Dari Lensa CM

Bye-Bye Dari Lensa CM

2011-10-25T11:20:00.004+08:00

Just to inform that I will no longer blog here. There are times when I want to blog about something not related to photography and I find that it's not proper to blog here. Therefore I decided to quit this blog and create a new one which I can blog about anything rather than photography alone. However, I shall not remove but keeping this as an archieve instead.

You can find me in this new blog.

My Food(o)graphy - Assignment#2

2011-07-11T07:49:00.001+08:00

My Food(o)graphy - Assignment#1

2011-07-11T07:43:00.002+08:00

Project - Golden and Brown

2011-03-13T19:54:00.005+08:00

I have been waiting for so long to transform one of my classic camera into something different. Actually I have two units of Olympus Pen EE3 which I have been thinking to change the look on one of it. And finally after much deliberation, I managed to transform its original look from this...

and TA-DA.. into this! Do you agree that it look magnificent and cute? It took me one whole day from disassembling the parts, paint the bottom and top panel with Gold paint and replace the black into brown leatherette and finally reassemble everything back into one piece. I feel aching all over my body but it's really great and worth the effort.

Twin brothers, one with new skin and the other with its original.

2011-02-21T07:24:00.001+08:00

Quick Update - Total Collections Todate

2011-02-13T16:35:00.010+08:00

I have been very busy with works lately therefore I don't have time to snap individual photo of my newly acquired collection and update them with some details reference here. However, as a quick update, I list here all the previous items plus those recently acquired at the time I wrote this. Once I am not too busy, I shall update those new ones with detailed photos and information. After all, I am expecting 4 more to arrive in the next couple of weeks, so let's just wait for them as well.

Collections in Glass Cabinet

Level 1 - Canon AV-1, Arrow Vintage Spy Mini, Canon Canonet 28, Canon AE-1

Level 2 - Minetta Vintage Spy Mini, Bell & Howell/Canon Canonet 19, Canon Canonet 28 (1st Version), Bencini Comet S

Level 3 - Balda Baldinette, Rolleicord, Kiev88, Halina 35X Super, Certotix 6x9 Folding

Level 4 - Halina 35X Super, Agfa Super Silette L, Halina 35X, Kodak Retinette 1A, Bencini Comet II

Collections in Wood Cabinet

Level 1 - Olympus Pen EE3, Nikon FG, Asahi Pentax, Minolta SRT100X

Level 2 - Halina Paulette Electric, Nikon EM, Zenit TTL, Minolta Hi-Matic F, Yashica Minister III, Yashica FX3

Level 3 - Konica EE-Matic, Samoca LE-II, Halina Simplette, Agfa ISO-Rapid C, Olympus Pen EE3

Level 4 - My earliest collection, the Canon EOS 5 and Canon EOS 50

Apart from the cameras, I have also acquired quite a numbers of camera accessories like flashes, light meters and self-timers. And of course all of them are vintage as well.

The last two pictures below are the latest gems in my collection. Both are the Vintage Spy Mini Camera. You can see how tiny and cute they are when placed next to next to a normal size camera. Next to the camera you can also see the tiny little green thingy. That's the film the camera used actually. Soooo tiny and cute little thing right? I was so fortunate that I got 6 of them as it came together as a lot when I bought the Minetta. Those films are no longer available anywhere. So, of course I am not going to 'waste' them but only for display.

Arrow Vintage Spy Mini.

Minetta Vintage Spy Mini

Canon Flash Unit J-2

2010-12-05T13:10:00.001+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Canon Flash Unit J-2

Hunter Standard II Electronic Flash Gun

2010-12-05T13:06:00.002+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Hunter Standard II Electronic Flash Gun

Collection#17 - Certotix 6x9 folding Camera

2010-11-21T15:47:00.002+08:00

My collection#17
Certotix 6x9cm self erecting folding Camera
Info from Cosmonet.org

Made by Certo Kamera Werk (Dresden, Germany) in 1931. Certo had been making many kind of 6x9cm 120 film cameras since around 1925. This camera was a rare model of self erecting spring bed camera among the other folding cameras. It is one of the most compact light 6x9cm folding cameras ever made, only 420 grams.

It has a reflecting waist level view finder on top of lens board, which was most popular for folding cameras of this age. It also has a frame finder attached on the top of the body. The lens is a Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm F6.3. The focusing is front cell rotation, focusing from 2 meters to infinity, no range finder. Minimum aperture is F22.

The shutter is VARIO, ever ready type, has T, B, 1/25 - 1/100sec, no self timer. There is a small hole under the lens board, which is not for a shutter release, but is able to hold a small release cable and possibly to fold the bed with the cable inside.

Certotix Specifications
Maker	Certo Kamera Werk (Dresden, Germany)
C.A	1931
Film	120, 6x9cm, 8 exposures
Weight	420g
Lens	Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm F6.3 Minimum aperture F22
Shutter	VARIO T, B, 1/25 - 1/100sec
Finder	Reflex and Frame finder
Focusing	Front cell rotating, no range finder
Film winding	Red window, no cover

Collection#16 - Balda Baldinette

2010-11-21T15:45:00.001+08:00

My collection#16
Balda Baldinette
Info from Camerapedia and TheCameraSite.net

Balda Baldinette a folding 35mm camera was manufactured by Balda Bunde Kamera-Werk in West-Germany around 1951. It is fitted with a Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar f/2.9 50mm lens in a Prontor-S shutter.

It is quite compact and easy to handle. The camera is built over a sturdy die cast body and has a clear resemblance to some Kodak Retina cameras and especially to Zeiss Nettar 515.
Baldinette has no rangefinder neither an exposure meter. The Super Baldina which was introduced in 1955 has a rangefinder but in stead of beeing a folding camera it has a collapsible lens unit like Balda Baldixette or Goldeck 6x6.

In 1953, the Baldinette sold in the USA for US$40 (equivalent to US$317 in 2009). Copies with red and blue leatherette are known, but very rare.

Collection#15 - Agfa Isoflash-Rapid C

2010-11-21T15:44:00.002+08:00

My collection#15
Agfa Isoflash-Rapid C
Info from Camerapedia

The Agfa Isoflash-Rapid C was manufactured around 1966 by Agfa Camera-Werk in Munich, Germany. It was made for Agfa's own film system for 24×24mm exposures, the Rapid film cartridges. The two-cartridge system simplified film load. The new cartridge has to be layed into the camera with the film reaching the opening of a second cartridge which winds up the exposed film. Then the camera has to be closed and can be used after winding up for the first exposure.

The Isoflash-Rapid C was basically the Iso-Rapid C for distribution in the USA. It uses flashcubes. It has an Isitar f/8.2 lens in a Parator shutter with two speeds: “Sunny” (1/80 sec) and “Shade/Cloudy” (1/40 sec). For firing the flash cubes the camera does use a battery that is well hidden behind the baseplate.

Agfa Lucimeter S - Camera Lightmeter

2010-11-21T15:42:00.001+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Agfa Lucimeter S - Camera Lightmeter
Info from Jollinger.com

Agfa was a major photographic manufacturer in Germany; like Kodak, their bread and butter was film and consumables, but they also sold a lot of consumer-level cameras and accessories. Yet—like Kodak—they never really got into exposure meters. There are only a few that bear the Agfa name, and it's safe to say they were made by someone else and branded by Agfa. I think it was made by Bertram, as it bears a good resemblance to their Quick and Super. But that's just my opinion.

This is the last of their meters, the Lucimeter S (previous models were the Lucimeter, Lucimeter II, Lucimeter M and Lucimat). This one is match-needle with no scale on the face.

Agfa "Agfalux" Bakelite Photo Flash 35mm

2010-11-21T15:40:00.003+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Agfa "Agfalux" Bakelite Photo Flash 35mm
Info from RolandAndCaroline.co

You can't be involved with old cameras for long before you start having to deal with accessories like flash guns.

This type was introduced in the late 1950s - possibly as early as 1957 - but was certainly being stocked by the London dealer “Wallace Heaton” by 1959. Very similar in styling to the original Agfalux - but smaller and for capless bulbs only. In 1962 This flash would have cost £3 19s 11d including the plastic case. The 22.5v battery was 2s 6d extra. Available in white as well as black.

Rollei E15 Auto Flash Head

2010-11-21T15:38:00.001+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Rollei E15 Auto Flash Head 35mm

Canon Canolite D Flash Strobe

2010-11-21T15:36:00.002+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Canon Canolite D Flash Strobe 35mm

Photo Outing - Bukit Belachan, Ampang

2010-11-20T16:03:00.003+08:00

Dah lama tak pegi ambik gambar dengan kengkawan, pagi tadi saya pergi ke Bukit Belachan, Ampang. Sebelum ni saya belum pernah lagi ke sana. Tak sangka pulak kat kawasan Ampang ada hutan dan sungai macam tu. Kalau cuaca sejuk berkabus, pasti pemandangannya tampak lebih menarik.

Collection#14 - Kodak Retinette 1A

2010-11-07T18:22:00.000+08:00

My collection#14
Kodak Retinette 1A
Info from Wikipedia and Camerapedia

The Kodak Retinette 1A was a product of the German Kodak AG. It was produced from 1959 to 1966. It was a development in the series of Retinettes.

Kodak Retinette is the name of a classic series of cameras manufactured by the Eastman Kodak company. They were introduced in 1939 as a less expensive alternative to the Kodak Retina series. The first models were of the folding type using bellows and their lenses had three elements as compared to the four element Tessar lenses (Greek: Tessera meaning four) of the Retina series. The first non-folding (rigid) variant was introduced in 1954 with the model 022. They most often featured Schneider Kreuznach Reomar lenses but, sometimes, Rodenstock Reomar lenses were installed. The Rodenstock lenses were based on the original Schneider Kreuznach triplet (three optical element) design. Kodak Anastigmat Angénieux lenses were also used especially for the French market. Common shutters included Compur–Rapid as well as various Pronto, Vero and Kodak models.

Common features of all Retinette IA cameras:
* uses 35mm film.
* no built-in meter.
* flash cold shoe (1959-1963)
* flash hot shoe (1963-1967)

The Retinette IA was produced in several versions:

Typ 035 (early-VERO) Early 035 Kodak Retinette 1A
* Production time: February 1959 to October 1959
* Produced: Serial number ranges: 50000 to 125178, 131812 to 135336
* Lens: Reomar f:3.5/50mm
* Shutter: Vero

Typ 035 (late-PRONTO)
* Production time: October 1959 to February 1961
* Produced: Serial number ranges: 126677 to 130479, 136165 to 255166
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar f:3.5/50mm
* Shutter: Pronto

Typ 035/7 (French model)
* Production time: 1959 to 1961
* Produced: Identified Serial number range: 50270 to 60995, 650405 to 662983
* Lens: KODAK ANASTIGMAT F:2.8 ANGENIEUX 50mm
* Shutter: Kodak Angen. OBK2

Typ 042
* Production time: January 1961 to February 1963
* Produced: Serial number ranges:50001 to 233146,EK 800001 to EK 829669
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar 1:2.8/45mm.
* Shutter: PRONTO

Typ 044
* Produced: January 1963 - 1966 ? August ? .
* Produced: Serial number ranges below:
* 243638 to 419999 - P250S shutter
* EK 830209 to EK 864999 - P250S shutter
* 420000 to 547925 - P300S shutter
* EK 865000 to EK 870997 - P300S shutter
* Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Reomar 1:2.8/45mm
* Shutter: Prontor 250S (1/30-1/250 +B), then later Prontor 300S; both with hot shoe
* Note: "RETINETTE" engraved in a square font.

Collection#13 - Rollei 35 LED

2010-11-07T18:20:00.000+08:00

My collection#13
Rollei 35 LED
Info from Wikipedia

The Rollei 35 is a 35mm miniature viewfinder camera built by Rollei. The original Rollei 35, when presented to the public at the photokina in 1966, was the smallest 135 film camera ever. Even at the present day the cameras of the Rollei 35 series remain the smallest ever built mechanically working 35 mm camera. During a time spanning 30 years of production, the total number of cameras of the Rollei 35 series made, is about 2 million pieces.

Preliminary Thoughts

In about 1960, when the first subminiature cameras for 16 mm film came to market, Heinz Waaske, chief engineer of German camera maker Wirgin, reasoned that purchasers of the 16 mm subminiature cameras, or even the half-frame Olympus Pen 35 mm cameras, did not want to buy them so much for the tiny film format, but more for the pocketable size. After having already engineered and designed a 16 mm film subminiature, the Wirgin Edixa 16, and some full-frame 35 mm single-lens-reflex cameras, he now imagined building a full-frame 35 mm camera, in a housing only one third of the volume of contemporary viewfinder cameras.

Design of First Prototype

In his spare time, working in his own living room, Waaske made the first technical drawings of the parts of the anticipated camera in 1962, allowing prototypes to be made in the workshop of Wirgin.

The Rollei 35 standard model - Development

In Braunschweig the camera had to be converted to use parts from Rollei's suppliers, as Rollei did not maintain business relations with Metrawatt and Steinheil. A high-quality Tessar lens was made-to-order by Zeiss. Rollei's light meter supplier was Gossen. Whether to use either a photovoltaic selenium sensor or a CdS photoresistor, was finally decided in August in favour of the CdS. Gossen named the same measuring range for both solutions. A selenium-cell powered light meter was cheaper in production and did not need a battery. However, the much smaller CdS-photoresistor improved the stylish look of the camera, the battery powered light-meter was more shock-proof, and the "CdS technology" could be used as a selling point in advertising. The housing needed to be changed just slightly, since Waaske unknowingly had adopted the appearance of Rollei's twin-lens reflex cameras, by placing the exposure time and aperture controls to the right and to the left side of the lens. Nevertheless Rollei's designer Ernst Moeckl revised the housing, and, in particular by changing the edge radius, the camera appeared even smaller.

