Author: Ivan

27/06/2017 / / Android

The creature you see here is my pet named Gloria. She is a tailless whip scorpion. Latin name of her species and order is Damon diadema and Amblypygi respectively. You are probably asking yourself: how do I know that it’s a girl and not a boy? Well, most species of tailless whip scorpions are easy to sex. If the first pair of legs – those claw–like extremities – are longer than the joints of the first pair of their walking legs, then it’s a male. If they barely meet the joints or if they are shorter, then it’s a female.

Despite their name, tailless whip scorpions aren’t scorpions and as such don’t possess a stinger. And even though they look somewhat similar to larger species of spiders, they aren’t spiders either. They neither have venom glands nor do they have anything resembling venom fangs. Even though their appearance messes with our lizard brains – which is why most people perceive them as being disgusting or terrifying – they are completely and utterly harmless.

20/05/2017 / / Nikon 1

Nikon 1 Nikkor 32mm F1.2 Review

I’m aware that my Nikon 1 Nikkor 32mm F1.2 review is very late – pretty much everyone, including Nikon, has given up on the Nikon 1 system. But on the off chance that you are one of those people, who have incurably fallen in love with the this tiny system, my findings could still be of some use to you. So, what is the Nikon 1 32mm F1.2 and how does it perform?

19/03/2017 / / Micro Four Thirds

Olympus 45mm f1.8 vs Nikon 32mm f1.2 image quality comparison

I’ve been using the Nikon 32mm F1.2 prime lens for many months now and I have owned and used the Olympus 45mm F1.8 lens for much, much longer. I think it’s safe to say that I know both lenses inside and out. Looking at their properties – like focal length, suitability for beautiful bokeh, and so on – one inevitably arrives at the conclusion that these two lenses serve the same purpose inside their respective ecosystems and that therefore they are very much comparable. In my opinion both of them are great lenses in their own right. There are huge differences in the image quality department, however, which I’m going to discuss in the following article.

04/12/2016 / / Uncategorized
20/11/2016 / / Olympus OM-D E-M10

If you own a Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH and use it on an Olympus micro 4/3 camera, then you are surely aware of the terrible noise the lens makes when you go back and forth between very bright and very dark subjects. Fortunately this so called “rattlesnake noise” issue can be solved quite easily with a fast dive to the camera menu. Check out the following video to see what you have to do.

18/11/2016 / / Android

Google recently released a free and interesting Android app called PhotoScan for all those who don’t have a real scanner or don’t have the time or patience to scan their family photos. It is meant to be user friendly and it really is quite easy to use. But, it is not perfect yet. There are some minor glitches and some missing features which will hopefully be ironed out with an update. Also the image quality is sufficient for online use and printing of smaller photos, but not for enlargements. Check it out in my following video.

16/11/2016 / / Nikon 1
26/10/2016 / / Nikon 1

Nikon 1 Nikkor 32mm f/1.2 hands on

I usually test my own gear and I normally need quite a lot of time to form my opinion about a specific piece of kit. It’s different this time around. I’m testing out a sample of the mighty Nikon 1 Nikkor 32mm f1.2 lent to me by my friend Jan H. Maaso.

The 1 Nikkor 32mm f/1.2 needs no introduction. Being an f/1.2 lens and one of the most expensive ones the Nikon 1 system has to offer, it’s the most prominent lens in the system. Many people who know next to nothing about the Nikon 1 system are aware of its existence. Due to it being out of my reach financially, I wouldn’t have been able to try it out if it weren’t for Jan agreeing to part with it for a couple of months.

30/08/2016 / / Canon FD 200mm F4 Macro

I’ve had the Canon FD 200mm F4 Macro for about a month now and I’m still getting used to its size and weight. It’s a massive lens, but due to its long focal length it allows you to sit back and shoot macro subjects from a long distance. You don’t have to worry about scaring away insects and arachnids you are photographing, but you have to concentrate really hard to keep the lens/camera combo from shaking too much. In my experience the 3-axis IBIS in the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is definitely overwhelmed by the massive shake. What resolves this issue to some degree is activating the high speed burst mode. Shooting with 8 frames per second improves the odds of capturing at least a few sharp pictures tremendously. “Spraying and praying” is most definitely the way to go, when it’s windy, your subject is moving and you are shooting handheld. Since I’m one of those lazy macro shooters, who can’t be bothered to get up before sunrise or to lug a tripod, it’s windy and my subjects are very active most of the time when I’m go out to do macro photography.

I’m now gonna show you some of the images I’ve taken since last time.

Shot with: Olympus OM-D E-M10 & Canon FD 200mm F4 Macro

26/08/2016 / / Nikon 1

Nikon VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 review

Introduction

The Nikon 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 is the shorter and more affordable of the two telephoto zoom lenses available for the Nikon 1 system. It has a complex optical design consisting of 18 elements (with two ED glass elements) in 12 groups and features a collapsible barrel, mechanically coupled zoom ring, image stabilization (Vibration Reduction in Nikon speak) and an aperture with seven rounded blades. In full frame terms it offers a focal length range of 80-300mm. This is a versatile range, which is useful for portraiture, close-ups (and even serious macro with extension tubes or achromatic close-up lenses) and less active or skittish animals. Due to its compact size and low weight the 1 Nikkor VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 is even useful for travel photography and the occasional landscape. It is, however, too short for serious bird and wildlife photography. Its bigger and more expensive cousin, the 1 Nikkor VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, is far better suited for these kinds of subjects.