Test-review of M39 photo lens Industar 69 on Micro 4/3 sensor with crop-factor 1.3

Industar 69 lens, frontal view with diaphragm control ring - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Industar 69 lens, frontal view with diaphragm control ring – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

At last I have a time to test M39 photo lens Industar 69 on Micro 4/3 sensor, it is designed for frame size, which is equal to APS-C sensor; so on Micro 4/3 matrix its crop-factor is 1.3 – in this amount of times its effective focal length is increased and its angle of view is decreased. For its frame size it has following characteristics : 28 mm focal distance, f/2.8-16 diaphragm, standard minimal focusing distance is 0.65 m ( after readjustment there is ability to focus with it much closer, approximately on 10 – 20 cm distance in front of lens ) and field of view is 56 degrees ( 43.08 degrees on Micro Four Thirds matrix ). Lens has 5 diaphragm blades without blackening, 4 lens elements in 3 groups with single-layer optical anti-reflective and protective coating and 22.5 mm thread over frontal glass for optical filters. Its optical resolution is 45/20 lines on mm center/borders ( some sources tell, that it is equal to 44/22 lines on mm ) – this is close to Helios 44M-7, but below it, especially on borders.

Industar 69 lens, back view - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Industar 69 lens, back view – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

Operating segment ( distance between mount of lens to sensor/film ) of Industar 69 is equal to 27.5 mm and differs from standard 28.8 mm of M39 mount. So, to be able to focus on infinity, there is need to perform readjustment of lens. There are many ways to do this, I made it this way : unscrewed frontal body part with 3 small screws on the sides, removed stoppers, which do not allow lens elements block to rotate past defined limits. Focusing of optics is performed by movement of the whole glasses block, so there is only need to make it so, that it can be rotated to 27.5 mm inside of camera; after removing of stoppers it almost focuses on infinity and there is need to screw it slightly more. Inside around thread there is small aluminum protrusion, which can be whittled away to allow to move glasses block further. I made exactly this way with use of rasp, whittled slightly more, than needed, and when it is screwed completely, Industar 69 goes slightly farther, than infinity, there is ability to just screw it not completely to focus on far away objects.

Disassembled and readjusted to M39 operating segment Industar 69 lens - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Disassembled and readjusted to M39 operating segment Industar 69 lens – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

After this frontal body part of Industar 69 can be installed back, taking into account precise setting of diaphragms scale; after readjustment scale of focusing distances has not much meaning, because lenses elements block can be unscrewed much further and there is ability to focus on objects in 10 – 20 cm in front of camera for macro photographs. Additionally macro rings can be used for focusing on even closer objects. As it can be seen in test photos, Industar 69 does not have positional and magnification chromatic aberrations – this is an advantage of fixed lens with small glasses amount. All photos are made with diaphragm f/5.6, because on more open ones it blurs frame sides too much. It works good with counter and side lighting : does not loose contrast and have no large flares amount, because its frontal lens placed deeply in its body and this is again advantage of lenses with small optical elements amount. However with some angles of Sun close to frame border there is a colorful violet strip : sometimes it can be used in artistic purposes, sometimes it can disturb, but it appears only in narrow angles range and there is always ability to choose position and shooting angle to make it so, that it’ll not appear.

Positional chromatic aberrations testing : branches and trunks of trees with sky in background and small exposure - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Positional chromatic aberrations testing : branches and trunks of trees with sky in background and small exposure – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

One of the advantages of Industar 69 is its small sizes and mass – in this area with adapter to camera mount from M39 it is close to modern compact lenses of mirrorless cameras. Its diaphragm control ring is located on frontal side, very thin and often rotates tightly; so, to adjust it there is need to rotate front of camera to oneself and, rotating this ring, it is easy to change lens focusing – this is its minus, but it is a payment for its compactness and small mass. When diaphragm is strongly closed its hole looks like five edges Soviet quality mark, so in blur zone light sources and bright points have the same form.

Sun is in the center of frame - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Sun is in the center of frame – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

All in all there is ability to say, that lens blurs frame edges very much, even on diaphragms 5.6 – 8 – the most optimal ones for majority of lenses, sides are blurred on 20 – 30 % of radius, top and bottom on 20 % on Micro 4/3 sensor; on its constructive APS-C matrix this effect ‘ll be visible even more. Especially on open diaphragms. On many of test photos it can be clearly seen how strongly it blurs edges of frame. So, it can be used in scenes, where sharpness in whole field of view is not needed : in macro shooting, portraits making, shooting of small groups of people in center of frame and objects on the speed – here blurring of sides does not affect, slightly noticeable and even useful. However with landscapes, architecture, interior and large groups of people in whole FOV of shooting, where sharpness in whole FOV is needed, Industar 69 will give large blurring of frame edges and is not very suitable for these tasks. There is also need to note, that in macro it is quite good, however there are lenses with close price, which provide much better quality in this kind of photos making.

