Of Interpretation & Impression

Its about the setup ....

2007-12-09T22:44:00.000+08:00

Somehow I am lapsed on this journal, not that I got nothing to say, just for the fact that real life matters more. But today I yet encounter something I would like to share ... I was at a local shopping mall and shooting the X'mas Decor. The mood was great, the setting and decor is wonderful, and its indoor so nobody really need to brave the elements.

Now for the part I was shooting with my trusty old Fed-2, mated to one of my favorite lens, the Cosina / Voigtlander 25mm/4.0 Snapshot Skopar, with a roll of ISO 400 B&W, a Yellow Green filter, a converted Pentax square hood and oh yes, that View finder that come with the lens too. OK nothing particular about this one, and I was shooting away alright.

But, oh well, obviously the many other fellow hobbyist who were there also shooting away do not think so. I would not rely what they've been muttering behind me, but needless to say, it seems for a number of fellow hobbyist, if one is not using the latest digital with a mega power high speed zoom, then all is but not right for it ....

The motto of all this is, work up the setup that work for you, not one that delight the gearheads since you aien't going to satisfy them anyway !!

The maiming of the Mfrs

2006-09-25T14:51:00.000+08:00

What with the big show now running up to its introduction. We have now News of the Olympus E-400, Canon G-7 and now the Fuji S5-PRO. What do all of them have in common other than being new.

Well what they do all have in common is they disappoint their fanatics and to a degree generate more negative than positives though I simply do not see how this can materialize in any business manner.

This goes to show the mass market is now so diverge from the Hobby / Pro gang that we can safely say there exist actually several facet of the digital photogrphic market in the Consumer Digital Photogrphic equipment realm. The implication is Mfr will now ever more focused in trying to get the product to sell instead of having the product to serve. What a grip right, but I guess the breakdown of the DC market had teach the Mfr something. That is where the money goes, that's where the effort should be, and unfortunately that might not be where the truly knowing want. We can see this in Canon & Olympus offerings. Instead of trying to serve the customers and general active photogrphic community. These two are clearly more intend to protetct their already present siblings and care about extracting the most revenue in the shortest duration. Can't fault their business sense right ..

On the other hand, Fuji had a totally different approach. Instead of satisfying the ever zealous measurbaters, it looks like Fuji insisit on incremental, and viable improvements. Both camp do in some case ignore the already present community of their own customers. Which to a certain degree is unheard of in past eons. But what that infer is a reflection of the over rebellious way the brand fanatics been generating; what they conceive as how a product should be made while ignoring reality in most cases. The down side to that of course is there would exist less and less brand loyalty as people do not seek to build a long term sysyetm approach to their equipment sysytem / setup and would jump fromn one to another pending whatever is the one in preference at that time period.

The Sour Grape

2006-09-13T22:38:00.000+08:00

Guys, if you have the time, go hop over to the online forums and check out the posts. Now that almost every site had some info regarding the leaded Pentax K10D info. But that is not what I am going to talk about. What I am most interested is response from other make's user. Notably the one from Sigma, Fuji, and Olympus. Between the 4 of them, they may just regard themselves as the minority among DSLR users.

But what made the observation interesting is that while Pentax user are rejoicing ( of course ). Fuji and Sigma user alike seems to be just as excited with equal amount of positiveness towards the launch. On the otherhand I am seeing a lot of negative comment from the Olympus users picking bones out of an egg style. What does it tell really is kind of the classic sour grape teaching from the old fables. Those that one cannot have is always not the good ones. Real or not ! Well that will have to wazit till Pentax had some solid in fo forthcoming and the product hit real world. But what the scenario tells is really not anything to do wqith Pentax nor the K10D, but everything to do with the 4/3 and Olympus in general. Olympus had been marketing agressively on part of the 4/3 and really put a lot of the 4/3 user into a hypnotized state of superiority; that their chosen system is the best one and surely would beat others. real world result do not however proven that colrrect and when the Die hard Olympus 4/3 zealots see even a known underdog like Pentax outperform and out do Olympus. The obvious reaction is negativeness, and this manefest in all the nickpicking post I've seen this last 24 hours or so. In truth they are probably more annoyed with Olympus inability to furnish than anything but their pride would not allow such and their sub-concious feeling is to downplay anything that might prove Olympus' inability and Pentax just happen to be the nail in the coffin ( after the Sony, Nikon and Canon's offering )

I think its about time the 4/3 user tell Oly to stop trying to be evrything, and instead concentrate on provding reasonable package and system instead !!

The dilemma of Setup vs System

2006-08-02T05:00:00.000+08:00

No matter what thier fan might have to say; Sigma & 4/3 is not a System. Not enough to made one. And by extension Pentax also. What's solely missing here is not only the variety of accessories and Lens as most System SLR/DSLR do. But the capbility and future a system hold for any level of customers. A customers of Nikon or Canon know that they have the option to go up market / downmarket with the body and equally so with lens. On top of that they could expect a decent amount of independent Mfr support.

This is simply not the case with 4/3, & Sigma/Foveon. To a certain extent Sigma will always be a niche setup only as there does not look like being any significant change that will come around. That leave us with the 4/3, which in itself is very interesting case. While Oly had been and are pushing hard for major market share. The critical question here is not that people do not belive in their sincerity, nor they do not believe in the quality. But rather the market lack confidence in Oly's capability to provide a full spectrum of system, and worst still there is little to offer in term of future expansion.

Yeah, I like the 4/3 for its concept, but as of now it made a great setup, but hardly a system. ditto with Sigma/Foveon

The Brand , oh, the brand

2006-07-20T23:24:00.000+08:00

- A not so scientific, purely subjective & biased view of the DSLr market as it is -

So After Sony, Nikon going to chunk out yet another 10MP body which is not quite entry level, but not quite the semi-Pro. Well I suppose people got to realize that the market now is mature and large enough for Mfr to diversify and provide both horizontal and vertical variation on the product line up. Photokina is about 2 months away before another announcement made. Let me say what I think about what the DSLR Mfr are as they are today adn what they should do

Canon - If there's anything that's wrong with Canon, its not their DSLR, its their lens & printers. Ok I won't go inot the printer part, but for real, how many 1Ds range customer are suffering from the nightmare of finding the one lens that actually work. Almost all the lens under 85mm focal length do not exactly perform enough to warrant much exploration in the 1Ds Mk-II, and speaking of this, I guess Canon's marketing / product marketing team got to be having a hard time recently. What's next for the Mfr now that they have pretty much everything covered. What say you ........... but I guess the answer is actually quite simple - stop trying to overdo yourself and the market, lets concentrate on making those DSLR and Lens work. What Canon needs right now, is not innovation, but improvemetn and refinement

Fuji - Classic case of great technology but lousy market implementation. The S3 is 9 months late already when it was finally going retail, and the S4 is still a myth or at best a rumor, although a strong one at that. What Fuji need now is something in physical to show and a concrete ( and adhered to ) timetable. On top of that, isn't it time Fuji stop trying to give us half a camera + a full set of imager. Adn then there's the issue of 1 model only policy. I am sure S4 with the next generation Super-CDD SR would be great, but I equally belive a more down to earth user friendly down market version of the S4 with a VR type super-CCD employing the great performance in high ISO as demonstrated by their DC, with a compact package ( optional vertical grip ) would made sense also.

Nikon - 2 letters to be exact - FF - Nikon's doing fine, the Mfr just need to face up to the customer's demand

Panasonic / Leica - Priceing, is there anything else, well might be Panasonic & Leica can come up with some decent lens for the 4/3 mount but as of now, they are new, and simply put need to convince us the customers firsta dn foremost. Well what did you say, oh the Leica DMR, but that's a digital back, not a DSLR

Pentax - Do we see a real DSLR niche Mfr of some sort here .. well yes and no .. I suppose the only thing one need to say about the Pentax range is - please do not keep being a late comer always - where's that 10 MP body, & where's the suppose to be 1Ds beater Medium format DSLR 645D .... And for real, Pentax need to check their world wide stocking. If people keep hearing new models and lens but continously fail to be able even to locate or purchase one, its not going to help either right ....

Olympus - Until I see the actual up market E-XX and the top end E-X and then some. what mroer can we say about the Olympus range ... sure it work, but no better or worse than others. And where's the lens, accessories etc .... I will talk to the Olympus Sales if and when those materialize. In the mean time, my 4/3 body might benefit from all those new lens from Sigma indeed

Sigma - or rather Foveon , BTW what foven, move on, there's nothing to be noted here .....................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZ

Sony - Come next year this day and I will tell you about how I feel about the brand and the DSLR mfr. for now, I will just have to find one those body first ..

A widened gap

2006-07-03T17:13:00.000+08:00

And this is exactly what it is between the DC and DSLR. Back in film days, there were a niche product that were commonly refered to as the high end compact or POSH compacts. Namely typified by the Contax T range. Those were compact with decent manual control so a photographer can have a reasonable degree of control over the exposure; but equally so the camera also offer the same type of P&S automation in typical consumer compacts. They all have a killer lens and most are fast fix focals in fact.

With film, the media is not part of the camera and any photographer can choose to put in whatever they want and be expecting a decent result from these kind of cameras. Come digital age, this category of nice synergy product which is likely to work very well with DSLR as complementary pair simply do not exist.

IMHO it is this category of compact in a DC that the next generation of high end / prosumer DC need to be marketed. It was used to be a problem when DC need to field its own media and recording. But with todays knowhow, its simply inconceiviable that this cannot be done. Not withstanding this fact, though, it seems the DC product marketing either go besek over miniaturization, or ultra zoom, but fail to see how one can actually made a decent photographic tools. With every advance in DSLR and every advance in DC, it seems this gap is ever widening. I am looking at today's DC and DSLR and I simply see no real stop gap / synergy product in between bar a very few individual example ( that while taking quality image, just do not field good enouugh feature performance to be able to qualify ). You know it just go about again the saying that those guys in the Mfr R&D probably are not photographers themselves.

How do I love thee, let me count the way

2006-06-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

and unfortunately there is not many of them ..... Isn't it a dilemma when one examine the now DSLR or rather SYSTEM DSLR scene when people start talking about getting quality lens for their system to made up a SYSTEM. Well in particular the fix focals, and fast fix focal at that.

So why fast fix focal, FOA, why made it slow when Zoom is already serving the mid range speed. The whole principle of using a fix focal is for the superior image and optical quality and in many case the control offered by the speed advantage. In a nutshell, a system DSLR is about building up a system so one can deploy the best tool for the job. One would want to use a Macro for that tiny little flower, and the digital equivalent of that 85/1.4 for portrait. Zoom is convenient, but never quality driven, or rather it will never match a like of like vintage fix focal.

