Unintended Panasonic Lumix Camera Collection TZ3 ZS5 G1 FH25 FZ8 FZ40 ZS7 LX3 LX5 GX1

April 25, 2019

#305

Gentle reader,

Although I'm in my early 60's, aside from a green plastic roll film camera my parents gave me in the 1960's, and a JCPenney 110 camera bought to capture the kids when they were little in the 1980's I did not own a camera until April, 1995. The first year my tax refund was all mine. 

I made my very first trip to a pawn shop and picked out an Olympus OM-10 SLR with 50mm lens and a generic flash.

I won't go into my later journey into camera collecting, (around 400 total) that has been well covered in these digital pages.

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I began buying and selling on eBay after I saw a full page color ad in the now defunct Shutterbug magazine. An old camera was centered on the page, and www.eBay.com at the bottom. That was it and it was in 1998. Naturally, I fired up the dial-up modem and took a look.

Since I had no digital camera then, I did my best with written descriptions of the items I was selling.

My wife surprised me with a gift of a Fuji Finepix camera with 1.3 megapixels and 2X zoom. It did just fine for some time and was replaced a couple years later with a Fuji Finepix S7000 "bridge" camera with a superb lens which focused down to 1/2".

But that is not what this is about. All those years of subscribing to Shutterbug and Popular Photography magazines I saw more and more ads and articles for digital cameras. 

I had read about Germany's famous Leica camera company striking a deal with Japan's Panasonic to join forces on creating consumer level digital cameras. Leica had done this years earlier with Minolta to create Leica CL and Minolta CLE.

In this case, Leica would provide the lenses and Minolta the bodies and their digital imaging experience. Often, each would sell the almost identical camera, slight differences in the bodies and of course, the Leica version carried the RED DOT with their name in the center. This justified the 50% price increase over the same camera with the Lumix name. Many Lumix cameras feature a stylized L on the front reminiscent of older Leica cameras when the top of the body was engraved "Leica".

Not exactly the same L, but a nod to the past.

This is a shot from 2014 when I first wrote about my Lumix cameras. All three were bought via eBay, chronologically in the order, left to right, of the cameras, if memory serves. Which at my age isn't always the case. But it doesn't really matter which I bought first.

In my film days, I shot 16mm (110) film all the way to 4" by 5" sheet film and most in between. So, I had a number of lenses. I had bought a M39 to Nikon SLR lens adapter knowing full well that Leica rangefinder lenses could only work as closeup lenses on an SLR body. 

Someone in my Facebook camera groups said, "Why don't you buy a Micro Four Thirds body, they take all kinds of lenses." To my delight, due to the rapid pace of digital camera improvements, earlier M43 camera bodies were very reasonably priced. Since Lumix cameras came under my desire, and I wanted a blue one, I bought a blue G1. And then several adapters: Pentax 110, M39, M42, T-mount and Nikon. I had mixed results having forgotten so much of what I used to know about correctly setting shutter speed verses aperture opening, etcetera. Plus, using automated settings and autofocus having spoiled me for years now.

Here are links to two web sites which have pages dedicated to Panasonic Lumix cameras. Wikipedia's page has more information while Camera-wiki has lists and includes images of models I've not seen nor heard of. The former also shows the other-than-north-America market model names of Lumix cameras, which is helpful when searching one eBay.

Lumix - Wikipedia

Panasonic - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia 
 

Below are links to previous articles I have written about Lumix cameras and my experiences with them. 

And Then There Were Three. Panasonic Lumix Cameras, that is! 

Using Vintage Film Camera Lenses on Digital Camera Bodies PART TWO. 

Using Vintage Film Camera Lenses on Digital Camera Bodies PART THREE. 

Looking through my archive of articles, I do not find a PART ONE to the series about using vintage film lenses. Which being slightly OCD, bothers me.

Panasonic Lumix Cameras Leica Lenses Without the Leica Prices. New to me DMC-TZ3.   

