Archive for October 2013

Gear Review – Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Camera

I don’t do many gear reviews (actually this is my first), but I’ve been so happy with this camera that I thought I’d do a little write-up on it.

First a disclaimer: I’m not a professional photographer, and I haven’t used any of this camera’s competitors.

My criteria
I wanted a newer and more versatile camera before we left on our overland trip through the Americas. I’m not enough of a photography enthusiast to want to spend several thousand dollars on a digital SLR and a range of lenses, but I did want a camera that would allow me to capture high quality images for posting to our website and possibly enlarging for personal use. In addition, I wanted to be able to capture a variety of scenes (landscape, wildlife, portraits, etc) without having to carry around a selection of lenses and fumble with changing them out. I wanted all that, hopefully, for $1000 or less.

I was looking at the new(ish) category of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras for a compromise between physical size, image quality, and functionality. These cameras seemed to fit the bill, as long as I was willing to invest in a couple of extra lenses. The total package would have probably cost around $1500.

The “Super-zoom” point and shoot cameras
My friend Brian Slobe, a professional photographer, suggested that I look into the so-called “super-zoom” point and shoot cameras, and I’m so glad I did. These cameras look similar to an SLR and are about the same size as an SLR with a basic 30-80mm zoom lens attached. They are typically the high end of a manufacturer’s range of point-and-shoot cameras, and the ones I compared early in 2013 cost around $600. For that you get all of the manual control you could want, plus a non-removable 26x zoom lens. That’s 600mm of zoom in the SLR world. You’d have to spend many thousands of dollars to get that sort of zoom in an SLR, plus you’d have to tote around a large bag to carry the lenses.

Of course you aren’t getting something for nothing here. The main drawback of these cameras is that they have the small sensor (the critical piece of electronics that the light falls on to capture an image) inherent in point and shoot cameras instead of the much larger sensor in an SLR. The larger sensor allows the camera to perform better in low light conditions and produces higher quality images for enlargements or publishing.

My impressions
I’ve shot over 2000 pictures with the Lumix over the course of the past three months. Mostly these pictures were landscapes, wildlife shots, or portraits (of the Sparks clan). I haven’t done much indoor photography with it.

Having instant access to a 24x (600mm) zoom is, in a word, liberating. It allows me to get close-up shots of my son when he doesn’t know I’m taking a picture of him. I can get those candid smiles and expressions while he’s playing instead of the cheesy grin he gives me when I get close to him and point the camera at his face. Being able to zoom out to a fairly wide angle 25mm without changing lenses makes capturing a variety of scenes much more convenient.

Wide angle...

Wide angle…

... and telephoto, from the same spot

… and telephoto, from the same spot

For shooting wildlife the camera was spectacular. Even at the maximum zoom level I got shots that were sharp and in-focus while hand-holding the camera. I’m sure that on close inspection an SLR with a telephoto lens would provide a better picture, but for my purposes the images have been outstanding. I only wish I had had a camera like this during our trip to Africa 10 years ago!

You can get close to the bear, without getting too close to the bear.

You can get close to the bear, without getting too close to the bear.

Most cameras these days will shoot HD videos, and although I didn’t think I’d use that, I was able to capture some pretty good video of our overflight of Denali.

The camera is fairly bulky, and so I still have my old Casio pocket sized camera that I can slip into my pocket while mountain biking or sea kayaking.

Comparing the super-zooms
Most (all?) of these cameras feature an electronic viewfinder in addition to the LCD screen. I use the viewfinder about 90% of the time, and it makes the battery last seemingly forever. I’ve only charged it 4-5 times during the past three months of heavy use. The high resolution of the viewfinder on the Lumix makes it a pleasure to use.

The main feature that made me pick the Lumix over its competitors is the fact that it can maintain an F2.8 aperture over its entire zoom range. Aperture is how wide the shutter can open, and influences how much light can reach the sensor. A smaller aperture number means a larger opening, and thus a faster shutter speed is available meaning that you can hand-hold the camera in lower light conditions.

Pictures of Quinn are better when he doesn't know he's being photographed.

Pictures of Quinn are better when he doesn’t know he’s being photographed.

Durability
I wanted the camera to always be easily accessible while driving, so I decided to forego a camera bag stuffed with accessories, since I didn’t have a good place to put it in our camper van. Instead I bought a leather form-fitting case for it and keep the camera on the floor of the van next to the driver’s seat most of the time. The case protects the camera from bumps and scratches, and it’s always right there when I need it. The camera still works perfectly and looks as good as the day I bought it.

I recently added a UV filter to the lens to protect the it from any accidental scratches, the theory being that I can unscrew and replace the $30 filter more easily than sending the camera to Panasonic to replace the built-in lens.

Even though it’s not a professional level camera, I’ve been very happy with the FZ200 – especially for the price.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

This entry marks a turning point in our trip. We have completed our northern adventure and now, with the onset of winter close on our heels, it’s time to finish preparations for our journey south.

We decided to go back through Denver for a few things, including some fixes to the van, before heading into Mexico. With a long drive ahead of us and with Jennifer’s Aunt having fallen ill, we decided that Jen and Quinn would fly to Philadelphia for a week (from Seattle) while I drove the van back to Denver.

On our way to Seattle we drove down the length of Whidbey Island, camping at Fort Ebey State Park. The Park is situated on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and was home to a WWII gun emplacement and bunker intended to protect the entrance to Puget Sound from the Japanese Navy. The bunker is still there, and Quinn and I had a great time exploring its rooms and hallways with our flashlights. We even got to see some dolphins and whales from the top of the bluff.

Our ferry from Sidney, BC to Anacortes, WA stopped at the picturesque Friday Harbor

Our ferry from Sidney, BC to Anacortes, WA stopped at the picturesque Friday Harbor

Sunset over the strait from Fort Ebey State Park

Sunset over the strait from Fort Ebey State Park

Quinn sits in the foundation for one of the WWII guns at Fort Ebey. The entrance to the bunker is in the background.

Quinn sits in the foundation for one of the WWII guns at Fort Ebey. The entrance to the bunker is in the background.

I dropped Jen and Quinn at the airport on Thursday morning, hoping to be in Denver on Monday morning to start the repairs to the van. That left me little time for sightseeing, but I did work in some back roads through Oregon, a visit to Bend Oregon, and a side trip through the seemingly seldom visited Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in northern Nevada.

Mt Hood

Mt Hood

A house on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. A 12 hour stay made me want to move there.

A house on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. A 12 hour stay made me want to move there.

I entered Nevada at McDermmit on US 95, and turned off onto Indian Creek Canyon Road toward the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest 15 miles south of town. It was nearly 5pm when I turned off onto the dirt road so I needed to find a place to camp sooner rather than later. The first few likely spots I found were occupied by parties of hunters, then the road switchbacked up over a mountain pass and it wasn’t until I got to the other side that I was able to find a level spot to pull off the road. The road was slow going but generally in good shape, although you could tell that things would get interesting in the wet.

The next morning I went for a short hike back up to the ridge line I had driven over the night before. The views out over the valleys to the east and west were beautiful.

I followed the main road south through the park enjoying the amazing fall scenery. It took me about 3 hours go up and over Hinkey Summit and descend out of the national forest to the town of Paradise Valley. With more time and preparation (GPS maps and extra fuel) it would have been fun to head due east from Paradise Valley and take the dirt roads across the Owyhee Desert and intersect Highway 225.

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The town of Paradise Valley

The town of Paradise Valley

I re-united with US 95 and drove south to Winnemucca. The next 818 miles on I-80 were covered with the aid of two audio books and involved my first stop at Taco Bell in at least 15 years, a shower at a truck stop and a cool nighttime thunderstorm over Cheyenne.

Because our travel insurance doesn’t cover us within 150 miles of home, we’ll be without insurance while we’re there, so unfortunately we’re going to have to make our stay as short as we can.

Volunteering at the Songhees Centre in Victoria, BC

We arrived at the Songhees Employment Learning Centre (SELC) in Victoria and met Verna, the coordinator, who gave us a terrific tour of the Songhees Nation facilities. The SELC is primarily geared towards providing Songhees teens and adults with educational support. This support can be wide-ranging and include help with school homework, general tutoring, test preparation, college / job application assistance and even some vocational training.

Verna, Jennifer, and Witt at the SELC

Verna, Jennifer, and Witt at the SELC

As Verna explained to us, many Songhees youth frequently miss school in order to participate in multi-day ceremonies that are integral to their culture. The effect of these absences can have a snowball effect and many students have difficulty keeping up with their peers as a result. Thus Verna was very excited at our arrival and was eagerly anticipating having access to the Khan Academy educational videos as well as the KA Lite coaching tools that we had come to install at the SELC.

While Witt began the installation on the computers in the SELC, Verna took Quinn and Jen next door to show us the Songhees children’s center, which is called Kwum Kwum Lelum. This facility supports kids from preschool age up through middle school by providing homework help, tutoring, crafts, and other educational activities. Since Kwum Kwum Lelum also has a computer lab on a separate network, we offered to install KA Lite there as well. That’s two installations in one day!

Jennifer sets up an account for Ruse, one of the Center's instructors.

Jennifer sets up an account for Ruse, one of the Center’s instructors.

Jen set Verna up with an account on the SELC computers and walked her through how to use KA Lite to access the Khan Academy videos and practice exercises. Several teens arrived for tutoring so Jen gave a demo on the big screen to them and then set them each up with accounts. She then met separately with the tutors to show them how they could use the coaching tools to monitor and guide their students’ progress.

After Witt completed the install on the Kwum Kwum Lelum computers, Jen set up accounts for the center coordinator and the instructors and guided each of them through the KA Lite software menus. We emphasized the benefits of using the coaching tools as we believe that they will be particularly useful for them.

Students and teachers at the centre

Students and teachers at the centre

Vancouver Island West Coast and Victoria

With a few more days before we were due to be in Victoria for the next of our volunteering stints, we decided to head to the “Wild West Coast” of the island. It lived up to expectations with a beautiful shoreline and big waves crashing in from the Pacific. We visited the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet (figure out how to pronounce that, then say it 10 times fast). We spent two nights camping near the beach and taking advantage of the sunny weather for beach walks and hikes in the national park, broken up by an afternoon in an excellent cafe in Tofino updating the website and catching up on email.

Blue sky and beaches!

Blue sky and beaches!

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Bikers on the beach

Bikers on the beach

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Hiking along a boardwalk to the beach

Hiking along a boardwalk to the beach


Quinn keeps himself entertained on the hike.

Of historical interest is that the area was home to about 2000 military personnel during WWII, complete with bunkers and machine gun emplacements, as Vancouver island was deemed to be a likely spot for a Japanese invasion. Needless to say, the folks stationed there didn’t see much action during the war.

On Friday we headed south again to Victoria. Saturday morning was spent on a long-overdue swimming pool stop. In the afternoon, following rumors of trains, we went to the amazing “Miniature World” in downtown Victoria. It was basically a bunch of incredibly detailed dioramas depicting various scenes from history. Quinn of course spent the whole time watching the model train run around and around the track. My personal favorite was the “World’s smallest operating sawmill.” Someone had taken the time to build a working model of a sawmill, complete with all of the saws and other equipment. You put little logs through it, and it would cut them up into miniature 2x4s. I can’t imagine how long it took build this thing.

Train!

Train!

The amazing tiny sawmill

The amazing tiny sawmill

On Sunday we rented bikes (with Q on a tag-a-long) and toured the coastline outside of BC, stopping at a marina for an amazing Sunday brunch. The unexpected highlight of the day, though, was a street art festival going on around the corner from the bike shop. A local brewery had donated the walls of a couple of their buildings and street artists were up on scaffold doing their thing with spray paint. They were getting started when we left on our bikes at about 11:30, and were in full swing when we returned at 4pm. We stood around watching for about an hour before heading back to our campsite at an RV park for dinner.

