More Parkour - Fisheye Shots

Here are some fisheye images I made with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and Bower fisheye lens. These were taken at the same parkour workout that I wrote about yesterday.

 

 

I shot these at the end of the workout, choosing to use high iso and no flash. I really need to try some fisheye images with rear curtain, slow shutter flash. That will be cool.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

My Second Shot at Parkour Photography

Back in March, I had the opportunity to photograph some local practitioners of parkour, which is basically acrobatics in public places. (Click Here) to see that post, in which I used my Nikon F2SB and black and white film. I enjoyed it immensely, and they appreciated seeing the photos.

 

Last night, I went to one of the practice sessions for a larger group of DC Metro Parkour members. Here are some of the shots.

Parkour, by Reed A. George

 

While I shot a few of these images with my Nikon Df, most were made with my Micro 4/3 Lumix DMC-GX1 and Bower fisheye lens. All used flash to freeze the motion.

 

I recently came very close to selling off my Micro 4/3 gear, since I just have not been using it much. That, and the fact that the new Lumix LX100 (which also uses a Micro 4/3 sensor) is so capable, it replaces much of my interchangeable lens Micro 4/3 gear on travel, made me consider selling all of it. I did sell several pieces of gear, but decided to keep a smaller set of Micro 4/3 bodies and lenses. Specifically, I kept the most compact lenses, and the ones that are special in some way. The Bower fisheye is an example of that - I don't have a fisheye lens for any other camera system, so I kept it. It sure came in handy last night!

 

I'm planning to continue to work on creative techniques for photographing this exciting sport.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

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.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Small Music Venue? Try a Fisheye!

 

Jake and the Burtones with Melissa Wright, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Rokinon 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso 3200, f3.5, 1/50 sec.

 

I'm getting ready to leave on a trip, and pulled the card out of my GX7 to download what was on there, before formatting and getting ready to leave. I remembered this shot of local band Jake and the Burtones and guest Melissa Wright when it came up.

 

They were playing at the Mad Horse Brewpub in Lovettsville, VA when I decided to give this shot a try. It's not really a small venue, but the band was tightly packed into the corner. I also wanted to try to get the whole group and include some of the artwork on the walls in the shot.

 

One of the challenges I've had shooting these guys is that there's a single microphone for vocals, which you see just left of center in the image above. This means that they spend a lot of time facing each other, with the microphone in between them. My real goal is to get the fisheye right up to that mic, with all of them looking in to sing at the same time. This was really just a test shot to see how the fisheye renders a group close up.

 

Apart from the extreme distortion at the edges, which is par for the course with a fisheye, it looks pretty good. I'll have to pursue the shot I really want soon.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico

One final post of images from my recent trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Very close to my hotel, Petroglyph National Monument offered a unique early morning walk before my business meetings started.

 

Petroglyphs are images by native people of the area, made by chipping away at the surface of the basalt rock in the area. The basalt stones were created about 200,000 years ago, when lava flowed 5-50 feet thick over a series of six separate eruptions. These boulders have a thin dark patina layer on their surface, caused by water, sun, temperature extremes, and microbes. It was by chipping away at the outer layer and exposing the lighter stone color underneath that native Americans made the petroglyph images.

 

Petroglyph on the Mesa Top, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso 400, f-stop unrecorded, 1/250 sec.

 

Most of these petroglyphs were made 400-700 years ago. Those from that period ("Rio Grande" style) include human figures, masks, hands, feet, as well as animal shapes and tracks, and geometric designs. Others date back as far as 3,000 years.

 

Various Petroglyphs, by Reed A. George

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

 

As I've written in other posts, I found the Bower fisheye lens to be very useful on this trip. This was a bit of a surprise for me, as I've always thought of fisheye lenses as gimmicks, for special effects only. On this walk, I carried the GX7 with the fisheye attached, and my backup Micro 4/3 body, the GX1, with the Macro-Elmarit. This made for a very good combination in this particular setting.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

New Mexican Art, Shot With Lumix DMC-GX7 Micro 4/3 Camera

I've been posting a few images from New Mexico, including a couple of fisheye images. Well, here are a few more, probably the last I'll post from this particular trip.

