Flash-Post: Dark Black Tones predominance

One Picture, One photographer, One experience Series

We always speak of the black and white by meaning you can observe the light distribution through the black-gray-white’s nuances on the photograph. I remember during the analog-film era how some eminent photographic specialists were claiming it was important to get a complete representation of these nuances. True or not that "rule" has been disregarded many times and examples are notorious. Can we stay only into the "darker side" of the subject and limit as much as possible the lighter references?

Atmosphere, emotions, perceptions are part of the feedback we resent when we are seeing a picture. And photography is still a visual art of interpretation of our reality. Even from dark there is always the expectation of the light at the end of the tunnel of life, just think about our own birth.

Traditional photography is here to stay!

This is may be the real one good news for all the specialized photo equipment manufacturers. But it won't prevent drastic changed in term of how the product will be definite in the future. Some may ask why all these camera makers cannot be wise to apply some basic standards to the industry such as a unique image sensor format or simply an universal camera lens mount like we have seen in the past with the domination of the 35mm analog film or even the popularity of the 42mm screw-in lens mount? Partly because standards cannot last forever du of the different technological advancements or simply because of the changes of the consumer market needs.

If the industrial assents for pro-universal standards are never certain, the traditional photo equipment market stays strong with thousands of products that are still bought by photo enthusiasms around the world. It never really stops although we have seen sales contractions time to time that moderate an over-extensive manufacturer offer. As an ex-economist, I can testify that the demand is very reluctant to change its consumer habits. For example, the smartphone rising never try to substitute the traditional photo equipment market which is a niche one but instead has replaced the compact "instamatic" camera photographic mass market and that specific mass market is reckoned to be very fluctuated (remember the Brownies, the 126 and 110 film formats, the disks and APS film attempts).

The mass-market temptations have been over the commercial market history one of the greatest and always renewable lure challenge of all the private manufacturers. It means for certain the pinnacle of the success. But homogenize mass markets does not exist and there are, in fact, the summation of a momentary trend that many different smaller markets which agree to follow on a temporarily base. It works for a time but eventually collapse by themself. It is the nature of the mass market. So, manufacturers that have a more long-term view of their own future have to be aware of it and prepare themselves to re-adapt or re-shape their organization and structures to face the inevitable changes of the mass market behavior.

What all this mean for the traditional photo enthusiasms of this world is that we are not alone and these thousands of us have to be properly served by a specific commercial industry that will fulfill our needs. Names of the manufacturer and product configurations can be different over time, but this photo equipment-oriented market is here to stay as for others different but specialized products. Production numbers can be lower but there are still very significant in term of profit and desirability.

No, I am not afraid of the future, traditional photography won’t disappear and many of us know already that fact. For others, we leave the catastrophic stories.

I never do video with my Panasonic Lumix G85 but I love to photograph with it!

We already know that many videographers love to work with the Panasonic Lumix G85 (G80/G81) because it is a very competent camera to do animated image recording. Its successor, the Lumix G95, have tried to increase to that deserved reputation by upgrading the image sensor from 16MP to 20MP and by adding some practical features like the possibility of plugging a sound monitoring headphone. Although the Lumix G85 is rightly praised among the vloggers of this Web world, I have never considered it on this particular point of view because the Lumix G85 stays for me mainly a photographic camera.

How can we definite the Panasonic G85 as a photographic tool? First you can appreciate its good ergonomic (at least for right-handed people!) and the fact that the camera body is weather resistant increase the confidence to use under many more environmental harsh conditions. Most basic functionalities are easy access with the aid of different dials, push buttons or of the touch screen. Even the menu and quick menu interfaces are mostly comprehensive and can be settled without consulting a long operating manual.

The viewfinder and the rotative back LCD screen are image detailed and data informative. I just wish that the data can rotate automatically from horizontal to vertical framing like with the Fuji models. The (post) viewing push button is position on the back-right side to facilitate a one hand operability. The picture output is good and the Lumix G85 exposure metering system is very predictive. The autofocus works well and is capable to cope with most of the subject situations.

