Leica V-Lux Typ 114 Review

Leica V-Lux Typ 114 Review
March 2016, Carl Garrard

Leica's V-Lux Typ 114 camera has intrigued me since its release because I liked Panasonic's clone, the FZ1000 so much. For most, I presume Leica's V-Lux Typ 114 main draw is its companies uncanny customer service and extended warranty, as well as its included Adobe Lightroom software. For me however, the draw doesn't stop just there. There's no denying the Audi design's influence on its exterior- it's a prettier camera to look at than the Panasonic, and the Leica logo and name badge have this sort of impractical influence on pride of ownership. With that said there other reasons for me to review this camera for my own personal desires that I will discuss more in detail in this rather short review. My goal is to answer the questions we all have on the differences of this camera vs. its near clone, the FZ1000. Like you, I was curious as well and the information out there was all sort of spread out- so I decided to compile it for my readers.


Best Current Price - Leica V-Lux (Typ 114)

Upcoming Review News

Upcoming Review News
March 2016, Carl Garrard

2016 has been a much better year than 2015 so far, but, it's been a busy one. Obviously I've not written much of late on camera reviews or otherwise but I'm hoping the two new cameras coming to my desk will change that. Both cameras are more obscure on the net in terms of total volume of articles written on them, but both cameras are interesting to enthusiasts just the same. Canon's EOS M3 and Leica's V-Lux Typ 114 are both due in my studio very soon. Fresh off my Canon EOS 6D review, I'm ancy to try out Canons most advanced mirrorless model to date. Leica's V-Lux Typ 114 is a camera that is very similar to the FZ1000 from Panasonic that I gave glowing review for, but it comes with some polish and extra goodies over that camera that may persuade me to give up my Panasonic FZ1000. We shall see.

On the photography front I meet with an owner of a fine art gallery soon to discuss terms on showing some of my best work- this is an exciting time for me! Will update any news on that if any- again well see what happens.

Thanks for tuning in and being patient!

-Carl

The Canon EOS 6D Review

The Canon EOS 6D Review
January 2016, Carl Garrard

Canon's EOS 6D has been on the market since late 2012, but that fact doesn't seem to diminish its popularity, sales, or production in the slightest (Canon still sells it new). Today, new camera models come and go so quickly, with some manufacturers pumping out new high end interchangeable lens cameras every 6 months. There seems to be some sort of hysteria going on with the camera market and manufacturers these days because of the rapid decline of camera purchase sales over the last few years. Camera companies are throwing everything they can into camera designs to get them to sell. Ironically though, simpler cameras like the Canon 6D seem to be much more rare but highly regarded and extremely popular with enthusiasts. Why is this? Doesn't that seem contrary to what camera companies seem to think these days? I'll attempt to give my best shot at explaining exactly why this is.

Canon EOS 6D Current Lowest Price Link

Canon Powershot G5X Review- A Winning Effort?

Canon Powershot G5X Review- A Winning Effort?
November 2015, Carl Garrard

Canon Powershot G5X Review: Canon's Powershot division has always been one of my favorite makers of digital cameras. The G series line has been supremely successful for them since the new millennia. I've personally owned several G series cameras over the years, and retain one to shoot with always. So without much hesitation I thought I've give the new G5X a try and report my findings here to my readers. A little bit about the camera for those who haven't read up on it- basically this is a G7X with a larger body and grip, built in electronic viewfinder, tilt and swivel screen, and quite a few more external controls added. It's obvious to me the G5X is the result of customer feedback- those wanting an "all in one" compact solution with enough controls and a contained viewfinder to give a near DSLR experience without the weight or hassle of a DSLR system. Much like previous G series cameras, such as the G16, the idea here is to court to serious photographers when they don't want to shoot with the high end equipment, but want the best experience and image quality they can get from a compact Canon product. So how well has Canon done to procure and satisfy this client base?

Canon PowerShot G5 X Current Amazon Prices

Ricoh GR Digital IV- Revisiting A Classic

Ricoh GR Digital IV- Revisiting A Classic
November 2015, Carl Garrard

Thorsten Overgaard wrote a wonderful and brilliant review of the Leica Digilux II. In that review he made a very interesting and important observation in a short video about camera equipment. In the review he stated that often times he would often use "inadequate" camera equipment because it would force him to be more creative. Why am I bringing this up?
Simply because I feel the same way at times, that what he said is simply the truth for a lot of us. Yet, there are so few photographers and even less professional photographers that really emphasize the importance being creative with lessor gear. Why is that? 



