http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/blog.php Four Thirds Photo - Dedicated to the art of photography with the Four Thirds Digital Camera System. en Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:38 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/blog.php http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?62-Test Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:03:38 GMT Looks like the Spammers have got in here. I cleaned them out......for now. Looks like the Spammers have got in here.
I cleaned them out......for now. ]]> laingjd http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?62-Test http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?61-Ovo-Cudo-Radi Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:44:53 GMT lslds lasld lasl dlas dla lsdla lsdla lsdl lasl dlasl dlasld lasd lslds lasld lasl dlas dla lsdla lsdla lsdl lasl dlasl dlasld lasd ]]> AssepNema http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?61-Ovo-Cudo-Radi http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?60-Only-3-Olympus-models-in-current-manufacture Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:12:35 GMT I had reason to visit the Olympus Homepage recently and was astonished to find that it appears only three Four Thirds bodies are listed as in current... I had reason to visit the Olympus Homepage recently and was astonished to find that it appears only three Four Thirds bodies are listed as in current manufacture. From the top the E5, E30 and E620. All the other models are listed as "archived". Every Olympus site I visited told the same story. Surely I must be missing something? Seems a little scary if this is true. I guess that lineup does give us a barely adequate range but I would have expected at least another two bodies to choose from, as was the case not so long ago. Or perhaps I am expecting too much from a small manufacturer? ]]> DavidCal http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?60-Only-3-Olympus-models-in-current-manufacture http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?59-Replacement-rubber-kits Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:29:41 GMT :shock:It has come to my attention that the rubber grips on Olympus cameras can come off as the cameras age. There is a supplier in the UK (Luton... :shock:It has come to my attention that the rubber grips on Olympus cameras can come off as the cameras age. There is a supplier in the UK (Luton Cameras at http://www.lutoncameras.co.uk/Spares.html) who can supply replacement rubber kits at very reasonable prices but here is the rub: There are no more kits for the E-1 and Luton tell me that Oly gives no warning when they are going to stop supplying spares but typically they stop when a model is 5-6 years old. Oly will repair the grip but at a charge of $250 I wonder how many would bother! I think this is a little unfair of Olympus. Surely it's not too much to ask that they maintain supplies of high-wear parts such as rubber grips for at least 10 years? I suppose that is an aeon in digital terms but I expect to get many more years out of my E-1. The rubber on mine is still fine but I would like to know that I can still repair it should it deteriorate. Perhaps this might be a case of strength in numbers? If enough of us complain Oly might be moved to maintain supplies of spares a little/lot longer? ]]> DavidCal http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?59-Replacement-rubber-kits http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?58-people-amp-other-Small-Creatures Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:42:17 GMT http://peopleandotherstrangecreatures.blogspot.com/ http://peopleandotherstrangecreatures.blogspot.com/ ]]> nickthetasmaniac http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?58-people-amp-other-Small-Creatures http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?38-Honl-Think-Tank-Color-Munki-and-Other-Olympus-Announcements Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:27:03 GMT Last week while in NY I think I have about 1000 emails in my fourthirsphoto mail box but it seems to be a very large week for announcements. Here are... Last week while in NY I think I have about 1000 emails in my fourthirsphoto mail box but it seems to be a very large week for announcements. Here are 3 that I found the most interesting:
Think Tank is going to release the Wired Up Collection
With the release of cameras such as the 5D Mark II, Nikon D90, Panasonic GH1, and now even the Little Olympus E-P1 Think Tank wants "To aid video journalists in carrying their imaging and audio gear comfortably and accessing it quickly, Think Tank Photo will be releasing an entirely new concept and an industry first in carrying equipment, The Multimedia Wired Up Collection. This new concept in integrated carrying solutions will be available through its retailers around the world and directly from Think Tank in July. "
Sample video here...

Honl Photo
Second a product of interest, which I have picked up but not used yet, is the Honl Photo Speed system. These products really help to modify the use of flash photography, helping to transform Strobes for better use. The newest products include color correction filter kit, and a bag to haul the products.
More info here, and a full list of products.

VN-6000 and VN-6200 PC Voice Recorders
New Voice Recorders from Olympus
Usually I don't cover other products except those directly related to 4/3 SLR's and accessories, but last week Olympus did announce 2 new voice recorders which are invaluable in my opinion. Often times when interviewing, it is too cumbersome to take many notes, listen, and ask questions. Olympus has released 2 high function voice recorders with the VN-6000 at $39.99 and the VN-6200 PC at $59.99.
The VN-6000 has 604 hours of recording time, 3 levels of sound quality, and 39 hours of battery life, and really looks like a good value.

