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This blog is intended to showcase my pictures or those of other photographers who have moved beyond the pretty picture and for whom photography is more than entertainment - photography that aims at being true, not at being beautiful because what is true is most often beautiful..

>>>> Comments, commentary and lively discussions, re: my writings or any topic germane to the medium and its apparatus, are vigorously encouraged.

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Entries from December 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009

Thursday
Dec312009

decay # 35 ~ come on, Olympus, get on with it

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Tomato paste, lemon, & corks • click to embiggen
After but a few short hours with the EP-1 I have come to several conclusions about the thing.

First and foremost, it makes an absolutely first-class picture - noticeably superior in every way to those made by the E-3 or any other Olympus DSLR. According to a number of reviews, the sensor in the EP-1:

The Olympus E-P1's technology compares quite well to other similarly priced digital SLRs, and also to some that are more expensive and higher resolution ... the point here is that the Olympus E-P1 virtually eliminates the advantage that APS-C has had over Four Thirds ...

Now, to be certain, I have never been very concerned with "the advantage that APS-C has had over Four Thirds" simply because, for my picture making purposes, the pictures produced by my various Oly DSLRs (and my prodigious Photoshop / printing skills) have been much more than adequate, thank you very much. As anyone who follows The Landscapist knows, I am not known to wax poetic about the technical quality of a picture. What matters for me and what I do wax poetic about is the poetic qualities to be found in a picture.

It should be noted that, when I state that the image files from the EP-1 are "noticeably superior in every way to those made by the E-3 or any other Olympus DSLR", what I mean is that although the average non-photographer viewer of my pictures will never, ever notice a difference between my E-3 prints and those from the EP-1, the EP-1 image files themselves are much easier to work with than the E-3 files are in order to obtain the printed results than I want.

Although, that said, I am now faced with a tempest-in-a-teapot dilemma of sorts. Without question , the E-3 is the far superior piece of equipment but the EP-1 produces image files that are "better".

So, now what?

The EP-1 is, quite simply, not an E-3 / E-30 replacement. As an example, I can't even imagine putting my 50-200mm lens on the EP-1 - not unless I can attach the camera strap to the lens because otherwise I would worry that the weight of the lens would rip the lens right off the camera body. And, example # 2, whereas the E-3 is weather-sealed, the EP-1 is not.

At this point in time I can only imagine the EP-1 as an ultimate walking-around camera - with the 17mm pancake or the 20mm pancake attached it is a terrific picturing making machine.

So, now what?

I guess I am condemned to waiting for Olympus to just slap the new sensor into an existing E-3 / E-30 body. What could be more simple or make more sense than that, right? Which means that it probably won't happen - no, Olympus (not unlike every other camera maker on the planet) will most likely dick around for the next year or so developing a new marketing-driven body to house the new sensor.

Thursday
Dec312009

civilized ku # 315 ~ a visions of visions

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On the ramp down to the Lincoln Tunnel • click to embiggen
It was precisely at this moment that I was certain that there was, just across the river within striking distance of the Empire State Building, an EP-1 huddling in a dark and lonely stockroom just waiting and longing to be set free.

So, I began to feverishly construct mental images of me as The Great Emancipator - the one who would bring great joy and fulfillment to that little impoverished soul that was languishing right next to the barely beating mechanical heart (the battery needed a charge) of that finely-crafted device.

As the car inched slowly down the ramp to the Lincoln Tunnel, visions of a future rich with watching the thing flower - from its first fledgling jpeg steps into a maturity of RAW creativity - danced and flickr-ed in my head. Oh what a fun couple we'd make.

Wednesday
Dec302009

civilized ku # 312-314 ~ baby, it's very cold outside

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Olympic Speedskating Oval ~ Lake Placid, NY • click to embiggen
It appears the the EP-1 works quite nicely at -5F.

Wednesday
Dec302009

civilized ku # 308-311 ~ point & shoot

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Pointing at the center of attention • click to embiggen
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Visit with Robert • click to embiggen
We stayed overnight in NYC on Monday because The Cinemascapist had warned us about iffy driving conditions north of Albany. So, rather than getting halfway home and trying to find a motel room late at night, we headed for Robert's in the East Village.

Upon our arrival at Robert's, which was immediately following our visit to the biggest camera store in the world, I set about setting up the EP-1 - take out of box, insert battery, insert memory card, attach lens and viewfinder, turn on camera, turn on IS, set to AUTO and then hand it to the 5 year old. IMO, if a 5 year old can't immediately start making decent pictures after taking a camera of the box and making a few very basic set up steps, you've got a clunker in your hands and I'm happy and pleased to report that the EP-1, as evidenced by the above pictures made by Hugo, passes the test.

Without question, if you're looking for a camera that is a perfect fit for 5 year old hands, the EP-1 is it. This camera looks like it was designed and purpose-built with a set of 5 year old hands as the reference point. The camera fit Hugo's hands like the proverbial glove.

Hugo was also immediately taken by the "cool" auxiliary viewfinder - he used it for all of the 70 pictures he made (in about the first 20 minutes of the camera's picture making life).

It is interesting to note that, both during and after his first burst of picture making with the EP-1, Hugo had nary a complaint about "painfully slow" auto focus, or the "below standard resolution" LCD, or the fact that the auxiliary viewfinder makes the camera a "less than perfect" pocket-able camera. It was just point & shoot heaven as far as he was concerned.

Tuesday
Dec292009

FYI ~ a request

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A mouse • click to embiggen
I am in desperate need of 20 or more comments stating what an incredible improvement this picture is over those made with my crappy old E-3. Then, even the wife might come to like the EP-1 w 17mm f2.8 pancake lens and optical viewfinder.

Sunday
Dec272009

FYI ~ Peace on Earth and Good Shopping to Men

I'm in south Jersey, mostly likely as punishment for something I did when I was 8 years old, but, come Monday and a visit to the biggest camera store in the world, I am reasonably certain that order will be restored to the universe and all will be right with the world.

Saturday
Dec262009

civilized ku # 304-307 ~ Xmas dinner

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Xmas menu ~ Lake Placid Lodge • click to embiggen
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Xmas dinner ~ Lake Placid Lodge • click to embiggen

Appetizer ~ Seared Day Boat Scallops
With Celery Root and Truffle

Entre ~ Traditional Turkey Dinner
(Turkey Breast, Potato Puree, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, & Gravy)

Dessert ~ Apple Tart Tatin with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Yum.

Friday
Dec252009

civilized ku # 303 ~ Merry Xmas and a ... say what?

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Say again • click to embiggen
A Merry Xmas and/or Happy Holidays to one and all.

Enjoy your HDTV if Santa brought you one and good luck with "Some Assembly Required" and instructions translated by someone after / during an office party (in China).