The little Olympus Tough TG-7 has an internal program to do a macro focus stack. It works. Captured with TG-7, 2025-07-07 10:03:52, 5.4mm, 1/250sec, f/3.2, ISO-100.
The little Olympus Tough TG-7 gave me another surprise a few days ago. I knew about its capability to stack focus frames in-camera for macro photography. What I did not know is that it does it fairly well and takes only a moment.
The Girl and I were on our normal summer trail and I had the TG-7 in my hip pocket. I noticed the sun on the nut of the gate lock that keeps four-wheel traffic from the fire road.
“That might make an interesting image…”
I paused a minute, while The Girl snuffled about, and set the camera to macro focus-stacking. When I pressed the shutter release, I heard the camera take several frames in quick succession. It then flashed an image for a few seconds and returned to ready mode.
The frame is pretty darned good. I am surprised.
I wonder what other things this little camera does this well.
Found a bit of broken granite on the trail. I like the texture of the rock juxtaposed with the pine cones and needles. Captured with TG-7, 11.09mm, 1/500sec, f/5, ISO-100, JPG with black and white conversion in PhotoLab7.
While hiking with The Girl a couple of days ago, I came across this bit of broken granite on the trail. The combination attracted my eye because of the interplay of light and texture. So, I paused for a few minutes to make a capture and corral The Girl. (Maybe that order should be reversed.)
I enjoy the rock outcrops of the Carson Range in the area that we are hiking. There are a couple of large outcrops that we have visited and will visit again. Perhaps they will provide some additional images.
We stopped on the way back down the hill so I could make this capture. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-20@12:29PST, 18mm, 1/400sec, f/6.3, ISO-100, SOOC.
On the way up the hill to our hiking spot near Spooner Summit, I noticed a plume of smoke rising from the Pine Nut Mountains. I made a mental note to stop on the way home to make an image or two. Then, on arrival home (or at a convenient parking spot), I would load up my fire watch app and find out more about the fire.
The location is some miles from home, so I am not concerned for my place and my things. A lot of south Carson City would burn before the fire got to my location and that would be very unusual. The risk is pretty low.
On the way home, just an hour or two later, I was shocked at the increase in the size of the fire. The plume had grown tremendously and it was clear that the fire was raging. The dry winds that blew in early Friday morning were not helping.
I paused at a turn-out on eastbound US50 and stepped out of the rig to make a couple of photographs. A few other motorists were also pulling out to gawk and take snapshots.
When we got home, I got The Girl settled in (she is always ready to nap) and checked on the fire. It is called the Connor Fire and began as a structure fire that spread from the house to the wildlands and got away from fire fighters sent to work on the blaze. It had abruptly spread to about 2,000 acres (~3 mi2) and the winds were rapidly spreading it. Assets were on station and being called in.
I noticed that the trend was not northerly, but to the northeast farther into the Pine Nuts. The good thing is that there are few domiciles in that area. The bad thing is that the terrain becomes rougher.
I hope folks are alright.
Edit Sunday Morning: At this time the fire had an area of about 20,000 acres (~31 mi2). I learned later that the Connor Fire is burning a burn scar from a previous blaze. That means there is reduced ground level fuel. I hope this means that it is more easily extinguished.
A serendipitous capture of The Girl apparently sticking her tongue out at me. Shot with Olympus TG-7 and SOOC.
We are hiking up near Spooner Summit on USFS lands these days. The heat, ticks, and other hikers drove us from our routine at Silver Saddle Ranch to elevation. Well, mostly it was the ticks that made me move higher.
Ticks are exceptionally bad this year. In fact, it is the worst that I recall. I am not sure exactly why this is the case nor do I know if this is an anomaly, a periodic occurrence, or a trend. I just know that I removed more ticks from her (and me) this year than any other I recall.
The hikes up near Spooner are better for me anyway. I thought that she needed to walk on the flat as she still favors the injured leg. But, her vet assures me that her surgery is healed. So, her favoring of that leg must be residual soreness or psychosomatic. She hurt for so long that it might have become habit.
She loves the Spooner hike. There are abundant chipmunks to entertain her. I am still reluctant to let her chase hard and I am also reluctant to let her get more than about 30 meters from me. The last year and change of rattlesnake and coyote encounters has me gun shy.
I am carrying my milsurp Patrol Pack II. I have two canteen pouches affixed to the sides. Each of these will hold a 1 liter Nalgene bottle nicely. I keep a few emergency items in the pack as well, just because.
I am carrying the little Olympus TG-7 on these walks now. I want to familiarize myself with the camera (learn to use its features). That means practice. I have field work coming up and that will mean putting this equipment to work. That is the reason I bought it.
On this particular outing she asked for water at our turn-around. I always pause at this location for a water break anyway. She loves to roll around in the DG and gave me the look in the header image. I was ready and made the capture.
The little Olympus makes better images than I expected. They are far superior to the Panasonic ZS-40 that I used to use. That camera, while handy, is not well-suited to field work and does not make very good images.
I love the look The Girl gave me. Well, I love The Girl.
While out for breakfast, I noticed the salt and pepper shakers on my table. Shot with Fuji X-T5 and Voigtlander 27mm f/2 at f/4 and processed in PhotoLab 7.
While out for breakfast a few days ago, I noticed the light on the salt and pepper shakers on my table. This resulted in a grab shot using the X-T5 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 lens. I selected an aperture that would give enough depth of field for the shakers but provide a little subject isolation.
