Noob jumping in the mirror less world

[will_f]

Hi all, I'm a strictly amateur photographer who used to shoot film in a Pentax ME super back in the early 80s through mid 90s. In the late 90's I bought an Olympus digital and have been using one form or another of point and shoots since the late 90's, some moderately configurable, some not so much.

Well, I recently decided I wanted pics like I used to shoot with my old Pentax so I impulse bought an Olympus Pen-E-PL3 kit and an Olympus digital ED 45 f1.8. Here's my questions:

1) Did I screw up with getting a PL3? I'm shooting for my own entertainment and I don't need huge resolution. Easily portable, lots of user settings and vibrant sharp picture quality is the goal.

2) I shoot a lot of macro shots of machine parts (trying to capture surface texture and shapes). Do I need another lens? If so, what do you recommend?

3) I'm thinking about getting an Olympus FL-36R flash, but they sure are spendy. Worth it over the flash it comes with? I had a halfway decent flash for my Pentax that I could bounce and was invaluable when shooting indoors, but I was usually shooting ISO 100 to 400 so no surprise there.

4) a lot of the pics will end up on various family member's Facebook accounst so I bought an eye-fi mobi to transfer the pics to my IPad. What's a recommended editor app?

Thanks for your help,


Will

 

[Derrel]

I've heard the Oly 45/1.8 is a fine lens. So that's always nice, to have a really wonderful LENS for a new camera! Flash...there are differing needs for flash units; some people want seamless, perfect integration with TTL flash metering and ambient-to-flash balancing, high-quality build, mfr's warranty, and good resale value, which is what camera maker flashes give. For people who shoot macro and close-up stuff, it's often more about fractional power setting, PC ports for cord connections, and other matters like that, where the main issue is say, the ability to dial the flash DOWN in power enough to be really useful, in which case having fine, incremental manual, fractional power like say 1/128,1/64,1/32,1/16, 1/8,1/4,1/2,Full is an issue for some people.

As to bounce flash indoors: you have two choices, FULL-flash, and simple fill-flash. In one, the flash provides ALL the exposure; in the second, the flash is being used to lighten just the shadows, and that helps prevent noisy shadows AND brings detail to the shadows; in FULL-flash, also called flash as mainlight work, using higher ISO values is the norm unless you have a butt-kicking flash like a Sunpak 622 or Metz 45 series or a Norman, or off-camera studio flash.

You ought to have fun with the new camera. Not sure how large or small the machine parts are: if they are small, a macro lens might be nice, yeah.

 

[Ron Evers]

Hi all, I'm a strictly amateur photographer who used to shoot film in a Pentax ME super back in the early 80s through mid 90s. In the late 90's I bought an Olympus digital and have been using one form or another of point and shoots since the late 90's, some moderately configurable, some not so much.

Well, I recently decided I wanted pics like I used to shoot with my old Pentax so I impulse bought an Olympus Pen-E-PL3 kit and an Olympus digital ED 45 f1.8. Here's my questions:

1) Did I screw up with getting a PL3? I'm shooting for my own entertainment and I don't need huge resolution. Easily portable, lots of user settings and vibrant sharp picture quality is the goal.

It is now a two year old model but it got a solid 4 out of 5 rating when it came out - see reviews here:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Olym...lla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr


2) I shoot a lot of macro shots of machine parts (trying to capture surface texture and shapes). Do I need another lens? If so, what do you recommend?

I recommend an inexpensive legacy macro lens + appropriate adapter. I use both Minolta & Canon FD 50/3.5s plus a Super Takumar 100/4. They are equal performers but I prefer the Canon because it is much lighter than the other two.

3) I'm thinking about getting an Olympus FL-36R flash, but they sure are spendy. Worth it over the flash it comes with? I had a halfway decent flash for my Pentax that I could bounce and was invaluable when shooting indoors, but I was usually shooting ISO 100 to 400 so no surprise there.

A compact flash that can be bounced is the Oly. FL-300R that can be had inexpensively as a factory rehab @ this link:

Olympus PEN FL-300R Electronic Flash for Micro Four Thirds - Factory Demo includes Full 1 Year Warranty

It might actually be new. I have bought a rehab lens & a camera from them & they both appeared new.


4) a lot of the pics will end up on various family member's Facebook accounst so I bought an eye-fi mobi to transfer the pics to my IPad. What's a recommended editor app?

Thanks for your help,


Will

This is a camera that you are more likely to take with you than a big DSLR.

 

[will_f]

I've heard the Oly 45/1.8 is a fine lens. So that's always nice, to have a really wonderful LENS for a new camera! Flash...there are differing needs for flash units; some people want seamless, perfect integration with TTL flash metering and ambient-to-flash balancing, high-quality build, mfr's warranty, and good resale value, which is what camera maker flashes give. For people who shoot macro and close-up stuff, it's often more about fractional power setting, PC ports for cord connections, and other matters like that, where the main issue is say, the ability to dial the flash DOWN in power enough to be really useful, in which case having fine, incremental manual, fractional power like say 1/128,1/64,1/32,1/16, 1/8,1/4,1/2,Full is an issue for some people.

