Ants can be difficult models, especially those with a prima donna attitude. When you shout instructions to move closer, they sulk and climb on your lens instead. Call the agent for a re-shoot the following week and they’ll claim he or she’s already dead from old age. This ant on a fibre optic cable was less than half a centimeter. For this model shoot, I used the Olympus Zuiko Digital 35mm macro lens with the EF-25 extension tube.
The Ramadan festive bazaar at Jalan Masjid India winds down at around 3 in the morning. Traders prepare for a brief nap in their makeshift bedrooms, road sweepers emerge from nowhere while others converge at nearby tea stalls. I ventured there with the new Olympus Pen E-P3 paired with my favourite street lens, the new m.Zuiko 12mm (24 eq) f2.0 prime…
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 800, f2, 1/60 sec
Wayang Kanvas. Around 3:00 am, the tarps are drawn down and the silhouettes presented a fascinating shadow play.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 1600, f2, 1/50 sec
Uncle Bob (right) kept reminding me his chicken is skinless, grease-free and therefore healthy. Quite tasty actually.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 200, f2, 1/80 sec
Long Time No Tea. I was touched that the famous tea makers came out to hug me. I was a regular there during the ’11 LA’ heydays. The party godown was across the river.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 500, f2, 1/60 sec
The Manny. The f 2.0 lens is great for subject isolation. Not overly shallow but still sufficiently bright for handheld night photography.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 500, f2, 1/60 sec
Ali’s Sticks. To prevent himself from keeling over, the steam-stick seller rely on a can of Tongkat Ali-spiked energy tea.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 1600, f2, 1/50 sec
Back Street Boy. Some pulled down the tarps to sleep, others dance around the rubbish pile. I like this guy’s enthusiasm, even at 3 am.
Olympus Pen E-P3, ISO 1600, f2, 1/40 sec
Smooth As Lace. A pillar ad on the front of a lace shop befits the tranquillity of the hour.
All pictures photographed with the Olympus Pen E-P3 by & © TV Smith
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I took the Olympus E-PL2 and a tele lens for a workout at the KL Bird Park yesterday. The M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens is equivalent to a 150mm to 600 mm lens in old money. At f4.8 to f6.7, it may not be very fast but this zoom lens is so small and light. It made my romp around the park more enjoyable.
The weather went from hazy to sunny to rainy, all within a short span. Even under adverse lighting conditions, the AF was surprisingly snappy and accurate, requiring little manual intervention.
The only caveat is that the optional VF-2 electronic viewfinder becomes a necessity. Otherwise, it is near impossible to compose and keep steady by looking at the LCD screen alone. Every curious stranger who wanted to peep through the hotshoe-mounted viewfinder was blown away by its amazing clarity. It is a very expensive accessory, though.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1600, f6, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 187mm
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the largest (surviving) pigeon and is very photogenic with its beautiful crest and plume. The ones at the Bird Park are quite tolerant of cameras.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 640, f5.6, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 132mm
The Cockatiels, Conures, Parrots and Parakeets are the first batch of birds to greet you when you walk into the world’s largest free-flight walk-in aviary. Unfortunately, the colourful Sun Conures are now caged-in. There are also a lot of netting in the background that is hard to avoid in this area.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 200, f5, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm
This giant Pelican is a favourite with visitors. The diminutive 75-300mm lens also makes a great candid and portraiture lens at its shortest end.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/1000 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 300mm
At the long end, the plane of focus is extremely narrow and tricky. The Auto-Focus nailed it when it locked onto this bird’s eye. It took a few attempts as the bird would turn back and forth, in rapid succession.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1000, f5, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm
No. This is not your regular Kampung Kok Kok Kai. It is the majestic Red Jungle Fowl.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 250, f4.8, 1/640 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm
Contortionist Bird. Since I always shoot at the wide 16:9 ratio, how can I resist this guy? The E-PL2 metering (and sensor) handled the scene with decent enough latitude.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 400, f5, 1/800 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm
Pretty In Pink. The colony of Flamingos turned out to be a little difficult to photograph. They were flapping, turning and twisting randomly, almost non-stop.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 800, f4.8, 1/180 sec, M.Zuiko 75-300mm lens at 75mm
When the going gets dark, the flash gets going. The sun was setting and the light level was getting too low. I just popped (up) the flash and use it as fill light. Works pretty well on this colourful Indian Blue Peafowl.
Olympus E-PL2, ISO 1000, f3.6, 1/500 sec, M.Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens at 15mm
Pocket Rocket. For its reach and quality, the Olympus Micro Four Thirds 75-300mm (600mm in 35mm equivalent) lens is smaller and lighter than a bottle of mineral water!
See also:
The Art Of Art Filters | Chinatown Temple with E-PL 2 | Dong Zen Flora Fest
Getting There: MyCen Map to The KL Bird Park
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