About My Gear Review

166 Comments
There is a strong reason why I have always chosen not to do any comparison (except within Olympus' own products) in my blog reviews. It is just impossible to answer every single question from everyone. 

If you have been following my review work for a while now, you will understand that my methods of reviewing a new gear may be unconventional and less technical, but more practical and closer to real life usage of the gear. Cameras and lenses can do only one thing, to take photographs. Therefore my review style has always been consistent, using the new camera or lens to take as many meaningful photographs within the short period of time I was given as I can. Based on the outcome of the photographs I have gathered and the experience while using the gear, I compose my review. Consequently my review was not meant to be an all-in-one definitive guide, but merely a crude indication of what you can do with the camera and lens (not what the camera and lens can do for you). 

I do not do technical tests (charts, graphs, numbers), I do not shoot in very controlled laboratory environment, because there are other reviewers doing so, and there is no way I can do better than the big boys like DXOmark and DPReview. Why should I do what I know will be done and within my limited resources and capability I might not even be able to reproduce results with similar accuracy? Let's leave the numbers, graphs and charts to those who really know what they are doing. While those big boys are focusing on getting as technically accurate data as they can with controlled tests, I on the other hand provide you with different perspective of the gear, how it does out there in the open, in the hands of a photographer-enthusiast. 




Coming back to the comparison blog review I have done for Panasonic 25mm F1.4 vs Olympus 25mm F1.8, I want to clarify a few things here:

1) I never said anything negative about Panasonic 25mm. 

It is a great lens, I stated that repeatedly and I strongly believe it can deliver great results. I commented that I do not notice any sharpness difference between Panasonic and Olympus 25mm, some images Panasonic appears sharper and some others the favor goes to Olympus.


2) The Panasonic 25mm F1.4 lens came from a friend

I borrowed the Panasonic 25mm F1.4 lens from a good friend. I was also approached and offered by some blog readers locally, and some who were residing all the way from the US! Someone made a claim that I was using a bad copy of the Panasonic lens. If it was a bad copy, I cannot understand how the images turn out so well. 


3) Chromatic Aberration Correction Issues

I am fully aware that Olympus lenses being used on Olympus body will produce optimized results with some digital correction, which includes CA compensation. Panasonic lenses may not be well corrected as efficiently as Olympus lenses on an Olympus body. I have stated that loud and clear (not sure if anyone reads that). I also made another important comment saying that if the Panasonic lens was used with Panasonic body high chances are that those CA will be reduced significantly. Furthermore I added the CA was not a big issue and can be corrected easily. How is this being biased about me saying the Olympus 25mm is better? I never made such claims. 


4) Testing Panasonic Lens on Panasonic Body

Before everything gets out of hand, allow me to remind the purpose, and obviously the title of that blog entry: Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm F1.8 Review Part 2: Comparison with Panasonic 25mm f1.4. That was a review blog entry for the Olympus 25mm lens, NOT the Panasonic lens. The reason I did the comparison was due to popular demand and multiple requests I have been receiving from many people, and I thought that this comparison will serve to be useful. I am in the midst of reviewing the Olympus OM-D E-M10 (still have remaining one or two parts) hence logically I am using the lenses on the Olympus OM-D E-M10, and also the obvious fact that E-M10 is the latest camera from Olympus. 

Someone had the cheek to say that I should be comparing with the Panasonic lens on a Panasonic body. I am terribly sorry but I do not see how such comparison is applicable here. Having another camera body introduces a whole set of new equations to solve. It was already complicated enough to do comparison of two different lenses on one camera body and set as many parameters to be as close as possible. I do not see how comparing a an Olympus lens on Olympus body against a Panasonic lens on a Panasonic body can serve the purpose of my Olympus 25mm F1.8 review. 


5) Olympus Bias comments

Yes, I am an Olympus fan, everyone knows that even before I joined Olympus Malaysia. Yes, I am an Olympus employee now. However, let me be VERY clear with one thing, the choice to continue blogging was mine to make, and it was my decision alone. I asked to continue doing my blog review because I believe that in some ways I am contributing to a community, and many people have found my sharing on this blog very useful. I understand that you may not necessarily trust what I have to say, that is perfectly fine. However to degrade me and conclude that all my efforts spent out there shooting, all those hours writing this blog review to be invalid and pointless, just because I am an Olympus employee, was a little over the line. If you do not like what I do here, you have a choice to not come here. I am writing to an audience and I appreciate their support and presence here, if you are not one of them, please do not make things difficult. 

6) Blogging Activities OFF Office Hours

I still have my usual 8-5 daily job from Monday to Friday. That leaves me only the weekend to do my shooting and blogging activities. I do have many official responsibilities as an employee, and I was hired for my skills, not my blog. I spent off my Chinese New Year holidays and the subsequent weekends (both Saturdays and Sundays) shooting for the E-M10 review, together with the 25mm F1,8 and the fisheye body cap lens (took me 4 full days of shooting to come up with those blog entries). This should not come as a surprise, the truth is,  it takes TIME to produce good photographs, my photographs here on this blog do not just magically appear. Almost ALL my free time is consumed by these blog review activities, but I am not complaining even a bit because I enjoy every bit of doing so. As much as I welcome criticism and constructive comments, I do not appreciate derogatory and meaningless trolling over my hardwork, dedication and sacrifice. 


7) Difficulties and Challenges I faced for this comparison review, too much work

Not many photographer bloggers out there who would spend as much time as me out there shooting and writing here, as soon as I could, to push out the content. I spent TWO FULL days of shooting for the 25mm F1.8 review (an earlier Sunday, and a following Saturday, which was 2 days ago), a total of more than 16 hours on the field. This review comparison thing is not as straightforward as any other ordinary review, because everything that I shot, I have to do it twice, with different lens, and I had to ensure ALL settings are the same, and the framing as close as possible. I know there are many inconsistencies and being difficult to truly control everything out there, shooting out in the open, but I took up the challenge, and I honestly have stated all the limitations of my methodology in my opening statement. Light may change, subject may have moved, my framing may not be 100% the same hence focus and metering may differ. But that is the REAL shooting condition. That is what happens when you shoot out there. That is what real photographers do and face when they are shooting. You cannot discount all the variables and unexpected changes, they are an important part we have to deal in real life photography. I am keeping my photos as real and as practical as I can. 

Changing lenses and maintaining similar shot with two lenses took a lot more effort and time than I have expected. What I normally can conclude in 3-4 hours shooting session took me almost whole day. Then there was the challenge of finding subjects with minimal movement. I want to find people shots because I know people will be one of the main subjects to shoot with the 25mm lens. For street portrait shooters, such portraits do not just randomly exist. You need to create a connection with the stranger, and you need to maintain that connection while shooting with a different lens. And do not even get me started on how many failed shots I have taken, just because I was not careful enough to watch the framing, or I suddenly moved away from the original standing position because a cat decided to run into my feet. Anything can go wrong in such comparison shots, and I managed to get away with only about 10% usable shots, which I am showing here. 

As I got home just after sunset I had dinner plans with friends, and I came home about close to midnight that Saturday.. I was exhausted and tired from walking all day under the sun and yet not having rest but going out for dinner with friends. It was late, my body told me to sleep but I refused to, and I unloaded the images. I then had to scrutinize the images, made side by side comparisons and select the best representative for each category I wanted to write about. Creating the side by side crops was also time consuming. When I had the images ready, I then started to compose the blog entry. The reason why I wanted to quickly blog immediately after my shoot was because everything I have found and experienced were still fresh in my head. If I waited for one or two more days some thoughts might have gone missing and I may not be able to recall the exact feeling or experience while I was shooting with the gear. What is the point of writing a user-experience based review if I cannot even remember correctly what I experienced?

Once I hit the publish button it was 4.52am (Malaysian time). 

And you know what, if I wanted to catch the morning light, I will have to go out and shoot in the morning, because I will not have time to shoot from Monday to Friday and I still have a few parts of blog reviews to finish up. 

So imagine me going through all that trouble, and suddenly one guy suggested I shoot a measuring tape to inspect the depth of field differences. My goodness. I cannot even begin to describe what I was feeling. In all frankness the reader meant well, and I had nothing against him, but the thought of all the things I did was useless in comparison to shooting a measuring tape, was a bit difficult to swallow. 



