Mathieu

The best compact & professional telephoto zoom for MFT: A Lumix 35-100mm f/2.8 review

08/10/2013 By Mathieu

When you switch from one system to another, it is necessary to consider not only the camera body and sensor, but also the lenses. Actually, lenses have always been more important to me than anything else because they represent the primary tool that will produce a visible change in your pictures – more than pixels, noise or dynamic range. They are also the tools that will determine my composition and how I approach a work session. [Read more…] about The best compact & professional telephoto zoom for MFT: A Lumix 35-100mm f/2.8 review

Panasonic Lumix GX7 vs. Olympus Pen E-P5: How does low-light performance compare?

06/10/2013 By Mathieu

About twenty minutes away from the city of Turin sits one of the grandest royal palaces of Northern Italy, the Reggia di Venaria Reale. It is the former royal residence of the house of Savoy and is one of the largest royal residences in the world.

The palace was mostly used as a base for duke Carlo Emanuele II’s hunting expeditions. Inside you will find dozens of rooms, each decorated with paintings by famous court artists of the times, stuccos and statues. Outside are the expansive royal gardens which were destroyed during the Napoleonic domination to make way for a French training ground, but were later rebuilt in a modern style.

Since cloud, mist and rain had engulfed most of Italy on Saturday, we decided to visit the palace to test out the new Panasonic Lumix GX7 with a specific focus on how it compares to its direct competitor, the Olympus Pen E-P5. (We also brought along the Fuji X-M1 but we’ll leave that for a future article!)

First shots with the Fuji X-M1: B&W gallery & quick thoughts about autofocus

02/10/2013 By Mathieu

Thanks to the good people at Fujifilm Italia, we have the (nearly) brand new Fuji X-M1 for two weeks of testing. Unfortunately I am swamped with work these days so I haven’t been able to enjoy it as much as I’d like. That’s why tonight Heather and I decided to take the camera out for a spin around the neighbourhood. Instead of doing the usual ISO test, I chose to take some B&W shots using the Monochrome Film Simulation mode. I also tried to build a first impression about the effectiveness of the autofocus in low-light conditions.

The People of Wales: A Fujifilm X100s Gallery

30/09/2013 By Mathieu

One of the reason I love going on holiday so much is that I’m completely free to approach my photography as I like, without the constraints of work, client demands and a busy schedule. It is also the perfect time to work on personal projects.

The 8 Best Mirrorless Cameras for Professional Photographers (2015)

25/09/2013 By Mathieu

Note: this article was first written in 2013 but has been updated following the latest camera releases and the personal experience we’ve had with them.

One year ago, I remember returning from my summer vacation feeling somewhat angry at myself and antagonistic towards the profession I had gotten into. I owned two excellent DSLR cameras and a wide range of lenses, yet my will to actually get out and photograph for pleasure was like that of a hungover college student on exam day.

The excuse seemed lame at the time but now I have no shame in saying it – all that gear was simply too heavy to be enjoyed.

With this realisation, I gradually began my switch over to mirrorless, though the decision wasn’t completely conscious at the time. I started by buying a used Olympus OM-D E-M5 for stills after selling a couple of Nikkor lenses. Feeling cautious, I used it alongside my Nikon D700 for a few months but I soon realised that the E-M5 was good enough for use on its own.