Old Camera, New Accessories

^Old Ferry, New Paint: The ferry in Hong Kong has a history of over a hundred years. Once the main public transport across the Victoria Harbour, the ferries have remained popular among commuters with attitudes in lives. A ride in the ferry is slow but far more in style than being rushed in the underground or jammed by the road traffic. Normally painted in the quintessentially Star-Ferry (the company name) green, this one is painted in red which makes it stand out.

After using the GX200 for ten months, I am convinced enough to go for the accessories. Surely, the accessories will give the GX200, os to speak, a new lease of life. My past experience shows that a viewfinder will be needed for taking photos outdoor under the strong sunlight. And, as I wrote previously, a viewfinder can give me a proper perspective in composing a scene. Of course, the prejudice is personal. But I speak from my long experience as a SLR user. So I hope to fetch the viewfinder for the GX200 or, properly put, the VF-1.

^I anticipate it to be great fun to use the 19mm fisheye-converter to take a photo of this boat.

Then, I will need the 19mm converter for I have never try a fisheye lens. I have seen people's works by the DW-6. The results are dramatic. The converter is a cheap solution to sate this thirst of mine.

Of course, the tele-converter is also contemplated, not least after reading Pavel's review of the 135mm converter. I have taken quite a number of portraits with the GX200 but missed the blurry background afforded by the SLR. If Pavel is right, and I'm sure he is, the TC-1 tele-converter will better position the GX200 to doing portrait works.

I also fancy the CX1. Now this is partly out of the brandname loyality growing in me and partly of its technology plus the focal length. I realy don't see why I need any other camera or lens if I have the GX200 fitted with these accessories and the CX1 in one go. The Sony HX-1 can be a close substitution for the CX1 if not for its size. I have tried the controls of the HX-1 and its ergnomics is just next to GX200's.

These are in the wish list to be realised.

Comments

A Real Hero

(Grip On Reality: This photo was taken on my way to work. I was walking past trucks parking on a cul-de-sac when the ropes caught my attention. The light was right, the colour was right and the criss-crossing pattern was perfect and I held up my GX200. People passing by checked me out and wondered what could be made out of such a boring scene. To me, the fun in photography is that the photographer makes something interesting out of what is not obvious to most at the scene. The ropes tied in knots somehow reminded people I know who are in the grip of the recession) You must have also known a friend or two, or even yourself, being baffled by the spiral downturn of the economy. Bank went bankrupt and the rich was faced with a shrinking wealth. A friend of mine has just had his salary cut by over 10% and some of his colleagues started to be shed. But, wait. Was this done really for the sake of continuing the business? Or is there a factor or greed in it? I wonder whether the

New Low Prices

The window shopping some hours ago has almost provoked my AgIDS illness. Just in case you’re in Hong Kong or are coming here, and have the money to burn (All in HK$/ body only): GX200 = $3,280 GRD2 = $3,380 LX3 = $3,180 G10 = $3,280 Prices are available form a gear shop on the 1st floor of the Mongkok Computer Centre. Besides these new low prices, I found that Wing Shing Photo (55-57Sai Yeung Choi St., MK Tel: 2396 6886/ 91-95 Fa Yuen St., MK Tel: 2396 6885) is offering a Sony A700 + Carl Zeiss Lens package for HK$9,980 (hopefully, a bargain will make it some hundreds cheaper).

Eye Contact

(Leica D-lux 5) The digital era may make it easier to end up with fave shots. Even lousy photos may be turned likable after a few clicks in the post-processing workflow. But if digital advancement or amendments have any bearing on the cultivation of personal style, no photographers will need to discover his or her own photographer’s eye. Undoutedly, this is out of the question. Only with a trained photographer’s eye can we give a thinking gaze and capture an eternal moment, in our unique style. Style is the soul of a great photo. A few posts have been written in GXG to touch on the topic of photographer’s eye. Instead of finding an answer, which would require academic discussions, the posts are intended to give my general reflections and spark interests in moving towards further exploration of the topic. The posts can be viewed after the links: 1) Photographer's Eye: Storytelling 2) Photographer's Eye: Little Show of Observing 3) Photographer's Eye: Sight-Worthy 4

GX GARNERINGS

Search This Blog