Little thing relaxing

Does it really destress? Certainly good to smell nice trying. Now scram while I relax with this from Yankee Candle.

Still life

Ricoh GXR A12 1/35s f/2.5 iso 1600

Ricoh GXR A12 1/15s f/2.5 iso200


Ricoh GXR 1/1300s f/8.0 iso200

A little thing sweet

Tapioca bars from Kartini, Indonesian Restaurant at Parkway Parade. They are normally very light on sweetness, almost a little neutral. Sometimes a little dry, a touch of honey and kaya makes it just a little smoother. Actually they are like a blank culinary canvass on which you can paint whatever flavour you like.


Ricoh GXR A12 1/50s f/2.5 iso 400

HCM Dinner

Kiam Bak Dinner Part 2

The last portion of the brined pork belly. It had really soaked up the salt and packs quite a savoury punch.

Ricoh GXR A12 1/40s f/2.5 iso 800

Ricoh Cameras and DPReview

The new Samsung EX1/TL500 was recently reviewed by DPReview, authored by Richard Butler. While the machine is intriguing, I was more disturbed by his opening comments.

"As DSLRs have become less expensive, the number of people keen to buy high-end, manually controllable compact cameras has fallen away - so long as camera size isn't an issue, the benefits of a larger sensor are hard to resist. However, because size is a concern for some people, the sector didn't die-off entirely and, in July 2008, Panasonic introduced the DMC-LX3, finally giving an alternative to Canon's well-respected G-series."

Mr Butler was the reviewer for the said Panny cam, which admittedly is a very good serious compact, so not surprisingly he remembers it well. It is however simply false to claim the LX3 was the first alternative to the Canon G series. My second foray into Digital Photography was the Canon G6, after a Fujifilm P&S, and I was impressed with its versatility and manual control.

The one thing I felt was lacking was a real wide angle without requiring bulky accessories. Then I became aware of the Ricoh company in the form of the R5. It was a compact travel zoom that started at an equivalent of 28 mm, something most famous manufacturers did not offer. Still there was something that was not satisfying, me being gadget addicted and all that.

Then came the Capilo GX100. It was not even on my radar, but that was the start of my obsession with Ricoh.

Back to Mr Butler's article. How can a staff reviewer (is he?) miss out the fact that the GX100 came out a year before the LX3, when it was reviewed by Simon Joinson.

"As mentioned above the GX100 is one of the only digital compact cameras to ever sport a 24mm equivalent wideangle zoom, and this brings huge practical as well as creative benefits for many kinds of photography."

This was posted in August 2007. Even now in 2010, the Samsung specifications are still the same, the basic 1/1.7" sensors with 24-72 mm zoom lens housed in a relatively compact body. The rest are good improvements and flourishes.

Mr Butler did not opined the LX3 as a "good alternative to Canon" or the most popular, but gave the impression that it was the only alternative then. He is either unaware or selectively amnesic, a bit unprofessional for what is a "premier" gadget review site. Where are the editors?

Ricoh cameras are relatively unknown outside of Japan, more familiar as supplier of fax machines and copiers. Strangely they don't seem to be very keen at promoting their products, camera wise, after all the production amounts to about 2000 units per month(?).  They had a lot of firsts in their machines, but sadly they are now someone else innovations. These includes wide angles in compacts, high ISOs, built in HDR, miniature view special effects. They also produce quite good optics especially at the macro range.

The people at Ricoh seem contented in a world of their own, which includes listening to their small group of customers. Fans of their camera also seem to live in a world of their own. Me included

ladyironchef

Local food photo blog by one Brad Lau. He puts in a lot of hard work along with a good set of equipment and the results show. The aim, to make you feel hungry with photography, is admirably achieved. I am hungry.

HCM Dinner

Dinner of Brined Pork Belly and Purple Potatoes. Served with Crisp Okra and Carrots, topped with Sun Dried Tomatoes. A dollop of German Mustard on the side.
Translation : Kiam Bak and Kentang.



P10 1/50s f/3.7 iso 800

Really loving the GXR, even with the small sensor module.

Practice makes perfect

Still in the practice part, far from perfect. Working with Lightroom on old files.

Original file

Ricoh GXR

Trying out the A12 module with its APS-C size sensor.

f/2.8 1/125s iso 3200

A little more difficult to use with a narrower depth of field compared to the P10. Under low light condition, it doesn't lock where you want easily. With the current firmware upgrade version 1.17, there are a few tricks to make macro focusing less miss more hits.

