Lensbaby Ignites Creativity with Spark™

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Editor AL

– a Fun & Affordable Selective Focus Lens

Lensbaby Spark is a perfect entry point into the Lensbaby system for photo enthusiasts who want a fun way to break out of the box

Portland, OR – Lensbaby will announce at Photokina the release of Spark, a fun and affordable addition to the Lensbaby lens family. If you are visiting Photokina, stop by to see Spark first-hand at the Lensbaby booth: Hall 5.2, Booth D31.

Spark is geared towards young photo enthusiasts who are looking for a creative spark to help break out of the box of traditional photography.

Spark lets photographers capture creative images in-camera that have a sweet spot of focus surrounded by beautiful artistic blur. It is a manual focus lens that provides a fun, tactile shooting experience. Photographers squeeze to focus, and tilt to move the “sweet spot” of focus around the image.

“Spark sprouted from Lensbaby’s fun and creative roots,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder. “We crafted Spark for photographers who look to go beyond their predictable kit lens and experiment with visual spontaneity in-camera.”

This new Lensbaby speaks to youthful, adventurous photographers looking for fun, creative tools to help tell their unique story. Indomitable photographers who harness energy and inspiration by capturing the magic of fleeting moments through their camera lenses will find a kindred spirit in Spark. Whether documenting their experiences on vacation, or their daily escapades in their own hometown, Spark is designed to help young, creative photographers express themselves.

Spark is a lightweight lens with a unique 50mm selective focus multi-coated glass doublet optic. The optic features an f/5.6 fixed aperture providing ease of use for new Lensbaby enthusiasts.

Lensbaby Spark Product Specifications:

  • Focal Length: 50mm
  • Aperture: Fixed f/5.6
  • Optic: Multi-Coated Glass Doublet
  • Focus Type: Manual Sweet Spot, Selective Focus Lens (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradually increasing blur)
  • Available for Canon and Nikon Mount DSLRs
  • Focusing Range: Approximately 13″ (33cm) to Infinity
  • Compatible with Lensbaby Optic Swap System and all Lensbaby 37mm Threaded Accessory Lenses

    Singapore Distributor for Lensbaby
    Cathay Photo Store (Pte) Ltd
    Tel: +65 6338 1176

Posted in Brand: Canon, Brand: Nikon, Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Featured Photography Merchants, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

iStockphoto Now Customers the Choice of Paying for Downloads with Credit Cards Offers or Credits

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Editor AL

Singapore – Sept 14, 2012 – iStockphoto today announced a new way for customers to download millions of hand-picked, royalty-free photos, illustrations, videos and audio tracks. For the first time, visitors to iStock will be able to add as many files as they like directly to a shopping cart, pay with a credit card and download them. This new purchasing option shows pricing in cash and credits – iStock’s own currency – and makes it easy for customers to see the cost of a single file in USD. Customers will benefit from the choice and additional flexibility in purchasing single images or credits.

iStock pioneered the credit system more than a decade ago and with the introduction of the new purchasing option, continues to provide customers with increased choice in the way they price and pay for downloads. In addition to the new purchasing option, visitors to iStock will now find millions of files starting at $2 or $3 USD. Furthermore, customers who have an existing iStock account now have the ability to re-download any file for as long as they would like, find similar files, utilize easier file size selection tools and search technology.

“The creative community is at the core of iStockphoto, therefore we are always actively listening and evolving to provide our customers with the most flexibility, transparency and top quality stock content,” said Rebecca Rockafellar, Senior Vice President of e-commerce at Getty Images and General Manager of iStockphoto. “We want to ensure every user – from agency creatives to the novice content creator – has the option to choose the payment method that works best for them.”

For more information on iStock’s new checkout option, please visit www.istockphoto.com/choices.

About iStockphoto
iStockphoto offers easy, affordable inspiration with millions of vetted, royalty-free photos, illustrations, videos and audio tracks. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than ten million files for business, marketing and personal projects. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto pays out more than $1.7 million weekly in artist royalties. iStockphoto is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.

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Getty Images announces recipients of 2012 Grants for Editorial Photography

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Editor AL

Grants of $100,000 collectively are awarded to four photojournalists and Chris Hondros fund


Singapore – 7 September, 2012 – Getty Images today announced the four photojournalists that have been selected to each receive a grant of US$20,000, as well as collaborative editorial support from Getty Images, to pursue their documentary photography projects. In addition, a grant of $20,000 has been presented in partnership with the Chris Hondros Fund, in remembrance of Getty Images’ photojournalist Chris Hondros, who was tragically killed last year in Libya. The grant provided to the Fund will go towards raising awareness and educating the public about photojournalism, as well as providing direct support in the form of fellowships and awards.

The winning photojournalists and corresponding projects are:

  • Bharat Choudhary from India for The Silence of Others
  • Kosuke Okahara from Tokyo, Japan for Fragments/Fukushima
  • Paolo Marchetti from Rome, Italy for FEVER – The Awakening of European Fascism
  • Sebastian Liste, born in Spain but living in Brazilfor The Brazilian Far West

Aidan Sullivan, Vice President, Photo Assignments, Editorial Partnerships and Development at Getty Images, commented: “I am thrilled that our editorial photography grants programme continues to empower photojournalists and enable them to bring these important visual essays to the world’s attention. I am particularly encouraged to see that this year the grants have been awarded to young, less-established photojournalists, which shows the industry is still attracting new talent. The grant will greatly benefit them in not only their pursuit of highlighting such complex global concerns, but will also offer global recognition and financial support as they embark on their careers.”

Sullivan continues: “The programme continues to garner incredible interest from the photojournalism community; the judging panel carefully considered 328 applications and proposals, received from 60 countries around the world. This year’s projects deal with a range of compelling and multifaceted issues, from the devastation caused by the Japanese natural disasters to modern day slavery in Brazil.”

The panel of esteemed judges included:

  • Whitney Johnson, Director of Photography, The New Yorker
  • Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, TIME Magazine
  • Jean-Francois Leroy, Director, Visa Pour l’Image
  • Barbara Griffin, Senior Vice President of Image Management, Turner Broadcasting Systems
  • Stephanie Sinclair, Photographer, VII

Click here to view the judges‘ biographies.

The Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography was established in 2004, to enable emerging and established photojournalists to pursue projects of personal and editorial merit, focusing attention on significant social and cultural issues. Since 2005, Getty Images has provided Grants in excess of US$800,000 through the grants programme, demonstrating their commitment to promoting excellence in photojournalism through tangible, positive contributions to the industry.

More information about the judges, the grant recipients and their winning projects, as well as galleries of their portfolio, can be found at www.gettyimages.com/grants.

About Getty Images

Getty Images is one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of still imagery, video and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music. Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.  Additional information on how Getty Images inspires and powers communications can be found on The Getty Images Blog at blog.gettyimages.com as well as on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com and Twitter at www.twitter.com/gettyimages.com.

Posted in Photography Articles & Videos, Photography Contests, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Let’s Cook Healthy Together – Photo Contest

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Editor AL

Cook Snap and Win Prizes of $3,000 worth of vouchers and more!‏

Obesity is on the rise in Singapore, with 40% of Singaporeans overweight or obese, mostly because of unhealthy lifestyle habits. More and more people are overeating and eating out. Majority are also exceeding their daily salt intake.

While most Singaporeans recognise that eating out is not as healthy as home-cooked food, most are not necessarily doing much about it.

Home-cooked food is where the families can have the greatest control over what ultimately gets into their stomach. Cooking at home does not only support healthy eating, it also promotes family bonding.

Hence this contest is to encourage healthy eating within families and also showcase that healthy cooking can be easy, fun and creative.

