After I finished the third grade, my parent packed up the house and bought a bigger four-bedroom home in the suburbs. It was the American Dream made real, and it included a huge picture window that faced the southeast and had good morning sun. I had never known my mother to have a green thumb, as we had up to that point lived in the concrete jungle of Irvington NJ. But once in the suburbs, my mom took to planting in the back yard and growing a little jungle in front of the picture window.
We had all manner of plants growing as I was growing up. I took no interest in them as a teenager, but now I look back and wonder at it. It was mostly exotic stuff, plants that liked the sun, plants that reminded my mom of the Philippines perhaps, and plants sometimes brought over from the homeland (back in the days when our borders did not resemble a militarized zone).
Nowadays, the collection is winnowed down. Just three exotic plants sit in front of the picture window; a jade that loves the sun, another plant with long 2'-3' blade-like leaves, and this thing with leaves the size of dinner plates.
So I've finally mated my fancy silver Nikkor 18.5mm f/1.8 CX lens to the Nikon V1. What I'm curious to see if this fast prime turns the formerly special purpose V1 (outdoors and fast action specialist) into more of an all-rounder. The 1" CX sensor doesn't have the dynamic range or low light capabilities of a good APS-C sensor, but the hope is that this fast (equivalent) 50 will help.
I've haven't put the combo through its paces but the initial results are promising. It reminds me of the Panasonic GF2 with 20mm F1.7 lens that I used to carry with me everywhere. The GF2 would run out of puff above ISO800; the V1 is perhaps a touch better with still something to give at ISO1600. The camera/lens combos are about the same size too, with low-light AF similar. The V1, once again, is perhaps a touch better and then in good light runs away with it.
Watch this space. More to come.
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