Sony a65 Review - EQ Village Markets

This review was originally posted at my new blog, Southern In Law - check it out for daily posts, delicious recipes and lots of fun.

Source

It's time for another Saturday Spotlight (where has the week gone?!) and this weeks is a little different from usual. You see, my friends at Sony Australia sent me their SLT-a65 to have a play with and review for you all.

All pictures in this review were taken on the a65 and are straight off the camera (except for the watermark)

I'm currently considering a new camera in the near future and as my current camera is a Sony of course I began looking at Sonys. I've had my current a300 for four years now and haven't had a single issue - touch wood. That's excellent for a camera that gets used so much so of course I would consider a camera that would give me the same loving. 

Sony do not currently make DSLRs like my current camera and have instead moved onto the DSLTs. I actually just wrote an article for HubPages on What is a DSLT camera? but I'll give you a quick outline! 

DSLT stands for Digital Single Lens Translucent - meaning it has a fixed translucent mirror inside the camera allowing the majority of light coming in through the lens to hit the sensor and deflecting a small amount of light onto the AF sensor. 

The main difference you'll notice straight away with a DSLT is that it seems more digitalised than the standard DSLR cameras. A DSLT camera requires an electronic viewfinder instead of the standardised optical viewfinder. The issue I had with the electronic viewfinder was that it doesn't have the same brightness or clarity of an optical viewfinder and it doesn't correctly show the image you're capturing. 

While the camera has a different functionality of DSLRs the images it captures are crisp and clear thanks to the 24.3 mega pixels - that's more than double my little baby.  

I found that the DSLT-a65 would be great as a start up camera as it has 7 scene functions that will automatically set the camera to shoot in different scenarios - night time, macro, portrait, sports etc. Though for someone using the camera on manual I found it was trickier to set than what I'm used to - on both my Sony and other DSLR cameras I have used.

I loved that it had HD video recording as my current camera doesn't have any video recording and that's a function I'm really looking to have on any new camera I buy. 

I'm kind of sort of addicted to my zoom lens, so I would have loved to try this camera with the zoom lens to really get a feel for how it works, but regardless I was still impressed with the quality of the images and I'd really consider buying one as a second camera (if only I had the budget to have "a second camera") as it would be really simple for my family to use as well.

What about the price? I know, that's what you're likely thinking if you're in the market for a new camera - the a65 with the standard lens kit is priced at $1, 299.00 (Sony's price). It's quite a reasonable price for a camera that produces such high quality images and this is because the DSLTs are cheaper to manufacture. 

Would I buy it yes, I would as a second camera. Currently I don't have the budget for a second camera because... you see... weddings are almighty expensive - as are visas. 

The HD video and the quality of the images are definitely the two main factors in why I would purchase the camera - both are excellent.  

On the other hand, the electronic viewfinder and the horrrrribleeeee digital beep instead of the regular shutter sound made me cringe. It sounds ridiculous, but as someone who can spend hours upon hours with their camera to their eye it's things like this that really get on your nerves. The first time I took a photo and heard the beep, I was taken aback - where was the shutter sound?!?! this is not right?!?!. I'm sure over time you would get used to both factors - it's just different from what I'm used to.

If there were such things as birthday fairies, I'd definitely make a request for the a65 (If you are out there, birthday fairy - remember mine is the 12th of August!) and when the camera gets picked up this week they may have to use force to remove it from my clutches. 

If you're interested in finding out more about the DSLT cameras, check out my hub.

Kristy received this camera on loan from Sony for the purpose of this review. I received nothing for my review of this camera and the opinions are entirely my own. 


This review was originally posted at my new blog, Southern In Law - check it out for daily posts, delicious recipes and lots of fun. 

 

Mother's Day

There is no one in the world quite like your Mum.

They're there for you no matter what, they pick you up when you're down -

dust you off, fix you up and put you back on your feet.

My Mum is my best friend. 

I'm one of the lucky daughters who can have both a mother/daughter relationship and a best friend relationship with their Mum - and I couldn't ask for anything better.