Sun is close to border of frame - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Sun is close to border of frame – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

So, Industar 69 is quite specific lens for narrow set of tasks, some people ask for it around 50 USD or more, as wide angle lens for crop-matrices – it is not worth such amount of money, because 20 – 50 % of frame sides are blurred and all advantages of wide angle are blurred with them. 10 – 20 USD is optimal price for it, because it is oriented only on narrow set of tasks and there are lenses with close price, which have much better sharpness in center and sides of frame. In 1 – 2 weeks I’ll make photos of test mira with part of diaphragm values and update article with them and their analysis; but even now there is ability to say, that it ‘ll blur sides on them all down to f/11, and further sharpness is reduced by diffraction, so it’ll not has sharp frame sides.

Positional chromatic aberrations testing : branches and trunks of trees with sky in background and small exposure + colorful strip example, when Sun is close to border of frame - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Positional chromatic aberrations testing : branches and trunks of trees with sky in background and small exposure + colorful strip example, when Sun is close to border of frame – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

Photos in full resolution, made with Industar 69 can be seen on this page : Industar 69 lens test photos. Video with frontal and side lighting without YouTube recompression can be seen here : Industar 69 lens test videos.

Macro example - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Macro example – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Macro example - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Macro example – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Magnification chromatic aberration testing : black text on white background under tilted angle + macro example - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Magnification chromatic aberration testing : black text on white background under tilted angle + macro example – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

Test mira photos with Industar 69 lens ( 16.7.23 )

Made test mira photos with Industar 69 lens, as it was anticipated, on diaphragm 2.8 it blurs sides and center is very soft too, so it can be used only in some cases. With diaphragm 4 center is relatively sharp, sides are blurred approximately the same way. With 5.6 center is very sharp and sides are slightly better. On diaphragms 8 – 11 sides are more or less sharp, but on 11 diffraction starts to affect image, so maximal sharpness of Industar 69 can be achieved with diaphragms between 8 and 11. On 16 ( probably, this is a smaller diaphragm, because with closing down to limit mark goes far beyond 16 scale point and lighting sensor shows much larger its reduction, than on the other steps of diaphragm settings ) sides are sharp approximately the same way, as center, but whole image is blurred quite strongly with diffraction; so, it can be used only for narrow range of tasks.

Test mira photo, diaphragm 2.8, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 2.8, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

All in all by photos of test mira there is ability to prove, that Industar 69 is more oriented on portrait, objects and macro shootings, as well as making photos of small groups of people in the center of frame, where sharpness of edges is not very important. More or less sharpness of edges on Micro 4/3 sensor can be achieved with it, but it is hardly applicable to making photos of landscapes, architecture and large groups of people in whole FOV. Lens is good enough with its own features, which should be accounted in work with it. Next I’ll test Vega 11U – one of the most sharp Soviet lenses with optical resolution 70/40 lines on mm ( center/edges ).

Test mira photo, diaphragm 2.8, lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 2.8, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 4, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 4, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 4, lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 4, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 5.6, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 5.6, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 5.6 lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 5.6, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 8, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 8, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 8, lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 8, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 11, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 11, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 11, lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 11, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 16, center of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 16, center of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 16, lower left corner of image - M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix
Test mira photo, diaphragm 16, lower left corner of image – M39 photo lens Industar 69 testing on Micro 4/3 matrix

M42 photo lens Helios 44M-7 test-review on MFT sensor with crop-factor 2

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, frontal view with partially closed diaphragm
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, frontal view with partially closed diaphragm

Lets move on to Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing – on Micro Four Thirds sensor with crop-factor 2 this is a great optics for making photos of small macro scenes, surfaces, entry-level tele-photo and as long-range portrait lens. It is attached to camera via M42 mount, with adapters it can be used with all cameras, whose working segment is smaller than 45.5 mm or equal to it; problems can be only with mirrored Nikon cameras, which has larger working segment, and to use such lenses with them there is need to perform lens readjusting or make modifications to adapter or optics mount. Helios 44M-7 has following technical specifications : 58 mm focus, f/2 aperture ( this is light strong lens, with f/16 minimal diaphragm ), field of view on full-frame sensor is 40 degrees 28 seconds ( on Micro Four Thirds sensor with crop-factor 2 it is equal to 20 degrees 14 seconds ), 6 lens elements in 4 groups are placed in it, they are covered with protective and anti-reflective multicoating, 6 diaphragm blades without blacking ( they have pushable mechanism of work and lens adapter should have border near thread to push its pin ), minimal focusing distance is 50 cm, there is ability to focus on infinity and resolution according to standards is 50/30 lines/mm ( center/borders ). Its sizes are 59 ( length ) x 62 ( diameter ) mm and mass is 0.27 kg, for screwable optical attachments it has M52x0.75 mount, its body is made from aluminum, there are no electronic components in it and there is need to control focusing and diaphragm by hands; lens is based on Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58, different variants of Helios 44 make it one of the most mass produced lens in the world.

