Laowa 6mm for Micro Four Thirds
Generally I’ve stayed away from writing too much about gear in recent years, but finally it seems to be what people want to read, so while I have no interest or skill in objective testing (haha), if I’ve got something subjective to say, that might be of wider interest, why not.
So, today I’m going to write about a lens I have quite literally just received, the (deep breath) Laowa MFT 6mm f2.0 C&D-Dreamer lens by Venus Optics. I’ve been eyeing ultra wide angle primes for a while, to complement or sometimes replace my Olympus 8-25 f/4, and while the Lumx 9mm was a strong candidate, it seemed more sensible to go for something wider. I would echo what others have said - if you’re interested in an ultra wide prime for Micro Four Thirds, just stop reading already and buy this one (although finding it may be a little tricky).
So, Medium Format?
When I’m in the zone with the Hasselblad X1Dii, it’s really something else. The look of shots on the luxuriously huge, contrasty rear screen convince me that we’re really on a different level here. That yes, this is worth 4x or 6x or whatever times the price of the Olympus OM-1. Even when downloading and editing, the feeling remains, and hitting zoom at 100% reveals the incredible level of detail. I’m convinced I have photos here I could not have taken with any other camera (well, yeah, ok, there is the dp0 Quattro sitting on the shelf over there). This gear-induced high continues, urging me once again to consider the unthinkable upgraded to an X2D. And then…
…and then I compare a shot to a similar one taken on a far more humble camera 10 years older.
Is it worth it? Is it really? It is. It must be. Mustn’t it?
More Madeira
Despite alarmingly expanding numbers of tourists, Madeira is still a magical place. I’ve just got back from my last visit, and the next one is all arranged. It’s not just about photography, in fact photography is rather peripheral. I’m not sure just how feasible it is to really capture the essence of highland Madeira, with it’s other-worldly peaks, the remnants of the ancient laurisilva forest, the natural and man-made waterways, the wild weather, all of it. Madeira has certainly climbed up the ranking of trendy destinations recently, and has attracted YouTube wannabe photo-influencers, although thankfully so far not to saturation level. But I’m afraid that could soon change. And why not - Madeira is a dream destination for travel/adventure/landscape photographers, especially those who don’t mind a bit of a challenge (both physically and photographically).
Madeira
Madeira is several things. It’s a fortified wine. It’s an island. It’s a place favoured by retiree Brits, since due to imperial histories and flying boat legends, English is widely spoken. And it is an enthralling landscape, of spectacular peaks and high plains, plummeting sea cliffs, and above all the near-magical labyrinth of “Levada” canals snaking across the island, bringing water from the mountains to the fertile low(er) lands. Above all Madeira is green (ok, for some Madeira = Cristiano Ronaldo, but allow me to skip that part). And for whatever reason, although it largely lives from tourism, it hasn’t - yet - been overrun.
Of course Madeira doesn’t have a lot of snow, but it does happily fit into to my other obsession, with islands.
Iceland, here I come
Icelanders can resign themselves to 10 days of even more miserable weather than usual, as I prepare to set off tomorrow. I don’t have a habit of bringing good weather with me, and I’ve never seen an aurora in Iceland.
I actually have no expectations at all for this trip. It will bring whatever it brings. I’m not even sure I feel much like 9-10 days of concentrated photography. As mentioned in a previous post, I dropped the idea of taking the Hasselblad supercamera with me. I’m not 100% sure this was a good idea, but whatever may be, I will still have some pretty competent camera gear with me. Actually it will be something of a reality check: if I don’t feel disappointed that I didn’t take the Hasselblad, it will be a strong sign that I should divest myself of it.