Nikon D4

Nikon announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera.

The primary new features of the D4 are summarised as below :

1. New Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor
   Support for an incredibly wide range of sensitivities, from ISO 50 to ISO 204800This is a 16Mp camera with ISO range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. It is possible to decrease the ISO  50 or increase it to 204800. Not sure how is it done and what impact does it has on the image quality.
2. New EXPEED 3 image-processing engine with superior, high-speed processing capabilitiesThe new EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into the D4 offers better image quality and even faster processing speeds for vivid yet faithful color reproduction, a broader dynamic range, and rich expression of tones.
3. 91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition SystemThe D4 is equipped with the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which supports face recognition* when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor recognizes human faces for more frequent focus acquisition on human faces when Auto-area AF AF-area mode is used.
4. The 51 focus point AF system built into the D4 utilizes the new Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module for faster, more accurate autofocusing that performs extremely well under dim lighting.
5. Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area optionsA dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button for smooth starting and stopping of movie recording with a feel similar to that of still-image shooting. Full-HD movie recording at a frame size of 1920 x 1080 and frame rate of 30 fps is supported, and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression method has been adopted.
6. ·Other D4 functions and features
• Extremely durable shutter that has passed testing for 400,000 cycles
• Magnesium alloy adopted for the very strong, durably body that is very resistant to dust and water
• Effective sealing using O rings and packing make the camera more resistant to dust and water
• Silent shutter-release mode for live view photography that almost completely eliminates the sounds of the mirror and shutter operation
• A time-lapse photography feature, with which the camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to record a time-lapse movie, which can be played back at 24–36,000x normal playback speed
• Operation optimized for both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) shooting
• Button backlights (illuminators) for increased visibility when working in dimly lit or dark situations
• High-performance viewfinder, utilizing a glass pentaprism, with a frame coverage of approximately 100% (FX format) and magnification of approximately 0.7x
• Four image area options for still shooting—FX (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24), 1.2x (30 x 20), DX (24 x 16)—with viewfinder indicator that identifies the current image area
• A 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot LCD monitor with reinforced glass and wide viewing angle; integration of the glass and panel reduce internal reflections
• A virtual horizon that shows the degree to which the camera is tilted sideways (roll), forward or backward (pitch) with display in the monitor and viewfinder
• White balance that can be adjusted in units of 10 K; white balance can be specified separately for shooting (white balance applied to images) and monitor display with still-image shooting in live view mode

When will the Nikon D4 be available in Singapore and what will be the street price? Let me know if you have the answer.

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1. Nikon D3 and D300 DSLR
2. News : Nikon D700
3. Olympus 35 EC film camera

Due to that reason, I was reluctant to shoot any slides but I decided that it is worth a try and at the same time I could pick up something new – Home E6 processing.

First of all, sourcing for the chemicals. After sourcing high and low , I could only get the Tetenal E6 3 bath 1 liter kit from an ebay seller from United Kingdom. The package costs about S$100 including shipping.

The Tetenal E6 3 bath kit consists of the following chemicals :

1. First Developer
2. Color Developer
3. Bleach Fix
4. Stabilizer

The difference between E6 developing and B&W development is that the E6 chemicals need to be maintain at 38 degree Celsius.  However this can be done easily using a hot water bath and deviating one or 2 degrees have no major impact on the results.

E6 processing equipment

Top left : Pail - this acts as my hot water bath. I filled it with about 2 inch high of hot water of maybe about  100-90 degree hot.
Bottom Left : Paterson Orbitary Processor. A light proof processor. It can take up to 4 sheets of 4×5. Hard to find these days . Again Ebay UK is a good source.

Top Right : I used 3 metal flasks to contain my 3 Tetenal chemicals. Each flask cost $1.50 from those Value dollar stores. When place in the hot water bath, the heat will be transfer fast to the chemicals in a short period of time allowing the chemicals to reach 38 degree quickly.  The 4th bottle is the stabliser (20 degree).

Bottom: Beakers, funnels, thermometers, gloves & apron (not shown). I used a beaker as a cool water bath in case i need to bring down the chemicals if they stay too long in the hot water bath. Beakers, funnels, thermometers should be washed after every use to prevent contamination of the chemicals. Gloves & apron are for personal protection.

