Reviews

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Comments

J. Joseph Latshaw says:

August 20, 2021 at 2:20 PM

Ming,

It looks like comments are closed on most of your articles at this point, so I’ll just leave this here…

I want to thank you for the work you did on the Hasselblad 907X + CFV II 50C. I love my Hasselblad 500C/M and Zeiss 50mm f/4 C T*, 100mm f/3.5 C T*, and 180mm f/4 CF, but learning to work with this equipment and a handheld meter was an expensive and time-consuming process, especially considering I usually prefer to shoot color transparency film. The CFV II 50C has made me able to get much more practice with my Hasselblad V-system equipment; I thought I wouldn’t get much use out of the 907X, but combined with the Hasselblad 45P, it makes an amazingly useful compact travel camera, and I find it taking me with me nearly everywhere I go.

The entire kit exudes the sort of quality that matches up perfectly with the old Hasselblad V-series equipment, and it has, hands-down, the best touch screen interface I’ve encountered short of an iPhone. It will never replace my Nikon equipment for certain use cases, but it is an absolute joy to use, and I think this sort of joy-of-use from the feeling of quality is really the future of dedicated cameras. Not to mention the Phocus Mobile 2 software on my iPad Pro, which I find far more pleasurable to use for basic photo editing and instant sharing than Lightroom – I love being able to wirelessly download, edit, and share with friends full-size photos within minutes.

I did have one question – and you may not have the answer, but perhaps someone else does – has anyone tried the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G adapted to the Hasselblad X system? I’m sure the corners are not great, but I’m curious whether it covers the sensor, at least in the 1:1 crop mode.

Again, thank you SO MUCH for helping bring this camera to market – it’s not cheap, but by the time I downloaded my first 50 exposures, I was in love. 🙂

- Ming Thein says:
  
  August 20, 2021 at 3:25 PM
  
  You are very welcome. It is a camera that makes no logical sense and will never test well by the numbers, but I’m glad that everybody who’s used it understands why it exists and what it’s meant to achieve: that joy of use and difference is what we’re all looking for.
  
  Sorry, not tried the 14-24. The 19 PCE is superb, though – and there’s enough coverage for shift, too.
  
Romel Velasco says:

December 29, 2014 at 11:57 AM

Hi Ming, I was always wondering, how do you consistently apply those black borders with your name and webiste on the top left, which has uniquely become your trademark/watermark in a way. Do you apply these as an automated action in Photoshop or Lightroom when exporting? Thanks in advance!

- Ming Thein says:
  
  December 29, 2014 at 12:14 PM
  
  It’s an automated action in PS that expands canvas and adds text.
  
  - Romel Velasco says:
    
    December 29, 2014 at 12:37 PM
    
    Ah, I see! Thanks for taking the time to reply, very much appreciated.
    
Gavin says:

July 11, 2014 at 1:52 AM

Hi, I have a very specific question for you: I noticed that you are using an Arca-Swiss C1 Cube geared head. Are the bubble levels on the head as accurate as one that you’d put on your camera’s hot shoe i.e. good enough for architectural photography? A friend of mine has the Arca-Swiss d4 geared ball head, which is a great concept, but impossible to find in NYC and the bubble levels are not accurate enough for architectural work. Thanks!

- Ming Thein says:
  
  July 11, 2014 at 7:19 AM
  
  They’re accurate enough for me – but most cameras these days have levels built in anyway; I tend to use those simply because they’re easier to read.
  
Dai says:

May 31, 2014 at 1:37 AM

Do you have any review on polaroid film camera?

- Ming Thein says:
  
  May 31, 2014 at 7:43 AM
  
  No. If it’s not in the archives, it doesn’t exist.
  
Dan says:

November 2, 2013 at 3:52 PM

There are many of your photos that quite suit my eye, and I some time ago came to realize that there was an artist who pretty well captured such (often) urban imagery, of lines/angles/light&shadow/muted-colors –viz., photorealist Richard ESTES. One might consider him a photographer who uses paint vice any raw developer + PS for his conversion (with advantage). (-:
I.p., consider his “Bridal Accessories” (1975)
http://www.artnet.com/usernet/awc/awc_workdetail.asp?aid=139829&gid=139829&cid=15766&wid=144224&page=48
& further “Shoe Outlet” (1973)
http://www.artnet.com/usernet/awc/awc_workdetail.asp?aid=139829&gid=139829&cid=15766&wid =425967381&page=50
& “4 1/2% Interest” (1978)
http://www.artnet.com/usernet/awc/awc_workdetail.asp?aid=139829&gid=139829&cid=15766&wid=425968944&page=45

(This site has 57pp of 6 thumbs per, for Estes. I can be lost there for a long time!)
Thanks, & cheers,
–dl*
====

doug3367 says:

October 28, 2013 at 5:42 AM

Recently purchased a Sigma 60mm f2.8 to use on my OMD. It seems to take extremely sharp images – have you had the opportunity to test one or see any of the results? I plan to get the 12-40 and then use the 60mm as a moderate tele – should be a sweet kit. Cheers

- Ming Thein says:
  
  October 28, 2013 at 8:58 AM
  
  Nope, sorry. I use the Olympus 60/2.8 Macro or 75/1.8 in that range, both of which fall into the ‘legendary lenses’ category…
  
Lynne says:

September 21, 2013 at 7:41 PM

Hi Ming, I have just bought the Olympus Pen EPL 5, am testing the camera and so far have had a problem when taking portraits, or people in street. Have set on P and M and get a strong magenta/red cast on skin tones….whats wrong? All help appreciated:-)

- Ming Thein says:
  
  September 21, 2013 at 8:19 PM
  
  Shoot raw.
  
Robyn Pitts says:

July 12, 2013 at 9:25 PM

Do you have any opinion of the Canon G15 vs. the Panasonic LX7?

- Ming Thein says:
  
  July 13, 2013 at 5:50 AM
  
  No, never used the G15.
  
eddy waddel says:

May 16, 2013 at 2:01 AM

Any review on the Pentax K5 IIS read some great reviews on it. whats your take on it… Ming

- Ming Thein says:
  
  May 16, 2013 at 8:21 AM
  
  Never used one, no interest in reviewing it either. I’ve never shot Pentax and have no experience with the system, so my comments would probably be quite meaningless anyway.