Author:
Review: Nikon J5 Camera
POSTED IN Articles, Reviews, Technology
yurinikon

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             As seen on: Channel Girls’ Generation, Episode 6

 

 

The members of Girls’ Generation are often seen at the forefront when it comes to discussions about the marketing and trending effects idols have on consumers, both in Korea and abroad. I’m sure many of you have been influenced into either making a purchase or debated a purchase just for the fact that it was either worn, advertised or used by one of the members. I’m guilty of this when it comes to the tech they make use of, as being the only male member on the team…many of the fashion items they wear just aren’t made for me. However, this being a camera review, this is right up my alley, and something I hope many of you read should you be interested in snapping pics like Yuri did during Channel SNSD.

As mentioned before, the members tend to be very trendy when it comes to both fashion as well as technology. The Nikon J5 is no different, being Nikon’s newest mirror-less camera as of it’s release date of April 2015.  With it’s small size and good image quality, it’s no wonder Yuri made use of it on the show for her paparazzi-esque needs, and that many other reviewers and sites gave it high-marks. Given Nikon’s track record, this is not surprising. It’s a very good camera. But it does have it’s downsides, and a few of those may be enough of a deal breaker to warrant passing over the model. There are a lot of benefits too, and I’ll start with what makes this camera good.

For some, size is the biggest factor. Not everybody has hands large enough(or enough arms strength) to comfortably hold a Canon 1D with a 70-200 f/2.8 USM IS II. Much less, not everybody needs to do that in the first place. Some people just want something they can fit in their purse or bag and take with them for those shots when a camera phone just won’t cut it. And the Nikon shines great in this regard. Weighing in at less than .5 lbs/.23 kg, it’s far lighter than a bulkier DSLR like the Canon 7D or the Nikon D7100, even if you factor in the lens. Much more, this is something that will fit into a purse or bag without issue, while those models require a dedicated camera bag or a large backpack. For some people, that’s enough to convince them this is the model for them. Nikon offers a variety of lenses to suit ones purpose, and whether you need a wide-angle lens to capture Singapore’s Marina Bay in all it’s grandeur or a zoom-lens to nab that shot of Tiffany waving during a Phantasia concert(and I do envy you if that’s the case!), there are lens that will do that. Add on the ability to record 1080p at up to 60fps(think of the fancams!), and you’ve got a very versatile camera in your hands. Or bags, purse, what have you. And whatever images you do capture, you can rest assured that it’ll be leagues better than what a cellphone is capable of. Despite the slightly larger footprint compared to say an iPhone 6S+, the photo quality will make you happy that you brought it out to handle picture duties instead of Apple’s flagship. Much like the iPhone, it also has WiFi capabilities, so you can transfer images from the camera to your computer without the hassle of finding your memory card reader or having to ever take the memory card out of the camera. Useful? I’d definitely say so. Adding in all of my previous praises, and you can see that there’s certainly a lot going for it, and rightfully so.

Downsides? There’s not many, but they do exist. A big one to mention is although there are a few lens for this type of camera, they are dwarfed by the amount you can find for regular Nikon D-model’s. Many camera rental places will stock these newer models, but you’ll not have the same variety to choose from. Another issue, this one may be specific to K-pop fans/concert goers, is that although it’s fairly small, it may not pass the criteria that it’s not a professional camera, and you may not be allowed to take it in to certain events or venues. If you just plan on using it for fun, this isn’t an issue, but if you’re looking to be the next fansite master, you may have trouble getting this one in. Speaking of fansites, that brings me to my next con. The quality you get will exceed smartphones, no question about it. But it’s not quite up to par with larger dSLR’s. For most pictures, you won’t notice much of a difference. However if you are a fan of concert photography, comparing your low-light shots from the J5 to the larger models fansites use, and you’ll see they managed to get clearer and overall “better” pictures. Of course, their camera was about 4x heavier than yours and tens of centimeters longer, but it’s still something to note. Lastly, battery life is a little on the low side. It’s rated at 250, which is likely enough for a standard day-out, but if you are somebody that thinks they’ll take it to a lot of events and will be snapping away for hours, or wants to do a lot of fancamming, you may have to invest in another battery to be able to make full use of it over a long time period.

