Astrophotography- There are more stars up there than I thought.

I was recently at the family beach house in Mangawhai, New Zealand. Where we are is across the estuary from everyone else, in bush by the beach and away from too much light pollution.

Most nights when there are no clouds I will go out and lie on the cold sand and stare up at the stars. You can usually see the milky way, the southern cross and millions of other stars.  It has always astounded me to think about what is out there, I wish I could go explore it all.

I have seen a few amazing photographs of the stars. They are usually taken in the middle of some national park in the USA, or the Siberian wilderness. The images are usually made on top of the line pro gear with massive, sturdy tripods and hours of patience, not to mention the hard work of actually getting to the site.

The other night was the first time that I have thought of trying to take photos of the stars:

I set my camera to a 30 second exposure, f2.8, iso 6400 and rested my camera on the ground pointing directly up. Honestly, I was expecting a few stars to pop up, the ones that I could see, and maybe a faint trace of the milky way. When I saw the first image pop up on the back of the LCD, I was actually jumping up and down, too excited to be still to take the next shot:

All of a sudden, my camera had opened up a whole new world, a world that I didn't think was possible for me. The images on the LCD looked like something out of National Geographic and my Dad couldn't figure out how I made the galaxies stand out.



I was amazed at how much colour I could capture and the shear density of stars and solar systems and galaxies.




Yeah sure they aren't perfect but they are a lot more than I was expecting.


I was using a Panasonic 14mm f2.5 lens. I tried manual focusing on a light off in the distance as the stars weren't bright enough. In hindsight I should have paid more attention to the focus as all of the images aren't as sharp as they could have been.

The other thing that I should have done is used a tripod. Instead, I either rested the camera flat on the ground or used the LCD screen flipped out as a kind of a stand. It worked fine but it wasn't very stable and the shutter caused vibrations that you can see in the stars.

I tried to play around with foreground and background interest but it was bloody cold and I was just stoked that I somehow photographed the milky way.

Shooting with the Panny 45-200

So while Nick is currently traveling around Italy taking photos, I thought its up to me to keep some updates coming from here in San Francisco. I will post some pictures from around San Fran in a future post but for now I thought I would do a post about the Panasonic 45-200mm telephoto lens. This is not so much an in depth review as it is just a discussion about this lens.

45-200mm @ 200mm and f5.6

I recently took this lens around South Africa for 6 weeks and now I am currently putting it through its paces in San Francisco. The first thing I must say about this lens is if you are tight for cash and want a telephoto, buy this one. It is not the best lens I have ever used and in fact at 200mm often it struggles quite badly, but the value for money is incredible. For such a cheap lens there are not many that can beat it.

The above image was shot at 200mm and came out quite well, however there are a few things this lens struggles with at full extension. The first being the sharpness disappears towards the long end of this lens. The colour and contrast also start to diminish. Through photoshop and lightroom or which ever software you prefer, however often images are un-saveable.

45-200mm @ 150mm f5.3

At 150mm the lens performance greatly improves, As you can see from the image above the sharpness colour reproduction and contrast are much more crisp and vibrant. It is at 150mm that I feel this lens is worth the money. Clear and sharp at 150mm for the minimal price of $225USD from Amazon.com. This lens was a great companion on safari in South Africa and became one of my hated and most loved lenses; hated because it was the cheapest but most used lens, and loved because of being able to capture images like the ones above. Memories I will have forever.

45-200mm @ 115mm f5

This lens however is often a little hit and miss. Its puzzled me for a while now trying to find the reason for the production of sub par images. As with the above image shot at 115mm the reproduction of the thorn bush seems very average. It seems the high contrast and strange definition and clarity of certain images struggle with this lens. However the average images seem to be few and far between so I still recommend this lens as a good cheap choice in a telephoto.

45-200mm @ 140mm f5.2

This lens has been my only long telephoto for the last few months. I am currently heavily on the hunt for an upgrade. Ive been shooting a lot of the Americas Cup lately and wishing I had a slightly nicer lens, however in the m43 range my options are very minimal. The Panny 100-300 or the Oly 75-300 just seem a bit meh. Not so much of an upgrade over the 45-200 for the price. Currently my ideal lens would be the 50-200mm four thirds lens. Im hoping Olympus will re release this lens in m43 format. Rumour has is something is coming in September so fingers crossed! untill then I plan to keep pushing the 45-200mm.

