Side Track #4 - Reminiscent of Contax T3 Film Camera

So I got carried away, but its certainly no loss to anyone. In the older days where picture control is achieved not by dialing a dial but by changing the film entirely, I also recall immersing myself in black and white photography for a season with my Contax T3.

And here's one of my favorites! Father and son shot with monochrome film installed. The boy is relative and as you can see in the picture, commands the whole scene of this shot.

Side Track #3 - Reminiscent of Contax T3 Film Camera

Was browsing my phone's internal memory this morning and I came across my old film collection of shots I took with my Contax T3 camera. Though not scanned to the highest resolution possible, still offer a glimpse of the resolving strength of this once legendary compact.

Well, as a matter of fact, the camera still works beautifully after more than seven years in operation! Now, if my memory serves me right, this shot was taken in Hong Kong "ladies street", where hawkers sell practically anything you fancy, even their own pet birds!

Here, the aiming was not on its eyes, and it was one of the first few shots I took without knowing where to aim...but I really like this furry friend.

Back To Square One

In the absence of the Nikon D90, I have accelerated my effort to look for a smaller companion camera but to no avail. I simply could not come to the agreement that it will be a compromise in terms of image quality and customized shooting freedom. Several prosumer compacts were scrutinized, including the Canon G10, Sigma DP2, Ricoh GR2 etc. but somewhat all could not come close to what I am already quite used to from my Nikon D90.

I have even decided to take the remaining half day off today just to make sure I did not miss out any other review options. This is insane! I think so too...but again, this is quite fun! BTW, our clients pay us by the result we deliver and not the hours we squat at their office. So, theoretically, we can be anywhere at anytime so long I can manage my team performance and morale!

After all that exercise today, I am back to the Nikon D90 and has concluded that I should expedite on the return of my camera instead of hunting around for sub-standard prosumer compacts to complement my camera!

Companion Camera with Nikon D90 - Panasonic LX III

As all of us know, Panasonic has been the OEM of Leica Camera for many years, and with that relationship, almost always introduce a similar cheaper equivalent to the Leica principle.

One such machine worth my mention is the Panasonic LX III compact camera system. Performance wise, it's F/2 aperture brings in more light than her step-sibling D-Lux 4. Video recording has also been bumped up to HD. And the list goes on and on, all on a $400 bundle price.

Just look at the system approach of this camera and drool over the classy vintage fusion of new and old technologies. To my recollection, this was the first choice to upgrade from my Contax T3 some 6 months back...before I entered the DSLR arena.

Simply [captivating]...

Mixed Feeling About Nikon D40 As Backup

With the recent local camera fair in my neighborhood, the Nikon D40 is up for grab as it reaches her EOL status. I was also able to play with the Nikon D60 and Nikon P6000 today, while checking out the new Nikon P90 that boast a 640mm focal reach!

But on one used camera counter, my eyes found it fixed on a couple of mint-condition Leica D-Lux III compacts priced at only $380! Hey Leica sharpness are legendary especially those that are affixed to Leica bodies. Man, that's a bargain, after confirming that its a genuine article.

Let me think about this one...

Side Track #5 - Camera From the Fourth Universe

I call this a paradigm shift in the consulting field but you could well be looking at the future of photography. Do pardon me as I am still baffled by what this product actually is; a video camera or a camera or both.

Critics bowed down to their product range, ingenuity and sense of humility from this more advanced form of image capturing. It kinda remind me of the NERF gun I bought for the boys - fully modular modules configurable in a lego format to adapt to your shooting needs.

I leave it to your imagination.

Check it out [here]

Sigma DP2 Prosumer Compacts - A Worthy Backup Camera?

Just when you are pretty much bored with the performance of today's prosumer compacts, Sigma decided to launch the DP2 quietly on her web site, almost throwing my balance off quite a bit today.

Its an almost total revamp of the DP1, while boosting everything technical by several notches. I have not seen any decent reviews online yet but the sample photos look fabulous! A worthy backup camera if the price is not more than the Nikon D200 body or if you want some freedom from SLR chunkiness and weight.

