I bought a bottle of Eclipse and a bunch of Sensor Swabs a while ago thinking that I would use it often to clean my D200′s CCD.

Many months after I got the sensor cleaner, I never got to use it…not even once because the Giottos air blower was more than adequate to rid of the dusts that accumulate in the sensor.  I was beginning to think that I should have not bought the sensor cleaner in the first place…

When I bought the used D2X, I never realized how dirty the sensor was until I took studio shots with a white background.  Try as I might with the Giottos blower, I could not remove the sensor dusts.

To make the long boring story short, I ended up using the Eclipse and Sensor Swabs.  I was as scared as a wet kitten when I did the procedure…

Just after a few minutes, I was done.  When I took test shots with the ExpoDisc, there are still a couple of dust specks left, but I figured I could live with it.

Moral lesson of the day: Sensor cleaning is not that hard…and Eclipse + Sensor Swabs works!

Popularity: 24% [?]

One of the most popular articles on this blog is my review of the Ricoh GR-D.  In fact, I would gloat a bit and say that this is one of the most popular GR-D review on da intarwebs.

Now, the version II is out for a while now.  Where’s the love, eh? 

Well, to be quite honest, I didn’t find it compelling to get the new version because it’s more of the same, sans the higher megapixel…and some new features that I didn’t need.  The same small sensor with additional megapixel ain’t gonna sway me to shell out the moolah, Mr. Ricoh.  Call me again when you switched to an APS-C sensor, mmkay?

Update: Now with the Sigma DP-1′s availability finally announced.  I am actually more interested with that camera than the GRD-II.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Introduction

 A few of the many questions that you may be asking as you read this review is “Why the D2x?  Why now?  Why even bother?”  I’m not going to lie: I was set on buying the D300 when I thought about casually browsing that famous auction site for the prices of the D2X and its slightly improved sibling, the D2Xs.  Lo, and behold!  I found auctions ending with prices lower than a new D300!

Then I realized that I need to reevaluate if I really need the new features of the D300.  As you read through the review, I would be outlining my frustrations with the D200 and as you get to the end, choosing the D2X over the D300 may make sense… 

Or maybe not.  At the least, you’ll be entertained…

Or maybe not.

(more…)

Popularity: 44% [?]

…is up at FredMiranda.com. I’m probably going to write a lengthy one once procrastination is no longer my favorite hobby.

Popularity: 18% [?]