In February, D’Ann got her first doll. She’d been wanting one for some time so I hit up Volks to see if they still had any in stock. Fortunately, they still had a Miu available after the DP event so I picked her up. Even though it was still a few months before D’Ann’s birthday, I let it slip that I already had the present. Here’s what happened…

Early birthday present

Of course, Miu wasn’t the only doll to join our family this year. I had also acquired the newly released Saber Lily as well as Reimu! On the custom front, we brought in an MDD and another DDS (Umi and Kitsune). With the new dolls, we had to rethink our strategy for displaying them all…

With all these new dolls, the logical thing to do would be to take pictures of them. What better way to do that by traveling with them? They went everywhere with us this year, including to Raleigh for Animazement and our road trip to Saratoga Springs, NY, Ithaca, NY, Niagara Falls, and Louisville, KY.

Of course, we had a good time too…

Maid of the Mist in Niagara Falls

Niagara at night

Lobby of the Seelbach Hilton in Louisville, KY

Horse racing at Saratoga Race Course

Dolls weren’t the only thing we took into our home this year! We also adopted a a Flame Point Siamese cat from a local animal rescue. His name is Dakota and he is a total sweetheart! His mellow temper really lets him get along with Sophie.

On the photography front, I started dabbling in the world of film again. Since we have a few classic film SLRs laying around, I started shooting a few rolls of film here and there instead of using the D7000. I’m pleased with the results and I’ll keep doing it! Taking away the crutch of digital really forces me to be a better (and more frugal) photographer. XD

My two “new” cameras, Canon AE-1 (left) and Nikon FE (right)

So far I only have samples from the Canon, but I’m looking forward to shooting with the Nikon in 2012! It’s significantly more advanced than the Canon in terms of features and it’ll also take the majority of my lenses!

Finally, the big news of the year is that D’Ann and I got engaged. We found the perfect ring in Louisville while browsing the estate jewelry section and knew it was the one for us! It has some beautiful details and features leaf patterns around the diamond.

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I know of that shows her wearing it… XD

That’s it for 2011… I hope 2012 brings us just as much excitement!

Happy New Year!

You can choose from pink or silver for your part, as well as for DD or MDD. They’re also reasonably priced at about $40 and ship from Taiwan.

Packaging is also very simple, all that comes with it is the joint and a spare set of screws for if you lose the original ones. So how does the joint compare to the Volks original joint?

At first glance, they look about the same. The upper portion of the ball joint is slightly taller than the Volks one and there are not as many ribs in the portion that goes into the head.

When moving the joint around, we can start seeing the differences. The range of motion is much larger and can go a good 15 degrees more in every direction.

When mounted to the body, the difference becomes even more apparent! This should translate to a decent amount of head movement.

Here Rin has the new joint while Haruka has the original. Rin is able to tilt her head back a bit further and maintain that pose while Haruka will snap back to a much straighter position. It’s also important to note that the shape of the head will impact the angle that can be achieved, as the back of the head may prevent using the full range.

From looking at the design of the ball joint, it doesn’t appear that cutting the neck will yield any more motion as the ball comes almost completely flush with the top of the neck. A cut may give you a slight bit more, however you may already be limited by the back of the head hitting the neck.

Since making the initial purchase, I decided to replace all of the girls neck parts! The Cool Cats joint is much easier to pose with in every direction and gives much more flexibility in moving the head. At $40, it’s much more economical than the Dollfie World version (which is also not always in stock) and they are extremely reasonable with shipping. There is a downside with this version though, since the stem is mostly smooth, the head does not grip as well and detaches easily.

For more information on the Cool Cats Neck replacement part, visit their web site. You can also find them at their eBay store for the same price (plus $4 shipping).

For more information on the Dollfie World neck joint, visit their web site.

I’ve been lusting after a wide angle for some time now and I’d been considering this lens. At an MSRP of $399 for the initial AT-X Pro version ($499 for the AT-X Pro II) seemed a bargain compared to the $1000+ price tag of the Nikon equivalent. Even better, I got mine used from a local camera shop for less than that! A sucker for a good deal (and even nicer glass), I went ahead and picked it up. This would be my second piece of glass from Tokina, the first being the 100mm AT-X Pro Macro lens.

