Classical glass.

 

A little macro action.

I have an adapter that allows me to use old manual-focus Minolta lenses on my micro four thirds cameras.

I made this particular lockdown garden shot – one of three Bulbine’s we have in pots on the back patio – using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 and a Minolta MD Rokkor X 50mm ƒ/1.4 lens that I’ve had for years.

I shot it square, there’s no cropping, but I did run it through the Urban Acid action, adding a few personal tweaks.

A twilight shot, the camera was pointed into the sun-less early evening sky, I shut it down a bit to get more of the flower and buds in focus – plus a smaller aperture allowed me to move the camera in closer. No flash, all natural light.

Titled “Yellow Bulbine,” I like this shot bunches.

Oh, and sorry about the really poor Mason Williams reference. Sometimes I just can’t help mysef.

Rusty shutters #21.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8.

September 2017.

The GX8 was the first M43 body I’d added to my collection since the GX1, nearly four years earlier.

I’m not much of an early adopter, so it took me a while to decide on this particular body. But I’m glad I did. I’m a fan of having the viewfinder on the left side of the camera, and the flip-up feature is just perfect for my style of photography. I added the larger eye-cup.

I’m not big on touch-screens, so I don’t usually have the swivel LED display showing, and I carry the camera in my bag that way just for protection.

All the dials and knobs are well placed and easy to use, and the grip is quite comfortable in my right hand. The size is perfect.

The Olympus 12-40 ƒ/2.8 PRO lens is what’s usually attached. Great chunk of glass.

The auto focus is super-fast.

I’ll be using this set-up for a pretty long while.

Resolution: 20.3 megapixels
Max image size – 5184 x 3888
Display: Fixed 3in LCD @ 1,040,000 pixels
Viewfinder: Articulated, electronic, 2,360,000 pixels
ISO: Auto, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800, 25600
Shutter Speeds: 60 sec – 1/8000 sec
Metering: Multi-segment, center-weighted, spot
Dimensions WHD: 5.2in x 3.1in x 2.5in
Weight: 17.2 oz
Power: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC

Golden flames

Winter Rose

A+S L+A

Imperial

Grey beard

Pail.

… by comparison.

I shot this photo with my Panny GX8 and a Pentax 25mm ƒ/1.4 (m43 50mm equivalent) c-mount CCTV lens, ISO 200, wide-open, using the Dynamic Black and White in-camera filter. A Manfrotto 785B Modo tripod and the camera’s timer set to 2 seconds helped keep things steady. I unscrewed the center bar from the pod to make the camera sit closer to the ground. The camera was just short of 5 feet from the subject.

The only post-processing is simple auto-levels in Photoshop.

I love the swirly bokeh this little lens produces.

The setting is the north side-yard of our home, sitting on a flagstone step, beneath the shade of our neighbor’s Live Oak and you’re looking east here.

A neighbor had set this pail out next to their garbage can for pick-up one Wednesday and I spotted it on my early-morning walk. I made a point of walking back past their house to snag it on the way home.

I store charcoal in it.

I love the swirly bokeh this little lens produces. It’s a great portrait lens, as well – you just have to get up in people’s faces with it!