Mathieu

Let It Snow: Black and White Photography with the OM-D E-M5 and the DMC-GH3

26/02/2013 By Mathieu

On Sunday, we woke up to a city covered in a thick blanket of snow! We seized the opportunity for an impromptu black and white photography session with our GH3 and E-M5. We shot in RAW format and converted the photos in Lightroom 4. There wasn’t a lot of light, of course, so we increased the contrast to make them look more dramatic. I used the E-M5 with the M.Zuiko 12mm f/2 except for the eleventh and fourteenth pictures which were shot with the M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.8. Heather used the GH3 with a M.Zuiko 14-42 F/3.5-5.6 lens. Enjoy the gallery!

From Milan to Turin: Panasonic GH3 Full Review

23/02/2013 By Mathieu

UPDATE: our in-depth review of the GH3 for video is online!

I’ll be honest, I have always followed the GH series more for its video capabilities than for its photographic features. The GH1 and especially the GH2 were two of the only serious alternatives to Canon DSLRs in the filmmaking industry – that is, until 2012 when Nikon and Sony entered the competition.

I have never tested the GH1 or GH2 for photography, so I thought it was time to remediate by taking a deep look at the Panasonic Lumix GH3, which is the latest and most advanced mirrorless camera Panasonic has ever designed.

A quick night video test with the Panasonic GH3

14/02/2013 By Mathieu

UPDATE: our in-depth review of the GH3 for video is online!

Last week, we did a very quick video test with the new Panasonic GH3. We shot for one hour or so in Turin before going to get something to eat.

I was very excited to test the quality the GH3 as several professionals claim that it can easily compete with high-end HDSLRs such as the Canon 5D mkIII. I currently own a Panasonic AF101 for my work in video, which has the same four-year-old sensor as the GH1, and I saw the capabilities of the GH2 last year. The GH3 has very interesting new features, such as a clean HDMI output and an ALL-I 72 mbps codec, which is supposed to give better results than AVCHD.

A morning at the museum: Olympus OM-D E-M5 low light performance review

02/02/2013 By Mathieu

Update: the complete review of the OM-D E-M5 is online!

One of the first things I check when testing a new camera is the ISO sensitivity. Good low-light performance is something I need for my job as one of the two official photographers at the National Cinema Museum in Turin, Italy. It is a wonderful museum but it is often challenging to photograph due to the dim lighting conditions. Of course, the dusky ambiance is fascinating from a visitor’s point of view, but it is not easy for a photographer to recreate. My work mainly involves event reportage and interior photography within the museum and other venues.

The standard procedure for taking professional shots inside the museum would involve putting the camera on a tripod, setting the ISO sensitivity to the minimal value (200 ISO), closing the aperture to around f/8 or f/11, and setting a slow shutter speed to compensate. Being the best way to achieve both sharpness and quality in a picture, this is what I normally do. However, since tripods and I don’t really get along, I prefer holding my camera and taking the shot right away. [Read more…] about A morning at the museum: Olympus OM-D E-M5 low light performance review

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Review: First Impressions

23/01/2013 By Mathieu

Update: the complete review of the OM-D E-M5 is online!

Here we are – our first review is finally online, and what better choice for a first review than the queen of all mirrorless cameras, the Olympus OM-D E-M5. This is not a complete review, as I have just started using the camera, and there are still many test shots I’d like to take in real-life situations. However, after a couple of days of shooting, I can finally share my initial thoughts about this camera with you. So, let’s get started!
[Read more…] about Olympus OM-D E-M5 Review: First Impressions