canon ef 50mm f/1.8 II vs 50mm f/1.4

This post is a reply to Calvin's query on my c-box. Since it's a little long to type everything in the c-box, I might as well make it an entry to reply him.

I own a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, which cost me about MYR 310, if I remember correctly. On the other hand, I haven't tried using 50mm f/1.4, so I don't have first hand experience with the f/1.4. I wouldn't know how the lens performs.

Based on my personal usage, I find f/1.8 is fine enough, providing excellent photo quality. I believe f/1.4 should have better edge in producing the bokeh. Price wise, f/1.4 costs about 4 times more than f/1.8. Based on Shashinki's price list, a f/1.4 costs about MYR 1200. The notable difference between the two is the built, f/1.8 is a standard auto lens, while f/1.4 has a USM built in. (f/1.2 is of the L series).

I managed to google on the lens comparison, the exact comparison, between the two lenses, 50mm f/1.8 II vs 50mm f/1.4 USM. Here's the entry I found on the comparison, which will eventually lead us to this forum.

There isn't much input from my own experience, but I sure hope the information would assist you in your findings.

happy birthday

I wanted to to put this as a short birthday note in the previous post, but I forgot. Anyways, Happy Birthday to Louis. Have fun in KL!

extra feature: irene at lake park

Short note: I had a small gathering with a few old bunch of buddies couple days ago, and man, the girls are already sharing about their thoughts and plans for the wedding day. They actually have their wedding date set. Look at me, where am I now in life? Must face the wall and reflect on what has gone wrong with me.




Some of the extras from the shoot at Lake Park.

"A must see, highly recommended." -- SomeInternationalBrand Time.
"Two thumbs up." -- Try-to-make-this-sound-cool.com

Pazuzu doing what he does best, demonstrate how the posing should be done.


I left out some of the closer look of the people there in the session.

The ever-so-cool Pazuzu.

Jimmy the JimmyChin.net

Edwin with his Nikon.

Love Journey with.. someone ahead? Ahem.. :P

Pazuzu showing his ultimate skill, can easily pwn you, k? Don't play play.

That's all, and that concludes the shoot at Lake Park. So what's next?

My new toy? Paul's Birthday? Or something else? Let me think about it over my sleep.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins English Soccer Player of the Year Award

Cristiano Ronaldo wins English Soccer Player of the Year Award
Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo was selected the English Soccer Player of the Year by his fellow soccer professionals in England in their eyes he deserve it for the secon year in the row .

English Soccer Player of the Year-Cristiano Ronaldo

irene at lake park

After some delay, here are Irene's photos taken from my 350D.

At first, I wasn't able to make it to the outing. But since there were slight changes to plan, I managed to squeeze this photo session through to my Sunday schedule.

I was inspired by one of Jenny Sun's recent posts in her blog, so, I took this opportunity to test it out. I would like to see how the end result would turn out to be myself.

Jenny uses her 50mm f/1.2 for her shots, and since I don't have a f/1.2 lens, I used my EF 50mm f/1.8 with my 350D instead. My personal main objective is to experiment shooting portrait with widest aperture at f/1.8. Here are some of the results.

Image properties:

ISO: 100

Aperture: f/1.8

Gotcha!

Seduction?

Look, Ma! A heart!

Played with bit of desaturation, actually more like blending a black and white layer on top of original shot.

Adjusted the Levels properties.

Weee....

I used my EF 90-300mm f/4.6-5.6 for this shot.

EF 90-300mm f/4.6-5.6

All photos were taken straight to JPEG, instead of the usual RAW. There were only minimal enhancement added to the photos, e.g. Adjusting levels, exposures, etc. No major alteration was performed.

Up next, some of the blooper shots from this session.

behind the scene: irene at lake park

Okay, finally. I'm the last to post about this. Gee.

So, I have to squeeze this one in, between my pending stuff.

One fine Sunday morning, there was a photo shoot session at Lake Park, Pazuzu and Edwin arranged for the shoot. I couldn't make it at first, but somehow, I could spare some time that morning.

