First Afternoon and Evening in Barcelona - I Think I Like It Here

 

Gelato Selection, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

 
We arrived in Barcelona today, Sunday, at about noon. After a quick nap, we went out for a tasty lunch of tapas (shrimp, avocado salad, local sausage and white beans). This kept us full enough that we only needed a small snack for dinner.
 
I can already tell that the street photography is going to be great here. For our evening walk, I grabbed my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and Russian 35mm optical finder, set the zoom to 35mm equivalent, manual exposure at either iso 400, 800, or 1600 (pretty high for this small sensor), and shot away.
 

Mixed Traffic, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

 
In order to minimize jet lag, I need to stay up until at least 10:00 tonight, preferably closer to midnight. It's currently only 7:30PM. I may have to go out again to succeed in staying awake...
 
I'm certainly looking forward to the rest of this trip. The images above are both jpegs directly from the camera, shot using the Dynamic Black and White option. I don't know exactly how this works, but flickr is showing the filenames as if they were raw files. That can't be, as the Black and White option only affects the jpegs. And, I can't see my EXIF information, either.
 
At any rate, I'm pretty sure that some careful post-processing at home will clean them up quite well.
 
More from Barcelona coming soon!
 
 

Sunset From Mount Prospect, Lancaster, New Hampshire

While I was on a business trip to a conference in Whitefield, New Hampshire (tough assignment, but someone's gotta do it), I was happy to get away immediately after the conference ended to hike up Mount Prospect, in nearby Lancaster.
 
Weeks State Park has a paved trail going to the summit, a round-trip of about 3 miles. I was very tight on time, and made it back to the car a little after dark.
 
I've missed the fall colors up here, so photo opportunities did not abound. However, I saw this on my way back down the trail:
 

Sunset from Mount Prospect, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso 200, f8, 1/15 sec (on tripod)

 
This is straight from the camera, as I'm still on the road as I write this, and uploaded directly from my iPad.
 
The bright stripe of water in the lower portion of the image makes it interesting for me. I like how you can see the pines silhouetted against the water.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

When to Use Micro 4/3 Versus Leica?

As you may have noticed, I have recently been shooting with a Leica M9. It is new to me, and I'm genuinely loving it. However, you probably also know my attraction to Panasonic Lumix equipment. I'm doing a lot of thinking about how and when to use each kit.

By Neil Buchan-Grant, Olympus OM-D, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

Image Source: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/P8060330-Edit-Edit-Edit.jpg

 

I read a piece on Steve Huff's site by Neil Buchan-Grant about his thoughts on using the new Olympus OM-D and M9. His conclusion is that he uses the Micro 4/3 kit (OM-D and typically the Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4) about 95% of the time, and the M9 about 5%. But, those numbers don't tell the whole story, or maybe they do. The Leica is not a numbers camera. It is a user's camera.

 

(Click Here) to read Neil's piece on Steve Huff Photo.

 

Neil reports that he has sometimes wondered why he carries the M9 on his travels, when the OM-D ends up being used most of the time. He then concludes that if you have the time, the M9 can really make special images. I believe that to be true.

 

I fully expect the M9 to become my favorite camera for slow, thoughtful photography (it's nearly there now). However, I will still rely on the Lumix gear for my travels. I cannot complain at all about what the G3 and great Panasonic glass have to offer, especially in such a compact package. And, as new announcements come from Panasonic, it only gets better.

 

Neil also mentions using Silver Efex Pro2 for his black and white conversions. I must give that software a try. I have sort of mastered conversion in Lightroom, but would like to try some other approaches.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Bill Fortney Asks "Why Bother?"

I just found Bill Fortney's website. His theme is "Photography and Faith." While I'm not a religious person
myself, no one could deny the beautiful work and great photographic insights on Bill's site.
 

Image Source: http://billfortney.com/?p=6176

 
In one piece, Bill asks "Why Bother?" when there are so many unbelievably great photographers out there? I'm sure we've all felt it at some point. The feeling of being so inferior to some of the masters can really get you down.
 
(Click Here) to read Bill's thoughts on the subject.
 
