Hi everyone,

I’m loving my Lumix 20mm f/1.7. I’d love to see a weather-sealed version of it or something similar at a fair price point. The current choice in terms of weather-sealing is nearly all PRO series zooms and equally expensive, bigger and heavier PRO series f/1.2 primes. I wish that they did a pancake design prime with weather sealing, I’m not expecting it to be given the design and in the least bit bothered about it being as fast as f/1.2. I can’t see how weather-sealing in itself adds that much size and weight to a lens. It’s the faster aperture and build quality that adds the size and weight. So, as things stand, in order to get the weather-sealing I’d be forced to buy a bigger, heavier, slightly faster and considerably more expensive lens and none of these things I want or need. Olympus PRO series f/1.4 20mm weather-sealed –

• Dimensions 63mm diameter x 62 mm length
• Weight 247g
• Filter size 58mm

Lumix 20 mm f/1.7 Mk 1 pancake lens non-weather-sealed

• Dimensions 63mm diameter x 25.5mm length. 👍
• Weight 87g 💙💙💙💙💙 🙂
• Filter size 46mm 👍

So the Olympus lens, although still a small lens by some standards and a bit faster is appreciatively longer and heavier and the price difference is even more drastic but it’s weather-sealed and arguably better built but not as inconspicuous and stealthy. I say arguably because I managed to drop my Lumix 20mm, without a lens hood attached, from about three feet as it spun from my hand, bouncing it off a wall before coming to rest on an albeit carpeted floor and it’s absolutely fine. Juggling lenses is not something I’m happy to say that I’m in the habit of doing but it’s nice to know all the same.

Kind regards

Leigh

Hi everyone,.

I’ve now tried out my Nitecore air blower thingy. First thing to say is, on it’s turbo setting it is very powerful. I warned my wife who was sitting in an adjacent room, that she might hear a noise like a Harrier jump jet taking off from about 100 yards away. 🙂 You might be wondering how are you qualified to make that statement?. Well many years ago I visited the Hawker Test Facility at RAF Dunsfold and was privileged to be treated to a display of a Harrier doing it’s hovering from a viewing position on the grass verge adjacent to the runway. 🙂 Okay, I’m joking about the noise level but it does shift some air (and dust) particularly on the turbo setting and definitely not a device you’d want to use in a library or cinema should you feel inclined to do so.

First thing I cleaned was one of my cameras and lenses and it did a good job with the magnetically attached retractable brush enabling me to get into all the awkward to clean spots such as around and between control dials etc… You could now eat your dinner off of it, as opposed to looking like I had previously eaten my dinner off of it, but that would mean that I’d have to start all over again so probably not one of my best ideas.

It charged up pretty quickly but then it might have had some charge in it already so I can’t say how long it will take to charge from scratch until the battery charge is fully depleted, nor can I speak as yet about battery life between charges. The build quality is nice and solid and the three air speeds seem good right up to the powerful turbo speed. I did find a use for the built in light which helps to show up dust. I removed and then refitted the filter dust cover to examine the fan, surprising that such a small fan can shift so much air, it must have a very high RPM and there’s a printed safety warning not to operate it without the filter cover in place, I wouldn’t want to!. It also comes with a short USB A to USB C charge cable. The only thing that I would say is that I don’t think that it would be well suited for left-handed folks as one’s palm would be right over the dust filter air intake thus blocking the fan’s air flow and therefore cooling. If I could suggest an improvement, based on my initial usage, it would be to make the air speed selector dial more clicky, particularly in the lock position and a bit harder to turn. I can also see myself parting company with the plastic cap/cover sooner or later so maybe another way of covering it like a sliding cover or suchlike would be an improvement. It would perhaps also make a nice travelling companion for my go anywhere waterproof, drop-proof, dust-proof Tough TG-5 camera which is designed to be exposed to the elements.

I don’t go particularly crazy about packaging but, for what it’s worth, I have to say that it was extremely well packed in attractive, eye-catching yellow and black packaging. I think that it will earn its place in my travelling kit which I’ve recently rationalised and re-organised, more of that in another post. I’m impressed with how effectively and effortlessly it cleaned my camera and lens and computer keyboard. The only problem that I now have is that I no longer have any excuse not to do so more often as I’ve already told my wife so she knows that I’ve got it! 🙂

Take care,

Leigh

Hi everyone,

I’ve ordered one of those Nitecore Blowerbaby BB2 Electronic Cleaning Air Blower for Camera and Lens, try saying that fast 🙂 . Could be a useful bit of kit. I don’t think that I’d take it everywhere with me as my small air blower and lens pen usually do the job and are a lot more compact and lighter but for thoroughly cleaning my kit, particularly the camera’s nooks and crannies back at base or maybe taking out with me if I’m going to be somewhere particularly dusty, like a beach, I think that it would do a pretty thorough job judging by what I’ve seen of it in use. I’ll post when I’ve tried it out, not the cheapest bit of gear but hopefully a worthwhile purchase. Main features are: rechargeable (USB C), 3 air speeds, air intake filter , cleaning brush and flashlight although I’m not sure how often I’ll be using that. I wouldn’t use it on the camera’s sensor though but rather for the camera bodies, lenses and filters etc. and anything else that needs a good dust like my keyboard, my ageing record collection (note I didn’t say vinyl) or maybe the whole room for that matter! 🙂 . Hell if it’s no good I’ve got myself a Star Trek communicator look-alike, how cool is that!. 🙂 Beam me up Scotty.

Best wishes,

Leigh

Hi everyone,

Although I have quite a few filters which I rarely use, mostly ND and CPL filters from different manufacturers, I thought I’d give this filter a try. For some time I’ve been a fan of Marumi filters which I think are well built and very good value for money. Until recently I didn’t know that Marumi have been making filters for sixty or so years in Japan so they should know a thing or two about things. I read a lot about their Super DHG polariser which has got some very favourable reviews across the board and I thought I’d give one a try. I used it for the first time yesterday on my trip to West Wittering and I think that it’s one of the best, quite possibly the best CPL filter, that I’ve tried. I cannot detect any colour shift apart from the obvious increased saturation of warm tones. One reason that I don’t very often use any filter that will reduce the light hitting the sensor is because I shoot handheld HDR and don’t want to introduce longer shutter speeds. This one costs one approximately 1 1/2 stops, but on a nice sunny 🙂 but deceptively cold 😞 day like yesterday that’s not too much of an issue. Lighting conditions permitting I think that I’ll definitely be shooting more with this filter.

As always, my opinions, not sponsored in any way and paid for out of my own pocket.

Kind regards

Leigh

PS. You know that I’m just shooting with my 20mm Lumix lens. None of the images I’ve posted using this lens have been cropped in post, they’re framed exactly as taken, a very versatile focal length.