Fisheye landscapes #3

7 exp HDR

No other lens could have gotten me this shot. I was only a meter away from the trunk. This lens is built for photographing trees =D It can even do IR! (one day i'll mod my d70 for this) Just be sure to keep the horizon in the center to remove the distortion.

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Yet another fishy walkabout

Bear with me... i just love to see the hexagonal light bursts from this fisheye. Best of all, there is no flaring even when pointing at the sun!

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Warp my world

5 exp handheld HDR

In case you haven't notice... the above image is way wilder than usual. What happened? Make a lucky guess =D

Hmm... isn't that hard to guess eh? I gave in and bought myself yet another lens - the Tokina 10-17 FE. It's a fisheye zoom... first of its kind for DX sized sensors, and can be used on FX from 15mm onwards. (talk about future proofing)

INTRO TO FISHEYE

This lens is a SPECIALITY lens. Which means it is only useful in a few situations. Used too often, viewers will develop vertigo, and it might just turn them off. But when used the right way, it is able to get you ASS-KICKING perspectives no other lenses can.

Fisheyes have geometric instead of volumetric distortions. That is to say, objects retain the same area in the picture no matter where it is placed. Rectilinear lenses, say the 12-24, have volumetric distortions, stretching objects placed at the edges, making faces and bodies look wider than they are supposed to be. However, fisheyes curve any lines that doesn't pass through the center, so there are subjects that you shouldn't shoot with a fisheye under normal circumstances (ie buildings/landscapes).

COMPOSING WITH FISHEYES

What i love about this particular lens is the wide-ness. It's sick. You get the full 180 degrees FOV, meaning that EVERYTHING in front of you will be in the picture. That includes part of your feet or maybe your shoulder, but more commonly, your shadow. The widest rectilinear lens at the moment is the sigma 12-24, but that is only about 120 deg FOV. Imagine how much wider this is! The extreme wideness and unique distortion means I have to learn to compose in a very different way.

To get use to this new persective, I stuck the camera to my eye as i walked around the park. With the distortion, I have the ability to "bend" objects, warping them to aid my composition. This also means that how I frame my picture will be more important than before. You can't simply crop the image in post.

HANDLING & BUILT

The 10-17 is a very compact and light lens. Despite its solid metallic body, it only weighs 350g. (the 12-24 weights 750g). It is only slightly larger than a 50mm prime, making it an ideal walkabout UWA, provided you can accept the loss of corner detail when pictures are de-fished.

PERFORMANCE

Wide open, this lens is not very sharp. Purple fringing is evident, even after the Expeed processing. But stopped down to f8 and sharpness is much more acceptable, although still not as sharp as any other lens I own.

Edit: I made a serious mistake on leaving AF Fine Tune ON. (Apparently D300 doesn't allow fine tuning of different 3rd party lenses) With it off, I get much better results. This lens is surprisingly sharp all the way to the edges from f5.6 and above!

It is surprisingly resilient to flare though, and the 6 aperture blades give me very nice sunbursts. This is important as the lens is so wide you almost always get the sun in your picture.

Matrix metering will go wild outdoors, due to the super high contrast of the scene. Use center weighted, manual, or if possible, HDR like what i've did. (it helps if you can rattle off at 8fps hehe)

IN CONCLUSION this is a very unique yet versatile lens. Lightweight and compact, I believe it will be with me for the non-important social gatherings, or walkabouts more often than the 12-24.

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Le Grand Finale

Behold the bringer of light - We stared in awe as the sun blazed through the cool morning air, waving us goodbye with a spectacular lightshow. What a way to end off this beautiful trip!

More details after the break...
With less than 7 hours of sleep in 2 consecutive days, I was severely reluctant to catch the sunrise (especially when yesterday's was a disappointingly wet one). As my alarm rang, I peeked at the still-dark sky to check visibility. Hmm... not bad. Stars still visible. Called out to my friends (hardly expecting any of them to respond), I dragged my waterlogged tripod and gear down to the beach again.

I was first treated to an eerily beautiful moonrise, which I mistook for an eclipsed sun. Wth happened to our sun today? I was really perplexed for a moment. Thanks to Junzhan for clarifying that it's the moon we are seeing. Ok... i'm blur.

Minutes later, the lightshow began. The horizon glowed the "tekong glow", a wonderful gradient of yellow to blue, and i was fully awake now. There was a field of altocumulus clouds in the distance that would really bloom when the sun comes out. I began to panic as i did not have a proper composition in mind yet - I wasn't prepared to shoot with the sea at high tide.

After rattling off a few mediocre "smooth-water" frames, I was frustrated.. something was missing in my pics. There was no action... no movement. Not the best way to present the grand sunrise imminent.

