Power Support Airjacket for iPhone 5S

A dent evident on frame of Apple iPhone 5S near the volume control button.

Regrettably, the Air Jacket case has failed its mission to protect the iPhone 5S. However it did successfully protected my iPhone 5S from a nasty scratch as shown on the picture below. The screen is intact, impact from left edge of the phone inevitably caused a dent on the aluminium frame of the nice to look at but weak Apple product.

Nasty scratch protected by Power Support Airjacket for iPhone 5S.

Olympus OMD EM-1 Short Review

OMD EM-1 Short Review

The OMD EM-1

Olympus announced the OMD EM-5 in February 2012, and it was regarded as one of the best Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) body at that time. However, less than two years later, the EM-1 was revealed and released in October/November 2013. Is this camera really worth the buck – is it a powerful camera in its own rights? We had a few days with the EM-1 with an Olympus 60mm Macro, and the 12mm F2 to find out.

In reviewing the IQ of the MFT body, I have stepped down my requirements owing to the fact that it IS a MFT camera – hence I will not be using the bastion of Leica M series to compare it with. We KNOW that the bokeh/depth of field of a MFT will never ever beat that of a full-frame and it is unfortunately, one of the saddest fact of any MFT body.

Aesthetics (6.5/10):

Placed next to my Leica M9P, the EM-1 looks very, very modern. Olympus chose to forego the vintage look that they had clinched so perfectly with the EM-5 to add on a DSLR grip to the body. Yes – the camera now handles ergonomically fantastic but now it looks like an ugly mix of Chinese and Indian food. In fact, the EM-1 looks more like a DSLR now, especially since the size of it is not in particularly very small. Held next to the M9, there is hardly any notable differences except in the weight.

So, so many buttons...

Ergonomics (8/10):

The EM-1 handles perfectly and feels very light to the Leica-enthusiast. It almost feels plastic-like, which is a welcomed change to the brick-metal weight of the M9. The added rubberized handgrip is perhaps the best part of the design (which took off all aesthetics) as I was able to handle almost 90% of my shots with one hand, partly in thanks to the 5-axis IBIS as well. The EM-1 starts to falter as it gets ambitious – there are way too many dials and buttons. HDR, AF, on-off, AEL-AFL switch, Live-View switch…. The list goes on. There are nineteen (19!) buttons (no this is not accurate, I did not bother to check), 2 switches, and 3 dials on this beast. I mean, seriously? In contrast, the M9 has only 11 buttons, 1 switch and 2 dials. This many buttons took away the ergonomics of it – it just shows that the engineers couldn’t be more innovative enough. Because of this, I took 2 points off the ergo, simply because I felt the design was lazy.

Image Quality (9.5/10):

Boy, was I impressed with the out-of-camera images from this little/huge beast. Olympus did the correct choice in removing the AA filter and upping the sensor IQ as this, honestly, is the only selling point of the OMD at the moment (we will talk more about it at the conclusion). JPEGs that come straight of the camera, which can be then directly Wi-Fi to your phone makes it a luxury for the travelling photographer. These images look fantastic. The detail is fantastic. The 5-axis IBIS makes it super-easy to capture relatively sharp shots without much skill.

The RAW files are the real deal though. When I loaded the images into LightRoom on my 1440p screen, I was shocked. I had expected 16 megapixels to look like crap and I was impressed. I had walked around the supermarket taking pictures of random stuff and I *did not* expect any of my images to turn out good. But I was pleasantly surprised! I only had to do minimal adjustments, such as adding very minimal clarity. The camera captures white balance correctly 99% of the time, the auto-focus is SPOT-ON perfect ALL the time.

  

Red Apples

What I really like about the camera however, is the color rendition. The apples look deliciously red and my aji-tama (tasteful egg) looks exactly the same as real-life.

Next, I had some fun with the in-camera HDR composition. I was not very impressed – but neither was I unhappy. I would say that the HDR does what it does to a limited extent. You will not expect overly dramatic HDR, and it also really depends on your landscape. I chose a bad place with the shot below – but hey, I am not a fan of HDRs.

