I've upgraded to the best camera in the world

It's been almost 2 years since I posted on this blog. A lot has happened in these 2 years. In 2009 I picked up photography again. I picked up a bunch of nice professional grade equipments. I started collecting vintage cameras. I quit my day job to do my own startup for 6 months and it failed. I co-founded yet another startup. I moved from a sleepy suburb closer to tech companies and clients. My son was born. My startup was acquired. I moved even closer to tech companies. I finally upgraded to the world's best camera.

They say that having a child changes your life. Having Calvin really changed the way I do photography. Two years ago, I had professional lenses and photographic equipments. I carried 10-15 pounds of equipments on my body everywhere I went. Today, my family is upgraded, and likewise I finally upgraded to the world's best camera. You may be wondering what it is. The world's best camera is the one that you have on your hand. That's it. Here they are, my beloved Canon S90 and iPhone4:

"WHATTTT???" you may be wondering. Well, when you have a 20+ pound kid you need to carry who constantly needs attention, food, diaper change, you basically have no need for a camera. In addition, you're already carrying an extra 5-10 pounds of support system that includes water, bottle, formula, towels, baby seat, baby seat stroller, umbrella stroller, toys toys toys, diapers diapers diapers. When you have so much stuff to carry and you're going from one taxi to another taxi, taking escalators, going from one street to another street, you simply don't have more room [and energy] to carry unnecessary things like bulky professional grade SLR equipments + professional grade (read: 5 pound) lenses + flash + umbrella + bouncer.

With a kid there is very little time for unnecessary hobbies like photo editing, photography, and blogging. These couple of weeks I finally allocated time to sell stuff I don't need anymore: Canon XSI, Canon 18-55mm, Canon 55-250mm, Canon MP-E 65mm, Canon 10-24mm, Nikkor 14-24mm, Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D, Lensbaby Composer, Leica M3 SS and 50mm Summicron, Leica M6 and Voigtlander 45mm. Typically, you lose a lot of money when you sell used equipments. In the case of photography, if you're smart about purchasing (buy from desperate CL sellers, or auto-buy on eBay on Wednesday at 3AM) and selling (sell on Sat/Sun night), then you can actually make money!

• Canon XSI + 18-55 and 55-250mm. Bought new (B&H) for $750. Sold for $450. -$300.
• Canon 10-24mm. Bought used (eBay) for $550. Gave it away as a gift.
• Lensbaby Composer. Bought used (eBay) for $230. Sold for $140. -$90.
• Canon MP-E 65mm. Bought almost new (Craigslist) for $600. Sold for $850. +$250.
• Nikkor 14-24mm. Bought almost new (eBay) for $1500. Sold for $1600. +$100.
• Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D. Bought used (eBay) for $850. Sold for $900. +$50.
• Leica M3 + Summicron. Bought used (eBay) for $850. Sold for $1300. +$450.
• Leica M6 + Voigtlangder 45mm. Bought used (Craigslist) for $1100. Sold for $1600. +$500.

They say that professional glass (lenses) hold values and that the value of bodies drop like a rock. Well, my data-points illustrates this. For example the Canon XSI is a plasticy consumer grade equipment, and like all computers, it doesn't hold up values very well. One of the reasons is that the body is basically a computer where a new model comes out every few years. Now, in the case of my Canon 10-24mm, I could have resold it on eBay for $600, but I decided that it's a pretty good gift (and the recipient can still convert it to cash for $600 on eBay). Another big loss is the Lensbaby Composer. It is just a plastic toy lens that is over-hyped via marketing where new models come out every once in a while. All the other lenses (Nikkor and MP-E 65mm) I mentioned are professional grade thus they've held up their values very well. In the case of the Leicas, well, I actually bought them beat up, fixed them up, and resold them back on the market at a much much higher price. If done right, this is a hobby that you can actually make a little bit of money!

So, that's it. Having a child changes everything. The best camera is the one that you have on your hand. Happy shooting!

