Sigma DP2

It's Sigma's turn, with its new compact cam, Sigma DP2.

What's special about this cam that I gota blog it?

Well, it's its direct image sensor. While common compact cams has small sensors, this has a HUGE one, about 7 to 12 times larger than an ordinary compact cam sensor. (DP2 sensor size is 20.7mm x 13.8mm, which is kinda a dslr-size sensor.) So this should mean that picture quality will be much much better than normal compact cams. Less noise (which is the degree of graininess on the photo) too. That'll be wonderful~

Only thing I find at a disadvantage is that it has a fixed focal length of 24.2mm (means that you can't zoom, so you must move yourself in order to get the composition you want). But well, it's 24.2mm f2.8, so this is a fast lens (means the lens can capture more light, making it 'fast') and by right will have nice bokeh (notice some photos has nice blurred background? that's bokeh), haha.

Hmm, sounds not bad ya... it sounds attractive to me, cos' to me it's like a 'mini-dslr', except that you can't change lens. But hey, it's convenient to bring it around, and well, the picture quality should be good...

But one very important issue: how much will it cost? I guess it will be rather ex... Anyone got DP2, can lend me to play around with it, please? hahaha

*p/s: I've gotten above information from www.dpreview.com .

给大学生的忠告 (5/7) (extracted from a forwarded email)

45. 如果有人嫉妒你，你可以把他从竞争者之列删除了。怀嫉妒之心者，难成大事。

46. 别去争论，人不可能赢得争论，可以说，争论所提及的话题都是不值得去争论的。

47. 成功的方法多种多样，别不接受你看不惯的方法。

48. 男人，你长得可以不帅，但你这个人必须帅，而且，那才是真正的帅。(当然，女人也是同样的道理) 所以，不必在穿着打扮上花太多心思。

49. 别以为在学生会你能得到你曾经想要的。工作的热情很可能因为你所看到的所经历的一些事而改变。

50. 文或武，你总要有一样。样样通样样松都是禁忌。样样通几样更通方是境界。

51. 还能冲动，表明你还对生活有激情，总是冲动，表明你还不懂生活。

52. 如果你不能拥有，那么告诉自己别忘记——如果你能承受那伤痛的话。

53. 虽然班级的概念在大学并不明显，但是也别忘记，你的同学你的朋友。

54. 准备考研，早点比晚点好。

55. 别抱怨四级六级，那是证明你能力的很好的东西。

They are so similar...

Leica itself has come out with its new compact cam too, the D-Lux 4.

Retro look, I like~ haha.

But this Leica D-Lux 4 is so so similar to Panasonic Lumix LX 3 in terms of both design and specs. Look at Lumix LX 3 below:

Some identical areas of the two cameras which I've noticed:

- Sensor size of 1/1.63'' CCD

- 3" LCD monitor with a resolution of 460,000 pixels

- Able to take photos in 3 different formats (4:3/3:2/16:9)

- Aperture able to go as big as f2.0

- Megapixels 10.1m

- Can shoot raw

- The way the buttons are organized

- The way the flash pops out

Hmm... so are there any differences?? Perhaps it's the "own unique colour matching, contrast and picture definition profile which produces digital characteristics complimentary to Leica M film photography", as proclaimed by Leica, that is different ba... And that Leica looks more classy, haha.

I haven't check out the price of Leica D-Lux 4 yet, but I bet it will be more ex than Lumix... Will we just be buying for the brand if we choose Leica? tsk tsk... need to check out the real thing (yep, as in go to the shop, feel it, test it...) if you really want to know the difference...

*p/s: above are Ching's personal opinions after browsing through the reviews and news, haha.

给大学生的忠告 (4/7) (extracted from a forwarded email)

34. 在大学里就开始训练自己的冷静力，这是一种能力，有大事时，能安静并能快速想出办法的人，很厉害。

35. 大学的竞争范围是所有的大学生，所以，你知道是否敢放松学习。

36. 大了，成熟了，稳重了，但是这和激情不矛盾，一种对工作和学习的冲击力及持久力会让你有特殊的魅力。

37. 记住，即便你是学生会主席，如果你的四级没过，没有毕业证，仍然不会有单位想要你。单位需要的是工作的人而不是当官的人。

38. 永远不要嘲笑你的教师单调，因为有一天现实会让你为这种愚蠢付出代价。

39. 不要幻想自己能成为招聘会上的宠儿，很快你就会明白:百分之七十的初中生都可以上大学。

40. 英语一定要学好。

41. 你可以看不惯一些东西，但是你应该学会接受，如果你没法改变那一切的话。

42. 对陌生人，或者把对方当做一张白纸，或者把对方当做你的朋友，总之别当做敌人，即使你听到再多的关于他(她)的不好的传闻。

43. 爱你的人，不管你接不接受，你都应该感谢对方。

44. 每个星期一定要抽时间出来锻炼身体的。好处多多。

The old estate

Know this place?

Yep, it's Tiong Bahru. I thought it would be a quiet town, somewhere where the old people are the majority folks living there. Well, I am one third right, haha. Cos' the place is bustling with people in the morning! And yea, though many old folks live there, there are many folks of other ages too. Many many cars streaming along the roads. Not what I've expected. Singaporeans. Foreign workers. The flats are spacious. (hmm, I din enter people's houses lah... guess from the outside, hahaha.)

