SiJ 2018 - Thoughts and reflections on the first half.

Me again ... I just had an insight I want to share. I've been playing around with the FZ1000 - it's one of the cameras that has to wait until SiJ is finished, but it had given me some trouble lately, so I took it out to get things sorted out (I did - it was rather trivial, pilot error). Then, without thinking much, I took an image in the same way I often use the V1: a gear shot *of* the V1 set at my usual spot. Here's what I found.

The FZ1000 not only has twice as many pixels (that's nothing new!), but its RAW files are also loads better at ISO 800 than the V1's. The V1 redeems itself partly because its noise structure is very grain-like, so it's mostly pleasing to the eye, but it's undisputably there at ISO 640 and above - very much so, in fact, and it gets pretty obnoxious at higher ISOs as far as I'm concerned. That's why I use the V1 only at ISO 800 or below. I actually do the same with the FZ1000 and I intend to keep it that way, but there's a major difference: The FZ1000's RAW files are *clean* at ISO 800 - not totally pristine, but they show very good preservation of detail *and* colour, and hardly any loss at hard contrasting edges. It's genuinely impressive. Here's the grab shot I took - zero noise reduction!
SiJ2018_weapon_of_choice.jpg


Does this devalue the V1? Not really. But it makes me finally understand why people have raved about the 1" 20MP sensors so much.

I'll finish the challenge with the V1, mainly because the camera is totally worth it and fun to shoot. But in February, the FZ1000 will be my regular companion for the kind of photo walk I now use the V1 for and enjoy so much. The EDC camera, on the other hand, will be the Canon G1X III again - but that's another story ...

But you know, it's actually quite telling that it took me 20 days to feel a need to ponder all this. The V1 still does a damn fine job.

Oh, and by the way, I'll use the GF1 with the 20mm f/1.7 for the next "Single in ..." challenge to find out if it can compete ...

M.
 
9 month cycle? sounds good to me.

@MoonMind I hear ya, Matt, on the matter of the IQ from the FZ1000. THats why I was initially going to use that. Its just "better" in so many ways. But then, I have also found that with other Panasonic cameras I have owned. Not just the 1" or larger. Even the old TZ60 (also soon to be sold) has excellent files. Even the jpgs seem to be better in some way than other 1/2.3 sensor cams I have.
 
I've been thinking about this a bit - how about a 9-month rhythm? That way, everyone would encounter different opportunities on a regular basis, and every three years the cycle would repeat ...

M.
Sounds good to me Matt. That would give us winter, spring, summer and autumn which would give us the different seasons and such different photo opportunities.
 
9 month cycle? sounds good to me.

@MoonMind I hear ya, Matt, on the matter of the IQ from the FZ1000. THats why I was initially going to use that. Its just "better" in so many ways. But then, I have also found that with other Panasonic cameras I have owned. Not just the 1" or larger. Even the old TZ60 (also soon to be sold) has excellent files. Even the jpgs seem to be better in some way than other 1/2.3 sensor cams I have.
Sue, re: Panasonic cameras: The LX100 held out quite a while against seemingly superior cameras - it still produces files I like to work with. If the IQ from the G1X III wasn't clearly better, it'd still be my first choice (i.e. I probably wouldn't have bothered with getting the Canon - thankfully, for me, it was definitely worth it).

I hope I'll remember proposing a SiO come September :)

M.
 
We might also change the rules on occasion. Maybe a picture a day but without the single camera/lens restriction.
I think adhering to this restriction was encouraged, but never "enforced" (as if we did anything like that anyway ...). We should just make it very clear what's expected and what's optional - and since the key thing is to have fun with photography, any rules have to *add* to that, not take away from it. Anyway, many of us (myself included) have used zoom lenses in the past. All in all, I think it makes sense to list "rules" and "options" separately and move the "single lens" aspect to the latter section.

N.B. I personally appreciate this aspect of the challenge and will opt for it more often than not. The way I learn to pre-visualise for the chosen combo is very satisfying.

M.
 
