Ethereality News & Weblog

June 29, 2012

GPS and used car

Filed under: Art & CG,Computers & Gadgets,Film/TV/Animation,My Life/Musings,News,Video Games — Rob @ 1:35 pm

NEWS:
The next run of the Becoming A Better Artist workshop has sold out again, and we’re going to allow five more students to squeeze in before we cut off enrollment, so hurry if you want to make it to the July run of the workshop.

WEBLOG:
Ever since I started using a GPS back around 2005, I couldn’t live without one. I’ve become completely dependent on the GPS–not just for driving direction, but to search for nearby shops, parking, gas station, etc, or even to mark where I parked my car so I could find it later if I forget where I parked.

The previous unit we used was a Magellan RoadMate 860T, and it was nicknamed affectionately as our “Guide Dog.” It wasn’t the best GPS–it had trouble tracking whenever we were in a city with large trees or tall buildings blocking it’s direct line-of-sight to the GPS satellites up in orbit. Now in 2012, the seven year-old 860T has been discontinued, and I can’t even buy an updated map for it, so I decided to upgrade.

After doing much research (reading online reviews, and watching Youtube videos demonstrating/comparing different models), I ended up using my iPhone as an GPS, and I have to say, despite my initial skepticism, the iPhone turned out to be an excellent GPS–much better than the RoadMate 860T we used previously.

The top three GPS apps on the iPhone seems to be Tom Tom:

Navigon (now owned by Garmin):

and Magellan:

All three happen to be the three biggest hardware GPS companies on the market. Garmin has its own GPS app called StreetPilot, but since Garmin bought Navigon, I would have to assume Garmin wasn’t feeling very secure in the quality of their own GPS app.

After trying out all three, I settled on Magellan’s app, because it has the features I preferred, such as the audio signal for when you should be making turns, the fast one-touch menu, and more updated POI (Points-Of-Interest) when I tried searching for restaurants and stores nearby.

I used to rely on the audio direction a lot, but now that I’m also using my iPhone as a jukebox while driving, the constant automatic raising and lowering of the music’s volume whenever audio directions are given, got a bit annoying. After trying the GPS without the voice/audio guidance, I realized I really didn’t need it. The visual cues are more than clear enough, and if I was paying attention while driving like I should, there’s no reason to need to voice/audio guidance.

The Tom Tom app is also very good, although at the time when I tested it, the POI search wasn’t as up-to-date as the Magellan app.

Navigon is actually my favorite in terms of GUI design, but it takes forever to bootup every time, so I won’t even consider it.

The amount of data these GPS apps use while navigating is very little, because they come with the maps already installed, so you don’t have to stream the map like some of the cheaper or free GPS apps do. I think a solid month’s of usage only added up to a couple hundred megabytes of data. The Magellan app also allows you to navigate even if cellular data is turned off, while Tom Tom and Navigon both require that you have cellular data turned on.

I got the iOttie One-Touch Dashboard Car Mount for the iPhone, and it works perfectly.

It even has a gel-type suction cup that works on the textured surface of the dashboard, instead of only on the smooth surface of the glass.

I especially like how all the GPS apps I mentioned have iPod integration, allowing you to control the iPod app right from within the GPS app. This makes it easy to skip and pause the music without having to switch to the iPod app. These apps also have pedestrian mode, so you use them while walking instead of driving. I also really like how I can search a POI and then can just call up the place right from inside the GPS app–very convenient. If someone calls you while you’re using the GPS app, it’ll allow you to accept or decline the call, and you can even keep the GPS app running while talking (of course, using a Bluetooth headset is highly recommend, or at least use the stock earbud with the microphone and volume button built right into the earbud wire).

There’s no way I’m going back to dedicated GPS apps, or the criminally expensive in-dash GPS that comes as options for cars. Spend less, get more, and have a GPS like right in your iOS device. An easy choice if you ask me.

…

If you’ve ever dealt with used car salesmen, you know just how rare it is to find one that didn’t reek of the sleazy “Hey, TRUST ME, I won’t lie to ya!” aura. Well, I had the pleasure of meeting the very first used car saleman who didn’t give off that vibe (and I’ve met many). In fact, he was such a pleasure to do business with because he was honest, sincere, courteous, and not pushy. It helps that he was quite young–only twenty years-old, and was studying at the university when his family business needed his help.

The kid’s name is Alex, and the fact he didn’t naturally gravitate towards selling cars as a vocation (he tried to avoid it) was probably a factor. He also had his own personal moral code that he brought with him to the used car sales business, and it’s very obvious when you talk to him. I felt like I was talking to an enthusiastic, friendly, and honest college kid instead of a jaded, slick, veteran jackal what was just waiting to empty my wallet. I also had a chat with his uncle while there (it’s a family business), and he seemed like a nice fellow too.

If you are looking for a used car and live in the Sacramento area, I highly recommend you talk to Alex, at Sacramento Auto Sales Center Inc.

Oh, and I ended up buying a 1997 Lexus ES300 from him. It’s going to be our temporary ride until our new home closes ESCROW, and my lender allows me to finance a new car (we’re buying a house in Lincoln, California). I put a new Pioneer CD Receiver in the Lexus (the stock CD changer was broken), and with the auxiliary audio input and my iPhone as the jukebox, I think this 15-year old Lexus is actually a pretty comfortable ride. I might even hold off on getting a new car if the Lexus remains problem-free for a few more years.

…

I finally finished Mass Effect 3, and overall, it was my least favorite of the trilogy. It was the least satisfying in many ways, and had the most WTF moments where you wanted to reach out and smack the game designers/writers. Along with Dragon Age II, I keep feeling like these two games marked the downward spiral of the Bioware we’ve known and loved. It’s very easy to just point a finger at EA and say it’s their fault, and why shouldn’t we? After all, it was after EA acquired Bioware that these recent problems with Bioware games began.

My main issues with ME3 were:

-The Geth and Quarian dilemma felt contrived, as if the writers forced a situation that didn’t feel logical or natural, just to create some kind of dramatic tension.

-The bad voice acting of Jessica Chobot and the old man after the credits really stuck out among the much better voice acting of the rest of the cast. In fact, that reporter character was completely unnecessary and probably shoved into the game as some kind of marketing gimmick.

- The ending sucked. There are countless discussions and articles about this on the web already, so I’m not going to say more–other than that I agree with the people who were pissed off about the ending.

- The Allusive Man’s entire storyline was predictable from the first moment to the last. Was it ever a mystery to anyone that he was indoctrinated? (No, I’m not going to make a spoiler warning about this–if you have half a brain then you’d already guessed from the very beginning that’s what’s happening with the whole Ceberus situation.)

So did I like anything about ME3? Sure. I thought EDI’s storyline was great, and the budding romance with Joker was cute. I enjoyed the combat, and some of the bantering between characters, like when Garrus and James were having their combat experience pissing contest, or when Garrus got me onto the roof of the Citadel and we had our own sharpshooting pissing contest. There were other storylines that I enjoyed. If only the overall framework of ME3′s narrative didn’t have glaring problems, it would have been a solid conclusion to the trilogy.

BTW, this is what my Shepard looked like this time around:

…

Quickie movie reviews:

Game of Thrones (season 2) One of my favorite shows on TV currently (along with Madmen, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and The Office). I had decided after watching season one that I wasn’t going to read the books and ruin my enjoyment of the TV show. There are tons of other fantasy series I could read that don’t have TV shows or movies being made for them, and I don’t see why I can’t go on enjoying the TV show without any preconceived notions, and read other fantasy series in the meantime.

Season two was just as intriguing as season one, and ended on one hell of a cliffhanger–especially for a huge zombie fan like me.

What I love about Game of Thrones is that you like all the characters, regardless if they are villains or heroes, kind or cruel, smart or stupid. The only character that’s so impossible to like for me is Joffrey–God I want to rip his head off his neck and drop kick it into a pool of lava.

While watching an episode, Elena, who’s been working hard on learning English, suddenly turned to me with a pout and said, “I just want my dragons back.” I was so proud.

Capitalism: A Love Story – There’s nothing in this film you don’t already know if you are educated about modern global economics. If you’ve seen a Michael Moore documentary, then you already know there’s always going to be emotionally manipulative scenes involving one of his predictable, mawkish antics. His messages are never bad–but how he delivers them is what irritates his critics.

