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All posts tagged "evil"


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

New York Times Takes a Look at the Sony NEX-C3

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com...ove-its-weight/

"You probably know all of the advantages of digital SLR cameras: interchangeable lenses; large sensors for better image quality and better low light shots; and no shutter lag. But you might not realize that you can get almost all of those features in a much smaller (though no less expensive) package."

The New York Times takes a look at the Sony NEX-C3, but the article serves as a simple introduction for those who are unfamiliar with this relatively new breed of cameras. The next few months should see a few more introductions, including Nikon's entry to the game. Anyone still sitting on the fence for these cameras?


Thursday, May 5, 2011

Digital Camera Resource Page Reviews the Fujifilm Finepix X100

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 06:30 PM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/f...pix_x100-review

"In a world of me-too compact cameras, Fuji has come up with something decidedly different. Their long-awaited FinePix X100 is a rangefinder-style, fixed lens camera with an APS-C sensor and unique hybrid viewfinder. They're not the first manufacturer to do the fixed lens / big sensor combo (Sigma's been at it for several years), but the FinePix X100 is a lot more professional in terms of design, features, and performance."

DCResource has got their Fujifilm X100 review out, the conclusion is not too far from my own impressions on the camera (read my hands-on for a detailed breakdown on the issues I had with the user interface). The photo quality is more impressive than I expected. I wonder if Nikon's D300 follow-up is going to be as good? Read the review to find out more, and check out the high ISO samples: They are very good for a camera using an APS-C sensor!


Friday, March 11, 2011

Fujifilm Finepix X100 Hands-on

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

Introduction

The Fujifilm Finepix X100 has generated a lot of hype and interest ever since it was first announced at Photokina 2010. In case you missed the hype, the X100 is a retro-styled camera featuring direct controls via knobs for aperture, shutter and exposure compensation. Its main claim to fame is its hybrid viewfinder: Based on a standard rangefinder, which in simplest terms has two viewfinders to focus, one viewfinder is replaced with an EVF which can either be used on its own, or project an overlay over the remaining optical viewfinder. Other highlights include a fine Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens (equivalent to 35mm), and Fuji's latest 12 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Recently the camera just went on sale in Singapore, and it was launched at the IT Show 2011. I was there, and managed to spend some time with it. What do I think? Read on!

Read more...


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Fujifilm Formally Announces Finepix X100

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:30 PM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1102/1...x100updated.asp

So here it is. Formal announcement and all. When? March 2011. How much? US$1,200 or ­€1,000. Don't give me that look, it's way cheaper than any Leica, and likely to be better as well.

In case you forget what this was, we have covered the camera before.


Wednesday, January 26, 2011

More Updates on the Fujifilm Finepix X100; Anyone Gone Mad Yet?

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:00 PM

http://photorumors.com/2011/01/25/f...-photo-samples/

So yea, is anyone still up for more X100 updates? Photorumors has a nice compilation, including samples, and a preview from DPReview. Go check it out if you are interested in this camera. Me, I personally would prefer a different lens...


Thursday, November 4, 2010

Panasonic's GF2 in High Res Photos

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 12:46 PM

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-...000000000005702

Interested in the new Panasonic GF2? Want to see what it looks like up close? Click the image above, or below, to see high-resolution images of what this new camera looks like. Will I be getting a GF2 to replace my GF1? I'm not sure - at first glance, the answer is no - it offers some improvements over the GF1, namely the 1080p video, but while a 19% reduction in body size is nothing to complain about, it's not enough reason by itself to buy the product if you're already a GF1 owner. I'm quite curious to see what Nikon does in this space in 2011, so I think I'll hold on to my money for now and see what hits the market next year...though I have to admit, the red GF2 made my geeky heart go flutter-flutter. Nice-looking camera!


Thursday, September 23, 2010

Fujifilm Finepix X100 Hands On

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:30 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/news...hands-on_photos

PhotographyBLOG has scored some photos of the X100 mockup at Photokina to give you an idea of the size. It's certainly not the smallest camera, and I had some people telling me they were hoping for something in the region of the Panasonic LX cameras. As expected, it's not tiny. Still, it's small enough, and I'm looking forward to see how that hybrid viewfinder's implementation is.


Monday, September 20, 2010

Fujifilm Announces Development of Finepix X100; Makes Many Photographers Excited.

