Ruins

TC-1

No. This is not the Macao landmark, Ruins Of St. Pauls. They're the ruins left after the demolition of a building. I guess the building has gone for a long time. At least when I first came to Macao 8 years ago, the building was no more.

It used to be a garbage collection point. People preferred to throw rubbish inside the ruins rather than take it to the big garbage bins nearby. Weird. Now it's clean. With cool graffiti on the wall. I've taken photos of it. But they're not satisfactory. Later if I can take a good shot, I'll post here.

I have no idea what the cross-like thing on the top of one of the walls is.

TC-1 vs GR21 - AE

With f3.5 as the widest aperture, both TC-1 and GR 21 are not good for low light. With such aperture, I've decided to use ISO400 film for my normal use. Now is a comparison for their AE performance with low light. First is the TC-1 photo:

TC-1

Here is the GR21 photo:

GR21

I'm disappointed to the result of GR21. The picture is useless. Too dark. Once again, TC-1 outperformed GR21. I didn't used the spot metering of TC-1. Both cameras used their own different centre-weighted metering.

Although I've been generally in favor of TC-1 during the comparisons so far, holding GR21 is still better than TC-1. It truly feels great. As TC-1 is smaller and without a grip as nice as GR21, I don't feel secured enough to hold it. For the better performance and more useful and well-thought features, I think I have to get used to the harder grip.

Late Afternoon Sunlight on the Road

GR21

It's a late afternoon. I was in a bus. Looked out through the window. Found the soft but defined sunlight on the plants. I took out my GR21 from my bag. Released its shutter when the bus was waiting for the green light.

I like the picture.

Herbal Tea (TC-1 vs GR21 - Sharpness)

TC-1

This month I was not quite well. Sick for a few days. Saw a Chinese doctor. Then kept coughing sometimes. Saw the same doctor again. Now I'm nearly OK.

I prefer traditonal Chinese medicine. I find it not as aggresive as the Western one. In other words, our body won't be stressed as much. But the herbal tea is really very bitter! That's why some people don't like to see traditional Chinese doctors.

I happened to take 2 pictures of the different tea each with GR21 and TC-1. When I took them, they're not intended for comparison. I just felt like taking it. Now I'd like to put them together. They're taken on 2nd and 18th respectively. I believe the light source is the same. My focus was on the bowl of tea.

GR21 (P mode)

TC-1 (AP mode at f3.5)

The TC-1 picture is sharper than the GR21 one. I think the shooting distance in the TC-1 photo is very close to its closest limit (45cm) which is even longer than GR21 (about 30cm).

I liked the TC-1 photo better after turning both pictures to b/w. Added some film grain and enchanced it. It now looks even better to me.

A.A.P.C.

TC-1

Automatic Aperture Priority Compensation (A.A.P.C.) was in action here when I took the above picture. I set the aperture at f3.5. It turned out over-exposed with shutter speed at 1/350. TC-1 then compensated the exposure by its shutter aperture. Although TC-1 doesn't have P mode, A.A.P.C. just lets shooting pictures at f3.5 and f5.6 work like P mode. However, no more circular aperture as the shutter aperture is not circular...

The picture looks a bit too dark. It's nomal for a scene like this. However, at f16 that A.A.P.C. is not applicable, the overall exposure is better as shown in the picture below:

TC-1

Theoretically, I think the exposure shouldn't be different. I'm not sure if any difference when metering. But the result seems to show me that using the right aperture is better than replying on A.A.P.C. to save the exposure. Also, with the right aperture, we can have the wonderful circular aperture.

For very quick shots that we can't spare time to change the aperture for bright subject, A.A.P.C. is still very helpful.

I Love You

GR21

I want to take a break from the boring comparision and test entries. Here are two photos I took on the Valentine's Day a few days ago. Such moments are common on the special day every year. It's the power of love and also the power of commercial promotion from the mass media.

GR21

I believe most ladies love to receive flowers. Even if they may think the flowers are specially more expensive on the day, the moment they receive the big bunch of flowers is really overwhelming.

TC-1 vs GR21 - Vignetting & Details

I tried different scenes and settings for comparing my TC-1 and GR21. Here is one of the scenes at night:

TC-1

GR21

Obviously it's the entrance of a car park. Boring pictures. No doubt about it. But they are for comparison. So, why not? :P

I stand at about the same spot to take the pictures by hands. Both cameras were at f3.5 with AF. No spot metering with TC-1.

The vignetting of GR21 is more serious than TC-1.

With the following 100% crops, I also found the TC-1 photo has more details than the GR21 one. I don't know if this is fair. As a reference, I hope it helps.

TC-1

GR21

To be continued...