A family that cooks healthy together stays together!

Prize Details 
1st prize:
1) $3,000 worth of supermarket vouchers
2) 3 Cooking classes for family or friends of 4 at Cookery Magic
 
2nd prize:
1) $2,000 worth of supermarket vouchers
2) 2 Cooking classes for family or friends of 4 at Cookery Magic
 
3rd prize:
1) $1,000 worth of supermarket vouchers
2) 1 Cooking class for family or friends of 4 at Cookery Magic
 
Plus, eleven (11) consolation prizes of vouchers worth $100 each.

Contest Instructions
Who Can Join?
Singapore residents

What to Submit?
1 Photo of your Healthy Dish along with your recipe.
 
Bonus Activity
Submit an additional Photo of you and 2 to 4 family members or friends cooking together for 5-20 Bonus Points!

Contest StartsAugust 13, 2012 @ 09:00 am (SGT)Contest EndsSeptember 09, 2012 @ 11:59 pm (SGT)Need more Details?Read the Official Rules

About the Company
Established in 2001, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has a vision to build a nation of healthy people.

Although residents in Singapore today enjoy good health with high life expectancy and low mortality rates, we want to further improve our health status and continue to enjoy good health as we age.

To achieve this, HPB assumes the role of the main driver for national health promotion and disease prevention programmes. Our goal is to increase the quality and years of healthy life and prevent illness, disability and premature death.

For more information please visit http://hpb.gov.sg

Contact

Health Promotion Board
3 Second Hospital Avenue
Singapore, 168937
Singapore

Website: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/

Please remember to upload your Food and Family photos in .jpg format!

Visit https://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/218928

Posted in Photography Contests, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

SJS September 2012 Events

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Editor AL

For those who are interested to join Shutter Journey (Singapore) Photography Group Events. All September 2012 events will be duplicated here as an overview with all the event links (to Facebook for RSVP & Information) for the month.

Please Read the Event Information CAREFULLY & Requirements before you RSVP.

———————————————————————————————————————————
SJS Heritage Discovery – Balestier by Night
Event Info:
SJS Heritage Discovery is back! For this installment, we are taking our cameras to the rustic-yet-culture-shocked Balestier estate. The mix of old shop houses & new modern buildings seems to have go down well with each other – but who knows how long will it remain status quo? So before anything happened, let’s take a night walk through Balestier – the “little sister” of Geylang.

Where: Balestier Road
Meet: Shaw Plaza. 360 Balestier Road, Singapore 329783 (KFC)  
When: 5th September 2012 (Wednesday)

Meeting Time: 07.30pm (Briefing & Group Photo)
Dinner Time: (Optional 6.45pm -7.30pm) * at same location
Attire: Anything.
Gear: Camera + ANY Lens  + Flash + Any other Gear.
*Tripod Optional
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/378552148883218/

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SJS Limited Series – Prime Mono at Little India “People”
Event Info:
SJS Limited Series is Back again in a different guise. This time we are going back to Little India with a theme. “People”. Yes you heard it, we are going to scour the streets of little India shooting the types of people that can be seen there. Tourists, Touts, Tenants, Taxi Drivers, Foreign Hands, Foto-graphers,etc and we are just going to shoot with a Prime Lens with NO Flash or Tripods while the Camera is Set to Monochrome (Black & White) Only.

Where: Little India
Meet: City Square Mall.
180 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208539 (Banquet Food Court at Basement 2)
When: 12th September 2012 (Wednesday)

Meeting Time: 07.30pm (Briefing & Group Photo)
Dinner Time: (Optional 6.45pm -7.30pm) *at same location
Attire: Anything.
Gear: Camera + ANY PRIME Lens.
*NO FLASH, NO Tripod.
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/259405890829482/
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SJS Lomography Day + Civil Defence Heritage Musuem (Film & Holga Day Spin-Off)
Event Info:
The Title said it all. This is SJS’s FILM Outing. We have last done this about 2 years ago and it is time to bring out your Film SLRs & TLRs, Toy Film Cameras, Holgas, Vintage Cams, etc. We are going to take a walk around the city hall covering the Istana, Church, War Memorial, Central Fire Station and shooting ONLY in FILM format.
(Free Entrance Fee & Free Guided Tour at Civil Defence Heritage Gallery – 30 Pax ONLY)
(Permit Applied & Approved by Singapore Civil Defence Force Already)

(Don’t have Film Cameras? Film SLRs for Canon & Nikon Available from $50.00 – email media_world@live.com for details. These SLRs are in full working condition and takes your Nikon F-Mount Lenses & Canon EF- Mount Lenses)

** Please Note that this is a Film Outing. (35mm, 120, Polariod, Etc). Digital with Plastic Holga Lens is Accepted too.

Where: City Hall
Meet: Central Fire Station.
62 Hill Street, Singapore 179367 (Gallery Entrance)
When: 23rd September 2012 (Sunday)

Meeting Time: 02.30pm (Briefing & Group Photo) Tour Starts at 3.00pm SHARP.
Attire: Anything.
Gear: FILM Camera of ANY FORMAT ONLY.
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/511355422213475/

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PSS/ SJS MacroWalk (September 2012 Combined Outing)
Event Info:
PSS & SJS Combined Shoot for the Month of September 2012. It’s time to hunt for little insects and terrorize their world with out cameras & lenses & flashes! This Round, we are going to the SingaporeOrchidGarden – home to hundreds of Orchid Species and featuring a Cool House that is kept at 24 degrees, this shoot location offers lots of photo possibilities from flowers to insects just within the garden!

Come join us for this MacroWalk, make new friends, exchange pointers and meet fellow members from PSS & SJS.

Where: SingaporeOrchidGarden (Inside Singapore Botanic Gardens)
Meet: Entrance of Singapore Orchid Gardens.
When: 30th September 2012 (Sunday)

Meeting Time: 02.00pm (Briefing & Group Photo) Shoot Starts right after Group Photo Taking.
Attire: Anything.
Gear: Camera + Lenses
* Flash & Tripod Optional – Although good to have.
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/146546372153225/

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OK Folks, That’s all for the month of September 2012. While we are planning for October 2012 events (which we will also be posting here), we hope you can follow the below steps to keep yourself updated of all the events in future.

1) Add us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/singapore.shutterjourneyphotographygroup
then Click “Subscribe” from the drop down menu to get notification on updates and event announcement.

2) Click “Like” & “Follow” on this website from the menu on the top to receive new post updates.

You will never miss another event again.
Till then, Happy Shooting Everyone~!

Allan Lee
Mad Photographer. Crazy Editor.

 

Posted in Photography Courses & Events, Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 Comments

For Sale: Original Pentax White/Black Strap O-ST120 (K-01)

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Editor AL

Name of Item: Original Pentax White/Black Strap O-ST120 (K-01)
Type: Accessory
Condition: Mint.
Warrranty: No
Other: Original packaging.
Asking price: SGD $38 – not negotiable
Email: alstonang@msn.com

Additional Description:
This is an extra original Pentax K-01 black/white strap (O-ST120) for sale in original box and packaging. I am not sure if it is available in Singapore but I ordered 1 more just in case there is someone like me who prefer this black strap’s white letters than the usual red letters. It should be a perfect match for those with white K-x/K-r or the new K-30 as it is already super nice on my black K-r (See Pic).

Note:
Deal at seller’s convenience.

Posted in Brand: Pentax, Photography Buy & Sell, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

SJS August 2012 Events

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Editor AL

For those who are interested to join Shutter Journey (Singapore) Photography Group Events.

Due to Facebook’s constant changing of platforms (Timeline) to more unfriendly for events organizing. All future events will also be duplicated here as an overview with all the event links (to Facebook for RSVP & Information) for the month.

