So, Now That It's Over, What Did I Learn From SFTC?

For the entire year of 2013, I selected a different old camera from my collection and shot it for a month, sharing the results and my thoughts here on DMC-365. So, what did I learn? Well, I learned that I still have a lot to learn, for one thing.

 

A natural outcome of revisiting so many cameras that have been in my camera closet for a long time would be to identify a favorite, or maybe more than one. That happened in some cases. In other cases, more exploration is needed.

 

For example, while I did shoot a few different SLRs (Pentax K1000, Nikomat Ftn, Nikon F2), I have yet to identifiy a favorite. The F2 is certainly up there. But, the K1000 was the camera I learned with, and I still love the Pentax line, including an ME and Spotmatic, which I didn't even include in the SFTC series. And then there's the Nikon FM2. So, no conclusion is possible there, not yet.

 

For twin lens reflexes (TLRs), the same is true. The Minolta Autocord was a wonderful, pleasant surprise.

The Autocord Rocks

 

The Autocord is pure pleasure to look through. But, is it better than my Rolleiflex T? Probably not. I'm still on a quest for the perfect TLR. At this point, I own a few (2 Rolleiflexes, a Rolleicord, the Minolta Autocord, and two Ricohs). They're all f3.5 cameras. I'm thinking that a Rolleiflex with Zeiss Planar f2.8 lens may be the ultimate for me. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my Rolleicord with Rolleikin 35mm insert, and can have lots of fun with my existing TLRs.

 

So, did I learn anything conclusive at all? Yes. In the class of fixed lens 35mm rangefinder cameras, I now have a clear favorite. The Konica S1.6. Absolutely amazing lens. I will never hesitate to grab this camera.

 

The Konica S1.6 is sublime.

 

And, in the medium format (120) folding camera class, the Agfa Record III is the clear winner. Now this is interesting, as the Agfa wins more on features than by standing out from the others in image quality. My Zeiss folders are real optical performers, especially the one with a Tessar lens. The Record III has the gorgeous Solinar lens, which I think matches the Zeiss offerings. But, more importantly, it has a built-in (if uncoupled) rangefinder, and an accessory shoe that I can use to mount an exposure meter. This makes it really easy to use compared to most of my other folders.

 

The Agfa Record III - Most Useable Medium Format Folder

 

So, in addition to having a hell of a lot of fun shooting old cameras, I did learn a few things.

 

I hope my readers picked up an interesting point or two, as well.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 Shoots Cicadas Close Up! The Cicada Class of 2013 is a Big One.

 

History Bug, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 100, f7.1, 1/250 sec

 

On Memorial Day weekend, I went to the Manassas National Battlefield a few times for some shooting. In the image above, you can see Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's statue to the far right on the horizon. Up close, you see a 17 year cicada, freshly molted from the nymph stage into the adult.

 

(Click Here) to read about the cicadas of 2013.

 

Cicadas live between 13-17 years underground, and emerged in synchronized fashion with their siblings. Scientists don't know for sure why they do this - some believe it's to avoid predation, both by being unpredictable because of the long time scale and by safety in numbers making it more likely that some of them will get through. Others believe it's due to climate changes, whereby colder weather severely slowed down their previously faster development.

 

You Can Never Go Home, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 100, f8, 1/250 sec

 

In the picture above, you see the adult (lower center) next to the molted skin of a nymph. Quite a change in body plan, huh?

 

Big Year for the Cicadas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 100, f3.5, 1/250 sec

 

As you can see in the picture above, there are a lot of cicadas in this year's brood. Those are the abandoned nymph skins left behind after moulting.

 

This subject reminded me again of the flexibility of the little Lumix DMC-LX7. I was also carrying my Leica M9 with Summaron 3.5cm f3.5 LTM lens and my Minolta Autocord TLR. Neither of them could have made these images. Even with the Rolleinar close up lens on the the Autocord, I couldn't have come close to this focusing distance. The LX7 sure does a lot of things right.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

43rumors Posts Olympus and Panasonic Roadmap in Micro 4/3 for 2013

 

Roadmap Source: http://www.43rumors.com/olympuspanasonic-2013-roadmap-sketch/

 

I don't usually give much thought to the sites that publish rumors about the camera industry. However, I have found 43rumors to be reasonably accurate, and they usually know when the rumor is likely to be incorrect.

