TOPIC: MIRRORLESS CAMERA
Pandemic camera
8th September 2024Back at the end of 2019, I acquired a Canon EOS 90D, possibly the swansong for mid-range Canon SLR cameras. Much effort is going into mirrorless cameras, yet I retain affection for SLR cameras because of their optical viewfinders. That may have been part of the reason for the acquisition, when I already had an ageing Pentax K5 Mark II. Buying SLR cameras is one way to keep them in production.
Little did I know what lay ahead in 2020 at that stage. Until recently, this was not to be a camera that travelled widely, such were the restrictions. Nevertheless, battery life is superb and handling is good too. The only absence is not having a level in the viewfinder like the Pentax K3 Mark III or maybe any mirrorless camera.
The newer file type of CR3 caught me out at first until I adjusted my command line tooling to deal with that. File sizes were larger as well, which has an impact on storage. Otherwise, there was little to change in my workflow. That would take other technological changes, like the increasing amount of AI being built into Adobe software.
Outdoor photography is my mainstay, and it excelled at that. The autofocus works well on its 24 to 135 mm zoom lens, except perhaps from focussing on skyscapes at times. Metering produced acceptable results, though it differed from the Pentax output to which I had become accustomed. All in all, it slipped into a role like other cameras that I had.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, it provided the required service alongside other cameras that I had. The aforementioned Pentax remained in use, like an Olympus and another Canon. Overseas travel curtailed horizons, so it was around local counties like Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. In September 2020, it travelled to Llandudno in North Wales, an exception to the general trend of English hikes and cycles.
Since then, it has been superseded, though. A Pentax K3 Mark III made it into my possession to become my main camera, returning me near enough to my pre-2020 practice. Curiosity about Canon mirrorless options added a Canon EOS RP and a 24 to 240 mm zoom lens. That has shorter battery life than is ideal, and its level is not as helpful as that on the Pentax K3 Mark III or the aforementioned Olympus. If anything, it may get replaced while the EOS 90D remains. My getting a new base in Ireland means that it has gone there to save me carrying a camera there from England. That should give it a new lease of life.
EVF or OVF?
22nd December 2019In photography, some developments are temporary fads, while others create enduring changes. Special effects filters and high dynamic range techniques generated excitement before their usage became more restrained. The same applies to most image processing techniques, as good taste eventually prevails. Some developments, however, signal more substantial shifts.
The biggest example of the latter is the move away from film photography to digital image capture. There still are film photographers who largely depend on older cameras, since very few are made any more. While my own transition came later than others, I hardly use film any more, and a lack of replacement parts for cameras that are more than fifteen years old only helps to keep things that way. Another truth is that digital photography makes me look at my images more critically, which helps me improve.
Also, mobile phone cameras have become so capable that the compact camera market has shrunk dramatically. In fact, I gave away my Canon PowerShot G11 earlier this year because there was little justification in hanging onto it. After all, it dated back to 2010 and a phone would do now what it once did, though the G11 did more for me than I might have expected. Until 2017, my only photos of Swedish locations were made with that camera. If I ever was emotional at its departure, and I doubt that I was, that is not felt now.
If you read photography magazines, you get the sense that mirrorless cameras have captured a lot of the limelight, and that especially is the case with the introduction of full frame models. Some writers even are writing off the chances of SLR's remaining in production, though available model ranges remain extensive despite the new interlopers. Whatever about the departure of film, the possible loss of SLR's with their bright optical viewfinders (OVF's) does make me a little emotional since they were the cameras that, so many like me aspired to owning during my younger years and the type has served me well over the decades.
Even so, I too have used mirrorless cameras and an Olympus PEN E-PL5 came into my possession in 2013. However, I found that using the screen on the back of a camera was not to my liking and the quality of mobile phone cameras is such that I no longer need any added portability. However, it needs to be remembered that using a Tamron 14 to 150 mm zoom lens with the body cannot have helped either. Wishing to sample a counterpart with an electronic view finder, I replaced it with an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III earlier this year and have been getting on fine with that.
The camera body is compact, yet handles like an SLR. I turned off the automatic switching between viewfinder and screen because I found it distracting. I prefer to switch between them manually. Getting used to the electronic viewfinder (EVF) took some time, but adding a spirit level overlay proved both useful and educational. The camera produces images with strong greens and blues, which suits me since I like both colours. The 16.1 megapixel sensor creates smaller files that upload quickly to back-up services. My Tamron lens works flawlessly, and keeping this lens was a key reason I stayed with Olympus despite a shutter failure on my previous camera. The repair was done efficiently and at a reasonable price.
