Shooting with the 65:24 custom ratio - XPan images on the Lumix S5

I can't afford a Hasselblad XPan  - who can nowadays? Here in New Zealand they can go for as much as $7000.00! But hey - that's with a lens buster! If, that is, you can find one. Rare as hen's teeth they are. People just don't want to part with them. And that's because they are:

1. A Hasselblad
2. An XPan - a camera that managed to be something not many other cameras are - truly unique.

I'm fairly sure I'll never own one, and for a long time I wasn't sure I wanted to (but oh, I do!). Because the XPan's image ratio is what sets this camera apart from most others (certainly in the 35mm film space). Its 65:24 'panorama' view could almost be seen as a gimmick. Or just plain weird. And that's what I thought when they were first introduced in the 1990's - the love-child of Hasselblad Sweden and Fujifilm Japan. The camera you didn't know you needed, until you saw one.

How many photos do you want to shoot at an extreme 65:24 aspect ratio? Isn't a bit of a novelty isn't it? A bit like a fisheye lens point of view. Get's old real fast. Am I right?

Nelson Waterfront. Lumix S5 in 65:24 aspect ratio with S 20-60mm . f/8 @ 125th, ISO 100

Nope. Turns out I'm wrong! Dead wrong. It looks like those clever Swedish/Japanese engineers knew what the hell they were doing when they designed the XPan. Shooting in the 65:24 aspect ratio is not only a whole heap of fun, but amazingly helpful when composing an image. And fortunately for me - even though I don't have an XPan, I do have a Panasonic Lumix S5, which just so happens to shoot in the 65:24 aspect ratio (amongst others).

In a recent trip to Nelson, my wife and I took a stroll along the waterfront in the early evening, hoping to get some half-decent photos of the boats and wharf. It was a lovely evening, with some very nice light. BUT, there wasn't much in the way of cloud action in the sky, or foreground action either. I shot for a while in the usual 3:2 aspect ratio, and wasn't digging the results. But then I thought to myself - 'self, what would it look like if I got rid of the foreground and bland sky, and shot XPan style'.

Boatshed Cafe, Nelson. Lumix S5 in 65:24 ratio with S 20-60mm . f/8 @ 1/50th, ISO 100

Boom! Instantly better photos! Well at least I think so. The Panoramic-style format has not only allowed me to get rid of the bland sky and foreground, but it also suits the horizontal composition of the building jutting out into the water. It 'accentuates' to horizontality (is that a word) of the subject - and I love it. And far from being the 'only' composition I could use it with, the opposite seemed to be true. Everywhere I looked there were images crying out to be 'XPanned'!

Fishing off the Wharf, Nelson. Lumix S5 in 65:24 ratio with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 100th, ISO 100

Now I know what you're thinking. These aren't really 'XPan' images. They're just full frame 3:2 images 'cropped' in camera to produce the look of the 65:24 ratio. And of course, you'd be 100% keerect. But when you look through the viewfinder of the S5 in 65:24 ratio, that's what you see. And you can compose accordingly. A bit like when you switch the camera to shoot mono and you get to 'see' in mono through the viewfinder. It elevates the user experience in a way that 'pre-visualising' can't.

And just like shooting in monochrome, as long as you are also capturing a RAW image, then you are still retaining a colour 3:2 full-frame image. Actually - that's just given me an idea.... How about using the 65:24 aspect ratio and setting the camera to monochrome, for that truly old-school film shooting feel. I hadn't thought of that! (Note to self...)

Boat at Dusk, Nelson Harbour. Lumix S5 in 65:24 ratio with S 20-60mm lens. f/8 @1/25th, ISO 100

Sure, it means that you are 'throwing away' about half the megapixels in the image - but with a full frame camera and 24MPs they still end up being a decent size and have plenty of detail to work with in post.

And speaking of 'post' - I've made a huge change recently to my post-processing. I've dumped my Adobe Photography subscription and moved to something else for all my RAW processing and photo editing. What did I go with? I'll let you know in the next blogpost.... 😉

Serenity. Panasonic Lumix S5 in 65:24 ratio with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/60th, ISO 800

I loved photographing Nelson Waterfront in the 'Hasselblad XPan' 65:24 aspect ratio. I had an absolute blast. And it proved to me that the 65:24 aspect ratio isn't just a gimmick. It's a bona fide choice for really strong compositions - with the right subject.

Is it enough to make me want a Hasselblad XPan? Yeah - it kinda is. It's certainly shown me that it wouldn't just sit on the shelf gathering dust. Will I ever use one 'for real'? Nah. Probably not. It's a bit like the Leica conundrum. Yes, I'm sure they are nice. But for that price, I'd rather have a couple more lenses for my Panasonic and change left over! Dreams, however, are free.....

Creating custom Photo Styles on the Lumix S5

In my last post I said that I was going to have a play around with making my own Photo Styles for my Panasonic Lumix S5 - a bit like the Fujifilm 'recipes'. When I shot with the Fujifilm E1 and E2 (excellent cameras and I rather miss them), I spent a lot of time creating my own film 'recipes' and then shooting them in either RAW + Jpeg, or sometimes even Jpeg only. I decided to try and replicate them in my S5, just to see how close I could get, and whether the results would be worth it or not.

For the colour styles, I wanted a classic film look (similar to the Classic Chrome film simulation of the Fuji's), as well as a more punchy 'Velvia' style. Above is my 'Classic Film' Style next to the Standard Panasonic picture profile, and my 'Velvia' next to the Vivid picture style that comes with the camera.

The 'Classic Film' style certainly has a slightly de-saturated film look compared to the Standard profile, since it's based on the L. Classic Neo photo style. My settings for the Classic Film look are:

Base: L Classic Neo

Contrast 0

Highlight 0

Shadow -4

Saturation +3

Hue +2

Grain Effect: Low

Colour Noise: On

Sharpness 0

Noise Reduction 0

For my Velvia photo style, I started with the Vivid base, and then ramped it up a bit more:
Base: Vivid
Contrast +2.5
Highlight 0
Shadows -1
Saturation +4
Hue -2
Sharpness +2
Noise Reduction -2

For the monochrome styles I wanted two contrasting styles - and these I've called Acros and Tri-X.

