A (Holga) Day in the Life

I decided to pull out an old, neglected camera today, the cute little Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1.  I was in the mood for some low-thought, low-effort shooting, so I mounted the 25mm f8 Holga plastic toy lens.  Here is what I captured today:

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Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year to all of you! We continued our yearly tradition of running a 5k together (my best time yet), followed by traditional Japanese new year food (Osechi ryori):

 

From my family, please have a wonderful 2017!

 

 

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Back to Color, Digital, Lumix? Well, Maybe a Little

I've been offline, mostly, working with black and white film in the darkroom. And, enjoying it immensely.

 

But, I decided to give Micro 4/3 a go again, after never being able to quite fall in love with the DMC-GX7 body. The image quality is fine, quite fine, in fact, but the camera feels weird in my hand, and I don't like the electronic viewfinder (EVF) on that particular camera. So, I decided to jump on a Black Friday deal and get the similar but somewhat less full-featured DMC-G7. Much better, for me. I gave up in-body image stabilization (which the GX7 has), but gained a camera that feels right in my hand, with what I feel is a better EVF.

 

Here's a shot I made with the new G7 today, using the Lumix 100-300mm f4-5.6 zoom lens, at 800 iso:

Mockingbird in Winter

 

I'm still really having a blast in the darkroom, but this was SO easy, and shooting color again is also fun...

 

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16:9 Format - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

Landscape in 16:9, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso 400, f5.6, 1/100 sec.

 

I've just uploaded a set of images from my recent trip to the Desolation Wilderness in Northern California to my flickr page. (Click Here) to view them all (or if you want to see this image larger). Every single one of the images in this set was captured with the LX100. What a wonderfully compact and capable camera this is, perfect for a long hiking trip like the one I was on (3 days, two nights camping).

 

I love the native 16:9 format in the LX100, though I did crop a larger image to get it in this case.

 

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Broken Pattern of Color

Broken Pattern, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

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Spider's Web, Waihe'e Ridge, Maui

 

Spider's Web, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Sigma 60mm f2.8 Art Lens

 

From my sunrise hike up Waihe'e Ridge in Maui. Sometimes jet lag can be a good thing. Today, it made it awfully easy to be up before dawn for the drive to the trailhead.

 

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Long Shadows - Waikiki Beach

 

Long Morning Shadows, Waikiki, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Sigma 60mm f2.8 Art Lens

 

In this scene, I was struck by the extremely long shadow projecting from the person on the beach, and an even longer one from a palm tree not visible from this viewpoint. This highly directional strip of light was coming through between two large hotel towers. I took this from the 19th floor of the hotel.

 

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Another Corn Crib Shot - HDR

I added one more shot to the corn crib set, this one a high dynamic range (HDR) image from inside the corn crib.

 

Inside Looking Out, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix 20mm f1.7 Lens

HDR from three separate exposures

 

I'm looking forward to getting refamiliarized with the GX7 on my upcoming vacation.

 

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The Old Corn Crib, Revisited

I was driving home this evening and noticed a lot of dramatic clouds in the sky, accentuated by the sunset. So, I stopped at the old corn crib that I've photographed in the past and made some images. (Click Here) to see one of my previous posts of this cool old building.

 

This time, I had my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and 20mm f1.7 lens with me. I'm trying to decide whether to bring this camera on vacation with me. I've drifted away from my Micro 4/3 gear recently, but this little shoot has me once again appreciating the GX7.

 

I actually sold some of my Micro 4/3 lenses recently, keeping only those that I hold most dear. Also, I kept the smallest lenses, as that's what shines about Micro 4/3 cameras, small size. So, I sold my 14-140mm zoom, 25mm f1.4 Summilux, and 75mm Olympus lenses. All excellent lenses, I felt that keeping my 20mm f1.7, Pana-Leica Micro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8, 14mm f2.5, Bower fisheye, and the amazing 100-300 f4-5.6 zoom was sufficient. Now I find that I'm missing the medium telephoto length of the Oly 75, especially in planning for travel. So, I'm going to try the new Sigma 60mm f2.8 Art lens, which is very cheap ($200 new), and getting great reviews. More on that to come.

 

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Storm Approaches the Manor House - Lumix DMC-LX100 and Snapseed

I ventured out from the office today as a storm approached. Here's my interpretation of the scene.

Storm Approaches the Manor House, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso 200, f8, 1/250 sec.

Manipulated in Snapseed on iPad

 

Here's the original image from the LX100.

