I’d really like this cam…

The Olympus EP3. I also really like the E-PL1 which is much cheaper and to me, more comfortable to hold. The EP3 has much faster auto focus though, and more external controls and dials though I have found the E-PL1 easy to use as well.

Am now deciding on whether to get a bridge superzoom like the Panasonic FZ150with a 26x zoom lens or a mirrorless micro four thirds camera with a second hand/used 70-300mm lens (with adapter) for an upcoming wildlife trip/river safari.

I’d really love the convenience of an all in one package without the need to carry a bagful of expensive gear. Image quality and performance not as good but I’m willing to compromise, I’m not a professional photographer and don’t pretend to be one.

Have also been looking at the Fujifilm HS20EXR (30x optical zoom). Seems the best value if I do decide to get a superzoom for my wildlife/safari trip. Anyone own this cam? It’s big and heavy though, as big as an entry level SLR. Weighs about 700 grams with batteries. Hmm, decisions, decisions!

Anxiety attack

A lost library book can do that to me, give me anxiety pangs. All I could think of last night. Where TF is that book? Been trying my best to keep the chest pains at bay. Successful so far, still had a good night’s rest but that lost book (probably misplaced somewhere) was one of the first things I thought about when I woke up. Sucks. Will search one more time today, if I can’t find it, I’ll just go over to the library and pay the fine. Don’t want to think about it anymore.

Then there’s my poslaju package, they best make a real attempt to deliver today and it better arrive at my doorstep or I’m going to really lose it when I head over to collect it myself. I’m leaving on a long trip soon and need that item!

Why do people…

like to go expensive places to “chat”? Starbucks, Secret Recipe, Coffee Bean, etc etc.

then when they get there, they log onto the free wifi and stay glued to their phones?!

a cup of coffee shouldn’t cost RM7.50. A piece of cake shouldn’t cost RM9.50.

log off, put that phone down.

go to a kopitiam or roadside stall and chat till the cows come home over cheap, delicious food and drinks.

oh, btw, don’t go out between now and CNY, crazy traffic in town.

was expecting a package today, to be delivered by pos laju. but it didn’t come, in fact, no one came.

yet when I checked the item status online, it was stated “unable to deliver because addressee not in” which is total BS!

as my friends would say, “taik idung pun tak nampak!” liars!

if the item is not delivered tomorrow am going to give them a good telling off.

Wet weather in Kuching

Rained this morning, then the sun came out for a bit, then rained again. It’s nearly 8pm and raining outside. Really hope it doesn’t get any heavier.

All the snails and slugs are having a field day in the garden, just this evening I was making mani-chai bihun (fried vermicelli with sweet leaf vege) when a slug crawled out of the container I had the leaves in. Apparently, I had pulas-ed the leaves with the slug in the container.

The thought of slug slime for dinner nearly made me lose my appetite. Chucked the whole thing away and started over with a fresh batch of man-chai leaves. Good thing about having a big garden is you can plant lots of mani-chai and whatever else you wish.



Full program this weekend, heading into the jungle again, bird watching and frog/amphibian photo-hunting; will be extra careful, slipped and fell before on slippery trails!

Will upload photos when time permits. Have a safe weekend everyone.

What are they doing?

Hint: Not planting paddy!

If you’re buying a new camera…

I can’t stress enough how important it is to actually feel and try one out in a store before swiping that card. Ask to see it, hold it, try it, pop in your own card if you have to (ask first!).

I was all ready to buy an Olympus E-PL3 online when I decided to check it out first at an electronics store. I disliked it the moment I picked it up. It has terrible ergonomics for extended hand-held shooting in my opinion. Small, slippery body without a grip. I held it up and took a few shots in the store and it was uncomfortable to hold, wrist felt tired within minutes. It had the standard 14-42mm kit lens on, can’t imagine how it must feel like with a larger, heavier lens attached.

There was also an E-PL1 on display, I asked to give that one a try too. This 2010 model is still in production and is sold alongside Olympus’ other more current and newer PENs. I liked how it felt in my hand, while one-handed shooting on the E-PL3 felt uncomfortable, the E-PL1 felt confidently secure in my right hand as I held it up to snap photos of the store’s Christmas decorations and passing shoppers. Its auto-focus speed is noticeably slower compared to the E-PL3 but not too bad and definitely something I can live with.

Comparable picture quality from both.

So the lesson here is, if you see a camera you really like online, don’t click that “buy now” button until you get a chance to actually hold it in your hand and try it out for yourself! I am now most certain the E-PL3 is not for me.

Do you sometimes hit the enter key a little harder…

hoping the page would load a little faster? :)

I know it won’t but I can’t help giving the poor enter key a hard tap or two (after entering a URL) when I get frustrated with slow internet speeds!

Our third world internet access can sometimes be so slow it’d age you by a couple of years just sitting in front of the laptop waiting for a page to load.

Foiling photo thieves

Recently, some photography friends discovered their photos being used for commercial purposes without their consent. Didn't even have the decency to ask! Worse, the thieves erased/edited out the small watermarks, then used the photos as their own to promote their business. Geez, some people huh! Well, there's no way they can remove a big ugly watermark like this. :D Think I'll do this for all photos posted to my blog too.

 

Yes the watermark’s big, ugly and way too conspicuous but that’s the idea. The other alternative is to post super tiny 240x180 thumbnails as the only size available. Personally I’d rather a big watermark with opacity adjusted to about 30-40% over a web-sized (480x320 to 640x480) photo than tiny thumbnails not worth squinting at.