Micro four thirds tips and tricks

More shallow depth of field with your Micro Four Thirds camera – Using the Brenizer Method

19/08/2015 By Mathieu

One of the criticisms or hesitations many users have about the Micro Four Thirds system is the lack of shallow depth of field in comparison to APS-C and full frame sensors especially when using wide angle or standard lenses. While the physical difference in sensor size will always present an obstacle, there are various solutions to help you achieve more shallow depth of field with your Olympus or Panasonic camera.

Backyard Bird Photography with the OM-D E-M1, 14-150mm f/4-5.6 Mark II & Olympus Share app

05/03/2015 By Heather

My parents have a beautiful back garden in Wales which is lovingly nurtured by my “green thumb” mum. The centrepiece is a three-pronged feeder, where dozens of species of birds including robins, sparrows, blue tits, goldfinches, wrens and siskins gather for their daily feast of seeds and balls of fat. It is nothing short of a small paradise when the sun is out and the temperature is right.

A shallow depth of field with a Micro 4/3s camera? Yes, it is possible!

16/01/2014 By Mathieu

Many photographers looking for a lighter solution to their DSLR halt in their tracks when they hear the words ‘Micro Four Thirds sensor’. They fear that the depth of field and overall result produced by a smaller sensor will not be adequate to give that “3D pop” that many desire to see in the images they produce. Certainly, the way you handle depth of field on a full frame camera is different to a Micro Four Thirds camera. It is also true that there are some full frame lenses capable of rendering an astonishing bokeh that you will rarely, if ever, see on a M4/3s camera unless you use those specific lenses with an adapter.

Personally, the presence of a smaller sensor and the resulting depth of field would not influence my decision to either keep or discard a system. Bokeh is a natural consequence of how I take a shot and the feelings I want to imbue it with. The important thing is to know the system and lenses inside and out, and pick the best lens for your goal. I’ve never had a moment’s hesitation when shooting MFT nor thought of what I could have achieved if I’d had a full frame camera instead.

Contemporary Dance in Moncalieri: Pushing the Lumix GX7’s autofocus to the limit

03/12/2013 By Heather

“Elena’s asked us to photograph one of her dance performances on Saturday night in Moncalieri,” I hear Mathieu yell from the kitchen.

Looking down at the Panasonic Lumix GX7, a smile breaks across my face. I realise that there is one more test I have to perform before I can close the chapter on this mirrorless marvel. Though I’d already used the GX7 in poor lighting to test the ISO and internal stabilisation, and tried out the C-AF, tracking and continuous shooting on my friend’s daughter running towards me on a sunny day at the park for our full review, I’d never put the two conditions together. The combination of low light and moving objects would tell me whether the GX7 could really claim the title of ‘professional mirrorless camera’ or not.

Pasta Ouverture: A stop motion animation with the Panasonic GX7

11/11/2013 By Mathieu

Lumix cameras are always overflowing with interesting features and the new Panasonic GX7 is no exception. The challenge, however, is finding a concrete reason to use them. Lumix cameras have always had excellent video features, and in the case of the GX7, it offers a very interesting stop motion animation feature (first introduced on the G6) in addition to time-lapse and standard video recording. Last week, my colleague’s wife Iryna asked us to help her with a project for the Design Masters Course she is finishing for the Red Oddity school in Bolzano. Serendipitously, that project involved stop motion animation. What could have been more ideal?