Our Move to Olympus

  

Update:
We have both upgraded to the OM System (formerly Olympus) OM-1 camera bodies....these have AI Bird and Mammal tracking capabilities....amazing. 

   Now that we've been using Olympus cameras and lenses for over a year, I feel like it's time to summarize our thoughts.
    I used an Olympus Pen EE-S (half frame 35mm) as a teenager in the '70s and then in the late '90s I used one of the first Olympus digital cameras.....the Olympus D-620L (a huge 1 megapixel camera) and the Olympus C-2020 (which I won in a photo contest using the 620L). 
    As my photo skills advanced, and I moved toward wildlife photography, I became interested in Canon gear; mainly because of their L glass lenses. In 2001, I purchased a Canon D30....a 3 megapixel camera and a Canon 100-400 IS lens. This combo marked my entry into serious nature photography.
    As the years progressed, I moved to Canon L glass primes; including the Canon 300mm F4, the Canon 400mm F5.6, and the Canon 500mm F4. As sensor capabilities improved, I moved forward by using Canon Full Frame and Cropped sensors....my favorite being the Canon 7D Mark2.
    We were traveling frequently by air at the time, and travel with the Canon gear was always an issue. Because I refused to check my gear, it meant that I was always packing gear around the airports and having to deal with that hassle.
    In the summer of 2019, I began researching gear that would be lighter and easier to fly with, but yet would continue to produce the quality I had come to expect. I read and researched for about 3 months and began zeroing in on the M43 system due to the smaller size and availability of quality lenses in the focal length I wanted. Olympus and Panasonic Luminex were the only real producers of M43 systems.
    During my research, I was repeatedly drawn to images produced by the Olympus Zuiko 300 F4 lens. The sharpness and clarity were amazing, and I loved the ability to add the 1.4x and 2x Olympus converters. Because of the 2x crop factor from the smaller M43 sensor, the 300 F4 was essentially a 600mm lens. By adding the 2x converter, a focal length of 1200mm could be achieved...in a 3.5 pound combo!
    My Canon 500F4 weighed a stout 8.5 pounds. Because there was no way for me to effectively hand-hold it, I had to add on another 4 pounds for a monopod. Or, if using my Gitzo Carbon Fiber Tripod with the added Jobu Gimbal head, an additional 11 pounds. The total weight I carried for a good number of years was generally 15-19 pounds. 
    I was amazed to discover that shooting the Olympus system with the EM5 Mark3 body (12.8 ounces) and the 300 F4 lens (2.4 pounds)  would reduce my gear weight to under 3.5 pounds. No need for monopod or tripod...the Olympus IBIS (in body image stabilization) would add up to 7 stops of stabilization...allowing hand holding at slow shutter speeds.
    In November of 2019, I jumped in headfirst with the purchase of the just released Oly EM5 Mark 3 and the Olympus Zuiko 300mm F4 Pro lens with both the 1.4x and 2x converters. While I had considered getting the slightly larger EM1M2 body, I had read that an EM1M3 would be released soon, and that it would have additional capabilities that the EM1M2 did not have. In addition, I wanted a very small body that I could pack and carry on a daily basis. The EM5M3 had a 20 MP sensor and all of the functions that I needed to test out the system.
    I had read the reviews repeatedly and was aware of the negatives of the M43 system. Because of the smaller sensor size, noise was thought to be an issue. This was a concern for me, but because I had dealt with the "noise" issue with the cropped sensor of the Canon 7DM2, I was prepared to risk that negative. 
    My first outing with the EM5M3 and 300mm left me speechless. I was amazed at the sharpness and quality straight out of the camera. These are from my first outing at Buck Creek State Park. They are cropped with Topaz Denoise applied. 

    After that initial outing, I was hooked! I purchased an Oly EM1M3 as soon as it was available for pre-order. The additional capabilities of Starry Sky Autofocus and In-Camera ND Live filter appealed to me. Here's a couple of shots showing those modes....

    This image was shot using the Oly In-Camera Live ND filter. It's hand-held and was shot at ISO 60, F22, 1/30 sec. I was set at ND 8. 

    The following image was shot at Hocking Hills State Park. I've always wanted a Milky Way shot with fall foliage in the foreground and was hopeful that the dark skies at Hocking Hills would cooperate.
    I did use a tripod for this one, and I used Oly's Starry Sky Autofocus. It makes getting sharp night sky images a cinch. I have my Custom Function 4 set as Starry Sky on my EM1M3, so I only need to turn my dial to go to my favorite night sky mode. 
    This was shot with the Panasonic Leica 8-18mm and was at ISO 2000, 3.2 seconds at F2.8. Topaz Denoise AI and Topaz Adjust AI post-processing.  

 
    Needless to say, I have been thrilled with the quality and creative abilities of the Olympus M43 system. Enough so that we recently picked up a second EM1M5 and an Oly 100-400 lens for David (he was still shooting the Canon 7DM1 and Sigma 150-600mm....very heavy!). My EM5M3 is now my dedicated macro body and I keep the Oly 60mm Macro lens mounted to it. A super lightweight and functional combo. 
    As a final testimony, my Canon big gear has not been out of the bag since November of 2019!

Northern Flicker

Snowy River

 Snowy River on Buck Creek Lane

Winter Sunset

 Winter sunset tonight at CJ Brown. A couple of ice fishermen braving the cold. 

Eagles Revisited

This image is one of the original nesting pair of Bald Eagles in Clark. I photographed it at sunset on March 31, 2013 off of Yeazell Rd.

Some history....