Despite the quality of the new Olympus, it has not replaced my Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Pentax K5 II SLRs. The Olympus has a much smaller frame. In January, I bought a new Sigma 24 to 105 mm zoom lens for the Canon after my older lens developed a fault that could not be fixed. The new lens performs well and produces impressively sharp images. However, the full frame Canon setup is heavy, even when used handheld. This is why the Pentax remains my choice for travelling abroad. Both the Canon and Pentax offer brighter viewfinders, which I value. Therefore, the OM-D complements rather than replaces my other cameras.
Although I can work with electronic viewfinders (EVF's) if single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs) become obsolete, I plan to use mainly SLRs for now. Canon recently launched a new enthusiast model, indicating ongoing interest in SLRs. Canon appears to envision a hybrid approach where using the screen on the back of the camera might provide faster autofocus or other functions, while the optical viewfinder (OVF) allows traditional operation. This makes me wonder if future cameras might include viewfinders that switch between EVF and OVF modes. This idea might be both far-fetched and fascinating, but other unforeseen possibilities might exist. One thing is certain: we live in a time of rapid change.
A Look at a Compact System Camera
4th September 2013In August, I acquired an Olympus Pen E-PL5, and I'm still getting used to it. Its main appeal was combining SLR functionality with compact camera size. This was an upgrade from my Canon PowerShot G11 without the bulk of a larger camera.
When I considered Canon's EOS M before choosing the E-PL5, I was put off by its slow autofocus. The lack of a mode dial was another concern, though its APS-C sensor and price of around £399 were attractive (and I liked Canon's tendency to overexpose when examining images from an old Canon EOS 10D). After seeing a camera comparison in Practical Photography, I bought that issue. They preferred the similarly priced Olympus Pen E-PM2 over the Canon. Though a Panasonic won the test, I was interested enough in the Olympus to research further. Unlike the E-PM2 and EOS M, the E-PL5 has both a mode dial and extra grip, so I chose it despite the higher price. I had noticed discounted Olympus Pen models before, but this purchase was a more deliberate investment.
Breaking my usual preference for black cameras for variety's sake, I chose the silver E-PL5 from the three available colours (black, silver and white). The body is very compact, with the lens taking up most of the bulk. The standard 14-42 mm zoom means this isn't a shirt-pocket camera, so I bought a black Lowepro Apex 100 AW case. The case fits the camera snugly, making me wonder if I should have chosen a larger one, but it's working well. To protect the lens during outings, I also added a 37 mm Hoya HMC UV filter. The lens's plastic construction extends further than I expected and doesn't fully retract into its housing like some of my Sigma lenses.
On my first test run, I needed to work out how to hold the camera. My Canon PowerShot G11's powered zoom and autofocus made it more intuitive to hold, as was true for any SLR I've used. Holding the small body while adjusting the zoom lens was awkward at first. Eventually, I learned to steady the body with my right thumb (the curved thumb grip on the back holds a thumb vertically) while freely adjusting the lens with my left hand. An electronic viewfinder instead of the screen would have made things easier, but they're expensive, and I had already spent enough.
After learning to hold the camera, I needed to adjust to its exposure characteristics. From my experience, it tends to overexpose. Though I set it to store raw (ORF) files that can be fixed later, I prefer more control during capture. Also, I haven't found a spot or partial metering button like those on my SLR or G11. This means either using exposure compensation with aperture priority mode or switching to fully manual exposure. Other familiar modes are available (shutter priority, program, automatic, etc.). While getting familiar with the camera, I'm using bracketing after setting ISO to 400, increasing screen brightness and adding histograms to playback views. As my grip becomes more secure, I'm using the dial to adjust settings like aperture (f/16 remains my favourite despite what others think about micro four thirds sensor size) and compensation, keeping scenes consistent to test the camera's response to changes.
Though I'm still learning, I'm seeing pleasing results that encourage me to continue; some remind me of my Pentax K10D. The E-PL5 is slower to use than the G11, but that's often beneficial for photography. Being forced to slow down in our hectic world is another advantage. The G11 is seeing less use now, with sunny days offering chances for more experimentation and familiarisation. My introduction to compact system cameras has shown they're very different from compact fixed lens cameras or SLRs. Neither type is truly replaced; instead, a new category has emerged.
