fuji's offerings. As long as you can handle a big thick lens those are compelling reasons for 3rd party on Fuji.
Same for Sigma. The Fuji 16-55 2.8 is a chunker at 655g. The Sigma 18-50 is less than half that at 285g, and is also half the price. The X-H2 can handle it but the X-T5 feels so much better with the lighter lens on the front.
@@_rhapsodist Agree. But only a few has the investment in MFT and the great and small lenses already available. I got a PEN F a while ago and it has been my favorite camera by far. And last time I checked at KEH to get one for my daughter, they are selling for over $1,300. That is the first time a camera I own has appreciated in value!
Olympus didn't want to go to that direction, they shifted focus for travel and wildlife and OM-System still chews through that heritage. As for street shooters, E-PL series were essentially different body for beginner camera, which was E-M10 series, last camera that was truly made to be of that kind was PEN-F. Unfortunately, it's not a successful product. Nonetheless, OM-System has fine small camera, OM-5 with Pana 20 1.7 is surprisingly good for that role. Problem is with this cross-compatibility, autofocus is slow as hell. Right now, there's resurgence of interest for small street shooters from zoomers that want to take tad better shots than phone camera optics allow, it's still unknown if this interest in pocket street shooter is not a fad. Personally, for me, that would be THE perfect camera. Not even full-blown PEN-F to compete with Fuji, but E-P7 successor to compete with Ricoh, with compact body, some street photography stuff like zone focus mode like one in Ricoh GR series, USB-C connectivity, maybe quick charge though that port, and that's it - it would be a good first attempt to make entirely new camera by OM-System.
Nice to see you here, Gordon. Camera Labs was the starting point for my photography, looking at the reviews and even videos even before 2010 and my 5D Mark III is still equipped with the Op/Tech Camera Labs strap. But I'm also watching Chris and Jordan since their "The Camera Store TV" time. Very great to see that combination.
Olympus m43 user here considering Nikon as well. They weigh so much more, but offer so much as well. They're late to the party, but getting good right as Olympus, one of the very first mirrorless camera makers, is dying.
*episode sponsored by OM system* "So OM system is like this dead whale sinking to the bottom of the ocean..." :D On more serious note, I would also really love to see SLR releases from Pentax, but unlike Chris I would be happy to see even just a new K1 (unless it would be re-released old K1 witout IR filter or something like that). Just to see commitment to DSLR in general and especially the high end.
So to be clear it’s Olympus that is the dead whale and OM System is the ecosystem of crabs and starfish that are living off of it but eventually they are gonna run out of things to eat.
Re: Fuji X-App image transfer: After a rough start with the new app, this works quite perfectly for me now, no matter how many wifi networks are nearby. If the camera is somewhere inside a 5m radius I can reliably connect, choose images and transfer then quite quickly. The camera does not even need to be switched on. This is something that I find quite convenient.
Great podcast as always…love it!! Considering the end product for all these companies is being the best tool for photos and videos, wondering if Apple, Blackmagic and even Hasselblad would have been good to include considering you’ll have reviewed products from these companies and they have made some discussion worthy products. Also, Gordon is just class. Thanks for inviting him back.
I was just at the B&H store for the first time today, but sadly only had about 20 minutes to browse before needing to head to my flight, but I loved handling the select cameras I was able to. I was finally able to see for the w first time in person just how small some of the micro 4/3 and app camera can get. I was blown away by how small and featureless the canon r100 is. And how absurd the body of the Sony 6000 series aps-c bodies are. If I were to get an APA-c camera these days it would be a Fuji, as they are killing it with their retro styling. And the Nikon z6iii was surprisingly small for an amazing seeming full frame camera. I am quite liking what Nikon is doing these days, though I am currently a canon shooter.
I was on the waiting list for a year for the X100v before it was discontinued. I woke early and ordered the X100VI the day it was announced. I waited over 16 weeks and canceled the order. I am not waiting a year or paying a premium for this camera. I bought a used Sony A7C and 35/2.8 for about 75% of the X100VI. I now have an interchangeable body with a full frame and the excellent Sony autofocus. I am hoping for a LUMIX with the G9ii sensor, audio jac, weather sealed, and maybe in the S9 body to update my GX9.Good luck with that. I am a photographer and agree with Chris that LUMIX has abandoned me. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
MFT sensor in a FF body just feels odd to me. I’ve got a G9ii on hire for a week to see what it’s like and it just feels massive compared to my OM1.2 (even though it isn’t really, and is only 60g heavier). OK so video isn’t important to me. And I fully get the LUMIX is way better in that regard. I guess I too would like to see, let’s call it, a GX9ii.
Well, my daughter wants to buy Pentax 17. She is trying to get funds from my wife and me to add to her pocket money and buy one. The perseverance she is showing I believe she will be an owner of one soon.
Love my OM/Olympus gear. I came over from Nikon DSLRs late last year and have been buying used MFT bodies and lenses like a guy on GAS crack. I love my Pen and OM bodies. The lens library is fantastic. I hope a Pen F ii is in the works. Put an OM-1 sensor and EVF in it, add weather sealing, and you havd a winner. The next step would be to weatherize the small f1.8 primes.
Even though Tamron isn't making fast primes, I'm pretty sure their recent lenses are selling like hotcakes and their stock price is through the roof (quadrupled in the last 3 years). I thought they were doing amazingly lately, except for the focus on starting their zooms at 28mm (it's shocking how often it's not wide enough, for me anyway, as a "walking around" lens). I think there's a large consumer market full of people like me that are tired of the non-stop releases of fast primes (obviously higher profit margin, targeting enthusiasts after they lost beginners to cell phones).
43:00 I have to agree with Chris, you really can't objectively give a grade to Leica because their goals are so different to the rest of the market. It's also kind of the area Fuji are looking to put themselves in, as partially evidenced by their choice to go with a niche "medium format" line instead of trying to compete in the full-frame quagmire. However, they haven't quite got the full prestige status (or possibly long-term financial stability) to move fully into that space yet, so they're left straddling 2 markets and not quite mastering either of them.
Nikon should release the scrapped DL series ? To jump on the small fixed lens camera? Even the old Fuji x10 are going for £300-400 on ebay £400+ on MPB and thats 13 years old now.
