Bring the Bokeh on your Lumix G9II

[@heymikeriley]

this is super helpful, glad you made it! I recently sold my canon system and had been shooting a 50 1.2 and 135 1.8. Admittedly I mostly shoot birds, but when I'm shooting family stuff, I've been struggling with some of the slower m43 lenses. I picked up the 10-25 1.7 and am loving it but have been really wondering if I should keep a FF setup for portraiture. I hate the idea of having two kits though and was really on the fence for the 25-50. I've got mobility issues and don't like tripping around with a prime. I prefer to plant my feet and be able to zoom a lens and I've wasted a lot of time agonizing over the 25-50 vs full frame or the 42.5 1.2. Looking at your images makes me feel silly. yes, the full frame lenses can work a bit harder for you. but you can still definitely get those results with some planning on m43. great video Ewen!

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou so much for this comment Mike, has made by day :)

[@pragmaticfilmmaking]

Get both! You can pick the 42.5 1.2 dirt cheap now, and it definitely has its place alongside the 25-50.

[@laurentyarp514]

I have that 10-25mm beauty. I realized it would be a great lens for my early morning landscape photography. What you are doing with that lens is extraordinary. Gave me inspiration to level up my skill. Thank you for the video, I can say I admired every single one of those pictures.

[@EwenBell]

That's wonderful, and thankyou for the kind words :)

[@remusmoise8836]

Those photographies looks so crisp, so colourful and so creamy. Beautiful work, thanks for sharing!

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou :)

[@CanuckQuest]

Great video. Thank you. I have these lenses as well and I just don't understand how others don't see the value. Incredible images!

[@EwenBell]

Thanks so much! Bokeh is such a lovely part of photography, I feel sorry for folks who can't see the joy in it :)

[@ZakariKha]

Definitely a bokeh fan myself and some lovely images shared Ewen

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Zak :)

[@Fotoneuling]

You explained the bokeh really well. You described the differences between full-frame and MFT cameras very precisely. Thank you for this video.

[@EwenBell]

Thanks!

[@darylwardsnyder4406]

Thank you so much for this wonderful instructive guide on bokeh with the G9 II. I’ve been debating whether or not to pull the trigger on this exceptional piece of equipment. Most of my debate centered on whether or not to buy full frame to get the best bokeh. Now I realize that I can achieve the same results with a super fast lens coupled with a micro 4/3 camera. Great video that I’ll watch again because there’s so much rich material in it.

[@EwenBell]

Glad it was helpful Daryl :) Always a hard call to choose between full-frame vs MFT. Benefits to both!

[@haploguy]

There's also zooming in for more bokeh or shooting the subject towards the front or the back of the DoF depending on scene: 1. branches in front, subject should be right at the front edge of the DoF 2. stuff in the back, subject should be right at the back of the DoF 3. in the middle, zoom in if possible or move closer

[@azjoe_6310]

You are so true--it is the lens and not the sensor. Too many people are doing unnecessary math ("Let's see...it's a 25mm lens, which is a 50mm on m43, f/1.8 times 2 is 3.6..."). For me, if I want the same effect as a 70mm 2.8--that's what I shoot in M43: 70mm 2.8. Of course I have to move back more but with one camera, that's all part of the game.

[@EwenBell]

Macro also is great for bokeh but so many people fight it and try to get everything sharp instead :)

[@MyLifeFrAiurGaming]

What

[@gordon3988]

I’m not that big of a bokeh fan in most cases. That said, these are absolutely wonderful photos and a well done video! And that 10-25mm is amazing.

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Gordon, glad I could nudge a little bokeh into your life today :) That lens is a cracker though.

[@JoeMaranophotography]

Its pronounced "Toneh"

[@EwenBell]

:) One of the truly great internet references of our time!

[@Democratiser]

Too funny! Kasey might not have more subscribers than some other YTers but he is the most unique and influential in many ways. Who else can change photographic vocabulary?! PS - Love my Panny Boy G9! 🤣

[@SteveHolmlund]

If I recall correctly, Kasey really wanted to see the lake in the background...

