Mystyler
Established
Hi everyone,
The following was put together by me, if for no other reason than to encourage others to just go out and take photos no matter what equipment they have and maybe to restore some balance to the force that is the internet. :angel:
I'm sure everyone who keeps up with DSLRs has read about how rubbish the Olympus E-System is supposed to be at taking action shots. I decided to put this to the test, armed with my E-5 at a night tennis match (under lights, funnily enough) featuring Ana Ivanovic, Mens' World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues. A pretty demanding sort of test, if not strictly scientific.
When reading, please keep in mind my goal - to show that even an average hack with an "if you're not in it, you can't win it" attitude can walk away with decent shots from what is regarded as (and I hate to use this phrase because it isn't) a sub-par DSLR. I am not here to say it is better than a 5D, 7D, D300, D7000, D4, etc...however, I am very happy to say the E-5 comfortably outstripped my ability as a sports photographer and therefore would probably do the same for most people who don't own a $5000-$6000 1Dx/D4 body (or D3, whatever) for work purposes. Arguing over such things is pointless, just get out there and do it. 😉 I am extremely pleased with what I achieved on my second ever outing of taking such photos.
And of course, the E-5 is certainly NOT without its faults.
The following is my "review", for lack of a better word. A direct copy and paste from Flickr:
After hearing for years about how bad the E-System is supposedly at sports photography in low light, I thought I'd go out there and attempt it, rather than succumb to the seemingly endless moaning and groaning there is about it on the internet.
My background: I like my gear, I like taking photos. Something like a 60/40 split. I have never shot professionally and the photos I take are usually always for myself. I am a perfectionist (it isn't that fun) in life generally and that extends to my photos. As such I am always looking for the "perfect" photo, but I am yet to take it. I have really only been "serious" about photography as a past-time it in the last twelve months or so, but have been dabbling in it for at least 8 years, and have been fascinated by cameras for as long as I can remember.
My first crack at "sports" photography was at the same event last year, the 2012 Hopman Cup XXIV. I took along my E-5 and 12-60mm SWD, after a toss up between that and my 50-200mm Mk I. I thought I'd have the required focal lengths covered with an equivalent view of a 24-120mm and that the SWD would be perfect for fast, action shots. It didn't turn out too well. Turns out anything past f4 was quite limiting, and the noise from ISO 2500+ didn't sit with me well. The SWD worked very well, however.
This year, I was a bit more prepared. The kit I took with me was 2x 4GB CF, a spare battery, my E-5 and HLD-4 coupled to the 35-100mm and an EX-25 "just in case". I had really wanted the 150mm f2, but of course, I can't afford everything I want! One immediate plus for Olympus users here - a lot of venues won't let you take in telephoto lenses with a focal length of greater than 200mm. My 50-200mm would therefore get in, but the equivalent lens from other manufacturers (100-400mm) will have you stopped at the door. I'm hoping to go back again next year and walk straight in with a nice, new 150mm f2, but we'll see!! At least on this system it is possible to take in lenses you couldn't with other systems. Monopods and tripods are also on the prohibited list for us punters.
I used ESP metering and I estimated an ISO of 800 should do the trick, and decided to try my luck in Aperture Priority mode - set at f2. This way I figured I'd get the fastest shutter speed possible and still get decently exposed photos, the mistake I made last year was shooting either full Manual or Shutter Priority with Auto ISO with a lens that "only" went to f4 at the telephoto end. I started out shooting in JPEG LSF+RAW, but this started to eat through the memory so I just went straight into JPEG LSF. As the night worn on, I ended up bumping up the amber in the white balance (Sun+CWB) as the lights took more effect. Seemed to work. All photos you see here on Flickr are SOOC JPEG, hand held with I.S. 1.
Make no mistake, this is quite a heavy setup. My arms did start getting tired by the end of the night, but seeing as it started at around 1830 local and went on through until around 0130, it was less of an issue than I was expecting. A monopod would certainly had made the night easier.
An aperture of f2 is extremely challenging to use in such a circumstance, I figure the depth of field for the distance I was would have been would be +/- 2.5m, or giving me about 5m to play with to get the players in "acceptable" focus. Now this is what you are probably all waiting to hear about - the E-5's autofocus performance. No way was I even going to attempt to manual focus this, I'm good enough on my OM-1n for day to day shots, but this is too fast for me. Perhaps with practice, but AF was the order of the day. I tried initially with C-AFMF, biased towards the centre point, with the four surrounding it (think + pattern) as secondary, but the E-5 had a tendency to confuse the subject with the background. It would follow the subject, then pack it in and give me a wonderfully crisp background. So I reverted to S-AF for the rest of the night, biased to centre point.