X10 was my first camera and sold it in 2016 for just over a hundred quid on eBay. That’s what the prices were, crazy what they are selling for due to the X100 effect.
Would be awesome if Sigma was allowed to release more X-mount stuff! A mirrorless version of their venerably 18-35 f/1.8, an x-mount version of their 500mm f/5.6, etc...
That trick of using handheld mode on a tripod for astro isn't a new thing, people have been doing that since it came out. This camera is basically the IR filter cut and 2 body filters. It does show that OM-Sushi is primarily concerned about picking as much from the carcass as possible before it's all massively out of date and would require some actual new R&D instead of riding off Olympus R&D that's going on years old now. I'm not a hater of MFT or OM-System, quite the opposite, my jump into MFT was using the E-M5 as my main work body, and I've continued with upgrades all the way to the OM-5 today for its discrete size and quality it gives with equally discrete long lenses like the 75mm f1.8. It's more that I'm sad that they were bought out by a company that's doing even less with the people and name than Ricoh did with Pentax before they fired most of the staff there. The company that did buy Olympus Imaging is known 100% to be a vulture type of buyer, so it doesn't surprise me, it's just sad. Panasonic might not ever release a stills focused MFT camera again since the G9.ii (that only came out as a collection of R&D/tooling for the GH7 and S5.II) that was meant to test the waters for a stills focused MFT body only got press for being a good video camera that "is ok for certain niches." Which that's sad too, the G9.ii is wonderful for portraits if you're using a wildlife zoom that launched with it that everyone tested with or the 12-60 f2.8-4 zoom. If people were honest and tested the stills centric camera with the 42.5mm f1.2 Nocticron or the f1.2 Olympus primes, they'd find that there's plenty of subject separation and amazing sharpness with the PRO f1.2's and character you expect with the PanaLeica 42.5mm f1.2 (still plenty of sharpness and contrast wide open, amazing lens regardless of the system). I think I saw maybe two reviews that used lenses like the 15mm f1.7 and others instead of just the 100-400mm zoom and maybe the 12-60mm kit it came with. The point is, there's a good chance photo-focused MFT cameras are done for, which is a massive shame for all kinds of photographers, not just hikers/wildlife and people that have trouble with extra weight. Marketing killed it, not actual limitations worth mentioning in real world applications. Companies want to sell higher margin FF systems, so they stunt the development of crop sensors (Sony used the same APS-C sensor for basically a decade while cranking out new FF ones every year or two) and release marketing directly or through influencers to rant about FF or go home more or less (this crew has never been like that, but it's rare to say the least). It doesn't help that the company that grabbed up the only brand that had the biggest interest in photo-focused MFT to succeed was a company that has, based on all observations of choices made sense, zero interest in actually investing into R&D and making great cameras. They're more interested in picking apart what was left while it sells before OM-System just becomes a brand any crap item can have slapped on it by paying for the license, like Polaroid.
Yes, Gordon’s book is a treasure of tips and info. Fwiw, Olympus Pen-f Digital is wonderful and needs a new edition! Yay, on learning about the EM1 Astronomy version! I’m staring at my EM1Mk3 and pondering several ideas; thanks guys! 👍
Regarding the Ai meta thing: What about Denoise Ai…that should not put an original image in the same bag as a 100% generated image not produced by a lens.
I love my E-P7. Having a new PEN that maybe bumps the resolution a bit and throws in the modern OM System computational features along with 10-bit Log video would be a dream come true. The size makes it an everyday carry for me; I use it way more than my flagship Sony cameras.
@@leeinnes7127 I know the K2 well and used to visit Tilgate Park when exploring areas to relocate to! I did find Friday nights a bit of a boy racer vibe though, so kept my head down! I'd love to do a second book, but I'd need another 40 images I'm really happy with, and I think what worked then was having them all in portrait, which I've not been shooting so much. That said, i have done a lot of travel with my X100 V, so I'm gradually gathering some nice and varied shots!
@@cameralabs You're right, Crawley really is Chav central. I lived in Brighton many years ago & loved it, such a nice vibe. I'd love to live there again, but sadly can't afford it. In camera is a wonderful book
I really don't understand why they say that Panasonic don't give photographers what they want. Obviously their cameras are great for photos so what are they talking about?
33:08 "Wheels on a bike"... lol! Perfect analogy. Canon, Nikon, and whatever other company is like them needs to have a fully open mount for 3rd parties so that users can get completely functional lower cost options in full-frame and APS-C. Feels very anti-consumer to block those options.
As a photographer who uses Panasonic FF, I do have to agree with their review. Love the Jpegs, but do wish they had some more bodies that would benefit photographers. Really hoping for an S5iii with the same sensor and stats of the Nikon Z6iii.
Also use LUMIX for stills, what feature would you want? From my perspective they are just as good as the other brands for stills but just have better video
@@walrusgumboot Faster burst rates, faster sensor response time, while they have improved with the S5ii, I'd love for the autofocus in AFc to match the levels we see with Sony and Canon.
@@exclusivelymatt yeah I would agree they aren’t sports/wildlife cameras, but they still have 30fps full res raws and pre-burst shooting. But Chris even makes the comment about the G9ii which has very high burst capabilities and AF performance
@@exclusivelymatt Same assessment from me mostly. Although I really loved the older Lumix cameras' JPEG output (up to the original S5), I cannot seem to get personally pleasing colors SOOC with the new image processing engine on the S5II. I also find the JPEGs from it to be a little crunchy sometimes, for lack of a better word. I also got tired of waiting for a fast, high res body and picked up a used Canon R5. Loved it so much that I sold most of my Panasonic FF gear. Still have my M43 gear and really hoping they give us a small, premium, stills-focused M43 body.
still am a happy owner of an A7III, and i was positive at the time this body could last me at least 5 years, which it definitely has. That being said, i'd probably instant buy a A7V if it can at least offer similar features to the Z6III.
Love to see Gordon on here, wish you could do a six way with him along with T&C Northrup - would be EPIC! IMO the watermark is a poorly conceived idea, I could just edit the way I want and then take a screen shot or print/scan and there would be no way to check that with the automation. Should just be, for lack of a better term, buyer beware - like everything else in life.
Please no Norhtrups. I honestly despise them. As a european they seem like the typical American stereotype some of us have of being way to nice up front but ugly behind your back.
