Friday, Monday comes around

Hey guys!

So yea... Its finally Friday, 2nd last day of July and Monday will come soon. Its almost August which is both good and bad. Good cause it means I'm getting my phone soon and holidays for YOG are coming soon. Bad because its the hungry ghost festival :S

So yea... Nothing much happened yesterday and today there was phase test. There's a saying that goes "Give a man a fish and you would have fed him for the day. Teach a man to fish and you would have fed him for a lifetime". I find it so true especially since the past weeks and last terms I spent my programming time just coping codes as instructed by the teacher and I have no idea how to do my phase test today. For 4 hours, I sat in class not knowing what to do and stoning and I felt insanity creeping at the back of my head.

Nothing much happened today. Its been cooling as its been raining most of the day. What nice weather! I'm starting to miss the weight and functions of the Nikon D3s but I still do not enjoy the ergonomics of the camera.

New rumors are out for the E-5 again. I hope it has an E-1 ergonomics. And useable ISO1600 for assignment usage. Other than that,I'm happy with it. Might be getting a Zuiko Digital 12-60mm SWD to go along with the E-5. Then my E-1 and Zuiko Digital 14-54 MK I can retire, hahaha!

Well.... I'm still considering though. That's all for today. Good night and have a great weekend!

I guess this counts as a FML moment?

Hey guys!!!

So yea... I don't really remember what I did but I know I didn't do much actually,lol.

So about today... We went down to ITE College East for the event and well... It wans't so bad. And I met a new girl today. She was quite nice. But sadly... I didn't catch her name, let alone her number..

So I came home and got letter from CPF which I seriously have to thank for arrears of $377 which apparently I have to pay cause of my 1 year study in SP. Thing is... Assuming I'm still in poly, I have yet to graduate and now I have to pay $100 a month and the interest in full, and I have no more job! That's the worse thing!

And regarding NS, I have to drop by SGH to request a report from them. Luckily my mother told me that I can just ask them to print rather than go for a checkup again.

So now I have to pay CPF, and maybe put my mother on hold for payback of my Macbook and saving for my trip to HK. Hopefully attachment pay wouldn't be super pathetic.

That's pretty much all... Too lazy to elaborate. Good night world!

P.S. Whatever your name is, I hope to meet you again XD

Clubsnap Live@ SAM Day 2!

Hey guys!

So yea... Nothing much to say but today has been more quiet than yesterday. I spent the day shooting images and uploading them on Clubsnap. And I used my E-1 and was pleased with it. I've decided that the E-1 shall be my training camera. We took a group picture, wonder when will it be out. Nothing much to say but just to let you guys know. Good night everyone!!!

Officially 21 and Clubsnap Live@SAM day 1!

Hey guys!!!

So yea, I'm finally officially 21 years old! I've stepped into adulthood and... There seriously ain't no difference though I do feel that I need to do more with my life that I have been recently. I don't remember what I did on Wednesday but on Thursday, I went to school as per normal. After school, Rizal and I went to Lot 1 to get earphones only to him finding it cause he initially thought he had lost it. So we waited for Josephine and Madinah before going down to SP. Reaching SP we found a place to sit and wait for Yusuf and Fizah and Nyiyaz. Yusuf came then Rizah. Nyiyaz didn't answer his phone so we had KFC together without him. After eating and chatting, Rizal and Fizah went home first and my dear brother Hong Yao called me to ask me to where I am and to meet him. I met him and he bought me a cake! With Spongebob Squarepants!



Hahahah! Pirated Spongebob, but the thought was there. Thanks a lot sai lo! So we went home after that. On Friday nothing much happened. Rizal and I went to Lot 1 and had Long John Silvers and found that there's a Chippys opened there! What the hell right? But kinda good, I get to eat Chippys. So after that, I went home and showered before going down to Singapore Arts Museum (SAM) to receive stock of Nikon visors, water bottle and Clubsnap T-shirts! It was looking good. I went down to Peninsula Plaza to have a look at Nikon cameras as well. Pretty expensive actually. Then I went down to Funan and I was camping at a shop and watching the Apple Store serving people buying iPad! Seriously people! Why are you in a rush to get it? I went home at around 8 plus. Reason why I went home so late was not to watch people rush to buy iPad but it was peak hours and hard to go home.

So today I went to Singapore Arts Museum for Clubsnap Live@SAM with the posters and nothing more. There were a lot of people in the morning and they seriously rushed in through 2 small doors and there was a queue for the talks. Many people were there. I took some Nikon brochures to read. I also played with the Nikon D3s! It was pretty light to me despite weighing almost 5kg with a lens and the ergonomics wasn't good at all, to me that is. But it is the alternative to my Olympus but at the moment, Olympus still serves me well.

