GX GARNERINGS

Artificial Rain

2012-02-01T21:33:00.000+08:00

(Leica D-Lux 5)

Not that the author has forsaken the Ricoh GX200 lately but that my hands are full with two Leicas. With a Leica D-Lux 5 received not long ago, the plan is to write a review of it. This little camera is a nice street photography tool but the still outdone by the 4-year old GX200 ergonomics-wise.

Stepping On What is Good Luck?

2012-01-31T13:39:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

Someone will say poo, dog doo or cow's pie and so on. Can we add rainbow to the list?

Again, it must be said that the exposure metering of the X1 is always spot-on. Manual mode was used for this shot.

Satisfied, Not Satisfied?

2012-01-30T13:26:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

No matter what, this is the day to start working.

Look Out!

2012-01-29T11:43:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

This is Sunday. Have a fun day!

Blurred Vision

2012-01-28T19:22:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

The exact vision one may have after a week’s hard work and goodwill visits for the Chinese New Year.

Altitude and Attitude

2012-01-27T22:15:00.001+08:00

(Leica X1)

The two commercial towers rising up on both sides of the Vic Harbour are vehemently hated by the former Director of Planning. Such an eyesore is like putting Yao Ming, the Chinese NBA player, among the contestants at a beauty pageant. Wrong subject, wrong place. It is said that the tallest buildings at a place speak the essence of its attitude towards what is important. In the old Europe, it used to be churches which have invariably given way to commercial buildings. The norm in Hong Kong has always been such buildings which are gradually rebuilt into sunlight-blocking commercial towers in competition of altitude. Why on earth businesses need buildings that high is a myth.

Man In Black

2012-01-26T21:52:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1; First day of work after the Chinese New Year holiday and it is still freezing at 8 degree centigrade)

With the advent of cameras painted in different colours, the reason for the traditional black colour is almost lost. Just in the unlikely case that you don't know, it is to minimise the light reflected by the camera body onto especially the surface of a close-up subject. But the camera in black still has a special charm to most male photographers. Cameras targeted and supposedly made for serious photographers are unanimously black in colour; "supposedly" because there are the likes of the Fujifilm X10.

Some X10 users have complained that it is a camera targeted at serious photographers but probably does best on autopilot. The author has no first-hand experience on the camera except having tried out briefly for its viewfinder. It is a brilliant design that the VF is mechanically linked to the lens during zooming. But the VF is obviously more for ornamental purpose than for real use owing to the misalignment of its viewing angel -- or putting it more properly, the on-paper 85% coverage feels idiotic in action. If the main purpose of a VF is for framing, this one is not. The LCD screen is also too cluttered with shooting information, bars and icons -- which can be turned off. But the author has not came across a camera with the similarly messy arrangement of on-screen info. Together with the verdict of an old friend about the idiosyncrasies of the implementation of functions on the X100, it is not too foolhardy to sooth-say that the same could happen to the X Pro-1: everything is great on paper but feels not right in implementation. Just guessing.

Selected Excellence: Portraits of Cantonese Opera

2012-01-25T16:57:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

Showcased at the West Kowloon Bamboo Cinema (opening session ended yesterday) are the Portraits of Cantonese Opera done by Michael Wolf, a photographer born in Munich and currently living and working in Hong Kong. A two-time winner of the World Press Photo Award Competition in 2005 and 2010, he has been engaged in photographing various aspects of Chinese cultural identity and local urban architecture.

In this Portraits of Cantonese Opera, Mike utilises his lens to capture the essence of Cantonese opera and its locally celebrated performers, documenting the specificity and individuality of each character and their costumes. His approach of juxtaposing the tradition of Cantonese opera against the backdrop of the old neighbourhood conveys his reflection on the city and its diverse cultural contexts.

The Bamboo Cinema was a one-off project, now finished, to provide spectators with performances at the old-day price. Cantonese opera performed in the setting of a bamboo cinema is a traditional art form combining music, martial arts, drama and architecture. An embodiment of linguistics, literature and entertainment of the Southern China Lingnan culture, Cantonese opera has officially been inscribed into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and remained China's first batch of intangible cultural heritage.

The author had the privilege to attend the grand opening performances at the theatre. But regrettably, in the bag was only the Leica X1 fitted with the 35mm lens. Sitting next to the author were lots of shutterbugs busy clicking the shutter release. That's a slight imperfection of the night.

Let the Picture Speak

2012-01-24T19:59:00.004+08:00

(Leica X1; developed from RAW; on-camera flash fired)

Leica is not known for premium lenses for nothing. Before doing some portraits with the Sony A55 with some lenses and the wireless flashgun, the author took out the X1 for some test shots. It was about six thirty and the sun had already set. The environmental light was so dim that the X1 hesitated in focusing automatically. But once again, for some reason, the low resolution LCD screen gives out a highly better visual result for confirming MF compared to the much beefed-up one on the GXR body. And when it comes to image quality, the X1 shines. Even though the Elmarit lens on the X1 is not the original Elmarit for the M, it is a worthy member of the family in terms of image quality.

Let the picture speak itself with a 100% crop of today's shot:

My feeling is that it is sharper than the images produced by the GXR M-mount with the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II. Buying Leica gear is certainly a way of no return.

Remorse

2012-01-23T23:57:00.002+08:00

(Leica X1)

Fake monks from Mainland China begging for "charity donations" in the street is a known issue in Hong Kong. The author stumbled upon two police officers stopping such a monk, who showed great remorse on his face.

In Hong Kong, the unwritten rule is that on the first day of the Chinese New Year, drivers are licensed to do illegal parking. Unless the car is parked in the middle of the road, no police officers will stop it. This no-punishment rule obviously doesn't apply to fake monks.

Rosy Future

2012-01-22T18:26:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

Tomorrow is the start of the Chinese New Year. The city is heavily decorated in red and rosy colour which culturally augurs well for the new year.

The new year will be the Year of the Dragon, which is an auspicious fictitious creature possibly originated from the totem of the ancient Chinese tribe. According to a retired curator of a local university, the painting of cloud on the bronze utensils in the ancient days may be related to the emergence of the dragon concept.

While it is the year of the important creature, the new year is also special in that it will have 384 days since it is a double leap year – a leap year according to both the solar and lunar calendars.

For further reading about the lunar calendar calculations, visit this page.

Respite

2012-01-21T14:31:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

That's what the weekend is for.

Jump Over the Obstacles

2012-01-20T23:59:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

We may spend inordinate amounts of time discussing the strengths and weaknesses of cameras. At long last, we strike the deal and our expectation rises with the seemingly everything-is-better new toy in hand. But well before it is far from its due day, some newer models give us a good excuse to moan and grumble about the shortcomings of the once new camera for its lacking of longer zoom range, non-ideal high ISO performance, hundredth of a second slower AF speed, yada yada.

Every camera has its flaws and foibles in matters of actual use. Just as the author noted from a local camera reviewer, the X Pro-1 is going to fail the photographers for its AF speed. But why don't we make use of the constraints of a camera before bitching it? Lately, the author has been using the Leica X1 everyday. It has lots of "weaknesses" for street photography compared to Ricoh GX200, especially for the shallower DOF when aperture stopped down. But then, it compels the author to think up effective ways to work around the shortcomings.

That takes some willpower. Left to our own devices, we would have started contemplating selling the no longer new camera and then top up the cost for the newer model. In fact, it takes a photographer roughly five years to outgrow a serious camera.

After having jumped over the obstacles, a photographer will grow in skills. Try it!

Pot Calling Kettle Black

2012-01-19T21:26:00.001+08:00

(Leica X1)

Well, well, well, what is the good of a well without water? But then what can be good about a well too full of water? Look at your camera cabinet, it's so embarrasingly crowdy, isn't it?

The Chinese proverb corresponding to "Pot calling kettle black" is, literally, "the person paced 50 steps sneers at the other at 100 steps" (pronounced in Cantonese: ngsap bou siu babou). It means that a person having done a bit wrong has the chutzpah to sneer at the other having done a bit more wrong.

Now check out your camera cabinet again: one, two, three, four.... Has there been a point in using any forum that you sarcastically wrote about you being a real photographer not a camera collector? Well, your stock of five cameras cannot qualify you as a collector who has a stock of cameras double yours. But look, isn't there a slight flight of fancy deep inside yourself making your mouth watering about the X Pro-1, about adding just one more to your collections?

What on earth is the reason that you want it? For focusing speed, you have a fairly reliable DSLR. For the claimed near-full-frame image quality, you have no need to make any large prints. For using the vintage lenses, you already have a decent mirror-less camera for that purpose. So, for what cogent and practical reasons that you need a new camera, maybe the X Pro-1?

Stop and think twice before you step forward. By the way, have you made full use of the five cameras in your keep?

Hmmm, What Did You Just Say?

2012-01-18T13:08:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

"Sorry, I'm...terribly sorry..."

D&G Hong Kong, the recent source of public indignation for its photo ban on locals, has finally eaten its humble pie today after protesters staging group photo sessions outside its store on Canton Road during the last two weekends.

This morning, the Italian fashion giant issued a statement to apologise to the local people:

"We understand that the events which unfolded in front of the Dolce & Gabbana boutique on Canton Road have offended the citizens of Hong Kong, and for this we are truly sorry and we apologize," it said.

"The Dolce & Gabbana policy is to welcome the Hong Kong people and that of the whole world respecting the rights of each individual and of the local laws."

In making a fuss about shooting photos outside its shop, D&G did overlook the local law. While it first rejected its wrong doing, today's statement coming two weeks late is generally believed to be on account of not the public sentiment, but the worldwide reports of the incident and the adverse effect of the weekend photo sessions on its sales.

Leica: I Am the Original, not Dead Duck

2012-01-17T11:06:00.002+08:00

(Leica X1)

Before going into the actual topic of this post, which is Leica's likely answer to the clumsily named X Pro 1 – let's keep the fingers crossed that the implementation of functions will be less so, we should learn something about today's shot of seemingly animal genocide. No, they were not killed by an insane serial animal killer. Cured meat like these cured, well, duck heads is a Chinese delicacy which has been proved to be cancerogenic upon excessive consumption. Such food is usually consumed with congee. If you don't know what congee is, look the word up in a dictionary. The neck meat is to be consumed not the head. Well, usually supposedly so.

