Monday, September 19, 2011
Get the best Samsung Galaxy SL Leather Case
Get the best Samsung Galaxy SL Leather Case
With phone models and made many get their way in the market today, the protection is a major issue since many providers are running out of options. However, the Galaxy Samsung accessories SL managed to redefine once again the phone as a permanent one of the best on sale around the globe. Most of its features include an LCD LC-capacitive touch screen, the gorilla glass display and touch control among others. These features are in little doubt likely to be subjected to the destruction of many that can leave the handset scratched or damaged in many ways, but the leather case it comes with a lot more protection on the phone. As there are many types of leather case Samsung Galaxy SL that we will meet at the purchase will require prior planning to ensure you end up with the best. For this reason, this article will discuss some of the common leather cases available from which you can choose one that suits your phone.
Samsung I9003 Galaxy SL Leather Flip Case
This is done using material that is of the highest quality is found in the market. It is well designed to fit perfectly on the phone because it is hand-sewn with custom cuts for easy access to commands that it is user friendly. The case has a magnetic pin which ensures it opens and closes automatically making it easy to use. Moreover, the case has a belt clip 360 degrees which is removable and white stitching enhances its look.
Invisible Shield Full Body Protector
Such cases, Samsung Galaxy SL leather in most cases offer protection on the Samsung Galaxy SL against scratches and bumps. It is one of the most difficult with a durable protective film from scratch which can be found in any other phone to do. This film protects the case of wear at the same time shields your handset major and minor damages.
Ferrari Challenge Series Pouch Size L
This is a case universal phone that comes with a guarantee of high quality and a supercar-inspired carbon-effect finish. The case is uniquely designed with the official logo of Ferrari red lining and a striking interior that can be easily seen by the corners.
Samsung Carry Sock
This is one of the best leather case you can use to dress up your phone. It is also suitable for carrying any portable device and guarantees its security.
Silicone Case Deluxe
This Samsung leather case Galaxy SL is easy to install and comes with a screen cleaner. It is well designed for easy access to all the phone keys and functions on top of you to show different colors, it is designed with. It provides a firm grip on your device can not fall into the hands easily and can be adapted for use with different mobile devices.
These types of leather cases are one of the main accessories Samsung SL galaxy must be considered when buying the phone because of their importance and must be given the same prominence as other accessories Samsung SL galaxy.
PDair offers the best quality Samsung accessories for your precious GALAXY SL SL Samsung Galaxy to prevent it from being damaged by rough use. PDair Leather Case Samsung GALAXY SL is made from high quality materials and it also comes in different colors, you can choose.
With phone models and made many get their way in the market today, the protection is a major issue since many providers are running out of options. However, the Galaxy Samsung accessories SL managed to redefine once again the phone as a permanent one of the best on sale around the globe. Most of its features include an LCD LC-capacitive touch screen, the gorilla glass display and touch control among others. These features are in little doubt likely to be subjected to the destruction of many that can leave the handset scratched or damaged in many ways, but the leather case it comes with a lot more protection on the phone. As there are many types of leather case Samsung Galaxy SL that we will meet at the purchase will require prior planning to ensure you end up with the best. For this reason, this article will discuss some of the common leather cases available from which you can choose one that suits your phone.
Samsung I9003 Galaxy SL Leather Flip Case
This is done using material that is of the highest quality is found in the market. It is well designed to fit perfectly on the phone because it is hand-sewn with custom cuts for easy access to commands that it is user friendly. The case has a magnetic pin which ensures it opens and closes automatically making it easy to use. Moreover, the case has a belt clip 360 degrees which is removable and white stitching enhances its look.
Invisible Shield Full Body Protector
Such cases, Samsung Galaxy SL leather in most cases offer protection on the Samsung Galaxy SL against scratches and bumps. It is one of the most difficult with a durable protective film from scratch which can be found in any other phone to do. This film protects the case of wear at the same time shields your handset major and minor damages.
Ferrari Challenge Series Pouch Size L
This is a case universal phone that comes with a guarantee of high quality and a supercar-inspired carbon-effect finish. The case is uniquely designed with the official logo of Ferrari red lining and a striking interior that can be easily seen by the corners.
Samsung Carry Sock
This is one of the best leather case you can use to dress up your phone. It is also suitable for carrying any portable device and guarantees its security.
