How I Use My DSLR on an Arca-Swiss Compatible Tripod/Monopod While Still Being Able to Use a Black Rapid RS-Sport Version 2 Without Unscrewing Anything (almost)

I, for one, never got into using neck straps for cameras. Even when I got my Nikon D5000, I only used the neck strap once while I was waiting for a sling strap. Now take note, that sling strap I bought back then when I first started in my hobby of digital photography was a cheapo Black Rapid knock off, because, well, I was still a medical student, and it was my parents that helped me pay for my Nikon D5000, so I don’t have much of my oen money to spend on accessories. But simply put, as early as I got into photography, I knew I would not be using a neck strap.

Granted, I am talking about the stock neck strap that comes along with a brand new DSLR, MFT, MILC, etc. Most of the aftermarket neck straps like the Cecilia or Peak Design neck straps are indeed a far better cry that the stock ones, but I still had my reasons for not wanting to use a neck strap.

My reasoning for not using a neck strap were a bit odd, but some are justified. Let us go through them:

1. They are not comfortable:
   • shooting all day, especially with the stock straps, can give me neck pain and it can be a bit annoying when you consciously feel it on your neck the whole day.
2. They can be quite attention grabbing:
   • practically, you are a walking ad with that big camera manufacturer logo; I do take a lot of street photography and want to be incognito as much as possible. TAKE NOTE, THOUGH! I am still very interested in the Black Rapid Nikon AN-SBR2 sling strap, albeit, attention grabbing (lol)
   • When travelling to a different city/country, you can look more of a tourist than you already are (lol)
3. May slip off shoulder if used as a shoulder strap:
   • If using it as a neck strap isn’t for you, you can always make it like a shoulder bag and carry it that way, but the stock strap does not grip too well and may slip off your shoulder.
4. Too small to be used as a cross body sling:
   • Like using it as a shoulder strap, you can just try and use it as a cross body sling strap, but it is far too small to do so.
5. Future proofing my comfort with heavy lenses:
   • Even when I first started out with my Nikon D5000, I knew I will be collecting heavy lenses and most likely upgrade my DSLR body. It may be 4-5 years off, but I always like to at least try and future proof my comfort – using a neck strap while using a telephoto lens will tip the center of gravity.
6. Too mainstream (lol)
   • Yeah… everyone has it.

See? Told you my reasoning is shallow, but here we are.

Cheap Black Rapid knock off… the Quick Strap

The very first sling strap I own, as mentioned above, was a cheapo sling strap simply called Quick Strap. From 2010-2015, I actually used this in every event, every trip, absolutely anything.

Around 2015, I would have already owned a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM (bought at 2011) and a Yongnuo YN465 Speedlite Flash (also bought 2011), along with my Nikon D5000, it was fairly heavy altogether. I mean, nowadays, I realized that combination wasn’t at all heavy, since my current gear are more heavy, but for what it’s worth back then from 2010-2015, even if this is a knock off sling strap, it did it job well.

Black Rapid FastenR

One thing I like about the Quick Strap quick release plate system is that the 1/4″ screw that is used to attach the quick release plate also has 1/4″ threading on the opposite side, so you can still use you tripod without having to remove the strap’s plate, unlike that of the Black Rapids that use a D-ring fastener, named FastenR, as seen above.

Black Rapid RS-7

By 2016, I wanted to finally get a Black Rapid strap. I got the Black Rapid RS-7, though a bit late to the party, because this was released around 2010, if I am not mistaken, and there was already a Black Rapid RS-Sport available with the Brad Strap (the strap that loops around under your armpit to keep the strap from sliding too much), but around 2016 I just starting working as a physician since I just passed my licensure exam earlier that year. So I wasn’t in the realm of affording the more expensive sling straps from Black Rapid.

I loved the RS-7, since knowing that the cheapo knock off worked so well, I had no doubt that the Black Rapid RS-7 will hold up to any sort of condition.

My only gripe was, as was already mentioned, is that the FastenR takes up the tripod mount screw from the bottom of the camera, so if you want to use a tripod, you have to unscrew the FastenR, screw in the quick release plate from your tripod, and when you are done, you do the opposite. Time consuming. But I wasn’t all too bothered.

By 2017, I started to get into photography again big time, so it was time to complete my version of Holy Trinity of Lenses: I got a Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM and a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM, to join my “go-to” lens that I already own, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM. I also got a Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Flash to finally replace my Yongnuo YN465 Speedlite Flash.

Now with my new gear, especially if I attach the 50-150mm lens along with the SB-600 flash, unto my Nikon D5000, it was certainly very heavy and the center of gravity certainly shifted towards the front, so I have to screw in the FastenR onto the telephoto lens’ tripod collar to alleviate it. This adds to another set of time consuming screwing/unscrewing if I switch lenses (thus changing the center of gravity again), or if I need to use the tripod on the tripod collar for the telephoto lens. Again, I wasn’t all too bothered.

As 2018 rolled in, I did upgrade my Nikon D5000 to a Nikon D7200 and also grabbed the Nikon MB-D15 battery vertical grip (one of the major reasons why I chose the D7200 over the D7500 – the latter doesn’t have contacts on the bottom of the camera to communicate with a battery vertical grip without using a cable on the side). This is definitely a big heavy upgrade once again, and the Black Rapid RS-7 had no problems with my new current gear, even at its heaviest configuration. And the comfort, as always with any sling strap I ever used, was there.

Some would argue that it bumps on your hip too much, but overall, I don’t even notice it too much.

Focus F1

Black Rapid RS-Sport version 2

It is at this year I also added 2 more sling straps: a Focus F1 sling strap and (finally) a Black Rapid RS-Sport version 2 (slimmer version than the original). The former is more of a backup and the latter is more of my “go-to” sling strap. As for my Black Rapid RS-7, I gave it to my dad, and he is still using it to the fullest.

The comfort is there… all throughout the years that I have been using a sling strap, no matter the brand, or lack thereof, but the screwing/unscrewing for the tripod mount, is starting to annoy me.

Zomei Z699C

I also recently got a Zomei Z699C (review later on), that takes advantage of an Arca-Swiss standard quick release plate, so I thought, there has to be an Arca-Swiss compatible quick release plate that can also easily hook up with a sling strap.

There was a famous video on how to still use your tripod easily that uses Arca -wiss standard, while your camera either has a L-bracket or the tripod plate:

Black Rapid FastenR Tripod

And there is of course, the Black Rapid FastenR Tripod, that is essentially a D-ring that can hook up to your sling strap and the can be tucked away if you need to use the tripod/monopod. The idea here is that you replace the screw from the quick release system with one of these.

The former method, since I live in the Philippines, is not as easy to get the items shipped here for a decent shipping fee… Heck, I recently got 4 SDF Macros figurines, shipping was 60 bucks and then I had to pay another 80 bucks for import fees… I nearly died.

The latter seems to be too thin of a metal holding in the ring to really carry my gear in its heaviest configuration.

There has to be another way!

Fusion Photo Gear: Arca Swiss Compatible Fusion Plate:

I chanced upon a the Fusion Plate from Fusion Photo Gear. As seen from above, it is an Arca-Swiss compatible quick release plate that happens to have a loop for your sling strap and that can be tucked away when it is time to place it on a tripod/monopod.

Sadly, as already mentioned, it is tough for me to get it shipped here in the Philippines, so I was just looking for any product similar that is available locally, or granted, if it were shipped, have it easily shipped without too much fuss.

Plus the price… I wasn’t willing at first to spend 65 bucks on this plate (maybe later on lol), so I found one that is of similar design from Andoer.

Andoer QR-60

Andoer QR-60

As you can see, it is similar in design, and the price is better, but you get what you pay for, as they say; so far, it is holding up VERY well even with my current gear on its heaviest configuration.

I even spent an entire day using this on the tripod collar of the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM (plus lens hood for the heck of it) with the Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter, all attached on the Nikon D7200 that has the Nikon MB-D15 (I placed 1 EN-EL15 battery inside the D7200 body and another on the MB-D15 battery vertical grip to add more weight), and added the Nikon SB-600 (4 AA Eneloop inside), and it had no problem carrying it all in the loop. NOTE: This is my gear’s heaviest config, but I don’t find myself using this config for any future shoot… it is just to test the QR-60.

What I feared at first for both the Fusion or Andoer plate is if the aluminum loop is a single piece of metal that hinges on the bigger black aluminum plate. It turns out that the loop is of several components: 1 is the actual aluminum loop, a couple of ball bearings to lock the loop in certain angles, and a very sturdy metal rod to attach the loop on the metal plate. This is important to me, because if it was a single piece of aluminum hinging on the plate, there is a bigger chance of failure, but having a separate rod, lessens the failure. It can still fail… but not as likely.

Joby Tether

Of course! I am still worried that a failure will indeed occur, so I added a Joby Tether, which according to research, can hold up to 15lbs of gear; now my gear in its heaviest is not 15lbs, it is more of 10lbs, but upon receiving this item in the mail, I tested it with my gear, holding the tether, and dropping my gear towards my bed (DUH!), and it does carry my gear perfectly without snapping it. This isn’t meant to carry your gear the whole day, though it can, it is more of security, so when something fails, this will give you enough time to pick up your gear as it dangles.

