Tag Archives: canon

SF Zoo

A chance to shoot some birds and animals in the SF Zoo was a great opportunity to use my Canon 2x extender which is basically collecting dust.  The setup is a simply a Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender ii.

Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender

Great weather and here are the photos shot that day.

SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender
SF Zoo + Canon 5dmiii + 70-200mm f2.8 + 2x extender

 

Shooting Fireworks Handheld

New years eve 2015, it was windy and cold by the waters near Houston.  Family fireworks about to start and since I was traveling lightly, I didn’t have my tripod.  Let’s see if I can shoot this handheld.  Here are the result.

Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30

Basically cranking up the ISO to 12800, shooting with my Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens at f1.8 and 1/30s.  The focus is set to manual and to infinity.  Quite acceptable result had been achieve with this handheld setup.  Even though noise is visible in the images but at ISO 12800, the noise level is quite good.  Same level of noise is probably what we used to shoot five years ago at ISO 3200.  I am not about to print 20×30 with these images but these are amazing consider the portability of the setup.  I was able to run around without much issue and getting the fireworks at different angles.

 

Here are a couple of shots of my mom holding a sparkler, also shot with the Canon 5D3 at ISO12800.  The focus is with spot focus on the face and I was impressed how it was able to nail the focus consider how dark the scene was.

Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30
Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens + ISO 12800, f1.8, 1/30

Day 5 Self Portrait Challenge

I was nominated by Joyce Peng to do a 7-day self-portrait challenge: 7 days, 7 self-portraits, and 7 nominations to keep this going with other artists/photographers.  I invite Edmond Lok-Yin Wong  to take the time to extend the fun.

I put a small twist to this challenge as well.  I will be composing self-portraits through the viewfinders of different cameras.

Today, I am viewing through my 2014 Canon 5D Mark III camera with 70-200 f2.8 II lens.  In the photo, I am holding a 1970s Mamiya Universal + 50mm f6.3 lens with external viewfinder.  Being universal, I can put in a Polaroid or 6×7/6×9 medium format backs.

Photo taken with Sony RX100II.

Viewing through Canon 5D Mark III with 70-200 f2.8 II lens.
Viewing through Canon 5D Mark III with 70-200 f2.8 II lens.

Day 4 Self Portrait Challenge

I was nominated by Joyce Peng to do a 7-day self-portrait challenge: 7 days, 7 self-portraits, and 7 nominations to keep this going with other artists/photographers.  I invite Erik Mathy to take the time to extend the fun.

I put a small twist to this challenge as well.  I will be composing self-portraits through the viewfinders of different cameras.

Today, I am viewing through my 1970s Canon QL17 GIII camera.  It was the most sold rangefinder with over 1.2 million copies over twenty years.  Int this day and age, we will be lucky if a camera last more than 20 months!  The viewfinder is super clean and the yellow rangefinder patch is bright and easy to focus.  The aperture priority marker on the right is also bright and clear.   In the photo, I am holding another legendary rangefinder, the Revue 400SE.  Both of these cameras feature super fast and sharp lens.

Photo taken with Sony RX100II.

Viewing through Canon QL17 GIII
Viewing through Canon QL17 GIII

Basil the Westie

Basil the westie is a happy and friendly dog and always bring joy to me whenever I see him.  After a recent dinner gathering with his owner Natasha Hsieh, we decided to head back to our home studio and take some portraits.  Basil was a superb model and here are some highlights of that shoot.

I was trying to teach Basil how to operate the  Kodak 2D and he got the hang of it quite quickly.  Photo below entitled: “His master’s visage”.

Canon 5D3, Sigma 35mm f1.4
Taken with: Canon 5D3, Sigma 35mm f1.4

 

Canon 5D3, Sigma 35mm f1.4
Canon 5D3, Sigma 35mm f1.4

 

Basil checking out my work.
Basil checking out my work.

Day 2 – Black and white photo challenge

Day 2 of 5 of black and white photo challenge.  Each day I am trying to post a photo that is taken from a different camera and a different medium.  Today I picked a 135mm shot I did in Kyoto, Japan last year.  Amy and my mom were walking in front of me and the shadow was perfect when I took this shot.  Photo taken with Canon QL17 on Kodak TriX.  Film developed in Kodak D76 1+1 and Kodak Rapid Fix, scanned with Epson Perfection V700.  Today I nominate Michael Ho to accept my black and white photo challenge.

Amy and my mom in Kyoto
Amy and my mom in Kyoto, Japan

Photo booth

Another successful photo booth gig.  Thanks for Richard Lau for helping out with all the printing during Matthew and Jessica’s wedding.  Two remote triggered flashes on one direct and one reflective umbrellas.  Trigger system fully yongnuo (YN622 remotes + YN565II flashes).  Shot using Canon 5D3 with 24-105mm f4 lens.  Photos printed on two Canon CP720 and one Canon CP900 printers.

lovely!
lovely!
super classic!
super classic!
wtf
wtf
hm...
hm…

Le Moment in Soho

Casual dinner at Le Moment in Soho, Central, Hong Kong.  Bob the owner is always on top of his wine collection.  Through his introduction of his food and wine collection, you can feel his enthusiasm, passion and energy (which in my opinion is lacking in most restaurants in Hong Kong).

Here is a shot of the pencil sketch on the wall at Le Moment.  Taken with Canon 5D3 + Sigma 35mm f1.4 lens.  At 35mm wide open, you can see very noticeable vignetting at the corners.

Le Moment.  At the top it reads, "Je deja passe un bons moment", I have to disagree because I think the best is yet to come.
Le Moment. At the top it reads, “Je deja passe un bons moment”, I have to disagree because I think the best is yet to come.