My unit came with the original firmware, closeup focusing meant hunting from 7cm to 30cm. It takes quite some time while the camera tries to make up its mind, slow as it has to move the lens elements a fair distance, basically the lens extends to double its length. Just a whole lot to move.

The new update includes an option to limit the macro range. Pick 7-10 cm and the lens extends to the maximum, much less hunting even if it returns with a red warning. The other range is 10-30cm, much the same with less extension. Not quite happy with the results on screen? You can use the manual fly by wire focusing ring or just move the lens back and forth. The screen is large and clear enough for me, just don't expect it for professional use. The focusing ring also comes with 2 speed, use on its own you get fine slow focusing. Hold the macro button down, it kicks into second gear for a quick-er focus.
Autofocus  can be combined with manual focus by holding the shutter button at half press and turning the focus ring.

Options options and options. That is what is great about Ricoh, you make your tool YOUR tool.  Unfortunately it means a lot more work is needed to get results, for some its a long journey. Not for the impatient.

Ricoh GXR

New adventures with the P10 and a budget breaking software.

Developed from Raw with Lightroom 3. Barely scratching the surface of this powerful program.

Lunch for the first time in ION Orchard

Shanghai Expo VI

People


Oh I need to go!
Credit to the organisers, the facilities are quite well maintained and the queues move pretty fast, both sexes.

Where are we?

Oasis of peace

Anything to get a shot

Who is more interesting category. Personally I don't get the posing, also it makes it difficult to appreciate the art display.

Shanghai Expo V

Our little group of travelers missed this famous lady in her native land so we just simply had to visit her this time.

Her long journey

Shanghai Expo IV

Food Expo
Not much chance to photograph anything. Served by the Swiss Pavilion.

Sometimes there is just too much to see, what else is faster than fast food to energise oneself for the marathon

Shanghai Expo III

The Seed Cathedral of the UK Pavilion is one of my favourite. It was a rainy day, kept some of the crowds away.

People mostly kept quiet in there, preserving the serenity that it was designed for. The acrylic rods appear like densely packed stars.

Shanghai Expo II

Highlights. At least the ones I could reach.

Shanghai Expo

Holding a party with an open invitation in a country, population 1.3 billion, means one thing. Crowds.

The World Exposition has a long history and finally it is within reach of a 5 hour flight. Despite the ease of air travel, the World Fair is a once a lifetime event for some and this is the closest, geographically and temporally speaking,  it will get to us. After juggling work schedule and unscientific prediction of the crowd situation, a date was set, accommodation and flights paid for.


Crowds. This day it was reported 500,000 visitors entered the site. This was just at one of the 8 gates, and half the holding section for queues to the security checkpoints. People were generally good natured and orderly. Occasionally you get some kungfu masters who one moment would be 2-3 persons behind and next they are 3-4 persons ahead. Sometimes they move in a big group of 3 generations. Annoying but it is best to smile about it, lesser risk of getting a stroke.



The lull before the storm. This is the dedicated underground service that runs within the site.

And here they come

Still the ride was quite comfortable

World Expo Shanghai 2010

China welcomes the world for the second time in a big way.

Bottom of the Apple Barrel

Discussion of things Apple are now moved here.
Unless it is about photography

Ricoh GXR

Finally Fan Boy meets his love.

The GXR with the P10 unit finally crept into Singapore stores. Retailing at SGD$799 for body and P10 unit. Of course street price is even better.

The first thing I like is the flash, seems to work better than my other Ricohs.

First picture, straight out of camera with flash. Cropped in Picasa but no other treatment.

Apple Cart

It takes a half eaten fruit to start me blogging again. Ha. Actually its more something posted on Engadget.

We'll hand it to Apple, the phone is so thin it's kind of mind-boggling.

Mind Boggling? Really? Compared to the current iphones maybe, but I have always thought they were kind of chunky anyway. Then again being at WWDC is like stepping into an alternate universe, a magical land basking in the glory of the Great Steve.

Hey! I am not an Apple/Steve hater, just simply amused at the ooohs and ahhhs from supposedly industry insiders. As a Ricoh Fan Boy, I know the feeling, but my mind remains quite un-boggled when discussing the GXR.

The shiny new phone looks like the fruit of a secret affair between Nokia and Apple, which I do prefer over the current road hump look. Except for the BSI (Backside Illuminated) camera sensor and gyroscope there is nothing truly unique, but they look to be very well executed Apple style, they simply delivered what others have hinted at.