 

Old and New, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Series II Kit Lens at 31mm

iso 200, f22, 1/200 sec.

 

This was shot outside an art museum. I very much like the contrast of the modern art right up front, and the more traditional looking sculpture in the background. After capturing this, I decided to get up close and personal with the stature, taking advantage of the fisheye lens' capability of simultaneously showing detail of the sculpture and the distinctly Southwestern architecture and courtyard surrounding it.

 

Native, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso 200, f-stop unrecorded (f8?), 1/1000 sec.

 

I really like how the fisheye captured this scene. I don't consider this to be only a special effect lens, as I had anticipated. Yes, there is quite a lot of distortion of the lines in the building, but I don't think it takes much away from the composition. I would like to compare this image to what I would get with the Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 (rectilinear, not fisheye) lens on a Leica M body. Less distortion, and even a little wider angle would be expected, but I don't know if I'd like the image as much or more. Sounds like a good test for the future.

 

Finally, a purely tourist-targeted scene:

 

Southwestern Kitsch, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Lumix 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Series II Kit Lens at 34mm

iso 200, f11, 1/640 sec.

I don't mind that this is a stereotypical tourist trap scene, including some fake, painted peppers (the multicolor ones; the red ones are real). It's part of the environment in New Mexico now. So, why not show it?

 

One of my goals on this short trip was to see if I can rely on the GX7 for good travel photography. Carrying the GX7 and the even smaller GX1 as a backup body worked very well for me. I'm thoroughly impressed with the image quality of the GX7, if not the handling. I still don't feel that it quite fits my hands. But, it's pretty darned good.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

More Fisheye Images - Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

I've always thought of a fisheye lens as a novelty. I never really owned one, other than a toy fisheye film camera, and I only used that once or twice. Over the holidays, I found the Bower 7.5mm f3.5 fisheye lens for Micro 4/3 for an amazing low price, and bought it.

 

I decided to take it with me on my trip to New Mexico. Another place where Micro 4/3 compactness shines. I don't think I'd ever carry a lens like this with a full-sized DSLR kit. The probability of use : weight ratio would be too low.

 

Anyway, I used it. The shot below is the only interesting one I could make at sunset over the city. Instead of a beautiful desert sunset, on this evening the clouds were rolling in, and the color just wasn't there. So, I pointed the fishey upward, got right to the base of the tree, and shot this.

Upward Reach, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso 200, 1/125 sec., f-stop unrecorded

 

The Bower lens is also marketed under other names. I believe it's identical to one sold under the Samyang and Rokinon name. It's a manual focus lens, but with the depth of field you get with a 7.5mm lens on Micro 4/3 sensors, that really isn't a drawback at all. At far less than half the cost of a Panasonic fisheye lens, I think it's a reasonable compromise.

 

Here's a shot I made outside a church in New Mexico:

 

Sacred Tree, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso 200, 1/800 sec., f-stop unrecorded

Here again, the fisheye perspective allowed me to make a somewhat interesting image, even in midday sun. The distortion of the lens works with the tree branch arching overhead, with its crucifixes hanging down. Mother Mary makes a nice off-center focal point.

 

So, this lens has my vote. I enjoyed using it on the GX7 quite a lot.

 

Click on my Amazon link below to buy yours, and support this blog!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Fisheye Image - Zen Heart - Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 and Bower 7.5mm Fisheye Lens

As I write this, I'm on the final day of a trip to New Mexico. I've had precious little free time, which means the meeting I'm attending is actually pretty good.

 

I decided to make this a "Micro 4/3 only" trip, in an attempt to bond with my new GX7. I must say it's working. The image quality from this camera is stunning. I'm still not completely sold on how it feels in my hand, actually preferring the feel of either the earlier DMC-GX1 (which is also along for the trip), or one of the more SLR-shaped Lumix cameras (which I've now sold off).