X-Rite / Color Munki 1.1
If you are a color Munki user, or have been thinking about stepping up to a more professional color calibration system. You will want to look at Color Munki 1.1. Color Munki 1.1 offers optimized display luminance reading, Finer control over display luminance, optimized display contrast and brightness workflow, and greater flexibility in display profile naming. Also for those with CS4 they have enhanced their support for that applications, CorelDRAW, Indesign, and Quark Xpress, and other programs. Overall it is a very nice enhancement to Color Munki. At some point this year I do plan on giving a full review to this product but with this constant flow of cameras, I just haven't had time.
The reality is if you want the best photos, you need a good color calibration system for your monitor and printers.
More info here.... ]]> tspore http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?38-Honl-Think-Tank-Color-Munki-and-Other-Olympus-Announcements http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?37-SPORT-Mode Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:28:25 GMT I haven't been able to find a way to to set the shutter speed while in the sport mode on the E-300. Looked everywhere in the manual.

Appreciate any ideas.

Thanks.

Mike Hallock ]]> mwh2385 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?37-SPORT-Mode http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?36-Image-compression-rate-E620 Mon, 25 May 2009 19:40:55 GMT I got my E620 for a few days. The manual say that there are four comressions for JPEG 4032 x 3024. SF 1/2.7 (LSF), F 1/4 (LF), N 1/8 (LN), B 1/12... I got my E620 for a few days.
The manual say that there are four comressions for JPEG 4032 x 3024. SF 1/2.7 (LSF), F 1/4 (LF), N 1/8 (LN), B 1/12 (LB).
In the camera setting i only have for JPEG 4032 x 3024 LF and LN.
Can somebody help me to find the compression 1/2.7 LSF in the camera.
Thanks ]]> Kris C http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?36-Image-compression-rate-E620 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?35-Panasonic-Announces-Pricing-For-Lumix-Gh1 Wed, 06 May 2009 14:19:26 GMT A NEW MICRO FOUR THIRDS DIGITAL CAMERA WITH FULL-HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO RECORDING CAPABILITY Secaucus, NJ (May 6, 2009) – Panasonic today... A NEW MICRO FOUR THIRDS DIGITAL CAMERA WITH FULL-HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO RECORDING CAPABILITY

Secaucus, NJ (May 6, 2009) – Panasonic today announced pricing for the highly-anticipated LUMIX DMC-GH1, the new Micro Four Thirds digital camera with Full-High Definition (HD) video recording ability, which will be available in early June for a suggested retail price of $1499.95. The LUMIX DMC-GH1 includes the LUMIX G VARIO 14-140mm/F4.0-5.8 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. lens as part of the kit. The new lens, designed to support HD movie recording, features a silent motor and continuous auto focusing (AF) capability – a differentiator from traditional DSLRs.

In the U.S., the LUMIX GH1 will be available in black and has advanced photography features, such as the ability to record AVCHD 1080p/24p High Definition video, yet is easy enough for entry-level users to understand and take beautiful photos and videos. With Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode* - a user-friendly setting made popular in the LUMIX line of digital point-and-shoot camera products, both entry-level and more experienced DSLR users can enjoy a complete suite of technologies that allow beautiful photo-taking and engage automatically – no setting adjustments needed.

For those looking for more creative control in their digital camera, the LUMIX GH1 can adjust shutter speed during motion recording, giving the videos a special look, particularly suitable for shooting fast-moving subjects. Also, the LUMIX GH1 allows users to control the aperture, which is convenient when there are several subjects at varying distances. By adjusting the aperture, the user can focus on the foreground and blur the background – or vice versa – even during video recording.

“Since redefining the traditional DSLR category last year with the LUMIX G1 – which eliminated the internal mirror and thus dramatically reduced size of the camera body and lenses – Panasonic has been working to expand its award-winning LUMIX G Micro Four Thirds System line. Panasonic wants to offer increasingly innovative products and features that make photography fun and easy,” said David Briganti, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “The introduction of the LUMIX GH1 allows photographers of all levels to take superior quality photos and shoot HD video with a more compact, easy-to-use camera that provides increased creative capabilities.”

