The 'End' is Near!

Photokina 2010
Tomorrow, many buyers of new photographic equipment would give a sigh of relief when all major camera makers launches new models for the world market.

This once in 2 years event is being held in Cologne, Germany.

I am involved indirectly. Very indirectly, because of my (bad) timing (maybe a good omen) as I am about to switch from using a HD camcorder right up to the top at 'full frame' DSLR.

Since ten days, sleepless nights and nightmares were experienced. (see, photography is a dangerous hobby indeed.) And 'secret news leaks' are trickling through day by day.

I was very keen on the new Sony Handycam NEX VG10, a prosumer camcorder that shoots in Full HD 1080p. I was so sure that it would be da dream baby!
Then, my ex lover called!

" Hey Baby! I am back and I am badder than before. I am now called the GH2 from Panasonic. I heard that you have your eye on the Sony chick and she is a camcorder."Moreover I am now better equipt to excite your senses and you will be amazed to see what I can really do for your birds!"
The Panasonic GH2 (that replaces GH1) is a micro Four/Third system that is completely new and is doing away with the old design (the SLR).Unfortunately, it is still being used as the DSLR on the two Giants (brand Nik & the brand Can) in the Field. It is getting outdated.
The GH2 does away completely with the mechanical mirror, the large and heavy penta-prisms and finally the complicated mechanical shutter. It will have a global shutter from now on.
Because of these changes, the DSLR is now about to be burried with the dead!
The GH2's video is now on 1920x1080p and the 'roller shutter' effect problem is now gone too!
This is good news. With such great sensors in smaller bodies, we now go get some large lenses!

We will wait for more good news then....

Jumping Ship?

New SONY Handycam NEX VG10

A dream come true for all camcorder fans.
The new SONY Handycam NEX VG10

Finally, a consumer camcorder capable of making 'Hollywood' movies is here. This new SONY handycam features interchangeable lenses and shoots in Full HD 1080p (PAL version) 24p!

It also feature a large image sensor of the latest NEX (still) cameras launched recently. It comes with an E mount 18mm-200mm lens at a retail price of USD2,000.

Just look at a clip shot in Vimeo with this camera in beautiful Bali!

Awesome!
Great work SONY, I am coming back!

My waiting time is over! No more extra expenses of a 35mm adaptor, SLR lenses, blah! blah!
I am going to jump ship from my faithful Panasonic TM300.

Carnival at Sentral

FREE RIDES!

A carnival is being held at the new Klang Sentral in Klang Utara (North).

This is the new transportation hub and this carnival is to promote its popularity.

The Panasonic HDC TM300 camcorder is used to video this in full HD 1920x1080. The audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1. This clip is to test its capability of shooting in low light.

Click here to watch on Youtube. Do not forget to click "watch in HD" and let it stream down completely. No thanks to TMNut's so called broadband, it may take a while to stream.
Enjoy.

Video Light and Battery

Good Stuff

To fellow users of the Panasonic Camcorder HDC TM-300.

Here are some pictures of the LED Video Light and the OEM spare battery that I am using that is NOT the original accessory.

The camcorder is excellent and I really like it.

Looking for the accessories are even more exciting because Panasonic do not sell them!!! Ha!Ha! The Biggest Joke is that they asked me to PAY a 'deposit' to order it so that I can 'see' the stuff even if I don't buy them in the end!!! Bloody fark! It is just like paying a 'booking fee' just to test drive the new Proton Exora!!! Suxs!
You can quote me on this!

Anyway, this camcorder is still the 'king' at the moment.

The Boling Video Light.

With 3CMOS sensors on your camcorder, using heavy and punchy lighting with Tungsten Halogen bulbs are outdated. It sucks the battery dry in no time and is HOT! Your 'actors' will sweat like crazy. Flowers will droop and birds will melt!
This new generation of video lighting is made of LEDs. Lite Panels from the US costs a bomb.
This Boling (whadda name?) brand is from China and is good. The color temperature is great once the auto 'white balance' sets in.
It so happened to use the Sony type battery. As a former Sony user, I've got loads of em. No problemo!

