Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40, Zoom Extents

CCD Resurgence: Testing the zoom extent of the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit 4.5-108mm 1:2.8~5.3 lens of the 14.1MP CCD Lumix DMC FZ40.

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The ease of having a very long zoom lens instead of using individual prime lenses for each focal length you might want to shoot is, of course, very convenient. For both amateurs and the new enthusiasts, for example, shooting with the 14.1MP CCD Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 saves you from having individual 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 200mm, 300mm, and 500mm lenses to carry around in your camera bag.

You can instead, with the camera capabilities, use the time to enhance your creativity by studying the different aspects of image framing and exposure control at different focal lengths as offered by the lens, the option of using different metering modes, and of course, the need to move away from shooting only in programmed mode to aperture or shutter priority, or to a fully manual mode.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

Having the advantage of a zoom lens means that you can change the angle of view and focal length quickly and without changing lenses, which makes your main subject appear much larger in the frame, and helps to bring foreground and background elements much closer together, at just the correct depth of field.

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Nikon D200, AF Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5

CCD Resurgence: Image making with an AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5 and a Nikon D200, colors of the children's playpen.

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The AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 3.3~4.5, is a lens of sorts, with both accolades and brickbats from both sides of the fence. This lens is small and light, weighs only 260 grams, has eight elements in seven groups, and comes with a plastic mount, as is most of the body. The lens was among the early batches of Nikon autofocus lenses designed for the AF Nikon F501/N2020 SLR camera in 1986 and has virtually the same optical formula as the manual focus Nikon Ai-S 35-70mm F/3.3-4.5.

The lens was also bundled as a standard lens for the F301, and the F501 as well as with other models after the two. Its compact size, measuring 70.5mm x 61mm, makes it one of the most compact AF Nikkor zoom lenses during that early period of AF photography. The lens was offered as a low-cost option for enthusiasts looking for a casual-use lens.

Nikon D200, AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 3.3~4.5

On the 10MP DX-format CCD sensor Nikon D200, which the lens was tested with, the lens is equivalent to a 52.5-105mm lens on a full-frame camera, making it almost a standard 50mm prime on the short end and a short telephoto on the long end. The lens, readily available on sales and auction sites, at much lower prices than anticipated, is a good bet and fun to work with.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40, Early Images

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a 14.1MP CCD Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40, early images, and model update notes.

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40/45, launched in 2010, an update of the 2009 DMC FZ35/38, comes with a 14.1MP CCD sensor, a wide-angle 24x zoom lens with an equivalent focal length of 25-600mm, a fixed 3-inch 230K-pixel LCD screen, a 201,600 dots EVF (Electronic Viewfinder), and Venus Engine HD II processing engine. The camera also offers AVCHD Lite 720p HD video recording, and manual shooting mode, and comes with Panasonic's Sonic Speed auto-focus system that provides the industry's fastest focus times.

Whilst only having a CCD sensor, the FZ40/45 is virtually identical to the higher spec DMC-FZ100, which has a 14.1MP CMOS sensor, higher resolution 460K dot 3.0 inch tiltable LCD, and faster shooting speed. Both have a maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 second, ISO speed range from 80-1600 in Auto and 1600-6400 in Hi-Auto.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

Aside from having a larger LCD screen than the DMC-FZ35/38, the DMZ40/45 saw the EV/LCD option button moved back to the top of the film back, the Red Movie button is now mid between the Shutter Release and Focus buttons on the top plane of the camera, the Joystick that was used to adjust the camera settings on previous models is now a cycle selector button for AF, AF Macro, and MF options.

The Record/Playback slider of the FZ35/38 is also missing, replaced by a push and turn Rear Dial to activate and set Exposure Compensation, Shutter Speed, and Aperture Opening when the camera is operated in PASM exposure modes. Playback is now a Green Arrow button on the camera back.

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Olympus E-PM2, Lumix G 14mm 1:2,5 Asph. II

Digital Moments: Image making with an Olympus E-PM2 with a Lumix G 14mm 1:2.5 Asph., people and places looking from a high place.

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My street walk across the 69-meter 'Saloma Link,' a combined pedestrian and bicycle link across the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur recently yielded me another set of images as seen here, shots at and from the top end of the link on the residential side, which is 3-stories high above the ground level.

The links connect the residential district of Kampung Baru across the river to the commercial center of Kuala Lumpur in the vicinity of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre. The platform is a good height to enjoy the view of both the city side from across the bridge, as well as the clutter of low-rise mixed development on the residential side.

Olympus E-PM2, Lumix G 14mm 1:2.5 Asph.

The final image is a tranquil weekend ground shot of the area seen from above in the previous image.

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