I appreciate the improvements of brands like Nikon's recent z6III, but Sony has had many of the features the new models have for years. I don't own a Sony, but when I look at the new models and suffer from G.A.S. I look at a used Sony and go, "Wait, Sony already had it, should I get that used?" If Nikon's z6III had dual recording access I'd switch right away.
As a long-time Sony shooter. F- for Sony. If I cared only for sharp glass, C- Because they lack a decent variety of UNIQUE glass. They have nothing unique on the market, and it's boring. I have 0 interest with the heavy focus in vlogger lenses that covers zoom ranges already there. We already have the 12-24, 24-70, 70-200, etc. Where is the tilt shift, fish eye, updated dedicated macro lenses, GM macro maybe? How about anything for your APS-C lineup? Sigma is looking a LOT more appealing nowadays, and this is coming from someone that owns a big collection of GM/G glass. Where's the astro modified cameras at? I don't want to send my expensive gear to a shop, and risk having it lost during transit. Give me options, I want choices. I want an astro modified A7IV right now, but does that option exist from Sony or retailers directly? Nope! There goes money right there, Sony is really great at making bad choices in every market they touch. Their firmware is non-existent, and has been for as long as I can remember. Their recent release was a disaster and caused some people's cameras to brick, that to me is a massive red flag. I still have no creative features implemented in my $4,200 camera body. I want to do double exposures IN-BODY, and that is my preference. I'm sure many others feel the same way. Adobe shills can keep drinking their bath water. Overall Sony never listens to their customers. Any time we want something new, we have to buy a new body, no firmware functions or GOOD support after release. Maybe other Sony camera users like being abused like that, but I don't. === Canon gets a B for opening up their camera mount a bit, I'm glad they're doing the right thing, but it should have been there to begin with. They could have simply ignored their customers like another company, but they didn't. Keep doing more to improve Canon. === Can't comment on Nikon, as I haven't been paying close attention.
That’s a very interesting assessment for Sony The 24-50, 16-25, 20-70, and 70-200 F4 II Macro are all unique in the market. I think almost all the Sony G lenses are interesting enough to draw people to the system
@@quangpham4372but if you look for a tilt shift? A couple macro lenses? They only have the 90mm, super wide lenses are oke super zooms are oke… no fisheye, etc. In the way really specials they dont have it
Disagree... Canon dont deserve any increased mark just because they let 3rd party in. Nope, that should be automatical and if anything it should push Canons marks down for keeping it only APS-C and keep lowering their score because of closed system until they open up completely (same goes for Nikon). Canon is nothing now and promises in second half. The most noteworthy stuff for Canon ecosystem isnt from Canon but from Sigma, cant give them credit for it. Would go E for Canon at best with pretty much guaranteed significant improvement in 2nd half. As for Sony, they are way stronger in first half than Canon (because of A9III), but in generaly weak. The lenses they made this year are just their budget options. They already have GMs and many of those are still ahead of competition. The firmware update was also a big nothingburger. Would go C. Without A9III they are at the exact same position as Canon so far, just without big promises for second half. But A9III exists.
No grade for re-opening their system to 3rd parties in a totally anaemic way. RF glass too expensive and their mirrorless video tools are still laughable (i.e. whitebalance, no false colour). Canon have not done anything this year yet, I like my R7 but only because sigma has 2 great lenses. Hopefully a R6 mkiii will come out
Can you give an update on what is going on in with motion control these days? When I search TH-cam there have not been any new products for years. I can see the since Manfrotto took over the Syrp line, that the products are all out of stock. Otherwise I liked the look of the Genie II products, but they do not seem to be available and are at least 5 years old.
I have a A7riii that is as good as anything available today for photography. I cannot comment on video and I find the handling to be lumpy, especially when compared to Nikon or Olympus but the imaging is spectacular.
Can I say this about Sony, when they started with mirrorless they has an old DSLR system with minolta lenses. And they had few lenses - some partnered with Zeiss. And now that have lots of lenses. They built slowly and now have a full lineup.
Very enjoyable and informative review of 2024, so far. As an OM System fan I think you were all a bit harsh with you D or D+ grades. The OM-1 Mk II is arguably the best birding camera on the market today with substantially improved AF over the original OM-1. The Live Graduated ND filter transforms landscape photography. I think a second look is in order. Ok - moving on to missed opportunities - it's not just OMS who seems to be sitting out the small camera trend/market/fad, but I agree it seems almost criminal for them of all companies to not introduce a current-tech PEN-series body that leverages all the small lenses of the MFT format. I *really* like the Kickstarter idea, and I'd be there with my money, but I believe OM System is going to introduce a "PEN-F Mk II" grade camera later this year. It will probably be in the price range of the Fuji X100 VI which (don't stone me) just isn't all the impressive to me over all, and certainly not for US $1,500. I think this new camera will combine the "outdoor" adventure weather sealing of the rest of the OMS line to create a new benchmark street/travel camera. I hope I'm even close to right in this. 🙂
Hi Petapixel peeps! Thanks for all the knowledge shared. I've been thinking of upgrading my camera for video these days. I have a Fujifilm X-T3 and love taking photos with it but for video it feels like many new models come with more exciting flavors in term of in-camera recording capabilities, specially those with internal ProRes 422 and unlimited recording or dual recording. Then again, I was also thinking that maybe since I still like the X-T3 for stills and the video is pretty good, if what I want is more recording flexibility then I should get an external recorder like the Atomos or the Blackmagic, what do you think? I love having a bigger display but that's not a must for my setup. Maybe it's not material for a whole review but it'd be cool to get some orientation in this regard. Is it a good investment in 2024 to get an external recorder when internal recording in new cameras offer ProRes and much longer recording time limits? Thank you!
I believe the overpopularity of the compact cameras are due to OM System kind of not being in that segment now with there PEN cameras. I miss Pen PM-3 and a similar with fixed zoom. By the way, I love the OM System Astro camera idea. Super cool is correct term.
