How about 170mm f/1.4 or 400mm f/2.8 lenses for MFT?

Consider this a teaser. I cannot wait to start playing with the 200L and the 85 f/1.4 lenses on my Olympus E-M1. Should be fun. Oh, and please don't start talking about equivalency and DOF and all that. I know. At the end, I have 170mm f/1.4 and 400mm f/2.8 STABILIZED lenses. Wohoo.

Samsung NX500 back at $699 (with kit lens); NX1 at $1299

The Samsung NX500 (reviewed here) went on sale at $699 a couple of weeks ago, then went back up to its MSRP of $799.  Now it's back to $699.  The NX1 is likewise back down from $1499 to $1299 body only.  Given the relatively large price fluctuations, it seems Samsung is still trying to figure out the elasticity of demand for the NX1 and NX500.

An Eye-Opening Experience & The Power Of Olympus

Ever since I got the Sony A7II, I have been using it almost exclusively, apart from my trip to UAE where it made sense to pack a MFT kit due to its small size, versatility and auto-focus (Will be covered in a different post. The pictures are ready). To be honest, I was having too much fun playing with the A7II and both the Zeiss and the legacy lenses while ignoring my Olympus kit, to the extent that I decided one day to sell all of my MFT kit and only keep the Sony with the single autofocus lens that I own. And indeed I put my MFT kit for sale, only to decline the first few offers I received. I just didn't have the courage to do it. But I kept using the Sony.

Samsung NX500 Review

In my previous post, I posited that the Samsung NX500 may be the camera that brings Samsung NX to the mainstream.  In this post, I present a preliminary review of the Samsung NX500.  I am evaluating it based on usage for shooting candid photos, not so much for professional use.  I'm comparing it primarily with the Sony a6000, which won DPReview's 2014 poll for Best Consumer Interchangeable Lens Camera by a landslide.

In this preliminary review, I will be discussing the following topics:

•Handling

•Menus

•Exposure

•Autofocus

•Manual focus

•Performance/Responsiveness

•Image quality

•Flash/Lighting

•Video

Please note my evaluation is based primarily on the kit lens, and based on having used the NX500 for about 4 weeks.  I will post reviews of other lenses separately.  Unless otherwise specified, the NX500 samples here are from raw, converted in Samsung DNG Converter or Lightroom 6, with minimal adjustments, so they are representative of what you can readily get from the camera.  (Product shots are from the Olympus Stylus 1.)

6/30/15 UPDATE: Firmware v. 1.10 significantly improved the NX500's performance in several important ways.  I revised this review to note these changes, highlighted in yellow.

1/12/16 UPDATE: Added info re DMF mode and MF Responsiveness.

Save $70 on Lightroom 6 Upgrade

You've probably heard about the release of Lightroom 6, and the standalone price of $149 (and the CC subscription).  What was not so obvious is that you can pay much less for an upgrade if you have a previous version of Lightroom (even Lightroom 1.x, apparently).

 

To get the $79 desktop upgrade:
1. Go to this link
2. Scroll down to Photoshop Lightroom 6 and click Buy.
3. Click on the dropdown and change from Full to Upgrade.
4. Select your version of LR.
5. Click "Add to Cart" and enjoy the savings :)

 

Thanks to DPReview's Michael Uschold for this awesome tip! :)​

 

Fast 50mm Shoot Out: MFT vs FF (or why I bought the Sony A7II and a single FE lens)

You might remember from my previous posts about the Canon 35mm f/2, the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and the Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 lenses how much I appreciate and love the 50mm focal length. To the extent that I previously mentioned that if I found a fixed lens FF camera with a fast 50mm (think Sony RX1 with a 50mm lens instead), I would sell all my gear and only use that camera and a single TTL flash. Unfortunately, that camera doesn't exist yet. So I bought something a bit different. Did it work? Hit the jump to find out.

Samsung NX500 [Temporary] Price Drop to $699!

NX500 with 20 f/2.8

Samsung has dropped the price of the NX500 (reviewed here) from $799 to $699 with kit lens included!  I don't know yet if this is temporary or permanent.  First impressions posted here.  I'm working on a more detailed review.

It's available from Amazon in black, brown, or white.  We would get a small commission at no cost to you.  As usual, 100% of our Amazon commissions will be donated to charity.

BTW the price of the NX1 has dropped from $1499 to $1299 (body only).  The price of the NX1 went back up to $1499, which might mean the NX500 price drop could also be temporary.

Update: the price of the NX500 went back up to $799

Testing the NX500's Samsung Auto Shot (SAS)

Happy Easter!

Over the weekend, I tested one of the NX500's features called Samsung Auto Shot (SAS), which was originally featured in the NX1.  SAS enables the camera to automatically take a shot at the peak moment of certain types of scenes such as baseball or basketball.

It's a feature that no one has asked for.  On the other hand, the target market of the NX500 includes parents and other family members who could use such a feature.  I think that SAS is also intended to showcase the speed of the DRIMEe V (and Vs, in the case of the NX500) processor.

Canon FL 55mm f/1.2 + Sony A7II

 
For some strange reason; unlike when used with the Olympus E-M1, I am really digging the look the Canon 55 f/1.2 is giving me when used with the A7II at wide-open or near wide-open apertures. I will not bother you with a lot of writing. Instead, I will leave you with a few of my favorite pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy.