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  1. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    It is frankly ridiculous. I placed FS posts for Leica Q and Pentax KP and they have together received precisely ZERO interest. No messages whatsoever. Not even the usual scammer. Luckily I am not in a rush. ~ The hype is starting to get me: Nikon Zf might be something that could replace my L...
  2. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Whew. Tokyo was good. It's bustling, it's crazy. At the same time, it's cozy and comfortable. And very, very affordable. Was Leica Q 116 a good fit for this travel? It didn't disappoint but I could have done better work with a 35mm or even a 50mm lens! There was zero desire for other gear...
  3. mike3996

    GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Desires Big and Small

    The X100VI seems cool and all, but I am just not sold on the IBIS. Thanks to the lightweight leaf shutter, it's always been a camera (series) that can shoot a steady 1/8 sec shot. True, with IBIS one can only improve upon this. But how much one can realistically expect? Will its stabilization...
  4. mike3996

    Personal gear review

    I'm glad that you have a solution to GAS that works. I've tried buying the best and expensivest. Doesn't offer any remedy...
  5. mike3996

    Personal gear review

    This lens is a peach! On bad days it may look a bit its role as a cheap kit lens (when shooting wide open). And I keep thinking, it may not have the pixel sharpness of a big Sony GM lens but my goodness does it just weigh nothing! On good days, it's an equal tool next to my Leica M lenses.
  6. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Tokyo starts in 73 hours! And this week has been super busy with recruiters and other interested prospects contacting me for work. Apparently the turn of the year means the hiring budgets are open again. I'm on a very short list of candidates for a nice job. They'll announce the decision on...
  7. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Unwrapped the last gear purchase of 2023. The relative new TTArtisan 7.5mm f/2.8 Fisheye Mark II for M4/3. The build quality of these lenses has taken several more steps towards fantastic levels. Excellent metal finish, perfectly dampened rings. Stupendous quality for a 120 € lens shipped...
  8. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I finished a roll of Fomapan 200 at 800 on Tuesday and today I developed it with Microphen stock, used once before. 12 minutes plus 10% equaled 13min 30sec development time at 20C. Nice stuff on this roll even if I say so myself. Tomorrow I start for Christmas gatherings. I'll play it easy and...
  9. mike3996

    Filters Black Mist filters

    So far I haven't seen anything like your 1/4 filter shot shows. Only against strong light sources does it bloom. Against reflected light it's like using a glass filter. I wish there was a 3/8th-strong variant :)
  10. mike3996

    Filters Black Mist filters

    The 1/8 mist filter is very mild in effect
  11. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I almost feel like the shutter is progressively getting worse but can be my imagination at this point. If the button totally gives in and I can't expose frames, my plan B is to source a film setup while in there. Maybe a compact point-and-shooter. The good people at Leica Store Rome assured me...
  12. mike3996

