A New Lens for My Wat Paknam Project

The Leica 100 – 400mm Telephoto Zoom.

Last weekend I visited Mega Mall, in Bangkok’s China Town and accidentally purchased a new lens. So without further ado please let me introduce the Panasonic/ Leica 100 – 400mm Telephoto. Having this lens is now providing the opportunity to take photos of the Big Buddha from a long, long way away.

The Mega Mall is famous for having five floors of toys and games and can be found in Bangkok’s China Town. When you get the 5th floor and take a sharp right you will be rewarded with a rather exciting collection of shops selling 35mm film cameras, second hand lenses, tripods, filters ect…. My reason for this visit was to fix my Olympus OM10, but whilst I was there I could not resist hunting for a telephoto lens at a reasonable price.

Panasonic Leica 100 – 400mm Lens

This is NOT a review of the Leica 100-400mm, as I lack the experience with this focal length to provide many meaningful comments. However, I looked at a number of options and what appealed to me is the massive focal length in a relatively compact package. In addition, it cost significantly less than its full-frame competitors. Telephoto lenses are often used by bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Bringing one to a project based in Bangkok means there will be a learning curve ahead. This lens mounts to a Micro Four Thirds camera, the full frame equivalent would be 200 – 800mm, which in layman’s terms means it can capture things that are miles away!

Some of the most striking images I have seen of the Buddha statue at Wat Paknam are captured from a distance. The effect of taking photos from far off is that it creates multiple layers of buildings, bridges, and people splayed out infront of the statue. I could achieve this with the gear I had, but the statue would always appear small and in the distance. This problem is now FIXED! However, getting the photos I want is going to be a challenge.

Learning Curve

The three photos featured in this article were all taken on my first outing with the Leica 100 – 400. Here is what I have learned so far…

• Even though this is one of the lightest lenses in its class, it is still heavy.
• I need a steady hand when zooming in close. Even better, a tripod or mono pod.
• There a buttons on it that I think relate to image stabilization. Maybe I should read the manual.
• I can’t achieve the depth of focus the I can with my prime lenses (minimum fstop is 5.6), although I can ‘cheat’ to some extent. I.e. for the photo above, the background was blurred in photoshop, not in camera. Cheating? Maybe…
• I purchased this lens as I am chasing an image of the Buddha, framed with a glorious sunset. However, just because I now have the perfect lens for the job does not mean the weather will play ball. Looks like 6pm rain ahead for the next 2 – 3 months!

Anything else? Let me know if you have tips and tricks for using telephoto zoom lenses!

Wat Paknam, an ongoing project…

As I edit my pics and look back at the choices made my mind changes about what images I prefer. I am not sure if any of these images will make the final cut. I am also not sure if I like the ‘gun metal grey’ backgrounds that the rainy afternoon provided, although the thick layers of cloud provided a pleasant soft box effect that avoids the harsh reflections the golden metallic surface of the statue can create. Looking outside at the moment and it is pouring, so I think embracing the rain is something I will have to continue doing until Thailand’s rainy season ends.

Take care and keep clicking, Chris.