Windows 11 Pro to SteamOS on a laptop computer? CachyOS to the rescue?

 For just more than two years, I've been running Windows 11 Pro on an ASUS ZenBook Pro.  With each update, the performance becomes worse.  The newest releases are invasive in the name of AI.  I have little interest in AI.  I've generally been using that computer for photo processing, gaming, and watching videos.  I have an M1 MacBook Air that is more capable for processing photos and videos from previous years.

I'm considering switching the ZenBook Pro to SteamOS, as I've found SteamOS on the Steam Deck to be quite capable with a keyboard and mouse.  I'm a little concerned that the combination of AMD 5800H and RTX 3050Ti may not be the best platform.

This week, I was reading that the latest Linux kernel has updated Nvidia drivers included.  I should probably wait for that kernel to be included in SteamOS.  Maybe obviously, SteamOS might run fine on the AMD 5800H and its inbuilt GPU but that GPU is far out of date and even had trouble with Unreal Tournament 2004.  I've been running much more intense graphics than that.

CachyOS seems to be the best choice for a Linux distribution that supports gaming AND Nvidia cards, although a few others like Nobara and Manjaro were mentioned.  I might just risk it.  I still have my MacBook Air but my Windows machine seems less capable because of Windows.  It was also running very hot today, while active CPU use was under 10%.

Update 2026.02.06: CachyOS looks like it's going to be a bit of "fun" to install.  I wonder if I should install Ubuntu or another easy distribution and then, install CachyOS.  I'm not quite as agile lately, and I don't want to make a huge error.  I've waited this long.  I can take more time to plan.

Update 2026.05.15: Well, that ZenBook Pro seems about to eat itself, overheating and such.  I've beaten the keyboard and that needs to be replaced.  Perhaps, after it gets some time to recover, I can install CachyOS without having to worry about not having a games machine. 

Update 2026.05.29: It's been two weeks since I was worried about one computer, and it's been a bit over a week since I've had an MSI Crosshair A16 HX as a replacement.

 It's a 16 inch class machine versus 15.6 but I don't really notice a difference, except that the display seems taller.  It's not quite 4:3 but it's definitely not 16:9.

 In any case, I put the ZenBook Pro on a shelf and haven't got CachyOS ready for installation yet.  I'm wondering if I need to have the keyboard replaced before a change or not.  I'm also wondering about some sort of Windows lock that will make this more difficult than it should be. 

Panasonic Lumix 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II is here

 In 2012, I bought the Panasonic GH3 and the Lumix X 35-100mm f/2.8 in order to get started with micro Four-Thirds.  It was a rough start.

The GH3 EVF had the wrong color and the 35-100mm f/2.8 was subject to horrible flare with the lens hood in place and the sun out of the frame.  The OIS also had terrible stutter during video recording, even after a specific firmware update designed to fix the problem.

 

Besides that, it just didn't measure up to the US$1400 price or my Olympus ZD SHG 35-100mm f/2.0.   $1400 vs $2499 makes it seem as though the Panasonic lens was priced too high.  It took time to come to terms with micro Four-Thirds but I was using the system most days in 2015 and 2016.

Today, January 15, 2026, I received a used Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.  I spent about US$500 on it.  The Panasonic G97 isn't as big as the GH4 that I was using daily but it has similar capabilities and IBIS (in-body image stabilization) that the GH4 did not have.  With most Panasonic lenses using OIS (optical image stabilization), they will be combined in what Panasonic calls Dual I.S.  I considered the Panasonic 135 Format 70-200mm f/2.8 instead but it's over US$2000.

 

Ugly flare with sun out of frame 

The second photo was taken with the sun out of frame, similar to the first, but look, there is no ugly flare.  Hopefully, it's not just that it was later in the day.

 I took the lens for walk of about 5 miles.  It feels like the earlier lens and it also felt surprisingly like a brand new lens.  Considering that it was used and coming from a rental company, I feel that my choice was good.

 

Color cast is non-existant.  I'll see if I can do a video test because I've been told that the OIS stutter still exists, even in the Leica-branded lens.  I hope it's been eliminated. 

