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Panasonic GX7

I guess that's why we research our cameras before we buy them...

I was intrigued and a bit excited about the Panasonic GX7 micro four thirds camera. The spec sheet checked-off the functionality I wanted, and the body design is terrific.

And then I read the DP Review of the GX7, and discovered that it has a few bumps in the road. I hate it when that happens.

Essentially, Panasonic (of all companies) designed a high-end camera that has crippled movie recording. The in-body stabilization is disabled during video capture, there are no in-audio or out-audio ports, and the EVF struggles outdoors.

Like I said, I guess that's why we do our research before buying.

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Lollipod

The inventors at Lollipod have created what they call a "Tripod / Monopod / Boom / Lighting & Selfie Stand" that is quite compact. It will stabilize a device up to 420 grams and pack neatly in a shoulder bag or hang from your belt.

Here are the basic specifications:

  • Super Light at only 320 grams (11.3 ounces).
  • Maximum Load Capacity 420 grams.
  • Closed Length - 320 mm (12.6") It should fit longways in the Walking Man Shoulder Bag.
  • Maximum Height - 1130 mm (44").
  • Locking Ball Head with Camera Mounting Screw.
  • Multi Device Compatible (adaptor required).

So I'm going to try one for the team here. I ordered a Minty Green Lollipod that cost me $64.74 US (price includes $14.62 for shipping) after British Pound conversion. Once I have it in hand, I'll let you know how it fares in testing. More to come.


Nimble Photographer Logo

This product has a tentatively high Nimbleosity Rating (untested at this point). What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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This week on The Digital Story photography podcast: Nikon Df mechanical/digital DSLR; on The Nimbleosity Report - Olympus Stylus 1; From the Photo Help Desk - Do I need expensive filters? All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Nikon Df DSLR - What started in the Scottish Highlands with an excellent teaser video has now become a reality. And it has a lot of photographers excited.

Nikon Df

Basic features include:

  • Full frame 16MP sensor
  • Dedicated mechanical dials for shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, exposure mode, and release mode
  • Mechanical cable release compatible
  • 39-point AF with 9 cross sensors
  • Compatible with AF-S, AF-D, and AD Nikkor lenses

The Df will be available in silver and black, probably around the end of this month. It looks awesome. The Df has that throwback styling that made the original OM-D so alluring. It even has the "slide over" eyecup shade for long exposures. If you want one for yourself, it will cost you $2,996.95 with 50mm lens. I talk about the possible impact of this camera in today's top story.

Story #2 - In today's Nimbleosity Report, I take a closer look at the Olympus Stylus 1 . It looks like a baby OM-D E-M5, but with a powerful and bright zoom lens. Here are the highlight features:

  • 12MP 1/1.7" sensor (similar in size to the XZ-2)
  • 1.44M dot electronic viewfinder
  • 1 million dot 3" tilting touchscreen LCD
  • 28-300mm equivalent (10.7x) optically-stabilized f/2.8 lens (constant aperture through entire zooming range)
  • Built-in Wi-Fi with smartphone control
  • RAW capture as well as Jpeg
  • Magnesium alloy body structure
  • Built-in pop-up flash
  • Same battery as the Olympus OM-D
  • Should sell for around $699

This looks like a heck of an all-in-one camera to me. Love the constant aperture and zooming range. Lots of enthusiast features in a very nimble package (14 ounces). This little gem will set you back $699 US. Is it worth it? I'll talk about that.

Story #3 - From the Photo Help Desk - Should you pay the extra dollars for high-end multi-coated filters when others are available at a fraction of the price?

Now is the time to order your SizzlPix for the holidays!

New Ad tiles on TDS. If you're going to purchase from Amazon of B%H Photo, please click on the respective ad tile for those suppliers, located in the second column on every page of TheDigitalStory.com.

And don't forget, I have an Aperture Workshop coming up on Nov. 16 and 17. Write me at derrick@thedigitalstory.com for more details.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

The November 2013 photo assignment is "Critters."

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.


iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to save 20% at check out.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

How many times have you said to yourself, "If I could just lighten that one spot in the photo, I would be so happy."? Aperture users don't have to roundtrip out of the application to accomplish that task. Using the brushing tools, you can work on "just that one spot." And in 5 minutes, I show you how.

This tutorial is from my Enhancing Product Photography with Aperture training on lynda.com. I walk you through localized editing techniques step by step, so you can apply this to your photos right now.

More Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, take a look at Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012), Using iPhoto and Aperture Together, and the latest, Portrait Retouching with Aperture. Also, visit our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

Aperture Workshop Coming on Nov. 16 and 17, 2013

Want to learn Aperture in a hands on environment? My next Aperture workshop will be Nov. 16 and 17 in Santa Rosa, CA. We'll review all of the basics, plus work on portraiture (including a live model shoot), product photography, and more. Write me at derrick@thedigitalstory.com for more information and a reservation form.

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Two New Super Nimble Fit Kit Designs

I've finished testing and have now published two new Nimble Fit Kits (#10 and #11). Kit 10 is designed specifically for indoor events that typically include security checks. Kit 11 is handy for traveling light and covering outdoor actives.

Nimble Fit Kit 10 Fit Kit 10 designed for indoor events such as basketball games.

Both kits use the just-released Walking Man Shoulder Bag (black model) with silver embroidery on the front flap. I've used these configurations for extended periods of time. Because they are so light and comfortable, I can keep my gear on my body and safe while taking pictures in crowded areas.

Nimble Fit Kit 11 Fit Kit 11 is perfect for outdoor activities with friends and family.

On The Nimble Photographer, I list the contents of each item in the kit with a link to its catalog page. Both of these configurations take advantage of the "bag within a bag" concept. Chances are you already have many of the components required to build similar carrying solutions.

If you want the official Nimble Photographer Shoulder Bag made of 95 percent recycled material and handsomely embroidered, it's available for $29.95.


Nimble Photographer Logo

These kits have a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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For the September 2013 Photo Assignment, TDS shooters demonstrated their cat-like reflexes. See for yourself in our gallery, Grab Shot. And which one will be the SizzlPix Photo Assignment Pick of the Month?

brian-buhowsky-sept-2013-pa.jpg

Photo by Brian Buhowsky. "This is a grab shot of my daughter while our house was under construction. The colors and contrast, as well as the haze created by the tarp resulted in a dynamic effect." (Captured with an iPhone 5.) See all of the great images from this month's assignment by visiting the Grab Shot gallery page.


Participate in This Month's Assignment

The Nov. 2013 assignment is "Critters." Details can be found on the Member Participation page. Deadline is Nov. 30, 2013. No limit on image size submitted.

Please follow the instructions carefully for labeling the subject line of the email for your submission. It's easy to lose these in the pile of mail if not labeled correctly. For example, the subject line for this month's assignment should be: "Photo Assignment: Nov 2013." Also, if you can, please don't strip out the metadata. And feel free to add any IPTC data you wish (These fields in particular: Caption, Credit, Copyright, Byline), I use that for the caption info.

Gallery posting is one month behind the deadline. So I'm posting Oct. 2013 at the end of Nov., the Nov. gallery will be posted at the end of Dec., and on and on.

Good luck with your Nov. assignment, and congratulations to all of the fine contributors for Sept..


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iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

Canon 70D Lives Up to the Hype

Canon EOS 70D with 40mm STM Lens

Having carried a Canon EOS 70D with the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens for some time now, I agree with the recent DP Review Gold Award for the enthusiast DSLR.

In terms of my "larger" cameras, this is my current favorite. And with the 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens, it's a remarkably compact and versatile camera. I keep it in my Lowepro Urban Reporter 150 with the OM-D.

The 40mm on the 70D is my longer lens and the 17mm on the E-M5 is the wider. Depending on the situation, I grab the camera that has the most appropriate focal length.

The things I really like about the 70D and why it resides in my daily bag include:

  • The swing-out articulated touchscreen LCD. So versatile!
  • Built in flash with wireless controller combined with the wireless Canon 270EX II Speedlite Flash makes for a potent on-the-go lighting kit.
  • Great autofocusing with both the optical viewfinder and via live view.
  • Terrific low light/high ISO performance.
  • Built-in WiFi for both camera control and picture transfer.
  • Accepts my entire catalog of Canon glass.

The enthusiast DSLR lives on. And I, along with DP Review, feel that Canon has created an excellent camera with the 70D.

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PhotoHelpDesk.com is a down-to-earth resource for curious minded photographers. Submit your questions, and we'll post an answer.

fotodiox-adapter.jpg

After having such great success using a lens adapter for my micro four thirds cameras, allowing me to mount Zeiss lenses on to the Olympus OM-D, I thought I'd do the same for my Pentax K-5. I quickly learned that all lens adapters are not created equal.

I ponied up $39 for a Fotodiox PRO Lens Mount Adapter that would let me mount my Contax Zeiss lenses on the Pentax K-5. I thought this would be particularly fun for studio work.