[@flowermaze___]

Stunning photos. Very inspiring to see what M43 can do in capable hands and vision. Well done! Also Laos is the best place, spent a bit of time in Luang Prabang, such a fun and beautiful place

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou :)

[@pragmaticfilmmaking]

After extensive research, I opted for Voigtlander F0.95 lenses over speed boosting when I purchased the GH4. This choice is the primary reason why I'll likely stick with MFT. I then bought the Olympus 1.2 prime lenses for the autofocus, but after getting the 1.7 zoom lenses and the 42.5 f1.2, I sold the Olympus glass and now I'm satisfied.

[@EwenBell]

Do you think you'll be tempted by the new GH7 we're hearing rumors about?

[@pragmaticfilmmaking]

​@@EwenBell I'm thinking of holding off on this one. I already have 2 GH6s, and if PDAF was important to me, I would have gotten the G9ii. This new model just seems like a G9ii in a GH6 body. I have the budget for one, so you never know.

[@mordenohare2550]

You have some really beautiful work. I have M43 (G9), FF (S1r) and MF (645Z) and use all three depending on how I feel or what I am doing. I really love M43 for its size especially when paired with small fast primes from Lumix and Laowa. I've used it for both street/travel photography and for landscape photography and the results are great albeit at a smaller resolution than my other cameras. Have subscribed, will watch. Thanks.

[@EwenBell]

Great to meet you Morden and lovely to see the 645Z get a mention. What a great camera. I got a chance to review that for a magazine and absolutely loved it. Really showed what quality pixels can do, it's not just "how many pixels".

[@politicallyincorrectpuppy]

This is the best video I've seen yet on explaining bokeh (or tonéh as I like to call it LOL). I'm thinking of picking up a Lumix G9 II with the Panasonic Leica lenses that are available. It's nice that the 12-35 f/2.8, 35-100mm f/2.8 and 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 lenses were all recently updated. Also, I'd get the 10-25mm f/1.7 and 25-50mm f/1.7 lenses. Just subscribed too. :)

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou and glad to see a fellow Toneh fan :) I just love those F1.7 lenses. Nothing similar on the full frame side and a major win for the G series.

[@ianrolfesouthernlightscapes]

Loved this Ewen. Bokeh is something I don't incorporate into my photography all that often, and it's really great to watch a master of this genre, explaining how good it is to work with, especially in micro 4/3rds systems and lenses. Love your take on this subject, it's clear and very helpful, and your beautiful photographs that showcase this type of photography in your presentation as well. A great youtube presentation!

[@EwenBell]

Thanks so much Ian :) The MFT format is often overlooked but in fact delivers so much joy.

[@zaddy6960]

Excellent video. terrific studio lighting, concise info, beautiful photos demonstrating your point. You deserve 100K subs by the end of the year.

[@EwenBell]

So far the algorithm is a little shy of my style so not sure I'll ever hit 100K but happy to have some nice people enjoy the videos and photography. Thanks for the kind words.

[@Democratiser]

I agree! 100,000+

[@Democratiser]

@@EwenBellThe other frustrating thing with YT is it is often only by chance that one finds a channel like this. Like I did.

[@bingbong4848]

Good stuff. You have great presentation skill. I'm now subbed to 4 Aussies. Not sure how much more I can take :) 10-25 is the best lens I've used personally.

[@EwenBell]

I try to keep my accent dialled down to 1 for the sake of humanity :) That 10-25mm is just a unicorn. Nothing else like it anywhere.

[@sue.Hoo123]

Some stunning images here. I have G9ii with the PL100-400 for wildlife which is very good. I also have the LX100 which is a great little camera, lens equivalent 20-70 with f1.7, great for bokeh.

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Sue!

[@JET34568]

I watched this video today for the third or fourth time. It is so well done!!!

[@EwenBell]

Awwww thanks!

[@AbdonPhirathon]

What an amazing body of work! Thank you for sharing your insights and experience. You have a new subscriber.

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou and I hope you'll enjoy future videos too:)

[@DangAlvinFilms]

Beautiful photos sir

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou!

[@matttheking1655]

Just came across your channel,great takes on bokeh... You've definitely earned yourself a sub...

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou Matt :)

[@JulzJanzenYT]

How did you get those photos of the stars with the G9ii? Are you able to share your exposure settings? Woah… I’m completely blown away!

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Julz :) My basic settings for the Milky Way is ISO 6400 for 10sec at F2. It helps to have a very fast lens. I was using the 10-25mm F1.7 for those shots, but I've also shot auroras on the Laowa 7.5mm F2. Can recommend!