 

Update 2026.01.25: Yesterday, I was at the Korean church and the person who photographs for the church had the Sony body and 70-200mm f/2.8 out on the dinner table.  I took out the G97 and 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.  There is a slight difference in size, and yes, I know, it's a lovely photo.  I took zero minutes to arrange things.  I didn't put the lens hood in place and the Sony has the lens hood in place.

 

Update 2026.03.01: Went out last evening with the G97 and 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.  The Dual I.S. performed admirably for such a middle of the range camera body. 

Mozilla Monitor and removing your personal information from the internet

 Since time began, people have been trying to get the most out of someone else's misery.

I remember people saying that J. Edgar Hoover (head of the FBI and a cross-dresser supposedly), had a file on each of us.  I didn't doubt it.  While we live in a free country, it has rules and spies.  Mrs. Pyle down the street from my grandmother used to feed me cookies and milk to learn all the secrets of my grandmother's household.  My grandmother did the same thing.  Spies were everywhere.

 A little over a year ago, I bought an annual plan for Mozilla Monitor to remove my information, as much as was possible.  The thing is, once it's out there, it isn't easily removed and there is always another to take advantage of your situation.

 Mozilla Monitor found my information in loads of places and sent requests to remove the information.  For each one completed, another two or three would arise.  It's like pulling weeds.

A few weeks ago, they renewed my subscription.  About a week later, they sent an e-mail to tell me that they were discontinuing the service.  I asked when I would get my refund, and they said that it would wait until the service was discontinued, about 3.5 weeks later.

 I got an e-mail from them after that to enter my PayPal information.  I don't have PayPal.  They sent that by mistake, apparently, and they sent me another form to enter my banking information.  They HAD my banking information when they took my money. 

It looks like a scam to clear out my bank account.  I never expected Mozilla to be so sloppy.  I'm not usually so protective but these days, it feels as though trust is also a commodity in short supply. 

Update 2026.01.21: Mozilla Monitor, which is supposedly out of business, alerted me to a data breach.  Sadly, my trust is gone. 

Solo Leveling: Arise another month gone, 2 years on the horizon

 It doesn't seem that long but the other day, I was finding when I only had three Hunters and was struggling every time I played.

 The 16.0 live was just a few hours ago and you'll find the codes here, if you didn't watch.

More changes have been added and you'll see them when you enter the game.  The game is still a bit broken on Windows.

 They pushed my character level up twice, but I didn't really notice the maximum.  It's usually extended outward, as well.

Nothing much has changed with the hosts.

 

Happy holidays!

 

Update 2026.01.09:  I forgot to mention something.  I followed the seasonal story and it got the family to the shore to watch the sunrise, which is a typical Korean New Year's Day outing.  That was such a Korean thing to do.  Thanks to the developers for including that. 

Update 2026.01.27: Thinking about moving to a Linux-based OS.  CachyOS looks like a winner right now.  I wonder if this game will run but Lutris launcher seems to think it will.  I might try downloading it on Steam Deck, where I had the Steam-oriented SLA game Overdrive running.

 Besides, I just switched Guilds.  I joined a guild when guilds were new and there were two others.  Another joined and there were four of us.  I was the only one playing last week and the Guild Master barely played the week before that.  The guild I joined now has 50 members. 

 

Update 2026.02.11: I have codes from the latest livestream. 

Have You Played Where Winds Meet?

 Have you tried this game?

 I've been playing off-and-on for a few days and I'm starting to understand the complicated battle strategy.  Button mashers beware!

The developers, the artists, and everyone putting the game together have put their best into it.  It's obvious that they've worked hard on it.

 

The worst thing I've seen is the reaction to it.  People try to categorize it.  Don't!  It does so many things and you can do so many things that you should just enjoy it.  One moment, I'm in a battle.  The next moment, I'm solving puzzles.  That sounds like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves but it doesn't feel anything like those.  I even saw something about building a house.

I've been playing a bunch of games from China, South Korea, and Japan.  However, it's surprising to me that I'm seeing or hearing some of the same places mentioned.

I seem to find that playing one game that leads to another gives me a versatile viewpoint and I can switch to another game and find my way more quickly.  Then, I can return to the earlier games and solve problems that gave me headaches. 

