Nokia N8 USB On-the-Go Field Test

I’m always trying to find ways to travel lighter, especially with all my gadgets in tow. My current setup is bringing along my netbook for my daily obsessive-compulsive image back-up whenever I’m on a trip. I was ecstatic to learn that Nokia’s new flagship model, the Nokia N8, has the USB OTG (On-the-Go) capability, making the handset a useful portable drive as well. So I put the feature to the test to see if I can possibly leave my netbook on my upcoming travels.

The Nokia N8 with the MicroUSB to USB Cable

The Nokia USB OTG (On-The-Go) can connect to USB Flashdrives and devices via a MicroUSB-USB Cable. When the Nokia N8 reads the devices, it automatically opens up the File Manager where the connected device would show up. Users can easily copy, transfer or delete files from one device to another. The feature works but there are some caveats as well. I tried connecting the Nokia N8 on several devices to see if there are compatibility issues.

USB Flash Drive Connection

USB Flash/Pen/Thumb Drives. This works but USB Flashdrives that requires a driver to install (like the Imation 4gig Thumbdrive) on the device would not work. It would show an “Unsupported USB. Disconnect Device” error.

Directo Camera Connection with the Nokia N8

Memory Card Readers. This one worked easily well. Nokia N8 read the CF Card in the slot and transferred without a problem.

Camera to Phone. Using the Olympus PEN E-PL1 here, the Storage option showed up on the screen when I connected the device on the Nokia N8. The drive showed up in the file manager and was able to transfer some files.

Unsupported USB Device Error

Portable and Desktop Hard Drives. Trying both on 60gig, 180gig to 500Gig and 1 TB, the N8 could not read this. Probably it needs a software driver to read.

Phone to Phone. This was a surprising last test that came to mind after taking photos. I connected my Nokia N86 to the N8. I chose the Mass Storage option on the N86 and it showed up on the drives on the File Manager. Real cool.

Things to take note on the Nokia N8 USB OTG (On-the-go).

• It doesn’t work on devices that need to install a software driver to read
• Able to read memory card readers
• Direct from Camera to Phone compatibility
• Compatible device with mass storage must have its own power
• Compatible with Phone to Phone USB connection (At least on tested Nokia Phones)

Transfer Speed is fairly average. Transferring around 1gig of JPG and RAW Image files took around 3-5minutes.

File Manager Options

Verdict. I’m quite impressed with the USB OTG (On-the-go) feature of Nokia N8. There may be some limitations but it works where it matters for me, particularly the Memory Card Reader and Direct from Camera Transfer. The Nokia N8 already has a 16gig built-in hard drive separate from the Phone Memory and there’s an option to expand via a MicroSD slot that supports MicroSDHC cards with a capacity up to 32gig. With a combined 48gig capacity on a handphone, that’s one wicked back-up device on a small package. Now I may think of leaving my netbook on some trips since the Nokia N8 is as powerful as a mini computer as well.

Nokia N8 in the Philippines

All the buzz lately has been on the Android and IOS4 wars, but Finnish Company Nokia is not about to give up on their native Symbian OS yet as they unveiled their latest Symbian ^3 on their current top-of-the-line Smartphone, the Nokia N8. Will it be able to stand up to the rapidly growing Android market? Probably, but as far as Nokia handsets are concerned, this could be their best handset at the moment.

Just a quick rundown, I really like the feel of the sleek anodized aluminum unibody on hand. It has a gorgeous 3.5″ 16m colors AMOLED screen perfect for HD Viewing since it has an HD Video capture as well and, a larger than the usual mobile camera sensor on its 12mp camera with Carl Zeiss Lens and Xenon Flash. What’s more notable as well is their USB-on-the-go which I’ll try to test if I can back-up some images on the go.