I cannot please everyone. I cannot fulfill all requests. There will be people wanting to know how Panasonic lens performs in the Panasonic body. How the Olympus lens performs in older Olympus bodies? E-M5? E-Pl2? What the CA and distortion profiles will be when processing the RAW files with different post-processing softwares. How the Olympus 25mm fares against 17mm F1.8, or how it fares against the Panasonic 20mm F1.7. Then there will be bokeh comparison on which bokeh shape is rounder, which one creamier, which one having more 3-D feel. Then shooting different subjects. Then there will be comparison in focusing speed on different camera bodies (repeat all the combinations as stated) and how that tiny bit of difference will create a huge fuss out of nowhere. Oh and what if there are sample variation issues? Like if the 25mm is a bad one and some might be sharper? Should I be testing at least 10 Panasonic lenses shooting them at exact same subject and inspect every single image file corner to corner and present all the results here? Perhaps the camera body also has different sample conditions and I should be testing the 10 lenses on 10 different camera bodies?

Sounds like so much fun. NOT!

If I take in all these requests, perhaps this comparison review will span 25 parts long. It is insane. I have ALSO mentioned very clearly that I will NOT be taking in any requests to do anything more than what I have already done. I beg your understanding please. 

I do not think I will be doing any more comparison reviews again in the future. It is just too much trouble, and everyone is expecting different things from me. 

I sincerely hope I am not putting anyone off by sharing my experience and some honest thoughts here. I think it is overly evident that I love what I am doing here, and I am privileged to be able to speak to all of you beautiful people. I am not a professional photographer, I am a learning photographer and the best thing I enjoy about photography (besides the obvious, shooting) is being able to connect and communicate with my audience.  

It is best that I just let the photographs speak for themselves. 



166 comments:

  1. I thank you for all of the work you put into this website. The photos do speak for themselves.

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  2. its sad that you have to write post like this one!
    i use the pana 25 and i like it very much, but your comparison made me curious to test olys 25!
    greetings from switzerland,
    valentin

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    1. Hey Valentin,
      It is indeed sad. However, I think it is best to share my thoughts, and push back with opinion.
      Thanks for the kind words. If you have the Panasonic 25mm and are happy with it then there is no reason to change!

      Delete
  3. Hi Robin,

    Thanks for this post, I hope folks read it and understand the effort you put into this blog. To me, this blog speaks volumes about your work ethic, similar to that I've encountered amongst the Malaysian Chinese community over the last 25 years.

    As you know, my wife is also Malaysian Chinese, and I am constantly astonished by the 150% she puts into getting the most out of life! We've just come back from a family trip, one week in Istanbul. Long days, a few thousand images. For me, all I wanted to do was sleep....she couldn't rest until she'd selected the 200 or so images she liked best, put them through PP (iPhoto), and uploaded them to FB.

    There is a reason you and Ming Thein are so widely read when new cameras and lenses are released: you both work hard, fast, and produce consistently excellent images. Personally I'm a little bit in awe of how you manage it! Well done.

    Cheers,
    Tom

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    1. And by the way, awesome landscapes! You will have to visit us in New Zealand one day, I'd love to see what you produce over there.

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    2. Hey Tom,
      Thanks for the show of support and words of encouragement! And yes I know how amazing those New Zealand landscapes are. I should start saving for NZ trip already!

      Delete
  4. I recently wrote something about Panasonic vs. Olympus and the ridiculous fighting over nothing. Be settled that you did just fine. There are so many fanatics who can't see the truth and already have ideas about the outcome being biased.

    I encountered someone who didn't like my comment about choosing an iPhone over an Android phone, even though I use an Android-based tablet. He didn't see my choice as right for me or superior to the choices he stated.

    Do what you do, and do it well. Let everything else fall where it may.

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    1. I know how crazy iphone vs android phone argument can be! At the end of the day if you are happy using what you are using then that is all that matters! No point making enemies out of personal preferences. Thanks for the show of support Sakamoto!

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  5. Robin, I've been running photography forums for close to a decade now. One thing I have learned in that time is that you have to learn to ignore certain levels of noise. There are a group of people out there who don't buy cameras because they want to engage in photography. They buy them because they want to be seen as having the best, so when their choices are shown to perhaps be not as "best" as they'd previously thought, they get defensive. Often the best form of defence for these poor souls is to go on the attack and that's what happened here.

    Just ignore it and carry on doing what you do. Your website was a key influencer for me in making the switch from Nikon to Olympus, because it demonstrated in photographic terms what could be accomplished with the kit. I have no interest in graphs and charts and all that scientific mumbo-jumbo. Just show me pictures. I'll make my own decisions from there. :)

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    1. Hey Dallas,
      I certainly have done a good job ignoring the noise, but I do think from time to time I have to push back my own opinion. You were so right, just show the photographs, they are the main evidence of what the gear can do!

      Delete
  6. Robin, please know that tons of people appreciate your hard work. Don't let those insecure people get to you.

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    1. Hey Thomas,
      Thank you for the kind support. Appreciate it.

      Delete
  7. Well Robin, in my family we have a saying, "no good deed goes unpunished"! Guess you found that out. I, for one, have very much enjoyed your work.
    Thank you for sharing it with us.

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    1. I am a believer of that saying now. Indeed no good deed goes unpunished. Thanks for the kind words.

      Delete
  8. Keep up the good work Robin. We hear you.

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  9. Ignore the jerks, you can not control other people's opinions. Please continue to share your perspective, I find it valuable. If somebody questions your integrity perhaps it is a reflection of their own values and not yours.

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    1. Thanks Stephen for the show of support. Nothing has changed on this blog, no worries. I am just making my stand here and I do need to say what I wanted to say.

      Delete
  10. Hi Robin,

    I don't comment often but I feel it's important to emphasize that for every a..hole who complains, you have scores of happy readers who fully trust your judgment and appreciate your photography to the fullest. Don't even think twice about the trolls, they are meaningless in the end (perhaps that's why they become trolls in the first place?).

    Thank you for your hard work, and looking forward to your next post,

    Bert.
    Montreal, Canada

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    1. Hey Bert,
      Thanks so much for the kind words. i would not think of them as a..holes or trolls but I do think I need to defend myself, and make myself clear.

      Delete
  11. I looked at numbers sometimes but mostly, they just put me to sleep. Ever since I discovered this blog, I've never stop coming back. Because of this blog, I've overcome my insecurity of a smaller sensor and understand what I need as a photographer. Surely I am not the only one who wants to say thank you Robin Wong.

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    1. I do think the numbers are important, but I do not want to do what many people are already doing.
      Thanks for the kind words, John. It was my pleasure to share my photos and blog here, glad you found them useful.

      Delete
  12. Dear Robin,

    I'm sorry you felt you had to defend yourself due to some of the comments. In my view you did a perfect job on the reviews and I thank you for that.
    Another thanks to you because I'm the happy owner of the EM10 haha and will be getting the Oly 25mm later as well.

    Looking forward to your conclusion of the EM10 review and if you say it's a good camera I'll agree with you as well :)


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    1. Thanks so much Darren for the kind comments, really do appreciate it. I just feel that perhaps it is best I do voice up, even if it may have little or no effect to those who do not agree, at least I have a voice here.

      Delete
  13. Hi Robin, I'm a fellow Kuchingnite here. This is the first time I'm commenting on any blog, ever, because it's only right to show my appreciation for your work on this blog. Don't get too discouraged. Remember that for every troll, sceptic or just plain idiot that didn't read your entry properly; there are probably 9 others waiting breathlessly in anticipation for your next post.
    I'm telling you this as a Nikon user. Yes, that's right. I don't even use MFT or any Olympus product yet I thoroughly enjoy your reviews and posts. Your enthusiasm for photography is quite refreshing to find within a product review; which could otherwise be a rather dry subject matter.
    So keep up the good work. You can't please everyone but you sure can please A LOT of other readers. I, for one, was glad you did the comparison since I'm thinking of getting a MFT setup soon. I knew you were going to catch flak for it, just not this badly. Just continue doing what you enjoy...we can truly feel some of that joy in your posts. Thank you for all your contribution!

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    1. A fellow Nikon user here (and mostly very old gear at that!) and I could not agree more with your well-deserved nice and truthful comment to Robin. Indeed he's doing a fantastic job - and often severely under-appreciated. It's for free, too - another thing people tend to forget!

      To continue on your excellent "flak" analogy, Gojira78 - Robin, remember what the old pilots say: "the more flak you encounter, the more you can be sure you are right on target". Seldom words more wise were spoken.

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    2. Thanks to you both Nikon users, Gojira and Andre!
      Photography is all about enjoying shooting, hence if you do enjoy shooting, the joy will surely be shown through the photos!
      And very wise words Andre, you never fail to surprise me. Thanks for the show of support and having faith in me.

