This is one of the few favorite images I have taken during our stay in Montreal.  This was taken with the Sigma 30/1.4 lens and the D200’s built-in flash in TTL mode.  I set the flash in slow sync mode so it would capture as much ambient light as possible without making the shutter speed go below 1/15th of a second (so I can still hand-hold the camera without too much camera shake). 

One effect that can be done in situations like this is to set the flash in “rear-sync” (”2nd curtain sync” in some cameras) mode and deliberately move the camera just a bit as the camera fires the flash (and before the shutter closes).   This would provide most of the main subject exposed and in focus with the rest of the background in motion blur.  Why “rear-sync” mode?  This is to make the blur appear behind the subject.  I did just like that in this next image but it didn’t quite work because the other subject blinked her eyes. 

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This seems to be like “Smallville”…but done correctly. I just hope they don’t end up wearing costumes in the succeeding episodes.

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If you’re a gadget freak like me, I’m sure you’ve read about the Pentax K10D at the nanosecond it got posted on dpreview.com.

The one feature that made my jaw drop: NINE of its 11 AF sensors are cross-type.  Compare that to D200’s…uh…ONE.  Damn.

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I was reading through posts in digicamreview.com and came across this article regarding the mythical Leica M8 Digital.  The linked articles are in French, though.  One site claims that there’s an embargoed article scheduled to be released on the 15th.  I saw the small movie showcasing the camera (also in French…damn it!!); I could get not over the fact that it’s so…thick.  And how come they didn’t copy the swivel LCD just like the one found in the RD-1?  And it’s sooo thick.  Not that I plan to own a Leica again.  Being that thick it has to be full-frame, right?  I mean, it’s really thick!  And no built-in grip?  How the hell you can hold on to that thick thing?

Yeah I know…sour grapes.  I’d still buy one if I can afford it.  I hope Leica reads my blog and lets me review a production copy.  Hah! The chances of getting a Leica to review has about the same odds as getting a negative feedback for my review at the dpreview.com forums regarding my D200 review!  Oh wait…

(Trivia: the word “thick” was mentioned 5 times in this post)

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Prologue

I have been writing this article on and off for the last 2 and a half months.  If it wasn’t for Google’s writely.com, it would have taken probably a lot longer.  I originally started writing this article using iWork Pages on a lowly 12″ Powerbook.  I would say 70% of the article was written in the span of 2 days.  I decided not to finish it because I felt that I had to spend more time to really understand the camera so I can certainly brag about knowing the camera I’m reviewing than the average gadget freak.  But as time has passed, I have been lazy in documenting what I have learned about the D200, mainly because most of the time whenever I feel like updating my notes, I don’t have my Powerbook with me, and by the time I already have my PB to write it down, it’s either I have forgotten all about it or a re-run of Family Guy is on TV. 

Now with the launch of writely, whenever I have of a spur of energy writing this crap of an article, I just log on to writely.com from any computer…and voila!  It’s updated.   I also published this article though its built-in support for blog publishing. Now that’s a huge endorsement for writely.com.  I wish I can get paid for that.

All photos here are mine.  Unless you have the intention of selling them (why?!), chances are, I will let you use them if you ask nicely.

Introduction

I will not even remotely pretend that this is a professional-level review.  As the title implies, this is another opinion about the D200.  What I don’t want to get are comments regarding how WRONG I am about my opinions (seriously, that would be retarded).  Also, as this is one man’s opinion, I won’t try to evangelize that what I think should be worshipped by the readers…unlike some other reviewers who think they are so up there with their ego…but I’m digressing.  If you think you can handle it, move on and read it.  Otherwise, I suggest you stick with re-reading Popular Photography Magazine’s D200 review. (more…)

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It would have been a far greater film if they replaced Jessica Biel with somebody else.  But it’s still a good movie, though.

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Mostly taken with the Sigma 30 f1.4. 

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St. Joseph’s Oratory in Quebec.  Shot with the Sigma 30 f1.4 lens.

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