My D70s kena jampi by n00bs!

think my Nikon D70s SLR camera has a curse/spell/jampi. Probably one of those special built-in features that Nikon doesn’t tell its consumers. Like how certain old Nintendo games have this Konami code (up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, enter; konamicodesites.com), so famous was the code amongst geeks & nerds that even Google Reader has it. LOLz!

Back to topic,
Lets just call it the built-in jampi in my camera. Or maybe so many n00bie hands have touch this magical light box, that it instilled a special power to the camera… No, wait. I mean:
…so many n00bie hands have touched this magical light box, thus automatically placing a super-duper-terrijible-horrijible-vegetable curse on the next n00b that dares puts his/her n00bie finger on this powder-coated-black shutter release button.

So what’s this curse all about?

Every n00b (well, almost every) that I have lent my D70s to, have shot a photo of their feet/toes. Not just a shot, sometimes even mulitple-machine-gun-like shots have been taken too. *slaps forehead*

Don’t believe me? Here are a few samples.

theCAmera-man

Guide: Batch watermarking photos in IrfanView 4.20

Cut the crap & get to the point:
File > Batch conversion… > Advanced > Add overlay text > Settings
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Numero uno: Get IrfanView and its plug-ins. <–clickety click!
(note: Download the “ALL Plug-Ins as one large EXE” as recommended by IrfanView.)

Now install IrfanView. Then install the plug-ins. Very simple process.

Why IrfanView? I’ve mentioned a little about it in my ‘killer softwares I use‘ post.

IrfanView has been one of the most powerful but simple softwares out there. It’s only 1.3MB + another 8MB of codec plug-ins. With this, it can almost play any media there is out there. From various photo format including RAW to videos to MP3s. If I have an unknown media that I want to play, I always run IrfanView first. Though its prowess and main function remain in photo viewing and editing. There is just so many neat tricks that it can do. All there is to do is search the web, or explore it yourself.

Back to batch watermarking. (Here’s for you, Debbie and other debutantes)
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Run/start/open IrfanView.

File > Batch conversion/Rename…  B (or just press the ‘B’ shortcut button)

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This is the batch conversion dialogue window.

Top right is to select the photos you want to process. Bottom right is the photos added that will be processed.

On the left side now. The top: ‘Batch conversion’ is to do the conversions and replacing the original file. ‘Batch rename’ will copy the files with new names into the folder you specified (it will replace your original file if you choose to use original name in the same folder). ‘Batch conversion – Rename result files’ will do whatever conversion you specified, and then put them into a folder you choose with a new name.

Looking at screenshot 2, the file name I used was ‘xw$N’… ‘DSC_4754 Viennese Ball KL 08 – 62’ —> ‘xwDSC_4754 Viennese Ball KL 08 – 62’.
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A ‘Shot’ Trip to PC Fair

The title for this entry is a pun. It was a ‘short’ trip, but I went and ‘shot’ the models instead.

So, here are some photos of PC Fair models. At the same time, there are other events going around, namely TXN and Miss Triumph going on else where. Too bad I didn’t go. Should’ve gone to TXN instead!

Lots of experimenting with my camera. Apparently, the speedlight’s circuit was trying to take over my brain. It’s way smarter than I am!

Enjoy the eye candy…

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This is the cropped version of the above photo. She’s got very nice complexion.

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Wanted dead or alive by the Samsung sheriffs!

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Anyone knows any software that can easily make a border like this photo (white border + words at the bottom)? It took me 1 hour in GIMP to get it done.

Taman Permaisuri in Bandar Tun Razak

Last weekend, I joined the PCP Photography Youth Camp. It was in International Youth Centre near my house. The Permaisuri Park is just next to the IYC. I let Sear Haur dragged me into it, with the prospect of getting to know some pretty girls in the camp. But alas, pretty girls were in short demand. And besides, they really were too young. I feel like a old bugger in the midst of teenagers. In fact, I was the 2nd oldest after Sear Haur!