Sunday, May 13 is Mother's Day - the day where you really should spoil your mum, grandma or whatever special lady in your life. 

Sure, I believe they should be spoiled every day - but we're all human and we often get lost in our own little worlds and forget to show our appreciation for the ones we love.

And what better way to spoil your Mum (or whoever!) than with a gorgeous box of chocolates?!

Butler's Chocolate Selection is perfectly wrapped for Mother's Day and tied with a pretty pink ribbon.

Once your Mum opens the box, she'll find their luxury Irish chocolate truffles and pralines 

with flavours like walnut ganache, chocolate flake, crispy praline and raspberry sorbet.

You can buy the chocolates online or from a number of stockists around the country - just see their facebook page to find out your closest store!

So tell me, 

What's the best thing about your Mum? 

and what's your favourite chocolate flavour?

Kristy received Butler's Chocolates courtesy of www.kingstonfoods.com.a

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Nutritious and Delicious

There's nothing more delicious than breakfast, in my opinion. 

It's my favourite meal the day and is what gets me energised for my day.

I'm also a fan of supporting local businesses, so when I received a package from Kuranda I knew it was going to be good. 

Kuranda started out of a cottage kitchen in the Atherton tablelands of far north Queensland. 

First they began selling their health bars into the local farmers market and they soon became popular with the locals. 

While holidaying in Cairns, Maria Peronace stumbled across the health bars and fell in love - so much so that she acquired Kuranda Fine Foods and the Aussie Snax Brands.

Maria continued making the bars true to their original recipe and launched the bars across the country in 2006. Today, Aussie Health Snax also exports to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

All of the products are made by hand, just like they originally were!

All of the Kuranda products are;
- Gluten Free
- Wheat Free
- Dairy Free
- Low GI

The Spiced Apple with Quinoa Muesli has no added sugar and high in omega 3.

It's a mix of rice flakes, puffed brown rice and puffed quinoa mixed with flaxseed, diced apple, cinnamon, pepitas and sunflower seeds.

It's the perfect muesli to give you energy for whatever your day has in store for you and is an ideal balance of protein and carbohydrates.

The Banana and Date with Amaranth Muesli is high in protein and fibre and contains no added sugar.

It's a delicious mix of banana, dates, whole almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, puffed rice, rice flakes and amaranth. 

This muesli is a delicious way to easily get more fibre into your diet.

The Berry Blend with Amaranth Muesli is rich in antioxidants and high in fibre.

It's a mix of cranberries, whole almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, puffed rice, rice flakes and amaranth.

The Tropical Blend with Quinoa Muesli is rich in Iron and Calcium. 

It's a blend of tropical dried pineapple, coconut, dried apricots, apple, pepitas, sunflower seeds, rice flakes and puffed brown rice and quinoa.

Kuranda Muesli is available at their online store as well as a number of stockists across the country.

So tell me, 

What's your favourite breakfast cereal?

and Do you have a favourite local company/small business?

Kristy received Kuranda Muesli courtesy of www.kingstonfoods.com.au and www.aussiehealthsnax.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Ready for the weekend - Gluten Free Goodies!

It's Wednesday again!

Are you anything like me and SO ready for the weekend to be here?

Don't worry, there's only 2 days left! 

Being Gluten Free can mean you miss out on lots of fun and delicious foods, especially when it comes to social gatherings - but I've got you covered!

All the products in this ost can be found at specialty stores and health food shops around Australia and are also available internationally as they're imported from the US! (find out more at Real Food Distributors)

Chips and dips or cheese and crackers always make an appearance at get-togethers, so why not have some options that will suit everyone - even gluten free guests!

Boulder Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper Chips were voted America's #1 Potato Chip by Rachel Ray

They're crunchy and golden with kick of pepper and are;

gluten free

trans-fat free

cholesterol free

and all natural

R.W Garcia's Organic Blue Maize Tortilla Chips are made for salsa and guacamole, but are also delicious straight out of the bag.

They're gluten free and trans-fat free and have a full corn flavour.

They're also all natural and made the old fashioned way with nothing but blue corn, water, oil and salt.