This game has a Solo episode to start.  Apparently, there are co-op episodes.  It's funny how it feels a bit like real life.  However, I never thought that I'd play Mah Jong as a dog, but that has happened.  One thing I did was to activate all of the teleport/fast travel locations as soon as possible.  Trying to find the resources to finish a quest may require something far away.

 Hopefully, I can make some progress.  I've been spinning my wheels a bit on Wuthering Waves because the ability to level up the 5-star characters is a bit much using 4-star characters.  Solo Leveling: Arise is still interesting.  Finishing the stories can sometimes be too easy, especially since I've been playing from the first day.

Upgrading weapons and armour in WWM can require additional resources. 

 

 I haven't seen a need to buy anything.  I usually don't, but I did it for a while with Solo Leveling: Arise.  It made sense for a while.  However, WWM is something new and whether I will last or it will last are yet to be determined.  They supposedly had over 250,000 players on Steam at one time, but the average is lower.

 

There is a test of ascension via combat. Making it past level 20 is the trick right now.  I missed some snakes and was defeated.

Update 2025.12.14: Got through the ascension test and I'm at level 25 now.  I would tell you about what's happened but all I can say is that I'm not going to Kaifeng City yet. 

Oh, a couple of hours later, I'm at level 31 and had another ascension (breakthrough) test.  It's still weird seeing/hearing Qinghe because that's been mentioned in two other games I've played.  I've been able to tie up some loose ends and finish quests.

 

 

They sent me a survey request and I was pleased that the survey was so precise.  They asked me if I had any other suggestions and I mentioned that I'd like the iPad version to be modified to work on Mac, as Wuthering Waves is. 

 

Update 2025.12.16: I finished another breakthrough last night.  This time, it used the mausoleum trials.   I wonder if I finish trials levels 3-5 early, if it will help.  The latest only grants access to levels 50-55.

According to Steam, I have got 8 of 34 achievements.

Draining a lake was interesting. 

Update 2025.12.18: I have another breakthrough/ascension test to handle.  At this rate, I should be at level 1300 by next year (with only two weeks remaining) as long as I can surpass the tests.  I never expected that my knowledge of Daoism, Buddhism, and astronomy would be helpful in a game.

I'm not as slick with the battles and I have one battle with an angry woman in the lowest level and she isn't about to be beaten.

Update 2025.12.24: This game is a bit of everything and should be game of the year.  It requires so much of a player, as it calls on knowledge that westerners might not have, and some extra keyboard combinations (macro time?) that I don't have in muscle memory.

 It's beautiful and sometimes disgusting, but you can see that the artists went 100% to get the look and sound that make you feel something.  Then again, I'm seeing a lot of that in the free-to-play games.

Update 2026.03.16: I've been playing in Hexi, and I've done okay.  Last night, I finally tried the breakthrough/ascension again and did okay.  I'm at level 52.  I'm definitely not great at it, but some situations make so much sense and others are a reach for me.

The bigger bosses are still a problem and a world boss is going to remain a while.

Update 2026.03.26: I'm at level 55 and waiting for the Mausoleum trials.  I've been clearing outposts, which requires some strategy but isn't too difficult.  I've got 12 of the 44 Steam achievements, which is probably sufficient.  I went from 10 to 12 fairly quickly, but it took a while from 8 to 10.

Finishing some of the quests doesn't seem possible.  I keep seeing "buggy" around the bad quests.  Maybe, there are several possible directions but they didn't make allowances for the quest to work that way.  Progress is progress.  I've solved more in Qinghe lately. 

Update 2026.04.02: Cleared all of the Qinghe outposts the other day.  Even cleared a World Boss, the Puppeteer.  I came close on the drunken boss with the enormous wine jug but was killed just before the finish.

I've been trying to clear quests, but suddenly, there is dialogue during a fight and I can't fight any longer.  My character can be hurt but can't respond.  I first noticed this during a gold leaf quest but it's happened a few times since then. There have been two large patches since version 1.5 was released.  Haven't been able to complete the photos quests in Hexi. 

Update 2026.04.07: The odd thing about photo requests is that Qinghe looks about the same but says "complete".

Is Hexi Sexi? 

In Chinese, they don't sound anything alike He=huh and Xi is like She with your tongue behind your teeth. 