Many came with just a simple point ‘n shoot cameras. Sear Haur & me came with our big-ass dSLR. It would be amat memalukan if we don’t at least get some recognition for our photos. The pressure is huge — imagine young fellas with less equipment taking better photos than we did! Die die also I need to show some good photos, which I did!

The legendary FujiFilm Finepix F31fd — the best point ‘n shoot digicam (傻瓜相机) ever. Superb ISO performance, natural skin tone, excellent balanced flash, sharp lens, fantastic sensor, cheap…
[Digressing… Anyone who knows a bit about photography would agree that F31fd is truly a gem. In fact, many pros are still looking for it til today. Too bad it’s out production. So, the next best choice is the F40 and F50. Same thing except the lousy ISO. Just get Fuji and your people photos will always look better than others.]

Most of them kids are from Chinese independent schools. I was the very minority bananas there. I wonder how did I managed to get along with them…

The purpose of this post is to show off some of the photos I took while during the camp. So here goes…

(All photos without post-processing. Only resized for web)

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It looks fake, innit? You would never get this photo if you don’t know the trick… (same with the photo below). You would get either the sky all white, or the sign board all black.
Why don’t you hazard a guess in the comment section?

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Some really nice friends I made.

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Which is the boy, and which the girl?

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Group photo of the winners.

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Me receiving the camera bag from the camp master. She’s a darn funny lady. She doesn’t look like 37 year old, yeah? Photo taken by Sear Haur (mistakenly focused at the wall behind me instead of my face, that’s why you can’t see my pimples)

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That’s me in action, trying to shoot the blue and yellow sky of the morning.

Nikon D70s… Mine At Last

W00t! I’ve finally have my hands on a Nikon D70s. It’s an DSLR camera. Never heard of this camera from Nikon? Here’s a picture…

No wonder you have not seen it before, right?

For my n00b friends who don’t know what is an DSLR camera… DSLR means ‘digital single lens reflex’.
Digital means no film, but uses digital sensor.
Single lens means it uses one lens to see and shoot.
Reflex means it has a reflex mirror than reflects light into the viewfinder.

The main advantage of an SLR is there is no parallax error. So it’s WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). Well, almost…

I memang wanted to buy an DSLR a year ago, but I was still a poor student back then. After working for a few months, I deliberated about buying a 2nd hand Canon 350D or Nikon D70s. Decided to get the D70s, after scouring through kenrockwell.com.

The deal breaker was that D70s has a very accurate exposure meter and flash exposure (if you have to ask: it’s better than the most Canon DSLR, Nikon D80 & D40). Of course, it’s a huge camera. It scares the sh*t out of little kids in my mom’s tuition class. Heh heh!

I got it off from Keat camera shop in Jalan Pudu for 1900 Ringgit. Since I’m still a poor chap, I only have a 50mm lens which can’t zoom. Don’t be mistaken, it’s a d*mn sharp lens! I’d get a 2nd hand zoom lens soon. The 50mm is just not wide enough or not long enough, darn!

BTW, I’m still no good in taking pictures. The camera does not maketh a good photographer; just as the computer does not maketh a good writer.

But if you need a photographer and don’t mind my lack of skill, I’d galdly take picture for you. I need the practice after all. Photography is not easy as you think it is. Hopefully, one day I’ll be good enough that people will pay me to take pictures of them. :)

BTW, that was not the D70s, heh heh!

That’s the Rolleiflex 2.8GX made by Rollei. It’s a TLR (twin lens reflex. Notice the double lens? The one above is for you to see, the one below is to take pictures). Don’t mistake it for a classic/obsolete/old/retro/grandfather camera, OK?! A BRAND NEW one sells for 3500 Dollars(US)! And it’s image quality will pwn even my D70s.

Gotcha, didn’t I? Heh heh!
Now this is the D70s…

Yours Sincerely,
the n00b PHotographer.