The Panasonic Lumix G85 may look bigger that it is in reality, but it is in fact a moderate size compact camera especially if you compare it to 24X36mm so called Full Frame image sensor camera models. And it is more obvious when equivalent lenses are mounted onto their different sized respective camera models (FF vs MFT). For sure a rangefinder style model such as the Panasonic GX9 is smaller and will give you a maximum of discretion especially if you couple it with a "pancake" lens such as the Lumix G Vario 12-32mm or the Lumix G 20mm F1.7 but the handling between these two type of camera design (off center and centered viewfinders) will also differ noticeably, the G85 giving you a more secure operating feeling.

My modest experience over the years since the first G85 copy that I have owned reveals the good quality of construction of the camera body and the constant ability to produce nice pictures. I cannot emphasize enough the excellent results obtained by selecting one or another of the two monochrome modes available. With its 16MP image sensor the picture is precise and detailed providing you are using a good optic and pay attention to the exposure and focus setting. This camera G85 model always surprise me and deliver fine image renditions.

The big today (2020) question: is it pertinent to go ahead and buy a Panasonic Lumix G85? There are many aspects to consider but the comfort ergonomic, the good quality of its weather resistant construction, a very interest image output and the extended diversity of the lens offer give an edge to the Lumix G85 considering its affordable price level, especially coupled with the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Power OIS. I won’t push anybody to choose any particular camera model or system because, at the end, it is a very personal choice but if the Lumix G85 seems attractive to you, there is no reason to prevent yourself to buy one!

MFT: the rebel (image sensor) format!

(Save the sanity!)

With the uncertainty of Olympus and Panasonic involvement into the future development the Micro Four Third (MFT) image sensor format, what is my own reaction? In short, I simply decided to reconvert myself and buy another new MFT (camera) friend. Why? Because I am tired of all these unproductive debates about which image sensor format can be the most performing way of doing creative photography. And I am tired of small-minded attitudes that defend fiercely their own photo equipment manufacturer choices.

I am concerned about the photographer's spirit that spend their energy to defend commercial enterprises instead of photographic artistic trends. Let be honest despite this materialist world, photography is still an art of expression. So my rebel attitude is to defend the marginal way of promoting compact traditional photo equipment over the big apples and oranges offered by the major manufacturers that you know already the names... and web sites!

A Lumix G85 with its simple lens duet, 12-60mm and 45-200mm

I love MFT format because it is the real thing in term of compactness. I hate bazooka camera bodies and lenses which are not practical to bring with you, that are intruding and intimidating and, at the end, are heavy to carry, to operate and to handle in imaging post-treatment (with their inflated files). Small is (still) beautiful, don’t be misled by the marketers and their conscious or unconscious allies. To produce a large camera is easy but not very intelligent as for cars incidentally. To create a compact competent product is much cleverer.

So, in regard of the recent news regarding the future of MFT, I am not really happy. My line of defense is to encourage the ingeniously instead of the bigness and I do not care about the consequences on a long term since I don't think the other major manufacturers care really about their fanatic customers. For the moment, Olympus and Panasonic are still in business and their camera and lens offering is still very pertinent and actual. What will be tomorrow, we don’t know for sure and many surprises can appear in the next few years.

I have never come back to the digital 24 X 36mm (ex-35mm film) format since the Nikon D700 which was already a monstrous photographic device coupled with big bazooka lenses. My point of view has been confirmed since this past decision. Not only that so call Full-Frame products are big sized products but they so much expensive that it is impossible to qualify them as affordable in any way, which is not the case for many good MFT products even if Olympus and Panasonic can also offer pricy items too.

I know that some reviewers have condemn the MFT format already and some have stayed silent about their past endorsement but at least some others seem to try to maintain the interest for this unique true compact camera system. I can only hope that reason will prevail over political choices.

Flash-Post: Soft Curves

Doing still life photography has been challenging for me since my modest photo path. Black and white rendering has also my greater preference to work with, may be because of its higher graphic value over many colored image representations.

Photography is a visual art of emotion and there are plenty of subjects to be choose in doing so. This picture is among many that have done over the years using various photo taking material but in frequent opportunity, I have really appreciated to select a telephoto (zoom) lenses that have the quality of isolating the main subject from any contextual surrounding.

