Smaller Still But Also Mighty
The Panasonic Lumix GX-85 is one of the newfangled breed of “mirrorless” cameras now in vogue. It is equipped with a smaller Micro four-thirds 16 megapixel Live MOS sensor.
Just like the Nikon D5100 I spend most of my outings switching between Aperture priority mode (A) for birds in flight and animals in motion and Shutter Speed priority mode (S) for the more sedate scenic or nature detail type of shots.
This camera also offers the ability to shoot not only 1080p video but also amazing 4K video. It also offers what Panasonic calls 4K Photo mode which offers an amazing array of shooting options which, as a bird photographer, have impressed me greatly. My favorite is 4K Pre-Burst mode. This mode allows you to frame and focus your image with a half press of the shutter release. Then you hold the shutter at half and wait for your subject to do whatever it is you are expecting (or hoping) it will do. In my case this usually means I am waiting for a perched bird to take flight. Once the bird lifts off I fully press the shutter release. When I review the capture what I have is a .mpg file that contains 20 or more frames prior to full shutter press and another 20 frames after. I just page through them selecting the best frames and the camera then converts them to .jpeg files.
Lumix G Vario 45-150mm
This lens features f4.0 max aperture at the 45mm setting which drops to f5.6 when zoomed out to the full 150mm. Panasonic’s in-lens Mega O.I.S (Optical Image Stabilization) is built in with no physical switch to turn the function on or off. When I have selected the GX-85 as my camera of the day this is pretty much my go-to lens for my frequent walks at Lake Pueblo State Park. I really like using it because it is very light and easy to handle particularly when shooting with one hand. The auto-focus response is fast but not always spot-on.
The example photo of a Western Meadow Lark was shot with this lens at 150mm.
Lumix G Vario 100-300mm
This lens features f4.0 max aperture at the “wide” 100mm setting which drops to f5.6 when zoomed out to the full 300mm. Panasonic’s in-lens optical stabilation (Power O.I.S) is built in with a physical switch that gives you the option to turn the function on or off. Like my longer Nikon lens this lens is also too heavy for one-handed shooting. I will say that the lens is very sharp but I have been disappointed in the speed and accuracy of the auto-focus function.
My example photo of a Cedar Waxwing was shot with this lens at 300mm (with both hands.)
Leica 45mm DG Macro-Elmarit f2.8
This lens is the product of an alliance between Leica and Panasonic. Apparently it is designed by Leica but manufactured by Panasonic. The build quality is fantastic and the lens is super sharp.
The lens has two manual switches on the barrel. One allows you to switch the in-lens optical stabilization (Mega O.I.S) on or off while the other allows you to limit the auto-focus travel so that when you are focusing on distant objects the lens can acquire focus faster.
I shot the example photo last Spring in my backyard of an Iris considering whether or not to bloom.