Panasonic Lumix S5 and the Ogwen Valley

Last week I had my first real chance to put my new Panasonic Lumix S5 and 20-60mm lens to the test on a short visit to the Ogwen Valley. I was staying at YHA Idwal Cottage for a couple of days and despite the horrendous weather that was forecast (it rained solid for almost 3 days straight!) along with high winds, it provided a great opportunity to really test out the S5 in some of the worst shooting conditions. I decided not to take my 50mm on this occasion as the 20-60mm is so far proving the better options for me for landscapes and outdoor photography. A selection of my favourite images have been included in this blog post and can also be viewed on the portfolio sections of my website.

Having spent 6+ years shooting with my Canon 5Diii and L series lenses, I had become pretty accustomed to not worrying too much about shooting in poor weather due to Canon’s very solid and well-respected, industry leading weather sealing, along with the quality of camera build. I never had any issues over the years with the 5Diii and lenses, whether shooting at racetracks, up mountains, at events or on my travels. Would the Lumix S5 hold up to such high standards and give me as much confidence? For me, weather sealing and durability were the two things I valued most about shooting with Canon and were two major factors I had to take into consideration when deciding whether to switch to the Lumix S5. I now had a great opportunity to put this decision to the test, out in Snowdonia.

I am pleased to report that I am happy with the outcome and although I was slightly apprehensive at first, knowing that Lumix market the S5 as weather resistant but not weather sealed like Canon’s. I wasn’t too sure to what extent this could be pushed. This experience however has given me the confidence to go out and shoot in the poorest of conditions going forward, which living in North Wales is always a bonus! The usual challenges that come with shooting in the rain, in the mountains were still faced, such as the constant wiping off of raindrops from the lens, waterproofs on or off, but ultimately, I felt that the camera body and 20-60mm lens held up extremely well. The camera underwent a significant examination and it passed with flying colours. I have no concerns about going out again in similar conditions.

That said, I am yet to test the S5 out in conditions or situations where it is being used in perhaps more demanding terrain and/or circumstances, I’m thinking out scrambling, on my MTB, climbing and so on. I am now confident however that it can cope with the poorest weather the mountains throw at us and that the it provides a fantastic platform to produce high quality images in those situations, so I am keen to explore how well it can cope in other situations as mentioned above.

I am still getting to grips with the best settings for differing conditions and still learning the aesthetics of the camera itself. I shoot 99% handheld, so shooting in very blustery, high wind, rainy conditions was a big challenge. I have a tripod. I don’t like tripods. I don’t really know why I own a tripod. Anybody want to buy a tripod?. As time goes on though and I shoot in more locations with different weather conditions, or even the same locations but in different weather conditions, or at different times of year, different scenarios and different subjects, time of day and so on, I will learn much more about the Lumix S5. I view photography as a journey. A journey of learning and discovery, with no defined time limit or peak. Whether that be learning a new camera, a new technique, or a new style of photography. I am of the belief that there are no true mistakes to be made when it comes to photography, no right or wrong, just discoveries and learning. I am looking forward to discovering a lot further about the capabilities of the Panasonic Lumix S5 and lenses.