For the mercury battery PX 13 (= PX 625 = MR 9) of the light meter, a place was found inside the camera housing. The film rewind knob of the engineering model was exchanged for a rewind crank, and a hot shoe was added for mounting an electronic flash at the base plate. Placing the hot shoe on top of the camera was not feasible, because of the underlying exposure meter and transmission gear. Mounting the hot shoe at the frame cover would likely cause damage, when using one of the heavy flash lights of that time. Therefore, for a natural lighting shade, the camera had to be turned upside down, when using a flash, to get the light source above the lens. The projected name for the camera was at first to be the "Rollei privat", which even was the engraving on the final draft in March 1966. But in April 1966, when Dr. Peesel decided to designate all Rollei cameras according to the applied film format, the designation became Rollei 35.

Mass production started in July 1966 with a preproduction run. The first advertising folders still showed cameras with release bolting devices and battery test keys. The first proved to be redundant, since with the lens inserted the camera could not be released, anyway. The latter feature was dropped, for reasons of reliability – electrical contacts could easily fail. The voltage of the mercury battery voltage dropped so rapidly at the end of battery life time, that it would be hard to obtain a false exposure. Likewise a switch for the exposure meter was also dropped. The exposure meter was always on, even with the lens inserted. Enclosed in the darkness of the camera bag, practically no current drained from the battery, which therefore remained usable for many years.

On the way to mass production

When Heinz Waaske finally presented the fully functional new camera prototype to his employer, Heinrich Wirgin said: So you have wasted time on your own construction in my prototyping workshop?!. It was not until that moment, that Wirgin told his chief engineer, that he had already made up his mind to quit with the whole camera production and photo equipment business.

Looking for new employment in the German camera industry, Waaske presented his compact camera to Dr. Ludwig Leitz and to Kodak, but to no avail. In January 1965 Waaske started working for Rollei in Braunschweig (Brunswyck). After Waaske's bad experiences with showing his new camera in interview to potential employers, it was not before March 1965, that Rollei's managing director, Dr. Peesel, accidentally got a first glimpse of his new employee's tiny prototype camera. Filled with enthusiasm, Dr. Peesel decided, the camera should immediately be further developed by Waaske for mass production, but, using only parts of Rollei's suppliers. So, finally, Waaske's little camera was proudly presented at the Photokina in 1966 named as Rollei 35, with a better lens – the Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40mm lens, a state-of-the-art Gossen CdS-exposure meter and a precision-made diaphragm shutter made by Compur, using Waaske's patented shutter design.

Rollei B 35 and C 35

Preceded by two concept studies, the beginners model with a triplet lens, the Zeiss Triotar f 3.5 / 40 mm, hit the market in October 1969. Initially, for the first concept study, Compur was asked for a simplified shutter with a limited timing range of 1/30 sec to 1/125 sec, which, however, was not cheap enough for an effective reduction in production cost.

Therefore the first concept study got an immovable lens tube. The original movable sliding tube was one of the most expensive parts, because it had to be precisely manufactured on a lathe for a light tight fitting. The second concept study retained the sliding tube for the lens, but used a selenium light meter. A light meter for the accessory shoe was assigned to be built by Gossen in early 1968, but finally an uncoupled light meter was integrated in the camera housing.
Aperture and shutter control on the lens barrel of a Rollei B35

The camera received the designation Rollei B 35, with the B indicating the light meter (German: Belichtungsmesser), a slightly cheaper model, omitting the light meter, was called Rollei C 35 for compact camera. Naturally, the innards of the camera were simplified by using more plastic parts. The control wheels on the camera body were replaced by a more conventional aperture control at the lens tube, and the control wheel for exposure time was placed at the sliding tube base on the body. Thus, the fully inserted lens protruded a bit more from the camera body, than in the previous model. Both of these models offered a shutter timing range from 1/30 sec to 1/500 sec and an aperture range from f/3.5 to f/22. The focusing range reaches from 3 feet (0.9m) to infinity. Two pairs of dots on the lens barrel indicate the depth-of-field for f/8 and f/16. The so-called Zeiss formula was inspired by this camera.

Especially for the North American market, a special edition with an artificial leather covering in traffic-red, yellow-orange, deer-brown, steel-blue and white was produced, counting 100 items for each color. But as these test samples did not cause much interest, they were not quoted in any price list.

Rollei 35 B

In 1976 the Rollei B 35 was renamed as Rollei 35 B without any further modification, to better conform to the Rollei designation scheme.

Rollei 35 LED

Without its own development department, the Singapore production facility asked Rollei Germany for permission to make a redesign of the Rollei 35 B. The uncoupled selenium light meter was replaced by a new electronically coupled light meter, using variable resistors for transferring the aperture and shutter control settings to the light meter. The new designation Rollei 35 LED resulted from the three light emitting diodes in the viewfinder, which indicated overexposure, correct exposure, or underexposure. In October 1977 the first datasheet appeared and in January 1978 preproduction started. But the first models suffered from clumsy design of the power switch, which activated the light meter permanently. If the user forgot to switch the camera off, the battery was drained in just 15 hours. Furthermore, the PX-27 battery could be inserted the wrong way, causing damaged electronics. From August 1978 onward an improved model was made, where the light meter was only activated when the release button was depressed slightly.

Collection#12 - Halina Paulette Electric

2010-11-07T16:59:00.000+08:00

Collection#12
Halina Paulette Electric
From Camerapedia

The Halina Paulette Electric was a viewfinder camera with an uncoupled selenium meter, made by Haking in Hong Kong, introduced in 1967. The meter scale on the top plate reads in EV numbers, which are transferred to an EV-number window on the lens barrel, linked to the aperture and speed rings. Film speed (25-400 ASA) is set by moving the sleeve with the EV window along a scale marked on the speed ring, below the meter window.

It was also sold by Dixons as the Prinz Mastermatic III, and as the Brenner Electric. The Halina Paulette was similar but without the meter.

The Halina Paulette was a 35mm viewfinder camera made in Hong Kong by Haking. It was introduced in c.1965, with a 45mm/f2.8 lens in a 4-speed (1/30-1/250) + B shutter.

Many Haking cameras were sold under other names; the Paulette was sold by Sears as the Model 65.

The Halina Paulette Electric is the same camera with an added light meter.

The Halina Paulette II is a later, 1973 version, similar to the Halina 2000.

Gossen Super Pilot Light Meter

2010-11-07T16:58:00.000+08:00

My collection# Vintage Camera Accessories
Gossen Super Pilot Light Meter
Info from Wikipedia and myphotoweb.com

Gossen is a renowned light meter maker based in Nuremberg, Germany.

Cameras with built-in Gossen selenium meters included: Kodak Instamatic 500, Kodak Retinette Ib, Kodak_Retina Automatic II/III, Regula IIIb and IIId

Gossen Super Pilot exposure meter is a valuable meter, very precisely manufactured and accurately calibrated. by means of the built-in new type of photosensitive resistor, the meter has a wide range of use. It is very important to understand that the meter may not be exposed to light for an unnecessary long time for reliable use. Don't use the meter for a longer period than required in direct sunlight and when not is use, save the meter in the complementary etui. The photo resistor does not change its specifications when in use but has a kind of memory from previous measurements. When saved in a dark environment, the meter insures proper measurement.

The Gossen Super Pilot is sold in the USA under the name Super Pilot wit the difference of a double ASA window instead of a ASA and DIN window at the film sensitivity setting.

Collection#11 - Agfa Super Silette-L

2010-10-17T00:43:00.004+08:00

My collection#11
Agfa Super Silette-L
Info from Camerapedia

AGFA was the abbreviation for Aktien-Gesellschaft für Anilin-Fabrikation, given in 1873 to a company that had been founded in Berlin in 1867. It produced chemicals for photography. Most famous is the film developer Rodinal, introduced in 1892 and continued for 115 years. When Agfa obtained the Rietzschel camera works in Munich from Bayer in 1925, it badged all Rietzschel products with its Agfa rhombus. In 1926 it introduced the first real Agfa camera, the Standard. In 1927 the name Rietzschel disappeared from the products. In that year the successful Billy camera series was introduced, and Agfa licensed Ansco to manufacture its products for the American market.

In 1930 the first Agfa Box camera for 6×9 cm exposures on roll film was produced. In the following year it popularized photography in Germany by dumping the Box 44 for 4 Reichsmark, easily recouping its losses afterwards by selling Agfa 120 roll films. In 1937 it brought out its first camera for 35mm film.

After WWII Agfa improved its prewar models and introduced the new 35mm Solinette. In 1954 it modernized its camera design with the Silette series; 1956 saw the introduction of the medium format Automatic 66. In 1959 a 35mm viewfinder camera with autoexposure button followed, the Optima. In 1964 Agfa introduced the Rapid system as an answer to Kodak's 126 film. The company debuted cameras accepting 126 film in 1967.

Silette is a name used by the German maker Agfa from 1953 to 1974 to designate successive generations of 35mm fixed-lens viewfinder cameras. The corresponding rangefinder models were called Super Silette. There was also an interchangeable lens rangefinder model called the Ambi Silette, which is discussed elsewhere. The first models were sold in the USA under the name Ansco Memar and Super Memar, and some of later ones were sold under the name Agfa Solina.

The first generation of Silette models was produced from 1953 to the early 1960s.

The original Silette appeared in 1953 and was a simple yet well built 35mm camera with a simple viewfinder, a leaf shutter, a lever wind advance and an accessory shoe. The range of shutters went from the simple Pronto (1/25-1/200) to the better Compur Rapid or Synchro Compur (1/500), with the Prontor (1/300) in between. The lenses was either a three element Agfa Color Apotar 3.5/45mm or 2.8/45mm, or a four element Agfa Color Solinar 2.8/50mm. In the USA, it was known as the Ansco Memar.

The original Super Silette was the same body with a coupled rangefinder. The lens range comprised the usual Color Apotar 45/3.5 and 45/2.8 and Color Solinar 50/2.8, but the top of the line was represented by the Agfa Color Solagon 2/50mm six element lens. Today the original Super Silette with the Color Solagon on the Synchro Compur is considered the most desirable model of the Silette fixed lens family. In the USA, the original Super Silette was known as the Ansco Super Memar.

The Silette L, introduced in 1956, was based on the same body as the viewfinder Silette with an uncoupled selenium meter in the top plate. There were three successive types of meter, with a bigger or smaller setting knob, and a larger or smaller cover flap. The shutter and lens combinations were the same as above, except the cheaper Pronto.

The Silette SL, made from 1957, was based on the last variant of the Silette L, but the exposure meter was coupled to the aperture and speed settings. The lens was the Color Solinar 2.8/50mm and the shutter was the Prontor SLK to 1/300.

In 1958, the Silette LK was a cheaper variant of the SL, with an Agfa Color Apotar 2.8/45mm lens and a Pronto LK 15-250 shutter. Launched the same year, the Silette Automatic (named Silette SLE at the beginning) was a better evolution with a collimated viewfinder and the meter reading visible inside. In 1958 the body of the basic Silette model was slightly modified, with an advance lever hidden in the top plate and a larger viewfinder. The cheaper models had a simple viewfinder and the better models had a collimated viewfinder, with a second window to illuminate the bright frame. The choice of lenses included the Agfa Agnar 3.5/45mm, Color Agnar 2.8/45mm, Color Apotar 2.8/45mm and Color Solinar 2.8/50mm. The shutters were the usual Pronto, Prontor and Compur Rapid, as well as the Vario B-25-50-200 on the cheapest model. Some of the simpler models were sold in the USA under the name Solina.

One variant of the 1958 basic Silette had a different elevated top plate that announced the style of the later models.

Prototypes of a Silette Stereo model have been mentioned.

Collection#10 - Nikon EM

2010-10-17T00:43:00.003+08:00

My collection#10
Nikon EM
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nikon EM is a beginner’s level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. (today Nikon Corporation) in Japan from 1979 to 1982 (available new from dealer stock until circa 1984). The camera was originally designed and marketed to the growing market of new women photographers then entering the SLR buyer's market.[1] The EM uses a Seiko MFC-E focal plane shutter with a speed range of 1 to 1/1000 second plus Bulb and flash X-sync of 1/90 second. It is 86 mm (3.4 in) high, 135 mm (5.3 in) wide, 54 mm (2.1 in) deep and weighed 460 grams (16 oz). Unlike most Nikons of the time, it was available only in black. The EM has no full manual exposure mode capability, but instead was intended to be used by inexperienced photographers who could not easily master the intricacies of shutter speeds and f-stops. There were also significant changes over previous cameras in the internal mechanics and electronics of the EM, designed to lower costs. Gone were the tight tolerances, ball bearing film advance, and high-quality titanium shutter. The introductory US list price for the body plus normal lens was only $231 – note that SLRs usually sold for 30 to 40 percent below list price.

The EM accepts nearly all lenses with the Nikon F bayonet mount (introduced in 1959) supporting the Automatic Indexing (AI) feature (introduced in 1977). The contemporary Nikon made AI lenses were the Nikkor AI-S, Nikkor AI and Nikon Series E types. The AF-S Nikkor, AF-I Nikkor, AF Nikkor D and AF Nikkor autofocus lenses are also AI types. Nikon’s most recent 35 mm film SLR lenses, the AF Nikkor G type (introduced in 2000) lacking an aperture control ring; and the AF Nikkor DX type (2003) with image circles sized for Nikon's digital SLRs will mount but will not function properly. IX Nikkor lenses (1996), for Nikon's Advanced Photo System (APS) film SLRs, must not be mounted, as their rear elements will intrude far enough into the mirror box to cause damage.

Design History
Beginning in 1977 with the advanced amateur Nikon FM, there was a complete overhaul of the entire Nikon SLR line. The 1970s and 1980s were an era of intense competition between the major SLR brands: Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax and Olympus. Between circa 1975 to 1985, there was a dramatic shift away from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with integrated circuit (IC) electronic automation. In addition, because of rapid advances in electronics, the brands continually leap frogged each other with models having new or more automatic features. The industry was trying to expand out from the saturated high-end professional market and appeal to the large mass of low-end amateur photographers who were itching to move up from compact automatic leaf-shutter rangefinder (RF) cameras to an SLR, but were intimidated by the need to learn the details of operating a traditional SLR.