I've been into the snowbound areas of Hexi, and made some decent progress.  I've activated most of the teleport locations.  I did not arrive through Whitecrown Fortress, so I can't active the desert teleports.  There is a sandstorm.

I haven't been to all of the "cup" locations, although everyone has to make it to the Governor's Mansion regardless.

Most of them don't seem to have any combat.  One only seems to have combat.  Remember to have your "Q" ready when you're falling hard.

I was impatient during the Moonlight Wine quest and advanced the clock too far and I'll have to try another day. 

In the past week, I noticed that a lot of the Kaifeng quests have fallen into place and they're finished now.  Perhaps, WWM is impatient with my progress. 

 

Update 2026.04.09: The cups are overflowing with bloody wine.   I completed the Moonlight wine bit with a lot of retribution.

I've completed Whitecrown Fortress and the path from desert to snow.  It's strange how I was so close and my defeat caused me to believe that I wasn't close to finishing.  However, the first defeat is automatic, regardless. 

Update 2026.04.14:  I met that angry woman below Blissful Retreat again and I taught her a thing or two.  My Snowbound Spear and Blade helped me quite a lot.  Having a weapon at over 300 somethings has helped.  I completed the Palace of Annals the other day, with help.  I'm not sure how the co-op thing works, but I seemed to have some help exactly when I needed it.  With the new weapons, I'm not sure I'd need the help.

 Is the Bag a problem for anyone else?  I want to dump the lower-ranked stuff but it isn't easy to do that.  Occasionally, I actually replace my good stuff.  Don't right-click.

I tried the Vernal Umbrella and it was helpful but not powerful enough.  Finding a set of four of anything kind is difficult.  The sword and spear I'm using are not quite matched, even though the name would suggest that they are.  I have three Jadeware pieces and the blade/sword is not one of those.  Still, I'll go for results, since I'm not a collector. 

I'm back to the Governor's Residence tonight and after what seems like three hours of history, there is a five boss fight.  I got close the second time and became worse a third time.  I need rest.  I can only do so many boss fights per day.

 

Update 2026.04.29: This new area is gorgeous and troublesome right from the start.  It should be interesting. 

 

Update 2026.04.30: I saw some achievement about a fish in the tallest tree and attempted it.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure what the actual achievement is. 

Update 2026.05.02: Finished An Unholy Prophecy after a bit.  Frustrated that I turned on the mashers in the hallway because I had to return.  Finding the short sword (spoilers?) was difficult.  Got into Mistveil City but that seems like another three hours to complete.  I don't care about the chests at this point, except for the final one saying that I've completed the quest.

 

I'm up to Level 13 Universal View, which was the top level until version 1.6.  I'm also at level 87 but my gear is at level 81 until the shops reset on Sunday (or Monday in Asia).  I will switch to Tier 86 gear and get it tuned to 300 or so.  

 

Update 2026.05.04: Star Wars Day?  I went to level 90 and Level 14 and using Tier 91 gear.  I just updated to level 86 gear yesterday. I defeated a bunch of outposts since the previous breakthrough.  Being at the top level of breakthrough is interesting.  Picking and choosing weapons and armor should be interesting, as well.

 The thing about tuning gear is that you can compromise yourself by not placing gear right away.  I did that around Tier 81 gear, IIRC.  I put the spear into place, and tuning it took away the sword and other gear.

If you haven't seen, there is a way to upgrade your Tier 86 weapons to Tier 91, but it keeps you from improving the skills all the way to 95.  Is it me or are there just so many levels and they're not clearly different in nomenclature? 

I have expanded the Bag several times and never seem to have enough room.  Can't get rid of the old stuff for some reason.  I tried that and got mail with low-ranking gear, as though I lost them.

 

Things are going quickly and I'm surprised.   I finished the Buddha's Light campaign and have two more gold categories.

 Update 2026.05.05: Finished the Granary campaign.  It must have been buggy.  Now, I need to deal with a big fish twice.  Now, I'm going to regret not taking training in Japan for o-sushi.

Update 2026.05.07: I decided to start the Jinming Pool campaign.  I just learned that I need to use Touch of Death, so I need to configure for that.  I've got Meridian Touch, Tai Chi, Celestial Seize, and Wolf-like Frenzy on 1, 2, 3, and 4.  I suppose this is about panache instead of outright violence, so Touch of Death can go on 4.  It didn't go terribly wrong so far, but I know I'm going to need a few hours to complete it.

