Giveaway | Win Panasonic LUMIX LX100 4K Camera

Wearing - ASOS Wool Coat | Reigning Champ Sweatshirt | ASOS Shirt | Universal Works Trousers | Time Teller x Buckets & Spades Watch c/o Nixon (more on this soon) 

As I've spend the last six months as one of the UK Brand Ambassadors for Pansonic LUMIX I thought it was about time we gave something back to you guys. We've been sharing our progress with the LUMIX LX100 4K camera over various posts - an Introduction to 4K Photophraphy, Basic Tips for Improving your 4K, a Video Editing Walkthrough, a review of the camera itself and how it can be used in everyday situations. And now it's time to have a go yourself!

Have any of you given 4K Photography a go yourself? If you have I'd love to hear how you've got on, but if not then how about a new camera to give it a bash yourself?

We have a Panasonic LUMIX LX100 4K camera (worth £599.99) to giveaway to one Buckets & Spades reader. This is the same model as I've been using throughout my partnership - which is 4K-ready, and can also shoot in regular photo mode. To enter this giveaway use the Rafflecopter form below to sign up to the Buckets & Spades Newsletter + unlock more ways to enter. This giveaway is open to the UK only.

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Sprayway Waterproof Testing with 4K Photography

I'm having some colour issues, but you in either case the jacket is bright orange!

I had just one aim on one very cold Monday morning; to find out, if indeed, these outerwear brands are talking any sense when they says, "100% waterproof". Just a note, what you won't see in these photos – which have been extracted from a 4K Video, using the Lumix LX100 - is me hunched over, standing in a soggy puddle with not nearly enough substantial footwear on.

I received this brilliantly orange Sprayway Arete jacket a few months back, from Blacks Outdoors, and I've been putting it through its paces pretty much every day since. Working from home can leave me feeling slovenly and "sweatpants" at best, the only time I really head beyond the front door, on a typical day, is either to go to the gym, for a run or to pick up food. 

The majority of my jackets can withstand a storm or two, but I've noticed this particular orange number seems to be the best out of the bunch, for everyday use. It's made from 100% Polyamide fabric, features taped seams, adjustable hood, and is a fully breathable. I wanted to push the waterproof test a little further than just a light shower, so armed with a bucket of water I did just that.

I gave it my best shot, and it's safe to say that the Sprayway Arete jacket is 100% waterpoof – ain't no water seeping through there. After trying to find faults with this jacket for the last few months I've given up. It may well be the perfect wet-weather jacket for me – be that for nipping to the shops, cycling, jogging or, if I'm led to believe, swimming...

How I achieved these shots: LUMIX LX100 / 4K Mode / Auto Assist / AFC Focus (Focuses constantly on moving subject) / Natural Light / AF Mode: Area 1.

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Basic Tips for Improving your 4K Photography

Some of you folks may have seen my Introduction to LUMIX 4K Photography, and a few other posts on how I've been experimenting with the LX100 camera. I've been learning, which has been a fun process - but it hasn't been without its frustrations. Trying to achieve certain shots, and becoming slightly frustrated with my own technical ability has led me to this week realising that I need to chill out, and just go with the flow. Because that's the beauty of 4K Photography; capturing those moments, and not worrying about the results. 

Now, I'm no expert yet, but along the way I've been writing down my process, so here's a few of my top tips for improving your 4K Photography:

Take your Camera Everywhere

So this one probably works for a lot of us these days, but by keeping your camera on your at all times means you're always going to be ready for those potential 4K moments. This is particularly important when you're visiting friends, heading to theme park, travelling from country-to-country, or trying a new activity.

Preparation is Key

4K Photography does need a little prep, and if you stick to a few basic rules you'll never be caught off guard. I ask myself,"is my battery fully charged + do I need a spare battery (4K does run the battery down, so it's always sensible to pick up a secondary pack), have I got enough memory cards (I'd suggest using 32GB+), and do I have a lightweight, waterproof camera bag?" If you know the subject you're going to be shooting, you can preset your camera before you start. This will save time when you're shooting something unpredictable.

But you can't Prepare for Everything

Some things you just can't predict, but as long as you're equipped with your camera then you've got a great chance of capturing something amazing. The camera's iA (Intelligent Auto) is still one of my favourite features, and will help you in all matter of settings. It eliminates the potentially amount of time faffing around with settings, which is especially handy in ever-changeable situations.