They're super crunchy and the perfect thickness for dipping - they won't break away into your salsa!

Mary's Gone Crackers are the perfect cracker for whole grain lovers like me!

They're jam packed full of flavour and nutrition with quinoa, brown rice, flaxseed and sesame seeds.

They're also gluten free and contain no added fat.

Not a savoury fan? How about sweets! 

These Chocolate Chip Cookies from Mary's Gone Crackers are a great GF option!

They're:

- organic and non-GMO
- vegan
- gluten, wheat, dairy and egg free

- Kosher friendly
- low GI
- free of transfat and hydrogenated oils

and a good sweet treat to keep on hand!

So tell me

Sweet or Savoury, what's YOUR preference?

and what's your fail-safe party food when you're asked to bring something? 

Kristy received these products courtesy of www.realfooddistributors.com.au
If youd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com 

Tea break!

I don't know about where you are, but lately, Sydney has had some wet and rainy days.

Cold and dreary days are the worst, in my opinion - I spend the day constantly looking for warmth.

Whether it's the clothes I'm wearing, what I'm eating or what I'm drinking.

Tea is one of my best friends on cold dreary days, it warms you from the inside out!

So this package of Organic India Tulsi Tea came just at the right time!

In India, Tulsi (also known as Holy Basil) is widely known for it's health benefits and medicinal value.

It is one of the principle herbs of the ancient traditional holistic health system, Ayurveda and is known as "The Queen of Herbs"

Tulsi is rich in antioxidants and is renowned for it's restorative powers.

Modern scientific research has found that the herb has been seen to;

- relieve stress

- enhance stamina

- support immunity

- act as a natural immuno-modulator 

- relieve inflamation

- lower cholesterol

- eliminate toxins

- improve digestion

- promote a healthy metabolism

as well as a number of other benefits

Organic India has a wide range of different teas, all including the sacred Tulsi herb so you can enjoy it's benefits no matter what your tea tastes might be!

The original variety of Tulsi Tea is a blend of three varieties of Tulsi.

Vana Tulsi has hints of lemon and citrus, Krishna Tulsi is slightly spicy and Rama Tulsi brings a calm depth to the mix.

It is gluten free, caffeine free and abundant in antioxidants.

Personally, my favourite type of tea is green tea, so I was very interested to try it blended with tulsi.

The plain green tea contains the original three variety Tulsi blend plus organic green tea.

It gives you a natural energy boost with only half the caffeine of regular green tea.

The Pomegranate Green Tea contains the same ingredients as the plain green tea with the addition of organic hibiscus, elderberries and pomegranate.

It's tart and tangy with a burst of pomegranate flavour and full of antioxidants.

This cooling a refreshing blend would be perfect for iced tea!

Licorice Spice has a subtle sweetness with a touch of cinnamon, ginger and lemon.

The Lemon Ginger is perfect for days when you're feeling a bit off colour with it's mix of organic ginger and lemongrass comvined with the original tulsi blend - it's also fantastic for digestion!

The soothing Peppermint Tea is refreshing and restorative and the perfect tea to relax with at the end of a long day.

If you're a chai fan, Organic India have you covered too!

The Red Chai Masala is a caffeine free blend of Tulsi and Roobois with the classic chai spices of cinnamon, ginger, cardamon, chicory, black pepper, mace, cloves and nutmeg.

Add a dash of milk and you have a delicious warming tea with a nutty sweet-yet-spicy flavour.

The India Breakfast Tea has a deep and spicy flavour that is perfect for black tea lovers but is also great with a dash of milk.

It is a blend of Assam (known for it's body and malty flavour), Ayerpadi (a special black tea leaf known for it's deep complex flavour) and the original three variety tulsi blend.

The Jasmine blend is a relaxing floral mix of Tulsi, Chamomile and Jasmine with a subtle sweetness from aniseed.

The Honey Chamomile is an excellent restorative tea made with a blend of tulsi, chamomile and aniseed.

The feminine Sweet Rose tea is a blend of rose petals, tulsi, chamomile and lemon myrtle with a touch of stevia for sweetness - it is the ultimate tea party tea!

