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Does Size Matter? What’s New in Small Cameras and Should I Switch?

Doug Kaye dougkaye.com [email protected] • Portfolio at DougKaye.com • Co-Host of All About the Gear • Cuba & Street Photography Workshops • Frequent guest on This Week in Photo • Active on Social Media • Portfolio at DougKaye.com • Co-Host of All About the Gear • Cuba & Street Photography Workshops • Frequent guest on This Week in Photo • Active on Social Media

The Acronyms

• DSLR: Digital Single-Lens Reflex • MILC: Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera • APS-C: ~1.5x Crop-Factor Sensor Size • MFT: Micro Four-Thirds • LCD: Liquid Crystal Display (rear) • OVF: Optical Viewfinder • EVF: Electronic Viewfinder

MILCs

• Mirrorless • Interchangeable Lens

• Autofocus • Electronic Viewfinder Who’s Who

• The Old Guard • Nikon & Canon • The Upstarts • Sony & Fujifilm (Full-Frame and APS-C) • Olympus & Panasonic/Lumix (MFT) • Leica? Samsung? iPhone? DSLR vs. Mirrorless MILC History MILC History • 2004: Epson RD-1 (1st Mirrorless) • 2006: Leica M8 (1st Digital Leica) • 2008: Panasonic G1 (1st MFT) • 2009: Leica M9 (1st Full Frame) • 2010: Sony NEX-5 (1st M-APS-C, Hybrid AF) • 2012: Fuji X-Pro1 (Hybrid VF, X-Trans) • 2013: Olympus OM-D E-M1 • 2014: Sony a7S (High ISO), a7R (36MP) • 2015: Sony a7 II, a7R II, a7S II (Full-Frame IBIS) MILC Advantages

• Smaller & Lighter • Simpler & Less Expensive • EVF vs. OVF • Always in LiveView Mode (WYSIWYG) • Accurate Autofocus • Quieter & Less Vibration • Simpler Wide-Angle Lens Designs • Compatible w/Other Lens Mounts MILC Disadvantages

• EVF vs. OVF? • Continuous Autofocus Speed/Accuracy • Lack of Accessories • Legacy Wide-Angle Lens Issues Sensor Size

• Full 35mm Frame (FF): 1x • APS-C: 1.5x • MFT: 2x

Pixel Size

• Larger Pixels Capture More Light • Higher ISO, Lower Noise • Broader Dynamic Range • 16MP APS-C = 36MP Full Frame • 16MP MFT = 64MP Full Frame

Field of View (FoV)

• Smaller sensors just crop the image. • To get the same FoV, use a shorter lens. • eg: 25mm on MFT = FoV of 50mm on FF Depth of Field (DoF)

• Assuming the same aperture, Shorter Lens = Greater Depth-of-Field. • DoF is determined strictly by the relationship of focal length and aperture. • Regardless of sensor size! Equivalent FoV & DoF

• 50mm on FF = 25mm on MFT (Similar FoV) • But 25mm has greater DoF! • Use wider aperture to get the same DoF. • 50mm f/8 on FF = 25mm f/4 on MFT (Similar FoV and DoF) • Two f/stops for MFT • One f/stop for APS-C Smaller-Sensor Implications

• Use shorter focal lengths (Preserve FoV). • Use wider apertures (Preserve DoF). • You can use lower ISOs. • But you need faster lenses. • Prime lenses become more important. • You need faster shutters or ND filters. Shutters

• Leaf • Focal Plane (Front & Rear Curtain) • Electronic Autofocus Technologies

• Contrast (LiveView & Early MILCs) • DSLRs (Dedicated A/F Sensors) • Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) • Cross-Point PDAF • Hybrid Autofocus (Pixel Stealing) • Canon’s Dual-Pixel Sensors Autofocus Technologies

• DSLR w/PDAF • Fast, but inaccuracies due to mis-alignment • Contrast • Slow and hunts, but very accurate • Object recognition (color, luminance, shape) Autofocus Technologies

• “Pixel Stealing” • Introduced with Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 • Now Used by Many MILCs Autofocus Comparisons

• DSLR w/PDAF • Fast, but inaccuracies due to mis-alignment • Contrast • Slow and hunts, but very accurate • Object recognition (color, luminance, shape) • Face, eye and smile detection Image Stabilization

• In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) • Olympus (all), Lumix (some) • Sony a7 (all “Mark II”) • In-Lens Stabilization • Sony • Panasonic/Lumix • Fujifilm Rear LCDs

• Tilting • Fully Articulating • Touch-Sensitive Touch-Screen LCDs

• Panasonic/Lumix GX* GH* • Olympus OM-D • Sony a5100 Lenses

• Larger Sensors → Larger Lenses • Smaller Sensors → Faster Lenses • MFT (Olympus & Lumix): Largest Selection • APS-C (Sony & Fujifilm): Decent Selection • Full Frame (Sony): Weak Selection • Solution: Legacy Lenses via Adaptors Why Lens Adaptors Work

• MILCs have no mirrors! • Shorter flange-to-sensor distance • Sony a7* are “Universal”. Use Canon, Nikon and Leica lenses. Problems with focal lengths <28mm. Which Lens Adaptors

• Passive: No Autofocus or Data Exchange • Active (eg, Sony A- to E-Mount) • Close-Focus Adaptors • Some Support Manual Aperture Control • $20 or $300+? Diffraction

• Relationship of Aperture and Pixel Pitch • NOT a Lens-Quality Issue! • 24 MP FF: Visible at f/11 • 36MP FF: Visible at f/8 • 16MP APS-C: Visible at f/8 • 24MP APS-C: Visible at f/5.6 • 16MP MFT: Visible at f/5.6 Video

• 1080p • 4K • 4K-for-Stills Apps

• WiFi/Mobile • Installable Apps (Sony) The Best Camera? The Best Camera? is the one that comes out right after you buy something else.

...Doug Kaye Today’s Hottest MILCs

• Full Frame • Sony a7R II (a7S II for high ISO) • APS-C • Fujifilm X-T1, Samsung NX1 • Sony a5100, a6000 • MFT • Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, E-M1 • Panasonic/Lumix GH4, GX8 Non-Interchangeable Mirrorless Cameras

• Full Frame: Leica Q, Sony RX1R II • APS-C: Fujifilm X100T • MFT: Lumix LX100 • Smaller: Sony RX100 IV Small-Camera Tips

• Use wider-angle lenses (FoV) • Use larger apertures (DoF) • Avoid small apertures (Diffraction) • Use prime lenses • Carry two (!) spare batteries How to Choose?

1. Lenses? (Your most important decision!) 2. Need DSLR-speed autofocus? 3. Shallow DoF or low light? 4. Large prints? 5. Best walkaround camera? Lenses

• Olympus or Panasonic/Lumix (MFT) for broadest native lens selection • Fujifilm X-T1 and Sony for great Zeiss lenses • Sony a7 series for 3rd-party primes via adaptors Doug’s Favorites (Today)

• Olympus OM-D E-M5mkII: Lenses, IBIS • Sony a6000: Autofocus, Low Cost • Lumix GX8: Configurability, MFT Entry • Sony a7S II: 4K video, FF, Low Light • Sony a7R II: FF, Large Prints, High-Res • Fujifilm X100T: Simplicity, Portability • Leica Q: FF, Simplicity, Image Quality Does Size Matter? What’s New in Small Cameras and Should I Switch?

Doug Kaye dougkaye.com [email protected]