Newsletter Overview

Table of contents

• Sponsors
• Features
  • Sony A7 vs. A7R: Which Alpha is more alpha? 
  • The glories of nature: We announce our September Photo of the Day monthly winners 
• Reviews
  • Pentax 645Z Shooter's Report Part II
  • Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro Lens Review

• Quick Hits
  • Nikon D750 Sample Gallery
  • Panasonic GM5 First Shots
  • Panasonic LX100 Sample Gallery
  • Pentax 645Z Image Quality Analysis
  • Nikon 1 10-30mm Lens Review
• Popular News
• Next Issue
• Signoff

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Sponsors

Sigma

Sigma's approach to photographic equipment is based on quality, craftsmanship, value, customization and responsibility to photographers and the environment. All encompassed in our breakthrough, award-winning Global Vision lenses:

•     18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM
•     35mm F1.4 DG HSM
•     17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
•     120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM
•     USB Dock

All designed to deliver the highest optical quality and performance.
 

Samsung

Features

Sony A7 vs. A7R: Which Alpha is more alpha?

When Sony announced the A7 and A7R, they captured the attention of many photographers. No longer did full-frame image quality mean a hulking a large DSLR (or a Leica-sized dent in your pocketbook); the glorious image quality of full-frame cameras could now be had for a fraction of the size and price as before. To be sure, the two cameras are not without their downsides (shooting speed and lens selection being two good examples), but they're both fantastic cameras. In fact, many photographers didn't ask themselves 'should I buy a mirrorless Alpha?' but rather, 'which mirrorless Alpha should I buy?' 

Based on the interest in these cameras and our own love for them, we thought we'd take a deep dive into their respective capabilities to render an opinion on the matchup. Ever wondered which of these cameras is the top dog? Curious to know which is the 'most alpha' Alpha? Head over to our Sony A7 vs. A7R comparison review to see how they stack up and find the right A7-Series camera for you.
 

The glories of nature: We announce our September Photo of the Day monthly winners

by Dave Pardue

Sometimes our monthly Photo of the Day contest winners and runners-up have a common theme to them. We certainly don't plan it that way - we simply vote on the ones we like and then the votes are tallied. But when it happens, it's interesting to take note of it.

This month, the central theme is clear -- nature! And we have some splendid examples of nature photography on display below, from a wonderful macro by Abeselom Zerit taking the top prize to a few excellent examples of nature photography at its finest from two of our acclaimed regulars, Jimmy Marz and Debra S. Dorothy. These are followed by two more amazing photographs covering a few serene, majestic scenes by Graeme Chow and Bill McFall.

Thanks so much to everyone who enters our Photo of the Day contest, and congratulations to the winners this month! The top three all receive gift certificates from Adorama of $300, $200 and $100, respectively. Please keep the wonderful submissions coming our way!

Below are the winning images from September with comments from Imaging Resource publisher Dave Etchells:

First place • Milkweed Beetle by Abeselom Zerit • Nikon D800

As you might expect, we get a lot of macro photos of bugs among our POTD submissions. And why not? They're interesting critters, macro shots of them and their world are almost inherently interesting, and they're everywhere, so there's no shortage of subjects.

Given so many bug-photo submissions, though, it takes more than a little to stand out. Abeselom's shot of this milkweed beetle is pretty exceptional, though. The framing is great, focus is tack-sharp on the beetle and leaf, yet the background is beautifully blurred. Not only that, but it's a great composition. The shape of the leaf and large central vein immediately direct your eyes to the subject, and we particularly like the way the beautiful curving edges of the leaf draw the eye. There's another subtle, but I think very important component to the picture, which is the way the structure of the soft background reinforces the central composition. Even blurred as much as they are, if the lines in the background were, say, horizontal, or at some constant, straight angle, they'd detract greatly from the composition. As it is, they serve to further frame and direct attention to the central subject. All in all, a gorgeous shot, kudos to Abeselom for capturing it!
- - -

