Hello I’m Jayvee: All Around Geek, Diver, Photographer — and I’m Joining SNUPS!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at April 12th, 2012Hey guys, back to reality! This post is long delayed. Sorry about that. If you want more real time updates, I’m almost always online on Twitter (@jayvee) and Instagram (@jayveef).
Anyway, we’ve been working on a huge event — it’s basically Year II of SNUPS, the biggest underwater photo competition in the Philippines. Now, you don’t need to be a professional photographer to join. There are categories suited for beginners as long as you can bring a camera down 2 feet with tupperware (you’ll be amazed with the things you can find — after all it’s the Philippines!).
In this case, we took the iPhone 4s down. Have a look at the video and share it with friends who may be interested! =)
Dates:
Cebu
April 20-24 2012
Anilao
May 4-8 2012

Preparing the Sony Cybershot DSC W230 for Eagle Point
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at August 15th, 2009I’ll be doing 6 dives in Coron, Palawan next week. Sony lent me yet another Marine Pack, this time housing a barrel lens Cybershot W230. Unlike the previous camera, this model does not come with a touch screen, hence the numerous manual buttons and dials on the back.
More product photos after the jump.
Sony DSC T700 with Marine Pack Hands On in Anilao
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 23rd, 2009Photo Credits: Juned Sonido, Benj Espina, myself
Went on a weekend dive at Dive and Trek in Anilao. A friend was taking her open water course so a bunch of us tagged along. It was also good to meet up (underwater!) with Wowie, Jerome and the rest of the guys from Intel. On the side of the Internet community, Juned was able to drag Benj along. Fun times!
The full review and more underwater shots after the jump.
(more…)
Lakawon Island Photos with the Lumix LX3
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at April 14th, 2009We spent most of Black Saturday in Lakawon Island. I was so glad to finally have a huge burden off my shoulder — literally — as I would usually take my SLR for field trips. I recently caved in and acquired a Panasonic Lumix LX3. The Summicron Leica lens is amazing: it’s quite hard to find a true 24mm wide angle point and shoot camera with very good 720p HD recording. And my golly, f/2.0 on a point and shoot is also a boon.
Nitrogen Ice Cream at Zenses
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 27th, 2009So so geeky! Thus, this restaurant deserves a post.
There’s also a Plurk thread discussing reactions.
——-
So Anton Diaz asked me out on a date. Don’t worry — it wasn’t a HOT date. It was actually pretty cold. More than 100 degrees below zero cold.
We were both a little early for a meeting so after editing my last slide, Anton huddled me down to the next door restaurant – Zenses Neo Shanghai Cuisine. It really didn’t strike my eye at first as a place that had great ice cream and drinks. But Anton is pretty good at sniffing these places out, so I tagged along for some nitrogen powered ice cream.
Chef OJ is an applied physics major who really dresses for the occasion. I just had to take photos and write this down for everyone else to try. The place has been open since October 2008. If you want to know the details of our Osmanthus Ice Cream (P480.00 for two orders) and the Zenses Sweater (P240.00) which Anton ordered, check out his detailed review.
As for me, I just wanted to shoot! Check these out:
(more…)
Two new blog ideas that will make you famous
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at November 4th, 2008Here are some blog ideas boiling about and I’d like to share them with you. I’d have wanted to do these myself but, well, I have a lot to eat with a full plate in front of me. Here they are:
Idea 1. Back in 2005 the company I worked for had already launched a consumer shopping magazine that specialized in doing honest to God product comparisons. Like we’d have 5 of the best sisig in town and compare them. Or six of the most packed burgers. Or they can be as mundane as comparing the total resistance of five brands of tissue paper or the chicken gravy from the top three fast foods.
That magazine was called The Reviewer and it would be cool if a group of people took off and did that again. It would be easier in the sense that you don’t need to have advertising to support you since it’s something you’d have to do by yourself to avoid any biases. The blog won’t review restaurants or establishments. It reviews products in contrast to other products and you’d need to be a very sensitive consumer to see through the marketing. It sounds easy but believe me, it isn’t.
Idea 2. Are you a photographer, talent manager or make up artist? It would be fun to produce a site showcasing the beauty industry with one catch: zero use of Photoshop or any photo manipulating tool (with the exception of crop and B&W conversion). Real photography. Real models. And I mean REAL MODELS. You know how anyone can be a model these days? Well, a blog like this will definitely showcase raw talent from photographers, make up artists, stylists – and yes, bringing back the super models! It’s easy to get shocked when browsing through a magazine and you find out that the model was not photoshopped – you tend to ask for the name of the model and photographer in the credits!
Again, I think this concept would look better as a glossy industry mag but a blog should work just fine.
Any takers? If you do borrow these ideas, tell me. I’d gladly help promote them!
Art In Site Magazine to print 3,000 different covers made by YOU.
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at August 12th, 2008Truly hot. Art In Site is an upcoming magazine for Filipino artists, made by artists. And they’re doing something really bold. For their first issue, they’re calling for 3,000 artists to submit artwork to be used as the cover of their 1st issues (they’re printing 3,000 individualized covers!).
Need I say more? Here are the guidelines of the project. There are currently 2,054 slots left and 34 days (as of 12.08.08 2:56 PM) till the submission of your work. The magazine will come out in January 2009 – a bold, bold project! Reserve your slot now!
Crumpler Industry Disgrace Camera Strap, Finally!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 17th, 2008It’s almost like an obsession as I hauled myself at every chance I land on Bonifacio High Street as I’ve been pre-listed for an Industry Disgrace for several weeks now. Yup, the Industry Disgrace is Crumpler’s new line of camera neck straps. I had a feeling they would be here in Singapore and my guesses were right. I was able to get two
In SG these things cost betwen P660.00 to P950.00 depending on what “edition” you got. The camouflaged design you see here is the limited edition while the brown and black (I didn’t get the black) were more affordable.
Lens Review: Micro Nikkor PC AUTO 1:3.5 f=55mm
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at April 19th, 2008Last month I reviewed my hands down favorite lens. This month, I’m literally zooming in with my second lens review. Thanks to a friend who took the pains to have this “new old” lens cleaned of 15 years worth of muck, it’s finally back in the game! May I present the Micro Nikkor PC 1:3.5 f=55mm lens, a very versatile macro lens that is also by the way, a derma’s nightmare as I was able to take the most unflattering shots of women’s facial pores.
According to various site reviews, this is one of the best macro lenses (!!!) ever made by Nikon in the mid 1900′s. Although auto focus does not work with the Nikon D40, it matters not really. The Micro Nikkor 1:3.5 is versatile. It has a focal range of 24.1 cm to infinity making it a great lens for shooting close up subjects like portraits and even events. The lens practically shines during daytime photography as shown in the photo below:
(more…)
Samsung GX-20 unveiled
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at April 1st, 2008