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, side view with control rings
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, side view with control rings

Helios 44M-7 is very sharp and light strong lens, so it is easy to make photos with it even from hands and with not very bright lighting; it has very small depth of field and it is easy to focus on the objects. On MFT sensor with crop-factor 2 it has small field of view, Mir-1V photo lens has larger FOV : 30 degrees, so Helios 44M-7 is suitable for specific kinds of tasks, described in the beginning of article. Photos, made with this lens, can be seen here : test photos of Helios 44M-7 ; test videos with frontal and side lighting without YouTube recompression can be seen here : test video of Helios 44M-7. I made all photos and videos with maximally opened diaphragm, so that all weak sides of optics will be seen.

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun in the center of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun in the center of frame

With fully opened diaphragm of Helios 44M-7 and bright lighting, objects have bloom effect on their borders ( this can be seen on test photos for chromatic aberrations levels determination with trees branches and trunks in front of sky ); from one side, if sharpness is needed, then there is need to partially close diaphragm, from the other side this can be used to create effect of blooming and light around and everywhere. Diaphragm hole form is closer to hexagon, than to circle, but it does its job. Lens works good with frontal lighting and does not loose contrast ( these are advantages of small lens elements amount optics ), light reflections appear only when Sun is in the frame itself under certain angles, there are no reflections, when Sun is out of frame and close to its border, so, lens does not require blend in such situations. There are no positional and magnification chromatic aberrations, this can be seen on test photos; by the way, on test photos with black text on white paper under angle it can be seen how small depth of field of lens in macro mode is, this can be used to stand out object on the background of other objects. Color transmission is natural without saturation decrease and dark areas darkening, as Mir-1V lens does.

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame

On the next week I’ll make photos of test mira for image sharpness with different diaphragm values and geometrical distortions levels figuring out, analyze them and add materials to article; now it can be said, that maximal diaphragm of lens is usable only for specific tasks, its working values are, probably, f/4 – f/8, as Mir-1V lens has. After this I’ll probably acquire Industar-69 lens, with Micro Four Thirds sensor it will have 42 degrees FOV and this will allow to place open scenes in the frame, at least from the distance ( there is need to readjust it or adapter, but more on this next time ). With all this I’ll have lenses for all my current tasks; after some time, maybe I’ll buy some electronic Panasonic lens with autofocusing and optical image stabilization for high quality smooth video recording without shaking and for 50 – 60 degrees field of view, but for the time being for me it is enough of these lenses, will harness work with them and learn to use them.

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun close to the border of frame
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun is out of frame, close to its border
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun is out of frame, close to its border
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun is out of frame, further from border
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, Sun is out of frame, further from border
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, positional chromatic aberrations ( branches and trunks of trees in a weather without wind )
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, positional chromatic aberrations ( branches and trunks of trees in a weather without wind )
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, positional chromatic aberrations ( branches and trunks of trees in a weather without wind )
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, positional chromatic aberrations ( branches and trunks of trees in a weather without wind )
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, magnification chromatic aberrations + 50 cm macro mode
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, magnification chromatic aberrations + 50 cm macro mode

Update from 16.2.10

On test mira photos it is seen, that with diaphragms f/2 – f/2.8 image is blurry on edges and in center, so they can be used for creation of special effects of lighting and blurring. With f/4 diaphragm center becomes sharp, but edges are still blurry, so it can be used for portrait photos making and for small objects at the center of frame photographing. With f/5.6 diaphragm edges are clearer, but still some blurriness is visible, so it is better to use it as f/4 diaphragm. With f/8 – f/11 values center and edges are sharp and with f/11 there are still no diffraction effects in the frame, so it can be used freely. With f/16 diffraction effects strongly blur image and it is not usable in most cases. So, Helios 44M-7 has f/8 – f/11 working diaphragms; f/4 – f/5.6 are applicable for portrait and small objects in the center photos making; with f/2 – f/2.8 values image is blurry and they can be used for creation of special effects of lighting and image softness; f/16 diaphragm has strong diffraction blurring and it is better to use other values in most cases. So, overall picture of image sharpness is close to Mir-1V lens, but it gives sharp images earlier and has diffraction effects also earlier, and there is need to learn to use this lens, account its specifics, use them for all scenes types and create special effects with them.

Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/2.8, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/4, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/5.6, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/8, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/11, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, center
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, right top corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner
Helios 44M-7 photo lens testing, f/16, sharpness and diffraction, left bottom corner

Test-review of Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts on MFT sensor with crop-factor 2

Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts
Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts

I love optics, now I have 2 photo lenses : Mir-1V and Helios 44M-7 both are made in Russia and have M42 mounts for attachment to camera ( it has 45.5 mm work segment, with according adapters lenses can be easily used with all modern cameras, except of mirrored Nikon cameras, which have larger operating segment and require lens adjustments or mount thread modifications ); lets test first one of them to learn its strong and weak sides, optimal photos and videos making conditions and the most optimal settings for different environments. Lets begin with technical characteristics : it has 37 mm fixed focus distance, f/2.8 – f/16 diaphragm ( this is a middle light strength lens ), it is designed for 24 x 36 mm film or full-frame sensors, field of view is 60 degrees, minimal focusing distance is 0.7 m, 6 lens elements in 5 groups are built into it, they have yellow coating. My lens has 10 diaphragm blades ( 8 and 10 bladed variants were manufactured ), opening form is closer to circle, than of Helios 44M-7; standardized resolution is 45/23 lines/mm ( center/sides ). Lens length is 56 mm, maximal diameter is 59 mm, mass is 200 g; 49 mm optical filters and attachments can be screwed to it. It is copied from Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm F2.8 lens; different modifications of Mir-1V were produced from end of 1950-ies.

Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts ( back view with partially closed diaphragm )
Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts ( back view with partially closed diaphragm )

On Micro Four Thirds sensor with crop-factor 2 field of view is reduced 2 times ( only central part of light beam is used ) : from one side this reduces field of view, from the other side this allows to use only central part of lens with lowest amount of aberrations and highest resolution and gives tele photo lenses in compact body. Photos, made with Mir-1V lens can be seen on this page : test photos of Mir-1V lens. Test video with counter and side lighting without YouTube recompression can be seen here : test video of Mir-1V lens.

Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts ( side view with control rings )
Mir-1V photo lens for M42 mounts ( side view with control rings )

Lens has diaphragm presetting ring, so that minimal diaphragm can be limited; however on sensor with crop-factor 2 there is no big need in diaphragming it. Diaphragm control ring made slightly unlogical in accordance to presetting ring : when mark is on minimal diaphragm value, it is fully open, when it is on maximal value, it is maximally closed; probably, this way it is easier to implement such mechanism; but there is ability to accommodate to it very fast and remember in which direction diaphragm opens and in which closes. Focusing ring has smooth and tight movement : everything is ok in this respect; lens can be screwed by its mini-blend and unscrewed by its focusing ring ( after setting it on minimal 0.7 m macro focusing distance ). Frontal glass is located deeply enough and closed by small blend on the sides, so on nature lens can be used without attachment blend.

Mir-1V photo lens testing, counter light, Sun in the center of frame
Mir-1V photo lens testing, counter light, Sun in the center of frame

Helios 44M-7 has small depth of field ( DoF ) and it is easy to focus it on object, even focusing on camera display; Mir-1V has larger DoF and it is harder to focus it on the object, it is better to use it with tripod. Also it has middle light strength and requires longer expositions, so, when photos are made from hands they can be blurred in motion, here tripod is also useful. Mir-1V has quite peculiar color reproduction : indoor and at cloudy weather it is even slightly “brutal” ( colors intensity is decreased further and dark parts become even darker ); at sunny weather color reproduction is natural. On sensor with crop-factor 2 it has no chromatic aberrations at all, even at sides; and it is good in counter and side lighting, however attachment blend is useful, when Sun is close to the border of frame.

Mir-1V photo lens testing, counter light, Sun at the top border of frame
Mir-1V photo lens testing, counter light, Sun at the top border of frame

There is need to learn to use this lens, it requires more work to be precisely focused and longer expositions; it should be used with tripod or there is need to learn to hold camera in hands so, that its shaking will be minimal. The other advantage : it has no electronics at all and its body is made from metal ( aluminum ), so it is much more resistant to shaking. All in all Mir-1V lens is very good, when used properly, and gives much better photos quality, than bundled kit zoom lenses wit large glasses amount of cameras; especially taking into account price, for which it can be bought.

Mir-1V photo lens testing, light, Sun close to the border of frame ( lens flares are visible )
Mir-1V photo lens testing, light, Sun close to the border of frame ( lens flares are visible )

Additional photos, made with this lens, can be seen in White Stone in December article. Here I just started to learn to use it and many of photos are blurred in motion, due to camera shaking. On the next week I’ll print test image, made its photos and add them to article with testing description and results. But even now there is ability to say, that lens will produce sharp photos even on open diaphragm, because it is used on sensor with crop-factor 2; the same way as it gives chromatic aberrations free image with such sensor. In January or February I’ll order macro rings and will test this lens in more macro mode with larger magnifications and on closer distances. If you have other propositions on this lens testing, then share them in the comments to this article, I’ll perform them, if they will allow to better unfold technical abilities of Mir-1V. In the next article I’ll test monster of soviet optics : Helios 44M-7 with 50 lines/mm resolution and aperture 2.

