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Hey there, if you haven't already checked out my Kickstarter please take a minute I just updated the page with some more information and photos. Get yourself a preordered copy of American Restaurant the upcoming photography book now:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/americanrestaurant/american-...
Here's our newest release - Arachnid Hero V2!
Features professional pad printing all over the place - front and back head, front and back torso, both arms, and front and side legs. The plus, it features LEGO's dual molded legs to create a great boot look!
This item will be shipping out to all those who preordered it tomorrow. Thanks again for your wonderful support! This fig would not be possible without it!
He'll be available to purchase beginning tomorrow afternoon, but he won't begin to ship until the following Friday.
Limited quantities, so get him while you can!
So, what do you guys think?
Here he is, my most ambitious project yet...Arachnid Hero. This figure features printing...almost everywhere ;). High quality pad printing (just like LEGOs) on both the front and back head (featuring silver speckles on the eyes), silver mesh printing on the front torso, back torso, arms, legs, and side legs. And he really turned out better than I could have imagined...my printers outdid themselves here, IMO!
Those who pre-ordered this figure, (even those who preordered Curator), they are shipping out tonight.
As for everyone else, they are up on the site now and will ship out starting next Monday.
What do you guys think?
Explored Oct 24, 2009 #186
I'm back, my friends!
Soul honey Nikonite's collection lined-up on my cabrio trunk lid...
I bought those unique Nikon lenses in 2008-2009:
Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8
Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8
Nikkor 85mm f/1.4
I'm still waiting for new 70-200mm VRII (preordered through Ritz Camera)
Shooting and processing:
Nikon D700 + Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G
Nikon MC-36 Multi-function Remote Cord
Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 3-Section Pro Carbon Fiber Tripod
Manfrotto 322RC2 Horizontal Grip Action Ball Head with RC2 Rapid Connect Plate
LightRoom2: RAW to JPEG conversion only.
Gorgeous bake shop! Best bread!
I highly recommend you to visit this bake shop in Ojai, and if you do visit, make sure to preorder your bread and pastries. Kate's bake shop is only open on Sundays, 12noon to 1pm. On my first trip there, I arrived at 12:05pm and everything was sold out. On my second visit, I preordered online, and then I knew why everything sells out right away. Amazing bread, amazing pastries! This might be one of the best bread and pastries I've ever had.
Olive bread, cinnamon twist bread, morning buns, and more ...quite amazing!
And the setting of this awesome bakeshop, breathless beauty.
This is just a little game on "what would you do?". I know that there is an intense discussion about the WClub Event doll and I by no means want to join in.
This is really just a fun idea and maybe helps one or two collectors to let the cat meow properly.
Since a lot have preordered and bought her...
The credits for the original photo used her go of course to Integrity Toys. Whereas the great afro do was taken from a photo "of that other dolls company"...
I still call her Elise, Elyse looks weird to me.
Supermodel convention goers have an opportunity to preorder this exclusive Elise. She is the first doll in a special line of FRs celebrating Jason Wu's 10 years of fashion designing. I love this concept! Her price is $199 with $25 deposit. I think she has Japan skintone, but that is not confirmed. She is special because she will debut the "velvet touch" skin and all dolls in this line, including Elise, will wear miniature Jason Wu designs. Finally!!!! Happy :))))))
What I think about her? Overall, she looks very elegant and the dress is the work of art. However, I would not get her even if I had the opportunity. I am waiting for a doll with older design, I am not too much into minimalist approach of his later designs. It seems like she is too simple, like something is missing. When Elise was first introduced she had a suitcase, but I guess this one would not look nice with one. Just thinking what could be included to make her special. Maybe nice bracelet adorned with crystals, as the earrings are too simple. I love the shoes! Small roses on the dress provide nice details, very haute couture. The color of the dress is also very nice.
She features the new screening, it seems. I am not sure about it. The inner part of the eyes is round and kind of short, which makes the eyes round and further apart, and she does have particular sculpt of the nose. So, I am not sure I like it. I like it more when she has longer eyes. The lips are too small for my taste, too bad, because she looks amazing with bigger lips. However, the color palate is gorgeous. Zoom in and you will find out that she has brown eyeliner and cream eyeshadow. Lovely! I can not be certain, but it seems that the eyeshadow on the inner part of the eyes is airbrushed! Would love to see the return of airbrushed makeup! The eyebrows are nice.
The hairstyle is fine, I guess. But, if she had bangs, she would look much better IMO.
I wonder what the package will look like, I would like to see new boxes with magnet, like the older boxes had or something like that. Also, the velvet touch skin is not that new, Lovetones had it since last year, I am expecting my Roxy, so I will share my opinion about it. However, it is good to see improvements in this regard (and no, I do not consider decals as an improvement).
Overall, I think we got a solid start with this Elise. I bet she will look amazing in person. Also, I am very excited to see new dolls in this line. I think we all miss the FR2 quality designs and details and that gorgeous makeup. I do not mind the increase in price, but on the other hand, I will be very selective and will buy only perfect doll with perfect outfit and perfect makeup.
Final note, I am glad we didn't see Elise in convention line. That makes Key Pieces even more special. Agnes too! I have a feeling I chose the best from the convention line by preordering these two, without going to the convention! :)))) Also, it looks like this doll was meant to be the convention doll instead of Dasha. She goes well with centerpiece Dania. However, I have to say, I like Dasha much more than this one. She provides drama and looks much more regal and fierce than Elise. But, that is just my opinion.
PS: I just inspected some IRL, photos it seems the makeup is regular, not airbrushed.
Day 81/365
My great grandfather's hat appears for the third time so far in my 365 :) I think this is my favorite of the three.
If you have time PLEASE please follow the link below to check out a kickstarter project which is very near and dear to my heart. If you're not interested in preordering this book I'm trying to create then I'd SUPER appreciate it if you could spare a couple minutes to share this project with friends :) You guys are awesome!!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/337726028/creating-surreal-w...