The A7C cameras feel like a monkey paw-esque ironic punishment for people who insist they NEED full-frame even at the lowest price point. (S9 too really for that matter)
Hey Chris you mentioned the loyal fan base of Fujifilm which I agree with. But… my wife practically spit out her coffee when I announced that I was jumping the Fuji ship and sailing away with Olympus. I focus on macro and wildlife/bird photography with some B&W(my first love). I’m 69 and in good health but Olympus is light years ahead of Fuji in my areas of interest sans the B&W. It was a very hard decision but we all have limited time on the rock so I’ve got to make the best of it. Wish I could afford both. I’ve gone with the OM-1, 90macro, AK Diffuser, Godox 860iii, 300mm PRO f4 and the 1.4 + the 2.0 teleconverters so a crazy amount of options. But still love Fujifilm.
Thanks for having me on the show! Always fun, sorry for rambling on and making it a somewhat long podcast!
Great job Gordon. Always love your work man.
@@classic.cameras thanks for your support!
@@cameralabs always. Us Camera nerds gotta stick together! And LOOKING FORWARD to that 10D review. It was my first DSLR ever in 2006.
Hey Gordon, a tip regarding the Fujifilm app: try turning on 5 Ghz in the camera settings for wifi. Works much better than the default 2.4 Ghz.
@@jandzoe9249 good idea!
Gordon should be a permanent contributor. His videos are great, I've been following him for a long time. I've even bought his book.
His channel is brilliant and doesn't IMHO get the attention and following it deserves.
Thanks for your support, hope you enjoy my book!
Totally agree.
Gordon is a legend. Really enjoy Dinobytes. Reading Cameralabs articles is still a pleasure in the TH-cam age.
25 min until you got to any substance. Too much. Love you guys but its too much
Yay! Gordon's back. Always a welcome sight.
Thanks, happy to be here!
Most people to Nikon: "Don't you know who I am?"
Gordon Laing to Nikon: "Don't you know where I am?"
I brought it upon myself really!
Sounds just like Biden!
You really only need 2 AI labels:
1. Made with AI
For photos that were created with AI from scratch
2. Edited with AI
For original photos that were edited with AI which may include color grading etc. or object removal
I honestly think we need a label for the original photos, taken by real cameras. Why? Because content that is created with AI will surpass soon the original created content.
Would option 2 be used when you use AI to make a mask for you? Does anyone care about the fact you're not willing to sit there for hours doing masking?
Think it would be better if people just played a comment saying e.g. generative AI was used to expand the image (only background was affected)
@@LukaszFrankowski Exactly. I use those AI features to mainly mask out things like hair. It's so much faster than start fiddling with channel masks.
@@LukaszFrankowski I think this is easy to solve if the label is "Edited with generative AI", or something that makes clear that it's about image generation, not an algorithm that helps make selections.
@@gigamomentNo, mate. You are basically saying AI sex with VR simulations is better than intimacy with a human. I cannot disagree more.
For the people who take photographs, the reimagining of the photographer's experience through the image is never going to be replaced by AI.
Having the most realistic surreal sight is not photography. However, for the laymen who have no interest or related experience, what you say is true.
Many people who never had a loving relationship will argue VR AI porn will be the best. Unfortunately, the number of people holding that view is growing by large margins.
Awesome. Love a guest appearance, especially Gordon
Thanks!
As somsone into OM Systems and full -frame Panasonic, conpletely agree with both those assessments. Very slow start to the year but hopefully potential for some more excitement if they can get over their current hurdles.
Wow. This is a mash up of people I didn't expect coming. Been following Gordon Laing since the early 2010's. Glad to see this happen!
He was on the last episode of 2023. This is his second appearance.
Always nice to see Gordon on
Thanks, nice to be here!
If everyone can be as blunt as Gordon, the world will be a better place! :) Great podcast, gents!
agree with Gordon on more interesting smaller bodies from the major manufacturers, i.e. ZF is cool, and Fuji doing great. And his analysis on aperture rings on lens is on point. great analysis on the brands and where they are. good ep.
Thanks!
OM Systems - PEN F mkii -> usb-c, TruePix 10 processor, awesome C-AF --> OM Systems already has great lenses, especially with the rest of the MFT lenses available. Or call it the OM-10. After all, the original OM-10 film camera was a very successful camera and an engineering marvel. OM Systems has a bright future. Hope they see that.
Yes, I’m hoping for them getting as much of the guts of the OM-1.2 into a smaller body as they can. Let’s call it the OM-5.2 for now.
I’d also like to see them make more 1.4 primes. The 20mm is a fantastic, compact lens. The 1.2 primes, whilst optically excellent, are pretty massive and heavy so detract from the benefits of the MFT system in my opinion.
Gordon is legendary and always makes sense. Brand should ask him for advise before launching new products.
When Chris said content creator was a small market, I don't know what he talked about, since there are at least 10m CC today.
Glad you enjoyed it!
You guys are doing a great job… for camera reviewers. I love to see you occasionally step back from that role, and offer reviews as photographers, which can offer a different perspective.
I'd agree with pretty much all the grades and comments.
I can't add much other than it's obviously been a gap-year for Sony but we'll likely get multiple cameras next year. They still deserve huge credit for being the only company actually innovating and making generational jumps in camera tech, with a global shutter.
Nikon and Fuji are the brands of the moment, taking advantage of a quiet year for Sony, getting plenty of shine and it's great to see.
with regards to Nikon, its very clear that they don't care about APS-C at all.
Gordon is a living legend in the camera review scene
Cheers!
A legend and ultimate historian, welcome back Gordon!
Thankyou!
As an OM user, I find your assessment fair. The point about *winding down* by Olympus is very accurate, also there's a massive amount of administrative and IT work that goes into an acquisition like this. I really hope they'll pick up speed, because the system itself is fantastic.
I don't mind their focus on outdoor, and I think it makes sense to first focus on a niche. But also, a new Pen-F is way overdue :)
Though Chris and Jordan are my go to folks for 1st impressions of any newly released gear, Gordon's reviews which I rely most. Mostly they come out while products are still new. DPR comes out with review that matters when everyone else have had their say!
Thanks!
Wow, love seeing Gordon! He ads so much to the discussion! With the economy being at it is, I think camera companies are going to be making smaller point and shoot cameras to meet the desire of carry cameras. Good reviews and thanks!
The Viltrox Pros for XF mount are incredible lenses and much cheaper than Fuji's offerings. As long as you can handle a big thick lens those are compelling reasons for 3rd party on Fuji.
