iPhone 4s: Phone or DSLR?

Now obviously the title statement above is a little over the top, but it does serve to convey to you 

just how impressed I am with the newly designed 8mp camera onboard the iPhone 4s. The image

quality of the iPhone 4s is really quite good and goes to show how far cell phone camera tech has

come in even the last couple years. I'm not saying that the new iPhone 4s is the answer to all your photographic needs, because it isn't. It has its limitations, particularly in the area of low light performance and pixel quality due to the constraints of have a tiny sensor. The lens is a newly designed 5 element all glass beauty with a aperture of f2.4 allowing for some depth of field effects. Below is an assortment of 

pictures I have taken using the iPhone 4s. Enjoy! Feel free to comment below.

In this image you can see the shallow DOF effect.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX9 Test

Last week I picked up the Sony WX9 because I was looking for a camera with a smaller form factor than my NEX-5 that would be easily pocketable for my trip to NYC. The amount of features packed into this tiny point-and-shoot is remarkable. Below I will post a test video showing the amazing video capabilities of the Sony WX9 as well as an assortment of pictures taken with it during my trip. 

My full review of the camera:

Video quality test:

Now for some sample images:

Using the background "de-focus" feature (creates a pretty neat effect).

Thanks for looking!

Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.7 (Lens Review)

The Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.7 is a great low budget lens. I purchased mine from eBay used (which is the only condition in which you can get one) for $38. Add a $18 Minolta MD -> Sony E-Mount adaptor and your looking at a total of $56 for a solid, well-constructed, and quality lens. The lens is very heavy (I would estimate 2x as heavy as the Sony 18-55mm kit lens), but personally I dont mind having a heavy lens since the camera weighs hardly anything to begin with. At maximum aperture the images are pretty soft (as one would reasonably expect with a budget lens), but none the less possess a dreamy quality that in some cases is desired. I strongly recommend this lens to anyone looking to add a cheap and quality lens to their Sony NEX arsenal of lenses! For a more in-depth review of this lens please watch my review below.

Here's a couple pics showing just how great the lens looks mounted to the camera!

The following are a couple image samples taken with this lens and the NEX-5.

Thanks for looking!

Sony SEL16F28 16mm Pancake (Lens Review)

The 16mm pancake kit lens is in my opinion a great lens. It's compact, extremely lightweight, and produces very decent images. It's an excellant option for when you want a small and light camera without the bulk of a larger lens. For more information on this excellant lens check out my video review!

Here are a couple images showing how this lens looks mounted to the NEX-5 body.

The following images are a couple that were taken with the Sony NEX-5 and 16mm lens. Thanks for looking!

Sony NEX-5 with 16mm pancake lens (ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/125th)

Sony NEX-5 with 16mm pancake lens (ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/60th)

Sony NEX-5 with 16mm pancake lens (ISO 400, f/11, 1/250th)

Sony SEL1855 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 (Lens Review)

  The 18-55mm kit lens is a good all-round lens. It's great for video with its fast autofocus and optical image stabilization. It has decent sharpness at most apertures and has great color reproduction! The lens is extremely light and compact and all in all a great fit for the Sony NEX-5. For more information on this lens check out my review below (if you haven't already seen it that is). 

What does the camera look like with the Sony 18-55mm E-Mount mounted to it? Take a look!

Below are some pictures that I have taken with this lens. 

Sony NEX-5 w/ 18-55mm (ISO 400, 53mm, f/5.6)

Sony NEX-5 w/ 18-55mm (ISO 200, 55mm, f/6.3)

Sony NEX-5 w/ 18-55mm (ISO 200, 50mm, f/8)

Sony NEX-5 w/ 18-55mm (ISO 200, 30mm, f/4)

Thanks for looking!

Fuji X100 Test!

So I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new and VERY hard to come by, Fuji X100! In my one day of use with it I must say it is definitely a pretty cool device. With its retro styling, excellant build quality, and great image quality the Fuji X100 is most certainly a force to be reckoned with. For a in-depth look and short review of the camera check out my recently posted two part review on my youtube channel. For all those who have already seen the review and want to see a few sample images, just take a look below.

First, a quick snap of the X100 in all its glory!

A quick street shot!

Tiger Lily close-up.

A patriotic snap!

120 degree panorama.

180 degree panorama.

Field at dusk.

Grass at dusk.

Low-light macro shot.

                              

                            
       Feel free to comment and let me know what you think! Thanks!

Sony NEX-5 Video Quality Test

When I was first considering purchasing the Sony NEX-5 one of the main things I wanted was a camera that would take great pictures and also great video. After seeing multiple video samples from the NEX-5 on youtube I felt comfortable with the camera's video abilities and went ahead and purchased it. The following video is a sample of what the NEX-5 is capable of with 1080i. Please comment! (P.S. If you like this video check out my other videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/lucasfinley)