The D3X Verdict

Shot using D300 and Tamron 90mm, window light

Just submitted my D3X review to T3. Watch out for my review article, signed off as CT, on the magazine. And if you can't find my name on the contributor list page, that's because they left out my name occasionally.

In a nutshell, the D3X is no different from the D3, but offering different imaging extremes. For D3, you get high ISO performance; with D3X, you get low ISO high-pixel details. Yet this difference is worth over S$6000. Ironically, I don't feel like I am handling a $13k equipment. Perhaps, only Photoshop addicts could appreciate the image details that the D3X captures.

For my style of shoot, I prefer D700: it's got same fps as D3X, but it's lightweight and delivers identical ISO performance as D3. D3 users are action-shooters that needs 9 fps. D3X users are poster-men who want details at every pixel. But to fully exploit the beauty of D3X requires you to shoot at low ISO. That's not to say that D3 is incapable of details at low ISO, but in that respect, there is no fight between a 12mp and a 24.5mp sensor.

On an unrelated note, I did a family shot of a dancer-teacher friend, Soo Poh. She'll be featured in a Mother's Day article and needed the photos. These 2 photos are selected for the publication:


Shot at her house with the D300 using SB-900 shoot-through a white umbrella on the right of camera at 1/8, and a SB-800 on hotshoe bounced straight to ceiling at 1/4.

Another Creative Thai Ad

Thailand ads are often laced with emotions. Here's one to share.




Pantene did this 4-minute theatre commercial about a deaf girl who yearns to learn the violin, snubbed by her pianist classmate. Eventually, she overcame the prejudice and her own inferiority and did it.

Not as well done as the other Thai commercial I posted some time ago. Nevertheless a good inspiring storyline. I could work something along this line for my next photostory...

The most expensive DSLR in the market

Woken up at 6am by a bad tummy ache, followed by diarrhoea. What did I eat yesterday? Morning was Nasi Lemak at Cuppage Plaza Isle Cafe, lunch was Beef Noodles at Cineleisure, dinner was the Fried Noodles ("sang meen") with Fish Slices at Blk 505 zichar store. Just blogging here in case I, you know, well, can't blog due to some physical deteoriation. For now, the word "diarrhoea" is a fearful word in Singapore, where 2 person has died from food poisioning from the same store, and 154 recuperating.

Ironically, I had wanted to wake up early today to do some office work. So thanks to the tummy, I am one hour earlier from my expected time of awakeness.

Last night, I went to collect the Nikon D3X for review from T3's Shawn, who was at the Eleganz Talent Management studio doing a shoot for their next month's magazine. At RRP S$13,888, the D3X is probably the most expensive commercially-available DSLR in the market. More on that after I finished my reviews for T3.

Supposed to do some test shots with the D3X to see and compare the prowess. But I had to rush off. Did a few shots of the shoot process.

Next month's gadget girl for T3, Stacy

Whenever I get a new cam, I always test it out with my dearest daughter. She is the best test subject: focus speed, high ISO at room environment, auto WB, ease of switching shooting modes on the fly, video mode (for compact cameras), and more.

If I do get a full-frame DSLR, the next thing I'll buy is the 14-24mm lens.

Jessica's Jewels

Diamonds and pearls are a woman's best friends, aren't they.

Model: Jessica
Make-up: Lynnie, who was ill on the day of the shoot, so Jessica did the make-up at her house and travelled to the studio. We would so appreciate her presence at the studio to tidy up the hair and make-up.
Jewels: model's own

Do check out Jessica's own photoshop here

The curious case of the shrinking Carls Jr. burgers and motionless toilet business

1. Carls Jr. burgers have shrunk!

Last week, I went to Carls Jr. at Vivocity and ordered one Portobello Mushroom Burger with chilli beef fries, to share with my wife. When it came, we were appalled at the size and thickness. It's probably just the size of a BK Whopper. Whatever happened to the traditionally-huge serving? Paying more than $10 for a burger that puny? Looks like Carls Jr. is getting it quite wrong.

(edit 20 Apr 2009: my wife told me that when she went to the Big Splash outlet today, the burger was big as was before. Perhaps the above shrinking experience was a one-off.)

2. Motion Sensor in Toilets

If you are using the toilets for big and long business, just remember not to be alarmed if the lights suddenly go down on you - while you are on the throne. I experienced that, and fortunately it was in broad daylight. You might want to get hold of some objects to throw out of your cubicle to attract the attention of the sensor, like newspapers

Marina Barrage: Take 2

Exactly 7 days after June's shoot, I brought Samantha back to the Marina Barrage for another shoot. Not that I love that place, just that because it's near my wife's office. Come to think about it, despite my second visit, I have actually not explored all of the Barrage.

Canon First Ever Blogger Event at The Screening Room

I was invited to the Canon Blogger Event held at The Screening Room at Ann Siang Road. I was expecting a huge event but was pleasantly surprised that it was exclusively for a handful of around 20 guests.

Before the presentation started, we chilled out at the rooftop with the rest of the bloggers. Met and chatted with Claudia and Diana from 24seven, a social media company. Among the blogger guests, I only recognised Fidelis at the rooftop and Sabrina who appeared later at the event room.

Great view, great weather.

Once everyone was here, we were led down to the room. The effort they put in to present the colourful new Canon products among the fingerfoods.

Matching pastry colours against each digicam.

Canon announced like 8 new compact digicam models (IXUS 95IS, IXUS 1o0IS, IXUS 110IS, IXUS 990IS, Powershot SX200 IS, Powershot A1100 IS, Powershot A2100 IS, Powershot A480) with 27 colour variants, 1 new DSLR (EOS 500D), a new sub-brand for the camcorder called LEGRIA with 7 new models (HF S10, HF S100, HF20, HF200, FS21, FS22, FS200).

Wong Li-lin's the brand ambassador. She showed us some snazzy footages produced by the LEGRIA.


Me wifey cannot resist a photo opportunity with a celebrity.


Trying out on the Powershot SX200 IS. The lens is HUGE simply because it's a 12X wide-angle zoom digicam from 28mm to 336mm f3.4-5.3. Believe it, this digicam can take macro shot at zero cm. The flash auto pops-out and auto-retracts.


It was very nice of Canon to provide free 8GB SD cards at the door for all guests so that they can test the products and compare. I actually recorded a footage with the top-range LEGRIA HF S10 using my SD card but forgot to switch to SD card mode, so I wasn't able to enjoy the sharp footages produced by this camcorder at this moment. But really, it's impressive. The sensor is actually a full 8 megapixels instead of the usual 2mp for HD resolution, so the camcorder records in ultra-HD then downsamples.
Ironically, I did not touch the 500D at all, despite being a DSLR user - because I know I could get my hands on it from T3.

On hindsight, we should have a group shot. Or maybe they did, coz me and wifey left at 8.30pm to pick up our darling from my in-laws. Many thanks to Glenn from Ogilvy who invited me after visiting this blog, and Noel (Ogilvy) and Sin Yee (Canon) for their warm hospitality at the Screening Room.

P.S. All photos taken with the Canon Powershot G10.