Quick Macro Mode Test on Olympus XZ-1

Note, this is not the Super Macro mode where it allows focussing distance as close as 1 cm from the lens.  This is the standard Macro mode.  Also, it is not as sharp as it can be due to a slight breeze and shots being taken hand-held, so please do not regard this as the capability of the camera.  I only meant to show what you can do on an ad-hoc basis with the camera hanging on your neck.

The 100% crop of the area around the flower’s filament (the part that connects the anther to the main body of the flower.

A shot of the anther.  Note that there was a slight breeze and hence the clarity of the fine “brush” is lost. The original shot.

100% crop of the area near the filament and the anther (focused on the “dead” anther).

The sharpness, in my humble opinion, is pretty good for a compact camera.

Nissin Di466 4/3rd Mount with Olympus XZ-1

One of the accessory that I bought with the Olympus XZ-1 was an external flash.  Although the XZ-1 came with a built-in flash, it is rated at 8.6 Guide Number (GN) @ ISO100.  Although it serves its purpose reasonably well, from past experience with indoor photography, 8.6 meters (8.6 GN is approximately 8.6 metres range) is insufficient.

I was initially a little unsure whether the Nissin Di466 will work well with the XZ-1 as there were little confirmation online and I could not really find any images with the Di466 attached to the XZ-1 (hence the picture above for the rest of you!).  The Di466 is rated at GN33 @ ISO100, which should be reasonably sufficient for indoor photography (especially for parties and with fast moving kids … well, the XZ-1 is technically still not that great for such an event as the Auto-Focus is not as fast as a full blown dSLR, but that’s another story altogether).

Other than pure reach of the external flash, it must be noted that the ability to bounce the light is of extreme importance.  This is in order to avoid any harsh lighting, such as that in the picture above.  It was directly from the built-in flash of my Panasonic LZ8.

Like all external flashes, the Di466 also came with a built-in diffuser.  Of course it is just a basic diffuser and serves it’s purpose well.

Although it is a smallish external flash, it uses 4 AA sized batteries (I use Maha Imedions).  Another plus point on having an external flash is that the battery for the XZ-1 will last longer.  If the built-in flash is used consecutively, from my estimates, you will probably get less than 200 shots on one battery charge (I may be wrong here, but it is just a rough estimate from my earlier test shots).

The Di466 can be triggered remotely and wirelessly!  Although I don’t think it is able to function with it’s TTL whilst in wireless mode, this capability comes in handy.  It is triggered using the built-in flash and works very well.

More on the XZ-1 later …

The A700 successor, the A77 is finally here!

There were many different rumoured versions of the replacement for the A700 over the last couple of months … wait … it’s actually years! I haven’t really posted much about it as there were very little clarity on them.  However, it seems that it is certain that the A77 will be the “successor” to the A700.  It is not exactly the successor as it is strictly speaking not a dSLR.

What’s new?  It utilizes Sony’s unique approach to their dSLR class cameras in using the SLT approach.  SLT stands for Single Lens Translucent which basically the replacement of the optical viewfinder and the moving mirror that defines dSLRs.

• 24MP Exmor HD CMOS sensor (not sure how sharp the captured pictures will be!)
• 19 points AF
• ISO100-16000 (yes, 16,000)
• Full HD with AVCHD (see top beside top LCD)
• Full manual controls for video (cool)
• 12 fps
• Articulated 3in 'TruBlack' LCD with 912k dots
• Super-fast 1/8000 shutter speed
• 3 million dot OLED viewfinder (basically a built in EVF), compare this to the 1.14 million dot on the A55.
• Built-in GPS (picture states that it is there)
• Weather proof magnesium alloy body
• SD card, CF and Memory Card slots (can it really fit all 3?)

Other things that are rumoured to be announced include;

• A65 (also 24MP it seems!)
• 16-50 f2.8 (kit lens for the A77 and I presume A65 also)
• NEX-7 (you may find pictures online but also suppose to be 24MP!)
• NEX-5 replacement and EVF for it.