Now back to the actual topic. The X Pro 1 is making lots of photographers ticklish, and people are speculating on Leica’s answer to it. For that matter, an interview with Leica CEO in September 2011 can shed light on this pent-up demand for an answer. The interview articles reveals a few cues:

1) Leica will probably offer a ILC-like camera to fill the line-up and pricing gap between the X1 and the M to mark its centennial celebration which is in 2013

2) That bridging camera is not expected to have a diminutive body but will have an EVF.

3) The features will be in line with Leica’s philosophy: not too flowery to upstage simplicity in design and functions

4) The sensor type is still to be decided (Considering that the reporter probably has no good knowledge in camera because she keeps relating MFT to Sony, Canon and Nikon ILCs, as well as the business cooperation between Leica and Panasonic, my guesstimate is that Schopf’s was a polite reply. But it can also hint that the MFT sensor will be a choice if the larger APS-C under consideration doesn’t prove better and more cost effective.

As a side note, obviously, it doesn't take rocket science to figure out what the CEO means about smart phones and cameras: first, they are never the same even though in some cases the latter like the X1 doesn’t have an integrated VF; second, we now know the answer for sure as per the perpetual myth of what differs an image from a photo -- "If you look at the picture quality, it’s different. You can shoot images with such devices (phones), but (they are) not photos” Very humourously well-said indeed.

The full interview article is as follows:

Singapore’s My Paper (English) SOPHIE HONG 2011-09-16

Phone cameras not a threat, says Leica CEO

MOBILE-PHONE manufacturers are increasingly equipping their handsets with higher-megapixel cameras these days.

The trend has led some to wonder if the traditional camera would go the way of the dodo bird.

However, in the eyes of Mr Alfred Schopf, the global chief executive of Leica Camera, that is not an issue at all.

Here’s why: The sensor of a traditional camera is more powerful than that of a cellphone camera.

“Currently, the cameras on mobile phones have very small sensors, due to the space limit. The smaller the sensor, the lesser the depth of field in your photographs,” he told my paper on Monday in an exclusive interview. Mr Schopf was in town to visit Leica’s office here.

“If you look at the picture quality, it’s different. You can shoot images with such devices, but (they are) not photos,” he said. That is why high-end brands in the market, including Leica, do not feel threatened by the emergence of cellphone cameras, he added.

For Leica, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013, worldwide sales in the first quarter of its fiscal year have gone up by 28.7 per cent.

The German firm’s interim report also noted that camera sales in the Asian region have seen a rise of over 30 per cent.

Of late, camera manufacturers have been racing to come up with mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses.

Also known as Micro Four Thirds cameras, these devices are close to digital single-lens reflex, or DSLR, cameras in performance but come in much smaller sizes – one factor that has made the Micro Four Thirds system a hit in the mass-consumer market.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Sony’s market share in Japan has doubled after its foray into the Micro Four Thirds market with the Sony Nex series.

In contrast, the combined Japan market share of the world’s two biggest high-end camera makers, Canon and Nikon, which have not unveiled any Micro Four Thirds camera, has dropped by 35 per cent.

When asked if Leica would be launching its own line of Micro Four Thirds cameras, Mr Schopf said that the brand already has the Leica X1, a compact camera, and the M-System, which has interchangeable lenses but not an electronic viewfinder.

“We are at the borderline of compact-system cameras already, with the Leica X1 and Leica M-System, and it’s pretty obvious that, at one point, we are going to offer something in between,” said Mr Schopf.

“But we have to look very carefully into what sensor parts we are using and what features we are offering.”

On Micro Four Thirds devices, Mr Schopf said: “They have compact bodies and huge lenses in front. I feel a little bit stressed by that design, to be honest.”

It may take a bit more time to see a Leica Micro Four Thirds camera on the market, but Mr Schopf reassured fans of the brand that this is to ensure that high standards are maintained.

Revisiting an Important Place and the Important Thing

2012-01-16T10:23:00.002+08:00

(Leica X1)

The author took a re-visit with the Leica X1 to the scene of the winning shot which was achieved after some 10 minutes' wait. The waiting didn't pay off this time. It is always skills and luck that matter for a photographer at the end of the day.

This begs the question of why so many photographers spend so much time arguing about and comparing the good and bad of cameras per se. There are certainly many aspects in a camera which a photographer should consider before shelling out the money for it. But the most important thing is whether it suits one's shooting style (Shooting on the street? Having a penchant for manual everything? etc.) and preferences (taste of image character, brand philosophy etc). It is not just the better IQ or a larger sensor (well, discounting the sensors of P&Ss) or a retro design which most users are so obsessed with that measure the star-rating of a camera. The often animatedly debated image quality should be, paradoxically, given lesser importance in real life shooting situations unless the photographer mostly makes large prints (This is not to say that IQ is not important, mark you). Instead, if a camera urges one to use it and grow in creativity with it, it could reflect that the camera suits one's shooting style and preferences. That'll pretty much make the right choice. The author always makes an effort to, and hopefully successfully so, align with this belief when doing and reading a camera review.

Back to the now closed international photography contest, the finalists' shots can be viewed here. My shot taken with the Ricoh GX200 has probably the worst image quality in comparison.

Some asked on the Facebook page if the organiser (Swire Hotels) would have any similar contests in future. Well, understandably, the reply is an equivocally not-yes-or-no. You may bookmark the organiser's blog and check it out every now and then just to be sure to not miss any chance.

Restful

2012-01-15T11:40:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

This is Sunday. Make it restful.

Big and Small

2012-01-14T22:31:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

This is the first image the author developed from the X1's DNG file. The RAW file gives gobsmacking details and clarity in the image. It is visually much, much better than the jpeg file. No scientific comparison was done side by side between the GXR A 12 28mm module and the X1 for the image quality in their RAW files, but it would be more likely to hear oohs and ahhs when one sees those from the latter.

Google-translate this in case you wish for some lab test results.

Black and White

2012-01-13T10:56:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

After using the X1 for a week, I can conclude that the X1 is not as some users commented to not be able to do the job due to sluggish focusing. The AF speed is not world-class for sure. But it is not horrible either. I gather that for any experienced and discerning photographers, it is an unique digital photographic gear reminiscent of a film camera. The effective implementation of the MF simply invites one to use it. Together with the dials for exposure combo tweaking, the MF is an integral part of the film-camera déjà vu experience.

It is unusual that one has to mind the safe shutter speed – probably an obsolete term now -- when using a digital camera. The X1 is such a camera. That is very well as this adds to the thinking process before pressing the shutter release as in the case of a film camera.

The supreme image quality is a matter of course.

In a nutshell, it is a camera for experienced photographers, especially for those who come from the film era.

A Riot of Colours

2012-01-12T10:27:00.001+08:00

(Leica X1)

This shot was done in Vivid colour which is suspiciously characteristic of the colour seen in shots taken by Panasonic cameras in a similar mode.

Talking about characters of images, recently I came across a lady who is looking for a DSLR. An element most camera buyers overlook is the characters of the images a camera produces. How the red, blue, yellow and so on are reproduced in the final images differs between cameras. An experienced eye can tell the difference. Certainly one can post process images to mimic a desired image character. Micmic, yes; but the taste is not the same. Not to mention the convenience of using images straight out of a camera.

The Leica X1 exposes accurately just as it did to the image of today. The final image ends up in a bright mood and vivid feel to tell of the lively atmosphere of a market.

Hands Up, Hands Down

2012-01-11T10:45:00.004+08:00

(Leica X1; 100% crop)

Before the Leica X1 arrived, the author had searched on the Internet for users' comments about the camera. Most complained about its sluggish AF (just not world-class, that’s all). Some gave it up because it is catered only for scenery but not for "moving objects". Hands-up! Surrender out of ignorance.

Today's shot was done on MF mode and with pre-focusing. Honestly, the subject had been dogged a bit for the right shot. The MF had therefore been set and re-set. If the AF does not do the job, there is the MF option!

On the other hand, the superb IQ of the X1 simply wins hands down. The IQ performance is comparable to those taken by the GXR A-mount with the Nokton. But since the A-mount does away with the AA filter, the images produced are certainly more crispy. The shot today is in jpeg. A RAW file would have given more juice.

Bald and Bold

2012-01-10T10:03:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

Sometimes, when a street photographer puts down the camera only to find that the subject photographed is gazing back fiercely, it is rather ominous. But soon afterwards, the risk just seems to make the photographer bolder for more such shots.

OT: Oh Shit!

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000+08:00

(from Facebook)

She just let the child defecate on the street in broad daylight!

The same has been spotted in the Disneyland Hong Kong, the Ocean Park and on busy streets like here. The mainlanders are grossly hated and looked down upon not for no reason. The nouveaux riches among them are kitsch -- cases of them shouting to salespersons have been in news reports -- and some like the persons you see here seem far from civilised. I haven't mentioned the beggars of all sorts sent to beg on the street in Hong Kong....

Nevin, sorry for doing this post. But this is just so very unbearable!

(Nevin's Note: I just put up a less discriminatory title for this post)

On the Dark Side

2012-01-09T10:17:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

Tried shooting out with the X1 for the last two days. Leica has something to it. The operation of the X1 requires the shooter to constantly think about the technical side. It's digital but feels as if doing film shooting. It doesn't really have shake proof. One has to mind the safe shutter speed.

On the MF mode, one makes use of the wheel at the back of the camera which is rightly located at the thumb position. Rolling the wheel brings up the metering bar with indication of distance in focus at the bottom of the LCD, as well as an enlarged inset of the point being focused. Interestingly, even though the LCD is at low resolution, my impression is that the enlarged image looks clearer compared to the case of GXR A-mount. The MF implementation is very usable.

Street…Sign Photographer

2012-01-08T13:20:00.000+08:00

(Leica X1)

This is Sunday, try something new, or silly. As for the author, I am trying out the new camera.

Have an amusing rest day!

I Just Wanna Sit Here

2012-01-07T15:40:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Well, this is your Saturday. Time is on your hand. Hip is on your body. Sit if you so wish.

