GP MMXXIV: is it over?

The purge has ended, and kit 2024 has arrived: the last lens* arrived on the 2nd of January. The kit is very different from my December posting (at right)! A couple of shoot-outs will help me decide which lenses will stay and if any more will depart. 

Some things are clear though:

• The gold column is gone. I still own a few lenses, but they are bodiless and therefore useless to me.
• The green column is here physically but is no longer a factor in my decisions. One or two lenses may remain when it's over, but it wont be a factor in my planning. Assuming I can afford any more plans!
• I see eleven items in the μ43 column from early December. Six have changed (including both listed bodies), and an extra lens added. A few of those six may remain after the Purge - but definitely not many!

How it all came about

1. A new top body, the eM1.ii in Ex+ came first, funded by the Sony gear's departure. This would put the eM1 into the second spot and allow the A01 to find a new home. While I'm not a fan of flip screens, the many additional updates to the ii were quite persuasive.
2. After researching my ultrawide /astro options, I chose the TTArtisan 7.5/2 fisheye. It's a bit of a beast, especially compared to the 10 fisheye - but being three stops brighter was a worthwhile change to make. That made the 10/5.6 rather expendable despite its compactness, but I left that question unsettled for a bit.. like perhaps two paragraphs?
3. I then decided to grab a nicely-priced copy of the Lumix 20/1.7 to replace the TTArt 23/1.4 that I'd been using. A pinch less light and 'slow' AF, but enough benefits to take the spot and leave more space for the 30mm macro to get more use. I had considered if the Oly 17/1.8 would not have served a bit better.. but $50 less for very similar IQ and bulk helped. It may be that 10-17-23-30 is a better series than 10-20-30.. but for now I'm good.
4. OOPS! I found a Laowa 10/2 in good condition at a reseller, meaning it was affordable - but would be cheaper still if I were to let the eM1 v.1 depart. The Laowa is an excellent lens to have on hand for aurora seeking. It does force Shootout #1 between the TTArt and Laowa.. and the Br*10 for that matter: two fisheyes is one too many, as is two 10mm. It does reopen the slot for 2nd body.. for a little while. Speaking of shootouts, 
5. Whoa. A bargain Lumix 12-35/2.8 v.1 will battle the slower Lumix 12-60 as the 35-100/2.8's teammate. Sure I'd prefer the v.2 to match the 35-100, but this was in Bgn condition, therefore far less expensive than I expected for any copy of this lens! On an Oly body the Dual:IS boost of v.2 is irrelevant. Shootout #2 will be interesting as I yet again contemplate speed vs range!
6. Either way, the 14/2.5 and 23/1.4 have no real place if the 12-35 prevails. We'll see how results play out soon!
7. Um/Ah - then a GF7 appeared on eBay with little use and a reasonable price. Far more useful in my bag than the A01, it's a gx7 internally but in a simpler wrapper and with fewer bonus features. Great imaging on the inside though!

 So here's the µ43 update, with new items in red and gold. 

The only tempting change now is to swap out my Zonlai 50/1.4 with a slightly slower 42.5/45mm AF prime. That would save some weight, as the Zonlai is a dense little beast (listed at just under 200g, but the Oly45/1.8 is 115g). No hurry on this however. 

And as long as the Zonlai stays the TTArtisan 23 might also, since it's 2 stops faster than the 12-35; that could make a difference, now and then. Its resale value wouldn't be high anyway, and its focal length matches the sensor diagonal so it's the µ43 equivalent of a Fast Fifty!

I have assembled a little kit in my smallest camera bag. GF7 with Brightin* 10mm fe, 20/1.7, 30/3.5 and the Lumix 45-150. The 14mm and 12-60 are probably expendable now.. time and shootouts will tell.

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Shootout notes

12-35 v 12-60 28Dec 23

Both lenses show limited distortion when panning at 12mm, the 12-35 perhaps a bit less. Close focus is very close on both but the 12-60 wins with its longer range .. but that's at f/5.6. The 12-60 is f/5 at 32mm, so 1+2/3 stop slower than the 12-35. Focus depth does not really interfere at such distances but further off items will definitely blur out better with about two stops more light incoming. Weight of the 12-35 is a bit more, but it isn't apparent since the lens is so compact.

Result: this comes down to personal preference. Given the damaged 14-140 in hand (with minimal resale value) and >35mm coverage at f/2.8, the 12-35 makes good sense. While the 12-60 could hang out as the GF7 primary lens, the 12-35 is smaller even if heavier; a Lumix 14-42ii or 14-42X would do the job as well or better.

10/5.6fe vs 7.5/2fe v 10/2 still awaiting Laowa as of 30Dec*

All are now available, but the test hasn't happened yet - but one of these days.. !!

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* The Laowa 10/2 decided to spend an extra day exploring Shelby MT rather than reaching me on the 29th along with the 12-35/2.8.

GP MMXXIV preview

The one advantage of trying every d@#n camera in existence (and actually recalling that you've done so!) is that you inevitably learn what's important, and what is less so. 

Since 2009 and my Sony α200 I've tried nearly every Pentax dSLR (yes, the K-01 and Q too!), three Fujis, several Sonys (both mounts, both sensor sizes), a Nikon or three, Samsung NX and countless µ43 (all three brands!). Several of these were tried more than once, in various colors and/or Special Editions too! 