I've got Touch of Death and I believe that it works when I drop behind an enemy and press the F key.  I've also got Cloud Steps but didn't have them configured.  I switched out Ghostly Steps at Alt-3.  I'm going to need all four on the set of 1-4 keys without Alt.   Cloud Steps had an upgrade available so, it's at Tier 3, level 9 now.

Update 2026.05.09: I'm no a co-op person.  However, this week, I had some help with a boss and I made a friend who is leader of a Guild.  I joined the Guild and that requires some co-op time to accomplish goals.  I thought that I was joining a group battle and I found that it was just me.  I died four times.  I tried it today and died two times.  

I had some co-op time with another friend and took on the Twin Lions.  I died several times, but the friend can resurrect the dumb.  We were victorious.  We took on the Snake Doctor and were victorious, as well.  He wanted to retrieve a box in a pit of snakes.  I did my best to draw them away from him.  I died several times.  Notice a theme?

I need my Sword Morph shield to be much stronger.  I need my keyboard to perform all of my Mystic Skills with just one key.  I'm vicious once I get going, but I fail too often because I don't have my equipment up to higher levels and the same applies for Inner Way and Mystic Skills.  I'm working on it.  I'm also working on another blog entry to get new players on the right track quickly, to avoid my mistakes. 

Update 2026.05.11: I'm at character level 95, so I cannot go higher, although there is a Solo level 15 in "30 days" whatever exactly that means, probably 31 May.

I've spent some time tackling bosses with guild mates.  I'm so aggressive, and I don't care if my character is killed.  It sounds as though the other three were on Xbox or Playstation.  Certainly, that would be better since Microsoft doesn't have AI running in the background, even when you try to turn it off in Windows 11 Pro.

 I've finished a few more Encounters and easy quests.  Playing in the Guild Hall is different. 

Update 2026.05.13: I beat Dasan Pass lion on my own.  Feels better.  Tried wireless earbuds.  Microphone still not working.  Every Windows 11 Pro update seems to mean more glitching and lower performance.  WWM provides plenty of heat from RTX 3050 Ti.

Playing co-op is good, gaining assist points, even Sect points.  Martial Mastery still just under 23,000.  Waiting for Sunday and chance to find better Inner Way notes, and mystic skills upgrades.  Professional development has got Paragon Doctor 2.  Didn't have enough extra for Scholar upgrade. 

Trying my best to stay positive.  So much to do, although with some bug fixes, my Campaign completion is growing. 

 

 

Update 2026.05.14: Woke up, got another couple of games started, closed.  Went to WWM.  Was called to Guild Party and after that, got called for a 5 person fight, first with Puppeteer and second with Drunken Martial Artist.  Was killed and revived.   Went from a total of around 380,000 in the first to 730,000 in the second.   Breaking the wine jars helped.

 Out of everyone, I was the lowest with only physical skills that could be used.  It's interesting playing on a team. 

There is one problem I've noticed from playing on a team in strong graphical circumstances: my Windows 11 Pro machine is overheating.  This is a creator's machine, not a gaming machine and it's over three years old now, playing a game that's not six months old.  Still, I want to replace my Mac laptop with another Mac laptop, not replace Windows 11.   Ordered an MSI Crosshair HX 16 that's about three years newer, because this machine is from 2022.  It's not a 2026 machine but the AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX and Nvidia RTX 5060 should be a huge upgrade.

Update 2026.05.15: I've played almost 400 hours according to Steam.  Compare that to Unreal Tournament that I've had (again) since 2017 with 10 or so hours more.  I've really been playing too much.

I upgraded Ghostly Steps with the final Young Fungus.  Equally fun picking Jade Tower Peony for Wolflike Frenzy upgrading.  Those, plus some Gear updates caused me to beat a Martial Mastery number for Talents, and now, I'm at HP + 1000.  I might have a little more breathing room before my character is killed. 

Update 2026.05.24: I tried to create a new character profile and start fresh.  Apparently, it's been seven days, as I got a survey.