 

Here's a shot I made at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe:

 

Zen Heart, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye lens

 

I visited the Center for an early morning meditation session (7:00 am). It was really worth the drive up from Albuquerque, where I'm staying. I was back in time for my meeting.

 

(Click Here) to read about Upaya Zen Center. They host a no-charge meditation session every morning.

 

This silver heart pendant (about 2" in size) was attached to the fence around Upaya's community garden. My lens was about 4" away from it, which is one of the cool features of the fisheye. You can get very close focus. In the background, you can see the Center and the base of their windmill (on left) and prayer flags on the back fence (on right). I like how this single image has the focal point of the heart, but also includes a lot of information about the place.

 

I really am impressed by the image quality of the GX7. Now if I can just get comfortable with it in my hand.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Olympus Body Cap Fisheye Lens for Micro 4/3

Image Source: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I19TVU2?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00I19TVU2&linkCode=xm2&tag=dm36thyeofthl-20

 

I recently purchased a fisheye lens for my Micro 4/3 kit, a Bower 7.5mm model.

 

(Click Here) to see a post of images I shot with the Bower fisheye lens.

 

I haven't used the fisheye too much yet, but plan to.

 

Now it seems that Olympus has made a "body cap" lens with fisheye optics. These near-flat lenses that are so thin they double as body caps are really pretty cool. I have the older version Olympus 15mm body cap lens (not fisheye), which again, I have yet to use very much. You know the story, too many cameras, not enough days off.

 

The body cap fisheye is an ideal combination if you ask me. Since most of us will rarely use a fisheye lens, one of the challenges is that you don't tend to carry it along with you. Even the Bower lens, which is quite light and compact, takes up precious camera bag space. I think the body cap fisheye would solve that issue. And, it's pretty cheap at ~$100.

 

With a fixed aperture of f8, it's not real flexible, but again, this will be rarely-used equipment for most people. But, when you need it, you need it.

 

(Click Here) to see an example image posted by matt-pro on mu43.com

 

If I hadn't already purchased the Bower, I would certainly go for the Olympus body cap option.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Now It's a Tradition - the Annual New Year's Oseichi (Japanese Food) Post

Third year in a row, I like to share my family's tradition of eating Japanese holiday food at breakfast on January first. This year, I shot it with my new Bower fisheye lens (Micro 4/3). I've been looking at a fisheye lens for a couple of years, but decided it would not be used often enough to justify the $300-$700 cost (depending on which brand I chose). This holiday season, it dropped to $200, including shipping, so I bought a Bower manual focus fisheye lens.

 

These were all shot with the Bower lens on my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1:

 

Oseichi Ryori (Japanese Traditional Food), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Happy Family, New Years Day, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Salmon and Salmon Eggs, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Bower 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

 

Hope everyone's having a nice year so far!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Some Sunrise Shots With the Lumix DMC-G5 by Phrenic on mu-43.com

 

This one was "de-fished," taken with a 7.5mm fisheye.

Image Source: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BYDkB2iBQ7WHlb6G63xv3O94fXWR_mmr40hSlUgxLBM?feat=e%20%20mbedwebsite

 
User phrenic on mu-43.com shared a series of sunrise shots with the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5. Most were shot with a Lumix 14-45mm kit lens. The one above with a fisheye. The image was "de-fished" in post-processing. Wonderful job!
 
(Click Here) to see the rest on mu-43.com
 
I'm glad to start seeing some images from the G5 show up online. I'm holding off on any body upgrades (I use the DMC-G3) until I've had a good look at the GH3, which was just announced last week. More on that later.
 
This is a quick and easy post today, as I'm attending my favorite music festival, Watermelon Park Fest, this weekend. A quick run home got me connected to the internet, but I'm heading back out for another day of fun! Lots of DMC-G3 (including some with my new Olympus 75mm f1.8!) and some Leica M9 images soon to come!
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 

Digital Photography School Reports 37% of Readers Shoot Film

Digital Photography School (digital-photography-school.com) recently ran a survey and found that 37% of respondents shoot film.