Mir-1V photo lens testing, light, Sun is further from border of frame ( there are no lens flares )
Mir-1V photo lens testing, light, Sun is further from border of frame ( there are no lens flares )
Mir-1V photo lens testing, chromatic aberrations, longitudinal ( trees branches and trunks without wind )
Mir-1V photo lens testing, chromatic aberrations, longitudinal ( trees branches and trunks without wind )
Mir-1V photo lens testing, chromatic aberrations, lateral ( tilted black letters on white paper ) + 70 cm macro photo
Mir-1V photo lens testing, chromatic aberrations, lateral ( tilted black letters on white paper ) + 70 cm macro photo

Update from 16.1.10 : here are photos of test mira for lens sharpness and geometrical distortions determination ( in article there are PNG parts of these images, originals are in album with rest of test photos ); mira is slightly rotated around lens optical axis and its right side is closer to camera, but there is ability to make conclusions. Firs of all, diaphragm 2.8 of lens is not usable at all, because even on sensor with crop factor 2 there is lots of soap even close to the center of image; diaphragms 4 – 5.6 give sharp images and are working values for lens, down to diaphragm 8 image is good, this value also can be used with tripod. Second, diaphragms 11 – 16 are also not usable due to very long exposures required and blurring, this time due to diffraction. So, here are additional conclusions : even on Micro Four Thirds sensors with crop factor 2 there is need to close diaphragm to 4 – 5.6 – 8 values and use these ones to obtain sharp images and videos without diffraction.

Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 2.8, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 4, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 5.6, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 8, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 11, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, center of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, right bottom corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction
Mir-1V photo lens testing; diaphragm 16, left top corner of mira, sharpness and diffraction

Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 – compact APS-C camera with built-in viewfinder and tilting screen

Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000
Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000

One of the newest mirrorless compact cameras is APS-C sensored camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 with built-in viewfinder and tilting display. Its sensor has 24.3 MP effective resolution, BIONZ X graphical processor, optical image stabilization ( with lens, that support it ) and Sony E bayonet for interchangeable optics are built-in. It makes photos with 6000 x 3376 pixels maximal resolution and saves them in JPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG formats; supported video recording modes are Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p/24p and HD 1280 x 720 60p/24p with saving in AVCHD 2.0 ( with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 image encoding; and Dolby Digital AC-3 or Dolby Digital Stereo Creator stereo sound ) or MP4 ( MPEG-4 or AVC/H.264; MPEG-4 AAC-LC ) formats, wherein sound is recorded via built-in microphones. ISO sensitivity levels are in 100 – 25600 range; viewfinder resolution is 1.44 M dots, LCD screen is 921.6 K dots – it is not touch screen, camera has built-in flash.

Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 ( top view )
Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 ( top view )

Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 saves photos and videos on Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD, SDHC and SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards; and supports wireless Wi-Fi connections with NFC One-touch function for remote data transferring and control. Camera can record photos and videos with automatic and manual focusing, diaphragm and exposure settings and can be used for astronomical photos making with use of T-ring adapter. It has following connectors : USB for connection with computer and Li-ion battery charging, HDMI Micro Type D and Hot Shoe; one charge of NP-FW50 battery is enough for 360 photos ( this is a good value for compact mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses ); it has only one speaker, playing mono sound. Device sizes are 120 ( width ) x 66.9 ( height ) x 45.1 ( depth ) mm and mass is 285 g ( only camera without lens, memory card and battery ); working conditions are the same, as other similar cameras have : temperature in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity in 10 – 80 % range.

Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 ( back view )
Camera Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 ( back view )

Package contains : Sony Alpha ILCE-6000 camera itself, Micro USB cable, Li-ion battery NP-FW50, optional AC-UB10 power adapter, recharger, shoulder strap, lens mount and viewfinder caps, warranty card and user’s guide; there are also kits with included lenses. Camera is great and worth its money, one single 24.3 MP APS-C sensor worth it + there are BIONZ X graphical processor and different semi-professional functions. So, if there are enough money to buy such camera, then it is better to buy it, but if it costs too much, then there is ability to look on Micro Four Thirds cameras of Olympus and Panasonic, giving great photos and videos, if used properly, with more affordable price, wider interchangeable lenses range and usually their lower price.

Olympus Pen E-PL7 – compact MFT camera with OMD E-M10 technologies

Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7
Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7

Among mirrorless compact cameras with interchangeable lenses for Micro Four Thirds bayonet there is replenishment : Olympus Pen E-PL7 camera, having top level Olympus OMD E-M10 technologies in small size. In it 4/3″ Live MOS sensor with 16.1 MP effective resolution, sensor-shifting image stabilization and TruePic VII graphical processor are built-in. Camera can make photos with 4608 x 3456 pixels maximal resolution, saving them in JPEG, RAW ( with 12 bits per channel precision and lossless compression ), RAW+JPEG and MPO formats; and record videos in Full HD 1920 x 1080 30p, HD 1280 x 720 30p and SD 640 x 480 30fps modes, saving them in MOV ( with MPEG-4 AVC or H.264 image encoding ) or AVI ( Motion JPEG ) and recording stereo or mono sound in Wave Linear PCM 16 bits and 48 kHz format via built in or external microphones. Supported color modes are sRGB and Adobe RGB, with ISO sensitivity levels in 100 – 25600 range; camera has no built-in viewfinder and flash, its 3″ touch LCD screen has 1.04 MP resolution and can be tilted under different angles.

Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7 ( top view )
Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7 ( top view )

Olympus Pen E-PL7 supports manual and automatic focus, diaphragm and exposure settings and can be used for astronomical photos making via T-mount adapter. Camera saves recorded photos and videos on SD, SDHC and SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards with Eye-Fi support for saving directly on external devices; it supports wireless Wi-Fi connections ( IEEE 802.11b/g/n ) for remote data transfers and control with QR code connection and position coordinates receiving from smartphones. Among connectors there are : USB 2.0 for connection with computer ( it also can be used as AV out and for remote control ); HDMI Micro Type D; Hot Shoe; and Accessory Port 2; speaker is only one and plays mono sound; one charge of Li-ion battery BLS-50 is enough for 350 photos ( this is a good value for compact mirrorless interchangeable lenses cameras ). Device sizes are 114.9 ( width ) x 67 ( height ) x 38.4 ( depth ) mm and mass is 309 g ( only camera without lens, memory card and battery ); its body is made from metal; operating conditions are : temperature in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity level in 30 – 90 % range.

Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7 ( back view )
Photo camera Olympus Pen E-PL7 ( back view )

Package contains : Olympus Pen E-PL7 camera itself, Li-ion battery BLS-50, BCS-5 recharger, USB cable, external flash FL-LM1, CD-ROM disk with OLYMPUS Viewer 3 program, mount cap, warranty card and user’s guide; there are also kits with included lenses and their caps. Camera is good and gives high-quality photos, videos can be not always of the best quality, frontal grip can be not convenient for people with large palms. Overall camera worth its money, wherein for the same price there is ability to buy APS-C sensored mirrorless cameras of Sony, Pentax, Canon or Fujifilm, so, in this case, there is need to choose : professional technologies of top-level Olympus OMD E-M10 in compact body or APS-C sensor.

Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 – ultra modern camera in retro body

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7

Recently among mirrorless compact cameras new model was released : Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 its name with ultra modern technologies in retro body. It has 16 MP 4/3″ Live MOS sensor, Micro Four Thirds bayonet for interchangeable lenses, Venus Engine graphical processor and optical image stabilization with lenses, that support it. Camera makes photos with 4592 x 3448 pixels maximal resolution and saves them in JPEG ( DCF, Exif 2.3 ), RAW, JPEG+RAW and MPO formats; records videos in Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p/30p, HD 1280 x 720 30p and VGA 640 x 480 30p modes, saving them in MP4 or AVCHD formats with stereo sound in AAC or Dolby Digital 2ch formats, recorded via built in microphones. Camera supports sRGB and AdobeRGB color spaces; ISO sensitivity levels are in 100 – 25600 range; it has built-in flash and has no built-in viewfinder, its 3″ touch TFT LCD screen has 1.04 M dots resolution and can be tilted under different angles.

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 ( top view )
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 ( top view )

Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 saves photos and videos on SD, SDHC and SDXC ( with UHS-I support ) flash memory cards; and can establish wireless Wi-Fi connections ( IEEE 802.11b/g/n, WPA, WPA2 ) for remote data transfer and communication with other devices with QR code connection support; it can not establish NFC connections. Camera supports automatic and manual focus, diaphragm and exposure settings and can be used for astronomical photos making via T mount adapter. Following connectors are placed on it : USB 2.0 for connection with computer and HDMI Micro Type D; it has no Hot Shoe connector, speaker is only one, playing mono sound; 680 mAh charge of Li-ion battery is enough for 230 photos ( this is a small value for devices of such type ). Its sizes are 106.5 ( width ) x 64.6 ( height ) x 33.3 ( depth ) mm and mass is 236 g ( only camera without lens, battery and memory card ); operating conditions are temperature in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity level in 10 – 80 % range.

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 ( back view )
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 ( back view )

Package contains : Panasonic Lumix DMC GF7 camera itself, Li-ion battery, recharger, USB cable, DVD-ROM disk with PHOTOfunSTUDIO 9.6 PE, SILKYPIX Developer Studio 4.2 SE and LoiLoScope trial version programs, power adapter cable, shoulder strap, bayonet cap, warranty card and user’s guide; there are also kits with included lenses and caps. Camera is very good, giving great quality photos and videos, it has weak sides and differs not much from other Panasonic Lumix DMC GF cameras, so, when one of them is being chosen, there is need to look on their prices, needed functions and capabilities of specific models.

Nikon 1 J5 – camera with 20.8 MP sensor and 4K video

Photo camera Nikon 1 J5
Photo camera Nikon 1 J5

Today we will talk about new compact mirrorless camera Nikon 1 J5 with interchangeable lenses for Nikon 1 bayonet, 1″ CMOS sensor with 20.8 MP effective resolution, Expeed 5A graphical processor and support of 4K video recording. Camera can make photos with 5568 x 3712 pixels maximal resolution and save them in JPEG, RAW ( NEF ) and RAW+JPEG formats; supported video recording modes are 4K 3840 x 2160 15p, Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p/30p and HD 1280 x 720 60p/30p with saving in MOV format with H.264 or MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding image encoding and stereo PCM sound recording via built in microphones. ISO sensitivity levels are in 160 – 12800 range; camera has built-in flash and has no built-in viewfinder, its 3″ touch TFT LCD screen can be tilted under different angles and has 1.037 M dots resolution.

