Thursday 26 January 2012

Local Artists

One can capture alternative shots of the local stars when attending social gatherings such as relatives' wedding, family day and casual meetings. This is where you'll see them in less than full attire.

We attended a wedding reception sometime ago and two of our local singers made impromptu performance, and they appear simple and casual in this shots.

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Sannie Hassan Mudin
You can watch/listen to his recent MTV on youtube.


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Nera is one of the performers in the recently concluded reality TV show, Akademi Fantasia AF9.


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You can listen to Nera's latest song Hatimu Milikmu at youtube.

Other local artists:
Felix - Selamat pengantin baru.
Jiaja, Dayang Noraini, Esther, Suib, Rieno, etc - in CLAS Awards 2011
Cha, Andalusia, Ridah,Janrywine, Henry - in CLAS Awards 2010

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Nikon Announces the D4 digital-SLR camera

Nikon Corporation announced the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera, Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera, the ultimate in versatility and functionality. Nikon will be exhibiting the D4 at the 2012 International CES, to be held from January 10 to January 13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is definitely suited for the working photographer but for the enthusiasts, hobbyists and Nikon fans, it's good to know.

Credit: Pictures from Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd & Photo Malaysia.

Nikon-D4-01 front
The New Nikon D4


Nikon D4_top
D4 with AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G


Nikon D4-back-side



Some of the non-exhaustive FEATURES of the New Nikon D4:

Nikon FX-format (36 x 23.9mm) CMOS Sensor with 16.2 Effective Megapixels.

3.2" Super-Sharp 921,000-Dot LCD Monitor with Automatic Monitor Brightness Control

Full 1080p HD Broadcast Quality Video
Available - Full 1080p video at 30 or 24fps in H.264/MPEG-4 AVC HD format.

View Simultaneous Live View Output on External Monitors & Record Uncompressed Video Via HDMI

Full HD Recording with FX, DX (1.5x crop) and 1920 x 1080 (2.7x) Crop Mode Settings
All three modes deliver exceptional Full HD 1080p output

Standard ISO 100 to 12,800, Expandable from ISO 50 Up to ISO 204,800 Equivalent

10/11 Frames Per Second Continuous Shooting in FX-format for Up to 200 Frames

Faster, More Responsive 51-Point AF System

AF Detection Up to f/8
D4 aligns its 15 cross-type sensors in the center to detect contrast for both vertical and horizontal lines with lenses f/5.6 or faster. The five central points and three points to the left and right of them in the middle line are compatible with f/8

EXPEED 3 for Faithful Colors, Fine Tones and Wide Dynamic Range
Optimized for Stills and HD Video

Comprehensive High Fidelity Audio Recording and Playback Control
Built-in external stereo microphone input allows for recording crystal clear sound

Time Lapse Shooting: Capture a Variety of Scenes of Subjects at a Breathtaking Pace
The D4 allows you to shoot time-lapse photography with replaying rates from 24 times to 36,000 times faster than normal.

91,000 Pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering III with Advanced Scene Recognition System

Two Live View Shooting Modes
Photography Live View and Movie Live View modes add flexibility

Expand Dynamic Range Using Built-In HDR

Flash Compensation and Exposure Compensation Separated for Better Creative Control

Dedicated Nikon Picture Control Button
Dedicated button provides six preset options: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Landscape and Portrait for stills and video

Two Axis Virtual Horizon Graphic Indicator
Use either LCD monitor or viewfinder to check if camera is level; horizontally or with forward or rear rotation

Improved Vertical Shooting Operation
One unique set of controls for both horizontal and vertical shooting.

Speedier AF Point Selection
The D4 incorporates a new joystick style sub-selector made of rubber that's more responsive to finger's touch.

Illuminated Buttons to Set Functions in Low-Lit Situations
D4 uses back-illuminated operation buttons and release mode dials for clear visibility in the dark

Magnesium Alloy Body with Weather Sealing
The D4 are comprised of strong-yet-lightweight magnesium alloy. This assures the camera's superb reliability and extra long life.

400,000 Cycles Durable, Accurate Shutter Unit with Mirror Balancer
The D4's shutter has been tested for 400,000 cycles on fully assembled cameras at extreme continuous burst rates for extended time periods.

Self-Diagnostic Shutter Monitor
Should any shutter speed variance be detected, the camera automatically corrects to adjust between actual speed and correct shutter speed

WT-5A Wireless Transmitter Compatibility
Transmit images to an FTP server or computer, either automatically or by manually selecting images. With PC mode you can operate the D4 via Camera Control Pro 2.

Intelligent Power Management
Power consumption and power management systems are engineered for even greater operating efficiency using a new EN-EL18 rechargeable Li-ion battery, with the ability to shoot up to approx. 2,600 images per charge.

Saturday 7 January 2012

Full Moon minutes before Lunar Eclipse

full moon

A shot at the full moon minutes before the unfolding of the 2011 lunar eclipse. Not knowing that 10th December 2011 was the magic date for sighting the drama in all of Asia, I went in and watched my weekly dose of football, waking up the next morning disappointed.

Travelling with a Photographer

Recently during the year-end I travelled with my family and took quite a lot of travel pictures; afterall what is travelling if you don't take photographs, right?

I am not a professional photographer but I would say I take some (read not many) decent pictures worth printing, at least to my own humble opinion. This beg a question of would it be necessary to travel with a photographer. Would you be taking better pictures if you were travelling with a photographer? Well, if you love taking pictures, it would certainly be a good idea. Read on if you are still an amateur, as you will find in this entry, ways to get in touch with great photographers who you will need for taking pictures when you travel.

Many of us don't travel often due to personal constraints such as financial, time, or other important commitments. As such, you'd want to make sure that you have the best pictures to bring back home with you. It is for this reason that you need someone with decent photographing skills travelling with you. It may seem like an easy task taking great pictures, but more often then not, you will find that you wished you did better. A good photographer will make sure that you take pictures like a professional does.

If travelling with a professional photographer friend or family member is not possible, try searching the internet. You may be surprised that there'll be someone near you with the same itinerary, who is good in photography. Punch in search keys that lead you to websites that review various photographers. The more a photographer is reviewed by credible websites, the less likely is that person an amateur. So, search a bit more.

I remember reading an article by a professional photographer where he mentioned that he "will take you with me and show you exactly how it is done, just as if you are my photographing buddy". That means you leave it to the photographer to deal with all the technical details and you just focus on your requirement on how you would like a picture to look like. It would be really good to exchange idea with your photographer while he/she gives you valuable recommendation.

No doubt you alone can take beautiful pictures of the wonderful places you visit but having someone with experience in photography would make quite a lot of difference and you'd be amazed at how good your pictures are afterward.

Happy Holiday, go travel and come back with great pictures, every single one of them!