Which camera is easiest to operate on manual focusing legacy lens?

[tobler]

Which camera is easiest to operate on manual focusing legacy lens? g1, Gf1 or pen2?
I read that it is a pain to do mf on pen2 because the position of dialing wheel, is that true?
GF1 has click to zoom then focus which is so easy to use, is that right? How about G1? The dial wheel is different than gf1, how it pairs with manual focus lens? Thanks!

 

[PCB_RF]

Two important issues, IME, first is EVF, second is interface.

I find it much easier to focus mf lenses with an EVF, especially outdoors. I'd need the EVF on the GF1 or EP2. The EP2 EVF is better than the GF1. I like the G1 onboard EVF better than the EP2 detachable EVF.

I much prefer the Panny MF interface. I have a G1, which takes two button pushes to magnifiy view, easily done at eyelevel. Then touching the shutter release exits magnified view, making framing easy. The GF1 can have a one-touch magnified view, IIRC. ISO & WB buttons function independently of magnified view, unlike Oly EP2. I can magnify view, check focus, check exposure, raise/lower ISO and/or change WB without having to change the display mode.

EP2 magnified view is a one-button push _after_ changing display mode by pushing the Info button. Once in the proper display mode, pushing the OK button toggles between magnify/standard mode. Touching the shutter button doesn't exit magnified view, you have to push the OK button again. I prefer the Panny setup where shutter release returns view to standard mode.

Most frustrating with Oly is that the ISO/WB buttons don't function when the display mode is changed to allow magnified view---their function changes to moving the focus box around the screen. If you want to adjust ISO/WB you have to change the display mode by pushing the Info button. The camera has 3 or 4 different display modes by default, so it can take a couple of button pushes to restore the screen to a mode that returns function to the ISO/WB buttons, then another couple of pushes to get back to magnify mode.

I find this very frustrating, but I'm easily annoyed. :^} I went into custom functions to disable all but two display modes, so I only have to toggle between two displays, but that I have to toggle at all is annoying.

Of the three cameras you mention, the G1 is by far the best for MF. The GF1 is compromised by the not-great EVF, the EP2 is compromised by clunky interface. Just my opinion...

 

[tobler]

Thank you for pointing out the clunky interface annoyance of Pen, this is the exact information I was looking for, thanks again. I have made my decision on G1 now.

 

[PCB_RF]

Just a follow-up, I used my E-P1 to shoot my son's school band program last night. I had to use the E-P1 because I wanted to shoot some video, which my G1 doesn't have. I was using long mf lenses, a Soligor 135/2.0 and Canon FD 200/2.8, and focusing was difficult for me on the LCD. Depth of field was minimal, and ensuring focus even in magnified mode wasn't easy. It would have been much easier for me with the G1 EVF or an EP2/EPL1 EVF.

I guess the only thing I'd want to add to what I said yesterday was just be sure you don't need video capability. If you do, I'd vote for the GH1...

 

[splitimageview]

Or the G2...

 

[seakayaker1]

Use of Manual Lens with GF1

Use of Manual Lens with GF1

No experience with the other cameras mentioned but have used the GF1 for manual focus with:

Voigtlander 25mm f/4P Color Skopar, 50mm f/1.5, Aspherical Nokton & 75mm f/2.5 Color Heliar lenses.
Zeiss Contax G Planar T* 45mm, & Sonar T* 90mm.
Zeiss Contax Distagon T* 35mm
Yashica 50mm f/1.7

Enjoy the GF1 for its size and its flexibility to accommodate a variety of lenses.

I have used the EVF on bright days and it is adequate. I have also used one of the AF lens on bright days for ease of use.

Good luck with whatever your final decision.

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ Dan

 

[Y.B.hudson III]

the Olympus VF-2 viewfinder is superior to the Panasonic G1 finder... when used on the EPL-1 the ergonomics of activating the manual focus assist are also better than the G1. For bright sun photography, the EVF is essential; and did I say the RAW files of the EPL-1 are also superior? Well pixel peepers, they are...