Second place • Fox and Friends by Jimmy Marz • Canon 70D

Once again, nature photographer Jimmy Marz' local family of friendly foxes have led him to the winner's circle.  We've featured photos of what we assume were different members of this same fox family multiple times in the past. This one is a great group portrait of four of them, and we loved the way the multiple subjects are positioned in the frame. There are nice textural and tonal contrasts between the rippled reflections in the foreground, the pebbled beach in the same plane as the subjects, and the blurred green and grey background. The greenish background provides great contrast against the foxes' red fur, as does the light-grey beach pebbles against their black legs. There's also a sort of a "horizon line" that the foxes' bodies rest on (the streak of grey in the near background). Leading lines in the foreground reflections initially direct our eyes to the pair roughly in the middle, but then the way the other two stand out in such dramatic relief against the background pulls our eyes over to them. (It's interesting to note that there's both a color contrast and a very strong textural one at work here; part of why the foxes stand out so prominently is the contrast between the crisp details of their faces and ears against the soft background shapes.) There's a tension between the two pairs of subjects that keeps our eyes engaged much longer than they would be if this were just a portrait of the central pair in isolation. All in all, another great photo from Jimmy.
- - -
(Check the comments on this article on our site, for some re-analysis of Jimmy's photo above, prompted by reader observations. It's interesting stuff, and the reader feedback has led us to change some of how we'll be evaluate winners going forward.)


Third place • In His Element by Debra S. Dorothy • Canon 5D Mark II

This is another re-appearance by IR POTD regular Debra Dorothy, whose specialty (one of them, anyway) is bird pictures. We found this shot unusual and prize-worthy in a couple of ways. First, it's a very unusual shot, in terms of the wing angles and the angle of the bird relative to the camera. The wing angles in particular set it apart from most bird shots we've seen. The general shape and lower edge of the left wing (our left, not the bird's) both directs attention to and frames the bird's head and beak, and everything except the right wing creates a very strong, angled composition. The bird's bill and underside of its body extend the line of the left wing, strengthening the diagonal orientation. Then there's that right wing. It juts out at a sharp angle from the lines established by the rest of the composition, and also has much stronger, contrasting detail than any of the rest of the bird's body, save the head. I confess to slightly mixed initial feelings about it, but the more I've looked at and studied the image, the more I like it. It adds contrast and tension, and if I consider what the picture would look like without it, I find that much less interesting than having it there. It's kind of interesting - I started liking it more once my eyes discovered that it's almost perfectly perpendicular to the strong, nearly horizontal line created by the upper edge of the left wing and the bird's tail. There's some detail in the left wing that also creates a vertical line, and the two verticals together frame the bird's head more. It's odd; until I saw the almost-right angle created by the right wing, it seemed disjointed and at odds with the rest of the composition. Once I saw it, though, my whole impression of the picture changed, to the extent that my eyes now scan it entirely differently than they did at first. Whatever the case, leaving all this perhaps slightly belabored analysis aside, it's another great photo from Debra!

- - -

And here are our two worthy runners-up for September; a lovely scene with Red Dot Cranes flying into the sunset by repeat winner Graeme Chow, and an idyllic Wild West cabin-in-the-wilderness shot from Bill McFall. Congrats on the two great photos, guys!


First runner-up • Red dot cranes in sunset by Graeme Chow • Nikon D800E


Second runner-up • The Old West by Bill McFall • Nikon D50

For anyone wanting to know more about our competition please visit this news story which describes our contest and also offers some useful tips to help you succeed. To see camera and exposure information on this month's winners or to visit previous months please visit our POTD winner's gallery.

[Ready to submit a photo of your own? Just click here! And to compliment these photographers on their submissions or offer your own analysis, please use the comments section below.]

Reviews

Pentax 645Z Shooter’s Report Part II

The medium-format camera, unleashed!

by Mike Tomkins 

For years now, medium-format cameras have occupied a small niche at the very top of the digital camera market. For most photographers, extremely high pricetags weren't all that kept us away. While there was no question which cameras you turned to when resolution was the be-all and end-all of your planned creations, limited sensitivity and performance as well as modest feature-sets have so far kept medium-format cameras out of the mainstream.

The Pentax 645Z marks the first of a new breed: The medium-format camera unleashed, if you will. No longer are these roomy sensors hobbled by low sensitivity, limited shutter range and absolutely pedestrian burst shooting. Perhaps even more impressively, features like live view and movie capture are now possible. Thanks to a switch from a CCD to a CMOS sensor, the Pentax 645Z can shoot Full HD video, offers sensitivities up to a whopping ISO 204,800 equivalent and can shoot long exposures of 30 seconds and beyond in bulb mode.

ISO 100, 6.0s, f/8.0; smc PENTAX-FA 645 75mm F2.8 lens

And even the pricetag is impressive, by medium-format standards anyway. With a list price of US$8,500, the Pentax 645Z costs just 6% more than Nikon's flagship D3X full-frame DSLR, and a quarter more than Canon's top-of-the-line EOS-1D X -- and that despite the 645Z sporting fully two-thirds more sensor real estate than either camera.

