Review of Olympus Pen E-P3

I have a friend who I called himself as photography enthusiast. Olympus Pen is his favorite toy. He even started up a PEN LOVERS group in facebook, his name is Koon Yik.

It was an excitement time for Koon Yik during the recent launch of the new generation of Olympus Pen E-P3. It was a privilege for him to be selected to do an product review on the new camera. He was given an E-P3 earlier to test before the launch of the product. Below is the link of his e-book about the review. I believe the review will help you to have better understand the camera.

Click below download icon for access the review report. 

OLYMPUS PEN E-P3 - Boat Version

Olympus EP3, EPL3 & EPM3 - More toys for people like me!!!!

If you have been visiting my blog, you would know I am crazy about photography!

Yes, I used the word - Crazy … hee hee hee. 

Why I said so? I can wake up as early as 6 am to go out for photo shooting with my photography buddies …. We can walk and walk a few kilometers without feeling tired and still excited to talk about photography and cameras …. We love photo shooting and we share our photos in facebook and give each other a “pat at the back” and made one another siok sendiri (self entertaining)…

All these were possible because of one word, ie, PEN

YES, PEN! It is not the pen that you use to write your secret love letter to your darling, but it is a super brand of OLYMPUS camera series. Do you know the FIRST PEN camera from Olympus was born in 1959, man, I am not even born yet, the brand is one of the oldest brand and now, still around in the market but move on from film camera to digital camera.

You may check with this link to know more http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Olympus_Pen.

Because I have purchased a PEN camera EPL2, I got the opportunity to know other Pen users through some workshops. Through their recommendation, I have joined a facebook group called the PEN LOVERS.

And this is their tag line,

“PEN LOVERS, WE CAPTURE AND SHARE LIFE IN A MIGHTIER WAY”

This group was established by Koon Yik in 2010, he has great passion about the PEN Camera. He has taken initiative to pool all the "Penian" together to sign a "big big big" poster and gave it to the Olympus and the poster now is hanging in the training/conference room in Olympus office at Kuala Lumpur.

If you happen to own an Olympus PEN camera, I would like to invite you to join this group.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_172539382761934

It is a close group but you can email the founder (remember to quote me lah) and I believe he will be glad to add you in. You may share your photos taken by Pen with us. If you are staying in Kuala Lumpur, we welcome you to join us on the TT (photowalk) in future.

By the way, Today, it is a GREAT NEWS as Olympus is launching a few new Pen Products …. ie, E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM3. Yeah!!~ many of my buddies shouted with joy because they have been waited for this model for a long long time.

I check out the write up and I think the new models are so-so-so cool!!

I love the Pen Mini E-PM3… it is so CUTE !!!

I bet it is going to be number one choice for the ladies. It is not only cute but easily place in their handbag. Can easily take out to shot and forever ready to take picture!!

For me, it is a torture for a lady to carry a huge DSLR camera, even men had found difficulty to carry a huge DSLR camera around. Huge camera destroys the lady-like of a lady.

Come on, imagine in a photo, a lady with smaller hands with polished and beautiful nails, well dressed but holding an ultra large DSLR camera, what a “sinful” looked and destroy the beautiful image of the lady and even the whole photo.

That why, I am predicting the Pen Mini E-PM3 is going to be super “LIKE” by most ladies. 

For those who are looking for compact size camera with DSLR photo quality and allow changeable of lenses, EPM3 is going to be the BEST CHOICE ….

(Suddenly, feel like buying one for my wife …..OPS! Choi choi … no no … got to save money for other thing (like new lenses) … wakakaka… forget forget FORGET ABOUT IT ….. hehehehehe … for those who have $$$ and looking for a camera, please do consider getting one… hahahaha)

Another new model is EPL3, which is one step higher than my EPL2. I am not sure about other enhanced feature but I notice one big change is the flip out widescreen LCD … WALAU-EH …. How come my EPL2 doesn't have this feature? My saliva is flowing out liao :) It is so useful with a flip out LCD screen, any angle can be taken easily, especially those shot require low angle shot ...I am so envious-lah.

Last but not least, is the EP3, I think this is the taikoh (highes range), one obvious hhighlighted in Olympus website, it is proclaimed “World Fastest Auto Focus” … Hey, No joke!? … Is world hor !? …. True or not!? Is that means no other brands, not even the C and N can bet it Hor? …. I have no idea, but you can obviously walk into Olympus office to challenge them loh ….. 

