Friday, September 29, 2017

PANASONIC LEICA 8-18 at f/2.8 & Up Close

After I published the review of the Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm f2.8-4 lens, a reader wanted to know how good is the lens at FULL f/2.8 and if this delightful Leica M43 zoom any good at close range.



Sadly, I do not have this Leica zoom anymore, it has been returned to Panasonic New Zealand!

Digging into the hundreds of shots I took with this lens and examining the embedded meta data, I was relieved that some shots were taken at full f/2.8 setting!

Before I start, I would like to point out that the "bright" f/2.8 setting is only available at 8mm (16mm eq) zoom setting. As soon as you move away from 8mm, you are getting a little less light, until you ended up with f/4 at 18mm.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm F2.8-4

The Leica DG Vario Elmarit 8-18mm f2.8-4 is an ultra-wide zoom lens for the M43 system. It delivers equivalent coverage of 16-36mm on a M43 camera.

Thanks to PANASONIC NEW ZEALAND, I had the pleasure of trying out this well built, weather-proof zoom!



The lens  employs 15 elements in 10 groups, there are 3 Aspherical Lens, 2 ED Lens, 1 Aspherical ED Lens and 1 UHR Lens. Seven aperture blades are used for a nice bokeh, the closest focusing distance is 23cm and the lens is dust and splash-proof.

The closest comparable Panasonic ultra-wide zoom is the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 7-14 mm f4.0 ASPH, one of my favourite ultra-wide zoom and it is only natural that I compare it with this NZ$1,600 beauty.The 7-14 now cost NZ$1,290, I bought mine a few years ago.

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Ideal Travel Camera for Old Moi

In our younger days, we were all guilty of NOT travelling light. In my younger days, travel usually meant work; as a photographer for a newspaper. I recall fondly the time I was with a fashion team to India, shooting for a Singapore paper; travelling with me were 30 KG of photo gear.

I was amazed how I managed to lug all those gears around! But then I was much younger...

In 2010 I concluded that...

A good travel camera should have the following quality:

1) It must be relatively light weight.
2) Able to take interchangeable lenses.
3) Digital, with video.
4) Larger sensor than a point and shoot.
5) Able to shoot RAW.

Come 2017, I decided that another two features are also a "must have" in my travel camera.

6) Able to shoot panoramic scene.
7) In camera image stabiliser.

After returning from a long 5 weeks stays in Penang, Hong Kong and Taipei recently, I was asked what make me decide to take what I took for our travel...



Tuesday, February 14, 2017

LUMIX GX850, a SELFIE DELIGHT

The new Lumix GX850 (known as the GX800 outside the US), which PANASONIC call the “ultimate entry-level high-performance compact mirrorless camera”, came with a 180-degree tilting touchscreen, one look and you know this NZ$900.00 compact is aiming at the younger, SELFIE generation!

With 4K video and 4K Photo options, the GX850 is the first Lumix model to offer a new 4K Selfie option!