Cop Out – This kevin Smith-directed cop buddy comedy had some surprisingly funny scenes, and it’s actually surprising how he finally got a handle on directing after all these years (whereas previously, he was more like a funny writer who did an half-ass job on directing). Red State, the movie he made after Cop Out, also displayed far better directing chops compared to his previous movies.

Baraka – Visually stunning, and there’s a sort of vague visual narrative involving various aspects of our civilization and our relationship with Mother Nature. It’s not the kind of movie you watch for a plot–it’s more like images and sound that form an abstract emotional response that has a defined theme. Definitely not for people who must have explosions in their movies, or don’t have the mental capacity to observe and contemplate on a philosophical level.

Bridesmaids – Hilarious, gross-out bromance movie, but with female characters instead.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher remake) – I have seen the original Swedish version, and thought it was pretty good. although the plot-twist was already spoiled for me, I wanted to see how Fincher would tell the same story. Despite the inconsistent tone of the opening credits that has almost nothing to do with the actual movie stylistically, I enjoyed Fincher’s version. I think Rooney Mara is a better Lisbeth than Noomi Rapace, and I actually enjoyed the fact that Fincher humanized her more in his version, which is more in-tune with the book, whereas in the Swedish version of the movie, Lisbeth was colder and less relatable.

Columbiana – The critics ripped this movie apart, and I didn’t think it was that bad. There are plenty of really idiotic and badly made movies that critics have given higher scores to. Those of you who liked The Professonal/Leon and La Femme Nikita might enjoy this, although it’s not on the same level.

Act of Valor – It’s not a very good movie at all, with wooden acting (by real SEAL operators) and mediocre screenplay, but if you are a fan of special forces and want something that’s realistic and true to how the operators really do their thing in the field, then this is for you.

John Carter – Very disappointing. The story was so compressed, that the characters were switching motivations with lightening speed, instead of actually portraying a credible, logical arc that’s shaped by events and internal struggles. The premise itself is also very dated by today’s standards–sci-fi/fantasy has marched on miles ahead by now, with far more sophistication and inventiveness. The John Carter legacy should have been left in the realm of classic pulp novels. The fact that the literary superstar, Michael Chabon wrote the screenplay, only makes it even more depressing. I honestly expected far more from a Pulitzer and Hugo award winning writer.

Space Battleship Yamato – Another disappointment. It was juvenile, simple-minded, illogical, and stuffed to the brim with insufferable, maudlin melodrama. Compared to the recent reboot and reimaginings by Hollywood, it’s very primitive in every way–be it storytelling, special effects, acting, or directing.

Gantz / Gantz: Perfect Answer – I hate to sound like such a sourpuss, but these were yet another disappointment. Over the years I’ve gotten very disappointed by how shallow and juvenile the whole anime/manga world has become–it’s nothing like the stuff I grew up with. Gantz and its sequel, Perfect Answer, are basically just another situation where a mangaka with no real understanding of storytelling foundations lucks out and makes it big because of the juvenile action and gratuitous nudity he includes in his manga, then the manga is adapted into anime and live-action movies. Like so many other Japanese sci-fi movies, it’s mainly just an exercise in style-over-substance, and whatever little substance it has, is quite simplistic and shallow.

21 Jump Street – Although the comedic take on the famed TV series is a refreshing reimagining, the movie itself was just okay. It’s got a few good laughs but nothing near the level of an “instant classic” like some of better comedies in recent years.

Safe House On its own, it’s a decent action/thriller, although you can’t help but compare it to the Bourne trilogy. As soon as you do that, Safe House becomes just an inferior imitator. The acting is really good though, and that’s to be expected from the caliber of the two leads.

June 19, 2012

Audioengine A2 (small desktop speakers) review

Filed under: Audio & Music,Computers & Gadgets — Rob @ 5:23 am

WEBLOG:
While staying at our temporary apartment in Sacramento, California (we’re here shopping for a new home), I badly needed a pair of small desktop speakers for my laptop. After much research online, comparing reviews and assessing the specifications, I ended up with the Audioengine A2‘s.

Here’s how they look in our current temporary apartment:
Audioengine A2's

Audioengine A2's

In the past, I usually travel with a very old pair of Altec Lancing ACS-90‘s I scrounged from the storage room scraps, when I contracted briefly at Broderbund/Red Orb in the late 90′s as a texture artist (working on Prince of Persia 3D). They used to be my designated traveling speakers, since the size is small enough to travel with and the build is fairly sturdy, and they actually sound quite good for their size. The sonic signature isn’t fatiguing, and there’s no annoying bass bloat like many of today’s speakers that try to impress typical consumers who don’t really care about fidelity and accuracy. Unfortunately, the power switch no longer works and I couldn’t fix it.

Because my Alec Lancing speakers are no longer working, I only took my Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphone and my Westone 4 in-ear-monitors on this trip. Now, I’m obviously a headphone lover, but the truth is, as much as I love headphones, they will always be secondary to speakers in my life, because speakers are just that much more dimensional, natural, and convenient to listen to; there’s nothing on your noggin that could fall off, or prevent you from hearing important audio cues like phones, doorbell, neighbor screaming for help, and it’s much easier to share music with others.

After enduring only being able to use headphones for a couple of weeks, I just couldn’t stand it anymore, so I hopped online and searched for current small desktop multimedia speakers with excellent reviews. After weighing the pros and cons (size, weight, cost, portability, sound quality) and reading a bunch of professional and customer reviews, I ended up choosing the Audioengine A2.

My main reasons for choosing the A2′s were:

1) In the range of highly rated tiny speakers, they are one of the smallest, yet has the sonic signature of larger, serious speakers (audiophile/pro audio grade, as opposed to typical consumer grade). This was according to all the rave reviews out there from professional reviewers as well as consumers.

2) Stereophile has a review for the A2′s that’s practically foaming at the mouth about how incredible they are.

3) They’re the only tiny desktop speakers out there designed and manufactured in a way that’s unlike typical small multimedia speakers that use plastic and harsh sounding tweeters. The A2′s use MDF cabinet, silk dome tweeters, and Kevlar woofers, which is usually only used for larger speakers. I’ve never seen this type of design/construction used for tiny desktop speakers.

None of that makes any difference at the end of the day though. The only thing that truly matters is how they actually sound. So let me cut straight to the chase.

Yes, these are nice speakers, and for the most part they do sound very good–better than you’d think they ought to at their size, but they have two severe flaws. First, look at the frequency response graph that came with the same Stereophile review that many people like to refer to.

The bass at around 180Hz is prominently exaggerated by around 6 dB or so, and if you use a parametic EQ with modereate bandwith/Q and cut the bass at 180Hz by about -6 dB, you’ll hear what neutral/accurate is supposed to sound like. With EQ’ing it sounds much better, with more clarity and definition in the lower frequencies instead of muddied, boomy mess. Then, turn off the EQ and it’ll be painfully obvious how colored the A2′s are, after having heard the more accurate/neutral EQ’d correction.

I’m surprised by how many people out there are claiming these speakers have tight, clean bass. Can they tell the difference between neutral/accurate frequency response from colored/skewed response? Apparently, most can’t, because if you look at the reviews on Amazon, only a tiny minority of the customer reviews criticized the exaggerated bass that muddied the overall sonic signature. Even the professional reviewers who are supposed to be pro audio/audiophile experts, seem to have glossed over this severe flaw.

I don’t know why Audioengine chose to color these speakers with muddy, exaggerated bass. They actually tweaked the EQ of the DSP chip inside the speakers to get that sound, as the speaker driver/cabinet/port design is not capable of producing that kind of exaggerated bass on their own. Such a shame. These speakers could have been brilliant, but as is, they are marred by the aggressive EQ/DSP tweaking by Audioengine for what I believe, an attempt to please the typical consumers who grew up with exaggerated bass that’s so common in today’s consumer audio.

Here’s something interesting though–the A2′s actually smooth out in the bass if you aren’t listening to them in the normal listening position (with the speakers placed directly in front of you, on either side, in equilateral triangle, angled 30 degrees towards each ear). So if you are just using the A2′s to play music while walking around the room, instead of sitting between the speakers as one normally would, then the A2′s actually sound better. Maybe that’s why Audioengine colored them that way, but I doubt it, since most people listening to desktop speakers while sitting at a desk–that’s why they’re called desktop speakers. If they wanted to color the A2′s for general room listening, they could have added a bass-boost switch, so those who do listen sitting down at the desk and turn off the bass boost.