Acros is based on the standard Monochrome Picture style and is not a huge change, although it does add grain and a yellow filter. For my Acros style I used:

Base: Monochrome

Contrast 0

Highlight -1

Shadow +1

Tone 0

Filter: Yellow

Grain: Low

Sharpness +1

Noise Reduction +2.5

And for my grittier Tri-X style I used:

Base L. Monochrome D

Contrast +3

Highlights +1

Shadows -3

Tone 0

Filter: Red

Grin: High

Sharpness +1

Noise Reduction -2.5

Does the end justify the means? Is it worth all this fluffing about - especially when you can achieve all of these results with just the one RAW file in post?

If I'm honest, it's probably not really worth the hassle - and I basically came to the same conclusion when shooting Fujifilm. Unless you are a Jpeg shooter only, who wants their images to have a particular look and feel SOOC (straight out of camera). Then all this picture style stuff really does make sense.

The only picture style above that is markedly different from Panasonics own offerings is the gritty, contrasty Tri-X style. But even then, I discovered while playing around with picture styles that there are also 'Filters' that can be set as well (although not in conjunction with Picture Styles). Most are just gimmicky (sepia, fantasy, stars etc), but a couple of them might be worth using. Especially the Dynamic Monochrome which gives results like (you guessed it) Tri-X! 

I've got the above Picture Styles programmed in now, so I may as well keep them there. But will I shoot with them? Maybe. Just maybe....

Exploring the Panasonic Lumix S5 Photo Styles

In my previous post I talked about getting back into film photography. And on that note, the film I ordered from AliExpress, that was due to arrive in about two months from that slow boat to China, actually only took a couple of weeks. Excellent! If I like the look of the 400 ISO Lucky film, I may have to order some more....

But why, in this day and age, would anyone want to shoot film (I hear you say)? And that's a very good question - thanks for asking. Well, one of the main reasons to shoot film relates to what I just said about the Lucky film from China. It has to do with the 'look' of the film. Its rendition of colour (or monotones). Its grain structure. The way it handles contrast - mid tones, highlights etc. 

It's the reason film photographers have favourite film stocks. Some like the 'look' of Portra, while some prefer Velvia. Which of course, also speaks to the Fuji vs Kodak debate. Fuji tends more towards greens and blues, while Kodak tends more towards reds and warm colour tones.

Film shooters will argue that they get to change their camera's 'sensor' every time they change their film stock. Kodak for portraits, Fuji for landscapes, and TMax for moody black and whites. Whereas a digital sensor is just an electronic device capturing 1s and 0s in a predictable and repeatable manner - right?

Cobden Lagoon. Lumix S5 with S20-60mm. L Classic Neo Photo Style + Low Grain.

Well, actually, digital camera manufacturers have gone to great lengths to reproduce colours from digital sensors in very specific ways. It's why two manufacturers can use the same digital sensor, and yet the images that they produce will be very different in the way they render colour. Very much like film shooters preferring a particular film stock, you will now hear digital photographers talk about preferring a particular 'colour science' from one brand over the other.

Every digital camera you buy offers 'Picture Profiles' (some call them 'styles') with titles like Landscape, Portrait or Natural (to name just a few). These give you different 'looks' to your photos - if you shoot Jpegs. If, however, you only shoot RAW, then these picture profiles are basically redundant (although they will be what you see through the viewfinder and on the LCD screen when you review the image).

Perhaps the manufacturer who has taken these picture styles to the extreme is Fujifilm. With a rich history of 'film' (duh), they offer styles called Velvia, Acros and Eterna (among others) that get baked-in to the jpeg and simulate their film stocks. An entire community has been created around photographers coming up with new 'recipes' that simulate film stocks for Fujifilm cameras. But they aren't the only players in the game...

Photo Styles from the Panasonic Lumix S5.

Above is an overview of the 15 Photo Styles (plus one with grain added) available in the Lumix S5. It may be difficult to pick up some of the subtle (and not so subtle) nuances in each style, but they are certainly different from each other. Many of the styles are 'as advertised', in that Natural is quite 'natural' looking, Vivid is more 'vivid, and Monochrome is - you guessed it - 'monochrome'. Others, like 'Landscape' or 'Portrait' are also fairly self-explanatory.

But then there are also options like L Classic Neo, L Monochrome D and Cinelike V2 which are a bit more out of the ordinary. L Monochrome (Lumix Monochrome - or Leica?) has been added to Photo Styles with the S series of cameras, together with Monochrome D and monochrome S. D is a more punchy b&w - more suitable for architecture and landscapes, while S seems tailored towards portraiture? That's how I would use them.

L Classic Neo is Panasonic's attempt at simulating colour negative film. The colours are intended to have a more nostalgic and gentle colour film look. And to be fair, it does a pretty decent job of it (see the first photo in this blogpost).

Another example of Photo Styles.

The final row of Photo Styles are more geared towards video shooting, although you can produce still images using these profiles. The final, V-Log is a very flat profile, ideal for colour grading of video, and not really useful if you are purely a stills shooter. I did, however, quite like the colour rendition using the Like 709 style on the landscape image above, so there's no rule that says you can't use these video-centric style for your photography. But again, remember these are for Jpegs only, so the resulting style will be 'baked-in' to the final image.

Greymouth Wharf from Cobden Lagoon. L Monochrome D + Grain High.

Almost all of the above examples are of Picture Styles using the default settings. Each individual Photo Style can also be 'tweaked' to create your own style (or 'recipe' to steal the concept from Fujifilm). The S5 allows you to programme a further 4 custom styles of your own making for quick recall. 

Adjustments such as contrast, highlight, shadow, tone, hue and sharpness can be set by adding or subtracting values and will vary depending on the picture style (you can't set hue and saturation in the monochrome styles for example). For Monochrome (and Classic Neo), you can also add grain structure in 3 settings (low, standard or high), as well as adding yellow, orange, red or green filter effects. The options are almost endless! With a bit of trial and error, I'm sure you could dial in something resembling your favourite film stock.