Silicone Case Deluxe
This Samsung leather case Galaxy SL is easy to install and comes with a screen cleaner. It is well designed for easy access to all the phone keys and functions on top of you to show different colors, it is designed with. It provides a firm grip on your device can not fall into the hands easily and can be adapted for use with different mobile devices.
These types of leather cases are one of the main accessories Samsung SL galaxy must be considered when buying the phone because of their importance and must be given the same prominence as other accessories Samsung SL galaxy.
PDair offers the best quality Samsung accessories for your precious GALAXY SL SL Samsung Galaxy to prevent it from being damaged by rough use. PDair Leather Case Samsung GALAXY SL is made from high quality materials and it also comes in different colors, you can choose.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Preyank_Jain
-Samsung Galaxy Accessories -
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Mount Nikon lenses on Samsung NX camera
Anything strange about this photo?
Yeah, I mounted a Nikon lens on the Samsung NX100 camera!
One ring to make it happen: the Nikon G AF-S Lens to Samsung NX adapter!
This adapter is in the market for less than a year, because I tried to search for this adapter about a year ago without success. The Nikon AI-S adapter is around then but since many of my lenses are G-type lenses, I needed an adapter that can open the aperture.
Operating Instruction: Mount the adapter between the camera body and the lens, switch the camera mode dial to M, twist the adapter ring to open up the aperture ring and adjust the shutter on the camera to your liking. Make sure "Framing Mode" is "Off" so that the live view shows the exposure. And focus manually.
On the NX100, you may have problems handling with large or heavy lenses. Without a proper grip, it's a struggle operating between the zoom ring and focusing ring.
Focusing on small objects without AF assist can be a challenge, for instance when shooting wide angle. You could also adjust the aperture ring to achieve depth of field but there are no indications on the aperture value.
I probably will not shoot with the adapter that regularly, but it's a fun accessory to get, knowing that there is a chance of using lenses interchangeably when needed.
At time of posting, this adapter is easily available on eBay. I bought it for US$37.99 including shipping. If your camera body is not Samsung NX, there are also adapters for Sony NEX and Lumix mounts. If your lens is not Nikon, there are also adapters for other brands.
Yeah, I mounted a Nikon lens on the Samsung NX100 camera!
One ring to make it happen: the Nikon G AF-S Lens to Samsung NX adapter!
This adapter is in the market for less than a year, because I tried to search for this adapter about a year ago without success. The Nikon AI-S adapter is around then but since many of my lenses are G-type lenses, I needed an adapter that can open the aperture.
Operating Instruction: Mount the adapter between the camera body and the lens, switch the camera mode dial to M, twist the adapter ring to open up the aperture ring and adjust the shutter on the camera to your liking. Make sure "Framing Mode" is "Off" so that the live view shows the exposure. And focus manually.
On the NX100, you may have problems handling with large or heavy lenses. Without a proper grip, it's a struggle operating between the zoom ring and focusing ring.
Focusing on small objects without AF assist can be a challenge, for instance when shooting wide angle. You could also adjust the aperture ring to achieve depth of field but there are no indications on the aperture value.
I probably will not shoot with the adapter that regularly, but it's a fun accessory to get, knowing that there is a chance of using lenses interchangeably when needed.
At time of posting, this adapter is easily available on eBay. I bought it for US$37.99 including shipping. If your camera body is not Samsung NX, there are also adapters for Sony NEX and Lumix mounts. If your lens is not Nikon, there are also adapters for other brands.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Review
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 may well be the best-looking Android tablet in the market right now. And I'd say it possesses the best customised Android Honeycomb interface thanks to Touchwiz UX.
I was fortunate to get a review unit within a week of its launch in Singapore and so I'm here to give my review on this attractive device.
Package
The Tab includes, besides the usual charger, a pair of earphones, one of the few tablet makers to package in the box. The USB cable doubles up as charging cable, its length is rather short.
The tablet in the box is protected with separate pieces of plastic front and back. The plastic is so tightly stuck to the glossy back surface that I am happy to leave it on as a protection against the white scratchable surface.
Size
The Tab is the slimmest tablet for its screen size, a hairline thinner than iPad 2. It has a slightly bigger surface area than Motorola Xoom.
The back is flat, not curved like iPad 1 or Asus Transformer, and that makes the Tab extremely slim and easy to slip in your bag.
