Camera Gear

My 1st Camera, Iloca Quick B Fixed Lens Coupled Rangefinder

Camera gear can be a bit of a problem when you're trying to reduce pack weight. I started out with a fixed lens rangefinder and separate exposure meter and the first camera I bought was an SLR, an Olympus OM10 to be exact. That was back in around 1982 and apart from a brief period with a Nikon D70, my 1st DSLR, I've always used Olympus SLRs, usually carrying 2, one with a print film and one with slide film. I never really took to compact cameras whether 35mm or digital and therein lies the problem, D/SLRs and their associated paraphernalia weight vastly more than a compact. There are some really good compacts on the market, I'd probably go for a Panasonic LX-3 but I simply prefer the operation and eye-level viewfinder of a D/SLR.



1st of Many, My Olympus OM10



Olympus OM1N, Fully Manual with Mechanical Shutter. The Battery lasts for Years as it only Powers the Exposure Meter, the camera still works without a battery

I had been using an Olympus E-3 but combined with the 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 lens it came in at almost 1.5kg which was a bit too much. I'd always liked the look of the E-400/410/420 which are very much in the style of manual focus SLRs, a small body without bulge to hold a large capacity battery. Eventually I bought an E-420 + 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 lens from Argos. The camera + lens is almost half the weight of the E-3 + lens at just over 700g. Thats a welcome weight saving but I'm really waiting to see how micro 4/3rds pans out, there are currently 5 models but nothing so far ticks all the boxes for me although the Panasonic offerings appeal to me more than the Olympus ones.



Velbon V-Pod

In addition to the camera and lens I carry a small tripod, I read about it on Dave Hanlons blog and decided it would fit the bill as Dave uses an Olympus E-400 DSLR similar to my own. It isn't the strongest or tallest tripod on the market but can just about manage the E-400/420, best of all it only weighs about 280g.



Filter and Accessories



Polarising Filter



Memory card Wallet with IR Remote, Spare CF Card and VF Cover

The other items I carry are 2 x spare batteries, an ND4 neutral density grad filter, a Cokin A Series filter holder with one of the slots removed to make it pack easier, they normally have 3 slots to allow you to fit a combination of filters but I only carry one system filter anyway. A lens wet-wipe and lens cloth in addition to the aforementioned all fit into a neoprene pouch designed for a Minidisc player. I also carry a screw in Polarising filter and use a Sandisk CF memory card wallet to carry a spare CF card, IR remote and viewfinder cover, the wallet is attached to the camera pouch on a thin mobile phone lanyard and stays in the bottom of the camera pouch together with the Polarising filter. I always used CCS (Camera Care Systems) pouches in the past and although CCS are no longer in business I managed to find a new CCS Snowflake pouch on ebay.



E-420 c/w Hoodhat



I normally carry the camera with the lens hood attached ready to use and having lost my lens cap I use a 'Hoodhat' which is basically a neoprene cover that slips over the lens hood, I find them quicker to use than lens caps which can be tricky to remove with gloves on.



The Complete Set

The complete set-up weighs in at 1533g which is outrageous compared to my wife's Panasonic FX-150 that I sometimes borrow but old habits die hard and it's just one more compromise I'm prepared to make.

Olympus E-System DSLRs

Panasonic Lumix

Sorted?

This time next week I should be at the Linn of Dee. After the last trip and suffering with a too heavy pack I've been working away at getting it down from 19-20kg to something a bit more manageable. I'm pleased with how it's worked out, weighed my pack this morning at the local Post Office and it's just a shade under 12kg including 4 days food and camera gear. To be honest I'd never have got close to 12kg if I hadn't bought a new pack, sleeping bag and sleeping mat, well thats not strictly true, I could have used my summer weight bag and Alpkit Wee Airic and the weight would be about the same as it is now, the difference is that the bag and mat I'm using should be much warmer. I saved about 2.5kg over the gear from last time through replacing my old pack/bag/mat, the rest of the weight saving came from;

a. cutting down on gear (still got enough to be comfortable though)

b. Getting my camera gear weight down thanks to MSO.

I'd been using a DSLR and we had an old Olympus C5050z that we shared, that has now been replaced with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 which is strictly speaking my wifes but I get to use it 1st as she doesn't go away until July. I tried to convince her that what she really needed was a Panasonic DMC-LX3 but unfortunately she can read me like a book. The FX150 weighs in at 190g including card & battery, the E-3 with lens/card/battery weighed 1420g, adding spare cards/batteries/pouch etc took that up to 1894g.

Last trip was my 1st time out with the TN Laser, this may be it's last. I was pretty close to taking the old Phreeranger as the lack of grief compared to the Laser is well worth the extra 200g but I need to give the Laser another chance. I still might change my mind though.

This time it's a 1st real run out for the Gregory Z55, PHD Minim 500, POE Ether Thermo 6 and a Montane Venture so I'll see how it goes. Hydration wise I'm using the the new Eliminator which I know will work, my cooking set up is the same as before so no problems there. One other thing that'll be new to me, Trekmates Bamboo Base Layer. I'm always intrigued by alternatives, I've tried synthetic (who hasn't?) and Merino (worked really well) but you have to keep looking at what else is out there.



Wet Gear, 998g





Laser, 1710g



Food Pack, 1 day, 500g approx





Cooking System, 546g. Fuel 350ml 324g





1st Aid and Misc, 270g

Welcome to 2009

So 2009 is here.

What are my hopes for 09? well health and happiness would be nice.

Aims? To get out more often, make it over to Scotland more often.

Thanks to everyone who left comments on my blog in 2008, to those who dropped by, hope you found something worthwhile and finally to all.

Happy New Year.




Moon and Venus taken earlier this evening, should have waited as Venus moved closer to the Moon. Olympus E-3, + Zuiko 50-200 + Zuiko EC1.4 Teleconverter

Santa claus is Real!!!

Ok, I believe, I just got back from shopping this afternoon to find that a parcel had been delivered by courier. I'm waiting for 2 items from ebay and my order from MBDC but this package was in a box 3' long. It couldn't be from Tinny at MBDC as I only ordered Thursday past. I checked the labels and it was from a photographic company but I hadn't ordered anything. When I opened it I found a Manfrotto Modo tripod and a carry case, no invoice no information, nothing. It did say IPC Media on one of the shipping labels and the only thing I can think of is that it was a prize for having some pic's published in 'What Digital Camera'.

I submitted a set of pic's a year ago but after being told they'd been accepted I heard no more about it. I contacted them about 4 months later and was told they'd lost the images, to cut a long story short I suggested that we just forget about it.

Now I'm wondering if they were published after all and if so what issue they were in.

Shallow Depth of Field, Photography

I've been experimenting with a fast prime lens in an attempt to use DOF to isolate subjects/areas in a scene. The fastest lens I have is a Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 lens designed for Olympus OM cameras. I'm using it on an Olympus E-3 via an OM mount to 4/3rds mount adapter. I like the effect but I wouldn't want to use it all the time.