The LUMIX GH1 provides cutting-edge video recording features, including the ability to record high-resolution full HD (1920 x1080) video at 24 fps or smooth HD video (1280 x 720) at 60 fps using an AVCHD format (MPEG-4/H.264), which provides the important benefit of doubling the HD quality recording time compared with Motion JPEG. The LUMIX GH1 features a dedicated video record button on the back of the camera which lets users instantly start recording videos, even while shooting still photos – removing the fear of potentially missing a must-see video moment.

For more information about the Panasonic LUMIX G Micro Four Thirds System, including the award-winning LUMIX G1, and to place a pre-order for the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH1, please visit www.panasonic.com/lumix. ]]> tspore http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?35-Panasonic-Announces-Pricing-For-Lumix-Gh1 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?34-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-10 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:31:03 GMT Well, I have found that it is difficult for me to keep up on a blog while traveling. The extra hour or so each night just didn't seem to be available the last several days (it doesn't help that I am not a night owl:) - I like to be asleep by midnight). So I will quickly catch you up on what has been happening since the last post.

Friday: We traveled from Lubbock to Waco, TX. That evening we enjoyed a concert by one of our favorite Southern Gospels artists, Jeff and Sheri Easter. The concert lasted 3 1/2 hours, and then it was on to IHOP for a bedtime snack!

Saturday: We went to Stillwater, OK to visit our niece, her husband (whom we hadn't met), and their 7 week old daughter. We had a great visit with them, and the rolling hills in NE Oklahoma are very nice.

Sunday: We had a concert to do in the morning, at Jubilee Worship Center in Cushing, OK. We always enjoy ministering in song, and this time was no exception. After the concert we traveled on to Harrison, AR.

Monday: We traveled to Poplar Bluff, MO, staying just ahead of a major storm front. So while we were in some rain storms they were minor compared to what was following us. And we did find several antique stores along the way to sit out the worst of the rain storms:D!

Tuesday (Day 10): We made our way to Elizabethtown, KY - with a stop in Paducah, KY where we lived for three years during the late 1980's. We stopped by and took photos of our old house, and just generally enjoyed the peace and quiet of the countryside. A very relaxing day.

I'll try to keep up on things from now on, but no promises!

Jack

P1 - Our niece, Leslie, with her husband Eric and their baby, Katie Ann.

P2 - Bridges over the White River in Arkansas. I wonder what kind of traffic signal they have at the intersection?

P3 - The confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, as seen from Wickliffe, KY. The Ohio River flows into the Mississippi River under the bridge in the background (the Mississippi River is coming around the point of land on the left side of the photo). This wasn't the shot I wanted, but there is so much floodplain in this area that I couldn't get any closer to the two bridges, which is what I really wanted to get.

P4 - A towboat, in the Mississippi River, getting some repair work done.

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Attachment 43 ]]> jddoyle22 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?34-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-10 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?33-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-5 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:25:15 GMT Well, I started early this morning to post yesterday's blog. I was almost finished when my laptop deleted the entire post! We had to get on the road at that point, so I will post yesterday's blog now, and today's later this evening.

We traveled from Santa Fe, NM to Lubbock, TX. There were lots of wide open spaces, and it was very windy again today.

We stopped in Santa Rosa, NM to do some sightseeing, and to drive on a piece of the old Route 66 Hiway.

We found a new (to us) restaurant in Lubbock, an "order at the counter, comes with salad bar" type of place. The prices were very reasonable and the food was very good. So if you ever run across a "Bryan's Steak" somewhere give them a try.


Jack

p1 - This was the view out the car window as we sat and waited for road construction. We were about 50 miles SE of Santa Fe.

P2 - We stopped at the Route 66 Auto Museum for awhile. The street running past the museum is Route 66 (or used to be, it is Hwy 84 now).

P3 - 1957 chevy convertible. This was the "dream car" for most of the guys in my high school (a long time ago:)).

P4 - Chevy Corvette convertible. This was the "real" dream car! I am not sure what year this one is, maybe 1965?

P5 - 1939 Dodge. This car was restored in 2007, and then driven the length of Route 66, from Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL.

P6 - Ford "Woody". About a 1953?


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Attachment 39 ]]> jddoyle22 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?33-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-5 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?32-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-4 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:10:48 GMT Not many photo opportunities today. We traveled in New Mexico, from Farmington to Santa Fe, via Taos. Most of the time it was too windy to get out of... Not many photo opportunities today. We traveled in New Mexico, from Farmington to Santa Fe, via Taos. Most of the time it was too windy to get out of the car, or else there just weren't any places to get off the road.