Photo camera Nikon 1 J5 ( top view )
Photo camera Nikon 1 J5 ( top view )

Nikon 1 J5 saves photos and videos on micro SD, micro SDHC and micro SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards, and supports wireless Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g ) and NFC ( Forum Type 3 Tag ) connections for remote data transfers and control. It has following connectors USB for connection with computer and HDMI Micro Type D, it has no Hot Shoe connector; one charge of its Li-ion battery EN-EL24 enough for approximately 250 photos, which is relatively low in comparison with other mirrorless compact cameras with interchangeable optics. Device sizes are 98.3 ( width ) x 59.7 ( height ) x 31.5 ( depth ) mm and mass is 231 g ( only camera without lens, memory card and battery ); operating segment of Nikon 1 bayonet is 17 mm – this is one of the smallest operating segments of mounts, so there should be no problems for use of optics of other cameras via according adapters rings, as Nikon F bayonet for mirrored cameras of company has, operating segment of which is 46.5 mm – it is one of the biggest segments and causes problems with use of lenses of other manufacturers. Operating conditions are : temperature in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity level below 80 % without condensate.

Photo camera Nikon 1 J5 ( tilting display )
Photo camera Nikon 1 J5 ( tilting display )

Package contains : Nikon 1 J5 camera itself, USB cable, Li-ion battery EN-EL24, recharger MH-31, bayonet cap, CD-ROM disk with ViewNX 2 software, shoulder strap, warranty card and user’s guide; there are also kits with included lenses. From one side : camera is quite good and gives good-quality photos and videos and has modern advanced technologies in it; from the other : it records 4K video only with 15 fps ( which is not enough for smooth video playback in most cases ), its sensor is one of the smallest among mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses ( it has large resolution, but physical sensor sizes are more important for high quality photo and video recording ) and this camera costs the same or even larger amount of money, than cameras of the same type with larger sensors, like Micro Four Thirds Panasonic and Olympus cameras and APS-C sensored Sony, Fujifilm, Canon and Pentax cameras; so, it is better to look on then, than to buy Nikon 1 J5. Especially if Olympus PEN PL and PM cameras are also designed for novice photographers and provide lots of automation during work.

Sony Alpha A5000 – new APS-C sensored compact camera with Sony E bayonet

Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000
Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000

Lets look on new compact mirrorless camera Sony Alpha A5000 with APS-C sensor ( 3:2 ratio ) with 20.1 MP resolution, Sony E bayonet for interchangeable lenses, new BIONZ X graphical processor and optical image stabilization with lenses, that support it. It can make photos with 5456 x 3632 pixels maximal resolution, saving them in JPEG ( DCF ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline ), RAW ( Sony ARW 2.3 ) and RAW+JPEG formats; supported video recording modes are Full HD 1920 x 1080 60/24, 1440 x 1080 30 and VGA 640 x 480 30 with saving in AVCHD 2.0 or MP4 ( with H.264 image encoding ) formats and stereo sound recording ( in AAC LC, AC3 or Dolby Digital 2ch formats ) via built-in microphones. ISO sensitivity levels are in 100 – 16000 range; camera has built-in flash and has no built-in viewfinder, its 3″ LCD screen can be tilted and has 460.8 K dots resolution, it has no touch functions.

Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000 ( top view )
Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000 ( top view )

Sony Alpha A5000 saves photos and videos on Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD, SDHC and SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards; it supports wireless Wi-Fi and NFC connections for remote data transfers and control. It supports automatic and manual focus, diaphragm and exposure control and can be used for astronomical photos making via T-mount adapter. Following connectors are built into it : Micro USB for connection to computer ( with battery charhing ability ) and HDMI Micro Type D, it has no Hot Shoe connector; one charge of its Li-ion battery NP-FW50 W enough for approximately 420 photos, camera can be powered via AC-PW20 adapter. Its sizes are 109.6 ( width ) x 62.8 ( height ) x 35.7 ( depth ) mm and mass is 210 g; operating conditions are the same, as other cameras have : temperatures in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity levels in 30 – 90 % range.

Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000 ( rear view )
Photo camera Sony Alpha A5000 ( rear view )

Package contains : Sony Alpha A5000 camera itself, Micro USB cable, Li-ion battery NP-FW50, recharger AC-UB10, bayonet cap, shoulder strap, warranty card and user’s guide; there are kits with included lenses and their caps. Camera is great, giving high-quality photos and videos, its price corresponds to its functions.