The southern coast of the island near Victoria

The southern coast of the island near Victoria

Biking in Victoria

Biking in Victoria

An artist at work

An artist at work

The DJ keeps the beat thumping

The DJ keeps the beat thumping

Vancouver Island

The last three days
The rain was unstoppable.
It was always cold.
No sunshine.
There’s something good
Waitin’ down this road.
I’m pickin’ up
Whatever’s mine.
– Tom Petty

The ferries were pretty relaxing. We didn’t try to bring our own food on board, so no cooking or cleaning up, and we even had our own 10×10 room with a private shower. Oh the luxury!

Our first ferry got us to Prince Rupert, BC at about 4am. We carried Quinn down to the car and put him in his sleeping bag in the back of the van and drove out into the rain. Our next ferry departed at 7am bound for Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.

It rained almost all day as we traversed some amazing landscapes, which must have been photographed for the brochures one day when it was sunny in 1985.

Shades of grey

Shades of grey

A tug boat towing a raft of logs

A tug boat towing a raft of logs

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15 hours later we drove off the ferry and into the rain in Port Hardy. We stopped at the first campground we found to spend the night. The next morning we found a restaurant in town where we could eat breakfast and watch it rain.

After a few hours drive in heavy rain the afternoon found us in Telegraph Cove, a couple of hours south from Port Hardy. It was raining a little less so we were able to explore the quaint little village and its whale museum. We did some laundry and settled in at the local RV park. The spot was exposed so now we had wind and rain lashing against the side of the van. Not wanting to stress the canvas of the pop top, we decided to close up our turtle. We huddled around the laptop to watch the Lorax while the rain beat against the van. We slept downstairs with Jen and Quinn curled up on the sofa in back and Witt on the floor. Not great, but we did sleep.

The harbor at Telegraph Cove

The harbor at Telegraph Cove

On Monday we went out on a whale-watching tour, which we found out from some other passengers is world renowned. Miraculously it (mostly) didn’t rain, and we saw some amazing marine wildlife.

This cluster of birds indicates a "bait ball" - a school of fish below the surface that have formed into a tight ball. Often whales will lunge into these balls to feed.

This cluster of birds indicates a “bait ball” – a school of fish below the surface that have formed into a tight ball. Often whales will lunge into these balls to feed.

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Sea Lions

Sea Lions

Harbor Seals

Harbor Seals

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Tufted Puffin

Tufted Puffin

We had a great lunch of salmon chowder and spinach salad in the local restaurant before heading south once more. It was raining, but dried out a bit in time for us to camp near the beach north of Courtenay. We saw some crazy fish leaping 1-2 feet in the air presumably to catch bugs above the surface of the ocean.

Leaping Salmon

Leaping Salmon

On Tuesday we headed to Port Alberni in intermittent rain following rumors of a steam train. When we arrived we discovered that it had closed up shop a month ago. We really are behind the tourist season here. The campgrounds are fortunately still open, but they are deserted. We are usually one of 1 or 2 campers in campgrounds with 50 to 60 sites. What, people don’t like to camp in the rain?

Instead we went to Stamp River falls for some salmon viewing. It wasn’t really a waterfall, but more of a narrow canyon with a torrent of water forcing its way violently through. I’ve seen too much boater porn to say it’s unrunnable in a kayak, but it’s definitely at least class V.

The salmon have the unenviable task of swimming up the canyon. We hiked in to a viewpoint where we could watch the poor fish trying to hurl themselves up a 3-foot waterfall. We watched probably 50-60 attempts over the course of 30 minutes and most ended with the fish being briefly pinned between the falling water and the rocks below. There is a fish ladder installed here, and I imagine that after they give up trying the traditional methods they head for the ladder, trying not to let their friends catch them doing it.

It’s interesting that this ladder is bridging a natural feature rather than a dam or hydroelectric plant. It was installed in the 50s purely to increase the number of salmon that would spawn, thus increasing the population available to be caught later.

We camped for the night at Sproat Lake where we dined on, what else, salmon!