Get creative, get smart

Get creative, get smart

1. Lomo Konstruktor DIY kit

With so many photo editing apps easily available these days, there is little need for a film camera to give your photo the desired effect. Still, nothing beats the thrills of collecing the developed photos. Or building your own camera from scratch.

The Lomo Konstruktor DIY kit comes in a lightweight cardboard box the size of a laptop.

And this 35mm single reflex camera happens to be the first Lomography SLR camera in the market.

For those who worry about having to handle tiny pieces while building this camera, fret not.

The parts are easy to identify, and the set comes with stickers that can be used to customise your finished camera.

The camera also has a fixed aperture lens, with a lens focus as close as 0.5m to the subject of the photograph.

The viewfinder is positioned in such a way that when taking photographs, the camera has to be positioned in front of you, below the shoulders.

This might be unusual for those who have not seen or used a Lomography camera, but it's a refreshing change from digital photography.

There are two settings for the shutter in the camera to toggle with before taking the photo - the normal function (a shutter speed of 1/80 seconds) and the bulb function - depending on the surroundings.

The camera also supports film with an ISO of up to 800.

For $58, Lomography has created the perfect camera for photo enthusiasts.

Sony SmartWatch 2

Specially made for Android phones, this smart watch, worth $288, is definite wrist candy for both men and women.

The synchronising of the phone to the watch is made relatively easy, with the choice of either using the near field communication (NFC) feature on their phones, or by Bluetooth.

You would have to install the Smart Connection application from Google Play Store before turning the Bluetooth on in the phone and the watch.

After pairing the devices, everything loads quickly and the SmartWatch 2 application appears on the phone.

This is also an ideal gadgets for fitness enthusiasts because the watch comes with a free running application.

The application, called the Runtastic Pro, usually costs US$4.99 (S$6.20) in Google Play Store, but it comes free with this smart watch. It uses GPS to map and track sports and fitness activities, such as running, jogging, biking and walking.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 also synchronises with social media applications like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

With a battery life that lasts for two to three days, you can charge the watch by connecting it via a USB cable to a laptop.

darit@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on July 08, 2014.
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