Well Read

2012-01-06T15:13:00.002+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

I have been using the GX200 since mid-2008. In between the time from then to now, I have tried at least 15 serious compact cameras by Ricoh, Pany, Samsung, Canon and presently the Leica D-Lux 5. All of them underwent my review but some have not had a chance to publish. Up to this point, I can still call myself well read in compact cameras.

Whether there will be more camera reviews here this year depends on the spare time I will have. For Ricoh cameras, with the penchant for this brand I will give them the priority to do a review. Taking about reviews, the Internet is increasing filled with less than mediocre reviewers. Beware of their verdicts. Sometimes, some of them may say something like the ad I wrote about here.

The negative effect of having tried so many cameras is one feels numb to yet another new camera -- even if it is a new camera for me to keep.

Now that my camera cabinet is rather cramped, and space is to be spared for the Leica X1, I am considering selling the Ricoh GX200. Oh, this is such a good -- soon a vintage -- camera that I will still keep one of my two. I have no specific idea of how to go about it. It is best to sell to a local in Hong Kong. Anyway, if you're interested, send me an email.

Lastly, if you ask me to pick one from those I tried for the best value for money, I would say the Samsung EX1. Its performance at ISO800 is in reality very usable. I'd say upto ISO1600, the images are fine on regular-size print. The IQ is in general great. The Germany-brand lens gives good details in final images. Twin control wheels. Swiveling screen. Metallic body. Intuitive menu system. Usable colour modes. Cheap price tag.

What the!

2012-01-05T22:02:00.001+08:00

According to a news report in the local Apple Daily (as a reference, in the case of the UK, it is equivalent to the sum of the Sun and the Guardian), the DOLCE & GABBANA shops sent shop attendants and then security personnel to chase away people (journalists who did the investigation report after receiving readers' complaints) taking photos which include their window displays from the sidewalk or outside their shops on the pretext that the photos may be used for producing counterfeit products and mimicking the expensive window display design.

It is also reported that photography in such situations will be allowed for tourists but not for locals.

The local photography community is enraged by the draconian treatment of photographers and unreasonable claim to property rights. Some people have already called via Facebook for people to take part in Sunday's photography group to shoot outside the shops. The group will start the open defiance from 3 to 5 that day.

Here are some legal Q&As about street photography in Hong Kong:

Q：Where can I photograph at will?
A：There is no law in Hong Kong prohibiting people from taking photographers at public places, with the exception of private premises where the owners can stipulate a “no photograph” rule and demand rule breakers to leave.

Q：Can I shoot private premises from a public area?
A：A private premises that can be visually accessed with a bare eye from a public area are taken to be displaying to the public, of which photography shall be allowed.

Q：Is it illegal if in that case the photos include copyrighted products and trademarks in a window display?
A：It shall not be construed as copyright infringement unless proof can be obtained on one having used the trademarks to counterfeit the same to achieve the purpose of sale. Otherwise, such items in display shall be regarded as displaying to the public and allow photography by the public.

Q：If a passer-by is photographed, can the person demand the photographers to delete the photos or sue the latter?
A：Hong Kong does not protect portrait rights in law. Photographing passers-by is not a violation in law. The passers-by have no right to demand deletion of the photos. However, an injunction can be obtained from court for reason of being stalked or privacy to demand cessation of the shooting or publication of the photos.

Q：Under what circumstances will photographing in public areas result in public prosecution?
A：A charge on indecent act may be made if the photographers purposefully point the lens closely to others’ body parts or photograph others' chests or from under a skirt and so on.

I Am the Photographer

2012-01-04T21:34:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

For a photographer to do a good job, it is the skills that matter most. But sometimes when one appears to be a cool photographer, it will certainly help your subjects or clients and even yourself to gain a better confidence in the outcome.

If you don't have a good looking face, and you have a group of people for some group shots, be cool and try this: "Stand ready. One two (snap a shot). One two (snap the other shot). That lady a bit to the right (or cue whoever needs to be rearranged). One two (snap)." In ten seconds, you take three shots. And everyone will say oohs and ahhs, laugh a hearty laugh and, most important of all, (rightly) believe that you are professional. After all, now that the atmosphere is amicable, the final shot will look better as the subjects have brightened facial expressions and relaxed body gestures.

Hong Kong Elements in a Shot

2012-01-03T22:41:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

They are: the poker face which is common among the adults; the quick paced steps as you can guess from the two subjects on the right; a sidewalk and a residential estate situated next to a highway; co-existence of shabby structures and modern buildings. Quintessentially Hong Kong are these elements.

Skip

2012-01-02T22:28:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55)

The workweek starts tomorrow. Can we, er, skip it?

After the Celebrations

2012-01-01T22:00:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GXR A12 28mm)

Taken at a recycling factory.

Last Post from the New Year

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55)

So long, 2011.

Four Sitting Models

2011-12-30T22:03:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

I am quite satisfied with this philosophic scene. As I am typing this, my gaze has kept fixed and re-fixed on the image. My eyes stay much longer on this shot than my general shots. It manages to capture my mind probably for the simple repetitive patterns in the image and the unique postures of the sitters. Taken together, the image draws the viewer's attention to the four human subjects and what is going on in their heads.

Lying to Sell a Camera

2011-12-29T20:10:00.001+08:00

"Colour not bad!" the Grandpa continues, "And the bokeh is, well, nice."

The girl replies, "The camera sports a fast lens at f1.8 and an extraordinarily large sensor. It surely takes better pictures. No doubt."

The narrator: Great image quality, XZ-1, Olympus.

Lies:

1) The colour of an image cannot be judged on the LCD display;

2) The colour of an image can depend on what mode it is on and the character to the taste of the viewers;

3) The camera is fitted with a tiny sensor, much smaller than the APS-C one. The truth is that its sensor is not extraordinarily diminutive like that in a point-and-shoot;

4) Unless in macro mode, such a small sensor cannot afford the photographer images with bokeh even at f1.8, which is instead made to allow shooting at lower ISO values to maximize image quality in a dimly lit environment; and

5) No camera can take better pictures if the photographer sucks.

In a nutshell, the whole commercial is based on lies. Probably only "XZ-1, Olympus" is the indisputable fact. What a shame! Oh, that's Olympus. No wonder.

51 Years

2011-12-28T23:15:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

A household name for Hakka cuisine in Hong Kong, Tsui King Lau is now on its 51st years of business springing across the burgeoning years of Hong Kong's economy and its many economic and political fructuations in the last fifty decades. Hakka is one of the two major Han (Chinese) clans in Hong Kong, the other being Chiuchow. The very mention of Hakka food brings to mind heavily flavoured dishes. A must-try is "mui choi kou yuk", marinated meat with pickled vegetable (shown in the rightmost picture on the banner). Tsui King Lau has several branches throughout the territory. The one in today's shot is situated in a side street right opposite the entrance of Easton Hotel on Nathan Road in Jordan.

Enchanted Faces

2011-12-27T18:29:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55)

This is the last day of the Christmas holiday in Hong Kong. There are still lots of free performances in town, hence lots of photography opportunities for faces and facial expressions of the spectators. The author has have the honour to do such shooting occasionally on public talks by some big wigs including the former government Chief Secretary Anson Chan and also on performances at, e.g., the side stage.

With what may be limited experience in this respect, the tips to be offered are to be on the scene early, scout around for the best shooting spots and observe and select the targeted spectators before the show starts. Then anticipate the coming intense or amusing moments (watching the show/ rehearsals beforehand will certainly help) so that you can capture the right feel in the shots. Of course, it takes a photographer's instinct and trained eye to do the job well. A zoom lens at least to 300mm is a must. If you have a camera with a less noisy shutter noise, you may wish to make it the tool for such an occasion.

Spent

2011-12-26T10:42:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Water (in Cantonese, "sui" literally meaning "water" refers to money) has been extravagantly spent in the holiday. What are left may be only the some amount of coins, like these water droplets? Or are they your teardrops of regret? This is the Boxing Day after all. So maybe put the sorrow behind and open the presents for a moment of joy.

; )

2011-12-25T18:24:00.001+08:00

(Sony A55)

"Smile, Merry Christmas!"

Peaceful Mind

2011-12-24T20:55:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200 with 19mm converter)

Today is the day of peace. Find a way to achieve a peaceful mind.

Beauty Is In the Eye of the Beholder

2011-12-23T16:24:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Christmas is a beautiful time for, to most, spending and shopping. But apart from shopping, there are other good deeds to do in Christmas.

You may not necessarily do something brilliantly generous. How about helping in or joining a community service? There is a publicity event entitled "Balloons are for parties, Pets are for life" organised by Animal Earth and Animal-Friendly Alliance along Sai Yeung Choi Street (pedestrian precinct) in Mongkok, Hong Kong tonight (23rd). The event is to educate people to think twice before getting a pet as their Christmas presents. There will be models, Ms Macau, some celebrities and an orchestra playing, as well as caroling. If you're in town tonight, come join us.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T23:53:00.001+08:00

It gave me a déjà vu kind of feeling when preparing this virtual Christmas card for it seemed that the previous one was made just a few weeks ago.

As the cliché goes, time flies. This year, GXG hasn't done as much camera reviews. At the beginning of the year, the GF2 was reviewed. At the tail end of 2011, it was the much loved GXR M-mount with the Nokton 35mm f1.2 lens which got reviewed. Again, GXG is indebted to Shun Hing and Laikok for lending us the cameras and lenses for testing.

But the blog posts of this year are as usual full of ideas and topics about photography and Hong Kong. A special mention is the Ricoh HK Meetup held in November. The latest special news is my winning a Leica X1 – I am yet to receive and test it.

So thank you for visiting over the past 12 months. Wish you a Merry Christmas and the best of luck in 2012!

I Won a Leica X1

2011-12-21T18:24:00.005+08:00

with this taken with the Ricoh GX200:

for the grand prize in a photo contest organised by the Swire Hotels on the theme of Hong Kong Views From the Top. I got the call from a lady with a sweet voice this afternoon. She is the messenger of good luck; that's sweet enough anyway.

The grand prize is a Leica X1. What a surprise for a Christmas prize! And supposedly, given the photo from the hotel's fb page, it is an all black version!