Grain can be set at either Low, Standard or High for that extra film look.

And if this wasn't enough, the latest Lumix S cameras (not my S5 unfortunately) can also accept LUTs - colour profiles that are usually used at the post-processing stage by videographers to simulate different colour gradings or film stocks. Fujifilm eat your heart out!

Photo Styles (or film recipes - call them what you will) were something that I played around with a lot when I was shooting Fujifilm cameras. It seemed like a natural thing to do when you were starting out with styles called Provia. But there's really no reason why you couldn't do the same thing with Lumix cameras like the S5 using their Photo Styles as a base. 

If you enjoy shooting jpegs, and trying to get a particular 'look' to your images SOOC (straight out of camera), then have a play with Photo Styles. I'm going to have a play with some of my own, and I'll share what I've come up with. Can I get Kodak TMax 400 and Fuji Velvia out of a Panasonic Lumix S5? Why not....

OMG! - A Macro lens for my S5!

It's no secret that I've been struggling with photographic motivation over the last few years. My image production, and time spent out and about doing photography, has reduced insanely!

But if there is one genre that has pulled me slowly and inexorably back into the picture taking process, it's been fungi/macro photography.

Over the last two or three years, whenever I've posted on my blog (and no, dear reader, that hasn't been frequently), it's mostly been about macro/fungi photography. Therefore, not surprisingly, whenever I've gone out to take photos, it's to do fungi photography. I've even kept a Sony A99 around to shoot with because it has a specific 100mm macro lens. If I was going out fungi hunting I would leave my S5 at home, since I only had the 20-60mm 'kit' lens and standard 50mm f1.8.

That was, until very recently.

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art

I had always hoped that I would one day get an L-mount macro lens for my S5, but given the price of them, I thought that 'one-day' would be a long way off! I had been keeping an eye on the Panasonic 100mm macro lenses on the second-hand market here in NZ, and a good copy is going for around $1300.00NZ (and about $1850.00NZ new). Yikes!! Too rich for my blood!

Fortunately for the L-Mount system, Panasonic (and Leica) aren't the only game in town. Sigma is also part of the L-Mount alliance, and bring another option to the table. And with their 'Art' range of lenses Sigma produce some of the best lenses in the world. As a third-party manufacturer, they also tend to be 'slightly' cheaper than the maker's own lenses. The Sigma 105mm f/2.8, brand new, is around $1100.00NZ - some $700.00NZ cheaper than the Panasonic. This is definitely a savings, but still a lot of money for a poor boy like me.

But recently, while looking through a New Zealand second-hand photography Facebook group, I came across the bargain I had been waiting for. A used Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Art Macro L Mount lens, at a very reasonable price. It was, in fact, for about the same price I thought that I could get for the Panasonic GH3 kit that I had sitting around unused. I'd purchased the kit at the start of the year when I thought I was going be doing a lot of real estate videography, but this never actually happened (don't get me started).  

Long story short, I sold my GH3 kit to a local photographer, contacted the seller of the Sigma on Facebook, and a few days later I was the very excited owner of a mint/like-new 105mm macro lens! It would be a month later before I would have the chance to get out and shoot with it, and pickings were slim this time of the year, but I did manage to find some fungi to shoot in my local area.

Coal Creek Fungi. Lumix S5 and Sigma f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art. f/18 @ 0.5 sec, ISO 400

The Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art is a beautiful lens -both in its construction and in the images it produces. It is packed with all the latest technology - as opposed to the Panasonic version which is very much a bare-bones offering. Both lenses have a focus limiter (fairly standard for macro lenses) and a MF/AF switch, but the Sigma also adds an AF lock button, an aperture ring, an aperture ring click switch and an aperture lock switch. The Sigma also has a dust and splash resistance structure, with water and oil repellant coatings.

Fade to Black. Lumix S5 with Sigma 105mm macro. f/11 @ 0.6sec, ISO 400.

Although it is a reasonably hefty lens at 715grams (over twice the weight of the Panasonic), it still balances well on the S5. The front half of the lens consists of a ribbed soft-grip to aid in manual focusing (important for a macro lens). The lower half is mostly smooth metal with aperture ring (yes, an actual aperture ring), and the aforementioned buttons. It's an elegant and practical design, making the lens a joy to use.

As well as being twice the weight of the Panasonic, it is also twice the height, especially with the provided lens hood attached. Despite this, the front element filter size is smaller than the Lumix offering (64mm for the Sigma and 67mm for the Panasonic). This, for me, is the only unfortunate thing with the Sigma. It would have been ideal if the filter thread was the same as the Panasonic so that I would only have to carry one set of filters. I do, however, already have a 64mm polariser - which is probably the only filter I'll need to use on a macro lens - so in the end its not a huge issue.

Stand out from the Crowd. Lumix S5 with Sigma 105mm. f/18 @ 1/6th sec, ISO 400.

As a first outing with the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art lens, I'm very happy (ecstatic) with my purchase. From the moment I got the S5 and decided it would be my 'forever' camera, I've wanted to get a macro lens for it. I thought it would take me a lot longer than this to get one if I'm honest, so I am very grateful that the planets aligned and I was able to make it happen sooner.

I've still got a few technical 'tweaks' I want to make to the S5 when shooting macro images (I'm not sure I've set it up to make optimal use of the manual focusing aids the camera has to offer), but I've got a couple more months to get this sorted before fungi season really kicks in. 

At least my first outing with the lens was a great success! Bring on autumn and more fungi fun!

Playing with aspect ratios on the S5.

For most of my photography 'career' I've been a fairly traditional shooter. By that I mean I don't tend to make much use of the technology that is built into todays cameras. There aren't all that many settings that I change or play around with on a regular basis. Growing up a film shooter, I tend to just focus on aperture, shutter speed and composition. I don't even really move my ISO around that much (mostly using the lowest native ISO setting the camera has).

Rapahoe Pier Structure. Lumix S5 with S20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/100th, ISO 100

Now having just said all that, I'm also not a luddite! I use image stabilisation as a matter of course, and will change the ISO if and when I need to. When I owned Fuji I spent endless hours playing around with film simulations. And of course, I shoot in RAW so I can get the best out of my images during post-processing. But usually, that's about it.

