Rusty shutters #10.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1.

December 2009.

This camera was a game changer for me.

My first mirrorless, it’s a super-nifty little Micro Four Thirds camera and along with the 20mm ƒ/1.7 lens, I made bunches of nice images with this little gem.

I first heard of this camera through Craig Mod’s blog post titled “GF1 Fieldtest – 16 Days in the Himalayas.” His detailed review, high praise, and the gorgeous photos he shared were all hard to ignore.

The first time I held one and fiddled with it was early December 2009 while attending a photo meet-up in Santa Clara, at the coffee shop across El Camino Real from Santa Clara University’s Loyola Hall.

One of the folks attending brought along his recently acquired GF1/20mm ƒ/1.7 and was kind enough to let me hold it and play with it a bit.

The minute I pressed the shutter release I was hooked – it made a convincing click-thunk sound – you knew you’d just made a picture.

The GF1 is so cool. Small, 12 megapixels, used interchangeable Panasonic and Olympus lenses, quick auto-focus, a 3″ display, and an external viewfinder could be added.

I’ve even attached a Lensbaby Composer Pro/Sweet 35, the Pentax 25mm ƒ/1.4 CCTV, and the Wanderlust Pinwide. Pictured is the Panasonic 14mm ƒ/2.5, a nice street lens.

By Christmas I had one of my own, along with the 20mm ƒ1.7 and the EVF.

Some of my fave portraits were made with this little guy and I’ve shot a lot of cool cars and beautiful flowers with it, too.

Resolution: 12.1 megapixels
Max image size – 4000 x 3000
Display: Fixed 3in LCD @ 460,000 pixels
ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Shutter Speeds: 60 sec – 1/4000 sec
Metering: Multi-segment, center-weighted, spot
Dimensions WHD: 4.69in x 2.8in x 1.43in
Weight: 13.58 oz
Power: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Memory card: SD/SDHC/MMC

Ol’ Glory

Burst

Tine

Hoop

Rough

When something’s broke.

Fix it.

I did it. I finally sent my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 to The Panasonic Factory Service Center just down the road in McAllen, TX for a good sensor cleaning.

Over the past year or so I’d noticed a few little – and not so little – specs showing up in images that I’d made while using smaller apertures.

I didn’t mind too much, as they could be cloned out or I could do a content-aware fill to remove them. Shooting macros at ƒ/1.7 wasn’t an issue, either. I do a lot of that.

The dust doesn’t show when shooting wide open. But recently I was trying to get some good star flare in a sunset shot, at ƒ/16, and when I looked at the image in Photoshop there were so many specs that cloning or a fill just wasn’t feasible.

… a dusty sensor is kind of a thing with the LX100.

I started doing a little research online and found that a dusty sensor is kind of a thing with the LX100. Plenty of threads on the various forums had complaints. And a few whacky solutions.

One person came up with a device made from a plastic soda bottle that slipped over the lens barrel, with a vacuum hose attached to the other end, and after turning the camera on he’d zoom in-and-out while the vacuum did its thing. Some folks claimed success.

I was hoping the repair department of our local camera store, Austin’s Precision Camera, could do a proper cleaning. I called. It was worth a shot, but no, they suggested sending it to Panasonic.

A little research turned up examples of folks who’d sent their LX100 in to Panasonic. Some under warranty, some not. I couldn’t find what Panasonic charged for out-of-warranty sensor cleaning on any forum.

And finding the page on the Panasonic web site for actually initiating the cleaning was not easy. It’s Service and Repairs on the shop part of their site.

After a few back-and-forth emails, I learned that they’ll do a complete inspection of the camera for free. The sensor cleaning is $100 US. And coincidentally, that amount was kinda’ the threshold for me. Any other issues cost extra. It works fine, so I hope it just needs the sensor cleaned.

… my questions were answered by Agent 5 and Agent 4.

A funny side note… the folks who communicated with me via email didn’t use their given names. Instead, my questions were answered by Agent 5 and Agent 4. A bit quirky, and something I have not previously experienced with any customer help.

The forums all had stories about folks getting back their LX100 and, after use, the dust returning. And there were many questions about the latest version having the same issue.

All I know is the LX100 is probably the best digital camera I’ve owned and after 4 years of use, the $100 is worth making the camera usable again. Hope fully I’ll get another 4 years out of it.

Now, if Panasonic decides to add a flip-up rear display to the LX100III, whenever that might happen, I’d definitely upgrade.

I’ll do a follow-up post when my LX100 is back in my hands.

My desk.

Utter chaos.

Sometimes more, sometimes less, but without a doubt, always a mess.