Springtime in Virginia! Panasonic Lumix Cameras Capture it All!  This one is my latest article and features images 97% made by Lumix cameras. There is one shot on film.

My next article will feature images made with my new-to-me ZS15 from a trek we made to a nature preserve. It's zoom range is quite impressive for such a small camera.

Back to what this article is about: What Lumix cameras I currently have and what are new to me. 

Since I couldn't very well use my favorite Lumix camera (LX5) to capture these, I used my Nikon D200 DSLR instead. The group shots of all seven cameras as well as more further down.

I have a bunch of lenses for it and it has the dual battery compartment add-on which makes it even bigger and heavier. Still, the direct (not digital) view and instantaneous shutter (no lag) reminded me why DSLRs are superior. In some ways. Since getting into Lumix cameras it has sat neglected in the closet.

All images in this article were shot handheld. When I shoot multiple images for eBay sales, I usually shoot with a tripod and my LX3 which has the fastest lens, at f2.0, and thus can capture details without flash and often handheld with no flash.

These are, front left to right: DMC-TZ3, DMC-ZS5, middle row: DMC-LX3, DMC-ZS15, DMC-LX5, back row DMC-GX1 and G1.

The GX1 arrived just yesterday and the LX5 a few days ago. Both are models that were made to have an optional electronic eye-level viewfinder. Unfortunately, not the same one.

The compact zoom models at the wide end of the lens above and at the telephoto end below.

The TZ3, ZS5 and my beloved LX3 will be for sale on eBay starting April 28, 2019 at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. My eBay seller ID is: rfcollectin on eBay
 

The ZS15 is a replacement for the ZS5 and the LX5 for the LX3. Previous models I had are: FH25, at 16 megapixels, the largest count prior to my new GX1. It was a thrift store find and almost pink, so it went to a new owner. An FZ8 was my first Lumix bridge camera. I upgraded to the FZ40 with it's tremendous 24X optical zoom, 25mm to 600mm in 35mm equivalent.

The GX1, at 16 megapixels is in addition or, once the eye-level viewfinder arrives from Japan, possibly a replacement for the G1. I'll see after testing the combination and comparing the results with the G1.

I shot the following images also with the Nikon. I switched to the small on-board flash as the large fancy one with a Lumiquest Softbox Pro attached to it was not giving me enough light for closeup shots like these. It does very well for large area shots. Quite a clever design that uses Velcro to fasten it to any hot-shoe mount flash.

I only have the two lenses for these. Having given up on using old film lenses and not being able to afford anything longer or wider. The 14-45 was bought used and the 45-150 was new.

The G1, being the very first Micro Four Thirds camera was my choice mainly because it is styled like the FZ8 and FZ40 I had enjoyed previously and having an electronic eye-level viewfinder is a priority for me. The hidden and adjustable angle viewing screen IS pretty cool, especially for low-to-the-ground shooting where trying to look through the finder would be next to impossible.

The screen on the GX1 has coating issues, which is why is was $79. But it is not visible when the screen is on unless viewing it from an angle.

Here are the new-to-me GX1 and LX5 side-by-side. The GX1 appears to be a scaled up LX5. Which it probably is, while adding the versatility of interchangeable lenses and much larger sensor. Just no M43 Leica lenses in my price range, sadly. And, yes, the four thirds Leica lenses which can be adapted to M43 cameras are crazy expensive too.

I scored this finder, which is brand new, via eBay for $50. The seller was selling a bunch of things from a BOSE facility. He did not check to see what these sell for. To my delight.

LX3 verses LX5. I bought the LX3 in the box with all the papers and software that came with it. I'm old school and read real books and magazines. And manuals.

I've downloaded the PDF manuals for the LX5 and GX1, but am initially getting to know them via trying them out.

The main differences on the LX backs are the VF dock and the dial on the upper right on the LX5. A couple buttons are for different functions as well. I see now that the 5's screen s slightly smaller than the 3's.