      Delete
  14. Hi Robin,

    You did good user experience reviews to products. However, if you do comparison, you have to be scientific. At least make readers think your method is fair to both products. I'm a fan of Olympus. However, I think your last comparison is not fair enough to both products. Since we all know that there is some digital correction of camera body to the same brand of lens. You have to do 4 tests:

    OM body + OM lens
    OM body + Pana lens
    Pana body + OM lens
    Pana body + Pana lens

    If you could not afford the resouce to do the comparison, then simply don't do it. Just do review.

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    1. "if you do a comparison , you have to be scientific" . Umm no he doesn't. Be as fair as he can .. yes. Which he did as best he could.
      It is not a Panasonic lens vs an Olympus lens per se review. Rather its a "How do these lens perform on my Oly body" review. Which is very useful for lots of Oly owners like us. Maybe someone out there can do a "How do these lens perform on my Pany body" type review which robin isn't obliged to do.

      Keep up the good work robin

      Delete
    2. I think it was clear it was a case of how the both lenses work on the EM10 rather than a direct comparison between the 2 lenses.

      Delete
    3. Robin doesn't owe us anything, and is under no obligation whatsoever to do any scientific tests. He showed how this Pana lens performs on a Oly body. That's it and that's very useful for many.

      Delete
    4. What a load of bleep. When we photographers want to look at scientific comparisons we'll go to sites that cater for that. Thank goodness for sites like Robin's where it's about the images and not the graphs or rulers or other inconsequential mutterings.

      If you're not going to use the Panasonic lens on a Panasonic body, what possible reason exists for you to need to know how it performs on such a body? I'm glad to now know which of these two lenses performs better on the OM-D bodies I would be using them for should I ever want to get one.

      Delete
    5. The whole point of the micro four-thirds mount is that it can be used across different systems. It's quite reasonable to want to see a comparison of Olympus and Panasonic lenses on the same body. I happen to shoot Canon professionally but sometimes use an Olympus body often with a Panasonic lens for personal stuff. Robin's comparison was relevant and helpful to me, it would be a damn shame if he took your bad advice and stopped doing reviews you don't find "scientific".

      Delete
    6. Pak Andy, did you even read this entry at all? You are asking for an exponential amount more work (as getting 4 shots framed exactly the same would be more than double the work of getting 2 exactly the same, as Robin explained above). All for what? I have an Olympus body. Most readers here have Olympus bodies. I don't even care how the Panasonic lens works on a Panasonic body! It is a completely moot point to the majority of the readers on this site. Maybe a Panasonic stills shooter (are there many?) should carry out the other half of the comparison you are suggesting. Maybe YOU should do it!

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    7. Why? It's his blog. He can do what he likes. There are certain people (brand fanatics mostly) who won't be pleased if the outcome doesn't favour their opinion.

      Delete
    8. Someone else is probably already doing that scientific test. Probably someone who loves doing them. No need for Robin to do it. But I bet that "Scientific" guy doesn't post nearly as interesting pictures as Robin. For example, LensRentals have measured tons of lenses of the same model to figure out how sample variation looks.

      Delete
    9. Oh dear... I wanted to respond to Pak Andy, but now after reading everyone's comments, I am left with nothing else to say!
      This is not a "scientific" site. Pak Andy is right, the idea of doing comparison was not a very smart one to do for me (as I always avoid comparisons). Nonetheless, it has been carried out, and I am sure with whatever limited information I am presenting, these are still information, and some may find them beneficial. Surely there will be more elaborate tests and reviews by others who can do better than me in due time.

      Delete
    10. @Robin . I for one hope you continue to do comparisons. Especially of similar type of lens products. It help us gauge its performance in real world scenarios, and help us cash-strapped lurkers make a good well informed decision on our purchases. Don't be afraid to attract more negativity as it will help you grow stronger and tougher in life. Stay strong dude. *Thumbs up*

      Delete
  15. Dear Robin - I've been away for a few days and see what happens! The [beep] has hit the fan.

    First things first: you do NOT owe us lurkers anything. You do NOT have to defend yourself, or even more ridiculous, apologize. The old saying goes: "I do not know the road to success, but I do know the road to failure: try to please everybody".

    I have not (yet) read the offending comment(s), but to be honest you certainly do not have to worry about it, nor do you owe anybody any apology. You do great work - your reviews are clear, honest, to the point and not full of "fascinating" shots of brick walls and suicide-inducing pseudo-scientific numeric tables and graphs. You do what any photographer should do: go out and shoot! And you do that extremely well. Besides, you are gifted with very good writing and communication skills.

    All of which makes your efforts a complete pleasure and privilege to read, watch, and enjoy. And no amount of absolute nonsense from sad little men sitting behind their old laptop writing vitriolic comments can change that.

    Keep doing what you are doing to the heck with the rest! You have my respect and, for what it is worth, my support. Bravo!

    The internet, in all its wonders and benefits, contains TONS of absolute nonsense and BS. Equally it is populated by entire hordes of complete imbeciles. If people do not like your work, your reviews, your opinions or even your aftershave then they have the right to exercise their (only) right: the right to leave. Good riddance to bad nonsense!

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    1. Hey Andre,
      Where have you been?
      I agree I do not have to defend or apologize, but I do feel the need to explain myself, after all the noise that is happening. The beautiful thing about Internet is for us being able to connect, and I do have a voice and I wanted to voice up.
      Yeah, we all know now (one way or another, mostly through hard experience) that we cannot please everybody.

      Thank you so much for your endless support and kind words, I certainly do not deserve them. Do not worry, this blog is not going anywhere, and my itchiness to click the shutter button seems like a permanent disease now. More photos and blog entries will come surely.

      Delete
    2. Let me answer your question with a small "riddle": when I'm finished you are cordially invited (and will have plenty photographic opportunities!)

      I've said it before so I'll keep it short: yes, you do deserve the praise and the support. Your blog is something special. And keep in mind - always, always, always follow your heart. Do what you think it right, and enjoy yourself. After all, it's your baby. And from the outpouring of support here in so many comments already you can see -proven!- that you are doing extremely well and are greatly appreciated. I know providing content is very, very hard work. Especially when you do it so well.

      So never let the noise distract you. Follow your heart. That itch to click that shutter is a blessing in disguise! I'm looking forward to your next posts - always a true pleasure!

      Delete
  16. I don't know why do you pay so much attention to requests and demanding of making different tests. You're doing your job (excellent in my opinion). There will be always some people that disagree with you.
    Comparision of Olympus 25/1.8 with Panasonic 25/1.4 was natural thing as these two lenses are very similiar with facal lenght and aperture. Seeing it working side-by-side in field, not lab in conditions is worth more then few negative comments.

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    1. Hey Rupert,
      I am paying attention because I do think that it was a bad decision to do a comparison in the first place. But you are right, there will always be someone that disagrees.
      Shooting in the field is what photographers do, not in the lab. That is what I am doing, and thanks for the show of support!

      Delete
  17. Hi Robin,

    Your selections of images to compare both lenses are excellent. I am a 50mm standard lens fans. I am interested to know how both m43 25mm lenses compared in various focusing distance (close up, tight portrait, normal portrait, normal distance, subject on the side, subject in the corner). I like to know if the subject's face will be distorted in the corner, and how's the look of background etc. You have done what I would have wished to see! It is interesting to see that the Olympus lens is a little bit wider.

    Thank you for your hard work! I Your real world photography reviews with generous quality image samples make your place very special and invaluable.

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    1. Hey Matthew,
      You noticed something that no one has spoken before, and that something I forgot to mention in my blog here. I considered a wide range of shooting conditions as you have mentioned, and that is also the reason why this comparison shots took more effort and time than usual.
      Thanks for the kind words, and I am glad you found my review useful!

      Delete
  18. Keep up the good work Robin and don't worry about negative comments..

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  19. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  20. Hi Robin,
    Sorry to hear the thunder in the midst of a good weather but keep on walking as you are walking on the right path. Many had follow your path and some even follow your step because they believe and trust in your judgement including me. Thank you for sharing your images and thoughts which I always looking for everyday.
    Keep up your wonderful work and take care of your health. Worry less and shoot more.
    May you have a great evening.
    John Ragai

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    1. Hey John,
      thanks for the show of support and having faith in me. And you are absolutely right, lets worry less and shoot more.

