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 Birds of Prey

While I was residing at Bukit Jelutong, which was just adjacent to the TUDM Air Base, I had a chance to shoot a few birds, luckily some birds of prey.

This was of an eagle, circling the airspace hunting for prey. It was hovering the airspace flexing its prowess. It was breathtaking to see such scene of pure power.

I present to you the king of raptors!

E-510 with Zuiko Digital ED50-200mm F2.8-3.5

200mm, f/9.0, 1/250s, ISO100, +0.3EV

Also, there is the other version of raptor lurking over the skies of Bukit Jelutong. Usually, we will be treated with roars of jet afterburners at least twice a year - during the F1 race and National Day.

The king of the skies, supersonic jet fighters!!!

E-510 with Zuiko Digital ED50-200mm F2.8-3.5

182mm, f/3.5, 1/640s, ISO100, +0.7EV

The TUDM F-18D Hornet making a landing approach. The landing gears can clearly be seen!

There were four of them birds making the descent, in which they just flew mere hundreds of feet above me!!!! I was shooting them within the compounds of my apartment.

The speed was mind boggling, with the crescendo of thunderous jet power!! Panning was difficult.

Forget F1, this is the ultimate speed machine!!!

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 Street Fashion

Photographic opportunities sometimes come at times you do not expect. It is good to always have your camera ready for those instances; be it a simple family candids or a street riot or even a fashion show.

A good compact system, especially the Olympus E-system, will serve you good in those situations. Take for example the petite E-420 with the Zuiko Digital ED 50mm F2.0 Macro lens. With a combined weight of just below 800 grams, and a size just enough to fit in a small purse, this is one combo you cannot leave behind.

Don't let the size fool you, too! With the full professional image parameter controls, this little pocket rocket will really sizzle your eyes.

It was one of those days when a simple photography opportunity came my way in a form of a Street Fashion show. I was walking by Ampang Park shopping mall when I chanced upon this event. A bit low-key event, I would say, but the lighting for the shoot was marvelous. The catwalk was a simple deck adjacent to the five-foot by-way, and the semi-translucent glass roof provided subtle softlighting to the models.

E-420 with Zuiko Digital ED50mm F2.0

50mm, f/2.0, 1/500s, ISO100, +0.7EV

The most beautiful thing about this series are the skintones. I love Olympus skintones. Really true to the real thing, in my opinion. I set the color mode to Portrait with low contrast -1. This subtle setting made the tonal and color renditions to the portraits even more beautiful and captivating. Add the legendary sharpness of the 50mm f2.0 lens, the setup is complete. All I did was to concentrate on the lighting composition and facial expression of the models.

The situation for shooting this kind of event was how to control the distracting background. One way was to use large aperture like the f2.0 to blur the background, and another way was to use selective cropping during the shoot, with regards to get the best angle, lighting and timing.

With a clear distance separating the model with the background, f2.0 aperture seemed to be the best selection. The depth-of-field was just enough to get the whole part of the models in focus, whilst having the background blurred. Just perfect!

50mm, f2.0, 1/200s, ISO100, +0.3EV

Througout the series, you can see the intricate details of the models' kebaya dress. The flower motifs with the bright colors added dimension to the image. The Zuiko delivered the details, even if shot wide open. Now, that's professional quality glass. Really awesome!!

The models approaching. I just ensured focusing was on track, and all was just right.

What I liked about this image was the lighting. The transition from the lighter part facing the street and the darker part to the mall added natural tones to the already beautiful models.

The experience was just exhilirating. How can I say this? If all the things were set for you, all you needed to do was just watch the light and shoot.

How simple can this be?

Zuiko and "In a Private World" Challenge

E-510, Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f2.8-3.5

22mm, f/5, 1/500s, ISO400

This entry was for Challenge #10 in dpReview.com. In a Private world challenge the photographer needed to "show images of people who appear to be in their own world not noticing what is going on around them."

This image was an old image that I mined from my flickr.com database. This image depicted the scene prior to the start of Sepang MotoGP event in October 2007. The lone spectator was just sitting under my terrace, and quickly I captured this moment. Such solace in the sole presence, the deafening silence of the terrace was soon reverberated with the thunderous sounds of the 200hp bikes!!

By getting the theme spot on, the forumers agree to rate this image quite highly #31 out of 400 submissions. If you look at the quality of submissions, actually to finish at the Top 10% is already a great achievement!

I will continue participating into these challenges in the future...

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 Olympus E-620 Up Close

I went to the Olympus E-system luncheon... and had a very close encounter with the E-620!!!

E-30 with Zuiko Digital ED14-35mm f2.0 SWD

35mm, f/2.0, 1/80s, ISO500, Pin Hole ART Filter

Such a petite camera.. but don't let its appearance full you!! It's jam-packed with features that will make many envy!!! The viewfinder is luxurios for such a small package!!! And the HLD-5 grip is just marvelous for its size!!!

This is a shot showing the size in the hands of an average Asian guy. His left hand is cusping the battery grip, and the lens attached is the standard kit 14-42mm lens.

This is one baby you got to see to believe!!!

The flippable LCD is something this baby has in common with its bigger brothers E-30 and E-3. And all I can say is that, this is way so COOL!!!

Zuiko and Urbanscapes

E-510 with Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f2.8-3.5 & Hoya C-PL 72mm

11mm, f/4.5, 1/320s, ISO100, -0.3EV

The taxi cab was making a turn, and I figured this added a good element to the image.

The point of view from below added impact with the strong blu sky as the background. The colorful posters addorning the building were the main attraction. It was very striking!

Polarization was at the maximum to further saturate the strong colors. That was the key element to this image. Colors, colors & colors!

Introducing the Olympus E-620

Hmmmm.. this looks more like E-420/520 replacement.

What I like most from the specifications are:

1. 7 AF points, with 5 points being cross-hair sensors
2. Flippable LCD screen
3. External White Balance sensor
4. HLD-5 battery grip

What I am bit disappointed are:

1. Smallish Optical Viewfinder
2. Not weather-sealed (hey, Pentax can do it!!)
3. No dedicated DoF preview button
4. Only one command dial

In all, this is a good range for the E-system.

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!!

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 and Futsal

About a couple of weeks back, I was asked to cover a futsal event. I never did a sports coverage, and being indoor, the challenge was doubled.

I arrived at the venue, at a fitness center in KLCC, with a very brief instruction from the organizer. "Pick a spot, and cover as much as possible." It seemed, other than myself, there were 3 other photographers at the event. I opted to move around, rather than stuck in a spot. The organizer agreed.

Basics of event coverage entailed me to capture the atmosphere.

Rather than worry about shutter speeds and wide angle lenses, I jumped into the event. "Be there, and F2.0", as I will say it. Everybody was pumped up for the tournament, although I can say 80% had hardly kicked a futsal within the year itself!!

Well, in good clean fun, the energy was electric!!!

Shooting sporting events is fun. The emotions are real. The expressions are real. Everything is real!

*** A little bit of technical stuff, here. ***

In covering the indoor event, I realized that I need to shoot wide open at F2.0 with my ED14-35mm F2.0 lens. The light was at EV8 or lower, and fast action entailed at least 1/250s shutter speed. With the mode set at S-priority, and the rest on Auto, I was set to rock-and-roll. AF setting was at AF-S with Group mode.

***