Belgium, Beer and the LX100 - Guest Post by Lauren Hefferon

The team at Ciclismo Classico and Travel Vision Journeys loves this camera so much that they just announced they're giving one away. They want to put one in the hands of one lucky traveler.  All you have to do is register for their free travel newsletter - no purchase necessary and your information will only be used to send you the newsletter.

This is one of the most respected tour companies in the industry and recognized by National Geographic Traveler as one of their 2015 "50 Tours of a Lifetime".

---

Intro by Skip Cohen 

It's no secret Panasonic's LUMIX line has completely recharged my battery for shooting again. Remember, my focus is on helping you raise the bar on your marketing and business skills. I'm not a full-time photographer, although, after all these years of working with some pretty amazing artists, I know more than I let on. LUMIX has given me so many new creative tools, which I've written about in several posts over the last couple of years.

It's time for you to meet Lauren Hefferon. She's another person with a passion for photography but a different career focus. She's the founder of Ciclismo Classico and Travel Vision Journeys and is traveling with tours all over Europe and South America. 

Luminary Corner started as a section strictly for guest posts by each Panasonic Luminary. However, Lauren recently took a LUMIX LX100 with her for a few weeks of tours in Europe, and I'm convinced it's the perfect camera for traveling.

The camera went everywhere with her, and as she points out in her review, there are some incredible advantages, including its light weight, terrific optics and having access to a great camera everywhere she was cycling!

---

Images copyright Lauren Hefferon. All rights reserved.

by Lauren Hefferon

Over the many years of taking travel photographs for pleasure and for Ciclismo Classico's web site and brochure, I have tried many compact and lightweight travel cameras that allow me to pedal and pull over to quickly capture a landscape, our cycling guests and the delightful cultures I am rolling through.  

Over the past years, I had settled on the camera combination of my IPHONE (while riding my bike) and my heavy NIKON D600 (for when the day was over and I wanted to get some nicer shots). The problem with the IPHONE is that I have little control over the magnificent light, interesting action shots or the high quality video that I needed to take to record our tours.

---

The Panasonic LUMIX LX100 is the perfect super mobile high travel camera and has eliminated my need to bring my heavy NIKON while traveling.  While I cycle I have my LUMIX slung across my back and my IPHONE in my back pocket—both are ready to capture the shot or video I need. The LX100's easy-to-use dials allows me to quickly play with the ISO, exposure compensation, apertures and shutter speeds to get much more interesting shots. It is compact, light and non-intrusive so I can bring it anywhere and know I can get images I like.   

As an avid bicycle and adventure travel photographer, here is a list of the top ten features I love about the Panasonic LUMIX LX100 compared to other compact cameras I have owned:

1. High quality f/1.7 Leica Lens
2. Picture framing aspect ration choices. 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 4:3
3. Tactile and user friendly buttons for all major functions (shutter speed, ISO, white balance, zoom telephoto, exposure compensation) on the body and the lens. selection.
4. While rotating the buttons, you can see what the picture will look like.
5. Shutter speeds up to 1/4000 and ISO 6400 + allowing extreme light and speed situations that one always has when traveling.
6. Can quickly compose through the viewfinder or a live view
7. Leather camera strap allows me to keep it safely hanging on my back (while riding) or resting in front of me (while I am walking). I am always ready to shoot vs pulling it out of my pocket
8. Pressing the shutter half way you get a preview of the shot
9. Move from Manual to Auto mode very quickly and easily
10. Very cool filter features to enhance JPEG pictures

---

The LX100 extended and enhanced my ability to control the ever changing and myriad of travel photo situations; capture and then take a super high quality shot. Now that I am trying to improve my technical skills wherever I go, this camera gives me the option to play and experiment to my heart’s content or simply point and shoot!

Throughout this last trip Lauren sent me a typical table top shot every day of her perfect travel partner, the LX100 and the afternoon end-of-cylcing libation! Ciclsimo Classico's Beer Tour of Belgium won top honors last year in Epicure & Culture's "World Best Beer Bike Tours".

For more information on all of their tours and especially their Vision and Vine tour in Argentina, which is one of National Geographic Traveler's Top 50 Tours of a Lifetime for 2015, just visit Travel Vision Journeys.

---