I refuse to count them as it will bring too much unneeded grief to this appalling process. I'm  really exhausted and frustrated by bouts of research on cameras I can't afford to equip, or will not use enough to justify even the shelf space to keep in sight or reach.. and so,

 we begin the Great Purge of 2024! 

My goals for the coming year:

• assemble a solid, affordable µ43 kit
• repair the K-s2 and let go of Pentax
• let go of Sony/Minolta
• organize digital photos
• scan non-digital ones from old media
• and take new photos. Better ones!

Step 1. µ43

Only one camera has brought me a hint of entertainment since the e-M1 original - and that is its immediate successor. That includes brief attempts to use the eM5.iii and the G9 - though not the eM1.iii which has not dropped to an accessible price for me. 

The eM1-ß's lone annoyances are the flipout screen & the menus, which are a touch more insane for its expanded capabilities. In return though, it gains in every spec that matters to me: battery life, processing power, improved sensor and additional features that I might actually use. Even 4k video, perhaps.. ?  It also uses a common USB connector for file transfers; too bad it won't charge that way, but USB chargers (even USBc options!) are ubiquitous now.

That sensor update not only improves resolution by a bit - it also increases its specs to my typical aps-c levels, which makes the K-s2 sensor a draw by dXo standards. I don't swear by the dXo data, but it does allow me to check gear in hand against each other; after all it's a competitive world where results at the modern end of the sensor scale could be biased, with or without intent.

*Late Surprise* a new small body for my kit, to replace the Air A01 and its randomly problematic phone interface. Since the eM1 had departed, the backup role was definitely available!

On the lens front, few changes are needed. A few primes will be reworked for better spacing, but the 12-60, 35-100/2.8 and ZD 70-300 zooms do very good work in typical lighting. Our plans to visit an auroral sweet spot next autumn will be a factor in the changes though!

Step 2: Pentax

I like so many things about Pentax - but it's been years since anything in my price range has been offered, and the mirrorless /live experience is better for what I do. I love its ability to crop to 4:3 and square in camera, and its post-capture raw save - but the eM1 can do the former and I can live without the latter. Once the solenoid has been fixed and demonstrated to be functioning properly, I'll offer up the camera and most of the lenses.

Step 3: Sony

And again, farewell. Love the tilt screens, miss the touch capability and other nice features that Sony has reserved for the latest = most expensive models, I don't get enough benefit from the 36x24 sensor, and their aps-c performance is similar enough to the eM1-ß. Despite my fondness for the Maxxum lenses that I have in hand (24-300mm range) it's time to accept that it isn't a realistic dream to unite them to a more modern body.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

As to organization and slide/neg scanning, those have been needed for years. My hiking web shots have corroded by jpeg duplication almost beyond recognition. The eM1 (either one) and the Oly 30 macro, plus a decent light box which I can improvise, will do most of the work other than attempting to balance the contrast and color issues that might arise.

I recently read about others who used some bracketing and/or hi res shooting to capture better digital reproductions with good results. It will be interesting to see better captures of my numerous old memories!!

And then - more shooting!

That sounds nice. 🙂

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 So.. is it over?? 

yet another storm.. then some peace?

 

We've had three or four atmospheric rivers in the first week of December, putting us at 2/3 of normal monthly rainfall already. A quiet day today, then another punch coming for Saturday. 

Hints of a few days of quieter weather are showing on the models. Not entirely dry perhaps, but fewer 2-inch hits of tropical temperatures and rainfall. We'll see how it pans out. The forecast for the first week of December was 5-6 inches, and it was correct at this location - 5.65" for Dec 1-6, plus 1/2" on the 7th and 1/3" on Nov 30th.

Tele conundrum

So my α7r now has its 28-70mm native lens with oss and some degree of weather protection. How nice, given its 1st-generation body has no stabilization within. 

Now I'm covered to 70mm with AF and x.shake..

and then?

A telephoto lens with autofocus, wx seals, and oss by any acronym would be ideal. But where are they? Oh they are out there, but not in my price range..

• The A-mount bodies had IS Inside so didn't need stabilized lenses (in fact Sigma and Tamron removed IS from their lenses in A and PK mounts!), and nearly all were screw-drive AF that would require an ea4 adapter ($200+).
• Sony E-mount native options are few. And recent, so still expensive! The bargains are in the aps-c format (same mount for different sensor size) which isn't quite what I seek.
• Tamron and Sigma have added to the E system.. but w/o stabilization below 400mm. Not ideal, as I'd be happy at 200-250mm but few players sell in that range. Other third-party companies have brought AF primes and a couple of zooms, but no wx or OIS capabilities.
• Oddly enough, the canon EF mount has better and thrifty options for me. $100 adapters are available, and some earlier Tamrons like the SP 70-300 (with oss not vxd) have VC in canon mount. Canon's own 70-300 comes with IS and AF for less, though it zooms in the opposite direction to almost everything else I own. Actually everything I own goes the other direction.. except the Olympus 70-300 monster tele with 43-micro adapter! Coincidence?