Will get in-depth with the Nokia N8 soon, particularly on its camera and HD recording capabilities. For the meantime, it is now available for pre-order in the Philippines at www.nokia.com.ph. SRP is P23,699

Odos Ongkoy, South Cotabato (Sony A550, f 5.6, 1/1250, ISO 200, 18mm, out-of-camera)

Before the on-set of the holidays late last year. I introduced the Sony Alpha A550 with Sony DT DT 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 SAM here. And after about three weeks with the camera, here is my express field review of this DSLR. Three weeks is actually a short time to really get to know a camera. Some people can run the entire lab test they want but it is different with actual usage and application of the camera in the field. I wasn’t able to fully utilize all the camera features here because of the short time and also of the holidays but I think I covered the important aspects of the camera below. Note that most images here are out-of-camera JPGs (OOC) with only resizing and watermark done on the images.

Sony Alpha A550 with articulating 3" 920k dot LCD Screen

Handling, Live View and Viewfinder

Optical Viewfinder with Eye-level Sensor

Like I mentioned before, the camera is moderate in size. The build is solid despite the plastic feel and the grip is fairly easy and comfortable. There are easy access buttons for the main functions like changing ISO, Exposure Compensation, Drive Modes and Switching from Optical View Finder and Live View Mode. There is only one control dial at the front which I find a little small.

Sony really made good use of the A550’s 3-inch 920k dot articulating screen. Not only is it sharp and captures details well whether shooting in Live View mode or reviewing images. It is also easy to view on the outdoors, under bright sunny conditions. The Live View is also the fastest on any DSLR I’ve tried yet that I’m sure people coming up from compact cameras would find it easy to use.

But for those who prefer looking through the Optical Viewfinder may find the A550 short on this department. The field of view is 95% and is average in viewing size similar to Nikon and Canon mid-level DSLRs like Canon 500D. While there are easy access buttons on the camera, I find that their placements are not really optimized for the Viewfinder user. I’m accustomed to changing camera setting even while looking through the viewfinder but for the A550, I find it hard to reach for the buttons. The A550 buttons and controls are really optimized for using it during Live View.

Young T'Boli Dancer (f 5.6, 1/80, ISO 400)

Operation and Autofocus

Once familiar with the controls, it’s fairly easy changing the settings whether on aperture, shutter or manual settings. The Main menu however while looks nice, isn’t really giving much helpful in use. I like the straightforward control panel on the traditional view but I can’t navigate around to change it. I have to go through pushing the Function Menu to change other settings.

Changing Autofocus to Manual focus is as easy as turning the switch on the lens. The Sony A550 actually has an eye-level sensor on the viewfinder. So when you put your eye it auto-focuses automatically much like a shutter half-press. But the problem here is that other object brushed near the sensor activates this as well.

Giant Lantern Festival (f 5.6, 1/5, ISO 400, -.1 EV)

With the Sony DT 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 SAM the Autofocus is snappy in feel. In good light the 9-point autofocus locks in easily. In low-light though, I noticed that it has focus-confirmation at times but the images isn’t really focused. I guess it struggles a bit on low-light. I’m sure with a better lens, performance would change.

T' Boli Brothers (f 5.6, 1/500, ISO 200)

Image Quality, Metering and Working with RAW Files

Now here comes the essential part. Sony has been heavily promoting their higher sensitivity EXMOR CMOS Sensor combined with the BIONZ processor. But does it deliver the goods?

Lax Hotel Hall (f 35, 1/15, ISO 1600, IS)

100% Crop ISO 1600

The base ISO on the A550 starts at 200 going up to the 12,800. While I really have no practical use on the higher ISO above 1600, I thought that 1600 is quite usable. Their noise performance is actually very good but I do find the details smearing off when going higher on the ISO range. I hope I had the option to choose noise reduction aside from the High or Normal.

On good light, lower ISO and even lighting the JPGs out of the camera does produce very good quality images but more to the consumer liking. It means more saturated and contrast images than its actual real life counterparts.