The shot was a fifth one taken at the same spot which is a footbridge overlooking the scene below. I passed by the spot with a camera, as I have one with me all the time, and the view below presented itself to me -- with the photographer's instinct I knew it would make some intriguing photo. The right catch was done after the previous four shots in about 10 minutes. As the AF lages behind the moment of capture for half a second, I had to anticipate the final image before pressing the shutter release. It took a bit of luck and a bit of skill to end up with the shot which looks suspiciously choreographed but was not.

Knocking Off From Work

2011-12-20T17:04:00.002+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Enjoy your day!

The Murderer Is Gone

2011-12-19T19:11:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Bloody Genocide. The murderer is gone. A coincidence to mark the day. Oh, haven't you watched the news today?

Windy? But I Have Two Cameras

2011-12-18T12:10:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

No time to comb my hair. This is Sunday. Un-occupy yourself.

Together, Let's Take a Break

2011-12-17T12:06:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

This is supposedly what most people around the world will do on Saturday.

Kaifong

2011-12-16T18:21:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPHII)

Kaifong is a colloquial way of saying neighbours in Cantonese. It is a noun and as a general rule, Chinese nouns are neutral in countability, i.e. neither countable nor uncountable. The countability is denoted by means of the article-signifiers.

Kaifong literally means "street (kai)" and "lane (fong)", which gives some insight into the local view of who neighbours are: people living along the street and lane are neighbours, not just those living next door. Some old neighbourhood associations are still known as kaifong associations. When the British was on the helm in Hong Kong, kai fong is a commonly used "English" term to refer to the locals living in the community.

Feifaat

2011-12-15T23:59:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

This is another old-style hand-written signboard which is rarely seen these days in Hong Kong. Here it was seen in a makeshift neighbourhood feifaat po (for "po" see the post Potautsai) in an alley. Feifaat in Cantonese means hair-cutting. So, fetfaat po is a hair-dresser shop. There are lots of interesting stuff to see in an old fetfaat po, which was discussed here and here. For the shot of today, one cultural thing worth mentioning is the second last item on the signboard.

It says, Hair-cutting for Old Lady. The special mention of Old Lady is probably because in the old days (the barber of this feifaat po is an old-timer), not every hair-dresser shop was catered for service for women. The ladies had to trip to those which did serve them to have a hair cut. Why old ladies? That is easy. The feifaat po is situated in a very old neighbourhood.

Siu Mei

2011-12-14T22:50:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

The display of roasted poultry meat in this fashion is a draw to tourists coming from the western countries. In their hometowns, the unwritten rule is not to remind the patrons of where the meat comes from. That is to say, one should not display the carcasses in the same way as when the original life forms were alive. Here in the Chinese world, such a reminder is taken to prove that the meat is fresh enough to be consumed.

In the shot, there are the roasted pork, pork in BBQ style, roasted geese, whole chicken marinated with soy sauce and whole soft boiled chicken. Collectively, these are known as siu mei, with siu meaning grilled or roasted and mei meaning taste.

Potautsai

2011-12-13T22:37:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

This is a rarely seen signboard. There is almost no where to see in Hong Kong. It was sheer luck that the author came across one. In the old Hong Kong, such domestically-made, hand-painted signboards were ubiquitous. Those which used them were mostly small neighbourhood stores, or "potautsai" in Cantonese. "Potau" means store while "tsai" is a prefix used to refer to smallness. Nowadays, with the chain stores getting a lion's share of the market, the neighbourhood stores are close to distinction.

Sawlo

2011-12-12T22:46:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

Sawlo is a derogatory term in Cantonese to mean stupid man. "Saw" is stupid while "lo" is man. For that matter, you may say "sawpo" with "po" meaning woman. Although the term is derogatory, it is widely used planking with one's friends in a harmless fashion. With reference to the shot of today, the locals usually use "sawlo" or "sawpo" to pass their judgment to such persons doing extraordinarily silly things to make a scene of themselves to achieve nothing, if there is anything to achieve at all. The man in the shot is protesting against something probably not understandable to all.

Bubbles

2011-12-11T10:34:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55)

This is Sunday. Dream some dreams.

Have a nice day.

A Restful Dude

2011-12-10T20:21:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Fact is, he is the security personnel, using a pair of sunglasses to cover up his dozing off.

Cow Girls

2011-12-09T15:30:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200with TC-1 135mm equiv. converter)

Friday. Rest. What else can be better?

Circles, Rectangles and Triangles

2011-12-08T20:19:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200with TC-1 135mm equiv. converter)

In the eye of the passers-by, I was like a fool pointing the camera aimlessly to the middle of nowhere. After a photographer, I have simply trained myself to see the world like through a viewfinder. Maybe intuitive it has become. For the generations shooting not through a viewfinder, can they manage to acquire the same intuition? I wonder.

Elevated

2011-12-07T21:05:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200with TC-1 135mm equiv. converter)

Ghostly? Spiritual? Sci-fi-ish? Could it be the spirit of a woman? No matter what it is like, the important thing to a street photographer is to preserve the desired atmosphere at the opportune moment. A slight hesitation could ruin the original intention as the reflected spot may shift, the man may leave or unwanted subjects may appear in the scene. This is why a photographer should practise enough to be able to response at a split of a second.

Any Way You Like it

2011-12-06T12:59:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Hong Kong is blessed to have a harbour for it gives not only the highly congested city a much-needed breathing space but also photographers unlimited photography opportunities. The harbour presents itself in different moods and colours as the weather, time of a day and seaons change. It morphs into unique forms and appearances when looking from different angles and distances. Admire it, enjoy it amd shoot it in any time, any way you like.

Yearly Minutiae

2011-12-05T13:17:00.002+08:00

(Ricoh GX200 with TC-1 135mm equiv. converter)

Hong Kong is seen in its best sartorial elegance around this time every year. If the building is not festooned with festive-colour light-bulbs of some sort and shape, it would be decorated with Christmas garlands in red, green or white of nature, plastic or metal. The whole town is at a riot of colours, mending its pace to farewell the year and celebrate the coolness which is to usher in another twelve months. Then, when the new year has been coy enough about its coming and finally came with the encouragement of hurrahs at countdowns and booming fireworks, what lay before the eye will be a city dressed in Chinese celebratory red. And you will know, the Chinese New Year in February is around the corner.

Around this time every year, photographers who have made acute and clever observation on the minutiae of the going of the city and its people will end up with a good enough amount of keepers. Pick up your camera and go shooting.

Street Pipe Dancer

2011-12-04T10:29:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

But no one is watching.

This is Sunday. Have a fun day!

Little Big City – Hong Kong Tilt Shift

2011-12-03T12:50:00.001+08:00

Little Big City - Hong Kong Tilt Shift from Fershad Irani on Vimeo.

Great fun! Enjoy the nicely done video by a Fershad Irani about Hong Kong scenes.

Life is a Combination of Chances

2011-12-02T21:12:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

You may stand in the street and shoot pictures, and come across people who you will probably not see again in the rest of your life. Here they are captured in the images. You look at the images and wonder how unimportant their lives are to you, just in the same way as yours to them. But with the same camera, you can do something that connects to them or strangers who you will come across, and leave a mark on their lives.

There are many ways to achieve this: to tell stories of the underprivileged in images; to meet photographers with your cameras; to help out as a volunteer photographer; to give your old cameras to the opportunity shops; to organise free photography classes for the poor and get sponsors to supply free cameras. You can combine the chances to make them meaningful, rather than letting the chances pass in your life.

Free Stuff

2011-12-01T20:11:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

If you are a Hong Kong or Macau citizen and have the talent and luck, you can get a GXR with A12 28mm module for free. Or be the first or second runner-up and be disappointed with the Ricoh PX camera prize.

Laikok is holding the forth Ricoh photo contest Hong Kong on the theme of Cheerful. The contest closes at the end of December, and is open to Hong Kong and Macau residents only.

Links to GXR M-mount Module Field Test (with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

2011-12-01T12:01:00.002+08:00

1) Selling Points
2) Manual Focusing and Others
3) Unique Features and High-ISO Performance
4) Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II Lens
5) Conclusive Remarks

(All photos in the test are copyrighted to Nevin; Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

Who Cares?

2011-11-30T20:32:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

The saddening scene of the old woman caught the author’s attention to stop and take some shots.

The considerations for taking this shot: 1) no flash because it would make a scene to attract people looking into the lens; 2) a shutter speed just enough to freeze the action with a slightly blurred effect; 3) a foreground should be included to give the image a spatial feel and better isolate the homeless woman.

So 1) the flash was off; 2) in the case of fast-paced Hongkongers, the shutter speed was dragged to 1/25s; 3) moved back to allow passers-by walk into the scene between the camera and the homeless lady.

If you're interested, GXG has an old post about doing flash photography tricks.

GXR M-mount Field Test: Conclusive Remarks

2011-11-29T23:16:00.000+08:00

For two years or so, we have seen a flux of digital cameras ostensibly modelled after the vintage design. From Oly’s MFT series to Fujifilm’s X100, a new passion for vintage-camera lookalikes has been ushered in among photography enthusiasts. This is all well and good, but precisely because we are huge fans of such digital-and-vintage hybrids, it pains us to say that these models are felt as vintage cameras in appearance more than in spirit – factors contributing to this impression include the plastic feel of some flimsy camera bodies and lenses. We have no qualms with what all these commendable cameras can proudly do. But it is arguably that the GXR M-mount module brings users the real and rare choice to experience the fun of full manual functions with top quality manual lenses, most importantly without the prohibitively expensive outlay.

Recently at the Ricoh Hong Kong Meetup, users shared with great gusto their experience in using on the GXR M-mount module a dozen of manual lenses from Russian to Nikkor and to Leica lenses. At the same time, they lamented that the emergence of the M-mount module has resulted in a shortage, hence inflated prices, of mounts for manual lenses. This certainly speak volumes for the success of Ricoh’s move with this module.

Body and UI

The GXR body is sturdy, with a well-thought out button layout and a well-balanced weight distribution (i.e. when the heavy Nokton lens is dismounted; but not all manual lenses are as bulky). Everything feels perfect about the camera body ergonomics-wise, except for the body’s imperfection of featuring the wheel-and-rocker control combination, rather than a twin-wheel system. This is not terrible, just less than ideal.