Anyway, I am not expert in camera review. My “broken Malaysian English” with half cooked standard, I am not writing any review like my friends did. If you want to know more about the PEN camera, you may click my friend links … 

You may amaze what stunning quality of photos taken with these cameras. They are really beautiful. No wonder many experts told me, Olympus photos do not need much touch up because when the photo is taken, it is almost 90 over percent cooked … you do not need to enhance the photo quality from photoshop or others photo editing tool.

I was told that there is an enhancement of 12.3 MP sensor, it has improves further the dynamic range of the photo and now, I believe it stopped other N or C users to condemn  sensor of Olympus is small.

Review by Koon Yik

Review by Robin Wong

Furthermore, the camera came out with new art filter effects … I especially like the starlight effect, I have obtained permission from my friend Koon Yik to share his photo taken by EP3… You can see how beautiful the effect of starlight appearing in the photo, straight from camera!! … It is really stunning, isn’t it?

Photo taken with Pop Art with Starlight effect, Using EP3 (Credit to Koon Yik)

Oh, Men, make me feel like upgrading my camera ........ hahahaha...

The End.

Malaysia is Ninth Friendliest in the World

Today's News at the STAR (16 April 2011) : MALAYSIA IS NINTH FRIENDLIEST

Wow, impressive yeah !? We ranked number 9 on the top ten of the friendliest countries in the world … Yes, I mean the World! Neither region nor continent. The result was based on the survey done by HSBC over 4,000 people from more than 100 countries between April and June 2010.

We are so proud leh after all the nine countries that in the list are non-Asia countries. We are just behind countries of Canada, Bermuda, South Africa, United States, Australia, Spain, France and Britain …. The 10th is Germany.

For me, I do agreed Malaysian generally are friendly people except some small group people (especially those "ada duit" one) would show their nose pointing to the sky, eyes ball stuck at the forehead and with two big holes facing your face that you are so disgusted with the amount of hairs that make you feel like vomiting all food that you ate yesterday … LOL .. hehehe, a bit overly exaggerated.

After I picked up the hobby of street photography, meaning walking around the streets in Kuala Lumpur to capture photos of people and the surrounding, I meet many people from all walks of life. As a street photographer, our skin need to be "ticked" as elephant skin because you are taking photo at people that you don't know. You would never know after the "click" sound, will you get scolded by the person …. #$%^&#@@!!?

hahah… I bet all street photographers would experience this. If you haven't experience this before but you said you have done street photography, I doubt your "qualification" or you are just a liar, self denier or maybe dumb-dumb enough of not noticing people scolding you … hehehehe

Anyway, that category of people belongs to a small group only. I meet many people who are very friendly while I take their photo. When I smile at them and they will smile back to you.

I used to went out with my friends for photowalk, we love walking on the street especially places like Chow Kit, Petaling Street, Batu Road, Pudu and such. Many people won't mind us taking their photos, some even friendly enough to chat with us or even pose for us with a big smile.

Let check out some street photos that I took during my photowalk, they're showing us what is friendly is all about. It was a wonderful time to associate with them. Chat with them and make friends with them.

Yes, thank to those people, they are part of the contribution factor that made Malaysia a better place to live and also made Malaysia the ninth friendliest in the World.

Brovo, Malaysian …

CNY Photography Session

Today is my last working day before the Chinese New Year .. Hey, I said is last working day before CNY okay!! Not just last day hor. I need to clarify before some genius might think that I'm leaving the company LOL ( >< !!)

Everyone in the office (especially Chinese) is showing sign of relaxation and already no mood to work. Body is still in office, but the mind and soul have gone someway far far away ...

For those who need to balik kampong, by now, they either on their way home or have reached their kampong already. With all these people exodus from Kuala Lumpur, people like me would have a wonderful time in KL because not many cars around. It is going to be smooth drive in KL for at least one week time ...

We Chinese take this auspicious occasion seriously. About one month ago, you would see many CNY decorations on the streets and shopping malls. Peple love buying things relating to "good fortune", such as red lantern, flowers, picture of fook (is a mandarin word similar meaning of prosperity) or some charater of "Chua San" (god of prosperity)....

Even banks were crowded with people, people are rushing to bank to exchange with new currency notes for Angpow ... I also got difficult to exchange note whereby I need to visit another bank ..

Despite my busy schedule for the preparation of CNY (actually nothing much), I took time off to snap some photographs on CNY surrounding KL....especially the shopping complex....

Poeple love this character ... they believe money will come from him as he is the god of richness...

This is for Lion Dance ... the head was beautiful decorated ....



Look at our Malay friends, they too are enjoying in this auspicious festival.



This year is the year of rabbit ... for those who believe in it will definately find out what is their fortune in the year of rabbit.



Many red lanterns were hang at Pavillion ...beautiful.




Sunway Shopping Mall decorated with Chinese Opera theme.