I hope the price of t' G1 was right for it's 2 year old technology 🙂

 

[Burkey]

Once the E-P2 has the focus area box on the screen it's one click to get the magnification up in the EVF and one to get it out. Pretty simple actually.
. . . Burkey

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The GF1's one-touch magnification makes it the obvious choice...but I prefer the E-P2 for its stabilization, which is worth the slight inconvenience of its interface, to me.

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

I haven't used other m4/3 cameras then my newly acquired Pen E-P2 and it's manual focus is a breeze. For my hands (coming from long long long Nikon usage) it's completely natural. Bit tight on the controls but that's something to get used to when body is so small. But still, everything is where you would expect to find it. And in-body stabilization does wonders with older glasses. I have old tamron zoom lens at the moment on it (28-55mm F3.5 for nikon F mount) and it's easy to operate and to focus, faster glasses are even easier. Besides the continuous DOF view is something I love with this body, even if it makes focusing in the dark with small apertures a bit difficult (like focusing middle of the night using F32 on tripod for light painting) it's still worth it.

 

[KEH]

PCB_RF has nailed it. But in the end I prefer the look and feel of the EP2 with EVF, in spite of the interface issues. And the raw files are beautiful.

Kirk

 

[PCB_RF]

I figured it wouldn't take long for Oly Pen fans to speak up. Interfaces are funny that way, everyone has a preference and nobody is wrong. What works best for you is really all that matters. And, like KEH said, sometimes other factors are more important.

Just to be clear, my biggest issue with the Oly MF interface isn't toggling the magnified view on/off, which is pretty easy. What bothers me most is having to toggle through display modes to adjust ISO/WB when using mag view.

I change the ISO often. Especially w/mf lenses, I'm often indoors, with the lens wide open, and changing ISO is the only way to maintain shutter speed. Subject is near a lamp, ISO 400 works OK. Subject moves away from lamp, gotta bump up ISO to 1200. Have to refocus after subject moves away from lamp.

With my E-P1, I have to hit Info, adjust ISO, hit Info, hit OK to magnify. If the subject moves back near the lamp, you gotta do it all over again. It's tolerable for me because I only have two display modes active. If you want to keep some other display modes active, you have to hit the Info button many more times.

The G1 toggles mag view off with the shutter release, which I find more intuitive, or pushing the Menu/Set button. It is much quicker and easier to exit mag view to adjust ISO/WB, then jump back to mag view.

For me. YMMV.....

 

[tonyjuliano]

I figured it wouldn't take long for Oly Pen fans to speak up. Interfaces are funny that way, everyone has a preference and nobody is wrong. What works best for you is really all that matters. And, like KEH said, sometimes other factors are more important.

Just to be clear, my biggest issue with the Oly MF interface isn't toggling the magnified view on/off, which is pretty easy. What bothers me most is having to toggle through display modes to adjust ISO/WB when using mag view.

I change the ISO often. Especially w/mf lenses, I'm often indoors, with the lens wide open, and changing ISO is the only way to maintain shutter speed. Subject is near a lamp, ISO 400 works OK. Subject moves away from lamp, gotta bump up ISO to 1200. Have to refocus after subject moves away from lamp.

With my E-P1, I have to hit Info, adjust ISO, hit Info, hit OK to magnify. If the subject moves back near the lamp, you gotta do it all over again. It's tolerable for me because I only have two display modes active. If you want to keep some other display modes active, you have to hit the Info button many more times.

The G1 toggles mag view off with the shutter release, which I find more intuitive, or pushing the Menu/Set button. It is much quicker and easier to exit mag view to adjust ISO/WB, then jump back to mag view.

For me. YMMV.....

There is a much better solution on the Oly PEN...

Set the ISO to "Auto", then shutter priority mode. This way you control the shutter speed and aperture, and the camera ramps the ISO up and down accordingly.

Simple.

