First Impressions – Olympus PEN E-PL3
This review is also featured at G Style Magazine which is a tech blog that focuses on the fashion aspect of tech. Please visit their site for the complete review and more images.
This review is also featured at G Style Magazine which is a tech blog that focuses on the fashion aspect of tech. Please visit their site for the complete review and more images.Today I received the Olympus PEN E-PL3. As you know, the Olympus PEN series is one the most popular mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras out on the market today. It also doesn’t hurt that the Micro Four Thirds format has a huge following and lots of support from third party lens makers. The PEN E-PL3 is Olympus’s third generation E-PL series and the first camera in the series to take a step in a slightly different direction.
Free App Deals – Push Panic!, Boost 2, Miss Spider’s Bedtime Story
Push Panic! – (Universal App) - Push Panic is an exciting and colorful new puzzle game that introduces four frantically fun game modes and fast-paced gameplay! Tap the boxes to blast combinations off the screen before the pile reaches the red panic bar and topples over! Push Panic includes 75 intense levels. Each of the four exhilarating game modes introduces explosive new challenges.
Boost 2 – (Universal App) – 3D tunnel racer.
Miss Spider’s Bedtime Story – (iPad Only) - Read, watch, listen, and play with Miss Spider and her buggy bunch as they earn special sleepy-time rewards in this interactive story that is really five apps in one. With multi-touch animation, painting, puzzles, and games, Miss Spider’s Bedtime Story for iPad reinvents the reading experience for the entire family. Make bedtime fun time with Miss Spider and her friendly bug pack.
TGWK’s Unboxing Images – Sony’s VCL-ECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens
Here’s an item I picked up for my NEX-5N that I’ve always wanted for a camera in general. I’ve always been a fan of fisheye photography so I figured since I have this fancy new camera now, I might as well get one. What you see here is the VCL-ECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens. It works in conjunction with the 16mm f/2.8 (SEL16F28) which I don’t have yet.
The VCL-ECF1 turns the 16mm lens into a fisheye lens in which the images taken by this combination take up the entire frame of an image and doesn’t have the annoying circular black border like cheaper fisheye adapters. The fisheye conversion lens attaches to the SEL16F28 like a lens hood so it’s also possible to attach it to the 18-55mm kit lens. This however isn’t suggested as the fisheye lens doesn’t exactly work with any other lens other than the 16mm one.
Hopefully when I get my 16mm lens later this week, I’ll be able to take some sample shots as well as a full review. Until then, enjoy the unboxing images.
Purchase this item on Amazon - Sony VCLECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens (Black)
Rokinon 7.5mm f/3.5 Fisheye Lens Available Now for Micro Four Thirds
Rokinon is a well knows lens manufacturer that makes specialty lenses for a wide range of cameras. This includes Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and other DSLRs. Recently they’ve also begun making lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras such as the Micro Four Thirds format and more recently, Sony’s E-mount format.
One of their newest lenses out right now is this Rokinon 7.5mm f/3.5 super wide angle fisheye lens. Rokinon is well known for their fisheye lenses and wide angle lenses and this one doesn’t disappoint. As you can see from the picture, it’s much smaller than some of their past fisheye lenses and much more aesthetically pleasing. It comes with a built in petal style hood and weighs only 6.2 oz. What makes these lenses so good is that images taken with these lenses fill up the entire frame of the image and do not have a circular black border like you see on cheaper fisheye adapters.
Specs:
- Aperture range: f/3.5 – 22
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 3.54 inches
- Optical Construction: 9 elements in 7 groups
- Maximum Diameter: 2.36 inches
- Angle of view 4/3″ – 180°
- Mount: Micro Four Thirds
The Rokinon 7.5mm f/3.5 fisheye lens is available in 2 different colors, black and silver, and retails for around $299 which is quite affordable for a dedicated fisheye lens of this quality. Note however that these lenses have to be used in manual mode and does not feature autofocus.
For Sony NEX E-mount owners, stay tuned because sometime in April/May, Rokinon will be releasing a 8mm f/2.8 lens which will update the current E-mount lens to the new smaller sizing.
Purchase this item on Amazon - Rokinon FE75MFT-B 7.5mm F3.5 UMC Fisheye Lens for Micro Four Thirds (Olympus PEN and Panasonic)
View the full gallery by clicking on the read more link below.
New Addition to The Gamer With Kids – Digital Photography
You may have noticed over the past few weeks the addition of digital camera related posts, mainly the review of the Sony NEX-5N and a few accessory posts. That’s because I’ve returned to a hobby I once enjoyed in my younger days and that is photography. In my younger years, especially when I was still in school, I used to use an old Nikon N-body with Sigma lenses. Back then I used to develop my own film and shot mainly with black and white film. This however ended once my schooling was over as I no longer had access to a dark room nor did I want to spend money constructing one at my parent’s house.