Dispensing with temptation
26th January 2012Many manufacturers followed Olympus into the compact system camera market. Nikon joined late last year, though Canon hasn't yet entered. Olympus E-PL1 kits with 14-42mm zoom lenses tempted me at around £250. After researching competitors, my shortlist included the Samsung NX-11, Sony NEX-C3, and its higher-end model, the NEX-5N.
What eventually countered the allure of shiny objects was the question as to why I needed such an item. After all, I already possess a Pentax K10D DSLR and a Canon PowerShot G11, and these have been satisfying my photographic needs for a while now. While the DSLR may date from 2007, it is still working well for me and, if it ever needed replacing, I'd be going for another Pentax with the K-5 being a strong contender. The Canon is doing what's asked of it, so the recent launching of the G1 X isn't so tempting either.
The whole dalliance has me wondering about how photographic equipment changeovers come about. After all, it was around a decade ago with the DSLR revolution was in the offing if not in progress. Until then, film photography was predominant, but it looks as if it got as far as it could from a technological point of view when I look back at what happened. The digital photography area was new and untapped, so moving there offered new possibilities and purchases more easily justified. The end result is that very few film cameras are being made nowadays. Ironically, it's film photography that now is untrammelled terrain for many, and it is holding its own too in an era when digital photography predominates.
The same sort of newness that came with digital photography also applies to CSC's to a certain extent. From the heritage of half-frame 35 mm film photography, Olympus has fashioned a different type of digital camera: essentially a compact with interchangeable lenses. Was it the fact that I have no CSC that caused me to be tempted and has it happened to others too? Also, is that what got digital photography going in the first place?
It almost feels as if camera manufacturers have to keep bringing to market new models and new types of camera to stay in business. After all, Minolta had to sell its camera division to Sony when they failed to get going in the DSLR market quickly enough. The same thing might have happened to Pentax too, with the marque passing to first to Hoya, and then to Ricoh after the firm lost its independence.
What doesn't help is the lack of longevity of camera models. The coming of digital photography has exacerbated this situation, with models being launched at a frenetic rate. In the days of film photography, a model could last on the market for a few years and there was once a time when a twenty-year lifetime wouldn't have looked so ridiculous, though there were incremental improvements made over that time too. For instance, a Pentax K1000 wouldn't be the same at the end of its production run as it was at the start, though the model number may be the same. That world is gone.
SLR design has endured for about 50 years, but mirrorless technology now presents unprecedented competition. Even compact cameras offer live through-the-lens viewing. Olympus revived its film heritage by creating the E-P1 with interchangeable lenses. These descendants of the original half-frame 35mm PEN cameras appropriately use smaller micro four thirds sensors. Sony has developed translucent mirror technology that eliminates moving parts found in traditional SLRs. Canon experimented with this in the 1980's with film cameras but abandoned it. Meanwhile, Samsung and Panasonic produce mirrorless SLR-style cameras with live viewing and electronic viewfinders, suggesting full-size equivalents may be coming. Olympus's current teaser campaign has sparked speculation about a possible OM-D release.
In parallel with all this, Sony is making a good impression with their CSC's, the NEX series. These have APS-C sized sensors like many DSLR's and in compact bodies as well. However, the feel very much is that of a compact camera and some have complained of a like of buttons on them, even if the photographic quality is excellent. Samsung have gone for the same sensor size in their NX-11, while they have gone for SLR styling. That may be more suitable for some than having to find settings buried in menus.
We're living in an exciting yet unsettling period of camera technology evolution. Cameras are becoming smaller, and traditional still cameras now shoot videos too, though filmmaking remains a time-intensive hobby that doesn't interest me. Recent legal developments complicate original work, as shown by a successful copyright case based on Photoshop image processing. With countless images being created daily and potential changes allowing intellectual property claims in small claims courts, avoiding infringement becomes harder. Film photography seems appealing in contrast and remains viable despite Kodak's financial struggles. As tastes shift and film becomes novel again, the future is uncertain. Perhaps investing in a DSLR body makes sense before Compact System Cameras completely replace them. Camera technology has become interesting once more.