As to bounce flash indoors: you have two choices, FULL-flash, and simple fill-flash. In one, the flash provides ALL the exposure; in the second, the flash is being used to lighten just the shadows, and that helps prevent noisy shadows AND brings detail to the shadows; in FULL-flash, also called flash as mainlight work, using higher ISO values is the norm unless you have a butt-kicking flash like a Sunpak 622 or Metz 45 series or a Norman, or off-camera studio flash.

You ought to have fun with the new camera. Not sure how large or small the machine parts are: if they are small, a macro lens might be nice, yeah.

To give an Idea what kind of machine part detail, I've attached a pic I shot at the office of a watch movement. The viewed area is a little less than 1/2 inch across and I shot it while holding it about 1 foot away from a mix of 2500k and 6000k fluorescent tubes. The camera was the office point and shoot (Nikon P80 I think?).

 

[will_f]

Hi all, I'm a strictly amateur photographer who used to shoot film in a Pentax ME super back in the early 80s through mid 90s. In the late 90's I bought an Olympus digital and have been using one form or another of point and shoots since the late 90's, some moderately configurable, some not so much.

Well, I recently decided I wanted pics like I used to shoot with my old Pentax so I impulse bought an Olympus Pen-E-PL3 kit and an Olympus digital ED 45 f1.8. Here's my questions:

1) Did I screw up with getting a PL3? I'm shooting for my own entertainment and I don't need huge resolution. Easily portable, lots of user settings and vibrant sharp picture quality is the goal.

It is now a two year old model but it got a solid 4 out of 5 rating when it came out - see reviews here:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Olym...lla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr


2) I shoot a lot of macro shots of machine parts (trying to capture surface texture and shapes). Do I need another lens? If so, what do you recommend?

I recommend an inexpensive legacy macro lens + appropriate adapter. I use both Minolta & Canon FD 50/3.5s plus a Super Takumar 100/4. They are equal performers but I prefer the Canon because it is much lighter than the other two.

3) I'm thinking about getting an Olympus FL-36R flash, but they sure are spendy. Worth it over the flash it comes with? I had a halfway decent flash for my Pentax that I could bounce and was invaluable when shooting indoors, but I was usually shooting ISO 100 to 400 so no surprise there.

A compact flash that can be bounced is the Oly. FL-300R that can be had inexpensively as a factory rehab @ this link:

Olympus PEN FL-300R Electronic Flash for Micro Four Thirds - Factory Demo includes Full 1 Year Warranty

It might actually be new. I have bought a rehab lens & a camera from them & they both appeared new.


4) a lot of the pics will end up on various family member's Facebook accounst so I bought an eye-fi mobi to transfer the pics to my IPad. What's a recommended editor app?

Thanks for your help,


Will

This is a camera that you are more likely to take with you than a big DSLR.

Thanks Ron. The FL-300R sounds like a nice option and so does using a legacy lens.

Will

 

[Derrel]

Any number of relatively small, low-powered electronic flash units, mounted on a bracket and aimed sort of down-and-across the lens coverage area could give decent lighting. A small diffusion system (micro softbox, white nylon "balloon", milk-jug rig, Sto-Fen diffuser cap, whatever) could light small macro subjects like that.

You would want an off-camera connecting cord of one type or another; either a "TTL remote connecting cord", or just a simple PC connector cord. The TTL cord has the potential for "smart" flash metering, while the plain old PC cord connector is going to be "dumb" flash metering and old-fashioned human-powered setting and correcting of exposures and flash outputs. For really small stuff like watch movements, a macro lens would be handy, and would probably give better flat field lens performance than a non-macro lens used at such close distances.

With flash and macro shooting--it's easier if the flash and camera lens are not overly close to the subject. At really close distances, flash exposures are super-critical, and can vary a lot with just an inch or two more or less distance. Many times, the flash suffering from too much flash power is the problem, rather than not having enough oomph. I think a longer than standard macro lens might be nice to have.

 

[Ron Evers]

Another alternative to light macro shots is to use inexpensive ring light/flash. It simply clips onto the end of the lens with the power/control set in the hot shoe.

 

[will_f]

Another alternative to light macro shots is to use inexpensive ring light/flash. It simply clips onto the end of the lens with the power/control set in the hot shoe.

That's a good idea. I'll look into it.

Re a macro lens: At the moment I'm looking at getting a Zuiko Digital 35mm Macro plus a generic 4/3rds to micro 4/3rds adapter. It looks like it gives me all the lens functionality of the m4/3rds system which is cool, but I could save at least 50% by going with an OM series (for example) macro and adapter. Is there sufficient value to staying in the 4/3rds family or should I just go totally legacy?

 

[Ron Evers]

Another alternative to light macro shots is to use inexpensive ring light/flash. It simply clips onto the end of the lens with the power/control set in the hot shoe.