While shooting with the A550, I also noticed that left to itself, it occasionally over-exposes its photos on bright outdoor conditions with big skies or high contrast lighting. I’m not sure if the metering goes wonky in these conditions or the EXMOR sensor itself. It is similar to how the compact sensor Cybershot TX1 with EXMOR R sensor acts so I usually set exposure compensation to -0.3 to -0.7 when shooting under bright and contrasty conditions.

Outdoor Shot Comparison (left: Sony A550 JPG (OOC), middle:Sony A550 Adobe Camera Raw Conversion, right: Olympus E-3 JPG (OOC))

With this I find shooting RAW+JPG advantageous. Aside from its inconsistent Auto White Balance which I also noticed, I can recover some of the highlights lost from the inconsistent metering. Check out the comparison I did with the out-of-camera JPG, Processed RAW file from Adobe Camera Raw and the out-of-camera JPG from Olympus E-3 which I have at that time. I know it’s not fair to compare the pro-spec E-3 to this 10mp model but the latter is already at least 3-years old since release so I was expecting lower end models have already caught up.

Highlight Recovery (left, JPG out of cam; right, Adobe Camera Raw Conversion)

D-Range Optimizer and Auto-HDR

D-Range has been around for a while on Sony DSLRS. It’s actually similar in concept with other manufacturer’s versions of D-lighting or Auto Gradation where it tends to lift out shadow details from the scene. For non-RAW Shooters this is actually useful since you do the levels of processing in-camera. A550 lets you choose 5 levels of optimization aside from the Auto.

D-Range Optimizer Test

The Auto-HDR is one of the Key Features of the A550, while not unique in the DSLR with Pentax K-7 offering first; the A550 does have an advantage of hand-held capability by shooting two images in rapid succession and combining them in one image. I’m a bit biased with HDR though since most of the images I’ve seen looks artificial and over processed. But A550’s approach is more subtle with balancing out more of the shadow, highlight and midtone details. But I doubt if I would be using it more often than I need it.

Auto-HDR Test

One caveat on both modes is that they are only functional on JPG settings. While they increase the Dynamic Range of an image, working with RAW Can produce similar results. I guess if you’re a JPG user it could be handy.

Image Stabilization, Storage and Battery Life

Dual Card Slots with Compartment Switch

Sony is also one of the brands (aside from Olympus and Pentax) that offer In-Body Image Stabilization. I found it very useful as I tried shooting up to 1/15s hand-held at night. Sony claims a 1,000 shot capacity on a single charge of its battery. While I haven’t reached that number yet, I do noticed that never had problems of having low battery signs while shooting more than 500 images already.

The A550 also has a dual slot for memory cards. One is for SD cards and the other is for their Memory Sticks. The only qualm I have with their set up is I have to open the compartment and switch from there to use either slots. There is no option in the menu to change slots.

Fruit Basket (f 5.6, 1/30, ISO 400, IS)

Verdict

I think Sony has a little identity crisis when the created the Sony Alpha A550. On one hand, the fast Live View mode and scene presets would surely appeal to people moving up from Compact to DSLRs. But its price range of US1050 (Php 64,999.00) on a kit puts it on a spot near the mid-range models like Canon 5000D, Nikon D90, Olympus E-30, Pentax K-7.

What I liked:

• Very Good Image Quality especially when working with RAW Files
• Very Good High ISO capability
• Big bright 3” Articulating LCD with good visibility outdoors
• Fast Live View function with Manual Focus Check
• Effective In-Body Image Stabilization
• The D-Range Optimizer and Auto-HDR function can be useful (but only for JPGs)
• Dual-Card Slots (except for the exterior switch)
• Good quality kit lens (Except for the rotating front barrel)
• High Speed shooting (Up to 7fps on speed priority)
• Long Battery life

What I didn’t like:

• Too consumer oriented colors not close to real life colors
• Controls are not optimized for Viewfinder user
• Metering tend to over-expose and clip highlights more often
• Unreliable White Balance
• Less customization
• Minimal options for File compression and Noise Reduction levels
• Pretty but unusable Exposure Display
• Too expensive
• At this price point, lack of video is also a negative

The Olympus E-P1 now available in the Philippines

The year 2009 has been looking good for Olympus since they launched the Olympus E-P1 last June 2009. I’ve been keeping close watch on the development of the Micro Four Thirds format and as of late it has been very promising in pushing the boundaries of design that other companies are already studying on how they could develop their own mirror-less interchangeable lens system just what like Olympus and Panasonic did.

