VDSLR with Oldish Lenses

Ever since I'm inspired a lots by VDSLR footage of video output, I decide to purchase a copy of Canon 60D which has all kinds of basic manual control I want especially the AGC (Automatic Gain Control) for the audio which drastically improves the quality.

Well such a hybrid camera with a lots of cool advance stuff on video, for sure is purely awesome for VDSLR since they have these model for those low budget people who want to do indi-film with surprising quality and controls.

Canon DSLR I have to admit, although the dynamic range is really a let down compare to other competitors but it has a lots of flexibility (expect auto-focus part) for serious filming production in the price of RM2500~RM3000.

Okay now the problem lies on, you got fantastic body but lenses?

(Oh No! This thingy can buy me 2 Canon 60D)

In Canon range, I found good quality glass like the red "L" lenses is very expensive due to its toughness design and good optical quality. If you talk about large aperture series is even more expensive especially when you looking for wide angle prime and zoom lenses.

With the x1.6 crop factor on Canon APS-C (Canon 500D/550D/60D/7D) system (although it is better than the x2.0 crop factor Micro 4/3), all your standard wide angle lens would turned up into "standard" angle view which means closer the viewing range of human eye.

So in modern lens a good quality and bright aperture lens would cost you like a bomb so whats is the ideal solution? The answer : Old Timer Lens!!

Optical lens keep changing it look, performance, coating and design however the formula and construction cause the colors and quality never changes. So purchase the old lens doesn't mean it just old, sucks built and poor quality in fact all old lens have tough metal built unlike the modern one which is plasticky, some old lens is old fashion design but its optic still deliver the supreme resolutions just like the old times and also old lens cost cheaper.

Here's some minor introduction of the mount of lens:

(Super Takumar and Carl Zeiss Jena, both are legend and awesome lens)

M42(Micro 4/2) Mount

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Universal mount just like the current Micro 4/3 on Panasonic and Olympus. It is flexible for you to purchase the adapter and then mount it to your camera and it is very popular for retro geeks or budget guy like me :]

(Leica Summicron, as awesome as always as pocket wallet killer as always ... )

M Mount (a.k.a Monster-pocket breaker Mount)

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M mount is design for the rangefinder camera like the Leica, Zeiss and Voigtlander. Yes, expensive mount from old to new design of these lens but superior colors, sharpness and quality. So if you super quality in your video, you can consider it :]

For old design, you can look around RM1k~RM2k which is really superior than those Canon L lens

(Metal construction, like! Dust keep sucking inside argh hmm ... still like!!)

Nikon F Mount

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Forever mount for Nikon (so far so good ...) since from the 1950's. It gives Nikon users a lots of flexibility to mount its previous old time lens (non-AI/pre-AI/AI/AI-s) without an adapter (Nikon D7000 video users smile on this) however if you're using other system adapter still needed :]

(The old "L" lens .. rare and legend)

Canon FD Mount

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The 50mm F0.95 monster forever sleeps into this previous mount before the EOS system (EF/EF-s Mount) on Canon. It is quite rare in Malaysia but the lens on Canon FD mount is not that bad :]

(Legends of Bokeh)

Minolta Rokkor

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King of Bokeh, during the old days they produce supra quality lens with excellent bokeh (out of focus quality) than any other manufacturer and also dynamic colors. Its rare and if you have this you will really love it. However the real problem lies on adapter, is rare as well so even though u have the lenses you might not able to find the adapter on local. :/

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So why old lens? Cheap, tough built, good optic if you know the right one and of course bright aperture prime in wide angle range (with affordable price [:).

There are definitely some trade off like prone to flare, manual focus only, mostly fixed focal length lens and need to maintaining with extra care.

So far the manufacturer I know has produce decent quality of lens which are:

M42 Mount?

- Super Takumar (Pentax) : 55mm F1.8, 50mm F1.4, 135mm F3.5

- Practika 30mm F3.5

- Hoya series F2.8~F4

- Tamron Zooms F2.8

- Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

- Carl Zeiss Tessar

- Helios 50mm~58mm (Zenit Series)

Others Mount?

- Leica series

- Carl Zeiss series (in Cosina Mount)

- Minolta Rokkor (Minolta MD Mount)

- Pentak K (K-Mount)

- Nikon non AI/pre-AI/AIs (F Mount)

- Canon FD series (FD Mount)

- Minolta A Mount (Currently Sony Alpha Mount)

Tripod Failure, Time, Money, Blood Wasted.