When we found out that the new FR collection will be unveiled on the webinar, I was so excited! The first doll revealed was Eugenia, and boy I was floored!!! But, surprises didn't end there, let's see what we got this year:
Séduisante Elyse Jolie - after so many years we finally got Elise with her famous Black Swan screening! This should have been a lottery offering, BUT IT decided that all club members will be able to order one Elise. WOW soooooo happy!!! This is the first dark-skinned Elise and she is in Light Honey skintone. She looks stunning! Also, she is the first FR doll with flat feet! She will come with two sets of legs: high-heeled and flat. So excited to see how the feet look in real life. She is a close-up doll, so she retails for $120! I have a feeling her edition size will be about 2k. I actually love the swimsuit, both the design and the color. She has cool bag, two sets of shoes and sunglasses! Also, she has the same earrings as Sister Moguls Agnes, they are fabulous! Overall a gorgeous doll!
Vivacité Eugenia Perrin-Frost - wow, she looks like a Going Public lost twin raised in the south of France! She is in Hungarian skintone, has raven hair and cold blue eyes. I simply love her! At the same time, IMO she has the best outfit! She looks so causal, yet very elegant and fun! Don't know if it is because of the bouquet of flowers she comes with, or something else, but she has Funny Face vibe. Her accessories include a watch, a fabulous bag and a headband. The description says that the top comes with an extra-long bow detail on the back. Would love to see that! She is a perfect doll in my world!!!
Eugenia was followed by Coquette Jordan Duval - she comes in A-tone, which is one of my favorites. Her outfit is inspired by Ulyana Sergeenko spring summer 2014 collection. Very elegant and lady like. She doesn't seem to be popular (really can not explain the reason-she is gorgeous), so you can still get her at most dealers. She comes with lovely bag and a necklace. I think they should have included white swimsuit and make her a mini-giftset.
Every year we get an event doll. Last year it was LLL Agnes which is one of my favorite from the last year. This year we get yet another Agnes - Merveilleuse Agnes Von Weiss. She features White skintone and Champagne Blond short hair! Although her outfit is pretty basic, especially shoes, I think this doll will be stunning in person. I just had to add her to my collection. This is the first time Agnes has short hair and she looks amazing IMO. She shares the screening with Feminine Perspective Agnes. Those sea foam green eyes, silver details in makeup and lovely red lips, what a combination! I love the coral turquoise necklace.
Sophistiquée Vanessa Perrin - seems to be the least popular doll from the collection. I think the outfit is the main reason, beside the fact she is Vanessa 3.0. IMO she does not fit in this collection at all. The fashion pieces are beautiful on their own, so I will try to get some of them. She has similar screening like Star Power, which is my favorite Van. But, she doesn't have her eyebrows, which makes her look more soft and sweet.
The final doll was Exquise Adèle Makéda - she seems to be the most popular. I decided to pass. She reminds me too much on Scarlet Woman Adele, which I already own. I love her outfit, though! She comes with a very nice scarf, recycled necklace and a hat. Although I am a true fan of short haired dolls, I am not sure this particular hairstyle is a good choice for this Adele.
I think this collection should have been named ICONIC 2.0. I wouldn't mind having any of these dolls. Truly, I can not pick my favorite. Every time I look at the photo I have a new favorite. Preordered all except Van and Adele, and they do tempt me every day. Congratulations to IT and Jessy, the designer!
So this guy showed up about a week and 1/2 ago. I preordered him back in January, gotta say it was worth the wait he looks incredible. Btw I’ve had the pop for a while now he’s mainly just here for a size comparison
Second shooting day in Switzerland with @zoescarlett🇨🇭Done! 7 cars in two days 💥 Shooting the last stuff for the new Pixeleye Calendar 2021 and for Zoe‘s calendar too Preorder now, link in bio! Thanks to all supporters who preordered so far, calendar will be send to the printer next week 😎 #pixeleye #dirkbehlau #photographer #photoshoot #photography #carsandgirls #behindthescenes
Beware LEGO Heroes, he's finally here!
We're excited to announce the upcoming release of our next custom minifigure - Cold War Assassin! Featuring high quality professional pad printed double sided head, front and back torso, front legs, and printed silver chrome arm. He comes armed with both a BrickArms HCSR Sniper Rifle and M16-AGL, some of my favorite custom weapons, to inflict heavy brick damage ;)
He'll be going out to all those who preordered him starting tomorrow (there's a LOT of orders, so hopefully I'll be able to get them all out, but we'll see). Then, he will appear on the site for sale this Saturday, Sept. 26 - starting to ship to all others on Monday. Thanks again, to all of you wonderful supporters who preordered and helped bring this figure to life, we greatly appreciate it!
So, what do you guys think?
Second shooting day in Switzerland with @zoescarlett🇨🇭Done! 7 cars in two days 💥 Shooting the last stuff for the new Pixeleye Calendar 2021 and for Zoe‘s calendar too Preorder now, link in bio! Thanks to all supporters who preordered so far, calendar will be send to the printer next week 😎 #pixeleye #dirkbehlau #photographer #photoshoot #photography #carsandgirls #behindthescenes
A few of the stickers I made for those who preordered my "Turd-a-day" sketchbook...available at yourfathersmustache.bigcartel.com/
Finally out there! My new Book “Lomp’s Auto Wimmelbuch” published by Wimmelbuch Verlag can be <a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3942491060" preordered here.
Say hello to our first official custom minifigure of 2017, Sleeper Agent. Able to infiltrate any minifigure cell and disrupt it - and turn fanboys inside out ;)
This minifigure features our professional pad printing on the front head, front torso, front legs and back torso. Along with that, it features highly detailed printing on both arms. He also comes packing a BrickArms HCSR Sniper Rifle.
He will be shipped out over the next two days to all those who preordered him and will come to the website for everyone else starting this Friday Jan. 27th. Thank you so much to those of you who helped support this project with the presales, we can't do these amazing figs without you! Also, a big thank you to Boss Logic for supporting this project, as our design was based off one of their amazing creations. Please go check out there stuff here if you haven't already: bosslogicinc.com/
So, what do you guys think?
