Trying Panasonic Lumix Micro Four Thirds Cameras Again. With Nikon Lenses. Also Shown, ALL Pentax 110 Lenses.

January 30, 2020
#351

Gentle reader,

I first got into digital cameras because I had started selling things on eBay in 1998. To add photos, I would shoot film and get the shots put on CD-Rom discs. This was time consuming and pricey.
My wife took pity on me and surprised me with a Fujifilm digital camera. All of 1.3 megapixels. 

NOTE: If you are new to blogger.com, and are viewing this on a PC, Mac or laptop, clicking on any photo will open a window OVER this one. All the photos will be thumbnails at the bottom. One can click on any and use their left arrow and right arrow keys to look through them.

I am not sure when I bought my first Panasonic Lumix camera, but it was not new. I have owned almost twenty by now and only one was bought unused. 
This G2 Micro four thirds body is as close to unused as I have, it had a total of 65 shots on it!
I bought it from a collector. He bought one of each color of various digital cameras. He had three G2 bodies, all mint on eBay for $89 each. I jumped on it.






See what I mean? Clean. He had it set on RAW, so when I made a few test shots, there were two of each image. I switched it to highest quality JPEGs. I don't do raw. Unless we are talking fruits and veggies.

It was suggested to me a few years ago, when I was trying Leica M39 lenses via an adapter on my Nikon DSLR, that I buy a M4/3rds body. I did not know they were so reasonably priced on the used  markets.

Here are two articles I wrote which show the blue Lumix G1 and ALL of the many lenses I tried on it. 
and,
I don't know what happened to part one of the series. But these two articles cover everything.

I have seen other Lumix users getting the most amazing results with vintage film lenses on their M4/3rds cameras. Me, not so much.
Since the only film lenses I have left are Nikon AF ones, I bought this adapter. Why there is a shiny screw sticking into the black interior, I do not know. But, I will be painting it flat black.
It's different than the usual adapter. See those numbers below: 0123456?
This adapter is constructed to allow one to focus with the lens' aperture wide open then stop it down with the ring the numbers are engraved on.

I have to experiment with it to see what works best. For instance, this lens is f1.8 and goes all the way to f22.
Here it is mounted on the camera. The adapter has a 1960's look to it with the contrasting silver knurls.
This is a neat 2X teleconverter with a unique difference.
It allows for TRUE MACRO focusing. Many lenses are marked MACRO, but true macro renders the subject LIFE-SIZED on the film or sensor.
The BLUE NUMBERS show what the actual magnification will be with a 50mm lens at .45 meter, or it's closest focus distance. The white numbers are the size at the infinity setting.
At the normal, non-macro end of the 2X, above. At maximum, below.
A, yes, I see how much dust is on the lens of my Lumix LX5. Not visible normally.
And, 2, I have never used this 2X before. That, plus the learning curve of all this is still new to me.
I placed the lens cap from the 50mm lens in front of my LX5 to have something flat to experiment with.
The cap was in focus about two inches from the front of the lens.
This is about sixteen inches away at the longest extension of the macro portion of the 2X. 
The shot above is ISO 800 at 1:125th of a second at f1.8. Too light and not sharp.
The shot above is ISO 800 at 1:125th of a second at f5.6. Looks perfect to me.
The shot above is ISO 1000 at 1:125th of a second at f16. Pretty sharp, but too light.
I used to have a lot of lenses in Nikon mount. Did you know, that only Nikon and Pentax have kept the same lens mount since the 1950's? In both cases, one can mount and use any lens on their digital bodies, with manual settings.
That is a Nikomat ELW camera with winder and all of the manual focus lenses I gathered for it. From 7.5mm fisheye to 100-500mm zoom. The big one at the bottom is ff-300mm f4.5. Heavy sucker.
Those days are over. I sold off my 200+ camera collection and all of the lenses and such.
I have a Nikon D200 body, I rarely use, since I am so into Lumix cameras.
On the left is a Sigma 28-300mm AF zoom. Tall one is a Tamron 200-400mm AF zoom. One on the right is the only digital-only lens, a Nikon G 18-55mm lens. The 2X to the right of the camera, you have met already. 

Impressive, yes? I hope to make some impressive shots with this big boy.
Lens is so heavy, it has to have it's own wheels. Just kidding.
The "crop factor" for Micro four thirds compared to 35mm or full-frame digital sensors is 2X. So, that 200-400mm lens is equivalent to a 400-800mm on the Lumix G2 camera.
The problem with that is when using wide angle lenses. The Nikon 18-55mm is equivalent to 27-82.5mm on a full-frame sensor. 
But on a M4/3rd camera it is equal to 26-110mm. Which is barely wide angle on the short end.
The sensor size of M4/3rds is almost identical to 110 film which is actually 16mm.
One option for micro four thirds users are Pentax 110 SLR lenses. Above is their 18mm wide angle, about 35mm on full frame.
The tiny one above is the 24mm "normal" lens about equal to 50mm.
Above is the 50mm telephoto lens, equal to 100mm.
Above and below, with an all metal body is the real telephoto of 70mm. The filter size is 49mm.