I clambered over hard and slippery rocks in search for nice waveforms, and spotted this cool rockpool where the water would swirl around before retreating. Setup my stuff just in time to catch the first rays of light clipping at the clouds.

Here's a snapshot taken by my newly made friend Simin, shooting conveniently from the balcony of the resort bar. That's me in the back swapping lenses.

The sun made its entrance as a pink round blob, rising rapidly from the horizon. There was simply no time to wait for a big wave. The scene's contrast is very high as well. Switching to CH i bracketed multiple series hoping to get a few right. No time to think now.

The best pictures were shot with 2 GND8 filters stacked (6 stops total difference). The bigger waves came in soon enough, and they were useful in portraying the life and energy in the scene. As the camera continued filling up a whole 2 GB card, I stood to take in the breathtaking send-off vista.

Adios Redang!

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银河梦

Yet another "night star" pic from Redang. No, I don't have as many variations as Mozart did for his "twinkle twinkle little star" melody. This is probably the last of the series.

I blew some condensation onto the front element 40 seconds into the exposure. Not very obvious here, but it did create a soft glow around the bright stars, perfectly reflecting the dreamy mood i was in as the picture was taken.

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别有洞天

62sec exposure, f/4 at iso1600

Hmm... probably a different composition than the usual star skies?

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The world is a miraculous place

122s exposure, f/4, iso800

Stars above, darkess all round. At the edge of the cliff I sat, alone, feeling as one with mother nature. Holding the shutter open, I let my camera do its magic, the magic of describing this beautiful experience with a thousand words, or in this case, with one solid picture.

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Accidental Beauty

No PP done. Just resized and posted as taken.

All thanks to the cool morning shower we were forced to sleep a little more. We gave the marine-park snorkel a miss too, which is probably a good thing since we've not have enough sleep ever since the trip began.

The air was damp when as we strolled towards the "More more tea inn", and condensation graced my lens elements, creating perfect tonality depicting the morning blues... it's an accidental yet wonderful effect. Picture taken with the AIS nikkor 80-200 f/4

Oh fyi, snapshots from Redang have been uploaded on my multiply site. More to come =)

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How many more times can I feel so happy?

Group photo shot with off camera flash to the left at 1/2 power

This is one hell of a trip. Well planned, well executed, great company. Coupled with crystal clear water, white sands and beautiful weather, this is the poor man's Maldives. I'll have quite a few more pictures from Redang to be posted in the days to come. Stay tuned.

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Nikon's latest releases - d700 & sb900

I'm back from my Redang trip, and have quite a lot of NEFs to convert (including those from last week's portrait shoot. But the first post since returning will not have a single picture. Being gear headed as I am, the first thing i did when i returned was to visit dpreview for any latest Nikon releases... and lo and behold, here's the D700 and SB900 - as rumoured. More after the break.

D700 - This is Nikon's cheaper FX camera, with hardly any compromises. For those dreaming of FX on a d80 or lesser body... dream on. You can't meter with legacy lenses with those bodies, and only with legacy lenses will Nikon users have a chance at Canon's wide range of primes.

NO, you won't see a D700 in my hands anytime soon

People debating between D700 and D300 is basically choosing between FX and DX. Both have the same speed, almost same body, sharing same accessories. For me, I have 2 DX lenses at the moment, and if they were to be upgraded to their FX equivalents, I have to fork out another 5k (lens alone) I'm going to be a uni student soon, and that means no income + high expense. Nope, i don't have 5k to burn at the moment. But I will definitely think thrice before anymore DX lens purchases.

FX tempts me for it's much better bokeh and high ISO performance, as well as UWA lenses. My next DSLR might be an FX one, but I'll definitely want to keep a DX body for its reach. I don't see myself owning the 300mm f2.8 anytime soon.

SB900 - This is a tempting product. Very. From specs alone, there isn't any difference compared to SB800. SB800 is as good as a flash can get, specs wise. What really got me is the ergonomics. This is exactly what is wrong with the SB800.

1. I have to hold down the on/off button for a sec before i can turn it off. SLOW. And sometimes it doesn't respond, as the buttons are hard to press with fat fingers, or when u are wearing gloves.
2. I need an average of 4 secs to switch between CLS and normal modes, and that includes mashing the buttons like siao. I will hesitate even when i know a scene will look better with off hand light, because i don't know if i can get it back on fast enough should something else happens.
3. I cannot turn the head right for more than 90 deg. Which means i can't bounce over my shoulder if i hold my cam in the vertical position. This is a severe limitation for indoor shooters.

The SB900 solves all these! It's a major ergonomic improvement. So YES, I will get an SB900, but not so soon. I will get it the moment the price drops to about 600 new. The SB800 will be slaved when that moment arrives.