The sad part though, is where is those equivalents. The very nature of the fast pace among the DSLR market had driven Mfr to forget about the system. They cannot or rather will not want to be bothered with fast fix focals ( or any fix focal at all ). They simply do not sell fast enough. But yet as the DSLR scene enter maturity, the same thing that happen with film SLR back in the 80's is now happening among the DSLR populance. Now the market demand that berth of variety and depth of performance from their lens lineup and this can only be satisfied by the introduction of new performing lens. While many Mfr can hope to deal with the situation with a few brand new design and a pool of their old film lens. Its not looking good for those looking for the Wide angle to short tele ( after the infamous crop-factor )

So, let me count the way

Olympus - 50/2.0 and the 150/2.0 , 300/2.8 well, that's about it
Canon - EF-S 60 Macro, 85/1.2 L-II, what, just these 2 ??
Nikon - 10.5 mm Fisheye, 105 VR-Macro, 200/2.0G, 300/2.8G
Pentax - DA 14/2.8, DA-limited 21, DA-Limited 40
Sony - 85/1.4 Planar, 135/1.8 Sonnar

Aien't that a bit disappointing considering how much DSLR market is expanding ... read this Mfr. Its about time you get to do what you got to do ... we need system , not just a setup. We don't invest in that kind of money so to burden ourselves with a compromise. We want to be able to take the picture, and a quality one at that also, and we need the fast speed so we might use that slow ISO and have us back our DOF control. Where's that 14, 18, 24, & 28mm in 2.0 speed. Where's our fast equivalent of the short tele. How about a 55 or 58/1.2. How about a decent fast standard, and the list go on and on

Alpha Attack

2006-06-11T16:54:00.001+08:00

Its a week or so, and the community is still talking about it. Many were predicting it this way or that way. Tauting that Sony will take the lead or kill the other made , so and so ... with their Alpha DSLR range.

Well I wonder if they realize what the Alpha really mean. Or rather what does the Sony effort really mean. No, its not going to kill anybody, at least not in the near to mid term future. But what it does really mean is a drastic shaking of the market. A rude awakening to many including the big names. That simply put this market is no longer the way it was and rules and norms are mean to be broken.

With the Olympus E-330, and now the Alpha A-100. ITs clearly likely that DSLR can be pushed way further down market which possibly spell the end of then prosumers DC. Not to say that prosumer will end as a species, but they will have to evolve and had to be different. Different from the way the down market DSLR can be.

On the otherhand, DSLR is no longer just your typical entry, mid range and then top end models. Even Nikon and Canon know about it, and recent month's entry clearly shown that the delimination would be far more in between with more variety, and uniqueness to each and every Mfr.

By that account alone, the Alpha deserve a part in the market ......... !!

Retro or ......

2006-05-16T03:04:00.000+08:00

Do you see a new trend coming ... Is it true that people are feeling their pain , sort of come of age for their digital photography, and rediscovering Film. Unlikely I say, its more like people finally waking up after the Honeymoon. People have high expectation for this new media and unfortunately most of those expectation is based on unfound reasoning.

What I see is a school of photographer that want to use digital but want the digital to work as film. It do not, and likely will not, simply put. So while people crying for one or the other, justr reflect that these opinion are just plain grunting. Photography can be easy and carefree for those who don't want to hassel with the techical aspect of it, but for quality work and dedicated imagery, there is no subsitution for such.

QA engineer at work

2006-05-13T00:56:00.000+08:00

Do you find it annoying these days when you show your photo to someone, especially online communities. It seems of all the hype, what the gang want to know is which body do you use to take the pic; what is the lens used; what kind of setting do you dial into the software .... etc etc ...

I wonder if those guys are photographer or engineer at work ??

Can I just have a moment to enjoy the photos, please !!

Fullframe - a beautiful myth

2006-05-02T17:32:00.000+08:00

As Canon start to delive their 5D, and yet the rumor of another wave of FF fanatics claim the future of all small format DSLR rest with FF. I wonder if those guys actually work decently with FF for times and get to know the fact from fantasy.

The main reason behind the FF seems to be the ever-lasting wanting to frulfill the need to utilize the wide angles, and notably the extra wides in the 24mm and wider range. Fatc is even back with the original 1Ds, the extra small pixel pitch together with the need for optimal optical performance at extreme perimeters had proven that the old lens, while performing well within their design goal, was simply not well corrected for digital capture.

That of course, can be corrected by adopting a more tolerant sensor, say one with much less photosite and a far larger pixel pitch, but then of course this defeat the purpose of using a FF in most cases. Or it can be corrected with a new school of lens. While this certainly will work, it again defeat the main reason for having the FF as of now. In fact even if the Mfrs gather to produce such lens, they might prove to be too much for the need. For the lens to perform within the need of performance at this level, they would be hugh and weighted like a truck. Not exactly working for its intended markets.

Then there's the issue of electronics, power, etc .... In the end, FF is exciting, and certainly desirable but expecting it to be mainstream for now ( and the near to mid term future ) is simply a wishful thinking ....

Brand Snobbery, an ever increasing social divine

2006-05-01T14:47:00.000+08:00

It was used to be that people discuss about their camera and lens with respect to others. But the age of digital imaging had seemingly change all that. I was and still is active on several on line photographic forums. The one thing I noted that is increasingly seen is the general photographic mass seems turning a mass zealot of their own choosen brand or even models, and this is no where more apparant when you take a look at people 's reaction and action on comments and post regarding DSLR

Its one of the most recurring thing to be seen today when any poster post a comment with negative aspect to a certain model or certain brand that he/she can be sure that there will be a slutch of post voicing their disapproval and most of all, those opinion is what who those reply feel, not what they observe. In a word, people are increasing being fanatic about what they have choosen and unwilling to listern to opinions.

The case of Mamiya and Rolls Royce

2006-04-22T14:01:00.000+08:00

As another long established name fail as in the case of Mamiya, its inevitable people post about their opinion about the issue. But in recent years and especially after KM and now Mamiya's failure. I hear increasingly complain about quality losing out to consumming trend and digital. Know this Consuming trend and digital did not made those 2 Mfr fail. Its their inability to combine quality into marketable product that fails them.

IT let me recall the days before RR ( as in Rolls Royce, the famous car maker ) failure and its ultimate soldout to BMW. I doubt any of us question RR's quality. But they have been letting grass grow under their feet. They have simply fail to incorportae new technology, changing market need into their product, and they ultimately fail not because their care is expensive, nor they are not quality, but their car is antiqued without competetive features to boot.

Similar saying must be said for KM, Mamiya and similar others. They fail because they fail to anticipate market change, fail to incorporate changing technology. Not because their quality being too expensive. Insisting on quality is not a problem, but focusing only on quality without synergizing with decent features/performance is surely one.

Finding a Niche

2006-04-20T13:58:00.000+08:00

and not neccessary listerning to the mass market. Sounds difficult, but that's exactly what Pentax had been able to do , it seems. The latest financial result from the Mfr suggest they are actually turning red to black. Now lets be real, none of Pentax's DC are definitelly better than their competetions. Their DSLR is not exactly top of the line or cream of the crop.

But then, Pentax know their position and strive to better itself on the miche. That is no where more apparent than their recent DSLR and Lens announcement, when everybody else were going for Zoom and yet another Zoom. Pentax reverse the trend by doing what SLR Mfr do back in the 50's - decent sized but performing fix focals. Sure the Mfr also announce a crop of fast zoom to go with the mass market, but just goto any online Pentax forum and you will know that the Mfr understand their market very well. Their niche customer are not shin in using fix focals and admire a quality piece.

A praise to the Mfr for not going mainstream ... and doing us a favor

Manual Focus, is it really that hard

2006-04-17T22:11:00.000+08:00

I find it too amusing that more and more people complain about their DSLR and finding it hard to manual focus. Their reasoning is simple. too small a Viewfinder, No focusing aid, so on , so forth.

Now if we oldtimers can focus on a plain ground glass screen on our dim , and dinky Exakta or similar, I find it hard to visualize why people are crying they cannot focus at all manually, especially after the fact that mopst of todays DSLR , even though are smaller in VF than their Film cousines, are still far brighter, more contrasy and certainly large enough for mopst every scene.

In the end, I think this generation of photographer are just being a bit too lazy to work it out, to learn to properly focus, put it simply !!

Film or Digital

2006-04-14T00:55:00.000+08:00

Last week I happen to have a very interesting encounter, shall I say - I was in a park taking picture of some spring rose and other floral wonder with a couple of cameras. In and among them is 1 6X6 film SLR and a prosumer DC. As I was taking the picture, I overheard a group of young guys behind me commenting - " Hey look over there, I can hardly believe it, somebody still use film "

Well this reignite my impression of some of today's hot topics among oldtimer and new generations of photographers. On one hand, there are people tauting that digital is not good enough, they have CA, they simply cannot match film in image quality. On the other hand, there are people who question film's capability to resolve, and its inability to synergize post process need. Well do they recognize that they are both correct and both being wrong. Correct for most of their technical observations, and wrong for most of their subjective conclusion and opinions.

As of today, I have yet to see a definite proof that any medium can be always and definitely better in all application under all situations.

I don't have this problem with film

2006-02-17T04:24:00.000+08:00

And the name of that is Frame Buffer, or rather the lack of it. Even for the up market Prosumer grade DC and certainly not enough for most entry level DSLR. Now take a look at how this play out in the field. A good photographer usually like to frame a subject from various angle and various focal lenght for compsition, effect, and image placement. More importantly, we bracket. So let say we want to use HDR in Photoshop or simply being a prudent photographer ( knowing that the LCD review and even the Histogram did not tell the whole story ); we bracket by 1/3 stop for 2 under and 3 over, and that's a total of 6 shoots. Even if for the slightest use of such, we were talking about 3 shoots ( of usually 1 ot 1/2 stop over and under ). And then there's the usual case of simply shooting away on a subject ...

Right so what does this have to do with the said matter. The said matter is when using a DC or DSLR, one's best option is to use RAW, but RAW is a format that's simply humongous in file size compared to your typical JPEG. To be able to allow the camera to function normally without locking up. A decent frame buffer is needed and need to be managed well also. Well, one have to wonder if all these DC & DSLR Mfr actually use thier own camera.

Of all the Prosumer I've encountered, only the Konica Minolta A1, A2 & Canon PRO-1 had a decent buffer. If we tally todays better compact / portable DC, the question is aggreviated even more. With their performance, they are fast becoming a viable serious photographic tool instead of just for snap and basically being a nice fashion accessory. With ever incresing size of the RAW and the MP count, if one want to shoot RAW with these migthy little beast. Expect to have yourself lock off from being able to do anything for something like 10 Sec, or so .... Now DC Mfr, heed this, even my beat up old Konica Film Compact had no such problem. I shoot, it wind,a nd I can shoot again. No fuss, no problem !! Hear this, now lets get me some decent frame buffer in there !!