      Delete
  21. Hi Robin,

    As a fellow blogger, I enjoy your work immensely, even though I don't shoot Olympus (but planning to add an E-M5), and at the same time understand how much time and effort it takes to create content. Anyone who reads your blog more than a few times will know your honesty towards your reviews, regardless who you work for. Many ignorant fanboys just spit out complaints automatically when their favourite product does not compare and come up on top, especially when it costs more than the competition. I know it's easy to say ignore them, and it hurts when people do not read the conditions under test, but just being difficult and unfair. They have no business and unworthy of reading your blog.

    Keep doing what you are doing. You are an inspiration to many of us. I wish I had your energy and dedication.

    Try to ignore those obvious jerks, and don't take it too personally.

    Cheers

    Yu-Lin

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    1. Hey Yu-Lin
      Thank you so much for the sound advice and words of encouragement. Thank you also for relating to the immense work on creating content. You were right about how hurt one can be when the others do not even take the time to understand the conditions and purpose of the original content and just make things more difficult in the end. I wish I can just ignore them, but I needed to pour out my thoughts and that was when I wrote this blog entry. I am ok now so do not worry. You know, it is best to let it all out than just keep it in the chest.
      Thanks again for the show of support, really appreciate it!

      Delete
  22. Hey Robin,

    I own the PanLeica 25mm F1.4 (I'm loving it) and it's great that you did the comparison. Please ignore those troll comments or the super fan boy for the panasonic lens. I appreciated all the work and insight that you gave us on all your blog entries and keep up the good work. I know it's not easy and hope the negativities you've got from some do not discourage you for future comparisons.

    Always like to read what you have to blog. Thank you!

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    1. Hi Ju Wu,
      Thanks for the kind words, and I am sure the Pana 25mm F1.4 works wonders for you. I will continue blogging what I blog always, but I do not think I have the heart to do another comparison review again.

      Delete
  23. Robin, I agree with the Dallas's comment: there are people that like GEAR, not photography. They are more interested in numbers and bragging rights than in results.

    I saw these types everywhere in photographic sites, saying that this camera / lens is better than another, that you have to use full-frame cameras and "everything below this is a joke"...and when you see (WHEN they show) their photos, I could make the same (or better) with my old Sony HX9 point&shoot...(and I'm far from being a professional photographer, too).

    Another things that always baffled me is this stupid fanboyism in the MFT world, Panasonic x Olympus. These people don't realize that finding inexistent problems in the equipment of the other "camp" is only bad for THEIR equipment, weakened the system, which already suffer from prejudice of having "a small sensor"? I can't understand. I'm a MFT shooter and have equipment from Panasonic and Olympus; my main camera is now a GX7 (because of the great video mode combined with great photos), but I think that the Olympus cameras are great (even considering a E-M1 and / or a E-M10 in the future). Love my Panny 20mm 1.7, but bought recently the Oly 45mm and 75mm and they are amazing (the 45mm and the GX7 are a heavenly match).

    One of the strenghts of the MFT system is to have CHOICE. Want a top camera? You have the E-M1, the GH3 and soon the superb GH4 - each one of them more tuned to some taste or another. Amazing midranges like the E-M5, E-M10, GX7, G6, E-P5. Little powerhouses like the GM-1 or the E-PL5. And the best lens selection of all the mirrorless systems - the few gaps are being filled by both the manufacturers.

    Unfortunately, when your post of the comparison appeared, I already knew that accusations will follow, since now you are a Olympus employee. Especially from some people which work looks much more "biased" than yours, with some false claims in their reviews - I follow your work from a long time (and if I'm now a MFT shooter, you deserve some credit from it) and never saw a false info from your reviews. Very sad, but it was predictable.

    And if you decide to not make more these kind of comparing reviews, I will miss it, but I will support you. Nobody deserves of being accused of being dishonest when trying to help to bring information for the people.

    Sorry for the long comment, but I'm being sick of these people who loves more specs than images. And keep the good work, Robin. :)

    Regards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Marcio.
      No need to apologize for long comments. My blog entries can go ridiculously long sometimes, so if the readers can sit through my long writing, so can they comment as long as they want! And I will read every single word.
      Very good point you have made there about the Panasonic and Olympus being in the same system and people should stop bantering each other since we are already one of the minority group of camera system out there. Indeed when both worlds of Panasonic and Olympus are combined things get more interesting and we have a wide selection of choices, including lenses and camera bodies.
      I definitely will shy away from comparing Olympus products to other manufacturer's products, but if Olympus vs Olympus I believe the damages will be far less.
      Thank you so much for the show of support and thanks for understanding my pain. While I am not against people who are too much into the specs, I do wish more and more people actually bring their camera out and shoot more often.

      Delete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Robin, thank you for keeping this wonderful blog so we all know in front of all these fancy gears there are incredible stories to be told, amazing scenery to be seen, and most import of all, beautiful folks out there with various characteristics and expression on their faces to have your heart touched and hugged. Thanks mate! I love photography and people who care about real photography!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Wei for the very kind words. Photography is a lot more about numbers, and you have described photography very well!

      Delete
  26. I love your blog. I've been following you for at least a year, maybe two. I'm sorry to see you get into this mess. I know you did it with the best of intentions.

    That being said, writing "1) I am an Olympus Malaysia employee" does not absolve you of the appearance of conflict of interest. And neither do 36 comments from fans. Ask yourself how many other Olympus (or Nikon or Sony or Canon) employees around the world in which they are reviewing their company's products? If your answer is "none" or "damned few," think about the reasons for that.

    The fact that it took you X hours or Y days to put together something isn't as meaningful as you think in this context. Who cares if it took Paul McCartney 5 minutes or 5 weeks to write Hey Jude? No one judges him on the time it took; he is judged solely on the results.

    You are a talented writer as well as a talented photographer - a rare combination. There is much that you have to share without writing gear reviews that you are smart enough to already know will make a lot of people look at you sideways. "I do not think I will be doing any more comparison reviews again in the future." Good decision.

    I'm looking forward to more posts like "The Way They Looked At You" and "Available Light for Street Portrait Shooting".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spike,
      As much as you want to say about conflict of interest, what makes you think any reviewers out there were fully being honest and not being paid for? The difference between myself and them: I told right from the start that I work for Olympus. Olympus did NOT ask me to continue blogging the reviews, I did that with my own initiative. If you can't trust my review, then you surely cannot trust anything that is published out there. Every reviewer is biased to a certain point, it would be ignorant not to acknowledge that.
      I will continue blogging about reviews, but not comparisons. I will also blog about my photography journey and my findings along the way.

      Delete
    2. Robin, it is a good point. I don't trust blogs that review equipment that are then filled with affiliate links saying "order it here". I don't like blogs that are filled with banner ads and "pre-order the new $50,000 best thing ever by clicking on this link now!" I also try not to form opinions based on just one or two reviews. Reviews are subjective, otherwise they are not reviews.

      Be that as it may, you must realize that writing "others are doing the same as me" or "others are doing worse than me" doesn't make things right. Most of them I wouldn't spend a moment writing to because I don't respect them. I do respect you and that's why I took the time to post a comment here and thanks for replying to it.

      However, it seems we are in violent agreement on one point. I'm looking forward to more of your photos and more tales of your journey.

      Delete
  27. Personally I think you should carry on doing comparisons and anything else you wish to do on your BLOG. Enjoy the jerks as much as you enjoy the readers who are supportive of your contribution. To quit doing something is to give in and surrender to people who don't have the guts to go out and do their own comparative reviews of popular gear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jr. Miller,
      The reason why I will stop doing comparison is that I do not think I want to go through all the drama again. I will still keep this blog as it is.

      Delete
    2. I agree that you should carry on with comparisons...I for one find them invaluable when deciding which lenses to consider purchasing. I read your blogs because I use Olympus gear...and I want to know if there is a better option than the Oly glass on Oly gear....simple as that. I know it doesn't happen often, but it's reasonable to assume that one day a Panasonic lens will come along that gives better results than a similarly specced and priced Olympus one on an Olympus body.

      The people that gripe and moan don't deserve the time you take to respond to them - there are many more of us who take your blog for what it is, an excellent resource, written by a like minded guy.

      Keep up the great work :o)

      Delete
  28. As someone who shoots and edits around a more-than-full-time job, I am astounded that you can do that *and* write up great reviews and blog posts on a regular basis. I absolutely appreciate your reviews, photos, and comments and sincerely hope you can keep them coming without losing your health or sanity! Cheers from Seattle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Glenn,
      I have my secrets! hah kidding. I think it has become some sort of addiction to have my blog updated as soon as I can after a shoot. In a way it is good because I keep myself disciplined. But you were right, I must watch out for my own health, and sanity! Thanks for the reminder, I have not even put much thought to those.

