Mirrorless MFT YI ?

[Guest]

Amazon deal on YI camera, £200, Micro 4/3rds mount lens standard.

Brief synopsis, what do think , are mount adapters available,

With YI M1 Mirrorless Digital Camera get ready to capture perfect moments with superb image and video quality. YI M1 uses a 20MP SONY IMX269 image sensor, the highest standard in MFT (Micro Four Thirds system), and supports ISO up to 25,600 to deliver the most accurate color and the finest image detail. Shoot superb quality footage with 4K 30fps, your videos have never looked so crisp, and so clear.

 

 

 

[Demonperformer]

I don't know this camera, but any camera that can be attached to a tripod can be attached to an astro mount: piece of dovetail bar with a countersunk hole drilled in the right place and a screw/bolt through the bar into the tripod hole in the camera. Your camera is now attached to the dovetail bar which can be put on your astro mount. I use this method quite a lot.

[Chinapig]

7 hours ago, Sachakins said:

Brief synopsis, what do think , are mount adapters available,

Regarding mount adapters, if you mean could you fit the YI camera body to a telescope, yes you could.  I sometimes use an Olympus micro four thirds camera (an OMD) for astro photography, fitted on the back of a small refractor with a T-mount to m43 adapter.  I've never heard of YI cameras before, and it's worth searching out some reviews first: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/yi-m1

As an alternative to the YI model, it might be worth looking at what deals you can find on Olympus or Panasonic cameras that use the same m43 lens mount - perhaps a bit more of a known quantity.  The YI camera with more recent firmware updates, which I gather became available after the inital launch, might be fine though.  Hard to tell, as not much info out there about this camera.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Sachakins,

Nice to see that you have found an unknown camera to me! Well Done. Mirrorless 4/3 cameras are making inroads in the camera marketplace, this system has been in existence for 10 years.

So the technical issues usually associated with any new systems have been resolved, so ignore any old reviews..... Olympus and Panasonic are the original companies that drew up and agreed the basics of the design characters.  The Olympus and Panasonic have completely interchangeable lens, ie a Panasonic lens will work on an Olympus M4/3 camera and visa versa.

The M4/3 system has a complete range of lens from entry level, enthusiasts and a fabulous Pro range from Olympus (with prices to match). The Panasonic top lens range are also brilliant.

Remember these lens have a crop of x2 so a 25mm lens on a M4/3 camera is equivalent to a 50mm lens on a Canon full frame camera. 

The image quality is excellent, people who pixel count have rubbished the quality, but 95% of the time it is nigh impossible to see the difference in large prints, I have seen the same  shot using both M4/3 and full frame Nikon cameras and the prints were about 1 metre high. The 5% is where the full frame wins  if shooting in the dark where the noise on high ISO is more noticeable. Up to ISO 3200 the quality is the same.

Have a look at a review of the Y1 camera at.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1AL5HsKNw4        (not what happens on modern M4/3 cameras)

The M4/3 cameras from Olympus and Panasonic leave the Y1 on the camera shop shelves!  Have a look at the Olympus OMD E-M10 mkiii (mark 3) is an entry camera little more expensive but offers excellent quality.

I have been a Canon user for years but transferred to M4/3 system 2 years ago. I have a top of the range Olympus OMD E-1 mkII and a number of Pro and Premium range lens. I have used it at the Galloway Autumn Star Party this year and happy with the results of the Milky Way using ISO 1600 and 20 second shoots.

If you want a camera for daytime and star images I recommend then an Olympus or Panasonic M4/3 would be a good choice also a Canon and Nikon used cameras are also a good choice.

Canon and Nikon are moving to mirrorless cameras, the advantages are lighter cameras, and since the mirror does not flip up during exposure, the image is viewable all the time. Plus what use is on the screen is what you get on the image so you have less image reviews 

If you are interested in M4/3, and I get a free moment I will put a few images on the SGL if that will help you make a choice.

Happy Hunting!

Adrian

 

[fwm891]

Look at the Canon EOS M100 too

Edited December 6, 2018 by fwm891

[Chris]

I've become a big fan of M4/3 since owning the Panasonic G80, but it might be worth checking out this vid regarding the Yi:

Might be ok for very basic astro? I'm not sure if it has a bulb setting though? 

[dedair]

Exposure Control i AM for Yi M1 

Hi - I have just started testing this camera with my Orion 8" RC with some fairly good results thus far.   As for Bulb,Intervalometer, etc - the basics are below.  Thanks. 

Shutter Speed: Vertical-travel, mechanical, electronically controlled focal-plane shutter, 1/4000s~60s

Exposure Mode: AUTO, Programmed Auto (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Priority (S), Manual (M),Bulb, Time, Panorama, SCENE, Super Professional guide

Metering Mode: Spot Metering, Evaluative Metering, Center-Weighted Average Metering

ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600

Scene Mode: Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night Scene Portrait, Candle,Sunset, Fireworks, Beach & Snow

Exposure Compensation: ±5 EV

Bracketing: AE bkt, WB bkt

HDR: Supported