Spot-On

TC-1

One of the TC-1 functions that attracts me very much is its spot metering. The above picture is taken simply with the centre-weighted metering together with AF in the centre (the rock) while half-pressing the shutter release button.

To test the spot metering, I point the spot meter circle to the wall behind the rock and press the spot button. Then compose the picture like the previous one with the same AF in the centre. The difference is quite obvious.

TC-1

We can further use the spot metering and AF lock to meet our special need in dealing with some difficult lighting situations or meeting our requirements of creative works. Very nice to see the function on such an ultra-compact film camera.

TC-1 vs GR21 - Pilot Episode

Can't wait to see the photos by TC-1 and compare them with those by GR21. Here are 2 photos each by the cameras. They're the first photos for comparison.

These days it's quite cloudy. When I saw the sunshine, I rushed to the park near my home and took the shots for comparing the cameras under the sun outdoors. Both cameras were loaded with Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 and processed by the same shop. Then I scanned the negatives by Canon 8800F as usual in the same settings.

All the pictures were taken at f16 in aperture priority mode. Centre weighted metering. AF. The focal lengths are of course different: TC-1 at 28mm and GR21 at 21mm.

TC-1

GR21

TC-1

GR21

As it's quite late now and it takes pretty much time to scan all the negatives of both cameras, the photos are just posted here first for an idea of these great film cameras. To be continued...

The Night the Man Stood Still

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

Sometimes someone looks quite different from the ones we usually see day in day out in our ordinary lives. When I saw this man by the road, I had a feeling that he didn't belong to this world now. He looked like a man from the past. After taking the picture, I realized many people still live their lives in their golden time. At least in their appearances. I've started to warn myself not to fall in such state.

TC-1

Ricoh GR Digital

GR21 reminds me how great it feels to take pictures with a film camera. GR21 is also great for its unique 21mm compactness. However, I want sharper images, warmer colours and even smaller size. Now I've got a used Minolta TC-1. Is it good or bad?

Ricoh GR Digital

I don't feel as great as GR21 or GRD when holding the TC-1. It's so flat. But I guess it's better than Contax T3 or other cameras with similar flat and slippery housing design. At least, it has a leather (?) grip.

The way to change aperture is interesting to me. What is even more interesting is the diaphragms for aperture. They're all circular!

Ricoh GR Digital

The back cover switch is harder to slide than GR21. Good for avoiding opening the cover accidentally.

Ricoh GR Digital

It has a dedicated button for spot metering. I haven't heard of any other compact cameras with such button. It's very useful for complicated lighting situations and more creative compositions with the right exposure we want.

Just like GR21, the LCD of TC-1 is with backlight. But it only lights up after pressing the backlight button. I think this is better than GR21 which always lights up no matter what the situation is.

The power button is harder to press than GR21. It's good for avoiding turning the camera on accidentally. But it's not easy to turn it on when we want to...

The viewfinder is better than GR21. It can be adjusted optically. Good for shortsighted people. It's bright, clear and informative. It's not blocked by the lens like GR21.

Ricoh GR Digital

This one shows the lens going back to the camera. It's not my intention. The camera just turned itself off after 3 minutes of idleness. :P

Ricoh GR Digital

The dial looks a bit oversized. It's easy to turn as a result. The shutter button is lighter to touch than GR21. Good for keeping the camera steady when releasing the shutter.

Ricoh GR Digital

It's made in Japan like GR21. It's built like a tank. I've heard that it's assembled by skillful hands. I'm really amazed that how it is possible to make a camera as small as this with all the mechanical and electronic parts inside. Don't forget that we still have to put battery and film in it! No doubt it combines thoughtful design and great assembling skill. This reflects by its original selling price, which is even higher than GR21.

I'll take some test shots with my TC-1 and GR21 and try to compare them. Although their focal lengths are different, we can still see how different they do for pictures.

Peeling Painting

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

I walked by this window. The paint is peeling off. It looks like a painting. It just happens in an artistic way.

Walking Out of the Dark

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

Very cloudy and misty these days. When I went through the recent film photos, this one caught my eyes the most for my eager to be under the sun.

The Deserted

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

A sports ground up on the Guia Hill in Macao. I don't know its past. Except that people sometimes play jai alai at a self-made court nearby, nothing happens in the sports ground. No one seems to care about it. Were the seats occupied in its golden days?

Cable Car

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

The only cable car in Macao is much smaller in scale than the one in Hong Kong. The journey can be said in proportion to the size of Macao. It's very short indeed. Its fee is nearly nothing. Good for going up to the hill. No spectacular scenery from looking down from the car.

