The Prestige

Don't expect people in UK are more advanced or up-dated, the out-dated me just watched 'The Prestige' by Christopher Nolan on this website.

Story of the rivaly between two magician Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), how they fight to dig each others secrets and outperform each others.

One of the movie that must not be missed, which I nearly did. This probably is the best answer to explain David Copperfield's transporting magic if you believe in human cloning.

Thanks to the fast moving China information technology that allows me to watch more movie, Taiwanese entertainment show and more importantly live footy!!

London Eye Revisited

Decided to go for a night shooting with tripod last saturday night.

All photos taken with the standard kit lens 18-70mm:

London Eye by River Thames
Aperture = F8.0, shutter speed = 20 secs (on tripod), ISO = 100

Millennium Bridge & St Paul Cathedral
Aperture = F9.0, shutter speed = 30 secs (on tripod), ISO = 100

To be frank, the above two are the only satisfying photos taken throughout the whole night. Lots of experimental shots trying on different exposure. Some other not-so-satisfying photos:

Big Ben - I should have had patience to wait for the light beams from the vehicles on the road but there were too many passerby disturbing the exposures to take a decent shot.
Aperture = F8.0, shutter speed = 15 secs (on tripod), ISO = 100

Aperture = F5.6, shutter speed = 1 sec (handheld), ISO = 800

Aperture = F5.6, shutter speed = 1 sec (handheld), ISO = 800

Beautiful place for dating isn't it?

Canon EOS 50 Gone

Finally sold off my once beloved Canon EOS 50 SLR on ebay - for GBP25........ I bought it for RM1,600 about 10 years ago with my hard earned money from part-time job when I was in uni and had much fun with it for some while.

I accidentally break the on/off thingy for the quick dial just before I put it on ebay hence the low bid. Anyway it's better to give it to someone who appreciates it more rather than let it lays in the drawer.

Thank you for accompanying me in the good old days.

CNY in London

The first CNY that I am not home in 30 years. Kind of mixed feelings, in life you gain something but you lose something at the same time.

Chun Seng and his wife Loo Yin just moved to London from Dublin and invited me, justin and few other Malaysian friends for a CNY eve steamboat dinner at his place. Sort of 'reunion' too for the secondary school mates.

First day of CNY, thank god it's a Sunday or else we'll have to work as there's no public holiday in UK! Went out with some friends to Chinatown for dim-sum brunch while joining the huge celebration, the crowd were really huge that I squeezed through one end of the street to the other end for half and hour to meet them. 80% of the crowd were kwai-lous who came here to join the celebration.

tang-long at Leicester Square

Chinatown packed with people

Lion dance - it was impossible to take the full body of the lion as it was surrounded by the tourist at all time. See there were no chinese in the picture.

Welcoming the lion to 'pick the green'

Happy Gold Pig Year!!

London is a real muti-cultural city indeed.

Wish for a better year

There were stage performance and some street events at Trafagal Square sponsored by London Chinatown Chinese Association.

Crowds at Trafagal Square

kwai-lou da kung-fu

rock climbing for kids - I always blame on the weather for not giving me great sunlight for brighter pictures.

Finally I got some space to shoot for a full body lion.

We waited for half an hour to see the fireworks show at Leicester Square in the evening. High expectation brought us much disappointment indeed with the 'made in China' not-great-at-all fireworks.

Finding My Home On Wikimapia

I may be a bit out dated but find it interesting to find my home on wikimapia


my home in London, near Wapping Tube Station. You can use the arrows on top left of the map or drag your mouse to see the surrounding! Go to the east by River Thames and you will see many of London's landmarks such as Tower Bridge etc. That's quite cool isn't it?


my home sweet home Choo Cheng Khay Apartments right in the center of KL city.


steph made her mark on wikimapia.

More Testing on New Gear

Some test shots on the beercan:

Focal length = 70mm, aperture F4, shutter speed = 1/30 sec, ISO = 400

Focal length = 120mm, aperture F4, shutter speed = 1/200 sec, ISO = 250

Testing Hoya +4 close-up filter on the 50mm F1.7:

minimum focus distance without close-up filter = 0.45m

with close-up +4, the minimum focus length is shorten to about 0.15m

Not powerful enough for macro photography though, should be ok for flower shooting but don't think it'll be useful on insects. Probably useful on a macro lens which I don't plan to invest on it so soon.