HDR on Overcast Evening

Olympus seems to do some kind of sharpening to the pictures. When cropped to 100%, you could see a grainy texture to the images. I am not in particular unhappy about that but it should be something to take note of if you are not one that likes that kind of feel.

Conclusion (7/10):

Olympus has done very well with the EM-1 image quality. I have not expected such good IQ from a MFT, and I was pleasantly surprised. The camera also handles ergonomically well if you can forget the ugliness of it, and the shutter sound is beautifully soft and even cute. There are also many other features of the EM-1 which was not reviewed (I mean, we do have 20 buttons!) – such as waterproofing, 5-IBIS, and the other multitude of functions which could sway the potential buyer to getting one. I for one got it for purely macro photos, and it does that, pretty much perfectly.

Unfortunately, the release of the EM-1 came at a time where Sony also announced their upcoming A7 and A7r series which is a full-frame mirrorless in a body that is very similar in size (maybe smaller?) to the OMD. The OMD is NOT cheap, it is priced at $1399 USD whereas the A7R, which packs 36 megapixels, is priced at only $2399 USD. This differential is very easily justifiable in my opinion. An informed buyer at this point of time would hold-off the purchase, and wait for more IQ samples for the A7/r.

The OMD does of course, have a wide-array of lenses that are fantastic optically at the moment. While Sony currently have crappy lenses for the A7/A7R, adaptors can serve to augment (we can use leica lenses!) that, and Sony has announced a very big lineup to support the A series. In addition, with Sony breaking the barrier of having the smallest FF camera, we can expect other giants to go into this market and very soon, there will be great lenses available for FF mirrorless tiny cameras. In fact, we just had the Nikon DF being announced as well. All this will only cause the OMD value to keep going downhill and thus it will not make to be a good purchase.

Despite a bad value, the OMD EM-1 by itself is a strangely great camera. I feel that it does have some kind of elusive charm where I cannot quite say that it is beautiful but yet has its own mysterious usefulness. In terms of size, it is huge and does not pack the punch of the new FF-mirrorless, and it is not small enough like the Panasonic GM, yet it still delivers beautiful, sharp and colorful pictures.

It is in a nutshell, neither here nor there.

Samples Gallery (some images are cropped):

e-flat by Fogg: Short Review

The Fogg e-flat camera bag

 

Today I decided to write up a short line on my just received Fogg e-flat, ordered 3 months ago from Chiif Cameras. - Mine was a Havana\Black colour combination.

 

First impressions

The e-flat satchel is large but in no means excessively huge. I ordered mine with extra laptop dividers so I could use it as my everyday work bag if I decide to do so or when necessary.

 

 
You could have the option to have your name sewn onto the bag (inner surfaces) at no additional costs. However it means you won't be able to sell off should you decide to in the future!
 

 
In place of the usual dividers (x2) + 1 trap door configuration, I had a laptop divider and two dividers of smaller width (additional costs) for my documents and stuff I bring to work everyday. 
 

 
Above: with the laptop divider in place and the usual stuff I carry to work excluding the Leica M and lens (detached). It has plenty of room. My pencil case took a huge chunk of space (because the case was quite big)

With the usual divider (2+1 trap door) configuration in place, there is little doubt this bag could carry a full size SLR.
The e-flat was also less than bulky than the crumpler's mid size camera shoulder bag but offering larger space than the crumpler's offering. - a side by side comparison should be done in the future in this respect.
 

 
As seen below, the buckle seems to be made of solid brass! it actually has weight! you could feel the weight!!!
 

 
The bag is also stiff enough to be self standing.
 

 

Build quality 10/10

 

The build quality of this bag is way beyond any other bags I had (two crumplers and three lowepro bags). The quality of materials used and level of detail this bag has is beyond my expectation. As such, I foresee this bag would serve me for a very long time.

 

Leather reinforce the high wear and tear portions of the bag. The design of the bag is not only practical but aesthetically pleasing as well.

- last updated 25-09-2013, need to sleep... further updates will come along as I put it into good use.