And so, the last problem with this tether is that I have to hook it to one of the strap eyelet or the triangle split ring on the camera body itself, then the carabiner to be hooked on to your sling strap, but as you can see from the pic above, the carabiner on the tether is not that easy to unhook. I will not place this carabiner on the Black Rapid CarabineR itself, because I also categorize that as a possible failure point, so the tether’s carabiner should be hooked on the sling on its own directly.

Peak Design Anchor Links Strap Connector V4

Thus I decided to purchase a Peak Design Anchor Links Strap Connector V4; well, I wanted to purchase it, but my mom insisted she buy it for me for my upcoming birthday. So there.

I looped one end of the Joby Tether to one of the Peak Design Anchor Links, and one of the Anchors will be looped on one of the strap eyelets/triangle split ring of the camera it self, acting as a quick release system, while the carabiner of the tether is permanently in placed in the sling.

So, let us see how I set it up!

The Andoer QR-60 attached to the tripod mounting screw; this is important, because with the Black Rapid FastenR, I had to unscrew it in order to place the Arca-Swiss compatible plate to use it on my tripod/monopod

If I want to use my Black Rapid RS-Sport V2 or any sling strap, I just pull down the loop

Hook up my sling strap!

Combined the Joby Tether with one of the Peak Design Anchors Links

Added one of the Peak Design Anchor V4 to one of the triangle split rings

Hooked up the Joby Tether’s carabiner to the sling strap; best if it is ahead of you sling strap’s own carabiner

Then link up the Peak Design Anchor Link and Anchor V4! You are done!

All I have to do is reverse the process, then I can now mount it on a tripod/monopod, granted it uses Arca-Swiss compatible mounts, without having to unscrew anything… except the actual screw to lock or unlock the plate on the tripod/monopod (told you from the title… almost…)

I also added another Andoer QR-60 on my Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM’s tripod/monopod collar

Same concept, pull down the loop from the Andoer QR-60, hook up your sling strap’s carabiner, then connect the Peak Design Anchor Link and Anchor V4 for added security if something fails, and you are good to go!

Again, just reverse the process, then you can mount it easily on a tripod/monopod! Note, I also added the Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter just for testing of carrying around the heaviest configuration of my camera. That is: Nikon D7200, with Nikon MB-D15 battery vertical grip (1 EN-EL15 inside the actual body and 1 EN-EL15 on the battery vertical grip for added weight), Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM, Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter, and I then added the Nikon SB-600 (with 4 AA Eneloops insde), just to have the heaviest configuration and walk around the house for some time. It all held up wonderfully.

And there you have it! That is how I use my DSLR that has a Black Rapid RS-Sport Version 2 (or any sling strap that applies) on an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod/monopod! It may be quite a lot of components, but it works, and it is quick to switch between the use of a sling strap and then mounting it on a tripod/monopod.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!

Nikon D7200 “Peaked”

NOTE: ALL PHOTOS USED IN THIS POST BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

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Another Dream Come True: My Trip to Japan! Days 0-1!

WARNING:

VERY WORD HEAVY AND PHOTO HEAVY POST!

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A SINGLE POST OF ALL THE DAYS OF MY TRIP, BUT I DECIDED TO DIVIDE IT TO THREE POSTS:

FIRST POST, THIS POST, WILL BE FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND DAYS 0-1 OF MY TRIP;

THE SECOND WILL BE DURING THE DAY 2 (FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION);

THE THIRD POST WILL BE FOR DAY 3 (FORMULA 1 RACEDAY), AND DAY 4, WHERE I AM GOING BACK HOME TO THE PHILIPPINES.

FINALLY, IF YOU STILL FIND EACH DAY A LONG READ, THEN TREAT EACH DAY AS A CHAPTER AND READ IN SPURTS.

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Introduction

Talk about being late to a party… I traveled to Japan, specifically in Nagoya and Suzuka, for a short vacation and, of course, watch the FIA Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix – a race that I have always wanted to attend since I was a kid, in a country I have always wanted to visit since I was a kid, last October 4-8, 2018, and I only, finally, have time to write about. Here’s hoping I still remember what I have done in those days…

First off, a lot of my friends, both close and otherwise, would know me as a guy, in spite of my age, is still into anime/manga, gaming, collecting, and a passionately weird guy… With that said, it is obvious that someone like me love the country of Japan and anything Japanese. Thus, having to go to Japan is already a dream come true.

Second off, I am a Formula 1 (hereafter, F1) fan for 22 years now, and the Suzuka Circuit that hosts the Japanese Grand Prix ranks as one of the highest on my bucket list of F1 racetracks to attend. And again, having to visit the track and attend the race weekend, is another dream come true.

That moment I got my Formula 1 tickets!

Comparison with last year’s Formula 1 package; if you are up to date with F1, you’d know they changed their logo from this year onward.

No hard plastic/ID card ticket on the package; one must pick it up at the venue, unlike last year in Singapore.

Adding those 2 dreams together, this is like the perfect trip for me! And it was!

Seeing that it has been way over two months since I traveled to Japan alone (yes, another solo adventure, which is better anyway lol), let us go down memory lane together… starting with…

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DAY 0

Solo trip!

The plane ride to Japan was pretty standard, plus no annoyance or drama since I am traveling ALONE, so I can just concentrate on my own things, upon arriving however, it was immediately fun and adventurous as I had to take a train from Chubu Centrair International Airport to the heart of Nagoya in order to check into my hotel.

Meitetsu μTicket

It was already a trip to ride this just to get to my hotel since Japan is really known for the transport system, and having to ride the metro/subway for the duration of my trip in Japan first hand, I can say they are well maintained. Sure there was one time I did get into the subway at the afternoon rush hour, but it was still minor hassle.

My hotel, VIA INN, specifically VIA INN Nagoya Ekimae Tsubakicho, since there are actually 2 VIA INNs in close proximity, happens to be relatively close to the station, thus why I chose it, and I am glad I did, as it was seriously in the heart of the city so I can pretty much go anywhere interesting nearby, and since the station was also close by, I can pretty much go anywhere a bit farther.

Since it was already past 9PM upon check in, and was quite tired from the flight, I decided just to limit my exploration in this DAY 0 and just head out to a Curry House CoCo for dinner.

Immediately, my love for Japan has increased, because unlike other countries where they use celebrities or athletes in their ads, in Japan they use they beloved gaming characters or anime characters to advertise absolutely anything and everything.

Of course, there are JPOP Idols like AKB48 and such that also advertise things, and I also don’t mind that! I happen to like JPOP, the only pop songs I care to listen to… So in short, I feel right at home in Japan.

I happen to know a few Japanese phrases, and these came in handy the following days; it is nice to note, that unlike in Tokyo (though I have never been there yet), other cities in Japan, most people may not know a lot of English, so knowing simple phrases can help. Not saying they CAN’T speak English, they do, but there can still be a barrier when you need directions or buying things.

When I run out of Japanese phrases and English is not the way to go in communicating, I did resort to the offline mode of Google Translate, type in what I want to say, show it anyone, and they either reply to me in English directly or type their reply.

So if anyone goes to Japan outside the majors cities like Tokyo, Nagoya, etc., you may encounter more language barriers, thus knowing a phrases and/or using the offline mode of Google Translate will help you and keep you confident going around. PLUS! This is Japan! MOST EVERYONE IS HELPFUL! One of the safest countries to travel alone, which I did…

Anyways, I used a mixture of my known phrases along with Google Translate to order my curry rice from Curry House CoCo, and if you are familiar with the curry rice from Japan, it isn’t the usual Indian style curry you’d expect, but both are very delicious.

Having satisfied my hunger, I had to be taken aback for a moment to realize what I just achieved; now this isn’t the first time I traveled alone, that would have been last year when I went to Singapore, also for a F1 race, but still, having to travel to Japan for the first time, alone for that matter; having to rely on my prior research from getting from Point A to Point B around Japan; being so at home immediately in Japan; knowing I will also watch my all time favorite sport, F1, in my all time favorite country to ever visit, Japan… I really can’t think of a more perfect vacation, a more perfect race weekend.

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DAY 1

Ready to explore!

I considered the day before, the arrival day, as Day 0, because pretty much nothing really happened apart from me nearly crying at the fact I am in Japan… the country I absolutely adore… So the very next day is Day 1, officially vacation mode!

My plan for the trip! I am OC like this… In fact, most of my trips anywhere, I make plans, but not as detailed as this LOL

Vital files that were also transferred to my tablet and phone; every time I have a trip outside the country, I do this, but the detailed general plan is a first.

As mentioned in Day 0, I did make some research prior to going to Japan; since this is in fact my first time in Japan, and me traveling alone, I needed to research on how to use the metro/subway, how to get to here or there, what to see and do, etc., and I will just give a bit of a spoiler, my research and subsequent plan that I made for the trip worked perfectly! This goes to show that being obsessive compulsive about any minute detail can aid you in traveling to other countries you never visited before. Now I may just ask the locals, but like I mentioned above, sometimes, though they may understand and speak English, there are still a number of people in Japan that may have a barrier, but with that said, they will still be more than willing to help, despite the barrier.

