A Glass Menagerie - Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

I carry a camera with me every day. Today, it happened to be my little waterproof Lumix TS5, which I was bringing in to work to loan to a friend. The camera has accompanied her to Central America, and is now on its way to Tibet.

 

Anyway, the building where I work represents one of the world's largest installations of structural glass. Walking to my office, I noticed these apparently random tracks on the condensed water droplets on the outside surface. Obviously not guided by gravity, these tracks twist and turn, intersecting themselves and wandering both up and down. After looking at a few of them closely, I determined the source.

 

Slug, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

At about 1 1/2" in length, these guys cover some territory.

 

Further down the hall, I found this predator:

 

Praying Mantis, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

I'm not sure if a mantis will eat slugs, but I have a suspicion they will. Quite an interesting little world in operation just on the other side of the glass...

 

The TS5's macro capability came in handy here. The wifi did as well, allowing me to quickly transfer the images to my iPad so I could include them in this morning's post.

 

Then, I look up from the table where I'm writing and see this:

 

 

I grabbed this shot with the iPad's onboard camera. Okay, digital imaging can be pretty cool.

 

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Calm Maui Sunrise

Calm Maui Sunrise, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

This is exactly the type of calm seas I hoped for on the day of our scuba trip. The weather gods smiled upon us, and it was a wonderful trip.

 

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Leaving Molokini

Leaving Molokini, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Taken from our dive boat as we motored toward our second dive location.

 

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Broken Pattern of Color

Broken Pattern, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

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Some Aquatic Life

I shot these images with my Lumix DMC-TS5 underwater camera. This time, I did not bring an external light source, so had to rely on natural light, the tiny in-camera flash, and in the case of the eel, I benefited from our dive master's powerful flashlight. So, these aren't near professional quality, but do get the point across.

 

 

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Our Annual Scuba Diving Trip

The Descent, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

I only get to go scuba diving about once per year. This time, I found myself anxious about the trip, kind of obsessing about how big the waves would be. You see, our last trip, in Belize, had us getting in and out of the boat in very rough seas. While the diving turned out to be spectacular, I did not enjoy the boat ride.

 

This time, I spent too much time reading the marine forecast for Maui. There is a hurricane approaching the islands, and the forecast called for 4-6 foot seas. Less than what we experienced in Belize, but still too much for comfort. I awoke this morning thinking that maybe I'm just too old for diving.

 

Well, when we showed up at the boat ramp this morning, the Maui coast looked more like a placid lake. I have to say the waves here were zero, non-existent. A quick, smooth ride out to Molokini, and we were diving! The little Lumix DMC-TS5 once again did a great job for me.

 

After thinking about this experience, a couple of things occurred to me. First, had I had the chance to cancel this dive based on the marine forecast, I would have taken it; that would have meant missing a wonderful experience. Second, I'm not too old for diving. I'm just not doing it often enough. I'm sure my anxiety level would be much lower if I dove more often.

A-OK, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

 

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Once Past the Bear...

The Girl and I got out for some fishing. She's very proud to have caught the biggest fish, a smallmouth bass. It's really cool to see her ably control her own kayak and fishing reel, to great success.

 

 

Both taken with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5, the waterproof, shockproof wonder. Perfect to have in my pocket for every kayaking trip.

 

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Cottonwoods Blooming on the Potomac River

On my most recent kayaking trip on the Potomac River, I shot this image of a cottonwood tree, blooming and losing its blossoms to the river surface.

Cottonwoods on the Potomac, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

iso 160, f3.3, 1/160 sec.

 

As you can see, I made this image with the compact, waterproof Lumix DMC-TS5 camera. It's a great companion on kayaking trips, as it's really well-protected against water, dirt, sand, and shock. I think it makes very nice pictures for a compact point and shoot.

 

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5, Macro, and Damselflies

 

 

 

Damselflies - American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)

by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Last weekend, I took a little float trip down the Shenandoah River. Part of the River and Roots music festival, held at Watermelon Park in Berryville, Virginia, this educational event was led by musician and teacher Josh Bearman of The Hot Seats.

 

Anyway, back to the subject at hand - damselflies. This potential couple of American Rubyspots was perched very near the water surface. I say potential couple, because at this stage, the female (to the right) is being held by the male, and allowed to evaluate him for suitability. If she approves, her abdomen and terminal genitalia will connect to his body, forming a sort of circular orientation between their bodies.

 

These guys spend 1-3 years as aquatic larvae, with only a couple of weeks as adults, during which they mate and then die.