Hope this will help all those who have problems with viewing / finding our events.

SJS Heritage Discovery – Sun Yat Seng Memorial Hall (Wang Qing Yuan)
Event Info:
Heritage Discovery Series is Back! This time we are visiting Wang Qing Yuan/ Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. Find out more about Dr. Sun’s time spent in Singapore and the history behind one of history’s most talked about man in Nanyang (Malaya Straits).
When: 12th August 2012 (Sunday)
Meeting Time: 01.15pm (Briefing)
Tour Move Out Time: 01.30pm (Mansion Tour Starts followed by OTOT Shoot.)
Where: Wan Qing Yuan/ Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall  12 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327874
Meet: Area in front of Ticketing Counter.
Entrance Fees: FREE
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/327248100694898/

PSS/ SJS (Aug 2012) Combined Outing – Singapore Zoo
Event Info:
This is SJS/ PSS Combined Outing for August 2012.
River Safari is Finally Opened! SJS & PSS Returns to the Singapore Zoological Gardens for a Sunday with Animals.
When: 19th August 2012 (Sunday)
Meeting Time: 09.30am (Briefing & Purchase Tickets)
Move Out Time: 10.00am
Lunch: 12.30pm (Ah Meng Restaurant)
Resume: 13.30pm
Day ends at 17.00pm
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/472324929461484/

SJS Food Shoot Night “It’s Just Dinner”.
Event Info:
It’s Hawker Food Time! Come join us for a casual night shoot having dinner and shooting our dinner!
We are going to one of the oldest Hawker Center in Singapore, the Famous ABC Market aka Brickworks Hawker Centre. Famed for its Soup Kambing, Wan Tan Noodle and many other local favorites, this is one really cool place for good food and a casual night out.
Where: ABC Market/ Brickworks Hawker Center
Meet: At Location, near to POSB ATM area with Long Tables.
When: 22nd August 2012 (Wednesday)
Meeting Time: 07.30pm (Briefing & Group Photo)
Start Time: 07.40pm
Attire: Anything.
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/142524472551660/

SJS MacroWalk at Venus Drive
Event Info:
MacroWalk is Back! We are Returning to Venus Drive Again! The Park boost a huge species of insects ranging from Spiders & Bug of ALL SIZES & various colors, this is the Macro Haven for nature lovers!
Where: Venus Drive
Meet: Venus Drive Car Park.
When: 26th August 2012 (Sunday)
Meeting Time: 02.00pm (Briefing & Group Photo)
RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/events/257762037671274/

That’s all for the month of August 2012. While we are planning for Spetember 2012 events (which we will also be posting here), we hope you can follow the below steps to keep yourself updated of all the events in future.

1) Add us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/singapore.shutterjourneyphotographygroup
then Click “Subscribe” from the drop down menu to get notification on updates and event announcement.

2) Click “Like” & “Follow” on this website from the menu on the top to receive new post updates.

You will never miss another event again. 🙂

Till then, Happy Shooting Everyone~!

Allan Lee
Editor.

Posted in Photography Courses & Events | Tagged | 1 Comment

Pimp Your Pentax with Nissin Di466

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Editor AL


Picture by Yu Ling (SJS). – The Flash Diffuser is from a Nikon Flash, but it snugs nicely. 🙂

Nissin, a popular manufacturer of compatible flash guns for DSLR has released a flash for Micro Four Third systems – the Nissin Di466. And the latest incarnation is in a mean white – yes, you heard it, a TTL-compatible flash in White Color housing. No need to speculate, we all know that most Micro 4/3 camera bodies now comes in various colors – think Olympus’s Pen series, Nikon’s recent V1/J1, etc. This white bodied flash will be popular for those looking to get a matching colored flash, that is – for the fashionable shooter.


Picture by Yu Ling (SJS). – The NISSIN Di466 M43 Flash fits nicely on my White Pentax K-X.

Although the Di466 is designed and made for Micro 4/3 systems, it features a standard “center trigger” pin beneath the contacts and this means – the Di466 M43 flash is suitable for use with all regular DSLR (except Sony Alpha) in manual mode! Maybe the users from Canon & Nikon may not really be impressed – but over at Pentax’s camp, there is a cause to rejoice. Remember the colorful Pentax K-M, K-X & the recently delisted K-R?


Picture by Goh Teck Leong (TPCC). – The White Arsenal.

Well I happened to have a white Pentax K-X which is my “leisure” camera. (Those who have been following my reviews will know that I use my Nikon & Canon mostly for my commercial works.) Since the camera came in white, I had gotten myself a set of white accessories to “match” the camera. I have a set of white eneloop rechargeable batteries, a white Toshiba SD Card, a white miniature Pentax hotshoe cover, another white Pentax DAL 35mm F2.4 with matching white lens caps apart from the supplied white DA 18-55mm kit lens, an metallic white, silver-ish 70-300mm lens and now, the white Nissin Di466.


Picture by Curtis Choy (TPCC). – The White Nissin Di466 M43.

The flash fits into the hotshoe nicely without force, and the locking screw locks the flash as expected. And of course, when I switch on the camera & the flash and tried shooting, it fires nicely. Although the TTL does not work on this DSLR, I am perfectly fine with it and happy to use it in manual mode. I started with Manual flashes anyway, so it does not irks me in any way. The guide number is set at 33, but in reality, the flash feels like it has a guide number of approximately 45. Like any other flash, you can “slave” it using optical sync – in layman terms, you can use your pop up flash and have the Di466 placed away from your camera (set to S1 or S2) and use your pop up flash to trigger off the Di466 – very useful.


Picture by Gan Choon Joo (TPCC). – The White Arsenal.

I bought my Nissin Di466 from http://www.reddotphoto.com.sg/ get yours too!
Before it’s all gone!


Picture by Ivan Seah (TPCC). – The Stormtrooper’s New Issues.

Here’s the full specs;

Compatible cameras : Micro Four Thirds M4/3 & Four Thirds 4/3 camera  (DSLR in Manual Mode only)

Guide Number : 33 /109 at 53mm focal length (ISO 100m/ft)

Illumination angle: 12~53mm (9mm with diffuse panel) (Automatically set for the lens focal length)

Variable power : 6 levels : Full -1/2 -1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 powers

Flash exposure control :
[for Olympas and Lumix] TTL

Power source : 4 X LR6(AA) or equivalent Mi-MH, lithium, oxyride batteries

Recycling time :
0.2 – 4.5 sec., by fresh alkaline batteries
0.2 – 3.8 sec., by Ni-MH batteries

Energy saving system : 5 minutes to stand-by mode, 30 minutes to shut down

Number of flashes : 200 – 1500 flashes by fresh alkaline batteries

Turning head : Flash head up to 0° ~ 90° with click-stops at 0°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°

Slave mode :
Slave 1 for digital pre-flash system
Slave 2 for traditional single flash system
Power level – same as variable power above

AF Assist light : Orange LED for distance of 0.7 to 6 meter.
Remark: Some camera models are originally programmed to disable the AF assist light function.

Color temperature : 5,600K (same as daylight)

Flash duration : 1/800sec. to 1/20,000sec.

Camera contact : Hotshoe only (not compatible with the traditional hotshoe system)

Accessories included : Shoe stand, Pouch

Dimensions : 67(W) x 105(H) x 95(D) mm / 2.6(W) x 4.1(H) x 3.7(D) inches

Weight : 240g (without battery) / 8.4oz

More specifications available at http://www.nissindigital.com/di466-ft-nom.html

Posted in Brand: Nikon, Brand: Olympus, Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Brand: Pentax, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Perverted Photographers Shooting Beyond Your Clothes

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Editor AL

Originally Posted on http://www.facebook.com/groups/MFTWS/permalink/338240009589232/#!/notes/allan-yuling/perverted-photographers-unknowingly/126677744019394

*NOTE: This note contains some photos that may caused discomfort to some. This note is purely meant for informative sharing and warning to females.