Organic India teas are available around the world, you can buy online on their site, at different online retailers and in a number of health food stores and retailers around the country.

So tell me - how do you like your tea?

Kristy received Organic India Teas courtesy of www.kingstonfoods.com.au

If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

Lunchbox Legends

In Primary School, there was always competition as to whose mum or dad packed them the best lunch.

Homemade cakes and cookies scored you some respect points, Tiny Teddies were envied but Mamee Noodles were always the things my peers were bargaining for.

 

"I'll swap you my tiny teddies for your mamee noodles!" 

"No way!" 

"Puhhhleaaaasseeeee, I never get those!"

So of course, when I was sent a box of products from Mamee, I was immediately taken back to Primary School.

Fast forward all these years (eep) and Mamee Noodles are still around - as well as some other products!

and Mamee Noodles also Amber Compliant for sale in school canteens under the Australian Government's Healthy Canteen Strategy.

Mamee Noodles come in both Chicken and BBQ flavours

which come in Multipacks available from Coles, Woolworths, IGA, Franklins, Big W, Target and many other stores around the country.

Their individual 25g packs are a perfect lunchbox treat or on the go snack.

These Rice Sticks are a part of Mamee's GF Range.

They come in both Vegetable and Cheese flavours and are available from Coles, Woolworths and selected IGA, Foodland and Foodworks stores.

They're crisp and crunchy with flavours that kids love (even the vegetable flavour!) and like the Mamee noodles, the 20g portion packs are a perfect treat to stow away in any kid's lunchbox.

Mamee also have some crisp and crunchy snacks for bigger kids and adults.

Both the Rice Chips and Corn Kiks are part of the gluten free range and are packed full of flavour.

The Rice Chips are very much like Pringles and come in both BBQ and Sour Cream and Chive Flavours.

They're perfect to put out when you have friends over or for an occasional snack.

The Corn Kiks have a savoury cheese flavour with an almost BBQ-like tang.

They're crunchy and moreish and disappear when put out at BBQs.

Both products are available at Coles and selected IGA, Foodland and Foodworks stores.

So tell me,

When you were younger, what was the sought after lunchbox treat at your school?

and What was your favourite lunchbox treat to have?

Recipe: Soft Instant Oatmeal Cookies

Our new blog can be found here.

There's nothing quite like a freshly baked cookie, warm from the oven.

Some people like them crisp and crunchy, some love a chewy cookie and others prefer a softer cookie.

I was lucky enough to be sent some instant oatmeal packs from Nature's Path, as well as the other cereals, and I knew just what I was going to do with some of them! 

Make cookies, of course!

The Nature's Path Oatmeal comes in 3 flavours, 

Original which is simply pure oats with a pinch of sea salt

Apple Cinnamon which contains chunks of dried apple and a hint of cinnamon

Maple Nut which has crunchy hazelnuts and a delicious maple flavour. 

The individual sachets make for a quick and easy hot breakfast 

and the 50g portions are the perfect amount for a filling meal.

Just pop them in a bowl in the microwave with 1/2-2/3C of water, stir and cook for 75 seconds or so.

To make them extra creamy, cook them in a mix of milk and water, adding a dash of milk at the end.

They're the perfect base for whatever toppings you desire, or eaten on their own!

But, back to the cookies!

These cookies are the ultimate quick and easy soft oatmeal cookie that are the perfect base for any addition you want to make. 

I went the traditional route and added raisins to half of my batch, however, they work perfectly with choc chips, nuts, dried fruits or just about any other mix ins you'd find in a cookie!

Soft and Simple Instant Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

makes 1 dozen large cookies

or 2 dozen smaller cookies 

 1C plain flour

1C instant oats

1C brown sugar

2 tbsp boiling water

1 tsp bicarb soda/baking soda

120g butter, chopped

1 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 180*C. Line 2-4 baking trays with baking paper (depending on cookie size)

In a bowl, combine flour, oats and brown sugar. 

Dissolve bicarb soda in boiling water and set aside.