I have a very bad experience on purchasing a good quality tripod.

During September I was so interest to buy a good quality tripod for long lasting uses and better secure for my camera. My budget was around RM400~500 and I found the Giottos MTL- 9351 tripod which have many interesting features and the price is around RM420~450.

I used to think about the Manfrotto 190 PROXB which cost around RM480 since I have the Manfrotto Pan-Head but the Giottos tripod has more flexible features of angle shooting and it has a small socket for extreme low angle shooting.

At the end, I decide to buy Giottos MTL- 9351 with the price of RM410 at the forumer shop who called "mitmivec".

After just 2 months, when I was try to use the low angle features of this tripod, the disaster comes. Firstly I just take the screw up but strangely that screw stuck on my Manfrotto Pan Head and I try to take it out but can't so I decide to put it on the short socket and then the screw out of the pan head but now it stuck on the socket.

I try to take it out carefully but it seems like unable to screw it up even though I screw the stud inside the socket kindly. After a whole day I still not able to solve it so I go to the shop I buy.

After then the seller said I need to visit the distributor so I just went to the distributor area, at first I thought it was like a service center on the distributor office but in fact it just a small tiny little office in the first floor of PJS 1 surround by repair car shop/garage. It starts to give a bad impression of the distributor and then I go upstairs the office, the gate is looked and no bell ring or what so ever, I need to call their phone only they will open the door.

Okay finally went inside, explain to the workers and put the stuck socket to them because they said they need to wait their "boss" come back only can give me an "actual" answer.

So I go back home and wait for 2 days, after that I receive a called, I thought they finally replace to me but I was wrong they said this is a very weird/uncommon issue so the warranty is unable to be claim and then they explain to me that I didn't put the platform to cause the screw stuck.

Well I understand so I ask for solution or pay for replace the screw or at least help me take it out from the socket. Surprisingly they give me a silly answer: "I don't know, go any mechanical shop and ask them, I don't know". This really bother me, how can they not know any solutions? So today I went to the shop and then only one workers there, I stand outside the gate and the workers just give me the socket from the gate and then scare I want to step inside their office and then thats it, my tripod is malfunction and still didn't get any solution.

Now should I ask is customer fault? It just a small screw stuck, request to take it out can also be the problem? The design of this tripod may seems to be cool but people will never wonder that small accident cause the whole thing unusable and then the distributor just don't care and you can't find any answer by them because they thing google is really powerful that you should know!

Hanborne is the distributor who sells begs and tripods, a small office with a below average services. Giottos would be the second fault for this kind of problems.

Sony Alpha A33 via. Mini Preview/Thoughts

Well today I have a try and look on the Sony DSLT A33 camera ...

Yes finally arrived on Sony Style at The Curve :D !! for A55 I have ask the promoter, he says that will arrive around end of September which is good news.

Some of my thought on this camera and whats really new or special that some reviews doesn't actually pitching out clearly

A33 is using the translucent technology (A fixed transparent mirror) for taking the picture instead of the tradition yet complicated yet limited life (around 100k shutter) time mechanism mirror. Well people would felt strange of why need a transparent mirror for EVF(Electronic View Finder) instead of EVIL because both also able to access EVF like the Panasonic G-1/GH-1/G-2/G-10 and the Samsung NX-10? Well this is still a question for me ... but the facts for now is this technology allows you to shoot 6FPS(fully controllable on PASM) and 10FPS on the A55/ 7 FPS on the A33 with CONTINUOUS AUTO FOCUS (but uncontrollable on aperture + shutter speed)

Unlike all the DSLR which you can only get this burst speed when you view through the viewfinder, on A550 it makes the break though of 7FPS on Live View without Continuously Focus but comes to A33/A55, you can hit the FPS until 7 (for A33)/10 (for A55) for Live View with continuously auto focus which non of the DSLR, EVIL camera can do right now.

Likewise you will get the quick phase detection on Movie Mode, it is not so perfectly accuracy all the time (somehow on par with contrast detection on the NEX cameras?) but the speed is definitely as fast as the Sony Alpha phase detection Live View.

Sony also improves the SSS (Super Steady Shot) in terms of visual, on previous Sony Alpha camera you have the Built-In IS (Image Stabilization) but you will never saw it the effect through viewfinder nor live view when you half press the shutter which those In-Lens IS can do. In A33/A55 you can finally have it the visual effect on Live View and EVF by half-press the shutter, a huge bonus where you can use whatever lens with free IS and no wobbles on your viewfinder and live view anymore! SSS not only works on photos but on movie as well and it works great and steady enough.

