Film Latitude - Mike B Reports on Overexposing by Seven Stops!

"Humber Light" - Bronica ETRs - Zenzanon 75mm ƒ/2.8 @ ƒ/11 1/8s

Image Source: http://blia-yof.blogspot.com/

 

I found this image and related post on Mike B's "A Year on Film" blog. In this post, Mike writes about the incredible latitude of film, in this case Rollei IR400 IR film. While this shot above was exposed, I would say, perfectly, Mike shares an image that was overexposed by seven full stops, and still rescued. Yes, you can tell it was overexposed, but there's quite a lot of image information there.

 

(Click Here) to read Mike B's post.

 

I like a lot of things about this post. First, I'm intrigued by Mike's blog in that he is part of a "52 Rolls of Film" project, which equates to one roll per week for an entire year. I could do that. So far in 2014, I'm averaging about twice that rate. Second, Mike writes about how his digital cameras are taking the backseat to film cameras. He writes that he no longer buys film cameras, but his collection continues to grow through gifts from others. Having just returned from a trip to Ohio where I won a new Nikkormat FT3 at the Film Photography Project (FPP) Walking Workshop, and received a wonderful Konica FC-1 film SLR from my uncle, I can appreciate that. Finally, I like that Mike is using the Bronica ETRS. I have a full ETRS kit (including the 35mm panoramic back) that has not been out in ages. I must fix that.

 

Be sure to check out the FPP website if you're into film by (Clicking Here).

 

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

 

 

 

Check It Out - My Music Festival Report on Cosmic Vibes Live!

 

Cozy Camper at Shenandoah Riverside Festival, by Reed A. George

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

iso 400, f1.8, 1/1250 sec

 
Last weekend, I attended the Shenandoah Riverside Festival in Berryville, VA, hosted by Earth Korps, an environmental preservation organization.
 
(Click Here) to go to Earth Korps' web page. They do a lot to clean up the river.
 
I was pleased to have the opportunity to write up a review of the weekend for the great live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
(Click Here) to read my report on Cosmic Vibes Live.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and shot a lot of images. In general, I used my Lumix kit during the daylight hours, my Nikon D700 at night. I also shot some film while I was there. I also used fill flash quite a lot, especially the Nissin Di466 on my DMC-G3. I used it in manual mode, which worked well to fill in the shadow under the stage roof, which was considerable in the strong sunny light.
 
(Click Here) to see all of the images I've posted so far.
 
I hope my relationship with Cosmic Vibes Live is a long one. It seems like it's great opportunity for me to practice my writing and photography while adding to their already really informative site.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

A Shot I Just Happen to Like

Small Town at Dusk, by Reed A. George

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

iso800, f3.5, 1/40 sec

 
 

I'm not in the mood to search the news this morning, so I thought I'd just share a shot that I happen to like. You know how sometimes you take an image, think nothing of it, but then it keeps popping up in your mind? Well, this is one of those for me.

I was with my daughter in Winchester, Virginia, and we showed up a little early for a music event. So, we walked the pedestrian street downtown, and I convinced her to pose for this shot.

How's that for using leading lines in composition? I like how the line of lamps on the brick wall mirrors an imaginary line from the vanishing point to her face. The line to her face is an implied line, one that's not really even there, but it leads the eye to her. I also like the vertical line of the painted sign on the brick wall. It puts her at an apex, a center of attention. So, I feel that it brings the viewer's focus to her, without having to make her a major fraction of the area of the image. No closeup needed. And, it will always remind me of a pretty carefree evening, walking hand-in-hand with her in smalltown, America.

Someday soon, she'll be too cool to be seen in public with her old man. But, I've got this image to help remember these days.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

It's A Good Week For New Micro 4/3 Lens Announcements - If You Can Afford Them

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/

 
In addition to announcement of the Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f2.8, which I have been anxiously awaiting (priced at $1,299), this week also brings us pricing on another long-awaited Micro 4/3 lens, the Olympus 75mm f1.8 telephoto. According to dpreview, the Olympus lens will retail for $899.
 
(Click Here) to read about the Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens on dpreview.
 
Each of these lenses has a lot of appeal to me. I have tried the Olympus 45mm f1.8, read the reviews, and seen many great example images. It is a great lens. This new 75mm from Olympus give you significantly more reach, with the equivalent field of view of a 150mm full-frame 35mm format lens, and maintains the super fast f-stop of 1.8. That would be a killer combination for my concert photography.
 
As I've already written, the Lumix 12-35 also offers a lot for the travel photograper.
 
Well, I've been saving up, waiting for both of these lenses. Writing this blog has focused me on my existing Lumix equipment, and I haven't really bought a new lens or body since it started. I did buy the Nissin Di466 flash, but nothing else of consequence has made its way into my bag since January. I did have the brief temptation of (and cancelled order for) the Lumix fisheye converter. I'm glad I held off.
 
I think Olympus is better at actually getting new products to the US market soon after announcement. So, my guess is the 75mm will be available before the 12-35mm Lumix.
 
Exciting days for the expanding native lens set for our Micro 4/3 cameras!
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

Fun Little Article About Wildlife in Tokyo

 

Mandarin Ducks (Oshidori in Japanese)

Image Source:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ek20120430a1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

The Japan Times recently ran a bilingual piece about wildlife in Tokyo. It explains the Japanese concept of an annual awakening day for wildlife (keichitsu in Japanese), which usually occurs around March 4 or 5. It is surprising how much wildlife really does exist in Tokyo, with its heavily developed land and industry-lined waterways.