I've said on numerous occasions that I'm not a video guy, and would be more than happy if camera releases came in two flavors - with, or without video. My S5, although now 'old' by digital camera standards, has video features that I will never use. It is, in fact, by all accounts, still an amazing camera for video shooters - being predominantly designed with video shooters in mind (according to the hip on-line hybrid content creators). I don't care. Didn't buy it for its video capabilities - obviously. Because it is also - for all its video centric capabilities - a damn fine 'camera' for photography. Who'd have guessed?

Magick is Real. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/50th, ISO 100

In terms of photography-centric features, the S5 has a few that interest me slightly - and that I will 'play around with' from time to time. One of those is the high-res mode, which takes the 24MP sensor and turns it into a 60+MP monster! This does have some limitations - the camera must be on a tripod, and the scene you are photographing must largely be static (landscapes and not portraits). 

Do I really need 60+MP images to deal with? I suspect the answer is no. In fact I know that the answer is no. But hey, fun to 'play' with - right?

And maybe going out with your camera to 'play' with settings you don't normally shoot with, can be a door back into shooting with your camera a bit more? A bit of a spark to kick-start the creative juices again?

That's how it was for me the other evening when I found myself at a local beach and I decide to play around with aspect ratios.

Rapahoe Xpan. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/60th, ISO 100. 65:24 aspect ratio

I was watching a review of the S5 on youtube the other night (as you do), and the reviewer mentioned that the camera could shoot in the 65:24 'Xpan' ratio. I kind of knew this already, but hadn't given it much thought. But as I stood in front of a dilapidated pier structure at Rapahoe Beach, stretching out across the sand, I suddenly remembered about the panoramic aspect ratio of the Xpan. This, I thought to myself, would make a perfect subject for it. And I was right.

I really like the above image, and the subject works perfectly in this aspect ratio. Once I switched the camera's aspect ratio over to 65:24 and could 'see' in this format, it was a hell of a lot of fun trying to compose using the wide field of view.

Not that I don't think the subject doesn't work in the S5's native 3:2 aspect ratio - see the first image in this post. But it's undeniably 'fun' and then undeniably challenging, to compose for a totally different field of view.

Something fishy. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/5.6 @ 1/50th, ISO 100. 1:1. Mono conversion

Once I had started exploring the possibilities of other aspect ratios, I started looking for compositions that would fit a particular framing. As an ex-medium format film shooter, I have a love-hate relationship with the 1:1 square format. When I was using medium format almost exclusively, I often struggled with composing in the square format. But every now and again I'll come across a subject and I'll 'see' it as a square image.

I saw the above image of the washed-up fish on the beach not only as a square 1:1 composition, but also as a monochrome photo. I have also added a little film grain when I processed the final image in Camera RAW, to give that familiar film-look. Might not be everyone's cup-of-tea, but I like it.

Standing Tall. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/80th, ISO 100. 1:1 aspect ratio

Of course the square format also works well for colour. The above image reminds me of the colour rendition of Kodak Ektar 100 medium format film. Has that 'look' with the overall green and blue hues. It's actually very faithful to the scene, and I love the colours coming from the S5's sensor. Even the RAW files look pretty good and don't need a lot of punch added in post.

All in a Row. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/9 @ 1/40th, ISO 100

I had a lot of fun shooting in various different aspect ratios during the evening, and it did inspire me to keep shooting and find some interesting compositions. But, because I shoot in RAW mode, the aspect ratio I chose to use in-camera isn't set in stone like it would be if I was shooting jpeg. All of the images imported into Lightroom as a normal 3:2 ratio that makes use of the whole image sensor. The aspect ratio is a crop attached in the metedata. So it can be changed or removed at any stage.

So what's the point in shooting with different aspect ratios if you can just crop later on in post? Good question, and I've asked this myself. And I guess there's two parts to the answer. First, as mentioned above, if you are shooting in jpeg mode, then the aspect ratio (crop) is locked in to your final image. So any final jpeg images straight from camera will be as you saw it through the viewfinder.

Second, it's that 'play' aspect - and also the pre-visualisation - that happens when you are composing with the actual crop through the viewfinder. It's a bit like shooting monochrome on a digital camera. If you shoot RAW, then the monochrome setting is just attached metadata - the colour information is still retained in the original file. But the great thing is that you 'see' in monochrome through the viewfinder. I can't stress enough what a massive help this is when learning to shoot black and white images. Suddenly it's not 'theory' anymore, but actual visual feedback.

Have you shot in different aspect ratios in your camera? Do you even know where to go to change them? If you haven't, then go ahead and have a play. It's a lot of fun. It can also be a very helpful compositional aid. And if you shoot in RAW mode, then no harm - no foul. You can always undo what your clever camera has done.

Panasonic GH3 for photography (in 2024).

In my last post I discussed my recent purchase of the Lumix GH3 for shooting video. This will be its main purpose - in conjunction with my Lumix S5 - to supply video and photos for a Real Estate firm. But it will also act as a back-up of sorts, if anything should happen (please no, touch wood) to the S5 while on a shoot. So the IQ (image quality) needs to be 'good enough' to take over photo duty if required (again, please no....!).

Of course whenever you get any new gear, you need to test it out - right?! Nobody in their right mind would take a newly acquired piece of equipment and try it out for the first time on a shoot - least of all an actual paid gig! No - I thought not.

With this in mind, I loaded up my Lowepro backpack with my Lumix S5 and S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 attached, and the Lumix GH3 with the G 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Power OIS, and headed out the door this past weekend (as I write this).

It had been a while since I had been to Dorothy Falls at Kaniere, so that was my destination. I got up at stupid-o'clock on Saturday morning so I could get to the falls around dawn. Turned out this was a little too early, so I wandered down to Lake Kaniere to see if I could capture a few sunrise photos.

As you can see from the image on the right, reducing the exposure to retain highlight detail in the sky (very important with digital sensors) has meant that the landscape itself is underexposed. Looking at this image back home on the computer, I didn't hold out much hope of getting any detail or definition in the trees around the lake, especially since this is from a micro four thirds sensor. 

