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Minod www.juzaphoto.com/p/Minod  |
 | Samyang AF 12mm f/2 Pros: sharpness , clarity , size, value for money Cons: rendering a bit flat but nothing that a good pp can't solve . Opinion: I was looking for a prime wide angle for my Sony A6300 ( my only alternative being at the moment the panaleica 8-18 for m4/3, great lens but a bit big ), something easy and light with decent sharpness. Found one used at 200 euros shipping included, did not hesitate . I look for two things first in a lens, sharpness and " clarity " . The little Samyang has both . The copy I bought has already good sharpness at f2, a slight but visible improvement at f2.2 , and a very nice output at f2.8 . For leveraging different focal planes naturally one has to shoot at at least f4 or f5.6 . So for my main usage, interior real estate shots : no problem shooting at f2.8 when one knows what one's doing . 12 mm apsc ( 18 mm FF equiv ) is already a bit too wide for my taste, but the beauty of having 12mm is that you can crop unwanted problems ( bad level, corner softness, etc..) and still end up with a good 22 mm FF equiv which is way enough for decent indoor shots . My copy is a bit soft at the the extreme right edge, about 10% of the picture length, but nothing to worry, I just crop that part and still get an 5400x3600 picture from the 6000 original . The rendering is a bit flat compared to a m4/3 panaleica, but that's what PP is for . Overall a very decent and satisfying lens for the price . sent on June 04, 2024 |
 | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Pros: Sharpness , definition, compactness, weight, versatility , ease of use, great AF Cons: Haven't found any yet for a zoom of this class . Obviously it's not a prime ...but not too far Opinion: Bought on recently as a "travel lens" with a A6000 body, with the hope to find something better that the combo Oly Em5 and Panasonic 14-140 II . It may very well be that I got an excellent copy , because I find no fault sharpness-wise wide open at all focal lengths . I find it better that the pana 14-140 , not by much but in between 18 and 26mm very clearly . The real 3/2 ratio makes it wider at 18 mm than the pana at equiv FL . Then we have an excellent compactness, with the A6000 it only takes 1 cm more in length than the m4/3 combo in a small camera bag . It's not weather sealed but for me it's a non issue . AF is excellent . The 18-135 focal range ( 27-202 FF equiv ) is what I needed for travel , don't need more, and with a 24 mp camera you can crop if necessary to 160mm with no real loss of IQ . I had searched thoroughly on the internet for a mirrorless 18-135 or 18-150 and it was clear that for me the Sony was the best . I'm not disappointed . sent on September 17, 2023 |
 | Olympus OM-D E-M1 Pros: Fantastic ergonomics/handling, great IQ, AWB top, good files in both LSF jpegs and raw , build quality , wr, ease of use , nice colours, pdaf means you can use old slr 4/3 lenses with adapter ( I use 9-18, PL25, 50-200 , 14-54 II with excellent results ), excellent bright and detailed viewfinder Cons: Inside electronics can sometimes play weird games , but maybe that's one of my copies ( I own 2 Em1s ), classic rear wheel malfunction ( come on Olympus, you could have done better ) that is a PITA in M mode , in typical Olympus fashion no HDR above 200 iso ( Panasonic does it ), not the best sensor for long exposure night shots ( Em5 does better ) Opinion: The best m4/3 camera I have ever used ( but the whole Olympus Em5, Em10 and Em1 series will remain in history as classics and a testament to the talent of the Olympus engineers )I have two bodies and will keep them until they die . I sometimes think of the Em1 II for the 20 mp sensor and better AF with legacy 4/3 lenses but really 16 mp is fine for my use .A love affair ... sent on August 23, 2023 |
 | Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II Pros: "Soft sharpness" , fast, reliable , good colours , wr , build quality . Cons: none except it's not 12 mm on the wide end Opinion: Writing about the 14-54 II is really writing about the old 4/3 Olympus lenses that graced bodies like the E30, 620, 5, etc..that is a quality , even for pedestrian lenses like the 14-42, that in my opinion has not been matched , with few exceptions, by the latter m4/3 lenses . They died with the advent of m4/3 , but can live on on bodies like the Em1 series with an adapter , and their true quality is even more revealed by the 16 mp and late 20 mp sensors . They can be bought dirt cheap on ebay and such . From my 4/3 days I have personally kept the 14-54 II, 50-200 and the Leica25 D , all excellent lenses . In the case of the 14-54 version 2, that is the version compatible with live view and mirrorless cdaf , we have here a lens with a definite personality of its own . My copy didn't like the E520 , but shone on my E30 and E620 , and more so on my Em1. Colours are great, af reliable, and bear in mind that this lens reaches f3 only at 30 mm , so that it can considered a f2.8 lens from 14 to 30 mm , whereas modern m4/3 lenses quickly leave the 2.8 behind when you zoom in . Sharp at 14 at 2.8, even on all the focal range , good portrait possibility at 54 mm with a "soft sharpness" that you only get with old dslr lenses . If I really had to choose between the panaleica 12-60 and this lens, I would pick this one although I would miss the 12 mm fl , that's how good I find it . sent on July 16, 2023 |