Although Nippon Kogaku enjoyed a sterling reputation among professional photographers with their Nikon F2 of 1971, the F2 was a slow seller to most amateurs and beginners, being fairly bulky, expensive, and complicated.[2] Although the Nikon midlevel Nikkormat FT (1965) and EL (1972) camera series were made almost as well as the Nikon F and F2, their relatively high price turned amateurs away from the brand, who instead flocked to cheaper models from other manufacturers.

Features
The Nikon EM formed the base of the new line. It was the smallest and cheapest SLR ever made by Nippon Kogaku. It was a battery-powered (two S76 or A76, or one 1/3N) electromechanically controlled manual focus SLR. The EM featured a lightweight and compact hybrid copper aluminum alloy body and fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate plastic top and bottom covers, plus aperture priority semiautomatic exposure control governed by a built-in 60/40 percent centerweighted, silicon photodiode light meter. A left side viewfinder galvanometer needle pointer indicated the exposure on a shutter speed scale. The viewfinder also had Nikon’s standard 3 mm split image rangefinder and 1 mm microprism collar focusing aids, but the focus screen was fixed. The viewfinder is dimmer than those in the semi-professional Nikons since the expensive prisms of the latter were not used. The camera is also fitted with a low-light exposure warning in the form of an audible 'beep'.

Accessories for the EM included a highly automated dedicated electronic flash unit, the Nikon SB-E (guide number 56/17 (feet/meters) at ASA 100) and a very small power winder, the Nikon MD-E (motorized film advance at 2 frames per second). However, the star of the E-system were a new brand of lenses – the Nikon Series E lenses (discontinued circa 1987). The Series E lens line up in 1980 were a 28 mm f/2.8 wide angle, a 35 mm f/2.5 semi-wide angle, a 50 mm f/1.8 normal, a 100 mm f/2.8 short telephoto and a 75–150 mm f/3.5 zoom, with the subsequent addition of a 70–210 mm f/4 zoom, and a 135 mm f/2.8 medium telephoto. These lenses were intended to enhance the EM’s appeal with new users, by being inexpensive but good quality alternatives to the pricey regular Nikkor branded lenses.

The EM also had one very rare feature for an electronically controlled camera. Nippon Kogaku’s philosophy that a camera must always work when called upon resulted in the EM’s backup ability to operate without batteries – albeit in a limited fashion: completely manual mechanical control with limited shutter speeds (1/90 second, marked M90, or Bulb) and without the light meter. (A little-known feature of the EM is that when the battery is removed, the "Auto" setting produces a shutter speed of approximately 1/1000 sec. This is documented in the factory repair manual.)

The EM and its attendant E-system accessories were Nippon Kogaku’s first attempt to reach the low end of the SLR market.[2] Called internally “the Nikon for women”, the EM was designed to provide style (exterior contours sculpted by Italian automobile stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro), convenience (a system of dedicated accessories), ease of use (as much automation as possible in 1979), low cost (simplified manufacturing process) and the prestige of the Nikon name (prominently displayed on the pentaprism housing) for initiates to SLR-dom.[1][2]

Unfortunately, the Nikon EM and its later offshoots (FG, FG-20) proved to be a sales and marketing failure for Nikon.[2] Older Nikon owners refused to countenance the cheap internal construction and lack of manual mode flexibility of the EM. The expected female beginner photography market also failed to appear, as tyro photographers (including women) rejected the implicit condescension of an aperture-priority only EM, and voted with their wallets in favor of higher-priced Nikons or the extra features of less-expensive Canon and Minolta cameras.

Despite its cheaper construction quality, the EM has proved to be as reliable over the years as its more expensive Nikon counterparts of the era.[3] A set of less expensive lenses marketed with the camera's introduction (Series E) also came in for heavy criticism, and Nikon soon dropped the entire line.[2] Although the Series E lenses were unpopular with Nikon buyers, several of the Series E lenses exhibited excellent performance, particularly the 50 mm f/1.8 (pancake), the 100 mm f/2.8, and the 75–150 mm constant f/3.5 zoom. The relatively low prices of the EM/FG family and the Series E lenses in the used equipment market make them good bargains in terms of price/performance.

Collection#9 - Olympus Pen EE-3

2010-10-17T00:41:00.003+08:00

My collection#9
Olympus Pen EE-3
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Pen series is a family of half-frame cameras made by Olympus from 1959 to the beginning of the 1980s. Aside from the Pen F series of half-frame SLRs, they are fixed-lens viewfinder cameras.

In 2009, Olympus introduced the PEN E-P1[1], a Micro Four Thirds system digital camera which the company touts as the next-generation Pen camera.

The Pen EE was introduced in 1961 and was the amateur model, with fully automatic exposure and fixed focusing. It is a true point and shoot camera, and has a 28mm f/3.5 lens. The Pen EE family is easily recognized by the selenium meter window around the lens.

The Pen EE.S, launched in 1962, is the same model with a 30mm f/2.8 and a focusing ring, made necessary by the wider aperture.

In 1966 the two cameras were slightly modified and became the Pen EE (EL) and Pen EE.S (EL) with a modification of the take-up spool to make film loading easier. EL stands for Easy Loading. You can only recognize them by a small label marked EL stuck on the front, or you can open them and look at the take-up spool.

The Pen EE.2, produced from 1968 to 1977, is nearly the same as the Pen EE with the addition of a hot shoe. The Pen EE.3, produced from 1973 to 1983, seems to be exactly the same camera.

The Pen EE.S2, produced from 1968 to 1971, is the same as the Pen EE.S with the addition of a hot shoe. EES-2's User Manual in English

The Pen EE.D, produced from 1967 to 1972, is a more expensive automated-exposure model, with a CdS meter, a 32mm f/1.7 lens and a hot shoe.

The Pen EF, launched in 1981, was the last Pen model. It is like the Pen EE.2 or Pen EE.3, but with a small built-in flash, and was only sold in black finish with white letterings.

Collection#8 - Zenit TTL

2010-10-17T00:40:00.004+08:00

My collection#8
Zenit TTL
Info from Camerapedia

Zenit (Russian: Зени́т) is a Russian (and formerly Soviet) camera brand manufactured by KMZ in the town of Krasnogorsk near Moscow since 1952 and by BelOMO in Belarus since the 1970s. The Zenit trademark is associated with 35mm SLR cameras. Among related brands are Zorki for 35mm rangefinder cameras, Moskva (Moscow) and Iskra for medium-format folding cameras and Horizon for panoramic cameras. In the 60s and 70s they were exported by Mashpriborintorg to 74 countries.[1]

The name is sometimes spelled Zenith in English, such as the manuals published by the UK Zenit-importer TOE. However, TOE's imported camera bodies as from 1963 retained the "Zenit" badges. The early Zorki-based models before that time were labelled "Zenith" in a handwritten style of script. While frail and a technical improvisation they were the cheapest Pentaprism-SLRs in the UK at the time and are highly desirable collector's items today. In a way, they show a logical development Leitz should have taken decades before, instead of promoting their expensive and clumsy "Visoflex" attachment as an SLR-substitute.

The Zenit TTL is a Russian 35mm SLR produced by KMZ (Kraznogorsk) and BeLOMO from around 1977 to 1985. It was an upgraded version of the Zenit EM, adding stop-down TTL metering and a rewind crank in place of the knob.

The viewfinder is blue-tinted and comparatively dim and small (cf. the 'brilliant'-type Zenit E). The central portion of the viewfinder screen has a micro prism in the middle surrounded by a clear matte area.

Collection#7 - Kiev 88

2010-10-17T00:40:00.003+08:00

My collection#7
Kiev 88
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kiev is a Soviet brand of photographic equipment including cameras manufactured by the Arsenal Factory in Kiev, Ukraine. The camera nameplates show the name "KIEV", with older cameras using "КИЕВ" (in Russian language) or "КИЇВ" (in Ukrainian language)[1] in the cyrillic alphabet.

At the end of November 2009 Gevorg Vartanyan of Arax, a Ukrainian distributor of reworked medium format Kiev cameras and lenses, wrote to tell customers that the Arsenal factory was closing after 245 years of operation. The email said that management had been turned over to the Special Construction Department (SKTB), all work had stopped and the workers laid off, and that the factory warehouse was empty. He thought that Arax had enough cameras and parts to remain in business for at least another 4-5 years.[2] The amount of stock remaining with other distributors around the world is unknown.

An almost direct clone of the original Hasselblad 1600F/1000F, sometimes jokingly referred to as a Hasselbladski.

Originally called "Salyut", it added a self-timer mechanism below the film advance knob to the original Hasselblad design. However, this add-on was abandoned and is only seen on very early or prototype cameras. The Salyut went into mass production around 1957. An automatic aperture mechanism was later added and the camera's designation was changed to "Salyut C". After "Salyut C" the camera model evolved into "Kiev 80". With the further addition of a hot shoe for electronic flashes, the camera's name became "Kiev 88". It was sometimes exported to the West as the "Zenith 80".

The Kiev 88 used a screw type lens mount similar to the original Hasselblad mount, however there are mixed reports on compatibility between the two. Most film backs are not compatible between Kievs and Hasselblads due to different gear mechanisms. However, Kiev 88 viewfinders are compatible with the Hasselblad 1600F and 1000F, and even current Hasselblad V-system models.

The Kiev 88 lens mount was modified to accept most Pentacon Six mount lenses around 1999 and designated the Kiev 88CM. Many of these cameras have found their way around the world, especially to the United States. They are considered inexpensive alternatives in the medium film format camera market (see below).

Collection#6 - Rolleicord

2010-10-17T00:39:00.002+08:00

My collection#6
Rolleicord
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rolleicord was a popular medium-format twin lens reflex camera made by Franke & Heidecke (Rollei) between 1934 and 1976. It was a simpler, less expensive version of the high-end Rolleiflex TLR, aimed at amateur photographers who wanted a high-quality camera but could not afford the expensive Rolleiflex. Several models of Rolleicord were made; the later models generally had more advanced features and tend to be valued higher in today's market.

The first Rolleicord, introduced in November 1933, was the Rolleicord I. This camera was a simplified version of the Standard Rolleiflex, with a cheaper 75mm Zeiss Triotar lens and a simplified film advance mechanism using a knob instead of the crank found on the Rolleiflex. The Rolleicord I was available either with a plain leatherette covering or elaborately patterned metal faceplates. The latter variant is referred to as the "Art Deco" Rolleicord.

The models that has the letters DRP on the left and to the right DRGM on the front of the camera means that they were made befora the War, because DPR means 'Deutsches Reichs Patent' (German Reich Patent) and DRGM means 'Deutsches Reichs Geschmacks Muster' (basically a copyright for the name). In post WW2 models you will find DBP and DBGM. They switched from Reich to Bund (German Federal Patent). [1]

Later models incorporated improved designs for the taking lens, including the Carl Zeiss Tessar and Schneider Kreuznach Xenar, both of which appeared on the Rolleiflex. However, while the Rolleiflex was available with an f/2.8 lens, the Rolleicord was never offered with a larger aperture than f/3.5, thus ensuring its pedigree as an "amateur" camera.

An accessory, known as a Rolleikin kit, was available for the Rolleicord to enable it to accept 35mm film.

Collection#5 - Canon Canonet 28

2010-10-17T00:38:00.001+08:00

My collection#5
Canon Canonet 28
Info from Camerapedia

The Canonets were a series of rangefinder cameras made by Canon from the early 1960s to the early 1980s. They were aimed at enthusiasts on a budget and more discerning point and shoot photographers.

The later Canonet 28 35mm rangefinder camera is a cheaper consumer version of the famous Canonet QL17. The lens is a fixed 40mm f/2.8 Canon lens. It has fully programmed auto exposure with shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/600 (shown by the meter's needle in the viewfinder), and manual control of f-stops for flash (f2.8-f16). The film speed range for auto exposure is from 25 to 400 ASA. It uses a Copal leaf shutter and has a coupled rangefinder. It was made in Taiwan.

This Canonet was marketed from 1971 to 1976, and was one of the latest heavyweight compact cameras. By the late '70s, camera construction had begun a rapid change from metals to plastics.

Collection#4 - Canon AE-1

2010-10-17T00:37:00.001+08:00

Collection#4
Canon AE-1
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Canon AE-1 is a 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera for use with interchangeable lenses. It was manufactured by Canon Camera K. K. (today Canon Incorporated) in Japan from April 1976 to 1984. It uses an electronically-controlled, electromagnet horizontal cloth focal plane shutter, with a speed range of 2 to 1/1000 second plus Bulb and flash X-sync of 1/60th second. The camera body is 87 mm tall, 141 mm wide, and 48 mm deep; it weighs 590 g. Most are black with chrome trim, but some are all black.

The AE-1 is a historically significant SLR, though not necessarily because of any major technological firsts (although it was the first microprocessor CPU-equipped SLR). Its notability is based in its sales. Backed by a major advertising campaign, the AE-1 sold five million units, an unprecedented success in the SLR market.

Features
The AE-1 has a Canon FD breech-lock lens mount and accepts any FD or New FD (FDn) lens. It is not compatible with Canon's later Canon EF lens mount, though adapters made by independent manufacturers can be found. Original FD lenses, introduced in 1971, did not rotate in the mounting process; instead, a locking ring at the base was turned to attach the lens. This was often criticised as being slower and more awkward than the bayonet mounts of competing cameras.[citation needed] The counter argument, though, was that as the lens/body mating surfaces did not rotate, there was no wear that could affect the critical distance from lens to film plane. In 1976, in addition to the AE-1, Canon also introduced the New FD series of lenses that rotate the whole lens barrel to lock. During the late 1970s, there were approximately 40 Canon FD lenses available for purchase. They ranged from a Fisheye FD 15 mm f/2.8 SSC to a FD 800 mm f/5.6 SSC.

Accessories for the AE-1 included the Canon Winder A (motorized single frame film advance up to 2 frames per second), the Canon Databack A (sequential numbering or date stamping on the film), and the Canon Speedlight 155A (guide number 56/17 (feet/meters) at ASA 100) and Canon Speedlight 177A (guide number 83/25 (feet/meters) at ASA 100) electronic flashes.

