Nikon 1 V1-Good Enough to be the A Cam?

Next time you're in Barnes & Noble, saunter (or sashay, your choice) over to the magazine rack and pick up a copy of the Feb '14 issue of RoadRUNNER Magazine. My Vermont dual purpose story, "One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by KLR" is in there, and it's one of the first real tests of the Nikon V1 as my A camera. It's been on several trip now as my B cam, and it's done well enough. Well enough to be given a chance as the A cam. The B cam on this trip was that venerable Panasonic GH2 with the versatile 12-35 F2.8. And the C cam was the tiny Pentax Q. It's hard to leave the Q behind because it's so tiny, and with the fisheye and the Q mounted on a monopod I can get some neat POV shots.

Razor Thin Depth of Field is a Harsh Mistress

Still from PBS Frontline Documentary "League of Denial"

I recently participated in a discussion on PentaxForums where members noted Canon's apparent dominance in DSLR video. The premise was that while Panasonic gets a lot of attention online for their GH line of cameras, most people encountered in the real world are shooting with Canon DSLRs at the center of their rigs. It's something that I've noticed as well; I don't recall ever seeing someone shooting video with a GH1, GH2, or GH3 out in the wild. It must be, among other things, the allure of the larger sensor available in Canon DSLRs, from APS-C to 35mm full frame.

Cracks in the Facade

And so a scant few days after posting the rumored Pentax K-3, I find myself wondering it it's time to move away from the Pentax K-mount. A number of things have happened in the last six months to bring me to this point. One, I've really grown to like the Nikon V1 and am considering further investment in the Nikon 1 system. At first, I bought it as a rig camera, taking some nice intervalometer photos in Maine. Then I promoted it to second camera on my trip to Ontario. And it did well. I shoot with a very flat picture profile, which makes out of the camera RAW files looks kind of "meh", but the files handle pretty aggressive post processing without falling to pieces.

And then the big test came; I brought it on my last VT dual sport trip as the first camera (I also had a Panasonic GH2 along for video and backup). And the V1 did great. No, the image quality isn't at the level of the Pentax K-5, particularly when you push even a smidge beyond ISO400. And it doesn't have much DOF. And the zooms are on the slow end. And so on and so on. But I know that I can get magazine worthy files from this little machines, and I know that the platform will only improve as sensor technology improves and Nikon sees fit to develop more interesting lenses. To that end I've looked at second bodies and just purchased the SB-N7 Speedlight. If I just add the 6.7-13mm wide angle zoom, I'll have the ultimate small camera motorcycle travel kit.

So where does that leave the Pentax K-5 or the upcoming K-3? I'm not shooting events as much as I used to, so a DSLR is not high on my priority list. I'm using smaller sensor cameras to give me telephoto reach, and as I wrote recently, I'm enjoying the small zooms of the smaller formats. I don't think that I'll ever give up having a DSLR completely as they are such good workhorses, but they seem to be moving to the back of the shelf in terms of getting used.

And if I'm going to keep one, maybe I should get one whose lenses can be shared. Maybe I should go back to....Nikon. I started shooting more seriously with a D70 back in 2004 after all. And if I choose my lenses well, I can use them on a Nikon DSLR and on the Nikon 1 with the adapter and also on the GH2 with another adapter. A tri-fecta if there ever was one.

In a perfect, rational world, that is what I should do. Then why do I hesitate?

I Was a Primes Kind of Guy, Until I Wasn't.

I've got a bookshelf full of primes for four different systems–Pentax K, Micro Four-Thirds, Nikon 1, and Pentax Q. I love them dearly, appreciating the diminutive size (when compared to zooms), and photon gathering capabilities. And I also really appreciate their zeitgeist, a notion of elegance and simplicity made manifest in glass, metal, and plastic. In other words, I drank the Kool-Aid suggesting that primes make you a more thoughtful and considered photographer and thus wandered the Earth with a fistful of primes always at the ready. I grew quite adept at changing them on the side of the road too, balancing front and rear caps and two lenses while minimizing the change interval. And when meeting photogs with variable aperture zooms on their cameras, I could say with pride and conviction (and maybe even a hint of dismissiveness), "Oh, I don't have a zoom on this camera. I shoot primes."

GH2.2

The slow, inexorable decay

Just took delivery of a used Panasonic GH2 from fellow photog John Griggs, aka Entropic Remnants. He's moving away from Micro Four Thirds to Fuji X, so I took the GH2 off of his hands for a fair price. I now have two GH2s and will use them primarily for video. I thought a lot about getting a G6 or GH3 instead, as they both offer arguably better video quality, particularly in low light and even when compared to a hacked GH2. I even thought about a BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera with what many are saying is game-changing IQ.