Bill makes several good points:

1. Enjoy the fact that there are so many great examples to learn from. Enjoy holding the camera as much as you enjoy your images.
2. Celebrate when others succeed.
3. Always photograph your passion. If you can find that, success will follow.
4. Experiment. It has never been easier to experiment photographically.
5. Have fun. After all, that's why it's your hobby.

I like this approach very much. One thing that strikes me is the idea of photographing what you are passionate about. This is easy to say, hard to identify and turn into a project, in my experience. I feel that I've achieved it with my Live Music project. And, it really makes working hard to get better at it fun.

 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Emotions - Not Always Smiles or Stern Looks

 

Stage Fright, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 20mm f1.7 Lens

iso400, f2.0, 1/400 sec

 
I have mentioned before Chris Orwig's book on People Photography. I was recently reading an assignment in it about capturing emotion other than canned smiles or stern glares into the lens. It reminded me of the shot above, which I took at a Japanese Obon festival. I love the look on the little girl's face.
 
I also enjoyed a single image post on mu-43.com by user LC55.
 
(Click Here) to see the post on mu-43
 
I need to complete the assignment in Chris' book, and see if I can come up with some more shots of emotion.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

How Well Does Micro 4/3 Format Work For Landscapes?

 

 

Landscape, by JohnW on getdpi.com

Image Source: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/4-3rds-cameras/39861-m4-3-landscape-system.html

 

Garnet Lake, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, Lumix 14-45mm kit lens at 14mm

iso 100, f8, 1/200 sec

 
NOTE: the original picture for this post, from JohnW on getdpi, is no longer available. So, I've substituted one of my own landscapes made with Micro 4/3 equipment.
 
Everyone knows that the tradeoff in Micro 4/3 camera gear is sensor size, which gives you awesome small form factor cameras and lenses in exchange for the small image format. This has been written about, and argued about, ad nauseum. In my opinion, Micro 4/3 cameras started out pretty good in the image quality department (my Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 produced very nice images, and still does now in the hands of a friend), and have only gotten better. I'm pretty pleased with the Lumix DMC-G3 in terms of image quality and reasonably high iso situations. I understand the Olympus OM-D is even better. Maybe even better than the new products coming out from Panasonic. That last part is a little unclear, as the Lumix DMC-G5 has just come out, and the GH3 is anxiously awaited.
 
Anyway, one of the places where large format has always been king is in landscape photography. Ansel and his ilk carried 8"x10" or even larger cameras, films, and associated hardware (think BIG tripods) into the field to do their best work. So, how does Micro 4/3 fair in landscapes?
 
As usual, it's not black and white (pardon the pun). If you're printing wall-size, the bigger the format, the better. Unless, of course, it's so big that you can't carry it out to that pristine landscape that you want to capture. For those of us who print to 16"x20" or less, Micro 4/3 may just do the trick. Do we want better? Of course. Do we want to carry more and spend more? Well, not so clear.
 
(Click Here) to read a post on the subject by JohnW on getdpi.com. My personal opinion is that JohnW's image above is gorgeous. I see lots of subtle gray levels, smooth transitions, and high contrast in places where it matter.
 
Here's an example of a cropped panorama that I made with the DMC-G3:
 

Rural Virginia, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 160, f8, 1/250 sec

 
I have printed this to 18" wide, and am reasonably happy with it. Yes, a larger format would have been better. As it is, I'm quite pleased with the result.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

Add Dominican Republic To My Bucket List! G3 Pictures by napilopez on mu-43.com

 

 

Dominican Republic, by napilopez on mu-43.com

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f43/few-dominican-republic-g3-warning-image-heavy-30756/

 
(Click Here) to see several great images taken by napilopez on mu-43.com.
 
All of the shots in the post were made with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 and Lumix 20mm f1.7 or Olympus 45mm f1.8.
 
I am leaving next week for a vacation in San Francisco. I need to change up my equipment a little, after focusing on the DMC-G3 so much for the first eight months of this year. I haven't decided yet, but am leaning toward taking my Leica M8 and only a lens or two. In fact, I may go as minimal as just the 40mm f2 Rokkor, which is a perfect normal lens on the M8, with the 1.33X crop factor. But, I'll likely take a wide angle and a short telephoto as well.
 