The AE-1 was a battery powered (one 4LR44 or PX-28) microprocessor-controlled manual focus SLR. It supported either manual exposure control or shutter priority auto exposure. The exposure control system consisted of a needle pointing along a vertical f-stop scale on the right side of the viewfinder to indicate the readings of the built-in light meter (center-weighted with a silicon photocell). The viewfinder used by the AE-1 was Canon’s standard split image rangefinder with microprism collar focusing aids.

Design history
The AE-1 was the first in what became a complete overhaul of Canon's line of SLRs. The 70s and 80s were an era of intense competition between the major Japanese SLR brands: Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax and Olympus. Between 1975 to 1985, there was a dramatic departure from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with integrated circuit (IC) electronic automation. In addition, due to rapid advances in electronics, the brands leap-frogged each other with successively more automated models.

Although Canon Camera K. K. had been making quality 35 mm cameras for decades, it had always been overshadowed by their rival Nippon Kokagu K. K. and their Nikon cameras. While Canons easily led in the amateur compact fixed-lens RF market (where Nikons did not compete), Canon SLRs had far less cachet than Nikon SLRs. Nikon, with its solid reputation for quality of material and worksmanship, held a stranglehold on the prestigious professional SLR market that competitors could not break.

The AE-1 was the vanguard of the landmark Canon amateur level A-series SLRs and led Canon’s charge into the emerging electronically controlled SLR market. The other members of the A-series were the AT-1 (released 1977), A-1 (1978), AV-1 (1979), AE-1 Program (1981) and AL-1 (1982). They all used the same compact aluminum alloy chassis, but with different feature levels and outer cosmetic plastic panels. By sharing most major components, including an inexpensive horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, viewfinder information display, and autoflash control, Canon further reduced costs and could undercut the price of the more expensive SLRs then on the market.

In keeping with its cost-cutting philosophy, Canon designed the AE-1 to use a significant amount of structural plastic for a lighter and cheaper camera at the expense of being less impact resistant. Canon went to great effort to disguise the use of plastic - the injection-molded acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) top and bottom plates were copper-electroplated and then satin chrome finished (or black enameled) to give the look and feel of metal. Extensive use of electronics also allowed simpler modular internal construction instead of mechanical linkages. Five major and 25 minor internal modules reduced the individual parts count by over 300. Modular construction, in turn, allowed automated production lines in order to reduce cost. Unfortunately, cost concerns also resulted in the use of plastic in some of the moving/operating mechanisms.

The AE-1 was never designed to be a "pro" camera. However it was made to have relatively straightforward camera controls and automatic aperture for newcomers, with various manual controls and system accessories to appeal to more experienced photographers. The AE-1 was the first SLR purchased by millions of amateur photographers, persuaded by its feature list and low price.

In many ways, the AE-1 represented the confluence of two streams of Canon camera development. The first generation electronically controlled Canon 35 mm SLR EF (1973) merged with the final generation RF Canonet G-III QL-17 (1972). After decades of chasing Nikon for Japanese optical supremacy, Canon finally hit upon a formula for success: high technology for ease of use, cheaper internal parts and electronics for lower price, and heavy advertising to get the message out. Despite outcries from traditionalist photographers who complained about an “excess” of automation ruining the art of photography, automation proved to be the only way to entice the amateur photographer.

The AE-1 had only one pointer needle used to indicate the light meter recommended f-stop, and neither a follower needle to indicate the actual lens set f-stop, nor plus/minus indicators for over/underexposure. The shutter-priority system of the AE-1 was more suited to sports action than to preserving depth-of-field, yet the 1/1000 top speed of its horizontally-traveling shutter limited its use for such activities. The battery door design was subject to frequent breakage, and over time owners have reported instances of shutter and mechanical gremlins, including mirror linkage wear (the "Canon squeal"). Canon's eventual abandonment of the FD lens mount for the EOS autofocus design also had an effect on used prices for the AE-1 on the used market.

Collection#3 - Canon AV-1

2010-10-17T00:36:00.002+08:00

My collection#3
Canon AV-1
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Canon AV-1 is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera with a FD lens mount, introduced by Canon Inc. in 1979. The AV-1 was very similar to the 1976 AE-1 but provided aperture priority autoexposure rather than the AE-1's shutter speed priority AE.[1] The camera is not capable of fully manual exposure.[2]

Canon's international distributors, particularly in the United States, had clamored for such a camera because competing brands offered mostly aperture-priority cameras and some preferred it.[1] The AV in the name referred to the type of autoexposure; Av (Aperture Value) is a common abbreviation for aperture priority.

When this camera appeared, a new range of FD lenses was introduced, featuring instant mounting/unmounting of the lens.[1] This was called the New FD mount and did away with the older type of mounting ring which was fitted on to the rear of the lens and was awkward to use and needed two hands, to a newer, easier system whereby the user lined up the red dot on the lens, with the red dot on the camera and simply turned the whole lens clockwise until it clicked into place.

All the other AE-1 accessories fit the AV-1.

Collection#2 - Canon EOS 5

2010-10-17T00:35:00.001+08:00

My collection#2
Canon EOS 5
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Canon EOS 5 (sold as the EOS A2 and A2e in the USA) is a semi-professional autofocus, autoexposure 35 mm SLR film camera. It was sold from November 1992 onwards, and was replaced in late 1998 by the Canon EOS 3.[1] As part of the EOS line of cameras, the 5/A2/A2e utilized Canon's EF bayonet lens mount, first introduced in 1987.

The 5/A2/A2e featured a built-in zoom flash, fast motor drives and several pre-set autoexposure modes. Although marketed towards the "prosumer" user, the 5/A2/A2e were popular among professional photographers. The camera was powered by a 6 volt lithium 2CR5 battery, or, with the optional Canon BP-5 Battery Pack, could be powered by D batteries attached to the belt of the user. The Canon VG-10 Vertical Grip added a shutter release, control wheel, AE Lock button and Focus Point Selection button to the bottom of the camera for portrait orientation use, but did not add AA batteries as a power source.

The camera had many operational modes available, selected by the dial on the left-hand side of the camera. These modes selected whether the exposure settings were set automatically, semiautomatically or fully manually. This dial also doubled as an on/off switch.

The Canon EOS 5/A2/A2e had three built-in metering modes; Evaluative, center-weight average and spot. These were user-selectable by means of a button on the back of the camera and the command dial.

The EOS 5/A2e featured eye-controlled focusing, which allowed the user to select from one of five focus points by looking at it through the viewfinder. At the time, this feature was unique to Canon. The A2 had the same five focus points, but they could only be selected manually. Although the EOS 5 had an optional vertical grip, the VG-10, the eye-controlled focussing feature only worked when the camera was held in horizonal orientation.

Peculiar to the Canon EOS line of cameras is the tendency of the dials to change function based on user mode. The 5/A2/A2e has two dials to control exposure, one over the shutter button and one on the back of the camera. The dial above the shutter button will adjust the shutter speed in shutter priority Tv/Time Variance mode, but in aperture priority Av/Aperture Variance mode this same dial will adjust the lens aperture. In full manual mode, the dial above the shutter reverts to adjusting the shutter speed, and the back dial controls the aperture. This is in contrast to other camera manufacturers who keep dials down to a single function. Custom functions allow the photographer to change this behavior so that the shutter and aperture controls are always linked to the same dials no matter which mode the camera is in.

At the time of the camera's production, there was a U.S. patent on the use of a digital scale to show under- or over-exposure in a metered-manual SLR. Canon did not want to pay the patent holder, and therefore omitted the -2/+2 (in half-stops) scale in the A2/A2e, leaving just an over or under indication. The European/Japanese market EOS 5 had the scale and on account of this many American photographers preferred the imported model. This is a firmware difference only, and there is at least one third-party firm which will install EOS 5 firmware on an A2/A2e, thereby adding this scale.

Collection#1 - Canon EOS 50

2010-10-17T00:31:00.004+08:00

Collection#1
Canon EOS 50
Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Canon EOS 50 (also known as the ELAN II in America and the EOS 55 in Japan) is an autofocus, autoexposure 35mm SLR camera. Three variants were produced. The E variant had the addition of eye-controlled autofocus, and partial metering, while the QD variant had a date and time imprint function on the film door.

The EOS 50E variant introduced an enhanced version of the 3-zone eye-controlled autofocus system that was first seen on the EOS 5 camera. The EOS 50 was also the first camera to implement Canon's E-TTL flash system. Canon's previous TTL system metered light reflected from the film onto a sensor during the actual exposure. E-TTL on the other hand fires a low-intensity pre-flash before exposure, and meters the reflected light through the camera's normal metering system.

The EOS 55 differs from the other versions in that it has a panorama option. Sliding the button at the bottom of the rear of the camera causes panels to move into position inside the camera, blocking all of the negative except for a 13 mm x 36mm strip in the middle. When print film is subsequently developed in a developing machine that is sensitive to Advanced Photo System (APS) negatives, the machine will automatically print a 4"x12" "panoramic" print instead of a regular 4"x6" print.

Sales of the EOS 50 began in September 1995, and ended after the introduction of the replacement model, the EOS 30 in October 2000.

Another Gem To Treasure

2010-10-15T23:45:00.001+08:00

Pagi tadi masuk ofis lewat sikit sebab nak pegi ambik parcel kat post office. Parcel tu dari U.S. for shipment utk camera Agfa Super Silette L yang ditunggu-tunggu tu. Hehe seronok je rasa...

Lepas ambik parcel dari pos opis, singgah balik rumah dulu. Terus bukak parcel tu nak tengok macamana rupa kamera Agfa Super Silette-L tahun 1955 tu. Surprisingly camera tu dibungkus dgn sangat baik, dan bila di bawa keluar dari kotaknya, wow.. I was sooo pleased dan teruja dgn keadaannya yg masih elok dan cantik. This beauty is definitely a new gem that I will treasure most from now onwards..

Kiranya penantian yg ni dah berakhir.. tinggal satu lagi penantian.. ETA seminggu atau 2 minggu lagi.. Yang itu from England pulak.. kamera rangefinder Halina Paulette tahun 1965.

Finalizing the Numbers

2010-10-10T23:54:00.003+08:00

Akhirnya petang tadi saya buat keputusan bulat utk ambil vintage buatan Rusia iaitu KIEV 88. Dan utk menunjukkan betapa lemahnya saya utk menangkis godaan kamera-kamera vintage tersebut, saya membawa pulang bukan setakat KIEV 88 itu saja malah saya turut membawa pulang 4 lagi kamera bersama iaitu 1 Zenit TTL yg juga buatan Rusia, 1 Nikon EM dan 2 Olympus Pen EE.

Setakat ni saya dah kumpul 11 kamera filem klasik dan Vintage. Jika dicampurkan 1 lagi iaitu Agfa Super Silette-L yg saya jangka akan sampai dalamasa seminggu dua lagi maka genaplah sedozen semuanya koleksi saya.

Untuk memudahkan saya melihat kesemua kamera tersebut, semalam saya beli almari pameran kaca di IKEA. Selepas saya letakkan semua koleksi tersebut ternyata dah tak ada ruang lagi jika saya nak letak lebih lagi, jadi nampaknya buat masa ini saya terpaksa berhenti setakat ini dulu.

Canon AV-1, Canon AE-1 & Canon Canonet 28

Kiev 88 & Rolleicord

Zenit TTL, OLympus Pen EE & Nikon EM

Canon EOS 5 & Canon EOS 50

German's Vintage - Rolleicord TLR

2010-10-06T21:54:00.003+08:00

Yang ini ahli terbaru dari Jerman pulak, kamera klasik vintage Rolleicord TLR (twin lens reflex) yg berusia sekitar perang dunia kedua. Saya baru je dapat kamera ni tengahari tadi. Saya rasa teruja bila saya pegang dan cuba-cuba 'bermain' dgn kamera ni. Maklumlah, kamera ni sangat berusia dan sudah tentunya ia telah menempuh era yg panjang dalam memenuhi tuntutan tugasannya utk mengabadikan saat-saat indah atau momento yg penting di tangan seorang photographer. Saya betul-betul teruja.

Building the Legacy

2010-10-05T21:26:00.002+08:00

Bermula dari pembelian SLR filem EOS 5 pada bulan lepas, saya rasa saya dah terkena jangkitan virus 'collectors'. Jikalau kawan saya di Sedenak, selatan tanahair sana begitu passionate mengumpul dining wares dan teko-teko lama, saya pula tiba-tiba saja berminat utk mengumpul koleksi kamera-kamera lama. Oleh kerana saya adalah pengguna Canon yg tegar, jadi koleksi lama ini pun semuanya dari Canon juga. Saya dok survey mencari kamera-kamera ni sejak seminggu yg lepas dan tadi saya mendapat 3 kamera sekaligus. Kesemuanya masih berfungsi dgn baik dan sudah digandingkan dgn kamera SLR filem yg dibeli sebelum ini. Ini adalah permulaan bagi hobi baru saya. Tambahan dari hobi berfotografi, saya ingin memiliki legasi ke atas peralatan yg pernah mewarnai dunia fotografi sejak dari awal penciptaannya. Bermula dari kini, pencarian saya ini akan terus berterusan.

Canon AV-1 (1979)

Canon AE-1 (1976)

Canon Canonet 28 (1968)

Reviving the Nostalgia

2010-09-25T12:18:00.008+08:00

Semalam semasa saya membelek-belek website jual-beli peralatan kamera, saya ternampak satu iklan menjual peralatan kamera filem. Saya agak tertarik kerana harganya yg sangat berpatutan. Namun demikian faktor utama saya ingin memilikinya adalah untuk dijadikan sebagai koleksi peribadi. Tambahan pula, dari iklan tersebut beliau menyatakan kesemua peralatan tersebut dijaga dengan baik dan semuanya berfungsi dgn baik. Saya tak tunggu lama terus menghubungi nombol penjual yg tertera di iklan tersebut dan menetapkan tempat utk berjumpa. Petang itu juga selepas habis waktu bekerja, kami terus melangsaikan urusan jual-beli. Ternyata penjual tersebut adalah dari zaman-zaman saya bermain kamera filem juga, jadi pertemuan kami jadi sangat menyeronokkan dgn perbualan yg menyingkap kembali permainan fotografi berunsur filem.