      Delete
  29. Hey Robin, Your comparison review was really informative, and helped me to sort out some of the differences between these two very wonderful lenses. I now feel that I can buy the Oly regret-free!

    The photo world, which I have had the pleasure of being part of for the past 50 odd years, has always had a vocal minority of equipment fetishists (now referred to as fanboys). Please continue to do your reviews as user-based, and if you can manage it you could always grow about an extra millimeter of epidermis to protect against the onslaught of negativity ;-)

    Hope to meet you and your photog friends in KL someday.

    David in Seattle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey David,
      when you do come to KL please do find me!
      I don't think anyone will regret anything, both lenses, Olympus and Panasonic 25mm are great lenses and are capable of delivering excellent results. The differences were minor. If you use Olympus body it makes more sense to buy Olympus lens (more optimized).
      Thanks for the words of wisdom and show of support, really appreciate your kind comments!

      Delete
  30. I read and very much appreciated your comparison between the two 25mm MFT lenses. I know that must have taken a lot of time, effort, and thought. I thought you did a great job.... good enough that I am seriously considering selling my Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 to purchase the new Olympus instead.

    Please don't get too worked up over all of the comments. That's just going to happen whenever you post a comparison between two of anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Gregg!
      Good to hear from you again. Oh no, please do not sell the Panasonic, I believe you are enjoying it so far, and if you do, there is no reason to let it go.
      Thanks for the words of encouragement. Appreciate them a lot.

      Delete
  31. Hey.. First off, I appreciate your work and time for your blog. Because of your blog, I really see the potential of the the Olympus line and decided to buy an OMD EM-10 and a 17mm 1.8F and sell my Canon gear.. (needed something with a smaller.. not a professional photographer but like to take really nice photos)

    Its funny that in every single post and all over your blog, you write your disclaimer and people still miss it even though it's your very 1st paragraph. Even with your last comparison, you spelled it out that this was all subjective and this was all under uncontrolled environments. And now you have to reiterate that same thing with another blog post. /smh

    Don't let the haters get to you. Keep up the good work.

    Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Bay,
      Thanks for the kind words, and I am glad you have found my blog useful for your buying decisions. I am sure you will love the new E-M10, it is such a joy to use the camera, and I am loving it.
      I guess people will just read into what they want to and ignore some obvious disclaimers and general reasoning. Nonetheless, you were eight, I should not let them get to me.

      Delete
  32. Love it, Robin!! As they say, 'No good deed goes unpunished!' Nearly ALL your blog followers sincerely appreciate all the time and effort you put into your reviews. Not only do you give pros and cons to the equipment, but you provide stunning images to go along with the reviews! Don't let the negativity get you down! Your work is greatly appreciated, and your reviews have gone a long way to helping me decide on my next system: an OMD-EM10 with the 17 1.8. When I order, I will use the link on your site. Thank you, and keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Rob,
      Thank you so much for the kind words and thanks for the show of support, really appreciate them.
      As another reader has also commented, no good deed goes unpunished. That is making much more sense now. I am doing my best to stay positive, and worry not, more photos and blog entries will come very soon. I just need a bit of time to cool down.

      Delete
  33. Sorry to hear people gave you a hard time. I appreciate your work. If I didn't already own the Panny I would likely get the Oly. BTW the price difference in the US is a good bit smaller. It was useful to see how closely matched they are.

    Your blog should be fun for you. Life's too short to worry about the complainers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Glenn,
      No worries, my blog has always been fun for me, and I enjoy shooting and sharing my photos and thoughts here. That is why I have been doing so for so many years, and I update my blog regularly without fail.
      You were right, life is too short to worry about the complainers!

      Delete
  34. Hi Robin,
    I was very excited when you published the Pan vs Oly 25mm lens comparison. As an Olympus user, it is extremely valuable to me to gauge how different lenses work with an Olympus body. I could careless how an Oly 25mm work on an Pan body. Trust me, I won't spend a second reading it even if you did one. :) It is simply not relevant to me and it's not why I visit your blog.

    I think enough has been said in the comments above, but I'd say it again: Stay Positive and Keep Shooting!!!

    Cheers,

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi Robin,

    Lurker here who really appreciates your blog (I'm sure there are many of 'us'). Please don't let the pixelmaniacs prevent you from doing the great job you are doing - disregard their sniping.
    Your blog is great, is a pleasure to read and I wish I could come up with pix like yours.

    Best regards,
    Kees.

    San Jose, California

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Kees,
      I am very sure anyone can shoot the kind of images I shoot, I am after all still a learning photographer, still experimenting and going through a lot of trial and error.
      Thanks for the kind words and I appreciate the vote of confidence.

      Delete
  36. Robin
    Just to say I love reading your blog and reviews. Why you need to defend yourself against some morons who cannot read I don't know. All I can say is keep up the good, no, excellent work, its really appreciated for other like minded people like myself. I just find it fantastic to find such informative reviews and great and inspiring work. It makes me feel like picking up a camera and spreading the word.

    Please, please, please keep up the great work, there is a lot of information out in cyberspace and I am so glad I've found your site. truly inspiring.

    Thanks

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
  37. Robin
    Just to say I love reading your blog and reviews. Why you need to defend yourself against some morons who cannot read I don't know. All I can say is keep up the good, no, excellent work, its really appreciated for other like minded people like myself. I just find it fantastic to find such informative reviews and great and inspiring work. It makes me feel like picking up a camera and spreading the word.

    Please, please, please keep up the great work, there is a lot of information out in cyberspace and I am so glad I've found your site. truly inspiring.

    Thanks

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Simon,
      The reason I had to defend myself, was mainly because I felt the need to voice up. Some things needed clarification and I just wanted to make a stand. Of course, I won't let them get to me, and nothing has changed. I will continue shooting and blogging as usual, rest assured. Thanks for showing up and giving me words of encouragement.

      Delete
  38. Robin, I appreciate all your hard work and really enjoy your blog even though I use a Panasonic GX7. Sure it would be nice to see how the 25 PanLeica performs on a Panasonic camera, but that wasn't what you set out to do, and it isn't your job. I thought your review was well done and quite useful. But people don't read carefully and often just see what they want to see. You can't let that get you down. Keep on doing what you've been doing so well. Here's hoping for many more reviews and pure shutter therapy posts in the future.

    All the best, Duncan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Duncan,
      Agreed, I should not let them get me down. Thanks for the show of support, and surely, more reviews and yes, more importantly, PURE shutter therapy are coming soon.

      Delete
  39. Robin,

    Just let people talk, let the dog barking. Your blog has been helpful to me in regards of field photos taken by a none pro, there is a lot to extract from there.
    You see I am still with film today because I wasn't pleased with both results and cameras, but I finally found something to float my boat in the digital cameras world and you have been helpful if not decisive.
    So just carry on.
    Thanks
    Michel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Michel,
      You are right, people will always talk, and there is nothing we can do about it. Thanks for the support and I am glad I have been a small help for your decision!

      Delete
    2. Hey Michel,
      You are right, people will always talk, and there is nothing we can do about it. Thanks for the support and I am glad I have been a small help for your decision!

      Delete
  40. Robin,
    don't let the pixelmaniacs like myself overcome your feeling. (I must admit I would have loved to see a comparison with other 25mm lens, but it doesn't mean I would have see that as something lacking from your entry)
    I did appreciate your comparison and as I told you before, should have it been a few month earlier it would have been very helpful in choosing a lens. I would have been inclined to select the olympus 25mm because that's an excellent lens you get at a reasonable price.
    As always, what I really enjoy about your blog is the fact that you rely on real photo experience to express your opinion. We all know you're an olympus fan and employee and I've been amongst the people that you should live from your passion which is shutter therapy. I've haven't change my mind since and I truly believe you're true to yourself ie. expressing your enthusiasm on micro 4/3 olympus products. In the end, your photos makes us jealous because a lot of people would love to be as good as you are and in some way you're making us travel in your world made of color and bright faces you capture during your shutter therapy sessions.
    I believe, you're kind of victim of your own success, being good at what you do is making us want more and more... but be assured, we're spoiled kids and what we have is necessarily enough for us. If some people want a pixel peep comparison they should go and read dpreview.
    You're giving the best out of your free time, and this should satisfy anyone that can read you, if others want more well... there are plenty of quality blogs or video with comparative reviews.
    Your blog, is amongst the best blogs I've come to read. And you have kept something in your blog which is your sense of humor and your indecent love for photography.
    In short, keep doing things that please you, if you do comparison well we'll be fine with that, if not, we'll be happy as well.
    I would hate to learn that you wish to stop doing your blog entries because of bad comments or feedbacks that doesn't seem appropriate.
    So stick to your ideas and stay true to yourself.

