In our continuing quest to visit the capitals of northern Europe, Marie and I spent a long weekend in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2019. This was a very interesting trip with very good weather, many fascinating sights and experiences, and lots of wonderful food (Lapp, Russian, Indian, Italian, …). It would have been easy to stay for another couple of days just to see more of this beautiful city.

All of the pictures in this album were shot with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and the m.Zuiko Pro 12-100 mm f/4, which in my opinion is easily one of the optically best and most versatile lenses in Olympus' current lineup, and great for travel photography. (All except one, that is; can you spot the odd picture out?) The only downside, of sorts, of the lens is that it will ensure you get a good workout, at least in Micro-4/3 terms – the camera/lens combination is still quite light compared to what you would have to carry in a “full-frame” setup. I treated myself to a Peak Design Slide Lite strap, which attaches to the left eyelet on the camera and the strap attachment point on the lower part of the battery grip, leaving the right side of the camera free for handling, and I find that very convenient: It lets the camera sit on my hip when I'm walking around but makes it very easily accessible – this should be fine for places that aren't too crowded. In a city that is less friendly and safe than Helsinki I might be a bit more concerned about snatch-and-run thieves, but it worked for me this time.

Click on any picture for an enlarged view.