Olympus XZ-1 Review

Another new toy on hand!  From the day it was launched, I was awed by the fact that this compact camera has a F1.8 aperture and what more, on the tele-end, it is only at F2.5!  I had my doubts on the IQ of the camera but from initial reviews I read from various sources, there were nothing more than accolades for this camera.  Olympus was thought of as a “dying” brand except for those underwater fanatics and obviously Olympus also launched the underwater casing for this compact.

Many months ago, I had already given this camera some thought, together with the Lumix LX-5, Canon S95 and the Sony HX9V.  I was already leaning towards the XZ-1 but when it was time to get a unit, the LX-5 saw a price reduction!  This created a slight delay in my purchasing but a decision had to be made.  Both cameras were so close in terms of usability and even specifications (but that’s not the main point here).

I am not going to list down the specifications or comparison with other cameras in the same range but will basically highlight what you may be interested to know about that’s rarely mentioned in other reviews.  First up, the fastest shutter speed is 1/2000th of a second which is slower than the LX-5.  However, they do provide a BUILT-IN Neutral Density filter, which is about a 3 stop ND filter.  This is not a software feature but a physical ND filter that sits behind the lens.  I will try to post up pictures taken using the ND filter to show the number of stops equivalent later.

The picture above has a Keep Digital UV Filter on the front of the lens.  It uses a 34mm filter size, not the screw on type used on dSLR lenses, but a stuck on type.  This is usually used for Digital Video Cameras.

Other features (which are also available on the LX-5) that should be noted are the multi-exposure capability and the super MACRO mode that has a minimum focussing distance of 1cm.  It also has one of the highest ISO sensitivity settings at ISO6400 but at ISO1600 and above, it is really too noisy.

On the negative side, there is no controls for White Balance using the Colour Temperature (Kelvin), it does not have an AEL button (well, doesn’t really bother me actually) and it comes with an in-camera charger via the USB port (this bothers me as I would like to charge my batteries externally).

What was my deciding factor against the LX-5?  I must firstly state that I think you can’t go wrong with either camera but I had to make a decision.  Whilst the LX-5 is a good 10% cheaper, has a 24mm equivalent wide angle lens and I love the control dials on the camera (same as the Micro 4/3 on the GF-series), the decision on the XZ-1 was made due to the slightly bigger aperture, the slightly longer (although not as wide as the LX-5) zoom range and surprisingly, the control ring is quite pleasant and easy to use.

What else did I get with it?  A WHITE Nissin Di466 external flash to match the camera!  Will try to post my thoughts on;

• ISO
• Nissin External Flash
• Built-in Neutral Density Filter

… when I have the time

Which Premium Compact Camera? XZ-1, LX-5, S95 or Sony HX9V!

After dropping the idea of the EVIL cameras as they are not as portable as I would like them to be (a kinda neither here nor there situation for me), I have been toying with the idea of a premium compact camera. However, I find the cost is a little prohibitive for my light pocket !

Lately, I have reading reviews of these cameras on www.dpreview.com (one of my favourite gear review sites) and they have a comprehensive Panasonic Lumix LX-5, Canon G12 and Nikon S7000 shootout, coupled with an in-depth review of the Olympus XZ-1.

As you noticed, I am leaning towards the Olympus XZ-1, mainly because of the super large aperture (f1.8 – 2.5) even at the telephoto end! and the hotshoe for external flash.  However, it is a tad too large in my opinion and the Lumix LX-5 seems to fit the hands better.

Anyway, it seems that the major players are coming up with large aperture premium “compacts” (they are after all not that small!), including Samsung … but I find it interesting that Sony doesn’t have a similar product (or am I wrong?).  Their latest being the 16MP HX9V, which seems like a superzoom camera to me and nothing fancy about it …

Waiting for Sony’s premium … when?  what?  … or are they going to position the NEX-3 as the alternative?