So, there I was, making a cameo appearance and snapped few shots.

I will show some behind-the-scene shots first.

Pazuzu.

Shen.

The big gunners - Edwin, Pazuzu and Shen.

Up next, some of the shots I took that day.

Ronaldo penalty miss

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a third-minute penalty cick in the Champions league semi-final match last night between Manchester United and Barcelona.
Ronaldo's penalties are almost unsaveable,but he was under huge pressure and now he knows how it feels to miss a penalty. :)

1st big apple donuts & coffee in kuching

I know, I'm late in posting this.

Big Apple Donuts & Coffee has commenced its operation since 10 or 11 April 2008, and I only get to post the pictures now.

I was happened to be in the Spring one fine Saturday night, and coincidentally, I have my camera with me. I then snapped a few photos, and now, here they are, posted nicely in this blog.

The pictures here couldn't really show how crazy Kuchingnites really were, the line wasn't clear. You can't see how long the line, people could actually wait for 30 minutes and more just to buy the donuts.

I thought this could only happen to J-Co in KL.

Big Apple in Kuching.

Can't see how long the queue was, but there were surely a lot of people there!

Oh, and I didn't try the donut that night, only get to try it for the very first time when I accidentally met Irene, Jimmy and M few days later.

not quite complete

Short Note: My desktop PC seems to be okay now, it isn't as slow as it was yesterday. And, I didn't do anything to fix it. Weird, huh?



I feel that it isn't quite complete without some of these shots, so I'm just gonna do a final, final round up for umm.. this entry, stretching back for about 3 weeks ago.

I must warn y'all beforehand, scroll down at your own risk. This is a PG-rated post! LOL!

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Guess who?
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I think it could be his trademark thing to do already.. -_-

Nana with a tiny, tiny cross.

I seriously find the pointing arrows weird. Hmm... Why ah?

Last but not the least, a picture with the birthday girl is a must!

Me + Nana.

Kim Kardashian Celebrity Gossip Photographer

In this case, although, l former better friend than Paris Hilton gives to life like reporter of subject of gossip of the celebrity a blow. Naturally.. She s strascicata, ironicamente, from those which they make this for a life. L only thing that lacks from this scene? Ray J. Typically, she the s it has folded hardly over and wearing many garments while the tape is rolling. All we know how much Kim Kardashian enjoys dell use of a video camera.

Balenciaga To Launch A Online Store Jennifer Connelly

In collaboration with the tree-lined avenue To. " It is un extension and an adaptation of the place puts into effect them of balenciaga.com, " it has said a spokesman of Balenciaga of the boutique online imminent, planned from Baron. Don the t it obtains too much moving although the girls, it are on hand only of the customers of the United States. Fortune teller that I will have simply to maintain an eye on the garment to the matches - where it s that it sells by piece for 3,875!. With of Balenciagaare in order joining other houses of way as all join the world of purchase online. It shame of the S.A won the t it is dressed of the stocking hardly still, it would be interesting to see if garment Jennifer Connelly is carrying in their advertising campaign 2008 of the spring sold outside. WWD are signaling that it marks will launch their first place of electronic commerce 15 May with the bags, the ice-skates, glance at them alone to it, the scarves and the monili in sale.

Ellen Degeneres

" If you have of doubt, goes still behind. " It listens, this is un occasion so that me it says something that it has not said before. " Thus my message to all you is, because someone is in a coat white man and in for means of great medical instruments, doesn average of t necessarily is right." Rather than going with what medical grass it must say, it has recommended the women to trust itself their instincts. The don the t it wants to say that in order to scare people but that s hardly a fact.". They have been badly diagnosed initially, " Minogue has said l host Ellen DeGeneres. Kylie Minogue has revealed for the first time that the doctors have given hardly the all-free weeks to it before that was diagnosed with cancer of the mammella. Speaking on un exposure of chat of United States, singer, that it has to pass last the three years that fight the cancer, has invited the women not to take to doctors the assurances like gospel.

