The First Wacom Philippine Product Launch

A true creative, as the saying goes, does not use a mouse to draw, to edit photos, nor to edit videos. To be a really productive artist, one needs to use, in a computer, a tablet for drawing. As another saying goes, “drawing with a mouse is like drawing with a bar of soap!” It can be done, but it isn’t easy...

One of the best brands when it comes to tablets is Wacom. Ever since I’ve started my digital photography, I’ve never been without one. And it has served me well!

So it made me really happy that they are officially launching here in the Philippines! On July 13, 2017, at the Draft Gastro Pub in Greenbelt, Makati, Wacom held their very first press launch! At the said event, they launched their line of Cintiq tablets, Intuos tablets, Bamboo Slate and Bamboo Styli. Every artists of every inclination will have something that will make them happy; and more productive!

Company officials from Wacom also made official Wacom’s partnership with the Philippine Society of IT Educators (PSITE), an institution that promotes IT education in the country.

Wacom was represented by Mr. KS Ong, Wacom Senior Director for Marketing in Asia Pacific, while PSITE was represented by Dr. Neil Balba and Dr. Rolando Lansingan, President and VP External of PSITE respectively.

Of course, the Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the signatories on a Wacom Cintiq tablet.

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The Sony Alpha 9 Philippine Launch

It is not everyday that I get to attend a product launch in a gym. But on June 20, 2017, at the posh Kerry Sports at the Bonifacio Global City, Sony Philippines launched their latest mirrorless camera: the Sony Alpha 9.

The reason for the gym setting, as one of the Sony executive present intimated, was to highlight the new camera’s prowess in capturing athletes in their natural environ - in sporting events. In such a setting, speed is critical because things can happen really, really fast. And the sports photographer should be ready to capture such moments. With its fast focusing speed, plenty of autofocus points, and high buffer rate whether one shoots in RAW or JPEG make the Alpha 9 a very capable sports camera. And the fact that it is also weather-sealed means even outdoor sports can be covered by this.









A Sony representative demonstrated the prowess of the camera by shooting two boxers that were sparring at the event. Media people were able to get some hands-on time with demo units and the Alpha 9 surely impressed. It not only focuses on what I wanted to shoot quickly but, once it’s locked, even if something crosses in front of the subject, the Alpha 9 still retains what it was focused on. Sadly, I don’t have sample photos to show you since we were not provided SD cards that we can take home. Instead, all the photos that appeared here were taken with my iPhone 7.








(Note to camera brands: why not give media people a small SD card, say 512MB, so that we can take home sample photos of your cameras instead of us bloggers just saying that your cameras can do such-and-such? Thanks.)

Ergonomics-wise, the Alpha 9 felt good in the hand. It felt as if all the knobs and buttons are in the right place and within one’s reach. And it felt rigid and solid that I felt that the camera can take a beating.

The Sony Alpha 9 will be available in the Philippines at Sony Centers and authorized distributors starting on July 1, 2017. It will retail for 239,999 pesos.

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The SM MoA Fireworks and the Canon G7x Mark II

I absolutely love fireworks. And photographing them has been one of my most favorite thing to do as a photographer.

So, around March, whenever there is a fireworks display in SM MoA, the wife and I, together with my niece and her boyfriend, trek out to the Manila Bay area to watch the spectacular fireworks show.

Also, it was a good chance to test the mettle of the Canon G7x Mark II (my review) in capturing the fireworks display.

I must say, the G7x Mark II performed admirably in capturing the fireworks show. Set in a sturdy tripod, the camera took shot after shot of the spectacle.


















A few caveats though...

One of the weakest points in the Canon camera experience is the iOS app. (As I don't have an android phone, I cannot comment on the status of the app in that system...) I always like to geotag my photos so that I will know precisely where I took my photos. But with the app, sometimes, the recording of the geo-locations stops. I don't know why... So, on my iPhone, I have the app open all the time. Even if the screen turns off, when I open the phone up, the app would be the first thing I will see. So far, this has worked out for me.
















Also, with the latest version of the app, geotagging photos takes a really, really long time…

Another thing, I tried taking photos using this same app as my remote control. However, the time it takes for me to take a photo using the app to the camera actually taking the photo takes a measurable amount of time! By the time the photo was taken, the fireworks has already dissipated out and all I got was a dark sky. So, I ended up activating the the touch shutter where touching the screen triggers picture taking. I was worried though that touching the screen would shake the camera, but, as you can see, my photos did not come out blurred.










Another downside to using the app to trigger picture taking was, it turned out, the app stopped recording geo-locations! So, when I geotagged my photos using the app, some of the photos didn't get any geo-locations.

And, oh, if I transferred the photos via wifi, the photos I end up getting don't have geo-locations. If I transfer the same photos using the Apple SD-to-Lightning adopter, the photos are geotagged. I don't who has the problem here, if it's Apple or Canon, but someone has to look at it...












Anyway, the Canon G7x Mark II has proven time and again, for me, that it is a very capable camera. I just wish the iOS app is improved soon...

As always, the Canon G7x Mark II is Highly Recommended.

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The Sony α6500 Camera Launch

Last January 20, 2017, at the very cozy restaurant Marmalade Kitchen in Bonifacio Global City, Sony launched its latest flagship APS-C mirrorless camera: the α6500.

The α6500 has the following specifications:  

• it shoots 24 megapixel stills 
• does 4K video shoots
• 425 focus points
• shoots at 11 frames per second
• 307 buffer images
• in-body 5-axis image stabilization
• a touch screen
• an electronic view finder
• has wifi, bluetooth and NFC antennas

among other things.

To demo the camera, Sony Philippines treated the attendees to the cooking of Chef Portia Baluyut of Rustic Mornings. And while she cooks, Food and Lifestyle photographer Gabby Cantero demonstrated what the α6500 can do. She shot stills and videos and she even made a short demo on the way she does food photography.

The Sony α6500 starts at 82, 000 Philippine Pesos, body only.

The photos were made with the Canon G7x Mark II. You can find my review of that camera here!

Photos edited on an iPad using the iOS app VSCO

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