Aside from the coloration in the bass, I do like these speakers a lot. The mids and treble are very nice and smooth, though at around 900Hz and 4KHz, it could use around 3 to 5 dB of boost with moderate bandwidth/Q, in order to reach better accuracy/neutrality. But most speakers that aren’t high-end would display some kind of dip or peak in the mids or treble, and the A2′s overall frequency response in the mids and treble is good enough that I would feel fine not EQ’ing them. But because I must EQ the bass, I might as well take care of the mids and treble too.

Here’s the EQ correction I use to make the A2′s more neutral/accurate:
Audioengine A2's

In terms of visual design, the A2′s are really nice to look at (the white version is especially striking), and they’re also constructed very well; they feel just like professional studio monitors, but shrunken down to miniature size. Anyone who’s familiar with the general quality level of small desktop speakers on the market can immediately tell that the A2′s are much higher quality than the typical plastic toys out there.

Here are a few official photos from Audioengine:
Audioengine A2's

Audioengine A2's

They coms in black as well:
Audioengine A2's

Audioengine A2's

The A2′s use an AC adapter for power supply, and that’s totally fine by me. I personally never understood why some people hate the power blocks. I think they’re far better than wall-warts, and also better than adding bulk to the product’s size. Some reviewers like to point out that the A2′s use “real speaker wires,” but I’m not sure if it’s really relevant, except for maybe that you can use your own custom-length wire if you need to space the speakers very far apart (which isn’t a good idea anyway if you want to maintain any semblance of decent stereo-imaging).

The only other thing I dislike about the A2 besides the exaggerated bass, is the fact that the volume knob is placed in the back. Seriously, that’s just a really bad idea, because most people who would buy this type of tiny speakers aren’t using monitor/speaker controllers, and controlling volume with the computer software is just too dangerous; you’re one computer/software crash away from blowing out your speakers and damaging your ears permanently. Audioengine says that there’s no room for a volume knob in the front, but why can’t they think outside the box? I’d have preferred they charged a little more and provided a separate volume controller knob that’s plugged into the speaker, with about a foot long of cable (sort of like a wired remote control).

Overall, I would say that I have mixed feelings about the Audioengine A2′s. On one hand, it’s a quality product that’s rare in the world of tiny desk top speakers. On the other hand, the exaggerated bass can be a deal breaker for some (unless you EQ the speakers like I do). But once EQ’d, the A2′s do sound damn good, producing a balanced, pleasing sonic signature, and can reproduce low frequencies meaningfully down to about 60Hz without distortion. That’s no easy feat for a pair of tiny speakers. If Audioengine had voiced the A2′s without the bass exaggeration, it would have been one of the best price vs. performance ratio products I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Luckily for me, I don’t mind using EQ to refine my audio system–it’s something I do all the time anyway in my studio with all my speakers and headphones–all of them are fine-tuned for ideal neutrality/accuracy. If I’m doing that to my $7,000 reference studio monitors (using IK Multimedia’s ARC System and additional EQ), then perhaps I shouldn’t expect a $200 pair of tiny speakers to perform perfectly without any EQ.

In terms of competition, there are maybe about two or three competitors out there that can match the Audioengine A2′s in terms of sound, construction, and looks, but they tend to be either bigger in size, or too small to have any meaningful bass, or more expensive. Off the top of my head, here are a few alternatives (2.1 systems don’t count, since they include a separate subwoofer):

Audyssey’s Media Speakers

JBL’s Control 1 Pro

Bose’s Computer MusicMonitor

In terms of accessories, Audioengine sells angled speaker stands for the A2′s (it’s the black wedge under the speakers you see in some of the photos). At $29, they are expensive for a couple of rubber wedges. If you are handy with tools, you could build something similar with wood or plastic. They also sell wireless adapters/receivers, wireless DAC, and other quality products.

Audioengine makes a subwoofer (the S8) that you can get for the A2′s, and on paper, the subwoofer’s specifications look really good (only 11″ cube, with 8″ driver, and reaches down to 27Hz). I’m probably not going to get one, because the only reason I got the A2′s is for portability during traveling, and the A2′s by themselves already weigh far more compared to typical small desktop speakers (roughly 6.7 lbs. for the pair, not including the AC adapter). I might consider getting the sub to keep it in the studio though, so that I can use the Audioengine A2′s with the sub as a complete 2.1 system, acting as a third opinion (the first being the Klein+Hummel O 300D’s and the second being the Logitech Z-5500). But that seems a bit redundant, since the first two opinions already cover all of my needs (critical high-end audio, and surround sound). Maybe I can put it somewhere else in the house–I’ll have to see after we finish moving into the new home.

…

Here’s a related tip for those of you that want to EQ the audio output of Windows OS (instead of EQ’ing just the media player audio). You can google for “RTLCPL.exe,” which is part of the AC97′ driver bundle, and is compatible with most of the computers running Realtek AC97′. This is what it looks like:
aC97 equalizer

There are instructions on the web on how to make it work with your computer, and once you’re done, you can then use it to EQ the audio output of your Windows OS, which means the EQ will affect any typical situations like videos and audios streaming off the web through your web browser.

…

You probably noticed the tan-colored object next to the speaker in the first photo of the A2 review. That’s actually the new iPhone case I got recently to replace the previous one that’s fallen apart. It’s made by a company called SPIGEN SGP, and they make some really nice high-end iPhone cases. Here are a few photos:
SGP iPhone case

SGP iPhone case

SGP iPhone case

You can order it from their site here.

I like the suede leather look and feel, and it’s certainly a much higher quality product compared to the flimsy plastic case it replaced. I got the version without the “S” on the case, and it looked a bit too sparse, so I gave it a bit of contrast by writing the URL of my website and my signature in black and white–just to add some visual interest. The suede surface makes it harder to clean though, so keep that in mind.

May 10, 2012

Canon 5D Mark III review

Filed under: Computers & Gadgets,Latest Works,Photography — Rob @ 7:24 pm

WEBLOG:
After eight years of mainly shooting with Canon 1D Mark II, I’m finally going to retire the trusty workhorse. It’s replacement is the Canon 5D Mark III:

Although it’s technically a downgrade if you consider the fact the 5D series isn’t the flagship 1D professional series and the 5D series also cost a lot less, technological advances dictate that given enough time and progress, the newer, lower-end models will outperform the older, higher-end ones. Such is the case with the 5D Mark III vs. the 1D Mark II, although it’s not across the board. There are somethings the 1D Mark II is still better at, but they are few and far between; the 5D Mark III is in general superior.

Preface
Before setting on the 5D Mark III as my next workhorse camera, I had considered other options like the Sony NEX-7, Panasonic Lumix GH2, and Nikon D800. The NEX-7′s autofocus is not fast enough, although I love the image quality and the small size. The GH2′s small sensor just couldn’t produce the kind of high ISO image I needed, even though I loved the touchscreen focus feature and the fully articulated screen. The D800 is an awesome camera–one that is often deemed superior when compared with the 5D Mark III, while costing a grand less, but all my lenses are Canon mount, so moving over to Nikon mount lenses would’ve been too much trouble; I’d have sell off all my Canon gear and switch over to Nikon gear, and that would have incurred enough loss to balance out the cheaper price. In the end, I chose the 5D Mark III.

Disclaimer
Those of you who have read my review the Panasonic Lumix LX5, already know I write reviews that focus on features important to me, and judge everything according to the context of my own shooting habits. There are already plenty of big commercial camera review sites like dpreview.com, where they do extensive testing and post full-resolution image files for people to scrutize, so I’m just going to write about stuff that matters to me, and post images that are simply me using the camera to shoot what I usually shoot, instead of technical testing images.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about…

Ergonomics and Design
Here are a few comparison shots of the 1D Mark II and 5D Mark III:

The 5D Mark III is about 2/3 the size of the 1D Mark II, and weighs accordingly. This is a welcomed change, since the weight and size is what most people complain about with the 1D series DSLR’s (or any large-size DSLR). Shooting with a heavy piece of big metal brick can definitely tire out your wrist and fingers, even if you use a handstrap. I used to travel with just three normal sized lenses and the 1D Mark II, and carry them in a camera bag that has this fancy weight-distribution strap that’s pretty expensive, but even then, after a day of carrying that around, my shoulder would get totally stiff and sore. With the 5D Mark II, it’ll be a little better, but I don’t know if 1/3 lighter in the body will make that much difference to the whole camera bag’s weight, but at least it’ll make a difference to the wrist and fingers while shooting (especially one-handed shooting).