Has Jennifer Lopez Had A Mommy Plastic Surgery Makeover

Moreover it is marked for having the plants of the guancica and a reduction of the labbro. In the past, Make Me Heal has marked on J. Lo plastic surgery of s, comprised a nose job to render its nose tighter. Jennifer moreover has been thought suspicion for having an increment of the breast to contribute to balance outside its famous body curvaceous (picked the complete history on Jennifer Lopez increment of the breast of s).. In order not to point out its edges it is made of the company, than even according to as reported they are made of the mink for the appearances of the red carpet, designing l ira of PETA. Since its days like girl of Moscow urge, it to recover have marked on the many changes that Jennifer Lopez has made its appearance in order to increase its career. Now that she is moreover a mother, incitilo to recover the wonders if Jenny from the block has had a transformation of the plastic surgery of the mother in order to maintain its look.

Stars Dress To Impress On The Red Carpet With A Little Help From Designers Kristin Davis

Singer Ashanticalls Saab& #039 of R; & quot of look of s; elegance.& quot esuberante; 27 years, of which egg whites The Declaration it has had outside in june, have said that the garments from the planners always render its to seem of the fabulous body. That s because many of they turned towards their favorite planners when head outside on the red carpet. " Sex And The City" the Kristin star Davis knows to be fashionable, but gradice to a little make it with aid from Karan Woman. We bucket have communicated with three stars that have favorite planners. It S.A star job of s dressing itself in order to make an impression. Gradice Ashanti Elie Saab, Kristin Davis is trusted Donna Karan and Bridget Moynahan counts on Angel Sanchez. Bridget Moynahan, than star in May with Tim Robbins in the " Noise, " it says that it appreciates that Sanchez can make a design well-made that feminine seeming and sexy without to resemble you have rendered to a great effort.. The planner says that Davis is " fashionable, expressive and unique." Davis moreover admires the saying of Karan that is a woman whom it knows to dress a woman.

a series of problems

Due to the reason mentioned above, I was unable to update anything. My desktop PC is show a series of problem. For some reasons, the performance was really slow, even after defragmentation, and hard disk clean up. 

I haven't had much chance to use my newly acquired Mac-hine yet. And for that reason, I haven't been able to download something, and will not be able to play DOTA with someone.

Last resort to solve the slow PC performance issue is to go through the Format + Re-install/Restore cycle, which I would love to avoid very much. 

I guess I will have to put my desktop aside for now, until I got all the pending issues cleared.

Posting will resume by tonight, I hope, with my Mac-hine.

happy bud-day to ahpaul

Let's take a break, cos it was ahPaul's birthday couple days ago.

I'm late in posting this, and i should add a 'belated' in the caption there, but I know ahPaul wouldn't mind. Hehehe..

Birthday boy with victory sign, posing with his birthday tiramisu. He's only one-year-young.

ahPaul turns a year bigger now! :D hehehe..

You will have to man man wait for the banner/poster from me lar. Will post more of the pic that night later. Time to sleep



End note: It's already 20 days past April. Dang! Time sure flies! >.<

Live Blogging from the Pope's visit to New York

In preparation for the Pope's visit I contacted Catholic Answers and through their generosity obtained 1,000 copies of their booklet We have a Pope. It would be my job to distribute them.

Friday

I went to St. Malachy's, even before arriving I helped some Franciscan Friars of the Renewal who were given an incorrect address to the Church to get to the church. I met up with some members of the Catholic Evidence Guild and they distributed them to mostly indifferent New Yorkers. The first wave were my fellow New Yorkers on their way from the office to the subway or bus terminal. The second wave were people on their way to Friday night Broadway musicals and plays. St. Malachy's is also known as The Actor's Chapel. People would wave at us from the tour buses and cab riders and drivers would hold out their hand and accept one.

As time passed some more Franciscan Friars and Sisters of Life arrived along with their young lay volunteers to distribute prayer cards and greet people in the name of the Church.