    Cheers,
    Son

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Son,
      Thanks for the kind words. Oh dear there is no need to be jealous of my photos, they were full of flaws and there is plenty of room for improvement! Nonetheless photography is a journey and we all improve as we go along, and the most important thing is the experience and that we enjoy doing what we do. That is why shutter therapy, as you already know, is very important to me.
      I appreciate your kind support and words of encouragement! I was merely sharing my thoughts and experience, and I am very glad people do find them useful, and enjoyable to read.
      Thanks for the reminder, I will surely do my best to stay true to myself!

      Delete
  41. Like many others, I would like to express that I very much enjoy reading your blog and admiring your photos. Thanks! Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Your work is very appreciated by this micro four thirds fan! I straddle both camps as the major m43 manufacturers bring something different to the table. Olympus seems to win my heart and Panasonic my head (in most cases).

    Keep truckin' and I look forward to more Robin pics!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh just thing....

      Why have they not packaged the 25mm 1.8 with the EM10? Surely that would truly harken back to the OM10 50mm 1.8? Just a thought for your bosses :)

      Delete
    2. Hey edshots,
      Thanks for the kind compliments, I speak for the general crowd, and I welcome even non Micro Four Thirds users. I have always said that it is not the camera or gear but the photographer that truly matters. The most important thing is enjoy shooting with whatever you have.
      I know right, the E-M10 and the 25mm would have been a great package.

      Delete
  43. Robin,

    You're a guy of good will and integrity. You know that; and most of your readers have grasped that very well.

    I hope you will gradually get used to not taking criticism and complaints personally. The web is over-run with sociopaths and grumpy, cranky know it alls.
    Don't feel you have to defend every accusation they throw at you -- you won't have any life left!

    Keep doing your wonderful thing, and let that be plenty enough!

    Regards,

    Peter from Montreal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Peter,
      Thanks so much for the flattering remarks, though I do no think I deserve them.
      Do not worry, I am not letting them get to me that easily. I was posting this blog entry to clarify a few items and set some things straight. I do need to defend myself, I do need to voice up certain things.
      Thanks again for the support!

      Delete
  44. Ignore the trolls Robin. Your reputation remains spotless, and your integrity intact. Your photography is inspirational.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Chill, you're doing a great job Robin! Ignore the fanboys! I own a Pan-Leica 25mm which I use on my OMD EM1 and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! That's not me saying that the Olympus 25mm is bad either, after the reviews you gave, I gave an agreeing nod to most of the pros and cons you have mentioned in your writing about the Pan-Leica, I didn't have that out-of-focus issue, but that's pretty much it!

    I'm no pixel peeper, the CA and edge sharpness issues are certainly there at the aforementioned apertures you have shot your photos at, but they don't bug me as much, I'm not sure if I'll ever switch to the Oly 25mm (admittedly I'm tempted!), but after your review, I am even more confident to recommend it to a fellow Olympus user who wants a solid 50mm equal but does not have the budget to get the Pan-Leica lens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Endruuu,
      Thanks for the kind compliments! It is best not to pay too much attention to technicalities during actual shoot (reviewing gear is different of course) and just concentrate on the core of what makes the photographs work. You were right not to pay too much attention to CA and edge sharpness. Those should come before the buying decision of the gear was made but once you already have them just enjoy using them and make more images happen!

      Delete
  46. Just wanted to say thanks for the review. I am using an Olympus epl-5 and was leaning towards getting the Olympus 25mm f1.8 but I was wondering if it would be better to just take a bit of a financial hit for the PL 25mm 1.4.

    I think your review shifted me back to the Olympus lens,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey mico,
      For Olympus camera bodies, the best is to use Olympus lenses as they are optimized for Olympus cameras.

      Delete
  47. Your blog has been entertaining and informative going back to when you got the E-410, maybe further but I have not read the older post.

    I appreciate the style, reviews, and photography focus of what you do. The Olympus 25mm f/1.8 and Panasonic f/1.4 side-by-side comparison was great!!!! The amount of information you provided should help many make a choice between the two lenses. And sadly it is this kind of reviews that are lacking in any media.

    I would hope that you would chose to some more of these in the future. Maybe you could team up with a Panasonic enthusiast to do the same reviews, kind of a polite point-counter point.

    Blogs are time consuming enough, your reviews even more so, especially considering you’re the variety and clarity of thought. Thank you for your time and effort over the years, looking forward to more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Clint,
      Thanks so much for the kind words, and I was surprised you have read my blog since the E-410 era ! That was MANY years ago. Thank you so much for staying with me all this time.
      No worries, it was my pleasure to write, shoot and share what I found during my review. It is great to be able to speak to the community this way. The fun was immeasurable!

      Delete
  48. Keep up the good work, Robin. And keep posting your excellent shots. Your blog has become an inspiration to me. Thank you for your time and effort in preparing and writing the reviews.

    Regards
    Alex from Sweden

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Alex,
      Thanks for the kind words. I will surely continue blogging and shooting. Nothing changes.

      Delete
  49. I recently found your blog and I have to say that I find your reviews to be fair and extremely informative. I suspect that most people reading this are 100% behind your more informal review style and find your observations to be very valuable - I know I do. Difficult as it may be, I would try and ignore any negative comments from ill informed and unthinking people! You're doing a great job!

    On the strength of your "...almost review..." I've recently purchased the 12-40mm f2.8 lens and I've been blown away by its quality. The images are fantastic! Using it, I'm really struggling to find good reasons to put the prime lens back on the camera! Ok, there obviously are occasions, but this 12-40mm can handle almost anything...! It would have been great to have heard more of your opinions about this lens - are you planning to do a full review at some point?

    I had one question for you... it regards noise. The high-ISO images you took with the EM10 in your recent review, should incredible little noise at the ISO's that you were using. With my EM5 I'm not getting anything like these clean shots using high-ISO. So I'm left wondering, whether: i) I have a bad example of the EM5, ii) the improved image engine on the EM10 actually does make a big difference, or iii) I'm using some bad software to process my images (I'm using Corel Aftershot - used to be Bibble). Any ideas which of these seems more likely?

    Ok, two questions for you! How did the EM5 and EM10 viewfinders compare? Was the faster response time, and automatic brightness adjustments, a significant improvement? With this, the WIFi, the noise issue (above) and slightly smaller size/weight and button position, I'm actually thinking about selling the EM5 and buying the EM10...? I know it sounds silly in many ways!

    Keep up the good work! Also if you ever hear if/when there will be an upgrade to the EM5 then please let me know - surely this must be the next new camera in the OMD family?

    Best wishes,
    Nick

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you'll find that the free Olympus Viewer 3 software does a phenomenal job with noise reduction. So you may want to give that a try. I find it amazing with images from my E-M1.

      Delete
    2. Hey Nick,
      Thank you for your support and kind words. I am glad you have found my blog on the 12-40mm F2.8 lens useful, and I am sure you will love that lens.

      About the E-M5 noise, yes, the E-M10 does a better job at handling high ISO noise, especially when shooting at incredibly high ISO settings like ISO6400 and above. Anything below that (ISO1600 and ISO800) I do not see much of a difference. It was due to Truepic 7 image pricessing engine, it does help produce better high ISO images.

      Also yes, as Glenn has pointed out it does matter how you process your images. I use Olympus viewer 3 and the images I get is the same with straight out of camera. I know the Olympus software is not the most user friendly, and it is painfully slow.

      E-M10 uses the same viewfinder LCD panel as the E-M5, but with improvements. It is smoother (faster refresh rate) and has adaptive brightness technology from E-M1, meaning very good auto brightness to suit the ambient lighting condition.

      I do not think that the E-M10 is such a big improvement over the E-M5, I would still stay with E-M5 (am using one). But E-M1 is a different story, it is a huge step up from the E-M5.


      Delete
  50. Your blog is great! I enjoy the way you write and the comparison you did of the 25mm lenses. Your photos are real inspiration to me. As I'm just getting started with photography and the Olympus M4/3 system, your insights and the way you use the equipment are really helpful as it shows how it is used in real life shooting situations. When new products are announced for the M4/3 system, I wait eagerly for you to review them as I know that I'll enjoy the read and learn a bit more of the system I choose and of Photography.