In-cam HDR. Base ISO 100, 5.0s, f/2.8; smc PENTAX-D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL [IF] SDM AW lens

In my second Pentax 645Z Shooter's Report blog, I took Ricoh's flagship DSLR far, far outside of the traditional medium-format comfort zone for a test of its high ISO, long exposure, raw HDR and movie-shooting chops, both in beautiful Colorado and back home here in east Tennessee. How did it handle some more challenging shooting? Read Part II of my Pentax 645Z Shooter's Report, and find out!

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro Lens Review

Currently, the best telephoto zoom for Micro Four Thirds

by William Brawley

To follow up on our hands-on look at the new Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro telephoto zoom lens, our full, in-depth review is now complete, including test results, sample test-chart images and our final conclusion!

Officially announced this year just prior to Photokina in September, this telephoto zoom lens is the latest move in Olympus's drive to sway professional photographers away from their big, bulky DSLRs and into the more compact yet still high-performance OM-D family. Boasting a versatile 80-300mm-equivalent focal length range, a constant f/2.8 aperture and a rugged, all-metal build with comprehensive weather sealing (splashproof, freezeproof and dustproof), the 40-150mm Pro lens is a serious optic for OM-D and other Micro Four Thirds photographers.


In the hand, the build quality of the 40-150 f/2.8, like the 12-40mm Pro, is excellent, with a very solid feel and buttery-smooth zoom and focus rings. Compared to its DSLR counterparts, the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 lens is refreshingly lightweight. If you're used to lugging around a large 70-200mm f/2.8-type lens for a DSLR, the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 is a nice change not only for weight, but also for sheer compactness. (To be fair, the 70-200mm f/4 variants for DSLRs are very similar in size and weight to this Olympus lens.) Nonetheless, the entire system, with the lens on an E-M1, for example, feels very compact and comfortable, even for extended shooting periods. No longer are professional and enthusiast photographers beholden to their large, heavy DSLR telephoto zooms if they want a tele lens with bright aperture, rugged weather-sealed build quality and compatibility with teleconverters. 

E-M1 (with MC-1.4x teleconverter): 210mm, f/5.6, 1/500s, ISO 250
Image has not been retouched/edited. Click image for full-size (or RAW).

Sharpness is excellent -- we're talking prime lens quality here -- vignetting and distortion control are alsol spectacular. We did, however, find some issues with CA, particularly in the corners -- but nothing that a couple sliders in Lightroom or your photo editing software of choice can't clear up.

For all the nitty-gritty details, including our full range of test shots, graphs and analysis, head over to SLRgear.com for our in-depth Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro review. For full-resolution sample images, head over to the Olympus E-M1 Gallery Page, for more sample images, including RAWs and JPEGs! (Just be sure to click on images with "-40_150Pro" at the end of the file name.)

The Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro is fully weather-sealed for splashes, dust and freezing.

The Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 M.Zuiko Pro, as well as the MC-1.4x teleconverter (review coming soon) are currently available for pre-order for $1,499 and $349, respectively. Olympus's own online store indicates that both items will begin shipping in mid-November. The lens ships with front and rear caps, lens hood and a detachable metal tripod collar. Pre-order from one of our trusted affiliates: Amazon (lens, teleconverter), Adorama (lens, teleconverter), and B&H (lens, teleconverter) -- Purchasing this lens, or any other product from these retailers through one of our links, helps make it possible to keep bringing you these tests and reviews!

QUICK HITS

Nikon D750 Sample Gallery

Nikon D750 enchants on the Isle of Enchantment: Real-world shots from Nikon’s latest full-frame

by Dave Pardue

IR's Arthur Etchells got a chance to shoot with the Nikon D750 on a recent press tour Nikon hosted in Puerto Rico .

The Isle of Enchantment lived up to its name, and the D750 delivered great image quality across a range of conditions. The shallow depth of field at wide apertures and the D750's excellent high-ISO noise levels underscored the strengths of full-frame DSLRs in general, and the D750 in particular. See the reduced-to-fit versions below, or click through to our Nikon D750 gallery page for links to the full-sized JPEGs as well as NEF-format RAW files for all the shots.

 

Panasonic GM5 First Shots

The ‘refined’ GM1 adds features, but is its image quality still as impressive?

by William Brawley

Hot on the heels of the LX100's first visit to our test lab, the diminuative yet powerful new Panasonic GM5 has hit our testing ground as well. The Panasonic GM1, the first truly micro Micro Four Thirds camera, was a huge hit here at IR -- small, sturdy and maintained the impressive image quality that comes with so many of the Micro Four Thirds cameras. However, being such a small camera, Panasonic had to tone it down on features and amenities. 