That's a good idea. I'll look into it.

Re a macro lens: At the moment I'm looking at getting a Zuiko Digital 35mm Macro plus a generic 4/3rds to micro 4/3rds adapter. It looks like it gives me all the lens functionality of the m4/3rds system which is cool, but I could save at least 50% by going with an OM series (for example) macro and adapter. Is there sufficient value to staying in the 4/3rds family or should I just go totally legacy?

As Derrel pointed out, a longer lens is preferred for macro work. In my presentation above I am using a Canon FD 50/3.5 & you can see I am very close to the subject. You would be even closer with a 35mm macro lens. That said, I see no advantage to a 4/3 to M4/3 adapter for the functionality it brings to Macro work where manual focusing is mandatory to get it where you want it.

 

[will_f]

Another alternative to light macro shots is to use inexpensive ring light/flash. It simply clips onto the end of the lens with the power/control set in the hot shoe.

That's a good idea. I'll look into it.

Re a macro lens: At the moment I'm looking at getting a Zuiko Digital 35mm Macro plus a generic 4/3rds to micro 4/3rds adapter. It looks like it gives me all the lens functionality of the m4/3rds system which is cool, but I could save at least 50% by going with an OM series (for example) macro and adapter. Is there sufficient value to staying in the 4/3rds family or should I just go totally legacy?

As Derrel pointed out, a longer lens is preferred for macro work. In my presentation above I am using a Canon FD 50/3.5 & you can see I am very close to the subject. You would be even closer with a 35mm macro lens. That said, I see no advantage to a 4/3 to M4/3 adapter for the functionality it brings to Macro work where manual focusing is mandatory to get it where you want it.

Good to hear. You just saved me a bundle and some headaches. I made an eBay offer on a 50mm OM macro.

 

[will_f]

As to bounce flash indoors: you have two choices, FULL-flash, and simple fill-flash. In one, the flash provides ALL the exposure; in the second, the flash is being used to lighten just the shadows, and that helps prevent noisy shadows AND brings detail to the shadows; in FULL-flash, also called flash as mainlight work, using higher ISO values is the norm unless you have a butt-kicking flash like a Sunpak 622 or Metz 45 series or a Norman, or off-camera studio flash.
.

Using mostly as a fill flash for exactly the purpose you describe.

 

[will_f]

Ok, I'm fairly pleased with myself: for less than a grand I've managed to pick up a Pen pl3, the 14-42 lens it comes with, a 40-150 lens, a 50mm OM macro + adapter, a 45mm f1.8 lens, a fl300r, a Eye-fi class 10 SD card and a messengers bag to stick it all in.

I think I'm set now. Thanks for all the help guys.


Will

 

[Ron Evers]

Congratulations, you did well. Cost me more for the OMD E-M5 & kit lens.

 

[Derrel]

Ok, I'm fairly pleased with myself: for less than a grand I've managed to pick up a Pen pl3, the 14-42 lens it comes with, a 40-150 lens, a 50mm OM macro + adapter, a 45mm f1.8 lens, a fl300r, a Eye-fi class 10 SD card and a messengers bag to stick it all in.

I think I'm set now. Thanks for all the help guys.


Will

Will, That all sound s like a pretty sweet setup, and a pretty darned good deal for less than a grand! I hope you have some great shooting! As to the software editing app...I'm not sure if Lightroom 5 can run under whatever OS you have on the iPad, but Lightroom is a nifty application for editing and adjusting images, and the price is worth it for what it does...i have no tablet experience, but run Lightroom on a desktop Macintosh.

 

[will_f]

Ok, I'm fairly pleased with myself: for less than a grand I've managed to pick up a Pen pl3, the 14-42 lens it comes with, a 40-150 lens, a 50mm OM macro + adapter, a 45mm f1.8 lens, a fl300r, a Eye-fi class 10 SD card and a messengers bag to stick it all in.

I think I'm set now. Thanks for all the help guys.


Will

Will, That all sound s like a pretty sweet setup, and a pretty darned good deal for less than a grand! I hope you have some great shooting! As to the software editing app...I'm not sure if Lightroom 5 can run under whatever OS you have on the iPad, but Lightroom is a nifty application for editing and adjusting images, and the price is worth it for what it does...i have no tablet experience, but run Lightroom on a desktop Macintosh.

The tough part is waiting for it all to arrive in the mail. Living in Alaska and selecting the free shipping option means another week at least. I'm stuck with the camera in my iPhone at the moment but sometimes that can be fun too.

Photo editing options on my iPad /iPhone are pretty limited. I can do a little bit like tweak contrast and apply some fx but forget about raw and anything more advanced than "sharpen" or "sepia tone". I do have a windows based desktop and a couple apple and windows lap-tops that will work much better for any serious editing. From my explorations light room seems like the best option on the market for someone like me and bonus, I have a colleague who is pretty skilled that I can hit with questions.