That's all for now! Gonna sleep soon! Tomorrow... Day 2 of Clubsnap Live@SAM! Good night world!

My birthday present!

Hey guys!!!

Nothing much to update except for some reason... I'm very tired. I went down to the post office to collect my present and just wanna share pictures. Good night everyone!

D700!

The Box!

Opening, ignore the red light, its my dry cabinet

Look at it!

Nikon D700!

Front view!

Back View!

Side View!

Side view again!

Bottom!

Top!

FX SENSOR! Sorry its dark, can't see the image of the sensor XD

Almost 21

Hey guys!!!

So yea... I know I haven't updated since last Wednesday but I've been busy and tired... Anyway!!! Before I get started, happy birthday to my ah bang Rahimi! Take care man!

So yea... I got my flash back from Rahimi and loaned it to Lijuan as well as buy food for donation to Hilwah's project and got my name cards! I also went down to Beach Road to send my shirt for embroidery for Clubsnap Live@SAM.

Saturday I gave the pictures for the Clash of the bands. I hope they were happy with it. I haven't heard any news from them. Sunday I basically spent my day at home and today! I didn't do much though. I collected the posters for Clubsnap Live@SAM and my package is here! But no one was home so I'm going down to collect my crystal tomorrow. I can't wait!

That's all, getting pretty tired so good night everyone!!

215 down, 415 to go

Hey guys!

So yea... Lets start with Sunday... I just edited Rizal's pictures, that's all. Monday and today nothing much happened, and I've been editing pictures from my assignment last Saturday. As title said, that's how much I've done and am left with.

Anyway, I'm getting this collectable laser etched into crystal Nikon D700 for my birthday. Thank you Rizal, Fizah and Nyiyaz for sharing with me to get this for me XD.



As I was talking about the in my last entry, the Nikon D3 got me interested. However its too ex and not realistic a goal at this point in time. So in August, I will be renting a Nikon D700 and probably a 24-70mm f2.8 lens to try shoot in situations I will encounter. If Nikon D700 is good enough for me in low light especially. I might consider getting D700 and a 50mm f1.4 lens to exercise the D700. And if I require the D700 for assignments, shall just rent the necessary lenses since I already have Metz flash to use.

That's pretty much for it for now. I can't wait for August so that I can get my new handphone.

July seems like its taking forever to finish but at the same time, I have to look forward to. I'm gonna sleep now. Good night world!

First week of school almost ending

Hey guys!

So yea.. Officially, the school week has ended, but the week has yet to end. Lets see... Thursday nothing much except I got my hair cut. And I got the Lastolite Micro Apollo softbox for my Metz 45 CL-1. Its design was pretty good except the plastic which gave me an idea for improvement. However, I lack the skills and knowledge to build my own so I can't do anything but live with it. But ah well... At least I got some form of diffusion for my Metz! Here are 2 pictures taken using the Metz, reflector and E-1 I believe and Zuiko Digital 14-54mm lens.

A souvenir from my old friend Mabel whom I've lost contact with. Can't remember where she got it from though

Cannonbolt

Friday was a very pissing off day in school... My dumb teacher asked if I'm wearing school pants, and I honestly told him no, and I got caught for not being in proper school uniform, even after explaining that the school pants are made for skinny and freakishly tall people. XXXXXL is not wide but is long, what the hell? And apparently... In the third week, we're gonna have phase test for MOA but probably is... My dumb teacher never teach us anything, just tell us to copy paste wholesale. What the hell right?

So after school, I went back with Rizal and went down to SP to have brunch and waited for Fizah. I pass by a class at Infocomm building and it was the first time I saw a few Mac Pros in a room. So cool! I wanna study there XD.

So anyway... After that, I went home, took a shower and my dear "sister" Sandra messaged me while I was showering asking me to help Jean, which I did. They were shooting at Haji Lane so I went down to shoot. Jean needed it for her port folio and Sandra needed some for her graduation





It was fun helping Jean and after that, I had to go back to SP to meet my ah bang, Rahimi to loan him my Olympus FL-50R and gave him a crash course on using it.

So... Today is a Saturday and I spent my day doing a paid assignment. It went well, not too bad. Forgot to take my ear plugs though, important stuff they are... Thanks to my trip to SISPEC in my first year of Poly, I have a pair. And I found myself taking pictures that are pretty good despite the technical limitations in my DSLR. Though as I've said before, its better than the film days, so be appreciative.

I've been looking at Nikon DSLRs recently... And I'm extremely drawn towards the D700 as well as the D3.




According to specs, FX sensor 12 megapixels, ISO expanded 100 - 25600, 3" screen and supports DX format. 9 frames per second, live view, active D-lighting and apparently weather sealed (whether can compete with E-1 and E-3, I have no idea) and 51 AF points. All these are just some stuff, really nifty, 12 meapixels enough for me, I've used FX format before, back in the film days so no skin off my back. D- lighting is useful, weather sealed, for me is always welcoming. 9 frames per second is cool for fun, but not needed even for sports. 51AF points is just too much, I'd like my 11 cross sensors thank you very much. The ISO would be God send if I can retain good details.