The larger LCD screen is a big welcome, and I’m surprised by how well Live View works on it. I can actually focus reliably using the LCD screen, although shooting video with it is not as reliable, since there’s no continuous focus in video mode, and to continually adjust the focus with a small LCD screen is pushing your luck too far.

I prefer the buttons layout on the 5D Mark III over the 1D Mark II, and since I haven’t really used any other Canon DSLR since the 1D Mark II, I can only assume the changes were evolutionary and incremental, refined over different models and versions since 2004, and not new to the 5D Mark III. I have zero use for the stupid ratings button though, and its alternate assignment to protect an image is useless to me as well. Having a whole button be wasted like that really annoys me, but the truth is, the other buttons already cover everything I need anyway, so no real harm done there.

The custom menu is a great idea, where you can register the menu items you use the most and access them all in one tab from the menu settings. Some people may not have much use for it though, since you can set the camera up to shoot exactly how you want it to, thus not having a reason to constantly visit the menu. There are also the C1, C2, and C3 custom settings on the dial, allowing you to instantly swap between three completely different settings. And I do mean completely different–every single setting possible in the camera can be recorded to the three Custom dial positions. The 1D Mark II didn’t have anything like that.

The depth of field preview button is a great feature, allowing you to see exactly how the DOF and exposure looks at the aperture setting you are using. This is very useful when you want to make sure you’re getting the right amount of DOF and brightness before pressing the shutter. It’s a lot more intuitive than just looking at the exposure level meter and guessing at the DOF.

Autofocus Performance
One major selling point of the 5D Mark III is the new 61-point Autofocus system, supposedly taken from the new flagship 1DX, but missing the dedicated DIGIC 4 processor and 100K pixel metering sensor for tracking. I’m really picky about AF, since I hate it when I get great shots with wonderful expressions and body language, only to later see that it’s just out of focus enough to be unusable.

For those of you who follow the progress of the digital camera industry, you know that advanced and powerful features will slowly trickle down to the lower-end models, but often, there’s a limit to what the lower-end models will inherit. This is so that the professional and consumer product lines remain clearly separated, as well as keep the production cost of lower-end models down so they remain affordable to the masses. The 5D Mark III is by definition, a high-end model suitable for professionals, even though it’s not designated as part of the flagship 1D series. The fact it inherited the AF system of the flagship 1DX, makes its AF the current benchmark for excellence. Only when the 1DX arrives will we know how much of a difference the missing dedicated processor and 100K metering sensor makes.

I tested the new AF system against the old one on the 1D Mark II to see how much progress Canon has made in eight years. It was a tough competition because the AF system on the 1D Mark II, despite its age, was state-of-the-art and widely considered the best on the market at the time.

So how did the AF system on the 5D Mark III perform against the 1D Mark II? It was actually a pretty close call in many situations, often performing at about the same in speed and accuracy in well-lit situations. The difference, is when shooting in dark situations, and it’s in low light situations that the 5D Mark III started to slap the 1D Mark II around a bit. The low-contrast, dark spots that the 1D Mark II can’t lock focus on at all, the 5D Mark III will lock on, even though it will hunt back and forth before locking. Also, having shot a few sessions with the 5D Mark III where the subject is constantly moving (such as the latest Kitty Cat Diary entries, where Elena is often moving around unpredictably while going about her business, and I simply try to track her), I would say the percentage of keepers from the 5D Mark III are higher–though I think it has just as much to do with resolution than the AF system (I’ll explain this later).

The AF system allows up to four registered AF points–two for each orientation. The AF points I’ve registered are these (two different AF points for each orientation):

The camera can sense which orientation it’s in, so when you rotate the camera, it’ll automatically switch to the AF points you registered specifically for that orientation. You then can map two separate AF buttons to control each of the two AF points in each orientation. Isn’t that just freaking awesome? In comparison, the 1D Mark II only had two registered AF points total, and does not automatically switch the AF points when the camera is rotated, but it does allow two separate AF buttons to be mapped.

Other than the One-Shot mode and AI SERVO mode, there’s a AI Focus mode, which detects whether the subject is moving or not, and will automatically switch to AI SERVO mode if it detects movement (though you have to hold the AF button down). It’s a clever idea, but in practice, the AI’s reaction to movement is not as fast as I’d like, and while I can map the AF mode switch to the Depth of Field preview button, it requires me to hold it down in order to keep the AI SERVO going. I would rather deal with the slight delay of AI Focus’s reaction time than deal with two buttons I have to hold down during action tracking.

Overall, the 5D Mark III’s AF system is very good–as least as good as the 1D Mark II in almost all situations, and better in the more demanding situations. Having four registered AF points that you can access separately and instantaneously allows for a lot more flexibility and convenience when composing images. All in all, the 5D Mark III’s AF system is a big step forward for sure.

High ISO Performance
One of the main reasons I decided to upgrade was because I’ve been drooling after the amazing high ISO performance of today’s DSLR’s. The 1D Mark II can only go up to ISO 3200, and that’s nothing compared to the 5D Mark III’s ISO 102400. Even at the same ISO setting, the 5D Mark III’s files have a lot less noise–roughly 3 to 4 stops better it seems.

Those of you who are familiar with my photography knows that I am particularly fond of candid or casual style shooting, where low-light situation are the norm. That is why high ISO performance and AF speed/accuracy are the two most important features to me. Being able to shoot at insanely high ISO and still get clean enough files is like a dream come true–something I’ve fantasized about for years. With the 1D Mark II, I’d start to get nervous around ISO 1600 or so, and would almost never go up to ISO 3200, for fear that the file will be unusable due to excessive noise that can’t be tamed satisfactorily in post-processing. Now, I just leave the ISO on automatic and let it go however high it wants to go when I’m shooting casual stuff like the Kitty Cat Diary (though it caps off at 25600 in automatic mode). If I’m shooting something critical such as a professional assignment, then I’d be a bit more vigilant about how high the ISO is.

Here are some really high ISO shots (sorry, no links to full-size files. There are already plenty of excellent full-resolution test images of the 5D Mark III on the web, shot with exacting requirements for critical testing/comparison, so I’m just going to post my photography the same way I usually do):


1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 25600, 75mm


1/20 @ f/2.8, ISO 20000, 75mm


1/60 @ f/4, ISO 25600, 75mm


1/60 @ f/4, ISO 20000, 75mm

I fantasized about this kind of ISO performance when I shot with the 1D Mark II, and now with the 5D Mark III, it’s like a dream come true. The high ISO performance was probably the number one reason I upgraded, and I’m very happy with it.

On a related note, I’m still in shock at how the extreme high ISO settings that we tried to avoid not that long ago–such as ISO 3200 and 6400, are now considered normal. I mean, look at these next shots–although not as high in ISO setting as the previous shots, they were considered either unattainable or very extreme just a few years ago:


1/45 @ f/5.6, ISO 10000, 75mm


1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 10000, 75mm


1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 8000, 75mm

This recent development in high ISO performance just boggles my mind, and similar to how I felt when we went from 56K modems to cable modems.

Resolution
5D Mark III’s full-frame, 22.3 Megapixelssensor, is definitely a huge step up from 1D Mark II’s 1.3x crop sensor at 8.5 Megapixels. The extra resolution allows me to crop a lot more aggressively and still end up with usable images. The high resolution also means at the same output size, I can miss the focus by a bit and the image will still look great, whereas with the 1D Mark II, if you miss the focus by the same amount, it’ll be very obvious. I definitely like how forgiving a higher resolution is–it allows me to worry less when I’m shooting, thus making the experience of shooting more carefree and fun.

Video
5D Mark III allows you shoot videos in the following formats: 1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 23.976 fps), 1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps).

The video capability was something I was looking forward to trying out, especially after seeing this beautiful video shot on the 5D Mark II (make sure you watch it in HD resolution):

I figured, if the Mark II can shoot that beautifully, then the Mark III could only be better. There are currently plenty of video comparisons on the web of the two models that proves this to be true.