The adapter seems well made and everything mounted snugly. I ran a test using the $165 PENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens against my Zeiss 50mm f/1.7 prime with Fotodiox adapter. As you look at the shots below, the Pentax lens image is on the far left, and the Zeiss with adapter shots are in the middle and on the right.

fotodiox-adapter-test.jpg

Clearly, the $165 Pentax kit lens outperformed the Zeiss with adapter. Not only that, I lost one f/stop of light (middle image) with the adapter, and had to compensate by opening up from f/5.6 to f/4 (right image) to get an equivalent exposure.

More bad news concerning image stabilization. Even though the K-5 has sensor based stabilization, it would not activate with the Fotodiox adapter. I used a tripod and self timer for the test shots, but in real life this would be an issue.

I'm sure I'll find something creative to do with the Fotodiox mount. But I don't think I'll be shooting product shots in the the studio with it.

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This week on The Digital Story podcast: New Photography Workshops for 2014; The Nimbleosity Report -- Has the Canon G-Series run its course? From the Photo Help Desk -- Which New MacBook Pro Laptop is Best for Photographers? All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - New Workshops for the Coming Year - I've been working on the 2014 workshop season for a while now, and I think I have a very tempting line up.

  • High School Senior Portraits, Inside and Out - Feb.
  • Fine Art Photography - HDR and B&W - March
  • San Francisco Street Photography - May
  • Sonoma Coast Workshop - August
  • Fall Color with Safari West - Oct.

I talk about these events in the first segment of today's podcast.

Story #2 - Nimbleosity report on the Canon PowerShot G16 - Has the G Series run its course? I cut my teeth on digital photography with the Canon G1 and G2 cameras. I still have them. But as I've compared the latest member of this family to the competition, I'm wondering if the G Series has finally run out of gas. I go into detail in today's Nimbleosity Report.

Canon PowerShot G16

I compared the G16 to a direct competitor, the Fujifilm X20. The results were interesting.

They both weigh about the same. The X20 has the edge in image sharpness, sensor size, AF speed, and burst mode. The G16 has better spec for the LCD monitor, 240 fps video recording, and longer battery life. Plus the G16 includes built-in WiFi costs $50 less.

So is the G16 a worthy competitor? I answer in today's show. And don't forget to visit the official Nimble Photographer web site.

Story #3 - From the Photo Help Desk: Which of the new MacBook Pros are best for photographers? Now that Apple offers Retina Displays for both the 13" and 15" models, which is best for photographers?

MacBook Pro Top View

Three considerations: 1) Budget: 13" runs from #1,299 to $1,799 while the 15" runs from $1,999 to $2,599. 2) Portability: which laptop fits in your ideal carrying solution? 3) Applications you use: the $2,599 MBP has both Intel Iris Pro Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M graphics card. The 13" has Intel Iris Graphics. Photoshop and Aperture can take advantage of GPU acceleration. Lightroom does not. I sort this out in the third segment of today's show.

If you have a question for the Photo Help Desk team, visit PhotoHelpDesk.com.

Chuck Jones is the winner of the Nimble Photographer T-Shirt giveaway. He wrote, "I think my favorite item in the store is the cap. All of the items look great, but I wear caps all the time and this one has a classic look to it." Thanks Chuck for your feedback, and I hope you enjoy the T-Shirt.

New Ad tiles on TDS. If you're going to purchase from Amazon of B%H Photo, please click on the respective ad tile for those suppliers, located in the second column on every page of TheDigitalStory.com.

And don't forget, I have an Aperture Workshop coming up on Nov. 16 and 17. Write me at derrick@thedigitalstory.com for more details.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

The October 2013 photo assignment is "My House is My Castle."

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.


iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to save 20% at check out.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

OM-D E-M1 Front View

Citing extensive customizability and super fast autofocus, DP Review awarded the Olympus OM-D E-M1 micro four thirds camera and overall score of 84 percent and a Gold award in their deep dive, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Review.

They also liked the excellent image quality, rugged all weather construction, built-in WiFi, and the bright, sharp, electronic viewfinder. On the negative side, DP Review felt that the interface and controls can be overwhelming, auto focusing with Four Thirds lenses can be slow in dim conditions, and they weren't crazy about having only a single SD card slot.

From my Nimble Photographer point of view, I'm a bit concerned about bling bloat. The E-M1 has put on a bit of weight and will grow further with 4/3 lenses. Plus the base price for the body has expanded to $1,399 for the OM-D E-M1, compared to $999 for the OM-D E-M5. I'm actually surprised that more people haven't commented on the $400 increase.

That being said, the E-M1 looks like a heck of a terrific camera. DP Review leaves no stone unturned. So a Gold award from them has substantial weight... and in a good way.


Nimble Photographer Logo

This product has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.