Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, An Art Form?

CCD Resurgence: Lounging on a creative art platform with the 12.1MP CCD superzoom Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35.

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One of the better options of having a camera with a superzoom lens, as in this case a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, is that you can still sit back on the sofa under the porch, set the zoom on the camera at its longest focal length, train the lens on the objects you can still see with your naked eye, and be creative with the potential art form with the images magnified and rendered on the 12.1MP CCD sensor.

The camera is fitted with a 12.1MP CCD sensor and a super 1:2.8~4.4 18X optical zoom 27mm Leica DC Vario-Elmarit wide-angle lens, good enough for me to pick out the images as seen in the post. This could be the beginning of better things to come. The camera, successor to the DMC-FZ28, was among the first to feature AVCHD lite format HD video recording, has a shutter speed range from 60 seconds to 1/2000th second, Power O.I.S image stabilizer, a faster Venus Engine HD processor, and a Quick AF system twice as fast than that of the predecessor.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

ISO sensitivity for the FZ35 ranges from 100 to 1,600, boostable to ISO 6,400 in Hi_auto mode. Shutter speeds are automatic from 60 to 1/2,000 seconds. Metering options include Intelligent Multiple, with Center-Weighted, and Spot. The minimum focusing distance for the Panasonic DMC-FZ35 is 30 cm. but drops to just one centimeter at wide-angle when switched to Macro mode. At the tele end, focusing down to two meters is the norm, but a Tele Macro mode drops this to as close as one meter when the zoom is set from 11 to 18x.

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HMD Nokia 3.1, A Short Street Walk

Mobile Photography: Image making with an HMD Nokia 3.1, on an occasional outing with the mobile as the prime for recording images.

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One for the record, early morning images of a local shopping precinct, on an occasional outing where the mobile is used as the prime for recording images. Although I have had the mobile since it was introduced in 2018, I have always resorted to my normal cameras for street shoots on outings and walkabouts. The cameras, to me, are easier to handle and the mobile has always remained a communication tool.

HMD Nokia 31.

The HMD Nokia 3.1 has a 13-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash, and an 8-megapixel front camera, which can be set to 4:3, 16:9, or 18:9 image aspect ratios, with resolutions at 2, 3, 5, 8, and 13 MP. I have noticed that over the years I have been using the mobile, and the camera's features have also been upgraded to what it is now with the regular updates of the Android One program. It may be time maybe for me to use it (the camera feature) more often.

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Olympus VR-370, Cropped Close-Ups

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a super compact 16MP CCD Olympus VR-370, square cropped close-ups from the garden.

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Another update to my collection of compact travel zooms with CCD sensors is the Olympus VR-370. The camera comes with a 16MP sensor, TruePic III+ Image Processor, 12.5X optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent of 24-300mm lens, built-in flash, easy-to-use zoom, easy access menu control, ergonomic grip design, dedicated one-touch video button, 3.0-inch LCD with 460k-dot resolution, and Dual Image Stabilization for sharper images in dim light and when shooting at long telephoto focal lengths.

Compact and handy to carry around, easy to use with its built-in flash, easy zoom, and menu controls, the anodized aluminum body also comes with an ergonomic grip design and a dedicated one-touch video button that will switch you from photo mode to video in an instant. Shooting Modes on the VR-370 include iAuto (Intelligent Auto), Program Auto, Beauty, Scene, Magic, and Panorama.

Olympus VR-370

The VR-370 is powered by a powered by DC 3.7V 925mAh battery, good for up to 300 shots (average use) per charge. The camera weighs 170 grams with battery and card and will accept SD/SDHC/SDXC/Eye-Fi cards for external media storage. Externally, the VR-370 has a microphone opening on the front panel and a speaker on the bottom plate. A propriety USB 2.0 multi-connector port is also located on the bottom plate, which connects for Data Transfer (Storage), MTP (Media Transfer Protocol), Easy and Custom Printing, and Charging.

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Konica Hexanon AR 28mm 1:3.5, Worth The Keep

The Vintage Enthusiast: Image making with a Konica Hexanon AR 28mm 1:3.5, the lens with a stellar reputation of sharpness and overall excellence.

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Another vintage manual focus prime to add to the collection is worth the keep. The Konica Hexanon AR 28mm 1:3.5, in all of its variations, is always acknowledged as pin sharp with excellent color rendition and high shadow details. The variations, with a closet focusing distance of 0.31 meters, were produced circa 1965 to 1980. Konica made five versions of this lens.

The first version, the Konica Hexanon 28mm F3.5, was a preset lens. The 2nd version, the Konica Hexanon AR 28mm F3.5 from then on,  had auto aperture and was labeled EE. The third version was labeled AE, had auto aperture up to F16, and was still large and all metal with updated coatings. The fourth version, this one, is labeled AE, has auto aperture up to F22, and is smaller and lightest at 175 grams. The fifth version was plasticky (typical 80s) and could have performed better compared to its counterparts. The lens was marketed as a Hexar.

Olympus E-P5, Konica Hevaxon AR 28mm 1:3.5

The optical design of the variations has also been altered several times, from the original 7 elements in 6 groups on the preset lens, to 7 elements in 7 groups, and finally to 5 elements in 5 groups for the final version. The filter thread for the preset was 58 mm, with the rest at 55 mm.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, First Impression

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a 12MP CCD Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, an update of the DMC-FZ28, first impression.

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Still catching the blooms here, with these first impression shots on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, an update to the DMC-FZ28. The Lumix DMC-FZ35, introduced in 2009, has an increased sensor resolution slightly from ten to twelve megapixels while maintaining the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit-branded 18x optical zoom lens with its useful range from a 27mm wide-angle to a 486mm telephoto. The camera also comes with 201,000 pixels in-line Electronic Viewfinder (EV) with dioptre adjustment, and a 2.7-inch 230,000 pixels live view TFT LCD.

The lens's image stabilization system of the FZ35 has also been upgraded to a new POWER O.I.S. system, said to offer double the stabilizing power. In addition, the FZ35 has a multi-area autofocus system with a single-point high-speed focusing mode and face-detection function. Externally, there is now a Record/Playback slider switch to the top-right of the camera back, which, when set to Playback, will flip the display to the LCD screen, regardless if you are shooting with the EV.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

The upgrades are convincing me that the FZ35 is not just another pass towards a later version with maybe better functionalities, but a model worth the while to acquire and use. Outwardly the camera is a strong build with a comfortable molded grip, light enough not to strain your hands or shoulder, with a lens that is powerful to pull in the images. The model is easily available on the auction market, and for CCD sensor enthusiasts, this is worth looking at.

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