GX GARNERINGS

Hey, you're jaywalking.  Gotcha! Today is Sunday.  Have a nice day!

(An ISO800 shot with nice image quality unmatched by the GX200) This is the last post about my reflections on the LX3 on loan to me. Having used it for five days now, I'm a bit in love with this camera.  Well, it is not as flexible as the GX200 in terms of ergonomics.  But that's only because GX200 is at the top of the class on that front.  The LX3 is nonetheless a camera in its own class. What I like about the LX3 is the mindset the engineers have  put in it.  This is a camera targeted at the people from the common folks to fellows just into photography, while reserving some nice features to cater for the more creative mind of the old hands.  Well, probably it is more for the sake of marketing and sales.  The common folks make for a bigger market. (The LX3 is not responsive for a sudden scene.  I was unable to get the exposure right when the bike passed by.  With the GX200, a press on the button will set the exposure at the right lev...

1) Love Xate-3 Relationship 2) Joy and No Joy 3) Fumbling Like Forever 4) Best Scenario 5) Last Words Before Parting

(This is the popular graffiti Hongkong-style. At least, these bills make the streetscape less boring and more lively. In the de facto red light districts, which are prohibited here, in Mongkok, bills of young girls scantily clad are galore. Probably most sexually-sound men have the intuition to agreeing with their existence. Taken with LX3 through the window on a bus) This is the forth post on my reflections after using the LX3 on loan to me. Having found the differences between the LX3 and the GX200, I am impressed that the two machines are niether built nor designed for the same scenarios. The question now is: What scenarios is the LX3 suited for? The GX200 is a great camera with top-notch ergonomics which makes it ideal for street shots and in scenarios requiring quick responses. But how about the LX3? (Bus-stop, Rubbish Bin and Old Lady: Pre-focused, pre-metered and fired. Absolutely no problem for the LX3) Best Scenarios So travelling on the bus, I was contemplating the q...

(This street tapping into an old neighbourhood presents a typical scene of the old Hong Kong: low-rise tenement buildings and signboards in a haphazard order. When you're in Hong Kong wishing to take photos of the older Hong Kong, wander into the side streets splintering from the Nathan Road) After a break yesterday, we continue on my reflections on using the LX3. This is the third post. Less is More Having noticed the odd operation of the exposure indicator mentioned in the second post, I tried to use the LX3 for some street shots in a way I would have with my GX200. I walked in the street and, with the LX3 turned on, took snaps of interesting subjects when the right scenes presented. It is somewhat a foregone conclusion that the LX3, with the auto on-and-off exposure indicator, is not really designed for taking street shots, which is mind-boggling as far as a serious compact is concerned. But the trouble doesn't stop just there. (The shot was not properly exposed du...

(Olympus Japan presents its business forecast) The following are some background information to give you a better picture of the holy cause you are saving up money for. On May 13 2009, Olympus Japan officially announced that a camera featuring the M4/3 system was scheduled for release on June 15, 2009 and for sale in early July.  Nothing was said on the pricing. At the PIE2009 in Tokyo, Olympus put its concept M4/3 camera on show, which appeared in PMA2009 too.  The final product was said to be modified on concept camera. (The concept M4/3 camera) It is learnt that the M4/3 camera has an effective 12M pixels, a built-in pop-up flash, a 3 inches LCD screen and feactures 720p video recording function.  At the same time, two M4/3 lenses will be introduced.  They are 14-42mm at 3.5-4.5 and 17mm at 2.8. Olympus presented in its financial statement as at end May that "We will focus our energy on developing and marketing unique and high-value added...

(The man is waiting for the bus. For reason of saving time or whatever, it seems that he is taking a standing nap at the edge of the sidewalk next to the busy Nathan Road, the lifeline of the Kowloon Peninsular. This city works people really hard) This is the second post about my reflections on using the LX3 on loan to me. In comparison to the GX200, the LX3 works more like a consumer item than a photographer item. If you haven't a chance to get a hand on a GX200, you'll think that the LX3 has superb controls. It does. But if you've used a GX200 like me beforehand, you will feel otherwise. I will write more on this later. The consumerism as epitomised by a bagful of superfluous fun modes is obvious in the LX3. On the other hand, the GX200 is very much designed with the photographers in mind which is evidenced in its renowned ergonomics and exclusion of nonsense functions. Joy That said, two of the LX3's fun functions sound useful: the Lomo-simulated mode and the...

  (Shot in Marco mode of the LX3, the picture of these bamboo scaffolding sticks proves that a digital marco mode for a shorter focal distance is preferrable for a more intriguing image of the marco world) With a LX3 on loan to me for a week, I am doing without the GX200 for some days. Instead of trying out all the functions of the LX3, I intend only to use it in a way just as I have been with the GX200 for purpose of doing some comparisons between the two. I will play with the LX3 for a few more days and post the photos here, with my reflections on the particular days about using the LX3. The posts are not intended to be a proper review. It is just interesting to get some hand-on experience in the implementation of the comparable aspects of the two cameras targeted at the same market segment. This is just for fun. Elegance In my hand, the LX3 emits a quality of elegance which is rather understated (lacking of?) in GX200 or even GRDs. The elegance probably comes from the LX...