I'm almost to level 80 versus my older profile being at level 95 (in almost half a year's time).  I'm using the Panacea Fan and it's mostly working out.  According to a game friend, it can raise a fallen ally turning a co-op or team battle.  He's revived me a few, errr, several times against a big boss.

In another hour, those shop refreshes will help me with Inner Way, Mystic Skills, and other enhancements.

Yesterday, he got me started in co-op, and I hit all the outposts in Qinghe, most for the first time.  Cleared everything with a little help.  Then, he had me helping him with Supreme Freedom and more, where I didn't do so well.

Once again, there are so many ways to advance weapons and armour that it's confusing.  At least, with Martial Skills and Inner Way, you have a clear path.  Inner Way requires a lot of good luck. 

 

Update 2026.05.29: The new profile is now at level 84 after completing the new campaign inside the Imperial Palace.  I'm not sure how I can defeat the latest big boss on first try (0.1% of players?) and not be able to handle other bosses on my own.

I'm betting that I will try it with the advanced, level 95, profile and not succeed that quickly. 

Panasonic G97 is here

I bought a Panasonic G97 and received it yesterday.  Previously, I've had the GH3, GH4, GX8, and GM5 micro Four-Thirds models from Panasonic, plus the Olympus E-M1.  Of all those, I've only kept the GM5.

The GM5 is a tiny marvel of a camera body, but it doesn't have much to offer but its size.  While it is quick and easy, it's sometimes frustrating.  The G97 is a bit like a GH4.5--a hybrid hybrid camera body.

The GH4 was known as the best camera for 4K video under US$10,000 when it was new.  However, it was a bit under-powered and lost focus occasionally when shooting video at 1080p. Add to that the original Lumix X 35-100mm f/2.8 that had a myriad of problems from OIS stutter to severe lens flare and the combination seemed a good reason to throw it far away.

The G97 is more powerful, but has to shoot 4K30p video at a crop.  It can also shoot 1080p video at 120 fps, but it isn't the greatest.  That's a shame.

The 5 stop IBIS is good, especially at the US$849 price point.  When you combine it with a lens that has Mega OIS or Power OIS, things become better, as the Dual I.S. combines the stabilization.  The viewfinder is another surprise at this level.  You can get an OLED display at 0.74x magnification, which is the same as the GH4 has. 

First impressions

After charging some batteries (without the USB cable and AC adapter that they don't include), I took the G97 and some lenses for a walk.   The body is very small, even though the controls are the same size as the GH7 and G9 Mk II.  Then again, I found the GH4 small, and it wasn't quite large enough for a good balance with some of my Four-Thirds Olympus lenses.

Controls on the top are in the same place as the GH4 but controls on the back are not.  Labeling is very different but it seems as Panasonic wanted to push flexibility and allow buttons to be re-mapped.  I tend to use controls as they come from the factory.

The internal structure of the G97 may not be as strong and light as the GH4, but it feels just as sturdy.  Using aluminium and steel instead of magnesium alloy works just as well and costs less.  I was surprised to learn that the G80/G85 and G90/G95 were weather-sealed.  Having photographed in hurricanes and sports events where rain was sudden, I want to feel comfortable that my equipment can handle it.

 There are a couple of settings I change right away.  I turn off the Beep.  I set the photo style to natural and the file to Raw.  I usually set the focus point to pin-point but I set it to Face Detection, although I wonder if it's a combination of two settings to make face detection work.  On the GH4, it was a disaster compared to the Olympus E-M1.  I want to learn if this version of Face Detection works.

Walking at night makes for difficult photography.  Film cameras didn't work well, especially when film was rated at ASA(ISO) 100 or even 400.  Sensors in 2004 weren't that good.  In 2012, I was photographing regularly at  ISO 1600 or even 3200.  In 2025, it's less of a problem.  Sensors have become better and image processing has become much better. Having strong IBIS can save a situation that a tripod can't.  I can hear how hard the IBIS is working to keep things steady.  The EVF can show me things that my eyes (or an optical viewfinder) can't see in the dark.

The camera body didn't let me down.  I'm sure I still have settings to find to fine tune my experience.  However, the G97 is quite capable, and coming from the GH4, etc., it's an easy transition.  Contrast that to my occasional frustration with the S5 Mk II and S-series lenses.  Auto Focus locks quickly and the shutter engages quickly.  In the dark, AF goes down to EV -4, just like the GH4.  There are only 49 AF areas, just like the GH4, but it works well so far in stills mode.  I doubt that DFD on video is any better than it was.