(Direct-screen menu for making adjustments direct)

The user’s interface of the GXR body is still arguably a head and shoulders above the competitors. Users seldom need to dive into the menu system, thanks to the GXR body’s highly customisable Fn keys, one-press quick menu and memory slots, as well as the Direct-screen menu. These are very beneficial to doing manual operations on the M-mount module. For example, the Fn keys help speed up the focusing process when work with the focus assist function and focus magnification. For doing manual focus swiftly, a tip is to customise Focus Assist and focus magnification into the two Fn keys on the directional dial, which has proved to work well during the review. Previous discussions on the UI of the GXR body can be found here and here.

Focusing Modes

Mode 1 simulated

Mode 2 simulated

final image

On the note of focusing, it should be mentioned that no matter how high a resolution the LCD display boasts, the focus magnification is done digitally. In other words, in Mode 1 (subject in focus displayed in glittering dots), the magnified image may not be satisfactory in clarity for focus confirmation under some situations – for example, when the subjects are delicately patterned or the near background is cluttered with similarly coloured objects.

(Mode 2 simulated)

However, some users have pointed out that Mode 2 (scene displayed in embossment-style grey colour with the focus highlighted by a white border) gives a much clearer indication for focus confirmation. So, for Mode 2, the above issue of magnified images is non-existent. But I still have two concerns concerning Mode 2: first, the actual scene can only be seen when half-pressing the shutter release; second, as shown to me, the grey colour makes it doubtful if a scene is underexposed or overexposed as intended. On the second point, I must say that the demonstration was done for extreme exposure values. In real-life photography, the same may rarely happen, if it will happen at all. After all, one can always view the histogram or half-press the shutter release to check it out. Of course, this is a matter of workflow and may not just suit everyone.

Suggested Improvements

Suggested Mode 1

Suggested Mode 2

If I were asked, in addition to the Focus Assist function which facilitates visual focus confirmation, something can be done to improve the focus confirmation: for Mode 1, an on-screen indication to highlight the focused area in specific colours; or an addition of a presently technically wishful thinking – as there is no communication between the lens and the camera body – a sectional indicator a la some battery level indicator whereby the clearer the focus is, the more sections will be lighted up in the indicator. As for Mode 2, the scene can be displayed in normal colour (or in black and white when doing such shots) while the focused area is displayed in grey with highlighted border.

That said, at the Ricoh Hong Kong Meetup, some folks using the M-mount module revealed that they had shown it to their retired grandpas who regrettably could no longer focus with their Leicas owing to deteriorated eyesight and shaky hands. What happened next was that those grandpas became GXR M-mount owners since its focus confirmation modes work well for them. Also, the M–mount module is a much affordable option to resurrect the Leica lenses according to these now happy grandpas.

Fun and IQ

(high contrast mode)

Ricoh puts in some unique functions like the adjustable Peripheral Illumination Correction and a high-contrast black-and-white mode which I recommend users to experiment with. For the other regular scene functions, the M-mount module simply does them as good; they are useful but I am not big fans of them.

original image	100% crop

On image quality, with the advantage of supreme manual lenses and the omission of the low-pass filter, the M-mount module gives lots of juice in the images it produces. I am gobsmacked to see the sharpness, solid colours and a distinct sense of depth in the final images. In addition to the superb optical performance of the lens, the omission of the low-pass filter in the module has much bearing on such great results.

Last Note

Frankly, Ricoh is not a mainstream brand. But with the GXR system, it is creating another market of its own after the mirror-less cameras ate into its previous niche market with fast-wide-angle-lens, small-sized cameras like the GX and GRD series. If the sales of the GXR system has been sluggish, the M-mount module can said to be giving it a new lease of life. The new module helps the system reach out to the market of interchangeable lens. The M-mount module offers a tailor-made body with truly manual operations to use premium, legendary lenses. Of course, the M-mount module is not a Leica in terms of specifications, operations, prestige and value. But this plebeian version against the much more expensive Leicas does not disappoint. For old-timers and traditionalists, it is worth every penny of the admission price. For younger photographers without any experience in manual focus lens, it is advisable to first figure out what to expect when doing mostly manual operations with a camera. If possible, get your hands on the M-mount module to see if it suits you. The operations on the GXR are easy to get familiar with, and once you are used to it, you will be glad to have made the choice because the M-mount module with the premium lenses will return you with razor-sharp images. Whether they are good images is, without doubt, a matter of talent, practice and taste. That is another story.

Price: HK$6,000（GXR M-mount module）；HK$7,800（with GXR body）

Image Sensor：23.6 mm × 15.7 mm CMOS (12.3MP effective)

Mount：GXR、M、M39

Display：3 inches TFT LCD at 920KP

ISO：ISO 200 to 3,200

Weight：370g（with GXR body）

(Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

Veins

2011-11-29T12:56:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

A walk with the camera in the park leads one to discover the world around from a different perspective.

GXR M-mount Field Test: Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II Lens

2011-11-28T12:38:00.003+08:00

The M module may better be described as a far-flung cousin to rather than an immediate member of the GXR family. When look closer, you may see that the whole point of the M module is not about a new GXR-system module – fact is, the concept of lens-sensor combination is completely forsaken here. It is more about taking advantage of the wide choice of high quality M mount lenses.

In this post, we will look at the lens on loan to us: the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II.

Although Leica M-mount lenses are the best choice for optical performance, they are not just everyone’s option pricewise. With a lower price tag and great optical performance, Voigtländer lenses are sensible substitutes. Hong Kong’s sole dealer of Ricoh cameras, Laikok, is also the distributor of Voigtländer lenses (manufactured by Cosina of Japan) in Hong Kong. For information about the Voigtländer lenses available from Laikok, check this out. You may also check out Cosina’s Voigtländer webpage.

With the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II, the GXR is transformed into a head turner. The lens is big and heavy, adding an disproportionate weight to the camera body. I think this is a necessary evil on account of a reduced camera body. But it should be noted that the combination does not feel overwhelmingly unbalanced in hand as the user needs to hold and operate it by both hands. The built is absolutely solid, and the turning rings on the lens barrel are simply classy.

Now, the lens on paper:

Lens Construction: 7groups, 10 (3 aspherical) elements

Smallest Aperture: F22

Picture Angle: 63°

Aperture Blades: 12

Nearest Distance: 0.5m

Diameter x Length: φ60.8mm x 62.0mm

Weight: 470 g

Mount: VM mount

To provide a fast lens at f1.2 with great optical performance, the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II lens features 3 aspherical elements out of 10 in 7 groups to counter optical distortions. On distortion correction, the M module offers three-level correction to rectify barrel distortion and pincushion distortion. The lens here is a 50mm equivalent, not a wide-angle one, and it gives out very solid details and splendid rendering in the images even down to f1.2, without any noticeable optical distortions.

Here are some side-by-side shots taken by the Sony A55 with the kit lens 24-105mm equiv. and the Voigtländer lens (the reason for comparing it to the A55 is simply because I have one; it just gives a basis for comparison's sake). You will see the positive effect of the quality Voigtländer lens and shedding the low-pass filter on the image quality of GXR M module’s pictures:

M module with Nokton	A 55 with Kit lens

100% crop	100% crop

100% crop	100% crop

Images produced by the Voigtländer lens lean on the cool side of the colour spectrum (both cameras set at normal colour mode). As observed by users who have compared results of the Norton lenses with the Leica lenses, the same observation applies:

M module with Nokton	A 55 with Kit lens

At the mention of the extremely wide aperture at f1.2, what immediately springs to mind is, besides the many aahs and oohs, bokeh. On paper, the Voigtländer Nokton lens employs the construction of 12 aperture blades to achieve comfy out-of-focus circular discs. In action, the lens produces smooth, pleasing and very soft-edged bokehs at wide aperture values.

Following are shots taken at wide apertures by M module with Nokton :

This Nokton II is a replacement of the earlier Nokton 35mm/f1.2 lens. Voigtländer makes this new lens go as close to the subjects as 0.5m, while it is 0.7m for the former version. While 0.5m is neither a whole lot closer nor in the domain of macro photography, it is a material improvement.

A final note is that at certain shooting angles, the lens vignettes fairly noticeably at f1.2 with the M module. Examples are shown in the last review post when discussing the Colour Shading Correction function.

Summing Up

Overall, the lens should be endearing to every serious photographer for its full metal built, solid adjustment rings and high-grade optical performance. Just because Voigtländer is no Leica, doesn’t mean that its optical performance is of second rate. The sharpness and “3D-ishness” (a distinct sense of depth) in the images it produces are exceptionally good. Apart from the superb optical performance of the lens, the omission of the low-pass filter in the module definitely has a bearing on such great results.

(100% crop below)

In the side-by-side shots taken by the Sony A55 and the Voigtländer lens, we have seen how the Voigtländer and the M module combine to achieve great IQ results. A minor point is that images from this Voigtländer lens are slightly biased to cold tonality. Whether it suits one's eye depends on your taste. I just like it lots. There is no complaint about the lens except for the weight at 470g and the price at about HK$12,000 (hood costs an extra HK$1,200; well, the GXR M module is a way of no return). But considering that the lens in effect offers a roughly 50mm-equivalent focal length at f1.2, with 3 aspherical elements, this is every bit worthy of the admission price.

(Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

Mermaid On Land

2011-11-27T11:22:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Was she successful in her appeal? Yes, at least to whom she was looking at: a bunch of Ah Suk (Cantonese: uncles) doing fishing along the waterfront. She was such a distraction there.

This is Sunday. Distract yourself from your usual work.

Ricoh Meetup: Mission Completed

2011-11-26T22:51:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

The Ricoh Meetup HK was held this afternoon with 20 lucky Ricoh users (there were 100 applicants in total), bloggers, several people from Laikok the distributor and Ricoh getting around in a cafe-on-balcony – luckily not a camera cafe or else there might be crying over accidental extra spending on lenses and stuff – with free drinks and snacks. There were sharing, playing with the CX6 and numerous manual lenses and some officially unofficial announcements, which included a very exciting news to be released real soon. All participants left happily with a free pin and a towel as souvenirs. It was a successful event.

No Admittance

2011-11-25T23:59:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

I am getting some preparation for tomorrow's Ricoh Meetup HK. So, another break before the M module review resumes.

When You Are Tired

2011-11-24T23:57:00.000+08:00

(GXR M-mount with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II)

When you are tired, you just take every chance for a breather. The GXR M-mount field review will continue after a break.