10 / 10

Leica M (Type 240) Short Review

The new Leica M (Type 240)

It has been 3 weeks since the arrival of my Leica M (Type 240) which was ordered in late March this year and I have decided it is time to write up something on this. Over the past two weeks, I had opportunity to test the new M at night with a Noctilux 50mm f/1.0, Summilux 35mm ASPH (FLE) and Summilux 50mm ASPH.

Improvements over M9 / M9P, Ergonomics and Feel (9/10)

Although I have not had an opportunity to own one of the previous generation of Leica Ms, my friends (one with a M9 and the other with M9P) had kindly let me played around with their beloved Ms while I was still using Nikon D700 and a M6, waiting for the arrival of my new M.

The camera use and layout seemed more intuitive than those of M9s, especially the new thumb scroll wheel.

The shutter unit has been changed and improved over M9. It is now capable of faster continuous exposure, if one needs it, and much quieter shutter noise - although it is still no where as close to those of M3s, M6s and MPs.

Inclusions of Live View function had led to rearrangement of the buttons on the back panel of the Leica M and the first button on top left is now Live View instead of play. This will probably cause owners of M9s and M8s to hit Live View instinctively when reviewing their shots on the rear LCD. This should not pose a problem for users who do not frequently review their images on the LCD.

The new rear LCD is now a 3-inch T FT monitor (921,600 pixels) with scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® glass, offering higher resolution screen (compared to the M9). This allowed for more critical focus evaluation of images in the field. The screen also seemed more responsive, probably due to the new image processor used for the new M.

The rear selection thumb wheel has been redesigned and now similarly styled like most DSLRs with a slight bump allowing some form of support for your right thumb. This support unfortunately seemed to be insufficient for my case and I ended up purchasing Match Technical EP-10S for Leica M (http://www.matchtechnical.com/Pages/ThumbsUpEP10S.aspx). The additional support provided by the thumbs up was enough for me to justify the additional costs.

Powering the M is now a 7.4v 1800mAh battery upped from the previous 3.7v Li-ion battery. This is essentially two M9 batteries packed into one unit. The higher capacity and voltage coupled with the new CMOS sensor would theoretically give a higher image count per battery charge especially since the use of a CMOS sensor in place of a power hungry CCD sensor. Although there were claims of approximately 1000+ images per charge, with low usage of the rear monitor and live view function, I was only  able to take below 600 pictures before the battery ran out of juice but that was probably attributed to the fact that I left my camera around on the single charge over two weeks to accumulate 500 pictures.

Image Quality (10/10)

The image sensor used in the M is a new CMOS sensor developed by CMOSIS with microlenses specially designed for rangefinder lenses since they focus closer to the sensor compared with SLR lenses. CMOS sensors have several advantage over CCD sensors - power consumption, dynamic range and noise are some of these.

The new sensor seemed more tolerable to wrong exposure settings as it seemed to have an additional stop or two. It fairs well in low light with up to ISO3200 usable (easily). With such high ISO usable, one may not get Leica Noctiluxes for their low light shooting capability but more for its artistic values. With this in mind, I am considering Leica Super-Elmar 21mm f/3.4 M lens over the Summilux model since wide angle lenses generally give good depth of field unless the focus extremely near.

Below are some examples of images taken in low light condition with high ISO settings -

Noctilux 50mm, f/1, 1/250, ISO1600, Larry

Summilux 35mm ASPH FLE, f/1.4, 1/350, ISO800

Summilux 50mm ASPH, f/1.4, 1/500, ISO800

Summilux 35 ASPH FLE, f/1.4, 1/45, ISO1000

Summilux 35 ASPH FLE, f/1.4, 1/90, ISO1000

Summilux 35 ASPH FLE, f/1.4, 1/125, ISO1000

Summilux 35 ASPH FLE, f/1.4, 1/45, ISO1250

Summicron 50 APO ASPH, f/2, 1/350, ISO3200

 

The 50mm Summicron APO ASPH was technically flawless. But some people may actually like the flaws and character of lenses like the Noctilux f/1.0. I would think that having an album with all technically flawless image may be a little boring although I am in no position to say it would be! - since I could not afford a small f/2.0 prime lens that cost twice my 35mm FLE!

