The Coat Hanger
Wow, it has been a while since I have uploaded a post. I have been neglecting this blog for almost over a year now. I just haven’t been outside enough to take interesting photos to post. Family life and two young kids is keeping my parenting life busy.
So last night I took the opportunity to go out and finally do some night photography with my RX1 and also it was my first time using the shutter release cable with the camera in BULB mode. Bulb mode, is a shutter speed setting that allows for long exposure times under the direct control of the user. The shutter simply stays open as long as the shutter release button remains pressed, and then once you release your thumb (or finger) the photo is then processed. It is very useful for shooting Fire works.
Even though using the shutter release cable looks old fashioned compared to electronic versions, I must admit it is actually fun and i think it is cool. I have used electronic shutters in the past on my old Nikon and yeah, it does the job, but it feels great using the shutter release cable, you should try it out if you can.
The picture you see here is one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can see why it is nicknamed the Coat Hanger.
The Coat Hanger
DxOMark: Sony RX1 “Up there with the best”
Just to remind myself of a post I made last year on my thoughts on Sony RX1, this is what I wrote:
“the sensors in the new Full Frame DSLR from Nikon, the Nikon D800, Nikon D800E, Nikon D600, are also Sony Made sensors. And these 3 cameras are sitting in the top 3 camera sensor rankings on DxOMark (click here). Now this tells me that Sony is pretty damn good in the camera sensor business. Actually they dominate the world in this area.
I wanted to upgrade to the Nikon D600 Full Frame Camera, but Again didn’t want another bulky camera and new lenses. And when Sony announced it would be releasing a compact Full Frame, using the same full frame sensor as the D600. I kept my options open, and eyes peeled for all news about this camera.”
now fast forward to this year, DxOmark published their test and they wrote:
“With a DxOMark Overall Sensor Score of 93 the Sony RX1 puts in an impressive performance currently 4th in our Overall Sensor Ratings just behind the Nikon D800E with 96, Nikon D800 with 95 and Nikon D600 with 94.
Placed 1st overall for high-end compacts the RX1 is streets ahead of the competition here. With 93 points the RX1 scores 20 points more than the 2nd place Fujifilm X100 with 73 and beats its sister model, the RX100, into 3rd with 66 points.”
Now this is even more great news for me!
DxOmark test: Sony Full Frame RX1 Zeiss lens is “outstanding”
Well I just read that DxOmark (Click here) published the RX1 Zeiss lens performance test. And they wrote:
“ Its optical performance is outstanding, and particularly noteworthy for its consistent sharpness and homogenous imaging across the frame. With excellent image quality at maximum aperture becoming outstanding at f/2.8 and on, the Zeiss Sonnar T* 2/35 is likely to become a classic, against which all others are judged. Of course the lens can only be obtained with the purchase of the RX1, a camera that is not entirely without its own quirks and shortcomings. In spite of this, if you have the money to invest, then close to perfect imagery is assured.”
And further more they wrote:
“With a high overall DxOMark score of 33, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* is a superb performer optically. That score puts it comfortably ahead of the $1,850 manual focus Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1.4/35 (35mm f/1.4) on a Nikon D3X, which achieved a DxOMark score of 30.”
Which makes me even more happy that this little camera was worth the penny.
Under Ground Cafe
Three Beans Coffee is what this little under ground cafe is called, and it looks quite popular with young ladies. Can any of our Sydney viewers guess or tell where this place is?
Lunch time shoppers
I usually take my 60min lunch breaks anywhere between 12-2pm, i find it hard to decide what i would eat or what i should do on my beaks. Should i pick up something and take it back to work and eat at my desk, or should i eat outside, or should i take a walk and do some window shopping. Or maybe i’ll bring my camera outside to snap some everyday life passing by on the streets. Thats what happens when you start to explore street photography. You start to observe people, their behaviors, the clothes they wear, what you think they are doing, what they are thinking. And you just take a picture to capture that moment in time. A single picture that just freezes them in suspended animation. Then you analyze the picture further. Just like this picture; which i think are a mix of people on their lunch break fitting in those extra minutes to do some window shopping.
Rope Textured Wall
What do you you think this wall is made of? Thats what a lot of people think when they walk pass it. You would see a lot of curious people walk pass and stare at this wall and some would walk up to touch it. Mums with accompanying children will pull over and stop just to have a touch. Overseas Traveller’s are just as intrigued. This wall is located outside Westfields Shopping Centre, right below the Sydney Centre Point Tower.
Upon closer inspection it is made of concrete.
Good morning Monday morning
With my son still sound asleep in bed unaware I snapped this shot from the bedroom window. Just thought it was such a peaceful moment in his life.
Intricate tiled floor
This is a view looking down from the 2nd floor of the Queen Victoria Building, where the centre dome is located. I waited for some people to walk into the shot, as I reached out as far as could and took a few shots, this one seems to look the best. I shot it in High Contrast Black & White mode, I really like how it highlights the intricate patterns of the tiled floors, and also the people moving through it.
Spanish Romance
I was out on my lunch break on Friday and couldnt help it but to stop and listen to this guitarist performing the ‘Spanish Romance’ in front of Queen Victoria Building. And I am a huge fan of classical spanish guitar.
And if you never heard ‘spanish Romance’ before than click here to see it on youtube.
Back in Sydney and quackin
Well I’m back from my family holiday in Japan and on our first day back in Sydney the temp hit 43 degrees. From winter in Japan to classic Australian summer in less than 24 hours.
Im also back at work too. Back to the real world, and making money for a living. Well, how else to fund our next family holiday?
Anyway folks, the exciting thing is that I still have my RX1 with me and the first thing I photograph is this quack!
Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s amazing Rubber Duck has been dipping around Sydney Harbour as part of the 2013 Sydney Festival for the last couple of weeks. And it is just meters away from my office at work.
fotolife 