Image Source: http://digital-photography-school.com/37-of-dps-readers-still-shoot-with-film?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DigitalPhotographySchool+%28Digital+Photography+School%29
 
(Click Here) to see the original post, and some interesting comments.
 
I am encouraged by the fact that I'm not the only one out there that still shoots film. Funny, now that I think about it, I have three film bodies with me today, loaded and ready to go. Now, to be clear, that's not normal for me. I've just repaired two old Zeiss cameras, and am testing them out, plus I have a new toy to test out. More on that one later.
 
My film usage has dropped a lot this year, mostly because I've been leaning toward my Lumix cameras more, for the purposes of this blog. But, as you've seen if you keep up with my blog, I have been dragging out some good old film gear lately.
 
One commenter asked how many people responded to the above-referenced survey; I would like to know that as well. The high percentage of film users could be due to sampling error, if there weren't very many respondents. It is hard to imagine that 15% of readers of a blog, who must have access to the web in order to read and respond, shoot film exclusively. If they have a computer, digital photography has almost no barrier to entry, including cost. Even if they only read on a smart phone, they have a digital camera in-hand, in their phone, as they read.
 
Potential lack of statistical strength aside, I choose to take the results positively, hoping this will mean continued availability of film and processing for a long time to come. Fingers crossed.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

I Think I Got My Fisheye Fix - On The Cheap!

Distorted Metal and Structural Glass, by Reed A. George

Lomography Fisheye, iso200, f8, 1/100 sec.

 
Well, if you've followed my blog, you will know that I've toyed with fisheye, even ordering and then subsequently cancelling a fisheye attachment for my Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3. I knew that I wanted to play with the effect, but that it would not be a mainstay of my photography. At $200 for an attachment (the DMC-GF1) that only goes to 120 degrees field of view, to three times that much for a dedicated Panasonic fisheye lens (the Lumix H-F008, 8mm f3.5), I just couldn't justify it, even to myself.
 
So, when I saw the Lomography fisheye camera come up, I had to have it. Now, be warned, this is no high quality equipment. It is a 35mm film camera with 170 degree field of view. The body is very cheaply-built - think disposable camera. There are no adjustments - it is fixed focus (everything is in focus anyway), fixed shutter speed (1/100 sec.), and fixed aperture (f8). The only thing you can control is the iso of the film you use. I learned from my first two rolls that I should be shooting iso 400, as many of my iso 200 shots were underexposed. All those qualifications notwithstanding, this is a FUN little camera!
 
There is a newer version, the aptly named "Fisheye 2," which includes an improved viewfinder, 180 degree field of view, the ability to do timed and multiple exposures, and some additional flash capabilities. It costs about $60. Anyway, I went with the cheaper first version.
 
You will likely see some more images from my Lomo Fisheye. In fact, I have one or two from a music festival this weekend that I plan to share.
 
So, I didn't go Lumix for my fisheye solution. However, I'm thinking - since it's got such wide depth of field and is focus-free - I wonder if there's a way to remove the lens from the plastic camera body and attach it to an adapter for use on my Micro 4/3 bodies? It would crop the view quite a bit, but the distortion would still be there. Hmm... Maybe a future project.
 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 
 
 

The DMW-GFC1 Fisheye Adapter for 14mm f2.5 Is Finally Available!

 

Image Source: www.amazon.com

I've been waiting since January for this thing to be available - the Lumix DMW-GFC1 Fisheye Adapter for the 14-42mm X lens (which I don't have) and the 14mm f2.5 prime (which I do).

(Click Here) to read my original post about the announcement for the new attachments from Panasonic back in January.

I was checking today, just to see if by chance it had come in, as I have approximately weekly since January. Adorama listed it as in stock, but by the time my order got there (a few seconds). So, I had to cancel and buy from J&R, through Amazon.

I'll post the link to Amazon's offering below. If you're interested, they apparently have a couple left.

