Birds and Nature Photography in Malaysia: Photography

Once upon the time
I bought this 35mm SLR FE2 in 1986 when I did my Housemanship in the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Kubang Krian, Kelantan. Shooting a lot when I have a day off. Went around Kota Bharu, Pantai Cinta Berahi (Cahaya Bulan), Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Pulau Perhentian, etc.. I stayed in nurses hostel, so naturally my subjects of photography were nurses - I have a collection of nurses photos. My wife said, "ramainya mak we!". One day when I was taking a photo of nurses participating in big walk/jogathon, hospital director asked me "awak dari surat khabar mana?". I was carrying a nikon bag with a big zoom lens, "saya houseman di sini".
Used various types of films - Kodak, Fuji, Agfa. I like to shoot in slide films, Kodakchrome 64 and Fujichrome 100. Slide films produces high saturation and vivid colour, nice to see with a projector.

Zeiss Ikon Perkeo compact slide projector:

Snapped a lot of macro subjects in Fujichrome (slightly cheaper that Kodak) when I was at the Pusat Kesihatan (Health Clinic) in Bera 32. My house (government quarters) was very near the palm oil plantation, so naturally a lot of insect, bird and wild animals. Now I have a few trays of slides and have shown it to my kid those close up views of insects - an ant, butterflies, dragonflies etc.

This what it look now (with 28mm wide angle series E Nikon lens)

This was actually my second SLR, the first was Ricoh A-100. First experiment with photography during student day at university. Very active with it, actually attended a short course with the Photography Club of Science Faculty UKM in 1979, under the guide of Hamzah Hurmin a Pro Photographer from local newspaper and ASFON member. Dabbing with B&W films processing at the UKM Lab at Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

I still have both FE2 and A-100 (see above), but non functioning and jammed - The Ricoh A-100 mirror locked up, the Nikon FE2 trigger button can't be pressed and back film cartridge can't be open. All those lenses coated with fungus. Sad thing, especially with those Nikkors normal lenses (50mm), wide angle (28mm) and Vivitar Series1 zoom (70 -210mm).

Actually, I have a lot camera accessories - Motor winder, various types of filters (star6, polarizer, natural density and yellow filter),tripod, flash light and even have a Photographic Lux meter!

Collected a few photography books, here are a few tittles:-

1) The 35mm Handbook by Michael Freeman, ISBN: 0-90628-621-2
2) Master Photography - Take and Make Prefect Photo, by Michael Busselle,
ISBN: 0-85533-125-9
3) Kodak Guide to 35mm Photography, ISBN: 0-87985-249-9
4) The Joy of LIFE, by Philip B. Kudhard Jr, Lib. of Congress Catalog: 89-12293

Point and Shoot Camera
==================

After FM2 went kaput I bought this Point and Shoot auto focus film camera - Nikon AF120,

A few months using it, an ant colony makes it a home. My son's sweet coating hands touch/handled it. Send for repair, but kaput again in no time.

Bought another film camera, and now switch brands to Canon Prima Zoom Mini - still in good condition ,using it till now, but out of fashion in this digital world!!

Explore the digital photography with this simple point & shoot Olympus Camedia.

Now only using this point and shoot Canon film camera and Olympus Camedia C-350, 3.2 megapixel. Although the resolution is Ok for family album photos, I hate the start time and lag time between shoot (shutter lag).It is so s-l-o-w... that you miss most of the candid fleeting moments shoot. You have to compose the pic and ask your subject to say cheese and freeze the movement before triggering the shutter button.

Digital Photography SLR (Single- Lens Reflex)
===================================
- Nikon Digital SLR - D40

That is why I'm itching to get hold of this D40 (here the review by The Star OnLine-TechCentral on Jan 30),(a very comprehensive review from dcresource.com) an entry level Digital SLR from Nikon..... will have to wait for some time.... because of RM below...

Price: RSP RM 2,488.00 (with AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II)
More Info here:

Canon EOS 400D
Or maybe this one? Latest EOS 400D.
but the Reserved Retail Price is MYR 3599.00. Review from Hardwarezone Malaysia, with pictures. More review here.

Canon EOS 350D
Or this much cheaper EOS 350D, for RSP 2999.00

Pro Digital CameraLatest Digital SRL from Canon, EOS-1D Mark III.
Canon has today (22 February 2007) announced the latest iteration of their EOS-1D digital SLR. The Mark III has a ten megapixel APS-H (1.3x FOV crop) CMOS sensor and can shoot at ten frames per second. It features the updated DIGIC III image processor, a new 19 area Auto Focus system, up to ISO 6400 and a 3.0" LCD monitor (with a live view feature). The Mark III should ship in April for US$ 3999.

Digital Photography books
====================I just received two new books about Digital SLR Photography today (1st March 2007).
Ordered online from Kinokuniya K.Lumpur:-

1) Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography, by David D. Busch,ISBN: 1-59863-187-X
2) Mastering Digital Photography and Imaging, by Peter K. Burian,ISBN: 0-7821-4290-7

Yeh!!

