New Panasonic Micro 4/3 Hybrid Camera - the DMC-GH4

Image Source: http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-g-compact-system-cameras-dslm/dmc-gh4heb.html?utm_source=eloqua_audience-all&utm_medium=email&utm_content=newsletter/link-GH4page-1&utm_campaign=newsletter_2014-0212_LumixGH4-launch-PCME&elq=~~eloqua..type--emailfield..syntax--recipientid~~&elqCampaignId=~~eloqua..type--campaign..campaignid--0..fieldname--id~~

Well, you've probably see my recent written meanderings about my own connection to and future with the Micro 4/3 system. The way I feel at the moment is that I have yet to really bond with my relatively new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 body, but have not really given it a chance yet. I'm not thrilled with the form factor, with the built-in EVF way over at the end of the camera body, and buttons that seem to get in my way. The few image results I have so far are quite impressive, however. So, I'm wondering if I'd be happier with one of the faux SLR-type bodies.

 

Until now, the DMC-GH3 was the latest in this style of camera, and has a lot of shared features with the GX7. Now, the GH4 has been announced. So, what's to like about it?

 

The biggest feature being emphasized at this point is "4k" video capability. If you know me, you know that video is not really my gig. I don't even know what 4k is or means. But, it's to be expected that video capability leads the features of a GH series camera; they have always been Panasonic's hybrid still/video line. It's a little difficult to tell from the specs if this camera really has any noise / high iso performance advantage over the GH3. However, that said, the sample gallery of still images is very impressive.

 

(Click Here) to see work by Bence Mate, Daniel Berehulak, and Takehito Miyatake (all still photos) and video by Bryan Harvey. For me, Bence Mate's bird images are quite impressive.

 

Honestly, though, I have not explored my GX7 and 100-300mm f4-5.6 OIS lens together. My guess is I can make some similarly impressive images with that. If I can get over the form factor, that is.

 

So, I'm resolved to doing a trip with only Micro 4/3 gear, relying on my GX7 (and GX1 as a second body) to do its best to impress me. I'd really like to fall in love with that camera. If it doesn't happen, I may have to trade the GX7 for a different Micro 4/3 body. It's not a question of image quality, it's more about useability and comfort with controls.

 

We'll see how it goes.

 

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Autumn in "The City" - NYC - and Some Thoughts on Wifi Cameras

I took my morning walk in the city this morning, on the way to my meeting. I walked by Madison Square Park, rather small urban space at 25th Street and Madison Avenue. Fall colors are still with us here as I write, so I captured a few images with my pocket camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5.

Fall Leaves, Madison Square Park, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Flatiron Building in Fall, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

The Flatiron Building has been here since 1902, two years before my hotel for this week was built. (Click Here) to read about the building on wikipedia, as well as learn the origin of the phrase "23 skidoo."

 

Now, a little about photographic equipment. When I've wanted to go light on this trip, I've been carrying the diminuitive TS5 in my pocket. Last night, while out with a friend in a dark restaurant/bar, I wished I'd had the TS5 instead of the M9 I was carrying. A little flash, or even night shooting mode would have gone a long way. It's a little ironic to be limited in what I can shoot with such a higher priced camera. But, we all know the M9 isn't good for everything; it's just really good at what it does do.

 

The TS5 has wireless (wifi) connection to my iPad. Now, I would have thought this to be more of a gimmick than a really useful feature. However, not having to fumble with the Apple "Camera Connect" plug and shuffle SD cards between the camera and iPad is very nice, especially on travel. I uploaded these pictures during a break in my meeting without bothering anyone.

 

The combination of last night's limitations with the M9 and the advantage of wifi have me thinking that maybe I should begin to focus more on my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, which has all of the features I'm thinking of, a superb set of lenses, and great image quality. At least for normal travel purposes. I'm considering options for what I want to do with this blog during the coming year (2014), after I've finished my Whole Lotta Leica and Skeletons From The Closet projects, at least for one full year. The GX7 could play a big role next year.

 

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Low Tech Wonders - A Triptych From The Brownie Bullet

I was looking over some of the first images I made on the Brownie Bullet last night. You may remember that I figured out a way to rig it to shoot panoramic images on 35mm film.

 

(Click Here) to read about how I did that.

 

Anyway, three of the images seemed to go together. Following up on some recent advice I got in my Leica Akademie workshop, which was to "live with your images," I printed out a big 13x19 triptych of them. Here's what it looks like:

 

Brownie Bullet Triptych, by Reed A. George

Brownie Bullet Camera, Converted To Shoot 35mm Panos

 

Personally, I like it. Imperfections and all.

 

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Skeletons From The Closet - Some February Results With the Super Ricohflex

Back on February 4, I introduced February's SFTC selection, the Super Ricohflex twin lens reflex camera.