Phone booth. I think foreign maids/ blue collar workers use it most often ya... but those at my neighbourhood more hip/ rich, they use handphones.



" Built in the 1930s, Tiong Bahru Estate is one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore. The apartment blocks are made up of two to five-storey flats and the units are assorted three to five-room apartments.

The construction style of the estate is a mix of art deco and local Straits Settlements shop-house architecture. The flats feature rounded balconies, flat rooftops, spiral staircases, light wells and underground storage and shelters. One notable feature of Tiong Bahru estate is that all its streets are named after Chinese pioneers of the 19th and early 20th centuries (Lim Liak, Kim Pong, Guan Chuan, Chay Yan, etc.)

Not many people could afford to live in the Tiong Bahru Estate during the pre-World War II years. It was the choice place of living for the upper class and also the place where the rich and powerful kept their mistresses. For this reason, the estate used to be known as Mei Ren Wuo (“den of beauties” in Chinese)" [Extracted from Wikipedia. For more, please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiong_Bahru_Estate]

That's all, folks. Bye bye~

给大学生的忠告 (3/7) (extracted from a forwarded email)

23. 在大学里，你有足够的空间承受失败和打击，因此，你真的应该找找自信和自傲的区别，可以用一辈子的。

24. 如果你的个性让很多人对你敬而远之，那么你的个性是失败的，个性的成功在于能吸引，而不是能排斥。

25. 如果把上课不睡觉当做一种锻炼并且你做到了，那么，你将会很强。

26. 学生会的主席之类的干部，如果你尊重他们，告诉你自己那是因为他们是你的学长而不是因为他们是你的上级。

27. 别怕丢人，那是一种成功的尝试，不要笑话那些上台丢人的人。

28. 从绝望中寻找希望，人生终将辉煌。

29. 如果你不抽烟的话，你的精力将会比抽烟的时候好。

30. 你的确要学会有心计，但是永远记住，要胜利的唯一的方法永远只是:实力。

31. 面对不公平的东西，不要抱怨，你不如去努力奋斗，争取你自己最合适的公平。

32. 人生百态，不要对新的看不惯的东西生气，无所谓的，比如说恋人同居问题，这和我们很多人无关。

33. 记住:为自己设定一个远大的人生目标，并终生为之奋斗。

Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore (07092008)

Swim, 1.9 km:



Bike, 90.1 km:



Run, 21.1km:






Not very satisfied with my shooting, sports photography is challenging sia... salute to Jeff who can shoot so well. Those Osim triathlon pics he post at clubsnap, thumbs up. Don't believe? Go to this thread: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=394310 Now this is what I called GOOD, haha.

Hope I can really improve next time round!

The balloony in Singapore

Too bad no one was taking the hot-air balloon when I was shooting this afternoon. Hope to catch it in action the next time...

Stumbled upon a good book today. It's 《南怀瑾讲述：心兵难防》. Good for people who got “自讼”的状况, just like me, haha. Maybe buddy can read it too, haha.

I didn't hang up your call!

Think I better write here just in case got any misunderstandings, hahaha.

Dear friends, if you call me, and it just rang a few times, and then got cut off, it's not me hanging up your call. I will never do this, cos' I think it's a very stupid thing to do anyway.

Don't know is it my line or what, always got this problem, got a few friends feedback to me quite long ago liao, pai seh pai seh... So don't be sad k, don't think too much [know you won't lah ;) ] I don't hang calls one. I so friendly... wahaha...(buay hiao bai)

Promise, will check out with Singtel by... this month. haha. Ask them to extend extend extend the ringing duration. Cross fingers that it's not my number got problem ba...

给大学生的忠告 (2/7) (extracted from a forwarded email)

12. “我请你吃饭”之类的话永远不要乱说。

13. 尊严是最重要的，但在大学里，要懂得利用这个空间锻炼自己，让自己的尊严有足够大的承受力。除了你自己，没人会为你保留它。社会是一个最喜欢打碎人的尊严的地方。

14. 大学是亚社会，当你上了高年级后，要让自己有大人的形象，大一的孩子看到你，你要能让他们感觉到你是他们的学长，你很成熟。

15. 你有足够的理由佩服每天早起的人，不信的话，你去做，做到后会发现有很多人在佩服你呢。

16. 经常给家里打个电话。

17. 你可以有喝醉的时候，但是你要明白和真正的朋友一醉才能让伤心事休，否则，你只会是别人的谈资和笑柄。

18. 如果你三/四年内很少去图书馆的话，你就等于自己浪费了一大笔的财富。

19. 不论男人还是女人，如果在大学里还把容貌当做重要的东西而过分重视的话，可能不会吃亏，但是早晚会吃亏。

20. 新学期如果你接新生的话，当被问到学校怎么样之类的问题时，你要记住你不但是这个学校的一分子，你更要给学弟学妹带来信心，你走过大一，你应该知道那时候对学长的信任多深。

21. 别迷恋网络游戏。千万别。永远别。

22.“我爱你”。别对很多人说这句话，在大学里，希望你只对一个人说，这是尊重你爱的人，更是尊重你自己的感情。