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 05:38 AM

http://theonlinephotographer.typepa...tiful-fuji.html

"This is certainly the most enjoyable camera news I've gotten in a long while. Fujifilm has made a "development announcement" at Photokina for a camera to be called the X100: a high-quality, fixed-lens, 12-MP, viewfinder-window compact digital camera with an APS-C sensor. The lens is a 23mm ƒ/2 Fujinon...exactly equivalent, in 35mm terms, to a 35mm ƒ/2."

Fujifilm has made a development announcement (ie the product is not ready but we went you to know it exists and is coming) on the Finepix X100, one of the more interesting announcements at this year's Photokina. It is a camera with styling and operations like the old rangefinders, but is not quite a rangefinder; there is no rangefinder mechanism in this camera. Instead, the prism transmits an image from a LCD, which makes this a hybrid optical electronic viewfinder system. It solves the main issue I have with rangefinders (the parallex errors), since you can switch to a purely electronic view to see the image as it is on the sensor, and keeps the main advantage of rangefinders (the very bright view). In optical viewfinder mode, the LCD overlays information like camera settings. It's a pretty neat system! Other highlights include a 12 megapixel APS-C EXR sensor, which is the first large Fujifilm sensor since the Fuji S5pro from four years ago, a 35mm f/2 equivalent lens (unfortunately, not my favourite focal length), full manual controls via dedicated dials, a built-in 3 stop ND filter, and a 2.8" HVGA screen. And yes, it autofocuses. No word on price yet, but don't expect it to be cheap, given the main competition is a Leica X1. The Online Photographer has a nice writeup on the camera as well as the hybrid mechanism, so hit the link to find out more!


Saturday, September 18, 2010

What is Nikon "Q"?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Talk" @ 12:00 PM

http://nikonrumors.com/2010/09/17/w...n-q-part-2.aspx

The rumours are starting to mount: it's looking like Nikon is going to be announcing something big at Photokina, but the speculation is it will be simply an announcement - no product yet. So what is it? Well, Nikon Rumors is guessing that it's going to be Nikon's mirrorless EVIL camera - and given that the "F" mount lenses are what Nikon DSLRs use, calling the new system's lens mount the "Q" makes a certain amount of sense. But in looking at the image above, I'm struck by how much the grip seems to stick out - that's not something you tend to see on EVIL/DILC cameras. On the other hand, it might be part of Nikon's design to make them easier to hold - and if the rest of the camera is quite thin, it might work out OK.

I'm honestly quite excited about whatever Nikon has cooking with their mirrorless camera; I'm an unabashed fan of Nikon and the image quality of their DSLRs, and if I could get near-DSLR image quality in a camera I could fit in my jacket pocket, well, sign me up!


Thursday, August 5, 2010

Canon EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) Mockups by Someone With Plenty of Free Time

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 11:30 AM

http://www.digitalphotographywriter...digital_28.html

"Canon EVIL cameras (also NIkon's) are in every photography rumors websites. Should Canon release a new line of EVIL cameras, who knows. But I have decided to become a concept design artist for one day, in order to try my photo editing software skills, and see what I can come up with."

Before I go on, here's my warning:

THESE ARE ONLY MOCKUPS. TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY AS CANON'S LATEST WILL GET YOU MOCKED.

So, with Photokina drawing closer, the deluge of rumours and what-not are going to start (or have already started). Canon and Nikon EVIL cameras are pretty hot in the rumour mill, but someone has decided to make some mockups on how it might look like. It's been a week or so since the initial design has gone up, and there're now five designs at this time of writing. Of course, Canon has said a few times they want to focus on making smaller DSLRs...


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 Reviewed by Digital Photography Review

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:45 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/SonyNex5Nex3/

"The waiting is now over as, following the showing of some mock-ups at PMA and a torrent of teasers and leaks, Sony finally officially announced its NEX system last month. The details are exactly what you'd expect - HD video capable APS-C sensors in small bodies. What might take you by surprise is just how small the bodies are - the NEX-5 in particular being tiny. In fact the cameras are too small to include in-body image stabilization units, as found in Sony's SLRs, and instead use lens-based 'Optical SteadyShot'. These NEX cameras will come under the Alpha brand but do not make use of the Alpha lens mount, instead using the completely new all-electronic E-mount."

dpreview must've had the review for the NEX cameras on full tilt because it didn't seem so long ago that the NEX cameras were announced. As expected, the latest generation of Sony APS-C sensors do well, but are let down by a control system that is geared towards point-and-shoot users.