First things first, I noticed how well the lens feels to hold. It’s fairly weighty and gives nice balance to the D7000 body I’m using. Both the focus ring and zoom ring are a decent size, making them easy to use in hand.

Both the zoom ring and focus ring goes clockwise for increasing focal length and distance, which is right on par with standard Nikkor lenses. Sorry Canon fans, it’s “backwards” for you.

Another neat thing about some Tokina lenses is the clutch system used to engage manual focus. Pull back on the focus barrel to go into manual mode, push forward for auto. Kinda nice that you don’t have to take your hands off the lens to change, or hunt for a switch on the neck of the lens! The only real issue I have (and it’s really not a fault of the lens), is that it takes 77mm filters. Unfortunately, this doesn’t match any of the filters I already have in my collection so I’d have to get a new set for polarizers (and they’d have to be ultra thin, at that).

So what can you do with an ultra wide angle lens? The obvious answer would be for landscapes, but that’s not all it’s good for!

Here are some examples of wide angle shots. The first is a landscape and the second is a picture of my new desk. Both were shot at 12mm, so I was actually pretty close to both targets. This is a fairly obvious application, “getting more in the shot,” but there’s a lot more stuff you can do with a wide. It seems counter intuitive, but close up work can really benefit too!

In each of these shots, the object was very close to the minimum working distance of the lens (mouse in the first, camera in the second). In both photos, I set the aperture to f/4.0 triggered the shutter remotely. One thing I’ve noticed is the nice depth of field that comes in at maximum aperture, but the other cool thing is the interesting perspective effect that’s introduced. Lines that are supposed to be perpendicular are distorted more than with a standard lens.

Another great use is to squeeze in to those places for shots where you normally can’t. We were out and about one day and found this little bridge, which is pretty much 1/3 scale. It would be perfect for dolls, but how could I shoot from the bridge and look straight on at the girls? Answer? Use a wide angle!

Here’s Sakura and Miu on the bridge, the scale is just perfect! From behind, I could kneel on the bridge, zoom in slightly, and get both girls framed well.

More shots of Sakura, in the first picture you can see a bit of the distortion the lens introduces.

In all, the lens is great for a variety of purposes, from landscapes, to close up work, to doll portraits. And at the price range, practically a bargain compared to the competition!

With Rin, Sakura, and accessories packed, it was time to hit the road!

I actually ended up carpooling with Balldylox to the meet, who drove up from Charleston. He brought Manami along for the meet and was looking forward to meeting up with the previous owner! Along with Rin and Sakura, the three of them were representing the Dollfie Dream camp in the sea of resin!

There were plenty of gorgeous dolls at the meet and it was the first time I’d had the chance to really look at the resins. They’re much heavier than the vinyl Dollfie Dreams and much more solid feeling. With so many dolls in one place, it was hard not to set them up together for some awesome photos!

Here we have Rin and a new friend. Isn’t she cute?

This was an interesting shot. Sakura appears to be staring at Manami’s assets while Kou is copping a little feel from Sakura…

Rin, Manami, and Sakura welcome you to Doll Market!

Proud owners gather at Patti Lynn’s doll shop afterwards. We picked out several wigs for Manami to try and got her papa to buy it. XD In all though, we had a great time at the meet! For more pictures, see the full set up on Flickr!

It was an exciting day to see both packages in my mailbox!

The artist I commissioned via Flickr/Den of Angels did a magnificent job on the faceup, giving Haruka a slight smile and gorgeous eyelashes! The wig, on the other hand, was a different story. It took almost two hours and several fittings to finally get it right. The wig cap was a touch too big to fit properly, so currently the cap is pulled over both her ears. A little trim to the bangs may be in order as well, as the hair currently strays in front of her eyes.

Without further ado, I present to you Amami Haruka!

For her debut, Haruka will be performing the song “Go My Way!” from the IdolM@ster XBOX360 trailer!