Why they are not making it - PART II

2005-12-09T17:04:00.000+08:00

So its not just Pentax, KM and Olympus not making it, but with the late launch of Nikon D200 and Canon 5D, there is an increasing trend towards photographer jumping ship and abandoning their system for either the C or N bodies.

Well, why is it so. Further to the fact that all of Pentax, KM, & Oly unable to provide choice. The worst part of it is they do nto offer incentive to remain a continous customer. There is no upgrade path or up market / downmarklet approach to their product family. Its not possible or limited in ability to expand horizontally on the Technical ladder or vertically still ...

Worse still, their customer see no prospect of impending release of possible solution to the issue. So what is a photographer suppose to do, find a system that they can work with and likely to be able to get them through in the coming years ... in 2 letters, its either N or C ... for now

Why Pentax and KM , or Olympus not making it

2005-12-06T21:16:00.000+08:00

Lets face it matter of fact. Nikon and Canon had just about dominate the DSLR market. KM, Pentax and Olympus users had always rigouriously defend their brand which to a great degree is matter of fact and full of reason , but only from a simple rose tinted glass manner unfortunately.

The matter of fact is Nikon and Canon success because they

Have a full range of up market / downmarket product in term of body and lens
Those body and lens are availiable
Both of Nikon and Canon had shown capability to keep developing and maintaining feature performance delivered in up to date packages
Both of them clearly demonstrate a proper working imaging engine and underlying technologies

As of Dec of 2005, One can order a Nikon D200 or Canon 5D, or go for the top end D2X & 1D/1Ds family, or put in a decent package for family / casual use in D50/D70s and 350D/20D. Sorry Pentax, KM and Olympus. Despite what, the brand just do not offer the same wide berth of choice and certainly unable to provide package of similar calibre in like priced bracket and certainly not similar lens/acccessories lineup. Its cruel, but its life. For KM, Pentax & Olympus, they must realize its not what the technicals, but what is availiable to the customer and what is availiable NOW that matters. In a word, if they want the business, then they need to have the product NOW, not 6 months down the road, or anything else ...

Upgrade / System approach

2005-11-29T15:21:00.000+08:00

DSLR is a relatively new player in the digital photographic scene. But unlike generations of DC and " Prosumers " before them. DSLR present a challenge to buyers and Mfrs alike. Namely they are geared towards a system approach. And its this single element that are now coming back and haunting those who are not in the knowing.

I was browsing the online forum recently and noted a general tone of dismay from Olympus, Pentax, Sigma, and tto a lesser degree Minolta users. naemly they complain about the lack of system capbility to upgrade to ( or expand their system ) with a up market ( and usually higher performance / more pixel count ) body and better lens. And what do they all find out, its simply not availabnle.

As a Mfr, I am sure all of them understand the need to have a critical market share, and market penetration. But as all of them had to report to the accountants, it seems they ahve only concentrate on the short term selling items and fail to properly deliver a system. We can possibly forgive Fuji or Minolta as one simply are not in this business of system provider ( Nikon is ) and the other is simply too new to ask for too much. But its almost a too simple blunder to made for Pentax and Olympus. One have to wonder what their Product Marketing team and doing and whats their product stratagy at all ( now that they both are crying they need to concentrate on DSLR ). Didn't the Nikon / Canon camp already shown that if you need to be in the market, youy just need to be IN the market, Not just skimming along ... !!!

Failing to made it work

2005-11-28T01:07:00.000+08:00

OK so we have another wave of new prosumer now finally making the shelf on retail store, and what do we got ... OK, lets see, We have the Sony R1, Fuji S-9000/S9500, Panasonic FZ-30 ... Hmmm ... Ok lets admit that those guys do make some progress. But can;t they just get out there and actually take photo please. Well, we have the mega zoom, or bigger sensor or high ISO , but why can't they fihure out that if a consumer is willing to bit the dust and burden himself/herself with those not so small prosumer. They would most definitely benefit from a decent fast lens of reasonable coverage, a decent buffer so we can take pictures in RAW+JPEG mode without waiting eons before the next shoot.

Let's face it, the way prosumer use their sensor and optics, a fast ( 2.0 would be great but I can tolerate and settle for a constant aperture 2.8 ) lens not only allow the lens to produce the needed DOF control, it would allow also a high degree of probability to use low ISO even in low light situuation. It will also boost the Sensor capture when in viewing / Frmaing and so will be less suspectable to focus hunting and less chance of EVF disfunction ( due to not enough light ). A good buffer that allow 3 Frames to 6 Frames should be included and this is for RAW+JPEG. With todays Prosumer selling actually higher than entry level DSLR. I do not think this is askign for too much ...

No Post Processing !!!

2005-11-18T17:11:00.000+08:00

Do you guys hear this often, after the fact that more and more photographer turn to digital. More and more people are increasingly turning up samples online and quite often you hear that they stress that they do " no post processing " on the image ...

What a hilarious one, I though; no decent B&W photographer would question anyother on their developing techniques to extract the best from their neg. Ansel Adams, the master himself even gone so far to publish his techniques on how to do that ( read his book, The Nagative ). Well simply put I think too many photographer of today , though being digital, were still operating, thinking in term of their C41 or E6 mode where a standard Processing is done and the photgrapher simply do not involve himself/herself after the shooting.

Well, Digital is just not that way. All the parameters set in a DC/DSLR or the RAW processing is very much like using different developer/fixer/timing/temp in a darkroom. you got different result from different setup - despite the same scene-lens/camera combo - There is nothing wrong about post processing in this manner excpe perhaps the photgraphers own prejudice

RAW, a new age

2005-11-15T06:01:00.000+08:00

Today I have received 2 e-Mail informing me if update of one of my favourate RAW developer and on the other hand, a new RAW developer now made available to general market. It was only a while gao that we've seen the demise of Agfa, and it made one wonder ... when we lost some, we gain some ..... :-)

I am jumping camp

2005-11-08T14:42:00.000+08:00

Well, how many time I've heard this statement, I can no longer count. So do you I would gather ! But why are so many DSLR user today hell bend on being using the what I would termed " latest and newest toys "

To a certain degree, we can blame the immaturity of the tools. Every new DSLR bring about new features, new innovations, and most importantly in a capable hand, actual advanatge and advance in image quality. But heed this, - in a capable hand - , truth is most of us probably are far from exploting even 50% of our DSLR's capability .... And then there's the issue with how Mfr actually market in this digital phtographic era. They simply failed to develop a system. Witness the like of Pentax, Minolta, & Olympus. They have about 2 or 3 lens for general users and all the better ones are either unavailable, too costly, hard to find, impossible to get, and plenty of times, all of the above. When customer can only have 2 or 3, or 4 lens as a setup. Its not hard for them to switch.

But we might step back and really ask ourselves. Do we really need to switch, Is the Fuji S3 any worse than the D200 ( if you are not a sport shooter ) or the 1D Mk.IIn and worse than the 1D Mk.II, or ...... lets face it, plenty of today's hobbyist is but half a phtographic hobbyist, the other half is Gear Junkie.

The two camnp of thoughts

2005-11-01T16:33:00.000+08:00

OK, so finally the players are all here, Canon EOS-20D on one side and the Nikon D-200 on the others. Notably it represent the 2 camp of mainstream DSLR for Serious photographic hobbyist & Semi-Pros. There are the FF ( Full Frame ) and the reduced size ( APS-C ) sensors.

I've heard numerous argument for one over the others, and for most part they are correct, but within a resonable constraint. That is all the arguments are good only if they are to be applied to a set criteria, which to most photographers are not universal. Truth be told for today. Both kind of sensors produce excellent image that can be used for almost all the needy requirment for this sec of the market. While people now simply taut the demise or thriving of one over the others is simply ignoring the fact that they can both have their place in the future DSLR scene.

In the end, for any system user, the question is not whether APS-C sized or FF sensor is better. Its whether your choosen system will have support for both. Of course for now this is a question that would only baffled Canon. Their range of 1.6X, 1.3X & 1.0X crop sensors are really to a certain extent over complicating the matter. In an evolutionary environemtn as the Digital photographic market had been this last decade, that can be understood and tolerated. But its probably not a good idea to go for in the coming ones.

Nikon D-200, Olympus E-500 vs Apple

2005-10-31T20:19:00.000+08:00

You must wondering why such a title adorn this post. NO, I am not refering to the Mfrs products, but the way they market. In this last few months we've seen Nikon and Olympus in a similar stand with their D-200 & E-500. Nemely the product info is Leaked via some off shore branch and of course, within hours, its all over the net and anyone and everyone who are vee bit interested know about all the details they care to read about the product. Canon is no excpetion here though less obvious with their EOS-5D

Likewise, Apple show us how a empowered company need not go throuhg such behaviour with their launch of the new iPod, iMac, Powerbook & PowerMac. All Apple does is telling the press to attend their launch event and give no hints about what's under the hood. That of course do not stem the speculation, but at least its not trying to force a hype of their product.

In the end, Nikon and Olympus really made a very bad example of marketing and all it does shown is their own lack of confidence in their own product to some degree. IMHO they can take a step back and learn something from their fellow Mfr Pentax, who simply go out and tell their customer about wht they are going to made next year ( 645-digital body ) but simply refuse to comment further. It deliver the same effect of anticipation without hurting the company PR in the long run ... Viral marketing as they are do generate interest, but equally it generate too much anticipation and its consquence.

Digital come of age - Part II

2005-10-28T15:15:00.000+08:00

Since I recite my adherance to traditional film, many of my old film buddies look at me in awe and were questioning me for my loyalties and allegence to the media. I think its kind of funny, but I just want to re-iterate and possibly add some insight to the matter.

If it were for 18 months ago, and you ask me if I would go digital. I say no, not yet. Its simply not there. This pretty much summarize the issue I have for digital as a photographic tools today. In a sense; it is here now. For me that means

- It is now both afoordable within reasonable investment term, for a photographer, Hobbyist or PRO to get a truely fully functional Digital phtographic system, from capture to print

- The technological need for hardware / software / tools are now available

- The image quality is good enough

IN the year 2006, I would expect some breakthrough but most of all I would expect some in depth market change where a lot of traditional photographic service will adept and cater to support infrastructure needed for the digital media.

But fear not, film is still here and most of all, quality synergy product that allow film to work in digital era are fasrt becoming a viable tools also.

Wide Angle & Full Frame DSLR

2005-10-26T00:43:00.000+08:00

Its always a touchy issue while people start debating over Reduced Size Sensor DSLR and Full Frame ( FF ) DSLR. I think its about time people realize that both of them can have their own place in the future of digital photography, but not for the reason as most would put it.

