[Leica] IMG(s): portrait, 50mm pre-ASPH Summilux on DMC-GF1; plug; ruminations.

[jbm at jbm.org (Jeff Moore)]

Since some of the kids are talking up this little Panasonic body,
here's an example with Leica glass:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm0/4420275979/sizes/o/in/set-72157623411271513/

There are a couple more of Therese surrounding that one in this
gallery:

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm0/sets/72157623411271513/

which is pictures taken during WFMU's annual fundraising Marathon.

Since WFMU is the best freeform radio station on the planet, you
should probably tune in to the web stream, go to the web page, and
send them some money.  Go ahead, I'll wait.

Back to cameras and lenses... you may remember Therese from some other
pics I posted with the 75mm Summilux on an M8.  She's unselfconscious,
and makes for great picturetaking.  Therese tag search:

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm0/tags/therese/

As for this funny little Panasonic DMC-GF1: well, in every case when
I've taken a similar picture with the GF1 and the M9, the M9 picture
was dramatically more appealing.  Even (especially!) in low light.
There can be a sort of pale mealiness to pictures in low light from
the GF1, which I'm trying to figure out how to avoid.  I think part of
it is that I'm used to being able to get away with fixing more
underexposure in post than this sensor will allow.

So why do I even have it, when I have an M9?  Partly as a tiny, light
backup which will use the same lenses (with the M adaptor I just leave
on there);  partly to use with longer lenses or longish big-aperture
lenses, which I can use with some confidence about focus, and which
act as if they have a magical 2x tele converter on them which doesn't
reduce the maximum aperture;  partly to subect to abuse (snow and such)
I don't want to subject the M9 to;  stuff like that.  Oh, and it's fun.

I haven't even bought any of the real native lenses for it.  Maybe I
never will.

The DMC-GF1 with the pre-ASPH 35mm Summicron on it is a sweet little
small light package.

And here's my take on the screen-on-the-back thing: it's obviously not
a rangefinder, but it doesn't even feel like an SLR to me either -- it
feels for all the world like a teensy little no-movements view camera.

You see the picture in a bright little window;  if you want to focus
accurately, you need to use a loupe (in this case electronic);  the
whole process is a little bit slower than we're used to these days; 
and if you're out in the bright day, you should throw a cloth over
your head.

 -Jeff