Hey Mister, What's in the Bag? Or, What I Took on My Spring Vacation

So, I got into Micro 4/3 camera gear in large part due to the compactness of the system. I used to carry around a very heavy bag of Nikon gear, which consisted of one body and a few lenses, flash, etc. Because I didn't want to be changing lenses in the field all the time, and could only carry one body, I depended largely on zooms, usually with one fast normal prime along for the ride.

 

So, what has Micro 4/3 done for me in terms of my travel kit? Maybe this will give you an idea:

 

My Travel Kit - LowePro CompuTrekker AW,

Giottos MT9241 Tripod, Velbon QHD-41 Mini Ballhead

While this is the same backpack I used with Nikon, what I carry inside, and the resulting weight, is very different. Being able to use a small travel tripod and mini ballhead is an immediate advantage of lightweight camera equipment.

Here's what's inside:

Travel Kit, Exploded

Let's see here:

• Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 bodies (2X), batteries (4x)
• Panasonic Lumix 14-140 f4-5.8 zoom
• Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5
• Pana-Leica 25mm f1.4 Summilux
• Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit
• Panasonic 46mm filters (2X - 1 Polarizer, 1 3 stop ND)
• Nissin Di466 flash
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, batteries (3X)
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 waterproof camera, batteries (2X)
• LowePro Messenger Bag (fits inside Computrekker AW)
• Mountainsmith Camera Cube (padded divider pack, fits inside messenger bag)
• Panasonic remote shutter release
• Apple iPad2
• Shutterhat camera rain protector
• Hakuba mini-tripod
• SD cards, pen and paper, passports, etc.

All of this together, including the Giottos tripod, weighs in at 19 lbs. I don't have a weight for the Nikon pack, but imagine it's quite a bit more.

While this pack is not exactly lightweight, there is significant capability and redundancy here. For a big, expensive trip, that's what I want. Having two interchangeable lens bodies makes me much more comfortable. Not only that, it allows me to shoot mostly with primes, which I really prefer. I found on this trip that I kept the 25mm Summilux on one of the G3s, and alternated between the 14mm and 45mm on the other. I only used the zoom a couple of times, when I wanted longer reach than the 45mm would afford.

What would I leave out if I were going again tomorrow? Not much, actually. I would probably leave out the LX5, but that said, I did use it exclusively for a day of family activities. Yes, I could have used one of the other cameras, but the LX5 sure is a great balance of size and capability. I may leave out the flash. I don't use flash a lot, and they do weigh quite a bit, especially with an extra set of batteries. I might leave out the 14-140 zoom.

The fact that the padded messenger bag fits inside the Computrekker is great. That allows me to only be a packhorse for the whole kit when I'm making major moves between hotels, etc. Once on location, I can put just what I need in the messenger bag, and travel much more lightly.

The DMC-TS3 turned out to be fun on this trip, as I did shoot a few underwater pics. I'll post those in the coming days.

So, I hope you can see that I have a lot more capability with Micro 4/3, at reasonable carrying weight. If I were to limit it to one body, a couple of zooms, and a single fast prime, it would really be a lightweight kit. Sometimes, while my back is aching, I do feel that I challenged myself to fill the volume of the Computrekker.

What do you think? Am I over-prepared for an overseas one week trip? Under-prepared? What would you pack differently? I'm always interested to learn from others.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Dave Martinez's Tips on Choosing Photo Equipment for Travel

Dave Martinez posted a nice blog entry about how to choose the appropriate equipment for travel

 

(Click Here) to read Dave's entry.

 

Dave lists a few different combinations that he takes on travel. Like me, he usually opts for a Micro 4/3 kit these days, unless the trip demands full-frame equipment, when he, again like me, chooses Nikon.

 

I agree with most of the points that Dave makes, including limiting yourself to a few lenses, and not worrying about covering every focal length. You'll be surprised at how you adapt, sometimes in very creative ways, to not having a super zoom and several other lenses.

 

Dave sometimes goes without any lens covering the "normal" (~40-50mm full-frame 35mm equivalent); that's where our approaches differ. I cannot imagine going on a trip without at least one normal lens, usually a fast one. My favorite right now is the Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4, but the Lumix 20mm f1.7 is a great, more compact option.

 

I am planning for a trip to Japan in about a month. I'm thinking I will take two DMC-G3s, Lumix 14mm f2.5, Lumix 20mm f1.7 (or Summilux), and Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit. That will be a very powerful, yet light and compact kit.

 

When I'm going for the ultimate in compact, and will be shooting in mostly good light (not having to worry too much about small sensor noise), I will use the DMC-LX5, as shown above. The LX5 offers a very nice zoom range, wide enough aperture to get shallow depth of field, and excellent image quality, in my opinion. It also have very nice settings for street photography, HDR, etc. See my post from January for more details.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Lumix DMC-LX5 Delivers the Goods

 

Image Source: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=40541917

Poster tkbslc on dpreview posted this lovely family portrait, made with the Lumix DMC-LX5.

