Mate, very nice...I thought you had Sony NEX5 or something similar...

Very nice Mike!

I had the NEX-5n and had a Panasonic FT-1 Waterproof.
When i saw the AW-1 released i had to jump on it as i could condense 2 cameras into one.

I sold the Panasonic as i hated the images anyways and i'm still waiting for a sale on the Sony.

I also sold the Sony it's an awesome little piece though with a DX size sensor.

Took a few Snap shots of Cameron today..... nothing fancy just wanted to try the lens out a little.

Great picture, Mike. I guess the Nikon 1 series is quite versatile :)

I am looking at some lighting solution for photography of the glasses for my new webshop. It will all be 3d, so the sunglasses will be placed on a rotation table. With am exposure of 1/30th the pics are still crisp.

Only thing is that I need some decent lighting for this, I have been looking at studio lighting (where you have cheap options, but still I think the more expensive LED options are way cooler).

While browsing some sites I thought that it might be a solution to buy a LED continuous/ flash light.

I think the Manfrotto Maxima 84 is quite cool: http://www.manfrotto.com/led-light-maxima-84-hybrid-850lxat1m-dimmer-flash-gels-ml840h

This way I can purchase something that is also of good use when shooting outside in a bit darker conditions. Do you guys think that this will be a solution that'll work too for the sunglasses photography? Will it provide enough light for example?

I think LED's are the way to go for most things. Except for the high output needed for flash photography, light panels for constant lighting are getting more affordable. The nice thing about LED's are the ability to shift the white balance so you can be more versatile indoors and out.

Yeah, true. So today I decided which way to go and went for the F&V Z96. Reviews are very positive and the guy at the store recommended them over the Manfrotto, now I just have to wait till they are here.

They come with some filters, so I am curious how they will work. And if they have enough light indeed.

Had a photoshoot today for Juleye eyewear (Yes, I know, they are not Oakley's, I am Sorry... It is a D&G in the first pic and a Tom Ford in the second pic).

Here are some results:

Considering to get me a 10,5 or 8mm lenses.
Not too sure what to get however, I can go for a Nikkor one (that's the 10,5mm) or Rokinon (that's the 8mm one). The Rokinon is completely manual though whereas the Nikkor is fully automatic, which is great. Also for me Nikkor has really proven itself to have great quality.

Anyone who has experience with them?

Rokinon = Samyang.
The 8mm Rokinon is a fisheye lens.
I've been using it sometimes. Well, it's funny to use, but you quickly get to the point where you see its limits. The fisheye geometric deformation makes it useless for classical shots.
All manual is not a problem though. With 8mm focal, the depth of field is almost infinite. For the best sharpness, just let it on f/8 stop then play with ISOs value for speed adujstement.

Hmmm, ok. Been reading some more on the Rokinon and Nikkor, it seems like the Nikkor has the best sharpness. Not completely sure what would be the best yet... The price difference is quite huge, for the quality some people say Nikkor is the way to whereas quite some people are really pleased with the rokinon. Found quite some photos taken with the nikkor lens, not a lot of the rokinon yet...

Besides, I have been toying around with some photo's that I took last summer for the Instagram competition today.

Personally, I've not strayed from the native lenses, and even at that, I stick to the highest end ones possible. In one year, I spent as much as my entire Oakley collection to date, but I'm quite happy. If I were to go third party, I'd only look at the Sigma EX line.

if your looking for a Sharp Nikkor/Nikon Lens then the 14-24mm is amazing really amazing!

yes it cost $ but it's more an investment in your photography than a purchase

The 14-24 is definitely a nice lens. Thing is that I already have an 18mm, so for that reason I was looking at the 10.5 to extend possibilities a bit more. The 14-24 is a bit out of my budget at the moment, but for sure a lens that still has to come here.

Also think about that moment when you'll think that an APSC sensor is clearly not covering your needs and you NEED a full frame.
At that point, you'll thank yourself for having bought full frame compatible lenses :P
Lately, I've been thinking about purchasing a D600, 700 or D800. But with the potential trip to California this summer and a few other investments, I clearly can't afford that gear upgrade for now.

if your looking for a Sharp Nikkor/Nikon Lens then the 14-24mm is amazing really amazing!

Yep, can't wait to get my hands on one...

Jules.... is the 18mm lens you have a DX lens.... if so then it is actually a 27mm lens when taking into consideration the crop factor of 1.5

The 14-24mm would be 21-36mm on a DX Body.

you might want to consider the Nikon 10-24mm DX Lens.... works a treat on the DX body

There also used to be a 12-24mm which was the previous version before the 10-24mm came out. The 12-24mm was quite alot more expensive due to the better build quality.

Yes, it is a DX lens indeed. You guys aren't making it any easier hahaha, but always great to look at the options. The 10-24 might be a great option too indeed, I see that one doesn't support FX bodies though. I might have to think how important that might be for me once I will upgrade...

Yes you have to decide between immediate use and long term use.

Buying an FX lens will be a worthwhile investment as long as in the long term you decide to go FX to take full advantage of the actual focal ranges.

But you can still always use them on a DX body knowing that you will be using the sweet spot of the lens.
and remembering that your focal range is 1.5 x longer then what the lens states.

To get a good wide angle currently on your DX body you will have to stay with a DX lens, or you buy an FX lens knowing that one day you will have wide angle but for now you don't.

Really something to think about indeed...

Are any of you guys actually active on 500px? Just made an account there last week. Have uploaded a couple of picture now: http://500px.com/julesneefjes

Just acquired a Nikon PB-6 Bellows with a PK-11A ring. Some quite cool stuff I think :) (see: http://www.ebay.nl/itm/151237248860?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)

However, as I only have AF-S G lenses, there might be the problem that I cannot control aperture very well. The PB-6 has an aperture lever, that you can lock, the upper levers on the front, that you can see on the pictures in the auction. I guess this means, I can still somehow control my aperture, but this will mean that the control will be somewhere between fully opening (for focussing) and fully closing the aperture (for taking the actual picture).

As the magnification will be quite a lot, I am wondering if this would be a problem. Or if I actually just have to get a lens with an aperture ring. I suppose, the aperture ring defines how far the aperture will be closed when taking the actual picture. Still, I see that there a quite some people who use reverse lenses and the BR-6A aperture control ring on a G-lens (so, aperture control is not really more than you will have with using a non-reversed G-lens on the bellows as is).

What do you guys think?

When it comes to macro, one might think that you need a wide aperture for light, but you actually need a narrow one for the extra depth of field, which quickly disappears. So that basically means a flash is essential, and one that will meter the exposure without knowing the lens's settings.

Been shooting for Juleye today. Some more summer like pictures were needed, got some great shots :-) I have uploaded 2 of them at the moment:

Very nice. Tones are even and the composition is spot on.