I can't wait to give this a try! If the optics are reasonable, it will be a great little attachment to have in my bag, rather than an additional fisheye lens, which I would not carry around often enough.

UPDATE: Due to difficulties in stock at two suppliers, I decided to cancel my order. I guess I got caught up in the moment, seeing that it was in stock. Now that I think about it more, the drop from ~180 degree field of view in a dedicated fisheye lens to 120 degrees in the adapter approach is too much. If I decide that I really want to be in this fisheye business, I'll buy a lens, not a converter. The Rokinon seems like the right approach if I do anything - trading off the lack of electrical connection to the camera and lack of autofocus for a 50% reduction in price from the Lumix lens. Anyway, I'm not buying anything in this area at the moment.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 
DMC-365.blogspot.com
 

Shopping Report - Tokyo Camera Shopping a Bust...

Image Source: http://www.dpreview.com/previews/fujifilmxpro1

One of the things I always look forward to when I visit Japan is going to the camera store. I usually end up at BIC Camera in Hibiya, Tokyo.

This year, I was hoping to get my hands on the Panasonic Lumix DMW-GFC1 fisheye conversion lens for my 14mm f2.5. It is not available yet, even here in Japan, even though it was announced in January of this year.

I had some reserved hopes of seeing the recently-announced Olympus 75mm f1.8; that was also not in the cards.

So, what did I see that was interesting? The Canon G1X, which I handled just long enough to see that the finder is pretty small and squinty; the Olympus OM-D (a mock-up, actually), which I must say is very attractive. It really does remind you of the OM-1, which the store had displayed right next to it. Hmm. Could be a real market stealer for Panasonic. The Ricoh GXR with Leica M module, which is not a lot different than adapting Leica lenses to Micro 4/3 cameras, in my view.

But, I must say, the star of the show for me is the Fujifilm XPro. This is a full-size, well-built camera. If you didn't see the labels, you may confuse it with a Leica rangefinder. The glass, especially the 35mm f1.4, is also big, precison-mounted, fast, and beautiful. Given the quality of Fuji optics, this tempts me to take on a new lens mount. I haven't looked into it closely enough to really consider the investment, but the form factor and lenses are just, wow.

So, I walked out without buying a single thing. Still waiting on that DMW-GFC1 - Panasonic, are you listening?

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Changing Blog Name, Enough Lumix - I'm Going Back To Film (Diana Style)

 

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Diana_camera.jpg

Okay, I am packing for a trip, struggling with my list of camera equipment to take along. Is it my standard two DMC-G3 kit with a bunch of primes and one zoom? Should I include my new Nissin Di466 flash? Do I have all of the batteries, chargers, and cards I need? How about back-up? Can I use my wife's laptop, will the iPad suffice?

Maybe I'll minimize, and just take the DMC-LX5 this time. Seems limiting.

Well, screw it. I'm tired of all of this complexity. I'm going to change my blog name to DIANA-365.blogspot.com, throw the plastic cameras in my suitcase (one in carry-on, one in checked baggage - who cares if one disappears?), add some 400 speed drugstore film, and goodbye digital world.

I bet you can't wait to see what I come up with on this trip, can you? I'm not even going to scan. It's target scan-to-CD for me, and from now on you'll get that in all its low contrast, dusty glory.

From now on, our gear talk will be VERY basic. Hang on, though, I think Lomography sells a fisheye camera, right? Well, here I go again...

Don't delete the DMC-365 bookmark yet.

Happy April Fool's Day. See you tomorrow.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) Is Killing Me - More Great Fisheye Shots

I have been writing about getting a fisheye lens, especially about the choices available right now. Those choices include the nice (expensive) Lumix 8mm, the Rokinon/Samyang 7.5mm, and the yet-to-be-available fisheye attachment for the Lumix 14mm f2.5.

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f56/we-all-need-fisheye-22864/

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Rokinon 7.5mm f3.5 Fisheye

Well, other posters seem to be taunting me. I am anxiously awaiting the availability of the Lumix fisheye attachment, the DMW-GFC1. So much so, I have memorized that part number, from typing it into Amazon's search over and over. Kinda sick, right?

