More Tools = More Photographic Opportunities by Bob Coates

Captured with the LUMIX GX85 and Leica 100-400 mm lens

Intro by Skip Cohen

It's Mirrorless Monday, and I guess I should be embarrassed to be sharing this guest post by my good buddy Bob Coates. Why? Because he sent it to me in March and I missed it. He even sent me a reminder a few weeks later, and I still missed it until this past weekend when I was deleting emails with big files I no longer needed to save.

So, I'm rationalizing under the umbrella of "better late than never," and sharing the post and my explanation as a reminder that we all just get busy. We often have too much on our plates, and while my heart's in the right place, my head isn't always there with it! I know that's familiar to a lot of you.

Bob's images were captured with the GX85 and the GH5, using the Leica 100-400mm lens on both camera bodies.

Click on any of the thumbnails above for more information.

Bob Coates needs to be on your radar. Click on any of his images in this post to link to his website. Then follow him, along with the rest of the LUMIX Ambassadors. They're one of the most diverse and creative teams in photography. 

Captured with the LUMIX GH5 and Leica 100 - 400mm lens

by Bob Coates

When I first saw the Panasonic LUMIX tagline I thought they were being a bit pretentious. Changing Photography. Wow. Those are pretty strong words in a short sentence. Having been with LUMIX as a Luminary and now Ambassador since the release of the GH2 I’ve gotta say they have been following through in spades.

The reason I thought I’d share this is because with every new piece of technology added to the camera system, I find myself getting more and more excited about shooting. And those who know me are aware I pretty much live, love, eat and sleep photography.

I’ve always enjoyed wildlife photography but I find I have a new excitement because of the tools I get to use.

The biggest advance in my opinion is the five-axis image stabilization paired with the Leica 100-400mm lens. This combo gives me an equivalent 800mm reach that I can handhold with sharp results down to 1/125th of a second or sometimes even slower. It would have been unthinkable in the past to be able to handhold a lens of that length let alone at that long of a shutter speed. I’m able to capture photos I could only have dreamed of in the past.

Changing Photography! Indeed!

Captured with the LUMIX GX85 and Leica 100-400mm lens

Images copyright Bob Coates. All rights reserved.