Samsung recently unveiled its new line of HD-compatible point and shoot cameras as well as the new GX-20 DSLR. I wasn’t able to attend the launch but Fritz as well as some other photo enthusiasts were able to glance at the GX-10′s successor. Samsung isn’t a very big player in the local DSLR scene. It’s no contests that when we walk along the streets of the metro, we will see preference for Canon and Nikon DSLR’s. There are also cult followings of Olympus E series and the Sony Alpha that is now compatible with the older Konica-Minolta lenses. But Samsung?
The GX-20 doesn’t have a huge lens selection to choose from yet. What’s so good about the GX-20? Well it’s sorta like the Sony Alpha cum live view and IS functionality. Overall I’d say a good camera although I must stress the lack of lens choices. This is bound to change of course as time passes. If you’re starting anew with your hobby, why not give Samsung a chance and build your lens collection from there?
More details on the camera plus photos at the local launch.
Lens Review: Fixed Focus AUTO Tamron 28mm f/2.8
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at March 31st, 2008
Update: One of my readers, Rick Grogan was able to purchase this lens for $5.00. He says that “it was part of the Adapt-A-Matic range made from 1969 to 1971 and is built to the same grade as nikon/canon/carl zeiss etc”
When you leave a little boy in a room filled with different toys, there will be a tendency for that little boy to play with everything. But at some point that little boy will have a favorite toy as time passes. So thus comes my very first lens review of probably the best lens in my dad’s collection.

I’ve been searching for reviews of an old Tamron 28mm fixed focus lens on the Internet but could barely find anything worth a review. I read from Wikipedia that this lens has been discontinued in 2005 (that’s if I get my nomenclature right) and it is currently being sold in eBay with a Canon body adaptor. Apparently this lens is ADAPTALL compatible, making the Auto Tamron 28mm f/2.8 fit with a Canon EOS body given you have the ADAPTALL tube. The lens is very hard to find though. I currently have a set of two adaptors for Nikon bodies but they are for other lens brands. Read on for my review.
(more…)
