Design and Specs
Running on dual core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, the Tab has 3 hardware buttons located at the top left. The volume rocker direction is uniquely swapped: press the left to reduce volume, press the right to increase. This is in alignment with the on-screen volume indicator, but if you use the Tab in the portrait orientation, you would need to press down to increase volume.
The speakers are located at the upper area of the tablet, so you won't block the speakers when holding the Tab naturally. The glass surface is less reflective, which makes viewing more comfortable. The surface also feels smooth to the fingers when swiping, and finger prints are easily wiped off. Audio quality is pleasantly balanced for long periods of listening.
Built quality
The exterior is entirely made of plastic which is easily dented. I have already dinged the volume buttons and I have no idea how I got the scars. It was certainly not due to drop as it looks more like scratches. See picture below to be the judge (click to enlarge).
Touchwiz UX Skinned Interface
The Tab has, in my opinion, the best Honeycomb interface customised. If you are familiar with the Galaxy S phone interface, then you will feel right at home with the Tab. All the menu icons are splashed in full colour, and the font sizes are made bigger to ease viewing. The slide-out notification pane has the usual short-cut icons allowing you to manage your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Sounds, Flight Mode, etc. Stock apps like File Manager, Music Player are all customised with multiple columns to improve usability. The Tab even has the familiar vibration feedback as you type or when receiving incoming notifications. Samsung has its TFT LCD screen colours heavily boosted to make images look more vibrant without appearing unreal (until you do a visual comparison with the competitors).
The other customisation to the OS is the MiniApps. Select the up-arrow icon in the middle of the status bar and a row of apps slide out - Task Manager, Calendar, World Clock, Pen Memo, Calculator and Music Player. Click on any of the apps and it will appear as a floating window on top of your existing screens. You can use the floating app and navigate the main screen at any time, and the floating app will remain on top at all times. You can choose to "maximise" the app, and in doing so the MiniApp will close and the actual full-screen app will be loaded. This MiniApp implementation is Samsung's solution to multiple-window multi-tasking. For now, the list of MiniApps are not customisable.
Besides the standard Honeycomb soft-icons to the left side of the status bar, the Tab has a fourth "Screen Capture" button for ease of snapping the screen contents. The button can capture almost every screen on the Tab (even the camera preview), except when the MiniApp dock appears which hides all other status bar information.
Unfortunately, all the wonderful customisations have put a toll on the Tab. It is noticeably more laggy in between finger swipes and icon selections, so this would certainly put a dent on user expectations.
Camera
Ironically, with all the greatness of the interface, the 3mp rear and 2mp front camera quality are not to be taken seriously. It is a pity considering the camera app has many shooting modes and custom settings like metering mode, focus mode, white balance and exposure compensation.
Video Playback
Just like all the other Tegra2 Android tablets I have tested, the Tab fails to play my reference MP4 and MKV video files smoothly, even when using third-party software-decoding video apps. The playability is a far cry from Galaxy S2, and even my single-core Galaxy S plays the same files without missing a beat.
Battery Utilisation
Battery performance on 3G network is quite good. When I turn on auto-sync for Gmail and corporate mail, sets Tweetdeck to refresh feeds every 10 minutes, and check on the Tab regularly throughout the day for mails and social network feeds, the Tab uses up just 50% in 16 hours.
Expandability
The Tab does not come with generic connectivity ports like HDMI, memory card slots, or USB. However, there are official adapters that allows you to do all the above.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is light, thin, delivers striking colour display, has good battery life, is easy to operate with customised interface and apps, and 3G-enabled for data access anywhere. Almost perfect... just marred by laggy interface, uninspiring camera quality, and underwhelming video performance. Still, don't let it stop you from owning the best-looking most user-friendly Android interface in the market.
I was fortunate to get a review unit within a week of its launch in Singapore and so I'm here to give my review on this attractive device.
Package
The Tab includes, besides the usual charger, a pair of earphones, one of the few tablet makers to package in the box. The USB cable doubles up as charging cable, its length is rather short.
The tablet in the box is protected with separate pieces of plastic front and back. The plastic is so tightly stuck to the glossy back surface that I am happy to leave it on as a protection against the white scratchable surface.
Size
The Tab is the slimmest tablet for its screen size, a hairline thinner than iPad 2. It has a slightly bigger surface area than Motorola Xoom.
 |
| Comparing thickness between Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 1. |
Design and Specs
Running on dual core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, the Tab has 3 hardware buttons located at the top left. The volume rocker direction is uniquely swapped: press the left to reduce volume, press the right to increase. This is in alignment with the on-screen volume indicator, but if you use the Tab in the portrait orientation, you would need to press down to increase volume.
The speakers are located at the upper area of the tablet, so you won't block the speakers when holding the Tab naturally. The glass surface is less reflective, which makes viewing more comfortable. The surface also feels smooth to the fingers when swiping, and finger prints are easily wiped off. Audio quality is pleasantly balanced for long periods of listening.
Built quality
The exterior is entirely made of plastic which is easily dented. I have already dinged the volume buttons and I have no idea how I got the scars. It was certainly not due to drop as it looks more like scratches. See picture below to be the judge (click to enlarge).
Touchwiz UX Skinned Interface
The Tab has, in my opinion, the best Honeycomb interface customised. If you are familiar with the Galaxy S phone interface, then you will feel right at home with the Tab. All the menu icons are splashed in full colour, and the font sizes are made bigger to ease viewing. The slide-out notification pane has the usual short-cut icons allowing you to manage your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Sounds, Flight Mode, etc. Stock apps like File Manager, Music Player are all customised with multiple columns to improve usability. The Tab even has the familiar vibration feedback as you type or when receiving incoming notifications. Samsung has its TFT LCD screen colours heavily boosted to make images look more vibrant without appearing unreal (until you do a visual comparison with the competitors).
The other customisation to the OS is the MiniApps. Select the up-arrow icon in the middle of the status bar and a row of apps slide out - Task Manager, Calendar, World Clock, Pen Memo, Calculator and Music Player. Click on any of the apps and it will appear as a floating window on top of your existing screens. You can use the floating app and navigate the main screen at any time, and the floating app will remain on top at all times. You can choose to "maximise" the app, and in doing so the MiniApp will close and the actual full-screen app will be loaded. This MiniApp implementation is Samsung's solution to multiple-window multi-tasking. For now, the list of MiniApps are not customisable.
Besides the standard Honeycomb soft-icons to the left side of the status bar, the Tab has a fourth "Screen Capture" button for ease of snapping the screen contents. The button can capture almost every screen on the Tab (even the camera preview), except when the MiniApp dock appears which hides all other status bar information.
Unfortunately, all the wonderful customisations have put a toll on the Tab. It is noticeably more laggy in between finger swipes and icon selections, so this would certainly put a dent on user expectations.
Camera
Ironically, with all the greatness of the interface, the 3mp rear and 2mp front camera quality are not to be taken seriously. It is a pity considering the camera app has many shooting modes and custom settings like metering mode, focus mode, white balance and exposure compensation.
 |
| 3mp camera with LED. |
Video Playback
Just like all the other Tegra2 Android tablets I have tested, the Tab fails to play my reference MP4 and MKV video files smoothly, even when using third-party software-decoding video apps. The playability is a far cry from Galaxy S2, and even my single-core Galaxy S plays the same files without missing a beat.
Battery Utilisation
Battery performance on 3G network is quite good. When I turn on auto-sync for Gmail and corporate mail, sets Tweetdeck to refresh feeds every 10 minutes, and check on the Tab regularly throughout the day for mails and social network feeds, the Tab uses up just 50% in 16 hours.
Expandability
The Tab does not come with generic connectivity ports like HDMI, memory card slots, or USB. However, there are official adapters that allows you to do all the above.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is light, thin, delivers striking colour display, has good battery life, is easy to operate with customised interface and apps, and 3G-enabled for data access anywhere. Almost perfect... just marred by laggy interface, uninspiring camera quality, and underwhelming video performance. Still, don't let it stop you from owning the best-looking most user-friendly Android interface in the market.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Lumix GF3, Sony NEX-C3 & Samsung NX100: Comparing ILC
Update 29 Oct 2011: Go to the Mirrorless Camera Comparison link for the latest review comparison on new cameras
For the past weeks, I have done some comparison among the 3 interchangeable lens camera (ILC) systems. If you ask me how I feel, my response is:
GF3 offers slight advantage on AF point selection using touch screen, plus some fanciful touch-shutter functions that are generally more fun to use. But I would still prefer NX menu layout. GF3 has the fastest AF and highest fps, but the screen does not look sharp. It can shoot full HD but in MTS (BD) format and not the PC-friendly MP4 format. You can shoot MP4, but only 720p, and audio quality is poorer. Being micro four-thirds system, GF3 offers lots of lens choices, and has the fastest shooting response among the three.