(Click Here) to read about the camera.

 

This has been a tough month to get out and shoot, but I didn't let that stop me. Here is my first installment of results.

 

On this particular morning, I went to the waterfront in Washington, DC, which is essentially a series of floating fish markets tucked alongside a marina full of big yachts. It seems that I end up here once in a while. Last time was with another TLR, a Rolleiflex. (Click Here) to read that post. This time, it was the Ricohflex, loaded up with Kodak Tmax 400 film.

 

Doing Business, by Reed A. George

Ricoh Super Ricohflex, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Don't Slip!, by Reed A. George

Ricoh Super Ricohflex, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Dramatic Shadow, by Reed A. George

Ricoh Super Ricohflex, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Crab Man, by Reed A. George

Ricoh Super Ricohflex, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

I had to crop this one to remove a distracting element. I went with the "normal" 4x6 ratio.

 

I find that twin lens reflex (TLR) cameras give me a fresh perspective for a couple of reasons. First, the square format. It allows for a whole different type of composition. There's something close and intimate about it. Second, since you don't really hold the camera up to your eye, it seems less confrontational to your subjects. I tend to put my eye close to the magnifier in the TLR hood, but shooting at waist level is even less noticeable. If I have enough light to shoot with hyperfocal settings, waist level shooting is fine.

 

My Super Ricohflex is a relatively new addition to my collection. I find that for some reason it tends to produce soft images if I'm focused close to the minimum distance (close up). I am not yet sure whether this is due to my own motion blur when holding the camera, or if the focus is not adjust quite right. In any case, it does a nice job at five feet or further away from the subject.

 

Quite a lot of fun to shoot. I've got some more images from the Super Ricohflex to share, but I haven't scanned and processed them all yet. Keep looking back - more to come.

 

March's SFTC selection, the Zeiss Ikonta, also has a square format. It is not a TLR, so shooting will feel quite different, but it should share some of the compositional qualities of shooting a square picture.

 

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Skeletons From The Closet - Super Ricohflex Twin Lens Reflex - My Featured Camera for February

Well, January's over, so my Pentax K1000 will get some rest. You'll be seeing the results from that camera in multiple posts over the next couple of weeks. Simply search for "skeleton" at the top of my blog to find all of the posts from this series.

 

This month's featured camera is a relatively new addition to my collection - the Super Ricohflex Twin Lens Reflex (TLR), made around 1956.

 

February's Featured Camera, the Super Ricohflex

 

If you're not familiar with TLR cameras, they have two lenses, the top one is for framing and focusing while you look vertically downward onto a ground glass screen. The bottom lens is the taking lens, which forms the image on the film. This camera uses 120 film, and makes a 2 1/4" square (big!) negative. This is a fully manual camera - no batteries anywhere. On the Super Ricohflex, focus is achieved by rotating the taking lens.

 

The standard Super uses a red-tinted window in the rear to let you know how far to wind the film - you see an exposure number on the film backing through the window. This works fine, unless you're shooting fast (high iso) film, which can lead to fogging of the film through the window. Mine has the optional auto-stop mechanism, which adds an exposure counter and controlled spacing of the images. This is a very nice addition to the camera. You can see it at the top left of the camera body above.

 

My Super Ricohflex has a Ricoh Anastigmat f3.5 80mm lens, which is a "normal" focal length for this size of negative. It has a three-bladed leaf shutter, with speeds ranging from 1/10 to 1/100 second, plus B. This is a limited range of shutter speeds, with 1/100 not being very fast. Not exactly a sports action camera. Mine also has a flash mounting shoe on the side, and a PC electrical connection for the flash.

 

I've only shot a single roll with this camera in the past. So, I know it works, but I'm not very familiar with it yet.

 

I've got a roll of Kodak Tmax 400 black and white film loaded and ready to go! Wish me luck with the Super Ricohflex!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Skeletons From The Closet - January Results Post #1 - Pentax K1000

I managed to get out a few different times with the my SFTC camera for January - the Pentax K1000. This is the first of a few posts to share the results with you.

 

My first outing was to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum. I'll start with a couple of shots made there.

Studying the Rockets, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, SMC Pentax 50mm f1.7 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

The fast f1.7 lens did a nice job here in the Udvar-Hazy museum, where I find photography to be quite challenging. First, there is an incredible number of historic aircraft and spacecraft jammed into a single giant hangar. I mean everything from the Enola Gay (yes, the actual B-29 that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan) to a space shuttle. That makes it very difficult to shoot any particular aircraft without showing parts of neighboring ones, likely from different eras or locations. Second, the lighting is rough there. So, I decided to focus on people interacting with the museum. People are always a safe bet.