Ricoh GR DIGITAL IV BEST CURRENT PRICE

Sony RX10 vs. Panasonic FZ1000- Powerhouse All Rounders at Bargain Prices

Sony RX10 vs. Panasonic FZ1000- Powerhouses at Bargain Prices
November 2015, Carl Garrard

When I wrote my FZ1000 review, I claimed it was one of the best cameras of the year, if not the best camera of the year. That still holds true, and today the FZ1000 is one of the best deals going for an all round imaging device. Prices are amazing for new, and like new (used) units these days- especially considering what you get. Both cameras have been out for a while, but they are still extremely modern as manufacturers are having a tough time improving new designs- i.e. we are starting to see diminishing returns a bit more. Sony's RX10 is a camera that came out before the FZ1000, and while I never finished my review of that camera, I used it enough to know exactly how it compares to the FZ1000, and recently bought myself a used one (Sony loaned me my first). Both are still superb cameras, and there are some advantages to each camera that make them a more compelling choice based on your own needs. This article outlines the value of these cameras, the capability of these cameras, and a brief comparison of strengths and weaknesses when compared to one another.

Current RX10 Prices Current FZ1000 Prices

Panasonic DMC-L1- Why is it Such Fun?

Panasonic DMC-L1- Why is it Such Fun?
October 2015, Carl Garrard

I've written two reviews and three articles about the Panasonic L1- and yet that doesn't seem to justify how I feel about this camera. I don't quite know how Panasonic managed to get such a joyful camera to market, but to this day I still love picking it up and shooting with it. I still make wonderful images with it and I love the sensor. But that's just part of it. I think perhaps the mix of having everything  you really need, but not more than you need, has something to do with the magic of shooting with it. Controls are plenty but they are well placed, menu diving is rare. Less focus on the camera means more focus on photography. In a way, that's sort of the metaphorical point of this short article.



Panasonic DMC-L1 Shop Used or New- Price Check

Olympus TG-4 Preview

Olympus TG-4 Preview (The First Big Step?)
July 2015, Carl Garrard

So I'll be evaluating the TG-4, just in time for summer... it's the first compact that I've seen from any manufacturer that allows for raw shooting and shooting modes that enthusiasts normally like to use (sans full manual mode however). And while Olympus bravely step where none have stepped before, here's hoping that the TG-4 is only the first step of many to come in the serious waterproof/durable pocket camera segment that enable the shooter to have more and more control. All the while I hope that they will be including better and better image quality in these models. I've seen an empty market for this kind of camera for enthusiasts for quite some time.


Olympus TG-4 Quick Best Price Results

Sorry about that...

Readers of the blog recently probably got a pop up message about adult content, I changed some settings recently and accidentally set that option on blogger to "yes" :) As you can plainly see, there is no adult content on my blog.

Everything should be as normal now.

-Carl

Fujifilm X30 Review- The Hands-On Compact Experience (PT-1)

Fujifilm X30 Review- The Hands-On Compact Experience (PT-1)
April 2015, Carl Garrard

Fujifilm X30 Review- Fuji's X30 might just be the kind of compact camera that would surprise serious shooters the most. Why? Well that is what this review will explain. So, it seems to me that the many who've written the X30 off because its "only" got a 2/3" sized sensor might just be missing out on something really special. Hey, it's your money, I'm not going to tell you how to spend it. If you're like me though (seemingly in the minority), you know that a sensor is only one part of the equation when it comes to making a great camera. My review attempts to find out just how good a compact can be with all considerations made- not just considering a sensor size alone- and the X30 seems to be a perfect camera for this test criteria. *This review is being released in two parts- due to time constraints and other factors, part II will be released at a further date*


Fujifilm X30 Light Speed Price Check

Reviews Reviews... Reviews

Just a quick note to readers- I have a lot of camera reviews in the pipeline currently with a few other cameras possible to come here in the next two weeks. Due up soon are two reviews for Fujifilm- the X30 and F900, and Sony soon with the A6000. Yes, can you believe it, a Sony review (it's been a while)? I'm working hard behind the scenes shooting and writing at a very productive pace- there's no rushing a camera review but my spare time is definitely being used productively for the site.  Thanks for all the support out there (you know who you are!).

Cheers to all!

