The under-utilised LEKAS Expressway near the Mantin mountains. In the age of digital filters, the physical glass filters are also under-utilised. There are still some things that can only be achieved by placing a specific optical filter over the lens.
On this sunny day-journey today, the Circular Polariser enabled easier shooting through the windscreen. When rotated to the correct position (angle), it lessens reflections of the glass and darkens / deepens the colours of the sky.
Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f8, 1/200 sec with Hoya Cir-PL.
My Olympus OM-D camera reminds me of the Geena Davis character in the 1996 film, The Long Kiss Goodnight. She is an adorable soccer mom and sweet homemaker to her husband and daughter. Push her and she becomes a lethal killer who can shoot a moving target with a high-power rifle, a mile away. She leads an explosive double life (albeit with amnesia).
When properly fitted out for ENG video, the OM-D attracts a lot of curious stares. One sweet Chinese girl in Petaling Street asked me if she can pat the cute dog attached to my camera. At Leboh Ampang later, there were constant shouts and giggles of Nay! Nay! (dog in Tamil)
The Thaipusam crowd were referring to the furry windshield over the microphone. Its purpose is to cut down wind noise when used outdoors. The one on the camera is made by Zoom for the attached H4N 4-track portable digital audio recorder.
Shown unmounted below is the Rycote version over a windcage for a longer stereo directional microphone. It came with a comb and brush. The Rycote name is synonymous with microphone windshields the world over, from News, TV to Hollywood.
As Samuel L Jackson (Geena’s co-star in Long Kiss) said in another movie: “The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to shoot every mofo in the room, accept no substitutes”.
Picture is from a Still Capture of OM-D HD footage
Vel! Vel! The annual Thaipusam Festvial at Batu Caves Malaysia is a riot of colours, smells and sounds. With a million visitors there shoving and pushing, attempting a good video can be tricky. Having filmed the festival previously with equipment ranging from 16 / 35mm cine film cameras to a Digital Betacam, right down to the tiny LX-5, I know how difficult it is when there is a crowd at every turn.
Ideally, it is best to minimise your ‘equipment footprint’. Even the camera bag should be so small that no one will knock into it and shake the camera in the process. With the devotees in a trance and the heavy kavadis spinning freely, one would also need to duck and get out of the way in an instant.
Enter the new Olympus OM-D (EM-5)’s unique and very effective in-body 5-axis image stabilization (IBIS or I.S.). Used for the first time at Batu Caves, it allowed me to dance around the kavadi bearers, devotees and musicians with ease. This method of shooting gives viewers a special P.O.V. rarely seen in an unscripted, uncontrolled environment.
I really enjoyed the experience and freedom of filming without a cumbersome tripod, monopod, gyro stabilizer, counter-weight, chest, shoulder or body brace. All hand-held and gliding the cam with my body, arms and legs.
This is a ‘quick and dirty edit’ without syncing up the sounds from the H4N external audio recorder. View it in Full HD if your hardware and bandwidth supports it. Enjoy!
Filmed entirely with the Olympus OMD (EM5), Panasonic Lumix 7-14mm ultra-wide lens and the Olympus 12-50mm kit lens. Edited on Edius.