(Click Here) to see the post.

The post makes the point that these kind of results make it easy to leave your big heavy DSLR behind at home. A response indicates that they would like something in between the tiny, powerful LX5 and a DSLR. To me, the answer is obvious: Micro 4/3! But to each his own.

Here's one of mine with the LX5:

Casual Weekend Morning, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, iso400, f3.2, 1/30 sec

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New Lumix Camera USA / Asia Catalogs Posted

 

 

                                                                    Image Source:  http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/g3/img/index/head.jpg

Panasonic has posted a beautiful series of catalogs and marketing material for their camera offerings in the US and Asia.

(Click Here) for the main page.

These are really well-done pieces, in my opinion.  I have looked at the DMC-G3 and DMC-LX5 catalogs pretty closely, as I own and use both.  Looking at the G3 catalog reminds me that I too easily get stuck in my ways, and neglect to learn all the features of my cameras.  For example, I really need to play with "Pinpoint AF" function, which allows you to indicate on the LCD the exact point in the image where you want to focus.  So far, I have not used the touch screen much at all. 

Of course, these catalogs also remind me of all of the optional accessories, flashes, and lenses available for the Lumix system.  Uh oh, I feel Gear Acquisition Syndrome coming on again...

DMC-365.blogspot.com

DMC-LX2 User Asks - Should I Upgrade to the DMC-LX5?

 

 Image Source: http://g3.img-dpreview.com/ECE7D9002813485AA6E30443E8E884BF.jpg

Forum poster arcobelano posted a question about whether or not to upgrade from the DMC-LX2 to the DMC-LX5.  He posted some great images, including the one above, taken with the LX2.

(Click Here) to see the post.

I replied with my impressions, having made the upgrade directly from the LX2 to the LX5 several months back:

I had the LX2 for about the same time period you've had yours. Like you, I was VERY satisfied with it.

I have upgraded to the LX5, and will never look back. While the image quality of the LX2 is very good, I do find the LX5 to have about one stop better high iso performance. I can use it fairly comfortably at iso800.

But, more importantly, some practical upgrades really help. The most important for me are:

1. Hot shoe. I like to use an optical finder sometimes.

2. Hot shoe. I use the LVF1 finder a lot.

3. Function to set zoom to 35mm equivalents. If I want to use a 35mm optical finder, I can set the zoom to 35mm equivalent without any trial and error.

4. Function to remember the zoom setting when you turn the camera off. That way, it will go back to, say, 35mm, even after I've turned the camera off.

5. Manual focus memory. If I set the camera for range focus or hyperfocal settings, it remembers that focus setting when I turn the camera off.

So, I can put on an optical finder, set the focal length to match it, focus at the hyperfocal distance, and use it all day without messing around, even when I turn the camera on and off.

I don't know if you shoot this way, but if you do, it's worth the upgrade.

And, the image quality is better.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

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Tiny Sensors and Landscapes - Seems Like a Bad Combination

When is a small-sensor camera acceptable for landscapes?  Many people would say "never."  And, I understand this sentiment.  But, who cannot agree that this shot from user  AJAPHOTO over on dpreview.com, using a DMC-LX5 is a great landscape image?

 http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=40312409                                      Himeji Japanese Garden Adelaide South Australia

Click on the picture and see just how nice it is at a larger size.

Here is one of my own images:

Garnet Lake, Mammoth, California                                                                                                                               Lumix DMC-LX2, iso 100, f8, 1/80 sec

The image above is from my Lumix DMC-LX2, which I used for three years before replacing it with the even-better DMC-LX5.  Printed at about 9"x15", this image looks great.  Now, low iso is necessary to get this kind of performance from such a small sensor.  But, since I had a (small) tripod with me, that was not an issue.

So, don't avoid taking that beautiful landscape shot just because you don't have your "better" camera with you!  Enjoy using the camera that's in your hand.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

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A Little Humor - Digital Review Looks at the Lumix DMC-LX5

This guy, Kai Wong, from digitalrev.com, really cracks me up.  He has done a series of funny videos,including this one, performing "durability testing" on popular DSLRs:

Video Source: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tTBncIsm8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Here, Kai does a much less destructive evaluation of the Lumix DMC-LX5.  Now be forewarned, there's more humor than substance here, but if you have a few minutes, it's worth a look (and laugh).