-Carl

Fujifilm X-E2 Review

Fujifilm X-E2 Review
March  2015, Carl Garrard

Fujifilm X-E2 Review - My review of the XE2 was completed using the latest firmware version 3.00, click on the text if you need to upgrade. My time with the X-E2 has been pretty extensive, and I've got a chance to be able to use just about every bell and whistle this camera offers, including the new features afforded by the new firmware of course. My review is somewhat short- this camera has been reviewed to death online but few reviews exist using the new firmware of course, so I'll be happy to comment on the camera in its current state based on that. This review follows up to my X-E2 preview article from August.

READ MORE OR SEE BEST NEW PRICES

DPReview Post Fujifilm Interview

Quick P-C News: A very informative and interesting Fujifilm interview was posted at DPReview today. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to share it with my readers. I won't spoil anything, just spreading the interesting articles to you :).

Next Review At Bat: Fujifilm Finepix F900EXR

Next Review At Bat: Fujifilm Finepix F900EXR

February 2015, Carl Garrard

Quick update on future reviews- The Fujifilm Finepix F900EXR is the next compact to get reviewed here on P-C.com. Right now, I think Fujifilm offers the best value in a pocketable superzoom camera on the market. The F900EXR is the latest of the F series compacts announced in the US/EU regions (announced late Jan 2013). Japan has a newer model announced, but there doesn't appear to be any differences to this model worth noting. I'll update the site with my views on this compact soon! This is a full featured compact with tons of tools, EXR mode, great video, wifi, 20x zoom range, and raw image capture. While it may lack a viewfinder and a fast aperture lens, its specifications are very difficult to ignore- even for an enthusiast. Today's prices are extremely good as well!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Preview - An Exciting Proposition

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 Preview: *An Exciting Proposition?
February 2015, Carl Garrard

Panasonic DMC-ZS50 *Preview: Of all the camera announcements in the last year, I'm pretty excited about this compact that Panasonic has announced. Of course it's too early to review the ZS50 since it's not due till April- months after its announcement- but there are plenty of items to discuss about its arrival at all. There are a few reasons this camera is an exciting "idea",  and I call it that now because I don't yet know how it will perform. Yet based on what Panasonic has created on the exterior, and included on its interior, I think the ZS50 has real promise as a wonderful travel camera- as well as an every day one.

*EDIT: 2-27-2015: Sorry that I cannot recommend this camera because today I've found out that Panasonic has indeed removed control of Jpegs to its end user (photo style). Sharpness, contrast, saturation, and noise reduction are all automatic and cannot be adjusted- per the online manual and early adopter testimony. What a shame and well, let me be straight- a sham. Pity, because this camera has so much going for it.


PREORDER UPDATES: Panasonic DMC-ZS50

Canon Powershot S90 Review- A Bargain Used Compact

Canon Powershot S90 Review- A Bargain Used Compact
January 2015, Carl Garrard

Canon Powershot S90 Review: If you are like me and keep a close eye on the used camera market, you'll see a lot cameras you may once have lusted to try out when they were announced, but just couldn't afford to buy at the time. Or, maybe you already were happy with the cameras you had and had a list of cameras one day you'd like to try for fun. Today's used camera market is a great place to shop if you want to try out a lot of different cameras, and there are especially good deals to be found on very capable cameras that can handle many photographic tasks the newest cameras seem to overshadow. But don't be fooled, they still do a great job! Today I'm going to talk about one good deal on the used market, the Canon S90.
Canon PowerShot S90

Canon Powershot G16 Review

Canon Powershot G16 Review
December 2014, Carl Garrard

Canon Powershot G16 Review: The G16 is the culmination of years of progressive G series design, and it shows. Canon's G series cameras are very popular and historically have shown excellent customer satisfaction and overall sales. Today, the G16 faces off against a new even more serious breed of compacts with larger sensors and, as a result hasn't necessarily been the top talk of the tech forums or other photocentric sites. Despite that, G16 sales are brisk, and customers who have them are highly satisfied. There is a good reason for that, to which I'll attempt to explain in this review. Sorry to burst your bubble detractors, but small sensor cameras like the G16 are definitely still viable.



Canon G16 Amazons Best Current Price Taking a look supports the blog, purchase or not, thanks!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review (Camera of the Year?)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review (Camera of the Year?)