I am not going to repeat all the srguments, but needless to say I think one of the Myth of FF DSLR had always been the backward compatibility of lens, and notably getting their wide angles back as some would put it. Of course a photographer will be able to get back their wide angle coverage using a legacy wide angle on a FF DSLR. But experience had shown that digital sensor of this nature had placed a demand far higher than previously though, and this is most apparent in Wide angles that covers the like of 70 degree or more ( that would be any wide angles that are wider than the 28mm on a FF capture ).

As of today I think the Mfr still fails to provide decent wide angle both for reduced size sensor and FF DSLR. While there are good zooms and some nice good old fix focals that can suffice, they all suffer when one needs to use them for available light or candid. NOtably in the film era this had been served by good faster fix focals which will work fine even when used wide open. This is again why people think the new Canon EOS-5D or any FF DSLR can do for them.

Truth be told. its not. To be able to work that, one would need a lens that had far higher accutance & resolving power, and to this day, Only Pentax had come up with a decent 14/2.8 that can be said to work in such a manner. Matter of fact is DSLRs typical not so great performance at high ISO and the fact that Wide angle shoot typically ask for a lot of detail capture means people need the high MP count and low ISO. This of course demand even higher speed from the lens if it need to be used in any other manner than inanimated subject on a tripod.

So in the end, FF DSLR, IMHO is not a solution for getting back your Wide angle coverage, in fact it demand far more and to this date I am not seeing any real effort in this area.

The Canon EOS-5D vs Linhof

2005-10-25T15:36:00.000+08:00

This last weekend, I have an opportunity to use an EOS-5D body together with a few good Lens for a couple of hours. And no, as regard the experience; I am not refering to Canon's saying about the FF DSLR image quality up to the need of Medium Format which it is not IMHO.

But what I make of it, is instead of thinking of the 5D as a FF DSLR. Think of it as the digital equivalent of a Linhof 2X3. Using a Linhof, photgrapher have the option to go with various format from 6X9, 6X7, 6X6 to panoramic specialties. With the EOS-5D, I see that the biggest advantage of the FF ( colupled with enough captured data ) being a capability to allow Crop to various format while retaining enough raw capture data for decent prints. Even down to the extremem of 1:1 square.

So in the end, this FF DSLR is not about getting back the coverage of Wide Angle or using the old lens as they are. To me, it opens up a better way of taking photo, and one, if willing to learn the art, can benefit from adepting to the scene, and a way to utilize your resource on hand. This is IMHOHO, the better part of a FF DSLR.

What fo you made of it

2005-10-24T00:52:00.000+08:00

By that I mean the new breed of DC coming out of the Mfr roster this season. While they all look pretty much update to the old formulae. There is however significant trend in there for photographer to check on, namely ...

The market of DC can best be described to bematuring and stabilizing and reflected by the several different sub category of DC that are prevelant on the market
First there are the style concious Ultra slim, pretty much a journal of a tool in anybody's hand. Typified by the Sony T series
The synergy product of Video and Photo. Its interesting to see that there are actually 2 distinct sector of this. Where the DV camera derived variant like the JVC Evara series and the DC derived like the Sanyo C series
The family compact. Essentially the digital version of yesteryears family P&S. Nothing fancy about them, but they get the work done and usually without much fuss or fanfare. Typified by the Canon A series
Hobbyist Compact, unlike the workhorse varaint, these are high on feature and most of all control allowing serious photograher serious way to shoot. Fuji E-series and Canon A series typify that
Prosumer, this is still here but really they are dated. There is really no reason to go with them against a DSLR. And with the capabaility of the Hobbyist compact fast catching on. The Prosumer need some specialty to carry on, and each & every Mfr trump their own. Sony with their large sensor and awesom Carl Zeiss lens. Fuji with their super-CCD technology and Panasonic with their ultimate big gun Zoom and OIS
Finally there will be the new breed of Serious photographers DC, like the Ricoh GR Digital, or Olympus SP-350. They are typified by their capability, image quality, features and control and most of all, RAW capture.

Of course the DC market had come around qith quite a dramatic push to the art and hobby. But just like evrything else. Its time the DC enter another realm of their life and 2006 will probably see DC market consolidating further more

A trend to be

2005-10-20T13:05:00.000+08:00

As Digital Camera come to be mainstream product, with image quality fulfilling the majority of consumer need. We can no longer expect leaps in features & specification with every model change. But with the market always crying for new ones and abandoning old ( even if only been around for less than a year ) ones. What's a Mfr suppose to do.

Well the way to go is evolutionary models instead of generation leaping. Fuji is probably the best to typify it by introducing the F11 ( a variant of the F10 ) and the Z2 ( from the Z1 ). Some time this can be frustrating to customers as they feel like they've been paying for the old models and come around they can have the new better one. But much like most consumer electronics. Well when one needs it, one needs it. I do not think there's any sense in arguying over the matter.

However, such kind of making also make for some interesting side effect. Fuji again try this one with their E-900, in itself shouldn't be considered a evolutionary model as its spec and features clearly indentify it as a jump in product generation. But Fuji's real mistake is to utlize a not so desirable chassis, namely the E-550. Before the E-900 come around and made it to the world's shopping windows. There were already scores of user reporting returning the camera due to their poor build quality. Poor build quality it might not have, but poor basic chassis made for similar result. By that, Fuji had fallen into the trap of trying to re-use their resource far too much.

Olympus 4/3 vs Sigma SD

2005-10-11T21:29:00.000+08:00

As DSLR goes, the Olympus 4/3 system is perhaps one of the first and foremost Cult fellowing, only matched by the Foveon X3 equipped Sigma SDs. Both are niche market product as of today. Both utilize technology unique to them and sell on quality ( especially image quality ) and features of their own.

So what can one learn from them, namely from a market point of view. Its no secret that Sigma was not and is not aiming to be a major Camera Mfr. Their core business is in their Lens lineup and the SD range provide a way top let Sigma made a stand of their own, in a word, a show piece product that tie in with its other core products.

On the other hand, for Olympus. the 4/3 is about the premium and " THE " system to be for digital imaging. Nor would I refrain from saying Olympus, to a large extent, fulfill the promise, but for some reservation. At the launch of the E-system. Olympus is reputed to made a show of force and clearly state its intent to force a major market share in the DSLR market after its years of cultivation in the DC market. At the time Olympus is one of the big name in DC and fetch quite some business. What Olympus want is at least 10%+ of the DSLR market with the E-1 and eventually something like at least 15% to 25% of the general DSLR market. As of today, Not only did Olympus fail in this, but also its having its DC lineup going from top names to almost also runs. The E-system ( or 4/3 ) had about a paltry 6%+ of the DSLR market according to industry retail record. And a hugh part of that had to be Olympus own undoing.

How did Olympus managed to screw up big times. Well , just the old saying goes, their own big months. Olympus had keep tauting their Digital specific system being superior than legacy film derived / evolution system, and that their system will come out better, lighter, and more compact that others with superior quality. About the only thing that one might agree is Quality, But if its superior or not is up to ones own subjective POV. What manifest is in real world usage the 4/3 is not better or worse than other makes and similarly others makes are having just as well good product that show clearly the same level of perofrmanc. What really made the whole fiesco worse is othera are having much wider berth of product lineup and Olympus 4/3 are simply not showing any real advantahe as they have put it.

Sigma on the other hand, stick with a limited clientle but quietly simply do not try to overhype the market. Sure they do not sell as much SDs, but they have a far more satisfying customer because they know they can have it all and clearly Sigma's signal to them is that the SD will not be a true all covering system. Olympus undoing is their inability to field a total solution while promising one. And likely Olympus still do not have one either, unfortunately ...

My crystal ball says ....

2005-10-09T20:22:00.000+08:00

Well, just like many of others, I tend to have my own opinion on various product and manufacturers, systems and cameras, and as well their implication to the photographic scene. This year had proven to be one exciting ones and 2006 looks to be interesting as well. So what do the crystal ball holds. I can't really tell, but my hunch is ...

Like it or not, the EOS-5D do signals a turn of event for the general market DSLR scene. It has clearly define serious Hobbyist / Semi-Pro grade DSLR. In a word FF is here to stay for PROs and die hard amateur alike
On the otherhand, do not think the APS-C or reduced size sensor will be seeing their end either. Their cost and size advantage ensure they have a market in entry level / compact system DSLRs. The Nikon D50, Pentax *ist family & multitude of Canons and so have prove it over and over again
Prosumers vs Entry level DSLR, now is there really exist a question about them competing against themselves. The reality is they both have their virtuals and they both will have their own clientle
So what about the real PROs. that would be a diversified bunch with Medium format digital backs, PRO grade Medium format DSLR, FF 24X36 DSLRs, and even reduced sized sensor DSLRs will all have a place in the gear bags so long they can deliver the performance and retain their specific value
Finally, the coming of the real hobbyist grade photographic instead of snapping compacts - Ricoh GR Digital - Fuji F11 and then some others. What's the common place features of these. High end imaging engine and image quality coming from a combination of top grade optics, refined firmware/software, dedicated exposure control, capbility to shoot and store RAW.

Its all about habits

2005-10-05T03:17:00.000+08:00

Yes, and I am referring to all the OPINIONS people have about their cameras. I was checking on the new Olympus E-500 DSLR and noted that many online reviewer are prasing it for its CONVENTIONAL & TRADITONAL SLR like ergonomics. I must say I am anything but agreeing to that. Most of them like to point out that the previous E-300 are not to their liking because of its unorthodox design.

Let me be the one to say that after handling the E-300 for some time. I do not see its having any problem with ergonomics. Sure its not the same as most of current DSLR / SLR. But that do not made it any worse in handling, and in fact its doing better on some aspects. Which lead me to recall my ( still labouring ) Minolta 9xi & Pentax Z-1, both were launched back in 1991 with unique control and VF layout. The Z-1 pioneer the 2 commad dial control. Back then it was hailed as a gross mistake by most SLR user. The 9xi had its neccessary information projected within the framed scene and allow the viewer to frame and check exposure without moving the eyes around. Today the same command dial and combined framing / composing / exposure info display is almost universal on all DC and DSLR, and I do not see anybody in particular find them offending. The same goes with teh Olympus E-300. It just demand a new approach and getting used to, but its not better or worse than any traditional layout. IMHO most reviewer made the same mistake as those do back then circa 1991 .....

Sensor size, another wave of bunching

2005-09-30T11:45:00.000+08:00

Long time digital photographer would probably all know about the issue of reduced size sensor ( aka APS-C sized ) in a SLR. Many had all been lamenting the reduced size for its lack of coverage or incompatability with legacy Lens that were left from the film days. Now let me state it up front. I do not see the reduced sized sensor a bad idea. while its not going to made the Wide angle gang happy. It more than made it up by its capability to go Tele and certainly its far better to have new Wide angle lens to fit them.

