i.Zuiko and a Video

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I am not much of a videographer... well, since the XZ-1 sports an HD video camera, here's a shot of a recent lion dance at the office.

The XZ-1 supports 720p resolution with Motion JPEG format. The lens zoom and tracking focus worked well during video shoot, and I was very pleased with the results.

Quite an interesting show, especially when the lion started to jump on top of the stilts.

Till next year...

i.Zuiko and Photography Class

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A kitten was lying on the pebbles, and I just took the shot with the fast XZ-1 lens

I recently conducted a short beginners class for 5 students. It's simple and direct approach to photography, with emphasis on key skills to create beautiful images.

My class is a half day morning event targeted for 4-6 students at RM50/pax. Location is outdoors, most probably at Shah Alam lake gardens. If interested for any class, as I can cater as much topics as possible, please contact me at 012-2040883.

A beautiful banana flowerette with smooth bokeh rendition

24mm, f/8, 1/160s, iso200, +0.3ev

This was a DSLR course, but as the teacher, I opted to use my Olympus XZ-1 as the tool of instruction. Though it's not a DSLR, it has all the key features for a basic beginner's DSLR with kit lens. Even the lens depth-of-field effect is achievable with the XZ-1. That's good enough for the class. Also, for me to lug around a full size E-5 with the Zuiko Digital ED14-35mm F2.0 lens will be tiring as I have to chase around the field with my students scattered like little lambs.

The monotones are just nice to accentuate the telephoto landscape effect

Just focus on a few rules to create great images:

• Look for the tones (check in black & white)
• Capture sharp images (in correct focus)
• Set the subject off-center with the Rule of Thirds
• Try to grab the story and emotion

Till next time...

iZuiko and a Lion Dance

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Dancing on stilts

14.1mm (33mm equiv.), f/3.2, 1/160s, iso100, -0.3ev

Well, we are still in the Chinese New Year period, and all around Klang Valley we can see the Lion Dance troupes zipping through traffic with their open-top lorries and the dancers sitting inside with the lion attires and drums. Lion dance galore.

Warming up for the main event!

When I went to have lunch today, little I had expected a performance near the cafe that I always patron. Luckily, the XZ-1 was with me! Great!!! Got my order in, and waited for the show to begin.

Jump!

What got me interested was this time around, the Lion Dance did a few jumps on elevated stilts. It's not often you see them do this for such a small crowd. Well, it was about time I tested the speed of the XZ-1 to capture action shots. Somehow, oddly enough, I opted for single-frame shooting. But, it worked!

Crane stance!

What a good show!!

iZuiko and Low Light

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6mm, f/1.8, 1/15s, iso800, -0.3ev

Nothing more challenging to a compact camera than to capture children action portraits in low light. I love doing it, capturing my children's action. Previously, I could only do it with my bulky E-5 that weighs a tonne. Well, with the S90, I couldn't do much at the long end for great portraits. Well, the XZ-1 is such a joy with the top-notch i.Zuiko. Small, unobtrusive and fun.

Children can't stay put for long. They have high energy, and are super fidgety. The challenge is to get the reasonable shutter speed to capture both motion and crispness in a single frame . Well, the XZ-1 sure delivers.

iZuiko and XZ-1: More Impressions...

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6mm, f/1.8, 1/60s, ISO800, -0.3ev

Another round of getting the mileage out of this little pocket rocket... Mostly put to the test were the focus accuracy and low light performance.

For a compact camera to have very shallow DoF, focus accuracy could be a problem. The comparative real-estate for the measurements might be much smaller than a DSLR; thus, might exhibit some frustration to get pin-point accuracy, more so due to the larger sensor area of the CDAF system. I am not to comment further on this, because I just felt it that way. Maybe some other guys can elaborate more; I might be incorrect on this, though.

6mm, f/1.8, 1/20s, ISO400, -0.3ev

I found focusing to be hit and miss, and I must confess I used a lot of lock & pan technique. Well, a good thing the 11-point AF navigation was made quite easy to control, more akin to a DSLR. I might have to adjust my shooting style by playing with the 4-way navigation pad to get higher AF accuracy rate.

As for low light shooting at higher ISO, I wouldn't dare to go past 800 with the XZ-1. It's just a hunch, mostly coming from the Canon S90 experience. I limit at 800 with that pocket darling. So far, the image looks promising indeed. Upon quick check using Olympus Studio, the Noise Filter setting was defaulted at Standard (it is not possible to change the strength in-camera).

Since I have the FL-20 lying around since my C-750UZ days, I gave the flash a shot. And, boy did it do wonders!!

Some new findings so far:

• Navigating the AF was much easier than thought; the left keypad have direct access to the 11-AF points, and consecutive pressing the Info button have direct access to the AF modes (there are 5: auto, macro, supermacro, tracking and manual)
• For low light, I think it's more user friendly to use P-mode rather than A-mode. The ISO speed control was more practical where the XZ-1 would put aperture at the brightest exposure.
• While the FL-20 was attached to the camera, the built-in flash can be accessed. But, it didn't fire while the FL-20 did. So much for E-330 multi-flash capability. The XZ-1 didn't dance the tune.
• The XZ-1 would retain the setting for a particular shooting mode after selecting a different mode with different settings. Once the previous mode was reselected, the settings would be reset to the previous mode.