When I went to Singapore, I wasn’t all too worried from getting from Point A to Point B, because it is relatively easier to navigate since it is smaller than Japan, but it is not like I walked from end to end in Singapore, what I mean is that, it is easier to get to the airport, the hotel, the track, other tourist spots, etc, than in Japan, specifically when I have to go to my hotel from the airport, or from my hotel to the track in Suzuka… Also, I have friends that live in Singapore, so if the going gets rough, I will just give them a call. My trip to Japan, I really only had myself to rely on. Just the way I like it. It forces me to be… dare I say it… an adult.

Preordered a Sigma APO 1.4x Teleconverter EX DG, since the Sigma 2x APO Teleconverter EX DG was sold out, but was surprised when I got to the shop and they had the 2x Teleconverter after all!

Also prior to the trip to Japan, I was researching for any camera shop nearby (there were lots of anime/manga, toy/hobby, tech/gaming shops nearby, so I need not research to much on them lol), since I was considering purchasing a Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter EX DG to couple it with my Sigma 50-150mm APO EX DC OS HSM and my Nikon D7200.

Went to the wrong Bic Camera at first; there are two Bic Cameras close to my hotel.

The correct Bic Camera!

Lo and behold! I found a shopping complex near my hotel that has a floor specifically for cameras! Bic Camera allowed me to preorder the item online and pick it up at their Nagoya shop (but there are two, and I knew about that, but I still accidentally went to their other shop which was also nearby lol) and have it tax free, and so, a few days before heading out to Japan, I preordered my Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter EX DG. Or at least that was the plan; they said that the 2x Teleconverter is sold out in the any of Nagoya Bic Camera outlets and the one near my hotel only has the 1.4x Teleconverter, thus I said, alright, let’s just get that and confirmed my preorder.

Thus the first order of business is to pick up my item and not get to excited along the way and buy every anime/gaming/tech thing I see. And to my surprise, when I showed the paper for my preorder, they came out with a 2x Teleconverter! So I was very happily surprised!

It was a bit surreal purchasing a DSLR accessory in another country for me; I mean, sure it is almost like buying any sort of souvenir, but I always had a rule never to buy any electronic/tech gear outside my home country of the Philippines because of the simple fact that if it does fail or have problems later on, I can’t use the shop’s warranty, and let’s face it, the manufacturer’s warranty here in the Philippines can cause so much more hassle than it is worth – trust me, I have dealt with numerous RMA’s and it never ended well… actually, most of the time, it doesn’t even start well.

Having purchased it without hassle since it was reserved for me prior to my flight, and the staff are very friendly, then add in the numerous, almost overwhelming amount of camera gear from Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc., it was like I am a kid at a candy store.

Blurry. I know.

Also of note, just a few floors below are the action figures/hobby floor, and another is the gaming floor, and yet another floor is the PC floor. I can live here!

Another simple reason why I love Japan is that they don’t shy away from their interests and hobbies, be it gaming, anime, tech, anything! No matter how old they get, no matter if real life gets in the way, they still go back to their hobbies and are not afraid or shy to show it.

I for one, being a Filipino-American, I guess I am a little more comfortable than most people here in the Philippines to show his weird side… his sometimes, well most of the time, unbearable weird side, to others. But I don’t mind and I am not embarrassed to show my passion for my manga/anime, gaming, tech, Formula, photography, music, and action figure collecting hobbies. And to show it PASSIONATELY.

That is not to say there are no passionate people here in the Philippines with their hobbies. THERE ARE! And quite a lot! Which makes collecting easier nowadays since there are many hobby shops popping up now. Also, with the advent of the internet, ordering overseas for those rarer items are so much easier, too! But in terms of my close personal friends, I don’t have that many that are as crazy or passionate as me. I do have some, but they few and far in between.

Wait, I digress… this is supposed to be about my Day 1 shenanigans at Nagoya!

I had to dash back to the hotel to drop of my Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM lens and newly bought Sigma APO 2x Teleconverter EX DG, then pack in my Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM and Sigma 30mm F/1.4 EX DC HSM lenses to explore more of Nagoya. And yes, I love my Sigma and Nikon combinations!

Next stop is at Nagoya Castle!

I had to take the subway, and on the way, make one transfer until I reach the station just next to the castle. This is where my research and careful planning comes into play. And I felt triumphant, because my plan worked perfectly and not once did I feel that I got lost.

I made sure to go later than 8-9AM because of the rush hour, and being it my first time riding their subway, I need to make sure I get a seat to get used to it first.

Also, if in the rare event you do get lost or not sure where to go next, of course there are staff always ready to help you out. But it feels so much better doing things on your own, on your own (meaning, traveling alone and not relying so much on anyone but you yourself… like I did).

With my friendly tour guides, Yasuyuki-san Mayumi-san!

I decided, upon reaching the castle, I will take up the free English Tour Guide, so at least I won’t blindly go around the castle complex without knowing anything. That way I can learn about the history and just have a fun time with the tour guides.

And talk about lucky!

I was told by Yasuyuki-san Mayumi-san, my wonderfully entertaining, knowledgeable, and friendly tour guides, that starting next year, they will start renovating the main keep and it won’t be as visible to the public. So, I visited on the right time. And as we continue with this post, you will see just how lucky I am this day visiting the castle premises.

The golden kettle that was made from the original “shachi”

Looking at the scenery just around the castle, we also stopped by one of their tea houses and I was again lucky to see the golden kettle that is used for the tea ceremony; that golden kettle was made from the remains of the original golden “shachi” – A shachihoko or shachi is from Japanese folklore, where an animal has a head of a tiger and the body of a carp – and it usually hidden behind a glass casing, but during Fridays, the day I visited, they bring it out for the people to see, and they actually use it for customers that have tea.

Moving on, I was learning a lot the history of the castle and that of my tour guides as persons as well. Of course, I will not give you a lesson on what I just learned from them in the history of the castle, you can always Google that, or preferably, if you ever visit Nagoya, grab a free tour guide (free English tour guides start at 1PM local time), so you can befriend and learn the history!

Getting ever closer to the main castle keep, I was pointed towards the Hommaru Palace that was originally built in 1615 by the first Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, for his son, was actually under restoration for, if I remember correctly, for the past 10 years, and was just recently finished and opened for public viewing starting June 8 of this year. So I got lucky yet again!

I will not be posting any pictures from inside the palace, for it will add to the total picture count in the post, not to mention, more words, and it will ruin the magic… It is best to see it in person!

Arigatou! Yasuyuki-san Mayumi-san!

After the palace, and after seeing the main keep a lot closer, a few more chit chat with my tour guides, it was time to part ways. It was a free tour guide, since they were volunteers, but I wanted to at least give them something for snacks or drinks, but as expected, especially from the Japanese, they wholeheartedly declined my offer. I promised the next time I ever visit again, I will surely do my best to see them, granted they will still be volunteering. Nice people like them is hard to come by nowadays.

Parting ways didn’t mean I left the castle grounds immediately, I still enjoyed myself with snacks and drinks and to get a breather, since carrying 2 lenses, my DSLR, though not so heavy, does take a toll on me, especially with a bad right knee.

I am welcomed a ninja clan!

I was entertained by a ninja performance, so it bought more time to rest, and of course, photo opportunity with one of the ninja!

I then took a few more minutes to rest up, drink up some more, then head onto the city vis subway once more, this time to just explore anything and end up in Maidreamin Cafe! Yes, a maid cafe… because OF COURSE!!

I was also supposed to go to Osu Shopping District to find nice souvenirs for my friends, and maybe some stuff for myself as well, but after going around the city, I knew I will just end the day in Maidreamin then head back to my hotel to recuperate and prepare for the F1 qualifying session the next day.

I then reached Maidreamin Cafe, and well, it is what you would expect if you know anything about these cafe either from reading manga, watching anime, or generally being a weeb (which a lot of people call me, but I think I’m more of an otaku than a weeb). The maids are very friendly, though there was a bit of language barrier at first, in the end, I got what I ordered, and had a nice chat with a couple of the staff at hand.

Believe it or not, visiting a maid cafe is one of my goals in this trip, and also have a Instax photo with one of the maid which is part of the bundle I ordered. I will say this now, out of all the photos I have taken in Japan, it was this photo of me, that wasn’t even taken with my phone or DSLR, as my stand out photo of the trip!

Also in the bundle I ordered was the cat ears (you get to choose what animal ears you like, but since I love cats, it was a no-brainer to get the cat ears), and a maid uniform keychain. Overall, a great experience, and I am glad to tick this off my bucket list. Like I said to my friends, you know you made it in life if you tick off visiting a maid cafe off your bucket list.

After the maid cafe, thankfully there was a subway station just next to the cafe, so I made my way back to my hotel; truth be told, this station wasn’t part of the plan I made previously, but I was already familiar with using the subway and where to go, so even if this wasn’t part of the initial plan, I still made it to my hotel in the end with no hiccups… also of note, I did catch the subway during the afternoon rush hour, but usually the afternoon rush hour is not as bad at the morning rush hours.