I would buy it now if it were a lot cheaper, right now.... At this point in my photography career, I cannot justify getting the D3, probably D700 is ok, but well... I can't justify maintaining 2 systems now anyway. Especially the D3, 3 lenses and SB900 costs 17K for recommended retail price. What more if I get prime lenses like 105 macro and 50mm standard?

Ah well... I shall carry on dreaming. The D3 ain't a walk about camera though, gonna be freaking heavy....

Sad... Gotta wait another month before I can get my new phone. Oh well... Time to start counting down!

That's all I have to say today. Gotta edit pictures tomorrow. Good night everyone!

E-PL1 Review

Hey guys!

So this is my own personal hands on review of the Olympus E-Pl1. It isn't very old and not too much a difference from its older siblings, the Olympus PEN E-P1 and E-P2.

Size and weight
The size of the E-PL1, as compared is that, its slightly thicker due to the grip as well as being shorter in width compared to the earlier PENs. The camera is made of plastic therefore making it extremely light. When I first held the camera, it does feel like a toy actually... But the fact that the body with kit lens is close to 1k makes it a very expensive toy. Though its made of plastic, the camera itself feels very solid. But solid in the good way. I remember holding my friend's EOS 450D if I'm not mistaken. It felt solid too... However... It is the kind of solid that feels like glass rather than something like table wood solid. The E-PL1 is table wood solid so to speak.

Image and video quality
I didn't take much videos except 2, but 1 was blur so I only uploaded one here taken using the 9-18mm or 17mm lens with diorama art filter. Recording with this art filter is a little troublesome as there isn't audio (which isn't important in "professional" video recording as sound is added and sync in post production) and that 1 second on card is actually a couple of seconds in real life. The effect isn't very obvious in the one I shot but it is there. And I like the stop motion feel it has to it. Everything look like toys which is pretty much the point of diorama feel.

Art filters and iAuto
The E-PL1 has slightly different art filters compared to it siblings. They all have Pop art, Grainy Film, Pinhole and soft focus. The E-PL1 however has Gentle Sepia as well as diorama compare to the E-P1, and only gentle sepia compared to the E-P2.
The iAuto mode has also slightly changed. In addition to the "original" iAuto mode found on earlier models where the camera will recognize the situation and change to preset scene modes on its own, the E-PL1 also has something known as a live guide where there are tips as well as EASY TO USE(and I do mean easy to use) changing for image settings such as colour saturation.

Some sample images shown below

Gentle Sepia Art Filter of a passerby at Valley Point, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Snap shot using iAuto with increased saturation in live guide, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Grainy Film Art Filter of a restaurant near Plaza Singapura, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Gentle Sepia Art Filter of a bar near Plaza Singapura, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Cathay Grainy Film Art Filter, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Cathay taken with iAuto mode, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Diorama Art Filter from my room, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Old building where Mac's used to be at Bukit Merah, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm

Olympus PEN EE2, Olympus E-PL1, M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens, wireless FL-36R and reflector

Might Morphin' Red Ranger at Cosfest, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Olympus E-PL1 iAuto mode image of my school, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Another shot of my school iAuto mode, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens


Ergonomics
This camera has a grip as compared to its siblings, resembling some of the powershot series from Canon. The previous models resemble the old film cameras from Olympus, Canon and Nikon, the brick camera so to speak. I usually hold it by the lens cause the grip is too small for me to hold properly. The right way to carry is by the lens anyway. For guys with big hands like mine or long fingers, it might be a little bit hard to hold it by the grip.

Other notes
The Olympus E-PL1 has only up to ISO3200 as compared to previous models but its good enough. The images come out pretty clean. It is quite inconspicuous in my hands and no one seemed to realize I was shooting from my waist. Like my own E-P1, I'd probably match it with a M.Zuiko 17mm and go out shooting. The camera is also the first model with built in flash and capable of wireless flash shooting as shown in the image above of the Olympus PEN EE2. Do note though that the lack of dials may come as a little bit weird to those used to DSLRs, but its home to those coming from compact cameras.

Electronic Viewfinder attachment
The EVF for the E-PL1 and E-P2 have always been a joy to use since it first came out with the Olympus E-P2. This camera requires a data port which is missing on the E-P1 which explains why it cannot be attached and used on it. The viewfinder is big and bright, seriously big and bright. No problems in low light area for viewing and like all other EVFs, they're 100% field of view.