Same for Sigma. The Fuji 16-55 2.8 is a chunker at 655g. The Sigma 18-50 is less than half that at 285g, and is also half the price. The X-H2 can handle it but the X-T5 feels so much better with the lighter lens on the front.
I am here for the third time! I really enjoy the genuine conversation these guys have. Looking forward to the next podcast!
I am impressed OM has not released a new PEN F, but also impressed others has done little to come up with something similar, other than Fuji.
They will come all at once at some point I am sure
@@_rhapsodist Agree. But only a few has the investment in MFT and the great and small lenses already available. I got a PEN F a while ago and it has been my favorite camera by far. And last time I checked at KEH to get one for my daughter, they are selling for over $1,300. That is the first time a camera I own has appreciated in value!
Olympus didn't want to go to that direction, they shifted focus for travel and wildlife and OM-System still chews through that heritage.
As for street shooters, E-PL series were essentially different body for beginner camera, which was E-M10 series, last camera that was truly made to be of that kind was PEN-F. Unfortunately, it's not a successful product. Nonetheless, OM-System has fine small camera, OM-5 with Pana 20 1.7 is surprisingly good for that role. Problem is with this cross-compatibility, autofocus is slow as hell.
Right now, there's resurgence of interest for small street shooters from zoomers that want to take tad better shots than phone camera optics allow, it's still unknown if this interest in pocket street shooter is not a fad. Personally, for me, that would be THE perfect camera. Not even full-blown PEN-F to compete with Fuji, but E-P7 successor to compete with Ricoh, with compact body, some street photography stuff like zone focus mode like one in Ricoh GR series, USB-C connectivity, maybe quick charge though that port, and that's it - it would be a good first attempt to make entirely new camera by OM-System.
Love that Chris has got some really great points.
Nice to see you here, Gordon. Camera Labs was the starting point for my photography, looking at the reviews and even videos even before 2010 and my 5D Mark III is still equipped with the Op/Tech Camera Labs strap. But I'm also watching Chris and Jordan since their "The Camera Store TV" time. Very great to see that combination.
Gordon Laing!!!!!!
It's me!
A Canonet QL17 GIII digital compact would be amazing, and perfect for M43.
53:20 agreed Jaron. Were I starting from scratch, I'd be buying Nikon. Still considering whether to move to it from Panasonic m43
Olympus m43 user here considering Nikon as well. They weigh so much more, but offer so much as well. They're late to the party, but getting good right as Olympus, one of the very first mirrorless camera makers, is dying.
*episode sponsored by OM system* "So OM system is like this dead whale sinking to the bottom of the ocean..." :D
On more serious note, I would also really love to see SLR releases from Pentax, but unlike Chris I would be happy to see even just a new K1 (unless it would be re-released old K1 witout IR filter or something like that). Just to see commitment to DSLR in general and especially the high end.
These guys sometimes unnecessarily bite the hand that feeds them. Not good.
So to be clear it’s Olympus that is the dead whale and OM System is the ecosystem of crabs and starfish that are living off of it but eventually they are gonna run out of things to eat.
Ded 😂
Re: Fuji X-App image transfer: After a rough start with the new app, this works quite perfectly for me now, no matter how many wifi networks are nearby. If the camera is somewhere inside a 5m radius I can reliably connect, choose images and transfer then quite quickly. The camera does not even need to be switched on. This is something that I find quite convenient.
Glad it works for you, it's still a challenge for me!
@@cameralabs Bummer! I use it on Android 14, maybe there are differences. I even installed the latest firmware update on my X-S20 with the App.
I love seeing Gordon. Y'all are very hard on the camera industry, maybe too hard?
I think we all love cameras so much that we're really rooting for them and that means sometimes being a bit harsh!
Great podcast as always…love it!! Considering the end product for all these companies is being the best tool for photos and videos, wondering if Apple, Blackmagic and even Hasselblad would have been good to include considering you’ll have reviewed products from these companies and they have made some discussion worthy products. Also, Gordon is just class. Thanks for inviting him back.
Glad you enjoyed it!
like watching the brady bunch or hollywood squares. Thanks dudes!!
Nikon just killin it with the best to performance of any camera manufacturer in both body and lenses.
I really enjoyed the half yearly review.
Can't wait till the end of year review
I was just at the B&H store for the first time today, but sadly only had about 20 minutes to browse before needing to head to my flight, but I loved handling the select cameras I was able to.
I was finally able to see for the w first time in person just how small some of the micro 4/3 and app camera can get.
I was blown away by how small and featureless the canon r100 is. And how absurd the body of the Sony 6000 series aps-c bodies are.
If I were to get an APA-c camera these days it would be a Fuji, as they are killing it with their retro styling.
And the Nikon z6iii was surprisingly small for an amazing seeming full frame camera.
I am quite liking what Nikon is doing these days, though I am currently a canon shooter.
It's a magical place...
I was on the waiting list for a year for the X100v before it was discontinued. I woke early and ordered the X100VI the day it was announced. I waited over 16 weeks and canceled the order. I am not waiting a year or paying a premium for this camera.
I bought a used Sony A7C and 35/2.8 for about 75% of the X100VI. I now have an interchangeable body with a full frame and the excellent Sony autofocus.
I am hoping for a LUMIX with the G9ii sensor, audio jac, weather sealed, and maybe in the S9 body to update my GX9.Good luck with that. I am a photographer and agree with Chris that LUMIX has abandoned me.
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
MFT sensor in a FF body just feels odd to me. I’ve got a G9ii on hire for a week to see what it’s like and it just feels massive compared to my OM1.2 (even though it isn’t really, and is only 60g heavier). OK so video isn’t important to me. And I fully get the LUMIX is way better in that regard.
I guess I too would like to see, let’s call it, a GX9ii.
Here's a suggestion for OM Systems ..... how about rebranding as "Olympus" ? Radical I know. I think you've had your "New Coke" moment.
I think Thomas makes the best lens reviews! Honestly, he was one of the reasons I choose a Nikon. Probably rediculous, but I honestly love the review!
Thanks, I'll pass that on!
Well, my daughter wants to buy Pentax 17. She is trying to get funds from my wife and me to add to her pocket money and buy one. The perseverance she is showing I believe she will be an owner of one soon.