I really do respond creatively to using different types of equipment. Some people like the camera to become an extension of themselves, and not think about it while they're shooting. I think I do better to think about the constraints of the camera, challenging myself to work with them. For example, shooting in square format with say a Rolleiflex really brings out a different creative approach than a normal 2x3 format.
 
Anyway - I'll keep you up to date with how that goes.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Lumix DMC-TS3 Makes A Great Vacation Camera

 

 

Waterslide Series, by Reed A. George
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3, iAuto, Burst Mode
 
I took the little waterproof DMC-TS3 into the pool with me. I turned burst mode on and captured the series above, first try. Sometimes automation is a good thing.
 
In good light, this is one heck of a nice little camera.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

DMC-G5 Is Now Available in the USA

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5

Image Source: shop.panasonic.com

 

I see that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is now available in the USA.

 

(Click Here) to read about the G5 at dpreview.com

 

(Click Here) to buy it at Kenmore Camera.

 

So where am I on this camera? Well, I'm not sure yet. It is the obvious upgrade to the DMC-G3, which is my standard kit. Is the upgrade worthwhile?

 

The G5 brings increased maximum iso setting (moving up from 6400 to 12800, like the GX1). However, what's not yet clear is whether the sensor is really up to it. I am looking forward to seeing how much better the new 16Mpixel G5 sensor is than the 15.8 Mpixel G3 at high iso.

 

Continuous shooting is increased to 6 frames per second (fps), above 4fps on the G3.

 

Two things that do matter to me are a better grip than the G3, and longer battery life. However, this means a different battery size. Therefore, keeping one G3 as a backup to the G5 is not a great plan; I would need to carry two different chargers when I travel.

 

Things I personally care less about include a higher resolution LCD display, more video options, and digital filters.

 

I think I'm going to wait and see if the rumored DMC-GH3 gets announced in September as expected.

 

If I have to go to a new battery anyway, I may want the really high quality video and audio features of the GH3 (including external stereo microphone jack). That could come to good use in my music project.

 

So, if you want that G5 right away - it's at Kenmore! Get it while it's in stock. I'll wait a while.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 
 
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Ryan Lussier Reports On Three Months of Shooting Film On Steve Huff's Site

 

Ryan Lussier's Film Work, Contax G2
Kodak Porta 400, Zeiss 50 f/2
Image Source: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/08/02/three-months-of-shooting-film-and-here-is-what-i-learned-by-ryan-lussier/
 
Ryan Lussier has posted a nice article about using film over the past few month on Steve Huff Photo.
 
(Click Here) to read Ryan's post on stevehuffphoto.com
 
First off, this is no story to restart a controversy over film versus digital. Ryan admits that he likes digital as well. Raised on digital, Ryan is also no old man going back to his youth.
 
Ryan gives some details of how he processes and scans his films, basically the same as I do. Get the negatives developed at the drug store, then take on the scanning at home. He uses a Plustek scanner; I use an Epson V750. One thing I learned from Ryan is a product by Ilford called Antistaticum. It is a cloth for removing dust from negatives. I'll be ordering one today.
 
I also saw another interesting post this morning on GetDpi, from a person who put away their digital camera, grabbed an old 8x10 (really large format!) camera, and some Polaroid film. The results are very cool.
 
(Click Here) to see what old analog technology can do.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
Do me a favor - buy your Antistaticum, film, or whatever else through my blog's links to Amazon:
 
 





 
 

Rumor - Four New Lenses To Be Announced By Panasonic at Photokina in September - Does This Affect My Olympus 75mm Lens Order?

 

Lumix 35-100 f2.8 X Zoom
Image Source: http://www.43rumors.com/ft3-four-new-m43-from-panasonic/
 
According to a post on 43rumors, Panasonic will announce four new lenses at Photokina in September. The 35-100mm f2.8 news has been out there for a while. This could be a nice lens. I think a tele-zoom at f2.8 would be more interesting to me than the 12-35mm f2.8 turned out to be.
 
(Click Here) to read the original post on 43rumors.
 
