Category : blog

 

 

 

For years I’ve been a big fan of lenses, everybody’s lenses!  When I worked for Nikon as a Tech Rep,  I tested hundreds of lenses and for my own curiosity I’ve tested hundreds more!  One lens I have always admired and heard great things about was the Olympus 75mm f 1.8.  I never was an Olympus shooter so I never had any real personal experience with it.  When I decided to pick up a Panasonic Lumix GX85, (a Micro 4/3rds sensor camera), I now had a camera that could accept that lens, so I picked one up and boy am I excited with the images!

 

About the lens, because it is used n micro 4/3rds sensor and a 2X crop factor,  the focal length is the equiv. of a 150mm with a maximum, aperture of f 1.8.  It is a odd focal length but a great moderate telephoto with exceptional performance and fast to boot!  it is physically small and handles very well on the small range finder style body, the GX85.  The images below are just random shots I took this morning driving around Corbin with Chester.  All handheld, see what you think?

 

 

I know Sharpness is hard to evaluate on the internet, but the files are impressive on my computer screen, even at 100%!  Not the most exciting subject matter, but I felt the lens performed very well!  I would welcome your comments and thoughts!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

When Sherelene started getting calls and emails asking why there was no announcement of my death, I knew I had gone too long without a blog entry!!!!  Actually about two months ago my 10 year old Apple iMac died and after careful examination it was determined that it would cost more to fix it than replace it, so I was stuck without a computer in my home office.  Many of my passwords and admin records were on that computer, so I needed help!  First I had recently bought a 2018 Macbook Pro which combined with a new 26″ Benq monitor solved the office problem!  Thankfully my dear friend RC Concepcion was kind enough to get my passwords straightened up so as of today I can get into Word Press again! Thanks RC!!

 

So, I’m back and yes, still alive, at 160 Whirlaway Trail!  Top Image:  It was just a little over a year ago that we lost our dear friend and brother Charles Stanley, I miss him everyday, but I know he finally knows one of his most burning questions, is there photography in heaven!?  I’m betting there is!

 

 

Since my heart issue in 2023 I have been doing much less traveling and spending a lot of time at home with Chester!  I wondered how I would feel when “real” retirement set in, but I have to say I’m enjoying it very much!  I continue to play with some new Micro 4/3rds cameras an lenses and while the learning curve is a little steep, I am enjoying them!  *  Just in case you are reading into this that I am no longer shooting Fujifilm equipment, that is the furthest thing from the truth, I just  wanted to play around with something new.  I still have all of my Fujifilm equipment, four bodies and over fifteen lenses, and I use them often.  I appreciate my relationship with Fujfilm, I’m just am enjoying a little fling!  The Micro 4/3rds bodies and lenses are nice and small and fun to shoot with.

 

 

My next outing in the field will not be until early October when Jack and I will be joined by a handful of friends in the UP of Michigan!  This has become one of my favorite places to shoot fall color!

 

I will try hard to get back to posting more often!

 

Till next time, God Bless!

 

In Him,

 

 

the Pilgrim

Photo by Tony Rogers

 

I woke up this morning with my heart filled with praise!  Why?  Well, let’s see, FIRST:  I woke up!  That’s always a blessing!  I love my life and as of today I still have it!  As I was waking up, I started to COUNT MY BLESSINGS:  Among them was the greatest lady I’ve ever known, the love of my life, beautiful  in so many ways, and there she was, asleep next to me, in my bed!!!!!  Then I thought of the wonderful family and friends that God has blessed me with!  I thought about how proud I am of my children and grandchildren!   I thought about the great times of fellowship I’ve had with a handful of truly great friends, brothers and sisters in the Lord!

 

As I was more awake, I felt my toes and my legs and could move my arms and could see the sunlight peaking through the blinds!  I was warm and safe and realized I’m rich beyond belief ( in the things that truly mater), how blessed can a man be!  Then a cold nose poked me in the face and Chester was staring at me saying, “let’s go papa it’s time for me to go outside!!!!”

 

None of this is earth shattering for any of you, but for me, its my life, it’s what God has allowed me to have and I couldn’t be more thankful, happy and more committed to Him!

 

Have a great blessed weekend!

 

 

the pilgrim

 

Thanks Tony, for letting me share your wonderful sunset shot, it was better than anything I got that night in the Smokies!

 

As I said in a previous blog post,  Jack picked up a Sony Compact camera and, as always happens, it costs me money!!!!!  I really like the idea of something light I could grab headed to the car for casual shooting.  I probably over did it, but I wanted full coverage and the Micro 4/3rd stuff is so light and small, I ended up with a cool little system for the purpose at hand!

 

The body is the Lumix GX85, 16 mega pixels and lot of really nice features, excellent Image stabilization and shockingly good image quality!  The images below are of some familiar targets but I was pleased with the results.

 

 

The 45mm f 1.8 lens is super sharp, I loved the texture in this mic shot!

 

 

The 35-100 (70-200) is very crisp as ell and extremely small for a lens of that speed and focal length!  That’s a pretty relaxed squirrel.

 

 

The Pure gas pumps at the Original Kentucky Fried Chicken are a good sharpness test,  35-100.

 

 

Two of my favorite alley shots from downtown Corbin.

 

 

Lastly the Southern railway car “The French Broad River” is always good for smooth gradation tests.

 

I plan a family trip to Page AZ in early May, this will be my  only sytem for that trip, we’ll see what I get!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Bonus image: inside my house, I love the L Monochrome film simulation mocks the Leica Monochrome look, thus L (for Leica)!