Reaching the hotel, rested up a bit, then had a quick dinner, and decided to sleep early to take a train to Suzuka and eventually the race track.

It is gonna be special!

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Stay tuned for Day 2 post!

-o-

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ANDBON AD-30S 30L Electronic Automatic Digital Control Dry Cabinet Storage Review

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional reviewer; I review the things I buy as a consumer. I am not at all sponsored. I am an average consumer, giving my consumer thoughts.

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INTRO:

I have been a photography hobbyist and enthusiast since 2010, and since then, my gear has become more and more expensive (well, expensive is subjective, and for me, my current gear is expensive enough – you can scoff if you think my gear is cheap), and as expensive gears go, you want to keep them in tip top shape and condition as to avoid having to spend money on repairs, or God forbid, replace the entire unit in question. That hard earned cash saved upon taking care of your gear can be used to further add to that said gear and improve further your craft in photography.

That being said, I never owned a dry box or dry cabinet, because I would always end up using that money somewhere else, and being a person with obsessive compulsive personality disorder, I am quite the perfectionist, so I was still able to keep my photography gear in great condition all through the years.

However, I finally decided to get one of those digitally controlled dry cabinets since I have upgraded my DSLR and added a couple new lenses recently that I felt it was high time to finally invest on a dry cabinet to ensure that my gear will be in great condition for as long as possible. And there in lies one of the key words… INVEST.

It is a great investment to spend a couple bucks on a dry box or dry cabinet, because you owe to yourself and your gear. It is not an expenditure, it is an investment… a form of security and insurance.

And so, we will be reviewing the ANDBON AD-30S 30L Electronic Automatic Digital Control Dry Cabinet Storage.

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SPECS:

•Model NO: AD-30S
•External Size: W290 x D320 x H420 mm (11.5″x12.6″x16.5″)
•Internal Size: W288 x D290 x H355 mm (11.3″x11.5″x14.0″)
•Pack Size: W350 x D380 x H470 mm (13.8″x14.9″x18.5″)

•Digital LCD display
•Andbon Dry Box Series (25%~60% RH) provides the best moisture damage prevention for aging, molding, spoiling, rusting, corrosion, denaturing, etc
•Auto Memory Last RH Setting
•Slide/Pullable Trays,Anti-Rust Cabinet (special coated paint), Silent Operation
•Low Power Consumption,Worldwide Voltage: 100-240V,Lockable — Door (comes with two keys), Magnetic Sealed Door for best RH control
•Power Input: AC 100V ~ 240V / 5W

Inside the box includes the power adapter and an instruction manual that is kept underneath one of the foams in the bottom compartment of the unit. I must admit, I was scratching my head as to were the manual was, but I always inspect the entire unit of whatever I purchased just to see any hidden damages, and thankfully, upon removing the foam, I found the instructions.

The manual is hiding underneath the foam

It also comes with 2 keys for the locking mechanism.

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REVIEW:

As always, we start with the packaging, and the unit was packaged well enough, being flanked by hard Styrofoam; I like harder Styrofoam material than the softer ones, as the former will help ensure a safer delivery.

The glass on the door wasn’t protected by its own plastic cover (the ones you usually peel off in new phones or the like), but was happy to see that the glass wasn’t scratched up as much or at all. But it would be nice to have its own dedicated plastic cover to peel off… There was no mention as to what material this glass was made of. But it is ever so slightly smoked, but under well lit environment or when you switch on the LED inside, it can showcase your gear wonderfully. I wished the LED strip were situated on both sides for even lighting, but either way, it does the job.

The unit itself is VERY light, as it doesn’t really need a lot of electronics; this may look like a mini fridge, but all it in needs is a electronic display, a strip of LED, the actual dehumidifier with anti bacterial wafer chip, and a simple power supply to power them all. This is essentially just a display case with the added features of dehumidify inside the little controlled environment.

Overall, the build is great and very sleek, and compared to the plastic dry boxes, this adds a bit of flare to your gear. I love the looks!

The foams are firm, but the top foam with the contours for lenses should have spaced the contours/concavities a little bit more; as you can see, there are too close to each other that my lenses are not sitting flush with the concavities. This should not be a problem for mirrorless camera lenses and such, but I wished they thought about spacing them out just a little but more to accommodate lenses like mine –  and my lenses are pretty much the Trinity of lenses that most professional photographers or hobbyists like myself would own. There is still enough space to space the contours out a bit more. But I can always ask someone locally to make me a custom foam with my specifications in the future.

The foam contour/concavities don’t really accommadate my lenses

The actual sliding tray is made of a very tough plastic material that I suspect is ABS plastic; the mounting mechanism is also made of plastic, most likely also ABS plastic, and surprisingly, it can carry the weight of my 4 lenses even when extended fully (it locks into place when extended fully, but a little lift and pull, you can pull of the entire assembly). The mount can also be adjusted to certain heights for your needs. I am still wary when I extend the tray out with my lenses on, so for peace of mine, I still secure the tray underneath with my palm while I select what lens to use.

There is a tape holding the tray in place for shipping purposes; there are 1 on each side, so remove them

The tray can accommodate my 150-50mm, my 17-50mm, and my 30mm; seeing that there is still space, I placed my old kit lens in there and I can still add either a 10-20mm or a fisheye in the future.

The bottom compartment I use to house my 2 DSLR’s, the Nikon D5000 and the Nikon D7200 with the MB-D15 battery grip installed. I also included my 2 Nikon SB-600 speedlights, a Meike FC-110 LED ring flash, my DSLR’ batteries and chargers, my LYNCA memory card reader and case (review here!), and seeing I still had enough space, I just threw in the lens hoods just for fun (they won’t stay in there forever). And I know I can still add another DSLR or another flash here in the future no problem.

Of course, the top tray and bottom compartment isn’t strictly for lenses and bodies/flashes respectively, you can interchange them or even not use the entire unit for you photography gear as it can be used for books, bags, jewelry, etc. Of course, with different items, comes different relative humidity percentages (%RH). For my needs I am told 40-50%RH will be ideal for cameras and lenses, and since this unit has a +2-3%RH, I placed set mine in 42%RH (that means if it reaches 42%RH, it will then go up to 44%RH or 45%RH and then dehumidify again to 42%RH). The %RH will obviously shoot up when you open the unit to grab a piece of item, so you shouldn’t be surprised by it.

%RH reference guide as per the manual

It is also of note, if you are not in a humid environment, the dehumidifier will not work if your ambient humidity is lower than the humidity set on your unit.

Let’s look at the display and buttons and how to set this up for the first time:

This part of the instructions are wrong, read on below…

As you can see from the screenshots from the manual, it said that you have to tap the up button TWICE to choose what %RH you want to set, this for me was wrong; I had to press the SET button TWICE, then use up and down buttons to choose my %RH and press SET again to confirm the change.

After setting the %RH, it is suggested in the manual and several forums to leave it empty for at least 8 hours; from my photo, I showed the time I started and the time I would start adding my gear, but I decided to make it 10 hours.

And thus, here is a shot of my dedicated photography gear corner of my room; this corner has all the most commonly used gear and accessories, and the other less commonly used items are stored elsewhere.

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CONCLUSION:

I paid PHP4,200 (~$80) plus shipping, and somehow it didn’t feel as if I spent a cent on this, because as I said above, this is not an expenditure, it is an investment.

It looks sleek and professional, unlike the conventional dry boxes, and you need not have to “settle” in unlike in the dry boxes where it can take a day or two to dial and settle in the silica gels to the right %RH – this is done digitally and immediately with this one.

The near clear glass shows off your gear wonderfully in proper lighting or when the LED is lit inside, but again, I wish the LED strips were on either end for more even lighting.

The tray and tray mount would give me more peace of mind if they just made it metal; I wouldn’t mind paying a little more for that. Being a very tough plastic, it does hold my lenses well enough but not enough for me to feel confident when I slide the tray out; I still have one palm underneath the tray.

The foam, particularly for the lenses, I wished the contours/concavities were spaced out just a tad more for larger lenses to fit better; I don’t imagine this being a problem for lenses with 62mm threads or mirrorless camera lenses though.

But with all that said and done, would I recommend this? A BIG YES… I mean I already said it twice: this is not an expenditure, it is an investment.

This keeps most of the dust away from my gear, heck even insects; it inside a controlled environment to inhibit fungal growth, yet humid enough to to keep the lubrication of my lenses from evaporating; and it serves as a nice display case for my gear – I do just sit down and stare at it at times.

Of course, this is another one of those Chinese OEM products that have different brands slapping their name on it… So, find one similar to mine, and you will most likely get the same performance.

Well, that’s all! Time for me to stare at my gear inside the ANDBON AD-30S 30L Electronic Automatic Digital Control Dry Cabinet Storage again.

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LYNCA Waterproof Memory Card Case with Built-In USB 3.0 Card Reader Review

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional reviewer; I review the things I buy as a consumer. I am not at all sponsored. I am an average consumer, giving my consumer thoughts.

