Weekend Gamer: Project Helix
Project Helix There’s not a lot of confidence on the Xbox homefront, when the CEO...
Sony
News: Sony announces the Alpha 7 V camera
Sony a7 V (2025) Details Full-frame partially stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS sensor with approximately 33.0...
Weekend Gamer: Xbox VR
Without warning, Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition was suddenly available for sale today (June 24, 2025). This is an Xbox Edition of the standalone virtual reality headset Meta Quest 3S, which came out last October.
Weekend Gamer: Update (May 2025)
As for the gaming, I finally got around to putting together my Galaga Arcade1Up. I’ve had this thing in the original box for more than a year, because I knew eventually, I had to move to Jacksonville, and it was just easier to leave things in its compact state. When I put it together, I soon realized I did not bring my Pac-Man and Street Fighter II console controllers… so instead of putting the Galaga side art, I prefer the bright yellowness of the Pac-Man side.
The age of the $80 video games
The age of the $80 video games is here. It was first announced by Nintendo with its pricing for Mario Kart World.
Weekend Gamer: The Last of Us Part II
With the new season of The Last of Us airing on HBO a few weeks ago, I’ve decided to finally get around to playing The Last of Us Part II video game, thanks to the game finally being available on PC (release date Apr 3, 2025).
PlayStation: A year of L’s
I honestly don’t know why there are so many PlayStation fans, this company has been making a series of horrible mistakes and failures.
Weekend Gamer: Legion Go 2, Nitro Blaze 7, and Xbox Handheld
As you know, I recently purchased the Lenovo Legion Go, and I’ve been enjoying it. Of course, as soon as I bought it, there’s already rumors of a Legion Go 2, which may come out in 2025. The biggest feature will likely be a new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU (all the current AMD-based handhelds are using the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip). Only the MSI Claw uses an Intel chip.
Weekend Gamer: PS5 Pro
I’ve made it known in the past that I find that Sony is greedy, especially in their PlayStation department.
Here is the latest proof: PlayStation 5 Pro for $700, a $200 markup from the PS5 Slim that was released in Nov 2024.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
I previously mentioned that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf coming out in early 2025…. Well, there’s a couple of changes since then. Electronic Arts (EA) announced that the name is now called Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and it is coming out October 31, 2024.
Sony RX100 VII
The Sony RX100 cameras are a series of very high-end compact “Point and Shoot” cameras. They are designed for people who demands high quality stills and videos, but need the camera to be portable.
CFexpress Type A
I’m so happy, I just bought my first CFexpress Type A card. Normally these cards...
Weekend Gamer: Sony
Sony did it again… they’ve introduced the world’s first full-frame global shutter camera with their upcoming Alpha 9 III camera. As you know the a9 cameras are geared towards sports photography. Of course, being a professional gear, Sony wants to charge $6,000 for this new a9 camera.
Sony Camera News (October 2023)
Sigma has announced that it is developing a 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS for Sony full-frame cameras. The lens will be available in December 2023.
Weekend Gamer Update: Labor Day
Baldur’s Gate 3. After over 60 hours, I finally made it to Act II. There are three acts in the game, and each Act, I felt could have been sold as three different games.
Rokinon / Samyang AF 35-150mm F2-2.8 FE
As I previously mentioned, I have been looking at the Tamron 35-150mm lens at the Springbrook Nature photo shoot. I mentioned it was also very expensive, at $1,899 …
Sony 70-200mm GM F2.8 lens at Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley (21 July 2023)
I’ve had my Sony 70-200mm GM F2.8 OSS lens since March 2023 and had wanted to do a photo shoot at the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley when I first got it. Unfortunately, Minnesota suffered from one of the worst and longest winter this year that I had to delay my semi-annual trip to the park until now.
Lens Update: 24-70mm F2.8
Now that I’m enjoying my Sony 70-200mm GM F2.8 OSS lens (honestly, I should have bought this lens much sooner). That expensive price was a deterrent, but now that I have it, I can truly see why the price was justified.
Sony 70-200mm GM F2.8 OSS
Then, the idea popped in my head to look at the Sony 70-200mm GM F2.8 OSS lens. This is the original lens that started Sony’s Gold Master (or G Master) lens line up in 2016. Sony has four types of lens: basic (not labeled), Zeiss (developed in cooperation with Carl Zeiss), G (Gold), and GM (Gold Master). G Master is the highest tier, basically the best of the best.
The Last of Us
I love the video game The Last of Us, probably my personal Game of the Year in 2018 for the PS3. The game was so good, that I re-purchased it for the PS4. I probably would’ve have bought the PS5 version if it wasn’t so hard to find the Sony console. I kid, I saw one at a retail store, but am waiting for a “slim” or new version. I absolutely hate the look and massive size of the current PS5 console (I think it’s ugly).
Lens Update and Winter Hibernation
I wanted to buy the Tamron 50-400mm lens for the Sony E-Mount last Aug 2022. On paper, it looks like it was exactly the lens I needed. When I am shooting a concert, I prefer to shoot from the back of the room… and for that, you need a big reach - in this case, the Tamron would go up to 400mm.
Weekend Gamer: Daymare 1998
My favorite gaming e-retailer, GOG, is giving away their sixth, and final, free game giveaway in the next few days: Daymare 1998.
Steam Winter Sale 2022
Here are three reasons why you would want to invest in buying games on Steam
Game of the Year: Elden Ring
Ever since I started playing Elden Ring in September 2022, I knew this game was special. At first, you might get discouraged, but as you build up your character, you feel accomplished when you finally take down that boss!
Humble Bundle
I’m currently a Humble Bundle subscriber since September 2022 when I got my Steam Deck. I previously joined for one year, starting April 2019 to April 2020, because it was a great way to building up your Steam library without paying too much. The only downside is that you don’t actually know what you’re going to get.
Steam Deck: First Impressions
I’m so excited to finally get my hands on the Steam Deck
Steam Deck Update
When I placed my $5 deposit to buy the Steam Deck in Aug 2022, I was convinced that I wouldn’t get it until 2023. I was so wrong.
Tamron 50-400mm E-Mount lens coming September 22, 2022
You know I’m in the market for a long-reach telephoto lens for usage at live concerts. Right now I’m using the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens (since Sep 2021). While it’s a very fast lens (at F2.8 at the short end), I would trade that to get more reach... since I rarely shoot at 28mm.
Weekend Gamer Update (August 2022)
I’ve put down my $5 to preorder my Steam Deck.
Site Update: Announcing the Tamron 50-400mm
I’m in the market for a new long (over 200mm) lens for my new Sony A7IV and did look at some of my options in the world of 500 to 600mm for the Sony E-Mount. After much debate over price, weight, size, and actual usage (basically I will only need these lens for wildlife and sports), I have decided to be more realistic and put the shopping on pause. I even stated that “companies are always coming out with new lens option, so I will wait it out.”