The timing for processing at 38 degrees is as such :

1. Preheat/Wash  - 5 mins
2. First Developer  - 6.5 mins
3. Washing – 2.5 mins
4. Color Developer – 7 mins
5. Washing – 2.5 mins
6. Bleach Fix – 7 mins
7. Washing – 4mins
8. Stabilizer – 1 min

Sound complicated? It is actually easier than thought. At the end of the day, the results will be fulfilling.

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Gal at Nam Song River

Time to travel up to Vang Vieng. The lady whom i bought the ticket from a travel agency told me that a tuktuk will pick me up from my guesthouse at 9am for the 10am bus to Vang Vieng. I was all ready to go at 9am but when the tuk tuk didn’t show up by 0930pm I started to ask around. A shopowner outside the guesthouse told me not to worried, the tuk tuk would come sooner or later. True enough the tuktuk turned up at 9:52am!  I guess this is Laos way of ensuring you turned up on time. :p

Vang Vieng was a slow 4hrs bus journey away and it was almost 3pm when the bus rolled into Vang Vieng. I decided that I would stay at this guesthouse Maylyn that was situated across the Nam Song river. It supposed to have a beautiful garden and full of butterflies. Not a bad place to do some photography i thought. Apparently many people thought similarly too and so there was no room for me! However that was a blessing in disguise as I followed the sign and found another better one – Molina guesthouse. It was a pretty new guesthouse so it was not reviewed on any guidebook or website yet. It costed me US$4(US$5 if you got one with hot shower) for a big bungalow style Lao style wooden hut on silts. (they called such huts as bungalows) . I liked it alot. It was just next to the riverbank with the rice fields and hills behind it. Both sunrise and sunset views were unobstructed. I spent much time on the hammock drinking BeerLao and watching sunset.

Free Ad for Molina GuestHouse : Pls contact Mr Phet at 856 020 2005234 if you need to make a reservation. Mr Phet speak French, English, Vietnamese, Thai and of course Laos.

The other side of the river were where all the rest of the guesthouses, restaurants, travel agency, adventure trips company were. There is a private bridge where you would have to pay a toll to use it or you can use another free  bamboo bridge at the other end. The more adventurous ones simply waded across the river as water level was at most just below knee level at this period of time.

Christmas Eve has a lot of meaning to many. Usually it had little significance to me. I am usually more concern with do I get a half day off that day. 2006 is different because Molina guesthouse’s owner, Mr Phet had kindly organised a campfire cum BBQ dinner for all the folks staying at his guesthouse that night. So a couple of  Finns, a couple of Swiss, 2 Japanese guys , one Dutch guy and his Chinese girlfriend from Zhejiang, one Singaporean (me) and Mr Phet and his family enjoyed a Lao meal of BBQ fish, beer, lao lao (lao whisky) and talked the night away sitting by the warm the warm fire. We were far from the maddening crowd and I thought it was really a meaningful Xmas Eve. One that I remember for a long time.

Related posts:

1. Laos – Bangkok to Vientiane
2. Cambodia Day 3 – Phnom Penh
3. Cambodia- Kompong Cham

Ruby Photo

This is the shop to go to for film stuff especially black and white equipment like papers, chemcials and film. You caln also send your black and white negatives, slides for development and printing. They also sell other photographic accessories like Bowens studio equipment, Holga cameras etc.

111 North Bridge Rd 01-01 Peninsula Shopping Complex, 179804, Singapore

RubyPhoto is opened Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 7pm.

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3. one-north Photo Contest 2007

Here is one of the one that I am considering getting : the Pelican Pelicase 1510

(See all Camera Cases)

I thought with a hardcase trolley will free up my concern for the cameras and lens since he Pelican is “The world’s toughest watertight protective cases. Pelican cases feature an exclusive 1/4″ neoprene o-ring to guarantee a perfect seal. Neither dust nor water can penetrate this barrier.” Sound pretty good isn’t it?

Let me know if you have use one before and what your experience with it.