First attempts with adapted lenses have been ..instructive. On a 36Mpx sensor, focus is really critical. Images that look all right on a tiny screen look blurry above 1:2 magnification - so AF is more important than IS and wx seals on the α7R mk.1 body. I can manage with the fast Pentax 85/2 and 135/3.5 if I'm careful, but with slower m-focus zooms I revert to focus guessing even when peaking +zoom is enabled.

I test-drove a Metabones EF adapter with the 70-300 Canon IS USD. Many rave about the EF lenses, but apparently this particular lens is older than most and is quite leisurely to AF. And after updating firmwares all over the place it generally misses focus on my test shots. It nearly locks, then shifts one last time toward infinity. Multiple AF presses do not help. That pair is going back.

70-210rs with dumb adapter, 100-300D Apo, 24-105D

So on to plan B: the EA4 adapter for A-mount. That will give me pdAF in the adapter and true aperture control in the body, but better technique will have to sub for the lack of stabilization. The best thing about this option is that I already have the Maxxum trio (photo) so plenty of range is already on hand - plus a Tokina 20-35af. I found an EA4 for less than the usual used price, so that's another plus. And it brings PDaf to the α7R, though at the price of a whiny AF motor drive. Presumably the gains will outpoint the losses on this!

Fingers crossed that this will do the job well enough. 

I'm tired of looking at reviews and specs - especially since I generally miss the one site that says "don't expect this lens and that adapter work right with your current camera body". I've learned that particular lesson more than most.

another dry-ish month. And then..

We've reached the 22nd and the forecast is for a dry week. As we sit at 79% right now, it means another sub-standard month will go in the books without a large shift in the forecast.

Since November through January are the wettest of months here, being around 80% is a decent amount, just over seven inches - but last winter all three were drier than average and that's a bad habit to get into!

El Niño is upon us, big time this year, which often means weaker storms for us as more energy dives south to California. It often strikes early in the calendar year, so more storms in December would be a very good thing. 

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Update - maybe 1/4" on the 30th, but probably closer to 0.10". And then the floodgates open - as the models seem to do quite often at the turn of a month. I'll footnote this for certain to see how close we come to it! At our location we'll call it 5" - but the neighborhood is 4-9"  and boundaries are rather vague at this scale! 

This graphic runs through 4PM on the 4th, so nearly everything here is December 1-4.

11/30 update - wx. underground 1-6 Dec. Six-ish in the forecast. Today is at .21" with a pinch more possible around midnight.

α7R- refinements

The α7R is getting some spare bits: flash-shoe covers, a tripod plate, an extra battery. I also found it an Ugly 28-70mm oss for poor weather and lens stabilization, at a non-Ugly price.* In good weather, it can fight with the Minolta 24-105 for sensor time.

I also loaded it up with Apps that I bought almost a year ago for the α7ii, and since I paid for them they are still available. Such things as time-lapse video, action and composite shots, a wave-your-hand shutter release (not to be confused with the big-smile shutter release!) and a couple of other 'features' that most cameras tend to have in place without extra effort/expense. But it works fine and didn't cost much the first time - so I've been treated far worse than this. But what can I do with that extra 43MB of memory? I expect the answer is: lumpit.

So this camera weighs less than the eM1, and its 50/2 is smaller than the equivalent 23/1.4 on my µ43 mainstay camera. The eM1 is replete with amazing features, so the question becomes how much I would miss those in exchange for the larger sensor, higher resolution and a bit less bulk in a few circumstances.

First off, I'll look into the shutter-shock issue that ruined nearly every review for the α7R; some users laugh about its overblown presence, while others cry and point to evidence. My turn to evaluate!

*Update - as I've seen more than once, KEH Ugly label brings me a great lens, but with no caps or hood. The sucker looks new to me.

skeptical

 We shall see how November starts - but given that most October forecasts came up short, this looks pretty .. enthusiastic.

Here's the news 7-day map. It also appears to be convinced.

Update - Nov 1-7 total ended up at 4.8", a bit lower than most forecasts but not a bust for a wide-area map that put us in the 5-7 inch range. Monday's rain was from the 3rd atmospheric river of the bunch and was pegged as the weakest, but location is everything with such streams of moisture. We had 1½" for the day and its the 4th day since mid-October to be over 0.85". 

We're over 50% for November after the first seven days! The upcoming week may only add an inch or so, putting us at six inches at mid-month. Time will tell, as it so often does..

Updates, on many subjects

 October has been ..active. Here's a summary of the Story so far:

• My health is pretty decent after surgery, but it took several days to be sure that the gut aches were gone since the surgery hurt the same areas of my gut! It seems that all went fine, best evidence being my late-evening discharge. I'll learn more from the doctors in early November.
• Weather has been underperforming for the month, as every large forecast has dried out upon reaching us. Split flow is common with el Niño patterns, as strong fronts are spun up to our north and the southern end does a soft landing near the California border. Maybe they will consolidate more in coming weeks, but October is looking like a 50-60% kind of month.
• Camera gear was a surprise, as the new acquisitions of recent months all slipped through my willing fingers. I'm back to an eM1 and K-s2 - and am convinced that these are the best fits and image quality that I need. I'm a big fan of 4:3 images, more so than 3:2; thankfully Pentax crops to square and 4:3 very easily after capture.