Taos was a disappointment to me, very commercialized. Lots of places selling t-shirts and cheap souvenirs, and lots of fake/modern adobe buildings. We spent about an hour, but didn't find the right places for what I wanted to photograph. I guess I should have taken tourist shots, lots of opportunities there! Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Jack

P1 - Back in the snow. This pass is on Hwy 64, about 30 miles west of Tres Piedras. The elevation here is about 10,500 ft.

P2 - There is still 3-4 ft of snow (away from the plowed edges) on top of the pass. Funny thing happened:

We hadn't seen a house for about 20 miles, or another vehicle for about 30 minutes, when I took this photo. Right after I took the shot a UPS truck blew by me, he was around the corner before I could get a picture! I wonder if he was delivering a new E-620 to someone:)!

P3 - This is a photo along the Rio Grande River, a few miles south of Taos. This was pretty common scenery today.

P4 - One of the many cactii we saw today, I have no idea what kind this is, I will have to look it up when I get some time.

P5 - Another of the cactii from today. At first I thought this was a prickly pear, but now I'm not so sure. Another thing to look up.



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Attachment 27 ]]> jddoyle22 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?32-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-4 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?31-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-3 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:09:42 GMT Today we traveled from Moab, UT to Farmington, NM. Along the way we made stops at Arches National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, and Four... Today we traveled from Moab, UT to Farmington, NM. Along the way we made stops at Arches National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, and Four Corners. Lots of varied countryside and winding roads.

I found Arches to be more to my liking than Canyonlands yesterday. There aren't the big, sweeping, vistas in Arches, but I found the up close and personal view of the rock formations more interesting than the deep canyons. Next time I would like to spend 3-4 days in Arches; I only covered about half the park, and very quickly at that.

We will spend the day in New Mexico tomorrow, checking out the mountains; and hopefully some early spanish missions.

Jack


P1 - Balanced rock in Arches.

P2 - Delicate Arch in Arches. This shot is from the upper view point. When I first arrived there were three people up on the ridge just to the left of the arch. They had hiked in from Wolfe Ranch, which gets you closeups, but takes a lot longer and has some very steep climbs. I didn't have time to make the hike, nor the desire to make the climb:).

P3 - North Window in Arches.

P4 - Turret Arch in Arches.

P5 - Hovenweep Castle. This area has eleven of these ruins scattered along a one mile long shallow canyon. These buildings were built by the Pueblo Indians in the late 1200's. It is amazing to me that anything is still standing, and even more amazing that people could eke out a living in this country. It is very arid, with just a few seeps and springs, and no year-round streams. The only wildlife we saw all day were small lizards, and while these were pretty to look at (yellow-headed collared lizards) they didn't look very appetizing and wouldn't make much of a mouthful!

P6 - Four Corners. As you can see, I was standing in four states at the same time (the 12-60mm worked very well here)! Too bad it has been commercialized, but this is something I have wanted to do for a long time, so I paid the Navajo Tribe the $3 so I could take a picture of my feet.


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Attachment 22 ]]> jddoyle22 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?31-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-3 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?30-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-2 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:10:58 GMT Today we stayed in Utah, traveling from Provo to Moab - stopping in Canyonlands National Park on the way. We didn't have time to do any hiking, so we just hit the main tourist spots. There were still some spectacular views, and I am sure that sunrise or sunset would be even better if the timing worked out that way.

More from this area tomorrow.

Jack

P1 - This was at Soldier Summit, on Hwy. 6, between Provo and Price.

P2 - At Grand View Point (end of the paved road in Canyonlands). Those are the La Sal Mtns. in the distance.

P3 - Buck Canyon overlook.

P4 - Shafer Canyon overlook (near the visitors center), with the La Sal Mtns. in the background).

P5 - Shafer Canyon overlook.

P6 - Big Mesa, this is located just north of the park.

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Attachment 16 ]]> jddoyle22 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?30-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-2 http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/entry.php?29-2009-Spring-Concert-Tour-Day-1-(follow-up) Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:34:47 GMT P7 - White pelicans. These birds were doing "synchronized" feeding, and were really fun to watch.


Hope you found this blog entry to be interesting and enjoyable. More tonight or tomorrow morning.



Jack



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