Lake Kaniere Dawn.  Lumix GH3 with Lumix G 12-60mm Power OIS. f/8 @ 1/50th, ISO 200

Having owned, and used, 16MP Olympus micro four thirds cameras for many years, I shouldn't have been so pessimistic. I've written myself, on several occasions in this very blog, that the ability to extract information from the micro four thirds sensor is actually quite staggering. Micro four thirds sensors are capable of capturing excellent dynamic range - the GH3 itself is capable of around 12.5 stops of dynamic range. 

In comparison, the S5's 24MP sensor is rated by DXO of 14.5 stops. Two stops is certainly significant, but this is a considerably newer - full frame - sensor. 12.5 stops on the GH3 is very, very respectable, and allows it to create images like the one above. What's more, the detail pulled out of the shadows is very clean and noise-free at the cameras native ISO of 200. A very good result indeed.

Dorothy Falls. Lumix GH3 with G 12-60mm. f/8 @ 1/3rd sec, ISO 200 + Polariser

I would have liked to have spent a bit more time exploring Lake Kaniere, but I was being swarmed and eaten alive by the (in)famous west coast sand fly. They like the taste of me unfortunately, and as soon as I set up my tripod I was surrounded by the little biting monsters! I took this as my que to head back to Dorothy Falls where, given the slightly cooler temperatures of the surrounding bush, the sand flies were thankfully (mostly) absent.

This allowed me to take my time, and take two shots of the same subject - one with the GH3 and one with the S5 - for 'comparisons' sake.

I've already discussed the dynamic range capabilities of both cameras, and this can be seen in the 100% crops above. The S5 retains detail in even the brightest areas of the waterfall, whereas the GH3 doesn't quite manage it. On both exposures I was very careful not to 'clip' the highlights, but the GH3 sensor just isn't capable of  retaining the extreme highlight detail. The full frame image is also very slightly 'crisper' than the micro four thirds one - again not surprising given the size and age advantage of the newer S5 full-frame sensor.

And yet, there's not a massive difference between the two - certainly not as much as some would have you believe there should be. I would take the S5's full-frame sensor over the GH3's micro four thirds - of course I would. But if you told me I had to use the 16MP GH3 from now on, it certainly wouldn't hold me back from making amazing images. And as a back-up to my S5, it'll do just fine.

Dorothy Falls Cascade. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/2sec, ISO 200

Having just said that, I will admit to preferring to using the S5 over the GH3. For a start, the viewfinder on the GH3 leaves a lot to be desired. It's a little blurry around the edges for us glass-wearers, which makes composition a little tricky. Fortunately, when shooting video, I'll only be using the LCD screen which is perfectly fine to compose from. This was also the case for most of the morning while the GH3 was on a tripod. But take it off the tripod, use the viewfinder to compose and the picture taking experience is diminished somewhat.

I also prefer the weight, heft, and overall handling of the S5. The GH3 isn't bad in this respect, but the S5 is better (IMHO). The GH3 with battery grip weighs about the same as the S5 body. Add a lens to both of them and the weight is similar enough to not be a factor. But the S5 certainly feels better in my hand. That being said, the GH3 is probably the most comfortable micro four thirds camera I've ever used. Far better than the angular and retro inspired Olympus offerings like the OMD EM-5 and EM-1.

Cloud Cover. Panasonic Lumix GH3 with G 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 OIS. f/7.1 @ 1/800th, ISO 200

As someone who has had a lot of experience shooting micro four thirds - especially with Olympus - the Olympus vs Panasonic question is an interesting one. I can see why Olympus embraced their heritage with the retro OM look to their cameras, as much as I can see how it made sense for Panasonic to pursue a more traditional DSLR style to their cameras.

Personally, even though I like the look of the Olympus cameras, I do prefer the Panasonic's DSLR style ergonomics and handling. BUT.... I think that Olympus make the better cameras in terms of functions, engineering and technology. Especially when it comes to the Panasonic's Achilles heal - auto focus. Not that Panasonic's contrast-based autofocus is unusable. For stills photography it's actually very good. But video - well that's another story. Needless to say, I think I'll be using a lot of manual focusing with the GH3. And that's absolutely fine.

Dorothy Falls, Kaniere. Lumix GH3 with G 12-60mm. f/8 @ 1/2sec, ISO 200. + Polariser

Is the 16MP Panasonic GH3 micro four thirds camera a twelve year old obsolete dinosaur that should be dismissed in 2024? No - of course not! In fact, it would be an amazing camera to give to someone who wants to learn photography and grow in their hobby. With great ergonomics, a very capable image sensor, and very good IQ - not to mention excellent video features (if you are happy to focus manually) - the GH3 was Panasonic's flagship camera when it was released in 2012. It was an amazing camera then, and it's a fantastic camera now. Not state-of-the-art, granted. But you're not paying state-of-the-art prices. And yet what you get for your money is above and beyond what you should expect at this price point. Cheap as chips, but oh-so capable. I reckon the GH3 will make a perfect video camera, and an ideal back-up for my S5.

The Lumix GH3 joins my Panasonic family

I have written recently about my mini-resurgence in photography, brought about by my getting involved in Real Estate photography. I've supplied photos and video for a few more properties since then - enough to formulate some ideas about how I can refine the process going forward.

Before going out on my last gig, it suddenly dawned on me that I was only going with one camera. That's something I would never do if I was shooting a wedding. And while taking photos of houses isn't exactly a one-off event, going back another day because your gear failed and you don't have a back-up is hardly a good look.

Also, as stated above, I have to supply both stills and video. So on each shoot I find myself juggling back and forth between video and photo settings on the one camera. It would, I decided, be better to have two cameras (back-up, back-up, back-up) - one for stills and one for video. 

Another S5 would be lovely - but even second hand it's out of my price range at the moment. So I started looking around for a good second body, video-centric camera. Enter the Panasonic Lumix GH3.