The one-and-only zoom lens for the Pentax 110 SLR was this 20-40mm. 40-80mm in full frame. Also takes a 49mm filter.

At the 20mm end above and 40mm below.
To show you just how TINY the Pentax 110 camera is:
 The same lens, 24mm, is on the Pentax above and G1, below. If you are viewing this on a PC or laptop, the Pentax is about life-sized, above.
That particular Pentax 110 is the SUPER model which had more features and better accessories.
The lenses have no apertures. The aperture blades are in the camera.
You can see them in the lens opening above. That is the drawback to those lenses on M4/3rds cameras, they must be shot wide open. 

That is it for now. I have only made a handful of shots with the new-to-me G2 and Nikon lenses. I will be reporting on and showing results as I get better at it.

Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my blog. I am so honored and humbled by all the people who have (more than 1/4 million) that read it.  

Scott
January 30, 2020
#351 

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Volvo 850 BTCC Subaru 22B Porsche 944 1965 Mustang Join The Diecast Collection

January 27, 2020
#350

Gentle reader,

I culled two dozen 1:64th scale cars from the herd to pass on to other collectors. 
Most were doubles with different color paint or decoration.

If you are new to blogger.com, clicking on any photo will open a new window in front of this one which will have ALL the photos for you to look through, they will be larger than here.
Before I get started, here are links, chronologically, from most recent to oldest which are about diecast cars:


The last one above is actually full size Volvos. I own a fairly rare Volvo wagon, rare at least, in the United States, a 2005 V50 T5 M66. 
I've liked Volvos, especially their wagons for a long time, but did not buy one until I found the V50.
I would not have chosen grey as the color, but it does not draw the law's eyes. Since I bought it used, I had no choice if I wanted the six-speed manual transmission.
There are a LOT of racing series around the world. One that has worldwide recognition is Touring Car racing. It is, or was a few years ago, comprised of cars which have four doors, sedans to us, saloons to the Brits.
Volvo decided that since the regulations did not prevent wagons (estate cars in the UK) from racing in the British Touring Car Championship, why not build a couple.
Jan Lammers, who is from the Netherlands, drove #14. I have his car in 1:43rd scale and would love to have it in 1:18th, but $$$.
The people at Hot Wheels, never sitting on their laurels, decided to come out with their homage to the race car.
They simply used a previous stock Volvo 850 wagon and painted it up to resemble the racer. 
As you can see, a sunroof, full interior, not for racing. But the decorations are pretty good and they did use wheels that resemble the real ones.
Front engine Porsches while controversial when the 924 and 928 came out, are the one type of Porsche that the average person can afford to buy.
Yet, there are no large scale diecast models of the venerable 944.
Hot Wheels stepped up for 2020 and came out with this Guards Red model.
Very good details for what it is. How they paint the tiny details, I have no idea.


Yet, they even have the Porsche Crest on the front end.
A funny little detail is the doctor's stethoscope in the back is possibly indicative of the crowd that could afford a real Turbo 944 back in the day.
The only Porsche I've been able to buy was this 1987 924S model. A 924 body with 944 engine and drivetrain.
The Subaru Impreza 22B was a halo car that many Subie fans would LOVE to own.
It seems only in America is pink considered to be a girl's color. STI is the performance part of Subaru and their emblem's background is pink.


Prior to 2000, one could buy a two-door Impreza, it could be equipped with a hood scoop and vents as well as a lower spoiler on the trunk.
But no turbocharged cars came to the US until the 2002 model year.
The first fun car I bought once the kids stopped moving back in was a 2002 WRX wagon like the one above. That is an Autoart 1:18th scale JDM* STI version. *Japanese Domestic Market
I flipped the picture to make it appear to be left-hand drive. Clever Photoshop!
Here's the real one with the Porsche in the background. Both are long gone to other owners.
Finally, the 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. A 2020 re-release of a 1983 model.
The details added to this were not possible back in 1983 for a 99 cents Hot Wheel car. 
I think this car represents the very FIRST Mustang sold in 1964.
A woman who was a secretary at the time bought it and it was light blue with a white interior/top.

I understand that she STILL owns the car to this day.
I have found that tiny models like these are best appreciated held in one's hand and with the naked eye.
The magnification offered by modern digital cameras and the lack of depth offered in close-up shots reveals all that is happily missed otherwise.

rfcollectin on eBay That link will take you to my for sale items on eBay right now, if you are interested. There are some good models for low prices to add to your collection. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my humble blog. Your doing so keeps me writing and shooting.

Scott
January 27, 2020
#350
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