… or probably it is a need instead of a want.

The 24-70mm range at a constant f2.8.

There are two lens makers offering this range, Sigma and Nikon. The following two photos are taken with a used Sigma at a camera shop.

24mm @ f2.8

And…

70mm @ f2.8

Not too bad actually. But these two have gone through some post processing to bring out the best in the photo. It would be tough chore if I need to post process 1,000 plus photos from a wedding or event to get the photos right. Originally it is not as sharp nor is it so contrasty.

Did not get the chance to try out Nikon’s 24-70 f2.8, but from my short test sometime back with a friend’s Nikon 24-70, it was VERY nice. Almost no post processing needed. Sharp and colourful straight out from the camera. Unfortunately, it costs 3 times more @ RM5.6k

Darn!!

So, get the Sigma now… and then later trade it in for the 24-70? or, save more more and get the 24-70 later? Hmmm… decisions….

Hah!!

I finally know how to use the Screen Shots application which was loaded into the phone by the guys from Samsung. Great thinking loading them apps for us. Or is it a standard application which comes with the phone? No matter, I finally got help from Jun Yan on how to go about using the application.

You see, by default the key to do a screen shot is the camera button. When I tried it, it launches the camera application. I kept on trying and trying and trying and it keeps on launching the camera application. Then Jun Yan showed me the way.. fuhyor!! I then how a load of screen captures.

As mentioned, the Samsung i450 runs on Symbian OS9.2, the same OS which powers Nokia phones.. with just a little cosmetic differences here and there.

Slide the phone downwards and it automatically launches the music application. Very nice if you ask me. There are some cool background animation, either that or you can choose to switch it off completely. Why would one wanna switch it off I would not know, it looks so cool!!

It looks so much cooler with the animation going instead of just static.

You can also choose between a red theme or a blue theme.

There is also a host of equaliser settings for you to choose from.

Too bad there is no manual setting. I would love to play around with them frequencies to see the outcome.

When you slide the phone back to it’s ’standy’ position from the music player mode, the screen will remain in landscape mode. Quite interesting for a while, then you get tired of it, especially when it does not stay that way when you slide the phone back up to use the numeric keypad.

The other thing which I only found out recently is that you can actually set multiple alarms. One of the reasons why I stayed away from the other Symbian-powered phone is because I thought it can only do one alarm. You see, I am not a morning person, so I need several alarms to ensure that I wake up on time in the morning.

All I had to do was to go to the Alarm Tab and select a New Alarm

Woo hoo!!! Multiple alarms!!

Alrights, now back to the first day I got the phone.

I was thrilled to find the GPS option in the phone.

Navigator woh!!! …Excited!!

However, to my dismay, it did not have GPS built it. OK lar, I knew it before hand, but I could still hope right?

It would be cool to have these applications, which will come in handy when travelling outstation.

Oh.. and another discovery earlier today. VOICE CONTROL!!! FUHYOR!!!!! Sungguh canggih!!

You press and hold down the ‘0′ key and the voice control application launches. Then I called out to the phone…

“Call Jason Cheng“

The application recognises my speech, but was not too sure.. so it asked… Wah.. not bad leh. That fella not sure, and can ask to confirm wan woh.

And then… it recognises that Jason Cheng in my phonebook has got two numbers, so it asked to confirm again which number I would like to make that call.

Then finally it made the call.

Fuah.. quite refreshing. Ok lar. I know lar.. I quite Sua Ku Voice control also never played before. Wahaha.

I have been itching to do a comprehensive review on the Samsung i450 every since I got the phone. But because I was quite tied up the past week, I had kept putting off the review until earlier today. And since I could not fully review the phone without an expansion card for me to put the i450 through its paces, I went out and got myself a 2GB microSD card. The phone supports up to 4GB by the way.

I plugged it in and low and behold, a whole new world opens up as previously the limited phone memory was insufficient to sustain my insatiable hunger for multimedia stuff like taking photos. So off I went happily snapping away and transferring my music and photos into the phone memory.

Not too long later, came my first encounter with the notorious S60 application hang symptom. But the phone did not hang altogether, it seems that only the application hung, the operating system itself did not hang as I could still revert to the stand by screen by pressing the ‘hang up’ key. After a while, I noticed that it is due to the microSD card. Somehow it is not compatible with the phone. I suspect the memory is not of certain quality although it came under a very famous and reputable ‘brand name’. Anyhow, I went around it by only using the memory for taking photos. I am not much of a music phone fellow. Probably I would be much happier with the i550. But hey.. fate dealt me a card and it was 4 of spades.

The Samsung i450 fits into the palm of my hands pretty nicely. Grip was good but it’s large screen (all 2.4 inches) and the reflective back cover it a magnet for finger prints. The slider feels robust and has a reassuring feel that you will not be able to flick the top slider off the main body.

Even when fully extended, it still feels small in my hands.

On its side, it is not the thinnest of them all, especially when compared to Samsung’s other offering which resembles The Olsen twins from the side. But it is still acceptable to me, someone who particularly likes slim phones.

The i450 has a dual slider mechanism. Slide up and you get the standard numerical keypad as seen in the photo previously. Slide the slider down, and you get…

.. the music phone!!!!

I have not gotten around fiddling around with the music part yet. But I shall very soon.

Now here is a very interesting thing about the phone. I do not know if it is a bug, or if Samsung designed it that way, but, when you are in the music phone, the the slider down and the music application running, you slide the slider back to normal position, the display is horizontal or landscape. And it stays that way until you slide the slide up. It then returns to portrait mode. Maybe there is a way to reset the display back to normal. I have yet to find out how.

The main and navigation buttons plus the 2.4″ screen dominates the facia of the phone. The buttons are huge!

Even the numerical keypad is huge, something people with big fingers like me would appreciate. It is a joy to sms with this phone. The keypad has a very nice tactile feel to it.

Just above the screen are the speaker and forward facing camera for video calls. Ooo… can I use this to camwhore? Wait wait.. Oh. you cannot switch to the secondary camera to camwhore.

Behind is the glossy back cover which attracts finger prints. And to side track a little, the back cover is extremely difficult to remove and replace. This can be a blessing in disguise as the phone feels very solid. No creaks or anything like that. Ok, back to to the back, the 2mp camera with LED flash naturally sits here. Speaking of camera, it is one of those non-autofocus type which gives so-so results. During the day with ample light, the camera is ok and yields acceptable results. Just do not try taking pictures at night where light is low.

At the top is an outlet for the speaker, the power button as well as the 3.5mm audio jack.

Not too fond of the jack cover but it is essential to keep the innards of the phone clean and dust free. I am, however, very fond of the 3.5mm jack where I can plug in my own earphones for maximum hearing pleasure. Seriously I have not taken the standard earphones which came with the phone out of its plastic housing yet. I rarely do anyways.

On one side of the phone is the volume rocker…

.. and microSD card slot.

On the other side is the multi-functional connector (power, data and handfree)…

.. and the camera button.

And here’s what I think is the phone’s killer feature…

The.. erm.. ‘Touch Ring’.

To me, it is more of a novelty. I find it more comfortable using the directional keypad to navigate myself around the music application. Maybe that is because I only have about 25 songs in my playlist. Probably I should try uploading everything I can find and fill up the 2GB card just for kicks.

Oh.. My favourite while sitting on the throne…

Okies… that is all for today folks.

The weekend is here again. So many things to do, so little time.