So things are going decently well, other than the somewhat dry weather. More coming tomorrow though!

Riding the tide

I made an informed and reasonable decision, and put the G9 up for sale. The eM5³ was a better fit for me; still not the best fit, but preferable to the Lumix. The g9 was very nice but would require new muscle memory that was unlike my K-s2 and .. well, every advanced digital camera I'd used in 15 years!! Including every Lumix ever made, in the case of the front control dial.

So off went the G9 to market. 

And there it sat.
I dropped the price thrice and had spare time for surgery.. but no one claimed it in three-plus weeks.

Well all right, I can take a hint. Let's put the eM5³ up and test the market with that. An offer came swiftly, though a bit low. I'll wait a bit on that.

But.. what if Both sell ??!??

Honestly? I could live with that.

Update 10-19: I accepted the offer on the eM5³. The listing said I had four followers, so three said flat nothing to me as the price was lowered enough to show the 'price-drop' flag to them. Maybe that's typical; I've never watched such riveting online events before.

I have announced the G9's final price drop, but I won't pull it off-screen just yet. 

Again, whatever happens I can live with it, whether K-s2, G9 or another eM1 Classic.

Update 10-21: the G9 is claimed! In response I grabbed another black eM1 with tripod plate. The more things change the less they stay the same! 

And the end of my time of experiments; the eM1 is my best-fit camera in µ43 format, and now I've tried every alternative except the GX9. Wasting money on cameras isn't much fun any more.

And the K-s2 is just what I'd seek in a Pentax, with its compactness, decent live-view system and great Pentax ergonomics that I could use in my sleep. I really liked the K-5, but its video specs and a few other features make the diagonal step worthwhile. And once the solenoid is swapped out, results could be magical!

Over, and out

Wow. My surgery is done, and I'm resting at home!

The date changed several times before locking down on 10/12. The procedure name changed a few times too. And late in the game, the overnight stay became a 4-day stay! My wife needed to pack many items to stick with her diet plan, and her mom came down to keep her company.

In the end it did some real-time adjusting!

• The 1:30 schedule slid to 4:00 or so
• The time required was a bit less, and
• They threw me out at 9:30!!

Night one of our..one-night stay

Since we had 3 nights scheduled at an on-site room, my wife had done plenty of unpacking. And I couldn't help her to repack! Thankfully her mom helped to get everything crammed into her car, and we left OHSU around 10pm - meaning arrival at home around 11:40pm. I stumbled toward the bed (and past the cats who wondered why they had a 4-day supply of food!) and marveled at how much had changed in 12 hours.

Pain was strong but manageable, though my shoulder ached terribly - which I learned today is a common side effect of laparoscopic surgery. I am more mobile and less miserable now (5pm Saturday) - but that trip was completely impossible to plan!

Results did go according to plan though: no more gallstone factory, and no more liver with a pint-size cyst crowding my belly. And the laparoscopic punctures were entirely predictable. 

It was the clock that never could meet expectations. Ah well, 'tis done.

The next waves

After a nice few days in the 70s, the next cold fronts are set to drop in for a visit. Such is October on the PacNW west slopes: 80s, storm, 70s, storms, low 60s, and.. storms through early March. 

Tomorrow will bring 1/2" of rain, and Tuesday will add over an inch. Maybe two. Similar to the previous set, the forecast Is for around 3" here over the next seven days.

Gold means 5" or more in 7 days

This is why our average each November and December is around eight inches. Three weeks of 2½" and a "dry" week of perhaps an inch. And 60° highs will only come with tropical air; solar energy isn't enough after mid-October.

A milestone

 For no particular reason. I refreshed the DPReview/forum screen after posting. 

Wow, it was my 4000th post!?!

No doubt a few of them were relevant to the topic, eased some tension or produced a chuckle. I was never banned during the dozen years or so that I've participated, which would lead some to conclude that I was pretty boring. I can live with that, from them at least.

I doubt that I'll double this number .. but
here's to the next thousand!

WY 2023 Fini

And so water year 2023 comes to its close. This was the driest year of our hill-top record (at 43 1/3 inches), and by a decent amount: over 12" below normal. Only April and August came in above normal, and August only did so because the 31st was so wet! November is now our wettest month by its 30-year average, so its reaching 95% kept the deficit from turning worse.

September came in just like the rest of the year: right around 75% of normal. What's surprising is that the wet season And the dry season each came in at 75% also! Looking back I see that 2020 nearly did that (117% wet season, 114% dry season) - most years the difference was more than 25% favoring the wet months. Only in 2022 did the dry-season outperform the wet on a %normal basis. 

Funny are the stories that numbers tell..

Hasty workouts

The wet weather forecast got me in gear for a week's good work!

My 2023 health issues have been documented in this blog (see the health tag). The result has been plenty of downtime and deferred projects.

When the forecast turned damp for the last week of September I finally got busy, or at least gave my best effort with my low stamina.

First up: the woodpile!

I had plenty of brush from last winter, but also several thick lengths of wood from the previous winter. I hacked the logs into wood stove lengths, then split them with the long axe and stuffed them under cover while the weather was good. 

Evenings were spent relaxing on a heating pad.

Thankfully, a few more dry days were left to me, allowing for another speed task: knocking last year's moss growth off the roof.