Last year (2020) I received around February or January the release Bubbly Bear (pink hair girl) I opened her and place her on the cabinet, there were no any other more release preordered or anything, but just in March started the craziness of the pandemic and the mail stopped. I couldn't send or receive. I think my last shipping were on March and they arrived then suddenly all stopped, so for a year I didn't receive any doll at the risk of not getting any..... ;( Until February of this year things starting to get better in general and I saw this girl and my jaw dropped and thought "I MUST have her" because I LOVE this faded colors of faded pink/purple so I went take the risk and she was at my home very fast. I was SO SO happy, things are slowly starting to work again so I can at least receive now. After her I got two more girls... Sporty fitness lover and the bride Charming Crystalline (they arrived together) And then Odette Lake of tears and Middie Jamlicious. I am still waiting for the anniversary she must be here anytime. It was funny because in March the pandemic started and the release of April or May was "Lake of tears" and the whole world was literally in tears, the other super gothic dolls like Middie trickery and magic, and the Dandy that looks like a buttler from the Haunted mansion. lol. Pure darkness and me without any of them on 2020. anyway. Just when I start re buying again to catch up on 2021 Junie Moonie Cutie again is released (I love the twins concept) and a Mexican Blythe OMG, totally good signs for 2021 and marvelous girls to have!
Woke up early this morning around 3 for no obvious reason!! Was gonna go back to sleep till I remembered that today is the 1st of November and these dolls went live on Amazon! So I went ahead and preordered all five!! So excited for these!!
I am off for the next ~15 days, traveling to some very remote areas in a southernly direction, with little or no internet connection, so no further online activities until about mid March. (One reason why I wanted up upload my Sony 70-200 images in a hurry!)
This will be the first time in 10+ years that I will be traveling without my favorite Nikon DSLR, and that too, my D810, which is the best 35mm camera in the world today, even after the announcement of the Canon 5DS R. Instead, I will have Leica and Sony, including my Sony 70-200mm F4, Tamron 150-600mm (Sony A-mount), and a Leica 50mm F2 APO Summicron-M, which finally showed up.
The Leica 50mm APO Summicron-M is probably the most amazing "normal" focal length lens ever created for 35mm photography. It is pretty sharp corner-to-corner at f/2, and at f/5.6, the MTF for the lens looks like a flat line at a contrast of 80%. Unbelievable!
The first version of the lens had serious flare and focus shift problems. So Leica had to take another year to fix the issues. This is the second iteration of the lens.
Optically, the Leica 50 APO is slightly surpassed by the magnificent Zeiss Otus 55mm F1.4, but the Otus is approximately 3.64" x 5.55" (9.25 x 14.10 cm) in size, and weighs 970 grams (2.17 lbs). In comparison, the Leica measures 2.1 x 1.9" (5.3 x 4.7 cm), and weighs 300 g (0.66 lbs).
It's amazing that the Leica is almost as good as the Zeiss, but at less than one third of the weight and bulk. Leica unabashedly priced it at more than twice the price of the Zeiss Otus! At least, since I had preordered my lens in June, 2013, I got it for the old price, before the 11.3% price hike, and I also got the latest version with the flare and focus shift issues fixed!
My dream setup is almost at hand! I was an early adopter of mirrorless cameras, and for FOUR years, I have been using a Sony E-mount camera as my preferred image capturing device for my favorite Leica M and other manual focus lenses. With the A7-II, we're almost there.
The Sony A7-II offers a 24MP resolution and 5-axis IBIS. The A7R-II or A9 should deliver 36MP or possibly, 50MP resolution. Unfortunately, Sony put a thick glass plate over its sensors, which causes an acute ray angle problem with M-mount lenses. This leads to hideous magenta color casts as well as loss of sharpness at corners and edges with M mount lenses of 50mm or shorter focal lengths.
Fortunately, a company called Kolarvision are working on providing a solution to replace Sony's thick glass plate with a thinner plate that substantially eliminates the acute ray angle problem. That would finally provide a state of the art camera solution for M-mount lenses.
Below are a series of incredibly unscientific comparisons between a Leica M 240 + Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux M, all shot at f/1.4, vs. a Sony A7-II + a Leica 50mm APO Summicron-M shot at f/2.0.
This is an apples to oranges comparison, with pictures of approximately the same scene shot on entirely different days, under different lighting conditions, and different f-stops. But it does show that the Sony A7-II + the Leica 50 APO produces bitingly sharper images than the Leica M 240 + 50 Summilux-M. The bokeh of the Summilux, of course, is softer, and surpassed only by the Noctilux at f/0.95. So these lenses all have very different use cases.
Using a Sony full-frame E-mount camera has a number of significant advantages over using a Leica M rangefinder - integrated and far superior EVF, much more competent Live View, focus peaking, superior sensors, no hassles with RF alignment or frame markings, ease of using any focal length and any lens from any manufacturer, 4K video, in body image stabilization, much faster pace of product improvements, etc. to name a few. In addition, by using the E-mount to M-lens adapter such as the Voigtlander photographed above, the minimum focusing distance can be cut by ~50%, from the absurd 1m on the Leica M cameras to about 0.5m on the Sony cameras. That is huge!
The only negative so far is the thick glass plate over the Sony sensors that leads to loss of sharpness and magenta color casting with most M-mount lenses of 50mm or shorter focal lengths. But perhaps Kolarvision will have a solution for that as well!
I am really looking forward to the Sony A7R-II or A9 later this year. It should be a formidable camera for shooting with Leica M and R lenses, especially with a Kolarvision modification!
All these test shots were taken at the Keeble and Shucat photography store in Palo Alto, which is an outstanding place to buy equipment. Jimmy Chen, the man photographed below, is a knowledgeable and helpful resource. I highly recommend this place to anyone in the San Francisco Bay area.
I preordered Integrity's Jem Clash and received her a while ago, and while I do like the doll i'm kinda deceived by the quality, the darker fabric of the jacket stained one of her elbow so I'm keeping the plastic wrap around her elbows on :/ and the two other heads got their hair smashed due to the way they were packed
So the three days of the convention ended last night and it is time to do some previews. This was the first virtual IT convention so far and my feelings have been mixed. I am happy we had an opportunity to attend, dolls are still gorgeous... But, there are some things I imagined differently, like presentations were pre-recorded, so it really felt like watching a youtube video; except for Wu, designers were not presenting the dolls (which is kind of strange as they do that for reveals); but most importantly, I expected nicely styled rooms with dolls on display, instead we got Carol and Alain with fogged background and Carol's hands disappearing and appearing all the time! It was a bit amateurish... Luckily, dolls were quite nice, there was a convention in the midst of this miserable year and global pandemic... So, I would say there is a space for improvement, but I think I wouldn't mind having online conventions from now on.
