Comment

8 days ago on Downsizing from a Rebel T3i / EOS 600D, but which one?

Comment

Take a look at any of the newer 16MP Olympus Micro/43 bodies. As far as image quality it will actually surpass your T3i/600D by a considerable margin IMHO and competes pretty close to the last generation 16mp Sony APS-C sensor used in the NEX’s and Nikon/Sony SLRs. Compared to your T3i you will have more color depth, increased dynamic range, and better high ISO performance. S-AF in my experience using Nikon SLRs will actually perform better in many instances until you get to really low light with no contrast in the scene. With the interchangeable lenses you can make the system compact with something like the 14/2.5 or you get throw on a single larger zoom lens if that is your preference.

My E-PM1 with the 14-42 (28-84 equivalent) kit lens is smaller than just the flash for my Nikon.

8 days ago on Downsizing from a Rebel T3i / EOS 600D, but which one?

Comment

The good thing about the TO’s test is that it is so unsientific, like he said. This shows us how good the camera is in practice. To see the benefit of the larger sensor with less pixels on it, you’d need a scientific test where the cameras are forced to the same settings on the same scene and then you could compare noise levels, not brightness.

I consider myself a pretty advanced amateur photographer. I’ve been using the ditigtal format for at least 13-14 years since the says of my first Powershot A10 and my Olympus E100-RS, and have been using Digital format SLRs the last… 7 or is it 8? Whenever the D50 was introduced. I average about 7-8k pictures a year if the shutter counts on my various bodies can be trusted, so I have plenty of experience with digital photography. I also have a couple of Micro 43rds bodies I use when I don’t want/need the whole SLR kit.

Sometimes I feel we photographers can get too caught up in noise levels, pixel counts, sensitivity, etc. What matters in the end is if you can count on your tool to take an image you find pleasing when you pick it up and activate the shutter. I think a good example of this is when I compare my two Mu43 bodies, the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic GX1. The GX1 has undoubtedly the better sensor, a full stop better in performance when you look at pretty much every measurable (noise, dynamic range, etc). Greater detail at 16mp v. 12mp. More dynamic throughout the ISO range. But even with much better measurables I find the metering, the white balance, color temperature, etc of the Olympus jpeg engine much more pleasing than the GX1. I find myself using that body much more often even though I prefer pretty much everything about the GX1 (handling, sensor, features, etc) over the E-PM1. Sure I could shoot in raw and with plenty of post processing get output that I like on par with the Olympus, but I find when I am not using my SLR I just want something I can pick up without having to think too much about adjusting settings, post processing, etc.

This is where I find I prefer the HTC One’s camera over the Galaxy Note II’s. I tend to favor the way the One meters, white balances, etc without me having to think about adjusting the camera settings to get optimal exposure. My phone camera is something I want to just pick up turn on and snap quickly. Sure there are instances where the Samsung or my iPhone will produce a better image. But I find I trust the One’s camera to get a good image in far more situations than than my iPhone (which I prefer over my Note 2 BTW). I undoubtedly prefer the iPhone’s images in good light but if I were to have to choose only one camera I would take the One’s because I can trust it to take a pleasing image in far more situations than any other phone camera I’ve used.

21 days ago on Totally Unscientific Note II v. One Camera test. 3 recommends

Comment

Waaaaait. Wait wait wait. Wait a gosh darned minute. Let me get this straight….

you are into “minimalism”… and yet you chose a phone with Touchwiz on it. I’m pretty sure Samsung designs their phone to be the polar opposite of minimalism.

21 days ago on Just bought my Galaxy S4. 1 reply 3 recommends

Comment

I used to be in the “I need a removable battery and SD Storage!” camp. In theory the removable battery sounds awesome but in reality I found I rarely had the need to change the battery because my phone was about to die. Usually when I did change the battery it was more because I forgot to plug my phone in at night. Give me 4 hours of screen on time and I can make it through the day.

Now removable SD storage I wanted because most Android phones in the past did not come with enough memory. 16gb was not enough, even 32gb was barely passable. Give me 64gb and I have no need for an external SD card. Even with 32 I can get by but I have to mange what videos are on my phone more.

22 days ago on Removable Batteries? 1 reply 1 recommend

Comment

I read a lot of people making excuses for the S4 but I find it quite telling that reviewer almost universally choose the One over the S4. I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen a single person who has spent significant time with both who has chosen the S4 over the One.

22 days ago on Choosing between HTC One and S4.. 1 reply

Comment

This post makes me question if you’ve ever held another phone besides the S3 or S4. I’ve owned pretty much anything you can think of over the years and I would classify the S3 and my current Note 2 as borderline unusable without a case they are so slippery compared to the competition. I have not held a S4 but my wife who is a die hard Samsung fangirl since her first flip Samsung and subsequent line of Galaxy phones even surprisingly chose the One over the S4 because it “feels way nicer than the Samsung phones”. I never though I would see a phone that would make me jealous enough to consider a non-Note phone but I would trade my Note2 for a One in a heartbeat.

22 days ago on Just bought my Galaxy S4. 1 reply