Related posts:

1. Review : Thinkphoto Digital Holster 20

Here are a few of my works:

Cricket Ant

Ginger Flower

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They introduced 2  Kindles Touch and the color Kindle Fire. The HP Touchpad fire sales price of US$99 has set a new beachmark for tablet prices. So the Kindle Touch will be sold at US$99 while the Kindle Touch 3G will be at US$149 and the Kindle Fire is at USD$199.

The Kindle Fire looks the most interesting.

Here are the main features :

• Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s revolutionary, cloud-accelerated web browser
• 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines, and books
• Amazon Appstore – thousands of popular apps and games
• Ultra-fast web browsing – Amazon Silk
• Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content
• Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle
• Fast, powerful dual-core processor
• Amazon Prime members enjoy unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows

I like the 7″ size which i think is the optimal size for a tablet. I will be looking forward to buy one. Again as this is only to be sold in US and not tin Singapore, we have to be creative on how to ship it in as what we have done for the original Kindle.

Happy Reading!

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Planning the trip to me is part of the fun and that usually involved reading the Lonely Planet guidebooks, surfing websites (http://www.travelfish.org) and reading other people travel blogs. I decided the most economical way is to fly in to Bangkok by a budget airlines (Tiger Airways) and then get in Laos by rail (http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm). Getting out will be decided when I get there.

So on 22 Dec, I arrived at Bangkok new Suvarnahumbi airport in the late morning. Based on research there was a Airport Express bus service AE4 that would take me to the Bangkok’s Hua Lumpong railway station. When I reached the booth they told me that that service was not running that day!! They advised me to take AE1 instead and drop near Sala subway station and take the subway to reach Hua Lumpong. Actually this was my first time in Bangkok (discounting those few hours i spent during transit for my previous trips), so I pretty enjoyed the bus and subway journey.

I arrived Hua Lumpong just after noon and managed  to get a train ticket(688 baht for a second class upper deck) to get into Nong Khai. This was for a night train at 840pm so i have like 8 hrs to burn. So I spent this period of time wandering around the train station  visiting some temples and the riverside.

After a night of rather bumpy sleeping on the train, I finally reached Nong Khai at about 9am the next morning and quickly found my way first to the Thai immigrations checkpoint of the Friendship Bridge and then a bus to the Laos immigrations point.  I thought few Singaporeans would visit Laos, I ran into the first one at the Thai immigrations. Joyce, a young pretty lady working in “the medical field” was going into Vientiane over the weekend for a small project. She sort of specialized in reproduction health and that included VD/STD related clinical work. Kind of interesting for a lady to work this field in developing countries. We crossed the Friendship Bridge together and at the Laos side I saw a group of 4 Singaporeans. I did not really talk to them other than to confirm that Singaporeans need not have visas as Joyce had her photographs and US$35 ready to apply for visa on arrival.

We parted ways after immigration and I found a tuktuk to take me into central Vientiane. Welcome to Vientiane! Bring your mask if you are sensitive to dust!

The town seems be quite full of tourists and the few guesthouses mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebook that I tried were all full. There are many guesthouses in this central areas but with a big backpack on my back I usually do not want to spend too much time looking for a guest house. In most cases you really spend little time in your room other than for sleeping. Usually my main criteria is that it should have a window. Finally I found one tucked away in a corner for US$7 a night. It was not a great place but I am easy to please.

After a quick wash up I took a walk around the area and tried to see if there is any flight from Luang Prabang to Bangkok that I could take on the trip back. Really out of luck as all seats were booked. I have no choice but decided to exit Laos via Vientiane at the end of my trip. That meant I have to backtrack all the way to Vientiane from wherever I was. So then I quickly bought a ticket to  go Vang Vieng the next day and then a bus ticket from Vientiane to bangkok leaving on the 31 Dec. I felt much better once my exit path were settled. I had 9 days in Laos to play!

Once transport issues were settled, I started my sightseeing tour. Of course I would not miss going to Pha That Luang, the national monument. I found a tuk tuk driver who charged me US$4 for a return trip with 1 hour waiting time at the  Pha That Luang. The light was getting good when I reached there at 4pm. Then it was back to Mekong River side which is like 5 mins walk from my guest house to watch a fantastic sunset but unfortunately I cannot show you the photos as a good number of them were lost when my HD crashed!

