Tag Archives: Olympus Pen F

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 48 … Investigating the Olympus Pen F … MOJO!

February 25, 2016 streetshooter Leave a comment

The winds were howling all night due to the crazy weather patterns. I awoke a few times and then I stayed awake and went to the office to see my camera friends. They were on the shelves in the cabinet except for the new girl in town. She was sitting next to the PC named Sara. So, Serendipity told me she was anxious to see the city and make some photos. I agreed and we headed out. She said she wanted to be close to my heart so she wore a neck strap.

OOC

I haven’t figured the camera out completely and prolly never will. I just need to have a synergism with it and be able to do my work without intrusions from it. One thing I don’t get is Metering. I like to set metering to a Fn button and be able to go from average to spot, like real fast. I don’t have that yet. I’m holding off about reading the manual. I have not done that yet. I want to see how I intuitively adapt to the camera. So far very good. I am not at the point where I can just let go and get absorbed in making photos butI feel that’s what I was striving for. Not sure about that. I like the way Serendipity and I are together.

I’ve never had a camera where the OOC jpegs were just right. Now that I can’t use raw I’m getting into the processing engine in the camera. I will do raw but i’ll do it with the jpeg attached. The color shot up above, that’ OOC. The B&W above, OOC. I gotta tell ya, I love that front dial. I’ts nice to just change the screen real quick and see what ya wanna see. So I guess when Adobe finally releases the ACR for the Pen F, I’ll do raw and keep the jpegs as notes.

The hardest thing for me with this camera is breaking habits. I am focused on doing so tho’. First habit to break is the screen vs finder. I don’t like finders but I like them enough to torture myself. It’s very bright and clear but I still lost a few shots. Not because of the camera but because of my habit of using the screen. So I put the screeen away and have just the finder to use. I saw a shot and raised the camera and intuitively, looked at the screen, quickly, I used the finder. So, I have to break that and I will.

The other habit is the 35mm only habit. 35mm is my natural field of view.So it’s just a very comfy way for metowork. I started to challenge this 25 years ago and switched to a 50mm fov but always went back to 35mm.

So I went out with Serendipity and she had the 25mm 1.8 and that’s 50mm for me. It’s a nice feeling cause it’s not foreign to me cause I been beating myself up for 25 years trying to change my fov.

The idea is not so much a change of fov but to force a new way of thinking and seeing. The Pen F for some reason has a way of just adding to the experience of making photos. Maybe it’s due in part because of the excitement of a new camera but I’m old enough to know that’s just a start. The Pen F has MOJO. I’ts got a vibe that in an elegant manner, makes you want to work. I will say this. more then most shooters, famous and not so, I challenge a camera and photography more because of where I usually work. I work center city Philly and have done so for decades. So, inspiration is hard to come by. The Pen F is inspiring. It has me examining things I have done so many, manytimes. I find a lasting memory and click.

OOC

Ya know how ya get a groove on? I mean the streets are moving life around and you kinda slip into the clock of life. Then you are at one with everything and you have your camera with you. The feeling that photos are around and you just need to feel and find them.

The street is about life and life is about time. Time moves along and drags life along with it. We just need to bein tune with it all. There are many cameras that can be with you and many will create some kinda intrusion and break the flow of time. There are many cameras that can be with you and just be a part of your life on the street and just flow with you rhru time and space.

The Pen F is just that camera. I am just amazed at how the magic and mojo are in here.

I’ll be out again tomorrow and make some photos and post. Don’t expect any bad press from me on this camera. Ihaven’t anything bad to say.

I’m not getting paid from Oly and don’t really care what they do or say. Serendipity is my girl and our love affair is growing stronger day by day.

………………….end transmission……………………………………………………….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 47 … Investigating the Olympus Pen F

February 24, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

It was a bad night sleep again. I think the ghost and demons decided to allow me to have some peace of mind. Well, I didn’t sleep anyway because Serenity the Pen F was dancing in my mind. I ws restless cause the new girl was enticing and I wanted to be with her. So awoke and sipped a cup of Coffee, actually inhaled is proper. Can ya believe it, rain. I mean rain that teases you. See, the rain that is pouring, well we all know to stay home and watch HSN and fall asleep on the couch. The teasing rain is the kind that just is a very light drizzle. It’s not reall rain but it teases and tempts you to come out. So, what happens usually is, ya get out in the teasing rain and say, “Yeah, I got this”. Then, well the plumber has a sense of humor causethen the RAIN starts. Your camera has to be sheltered etc.

I had teasing rain and decided that above all, I will spend time with Serenity and keep her protected from rain, mother rapers, father rapers and politicians running for President.

OOC

I follow MU43.com because I lived there a few years as Admin. I like some of the people there and i read comments about things. I generally know that if I read a negative comment about something, then it’s perfect for me.

See, all over the web, ppl are saying the front dial on the Pen F is a mistake. NOOOOOO! It’s perfect if you are a shooter and not a camera critique. I am not a jpeg shooter usually. I do raw. The Pen F isn’t supported by Adobe yet for some reason. What I do like is…. Most times I like to see my screen in B&W. There are times I want to see it in color because I want to. This doesn’t mean I’m doing jpeg, it just means I want to see the screen the way I feel and not have to get my manual out and find in the menu how to do that.