Speculation also says that Panasonic is likely to announce a lens that competes with the new Olympus 75mm f1.8. This has me thinking - should I wait and not purchase the Olympus lens?
 
Reasons to NOT purchase the Olympus 75mm:

• Mega OIS (vibration reduction) will likely be included in the Panasonic lens. Since I use Panasonic bodies, and Olympus puts vibration reduction in their bodies, I won't ever get this from an Olympus lens.
• Frankly, I'd rather have a Panasonic lens.
• The Olympus lens is only available in silver.
• I've already been waiting six weeks for my Olympus order to be shipped

Reasons to GO AHEAD and purchase the Olympus 75mm:

• Who knows exactly what Panasonic will announce? I'm convinced 75mm is a great focal length for me. If Panasonic announces a 60mm, that won't be long enough for me.
• Most importantly, when will a new Panasonic lens really be available? Probably 2013. I'm not waiting that long.
• I'm sure the Olympus lens will have wonderful build and image quality.
• I somehow doubt that Panasonic's lens will be f1.8 or faster (but that's just a guess). I want that fast f-stop.
• I'm impatient.

So, I'm going ahead with my Olympus 75mm f1.8 purchase.

 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Is the Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 a Portrait Lens?

 

Festival-goer, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix G Vario 12-35mm Aspheric f2.8 Zoom at 35mm

iso 160, f3.2, 1/800 sec

 
This is a pretty good example of a picture that I want to be able to take at music festivals. It's not a head shot style portrait. Perhaps it's wide enough to be called an "environmental portrait." It gives some context to the subject. However, I really want to be able to separate the subject from background with shallow depth of field.
 
It is a matter of physics that Micro 4/3 lenses will have more depth of field at a given field of view, because of the crop factor and sensor size. That is, in the shot above, which was shot at 35mm focal length on Micro 4/3, has the same field of view as a 75mm lens on a full frame 35mm sensor. The Micro 4/3 lens has more depth of field in this shot than if I had shot it with a 75mm on full frame at the same f-stop (f3.2 in this case). All this adds up to less ability to separate your subject from the background with the Micro 4/3 format at a given field of view and aperture.
 
While I like this shot very much, I would prefer to have the background blurred more. Yes, I should have shot it at f2.8, which would have narrowed the field of view a little more, but that's only a half-stop wider, and would not have made much difference.
 
So, my preliminary conclusion is that no, this is not the perfect lens for these types of shots. I could have done better with one of my prime lenses - either getting closer with the Summilux 25mm f1.4 or using the Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit. Actually, the 45mm f2.8 may have been about the same, since I would have had to move away from the subject, which increases depth of field. The true best would be an Olympus lens - either the 45mm f1.8 (which would have been perfect for this shot), or the 75mm f1.8, which would have required me to be further away. I don't own either of the Olympus lenses, yet. The 75mm is on order.
 
I must say that I've enjoyed using the new Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens this weekend. However, I am close to concluding that I prefer to shoot primes. I've been very careful with this lens over the past couple of days. I have in my mind that it may go back for a refund. I haven't decided yet, and need to look at more results.
 
Don't get me wrong. It's a very capable lens. I just think I prefer primes.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Oh, Man, I Can't Wait For That Olympus 75mm f1.8 to Arrive!

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f38/olympus-75mm-f1-8-first-thoughts-29556/
 
Member 938mm on mu-43.com has posted their initial thoughts and some results, shooting the new Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens for Micro 4/3 on the new Olympus OM-D.
 
(Click Here) to read the original post on mu-43.com.
 
938mm seems quite pleased with the handling of the lens, and the results speak for themselves.
 
Mine is on order from Amazon, but is not yet shipping in the US.
 
938mm mentions that one challenge with such a fast lens is that to use a wide aperture in bright sunlight, you may need to use a neutral density (ND) filter. This is probably something I will want to do. The filter diameter is 58mm, so I'll have to add another filter to my kit.
 
On the subject of NDs, many people are now purchasing extremely expensive variable ND filters. These allow you to adjust the density and resulting effect of the filter across a wide range of exposures with a twist of the wrist. So far, I have decided to go the less expensive route, sticking with a 3-stop filter for my Lumix lenses. In my opinion, that has not been a difficult compromise. I find that if I need an ND, 3-stops is usually sufficient.
 
