Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs Olympus OM-D E-M1: The Travel Cameras

Jessie just got her new Huawei Mate 20 Pro cell phone. It had many interesting camera features such as the crazy night mode and 16mm ultra wide angle lens. Tonight (Day 2), we went to play with the phone at Olympus Oval. At the same time, We brought our travel camera Olympus OM-D E-M1 (with Viltrox EF-M2 0.71x AF + Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6) instead of Canon 5D Mark III as fair comparison.

*Jessie didn't choose 40 mega pixel mode but 10 mega pixel mode by mistake*
*E-M1 photos processed by Adobe Lightroom 6.14 (by Raymond)*
*Mate 20 Pro photos processed by Adobe PhotoShop Express Android version (by Jessie)*

E-M1 (m4/3 system) didn't have good ISO performance was a fact. However, its IBIS was a great thing for travel photography. We could take sharp photos at 1/3s shutter at most of the time. Tonight, we used ISO800-1600 + f/2.8 and hand-held in the low light environment.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro's Night Mode operation was like... Press the shutter and hold it for about 3 to 4 seconds. Of course, the photos were not professional-like quality but they are 80-90% quality of E-M1's (even at 10mp) on screen. Mate 20 Pro's photos were totally usable for leisure.

Surely, Mate 20 Pro has the ability to take much better photos (than this day 2 photos) after we understand more about its camera feature. We will show you more when we can get the most out of it.

Raymond & Jessie
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My New Stage Of Leisure M4/3 Life

As many people know, we've been working with Canon DSLR for 12 years. In leisure time, we use Olympus OM-D (E-M1 & E-M5) for travel and daily life. Full frame camera users get use to noise-free photos and very low noise in night photos. I feel M4/3's ISO performance is annoying in these years. Recently, I looked at some samples from Japanese Olympus website. There was a photographer shooting black and white photos in high ISO. The thick noise dots became part of the photos. It inspired me a lot. Now, I start to ignore the limitation and push ISO over 1600. I try to use OM-D like I have 5D3 or A7 III in hand. As long as photos are not for my clients, I just shoot my photos without considering the camera's limitation. I think the fun from m4/3 camera is even more than my work cameras.

Raymond
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Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 is now a 7-14mm f/2.8-4 with Viltrox EF-M2 AF adapter

Viltrox EF-M2 Adapter for Canon To m4/3 AF x0.71 Review (Update 1)

My Viltrox EF-M2 arrived after a few weeks, finally. First of all, it didn't work with E-M1 (disappointed) but it worked with E-M5 very well as promised. The package was very nice. The box contained two screwdrivers. I was wondering why it came with a small cross type screwdriver at the first place. After the first few test shots, I knew why... Infinity focus was unavailable (off badly). There was a tiny screw on the camera mount side like Metabones'. Unscrewing it a bit and you turn the glass anti-clockwise a few times until you can focus the far objects.

From the test, EF-M2 was very sharp and AF fast with E-M5. I felt bad about I couldn't use it on E-M1. Comparing to Kipon Bav EYES, EF-M2 has a bit better image quality. I didn't touch the infinity focus adjustment screw on Kipon Bav EYES from the first day. It might affect the result (Should I adjust it too?). However, Kipon Bav EYES worked with E-M1 very well and EF-M2 couldn't.

For the price, EF-M2 is a good deal. I hope the future firmware update will fix the E-M1 compatibility issue.

Viltrox EF-M2 Advantage over Kipon Bav EYES:
- A little bit Sharper
- Better mount fitting (both lens and camera end)
- Better contact between lens to the adapter
- Camera knows your correct lens focal length after x0.71 (Correct in body IS)
- Cheaper (USD199 now)

Kipon Bav EYES Advantage over Viltrox EF-M2:
- Works with E-M1
- No need to tune infinity focus. Works right out of package.

*EF-M2 Firmware version 2.2 (Firmware Update Here)
*Official supported cameras: GH5/GH4/GF1/E-M5/E-M10/E-M5 II/E-M10 II/PEN-F/E-PL3
*Official non-supported cameras: E-M1 II/E-M10 III

Some people said Olympus has lots of good lenses in smaller size and why using Canon lenses. Yes, you are right if you only have m4/3 cameras. However, Olympus's Pro f/1.2 are all over-priced (cost as much as full frame Canon L Primes) and not light weight, too. Pro f/1.2 lenses are not for the people like us who have almost the whole set of Canon L Primes after 11 years of professional career. We prefer to keep using the lenses that can be for work and leisure at the same time. In 2018, it's a fact that m4/3 is still not commonly used in wedding jobs unless it can provide a usable ISO6400 photos. Before that point, I still think Olympus Pro f/1.2 lenses are over-priced.

