We really got lucky yesterday . The model was pretty n had clear skin which makes it much easier for the persons behind the lens n the mouse/tablet.

Great thanks and appreciation to Sony, while in financial difficulties still continue to organize helpful workshops for the NEX supporters !! Get well soon Sony.

Here we go.. Sample pics from the Sony Nex workshop 29.4.2012. ->
Nex Photo gallery



Tips from that day:
* fill up the frame!
* it's ok to crop off parts of the model's head
* May use white items such as towels, shirts to reflect light.
* Try out the various white balance settings available on the NEX like Incandescent, Daylight to set the mood.


I also discovered this little gem hidden inside the 1st Gen NEX-5.

1. Menu > Brightness/Color > Creative Style.
2. Select Portrait and select Option.
3. Now you can adjust Contrast, saturation and Sharpness.
I am not sure if lowering the Sharpness is equivalent to NEX-3 soft skin though?





This post has been edited by nlik: Apr 30 2012, 10:28 PM

i asked 2 Sony shops and the price of the e-mount 50mm f.18 is RM1119.

Oh.. maybe i heard it wrong.. yet i still remember he said 1110 was the lowest from Sony shop. Another 3rd party shop at Midvalley offered me RM1030 for the 50mm 1.8. Its below RM800 for either Sigma 30mm and 19mm.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 5 2012, 08:18 PM

Nex'ers, heard that we've got a huge moon tonight. So get out n take on the moon

Have a Happy Wesak too .

Dang.. my 35-80mm can't reach close enough to the Moon. Hope you guys with the 18-200s are making great use of that range !

Tribute to my basketball idol. "Air Jordan". Just couldn't resist. Of course not forgetting Tony Kukoc, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson too!




Here's a sunset pic taken on Wesak day. Yea yea.. not related to the festivities I know .


This post has been edited by nlik: May 8 2012, 01:29 AM

GIMP 2.8 for windows is out.

GIMP windows download

Cool. Thanks for sharing and don't waste the invite man. Are you an existing NEX, Alpha or Cybershot user? I guess they are cross selling NEX to other Sony customers, so they only invite those who has not bought a NEX yet.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 16 2012, 11:13 PM

Most of the time I carry 2 batteries and 2 mem cards. No problem.

Of course the charger is part of the cost. No one can produce a charge out of free thin air. All previous NEX owners also paid for theirs, except that its transparent because it's already factored into the nett price. Now they are offering you a way to save money by allowing you to forego the charger, this is a positive way to look at it. It is similar how people can sell body only , or body+ kit packages.

Some of us already have the charger and the additional could be redundant, unless the user wants to charge 2 batteries at the same time.


Get adapters, solves your problem but creates another problem. Too many lenses to use on the NEX, but insufficient funds to buy them all.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 18 2012, 08:47 PM

Have u tried to charge it for an hour before pluggin it into NEX??? I mean.. just as a simple test, to see if it powers up.

Also, do give the brand and model of the said battery. I think some 3rd party batteries don't work on 5N, but do work on the 1st Gen 5.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 18 2012, 11:43 PM

Is your battery the NP-FW50?? This number has got to be printed on somewhere on the batt. Can find it??
Also, do check if there are any plastic wrapping/protection still on the battery contact points , or inside the NEX battery compartment itself. Remove any obstructions.

If it is NP-FW50, and the contacts are clean then proceed to these instructions>




going to Zzz.. good luck man. Otherwise go claim warranty from the shop before your photoshoot.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 19 2012, 12:19 AM

Pertama complex, beside Sogo? THere's Selangor Photo on the group floor, and International Photo on the 1st floor. I bought a 52mm Marumi CPL from there.

If 49mm no stock, then just ask if they have a Step Up Ring. For me, a 52mm step up ring is pretty much permanently attached to the kit lens.

awesome. like.

Me using some small brand NIPON nex - nikon adapter with aperture ring la. I tried a nikkor 50 mm and felt it was very difficult to focus and to get a shake free shot. Got the 35mm 1.8 instead which I am still very happy with, even thought i miss have AF. I think you'd better take the e-mount 50mm 1.8 and save yourself the frustrations and weight.