In a small saucepan, stir butter and maple syrup over a medium heat until butter melts.

Take off the heat and stir in baking soda mixture, pour into dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Roll heaped tablespoons (for large cookies) or heaped teaspoons (for small cookies) of the dough into balls, place 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined trays.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden, set aside on trays to cool completely.

And there you have it, a batch of delicious fresh from the oven cookies!

Try not to eat them all in one go ;)


Our new blog can be found here.

So tell me, 

What's your ultimate cookie like?

and what are your favourite mix ins? 

Kristy received Nature's Path products courtesy of Kadac Health Foods (www.kadac.com.au) 
If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com

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Naturally delicious breakfasts!

If you've read my blog before, chances are, you know breakfast is my favourite meal of the day

and if you haven't - well, now you do!

If I could have it for every meal I probably would and if I ever had to choose my final meal, you can be sure it'd be breakfast related. 

When the weather is warmer, I love cold cereal - so this package from Nature's Path arrived just at the right time.

Nature's Path cereals are all USDA certified organic, meaning they don't contain any artificial preservatives, additives, GMOs or synthetic pesticides - so you know exactly what's going into your breakfast bowl. 

Not only that, they taste delicious! 

The Heritage Flakes are a blend of wheat, barley, quinoa and spelt which is lightly sweetened with honey and evaporated cane juice.
While this GF-er couldn't try the cereal, my taste testers would impressed with it's crunch and delicious flavour - it's a perfect multigrain cereal for eating alone or topping with whatever takes your fancy!


The Millet Rice flakes are wheat free and made from whole oat, brown rice, and millet flours and naturally sweetened with fruit juice.
According to my taste testers, this cereal has just the right amount of sweetness and got extra points for not going soggy in your milk - because who likes soggy cereal?!

Corn Flakes always remind me of being a kid and these Corn Flakes from Nature's Path didn't disappoint on the flavour front! 
They're both wheat free and contain only traces of gluten - however they didn't cause any problems for me, and later in the year they will both be gluten free!


The Fruit Juice Sweetened Corn Flakes are made of pure cornmeal, lightly sweetened with concentrated fruit juice while the Honey'd Corn Flakes are sweetened with organic honey and evaporated cane juice. 
Both are delicious on their own, used in baking or cooking or topped with whatever your heart desires! For me, it's got to be sliced banana!

The Spelt Flakes are naturally sweetened with fruit juice and are made of Spelt - an ancient whole grain related to wheat. 
My taste testers were impressed with it's delicately sweet flavour and superb crunch.

Crispy Rice are crunchy nuggets made of brown rice flour, delicately sweetened with molasses and evaporated cane juice.
This cereal was one of my favourite, thanks to it's crunch and delicious flavour. 


 The Mesa Sunrise Flakes are a wheat free mix of corn, flaxseed and amaranth which is blended into golden cereal flakes and sweetened with evaporated cane juice. 
They're crunchy and delicious and definitely one of my favourites! 

 Crispy Rice and the Mesa Sunrise Flakes currently not certified gluten free, but they caused no problems for me and will be certified GF by the end of the year!

Nature's Path also have an awesome range for kids (and kids at heart!)
Koala Crisp are chocolate flavoured puffed rice (100x better than Coco Pops!) and contain nothing artificial. 
This was a delicious cereal, perfect for anyone and great for using in recipes! 


Gorilla Munch is another one of my favourites, if you loved Corn Pops - this cereal is for you!
They're crunchy cornmeal spheres lightly sweetened with evaporated cane juice which are not only fun to eat, but delicious too! 


Both cereals are free from wheat, egg, milk, corn and soy - and like the other cereals, will be certified GF by the end of the year! 


Nature's Path Cereals are available at selected Health Food shops around the country, so keep your eye out for them! 
You won't be disappointed! :) 


So tell me, 
are you a cereal fan?
or do you have another breakfast favourite?

Kristy received Nature's Path products courtesy of Kadac Health Foods (www.kadac.com.au) 
If you'd like a review of your products, send an email to ksayerphotography@gmail.com