 

[Dogman]

Since one of the reasons I bought into the micro 4/3 system was the ability to use my Leica-mount lenses, I was disappointed when I tried to use them with the E-P1. When the price dropped on the G1 recently, I bought one and it is now simple and easy to MF. No need for the focus magnification option, even for my aging eyes. The EVF makes a huge difference for me. Also, the Oly interface kind of sucks until you figure out how you want to use the camera and how to set it up for your use. I mainly used 35 and 50 Summicrons on my Leicas so I use the Oly 17mm and 4/3 25mm (with Lumix adapter). With the 17mm, I use the Oly optical finder and with the 25mm I use an old E. Leitz 50mm brightline finder. Once I got the buttons assigned to suit my purposes, the E-P1 has become my favorite camera for everything other than manual focusing. One of these days, I may have to buy an E-P2 or E-PL1 with EVF. Until then, the G1 does the trick for me.

 

[PCB_RF]

There is a much better solution on the Oly PEN...

Set the ISO to "Auto", then shutter priority mode. This way you control the shutter speed and aperture, and the camera ramps the ISO up and down accordingly.

Simple.

Auto ISO doesn't work well for me, I disagree with the camera's choice too often....

 

[chrisso]

I only have experience with the GH-1, but it's really good with manual focus and I'm enjoying using all kinds of legacy lenses with it, including my M lenses.

 

[Santtu Määttänen]

I use my E-P2 on aperture priority, only 🙂 Actually I've only tested other modes briefly but only really use aperture priority (and then use exposure compensation when needed).

And focusing is a breeze, with EVF that is. I love to shoot with legacy lenses and the IBIS really works really well, I can shoot 50mm Nikkor f1.2 (at f1.2) and get the focus right and with IBIS my shutter speeds can go as low as 1/10th of a second or there abouts with out any issues sometimes even slower. That combined with usable iso 800 (and 1600-2000-2500 for black and white high contrast stuff) allows me to shoot almost at any situation, only rarely I would wish that the iso could go even higher (in usable manner), like when taking snapshots in a stormy night with out any additional light then the moon that sort of glooms through the clouds.

 

[JoeV]

I captured this image earlier this week, on the G1 with a 50-f/1.7 Rokkor lens. I had the camera on "A" mode, the lens set to about f/4 or so, and the focus ring already preset from the previous shot I'd made. Walking up this alley, I spotted the man when he was already almost half way across the alley. I only had time to put the camera up to my eye and release the shutter. I'm pleased with the results, the best street shot I've had in a while. I can't see an AF lens being any faster; might in fact have been slower. Presetting the focus and aperture is really the way to go with manual lenses for street shooting.

~Joe

EDIT: Wanted to mention that the EVF of the G1 played an important part in quickly capturing this fleeting moment.

 

[mugent]

I've used to have a GF1 with EVF, the EVF is pretty bad, nothing close to the G1 or G2 finder. I could focus a Nokton when zooming in, but it was a pain, as you click the dial to go into focus mode, which is the same button for aperture/shutter/exp. comp. It just doesn't work well. I couldn't focus reliably using the EVF, the resolution is just too poor.

I currently use a NEX, much clearer screen, visible in even quite bright light. I can focus the Nokton without zooming, but when I do zoom, it's a separate button, so much better.

But... No EVF for the NEX, which is a real shame. The OVF is fine, but it doesn't help with focus of course.

I miss the GF1 sometimes, or rather the 20mm lens, but the NEX is better for manual focus lens IMHO.

MT

 

[darya150]

I'm really a noob and would like to get a MFT camera for legacy glass and gather from the above posts, that the G1 is the most direct, the simplest for focusing a manual focus lens. I had a little difficulty visualizing how the EP2 actually focuses manually, it seems there a a few steps, including setting ISO - which does change, as the light changes! I use a Ricoh GRD IV, which is very clear and logical - and a wonderful camera for street work. Unfortunately, can't mount lenses on it. Suggestions are welcome!
Darya