    Filters Black Mist filters

    What did you expect? It's literally what a mist filter is designed to do.
  13. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Panic averted! I figured there are two ways to bypass the shutter (I want to have it checked after the trip, hopefully it's covered under warranty). Either I shoot MF (Q has very excellent tools for this) or I configure the frame selector button to act as AF LOCK. I figure it's an acceptable...
  14. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I am completely exhausted at the amount of options at my fingertips. Get a used GX9 that hopefully doesn't exhibit bad disc flare? Only a hundred more and I could rebuy a G9... ...but then I'd need a neat WR lens because G9 can't hide in a pocket ...and if I need to buy a WR lens I already...
  15. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Wasn't an hour when a retailer hit me with news about heavy Panasonic discounts. The old S5 + 20-60 + 50/1.8 deal is still active. The entire combo for 1489 €. In addition now the new S5ii for 1299 € with cashbacks included. That's a 900 € discount. Pretty huge.
  16. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Whew. Emailed both Leica Store Rome and Urth for returns. I hope I can get a free return shipping on the camera because there's a real fault in it I think. This will be a week.
  17. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Because it's a game of tolerances it's wisest to send it all at once. Body and lenses. In fact I have designs to buy some extra Leica lenses just so that I can bundle them up to a calibration. But this will probably happen in second half of 2024 at the earliest.
  18. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    They may even offer me a loaner M, at least that used to be the case sometimes in the previous times. It will happen unless I give up photography altogether before it. But to throw a couple of grand on a maintenance won't happen until I'm employed again and back on track with my savings...
  19. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I fear we are back to square one here. :) And there's the Christmas rush at the post couriers and not a lot of time before my adventure is to begin. What happens if/when I return this Q? Get another one at comparable prices? The sexy silver sold at MPB. No reasonably valued Qs in sight. Maybe...
  20. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    In the above picture Summilux is left and the Q right. Q focused where I wanted (the small "POLIISI" text) whereas M backfocused so that the upper right corner is more in focus. Shot wide open, the DOF still covers both images pretty well, my focusing distance being something around 20-23...
  21. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I decided to do the smart thing and take my M and Q to a short stroll. M equipped with the 50 Summilux Asph that does not agree with rangefinder calibration fully (nor does it actually go to infinity even in LV) vs the Q (its handicap being heavy crop) First pair, center crops from each. Q's 50...
  22. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Some panic is abrewin'. Just playing around with my new acquisition, I started to pay notice about the shutter trigger. There just might be some contact problem in there, even without any thick gloves. A gentle half-press won't keep the camera in its inteded state. Is this how it is supposed...
  23. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    A brisk walk in overcast winter with Q and the subsequent study of the files reveals that the camera is alright. Operating it with thick gloves is possible but I have some trouble with the shutter release. I'm sure it's something I can practice. Feels good in hand, lightweight and all that. I...
  24. mike3996

    GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Acquisitions Big and Small

    An old friend returns
  25. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    The camera arrived yesterday. While it arrived safe and sound, I have to say it was sloppily packaged. My delivery address was also totally messed. But here it is, with certification and all. The camera in hand, it is suddenly painfully obvious that the comparatively low price is explained by...
  26. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    The package couriered by DHL is in limbo somewhere in airfreight. Would be a pretty slow airplane to take 48 hours to fly from Germany to Finland otherwise... I splurged on an Urth black mist filter. I am pessimistic about the filter on the Q but I've been wanting to try these filters for the...
  27. mike3996

    Filters Black Mist filters

    I went ahead with the expensive Urth filter (53 € shipped for E49) to avoid overconsuming (Amazon encourages this with those free shipping costs once you hit 100 € in your cart). People say 1/8 strength is barely noticeable, which is fine by me. I am thinking I'll have the filter sit on my lens...
  28. mike3996

    Filters Black Mist filters

    I am thinking of getting a light effect mist filter (1/8) to soften up highlights. Do you think a HQ-brand filter like Tiffen or Urth performs much better than a filter off of Amazon at half the price? Thoughts, opinions? Thank you.
  29. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    As expected, having some buyer's regret over Q. I think it gets delivered on the 7th. Our independence day will mess up the schedule a bit. Alternatively it is on my doorstep on Monday. You never know with these couriers. I have regret that maybe the 28mm is just too damn wide. I have concerns...
  30. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Maaaan this was a difficult choice to make. But it is done now. I decided to be rational and go with the cheaper Q 116 with the better warranty, even though the silver one on MPB is just a sweet little thing. I walked a bit yesterday with the S1 + Pentax 35-70 and it was obvious that it won't...
  31. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Everything is set and sorted for a good Leica Q action. 24 months of warranty, a dust-free sensor, all mine for 2290 €. I only need to click the button. But I'm once again (wisely) struck be the realization that I'm not employed and I should preserve my savings. (a) Leica Q will hold its value...
  32. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Breathtaking, once again. I browsed my old Q photos and the IQ of the lens is nothing short of sensational. Mono Lake: One sample, full rez file should be downloadable. The processing is old, nowadays I wouldn't do... well it's just harsh processing in many ways that I wouldn't do today. But...
  33. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Looking at those Leica Q3 sample raw files makes me feel a bit funny. My goodness. The lens, wide open, performs so well in full 75mm-eqv crop mode, even with high-ish ISO thrown on top of that. But to put things in perspective, even if I bought the camera and promptly sold it afterwards (may...
  34. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Going coo coo for Q Q 116, Ordinary black. 2600 € 6 months warranty Q 116, Super sexy silver. 2600 € 6 months warranty Resale loss ~400 € Q 116, Somewhat sexy titanium, 2300 € 24mo warranty Best deal. Resale loss < ~200 € Q2, Ordinary black. 3899 € 6 months warranty Resale loss...
  35. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    "Aaahhhh thank God", I'm thinking. The client passed on me so Tokyo is still go. I should feel a bit sad or guilty but I don't. Money doesn't buy happiness in this instant.
  36. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Goodbye Black Week, good morning ... Black Week part 2: Cyber Boogaloo? I got a "no-news" news report from the consultancy in the morning. I believe it will be during this week when they finally decide. My hopes shot up by a good margin. Funnily enough, my purchase desires dropped like a dog's...
  37. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    It just hit me last (sleepless) night that one way to go would be to buy a GX9. A reasonable guess would be that its sensor stack is close to that of EM1.2 and wouldn't produce the halo effect. But these bodies have always felt too pricey to me. At 600 € (mpb) they're just that. This would in...
  38. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Status: browsing and asking around about Leica Q3's availability and delivery schedule. Two days ago I was content with going towards the sunrise with GX80s. ~ I spent this day wisely outdoors and then cooking hamburgers. I have been thinking about the S5 deal and the Leica Q. These are the...
  39. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Summary: my resolve to go with what I already got took a knock with this whole flare thing. It has been a long day. One more BF survived. Shame it's lasting until Monday night. To retrospect and muse about this day, it started with the flare thingie and and now I don't know what direction to...
  40. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    I studied my photo library and made the breakthrough observation that this happens with my Panasonic GX80 cameras, not on Oly E-M1.2. Made and posted my observations elsewhere. Well, I guess this changes things. Is Panasonic GX80 then out, for good even? Let's not get hasty here.
  41. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    These ideas in that the previous post are built on the assumption that I'll on the move with the Billingham. For a moment suppose I took the backpack with me? Weight would be a smaller issue all of a sudden. Not negligible but smaller. I could entertain new ideas altogether. Maybe even, pray...
  42. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Graah. This is getting tiresome. Ideas I've been bouncing off the wall today. The µ4/3 option with Panasonics Dual GX80 cameras and a fistful of lenses no WR but not a huge prob Kit weight: 1.2 kg The biggest con: that disc-shape flare with these primes that I have. Huge pro: shared...
  43. mike3996

    GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Desires Big and Small

    Panasonic S5 + 20-60 + 50/1.8 all for a BF deal of 1489 €. Is this it? Weather resistant setup for adventures.
  44. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    This is a main thing that is giving me pause about taking solely M43 to my trip... The disclike flare around specular highlights gets old quickly. But what options do I have :)
  45. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Merci beaucoup pour vos gentils mots! J'espère que je sais à ce moment-là que l'argent ne rend pas heureux. Je me bats juste avec certains choix de matériel si mon voyage au Japon doit avoir lieu.
  46. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    This week has been the loooooooongest. I just keep waiting for any news from the consultancy. Good news or bad, it will be a bittersweet result.(*) If I do get the job, January in Japan will have to be postponed or canceled even. But I can cry about it with money. And... if I don't get the...
  47. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    The Q116 has been on my mind lately. I have in my mind pitted the Q against the Oly 20/1.4 Pro (with E-M1.2): I've been strongly thinking about getting the Olympus 20mm f/1.4 Pro. With the EM1.2 I'd have a safe kit for weathery days (and nights!) and capture gorgeous urban landscapes. And not...
  48. mike3996

    GAS GAS: Please Share your Latest Acquisitions Big and Small

    This is a contemporary camera as far as I am concerned. The quality is top notch, the design very rationalistic, performance borders on epic. Not to mention this is compact enough to slip in a winter jacket's pocket, with a appropriate lens. Really loving mine!
  49. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    Whew. Gassing for Q116 so badly now. But I know it makes little sense. It makes my already huge expenses even huger. And I am still unemployed. Speaking of which, there's an increasing change that I will get gainfully employed before I get to travel and I have to postpone Japan. I don't want to...
  50. mike3996

    GAS Dear Giary!

    C'mon. That's much like complaining how a Ferrari can get a scratch on the windshield. ~ I want to think I'd go light into this. It's a long time, what will my back say after a month of carrying gear day in, day out? Dual Panasonic GX80 is a killer setup. At the same time, it's a month and it...
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