So where am I now and how did I get here?
First full month full time at the paper under my belt and some patterns have emerged.
Over thinking these things is easy, but when you just need things to be right, they have a habit of coming together on their own.
My day kit, which is the new nylon F2 Domke packed for any given day, but with no particular specialist lean is;
EM1 mk 2 (no grip) with the 40-150 f4 Pro mounted. This was to be a gripped EM1 and f2.8 lens, but that required a bigger bag for little extra benefit.
G9 with Oly 12-40 f2.8 Pro. This was to be the same camera with the Leica 12-60, but I prefer the clutch MF option and fixed f2.8 for video especially and the older, slightly mechanically compromised Oly lens is less precious. Interestingly, the 12-40 has great AF performance and no “rippling”.
Pana 9mm and 17 and 45mm Oly primes. This was the 8-18, 25 and 45. Both options work, except the super wide is rarely used and when it is, the extra speed helps. There was also a large overlap of little value, especially for the added weight (oh the poor suffering MFT user!). The 15mm Pana was in this space also, but the loose Aperture ring and looser hood just make this lovely lens a little annoying in the field. It is matched now with the Pen-F.
This covers 18-300mm (full frame equiv.), has speed in all the important places, is light and the two cameras play to their strengths.
Australian dance legend and writer Graeme Murphy at a local book launch. The tiny 45mm is the perfect “over the shoulder” portrait lens.
The 12-40 is the lens I have concerns about with it’s “lumpy” zoom, but you know what? It is one of my favourites optically, has the handy MF clutch for video and I like the consistent f2.8 aperture. If it falls over one day, then so be it, but it will have earned it’s replacement by then and it seems the zoom frees up with use, so who knows.
The 40-150 f4 is the real deal, performing at basically the same level as the f2.8 version except for very extreme lighting scenarios (where the 75mm is the better option anyway).
The 15mm is an optical treasure and one of those “perfect” focal lengths. I get annoyed by the loose aperture ring and even looser hood, but can live with them for the look I get. I particularly like the Leica-Olympus combination for dodgy indoor light and that pairing disables the aperture ring (that thing is really light).
Hard to argue with a lens that is this strong even wide open. There is some genuine Leica magic at work. Now replaced by the less fiddly 17mm Oly, nothing has changed much. Both great lenses.
The 9mm has changed everything for me. I can now leave the 8-18 at home and feel very safe in low light shooting super wide. With a fast f1.7 aperture, 2” close focus and sharp, sharp, sharp, this thng is a powerful tool. The Bokeh is also amazing.
Expansive coverage in limited space is 9mm territory.
If the above kit is going into a known low light situation, I will swap out the 40-150 for the 75mm, which to be honest could be my everyday lens also. If something longer may be needed in good light, I have been known to take the 75-300 “kit” instead.
Uncovering the great chicken dumping scandal was safely handled by the $450 Oly super zoom. This lens loves bright light, showing lovely colour and good contrast and is as sharp as needed. If it is too slow for the light, then I get a more “grown up” lens. It also shares with the unlikely 9mm, great Bokeh, if it is ever relevant.
For maximum priority jobs like the PM’s visit recently, I simply grab the other EM1 Mk2 with grip and strap and 40-150 f2.8 mounted (shedding the 40-150 f4), which leaves the bag for my G9 with 12-40 and the first EM1 Mk2 sporting the 9mm. Much quicker for fluid situations, but the added bulk is unnecessary for most jobs.
Speed and sublime sharpness, the f2.8 40-150 is king and worth the bulk when needed.
For video, there is the OSMO with or without it’s water proof housing, the G9 and the Sennheisser MKE 400 mic.
The Leica 15 is also the ideal fast lens to have on when switching between video and stills. Now in the “home” kit, it is the ideal video camera prime.
I always carry a little Oly flash for fill (the one that comes with the EM1’s) and the Andoer LED panel, but rarely take the Godox 860 or 685 out now as I simply do not use them and in my light weight kit, they stand out as overly-heavy pocket fillers. If flash is needed, I have a small backpack ready with both Godox and the little controller, which I intend to add a small stand and modifier to.
I am tempted to go all primes, dropping the 12-40 for the 30mm Sigma or Oly 25 and the 75 for the 40-150, but then I would have a clutch of top end zoom lenses sitting around doing nothing!
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Saturdays and some other days are sports days. This requires a re-think.
The F804 Domke is now used, which takes the 300 f4, 40-150 f2.8 (with TC if needed), 25, 45, 75mm and 75-300. The EM1x and EM1 mk2 with grip can also fit in mounted, but for most sports, I only take one camera these days and leave behind the lenses I know I will not need.
For most field sports the 300mm is used, sometimes with a second body and 40-150 (any of my three can work depending on light). In good light, I can even get away with the 75-300, which is ideal if I need an odd focal length like 500mm to compose perfectly. I have not come across a situation where I need a longer lens, but the TC can be employed if I do.
For smaller fields like hockey, the 40-150 with or without the TC works well.
Indoors, I generally use the 75 and a shorter lens in tandem. If the lighting is good enough, I may use a zoom, but I generally chase quality over versatility and stick to f1.8 lenses.
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This leaves me with a decent little kit for me and the now occassional school job. A G9, Pen F, a pair of EM10’s, the 2 old EM5 Mk1’s and Pen Mini, with the kit 12-60, Leica 12-60, and 8-18’s and the Oly 40-150 (kit) as the backbone with the Pana 15, Sigma 30 and Oly 45’s for speed. This gives me a personal/travel, video, fine art and semi-pro kit, with plenty of options in reserve.
It is a little lacking for sport, so a few bits from above come home.
The actual light was several steps darker than gloomy (see below), but the 30mm really helps bring things to life. Flare and CA, both colour blotch and veiling are it’s Achilles heel, but if avoided it’s all gravy.
This was the actual light, interesting but a challenge the 30mm was up to.
Lately the Sigma has made it’s way home because it is a funny critter, like a really sharp but sometimes fragile kitchen knife. One of the sharpest lenses I own it exhibits some strange behaviour and is a half step behind in AF consistency, so for work, the reliable 25 and 45mm Oly lenses appeal more. For me though, it is a bag of fun times waiting to happen!
So, many new lenses have come into my kit lately, but for work, I am leaning on tried and tested (and simpler) lenses like the 17, 25 and 45mm’s, leaving the less solid but more exciting options for home use (15, 30).
The specialist are as they should be, specialising, with the 75, 300 and 9mm’s becoming linch-pin power houses in their space.
My glut of 40-150 options is a plus in every way. All are good, but all offering something on balance.