1 > Olympus Stylus XZ-2 & Sony RX100III battery chargers
2 > An unexposed roll of 35mm Ilford XP2 Super 400 I pulled out of an old Canon SLR
3 > Fuel
4 > An unopened box of Fomapan 100 4×5 film (soon!)
5 > iPhone 8
6 > Blood pressure log & calendar
7 > Zero Image 6×9 pinhole camera
8 > Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1
9 > Western Digital 320GB external USB powered hard drive
10 > Apple Mac Mini, 2012 vintage (16GB RAM)
11 > Nikon P300 point and shoot
12 > A pair of Newer Technology 2TB hard drives
13 > 8Banners pinhole camera
14 > Apple Magic Mouse
15 > Nikon One•Touch Zoom90 AF Quartz Date 35mm camera
16 > Thingyfy Pinhole Pro S11 pinhole cap
17 > Olympus M.Zuiko 15mm f8.0 body cap lens
18 > Sekonic Flashmate L-308S light meter
19 > Minolta XG-1 w/Rokkor MD Rokkor-X 28mm ƒ/2.8

There are a few other things that’re just out of view, like an ATT wireless router, a Kodak instant photo from 1984 of my future wife and I (35 years this month), 2 Fuji FP100c prints from the Shen Hao, a 1970 nickle, an ‘R’ scrabble tile, a blue mini-armadillo toy, an Ilford 120 Pan F Plus ‘unexposed’ paper band, a Minolta lens cap and body cap, a Lumix lens cap and body cap, my Epson V500 scanner with a bunch of stuff stacked neatly on top of it, another stack of external drives, an aging Drobo, a really old Mickey Mouse coffee cup that has a Tokina 28-108mm ƒ/3.5 Minolta mount lens in it, an Apple USB Super Drive, an old Sekonic Twinmate L-208 light meter in its storage bag, and those are really nice Bose Companion 2 Series III speakers flanking a pair of ViewSonic LED monitors.

Wild.

Rusty shutters #9.

Hasselblad 500C/M.

May 2006.

I bought this camera, and the accompanying Zeiss Sonnar 1:4 150mm T*, from my neighbor at the time. Along with it came an early edition of Ernst Wildi’s The Hasselblad Manual and a healthy stack of Hassy promotional material. I still have all of it.

I added the #10 extension tube, the 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar lens (plus the plastic Hassy branded bay 50 lens hood), and the more modern looking PM45 prism viewfinder.

The camera is pristine. No flaws whatsoever. I keep it in its own Domke bag for protection.

The camera’s distinctive slap sound at shutter release is one of my favorite things about this shooter.

I use the 80mm lens most. It makes amazing photographs.

Film type: 120
Film back: A12
Viewfinder: prism
Winding Mechanism: manual crank
Body construction: aluminum alloy
Dimensions: 4.7in x 6.8in x 6.8in

Muscles

Big idea, abandoned

Elenor and friends

Screw

Bandana

Out with the old.

Convergence.

Rusty Shutters is turning out to be a bit cathartic. And productive. Pulling out all the old film cameras and doing a little technical research is a good thing, it turns out. I’m finding new info, learning about history, and checking out some really useful videos on YouTube.

My Hasselblad 500C/M is a good example.

I was about to load up my ’84 Hassy with a roll of expired (2009) Pan F Plus. I have a roll of the same film in one of my Holgas and it made sense to develop two rolls at once, now that I have the Paterson Multi-Reel 3 Tank.

I took the A12 back off, then pulled the slide out just to have a look see. Never hurts to check how everything is functioning. Part of the light trap had gotten to the point where it was so thin it broke away and was resting on the pressure plate.

Not good. Must be replaced. No light leaks, please.

Just a little bit of Web research turns up a number of videos demonstrating how the replacement is done, and some even had dimensions and materials needed for DIY types to do their thing.

I took the easy way out. I ordered a replacement trap seal from Dick Werner. He’s blackbird711 on eBay, but I found a web link for Dick’s kit that worked just as well.

Dick promptly sent an email with details about my purchase and delivery. It arrived via USPS in just a few days.

I tackled the replacement this morning. It only took a few minutes. All my research paid off, giving me absolute confidence going in. The entire process was a total success.

Now, time to load up that roll of film.

For future reference.

Texas Escapes Online Magazine.

I learned of this resource through a video I recently watched about Kat Swansey’s Texas adventures called “Landscapes & Abandoned Structures Photography.”

http://texasescapes.com/

Pretty cool.

One summer morning.

South Congress photo stroll.

I ventured down to Austin last Saturday morning. Precision Camera hosted a photo stroll on South Congress from 9-11 a.m.

Well attended, I’d say there were 20 or more people sporting their favorite camera.

The weather was nice, though a bit warm, even for that time of morning. It’s Texas, y’all!

We walked south from Jo’s Coffee the first hour, then crossed the street at E. Milton Street and headed north, taking advantage of the shade on that side of the avenue for the second hour.