The 5D Mark III doesn’t have AF during video shooting, so you must pull focus manually, and that is a skill you really have to spend time practicing. For any kind of critical shoots, you’d have to rehearse focus pulling and plan out your shots, so you can’t just start shooting as if it’s a consumer digicam–you’ll end up with a blurry mess.

For casual home videos, it’s actually kind of a hassle to shoot with the 5D Mark III, precisely because it requires a lot more concentration and skill to keep everything in focus–especially when shooting with large aperture settings. If the subject is at moderate distance or further, you would have a very hard time keeping the details of the subject in focus, because you simply can’t see that much detail on a 3.2″ LCD screen. If I was just shooting very casual home videos, I’d use my Canon HF11 or the Panasonic Lumix LX5 instead, because they have continuous AF during shooting, and the much smaller sensors with vast depth-of-field are a lot more forgiving when it comes to precise focus.

With that said, the video is definitely beautiful on the 5D Mark III, having significantly better high ISO performance compared to many other DSLR’s with video capabilities. There’s no reason why you can’t shoot very professional looking production with it (as shown in the Marit Larsen video) if you have the skill and knowledge. For more demanding productions, the inherent lower dynamic range and data fidelity will be a problem for post-production processing, especially if you compare the footage to ones from much more expensive professional video cameras, but for most types of indie and modest productions, it can look damn good if you light the scenes properly, don’t stress the dynamic range or push the colors too far during post production, and don’t need to do high-end special effects (which usually requires 4K resolution).

There are a bunch of third-party video-specific accessories you can buy to turn the 5D Mark III into a more serious video camera, such as steadycam rigs, magnifiers for the LCD, focus pulling devices, and so on. If I ever want to shoot anything serious, I have no doubt the 5D Mark III will serve me well.

Here is a comprehensive video showing examples I shot with 5D Mark III, as well as direct comparison shootout between the 5D Mark III, the Canon VIXIA HF11, and Panasonic Lumix LX5. The shootout compares the video capabilities of DSLR camera, compact camera, and camcorder, exploring the pros and cons of each, and why you would want to use one type of camera over the others depending on the kind of shooting you do:

5D Mark III video samples + shootout comparisons – Part 1 (1080p Full HD available)

5D Mark III video samples + shootout comparisons – Part 2 (1080p Full HD available)

Although videos from the 5D Mark III is richer in color, has more dynamic range and latitude for post-processing, that image quality comes at the price of convenience. Even if you just want to shoot typical home videos of your kids and pets, you still need to have some skill in focus pulling and tracking subjects in order to get decent videos with a DSLR like the 5D Mark III. It really isn’t suitable for just casual shooting, and is much more suitable for serious video productions where manual focus pulling is the norm.

Accessories
I already have a Speedlite 580EX, so I’ve got flash covered. I really dislike using a huge hotshoe flash though–it adds too much bulk to the camera. I wish the 5D Mark III had an on-camera flash with rotatable flash head–that would really make my day. I have no idea why no one’s done it yet. How hard could it be to make an on-camera flash head rotatable? The Sony NEX-7 already does this by accident, so it’ll only take a little bit more effort to make it a reality.

I did get an additional battery, as well as the AC adapter, for really long sessions where I know I have a power outlet nearby and the session will chew through both batteries.

I’m all set in terms of lenses. As much as I’d like to upgrade my “lesser” lenses to superior ones, I’m actually fairly content with all my lenses currently, and only if they start to fail me would I consider replacing them. (My current lenses are: EF 70mm-200mm f/2.8 L IS, EF 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 12mm-24mm f/4.5/5.6, and Tamron 28mm-75mm f/2.8) In my focus tests, I did discover that the 50mm f/1.4 and the Tamron were having trouble with this situaton:

Those two lenses were having trouble locking onto horizontal ridges using the cross-type AF points and the horizontal AF points, but the double cross-type AF points worked just fine. They were able to lock onto the vertical ridges fine, even if it’s significantly lower in contrast. The 70-200 didn’t have any problems with either, and the Sigma was also pretty good, though the vertical ridges were too low in contrast when seeing through such a wide-angle lens. I’m guessing the fact that the 70-200 is an expensive, professional “L” series lens, is what separated it from the pack, and I’m tempted to replace all my lenses with “L” series ones. But this kind of testing is limited to a very specific scenario, and I may never come across a similar situation again when shooting.

Another interesting and related discovery, was that the Sigma didn’t get confused by repeating patterns such as this one:

All the other lenses would get confused by the repeating pattern and beep as if it has achieved focus lock, but the image would actually look like this:

This is an inherent flaw in the design of phase-detection autofocusing systems, and all cameras using this system (pretty much all mirror/prism-based SLR cameras) have this problem. I’m guessing the Sigma didn’t get confused because the ultra wide-angle somehow offset the split images from the prism enough to not make them overlap exactly (if I’m wrong, somebody please tell me).

I don’t plan on getting the battery grip for the 5D Mark III, since that defeats the purpose of going with a smaller/lighter body. I figured out a way to get the handstrap for the 1D series onto the 5D Mark III even without the battery grip though, and I also rigged a homemade rapid shooting strap (inspired by all the rapid shooting straps on the market such as the products from CarrySpeed and BlackRapid).

I originally made the rapid shooting strap for the 1D Mark II:

And then modified it for the 5D Mark III:

As you can see, it’s just parts scrounged from various spares I had lying around in my studio. The shoulder strap is the one I’ve been using on the 1D Mark II for ages, and I tied a spare strap I took from a large CD/DVD binder to it, then tied a knot on one strap to be used as a stopper, so the strap will automatically rotate back into place when I put down the camera. The tripod mount screw was extracted from a broken tripod plate I wasn’t using anymore, and that allowed me to attach a key-ring, which I flatten a bit with a plier so it won’t slip out, and then attached the strap to it. There’s also a small snap hook (which is used to attach the handstrap) that came from an unused small camera pouch. The sliding, movable snap hook that’s attached to the key-ring came from a strap on an old laptop bag, and is what makes this whole rig a true rapid shooting strap, allowing the camera to slide up and down the strap freely.

So why did I make a homemade version? Well, obviously I can afford to buy a rapid shooting strap, so it wasn’t to save money. Mostly, I just like to tinker with gadgets and tools and make stuff, so I guess it’s just for the hell of it. I mean, there’s a reason why Elena and I are pack rats–we save all kinds of broken stuff just so we can cannibalize them and utilize their parts for some DIY project in the future. If I didn’t make this rapid shooting strap, what the hell else could I have done with those spare parts?

Conclusion

The things I love the most about the 5D Mark III are:

-Excellent high ISO performance
-Improved AF system with more flexibility
-Enough resolution for aggressive cropping
-Good ergonomics and flexible controls

The things that I wish could be better:

-AI Focus reaction time can be faster. It’s slow enough that most people never use it, which is a shame because it’s such a clever idea.

-I would love to have an on-camera flash with rotatable flash head.

-I hate that I can’t customize what information shown in the image playback on the LCD screen. Every time I want to see what ISO setting is, I’d have to change to another view mode, which shrinks the image to just a fraction of the display’s size, while the information takes up most of the screen. I’d much rather be able to set what information I want shown, and whether I want them overlapped on the image or force the image to be shrunken.

On the web, there are a lot of people bitching about how the Nikon D800 is a superior camera that costs a lot less. They get so wound up in that comparison that they seem to have forgotten the reason why we are photographers. For me, I would’ve been happy with either camera, because objectively, both are excellent cameras, and if the D800 didn’t exist, people would have nothing to compare to, thus enjoy the 5D Mark III as the excellent camera it is. I have Canon mount lenses, so it was kind of a no-brainer to go with the Canon. I’m just not into the idea of selling off all my lenses and rebuilding a system around Nikon, as I’d likely lose money doing that, not to mention it’s a big hassle. In every generation of competing products, there will always be a victor, but these competitors are constantly leapfrogging each other. If we continually climb to the other side of the fence at every product release, it’s only going to complicate our lives more. Me, I’d rather just enjoy shooting.

Am I happy with the 5D Mark III? Hell yes. It’s going to serve me well for many years to come–until we reach the next stage in technological advances.