 

Gazing Up at the Space Shuttle's Thrusters, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, SMC Pentax 50mm f1.7 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

For my next outing, I took the K1000 to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. I've posted a picture or two from there recently, as part of my Whole Lotta Leica series.

 

This is a stairway in the gallery:

 

National Portrait Gallery, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, SMC Pentax 50mm f1.7 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

A main attraction for me at the gallery is the indoor courtyard. Naturally lit, it is also warm in winter. Warm enough that kids can play in the water, as long as their parents are willing to stay long enough for them to dry off before again braving the winter weather.

Playing in the Courtyard, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, SMC Pentax 50mm f1.7 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Playing in the Courtyard, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, Pentax 135mm f2.5 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

I switched lenses, using the Pentax 135mm f2.5 lens for a little more reach. I'm pretty impressed with this lens, which I picked up for a song. I got the 135, a Ricoh 50mm f2 (untested so far, but reportedly a great lens), and a Pentax 50mm f2 for $30. The 135 does not get any love on the forums. But, I'm quite pleased with the results I've gotten so far.

Playing in the Courtyard, by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, Pentax 135mm f2.5 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Of course, manually focusing it fast enough to keep up with playing children is a challenge, as it is will all manual focus lenses.

 

Here is my favorite image from this series:

 

Be Careful, Sister! by Reed A. George

Asahi Pentax K1000, Pentax 135mm f2.5 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

I love how the little girl looks so worried about her sister, judging from her hand gesture. Not sharply focused, but I don't think that takes away from this image.

 

So, how was the experience of shooting the K1000 for a month? Well, you must remember that I grew up with this camera in my hands. So, it felt like going home. I was so comfortable using it, I think that affected how I used it. In the case of the kids at the Gallery, my K1000 got a conversation going with the parents. I sent them some of the pictures, which they assure me are going into their family album. That is rewarding to me.

 

The 50mm f1.7 was always my normal lens. Again, I felt very comfortable using it. The 135mm f2.5 is relatively new to me. It is a challenge to focus well, but when you do, you get nice sharp images.

 

Just carrying around a film SLR draws a lot of looks, and some comments. All positive, like "Hey, a K1000! I had one of those! Maybe I still have it, even."

 

The battery (required for metering but not for shooting in this manual camera) lasted the whole month with no issues. It will still be fine the next time I pick the camera up, too.

 

So, I had a great time with the K1000. In fact, I hesitate to put it down and move on to another camera. But, that's the plan - a different camera from my collection each month of this year. Tomorrow, you'll see the camera I've selected for February - quite a departure from the K1000...

 

I have a couple more posts of results from January to write up, so more to come!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Another New Feature Column on DMC-365 - Whole Lotta Leica

If you've been following this blog, you'll already know that I'm working on reformatting it for 2013, and adding some new features. If you're a Leica fan, you're going to like this one.

 

Last year, I purchased the most expensive piece of equipment in my photographic history - a used Leica M9. I did get a nice deal on it, but wow, that was a big buy.

 

I also have a nice collection of "normal" focal length Leica (or Leica mount) lenses. I'm including anything from say 35-55mm in that group.

 

So here's the plan. Each month (or so), I'll match up a lens from my collection with the M9 body. The lenses range from being made in the 1930s (!) to modern. I think it will be exciting and informative to see how the old lenses as well as new work on my most modern digital Leica body.

 

I'm starting this one off with an old standard - a Leica Elmar 5cm (50mm) f3.5 collapsible lens. It came in Leica Thread Mount (LTM), and mounts up just fine with an M adapter to the Leica M9.

 

 

My 1938 Leica Elmar 5cm f3.5 LTM Collapsible Lens

 

This lens was the standard for Leica screwmount cameras for many years. The LTM Elmar 5cm f3.5 was produced from 1930-1950, with over 36,000 units produced. For details about the lens, and links to reviews, please

 

(Click Here) to go to l-camera-forum.com.

 

This particular copy is pretty beat up. In fact, it's the worst condition Leica lens that I own. You can see the scratches on the front face of the lens. The front element also has some scratches (sometimes referred to as "cleaning marks," these are really just scratches). There is also a little haze in this lens, but not too bad.

 

The little lever for selecting f-stop (note the old standard f numbers, no f5.6, 8, etc. on this old version) is a fingernail breaker. Mine binds just a little, and is hard to push. The focus movement is also far from smooth. All that said, I have shot with this lens on a film body, and the results were pretty darned good.

 

Let's see how it does on the M9. Results due in a couple of weeks.

 

Welcome to the new column - Whole Lotta Leica!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

When this gets you motivated, please buy your M9 (or your $7 LTM-M converter, or anything else you buy from Amazon) HERE!

 

 

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.

 

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