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Among Olympus crowd, they always said - the Olympus 12-40mm f 2.8 PRO lens is a must have lens. It is so versatile and good...
Now... I realize, that I can agree to that. It is fantastic. Sharp wide open at all focal lengths (24 to 80 mm). It's really that good. And it is compact. Feels solid. It feels like a pro lens.
One exception** - Image stabilization at long shutter speeds
What of course does happen sometimes, is that you may get degraded sharpness in the corners at longer exposure times. Here the body image stabilization tries to compensate for the larger movements in the corners via the sensor - which creates a light jitter. It usually degrades sharpness a bit.
That is a phenomena which is not a problem of the lens - but with the sensor based stabilized cameras. I see that sometimes on my Canon EOS R6 too !
It's really important that when you take images with long shutter times, to keep extra still.
I am not used to zoom lenses, really...
but this Olympus 12-40 mm PRO is clearly on the professional side. I love the flexibility it provides when needed - and the fixed aperture of ƒ2.8 which is relatively bright. This combined with excellent sharpness even wide open - makes this lens so great. And sometimes, not having to change the lens, is a nice thing. (Which I am not spoiled with)
Naturally - when you take photos with low ISO, wide open aperture ƒ 2.8 - you will encounter longer exposure times than normal compared with the ƒ1.2 PRO lenses. But it works, due to the very effective image stabilization** [see above] with the top Olympus cameras.
5 Seconds hand-held
The main image in this entry, was taken hand-held, without any support - for 5 seconds, at ƒ 2.8 aperture, and ISO 400. I think it is pretty good, for such a long shutter speed of 5 seconds. The corner sharpness degrades a bit, dependent how steady you are with your hands.
By the way - the image looks much brighter than the scene really was. It was a rather dull, dark scene. I just wanted to document that there is still plenty of snow left in Stockholm in places where the sun doesn't shine much. You can still encounter depths up to 8 cm.
Indoor is a weakness for a ƒ 2.8 zoom
The light levels for indoor portraits in the evening, is no t a strength of a ƒ 2.8 zoom. I truly prefer a ƒ1.2 lens, such as ED 17 mm f 1.2 PRO, ED 25mm ƒ1.2 PRO, or ED 45mm ƒ 1.2 PRO. The trio is formidable to work with at lower light levels - and nothing really comes close. A zoom can simply not match that.
Consider it being a flexible daylight zoom
The 12-40 mm f 2.8 zoom lens I consider to be mainly a wonderful, sharp daylight lens. One that gives you the flexibility to change between wide, normal and tele photo. It works into twilight - but then you are better off with the bright ƒ1.2 lenses.
Also the AF can occasionally be a bit more hesitant in low light. So, for landscape and outdoors, yes - the ED 12-40 mm f 2.8 PRO zoom is absolutely perfect, even in low light with longer exposure times - if you hands are steady. Or why not using a real tripod - because it gives with - beyond any doubt - the you the best quality !
For hand-held low light or medium low light indoor occasions - only fixed (not moving ) motives are OK. For portraits - not so much (well, it depends)
Very cold night... again
On my way home from work, i felt as if i froze my nose off. While my thermometer here at home shows only -2.2°C... but, is located 10 meter above the ground. The Högdalen train depot on the other side, lies in a valley with colder air - which clearly was cold. the 7 km distant Tullinge reports already -7.5°C - so it must have been something like -4°C, or -5°C while I walked home...
It is still just "winter-spring" as of now. Lots of sunshine during the day, but with shy MAX temperatures. Yesterday we might have had +4.5°C. at best.
21 Olympus lenses !
Now that Sal will take home the older Olympus EM1 Mark II camera and the other lenses I gave him through time - i realize, that the total amount of all Olympus lenses, is now a whopping 21 lenses.
You have to remember that I first started with the much cheaper, super small, budget lenses back in 2009/10. When I won the first Prize in a Photo Magazine in Sweden, which gave me the Panasonic GF-1 camera. Otherwise I may have never entered the Micro Four Third world...
It was in 2017/18 when I started to buy both professional Olympus cameras as well professional lenses. Especially the new ƒ 1.2 PRO lenses, startled me in their quality. It felt as if they brought the Micro Four Thirds to a higher level. Well, and from there, I never stopped - and now it is my largest camera system of all (not by size, but by the amount of lenses). Quite surprising. I didn't see that coming.
This all was supported with the many (31) journeys I made to Sicily within 4.5 years - making travels with Olympus equipment so much easier, especially on cheaper flights. I never needed to check in any bags. At the same time, the underrated Micro Four Third sensors, especially since they used the Sony based 20 MP sensor - giving great quality ! Well, additionally there is Topaz Photo AI - ironing out any noise, increasing micro sharpness when needed.
What is there not to like ?
Today, I don't need to think of quality issues compared to fullframe sensors. It does not matter, and my Diary is proof enough, showing that you can make many great photos with a sensor that is 4 times smaller than fullframe !
Travel & Sicily - A Changed Timeline
However... I haven't travelled since March 2020 - and my life has changed a lot because of that - and so has my photography (being less active).
It almost feels as if my life and the promises of a future in Sicily - kind of got erased. Don’t get me wrong - it isn't out of the question - but a deeper feeling tells me, it is...
It feels like a timeline has been changed... (Where present events change the future, or the feeling of it) Now, everything that connects me to Sicily, feels more like a distant memory. (Kind of weird feeling,, to be honest)
Now I've got my love and life partner living with me here in Stockholm. He is working full time - and absolutely loves to live here. And, he is the kind of guy who can take root anywhere, and interact beautifully with anyone in such a warm, wonderful and fun manner. Truly, a remarkable human being he is.
You have to experience him in person - then you understand exactly what I want to point out. Some people are incredibly gifted when it comes to human relations and interactions. Sal is definitely that rare type of guy, because it isn't a typical American "smooth" or "fun" kind of style, but always is with his heart at the matter and the people he interacts with. It's not the 'glossy American style', that's what I wanted to say. *
I am not sure if i love Sicily so much that I truly would want to spend my old days there... together with other people; yes, I would or could.
Alone; not really !
Sicily is mainly made of cars and mopeds, not for "walking"
The other aspect with Sicily is, that it is such an car and moped oriented place - and not for pedestrians. Try to walk from Nicolosi down to Catania. You can't really. You only can do that half way, then there are no real roads for people to walk.
Well, actually, there are no roads for people to walk most of the time. It's all car streets. And they usually don't give you much space when you try to walk to the side - you have to be very careful, no matter what age you are in.
That all is very strange, to be honest.
If you like during the fierce lockdowns in Sicily, would live alone, and try to get to the store - you would have had problems to get anywhere... Or if you are old and can't move so much. All of the sudden, the dream becomes more like a prison. Well, I don't know, really. I try to imagine how it could have been living there.
I guess in reality, you always find ways somehow, any how. |
