Here I am again with yet more camera history. Not finished yet, not by a long shot.

In 2010 I was off on a big trip to Bali and being a bit flush at the time, and based on an excellent review from my favourite blogger, I decided to buy Pentax, specifically the new Pentax K-5 digital.

It’s not a huge sensor, only 16Mpixel, but the review talked about the particularly nice pictures and I’ll confirm that.

_{Baby kookaburras 2012, Pentax DA 50-200mm © PJ Croft 2024}

I bought the camera and the 18 – 55mm (27 – 82mm eq.) plus the 50-200mm (75 – 300mm eq.) lenses in one purchase before the Bali trip in 2011.

_{Pentax K-5 images © PJ Croft 2024}

I liked the camera very much, I still have it and I won’t part with it (except to update to the K-3 mk. 3, but it’s very expensive). I soon added a Sigma 120 – 400mm f4 and a Sigma 10 – 20mm f4. Yes, the same lens I had had for the Canon 40D. I sold all my Canon gear in one hit at a bargain price to the son of a friend. I think I was too generous, but it can’t be helped now.

I’ve since added the Sigma 18 – 135mm (27 – 200mm eq.) which I bought on Facebook Market for $50. Can’t go wrong, can you? So I’m covered for every focal length from 15mm to 600mm, but wow, it’s heavy! Too heavy to carry in one bag/trip.

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But my restless eyes soon tired of this and as a dedicated reader of reviews, I next decided to venture into the Olympus 4/3 system, specifically the OM-D E-M1.

This new camera got rave reviews and I’d tend to agree, it’s an exceptional camera. But I’ve found a few drawbacks. It’s mainly the menu system and a strange switch on the back that I still haven’t fully understood. Since I bought the camera in 2014, that’s pretty slack of me, but ……

Re the menus, wow, so many options! You almost need to carry a printed guide with you. One reviewer did publish a “Start here” list, which has helped a lot, but I admit I don’t use the camera a lot because of its complexity. However, its image stabilisation (sensor movement) is amazing. Up to seven stops of improvement. That means you could hand-hold the camera at 1/15sec. and it would be as if you were using 1/2000sec. I can vouch for its low light capability.

The camera came with the standard Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm lens. It’s OK, but annoying in the way it has a locking mechanism when the zoom is retracted, and you have to unlock it before you can shoot. I hate that. It also came with a tiny accessory electronic flash in a velvet pouch, which, considering the incredible low light perforamnce, I don’t think I’ve ever needed.

Later, I bought the M.Zuiko 14-150mm M.Zuiko do-it-all zoom (28 – 300mm equiv.). It’s a useful travel lens, but no great performer. I also bought an Olympus M.Zuiko 75 – 300mm lens (150 – 600mm equiv.). It’s a very sharp lens.

Then I got into the smaller Pen series, buying a PL-2.

And then one day Dick Smith advertised E-PL3s with 14-42mm lens for about the price of the lens alone. I couldn’t resist!

This came with another small flash in velvet pouch, so that’s two I’ve got now, and I never use them.

This was gettin’ serious. All this Olympus gear, on top of the older OM-2 body and a couple of original lenses.

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Next was a Sony, but a fixed lens travel camera, the RX10, which has a 20Mpixel sensor:

Again, I fell for this camera on the basis of glowing reviews, and I haven’t been disappointed. It”s great! Immediately that I started to shoot pictures, the sharpness of the lens was very noticeable, even on the camera’s own screen. This was 2014.

It’s quite a heavy camera and I admit that puts me off using it. But the menus are good, easy to follow, and the results are brilliant.

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Wow, I was accumulating cameras and lenses. I ain’t finished yet, but I’d better post this and start on the next installment. Stay tuned.