In any case , this brings me to the topic of the issue here. With the launch of Canon EOS-5D; there were again a wave of people shouting for the demise of reduced size sensor and the Sony R1 prompted the adoption of bigger sensor in norminal prosumer or compact DC. While I understand their ratinal behind the cry. I cannot made myself amaneble to their call. Know that when peole start to voice their "WANTING", they really starting to lost their reasoning. FF sensor would be great, but this do not take away the fact that a FF sensor is a relatively expensive, & low yield parts. Together with the fact that a FF demand far higher on power, & support electronics; FF cannot be a mainstream sensor in the short term future. And that goes the same with a bigger sensor in a compact DC. Its not the sensor thats the limiting factor, but the support system.

And in the end, if the smaller sensor can do it alright , then why should we be insisting on such adoption.

The perfect Camera

2005-09-21T20:49:00.000+08:00

Was simply not available ( yet ) at least .... Care to face the truth, guys. Go ahead and read all the comment, review and forum post. How many tine do we see a new camera or lens come into the market and we have loads of opinions.

This is most prevalent recently with the Sony R1 & Ricoh GR-Digital. Or the long lasting comment about having live preview and Video on a DSLR. I figure there simply exist a large populance of consumer unwilling ( irrational it mighjt sound ) to accpe that Mfr do not always want to produce the perfect do everything all in one package. Many DC & DSLR are created for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to take good pictures and with good measure of constrants and control.

The last few year sees a trend of DV & DC integration & synergy. While its a good thing to see features and functions abound. Its more important to figure that as everything in life, they cost; one way or another. What the DSLR or the like of the GR-Digital do is to spare the unwanted and focus on making the best and most out of what is essential and made them quality ones. So DC crowds. if you are looking for that Perfect camera as you would want it. Look elsewhere. In the mean time. I am all for a proper camera.

Evolution & Revolutionn

2005-09-16T01:23:00.000+08:00

Well, this last few weeks had turn out to be quite an exciting time for photographer as we are. For once, look at all the new DC & some new DSLR launch. The Fujifilm E-900 & the Canon A620 finally fulfill a market gene that had long lost since digital starting to replace film. The good old workhorse compact camera with decent manual control; well enough of it at least.

But its the launch of the Sony R1, the Ricoh GR-Digital & the Canon EOS 5D that really excite. It finally signal the maturity of the photographic market, solidify the fact that digital is now the media of choice by providing the neccessary evolution and revolution in photographic tools. Allowing us to go back to having some fun and usability as well as probe into new mold of construction.

Now with the anticipated 2006 launch and the yet to release / announced new comers. it look like its getting more exciting than I have anticipated.

Why are they losing business

2005-08-01T17:35:00.000+08:00

Do you read the news about the new SOny T5 , hey but the T7 was just out for only a few short months. You know what. its one of the reason why all our beloved DC Mfr seems to be doing. They think in term of electronics and consumer electronic in particular.

Well they have a reason to think so. at least as far as the past history tells. Hey but times change; Camera had always been considered a long term usage gear, like a fridge or washing machine. You do not go out and buy a new camera every other few months or so back in the film days, right. The only reason why DC user do that is simply fact reflkecting that DC was not good enough and every new generation brings it that bit closer to be actually good enough. Well good enough is what the current 5 to 8 MP machine actually deliver, and with the penetration of so many DC in so short a time frame. The meaning is one simply do not need yet another one. Not unless for showing off to your friends or unless you are really quality driven to get the most out of it.

Its about time the Mfr look carefully about how they make and market their DC. Maturing of the market is coming of age for the DC Mfr.

Why defend an old baston of tradition, Well why NOT

2005-08-01T17:21:00.000+08:00

Yes, its no news. Leica in trouble, and this time its more than just skin deep. Its not the first time and probably not the last. But what's most interesting about this wave of Leica news is the wave of online discussion that comes with it.

Now I suppose I might add my own. Let me state it up front. Yes I am a Leica Owner and USED TO BE a Leica user. I say used to be because I have move on. Let's face it; a new Leica MP would not be functionally better than a vintage 1954 M3; and while the new and amazing Leica Lens are optically superlative, do they actually deliver better picture than my decades old Leica lens. Truth be told. Leica as a Mfr is no longer in the forefront of Photographic technology and certainly not in the market to provide that superlative performance as it used to be. In the end its about what a photographer want in his system. As a photographer, I have my Leica as a tool. not a status symbol, or a Hobby leisure toy. Some might argue that the tactile feedback, the no nonsense approach to user interface, the simplicity of control, the bare essential of exposure control all contribute to the experience. Yes that's true , but all those things goes the same to my Hasselblad 6X6, or my DSLR in fact. I am a photographer, and the ultimate prove of worthness is in the picture, and what todays technology can deliver as picture making goes.

Let's be at it again. Many Leicaphillies rise and defend the brand but the sad truth is Leica as a tool for photographyt is no better or worse than most other brands, and is priced so out of the norm as to be unreasonable for its quality delivering.

I will still cherish my Leica, especially my screw moutn Standard which had been giving me sterling service for years ( and likely to be doing so for many more years ) but I simply do not see any reason to defend the brand as it is now. For those who feel differently, fine, but please put your money where your months are .... Buy from Leica and buy new ..... its the business that will kepp it from going under, not Fans fanatic !!!

Prosumer & Hobbyist grade DC

2005-07-28T21:09:00.000+08:00

Whata time, so what do you made of all that, Panasonic FZ-30, LX-1; Fujifilm S-9000, E-900, S-5200; Olympus Mju-Digital 800; Kodak V-550; Ricoh GX-8 .......

The list goes on and on , whats the difference anyway, Sure they are new DC and they look like worthy successor to their forebearer. But heed this. there is a big difference with these latest generation of High-end DC. Simply put - they were made to be used for photography. They have the control a photographer need, not just a snap shoot P&S anymore.

It would be most interesting to see how the highend DC, Prosumer model and the consumer DSLR market synergize and merge, diverse and develop.

Almost there ...

2005-07-27T01:14:00.000+08:00

You've got to give credit where credit's due right, and that's the case with the Panasonic LX-1, the new and exciting DC that utilize a 16:9 aspect ratio configurationed 8.4 Mega-pixel CCD. BY trimming off the long side, it will give a 7 MP image on 2:3 aspect ratio & 6MP in 3:4 aspect ratio. All of which are fully usable for the camera's intended usage as a simple all for one P&S casual cam.

Now the only thing Panasonic really missed on is the Lens. Yes it do covers as wide as such of a 28mm on 24X36 format but only for the 16:9 on horizontal, and this aspect ratio is really made popular by introduction of HDTV. Now on a HDTV, there is no need for consideration of Portrait layout, but on a camera this is not so. The Lens is still very much covers only a fairly modest 33mm in 24X36 equivalent when used for Portrait layout. Not helped of course by the fact that 16:9 aspect ratio is not exactly the best to be employed in most portrait layout image.

In a sense this application is very much taking the APS film format and put the concept into a digital camera. While anyone can do cropping either on a print or post processing. the concept of the APS and the LX-1 is such that the one who use it would actually be able to tell the camera and thus form the image right away at capture time how the frame should be made.

For all its worth, this DC looks mighty promising, now if Panasonic can prove its imaging engine improvement as they would want us to believe, then we might be seeing a winner here.

A DC thats even larger than a DSLR

2005-07-25T00:49:00.000+08:00

Yes, and its not the first one also; but then the newly annolunced Panasonic FZ-30 just prove it once again, something that the DC crowd don't want to hear or simply unwilling to accept despite all the facts and truht behind it - That is, you want the quality & the features of them all, well prepared to put up with the size and bulk ..!!

Konica Minolta + Sony , and Phase one

2005-07-25T00:38:00.000+08:00

By now, I suppose most who are wee bit interested in photography know about this. Yes, despite what it might seems, Sony is teaming up with Konica Minolta, right on the heel of Panasonic / Olympus announcement. So what does that means. Well nothing for now. The result of any co-development, co-branding won't see the light of days at least until mid of 2006.

Now what have thios anyhting to do with Phase One. Nothing except by sheer chance, Phase One announce a trio of new digital backs that really define next gene of top end photographic tools this side of a Large Format View Camera. Now what I need is someone telling me that we can finally have labs that decently work with this new age and new meida.

It will be a wonderful and exciting year to come. Ok so what's up next with Pentax & Mamiya !!

The good, the bad, & the ugly

2005-07-22T04:03:00.000+08:00

So have you heard the news yet, Yes, leica in trouble and this time its seems its keen deep in it. If you want the details click on the title of this entry and check it oput yourselves. But I am not here to voice my thought on that.

What I am seeing this few days on this matters is what this topics had bring out in all of online communities. Just check the normal forum threads, and check out how people react to this topics. I have to say it really bring out the good, the bad, & the uglies of them all, but unfortunately its mostly the bad and ugly and few and far in between for the good ones.

Digital Imaging, almost there

2005-07-15T05:28:00.000+08:00

Despite the fact that I work with and do a lot of digital photography. To this day I had yet to fully invest into any DSLR system. That is nto to say that I find them inferior or what. Its never about the Film vs Digital for me. I have long since realize they are simply different media and require a different approach. There were never a matter of which is better, but which is better in any specific application or under a special shooting condition.

But, and a really big BUT the ral hinderance to me had always been the DSLR and software developer failing to deliver a proper package. Now that 16 bit processing is available for image editing. I am eager to wait and see when I can have full 16 bit support in a DSLR right down to the JPEG recording ( OK they will require JPEG2000 I suppose )

Now the next important aspect to fellow is the backend service required for the new media - on line storage and viewing, printing, archiving and so on .... Well Digital Imaging is almost ther but not quite yet ...

That view , is kind of , well ..........

2005-07-11T03:34:00.000+08:00

So what with the new Nikon D50 and the Pentax *ist-DL, and the rumored Konica Minolta 5D .... we have yet another bunch of DSLR for all those who are hunger for a new and fun lightweight DSLR. But wait, what did you say, that view is ... well ... kind of small

Well that comes about because to make that DSLR cheap and light, the Mfr had the brillient idea of using a Penta-Mirror instead of Pentaprism. Saving cost and weight at the same time. So stop bitching about it, you got what you pay for guys .... Ok but then we get to the touchy issue of how the Mfr spec their Viewfinder display. What we have is coverage in a % value and a magnification ratio. The first part of that is stright forward, a 90% view show 90% of the actual image captured. Fine , but the second part is far from simple, What the Mfr do not tell you is that the Magnification Ratio is based on the Media sized recorded. So while the Olympus E-300 claim a 1.0 Mag ratio. They failed to tell you that its just 0.5 when compared to 35mm film and also that the 1.0 is measured for a 50mm lens, hardly your standard on the 4/3 format, which mean your normal view would be even smaller. My Kiev-88 had but about 0.8 Mag Ratio, but its based on a 6X6 media. So before marvelling at those numbers, take a note what they means !!!!