With the new GM5, they've managed to fit in many of the big ticket items that many photographers yearned for with the "original" version -- namely, an EVF and 1080/60p video. They also added a hot shoe in lieu of a pop-up flash. It might be a bit bigger than it's earlier cousin, but it's still definitely one of the most pocketable ILCs out there.

Now, in terms of performance, the "guts" of the camera do not differ a whole lot from the GM1. The GM5 keeps the same 16MP Live MOS Four Thirds sensor and Venus Engine image processor, and with that the image quality from this tiny ILC should be quite impressive and similar to the GM1. 

To see for yourself, head over to our Panasonic GM5 First Shots lab sample images and take a look. Not only can you view full resolution test images, but can also pit the GM5 against the competing models, such as the Sony RX100 III, Samsung NX Mini, Panasonic LX100 or any other camera we've ever tested in our Comparometer across the available ISO spectrum.

ISO 3200: GM5 (left) vs GM1 (right)

ISO 3200: GM5 (left) vs Sony RX100 III (right)

ISO 3200: GM5 (left) vs NX Mini (right)

Stay tuned for more on the Panasonic GM5! 

Panasonic LX100 gallery

The world’s first Four Thirds fixed lens camera goes walkabout

[Update 10-15-14: Based on the popularity of this camera and several reader requests we've now updated our LX100 gallery. Thanks to Ilias G. for suggesting mechanical shutter, a 3:2 aspect ratio and adding the extended ISO 100 (note: "extended" must be enabled in the menu in order to access ISO 100). We've also added several comparison shots using mechanical shutter and electronic shutter for a side-by-side comparison of a high contrast image ("SHTR" in file name), a brief outdoor aperture series (f/2.8. 5.6, 11) and lastly addressed a reader email asking for an indoor shot at f/1.7.]

Last Monday we brought you our initial lab test images from the Panasonic LX100, an offering aimed squarely at the Sony RX100 series market, and from the response on our site there is clearly a great deal of interest out there from many of our readers.

We therefore wanted to waste no time in getting you an initial batch of real-world gallery images. In the gallery you'll find indoor shots, outdoor shots, a variety of ISOs and even a small taste of Disney On Ice (sorry, but I already ate that piece of sea bass or I'd let you taste it too).

Our LX100 sample unit will travel next to our Knoxville office and reviewer Mike Tomkins, so stay tuned for the full monty coming shortly. In the meantime here are a few gallery images resized to fit this page to get you started. Clicking on any of them will take you to a carrier page where you can access EXIF data and the full resolution image.

1/2000s / f/3.5 / ISO 200 

 

[1:1 crop from above image]
 

1/320s / f/2.8 / ISO 200
 

1/80s / f/2.1 / ISO 1600
 

1/125s / f/2.8 / ISO 1000
 

1/2000s / f/5 / ISO 200

[quick links: Panasonic LX100 • Gallery • Lab Samples • LX100 vs RX100 III]

Pentax 645Z Image Quality Analysis

See how the new mid-priced full frame Nikon stacks up to the competition

Our coverage of the new 51MP medium-format Pentax 645Z continues with our famous image quality comparison and print quality analysis. Given its massive new 51-megapixel CMOS sensor, the 645Z is pretty much in a league of its own -- apart from other high-end medium format cameras, of course -- especially against other DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Nevertheless, full-frame sensors are making leaps and bounds in the resolution department, and there are a few models that are testing the boundaries between 35mm full-frame cameras and medium format territory, namely, the Nikon D810 and Sony A7R, which both feature just over 36 megapixels in resolution.

Now, comparing a 51MP medium-format camera to a couple of 36MP full-frame ones may seem like an apples-to-oranges comparison, but given the level of detail and sheer resolution that these two full-frame cameras can pump out, many photographers are surely wondering if medium format is even necessary now, or whether the higher resolution from cameras like the 645Z is still king for things like landscapes, studio portrait and other commercial photography work.

Another aspect of comparing the new Pentax 645Z to both its predecessor, the Pentax 645D, and these two 36MP full-frame cameras, is the 645Z's ability to shoot at higher ISOs. The 645D's CCD sensor topped out at a mere ISO 1600, and nowadays, most cameras shoot way past that sensitivity. The 645Z follows this trend with the ability to shoot up to a whopping ISO 204,800. At a more appropriate level with our comparisons, you can now see how the 645Z performs at ISO 3200 compared to these two high-res 35mm cameras.