Mannequine Example

Heard of X-Ray? Heard of Infra-Red? Sitting in between these 2, there’s a filter which actually allows the user to see through clothings in various levels. Known as PF4 or IRX (Which means Infrared+X-ray) or a GTS2 filters in the market, these are filter were manufactured for biochemical and research use. However, rougue users converted such filters and modified them, making it suitable for DSLR or Handicam use became a dream for the perverted shooters.

The KAYA PF4 See through Filter

The manufacturer of the PF4 See-through filter is KAYA Optics. Read More here,
http://gizmodo.com/170832/kaya-optics-makes-your-camera-see-through-clothes

More information on this filter here;
http://www.webtechgeek.com/Tech-Toys-Gadget/10-26-05/Naughty-Digital-Camera-Lens-Launched.htm

Here’s another version;
http://www.impactlab.com/2008/11/28/the-x-ray-vision-camera-lens/

Perversion has no bounds.

Sadly, it is still widely available on ebay. For less than USD$100, perverted crooks can get to see beyond your clothes.
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/37mm-1000nm-IR-XRAY-Filter-SONY-HDD-SR300C-XR520-F-SHIP-/250601844472If you think that is not bad enough, even some mobilephone will come pre-fix with such a filter similar to the PF4, like Vondafone.
http://www.textually.org/picturephoning/archives/2004/10/005822.htm

The World will tranform into a unreal world of eveything “see-through” and transparent. Privacy will no longer exist in dictionaries and laws will no longer covers outrage of modesty. How to? There’s none with such a filter.

So ladies, if you sees someone pointing a camera at you and shooting, do walk over and and check if it is a PF4. If it is, call the POLICE.

We must stop these perverts!

Posted in Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

For Sale: Sony Alpha 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Vario Sonnar T*

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Editor AL

Update: 29th June 2012

 

Name of Item: Sony Alpha 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM Vario Sonnar T* Quantity: 01 Unit. (Carl Zeiss)
Type: DSLR/ SLR Lens (A Mount)
Condition: 9.8 (1 being bad to 10 being Mint.)
Warrranty: No. (Just Over)
Other: Lens + Front Cap + Rear Cap + Pouch + Box + Hood + Manulal.
Asking price: SGD $2,000.00 – Not Negotiable
Email: media_world@live.com

Additional Description:
Excellent Condition and well kept & maintained. Used but Never Abused. Everything is perfect with no scratch. Used for  1 year & 6 months and owner decided to move on to Prime Lenses. The lens hood had some scratches that’s all. If you are the “cosmetic” type of photographer, get yourself a new hood. 🙂

Note:
Due at seller’s convenience.

Posted in Photography Buy & Sell, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Gawai Festival with Ricoh GXR & Sigma Lenses.

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Editor AL

Gawai Festival or Harvest Festival is celebrated by the Dayaks tribes of East Malaysia. During Gawai, every household prepares a feast and open their doors to anyone who might visit – yes, anyone – even strangers. This is the spirit of Gawai & sharing of harvest. Do read up more on Gawai on Wiki. Today, I am not exactly sharing about Gawai, but a project commissioned by APDS, the Singapore’s appointed Ricoh-Sigma distributor. Instead of lugging our DSLRs to Kuching, Sarawak at East Malaysia on Borneo island for Gawai, I have with me a Ricoh GXR with GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro & GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5 while Ling were issued with Sony-Mount Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro & Sigma AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG APO Macro to be used with her Sony Alpha A850 DSLR.

Playing Host to us was none other than Sheladina Joseph, an acclaimed travel photographer whom we had previously featured on this site. She has Dayak blood in her as her Dad is Indian & her mum a Dayak. So naturally, she celebrates the Gawai Festival and this time, have us in tailing along.


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5

Flying over Borneo prior to landing, I decided to take out the GXR and try out the camera. I meddle a bit with the settings and I can easily find what I need easily (shutter speed, aperture control & ISO menu) and I started shooting what’s outside the plane window. The GXR’s colors amazed me. Although I will not call it “rich colors” like how I would describe other cameras, I will describe it as well sorted as from what I can see on the LCD screen on the GXR, the colors are pretty accurate to my eyes saw and the metering of the camera is comparable to most DSLRs of today.


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5

Satisfied, I kept the cam and started thinking what I can do with the GXR for this trip. Then I decided that I shall use it as an “everyday snap shot camera” and see what will be the photos that I might possibly get, while Ling already has this very same plan in her mind.

After we landed at Kuching International Airport, the journey to Gawai Festival begins for us. We drove to the Dayak villages, where Gawai Festival is celebrated in an elaborated fashion.


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro

Food greeted us everywhere we went. Gawai Festival is Harvest Festival, as mentioned in the intro, everyone is free to enter any house and every house welcomes everyone, anyone to enter and to feast on the delicious delicacies. A celebration of abundance, I was told by our host Sheladina that usually everyone starts eating from house to house, and at every house you enter, you have to honor the host by eating what was prepared for the guest. Sounds really good isn’t?


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro

After all that eating, we decided to explore the surroundings of the houses and we found a vast variety of flowers and trees growing in full bloom. So there goes our shutters again.


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro

We ended the day after eating at 4 houses and we decided that we have had enough. More senseless eating will end the trip earlier than expected. So we call it a day – for the day.

Next day, we had a chance to drive around and our host Sheladina’s Dad, Uncle Joseph brought us out for a little drive before hitting the supermarket as we had planned to BBQ at Sheladina’s house the same night. We stopped over at a Chinese Temple.


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro

Shortly after, we left the temple and picked up everything that we need for the BBQ and headed back to Sheladina’s house to prepare the food for the night. As expected, we ate ourselves silly and after flushing down with enough Moscato & Grills, we hit the bed.


Sony A850 with Sigma AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG APO Macro


Sony A850 with Sigma AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG APO Macro

The next day – also the last day of this short trip, we went to a local food joint for (yes –another) lunch. Food seems to thrill us every time, anywhere. Lunch was simple affair with local favorites and certainly enjoyable. Like all good times that comes to an abrupt end, after lunch, and reluctantly, we headed back to the airport for our return flight to Singapore.


Sony A850 with Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro


Ricoh GXR with  GR A12 50mm F2.5 Macro

We had experienced Gawai Festival & the Dayaks’ hospitality, food & culture, took a deserving break from our daily mambo jumbo at Kuching, Sarawak. Tested some really great photography gears and learn a lot for this trip.


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5


Ricoh GXR with GR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5

Thank you Sheladina, Uncle & Auntie for making this trip possible.
Thank you APDS Singapore (Sigma Ricoh Singapore) for sponsoring the Ricoh GXR, GR Lenses & Sigma Lenses.

To view the Full Album produced by Ricoh GXR for this trip, please visit link.
To view the Full Album produced by the Sigma Lenses for this trip, please visit link. 

Here’s some behind the scene photos for your enjoyment.

Posted in Brand: Others (Cosina, Carl Zeiss, Leica, Mamiya, Samyang, Vivitar, Zenitar,etc), Brand: Sigma, Brand: Sony, Group Test & Reviews, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

For Sale: Canon EOS 300 35mm SLR

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Editor AL

Name of Item: Canon EOS 300 35mm SLR
Quantity: 01 Unit.
Type: 35mm Film SLR
Condition: 9.5 (1 being bad to 10 being Mint.)
Warrranty: No.
Other: Body + Cap + Strap + Original Canon Grip.
Your asking price: SGD $165.00 – not negotiable ($140 without Grip)
Your Email: media_world@live.com

Additional Description:
1 of the best semi Pro SLR in those days. This unit is in Excellent Condition and well kept & maintained. Shutter sound very strong and viewfinder is clean. One of the best SLR during its time. One of the best back up body to your digital full frame DSLRs.
Take all Canon EF Mount Lenses..