However now it comes the problem, overheating issue will occur especially when you use to recording movie while active the SSS. It will only last 9 minutes and also it makes your camera very hot as well so plan wise to use SSS on movie because when it overheats, the camera will NOT FUNCTION for at least a few minutes. On the other hand using SSS on burst also will cause overheating but that could be only happen when you use movie mode before with SSS On

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In Handling

Handling wise ... well if you take for casual or short period travelling shooting or perhaps going light with prime lenses would be fine but for serious sports photographer or serious photographer who much prefer tough body with OVF(Optical Viewfinder) would not put much interest on this cameras because it is very small .... although the size is similar like the Canon 550D with slightly shorter and ticker body however it is featured pack and for obviously it is targeting against entry-level users who much prefer point and shoot

So lets put high hope on the upcoming A77 and A7xx successors if you need a pro body (some people who cant wait idle might be stay or jump)

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ISO Performance

Here's some small comparison of the ISO performance:

(I choose Photoshop RAW to edit and adjust the noise for you to do comparison)

RAW With NO Noise Reduction -

LINK (Folder Name: RAWJPEGHIGHISO) : - http://picasaweb.google.com/wingstergraphy/RAWJPEGNONR?authkey=Gv1sRgCKSurtyFpNb0kQE#

RAW With Heavy Noise Reduction from ISO800~ISO12800 -

LINK (Folder Name: RAWJPEGHIGHISO) : - http://picasaweb.google.com/wingstergraphy/RAWJPEGHIGHISO?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ3fh8T86avZVw#

Multi Frame Noise Reduction -

LINK (Folder Name: ISO-MRJPEG) : - http://picasaweb.google.com/wingstergraphy/ISOMRJPEG?authkey=Gv1sRgCL-Co-2rrsCEggE#

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Questions Everything (???)

Differences between these 2 little camera?

Differences between A33/A55? ... well not much for me ... just the resolutions, onboard GPS (for A55 only), FPS speed and also burst fire buffer. For RM400 differences .. I would pick A55 simply because the extra onboard GPS and the extra Burst shooting buffer (paired up with 10 FPS) capacity widens up your shooting capability.

Battery Life?

Well not much differences, A33/A55 uses same battery as the NEX-3/NEX-5 but surprisingly they have longer battery compare to the NEX-3/NEX-5.

I have test through the battery life, it drains around 15% battery from 100% for 45 minutes of shooting (5 snaps shot + 10~25 burst shot and 20 second movie respectively) so I assume it can last for half a day but also depends weather condition as well.

No Manual Control on Movie?

So far No manual control for Movie mode, you cannot adjust anything expect exposure compensation during video. For Aperture you can only adjust it under Manual mode before recording the video buts thats only effect under Manual Focus.

In AF mode, the aperture will always wide open or fixed at F3.5 all the time which may be an issue for those using bright aperture prime lens or outdoor shooting with extremely bright condition?

Future firmware might add on the control for live control on Aperture,ISO, Shutter Speed during recording on MF mode so another HIGH HOPE on this :]

Despite the limitation, the quality never piss me off at least it perform really well and sharp, a little bit under saturated but others wise is fantastic fast and good.

7/10FPS Limitation?

Similar to movie mode but this time it goes with max aperture, during 10FPS you cannot control shutter speed nor aperture and it will never let you go below F3.5 even you have the lens which have more faster the aperture than F3.5

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Conclusion [: ?

Well A33/A55 is an awesome A350 alike shaped camera but with more feature packed and also awesome performance on burst shooting and movie! If you don't consider the limitations, it actually is an ideal camera for beginners and some euthenics who wants to go lights but not that small as the NEX cameras.

Downside would be the limitation in Movie mode and 10FPS mode which still need to be improved. The battery life is weak but not too worse (at least it can last for 400~500 shots depending on conditions)

It has all the nice features that everyone wants but sadly it doesn't full filled all the handling and customization freedom for those expertise wants. In the range and money, I think it is reasonable and good value enough for new comers to DSLR/EVIL/DSLT camera.

Wingsterlab the Diary, Gadgetry and Photography Lab

Wingster Lab

The blog of "quick and light" reviewing gadget stuff, some photograph spamming and some diary thoughts. Most interest of photography, gaming peripheral and mobile phones, likewise I'm also likely to share some thoughts of certain gadgets and stuff.