HTC ONE (M8) . The little details that piss me off. Scratch lens.

The picture above is the back of my HTC ONE M8.The camera lens is fairly scratched up. Taking pictures with is unbearable and it is driving me nuts. I'm not an isolated incident and a simple Google search of "HTC ONE M8 scratch lens" reports this has effected a large number of users.

This is comically unacceptable. First, KitKat locks the SD card from 3rd party writes and now this. I'm reading about the so called "toothpaste" fix which is also unacceptable. I've done this on my watches and it tells me one thing, the lens is acrylic plastic if he it can be buffed out with a mild abrasive like toothpaste. It is these simple little things that is drawing me away to another phone. This is an absolute perfect example of why sapphire lenses should be used on cell phones like the iPhone 5S.

iStabilizer Dolly Short Review

OK. I saw this in one of my Facebook feeds and it was marked down 40% off so I went for it.

The gadget is called the iStabilizer Dolly and I snagged one for $40 at this link.

It is a Panning "stabilizer" dolly for small cameras. It is targeted for iPhone and smartphone users. However, my larger HTC ONE M8 didn't fit the cradle. It has a standard tripod screw head so you can use any small camera/dSLR with it. Think of this as a mini tripod on wheels. I've always been trying to get the perfect panning shots and I figure $40 is a small price to pay for something that will improve my shots. You can read my short review and watch my demo shot to conclude if this is a cheap thrill gadget worthy of your consideration.

First, the packaging is real simple. The wheel base, the adjustable pod, and a smartphone cradle. I didn't even find any instructions nor did I need it. It is pretty easy to set-up.

Next, it has adjustable wheels so you can have it go in a curve, certain angle, or straight. The tripod stick articulates like a Joby and similar gadgets. This allows you to do crazy angles or pan an object in circles. It could come in handy if you wanted to shoot something like jewelry on a table.

Here are hero shots with the iPhone and Olympus Micro 4/3 OM-D camera. This is how it looks like with cameras/phones attached. It is very low to the ground.  I think it is too short to be of meaningful use. I guess you can prop it up if you plan to improvise.

Next, I would not call this a "stabilizer." Panning Dolly, yes. It does work as a Panning Dolly but stabilization is out of the picture. I think the name is a bit misleading.

However, you will need a pretty flat surface. You can use plywood or something flat to help smooth out the panning but the wheels have no articulation or suspension to stabilize the shot. Shooting with an  iPhone, I could not get any decent shots. This is mostly due to the focal length of the iPhone's lens. After most tries, I found it too jerky to be of any good. I had to resort to using my Olympus OM-D which has optical and digital built in stabilization. I shot in various locations around my house with hardwoord floors.

Here is a sample footage shot with an Olympus OM-D in 1080p.

Was it worth $40? I don't really know. I'd need to be in a situation where I needed that panning B-roll shot. Still, I think it is cheaper than rolling my own contraption with various bits and pieces from a hardware store.

Fujifilm XF1 retro serious compact shooter

I didn't really get anything for Christmas this year so I treated myself to another compact camera, the FujiFilm XF1.  This is not going to be a professional review, you can read pixel peeps reviews at various pro camera blogs. This post will be about my raving impressions and satisfaction with this new piece of kit.

What is it?

It is a retro designed rangefinder "styled" digital camera that competes with the Sony RX100, Panasonic Lumix LX7, and Canon S110. In other words, it is considered a "serious compact" camera with such features as a larger 2/3" EXR CMOS sensor (compared to other compacts), a max  f/1.8 aperture at it's widest 25mm (35" equivalent) focal length, RAW, and complete PASM manual controls. It has the same sensor as the Fujifilm X10. It originally listed for $500 but I was able to get it for $199 which is an incredible bargain.

So why did I get it? Well, I needed something smaller than my Micro 4/3 kits and something infinitely better than my disposable Canon Powershots (that I happen to replace every few years due to faulty lens errors). Why not the Sony RX100?  Are cameras like the Sony RX100 better? Sure, but I didn't pay $500-600 for my XF1 either. At that price point, I rather stick to my Micro 4/3 cameras and prime lens set-ups. Furthermore, I love the retro look which I am a big fan of. Can't you tell from looking at this picture below of my digital cameras? I like the clean lines, leatherette wrap. The XF1 is stylishly beautiful.

Pansonic GF3 review

The GF3 does not get much love from Camera enthusiasts. The original retail price in kit form was $599. At that price, it seemed to be a big let down from Panasonic. It was a bit of a disappointment from the original Panasonic GF1. Rightly so, at that price point, I wouldn't even consider it. The G3/GX1 would be better buys. However, with the right discounts, it is an awesome street camera.

This post will be about how awesome the camera is at $24.00. Let me explain in my post as you read along. I'm not going to post technical details, sample picts or give a professional review. You can find those pixel peeping reviews at dpreview and judge quality by photos posted on Flickr. The camera is competent in the right hands.

Now for my take.

Most camera gear-heads buy kit cameras with the intention of unloading the kit lens and keeping the body. I did quite the opposite last month. I bought a Panasonic GF3 kit with the intention of keeping the lens and selling the body to recoup my purchase on the lens.

The 14mm  f/2.5 Panasonic micro 4/3 lens has been getting some decently good reviews. In particular, I was sold on Steve Huff's review.