More shots in various conditions, mostly indoors.

*** NOTE ***: All shots were in RAW, and post-processed in-camera for the desired effects (Natural, Monotone, Art Filters, Cropping, Aspect Ratio, Sharpening, etc.)

Just loved how the reflection worked out...

What's going on here?

Hanging on...

Siesta time!!

Monotone with Green Filter. The tones were just beautiful

IS test. 24mm (56mm equiv.) at 1/40s. About 2.5 stops, so far so good.

Where's the bottle?

Learning all the alphabets

Where's the bottle, in pinhole

Good night @ ISO400

iZuiko and XZ-1: It was raining and...

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No doubt the XZ-1 is a STAR performer!

6mm (14mm equiv.), f/1.8, 1/50s, ISO200 (focusing distance 15cm)

I have the XZ-1 ready for some shots!! Well, since the XZ-1 is not an E-5 that can withstand all the rain and thunderstorm, I was stuck at home for the morning shoot.

Well, at least there's something in the garden...

Most of the shots were in macro modes, and all in RAW for in-camera processing for my desired Art Filter.

From my short stint shooting the boring garden subjects, I discovered the finer points about the XZ-1.

• In super macro mode, the ISO was locked at 200, and only available at 6mm
• In Art Filter mode, there's no way to manipulate the "love triangle" (aperture-shutter-sensitivity)
• The AF during idle was in tracking mode, meaning as long as the focus was not locked by the half-shutter press, the AF was working on the subject
• The AF was fast and crisp to lock focus
• The AE ESP metering was very good, to the extent that I am at awe
• Backlight metering was very good
• The ISO button was not far from quick control, if set right in the INFO. A click on the OK button highlighted the ISO.

Just love the texture and diffraction

6mm, f/1.8, 1/20s, ISO200

Tie the lens cap right away!!

Super macro mode wide open was tack sharp

6mm, f/2.8, 1/40s, ISO800, -0.3ev

The backlight was tamed by the great AE system (ESP)

6mm, f/1.8, 1/60s, ISO100 (Focus distance 31cm)

Max zoom for the compression effect

24mm (56mm equiv.), f/2.5, 1/40s, ISO200

Just love the shades

6mm, f/2.5, 1/50s, ISO800, -0.3ev

iZuiko and XZ-1: First Impressions

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Off he went with my credit card

6mm (14mm equiv.), f/1.8, 1/50s, ISO200

I got a text message last Friday from my dealer, "your XZ-1 is here!"

I was on leave that day, and my daughter got a flu bug; thus, I didn't have the time to pick it up. And actually to go all the way to KL on a Friday is like suicide because of the traffic mayhem.

So, I only managed to get it yesterday. Yes, the ordeal of having to wait an extra day was a bit tough for me, but my family is always first!

A quick drive on the NPE on a Saturday, and I here I was at Leo's Ampang Park. The XZ-1 was there, waiting for its master to claim it!

After testing some shots and applying the screen protector, the deal was done. Yippeee...

I got the camera quite late in the day; only managed to snap a few shots. But my first impression was "just" excellent. I was expecting excellent, but... here's why!

• I am startled at how the lens cap is shoved off its position at startup (need to tie it up real quick, or you might lose it) :: 1- point
• The handling is excellent, as the camera and lens has the perfect balance (considering the lens is pretty huge!) :: 5+ points
• The tactile response is reminisce Canon S90, though the ring cannot do zooming :: 2- points
• The lens is awesome! :: 20+ points
• The Jpeg is awesome! :: 10+ points
• In-camera editing as in the E-5 :: 10+ points
• There's no AEL/AFL button, but not a big deal to me considering I am super casual with a compact camera :: 5- points
• The Auto ISO tend to stick to ISO200, even when the shutter is below the typical human freezing motion speed of 1/30s; this is super unacceptable for a compact camera!!! :: 20- points
• There's a menu function to attach the TCON-17; half-yippeeee, because I only have the WCON-07!! (Aaaarrrrggghhh.. just checked my adapter won't fit the XZ-1 thread!!) 2- points
• Well, the rest are as I expected coming from a compact camera

A few more shots that I managed to capture... more to come soon!

*** NOTE *** :: Lens equivalence is depicted in 4/3 format (in which I am very familiar with).

A 1cm macro shot of the typical TV remote

This is much better than the S90

Mind-boggling-sharpness low light shot at low ISO

6mm (14mm equiv.), f/1.8, 1/13s, ISO200

Notice the thin DoF,

even at wide open it can miss a few centimeters of pan-lock focus parallax error

12.9mm (25mm equiv.), f2.0, 1/13s, ISO200, -0.3ev