 

 Video Source: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqqogOb73wc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Just a little humor for a Sunday morning.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

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I Admit It, I like HDR

This is What My Eyes Saw; the Camera Couldn't See it All in One Exposure

HDR Image of Ficus Tree, Kauai, Hawaii

Lumix DMC-LX5, iso80, 35mm equiv full-frame focal length

Three exposures, processed with Nik HDR Efex Pro

 

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a technique that combines brightness levels from multiple images of the same scene, to produce a single image with a wider apparent dynamic range, which means that details are not lost in shadows or very bright areas.  Used correctly, it can reveal detail that is visible to the human eye, but not within the capture range of a camera sensor.

 

HDR is frequently over-used and over-processed, which can lead to a very artificial look.  If that's what the photographer intended, okay.  But, in many cases, it just looks like someone went on a trip to computer game animation world.

 

Here is a nice online article from Peter Tellone on the B&H Photo blog:

(click here)

 

I learned about HDR in an excellent workshop at a Leica Historical Society of America (LHSA) meeting.  Our instructor, Dr. Stephen Wright, did a great job of demonstrating the technique.  The LHSA is probably not the most technically progressive group in the world; they tend toward more traditional approaches and fewer buttons and controls.  However, many of us saw HDR as an extension of what the best cameras can provide.

 

If you are interested, the software I use is Nik Efex Pro.  It is available at Amazon:

(click here)

 

I hope you will find this useful.  HDR really can make a challenging, high contrast lighting situation into something you'll be proud to show.  Just don't overdo it!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Blogger's Morning

 

 Blogger's Morning

Lumix DMC-LX5, iso100, f5.6, 1/60 sec, 16:9 ratio

 

This is just a quick grab shot that I think epitomizes my mornings - coffee, blog writing, journaling.  Could be worse...

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Okay, so you've been watching how the capability of very compact cameras has been increasing quickly, blurring the lines between compact and SLR, amateur and "pro" equipment.  These changes are real.  For example, the Lumix DMC-LX5 has many features and image quality previously restricted to more expensive (and heavier, larger) cameras.

From The Online Photographer

Image Source: 

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/.a/

6a00df351e888f8834014e89d45965970d-800wi

 

But, the compactness and lightness of these new models is both blessing and curse.  Okay, mostly blessing, speaking as someone whose back has suffered from 40 lb camera bags.  One drawback is that the new cameras are so small, it's very difficult to hold them still during exposure, which is necessary to avoid blurring of the image when using slower shutter speeds.  Also, using an LCD display to frame your shot, with your arms extended, puts you in a less stable position to begin with.  So, how do you eliminate your own motion during shooting and get those sharp images you want?

 

In a lively forum entry on dpreview.com, user Rick880 asked this very question.  Here is a link (click here), but I will save you some reading time by summarizing the ideas for you:

 

First off - the old standard - a good tripod and cable release.  The small camera blessing applies here, as you can get away with a very compact tripod, with so little weight to stabilize.  Cable releases are available for some models, but not all.  In the case of the DMC-LX5, Richard Franiec's website (click here) offers this nice adapter that uses a standard screw-in cable release.  You can order the product directly via email/Paypal.

Photo source: http://www.kleptography.com/rf/lx3_04.jpg

But, a even a small tripod may be more than you want to carry.

A second approach is to use something - the neck strap, a string or chain connected to the camera, usually through the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera, and pull it tight while you've got the camera in shooting position.  This lends some stiffness to your body and arms, which can significantly reduce motion.  Here's an example of a homemade version from instructables.com:

"String Tripod"

Image Source: http://www.instructables.com

/image/F1N2WJVF0ZSTF17/String-Tripod.jpg

A third method is to use the camera's internal timer to trigger the shutter.  This removes the tendency to move the camera when pushing down on the shutter release with your finger.  However, it requires a subject that will wait a few seconds for your timer to go off, without missing the shot.

Fourth, most new compacts have a "burst" mode, where they will take multiple images in rapid succession.  If you take several pictures, you can usually find one that's very sharp.  This has the same disadvantage, in that it's only useful if your subject is holding still.

Finally, some advanced compacts, the DMC-LX5 included, have optional viewfinders (the LVF1 in the case of the LX5).  This may be the best way to avoid that "arm's length" motion, by bringing the camera back to your eye, which is where it belongs in my opinion.  You are much more stable in this position than with your arms extended, camera at the far end.

I hope you find these tips helpful.  These little cameras really are amazing - don't let their small size be a disadvantage!

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Long Exposure with the DMC-LX5. Buddha Statue at Night

Well, I think of the little LX5 as somewhat challenged by small sensor noise.  But, I decided to give it a try in the dark last night.  Here is the result:

Buddha After Dark

Lumix DMC-LX5, iso 80, f6.3, 30 seconds

I converted to B&W and applied moderate noise reduction in Lightroom.

I was pleasantly surprised at the result.

DMC-365.blogspot.com