For this capture, I used the RAW mode and then post-processed the result in PhotoLab 7. The adjustments were all minor and I used a PhotoLab preset for the black and white conversion.
The little Voigtlander pancake lens can do the job if I do mine.
Breakfast was good. The Girl and I had a nice hike after. She enjoyed the bulk of my bacon.
The Girl and I have walked past this sign so many times. But, Sunday evening I noticed to late afternoon Sun illuminating them brightly. Shot with Fuji X-T5 and Voigtlander 27mm f/2 at f/8. No post.
The Sunday evening Sun really illuminated the street signs at the corner of my cul-de-sac. I noticed it a little earlier in the day. So, I determined to take The Girl for an evening walk and grab a capture if the lighting remained strong.
Well, it did, so I did. Along the walk, The Girl had a chance to exercise and to do a little training, sans collar. It was good for both of us.
The capture reminds me a bit of some of Alex Kilbee’s work. He likes angles quite a lot.
This is a daily image of an old deadfall shot with the Fuji X-T5 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron at about f/4. The conversion was done with DXO Photolab 7 with a Tri-X film simulation.
One of my favorite lenses is the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron. It is a manual focus lens manufactured by Cosina. It also has a chip and contacts to transmit EXIF data about the lens settings to the camera to be recorded in the EXIF image data portion of the digital image.
This lens came to mind a couple of days ago when I was watching a video from a favorite content creator, Chris Orange. He was effluvious about a new TTArtisan manual focus lens in the 27mm focal length that he was using on his X-T5 instead of buying a Fujifilm X100vi.
The X100vi is not a terribly expensive camera — not cheap, but not as expensive as some brands. I have had a few people dismiss my X100v (and now my X100vi) as just an expensive point and shoot. But, it is not that simple. It is a capable camera using the same sensor and IBIS as the X-T5 and offering complete controls if that is what one wants. The fit and finish are top shelf and reminiscent of an older fixed lens rangefinder. The Fujinon 23mm f/2 is very good. It is a good focal length for the camera.
The X100vi (and the X100v before it) is my go-to camera if I do not want to think about what lenses to carry, do not want a large(er) or heavy bag, and do not want to fiddle with which lens to mount. And so, when I want to simply have a camera that is far more capable than a phone camera, this is the one I pick up to carry. It goes into a small Domke bag that was a collaboration between Domke and Fujifilm. There is room for extra batteries and extra SD cards. There is also room for a water bottle.
But, I digress. I have not tested (and probably will not) the TTArtisan 27mm f/2. I have the focal length covered with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2. I bought the former before I picked up a used copy of the latter. Although I have not done serious testing of either, the Voigtlander tends to get the nod when I want a simple carry (or that focal length) for my X-T5.
I carried it last Friday on walkies. I need to grab frame and include it. The frame below was captured with the Fuji X-T5 and Voigtlander 27mm f/2 (at f/8) with post processing in PhotoLab 7. The lens is plenty sharp and I like the rendering. I should carry the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 along with the Voigtlander and make a few captures of the same setting. I might decide to sell the Fujinon.
Life is good!
A shot of Mt. McLelland using the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 at f/8. Post processing in PhotoLab 7 to render as Ektachrome 100 VS.
Granite found along the trail, Toiyabe National Forest. Shot with Fuji X-T5 and Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 at f/4. In camera conversion to Tri-X 400 film simulation.
I made this capture a year and change ago. We were hiking, probably up near Spooner summit. I came across this bit of granite and decided that the play of light and shadow was interesting. So, I made the capture.
I know that I was playing with some of the film simulations one can readily program into Fuji cameras. I think that the color capture was not what I was looking for.
So, a black and white film simulation it is.
It was a good day. Today is a good day. Life is good.
After setting up the camper and deploying the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 antenna, I paused to make this image. Shot with my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
More than a year ago I was on the road from Springfield, Missouri to York, Pennsylvania to see Daughter and Grandsons. As I recall, it was still winter. So, of course, I ran into a spate of winter weather on the way. I had a reservation at Salt Fork River SP for the night, but the worsening weather and short winter days resulting in my arriving near dark.
It took me a couple of passes through the camping area to find my spot, then a couple of attempts to get the camper backing into my assigned space and set up for the night. I did not unhook and did not deploy the stabilizers because I would be leaving first thing in the morning. The light rocking of the camper when I move about does not bother me anyway.
I got The Girl out for a short time (the snow was heavy enough that she eliminated and then asked to go back inside). That task completed, I quickly deployed the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 for a little radio play (to activate the park) before I called it a night.
I don’t recall the mode of operation for that activation, but I know I was experimenting with FT8 for POTA (Parks on the Air) activations at the time. I do recall making some supper, feeding The Girl (of course), and playing a little radio before crashing for the night.
When I woke the next morning, early, I was treated to some lovely sunshine on the snow. The Girl and I had a short walk, fed, and then we recovered all of the equipment, buttoned up the camper, and we were off on the last leg of our journey to see my family.
I need to make this trip again, soon. Work will keep me busy until the fall. But then, God Willing, I will make the trip east to see my loved ones and friends.
Life is good.
While it was beautiful, I did not relish thinking about dragging the camper on snowy roads. Shot with my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Captured on walkies out at Silver Saddle Ranch with the Fujifilm X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 using Reggie’s Portra film simulation.
I made this capture of Sera hunting last summer. There was something moving about in the weeds/irrigation ditch that caught her attention. I do not recall what it was, but it was probably some California Quail, which frequent the area.