Love my OM/Olympus gear. I came over from Nikon DSLRs late last year and have been buying used MFT bodies and lenses like a guy on GAS crack.
I love my Pen and OM bodies. The lens library is fantastic. I hope a Pen F ii is in the works.
Put an OM-1 sensor and EVF in it, add weather sealing, and you havd a winner. The next step would be to weatherize the small f1.8 primes.
Me too!!!!
Should review Zeiss as well ;) they did release some Nano primes this year
Pentax K1 iii is what I'm waiting for...
Gordon is back! Just watched his video on the EOS 300D recently, lovely channel(Dino Bytes), definitely deserves a lot more attention!
Thanks! Glad you're catching my other channel too!
Gordon is the best of British camera nerds
Cheers mate!
Very true but hand in hand with the late😢 but still GREAT David Thorpe
Gordon and Jordan should get their own show.
Even though Tamron isn't making fast primes, I'm pretty sure their recent lenses are selling like hotcakes and their stock price is through the roof (quadrupled in the last 3 years). I thought they were doing amazingly lately, except for the focus on starting their zooms at 28mm (it's shocking how often it's not wide enough, for me anyway, as a "walking around" lens). I think there's a large consumer market full of people like me that are tired of the non-stop releases of fast primes (obviously higher profit margin, targeting enthusiasts after they lost beginners to cell phones).
Gordon Laing does great reviews.
Thankyou!
43:00 I have to agree with Chris, you really can't objectively give a grade to Leica because their goals are so different to the rest of the market. It's also kind of the area Fuji are looking to put themselves in, as partially evidenced by their choice to go with a niche "medium format" line instead of trying to compete in the full-frame quagmire. However, they haven't quite got the full prestige status (or possibly long-term financial stability) to move fully into that space yet, so they're left straddling 2 markets and not quite mastering either of them.
yess Gordon Laing I've been following him since 2010 ("how to take sunset photos" video tutorial)
Thanks! I remember making those DSLR Tips videos, trying to make them as basic as possible and annoying almost everyone in the process!
the GOAT Gordon' IS back
Hah! Glad to be here!
The demand for compact fixed lens cameras can largely be explained I think by people starting to travel after COVID.
Nikon should release the scrapped DL series ? To jump on the small fixed lens camera? Even the old Fuji x10 are going for £300-400 on ebay £400+ on MPB and thats 13 years old now.
X10 was my first camera and sold it in 2016 for just over a hundred quid on eBay. That’s what the prices were, crazy what they are selling for due to the X100 effect.
Love me some Gordon!
Thanks!
Would be awesome if Sigma was allowed to release more X-mount stuff! A mirrorless version of their venerably 18-35 f/1.8, an x-mount version of their 500mm f/5.6, etc...
That trick of using handheld mode on a tripod for astro isn't a new thing, people have been doing that since it came out. This camera is basically the IR filter cut and 2 body filters. It does show that OM-Sushi is primarily concerned about picking as much from the carcass as possible before it's all massively out of date and would require some actual new R&D instead of riding off Olympus R&D that's going on years old now. I'm not a hater of MFT or OM-System, quite the opposite, my jump into MFT was using the E-M5 as my main work body, and I've continued with upgrades all the way to the OM-5 today for its discrete size and quality it gives with equally discrete long lenses like the 75mm f1.8. It's more that I'm sad that they were bought out by a company that's doing even less with the people and name than Ricoh did with Pentax before they fired most of the staff there. The company that did buy Olympus Imaging is known 100% to be a vulture type of buyer, so it doesn't surprise me, it's just sad. Panasonic might not ever release a stills focused MFT camera again since the G9.ii (that only came out as a collection of R&D/tooling for the GH7 and S5.II) that was meant to test the waters for a stills focused MFT body only got press for being a good video camera that "is ok for certain niches." Which that's sad too, the G9.ii is wonderful for portraits if you're using a wildlife zoom that launched with it that everyone tested with or the 12-60 f2.8-4 zoom. If people were honest and tested the stills centric camera with the 42.5mm f1.2 Nocticron or the f1.2 Olympus primes, they'd find that there's plenty of subject separation and amazing sharpness with the PRO f1.2's and character you expect with the PanaLeica 42.5mm f1.2 (still plenty of sharpness and contrast wide open, amazing lens regardless of the system). I think I saw maybe two reviews that used lenses like the 15mm f1.7 and others instead of just the 100-400mm zoom and maybe the 12-60mm kit it came with.
The point is, there's a good chance photo-focused MFT cameras are done for, which is a massive shame for all kinds of photographers, not just hikers/wildlife and people that have trouble with extra weight. Marketing killed it, not actual limitations worth mentioning in real world applications. Companies want to sell higher margin FF systems, so they stunt the development of crop sensors (Sony used the same APS-C sensor for basically a decade while cranking out new FF ones every year or two) and release marketing directly or through influencers to rant about FF or go home more or less (this crew has never been like that, but it's rare to say the least). It doesn't help that the company that grabbed up the only brand that had the biggest interest in photo-focused MFT to succeed was a company that has, based on all observations of choices made sense, zero interest in actually investing into R&D and making great cameras. They're more interested in picking apart what was left while it sells before OM-System just becomes a brand any crap item can have slapped on it by paying for the license, like Polaroid.
OM system are the photo focussed MFT brand.
No one will give you a medal or a gold star for predicting the end...
The 75mm 1.8 it is just about the only thing keeping me with μ4/3 right now.
I your diarrhea over with now?
Gordon, there’s is someone who makes amazing small lenses a little know German 🇩🇪 manufacture
That is true...!
Yes, Gordon’s book is a treasure of tips and info. Fwiw, Olympus Pen-f Digital is wonderful and needs a new edition! Yay, on learning about the EM1 Astronomy version! I’m staring at my EM1Mk3 and pondering several ideas; thanks guys! 👍
Chris was a bit grumpy, thats OK we all have a bad day, but Chris was a bit grumpy.
Yeah especially about canon hahaha he always being so mean about canon
He looked distracted looking often at his two phones and monitor.
@@daviddornblaser4512Only to look up facts or prices for certain cameras.
Let's go!! Gordon is the man.
Cheers!
