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The new Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III adds 4K video and 121 point AF system

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The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II was pretty much everything anybody could want in an entry level mirrorless camera. It’s fairly inexpensive, small, feels like quality in your hands, offers a great feature set, and produces great images. While the newly announced Mark III might not seem that different, it has received a couple of pretty significant upgrades.

For a start, it now shoots 4K video at up to 30 frames per second. 1080p HD is available at up to 60 frames per second. The autofocus has also shifted from the 81 points found in the Mark II to 121. Interestingly, though, its stills resolution remains at 16MP.

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Godox quietly launches cross brand TTL & HSS on all lights

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Chinese lighting manufacturer Godox has already released a few products in 2017 that have helped a lot of strobists build lighting kits with a modest investment. Most notably the Godox AD-200 (Flashpoint eVolv) has become a crowd favorite for a portable and powerhouse flash.

More recently they added Fuji and Olympus/Panasonic versions of the TT350 (Flashpoint Zoom-Mini R2 TTL), which is a smaller speedlight aimed to be a better fit for mirrorless cameras. The TT350 has TTL, HSS, and radio connectivity to the rest of the Godox lineup, which really helps Fuji users expand their flash options.

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Godox now has full native support for Fuji Cameras – but not for the GFX 50s

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This has been a long time coming, and much anticipated. Godox have now finally announced their X1 transmitter & receiver for Fuji cameras. Fuji medium format shooters might be a little disappointed, though. Unfortunately the Fuji GFX 50s does not appear to be in the list of compatible cameras. Of course, it could just be that they haven’t tested it yet.

Also announced are the Godox triggers for the Olympus & Panasonic Micro Four Thirds systems. Both Fuji and MFT systems receive High Speed Sync and TTL support, thanks to the new triggers. Although support for specific features does vary from camera model to camera model. So, be sure to check the list before you buy.

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A review of the Olympus STF-8 twin macro flash system for Micro Four Thirds

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Last year, Olympus Singapore loaned me a pre-launch unit of their new STF-8 Twin Macro Flash, together with their OMD-EM1 Mk1 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro for a test-run in the field. I’ve had the set for about a week — it was easy to use and the results were pretty good, although it took some time for me to get used to focusing using the LCD.

This review is grossly overdue, but I’m posting it because I had been receiving questions on macro photography performance on micro four-third systems. This not a technical review. Instead, I will explain its pros and cons, as well as simple steps to maximise its capabilities.

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Olympus launches TG-5, a tough compact camera capable of 4K shooting

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Summer is coming, and it’s the right time for choosing the perfect camera for the adventures it brings. Olympus seems to have this in mind, so they’ve launched their latest rugged compact camera: Olympus TG-5. It’s water-, dust-, freeze, crush- and shockproof, able to withstand a variety of weather conditions and follow you wherever you may roam. At the same time, it’s capable of 4K video shooting and high-speed Full HD 1080p at 120 fps.

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Godox begin rolling out native support for Fuji, Olympus and Panasonic cameras

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Recently, we showed you a somewhat expensive option for using Godox flashes with Fuji, Olympus and other brand cameras. There’s also been a rumour floating around that Godox were working to add native support for some of these brands. Now, though, it seems that support is starting to come quicker than anybody had anticipated.

Fuji and Olympus/Panasonic versions of the Godox TT350 TTL speedlights are now available for preorder, at least through Adorama. They’re Fuji and Olympus/Panasonic compatible versions of their Flashpoint Zoom-Mini TTL R2 Flash (AKA, Godox TT350).

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Olympus kills off the legacy Four Thirds system

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Now, steady yourself, this might come as a bit of a shock. Olympus have now officially killed the Four Thirds camera system. Ok, so perhaps it’s not really that much of a surprise. It’s more than six years since the last new Four Thirds camera, so we all knew it was probably coming. DPReview reports that the news comes as four-thirds.org releases its latest lens catalogue.

The system was initially developed by Olympus along with Kodak, as a new lens format for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras and introduced in 2003. The format saw no less than 15 cameras from Olympus, two from Panasonic, and the lone Digilux 3 from Leica. But in the end, it couldn’t compete against in the DSLR market. In the mirrorless scene, it had already been made obsolete with the introduction of Micro Four Thirds in 2008.

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This wide angle zoom lens is a hidden gem of vintage lenses, and it’s incredibly cheap

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The winter sun was low to the horizon as I steadied myself upon a rather uncomfortable wooden perch. My back to the sun and downwind, target in clear sight, I drew in a deep breath then slowly exhaled as I prepared to take the shot. At the bottom of my breath I waited for that brief moment between heart beats as I took up the slack in my finger. Thump thump… Thump thump… squeeze. The sharp report from my mouse-click heralded the confirmation of success. “Congratulations, you won! OLYMPUS OM-SYSTEM S ZUIKO AUTO-ZOOM 28-48mm F/4 MF Lens W/HOOD (HAZE)”.

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Why your camera brand doesn’t matter

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A few weeks before Christmas my best friend’s husband rang me:

Daniela, I want to buy M a camera. What should I get her?

I asked the standard questions: how much does he have to spend and what sort of photography does he think she’ll be doing. He tells me there’s £500 in the kitty and she’s been making murmurs about taking more landscapes and getting better photos of the dog. I suggest that maybe he wants to look at an Olympus PEN. They fall well within his price bracket; they’ve a good frames-per-second rate and lots of AF points for capturing their off-his-rocker dog; and they’re pretty light. Given that my best friend lives close to the Alps and walks a lot, this is a bonus.

However, I add my usual disclaimer. ‘For that money, no one is going to sell you a bad camera. It’s more important to find the one that best suits your specific needs.’

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How I lost faith in micro four thirds and switched to Sony mirrorless

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If you’re thinking about moving to micro four thirds or buying the E-M1 Mark II… maybe read this first, it may actually save you money down the line.
For the past year and a half I have been shooting both the top of the range MFT and A7RII on professional assignments. Sadly I ended up often quite frustrated by the poor low light performance of Oly’s cameras as well as the lack of 4K which most of my clients ask from me when I shoot for example cinemagraphs.

Therefore since December 2016, I’ve gone 100% for the Sony and dropped MFT altogether to cut my losses invested in this system as well as my cherished Ambassador status (which in reality meant very little).

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