Category Archives: General ramblings

For all the stuff that doesn’t fit elsewhere!

*G-cubed in Chi-town

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High above it all - G3 + FD55 f/1.2

Where else in the world would one want to be than Chicago in the depth of winter I ask you?  I know it may sound somewhat sadistic, but I’ve really come to enjoy walking around the windy city when the river is frozen over, the streets are coated with a salted crust and the wind makes your face feel like someone repeatedly smacked you with a frozen fish.  I’ve also come to realize the genius of having the largest sail show in the midwest at the same time every year.  It may hurt to go outside, but when you get into the boat show, your thoughts immediately transport you to warmer times, and you feel any potential financial inhibitions start to ease with the promise of a midsummer breeze on the lake, the water lapping against your bow and the only ice you encounter is inside your cooler.  On the business side of things, orders in January mean that you can actually get everything built before sailing season starts.

 

Read on for more shots and mumblings…

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*Lumix G3 vs Canon 5Dmk II

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

I know that on paper this is a crazy comparison.  It’s also not fair in that we have two very different sensors, one, a 21 mega pixel full frame at the end of it’s 3+ year life cycle and the other about a quarter of the size and which is not even 10 months into its own.  Well, these are the two cameras that I have and use on a regular basis.  As I’m contemplating leaving one home for an upcoming trip, I wanted to see just what I was going to be getting.  This is purely a fun/bored post, but one that I thought might be at least somewhat interesting to a few of us out there.  How does the new 16mp G3/GX1 sensor stack up?

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*Micro4/3 Holy Trinity: It’s not the size of the boat, it’s the motion in the ocean.

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

I’ve had a little time now with the absolutely minascule Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 pancake lens and I have to say, I have no problem proclaiming that I have a tiny lens. A truly impressive optical feat considering it’s being used on a 17.3mm x13mm 4/3 sensor. Of course, there is the beautiful Olympus 12mm f/2 lens, but at 2.5x the cost, could one be satisfied with the trade offs and savings? Beyond that you have the much ballyhooed 20mm f/1.7 pancake which is amazing in its own right, but for a bit more coin you can get the Panaleica 25mm f/1.4… And then of course, the Oly 45mm f/1.8 which has been universally praised for both quality and price, but the other Panaleica lens, the 45mm f/2.8 macro should certainly get some attention too. Folks, I think we have a few candidates for the micro 4/3 holy trinity.

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*Lumix G3 vs the mighty might GF1, or why I chose to upgrade my MILC.

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When it came time to upgrade my beloved GF1, I waited for its true successor to be revealed.  The GX1, not the GF2 nor GF3, is seen by most GF1 users as the camera that has had the GF1’s torch passed to it.  I’ve spent two solid years with the GF1 and have finally felt that the current crop of mirrorless system cameras out there have upped the game enough for me to trade it in.  I surprised even myself when I decided on the G3 over the GX1, NEX5n, EP3 or NEX7.  A budget conscious option which I feel punches well above its weight.  I’ve got some low light test shots, size comparison shots and the like.  C’mon in and I’ll explain why I feel the G3 was the best option for a shooter like me…

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*Everything you need to know about digital photography (well, almost). Two years of tips, tricks and various freebies, revisited.

by in General ramblings, HDR 101, Lighting tutorials, Photographic Study Masters Series, Photography gear, Photography tutorials, Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

With my blog’s second anniversary coming up, I wanted to thank everyone that has stopped by, commented and added to the content.  It’s been a fun couple of years and has been far more educational for me than I’d ever thought it would have been.  I wanted to make a list of my more popular posts as well as some that can help some of us who may be just stumbling into the fold.  Any of us who have recently acquired a new camera and may be wanting to learn how to use it to its potential, or are looking to build up a few post processing techniques, I’ve compiled some of the more useful and popular posts below…

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*Mirrorless mania, or just another brick in the wall?

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I had a read through mirrorless rumors today as I do most everyday and saw that there was an article posted regarding Canon’s recent ideas on a mirrorless system.  Having been a fan and user of the micro 4/3 system as my mirrorless system to date, it had me questioning what I’d like to see in a Canon system.  My thoughts may be off base, but c’mon in if you’re interested…

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*Amsterdam’n it.

by in General ramblings, Travel and tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

It’s funny.  When I mention to folks that I go to Amsterdam on an annual basis, many of them get a glazed look in their eye, the corners of their mouths curl skyward which is inevitably met by a slow motion head bobbing.  I’ve gotten so used to this response that I have a pre-baked answer regarding the trade show I attend, the beauty, history and culture engrained in a city that has lived many lifetimes, survived many events, and how even though I’ve been fortunate to visit this amazing city 10 times now, I have still only been into one solitary coffee shop and I’m taking a Slick Willy on that one.  Of course Amsterdam will always spur a distinct visual to a specific demographic, which makes me realize I might be hanging out with too many mental teenagers… 😉

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*Hill Head, England

by in General ramblings, Travel | 5 Comments

Hill Head, Fareham, England.  A town that resides between the south coast cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, just across the water from the Isle of Wight.  Being that my day job consists of manufacturing components that end up in sails for water faring vehicles, it only makes sense that I’d have a distributor on one of the larger island nations in the world.  Lots of water = lots of boats.

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*Share the bokeh, share the love.

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While at times my blog has dropped a few pegs in the daily pecking order of demands on my attention and immediacy of my prioritization, it has continued to be a vehicle for networking and international friend making.   The connections and conversations have proven to exceed my expectations and I wanted to take a moment to thank the folks who have helped not only promote my ramblings, but help me grow as a photographer and fledgling digital artist…

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*Eat, Taste, Love. Like Summer camp for grownups.

by in General ramblings, Travel and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The excitement of leaving home behind, getting to meet new and interesting people all while getting to participate in exciting activities, Summer camp was always a memorable experience.  Flash forward a couple decades and I found myself a married, slower and more experienced version of my childhood self with a much better music collection.  I’d like to think I’ve held onto my sense of wonder and desire for understanding things which I’ve yet to experience, but honestly I think I’ve just become more accustomed to following a certain routine which I’ve garnered a comfortable relationship with.  I’ve learned all that I need to survive, why branch out right?  Well, as I often find when forcing myself out of my self constructed framework, I still enjoy experiencing new things.  Mrs Squeeze and I were fortunate enough to be invited to help document an event that combined all those things I’d enjoyed in years past, but this time it included wine.  Lots of wine.

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