Much of my photographic intent has been influenced by the photographs of James Ravilious who photographed in Devon between the 1970's and the 1990's with books like "An English Eye" and "Down the Deep Lanes". James Ravilious - photographer of rural life 1939 - 1999

Barrie

The work of Ravilious is among my favourites - beautifully understated, and superbly crafted. I've tried, on a number of occasions, to emulate his style - with a notable lack of success! :(
 
Last edited:
The work of Ravilious is among my favourites - beautifully understated, and superbly crafted. I've tried, on a number of occasions, to emulate his style - with a notable lack of success! :(

Yes, a photographer who had an ability to capture the quality of the light in some way, even though that light could often be dull. He once summed his photographic intent up as "One is trying to put into one's art: ordinary life. The washing up, not the news. It isn't ordinary of course, it's extraordinary." He claimed to be "badly self taught."

Sadly the way of life he documented has all but disappeared in the last 30-40 years, but his images now form a valuable social archive. Some of my friends laughed at me photographing buses on the 93 route from Dartmouth to Plymouth, now the route number has changed after an 80 plus year history, the bus company has changed, the double deckers have gone, those images now are history. Such documenting of one's parish or area could be an interesting project for a local photographer who's not about to up sticks and move on.

Barrie
 
I hope I'll remember proposing a SiO come September :)

M.

That sounds a lot better than waiting until next January. having said that I took my very early early retirement at the end of September one year only then to endure one of the wettest Octobers on record :laugh1: What is it about me and rain? I think I might be selecting a zoom lenses for that one, it is after all still a single lenses for the month and does give you options for some variety. As things stand I'd probably go with my Leica D-Lux Typ 109, a short range zoom which will probably be used at just a couple of focal lengths as I've got it set to zoom between preset points.

Barrie
 
Does this devalue the V1? Not really. But it makes me finally understand why people have raved about the 1" 20MP sensors so much.

I got to thinking about this and now have done a sidewise move from wanting an Oly to seriously reconsidering the J5 again. Its small and light, and would marry up nicely with the 10 and 18.5mm lenses. Its back on my shopping list, and given that I have resisted GAS for something like 18 months (almost) I feel its time. Especially since I'm going to be selling off the other Nikon1s, and my Pentax gear.

Now at Day 23 I am starting to slow down. I'd normally be out looking for birds or flowers by now but its been so hot and dry, the flowers are almost gone and things are looking pretty dead. I may have to resort to an indoor shot. Or not. Almost finished.
 
I got to thinking about this and now have done a sidewise move from wanting an Oly to seriously reconsidering the J5 again. Its small and light, and would marry up nicely with the 10 and 18.5mm lenses. Its back on my shopping list, and given that I have resisted GAS for something like 18 months (almost) I feel its time. Especially since I'm going to be selling off the other Nikon1s, and my Pentax gear.

Now at Day 23 I am starting to slow down. I'd normally be out looking for birds or flowers by now but its been so hot and dry, the flowers are almost gone and things are looking pretty dead. I may have to resort to an indoor shot. Or not. Almost finished.
The J5 is a nifty little camera - though a tiny bit too modernist for me (only electronic shutter, Micro-SD cards) and has a strangely crippled handling paradigm (command dial not working in A mode? Bugger that ...). But the sensor's top notch, and the camera, small as it is, feels very nice in the hand. The screen's good (and it tilts), and the controls are more mainstream and well done. However, what I love about the V1 is the mini DSLR gestalt, the EVF in particular.

And as far as finderless cameras are concerned, I'm seriously spoiled by the Olympus E-PL7 - it's a powerhouse, yet reasonably compact and much, much more configurable than the J5.

So for what it's worth, if you like the way the J5 behaves and works, it's a really nice little camera, and it'll make those lenses sing in a way the V1 can't. From what I have seen online, the IQ is very, very nice. I myself have too many reservations against the body, mainly against the handling paradigm, but that's definitely just me.

I've made my peace with the limitations of the V1 during the last couple of days - it's what it is, and that's fine by me. As a digital partner for analog gear, it's great - simple, straightforward, competent enough for just about any kind of documentary shot to accompany analog shooting. It's sturdy, no-nonsense and reliable. Of course, there are lots of objectively better cameras out there, but they lack the simplicity and robustness of the V1 (since I mentioned it, that's the case for the E-PL7 - itself no slouch by any means). And my only lens, the 18.5mm, is a great performer (its only downside is quite heavy distortion).

M.
 
Back
Top