Roadtrip with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

I'm currently down in Hatteras NC (OBX) with a 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Hyundai was kind enough to loan us the car for a one week review, and our first thought was, "let's put some miles on this puppy." So we filled the tank in NJ and 13 hours and 481 miles later we were at the Seaside Inn. And the tank wasn't empty! We averaged nearly 42MPG and stopped for everything but gas - food, ice cream, bathrooms, photo ops. I don't think I've ever driven a car with that much range.

In any case, one of the bags was filled with camera gear, a rolling case from jLab (no, I've never heard of them either) that I poached from Groupon for like $30. Score! The bag's got the following:

• Panasonic GH2 with 12-35 F2.8
• Nikon 1 V1 with 10-30, 30-110, 10/28, and 18/1.8 lenses
• Panasonic LX-7
• Pentax Q with 5-15 and 01 Standard Prime
• Pentax K-01 with FA43
• Merlin Steadicam 2
• Switronix TorchLED light
• small reflector
• chargers, batteries, memory cards
• Apple Macbook Pro
• Apple iPad
• the kitchen sink

The Panasonic LX7 and Nikon 1 have gotten the most use so far; they are just so small and convenient that they always end up in our backpack. The review is for NewMotor, a digital publication, so the highest resolution that we're going to need is for an iPad with Retina Display, 2048 by 1536 pixels. The LX7 and Nikon 1 will be able to handle that no problem; heck nearly all digital cams will be able to handle that.

I feel a bit guilty about bringing the Pentaxes along, or to be more precise, about leaving them behind. They're both great cameras but a luxury for this project. I guess that it's one of those things where if you've got a big bag you'll be sure to fill it. I think I'll bring out the FA43 today; that lens needs a workout...

Confessional (Hacking the Panasonic GH2)

You know that copy of Epyx's Summer Games for the Apple II?


I'm here to confess that the game that kept me up late way past my bedtime in 1982 was a pirated copy. That's right, I somehow got a hold of the tools to unlock the awesomeness of the game (and the superlative graphics) and I did. I think that the statute of limitations has run out, right?

Flowers + Rainy Day = Rainy Day Flower Photos

A Pentax K-5 with the DA* 50-135mm F2.8, a Panasonic GH1 with the 100-300mm F4.0-5.6, and the Pentax Q with the 02 Zoom were used to create these photos. Can you guess which is which?

The Day in Which a Panasonic LX7 and Pentax Q Pretend That They are GoPros

I brought a Panasonic LX7 and a Pentax Q to a recent automotive press event where I got to test drive a number of electric and hybrid cars (along with some hooning in a Miata and wicked looking matte grey Hyundai Veloster Turbo). A Nissan GTR, Chevy Camaro Hot Wheels Edition, Cadillac CTS-V and a passel of Rolls Royce and Jaguar convertibles where also on hand but I avoided driving them. Ignorance is bliss, right?

Panasonic LX7 Goes to Lunch

Went to lunch recently with a group of folks from SeriousCompacts.com and had a fun time chatting about gear. I haven't done a lot of meetups with people that I know online, but the ones that I have done have been generally good. Having a common interest always helps to get semi-strangers talking.

Here's what I wrote about the meetup on SeriousCompacts.com. I'll plagiarize myself to make it easier!

Streets of Chinatown NYC (Panasonic LX7 et al.)

Panasonic LX7 with the Pentax K-5 + FA43 thrown in for good measure. I also brought the Pentax Q but the LX7 got the bulk of the workout. The Panny's fast zoom makes it well suited to street work, from a fast and wide 24mm F1.4 to a still fast telephoto 90mm F2.3 that lets me reach across the narrow streets of Chinatown for candid shots:

Self Portraits

Self Portrait in Red

Pentax Q with 01 Prime

Head in the Clouds (But Not Quite Magritte)

Panasonic LX7

Self Portrait on the Train

Panasonic LX7

3 Primes in the New World

So how much does it cost to build a 3-prime kit with one of those fancy new mirrorless/CSC cameras?

Now I've written a lot about the quality of the Pentax K-01 images, and you can get a nice 3 prime setup for just under $1500. But cheaper still is a Sony NEX with the 5n kit and a Micro Four-Thirds kit based on the Panasonic GX1. With the Sony you'd have to be willing to accept a thin lens lineup. But the sensor is good, and the system plays well with adapted lenses, or so I've been told. And while the Panasonic GX1 is a really nice camera (I've seen some stunning 18x24 BW prints from it), most rate it a step behind the 16MP Sony sensor found in the K-01. 90% of the time the difference won't matter. A step above the K-01 kit in costs are the Olympus OM-D E-M5 kit and the Fuji X-E1 kit. Both have EVFs which of course the K-01 lacks.