Mungkin disebabkan chemistry di antara kami, beliau kemudiannya menjual peralatan tersebut kepada saya dgn harga yg sangat murah. Alhamdulillah, saya rasa amat bersyukur. Namun demikian, dari kesemua item yg beliau jual, saya hanya dapat memiliki 3 item sahaja semalam seperti gambar dibawah iaitu Canon EOS 5, Canon Speedlite 540EZ & Lens Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO Macro Super, yang kesemuanya dijual kepada saya dgn harga borong iaitu $300. Dua item lagi iaitu Lens Sigma 28-135 f3.8-5.6 Macro dan Teleconverter Tamron 2x TC akan saya dapatkan pada minggu hadapan.

Saya tidak bercadang nak beli tambahan dua item tersebut pada mulanya, tapi bila dah balik rumah rasa menyesal pula kalau tak beli sekaligus utk melengkapkan koleksi peralatan kamera SLR automatik filem saya dan tambahan pula beliau bersetuju menjual kedua-dua item tersebut dgn harga borong iaitu $100 sahaja!

Canon EOS 5

Canon Speedlite 540EZ & Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 APO Macro Super

Canon EOS 50

Canon EOS 50 kat atas ni adalah milik saya sendiri yg saya beli hampir 10 tahun yg lepas. Nasib baik saya tak jual dulu. Kini dapatlah saya gandingkan sebagai sebahagian dari koleksi Kamera SLR Filem automatik saya.

Nota kaki: Ketiga-tiga item tersebut saya dapat nego dgn harga borong $300 (harga diiklankan utk ketiga-tiganya adalah $500). Menurut penjual tersebut, Lens Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO Macro Super tersebut tidak boleh Autofocus (AF) pada kamera SLR Digital, tapi hanya boleh berfungsi pada SLR Filem. Itu antara sebab beliau menjualnya pada harga yg murah. Tapi bila saya cuba pada DSLR D40 saya semalam, ternyata AF Function dapat berfungsi. Harga pasaran 'second-hand' utk lens tersebut sekitar RM650 - RM750. Alhamdulillah, saya sangat beruntung! Berlebih-lebihlah saya tak sabar nak dapatkan lens yg satu lagi tu pada minggu depan.

Updated as at 29-Sep-2010:

Seperti yg dijanjikan, semalam saya bertemu semula penjual tersebut utk melangsaikan niat hati saya memborong tambahan dua item lagi seperti yg saya sebutkan di atas.

Lens Sigma 28-135mm f3.8-5.6 Macro Aspherical

Tamron Teleconverter 2x (kiri) & Extension Tube 2x (kanan)

Nota kaki: Lens Sigma dan Teleconverter Tamron tu saya dapat nego dgn harga borong $100 (harga diiklankan utk kedua-dua item tersebut adalah $300). Extension Tube 2x itu pula diberi percuma kepada saya. Lens sigma tu saya letakkan dalam bekas kedap udara yg telah di'kering'kan bersama lens didalamnya terlebih dahulu didalam Dry Cabinet utk membuang humidity didalamnya. Dengan cara itu dapatlah saya letak lens tu dalam almari pameran tanpa bimbang lens akan dijangkiti Fungus.

My New Line-up

2010-08-28T14:12:00.006+08:00

Dah lama saya mencari, dah lama saya mengidam.. akhirnya semalam dan pagi tadi saya dapat juga kedua-dua benda yg saya idam-idamkan tu. Yang saya maksudkan adalah lens idaman saya. Yang dapat semalam tu adalah Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm f/4 (IF) DX, manakala yg dapat pagi tadi pulak ialah Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L USM. Kedua-dua lens ni memang lens idaman saya. Bak kata pantun melayu lama...

Tinggi-tinggi si matahari
Anak kerbau mati tertambat
Sudah lama saya mencari
Baru kini saya mendapat

Dah dapat lens baru, semakin bersemangatlah saya untuk berekspresi hehehe..

The quest for My Dream Lens

2010-08-15T21:32:00.008+08:00

As the topic tells, this is the story on my quest for my Dream Lens. It started after the failed deal with the pre-owned Tokina AT-X 28-80mm f/2.8 SD AF PRO lens' owner sometime two weeks ago. Prior to meeting him, I made my homeworks to know better about the lens specifications and forced me to read all the reviews I can possibly searched on internet. I was then sort of trying to convince myself that if the lens that I will see is in good condition, I will settle my mind and take it as if that is the fast, professional grade, high performing, best general purpose zoom Lens that I badly want. However, it doesn't turned out as what I want it to be. Although the lens appearance did pleased my eyes but to my disappointment the glasses had somehow infected with mild fungus. I was quite hesitant to accept the facts that I have to say NO. The Tokina have all the things I was looking for in a dream Lens apart from what I mentioned above but also fast, very solidly built and not overly priced. Too bad I have to reject with broken heart and that's how the passion to start searching my dream baby has somewhat developed.

Then, I started to think about Canon 'L' Lens. But the first thing that wanders my mind was, can I afford one? The only baby that came into my mind was Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L. This is definitely the monster that I always drooling to own but the new one is too expensive and can cost my wallet a bomb. As an alternative I decided to settle for its predecessor, the pre-owned Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8L. I admitted the facts that this lens has been quite long in the market thus to search for a good copy might lead to an almost impossible mission. However, I was so determined that I started to dig and scouting all the 'posts' in photography forums that talks about the baby especially the trading section. I was so confident that I might found some clue that can help my quests.

At last, my determination gets paid when I finally found two posts that relates to two individuals owning the Lens of which they made several posting about selling their gears except the 28-70 baby which I couldn't find they did. However, I was in doubt because all their posts was made several months back. To clear my findings, I started to investigate deeper in all their posts and I became more confident that the Lens is still in their hands. Nonetheless, I was quite uncertain to asked at first but then I convinced myself that I have nothing to loose for asking.

To my surprise, the two gentlemen replied my PM (Personal Message) in the forum to confirm that, yes, they still owns the lens and indeed the lens is still their most dearest baby. The first gentleman told me that he sold off all his gears due to in need of cash but still retain the Lens due to some sentimental value over that baby thus he can't make up his mind. However he conceded that my PM has somehow clear-up his mind in making decision to finally part with his dearest baby and asked me to make an offer of which I did, and he agreed! He also confessed that it was a tough decision for him but finally willing to let it go due to the passion he saw in me when I told him about how I find him in the quest for the lens of which is very similar to his, according to him.

The second gentleman has a slightly different story. He told me that he started to disposed all his gears except one body, one speedlite and his favourite Lens as he is pursuing his studies overseas therefore he need to lighten his luggage. In a laughter emoticon he asked me how much that I can offer. I replied him that he is just a few minutes late that I have already committed to the earlier gentleman. Anyway, we became FB mate now and I told him that I look forward to see his inspiring photos after he has settled down on the new land, abroad.

All in all, I just realized that this passion (in finding my dream Lens) has somewhat shows some craziness that develops over time in me along the journey of my hobby in photography. It appears as an expensive hobby and some of the purchase I made look more as 'Want' rather than 'Need' but I always look at it from different perspective. To me, it was never an Extravaganza but rather an Investments instead.

Physical comparison: 24-70L vs. 28-70L

The 24-70L mounted to a Canon EOS 1D Mark III

Kuala Lumpur Rat Race 2010

2010-08-04T21:23:00.002+08:00

Saya tak pernah shoot gambar yg mana subjeknya sports event seperti marathon dan sebagainya. Semalam adalah percubaan saya yg pertama. Rupanya tak mudah juga nak capture moment yg menarik dgn subjek yg bergerak pantas seperti perlumbaan KL Rat Race 2010 yg berlangsung semalam. Kebetulan pula semalam saya bawa kamera ke ofis sebab bos mintak tolong kat saya cover sket majlis business seminar kat ofis, so alang-alang dah bawak tu saya dgn sorang lagi kawan saya turun ke bawah shoot event tu sebelum balik.

Senja Di Putrajaya

2010-08-01T15:14:00.003+08:00

Dua minggu lepas saya outing dgn kawan2 photog shoot scenery di Sg. Tua Ulu Yam. Jadi semalam saya ajak pulak isteri saya outing temankan saya ke Putrajaya hehe. Cadangnya nak shoot sunset di area berdekatan kawasan tasik Putrajaya. Tapi boleh pulak semalam masa nak pergi tu hujan turun, jadi tenggelam teruslah matahari yg saya harap2kan untuk memberi subjek sunset yg saya nak shoot tu. Jadi alang2 dah sampai, jadi saya tunggu aje lah sampai senja berlabuh. Tak dapat shoot sunset, dapat shoot reflections cahaya lampu bangunan dan jambatan putrajaya pun jadilah. Selain tu, shoot gambar isteri saya sikit.

Sebelum balik, saya ajak isteri saya singgah ke medan selera bersebelahan Masjid Putrajaya untuk makan malam. Kebanyakan gerai dah hampir tutup, jadi kami settledown dgn chicken chop di Secret Recipe aje. Lepas perut dah terisi, kami ambil angin di luar di ruang legar berhadapan tasik sambil selit2 kan sikit aksi isteri saya lagi hehe.

Natural versus Artificial ROL

2010-07-28T22:01:00.003+08:00

Sekadar nak share gambar kat atas nie. Sebelum tu, dalam entri kat bawah nie, gambar yg saya ambil masa outing di Sg. Tua Ulu Yam sebelum ni kaya dgn natural ROL, kerana pada masa kami pergi tu cuaca sejuk berkabus baru lepas hujan pada 2, 3 hari sebelumnya. Tapi pada masa saya shoot lagi pada outing yg kedua minggu lepas, cuaca sangat cerah dan panas 2,3 hari sebelumnya. Jadi.. tak adalah kabus, justeru tak adalah juga natural ROL. Agak hampalah juga sebab niat tak tercapai. Tapi disebabkan hajat hati nak abadikan gambar dengan ROL juga, jadi saya edit dan tambahkan artificial ROL pada gambar yg saya shoot ni menggunakan aplikasi photoshop. Hmmmm.. menarik juga hasilnya..

Belalang oh Belalang

2010-07-17T12:02:00.002+08:00

Malam semalam masa saya nak keluar pergi kedai, saya ternampak seekor anak belalang kunyit kat atas pokok bunga di tepi parking kereta dalam rumah saya. Oleh kerana masa tu hari dah gelap jadi saya bercadang esok paginya nak jenguk semula tengok belalang tu masih ada lagi ke tidak. Pagi tadi bila saya tengok semula, belalang tu masih ada kat situ. Apalagi, terus masuk rumah semula ambil kamera saya.

Jeram Sg. Tua, Ulu Yam Selangor

2010-07-10T21:35:00.005+08:00

Dah lama giler saya tak update blog saya nie. Dan dah lama giler juga saya tak bermain dengan kamera saya. Nasib baik simpan dalam dry cabinet. Kalau letak kat luar je dah lekat fungus agaknya. Maklumlah, busy tahap gaban.

Semalam, bila kawan saya mengajak utk outing ambik gambar ke jeram sungai berdekatan area selangor, saya tak berfikir panjang lantas terus bersetuju. Kami bertolak awal pagi dan tiba di jeram Sg. Tua lebih kurang pukul 7:45 pagi. Setibanya kami di lokasi yg dituju, kabus pagi masih lagi berbaki. Jadi dapatlah kami mengabadikan beberapa shots gambar yg mengandungi Ray of Lights yg asli. Jika berkesempatan lagi, saya pasti akan menyusul utk sesi yg kedua pula sebab itulah pengalaman pertama saya mengambil gambar scenery dalam hutan yg mengakibatkan saya rasa bercelaru dan jadi kurang kreatif utk berekspresi. InsyaAllah saya akan menyusul utk outing kedua nanti jika berpeluang sebab outing yg ini saya rasa kurang berpuas hati.

Akhirnya, Muktamad Sudah

2010-03-24T20:45:00.005+08:00

Lanjutan dari entri saya yg lepas yang menyebabkan saya termenung panjang tu, dan setelah berfikir agak lama juga.. akhirnya saya bulat dengan keputusan.. untuk membuat comeback in wedding photography. Bersama tiga lagi rakan wedding photographer di Kuala Lumpur, kami menubuhkan satu photographer group yg diberi nama Creative Pixel Studio. Semua rakan-rakan saya tersebut memang sudah bertapak dalam wedding photografi secara persendirian, namun setelah beberapa perbincangan kami sepakat untuk membuat representation nama kami dalam industri wedding photography dengan menampilkan satu branding.

Buat masa ni, kami masih sibuk menyiapkan website rasmi dan setelah mendaftarkan domain nya, kami merancang untuk melancarkannya selewat-lewatnya pada akhir bulan April 2010. Berdasarkan pengalaman saya yg menggunakan konsep yg sama sewaktu saya beroperasi di JB dulu, representation seperti ini lebih mudah untuk capture market dan menampakkan imej yg lebih profesional. Secara keseluruhan, group kami terdiri daripada 4 photographers di KL, 1 di Melaka dan 1 lagi di JB. Pada masa hadapan, kami mungkin akan meluaskan lagi jaringan kami dengan melatih lebih ramai ahli sebagai apprentis.

Saya tak tahulah samada saya larat atau tidak nanti. Tapi saya rasa, saya mungkin akan sangat selective utk memilih client dan semuanya bergantung pada masa lapang saya. Namun demikian, dengan kejayaan merealisasikan penubuhan kumpulan dengan konsep re-branding seperti ini, saya yakin akan dapat melonjakkan nama rakan-rakan photographer saya yg lain yg memang benar-benar serius dalam wedding photography untuk mereka pergi lebih jauh dalam industri ini. InsyaAllah.

Fireworks at Putrajaya

2010-03-21T11:44:00.002+08:00

Gambar bunga api ni di ambil semasa pesta Hot Air Balloon yg berlangsung di Putrajaya semalam. Gambar agak kurang menarik disebabkan framing yg agak ketat. Masa tu saya tak sure bunga api akan ditembak dari mana. Jadi saya dok menunggu ditepi tasik sambil kamera dah siap2 difokus dan diarahkan ke kawasan hot air balloon tersebut. Tiba-tiba bila bunga api ditembak, rupanya lokasi ia diletuskan ialah dari seberang kawasan tasik. Kelam kabut pusingkan tripod dan mula memetik shutter. Hasilnya, jarak composition yg pendek, tak dapat nak include persekitaran disebabkan lens tak cukup wide.