Q: Im on a budget and I'm going on safari, Should I buy this lens or just stick with my standard kit lens and crop zoom?

A: You are an idiot. For the price this lens is an absolute no brainer. Its no 70-200 F2.8 L series canon but it will cost you petty change and create some images that you will savour forever. I know I will.

Taking photos at the beach with m4/3 gear over full frame

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Followers of my other blog (ndunning.tumblr.com) may have noticed a strong trend of beach related images over time. The simple reason is that I grew up on the beach and I feel most at home with sand between my toes.

When I first picked up photography in the final year of high school, I went straight to the beach and shot this image:

Canon EOS Elan 7e + Canon EF 75-300mm

It was shot on a Canon EOS 7e with a 75-300mm lens. It was all I could afford at the time but it was a lot of fun to experiment with. This image was off the very first roll of film I shot and it was taken before I really knew what I was trying to capture, I still don't. I kind of liked it when I saw it 4 years ago but now that I see it again, I like it even more. It somehow captured the salt of the air along the beach (excuse the scan though, I've lost the negative so this is a scan of a crumpled print.)

When you grow up in New Zealand like Grant and I have, you are forced into interaction with the beach and the ocean.

Later on when I could finally afford a digital camera, I was disappointed with how my camera was forcing me to portray the beach. I got too stuck into showing the viewer everything there was in one image which resulted in busy, boring and plain pictures. I gave up for a while on trying to get how I see the beach across and focussed on just enjoying my time on the sand.

That was until I bought my first proper telephoto lens. It was a Canon 70-200mm f4 and mounted on my Canon 1ds Mark II it opened up the possibilites to how I could depict intimate moments. I could now focus on just one thing; a shell, a piece of driftwood, some patterns in the sand. Most people arrive at a general consensus that a 35mm focal length is perfect as it fits how our eyes see. Yes, maybe for the field of view but I see in compressed telephoto. I cannot concentrate on everything at once and my eyes pick one thing out of a scene and ignores the rest. I think this is why I have an affinity with longer lenses as they enable me to show in an image what my mind is showing me in real life.

Canon EOS 1ds + Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 @ f5.6

The problem with the whole Canon full frame package was that it was huge. Sure the image quality was better than some other cameras but the lenses were big, heavy and expensive and more often than not, I would leave my camera gear at home and not get any pictures. Especially after Grant's girlfriend described the 70-200mm as a 'stalker lens'.

So how has the move to m4/3 helped? Well, now I actually go out and make images. I have made more images in the 7 months of owning my Olympus OM-D than in the 4 years that I picked up my first camera.

And sure there is a difference in quality: the teeny weeny Olympus OM-D is better than my Canon 1ds Mark II and Canon 60d because I have more fun carrying it and it's lenses are smaller and more practical.

For 5 months of the year I live right on the beach. For a typical trip across the dunes I will take:

- A towel

- Whatever book I am reading at the time

- Sunglasses

- Beers

- Olympus OM-D

- Olympus 75mm f1.8 (this comes no matter what as it is my tele magic wand)

- Panasonic 14mm f2.5 (not all the time this comes but it is so small its hard to not bring it)

- Panasonic 25mm f1.4 (this is usually on the camera anyway so it comes by default)

So now I am carrying 3 lenses and a body which may seem like a pain in the butt and contradictory to a calm stroll down the beach at dusk. But the Olympus 75mm f1.8 stays on the camera most of the time as it is the sexiest lens I have ever owned and hasn't let me down yet (touch wood). The two panasonic lenses are there for back-up in case I see different perspectives that might help my visual narration.

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

I don't think I have taken an image of my beach yet that sums up the whole spiritual experience but then again I don't think this is really possible and I have many years ahead to keep trying anyway. 

Micro 4/3 has been a great gift as it has allowed me to feel more free when I'm out with camera gear which has allowed me to take photos in situations where I would not have taken a camera before. 

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

I particularly enjoy the Olympus 75mm f1.8 as it just goes to show that even with a smaller sensor than 35mm size, you can still achieve good looking bokeh and limited depth of field.