The 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Power OIS lens that came as part of the kit seems good. At 5x reach, it's the longest zoom kit lens for micro Four-Thirds.  The FoV is like a 24-120mm lens on a 135 Format camera.  On the S5 Mk II, the kit lens was 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 without OIS, which seems strange for a lens of around US$600.  The Dual I.S. was activated and I'm sure that I got shots that wouldn't have been usable otherwise.

IBIS on Four-Thirds was not very good.  I had the Olympus E-5 and couldn't tell that the IBIS was working.  My best lenses were heavy.  On micro Four-Thirds, Olympus had IBIS and Panasonic had OIS.  Of course, they would not work together.  If they had, micro Four-Thirds would have been more compelling.  IBIS in the G97 is not Panasonic's finest, being about the same as the GH5 but the Dual I.S. functionality extends that stabilization, much like Sync IS works on Olympus equipment and makes it possible to get shots handheld that were never possible.  Back in the film days, I remember standing against a tree or a wall to get certain shots when light was scarce.

Firmware updates

Naturally, it's a good idea to have your equipment up-to-date and when I was photographing sports most every day, I'd be ready.  Both the body and the 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens needed updates.  As well, I checked my other lenses and my Panasonic/Leica 15mm f/1.7 got an update back in 2022.  It's the lens I use the most on the GM5. 

Update 2025.11.15: It's been about a month since I've had the G97.  Using the lenses I have, it's worked well.  I ordered the Panasonic/Leica 9mm f/1.7 just a couple of weeks before the G97.  Both are on the Amazon 5 payments plan.

I already had the 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 Mega OIS lens with the GM5.  It's a collapsible kit lens that does an amazing job at a tiny size.  When I bought the GM5, I also bought the 42.5mm f/1.7 Power OIS lens.  The other Panasonic lens was the Panasonic/Leica 15mm f/1.7.  I also have three Olympus lenses: 25mm f/1.8, 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6, and the 8mm f/8 (almost) fisheye lens cap lens.

Since I don't have reach past (135 Format) 300mm, I bought a 2.2x screw-on tele-converter for a 58mm filter thread.  It should be good enough for a while.  I noticed on Amazon that the Panasonic/Leica 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 Mk II version is available on 5 payments.  That will change by the time I'm ready.  That lens will give me a 135 Format effective 800mm reach, and you can use a tele-converter for even further reach.  However, that tele-converter is a bright light solution.

Update 2026.01.12: I was at the Korean church where I go sometimes and I was trying to photograph something with the Panasonic S5 Mk II and the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6.  It was quite good, except that the slow aperture indoors was strangely too much for the scene and I didn't feel like pushing the ISO sensitivity so high.  It's strange because I had just photographed the supermoon without a problem.  I couldn't hold it steady and the Dual I.S. just wasn't enough to compensate.

Today, I decided to rectify the problem with a lens for the G97: the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.  It's not the Lumix X (blech!) version and not the current Panasonic/Leica version and I got it for about US$500.  Hopefully, Very Good condition means very good. For half of the price of the Panasonic/Leica version, it's very good.

In my opinion, it's a bit too small and relies too much on software corrections.  It has a 58mm filter size vs a 77mm filter size for the Olympus ZD SHG 35-100mm f/2.0 lens.  The Lumix X (1st version) was sufficient in most cases, but when it was bad, it was a POS.  I'm hoping that the revision will be satisfactory.  The G97 will work with it to employ Dual I.S. to get a stabilized shot, even in lower light situations. 

Update 2026.01.20: Doing some spring cleaning, I found two Panasonic batteries that I used for my Panasonic GX8.  They're the same batteries as the G97 uses. Since I haven't used them since 2017, they should still have a decent charge capacity remaining.  Now, I have 3 Panasonic batteries and 2 Wasabi batteries.

I also found some other equipment, but except for my very old Olympus FL-20 flash, nothing else will work with the cameras I have. 