INTRO:

Ever since I switched my PC chassis roughly 2 years ago, I no longer had the benefit of using a 3.5 inch internal card reader, because my current chassis, the Phanteks Enthoo Eveolv ATX doesn’t have mounts for 5.25 or 3.5 inch drives, thus I had to forego my Bitfenix internal card reader.

I didn’t own any USB 3.0 card reader hubs back then since I was mainly using the internal card reader, so I have to revert to connecting my DSLR’s using the supplied USB cable from Nikon. And as you’d expect, the transfer rates are slow. Not only that, I hated always connecting my Nikon D5000 or D7200 thru USB especially if I forgot to copy over a photo, because Windows will read the whole card (slowly) inside the DSLR’s as it seems it doesn’t save any information of the photos in the cache.

Knowing I needed a USB 3.0 card reader and a new SD card case (since my old one is so cheap), it was time to hit the market for those items.

Lucky for me, there is the LYNCA Waterproof Memory Card Case with Built-In USB 3.0 Card Reader. Yes that was a mouthful… and it always seems to have a different name in different shops… but at least, the LYNCA branding stays the same.

By the name, it is obviously hitting 2 birds with 1 stone for me; a case and a USB 3.0 card reader.

I didn’t get it right off the bat as I wasn’t to keen in PHP 2,000 (~$40) for such an item, and that is due to the looks, which I will get more into down below in the review. Then it went on sale with a 50% off, then I had no other reason not to get it; whether it will it has bad performance, or God forbid, die out within a few months, I wouldn’t cry a river knowing I only paid PHP 1,000 (~$20).

SPECS:

Item in Review:
Material: ABS,PC,TPV
Size: 15.5x10x3cm/6.1×3.9×1.2”
Number of Slot: 19
Weight: 205g

Suitable for:
CFx3, SDx7 and TFx9 Card (for those wondering what TF is, it is Transflash, aka, MicroSD; Transflash was simply the original name for MicroSD’s untile MicroSD nomenclature became mainstream)

Package:
1x Card Case/Reader
1x USB 3.0 Type A Female to USB 3.0 Type B Male 10 Pin (38.1cm/15″)
1x USB Type A to Micro USB adapter
1x Micro USB to USB 3.0 Type C adapter
1x Sim card tray remover

REVIEW:

First off, it was surprisingly well packaged; sure it doesn’t hang the bang or presentation of products of AAA companies, but the main point for me is that the packing is well enough to keep the item protected in shipping, so it will arrive to me in great condition. Close friends of mine know that I usually keep boxes and display them for 2 reasons: 1 is to have some bragging rights for the awesome gear I have and 2, simply great for reselling purposes. But for little gadgets like these, I care not to keep the boxes honestly, so it may lack in the presentation, but it gets the job done.

In fact, lacking is the presentation that it doesn’t give much specs in the box, so you can always use the specs I placed above instead, if you are wondering about the item and what comes with it.

The USB 3.0 Type A Female to USB 3.0 Type B Male 10 Pin is roughly 15 inches in length, however, I find that very short even if you connect it in the front USB panel of your PC (well it depends on the height of your PC chassis and its location, either on the desk or on the floor, but for my use and my setup, it is indeed short), thus it is absolutely short if you plan to connect this to the back of your PC; be prepared either way to stand up each time you want to change the card you are trying to import pictures from. An easy fix, which I already did, was buy a 3rd part USB 3.0 Type A Female to USB 3.0 Type B Male 10 Pin cable. I understand why it is only 15 inches, because, after all, this seems to have travel in mind, so you want to pack shorter cables when traveling as to save space, and honestly, you’d want a shorter cable for your laptop when you travel. And speaking of laptop users, you won’t have the same problems with the shorter cable as mentioned above.

The package also includes 2 adapters, a USB Type A to Micro USB adapterand a Micro USB to USB 3.0 Type C adapter, that have their own rubber sleeves making them linked to the USB cable, thus not losing them, but I find the rubber sleeve a dirt magnet. Of course, if you want, you can simply remove the rubber sleeve links, especially if you are not planning to use those interfaces for you devices.

I mentioned earlier that I was not keen on paying full price for this item due to the over all looks, and I still stand by the fact that I wished they didn’t go for that miniature suit case look. I am more of the minimalist type, and sleeker clean designs are what I wanted best. If it had that sleek design, maybe I would pay full price, with that said, it looks like a toy. That may not bother a lot of people, but for those that still love form AND function, like me, it does put a bit of a letdown especially since most photographers and hobbyists will definitely have photography gear that is respectable and the looks of this case/card reader is kinda tacky. But that’s just me.

Build quality, well I did say toy earlier, and it does feel like a toy, but a tough toy at that since they did use ABS plastic. I still would want to constantly thrash this around, but for normal everyday use and travel, it will definitely stand the test. Though I might want to mention the tabs are also made of plastic and as far as plastics go, they may wear out in time with the constant opening and closing of the case/card reader

The rubber cover for the actual card reader, is held on by a very small piece of rubber that will definitely break off if you abuse it.

The USB 3.0 Type B 10 pin female connection is not covered… just something to keep in mind. It is also situated on the side of where the hinges of the case are placed, so having the case wide open and transferring photos won’t be possible; that is to say, that you can open the case and still transfer photos, but not fully open. You can still access the cards inside if need be very easily.

As for the inside of the case, it is mostly made of rubber as to keep the cards in place safely and supposedly be waterproof on the edges; I am a bit skeptical and am lazy to actually test this, but I am skeptical since the rubber edges don’t seem to create a very good seal. But yeah, maybe I will update this once I tested the waterproof capabilities, but I also mentioned above, that the USB 3.0 Type B 10 pin female connection is not covered, so maybe the waterproof aspect is just to save the memory cards inside, then again, why have a rubber cover that seals the card reading connections? Why leave the USB 3.0 Type B 10 pin female connection to dry, errrr, to wet? (LOL) Anyways, that is another reason why I also don’t want to test the waterproof capabilities of the item.

 

On the actual card reader, it can also house once more SD card if need be. And speaking of housing the cards, it advertises that it can store CFx3, SDx7 and TFx9 Cards, but what I found out, you can stack your SD cards on top of another, thus you can house up to 12 in the rubber casing plus one on the actual card reader, totaling up to 13 SD cards. As for the CF and TF, since I don’t own any CF cards, I can’t give a definite answer, but I can say that it does only hold as advertised, as with TF.

You will also notice there is a sim card tray remover, just in case you ever need it. A nice touch in my opinion as there are times when I wished I had one while I’m out.

Now for the actual performance: being a USB 3.0, which can handle up to 5GB/s, we can suspect speedy read and write speeds. I will give you is my transfer times and real time average transfer rates compared to my DSLR, in this case, we will use the Nikon D7200 to transfer 15GB of RAW files from my more recent shoot using a SanDisk Ultra 32GB, 48MB/s read speed, SDHC card.

Using the Nikon D7200, I was took me over a little over 12 minutes. Not too bad at all, but my main gripe is what I mentioned earlier in which it constantly buffers the photos so having to search for that certain photo or photos you want to transfer only can be a chore. Windows, sadly didn’t give me the transfer rate.

Then using the LYNCA card reader, I transferred 15GB of only RAW files in 4 minutes; there was also little to no buffering when searching for selected photos unlike the DSLR where it seems there was no cache saved in the PC, thus it rebuffers, costing time, if you are just looking for certain photos in the card. As for transfer rate, I was averaging 42MB/s. So, it was definitely faster.

I didn’t test it with my other SD card like a SanDisk SDHC class 4, I can say it will be slightly slower, and I didn’t test it with my SanDisk Extreme PRO 32GB SDHC Class 10 U3 UHS 1 card, because I would suspect that it would transfer faster since it has a 95MB/s read speed. And that is another point to make, the transfer speed depends on the card and the files as much as it depends on the interface of transferring.

CONCLUSION:

It does the job! And it does it well. If we simply look at this as a card reader, then it is definitely a great item especially when you get it at 50% off like me. The fact that it is also a case for your memory cards comes as gravy, a cherry on top, or whatever analogy you want. I wished the design leans more to the professional and be more sleek and minimalist, but again, that is just me. I would also would have loved a longer USB cable, but I guess it is understandable as this is also geared towards travel, thus you won’t want to lug around long cables.

Another gripe would be the USB 3.0 Type B 10 pin female connection is not covered like the other connections, thus even if this is waterproof, that being exposed, will not end well.

Will I recommend this? Absolutely! But I feel the asking price originally is still a lot especially from a brand that is not really super known. I would wait for a sale. Keep in mind, this is definitely one of those OEM type products where niche companies will just slap their brand on. So you can find similar products like this with different branding. But as far as OEM goes, this review should also cover them.

So there you go! This is bang for the buck especially when on sale. Still bang for the buck, in a way, full price, but like I said, from a company like them, I rather pay less, so even if, God forbid, this bites the dust in time, it won’t hurt at all paying half price.

-0-

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Then and Now: A story of my photography hobby

I always joked that I got into photography because of a girl, after all, all the best stories always start with an inspirational girl that drives the boy to be the best he can be for her. But alas, I can’t really tell what got me into photography in the first place.

