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

It arrived..finally...

And after waiting for 2 weeks of custom clearance and weekends (customs don't work on weekends in Singapore, they have good life?).. it arrived..

 

Parcel from Rahn foto and fine arts, delivered by TNT express. (Leica M, Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH)

Something to come: Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH initial impression

Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH

Leica Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH in Silber Chrom

(micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8, multi off-camera flash flanking from both left and right with yellow filter attached on SB800 and SB700)

Yes! Silber Chrom! That was not some spelling error, it means Silver Chrome in Deutsch. I had this lens for more than 1.5 years now and had no opportunity to have a proper first impression due to the fact that I had no digital camera that is capable of accepting M mount lenses. This will change by the end of next week!

The chrome version of this lens, shown here, weighs a hefty 460gm. That is pretty heavy for a little guy of this size!

Single Origin Coffee - Hunkute from Nylon Coffee Roasters and Colombia from Highlander Coffee

Single Origin Coffee
Disclaimer: This post has completely nothing to do with cameras or photography.

Something I could not live without (for long periods of time). I rarely had the opportunity to compare two different single origin coffee beans different roasters side by side simply because I don't buy and stock up coffee. Hunkute (Ethiopia) from Nylon Coffee Roasters and Columbia from Highlander Coffee. Both are single origin arabica coffee - meaning they are not blend of mixture of coffee beans from different farms or regions but are from the same farm. Most of the coffee we find in supermarkets and cafes were blends (ie Starbucks three regions, etc..) there are exceptions, but these were few. Single origins allow us to fully appreciate the distinct flavors associated with coffee grown in the particular farm or region.

 

Hunkute (Left), Colombia (Right) double shot of approximately 16g through approx 60ml. (micro-Nkkor 105mm f/2.8 with SB800 at 1/8000s)

Nylon Coffee Roasters, a small coffee roaster started out sometime in the middle of last year (2012) in Everton - within close proximity of Singapore General Hospital. It was a "micro"-roaster and have seasonal runs of wonderful variety of single origins from different farms. The downside is the runs were seasonal - this means they will not run for indefinite amount of time! Similarly to Bokasso, also an Euthopian single origin, the Hunkute was sweet as an espresso but more lively! I have tried aeropress method of brewing which resulted in a coffee that wasn't sweet compared to the espresso. The profile was completely different so don't waste it on aeropress - the way it is meant to be tasted was non other than through an authentic espresso machine! I felt it would be a waste to run these through v60 drip so I never bothered to try especially since this costs almost twice as much compared to the coffee from highlander! This particular one is meant to be enjoyed as an espresso!
I quite like the Bokasso single origin which ran prior to Hunkute.

 

Hunkute from Nylon, 300g(micro-Nkkor 105mm f/2.8 with SB800 with difusser to avoid glare at 1/8000s)

Highlander Coffee was one of the pioneers to roast coffee in-house, providing freshly roasted coffee to consumers in Singapore. They have a terrific espresso blend - Supremo Blend which I loved and still love ^_^
I started out getting my beans supply from Highlander Coffee after countless disappointment with different coffee beans from places like Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leave and concluded that freshly roasted coffee beans contributes to approximately 60% of how a coffee will taste!
The Colombia has a heavier body than Hunkute, a hint to moderate smokiness which Hunkute completely lacks, and the smell could really be considered pungent compared to Hunkute. I dislike the word pungent because I find that is meant to be reserved for Sumatra Mandheling I once had (like 6-7 years ago) in a cupping session. I noticed the beans was more brittle most likely the result of darker roast compared to the Hunkute from Nylon.
I quite like this Columbia from Highlander on my machine but have yet to try it through an aeropress or v60 drip.

 

Hunkute from Nylon, 300g(micro-Nkkor 105mm f/2.8 with SB800 with difusser to avoid glare at 1/8000s)

Conclusion?
They are different and not meant to be compared! -_-"  I change beans from time to time because I find myself loosing too much of my sense of taste if I stick to one blend or single origin coffee. It felt refreshing to get back the some coffee you tried previously but didn't quite appreciate then.

 

The Leica M6 - enterence into rangefiner world without breaking the bank.

The Leica M6 has been around for a very long time (as of 2013). It was my first Leica camera and would probably stay with me for how long my Leica gear is going to serve me, unless I had the resources to splurge on the latest MP. This camera was the beginning of my rangefinder path.

After all these years using Single Lens Reflex cameras, I wanted a rangefinder camera for its compactness and simplicity. A quick and simple search online for a rangefinder solution revealed little choices. Only Leica, Cosina, Zeiss (manufactured by Cosina), Voigtlander (also manufactured by Cosina) and Mamiya still manufacture true rangefinder.

Zeiss a film rangefinder body, the Zeiss Ikon. It was solidly built but not by Zeiss. And so, I eliminated this off my list.
Voigtlander Bessa comes in different 'trim' or 'model'. It was also not built by Voigtlander. Thus, I also eliminated this off my list.
Mamiya's rangefinder were in medium format and too big for my liking so I did not consider it.
Then enter Leica. Made in Germany. - well this what it took for me to have it on the very top of my want list.

 

The Leica M6 - Simplicity with built in light meter.

For a start, Leicas were expensive and yes, they are much more expensive now (digital era). I need a camera with a built in light meter and does not break my bank. M3 does not have a light meter built in. M6, M7 and MP had built in meters but M7 and MPs are too expensive.

I bought this particular M6 second hand at about SGD1600, it was in mint condition with no scratches and no user marks. Shutter speed sounded correct. Typically, due to the nature of mechanical cameras, one could typically expect to see some signs of usage such as scratches and marks at least below the film advance lever.

My first few rolls of film through this camera revealed no issues with shutter speed or the rangefinder mechanical coupling.

 

 

 

Visible on this photo are the shuttle speed dial, flash shoe, film advance lever / crank, shuttle release button (threaded) and shutter release counter (no. of frames taken since loading the roll of film). One thing particularly neat about manual Leica rangefinder were it's horizontal travel cloth shutter (for benefit of those who do not know, most if not all SLRs and modern cameras including Zeiss Ikon and Voigtlander Bessas are vertical travel shutters), with the Leica M7 as an exception due to the 1/4000 shutter speed and auto aperature mode.

 

The film rewind crank was angled at 45 degree, allowing faster film rewind.

 

This little red dot is the lens release button.

 

Frame line selection lever, allows preview of different frame lines available on a 0.72 magnification viewfinder.

 

This window gathers light provide the illumination to the frame lines.

 

The window on the right is the rangefinder which provides the triangulation for estimating distance between the film and the subject.

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