New Glass, New Month

I've been in something of a funk lately, trying to figure out what I really want to do when I grow up. Which is quite shocking when you consider I'll turn 58 in less than four months.

And so my personal hobbyist photography has dropped considerably, as has my posting on the blog. I had made a promise that I would take and post at least one photo a day, and write at least one post a day. That photography promise started to straggle around late June-early July, while this August I really dropped the ball with regards to posting blog entries.

I guess I needed the break. That and the fact I've been pretty busy with two major projects. And then there's been family issues as well. Something had to give, and it was attention to Flickr and Blogspot.

Earlier this week I ordered a Zuiko Digital 14-54mm Mk I lens from Wolf Camera Clearance via eBay. They had three for sale at $289/lens. The lenses were "display" lenses, meaning they'd sat in a case in some store as part of a larger display of camera gear.

Buying marked-down display gear is something of a crap shoot. Display gear can sit for years and not get touched, or it can be used constantly as a demo lens on a body when a customer asks to see a given camera, picking up dirt and fingerprints through usage and being knocked about. I got lucky. The copy I received was in immaculate condition. It was priced low enough that I paid for next day delivery.

I've purchased this 14-54mm for my youngest daughter to give her a decent lens to go on her E-1 and E-300. I've given her nothing but hand-me-down kit lenses, so this 14-54mm was an attempt to give her a complete high-end kit mated with the E-1, with the added benefit of being environmentally sealed.

When the lens arrived I took it out and gave it a spin on my E-1. I was pleased with the results. The lens worked as expected, and focusing was pretty decent, even in low light. There is a notable difference in focus speed between this lens, a High Grade Zuiko, and the Standard kit lenses she's been using; the 14-45mm and 40-150mm original kit lenses that came with the E-300. The 14-54mm is fast and sure, much faster than those two kit lenses.

I continue to cling to my Olympus gear and to pick up the very occasional bargain. I've reached an impasse with regards to spending a lot of money on new gear of any stripe and manufacturer, unless it's dirt cheap and can work with what I already have. I'm tired of being the hamster on the wheel.

Technical

Taken with the E-1 and ZD 14-54mm Mk I. Post processing done primarily in Silver Efex Pro 2 via Lightroom 3. In Silver Efex I used Film Noir 1, Kodak TriX 400 TX effect, and Copper Toner 18.