Dalam Dilemma

2010-03-06T12:28:00.006+08:00

Sila abaikan gambar di atas tu ye. Sebab saya pun tengah dok memikir apalah agaknya yg dimenungkan oleh mamat tu. Dalam bilik air pulak tu. Macam tengah buat bisnes je tu hehehe.

Sebenarnya gambar tu untuk menggambarkan betapa rumitnya dilema yg memerlukan saya berfikir panjang utk membuat keputusan. Sejak dua tiga bulan yg lepas, dah beberapa wedding job dari beberapa rakan photographer saya di KL ni yg meminta saya tolong 'cover' job dorang yg terpaksa saya tolak dgn baik memandangkan keputusan yg telah dibuat lama dulu utk saya berundur terus dari wedding job. Namun dalam hati kecil terdetik satu naluri yg meminta saya berfikir semula, mengapa tidak sekali sekala saya terima wedding job jika saya benar-benar berkelapangan.

Entahlah. Tapi sehingga ke saat saya menulis entri ini, saya masih rasa berat hati. Esok-esok nanti kalau terbuka hati saya semula, mana tahu mungkin saya akan berubah fikiran.

Buat masa ni saya rasa biarlah saya ambil approach, tunggu dan lihat dulu pada keadaan.

Wajah Seribu Kenangan

2010-02-20T09:57:00.005+08:00

Bagi sesiapa yg pernah berjumpa saya bersama isteri tentu dapat mengagak gambar pengantin mana yg berposing kat atas tu. Tak lain tak bukan itulah isteri saya yg tercinta semasa bergelar private model dulu. Mengapa private? Sebab beliau hanya menjadi model utk saya seorang saja hehehe.

Sebenarnya masa saya baru-baru berjinak2 dgn kamera dulu, saya perlukan subjek utk mempraktiskan pelajaran yg di ajar dalam kelas photography yg saya enrolled. Waktu tu saya belum shoot wedding lagi sebab ilmu tak cukup lagi. Jadi, setiap kali bila saya nak practice apa yg di ajar, isteri sayalah yg jadi mangsanya. Nasib baik beliau sporting hehe. Gambar kat atas tu saya terjumpa semasa saya selongkar kotak toyogo saya yg menyimpan sebahagian daripada hasil fotografi saya yg lepas yg dah berkarat tu. Bila dah selongkar tu, terjumpa balik sebahagian daripada gambar2 pengantin yg pernah saya shoot dulu. Kebanyakan yg lain saya tinggalkan di Kampung sebab masa berhijrah ke KL dulu banyak hasil kerja fotografi saya yg di peti besi kan terus di Kampung sebab saya tak mahu menoleh ke belakang lagi bila saya buat keputusan meninggalkan terus bidang fotografi sewaktu berhijrah ke KL dulu.

Tak sangka pulak bila saya main kamera semula sejak bulan september tahun lepas, saya teringin menjenguk kembali wajah2 pengantin yg pernah saya abadikan hari bersejarah mereka dulu. Kalau saya terjumpa dgn mereka semula sekarang, pastinya ramai diantara mereka yg dah beranak pinak dan fizikal pula semakin 'membesar' agaknya hehe. Saya harapkan mereka semua sedang berbahagia kini dengan alam rumahtangga yg dibina (walaupun saya tahu seorang daripada mereka kini telah bercerai. saya tumpang simpati).

Berbalik kepada job wedding saya dulu. Waktu awal2 shoot pengantin dulu (zaman SLR kamera guna filem), saya akan 'cuci' 2, 3 keping extra gambar setiap pasangan pengantin utk simpanan peribadi. So, macam tu lah rutinnya utk setiap job. Tapi lama kelamaan, saya jadi muak dan saya tidak lagi menyimpan 'salinan tambahan' utk simpanan sendiri sebab bila passion kita dah di komersilkan dan jadi rutin, kita akan jadi bosan. Tapi bila diingat2 kembali rasa menyesal pulak sebab tak simpan. Maklumlah, zaman tu kalau kita tak cuci extra sebelum serah gambar kepada pengantin, kita tak akan ada simpanan utk rujukan lagi sebab filem (negatif) juga dah diserahkan pada pengantin. Tak macam Digital SLR sekarang, kita boleh simpan soft-copy gambar tersebut sampai bila-bila.

Ternyata zaman dah berubah, Dunia dah maju. Wedding Fotografi dulu dan sekarang memang sangat2 berbeza. Dulu shooting pengantin (melayu), utk 'posing shots' cuma buat kat dalam rumah pengantin atau di studio saja. Sekarang ni, posing shots dah di bawa ke outdoor. Zaman saya dulu, shooting outdoor cuma photographer cina je yg buat. Wedding photography melayu cuma setakat indoor je. Lazimnya pengantin akan buat sesi tukar-tukar baju sampai 10 pasang (ada yg lebih dari tu). Lepas tu, kenalah pulak bawak backdrop dan studio lighting segala bagai sebab nak gambar cantik, dah tu terkena pulak kat rumah yg ruangnya sempit, dgn tetamu yg berlonggok kat keliling kita sebab nak tengok kita shoot, rasa tensionnnnn semacam. Tu yg kreativiti pun rasa terbantut dan rasa nak shoot cepat2 utk habiskan job tu cepat hehe. Tapi zaman sekarang best. Shoot event utk abadikan moment tu je, lepas tu bawak pengantin ke outdoor utk posing posing bagai. Sayangnya, saya tak sempat nak merasa shoot wedding outdoor sebab saya dah gantung kamera sebelum sempat saya melalui zaman tu.

Sebagai mengenang kembali suka-duka saya melalui zaman wedding photo dulu, saya abadikan gambar2 sebahagian dari pengantin tersebut dalam blog ni. Tapi, leceh betul nak load kat sini sebab saya cuma ada gambar (maklumlah, dulu print dari filem) jadi terpaksalah saya scan gambar tu satu-satu. Hui.. leceh sungguh. Tapi, berbaloilah utk memoirs saya.

Nota kaki: Saya akan ikut tag dgn kengkawan wedding photographer saya kat sini bila rasa gian nak menembak pengantin semula dah memuncak nanti. Tapi kat outdoor je lah. Indoor, saya memang dah muak!! hehe..

Hilltop - Bukit Broga

2010-01-18T14:19:00.006+08:00

Kat blog 'sebelah', saya ada post entri tentang pendakian saya di Bukit Broga. Seriously yg amat, pemandangan di Bukit tu memang sangat cantik. Tujuan asal saya daki bukit tu sebab nak shoot gambar matahari terbit. Tapi oleh kerana bila dah sampai puncak saya keletihan yg amat, matahari ke mana, kamera ke mana, saya pun ke mana hehehe. Dok terbaring melepak mencungap cari nafas dan nyawa sampai matahari terbit pun saya dah tak peduli lagi hehe. Masa matahari baru2 nak terbit tu, pemandangan dari atas bukit tu sangat spectacular, dengan suasana di bawah dan bukit-bukau di kejauhan yg berkabus dgn langit yg sangat membiru..perghh sayang sungguh saya dah tak larat nak keluarkan kamera shoot scenery masa tu. Tapi daripada tak shoot lansung, nasib baik jugalah saya sempat shoot beberapa shots gambar isteri saya utk kenang-kenangan sebelum turun semula sementara masih dingin, sebab kalau dah terik lagilah letih tak berdaya nanti. Saya berazam utk kembali lagi nanti utk sunrise dan scenery shot bila ada peluang pada masa hadapan, InsyaAllah.

Photography Forums

2010-01-16T11:17:00.005+08:00

Untuk golongan photographer, forum yg berkaitan dgn fotografi seperti Photoskool (skrg dah di re-branded jadi Malaysia Academy of Photography Arts), PhotoSantai, PhotoMalaysia dan Shutter Asia adalah di antara ruangan berforum yg pasti jadi pilihan sebab dapat 'berkumpul' secara maya dgn kelompok yg sealiran dalam bidang photografi ini. Saya mula-mula sekali mendekati forum2 ini bila saya rasakan ada keperluan utk mengikuti perkembangan terkini dunia fotografi bila saya mula mengaktifkan diri dalam hobi yg saya tinggalkan utk suatu jangkamasa yg agak lama dulu. Apa yg saya nak ceritakan di sini adalah pengamatan saya tentang ahli2 forum tersebut yg pelbagai ragam dan kadang2 mencuit hati kecil saya. Dalam banyak-banyak tu, ada tiga golongan yg mencuit hati saya dan hendak saya kupaskan di sini.

1. Penggila Kamera
Ini golongan yg paling ramai dalam dunia photografi. Golongan ini bukannya menzahirkan minat mereka dengan menghasilkan gambar yg cantik dan berseni tetapi dengan mengumpul koleksi peralatan yg high-end dan terkini. Perbincangan mereka dalam forum berkisar kepada "aku cadang nak rembat 5Dm2", "mana lebih bagus D90 atau D300", "model ni AF tak cukup lajulah", "model ni tak bole shoot 8 fps lah" dan lain2 perbincangan tentang mengupgrade gear. Nak tergelak saya baca. Yang saya heran tu, model kamera yg dia sebut AF nya tak cukup laju tu bukan calang2 model, dan dia nak kamera yg bole shoot 8 fps tu dia nak buat shoot apa? Kata saya dalam hati.. "Seperti si kudung mendapat cincin aje lagaknya hehe." Memang tidak dinafikan peralatan yg high-end adalah sangat membantu utk menghasilkan gambar yg baik tetapi principalnya adalah tangan yg memegang peralatan itu sendiri. Saya masih ingat lagi 10 tahun yg lalu ketika saya mula2 menceburi fotografi secara serius, Ketika itu kawan saya hanya menggunakan kamera SLR mechanical Yashica FX3 dgn flash yg kecil, sementara saya pula cuba utk menandinginya dgn menggunakan SLR terbaru ketika itu iaitu EOS50 dengan flash besar Metz 60CT4. Namun bila kami berjumpa utk bertukar2 pendapat dan melihat hasil foto pengantin yg kami shoot, saya rasa masih terkebelakang. Biarpun dgn peralatan yg sebegitu basic, hasil beliau sangat menakjubkan. Beliau memberi kesedaran kepada saya tentang peri pentingnya ilmu dan latihan yg berterusan utk memajukan diri.

2. Perasan Otai
Golongan ini agak menggelikan hati saya. Golongan ini biasanya senior2 dalam forum tersebut tetapi bukanlah senior manapun dalam dunia photografi. Mereka2 ini memiliki peralatan yg agak hebat, layaknya bila terpandang deretan peralatan kamera, mereka nampak setaraf PRO tetapi pada hakikatnya hanya tuhan yg tahu. Hasil foto pun setakat so-so saja tapi menyombong tak bertempat. Kata saya dalam hati... "Piii rah mabuk!" Saya berpendapat mereka2 yg perasan itu patut malu pada diri sendiri bila mereka meletakkan diri pada tempat yg tidak selayaknya dan menyombong diri pula. Mereka patut mencontohi pengasas Photoskool iaitu saudara SaifulNang yg walaupun bermula lewat tetapi kini sudah melayakkan dirinya di tempat yg agak tinggi dalam dunia photografi disebabkan passion dan usaha gigih yg berterusan tetapi masih humble dan sudi meluangkan masa utk aktiviti mengambil foto bersama2 dgn photographer tanpa mengira baru atau lama utk berkongsi ilmu dan pengalaman. Golongan seperti Saifulnang ini tanpa segan dan silu selayaknya dipanggil otai dan saya sangat memandang tinggi pada golongan seperti ini.

3. Wedding Photog Segera
Golongan yg ini yg paling menggelikan hati saya. Celik-celik mata je dah nak ambil gambar pengantin?? Hahaha.. kecut perut saya menahan tawa bila terbaca salah satu post dalam forum tu bertanyakan "gear apa yg sesuai utk tangkap gambar wedding sebab saya bercadang nak buat wedding job".. dalam hati saya berkata "what da heck!! hehehe". Dalam bidang apa pun yg kita nak buat, ilmu pengetahuan kena ada dulu, selepas itu setkan perancangan dan keyakinan. Setelah itu kuatkan dgn pendedahan dan pengalaman. Bila dah stabil dan yakin barulah galas amanah pengantin utk mengabadikan hari bersejarah mereka yg mungkin berlaku hanya sekali dalam seumur hidup pasangan tu. Tambahan pula, biasanya photographer yg buat wedding job tu mula memasuki bidang tu setelah lama 'bermain' dgn kamera mereka dan kadang2 ia terjadi atas saranan rakan photographer lain yg tahu akan keupayaan photographer tersebut utk mula menjadikan wedding photo sebagai salah satu cabang photo yg memberikan sedikit pulangan utk melayan hobi fotografi yg mahal. Saya sendiri pun memasuki bidang wedding dulu secara tak sengaja setelah didesak kawan2 yg lain. Itupun saya tak terus ambil job wedding. Saya ambil indoor dan outdoor portraiture course dgn kelab foto cina selama 6 bulan utk memantapkan ilmu. Setelah lulus, saya ikut kawan saya yg memang professional wedding photog utk 5 - 6 kali utk dapatkan pendedahan dan pengalaman dan lepas tu barulah saya galas amanah pengantin yg pertama secara bersendirian. Ini tidak.. celik-celik mata je dah nak shoot pengantin! hehe.. dunia.. dunia..

Kesimpulannya, forum-forum fotografi tersebut telah membuka minda saya tentang apa yg berlaku dalam masyarakat photografer di Malaysia. Walaupun ini adalah budaya baru dimana sesetengah photographer menjadikan forum-forum tersebut sebagai platform 'melepak' mereka, namun pada hakikatnya, forumer2 tersebut hanya mewakili sebilangan kecil sahaja daripada keseluruhan masyarakat photographer di mana masih ramai lagi photographer berhaluan kiri seperti kawan2 photographer saya yg lain di luar sana yg lebih selesa dgn tidak berforum tetapi mengekspresikan dunia fotografi mereka dgn lebih serius dan berjaya di dunia realiti.