After dinner, I decided to walk to Putaxi, the Victory Arch of Laos. The main street was quiet with little human traffic at 7pm. A few security guards in their security booths in some commerical building lifted their head up to glance at me when I walked past. One of them even talked to me and wished me luck for my trip.Thanks!

Putaxi is an interesting structure. It looked best from far. A sign described this as
“At the northeastern end of LaneXang Ave. arises a huge structure resembling the Arc de Triomphe. It is the Putaxi or Victory Gate of Vientiane, built in 1962 (B.E. 2505), but never complete due to the country’s turbulent history. From a closer distance, it appears even less impressive, like a monster of concrete. Nowadays this place is used as leisure ground for the people of Vientiane and the seventh floor on top of the building serves as excellent view point over the city.”

Just behind it was a park with musical fountains. A lot of Laos youth and families were there to enjoy the night. Okie enough for the day, I walked back to my guest house to retire for the night.

Related posts:

1. Laos Vang Vieng
2. Photo Blog : Holy men looking at Worldly life
3. Cambodia Day 3 – Phnom Penh

Since it was supposed to be a free and easy trip, I didn’t set off until 9 plus and only reach the Changi Ferry Terminal at 10:40am.  My idea of going on a Friday to avoid the weekend crowd had its drawbacks. There wasn’t enough people to fill the bumboat!  The boatman only goes when there are 15 passengers. That meant a long wait until there are 13 of us. Just as I thought i need  to wait til 1pm, one uncle suggested that we paid a little more so that we need not wait for another 2 paxs which may never come. All of us agreed and off we went.

The one hour bumboat ride was uneventful although i can see big progress of the reclaimation works by Singapore :p . After clearing immigrations, i tooka cab to the  Sungei Rengit. At the end of the cab ride, i concluded that ALL taxi drivers are good talkers irregardless of nationality. In the 20 minutes of ride, i heard about this taxi uncle experiences in fighting Japanese (he was in the Anti Jap Volunteer Corps), his views on the China woman doing the squats video and his admiration for LKY. A the end of the cab ride, he recommended me a hotel or rather guesthouse run by his brother. I took a room that with aircon and non-functioning water heater.

Have you ever heard the advice that you should knock the door of a hotel room before you opened it?  I didn’t knock and the key doesn’t fit into the door of Room No 9…Spooky isn’t it ?

No lar.. it is supposed to be Room 6 :p i read the key tag wrongly:p

After a enjoyable lunch of Ba kut teh, i went off the bike rental shop to rent a bike for 5 hrs . The weather wasn’t great for photography but it was overcast so it was good for cycling. basically there is only one route alone the coastline. You may cycle into some small trails but as long as it is near the coast you will find yourself back to the main route.

You will see alot of kampong houses, coconuts and lallang (or did they call it cat ears grass). Not too soon , i reached Ostrich ShowFarm. RM8 for a ticket. Okie it was a quiet day andIi have a uncle as a guide talking to me alone. Many interesting facts was told eg , the egg can withstand 100kg. I get to stand on 2 eggs.

Cycling further down, i saw a nice little Chinese temple, ????. While the temple was nice, what caught my eyes were the wayang stage. Yet in here, they were building a brand new one Either wayang is thriving there or the devotees of the temple are contributing a lot back to the temple.

The head of the construction team talked to me. He also been to Singapore to study some of the old tile paintings found on those old shophouses. While he was a professional builder, he regretted that he lacked formal art training and have gone in loops for many years just to be able do what he was doing today.  I sure hope to see a wayang troupe perfom on this stage one day.

I cycled on to the Sala Resort before heading my way back. You can actually branch into the different kampongs along the main road to explore more. Almost 5pm so i cycled back again. urgh..need some skills to balance when you have a camera and tripod with you.

The sunset was beautiful. You can take some photos there or simply sit there and watch the sun goes down.

Related posts:

1. Cambodia trip
2. Experience of a Lifetime – Myanmar – Part 3
3. Experience of a Lifetime – Myanmar – Part 1

An elderly supporter

Dr Ang Yong Guan, an very animated speaker

Supporting materials

Heart Shaped ballon, heart is the symbol for Mr Tan

Tan Jee Say

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