 | Olympus E-520 Pros: Excellent "colour science ", one of the best jpeg engines of the 4/3 series in that regard , good awb , good ergonomics Cons: AF not reliable to the point of intense irritation , strong low pass filter that give a softness to the files no matter what Opinion: If you enjoy good and accurate colours sooc and an awb nearly always right , go ahead and buy a used one for less than 100 euros , but forget about "natural" sharpness and accurate AF , my copy was always off until about 45mm fl ( 90 135mm equiv ) and beyond . Huge number of people complained of the strong low pass filter at the time , compared to the older sister E510 which was much better sharpness- and af-wise , though the color sooc not as good sent on May 01, 2023 |
 | Olympus OM-D E-M5 Pros: Size, weight, IQ, m4/3 optics , great jpegs Cons: no electronic shutter Opinion: Almost 10 years after its release, this little camera still stands as a legend among the mirrorless world . Small yet built like a tank , IBIS, viewfinder does the job, great files , weather sealed, reliable , good up to iso 1600. If you're looking purely for a photographic object this is it . I always take it on holidays ( sea, mountains ) for its ruggedness and weather sealing . There was no electronic shutter at the time , this came with version 2 and Em1, I love that function so much that it's the only con I find with the old Em5 . sent on October 28, 2022 |
 | Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 ASPH Pros: 120 euros of amazing goodness Cons: nothing really Opinion: Bought it to replace a m4/3 Panaleica DG 25 f1.4 that I did not really bond with . Hesitated between this and a Sigma 30 f1.4 , or a Oly 20 mm f1.4 , but the price second hand was the decisive factor . 25 mm can do 30 with a little crop, can't do 20 mm though but the Oly is too expensive. I had never paid particular attention to this lens, I was prisoner of reviews that put it down as cheap and flat , how mistaken I was . First the size : nearly perfect for me . Build quality ok nothing to complain . Output : nice coulours, not as saturated as the Leica series, but for me an advantage in low light . Sharpness already excellent at f1.7, f2 does not bring a significant improvement ( as opposed to Oly 17 mm f1.8 for example ) , f2.8 and beyond excellent . This is a lens you can happily shoot wide open , most important for me as I intend to use it on street night shots , along with my 45 f1.2 . AF no problem , even in low light . Comparison tests : this humble Lumix is as good at f1.8 as my old Panaleica 4/3 D 25 mm , which tells volumes because my old 4/3 Leica is really good , better than the m4/3 version ( I keep it for portraits ) . As good as my Panaleica 12-60 f2.8-4 at 25 mm f3.5 but not better. Both Leica lenses are a bit more contrasty though , nothing important . Some purple fringing in high contrast situation , I don't really care . Very happy with my purchase . sent on June 22, 2022 |
 | Olympus OM-D E-M10 Pros: Compact, light, auto wb, quality of files , cheap , reliable , fun to use Cons: no weather sealing Opinion: This cam is close to being the best value in m4/3 land . I have mine since 2017 , and I find it so good I feel no need to upgrade to version 2 ,3 or 4 ( I had version 2 for a brief time and sold it back ). Of all my m4/3 bodies, Em5, Em1, Em10 , I consider the Em10 sensor the best , yes even better than the then flagship Em1 ( don't know about Em2 or 3 ). Olympus did a great job with the white balance , colours are nice and vibrant , and above all the raw files are just splendid ( I don't usually shoot raw but the Em10 files are a pleasure ). There is a pop up flash , very convenient , I do snaps of house interiors with it at arm's length no time lost , results excellent . I have discovered lately that my newly acquired pana 14-140 gives its best on the Em10 , so that'll be my vacation set this fall . For the price on today's second hand market , a no brainer . sent on June 19, 2022 |
 | Olympus E-30 Pros: viewfinder , 12 mp , good IQ , very good ergonomics , size Cons: limits of 4/3 format naturally , shutter sound , no weather sealing Opinion: I write this review out of nostalgia, since I don't have the E30 anymore , sold it 2 years ago and I regret it . The E30 is certainly the best balanced 4/3DLSR Olympus has ever produced ; the body is comfortable to hold, ergonomics are great, 12 mp is plenty , files are clear and sharp . The viewfinder is large enough , bigger than the former E series but smaller than the E3's and E5's . I have an E3 and if I had to choose I'd take the E30 viewfinder , it's easier on the eyes . You get a horizontal level in viewfinder, very practical, and both horizontal and vertical in live view . The mobile screen is very useful , although ( contrast ) AF takes much longer than through the finder . Naurally you reach the limits of the 4/3 sensor very quickly in low light , but otherwise it's a great cam . Only real flaw for me was the sound of the shutter, an annoying and loud clack that would wake up the deads . If you can find a used one in good condition for not much , go for it . sent on October 18, 2021 |
 | Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH Pros: Sharpness, micro contrast , "clarity", leica colours , build quality . Cons: haven't found any yet ,except af problems in low light on my Olympus bodies Opinion: Found a used one in mint condition , my local retailer let me try it for a day before decision , I was sold and bought it the next day no questions asked . I was looking for a replacement for my old 4/3 mount Oly 9-18 , which is a good lens in its own right but that I found a bit "weak" . In comparison the Leica has more micro contrast , more clarity , is sharper, and wider by 1 mm , which can make a difference sometimes in real estate shots . On the other hand the old 4/3 lens has less distortion , you can see it in raws, but then the jpeg engine takes care of this . Only flaw so far : the Leica does not like to AF in dim light on pictures of wide open spaces ( urbanscapes and landscapes ) , but nothing dramatic . I read it's better on panasonic bodies . Forgot to mention the build quality , just excellent , like the 12-60. Highly recommended . sent on October 17, 2021 |
 | Panasonic Leica DG 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH OIS Pros: Sharpness, 3D pop, Leica colours, incredible build quality Cons: cases of ghosting in backlight , f2.8 up to 20 mm would have been nice Opinion: The moment you hold the Panaleica 12-60 in your hands, you know that you are in presence of a fantastic piece of engineering , solid, smooth metal . Sizewise the lens is perfect for an Em1, and even pretty good on my old Em5 . Fine AF, nice colours, nice 3dD pop , lens stabilization ( to be preferred over the ibis with Olympus bodies ) . Already incredibly sharp at 12 mm, even better than my 12 mm f2 Olympus prime. Excellent until 50 mm . A bit weaker sharpness- and contrast-wise at 60 mm f4 , but that's very good for portraits with a nice background blur; for lanscapes and street better use f5.6 and add a touch of contrats in post . sent on August 02, 2021 |
 | Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD Pros: Sharpness, f2.8 to f3.5 , bright, excellent rendering , well built Cons: big and heavy Opinion: I bought the swd version because of the mechanical manual focus for night shots . On the EM1 with automatic magnification , mf is a breeze and the focus ring is smooth as butter . At about 80-150 mm you get portraits with background blurr the like of FF lenses . The only downside to this lens is the weight and size, you really have to make a conscious decision to carry and shoot with it . On the other hand a Pana 50-200 is 4 times the price . Highly recommended . sent on July 24, 2021 |
 | Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R Pros: Sharpness at all fl's , light, small , good IQ , good contrast , Cons: nothing ( especially given the price ) Opinion: They don't call it the plastic fantastic for nothing . A must have for any m4/3 kit . Pair it with a wider zoom like the pana 14-42 II and you're good to go for vacations/hiking/beach etc..Even portraits at > 100 mm Bought it used for 70 euros , wanted a long zoom for vacations ( I like the 40 to 100 mm fl a lot ) without breaking the bank . Absolutely blown away by the lens . As good if not better than my old 4/3 70-300 . Weighs nothing , with my Em5 ideal holiday combo . Highly recommended . sent on July 22, 2021 |
 | Olympus Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 Pros: Sharpness wide open, handles flare pretty well , almost no distortion at 11 mm Cons: haven't found any Opinion: This is an old 4/3 lens from almost 20 years . I bought it in 2014 and used it on my Olympus E620, E30 , and now Em1 with adapter . Works very well on the Em1 with MMF3 the 16 mp sensor does this lens more justice than the former 4/3 bodies . I'm always amazed at how good it is at 11 mm f2.8, so much so that I use it at this focal length most of the time No obvious distortions , great for architecture , great for night shots hand held at f2.8 iso 1600 with the Em1. What for me makes this lens even more appealing is its " elegance" , a mixture of subtle sharpness and fine rendering with contrast more even than on the 14-54 . I don't use it much nowadays but everytime I think of selling it I look a pictures from a while back and I go "wow" I'm gonna keep it ". Can be had for peanuts today and great on m43 bodies as long as you tolerate the adapter . sent on July 16, 2021 |
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