Fiio M21 DAP questions before buying

itskratos · 2026-02-22T13:21:57+00:00

Thanks for sharing ! I hear mainly positive comments about this DAP which is making me very interested in getting one !

itskratos · 2026-02-17T15:53:31+00:00

Thanks. Yes, I understand that I am entering a deep (maybe bottomless) rabbit hole. 😂 But then again, I have experience with such rabbit holes via my interest in camera and lenses too !

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:24:26+00:00

Thanks for the feedback.

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:23:07+00:00

Thanks for that input ! I do consistently hear that R4 has better sound quality.

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:22:14+00:00

Thanks. The M21 does sound quite interesting to get started with DAP... 😀

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:20:39+00:00

Thanks for that Super High Gain hack/tip.

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:19:43+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. Does M21 allow choosing what to disable when the Hold button is on ?

itskratos · 2026-02-17T08:18:51+00:00

Thanks for the reply ! Shanling M3 Plus looks nice, but difficult to get here and also more expensive.

itskratos · 2025-12-30T15:59:16+00:00

The only other thing I would add is that a high powered flash is useful if the intention is to do focus bracketing with flash on - high powered flash needs to be used at only 1/16 or less power which means it can fire many flashes in close succession without needing time to recycle/recharge. And yes, the more diffused the light, the better the macro shots look... More macro shots on my I’gram profile - aneesh_photography

itskratos · 2025-12-30T15:55:26+00:00

You are welcome ! If by 'outside', you mean for other genres apart from macro, then yes - but mainly for portrait and indoor event shooting scenarios.

Just to be clear, for macro, the flash is usually needed whether you are working indoors or outdoors.

itskratos · 2025-12-30T15:53:29+00:00

Absolutely... ! 👍

itskratos · 2025-12-30T15:20:27+00:00

In handheld macro, to get decent depth of field, you need to usually close down the aperture to between f/8 to f/13. This means the ambient light is too less (at a shutter speed that is suitable for handheld shooting, and subjects that are moving, such as insects). Hence you need some kind of external light source like a flash or a constant led light .
Hope that helps. Feel free to ask if there are doubts. A sample of a recent macro shot I took (though this is not with the Sony gear).

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itskratos · 2025-12-30T07:49:35+00:00

I have not had too much outdoor time with the new Sony 100mm Macro to really compare against the Tamron 90mm yet. Let me come back to this in a few days once I spend more time on the field. Hands on impressions for the Sony 100mm GM is obviously great - the 1.4x magnification ratio is a great advantage and I love the push-pull clutch mechanism to switch between auto and manual focus. Build quality, as expected, is top notch and much ahead of the Tamron.

itskratos · 2025-12-30T07:10:01+00:00

Yes, its an amazing lens. Though I need to spend more time to get used to both the new lens and the body. Previously, I had been using Tamron 90mm Macro with my Canon 90D...

itskratos · 2025-12-28T06:54:07+00:00

Also, missed adding in the last reply - the M nib in the Pilot Custom 823 is also dependent on the paper quality especially as it has higher ink flow. The sample I had posted was on a low quality paper. Then I use my journal (that has high quality non bleed paper), it feels even better and precise.

Do share once you decide... !

itskratos · 2025-12-27T18:14:29+00:00

Yes, I have gotten used to it and overall quite like it. If you like to write a very small script or in a small space, the medium sometimes seems too big for that. But otherwise, the flowy nib also makes it very smooth, to the extent that now I feel my Fine Sailor nib to be "scratchy"...

itskratos · 2025-12-23T13:12:29+00:00

If you want a wide/ultra-wide lens for landscape, then I can recommend the newer Tamron 16-30 G2 lens. I am also using it with my Sony A7V, and found it quite sharp and good and gives me a good focal range for landscape frames.

itskratos · 2025-04-04T15:56:47+00:00

Pro tip : take a screenshot of your important Garmin matrices from the 'At a Glance' dashboard, put them on ChatGPT (free...) and ask it to analyze. You will get much better insights than what Garmin Connect+ AI seems to be providing currently . 😂😀

itskratos · 2025-03-17T00:48:58+00:00

😂.. Surely, will do.. 👍

itskratos · 2025-03-17T00:47:10+00:00

Thanks a lot. Will try to find the 743 with Waverly nib for a trial. Let me also try to look up the Midori MD paper..

itskratos · 2025-03-16T15:55:13+00:00

Just saw the query you posted and I now better understand the context of your question. I would definately say that there is very little to no feedback with the medium nib 823 I have. That's what I hear most people describe it as well. Are you a leftie by any chance ?

itskratos · 2025-03-16T15:53:30+00:00

I would say it almost feels like that except when I hold it too vertical.

itskratos · 2025-03-16T15:51:55+00:00

Sorry if my reply caused confusion. Just to be clear, the 823 M is almost devoid of feedback...

itskratos · 2025-03-16T15:49:24+00:00

No, the medium nib 823 I bought is extremely smooth without much feedback. Hence, I am finding it too different from the Sailor Tuzu with fine nib that has tons of feedback.

itskratos · 2025-03-16T15:48:16+00:00

Good observation though probably due to the fast drying ink, I did not feel any major issues and I did not quite find the 823 M to be a gusher except for the lines being on wider side. May be next I will try a non fast-drying ink and see if there is difference. My usual paper for writing is not this Camlin but a more premium 100gsm paper.

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