 

The tiny sensor on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 has all of the drawbacks of a small sensor, of course, which includes digital noise at high ISO settings. However, a big advantage of the small sensor is the closeup capability, as demonstrated here. This would have been exceedingly difficult to capture with a DSLR, even forgetting about the risk of getting it wet. In this case, I simply left the camera in iAuto mode, and slid it down into the grass next to the damselflies. I shot several images in a few seconds, but found this one to be the best.

 

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NYC Sidewalk Compositions - My Mini-Project - Lumix DMC-TS5

As I write this, I am attending a meeting in New York City. I'm very lucky, in that my hotel is within walking distance of the meeting venue.

 

This morning, I decided not to carry a larger camera with me. So, I put the diminuitive Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 in my jacket pocket.

 

On the way to the meeting, I looked down at one of the places where trees gain access through the sidewalk to grow in this city. Here's what I saw:

 

I thought this was pretty cool, so I continued to shoot interesting compositions at the sidewalk level for the remainder of my walk. Here are the others:

 

 

 

All of these are direct from the DMC-TS5 (jpegs shot in iAuto mode) with no editing or adjustment. I was also able to connect wirelessly from the camera to my iPad to transfer the files. Very cool.

 

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A Beautiful Sunset Outing - Fishing and Kayaking With the Lumix DMC-TS5

If you follow my blog, you've probably read that I enjoy using the little Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 when I go kayaking, fishing, diving, or just about anything that threatens to get me and the camera wet. On a Friday evening, I decided to get out for an hour or two for a sunset kayak paddle. Luckily, I have a nice reservoir near home, so it's easy to do on a moment's notice. Even with the shorter days of autumn, I was able to get out after work, and before the sun went down.

 

On this particular day, I decided to fish a little, using my ultralight rod and reel, and a twister-tail jig. I happened to catch a nice smallmouth bass, shown below.

 

 

 

Smallmouth Bass, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

This fish was clearly fattening up for a long winter nap. Only about 1 1/2 pounds, this stocky little fish had quite a full stomach, and was still eating. Lucky for him, the only thing I took was a few extra minutes of his time, to photograph him (her?). Here's my favorite shot:

 

Sunset Catch, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Satisfied, I paddled back to where my car was parked before it got dark. Looking back, here's the sunset that followed.

 

Sunset (16:9), by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

The little TS5 sure does a good job. These images look great at full-size on my screen. I'm sure these would print just fine at 8"x12".

 

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Goes Fishing Again

I have recently found that the very best treatment for my chronic lower back pain is kayaking. I know, it sounds weird to me as well, but there you have it. In fact, my physical therapist has now made a custom exercise for me, replicating the motion of paddling a kayak, and it really works.

 

Of course, permanently switching to Micro 4/3 to lower the weight of my camera would help, too. :)

 

Anyway, I got out in the kayak for a couple of hours today, and casted around with my ultralight spinning reel. Here's what I caught:

White Bass, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Waterproof Camera

White Bass, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Waterproof Camera

 

I had accidentally left the TS5 in one of the custom modes, this one for shooting through glass. I have no idea how it does it, but the effect is a little like a mild polarizer, which darkened up the water surface quite nicely.

 

It's really handy to have a tough, waterproof, compact camera on hand, especially in my kayak.

 

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Green Sea Turtle - Scuba Diving With Panasonic's Underwater Camera, the Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) From Below, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

I am mid-vacation now, and battling jet lag, mostly unsuccessfully. Lucky for me, our scuba trip this morning was scheduled for early morning. We had to be at the Maalea Harbor at around 6:30AM. No problem there. We were up by 5:00, and it was actually a challenge to sleep that long. It will also be a challenge to stay awake long enough to see the sunset tonight.

 

I'm pretty wiped out, so I picked a single picture from our dives today to share. I have a lot more to share later.

 

We did two dives with Maui Divers, the first on a wreck called the St. Anthony, the second on Molokini. Both were outstanding!

 

(Click Here) to check out Maui Divers. They run a great shop, and made us comfortable every step of the way, including taking my newly-certified twelve year old daughter on here deepest dives ever.

 

The DMC-TS5 performed very well. I'm learning more about how to set it for diving. The Advanced Underwater mode works well at avoiding too much blue, but the tiny on-camera flash is only good for closeups. Otherwise, it causes reflections from particulates in the water to diffuse the image. An off-camera light would really help. I may look into an LED for that purpose.

