Panasonic LX1 shots from the road in Mexico...

[skiphunt]

Here are a few shots I took in Mexico with the LX1. Worked out nicely.

http://www.poppinfreshmedia.com/newmexphotos/index.htm

 

If interested, you can view more work I did with the LX1 in Mexico over a month. There are

also video clips shot with the LX1 here:

 

http://www.poppinfreshmedia.com/skipmexmc.html

[tholte]

Some really good shots, glad I stopped by!

[michael_matsil]

Skip....Nice work with the LX1. It's hard to beat this camera for its capabilities and

portability. You seem to have learned to use it well.

 

Since you seem to be a roadtrip kind of guy, can you share with us the means by which you

store your images when on the road for extended periods. That is....lots of memory

cards?....a portable HD device?....a laptop? etc.

 

This is a topic that comes up often. Thanks and happy travels.

[skiphunt]

thanks Tim!

 

Michael... my methods for image storage aren't the best. I travel with a beat up Powerbook

that I installed a 60GB HD in.. and I also carry a small 2.5'' firewire drive. I copy the images

to the laptop, and to the external drive as a backup. If I know there's stand alone devices

available, but I like having the laptop with me so I can write, do graphic work remotely,

edit images for resale whilst on the road, and being able to patch into internet cafes for

upload.

 

If I had the cash I would buy a faster, smaller 12" powerbook with a DVD/CD burner. That

way I could just burn to CD/DVDs for my backup.

[eric_onore]

Skip,

 

Really nice work! If it's not too much of an imposition, can you give us some idea of your postprocessing routine. Your JPEGS look very nice on the screen.

 

Eric

[skiphunt]

Eric.. thanks! And it's no imposition, but I don't really have a set workflow per se. Kinda

depends on the nature of the image. I do tend to lean toward high saturation (some say

unnaturally so).. but it really depends. If an image works better b/w, or flat with subtle color..

I go that direction. If it's more abstract and I want to accentuate the graphic lines and color...

I punch it up.

 

That's why it's tough doing this stuff from the road or using a program like Aperature or

Lightworks where you can do your post processing for a batch of images. I pretty much have

to do it one at a time depending on the image.

[simon_hughes1]

Skip,

 

Great work... You have a wonderful eye for subject and composition. I've been following your posts on the DP Pana forum. For all us LX1/D-LUX2 shooters, would you describe the typical settings you use on the camera? I'm assuming RAW and perhaps aperture priority but any other suggestions and observations would be welcome.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Ciao,

 

Simon

[skiphunt]

Simon.. thanks very mucho! No, I don't mind sharing at all. But, keep in mind that these are my personal aesthetic preferences.

 

First of all, I'm lazy. If I can get close enough with the jpeg settings without having to edit a RAW image... I'm going to do it.

 

Based on my preferences for final image quality, I can get very close to what I want from just the jpeg companion image. I just set the Color to LOW, the SHARPNESS to LOW, the NOISE REDUCTION to STND (because I personally think NO NR produces too many jpeg artifacts I have to correct for.. with the NR set to HIGH... it reduces image detail too much.. STND is a nice compromise) I set the CONTRAST to LOW because anything else loses too mush detail in the highlights).

 

So everything on LOW except NR which I set on STND. 80% of the time I get what I'm after from merely the jpeg companion image with miner bumps in saturation, "smart sharpening" in PS CS2, and a slight level adjustment. If after all that I still don't have what I'm after.. I resort to the RAW image and start from scratch.

 

thanks for your interest and compliments!

 

Skip Hunt

[simon_hughes1]

Skip,

 

Thanks for the detailed reply. You didn't mention the in-camera setting for Saturation, but I'm assuming it may be low too. I'm using the same settings myself.

 

Do you use program, or aperture etc? Also have you used the camera in manual focus mode or do you leave it in autofocus? I'm toying with trying to set up hyperfocal settings to help speed up capture and allow for more street-style usage.

