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Archives for October 2014

[updated] LX100 Review Part I

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Lumix LX100

INTRODUCTION :
It has been a very interesting time for serious compact cameras over the last few years. On one hand, the push of smartphones as alternative cameras is obvious. On the other hand, the progress in technology , chiefly sensor and lens design, allows for cameras to get smaller and smaller. The 1/1.7″ and even the 2/3 ” (by Fuji) seems relegated to extinction since Sony seems to have imposed its 1″ sensor as the “minimum de rigueur”. First, we got the different iterations of the Sony RX100 (currently on its third version). Last Photokina, it was Canon trying to rivalize Sony with its G7X. Now, Panasonic is entering the arena with its new LX100. For those of you who are not aware of the commercial agreement between Panasonic and Leica, be aware that Leica has a rebadged version of the same camera under the name Leica Dlux Typ 109.
Panasonic intends to upset its competitors by offering a larger sensor than its two new rivals. Does it live up to its ambitions ?

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A Great Fish & Chips in Brussels

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Bia Mara

Visiting Brussels for a few days ?  if you are and do like Fish & chips , there is place that you should not miss. Fish & chips can be pretty  boring but this place is special in  many ways. I have been living in Brussels for a little over a year and I still have places to try but this small cosy little restaurant may be the best Fish & Chips in downtown Brussels.

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Sorry : That item has been discontinued… or updated !

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When you are looking for hiking equipment, there is a lot to choose from, including a wide choice of high quality products. But, while it is easy to find something that kind of works for the purpose intended, it is not as easy to find a perfect match. I am very picky about what I buy and generally spend some time researching what is available before making a purchase decision. I believe that it has saved me, in the long run, a lot of time and money and avoid too much of buyer’ s remorse. There has been, though, something that has been bugging me a lot that I call the update and discontinuation plague. Maybe, it is just me but almost every time I find an item that really works for me, it gets discontinued !

Truth is : It does not matter whether I am buying a bag , a piece of clothing, or a camera : things I buy are either discontinued or “updated” ( see next paragraph). If I get lucky, it is only the color that I like which is no longer available .

A variant of this exists : It is when the product is merely updated, meaning replaced by a similar product which is supposed to be the same thing , only better.
Unfortunately these supposedly improved products are usually more expensive and,worse, often remove one or more of the features you bought them for in the first place. I could literally list dozens of equipment which falls into this category. As I was writing this article in my house , I thought that a picture of some of these items would be a fun way to “illustrate” this article.

Travel gear
So, I made this snapshot of my favorite hiking rain jacket , my favorite duffel carry-on (both now discontinued). Most great jackets for hiking look very “sporty”. When I travel I like to have a jacket that does not make me too much look like a hiker in case I want to go to a fancy restaurant . The Camden jacket was doing the job during my hike but would still be ok for me to go to a semi-formal place.The jacket was also one of the most comfortable and lightweight jacket in this category.The jacket was so good that as soon as I started using it, I guessed it would have a short career so I got a second one as a “back up”. I am glad I did since the jacket was discontinued a few months later and stock ran out very quickly. The National Geographic walkabout NG5070 ( bottom left on the image) was discontinued last year and replaced with a more expensive reference which adds at least 3 drawbacks compared to its predecessor. And guess what? It is also more pricey. My Briggs & Riley BRX backpack ( my everyday bag when I am not traveling) (top left on the picture) had an unfortunate pocket relocation and is no longer available in the discreet grey finish.Of course , looking at the picture afterwards made me realize that I could no longer hide from my readers what is my favorite color for travel items :)

It also looks like one of my favorite travel shirts (by Ex-officio) is also being discontinued. (On that subject, please note that I will be publishing a comparison of best Men’s travel shirts in the near future). I could go on and on about this..so how to go around this trend ?

Well the answer is obvious: when you find a travel item that perfectly fits your needs, buy at least one extra. Of course, that may not be an option for the most expensive items but for daypacks ,hiking clothes it should not be a problem.It may sound like a expensive proposition but, in the long run, you will be glad you did.

A very Panasonic year !