Built quality (10/10)

Unfortunately all this comes at SGD$10,800.00 (Body Only) in Singapore and had a relatively long waiting time (at the time of writing this, I waited for my unit for more than 5 months!). Compared to other similar systems (are there?) There seemed to be a lot of comparisons to Sony RX1 or other similar compacts which are actually not true rangefinders! Fujifilm X-Pro 1 or any of their X-series (at the moment of writing) are NOT rangefinder cameras - they do not focus by triangulation so there is no point in comparing against these.

Leica is currently the only manufacturer who does digital rangefinder systems so to be fair, I would give 10/10 considering the built quality and the new inclusive weather sealing but Leica did had some manufacturing issues during initial production and some cameras were recalled due to loosening lugs (BUT! Leica was willing to repair any damage that was caused from the lug failure - such as camera fall damage due to lug failure!).

Costs (4/10)

The only negative was the asking price of 10.8k. This was because the built quality and the rangefinder mechanism allows it to! The cost is a deterring factor to the mainstream users.

I believe most of us would like to see if Voigtlander (Bessa), Zeiss (Ikon) – actually both were manufactured by Cosina, or any other manufacturer introduce similar M-mount digital rangefinders in the future. Until then, Leica ask for such price because it can.

Conclusion

Overall, shooting experience with the new Leica M is best described by one word: addictive.

9.5 / 10

Nokton 50mm F1.5 VM ASPH Review

Today we will have a short , real-world review of the new Nokton 50mm F1.5 VM ASPH pictured below. The lens is vintage, classic looking packed with the latest technology from Voigtlander/Cosina. We are going to see if it can perform in the night, where the bigger aperture should come in useful.

Ergonomics and Feel (9/10):
The feel of the Nokton is extremely solid. The focusing ring turns very smoothly throughout the entire focusing range, although a bit too tight. There are no areas where the focus becomes tighter or more loose. It can feel a little too hard on the fingers. Half-apertures are avaialble throughout the entire aperture ring, clicks very nicely, not audible, but enough to feel. Again, very solid. However, without any tab, users like me who have started off with a Leica 35mm may find it very hard to adapt to pre-focusing this lens. While it is widely accepted that F1.4s users do not pre-focus most of the time due to the small and narrow depth of field, I would have liked to have the flexibility. Some notch on one of the focusing etches would have saved my day multiple times. The size of the lens is extremely compact, just a little longer than the Leica 50mm f1.4 with the hood on(and very similar dimensions without the hood). In this aspect, the Nokton gets a straight 9 out of 10.

Sharpness (7.5/10):

Nokton: 1/250s at f2.4, ISO 320

Coming from a Leica 35mm F2 ASPH where sharpness is one of the outstanding points of the lens, I did not expect the Nokton to be any sharper. And that is exactly what I got. The lens is reasonably sharp at f1.5, and stepped to F2 or F2.8, it does get a little bit sharper. People who wish to get this lens will do well to note that you will not get fantastically sharp images compared to the Leica counterpart (50mm f1.4), but you will get reasonable amounts. At 1/4 the price, it does perform to expectations, and gives a nice feel to the overall picture. It is not necessarily a bad point - it is simply the limitation of optics packed into such a small lens.

Bokeh (8/10):

Nokton: 1/45s at f2.0, ISO 400

Bokeh is really a matter of personal preference. The above shot was taken at low light condition and somehow Leica records the aperture at f2. I thought I had it at f1.5. We can still see pretty bokeh here.  General you get a swirl-shaped bokeh around the centre. It does add to it some kind of charm, but it reminds me of my older nikon lens which gave similar bokeh. Not my favorite, but good enough.