I shared with them Fr. Groeschel's joke on the difference between New York and Los Angeles. In L.A. people smile but don't know why they are smiling but they do. In New York people wear a frown and they know why they frown.

We were all drawn there to pray to God, in thanks for the Pope and to pray for the success of his mission here. It was publicized in many places to the sort of people who get updated on Catholic life here in New York. This notice is from GodSpy

We had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We had Evening Prayer (vespers). This is the first time I heard Fr. Richard Baker liturgically sing. He has a wonderful voice. I was sitting in the front but could see the church fill. Remarkably, tourists gave up a Friday night in New York City to be in church. Even a Evangelical minister and his staying in a nearby hotel attended. Two (hopefully) future priests attended, my son and a friend from Cathedral Prep.

As planned, we processed quite rapidly from Eight Avenue and West 49th Street (St. Malachy's Way) to the residence of the Vatican United Nations observer. at 20 East 72nd Street. About 2 miles (from: 239 west 49th street to: 20 east 72nd street, new york, ny) We took the Madison Ave route so we walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Along the way, we were praying, a friar had a guitar and was singing and my little group was handing out tracts to people. At this time and place we mostly encountering tourists.

We began to pass some elegant restaurants who because of the unseasonably warm weather who were really alarmed as the cloud of witnesses to Jesus were singing, praying, and praising on their way to meet his vicar.

Upon arrival we could see a large crowd gathering and waiting. We joined them. About 300 feet away there was a commotion and then we were told that His Holiness came down to the street to greet and bless the crowd. And it was time to go home.

Saturday

Today's plan was to distribute 600 copies of "We Have a Pope."

I arrived as the Mass was in progress. A small number of people were admitted to a secured zone near the Cathedral at 50th Street and even a smaller group admitted to the Mass. I would work the multitudes above 57th Street.

My progress as an evangelist. Smiling helps. I began to realize that bad seed was being spread: anti-Catholic tracts (i.e. the Pope is the Anti-Christ) and something called "Bayside - the facts revealed" (the "rad-trads"). Then I saw the vendors selling flags, pennants, and t-shirts. So I shouted "Free! We have a Pope. It's all about the Pope. It's pro-Catholic. It's pro-Pope. And best of all it's free." When people saw one being given out with no money changing hands, they descended upon me This was huge group that was hard to characterize: it consisted of nearby New Yorkers, the simply curious; the tourists who were there because it was the place to be in New York on this day; visitors who might be called pilgrims with banners like "Communion and Liberation" and the "Neo-Catechumical Way." No one had a bad thing to say about the Pope.

I saw an Associated Press cameraman-reporter doing an interview and boldly volunteered to be interviewed. I was asked "why are people here?" I answered "To celebrate their Catholic identity. The vicar of Christ has come to our city and we want to welcome him. It's a good day to be Catholic." I was asked what about the scandal "I believe that Pope has acknowledged the crimes and mistakes in a very forceful way, but that's not the reason for his visit. He comes to bring us the hope that is Christ." I was asked "What's your overall impression?" I said "Like today's weather, it's a new springtime for the Church in America." If not me, please let some positive person's interview get aired. The reporter smiled.

The mood of the crowd in a word "bored" because people were under the impression that he would be traveling from the Cathedral to the residence at the end of the Mass (or 11:30am), the Pope made the trip nearly two hours later. But the moment came and the crowd went wild and I had distributed 1,000 copies of "We Have a Pope".

Miley Cyrus Misses Out On Prom Night

It says, " I am shooting my film during the days of promenade, thus won the t he is there." But the singer of 15 years admits she the s he has alleviated secret -- because she doesn the t he has a date: " I would be like the single hermit to the posterior part of the promenade. The " Hannah Montana" the star, that it has organized in collaboration the prizes of theCMT with its beam of the Billy of the father the monday, was hoping to make it the great dance, but it has recently learned it won the t it can arrive. Feeling Miley Cyrus of I crack has uncovered that the reputation comes to a high price -- she s too much occupied to assist to its promenade of the High School. That s defective! I am not going to make that.".