Read more [here]

Canon's Strength & Focus - Explained

In studying the full range of Canon's catalog and their products, I came to realize one significant discovery (apology of being slow here) - Canon has a much wider selection of lens and has a much superior range collection. Take for example Canon's lead in offering the Pro's series EF 28-300mm F/3.5-5.6L IS USM (recently, I was told Canon extended their lead with a EF 28-400mm lens lineup!)

Nikon has been doing a lot of catch up recently and is determined to vaporize this gap. Its an interesting match not to be missed. As far as photography and camps go, I am but a consumer, taking the best among the pack.

Nikon D90 is indeed a ground-breaking piece of hardware and warrants its praise and long-term use. Not many rival DSLR (e.g. Canon 50D, Sigma SD15, Sony A700) even come close to its superiority.

Sorry Canon & Sony - Nikon D90 Rocks!

In an independent lab test conducted by DxO lab, a collection of three similar tier cameras were benchmarked.

The test result is shown in the table above.

Need I say more?

I encourage you to visit DxO lab as it allows me to discover that indeed, Nikon D300 overall performance is still lower than Nikon D90!

Canon 500D - Watch Out Nkon D90!

Relentless change that's fast becoming a constant. Canon has been missing the mark for the last 6 months, having introduced a lackluster Canon 50D and Canon 5D Mark II. But I personally think they have slowly awaken from their mistakes and are hot on pursuit of Nikon's superiority and price point for DSLR that does both superior images and HD video.

Something to watch is the combination of Canon 50D and Canon 5D Mk II - Canon 500D or Canon T1i. I personally have not seen a decent review yet on the Internet but it sure rock the boat of digital photography with her announcement. The price point? Only $799 for the body!

Read more [here].

Nikon D700 - Worthy Upgrade Potential to Nikon D90?

Along with the recent Sigma lens shootout, I was able to really hands on on the Nikon D700 for over 30 minutes this time round. Overall feel - solid without compromise though the grip is much too shallow even in my small hands.

Its one of the three current models of the Nikon DSLR lineup to proudly labeled - MADE IN JAPAN. Wow, the release button is significantly more springy. The four-way direction knob has also a deeper travel depth. The shutter release sound? Wow! Totally assertive. Gone are the more subtle shutter plane sound of the Nikon D90.

For us familiar with the Nikon D90, you can say it's still manageable in navigating the majority of the knobs. Price? Hmm...excellently priced at $2300. It's like buying a replacement Macbook Pro of mine! Still pricey considering that you don't use it for any commercial gains.

Maybe when the economy picks up again in 2-3 years time...a Nikon D900?

Backup Camera Roundup - Feb 2009

Ever prepared to continue shooting with your Nikon D90 broken or stolen at somewhere you may not return to anytime soon? You need to be ready with a reliable smaller camera that can be equally trusted and performance-oriented still.

I personally trust Canon over Nikon when it comes to smaller camera (as I still own the Canon G2!) I have seen it perform and still performs very well in the hands of my eldest son today! Hence, to review an updated version of compact cameras, the Canon G10 will easily meet my shooting style and needs. The Nikon P6000 is just a tad more flimsy and lighter in weight while the price of this two camera are on the same tier.

That said, however, my existing Nikon SB-400 works seamlessly with the Nikon P6000! Hmm...tough choice! Let me think about it. More spare cash? Get the Sigma DP1 or Leica D-Lux 4. Its both a gem and differentiate herself with the former packed with a SLR-size sensor and the latter german optics! But with its hefty price tag, I will leave both alone for now.

Canon 50D Versus Nikon D90

As the insatiable desire to compare in all of us go, we often find ourselves comparing the Nikon D90 with some competing products in the market, but what better assured confidence we gain when we know the Nikon D90 is truly an innovative imaging solution.