The 14mm lens by itself sells for $290-$299. (Yes, I know you can get it way cheaper in Singapore but this post is tailored toward US readers).
Buy.com:  http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=218147809&sellerid=20274200
Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-14mm-2-5-Aspherical-Interchangeable/dp/B0043VE29C

The normal kit (camera and lens) retails for $599. Prices have since dropped with the introduction of the GF5. At that price, I would never touch the camera. It is now cratering at $399 which makes it a good buy.

However, one day in May. Amazon had a "Gold Box" special for $314. I am an avid slickdeals reader and when the deal went live, I could not resist.
Cost of Kit from Amazon $314 - lens $290 = $24.00 added for an extra camera body I had no intention of keeping.

I only bought the kit for the lens and the camera was just a freebie extra body. At $24, it is a screaming deal. Have in mind, I was already intending to buy the lens. At first, I was going to sell the camera body to offset the purchases. I already had a EP1 and an Olympus OM-D EM5 on order.

Something changed my mind. Size. This camera may not compete with other micro four third cameras but it obliterates all the high-end P&S bridge cameras.

Most notably, it will perform better than cameras such as the highly touted Panasonic LX5, Olympus XZ-1 and Fuji X10 due to sheer sensor size. It's sensor is five times the size of those cameras as well as the newer prosumer point and shoots like the SonyRX100/Nikon CX.

Here is a chart showing the size advantage of the Micro 4/3 over the other $400-600 point and shoot bridge cameras. The closest competitor is the new Sony RX100 with its 1" sensor depicted in yellow.

Okay, we all know micro 4/3 camera sensors are way better than the Fuji X10 and Oly XZ-1. But what about size? Aren't those cameras a lot smaller. Well, I'll post some screen grabs from camerasize.com for comparison:

http://camerasize.com/compare/#167,160

http://camerasize.com/compare/#167,129

http://camerasize.com/compare/#167,180

With the 14mm lens, the camera is quite small. It can be the perfect walk-around camera. Those size comparison completely change my outlook on this camera.


It shoots RAW, does 1080p video, and even has a flash. So they took out the hot-shoe, there are no manual dials and it doesn't have an EVF option. Hence, the fuss and disappointment from GF1 owners.

However, despite those missing features, it is still better than most of its competitors. You don't have a dial for your A/S settings but you can still manually set aperture/shutter/iso and have full control via the touchscreen menus. Yes, it feels like playing with a smart phone and it is not the most intuitive. Still, it is better than a camera without ANY manual controls.

It also takes all the same lenses as my $1300 Olympus OM-D.

This could be my backup body. Instead of swapping out lenses all the times, I can now use the camera as a spare back when I need to.

So, for many of you existing micro 4/3 owners who are looking to get the 14mm lens, you can get the benefit of a spare camera back. This makes an excellent "beater" camera to have around that will give you better than prosumer results from its competitors (LX5/XZ-1/X10).

Have in mind, $314 was an awesome deal and it may never happen again. However, it is a discontinued model so I expect prices to drop. I've seen it for $330-$360. So, major discounts are not far off.

So how does it fair? Quite nice. I may be starting to question the major price difference between this and the OM-D.

Silver Unicorn in the house - Olympus OM-D EM5

I was lucky and just got the Olympus OM-D EM5 in silver kit 12-50mm form.  I'm a happy camper. This mythical beast has been a long wait. Luckily Amazon did its job once again...

I've been playing with all my lens and mounts. The Canon 55mm f/1.2 now has a great digital companion.

Here it is with my EP-1 PEN, the first Oly Micro Four Third small camera.

Olympus Micro Four Thirds

After a long wait, I will be upgrading my "main" camera rig to an Olympus OM-D EM5 Micro 4/3 camera. I am big fan of Micro 4/3. In fact, I just picked up a Panasonic GF3 just a few weeks ago due to an incredible deal on on the 14mm f/2.5 combo. I can't wait to get the OM-D to add to my stable of Micro 4/3.

I've been a the micro four third fan since the original PEN EP-1. I've had that camera since 2009. Four years and counting. It was revolutionary in the way it changed my photography. People will deride the camera as slow focusing but I don't care.  The best camera is the one that you have with you and I've taken that camera with me on various overseas trips. I love the portability factor over my Canon Rebel dSLR.

I've used it mostly with the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 along with a host of manual lenses from Pentax M42, Leica M-Mount, OM, Canon FD, and even the small Pentax 110 mounts.

With a Pentax 110 mount

The PEN looks stylish with a leather strap and 1/2 case (not pictured).

The 20mm Panasonic is a great piece of optics.

So, I am definitely looking forward to the OM-D and what it offers. I will put away the PEN into away into a display cabinet because it is such a beautiful piece of machinery. I was debating about getting another PEN body. Best Buy has them for $150 online.

I wished Olympus stuck with the rangefinder style and made a camera similar to the FUJU x100.  The OM-D looks to much like a 70's SLR to me with the triangle viewfinder hump.

It is funny that the new "OM-D" looks like the my old OM-1 camera (that I have in storage somewhere). Here are some beauty shots with my digital PEN. I look forward to re-doing a beauty shot with my new OM-D, PEN and OM-1.

Some photographs taken with a "low-end" micro four third camera. Using manual focus and a Voigtlander 40mm  f/1.4 Leica M-Mount lens.