All I know is that my dad was into photography when he was younger, and he has since then given me his SLR, the Canon AE-1 along with lenses, even before I thought of playing around in photography.

Then it was 2010, in the middle of my first year of medical school studies, I wanted yet another hobby on top of my PC gaming, action figure collecting, and guitar collecting, and that was photography.

A few months after owning the Nikon D5000, I had the mandotory “take a photo with your camera in a mirror” shot

Again, I can’t tell what really drove me to buy my first DSLR, the Nikon D5000, but I did anyways, and I got gnarled into the world of photography because I get to see the world in the way no other people usually do. It can be poetic; it can show the beauty of the world, hiding away the dread; or it can show what the world really is and raise attention.

It took to me just like when I first started playing the guitar; I learned all the basics, learned different techniques, made some of my own, read more advanced techniques, and all in all, just being vigilant and shooting as much as I can to hone my skills.

After learning as much as I can with my Nikon D5000 and its kit lens, the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, it was time to add to my growing repertoire, and that is simply adding a flash or a speedlight as most would say.

Now you might say, wait, isn’t there a pop up flash? While you are right that there is in fact a pop up flash in the Nikon D5000, and any other camera for that matter, but I needed to control my lighting more and that was what a speedlight will help me do. My first hot shoe flash was the Yong Nuo YN465, and not long after, I added a Yong Nuo RF602 flash trigger, so I can trigger the flash off shoe and do a lot of moody lighting effects in my shots. Of course, I can’t afford my own Nikon speedlights since I was just a student back then and I didn’t want to bother my parents each time I want something, thus I settled with the Yong Nuo products. They were great enough for practicing indeed.

Having learned enough of lighting control and such, I knew it was time to get a new flash. I have always loved the bokeh effect of photos so I knew I wanted a prime lens as my first lens upgrade. I was juggling with the thought of getting a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 or a Sigma 30mm f/1.4; I knew early on of the so called “Trinity” of lenses which is usually a wide angle f/2.8 lens, a standard f/2.8 lens, and a telephoto f/2.8 lens. A common example for Nikkor lenses are the 14-24mm f/2.8, a 24-70mm, f/2.8, and the 70-200mm f/2.8 – as you can see, these 3 lenses cover a wide range of focal points, perfect for nearly every situation… thus, the Holy Trinity or the Hebrew Trinity of lenses. Unfortunately, the prices of these lenses are way of my reach even if I’m already a physician (I mean, as a general physician; who know, hopefully, once I am a specialized physician, I afford these… but as you can see later in this post, I am more than satisfied with Sigma lenses anyways), thus I then decided to go for the Sigma prime lens as I know I can complete my own version of the Holy Trinity by having a Sigma prime lens, a Sigma standard zoom lens, and Sigma telephoto lens. But once again, being a student back then, I can’t easily just buy lenses when I want them, and so,I placed it in the back burner and waited til I was finally a licensed physician so I can start earning.

First shot with Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM; my cat then, Kupo! Sadly she passed away a few years ago.

I loved and I still love my Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM lens as it was my primary lens from my purchase in 2011. I still use the kitlens every now and then, but of course, a prime lens and that from Sigma, will have better quality and the bokeh effect I always love is obviously easier to achieve with a f/1.4 lens vs a f/3.5-5.6 lens. I learned so much techniques and I found the genre I love the most, that is street photography for the most part. I love portraiture and off shoe flash photography, but something about street photography that I love the most, and having a fast prime lens like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM helps me take quick, sharp images of people in the street, and if I have their permission, I can make moody bokeh photos. I still love this lens and still is my go-to-lens for most of my shooting up to this day. Of course, with the D5000, you can only do so much with this lens, and it started to back focus a lot. But I have since fixed the back focusing problem by, well, upgrading my DSLR, which we will talk about more later.

Fast forward to late 2017, I have gotten other strange photography gear, mostly bags, filters, tripods, etc, but nothing major like a new flash or lens and such. Having saved some cash in the bank since I started working after getting my license after all the struggles we all went thru in medical school, I then took a chance and started to look for one of the Sigma lenses I have always dreamt of since I was still starting out and was still a mere medical student, and that is the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM, and lo and behold, I found that lens, and without second thought, I bought it, and was extremely happy with how sharp it is; even on my D5000, there was no front or back focusing issues, and being a f/2.8 lens, the bokeh is beautiful and a fast telephoto. Apart from being my dream lens, this is also gonna be very helpful for me when I go to Formula 1 races and take better shots of cars, cos as you can see below, I had to use my kit lens when I went to Singapore for the Formula 1 race earlier in the year, and wasn’t all too happy with the results. Can’t wait to try this in Japan later this year.

First shot with Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM; my beautiful mother!

Before 2017 ended, I was able to purchase another Sigma lens, the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens, and now I feel that I have completed MY VERSION of the Holy Trinity of Lenses:

1. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
2. Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM
3. Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM

First shot with Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM. Pictured is my best friend and co physician, Lee!

Of course, with the prime lens and the standard zoom lens having crossing over focal points, it doesn’t cover the same range as the Nikkor trinity, but this will do for now, while I wait or look for a good Sigma wide lens that is at least f/2.8 (for now, I just see a f/3.5 that I might get if I have no other choice… or a fisheye…  I’m not sure.).

My version of the Holy Trinity/Hebrew Trinity of Lenses

Also before the end of 2017, I was able to snag a couple of Nikon SB-600 flashes (SB-910 is STILL a bit to pricey for my tastes); I got a couple for simply I can trigger them off shoe and make awesome flash photography shots.

It is nice to know that I actually have a 3rd SB-600, but it was severely misfiring, that I had to return it and haven’t felt like getting another Nikon flash for the time being.

Playing with one Nikon SB-600

Playing with three SB-600! I returned one of them due to misfiring issues.

Then inevitably, once again, before 2017 ended, I finally decided to upgrade to the Nikon D7200; one might say, “why not D7500?”, for one, I wanted the battery grip (that I got second hand for a steal!!) and thus far, heard nothing about any battery grip in the D7500, and apart from the better sensor and 4K video from the D7500, the D7200 isn’t all that different so to speak (well, maybe the D7500 also has better ISO, I haven’t really cared, because the price was too steep for me at this point), thus I stuck with the decision of buying the D7200. Plus with the introduction of the D7500, brand new D7200’s price dropped a bit.

Sadly, the D7200 just arrived in January of this year since the shop I ordered from had to restock and had to deal with a lot of other prior orders since it was Christmas season; don’t worry, they warned all of us that our orders may take a lot more time than usual days, but I was okay with it.

Thus my brand new primary gear is complete…

Updated Primary Gear! I only included 1 of my 2 SB-600s in the shot as to not overwhelm the shot. This was taken with my original gear: Nikon D5000, 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, and Yong Nuo YN 465 flash with Yong Nuo YN 602 flash trigger. Quite fitting for my original gear to photograph my new gear!

Of course, we need a new mandotary shot with a camera, but this time, my mother took the shot with my Nikon D5000; again, quite fitting that my old gear is taking photos of me and my new gear

The next gears I plan to get is a brand new tripod as my primary tripod after 7 years of service as finally bit the dust; I also plan to get a brand new bag, the Think Tank Signature 13, as it looks more of a regular bag than a camera bag, thus feeling more of security when walking about new cities with the camera tucked away inside until ready to photograph; I also am on the cusp of getting either a full sized monopod (then again I can always get those Benro tripods than also double as a monopod) or a gorilla pod that I can also tuck in my bag so if I want to make low angle or just place it on a table or hang it by a tree for long exposure shots of the scenery without having to put so much attention to myself; and lastly, a dry cabinet to keep my gear in great condition.

It goes without saying that my resurgence with my love for photography started with getting my telephoto lens, but another great point in my life in 2017 that made fall in love with photography again is when I helped my sis go to Hong Kong and I met my good friend and she toured me around one night and she was quite the model for me and took one of my all time favorite shots since I started this hobby.

My good friend, Amanda; this photo is one of my all time favorites that I have ever taken! And this made me fall in love with photography again

And of course, you gotta remember where we started, and that must be, subliminally, my dad’s SLR…

Where it all began…

Thus, my love and history of photography in less than 2200 words. I will not show all my shots here, just a select few. For the rest of my shots, you can just go to my Flickr photostream HERE.

And before I end it out, I will answer the possible questions: “Why 30mm? Why not 50mm? “, “Why 17-50mm? Why not 24-70mm?”, and “Why 50-150mm? Why not 70-200?”, well remember, I started out with D5000 and upgraded to a D7200, both are DX bodies and have a crop factor of 1.5x, thus a 30mm with a crop factor equals to 45mm, close enough to a 50mm; a 17-50mm with a crop factor equals to a 25.5-75mm, close to a 24-70mm; and finally, a 50-150mm with a crop factor equals to a 75-225mm, almost a 70-200mm, with a slight overshoot at the farthest focal point. I don’t ever intend on going FX or full frame, but when I do, I’m sure I can complete yet another Trinity by then.

With that! PEACE!!

-o-

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Twenty Seventeen Going On Twenty Eighteen

Time for my annual look back on how the year has gone by, this time for 2017.