 

(Click Here) to read my user report on this great little camera.

 

I have more to share, but it will have to wait until I'm more awake...

 

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Here's a New One on Me: Recreational Water Jet Pack

While in Key West, I saw this:

 

Key West Jet Pack, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

This is a new one on me. A jet-powered backpack that shoots you into the air.

(Click Here) to read more about it.

 

Key West Jet Pack, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Key West Jet Pack, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

He even landed it so that he was standing on this piling.

 

I shot these with the DMC-TS5, which I am evaluating as part of the Panasonic Early Adopter program. I took the waterproof TS5 down scuba diving with me, and it worked very well. I'll have some underwater shots to share soon.

 

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Travel Photography - Thoughts By Ming Thein and Me

Ming Thein has a nice blog entry about how travel photography works for him. In order to respect Ming's "All Rights Reserved" statement on his images, I'm not linking to one here.

 

(Click Here) to go to Ming's blog, read his thoughts on travel photography, and see his images.

 

A few things that strike me about Ming's piece are 1) his photo count and hit rate from recent trips, 2) his belief that the first day in a new place is usually wasted on overload from new stimulation, and 3) that travel photographs ideally show how you feel about a place, rather than how it looks.

 

I am writing this blog entry from Key West, where my family and I are vacationing for a long weekend. We arrived at 5:30AM today. Since it was so close to sunrise, I stayed up and shot the sunrise. Here's a shot I made:

 

Key West Sunrise, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

iso 400, f3.3 1/60 sec

 

I decided that Ming may be right. The shots I thought would be great this morning are just so-so now. But, I'm weird about this. I may learn to like them again later.

 

I've been shooting my new DMC-TS5 a lot today. Here's a shot from later in the day:

Distance, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

iso 400, f3.3 1/60 sec

 

This one does say a little about how I feel about the place. I am feeling far from home at the moment, which is indicated by the top sign, the distance to Washington, DC.

I'm not sure if I'll like either of these later on, but I kind of like them now. Time for bed.

 

Hopefully I'll make some images I definitely like tomorrow.

 

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User Report: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Waterproof Compact

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 Lifestyle Tough Camera

Image Source: shop.panasonic.com

 

I am pleased to be a participant in Panasonic's Early Adopter program. My first review was of the new DMC-TS5 waterproof, shock proof, wifi-enabled, GPS-enabled, compact camera. How's that for a list of features?

 

(Click Here) to read my report on Panasonic's website.

 

I thought I'd add some images and video to the mix, since that's the real result of tesing a camera, right?

 

First off, this little camera is very convenient. I took it along on a family trip to pick strawberries at the farm. The macro capabilities are impressive. Put the camera into iAuto mode, and you're good to go.

 

Berries and Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

For a real test of the specific strengths of this waterproof, toughened camera, I took it with me on a trip to the Florida Keys. We arrived in Key West just before sunrise, so I stayed up and shot a little at the hotel beach. Here's a video of the surf coming in. At the end of the video, you'll see the camera get knocked over by an incoming wave! No worries; it's tough.

 

Click the Picture to See the Video!

Sunrise, Key West, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

To really test the camera, we took it on a scuba diving trip. Here's the ride out to the reef:

 

Click the Picture to See the Video!

Headed to the Reef, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

The seas were pretty rough on this day, with waves from three to five feet being the norm. Here's what it looked like from the water's surface, before we went down:

 

Rough Seas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Of course, once we were under water, waves didn't matter, just current. And there was plenty of current.

 

All Is Good, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Shooting in the "Underwater Advanced" mode, I think the camera does a nice job of achieving color balance. This isn't bad for ~30 feet underwater with just the on-camera flash!

 

Snappers, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Here's an underwater video - look for the two barracudas:

Click the Picture to See the Video!

Barracuda!, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Here are some other shots from the Key West trip:

"Through Glass" Scene Mode Seems To Work!, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

I Can Still Feel The Humidity, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Local, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

I'll finish with a couple of shots of one of the things Key West is famous for - sunsets. I shot these in the sunset scene mode, which also works quite well:

Sunset From The Boat, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

And finally, a sunset panorama, made completely in-camera, using the panorama mode.

I thoroughly enjoyed using the DMC-TS5 on this trip. It's wonderful to be able to carry a camera literally anywhere without having to worry about damaging it. After we got back to the hotel, I simply filled the sink with fresh water and submerged the camera for ten minutes or so. Clean and good as new!

 

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