This ensured better performance, but sometimes gave an annoying tendency to "pulse" the lens. Now let it be said - the issue with Olympus' autofocus is not the speed. It is the accuracy. The 35-100mm was more than up to the job speed wise, it just missed the mark a few times. I'm sure the fact you can set focal ranges (1.4m-infinity, 1.4m-3m and 3m-infinity) helps.
Having never used an EM-5 in anger, I can only go by what you and others have said of its autofocus capabilities. Likewise for the recent crop of APS-C and 35mm Equivalent DSLRs. However, if Olympus could give us EM-5 autofocus performance in a DSLR body, they would be onto an unbelievably capable camera, especially with one of those flash, new Sony sensors. As it stands, I really don't believe that my E-5 lets me down in the IQ department. Yes, noise becomes an issue with an "old" sensor beyond ISO 1600, but I didn't need to go past ISO 800 for this assignment. I guessed it, set it, left it. Love the results.
My skill improved as the night went on, and I eventually left the zoom jammed hard up against the 100mm mark. I pretty much ended up forgetting about the EX-25, but I think it would have initially eclipsed my skill in framing the players anyway. Certainly a go for next time, if not the 150mm. 😉
In summary, the E-5 is still a fantastic, incredibly capable camera. The only thing I would change is autofocus accuracy. You can see the results in this 78 shot set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-system/sets/72157632456373363/
If you don't have time (and have yet somehow read this far!) here are four of my favourites:
Anabel Medina Garrigues by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Ana Ivanovic by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Fernando Verdasco by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Novak Djokovic by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Of course, comments are criticism are welcome. I have also no doubt I have made many terminology errors, that will be picked up on shortly. I expect nothing less from the internet. At very least, I hope this will be informative and inspire others with E-System cameras to give sports photography a go, nay-sayers be damned.
The following was put together by me, if for no other reason than to encourage others to just go out and take photos no matter what equipment they have and maybe to restore some balance to the force that is the internet. :angel:
I'm sure everyone who keeps up with DSLRs has read about how rubbish the Olympus E-System is supposed to be at taking action shots. I decided to put this to the test, armed with my E-5 at a night tennis match (under lights, funnily enough) featuring Ana Ivanovic, Mens' World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues. A pretty demanding sort of test, if not strictly scientific.
When reading, please keep in mind my goal - to show that even an average hack with an "if you're not in it, you can't win it" attitude can walk away with decent shots from what is regarded as (and I hate to use this phrase because it isn't) a sub-par DSLR. I am not here to say it is better than a 5D, 7D, D300, D7000, D4, etc...however, I am very happy to say the E-5 comfortably outstripped my ability as a sports photographer and therefore would probably do the same for most people who don't own a $5000-$6000 1Dx/D4 body (or D3, whatever) for work purposes. Arguing over such things is pointless, just get out there and do it. 😉 I am extremely pleased with what I achieved on my second ever outing of taking such photos.
And of course, the E-5 is certainly NOT without its faults.
The following is my "review", for lack of a better word. A direct copy and paste from Flickr:
After hearing for years about how bad the E-System is supposedly at sports photography in low light, I thought I'd go out there and attempt it, rather than succumb to the seemingly endless moaning and groaning there is about it on the internet.
My background: I like my gear, I like taking photos. Something like a 60/40 split. I have never shot professionally and the photos I take are usually always for myself. I am a perfectionist (it isn't that fun) in life generally and that extends to my photos. As such I am always looking for the "perfect" photo, but I am yet to take it. I have really only been "serious" about photography as a past-time it in the last twelve months or so, but have been dabbling in it for at least 8 years, and have been fascinated by cameras for as long as I can remember.
My first crack at "sports" photography was at the same event last year, the 2012 Hopman Cup XXIV. I took along my E-5 and 12-60mm SWD, after a toss up between that and my 50-200mm Mk I. I thought I'd have the required focal lengths covered with an equivalent view of a 24-120mm and that the SWD would be perfect for fast, action shots. It didn't turn out too well. Turns out anything past f4 was quite limiting, and the noise from ISO 2500+ didn't sit with me well. The SWD worked very well, however.
