Olympus OM-D, ISO 640, f3.5, 1/40 sec.
In cinematography, the ‘Magic Hour’ refers to the time when the the sky is glowing luminously just after sunset. It is less than 30 minutes, usually. The Dong Zen Temple in Jenjarom is decked up with lanterns and glittering lights for its annual Lanterns & Floral Fest. The landmark is transformed into a magical wonderland for the Lunar New Year. Watch the video below. Happy Chinese Year New Year!
Time-lapse sequence with Godox intervalometer
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.
Picture is from a Still Capture of OM-D HD footage
Here is a real world use / test of the splash-proof feature of the Olympus OM-D (EM-5). The weather sealing means the camera is water resistant should the need arise. The riverside cleansing ritual is part of the Hindu Thaipusam Festival at Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
There was slight fogging of the viewfinder (at one corner) after the shower but it dried out after about 10 minutes. Try / use under such conditions at your own risk, though. Slow-mo with Edius.