The tops are almost the same, again there is one button that is for something else. The switch atop the lens has "1:1" added to it on the LX5. This is for closeup, where it is on the left side of the lens on the LX3 and marked MACRO. 

Also the LX5's lens reaches to 90mm (35mm equivalent) verses the less the LX3's only reaching 60mm. The view above is at the wide angle end.

Here's where it gets really different. Both cameras are zoomed all the way out. 60mm on the left, 90mm on the right. Yes, the LX3 lens does the opposite to what one expects, the longest focal length is the shortest physical length.

The following images were shot with my hours-old GX1. They are images of the LX models, and I shot them using the screen and it acts and feels like my LX3. I used the 14-45mm lens.

Some photos may seem identical to the ones made with the Nikon. However, the capabilities of the newer GX1 verses the many years older D200 show in the details and clarity of these shots. Feel free to compare the results and let me know in the comments.

Along with more features and improved sensor, the LX5 gets a metal faced lens cap reminiscent of ones from long ago.

The grip is larger and easier to hold, otherwise, from the front they appear identical.

The numbers tell the story. LX5 is above the extension from 60mm to 90 drops the maximum aperture to f3.3. Not unexpected. And yes, I did clean the lens after seeing this shot.

Faster f2.8 on the LX3, I expect at the same 60mm setting on the LX5 that it too is f2.8.

Top plates appear to be the same, and probably are. The added height for the hot shoe on the 5 and the openings between the dial and shoe for the video microphone are visual differences.

Switch on the 3 for shoot/view is gone with knurled dial on the  5 being new. Also, the screen on the 5 is slightly smaller to make room for the VF electrical port. Some button locations are different than I am used to.

These two shots again show the dramatic difference at the long (telephoto) end of the lenses settings. 

The bottoms appear to be identical. The 5 has the opening in the battery/memory door to allow use of the optional dummy battery/AC adapter. This allows one to shoot video (or a lot of still images) indoors without depleting your battery and having to switch batteries. A nice feature.

And of course, they take different batteries. I have had to mark all of the chargers (if generic) so I know which battery they fit.

LX3 on the left, LX5 on the right. A little blurry, I know. A small number of these GX1 shots were blurry. 
Anyway, the LX3 has: Top, component video out (analog), middle, Digital Audio/Video out (USB and HDMI) and at the bottom, DC voltage-in from optional AC/DC adapter kit.
LX5 has Mini HDMI output on the top and USB output on the bottom. An analog audio/video cable also can be used in the bottom socket.

And, finally the first images I have shot with the new-to-me LX5. I tried the electronic viewfinder when I first got it for a couple of shots. I like it. But for these, I used the screen to shoot. Feel free to compare similar shots from the Nikon. Let me know in the comments which you prefer.

Yes, the blue below does not match the correct blue above. Using the Photoshop "Remove color cast" function sometimes gives me odd results depending upon where one chooses to place the eyedropper in the photo.

G1's handgrip is bigger and easier to hold. 

Different color casts here as well.

Even though mirrorless cameras allow for thin bodies, the G1 and it's descendants have thicker bodies. Partly I suppose for the eye-level viewfinder. Note how thick the LX5's add-on viewfinder is front to rear in the shots above.

Since I have yet to read the GX1's extensive PDF manual, I do not know what the symbol I have the dial set to means. It arrived set on "iA" which is what I prefer. Note the stereo microphones. Hardly stereophonic or binaural if they are side-by-side.

I see the G1 has the same symbol on it's dial. I suppose I really ought to read those PDF manuals.

The GX1 also features the ability to use the optional dummy battery/AC adapter. The LX5 camera focused on the lens release button here, for some reason.

I have yet to figure out what the white stuff is on this camera. Epithelial residue from some previous owner perhaps. Attempts to completely remove it have had mixed results.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my humble words and viewing my images. Your kind words and encouragement are what keep me putting out new articles.

Scott
April 25, 2019
#305