For those of you who wonder what the real and practical difference is between a very large micro 4/3 print and a same sized print from one of the best full frame digital cameras available today, you will find this YouTube video interesting. I did a similar test back in February 2014 with my original Olympus E-M1 and 36mp Nikon D800E. You can see the results of those tests here and here.
A professional photographer from the UK (Marc Newton), who is shooting for a project that is slated for an exhibition, makes images with both an Olympus E-M1 Mark II and a Canon 5D MKIV, then has the images printed for the exhibit by a professional printer at a size that is 1 meter (almost 40 inches) on the images' long side.
I won't give away what differences he and the professional printer actually saw, but I noticed one mistake he made in his narrative. Newton refers to the Canon as a 30.4mp camera and the Olympus as a 20.4mp camera, which is correct, but he actually shot the Olympus at a 3:2 ratio to match the Canon image ratio so all prints had identical proportions. That slight cropping reduces the pixel count of the Olympus files to 17.9mp. So, in effect, he was using a 17.9mp camera versus a 30.4mp camera.
Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGn3yPl59ZM
I would be interested in your thoughts. Please leave a comment with what you take away from this video.
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Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
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Dennis,
ReplyDeleteModern sensors and associated pieplines to print all produce quality images in 90% of shooting conditions. I have a 2010 Leica DLux5 that still takes terrific images. Two fundamental issues make the difference for me:
1. Ergonomics and useablility - is the camera designed to capture images or is it a consumer electronics feature orgy. I find that cameras with many options (Sony, Olympus, etc) distract me from the act of capturing an image. Some are too small, others too heavy and large. Some just feel right in the hand, and others are hard to grip for extended time. FInd the camera that feels good and is designed with the options you will use when capturing the image.
2. Shooting Window - how does the camera do in more extreme light conditions? Low light is obviously the primary challenge. I found that with smaller sensors, this became a bit of an issue. With the DLux 5, low light becomes the challenge quickly. Even with the EM1, I had a bit of a challenge. As I moved up in sensor size, the practical window of what and when I could shoot increases. I suspect that is simply physics. I won't even go into DOF, which I see as another narrow shooting window. For most shots, DOF is not that big of an issue. When we really want/need subject isolation and wonderful background blur, the larger sensor can achieve it without the 1.0 lens. The smaller sensors need the specailized lens. But again, that is a specialized situation.
I have had the Olympus and really enjoyed it. I have Fuji now, and enjoy it. Just recently got the Leica CL. The camera and lenses are smaller than the Olympus, the sensor is APS-C, and the glass is wonderful. Bringing it to Hawaii this week. We'll see how it does.
Thanks for making me think!
Rudy
Rudy, thank you for your comment. Safe travels. I’ve been to Hawaii ten times, but for work. I still made opportunities to photograph and be a tourist. I’m anxious to hear how the Leica works for you. Give us a report when you return.
DeleteDennis, Back at you! Enjoy your road trip, be safe, and I will look forward to your reports!
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