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

If I were a kid, I'd like to have a cable car toy with all the wheels to turn and see the cars moving up and down.

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

The afternoon I took these pictures was not good for taking pictures. Too cloudy. Grey and dull. These are the ones I like the most among the very few.

Men in the Tunnel

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

This was a mistake. I wanted to take a picture of a man who walked like a big-time star. Unfortunately, my camera shook too much. Although I can hardly see the man, the overall effect is interesting to me. I like it. That's why I posted the mistake here. :P

Face Down

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

Beggars are in 2 main groups: professional under employment and amateur. The former is miserable in the way that they're under the control of assholes. The amateurs truly belong to the saddest side of human society. The old men are especially poor. They may have contributed to the society for years but they can't enjoy the social security from the government. They're selling their age, dignity and poor condition of their appearance.

I passed by this beggar before entering the Mong Kok MTR station. He obviously couldn't stand well but he insisted to stand with a stick. With a typically big cup in hand, he seemed to be unable to face the people. All he could see is the ground. All he could listen is the coins hitting inside his cup. Face down. Feeling down.

Sham Tseng Redux

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

When checking out my latest batch of film photos, I found that the colours were way off. The pictures were directly from my scanner without turning on the Auto Tone function. I set the colour tones manually then. Finally I settled down on a setting that looks the most natural to me. Then I re-scanned the photo posted yesterday and applied the same film grain and auto enhancement. The result looks different.

In colour, the new photo does look more life-like. In black and white, it comes out not as dark and more details can be shown.

Sham Tseng

Ricoh GR21 / Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400 / Canon 8800F

I seldom take landscape or cityscape photos. During the bus trip leaving my home in Tuen Mun for Mong Kok on 29th last month, I saw Sham Tseng. It's a district I feel both familiar and strange. I've never been there but see it whenever I 'm going back or leaving from Tuen Mun. I like the scene with all the small houses coming down from the hill side to the ground.

Someday I have to be there for photo-taking opportunities should be plenty.

Breakthrough

After being inspired by Cristi's blog, I've created and maintained my blogs so well that not a single day was without a picture. Keeping the blogs was my biggest motivation to take pictures daily. Frankly speaking, most of the time it's fun but some other time it's like a "duty"...

Today is my breakthrough. No picture! It doesn't mean that I haven't taken any pictures today. I did. But I can't see it yet. Should I use my GRD to take a picture just for posting my picture of today? I used to think so when I was really not inspired or didn't feel good to take any pictures at all sometimes before. Now I don't think so.

Since using GR21, my attitude towards taking pictures has completely changed. I still want to take pictures daily. But it's not the point. The point is that taking pictures wouldn't be a "duty" anymore.

If I don't feel it, I won't push myself to take any pictures. If I feel it, I take it. With a handy camera like GR21 or GRD, I can do it nearly anytime and anyplace. Once I can see and do like the pictures, I share them day by day with different subjects. If more than one picture fit the same subject, I post more than one picture on a day. If one picture can stand on its own, I post the picture only. If no pictures I'd like to share, I just don't post any pictures and probably don't write at all.

GR21 not only reminds me how great it feels taking pictures with a film camera but also helps me to reckon the importance of feelings as the key role behind my photo-taking.

Before the Fall

Ricoh GR21 / Kodak BW400CN / Canon 8800F

At 4800 dpi, it takes quite some time to scan all the 36 photos in a roll of film by 8800F. So I usually have a preview first. Today I went through the negatives of my "last" b/w film again to see if my mind changed. Yes, I missed this shot during my bulk scanning last time. I took it in the ice rink just beside the game arcade and the McDonald's of which I posted photos here before. As it's winter now, not many people played in the rink. These were the only two at the moment I took this picture. Obviously he's just a beginner. Hope he didn't hurt much.

Men in the Park

Ricoh GR21 / Kodak BW400CN / Canon 8800F

Choosing the right film is important. I prefer ISO400 film for my GR21 generally as it has a slow lens at f.3.5. Different makes and models of film contribute to the look of pictures too. In addition to different processings based on the different films, taking pictures on film is really fun. I don't have a darkroom. I don't get the fun of film processing. I just have it processed by a shop and I'll scan it and work on it digitally. So choosing of the right film is not crucial in my case. And I like grainy pictures. Film with ultra-fine grain is basically useless then.

Recently I've checked out what film available in Hong Kong. The choices there are more than Macao and their prices are lower. I bought a pack of ten rolls of Fujucolor Superior X-TRA 400 only. Will see how good it is for me after I have the film still inside my GR21 processed.

This is probably the last picture I like from my "last" black and white film. The grain of BW400CN is very fine. But, in my hands, it's useless...