December 2014, Carl Garrard

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 Review: 
Happy Holidays to all readers.The 2014 year has been a rather interesting one for us shutterbugs, right? Camera companies are starting to show they can make enthusiast level cameras that have most of what we've been wishing they'd make for a long time. And speaking of those wish list cameras, I've temporarily stopped writing another camera review for the star of the show here, and it wasn't planned. Panasonic (and Leica) have made what they call the ultimate all in one camera, and I was too tempted to not try it out any longer. After a couple weeks or so with this camera, I'm ready to report my findings on the latest long zoom "digicam"- the FZ1000. I had planned on waiting to finish my other review first, but when shooting with this camera I found it so incredibly appealing and mesmorizing that I had to re-prioritize my publishable content. Long an avid fan of all in one designs, i.e. superzooms or long zoom cameras, the FZ1000 seems custom built to those users wants and needs. Let's see what kind of impression it's made on me so far.

Your Gateway to the best Amazon Price

Canon G16 Review Update

Canon G16 Review Update : As promised, I'm doing a write up on the Canon G16. This review that started off as a very enthusiastic short review, has morphed into something of a major project. It's therefore taking longer than I had initially hoped but the review is coming along. With a few distractions aside, the review is being pieced together bit by bit and, using the camera longer than normal for a review cycle has yielded some surprises and interesting thoughts alike. Stay patient, stay tuned :).

Fujfilm X30 Preview/Announced

Fujfilm X30 Preview/Announced
August 2014, Carl Garrard
Oh yes its here. I'm a little bit excited too. This is the enthusiast compact I've been waiting for. Something with a larger than average sensor, built in EVF, fast sharp lens, great external controls, excellent build quality, and a flip up/down LCD panel. Fujifilms new X30 may not seem a radically new camera to some, but to me, all the little improvements add up to a major difference. The new X30 has a second generation 2/3" sized sensor and processor- which gives faster performance and improved image quality. It's also quite handsome and small enough to bring everywhere. Although this segment is quite competitive, I think the X30 carves a niche and might just offer the best all round design/package in its class. A full review is forthcoming. I can't wait to use it out and about. First impression thoughts ...

Fujifilm X30 The Search for Spock

Fujifilm X-E2 Review Coming

Fujifilm X-E2 Review Coming
August 2014, Carl Garrard

Fujifilm X-E2 Review Coming: First off, I want to thank Fujifilm for providing this camera for review on a trial basis. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to evaluate this camera. So, thank you Fujifilm- you're nice people. Secondly, after unboxing this camera, the X-E2 in person is not quite what I expected. Looking at the camera on the shelf and the internet only- this is my first time handling one believe it or not,  I expected a much larger camera in person. It's definitely much smaller than I expected (as you can see in the image to the left compared to my GR)- it really did shock me when I saw it in its wrapper in the box. "Oh, you are so small aren't you?" I said aloud. "How ... um, .....cute!?" After holding it for a bit I realized the external controls that at first seemed a bit out of sorts to my personal liking (again never handled one), are not. After 10 minutes or so of handling it I realized -yep! I like it. Just goes to show you how valuable holding a camera in person is, and how doing so will give you a much more accurate impression. Thunk! That's the sound of my palm hitting my forehead. Why the heck did I not take a look at this camera before? Duh! I love rangefinder styled cameras, absolutely love them, so what gives? Don't ask me. More...

The Price Is Right- Fujifilm X-E2

Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review

Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review
July 2014, Carl Garrard

Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR Review: What's something that a smartphone can't do? It can't zoom from 24-1000mm, that's what.  All in one cameras like the Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR pictured to the left are still growing in sales in the camera market, despite a contraction of sales across the board for the industry as a whole. Why are superzoom cameras still growing in the market? Simple. Instant gratification seems to drive the demand. It seems to me that most consumers want one device that can do many tasks or, do something extraordinary. Today's superzooms have reached capabilities that we used to joke about on internet forums just five years ago. Lens technology has never been more advanced, and I'm definitely seeing some extraordinary capabilities with today's superzooms that I thought I'd never see happen in my lifetime. Enter the Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR, just one of many superzooms on the market. My goal? To find the best superzoom for the price. More...

Your Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR Connection

Upcoming Review: Superzoom

A superzoom review is coming up here soon. This is a camera that I find to be the best value superzoom on the market which will be compared to two other very popular superzooms. If you are in the market for one, I think my review will definitely be worth a read. On this blog I continue to try to report on interesting cameras and lenses that offer a lot of value for the money. My goal is to help photographers save time and money in search for the right equipment. Coming soon ...!

