Mathieu

M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 Review: A small yet capable prime from Olympus

18/02/2014 By Mathieu

A 50mm lens on 35mm format is the closest field of view we can get to the human eye. It is the focal length often found on the ideal kit lens for old SLR cameras and has always been one of the cheapest prime lenses you can buy for your camera (depending on the aperture). It is the standard lens by definition and you’ll most likely find it inside many a photographer’s camera bag. Up until now Micro Four Thirds users only had two options: the Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 (equivalent to 50mm on MFT format), a great lens but expensive if you consider the system and the type of lens, and the Voigltänder Nokton f/0.95, a manual focus only lens that costs almost $1000.

Sigma takes us by surprise with the new generation DP series

11/02/2014 By Mathieu

The Sigma DP line is quite unique in the compact camera segment. Despite its many flaws including short battery life, slow autofocus and poor high ISO performance in low light, its Foveon sensor is probably one of the finest on the market in terms of sharpness and colour rendering.

Here at MirrorLessons we only had the chance to try one model at the Milan Photoshow last year. Despite being very specific cameras, they deliver such exceptional image quality that they simply cannot be ignored by IQ purists.

Our Readers’ Q&A: All about the Olympus OM-D E-M10

10/02/2014 By Mathieu

When we published our first impressions review about the new Olympus OM-D E-M10, we invited our readers to rack their brains and pitch some questions to us about the new camera. We received many comments, not only on our articles but in the Micro Four Thirds User Group as well, so we decided to post a specific article where we answer as many of your questions as we can. We also included questions and answers about the new 14-42mm pancake zoom lens and the 25mm f/1.8.

The most powerful M4/3 camera is here! – The new Panasonic Lumix GH4

07/02/2014 By Mathieu

The Panasonic Lumix GH3 is a camera I often use for video alongside the Panasonic AF101 camcorder for my filmmaking work. While its performance for stills is also very good, I’ve always considered it more interesting for its video capabilities. The Lumix series certainly has the most advanced hybrid cameras (still and video) on the market and the GH3 video quality can rival well-known Canon DSLRs.

On the GH3, Panasonic implemented some very welcome features such as a mic input and an ALL-I 72mbps video codec. This move made me all the more certain that the successor would have a number of new improvements especially for filmmakers, and indeed, that turns out to be the case. In particular, we have a new image sensor and Venus engine processor, and though we have yet to test them and see the results, there is no doubt of Panasonic’s willingness to push the boundaries of photography and video.

As with the GH3, I actually find the Lumix GH4 way more exciting for its video features than for its stills. Yes, this the my filmmaker side of me writing!

Rainy Day Photography – Why shooting on a bad day can be good training

05/02/2014 By Mathieu

It’s been raining non-stop for more than a week. You were hoping for a sunny weekend to go out and take some colourful landscapes, but you are now torn between curling up by the fire or wrapping yourself up in the warmth of the bed covers. You are thinking that there isn’t any light worth chasing. It’s grey, it’s cloudy, and it’s miserable.

Yet, can you really be so sure that there is nothing out there worth shooting?