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First look at the Olympus M.Zuiko f/1.2 Pro primes and the PEN E-PL9 mirrorless camera

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Aimed squarely at the beginning photographer, the Olympus PEN E-PL9 packs a lot of punch. It contains a 16.1MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor capable of shooting 4K UHD video. The PEN E-PL9 also features 3-axis sensor shift IBIS with 121 autofocus points, 8.6fps continuous shooting and a top shutter speed of 1/16000th of a second.

We had the chance to have a look at one during The Photography Show, but what was really special were the 17mm f/1.2, 25mm f/1.2 and 45mm f/1.2 Pro prime lenses. Designed to counter the smaller sensor of Micro Four Thirds cameras and bring back a shallower depth of field, they’re a welcome addition to the MFT lens lineup.

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A look at the current state of Sony E Mount and Micro Four Thirds adapters and which are worth getting

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One of the things that’s put a lot of people off making the switch to mirrorless is a lack of lenses. The lack of lenses isn’t much of a surprise. How can new system like Sony’s E Mount or Micro Four Thirds really compete with the decades old Nikon and Canon systems where every lens has been made and revised half a dozen times or more?

That’ll change a little for Sony users with Sigma’s new E Mount lenses, but there are other options. Lens mounts are available for both Sony and Micro Four Thirds systems that allow you to utilise Nikon and Canon lenses on those systems. In this video, Chris Niccolls from The Camera Store TV walks us through the range and capabilities of current adapters in 2018.

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The iPhone X takes on Olympus Micro Four Thirds

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We all assume that a mirrorless or DSLR camera is going to pulverise an iPhone concerning image quality, but, there are degrees of pulverisation. Questions my dear reader come into play, like…

Are we talking about shooting in good light or poor light? Are we comparing a fixed focal length lens to the equivalent on the iPhone X? How big are we going to print? ……and so on.  It’s not a straightforward comparison to make.

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Olympus releases selfie-friendly Pen E-PL9 mirrorless

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The selfie-centric Olympus Pen E-PL9 has been announced. This entry-level Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus has seen a couple of nice new updates over the previous generation Pen E-PL8. For a start, there’s 4K UHD video, as well as 120fps slow motion at 720p (a first for the Pen line of cameras). It has a redesigned grip to help get a more confident hold on the camera, especially when shooting selfies, with a new internal popup flash.

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Why this photographer switched to Olympus after shooting Nikon for 42 years

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Not too long ago, switching brands seemed a silly expense. Bouncing back and forth between Nikon and Canon was just far more cost and hassle than it was worth. Some photographers simply bought into both brands (it worked out cheaper than swapping every couple of years). Others stuck with their brand through thick and thin.

Joe Edelman is one such photographer and stuck with Nikon for 42 years. But as technology developed and more manufacturers came back into the fray, Joe’s needs changed. So, he started playing the field to see what the others had to offer. Now, he’s finally made the switch to Olympus, and in this video, he explains why.

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Olympus just announced two super fast f/1.2 Pro lenses for Micro Four Thirds

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Micro Four Thirds has been getting some love the last couple of days. First we have Sigma’s new 16mm f/1.4 announcement yesterday. Today Olympus are raising the bar with a pair of super fast f/1.2 Pro primes.

First up, the M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.2 PRO, that might attract a few higher end MFT shooters over Sigma’s 16mm. Firmly aimed at portrait shooters, the second lens is the M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2 PRO.

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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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