As I said before in my post in reaction to the NEX announcement, "For the enthusiast, proprietary connector, lack of viewfinder, and modal buttons are just bad bad bad." As expected, a lack of controls, together with a modal control system and menu-driven UI, just means the camera is not one for those who want to fiddle with the camera settings, or have a greater interest in the technical aspects of photography. Less buttons aren't necessary better.

I'm also not a fan of its styling - all the lengths gone to keep the body size down is negated with the larger lenses the APS-C sensor will require. Indeed, the E mount is actually taller than the cameras, hence the protrusions at the top and the bottom (very noticeable on the smaller NEX-5).

I'm sure Sony will sell plenty of NEX units, but I suspect they will go mostly to well-heeled style-conscious point-and-shoot upgraders rather than the enthusiast crowd. Given that the mainstream crowd is always bigger, will this mean Sony might have a hit on their hands regardless of the lukewarm rating given?


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Digital Camera Resource Page Reviews the Samsung NX10

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:00 PM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/s...ung/nx10-review

"The NX10 ($699) marks Samsung's bold entry into the increasingly competitive interchangeable lens camera market. It's designed to go head-to-head with the likes of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 and, to a lesser extent, the more compact (and viewfinder-less) Olympus E-PL1 and Sony NEX-5 cameras. Samsung never really got any traction selling regular digital SLRs, so now they're trying their hand at an ILC. Based on my experiences with the NX10, I think Samsung has a good chance of success in this space."

Samsung's entry to the fast-growing EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) market is based on an APS-C sensor, which about 70% larger in area compared to the Four Thirds sensors. Long-time digital camera reviewer Jeff Keller at DCRP takes a look at the NX10, and while he was quite favourable about many aspects of the camera, he does conclude that its higher ISOs are not as good as the Micro Four Thirds cameras. It's a good reminder to everyone that sensor size is not everything. It needs to be backed up by the accompanying electronics package and the firmware to properly process the images. Also it's a reminder that such expertise in producing quality images needs to be earned; Nikon and Canon both spent years getting to where they are today.


Friday, May 28, 2010

iTunes DRM Sticks it to Another User

Posted by Chris Gohlke in "Digital Home News" @ 03:00 AM

http://www.itwriting.com/blog/2647-...-purchases.html

iTunes account gets hacked. Credit card company notes the activity and initiates a dispute with Apple.

"This is where it gets really nasty. Apple closed the compromised iTunes account and de-authorised all his purchases – not only the ones the fraudster grabbed, but everything he had bought over a period of 6 years."

The user ended up giving up without getting a resolution. They'd upgraded much of their material to the non-DRM version through iTunes Plus and after hitting one too many roadblocks decided it wasn't worth pursuing getting the rest of their paid for media released. Just goes to reinforce my practice of not buying any thing that I don't fully own. I've never purchased from iTunes and 99% of my on-line music purchases have been through Amazon's music store.

Tags: software, itunes, drm, evil

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Sony NEX-3 Preview on dpreview.com

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 11:19 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/sonynex3/

"Sony released some information - and a handful of mockups - about its interchangeable lens compact plans at the Photo Marketing Association tradeshow in Los Angeles earlier this year, and now, three months later, the finished products have been announced. The Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5 don't look a whole lot like the (very rough) samples we saw in LA, but the baseline features are more or less what we expected. Both cameras feature new APS-C format sensors, with a video recording option (720p and 1080p respectively) and a brand new lensmount - the all-electronic Sony E bayonet. Somewhat confusingly, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 are Alpha-series cameras, but if you want to attach an Alpha (or Minolta) mount lens, you'll have to use an adapter."

And here we have Sony's entry into the DILC (Digital Interchangeable Lens Camera), or EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) category. This category - with the charge initially led by Olympus and Panasonic - is really starting to gain momentum. Until Canon and Nikon enter it though, it will lack a certain amount of legitimacy in the eyes of some, but there have been rumours about a Nikon EVIL camera for a while now, so I expect to see something soon from them. This Sony camera looks pretty good, though I wonder how easy it is to hold - it's so vertically short that it looks somewhat awkward...a very visually striking design though. Thoughts?


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