5D Mark III Gallery
Here are some more shots I’ve taken with the 5D Mark III:


1/350 @ f/4, ISO 3200, 75mm


1/90 @ f/2, ISO 800, 50mm


1/60 @ f/2, ISO 800, 50mm


1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 640, 65mm


1/60 @ f/2.8, ISO 400, 75mm


1/45 @ f/2.8, ISO 4000, 50mm


1/45 @ f/1.4, ISO 6400, 50mm


1/90 @ f/4, ISO 400, 75mm


1/60 @ f/4, ISO 6400, 75mm


1/60 @ f/4, ISO 4000, 75mm


1/60 @ f/4, ISO 4000, 75mm


1/30 @ f/2.8, ISO 320, 28mm

April 19, 2012

Leaving China soon

Filed under: Books,Computers & Gadgets,Film/TV/Animation,Latest Works,My Life/Musings,Photography,Site News — Rob @ 9:15 pm

NEWS:
Elena and I are currently making plans to move back to The States. China’s gotten too toxic for us. There’s new toxic food scandals in the news in increasing frequency, and it’s far too scary to stay here, unable to tell which of the foods we buy are safe.

Just recently, even medicine have been tested as being toxic, containing poisonous heavy metals. The capsules used for thirteen over-the-counter medicine products have been flagged as having the poisonous capsules. The toxic capsules are made from processed old leather scraps (such as old shoes, hand bags). The immoral manufacturers try to cut costs that way instead of using food-grade gelatin.

It boggles my mind how short-sighted and stupid these people are. It’s not as if there’s an underground criminal network where they all know each other and can avoid the poisons that each other produces. So essentially, they are all just ingesting the poisons produced by fellow black-hearted food and medicine manufacturers from all over the country, and happily participating in this massive, slow suicide. For a country that’s notorious for being arrogant about how clever its people are, this is idiocy on a massive level that could only be described as the epic fail of an entire country.

Anyway, we’ll be flying back to The States sometime in May to look for a new home. We’re currently considering the Solano and Sacramento counties (closer to our price range, but still California). If any of you live in those areas and want to share some opinions on where best to live (safe, nice neighborhoods), or want hang out when we get there, just drop me a line.

SITE NEWS:
There’s now a The Best of Kitty Cat Diary section:

It’s been over ten years since I started posting Kitty Cat Diary entries, and by now, there are over 1,260 photos, so I decided to select my favorite ones and put them into a separate section.

WEBLOG:
After putting up with painfully slow bootup times (between five to ten minutes) for a few months on my main computer, I had enough and decided to upgrade to a solid state drive for the OS (Windows 7, 64-bit). The culprit for the exasperating slow speed was the old 80 GB SATA drive I was using, which was performing far below typical hard drives of similar specs. I ran some benchmarks, and the numbers told me just how slow the old drive was running:

maxtor_80GB.jpg

No wonder it took forever to bootup and load all the startup apps. Those numbers are shameful.

Here’s an old IDE drive that’s out-performing it:

samsung_ide_200GB.jpg

This is what typical SATA drives are supposed be like:

hitachi_3TB.jpg

I had no idea why the old 80 GB SATA drive was performing so badly, but it was the perfect excuse to finally experience SSD for myself, after having read so much about its legendary speed.

I hopped over to tomshardware.com to see some benchmarks for current SSD’s, and then to newegg.com to checked out the ratings and customer feedback. I ended up getting the Intel SSDSA2CW120G3 120 GB–modestly priced and with good performance. It came with a data migration software (technically, a lite version of Acronis True Image Home 2010), and it moved my OS to the SSD just fine, but I was getting odd error messages during bootup like missing language packs, or can’t boot from the CD, and other persistent weirdness. Eventually I got the sucker to bootup my migrated OS, but only after scouring the web for solutions, trying various tricks, and an endless string of expletives.

And HOLY COW, the legendary speed of running the OS on a SSD drive is no joke! Check out how fast the SSD performs in comparison:

Intel_SSD_120GB.jpg

I bet my neighbors heard the victory grunt I voiced when the OS booted up on the new SSD for the first time.

It used to take anywhere from five to ten minutes to bootup the OS and load all the startup apps, but now it only takes about a minute and ten seconds. It’s still not as fast as it could be though. My other computer that’s four-years old (also running Windows 7, 64-bit) boots up in under half of that time, and it’s running the OS off of a typical 7,200 rpm SATA hard drive (but that computer isn’t loading as many different drivers and apps during startup, being a dedicated DAW machine). I could probably do more tweaking and shorten the bootup time even more, but it’s already such a huge improvement compared to before that I’m not interested in sinking any more time into the matter. I’m just enjoying the upgrade and how fast all the apps bootup. Even a slow booting app like Photoshop now only takes about four seconds.

All in all, I would say the speed is worth the expensive asking price of SSD technology, but only for the OS drive. For typical storage, SATA hard drives are still much more cost efficient (especially now we have terabyte drives costing the same as the gigabyte drives from just a few years ago). I hear that hybrid drives (using SSD only as the cache) are also a good choice, having the best of both worlds. Maybe I’ll look into that next, but for now, my rig is running smoothly, and that’s the best I dare to hope for, having been through some maddening computer-related problems in the past.

…

I finished reading The Hunger Games trilogy recently (haven’t seen the movie yet though). The books were briskly paced and the plot entertaining, but the premise was too far-fetched for me.

I didn’t for one minute believe that the characters in such a world wouldn’t have on-going conversations about, or attempts to find out what might be happening outside of Panem, or what the world was like before Panem and how they could have regressed so much. Even the fact that such a thing as The Hunger Games would even exist at all, was completely beyond my ability for suspension of disbelief. I didn’t believe it in Battle Royale‘s premise either, but at least that story had a somewhat delirious, surreal tone that’s meant to be kind of tongue-in-cheek.

Suspension of disbelief issues aside, I enjoyed the story, and finished all three books. That is a compliment, since I can’t remember the last time I actually read a trilogy from beginning to end without interruption. I think Suzanne Collins’ background as a television writer really honed her ability to craft engaging pacing and plot that’s all muscle and no flab.

I liked most of the characters in the books (especially Cinna and Finnick), but I’m not a fan of Katniss. This is a common problem in first-person narratives, where all the supporting characters are actually more interesting than the main character, yet you have to experience the story through the most boring character in the cast (I had the same problem with Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb). Well, at least Katniss is still more interesting than Bella Swan could ever hope to be.

Speaking of which, I tried to force myself to read Twilight a few days ago as a form of research, to see why it became such a phenomenal success, and I just couldn’t get through the first few chapters. I had to stop because the writing was just abysmal (I dislike trashing another writer like this–I usually try to show some restraint and be diplomatic, but in this case, just…wow).

The writing was essentially at the level of bad fan fiction, with awkward syntax, self-conscious diction, terrible grammar (and I’m not talking about creative usage, but simply ignorance), and a main character that I couldn’t stand to be around because she’s so incredibly dull, insecure, ungrateful, and shallow. It was a torture to read what’s essentially the angst-ridden diary of such a drab, unremarkable person.

And then it hits me. Bella is the fictional representation of typical Twilight readers, sharing similar traits with them, and these readers are simply living vicariously through her. They get to have a romance with an impossibly pretty boy that they can’t have sex with, while inexplicably attracting various other boys without ever having shown any traits that deserve such attention. What girl wouldn’t kill to be able to attract males without any effort at all, and no amount of clumsy shyness will diminish her allure? Is it any wonder that Twilight is so damn popular? It’s feeding the shallow vanity and wish-fulfillment of girls everywhere, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if these girls grow up and read an unhealthy number of trashy romance novels as their main literary diet.

Another thing that irritated me was Bella’s fake modesty. She won’t even acknowledge the fact that maybe those boys simply think she’s hot. I’m sorry, but every single attractive female I know is aware of her own beauty in some way, regardless of how insecure she might be or if she ever admits to it. There’s no way in hell a girl who moves into town and immediately gains a loyal male fan-base that follows her around like puppy dogs, isn’t in some way aware of her own physical beauty or is glad to be pretty–even if it’s just in secret. So not only is Bella a boring and unremarkable character, she’s also unrealistic because the author has no idea how to write believable characters (if you search the web, you’ll find lots of people accusing Bella Swan to be a Mary Sue).