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f2.8

Canon EOS 1ds + Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 @ f5.6

Photos from the 1ds were and always will be impressive. Somehow the colours were just right, something that the little olympus struggles with sometimes. As above, the colour and the tone of the sand was picked up as I saw it by the 1ds.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f4

Now if we look at an Olympus file from a similar time of year and day so the lightning is similar, yet the angle into the sun is different, we can see that there is a lot more clarity from the smaller camera but it lakes the smooth gradient of tones that the older full frame sensor can provide when it wants to.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f2.8

Canon EOS 1ds + Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 @ f2.8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f1.4

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f5.6

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5 @ f8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5 @ f4

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f1.4

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f1.4

My 1ds couldn't have capture these two images above, anything above iso400 or something that was too dark would be ruined by noise and I like noise! Just not when it gets in the way of lovely smooth colour transitions like above.

So I guess the conclusion to draw if there is one is that any camera system can produce good images, it just so happens that I like the freedom of carrying a smaller camera with smaller lenses than a larger system that may produce better images 5% of the time. For me, there has only been 4 or 5 times where I wished I had a larger sensor or different lenses but that is a story for another time.

I'm going to continue trying to capture the beach, I have a lot of years left yet, but some nights I like to go to the beach and not take any photos at all and just listen to the surf.

Resurrecting Olympus OM Zuiko glass with the OM-D

Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f5.6

My first proper camera was an Olympus OM-1 which I still have and use on a regular basis. Overall I have an OM 28mm f3.5, an OM 50mm f1.8 and an OM 75-150mm f4. These lenses aren't particularly exciting paper but on an OM-1 they are versatile, compact and all round performers.

With an adapter on a Canon EOS 60d or 1ds mark II, they are just terrible. They are flat, soft and have a grey cast on the images and the images are hard to properly exposed.

But on the Olympus OM-D EM-5 they have found a new digital life.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f2.8

Well maybe not the 28mm... It is a useful focal length on m4/3 but there is the Sigma 30mm f2.8 for a similar price that is a lot better.

I used the 75-150mm f4 for a while and got ok results but what this post is about mainly is the 50mm f1.8. I haven't had the chance to own the Olympus Digital 45mm f1.8 yet which is an astounding lens but I wanted to see if the old $10 50mm f1.8 could fill a place in my bag.

The 50mm f1.8 on a m4/3 camera turns into an image stabilised 100mm f1.8, sounds pretty expensive and exotic doesn't it but I picked mine up for $10.

At f1.8, the image has lots of bokeh and image softness. Its only really usable for portraits where it makes people's features more pleasing but this lens doesn't have corner to corner sharpness like the Olympus 45mm f1.8. However, stop the lens down to f2.8 and it is suddenly sharp, crisp and beautiful. I find most of my images with this lens are at f2.8 and to me, they look damn good. Stopping the lens down even further to say f5.6 or f8 will yield sharper images with more depth of field but beyond that and you aren't really gaining any improvements.

Images taken at f1.8 have a soft glow to them. Parts of the image towards the centre are sharpish while the rest of the image turns into a vintage swirly haze:

OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Notice how the sand has started to swirl as well, a characteristic of older lenses which I like quite a lot. Where the sand and bottle was focused on, it is marginally sharp but this is a good attribute for portraiture.

 Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f2.8

 Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f4

When things are photographed further away, we start to see the other characteristics of older lenses. I have noticed that the colours of older lenses are different to modern digital lenses. This is probably a coating thing or maybe the recipe of glass is different but Grant and I have a theory that film is more contrasty so therefore older lenses have to be less contrasty in return, maybe... One could try this theory out by putting on a modern L series lens and comparing it to an old manual focus lens on film to see if this holds up.

  Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f2.8

 Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f1.8

 Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f2.8

You are also able to get up quite close with this lens. It is no macro lens but because it is now a 100mm f1.8, it seems to focus a lot closer than normal.

I have been very surprised by how the colours turn out in good conditions though. The following two images were taken during the golden hour after sunset and there is a nice level of subtle detail and contrast that makes the images not pop but melt into my eyes. Using f2.8, details that are in focus are crisp but not eye cuttingly so and the background melts away. The colours are not too oversaturated either (the crane and water picture was a peculiar night and I did not edit the image to look like this, this is just how it was.)

  Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f2.8

 Olympus OM-D EM-5 + Olympus OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 @ f8

If you are someone like me and own the Panasonic 25mm f1.4 and the Olympus 75mm f1.8 and don't have anything in the 'portrait' region in between and haven't bought the Olympus 45mm f1.8, I would definitely recommend looking into a manual focus 50mm f1.8 or f1.4. They are affordable and produce stellar results.

