August 21st PoTW

<p>The Bubble Maker</p><div></div>

<p>Automobile Auction Preview </p><div></div>

<p>Inspired by another PN poster</p><div></div>

<p>After one to many?</p><div></div>

<p>Forrest rate, but cute!</p><div></div>

<p>Three from the hills - first in colour</p><div></div>

<p>...and two heavily ppd b+w from just over the hill</p><div></div>

<p>solar corona</p><div></div>

Owl<div></div>

<p>I really think the Oly/Pana POtW forum is getting better every week. Amazing what these little cameras can do and reviews I've read are all saying the next generation of M4/3 cameras will be even better.</p>

<p>Sanford - I agree, good to see this forum flourishing and with quality. Worth thinking of closing 2011 with 'your favourite oly/m43 pic of 2011' ?? (good job these cameras are so impressive - my DSLR seems to get heavier by the week)</p>

<p>No game today...</p>

<p>E-P3 and 12mm f2 Zuiko.</p>

<p><a href="http://gmchappell.smugmug.com/Other/E-P3-RAW-file-in-RAW-Therapee/18643343_WPhXqS#1440977704_x4mgt8k"><img id="lightBoxImage" src="http://gmchappell.smugmug.com/Other/E-P3-RAW-file-in-RAW-Therapee/i-x4mgt8k/1/XL/P8200158-XL.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>marsh</p><div></div>

<p>pond</p><div></div>

<p>city</p><div></div>

<p>With my move to 4/3 I have become more aware of focus and I noticed with the two deer photo that the lefthand and slightly rear animal is soft as are the hind-quarters of the righthand deer. Suggests the lens is markedly soft towards its edges. I selected the sharp central area, inverted the selection, and applied sharpening and it improved matters considerably. Not my photo so deleted after playing.<br>

Also should the arm holding the Owl be crisper? And are not out of focus highlights distracting from the lovely crisp glove and bird.</p>

<p>JC, I think with M4/3 people are finding themselves hand-holding the equivalent of 400mm lens in some cases. DOF will be much shallower than they are used to dealing with.</p>

<p>I definitely agree that the DSLR is feeling awfully heavy these days. I'm away from home for a month (precursor to a 7 month deployment) and I only took my Nikon D7000 to see how cumbersome it would be - wow does it ever feel like a cinder block after awhile! I'm using lightweight lenses too, no hefty f/2.8 zooms in my bag at'all...</p>

<p>My E-P2 is a great camera and I really wish I brought it with me. Perhaps the D7k will find its way on to the auction block sooner than later :/</p>

<p>3 cheers for m4/3!</p>

<p>I carried my D300 & two lenses all last week and agree it started to feel like a bag of bricks. I don't think getting a D7000 saves more than a few ounces. That being said, the Nikon takes some great looking photos, especially at higher ISOs. My two current Panasonics can't compete there. Maybe the net generation can.</p>

Unless I decide not to send my last kid to college, I can't afford a Leica M9 (or even a used M8 + lenses), so an M4/3 will have to do. While my aging Canon 5D still has far superior high ISO image quality, the E-PL is far more portable and I tend to take it along when I probably would have left the Canon at home. AF is less reliable as is using the LCD screen for composing with a long zoom, but I can also get away with looking like a typical P&S snapshot taker compared with carrying a large DSLR and a honking white zoom lens. I may spring for the viewfinder, and eventually acquire some fast primes (like the12mm f2, 45mm f1.8 and Panny 20 f1.7).

<p>Auction Preview, Karmann Ghia</p><div></div>

<p>EPL2, 14-42 II. Some PP. Rapid River, Cascades of Washington State.</p><div></div>

<p>Since I have been shooting with a P&S innitially and then a bridge camera I have no feelings of inferiority because, after getting my DSLR for specific duties, it remains at home. The bridge cameras meet my needs. Just a little sad that the more accurate term 'pro-sumer' has given way to 'bridge' as the former was adopted to describe entry level DSLRs. We all know what 'bridge' means but I don't think it adequately describes the capabilities of at least the Panasonic cameras of this type ... not all bridge cameras are equal I've discovered.<br>

Yet to be tried out but I suspect that my M4/3 with adaptor tube will replace my DSLR in the field, macro and greater magnification, it was bought for using the gear I have from film days, extension tubes and bellows. I have obtained an M42-M4/3 adaptor tube but it will be nice if I find an M4/3 to M42 adaptor ring so I can use my 14-42 lens on the bellows rather than older Takumars. Are there M4/3 to M4/3 extension tubes made yet?<br>

I cannot imagine using a camera without a viewfinder, preferably an EVF, ... though of course using the LCD is rather like working Large Format but usually without the black cloth :-) With my P&S I did enjoy finding focus and accurate composition of close subjects with the LCD as it only has an optical viewfinder.</p>

<p>Young man at political rally.</p><div></div>

<p>JC - yes, just google M43 extension tube, and they do exist. I'm going a different route, predicated on wanting a tripod socket for macro. So I either put the EP1 onto a Sigma macro lens with built-in tripod mount, or I'm exploring ways of attaching old primes or enlarger lenses via an adapter with tripod socket. The enlarger lens option keeps everytihng small and quality apparently high. Not sure how a kit zoom would perform close up though.</p>