M.Zuiko Digital 9-18mm f4-5.6 lens
This lens is very similar to the kit lens M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f4-5.6 lens whereby it has a lock for making in extremely compact by compressing everything together. There is little distortion as compared to my Zuiko Digital 7-14mm f4 lens but of course, it is not as wide. But its good enough for most situations that I come across with my own PEN. This lens focusing is quiet and fast. I'm not sure how fast it is, but definitely faster than using the legacy lenses not capable of CDAF. But AF speed is not a big issue to me. Shall not explain here, ask me if you want to know. If you want to know how quiet it is. I tried focusing on something in my room, with the door and windows closed. And everything that makes noise off. And I don't hear anything until its pressed against my ear. But in doing so, the AF achieved sound is extremely loud. I personally do not see anything wrong with the lens in technical aspects. It is also extremely light. So light its like I can throw a few stories up.

M.Zuiko Digital 14-150mm f4-5.6 lens
This lens measures barely 10cm at the wide side and yet it is capable of covering wide angle 28mm (35mm equiv) to 300mm (35mm equiv) which is a range covers most, if not all for most people as well as beginners. Extremely light and compact and like the M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens, focusing is extremely quiet. In technical aspects, I've seen nothing wrong as well. It is lighter than the closest lens available, the Panasonic Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 HD lens. Though not as light as the 9-18 due to more glass elements present inside.

Both the M.Zuiko 9-18 and the M.Zuiko 14-150 work well with any PEN cameras and are the perfect pair for me and most people to take on most trips. It can fit into the bag that Canon used to give. Inside I can put the 14-150, 9-18, any PENs with EVF. Extremely light to carry for shooting, there seems to be no reason why one cannot bring the PEN out to shoot in terms of weight. In fact, just the 14-150mm is good enough for most people. The lens are optimized for HD video recording but work just as well for still imaging.

To summarize anything that I've not said along with what I've already said. The Olympus E-PL1, with its 12 megapixel sensor, capable of print images up to A1 and possibly beyond, full HD video 720P mono sound(stereo with external mic attachment), art filters, iAuto mode, built in flash wire wireless capabilites. Built in image stabilizer, stabilizing any lens. With a whole range of lens not just from the Olympus digital series, but any old film lens with aperture control, FD mount from Canon to range finder lenses. A very nice nifty camera as a backup for professionals, a beginners camera for people who want to get something easy to use and not wanting to have to change to upgrade as their skills improve, superb image quality. It is a camera I will definitely get to use in my old age when I'm old and retired but not a camera I would use now as a main camera for events. A fun and light camera for anyone but people with big hands to use comfortable (may vary from person to person). Paired with the M.Zuiko 14-150mm and M.Zuiko 9-18mm. It makes a good all rounder camera with pretty good close up capabilities and wide angle capabilities.

Second Day Of School

Hey guys!!!

Currently in school right now... Nothing much happened yesterday. Just that I left too early and I arrived at Choa Chu Kang interchange too early... About 7:10am to be exact... Class starts at 8 so I went to have Macdonald's breakfast before going to school. School ended quite early... 12noon. Earliest next to Friday classes.

Nothing much to talk about actually... Since nothing much happened... Keep a look out for my Olympus E-PL1 personal hands on review! Have a great day everyone!

YAY SCHOOL!! What....

Hey guys!

So yea.... I haven't been updating and I forgot what I did, though I'm sure I didn't do much... Thursday afternoon, I went down to Olympus to collect the loan set of E-PL1 with 14-150 and 9-18mm lens with the EVF. Friday was presentation day and I choked cause of some people and there wasn't many people due to the rain... Sadly... Saturday I was doing video for Make A Wish... The little girl was seriously cute! Sadly she has cancer but lucky she's being treated! I pray that she recovers! Sunday I went down to Cosfest with Jimmo and saw Ophelia!

There were quite a lot of pokemon characters though.. OH OH! And power rangers! Might morphin and SPD and some funny one I have never seen before... And loads of weird characters... War machine was there too! I also saw uncle Ben and Xiao Bei, !@%#@ Xiao Bei! Using Nikon D700! Hahahaha!

So today was the first day of school and it was boring, I waited for Zana before going to have breakfast/lunch with Rizal, Daryl and Wai Kit. Have a look at the pictures, I don't know which is better, without the tree of course, but I can's stand on the grass...



So yea... The lessons were boring since didn't do much. And because the school didn't install iTunes, Mr Nelson asked the class to install.... A funny thing, the internet connect says 1 Gigabit/sec, mine at home for wireless is 54 Megabits/sec, and mine is faster than the school! I agree with Rizal, look is 1GB/S actual is like 4mb/s. End up everyone went for tea break and I had to install for everyone -_-

That's all for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be better! Returning the camera tomorrow, editing the video and doing my E-PL1 personal review. Gotta wake up at 6:30am. Good night world!!!