Shai Coggins

This beauty showed up at my house a couple of days ago as a surprise. Wasn’t really looking for a phone ’cause a) my old LG phone was tied up under a contract and b) I was just iPhone-lusting.

But then, hubby’s phone (which was bought the same time as mine) broke down, he checked our phone contracts. And found out that we could upgrade - IF we get a fresh new contract. He ended up choosing a Nokia 6120 (wish he got an E65 too :(). I ended up with Neve.

And, ever since I un-boxed her, she has hardly been out of reach. That never happened between me and a mobile phone before.

Seriously. I’m a gadget freak. But, I’ve never been that crazy over phones. I mean, I like ‘em of course. But, I don’t go around looking for the latest phones. And I definitely don’t go around SMS-ing, talking on mobiles incessantly, etc. In fact, there are days when I just forget where I left mine!

But this… this Nokia E65… Well, I just *love* it. OK. Maybe we’re still in the honeymoon phase. But, so far, I’m crazy about this phone because:

• It’s WiFi-enabled! Of course, that’s the web head in me talking. Imagine I get to carry a little computer in my pocket? I can check emails, Twitter, etc. wherever there’s an available WiFi connection - without the need to carry a laptop with me all the time. Heh.
• Voip in my mobile. Yes, I can actually use Skype with a phone now. Well, okay, only tested this with chat + a single SkypeOut call. Will be interesting to test it with Skype-to-Skype calls. And even Skype conference calls. And, I believe I can also set-up other Voip services in it too. Yay.
• Good basic features. Voice/audio recorder, camera, video camera, clock (with world clock), calendar, To Do lists, Bluetooth, music player, PDF/Office files reader… Although admittedly, the camera’s quality (2 MP, w/zoom) isn’t that great. And, I’m not sure yet if I can easily transfer digital audio to the computer.
• Works well with some cool mobile apps. Including stuff that enable me to post audio/video/photos to different sites - Flickr/Multiply/Vox/Wordpress.com/Livejournal, etc - w/o using my cellular connection. Just my WiFi at home (or elsewhere). Anyway, will share with you some of my favourite mobile apps some time…
• It’s pretty. ’nuff said.

So yeah, I really do like it a lot. The only things I wish it had are:

• A second camera in the front for doing proper video calls.
• Better imaging quality. I know it’s not meant to be used for ‘real’ photography - but would’ve appreciated a better alternative.
• A better way to sync with my Mac - and other apps.

Will keep you updated as I learn more.

What about you? Are you a mobile phone kind of person? What do you have right now - and what do you like/don’t like about it?

So, I’ve researched the best first prime lens for my D40x. I came down to two choices (and a bit): the good ol’ classic Nikon 50mm f1.8 (or the more expensive 1.4, as that bit) - or the Sigma 30mm.

The Nikon 50mm is a well-loved, well-recommended piece of glass. From most reviews I’ve read (like Ken Rockwell’s), no Nikon owner can go wrong with it. It’s one fine lens. And, the fact that you can buy it for less than $100, it’s a steal.

The one thing that stopped me from buying the Nikon 50mm as my first prime lens is that it doesn’t auto focus with the D40x. Being a newbie to DSLR photography, I knew that I still have a lot to learn and to practice when it comes to manual focusing. And, knowing that my main subjects (an active pre-schooler + a baby) will never sit still long enough for me ’til I get the focus right, I knew I needed a lens that will be easier to focus with my camera.

Enter the Sigma 30mm f1.4. It’s one of the few lenses in this range that will auto focus on the D40x. There were 2 things that seemed to be against this lens: 1) Some people have said to experience some quality issues in some copies (primarily, some focusing issues). They either needed to repair or replace them; and 2) It’s way more expensive than the 50mm (it costs around $350-450, depending on where you buy it).

After more research (a sample review), I decided that the 30mm, the auto focusing on the D40x, plus its low light capabilities made me think that it will definitely be worth the investment. So, I went ahead and purchased it.

I’ve never regretted it. It’s definitely one of my favourite lenses. I especially love it for portraiture. I can take photos with this lens without using any flash even under low light conditions.

I also heard that some people use this lens when they take band or performance photos. I’ve never tried it myself but have seen some photos taken in these situations.

By the way, the Sigma 30mm also works with Canon cameras. All the same features, except they have a Canon mount, of course.

Anyway, there are two Flickr groups on the Sigma 30mm f1.4 that I know of: this one and this other one. They’re not extremely busy, but you can find some useful reviews, samples and other discussions on this lens.

Here are some sample photos that I’ve taken using the Sigma 30mm f1.4:

It took about 2 months to wait for my zoom lens to arrive. It was meant to be part of my original Nikon D40x kit, but apparently, there was a shortage of the Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED VR lens in Australia at one time. Or at least, that was what my camera seller told me.