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Let’s admit it right away : While I have been using 4/3rds and M4/3rds cameras since I started shooting digital, I have never used a Panasonic camera. One of the main reasons is, I guess, that Panasonic being a electronic giant , they decided, early on, to develop cameras with a strong focus ( pun intended) on video. As it happens, after a decade of shooting digital, I still have very little interest in shooting video.
On the plus side, this means that I cannot be suspected of some bias when I write that , as far as digital cameras are concerned, 2014 may be considered as the Panasonic year.
Back a few years ago, between its G, GH, GF lines it seemed that Panasonic did not seem sure of their client target and some of their models seemed a little bit “off” compared to the competition..
Since last year , they have revamped their product line in what I believe a pretty efficient way.
First, on the top of the pyramid, we have the GH4 widely acclaimed for both its still and video performance. This came after Panasonic introduced in August 2013 the GX7 a successful “rangefinder style model” with an innovative tilt built-in EVF.
Later on , we got the tiny GM-1, arguably the first one to take full advantage of the relatively small size of m4/3 versus APS. Obviously , the larger and heavier m4/3 lenses, while technically usable, are not going to be very practical in daily use on this diminutive body but there are still enough to choose from on the Panasonic/ Olympus lens line . On the Panasonic side, in addition to the new 12-32mm zoom, the 14mm and the 20mm come to mind. At olympus, the 45mm is going to make a great combo for portraits.

Barely a year later , comes the GM-5 which is basically a gm-1 with a built-in EVF.Personally, I find the GM models a tad too small to hold comfortably ( there is an optional grip that helps a little bit) but people with smaller hands will probably like it. It is also a great back up body for m4/3 users wanting to travel light but with the security of an extra body ” just in case “.

During the last 5 months, Panasonic focused on its fixed lenses products. In March it was the Fz-1000 model, an expert bridge camera with a long and useful zoom reach but a bright max aperture across the entire range. (2.8 at wide FOV to a maximum of 4.0 at longest focal lengths). An interesting camera for many with the Sony Rx10 as sole competitor. Last month at photokina , Panasonic introduced the LX-100, a very interesting compact ( think cargo pants or coat pockets) with a very useful 24mm to 75mm zoom range ( in 35mm terms) and a constant max 2.8 aperture. What makes this camera stands out though is that these specs are achieved on a relatively large sensor for a compact. It is a multi-aspect ratio 16 mp sensor which, in real use, results in a 12 MP file (slightly smaller than m4/3 rd sensor). This also easier software corrections for the lens shortcomings.
The LX-100 sensor is significantly larger than the new trendy 1 inch sensor that seems to be de rigueur for expert compact cameras nowadays.

Speaking of 1″ sensor, Panasonic also introduced right at the Photokina the CM1 a smartphone with this sensor, which is pretty large fir a smartphone usually fitted with a very small sensor (1/2.3″ or 1/1.7” in most cases).
While I readily admit having no inclination to photograph with a phone , there is no denying that this constitutes real news in this segment and proves once more that compact cameras with tiny sensors are a dying breed.

[updated] A tip for one less cable

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You are about to go on a plane trip. You have packed your carry-on with your electronic devices and now it is time to add your cables. A cable is going to be needed for your phone , your laptop and/or your tablet. And if you have a camera chances are, especially if you do not live in the USA , that the battery charger also requires one.Worse yet, some of the small cameras come with a very long cable (up to 7 feet).
DTchargers03All of these cables may be ending taking space in your carry-on. Sure you could put in checking-luggage but either you are not checking any luggage and if you do, you are probably savvy enough about the art of traveling not to put cables in a checked-in luggage.
Fortunately , for most camera chargers, there is a way to get rid of one of these cables thanks to a little trick. Most these chargers use a “figure 8 shape” power cord.If you have any of these white Apple chargers ( like the one for i-pads or for laptops) they come apart to allow for different voltage uses and you can replace the cable as illustrated in the images.
DTcharger01Of course the version using a 220 volts is more clumsy and it is better to use the 110 version and using, if need be a standard 220 plug adapter.
For those who do not have an apple device , you can also find this easily in any international travel converter kit.