My last job before retirement was something of a challenge. For reasons I will never understand, it had been decided to sell the company where I had spent more than four happy year years. For other reasons, which I will also never understand, I was asked to manage the transition process to the new owner.

Fairly obviously, a key component of the task was communication. Before the sale was announced, we had drawn up a detailed plan as to how we would communicate with everyone affected by the sale. On the day the sale was announced, all the staff were gathered together at our two locations and given a briefing. We told them what we knew, we told them what we didn’t yet know, we gave them names of people to talk to, and we undertook to keep on communicating with them throughout the process, and we did. We sent a letter to all our suppliers and contractors and government contacts; and of course there was the usual press briefing. Over the next couple of months we kept up this communication barrage and it was fundamental to what I like to think was a smooth transition. And of course, once I had finished the job, I was made redundant. Win!

The Canon 1D is a pretty amazing piece of machinery. Consider the shot below (and yes, I know I promised no more polo; sorry):

Gentle reader,

Those of you who are regular visitors to this organ will no doubt have initially welcomed the increase in posts this month, only to find that the majority of them were concerned with camera tech, a subject in which you probably have no interest. How disappointing for you. Probably of little comfort for you to know that January marks a new high in visitor numbers to Pattaya Days, mainly due to a link to my GX1 review from the DPreview site which has a zillion visitors per second.

*completely trivial

Some time ago I wrote a review of the Fuji X100. To save you the trouble, my conclusion was: “as a carry everywhere camera which produces beautiful photos even when the light is low, which is discrete and non-threatening on the street and is a pleasure to hold and operate (usually), then it is hard to beat”.

More recently I wrote a review of the Panasonic GX1.To save you the trouble, my conclusion was: “I think the GX1 is the best compact system camera on the market right now”.

It would appear that I am an overly effusive in my praise. Cut the bullshit Spike, which one of these cameras is best?

I freely admit that I bought the X100 based not on any need, but because it looked beautiful and took beautiful photos. It was a slower than my GF1, the interface was crap and macro was a non-starter. But the viewfinder was spectacular and the images that popped out of it were so much cleaner than the GF1; especially at higher ISOs.

If you are not in a rush, The X100 will be a willing companion and reward you with some lovely photographs. And I have enjoyed it in that mode, although I have at times been tempted to throw it against a wall in frustration thanks to its shitty interface.

And now there is a GX1 in my life and the failings of the X100 are amplified. The X100 is a slow to focus, especially in low light. The GF1 was faster, the GX1 is faster still. I was taking some social event photos at the weekend. I have been using the X100 because of the quality of the output, the downside of this is having to ask your subjects to talk amongst themselves while you try and persuade the damn thing to lock focus. This weekend, in frustration, I pulled out the GX1. Instant focus lock, even in the semi-darkness. Refreshing.

The interface of the X100 was designed by a committee; on crack. A charming idiosyncrasy becomes wearing over time. The GF1 was better, the GX1 is way better, with tactile buttons, touch screen, quick menus and four programmable function keys. The knurled knobs on the X100 are all very well; but if the rest of the controls are buried in menus you can’t reach because the button is too small for your finger….

Ah, but the viewfinder. Well indeed, the X100 hybrid viewfinder is a thing of joy and the GF1 viewfinder is the opposite of a thing of joy. But the GX1 viewfinder is a much improved beast, although the vote would still go to the X100 on that one. Oh, and it also wins on the silent shutter issue; given that it has one and the GX1 doesn’t.

Lenses? The X100 has one and it is very good. The GX1 of course has access to an entire world of lens-based goodness, so it is not a fair comparison; but worth noting in passing that the X100 gives you a camera and the GX1 gives you a system.

But, but, what about the images I hear you not asking? The X100 stood clearly above the GF1 on that one. Lovely smooth images with good colours straight out of the camera. Similar could come out of the GF1, but you had to work on them; and they never had that Fuji look.

So how does the GX1 stack up? Let’s have straightforward daylight shot, a medium where the Fuji shines:

She who must be obeyed is a fan of twinkly things. Jewellery of course, and if the jewellery twinkles can be augmenting some vile Japanese cartoon creation, then that is even more pleasing to her eyes. She also like twinkles in photos. When she saw this…

Trust you had a pleasant day yesterday. I spent it stood on a field at a spot where I usually stand, but this time I was joined by a large number of ants who found it amusing to bite my ankles throughout the afternoon. And it was hot, brain-melting humid heat which sapped my will to live.

But it was worth it for a handful of shots like this:

Another afternoon of standing in the heat. I thought this was still meant to be winter….

Anyway, a higher level of player this weekend which means they are prepared to assume positions on a horse which look foolhardy to me; but then I am not Argentinian and I was not born in a stable (which makes me wonder, the purportedly magic Jew must have been an ace polo player).

So, a selection of shots showing grown men doing stuff they probably shouldn’t.

Leaning forward:

There comes a time in life when a gentleman has achieved much of what he set out to achieve. He finds himself comfortably well-off and able to indulge himself in the finer things in life. A pleasant home, a motorised carriage with at least 500 horsepower and all the accessories for the living of a civilised life.

A most necessary item for any gentleman is an appropriate timepiece to sport upon his wrist. Known by the lower classes as a “watch”, a real gentleman knows that his horological enhancement exists not just remind him when it is appropriate to open the gin (10:30, if you didn’t know), but it is also a statement of his class, his achievements, his status within the world.

So, how about a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso 80th anniversary special edition in pink gold?

I realise that this site has already descended into being a camera tech blog; and this is not going to help, but….

I seem to have been indirectly responsible for a few of my gentle readers investing in the very fine Panasonic GX1. Those readers may like to know that Panasonic have released a firmware (or as we call it in this home, spermware) update for the GX1. You can, and probably should, get it here.

Just when you were getting comfortable with assorted camera related ramblings, you may have forgotten that, in the background, lurks the inevitable polo photo.

So here it is.