NEX-C3 offers the best screen display. I feel a big sense of gratification after I take the shot and seeing the images on the screens. I also like how the icons are high-res and neat. ISO quality is the best among the three. The build quality is the best among the three, and has the most unique design. With NEX, I can shoot at high ISO and I get more clear shots than the rest, because Sony is confident in its high ISO and aggressively sets high ISO for its auto shots. Sadly, its shutter sound is the loudest and most annoying.
NX100 offers the best handling and ease of making shooting adjustments. I can use the hot-shoe with legacy photographic accessories. Spec-wise, it is not as impressive because it's the oldest model among the three. The ISO noise is the highest but comparing to the compact cameras, it is still good. This is the best camera among the three for speedy manual shooting controls.
ILC or DSLR? I still don’t get the same experience from the ILCs as I do with DSLR. While I find myself struggling to try to get ILC to match the quality of DSLR, I feel so effortless shooting on a DSLR to get what I want. DSLR offers me the organic experience that no other ILC can provide.
Yet we must not forget that the ILC offers a solution of comparable DSLR image quality and handling in a very compact size. I do not foresee myself investing heavily or permanently in an ILC system, so I am happy to buy any system with a set of basic lenses to cover a wide shooting range. My purchase decision would not have to depend on the system expandability and compatibility. I would focus on shooting speed, ISO quality, ease of shooting controls.
My perfect ILC camera would consist of the user interface and shooting controls of NX, body design and ISO quality of NEX, and shooting speed of GF. In the absence of perfection, my choice of camera among the three would be Lumix GF3. And that's just me.
There is no "best" product decision. It's just understanding your needs and meeting it.
Update 29 Oct 2011: Go to the Mirrorless Camera Comparison link for the latest review comparison on new cameras
For the past weeks, I have done some comparison among the 3 interchangeable lens camera (ILC) systems. If you ask me how I feel, my response is:
GF3 offers slight advantage on AF point selection using touch screen, plus some fanciful touch-shutter functions that are generally more fun to use. But I would still prefer NX menu layout. GF3 has the fastest AF and highest fps, but the screen does not look sharp. It can shoot full HD but in MTS (BD) format and not the PC-friendly MP4 format. You can shoot MP4, but only 720p, and audio quality is poorer. Being micro four-thirds system, GF3 offers lots of lens choices, and has the fastest shooting response among the three.
NEX-C3 offers the best screen display. I feel a big sense of gratification after I take the shot and seeing the images on the screens. I also like how the icons are high-res and neat. ISO quality is the best among the three. The build quality is the best among the three, and has the most unique design. With NEX, I can shoot at high ISO and I get more clear shots than the rest, because Sony is confident in its high ISO and aggressively sets high ISO for its auto shots. Sadly, its shutter sound is the loudest and most annoying.
NX100 offers the best handling and ease of making shooting adjustments. I can use the hot-shoe with legacy photographic accessories. Spec-wise, it is not as impressive because it's the oldest model among the three. The ISO noise is the highest but comparing to the compact cameras, it is still good. This is the best camera among the three for speedy manual shooting controls.
ILC or DSLR? I still don’t get the same experience from the ILCs as I do with DSLR. While I find myself struggling to try to get ILC to match the quality of DSLR, I feel so effortless shooting on a DSLR to get what I want. DSLR offers me the organic experience that no other ILC can provide.
Yet we must not forget that the ILC offers a solution of comparable DSLR image quality and handling in a very compact size. I do not foresee myself investing heavily or permanently in an ILC system, so I am happy to buy any system with a set of basic lenses to cover a wide shooting range. My purchase decision would not have to depend on the system expandability and compatibility. I would focus on shooting speed, ISO quality, ease of shooting controls.
My perfect ILC camera would consist of the user interface and shooting controls of NX, body design and ISO quality of NEX, and shooting speed of GF. In the absence of perfection, my choice of camera among the three would be Lumix GF3. And that's just me.