Petite Robe Classique Jour Adele Makeda - Wow what a name, I will have to memorize that :*) And WOW what a doll! I am floored, she is breathtaking!!!! The outfit turned out beautiful. I am especially in love with her earrings, shoes and bag! Such a nice details. But, look at that face, natural and beautiful looking Adele. She looks like those real-life OOAKs. Alain said she could have been a centerpiece and I agree 100% Thank you so much Jessy for giving this doll to all of us!!!! I have preordered her luckily so she is the first one to be added from convention to my collection.
Petite Robe Classique Nuit Veronique Perrin - Luckily, I will not be in a need of memorizing her name :) This year we got two upgrade dolls and the second was Vero. Yes, I am a diehard fan of this sculpt, but have to say I was not impressed... She looks pretty harsh for Vero, those cold blue eyes and very dark makeup are too much for my taste. Maybe white under the eyes is what bothers me the most, you know I am not a fan of dolls with that feature. Otherwise, she is very pretty, love the shoes, earrings and bag. But, those gloves somehow do not fit with the look and the dress looks a bit boring. Will she join my collection? No, because I have Haute Societe and I think she is more Vero than this one, so another member will have her.
Miami Glam Kesenia Valentinova - This convention name was Legendary, and most designers revisited older and famous dolls we got over the 25 years. Jessy Ayala, the designer, was inspired by Miami Glow Vanessa, one of the grail dolls, when he designed this Kesenia. Final result is really stunning, I love this Kesenia. Still, I do not know, Versace outfits have been an inspiration for IT designers for so many times, she has the same earrings as the dolls from the past, so she feels like already seen. Also, I see a lot of similarity between her and Afterglow Lilith, sans the outfit. Still, she is very nice doll and she will be very popular, no doubt. For now, I will not be adding her to my collection, I will wait to see IRL photos and if she turns out to be prettier and more different than my Afterglow Lilith I might get her (though I doubt, she has very undefined mouth compared to Lilith).
Style Legacy Isabela Alves - Here comes a new sculpt for FR line! If I didnt know she was designed by Jessy I would have never guessed!!! She looks nice, but somehow does not have that Jessy magic :) She looks a bit already seen (read boring as hell). I was thinking very hard and trying to find a thing I like about her, but she might turn out prettier in hand, just remember Nirvana Dominique, she turned out much prettier in hand, so there is a hope. I will not be getting her though.
Intimate Soirée Agnes von Weiss - Is a safe bet for anyone that likes Agnes. She has famous Queen of Everything screening, that makes her legendary doll, for sure. She took my breath away when she appeared on the screen, but after a while the excitement disappeared. FR2 collection with Tatyana and Ayumi came to my mind, she looks much like that Ayumi. The second similarity I find is Vamp Agnes, she looks like a pale version with a dress. I can not explain, but she feels like already seen. I do like her red blood lips, broach and hat, and I would get her at retail for sure, but not for secondary market prices. BTW prices this year are TOTALY CRAZY!!! I really can not remember a convention where almost every single doll is $400 up to $700, just insane. So, I will be happy to add that Wild at Heart Agnes at retail, thank you very much (this is how collectors named 25th Anniversary Agnes that has been advertised during the convention).
Haute Desire Dania Zarr - Now, mark my words, this doll will be a grail sooner or later! She was a convention centerpiece last night and she is designed by Jessy. Oh boy, when he scores, he scores, she is AMAZING! She has the same screening as Mothership Dania (no, we still didn't get that doll from last year...), but with Optic Clash "pillow" lips :) I am looking at her photo while writing this preview and I am hyperventilating, she looks so natural, yet fierce, seductive and elegant at the same time. I know this might laugh you, but I think this hairstyle makes doll look smart, and I like that. We do not get violet gowns too often and I am quite sure I have only one in my collection, so she will be a nice addition. Those earrings are stunning, too bad she does not come with a nice bag, or better yet armor for right arm in gold, like the one we got for Retro Dimensional Vanessa, wouldn't it be cool to pose her next to Mothership? Yes, I am getting her, and no, do not ask how much I paid :*(
Wicked Narcissism Eugenia Perrin-Frost - All package holders from the convention have an opportunity to preorder this unique Eugenia as a convention centerpiece. Dark Narcissus Kyori served as an inspiration. Now, I would never claim this Kyori is a grail or any kind of legend, but sure, she is rather interesting doll with black-dark blue hair, so I understand why she has been chosen for an inspiration. What I think Jessy could have done differently is change the color of the outfit to dark blue, I think that would soften this Eugenia a lot. But, he likes gothic style (just look at Poetic Beauty twins, one of his favorite dolls he made as he said on chat board during the convention). I am not quite a fan of black lips, but if I had to choose one sculpt to have them I would choose Eugenia. She has nice, round and soft lips that might pull this look. This Eugenia has Deconstruction Sight screening, another very popular doll with short hair. I am in love with a jumpsuit she has underneath the jacket, and the jacket itself is very nice indeed. I think this doll will either turn out totally amazing or very unique doll that will not be loved by most collectors. She is a bit risky... I still haven't decided if I need her, what say you?
Celebration Aymeline - Final doll of the convention was a new/old character - Aymeline. Namely, she is a shrinked version of sculpt used fo Avantguards 16" line of dolls. Jason Wu, the designer said this sculpt is one of his favorite sculpts. Yes, I do see potential here, she has very interesting nose, and her jaw line is interesting. At first sight I was in love, than I started to notice things I do not like... white under the eyes, big forehead, yellowish head.. Still, she is a very nice doll, she has nice hair and very pretty dress and shoes. But, I think she could have been downgraded to centerpiece or even exclusive. No, I will not be adding this one to my collection.
Overall, I am quite happy with the offer this year, when I look at them I can see there is something for everyone, sexy, modern, classic, gothic, somewhere-in-between, quite nice collection :) BUT, what happened to ELYSE???? I know she had several appearances last year, but come on, the name of the convention is Legendary and we did not receive a single Elyse? Not cool. I think IT is making us thirsty before they unload Jason Wu Anniversary Elyses, probably priced who knows how much...