 

The springtime seasonal allergies are killing me right now, so I paid the price for being outside. But, the clouds were so dramatic, I had to run out and get the shot. The Panasonic DMC-LX100 made that very easy.

 

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Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan - Wish-granting Waterfall

My family and I just got back from a visit to Kyoto. We visited Kiyomizu-dera temple, founded in the year 798. (Click Here) to read more about the temple.

 

One of the features of Kiyomizu-dera is the Otawa waterfall, whose water is said to grant wishes to those who catch and drink it.

 

Here's a triptych that I made there with the Panasonic Lumic DMC-LX100.

Otawa Waterfall Triptych, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

For this day of our trip, since I knew we would be on the move all day, I left the Nikon Df and lenses at the hotel, taking only the LX-100. To be honest, it's almost embarrassing just how good the LX100 is. I didn't miss the Df at all, and really enjoyed my freedom from the heavy camera bag.

 

These images are direct from the camera, just cropped and put together on my iPad.

 

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High Contrast, Asian Style - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 Sample Image

 

Asian Restaurant, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso 400, f2.8, 1/1000 sec.

 

I'm loving my new LX100. Lots more to come.

 

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Incredible Price on the New Lumix DMC-LX100

Amazon has the silver version of the LX100 for $779.01 right now. It is out of stock, but apparently there were some available yesterday. That's a pretty great price. Please use my blog's Amazon link to buy yours!

 

The LX100 appears to be a worthy upgrade from the already very capable LX7 (which I have). The LX100 uses almost the entire area of a full Micro 4/3 sensor, much larger than the sensor in the LX7.

 

One of my friends just bought the Leica version of the LX100, the DLUX Type 109. He shared with me a couple of large prints (around 16x20). They were absolutely spectacular.

 

I'm not ready to pull the trigger on the upgrade for my LX7, but this price has me thinking.

 

Again, please use my link to Amazon to buy yours, and support my blog at no cost to you!

 

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Lumix DMC-GX7 for Live Music

I've been focused on other cameras lately. So many great cameras out there, so little time to shoot them.

 

I read an interesting piece on Steve Huff's blog about using the Lumix GX7 for live music.

(Click Here) to read it, and see some nice GX7 images from bars in Amsterdam.

 

Here are a couple of shots of my friends Jake and the Burtones, shot with my GX7.

 

Jake and the Burtones, Plus Melissa, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm Fisheye Lens

iso 3200, f4 (or so), 1/50 sec.

 

 

Burtones, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Aspheric Series II Zoom

iso 6400, f3.5, 1/100 sec.

 

The GX7 does pretty well in low light, even at iso6400. Not like a full frame Nikon, of course, but respectable. And so much easier to lug around.

 

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And Now for Something Very Abstract

I have been into meditation for quite a while now. It helps me to keep my mind clear. On a trip to California earlier this year, I visited this labyrinth in an urban garden and did a little walking meditation, camera (Lumix GX7 and 20mm f1.7 lens) in hand.

Berkeley Labyrinth, by Reed A. George

 

I decided to capture some long exposures of the labyrinth markings as I walked twisting and turning through them. I attached a 3-stop neutral density (ND) filter, and shot several images at 1/4 second and f16.

 

Then I manipulated the images in Snapseed on my iPad. Here are the results:

 

 

 

Quite abstract, I know. I feel that they do say something about the state of mind I was in during the walk.

 

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Asian Archery - Japan and Korea

Japanese Kyudo Practitioner, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-G1, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit Lens

iso 400, f2.8, 1/50 sec.

 

Japanese archery, known as kyudo, has been practiced in Japan since prehistory. It first shows up in art a few hundred years B.C. No longer a part of military weaponry, kyudo in Japan is a contemplative art form, as well as a sport.

 

I found a related post on Walter Ulreich's blog, in his case writing about archery in Korea.

 

(Click Here) to see images of Korean archery, both today, and in some photojournalist's photos Walter found from 1961. Very cool.

 

Ulreich's blog reports the following:

 

"In the year 1894 bows were excluded from military use, but Emperor Gojong gave command to use archery for the cultivation of mind and body of the Korean people. As a result of that command, the Hwanghakjeoung pavilion was built in the Royal Palace and opened to the public. It is said, that Emperor Gojong personally enjoyed archery and often visited Hwanghakjeoung."

So, it seems that archery has made a similar transition from warfare into mental and physical concentration exercise in Korea, as it did in Japan.