After a few weeks searching the Net, reading the reviews and comparing . + - / * % RM $ with a few contenders above (Nikon D40, Canon EOS 350D and Canon EOS 400D)
Finally I got myself a brand new Digital SLR yesterday (3rd Mac 2007), can't wait for khatan money as suggested by Sher :-) . The winner is EOS 400D, though a bit expensive, it have all the features that I want, plus a good package/ freebies thrown by the dealer (Chinese new year offer) .
Although I'm a long time Nikon SLR user, now I switch camp. Bought a CANON now.
I can't use my old Nikon lenses because of all those fungi, so Nikon D40 is out !

I spend about RM3.8K for the below package:-

1 x 400D with Kit Lens (EF-S18-55mm)
2 x Canon Battery Pack NB-2LH
1 x Canon Battery Charger CB-2LW
2 x Cables with Warranty Booklets
1 x Canon Wide Strap
1 x Hoya 58mm UV Filter
1 x Screen Protector
1 x Canon Bag
1 x 2GB 133x PenDrive CF Card
1 x Infrared Remote Controller RC-5
1 x 1 Years Warranty

Bought it from this place, nice and friendly staff.

CANON LIFESTYLE CONCEPT STORE
KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
L329, Level 3, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Center,
50088 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603-21662382, 603-21666813
Fax: 603-21711763, 603-21712631
E-mail: canon@streamyx.com
(Business Hours: 10am to 10pm)

My next target, phew ! :-)
the Canon Speedlite 430EX flash.

My old cameras and lenses suffered from fungus infestation and storage / neglected.

With the new Digital SLR and the new lenses that I'm going to own, I better prepare to combat that menace. So, I invested in Dry Cabinet. After some search, bought this Digi-Cabi AD050. Now I can store my cameras and lenses safely. Waiting for new lenses - Tamron Zoom 70-300mm and flash speedlight canon 580EX, ordered from ShaShinKi.com Perak.

Top of the line Canon Speedlite 580EX

Read review here.

Here Tamron AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2

Updated from supplier:-
"Items ordered will be EMS to you directly from Japan.
We will email you the EMS tracking number after sent out the items."

Wow!... so far, ordered from Japan... real original!.

With that telephoto lens maybe I can shoot bird like this.

Malaysia Bird Forum, here.

but for Pro bird photo you need this
EF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM or ( Average Selling price USD 6,400.00 ) = RM22,400.00 hu! ho!

With telephoto we need tripod to minimize the shaking or blur for slow shutter speed.

Manfrotto is famous for quality tripods and tripodheads.

Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod & 804RC2 3-Way Head

This Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod allows you to swing the centre column from vertical to horizontal for macro work in one simple action.

Pic show with The Manfrotto 804RC2 - 3-way photo head.Latest News: This tripod has been award as the Best Accessory by TIPA,

Tamron AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF]. This lens will open wide at f 2.8 all the way from 17mm to 50mm, versatile all rounder lens.
Read review here
This will replace my Kit Lens (EF-S18-55mm), the best f stops are 3.5 - 5.6, sure not so good in quality.

EF 50mm f1.8 II inexpensive made in Malaysia lens.
Must have for every DSLR

The secod prime lens that I have EF 85mm f1.8 USM, wow real fast lens, ideal for portrait
Read review here . Bought it from SnapShop, Penang base internet direct selling.

Looking for this remote switch RS-60E3 for my next long 'B' exposure, fire work, streak car lamp or star pictures.
Ordered it from eBay, and got it within one week.

With this add on, I hope it will complete my collection, and make my 400D look 'pro'.
Opteka BP-XT Battery Grip for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi, same as Canon Battery Grip BG-E3 (except for Canon logo).
This Opteka is made from the same factory in China as the ori. The specifications are almost the same.

Came in this box straight from USA in 4 days by FedExpress.

This is the what my EOS 400D with theBattery Grip from Opteka.

Posterior view, look at the vertical buttons.

Camera bag Crumpler
The Whickey And Cox

Read review here

Here the inside view, can put two SLRs bodies, lenses, flash etc. Well padded for extended journey.

Almost complete my equipment / collection except for Giottos Rocket Air Blower and Hood for my 85mm f1.8 prime lens, which I ordered from China/Hong Kong.

Here is the imitation hood, "Design for Canon"
This linkto the original ET-65III Lens Hood from Amazon.com

Digital photography is incomplete without the post processing. It is like the darkroom in the old days of film photography. So, now computer and software come and replace it. Has been using the Picassa from Google and the basic Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.0 for quite some time. Now wanted to try the real and pro thingy.
Adobe Photoshop CS2 is the 'real' software for desktop digital imaging. Long considered the professional image-editing standard among graphic digital artists worldwide. The learning curve is very steep. So, have to take time and practice, but 'time' is that I'm lacking of.
Anyway, I bought these two books to help me. (I hate reading computer's help file) and hopefully slow and steady master it.
i) Adobe Photoshop CS2, Classroom in a book - The official training workbook from Adobe Systems.
ii) The Photoshop CS2 book for digital photographer, by Scott Kelby.

Shooting & Testing time!