There have been some developments in the m43 world as of late. The new Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95 lens was recently released along with a hands-on video by Seb Farges, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 takes on the Nikon D800 in a new shootout, and Gabriel Verdugo has been toiling to create a GH2 that uses a Polaroid lens:
Voightlander 17.5mm f0.95
Seb Farges had this to say about the new Voigtlander lens:
This lens has very smooth aperture ring, especially when you switch it on the “no clic [sic]" position. The focus ring is quite smooth, like the 25mm. The minimum focus distance is very very short, you can shoot quite in front of the glass !
And here's a beautiful still photo that highlights the lens' color rendition:
The Voightlander 25mm f0.95 has been a lifesaver for me on multiple occasions, but I have definitely found myself wanting something wider with the same f-stop range. And the 17.5mm looks like it delivers the same smooth creamy color rendition and circular bokeh of its 25mm sibling. You can see more reviews of the Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95 at Filmmaking Etc. (includes short sample videos) and The Phoblographer.
The Nikon D800 VS the Olympus OM-D E-M5
Here's the camera set-up according to the YouTube description:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 with the fantastic M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm F1.8.
The Nikon D800 with the much lusted after Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G.
(the D800 is full frame, and the E-M5 has a 2x crop factor, giving the 45mm lens an 35mm equivalent focal length of 90mm)
Both set to record 1080@30P, using the Standard picture profiles on each, ISO set to 200, shutter & aperture set to full manual mode, and Focus S-AF. And cameras were recording each scene simultaneously, mounted to the same monopod (using a hot-shoe extension bar & appropriate adapters)
To me it looks like the Olympus has better color rendition, contrast, and more crisp details (though this could be due to the difference in lenses used). Each camera has pretty horrible rolling shutter. Highlight roll off was a bit of a toss-up, as the Nikon seemed to do better in some cases, while the Olympus looked better in others.
The GH2 Polaroid Hybrid
Over at DIY Photography, Gabriel Verdugo did some hardware hacking and put an old 80’s Polaroid lens on a GH2, using mostly macro tubes and epoxy putty. Here's an example of the look you can get from this lens:
I’m not sure I’d do this myself, but if you're really into the retro Polaroid look and are feeling adventurous check out his post to get the details on how he did it.
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for more m43 news, as the Olympus 75mm f1.8, Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8, and AF-100 1080 60p 28Mbps upgrade are coming out in the near future.
[Flower photo by Van Lam from Filmmaking Etc. GH2 Hybrid photos by Gabriel Verdugo from DIY Photography]
Links:
- Filmmaking Etc-Voigtlander Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 Review
- The Phoblographer-Review: Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95 Lens (Micro Four Thirds)
- DIY Photography-The Frankenlens Is A Polaroid/GH2 Hybrid
Via: [43 Rumors-Seb Farges Voigtlander 17.5mm Video 43 Rumors-E-M5 VS Nikon D800 & 43 Rumors-Voightlander 17.5mm Review & Micro Four Thirds Blog & 43 Rumors-GH2 Polaroid Hybrid]
