Monday, September 23, 2019

weekly gear post

As part of the Mold|Breaker new leaf programming, gear talk will be limited to once per week. Maybe even biweekly? This isn't the best day for it, as things are moving out or pending - but that's the plan and I expect to stick to it! *

In the meantime I'm also working to continue an image or more per post. Here's one from the K-5 with the camera's infrared-filter simulation, which always makes cirrus clouds (cumulus too!) more dramatic. So much to like about Pentax gear.. but for a while I fear it must go back to the wish list. I have a pending sale on this great camera, someone else will be very pleased and I will return to living vicariously with Pentax and holding steady with μ43 cameras. Not an awful thing, just a pinch less satisfying in some circumstances. I'll do just fine.

More on the transition in a week..

* Note that nothing prevents me from appending fresh data to a 'weekly' post. 
Is that cheating? Perhaps. Only I can judge that, and I will allow occasional post-scripts. I plan to make it the rare exception however. 
Voilá: baby cut in half, everyone's a winner..

Saturday, September 14, 2019

two inches incoming?


I cleaned out the gutters today to prepare: our forecast shows over two inches coming this week! 

A good week to have a WR system..

addendum:
9/14 through 17 = 2.01 inches. Good forecast!

Saturday, September 7, 2019

choose just one

More medical bills, and why do I act like it's a surprise? Every time my gear collection expands it means that medical bills are pending - my failure to learn this has been a big problem. And the solution is as it has been every time: reduce.

Team One is the Pentax - weather protected, excellent APSc sensor and focal length range of 27-450mme. The K-5 is dated but about as excellent as the dSLR form can achieve for my use. Newer models have AF capability as low as EV-3 and video that does not overpower the memory card, both nice features; I'm subtracting not adding right now so newer models are not relevant.

Team Two is Lumix with more versatility, FL range of 24-600mme including adapted 4Thirds glass, a very good 4:3 sensor and several features on the GX7 that Team One cannot match. The 24-120mme zoom is weather sealed but not the camera; newer bodies are sealed, but again we are looking at current kits not potential. My GX1 is also useful, not as fully featured but a bit smaller.


Each can easily meet my current needs, so it's only the regret that I am dealing with - well, that and best resale value. Neither kit has much, or I would not own them at all given our current budget & bills. The choice isn't pleasant, but it must be done.

In any case the YI M1 is going out for a pittance if it must. Among other drawbacks it seems unable to drive the 4Thirds lenses, considering them MF only. I've tried more than once and that's what I get, so for my uses it limits the kit more than I like.

- - - - - - - - - - -
addendum -
As happens so often, my selloff will be a hybrid retrenching. The GX7 is a free and easy return so it's being packed, and the 12-60 and 30mm lenses will probably sell quickly enough. That leaves 4:3 system of 14/35m/14-42/45-150/70-300 for the GX1. The Pentax system will probably be trimmed a bit as well or at least offered up, and if it sells for an amazingly good price we'll see if a 25mm 4:3 prime is accessible.