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Oh you filthy beach

It is a sad situation... a sacrifice for being a shipping hub. Singapore's beaches just cannot make it.

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又是一个单独度过的日落

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Written in the stars

2 nights on Pulau Tioman gave me some chance to experiment light painting. With the sky full of stars, I used a torchlight to "paint" the coconut trees to add in some foreground details.

Do note that working on an uncalibrated monitor, it is possible that some of you might not see as much details in the sky. There are many faint little stars and milky ways visible on the original pic.

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Enjoy life

On a hammock, under coconut trees, by the seaside. If only life could stay this way...

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Amidst the Cannonball trees

In my bid to secure new perspectives within West Coast Park, I ended up feeding mozzies while this picture was taken. I find that i'm still weak at composing those messy subjects into neat images. Hmm...

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Missing my sec sch days

We had the largest track, the biggest pool, the best view, the strongest winds... those were the days

Pandan reservoir is my favourite haunt when the weather gets real hot. I'll cycle around the 6.5km track just to feel the wind in my hair, and relive the days when I had to run the gravel path just to complete my 2.4km during sec school.

RV at that time is THE value for money school. It's near my place, and I don't have to pay maintenance for a huge track (the reservoir), nor a swimming pool (pandan public pool). And yet we do use these venues for PE. Our standard of education is not that far from what is provided in independent schools, and yet our fees are govt subsidized. Shiok.

Image above is a panaromic HDR. It almost killed my com, merging 10 x 12 mpx exposures into 1 huge 20+ mpx 32bit tiff. And I only have 512mb of RAM. Jeez.

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ThinkTank Change-Up - First Impressions

A new lens changes one's shooting perspectives, but a new bag will change one's shooting experience. Read on to find out about my first impressions of the Change-Up after 2 days of assignments.

On Saturday, I wore the full load (80-200 f2.8, 12-24, 17-50, SB800, D300 + grip, 8 extra AA batteries, umbrella and 1 full water bottle) All the way from 2pm to almost 7pm. I did not bother to take them off, even as I stood through all the MRT trips. At the end of the day, I could hardly feel any strain from the load. Full marks for carrying comfort. Impressive.

Throughout the event, I get to constantly switch lenses as and when I feel like it. It is just so natural. In the past, I have to #1 shrug my shoulder to allow my hand to reach into the bag, and #2 use 1 hand to hold the flap open, #3 keep still so the bag doesn't pendulum around. Doesn't sound difficult, but try it when ur bag weighs about 5 kilos. I usually choose to leave the bag on my seat, and return to it for lens changing. I chose to risk not getting the shot I want, in return for a less shoulder strain. It is also risky as someone might go steal your stuff.

Right now the whole process is just so natural I felt WEIRD to be changing lenses as I walk around. Full marks for accessibility. No doubt about that.

And when I had to suddenly rush in front to grab spontaneous shots from low angles, I just.. do it. In the past, I'll have to crash my whole bag onto the ground doing so. No doubt the bag is thickly padded, but is it really necessary?

But before I give full marks for agility, I do noted 1 problem. With the 2 chimp cages on the sides, it can take a while to get used to the added width of your body. I can barely get through MRT gantries, if I don't rotate the pack. Something I have to get used to, but a possible disadvantage when fighting through crowds. 9/10 for agility.

Finally, I shopped for an hour in Plaza Singapura after the assignment (something i don't think i'll be able to do in the past... too shag at the end of a shoot). Nope, I don't get weird looks. Perhaps people are used to flamboyant outfits on orchard road, but I doubt looks isn't as big a problem as I initially thought. It's worth adding that I wore it "reversed", other than in front as recommended on the site, so now it really looks like an SBO, rather than a fake belly. Heck. I see people carrying large guitar cases, and they seem proud of it. I should be proud of the new look too. It's probably because as photographers, we are naturally more observant than the rest, and in return become more self conscious.

Earlier in the day, as I strolled past a guy stopped in the middle of the path trying hard to stuff a lens back into his crumpler, I can't help but flash a smile at him. I was cleaning my tokina while walking towards the MRT station. Ha!

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Walkabout #32 - NUS

Seriously, this photo doesn't deserve a place here... it's meaning less.


Just trying out my HDR technique... the composition could be better. Another day perhaps...

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Agility, Ergonomics, Protection and Image

After close to 3 years of using clones and inferior camera bags, my body is able to tahan no more. Despite being a manpacker, I've spent 100+ on sinsehs just to twist my spine back into position. I'm feeling the effects of poor ergonomics. Today I finally gave in and got myself the ultimate... the PRADA of camera bags. It's a brand I never thought i would buy. It's a thought I'd dismiss as insane a year ago. It's a ThinkTank bag!

