I have met quite a number of people who are gear freaks which actually doesn’t matter because most of us are, wanting and buying new gear regularly. What is sad about it is that these people acquire new gear without actually learning about, to take photography as an example, what the old camera can do and how to use it well.
Sometimes, I am almost emotional for an advanced camera which is retired with its dial still on the P mode while its advanced buyer-owner is lauding an upgrade and use it for the same mode, which his the P mode. P-mode is not a sin but a photographer should try to use all available means to experiment his or her creativity.
Improve Photographic Skill
It will stand us in good stead if we spend at least as much time studying how to do photography as comparing the specs of almost every new camera. So next time your Acquired-gear-In-Defciency (AgIDS) symptom revives to haunt you, buy something other than a new camera which can help improve your photographic skill.
To me, most of the improvements come from regularly comparing my photos to the exposure data. This has been my habit since I bought the Dynax 7, which can store exposure information for six rolls of film. With the GX200, life is easier because I can instantly check out the EXIF, the composition and the actual image on the computer screen in one go. A nice way to learn from errors, I would say. In fact, I have been inputting the insights of mine in a MS Word file.
These postmortem reviews take a long learning curve to yield results because the reviewer must have accumulated certain experience in photography to make sense of the data, come up with solutions to the errors and try them out next time.
PoGo Comes in Handy
So, if a photographer can do the review on the scene, experiment the solutions right away and jot down some notes, he or she can make quantum leaps in photographic skill in a short span of time. It is when the PoGo will come handy.
This is how: bring your camera, the PoGo, a notebook and a pen. Take a photo, and review it on screen. Adjust the exposure combo and the composition to see different results. Use PoGo to make prints of your initial work and the best one. Peel and stick the prints on the notebook and write your insights.
The PoGo seels for about US$137 or GB￡96, costing about a fourth of the price of a serious compact but adding great value to your camera and photos.
A User’s Account of PoG0
Thanks to Kiyoshi Ikechi, a photographer located in Japan, for letting us use his box-opening account of the PoGo. First, some facts about the PoGo printer: It saw the light of the market some months ago but is not available even in Hong Kong (I have actually asked around in big photo stores and chain stores). It utilises inkless printing technology code-named Zink which is made possible by the special tear-and-water resistent thermal Zink papers. The printer is of 4.7 by 2.9 by 0.8 inches, weighting 181g (GX200 weights 238g with battery). The battery operated PoGo can produce 14 to 15 prints per charge. Printing a 10MP photo takes an average of one minut, counting from a camera starting data transmission to the PoGo completing the print.
Let’s check it out (Photos by Ikechi, with my comments added to Ikechi’s captions to his Japanese posts here and here):
Included in the package are the PoGo, an AC adapter, a lithium-ion battery, a user guide and a warranty card.
On the front of the PoGo is a big, unmistakable character “Polaroid” in glossy relief.
There is the ZINK (zero ink) trademark too.
This is the paper tray latch
Open the paper tray door and this is what you see. No inking features whatsoever.
On one side is a plain AC adapter input terminal.
On the other side is an USB port and a power button. A press and hold on the power button turns on the PoGo. Check out the upper light indicator next to the battery mark. It functions during charging, with the light changing colour to indicate the battery fully charged. Now, the lower light indication next to the exclamation mark. It blinks to indicate functioning or malfunctioning like paper jams and data transmission errors.
Remove the battery cover on the back. There you see an information plate. The PoGo boosts Bluetooth connectivity.
The 450mAh Lithium-ion battery (average power as compared with even a general cellphone Lithium-ion battery of 800mAH; you’ll definitely wish for a spare battery)
Size-wise, it is perfect.
Now the magic paper. The ZINK papers are sold separately in a pack of 10, 30 or 50 pieces. The 50-piece pack comes with five loads of 10 pieces each. The peel-and-stick ZINK paper is 2 by 3 inch (What the world do I need a diminutive print like that? Be patient, I’ll explain) and semi-gloss surfaced.
For each new load of ZINK papers, a blue sheet is first discharged to clean the head when the PoGo is powered on.
PoGo is Bluetooth and PictBridge capable. Unfortunately, most cameras are without the Bluetooth capability and cannot establish wireless connection with PoGo. But with PictBridge functionality and the USB connection, PoGo can easily make prints direct from the camera.
When my EOS 50D is connected to PoGo via the USB port, I can choose from the camera LCD display which photos to print the camera, thanks to PictBridge. Generally speaking, the whole printing process (transmission plus printing) take about 60 seconds for a 10MP image. The printing itself takes only 30 seconds.
A great scenery. Take a photo. Print the image right the way and stick it on a notebook. What fun it is to be able to write in real time on the spot!
A further note by Nevin: You may well guess that the colour quality of these prints is far from great. From what I read online, bingo. With the small size of the ZINK papers, no one will fancy to use it for mass production of prints. Nor will that be cost-effective. But the PoGo can be a good learning companion for photographers. DON’T mix the PoGo with Polaroid’s latest PoGo Instant Digital Camera, which I am sure will meet its fate soon.
Now, you may check out the following videos for a brief (the first one) or extended (the second one) introduction of PoGo. An Amazon PoGo ad is in the right sidebar if you’re interested. An exchange rate caculator link is in the upper left sidebar.
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