Practice made perfect

2005-07-01T14:32:00.000+08:00

Do you find it interesting that plenty of time around online communities we've heard people vocing their discontent with a certain lens or certain film or certain whatever; they all seems to think that if they could have a better gear, then the picture will come out better.

I am under the impression that simply put, they faile dto understand the equipment do not make the picture, they themselves, the photgraphers do. Its up to them to understand and know the limit, the PRO and CONs of their own gear, and to exploit them accordingly. I fondly remember the time when I acquire my Carl Zeiss Tessar 45/2.8 years ago in anticipation for a rather long trip to Japan. Expecting to get some amazing result from it. Eventually it take me 2 years on to fully get acquired with the lens. The lesson learned is simply an old one. Practice made perfect, and it dwells on the user to fully understnad his equipment before knowing when to use what and how.

I have no objection to anyone going out and getting better gears ( hey that made the economy goes ) but before they do, shouldn't they examine themselves first

A small step for Mamiya, a giant step for Medium format ?

2005-06-29T21:47:00.000+08:00

Might be, but the fact that Mamiya had now finally shown working and seemingly finshed prototype to public is a milestone in itself indeed. When small format DSLR photogragher are still debating over FF or pixel or what. The medium format scene really starting to show some promising news. The reduced price and great performance leap over the last generation is phenominal, but the key point of it is its now enetering a realm where it promise a working platform that can be taken seriously and look like it will be able to be priced reasonably.

Would it be long before advanced amateur can share the fun ?

A simple standrd fast fix focal

2005-06-14T16:22:00.000+08:00

Is this asking too much from a customer point of view. Nobody question the existance of a 50/1.4 even back in the twilight of film era when Zoom rank king. Now why should the Digital phtograher not being provided with the neccessity or rather variety. Beats all, and when the answer come from none other than Sigma in the form of a 30/1.4 it just got to show the big game Mfr are all so back seated or rather simply because they hold monopoly of the suppose " Superior " quality optics that they feel they can force their own onto the users.

They might since we are all locked into a single system, but as the like of Tokina, Tamron, & Sigma release more and more options. The Mfr had to awake to the fact that they must provide a system and not just what they feel like they could sell. To a great extent that had been the demise of Olympus, Pentax & Minolta. They simply fail to field a system or fielding a system that leave users wanting. On the other hand, Canon & Nikon are itting on top of their old collection and refusing to field new lens simply becasue they know the user do not have a choice.

Do Justice being served ?

2005-06-14T16:17:00.000+08:00

Last year, HP start coding their ink cartridge with regional code preventing their customer to use genuine HP ink from US being used on a European machine or vice versa and alike. Epson today announce their " sor of " settelement with a Hong KOng based company regarding replacement ink cartridge.

What in the world do we get ourselves into. When GM sell a car, GM do not prevent me from replacing the tire from a 3rd party source. Nor do Dupont require me to yse only Dupont ink in their famous fountain pen. So why should these printer company engage in such activity. IMHO this is just an abuse of the intellectual property law. Nothing more than GREED over fairness.

Intel inside a MAC

2005-06-07T19:26:00.000+08:00

Now this piece of news had spark so much mis-informed gossips that I feel like its a pity that people can be so single minded and opinionized to the extreme. Let's faze it, this is not the first time Apple done that. Those who think Mac will die and RIP simply because it switch to an Intel CPU must have no recollection of the old time MAC with a Motorola chip.

So what does the move really signals. First its sort of a slap in the face ( although without much real world business price to pay ) for IBM, after the fiesco which IBM selling off their Thinkpad line. It just basically and plainly reflect on the Big Blue's inability to engage in this sector of the market.

The real impact of the matter though is for the endusers. You can rest asure that the Mac will still by far the best platform for the MAC experience, and as a long time MAC user. I can tell you its not about performance alone that draw us to MAC. Its a total experience. Its a Culture, a way of living. But back to the issue. what it does mean is MAC OS might be an option instead of Windows for a large populance of Intel based machines.

And finally, it reflect on the fact that technology had evolve to a point that variety and other issue other than numbers on the performance spec counts, and possibly count heavy on the users mind too, just my 2 cents on the matter

....... Photo of the Day

2005-05-28T08:39:00.000+08:00

Just to show something different, & BTW I decide to use the Blog to show some of my work, here a scene captured on a cloudy afternoon at the HK exhibition center complex on 35mm film with a beat up Soviet 65mm Mir-38, just to prove that, yes those cheap soviet medium format lens do work, even in 35mm

Support Open RAW

2005-05-27T17:27:00.000+08:00

Bullying in the new age

2005-05-25T17:43:00.000+08:00

Fetch your dictionary and find the word Bullying, read the meaning. No one like getting bullied, not even on line ones ( at least you get the physical part off ) but are we seeing a growing trend of bullying among on line photographic society.

OK, nothing against the individuals, but check this thread out ( click the title ) and see what I mean .... there's semms now a growing population of brand dirhard that are hell bend on promoting theit own choosen system and like to turn blind eye to the shortcoming of it even if its plain and obvious. OK I can live with that, but the problem is they would, without any substanciality, trash on other system. And worse, anyone whi happen to hold a different view will be pounded one, even those who stand neutral ........ Sorry about the political punk, but are they supporter of BUSH or what, Its like " If you're not with us, your are the enemy "

Darth Vader must love them .....

Read the instruction and the Brochure PLEASE

2005-05-22T18:32:00.000+08:00

I wonder if the net really enhance people's way to communicate. You know the most common question fl,owing around the new photographic community are all silly ones that you simply " shake your head " with amusment and say to yourselves - " Do they actually know somethinbg or what ??? " .......... You know the type of question like - " OK I have this new Olympus OM to 4/3 adeptor now, can I have AF and auto aperture on it " or the classic " Why didn't my new DSLR LCD do not do live viewing "

As if there's any secret to these technical side of the questions. Ahmmm. Come on guys, do you actually read the product brochure and instruction manual at all .... Seems like at least 80% of the question is planly spelled out in those good old materials. People just failed to appreciate taking some time and READ the Text

Finally , a one that can actually print

2005-05-16T20:36:00.000+08:00

Its no secret that digital imaging had became the main stream photographic tools of choice for many. However, its always been the printing part that its lacking behind. There's simply no touching to traditional wel darkroom print for its clarity and depth.

Well its still not there, but HP and Epson's new offering this season had finally convice me that the time had come that print from digital can now be considered for serious content and serious creative work. Embrace a brave new world .... OK

Leica's Lens

2005-05-16T20:30:00.000+08:00

Let's face it, Leica is in trouble. But Leica do made some of the best lens around. There werw tons of people using them and using them on anything but a leica body. Adepted to work on 6X6 all the way to Digital.

So a clear question is - why don't Leica just made their lens available for other mount, that's a sure way to sell no doubt. How about the APO 180/3.4 in M42, or the New 75/2.0 APO-Summicron. Certainly the M42 mount will incur no problem in copyright and its fair to be certain that such mechanical mount with no electronic what so ever will not tax on Leica's resource. No doubt it will see also. But will Leica's pride prevent them from even considering such and worse still, if Leica do sell lens to other mount, will Leica's Body be till a viable product ... some thought to ponder still

A clear case of Dinosaurs in existance

2005-05-14T22:53:00.000+08:00

Yeah, just read the news we have on Olympus and you will know that; now for once I must say I have nothing against Olympus. Actually I am a happy owner / user of several Olympus camera and lens. Olympus had bben and still are producing some amazingly good cameras and lens. BUT ................. Olympus is also a Dinosaur among the camera Mfr. and one that seems intend to be so for quite a while. The recent fiesco its having with its Digital Imaging department is IMHO what they bring on themselves. In short, they are trying too hard and being too zealous in trying to be big and be everywhere in the market. In the end, it failed to perceive market need and be moving with the market as they do a couple of years ago. They were both innovative and trend setting when they bring on the C3030, and the E-10 way back. Now they are sitting on their laurel and to a great extent just ideling and unwilling to commit and unwilling to produce for the market.

No where is this more prevalent in the DC market when Oly simply unable to provide market trend going Slim DC until every major competetion had one and their inability to provide E-system user with proper Lens. Yes, I've heard that, the 14-54 and the 50-200 are very high performing lens and you should not need something else. OK, if so then why do they go around and launch the 2.0 Zoom or the 2 consumer zoom for the E-300. The truth is Oly knows they have to provide some kind of varieties but indecision fromk their part just hurt them. Now you might ask me why do I think its so. Yes I do because I actually write to Olympus asking, and plainly suggesting that they need to provide some lens, especially fast fix focals. And surprising to me too, they actually reply and told me they are still yet undecided on the subject matter .... What a toss up !!!!!

I wish Oly all the best, but for real, they need a more open minded management in product planning and plainly they should start listerning to their customer and customers to be

Why can't we just have a workable P&S - Part 2

2005-05-13T05:54:00.000+08:00

I was reading the latest DC announcement from Pentax, and speak to myself .... well what a deal and a package, but why are those DC still using the same lens from the 3 M-pixel days with that dismal coverage .... !!!!

Know what, I present my case on a well populated forum, and ask if anybody had any idea why the Mfr stubbornly refuse to put a decent covering lens in all but the up market and Prosumer DC. Its not like the Soccor Mon or simply mass public do not need wide angle covergae right. Well I do get some respond and let's put it this way, I don;t think the zealots answering the post say there are up to a dozen DC with decent ( 28mm equivalent ) coverage undertand my point at all. And I will re-iterate that again here. Mfr need to put decent coverage into their lens on every category of DC now that they are main stream imaging P&S product. One shouldn't need to always go for the Prosumer model to get a decent package.

OS X Tiger

2005-05-10T17:49:00.000+08:00

I guess one of the top news item for almost everyone who have slight interest in better utilizing their computer. The Apple OS X Tiger seems to stir quite a storm. IMHO the truth is most Windows user had Apple to benefit. Without the push of such and Linux to a certain extent. Windows will simply not be what it is now today.

Well, I am still waiting for Longhorn, but for now, I will be happy enjoying what MS suppose to improve and provide in Longhorn and enjoy it now -------- in a MAC

Blind Faith - part 2

2005-05-10T17:42:00.000+08:00

I was readint another forum thread just today and one person remark that he's planning to get an Olympus DSLR together with an adeptor to use his Pentax K mount lens. Sounds just usual to me. Well what's not so usual is the response to the post. Within minutes, I see several response and all they have to say is how bad the Olympus are - ( Small sensor, why bother ? )

This is becoming a trend you know, people are hell bend on one sided opinion and are less and less inclined to accept varieties and failed to appreciate other system's virtual and all they could see is how their choosen one is better than others. Is this what all the new photography brings about in todays photographers. One have to wonder

You expect them to perform alike

2005-05-06T17:08:00.000+08:00

That is the question I posted to a fellow forum memebr when he complain his M42 lens is not performing like he think it should, that is it should be like his up to date EOS EF lens on his 300D. It was helirious. People today seems to haver only one set mind about how lens should eroform and if the lens do not perform likely, they complain. Well can't they recognize that those old metal and glass are designed and build at a much earlier days and simply was designed with different criteria.