Show me any established photographer, and I can show you his dirty closet of bags... tried, tested, and laid aside. Camera bags to photographers are like handbags to ladies... there is NEVER a perfect bag. It is always a balance of agility, capacity, speed, comfort and of course, your image (as in what people view of you)

I knew of this long before I bought myself a proper bag, and hence have always researched and researched before getting any bag. The bag must be useful, and would not go obselete. I'll never buy another shoulder bag after my Safrotto stealth reporter D400 clone, just like i'll never get another backpack after my Tamrac Adventure 7 clone. At least not in the near future. Bags don't hold their value... so you will have to leave them to rot once they lose their purpose.

There are many considerations when choosing a bag. And i've broken it down into 2 different phases, followed by priorities to be considered:

Travelling to location - Be it on the train, bus, bicycle or just plain walking down the street. Comfort being the most important, followed by gear protection. No way you want to feel tired before you get there, and no way you want to damage your gear before the shoot. Image is of great importance too... you dun want to look like a 可疑人物. Accessibility to gear is not really important here. Too accessible, and it could well be stolen.

On location - Accessibility to gear is the most important, followed closely by comfort. You have to be able to run and gun, and swap lenses in seconds. You cannot get tired too easily too... Protection is not so important since your gear is already in your hand. Image... it depends on what you are shooting, but people will first look at your camera then your bags.

See the problem? Despite the plethora of bags available on the market, none have been able to satisfy everyone. You simply can't have everything.

There are those who would go all out for image. They are almost everywhere. The richer ones would go and get brands like Billingham, Domke or Crumpler. These bags either make you look up-market, young and chic, or for Domke users, retro and pro. Problem is, these bags are usually ergonomic failures (at least for total load >4kg). I've seen people lugging Crumpler "sinking barge", an obtrusively enormous shoulder bag... and unless he has it all stuffed with newspaper, I wonder if he would have any shoulder left at the end of the shoot. But hey... the bag matches his flambouyant outfit, so at least he doesn't look nerdy/geeky when he goes out with his girlfriend(s). Maybe his gear is just there to shoot photos of himself.. who noes?

Domkes are canvas bags. They are not cheap too. People using it will probably claim that they've shot/developed film. They speak of "hey, i'm an old bird... dun play play hor..." I've never found any of their bags attractive, at least in terms of usablity. They may be softer and slightly more comfortable, but they don't distribute heavy loads well enough. Beware your spine.

For those who are not so well off (or think that money could be better spent elsewhere) they would either get clones, or lowepro bags. Lowepro offers a huge variety of bags, but they all have a common problem - too stuffed with padding. Even when your gear is out, your bag still occupies the same bulk, and you will tend to bang into people/stuff. I've knocked down glasses at a wedding before, and have also problems going through MRT gantries with their stealth reporter series. They are only great when it comes to backpacks... all the protection you'll ever need, at a reasonable price. For ergonomics... you'll have to look elsewhere.

And then there is this rare minority that are willing to sacrifice image for the ultimate in agility, accessibility and comfort. This is where Newswear, Kinesis and Thinktank bags comes in, the ultimate being Newswear. You know SBO? The tried and tested concept derived from wars, the SBO concept fully distributes loads around your body while providing unparalleled access to equipment. Journalists swear by them. Heck, you could go run SOC with your gear! The biggest drawback - Image. You simply don't belong in the civilian world. But to a real events photographer, that might just be the ONLY way to go.

A week ago, I finally found what I thought would be the best compromise. The ThinkTank Change Up. It is like the transformer of bags. It can be used as a SBO on location, a shoulder/back pack for travelling, or a belt pack for comfort. Offering near SBO accessiblity and agility, it also has adequate padding while being flexible, and when coupled with attachments, is able to contain all my gear. Last but not least, it does all these while maintaining a somewhat civilised appearance. It is the most adaptable bag i've seen so far, and hopefully, after putting it into use, is able to deliver. I don't want to buy anymore bags!

Disclaimer: I'm entitled to my own opinions. If you find that my stereotyping might have offended you, then kindly ignore this post

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Blog changes

It has been a while since I last made changes to this blog. I noticed that there is a significant increase in readership recently, and have decided to implement some new stuff to make it a more interactive experience reading the blog. Click on for the list of changes.

Ratings system - I thought this would be a great way to get feedback from readers on which are the photos that you really liked. But if you rated it "poor", do sound out what went wrong, and how to improve it. Thanks.

Summary - Being very long winded, I thank you all for patiently scrolling your way through the posts. With the implementation of a "summary" system, I can keep the posts looking short, and you can read the rest of the crap when you have time.

Tagboard - Let's try this out once again. Hopefully there would be greater interaction this time round =)

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