    If anyone needs "scientific stuff", please just do a google search.

    Thank you for your work and keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Jose,
      Thanks for the kind words and show of faith. Indeed, everyone else is doing the scientific approach, so I am just trying something different.

      Delete
  51. Hey Robin,

    I'm the owner of PL25, and I think that your review was great. Photography is the fun not the metrics!

    I really appreciate your blog and your pictures, keep it live.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Moje,
      Indeed, it is extremely important to note that photography is about fun!

      Delete
  52. first of all, hello from Croatia!

    Robin, don't let them get under your skin. Just do what you do best, your photos tell more about the gear you are using than any review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Domagoj,
      Thanks for the reminder, and I will continue what I am doing, no worries.

      Delete
  53. Wooaahhh.. So many commentssss.. after i read all of them.. indeed you cannot please everyone, Robin. Just blog the way you always do and we'll always be back for more :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah Rose! Harlow!
      Thanks for the support! Will have more events in Kuching soon. hehehehe

      Delete
  54. Hey Robin. I don't comment all that often but do appreciate the work you do. Don't let the internet forum shills get to you. The way I see it, there are a few types of people in Photography forums. 1.) Photographers who are interested in pursuing the art and science of photography with passion. Their primary interest in gear is "will it let them achieve the photographic results they want." For the most part they are equipment agnostic but may favor certain brands for personal reasons. (investment, ergonomics, or just what they are used to). 2.) There are the want-to-be photographers who are unwilling or lack the patience to learn the real ins and outs of photography, and therefore bounce from camera to camera and lens to lens just to find the equipment that will make them look good. Their equipment loyalty lasts only as long as their camera is considered at the "top of the pile". 3.) There are the gear-heads who love to argue every minute detail of sensors, exposure, pixel level quality, etc. For them, the equipment details are most important and the final image is secondary. They thrive on bragging rights. 4.) Finally there are the naysayers. They are a vocal but annoying minority who live only to put down anything they can. They see themselves as always right, and everyone else as wrong. They will go to great lengths to make a point, even if their facts are greatly skewed. The reality is that they don't get their joy from images or from equipment. Their only joy is stirring the pot and making anyone and everyone else their enemy. They love to argue and thrive on negativity. Even if you agree with them, they will find something to prove that you are wrong in agreeing with them. No matter what anyone does, it is never enough. Their life is sad and they should be pitied, but never responded to because they feed off of making everyone else miserable as themselves.

    Your work is great and your opinions are valued by both olympus and non-Olympus users. I found your comparison interesting and helpful. And as always enjoyed your photography and appreciate the work you put into it. Keep up the good work Robin. There are more people who appreciate your work then you know. Just that we don't alway comment because of our busy lives. But we do read and enjoy. And of course we are photographers and your work is inspiration for us as well and gives us insights and ideas on how we can try new things and improve ourselves. Just keep doing what you do best.

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    1. Hi David,
      Thanks for the show of support, and I like the way you categorize the forum members, especially true for category number 4. Indeed I should not let them get to me. I just needed to vent and voice up my opinion. Nothing will change, and I will continue to shoot and blog as usual.
      Thanks for taking the time to comment. It does mean a lot to me.

      Delete
  55. I can really understand that you get upset about these people who try to push your way of blogging into a direction you didn't want - and you are right to complain about this! Of course, your reputation is extraordinary due to your excellent work - but readers have to accept that this is your way and that you are spending so much time of your weekend and your spare time in order to share your experience with us! (Perhaps these kind of readers you mentioned should try to perform and publish this sort of reviews by themselves in order to learn how much effort your are spending here ....) It is a pleasure for me every time I visit your site and I really enjoy to read your stories with this great pictures!
    Best regards, Klaus

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    Replies
    1. Dear Klaus,
      Thank you so much for understanding my situation and difficulties I go through to write a review. Do not worry as I do enjoy shooting and writing review a lot. Surely the challenges were there but all good things do not come easy.
      Thank you for the kind words and rest assured this place will continue to have many photographs to come.

      Delete
  56. Hi,

    seriously, don't bother with the trolls. Just ignore them, that's the only way to get around on the internet without feeling bullied 24/7. Especially in the photography world, the mixture of artsiness-know-it-all-technical-pixelpeeper-my-stuff-cant-be-worse-cause-its-mine-people creates a completely unbearable atmosphere in many a photography forum, so just keep up your brilliant work and don't bother with the knuckleheads. There's a big community out there that is seriously thankful for your awesome reviews and we appreciate the time and effort you invest in making this blog what it is: a brilliant source for photography enthusiasts.

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    1. Hey JP,
      I do wish those "artsiness-know-it-all-technical-pixelpeeper-my-stuff-cant-be-worse-cause-its-mine-people" would just mind their own business and not make others feel miserable! Thanks for your supportive words and I appreciate your comment.

      Delete
  57. Robin, keep doing what you are doing so well. Your tests are allways very to the point and honest. So is this one. Please don't listen to the fanatics out there. They destroy so many good things. Let your blog be there for ever. Don't defend yourself for such a good and honest job. Just don't listen to them.
    All the best,
    Gert de Vries
    The Netherlands

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    Replies
    1. Hey Suzanne,
      Thanks for the compliments and I appreciate your support. I will do my best not to listen to the negativity out there.

      Delete
  58. Hi Robin, Keep doing what you're good at, making beautiful images and writing! Don't listen to these guys, they can go elsewhere pixel peeping.
    Pieter
    The Netherlands

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    Replies
    1. Hey Pieter,
      Thanks for the kind words. Will do so.

      Delete
  59. Hi Robin, thanks for our open and honest post above I for one am not bothered in the slightest that you are an Olympus employee. In fact it has its benefits in a review because you know how to get the best out of the camera! Also I come here exactly because of the way that you review cameras in real life shooting situations and take actual real pictures and not test charts. I think you really are above reproach because you have stated openly your position, that to me only gives you GREATER credibility. Keep on keeping on peace and love from the Czech Republic. Daniel

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    Replies
    1. Hey Daniel,
      Thank you so much for the support and kind words. I do appreciate them.
      I fully understand if someone doubted my credibility, that is perfectly fine. I will not argue to defend my position on that but I do need to tell them that, whether I am biased or not I still need to do a lot and spend quite a huge amount of time to get the reviews done. And I know that these reviews will help some people to make their decisions, and honestly I never did say anything negative about any brand.
      Nonetheless, I do wish people would see the way you see things. Thanks again for writing.

      Delete
  60. Thanks for all you do Robin. I saw plenty of unappreciative Trolls on other sites condemning this review, which is ludacris. I don't even think they read the review. The photos speak for themselves. People really get their panties in a bunch over nonsense and would rather photograph charts than real subjects. I like seeing photos in real life use. I liked your review comparison and can make my own conclusions based on that. You never made any claims to be gospel and always disclosed your relationship w/ Olympus upfront. I can't blame you for not taking requests. People who ask for some of the things they ask for need a life.

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    Replies
    1. Hey Wisertime,
      Thanks for the kind words. The reason I do not take in requests was simply me not having the time to fulfill everything. And surely, there will be others who would answer most of the questions, and I exist here in this blog to provide something different, a practical way of seeing how the gear performs in real life shooting conditions.

      Delete
  61. Hi Robin, I have been following your blog for a few months now and I very much appreciate your reviews. The fact being focussed on the pictures instead of graphs/ spectrums makes it easier for beginners like me to follow your comments. The fact that you are doing all of this in your free time at no charge makes your work even more admirable. I totally believe that the fact that you are an Olympus employee motivates you even more to provide us with better and more objective comparisons just to avoid any false impression. But unfortunately there will always be people who cannot be pleased and who are always demanding more. Therefore I sincerely hope that all these trolls will not demoralize you- just ignore them and continue your great work!

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    1. Hey Ismail,
      Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for understanding my situation. It is easier said than done to ignore all the complains out there, nonetheless this blog is to serve as me making my stand.
      No worries, I will continue shooting and blogging, that will not change, as I do enjoy doing them a lot.

      Delete
  62. Blog honest, honest reviews, photos honest, you are an honest person. Thanks for your good work.

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  63. now, Robin, you can blog that 2x2=5... you are not a mathematician, are you ?

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  64. Shit has hit the fan huh? Perils of being a blogger, a popular one nonetheless. March on dude, let no one stops you.