My 'new' Lumix GH3 with 12-60mm

Now before you say anything, let me explain. Yes, I know it's a twelve year old camera. Yes, I know it's micro four thirds and not full frame. And yes I know there will be a difference in image quality. But, as I've explained, this will be my video camera. And as a video camera, shooting 1920x1080p @ 50fps, it will be perfect for what I need (don't need 4k).

The lens I have with it is the Lumix 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Power OIS - a very good kit zoom with a decent range. At the wide end it gives me 24mm (full-frame equivalent) - not as wide as my S5's 20-60mm coverage, but again, this will be for video, not stills. And if all goes well with the Real Estate photography, then I could maybe add a 7-14mm f/4 in the future? But for now, for video, the 12-60mm should do just fine.

I also managed to find a brand new battery grip for the GH3 at a price I couldn't refuse. I'm a big battery grip fan, and may even end up getting one for the S5 - although the ergonomics on the S5 are already great, and the battery grip would add more weight. But on a 'smaller' camera like the GH3, the battery grip enhances the ergonomics, and a little more heft is a good thing when trying to keep things stable hand-held. Because that's one down-side of getting a twelve year old camera - the body doesn't have in-built stabilisation. Although as noted earlier, the 12-60mm lens does. Times have, however, moved on. And the stabilisation of the S5 is notably (or should that be substantially) better.

As for the GH3 camera body itself - well, lets just say I can't quite believe my luck. I got it for a very good price ($250 for the body and two batteries), and when it arrived it looked brand new. And I mean absolutely brand new! Not a scratch, mark, smudge, smear or fingerprint on it anywhere!! It's the newest looking twelve year old camera I've ever seen. 

A quick Google search showed me how to find the shutter actuations on a GH3, and when I had gone through the process, I could not believe the result. I still can't. But, as you can plainly see for yourself, the camera has only taken a grand total of 97 photos! 97!!!! Un-be-lievable! So even though it may have been released in 2012, my particular copy of the GH3 is basically brand-spanking-new!

I have avoided video for most of my career - although I did immerse myself in it somewhat when I was running my (brief ) YouTube Channel. How ironic is it, then, that I have specifically purchased a camera exclusively for video use! But this is also part of the reasoning behind getting an older camera like the GH3 (apart from the consideration of budget of course).

The Panasonic GH range is known as being video-centric, and the GH3 is still talked about by videographers as a good 'budget' film makers option. Yet because of its age, it isn't packed with too much technology as to be overwhelming for a newbie like me. The menus are simple to navigate, the options are reasonably straight forward (unlike those on my S5), and the actual process of shooting video on the GH3 is fairly straight forward. Even I should be able to manage it 😀

So I now have a micro-four-thirds camera in my arsenal again. And trust me, that's no bad thing. If Panasonic's iteration of the 16MP micro four thirds sensor and IQ is anything like Olympus's (and I have no doubt it will be), then the images (and video) that come out of the Lumix GH3 will be fantastic! Can't wait to take it out and clock up some more actuations on that shutter!

Sunny sky photography - in defence of the 'record' shot.

'You can't always get what you want.'

Sir Mick and his Rolling Stones were right. We can't always get what we want. And this is certainly true in photography. As a landscape photographer, I'd love to have amazing golden light every time I went out to photograph. But that ain't ever going to happen. In fact, it rarely ever happens!

Most times, the golden light doesn't eventuate, even if you're at the right place, at the right time. Quite often, however, we're in the right place - but it's definitely not the right time. Mid afternoon in summer, for example. Do we just put our cameras away because the light isn't right?

Well, yes, that can be an option. Especially if it's a location you can return to easily. But what if it's not? What if it's your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Maybe you're traveling and will likely never return? Do you put your camera away because the lighting isn't right? No, of course you don't. You take some photographs anyway. And get what many refer to (somewhat disparagingly) as 'record' shots.

Truman Track, Punakaiki. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm lens. f8 @ 1/1000th sec, ISO 200

I took the above image of the Truman Track Beach at 1.30pm on a sunny, blue sky day. The time of day when many other tourists and visitors were out-and-about experiencing nature and taking photos. If I were a tourist on that day, just passing through for my one and only time in Punakaiki, would I be happy with this photo of the Truman Track? Of course I would!

For a start, I'm very happy with the composition. I waited for just the right time when the white sea foam had made it halfway up the beach to take the photo. And I nailed it. So composition-wise there's nothing wrong with this image. And yes, I even like the tiny bits of flax sticking up from the right hand corner at the bottom of the photo. I think they help to 'ground' the photo and keep your eye from wandering. A little bit like a 'natural' vignette 😄

I also like the colours in this image. they are vibrant and 'pop'. And yes, that includes the blue sky. What is so wrong with blue skies? I've watched many a photographer online (some who I even respect) talk about how much they hate blue sky days. And many refuse to photograph them.

Does the simple fact that the above photo has a blue sky, and was taken in the middle of the day, immediately reduce it to merely a 'record' shot? No, damn it! I think not....

Truman Track, Punakaiki. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm lens. f8 @ 1/800th, ISO 200

Here's another - same day, same time, same subject (just down on the beach this time). And I really like this shot. Because of the cloud formation - and the blue sky. Would it be a better photo if I had been there at sunset and captured a pink sky with golden light. Maybe. But then wouldn't that just make it a 'record' shot with nice light? Isn't any photo just that - a record of a particular time and place? Irrespective of the light you captured it in?

Surely what we want in our photos is to capture the feelings we felt when we were there? To somehow recreate the essence of the experience we had, in a single frame (let's not get into video - seriously, let's not). And the above images, taken in the harsh summer afternoon light, do just that for me. They take me straight back to that time and place, and I'm right there again - hearing the pounding of the waves, smelling the ocean and feeling the hot sun beating down on my neck. Mere 'record' shots? Whatever...

Truman Beach Waterfall. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f.8 @ 1/250th, ISO 200

Shooting in the mid-day sun does have its challenges though, given that you are dealing with the harshest light of the day. With the sun large, bright, and almost directly overhead, shadows can be very deep and highlights very blown-out. It's often for this very reason that photographers will tell you to avoid shooting at this time of the day. And it's generally good advice. Although with the digital camera sensors we have nowadays, the extreme ranges of light and shadow (referred to as dynamic range) can often be recovered in post-processing.