Part two: roof prep 

The temperature was dropping fast and shade had taken over much of the yard and house, so these last two days began in fleece and long pants. I brought up a rough brush and the cordless leaf blower and got to work. The roof will need replacing next year so a gentle scrub wasn't important this time. I got about 2/3 finished the first day before again relaxing with the heating pad.

Day two found me blasting out one set of gutters with the leaf blower and a fresh battery before attacking the greener north facing roof. By late afternoon I was done up top, but plenty of moss tribbles were strewn across the north-side deck and south-side driveway. I was able to clean up the deck before dark, leaving a few dry hours on day three to blow the driveway from massive clutter to two thick clumps of green. 

One more task remained for the last dry day, so I opened the large lawn-nourishment bag I had hoped to use six months ago and spread it across as much lawn as it could reasonably cover. It had clumped and congealed a bit but not too badly.

With firewood and roof ready for the wet season, I considered things to be as good as could be managed. The storms were less soaking than was expected, so I soaked the lawn where trees had blocked the rainfall.

Now to await the coming dry spell late this week, to see how the grass and weeds respond to water and chemistry!

the wet season commences

The end of September shows an 'interesting' weather pattern. Since that's two weeks away it's not likely to pan out - but models have fooled us before by being right!

This is the model output for nine days from now. It shows moisture transport at high altitudes, where atmospheric rivers are most clearly visible. Nothing for the next week.. then this. And another a few days after!

I'm leaving this graphic as a placeholder, so next week we can see what the near-term models have to say about it..

Might be the right time for a late-season dose of weed 'n feed?

Update 9/18 8pm

Each model run (updating left to right) is getting more energy lined up along the coast, and wow those arrows are getting long and dark! By Tuesday it pushes inland while dissipating - but some folks would really get hosed if this comes true. 

NWS offices in Seattle and Portland are now paying more attention, and some are suggesting 3" totals on some model variants. I'm showing the upper-air Water Vapor Integrated Transport data from u.Wash WRF model, which shows atmospheric-river activity better than many 'standard' models nearer the planet's surface (this also runs past seven days, unlike many other reference points).

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9-21 Update: the strongest energy is exhausting itself before landfall now, so it's still coming - but not as excessive compared to earlier forecasts. 

Through Wednesday we could get 2-3" total rainfall. Another chunk of damp energy comes later in the week.. so reaching our September normal rainfall (just under 2½") looks like a pretty sure thing! *

Map at left shows total through Thursday PM.

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What really happened: it seems the low-pressure offshore strengthened more than models had forecast, so the main energy streamed north offshore of us and slammed Vancouver Island. As of Wednesday at 9am, we've had about 1½" of rain - so half of the higher-end model estimates. Even the coast stayed near 2" .. a short distance west would have been in the thick of it! So not precisely correct, but a very good forecast a week beforehand.

* That "sure thing" September total is definitely optimistic now. We're over 1/2" short of the mark and the 30th looks dry.

μ43 commentary, part 2

 I've expended a lot of energy on research for cameras, and it generally pays off. In a curious way it has failed me several times recently, to my shock and frustration.

Put simply:

Why can't I like newer Lumix bodies??

I loved the G1, so small and with many nice options (unique ones in fact, as it was the first mirrorless body!). The GH1 was also nice, though I had to part with it quickly in one of many budget crunches since 2010.

The GX1, GX7 and EM1 supplanted the early bodies for quite a while, as did the eP5. Each brought new features that I really liked.

My next steps forward just didn't work out:

•  The G7 had all the specs I sought (wx seals and iStab were covered by my Pentax gear) and it fit my hand so well. But by now I was happier with tip screens so flipping was less fun, and my brain didn't mesh with the 4k features despite my coveting them.
• I then reverted to the GX series with the GX8 and its wx seals and IS.. but the flip screen and external Exposure Comp dial irritated me.  Close but not quite, compared to the eM1 original.

Oh My: had I gone over to the OM side and its curiously complex menus? Both systems brought cool new features, but on paper Lumix made more sense. 

So I tried a few more times!

• When the G85 came along with better stabilization and wx seals it just had to be the one!! Nope. The GX85 brought a new shutter and in-body charging.. but I reverted to my preferred GX7 and its oddball USB connection. Of course is not the same oddball USB connection as Olympus.. that would be too easy. 
• Last and not least: the G9. So many agree it's a bit large but Perfect for their needs.  Nearly every owner said "try it first, it's not for everyone". They are correct: this camera fit me worse than all the others. The first time i turned it on I put my finger on the shutter, moved forward to change the front dial - and powered the camera off. Front dial is Behind the shutter, Canon style. Having used everything except Canon this was contrary to all my previous experience and would once learned every other camera would feel wrong. I couldn't bear it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

And so I continue in the μ43 system with the best I can afford, the eM5.iii (and its 'normal' micro-USB connector!) and have reluctantly accepted that Lumix G bodies don't suit me. 

Though I shall never know why !!

normal, the hard way

The August normal for rain on the hill-top is 0.99 inches. We're making a 3-day run at it, and given our forecast for the 31st we'll come close but likely a pinch short. Before the 25th we stood at 0.02", so it's a mighty effort to close the gap. We can always reach 90° again in September, so summer has probably not vanished entirely - but it's a very nice respite.

