Zuiko and E-5: Day 4

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This is the day. The sad day. The day I have to return the E-5 to Olympus Malaysia.

E-5 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm F2.8-3.5 mk2

On my way to work, a small mishap happened. I ran out of gas!!! A small miscalculation on the reserve. I was just 1km away from the nearest petrol kiosk. But then, it turned out to be a blessing.

While waiting for the ELITE Expressway Patrol to pass by, I managed to make some C-AF rapid shots. The fast moving cars at the excess of 100km/h (55mph) were just perfect!!

As I had experience shooting C-AF sequence at 5fps with RAW + SuperFine JPEG (total of 18-20MB per shot) during my kid's concert yesterday, the limit of the buffer was 7 frames. As can be seen in the panorama stitch shot above, I was stuck after the 7th frame!

About the C-AF performance? Well, most of it was based on technique and approach. In this case, my experience was about 70-80% hit rate. This was the only clean sequence I got out of 4 attempts. To tell you the truth, if I had been doing this type of shots day-in day-out, the hit rate might have been in the high 90%.

A quick landscape shot of the ELITE and KESAS expressways interchange

After my mishap was settled, I sped off to Olympus Malaysia office at Mont Kiara. I was thinking, I might as well milk out the last drop of pixel out of this E-5. Yeah, that's a great idea! The indoor shots were between ISO800 and 1600, while outdoor shots were at ISO200. All using Dramatic Tone, as I was at high emotions actually!

Dark parking bay below the office.

Olympus office is somewhere here.

At Olympus, I was greeted by Mr Yang (not a real name). I shared my experience, and felt very sad about it. We exchanged experiences shooting the E-5, and he showed me some great prints at A3-size to show the edge-to-edge details. Well, I haven't printed my shots yet, and boy were the prints looked great!!

After about half an hour chit-chat, I bid farewell, just after we were joined by Mr Big Boss. I also exchanged experience about the shoot with him, and also tried to lobby them to loan a couple of E-5s to our small community's upcoming trip up Mount Ledang (the MyChiaroscuro.net). Hope they agree to the idea, because brother Robin Wong will be joining the trip, too.

Entering with sadness...

Olympus cameras display

I just wished that I just could just grab hold of the bag and ran away!!

Well, now I am having a severe E-5 withdrawal syndrome. My mood is a bit off, and strangely when I arrive home I immediately grab hold of the E-3... Three days were just not enough!!! And, I apologize for any shortcomings of my write-up regarding the E-5 as I did not have much time to really study and test its capabilities.

It's going to be a tough few weeks for me to cope with the loss!!

Zuiko and Merdeka!!!

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Malaysia celebrated it's 52nd year of Independence last week, on the 31st of August to be exact.

Celebrations were low key this year due to Ramadhan. Yet, this should not hamper the spirit of Merdeka within the hearts of the people. Patriotism for the country should live on, irregardless of many differences in opinions be it race, religion or politics.

E-510 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 & FL-36

27mm, f/5.6, 1/50s, ISO400

I remembered one shot I did in 2007 that captured the spirit. This was an impromptu shot, with my colleague quickly draped the Jalur Gemilang across his body.

Zuiko and a bit of Photo Painting

A simple painting effect.

I can't remember what program I used, but looking at the shooting date, I suspect it was using Photoshop.

E-510 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5

54mm, f/6.3, 1/160s, ISO400

For this shot, the metering was at ESP and was not tricked by the strong backlight! I needed to ensure the shutter speed was fast enough to freeze the leaves as the wind was blowing gently; thus, increasing the ISO was inevitable. The aperture at f/6.3 was adequate to get the whole frame sharp.

Zuiko and a Dragonfly

Dragonflies are intriguing. They look like helicopters, ever seemingly hovering on small wads of pond. Sometimes in groups, most of the time solitary. They come in various sizes and colors, too. 

Majestic. 

Beautiful.

Elegant.

E-3 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5

54mm, f/4, 1/200s, ISO400, FL-50R

To capture the elegance of this majestic insect, I need to capture it in full isolation. In many instances, the location is the limiting factor to obtain my vision of such beauty. I always get it muddled with the background, usually grass and dirt.

In this image, I was lucky enough to find it perching lifelessly on the end of the twig in full isolation. Perfect!

While the 14-54mm lens was not the perfect one for high quality macro, I had to make do. This meant that I had to come up very close, in the region of 10cm away. Slow and steady without abrupt movement, I was able to approach it without harm. It was rather dark due to the shade, and I had to resort to higher ISO and fill-in flash from the FL-50R.

That's all it took.

Zuiko and A Glowing Ball

E-3 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5

32mm, F/4, 1/40s, ISO400

A little creativity goes a long way...

This was actually a simple shot. My left hand held the ball with the tungsten lamp irradiating it, and my right hand took the shot. Without the backlighting from the lamp, the ball will be just too simple and lacking impact.

The E-3's ESP metering was spot on, too. I took little trouble in deciding the exposure and composition. The real trick was to do the shot with both hands doing literally different things!!!

The result? It was as if I was a clairvoyant looking into the glowing orb manifesting the future... hish!!

It is always my goal to shoot simple daily objects to look interesting and impacting. In this case, it was quite a neat job.

Zuiko and Selective Focus

Sometimes, it is very important to have the focal plane align with the subject to emphasize the composition. If the subject and the overall image are identical in shape, color and size, the use of selective focus will be more effective.

E-510 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5

54mm, f/3.5, 1/250s, ISO100, -0.3EV

In this image, I selected the three-leaves clusters to align to focal plane. And I selected a medium aperture value to capture enough depth of field to render the clusters in focus. The rest of the image was blurred.

The morning sunlight provided a nice angle for the leaves to reflect the rays that casted a lovely maze of highlights and shadows. Somehow, the leaves looked very lifelike and 3D-ish. Awesome.

Zuiko and a Wedding

Wedding photography! A type of photography that I would categorize as chaos. Not in a sense of the photographer losing his/her mind, but in the sense that the whole event is just chaos.

I would say that most of the time, the photographer has no control of the situation and must make the best out of it.

In this instance, the best way to approach it is through a technique known as wedding photojournalism.

The principle is simple. The photographer will use all the resources at hand to capture any artistic opportunity without the bride and groom's awareness. So called candid, but with a complete story to tell!

A good start to do a wedding job is to use the E-3 or E-30, with a very good zoom lens either the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 or the Zuiko Digital ED12-60mm f2.8-4.0. A strong flash is a must; thus, only the FL-50R qualify. The battery grip will be also helpful to double the shoot rate and to assist in portraiture framing. Carry spare batteries for the body and also the flash. A high capacity memory card is recommended such as the SanDisk Xtreme III 4GB or 8GB.

Additional lenses to assist include the Zuiko Digital ED50-200mm f2.8-3.5, Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f2.8-3.5 and the Zuiko Digital ED50mm f2.0 Macro. Though, I would say that the normal zoom lenses will be main workhorse and will cover up to 80% of the total shots.

This was a wedding I did about 9 months ago. It was only for 1 session, the groom's reception.

This image is the typical classic couple wedding shot. With the E-3, Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 and FL-50R. The focal length was 54mm with aperture of f/3.5 and shutter speed of 1/100s. The sensitivity was set to ISO400.

E-3 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 and FL-50R

23mm, f/5.0, 1/25s, ISO400, -0.3EV

Another important aspect of wedding photography is the post-processing workflow. Typical album is a 22-page 8RW layout, with an assortment of photos up to 150 shots!! It is up to the photographer to finalize the layout. And the amount of work is double the photo shoot job!! So, be prepared!!!!

Please click for full album.

Zuiko and Zoom Blur

One thing I love about In-body Image Stabilization system is the capability to use any lens and be assured with some form of stabilization.

With the E-510 and Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f2.8-3.5, I was able to create this zoom effect. It was simple really!

The surreal effect with the focus on the central photographer was simply magical! Dynamism was captured in a static scene.

This scene was shot in McDonald's near Chinatown KL, with the other Olympus gang for our 2nd walkabout. This walkabout covered parts of Chinatown and Central Market during Deepavali in 2007.

I just selected a slow shutter speed, say 1/5s, and used Shutter priority to override the shutter automation. With this effect, I managed to travel the focal length from 11mm to 14mm. The ISO was 100, with aperture at f3.2. And the IS did the rest!

Another example of zoom blur...

E-510 with Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5

14mm to 25mm zoom, 1/2.5s, f8, ISO200

Another thing. Be sure to have steady hands; one to hold the body, the other to twist the zoom ring.

Somehow, it was so easy even with the little E-510 beginners D-SLR!!

E-30 and Soft Interiors

This was a shot of my Company's Office Lobby. The reception desk was just over to the right, and was not part of the image.

This image was shot with Live View, and I used the Level Gauge to ensure the Horizontals and Verticals were accurate. With the 14mm field-of-view, getting right-angle perspective was the challenge.

This was a cinch with the E-30!!!

Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II; 14mm, f2.8, 1/60s, ISO640

Notice how the soft focus effect rendered the dark tones lighter. It's done subtly with glowing effect. Somehow, this reminded me of mild Orton Effect.

Comparatively, this image I set to Vivid color mode, with Contrast +2, Sharpness +1 and Saturation +1. In particular, I tried to get the high impact look of the interiors, and popping up the colors of blue lights and red gold fish in the aquarium.

Click on the image to see 50% crop 2016 x 1512.

Zuiko and Portraits, Part 1

Portraits!

A snapshot of the soul... a picture to tell the whole story of a person... portraits!

I always like to shoot portraits; mostly candids, as my subjects are mostly children.

The details, the expression, the lighting, the mood, the background, the foreground, the focus, the de-focus, the bokeh, the sharpness, the eyes, the soul, the shadows, the highlights, the smiles, the sorrow... I can go on, and on....

Portraits!



A quick snap with the Zuiko Digital ED14-35mm F2.0 SWD lens yields an exquisite rendition of the children's expression. The subtlety of the monotones, coupled with the soft lighting from the background adds aura to the composition. Adequate bokeh qualities to blur the backgrounds adds silkiness to the textures. Eyes, yes, very sharp eyes!

In awe!

This meticulously composed image was done with care. Soft sunlight through the day curtain provided the adequate side lights to this composition. Flash was not used in this shot, but yet able to have a beautiful catchlight in the eyes. How was that possible?

Apparently, my son was watching the telly, and the reflection was caught in the eyes. Marvellous!

All I needed was a Zuiko Digital ED50mm F2.0 MACRO lens, and lots of patience.

My niece suddenly made the pose. I saw, I took the shot. Simple!!!

I was shocked to see the image turned out so nice, with the pair of eyes as the perfect centerpiece! Awesome!!

This was made with the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm F2.8-3.5 lens, at the 54mm end. A flash strobe was used to fill the image, bounced! Thus, the fill light on the hair, and soft shadows lining her arms. Soft Gaussian filtering was used to envoke the elusive feel in the composition. Bokeh was not adequate, but the tight crop was able to hide the obvious.

Portraits are fun. It is even more fun if the innocence are captured; real expressions, with the spur of the moment and the luck of exquisite lighting.

All you need is patience, a good lens, and the light. Any lens will do, and any light will do, too. As long as the subject is comfortable with your presence. That is all it takes.

Zuiko and Kuala Lumpur City Center

Kuala Lumpur City Center, or more popularly known as KLCC, is one of Malaysia's magnificent landmarks. The Petronas Twin Towers is the pinnacle landmark of KLCC, with its unique skybridge linking both towers. KLCC is not complete without its key park, with a beautiful spread of luscious greens and ponds, children's playground and water park, and jogging pathways outlining the park's perimeter.