Modern cameras like my Panasonic Lumix S5 can capture a staggering dynamic range in a single image - about 11 stops! Compare that to the 5 stop range you used to get with slide film, and you can see why slide film shooters avoided mid-day light like the plague! Whereas with the technology we have available now, there's almost nothing you can't recover in post if you have a well-exposed RAW file to work with. And that's not even taking other processing tricks like digital blending or HDR imaging into account.

With a digital sensor capturing harsh light, it's important to keep as much highlight detail as possible in your original RAW file (and yes, shoot RAW to get the best file to work with). Often this means under-exposing by a stop or more and letting the black shadows go black. You will be amazed at how much detail can be recovered from a densely black shadow, without sacrificing too much in the way of detail or noise. 

Deep, black shadows make sense to us as humans, as our eyes constantly adjust to the bright light and naturally let the shadows go black. So this is what looks  more 'realistic' to us in a final image. If in doubt, just let those shadows go black.

Punakaiki Rock Forms. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f.8 @ 1/200th, ISO 200

Let's finish with a true 'record' shot. A close-up of the strange rock formations found at Punakaiki. Surely this is a true record shot. Or is it? Of all four images in this post, is this the one with the 'best' (softest, contoured, gradual) lighting? Is it purely lighting that elevates a photograph above a simple 'record' shot? Or are photographers simply using the term to de-value shots they've taken that they don't like? I've heard it time and again from the mouths of photographers - 'Yeah, it's ok. Just a record shot.'

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that light doesn't matter. I started out this post by stating that I would love to have golden light every time I shoot. Although upon reflection, I'm not sure that's entirely true. Because I think it's important (and rewarding) to be able to shoot in all kinds of lighting conditions and still come away with images you can be happy with - or even proud of. Blue sky days included.

So please, don't be one of those photographers who only shoots under 'ideal' (whatever that means) lighting conditions. Even in the middle of the day, at the height of summer, there are many amazing photos to be had...

 

Back from the Wilderness.

Kia ora (hello) everyone. 

Shock - horror, I'm back with a new post! It's been 6 months (almost exactly) since I've written on the blog, and I'd like to say I've been too busy with photography to post. But that would be a lie.

I've been busy alright. But not with photography.

Family life has been very busy, and somewhat stressful, but it looks like I may be climbing out of some darkness and into the light. I won't go into great detail, but I will say that part of the reason (a very large part) for my lack of posting and photography has been my work situation. I started a new job at the beginning of this year, but it hasn't gone so well. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I have found a new job, and a change of career! And this is, in a very large way, the reason for this post (on photography - yes, I AM getting there 😄)

Hagley Park, Christchurch. Panasonic Lumix S5 with 20-60mm f3.5/5.6. f8 @ 1/30th, ISO 400

I finish my old job this week (as I write this), and start the new one two weeks later. So that gives me a two week break in-between jobs. My wife and I have decided to take the opportunity to go away on holiday - which means lots of photography! Yay!!!!

This is a big deal for us, since we don't tend to go on many dedicated holidays. It has, in fact, been about 25 years since we went away on holiday together - just us alone - and that was our honeymoon! But even then, we stayed with friends in Australia, so it wasn't really 'on our own'. So yes, it's been a while.

I'm also suffering from a bit of 'local landscape lethargy' if I'm honest - which even the purchase of a brand new camera couldn't overcome. I've written about this in the past here and here. What I really need to give my photography juices a boost, is a good holiday! A change of scene. A different view that will inspire me to use the camera. And that's exactly what this trip will offer. And I can't wait!

Spidey Boy! Panasonic Lumix S5 with Lumix S 20-60mm. f/5.6 @ 1/4000th, ISO 400

We are going to take a trip down the eastern side of the South Island, through Ashburton, to end up at Mosgiel. From there we will explore the city of Dunedin and maybe travel one day to Invercargill. We plan to go to The Moeraki Boulders, Larnach Castle and the Dunedin Chinese Gardens, as well as The Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo and check out the steampunk themed town of Oamaru. These are areas of New Zealand that my wife and I have never really explored. To say I'm excited is an understatement!

So yes, there is photography - lots of photography - coming to this blog in the very near future.

No guesses on what gear I'll be taking. Unlike other times when I may have had a few systems or configurations to choose from, I now have just the one - awesome - system. And I will probably stick to just the one camera/lens combination. The S5 with the Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 will be a fantastic travel kit that I'm sure I will use 99% of the holiday. But I will take the 50mm f1.8, just in case....

Finally new content going forwards. And a chance to really get to know my Panasonic Lumix S5.  Happy days.

My new 'forever' camera system

In my last post I discussed my struggles recently with the Sony system. More specifically the A-mount system. I won't go over this again (read my last few posts) - needless to say I had decided it was time to move on to something else. Something 'new'.

And this time, when I say 'new' I actually mean it. In the past on this blog, when I have changed systems and introduced my 'new' camera, it's always been placed in inverted commas. 'New' has meant 'new - for me', but second-hand in reality. And I can't say that I've had a brilliant run with used camera equipment in the last year.

I'm not going to draw this out too long (you'll be pleased to know) - other than to say that I did do some serious thinking, and a bit of research to try and figure out what my 'forever' camera should be. But in the end, as is often the case (weirdly), the decision was almost made for me. How so?

I had a good idea of the features I wanted, if I was going to stick with this camera/system for the rest of my life (yes, you heard that right). And to be fair, my list wasn't long. I really don't have a large wish-list of must-haves - especially if you take video out of the equation altogether (which I do). Several brands could have quite easily have fit the bill.

And then a post came through my Facebook page from Photo & Video in Christchurch. And I had 'found' my forever camera and system. They were (and still currently are as I write this) having a fantastic deal on the Panasonic Lumix S5 with 20-60mm (almost $1k off the price) - while stocks last!

