Earlier today I attended the grand opening of the DJI Experience Store - which is a new premium store and service center at One Utama Shopping Mall. I was invited as a media, and I went without having much expectations. I don't get a lot of invites to events, do when I do get this one, I do wonder if my drone flying on the second vlog channel managed to get some attention somewhere? That would be interesting!

I do personally own two DJI products and actively shooting with them at the moment. Firstly, the DJI Action 2 which is the default vlogging camera for my vlog YouTube channel andI also use this as my POV camera for street shooting in main photography channel. Secondly, I have the DJI Mini 2, a budget drone which I have been flying every week! Therefore, I was quite excited to see the new store, and knowing that there is now official service centers in Malaysia, it does put my mind to ease, whenever I am taking the action cam or drone flying to more extreme levels. 

I have documented the entire event in my latest video on the vlog channel, you can check out the video here (click). 

In conjunction to the store opening, DJI also offers some exclusive deals for walk in customers (deal expiring 28 February 2022):

DJI Tello RM399 (usual price RM499)

DJI OM4 RM379 (usual price RM459)

DJI Mini SE RM1199 (usual price RM1359)

DJI FPV Combo RM4299 (usual price RM5299)

DJI Mavic 3 + Shoulder Bag RM9999

The grand opening was quite fun. There were performances (professional Violinist), lion dance and also a talk sharing session by experienced film-makers using DJI Drones. 

I decided to bring along my Olympus Micro Four Thirds gear for this event instead of the usual DJI Action 2 for one very obvious reason, I was going to do recording in dimly lit environment. You never expect malls to provide ample lighting for video, that never happens. As much as I love the Action 2, and I have had a dozen or more vlogs filmed on that, and I must say I have started to like it a lot, mainly for the tiny footprint and convenience of using it, the quality is just not on the same level as a proper, professional system camera. I brought along the 12-40mm F2.8 PRO, just one lens to do it all. From vlogging myself speaking, video recording the event location, and snapping away some quick shots for this blog entry. There were official photographers and videographers roaming around the limited space, and add to that influencers, bloggers, YouTubers and media people all fighting for space to get that best shot - I'd just let them do what they do and I quietly shot everything from far. Hey, this was not a job and I was not paid to shoot this event, so do excuse the lower than usual image output. 

Here are some of my shots from the event. 

I sure hope to hear more about DJI and their events locally here in Malaysia soon, and hopefully get to attend them in one of the DJI Experience Stores! They look like the store interiors can be configured and set up as event space for future product launches, talks or workshops. I bought two DJI products last year. Maybe this year, I will add a third into my bag?

Happy New Year 2022! I know I am late to make that wish here, but if you have followed me elsewhere, you would have known I have updated a few videos and some posts on YouTube and Facebook page. I don't know, it is now 2022, does anyone still come here any more?

In December 2021, I went home to my hometown in Kuching, Borneo for half a month holiday, to spend some time with mum, catching up with friends and of course eat some good food! I brought along only one camera for this trip, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II as I did not expect to do any shoots. The lens I had with me was borrowed from dear friend Jackie, the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm F2.8-3.5 II, which was made for earlier Olympus DSLR cameras. I adapted the lens onto my E-M1 Mark II via MMF-2 adapter, and I shared my experience using the lens on an OM-D body here (click to video) if you are interested to know. 

In this blog entry, I shall just share some shots taken from a short portrait shooting outing. It was tagging along Kieron Long (Leica Ambassador, Malaysia) and stole a few shots with my E-M1 Mark II with the 14-54mm II attached. If I knew I would have done a portrait session, I would probably have brought along the 75mm F1.8 and 45mm F1.8 for this trip, but the only lens I had was 14-54mm II. Not that I was complaining, the lens was more than adequate to do some casual, non-commercial environment shoot, and I was happy with what I saw coming from the lens. 

Do take note that I did not have full control over this shoot, it was organized by someone else, and there were half a dozen other photographers present shooting the same one model in a span of less than 2 hours. My opportunities were limited and I did not want to step on anyone's toes, as everyone seemed really passionate in getting the best shots. I just did what I could to get some sample shots with the lens, knowing I will make a video content discussing the AF speed/reliability and image quality from the 14-54mm II used on E-M1 Mark II. What I am trying to say is - these are not my best work, but I am putting them up here to demonstrate what the lens can do, and I must say - my artistic input (or the lack of it) aside, the lens does shine!

Special shout out to model Wendy Ling (IG @wendy_wendyling) and thanks Kieron for having me along. 

I was supposed to publish this blog article alongside the POV street video I did with the same topic, but I forgot my laptop during my recent 2-week holiday home to Kuching, Borneo. Composing a blog article on a smartphone was a bad idea, I gave up at the second paragraph, and I thought I'd just do a proper one after I have returned from that short trip. My friends Jon Low and Andrew Chow invited me to tag along their day trip to Sekinchan, a 2 hour drive out of Kuala Lumpur location with vast paddy field (rice plantation) and a fishing village by the ocean. It was a splendid place for photography, and so we had some shutter therapy adventure. 

I did a POV street video using the Olympus DSLR E-1 here (click). 

I also did behind the scenes documenting places we go to, some cool drone footage covering the area, the food we ate and crazy adventures we had, go to my vlog channel here (click). 

I did a POV street photography video in Malacca and it was first attempt at anything POV for the YouTube. Do check it out here (click). Photography was not the main agenda of the short trip to Malacca, I intended that to be food adventure and catching up with some old friends. Also I wanted to chill, relax and just get away from the metropolitan Kuala Lumpur for a little bit, before resuming my ever crazy busy life. It was a great weekend, had plenty of fun, ate too much awesome Malacca food and I did manage to squeeze in some time for shutter therapy. So I am sharing my shots here, all shot with the old dinosaur Canon 5D classic and 50mm F1.8. 

I recently purchased a budget manual lens 7Artisans 35mm F0.95 just because I was intrigued by two things - the 35mm unusual focal length (70mm equivalent in 35mm format) and super bright aperture F0.95, which I never had before. I have made a full video sharing my thoughts and mini-review on the lens, you can find the video here (click). I shall not repeat what I have said in the video here this time, I don't think this lens has much to shout about, but it is a decent performing lens for the low asking price with some noticeable flaws, but I am really enjoying the fixed 35mm perspective as well as the extra creamy bokeh of F0.95 wide open! I shall let you guys feast on some of my favorite shots from this lens here instead. 

Images were shot with Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and 7Artisans 35mm F0.95

I brought the recently purchased Olympus PEN E-PM1 to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park for 2 main reasons - to support the local business, KL bird Park has been closed for most of the year due to lockdowns, and also to prove a point that you don't have to break the bank to enjoy photography and get great results. I shot with the 10 years old PEN Mini and budget telephoto zoom lens from Olympus, the combo being compact, costs RM250 (USD60) got me some images that I am personally happy with. 

I made a video showing the birds in situ, and me sharing my thoughts, you can watch it here (click).