[@JulzJanzenYT]

Thanks! Really appreciate this! I’m currently running the g92 with the Olympus 12-40mm, I’ll see what I can squeeze out of that. But maybe it’s time to invest in a faster lens?

[@EwenBell]

​@@JulzJanzenYT that F2 laowa lens gives you so much more light, and a lot more sky! It's a gem.

[@johnphillips519]

Yeah my 50mm f1.2 fixed is my favourite lens, As it gets my creativity going, My other lens get a little boring, Its not that i dont like them, Its just that i have much more fun doing bokeh, But thats just me i guess, Everyone has their own likes.

[@EwenBell]

Bokeh is a drug of addiction :)

[@luismoran7176]

Awesome video! A few months ago, I got a G9II and I’m looking for a telephoto lens, would you recommend the 100-300 , I know that the 100-400 is a great lens but a bit expensive. Im not a pro , just a enthusiastic photographer 😁 Thank you for your help🙏

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Luis :) I haven't tried the 100-300 myself so can't offer much advice there. Whenever I have used shorter lenses than 400mm for birds I always end up wanting a little more. Birds are never close enough!

[@ליהלי-צ8נ]

Helpful tips.wonderful photos.Thanks

[@EwenBell]

:)

[@alannasalt]

Great video. How do you keep everything in focus when using a fast lens such as f1.7? Often only part of the subject is in focus. Thanks

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Alanna. My goal at F1.7 is to have only some things sharp, and everything else very soft. So it makes the sharp bits look even sharper! Some compositions work well, some do not. I only show people the good ones!

[@ekki782]

... sehr hilfreiches Video, es wird mich deutlich weiterbringen meine Fotos zu machen. Vielen Dank aus Kufstein , Tirol

[@EwenBell]

Thanks :)

[@BrentODell]

I had the 10-25 for a while and sold it to lighten my kit, replacing it with the 9mm/1.7 and the 25mm/1.4. I regret selling it, and will probably pick up another one at some point. That said, maybe I'll pick up the 25-50, instead, since I don't shoot wide too often and I don't really have a 'portrait' length lens, which the 25-50 should cover nicely.

[@EwenBell]

Too many options! It's not easy to choose is it. You've also reminded me that I need to make a video about why portraits should avoid telephone lenses :)

[@BrentODell]

Yeah, I think the camera adding ten pounds and the love of 70-200 2.8 lenses just might be connected... lol I like 25(50) for portraits, sometimes a little wider

[@BenFox01]

Hey Ewan! Love your photos! Just curious, how you rate you G9II vs your Lumix FF cameras? I'm a hybrid shooter, I love M43! But every tempted by the sneaky little Lumix S9! Cheers dude!

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Ben! I think it all comes down to bokeh. I love shooting at F2 full frame so the S9 is just perfect for me. Their F1.8 primes are very light and small. Plus the Sigma F2 lenses are groovy too. Lots of options. Full frame just means you didn't have to work as hard to get your bokeh:) If they made a G9II in the S9 body I think that would be a winner too. You'd have to think that's on the drawing board at least.

[@BenFox01]

@@EwenBell Oh yes! I bloomin' hope so! 🤞A new S9 mft style camera would be epic! And, funny you mention that as I recently made a few videos about that very subject! Currently renting the S9 and really enjoying it :) Especially that kit zoom! Amazing!

[@108u9]

Hi Ewen, could you do a video overviewing your experience of the dual 1.7 zooms, especially with regards to working with them in field (about working with them in hand, any quirks you’ve discovered, packing them etc). Also would love to hear how you find them vs the slower zooms E.g. the 12-35, 12-60, and the overall package vs FF (noticed you did a video on the Sigma 50 f1.2) given a couple of the FF options are in and around the M4/3 price range. Thank you!

[@EwenBell]

Can't promise it'll happen any time soon, but thanks for the suggestion. It's good to get an idea of what information folks are looking for. Your suggestion is a good one too. In general, literally zero complaints about the 10-25mm F1.7 and the 25050mm F1.7. Both are equally solid, and equally chunky! Great pieces of kit if you don't mind the size and weight. I've used the 12-35 F2.8 a lot for helicopter shooting (the 24-70 equiv range is often ideal for heli shoots). The 12-60mm variants appear on my workshops very very often and are hard to beat. For folks who aren't looking for very fast glass, it's just a sweet lens and so modest in size. Makes it hard to justify the 12-35mm F2.8.