Olympus PEN E-PL6 – camera with 16.1 MP 4/3″ sensor for optimal price

Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6
Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6

Lets look on one of the newest compact mirrorless cameras Olympus PEN E-PL6 with 16.1 MP 4/3″ Live MOS sensor, graphical processor TruePic VI ( they are the same as top level Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera has ), Micro Four Thirds mount for interchangeable lenses and 3-axis image stabilization via sensor-shifting. Camera has one of the smallest prices among such devices and in value/price ratio respect is on one of the first places. It makes photos with 4608 x 3456 pixels maximal resolution and saves them in JPEG, RAW ( 12 bits per channel precision and lossless compression ), RAW+JPEG and MPO formats; supported video recording modes are Full HD 1920 x 1080 30p, HD 1280 x 720 30p and SD 640 x 480 30fps with saving in MOV ( with MPEG-4 AVC or H.264 image encoding ) or AVI ( Motion JPEG ) formats and stereo or mono Wave Linear PCM 16 bits and 48 kHz sound recording via built-in or external microphones. Used color spaces are sRGB and Adobe RGB, ISO sensitivity levels are in 200 – 25600 range; it has no built-in flash and viewfinder, but there is ability to attach external ones, 3″ touch display can be tilted and has 460 K dots resolution.

Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( top view )
Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( top view )

Olympus PEN E-PL6 supports manual and automatic focus, diaphragm and exposure settings and can be used for astronomical photos making with use of T-mount adapter. It saves photos and videos on SD, SDHC and SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards with Flash Air and Eye-Fi support; it has no built-in wireless connections support. Following connectors are placed on it : combined USB 2.0/AV output/for remote control, HDMI Micro Type-D, Hot Shoe and Accessory Port 2; one charge of its Li-ion battery BLS-5 is enough for approximately 360 photos making. Camera sizes are 110.5 ( width ) x 63.7 ( height ) x 38.2 ( depth ) mm and mass is 279 g ( only camera without lens, memory card and battery ); its body is made from metal, frontal grip can be unscrewed, if needed; work conditions are : temperature in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range and relative air humidity levels in 30 – 90 % diapason.

Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( back view )
Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( back view )

Package contains : Olympus PEN E-PL6 camera itself, external flash FL-LM1, Li-ion battery BLS-5, recharger BCS-5, USB cable, AV cable, shoulder strap, CD-ROM disk with OLYMPUS Viewer 2 software, frontal removable grip MCG-4, warranty card and user’s guide. This is a great camera, giving high-quality photos and videos and having technologies of top level Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera, it differs not much from Olympus PEN E-PL5 camera, so, when choice is between these cameras, then there is need to look on their prices.

Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( right side view )
Photo camera Olympus PEN E-PL6 ( right side view )

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 – compact camera with 16 MP 4/3″ sensor and 1040 K dots LCD screen

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6

Lets review compact mirrorless photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 with 16 MP 4/3″ Live MOS sensor, new Venus Engine graphical processor, 1040 K dots tilting touch LCD screen and Micro Four Thirds mount for interchangeable lenses. Camera can make photos with 4592 x 3448 pixels maximal resolution and saves them in JPEG ( DCF, Exif 2.3 ), RAW and RAW+JPEG formats; supported video recording modes are Full HD 1920 x 1080 60/50, HD 1280 x 720 60/50 and VGA 640 x 480 30/25 with saving in MP4 format with MPEG-4 AVCHD image encoding and AAC stereo sound recording via built-in microphones. Color spaces are sRGB and Adobe RGB, ISO sensitivity levels are in 160 – 25600 range; it has built-in flash and has no built-in viewfinder; image stabilization is optical ( MEGA O.I.S. ) with lens, that support it.

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 ( top view )
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 ( top view )

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 saves photo and video on SD, SDHC and SDXC ( UHS-I ) flash memory cards; it has support of Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11b/g/n, NFC ) connections for remote data transferring and control. Camera supports automatic and manual focus, exposure and diaphragm settings and can be used for astronomical photos making via T-mount adapter. It has following connectors : USB 2.0 for data transferring, HDMI Mini Type C and AV output; it has no Hot Shoe connector; there is only one audio driver, which reproduces only mono sound; one charge of Li-ion battery is enough for approximately 330 photos making. Camera sizes are 111.2 ( width ) x 64.8 ( height ) x 38.4 ( depth ) mm and mass is 323 g ( camera, battery and memory card without lens ); its body is made from metal; working temperatures are in 0 – 40 degrees on Celsius range, relative air humidity levels are in 10 – 80 % range.

Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 ( rear view )
Photo camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 ( rear view )

Package contains : Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 camera itself, bayonet cap, Li-ion battery, recharger, shoulder strap, USB cable, CD-ROM with PHOTOfunSTUDIO 9.2 AE program, warranty card and user’s guide; there are also kits with included lenses and caps for them. All in all, this is a great camera : it produces high-quality photos and video, has compact sizes and new technologies; from its minuses following can be noted : lack of Hot Shoe connector for external flash, viewfinder and other accessories, small buttons on touch screen and sometimes oversharp JPEG images.