-Carl

Pentax K3 Prestige Edition Announced

Pentax K3 Prestige Edition Announced
July 2014, Carl Garrard

Today Ricoh/Pentax announced a new Prestige Edition Pentax K3 DSLR. Besides the gorgeous color (really this is one bad ass looking camera), the special edition will only sell 2,000 units worldwide and comes with a matching battery grip and special camera strap. Two batteries are also included with the package as well. Pentax/Ricoh are known for special edition cameras, and the K3 already comes in a special edition silver version as well- granted with many more units produced than the Prestige Edition. It's selling for a pretty good price if you are a collector in my opinon. Read the press release below and decide for yourself.



Pentax K-3 Zone

Olympus Pen E-PM2 Review

Olympus Pen E-PM2 Review
July 2014, Carl Garrard

Olympus Pen E-PM2 Review: Poor Olympus. They seem to be a company that are always climbing a mountain but never near reaching the top. Fortunately, they do seem to gather and procure a very committed crowd of photographers that buy their equipment. There are some very good reasons for that, especially these days. But before I get off on a tangent- I'm not here to talk about the company as a whole. Well, not directly at least.  Recently I've come to acquire the little Olympus Pen E-PM2. This is a camera that many of my readers may think I'd not be interested in considering that I love myself a camera with a ton of external controls. We'll to them I say: sometimes there is more to a camera than meets the eye. More...

Olympus E-PM2- Who Needs A Lens?

Pentax K5IIs - Extreme Low Light Shooting (ISO 204,800)

Pentax K5IIs - Extreme Low Light Shooting (ISO 204,500)
July 2014, Carl Garrard

Today's test is about shooting in extremes. Occasionally we all mess up exposure, some of us more often or less than others. Look, it happens. When it happens, you can only hope your equipment is good enough to help salvage an image beyond your mistakes. This is why I tested the K5IIs in extreme circumstances to see how much real time/real life exposure latitude the sensor has. In other words, I wanted to see how well the K5IIs raw files could stand up in extreme underexposure at the camera's highest ISO setting. The image to the left was shot two stops underexposed at ISO 51,200 and developed from raw. More...


You've Entered: The Pentax K-5 IIs Zone

PENTX XG-1 Announced Today (with pricing for the US Market)

Pentax XG-1 Announced Today (with pricing for the US Market)

July 2014, Carl Garrard

Today a new Pentax 52x superzoom replaces the Pentax X-5 (the K5 DSLR look alike), Pentax's XG-1. This camera is shooting for the consumer/beginner crowd and aims to be a relatively affordable but versatile package. It should go for about $399.00 USD initially, but this price is likely to be adjusted. The XG-1 looks more like the K50 DSLR this time around, instead how the X-5 was a knock off of Pentax's highly popular K5 camera. The press release for the XG-1 is below the basic information below. Some stand out specs are its HD video capability, dedicated af assist lamp, good macro capability, and host of digital filters. It's 16mp BSI CMOS sensor is widely shared among many different digital cameras, and it's decent for its intended market. Since this is a camera intended for beginners/consumers, it does not come with raw file capability. In my mind, a decently priced/spec'd camera for vacationers and for making family memories. It might be nice to see Pentax stand out a bit more by offering something different than other manufacturers, but alas...the XG-1 is the current superzoom model that comes from the new Ricoh ownership.

PENTAX SUPERZOOMS

24 Shots- A Roll of Practice

Today's exercise is about getting back to basics. Of late I'm on a big 35mm film kick but of course I'm still shooting digital like most people. In between rolls of film I like to keep my skills and awareness sharp for the use of film, because I get lazy shooting with digital (as many of us do. admit it). When shooting with film, you just naturally tend to concentrate a lot more on the subject matter, composition, and exposure than you need too with digital- yet the result is unusually high keeper rates as a matter of practicing good habits. Practicing inbetween rolls of film is easy to do with digital. If you use a DSLR try this simple technique.

Minolta Dynax 9/Maxxum 9- A Look Back In Time

One of the commercials for the Dynax 9/Maxxum 9 legendary film camera. Someone was nice enough to post this on YouTube yet, at the time of my posting, only had 17 hits. For shame! The Maxxum 9/Dynax 9 is arguably one of the best professional film cameras designed ... ever. Enjoy. Minolta Maxxum 9