Note:
Nil

Posted in Brand: Canon, Photography Buy & Sell, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

For Sale: Canon EOS 500n 35mm SLR

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Editor AL


Name of Item: Canon EOS 500n 35mm SLR
Quantity: 01 Unit.
Type: 35mm Film SLR
Condition: 8.5 (1 being bad to 10 being Mint.)
Warrranty: No.
Other: Body + Cap + Strap + Original Canon Grip.
Your asking price: SGD $145.00 – not negotiable ($120 without Grip)
Your Email: media_world@live.com

Additional Description:
Excellent Condition and well kept & maintained. Shutter sound very strong and viewfinder is clean. One of the best SLR during its time. You wun find a better condition unit than this – if you do, full refund + no question asked. One of the best back up body to your digital full frame DSLRs. Take all Canon EF Mount Lenses..

Note:
Nil

Posted in Brand: Canon, Photography Buy & Sell, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

For Sale: Canon EOS 88 35mm SLR

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Editor AL

Updated: 22nd June 2012

Name of Item: Canon EOS 88 35mm SLR
Quantity: 01 Unit.
Type: 35mm Film SLR
Condition: 9 (1 being bad to 10 being Mint.)
Warrranty: No.
Other: Body + Cap + Strap + Original Canon Grip.
Your asking price: SGD $135.00 – not negotiable ($110 without Grip)
Your Email: media_world@live.com

Additional Description:
Excellent Condition and well kept & maintained. Shutter sound very strong and viewfinder is clean. One of the best SLR during its time. You wun find a better condition unit than this – if you do, full refund + no question asked. Takes ALL Canon EEF Mount Lenses.

Note:
Nil

Posted in Brand: Canon, Photography Buy & Sell, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012. – Part 3.

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Editor AL

My.Happy.Day Three:

This is Day 3 of our Olympus Project. Once again, we headed out of Bangkok early in the morning to the sub province of Samut Prakan at Bang Na. We are visiting the Erawan Museum, a place where not many tourists knows of. Featuring a mammoth size 10 storey high (or higher) 3 headed elephant, this is a museum, a temple, and a place of remembrance.


Olympus E-P3, 1/1000 seconds, F16, ISO 200

Although photography is prohibited in the Basement Museum where many historic items were exhibited, the main hall promises a colorful and grand ambience for all visitors – and photography is allowed here.


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F5.6, ISO 400

Climbing up the spiral staircase, we reach a higher hall where there is a viewing gallery with a beautiful view of the museum surroundings.


Olympus E-P3, 1/1600 seconds, F10, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/1600 seconds, F10, ISO 200 (Miniature Effect manually added)

We went to a higher hall and there is a temple right at the top, inside one of the 3 heads of the  elephant. We entered a quiet & super dark temple hall. I was very glad that the E-P3’s ISO performance & low light focusing managed to get me the below shots.


Olympus E-P3, 1/40 seconds, F7.1, ISO 800

Loitering around the temple compound, we took more shots. This place is an amazing architectural art – with an amazing camera to match, that is.


Olympus E-P3, 1/40 seconds, F8, ISO 800


Olympus E-P3, 1/40 seconds, F8, ISO 800

Leaving Samut Prakan, we headed to the main highlight of the day – The Ancient city of Ayutthaya. For this location, I will let the photos do the talking.


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F16, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F16, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F16, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F10, ISO 200

We almost got fried in the blazing sun by the time we completed visiting 90% of the ancient city. We were done and getting ready to return to Bangkok when the tour guide told us we have to visit a tourist spot as part of the compulsory “tourist traps”, we were fine with the idea and proceeded to a “Diamond factory” which I have been many times before. Upon our arrival, the sales people were more interested to shove us to the showroom than to let us look at the production process. Just like my past visits, we walked straight to the entrance. But not wanting to waste the trip here, we went to car park where I remember there were some vintage cars on display there, so..


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F8, ISO 200

So upon satisfying the agent, we told the agent to send us back to Madame Tussauds at Siam Discovery in Bangkok. Here, we were like kids “meeting” our idols and shoot practically almost every display figure that we know. Here’s some photos.


Olympus E-P3, 1/60 seconds, F5.6, ISO 800


Olympus E-P3, 1/60 seconds, F5.6, ISO 800


Olympus E-P3, 1/60 seconds, F5.6, ISO 800

We round off the tour with a Jap lunch before retiring back to our hotel. Although tired, we didn’t want to waste any time and went out again for a walk. Strangely we ended up at Fifth Food Avenue at MBK again. So dinner it shall be and that’s when our cameras’ batteries went flat which signifies the end of our project.



Olympus E-P3, 1/80 seconds, F6.3, ISO 400

On the cameras.
The Olympus E-P3 produced great colors and accurate focusing that matches any semi-pro DSLR of today. Although I find that the white balance (AWB) can be a little too blue for my liking, the color reproduction is almost 90% accurate in my view. The light weight makes it easy to carry and it does not add any stress to the user. The manual function is a joy to use as the ergonomics of the E-P3 fit most hands of any regular humans.

The small size of the camera (compared to DSLR) also attracts less attention especially doing street photography, which I personally find this a bonus. Small as it is, the photos produced by the E-P3 is comparable to most DSLR picture quality of today.

My Rating: 9.5 / 10 (Olympus E-P3)
Best for: Travel Photography, Street Photography.
Who should buy: Up-graders from prosumer digital cameras, frequent travelers & professional photographers (as backup camera)

The Olympus TG-620 TOUGH is a “dark horse” in my opinion. The specs promised performance with its knock-proof, water-proof and dust-proof claims. And I am glad to announce that I was able to prove Olympus’s claims by shooting it underwater, flung the cam onto a cemented floor, mess it up with soil and the cam still works as how it is supposed to be.

When set to “Hi2”, pressing the shutter and hold gets me almost 1,000 photos in less than 10 minutes. This is surprising coming from a Point & Shoot camera. Although the photos quality can be a little compromised for the underwater shots, but on an overall, the possibility of this well-priced and high performance little gem is endless.

My Rating: 8 / 10 (Olympus TG-620 TOUGH)
Best for: Travel Photography, Water Play.
Who should buy: Anyone who wants a high performance compact camera that is capable of almost everything in a nicely priced package.
 
The Olympus XZ-1 is the camera among the 3 that I personally fell in love with. The super wide aperture of F1.8 makes the XZ-1 a super low light performer, the light weight and compact size makes it very portable and easy to bring it everywhere. The photos from the XZ-1 are tack sharp and bokehs are excellent. In fact, I can say that there is no other camera that comes close to the XZ-1 in terms of performance & picture quality (when compared to other brands’ cameras of this class).  

Although the XZ-1 comes with a zoom range, I used the XZ-1 like a prime lens camera and I am totally crazy over it. I have never enjoyed a non-DSLR camera this much. Everyone should have one XZ-1 in their camera bags, be it a beginner or a professional photographer.  

My Rating: 9 / 10 (Olympus XZ-1)
Best for: Travel Photography, Hand held photography at night, Macro.
Who should buy: Travel Photographers, Night Photographers & Upgraders.

Interested in finding out more about the full specifications of the above 3 Olympus cameras? Be.Happy.like.me and visit Olympus’s website at (LINK) for more information.

For the full album produced by all the Olympus Cams for Day Three, please visit
link

To Read Part 1, please visit link
To Read Part 2, please visit link
_________________________________________________________

Behind-the-Scenes Photography by Tan Yoke Ling.

_________________________________________________________

Special Thanks to Olympus Imaging Singapore for making Project “My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012” possible.

Sponsor: Olympus Imaging Singapore Pte Ltd.
Travel & Review Editor: Allan J Lee.
Review Photographer: Allan J Lee.
Behind-the-Scenes Photographer: Yu ling (Yoke Ling)
Project Courtesy of Shutter Journey (Singapore) Photography Group. (SJS)
——————————————————————————————————————–
For the list of authorised retailers, please visit: http://home.olympusimage.com.sg/contactus/authorised_retailers.asp


About Olympus Imaging Singapore
Olympus Imaging Singapore is the unparalleled industry leader in opto-digital technologies, delivering award-winning digital imaging products for the consumer and professional markets in Singapore. Driven by a strong commitment in providing innovative products and solutions of the highest quality, Olympus Imaging Singapore works closely with industry partners, customers and other Olympus business units in producing leading-edge products. These include analogue and digital cameras, professional SLR imaging systems, and voice recorders, amongst others. Olympus Imaging Singapore’s unrelenting efforts in superior customer service also bear testimony to its brand promise of delivering the best user experience to all consumers and professional users in the imaging field. For more information, please visit http://www.olympusimage.com.sg

Posted in Brand: Olympus, Group Test & Reviews, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012. – Part 2

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Editor AL

My.Happy.Day Two:

We woke up at 5.00am in the morning. We were going out of Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, another province about 3 hours away from Bangkok. As part of the route to Kanchanaburi passes the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, we decided to stop and pay our respects to the men & women that fought the world war between years 1939 to 1945. It’s a peaceful and beautiful garden.


Olympus E-P3, 1/500 seconds, F10, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/500 seconds, F7.1, ISO 200

Leaving the cemetery, we made our way to River Kwai. To make the trip interesting, we will cruise up on River Kwai to the main Rail Bridge aka the Death Railway by motor boat. The river cruise boats are situated at JEATH Museum 20 minutes away from the cemetery. JEATH replaced the word DEATH and it represents the countries that fought in this part of Asia between 1939-1945. JEATH is Japan, England, Australia, America, Thailand & Holland.


Olympus E-P3, 1/200 seconds, F10, ISO 400


Olympus E-P3, 1/125 seconds, F8, ISO 400

Inside JEATH, the museum reenacted the actual living space of the POW during those times and it showcases the remains of brutality left behind by the war. From Bomb shells to tools used during the war, this is a very solemn place, set up by a temple whose aim is not to stir up conflicts, but a painful reminder of the effects & aftermath of war.


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F5.6, ISO 400 (Zoom Blur done on kit lens)

After JEATH, we boarded the motorboat for our river cruise on River Kwai towards the Death Railway. There were lots of water front houses along the river and from what we were told, these houses are mostly owned by the descendants of the POWs that died along this river building the Death Railway.


Olympus E-P3, 1/1000 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/1000 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/800 seconds, F14, ISO 200

We arrived at the Death Railway after a river cruise of 30 minutes. We were greeted by the Death Railway from afar. So grand, yet so solemn. As we approach nearer, the boat slowed down to quiet down the engine as a respect to the place, and that gave me an opportunity to shoot a few good shots of the railway.


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F8, ISO 200 (Reflections Added via software)


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F8, ISO 200 (Reflections Added via software)

After we landed on shore, we walked around to explore the place. The place is somewhat different from my last visit over 10 years ago. There are lots of activities going on from street hawkers to street stalls, touts & tourists (Although not many tourists). What came as a shock next was the train came, I did not expect the Death Railway is still in use today and it runs on a line through the country managed by the “State Railway of Thailand”. 


Olympus E-P3, 1/1000 seconds, F14, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/250 seconds, F16, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/40 seconds, F20, ISO 200 (with sunglass in front of lens – acting as ND)

Next on the plan, we want to board on this train! We left Death Railway and headed to the train station about 30 km away at a small town at Thakilen. Here, we waited for the train to pick us up to bring us on another part of the Death Railway.


Olympus XZ-1, 1/1000 seconds, F10, ISO 200

Train came, the same type as the one we saw earlier at the Death Railway over River Kwai. We boarded and started shooting anything that interests us.


Olympus XZ-1, 1/125 seconds, F10, ISO 200


Olympus XZ-1, 1/1000 seconds, F10, ISO 200  (Miniature Effect added via software) 


Olympus XZ-1, 1/200 seconds, F14, ISO 200

After a 20 minutes ride on the train, we got off at Wang Pho station at Wang Pho – another small village along the rail line. I was told this little village prospered with the rail line over the years. Believe it or not, in the middle of nowhere in a battered and dusty little village, there’s a buffet restaurant here serving up local Thai dishes and western staples. We had a quick lunch & popped over the nearby Kanchanaburi Elephant Camp.


Olympus XZ-1, 1/1000 seconds, F10, ISO 200

Sick of elephant rides (remember this is my 45th trip to Thailand?), I took snapshots of the tourists that were travelling with us and I wander about the camp. After that, we headed back to Bangkok and ended the day. It had been a ‘heavy day’ for us travelling back in time, to difficult times.


Olympus XZ-1, 1/200 seconds, F7.1, ISO 200

To be Continued……………………………..

(For the full album produced by all the Olympus Cams for Day Two, please visit here)

(To Read Part 1, please click here)
___________________________________________________________________

Behind-the-Scenes Photography by Tan Yoke Ling.



Special Thanks to Olympus Imaging Singapore for making Project “My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012” possible.

Sponsor: Olympus Imaging Singapore Pte Ltd.
Travel & Review Editor: Allan J Lee.
Review Photographer: Allan J Lee.
Behind-the-Scenes Photographer: Yu ling (Yoke Ling)
Project Courtesy of Shutter Journey (Singapore) Photography Group. (SJS)
——————————————————————————————————————–
For the list of authorised retailers, please visit: http://home.olympusimage.com.sg/contactus/authorised_retailers.asp


About Olympus Imaging Singapore
Olympus Imaging Singapore is the unparalleled industry leader in opto-digital technologies, delivering award-winning digital imaging products for the consumer and professional markets in Singapore. Driven by a strong commitment in providing innovative products and solutions of the highest quality, Olympus Imaging Singapore works closely with industry partners, customers and other Olympus business units in producing leading-edge products. These include analogue and digital cameras, professional SLR imaging systems, and voice recorders, amongst others. Olympus Imaging Singapore’s unrelenting efforts in superior customer service also bear testimony to its brand promise of delivering the best user experience to all consumers and professional users in the imaging field. For more information, please visit http://www.olympusimage.com.sg.

Posted in Brand: Olympus, Featured Photography Merchants, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Sony Introduces Speedy α37 Camera

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Editor AL

– with Full-time Continuous AF Powered by Translucent Mirror Technology.

 
New Model Features High-Quality 16.1MP APS-C Image Sensor, up to 7 fps Shooting, High- Resolution Electronic Viewfinder and more!

SAN DIEGO, May 16, 2012 – Lightweight, easy to use and packed with a variety of useful features, the new Sony SLT-A37 camera is an ideal choice for consumers eager to explore the world of interchangeable lens DSLR photography.

