Heather

Should you buy a new or used mirrorless camera?

16/02/2015 By Heather

It is a dilemma most photographers, both professional and non-professional, face at some point in their lives: should I buy a new or used camera? And as with most dilemmas, it isn’t easily answered in a sentence or two.

On one hand, there is admittedly something wonderful about owning a camera that is fresh out of the box. On the other, a tight budget or a good deal are tempting reasons to head in the direction of the second-hand market. The truth is that Mathieu and I often buy second-hand gear. Mathieu’s old DSLR system was actually solely composed of second-hand lenses.

Our website is mostly about mirrorless cameras but it should be noted that all the rules and suggestions mentioned here can be applied to all modern digital cameras. To make things easier for you, we’ve divided the two main chapters of the article into two sub-sections – one for professionals and the other for non-professionals – as we feel that there are marginally different considerations for each.

Using Olympus 12-40mm & 40-150mm PRO lenses for weddings – Guest Post by Katrin Küllenberg

12/02/2015 By Heather

During the last year I used two Olympus OM-D E-M1 cameras with prime lenses for my wedding work. On one side of a Holdfast Gear harness I used the 12mm 2.0 lens and on the other the 45mm 1.8. I really liked the advantages of the M4/3s system. For some special occasions, I switched to the 60mm macro or the 75mm 1.8 lens.

Mirrorless News – Updated Fujifilm Lens Roadmap & New Micro Four Thirds Partners

10/02/2015 By Heather

The flood of mirrorless news hasn’t abated even after the various announcement by Olympus, Samsung and Canon. This time we have some updates from the Fujifilm and Micro Four Thirds front!

Updated Fujifilm Lens Roadmap (2015 and 2016)

In just three years, Fujifilm has become an extremely important reference in the mirrorless world. It has released a total of seven interchangeable APS-C cameras and sixteen lenses, all of which have met great success. Now, it looks as if the company is close to finishing its line-up of X series lenses, as it updates its lens roadmap with its final offerings.

fujifilm updated lens roadmap 2015 2016 — The Fujifilm X Series Lensmap

In 2015, we can expect to see three professional primes: a XF 16mm f/1.4 R, XF 35mm f/2 R and XF 90mm f/2 R. While we already knew of the arrival of the 16mm and 90mm, the 35mm is a welcome surprise. It will be smaller and lighter than the original 35mm f/1.4 and weather resistant.

Then in 2016 the much anticipated super telephoto zoom, the XF 100-400mm, will make its debut alongside the XF 120mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro lens. The latter will be the second macro lens in the Fujifilm X line-up.

To accompany these lenses, we’ll also see the arrival of a 1.4x teleconverter in late 2014, which will be compatible with the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R, XF 120mm f/2.8 R Macro, XF 100-400mm.

At this point, there isn’t much more Fujifilm can do than continue to update older lenses, produce more powerful cameras and perhaps, just perhaps, move onto an entirely new system altogether. We’ll just have to wait and see what the Fuji future holds!

Three Additions to the Four Thirds Standard Group

The Four Thirds Group has just announced that three companies will be joining its ranks. The first is DJI, a Chinese company that specialises in drone technology and camera stabilisation systems for filmmaking professionals. The second is JCD, another Chinese company that designs lenses for cameras and manufactures optical components. Finally, we have Flovel, a Japanese company with a specialisation in high-sensitivity cameras used for medical and scientific purposes.

Are you excited about these recent announcements? Tell us why!

Monthly Flickr Photography Challenge – February 2015 – ARCHITECTURE

10/02/2015 By Heather

Have you ever pursued a specific project or challenge to improve your photography? If not, let me tell you that not only is it an excellent way of developing a specific skill, but it also encourages you to learn about a genre in which you may have had very little interest.

Since we as artists all enjoy exercising our creative abilities and sharing our imagery with a wider audience, Mathieu and I at Mirrorlessons in association with Tyson Robichaud Photography Blog have decided to embark on a monthly Flickr photography challenge, and we invite all of you to join us for the ride!

The OM-D Action Factory Event in Prague | Hands-On with the M.Zuiko 8mm f/1.8 and 7-14mm f/2.8

09/02/2015 By Heather

Recently the mirrorless web has been a-buzz with news about Olympus’ latest camera, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II. To celebrate its announcement, the company decided to hold a 10-day event in Prague called the OM-D Action Factory, to which we along with many other photographers, bloggers and journalists were invited. It was held inside the an abandoned waterworks factory, which has been a set for many famous films including Mission Impossible, Les Miserables and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.