A day out ...

[smartwombat]

With John, he took my backup OM-D body without the grip and mostly used the kit lens, and a few wide angle shots with the Panasonic 7-14.

I mostly used the Panasonic 14-140 as my walkabout lens, with occasional wideangles with the 7-14.

As John had the macro lens, I was only getting fairly wide angle insect shots.

[smartwombat]

Re: A day out ...

I took a few shots over his shoulder, I like images of other photographers in action.

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

Thanks for a great day, Paul; I was pleased to meet you, enjoyed your company and very much appreciated the opportunity to try the EM-5. It didn't occur to me that by sticking with the 12-50mm I was hogging the macro - it certainly is a very versatile lens!

No pictures from me yet, I'm afraid. As expected, I had some domestic duties awaiting as pennance for my day out and when I finally got on my PC there was the small matter of how to convert the raw files. Elements 9 isn't compatible with the latest version of ACR, as we discussed earlier, and my existing version of Olympus software wouldn't open E-M3 ORFs. Eventually I decided to download Adobe DNG and that worked. I've now processed and resized the pictures but have run out of steam (it is 4.55 am ) so I will have to finish the job tomorrow.

I love that bramble shot, Paul, and I see there are a couple of sneaky one's of me, but I also like pictures of other photographers in action.

Watch this space..........

[smartwombat]

Re: A day out ...

Thank you John, a grand day out. You tired me out so much I had to stop at the services on they way home and sleep for over an hour!

With that 12-50 you can work in macro, close-up and foreground. The 14-140 opens up the middle distance at the long end, but loses the macro and isn't quite as wide close-up. Which you use depends on the kind of opportunities that come your way.

Working with two bodies I'll probably have the 45-200 on one with the grip, and the 12-500 on the second camera without grip. If I know I'm going to be hunting wildlife as well as just walking about, then I'll swap the 45-200 for the 100-300 and live with the focal length gap from 50-100.

I was kicking myself when I got back for not asking if I could take kitty portraits, my wife was jealous of me meeting two nice cats

[smartwombat]

Re: A day out ...

I found that I was spotting almost the same images as John, it was a challenge to get something different ...

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

Thank you John, a grand day out. You tired me out so much I had to stop at the services on they way home and sleep for over an hour!

With that 12-50 you can work in macro, close-up and foreground. The 14-140 opens up the middle distance at the long end, but loses the macro and isn't quite as wide close-up. Which you use depends on the kind of opportunities that come your way.

Working with two bodies I'll probably have the 45-200 on one with the grip, and the 12-500 on the second camera without grip. If I know I'm going to be hunting wildlife as well as just walking about, then I'll swap the 45-200 for the 100-300 and live with the focal length gap from 50-100.

I was kicking myself when I got back for not asking if I could take kitty portraits, my wife was jealous of me meeting two nice cats

Whoops! Sorry if I over did it, I was rather tired at the end, too! I didn't think about taking pictures of our cats, you'd have been more than welcome and they did seem to take to you.

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

I found that I was spotting almost the same imaged as John, it was a challenge to get something different ...

It's always a danger when shooting with someone else that you can end up with very similar shots, but on the other hand I'm often amazed at how different we see the world in the same situation. We both spotted the horse framed by the fence, but yours is better because on my version the hooves are hidden by the bottom rail. I didn't even spot that patch of multi-toned green plants until you mentioned it and framing the watering cans (which I took close up) with the churchyard gate was inspirational!

Now, I must upload some of mine...........

[smartwombat]

Re: A day out ...

I didn't look at your recce shots before the day, but captured almost the identical view of the broken rail on the fence by the field - yours had the advantage of the morning mist.

I'd like to see your macro version of this ...

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

My aim for the day, apart from trying out an E-M5, was to take Paul on a mini-tour around a few of the attractive and interesting villages of north Essex. We started with a visit to a 15th Century timber barn at Widdington, a magnificent structure to which it is difficult to do justice with a photograph, such is the scale. It is very similar to better known examples within the county, at Coggeshall and Cressing, but the admission charge is my favourite price - free!

The exterior of the barn

It's difficult to do justice to the interior with a single shot. Here I have included Paul as an indication of the scale. He was busy photographing the whole interior through numerous shot, to be stiched together later. That sound like an interesting project, requiring a fair measure of skill.

At one end of the barn a section of the original floor remains, roped off for safety.

Next stop was a delightful small church, tucked away up an inconspicuous lane in the village of Quendon.

Without wishing to sound too morbid, there is something about grave yards that I find compelling and I love taking pictures of the head stones.

Always on the look-out for small details, I spotted this little interplay of light and shade.

And this little grouping.

Next to the churchyard I found this green lane, nothing special but a memory aid to a good day out.

Time was passing quickly and I abandoned plans for a visit to the pretty village of Manuden, continuing instead directly to the arguably even prettier village of Clavering, with a number of fine traditional timber and thatch cottages

and a ford across the infant River Stort.

Paul carefully composing the scene. I also like photographing other photographers.

Roadside poppies in the village.

The scene of what was no doubt a nasty accident, in contrast to the general tranquility of this rural backwater.

Our planned lunch in the village pub was a complete disappointment, we were too late! However, we visited the church (pictures to follow, I've forgotten to upload them) then drove to nearby Saffron Walden for a very late but pleasant "lunch" with which to end the day.

[smartwombat]

Re: A day out ...

Ah I have more pictures of you, in the act ...

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

Ah I have more pictures of you, in the act ...

I've just realized, from the picture of me photographing the cottages, what a great leading line the fence makes for this scene from where you were standing. I'll have to return for that one.

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

I

I'd like to see your macro version of this ...

Well, as you ask, here it is. I must admit that I hardly covered myself in glory with this one - I missed focus, should have used a smaller aperture for greater DOF and probably could have got a little closer anyway. I don't think I will ever be good at hand held close-ups like this, where tiny movements (I have lots of those ) can make a big difference.

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

A few of Clavering church, which I forgot to upload in the first batch.

[Zuiko]

Re: A day out ...

I've now published my impressions on how the camera handled at http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22272

[PeterBirder]

Re: A day out ...

What a great day you both had!
Smashing shots all of them.

My favouites are Paul's, "framed" horse and watering cans and John's, cottages at Clavering and the ford across the Stort.

What a great opportunity for John to try the E-M5 for "real shooting".

Regards.