GXR M-mount Field Test: Unique Features and High-ISO Performance

2011-11-23T11:59:00.018+08:00

As discussed in the first review post, the M module is a departure from the original GXR concept of lens-sensor combination. One aspect of it is that, with the lens component dropped, the M module adopts a focal plane shutter instead of a central shutter for the other two A12 modules. This is because the focal plane shutter allows the use of interchangeable lenses without requiring the extra cost of fitting in a separate shutter in individual lens. But there are some inherited disadvantages to a focal plane shutter. Let’s look briefly at the three most prominent ones.

Three Disadvantages

The first one is the louder shutter noise. To those traditionalists who may have a penchant for everything nostalgic, the M module’s solid, deeper shutter sound could be rather sexy. To me, it sounds as do any usual mechanical film cameras. One may wish for a quieter operation in certain situations as I did in doing shots in indoor settings. Silence operation is especially important for doing stealthy candid shots too. But the M module is a head turner in the first place, not to mention that it requires all the attention-seeking manual focus tweaking. To overcome this shortcoming, the M module features an electronic shutter mode for silent operation in case of need.

The next disadvantage is that unlike a central shutter (which opens fully to allow flash sync at all shutter speeds), the focal plane shutter restricts the flash sync to 1/180s top. Unfortunately, this maximum flash sync speed applies to both the physical and electronic shutters of the M module. The saving grace is that the electronic shutter mode allows a speed of 1/8000s top (double the maximum speed of the physical shutter) which can therefore double as a ND-equivalent substitute in case one needs to use a larger aperture under a bright sky. A side note is that the base ISO of the M module is ISO 200.

(The 35mm lens is equivalent to 50mm with the APS-C sensor. The shots were taken at 1/30s -- two stop away from the safe shutter speed -- along with the same exposure combo. My notes read: the upper left one is not properly focused; the upper right and lower left ones are blurred as I held the camera in a casual position; then for the lower right one, I leaned against something with my elbow pressed against my chest to steady the camera)

Third, beyond the safe shutter speed, the camera can be vulnerable to shutter vibration due to the mirror-slap of larger curtains. I have no laboratory proof to substantiate the suspicion of the module’s vulnerability to mirror-slap vibration, but judging from the results of several hundreds of shots, the images are likely more prone to blurring at two or more steps below the safe shutter speed – not ideal by the standard of digital cameras but similar to the result with film cameras. That said, the above shots were done to prove how worse it went. Under normal circumstances, I always apply the old techniques (lean against a wall, elbow rest against the chest, take continuous shots, etc) to prevent blurry shots. And there are other ways to get a safer shutter speed. So far, the results I got with the M module are predominately steady shots.

Another musing is that since the GXR body is tiny and the safe shutter speed corresponds with the focal length, I would like to see how the GXR M module mounted with a heavier, manual telephoto lens fares in terms of making steady shots.

Two Unique Functions

Let’s move on to two photographic functions unique to the M module. First, there is the Peripheral Illumination Correction which allows correction levels adjustable between -3 and +3. According to the FAQs page on Ricoh’s official website, it is there supposedly for brightening up the corners. But the better way to utilise this function is to leave it at -3 to give the final images a taste of lomo images with dim corners. Personally, I quite like this effect for it bestows the image with a more purified tone and nostalgic mood.

The M module also features a Colour Shading Correction function which allows adjustment of individual corners for pinkish colour shades typical to lenses sitting close to the sensor, such as the Voigtländer lens used for the review.

The Voigtländer lens is prone to a pinkish cast over the brighter area of a scene under the bright sky. This doesn't happen all the time but is more noticeable as the aperture opens up wider. However, when it occurs, the lens sometimes does not bulge and the pinkish cast cannot be removed even under the strongest shading correction level. Take the following shot for example. The correction was tuned up to the maximum for both upper corners (red minus 4) but the corrected image on the right doesn't look quite correct.

One may try a simple and effective way to work around the issue. It is to stop the aperture down to f11 or narrower while compensating the exposure by tuning up the ISO value or slowing down the shutter speed. For the corrected shot here, the aperture was closed down to f22.

High-ISO Performance

(@ISO 3200; 100% crop below)

The M module is fitted with the same 12MP sensor as the A12 50mm and 28mm modules, but has done away with the low-pass filter. So, together with the higher optical quality lens, the M module produces pictures of gobsmackingly good quality at even ISO3200. Take for example the above shot taken at ISO 3200 (with Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 ASPH II): the image excels in terms of details (see the tiny Chinese characters above the "KM"), noise level (suitably suppressed) and colour accuracy (the metallic colour and the reflected images). Readers should note that noise level will be more noticeable in darker areas of a scene. And I chose this dimly lit street scene just to strain the noise extent a bit.

On this note, we will see some side-by-side shots taken with the M module and the Sony A55 for comparison in the next post. As for now, readers who are interested in seeing the excellent details and colours reproduced with the M module, look no further beyond Crist's Hong Kong shots here and here.

Tomorrow, we will be focusing on the lens.

(Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

GXR M-Mount Field Test: Manual Focusing and Others

2011-11-22T23:59:00.000+08:00

In the Hand

The GXR body with the M module is very solid in the hand and evenly distributed in weight, with the generous bulge giving users a comfy grip of the camera. But the overall weight increases significantly when mounted with the Voigtländer lens on loan for the review. As a matter of course, the camera lends itself to dropping head down when the lens is mounted. This is certainly no fault of the camera or the design. It will be the same case for any cameras used with any lens of comparable metal construction.

In fact, among all mirror-less cameras, the 2-year-old GXR body is probably still the best in terms of ergonomics. GXG would have given it full marks if not for the wheel-rocker mechanism instead of a truly two-wheel system for making exposure combos. For the bells and whistles of the GXR body, readers may refer to the previous posts on the implementation of its buttons and functions here and here.

The camera requires two-hands operation; but who will complain? Operating a camera singlehandedly is at best counter-intuitive. After all, in the case of the M module, there are lots of tweaking to do to both the lens and the camera body, most notably for manual focusing. In fact, the manual focusing the most prominent feature compelling interested users to shell out money for the M module. So, let’s dig deep into it.

Focus confirmation: Some Issues

Understandably, there are more visual confirmations to do than with a manual-focus lens. Since there is no electronic or mechanical communication between the lens and the camera body, users are obliged to visually check out the lens to confirm the settings done to it. A side note is therefore that if you are contemplating an external viewfinder to go with the M module, you probably will be better off without one – it is just easier to travel your eyes between the LCD instead of the viewfinder and the lens.

For confirming the focus, the GXR LCD display at 92K dots does an adequate job. But surely an upgrade display on par with the GRD4's 1.23M dots will be much welcomed so that the enlarged image can be beefed up in resolution. This is important because for focus confirmation, the digitally enlarged image sometimes requires quite a guess.

(The above two shots required quite a guess for the focus: the first one with the Porsche badge in relief pattern and the second one with an uneven surface of paints peeling off)

That said, I have not found it a serious issue to manually focus on the LCD display except for when the aperture is so large like below f2 that the DOF becomes extremely shallow (then I really have to guess and sometimes take several shots to be sure). However, it should be borne in mind that for any camera featuring an APS-C sensor -- hence shallow depth of field-- at f2 or below, even AF lens sometimes requires users to spot focus to get the exact point in focus. It is advisable for potential users without any experience in manual-focus lens to find out what to expect with the M-mount. Without limiting to the case of M module, manual focusing is not about getting the focus swiftly across a scene. It is more about being creative in focusing and, for some, the joy of the photographic process too.

But the M module has done some clever tricks to alleviate the occasional frustrations in manually accomplishing the focus.

Two Measures

The good news is that the M module features two smart measures to assist the manual focus operation. First, a focus assist function (FA 1 and 2) to highlight the area/subject in focus; second, a switchable enlargement box for easy confirmation.

In the focus assist function mode 1, the LCD display highlights the area in focus with flickering dots. The same will be displayed in the magnified area when you turn on the magnification box (customisable to the function key for one-press activation and the magnification rate selectable) But, honestly, on some occasions – for example, shooting the foliage or water body under a bright sky – even the magnified area left me guessing whether the focus fell surely on where I intended.

The FA mode 1 and the enlargement box works like this:

The cropped-out final image at f2.0:

For mode 2, the screen displays the scene in embossment and the area highlighted in relief is in focus. Whether mode 2 is usable is a matter of debate because seeing things in grey is a bit anti-intuitive. Here is a shot showing mode 2 in action:

I have not found this mode 2 particularly useful except for maybe an object against a monotonous background. Fact is, I am so unaccustomed to all other objects being shown in grey that this mode 2 has not been used for a meaningful time during the testing period. As far as the field test is concerned, mode 1 is able to handle the job effectively in general. When customised to the two fn function keys on the four-direction button respectively, the focus assist function mode 1 and the magnification box combined are useful enough for the job.

Summing Up

When I moved around shooting on the street, the expensive looking camera was quite a head turner. I would love it to keep in low profile but the eye-catching retro-look of especially the manual lens simply lends itself to the contrary. I almost heard the aahs and oohs from bystanders on some occasions.

Being familiar with the GXR system, I was swiftly geared to the manual operations of the module and the lens. To new comers, the menu items are so extensive that it looks uninviting at first and will take some time to get used to. But once the user knows what the camera can do, the learning will pays off as there are plenty of customisable functions, slots and buttons to tailor-make what and how the operations suit the user best. I personally love Ricoh cameras for being very sensible with what functions are essential to photographers. The case is that a user coming from a different brand name may, with his pre-conception of how a camera should operate, agree with me with a qualified “yes”. But after getting used to the Ricoh cameras, one will see the benefits spot on. The caveat is that one has to read the user’s instruction.

The biggest concern before trying out the was how best the manual operations designed for the M module could work, in particular the manual focusing.

Together with the useful movable focus area at the press of the Adj. rocker, the two measures discussed speed up the manual focus process effectively. Manual focusing is not a problem to me since I am used to pre-focus my cameras to do shots. As a matter of course, pre-focusing a manual lens with a APS-C-sensor camera is less practicable if the photographer mostly uses wide aperture, do wildlife animals pictures, shots children running around and the like. So, whether manual focusing is desirable depends on your photographic style. At any rate, the M module works smoothly with all the manual operations. Fact is, once you have got a deft hand with the manual camera, the whole process could add fun to doing photography. The advantage in return is images produced in colours, saturation and exposure as desired. Most importantly, the anti-aliasing filter is gone in the M module and you will be gobsmacked to see the extremely sharp images.