As far as annual rainfall though.. normal is not going to happen. In order to be our driest ever Oct-Sep water year of our nine-ish years living up here, we just need to stay below 15 inches in September. Since our wettest Sep is about 5½", that's a pretty safe bet. Wetter months have happened though, so a few typhoon remnants at the right time can make the unlikely come true!

Update: we made it to normal, thanks to a surprising damp last day. No forecast had more than 1/2" but we reached 2/3", and ended August at 118% of normal. A few showers spilled into September, so we need only 14" and change to have a 'normal' year. Yeah, .. no.

Six weeks later -

 and I'm back in the hospital, fighting another pancreatitis event. This time I'm at OHSU in Portland, where hepato-biliary folks are hopefully available to chip in with insights. A sleepless night full of new tests and an early chat with four MDs in my room.. yes I'm a bit punchy.

They gave me a room with a nice view, though mostly of clouds and campus.

Hot spell?

 

It's been in the forecast for several days now; the weather service has backed off a bit*, but WxU is holding strong. If NWS has its way their peak is Wed at 90° here.. which is 100° around Portland most likely. Definitely good weather for sleeping outside under the Perseid meteors!

Looks like we picked up a portable swamp cooler just in time.

* Thursday models are showing more heat again, so the WxU could be about even with NWS forecasts.

Update - NWS remains at mid-90s peak on Monday - but WxU has boosted things a bit!

2nd update. WxU wins again! 

NWS never gave us a 3-digit forecast.

Portland hit 108° on Monday..

Major Shakeup!

I've been going through a Search phase recently, contemplating my options and placing an occasional bid on bodies that are more fully featured and modern than my classic eM1 but at an 'affordable' (=borderline-absurd) price. This means dealing with a flip-out screen, which is not my preference - but all the tip+flip screens are on current-generation bodies, and those are beyond my budget.*

I tried for a silver eM5 iii and watched for G9 and eM1.ii deals, but they stayed beyond my bidding budget. 

In the end, an all-black eM5.iii came within reach - so I reached. This has all the eM1.ii features but in a lighter body (with a smaller battery).. and the flip screen. Oh well, for all the updates gained, I can manage it.

Those updates within the 5.iii are the 4Mpx denser sensor, more touch screen uses, a high res multishot mode, AF limiter, more options for button assignment and faster processors. Oh yes, and 4k video again .. assuming I ever do so shoot video, which is an entirely different issue!

Oddly enough, I liked shooting video ~15 years ago, and the Casio P505 flip screen was a nice feature! Maybe I'll regress to 2006 instead of my early-60s childhood and adapt more quickly than I expect?

Kit Impact!

• The Sony experiment is well and truly over with this purchase. DXO sensor rankings are too close to call between the K-s2 and the 20Mpix 4thirds (G9, eM1ii, eM5iii). The Pentax can handle the job of slide duplication at 20Mpx well enough, since the 3:2 format won't be cropped with that sensor. The manual-focus Sigma macro will stay a while also.
• The backup 'small' body position is open! Does the gx7 make more sense there, or should the recently acquired Air A01 take that spot? Hmm.
• I'm pretty sure that I cannot afford a better overall kit than the eM5.iii, 12-60+35-100/2.8 and my fun primes!

*Some x-T Fujis have this screen, but then wx seals and IS vanish - which I'd also regret losing. Nearly all Alphas have tip screens but the features I like come & go  with every model update. Also: living with Oly and Sony menu systems at the same time has absolutely no appeal. 

keeping weird in my kit

I am about to give the Olympus Air A01 a try!

It's an EM10 camera within a tube - a few buttons and a µSD card slot, but a full wifi/bluetooth chat line to a local phone. It was a bargain for the feature set, but it's gained a reputation for spotty phone connections. Sure it will do fine with the 10mm fisheye so I never have to aim (or even move off a 20' focus point since it's fixed at f/5.6!) but I hope it can be happy with my Pixel5. As a simple camera for high/low perspectives and possible time as my telescope eyepiece, it's ideal. A normal microSD charge port can recharge the unit from a portable source, and it can do Live Time/Composite tricks like an eM10 and uses the talented 16Mpx sensor that gave a big boost to overall interest in the µ43 platform.

I'm thinking that the G9 is enough camera for pretty much anything - but I'll hold on to the eM1 for a little while, with its tilt screen and Oly Live features that the G9 doesn't quite duplicate. If the A01 works out, the eM1 can step aside for the next user.

This may be a weird call - but I'm not alone in seeing potential in the A01!

And of course I liked the K-01 quite a bit. So why not give it a try..

µ43 commentary, part 1

Let's face it: I've been spanning the virtual globe in search of the 'right' camera for me. I've been a big fan of big sensors since 2007, but cannot afford to hold on to the largest available when I do acquire one (K-1, D600, α7ii/Rii). The aps-c sensor is my sweet spot, especially since Pentax created such jewels as the DA Limited lenses to keep kits small; for mirrorless though, it's Sony Fuji or move on (Nik/Can have finally staked out places now, but bargains are few with their fresh arrival). Finally there's micro43 and its oft-derided sensor size that just cannot keep up (when examined with a 3x loupe in search of off-color pixels).