There is no "best" product decision. It's just understanding your needs and meeting it.
Update 29 Oct 2011: Go to the Mirrorless Camera Comparison link for the latest review comparison on new cameras
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR: COMEX 2011 Offer
Sometimes, great offers come to you without even looking.
This morning, on the back cover page of TODAY, I saw the Fujifilm advertisement promoting their digicam offers. What caught my eye was the trade-in offer for F500EXR and F550EXR (after trade-in price of S$349 and S$399 respectively). It so happens that I have a 4-year old F31fd, still working perfectly, albeit old sensor technology.
The F31fd is a legend, its start-up, high ISO, and shot-to-shot performance are benchmarks for my digicam reviews over the past years. Alas, time has caught up, the battery isn't doing quite well, and the features, miserly.
So, I originally intended to make my way to COMEX at Suntec to buy it, but then I read a fine-print that this offer is valid at all authorised dealers. So I called MS Color to ask if they have the same offer, and they replied that instead of 16GB SD card offered at COMEX, they will give 8GB instead. Weighing the cons of traveling all the way down to Suntec and having to hustle through the crowds, I decided to just get it from MS Color.
When I arrived there, the shop staff recognised me as a regular, and so without further bargaining, he offered me at $330 with free LCD protective cover. How can I refuse! I left the shop a happy man (and farewell, F31fd!)
Here's a look at the F550EXR specs:
If you are on a budget, you can consider the F500EXR at SRP $50 cheaper. Only the following functions are absent compared to the F550EXR:
Good impression points on the F550EXR:
The design of the camera is impressive, from the rubber grip to the red lining around the lens to the placement of the mode dial, the F550EXR is just curvy all around.
Shooting Modes. Apart from the usual PASM, Scene (SP), and Auto modes, the F550EXR comes with the EXR mode and the "Adv." (advanced) mode. The EXR mode lets you shoot using the EXR features to boost image quality. The "Adv." mode has 3 shooting effects: the Motion Panorama 360, the Pro Focus and Pro Low-Light. The Motion Panorama 360 mode lets you shoot panorama by sweeping your camera in one shutter press. The Pro Focus mode processes the image to blur the background more and create a better depth of field effect. The Pro Low-Light mode captures the scene in high ISO over 4 frames and combines into one image to reduce noise.
Continuous Shooting Options. Unlike conventional continuous burst modes, the F550EXR has 2 modes to capture your desired burst shooting.
First is "Top n", where n refers to the maximum number of frames you want to burst. Once you lift off the shutter button, the camera will stop capture. You can also choose the shooting speed, between 3 to 11 fps. But note that the camera will automatically reduce the image resolution size depending on the maximum number of frames and fps in order to process all the required images.
Second type of continuous mode is "Best Frame Capture". In this mode, the camera starts to capture x images once you half-press the shutter, and y images after you press the shutter. The number of frame before and after can be configured before you shoot. Again, like the first mode, the number of frames and the fps you choose will restrict the image resolution size captured by the camera.
Video capture modes. You can capture video in various frame rates - from the standard 30fps to 80fps (640x480), 160fps (320x240) and even 320fps (320x112). Audio is recorded in stereo.
Silent Mode. By holding the "DISP" button, the camera goes into stealth mode, disabling flash, sound, and self timer lamp.
What I dislike:
This is one of the moments that I write a review blog within 24 hours of experiencing the subject matter (in fact, I broke my own record of blogging this within 6 hours!). Admittedly, the F550EXR is not a camera with outstanding image quality or functions, and if price was not a factor, I would not think of purchasing it. But like I mentioned in my opening paragraph, the timing is just so right and the price-value is simply astonishing. This is a lightweight ultra-zoom camera good enough for general family use and for documenting your travels. It works for me thanks to its speedy AF and fast shot-to-shot response. Four years on since F31fd, I'm still with Fujifilm Finepix.
This morning, on the back cover page of TODAY, I saw the Fujifilm advertisement promoting their digicam offers. What caught my eye was the trade-in offer for F500EXR and F550EXR (after trade-in price of S$349 and S$399 respectively). It so happens that I have a 4-year old F31fd, still working perfectly, albeit old sensor technology.