 

This post is a little more fun than most on the rumor sites. The roadmap above shows what 43rumors thinks is coming in the Micro 4/3 arena from market leaders Panasonic and Olympus in this calendar year (and maybe a little later).

 

The fun thing is, you can vote on which three items on the roadmap interest you most, and see what the total voting results are so far.

 

(Click Here) to go to 43rumors.com and place your vote.

 

This tells me that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX2 isn't coming out anytime soon. I don't know what to think of the G7 coming out soon. The G5 was not very impressive to me. If the G7 has the GH3 sensor (or better), I may be interested, as long as the body doesn't grow too much in size from the G3. A "pro" grade Lumix may be interesting as well, but I have a feeling it'll be Nikon DSLR size, just to prove it's pro equipment. Finally, a 42.5mm f1.2 lens could be fun. Of course, characteristically, I'm focused on Panasonic more than Olympus. The OM-D is already a huge win for Olympus, and I'm sure it only gets better.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

A Family Tradition - Oseichi Ryori - Japanese New Year's Breakfast

 

Japanese Oseichi Ryori, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 160, f2.2, 1/60 sec.

 
My wife is Japanese. Living in Northern Virginia, we don't get all that many chances to celebrate Japanese culture. One opportunity we take every year is on New Year's morning. We order out traditional Japanese food, oseichi ryori. Now I'm kind of a conservative eater, especially at breakfast. But, I thoroughly enjoy welcoming the new year in with fresh seafood and Japanese sencha (green tea) one day per year.
 
I also always grab a camera and take a shot of this year's selection. That tends to be the DMC-LX5. For these shots, I used iAuto, where the camera sets EVERYTHING for you. Obviously, I also used macro focus. Not bad for complete point and shoot automation.

Japanese Oseichi Ryori, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 200, f2.2, 1/60 sec.

 

 
 

Ohashi (chop sticks), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

iso 80, f2, 1/100 sec.

 

I almost sprung for an upgrade to the LX5 over the holidays - the LX7 was obscenely cheap at less than $300. But, the additional nearly $200 to upgrade the accessory finder from the DMW-LVF1 to DMW-LVF2, necessary with the LX7, was just a little too much. I've got no complaints about the LX5, and the LX7 has a faster (f2) lens, but no advantage in sensor size. So, I held off.

 

Happy 2013!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

New Regular Column On DMC-365: "Skeletons from the Closet" - Using and Reviewing Cameras From My Collection

Now that I've officially completed my first year running DMC-365, it's time to freshen it up a bit. I'm still working on a list of ideas, but have one or two that I want to get started right away.
 
This one will be called "Skeletons from the Closet," meaning that I'll pull out some old favorite cameras from my collection (which literally is stored in a closet) over the coming year. In fact, my plan is to feature a different camera each month. I will write at least two posts on each camera - one introducing the camera of the month, and a follow-up, showing some of the images that I captured, and reviewing my thoughts on using the camera. Since these are film cameras, and I like to mail my film to The Darkroom (thedarkroom.com) for processing, the follow-up will normally come out mid month, the month after I use the camera. So, you can expect the first results around February 15.
 
To kick it off, for the month of January, I'm going back to where it all started. The Pentax K1000. Not just any K1000, this specific one. My parents bought it for me when I was in sixth grade, which must have been 1977. The K1000 came out in 1976. This camera moved across the country with me multiple times, and finally ended up with an old friend of mine during my 20 year hiatus from serious photography.
 
A couple of years back, my daughter asked about my first camera. The K1000 was my first serious camera, after a Kodak 126 Instamatic. On a whim, I called up my friend to see if he still had it. Not only did he have it, he was still using it. The meter was not working, but otherwise it was fully functional. I had him send it to me, and sent him an old Ricoh to use instead.
 