Over the years, I still shot photos but I was back to using color film that I would have someone develop for me. Obviously this wasn’t the same as I no longer had much control over the developing process. At that time, digital cameras were becoming quite popular, but mainly in the point and shoot variety. My SLR went into storage and I’ve had several point and shoots since then. I never really picked up a new DSLR due to the price of them at the time and the current crop of point and shoot digital cameras were more than adequate for my needs.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2012. I have 2 kids right now and I love taking pictures of them, however my youngest, who is only 9 months old, is now mobile and almost impossible to shoot with a regular point and shoot camera. I’m not sure if others have this problem but she is like the Flash and almost ever image of her was a blur. I said to myself, “now is the time to pick up a real camera.” In one of my earlier posts from this year, I had posted how I was on the search for a DSLR or one of those new mirrorless interchangeable lens system cameras. I was fortunate enough to borrow a friends Nikon D5000 and that really sparked my interest in real photography again. I knew I wanted something that allowed full control over my shots and I eventually went with a Sony NEX-5N as my own personal camera.
Instead of creating a new blog for my photography interests, I’ve decided to integrate it into my current blog, which is thegamerwithkids.com. Sure it has nothing to do with gaming, but it’s something that defines a part of me and this blog was created really to share my interests. Plus I’m sure a lot of parents out there face the same kind of problems I do when it comes to photographing their children. I’ll be mainly posting about mirrorless system cameras such as the Sony NEX series or the Olympus PEN since this is a natural step up from compact point and shoot cameras. This doesn’t mean that they are less capable than DSLRs though as that is not the case at all. In fact, with these new breed of cameras, you are able to take images that are just as good as traditional DSLRs and in a much smaller package.
I’d like to say thanks to all those who have been reading my blog and hope you’ll enjoy these new posts as well.
-Samuel, The Gamer With Kids
Free App Deals – Monkey Island Tales 1, Ninja Chicken 3, & SmartKids Picture Dictionary HD
Monkey Island Tales 1 - While stripping the evil pirate LeChuck of his demonic mojo, Guybrush Threepwood inadvertently infects the entire Caribbean with his arch-fiend’s voodoo. Guybrush must stop a mysterious pox that’s transforming buccaneers into unruly pirate monsters!
Ninja Chicken 3 - New Ninja Chicken is a action-packed game where you control two brave young Ninja Chickens that want to defeat the Samurai Pig and retrieve their stolen National treasures.
SmartKids Picture Dictionary HD – (iPad Only) - SmartKids Picture Dictionary HD is a dictionary of lively images, voices and sounds. It’s carefully designed to help children learn English vocabulary.
TGWK’s Review – Animal Zoo Match v1.0.1 (iOS)
Animal Zoo Matching is the latest children’s matching game from developer Minimax Games. This is their 3rd matching game they’ve come out with and it’s arguably their best so far. As you can tell by the title, the game features animals that you would mostly find at the zoo. What makes Animal Matching Zoo different from their previous matching games is the inclusion of a new mode. The game now features Mystery Mode which I’ll explain later but it makes the game a lot more challenging for children, especially those who think standard matching games are too easy.
Available and Upcoming Sony E-Mount Lenses From Tamron, Sigma, and Rokinon
Now that I’ve had a chance to review and use the Sony NEX-5N, I can honestly say that I’m in love with the camera, even though there are a few downsides to it, mainly the lack of available lenses at the moment. Sure you can use the many adapters that are available for the camera now to make use of lenses from Nikon, Canon, and Olympus, there are downsides to this, mainly the fact that this turns the NEX into a full manual camera.
The good news however is that there are 3rd party lenses either here already or on the way. Same goes for official Sony e-mount lenses. They are coming slowly, but they are coming. Below are the 3rd party lenses that are available now as well as those coming very soon from Rokinon, Tamron. and Sigma. In most cases, the 3rd party lenses are a bit more affordable than the Sony lenses but they don’t sacrifice price for quality. These 3 manufacturers are pretty well known in the photography circle so you can’t really go wrong with purchasing one of these.
TGWK’s Review – Sony NEX-5N + 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Kit Lens
If you read my initial impressions of the NEX-5N, then you know that I was very impressed with the overall build quality and feel of the NEX-5N. This was judged solely on my first impressions of the camera upon holding it and seeing it in person for the very first time and really being able to examine the build quality. Well, it’s been a good solid 3 weeks that I’ve had the camera now and have been able to shoot daily with it in a variety of different instances and situations. I’ve been able to examine how the camera functions in day-to-day usage as well as image quality. Has real world usage changed my feelings on the camera? Read more and find out.
Free App Deals – Dr. Seuss Band, Cars in Sandbox: Construction, & Fishdom HD
Dr. Seuss Band – (Universal App) - Experience the excitement as Dr. Seuss Band transforms your device into a vibrant, energetic musical instrument that all ages will enjoy! Jam along with playful Seussian melodies or create your own whimsical masterpiece. As you play, you’ll unlock new instruments, silly effects and catchy songs. Contains over 120 combinations of sounds, so you’ll always have something new to discover!