Mao Post for Ping

It's been a while since I posted anything. I've been spending most of my time in the startup and therefore haven't done much personal photography latelyl. I shot these long long long time ago for my friend Ping and forgot to post on the blog. To my surprise many people (including Ping) likes the following picture the most:



These are what I informally called the "Mao Style" picture. Why? Because of this genre that we're familiar with (happy people looking up with hope). In fact you can probably stick this style into any government propaganda and it'll just look as fitting:



FYI some of the original shots are here

Autofocus without mechanical movements?

Focusing a lens requires moving the lens back and forth. That's the way it has been for over 100 years. This is even true with Nikon's SWM (silent wave motor) and Canon's USM (ultrasonic motor), where the mechanism for moving the lens back-and-forth is quiet.

Today I just stumbled on the following news that a company raised $30 million dollars to create cameras that can autofocus without mechanical movements! You apply voltage to a lens that changes the refractive index. WHOA!!!!!! I've heard lenses that can change opacity by applying voltage, but changing refractive index is a first for me. Imagine, if this is possible on a teeny-weeny scaled lens, who knows what the future of big lens technology will be like in another 100 years? In the 22nd century, we'll probably look back to 2010 and laugh at the $8000.00 super 600mm f/2.8L/G FX SWM/USM auto focus lens that weighs 999 tons.

• http://venturebeat.com/2010/02/04/lensvector-raises-30m-for-improved-autofocus-in-camera-phones/
• http://www.lensvector.com/product.php

Hyperfocal Distance > $5500 camera

What's the solution to taking consistently sharp pictures in extremely challenging conditions, such as a bunch of people dancing in extreme darkness? You know that a $100 point and shoot just won't do the job because the high ISO setting on cheap $100 camera is way too noisy, and the auto focus on a little camera is horrible. Even a $500 SLR camera won't do justice. Heck, a $1000 SLR used improperly won't do it either. On the other hand, a top of the line $5500 camera body with 1000000 computerized AI auto focus and expensive high quality $1000 prime lens and extreme high ISO would work reasonably well. This is a viable solution. It's also a very expensive one too.

You don't really need a $5000 body and a $1000 camera lens. You just need to understand the limitations of your camera equipments. First of all, you don't need a zillion computerized AI auto focus like the ones on Nikon D3s ($5500) or Canon 1Ds mark IV ($5800). You don't need auto focus, period! People in the really manual film days took perfectly good pictures without auto focus. Their secrets? 1) super wide angle lens and 2) knowing what "hyperfocal distance" is.

There are many complex definitions to hyperfocal distance. Here is my simplified, Cliffs Notes version: by turning focus distance to a pre-known constant "hyperfocal distance" and constant aperture, all objects between a known distance to infinity will be in focus. For example, I know that on my APS-C SLR fitted with a 10mm lens, setting the distance to 3 feet (its hyperfocal distance) at f/5.6 means that all objects between 2 feet and infinity will be in focus, period. Combine this with TTL flash, then I simply make sure there is at least 2 feet between the camera and things in front of it, and shoot away. I don't even have to think, I just shoot away. It's that easy. Basically, I'm relying on the fact that 1) wide angle lenses have much deeper depth of field and 2) knowing what my hyperfocal distance and minimum focus distance is.

You can find out what your hyperfocal distance is by experimentation, by looking at tick marks on your lens, or by manually calculating it. It's more accurate to calculate it, so here are some links about this topic:

http://www.dofmaster.com/hyperfocal.html (what is hyperfocal distance)

http://www.dofmaster.com/equations.html (calculating hyperfocal distance)

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html (calculator that gives you hyperfocal and min distance)

Knowing about hyperfocal distance, everyone can take consistently sharp night pictures of moving objects using low end SLRs, TTL flash, and high quality wide angle lenses for a fraction of the cost. Sorry Canon/Nikon, I'm not buying your $5000+ camera with the latest and greatest computer + electronics gadgetry. Technology is overrated. Knowledge is cheaper.

Annie and David's Wedding

Seriously behind on processing photos... CONGRATS :) Here is a preview. The whole set will be ready soon. You can click on the images to get a bigger resolution (to get full resolution, email me). The first one is HUGE.