The black version of the Olympus 45mm f1.8 was released the other day though and I'm afraid I might have to buy it and return this old lens back to the OM-1

6 weeks in SA with the OM-D and others

So recently I spent 6 weeks traveling around South Africa, I took with me every piece of camera gear I own and thought it would be helpful to share my experiences with everyone. Some do's, some dont's and just general opinions about traveling with an OM-D kit. This post will more be about reviewing the gear as a kit and what I found worked and didn't, than lens reviews.

First thing I have to say is, holy crap! South Africa is truly beautiful. There is nothing better you can spend your money on than traveling, oh and cameras of course!

So the kit I took for my travels consisted of:

• Olympus OM-D E-M5
• HLD-6 battery grip
• Lumix 45-200mm
• Olympus 12-50mm (kit lens)
• Olympus 45mm f1.8
• Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4
• Olympus 17mm f1.8
• Lumix 14mm f2.5
• Olympus 35rc (35mm film camera)
• GoPro Hero
• GoPro Hero 2

On top of this I took a range of filters, endless amount of go pro mounts, spare batteries, memory cards, cables, Lens hoods and everything else camera kits come along with.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 25mm f1.4 @ f5

So where to start.. There are a few things that worked amazingly well with this kit, so I guess it would best to start with the positives! First of all is size. The OM-D body is a nice, small, compact form factor that is easy to carry around all day, however its not the body size that is the most important things to me. Usually I carry my camera in my hand 98% of the time, so its size isn't too important. For me its the size of the lenses that makes all of the difference. Every day I was touring around I had a standard size back pack that had a minimum of 4 lenses and some general camera items as well as enough room for all your other daily needs. This situation right here is my biggest love of the m43 system:

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 17mm f1.8 @ f5

The other amazing thing apart from the usuals being image quality and size, is the share versatility of this system, especially the OM-D. I bought the HLD-6 grip mere weeks before I flew out and what a difference it made, by far some of the most and best money I have spent on an accessory. The grip completely trasforms the camera, allowing me to have the ability to go from a point and shoot with no grip and the 14mm, to a full grip on safari and the 45-200mm, all in about 1 min it takes to transform the camera. 

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 45mm f1.8 @f2.8

As Nick talked about in an earlier post having the 3 lens kit, I spent the majority of my time using the 17,25,45 set (35,50,90 in 35mm terms) and it all worked out well. just before heading to South Africa I also purchased the new 17mm f1.8, so I ended up using this lens alot, just because it was new, however  I do prefer the 25mm slightly more.

My most used lens on this trip was the 45mm f1.8. The 45mm is an incredible small piece of plastic and glass and anyone with a m43 system should definitely own one, cheap fast and tak sharp! my least used lens was the 12-50mm. It got so little use that I sold it about a week after returning to NZ, I never found the lens very good and it just took up space in my kit. Also if you hadn't realised, Nick and I are very much prime lens shooters!

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 45-200mm @ 200m, f5.6

One lens that I used alot, only on safari though, was the Panasonic Lumix 45-200mm telephoto. I borrowed this lens from my sister, though it was not my first choice. It was all I could get my hands on before I left. Its a nice and cheap lens and it can produce some stunning images, however it is often very hit and miss. I am currently on the hunt to upgrade this telephoto with the 75-300 and the 100-300 being the two that I am looking into.

Olympus 35rc + Kodak BW cn400

Olympus 35rc + Kodak Gold 200

Olympus 35rc + Kodak Gold 200

Another good decision I made was to take a nifty little point and shoot film camera. The Olympus 35rc is the smallest rangefinder ever made and an absolute joy to use. Shooting film while also having an OM-D kit is where I find the best balance, being able too have fun taking film shots while always knowing the digital gear is up to the job when things get un predictable. And with film being $3 a roll to develop in South Africa, it was a no brainer.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 45-200mm @ 120mm, f6.3

So the negative points I can make about the kit I took to South Africa are a short list however some that may help some of you for your future travels with an OM-D or M43s kit. First of all, when shooting with primes dont get so stressed about changing lenses all the time! I spent way to much time panicing and changing lenses and missed a few really nice photos because of this. Shoot with what you've got, its all about creating memories, thats why we do this hobby anyway. Sometimes the worst photo you'll take could be one of you favourites just because the memory is held in it.