The Olympus E-P1 vs Nokia N82 for size comparison

Even if the Olympus E-P1 was launched worldwide last July, it has only reached the Philippine shores recently. It was launched early this month of September and is now available at Camerahaus and next month on other camera stores as well. I’ve spoken to local Olympus Distributor here and they said that there are already high demand for the camera here that stocks is quickly depleting and it can be hard to source even in the global market but they’ll try to bring in more units soon.

In the meantime, I’m excited to actually test out this camera in the field as I will do in the next couple of weeks. Let’s see if this is the perfect travel camera I’m looking for. Right now all I can say is that it’s a good looking camera. The stainless steel metal finish is an eye-turner and definitely looks classy. I can’t really agree that it’s pocketable as I thought, maybe for large pockets. It’s a little heavier than I expected as well.

Olympus E-P1 with 17mm Pancake vs Olympus E-520 with 25mm Pancake

Let me first take note that this is not a DSLR since it doesn’t have a mirror box and it is also not a compact point-and-shoot since it has interchangeable lenses. Marketing would say that it’s simply a “Pen” but in reality, it’s a new breed of camera packing in the features of a DSLR in a compact design which is the aim of Micro Four Thirds. Now here are the key features:

• 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS Sensor
• Two new kit lenses (M. Zuiko 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 and 17mm F2.8 Pancake)
• TruePic V image processor
• 3.0″ LCD screen (fixed, 230k dot resolution)
• HD movies (720p) with stereo sound
• Linear PCM sound recording
• 3.0 fps sequential shooting
• Built-in IS with max. 4 EV steps efficiency
• Optional Adapters for all ZUIKO DIGITAL & OM lenses
• Newly developed GUI for easier operation via Live Control
• Automatic recognition of common scenes possible with i-Auto
• Dual control dials
• Face Detection & Shadow Adjustment
• Art Filters, multi-aspect ratios, multi exposure
• In-camera raw conversion (including application of Art Filters)
• Small & stylish design

Olympus E-P1 and E-520 Back panel and LCD

Olympus E-P1 Legacy since 1959

Now we come to the price. Honestly, I find the local price a bit on the expensive side here in the Philippines as I got to see the prices in other Asian Countries which are considerably cheaper. But understand that they have to import this here with all the taxes and all. But the advantage of buying the camera here is that you get a local warranty and support.

Prices:
Body only – P47,995
Body with 17mm Kit – P56,995
Body with Two Lens Kit (17mm Pancake and  14-42mm) – P64,995
*Each package comes with a 4gig SD Card free
**You can get the camera on 0% on 12 months installment

Olympus E-P1 top back side view

That’s it for now. I’ll do a series of post as I test the camera’s capabilities in real world use. The body firmware has been updated to Firmware 1.1 and I’m about to update the firmware for the lenses 17mm and 14-42mm lenses which according to some forums have reasonably improved Autofocus Speed by 30-40%. In the meantime, enjoy these photos as I do some size comparisons on how small this camera is and some detailed shots of the Olympus E-P1.

Olympus E-P1 Front Top Side View

Launching of Apple's new iPod in the Phil

Music have always been a constant travel companion. I got not one a but a few MP3 players at my disposal but I’ve only been a recent convert to iPod. I’ve only got an old iPod Classic Video but it works well and a pleasure to use bringing in full artist discographies at my disposal. Apple announcements have always been look forward to. And it’s great Apple isn’t far behind on distribution here.