As soon as I got it back, I sent it off to Eric Hendrickson, Pentax Guru, for a CLA. Now it works as well as new. By the way, Eric is a great guy, and if you need a Pentax SLR serviced, you should contact him at pentax27@aol.com
 
Anyway, here's my first skeleton from the closet for 2013:
 

My normal lens back in the day was a 50mm f1.7 like that one shown above. I had to buy this one to replace the cheapo zoom that had made its way onto the camera over the years. The 50/1.7 is an amazingly good lens.
 
I may also shoot with another lens or two, most likely the 135mm f2.5 that I recently picked up for next to nothing.
 
So, wish me luck on this project! I have some real old beauties in store for the coming months.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Well! The First 365 Days Has Passed. Happy New Year - and Where DMC-365 Is Going This Year

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pizarroshipbuilding.jpg

 
I made a commitment to focus on Panasonic Lumix cameras in 2012. That was fun, but I found it limiting to try to focus on one camera maker, or even on Micro 4/3. At this point, I have not dropped any of my other formats (which include Nikon DSLR, Leica rangefinder, Micro 4/3, and various film cameras), have added a Leica M9 to my list of favorites, and still enjoy writing my blog every day. So, I think I'll shift gears a little, still including Micro 4/3 to a large extent, but not excluding anything. In fact, what I want to write about is the interface between equipment and creativity. I don't believe they're independent, and know for a fact that certain equipment choices work best for specific applications. I'd hate to try to shoot eagles in flight with my rangefinder camera.
 
So, I thought I'd explain my direction for 2013 with an analogy.
 
Let's say I'm working on building an enormous boat. There are lots of other people out there building their own boats, so I don't have to worry about making mine fit every usage. I will use the skills and tools that I have to make exactly the boat that I think I want to build.
 
Now here's the deal. It is not clear that this boat of mine will be a success, or that it will set sail during my lifetime. Some of that depends on how good a job I do. The job ahead is so big, possible assignments on any given day are numerous.
 
One way of determining what I'll do to build the boat on a given day is to head to a particular section that needs work. If for example, I wander over to work in the engine room, I will need a particular set of tools. If instead, I decide to finish the woodwork in the captain's quarters, I'll need another. So, I choose the right tools for the job at hand that day.

 

The Engine Room, by Reed A. George

Leica M4-2, 50mm Summicron f2 Dual Range Lens

 
There is also another way to decide. Rather than picking an area or duty, I can pick up the tools I feel like using that day and wander around until I find a section that needs work that I can do with them. Sometimes this may mean that I take my most flexible tools, in order to increase the probability of finding a productive assignment. On other days, I may pick a tool that I really want to work with and search until I find an assignment. Each appraoch is different in efficiency (how much work I complete in a given time) and effectiveness (how important and beautiful that work is).
 
One thing is for sure. I will not be finishing work on this boat for a very long time. There's plenty of work to do. I don't have to take every assignment. I do have to go do good work on any assignment I take on.
 
So. That brings me to what my second year of building DMC-365 will consist of. I will use a broader set of tools than in my first year. I have used the first year to get my feet wet, and I've made at least somewhat of a name for myself on the job. I've also bought some lovely specialist tools during the year, and plan to increase my skill in using them. Taking the approach that I don't have to do it all (no wedding photography here, most likely), and that effectiveness - making sure that what I do take on is done to the very best of my ability - is more important than efficiency, I will share the tools, processes, and results with my readers. I will certainly focus on specific tools, cameras, techniques, and types of photography. My goal will not be to get every possible good image, but to ensure that those I do get are very well-done.



Tools that I know I'll use include Leica, Lumix, other Micro 4/3 gear, film cameras of the past, and even a few toy cameras, which I believe allow me to focus on technique, rather than the quality of the equipment. I want to be like the ping pong champion who wins his matches, even if he's forced to use a heavy iron skillet instead of a paddle (I know someone who can actually do this).
 
During the first year, I began a couple of projects; the one that grew legs is photographing live music performances. I will continue that project in 2013, as well as pursuing my other photographic interests, which include wildlife, field science, travel, and street photography.
 