In any case, the 55-200mm VR has finally come. And yes, this is now the fourth glass added to my photography gear. And, here are some sample shots:

Overall, I’m quite pleased with it. I love that even though it’s a zoom lens, it’s still pretty compact. It doesn’t overpower my small Nikon D40x. And, it’s quite fast. I love that I can also do portraits with it. I think it will especially be a good portrait lens, if I want to have a bit of space between me and the subject matter.

Well, I’m looking forwarding to testing this lens out a bit more. To see what else I can do with it.

If you want to read a more comprehensive review of this piece of glass, read Ken Rockwell’s review of the 55-200mm VR.

And yes, I’m now only lusting for 3 more lenses. Heh. But, seriously, once I get a decent wide angle lens (possibly, a Sigma 10-20mm) next, I should be okay for a long while. After all, a Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor is really more of a ‘wishful thinking’ lens. And, a longer zoom lens (Nikon 70-300 VR is sort of reasonable, but the alternative Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR is more along the lines of ‘wishful thinking’ too) - is still way out of the question at this stage.

Note: For those who’re not familiar with the terminology, VR stands for Vibration Reduction. It basically helps to remove ‘camera shake’, especially if you’re shooting without tripods. Canons, I believe, uses the term IS (or Image Stabilizer) for the same technology. While some photographers swear by this new technology, some pros like Scott Kelby actually advised against using this in his Digital Photography Book.

PHOTO COLLAGE/MOSAIC NOTES:

1. Day 61 - Project 365 - 1st Mar 08: Sailing in Glenelg, 2. Bath Time for Birds: Views in Glenelg, 3. Scrambling for Food, 4. Clock in Glenelg (Closer), 5. Clock in Glenelg, 6. 1st Mar 08: Views in Glenelg, 7. Gotta Be First…, 8. Daylight Moon, 9. Glenelg Jetty View, 10. Day 61 - 365 Days - 1 Mar 08: Natural Head Dress, 11. Day 59 - Project 365 - 28th Feb 08 : ELECTRIC BLUE, 12. Day 54 - Project 365 - 23rd Feb 08 : BIRD ON WIRES

Using a tripod definitely makes a difference in one’s photography. And, over the last couple of months, I’ve been lusting after different types of tripods. Since I already have a basic one, I didn’t really want to look in to getting a really expensive one just yet. But, I wanted to have a more flexible, more portable tripod that I can easily set-up and use. So, I started hunting for one.

Anyway, about a month ago, I mentioned here that I wanted to have my very own Gorillapod. Well… it didn’t take long for me to hold out on that one. You see, my Gorillapod arrived a few days ago. And, I’ve been happily testing it out.

Some of the things that I love about having a Gorillapod:

• It’s so light and portable! I love that I can just put it in my camera bag - or even handbag.
• It’s so flexible. I can put the tripod on a tree branch, a fence, a chair… Yes, on just about anything and anywhere you can wrap its flexible legs around.
• It’s great to have a tripod either on a very low level (great when you’re doing macro photography) or very high (esp. for a different perspective).
• It’s a relatively inexpensive tripod. You can find one for approximately $60 or less.
• It works with standard mounts. And, you can even attach a ball head, if you wish.
• It can be used with my point-and-shoot camera, my digital SLR, or my video camera*.
• Taking horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait) shots can be done. Having different angles are possible too!

If you love Gorillapods, you might also want to check out Gorillapod Love, a Flickr group. All members of the group have been offered a 15% discount on all Gorillapod products from Joby (the original manufacturer of Gorillapods) until the end of 2008.

* This is if you buy the bigger, more stable Gorillapod. There are smaller ones that can just carry point-and-shoots and small dSLRs. If you want to know which Gorillapod is the right one for you, check out Joby’s Gorillapod online tool.

Okay, I confess: I had a different post in mind for today. But, it has been such a looooonnggg day. And, I just don’t have the time nor energy to blog what I had in mind right now. In fact, I’m so tired, I’m tempted just to go to bed. These 4 to 5 hours sleeping pattern can’t be good for me.

But then, it’s the 31st of the month and I’ve come sooo close. So yeah, I thought that instead of giving up on my ‘daily’ resolution, I decided just to give this a go anyway.

Yes, DAILY. Something I’ve never done ever before. I’ve been blogging for almost 10 years now (yes, I know, it wasn’t called blogging back then…) but I don’t think I’ve ever blogged every single day for a whole month.

But, January 2008 changed that. Since I’m trying to live out my word of the year: “Today”… I thought I’d challenge myself to blog every single day here in this blog for the whole year. I never really said that out loud until now - because I’m scared that it might all just wear me out. Plus, I was afraid that it might overwhelm my readers/subscribers here. And besides, what do I say if I don’t meet my target?