Sinar Rembulan

2010-01-01T16:30:00.004+08:00

Malam tadi sewaktu duduk di balkoni melayan angin malam saya terperasan bulan mengambang yg sangat bulat dan cerah dan hanya dikelilingi awan nipis. Bergegas saya masuk ke dalam mengambil kamera dan mendirikan tripod utk mengabadikan gambar bulan tersebut sebab kalau lambat pasti awan berat akan mula berarak dan melitupi sinaran tersebut. Snap yg pertama gambar tak menjadi dan bulan jadi kembang dgn cahaya pecah disekelilingnya. Maklumlah, ini kali pertama shoot gambar bulan cerah hehe. Waktu tu saya guna ApertureValue Mode dgn ISO100 dan set aperture yg paling kecil iaitu F40 dan saya gunakan metering 'Center-weighted'. Lepas tu saya tukar aperture besarkan sedikit guna common F-stop iaitu F8 dan tukar metering ke Spot', barulah gambar menjadi. Dapat shoot lebih kurang 6 shots, awan dah mula masuk tutup bulan. Nasib baiklah saya sempat shoot Sinar Rembulan saya hehe.

Light Rays II

2009-12-23T21:09:00.006+08:00

Lama rasanya saya tak edit gambar ala-ala Agah Permadi dan Rarindra Prakarsa. Utk photographer tegar pasti sudah kenal siapakah beliau yg saya maksudkan tersebut. Siapa lagi jika bukan pakar Ray of Lights yg hasil kerja editing mereka dikagumi oleh ramai photographer di seluruh dunia. Untuk post kali ni, saya tempek sekeping lagi hasil editing saya mengaplikasikan konsep Ray of Lights tersebut. Gambar ini adalah gambar kahwin rakan sekerja saya yg meminta gambar beliau diedit dgn penambahan Light Rays. Kali ini saya gunakan teknik yg berbeza daripada teknik yg saya gunakan sebelum ini. Sebenarnya banyak cara untuk menghasilkan light rays tersebut. Terpulang kepada kepandaian kita mempelbagaikan penggunaan tools yg terdapat dalam aplikasi photoshop, dan yg paling penting sekali adalah kreativiti.

Foto Asal

Superimpose Technique

2009-12-18T10:41:00.009+08:00

Lanjutan dari entri di bawah, oleh kerana saya tak dapat buat outdoor shooting semasa wedding anak saudara isteri saya tu, jadi saya buatkan satu gambar superimpose guna photoshop. Bukan superimpose kepala guna kat badan lain, tapi superimpose kepada latar-belakang lain. Saya cantumkan gambar pengantin tu dgn gambar saya masa kat Bukit Tinggi hari tu. Ye lah, daripada takde langsung gambar outdoor, dapat sekeping gambar outdoor yg di create sendiri pun jadilah hehe....

Gambar Asal

Selamat Pengantin Baru buat Ika & Amy

2009-12-14T22:51:00.003+08:00

Ini entri sempena 'sumbangan' saya pada anak saudara isteri saya yg melangsungkan perkahwinannya pada hari Sabtu yg lepas di Pontian, Johor. Tak sangka pulak selepas lebih 5 tahun saya bersara dari wedding photo job, kakak ipar saya tu tiba-tiba membuka mulut bertanya kalau-kalau saya boleh mengambil gambar kahwin anak perempuan tunggal beliau. Sebenarnya saya agak keberatan sedikit tapi bila beliau bersungguh-sungguh menyuarakan hasrat tersebut kerana tiada peruntukan utk wedding photog, tak sampai hati pula saya hendak menolaknya. Soalan pertama yg di ajukan kepada saya sebaik saya tiba adalah "ada bawak kamera tak Mat?" hehe.. sabar ajelah. Saya tiba setelah majlis nikah tamat, dan hati saya sedikit terkilan bila saya dapat tahu tiada jurugambar yg merakamkan majlis nikah tersebut. Majlis perkahwinan tersebut dibuat dengan sangat sederhana dengan undangan tetamu yg kecil yg terdiri daripada kawan2 rapat kepada ayah pengantin dan keluarga terdekat kepada ibu dan ayah pengantin perempuan sahaja.Oleh kerana keadaan rumah yg agak sempit, saya pada mulanya bercadang nak bawa pengantin keluar ke kawasan berdekatan utk membuat outdoor shoot selepas majlis selesai tapi nasib tidak menyebelahi kami disebabkan hujan mulai turun. Tiada rezeki utk berposing shoot di luar, saya sekadar dapat berpuas hati dengan memetik beberapa shot di atas pelamin saja.

Selamat Datang Orang Baru!

2009-11-25T22:11:00.003+08:00

Setelah berhari-hari tak lena tidur malam, buah hati yg saya tunggu-tunggu akhirnya sampai juga ke riba. Alahai, macam bebudak dapat permainan baru je lagaknya saya ni. Al maklum sajalah.. cuma orang 'gila kamera' macam saya je yg paham perasaan macam saya ni hehe. Ini pun kira dah kurang sikit ni. Dulu masa muda remaja, kalau dapat kamera cenggini, mau tidur pun saya kepit kat sebelah saya hehe.

Buah hati yg baru ni agak besar bila dibanding dgn DSLR yg lama tu, macam bapak dgn anak. Bila diangkat dan digenggam pun rasa solid sangat-sangat. Tak macam EOS 1000D yg dulu. Mana taknya, 1000D tu bodynya plastic, yg EOS 40D ni pulak bodynya guna magnesium alloy. Tu yg berat cam bata je tu. Bila dah attach dgn battery grip dan lens, beratnya dah jadi 2kg. Alahai, alamat lenguhlah lengan saya kalau shoot lama-lama nanti. Tapi.. itu pun kalau ada masa nak berekspresi dgn gear baru ni. Kalau dok busy memanjang, maknanya bertapa kat dalam dry cabinet ajelah buah hati baru saya ni hehe.

P/S - Mahal sungguh nak menyara hobi fotografi ni, tapi dah minat saya ke situ, nak buat macamana.. ye tak :)

Bon Voyage My Darling

2009-11-17T15:27:00.008+08:00

Setelah bersama semenjak 28 June 2009 akhirnya kami terpaksa berpisah juga. Yang saya maksudkan ialah DSLR 1000D saya. Saya masih ingat lagi ketika saya mula-mula hendak membeli kamera dizaman SLR guna filem dulu. Saat mula2 duit dah cukup utk membeli kamera, pada malam tu saya dok resah semacam tak sabar nak tunggu esok menjelang. Keghairahan dan excitement nak menyerbu kedai kamera tu sangat tidak tergambar dengan kata-kata. Hanya orang yg gila kamera seperti saya saja yg tahu bagaimana perasaannya. Pendek kata sebelum dapat tu, asyik dok terbayang jer. Makan tak kenyang, mandi tak basah. Macam orang gatal nak berbini saja lagaknya hehe. Bila dah dapat dan dibawa balik kerumah pulak, rasa macam nak bawak tidur sama setiap masa. Celik je mata mesti nak pandang kat kamera tu. Dibelai-belai sayang macam belai bini pulak hehe. Tapi itu dulu, dah berzaman berlalu cerita tu. Sekarang ni, walaupun dah kurang excitementnya, namun sikit2 perasaan tu masih ada lagi tersisa seperti waktu saya membeli DSLR 1000D saya 4 bulan yg lepas. Cuma tak kemarok macam dulu2.

Hari ni, bulat tekad saya utk melepaskan kamera DSLR pertama saya tu. Saya menjaganya cukup baik sehingga dibelikan rumah khas utk dia (Dry Cabinet). Saya ingatkan jodoh saya dengannya akan panjang, rupa-rupanya tak sampai setengah tahun saya dah ceraikan dia talak tiga. Memang ini penyakit biasa yg akan melanda orang gila kamera. Susah nak hentikan tabiat meng'upgrade'. Asyik gatal je hati tu bila terpandang model yg lebih tinggi. Walaupun berat rasa hati nak melepaskan 'gundik' lama tapi demi 'gundik' baru yg bakal dilamar tak lama lagi, terpaksalah saya relakan kepergiannya. Selamat tinggal wahai 1000D ku. Selamat datang pula wahai 40D.

Kenangan terakhir 1000D saya sebelum dibungkus seperti asal. sob..sob..

Berbungkus seperti mula2 saya mendapatnya dulu utk berpindah ke tangan pemilik yg baru.

Tortoise

2009-10-25T12:27:00.003+08:00

Lama saya tak main dengan macro subject. So pagi tadi saya pun dok memikir apa subjek makro yg best utk di snap ek. Nak snap bunga, rasa malas pulak nak keluar pergi cari bunga. Nak snap serangga? Mana plak nak cari serangga. Tup-tup, terpikir nak snap macro gambar kura-kura. Tapi nak snap kura-kura ni bukan mudah juga rupanya. Kepala dia tu asyik nak menyorok jer. Nak tunggu dia keluarkan kepala dia tu untuk di snap secara natural agak payah juga. hehe sabor ajelah. Nak tahu lokasi di mana saya snap kura-kura tu? Klik SINI.

Se Petang di Sawah padi

2009-10-18T22:30:00.000+08:00

Lama juga saya tak update gambar terbaru di blog ni. Kesibukan kerja benar-benar mengekang waktu saya utk berekspresi dgn lensa kamera saya. Namun demikian saya berkesempatan juga utk memanaskan kamera saya sekejap di sawah padi di Kuala Selangor siang tadi. Tapi tak banyak shot yg saya petik sebab sinar matahari yg terlalu terik. Tambahan pula saya kesana tanpa perancangan awal. Tujuan ke sana adalah utk memenuhi permintaan isteri saya yg teringin sangat hendak melihat sawah padi. Setahu saya kalau nak tengok bendang, boleh pergi ke Kuala Selangor, Sekinchan atau Sabak Bernam. Lepas sarapan pagi tadi terus saya tanya isteri saya nak pergi tengok sawah padi tak? Tersenyum lebar dia mendengar pelawaan saya. Terus saya search Google Map utk tengok jalan ke Kuala Selangor. Saya tak pernah lagi memandu hingga ke kawasan sebelah sana jadi lebih baik saya tinjau dipeta dulu. Sedikit sebanyak dapatlah membantu saya nanti.

Lebih kurang pukul 1:30 tengahari tadi saya dan isteri bersama anak bungsu saya keluar dari rumah. Saya tiba di Kuala Selangor lebih kurang 1 jam lima belas minit kemudian. Tapi setiba saya disana saya tak nampak kelibat walau sepetak sawah padi pun dari laluan utama jalanraya. Namun demikian saya teruskan juga memandu menuju ke Sabak Bernam kalau-kalau ternampak nanti bolehlah saya membelok masuk. Namun setelah menghampiri Sekinchan iaitu separuh perjalanan ke Sabak Bernam, saya hampir-hampir berputus-asa dan ingin berpatah balik kerana seperti tiada bayang-bayang sawah padi pun yg kelihatan. Namun berkat kesabaran, 2 minit selepas itu saya ternampak seperti kelibat kehijauan sawah sewaktu saya menoleh ke kanan jalan. Terus saya perlahankan kereta dan mencari jalan utk berpatah balik dan masuk ke simpang jalan tersebut. Alhamdulilah termakbul hajat saya utk merealisasikan impian isteri saya utk melihat bendang dan memegang rumpun padi.Saya turut rasa seronok dan pasti akan kembali ke sana semula suatu masa nanti untuk 'menembak' lagi.

Tutorial for Light Rays

2009-10-17T11:11:00.006+08:00

Salam.. seperti yg dijanjikan sebelum ni, saya buatkan tutorial bagaimana nak membuat light rays seperti gambar di atas berbanding gambar yg asal. Tapi untuk sesiapa yg nak mencuba teknik ni mestilah sudah ada pengetahuan asas tentang photoshop sebab step-step yg saya beri kat bawah ni adalah high-level steps. Seperkara lagi, teknik ni tak boleh diaplikasikan begitu saja pada sebarang gambar sebab ia harus disesuaikan dengan suasana dalam gambar tersebut. Jika suasananya sesuai, dengan menambahkan light rays akan menambahkan dan menyerlahkan mood dramatik kepada gambar tersebut. Samada nak kesan cahaya tu kuat atau longgar, terpulanglah kepada citarasa masing2. Semoga panduan asas dibawah ni dapat membantu utk sesiapa yg hendak mencuba.

1. Buat layer kepada gambar tersebut: 'Layer'->'Duplicate Layer'.
2. Setelah itu klik kepada layer tersebut dan pergi ke menu 'Image'.
3. Pilih 'Image'->'Adjustment'->'Level'.
4. Tarik pointer yg paling kiri ke arah yg paling kanan sekali.

5. Gambar layer tersebut akan menjadi gelap dan sumber cahaya akan terserlah.

6. Gunakan tool brush dan warnakan selain dari sumber cahaya tersebut kepada warna hitam.

7. Setelah itu pergi ke menu Filter dan pilih 'Blur'->'Radial Blur'.

8. Pilih amount 100, blur method 'zoom', quality 'best' dan adjustkan 'blur centre' sama seperti lokasi sumber cahaya tersebut ke arah yg dikehendaki.

9. Duplicatekan layer yg telah siap itu dan ulang step 7 & 8 (tapi tak payah adjust 'blur centre') hingga 4 atau 5 kali atau sehingga anda dapat kesan yg anda mahukan. Sebagai jalan pintas boleh gunakan [Ctrl+J] dan [Ctrl + F].

10. Setelah langkah tersebut siap, anda akan dapat beberapa layer 'gambar cahaya'. Gabungkan layer tersebut dengan pilih 'Layer'->'Merge down' atau [Ctrl+E] hingga tinggal 1 layer.

11. Untuk menjadikan layer tersebut kelihatan di atas gambar asal, klik pada tab layer dan pilih 'screen'.

12. Sekarang light rays tersebut akan kelihatan pada gambar. Ubah-suaikan warna dan saturation pada layer. Sesuaikan juga level, curve dan lain-lain image adjustment pada backgroundnya mengikut citarasa masing-masing.