I see a lot of new DSLR user go and buy lens and yet failed to appreciate that every lens had its own characters and need the user to fully exploit its potential. The automation game had turn all these guys into nothing more than button pusher. And all they have for comparison is a narrow set mind. What a sad satire to the art and craft of photography

Blind Faith

2005-05-06T17:01:00.000+08:00

Its one of those thing, you know. If you ever being hionest and tell the truth, especially truth about certain brand of camera and lens. It seems there will always a hugh crowd of Zealots ready to pounce on you. The most recent take on the matter I've got on the matter is the Leica crowd tauting their 50mm M-Summicron always better than any of the SLR 50/1.4 - But are we talking on equal ground here !!!

Blind Faith seems to be the rage of this generation of Digital and Traditional photographers. Leica afficiedos are there, so do Zeiss Zealots. Canon and Nikon DSLR user keep bashing others for top end model comparison, and not to mention the 4/3 system user crowds. I wonder how come people could fall into such defensive stance. I suppose the truth is digital technology brings out a lot of the defect that was previously unseen by users alike, and they simply do not take it with grace.

Which Lens do I need ....

2005-05-03T01:57:00.000+08:00

This is about one of the most commonly asked question I've gto browsing DC and DSLR forums, especially when the guy / gal turn out to be a fairly fresh and newly initiated in the Hobby. The turning of photography into a copmmodity activity had also turn out a new breed of casaual picture taken, which if they remain casual would have no problem. The problem only came when they try to advance their photographic skill. Now I am not accusing ant specific persons, but let's be real here ........... a lot of these newly initiated just had no intention or not even the heart to learn a technical skill and the technical backgrounf thory and knowledge to enable them to further their hobby or art.

To understand lens ( and for the matter the usage of any specific technical parameter ) usage, one really need to look into how one lens might affect tthe picture,a and prime concern for most is the angle of coverage. I think most of those who ask simply failed to simply invest some time in the basic learning !

TIPA really made my day

2005-04-29T15:44:00.000+08:00

Yes, its the time of the year again, and TIPA, as usual announced their annual award to a hail of doubts and questioning from the online community. But for one I am grateful that they did what they did, that is not yielding to mass consent and come up with some really respectful and reasoned decision.

Some of those are really no brainer. I doubt anyone argue about the award going to the Nikon F6 in its category, nor the PSCS2 for the matter. But its in the heated digital product range that seems to stir up the storm. Evrywhere on line from local forums to personal sites. People defend and attack the decisions.

I am especially delighted to see the award going to the Fuji S-3 , and I am sure a lot of 20D user disagree.

A digital Leica .... so

2005-04-29T15:24:00.000+08:00

One have to really question if Leica got it or not ? It was only a mere a little more than a year ago when Leica was questioned about their digital stratagy and the company plainly answer that the M system is not digital compatible and at the same time unveil the Leica Digital Module - R. Months passes, and now we have the actual product delivering, and Leica switching position and admit working on a similar module for M camera scheduled for late 2006 or early 2007. But one have to wonder if Leica make it or not. The module itself is not full frame, cost as much as a Canon 1Ds Mk.II and not self-containing. I am sure Leica advocates and afficiados would have every reason to support the product. But as a photographer, its hard to imagine a less performing product.

Leica lens and cemras are never cheap, back in the film days it does provide a certain amount of superlative performance and longitivity to the gear. But as technology goes, newest and latest of those from other Mfr. are just as good and some are even better. Leica is more a boutique product now then what Oscar Barnack had in mind when he made the first Leica.

Why can't we just have a workable P&S

2005-04-27T14:15:00.000+08:00

Ricoh GX8 remind me of the lond standing problem of the P&S DC market once more. I used to own one of the very early Konica Lexio film P&S, even back then, the camera give me a reasonable coverage of 28 to 70mm focal length on a 35mm film. So what do we have for the DC market. Nothing, and I mean nothing ! No not even the Ricoh come close of giving us a decent wide-standard-long focal reach. They were all tauting that they have coverage right down to the 35mm film equivalent, but I suppose they would rather you not knowing that a 35mm covergae on diagonal in a 3:4 aspect ratio really only give you just enough covergae on the horizontal ( where it matters ) of roughly 39 or 40mm in film ( 35mm 2:3 aspect ratio ). Hardly can this be called a wide angle at all. Even the Ricoh, when tallied fall right short of the mark. And even Caon & Ricoh's 28 is more like 33 when examined in the horizontals

Now is it really that hard to actually make a lens that will work decently or simply put, the Manufacturer just refuse toput in some decent work so long they can still milk profit from these uninspiring specified DC.

Why post process at all , well , Why not ??

2005-04-24T23:21:00.000+08:00

Or is it just a mis guided question. And BTW, what's the question anyway. The most recent and hyped question I've been hearing recently is should I post process. There seems to exist a school of thinking that no post processing should be done to a digital image as it constitute a kind of fooling around.

I think they have totally miss the point. They are thinking in term of C-41 and e-6 processing where every single technical details had all but standardized. That simply is not the case with any digital capture, be it from your scanner or from a DSLR. A digital capture is much like a film capture on B&W film. the post processing is your digital darkroom part. Nobody, even film advocates argue against using different chemicals, and various different developing and fixing technique to glemm the most out of the neg. Likewise, a digital capture is the RAW stock and it take post processing to gleem the most out of it. On the other hand, today's new breed of digital photgrapher seems harbour a really bad habit of overdoing their post processing, and even worse, trick and falsify an image. When this is being done, intentional or not, the photo & phtographer no longer can be credited with a faithful capture, and not even an artistic capture in fact. Now I do see why the school of no post processing had been and where's their point.

The Narrow Minded Photographer

2005-04-23T14:15:00.000+08:00

Well, FOA, I had to admit being one before. But I have since corrected myself. So what's the whole point here - without much news around, its natural that the photographic community turn back to discussion to some basic and long going debate, some are as old as we can remember, the typical Leica vs Zeiss ( seems to be quite a topic in fact now that Zeiss had their ZI Lens ) or the even more heated Nikon vs Canon.

But the real top debate must be the Digital vs Film; and I do not think I need to address this ongoing dilemma to you all. Unfortunately with this topic, I am seeing ever more people going polarized, unable to accept reasoning and fact, unable to open their heart and their mentality to an open ground !

While I must admit most of their statement or fact that they used to back their own conclusion is sound and factual. The problem is those facts do only applied to that individual photographer and its but not the whole truth. Go on click the link up on the title. The image is grainy, and lack of definition. Does this make the film capture I used any less better than a digital capture. On the other hand, without the digital darkroom work applied, it would probably look pretty bleak in its original ( washed out ) color. IMHO the issue lie in the fact that we as photographers all have a set workflow and of course a set criteria for our work and our craft. The problem is todays photographer are far less acceptive to others who might simply not be working the same way. Believe it or not, I have been accused of taking too clear a picture out of my Lomo ...

Leica, anyone ?

2005-04-22T14:25:00.000+08:00

I have always think of the Leica management as an old dying breed of romantics. Well I am wrong. So what did they do after their fiesco with the Bank. They fired their CEO, inject reserve to the reds, and basically ask yet another round of capital from the stock market. All of which are good old Capiltalistic Financial trick ( and out of dated ones too ).

Hey, investers out there, anyone wanting a share of the Leica ?

The *ist-Ds Phenomenon

2005-04-22T14:08:00.000+08:00

The saying goes that the best complement is flaattery. So wheile we look at the new Nikon D50, we might reflect on the basics. For certain Pentax had much to be happy about their lowly *ist-Ds. In no way is it anywhere being remarkable, but in all a remarkable DSLR itself. Almost single handly this small DSLR body had spur a 200%+ increase in Lens demand from Pentax. It was launched in a tide of new bodies, with the competetion, the Ds is nothing more than an also run technically speaking. But yet its this little beast that seems to storm the market.

So what's in its secret that make it such a success. In all, none, it just happen to be put right, that's it; that is it work for you as a photographer.

Now what - !!!?

2005-04-11T23:53:00.000+08:00

With the demise of Contax, there goes also the only AF Medium Format system that do not by the Mfr itself provide a digital solution. With the market shift, the like of Mamiya, Hasselblad and even Rollei all chunk out their own Digital Backs. Not to mention the secretive Super-CCD Digital Back Fuji did for their 680-III.

That remind me of the Kodak ProBack series. Kodak decide to pull out of that sector so they were not competeting with their customers. But what's all the independent Digital Back Mfr going to do now that the only system that are suppose to be free of any Mfr digital back is gone .... this can be interesting development going on :)

End of the road

2005-04-11T23:42:00.000+08:00

Its a sad day for us Contax user indeed. After the fiesco with the N-digital, and dwidelling business on the Film SLR ranhes. Kyocera did make a push to try to make it back up. The latest being the gorgeous i4R, but despite all that, it's just clear that its simply too little too late. Today Kyocera Japan send out a note to most Japanese Media stating clearly that the Line of Contax will ceased to be come Sep 2005.

Kyocera did have a good system going for them when they launch the N-1, and follow up by the N-digital & NX. Its a sad dilemma that the big brass at Kyocera just indulge in too much romantic affair with the past. When they launch the N system, they should have at the same time cease the Manual Focus C/Y system. With both line running, and few introduction in the N range. Its not likely to create ort even maintain the market for them.

Now that Kyocera confirm its position, I suppose Carl Zeiss will be the prime target for speculations. Sure nobody think they will be making any more camera soon, but will they be licensing the Contax name again adn to Whom ... Sony , yeas, Sony can possibly made somthing out of it, but Sony had never been one to promote other brand name. Cosina, possibly if most photographer can overcome their brand prejudice.

M42 Project Update

2005-03-29T01:23:00.000+08:00

Just FYI, I have finally got around and update all of Fujica's M42 lens into the database, click on the title to hop over and check them out ....

I am not trying to Engineer !!!

2005-03-29T01:13:00.000+08:00

I start out with the hobby doing Black & white, and the recent development in digital just allow me to revisit this long hold art of doing B&W and all the related darkroom art I much prefer. That said, I have a very interesting experience to share. I was showing some fellow photographers / Hobbyist some of my Digital B&W work, quite a number of them just reflect to me that my digital Lith do not exhibit the tone they expect from a B&W. Turn out they never done a Lith before. It was amusing to hear their observations. They were under the impression that all B&W should look like Ansel Adams doing the Grand Canyan; full of tonal range and contrasy to boot.

