Lens Juju #3

This could also be titled why I'll be keeping the Pentax K1, or alternatively, why I want both cameras.

I think most people when they get started in photography look for one camera that will do all the things that they what a camera to do. I certainly did. But the more you do, the more you want to do, and then you may discover the same truth that I did: there really isn’t one camera that will do everything you want. Reviewers often treat camera reviews the same way - every camera needs to be all things to all people. In a lot of reviews the Pentax K1 scores extremely high for its photos (DxO scored it the third best sensor they had ever tested, as in, ever), but would get docked points because it had only basic video capabilities. Me, I give kudos to Pentax for exactly that; they kept it affordable by not spending money in areas no one is going to use it for anyway.

I feel that I’ve lucked into a wonderful solution; the Olympus is terrific for higher zoom, higher speed and travel shots, with the added bonus of its excellent focus stacking. It also has very good video if I ever decide to go there. The things that cost a lot in the world of full frame cameras (and are really big and weigh a ton to boot) are, precisely, high speed lenses and long zoom lenses. But for shots within the range of the startlingly good 28-105 lens that came with the Pentax K1, I have a camera that I have fallen in love with. It feels terrific in hand, something that you find matters to you over time.

I’m going to put the two cameras I love against one another. As best I can, we’re going to match ISO, speed, f-stop, focal distance, white balance and aperture. Let's try to find this juju one more time. Does it happen consistently? Or is it just hit and miss?

This is a still life with a nice mix of colours in it. The shot above is with the Olympus and the 12-100 lens set at 15mm (30mm full frame). f/4, 1/50 sec., ISO 400. A perfectly good shot.

This is the same shot with the Pentax and 31mm lens. Same settings. I spent a lot of time trying to get these to look as much alike as possible - actually, trying to get the Olympus shot to look like the Pentax shot. But there it is, that special something in the Pentax 31mm Limited lens that just 'works'. The shaping of the scene, the way it gathers light, are both a bit magical.

So does the Olympus have no magic? Hold on a second there pardner. Let's not forget the 30mm (60mm full frame) macro lens that does focus stacking. How does it handle that scene? Well, a bit different because of the different focal length, but let's see shall we?

Hmmm. 1/30, f 5, ISO 400, except this is a stacked shot - 8 shots merged into one, all done in camera. On my big monitor, detail wise there is absolutely nothing to choose, a huge compliment to the 4/3 sensor on the Olympus. Structure-wise I might give the edge to the Pentax, but that is probably more that it could shoot at a more complimentary angle given the focal length. Both shots have depth and feel and yes...magic. The plus to the Pentax side is that it does it without techno-wizardry, just an old film lens that has a special something inside it.

And there you go - the two best cameras in the world are mine. And long live the juju!