Well, there you have it! I apologize if any terms I used were too technical or need more explanation, and I’ll be happy to answer any questions left in the comment section or clear things up. Overall, this is a great little camera that many people will find is just enough for them, but may not be suitable for power users or those that crave the most powerful camera on the market. Still, for it’s size and the price, I’m going to go ahead and recommend it, giving it a rating of 4.5/5.

Thank you again for reading, and hope this helped any of you on the fence about buying!

Nikon: J5 Camera @ nikonusa.com $499.95

 

 

Outfit of the Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week

Hello SoshiStyle readers! Sorry we’ve been away these past few weeks from “Outfit of the Week”. A lot of things came up, but we’re back in gear and happy to bring you your weekly dose of your favorite outfits! This week, after a double poll, Taeyeon and Yoona both took top honors for their airport fashion in their respective weeks. Let’s take a look at each of their outfits!

398577a33ae6de545d6a1f854cb6e1c3

Despite being the oldest member of the group, Taeyeon once again manages to look several years younger with this cute ensemble. While several other members opted for shorts, Taeyeon went one step further and sported a cute stonewash denim romper, perfect for the coming summer heatwave(and no doubt a good choice for their trip to Thailand). Being a romper, there was not much else to the outfit other than a black belt. For shoes, she went with a pair of metallic oxfords, and unusually enough, had both a shoulder bag and a handbag. Hairstyle wise, blonde Taeyeon was back for the week, though her pink tips we saw on Instagram weren’t yet applied.

d2ec01c73d033f89cb83ad371c9e740d

Notice anything familiar? Think maybe Taeyeon had a hand in styling Yoona? Hmmm. No matter, Yoona looked as fashionable as she did comfortable in her denim variation. Rather than a romper, Yoona sported a modest dress, though she did show quite a bit of her slender legs thanks to it’s mid-thigh cut. The dress was a great choice for an airport outfit, as it’s reasonable length and comfy material no doubt helped on the hours long flight. Her metallic sandals likewise are perfect for traveling. For accessories, she carried a dark pink bag and wore a pair of light pink Lolita sunglasses.

Thank you again for joining us for Outfit of the Week, and as always, thank you for voting!

Image Credit: Dispatch, Yoonaya

 

Outfit of the Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week
snsd hyoyeon detective k vip premiere (12)

 

Happy Chinese New Year everyone! We hope you are enjoying yourself this holiday season(I sure am!), and this week, we’re bringing you another great Outfit of the Week. This time around, you guys chose Hyoyeon’s ensemble from the “Detective K: Secret of the Lost Land” premiere as the winning outfit. Interestingly enough, Hyoyeon attended two events that day, and while she looked great at both, we chose her outfit from the event mentioned beforehand. Let’s take a closer look at it.

Rather than overly formal, Hyoyeon wore something more inline with their airport fashion, which isn’t to say is a bad thing. Her “glossy” dark blue graphic sweater certainly draws attention, and the unique fabric definitely made it stand out amongst others. Her navy blue skirt was much more muted, but did it’s job, as well as show casing her toned dancer’s legs. Her shoe choice was a pair of black laced platform booties, a fitting choice rather than high heels. Her only accessory was a very striking glossy blue clutch, which shown in a variety of colors depending on the angle of the photograph.

Congrats to Hyoyeon for this winning this week’s Outfit of the Week, and thank you all for voting!

Image Credit: Sportschosun

Outfit of the Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week
RH7eKzY

Hi readers! First off, happy belated birthday to Sooyoung, who is currently getting ready for NY Fashion Week(so jealous!), and hopefully had a wonderful time celebrating in the city that never sleeps. Moving on to this week’s outfit of the week, we have Tiffany’s airport outfit headed to the Valentino store launch in Hong Kong winning your hearts, or at least your votes. Let’s analyze!