As always, every year has their ups and downs, and it is all for the better, for learning, and for growth. Certainly, 2017 is no different from the years past, but it is extra special due to the events I will highlight in this post.

As the year is ending, the way 2017 has been, I am certainly looking forward to 2018.

So before then, let us highlight what I consider are the best moments of 2017 for me.

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Decisions. Decisions.

Since 2016, I have been toying with the idea of taking USMLE and possibly training in Neurology back in the States, now in 2017, I have cemented that idea and now I am nearing my exam date which is in March or June 2018.

This is a big leap of faith for me as I am already licensed here in the Philippines, but I also long to go back home in the States and outside my comfort zone of home and family to fully grow as an individual and to become the physician I have always dreamed of and that can inspire others to be a physician as well. More importantly, heal as many people as I can as a physician.

This decision came at a price as I didn’t renew my contract from my Alma mater as their university physician; I also resigned from my various teaching jobs; finally, I also lessened my clinic hours so I can have more time to rest and study. It means of course, I won’t be earning as much as I used to, but that is alright, as I need more time to study and relax, as by the time I do pass the USMLE and I start training, and eventually become a consultant, money won’t be so much of a factor. Plus, money isn’t everything. It is reaching the dreams that really count for me.

And I will relentlessly chase after my dreams…

“Do You Remember Love?”

Macross/Robotech still ranks as my number 1 anime series; I still follow the new Macross series to this day. It taught me the beauty of music, love, and the fact that anime need not always have action (which this series does have, by the way), but also story and characters play a big role. I was just 6 years old when I first watched Macross/Robotech and was making the mechs out of Lego or paper…

Years gone by and the original Macross series/Robotech series action figures of the F-14 inspired planes turning into robots were fast becoming rarer and more expensive.

Then I found that Toynami were making 1/100 scale models, and since I wasn’t a kid anymore per se, I didn’t care if they were not die cast metal, since I just display my figures by then.

Sadly, being in the Philippines, they were tough to come by, and I was still in high school by that time, so I didn’t have a credit card to order in Amazon or Ebay to be shipped here.

I did get one locally, the VF-1J of Max Jenius/Max Sterling… but after that model, the local shop never ordered the rest in the series.

I gave up on the hope of collecting them all… maybe someday, I said to myself, when I return to the States or something.

Then another local shop this year had the VF-1A of Max Jenius/Max Sterling, VF-1J of Miriya, VF-1J of Hikaru Ichijo/Rick Hunter, and the VF-1S of Roy Fokker, as a complete 4 set, and I didn’t care for the price they were asking, I bought them all.

Shortly after, I had this renewed hope of getting more of the figures from Toynami especially the special edition of Hikaru’s VF-1S from the movie “Macross: Do You Remember Love?”… that particular edition I recall seeing back in 2004 or 2005 in Manila, but I never bought it and regretted it since then as I never got to find it, until I saw it in Ebay and by this time, I have my own credit card, and had that model shipped here.

I also ordered super weapon sets and another special edition model, the VF-1D which was the trainer mech that Hikaru/Rick used in the early episodes of the original series.

Now I am 3 models away from completing the original series mechs, and will move to Macross Frontier and of course Macross Delta.

Travel Bug Bit Me

I went to Singapore around March with my sister, and 2 of our friends/mentors. I was the first time I air traveled in more than 10 years. I didn’t travel a lot as I never really liked to travel; each time my sisters or any of my family member would travel out side the country for vacation or even go back to the States just to see how things are back home, I’d skip as much as possible and just stay at home.

But last March was different.

And with that, I suddenly had an urge to see the world more. It also helps that I am into photography, so seeing more things outside the country I am in gives me the opportunity to be more creative and see the beauty of the world.

This is also the point that me being a Formula One fan decided to watch my first ever race here.

My sister said while we were in Singapore “Why not watch the race? You deserve it…”

Thus, I decided to come back here, alone, later in September, to watch my first ever race.

And with that… I started to want to travel more. Anywhere.

Dreams Do Come True

I finally decided to watch my first ever Formula One race in person after being a fan for 21 years. And what’s more, I got to air travel on my own for the first time.

It was a an adventure! It was magical! Out of all the highlights this year, this has to be the best.

The 7 year old me always dreamt of watching a race in person, hoping it will be in Suzuka in Japan (Which I plan on watching on October 2018 instead), and to have that dream come true, was, honestly, I still can’t believe it. Sure, my favorite team, Ferrari, both crashed meters away from the start line, the first time ever that not a single Ferrari finished 1 lap in Formula One, would immediately spell disaster of a race weekend, but I still felt happy by the whole experience. I felt blessed. Meeting new friends who love the sport, in spite of race/ethnicity, political or spiritual differences, and the fact we support different teams/drivers, we all became friends. In fact one of the I befriended is a guy named Roberto, whom I got to catch with in Hong Kong where he was from later in November.

Here is a long post in Facebook I made when I arrived and just realized I am living out my dream:

This is going to be a long post… LOL

Twenty-one years in the making; the very first race I ever watched on television was the 1996 Spanish Grand Prix, where I saw a red car seemingly flying through Circuit de Catalunya on wet weather conditions. I then found out that that red car was the Ferrari F310 driven by the legendary Michael Schumacher. I became a fan of the team, the driver, and the sport ever since.

Other people would say my love for Formula One is an obsession, but I say it is PASSION. Unlike other sports, it was serendipity how I found out about Formula One; I didn’t have any external influences, thus I felt this was a sport that was mine. It was personal. Coupled the fact that I love cars prior and what kid never loved the red cars… the Ferrari.

Wanting to know more of the history of the sport, I delve deep into the lore dating back to the days of Juan Manuel Fangio; wanting to know the technology of the cars each year, that I can tell the era of the Formula One car and what makes them unique in that generation; trying my best not to miss a race each season since 1996, that I can always reference a race in my discussions with my other Formula One friends or forums.

So huge is my passion for the sport that I was that kid that would build Formula One cars out of Lego; I’d draw them on my notebooks; each time before going to bed, I’d imagine I was driving a Formula One car.

I was that kid that didn’t want to play arcade racing games like Need for Speed or Ridge Racer, rather I wanted to play racing games that deals more of the discipline and realism of the sport and cars. I was the one that learned how each component of the car needs to be tweaked in order to have the best balance just to shave of one thousandths of a second in Gran Turismo, F1 Career Challenge, rFactor, and other simulators (I am currently into Assetto Corsa and F1 2017).

And I was that kid that always dreamt of attending a race weekend in person.

Now that I am actually going to watch a Formula One race in person this weekend, I am looking forward to the actual spectacle of the sport, the rivalries in the race track, the finesse of each driver lap in and lap out for 61 laps, the camaraderie shared with strangers, throwing away political, racial, and spiritual differences, just to enjoy the sport we all love. And most of all, I am looking forward to fulfilling the dream of the 7-year-old me of watching a race in person.

The best part was all the messages, comments, and such, from all my friends, my relatives, and from my sisters’ close friends, saying how happy they are that I got to watch Formula One in person as they remember me always talking about it to them even if they are not interested in the sport.

The other dream was for me to travel alone, without the stress of taking care of anyone else’s paper works and stuff (yes, I may be the youngest in the family, but I am in charge of everyone else’s travel documents and the like… stressful). Having to travel alone for my first time, and without sounding too boastful, I got every done right perfectly… and the sense of growing up, being mature, was definitely there.

What I found surprising is that a lot of my friends were sending me messages asking me how it was traveling alone and if it was difficult. To me, I thought most people coming to a certain age will be comfortable traveling alone out of the country, I guess I was wrong, and I felt great doing something that most other people didn’t do yet. This also shows I am not that kind of person that will just do things or go anywhere as long as I have my family or friends with; I can do things on my own, too. And I can do them well.

With that, my love for travel has been cemented.

I thought my next stop will be in Japan in October 2018 for the race and exploration, but I will be traveling for the 3rd time in less than a year later in November… I will talk about that somewhere below.

Of course, it wasn’t only the race I came to Singapore for…

Since this was the first time I will travel out of the country alone, I made plans to visit certain places in Singapore, like Gardens by the Bay, Merlion Park, and Sentosa.

Thankfully I got to visit all; wasn’t able to see everything in Gardens by the Bay since I went their late as I fell asleep after the trip in the hotel room and woke up past 5PM.

Merlion park was a long walk as I didn’t know that they had a entrance/exit to the track next to Merlion park and I left my Formula One tickets in the hotel room. I could have just gone inside the track and gone out to Merlion with out having to go all the way around. But it was serendipity as I got to see more of the city.

Finally, I got to see Sentosa thanks to my good friend and mentor, Dr. Noe, who now lives and works as a physician in Singapore.

Formula One. Gardens by the Bay. Merlion Park. Sentosa. And I got hangout with Dr Noe.

Perfect trip. Perfect first trip out of the country alone. Just perfect.

Magical.

“Get your motor runnin'”

I have been a racing fan since 1996 when I was first discovered Formula One and since then I love playing sim racing games; of course, as a gamer, my number one genre is still Role Playing Games followed by shooters a close second, but racing/drivings games is also a close third.

