Some pre-wedding shots. C & C Please... Thanx!




Thanks for viewing!

wonka : Yes! I noticed that too. I had to put the flash on the ground. Wished I had another stand..

sidewinderz : Thanks!

WhaT??!! ................

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...

Words fail me.... Sad and shocking news indeed. Though I have never met him, I still feel the loss... he will be missed.

My condolences to the family.

Some General Tips for beginners


Quite a number of questions here will have beginners to photography and DSLRs asking what body to buy and what lens are good, what kind of replacement for the kit lens and such.

Here I hope that I can provide some tips for beginners as to what to look out for when one plunge head first into this
photography world.


1. Did I buy the right body?

If you have already made the purchase then for goodness sake STOP ASKING THIS QUESTION! If you do not instinctively throw-up upon seeing your new dslr and have no known physical allergies when holding it, then it's time to go out and shoot some pics!

Don't get obsessed with gimmicky features like video or what not. A DSLR is PRIMARILY A STILL PICTURE taking tool. Stills and videos are worlds apart. You wanna get a pro video tool? Buy a video cam! If you wanna just have video for fun, then a PnS will suit you better. For me, DSLRs are for STILL pictures and still pictures have a certain 'magic' to them if you manage to capture the 'moment'.


2. What kind of lens do I need?

If your shutter count has not hit 10,000 then it's waaaaay too early to ask this question. Yes, a lot of lenses are nice and there's loads of poison that's being thrown around in forums like this but do you actually need a new lens just yet?

Your kit lens will provide most of what you need for general use. So it's not the sharpest glass around but a sharp, very nice contrasty colored but badly composed picture is still a bad picture. A CZ lens will not guarantee you nicely composed pictures.

Use your kitlens until you find that you are limited by it in one way or another before considering another lens. Like myself, I changed my 18-70mm kit to a 18-250mm (kit lens also for the A700) when I find that I want more range. Only recently I am finding the 18-250mm's aperture ratings to be limiting me in some ways.

If you must get another lens, I suggest that you get a normal prime like the 50mm or the 30mm (for APS-C bodies) to start off. The prime will give you a lesson in composing your shots rather than anything else in the beginning.

Use the kitlens and work on your composition. The longer you stay with your kit, the less lens lust you will face as you begin to get a feel of what kind of photography you do most of the time. By then you will know what kind of lens you want and all others will have zero effect on you. E.g. if you are into landscapes, then macro lens will not be in your wish list.



3. Is it time for me to upgrade to a higher body?

This one is a bit more difficult to answer. If you are a gear head and cannot live without the lastest thing, then you
should upgrade whenever there's a new model out. If you're into photography, then you need to get past this 'maybe the new model will let me get the pics I want' phase.

You first need to realise that the camera is just a tool for you. You're the brains behind the whole operation. There's
no camera in this world yet that I know of that will whisper to you and say, "Press the shutter now. The moment is
right!" or remind you of settings like, "Are you sure you wanna use ISO 1600 under this bright sunlight?"

I am still using the A100 which all of you know has the worst high ISO noise profiles and the slowest AF system of all
the Alphas that tend to get very finicky under low light situations. Will I let these 'faults' stop me from taking pics?
No. Most times I find that I need to recognise the 'moment' when it happens before I can even start to AF with the cam. Sure I may miss a shot or two but it's not as bad as people put it. When you're prepared, you tend to get some good shots in your bag. A better camera will make your life a bit easier but that's about it. The fastest AF camera with fantastic high ISO profiles will do you no good if you're always fiddling with the settings and miss the 'moment' completely because of that.

Until you feel you are always hitting the limits of your current body when taking pics, then there is no real need to upgrade just yet.


4. Should I jump ship? The other brands seems much better.

This one also very difficult to answer. If you're a gearhead... well... nothing anyone say will matter right? If you're
into photography, then ask yourself, do you really need the 'missing' features that the other brand provides? If yes,
then by all means jump. If not then what's really wrong with your current cam?

Fantastic high ISO? Look at all your shots and calculate how many pics you really take that absolutely requires high ISO settings. What number did you get? Over 50%? I'll bet that most hardly even reach 10% or 20%! If that is so then ask yourself this more pertinent question - Is it wise to spend additional money for a feature that you only use 20% of the time? Same goes for fps rating. I hardly ever use the 3fps on my A100. If it was 7fps would I be using it more? Doubt it, coz it's just not the way I shoot.


5. I only have enough budget for a flash or a new lens. Which should I get?

You will want to get that flash. Trust me. Photography is all about capturing light thus you need to learn how to light.
A flash unit will help you to learn how to light. Not only on cam lighting but also wireless flash lighting with just one
external flash unit and a camera body with a pop up flash.

Pair that flash with a couple of reflectors (blank A4 papers if you want to go really low budget) and you're well on your way to learn off-camera lighting.

An external flash unit will open up loads of new ways to take pictures and extend the lifespan of your kitlens. This is
where being a Sony user really pays off - you've got the lowest entry cost into wireless flash capabilities! All you need is an entry level cam with a working pop-up flash and one flash unit (apart from the F20 unit, of course.) and you're ready to rumble. Canikon fanboys will need extra gadgets like radio transmitters and flash hotshoe triggers for their entry level bodies.


Photography is about the pictures and not about the gears. If you find that better gears will let you take more of the

pics that you want and take them better, then it may be wise to upgrade. Ultimately, it's the skills that you have that
will define your pics.

Happy shooting and hope that this will help some of you who have lens or gear lust.

You guys are welcome to add on any other tips that you feel can be helpful to those new to DSLRs and photography.

Have you tried cleaning the contact point on your hotshoe? Refer to the first page for instructions...

The A200's kitty tele is the 75-300 and not the 70-300 ler.. The 70-300 is a G lens! Cost is approaching RM 3k!

The Sigma 70-300 is better than the SAL75300 but it has a history of having it's gears stripped by Alpha bodies. So it is not highly recommended.

If you are lazy to change lens, then the 18-250 will be great for you.

Ahahahaha... now you know how difficult it is being a wedding photographer eh?

Here's some tips that I use myself:

1. High ceiling and no diffuser? Search for a blank A4 or any white paper, fold it in half and strap it to your flash head. Makes for a bigger area to bounce light off from. Trying to bounce from a high ceiling is pointless and battery sucking. Don't try to be machine gunner to get your shots. Try to be more like sniper with one shot, one kill. Anticipate the events and be prepared. You can more or less know what's gonna happen next if you stay on your toes and keep your eyes on the couple and not on your cam. Try not to chimp too much.

2. ISO 800 on the A100 can still be used. Just try overexposing your shots a little. There's some noise but viewed full screen on PC is still ok. Noise will be even less noticeable on prints.

3. Even if you have a F2.8 constant aperture lens, you will find that you cannot use F2.8 all the time no? Group shots will need you to stop down a little or the narrow DOF will find some faces OOF.

Braynumb : Just fold the A4 paper in half along the longer side and you have a rectangular shaped paper that wraps itself quite nicely to the back of your flash head.

Secure the paper to the flash head with rubber band and you have a bounce card that's bigger than most that you can buy and cost next to nothing and simple to get in a hurry.

Point your flash upwards and the paper will bounce the light forward. Goto my flickr and the pics of the Malay wedding is taken using this method.

There's really no way to check the shutter count. If you are willing to buy a display unit, I would suggest that you buy a second hand unit from a good user. At least you know that the previous user had cared for the unit. Unlike a display unit where any Tom, d*** and Harry also can try out. God knows what these 'potential customers' has done or tried to do to the display unit. You can't even be sure that some smart aleck had not detached the lens and try to touch the sensor inside!

Haiya..... told you guys early, early ady that the A5xx is not the replacement for the A700 lor...

Advise you guys to early, early get the A700 if you wanted one but no one listen to this apek... so what to do....

Now only can wait for people to sell second hand lor... that also must grab early, early if not all will be gone very fast.

Got an early birthday gift for myself. Since I cannot shoot WITH the camera yet (battery still charging...) I just shoot the camera lor...

All pics not edited and straight from cam.
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C&C Please -- on the pics... not the cam in the pics ok?

No. It is not wise to replace a UV filter with a CPL. The CPL will cut around 2 stops of light! This can sometimes make you miss the shot in some situations. It'll interfere with the AF as the light gets cut so no, use the CPL as and when it's needed. Else go with the UV or go naked!!! (I mean the lens, ok? )

Braynumb : 28mm on a FF is similar to 18mm on the APS-C

24mm is wider and more desirable. For me this is how I'll solve the 24-70mm so-called normal range zoom on the FF.

I have the 50mm already. This takes care of the tele end of the above range. All I have to do is take a few steps closer.

For the wide end, I intend to get a 20mm prime lens. This will be wider than the 24mm but I can always crop with 24MP in hand!

Thus 2 primes which will cost and weigh less than a 24-70mm f2.8 zoom but with similar or brighter aperture rating. Only thing is you need to swap lenses sometimes. The 20mm will also rock for landscapes on the FF!

Braynumb : I am eyeing the Sony 20mm f/2.8 but that will come much later ler... now totally no budget already.

The new Sigma 24-70mm with HSM seems to be a good lens. Only thing is 24mm is very frustrating on an APS-C body. For me lar, at least.

Actually, you guys are all wrong!! It's the A950 !!! Here's the specs:

1. Dual sensor CCD and CMOS
2. With built in pop-up flash 50% of the time
3. Can attach up to 2 lenses at a time

It's the A100 + A850 = A950!! LOL!

Yesterday I check geavity and they no have the A850 listed.... T_T

ianho : Sony has the Carl Zeiss 16-35mm f/2.8 lens ler for FF UWA.

24-70mm lens for me? No, I really don't think so. The more I see, the more I am turned off by the big size and the weight. The only one the remotely interest me now is the CZ 24-70 but the price is way too premium for me.

Apart from the crazy Zeiss color contrast, I can match the sharpness and exceed the aperture rating using primes while lowering the cost and weight. Most times the 24-70mm lends it most usage to the 24mm and 50-70mm focal ranges. Easily replicated using a 20mm and 50mm primes.

I think I am turning into a mostly prime lens kinda guy!

ianho : LOL! Wishlist updated ady... check my signature... and no need so kuat lar.. primes not too heavy mah so still can move around ler... hehehehehe...

wha7ever : I got mine a Foto Edar BB Plaza... dunno where ahmike got his though....

Freddy : Aduh! Sakit mata saya memandang! Obviously photochopped one ler... Since when Sony built in their VG and since when the shutter button on the VG situated on top rather than about one third down?

Also why so many groves on the VG?