Dont take too many lenses, if in doubt take them all but leave some in the hotel. I often would go out each day with only the 17mm and 45mm. I absolutely love my other lenses but changing up focal lengths just keeps photography interesting. If its not fun to take photos just stop doing it. When traveling it shouldn't seem like a chore. Sit back and watch the boats go by.

Also leave your 12-50mm at home, if its all you have buy a sigma 19mm and use that! primes are better, fact.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 + 14mm f2.5 @ f2.5

I will do a post soon talking about shooting with the 45-200 on safari. But right now im going out to photograph the lovely city of San Francisco!

Go out and take some photos, check back here for more tips on the M43 system!

Travelling in Australia with the Olympus OM-D

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f2.8

I travelled to Byron Bay, Australia in March to catch up with my jetsetter girlfriend before she ran off to Denmark to finish her studies. It was a purely 'for fun' trip, we hadn't planned to do or see anything, just lie on the beach and explore the coastline. I didn't want to take too much photography gear so I could spend less time behind the camera and more time with my girlfriend, a pressing problem for most photography enthusiasts I'm sure.

My kit was then kept to the bear essentials. That mean the golden and much sought after 'three lens only bag'. I don't have the golden three lens bag which I think is a 17mm, 25mm, 45mm (that is 35mm, 50mm, 85mm for you big camera people). My bag consisted of the 14mm, 25mm, 75mm and I couldn't have been happier (28mm, 50mm, 150mm).

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f8

The Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 is a great lens. It delivers the goods time after time and it is a pleasure to use. I keep the lens hood on mine all the time just to protect the front element and with it, it is still a compact lens. With the OM-D and the 25mm slung over my shoulder, it is barely noticeable and you can carry on doing anything and forget about it.

The 25mm f1.4 isn't weather sealed and I have taken mine to some tough locations and there seems to be a bit of sand under the focus ring but other than that it holds up to moisture and dirt just fine.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f1.4

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f4

I have written about the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 as a great single lens for out doing things and I'll say it again, this compact beauty is what I'll take out with me if I want to leave the 25mm at the hotel. It can also be slipped into my pocket and forgotten about if I have the 25mm on the camera. The OM-D and the 14mm look so unassuming and non-professional which is a big plus. I can pull this combination out and people don't give it a second look.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic 14mm f2.5 @ f8

Rikke and I relied on bikes as a way to get around the coast. Most of the shots I took from the bike were one handed relying on the confident AF of the OM-D and the fact that the image stabiliser would fix any wobbly problems my hand might have. Again, it is such a smalls system that you can ride all day and hang out at the beach and bush bash and forget it is there.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f4

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f2.8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f2

The final lens that I took was my pride and joy, the single lens that keeps me attached to the m4/3 system: the Olympus 75mm f1.8. I simply love using this lens. It provides me the perfect focal length that my old Canon 100mmm f2.8 did on my Canon 60d and it opens up nice and bright for those after sunset hours when the light is just beautiful.

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

And the 75mm also acts as a great short telephoto. It isolates subjects and compresses a scene but not too much as to betray it's focal length.

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f5.6

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f5.6

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f4

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f2.8

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f1.8

After Byron Bay, we travelled to Sydney where we were flying out from. Being back in a city, and especially one as touristy as Sydney, I could carry slightly more around in my backpack and just pass myself as a tourist. This three lens kit worked out great, the Olympus 45mm f1.8 would have been an added bonus but then I would have been carrying a bit too much stuff for a trip that wasn't meant to be photography orientated.

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f4

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f5.6

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f4

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f8

Olympus OM-D + Olympus 75mm f1.8 @ f8

Olympus OM-D + Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 @ f3.5

All in all, the three lens m4/3 kit that I took over to Australia worked out great. I only had to charge my battery once which was an unexpected surprise, and the compactness of the three lenses let me enjoy spending time with my girlfriend than figuring out how to carry a lot of larger gear. For reference, a Canon 550d or whatever 3-digit canon camera you want to choose, and the kit 18-55mm is larger than the Olympus OM-D, 75mm, 25mm and 14mm. Just saying... And the Olympus is capable of better images. I know which one I would rather have.