Ending at Jo’s again, this stroll was a bit different from others in that we didn’t gather for lunch and look through each other’s shots once the walk was over. Or maybe that did happen and I didn’t hear about it. No biggy.

I had a blast, met a bunch of good folk, and got a few decent shots.

Jody

Light grid

Revival

Gate

Cosmic dog

Continental

Burro

Greybeard

A+S L+A

Hats

Josh

Four fuzzy leaves

truth

Air bubbles

Ten over ten

Rusty shutters #8.

Olympus E-PL3.

October 2011.

This camera holds a lot of awesome memories.

The E-PL3 was a gift. Or rather a reward, I suppose.

When I worked at Santa Clara University I was chosen as what amounts to the 2011 “Employee of the Year” for our division. I didn’t see it coming and being chosen totally blew me away. Something I’ll always remember and cherish.

There was also a cash bonus that came along with the award. Nice.

Torri and me planned a trip to Italy, happening later that same year, and I wanted to bring along a new digital camera.

The bonus from the award paid for the E-PL3. It got plenty of use on the trip.

I chose the E-PL3 over the Olympus PEN E-P3 because of the sleek, more modern appearance – they’re essentially the same camera.

I added the Franiac grip and the versatile VF-2 viewfinder, but one of my favorite features is the flip-up rear display. So handy.

The Olympus 17mm ƒ/2.8 gets the most use, but I have a healthy collection of M43 lenses and have used the Lensbaby Composer Pro/Sweet 35 combo and the 25mm ƒ/1.4 Pentax CCTV lens on this camera.

The Olympus menu system isn’t my fave, but I manage to get around without too much trouble.

This is definitely one of my fave shooters that still gets a lot of use.

Resolution: 12.3 megapixels
Max image size – 4032 x 3024
Display: 3in LCD @ 153,000 pixels
ISO: 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800
Shutter Speeds: 60 sec – 1/4000 sec
Metering: Multi-segment, center-weighted, spot
Dimensions WHD: 4.3in x 2.5in x 1.5in
Weight: 9.35 oz
Power: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC

 

Guitar

Knockout

Tine

Number one rose

Venus form

Going small.

A tale of two bags.

I’ve been using Courierware camera bags for quite a while – at least ten years.

Specifically the Incognito. I have two, a medium size for my TtV rig and a Mini for my daily carry. Both are great, durable bags that are still in excellent shape for as much use as they get.

The Mini is the perfect size for a mirrorless camera and an extra lens, or a couple of point-and-shoot cameras. These days I’m carrying the Panny GX8 with the Olympus 12-40ƒ/2.8 Pro attached and my trusty old Panny LX100. Plenty of pockets, inside and out, for a small notebook, biz cards, pens, pencils. Both were ordered with plastic clips, not velcro.

Plus, Eric at Courierware was able to sew up a 15″ handle for me, and I added a black fuzzy seatbelt cozy to the main strap. Very comfortable. Happy customer. The Mini gets a lot of use.

I’ve been on the lookout for something new. I wanted an even smaller bag to carry while traveling. A sling that’ll hold two or three point-and-shoot cameras, but not be totally obvious as a camera bag.

I found what I was looking for in the Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L.

The 5L checked off all the boxes: small, light-weight, flexible, adjustable, plenty of space for a small notebook, biz cards, pens, pencils, mobile phone. And at $99 US,  it’s really a decent price.

I like that the strap is not just adjustable, but padded. The 5L has a built in handle. There’s a nifty pair of velcro “FlexFold” dividers that make it easy to cordon off space for lenses or other accessories. Quite trick, this feature.

The bag, with the strap pulled in shorter rests in the small of my back, and it has what amounts to hinges at both ends of the strap, allowing the bag to fit snuggly at any length. Great idea.

Let the strap out longer, swing it around in front and you have easy and secure access to the contents. The flap opens outward from the body creating a ledge of sorts.

And it comes in black canvas. A must.

A test walk this weekend is in order.

There are bunches of reviews on YouTube, if you want to get an idea of what this nifty bag is all about.

Rusty shutters #7.

Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim.

September 2008.

An eBay purchase from around mid-2008, specifically to use on World Toy Camera Day, which was on October 18 that year. I loaded it with 35mm Kodak Elite Chrome 100 and had the film cross-processed at the local Ritz Camera store. Remember those?

I joined a photo stroll that day in San Francisco, walking around The Mission District on a bright, sunny day.

All plastic – including the lens – the VUWS is a simple point-and-shoot, but the camera’s tiny aperture requires a lot of light.

At 22mm, the pictures are super-wide angle with plenty of vignetting.

I was happy with the results.

Cool little camera. Still in my collection.

Film type: 35mm
Focal length: 22mm
Aperture: ƒ/11
Shutter speed: 1/125 sec
Focusing: Fixed focus

 

Orange bags

Veggies

Cinderella

Máscaras

Solar system