The entire story of Twilight hinges on shallow physical attraction and nothing else (he’s so pretty, and she smells good. Seriously?). Romeo and Juliet had a shallow romance too, but at least the story had enjoyable prose propping up the love affair, and the tragic romance itself isn’t the ultimate point of the story–it merely served as a lens in which to examine the blind hatred between two aristocratic families, conveying how absurd and petty most human conflicts are. Without that crucial component, Romeo and Juiet would never have endured all these centuries.

Let’s hope that something else much better comes along to capture the hearts of young readers everywhere, gets adapted into popular movies, and ends up as a household name.

Oh wait, it’s already happened. Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

…

Quickie TV and Movie reviews:

The Walking Dead (Season Two) The firing of Frank Darabont was a big surprise, since he’s such a revered director, and the one who brought the whole thing together. But I suppose because it’s an adaptation, the studio felt safer to fire Darabont than if it was an original series that was created and written by him. As an adaptation, they at least already have a road map to reference, so as long as they don’t veer too far from the general vibe, it’s really more of a matter of logistics (considering the reasons why Darabont was fired).

Season two dragged on for a while, and then finally picked up pace with the barn plot twist. The tone of the episodes after the long hiatus between episode seven and eight were distinctly different. The new direction was less introspective and more straightforward action, and I have mixed feelings about the change; the quicker pace was more exciting, but it sometimes bordered on cheap sensationalism and soap-opera-like manipulation. If this continues, the series would be in danger of becoming too campy.

I’m still looking forward to season three though. Glen Mazzara (who replaced Frank Darabont) would have to really screw the pooch for me to give up on this series.

Ink – Ink is an indie sci-fi movie made with shoe-string budget, and has gained a cult following, but actually not very good. There’s cheap-looking, and then there’s Ink–which has that homemade video trying to look cinematic instead of just embracing what it really is. The director seemed to do action sequences best, but as a storyteller in general, he’s just not very good. The premise was interesting, but the world-building and the characters were so convoluted and one-dimensional that the whole thing amounts to not much more than an exercise in style over substance. The emotional core of the story that is the plot twist, was so predictable and unoriginal that enduring the movie all the way to the ending didn’t seem worth it.

I’m generally not a fan of the whole one-man production approach. I’ve seen too many examples of that over the years, and 99% of them were disappointing. Why choose to expressive your creative vision in a medium where you are handicapped and penalized for being a lone artist, and will be compared to much bigger productions? Why not tell your story in a medium where the playing field is completely flat, while budget and manpower has no bearing on how good of a story you can tell–mediums such as novels and graphic novels?

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – I was really looking forward to Brad Bird’s first live action feature film, curious to see if his directorial voice carries over from animation. After seeing the movie, I was neither disappointed or impressed. Maybe it’s because he didn’t write it, but the movie didn’t have a distinct vision–any number of today’s working directors could’ve directed it. In other words, I didn’t really sense any of Brad’s uniqueness in the direction–it was just another blockbuster action movie.

Léa Seydoux was really something though. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her countenance reminded me of the kind of sensual, sweet allure that Kate Moss showed in her 1996 L’Oreal audition tape. Some women just have it, and it’s not due to looks, but how a woman feels on the inside and carries herself.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – A spy thriller that’s all about the psychological and emotional conflicts–basically what spycraft is like in real life, as opposed to how it’s usually depicted in most movies.

I had totally forgotten that Gary Oldman is actually an English actor, due to all the American roles he’s played over the years. He was very good in the movie, playing someone with so much self-control, which is opposite of the kind of explosive characters he often plays.

Buried – One guy, locked inside a coffin, for the entire movie. It was pretty clever, and kept me interested enough to want to see the ending, but it was also really boring to watch once I got over the novelty of the concept in the first twenty minutes. When you realize the entire movie is going to be just one guy in a dark coffin, you’ll be tempted to do something else while the movie plays, because you figure you won’t miss much if you just listened to the dialogues. I ended up doing other things on the computer while letting the movie play, and I didn’t miss a thing.

The Adventures of Tintin – This was probably the most disappointing film from Spielberg I’ve seen in decades. It lacked the charm of the source material, and on its own, didn’t have enough emotional resonance to compliment the action/adventure elements. I can’t help but feel that adding an interesting female protagonist to the Tintin and Haddock duo (well, trio, if you count Snowy) would have made the story a bit more well-rounded.

December 20, 2011

2012 New Year’s Resolutions

Filed under: Art & CG,Audio & Music,Books,Computers & Gadgets,Film/TV/Animation,My Life/Musings,Writing — Rob @ 6:35 pm

WEBLOG:
It’s that time of the year again–New Years Resolutions. Let’s see how I did in 2011 first.

Here were the resolutions I made for 2011, and how I fared:

1) Continue to focus on music when I have the time and elevate the quality of my work to the next level and replace pretty much everything that’s currently on my site with better, newer, improved tracks. Also redesign the music page on my site so it’s more streamlined.

I actually didn’t get to spend much time on music in 2011, and only finished one track. I’ve been focusing on writing novels instead. I had built up a good momentum and I didn’t want to interrupt it. Novel-writing is an arduous endeavor, and it’s not easy to keep a momentum going, so when things are going well, you’d best not stop for anything.

I will definitely still work on my music, but for now, my writing is placed at higher priority.

2) Create a new workshop since the current one has run its course (after repeated runs). I have a list of topics I’d want to focus on, and it’ll be hard narrowing it down to just one. Also, I’m very meticulous and a perfectionist, so it’ll likely take a while to create. The current workshop took me over a year and half to create, so this is really serious hard work.

Turned out Becoming A Better Artist has not run its course and is still going strong. The latest run I’m teaching was only one vacancy short of selling out, and after two years of running almost back-to-back nonstop, that’s pretty remarkable. So it looks like I’ll continue to improve/evolve the workshop and I’ll go on teaching it, until one day it does run its course.

Recently, the alumni students forum I’ve been wanting to create finally became a reality, and now all of my past students get to hangout together in a private forum dedicated to them, where they can support and help each other, and I’ll continue to mentor them there for as long as they feel they still need my help. The access to the alumni students’ lounge is permanent, so it’s a really good place to build a community. They’ll also always have access to the latest versions and updates of the course material as I evolve/expand it. So basically, my workshop is unlike any other out there–it’s sort of like a gift that keeps on giving.

3) I’ve gotten some good writing done in 2010–stuff that actually reads back satisfyingly, as opposed to making me cringe. I think this is a sign that I’ve matured and grown as a writer, and I suspect it’s getting close to that time where I concentrate on finishing a novel or screenplay and send it out there to meet publishers/studios.

I was right in my forecast, and all throughout 2011, I wrote nonstop, and my writing effort has upped its seriousness level to DEFCON 3. In the past, it’s always been just DEFCON 5, or maybe 4. Does the rating seem kind of abstract? Well, I sort of see it like this:

DEFCON 5 – Strategy on paper but no action taken. Have some cool ideas and will jot them down, but will not actually take action to pursue them.

DEFCON 4 – Locked and loaded, and shots fired. Actually writing, but without a sense of grim determination and urgency to see it through as finished works ready to be submitted to agents. There may be long stretches between writing anything–it’s really more like a hobby fueled by inspiration rather than discipline.

DEFCON 3 – Heated battles raging. Determined and focused, and writing regularly as part of a daily routine (whenever possible), and it’s only a matter of time before the work is completed and sent out to agents.

DEFCON 2 – Missiles launched and heading for targets. Manuscripts have been sent out and dealing with rejections or negotiations.

DEFCON 1 – Targets destroyed, and all out global destruction imminent. Agent signed, book deal signed, and dealing with pre-publishing details like cover art, font choices, marketing strategies, and so on.

I wrote roughly 41,000 words in 2011, and while that’s not a lot by some people’s standards, I’m the type to write/revise/edit as I go, instead of banging out a first draft and then do revisions and edits later. If I just forged ahead on first drafts, I’d easily have at least double that in a year. I’m hoping to pick up the pace in 2012, but ultimately, it’s the quality of the writing that counts.