Panasonic LUMIX LX100 4K Review So Far

I'm feeling pretty stressed + run down this week. But this always happens when I spend a few days London - trying to keep on top of my to-do list just goes straight out the window. I've been meaning to slam out a short review of the LUMIX LX100 camera for a few weeks, so I went out this week to take a few new 4K video clips for the occasion. Here we go:

How It Feels + Usability

I've been using Panasonic products on-and-off for about two years now; starting with the GX7 dslr, and now with the LX100 since September. They both operate in a really similar way, but for anyone who hasn't used a LUMIX camera before I'd say they're really easy to pick up (having used Canon previously). When I first got the GX7 I had no issues getting the know my way around its settings and functions menu, and the same goes for the LX100. The main different is that the LX100 isn't touch screen, but the quality of the video capture is 10 times better, so I'll let that downside slip. You have easy access to exposure dials, iAuto settings, 4K mode, and spinning wheel on the actual camera frame.

In size, the LX100 is compact and lightweight. To give you an idea of the weight I'd say it's comparable to a copy of British GQ, or a 1.5 bottles of beer (just so we know where we stand...). And relatively speaking it's also one of the most powerful cameras, in terms of picture quality and zoom, that I've used.

Video | LUMIX 4K Photo Editing Walk-Through

Following on from last week's post on, What I've Learn So Far From 4K Photography, we've produced this very short tutorial video, which walks through the edited + photo selecting process on the LUMIX 4K LX100. Hopefully you find the video easy to follow, and yes I'm aware that I sound a little wooden (this talking lark isn't really my speciality!).

It gives you a better idea about how I've been achieving certain shots, and capturing precise moments using the 4K Photo technology. Next up I'll be sharing some 4K photos from my recent trip to Marrakech.

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Giveaway | Win Canon Rebel T3i

An extra special one today! We're celebrating our good friend Latrina's birthday with a great giveaway that everybody can get involved with. The super talented photographer + designer, Latrina came up with the idea of giving away something that we'd all dig, and we settled on a Canon Rebel T3i, with 18-22mm lens kit, worth £769 ($650)! How good is that?!

Happy birthday Latrina, thank you for inviting us on board. You can enter the giveaway below but before that, meet the lovely bunch of people who have made this giveaway happen:

  Of Trees and Hues | Lorelai's Things | Cocorrina | Melissa Alam | Buckets and Spades |  Whisky & Tinder | Thatch & Thistle | Thou Swell | Writers Block Near You | A Lively Blend |  Tara Victoria | Fashiony Fab | My Life Box | Kyla is Inspired | Star Crossed Smile | Love Grows Design |  Coco and Mingo | J for Jamie |45 Wall Design | We Resolve | To Adventure | Team Wiking | Hanna's Places |  Clear the Way | Diana Willard | Pen & Peplum | La Designerie | Witty Title Here | Cambria Grace | Mamages |  Emma Lou Designs |Safaris and Sunsets | Tori's Tales | Folk & Fest |  Lucky Number Seven |Likes of Us | Ex Vitae | Horses of Ares
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This giveaway is open internationally, closing Tuesday 6th May. To enter use the widget above, once you submit your first entry a bunch more will be unlocked. The lucky winner will be chosen + announced by Latrina. Good luck!

 

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Testing Out Panosonic Lumix GX7

For the past few weeks I've been testing out the Panasonic Lumix GX7 dslr. I've only got it on loan for a short time so I've been taking full advantage of its capabilities. It's not often you get a chance to test-drive a swanky camera like this so I decided to take it to London with us last week. Hollie used it for the Murdock + Hackett Shaving Review, so you can get a proper feel for how it copes with movement.

Some of you may have already seen the shot I took of Hollie above, but I've included it again as it's my favourite image out of the lot. I thought it was worth noting that none of the images have been edited in any way, they're straight from the camera. It's a blogger's dream!

The main reason why I've got the camera on loan is because I'm taking part in a competition with We Are Social, with the chance of actually winning the Lumix GX7! I'll be entering one of the images from above into the competition so wish me luck!

I'd be interested to hear about what cameras you shoot with, slr, dslr, compact?

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