Conclusion:
The wider aperture does come in useful at night. I was able to take certain shots that I was not able to as easily with less blur. However, since I am came from a 35mm family, where the focusing distance is not as picky and narrow, I actually found it very difficult to get used to the 50mm. (This will apply to all 50mms, not just the Nokton. ) Walking on the streets at night, often exciting and interesting shots will come out of the blue where you least expect it. Having some sense of pre-focus would have enhanced the experience and enable you to get somewhat good shots, but do not expect yourself to have well-focused, non-blurry shots all the time. Nonetheless, this is more of a experienced and skill-related evaluation, which is inherently not related to the lens.
Now, for the most part, the utility of the lens remains the same. At 1/4 of the price of a Leica 50mm, it does perform to standards that are extremely close. The built of the lens IS perfect, and I can find nothing wrong with it. For that, I would give it a big...

9 / 10

Fogg Lyre Review

Introduction

It has been about 2 weeks since I bought the Fogg Lyre at a whoppin' $500 SGD est. For comparison's sake, for sizes at the same level, a Billingham will set you back about $200SGD, a Wotancraft $150SGD, and a Crumpler, $69SGD. This makes the Fogg the most expensive bag amongst the class. I would like to clarify that I was not paid to review this Fogg bag by anybody at all. I own a Wotancraft, and my friends own Billinghams and Crumplers amongst other brands. That is where I get my comparisons from.

Build Quality

The Lyre is full of leather, canvas and cotton. Compared to the Wotancraft, which is made of waxed canvas, the leather is a nice feel. The entire length of the strap is made of cotton, which gives a nice soft touch, causing less abrasion. The strap goes under and throughout the entire circumference of the bag - this lends a strong support to the entirety and as an additional effect, it gives a feeling of lightness. With just Leica M9 and a 35 cron in it, it hardly feels like I am carrying a bag!
Durability: So far with only 2 weeks of usage on it, I have seen no deterioration of quality of the bag. My wotancraft started to show signs of usage, peeled off wax, and decoloration of the canvas body after about a year of usage. We will see if the Fogg holds up.

Aesthetics

Minimalist look... is everything a Leica user would ask for. The Fogg Lyre looks and feels right. Nothing is too much, nothing is too little. It is pretty much perfect in design.

Above: Isn't it just a beauty?

Storage and Ergonomics

The Fogg Lyre is meant to be a bag that is small. It can literally hold only one camera and at most, two sets of lenses including a 35 cron attached to the camera. Both additional set of lenses cannot be more than F1.4 The giant F1 or F0.95 lenses will probably not fit if you intend to put more than one lens in the bag. Since I only travel around with a 35 cron, the other compartment will be where I placed some food (sweets), earphones and tissue. It is really just a small handy space. The Lyre also features 2 compartments in front and one sleeve compartment behind. These compartments are similar in size. I find that the front most compartment fits my wallet easily, while the middle front compartment fits my nook simple touch. My 6" pantech vega phone gets to sit at the back compartment.
Ergonomically, the Lyre handles well and shifts its weight around well. The strap design really helps in distributing the weight. After a long day where the Leica starts to feel its own weight, there is no desire to shift the bag around to get optimal ratios. It does take awhile to get used to for opening the front compartments due to the inverse latch design. It gets its job done though.

Above: Fogg Lyre with 35 cron and a Nook SimpleTouch

Conclusion

Is there a need for a conclusion? There is. The Fogg Lyre is probably the best bag available at the moment for compact camera lovers wishing to bring just a camera and with just enough space to store their essentials. However, DSLRs class users will find no use for this bag. Similarly, on a rainy day you will find that there is not enough storage for a small umbrella. There just isn't enough. You may be hard pressed to travel with a friend that has an umbrella - but we all have those friends don't we? :)

The price of the Fogg will be the factor that prevents most people from buying. It IS a luxury item and should not be mistaken as a functional item. However, if one has the luxury to buy a good, HOT and sexy bag, the Fogg will be undeniably the best. Billingham bags come very close in terms of quality, and the price of a Billin will be 2X cheaper. The jump in the quality is only minimal. What you get though, is a completionist feeling, that you will never need to upgrade your camera bag for a very, very long time. Only time will tell if the Fogg will hold up to its quality, but I have a feeling it will.

 
Left: Fogg Lyre with Dan Brown's Inferno Hardcover for size comparison
Right: Fogg Lyre with large size Coffee Bean frappucino