Some photographers have complained that 75mm (equivalent to 150mm field of view on full frame) is too long for portraits. I wholeheartedly disagree, especially when you consider that you have to go a little longer on the Micro 4/3 sensor to achieve shallow depth of field. I have always leaned telephoto, so 75mm is going to work great for me.
 
Looking forward to sharing some results with this lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, just as soon as it arrives!
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

I've Ordered It - My First Olympus Lens. Final Check - Will It Be Compatible With My Panasonic Bodies?

 

Olympus 75mm f1.8 Micro 4/3 Lens

Image Source: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1622
 

 

I have preordered the new Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens. My understanding and belief is that all of the native Micro 4/3 lenses will exhibit full compatibility with my Panasonic bodies.

 

First, the lens. If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I'm lusting over both this lens and the new Lumix 12-35mm f2.8. I have also posted some examples of images I've recently taken with my Voigtlander 75mm f2.5, which have helped to convince me that 75mm is the best focal length to add to my kit. The improvements of a full stop of extra light gathering (f1.8 is really fast), and autofocus, are enough for me to take the leap.

 

I'm not that far along with the Lumix 12-35.

 

In terms of compatibility, I found a nice reference on the Panasonic website. It shows the compatibility of both native Micro 4/3 and 4/3 lenses, viewfinders, and flash units, to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1. Since my workhorse kit is two DMC-G3s, I am convinced that compatibility will be the same. These are very similar cameras.

 

(Click Here) to see the compatibility story for the Lumix DMC-GX1 on Panasonic's site.

 

So, now it's just a matter of waiting for Amazon to ship the 75mm f1.8!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Civil War Reenactment - Frederick Maryland, Shot with Lumix DMC-G3

 

Union Troops Emerge From the Cornfield, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 at 188mm

iso 400, f5, 1/1000 sec

 
We're well into the sesquicentenial of the US Civil War, and there are lots of great events in my area. Northern Virginia was a center (the center?) of activity, as neighbors and even brothers within the same family picked sides, sometimes opposite sides. It's a great time to take on a project in photographing civil war history and reenactments.
 
My latest, shown here, are from an event at Rose Hill Manor Park, in Frederick, Maryland. In this case, they were reenacting a battle that actually took place up the road in Sharpsburg (Antietam). One of the famous landmarks of that battle is "Bloody Lane," a sunken farm road and split-rail fence line that was hotly contested and finally won over by Union troops.
 

Flag Against Flag, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 at 136mm

iso 400, f5, 1/1600 sec

 
I was able to walk directly onto the battlefield, well inside the spectator lines, for two reasons: 1) I arrived early, and 2) I was careful to be courteous, staying out of the way of the reenactors and out of view of the general spectators. This provided me with an excellent vantage point from which to shoot.
 
The reenactors were characteristically helpful, and even told me what to expect to see in the battle, including the final confederate retreat. I appreciated that very much.
 
 

Confederate Dead on the Fence, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 at 150mm

iso 400, f8, 1/640 sec

 
On the photographic details, first off, I made a mistake. Planning to go very light, I grabbed what I thought was my Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 zoom, and Lumix 20mm f1.7 lenses. Upon arriving, I realized that in fact I had brought the Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6. So, I had an enormous focal length gap, from 20mm to 100mm. In the end, I think it worked out pretty well, but that was lucky. The only real problem was that during the retreat, I had to change lenses quickly in order to capture the soldiers running right by me.
 
I was able to carry a single DMC-G3 body, both lenses, batteries, and cards in a small belt pack (Lowepro Photorunner). I did not take a tripod, since it was a very bright, sunny day. Oh yeah, I also carried two bottles of water in my pockets.
 
I was able to set the camera at iso400, aperture at anywhere from f5-f8, and use aperture priority.
 

These Eyes Have Seen War and Defeat, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 20mm f1.7

iso 400, f2.5, 1/1250 sec

 
In post-processing, I converted the raw images to black and white, used a lightly saturated reddish tone to the highlights in split toning. I also added some grain to give a nice texture.
 
I hope you enjoy these images!
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com