 

Ciao,

 

Simon

[skiphunt]

Simon.. I listed the setting for COLOR because I think that's what is says in the menu instead of SATURATION.. but I may be wrong.

 

I find the auto-focus to be pretty acurate so I don't bother with manual except for some macro shots. The manual focus for street stuff would be of help though. I have the focus setting on the smallest spot setting. And I usually use Shutter-Priority. I've used all the setting and sometimes use all manual.. but I'm lazy and Shutter-priority works well for me. ;-)

[2069]

Hi Skip,

First of all, let me say, these are awesome pictures. I checked your website and other places where your images are, i must say, you are a terrific photomaker. Compliments.

About LX1, i was interested in learning how you deal with the noise with this camera. Its' said that LX1 produces noisy images. I assume that you may be shooting at the lowest ISO setting, but i've heard even there the noise is much more that what it ought to be. Especially when you admit to shooting JPEGs all the time.

Do you print your images?

regards,

anurag

[skiphunt]

anarag... in my personal opinion the noise levels in the LX1 were WAAAAAY blown out of proportion. And, with the little sharp Leica lens.. I feel a more organic look closer to film is easier to produce. I've tried other P&S digicams and it's very difficult to get away from that small-sensor digi look. Not so with the LX1. And yes, even shot RAW without processing at ISO80 there's still a little bit of noise. Most of the time I choose to leave it in for effect.. but a guick NR run in PS CS2 completely eliminates it.

 

I don't shoot jpegs. Always RAW, but with the LX1 it always shoots a companion hi-res jpeg image. I'd say 70% of the time the jpeg it produces in concert with the RAW image is very close to what I want with miner PS tweaking. If not, then I go to the RAW image to get exactly what I want. Or, if I'm selling the image as stock or using for print.. I always use the RAW image because it maintains a great deal of image information both in the highlights AND shadows.

[skiphunt]

anarag... bottom line is this, if you're looking for an absolutely noise-free, sterile, pristine image.. then you probably wouldn't like the LX1. If you're like me and am after a more "organic" "film-like" image.. then you should find an LX1 to test before you buy. That's what I did and decided I wanted it after the first 30mins of shooting it. Hope that helps.

[kit_chong]

Excellent work Skip. I have the Panasonic LX1 and love it. I agree the noise issue is totally out of proportion. I prefer it�s sharp images with very little noise to smooth and less sharp images from other cameras.

[michael s.]

Several excellent photos, Skip. For me, <a href=http://www.poppinfreshmedia.com/newmexphotos/pages/dearjuan.htm>this one</a> was really a standout.

[pbizarro]

Very nice portfolio. I am quite happy with the results I get from the RAW files using Elements 4.

 

To this day, I have never had to use ISO 400 in this camera, even shooting inside shopping malls. The OIS really works great, and allows ISO 80-100 for 95% of the time. People who are concerned about noise are missing a terrific photo-making tool. I have also found out that any noise cleans up quite nicely in Neatimage, so its a non-problem really.

[bruce_darcus]

Skip -- you mention being able to get a look more "organic" and "closer to film." What's your sense of how well the LX1 would compare to a comparable film camera?

 

I've been using a Ricoh GR1 for the past few years, mostly with Fuji NPH film, and scan the resulting negatives with a Nikon Coolscan V. I've been quite happy with the results, though there are times it'd be nice to have an all-digital workflow.

[skiphunt]

Kit.. thanks! diggin' mine too. :-)

 

Micheal... yeah, thanks! that one was one shot "from the hip" and I got lucky. :-)

 

Paulo.. yes true. I still remember only shooting Kodachrome 25. If there wasn't enough light, I just made due or didn't shoot. ISO80 is a piece of cake. That being said, this camera only gets ugly with ISO400 if the color temp is not daylight. In daylight it does remarkably well.

 

Bruce.. I've never shot a Leica rangefinder, but I went to a Leica gallery in NYC several years ago and I felt the 35mm images in that Leica show had a similar "organic quality" I see in the LX1 images.