So, what did you get?
Now they are 16 of them gathering all together in the 2nd floor of the dollhouse that I bought for them for the birthday party! ;-)
And there will be more ruruko coming since I already preordered the ae [A line] ribbon ruruko. :D
Looking forward to seeing new samples of ruruko and momoko at the dollshow tomorrow!! :))
Oh my goodness, I am soooo excited! I preordered Paja! I'm seriously trying not to bounce off the walls with excitement! I've wanted Paja for soooo long, and now I finally get her!! Her name is classified... but if you really wanna know, message me and I'll tell ya XD
(Not my photo, though that should be fairly obvious)
Terrible laundry room lighting, but I had to snap a quick shot of my Enamorada Natalia that came in early this morning!
She is gorgeous, I wasn’t sure if I was even interested in her anymore after waiting so long (over a year since preordering her!) I barely remembered what she was supposed to look like?!
Very interesting to see that her eye screening was changed from the promo photos. She was designed to have a sort of partial side-glance, (but it didn’t look quite right on the prototype doll in my opinion) and she was released with a forward facing eye. I wonder if her long delay was due to a problem with the new eye screening she had been designed with.
Seeing some of the real life images being posted got me excited that at least her gaze wasn’t going to look skewed or “wonky” and I quite like the classic Natalia look with white showing under her iris. Color me shocked to see the eyes on mine are PERFECTLY touching the lower lash line! I haven’t seen one that looks quite like this yet. (Shoot I did not check the coa # or even try to unbox her yet. Just a quick shot of how cool she looks!)
I'm still kind of in shock... She's a Volks DDS Xenosaga III M.O.M.O. that I preordered last December. At one point, I thought I wouldn't be able to pay her off during the payment period, but I pulled through! I'm not sure what to think right now. A year is a long time to wait and now that she's here, I feel so unprepared! All that aside, she is really freaking adorable.... and how could anyone resist that face?
When Willy Fist wants to take over a city in New York, only The Devil can stop him!
This is a limited preorder for this UV printed figure of The Devil. By preordering you will get a special 'Nelson and Murdock Attorneys at Law' tile.
Krexcustoms.com
Okay, here is my list of my personal favourite custom minifigures of this year. First I have to say this year was awesome, we got many new players and a lot of characters that I wanted for a long time. So a big thanks to all the customizers out there for doing an amazing job!
There have been so many things going on this year, a lot of Up's and Down's: we got scammed by CyclopsBricks, 3D-printed parts became standard for many minifigure accessories, SH Minifigures made an awesome comeback, there was a slight increase of prices, many new resellers, Christo didn't deliver (:P), at least 3 customizers started releasing the Metal series, and on it goes... :D
However, I feel the custom collector community is still very strong and customs become even more common these days due to the Instagram popularity.
Because of the big amount of custom minifigures this year, I had to think very hard which ones I wanted to include on this list and choose the ones that really excited and surprised me the most. You will find that there is not a single Christo custom on this list, because he didn't send me the new ones I preordered (just a little backorder of older ones) and I refuse to include renders. I also want to mention Diamond Custom Bricks as best newcomer of this year and even though I will not include Paris' Comedian on this list, his shoulder armor piece was my favourite custom part of this year. And last but not least I really want to thank you guys for enjoying my minifigures and pictures with me and for almost 500 Followers! Well, let's get this party started.
10) Catwoman by Bel's Figure. Bel's Figure is a very special customizer. They don't neccessarily aim for designs closest to original characters, but try to find their own designs that they think would fit the characteristics of particular characters the best. This is what made their Catwoman so special. There are so many different little details to be found all over her body, but they fit together very nicely to make a great costume. The printing quality is very high quality and the colors are crisp. The custom molded helmet piece also includes printing which fits the overall design. They only thing that I am not fully satisfied with is the eyes, while I love the grim smile, they could be more Lego-like.
9) New 52 Shazam by ParisCustomBricks. Since the minifigures with molded parts are still in production I obviously couldn't include one of them though I am very excited to receive any of them. Still, the new Shazam easily makes this list, because of his crisp printing and his awesome smile. I think this version represents the comic original best out of all the Shazam customs that we got so far. I even don't like the SDCC classic as much as this one, he looks so serious. Most important of all, Brothersfigure never finished the duo so we were stuck with a new 52 Black Adam for so long without ever getting his rival. ParisCustomBricks really made sure that they would go together perfectly, design-wise.
8) Jack by WallerCustoms. I am a big Marvel fan when it comes to movies, but there were a few DC movies that were just awesome. So for example the Burton Batman movies from the 90's. I think we never got DC movies that close to comic books besides those. Jack Nicholson was an awesome Joker and so I was really excited when this minifigure was released. WallerCustoms managed to capture all the amazing details of this custume and especially the faceprint is fantastic.
7) Kid Flash by Funnybrick. This one is easy. Delivering a minifigure that hasn't been there in official form staying close to TLG's design templates, print in the highest of quality's and give it a custom headpiece that doesn't make it stand out too much in an existing collection. This is the perfect recipe and Funnybrick is next to Christo on top of the list when it comes to Lego-like minifigures in my opinion. You don't always have to overdue it to create awesomeness.
6) Cable by BrothersFigure. This character was dearly missed, since there is no Deadpool without Cable. I am so glad that Brothersfigure released this particular minifigure without any type of coating, because this would really mess up the colours. From the custom hairpiece to the chrome printed arm and the sheer amount of pouches they managed to capture the comic design perfectly. What really stands out is the gold plating in the left eye, this one is awesome.
5) Dark Phoenix by Lab9 x UG Minifigures. I am not really sure how the collaboration of Lab9 and UG works, who makes the designs, who makes the custom parts..., but I am glad that they decided to go this way. There were a lot of awesome releases so far and my favourite has to be this awesome Dark Phoenix comic version. The torso print is so awesome and you can't argue that UG's gold printing is smooth as can be. The custom hairpiece is hard plastic and is very ambitious, because it gives the minfigure the enraged look that makes this unpredictable character so intimidating. The eyes are also amazing.
