Photography is an act of observation and contemplation as much as a technical process. Although cameras, lenses, and (ugh!) flashes can seem cumbersome and intrusive, I ask for patience. I promise it’s not getting in the way of life like some entertainment device. My camera enhances my experience of the world!
Sony NEX-7 Hands-On Review Part 1: The New Super-Camera
It took over five months, but Sony finally delivered my NEX-7 kit on March 8 (my birthday, natch!). After using the camera for a few weeks, I can say it’s exactly what I hoped it would be: A worthy upgrade over the NEX-5, and perhaps the best enthusiast camera on the market. But it’s not without flaws, including some surprising shortcomings. Here’s my hands-on review!
Sony 55-210 OSS Tele-Zoom Lens: Hands-On Review
Although certainly not the fastest lens (optically or workflow-wise) the SEL55210 is a screaming bargain at $399. The lens is light and compact enough to bring along “just in caseâ€, something that can’t be said of many, SLR tele-zoom lenses. Once it finally focuses, image quality is excellent and the built-in Optical SteadyShot makes it usable even in low light conditions.
What Is an XQD Card? The New Media for Pro Cameras!
The CompactFlash Association announced a new media card format last month, and now Sony and Nikon have introduced the first media and digital cameras, respectively. But what exactly is an XQD memory card? Read on for the details.
Is the Sony NEX Camera System Excessively Proprietary?
Advanced interchangeable lens camera systems like the NEX from Sony are never entirely open or closed. Rather, they incorporate standards where they must and innovate everywhere else. Let’s consider the main components of interchangeable lens camera, and identify which generally are proprietary and which are standardized.
Why Buy a NEX-7? Why Sony NEX At All?
Your tweets about your NEX have intrigued me a bit…I get tired of lugging my Nikon D90 around with my kids, yet I find the quality of most point-and-shoot cameras terrible…so the NEX seems like an interesting compromise.
Sony VCL-ECU1 Ultra Wide Angle Converter for NEX Cameras: Hands-On Review
The VCL-ECU1 Ultra Wide Angle Converter is an interesting but not indispensable tool for the NEX camera owner. On the plus side, it brings a little flexibility and functionality to the otherwise limited 16 mm pancake prime. On the other hand, the 12 mm combination that results is not all that useful in everyday shooting, and the VCL-ECU1 is pretty bulky in the bag. Still, with a street price of less than $100, the VCL-ECU1 is not a bad buy for the NEX owner who already has the two popular kit lenses.
Hands-On Review: The Eye-Fi Connect X2 Card
I simply cannot recommend any Eye-Fi card, even the fancy new X2 line, to average camera users. Even enthusiasts like me would be wise to curb their enthusiasm. Most features barely work in practice, and the device frequently failed to perform.
What Are The True Eye-Fi X2 802.11n Wi-Fi Capabilities?
Eye-Fi (the company) would rather that we focus on the capabilities of their card rather than its technical components. But any self-respecting geek is going to want to know what makes it tick! I’d rather not cut open my card to get a peek at the chips inside, but Eye-Fi released some official details about the components used in the X2 series of cards, and a quick Google search revealed all that I needed to know.
Hands-On Review: SLR Magic 35mm Sony NEX Lens
The Sony 18-55 mm tele-zoom remains my favorite NEX lens for its flexibility. Given this, I would definitely buy the SLR Magic 35mm lens before Sony’s overly wide 16mm pancake prime. But the SLR Magic would not be a good choice as the only lens on a trip. It’s a fun and fairly cheap toy, not a real photographic tool.