九寨溝

去得成九寨溝，首先都係要感謝 Virgina 小姐的準備。
沒有她就跟本去不成。 


九寨溝，聽了很多，照片都久不久都會看到。但是很多東西真的沒有去過，看過是真的不相信。
很多相看起來很假，但是就是這樣。
黃色的樹，綠色的林，青色的湖，紅色的花，藍色的天。
稀來往樣的人，就只有圖畫才有的顏色和構圖，都竟然在這兒看到。

Pentax DA12-24

初秋的九寨溝已帶著涼意，再加上地理關係和各樣客觀的條件。旅行的頭幾天是不容易的。

斯德哥爾摩 - Mid Summer

難得可以係暑假去斯德哥爾摩。難得可以同舊老闆出海。
難得有一個好天氣，在波羅的海享受著由北極吹來的陣陣涼風。
在一個沒有日落的地域上，過著一個非一般的夏季。

DA21, DA12-24 @ Clarke Quay

In one evening, the sky was pretty and I have went to Clarke Quay to take few evening shots.
 

 

DA21

 

DA21

DA12-24@15mm

DA21 隨影

Pentax DA21 已經收埋左一段時間，因為有一段時間發覺佢 D 相好似唔係咁好，但係近日發現 有無用 Hood 同相片出尼既 Quality 有直接既關係，結果早一排係香港就買返一塊 43mm 既 Filter，可以裝入 DA21 本身既 Hood 入邊。因為咁，我既 DA21 獲得重生。

其實，早一論用緊 DA*16-50 既時侯，已經係某一 D 相入片，一眼已經知道係 DA21 影出尼。而開頭係無呢一個感覺既。直至用過 DA18-55 / DA50-200 -> DA40 / DA21 -> DA18-250 -> DA*16-50。再睇返 DA21 D 相，先至發現呢個鏡頭可愛之處。

想影 Wide 可以，Close up 得，Snap Shot 都一流。

雖然最近入手 FA43，但係今日都影左好多隨拍照。

下個星期好似有 Pentax 活動，睇下到時我會用 DA21 定係 FA43 啦。

Pentax DA* 16-50 and DA 17-70

There are not many choices for a standard zoom for Pentax. Nowadays, there are few choices
- DA18-50
- DA16-45
- DA17-70
- DA*16-50
- Sigma 17-70

There are lot of comparison between the DA16-45 and DA17-70, but not many between DA17-70 and DA*16-50. I got a chance to borrow a DA17-70 to try for a while, and finally got time to do a comparison.

The test below was carried out in my office in the night time and It was not professional at all. So if you see any obvious problems, please kindly share with me. The chop area is not very ideal due to various limitations. The conclusion is also very subjective. If you don't agree, just voice it out. :)

Setup:
- Pentax K20D
- On tripod with shutter release cable.
- Av (I should use M, but forgot to do so because it was too late)
- Spot Metering, Automatic White Balance, ISO 100, Spot Focus, JPG.



Scenario:

 

@16/17mm

@36mm

@50/53mm

 

@70mm

Conclusion:
- The center resolution between DA*16-50 and DA17-70 is similar.
- The border resolution of DA*16-50 is slightly better than DA17-70.
- The extreme border resolution of DA17-70 looks better than DA*16-50.
- The color rendering of DA*16-50 is more saturated.

In the daily shot, my feeling is that the DA*16-50 actually can provide a more 3D image than DA17-70, even for the same f4/f5.6. However, this is really a subjective feeling after using various lens.

The original size of the above chops can be found under:
http://picasaweb.google.com.hk/matchz/

星加坡榴蓮

本人而言，覺得星加坡人對榴蓮有一種情意結，位於這中心的文化中心 "The Durain" 就是一個好例子。我覺得。

記得好多年前見到”呢檀野"，有一個榴蓮於市中心，眉頭一鄒。
當然，這一個榴蓮的 Designer 不是星加坡人，他對榴蓮有沒有認識，我不肯定。

即是又好像一套快要上影的星加坡電影 "The Days"，Poster 入邊又有一個榴蓮 (Poster 最右手邊的那一個人手上的東西)。種種看見的都令我有這一種榴蓮情意結的想法。

但是那一個（其實係一對）榴蓮劇院 (The Durain) 是一個不錯的影相對像，跟在香港影維港沒有分別。再加上附近 既 Singapore Flyer 同埋隻星加坡獅子，另到所有去睇獅子既人都會順便好好奇咁走去看一看。榴蓮劇院特別的設計的確比香港既文化中心更能為為一個 Icon，而少有趣一點。再加上晚上從榴蓮刺透出來的光芒，會另我對這一個榴蓮拍下幾張照片。

在香港，拍維港的人行多，本地人好，外國人好，又過維港的時侯，又有多少人看過文化中心一眼？

Pentax K20D, DA*16-50

最後，The Durain 只係一個花名，真名是 The Esplanade。

Btw，係我睡房望出去係望到半個榴蓮既。

Singapore Weather

Typhoon in Hong Kong again!