Sigma Announces Price Reduction for 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM

Does it really effect Sony users?  Well, not really as the price for the non-OS lenses were already at this price range … yeah, the advantage of having in-body image stabilizer, cheaper third party lenses anyway!

The lens have seen a downward price reduction of USD300, which I guess we will not see as much a reduction on the street price, probably half of that amount?  Latest price check on B&H photo states that they are selling it for USD1,399 (which is the price announced by Sigma, reduced from USD1,699). Nevertheless, it will make it a more attractive alternative for most users (including myself).  I wonder if they have also reduced the price for the 50-150mm F2.8 … to complement my current 18-50mm F2.8 on the Canon …

CES2011: Sony A700 Replacement and 7 New Lenses Expected for Sony NEX

In addition to the ever eluding Sony Alpha A700 replacement, Sony has also showcased some mock up lenses for the Sony NEX series, or rather the E-Mount Lenses.  The latest rumours of the A700 replacement (maybe named A800) are;

• 15 MP Sensor
• 100-12800 ISO
• 6.5 fps
• 23 AF points
• HD 1080

What is probably more interesting is that there are no less than 7 new E-mount lenses expected for the Sony NEX series.  It seems that it will effectively cover nearly all the basic needs for prime portrait lens, macro lens and even G lenses (Sony premium lenses).

Well, my current interest is still the Olympus XZ-1 compact with a FAST F1.8 – 2.5 aperture for it’s 4x zoom range.  That’s interesting …

[Rumours] Panasonic GF-2 … tomorrow?

Following the success of the Lumix GF-1, Panasonic is expected to launch the Lumix GF-2 tomorrow … did I say tomorrow?  Actually, I am not sure, but generally most launches, whether they are cars, property or even cameras seem to occur on a Thursday :-)

Together with the GF-2, it is also expected that Panasonic will launch a 50mm equivalent lens (is that 25mm in 4/3 speak?) and rumours has it that it will be so compact that it will rival that of it’s own offering, the Lumix LX-5!  Of course, it has a larger sensor but with the same megapixel … 12MP.  Not much other information available but expect it to be priced similarly to the GF-1.  Will the GF-1 see a price drop or will it be replaced?

What’s interesting with this model.  It seems that it will have a built-in EVF and it is positioned at the side.  This makes sense as the camera is small and hence there is a need for the shutter to be far enough from the EVF.  It is also suppose to have a repositioned pop-up flash that is much like a DSLR, in that it is above the lens mount.

For those who are interested … I believe this patent filing document will give you an idea of what to expect.

Is the A77 the replacement name for the A700 successor?

Sony gave further in-sight into the long … way too long (for me anyway) awaited A700 successor by calling it “Advance Model DSLR” at Photokina 2010.  Well, with the introduction of the A33 and the A55 SLT (Translucent Mirror), many are expecting it to be called the A77SLT as the camera is also expected to have a translucent mirror.

What was revealed at Photokina 2010 was that it will have a vertical grip incorporated (yikes!, that will have it rather large and possibly heavy), does AVCHD and will be using Sony’s APS HD CMOS Sensor.

One thing for sure, it is aimed at serious enthusiast and other than those specifications mentioned above, I am sure it will be better than the 10 fps that the A55SLT is capable of.  However, I personally have to think twice about using a higher end DSLR that is not based on a PentaPrism.  Yet to personally try out the non-optical viewfinder as the SLTs are shipped with an electronic viewfinder.  This I believe is to also help brightened up the 30% light that is use for the viewfinder.

Sony officially announces the A33 and A55 SLT

Well, the rumours are true!  Sony did have more than a media preview, they made a press release on their A33 and A55 DSLT!  It is not exactly a DSLR as it is now a Digital Single Lens Translucent!  What does that actually mean to you and me? In layman terms, the SLT have a “translucent” mirror that lets 70% (in this particular case) of light to pass through to the sensor, and the other 30% to your viewfinder.  In other words, instead of the mirror needing to swing out of the way to allow for exposure, it remains fixed.  This allows for the phase-detection auto-focus capability (which somewhat differentiates new DSLR class cameras now from compacts).