 

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Thoughts on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

Size Comparison - DMC-GX7 (Left) v. DMC-LX100 (Right)

Image Source: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/0540594623/opinion-why-buy-a-panasonic-lx100-when-you-could-buy-a-gx7

 

I am a huge fan of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7. I have owned LX-series cameras since the LX2 came out. They are absolutely amazing in terms of features, lens speed and quality (Pana-Leica lenses, including the DC Vario-Summilux f1.4-2.3 lens on the LX7), and compact design. Up until now, the only downside to the LX cameras has been small sensor size. Of course, that small sensor enabled some of the very positive features already mentioned, most clearly the overall compact design of both body and lens (not interchangeable). From the LX3 on, there has been an available accessory electronic viewfinder (EVF).

 

The newest LX-series camera is the DMC-LX100, which was announced a few weeks back. The LX100 addresses that small sensor question by putting a full-size Micro 4/3 sensor into a compact camera body. Not as small as the LX7, but still pocketable, the LX100 sports a 24-75mm equivalent f1.7-2.8 lens. And, the LX100 has a built in EVF. Very nice.

 

Knowing that the LX100 is a little larger than the LX7, I began to wonder if the GX1 Micro 4/3 camera I already have doesn't fill the space of the LX100. Both have the Micro 4/3 sensor, though the LX100 reported uses slightly less than the full sensor area. The GX1 is truly tiny, especially without the accessory EVF attached. Even with, it's quite small. But, I have nothing like a 24-75mm equivalent zoom with fast f1.7-2.8 aperture for the GX1. There's the 14-42 Series II kit lens, which is nothing short of great in my opinion, but it's a slow f3.5-5.6 aperture lens and makes the camera too big to fit in a pocket. The Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 zoom lens for Micro 4/3, slower than that on the LX100, quite expensive, and a lot larger, just doesn't compare.

 

If it weren't for the compact and fast lens on the LX100, I think the GX1 would make it completely redundant. As it is, that differentiates the LX100 as a very capable pocket camera from the GX1 or GX7 for that matter, which have the benefits of many great interchangeable lenses, but at the cost of size.

 

I still wonder how they can make this lens on a Micro 4/3 sensor as small as it is. Maybe I need to hold an LX100 to see just how compact it has remained (or not)

 

I decided to see if others had the same question about the overlap of the larger LX camera and the smallest Micro 4/3 cameras. Of course they did.

 

(Click Here) to read a comparison of the LX100 and GX7 on dpreview.com.

 

Author Damien Demolder comes to essentially the same conclusion as I did - the LX100 is indeed distinct from both the previous LX-series cameras, and the interchangeable lens G cameras.

 

At about $900, the LX100 is more expensive than the LX7 was. But, I'm pretty convinced that it's going to be worth every penny.

 

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Magnum Workshop Day 4/7 - Starting to Find My Way

Day 4. Wednesday. David Alan Harvey (DAH) had arrived on Tuesday night, and I knew that I'd be working with him for the rest of the week.

 

My final meeting with Bruno Barbey in the morning allowed me to share my images from Rego Automotive, two or three of which Bruno actually liked. I also showed him my shots from meeting the NYC surf fishermen. Bruno suggested that I try to find them again.

I joined DAH at around 10:30AM, and each of us students shared what we had so far. David was clear in telling us that we didn't have much for being on the third day of the workshop, and I agreed. He shared some of his own work, including a series from a strip bar in NYC, and showed us every exposure. This helped us to understand how he built up to the final few amazing images by working the scene. DAH doesn't believe in walking around looking for images. He finds a spot and sticks with it until a photograph emerges. This was an important lesson for me, and one that would pay off in the end.

 

After lunch, I grabbed my bike and headed back toward the beach, hopeful of finding the surf fisherman again.

 

On the way, I noticed this scene, which has some relation to the changing of seasons in Ptown. Trying to follow directions and work the scene, I shot this one, which I thought was just an ice breaker. Then I proceeded to get close, and shoot images of individuals working. Technically fine, they just showed one or two guys painting. DAH picked this shot below because the real visual draw was having all of these ladders in place on one house. It gives the impression of working to get the painting done quickly. So, this was the only one that made the cut.

 

 

Winter Preparations

I never did find the surf fishing group again. However, on this day, I did finally start to find my groove. It was Wednesday, DAH was in town, and the pressure was on. Walking the beach, I caught a flash of brilliant color out of the corner of my eye. It was this young lady, letting her beach towel blow in the breeze. Walking over to her, I explained that I simply had to have that image for my workshop series. She happily obliged. I knew at this point that things were starting to go somewhere, at least a little.

