Posts Tagged ‘Canon’

Fireworks Tip 1 of 3: National Day Fireworks, Camera, Action!

Tuesday, August 4th, 2015

The National Day Parade usually sees a spectacular display of fireworks at the end of the display. Canon Imaging Academy shares three tips to capturing great photos of fireworks.

Shooting great snapshots of fireworks is not difficult, as long as you spend a little time preparing ahead. Today’s tip is on what to prepare and how to go about it. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.

Shooting great snapshots of fireworks is not difficult, as long as you spend a little time preparing ahead. Today’s tip is on what to prepare and how to go about it. Photo credit: Canon Imaging Academy.

This year being Singapore’s 50th anniversary for independence, the fireworks will be unprecedented, with daily fireworks displays throughout the Jubilee Weekend.

If you’re planning to shoot the fireworks next Sunday on 9 August, check out three quick tips that the Canon Imaging Academy has shared.

The details for these tips will be posted as a three-part series over three days, with the first tip covered today.

So read on…

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POTD: Rooftop tower at Masjid Abdul Gafoor in Singapore

Saturday, August 1st, 2015

Photo of the Day: The rooftop tower is directly above the cupola above the prayer hall of the mosque.

* Information from Wikipedia article on Masjid Abdul Gaffoor.

The tower has eight sides and has three levels demarcated with Doric pilasters. Photo taken using a Canon EOS M3 and 18-55mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The tower has eight sides and has three levels demarcated with Doric pilasters. Photo taken using a Canon EOS M3 and 18-55mm kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

On the lowest of three levels of the tower are eight cinquefoil windows with coloured glass panes which let light through to the interior.

The middle level has pilasters and capitals below a balustrade with bottleneck balusters.

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POTD: Stairs to heaven at Masjid Abdul Gafoor in Singapore

Sunday, July 26th, 2015

The Abdul Gafoor Mosque is in Little India off Jalan Besar in Singapore. * The information in this article was derived from Wikipedia’s article on the mosque.

The rear facade of the Masjid Abdul Gafoor is actually two stairs that ascend to the cupola at its rooftop. Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The rear facade of the Masjid Abdul Gafoor is actually two stairs that ascend to the cupola at its rooftop. Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The area in which Masjid Abdul Gafoor was built is also known as Kampung Kapor, which was a centre of business activity for Indian merchants.

The mosque also served Muslims who worked at the old race course at Farrer Park.

The predecessor to the Masjid Abdul Gafoor at the location was an earlier mosque named Masjid Al-Abrar which was built in 1846 for the South Indian Muslim merchants and Baweanese syces and horse trainers living in the area.

The name of the mosque at the entrance. According to Wikipedia, “In 1881, a deed of assignment dated 14 November 1881 created the Dunlop Street Mosque Endowment or wakaf. The two trustees were Ismail Mansor and Shaik Abdul Gaffoor bin Shaik Hydert. Abdul Gaffoor was the chief clerk at a legal firm. The wakaf was created for the building of a mosque for the Muslim community in Singapore. The deed of assignment also placed in trust several other properties including a Muslim burial ground and a house in Race Course Road. The burial ground was closed in 1921.” Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The name of the mosque at the entrance. According to Wikipedia, “In 1881, a deed of assignment dated 14 November 1881 created the Dunlop Street Mosque Endowment or wakaf. The two trustees were Ismail Mansor and Shaik Abdul Gaffoor bin Shaik Hydert. Abdul Gaffoor was the chief clerk at a legal firm. The wakaf was created for the building of a mosque for the Muslim community in Singapore. The deed of assignment also placed in trust several other properties including a Muslim burial ground and a house in Race Course Road. The burial ground was closed in 1921.” Photo taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

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POTD: Masjid Abdul Gafoor in Singapore Kampung Kapor

Saturday, July 25th, 2015

The Abdul Gafoor Mosque is on Dunlop Street in the Kampung Kapor area of Singapore.

The visit to the Masjid Abdul Gafoor was part of an SG50 heritage photowalk organised by Canon Singapore, that also included visits to the Saint Joseph’s Church and Yueh Hai Ching Temple. I had the chance to try out the new EOS 5Ds and EOS M3 cameras. This photo was taken using an EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The visit to the Masjid Abdul Gafoor was part of an SG50 heritage photowalk organised by Canon Singapore, that also included visits to the Saint Joseph’s Church and Yueh Hai Ching Temple. I had the chance to try out the new EOS 5Ds and EOS M3 cameras. This photo was taken using a Canon EOS 5Ds and EF 50mm F1.4 USM prime lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Originally built in 1907, the mosque was restored in 2003.

POTD: Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2015

Friday, July 17th, 2015

Here’s wishing all Muslim friends: “Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri”!

Hari Raya ornaments for the home, on sale at the night bazaar prior to the actual day. Photo taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. It was so crowded you’ve got to keep moving. The fast 65-point autofocus of the 7D Mark II enabled many shots to be taken sharp despite the hurry. Photo credit: John Tan.

Hari Raya ornaments for the home, on sale at the night bazaar prior to the actual day. Photo taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. It was so crowded you’ve got to keep moving. The fast 65-point autofocus of the 7D Mark II enabled many shots to be taken sharp despite the hurry. Photo credit: John Tan.

It’s Hari Raya Puasa today.

After a whole month of fasting during Ramadan, today is the day that our Muslim friends have been looking forward to.

A traditional henna tattoo being done on the hands of a gracious lady who accented to letting me capture the beautiful design on her hand. Photo taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with M.Zuiko ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

A traditional henna tattoo being done on the hands of a gracious lady who accented to letting me capture the beautiful design on her hand. Photo taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with M.Zuiko ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

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Canon Readiris Corporate 15 OCR software enables smart documents

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Readiris Corporate 15 is an advanced software solution for users in both small and large enterprises who need to digitise their paper information for easier archiving and sharing.

