Retro-Styled Cameras

With Nikon's new Full Frame, the Df being announced on the 5th of November, everyone is very excited about this good news on Full Frames since the day of Nikon's first Full Frame debut, the D3 in 2007. 

Over the years, the FX format has definitely got better, faster and of course cheaper. What used to cost an arm or a leg is now certainly more affordable. Now I need to simply sell away my dry cabinet to raise funds to get one instead of robbing a bank. Hopefully as the days go by, Full Frames may well be within my reach so much that I may consider switching from MFT to FF. 

The All New Nikon Df

Talking about the Nikon Df, one can certainly comment on the strong retro-styling look with all the mechanical dials and buttons. Well, personally I like this kind of retro design. 

First impression wise, it does reminds me of the Olympus OM1!

The Olympus OM1 from the 1970s

In fact, talking about such classic designs from the past, I notice that many camera manufacturers are certainly going towards the retro design and classic look approach; Leather grips coupled with aluminium finish and retro range finder design - a complete  blend of old and new, bringing together a very traditional design with modern technologies. The retro design is making a comeback and old is new once again.

While mobile phones are getting smaller, smarter and sleeker, cameras on the other hand, are getting retro and re-adopting the 1970s design. This may be good news for camera manufacturers because smartphones are gaining popularity and consumers are relying more on the bulit-in cameras and this has inevitably hurt the sales of cameras. 

Going retro for cameras may be one way to retain users from ditching their cameras. Mobile phone designs can only be more sleek, futuristic and modern, the designs would not go backwards, at least for the next 3 years. So you can have a retro style camera but you cant have a retro styled mobile phone!

Now, let's take a look at what are the new and existing cameras out there sporting the 1970s look:

Olympus OMD-EM5

Here's one good example, the OMD-EM5 from Olympus. Well, the OM-D E-M5 features a rugged and lightweight, retro-inspired magnesium-alloy body that has been very popular since its inception and we have people actually ditching their 5DM3 into this retro camera to rock and roll!

Besides the well-received EM5, comes along the Olympus PEN EP5, in which the retro design EP5 is a reminiscence to the original PEN introduced in 1959. Boasting high end built quality with a retro-styled design, the Olympus PEN EP5 combines timeless styling with modern technologies for the photo enthusiast.

Olympus PEN EP5

Of course, tracing the 2013 PEN EP5 will lead us to the first retro styled mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the PEN EP1, that was launched by Olympus in 2009,  on the 50th anniversary of the company's original PEN. 

Olympus PEN EP1 back in 2009

The Original Olympus  back in 1959

The original 1959 Olympus Pen was designed by Japanese Olympus designer Yoshihisa Maitani and was the first Half Frame camera produced in Japan. It was one of the smallest cameras to use 35mm film in regular 135 cassettes. It was called the PEN because its as small as a PEN. I guess PENs are very much bigger in 1959 as compared to now. 

Anyway 1959 was a memorable year for the world of cameras as the year saw the release of the Nikon F as well, appealing to both ends of the photographic market. 

Nikon F in 1959

The Nikon F was Nikon's first SLR camera and was one of the most advanced cameras of its day.

Alright, so much about history, lets go back to 2013 and take a look at what Panasonic, another MFT partner,  has  to offer. 

The 2013 Lumix GX7 marks the first ever retro-designed camera from Panasonic. With a solid retro-range finder style magnesium construction, Panasonic has also jumped into the retro design overhaul.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC- GX7 

With the Lumix DMC-GX7, comes the world's smallest Micro Four Thirds, the Lumix DMC-GM1 just a few weeks ago. 

The Panasonic Lumix GM1

Other than Japanese makers Panasonic and Olympus, let's take a look at another Japanese compay.  Fujifilm too, has a retro-styled one, the XE2. The design of the XE2 does resembles the cameras of the film age. In fact, Fujifilm has been one of the main driving forces behind this classical trend with its X-series of cameras, having introduce their first ever retro camera, the  FinePix X100 back in 2010. 

Fujifilm XE2

The FinePix X100 was a classically styled camera that bears more than a passing resemblance to film rangefinders from the past, most notably the Leica.

Fujifilm X100 in 2010

Pentax, the last major manufacturer to join the enthusiast compact mirrorless category, also joins in the retro fun with their very own retro-designed camera, the Pentax Q in 2011. 

Pentax Q 2011

With the Pentax Q, comes the Q10 queueing in 2012, , as well as the Q7 and MX1 in 2013.

Pentax Q10, 2012

Pentax Q7, 2013

Pentax MX1, 2013

Talking about modern gadgets, how can we forget the South Korean electronics giant Samsung and its new NX300?  With their popular Galaxy smartphones and tablets pitting against rival Apple's iPhones and iPads, they too are into the retro camera race. 

Samsung NX300

We cannot talk about cameras and not mentioning Leica. This is as unforgivable as missing a great shot. 

Leica M Type 240

Well, so much about retro-styled cameras, the above are just a few designs out there sporting the old school look but I am certain that there will be more designs to come. The only manufacturers missing up there is from Sony and Canon as we have yet to see a retro-styled EOS M or NEX.

So what is it about the retro design that make these cameras so appealing? 

Whether will these classic designed cameras rekindle the emotional connection from yesteryear or will they intensify our passion for photography and take photography to a re-defined experience,  it looks like this will be the continuous trend for camera manufacturers. 

Right now, I am actually looking forward to retro-styled camera accessories such as retro-styled tripods.

Remember The New Nikon Df On The 5th Of November

The Fifth of November 

Remember, remember! The fifth of November,

The Gunpowder treason and plot;

I know of no reason 

Why the Gunpowder treason 

Should ever be forgot! 

Talking about the Fifth of November, many of us can simply think of Guy Fawkes, the member of the foiled Gunpower plot who was arrested while attempting to blow up The House Of Lords in the UK in 1605. Of coz, I can also remember the very sexy Natalie Portman in the 2006 movie, V For Vendetta. 

More recently, we can also think of the Anonymous Group's annual 5th of November operations  over cyber space and their latest attacks on Philippines and Australian websites just a couple of days ago.

Individuals appearing in public as Anonymous and wearing Guy Fawkes masks

Source: wikipedia

Talking about the Anonymous, I certainly respect this group of cyber freedom fighters and in fact, I have been paying very much attention on their recent movements. To me, reading news about Anonymous is certainly more exciting than watching my favourite Manchester United beating Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Champions League. Sometimes, we as commoners felt helpless at times and  look forward for a saviour to come along to save the day, Anonymous gave commoners the hope that we are waiting for. 

Time magazine has also named Anonymous as one of the 100 Most Influential, number 36 to be precise. The 5th of November has such an interesting story behind. However to the photography universe, the 5th of November has another meaning; The 5th of November is the day that Nikon announced the all new Full Frame Df DSLR!

Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The All New Nikon Df

Its certainly very exciting to see yet another Full Frame from Nikon and adding to its large sensor camera line up since the day the Japan camera manufacturer release its first Full Frame, the D3 back in 2007. 

The Nikon Df DSLR is a very classically designed camera with mechanical dials and buttons but along with modern Nikon digital technologies.The Df stands for Digital Fusion and this new camera is armed with a 16MP Full-Frame CMOS sensor inside and fully compatible with Nikon’s range of lens including classic non-AI lenses. It offers an ISO from 100 to 25,600 (expandable to ISO 50 - 204,800 equivalent ) and  maximum 5.5 fps continuous shooting.

With a 39-point autofocus system with 9 cross-type AF points, which is similar to the new Nikon D610. Unlike the D610, the Df only has a single SD card slot.

The All New Nikon Df

Its certainly interesting for Nikon to annouce a new camera on the 5th Of November.

And with this new retro styled Df from Nikon, I am excited about what Nikon's rival, Canon have up on its sleeve, perhaps a retro-designed Full Frame EOS M? 

MFT For The Light Weight Traveller

Photographer John is finally back from his one week holiday in Taiwan.

As you know, I am very much of a fan of the Micro Four Thirds. Barely 3 months after getting my first MFT camera, it has already become my travelling companion and a very easy going one too. 

While nothing ruins a trip more than a bad travelling companion, according to America writer and traveller Randy Wayne White with his travel philosophy: ``Two things guaranteed to ruin a trip are dysentery and bad travelling companions, and I frankly prefer the former, because dysentery at least ensures some quality private time.'' 

Bad travelling companions can certainly add burden to his mates and ruin the trip however a good companion can actually halved everyone's load and double the fun. For my trip, my Olympus has been such a great companion. A free-and-easy trip like mine where you need to do lots of walking and climbing up stairs, running after trains and carrying lots of cheap shopping from the Taiwanese night markets, size indeed matters. 

Besides my trusty Olympus EPL6, I have also gotten with me 3 lens to Taiwan ; The M Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens that I gotten with my camera, my newly purchased M Zuiko 40-150mm as well as my all time favourite, the M.Zuiko 45mm F.18. 

I shoot anything and everything and do not have any specific style of photography, therefore I have decided to this basic 3 lens setup; The 45mm for medium range shooting and portrait photography, the 14-42mm for landscape and close up shots and finally the 40-150mm for the ultra zoom. This setup should suffice for most scenarios. I guess I may be sticking to this for the time being until I have saved enough money or till Lady Luck decided to smile on me and bestow me with the million dollar lottery.

I did not get any extra batteries for my MFT as I always have a habit of charging my battery every night at the hotel, and that was the case for my Canon 60D when I brought it out during my last trip. Unless I am travelling to some really rural locations where getting electricity can be as challenging as snapping a beautiful shot.

I have also gotten with me a lightweight tripod for the steady shot. And one thing I would like to remind all travellers to  remember to check in your tripod with your luggage. A tripod cannot be hand carried. Under aviation security regulations, a tripod if used the wrong way for purposes other than mounting a camera,  can just be as deadly as a hammer or a knife. Very soon, airports might be banning Canon L Lens from hand carrying altogether. 

Lastly, for every trip,  I do ensure that I have enough memory cards as I always have a phobia for card errors. Its not so much of the capacity of the cards but rather the number of cards that is important. Nothing is more frightening to a photographer than lost images due to card malfunctions. Even though I do not shoot for a living but losing images is just like losing money to me - Equally heartbreaking. 

Therefore for this 9 day trip, I specially prepared 3 cards altogether ( 16GB x 2 and 32GB x1 ; One card every 3 days so that should there be any mishaps, I would just lose 3 days of shots. It may sound a bit too much but I always believe in this saying.

" Its better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, 

than to have an opportunity and not be prepared."

Another alternative would be to back up every now and then with an Eye Fi card but this would drain the battery off my phone which I would very much like to retain for navigation purposes in a foreign land. I would also love to bring my laptop along but then, lugging around a trip with a laptop, its very much like bringing along a bad travelling companion again. 

Anyway, with all these equipment housed inside my Vanguard bag, the entire gear is still so light and comfortable to carry. The switch to MFT has clearly given me lesser weight, more flexibility and more lens options with me all the time. In fact, while I was roaming along the streets of Taipei, I can see many users of MILCs, with their cameras hanging on their neck as they proceed with their daily tasks. 

Here are some shots straight from the cam.

Taken from the plane window

Carton King : Everything's made of paper!

Paper Pig from Carton King

Am still in the process of organising my photographs and therefore I shall post them when I am done.