Raymond & Jessie
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You will find two screwdrivers inside. The small cross-type one is very important!!!



I test with 24mm f/1.4L and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART



The infinity focus was way off. Now it is ok after 20 mins adjustment. AF point at the line "zoom 24-105mm" on i40 flash.



E-M5 + EF-M2 + 24L
1/200s, f/1.8, ISO400



100% pixel



E-M5 + EF-M2 + 24L



100% pixel



Let's compare with Kipon Bav EYES



E-M1 + Kipon Bav EYES + 24L
1/200s, f/1.8, ISO400



100% pixel



E-M1 + Kipon Bav EYES + 24L



100% pixel: Seems like the focus shifted to backward (on the traffic light instead of the hand)

Peak Design Camera Strap: Slide - Unexpectedly Good

Before we start this short review, we have to tell you that don't get money from Peak Design or contact with it. It's just a personal review.

We travel quite often with cameras especially with two Olympus OM-D's. For leisure use, we use the neck strap instead of the double side way ones for wedding shoots. First, it's weird to carry two cameras on each side as a visitor. Second, we carry bags (with kids, we have no choice). The old red foam strap is getting dirty and we need a replacement.



Peak Design's strap caught our eyes because of the detachable feature. At the same time, it's 15% off for me to get one. Why not?

The package is really fancy - Apple product type of packaging. We don't expect it comes with 4 knots thingy. That means I can switch the strap between my E-M1 and E-M5 (or two as backup). Put it on... it is surprisingly comfortable.







The knot thingy is easy to lock and unlock. The string is looking strong. Now, we can share the strap between two cameras.



One of the best features should be this length adjuster. It is well designed for easy adjustment but we don't know if it's durable (we will know in the next trip). Design like this can be very good when it's new but turn into big problem if the metal lock can't hold it after the test of time. Let's see what will happen after 2 months.



Another smart design is the rubber on one side of the strap. When it's wore as cross body strap, we want no friction. However, if it's wore on the single shoulder, we need the friction to avoid the strap falling off the shoulder. This strap will look the same from a distance no matter we wore with which side.

At this moment, we are happy with this product. It will face our first travel test in March. Come back and see what we think of this strap. Stay tuned!

Raymond & Jessie

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About Equipment: Kipon Bav Eyes EF To m4/3 AF x0.7 Focal Reducer (Speedbooster)

I haven't done any hardware stuff in this blog for a long time.

We work with Canon equipment since 12 years ago but we use Olympus m4/3 camera (OM-D) during off work time. m4/3 is a good system (in my opinion) because it gives us more options to travel light and capturing fast objects like a Canon 1D series. Recently, I finally purchased a Kipon Bav Eyes EF To m4/3 AF x0.7 Focal Reducer. Actually, it's a Speedbooster with auto focus ability. I have been tracking Kipon's AF adapter for a long time before this version. I think it is about time to try it with firmware v2.6 available.

Let's jump to the conclusion to save you some time: It works well and I like it very much.



After Chinese New Year, the seller sent it with express mail in 7 days instead of over a month's shipping. The packaging is quite nice.



Obviously, the packaging department of Kipon's factory wasn't that clean. Lots of dusts on the surface but inside was ok.



First thing I did was testing Olympus E-M1 with Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L. The whole thing acted like a 35mm f/1.0 on a Full Frame camera (But depth of view is like f/2.0). What a surprise... It's very sharp at the middle. However, the auto focus speed wasn't very fast but usable for sure.



What about the crazy sharp Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART? So, it acted like a 50mm f/1.0.



Sharp, very sharp.



Kipon Bav Eyes EF To m4/3 AF x0.7 Focal Reducer worked in my older E-M5 too. The weird thing is... E-M5 auto focus with this adapter a bit faster than E-M1 sometimes. (E-M1 auto faster than E-M5 with regular m4/3 lenses)



The most interesting test was using with the 10 years old Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM lens which is an APS-C lens. I used this lens with Canon 30D in the old days. I also used it with 1D Mark II N in the old days. 1D Mark II N's sensor was a APS-H (x1.3 crop) camera. Photos came out with dark corners when 10-20mm mounted on it. I was very curious to see how it worked under the same focal length about full frame 14mm (10mm x 0.7 x 2).

It was very bad with the cheaper non-AF focal reducer (See below).



Photo taken by the cheap non-AF focal reducer: Corners were very bad. Totally, not usable.



Below: All E-M1 + Kipon + Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM

Corners were all sharp and no dark corners (What?!). Quite amazing. BUT... you must set the AF mode at C-AF (continuous) instead of S-AF (single). If the camera was set at S-AF, the lens would hunt the AF points for a long time without letting you to release the shutter.

If you ask me... Will we use this for work? No. The combo is not as good as Sony A7R II or A7 II with EF adaptor.