Cars in Sandbox: Construction – (Universal App) - This game will introduce most interesting category of transport – “construction vehicle” to your children
Different types of construction vehicle and road-building machinery are represented by toy cars. To show intended purposes of this category of car and it is actions in gaming simulation. What ways all this cars can be used according to its intended purpose and how it helps people in real world. The scene of the game is placed inside the sandbox to make process of learning easy for children. All cars are imitated in the game with excellent laying out of every specific and all of vehicles have accurate image. Our game includes a lot of beautiful animations and video and sound effects.
Fishdom HD – (iPad Only) - Build up and develop your Fishdom! Progress through challenging boards and solve immersive puzzles to earn cash. Use the money to buy eye-candy fish and attractive ornaments for your dream aquarium. Get accessories and supplies to create the perfect conditions for your finny pals and ensure their comfort. Win awards and upgrade your virtual tank as you perfect your aquarium design skills and have fun with the lovely fishy sims. Being a unique fusion of classic gameplay and innovative twists, this game with unlimited replayability will bring you lots of joyful moments!
Free App Deals – Bad Mouse, Puzzle Prism, & Assassin’s Creed Recollection
Bad Mouse – (Universal App) - The incredibly intelligent bad mouse brainwashes moles to destroy the world. Defense yourself from moles to save the world.
Puzzle Prism - Use various forms of blocks to fill the gaps between blocks. If you succeed it, the blocks will be exploded. Do it continuously to get large explosion.
Assassin’s Creed Recollection – (iPad Only) - Assassin’s Creed Recollection is a new iPad real-time board game from the Ubisoft Montreal studio that will allow players to live an entirely new experience in the world of Assassin’s Creed. Fans of the franchise will be able to discover and amass a wide variety of artwork created for the Assassin’s Creed games. They’ll also be able to compete in political battles in a real-time board game with key characters and locations from the games.
TGWK’s Review – Sony LCS-BBF Carrying Case for the NEX-5N
After the disaster with the previous Sony NEX-5N case that I purchased, I decided to go straight to the Sony branded case this time. I decided not to go with the leather case due to the price and instead went with this semi-soft padded case. This is a more traditional styled carrying case for the Sony NEX-5N and doesn’t require me to attach anything to the camera itself. The case itself is constructed of polyurethane and features a padded interior. The case is kept shut with the use of a fairly heavy duty zipper and includes a separate pouch that you can use to carry the optional flash unit and/or extra battery.
TGWK’s Review – A Fact Every Day v1.0 (iOS)
Wombi is known for their family friendly children’s games and apps and their latest entry, A Fact Every Day, continues this trend. A Fact Every Day is just as you would expect it to be. It’s an app that presents 1 new fact every day for an entire year. That means that the app contains 365 days worth of new facts for children to learn. That’s a lot of facts and more than I’ve seen on similarly styled apps. A Fact Every Day also goes above and beyond some similar apps with with the inclusion of voice overs for all the facts as well as illustrations and not just text.
Free App Deals – Plunderland, Fix-it-up: World Tour, & Top Gear: Where’s Stig?
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Fix-it-up: World Tour & Fix-it-up: World Tour HD - Go global in this fantastic strategy adventure! In this sequel to “Fix-it-up: Kate’s Adventure”, you must help Kate expand her car-repair empire around the world! Build car-repair shops anywhere from snowy Canada to steaming African jungles. Buy cars, fix them and paint them to make your business prosperous. Earn your fortune in your quest to build the mansion of your dreams. You must make sure that you create what the clients want so you can set the prices high! Increase the quality of your offers by upgrading buildings and tuning the cars so they don’t pollute the environment. Hire the best specialists so you can get cars up and running in no time! But this game isn’t just mechanics! Find out how the fascinating love story of Kate ends. Who will she choose – Steve or Martin?
Top Gear: Where’s Stig? & Top Gear: Where’s Stig? HD - The Stig has finally had enough – enough of the limelight, and more than enough of wannabe speed demons trying to race past him in the fast lane. So he’s going under deep cover where no one will ever find him. No one, that is, except maybe you. So travel the world looking for our nameless, faceless hero – plus a few of his Top Gear friends. Maybe he’s hidden himself in the darkest jungles of Botswana. Thinks he’ll blend in nicely at the North Pole. Or is cleverly keeping a very low profile in the Top Gear studio. Wherever he goes, you’ll have fun looking for the elusive, silent, masked hero.
Free App Deals – IncrediBooth, Toca Hair Salon, & Voltage
IncrediBooth – (Universal App) - A Photo Booth in your Pocket – Awesome Photo Strips Anywhere!
Toca Hair Salon – (Universal App) - Let your kids run their own Toca Hair Salon! Cut, color, comb and blow-dry lifelike hair on six different cute characters. Using your fingers you can make any hair style you want! And of course – take a snapshot and save your creations!
Voltage – (Universal App) - Build the high voltage circuit and watch it disappear in colourful sparks of tameless electricity. Race against the ticking timer or relax in unlimited mode. Compete with other players through OpenFeint scoring system.
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