Personally, I do not use a filter. One thread that has a longer discussion: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=332975
Niels
Niels
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Birding stills with the PL100-400 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ian Shepherd
- Start date
rka
ttbirds
I always use a filter. The one referenced below for $50USD works quite well and no discernable impact to lens performance.
BWCXSP72 1 72mm XS-Pro Clear MRC-Nano 007 Filter
I purchased from www.bhphotovideo.com .
BWCXSP72 1 72mm XS-Pro Clear MRC-Nano 007 Filter
I purchased from www.bhphotovideo.com .
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crapbirder
Well-known member
crapbirder
Well-known member
Many thanks nikonmike for your comments.
I showed my results to a colleague, a semi-professional wildlife photographer and in his opinion, many of the images matched the IQ of those obtained with his EM1i - 300 f4 PRO combination. To be fair, he like me would need to undertake a far more extensive testing programme before claiming the performance of the two lenses was exactly comparable. To get back to your comment, yes I agree the G80 certainly punches above its weight with the PL 100-400. Until or unless I can solve the EM1ii AF issue, the G80 will be my body of choice.
I just tried my E-M1 mk 2 with the PL 100-400 and autofocus acquisition was virtually instantaneous in SAF mode. There are a lot of settings on this camera, however. I would expect one of those is the issue. I assume you have the latest firmware for both camera and lens?
I have both lenses, and also have difficulty seeing a difference between the output of the two. So I have started using the 100-400 more often.
crapbirder
Well-known member
Thanks Jim M for your prompt response, I believe I have the latest firmware i.e. EM1ii = 1.3, G80 = 1.2 and lens = 1.2. There are indeed a lot of settings on the EM1ii and this may well be the cause of my problem. Guess it's a case of checking each and every one.
Had some issues in the recent past with losing settings when a 32Gb Lexar card was in slot 1, seemed to resolve these by changing to a 16Gb Lexar but may be just a coincidence.
I have the 100-400 on the G85 and also feel happy with performance most of the time. A couple of days ago I was on a larger ship with brown booby around me. Most shots had water behind the birds, and CAF with the pattern of several boxes for focus. The camera struggled in that situation - and I expect most other cameras would too. I did not feel confident I would get focus point right if I had switched to single point for focusing.
Niels
Niels
crapbirder
Well-known member
Some results from a quick test run with the G80 PL100-400 combination at 1300hrs BST today.
Images of sub-adult Herring Gull, Western Jackdaw and Common Teal are as 'back of the camera' (no cropping or editing). These results are very encouraging after only an 8 day trial period but as previously stated on this thread, an experienced user should be able to do better.
Yet to finish checking through the EM1ii settings but have to admit to not feeling too eager as things are at the moment.
Attachments
crapbirder
Well-known member
Thank you Niels.
After years of frustration with attempting to find a satisfactory match between many Canikon bodies and lenses, I have been pleasantly surprised with the consistent results obtained since changing to the m4/3 format last March.
My experience so far has been limited to Olympus and Panasonic equipment but there seems to be no problem with interchangeabilty between the makes. Perhaps most pleasing has been losing the constant nagging suspicion that maybe I need to AF fine tune. Not given up with the EM1ii but not totally convinced at the moment it was a vital acquisition for my needs.
Those are great pictures. I would be interested to know your camera settings and whether you are using the teleconverter. Also what picture size you use.
Thanks
David
crapbirder
Well-known member
David.
My understanding is that a TC is not compatible with this lens and I have found so far that X2 digital zoom meets my needs. I always use jpeg picture size L(4592X3448).
Settings for images shown; 1/1000 @f6.3 ISO 200 (S priority, ISOauto, AWB, DZ= X2, EC-0.33, AFC, Centre Weight, Photo Style Standard (S+1).
Lightweight tripod on rough grassland.
Thanks. I should have been clearer. I meant the Extra Tele Conversion function which to quote Panasonic "enables you to take pictures that are further enlarged without deteriorating the picture quality." However, if you shoot in Large this function isn't available. It can only be used in Medium and Small picture sizes where it gives you 1.4x and 2x enlargement respectively. As far as I understand this teleconversion is different from Digital Zoom where the image quality will deteriorate as you zoom in. Although from your pictures it looks as though even with DZ the results are impressive
I'm undecided whether this extra tele conversion is useful or whether it is better to shoot in RAW and crop in post processing.
