First 2013 shot by Digilux 2

Went out for a early morning shoot with my Leica Digilux 2. Test out a HDR shot using Photomatix to merge the 3 compensated shots.
Happy Shooting Year in 2013 to all Photographers.

Digilux 2 Leica

This serious compact camera from Leica/Panasonic was released in 2004. It has been 8 years since it's release. This camera only last 2years in production. It never had a replacement model since then. The closest model that look, feel and similar spec to Digilux is the Fujifilm X10. The Digilux 3 (sold alreaady) is a 4/3 DSLR and the lens is too bulky for me to use it often. A m4/3 like GF1 and OM-d are better choice for me.

I have been eyeing this camera for a few years. No one seems to be selling it and when they sell, it was at a premium price. I finally found one in B and H (USA online) and quickly order it before it was gone. It was at 1/5 of the original $1800 price. 

When you do a search on this camera and read on http://www.overgaard.dk/leica_digilux2.html who seems to love the handling and output of this camera, you will know why it is still so popular now. In the Leica Forum, L-forum, this group of users has swear by it's great handling and photo output.

If Panasonic and Leica are to do a Digilux 2 revamp, it will sure sell like hotcakes but seems like FujiFilm knows what  the market is looking when they launch the x100 and x10 in 2011.

This camera design to some user, they  link to the Leica M8. The aperture ring is on the lens and the shutter speed dial is on top. As this camera is using CCD sensor and is 8 years old tech, one have to just still to ISO100. The noise at ISO400 is suitable for Black and white shot.

Although the sensor size is the 2/3" small sensor (same size as Fuji X10) it's bokeh and sharpness from the lens it produced is magical . This camera I believe during the design phase is more focus on the handling/ image output than selling to the mass. The lens look big as has alot of glass as the aperture is F2-2.4. Equivalent 28-90mm (35mm terms).

The jpeg skin tone / colour output is better than some DSLR and definitely GF1. Olympus / Leica skin tone and colours are my favourite.

Here are some shots taken during a sand castle building outing with my kids.

Phuket (abstract shots)

Here are some of the abstract from my recent trip to Phuket with my family for vacation.

All done by EM-5 and 14mm/20mm/45mm. BTW, I sold the 25mm f1.4 to get back the 20mm pancake. I still prefer the small size of 20mm.  Can't keep 2 almost similar lens due to costs involved.

Japanese Cemetery in Singapore

This December was a busy month for me. My kids and wife (who is a teacher) are having holidays. I got to plan time for them and also my insurance business. It was the year end to meet my goals my business but thank God that everything went well.

I had an appointment with one of clients and he mentioned that there is a Japanese cemetery in Singapore, near Serangoon Gardens way. After the appointment and thankfully I had also open some investment plans with him, I went back and do a google. Found out that this cemetery is a public park now and is located in one of the private estate in Serangoon. It was originally a rubber plantation owned by a Japanese in the late 1800s. It was later used for burial ground for Japanese living here during the old days and also after the Japanese occupation in Singapore. This is the largest Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia.

This location , I found out was also feature in the "old romances" by Royston Tan's follow-up of the "Old Places" where his video feature some of the charming places in Singapore.

After doing the search and using my good Nokia smart phone to navigate (ok , it's Samsung and Iphone ruling the world now. However Nokia GPS guidance system is one of the best and easy to use. The best thing is it is free.) I found the place.

Here are shots taken by EM-5 Olympus with 55mm f2.8 Russian lens, Tamron 90mm f2.5 and 14mm/20mm panny lens.

1) At the entrance (20mm)

2) Japanese style memorial place

Insect with Tamron 90mm f2.5 , OM-D

All shot with OM-D and adaptall Tamron 90mm f2.5. Manual focus only, All handheld.

Malay Heritage Tour (Digilux 3)

Join a group outing organised by the Community Centre. This is a heritage tour to understand Singapore Muslim and Malay culture. The tour start with a briefing about Muslim and the history of the Sultan Mosque. We also went to the Malay Heritage centre next to the Mosque to understand the history of Malays in Singapore. The tour lasted 3 hours. The best thing is that it cost only $2 per person. The tour ended with a snack and tea at one of the old restaurants located along Arab streets. Photos here are taken by a 6 years old Leica Digilux with 14-50mm or 25mm. Still able to capture great leica like colours and handle well in low light. ISO keep between 100-800.

Digilux 3 Leica

This camera was the first and last model from Leica. It was in 2006 that it partner Pansonic and Olympus for a 4/3 mount system. This is called Leica D system. Basically it is a 4/3 mount DSLR.

It design is the same as the Panasonic L1. The big superb lens that come with it, is the 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 lens.
This camera design is to some a classic but to some they find it ugly.

Looking at recent launch of Fuji X pro1 and XE-1 model, reminded me of this model. Since Olympus came out the PEN digital system in 2009, many brands started to go retro. This Digilux 3 was trying to be like a film like DSLR  but as that time, they were fighting with Nikon and Canon full frame camera DSLR, this  Leica system failed. They then start to focus on their niche that is the M system which until today still a brand name.

Nevertheless, this camera along with Panasonic L1 and also the LC1/Digilux 2 remained a "cult" camaera with some fan based around the world.

This Digilux Jpeg output is very nice and I love it when it is paired up with a pancake lens. The 2 way flash is a great innovation too. Where on earth have you see a DSLR with bounced flash built-in. You need bounced flash for natural looking flash photography , go and buy their external flash.

 Knowing it's limits as compared to my latest OM-d this camera is really a dinosaur . ISO is very good at 100 till 400. Push till 800 is the max. ISO 1600 can still be done in RAW with post production later. Noise level for such cameras in the 2006s are very bad. OM-D now can do ISO 6400 with no banding. WOW. But this camera is still a GEM with great image output real life and colours on are Leica settings.

Rangefinder VS Digilux 3

Great Look with a Pancake lens

Every control can be access externally

The brilliant built-in bounce  flash

Direct flash

Looking like Fuji Xpro 1?

To me, it's a beautiful and still relavant camera. The Jpeg output it render is something my OM-D can't do,

M39 Industar 55mm f2.8 new life with m4/3

As per the previous post of buying a Russian Rangefinder FED5B at a Junk shop, I search the internet for more info and realised this camera's lens is actually interchangeable. They are using the old M39 screw mount lens, same as  the old Leica mount (before the famous M mount).

After "unscrewing" the lens from the rangerfinder, I thought that it will be a good idea to be able to mount onto the new bodies like the m4/3. As these new breed of cameras do not have a mirror, the flange-distance is shorter thus with a adapter, we can acutally mount virtually all lens available on earth.

Found from Ebay a m39 to m4/3 adapter costing only $8. I mount it to OM-D and the GF-1.

GF-1 Still a looker and control are design for photographer to operate with one hand  after 4 years. Her worthy successor is GX1 not Gf2 or GF3.

This GF-1 is a re-purchase as I still like it controls and design. It was my first M4/3 camera in 2008. That time I got the silver verison. Now GF-1 is selling as cheap as $200 (second hand). A worthwhile buy as a backup camera.

Shot by GF-1 and Industar 55mm f2.8