E-3 & ZD14-54mm F2.8-3.5


The beauty of the scenery, with the centerpiece being the KLCC Park and KL Convention Center, was captured from the 17th floor of Menara Maxis.


Menara Maxis is just adjacent to the Petronas Twin Towers, along Jalan Ampang.


E-3 & ZD ED14-35mm F2.0 SWD


Storm clouds warned the coming of rain.


The oval lawn at the park added new dimension to this image as if the Petronas Twin Towers is actually situated in a vast flat area. The lack of perspective convergence did not help either to hide the sheer smallness of the lawn. In fact, this oval is just a tiny patch of opening a few hundred yards from the towers.


E-3 & ZD 14-54mm F2.8-3.5


Misty morning, a scene of Petronas Twin Towers and KL Towers, was captured from my old apartment located some 30 kilometers away!


E-500 & ZD 11-22mm F2.8-3.5


The park's fountain is the main showcase, and is rightly located at the center of KLCC.


E-510 & 14-54mm F2.8-3.5


This night shot was made simply with the help of modern camera technology. I framed the scene, and I shot the scene handheld. That was all it took.


KLCC is simply beautiful.

Zuiko at Night on Putrajaya Lake

It was not often that you get a chance to cruise on a special occasion under the moolight with the lake's breeze billowing your hair. I had this chance, and I can say, once in a lifetime. It was on the 8th of August 2008, or 08.08.08, and the Putrajaya Lake Cruise had a special dining experience on offer. To top this, I also took the chance to arrange for a birthday celebration for my beloved wife.

The cruise started at the ferry pier, just near the Putra Mosque. By 7.45pm we arrived and were ushered to a nice reception lobby with refreshments. The cruise started at 8pm.

It was actually a full cruise through the lake, and we were dining with cuisine from Hilton Putrajaya. I had chicken, my wife had salmon. All I can say was, the experience was breathtaking as we were cruising down the lake with the moonlight and city lights lining the lake's rim. It was purely romantic!!

Some beautiful scenic shots to savor the beautiful experience of the cruise.

Actuall, the cruise U-turn point was at PICC. There, the captain had the ferry to a halt for about 5 minutes. I went up the top of the ferry, for open view of the scene. It was beautiful!!!

** A bit technical here **

For the moon over PICC shot, I used my E-3 with the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm F2.8-3.5. This lens was a pocket rocket. With fast aperture and 4x zoom, the size is still small with less than 0.5kg.

I framed at 14mm, with the aperture at F3.5, shutter speed 1/4s and ISO2000. To ensure proper metering, I offset the exposure compensation to -1EV.

Thanks to in-body Image Stabilization (IS) feature, I was able to capture the image without blur, although the ferry was rocking its way on the lake's wake. It was truly amazing.

**

Also, throughout the cruise, we passed the bridges of Putrajaya. the following images are some that I managed to capture. The ferry was cruising at about 10-15knots, and I had to be quick to capture the bridges while the ferry was passing by. It was fast!

** A bit technical here **
The ferry was passing under the bridge. Quickly, I framed at 14mm at A-priority, with the aperture at F4, shutter speed 1/20s and ISO2000. To ensure proper metering, I offset the exposure compensation to -1EV.
Again the IS did the job for me to get blur-free images.
**

Not to be missed was to definitely have some beautiful portrait shots with the Putrajaya cityscape. Although the situation for photography was very difficult, I managed to pull it off.

** A bit technical here **
The biggest trick was to capture portrait with a dark background with the ferry moving and rocking. I used my E-3 with the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm F2.8-3.5.
I framed at 14mm, with the aperture at F2.8, shutter speed 1/15s and ISO2000. To ensure proper metering, I offset the exposure compensation to -1EV. Flash was used to illuminate my wife, at TTL -1.3EV.

With 4/3 system, the F2.8 actually provide a similar Depth-of-Field of F5.6 on a full-frame 135 system. Thus, the portrait is already at optimum setting.
**

One thing I can say about the experience; It was out of this world!