 

Head over to our Pentax 645Z Image Quality Comparison, as well as our Print Quality Analysisto see how this new medium-format monster performs, both on-screen and in real life, as ISO sensitivity rises. 

*[Note: we no longer provide print quality ratings for sizes larger than 30 x 40 inches, as we felt this wasn't particularly meaningful. At low ISOs, print sizes from high-quality cameras are pretty much limited only by their resolution, vs noise and noise-reduction processing. Going forward, we'll simply note "30x40 or larger" for cameras that achieve that level. As we see it, the real challenge comes at higher ISOs, where noise and noise-reduction processing become bigger factors, and maximum sizes would be more representative of sizes a majority of users would actually print at.]

And if you haven't done so already, be sure to check out Mike Tomkin's latest Shooter's Report installment, in which he tested this big boy in some more challenging or unique shooting situations, including high ISO, HDR as well as video shooting.

Nikon 1 10-30mm Power Zoom lens review

Refreshed 1-Series kit zoom: good quality, small size and electric zoom

The Nikon 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom Nikkor VR, the new kit lens for Nikon's 1-series cameras, was introduced in March of 2014 alongside the new flagship V3. We've just published our full review of the Nikon V3 itself, so it seemed like a great opportunity to test the updated lens as well.

The new 10-30 mm lens features an electronic zoom, as denoted by the "PD-Zoom" in the model name, and is smaller than the original 10-30mm lens. Designed to fit the Nikon CX mount, offering the equivalent of a 27-81mm field of view, thanks to the 1-series sensor's crop factor of 2.7x. Unlike the original lens, it now does not have a lens cap, but rather a built-in lens cover like many point and shoot cameras. This design change also eliminates filter threads.

Image quality is very good and CA is well-controlled, however there are some noticeable issues with vignetting and more so with distortion. Autofocus speed is very fast, but the all-electric design and lack of manual focus ring makes manual focusing a bit clunky. To get all the details, head on over to SLRgear to read the full Nikon 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom review, complete with our in-depth report and final conclusion, as well as our full range of test results and sample images.

The Nikon 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom lens is currently available now for $296.95, and can be purchased from one of our trusted affiliates: Amazon, Adorama and B&H. Purchasing this lens, or any other item at one of these retailers helps support this site and keeps the reviews coming!

In the meantime, check out some sample photos shot by our senior lens technician Rob Murray using the Nikon V3. You can view more sample photos, plus download the full-resolution files, over at our Flickr page.

10mm, f/9, 1/500s, ISO 400
 

10mm, f/8, 1/400s, ISO 400
 

25.6mm, f/5.3, 1/320s, ISO 400

Popular News on the Site

At http://www.imaging-resource.com/news you can keep track of the photo news on our main site. Among the most popular stories over the last couple of weeks:

• Hands-on with the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro (and 1.4x TC): A pro quality lens without the ‘pro’ bulk
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/14/hands-on-with-the-olympus-40-150mm-f-2.8-pro-and-1.4x-teleconverter-a-pro-q
• New imaging technology claims to be 12 times as color-sensitive as conventional sensors
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/07/new-imaging-technology-claims-to-be-12-times-as-color-sensitive-as-conventi
• Canon teases large-sensor, long-zoom compact camera
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/09/canon-teases-large-sensor-long-zoom-compact-camera
• Lights, camera, trash ‘em: Samsung wants Hollywood to Ditch the DSLR too
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/13/lights-camera-trash-em-samsung-wants-hollywood-to-ditch-the-dslr-too
• New lithium-ion battery tech could charge in minutes, keep working for decades
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/13/new-lithium-ion-battery-tech-could-charge-in-minutes-keep-working-for-decad
• Citizen sent a photographer around the globe to capture multiple sunsets in a single day
  • http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/10/06/citizen-sent-a-photographer-around-the-globe-to-capture-multiple-sunsets-in

Next Issue

Signoff

That's it for now, but between issues visit our site for the latest news, reviews, or to have your questions answered in our free discussion forum. Here are the links to our most popular pages:

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Review Index: http://www.imaging-resource.com/camera-reviews
IR Photo Contest: http://www.dailydigitalphoto.com
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Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/IR_Lab

Happy snapping!
Dave Etchells & the IR Editorial Team

[email protected]
(Please use this email address for any questions or other correspondence; it's the only one we're checking these days for Newsletter-related reader emails.)