Although it would mean that the brightness of the view finder will be significantly reduced (i.e. dark), this technology allows for quick continuous shooting of up to 10 fps with the more precise phase detection auto-focus mechanism.  How this will actually fare, I have yet to get my hands on it.

Although it is a small camera, it comes with a 3” any angle high resolution LCD that actually gives a 100% coverage!  Sweep panorama and auto-HDR has become standard for Sony, so they are included now.

Both the A33 and the A55 are much smaller in size than a traditional DSLR and they are similar in size with the A230, A330 and A380 siblings.

In a nutshell

• A55 (16MP) and A33 (14MP)
• Auto-Focus Full HD Video, 1080i
• 10 fps
• ISO100 – 12800 (can be extended to 25600)

Coupled with SAM lenses, this camera tries to be both a still and a camcorder.

Sony A33 and A55 pictures leaked

With Nikon starting the current spate of DSLR launching with the D3100, Sony has also not been left out.  The soon to be released A33 and A55 (rumours have it that there will be a media preview on August 24th) have their pictures leaked onto the Internet.

Note the recording button on right of the view finder to confirm that this model will have video recording included.

Although these are not official pictures from Sony, I would think that they are the real stuff.  The A33 and the A55 are probably the entry level models with two other higher end models to be released.

The current expected specifications of the Sony Alpha A55:-

• 16MP sensor (to be used by the Nikon D90 replacement as well)
• ISO range of 100 - 12800
• Full HD 1080i video
• 10 frames per second
• 15 AF points
• Global Positioning System Built-in to tag your photos

Sony releases Carl Zeiss 24mm F2, 35mm F1.8 and 85mm F2.8 SAM

85mm F2.8 SAM

Ah, more choices for A-Mount alpharians.  A “luxury” Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2 with SSM, a portrait 85mm F2.8 lens and a fast 35mm F1.8 for APS-C sized cameras.

DT 35mm F1.8 SAM

I will predict that the prices for the 85mm F2.8 will be circa USD399 whilst the 35mm F1.8 will be slightly higher than the 50mm F1.8 at around USD249.  This are just my estimates based on them needing to be competitive with the other brands.

Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2 ZA SSM

Press release summary,

The Distagon T* 24mm F2 ZA SSM (SAL24F20Z) features the acclaimed Carl Zeiss Distagon design and rounds out the existing Planar (SAL85F14Z) and Sonnar (SAL135F18Z) models also developed in conjunction with Carl Zeiss. It is intended to appeal to experienced photographers looking for a large-aperture wide-angle lens of real distinction.

The DT 35mm F1.8 SAM (SAL35F18) adds the important 35mm focal length to the ‘Easy Choice’ series. ‘Easy Choice’ is intended to provide great value, compact and lightweight lenses that are attractive to entry-level and advanced photographers alike. Each lens in the series is selected for a specific purpose, for example portraiture or macro.

The 85mm F2.8 SAM (SAL85F28) is another ‘Easy Choice’ lens, this time offering the 85mm focal length considered the standard for portraiture because of the natural perspective it provides. True to type it is extremely compact and light, weighing just 175g.

The press release is here.

Panasonic LX5 Specifications

It is highly likely that the Panasonic LX3 replacement will be named the LX5 (as evident from their own website.  If you do a search on google using “site:panasonic.com lx5”, you will actually get some links which I think by the time you access it, it will give you document not found.  Of course, you can still click on the “cache” copy and you will be shown the following page.