This year, I was a bit more prepared. The kit I took with me was 2x 4GB CF, a spare battery, my E-5 and HLD-4 coupled to the 35-100mm and an EX-25 "just in case". I had really wanted the 150mm f2, but of course, I can't afford everything I want! One immediate plus for Olympus users here - a lot of venues won't let you take in telephoto lenses with a focal length of greater than 200mm. My 50-200mm would therefore get in, but the equivalent lens from other manufacturers (100-400mm) will have you stopped at the door. I'm hoping to go back again next year and walk straight in with a nice, new 150mm f2, but we'll see!! At least on this system it is possible to take in lenses you couldn't with other systems. Monopods and tripods are also on the prohibited list for us punters.
I used ESP metering and I estimated an ISO of 800 should do the trick, and decided to try my luck in Aperture Priority mode - set at f2. This way I figured I'd get the fastest shutter speed possible and still get decently exposed photos, the mistake I made last year was shooting either full Manual or Shutter Priority with Auto ISO with a lens that "only" went to f4 at the telephoto end. I started out shooting in JPEG LSF+RAW, but this started to eat through the memory so I just went straight into JPEG LSF. As the night worn on, I ended up bumping up the amber in the white balance (Sun+CWB) as the lights took more effect. Seemed to work. All photos you see here on Flickr are SOOC JPEG, hand held with I.S. 1.
Make no mistake, this is quite a heavy setup. My arms did start getting tired by the end of the night, but seeing as it started at around 1830 local and went on through until around 0130, it was less of an issue than I was expecting. A monopod would certainly had made the night easier.
An aperture of f2 is extremely challenging to use in such a circumstance, I figure the depth of field for the distance I was would have been would be +/- 2.5m, or giving me about 5m to play with to get the players in "acceptable" focus. Now this is what you are probably all waiting to hear about - the E-5's autofocus performance. No way was I even going to attempt to manual focus this, I'm good enough on my OM-1n for day to day shots, but this is too fast for me. Perhaps with practice, but AF was the order of the day. I tried initially with C-AFMF, biased towards the centre point, with the four surrounding it (think + pattern) as secondary, but the E-5 had a tendency to confuse the subject with the background. It would follow the subject, then pack it in and give me a wonderfully crisp background. So I reverted to S-AF for the rest of the night, biased to centre point.
This ensured better performance, but sometimes gave an annoying tendency to "pulse" the lens. Now let it be said - the issue with Olympus' autofocus is not the speed. It is the accuracy. The 35-100mm was more than up to the job speed wise, it just missed the mark a few times. I'm sure the fact you can set focal ranges (1.4m-infinity, 1.4m-3m and 3m-infinity) helps.
Having never used an EM-5 in anger, I can only go by what you and others have said of its autofocus capabilities. Likewise for the recent crop of APS-C and 35mm Equivalent DSLRs. However, if Olympus could give us EM-5 autofocus performance in a DSLR body, they would be onto an unbelievably capable camera, especially with one of those flash, new Sony sensors. As it stands, I really don't believe that my E-5 lets me down in the IQ department. Yes, noise becomes an issue with an "old" sensor beyond ISO 1600, but I didn't need to go past ISO 800 for this assignment. I guessed it, set it, left it. Love the results.
My skill improved as the night went on, and I eventually left the zoom jammed hard up against the 100mm mark. I pretty much ended up forgetting about the EX-25, but I think it would have initially eclipsed my skill in framing the players anyway. Certainly a go for next time, if not the 150mm. 😉
In summary, the E-5 is still a fantastic, incredibly capable camera. The only thing I would change is autofocus accuracy. You can see the results in this 78 shot set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-system/sets/72157632456373363/
If you don't have time (and have yet somehow read this far!) here are four of my favourites:
Anabel Medina Garrigues by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Ana Ivanovic by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Fernando Verdasco by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Novak Djokovic by Mystyler13, on Flickr
Of course, comments are criticism are welcome. I have also no doubt I have made many terminology errors, that will be picked up on shortly. I expect nothing less from the internet. At very least, I hope this will be informative and inspire others with E-System cameras to give sports photography a go, nay-sayers be damned.
