Monthly Archives: September 2020

Panasonic Lumix S5

Cameras, Panasonic

Big frame, small body.




The S5 is in the middle.

There are no certified sales statistics for higher end cameras so it’s impossible to determine whether MFT is dying, as some chat sites aver. It’s probably fair to guess that all high end camera sales are falling in the face of gains made by cell phone cameras, but the new Panasonic Lumix S5, a full frame mirrorless DSLR, is interesting nonetheless.

The image shows that the S5’s body is actually smaller than that of the MFT GH5 at left. The large ‘pro’ FF S1 is on the right. I like the fact that there are several buttons available for common adjustments, in preference to the horrors of dialing through multiple choices on the rear LED display.

Panny is making the body available with a 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom for a package price of some $2,300. That’s a very wide lens and small maximum apertures are no longer a concern when it comes to viewing, making for an excellent all around package for those who remain reluctant to accept the general superiority of the iPhone 11 Pro and later versions yet to come. Through the lens viewing, owing to the automatic brightness correction of the electronic finder, means that maximum aperture no longer matters. That lens and a short tele fast lens or a modest tele-zoom would make for a powerful and compact kit.

Restoring engraved lens markings

Motorcycles, Photography

Easily done.

Back in the previous century when men were Men (and women were not Men) camera lenses were set in metal and distance, aperture and related markings were engraved and filled with contrasting paint. With age the paint either fades or falls out, making for a hard to use and unattractive tool. (Modern lenses use plastic, with awful screen printed numbers. Once these wear off you are stuck).




The $13,000 Leica Noctilux of today.
Yes, they still use paint in the engravings.

I have had this issue with Leica lenses and more recently with a tool in my garage, a low range Husky torque wrench which covers the 20-200 inch pound range (1.7 to 17 ft.lbs. or 2.3 to 23 Nm). The paint in the vernier markings on the rotating barrel had completely disappeared, testifying to years of use of this wonderful tool with low torque fasteners on those relatively soft alloy cases on BMW motorcycles. This made it very hard to set torque in the relatively low, non-directional light in the garage. Easily over-torqued, once you strip a female thread in one of these engine cases you are in a world of hurt. And that’s easily done without the proper tool. Forget doing it by ‘feel’. ‘Feel ‘ is for lovers, not mechanics.

The process of restoring those markings is simple.




The affected part is thoroughly degreased using isopropyl alcohol.


The fill in paint is generously applied in all directions.


The paint is wiped off with a rag, leaving filled in, engraved numbers.

Amazon carries the paint sticks in a variety of colors. Before use, be sure to shave the end off to reveal fresh paint, as the surface layer will have dried, and store the stick in an air-proof baggie to extend its useful life. And if torque wrenches are your thing, store them un-tensioned or prepare to deal with the consequences.