So just what the hell have I been writing? Those of you who have been followed my blog probably already know, but here’s a recap of what I’ve working on:

Promise – A bitter sweet, dark, modern fairy tale about love, faith, and sacrifice. This is the story I’ve been working on in different forms since 1998. It started as an idea for a graphic novel, then was written as a short story, then went into development as an animated short film (but funding fell through), then was planned as a multimedia novel, and now finally, being written as a novel. This is currently the main project I’m working on, and I want to finish this one first, since I sort of see it as the “defining work” due to it having been in development for thirteen years already, and a story I feel compelled to tell.

Silent Storm – A psychological supernatural thriller that examines the relationship between obsession, illusions, and happiness. I’ve been working on this one off and on for more than ten years.

Oceanica – A sci-fi novel about a teenage girl’s involvement in a galactic conspiracy. This one has been in various stages of development for probably twenty years now.

Undead Souls – A post-apocalyptic zombie novel that investigates whether it’s possible to rebuild society after a total collapse, and how to avoid all the major mistakes of previous civilizations.

In 2012, I’d like to push even harder and finish at least one of these books and get it in a state that’s ready for agent hunting.

4) I’d love to spend more time working out, but every single year I fail at this. Will 2011 be any different?

Hahaha. I failed again, and I suspect I’ll continue to fail at this. I just don’t enjoy working out for the sake of working out, and all the physical activities I used to enjoy when I lived in the States aren’t suitable or popular in China.

I’ve always been more disciplined when it comes to mental challenges than physical ones though. It no wonder all my passions are mental ones and not physical ones (well, music involves physical challenges too, but they are minor compared to endeavors that are really physically draining).

Anyway, I’m never going to make any resolutions about working out again from now on. If I do it, great, if not, so be it.

5) If I happen to finish my current batch of music before 2011 ends, I might change my focus the multimedia novel project again.

Nope. The multimedia novel project is put on hold indefinitely as I’m now totally focused on writing novels, and I’d like to see how far I can take that.

So, besides continuing the resolutions from the previous year, do I have any new ones for 2012? Not really. The ones carrying over from the previous year are all long-term goals, and they are the main things I’m focusing on in my life currently, so I’ll just keep up the momentum and hopefully push a bit harder.

…

I just had another Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB hard drive acting up on me, and lost hundreds of gigabytes of data. Thankfully, most of it was backed up regularly. It’s only about a year old too, and not even used much. I had another Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB hard drive malfunctioning on me several months ago, and that one was also barely used. A few months before that, a 200GB Barracuda also acted up and had to be replaced.

That’s three Seagate Barracuda hard drives that’s failed on me in the last couple of years, and because of this, I have now sworn to never buy Seagate ever again.

I’ve ordered a Hitachi Deckstar 3TB, and I hope that one will last much longer. I still have a bunch of Seagate Barracuda hard drives in my computers, and that makes me kind of nervous. I hope the three that’s failed so far are just a coincidence, and the rest will be fine.

I did check the firmware for the failed drives and some didn’t have any new firmware to update to, and some did, but having updated the firmware doesn’t seem to solve the problems. I’ll keep trying to salvage those drives, but in general, since a hard drive becomes unstable, you can no longer trust it again, and should only use it for unimportant stuff that you don’t mind losing.

…

I recently finished reading The Binding Chair: or, A Visit from the Foot Emancipation Society, by Kathryn Harrison. I have read two previous books by her (The Kiss, and Exposure), and I loved the beauty of the prose in a Mother’s Day essay she wrote over ten years ago, titled Supplicant.

The Binder chair is written in third-person, and lacks the kind of emotional intimacy that Harrison is capable of expressing when she writes in first person point-of-view. That would have been fine if the book was compelling anyway, but in the end, I was disappointed by the book. It is guilty of all the things that genre fiction writers and readers can’t stand about literary fiction, such as the meandering, plotless story, the fragmented structure and slow pacing, the willful vagueness, and characters that you just don’t care about. The only times when the book became interesting was when the story was told in a straightforward manner instead of with all the literary pretensions. And I’m saying this as someone who likes and writes literary fiction.

Harrison shapes the main character in ways that feels inauthentic, and at times, even ludicrous. She doesn’t seem to really understand the psychic landscape of the Chinese people, and for all the research she did and the stories her grandmother (who lived in Shanghai) told her, Harrison never actually reached into the heart of culture. There was one particular scene that almost made me want to throw the book across the room–it was when May, the main character, burned paper money to mark the death of her previous self so she could begin a new life. That is such a western way of thinking, and it is completely unfathomable to any Chinese person who has grown up in China–not only during that era, but even now in the 21st century. Has Harrison ever actually had in-depth discussions with anyone who had grown up in China before? If she had actually talked to anyone who’s from China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, she would have learned how ridiculous of an idea that is–that no Chinese person would ever do such a thing.

When authors write about the inner world of characters in a foreign culture, they really should research by actually asking people from that culture whether such thoughts and ways of thinking was even possible. Researching history, geography, economics, politics, and traditions is not enough–you need to research the psychic landscape of the people of that culture and understand what kind of ideas would be considered so outlandish that it would never even cross their minds.

Maybe only people who has lived the culture can spot the inauthentic aspects of stories written by those who are not part of the culture, and to everyone else, it doesn’t bother them at all. After all, if cultural authenticity is a factor for success, Amy Tan would never have become successful. If Amy Tan, someone who’s Chinese American and have Chinese relatives to draw inspiration from and do research with, produces what most Chinese people who grew up in Asia considers inauthentic portrayal of Chinese culture, then how could someone like Harrison possibly get it right?

Cultural authenticity aside, the book just didn’t do anything for me. I had to force myself to finish it, and there were several times when I was very tempted to just drop it and move on to another book (it’s not like I don’t have a gigantic list of books I’d like to read in this lifetime already). Nothing that happened in the book moved me or kept me interested, and the few interesting nuggets were never fully explored (such as the gifted pianist younger brother who had his hands crushed by his own father). The relationships between the main characters had no substance, being built on inexplicable and obtuse fascinations or selfish possessiveness, and the inner turmoil of the characters were always portrayed through a veil or from a distance. There were very few scenes where characters connected in a genuine manner, and maybe that’s what Harrison intended.

It’s disappointing that an author who once inspired me with the beauty of her prose has written something that turned out to be a chore to read through. Yes, the words themselves are very good–that is Harrison’s strength, but as a storyteller, she didn’t capture or keep my interest with this book, and it saddened me to read a book that proves the genre fiction readers and writers right–that some literary fiction books really are an unsatisfying and meandering bore.

…

Quickie movie reviews:

Enter The Void – I had to see this because I really enjoyed Irreversible, the previous film by Gaspar Noé. I liked certain aspects of this film, but I think it was a bit pretentious and repetitive, with a lot of unnecessary gimmicky cinematography. I respect the director for doing something different, and I hope he continues to do challenging work, but maybe reign it in a notch and focus on the storytelling more and less on the gimmickry.

Red – A predictable and safe spy comedy about retired operatives. The premise was more of a gimmick than actually having something to say about retired spies.

Kung Fu Panda 2 – I thought the first one was overrated, and I think the same of this sequel. The characters and the stories just don’t resonate with me. I enjoyed the score by John Powell though (he’s one of the best among the current popular Hollywood composers).

Unthinkable - A pretty good thriller, although it felt a bit forced at times, with a contrived setup for moral debates that ultimately don’t feel convincing.

Thor – A great popcorn flick, and not much to complain about. These comic book movies are getting better all the time. If only the same would happen for video game movies. To date, we haven’t had a single really good video game movie yet.

Drumline - I found out about this movie through an interview with the Korean girl pop group After School, where they talked about this movie being the inspiration for one of their songs (where they learned to play the marching snare drum and dressed in sexy versions of the marching band outfit).

This is an unusual movie because it’s not exactly the kind of topic most people would be interested in, but that’s why I like movies about esoteric endeavors–it sort of servers as a showcase, education and entertainment all at the same time. Nick Cannon is a terrible actor, but he was tolerable in this movie. Zoe Saldana was smoking hot. The way she danced in that cheerleading outfit was just…WOW.

30 Minutes Or Less – Another bromance comedy. It was pretty fun, and the villains were surprisingly likable. Aziz Ansari isn’t a good actor though. He may be a good comedian and does well in minor supporting roles where he just mouths off and cusses, but he can’t seem to handle anything that requires more dramatic weight. As soon as he’s required to emote beyond looking annoyed, he turns into a stiff robot. Dilshad Vadsaria was a cutie–I hope to see more of her in the future.

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