Update 2026.01.25: I was at the Korean church and the person who does the photography had a Sony body and the 70-200mm f/2.8 attached and it was sitting on the dinner table.  I took zero minutes to arrange things and just got out the G97 and 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II and placed it near the Sony. You may be able to see that the lens hood is reversed on the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.

 

Update 2026.02.28: Discovered something wonderful.  I can transfer raw photos from G97 to iPhone through Lumix Sync app.  It's so much better than expected and as easy as Lumix Lab.

Used the G97 and 35-100mm f/2.8 Mk II.  The Dual I.S. performed admirably for such a middle of the range camera body.  

Affinity 3.0 or Canva/Affinity?

 It's been 40 years since I first saw Serif Publisher.  At the same time, I saw Timeworks Publisher, Ventura Publisher, and Adobe PageMaker.  I ended up using Calamus on the Atari ST but I became familiar with practically any available graphics software and even designed some of my own.

Today, Affinity announced that they are combining everything into one application, including Canva AI.  You can mix things a bit through Personas, but I don't know if it's going to be so capable.   What I know of all-in-one graphics software is that it has never worked well enough.

 I'm skeptical but I don't have any huge projects.  After the announcement that they were to be acquired last year, it was obvious that changes were on the way.  If you want the Premium version, there is a subscription, as I understand that there has been with Canva.

For typical users, it's free.  When upgrades are available, what will happen? 

Update  2025.11.18: I downloaded the Windows version.  They actually had four different downloads and  I downloaded one of the x64 versions.  Hopefully, I got the correct one.

In any case, it's installed and I took a look at the first tutorial, which was way too small to be useful.

I tried to bring up a raw photo that I had and tried to re-size it after expanding the application's window.  The frame for the photo went one way and the image stayed where it started when I tried to increase the magnification past 25%.  Maybe, it will be ready in a few months.

 Unfortunately, going back to Affinity Photo didn't work.  I still have the version 2.x Affinity applications on my Mac, and Affinity Photo worked on that machine just fine. 

Update 2025.12.19: Got the first update and it looks better.  I'll make an effort to test and hopefully, I'll be able to transition to the new application. 

Update 2026.02.01: There is a second update to the application and I'm sure it's safer to use now.

I've seen some videos talking about Adobe being afraid of the comparisons.  They should have been afraid for several years.  Serif's Affinity applications have been good.  They're different and we used to have a lot of different graphical applications out there in the 1980s, including Serif Publisher.

Around that time, I was teaching an executive how to use Aldus Pagemaker on Windows 2.0.  That was a trip.  I had used many different applications, but for publishing, I was using Calamus SL on Atari ST.  Pagemaker on Windows 2.0 was hobbled by not being on a Mac and the fact that Windows 2.0 was a bit of a joke for anything graphical.  Sorry to go off track but I miss the days when we didn't depend solely on one software vendor.  I'm a bit amused that 40 years later, I've got the descendant of Serif Publisher on my machine.

I was watching a video on using Affinity Designer to create motion graphics to be use in Davinci Resolve.  It seemed a good way to remove Adobe from the workflow.  Considering the prices for using Adobe products now, alternatives should be considered.  I'm not sure Apple Creator Studio is enough for more than a "one man shop" kind of business but it's a possibility.  Apple has not kept up since they dropped Aperture.

 I'm not convinced that AI tools are completely helpful, but people seem to be freaking out about being replaced by them. Of course, once you're comfortable with them, you're stuck.

I'm wondering when/if Canva makes the Affinity application a subscription.  Someone has to pay for the  development work. 

Update 2026.02.28: Learned about Cavalry motion graphics software that has supposedly bought by Canva.  This is a big deal for many.  Also, I viewed some videos using Affinity with Davinci Resolve Studio.  This may make it much easier for work to be finished without Adobe. 

 

Update 2026.03.16: Affinity 3.1 is out.  I had some weirdness with a non-secure connection when I used the application to initiate the download.  I deleted that download and started again from the website itself.  There was also some weirdness about modules being updated and Overwrite was the option I took, but I'm 1% unsure about the application.  That's why it's only on Windows 11 and not on the Mac. 

Update 2026.04.26: Application keeps asking me if I want to overwrite certain modules and I have no idea whether it's supposed to work this way or something else is happening.  I'm 99% unsure about the application at this point.