12 months : 12 images – A look back at 2016

2016 was another amazing year for us here at MirrorLessons and here are just a few of the reasons!

we started up a third website called Mirrorless Comparison where we focus on comparisons between cameras and lenses

we attended our second Photokina where we connected with many of our photography-loving friends, followers and colleagues and tried out loads of new gear

we spent our second year living in Wales and managed to explore more of the country than ever before

The mirrorless front didn't disappoint either, with all the most important brands announcing one or more new flagship cameras including the X-Pro2, X-T2 and GFX medium format mirrorless from Fujifilm, the OM-D E-M1 II from Olympus, the a6300 then a6500 from Sony and the GH5 from Panasonic. Now that the various brands are so invested in their respective mirrorless systems, there is no doubt 2017 will be another important year for this sector!

To wrap up the year, Mathieu and I have decided to share 12 of our best images from 2016. You will find one image from each month taken with the various mirrorless cameras we've tested.

Happy New Year and thank you as always for your ongoing support!

January A7r II, 1/250, f/8, ISO 200 – FE 55mm f1.8

Most of January was spent testing the Olympus 300mm Pro for sports and wildlife. But during a walk around the wonderful Mach Loop above the Tallylyn lake, we were greeted with this lovely view: the perfect example of why we love the light in Wales so much.

February E-M1, 1/160, f/6.3, ISO 500 – Leica DG 100-400mm f4-6.3

Telephoto lenses and wildlife continued to be the theme for February but this time we were working with the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm. We could have shared a red kite or one of the other birds we usually photograph but this particular squirrel was extremely curious about what we were doing that day and as such, deserves a spot!

March X-Pro2, 1/250, f/8, ISO 3200 – XF 100-400mm f4-5.6 + TC 1.4

Our X-Pro2 arrived and we used it in all sorts of conditions. The photo above represents the toughest conditions in which we found ourselves: rain and hail during the Tonfanau road race.

April X-Pro2, 1/1800, f2, ISO 200 – XF 90mm f2

April was an intense month of testing and comparing various gear. But even when we have a busy schedule, we always try attend the events in our area – after all, you never know when a photographic opportunity will present itself! This lovely portrait was taken at the Colwyn Bay Forties Festival.

May GX80, 1/160, f5.6, ISO 200 – Lumix 12-32mm f3.5-5.6

Here we have the obligatory sunset shot! Since we live five minutes away from the beach, this location is ideal for dynamic range tests and capturing beautiful shots with the cameras we review. We chose this one because it was taken at the end of an enjoyable weekend with our relatives who were visiting from the Midlands.

June X-Pro2, 1/400, f/8, ISO 200 – Samyang 12mm f2

In June we took a 10-day break in Cornwall, a beautiful region in the south of England. Chasing interesting light was our main source of entertainment and this spot was one of our favourites.

July A7r II, 8s, f2.8, ISO 1600 – 24-70mm f2.8 GM

We don't often get clear skies where we live but when it does happen, the sky is very bright and the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye.

August a6300, 1/2000, f8, ISO 800 – Sigma MC-14 + 150-60mm C

We had to share a picture of a red kite since these birds of prey have become one of our favorite subjects for autofocus tests and telephoto lens reviews. This image wasn't taken with the most comfortable or fastest set-up but it came out well!

September iPhone 5s

For personal reasons, we didn't take many photographs in Sepetmber. As weird as it sounds, we didn't find a single image taken with a mirrorless camera worth featuring. The one above of Mat editing a video in the Photokina press room sums up that month pretty well!

October A7r II, 2.5s, f8, ISO 200 – Hyper Wide Heliar 10mm f5.6

This shot of fireworks above Conwy Castle is easily one of our favourites from 2016, taken with a lens that we enjoyed more than we expected.

November G85, 1/50, f8, ISO 200 – Lumix G 12-60 f3.5-5.6

Our favorite place in Wales, the Cregennan Lakes, always deserve a spot. Even when the light isn't at its best, the location always manages to inspire our creative eye.

December E-M1 II, 10s, f11, ISO 64 – 12-100mm f4 Pro

Whilst visiting Italy over the holidays, we found the city we lived in for many years shrouded in fog for four days straight. The vibrance of the nightlife in Turin is always inspiring and in case you were wondering, yes, it was taken hand-held!

Bonus: our favorite video of 2016

Now that we are putting more effort into our YouTube channel, it makes sense to include our favourite video of the year as well! This year, the award goes to the Grey Seals we filmed in North Wales. The Sync IS technology of the E-M1 and 300mm Pro is one of the things that impressed us the most in 2016 and now you can achieve even better results with the E-M1 II.

Do you have a favourite shot from 2016? If so, don't hesitate to share it with us in the comment section below!

About the author: Heather Broster

Heather Broster was born in Canada, has lived in Japan and Italy but currently calls Wales home. She is a full-time gear tester at MirrorLessons. You can follow her on Google+, Twitter or Facebook!

Source: 12 months : 12 images – A look back at 2016