Never had a problem with the Fuji file transfer app. In fact it’s the only one that never let me down!
same. i took my GFX with me on mountain peaks, no reception but the transfer was great. no issues what so ever.
Same. Not with connecting to the app, transfer or control of the camera (X-T3, X-T4 and X-H2S). Zero issues with the X App.
Glad it works for you, maybe it's just me!
Yes it is you,@cameralabs
I've often wondered why Canon and Nikon didn't look at producing a camera similar to the X100 series.
Regarding the Ai meta thing: What about Denoise Ai…that should not put an original image in the same bag as a 100% generated image not produced by a lens.
I was sitting here thinking about upgrading the firmware on my xh2 while I watched this. Thanks for the tip. I'll wait and see.
I'd recommend seeing what other people have found when updating - there's some interesting reports!
Hi guys! Hasselblad, not welcome to the party?
I love my E-P7. Having a new PEN that maybe bumps the resolution a bit and throws in the modern OM System computational features along with 10-bit Log video would be a dream come true. The size makes it an everyday carry for me; I use it way more than my flagship Sony cameras.
My claim to fame is that I live an hour away from Gordon. Sad but true.
Whereabouts?
@@cameralabs Gosport. The seagulls are less aggressive here :)
For what it's worth, I love in Crawley. Any chance of an In camera part 2 book (love the original)
@@leeinnes7127 I know the K2 well and used to visit Tilgate Park when exploring areas to relocate to! I did find Friday nights a bit of a boy racer vibe though, so kept my head down! I'd love to do a second book, but I'd need another 40 images I'm really happy with, and I think what worked then was having them all in portrait, which I've not been shooting so much. That said, i have done a lot of travel with my X100 V, so I'm gradually gathering some nice and varied shots!
@@cameralabs You're right, Crawley really is Chav central. I lived in Brighton many years ago & loved it, such a nice vibe. I'd love to live there again, but sadly can't afford it. In camera is a wonderful book
Maybe we could get a button for before and after? Two pics, one as a final product and another "behind" that one that is SOOC file?
I think that's a great approach, and it's also educational.
I really don't understand why they say that Panasonic don't give photographers what they want. Obviously their cameras are great for photos so what are they talking about?
Ye wish he'd expanded on this a bit. It seemed to be lens options that was the issue but unclear.
33:08 "Wheels on a bike"... lol! Perfect analogy. Canon, Nikon, and whatever other company is like them needs to have a fully open mount for 3rd parties so that users can get completely functional lower cost options in full-frame and APS-C. Feels very anti-consumer to block those options.
As a photographer who uses Panasonic FF, I do have to agree with their review. Love the Jpegs, but do wish they had some more bodies that would benefit photographers. Really hoping for an S5iii with the same sensor and stats of the Nikon Z6iii.
Also use LUMIX for stills, what feature would you want? From my perspective they are just as good as the other brands for stills but just have better video
@@walrusgumboot Faster burst rates, faster sensor response time, while they have improved with the S5ii, I'd love for the autofocus in AFc to match the levels we see with Sony and Canon.
@@exclusivelymatt yeah I would agree they aren’t sports/wildlife cameras, but they still have 30fps full res raws and pre-burst shooting. But Chris even makes the comment about the G9ii which has very high burst capabilities and AF performance
@@exclusivelymatt Same assessment from me mostly. Although I really loved the older Lumix cameras' JPEG output (up to the original S5), I cannot seem to get personally pleasing colors SOOC with the new image processing engine on the S5II. I also find the JPEGs from it to be a little crunchy sometimes, for lack of a better word. I also got tired of waiting for a fast, high res body and picked up a used Canon R5. Loved it so much that I sold most of my Panasonic FF gear. Still have my M43 gear and really hoping they give us a small, premium, stills-focused M43 body.
still am a happy owner of an A7III, and i was positive at the time this body could last me at least 5 years, which it definitely has.
That being said, i'd probably instant buy a A7V if it can at least offer similar features to the Z6III.
Love the podcasts - Great to see Gordon! 👌👍
Happy to be here!
Love to see Gordon on here, wish you could do a six way with him along with T&C Northrup - would be EPIC! IMO the watermark is a poorly conceived idea, I could just edit the way I want and then take a screen shot or print/scan and there would be no way to check that with the automation. Should just be, for lack of a better term, buyer beware - like everything else in life.
Please no Norhtrups. I honestly despise them. As a european they seem like the typical American stereotype some of us have of being way to nice up front but ugly behind your back.
Happy to be here!
I appreciate the improvements of brands like Nikon's recent z6III, but Sony has had many of the features the new models have for years. I don't own a Sony, but when I look at the new models and suffer from G.A.S. I look at a used Sony and go, "Wait, Sony already had it, should I get that used?" If Nikon's z6III had dual recording access I'd switch right away.
Samyang makes relatively small, affordable, and more than good enough primes. I've got the 24 and 35 for Sony E and love them.
Chris is rocking an Earthworks mic?
The X App works well for social media with smaller files if you change the frequency to 5…
The Fujifilm firmware focus bug was fixed by an update last week.
Still super buggy imo
No mention of Fujifilm supply issues? Also the neglect of the XE, X-Pro lineup? XE-4 was discontinued in less than 2 years. This needs addressing.
As a long-time Sony shooter.
F- for Sony.
If I cared only for sharp glass, C-
Because they lack a decent variety of UNIQUE glass. They have nothing unique on the market, and it's boring.
I have 0 interest with the heavy focus in vlogger lenses that covers zoom ranges already there. We already have the 12-24, 24-70, 70-200, etc.
Where is the tilt shift, fish eye, updated dedicated macro lenses, GM macro maybe? How about anything for your APS-C lineup? Sigma is looking a LOT more appealing nowadays, and this is coming from someone that owns a big collection of GM/G glass.
Where's the astro modified cameras at?
I don't want to send my expensive gear to a shop, and risk having it lost during transit. Give me options, I want choices. I want an astro modified A7IV right now, but does that option exist from Sony or retailers directly? Nope! There goes money right there, Sony is really great at making bad choices in every market they touch.
Their firmware is non-existent, and has been for as long as I can remember. Their recent release was a disaster and caused some people's cameras to brick, that to me is a massive red flag. I still have no creative features implemented in my $4,200 camera body. I want to do double exposures IN-BODY, and that is my preference. I'm sure many others feel the same way. Adobe shills can keep drinking their bath water.