Impulse Buying Since January

Been spending much time on ebay looking for accessories since I bought my dSLR end december. People who know me well will know that I am really slow and 'ngiao' in buying things, must survey few rounds first to get the best value-for-money deal. Ebay actually provides a good ground for people like me to purchase used item below market price, although there are risks involved but I think it's worth trying.

Won 7 items on ebay since January:

KM 70-210mm F4 Beercan for GBP87.60 - about the market price for the discontinued model, but the condition of the lens is mint so I am happy with it. Comes with the original metal hood which can goes up crazily to GBP20 on ebay!

Fuji Finepix Z1 5.1MP for GBP88.50 - new camera easily cost more than GBP200, the condition and quality of picture is good and the ebay seller sent me extra memory card and battery so it's a good deal.

Velbon Compact 2 tripod for GBP7 (the postage cost me GBP6 though) - the condition and built quality is superb, a new mid range Velbon will cost about GBP30 in shop. Need it for night photography.

4 hoya filters:

• 55mm Skylight 1B for USD$4.80 including postage - I bought the new UV filter for my kit lens in KL for RM60.
• 49mm Close-Up (+4) for GBP2 - great value!
• 49mm HMC Skylight 1B for GBP1.50 - need it to protect my 50mm F1.7
• 55mm Circular Polarizer for GBP5.50 - this will cost more than RM100 new in KL, very good condition
  

50mm F1.7 for USD$65 including shipping cost - no doubt the best deal among all, very happy playing with the lens now!

Off loaded some item on gumtree for future upgrade funding:

my SAL 75-300mm F4.5-5.6 - bought it in Sg Wang KL for RM800, sold it for GBP110 before it drops further. Dare not risk it on ebay though worrying won't get what I want. It's selling for GBP180 in UK and some of these were sold for GBP140 on ebay!

also sold my 2 used 55mm Hoya lens filters which were used on my old Canon system for GBP3 each, happy enough since it has been laying there for many years. I bought my Canon EOS 50 for RM1,600 many years ago and put it on ebay now for just GBP30 yet nobody is asking!@#$%!!

Looking for a longer telephoto lens now but will be more patience this time until there's a good deal.

Borough Market

Haven't really had a real test on my 2 newly added lens so decided to bring them out last weekend.. I picked the 250 years old Borough Market near London Bridge, as I think market should be a colourful place to have fun with my camera.. But again, weather wasn't brilliant and most time was cloudy...

photos taken with 50mm F1.7, a value-for-money lens indeed:

Borough Market

wild rabbits for sale (dead)

tomatoes - i love the colours don't you?

unknown flower or vege?

yellow flower (roses?)

the oyster bigger than my palm

english looking english man making english cake

artisan foods

fresh fish in the market

how nice is it to enjoy a cup of hot coffee in the cold weather (this was taken with the beercan)

unknown plant at southwark cathedral

i bet this tree at the cathedral must be more than 100 years old

trees by tate modern (where a lawyer who works 16 hours a day jumped down to end his life today)

walked along river thames to test my 70-210mm F4 beercan:

i have no idea what breed is it but it's damn funny and cute!

her partner, damn funny looking isn't it?

kids all love it

street performer by river thames

Fuji Finepix Z1

saw justin's photos in rome and switzerland taken using fuji finepix z1, the picture quality amazed me, colours are vibrant and image is sharp.

this model is quite popular and the biddings are competitive on ebay, after a week, finally i won the fuji finepix Z1 with 2 batteries, 128mb + 256mb XD cards for GBP88, to give it to my sister (i know damn cheapskate lah getting an used camera as gift)...
photo taken using my 50mm, aperture F1.7 at ISO1600 in my room to compensate the low light condition, noise level is quite high indeed.
alongside my ixus 30 which has accompanied me through the past few years journey.

some quick test before i sent it back to malaysia:

london eye
borough market 01borough market 02
southwark cathedral

weather wasn't brilliant as usual, but overall the Z1's performance is quite satisfying.