Next, we will discuss further on the M module.

(Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

GXR M-mount Field Test: Selling Points

2011-11-21T23:21:00.002+08:00

Some two years ago, the GXR system saw the light of the day. Ricoh, jumping on the mirror-less bandwagon, bet on the lens-sensor solution to capture the expanding customer bases. In this vein of development, the A12 modules (the 50/Marco and the 28/f2.5) were rolled out in response to the keen upmarket competition while the P10 and S10 modules were launched for casual shooters. Among diverse public opinions about its market viability, such a lens-sensor strategy is still a matter of debate. In a nutshell, the system has in its infancy drawn more debates than purchases.

For one thing, factoring in the body overhead cost, the higher-end modules become too pricy to be attractive than the mid-level DSLRs. For the lower end modules, the admission fee is not what many would pay for a point-and-shoot camera. Price aside, certain operation performances have come under fire, most notably the sluggish focusing speed of the A12 50mm Marco lens especially in low light situations. What hits the system hardest could be the inadequate choice of lenses, which is badly limited by the lens-sensor bundling.

An Important Step

With the A12 M-mount module (M module), Ricoh has taken an important step. A much welcomed deviation from the lens-sensor concept, the M module serves to expand the lens choices. Apart from a wide range of available Leica lenses, those on a tighter budget could opt for the compatible Voigtländer lenses. The lens choice can be further extended upon purchase of the optional M39 mount with the M module. The remaining issues are probably budget and for some, alas, the permission of your wife or partner.

Selling Point 1

Touted to be the advantages of the lens-sensor bundling are the near-undefeatable dust-proof and the well-toned image formation capabilities. So, what about the M module non-complaint with the original GXR concept? After all, one may with an adapter mount a Leica lens on any mirror-less camera.

The M module is bestowed with the well-toned image formation capability as it is tailor-made to perfectly suit the 27.80mm flange distance of the Leica M-mount lenses. This advantage can be reproduced in the same way for, say, a K-mount module for Ricoh’s K-mount Pentax lenses. Now that Pentax is part of Ricoh, it is not foolhardy to prophesise the coming of such a module.

Selling Point 2

The M module is codenamed A12 in the same fashion as the existing 50mm and 28mm modules – undoubtedly, the numeral 12 refers to the 12 megapixel APS-C sensor inside. However, the new comer is unlike the old ones in that it does not feature a low-pass filter. As we all know, the anti-aliasing (AA) filter has a blurring, softening effect on the final images. Removing the AA filter enables the M module to produce 3-dimensional-ish images. This trump card, together with a high quality lens as the one used in the review, helps produce crispy straight-out-of-camera images, which arguably have less to do with the sensor or algometric processing.

Selling Point 3

The total number of Leica M and M39 lenses is believed to be in the ballpark of over two hundred. The high-quality lenses are big draws to entice photographers to grab the M-module. In passing, it should be pointed out that some M-mount super wide-angle lenses and collapsible lenses have tail too overextended to fit in the module. For that matter, the M module comes with a measurement ring as a handy tool for figuring out lens compatibility. It works in an intuitive way. With the ring capping on, those lenses whose tail goes beyond the ring bottom do not fit in the M module, and vice versa.

The M module sounds enticing enough. Next, we will go into how the camera feels in action.

(Kudos to Laikok for lending GX Garnerings the camera unit and the lens)

Left or Right

2011-11-20T14:54:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

A friend asked the author why not placing the subject on the left instead. Apart from the obvious reason that the boy was sitting near the edge of the row of chairs, the answer lies in the typical way most people read a picture which is from left to right. As you may notice from the above images, the second image, which is horizontally inversed, looks odd in that one's gaze encounters the subject too soon while the right side of the image is wasted. In the first image, the viewers' sight travels from the left, which becomes functional and therefore is not a wasted space, to meet the subject. It is so in line with our reading habit that the first picture is just not as odd visually.

This is Sunday. Have a nice day.

Illuminating the Yet-to-be-illuminated

2011-11-19T23:12:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55)

On the festive square heavily festooned with Christmas decorations, a pair of young lovers asked the author to help take a shot of them. Having handed over the expensive camera, the happy man went back to his girl and both sat still posing for the picture. But wait a minute! The exposure combo said f9.0 and 0.7s at ISO 400! The author returned the camera to the man saying that he would certainly end up with blurry shot. The suggestion was to stop down the aperture and tune up the ISO at least to 800. The reply in the form of a question was whether the ISO 800 would slow down the camera.

Maybe the camera cycle has gone too fast, the marketing departments have done so good a job and technology has made so very wide leaps that the basics of photography need to be talked about more.

Sign up for HK Ricoh Meetup

2011-11-18T17:13:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200; event contents are suggestive)

The Ricoh Meetup HK is now official and open for signing up until 22 Nov at midnight. As quotas apply, those who are interested may wish to sign up asap. For signing up, click on the photo above. Successful applicants will receive email notification from the organiser.

Crist and I as well as certain bloggers will attend the event. Since this is official, representatives from Laikok (HK sole dealers of Ricoh cameras) and Ricoh will be there as a matter of course. Hope to see you there!

Selected Excellence: Mak Fung (1918-2009)

2011-11-17T23:15:00.000+08:00

(Central Market, c 1960)

The Hong Kong University Visual Archive has this to say about the local master photographer:

Mak has worked as executive editor for Photoart and Photo Pictorial in Hong Kong. He has been Honorary Fellow of the Chinese Photographic Association of Hong Kong and Asian Photographic Association of Singapore. He strives to combine the documentary and the expressive functions of photography in his work. His albums Fung Mak Portfolio: The Wind, The Sunshine, and The Foliage and Mak Fung: Hong Kong Once Was were published in 1992 and 1997 respectively.

From a description of the image featured today, it is pointed out in Mak's Central Market the busy thoroughfare of the market is dramatically transformed by the raking light pouring in from an internal courtyard. All the components of the photograph aer flawlessly aligned into a filmic narrative, from the Bauhaus-inspired architecture and the opalescent beams of light to the face of the cigarette-smoking man lit improbably by the light reflected from the floor. For the fraction of a second that it took fro the camera to create the photograph, Mak's figures become speculative actors in a wider drama.

This is very well said about the captivating image. In line with the discussion of paradoxical elements, the picture here can also be interpreted as having such elements. While the opalescent beams of light is reminiscent of the rays of light coming through the windows in a sacred Catholic church or monastery, the monotonous figures of the persons, not least the stony facial expression of the cigarette-smoking man, are reminders of nothing but probably zombies. This paradoxical, or interchangeably contradictory, mood bestows the image with an inner charm to draw viewers' attention.

For more of Mak's photographic works, check them out here.

Selected Excellence: Yau Leung 1941-1997

2011-11-16T23:59:00.000+08:00

(Drunken Sailor 1966)

Yau Leung was a widely-recognised local photographer known for his fruitful accomplishments in documentary photographs. His works are almost exclusively in black and white, capturing the iconic images of Hong Kong and its people from the 1960s and 1970s. First a photographer working for one after another local film production companies from the mid-1960s to early 1970s, he later started the Photographic Life monthly in 1973 and assumed chief editorship for the Art of Photography monthly in the 1980s. Fame brought him a good number of chances to publish his works in albums and exhibitions both locally and in the Mainland China.

Thanks to his sharp eye and deft hand, the frozen moments preserved in the master’s images provide animated records of Hong Kong in his times. Those pictures showing the lives of the grassroots are especially moving, in which permeates the mood of plebeian simplicity. It is exactly because of such simplicity that the inclusion of non-plebeian elements could add an extra dimension of paradoxical mood to the final image. Sometimes the image can be so paradoxical as to be humourous and ironic.

The image featured in this post is paradoxical in that the scene seemingly defies the rule whereby gweilos were superior and the Chinese inferior in the British Hong Kong back then. The drunken white guy is not a usual gweilo but a US naval solider, which even more heightens the irony figuratively represented by a fallen white being looked down upon by a teenage Chinese girl. The incidental composition exaggerating the proportion of the fallen drunk man and the upright figure of the girl also contributes effectively to the visual metaphor.

For more of Yau's photographic works, check them out here.

Selected Excellence: Chan Chik (1918-2004)

2011-11-15T11:45:00.000+08:00

(Pure Gold and Lace-Ups – An Impossible Dream 1953, at Sheung Wan)

Chan Chik was a famous photographers in Hong Kong. His works are among those of the Hong Kong artists documented by the Hong Kong University in its online visual archive, which writes briefly about Chan:

In the early years of his career, Chan studied painting in Yongqing Studio under Xu Yongqing. Later, he learned the skills of wood carving and graphic design from sculptor Yu Suoya as well as writers Nie Qiannu and Liu Huozi. During the anti-Japanese resistance war, he worked as a war correspondent for Ta Kung Pao Daily and reported wartime struggles from the east and north of Guangdong. When Hong Kong came under siege, he moved further inland to Guilin where he worked as a teacher in several schools including the Nanning Zhongshan Middle School, Nanning Middle School and Nanning Nursing School. When Nanning also came under siege he moved again, this time to the south of Guangxi. There he taught in the Tianbao National Middle School and Tianbao Teachers Training Institute. After the war, Chan returned to Hong Kong and joined The Great Wall Pictorial as a journalistic photographer. Later he was appointed the director of Photography in Xunhuan Daily . Before he retired in 1980, he had worked for Ta Kung Pao Daily and the The New Evening Post as a reporter and an editor. In his retirement, Chan has continued working and has often undertaken photographic and graphic design projects.

The image featured above is filled with a paradoxical mood, and therefore attracts the viewers' gaze. An introduction of the image writes, "That fashion perennial, the brogue, has recently been branded a "'colonial relic" in India and become the target of calls for abolition as regulation footwear for the country's schoolchildren. In Chan Chik's photography from 1953, the brogue is seen bearing down upon a man seated on the ground eating a meal. The orange cartons that surround him bear the trademark "Pure Gold". Whether the brogue held similar colonial connotations for Chan is not known, but through a combination of words and images, the photograph makes its point, communicating, among other things, the gap between reality and aspiration."