First up was the introduction of the new iPod Shuffle. It is now rectangular but sleek in design and comes in 5 different colors. Controls are via the earphones. Am not really a fan of the shuffle due to its low capacity and absence of status screens. But now they have increased the capacity and are able to save playlist. What’s more, it talks to you. On a press of a control, it tells you what playlist is running and even the name of the artist and song playing. That surely makes up for the lack of screen. 2gig capacity is priced at Php 3290 while 4gig is Php 4390

New iPod Shuffle

The new 5th Gen iPod Nano has design handed down from the previous gen. New notable features are the larger screen, it can shoot videos (not stills) and a built-in FM radio (finally). The Video recording is at 640×480 VGA at 30fps, unlimited to the capacity of the storage and battery life and at packets of 2gig. Not only did Apple add an FM radio but it also included a Live Pause where you can pause what you’re listening to and the iPod will record the program continuously up to 15 minutes so you can catch up. The 8gig capacity retails at Php 8790 and 16gig gos for Php 10,490

The 5th Gen iPod Nano with Video and FM Radio

I’ve always thought the 32gig Ipod Touch was too small for me considering I have more than 400 gig of music at storage. It’s great to see they increased the capacity to 64gig. Also added in is the Open GL and Peer-to-peer capabilities for gaming. iTunes 9 also has the feature to organize appz on the iPod Touch. The 8gig will sell for Php 11,490, 32 gig for 17,490 and the 64gig for Php 23,490.

Increased capacity 64gig iPod Touch

Not left behind is the iPod classic which also has an upgraded capacity to 160gig. For those yearning for high capacity storage, the iPod Classic retails for Php 14,490.

So there you go, Christmas is around the corner and this would especially be great gift ideas.

The stuffs I bring on a Photo Assignment

It’s time once again when I need to pack my stuff for a photo assignment. Normally, when I pack my stuff for a personal travel, I try to be as light as possible and leave some things that I would probably not use. But when packing for a photo assignment, its different. I had to bring other stuff along that I may probably need. Here’s just an insight on what I bring along during a photo assignment trip.

Zuiko Lenses I would bring: (l-r) 35mm Macro, 70-300mm, 12-60mm and 9-18mm

Filters ND8 and Graduated ND

Essentials: Inside my Kata Sensitivity Bag I have the following:

Camera and Lenses:

• Olympus e-3 body
• Zuiko 12-60mm lens (my all around lens)
• Zuiko 35mm lens (for my food shots, macros and sometimes portraits)
• Zuiko 9-18mm (just a new addition for my ultra wide angle needs)
• Zuiko 70-300mm (for my telephoto needs)

Filters: Aside from the usual protection filters, I also have an ND8 filter and a GND (Gradual Neutral Density) Filter on 2 varying stops. I use to have a polarizing filter but lately I no longer use it as much so I leave it.

Memory Cards, batteries, Flash

Chargers

Batteries, Memory cards, Lens Pen. I have two extra batteries with me always and also around 20gig of memory cards.

I have a couple of small bags where I put all my chargers and some cables.

I don’t usually bring my MSI Laptop during my trips but a times like this I bring it in case I need extra storage. My Music companion, an old gen iPod and also my cellphones. I can’t also leave without my moleskine and notebook where I jot down notes.

Out of the bag I also have my Giottos Carbon Fiber Tripod. One of the essentials I can’t leave without like my folding umbrella.

All packed up. Ready to go

Some of the additional things I bring is my Fl36 Flash and a couple sets of batteries in case I need it. A 2 sided portable reflector which I only borrowed.

Usually on travel assignments, we get to have a decent accommodation where I can leave my stuff so I just bring a Deuter duffle bag with me with a few sets of clothes, toiletry. I leave that in the room.

There that’s it. I may have missed a few things but essentially those are what I bring. When properly packed, I essentially have two bags. My Kata Sensitivity for the gears, my Deuter for the clothes and additional gears and I just hand carry the tripod.

That’s sharing my insight. Will be leaving in a few hours and hope you enjoy the weekend.