It annoyed me when I saw how much interim processing happens with µ43 images to compensate for optics with .. less rigorous optical expectations; since then I've learned that every mirrorless camera plays this game to varying degrees. I prefer the lens to be engineered to make straight lines straight, and all colors to focus evenly across the frame - but it's clear that many do not share my hardline attitude.

I also used to be bothered by the smaller-sensor arguments about equivalent lenses/apertures for a given image.. yet that is not relevant to 90 percent of shooters. If after every shot I attempted to make an exact duplicate of that shot with a different kit, then perhaps it would be relevant. Perhaps.

fyi: I don't do this.

And so, after many kits and brands have passed through my hands, I've assembled a kit with the best stuff I can afford. I've said that before, and meant it then too - but this feels more real. Considering that any camera body made before 2018 is too expensive for me (and still has compromises!), the eM5ii is the newest body with features that I like and use. I had always hoped to grab the 35-100 f/2.8 one day, and now a copy is in hand! The Lumix 12-60 fits nicely below the 35-100 and has suitable image quality. Also I've gathered many small native primes up to 50mm that can be stabilized with the 5.iii (unlike the α6000) so lower light imaging can happen below 35mm. I like the all-manual primes as they are optically designed without auto-corrections; all the camera knows is their focal length for image-stabilizing purposes.

The good sides of µ43 from my perspective:

i. Depth of field control. WAIT NOW, that's what Big sensors are for!! Sure, if you want to blur a background it's more easily done with 'full frame' - but 4thirds sensors can do it fine with f/1.4 primes and the proper distances to subject and background. The issue can be stood on its head just as easily: a 'full frame' camera might have problems achieving sufficient depth of field in some circumstances! Maybe you'd like a fairly long shot where everything is in focus? That's far easier with a somewhat smaller sensor. So there.

ii. Features. I'm not in need of every feature, e.g. burst rates and buffer clearing times are not relevant to a one-focus, one-click shooter like me. Weather seals are valuable though, and in-body stabilization for my primes is very nice. Autofocus in low light might be nice with starry images, capturing photons in real time with screen updates, and interval shooting are things I enjoy doing - well, attempting at least. And video was big enough thing for me in the '90s to carry a DV camcorder in addition to my film camera on multi-day hikes! 

At some point I'm going to get better at that again. Whether 4k captures me or HD is sufficient, time will tell.

iii. A noteworthy 'feature' is the 4:3 native shooting ratio, which I prefer to 3:2 most of the time. I also like 1:1 as an easy option. The α6000 offers 3:2 or 16:9 - my two least favorite choices. I'd prefer video in something other than 16:9 too, but that's asking too much of any brand, it seems!

Downsides? Hmm..

I. The flip screen is annoying. I much prefer tilt-types but those are rare once specs for video rise high enough. The tilt+flip style is gaining ground.. but not in my price range.

II. Battery life? With spare batteries and the ability to recharge on the fly, I believe the lesser rated batteries will be fine. The eM1ii/iii last a bit longer per charge, but only the eM1iii and 5iii can charge via USB.

III.  (reserved for an as-yet unknown grievance)

nice

 This is a fine summer, indeed.

One can get things done in weather like this - assuming one isn't suffering from Covid, or an extended edition thereof. Sadly we're in that second position as of mid month. The sticker bushes continue to flourish while we labor with our minimal energy to keep the interior of the house clean. With better health, a few days should be found to hammer down the blackberries before they claim a second acre of our property.. of which we have but two!

Monday might even be a bit damp! Many plants would sigh audibly at such an event, I'd expect.

Covid inaction

We are into week #2 of our new COVID-19 lifestyle. It has been unpleasantly symptomatic so far: 101° fever, loss of taste, aches aplenty and energy shortages.

I was diagnosed at the doctor's office on June 27th, and home tests yesterday (3 Jul) show we both remain actively infected. So we await negative tests +5 days before rejoining the world at large.

We'll never know where we encountered it. Food shopping, drive up coffee shack? We've done so little public stuff that it is a real surprise that Covid found us.

Update - Friday tests (6 Jul) showed my spouse negative but me still positive. Another lost weekend coming up!

Are we there yet? Summer 2023

 Apparently not! One late spring storm is about to visit, with 1/2" of rain and Snow on the highest peaks. The last one usually coincides with Portland Rose Festival, but this one was ..delayed. Ah well, one less week without sprinkler deployment.

a longer hot spell?

 We'll see about this!

Update: actual result was not so hot. Two mid-80s and Sat-Sun each rounded to 90°. By Tuesday it was 78° again.

decision time for the E mount

Having given up on the generational α issue (Minolta A vs. rebadged SonyAlpha bodies with E-mount), I kept watch on e-mount zoom deals. High on my list was compact and wx-resistant types, things which Sony has some but not many in my price range. My TTArtisan 21mm fails both marks but their 50mm f/2 is very compact but without seals. I'd been contemplating a 35mm but the Pentax DA35 Limited is both talented as a 35mm and a 1:1 macro lens, but it too lacks seals. 

