Olympus OM-D EM5

First impressions of the Olympus 4/3 camera are very positive. Will all landscape photographers want to trade their full frame setups for this camera - unlikely. Nevertheless it has a place in the gear especially when light weight together with quality is called for. Light and compact it certainly is. If rumours of a 40MP replacement in Feb 2015 become a reality it may have even more of an impact. Wha.....? 40MP?!! Apparently the sensor shifts to compile a 40MP image. Let's see. In the meantime the 12-40mm f2.8 does an admirable job attached to the M5. Its currently one of three Pro lenses Olympus has on offer. I haven't explored it fully but here's a crop of a square shot taken today at Leura Cascades converted to b&w.

A variation on the reflection theme taken from the water. Reflections onto rock face. Something I couldn't have done with a big heavy DSLR - holding the camera above water while swimming out to a vantage point then holding the camera still enough with one hand to take the shot. I could make EVF adjustments with one hand also.

Wave action

Some shots from time spent on the coast a few weeks ago. Slightly slow exposures around Tamarama and Bronte showing waveforms. In particular a few of the black and whites give the appearance of fur showing texture and movement you don't get to see at faster speeds.

Tamarama - late afternoon light on the waves

Rock shelf at Bronte - water coverage showing waterfall effect is created with just enough exposure time

Foreground wave appears as some giant furry creature

Unlike more general surfing shots which are better viewed as colour images, wave and water details can be rendered with more interest in greyscale. They have a more dynamic appeal

Water flow around rock shelf - Bronte

Tasmanian coastline

I've been surprised and amazed at the rock formations around the coast of Tasmania. Both the larger variety and the smaller which has incredible detail and shape. A few samples...

Close to the mouth of the Arthur River. Plenty of beach areas to walk and explore.

One of my favourites from the Arthur River area. A kind of hobbitland on the coast. Late afternoon with an incoming tide.

Not being a palaeontologist, I can't speak about their formation but its certainly a work of art.

Not being a palaeontologist, I can't speak about their formation but its certainly a work of art.

Bay of Fires

Around the shoreline at Stanley.

A "Day that earth was formed" shot. Arthur River area.

A lovely spot close to home - Gordon, Tas.

Water retreating along channel - Arthur River

Huge variety of shells washed up at Randalls Bay

Old man or Buddha?

Fossil Cove was one of the first places I visited on the east coast near Kettering. Incredibly detailed and coloured formations by the water. 

Timing is everything. Tide is out, revealing the sandbar ridges.

Timing is everything. Tide is out, revealing the sandbar ridges.

Gordon - shoreline. Taken with iPhone.

Hasselblad lenses on Nikon D800E

I mentioned how I replaced my broken Nikon 24-70mm lens with a bunch of manual focus Hasselblad (Zeiss) lenses. Even though I'm restricted to manually focusing I'd have to say I'm happy with the trade off given the quality of the Zeiss glass. Build quality is excellent with all four lenses and the tilt/shift capability is a plus whether for architectural shooting or stitched panoramas. The following is a list of equipment I've been using:

Distagon 4/40 T*

Distagon 3.5/60mm T*

Distagon Makro-Planar 4/120mm T*

Sonnar 4/180mm T*

Extension tube 35mm

Really Right Stuff Carbon Fibre Tripod

Markins Q20 Ballhead

Selens Variable ND Filter

A noticeable limitation of the manual focusing lenses which really needs to be considered is the ability to focus them in low light. A technique that helps in this is to open the aperture fully, allowing viewing of the subject in maximum light allowed by the conditions, then stopping down if necessary. Another 'assist' in this is to bring another light source to help focus.

Before buying the Zeiss lenses I searched for images taken by each of the lenses in addition to reading reviews. There's not many available unfortunately. Nearly all images posted here will be from one or the other of the above lenses. In most cases I found it a little (well, a lot really) troublesome to record the detail of f-stop or even which focal length was used for each image. I have listed details like this before but that info was readily available through the exif data where manual lenses have no such info.

Large mushrooms growing at the base of a tree trunk

Colour rendition is another reason I love the Hasselblad lenses. Its more pleasing to my eye. I have yet to enjoy its translation into print.

Back again

Its been sometime since the last post here (coming up to Anzac Day seems appropriate ; ). I've been spending the last 3 months anyway in Tasmania - one of my favourite places on the planet. After a rocky start, I really enjoyed the photographic offering on the coastline right around Tasmania. Not that I've covered every inch of ground but the places I got to had some very worthwhile features. I say rocky start as I lost camera and lens down a cliff before even starting the travel part. Lens was totalled while the body could be repaired. 

       The good news for me at least was the replacement of this very capable Nikon 24-70mm came in the form of several Hasselblad prime lenses all of which I'm happy to report are performing to the highest standard. Additionally all replacement lenses have tilt/shift capability thanks to the Mirex adapter allowing me to fit the lenses to my Nikon body.

Once broken you can see the solid piece of glass that its made of.

Once broken you can see the solid piece of glass that its made of.

A sample of the tilt function can be seen on the following photos. If used with restraint and some purpose, the effect does not detract from the appeal of the image. Certain features can be 'highlighted' leaving the rest of the image blurred. It can result in the 'miniature' look more noticeable in the second photo with a person.

The log is given prominence but effect is subtle.

The log is given prominence but effect is subtle.

More accentuated tilt creates the 'miniature' look.

Kolkata street scenes

A distracted boy watches as foreigners ask for directions. Next to him a man conscientiously does his bookkeeping. 

Girl in orphanage - Cuttack, West Bengal, India

Sleeping in the street - Kolkata, India