What I mean is this Typhoon is signal 8 again. In general, Hong Kong people do not think a signal 3 can be called as a Typhoon. The good thing for typhoon signal 8 is all (or most) people will get an extra holiday. Not only typhoon, a really heavy rain would also give HK people an extra holiday. The reason of giving an extra holiday is because Typhoon can be last for very long. People should go back to a safe place (home) during the period. It was actually very dangerous for people walking around during typhoon... Like this time, a man was killed because he was on the beach to see the big wave....

A safe place means indoor. It can be home, or karaoke room, playing Mahjong in your home, watch a movie in a cinema or something similar. Usually, it is not suprise for the karaoke box or cinema to be full house during typhoon. Some of the restaurants in Hong Kong do really open because it gives them an extra business opportunity. (PS: I can't imagine this would happen in S'pore coz it breaks the government's suggestion).

For me, I don't see any thing really bad about typhoon (Probably not true for those work in Airport or Fire Service). Not only I can sleep a bit longer than usual (just need to wake up earlier to ensure the typhoon do happen!), but also you can feel something different about your place. You will see a new look of the places you used to live in... You can really feel that how week a human being...

Pentax K20D, Tamron 18-250 @ 29mm

Typhoon in Hong Kong again!
It is probably the 3rd times this year. Sometimes you never get one in the whole year but this year is three in a row....
All my friends in Hong Kong just telling me that they get an extra holiday "AGAIN".

Then this questions come to me, is there any typhoon in Singapore?

The answer is very disappointing ---- "No".

Oh No! First of all, the number of public holiday is lesser than Hong Kong. Secondly, Singapore uses to rain a lot but only a short but messy one. You can just see the cloud coming and it is coming really fast, in 5 minutes. It starts dropping for 15-30 minutes and then it goes. It does not give you any extra holiday but just wasting your time if you are outside.

Pentax K20D, DA* 16-50 @ 16mm.

Some people tell me that this is good thing about Singapore - "Stable".

Fun.

Pray for 7th Month

Singapore, in a way, is a very traditional country. There are many things could not be seen in Hong Kong many years, could be found in Singapore.

Pray for 7th month is a very good example.



When I was young, during the 7th month, I could see many people still go to the roadside to burn the "冥通銀行"'s banknote. In the factories, they would get a BBQ pig for this as well. At least I could remember I did that in the factory where my father working.

Now, I oculd not see that in Hong Kong, perhaps in a very very small scale. In Singapore, I could see this everywhere. Near the place I stay, near the place I work...

Besides, the pictures were taken by my back focus DA*16-50. I found out this problem after I had taken the pictures above. Anyway, you may see one of the pictures was very sharp because that picture was manual focus....

Can find the album below.

http://picasaweb.google.com.hk/matchz/0808177thMonth

DA* 16-50 與 DA21

係當日的 Pentaxian Gathering 中，使用了 DA21 和 DA*16-50。用 DA21 的原因是因為我只係得一塊 49mm 的 CPL。當睇完”完英傑作拍攝技巧”之後，我中了 CPL 毒。

不過，睇返拍攝得出來的相，除了開頭 DA*16-50 好像有走焦之外，基本上都不是太差。
同 DA21 比，好像好一點點，但是我還是不太肯定。




多一點相可以參巧以下的 Album，請註意 21mm 的是由 DA21 拍出來的。其它焦段都是由 DA*16-50 拍出來的。

Pentaxian Gathering 08-August

In Singapore, one of the most different things is there are far more group / gang activities. So far I have join a Pentaxian gathering and Arsenal Singapore gathering.

I have joined some in Hong Kong, but the scales are usually too big or too small. In Singapore, the clubs, they like to make a polo or tee even with a very small group of people. Someone will design the shirt, it is really a design although it may not be brilliant.



The forum in Singapore, it is also quite different than the forum in HK. Here is more like the oversea forum, people is more talkative and giving more opinion. Atmosphere is positive.

Last Friday, I joined the August event which was a Sun rising taking event.... It was really early in the morning, I got to wake up by 5am in the morning. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day so nothing much could be taken. Anyway, it was a good chance to try out other things.