 The new α37 camera is the latest to feature Sony’s acclaimed Translucent Mirror Technology, which delivers a potent combination of fast shooting, non-stop phase detection autofocus and continuous live image preview during still and full HD video (60i/24p) shooting.  This innovative technology also allows the new α37 camera to grab split-second action with a burst of sharply focused images.  Shots can be captured at up to seven frames per second in Tele-Zoom High Speed Shooting Mode, where the central portion of the sensor’s image is magnified by approximately 1.4x.

The camera has a precision 3-cross 15-point AF system with tracking autofocus that keeps faces and fast-moving subjects in sharp focus.  From action-packed sports to spontaneous family portraits, it will ensure that all the drama and beauty of that special moment is captured.

“Delivering lightning-fast shooting speeds and autofocus plus advanced full HD video capture, our innovative Translucent Mirror Technology continues to serve as the backbone of our A-mount line of cameras,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony.  “Featuring this unique technology plus a host of exciting new features and an attractive price tag, our new α37 camera brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘entry level DSLR’.”

Framing and focusing is easy with the camera’s high-resolution Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder.  With a high 1440k dot resolution, excellent contrast and 100% field of view, it matches or exceeds the abilities of many optical viewfinders.  Adjustments to exposure and other creative picture settings can be previewed in real time, either via the Tru-Finder™ EVF or the tilt-angle 6.7 cm (2.7″) Clear Photo™ LCD screen, making it easy to create shots with a customized, professional finish.

Additionally, the Sony α37 camera helps inexperienced photographers create top-quality portraits with ease.  The new Auto Portrait Framing mode identifies the subject’s position in a composed image and follows the “rule of thirds” to trim the scene and create a beautifully framed portrait.  The cropped photo is then boosted to full resolution using Sony’s unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo.   Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review.

By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the “Clear Image Zoom” feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera.  Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it’s a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware.

The 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor® APS HD CMOS sensor inside the α37 camera captures finely detailed, low noise stills and Full HD video. It’s teamed with the latest BIONZ® image processor that extends sensitivity to an ISO 100-16000 range, broadening options for low-light shooting without flash.  Shared with all α A-mount cameras, SteadyShot INSIDE™ stabilization cuts the effects of camera shake by up to 4.0 stops for clearer handheld images with any A-mount lens.

The new α37 camera also features Superior Auto Mode, which intelligently recognizes a wide range of scenes and subjects and adjusts settings automatically.

New A-Mount 18-135mm Telephoto Zoom Lens and Accessories

A versatile match for the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies, the new SAL18135 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 telephoto zoom offers a generous 8x (approx.) zoom range in a compact, go-anywhere lens that’s great for travel, street photography and everyday shooting.  The lens features a SAM design that assures smooth, rapid, whisper-quiet autofocus operation and Direct Manual Focus for accurate fine-tuning of focus.  This sharp telephoto zoom lens will also be offered as a kit lens with the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies.

Compatible accessories include the new PCK-LM11 semi-hard screen protector sheet, exclusively designed for a perfect fit with the LCD screen on the α37 camera, as well as the HVL-F43AM flash, LCS-BP2 backpack and a variety of other exciting products that complete the Alpha ecosystem. 

Pricing and Availability
The new α37 digital camera will be available this June with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about $600.  The new SAL18135 telephoto zoom lens will be available as a stand-alone product this July for about $500, and will be offered as a kit lens with Sony A-mount cameras beginning this August at the below approximate prices:

  • α37 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: USD$800
  • α57 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: USD$1,000
  • α65 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: USD$1,200
  • α77 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: USD$1,700

The camera kits, new lens and variety of accessories will be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide.

Posted in Brand: Sony, Photography Articles & Videos, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012. – Part 1

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Editor AL


Cover Project Photo by Tan Yoke Ling

Visiting Thailand for the 45th time, it had been tough planning where to visit this round. After considering for a while, I have decided to do away with the “over-visited” Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Chao Phraya (Phraya River), Floating markets & the hoards of “factory visits” meant for the regular tourist. So I had planned something, slightly off the beaten tracks for this visit, as well as to bring my wife, Ling – to some of the places that I had not visited for a long, long time. Making this visit more interesting, I have decided to leave behind my DSLRs and instead, I have with me an Olympus E-P3, an Olympus XZ-1 & an Olympus TG-620 TOUGH. These great cameras were kindly sponsored-loaned from Olympus Singapore. With that, “My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012” begins.

My.Happy.Day One:
On purpose & planning to relax, I have nothing planned for the day except to run some errands. These are some of the things that I always do whenever I visit Thailand. After breakfast, we set off by walking towards the city central. The street scene in Bangkok, Thailand never fails to interests me – the contrasting cityscapes, the colorful city & the people. With the E-P3 on my hand, I was pleasantly surprised that I am able to cover the various scenes easily.


Olympus E-P3, 2 seconds, F20, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/125 seconds, F7.1, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/100 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/500 seconds, F10, ISO 200

I decided to pick up some purchases at MBK before heading out to Wat Hua LamPhong (Hua Lam Phong Temple). This is the temple that many locals as well tourists visits to donate monetary gifts for the poor & unfortunate. Over here, one can donate a coffin for the deceased who cannot afford a proper burial even after death due to extreme poverty. The temple is filled with people (as usual) when I got there. As the scene is constantly changing here, the E-P3 responded fast whenever I need a confirmation “beep” and I managed to capture all these snapshots – at the right time, at the right moment & with the right exposure of course.


Olympus E-P3, 1/1000 seconds, F10, ISO 200

After loitering at the temple for a while, we moved on to Wat Erawan to pay our respects to the Four-Faced Buddha. Devotees from all over the world come here to pray for anything, everything you can think of. This time, I came to offer my thanks as my wish of marrying Ling, made 4 years ago finally came through (we got married the day before this trip!). The mid morning sun was blazing hot when we got there. Without a CPL or ND filter, I decided to shoot everything at super small aperture  just to “compensate” the overwhelmed brightness.


Olympus E-P3, 1 second, F22, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/125 seconds, F7.1, ISO 200

Lunch was next on the plan. We headed back to MBK to another of my regular lunch haunt. Fifth Food Avenue– a Thai-replication of Marche, offering over 100+ choices of food from all over the world set in an up market ambience.


Olympus E-P3, 1/80 seconds, F5.6, ISO 400


Olympus E-P3, 1/2000 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1/200 seconds, F8, ISO 200


Olympus E-P3, 1 second, F20, ISO 400

After lunch, we headed back to our hotel to avoid getting fried in the sun, we decided to hit the pool to cool ourselves a little. This seems like the best opportunity to play with the TG-620 and we went to the pool armed with this camera and another underwater cam for some splash & underwater photography.

The TG-620’s “Hi2” mode was amazingly fast. When coupled with (SCN) “Underwater” mode, this camera is a monster in water and under water. We tried shooting the other cam under water, shot a boy having fun in water and I even did a little cam-whoring of myself while under the water at depth between 0.82m to 2.2m.


Photo shot by Olympus TG-620 TOUGH.


Photo shot by Olympus TG-620 TOUGH.


Photo shot by Olympus TG-620 TOUGH.

Dinner was simple affair. We settle it fuss-free by the road – literally! We were eating at a roadside stall and vehicles were passing us as near as 3 inches. Oh wow! After dinner, we decided to go to “Mambo”, a “Trans” show. I will attend the nightly shows every time I am in town as this is one musical show that gets updated from time to time. Every time I came, there’s always new songs & dance added. After the show, we decided to call it a day.


Olympus XZ-1, 1/100 seconds, F5.6, ISO 400


Olympus XZ-1, 1/40 seconds, F4, ISO 800

To be Continued……………………………..

For the full album produced by all the Olympus Cams for Day One, please visit here.

To read Part 2, please click here.

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Behind-the-Scenes Photography by Tan Yoke Ling.