I played Gran Turismo a lot when I was still a console gamer, but after going PC full time, I played many more simulators.

This year, I returned to full time sim racing when I bought a racing wheel and pedal set.

This isn’t the very first racing wheel and pedal set I ever owned; I got my first set way back in 2007, but it was like a Chinese off brand that I can’t even remember. No forcefeedback, just buttons for the paddle shifts, plastic pedals… it just wasn’t good at all.

Earlier this year, I bought the Logitech G920 set, and shortly after, I got the H-Shifter for it. I started playing Assetto Corsa and got back into Formula One racing with Codemasters’ F1 2017; last time I played a Formula One game was also from Codemasters: F1 2009; I didn’t enjoy that iteration to say the least, and that was the oldest memory I have when I started to deviate away from racing/driving games.

But racing is still in my blood.

And seeing a lot of the tech YouTubers that have their own racing simulators and the fact I still follow Inside Sim Racing, The Sim Pit, etc, kept on reminding me to return to sim racing.

And I did.

I then stumbled into 3DRap.it from Italy, that makes 3D printed parts for modding either a Thrustmaster or a Logitech wheel and pedal set. I purchased a couple of mods for my H-Shifter but also noticed they were selling parts for a Formula inspired racing rim that can be attached to either the Thrustmaster or Logitech wheelbase.

I know the basics of soldering and such, but I just didn’t have the time to build the rim while I am trying to study and still going to my clinic duties. But I know I sill eventually get around to buying the parts and building it myself… I just needed time.

Thankfully, I discovered that they started selling a built version of the Formula inspired rim, named the SMRF1 from Speed Max Racing, also from Italy, thus, I ordered from them and I won’t lie, it was very pricey, but once it arrived, it was well worth the price!

I also ordered an extra 4.3″ display, and they thought of everything, as the bottom part of the display is concave and it contours on the wheelbase (I just had to purchase some Velcro and mounted it easily)

I always said that when one is gaming, one has to do everything he or she can in order to be immersed as much as possible. This is why I add mods to some of my games to enhance the experience; it may take time to do so instead of immediately playing, but once I do, the immersion adds to the overall pleasure of playing. With that said, I wanted to be immersed in sim racing, particularly, open-wheel racing like Formula One. And with the total price of my sim racing rig, it was all worth it for the immersion.

Meeting Tracer Tong

That was a Deus Ex reference in case you missed it.

So for the third time this year, I traveled out of the country, for the first time to Hong Kong, and for the second time this year, with my sister.

I’ll be honest, traveling alone was so much more fun and less stressful. I love my sister, don’t get me wrong, but traveling with others that rely on you more often than not can really leave a bad taste in your mouth.

The best part of the trip was me seeing Roberto again, whom I mentioned above that I first met during the Singapore Grand Prix. He showed us around a bit and took us to a great dinner. This cements the fact that Formula One for us fans is more than just a sport… it also brings fans together and they can be great friends in spite of all the differences.

My highlight of that trip, apart from seeing my sister present for the conference (oh yeah, that was the main reason we went to Hong Kong… there was a Cardiology conference where she was invited to present one of her cases), was getting to see my close friend Amanda again.

I first met Amanda back when she was still in high school and I was already in college, because her brother Pio is also one of my close friends.

We got to hang out like old times, this time outside of the Philippines; it was like nothing ever changed… and yet there was still the sense we are not the same people we were when we were younger. It is that strange balance and it was just great.

She is also quite the model as she was showing me around the city and that made me fall in love with photography all over again.

Here are some of my favorite shots of the trip and of Amanda:

Return to the Gym

This year, I also decided to head back to gym. Thankfully the owners and the trainer still remembers me, and strangely, after my years of absence from the gym, again, like with Amanda, as if nothing has changed. In fact, we seem to be talking normally just like I never disappeared from gym.

Two and half months in gym, I am starting to see a difference in my body and an obvious difference in strength. And what’s more? My right knee is feeling better than it ever did before! I am getting more and more confident to start running or even jumping. Hopefully in 2018, I can do all that.

I am joined by my best friend, my brother from another mother, my confidant, and fellow B.S. Biology graduate and fellow physician, Lee.

We both are pursuing USMLE, so we thought of just gym together as well.

Mind and Body.

Recently, we are joined by our other close friend from college, Von, and now we are a trio at gym… 2018 in gym will be awesome! Will still bulk up a bit more before I start cutting. Overall, I never felt better in my life physically in years.

The Holy Trinity of Lenses

I first got into photography in 2010. The weight of my first year in medicine was getting to me and I wanted a new hobby. Photography was my choice of a new hobby, thus I got my first DSLR, the Nikon D5000.

The very next year, I got my first flash, the Yong Nuo YN465, and more importantly, my first lens that is not the kit lens that came with the DSLR. I got the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC. Together, I made lots of great shots and memories with that lens.

First shot using my new prime lens was that of my cat back then.

I dreamt of having the so called “Holy Trinity of Lenses”/”Hebrew Trinity of Lenses” which usually consists of a wide angle lens, a standard zoom lens, and a telephoto lens. They call this the Holy Trinity as these are the 3 lenses that can be versatile enough to tackle any situation. Of course there are other lenses that are well suited for other tasks like sports and for bird watching and such, but the Holy Trinity is what most photographers and enthusiasts find enough for most situations. Thus I wanted to complete a Holy Trinity of Sigma lenses.

In 2012 Sigma then released the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS and the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS lenses, which are of course a standard zoom lens and telephoto lens respectively. These were perfect to complete my Holy Trinity in spite of my Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC being a prime lens and not a wide angle.

But being a medical student still and having my parents to rely on to give me money or get me the things I wanted, I didn’t really want to them bear the weight of spending for my hobbies again when they have done so too many times in the past and coupled the fact that medical school is very expensive, I just thought of getting the lenses, if they are still available, once I am a licensed physician.

Thus, one year after finally being licensed as a physician, I got to stumble upon the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 APO EX DC OS lens and with just little thought, I bought it in November.

First shot of the new telephoto lens is that of my mother; others have been posted above during my Hong Kong trip.

Around a month later, I found the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS lens, thus completing my Holy Trinity of Lenses and I can’t be more happier.

First shot using the new standard zoom is of my best friend, Lee.

Nice to note that I then decided to order a Nikon D7200 (I know the D7500 just released, but I like the specs of the D7200 more) and hopefully it will arrive in the first week of the new year or so. I also bought the Nikon MB-D15 battery grip that will work perfectly with the Nikon D7200 as well as a Nikon SB-600 speedlite; both the Nikon MB-D15 and SB-600 were actually second hand products, but upon inspection by my obsessive compulsive-ness and my technical know-how, I was assured they are working well and are in fact original.

Can’t really fully test the battery grip without the new DSLR, but I was able to test the SB-600.

I am not a stranger to off shoe flash photography, so here is my first shot using the flash and showing my skills with off shoe flash photography.

Looking forward in 2018 where I will explore more locally and of course, my trip to Japan and maybe in South Korea, where I can see the world with my DSLR and create more memories…

Summary

I actually spent so much in 2017 for my hobbies, trips, and whatnot; I always like saving more than spending, but I thought making this year an exception. I needed to reward myself for all those years I didn’t think of anything else but my studies. I needed to see some dreams come true for my dreams to be made and see then into fruition.

I look forward to 2018 with everything I learned and loved from 2017 and make even more dreams come true.

Thank you, 2017.

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Twenty Sixteen!

Wow, so let us start off by saying Happy New Year as this is my first post of the year! A bit late! But screw it! Better late than never!

I was late in posting this as I had to go back to Manila for the rest of my review; about a month away from the exam… I have no idea if there is anything in my head. I am nervous, but there are days where I am so numb it is ridiculous. And one of those days is today.

And with that, I wanted to share a few shots, three to be exact, of the local fireworks display.

Now I have been doing this every year since I started my photography hobby back… 2010 or 2011 if I am not mistaken; I am too lazy to look at my archives, but it is somewhere in the region. Anyways, I have been this every year except when I was duty as a clerk welcoming 2014.

I learned a lot from Greg Cazillo at Cazillo.com (do go there, though the forums have been a bit bare since I last logged in their YEARS ago; med school caught up with me!), and if it wasn’t for his lectures online, I wouldn’t be able to dial down the right settings year in and year out. This is why I also stress having an archive, a quick archive, like Flickr with all the proper setting placed on the description for quick reference if you want to replicate a shot with little time for practice shots.

You can always right-click and see the photo’s information in Windows or load up your post processing program of choice, in my case Lightroom, but if you are on the go or simply outdoors away from your PC and nothing but a smartphone next to you, you might as well have a quick reference online like Flickr with the settings on the description.

It may be time consuming to always add these settings in your portfolio, etc, but it is well worth it especially for me who is no longer shooting as much as I used to.

I have blabbered on yet again, so without further ado, here are my shots to welcome the new year!

ENJOY!

There yah go! Hope you all love it!

I have a felling 2016 will ROCK!

Til next time!

 
Follow me here or on the following sites!

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I’m also at Facebook!

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