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    1. Nah, shit has always been on the fan. Just need to do some maintenance.

      Delete
  65. Hey Robin. Keep up the good work. Anyway I found an article that you might find interesting. Its how Stereo parallax photography proved that the pictures taken during the moon landings were in fact taken in studio and not on the moon!!! Interesting read.
    http://www.aulis.com/stereoparallax.htm

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  66. Hi Robin. The trolls wil burst when the sun hits them :) I have read your blog for three-four years now, and NOT for the gear reviews, the answer is much simpler than that - inspiration. You are one of the most inspiring photographers and photobloggers out there, this said from a writing journalist in Norway who have to take pictures for my own newspaper now and then.
    So keep telling your stories with or with out the camera, I always learn something from you.
    P.S I have not been to Malaysia since 2005, but I sure like to visit again some day
    Wintergreetings form Øivind - Norway

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for staying with me for all these years. I appreciate your kind words and encouragement, I have never seen myself as an inspiration before, as I would regularly require inspiration from others! I guess the old saying is true, what comes around goes around.
      I will surely continue to blog and share my photos and thoughts. that will not change.

      Delete
  67. Hi Robin, It's hard to tune out the negative as it has a tendency to drown out the positive. I think it's clear to see that you have cultivated an engaged readership that is responding to you as a person. We regard you as a friend. That sort of bond creates jealousy. If other blogs stopped updating, most folks would move on without blinking an eye. When yours was in danger, we all rallied to your side.

    Long time readers will know that your style writing style has not changed since you joined Olympus. It has always been thoughtful and personal. I usually read your blog on my mobile device and for some reason the comments don't work quite right. It's only when I read on a desktop that I can comment like I am now. But know that I am enjoying every post.

    For the record, I thought your comparison of the two 25mm lenses was excellent. The photos were so informative. It was clear to see how much effort they must have taken.

    Keep up the great work!

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    1. Hi Wataru,
      Thank you for letting me see that, actually people do come to my site, and give a tremendous amount of support. That is something I truly treasure, and I shall take this as inspiration and motivation to continue shooting and blogging.
      I apologize for the inconvenience of the commenting system, as it was not something that I can modify from the standard Blogger/Blogspot template. I hope they fix this problem.

      Delete
  68. Well said Robin. I love to read your blogs and see your photo examples of what the cameras and lens can do if used properly and I have learned quite a bit. And it never ceases to amaze me at the negative comments (not to mention how many people jump on the idea) of your "bias" as an Olympus employee. I do have to laugh at times - and feel very sad for you having to put up with some of that crap.
    Again, well said.

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    Replies
    1. No worries, and thanks for the kind support. I am ok with people labelling me as biased, but I cannot tolerate those who thought all that I did here was for nothing. You are right, we do have to laugh at times, and I will be ok!

      Delete
  69. Just know that for every person who whines loudly on forums/comments, there are 10 others who just lurks around and appreciates your efforts (like me). No need to waste your time dealing with the whiners!

    Every person reading any review, quantitative or not, should bear the understanding that no method of comparison is perfect in this world, especially since every individual has different needs and criteria. If a reader fails to understand this, it's the reader's problem. We read your review because we want to hear your OPINION based on your shooting preferences and experience, from which we will then decide whether your preferences apply to us as well. Don't worry too much about making your reviews "neutral" or based on "measured" results, because that'd defy the whole purpose of having the reviews in the first place!

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    1. Thank you so much for words of encouragement and support, yuki, truly appreciate them. You are right when you said it was challenging to remain neutral and provide quantitative results, after all my blog is subjective and I do place a lot of my personal opinion. Even my photographs are personal!

      Delete
  70. Keep up the good work. Your have a good blog. I am convinced to purchase the Olympus Em 10 along wiht the m.zuiko 25mm f1.8 lens because of this blog. I hope you finish the EM 10 review, since I am curious about its video quality. The 3 axis IBIS works great, but I hope the video image quality will be good. And hopefully the upcoming firmware update will add 24p or even 60p. Good job.

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    1. Dear Ariel,
      I will not be doing any video review, mainly because I am no video expert. I shall be working on more reviews soon. Stay tuned.

      Delete
  71. Your work speaks volumes, Robin. Never feel the need to justify yourself or your words to petty whiners. Just carry on with your wonderful, inspirational photography!

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  72. Don't listen to them, there will be fans and there will be fanboys - those who put things on pedestal, then worship them, then defend the honor of whatever it is that they've put in the pedestal. You do good work - both blogging and taking pictures. You keep that up. You can't please everybody, they will always see negative in whatever someone does. I was a big Canon fan and I got slagged heavily, by fanboys, when I started asking questions about the m4/3. I took it in stride, I was even given a lengthy technical lecture why the APS-C sensor will be superior to the m4/3. They had valid points, but I didn't listen, I gave in to my gut that I knew I'd be happier with an m4/3 and true enough, I'm happy and still can't get enough of the m4/3.

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  73. Robin i dont know if you remember me, i was the one who sold you the E-PL1 haha! It's been awhile 4 years now i believe? I remember we chat abit and i didn't know you were Robin Wong which i often visit to read the blog. It surprises everytime i visit your blog how inspiring those pictures and your photo inspire people thats a powerful weapon :)

    All i wanted to say is keep up the good work, i am your supporter.

    Best Regards,
    Kevin Wong - ex-epl1 user :P

    p/s: dood i have upgraded to EP5 from EPL5

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  74. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  75. Mr Robin. I have never commented on your blog but I have been following your blog before you join Olympus and way before I sell off all my Nikon Gears and now I have been shooting only with the EM5 alone, you have somehow inspired me to continue photographing when I was in a 'low period' almost giving up. I do photography 'alone' away from work and family as a therapy.

    And I thank you for all your hard work trying your best to share and in chinese ... there is a saying "same rice feed thousand kind of people". It is tougher since you are now an Olympus Employee.
    But Gambateh, Mr Robin.

    Keep up the good work, I am too your supporter.

    Regards,
    Wong
    User of OMD EM5

    ReplyDelete
  76. Hello dear Robin, I can see that you were a bit distressed by the reaction to your comparison review. And if what I have read of that reaction is true, some of it no doubt descended into hate mail and social media abuse and bullying. That is completely inexcusable, and some parts of the world are taking steps to make such behaviour a punishable crime. My sympathies go to you for that experience.

    Although my reaction to your review was on the negative side of the ledger, I do not want to go into that here, nor to account for your well-stated defence of your review. I write today with a different purpose.

    I applaud your oft-repeated and prominent open admissions of your financial link to Olympus Corp. What I would like to point to, however, is the unavoidable and below-consciousness effect of such a connection and its open admission, on you as writer and me and others as readers.

    In the world of science, whenever experiments or observations are made that involve human perceptions, special care is taken to deal with the issue of bias. Now, in the normal world of conversation, bias is taken to be a terribly negative thing, a fault, a flaw in a person, something that a good person would not exhibit. Scientific bias is completely different to that: it is understood to be present in everyone, it is a normal part of the way a normal brain functions, and there is no personal judgement associated with it. But get this: science is clear: bias will ruin any attempt to get objective information if it is not carefully excluded from any test.

    For readers who are aware of the nature of bias (the scientific type), it is merely common sense, not judgement, to recognize that bias is underpinning your writings now. And as any scientist will tell you, our bias operates at a below-conscious level and cannot be suppressed by conscious force. Being open about it doesn't help to eliminate it. Neither does our own conscious awareness help: we cannot consciously say "OK, I am going to make this comparison fairly and without bias", and think it will be so.

    Your followers will constantly implore you to make comparisons of Olympus with other brand products. They are shoppers at heart and have an unquenchable thirst for information to help them shop wisely. I implore you to ignore them. You cannot make such comparisons fairly -- and that is not a reflection on you or a flaw, it is a simple and unavoidable consequence of the circumstances.

    I wish you well and all success.

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  77. Olympus US employee here. Not sure how I found your blog, and I stop in from time to time because your shots are AH-mazing. They always encourage me to get outside and shoot! We've had snow for too long but that is just an excuse. Keep up the good work!

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  78. Thank you for your hard work. I am a beginner and your posts have been very informative. The tips you provide have helped my learning curve and seeing the pictures you post truly inspires me. I also enjoy your sense of humor in these real world experience reviews. I mainly started viewing your website while in search of camera reviews for my first ILC. I find WAY more value in practical reviews vs measuring tape and controlled lab tests. Now that I've picked up a camera after months of research, I still keep coming back to your blog because it is just plain good.

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