GX GARNERINGS

(Full-sized images included; links given in the paragraphs) (continue from yesterday) The images at normal setting taken with Ricoh cameras are with an unmistakeable character: the images are less heavily coloured.  The colour is less contrasty, giving out a taste of what mellow is to red wine, supposing you are not a teetotaller.  For those who preferred images with vivid colours, Ricoh cameras used to give an impression of producing washy images. This is a shot by P10 giving out a colour of Ricoh's distinctive less contrasty feel adored by many Ricoh fans. Probably after GX200, Ricoh has done some adjustment to the image settings to cater for users with such a taste.  The adjusted choices for colour settings are also carried through to the GXR, allowing users to switch between Vivid, Standard, Nature, Black and White, Blank and White (Toning Effect) and two customisable settings whereby users can adjust vividness, contrast, sharpness and highlight individual colours.  (Note: F

(continue from yesterday) When the P10 and the CX3 arrived on the desk, the first question sprang to mind was the rationale of choosing the P10 over the CX3 in terms of price because they are just twin brothers clad differently.  Of course, for existing GXR owners, the query on their mind may be the need to give the diminutive-sensor camera all the additional functions by the strength of the GXR body.  "If I really want one, why don't I simply buy the CX3, leaving the existing module on the GXR module?" they may ask. But after using the P10 and the CX3 concurrently for a few days, the difference was unmistakeable just as a Panasonic Lumix Phone is not the same as a Panasonic Lumix camera. The Pluses of P10 The P10 allows users to shoot RAWs.  Both cameras have a high speed continuous shooting function.  With the P10, you can do it in RAWs too.  Giving the RAW capability to the tiny-sensor P10 is generous.  The interesting question is why users wish to shoot RAWs w

The GXR is the system which Ricoh has been working diligently on and firmly believes in.  Its initial launch received mixed feelings among the photography community.  Those who were for it believed that the future expansion could make it exciting.  Those who objected it queried the design to bundle the sensor and the lens which is against the common logic.  This situation still holds true. It has not been a long time since the system saw the light of the day.  But we have since then seen lots of development in the camera market.  While the mirror-less cameras have started to even eat in the market share of the DSLRs according to some market survey, the niche market used to be Ricoh's stronghold has become pretty crowded with models from most market players.  The GXR system is obviously sitting astride the two markets, which sounds even less optimistic against this background. After all, its price tag doesn't sound right at the existing fierce market competition.  That sa

When the British colonial rule was at its heyday, Hong Kong was an important member of the Empire.  The most important wherefore for the why is that Hong Kong is located cheek by jowl with communist China, whom the Americans tried to, and still does, encircle.  With such an advantage of close proximity, Hong Kong was engineered to become the Far East commanding post to spy China in the many years to come.  The guess of removal of Britain's spying facilities from Hong Kong before the Union Jack was lowered in 1997 was so widely circulated that it almost became a known secret.  Granted, there will probably be no definitive evidence to prove the mystery. Out of the need to rule, the British colonists had undoubtedly laid the foundation for Hong Kong to become a great, and certainly rich, city.  As Lord Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, pointed out in his book "East and West", the British had in its many colonies been "installing democracy [not really until the

We all know that there was a reason why cameras in the more proper film era were black: any colour cast on the body could dupe the metering or be reflected onto the subject under certain circumstances; the black colour makes the best non-reflective surface for that matter. Today, while cameras are becoming consumer goods like cell phones, more cameras are turned into clownish colours.  This infectious disease is spreading far and wide as evidenced by [eye-blinding warning] here and here . What save us from the outbreak of a possible epidemic is the welcomed wind of change which clothes a larger number of cameras in what would be tailcoats to men. So, ladies and gentlemen, please cast your vote for the best looking winners: Online Surveys & Market Research

Venturing down to the old areas in Hong Kong, you will see traces of the once possibly bustling neighbourhoods through the sight of some long-forgotten businesses.  These stores of yore are usually stuffed with materials useful to their customers but totally unimaginable to the minds of those otherwise.  To these spectators' eye, what  is more valuable about them is that they showcase what the district thrived on in the past. This "ships' stores" is located in Yau Ma Tei, which is at the heart of the busy city centre on the Kowloon side to this day.  There are stores galore of the same sort in the area.  They are actually the standing testimony to Yau Ma Tei being a seamen's district in the old days when merchant ships coming into Hong Kong moored nearby for replenishment before sailing.

Overloaded?   Great that we have a break! This is Sunday.  Have a rest day!