The "communicating… the gap between reality and aspiration" is achieved by two pairs of paradoxical, or contradictory, elements: the gigantic painted brogue stamping the underprivileged man, and the worthless carton box bearing the illusionary all-important "Pure Gold".

The introduction continues, "Chan was a tireless observer of the people around him who were rebuilding their lives in post-war Hong Kong. he beleived that "goof pictures speak for themselves. They should be straightforward, easy for everyone to understand."

For more of Chan's photographic works, check them out here.

Paradoxical Mood

2011-11-14T20:55:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200; five-star hotel's staff having a five-star respite)

Holiday mood is a paradoxical thing since it is felt most strongly not on the holiday but the day immediately after. No one having a holiday will claim oneself in holiday mood probably because we need not the mood to go with what we are actually having.

A paradoxical mood, or simply put, to add paradoxical elements, in an image is a sure-fire way to attract attention. The photographer may not produce a mastery image but such images have a stronger aftertaste, hence leaving a longer impression on the viewers. For the next few posts, we will look at some local mastery works expressing such a mood.

At the sight of the two hotel staff on this Monday morning, who won't be immediately overwhelmed by the leisurely, restful mood of weekends?

Not Photoshopped

2011-11-13T15:16:00.000+08:00

(Sony A55 @Polarised Colour Mode; straight from the camera)

There have been some debate on Mike's The Online Photographer site with whose stance I agree. The rift between an image and a photoshopped creation is so obvious that an image is either discerned as being one or the other. The demarcation should have nothing to do with the puritanical view of photography that post processing is strictly forbidden. The distinction should be made clear when it comes to a photo contest. To the author, the clear difference between the two camps lies in whether an element or two has been added to or removed from the final image in the post processing stage, which renders the output as a photoshopped creation.

This is Sunday. Let's do away with any debate and have a good day.

Obstructing Central

2011-11-12T14:48:00.001+08:00

(Sony A55)

When a movement fails to be what it is supposed to do and obviously cannot achieve anything for a long period of time since its start, it should come to an end, be remade or restarted. The Occupying Central is one of such movements and has been reduced to, IMHO, nothing but obstructing central.

Pink Is Cool

2011-11-11T21:47:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Friday is cooler. Well, next week will be even cooler.

A Nice Chat

2011-11-10T13:15:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

A recent conversation with a chatty medical laboratory scientist who is an experienced photographer may confirm the author's opinion that Hong Kong, or any city with a comparably easily accessible countryside, is a great place for photography. An animal in the scene, said the scientist friend moving back from the States, will give a better picture. He will have problem with that in Hong Kong for the chance to see an animal in the countryside, except for some stray cows, is not a lot above zero. But then if he means a subject to make the scene lively, he will surely come across a person of two even in the remotest village of this city.

Hong Kong has some beautiful country parks, which are large pieces of areas excluded from development, while the busiest streets are either full of activities or in the old areas unruly scenes. All present great chances for photographers.

As for the author, Hong Kong is best for doing street scenes, the most readily available genre for any photographer to do on a daily basis. Street shots open to the viewers a window to peek into other people's lives, of which the most revealing are shots of the common folks. Human activities have a charming, always intriguing and down-to-earth quality. On the last element, the author has often noticed what George Eliot has put with lucidity in Adam Bede, her works about common folks:

I have seen many and excellent matron, who could have never in her best days have been handsome, and yet she had a packet of yellow love-letters in a private drawer, and sweet children showered kisses on her sallow cheeks. And I believe there have been plenty of young heroes, of middle stature and feeble beards, who have felt quite sure they could never love anything more insignificant than a Diana, and yet have found themselves in middle life happily settled with a wife who waddles.

American Captain

2011-11-09T22:12:00.002+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

First, it was Panasonic. Then Sony. Now Olympus is also faced with revenue losses because of, worse still, an investment scandal. Some people in the know bravely prophesise that Japan and the Japanese companies will probably never return from the road of decline. The reason is that Japan is ruled by some old people who are too entrenched in interests overlapping one another's sphere to bring about any meaning change. The grey-hair management of the Japanese companies, the author was told, is still indulging in the lost glory and the once inventive ideas of the old days. On the other hand, the younger generations are too compliant to follow the Americans’ way of ousting cobblers, especially those at the company's helm.

In comparison, the Americans are more adaptable and will not hesitate to change course as the situation dictates. By Americans, it was pointed out that they refer to not the "white" Americans but those of Indian, Israeli and Chinese origins. They are the cream of the society, excelling in areas from finance, software to bomb technology.

When the American Captain takes off the mask, can the face behind be an oriental one?

Crossing the River

2011-11-08T20:18:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Probably because the lunar calendar corresponds more accurately to the weather, it seldom disappoints in its forecast of a weather change. The forecasts are given in the, put in Cantonese, "yisap say"(24) "hey zit" (solar terms). According to the lunar calendar, today reaches solar term "winter commences", or "dong zi" in Cantonese. While it was as hot as 28 degree centigrade yesterday, the temperature dropped to 23 this morning (the winter temperature in Hong Kong ranges from below 10 to around 20). The non-stop patches of rains throughout the day just make it feel cooler than 23.

The Hong Kong Observatory (former Royal Observatory, heaven knows why everything was prefixed with Royal back then) has a neat English explanation on the yisap say hey zit.

Lovebirds

2011-11-07T23:59:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

The hottest movie in town is a Taiwanese production titled, "She is the Apple of My Eye". To bring it relevant to our discussion, it is worth noting that the colours of the film are so very Taiwan. Why? How is that done?

Colour, like aura, is one of the strongest leads to cue attention to certain feelings. Lots can be read about this in photography books. As a scene with radiant red and orange and white can remind one of anything Hispanic, the colours in the Taiwanese movie effectively summon the taste of Taiwan -- no matter how little knowledge of the place you may get from the TV or reading material only.

If one is observant enough, one will notice what can be called the overwhelming Taiwanese teal in the movie. Check out the sound track video and you will see the predominance of teal and muted colours -- which the author thinks what gives out the taste of Taiwan:

Give Me a Break

2011-11-06T13:07:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Give me a break, don't shoot.

This is Sunday. Take a break.

Parallel

2011-11-05T19:55:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Sometimes when the norm seems to ask one to bend over, bending over will make one look comfortably in line with the norm. Fact is, if factoring in the overall picture, the bending over is anything but normal.

Hong Kong is having the local district council election. With the pro-Beijing, pro-government politicians bending over to the ruling class, it is high time to make them wake up to the overall picture.

Wall Flower

2011-11-04T21:42:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

Don't wake up now that work is over ... er... for this part of the world. For those of you to the west of Hong Kong, don't doze off and drool. Work hard, blokes.

Tick Tock Tick

2011-11-03T13:11:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

It just boggles my mind why the restaurant needs to hang three clocks in a row on the wall above the table. It is mealtime, for stomach's sake. And who needs to know the world's time when eating?

There you almost see the happy shooter. But stop looking and listen to this song, one of my favourite, and the first impression jumped to mind when the scene lay before the eyes. A photographer has got to have perceptions of some sort in mind before taking a shot. In that way you will know for sure what and how to shoot.

Cowboy Barbecuing

2011-11-02T22:22:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

All indoor areas in Hong Kong have now been designated as non-smoking areas. For that matter, some expats and exchange students have the impression that this city is turning fascist. That remark is a bit over the top.

What the heavy-handed policy does change is this city's culture. The transformation is at least twofold, one being social and the other lexical. On the social side, the sighting of rubbish-bin-flies circling around rubbish bins, in the fashion of bar-flies around bar tables, has never been more common in the street. The smokers cannot but smoke in the open, and the most obviously convenient place is near a rubbish bin on top of which is an inset ashtray. The accumulative effect is that it is becoming increasingly difficult and perilous for the non-smoking lots to risk the veil of second-hand nicotinic wisps to get to the bins. A fair bet is that eventually the city will no longer have any division between the democratic and pro-Beijing-pro-government camps, but one between the smoking and non-smoking sides.

Lexically, the change is in the phrase "having a BBQ" or "having a hotpot", which are both popular gastronomic pastimes of the locals. Imagine this: a bunch of smokers shivering with nicotin addiction and puffing around the rubbish bin from the top ashtray of which wafts the cigarette mists. What does it remind you of? Right, a group of joyous hip-swaying fellas barbecuing or, to put it more relevant to the locals, having a hotpot.

So next time if you would like to have a cigarette break with your local friends, just say, "Hey, let go on a BBQ outside (Cantonese: Wai [hey], chukhuei [go out] oi min [outside] BBQ law [exclamation] )."

Roarrrrrrr

2011-11-01T22:06:00.001+08:00

(Sony A55)

For some reason, the author has for a few times been given the task to shoot some big shots in action. It was quite a fond memory last time.

There are lots of professional veteran photographers who can do really ace for candid shots. But with the limited experience under the belt, the author has at least one tip to give. It is to continuously wait for and anticipate the right moments behind the viewfinder, or the LCD display. For that matter, shooting in continuous mode may do the trick but that may as well dampen your sense to feel the next right moment because you will not bother to pay attention any more. And when you are looking through the viewfinder / LCD display, check out the whole scene to use the secondary subjects or the background to complement the atmosphere and the story in the scene.

Mastermind

2011-10-31T14:12:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

We all are in one way or another masterminded by what our heart desires. If you are controlled in the heart, so is your whole person. This is most obvious in the weekdays than the weekend since most of us would choose differently for where our heart should truly lie in weekend.

So there is much true in what the Bible says, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Respite

2011-10-30T11:01:00.000+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

This is Sunday. Take a respite.

Have a good day!

Links to Discussions on Framing

2011-10-30T09:10:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

1. Frame Your Shot

2. Frame Your Shot 2 (Purposeful Framing)

3. Frame Your Shot 3 (Illustionary Framing)

4. Frame Your Shot 4 (Functional Framing)

In Safe Hands

2011-10-29T22:19:00.001+08:00

(Ricoh GX200)

A Chinese doll! Lovely.