The F31fd is a legend, its start-up, high ISO, and shot-to-shot performance are benchmarks for my digicam reviews over the past years. Alas, time has caught up, the battery isn't doing quite well, and the features, miserly.
So, I originally intended to make my way to COMEX at Suntec to buy it, but then I read a fine-print that this offer is valid at all authorised dealers. So I called MS Color to ask if they have the same offer, and they replied that instead of 16GB SD card offered at COMEX, they will give 8GB instead. Weighing the cons of traveling all the way down to Suntec and having to hustle through the crowds, I decided to just get it from MS Color.
When I arrived there, the shop staff recognised me as a regular, and so without further bargaining, he offered me at $330 with free LCD protective cover. How can I refuse! I left the shop a happy man (and farewell, F31fd!)
Here's a look at the F550EXR specs:
- 16 mega-pixel CMOS sensor
- 15x zoom covering 24-360mm f3.5-5.3
- Full HD 1920x1080 movie recording
- Fujifilm's EXR image processing algorithm, like High Resolution (HR) mode, Dynamic Range (DR) mode, promising better low-light images and dynamic range.
- 460,000-pixel LCD screen that displays sharp images
- 8 fps in 16mp, or 11fps in 8mp resolution
If you are on a budget, you can consider the F500EXR at SRP $50 cheaper. Only the following functions are absent compared to the F550EXR:
- RAW file capture
- GPS - the first Fujifilm compact camera
- Anti-blur function
Good impression points on the F550EXR:
The design of the camera is impressive, from the rubber grip to the red lining around the lens to the placement of the mode dial, the F550EXR is just curvy all around.
Shooting Modes. Apart from the usual PASM, Scene (SP), and Auto modes, the F550EXR comes with the EXR mode and the "Adv." (advanced) mode. The EXR mode lets you shoot using the EXR features to boost image quality. The "Adv." mode has 3 shooting effects: the Motion Panorama 360, the Pro Focus and Pro Low-Light. The Motion Panorama 360 mode lets you shoot panorama by sweeping your camera in one shutter press. The Pro Focus mode processes the image to blur the background more and create a better depth of field effect. The Pro Low-Light mode captures the scene in high ISO over 4 frames and combines into one image to reduce noise.
Continuous Shooting Options. Unlike conventional continuous burst modes, the F550EXR has 2 modes to capture your desired burst shooting.
First is "Top n", where n refers to the maximum number of frames you want to burst. Once you lift off the shutter button, the camera will stop capture. You can also choose the shooting speed, between 3 to 11 fps. But note that the camera will automatically reduce the image resolution size depending on the maximum number of frames and fps in order to process all the required images.
Second type of continuous mode is "Best Frame Capture". In this mode, the camera starts to capture x images once you half-press the shutter, and y images after you press the shutter. The number of frame before and after can be configured before you shoot. Again, like the first mode, the number of frames and the fps you choose will restrict the image resolution size captured by the camera.
Video capture modes. You can capture video in various frame rates - from the standard 30fps to 80fps (640x480), 160fps (320x240) and even 320fps (320x112). Audio is recorded in stereo.
Silent Mode. By holding the "DISP" button, the camera goes into stealth mode, disabling flash, sound, and self timer lamp.
What I dislike:
- The front lens cover is huge and can be easily brushed when you do not handle with care.
- Aperture steps are too wide apart, yet shutter can be adjusted in 0.3 steps.
- Flash pops-up automatically everytime the camera is on, not on-demand. If you push it down during the operation, you will
not be able to activate the flash until you switch off and on back againneed to manually pop-up the flash with your fingernails (as documented in the operation manual). This is the most undesirable thing about the F550EXR, and almost made me walk away from the deal. But I decide to accept this characteristics and see where it brings me to. - Exposure compensation is only within 2 stops.
- Movie mode unable to do manual exposure override. Focus keeps shifting during movie mode as the camera hunts for focus "randomly" - there is no option to select AF area mode.
- The "F"-mode button pulls out only a few menu items, and you have to go to the main menu to search for the rest of the functions. Interestingly, the "RAW" file option is located under "Setup" menu tab rather than "Shooting" menu tab.
- Battery size 900mAh, so it does not last very long. An extra battery is recommended for heavy full-day usage.
- Image quality is no different from most compact cameras. This camera exhibits the same kind of "muddy" look when viewed 100%. If blown-up details matter a lot to you, it's time to move on to larger sensor cameras like micro four-thirds or APS-C.