The dreaded front dial does this instantly. The placement is also under criticism. Bunk! With the camera at the eye, your finger goes right to the front dial without searching and then,,, Eureka! I can change from B&W to Color in an instant and see how I desire to without taking a course in the camera. I am actually doing jpeg with the Pen F and I use that front dial to see how Serendipity sees. It’s a beautiful collaboration.

OOC

So, Oly calls the front dial the creative dial and they are right. It’s not in the way, it’s where it needs to be to be creative with it. Just think about photos and whay you want to do and don’t look for flaws others are dwelling on. There is always negative and positive energy. The on/off switch is under fire. Well, for me, it’s perfect. It’s out of the way and never gets used accidently and only when you need it. It rolls very nice and has a sweet line on it so you know by looking if you are on/off.

The need for a grip. NADA!

I like a camera to be a part of me. I want to feel it become at one with me and not as if it were a tool. Now be nice in yer thoughts. Serendipity the Pen F is a female. Why, Oly named her a Female. Pen F is F = Female. it’s not Pen M = Male or Pen TG = Transgender. So I love females. I have a few in my life. Imagine that. When you are with a female, (ladies may even think of the camera as Male, that’s an individual choice but I’m writing this and I’m with my girl Serendipity so she’s a Female and youse do what the hell you want I’m just saying you need to name your camera and gender is important in developing your relationship)

So there’s a gentle feeling holding the Pen F. She kinda likes to slide a little in my fingers. Most don’t like this and want a grip. I don’t. I used LeicaM’s for decades and never had a grip issue.

OOC

For Maria

So far there’s only 1 thing I am uneasy about. The Screen. Yes. it’s bright and sharp. Yes, it’s a nice size and does what you need, easily. It’s articulated and moves around nicely and you can do selfies. It tilts and all ya want. I just wish it tilted at the camera position and not have to swing out. I learned about tilting screens from Ray Sachs and the Sony Nex 5 we were both using. With that, you just tilted the screen and you were still discreet. With this on the Pen F, you swing it out and your not as discreet anymore.

It is by no means a deal breaker but a little thing that may bug me later. I’ll chat with my shrink and my screen shrink mentor Ray and try to resolve it.

OOC

This is not a review. Please don’t think I care about reviewers causeI don’t. This is an ongoing investgation with findings from me. If you know anyone from Philadelphia you will understand what I am about to say. If not, you will anyway.

The Olympus Pen F is BANGING. I’ll post more shortly and hopefully you can get out of this what I do.

Be blessed my friends…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 46 … Olympus Pen F … (Serendipity)

February 23, 2016 streetshooter 10 Comments

(photos are with GRD II)

Well, you all know I name my cameras. Walker and Garry left the home front thru eBay and are no longer my cameras. So I no longer have a Pen EP-5. They sacrificed their well being so that I could acquire my new camera, the Olympus Pen F. I sold some lenses also that I never used anymore so all in all, it worked out fine financially. I must admit that it took over a week to get the camera because it was lost in traffic. But SHE is home and we are bonding. I’ll have some photos in my next blog.

I always ask youse all to help in the naming process and many great names are presented. This time, I decided on a name before I had the camera. The name is”Serendipity“. I am going to ty to live to the name. I mean I am always focused on what I want and what I am looking for and even how I plan to satisfy those elements. I guess it’s a way of being in the here and now without much force to effect an outcome. I mean I want to just BE and instead of constantly searching for photos, maybe let them find me. I teach that and I guess it’s time to rethink my own process. I just want the freedom of thought and feelings and for that to be in my photos

I guess I do that all the time but I need an excuse to beat myself up. I seek the synergism between photography and my part of it. That totally encompasses all the facets of camera. process and vision and all the things I didn’t mention. The idea for me is to be out in life, on the streets and to have an energy of serendipity lingering over my heart and mind. It’s not that I won’t be seeking photos, it’s just that i want a natural feeling when photos find me. I want the collaboration of life and the energy of life to find me and I want to be awake and have that energy mix with me and together find harmony and peace.

Why is this important to me? Well, maybe because the last few weeks I am afraid to sleep. I have nightmares that put me in a place I was at as a young soldier. I thought that when I left, I escaped the ravages of war. I thought I would at last have peace but I never found it. I can’t sleep and when I drift off, I am horrified that I won’t wake up. I won’t take sleeping meds because I can’t force myself to wake. I only have a sense of what peace is when I am making photos. It’s the only thing in my life that offers me the escape and that brings together the energies that surround me.

We all have reasons for what we do.I’m not seeking salvation or any kind or repentance. I’m looking for the solitude and a certain peace of mind that maybe isn’t shared but doesn’t have to be. I know my work defines me. I know I don’t really care if anyone relates or understands it. I do and that’s all that matters.

That being said, the Pen F is a baaaaad ass camera. I’ll introduce youse to her in a little bit. She’s silver and very elegant.

Her name is Serendipity.

shooter out……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer