Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II

Other len i had brought after Sigma 70-300mm, due to the reason for better quality and for my friend's wedding, i decide to buy 17-50mm.

I get a very good review and comment from my friends and forum. After i brought the Tamron 17-50, my nikkor 18-135mm is going to retired and rest in peace. And i decide use Tamron 17-50mm as a walkaround len.

The Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II Lens delivers very good image quality in a small, light, fast and affordable package. Add in the very popular focal length range and you have a lens that is just right for many digital SLR camera owners. The early-in-its-lifecycle popularity this lens is enjoying substantiates this claim.

I tested the tamron 17-50mm in the camera shop before i brought. Photo below is a comparison between 17-50mm and my nikkor 18-135mm.

Aperture : F4.73
Exposure Time: 1/40 seconds
ISO: 640
Focus length: 50mm

Aperture : F2.83
Exposure Time: 1/80 seconds
ISO: 500
Focus length: 50mm

Some sample photo shooting after i brought the len. Sharpness is for sure for Tamron 17-50mm, and of course the color contrast is better than the 18-135mm.
Reason for brought this len:
1. F2.8, you will found it very useful for indoor and outdoor shooting
2. Worth for value
3. 17mm, abit wide :) finally i can camwhore

After i use for 2 week, there is some problem i found out
1. Focusing is a bit slow, sometime will hard to detect the object. ( Auto focus)
2. When the object is bright or white, auto focus unable to detect...

However, i had use this len for wedding shooting, portraits, and walkaround len during my trip to amsterdam and hong kong, it didnt disappointed me at all. I will try to update my blog for frequently start from today.

Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro

Phew, finally i am free to post some blog , recently is quite busy, can say that everyday is full with appointment like gathering with friends, photoshooting and meet up some friends. Of course , i do enjoy my current life although is very tired but just wish to spend more time with my friends before i back to nigeria.

I buy a Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro when 2 week ago . Why i don't buy nikkor 70-300 VR ?

Reason:
1. Just try to save up the money and don't invest too much on tele lens, because i think i rarely will use it unless some fashion show event or animals/bugs shooting.
2. I had do alots review of this len, of course there are many bad comment on this lens, if you not demand too much on the quality, there is not problem at all, just beware of the weather and not too dark.
3. Try to search some sample photo from flickr , the quality is not bad if you dont demand too much.

Pros:
1. Cheap
2. Cheap
3. Still is cheap :)

Cons:
1. Focus quite slow when at 300mm. Because it don't have VR.
2. Noisy motor if you dont mind :)
3. 300mm not sharp, need tripod if there is not enough lighting :) Maximum magnification between 200mm and 300mm is 1:2.9 to 1:2.

Maybe i try to post some sample, all photo below is original, i never edit at all.... just to share some information for the buyers.

Length : 70mm
LightSource: Cloudy
ISO : 100
Exposure time : 1/100 seconds
Aperture : F4
Length : mm
LightSource: Cloudy
ISO : 100
Exposure time : 1/200 seconds
Aperture : F6.3
Length : 300mm
LightSource: Cloudy
ISO : 1600
Exposure time : 1/250 seconds
Aperture : F5.6Length : 300mm
LightSource: auto
ISO : 1600
Exposure time : 1/400 seconds
Aperture : F5.6
Length : 220mm
LightSource: Cloudy
ISO : 1600
Exposure time : 1/125 seconds
Aperture : F5.3


Some sample of the lens.....
Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Nikkor 18-135mm, Nikkor 50mm

Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro


Conclusion, this lens quite good for using portraits shooting but marco is not that sharp if compare Tamron 90mm. Prime Len always provide better result. Of course, i believe that every photo need to be touch up to provide better visio. Sigma 70-300mm only provide normal sharpness at 70-200mm, if you able to touch up abit, that will be more perfect .

Enjoy shooting :)

1TB hard disk...what to store?

Recently take a lots of photo and song, really not much space leave at my laptop and external hard disk. I still remember when i get my 128 MB pen drive at 5 year ago, it cost me around Rm120...

128MB pendrive for Rm128, i think nowday if you saw a 128MB pendrive on the street, you also wont go to pick up...haha

And the most sad thing in my life and make me almost feel want to cry is that my hard disk is broken, and all the college life's photo and my convocation photo, all gone..........you will never feel the pain if it never happen to you.

Nowday i always make 2 copy of data backup, one at my CPU, and other in my external hard disk.
After survay, this model is recommend by many people. Why western digital? Dont know, because i use Seagate few time before, and it really disappointed me, i know that sometime is depend on luck. After i claim warranty from Seagate, and already using for 2 year and nothing happen .So far, my 2'5 external harddisk is using Hitachi, and it works well for 2 year also. So why dont have a try on Western Digital.

A very funny conversation during i ask a salesman on the external hard disk

ME: Hi, i looking for a 1TB 3'5 external hard disk, any recommend?
Salesman: Hmm..Seagate la...this one good 5 year warranty.
ME: Hmm..5 year warranty so long ar?
Salesman: Ya, so if anything broken, you can claim warranty and give you a new one.
ME: Wah, if my data gone then how? I cannot buy because of the 5 year warranty ..rite?
Salesman: Aiya, actually depend on your luck one, maybe you can use longer le...
ME: ........ok....thanks let me consider 1st =.=|||

For me personally, i wont buy because of the warranty, i rather choose quality, i dont want have a other crying night if my hard disk crash again :)

hope it really can stay longer with me :)
I want to store all my memories photo with my friends... :)

New Flash, Nissin D622

Last month, i had invite by my friend to become their photographer on their wedding days, why i didn't post up? Because all the photo just look like "shit" and i not very happy for all the photo, especially indoor, really feel embarrass.
Build in flash..... "Fail"
No flash.... "Fail"Nice...."Standard"

If i post high ISO, it will make my photo blur/Noise.....So external flash always is a good choice to avoid bad image happen.

Thanks to my Nissin Flash
More photo will be post up soon :)

Guitar, Music My Life

Recently just find back the good mood and the strong feeling to learn back guitar. Had been stop playing guitar since 4 year ago due to my old guitar had broken at the bottom part.

And I just went to buy a new and better with my best buddy. Hope this time i can seriously master back. First time first is get back finger be flexible.

I am not consider can kind very expert, just able manage to play some simple song.
First song i wish to master, 彩虹 By Jay Chou... not sure how long need to spend but try my best. Never give up until the end :) , good luck.

New Gadget Nokia N82

Yup, just change my old Motorola E398 to Nokia N82, the old one had follow me for 4 year.I brought this new N82 phone from JohnMah.
Overall is a very good phone for me. Last time i did compare N95, E66 and N82, But finally, i make a decision on N82, why? Because i don't like slider phone.
Just install a Garmin software into my N82, thanks a lots from Mr Chai help. I also install Fring! ,divx player and oxford dictionary. Still not very familiar with installation step of software.

the most convenience for me about the phone, i can sleep at the bed and play MSN~hahaha...because it consists a WIFI function~hahaha..

Some photo taken by N82, 5 megapixel~ I no need bring my camera go out liao~haha



Overall, i loving it....

Finally i brought a watch for myself, Seiko Criteria

I seldom have a better watch for myself.. And i had been survey some brand and model for the watches, still think that the model of seiko is more inspired by young trendy fashion ( More MAN, just like me??) hahaa, althought the price is expensive , but i think is worth, because it is easy to match clothes and i seldom change watch, i am a loyalty man :x

Seiko SNDA41P1 Gents Criteria Chronograph Watch (2008 NEW Model). Stainless steel case and bracelet. Chronograph function. Silver dial. Quartz movement, caliber 7T92. Date display at between 4 and 5 o'clock position. Three-fold clasp with push button release. Screw case back. Water resistant to 100 meters. Approximate case diameter: 44mm.
Need to learn how to see the flight coordinate. I only know to drive car, i dont know about flight.

Quite satisfic and happy with the new watch, it just very suit me. I love seiko~
reference link ->Seiko

New Gadget - RedFox FM modulator

Yup, i brought a FM modulator during pc fair last week. It support MP3/WMA file, and can plug with CD player, DVD player, SD/MMC card, MP3/Mp4, Thumb drive. With 1 year warranty.

The first stall i visit, the sales girl sold me with RM73. But i know the market price is not that high. And maybe i am not handsome enough, she also don't want give me any discount. So continue walking , and saw the same brand again.

You know how much is it? Just RM55. Hopefully there are no any "water fish" go to buy from the 1st stall. I brought it from Sri Computer. If you don't want support WMA file, i think just around RM40.

So, i think is reasonable price & some forum also recommend this brand "RedFox".

Comment about the sound, hmm, i think is depend on the MP3 File, of course, the higher of Kbps (VBR), the better sound quality that you have.

But if you want to play those heavy metal or disco music, i dont think is a good device for you. I just to use listen hits song. And train my singing skill inside my car. So for me, i think is fine for me.

The display for title of song is abit weird. But never mind la, just for listen not for watch :D

Picture preview for nikon S51

I have been spent sometimes on this 傻瓜相机,the function is ok. The problem is i need to set different screen or white balancing in different situation.

( Vase from Equatorial hotel)
Orange from my home.
KL tower behind my office

( Taken from 13 floor, my hand is shaking +.+)

More picture soon....

New Gadget - Nikon coolpix S51

Just brought myself a digital camera at friday, because the previous stupid olympus was broken

After compare the price and functionality between S51 and panasonic FX12,

S51 - RM900 with 2 GB ram
Fx12- RM999 with 1 GB ram ( I also saw some sell at RM788 with 1 GB ram )

The pretty sales girl give me some free gift - a big umbrella, mini tripod, Rm50,000 Personal insurance from kurnia

I decide to big the bigger screen S51.

The COOLPIX S51 teams 8.1 effective megapixels of sharp resolution with a new high-performance digital image processing engine and the precision optics of the built-in “right-angle” optical lens shift VR (Vibration Reduction) 3x Zoom-NIKKOR lens to produce photos with clarity and true-to-life color. Extended light sensitivity as high as ISO 1600 prevents blurred shots when shooting in lower light, or when capturing fast-moving subjects.

Type of Camera Compact digital camera
Effective Pixels 8.1 million
Image Sensor 1/2.5-in. CCD; total pixels: approx. 8.28 millions
Image Size (Pixels) 3264 x 2448 (High: 3264*/Normal: 3264), 2592 x 1944 (Normal: 2592), 2048 x 1536 (Normal: 2048), 1024 x 768 (PC: 1024), 640 x 480 (TV: 640), 3200 x 1800 (16:9)
Lens 3x zoom, f=6.3-18.9mm/ F3.3~4.2
Vibration Reduction Optical lens shift VR
Digital Zoom Up to 4x
Autofocus Contrast-detect TTL AF with AF-assist illuminator
Focus Modes Single AF, Full-Time AF (in Macro mode), Face-priority AF
Focus Range Normal mode: 30cm, Macro mode: 4cm
LCD Monitor Size 3.0-inch
LCD Monitor 230,000-dot wide viewing angle TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating
Storage Media SD memory cards and Internal memory (approx. 13 MB)
File Format Compressed: [JPEG (EXIF)], Wav file, AVI movie
File System DCF, Exif 2.2, and DPOF compliant
Shooting Modes Auto shooting mode, Scene modes, High-sensitivity shooting mode, One-Touch Portrait Mode
Scene Modes Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night portrait, Party/indoor, Beach/snow, Sunset, Dusk/dawn, Night landscape, Close up, Panorama assist, Museum, Fireworks show, Copy, Back light
Capture Modes Single, Continuous (approx. 0.8 fps), Multi-shot 16 (16 frames with a single burst)
Video Recording Yes (with sound)
Exposure Metering System 256-segment matrix, Center-weighted (digital zoom)
Exposure Control Programmed auto exposure with exposure compensation
Exposure Metering Range (at normal temperature [68°F/20°C], ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens) [W]+0.5 to +16.4 EV; [T] +1.2 to +17.1 EV
Maximum Shutter 1/2000
Minimum Shutter 1 s (4 s for Fireworks show (scene mode))
Shutter Mechanical and charge-coupled electronic shutter
Aperture Electronically-controlled preset aperture
Sensitivity Auto (auto gain ISO 100-800), or Manual ISO setttings ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
White Balance Auto, Preset manual, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash
Self-Timer Can be selected from 10 and 3 sec. duration
Flash Control Sensor flash system
Flash Sync Modes Auto, Auto with red-eye reduction, Off, Fill-flash, Slow sync
Interface Hi-Speed USB
I/O Terminal Multi connector (ImageLink supported)
Pictmotion 5 styles with 5 pre-installed music files; User defined music tracks: max. 10 music files downloadable (via Nikon Transfer for Windows only); Maximum number of frames: 200 frames; Pictmotion is only available when a memory card is inserted in the camera.
Supported Languages Total of 23 languages: Czech, Danish, German, English, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, , Hungary, Turkish
Power Requirements Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL8, AC Adapter EH-64 (optional)
Battery Life (on a fully charged battery) Approx. 150 shots with EN-EL8 battery
Dimensions Approx. 92.5 x 59 x 21 mm
Supplied Accessories (may differ by country or area) Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL8, Battery Charger MH-62, AV/USB Cable UC-E12, Strap, Printer Dock Accessory: Dock Insert PV-12, Software Suite CD-ROM
Weight (without batteries and memory card) Approx. 125 g