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| For a limited time, free hard casing with every purchase. |
This is one of the moments that I write a review blog within 24 hours of experiencing the subject matter (in fact, I broke my own record of blogging this within 6 hours!). Admittedly, the F550EXR is not a camera with outstanding image quality or functions, and if price was not a factor, I would not think of purchasing it. But like I mentioned in my opening paragraph, the timing is just so right and the price-value is simply astonishing. This is a lightweight ultra-zoom camera good enough for general family use and for documenting your travels. It works for me thanks to its speedy AF and fast shot-to-shot response. Four years on since F31fd, I'm still with Fujifilm Finepix.
MemoryCardZoo.com - Micro SD Cards
Memory Card Zoo is an online shop offering wide range of memory cards, bags, batteries, headphones, and accessories. Based in Guernsey, they carry 100% genuine UK stock. Worldwide shipping is also competitive - it costs only £4-7.50 to ship to Singapore.
This week, I received a micro SD card from them. It claims to be indestructible: water proof, shock proof, and magnet proof.
Some people might choose to abuse the card to test its limits, but I think that kind of treatment is not practical in real life. So I choose to put the micro SD card through reasonable life tests, as follows:
- Washing machine test (water proof)
- Drop test (shock proof)
- Speaker proximity test (magnet proof)
Washing Machine Test
The most common accident on getting the card wet is when you forget to take the memory card out of your attire pocket. So for water proof test, I placed the memory card into my jeans pocket and put the jeans into the washine machine for a wash.
Result: Pass. In fact, I also dumped the card into a cup of water. The card still works after drying.
Drop Test
This is another common accident which could damage the card. For my test, I simply drop the micro SD card on the hard surface - many times over and over again. Here's a "dramatisation video" (shot at 160 fps).
Result: Pass. The card suffered no visible damages, since it is so small. You can't say the same if you were to drop a CompactFlash card. At the very least, the corners would be dented, no?
Speaker Proximity Test
To test for magnet proof, I decided to place the micro SD card near to my home speakers and played some music loudly so that the speaker magnets can attempt to cause an affect on the card. I cannot think of any other home devices with higher magnetism than speakers, so if you do, please let me know and I will gladly do this test again.
Result: Pass. I even did a low-level format to see if there are any damaged sectors.
I believe most of the micro SD cards sold today should be able to sustain such abuse due to its solid state nature, so such claims on being indestructible are merely marketing tactics. The real test should be whether the memory components can stand thousand of times of read-write states.
This article is supported by MemoryCardZoo.com. Check out their website for their wide range of memory card solutions.
This week, I received a micro SD card from them. It claims to be indestructible: water proof, shock proof, and magnet proof.
Some people might choose to abuse the card to test its limits, but I think that kind of treatment is not practical in real life. So I choose to put the micro SD card through reasonable life tests, as follows:
- Washing machine test (water proof)
- Drop test (shock proof)
- Speaker proximity test (magnet proof)
Washing Machine Test
The most common accident on getting the card wet is when you forget to take the memory card out of your attire pocket. So for water proof test, I placed the memory card into my jeans pocket and put the jeans into the washine machine for a wash.
Result: Pass. In fact, I also dumped the card into a cup of water. The card still works after drying.
Drop Test
This is another common accident which could damage the card. For my test, I simply drop the micro SD card on the hard surface - many times over and over again. Here's a "dramatisation video" (shot at 160 fps).
Result: Pass. The card suffered no visible damages, since it is so small. You can't say the same if you were to drop a CompactFlash card. At the very least, the corners would be dented, no?
Speaker Proximity Test
To test for magnet proof, I decided to place the micro SD card near to my home speakers and played some music loudly so that the speaker magnets can attempt to cause an affect on the card. I cannot think of any other home devices with higher magnetism than speakers, so if you do, please let me know and I will gladly do this test again.
Result: Pass. I even did a low-level format to see if there are any damaged sectors.
I believe most of the micro SD cards sold today should be able to sustain such abuse due to its solid state nature, so such claims on being indestructible are merely marketing tactics. The real test should be whether the memory components can stand thousand of times of read-write states.
This article is supported by MemoryCardZoo.com. Check out their website for their wide range of memory card solutions.
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