GH2 ETC mode with 1.6 crop and full frame lens

B

Boon

Well-known member
The GH2 image in ETC mode is very soft when use with lens made for 1.6 crop factor and full frame DSLR. The lens tested are Tamron 17-50mm, Nikon AFS 17-35, Nikon AIS 50mm and also the Tokina 28-70mm ATX Pro 1. All lens were set at aperture between f/8 to f/22 shooting at 1080/24P

Interestingly the image looks GOOD and SHARP when I switched to the GH2 micro 4/3rd 14-42mm cheap kit lens in ETC mode.:huh:

is it because the 1.6 crop and full frame lens is not designed for the small coverage in ETC crop mode? I'm just guessing here.
 
I think the center of most lenses is the sharpest you will get and the sharpness falls of as you work towards the corners. ETC should not give you a softer image per se unless it's an inferior lens..

Dunno what else to say - Diffraction? Some lenses just aren't as sharp as others. Zeiss for example tend to be sharper than the rest period. But you pay for it. Also - precision of the adaptor. If the Mount you use to adapt to Micro four thirds isn't up to scratch by a few micro millimetres - you may get some softness. I understand that the professional interchangebale cams allow for some kind of adjustment for the lens mounts and if it is slightly off you may get softness.

Great article here

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2008/12/this-lens-is-soft-and-other-myths

Dunno if that helps at all but perhaps the mount on the 14 -42 mm lens is perfectly flush and calibrated and tested witht he body. I would hope so - it's made by Pana......Actually I have found all the Panasonic lenses to be excellent in sharpness especially the fast pancake. Strangely for me the allure of my 35 mm Nikons is the slight softness they bring.
 
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Panny does in-body image processing for m43 lenses. As long as it does the job, the artificial sharpness doesn't bother me.
 
The problem with the test is probably because you were shooting at between f/8 and f/22! Especially with ETC mode, that's deep enough to cause serious diffraction. Try it again at f/4 and you should see noticeably sharper images.
 
Thanks to henry and barry. I reckoned you guys are probably right about DIFFRACTION. I didn't have any ND with me and I was also going for the maximum DOF.
Just sold away my Vari-ND and waiting for the delivery of my new B+W .9 and .6 ND :)

Here's a good understanding on Lens Diffraction for those who are interested.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-diffraction.shtml
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm

Anyway, will test the ETC mode again and update.
 
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