(Click Here) to read the full story.

Of course, there are typical pests in the city, including the ubiquitous crows (karasu in Japanese), but the parks do still harbor many species of waterfowl, and at least three species of turtles are found within the city limits.

 
Here are a couple of wildlife shots I took on my recent trip to Tokyo:
 
 

Tokyo Turtles, by Reed A. George

Taken at Kiyosumi Garden Park

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, iso80, f3.5, 1/400 sec

Waterfowl, Ueno Park, Tokyo, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit

iso400, f2.8, 1/2500 sec

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Nice Post on Natural Light from Digital Photography School

 

Image Source: http://digital-photography-school.com/are-you-practicing-these-5-natural-lighting-tips

The Digital Photography School has a nice post on how to think about, observe, and capture natural light. They give the following five tips:

1. Be aware of the characteristics of light. Learn to think about how that scene you're observing now would look at a different time of day (or night). The differences can be dramatic.
2. There is no "good" or "bad" light. Yes, the golden hour is great for beautiful images. Sometimes, you want to communicate something other than just "beautiful." Sometimes the harsh light of mid-day is exactly right for communicating your story.
3. Obsess about observing light. Even when you don't have a camera. Look at contrast, how the shadows are illuminated. I find it useful to think about how many stops difference I think there are between the shadows and highlights, and about how I would expose an image, if I were taking it.
4. Give it a try, experiment. To me, this point follows on the one above. Why ever be without a camera? If you see it, shoot it. It's digital, right? You can simply delete it later, with no cost, and with the potential of learning something.
5. Don't forget that you can post-process. Learn to shoot challenging scenes with a plan in mind for post-processing. Want to capture that person's face, but also want the sky correctly exposed? See if you can capture the sky and bring the face exposure up a little in post-processing.

And most importantly, the article reminds us to get out an make photos. That's the thing we're interested in, right?

 
(Click Here) to read the whole article on digital-photography-school.com.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 
 
 
 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

It's Springtime in the Audubon Garden in Charleston, South Carolina - Lumix 45-200mm f4-5.6

Poster isabel95 on mu-43.com posted this image of a male anole, signaling for a girlfriend in the Audubon Magnolia Plantation Garden, in Charleston, South Carolina.
 
(Click Here) for the original post.
 

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isabel95/7094862123/

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Lumix 45-200mm f4-5.6

 
The Lumix 45-200mm lens was one of the very first Micro 4/3 lenses offered by Panasonic. It's range has been encroached (not fully in either case) by the newer 14-140mm f4-5.8 and the 100-300mm f4-5.6 lenses. I had the 45-200, and sold it when I got the two newer lenses. While the 100-300 is a superior lens for wildlife in my opinion, the 14-140 suffers a little in image quality as compared to the 45-200, especially at the longer focal lengths. I still have images from the 45-200 on my wall. That says something about the lens.
 

Goldfinch, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, Lumix 45-200 f4-5.6

iso400, f5.6, 1/500 sec

 
Because of its age (only), the 45-200 is remarkably inexpensive these days. You can find it used for less than $200 if you look for a while. If you're considering this lens, I would say go for it. It is a perfect companion to the kit zoom, and would be my recommendation for a second zoom for anyone on a budget, but looking to expand their capabilities.
 
Notice, I said "second zoom." I would always recommend the awesome Lumix 20mm f1.7 as a second lens, but it's a prime (fixed focal length) lens. The combination of a kit lens (14-45 or 14-42), the 20mm f1.7, and the 45-200 would make a relatively inexpensive yet highly flexible kit. It was my Micro 4/3 kit for quite a while (with the DMC-G1 body).
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

I Love Nice People - the Simplest of Connections

 

Enjoying Farragut Park in DC, by Reed A. George
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 25mm f1.4 Summilux
iso160, f5.6, 1/125 sec


I am constantly challenging myself to overcome any resistance to ask people for permission to photograph them. On a recent evening trip into Washington, DC, I noticed the beautiful backlight from the setting sun lending to the already attractive profile of this young lady.


Our entire interchange went like this:


"Excuse me. I'm an amateur photographer, and I was wondering if I could take your picture. The light is just perfect."


"Sure."


Click click click (this is the third exposure - the first two featured a trash can at the right, and terrible flare). I used Aperture priority mode, with exposure set to +1 f-stop, to compensate for the strong backlight.


"Thank you so much!"


"Sure."


Perfect. I think I was minimally invasive to her evening, got a shot that I personally really enjoy, and we both made a tiny connection with a complete stranger. Nice people are, well, nice.


DMC-365.blogspot.com




 

New Fun "Salon" Contest on mu-43.com

 

First Train Departs, by Reed A. George
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit
iso100, f7.1, 1/6 sec
 
There is a fun contest being hosted at mu-43.com. The current theme is "Motion."
 
(Click Here) for the contest announcement and instructions for entering.
 
My entry is the image above, of the first train leaving Gora Station in Hakone, Japan. This is the Japan Tozan Railway, which follows single-track switchbacks up the mountain from Hakone Yumoto Station.
 
(Click Here) for more of my images and information about the railway.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com