One thing this shoot taught me was that my lighting for shooting Dollfies against a bright background is a bit inadequate. The two spot lamps I had were great for closeup shots, but didn’t provide adequate light for wider angle shots. Also, I discovered that my 60in TV makes for a great backdrop for shooting and I can take a photos without worry of glare as long as the lighting is placed in the right spot. I may have to use it more in the future for other shoots!

For reference, here’s the video that was playing from the XBOX…

And here she is! It was a lovely day out, with the exception of the humidity. Yoko didn’t seem to mind though, she was outside!

Yoko checks out an interesting warning sign… I think she’s a bit too timid to take the chance. She’ll just settle for posing in front of the fountain instead.

Yes, that’s a much safer spot to be in…

There were also plenty of trees to climb. Careful so that you don’t fall out! I don’t have any spare parts if you break anything…

That looks like a lovely spot to sit… Careful not to fall backwards!

Are you tired already…? It’s only been an hour!

It was a short outing, but had a great time! With all the times I’ve been, I finally heard the “That guy is taking pictures of a Barbie doll!” comment. Granted, it came from a kid, so I could forgive the injustice. ^.^ I did actually have someone approach me and ask me if there was a back story to what I was doing and we had a nice chat for a few minutes!

For more photos from the shoot, see the photos in Yoko’s set on Flickr

Isn’t she cute? The thing that took the most time was getting the wig on. It was hard getting it on in a place where her hair wasn’t hanging in front of her eyes. It was also the first time I’d used a silicone wig cap instead of a cloth one, so it took lots of adjustment to get everything in the right place!

Volks had some odd packaging practices. When I cut open the top of the box, I was greeted by another box closure. It wasn’t exactly another box, but rather the inner box was wrapped on 5 sides by another box and taped shut. I’m not quite sure what they were trying to accomplish doing that…

Once I got through the second level of packaging, I was greeted by Sakura’s box. I didn’t win anything else from the lottery, so it was just the standard Volks Dollfie Dream packaging encased in bubble wrap.

Inside Sakura’s box was the standard items, DDII body with L bust, custom Sakura head and eyes, school outfit, apron, wig, and shoes. Also included was a small pamphlet talking about the concept behind Sakura.

The macro lens came in handy with taking close ups of the head and eyes. It even helped me identify that there was some extra glue that needed to be removed…

Before

After

I also never realized the texture that was in the eyes! To clean off the glue, all it took was a cotton swab and a little isopropyl alcohol. With that, her eyes were as good as new and had a little extra polish to them!

Since I’d recently acquired Rin’s school uniform set from a member of Den of Angels, I thought it fitting to dress Sakura in her casual wear. Of course, that outfit had arrived months ago since that was won from the international lottery… Nonetheless, Sakura looks good in her casual clothing!

Unfortunately, the cat decided to check her out while she wasn’t looking… Bad kitty! With the outfit in place and adjusted, it was time for some long awaited reunions!

Rin was the first to notice her and came to exchange pleasantries. I think they were happy to see each other!

There’s a bit of family resemblance, especially in the eyes. Of course, I’m sure there’s a bit of jealousy from the smaller one…. ^.^;; Yoko had also decided to join in the festivities!

Welcome to your new family, Sakura!

A close up on the shipping label should reveal some clues…

This could only mean one thing. Haruka’s head, body, and eyes have arrived! After getting my work done for the day, it was time to break the box open and check out the contents.

As always, Volks does a great job with making sure the contents are protected without going overboard with packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Unlike some retailers (like newegg.com and monoprice.com), I didn’t have to dig through several layers of packaging to find the prizes. Also included is the latest version of “All About Dollfie Dream,” a pamphlet put together by the folks at Volks USA. My original copy didn’t contain information about the Dynamite Body, which this newer one includes.

Here’s everything laid out. The box for the body was slightly dented in a couple places, but fortunately that didn’t affect the actual goods.

The DDH-03 head finally came in stock last week and I jumped on it. Also purchased were a set of 20mm H-Type animetic eyes in bright green and some Volks eye putty. Since I’d never actually installed eyes before, it took me a good couple tries to get it right.