Automated document processing improves productivity, and work processes, while easy sharing of information increases mobility and efficiency in the workplace.

Automated document processing improves productivity, and work processes, while easy sharing of information increases mobility and efficiency in the workplace.

Canon, a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions, has unveiled its first IRIS offering in Singapore – Readiris Corporate 15.

An advanced optical character recognition (OCR) solution, Readiris aims to reinvent the way enterprises in Singapore work with paper, enabling them to now convert paper into digitised documents and images for users to seamlessly search, and share information in a smarter, more productive workplace.

More details from the press release below.

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POTD: Who designed & built Eiffel Tower in Paris, France?

Sunday, June 28th, 2015

Photo of the Day: The Eiffel Tower is named after engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. His company designed and built the landmark in Paris in 1889.

View of the Trocadéro framed by the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

View of the Trocadéro framed by the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

According to Wikipedia, “the design of the Eiffel Tower was originated by Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two senior engineers who worked for the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel”.

This was the dude who brought the Eiffel Tower into this world - Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923). The bust was unveiled in 1929 and is now at the base of the Northern leg of the Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

This was the dude who brought the Eiffel Tower into this world – Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923). The bust was unveiled in 1929 and is now at the base of the Northern leg of the Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The tower was to serve as a centrepiece for the Exposition Universelle to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution.

Incidentally, the first time I visited the Eiffel Tower was in 1989, smack in the middle of the bicentennial celebrations of the French Revolution.

Gustave Eiffel bought the rights to the patent for the design which the original designers had taken out and eventually saw the Tower to completion in time.

As with all things new, the design met with opposition and criticism right from design stage till after completion – but history has proven that the design is technically robust and aesthetically appealing.

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POTD: Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

Saturday, June 27th, 2015

Photo of the Day: The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower designed and built by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel in 1889 – as the entrance arch to the World’s Fair in that year.

Eiffel Tower as seen from the Pont d'Iéna. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Sepia tint added using Adobe Photoshop CC 2015. Photo credit: John Tan.

Eiffel Tower as seen from the Pont d’Iéna. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Sepia tint added using Adobe Photoshop CC 2015. Photo credit: John Tan.

At 324m tall, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in Paris, and was the tallest in the world for 41 years from 1889 to 1930.

It was surpassed in 1930 by the Chrysler Building in New York City.

Roughly 80 stories high, the base is square with 125m on each side.

There are three levels that visitors can visit.

I like the lace-like design in the metalwork of the Eiffel Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

I like the lace-like design in the metalwork of the Eiffel Tower. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

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New arrivals: Canon PowerShot G3 X prosumer compact camera

Friday, June 26th, 2015

The PowerShot G3 X offers high zoom shooting and promises superior image and video quality through the Dynamic Image Stabilisation (IS) system. Pricing & availability TBA.

The newly launched Canon PowerShot G3 X.

The newly launched Canon PowerShot G3 X.

The Canon PowerShot G3 X is a new premium high-zoom digital compact camera in the PowerShot G series.

The camera is powered by a large 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, enabling the camera to offer good image quality even in low light environments.

The camera features a 24-600mm 25x optical zoom lens and improved Zoom Framing Assist.

The camera’s improved Dynamic Image Stabilisation (IS) system enhances movie recording by stabilising moving images.

The EOS-like user interface also enhances intuitive operation of the camera, with a high resolution 1.62-megapixel 3.2-inch touch panel LCD monitor.

Below are more details from the press release.

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POTD: 3rd time lucky at Chambord Chateau in Loire Valley, France

Sunday, June 14th, 2015

After having twice turned back from visiting Chateau Chambord when I’d already reached its gates, I decided to make my third and final attempt at visiting this biggest and most majestic of the numerous fabulous chateaus in the beautiful Loire Valley.

The frontal facade of the Chambord Chateau, with the moat in the foreground. The architecture is what one expects of a typical castle - an inner keep surrounded by corners and a moat. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

The frontal facade of the Chambord Chateau, with the moat in the foreground. The architecture is what one expects of a typical castle – an inner keep surrounded by corner towers and a moat. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Why two unsuccessful attempts?

Well, my first attempt at visiting Château de Chambord was during the summer holidays back in school when I cycled 16km from Blois only to suffer an accident right in front of the castle.

One of many beautiful chandeliers in Chambord Chateau. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

One of many beautiful chandeliers in Chambord Chateau. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

I had to satisfy myself with some quick snapshots of the front of the Chateau before bidding goodbye to the chateau.

Decades later, I brought my family with two kids on a self-drive vacation to the chateaus in the Loire Valley.

By the end of the week and more than half a dozen chateaus later, we arrived again at the gates of the Chambord Chateau in the mid afternoon.

By then, the kids were so tired out from our earlier exertions of that day that they were so totally knackered we couldn’t bear to wake them from their sleep in the car.

And to be honest, my wife and I were up to our ears in chateaus by that time.

So my wife and I snapped the obligatory snapshots of each other posing with the (equally majestic) rear facade of the chateau within a stone’s throw of where our car was parked.

Enjoy a horse carriage ride on the extensive grounds of the Chambord Chateau. Horse lovers can also watch twice daily equestrian shows at the chateau. Taken with an Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark II with M.Zuiko ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO lens. Photo credit: John Tan.

Enjoy a horse carriage ride on the extensive grounds of the Chambord Chateau. Horse lovers can also watch twice daily equestrian shows at the chateau. Taken with an Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark II with M.Zuiko ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO lens. Photo credit: KoolKat.

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