Any views from yourself or other users would be welcome
Regards
David
crapbirder
Well-known member
David.
Yet to explore the ETC option so unable to comment but like you, would welcome views from those who have.
Ian Shepherd
Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by crapbirder View Post
I would be most grateful for any advice/comments Ian Shepherd or any other user of the EM1ii - PL100-400 is prepared to give me.
The most noticeable difference between the two bodies I found was that the EM1ii consistently 'hunted' 3 times before AF was confirmed in SAF mode (not tried CAF). The G80 in AFC mode, came up with AF confirmation almost without fail, at the first time of asking.[/QUOTE]
Appolgies for this delayed reply - I've not visited the site for a few days. Glad you like the PL100-400, and sorry for your autofocus issue with the EM1ii. I have to agree with Jim M that the autofocus hunting is a big surprise. Like Jim, I find that S-AF autofocussing with the EM1ii and 100-400 (& also 300+1.4x) is very fast and accurate.Never hunts.
Maybe a menu setting problem? I'm sure every EM1ii owner has encountered a few of those in the early days of ownership. First thing I'd check is that, in Custom Menu 1A, AF Scanner is set to Mode 2.
Maybe a more serious camera software fault? Is there hunting in C-AF too? If the issue has always been apparent on your EM1ii, is there anyway you can try the 100-400 on a different EM1ii body?
Originally Posted by crapbirder View Post
I would be most grateful for any advice/comments Ian Shepherd or any other user of the EM1ii - PL100-400 is prepared to give me.
The most noticeable difference between the two bodies I found was that the EM1ii consistently 'hunted' 3 times before AF was confirmed in SAF mode (not tried CAF). The G80 in AFC mode, came up with AF confirmation almost without fail, at the first time of asking.[/QUOTE]
Appolgies for this delayed reply - I've not visited the site for a few days. Glad you like the PL100-400, and sorry for your autofocus issue with the EM1ii. I have to agree with Jim M that the autofocus hunting is a big surprise. Like Jim, I find that S-AF autofocussing with the EM1ii and 100-400 (& also 300+1.4x) is very fast and accurate.Never hunts.
Maybe a menu setting problem? I'm sure every EM1ii owner has encountered a few of those in the early days of ownership. First thing I'd check is that, in Custom Menu 1A, AF Scanner is set to Mode 2.
Maybe a more serious camera software fault? Is there hunting in C-AF too? If the issue has always been apparent on your EM1ii, is there anyway you can try the 100-400 on a different EM1ii body?
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crapbirder
Well-known member
Appolgies for this delayed reply - I've not visited the site for a few days. Glad you like the PL100-400, and sorry for your autofocus issue with the EM1ii. I have to agree with Jim M that the autofocus hunting is a big surprise. Like Jim, I find that S-AF autofocussing with the EM1ii and 100-400 (& also 300+1.4x) is very fast and accurate.Never hunts.
Maybe a menu setting problem? I'm sure every EM1ii owner has encountered a few of those in the early days of ownership. First thing I'd check is that, in Custom Menu 1A, AF Scanner is set to Mode 2.
Maybe a more serious camera software fault? Is there hunting in C-AF too? If the issue has always been apparent on your EM1ii, is there anyway you can try the 100-400 on a different EM1ii body?[/QUOTE]
Many thanks Ian.
By coincidence, AF Scanner setting was checked yesterday and reset to Mode 2 as you suggest. On re-reading the instructions, Mode 2 seemed the more suitable than my previous choice (Mode 3 as I recall). Miserable wet day in my part of Norfolk so not had chance to test the new setting. Hunting used to occur in C-AF despite using no higher than 6fps, again no chance to test this feature after the reset.
Could be several days before the next test opportunity with my EM1ii and little likelihood of getting hold of a different sample but will publish the results of the next test.
Ian Shepherd
Well-known member
Those interested in using the oly internal tc might find this link of use -www.thewanderinglensman.com/2015/11/a-larely-unknown-gem-of-feature-on.html?m=1
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