4) Infinite Arachnid by Phoenix Custom Bricks. Now on to my top favourites of this year. Infinity War was without a doubt the most anticipated superhero movie of this year and it was clear from the beginning that the custom minifigures would come flooding. Fun fact: This minifigure by PhoenixCustomBricks is the minifigure I was most asked about this year by Non-Lego or Non-custom fans, because Tom Holland Spiderman was so popular in the media that everybody at least knows about him and was taken by surprise how incredible a minifigure design could look. Chapeau Adam, you jumped your borders. :D Me, I had to look at the official minifigure design for a second to realise that simply everything about this custom minifigure is so much better. I am in love with the expressive eyes and the contrast of gold and blue simply looks amazing.
3) Future Batman by UG Minifigures. This one surprised me most. It is actually a videogame design of Batman Beyond and I don't play Batman video games, but I wanted to get this minifigure for the great helmet piece. When it arrived I was so amazed about the red chrome plating on the torso and legs, because you couldn't see that on the sample photos. UG have really outdone themselves with this minifigure, they captured so many details and the custom molded helmet is so awesome and totally different from all the Batman helmets we have gotten so far. These fully armored minifigures are also the only ones where I excuse front toe printing (I usually hate this).
2) Jean Grey by Diamond Custom Bricks. What can I say, I really love the X-Men and I have waited for a classic Jean Grey since TLG released their first X-Men characters. Now, years later we have finally gotten a minifigure that is better than I had ever imagined her. You can see that Diamond Custom Bricks really work hard on their designs to make them perfect as can be. We even will get a new printed legpiece for this minifigure in the future to make it more smooth. Overall the exact representation of her comic design really blew me away. I especially like the faceprint and the custom hairpiece.
1) The Dark Knight by Phoenix Custom Bricks. After a waiting time of 2 years finally the main character of my favourite Superhero movie is here. Phoenix Custom Brick's design does this character justice, it is utterly without flaws and this minifigure deserves nothing less than #1. I think the most stunning part is the perfectly aligned mask that gives the minifigure so much character. The extremely detailed work, the high quality custom molded parts and his need for perfection make Adam my favourite customizer there is. I am glad that I was part of experiencing the step by step progress to make an end product that good. I am now only hoping for a Joker from Phoenix to go with it.
That's all folks. At least for this year. What are your thoughts on these and which were your favourites?
I don't know why my preordered Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows arrived so early, but it did. No complaints here. It's marvelous, BTW, but no spoilers from me!!
I am very excited to announce an HDR Book entitled “A World in HDR”! It’s a 216-page book that should be everything you have been waiting for. The vast majority of the book contains select pieces from the portfolio along with extended descriptions, tips, and more information about how the photo was achieved. The second part of the book contains the HDR Tutorial along with a few bonus steps to help you get extra oomph in your creations!
I’m very happy with him. He’s the only regular line Monarch I preordered (although I bought Tobias also after seeing the first owner photos). I’ve been worried about Tenzin after seeing arrival photos with yellow skin and odd hairlines, but the specimen I received has great coloring and I’m happy with his hair just as it is. And the outfit is every bit as fantastic as advertised.
The four doll sets in their display cases, with slipcovers off. They are in order of their release dates.
Photos of my preordered Designer Fairytale doll sets, that I received today. They came in a large square box weighing 20 pounds, with the individual doll sets in their own boxes. The four gift bags were in the same shipping box, tightly squeezed in the side. The carton number is 408, but the actual edition number for all four sets is 410 of 6000. All the dolls are in excellent condition, but there are small imperfections in a couple of the nameplates. These dolls I will leave untouched in mint condition, as I will debox the ones I've gotten from the store raffles.
In April, 2011, I posted a picture with the title Goodbye, Leica M9. Hello, Sony NEX! on flickr that showed a photo of a Sony NEX-5 camera with a Leica M lens. After about 15 months of growing frustration with the ridiculously obsolete Leica M9, I just had enough. So I gave the M9 the boot.
I was thrilled when Leica announced the M-240 at Photokina in September, 2012, and immediately preordered one, after I saw it would have a CMOS sensor with Live View and an EVF. After a delay of SEVEN months, reflecting unbelievable corporate ineptitude (to be later surpassed by Leica, with its one year delay of the S-007, and Olympus with its 18-months-and-counting delay of its 300mm f/4 lens!), Leica finally started shipping the M-240 in April 2013. I was one of the first in the U.S.A. to get one of these.
It took only a couple of days to realize the M 240 was really not much better than the M9. It had the same crappy LCD screen unworthy of even the cheapest smart phones, an insanely priced EVF that was unfit to be even a toy, and an unimpressive 24MP sensor that was already close to being obsolete. All at a crazy price that made no sense.
So, after shooting only about 200 test shots, I had seen enough of this overpriced underachiever, so I put it back in the box and returned it.
I posted another article on flickr, titled Goodbye, Leica Typ M 240 on April 23, 2013, which continues to generate new visitors even now. As of today, this page has generated 102,315 views.
My basic thesis was that the rangefinder had become obsolete as a camera paradigm, and mirrorless / EVF was the future. I thought using a rangefinder made as much sense as using a slide rule after the wide availability of digital calculators.
My comments generated a lot of reactions from passionate RF loyalists, as they screamed with flared nostrils and frothing mouths, waving their M cameras in one hand and slide rules in the other (metaphorically speaking!), and fiercely argued the facts with their emotional and illogical opinions.
Now, fast forward another couple of years, and I just said goodbye to my Nikon D810, but more fundamentally, parted ways with the DSLR. I think the DSLR is finished as a camera paradigm, except for the small group of professional sports or wildlife photographers who need super tele lenses. But even that is only a temporary respite for the DSLR.
So I sold my D810 and all my Nikon glass, except my Zeiss ZF.2 lenses that I can use with my Sony A7x cameras. I started with a Canon AT-1 SLR in 1980, and switched to Nikon around 1990. For the first time in 35 years, I now have no Canon or Nikon SLR / DSLR.
The D810 was the best 35mm camera I ever used or had, until the A7R II came out. I really love the D810, which is still better than the A7R II in three ways:
First, for certain kinds of scenes with extreme contrasts, the D810 delivers a better IQ, since Sony cooks its RAW files and uses lossy compression. But Sony is aware of this, so this will hopefully change with a firmware fix.