Anyway, this series of fisheye images from New York City at the holidays really has me wanting a fisheye.

(Click Here) to see the original post on mu-43.com.

I am hoping that the DMW-GFC1 will be in stores in Tokyo when I go there in a week or so. Anyone know if it's out in Japan yet? I cannot seem to find it here in the US. Unfortunately, with the exchange rates, it will likely be even more expensive in Japan. That Samyang lens is looking pretty good at less than $300...

But, I'm not buying yet, until the Lumix attachment is a real option.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Fisheye Lens Decisions

 

Image Source: http://www.dslrphoto.com/wp-content/plugins/feedlist/Samyang_75mm.jpg

I want a fisheye lens. Because I know that I won't use it a lot, I would like an economical, compact option. Fisheye lenses provide incredible wide angles of view (~180 degrees!), which can make for some very interesting interior and nature images. However, they exhibit a large amount of distortion, and are really specialty lenses, not the kind of thing you're going to use every day.

Panasonic makes the 8mm f3.5 fisheye lens, which sells on Amazon for $629. This lens gets very good reviews, and I'm sure is best in class for usage with the Lumix Micro 4/3 cameras.

In January, I wrote about the announcement of the new DMW-GFC1 fisheye attachment from Panasonic.

(Click Here) for the DMW-GFC1 announcement post.

This seems like an ideal solution for me, since it is an attachment for my Lumix 14mm f2.5 lens, and adds only the size of a single filter to my camera bag. I was hoping that it would also be economical. Preorder information from Adorama indicates that it will be priced at $149, pretty darned steep for a single filter.

Then there is the Samyang/Rokinon option. As far as I can tell, Samyang and Rokinon are different labels for the same lenses. They make a 7.5mm f3.5 fisheye, which is currently available on Amazon for $286.19. This lens also gets good reviews optically. It is a "native" Micro 4/3 mount, which means no adapter is needed to mount it to your Lumix or other Micro 4/3 camera. However, it does not have any electrical connection to the camera body, which is why I put "native" in quotes. This means that while you can use the camera's exposure meter in Manual or Aperture Priority modes, any mode that requires electronic control of the aperture (Shutter Priority, Program) does not work.

Since I am optimizing for cost, image quality, and size, this presents a challenge to me. In terms of cost, the Samyang wins, really because I believe $150 is too much for the Panasonic DMW-GFC1 attachment. I am sure the Lumix 8mm wins the image quality contest, but it seems the Samyang is very close, according to what I've seen in reviews. Size, of course, goes to the filter attachment. That said, neither the Panasonic or Samyang lens is very big.

Honestly, though, I don't think either the Panasonic or Samyang full lens would make it into my bag often. The DMW-GFC1 filter will stay there, all the time. That probably makes it the best option for me. The DMW-GFC1 was announced in early January, and is still not available for purchase in the USA (as of March 12). Maybe I can pick one up when I'm in Japan in a few weeks.

 

(Click Here) for a nice report and summary of reviews on the Samyang lens. If size were not a major consideration for me, I would probably buy one of these.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Want the Rokinon lens? Panasonic? Please click below to buy yours, and support this blog!

 

 

 

 

 

Lumix 8mm Fisheye on DMC-GF1 Sample

 

Image Source: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5319904021_7d34917291.jpg

Flickr User Dafydd Penguin

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, Lumix 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens

iso100, f5, 1/2000 sec

This lovely shot of the Welsh countryside is well worth clicking through to see in larger size on flickr. I am very impressed with the fisheye lens's ability to cover such a wide area, with no apparent vignetting. The detail in this image literally goes on for miles. I am sorely tempted by this lens, but want to try the new fisheye attachment announced by Panasonic. It is far more economical, but I am sure not nearly so good in terms of image quality. But, that's speculation. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised!

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Want the fisheye lens? Please buy it here: