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| Objectzero Milestone |
| 10.31.04 (4:25 pm) |
Some time this week-end this blog registered its 10,000th visit. To hit the 10,000 in about a year of going live is an achievement for me.
This site has been some-what a hard struggle for me. It has served as an experiment in story-telling, expression, free-speech and personal discovery. I'm honoured that through this site I've been able to meet so many like-minded-netizens.
With the world the way it is today, I pray that everyone learns to blog. It will help them learn to express themselves in an environment where no-one gets shot, bombed or beheaded. Where everyone can truly practice what they believe, say what they want and turn away when they disagree.
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| I'm a wage slave |
| 10.27.04 (6:12 am) |
Today was bill-payment-day.
Every month around this time, my check-book gets thinner. My bank account gets raided by bill-collectors and I'm left wondering where did all my pay go.
What is worse then working in a cubicle? Paying bills and counting the left over pennies.
At least this month I've clocked enough free-lancing-paying-jobs to have some money left-over for the up-coming family vacation. I'll be lugging my 10D, 28mm,50mm and maybe the 28-105mm for that trip. Though I have plans to source out for second hand lens when I'm in Penang.
Ah, Penang - the pearl of the orient. Not to mention the centre for second hand stuff especially lenses. You'll find them in almost every camera shop you walk into. Relics from some tourist who ran out of money when on holiday. My hunt will be for some prime lenses. Probably a 200mm (wishful thinking) or a 17mm (cow jumped the moon probability).
The last trip to Penang (2003), I manage to run off with the 28-105mm along with an EOS 100 body for RM900. That's a steal considering the fact that the 28-105mm lens alone is worth about RM1500 brand new. Took the rest of the year (2004) to work off the cost of that holiday...
This time round, I'm prepared. Even managed to secure some free-lance wedding photography jobs in December as a head-start to paying off this year's family vacation.
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| Toddler nights |
| 10.25.04 (10:49 pm) |
Sleep deprived father.
The past few nights my son Ryan has kept me and wifey up. He wakes up every other hour. Which leaves me in a zombie state every other morning for the past week.
THings have not let up so this week we may purchase a bigger bed for him. Ryan is one fella who moves about as he sleeps. In his cot he moves from the foot to the head of the cot. This shifting about causes him to wake up especially when his tiny head hits the head of the cot.
Nothing can be more stressfull then to be deprived of sleep for a week.
[line]
The Toyota Avanza specs can be found here.
Mine will be arriving in February 2005 and it will be blue in colour. My tentative mods include full sound system with woofer, 16 inch wheels and probably a SAFC unit.
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| Orang Utans and Ice Kacang |
| 10.20.04 (10:47 am) |
Pictures from a trip I took to the orang-utan rehabilitation centre just outside the city.
[image]objectzero_6662152 1.jpg[/image]
This is the big guy himself.
[image]objectzero_1180388 702.jpg[/image]
A gibbon being really friendly with some tourists.
[image]objectzero_1015115 205.jpg[/image]
After the trip...ice-kacang (ice-beans?)
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| To 20D or not to 20D |
| 10.18.04 (4:10 am) |
Saw the 20D.
It cost about RM6500.
Would I buy it?
Maybe not now. The next logical step up for me would be to get the 1D on the cheap. I do not see a need to jump on the band-wagon with everyone. I'll take the laid back approach and just wait till everyone has had a chance to work with the camera and plaster their comments on their forums.
Another reason that is holding me back is cost. I can't afford the 20D even if I trade in my 10D. By the time the 20D is comfortable enough to purchase, my 10D is of no value. So rather then dish out on the 20D, I'll rather go for the 1D.
At least, I've made up my mind. Eelco is having a harder time choosing between the 1D and the 20D.
Mate, I've got a bigger toy coming up in the form of the seven seater MPV Toyota - Avanza. Enough room for those camp-outs with my son, which will be photographed with my 10D.
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| Sleeping pills for toddlers? |
| 10.14.04 (11:28 am) |
Had a long day, baby kept me up till 2am this morning and I had to drag myself to work.
Got really ticked off when this friend agreed to buy stuff from my car at an agreed price and then had the nerve to tell me it's too expensive. Why didn't he tell me yesterday when we were working out the price?
The first and last time I am dealing with him.
I'm crappy, I need sleep. Don't they have sleeping pills for toddlers?
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| Morning walk, goodbye Superman. |
| 10.12.04 (1:17 am) |
[image]objectzero_7340589 62.jpg[/image]
Part of an old gate.
[image]objectzero_1292009 226.jpg[/image]
Looks like a camp fire.
[image]objectzero_1333758 215.jpg[/image]
My dog Nina with her nose stuck in something, as always.
[image]objectzero_1365588 760.jpg[/image]
Micro shooting with the 50mm. My brothers car.
These were taken with a color temperature of 5200K and 8000K. Nina's picture looks warmer under 8000K rather then 5200K. By adjusting the color temperature in the camera, I was able to control how the colors would turn out in the pictures thus I was able to achieve a certain degree of warmness that I was aiming for.
image courtesy of BBC News
Goodbye to the only true Superman, Christopher Reeve. What some friends remember him for.
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| Warm pictures with the Canon 10D |
| 10.11.04 (6:04 am) |
I think I've solved my warm pictures issue. By increasing the value for the Color Temperature feature and setting White Balance to K, I'm able to get more deeper, warmer colors in my pictures.
Normal sense is to just leave white balance on the 10D at AWB but the Malaysian climate seems to be playing havoc on the sensor. Either that or I have to use custom white balance values.
Anyway, tweaking the Color Temperature value seems to work. By setting the value myself, I've more control on how warm the picture looks. This is more an impact issue. Warm pictures carry over a sense of depth for any picture. It brings out the inner character of the subject shot. On an analog camera, I've had to rely on filters (81A or 81C) in order to get that warm feeling but digital SLRS have eliminated the use of filters by processing the picture right after it was taken.
In theory the higher the K value the bluish the picture get and the lower the more orangey it gets. But in my experiments the results have been back-wards. This puzzles me.
I've been trying out various values ranging from 5200K to 10000K. A value about 6000K - 6200K seems to be just right. I'll be posting up my experimental pictures soon.
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| Using the EF 50mm F1.8 II lens |
| 10.10.04 (4:30 am) |
[image]objectzero_6686865 57.jpg[/image]
My dog with his "master has gone bonkers look".
I'm trying out the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II lens. There are mix reviews concerning this lens. Some swear it off, some think its flimsy but some say its a god-sent.
An affordable lens, going for about $70, most photographers would have it stored somewhere in that camera bag. The lens itself seems flimsy because of its plastic built and mounting but please do not write it off completely. I see it as a daily use lens, one that you mount for that walk through the park or that family barbeque.
It handles low light well as evident with the above picture. It was about 4pm and the weather was down-cast. ISO was at 200 and I was on my belly, in order to look eye to eye with my dog.
I'm still trying to get use to the way the 10D handles colour. I know it has something to do with the color tone settings or the saturation settings on the camera. I'm one who likes colors to turn out slighly more warm then usual.
For the above photo, I had to tweak the curves in Photoshop especially for the red portion. The original shot came out a bit too cold to me. If anyone has any idea how to achieve warm shots with the 10D please leave me your pointers.
I'll be posting more pictures, shot using the 50mm and also a EF 28mm 1:2.8, so take care.
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| Ryan Asher |
| 10.07.04 (9:12 pm) |
[image]objectzero_2678944 3.gif[/image]
Ryan taken with the Canon 10D. For my friends who have not seen what Ryan looks like, here's the handsome dude. He's 3 months plus now and is slightly over-weight (6.4Kg). This is his typical, what are you up to look.
The picture is sharp, though slightly overexposed due to the flash. The over-exposure I corrected in Photoshop and I had to digitally remove some milk stains around the mouth.
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| My Canon 10D |
| 10.07.04 (9:38 am) |
I finally picked up my Canon 10D from the post office. It arrived late yesterday afternoon, exactly on time.
I thank Jack Ramsdale for passing on this beauty to me.
I did not know that I was getting this camera from a photographer. I'm flattered. I hope some of that mojo magic can brush off on me. I will need it if I'm to really improve on my technique. My initial photoes (some flowers and my son, Ryan) have turned out great. Wifey was impressed, which helped justify to her the price I paid for it.
I'm still coming to grips with the weight of the camera. It is a heavy camera which will actually help stabilize my naturally shaky hands but would cause a measure of pain with my left hand. My left hand has a weak grip due to an injury I picked up when a soccer ball smashed into it last month.
Anyway, pain or no pain I'm still going to go take pictures. I'll post them here once I've installed all the software that came with this camera.
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| Olympus AZ-2 Specifications |
| 10.06.04 (2:02 pm) |
AZ-2 Specifications*
CCD Imager 4.0 megapixel effective4.23 megapixel gross1/2.7”
Lens 6.2– 17.3mm (40 – 112mm equivalent in 35mm photography), 9 lens in 7 groups
Digital Zoom Seamless to 15.4x (2.8x optical and 5.5x digital combined)
Aperture Range f2.9 – f4.8
Shutter Speeds AUTO 1/2 – 1/1000 (Night Scene - longest 4 sec.)
ISO 80 – 400 (equivalent)
Recording Modes Exif2.2, JPEG
Adjustable Resolutions 2,288 x 1,712 (SHQ, HQ)2,048 x 1,536 (SQ1)1,600 x 1,200 (SQ1)1,280 x 960 (SQ2)1,024 x 768 (SQ2)640 x 480 (SQ2)
QuickTime® Movie SHQ VGA: 30fps (recording time 8sec./shot)HQ VGA: 15fpsSQ1 QVGA: 30fpsSQ2 QVGA: 15fpsMovies are only limited in length by the size of the xD Picture Card™.
TruePic TURBO™ Significantly improved image quality, faster processing speed, noise reduction, uses all pixels at all resolutions, pixel micro-smoothing
Noise Reduction Mode available at shutter speeds of 0.5 second or longer set automatically
Pixel Mapping Automatic Pixel Mapping (APM) available via menu setting
DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) Print reserve (single, all, number of copies), Date
Panorama Up to 10 frames automatically stitchable with Olympus Master software when using Olympus brand xD Picture Card™
LCD 2.5” Semi-Transmissive LCD (210K Pixel TFT) for taking and viewing pictures (no optical viewfinder)
Focusing System Autofocus (Contrast detection)
Focusing Ranges Normal mode: 20in. (0.5m) – infinityMacro mode: 12in. (30cm) – infinity Super Macro mode: 3.15in. (8cm)
Metering System iESP/Spot
Exposure Compensation ±2EV (step 1/3)
Scene Programming P-Auto, Fireworks, Available Light & Portrait, Night Scene, Night Scene & Portrait, Sunset, Portrait, Beach & Snow, Cuisine, Indoor, Sport, Landscape, Landscape & Portrait, Self Portrait
Image Edit Effects Panorama, 2 in 1 Picture Mode, Trimming, Re-size
White Balance Settings IESP multi-pattern auto TTL (Daylight, Overcast, Tungsten, Fluorescent)
Flash Fixed
Flash Modes AutoRed-eye ReductionFill-inOff
Flash Working Range Wide: 1.6ft-6.6ft(0.5m – 2.0m), Tele:1.6ft-11.5ft (0.5m – 3.5m)
Flash Recharging Time 4.6 seconds
Removable Media xD Picture Card™, 16 MB included
Selftimer 12 seconds
Settings Memorization On/Off (Hold changes/Reset to default settings)
Outer Connectors USB connector (Auto-Connect) Audio/Video Out and DC Input
Auto-connect USB mini B
System Requirements Windows 98SE/2000 Pro/ME/XP, Mac Os 8.6-OS 10.2
Image Playback Still image: Single Frame/Index/Zoom/AutoMovi e: Frame-by-frame/With audio
Operating Environment Operation: 32° – 104°F (0 – 55°C) 30 – 90% HumidityStorage: -4° – 140°F (-20 – 60°C) 10 – 90% Humidity
Power Supply Li-20C Lithium-ion Battery, AC adapter
Date/Time Calendar Simultaneous recording into image data, Automatic up to 2099
Size 4in. W (102mm) x 2.5in. H (63mm) x 0.8 (20mm)
Weight 4.34oz. (135g)
*Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective holder.
©2004 Olympus America Inc.
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| Managing the idiots |
| 10.05.04 (2:23 am) |
Idiots rule this planet.
I have idiots who act as if they know what they are doing but in fact are merely vomitting other peoples work. I have idiots who do not want to take responsiblility for their actions, instead blaming a third party for their failings. I have idiots who are just idiots.
I have all of them in my office fused together in one of my workmates.
Yes, I can't stand this person. I can't seem to talk to this person. I am short of cutting this person with a chainsaw.
I had the un-needed honor of reviewing this persons work before tomorrows presentation at a committee meeting. Its a multimedia production which high-lights the work accomplished at my department and its suppose to sell the services offered at my department.
It's crap.
Zero imagination, creativity. The splash-screen was a rip-off from another presenation that this person did two years ago. The content presentation is dry. The sound quality is really terrible. Plus, the interview was poorly managed. I won't be able to sell anything with this presentation, not even if I pay the fella to buy into my services.
The worse part of it is not the presenation but rather the attitude of the officer in charge. Un-teachable, irresponsible , lazy, un-willing to walk the extra mile,etc,etc.
ARGHHHHH *&**&*&*#$@!
[i]massive fit of frustration[/i]
Anyway, I've taken off the tag-board. For my fans (all 4 or 5) who wish to leave a message, please use the comments section for that day. I'm making room for photographs thus I need a clean uncluttered blog.
My CANON 10D is still floating around somewhere. I've got a feeling it has arrived in Malaysia and merely needs to be sent to my home. I'm so close to applying for leave so I can wait at home for its arrival. Don't want it to be tainted by alien hands....I'm going nuts.