Eveywhere were decorated with red color.



Check out the miniature people ... the diorama Art Filter had made the top and bottom part of the photo blur ...  



To view more photos, you may click on the photo and it will link you to my flickr.

What the Heck is Aperture ? A Good Write Up.

Sometime you may find hidden treasures in the internet. While I was surfing for information on photography editing tools, I clicked into a “Lady” website called “The Pioneer Women”. Wow! When you see this type of website which was fully dedicated to lady, as a man figure, what is your first thought?  Well, we (all man) will normally click back key or anything link to get out from the website (Ha! ha! excuse us because of the men ego centered).

But hang on! Before I manage to click away, I saw this title “What the Heck is Aperture?” It is a series write up about the Aperture and things related to camera. It caught my attention because I am interested in photography. Recently I even paid to attend photography workshop hoping my skill can improve. Although after workshop, my brain still very much confused and stuck in aperture setting, shutter speed setting, shallow field of depth etc, etc, etc …. like a plate of Rojak (Malaysian famous dish with all sort of fruits mix around using prawn paste sauce).

But, wow! I find the write-ups were fantastic, she used simple English, the way author wrote like she is talking to you verbally (although in writing format). The write-ups are very clear and easy understand. She is gifted in writing and made many readers enjoy her writing.

Anyway, cut the long story short, for people like me that wish to  know more about “what the heck” thingi of the “A”, “S” “M” and etc on your camera, you may check out this website.

The Pioneer Women

Or, If you like to take camera and you wish to know How to Start a Profitable Photography Business, check out this site : Click Here!

Bye, see you (LOL, start to write like her …. Hei, Hei, Hei)

Oh, Oh, Oh, I almost forget, tomorrow is Deepavali, so I take this opportunity to wish all my friends who celebrate Deepavali, A HAPPY DEEPAVALI, may the festival of light fill with joys and happiness to you and your family.

Cheer :)

First Time Visit KLPF 2010

I don’t remember I know KLPF (Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival). Even if I have heard about it or see it before, it doesn’t matter to me because I am not interested. Well, it is not that I don’t take photographs; I do, in fact, I love taking photographs and carry my digital compact camera with me most of the time.

Until recently, after I bought my new camera – Olympus Pen E-PL1, I became interested and be serious in photography. I sign up photography workshop, start mixing with other photo fraternities. I sign up flicker, start posting photos to get comments from others. I start giving comments on other photos too. I change the way i shoot photos, previously, I take photograph on people that I know but now, I take photo on strangers, funny stuffs, surroundings etc… I even drove to Taman Tasik Perdan with purpose to take photos only …..(Oh dear! I think I got “addicted” … hahaha!)

Cut long story short, Now, I’m interested in KLPF. I visited the recent 2010 KLPF which was held at Mid Valley Exhibition Hall on 29 – 31 October 2010 and I am really enjoy it.

The Photography Festival was fantastic. There are many booth selling camera and accessories with special discount, free gifts and many more. Special snap zones were created for visitors to take photographs. The organizer organized activities such as photography workshop, fashion show, talk shows to attract the publics. Celebrities were invited to live up the environment. Many stunning photographs were displayed in the hall for viewing. Wow, all these efforts aimed get people like us to be excited.

The only regret is that I didn’t reserve much times attending workshops because of my prior appointment. I hope next year I would be more prepare when attend the festival. Emmm, Look forward the next year event.

If you want to see more about the photographs, you may visit my flickr account at the following link:-


http://www.flickr.com/photos/yaptzeemeng/sets/72157625267547310/

Editing Photographs can be very FUN!

Hey, have you ever playing COLOR in a photo. I guess many people just downloaded their photographs for viewing and then just keep them in their computer hard disk (or even in camera memory card). Some will post photographs in some social online photo album network such as facebook, flickr, picasa and many more, for sharing. A friend David, recommended me a photo editing software, it is a freeware (which mean you do not need to pay money). After downloaded the software, I found it is  very users friendly and  photograph editing no longer a difficult task. I started testing on the color function, brightness, contrast etc.... and "Da! Da!" It turned out to be very FUN!! 

You may check out the following photographs ... you may said "Wow"

This is an original copy taken by a phone camera:-

 The blue background really made the red light lantern eye catching.

What a contrast!!? the green and red are crashed but it gives stunning effect.

I like the sepia effect because it helps me seeing thing in a different manner.

The original photo was taken by a Nokia Xpress phone, therefore, you can see that the original copy is not really fantastic. But after I'm using the software editing tools, it became more beautiful. 

Photograph editing can be fun, if you want try and download the same software, you may click at the following connection - www.faststone.org