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Re: [OM] OM-D Manual focus

Subject: Re: [OM] OM-D Manual focus
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2018 13:40:46 -0800
> From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
> 
> On 1/16/2018 4:20 AM, Mike Bloor wrote:
>> Can anyone point me to a guide on using my OM-D E-M5 II with MF lenses? I'm 
>> not finding the instruction manual at all 
>> helpful.
> 
> First, you need to set the camera to shoot without a lens attached, an AF 
> lens, that is. Menu *C, "RlsPriority S" set to 
> “On"

Do you need to do that with the OM-D line? I heard you needed to do that with 
Pannies, but I don’t recall doing (or seeing) such a setting on my OM-D E-M1.2. 
You only need a lens adapter that allows the lens-lock pin to pop out. Take the 
lens off, and depress the lens-lock pin with your finger, and it will take an 
image with NO lens whatsoever.

The E-M1.2 (at least) has one other nicety for legacy lens users: a place you 
can “register” ten of your favourite manual lenses. This not only tells IBIS 
their focal length, but stores the focal length, max aperture, and your 
descriptive text into the EXIF data, which is invaluable for later evaluation. 
I assign this to one of my front buttons, and put focus peaking on the other.

> Then, there are two aids:
> 
> 1. Magnify.

I have this assigned to the “AEL button” in the middle of the useless “1 2” 
switch. I find it distracting, and rarely use it.

> 2. Peaking... set an Fn button to turn it on and off. I just leave it on.

You can do that with a Panny? Cool!

My experience is the E-M1.2 finds EVERY OPPORTUNITY it can to turn focus 
peaking off! It is SO ANNOYING, because I have things set for maximum battery 
life. Camera sleep? Focus peaking goes away. Eye away from the viewfinder? 
Focus peaking goes away. I’ve filed an enhancement request to have a “Focus 
Peaking, Dammit” global mode you can set that will turn it on and LEAVE IT ON 
whenever a manual lens is detected.

> With busy subjects and a wide aperture, it isn't 
> particularly precise.

Perhaps another Panny-Oly dichotomy. I find it extremely precise, and excellent 
for evaluating DOF, as you can see it change as you change manual aperture 
settings.

>> and the fact that I have the following in my office, would any make a better 
>> choice?

As Moose mentions, it depends on how much you want to invest in adapters. You 
can sometimes get different ones for under $5 on evilBay. I’m building a 
collection, “just in case…"

> I assume by "better choice", you mean higher resolution, better corners, etc?


Is this the same Moose who has been extolling the virtues of various soft-focus 
techniques and equipment? :-)

When you’re north of about 12 megapixels, you’re collecting more information 
than all but the best 35mm film and lenses could ever capture, so why worry? 
Each of these will have its own characteristics.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of legacy SPECIALTY lenses. I don’t really care for 
Yet Another 50mm to play with, because my Zuiko ED 4/3rds 50/2 does all I need 
at that focal length. But when it comes to super-long, super-fast, or 
super-close, or some combination of those, I love my older lenses.

For starters, I find the OM Zuiko Macro 90/2 to be outstanding on micro 4/3rds. 
Works wonders on the Telescoping Extension Tube, too! The TET is my “gotta 
have” bit of manual kit.

I also love my collection of limited-range OM macros (135, 80, 38, and 20). I 
haven’t put them through their paces on the E-M1.2 yet, but I did a study with 
the E-3 that seemed to indicate that they were just as good as the 4/3rds 50/2, 
and perhaps even better, when held to their optimal reproduction ratio ranges.

I also have a number of mirrors, from 350mm to 2000mm. Yea, mirrors have their 
own “charm,” but they allow you to play with super-long perspective without 
spending four figures. I went to the trouble of buying micro-4/3rds “T” mounts 
for them, then put the OM T-mounts back on when I discovered the magic of focal 
reducers.

By all means, get a decent focal reducer if you’re going to play with legacy 
lenses! But they’re ~30 times more expensive than simple adapters, so you’ll 
want to get the ONE for the majority of lenses you think you’ll use. I got a 
truly crappy one for $60, returned it to Shamazon (who never refunded me!), and 
got a Kipon Baveyes ($150), which I’ve been happy with, while wondering what 
I’m missing by not having a Metabones Ultra ($450).

Another of my favourites is my “bokeh monster” combo of OM 55/1.2 with the 
Kipon Baveyes, yielding a 39mm f0.8 combo. It won’t win any contrast or 
sharpness awards, but you can fix the contrast in post, and the sharpness is, 
shall we say, part of its charm. :-)

I also use the OM 600/6.5 and the 300/4.5 now and then. They aren’t stellar, 
but getting that amount of reach on a native micro-4/3rds lens would set me 
back a kilobuck. No thanks.

One under-appreciated lens is the OM Zuiko Reflex 500mm f8. I like it much 
better with my E-M1.2 than I ever did with film! With IBIS, it is eminently 
hand-holdable, to 1/60th or slower. There’s one on evilBay right now for under 
$300. (I paid $600+ for each of the two I’ve owned. Sold my first, missed it, 
went back for a second...)

None of the glass you mention (with the possible exception of the Canon 55/1.2) 
have much resale value, or I’d say sell them and get a specialty lens.

> The Canon 55/1.2 is pretty soft wide open, but gets better fast.

I generally shoot all my legacy glass wide-open. Not many f1.2 lenses are very 
well regarded wide-open, but that isn’t why people have such fast glass. Put a 
decent focal reducer on it, and get as close as you can, and laugh while the FF 
bigots describe it as “obviously” a FF image.

> If it's "character", "rendering", 'drawing" you are looking for, ya just 
> gotta try 'em. If it's for fun, pick the one 
> that looks and feels good. If it's for optical quality, sell 'em all and buy 
> a Panny or Oly ?4/3.

One more option: sell them all and get some very unusual legacy glass, like 
super-macro, super-fast, super-long, tilt-shift, mirror, etc.

> Thus speaks the guy with the gear to handle eight different mounts on my A7 
> and five on ?4/3, unless I've 

> missed one. Hahahahaha.

Tell me about it! I just scored a Leica --> micro-4/3rds adapter for $5 
shipped, as if I’m ever going to afford Leica glass...

:::: Don't steal; thou shalt never thus compete successfully in business. 
Cheat. -- Ambrose Bierce <http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=Ambrose+Bierce>
:::: Jan Steinman, EcoReality Co-op <http://www.ecoreality.org/> ::::

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