Second, Sony does not have the range of fast primes Nikon has. But this is changing. In the meantime, the A7x cameras can work with fast primes from other lens makers (e.g., Leica Noctilux 50mm f/0.95 or Canon 50mm f/1.2, which do not work on Nikon cameras).
Third, Sony does not have any long focal length primes or zooms for the E-mount, while Nikon has a formidable array of 300mm f/4, 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4, 600mm f/4, 800mm f/5.6, 200-400mm f/4, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 and the latest 200-500mm f/5.6. Canon has a similar set of its own "big gun" lenses.
I think we're going to see more long focal length lenses for the E-mount over time. The A7R II surpasses the D810 (and the Canon 5DMK3, 5DS R) in its focusing accuracy, and it is only a matter of time before there will be tele lenses in the E-mount. In the meantime, A-mount lenses like the Sony 70-400mm f/4.5-5.6, Sony 300mm f/2.8 or Tamron 150-600mm can be used with any A7x camera with an LA-EA4 adapter. The AF speed is not great, so they are not suitable for really high speed action, but they provide the reach.
However, there is something far more fundamental happening: I think these behemoth lenses weighing 2, 3, 4 or more kilos will be extinct in a few years, as crop size sensors (1", MFT) further improve. I have had many long and useful discussions on this with my flickr friends Eric Pelve and Roland Bogush.
Already, the 1" stacked CMOS sensor in the latest Sony RX10-ii and RX100-iv can deliver 20MP resolution with excellent image quality up to ISO 1600. The RX10-ii can deliver amazing frame rates that go all the way up to 960 fps, albeit with reduced resolution and quality. But even at full resolution RAW, it can deliver 14 fps, surpassing both the Nikon D4S and Canon 1D X in both resolution and frame rate.
IMHO, I think the biggest lenses in the post-DSLR era will be something like the superb Canon 100-400mm zoom which could be a 100-400mm lens with a full size sensor, or a 150-600mm equivalent lens with an APS-C sensor, or a 200-800mm equivalent lens with an MFT sensor, or a whopping 270-1080mm equivalent lens with a 1" sensor. Sony could put out a range of cameras with different sensor sizes, all in the E-mount, so the same lens can be used differently. I think the monster super tele primes will disappear.
Sony has all the technology it needs for this TODAY, and could kill the pro sports / action photography market for Nikon / Canon. In fact, Olympus has been sitting on all the technologies it needs for this, with the amazingly fast and accurate AF in the E-M1. The Olympus 300mm f/4 lens has been now delayed by 18 months, and the company doesn't have its act together. Sony does.
The funny thing is, even Nikon has had all the technology it needs to totally change the sports / action photography market with its Nikon 1 line. But the Nikon 1 V3 is a poorly designed camera with a weak sensor, and the Nikon 70-300mm CX lens is decent, but not great. Nikon has deliberately dumbed down both the camera and the lens in order to protect its pro DSLR business, which is a dumb decision.
When a company tries to protect its sacred cow products by resisting both consumer needs and powerful technology trends, usually a competitor steps up and slaughters the sacred cows anyway. Sony will likely get there first.
At the low to mid-range, the DLSR is already getting killed by superb EVF / mirrorless cameras, both integrated units and cameras with interchangeable lenses, from Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Ricoh, Panasonic, Samsung, Sigma, etc.
I think the whole DSLR market has started to roll over a cliff. It's going to get very ugly for the DSLRs in the coming months, I suspect.
With every passing month, Sony is increasing its lead over other camera makers. In 30+ years, I have never seen any camera maker on such a fast pace of innovation as Sony has shown over the past 4-5 years. The Sony-Zeiss combo is turning out very nicely for both companies, and other third-party lens and accessory makers are beginning to take the Sony A7x cameras seriously, which bodes well for the E-mount ecosystem.
Below is a list of the top twenty 35mm cameras as of September, 2015, from the latest DxOMark rankings. It is amazing that 19 out of the top 20 are either Sony cameras or Nikon cameras that use Sony sensors.
So my decision to say goodbye to my Nikon D810, which I really love as a camera, is more fundamentally a decision to leave the DSLR ecosystem and switch to the mirrorless, Sony in particular. I started ankle deep in the Sony E-mount ecosystem in Apr. 2011, and now, I'm in neck deep!
As for the ridiculously overpriced Leica M camera, it has now been thoroughly and humiliatingly obsoleted by no fewer than four Sony A7x cameras, the original Sony A7 and the A7R, and the newer A7 II and A7R II. I suspect the M 240 will struggle to show its superiority, if any, against even many mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors (Sony A6000, Fujifilm X-T1, Ricoh GR, Samsung NX1). Leica has been flogging this dead horse for a decade now, with essentially the same crappy camera that was the original M8. Well made and nice looking crap is still crap, even with a red dot on it.
We are in the early stages of a major paradigm change in digital photography, as I have been saying since early 2011. The optical viewfinder, mirror, pentaprism, rangefinder, etc. are all a part of the electromechanical legacy, and will soon be history, washed away by EVF / mirrorless, just as film got obliterated by digital photography.
Pictured above: Sony A7R II + Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M.
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I received finally my wigs for my Momonita <3
The funny thing: I preordered 2 wigs in pastel colors and this reddish one was only a spontanous purchase when Frappzilla had put some wigs for sale. And I guess this one is fitting her so perfectly. What do you think? :)
I bought the outfit in Jun at Dolly Day from Nénelle et Lalluli and I love it on my girl <3
Second shooting day in Switzerland with @zoescarlett🇨🇭Done! 7 cars in two days 💥 Shooting the last stuff for the new Pixeleye Calendar 2021 and for Zoe‘s calendar too Preorder now, link in bio! Thanks to all supporters who preordered so far, calendar will be send to the printer next week 😎 #pixeleye #dirkbehlau #photographer #photoshoot #photography #carsandgirls #behindthescenes
Shillustration's "Adventure Crime" pack. I was real anxious to get this pack. I preordered, and then couldn't wait to get them. I said - yo, Shillustration! where the @#$% are my stickers?! he had to kindly remind me what preorder means.
Friday am.
The line was truly outrageous (like Jem)...
We were limited to one of each style (unless we had more than 14 preordered dolls).
I've added the Subject Letters to each one above.