Here's a summary of Nikon D90 Strength over Canon 50D

• Allows for HD video clip recording up to 720p at 24fps
  
• Incorporates a 420-segment RGB metering system compared to the 35 segment metering system on the EOS 50D. This Scene Recognition System is designed to recognize the subject or scene conditions prior to capture. The results are then reflected in auto exposure, autofocus, and auto white balance for highly accurate control.
• Equipped with the same high-performance lateral chromatic aberration compensation as found on the Nikon D3 and D300
• Incorporates an extensive In camera retouch menu for post processing of images
• Offers 3D Focus Tracking (using 11-area AF points) compared to the EOS 50D which incorporates a less advanced 9 point auto focus system
• Built-in wireless flash support is found in the Nikon D90 with the camera being able to act as a "commander" to communicate with and trigger external speedlights wirelessly
• Features an AF assist beam for low light focusing compared to the Canon EOS 50D where the flash has to be raised in order for the AF assist feature (multiple bursts from flash) to function
• Image geo-tagging ready
  
• Smaller and lighter

Here's a summary of Canon 50D Strength over Nikon D90

• Features higher 15.1 MP sensor
• Offers faster start up and continuos shooting capability up to 6.3 frames per second (fps) compared to the Nikon D90 at 4.5 fps
• Incorporates weather seals for added protection (around the memory card door and battery cover) for camera body
• Offers a 2 stop EV over 3200 ISO sensitivity setting equal to 12800 ISO.
• Up to 1/8000 sec shutter speed on the EOS 50D versus 1/4000 sec on the Nikon D90.
• Faster flash sync offered on the EOS 50D at 1/250 sec compared to 1/200 sec with the Nikon D90
  

Evaluation II - Sony Alpha 700

Sony has a dear place in my heart when I own the first Sony UMPC in the market. Its built to last though pricey all the time. Its to many, a love and hate relationship. Sony leads in many fields of technology but has outpriced herself beyond the reach of many more. Here comes Sony's acquisition of Minolta and viola! The alpha series DSLR is born. It took me over two months to evaluate Sony's DSLR, with many ins and outs of their concept stores. It was informative and heavily showered with fancy brochures and hands-on experiences.

Verdict - dated design with wobbly shutter release coupled with unproven Exmor sensor grid. Again, slow startup sequence (as power switch is across the body from the shutter release) hampers the overall friendliness and ergonomics of the product, making it lackluster and unattractive to own one. No doubt in the department of image quality when Carl Zeiss lens are used.

Custom functions menu are so limited and that it can only accomodate instant switching into one single predefined parameter, making spontaneous variety shots impossible. Perhaps, a wait of few more years may help Sony better position her photography unit against the leaders?

Evaluation I - The Canon 40D DSLR

OK. The Canon 50D is slightly beyond my budget (with a decent lens that is) so, I reviewed the older brother - 40D.

Its a masterpiece and its within a $1500 price tag.

To begin, the CMOS sensor is a tat small - 10.1 MP but hey, it gives wider per pixel footprint to capture its light pixel. Frame per second is good too but useless unless you are a hard-core sport photographer where FPS counts.

Low-light shoot performance is average at the default ISO 1600 but the sRAW file format support is commendable. Now, here's the major difference - 9 cross-type AF points. Mind you, many rivals have 9 or 11 AF points but a fraction of them are cross-types. This boasts significantly more accurate and nimble focusing.

The live view is pathetic as long as its not VGA resolution but the silent shooting mode in the 40D just brings silent shoot into reality today. Grid display in view finder is porky and the buttons/dial placement throughout the body is simply disastrous - One hand operation is almost impossible to achieve.

Custom functions are mediocre and it scores poorly in post editing functions within the camera menu. The kit lens just won't do and you are required to get something better by default. Bundled software is good and well-considered as opposed to nearest rival - Nikon.

All said, picture value lies in the quality of the lens and the overall image composure. Its not just the body that dictates.

Canon DSLR

Hmm...I know there's two big camps when it comes to choosing a make of SLR - Canon and Nikon but it comes down to objectives in each possible evaluation I made. I love Canon, especially the G series of compact camera - G9. They are nimble and again well-made and takes OK pictures compared to her German rival - Leica.

How about the Canon SLR then? In a phrase, competitively competent. Hey, though heavier than her rivals, is worth every penny.

As you know, I seek reasonable perfection, but not the ultimate, as I don't make a single cent out of my optical hobby. However, having a Macbook Pro, in my opinion, is an ultimate, as I make thousands of dollars with the use of it as a professional Business IT Advisor. So, my immediate review will not include any entry-level DSLR like the Canon 450D or Nikon D60 or Sony A350. Hope you understand. Attached is a very hot contender in what I would consider.