Overall Sony never listens to their customers. Any time we want something new, we have to buy a new body, no firmware functions or GOOD support after release. Maybe other Sony camera users like being abused like that, but I don't.
===
Canon gets a B for opening up their camera mount a bit, I'm glad they're doing the right thing, but it should have been there to begin with. They could have simply ignored their customers like another company, but they didn't. Keep doing more to improve Canon.
===
Can't comment on Nikon, as I haven't been paying close attention.
That’s a very interesting assessment for Sony
The 24-50, 16-25, 20-70, and 70-200 F4 II Macro are all unique in the market. I think almost all the Sony G lenses are interesting enough to draw people to the system
@@quangpham4372but if you look for a tilt shift? A couple macro lenses? They only have the 90mm, super wide lenses are oke super zooms are oke… no fisheye, etc. In the way really specials they dont have it
Disagree... Canon dont deserve any increased mark just because they let 3rd party in. Nope, that should be automatical and if anything it should push Canons marks down for keeping it only APS-C and keep lowering their score because of closed system until they open up completely (same goes for Nikon). Canon is nothing now and promises in second half. The most noteworthy stuff for Canon ecosystem isnt from Canon but from Sigma, cant give them credit for it. Would go E for Canon at best with pretty much guaranteed significant improvement in 2nd half.
As for Sony, they are way stronger in first half than Canon (because of A9III), but in generaly weak. The lenses they made this year are just their budget options. They already have GMs and many of those are still ahead of competition. The firmware update was also a big nothingburger. Would go C. Without A9III they are at the exact same position as Canon so far, just without big promises for second half. But A9III exists.
No grade for re-opening their system to 3rd parties in a totally anaemic way. RF glass too expensive and their mirrorless video tools are still laughable (i.e. whitebalance, no false colour). Canon have not done anything this year yet, I like my R7 but only because sigma has 2 great lenses. Hopefully a R6 mkiii will come out
@@anupew3276 You really don’t like Canon, huh?
That was fun
Can you give an update on what is going on in with motion control these days? When I search TH-cam there have not been any new products for years. I can see the since Manfrotto took over the Syrp line, that the products are all out of stock. Otherwise I liked the look of the Genie II products, but they do not seem to be available and are at least 5 years old.
I have a A7riii that is as good as anything available today for photography. I cannot comment on video and I find the handling to be lumpy, especially when compared to Nikon or Olympus but the imaging is spectacular.
Yes, if any company, Oly or not, comes up with Pen F ish camera, I am probably there.
Regarding Sony - Nikon finally is catching up - so will they do a A7 Mk5 or an A1 Mk2 to jump back ahead ?
Can I say this about Sony, when they started with mirrorless they has an old DSLR system with minolta lenses. And they had few lenses - some partnered with Zeiss. And now that have lots of lenses. They built slowly and now have a full lineup.
OM need to hurry up with that bright pro mid tele on their roadmap
I finally see the guy here who rates every non-L Canon lens a 3.5 🎉
Gordon
Sony will forever remain S tier for their paid grid line firmware patch
Lumix have the same
Very enjoyable and informative review of 2024, so far. As an OM System fan I think you were all a bit harsh with you D or D+ grades. The OM-1 Mk II is arguably the best birding camera on the market today with substantially improved AF over the original OM-1. The Live Graduated ND filter transforms landscape photography. I think a second look is in order. Ok - moving on to missed opportunities - it's not just OMS who seems to be sitting out the small camera trend/market/fad, but I agree it seems almost criminal for them of all companies to not introduce a current-tech PEN-series body that leverages all the small lenses of the MFT format. I *really* like the Kickstarter idea, and I'd be there with my money, but I believe OM System is going to introduce a "PEN-F Mk II" grade camera later this year. It will probably be in the price range of the Fuji X100 VI which (don't stone me) just isn't all the impressive to me over all, and certainly not for US $1,500. I think this new camera will combine the "outdoor" adventure weather sealing of the rest of the OMS line to create a new benchmark street/travel camera. I hope I'm even close to right in this. 🙂
Hi Petapixel peeps! Thanks for all the knowledge shared. I've been thinking of upgrading my camera for video these days. I have a Fujifilm X-T3 and love taking photos with it but for video it feels like many new models come with more exciting flavors in term of in-camera recording capabilities, specially those with internal ProRes 422 and unlimited recording or dual recording. Then again, I was also thinking that maybe since I still like the X-T3 for stills and the video is pretty good, if what I want is more recording flexibility then I should get an external recorder like the Atomos or the Blackmagic, what do you think? I love having a bigger display but that's not a must for my setup. Maybe it's not material for a whole review but it'd be cool to get some orientation in this regard. Is it a good investment in 2024 to get an external recorder when internal recording in new cameras offer ProRes and much longer recording time limits? Thank you!
I believe the overpopularity of the compact cameras are due to OM System kind of not being in that segment now with there PEN cameras. I miss Pen PM-3 and a similar with fixed zoom.
By the way, I love the OM System Astro camera idea. Super cool is correct term.
If the Sony A7cR or II had a better screen/evf, I would have sold my Fuji cameras.
The A7C cameras feel like a monkey paw-esque ironic punishment for people who insist they NEED full-frame even at the lowest price point. (S9 too really for that matter)
Hey Chris you mentioned the loyal fan base of Fujifilm which I agree with. But… my wife practically spit out her coffee when I announced that I was jumping the Fuji ship and sailing away with Olympus. I focus on macro and wildlife/bird photography with some B&W(my first love). I’m 69 and in good health but Olympus is light years ahead of Fuji in my areas of interest sans the B&W. It was a very hard decision but we all have limited time on the rock so I’ve got to make the best of it. Wish I could afford both.
I’ve gone with the OM-1, 90macro, AK Diffuser, Godox 860iii, 300mm PRO f4 and the 1.4 + the 2.0 teleconverters so a crazy amount of options. But still love Fujifilm.
Wasn't the Sony 300mm f2.8 released in Jan/Feb 2024? I think you missed that one.
I started as a Pentax user, but they were so slow moving across to AF that I changed. It’s the same here with mirror less.