So, I hope you'll enjoy watching me continue to build my boat. I'm sure that I'll make some mistakes along the way, and that my goals (the boat design) will change as we move forward. Of course, I also hope to meet some of the other people out there building their own boats of their own designs. We can compare notes.
 
Happy New Year!
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

So, Where Am I Going With This Blog?

Image Source:
http://marisakeegan.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/to-blog-or-not-to-blog-that-was-the-question/

 

I am nearing the one year mark with DMC-365. That was my initial commitment to blogging - 365 days. I've done very well at keeping up with daily posts. I'm proud of that. Now I find myself asking whether to continue on into the new year.

I enjoy blogging very much, and feel that it helps keep me up to date with what's going on in my chosen hobby. It's hard to imagine not continuing. However, sometimes, I feel like I need to give myself a break. Every single morning, I have an assignment - to write a blog entry, and to write three pages in a journal, all before most of us get to work.

 

I've been journaling much longer than blogging, and really can't imagine living without writing. It's been three and a half years, and I've written nearly every day in that period - with the only exceptions being a few days of extreme illness or other disruptive situations.

 

So, I enjoy writing and blogging. But am I achieving my personal goals with it? What were my goals again? I suppose that I wanted to continue to develop my expertise and knowledge in photography. I also wanted to develop my own creativity. At this point, I feel that I've put far more effort into understanding the latest equipment, software, and techniques than I have into developing creatively. That's not all bad. My ebook about how to set up the Lumix DMC-G3 camera helped me to be more prepared when using that camera; it is also by far the most popular thing I've produced, with thousands of downloads. However, I know that equipment and technology are the opposite side of the coin from creativity. Creativity is harder. It doesn't come every day.

 

And on that subject, the blog does have to come every day. If not, readers have no reason to keep checking back. And a blog without readers is just another journal - I already do that.

 

Another factor is that my blog has lost a little of its initial focus. According to the Blogger's Boot Camp, a book that helped immensely in getting my blog up and running (see Amazon link below), a blog should be razor-focused. Never, ever, start a photography blog - pick an area of photography, then go at least one step narrower, is the advice. That's what initially led me to run a blog about Panasonic Lumix gear. I have found that focus too narrow, as you will have seen. I enjoy using many different cameras and systems, and won't limit that just to match my blog.

 

So, where to go from here, if anywhere? As you may have guessed, this is a question for myself. What I'm thinking right now is that I may find a way to focus more on creativity, but will not likely lose some equipment and technology emphasis; they are nearly inseparable.

 

Some ideas that I've had include:

• Spending more time on my active photography projects (principally Live Music, and to a smaller extent, the Civil War Sesquicentenial)
• Creative writing, specifically related to my photographs
• Regular periodic columns - for example, description of and results from cameras in my collection. Maybe a monthly classic camera profile, which will necessarily include using the camera and sharing results. I have a lot of nice old cameras that I love to use.
• Photo challenges - we did one, and I think it turned out pretty well. I now know how to facilitate a little competition here, and it's fun.
• Exploration of creative techniques in photography. I did post a presentation of my own exploration of "Contemplative Photography," which I think helped develop my own skills, and hopefully was useful to others.
• I have a vague idea of a theme of "What's Gear Got to Do With It?" By this, I mean that technology and gear are largely inseparable from photographic pursuits, and I know a lot about gear. I could write about how and why I use specific gear for specific tasks, and experiment with new solutions.
• Along these lines, I also really love limiting my equipment options for specific shooting sessions, and seeing what I can produce. I imagine I could connect this exercise with some challenges, getting some of you to submit images as well.

So, how does this fit into the concept of a narrowly-focused subject? I'm not sure I know yet. If I was convinced that I could frequently find information on developing more creativity in my photography, that is where I'd focus. Maybe the interaction of technology and creativity in photography is focused enough.

 

Anyway, thanks for following my musings. If you have opinions, I'm quite open to them as always.

 

I do think I'll keep blogging. But, I may try some different approaches this coming year.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com