Some picture subjects are better enhanced by softness compare to a more cutting edges image. But all this is finally a matter of each other taste.

Here is another sample using a standard zoom lens:

Micro Four Third: a true compact camera system ideal!

With the corporative transformation of Olympus to its new OM Digital Solutions entity and the lowering developing implication of Panasonic in that small image sensor format, it can be easily concluded that the image sensor Micro Four Third format days will be over in mid-term. But we have to not forget as it was a short but fabulous era with many good, innovate and creative camera products. In a way, the MFT (Micro Four Third) was a kind of equivalent of the mini 35mm film format for its digital time. Small camera bodies combined with small interchangeable lenses are the essence of the search of compactness.

At the beginning, the creation of the Four Third image sensor format, the ancestor of the MFT, was an industrial attempt to impose a new standard format and many manufacturers have subscribed to develop the concept further and produce interesting products. As an open standard, Fujifilm, Kodak, Leica, Olympus, Panasonic, Sanyo and Sigma initially agree to go ahead. But in 2008 Olympus and Panasonic decided to present the new Micro Four Third format that eliminate completely the use of a reflex mirror viewing system and present a mirrorless alternative. By doing this, the MFT have preceded the gradually obsolescence of the use of reflex optical viewfinders.

Because of the multi-entrepreneurship involved into the development of the MFT format, the new eco-system of cameras, lenses and accessories have grown at a relatively fast pace. Panasonic further develop very efficient hybrid photo-video models as Olympus was more oriented still photographic devices. Models such as the Panasonic GH4 and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 represent successful both commercial and artistically products that got a tangible influence over these specialized markets.

As already mentioned, the beauty of the MFT eco-system was no doubt its compactness. In a way it is a pity that other manufacturers like Canon, Nikon or Sony have never consider seriously to push its technical development especially in regard of the gradual creation of new sensors. The absence of MFT sensor development interest have eventually doomed the MFT progress. Many wrongly proclaim that the photographic smartphone abilities have equal those of the MFT system. In virtue of optical physic law, it can't be especially if you apply the same technical advancement both in hardware and software that are in use into the two comparing systems. Moreover, MFT cameras are traditionally designed as photographic (or video) tools first and it shows in their ergonomics and in their respective interfaces.

All indications are pointing that the MFT format will concentrate its future efforts into the Asian market and the videography field. Sure it is a deep lost for the photographers of the other hemisphere that are used to work with these competent, durable and versatile camera models and lenses. The choice for compact ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) system is now narrowed to very few manufacturers that are offering a more complete system such as Fujifilm in APS-C image sensor format.

Overtime, I had love to work with different MFT models such as the Olympus EP-3, OM-D EM-5, EM-5 Mark II, E-M1, E-M1 Mark II, Pen-F and the Panasonic GM-5, GX-7, GX-85, GX-9 and G85 and with many of the lenses from these two manufacturers. I found them inspiring, easy to bring with you, discrete and efficient photographic devices. The latest 20MP MFT image sensor version is giving high quality results despite the fact of its longer introducing age. The MFT format was the right answer to be able to offer a real "compact" digital photographic system. Nobody that had the opportunity to use more extensively the MFT system can deny its advantages on the field. However, we can easily attribute the unsuccessful industrial larger development of the MFT format to the political choices that have dictated many commercial decisions from the major manufacturers like Canon, Nikon or Sony. They have tried to maintain the interest for their obsolete D-SLR system as long as possible. In doing so, they simply dismissed the avenue of using a new image sensor standard, the MFT, in profit of a technical stagnation. Even them are paying the price today with clumsy, incomplete and expensive mirrorless new systems.

Progress is a summation of tries and errors before reaching a more mature and stable evolution. In digital photography, MFT have been (and still is) a perfect model to compactness and efficiency in traditional digital photography. I simply regret that Canon, Fujifilm, Leica, Nikon or Sony didn't try challenge Olympus and Panasonic in that respect as it has been the case during the time of the 35mm film analog era.