Selamat mencuba!

Satay anyone?

2009-10-16T22:53:00.007+08:00

Bila saya buka blog ni petang tadi, saya garu kepala yg tak gatal ni sekejap sambil tersenyum sumbing. Bukannya apa. Dah berabad rupanya saya biarkan blog saya ni seperti rumah yg tak berpenghuni. Tapi sebenarnya bukan saya sengaja tak nak update. Tapi masa saya memang sangat-sangat terhad sejak dua tiga bulan kebelakangan ni disebabkan komitmen kerja. Jangankan nak update blog, kamera saya tu pun dah sejuk keras duduk dalam drybox sebab tak digunakan. Itupun nasib baik hari tu dapat dipanaskan sekejap sebab saya menghadiri event Msjbox di JB. Gambar-gambar yg ditembak disana adalah gambar2 coverage acara rumah terbuka dan yg sewaktu dengannya. Tak ada yg menarik utk dipertontonkan di sini. Cuma saya agak tertarik dgn satu gambar yg dipetik oleh isteri saya iaitu waktu saya sedang membantu membakar sate kerana itulah kali yg pertama dalam hidup saya, saya membakar sate. Entah apa rasanya sate tu hehe. Dan utk menyuntik sedikit mood dalam gambar tu, saya editkan mengikut style Agah Permadi . Nampaknya saya sudah semakin selesa dengan style beliau.

Light Rays

2009-08-29T18:00:00.005+08:00

Saya sangat tertarik melihat gambar yg menampakkan garisan sulur cahaya. Contohnya seperti gambar pokok-pokok didalam hutan dimana cahaya matahari yg cerah diatasnya akan menampakkan garisan cahaya menembusi dedaunan dari pokok-pokok tersebut hingga ke lantai hutan. Saya sangat menyukai teknik tersebut dan saya jadi sangat teruja bila saya masuk ke website dua orang photographers iaitu Agah Permadi dan Rarindra Prakarsa. Banyak dari foto-foto mereka yg menampakkan teknik tersebut. Saya sangka pada mulanya yg teknik tersebut hanya dapat dihasilkan menggunakan setting-setting tertentu pada kamera dan dalam keadaan tertentu saja semasa kita menangkap gambar tersebut. Rupanya sangkaan saya itu tidaklah 100% tepat. Oleh kerana hari ini saya tak buat apa-apa jadi saya duduk mengadap laptop dan cuba utk menghasilkan gambar seperti itu menggunakan teknik Photoshop dan ternyata saya berjaya mendapatkan hasil tersebut dalam gambar saya. Hasilnya sangat mengujakan saya dan pastinya saya akan cuba mengaplikasikannya pada foto2 saya yg sesuai pada masa akan datang.

Foto setelah diedit

Foto asal

Senja Di Putrajaya

2009-08-09T09:30:00.000+08:00

Petang semalam saya pergi ke Putrajaya untuk melihat Pesta Bunga. Saya sampai di sana lebih kurang dalam pukul 6 setengah. Oleh kerana saya tak berapa pasti akan lokasinya, saya terjah aje ke area berdekatan jambatan. Nasib baik tekaan saya betul. Ketika saya sampai ada tiba biji belon udara panas sedang berapungan diudara. Selepas 'menembak' belon tersebut langit dah beransur suram menghampiri pukul 7 malam. Hilang kisah saya nak tengok bunga, saya bergegas pergi ke kawasan tasik pula sebab saya rasa disana pemandangan tentu lebih cantik untuk dirakamkan. Tambahan pula, saya belum pernah menembak gambar langit melepasi senja.

Ole-ole dari Kampung

2009-08-03T21:30:00.000+08:00

Hujung minggu yg lepas saya balik kampung ke Johor Bahru kerana ada urusan sikit. Dalam pada tu saya berkesempatan utk berjumpa dengan kawan-kawan baik saya iaitu Kasawari dan juga Lin sekeluarga. Lin dan suaminya En Sabar bawa kami semua utk makan tengahari di Restoran Todak di Teluk Jawa. Walaupun saya berasal dari Johor Bahru, tapi inilah kali pertama saya pergi ke tempat tersebut yg berkonsepkan restoran terapung di tepi laut. Pemandangan disitu agak spectacular dan inilah beberapa shot di sekitar restoran tersebut yg menawan pandangan saya.

Pepatung

2009-07-26T21:17:00.005+08:00

Omputeh kata, "practice make perfect". Ertinya kalau kita kerap berlatih, lama-lama kita akan jadi cekap. Kalau kita tinggalkan sesuatu bidang tu tanpa digilap, lama2 ia akan semakin tumpul. Itulah yg saya rasa sekarang. Saya terasa seperti kreativiti saya dah semakin tumpul. Rasa agak tersekat2 dan inspirasi sangat lambat utk membungakan idea, tak macam dulu-dulu. Nampaknya saya kena semakin rajin 'menembak' utk menggilap kembali idea yg dah semakin berkarat. Semoga saya akan mempunyai lebih masa terluang nanti, Amin...

Gambar pepatung kat bawah ni saya ambil masa saya berjalan2 ambil angin petang tadi di Taman Metropolitan Kepong bersama Siti dan Haqim. Yg kelakarnya masa nak shoot pepatung tu, dia asyik lari jer sebab saya cuba mendekatinya sedekat yg boleh, maklumlah senapang saya tak cukup panjang dan tiada stabilizer. Tambahan pula saya tak bawak tripod, jadi terpaksalah shoot dengan menopang lens saya pada kepala lutut utk mengurangkan goyang. Inilah bahananya bila ingin berkreatif dengan peralatan yg terlalu asas. Kalaulah saya ada lens yg lebih tajam, laju dan pantas... Namun buat masa ini saya sekadar dapat berpuashati dengan peralatan yg sekadarnya saja utk terus berekspresi.. sedihnya...

An Evening At Pavillion

2009-07-19T00:21:00.003+08:00

Petang tadi saya dan isteri pergi ke Pavillion. Hasrat sebenarnya adalah utk menonton Transformers buat kali yg keduanya, namun gagal kerana tiket habis. Terus saya ajak CT meronda-ronda disekitar Pavillion, Bukit Bintang dan setelah itu kami melepak di Starbuck. Di luar Pavillion saya ternampak Water Fountain yg agak mecuri perhatian. Nasib baiklah saya bawa kamera bersama, dapatlah saya mengabadikan sedikit gambar Pancutan Air tersebut yg diambil dalam dua waktu yg berlainan. Pertamanya sewaktu langit masih cerah dan selepas itu bila hari dah gelap sebelum kami balik. Tapi sebelum melepak di Starbuck, sempat juga saya merakam aksi 'Silver Man' yg beraksi dgn street shownya di hadapan Sg Wang Plaza.

The Colours of Water

Centre of Attraction

My Other Half...

Cactus in Rim Lights

2009-07-10T09:16:00.006+08:00

Saya tak bekerja hari ni sebab dapat cuti ganti disebabkan saya terpaksa bekerja hari Sabtu yg lepas. Mula-mula saya ingat nak claim elaun tapi lepas tu saya saja bukak mulut tanya kat big boss kalau saya tak nak claim boleh tak ganti dgn 1 hari cuti. Surprisingly dia kata no problem hehe. Tu yg saya bangun lambat sikit hari ni. Lepas mandi je matahari dah meninggi dan ternampak pulak pokok kaktus mini saya kat balkoni dipanah terik mentari pagi. Tu yg tergatal tangan nak shoot. Dah 2 minggu kamera saya terperap dalam Dry Cabinet jer sebab takde masa nak berekspresi dgn foto. Tapi hasilnya kurang memuaskan sebab cahaya dah terlalu keras dan lens saya pula tidak dipasang polarizer filter. Apapun, lepaslah gian saya sekejap nak menembak hehe.

Introduction

2009-06-27T12:19:00.004+08:00

Saya mula menanam minat untuk menjadikan fotografi sebagai hobi yg serius seawal saya berusia 9 - 10 tahun. Segala-galanya mula berputik daripada melihat lagak 'apek tukang gambar' yg beraksi mengambil gambar perkahwinan berhampiran rumah saya sewaktu saya kecil. Saya amat tertarik melihat apek tersebut memikul kameranya yg besar bersama lampu flash yg rupanya seperti senduk gulai kawah pengantin. Setiap kali bila lampu flash tersebut menyala saya akan rasa sangat gembira. Waktu itu saya tak tahupun yg sebenarnya saya tak masuk dalam fokus pun, dan sebenarnya cuma terkena kilasan lampu tersebut dari sisi. Namun, itupun sudah cukup utk saya rasa gah dan berangan-angan utk memiliki kamera seperti itu bila saya sudah besar nanti.

Apabila saya melangkah ke tingkatan 4, saya mula menyisihkan sebahagian besar daripada duit belanja sekolah utk membeli kamera compact yg rupanya seakan kamera SLR yg setiap hari saya intai setiap kali bila habis waktu sekolah disebuah kedai kamera dijalan Wong Ah Fook, JB. Hampir sebulan lebih rasanya selepas mula2 melihat kamera tersebut, saya panik bila pada suatu hari kamera tersebut telah tiada lagi dalam rak pameran kedai tersebut. Saya rasa seperti nak menangis bila apek kedai tersebut memberitahu saya yg kamera tersebut sudah dijual. Tapi saya lega semula bila apek tersebut meyakinkan saya yg stok baru akan sampai seminggu kemudian.

Itulah permulaan kisah ketaksuban saya kepada fotorafi dan kamera pada tahun 1984 sewaktu saya berusia16 tahun. Bermula dari kamera compact yg tiada jenama, saya mula beralih kepada kamera yg lebih serius dua tahun kemudian iaitu kamera jenama 'Canon Demi' yg sempat saya pakai hampir 2 tahun. Kamera tersebut saya jual kepada seorang rakan kemudiannya kerana saya diberitahu oleh kedai kamera bahawa bateri utk kamera tersebut sudah dihentikan pengeluarannya dari kilangnya di Jepun kerana model tersebut sudah terlalu lama berada dalam pasaran. Hobi saya dalam fotografi terhenti terus sebaik saya menjual kamera tersebut.

Kamera canggih saya yg terawal iaitu Canon Demi

Saya terdetik utk memulakan semula hobi dalam fotografi setelah saya berkahwin dan mendapat anak yg pertama dan saya buat keputusan utk mencuba-cuba kamera SLR pula. Model SLR milik saya yg pertama adalah Canon EOS888.

Canon EOS888. Kamera SLR pertama saya.

Setelah saya mula menggunakan kamera tersebut, saya terasa yg saya ingin lebih mendalami bidang fotografi dan saya mula membeli buku-buku rujukan tentang fotografi. Selain buku, saya juga mula meminati majalah fotografi. Bermula dari situlah kemudiannya saya berjinak-jinak pula utk menyertai Kelab Fotografi Johor. Dari situ saya mula bergaul dgn golongan photographer yg semuanya sangat serius tentang photografi. Namun demikian, sesuatu yg saya kesan tentang mereka adalah, ada antara kalangan mereka yg bukan jenis 'gila seni photo' tetapi 'gila kamera'. Bila saya berada bersama mereka-mereka inilah, saya mula merasa kerdil kerana hanya menggunakan SLR EOS888. Saya tak tunggu lama selepas itu kerana panas telinga dan mula upgrade kepada EOS50 dan EOS5 tidak lama kemudian. Ternyata bidang photografi menuntut perbelanjaan yg amat tinggi. Lebih daripada 10 ribu ringgit saya habiskan utk kamera bersama kelengkapan lens dan flashnya. Tetapi saya agak lega sedikit tidak lama selepas itu setelah saya menyahut saranan rakan saya utk melibatkan diri secara sambilan sebagai jurufoto pengantin pada hujung minggu utk menyara hobi yg mahal ini. Sedikit demi sedikit pelaburan saya mula terbayar semula malah saya mula menikmati hasil lumayan bila khidmat saya sebagai jurufoto pengantin semakin memuncak beberapa bulan selepas itu. Sayangnya saya terpaksa melepaskan kerja sambilan hujung minggu yg lumayan tersebut bila saya ditukarkan kerja dari JB ke KL. Oleh kerana ingin memberi tumpuan sepenuhnya pada kerja disamping utk memulakan kehidupan ditempat baru, saya menjual kesemua peralatan fotografi saya kecuali Kamera EOS50 yg masih lagi saya simpan dan berfungsi dgn baik. Penghijrahan saya dari JB ke KL seakan turut menguburkan hobi saya dalam fotografi kerana EOS50 saya tidak pernah disentuh lagi semenjak dari hari pertama lagi saya berpindah ke KL. Dan rupanya begitulah penamatnya penglibatan saya dalam SLR yg menggunakan filem.

Canon EOS50 saya yg masih tersimpan dan berfungsi dgn baik.

Kini, era baru digital SLR telah mula mencuit hati saya utk mula bermain dgn fotografi semula. Tetapi saya mulakan semula hobi ini dgn langkah kecil kerana saya tahu bila SLR mula memasuki era digital, era teknologinya akan bergerak sangat pantas. Saya akan hanya 'upgrade' bila saya rasa benar-benar selesa nanti. Tambahan pula, saya tidak mahu menghamburkan pelaburan yg tinggi utk peralatan kerana saya anggap yg saya 'orang baru' dalam era digital walaupun sebenarnya saya sudah lama dalam fotografi.

Pencetus utk saya mula kembali kedalam hobi fotografi

Namun demikian, walau sekuat mana saya cuba mengelak, ternyata bidang ini memang menuntut pembiayaan yg tinggi utk memenuhi keperluan peralatan asas dan saya sudah membayangkan menulis senarai yg panjang. Saya harap saya akan dapat mengawal diri agar tidak terikut2 utk meng'upgrade' kamera dan melambak gadjet photografi seperti sewaktu saya di JB dulu. Dan saya akan terus mengingatkan diri saya akan prinsip terasnya iaitu 'menggilai seni photo' bukannya 'menggilai kamera'. InsyaAllah.