The Case Against Micro Four-Thirds

In two previous posts (“The Case Against Full Frame” and “The Case Against APS-C”) I opined on why the leading professional and amateur sensor sizes are doomed to the scrapheap of history. Where does that leave the upstart Micro Four-Thirds?

The Nikon V1/18.5mm F1.8 Reminds me of the Panasonic GF2/20mm F1.7

After I finished the third grade, my parent packed up the house and bought a bigger four-bedroom home in the suburbs. It was the American Dream made real, and it included a huge picture window that faced the southeast and had good morning sun. I had never known my mother to have a green thumb, as we had up to that point lived in the concrete jungle of Irvington NJ. But once in the suburbs, my mom took to planting in the back yard and growing a little jungle in front of the picture window.

This will be the cover of Nate's solo album

I've been thinking of selling off some gear, including some more Micro Four-Thirds stuff. I shot them a lot last year but they've pretty much sat on the shelf this year - about 3,000 photos, 700 of which were testing the disappointing 3D lens with a time lapse. The exposure range (thanks Ctein) of the K-5 kind of put the nail in the coffin. That and the loud shutter of the GH2.

In any case, the GF2 and a bunch of lenses was sent off with an old friend and stellar photographer Chip Tilden in February, and now I'm considering selling the Panasonic 14-140mm and 100-300mm zooms. I'll keep the GH1 and GH2 for now as my video tools, but I'll likely be using them with Pentax lenses.

Despite the HD right there on the barrel, the 14-140 isn't my idea of a good video lens. Slow, variable aperture make it suitable for outdoors only, or indoors if you can throw a ton of light at it.



So before getting ready to sell the 100-300, I took it out for one final spin. And now I don't want to sell it. It's the longest reach that I've got at 600mm equivalent, which gives me some neat layering effects. If I sell it I'll still have the 297mm equivalent of the Nikkor 1 30-100mm with the V1, but there's a heap of difference between 300mm and 600mm. Not only that, but crazy-loud shutter aside, the GH2 is a very nice stills camera. Still. Not K-5 nice, but still very nice. Better than the Nikon V1. And the Q.

I haven't used the lens all that much but I know that the moment I sell it I'll have a need for long glass. Such is life, mine at least.

Toilet 5¢

Found this one while stumbling through this year's archives. I've taken nearly 40,000 photos this year - my biggest year to date. Granted, there was a bunch of time lapse in there, but that's still a massive number. This was taken earlier in the year with a camera I no longer possess, the Panasonic GF2 with 14mm/F2.5 pancake lens. It was a nice setup and sometimes I still miss it, but then I think about that loud shutter ;-). The camera is now in the capable hands of my good friend Chip Tilden, who is no doubt taking way more interesting photos than this.
The GF2 has been replaced primarily with the Nikon 1 V1 with the 10mm/F2.8 pancake. Same focal length (28mm EQ), similar lens speed, surprisingly similar low light performance. I preferred the UI of the GF2 actually, but the silent shutter and fast AF of the V1 is, in the words of Borat, "Vey nice."

One Man's Quest for a Low Noise Camera

Like many other photographers, I’m on a quest for less noise, particularly in quiet, intimate, low light settings. But it’s not the ISO and the shadows that I’m concerned about, it’s the racket that a camera makes when shooting. You don’t notice that cameras can be loud, attention-drawing things until you get to a situation where discretion is advised and expected. Like a baptism or wedding or some other ceremony. If you take a picture with a loud camera in those situations, be prepared for a bunch of swivelheads to look at you disapprovingly. My style tends towards the looser candid/street/decisive moment, so noise is important to me, and I’ve got strong opinions on the cameras that I’ve used these last couple of years.

Getting ready for winter (Pentax FA31 f1.8 and the Panasonic GH2)

While swapping out the summer tires for winter snows on the Honda S2000, I took a moment to appreciate the engineering of the car as well as the wonderful patina left by 7 years in the Northeast. The FA31 f1.8 mounted to the Panasonic GH2 feels like a really nice match. The combo feels good in the hand and it's easy to toggle viewfinder zoom for sharp manual focus. The 31mm becomes 62mm FOV of course, making for a moderately long normal lens. My primary use for this combo will be video of course, but it really is quite nice for stills as well. I can also shoot square format and compose for the square too with the EVF, which is quite nice.

Logan playing soccer

Logan playing soccer, a photo by john m flores on Flickr.

Oh, Panasonic 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6! You are such a zoomy lens yet no bigger than a can of soda. You reach across the soccer pitch so easily and throw the background mildly out of focus. And you lend a hand in holding steady. So nice, so nice. But slow to focus. You miss a lot of the action. Or should I blame your partner, the GH2?