Not shown: J-tanned Asian female, G-blonde caucasian female, N-plantinum blonde boy, B-AA female, E-redhead caucasian
Thanks to the restocks, I got my hands on some more of these guys! You may notice that some of the amiibo from before are missing (Mega Man, Sheik, ect), that's because I gave some to my siblings. Figured it would be nice to give them some :)
Plus, they wouldn't stop asking otherwise.
(EDIT: Just so you all know, the Falco amiibo is still up on Best Buy ((another exclusive)) for preorder. So if you haven't reserved yours and want him, I suggest preordering soon before he's out of stock :))
The Friday was the last day of five Dolly Days, an event we had at the WClub, and this fourth WClub dolls was announced. After so many years, Adele is finally a WClub doll. I honestly can not believe this is the first time she is a WClub doll, because she is one of the first characters introduced and also a very popular character. I think this is the first time we get "switch system" on FR doll, as well, but this time you do not switch the head, but the torso. So, this giftset includes one complete doll and two torsos with two different sculpts. What an amazing way to honor this lovely character! If you preorder this giftset you will also get three different outfits with three pairs of shoes and two jewelry sets for $200. You can also upgrade this giftset with two completer bodies that include arms and legs for two torsos with heads, so you will basically get three amazing dolls for $230. What a treat!
Now, I planed to stop buying these amazing dolls as I have quite large collection, but this year is totally mind-blowing!
Adele 1.0 is the one I never had. This time she is channeling the famous Muse Adele, which originally featured 2.0 sculpt. I really like her and I am glad I will add this sculpt to my collection. Her berry lips compliment the golden eyeshadow, short hair and those fierce eyebrows, she is so sexy. I can not figure out the screening though.... it doesn't look like old ones. The gown is also very nice and I can see those boots looking quite well with the gown. That look reminds me on Fashion Fairytale outfits. The material does not look like satin, more of a material they used for On the Rise Elyse gown and that one does not wrinkle, which is a plus. The back of the dress reminds me on the Breathless Vero suit. The pink shoes look very nice and they remind me on Reception at Versailles Vero silver shoes. This look includes the earrings which we saw on Feeling Wild Giselle. And there is a bracelet to go with the earrings. I kind of need a hairpiece to complete this look, maybe something like small black hat or fascinator. To be honest, I would buy this doll solely for the price of the giftset!
Adele 2.0 is my favorite sculpt. I really wanted to get Gold Glam Adele, but the white under the eyes prevented me from adding her to my collection. This Adele is a perfect substitute! I also passed Exquisite this year which had the same screening as this one. And this blond version is closer to my heart. This Muse screening is simply gorgeous! Now, the dress and boots are nice, but this look doesn't look complete, I need something else. Maybe a coat, a jacket, or a chain bag. Definitely not complete outfit. This look includes a pair of earrings, bracelets and a ring we already had in last year's collection. Quite boring, to be honest.
Adele 3.0 is the last sculpt used for Adele and is the one that looks more cold and pretentious. I think I have only one Adele with this sculpt - Main Attitude and I simply love her. Always wanted to have an Adele with this hairstyle, and that is a huge plus for this Adele, but otherwise I am not excited about her. She has the same screening as all FR girls from the last year's Supermodel convention. I have too many dolls with this screening and honestly it is not one of my favorite ones. The eyes look round and somehow unfinished. This Adele is no exception. And those boring green eyes... On the other side it seems her lips are two-toned! Also, she has black details on the center of her lips, not sure about that... She could look quite nice in person, we will see. This look includes a panties with lace detail and two bras, one for FR body (for 1.0 and 2.0) and one for NuFace. 3.0 is on NuFace body and I can get that since she looks the most like a NuFace girl. The black shoes are sooooooo boringgggg!!!! There is no jewelry for this look and that makes the outfit somehow unfinished. I need a lavish necklace for this Adele!
Allegedly Jessy Ayala created this giftset, but I do not "see" a lot of him here. I miss those nice details we had in La Femme collection. Maybe he was constrained by the budget, you actually get a lot of dolls in this set for the money. So, I think the proportion between the dolls and the outfits in this set is 70:30. I suppose not a lot of budget was left for the outfits.
Nevertheless, I think this set is one of the best giftsets we had for a while, great job IT and Jessy.
Preordered!
"Simplex Typewriters, $1.00, $2.50, $5.00. The most instructive and useful gift possible to give any child, boy or girl. Come at once to see them demonstrated at E. Schneider & Sons Co., 80 Bergenline Ave., Hudson Hill, N.J."
If you have any interest in the history of typewriters—or vintage ads, photos, and ephemera related to typewriters—then you may want to track down a copy of the recently published book, The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine (Calgary, Alberta: Uppercase Publishing, 2015), by Janie Vangool (full disclosure: my name appears in a list of supporters at the back of the book just because I preordered a copy).
I don't believe that this Simplex Santa makes an appearance in The Typewriter, but there are photos of a couple of Simplex (Toy) Typewriters (one dated 1910), along with Christmas magazine advertisements, Valentine cards, letterheads, postcards (including a copy of this one, p. 123), manuals, instruction books, certificates, touch typing charts (a colorful example similar to this one appears on pp. 86-87), die cuts, ribbon tins, and other delights.
See also the other side of this die-cut Santa advertisement.
Originally posted on Ipernity: Santa's Favorite Simplex Typewriters, 1908.
I could not believe I received the new MTMs sooner then they are released! Amazon.com preordering works :D Even if you live in Europe and order from the US Amazon.
preordered this over a month ago knowing it should come just in time for Mother's Day. Outfitted it with strap, lens cap, and (most importantly) view finder. This is the Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO. I love my other instax, but I often get pics I do not want. This one allows you to pick which shots you want to print out. Also, you can send any photos from your phone to the camera to print. It really is fun.
Second shooting day in Switzerland with @zoescarlett🇨🇭Done! 7 cars in two days 💥 Shooting the last stuff for the new Pixeleye Calendar 2021 and for Zoe‘s calendar too Preorder now, link in bio! Thanks to all supporters who preordered so far, calendar will be send to the printer next week 😎 #pixeleye #dirkbehlau #photographer #photoshoot #photography #carsandgirls #behindthescenes