Walking The Olympus Way With Camera Electronic

 

A Photowalk can be a peculiar ritual - somewhere between a civic parade and a band of footpads skulking through town. It is innocent enough, though, when it starts...

Actually it generally begins with a greeting by the industry representative - in this case Burke Flynn from Olympus Imaging - and a setting out of the rules; you are welcome to try the new cameras and please do not drop them in the mud. Do not run away with them as young, fit shop assistants will chase you like greyhounds. We have counted the lenses...

Friday's Olympus Photo Walk  from our new Murray Street Store was actually delightful, coinciding as it did with pleasant summer weather and the Friday night hawkers markets in the centre of Perth. If you can stand fire, smoke, and the smell of things frying you have a chance for some great pictures. As well, the falling light in Perth at this time of year can be surprisingly gentle and artistic - particularly if it is reflecting off signs and Christmas revelers.

It was not always thus. The city at the end of Friday in the 1960's was alternately grim and garish, though you were pretty safe wandering the streets at nearly any time of the night. I should not care to linger late in the area these days...but then I get nervous when they let the Bingo mob out of the local parish hall - full of tea, biscuits, and passion. You get hit with a Zimmer frame and it is all over...

Well, back to the centre of the city. Two examples of the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MkII were to be had, but one of them was firmly in the grasp of Camera Electronic's Sam Perejuan. And I was able to observe one very smart design feature that Olympus have changed from the OM-D E-M1 original. Look at the picture of Sam's hand holding the camera.

Sam's hand is not a small one - call it an average man's span. He has a firm grip on the camera with forefinger on the shutter button and thumb ready to turn the back dial - but his hand is not having to fight its way over the camera support lug and strap holder. Olympus have moved it from the position  they...and most other people...formerly put it on the side of the camera. It is now up in the cradle of the web formed in finger and thumb. It is ever so much easier to handle the camera than before.

The picture of Sam shooting the camera with a rather large strap attached shows that the strap naturally lays out of the way now and does not bunch under the hand. Bravo! Stand there fighting with a strap for an hour and see how your concentration suffers.

Now as to topics for a walk - apart from the doughnut stalls and fist fights - people can find some artistic treasures:

Or architectural flights of fancy:

Or just quietly evocative lanes.

I just enjoyed speculating about the late-night goings-on...I believe they call for players some time after 9:00. Tennish, anyone...?*

 * Yes, that was intentional. The weblog pun filter is not turned on.

The Extremely Polite Scrum

I was a little curious to see whether or not anyone reads the Camera Electronic email notices that go out separately from this weblog column. I know there are many pathways up the mountain and into your computer - and I have been told that many of you just switch off and ignore them. So I was skeptical of whether people would come in to see Burke Flynn demonstrate the new Olympus OM-D E -M1 MkII for a couple of hours today.

Well, the last time I saw a crowd that thick around a product was at the Rottnest bakery when the fresh bread came out of the oven. The phrase " fight your way in " came  to mind. I'll give our customers credit - they are a patient lot and they stood politely to hear Burke's exposition and to let other people have a go with the new camera and lenses*.

But there were a few twitching eyebrows. Olympus fans are a keen lot under the surface.

I managed to persuade one of them to be a hand model for the new device, and noted as well a 12-100mm lens that looks to be the superzoom of choice. But I cannot say what the camera felt like in the hand - there were too many more enthusiasts ready to leap!

Tomorrow is another matter. I have signed up on the Camera Electronic contact page to go to a Photowalk with the new gear from the Camera Electronic Murray Street store tomorrow at 5:30. You might be able to snag a place on the walk if you try the link right now. I plan to give a more in-depth report on how it feels in the twilight.

Note that Olympus have had an additive light setting in their processor that is particularly suited to dusk and night-time shots. I hope to try it out.

 * They might have been there just to see Burke. He may be a cult star. I left before the autograph books came out.

Register here for the Olympus E-M1 Mark II photowalk on tomorrow, 16th December from 5:30pm. All details on the event page
Plus, ask about our exclusive offer for a complimentary Olympus shoot course if you pre-order the E-M1 Mark II at the event!

Walking Winners With Fujifilm - An Afternoon In the Sun

Recently Warwick and Justin from Fujifilm Australia came to see us here at Shoot Photography Workshops and held a splendid photo walk - you'll see an album of the pictures that the participants made on out Facebook page.

Well it was a good day in the sun and there are three winners of the competition for the walk. Here's their images repeated:

Second runner-up has won a $ 50 gift voucher from Camera Electronic - Nola Sumner with her image entitled " Bowls".

First runner-up will get a $ 100 gift voucher from Camera Electronic. This goes to Ray Ross for " Tucker Time".

Grand Prize is rather splendid - a red-bodied Fujifilm X-A1 with a silver XC 16-50mm f:3.5-5.6 OIS Fujinon lens. A world of art in a small package.

This has been won with an image entitled " 2" by...Dianne Kelsey.

We wish to congratulate the winners and thank all the participants who came along and walked. Warwick and Justin are always good and and the Fujifilm company ALWAYS has amazing new products. Next time they walk - run along with us - you'll love it.

Well I'll Be Damned - Probably Next Month

My surprise is occasioned by discovering that I am to be a judge for a photo contest. I have just read the Google+ posting for Rob Masters' Photowalk through Cottesloe later in the month and find I am to be the one to assess the images afterwards. Photowalkers would be well advised to consider that I am a strict judge but I bribe easily. Hint: baked goods...

Okay, apart from that, here is the spiel for the Photowalk:

Date: June 27th

Time: 2:30PM

Place: Grant Marine Park - corner of Marine Terrace and Grant Street, Cottesloe.

Event: Social photowalk with Rob Masters to explore some of the architecture and the depiction of the water scene of Cottesloe.

Rob will be taking people of all skill levels with him as he discusses the features of the area and helps them to capture great images. Dan from our shop will be with him and have some interesting equipment for people to try. There are several hostelries to which the walkers may repair after sunset for discussions.

The two photo contests will involve capture of the best images of the local architecture and the water scene. Apparently I am to judge the entries and winners will have them printed in good size by Dots To Spots printing.

The Google+ posting seems to have muddled the dates for the judging and the announcement of he winners...I suspect it will be early July rather than early June as early June has already gone...Never mind - it will be fun anyway.

See for yourself - type this in:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cdt95van81oimn4a2bo8ubcamv4

I am looking forward to the event. And the bribes. Cinnamon buns...

Uncle Dick