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| Tourism Malaysia Travel Photography Competition |
| 10.04.04 (4:28 am) |
I'm waiting for my CANON 10D with sweaty palms. Can't wait to get my hands on that camera and get some shooting time under my belt. I've already started gathering accessories for the 10D by ordering a battery grip (BG ED3) for RM800, which will arrive next week from KL. The battery grip allows you to carry two batteries with the camera at any one time, thus increasing your ability to take more pictures. Still looking around for a second lens to compliment my 28-105mm. The 17mm is screaming out to me but for RM2K? Wifey will have my head on a platter.
Tourism Malaysia is organising a [b]Travel Photography Contest[/b]. Details here.
Please read the rules and regulations carefully before submitting your pictures to this contest. I'm having second thoughts because it states, [i][b]"Photos submitted ar non-returnable Winning entries shall remain the property of the organizers who retain the right the right to reproduce, publicise or exhibit them without notification or payment to the entrants"[/b][/i].
This means that the organisors have full rights to your images and can use them any-way they want without having to ask for your permission or paying you royalty. But I must admit the prizes are pretty cool, plus entry is free.
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| Olympus AZ-2 Zoom |
| 10.04.04 (3:40 am) |
In a previous blog I mentioned the Olympus AZ-1 which is now available in Malaysia. Well, Olympus has announced the AZ-2 Zoom on the 27th of September. I can't find the product specs so we can only admire the slim look of the phone. I'll post the tech specs once I find them.
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| Malaysian blogger under fire |
| 10.03.04 (2:32 am) |
[b]Screenshots[/b] run by Jeff Ooi (a prominent Malaysian blogger) is under fire from the UMNO Youth. Jeff has been asked to apologise for a comment made by one of his readers that stated [i]"Islam Hadhari and money politics were like "shit and urine"[/i].
In another Malay daily (controlled by UMNO), Jeff has even been threaten with detention under the Internal Security Act for slandering Islam. Read that here but its in Bahasa Malaysia. Read the news-report by the sister English newspaper here.
I'm seeing a pattern, where the UMNO Youth is striking out at anything that seems demining to their cause in order to win political votes. In essence they seem to be acting like the moral police of Malaysia.
I must state that Islam Hadhari was mentioned by the Malaysian Prime Minister during his UMNO General Assembly as being the form of Islam practiced in Malaysia.
I personally fine the concept acceptable and good for the country but to have this group (UMNO Youth) threatening those of us (who are ignorant to the concept) merely because of statements passed is not conducive. What the UMNO Youth should do is educate those of us who are un-aware of what Islam Hadhari really is.
It should be law that speaking bad towards any religion in Malaysia is punishable. The word here is [b]any religion[/b] not just Islam. Sometimes we see the other religions belittled but no mention is made of them. Do UMNO Youth speak out against hostage taking in Iraq, done in the name of Islam? Would they defend the massacre of Christians in Indonesia? Or comment on the destruction of Hindu temples to build mosques?
I let you decide.
My support goes to Jeff. Though we've never met but your blog kept my mind open. Keep blogging mate!
[line]
[i]Your item left the United States from KENNEDY AMC at 3:55 am on October 02, 2004. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.
Here is what happened earlier:
* ENROUTE, October 01, 2004, 7:10 pm, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19153
* ACCEPTANCE, October 01, 2004, 3:58 pm, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19130[/i]
My CANON 10D is on its way to Malaysia.
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| Petrol prices up...where's my bicycle? |
| 10.01.04 (12:38 am) |
You've probably heard it and read it in the papers today. All forms of fossil fuels up by 5 cents per litre. 5 Cents!
I purposely did not want to fill up last night cause I did not see the point of it all. Lining up to fill up petrol for nostagic reasons is not really my cup of tea.
My 4th hand honda drinks petrol once a week. At RM40 a filling, in a month thats RM160. After each F1 race, I probably spend more since Michael's performance also has an effect on my driving habits for that day. Anyway, with this increase of 5 cents that would mean my car would require probably a filling every four days. I will need a second job just to pay for fuel alone.
Implications on this price hike would mean that consumer goods are now slightly expensive. Consumerables will cost more for the normal households, with the lower earners feeling the brunt of the hike. Travelling will now cost more. I've already heard talk this morning that AirAsia (Malaysian budget carrier) are hiking up their prices.
Another long-term affect would actually be good and bad at the same time. More women will go into the work-force to support themselve. With the current situation, the man-of-the-house will not be able to meet the needs of his family. The house-wife is now force to work in order to feed her family. I fore-see more women going into the retailing business or even online-commerce.
With the increase of women in the work-force, the rate of birth for Malaysia would drop. We are heading the way of Singapore.
It's also ironic that this price hike comes a month before [i]Hari Raya[/i], a tradisional shopping spree holiday. I guess people will spend less this season which reminds me to tone down my Christmas shopping list for this year.
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