The first attempt didn’t go too badly, but if you look closely there’s a bit of putty showing in the corners of the eyes. After prying the outfit from Rin, it was time to dress Haruka and make sure everything fit. Since I don’t have a wig for her yet, I gave her Yoko’s original wig.

Without a face up, she looks a bit sad… I’m hoping that’ll change in a couple weeks, after I get the head sent off!

So how did I manage to get Rin out of the Idol outfit? Well, I made her an offer of something else to try on. Awhile ago, I got a set of outfits called Candy Dots. As a part of the outfit were some nice undies and socks. Since Rin saw Yoko try on the other pieces, she wanted a go in the rest!

The sun coming into the room made for an excellent lighting effect. Rin also decided she needed to borrow Yoko’s shoes as well…

As for Yoko’s current state of dress, she’s now sporting a wonderful pair of jeans, courtesy of Mai Little Alien and shoes from Mimi Woo!

That’s enough for now, hopefully in a few weeks I’ll have a more complete Haruka and a wig to show up! Currently Haruka is standing in the display case without a head, which is moderately disturbing…

In addition to Haruka’s outfit, I also ordered a set of high heels to go with Yoko’s new outfit and two more stands from Cool Cat Collection Shop. They sell all sorts of items for your doll needs and I’m a particular fan of the thigh stands. Unlike the traditional stands that are waist or saddle type, these feature a grip that goes around the thigh of a doll.

There are several advantages to the stands, the nicest of which is the ultra small footprint. The base is much smaller than most regular stands and is made of a clear polymer. Due to the thickness of the material, it’s quite heavy and does well in keeping the base planted.

Here’s a comparison of the size. The first picture is compared against Volks’s wooden doll stand while the second is the metal type. When I first got one, I was quite impressed at how small it was and have since worked to replace the existing Volks stands I own. To demonstrate the effectiveness, Rin and Yoko will model for you!

Aside from Yoko’s state of dress, you can see how the grip attaches. A wing nut is used to open and close the grip and hold it in place. As Rin demonstrates, the thin stand is hardly visible and holds securely in any pose. Cool Cat sells these stands in several designs, from the round base seen here, to a square base. For the adventurous types, there is even a double type! These stands are even offered via Cool Cat on eBay, just search for “dollfie thigh stand.”

Enough about the stands… Time to talk about Haruka! The outfit and boots came in today, which is pretty much all I need for her (aside from the doll itself). The first thing I noticed was how soft the material was. Then I noticed how fuzzy everything was…

The dress has is made up of two pieces, with a top that spreads out and a simple bottom. The requisite ribbons are in the right place, along with zipper closures in the back.

The gloves and hairclips are equally of decent quality and the set even includes a piece of ribbon to be used as a choker. The clips look easy enough to put on and don’t require any skills to tie on. That’s a good thing for me because I don’t have any skills in putting ribbons in hair… ^.^;;

Someone had asked me earlier about the design of the gloves. They’re two pieces of fabric sewn together with a bit of elastic at the bottom to hold them on. I’d do some better close ups, but my macro lens is STILL ON BACKORDER.

Finally, the boots. They’re not an exact match, but they’re the closest I was able to find. The straps with the bow are removable and I may or may not try to attach the fuzzy frills to the top to match the source images. They do have an interesting pattern on the bottom though…

Next step, have to buy a body and head! Before that though, I may have Rin give the outfit a try…

The outfit I found was an exact match for what was used for the promotional material for the IdolM@ster SP PSP game, so I’ll be basing the doll on those pictures.

And here’s the outfit in question that pushed me over the edge. It will come with the dress, bows, and gloves, so I have to source the boots separately. More searching on eBay found a decent match, though I’ll probably need to make some modifications and add the fur myself. Depending on how the outfit looks, I may end up leaving it as is though…

As for the doll itself, I’ve settled on the M-bust base body, though the head is still a bit up in the air. The eyes will probably take some thought as well, but the Type G, H, or I animetic eyes from Volks will probably do the trick. The hardest piece will probably be the wig, so if anyone has suggestions, I’m open to them! If all goes well, I’ll have a new daughter joining me in a couple months!

Of course, can’t go without having some video of Haruka in action! She’s even wearing an alternative color to the outfit!