The housing is of the old fashioned photo-flash type. Not so good for 16:9 use. I solve this holding it up by hand and angled at 45 degrees from the right of the camera. You can also select one or two LEDs to work.
The rechargeable LiOn battery lasts too. I got it from Eng Tong, PJ.

Spare battery for the Camcorder
When I could NOT buy a spare standard battery (1250mAh) from any Panasonic outlet, I went looking for it frantically. I found it at Harvey Norman at the Curve. This OEM battery cost RM390. the same price for the original standard one. But is twice the size and twice the power (2640 mAh). It can also be charged while in a vehicle via a cigarette lighter cable. It has a row of LED indicators to tell me if the capacity is good.
A great buy. I thought I saw one shop at PJ Digital Mall, section 14 selling this too.

Teleconverter Lens

Cokin

Tested out this lens from France.

It is a 2x teleconverter adaptor which is placed over the lens of the camcorder to make its zoom twice the power.
The zoom on the Panasonic HDC TM-300 is 12x. Placing this over would make it around 24x. Tested it. The picture quality is good because it is a digital lens.
It would be better if made out of Flourite glass but then, none is available.

So I bought it. I deliberately chose the oversized one for my camera's 43mm filter thread. Just add a 43mm-58mm ring, the large 58mm lens works great. This is the best that I have come so far.
The model is COKIN 58mm 2x Digital teleconverter adaptor.
A word of caution. There are many other that I have tried, failed miserably. Ghosting, Flares, Image distortion and bluring at the side are common. Do try it out first before buying.

Just imagine this. Many high end spotting scopes (top brands such as Carl Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski, Kowa..) do NOT support full HD 16:9 Video shooting. They are all designed for 4:3
and for photo use. I was very sad about this as full HD videoscoping is almost non-existant!
A scope like this and with all necessary adaptors and rings costs RM18,000.00!
I blogged earlier about this (the above) but the test failed. It did not justify spending so much money if that is the result I am going to get.

16:9 is what your new LCD TV width is all about. 4:3 is the old 29" TV you have just chucked out. If you are watching Asstro in full screen on your new LCD TV there is something wrong with you! Please see closely. The images are distorted. People looks fat and short yah? Use your remote and select 4:3 for Asstro then the images are not distorted. But then, you would have two black bars on the right and left of your screen. Why? Go figure!

When discussing with the people directly from the Optic Factories, I sounded like as if, I am from another Planet!!!

The search continues.! Sheesh!

Waiting for these games!

2009 Playstation 3 Games

The following are new Sony Playstation 3 games that i would sure like to get my paws on!

They are:-
1) Tom Clancy's HAWX

2) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3) Killzone 2
4) Resident Evil 5
5) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
6) Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising .........this game is very interesting as it is based on a fictional storyline about a war with China versus USA over an island near the Spratlys!!!

Just imagine all these games in full 720/1080p High Definition and Dolby Digital 7.1 Sound!!!!

AWESOME!

Let the Games Begin!!!!

Sony Playstation PS3
in Full HD and 7.1 Sound!
AWESOME!!!!!!

Just imagine this!
Playing PS3 games like "Need For Speed: Undercover", "Grand Theft Auto 4", "Call of Duty: World At War" and "Dynasty Warriors 6" all at Full High Definition 1080p and with Linear PCM 7.1 Sound System!!!! A Heavenly dream come true!

The new Playstation PS3 also comes with a 80GB Harddisk and is also a BluRay machine.
The DualShock 3 Wireless controller really shocks!!!! Freaking good!
Connected via a Digital Fibre-Optic cable to our 7.1 channel sound system and viewing it on our 47ins.HD LCDTVis an experience.
To me, Christmas came early! Ha!Ha!