ROBIN WONG

I have been enjoying the Kodak Charmera so much - it is truly small, beautiful in design, shoots lo-fi images and is so simple to use being 100% point and shoot with zero adjustments on the camera. It works, the Kodak Charmera original was a massive hit, it was the most popular camera in 2025. I am sure Reto is making the next Version 2.0, and here are my suggestions on how to make it even better - make the startup time faster, increase battery life at least 200%, add Kodak's own film simulation and film grain effect and also bump the resolution of image sensor up to 3.2MP, which will significantly improve image output while maintaining the lo-fi vibes that the Charmera is so well-loved for. I shared all this and my POV street shooting here (click). 

I originally wanted to just make a simple video to share real tips on how to improve photography - not just oh what camera or lens to upgrade to, or some quick shortcuts on special camera features or tricks, or overly aggressive image editing. I wanted to share the truth, there is no shortcut in photography, and if you really want to get better in the game, you have got to put in the work. Get to know your gear inside out, improve your shooting discipline, and spend more time shooting than scrolling through endless Instagram feed or YouTube videos. I thought it would be great to accompany all that dry chatter with some POV street shooting around Kuala Lumpur, using my Olympus E-M1 original and Olympus 25mm F1.8. You can find the video here (click). I am sharing the images from that session in this blog entry. 

I did this flow chart about my street photography workflow 10 years ago! I am sure the formatting can be improved and optimized, especially for smartphone view but I realized that with advancement of AI, I should take pride in my original work and leave all the imperfections in. Strangely, though the chart was made 10 years ago, it is still 100% relevant today, at least for my own street photography, and I would not change a thing! Yes, I still stop and pet the cat, and yes I still end my sessions with an overpriced cup of coffee. 

My relationship with the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 is quite interesting - I have bought the lens and sold it off twice. Recently, I found one in such good condition in the used market at a price I could not refuse, so I re-purchased it. Technically I don't need it, the Panasonic 15mm F1.7 does everything I need for wide angle (almost 28mm equivalent) shooting - for my paid jobs, filming YouTube videos and as the live streaming lens. However, I must admit there is something so thrilling about using such a tiny lens, and yes the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 is just so much smaller than the 15mm F1.7, while knowing it can deliver beautiful results. I paired the Panasonic 14mm pancake on my Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1, the smallest Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera and did some wide angle street shooting in downtown Kuala Lumpur. I made a POV video for this session too if you are interested (click here). 

When my friend Jon Low asked if I wanted to join him on a trip to Sekinchan (he needed to do some recce work for his upcoming shoot there), I immediately said yes. I just got the Canon 350D, and Sekinchan would be the perfect ground to really test what the old camera can do. Sekinchan is about 2 hours drive out of Kuala Lumpur city, it is near the sea hence there is a fishing village settlement, and uniquely there is also a paddy field nearby. You get a bit of nice Rice plantation landscape, and cool real life scenes of the fishermen, the Canon 350D should be fun to use there! Here are some shots I have taken. 

I bought the cheapest DSLR I can find in the used market - the old Canon 350D from 2005. I wanted to get a replacement for my previous Canon 5D which produces such beautiful color output, but the 5D was just too bulky and I sold it off to a friend. To satisfy the Canon color itch, I found the Canon 350D at such a good price and in very good condition, I just could not resist. There was nothing special about this old DSLR really, it was an entry level DSLR camera made for beginners with stripped down features and capabilities, but I do like that it is smaller than most other DSLR cameras at its time, and the camera still works perfectly fine, capable of shooting some beautiful images. Oh yes, the glorious Canon colors! I did a quick test around town with the Canon 350D!

It was a lazy Sunday morning that I participated in a Fujifilm Malaysia event led by my friend Azul Adnan (IG @azuladnan). It was organized in conjunction with J One Camera Store, and the theme of the outing was Black and White. Yes, you heard that right, it was a Fuji official outing, which means, I have a Fuji camera at hand. More about the camera to be revealed soon, I just wanted to share some quick snapshots taken earlier this morning in the event. Azul, as usual did a fantastic job sharing about black and white photography and he led the group in a short walk from GMBB in Bukit Bintang to Lalaport Shopping Mall, and back. We were asked to submit one photograph for comment and critic, and I submitted the opening image of this blog entry, the panning shot of the man carrying a wrist watch in his hand. It was truly a fun outing, learned a thing or two from the amazing Azul, and I must remind myself to do more black and white shooting.