Golden Towel

 

Then, I happened to catch this amusing little moment. Having my Lumix DMC-GX7 and kit zoom allowed me to quickly capture this image without anyone noticing. One second later and it was gone.

 

Caught in the Moment

 

Not five minutes later, I found this somewhat similar scene:

 

 

A Theme, Perhaps?

 

Deciding that a final day or two at the beach did fit my story line of Ptown shutting down for the season, I was happy to bring these into my image collection. I knew that I would need some pictures of people departing, and grabbed the shot below to try to capture that feeling.

 

Leaving the Beach

 

That shot didn't make the cut. DAH liked the concept, but not the execution. Getting a couple of closing shots would prove to be no simple feat. At least I had a start, however. I went into Wednesday evening feeling much more confident. Maybe too much so.

 

The public talk was by DAH on this evening. Knowing that he'd just arrived after days of trying to fly in from Europe, and had worked the full day that day, I was impressed with his energy and clear thought in presenting his work. There are many great examples of DAH's work to look at. Having been a National Geographic photographer for many years, of course he had stories. One of his latest projects, "Based on a True Story," demonstrates an edgy, energy-filled depiction of Rio de Janeiro. I was very pleased to get a copy of the book, complete with signature, as part of being in David's workshop.

 

So, I had a start. Far from really having a full story, I knew I had to find more good images in the coming two days, but at least I had a start.

 

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Nice Summary of Six Years of Micro 4/3 on m43photo.blogspot.com

Dancing, Golden Gate Park, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron Lens

 

 

I have spent a lot of time shooting, and thinking about, the Micro 4/3 format. In fact, my blog is named in observance of the standard "DMC-XX..." camera model designation of Panasonic's Lumix cameras. For Panasonic, the DMC-G1 was the first Micro 4/3 camera. I made good use of that one. Then, for an entire year, I focused mostly on shooting a pair of DMC-G3s.

 

I have ventured far and wide since that first year of 2012, but still regularly include Micro 4/3 gear and images in my posts.

 

The blog m43photo.blogspot.com, started in 2009, has been focused on Micro 4/3 longer, and more exclusively than my own, but with fewer overall blog posts. Now they have posted a brief retrospective of what's gone on in terms of camera and lens development over the past six years.

 

(Click Here) to read the post on m43photo.blogspot.com

 

I have been ambivalent over the years about whether or not the Micro 4/3 sensor size was the right compromise between sensor size (larger would provide better image quality) and equipment size (smaller sensors lead to smaller cameras and lenses). About a year or two ago, it seemed that APS-C was about the smallest you could go and still expect truly excellent image quality at higher iso settings. Now, I'm beginning to once again think that Micro 4/3 may turn out to be an ideal size.

 

In the Magnum workshop that I just attended, I shot with both my Leica M9, a full frame digital rangefinder, and the Lumix DMC-GX7, a Micro 4/3 camera. As it turned out, I used the GX7 for most of my shooting, which included a lot of bike rides around the Cape Cod National Seashore; most of the images in my final project submission were shot on Micro 4/3. There were certainly no complaints about image quality.

 

In fact, at the same workshop, David Alan Harvey showed us his new book Based on a True Story. The cover shot was made with a Lumix GF1 Micro 4/3 camera. It's hard to argue with the image quality he achieved.

 

It will be interesting to see how the evolution of Micro 4/3 proceeds over the coming several years.

 

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Is That New Panasonic LX Series Camera Really Coming?

Were you waiting through the month of July for an announcement from Panasonic? Well, history did not serve as a great predictor for a new product introduction from Panasonic, at least not for a new LX series camera. As you may know, I'm a huge fan of the current LX7.

 

(Click Here) to read my (incorrect) musings about a successor to the wonderful DMC-LX7 being announced last July. It didn't happen.

 

Well, if the latest rumor on 43rumors.com is true, it will be worth the wait. Rated by the site as "FT5" (81-99% confidence), this rumor says the new "LX100" will have a Micro 4/3 sensor and 24-75mm f1.7-2.8 equivalent lens, all in a very compact body. It also says it will have a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF). Now, I'm not sure how they'll make such a fast zoom for a sensor that size truly compact (at least in comparison to the current LX7 model). It hasn't really been done elsewhere. Some of it is limited by the laws of physics. I don't immediately see how they could make a fast zoom for this camera any smaller than the ones that are already available for the Micro 4/3 cameras, if they're going to take advantage of the full sensor size.

 

In any case, (Click Here) to read the latest rumors on 43rumors.com. If they're correct, we'll hear more today (September 15).

 

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