Ah, well… We’ll see. For now, daily blogging it is.

Since we’re on the topic of dailies… I thought I’d say something about the photo that you see in this post. It’s actually my Day 31 photo for the 365 (+1) Days Project. Yes, I’ve managed to take photos everyday for the whole month of January. Yay. And, I’m really enjoying the process.

Anyway, the iShai photo was inspired by all the Apple/Mac talk that I’ve been having the last week or so… and ‘meeting’ iHanna after she left a couple of comments on this blog. If you’re interested, I posted more thoughts about it on Flickr.

So yeah, 31 days down, 334 to go (+1).

Who was it that said something like, “It takes 30 days to develop a habit”? Well, if that’s the case, then I should have been able to develop a blogging and photography habit.

BTW, Congrats, Kari for being the Top Commentator of the Month (for January 2008). I believe you had a total of 24 comments. Thank you so much!

Macro photography is something that I’ve always wanted to try. And, I found out that there are 5 different ways to do macro photography:

1) Get a dedicated macro lens. (Definitely the best option, but probably most expensive.)
2) Get a tele-converter or extension tubes that will work with existing lenses. (Works with varying degrees of success, depending on cameras and lenses used.)
3) Use close-up filters. (Possible, but not really the best.)
4) Maximise the use of existing lens and just use “macro shooting mode”. (Unless existing lens has good semi-macro possibilities, it’s not the most ideal solution.)
5) Use a reversing ring to reverse existing lens. (Can work well, but will depend on the type of lens. And can be cumbersome for newbies.)

Well, after looking at the various options, I decided to go for option #1. But, since I didn’t want to spend too much money on this, I had a look around at various cheaper options. And, I found that one of the best things about the D40x is its ability to work with older, non-AId lenses.

So, I decided to get myself an old Micro Nikkor lens from eBay (Nikon 55mm f3.5), based on some recommendations from more experienced photographers and D40/x users. No, it doesn’t autofocus on the D40x, but apparently, it’s one good little old lens. And, I was told that I don’t really need autofocus with macro work anyway. And, besides, it’s a good, cheap option. I mean, there are other Nikon lenses that will work well with the D40x, but they’re way out of my budget. So, it’s the 55mm 3.5 for me.

So yeah, not only am I going to have to learn macro photography techniques - I will have to learn the very basic art of manual focusing. Scary.

Anyway, I did some test shots, and here are some results…

Manual focusing will definitely take some time to get used to. I’m not really happy with these shots, but I don’t mind sharing so I can show you that yes, I am all for just giving it a go.

Will share more findings and lessons as they come. If you’re in to macro photography and would like to share some tips or feedback, would love to read all about your thoughts and ideas.

Yay! I’m now the official proud and happy owner of a Nikon D40X! It’s my belated 8th year wedding anniversary + advanced Christmas present rolled in to one nice little package.

I must confess, though: I don’t know much about DSLR Photography. But, that never stopped me from lusting after a DSLR camera of my own over the last year or so. I’ve been researching about DSLR cameras in various places - and trying to learn as much as I can about apertures, exposures, shutter speeds, and all sorts of things that a normal human being doesn’t have to think about when using a regular point-and-shoot camera.

To begin with, I had the most common question every new DSLR camera owner has: Which one to buy?

And, even though my first instinct was to go with the very popular Canon EOS 400D (aka the Digital Rebel XTi) like my sis, Debbie, and many others I know, I decided to become a Nikonite instead because: 1) My old film SLR camera was a Nikon and 2) Several reviews and comparisons of XTi vs D40X convinced me (Thom Hogan’s review, Ken Rockwell, Photo.net Review, etc). In fact, even though I initially wanted the more expensive Nikon D80, I decided to go for the D40X because it seems to fit my needs (and budget!) much better.

Anyway, even though I was terrified to break anything, I decided that the best way to learn about my brand new gear is just to give it a whirl. So, my first project was to do some test/comparison shots between my new Nikon D40X and my current point-and-shoot camera (a Sony Cybershot) using low light conditions (I got my new toy on the evening of the 12 December). Here are a few of the results -

Subject One: Doll

Doll - P/S Test Shot (w/o Flash)

Doll - P/S Test Shot (w/ Flash)

Doll - DSLR Test Shot (w/o Flash)

Subject 2: Manger

Manger - P/S Test Shot (w/o Flash)

Manger - P/S Test Shot (w/ Flash)

Manger - DSLR Test Shot (w/o Flash)

As you can see, there are no test shots with the DSLR, as I was already quite pleased with the results just using natural lighting. Was really happy to note that I can take decent photos just using the basic gear and the kit lens (Nikkor 18-55 II). Even under low light conditions!

Anyway, you can also check out some of my first shots in the photo collage (see top image): 1. My New Nikon D40x, 2. Sunflower (Cropped), 3. Coinage from Oz, 4. Mum and Bub: Holding Hands, 5. Cam: Christmas Party 1, 6. Blue Needs a Grooming!, 7. Leaf, 8. A Silver Star, 9. Christmas Wreath, 10. Have a Cup of Hot Chocolate, 11. Ready for my Chinese Meal, 12. And She Begins To Crawl…, 13. Sunflower in my Backyard

Now looking forward to learning more. And taking plenty of more photos, no doubt.

When my son started to show interest in video games a few months ago, my husband began talking about purchasing a video game console. So, I decided to do a little bit of investigation first. I wanted to know what was the best game console for families with very young kids.

I began my search through review sites and blogs, eBay, and Amazon. I even started poring through local junk mail to check out costs and available games. I looked at reviews and feedback on Xbox vs PlayStation vs Wii.

Due to cost and the types of games that were available, the Xbox quickly went out of the running. I then looked at Playstation 2 vs Playstation 3. The PS3 sounded good, but since it cost AU $1,000 here just for the console, it was out of the question. There was just NO way I could justify spending that much money on a game console, especially since I know that we’re not (and not likely ever to be) massive gamers.

In fact, I don’t even remember the last time I played one of these things. I recall spending hours playing Space Invaders and PacMan on an Atari as a child. Then, there was Tetris and Legend of Zelda in an old Nintendo box as a young teen. After that… well, I just stuck with PC games and an occasional trip to the arcades.

But, I digress, so…

In the end, it was down to PlayStation 2 vs Wii.

PS2 seemed great because of all the games that are already available in Oz. Plus, the console is more affordable, so it’s a bit cheaper to set up. I also know that we can easily rent games from our local Blockbuster too, so there won’t be a constant need to buy games.

But then, I ended up choosing the Wii because:

1) Hubby loves sports. And, the boy is showing a lot of interest in sports too. What better way to play sport in video games format than the Wii? In fact, when the Wii finally got set up at home and I watched the boy, the husband and our friends play Wii Sport, I KNEW that I did the right thing. Our friends were quickly sold on the Wii too! In fact, I wonder how long it’ll take for them to buy their own console now that they almost found it impossible to go home after they discovered the joys of Wii with us.
2) Most of the reviews mentioned that one of the Wii’s great feature is its ability to appeal to a wider audience - from very young kids to grandparents, newbie gamers to pro level, folks who just want to play basic party video games to those really keen to make gaming a habit…

3) I LOVE the fact that Wii players don’t end up just pressing buttons! If you really get in to it, playing a few games of tennis and/or boxing can really give you a mini-workout. It’s very kinesthetic, which is fantastic.

4) I know that it’s going to be a great bonding activity not just for my hubby and son, but also for the whole family (and even our friends!)…

If you own a Wii and/or ever played one, I’d love to hear all about your tips and tricks. Maybe, even suggest games to buy in the future!

At the moment, other than Wii Sport, we’ve got Wii Play. And yeah, Sims Pets also came with the package I bought. But, I don’t think we’d keep that game. I used to love playing Sims (on PC), but it’s really too time consuming and not enough to keep our family interested right now.

Oh, and yes, this WAS the secret Father’s Day pressie that I mentioned in my Weekend Wonders blog entry. And, it looks like a winner of a gift. Hubby says it’s possibly THE best present I’ve ever given him to date. Heh.

Technorati Tags: fun, gadgets, reviews, video games, wii, wii play, wii sports, xbox vs playstation vs wii

I believe in the power of intention.

So, when I wrote that I really, really wanted something (and kept saying it whenever I could)… I knew that it was only a matter of time.

Then, it’s time to finally have…

But, in everything, there is always an upside and a downside. I can’t get in to the details right now about my first experience as a Mac virgin. Tomorrow begins my 2.5-week long life on the road. I’ll do my best to update/blog. But, most likely, I’ll be limited to Flickr, Facebook… and hey, maybe even Twitter. And yes, urgent emails.

Wish me well… And yes, the Mac is travelling with moi.

I must confess: One of the reasons I’ve been looking at Amazon and eBay a lot lately is because I’ve been gadget-lusting. As in, a lot.

And, my long-running fantasy: Getting my hands on a Mac. Right now, a MacBook in particular.

I’ve wanted to try switching to Mac from PCs for a long time now. But, I’ve been scared to give it a go. But now, I’m willing to check out — and hope for the best. I think my interest in media - and some Mac-specific software that I’ve been interested in lately - have slowly brainwashed me in to believing that my semi-creative geek life won’t be complete without being a Mac user one way or the other.

I’m not sure if I’ll ditch PCs completely (after all, I still have a desktop I love and another laptop I like - both PCs). But, I certainly would love to own and use a Mac.

If you’ve been a Mac switcher, do share your stories!