Given her aforementioned association with Valentino heading to the airport, it’s no surprise that she showcased a few of their pieces in this cold-weather outfit. Both the subdued floral print jacket and clutch purse are both Valentino, and unsurprisingly, are two of the biggest attention grabbers in the whole ensemble.  Dark tones dominate the remaining elements of her wardrobe, with both her jeans and boots being black. Accessory wise, shes’ got the clutch purse and an adorably wrapped scarf, as well as a pair of very full hands. The outfit overall gives a very stylish-yet-practical vibe, and given the temperature in Seoul at the time, it’s for good reason.

Congratulations to Tiffany for this week’s Outfit of the Week, and thank you all for voting!

Image Credit: Complete Bliss.kr

Outfit Of The Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week
taetiseo-snsd-exo-cung-dan-sao-long-lay-tren-tham-do-seoul-music-awards

Hello everyone! Sorry for the gap between OOTW’s, but we’re back with another good outfit for you all! This week’s winner, by quite a decent margin, was Tiffany’s black ensemble from the recent Seoul Music Awards. Let’s take a closer look at it!

While her fellow members Seohyun and Taeyeon had their outfits accented by either a white shawl or train, Tiffany’s instead went for almost strictly black, with very little color to it. Her outfit was a cropped satin bodycon dress, which did an excellent job of showing off and hugging every inch of her curves. The black continued with a pair of lacy black heels of a decent height, though not quite enough to make her as tall as Seohyun. The heels did showcase the fleeting amount of color in the ensemble, having a sequined backside to the heel portion. No accessories were worn, nor carried, and her hair was beautifully curled at the tips and done to the right.

Congratulations to Tiffany for winning Outfit of the Week, and thank you all for voting!

Photo credit: OSEN

 

Outfit of the Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week
tumblr_nfemgzepHZ1sgoz6co1_1280

It’s nearing December, and of course, that means Seoul is getting colder and colder, no doubt causing an increase of trendy coats at the airport (see Tiffany’s pink “rug” shawl). For those who voted, the majority of you decided that Seohyun’s Incheon style from 11/21 was the best of the week, and we’re here to break it down piece by piece.

By far the most eye catching part of her outfit, sans her bag, was her gorgeous tan wool trench coat, which provided her not only with a sense of warmth, but also elegance. She paired it with a knitted turtle neck, in cream, which is a classic combination when it comes to winter fashion. She went dark for her jeans, which were a raw deep navy color, and she opted to roll them up to her ankles, likely to accommodate her choice of footwear. For said footwear, she picked a pair of platform heels, black suede, and no doubt dwarfed the shorter members in the group thanks to their sizable stature. Her accessories consisted of a geometric patterned purse, and a stylish pair of sunglasses.

Congrats to Seohyun for winning this week’s outfit of the week, thank you all for voting, and for those of you in the US, have a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Image credit: NEWSEN

Outfit of the Week
POSTED IN Articles, Outfit of the Week
PE5jKFYRFIk

(Author’s Note: The previous outfit of the week post was for outfit B, as opposed to the actual winner, outfit F. My apologies regarding the confusion and the incorrect post.)

The promotions for TTS may be over, but their members are still picking up awards, with Seohyun being your pick as this week’s Outfit of the Week winner!

Ever the stylish maknae, Seohyun went for a chic but versatile ensemble that worked wonderfully for her. She started with a thick cable knit white sweater, no doubt useful for the cool weather that’s commonplace in autumn, and it’s geometric designs kept it from being too simple.  In a nod to her more “mature” image, she opted for a pair of super short pair of black shorts, revealing quite a bit of leg despite the cold weather. Furthermore, she went with a pair of knee high boots, reminiscent of a certain concept from the past. For accessories, she went for a wide brimmed black hat and a small leather clutch, forgoing her usual sunglasses for the flight.

Congrats to Seohyun for winning, and thank you all for voting!

Image Credit: Newsen