Panasonic Lumix S5 with 20-60mm f3.5/5.6

To be honest, I didn't know all that much about the Lumix S5. I'm not even sure I knew it existed! The Lumix S1 had vaguely been on my radar a few years ago when Panasonic launched it - but it wasn't a camera - or a system - that I'd taken much notice of. It was a) full frame, b) big and heavy, and c) didn't have many lenses available for the system.

But that was about four years ago, and the system has grown since then. Panasonic have addressed all of the above issues during that time. The S5 is smaller and lighter than the S1, is still full frame, and the lens lineup has grown substantially. This has been helped by the S series being built around the Leica 'L' mount, and the establishment of the 'L' Alliance between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma. With all three companies producing lenses for the system, the line-up has trebled almost overnight! That's great news for anyone looking to 'invest' in the Lumix S full-frame system.

And if that wasn't enough, the S5 itself is an absolute beast of a camera (in terms of specs). It is mentioned, and reviewed, favourably - up against the likes of the Sony a7iii, Canon R6 and Nikon Z6. Of course Lumix are well known as a video brand, and as such the S5 is crammed with seriously impressive video specs (including built-in vlog). But since I'm only interested in it as a stills camera, those are really the specs that interest me. And the S5 doesn't disappoint. 

For a start, it has a fantastic 24MP full-frame sensor with dual ISO (whatever that is!?), amazing low-light image quality and 14+ stops of dynamic range! It has dual card slots (one UH1 and one UHII), Live Composite Mode, High Res Shooting Mode (for a 96MP image), Image Stacking, Intervalometer, Face and Animal Focus/Tracking, and a host of other features I'll probably never use. Although it uses contrast detection AF, Panasonic have mastered this for stills photography, and the AF is as fast and as accurate as any other system on the market. Once I'd read the specs on the S5, and watched a few review videos on Youtube, I couldn't order one fast enough!

But first things first - I needed to convince my wife that we should be buying me a brand new camera!

Moana Sunrise. First image shot on my Lumix S5 with 20-60mm lens. f/11 @ 1.3secs, ISO 100

I've been writing this blog for over 15 years now, and I've stopped counting the number of times I've changed camera gear. In numerous posts I've written about my latest purchase being 'the one' - only to change to something else six months later. Anyone could be forgiven for rolling their eyes when I claim that 'this is the one'. But my wife, who has followed along on this journey with me, has more reason than most to be sceptical. So when I sat her down and proposed that we buy me a brand new 'forever' camera, I could completely understand (and was expecting) her scepticism.

But to her great credit, she did listen. And she did understand my frustration at the second-hand gear woes I had been having. She doesn't understand all the techy jargon I throw at her, but she does appreciate my knowledge and enthusiasm for all things photographic. So in the end, she said 'yes' (thanks honey), and I purchased the camera on-line that evening.

Lake Brunner Reflection. Lumix S5 with Lumix S 20-60mm. f/11 @ 5 secs, ISO 100

Is her support misplaced? Am I going to change my mind in six months time?

No, I'm not. Unequivocally. And here's why... 

I've been a serious photographer for over 35 years. And in that time, I've purchased maybe four cameras brand-new. My first was the Canon T70 - my first film camera. The second was the Canon EOS 10, which I purchased new after trading in all my manual focus Canon gear once they had changed their lens mount to the EF auto focus technology. My third was the Nikon D70 when I moved (eventually) from film to digital. And my last brand-new camera purchase was the Canon 5D. 

I loved the 5D, and would probably still be using it (or have upgraded to the Mk2/3/4) were it not for the fact that it developed a circuit board problem. Although to be fair, even that statement is somewhat disingenuous, since the 5D isn't a mirrorless system. And I have, for a very long time, been an advocate for mirrorless cameras. So in fairness, my change to mirrorless was inevitable. But that's also the point...

Whenever I have purchased a new camera, it has been at a pivotal moment in technology, and I have moved with the times (eventually). The T70 was replaced by the EOS10 when Canon switched to autofocus. The Nikon D70 was brought when I moved from film to digital. And the 5D was purchased when digital cameras finally went to full-frame sensors. I've never purchased a new mirrorless camera. The closest I got was with the Olympus OMD-EM-5Mk2. And I wanted to love that camera. I really did. But in the end, it was too small and fiddly, and really not for me.

Mt.Te Kinga, Moana. Panasonic S5 with Lumix S 20-60mm. f/11 @ 1/25th, ISO 100

The Panasonic Lumix S5 is my first - and last - brand new mirrorless camera. And I do say this with utmost confidence. I have thought for a few years now that cameras - at least if you are primarily concerned with stills photography - have seriously peaked. Manufacturer's just don't make bad cameras anymore. Period. I honestly believe that camera technology for the stills photographer has plateaued. To the point where 'what' camera you buy if you are a general (travel/landscape/portrait) stills photographer has basically become irrelevant.

Does that mean manufacturers will stop adding new features to their cameras? No, of course not. But most, if not all, of the 'new' features will be 'fluff'. Heck, most of the upgraded features on cameras for the last five years could be considered fluff. Nice to have, but fluff. In a recent review video I watched for the new Canon R8, at the end of the video the reviewer said that he hated reviewing modern cameras. Because they are just all brilliant. They all have everything that 99% of photographers will ever need.

Which is why I can say, with the utmost confidence, that the Panasonic Lumix S5 will be the only camera I will ever need. And, barring accidents or malfunction (please no), it will be the camera I will use for the rest of my life! There, I've said it.

Andersonia. Panasonic Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 160th, ISO 100

I'm 56 this year (don't tell anyone). God willing and if my eyesight holds up, I may have another 30 years of taking photos left in me? The S5 should last 30 years (I've got a Nikon D70 that is coming up for 20 years old and still takes great images) all things being equal. But even if I get 20 years of solid work out of it (I'm no longer a heavy shooter) I'll consider that a win.

As you can see from this post, I have already been out on my first shoot with the S5. And very successful it was too - as can be seen in the images. The full-frame 24MP sensor is fantastic, the lens is sharp and contrasty - with a great range for travel/landscape photography, and the body controls and ergonomics are a joy to use. Can I finally say I've found my mirrorless home? Yes, I think I can.