Nathan,
You may be correct on the "marketing pitch" of four thirds though, and
perhaps I have developed a very lenient interpretation / approach to the
system. I certainly view the system as a specialised one, currently.
With regards to performance vs. Leica:
Several of the Zuiko SHG lenses totally outperform their Leica M
counterparts. The most pressing example is how the ZD 14-35 f/2.0, at
14mm and f/2.0, outperforms Leica's best wide-angle lens, the Summicron
ASPH 28/2.0 - both in relative (i.e. having to double the ZD performance
because the sensor has half the linear resolution of 35mm) and absolute
terms.
Not to mention the massive vignetting and colour shifts that require
software correction on anything wider on a Leica M.
These are facts: You only have to look at either Leica's very-optimistic
(computed) MTF graphs, or look at Lenstip.com tests (they are very
rigorous).
Leica M lenses are constrained by small size, where Olympus SHG lenses
have no such constraint - they are *enormous* compared to the sensor.
Leica M lenses sing on film (and there are probably no 35mm film lenses
that outperform them) but their performance on full-frame digital
sensors are drastically different.
Even the infamous Ken Rockwell shows the Leica Elmarit-ASPH 28/2.8 to
not at all outperform either Canon or Nikon's f/2.8 wide-angle zoom
lenses, and these are dogs compared to the Zuiko 14-35.
I don't want to start a war here (this *is* the Olympus mailing list,
last time I checked though :-) but the fact that the enormous,
telecentric Zuiko SHG lenses resolves more details in the corners than
the tiny (steep angle-of-incidence) Leica M lenses on a digital sensor
is not really that surprising.
I'd rather carry the Leica all day though... And I do. It may be a
busted old film M3, but it still wins on convenience.
Dawid
On Sat, 2012-08-18 at 23:34 +0200, Nathan Wajsman wrote:
> I think we will just have to agree to disagree, Dawid. I remember distinctly
> that the marketing pitch for the 4/3 system was that in return for accepting
> a significant smaller sensor than APS-C, we would get more compact bodies and
> lenses and still good quality. I bought into that system, including E-420 (or
> 520, I am not sure now) and later E3 bodies, and several of the good lenses.
> The quality was OK, although to say that it exceeds Leica is preposterous (I
> do not have an M9 but I have an M8 and when it comes to quality, it beats any
> other system I have owned--I use other cameras for other reasons such as high
> ISO, weather resistance, size/weight etc.).
>
> In the end, I very much feel that micro 4/3 has delivered on the original
> promise, and so do a lot of satisfied buyers.
>
> Cheers,
> Nathan
>
> Nathan Wajsman
> Alicante, Spain
> http://www.frozenlight.eu
> http://www.greatpix.eu
> http://www.nathanfoto.com
> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
> Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
>
>
> YNWA
>
>
>
> On Aug 18, 2012, at 11:13 PM, Dawid Loubser wrote:
>
> > Just BTW, I realised that my reply below should have been directed at
> > Nathan, and not Micheal. Sorry for the mix-up :-)
> >
> > I stand by my words though.
> > Dawid
> >
> > On Sat, 2012-08-18 at 14:28 +0200, Dawid Loubser wrote:
> >> On Sat, 2012-08-18 at 15:16 +0800, Michael Wong wrote:
> >>> For the sensor size of 4/3, M4/3, I would accept the cameras & lenses size
> >>> as M4/3 system. For 4/3 system, I complained that cameras & lenses size &
> >>> weight as APS-C or FF system but with a small sensor.
> >>
> >> You know, I always thought like you did, until I saw for myself how
> >> superior (in terms of detail) the output of an E-5 + SHG lenses are
> >> compard to a Nikon D3 or D700 (comparable 12MP FF bodies). Not to
> >> mention how far superior it is to the Micro Four Thirds lenses as well.
> >> And I will go so far as to say the wide-angle resolution at larger
> >> apertures - mostly in the corners - is also far superior to a Leica M9
> >> and an Elmarit ASPH 28/2.8 (go look at the samples yourself, Ken
> >> Rockwell's is a good start for a collection of full-size M9 files).
> >>
> >> For example, the M.Zuiko Digital 45/1.8 output looks like an 15-55 kit
> >> lens compared to the ZD 50 Macro or 35-100 Zoom. The high-end four
> >> thirds equipment are not - and never were meant to be - compact everyday
> >> cameras. The output is so good precisely because the lenses are so
> >> massive compared to the sensor.
> >>
> >> They represent amongst the best of what is physically possible with a
> >> 35mm-sized camera system, and should be used *deliberately*. It's
> >> specialised equipment for a specialised task (ultimate detail capture).
> >>
> >> Olympus must realise that there are people treating the SHG lenses as
> >> specialised capture devices, and I think it's wonderful that they will
> >> continue to support them. From an engineering standpoint, they truly
> >> knew what they were doing with this system, which I have never seen as
> >> trying to compete with FF 35mm digital. Compare it to fast cars: Ferrari
> >> and Porsche (Nikon and Canon) compete head-to-head, but other niche car
> >> makers (TVR, Lotus, etc) produce fast cars that, due to some
> >> compromises, are radically better in some aspects, but worse in others.
> >> There is no direct competition - a Porsche man will never buy a TVR, and
> >> vice versa. Still, the niche makers retain a pure vision, and continue
> >> with their different engineering approach. In the end - there is more
> >> choice, and everybody is happy.
> >>
> >>
> >> Note: I *hate* how bulky and blobby the E-5 and the SHG lenses are.
> >> Really. I almost never walk around with them. I use the system like I do
> >> my medium-format cameras, and for that use-case (which usually involves
> >> good light, and often a tripod) I am overjoyed at the output, which is
> >> among the best of the best, period.
> >>
> >> Michael, your needs are different, and for you, 4/3 is not right. My
> >> "compact/quick" need is still satisfied by one or two small 35mm film
> >> cameras (Leica M3, plain-prism Nikon F). Spontaneous imagery works
> >> better in B&W film in anyway :-)
> >>
> >> have fun,
> >> Dawid
> >>
> >
> > --
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