As a summary, the LX5 features are:-

• F2.0 Leica DC Summicron Lens (rumours indicates a 3.8x, F2.0 to F3.3)
• 1/1.63" High Sensitivity 10 megapixel CCD with evolved sensor technology (rumours indicates ISO of 80 – 12800)
• My color mode, Manual exposure even in movie mode.
• HD Movie Recording - AVCHD Lite
• Optional Optical Viewfinder available as part of the accessories list

I will assume that the launch date for the Panasonic LX5 is near, very near …

Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Released

Ok, I just bought a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC and here I am posting about the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS.  Sounds the same?  Well, no!  Sometime in May 2010, Sigma launched the upgraded model to include Optical Stabilizer (OS) or in Nikon speak, VR, or Canon speak, IS, or Tamron speak, VC and whatever else the others call it.

It has a different lens construction compared to the 18-50mm F2.8 to possibly cater for the slightly wider angle (17mm instead of 18mm), a larger filter size diameter of 77mm, about 25% heavier at 565g, not a “MACRO” lens with minimum focusing distance of 28cm instead of 20cm and of course with Optical Stabilizer which allows for up to 4 stops slower.  It is currently available for Sony, Nikon, Canon, Pentax and of course Sigma mount!  Recommended retail price is approximately USD900-1,000.

More information from Sigma’s website.

Un-boxing the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 lens delivered from DD Electronics

In my earlier posting, I wrote about my experience purchasing from a lens online from DD Electronics. The box delivered was rather large compared to the actual Sigma lens box.  I made a short video on the un-boxing of the lens I purchase from them to give an idea of how it was packed.  Hopefully, this helps those who are not sure what to expect in the delivery of a fragile item such as a DSLR lens.  Also, for those who intend to sell their used DSLR lenses, hopefully, this helps in showing how it should be packed.

This short video also shows what are the items that comes with the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC MACRO lens.  Basically, it comes with the lens, the lens hood, warranty card, user manual and a nice Sigma lens case.

As this is my second time trying to make a video, please excuse the poor quality audio.  Maybe I need the Sony NEX-VG10?

Opinion on the lens coming up soon …

Sony Launches the NEX-VG10 Camcorder with APS-C size Sensors

Immediately following the “successful” launch of the NEX-3 and NEX-5 EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) cameras, Sony has launched the much anticipated NEX-VG10 Camcorder with Interchangeable lens!  This camcorder uses the same lenses as the NEX Alpha series, the E-Mount lenses.  Here is a video by Sony on their new “Handycam”.

In order to differentiate the NEX and the NEX-VG series, several main points are;

• Manual controls during video recording for aperture, shutter, ISO and white balance.
• 24Mbps AVCHD vs 17Mbps AVCHD on the NEX EVIL cameras
• Captures 14.2 MP still images but not RAW (hence for stills, you still need a non-video centric camera).

With only 3 native E-mount lenses currently (I am sure many more will come), Sony has also ensured that existing Alpha A-Mount lenses can be used with an adapter.  However, I would think that many of the manual control features may not work with the A-Mount lenses.

From what I can see from the promotional video released, this is the camcorder to have! … If not for the USD1,999 asking price (but with the 18-200mm lens).  The bokeh is just soo soooooo soooooooooo sweet.  Having said that, I have seen similar from the Canon 5D Mk II.  Available in September 2010.

Lens Purchasing Experience from DD Electronics Singapore

In summary, it was a very smooth and good experience.  If you like to know more, please read on. About a week ago, I decided to acquire an all-rounder lens that’s affordable for the Canon 400D body that I have with me.  Upon doing a quick review and browsing online, I stumbled upon the DD Electronics website.  I have been to this website in the past but I never did needed anything and I do have some reservations about online purchasing of fragile items.

The design of the website is functional, nothing fancy.  It was easy enough to find items but it can be better, especially the search criteria and filter.  It stocks mainly Canon and Nikon items but it also has Panasonic, Olympus and the major third party lenses such as Sigma and Tamron lenses.