In 1979, there were only 4 Eagle nests in Ohio. Thanks to the actions of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and conservation groups, eagles have resurged and are now nesting in almost all Ohio counties. By April of last year, there were more than 700 nests statewide....with 5 in Clark County. In the Lake Erie counties, eagles are very common and many of my friends up there consider them a "yard bird."

I still get a thrill every time I see one...if you haven't, I hope you'll have that opportunity soon!

For more information: 

https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/news/bald-eagle-nests-2020

This image was a re-edit of the original 2013 image. Photo imaging software today has come a long was.....I love adding new life and artistry to old images!!

Original:

Merlin

 On a quick drive through Old Reid Park, we spotted a Merlin. These are members of the falcon family and although not rare, they aren't seen frequently. 
We watched him preen for about an hour. 

Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area

 We did a visit to Killdeer Plains on Saturday with hopes of seeing Short Eared Owls. 
In addition to a couple of Short Eareds, we saw at least 15 Northern Harriers, Redtail Hawks, and many others.
A nice surprise was seeing a Northern Shrike which unexpectedly popped out of some roadside brush to take a look at us. 

November Sunset from CJ Brown

 I'm just getting around to processing some sunset images shot from the CJ Brown Marina overlook. 
The steeples of St. Raphael Church can be seen in the setting sun. 

Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction 12/21/2020

 One of the biggest astrological events this year is the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21.....the Winter Solstice.
This event happens about every 800 years, but 400 years ago it occurred during daylight hours and thus was not visible.  
While many folks were calling tis a "Christmas Star," it was not. However, it may have been interpreted as one in years past. 
My initial thoughts were to try to photograph the conjunction from our property, but the horizon is not easily visible. This conjunction was low on the horizon, and only visible from just after sunset until Jupiter drops below the horizon at about 7:30pm. Prime time to photograph being about 6:30. 
In order to visualize the horizon, I decided to try a couple locations at Buck Creek State Park on 12/20/2020 when we had clear skies. I found that at all of my potential locations did not have clear views, and decided to photograph from Old Reid Park using the ponds as foreground. 
This landscape view, using the Olympus EM1 Mark3 and Leic 8-18mm lens, shows the location of the conjunction in perspective to the waning crescent moon.  

Using switched to the Olympus Zuiko 300mm lens. The Olympus Starry Sky autofocus mode allowed me to lock focus quickly and accurately on Jupiter and Saturn. 

We returned the following night at about the same time on 12/21/2020....the Winter Solstice. 
Skies weren't friendly, with almost complete cloud cover. We decided to stay for a bit, and about 6:30, the clouds broke for about 15 minutes. 

Moon-Saturn Jupiter Conjuncture

 A conjuncture of the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter took place last week....November 18-21. 
I planned this shoot in Photo Pills....I wanted to capture the conjuncture with the CJ Brown Dam in the foreground. 
I'm pleased with the image. It's a double exposure....exposure one was a 4 second exposure to capture detail in the lake and foreground. The second exposure was a 1/20 second exposure which was spot metered on the moon. This was to be able to capture some details in the moon's surface as well as to get the earthshine of the dark aspect of the moon. 

Screech Owl at Buck Creek

Our familiar friend has returned again to Buck Creek State Park.

Actually, he is likely there year 'round, but in the winter months we see him roosted in a tree. This is the 4th year we've seen him (maybe her) in this location. Always a treat!!

Buck Creek State Park

 A little afternoon drive at Buck Creek yielded some nice encounters.....

October Camping at Hocking Hills State Park

 We camped at Hocking Hills State Park for a few nights to enjoys the fall colors. 
I wanted to visit the John Glenn Astrology Park, which is only a few miles from the state park, but the weather did not cooperate, and we didn't have clear night skies until our last night. Rather than drive, we stayed in the campgrounds and shot some night images. 
The crescent moon was showing some earthshine, and Jupiter was visible as well. 
This shot is a double exposure using the Olympus EM1 Mark3 and the Panasonic/Leica 8-18mm lens in Starry Sky mode. 

Hocking Hills Birds

A few Hocking Hills State Park birds.
 

Water Sports on a Windy Day

I stopped by the beach area at CJ Brown this windy afternoon looking for migratory birds.
Instead, I found some different birds....and airborn they were!
The beach waters were being used by some kite-boarders to fly high and fast across the water. I was amazed and in awe of their skills! Here are a few images, and the full gallery is here (if you guys see these, you can open the gallery and download any you want). 

Wind Surfers at CJ Brown

Kool Dude!

This is a new one for me....the Orange Assassin Bug, Pselliopus barberi. 
I found him at Kirby Preserve, in Clark County, on Goldenrod.
He reminds me of a Beetlejuice Bug. 

Kingfisher Fishing

 I stopped at the First Christian Church grounds, where there's a pond that turns into a mudflat about this time each year. I draws shorebirds, and I wasn't disappointed....there were several.
My best find though, was this Belted Kingfisher. Because of the shallow depth of this pond, the fish are quite small. Enough so that the Kingfisher would dive, grab a small fish and immediately hover for another dive as he swallowed his catch. 
I was able to capture some action shots using the Olympus EM1 M3 and Ziko 300mm F4 in C-AF Tracking mode. 

Eastern Hornet Fly

 This is the Eastern Hornet Fly, Spilomyia longicornis, from Kirby Preserve in Clark County yesterday. The Hornet Fly is a species of syrphid fly (Hover Flies and Flower Flies). They are harmless and don't sting or bite.They are great wasp mimics, utilizing coloring as a protection by appearing to be a wasp or bee....something called "Batesian mimicry." Sources state that "some species even go so far as to wave their front legs in front of their face to mimic the jointed antennae of the potter wasps." I think that's what this fellow was doing. Didn't fool me a bit, though.