Special Thanks to Olympus Imaging Singapore for making Project “My.Happy.Photo.Graphy.Olympus.Thailand.2012” possible.

Sponsor: Olympus Imaging Singapore Pte Ltd.
Travel & Review Editor: Allan J Lee.
Review Photographer: Allan J Lee.
Behind-the-Scenes Photographer: Yu ling (Yoke Ling)
Project Courtesy of Shutter Journey (Singapore) Photography Group. (SJS)
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For the list of authorised retailers, please visit: http://home.olympusimage.com.sg/contactus/authorised_retailers.asp


About Olympus Imaging Singapore
Olympus Imaging Singapore is the unparalleled industry leader in opto-digital technologies, delivering award-winning digital imaging products for the consumer and professional markets in Singapore. Driven by a strong commitment in providing innovative products and solutions of the highest quality, Olympus Imaging Singapore works closely with industry partners, customers and other Olympus business units in producing leading-edge products. These include analogue and digital cameras, professional SLR imaging systems, and voice recorders, amongst others. Olympus Imaging Singapore’s unrelenting efforts in superior customer service also bear testimony to its brand promise of delivering the best user experience to all consumers and professional users in the imaging field. For more information, please visit http://www.olympusimage.com.sg.

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Sony’s New α NEX-F3 Camera

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Editor AL

– DSLR-Size Sensor and Advanced Feature Set into Small, Stylish Body !


Lightweight Model Features 16.1 Megapixel APS-C Sensor, 180° Tiltable LCD, Built-in Flash, Auto Portrait

SAN DIEGO, May 16, 2012 – Sony’s α NEX-F3 digital camera delivers professional quality photos with a compact, pocket-sized body, allowing consumers to explore the creative world of high-quality, interchangeable lens photography in a refreshingly fun and entertaining way.

The new NEX-F3 camera features the same space-saving mirrorless design as other models in Sony’s E-mount family as well as an advanced, 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor, identical in size to sensors found in traditional DSLR cameras.   The large sensor takes in more light during image capture, resulting in flawless, low-noise photographs and crisply detailed Full HD videos (60i/24p).  Photographers can also easily create images with beautiful defocus effects, where the subject is focused sharply against a smoothly blurred background.

“Sony continues to redefine digital photography with our E-mount series, packing a large APS-C size sensor into a small, lightweight camera body to produce professional-quality images with ease,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony.  “Featuring a diverse set of imaging technologies and offered at a great price, the new NEX-F3 model reinforces our commitment to this rapidly growing compact system camera market.”

The NEX-F3 camera adds a whole new perspective to self-portraits with a 180° Tiltable LCD screen, a first for Sony’s E-mount camera line.  By simply holding the camera at arm’s length and flipping the LCD screen vertically, users can adjust the on-screen preview image and properly frame photos.

Additionally, the new model features a useful built-in flash to broaden shooting options indoors or in low light situations.  Already introduced on Sony’s acclaimed NEX-7 camera, this pop-up flash handily brightens portraits and other shots without the need to carry an additional flash accessory.

The new NEX-F3 camera also includes the new Auto Portrait Framing feature for creating top-quality portraits quickly and easily.   This innovative feature identifies a subject’s position in a composed image, and follows the “rule of thirds” to trim the scene appropriately around the subject’s face, creating a beautifully composed portrait.  The cropped portrait is then boosted to full resolution using Sony’s unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology,

which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo.   Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review.

By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the “Clear Image Zoom” feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera.  Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it’s a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware.

Other convenient essentials added to the new NEX-F3 camera include the Superior Auto mode,  which intelligently recognizes a wide range of scenes and subjects and adjusts settings automatically. Battery stamina has been boosted to an industry-leading 470 shots (approx.) on a single charge – an approximate 18% improvement over its predecessor, the NEX-C3 model.

The camera is compatible with the FDA-EV1S viewfinder accessory (sold separately), which offers a high-contrast, high-resolution OLED viewfinder display and a wide viewing angle.  The NEX-F3 model also features a high-quality, premium-feel grip for more comfortable handling and can be charged via either USB or a standard AC outlet.

New Lightweight 18-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony α NEX

An ideal travel partner for the NEX-F3 camera, the new SEL18200LE E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS LE telezoom lens offers a powerful 11x zoom range and superb resolution in an easy-to-carry package.  Smaller and 12% lighter than the SEL18200 lens, the new E-mount model features Optical SteadyShot to compensate for the effects of hand-shake.  It also features Direct Manual Focus to give users precise control over focus settings, resulting in crisp, beautiful images.

Pricing and Availability
The new NEX-F3 compact digital camera will be available this June in silver, black and white with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about USD$600.  The new SEL18200LE telezoom lens will be available this July in black for about USD$850.

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Getty Images at Cannes Lions 2012

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Editor AL

For the 15th consecutive year, Getty Images will continue its support of the world’s best up-and-coming creative talent competing in the Young Lions Competition.

SINGAPORE, 10 June, 2012 – For the 15th consecutive year, Getty Images will be sponsoring and supporting the Young Lions Competition at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, 17 – 23 June, 2012. The competition encourages the world’s best talented, young creative teams to produce an award-winning campaign, competing against the clock. Getty Images will be the exclusive content provider for the competition, enabling contestants to draw from its broad range of creative, editorial, archival and music collections, to help them produce inspiring and award-winning work of their own.

As well as supporting the Young Lions Competition, Getty Images is sponsoring the lounge area of Cannes Also’s ‘Play, Make, Master’, a joint initiative by branding agencies The Brand Union and Lambie-Nairn, with cold refreshments, ice-cream and a photo booth. ‘Play, Make, Master’ showcases the skills of experts including world leaders in stop frame animation Aardman, renowned balloon artists Airigami and Certified Lego artists Bright Bricks. Taking place daily at 2pm in the Getty Images lounge area, the company is also offering a master class on mobile photography, including tips and tricks on how to capture the best image on what is regarded as a growing platform for producing reputable photography. The Cannes Also initiative, established in 2011, was created to celebrate the wider role of creativity in our industry. 

Delegates will also have the opportunity to attend one-on-one sessions with Getty Images’ creative trends experts at a beach-side venue, to discuss visual branding in communication, visual trends in technology and photography, or any subject in the creative sphere that is of interest. 

Andrew Saunders, Senior Vice President, Creative Content at Getty Images said: “The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is an exciting event for Getty Images. Our support of the Young Lions Competition over the past 15 years has never failed to produce work that both inspires and surprises us. It is a rewarding experience to see some of the world’s most talented, young creatives use Getty Images’ content to produce such fresh and innovative work and we are really looking forward to seeing what this year’s teams will produce. We are also looking forward to offering delegates the chance to meet with our creative team firsthand, to discuss their own visual branding and how to maximise its potential.”

There are six competitions that take place during the Young Lions Competition at the Palais des Festivals, which fall under the following categories: Print, Cyber, Film, Media, Young Marketers and for the first time in 2012, Design. Each competing team is briefed by a not-for-profit client to create and execute a campaign within 24 hours (within 48 hours for Film), meaning that teams work under intense pressure, around the clock. 

The Young Lions competition is open to advertising professionals up to 28 years old and participating teams, comprising of an art director and copywriter, or two marketers in the case of the Young Marketers competition, are selected through a pre-selection process in their own country, with the winners attending Cannes Lions.

 Click here for more information on the Young Lions competition.

About Getty Images
Getty Images is one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of still imagery, video and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music. Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.  Additional information on how Getty Images inspires and powers communications can be found on The Getty Images Blog at blog.gettyimages.com as well as on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GettyImagesSoutheastAsia and Twitter at www.twitter.com/gettyimages.com.

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