So, I proceeded to create a new login ID, went in and worked out the cost of delivery for the lens.  It came up to be a reasonable price, after I made several other comparisons with other online retailers, I proceeded to place an order.  I gave the necessary details for the purchase (after reading the terms and conditions, especially the warranty of the item) and only finally clicked OK several hours later (I was sure about getting the lens, just wasn’t sure about getting it from an online retailer outside the country).  So, I hoped for the best … and expect the worse.

To my surprise, they were very efficient, they immediately sent me a confirmation email the next morning (I ordered it late evening) followed by an email informing me that they will charge a small amount to my credit card and asked me to verify that it is my credit card by replying to them the amount that was charged (the email wasn’t worded very well).  This is quite a common method for retailers to protect themselves from online credit card fraud.  This will only work if you have online access to check your credit card charges and if you don’t, you probably have to wait for your credit card statement!  (or call the credit card company).  The other drawback on this is that there will be a delay as most transactions take a day or two or more to register.  As it was the weekend anyway, it didn’t make any difference to me.

On Monday, I gave them the details and they immediately shipped out the item, a Sigma lens.  At each stage, an email will be sent to you on the status of your order, e.g. Item Shipped.  However, it would have been good if they had included the tracking ID.  The other minor complain I have is that once the courier company collects it from them, they will send you an email saying that the transaction and delivery is “completed”!.  I mean, I haven’t even received it yet! It would be good that once the courier company has confirmed delivery, only then they send out such an email.

So … it arrived on Tuesday!  Kudos to DHL! And the box is kinda large for a small lens.

As you can see, the box is several times the size of the Canon 400D body!  And what did I get?  I got myself a brand new Sigma 18-50 f2.8 lens.  It does say Macro but then it is not a 1:1 Macro but 1:3 magnification.

More on the lens later …

Sony In-Body Image Stabilizer Helps 3rd Party Lens Sales?

According to BCN Japan, half of the top 12 lenses sold in Japan for Alpha mount cameras are 3rd party lenses.  What I can make out of it is that all top 12 lenses do not have in-lens image stabilizer and if you compare this with the top 10 lenses sold for Nikon and Canon, it shows that 3rd party lenses fair quite well. Click on the BCN logo below to go to the rankings, it’s on page 2 of the listing.

On another observation, none of the top 12 lenses sold for the Alpha mount cameras are high-quality professional lenses.  As someone mentioned before, Sony are for newbies!

The surprising thing for me is that the top selling lens is the one that I had and found it horrible.  I exchanged it for the 3rd best selling lens instead and got myself the 9th best selling lens to cover the range.  In simpler terms, I got rid of the SAL75300 for the SAL50F18 and separately bought the SAL18250.  These are the 2 main lenses that I use these days (in addition to the occasional use of the Minolta 70-210).

Novoflex to announce Sony NEX adapters at Photokina 2010?

Photokina 2010 will be held in Cologne, Germany this September and with all the hype and praises for the Sony NEX EVIL cameras, it is believed that Novoflex (www.novoflex.com) a german company will be announcing NEX adapters for all sorts of other lenses except Alpha mounts!?!?  I guess it is because Sony already have those adapters available for the E-Mount to A-Mount type.

The company already has adapters for APS-C sized-sensor cameras, namely the Samsung NX and hence it is only natural that they will hope onto the Sony NEX bandwagon as well.

Anyway, we will know soon, maybe even sooner than Photokina 2010!  Believed to be in the region of USD300-500 per adapter type.

Sony Launches A290 and A390

Why the late posting on this two new DSLR introduction?  Well … there’s really nothing special or anything interesting to blog about these.  The A290 was already out earlier in Vietnam (of all places!) and the A390 is just an A290 with LiveView.

If you need a 14MP DSLR at a bargain, then these models may be for you.  Yawnnnnn ….

I have refrained from posting about the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 as I am waiting to get my hands on them before making any comments.  So far, it seems like it is the camera to get!