[@chrsjswg]

Hi, which settings did you use when taking these beautiful shots of the night sky in Australia? I have tried doing some of those shots myself (obviously the sky wasn't as clear as in the outback but still quite clear) but I am not really satisfied with my tries...

[@EwenBell]

I have a detailed blog on my website that explains my star trails technique, and the variation in settings... ewenbell.com/blog/Stars_Over_Uluru If you want the Milky Way you need to keep the shutter speed down to about 10sec, so a very fast wide lens is useful. The 10-25mm F1.7 for example, or Laowa have a great little 7.5mm F2 that I would recommend. MF lens that one too. Faster the lens the less you're pushing ISO. Number one cause of noise is when you underexpose at high ISO. Better to push to higher ISO and clean up nose in Capture One or Lightroom.

[@chrsjswg]

@@EwenBell thank you very much for the detailed answer

[@PaulVotava]

New subscriber and new to LUMIX MFT, really loving my kit and results. Curious to know some tips on getting work seen and published as you have had success with.

[@EwenBell]

Thanks Paul. I think an entire video would be needed to even touch the surface of your question. It's also possible may advice would be totally insufficient. The challenge to build a career in photography today is probably quite different to twenty years ago.

[@PaulVotava]

@@EwenBell Right? I had a photo lab and studio from ‘90 until 2004, it was successful in the local economy. Of course it was film then. Things have changed so much, and of course the internet can make it possible to have a limitless reach, like watching your videos here in the states. Trick is finding a way to use it to one’s advantage. Anyway, you have some great content here and I’ll be catching up on your videos. Cheers

[@EwenBell]

​@@PaulVotavathankyou Paul :)

[@bartoszpajak2285]

Nice photos, thanks! The problem is that this lens weighs the same and costs more than a top-of-the-line 2.8/24-70 full-frame lens and so does the body. As beautiful as the pictures taken with it are, I can get rid of the impression the whole setup misses the point MFT is about.

[@EwenBell]

There's lots of small primes to choose from. Very light and very fast. 12mm F1.4 for example that's much lighter than any full frame 24mm F2. And the 10-25mm F1.7 has no equal in full frame terms. 24-70mm is not the same.

[@esbirro2006]

Excelente. Muchas gracias

[@EwenBell]

Thankyou!

[@throughvf]

Sigma 18-35 1.8. With a speed-boaster.

[@jimcoon]

What a great video. Your presentation is so easy to listen to. No loud music. Great video production. And wonderful information. I use the G9II mostly for video but I still love bokeh! I subscribed and look forward to more. Jim in Oregon

[@EwenBell]

Thanks so much Jim :) appreciate the kind words and trust you're enjoying the amazing video features on the G9II!

[@katesavage2001]

I have the 25-50mm 1.7 and love it. One of my other favorite lenses is the 200mm 2.8. I tend to take the 100-400mm out more but everytime I take the 200mm out, I love it. In fact, I had originally rented the 200mm and couldn't bear sending it back so I purchased it.

[@EwenBell]

Oh yes that 200mm F2.8 is just lovely isn't it. I also tend to take the 100-400mm out more often. Probably because the birds I like are too small and I'm rarely brave enough to leave the longer lens behind :)

[@IronChefShellie]

looooove me some bokeh

[@EwenBell]

:)

[@SMGJohn]

Just buy the Voigtlander 29mm F0.8 and enjoy infinite bokeh.

[@MichaelGerrard]

You don't need to break the bank. Get the Oly 45mm f1.8 for example. If you are ok with manual focus, get a TTArtisan lens, there are many at f1.2 and f1.4. Even zoom lenses can give great results. I like my Lumix 35-100 f4-5.6 lens for bokeh. Yeah, it is f5.6 at 100mm, but that's a long focal length, get the positioning right and the bokeh is beautiful.

[@andersistbesser]

I domt care about bokee. I shoot everything at 2.8 which is 5.6 in full frame terms. I want BOTH of my models eyes in focus. When i do boudoir photography i have to stop down even more as it looks stupid if not the whole body is in focus.