What does this really rings with us. The motto here is most of todays newer generation of hobbyist is too hell bend on being technically perfect. Whenever they look at a photo, they are all over looking for sign of camera shake, lost of sharpness and care much about whether the tonal range is rich or the cobntrast is good. I think they miss the whole point, I shoot and I process my photo to reflect how I perceive the image to be and trying to convey the beauty of the capture. I am not trying to engineer the technically perfect capture of a photographic record by an academic standard. I am sure they would be shocked to see my old wet darkroom prints ......

Is Photoshop to be blamed !!!

2005-03-24T22:19:00.000+08:00

I just have an interesting insight to the current state of photography as a craft and as an set form. Now that everytime I put up a good show of capturing a scenic shoot or moody snap. I got the same question - " Did you do it in Photoshop, how is it done " - Initially I find these question Offensive, do they mean I can't take great pictures and had always had to resor to using PS to make something out of it, but now I just found them amusing. What do such kind of statement tell us really.

Now let me be the one to say it, that just reflect on the fact that most of today's photographer can do nothing more than snap, in a word, they point, they aim, they shoot. They rarely care to take the time to master their tool and their craft. In such a state that most people conside Hobbyist just a bunch of Lomographers and any decent shoot, thus must be some PS magic ... what a satire to the whole art form of Photography as a whole, especially during the time when it is on a rise of hype

A Decade of Digital Imaging for the mass public

2005-03-11T17:24:00.000+08:00

Digital Camera had more than its fair bit of History, but it was about 10 years ago on the 10th of MArch 1995 that the Casio QV-10 make it to the market, with its boxy camera control, and build in LCD display. It defines the DC for mass consumer market, which yet to day retain the same form factor more or less. A bit of historical landmark ..

Sony & Kyocera, a study of business stratagy

2005-03-10T15:28:00.001+08:00

Well, you might think there's little that would tie this two other than the fact they both use Zeiss Lens on their cameras right. well think again. Both of them build their product to be premium brand and premium priced. Both do small batch production. Both pride on their styling and Posh appeal. In a word, they work along the same business model on their manufacturing, but that is about all that is. Sony is all about the Hype market while Contax / Kyocera sells on quality and nostalgia appeal. The issue of yet another T series 5 M-pixel DC from Sony ( Ok so we have the T1, T11, T3, T33, and now the T7 ) really tell you how Sony had perfected the business model. Keep the same basic one, keep doing small incremental improvement or styling change and get all gear junkies to chase after the latest and newest toys. Who care if the customer cried foul about their newly bought toy go obsolete in mere months ( and sometime weeks ) only.

On the other hand , Kyocera is the classic case of employing the wrong model for the worng market and in possibly the wrong timing. The Contax brand had always had classic nostalgic and quality appeal. Unfortunately for Kyocera, they just sit there and let the grass grow under their feet. They stubbonly fail to move on despite market change and almost universal cry from their clinetle to do so. In the end, today's news that Kyocera make ( they are pulling out of the market ) is an indication of how the same business stratagy, which can be so well employed and so successful, was simply not always the answer to all. In the end, Kyocera know enough to emply this type of Manufacturing model, but failed to move along with product R&D, and product deployment.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen

2005-02-23T17:58:00.000+08:00

Rollei is dying, Hasselblad is no where near getting back to a healthy state and now the holy grail of traditional Mfr. Leica announce this ( click the title of this post to see what I mean ). They were indeed the pioneer and the creme de la creme of their time. But they really should have learn that long ago. Sitting on ones laurel and letting grass grow just won;t get you anywhere.

Another round of bashing

2005-02-23T17:49:00.000+08:00

So PMA 2005 been a boring show of no show really. But read all the online forum threads, reviews, opinions .... what do you got, another round of Ego Boosting and bashing. The current hype seems to be the debate on Nikon D2X and whether it actually exhibit noise problem comparable as Canon's Mk.II family line. Or all the Olympus afficiado's almost religious defend on the 4/3 standard.

Let's face it, every system had its merits but as DSLR goes, every system had their shortcomings too. Back in the film days, photographers seems far more open to criticism of their choosen system and even more likely to voice their support for system they do not even own or use. That virture seems almost non-existant in the DSLR photogs. What a sad sight to ponder

Digital lens

2005-02-17T00:44:00.000+08:00

So with PMA around, and everybody been voicing their anticipation for yet another wave of new products. And for the DSLR gangs, new lens. Click on the Title above and discover an antitode. While the photo is not exactly exciting nor ultra sharp etc. It does illustrate something, that is in fact most of us can do just fine with our trusty old lens.

In fact that picture was taken with the Epson R-D1 with the rather common place Soviet industar 61 L/D 53/2.8, not exactly the best of lens. As technology goes, todays 6 M-Pixel DSLR wouldneed only roughly 48 Lp/mm to be resolving to the sensor's capability. You can have a finer resolving lens and not seeing any real visual difference. The truth is most lens today and even those of pass yeras can easily out do this requirment.

On the other hand, digital lens do have a clause for them. They are really optimized to produce the result with the media used. taking into account of all the limitation and need. It just look like an exciting time to come - well if the Mfr start coming up with some real decent fix focals that is ...

Large LCD, no Optical VF, and dismal coverage

2005-02-15T01:38:00.000+08:00

Take a look at the Fuji F10, its about typical of the late DC in term of style and trend. 5M-Pixel, No optical view finder, 2.5 inch large LCD display ( but still not enough resolution to be any usable to judge focusing nor even for proper viewing ), and worst of all, still cover roughly ( in 35mm film equvalent ) 36mm at the wide end. Well in fact its even less than that because they are talking about diagonal coverage and diagonal on a 3:4 aspect ratio just do not corrolate to similar real world coverage on 2:3 ( aka 35mm film ) aspect ratio

You would think that getting a decent Wide to mild short tele is almost a universal need for a decent P&S / Casual Hobbyist Compact. Well that had been the case with Film compacts, why should it be different with Digital.

So much so for progress. I think this had been voiced over and over again, but what the Compact / Portable / Pocket DC really need is

A Fast Fix Focal model with superlative optical and imaging performance
A truly usable travel package with decent Covergae ( roughly equals 28-75 on film )
Manual adjustment on imaging parameters

Is this really asking for too much or what ..........

No more tripod ?

2005-02-15T01:31:00.000+08:00

Well, Fuji had just announce a bevy of new Digital camera and in their home market, the Natura Black 1.9 camera. Nothing seems out of place until you read the fine prints. Now they are looking at handling ISO 400, 800 as the nominal shooting ISO, and 1600 for high speed / low light.

Now while I do agree with the latter, I think the former worth more note than anything else. Is that a total new approach to P&S photography or is it simply a case of technbology yielding to the mass consumer ( which is nto exactly always in the knowing ).

Do you shoot RAW

2005-02-09T01:19:00.001+08:00

How many time have you heard this question on the forum or something along the line ....

Isn't digital suppose to open up new capability and yet allow better quality to the mass public. Well the truth is Yes & No. You just have to read all those online forum posting about certain DSLR not giving sharp picture or not giving the resolution etc etc etc .....

I suppose the problem is simply old habit die hard. Photographer from the Film ages expect consistent result from a set media, they certainly been enjoying that for years. Why should digital be any less. New brred of digital photographer expect their DSLR to perform like their computer or DC, you dial in certain setting or follow certain procedure, you got a decent result. I suppose they should just throw those behind and start learnign that DSLR, like other photographic tools, and serious ones, need the operator to exploit its capability. Now that the Mfr had put all the setting in your own control. Not like the Green P button on film SLR.

To be or not to be, that is the Question

2005-02-02T17:37:00.000+08:00

Hamlet couldn't be more specific. Chek this latest Forum discussion on the matter over at DPreview !!!

And I wonder if Olympus product development management team on the E-series - aka 4/3 system had been having headache on the issue of Fix-focal lens. Despite all the technology drive, and great stride in optical engineering manifested in the Zuiko Digital. There now is enough of a clientle that the system demand some varieties. Of course most of other DSLR Mfr. had the same problem with not having any real decent new Fix focals. But then they can claim to provide the options still with all their old but trusty offering. Olympus is caught in the middle. They couldn't hope to sell enough or make a short to mid term profit on these optics even if they offer them, but without them, they risk infuriating or at most driving away proespective customers.

Of course, the fact is not helped by the other Mfr who had just as much fame as Olympus in providing good small compact system with nice fix focal lens. The Pentax *ist-Ds and the new DA 40mm lens literally make all other DSLR look humongous

Showing off your photo prowness ...... M42 Project

2005-02-01T02:41:00.000+08:00

Being a veteran member of the Yahoo M42 Group, it was a delight to find out that there are still more people enjoying this most universal of all SLR system. This new site in France show case photographers' work all over the world using their M42 lens, both on vintage and new cameras, Film & Digital

I will have to go out and shoot up some interesting photo so I can join in the fun too

Angle of Coevrage , not crop factor

2005-01-29T06:57:00.000+08:00

I've been asked so many time both in person or through online communique by younger and more eager photographer, and I will say it again ....... there is no such thing as a crop factor in the DSLR, you do not crop, the CCD/Cmos just happen to be smaller. The concpet of crop factor is really a misnomer. I suppose all those, who like me, who actually shoot multiple formats would have a lugh out of all the ancious and heated debate over the matter of how wide or how much certain lens cover in a DSLR as against a Film SLR.

Well, Click on the title above, and there's the link to my calculated ( theoritical coverage ) focal length requirment chart ( on the long side, never understand why people keep referring to the coverage of a lens in diagonal, I do not look at the world at 45 degree skewed, I suppose neither do you ) .....

If this do not clarify matters enough, then I suppose a crash course in basic photography is needed in your case - ( Check your local library )

The revivial of the venerable 8mm Movie

2005-01-29T05:52:00.000+08:00

Movie or Digital Video is not exactly my cup of tea, but reading the latest news about a new MPEG4 Video camera; I just cannot help relating it to the old venerable 8mm ( or super 8 if you want voice ). Both of them are deisgned for consumer market, to capture moving images with or without voice, used primary for hobbyist, family and fun recording.

Well so, technology might advance, but the eseence of the art remain .....

Natura 1600, a taste of thing to come ... !?

2005-01-23T23:51:00.000+08:00

Reborn, & retouched, well I have since delete all of my old posting and would like to start up a new one ( using the old link ) So here it is, a new Blog in the old name , first post, a bit of sharing to go, here's my first trial of the Fuji Natura 1600 Film ....

Interesting new film in the days of digital domination