For zooms, the internal IS system demands a focal length to optimize the stabilization per unit of twitch; that means E mount, and fully adapted A mount and Canon EF zooms* are preferred over Pentax and Nikon F. One can input an intermediate focal length or change it with each zoom action.. clearly not practical or ideal. After watching for a while I found a Sony 28-60mm retractable for decently for around $200, which is the common break line below which they are seldom seen. It is no speedy item but that's how it stays small - and users have been pretty happy with theirs.

My longer-tele dream was pretty much down to two Tamrons. Either the 28-200mm or 70-300mm would be quite portable for their range, with weather seals and quiet motors to go with good reviews.  (I had hoped the 24-105 +100-300apo Minolta team would cover this zone but adapting them to the α7ii was frustrating me no end.) First one below $400, though it could cost me other gear in exchange? 

In the end the 70-300 won out.

Finally I still had the 35mm prime slot to fill. Tiny Samyang, or wx-sealed Tamron with 1:2 closeups? Or Sony ZA, or something else? Tiny is good but seals are too.. and most of my close-up shooting is between 1:2 and 1:4. Still dithering, but leaning toward Tamron. I've added it to my kit spreadsheet to see how it looks.

* It should be noted that adapted primes are quite painless on the α bodies: just enter the focal length and have fun. That means many Pentax primes can disrupt the kit in nice ways (e.g. 28-60 + adapted PK 70+85+135).

how I do macro.

 Not an article about technique - I know nothing of it - so 'lecture over' if you dropped by for that!

I have three systems and several ways to make macros happen. For someone who very seldom finds 1:1 closeups natural, that's a decent set of choices!

1. simple option = extension tubes. I have one for both PK and µ43, and a pair of shiny blue α extensions. That will turn the native lens of choice into a macro-equivalent lens with no bonus optics. I've seen excellent closeup images with Raynox-&c closeup diopters.. and 
2. I have a few of those as well, come to think of it! Another simple option, and if I have a 49mm thread that will work on at least one lens in each mount. Pentax was a big 49mm fan for decades - and fast 50mm lenses that take 49mm filters for α/µ mounts too.
3. Sigma 50/2.8 1:1 macro in PKa mount. It's an elder manual-focus design, so no loss of AF benefits on any of the mounts. For extra value, my Pixco speed-booster means it's also a 35mm f/2 macro on a µ43 body.
4. Last and definitely not least: a Pentax DA35 f/2.8 Limited 1:1 macro. This is the highest-rated lens I own (probably ever owned) in PK mount, rated ~9½/10 at pentaxforums. First-blush shooting on my a7ii body with entire sensor shows minimal vignette at the edges, and it works fine as a 50mm/e macro in the a7 aps-c crop mode. Vignette definitely won't be a problem on the µ43 gear.

---

Pentax goes mono

the K-3.iii 'monochrome'

A cool idea, though not my type. Many have asked for a reasonably-priced camera with no color filter - and here it is. Many others prefer to create their own from the color data, but it has less pure resolution that way. Something for everyone!

can it be.. spring?

 Keep a good thought!

We have already managed to reach our average rainfall (+melted snowfall) for April! That's the first above-average month in the last ten. And after a few randomly showery days early next week, the forecast stars have (apparently) aligned better than past optimistic forecasts in April. We last hit 65° on March 22nd, so actual 70s have remained in the rather distant future - until now? 

Update - we 'overperformed', to put it mildly!

Just checking

I looked into specs on the eM10 mk.IV to see if, seven years after my eM1 mk.I was introduced, the OM range had finally beaten its specs for a tilt-screen camera.

Nope.. but it's close.

The most recent eM10 has the 20Mpx sensor, newer chips inside, 4k shooting and its own flash. Nice updates! But no weather resistance, no audio jacks, and pretty much the same battery life and stabilization. The new body is smaller in every dimension, but to achieve that it has no grip to speak of.

So that's the good news: nothing to buy here, even if the OM-10 comes out to bring a price drop! 

The sad news is that neither Oly/OM nor Lumix has released a tilt-screen body with wx seals in the last ten years - until very recently, with the Lumix GH6 and its tip+flip design (used by their S1 36× 24 bodies, and some Fujis). The GH6 is their latest and most expensive body, packed with top-shelf photo (and especially video) features I'd never use.

Makers of μ43 bodies are absolutely convinced that "advanced" bodies need flipout screens, and expecting that to change is a sure sign of insanity.  So we'll chalk that up as another saved expense = good news? 

Further note - the em5.iii is a 'tweener' model with wx seals, the em10.iv 20Mpx/4k imaging, and an audio input. But then the flip screen comes into play, which still conflicts me.

And now, Wet!

Less than halfway through April and we are almost at 90% of normal!

That makes April the 2nd-wettest month of this (Oct-Sep) water year, just behind November's 95%.

We also had our farewell party for winter this morning, with 1/2" of snow at daybreak. No more can be seen in the 10-day forecast, and by late April it's almost thermodynamically impossible.

Curiously enough, we had over an inch last year at this time also. Before that April had not seen any measurable snow at our location/elevation, going back to mid-2014. Funny how patterns average out with such crazy extremes embedded..

update - we're just over 1/2" short of a normal April as of the 14th, with over an inch in the 7d forecast (which excludes that atm-river chart below). We have a strong candidate for our first above-average month since last June!

p.s. say it ain't so! Friday 4/21