This post has been edited by nlik: May 29 2012, 11:39 PM

Cool. Start snapping !! join the Sony Workshops, have fun.Explore n Express.


..

Have any of you tested the durability of NEX cams? I know it will work in humid and below zero temperatures, and of course would not work naked underwater. I've also taken it in my backpack on a 60 Km ride on a road bike, no problems for this one instance, but I am not sure if it is bad in the long term. Am considering to bring this for 8 to 10 km jogging..

So I'm curious in terms of rattling, shock, drops and all sorts of jarring movements. What are your experiences on this?

Here's one I found.. be prepared to cringe and moan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBXFEu2cra0



This post has been edited by nlik: Jun 3 2012, 04:41 PM

Not really and it's not broken either; It will slacken slightly. If you extend the 18-55 lens barrel and run your fingers around it, you will feel the plastic seam line which in time will thin out and perhaps smoothen your zoom. We of course don't want it to be so loose that it will creep by itself when u point it downwards.

1. Select Menu -> Camera ->AF/MF select.
2. Choose "Autofocus"
3. Down 1 step from AF/MF select, Select Autofocus Area.
4. Choose "Multi"
try again.

When you 1/2 press the shutter, take notice of the green boxes that appears on your screen and the subject within the box should be sharp in in focus.

Tamron already has an 18-200 for e-mount, model B011. More compact size and weight ,comparable or similar image quality. However, Image Stabilisation and Sweep panorama not as good as Sony.

Sony will soon release a second cheaper version of their e-mount 18-200 as well,.... some say it would almost be a Tamron clone. Otherwise e-mount 55-210 is also available at 1/2 the price of the 18-200.

This post has been edited by nlik: Jun 4 2012, 12:15 AM

if money not a problem, i'd buy both. Headaches occur when compared 1/2 oranges and 1/2 apples, which is what this case is about since both can produce the images you want and both have their own 50mm. Well moot point but..550D has 2 more megapixels ,but NEX has a larger sensor size which should support your point 4)!!. I also thought 50mm 1.8 is more for portraits?? oh.. maybe 'candid shots' in your case refers to candid portraits i guess.

For me I'd take NEX-5N /F3 because my priority is size, weight and the articulated screen. It fits into my slim backpack stuffed with spare tubes, tyre pump, lever, food, etc.. It survived a > 60km ride on a road bike. Easier to approach people since they are less intimidated with it. Technical specs are all there for comparisons , so I'll share the practical side of things.

F3 would be a girl magnet since gals nowdays use their phones as a mirror (front facing camera) instead of an actual mirror. Haha..but I have yet to see a girl remove a DSLR lens to use the mirror inside .

Only in certain conditions I would prefer the 550D, like for studio type portraits (flash sync, commander thingy) and, if people are paying for your work they would feel more 'worth it' if they see their pictures taken with a proper DSLR instead of a dinky silver compact. Yea.. I guess for more work related, first impressions or advanced and creative flash lighting purposes..550D is the way to go. For everything else, there's the NEX. Darn, did i sound like a Nex biased, Mastercard commercial?

Seriously, what's your priority?

This post has been edited by nlik: Jun 5 2012, 11:56 PM

Greetings from Port Dickson. Was there 2 days ago. Contrary to the picture, the PD seas are filthy and unhygienic for humans. You may get sick or skin irritations if you stay in the water for too long. Many sewerage pipes dump their crap directly into this sea.

Ori battery price around RM240+, you may also buy the battery package (ACC-FWGA) with pink lens cap carry case + pink cloth + pink.. u go see la haha . The HVL-F20S flash is the bigger tiltable flash maybe around RM390+ . Shopping around probably would give you better prices.

For girls casual or advance use, F3 is very good. Self Potraits, CamW***e made easy, in pink. Going out for group photo also easier. No worry about 'clicking' sound of the 5n. It probably needs a good pancake lens, otherwise quite bulky in a handbag.

Tried out one at Sony store just now and the differences to me are:
- 180degrees articulate screen, but can't tilt downwards as much as the older model.
- charging via USB cable
- separate doors for the memory card and battery. However the memory card door is not latched and give me the impression that it is less secure. I don't like this.
- Some new Superior Auto + ( Wah.. got golden icon)
- Abit heavier than the 5N.