July 12, 2019
#318
Gentle reader,
By now, you are well aware of my love for Panasonic LUMIX cameras and their superb LEICA lenses.
I visited my 86-year-old mother this week. So good to see her! Anyway, she was trying to convince me (as is my wife) to get a "smart" phone. Mom, "At least for the camera." "But I always have a camera, see?" as I pulled out my LUMIX ZS15. "Oh, wait a minute." She got up and walked over to her hall table, "I have one like that." She handed me this pretty blue LUMIX FH25.
I offered to sell it for her since I had no need for it. Although it is probably the most pocketable camera LUMIX makes. Here's the cool thing, it has only made 330 photos! If you are interested, you can find it here: rfcollectin on eBay
I previously extolled my new-to-me LUMIX FZ200 camera here:
In reading the manual, I saw the many accessories that they made for it. One struck me as particularly useful, the DMW-LT55 telephoto lens which stretches the already impressive 600mm reach to the astounding 1020mm!
Being that it is a Panasonic lens, made in Japan and fully coated, I wanted one. But the prices even for used ones were too steep for me.
However, my seemingly continual ability to get on eBay at the EXACT time a bargain has been listed still held. I saw a newly listed one for only $114 and jumped on it. I bought a new adapter for it as well for less than $30.
On the right is the wide angle lens for the LX5 which works dandy on this as well, as you will see.
From Panasonic's page about this lens:
"Tele Conversion Lens Shoots at 1.7x magnification
with F4.0 brightness. Compared with the 1.5x optional tele conversion
lens (DMW-LTZ10) of the DMC-FZ20, this model is about half the size and
less than half the weight. Enjoy remarkably clear, vivid, expressive
shots of distant objects, with even greater power and dynamism from your 24x zoom."
The whole kit.
Nothing about the construction of the lens on their web site. But it has at least four elements and they are fully coated. With the 1.7X conversion, it surpasses ONE METER, 1020mm to be exact. Plus, it came with both caps and the storage bag with it's little Panasonic label.
Above, the lens zoomed out to 600mm (35mm equivalent).
Here are some views of the lens and adapter in place on the camera.
Today, I mounted the camera on my vintage REDITILT® SUPER all aluminum tripod. I made three images seen below.
As mentioned in the title, this camera can also go wider than the 25mm minimum. By installing my DMW-LWA52 I purchased (also at a bargain price) for my LX5 camera.
It threads right into the front of the lens and widens it to 18.75mm.
Four reflections and different colors.
25mm image above.
600mm image above.
1020mm image above.
One thing my LX5 does well is show every little speck of dust on things! I just noticed that there are seven or more reflections, some from the camera's lens. The colors show the coatings.
25mm above, 18.75mm below.
Some curvature can be seen on the shelf's front edge. The edges of the image are a little soft. An 18mm lens would be sharper, but the fact that the lens works (and I already have it) is the ticket for me.
The wall is opposite my desk. There used to be several 8x10 framed photos from my film days in those blank spaces. But I removed them all (only a fraction were on display) and put them in sleeves in a binder. Most had been in boxes in the attic since 2001. I intend to scan many of them and other favorites.
I am very happy with the FZ200. There is no apparent shutter lag that the G1 and GX1 seemed to have.
Another reason I sold them, and all the I'd bought for them, is that I have a Nikon D200 and several lenses that have sat unused in the camera bag ever since I got into LUMIX cameras. No shutter lag with it! But boy is it big and heavy!
Here it is in comparison to the D70s it replaced.
So, that's it for now. I hope you have enjoyed reading my humble words and viewing my images. It is your kind words and comments that inspire me to keep creating new articles.
Scott
July 12, 2019
#318
