Lumix DMC-GX1 in Trinidad (Carnival)

And now for something quite different...

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f57/trinidad-carnival-2012-a-22573/

 

Lumix images from another place I've never been, Trinidad!

 

(Click Here) to see the original post on mu-43.com and a couple more images, and a link to cakkarudie's flickr set at the bottom of the post.

 

There are some pretty risque' shots there, so be careful if you are at work!

 

I find this image pretty interesting:

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakkarudie/6931344327/

 

Those security guards with sticks in the background don't look all that jovial.

 

Anyway, I can see that these shots were made with the PZ14-42mm lens, and overall look really good. Looks like a fun party, but I'm not sure everyone there was happy about being photographed. Clearly, some were happy no matter what!

 

Thanks for sharing, cakkarudie!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

New Lumix Lens Site - "Great Lenses Make Great Cameras"

 Check out this new Lumix lens information site.  

 

(Click Here) to see it.  Watch the six minute video - it is a grat summary, and features photographer Bruce Dale.

 

 

Image Source:  

http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/popup/great_lenses/img/manufacturing.jpg

This informative new site covers many aspects of the Panasonic Lumix lenses, including their collaboration with Leica, whereby lenses are manufactured by Panasonic, under the quality control and assurance practices of Leica; technologies included in Lumix lenses; the new X lens series; and lens manufacturing technologies.

Most photographers have heard that at the most basic level, the camera body is just a light-tight box with a shutter.  The lens determines much more about the image.  

Of course, the photographer is the most important element, and others, such as lighting, subject, and composition also matter. 

That said, lens quality is extremely important in achieving the very best photographs.  In my opinion, Panasonic has really done an amazing job of breaking into this well-established market.  Of course, they have been making lenses for many years, mainly for their video products.  But, their partnership with Leica for still camera optics has really paid off.  I am very happy with my Panasonic-Leica 25mm f1.4 Summilux and 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit lenses.

The straight Lumix lenses are also very high quality.  The 20mm f1.7 is a great example.  While not produced in collaboration with Leica, this Lumix lens quickly became the first "must-have" normal focal length lens for the Micro 4/3 format.  As with most optics suppliers, they have a range of quality, from the kit zooms (at the lower level of image quality), up to the more expensive, more capable lenses I have mentioned.

So, I agree with the premise of the new site.  The lens does matter, a lot.  And, I congratulate Panasonic on establishing themselves in this competitive, established market.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Click through to featured Lumix lenses on Amazon:

ePHOTOzine Review of the DMC-GX1

I don't write general reviews of cameras and lenses, but I read them.  I thought I'd share this one.

 

As I've mentioned before, I currently don't see a place in my bag for the DMC-GX1, perhaps mostly because I have standardized on two DMC-G3s.  I also still have a DMC-GF1, in case I want to shoot that form factor.  However, that's just a matter of preference, as the imaging components are shared between the G3 and GX1.    I could have chosen two DMC-GX1s, or a mix of the two.

DMC-GX1 with 14-42 X f3.5-5.6 lens

Image source:  shop.panasonic.com

 

I also have not seen anything about the new X lenses that particularly floats my boat.  

 

Here is a review of the pair from ePHOTOzine:

 

 (click here)

Source:  http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gx1-camera-review-18282?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ephotozine+%28ePHOTOzine%29

 

I always read these reviews casually, and take them with a grain of salt.  However, every time I read another review about this camera, I worry that it will change my mind about needing a GX1.  This one certainly did not do that.  

 

ePHOTOZine's review didn't tell me much new about the GX1.  Perhaps the important parts for me were the findings on the 14-45 X lens.  They mention that it is less sharp than the non-X version, and report some vignetting.  The review author's opinion is that these downfalls are fair tradeoff for the smaller, more automated lens.  I disagree.  For me, image quality matters most, especially when the competition (the non-X lens) is already quite small and light.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com