Photography | The Learning Lensman

Recap: Canon PhotoMarathon 2011 – Manila Leg

Nov 262011

The Manila leg of the Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines 2011 was held at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) in Pasay City last 12 November 2011. The event is the culmination of this year’s Canon PhotoMarathon for the Philippines, which kicked off with the Cagayan de Oro City leg in Mindanao on the 27h of August then went up northwards with another leg every week: Bohol’s Tagbilaran City for the Visayas area, Iloos Sur’s Vigan City for Northern Luzon and Albay’s Legazpi City for the Bicol/Southern Region.

The Canon PhotoMarathon has become a yearly activity organized by Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc. (CMPI) for users of its imaging products like Point-and-Shoot compact, DSLR and video cameras. It is basically an On-The-Spot photography contest where participants are given themes to interpret through photography, with the resulting pictures are submitted for judging on the same day. Participants in the video-making category were allowed to submit their videos after the event to allow for editing.

"costume de rigueur"

Ownership of a Canon camera isn’t required, so people without cameras or those who use another brand are welcome to join provided that they use a Canon camera during the event. No participation fee is collected, everything is provided by CMPI: a participant’s kit with the PhotoMarathon shirt, cap and ID, lunch, snack, dinner and drinks. All one needs to do is to register online, show up with a Canon camera and sign a waiver form.

Now on its 5th year, the PhotoMarathon has become so popular and highly anticipated, so much so that the online registration website was overwhelmed when it opened at 8:00PM on the 28th of October. Everyone was trying to register and the system was congested. I waited it out and registered at 1:30AM, when the rush to register had abated.

Excited PhotoMarathoners

Two weeks later, the participants trooped to the PTTC early on a Saturday morning, greeted by large inflatable Canon cameras and a loud rhythm band. Registration was done with multiple booths, segregated by surnames so that a large number of registrants could be accommodated at the same time. After registering and getting the participant’s kit, a PhotoMarathoner could now go into the big assembly hall within the PTTC and wait for the event proper, or hang around in the lobby and visit the sponsor booths set up there. Canon had their product display, free camera/lens cleaning, and an on-the-spot printing station, There was also a Canon photobooth set up where participants could get their souvenir pictures taken. Other sponsors such as Abacus Computer and iMag photography magazine also had booths set up. A concessionaire where people could buy breakfast was also present, if one was hungry.

The Red Sea

Those who weren’t able to sign up online beforehand still had a chance to join the PhotoMarathon by showing up on the day itself and be put on the waitlist in case slots open up because some of the online registrants weren’t able to make it. After a couple of hours processing the online registrants, the unclaimed slots were opened to people on the waitlist. I have never heard of anybody on the waitlist being turned away in the past two PhotoMarathon, so I assume that everyone on the waitlist was accommodated.

After registration closed, everyone was asked to go to the PTTC main hall. There were just so many people seated at the round tables and with with everyone wearing the red Canon PhotoMarathon cap and shirt, the hall became a sea of red.

Canon Crusader of Light Jo Avila gives tips.

CMPI head Alan Chng came out onstage to open the Canon PhotoMarathon and announced that this was the biggest Canon PhotoMarathon yet, with more than two thousand participants. After that, the Canon Brand Ambassadors for this year, now dubbed the Canon Crusaders of Light, came out and were introduced to the crowd. Each of them offered tips for the PhotoMarathon, and posed for a group picture before they left the stage.

The CMPI managers then came out and read out the rules of the PhotoMarathon, They only had two themes this year to allow for more shooting time. Participants in the photography contest had to choose to enter either DSLR or P&S category, but not both. Both themes applied to both categories, and the first theme was flashed on the screen: “In the Concrete Jungle of our Nation, Find the Beauty of Your Own Imagination. Use Your Creative Passion to Showcase this Beautiful Creation.”

Canon Crusaders of Light Group Picture

Before being let out to start taking pictures, everyone was asked to face a camera on an upper floor for a group picture to be taken by Wendy Garrido, CMPI’s Coordinator for Service and also the “official group shot photographer” for all Canon PhotoMarathons. Another group picture of the participants was taken at the entrance to PTTC, and finally everyone was free to shoot.

Participants were pretty much free to shoot wherever they want, as long as they were back in 3.5 hours (time to upload submissions for the contest included). Being on a Saturday with heavy traffic on the road, many chose to shoot around the surrounding areas. Permits to shoot in the cities of Manila and Pasay were acquired by Canon and copies were made available to participants for use in case they were accosted by law enforcement officials or private security guards.

PhotoMarathoners... ARE GO!

PhotoMarathoners returned to find that the registration booths earlier in the morning had been converted into download stations for picture submissions. Each participant had to pick one image for submission and it was transferred to a computer for judging. After submitting a picture, the participant could proceed to the main hall and get a lunch pack and drinks. There was also a photo exhibit set up beside the stage which featured the shots of the Canon Crusaders of Light.

After the meal, the second theme was flashed on screen: “In This City of Wonderful People, Different Lifestyle, We Venture a Mirror of Our Colorful Culture Truly Preserved for our Future“. People went out to shoot, and everyone had to be back in 3.5 hours if they wanted to submit their entries.

A common sight around Manila that day.

The PhotoMarathoners started returning early in the afternoon. Some of them were visibly tired from shooting in a warm and sunny day (a Canon PhotoMarathon can be quite exhausting and a participant is required to be reasonably fit to join and advised to take the necessary precautions for heat and hydration). Snacks in the form of cup noodles were served, but there was a long queue at the hot water station so it was a good thing that dinner was to be served later.

After submissions were closed, the judging panel composed of Canon’s Crusaders of Light began judging in earnest. There were literally thousands of submissions that had to be reviewed so it took hours for them to deliberate. In the meantime, the participants were entertained by celebrities and Canon endorsers “Kuya Kim” Atienza and Piolo Pascual, raffle prizes and audience-participated contests (dancing, singing, “Youngest Photographer”, “Oldest Photographer”, etc). Models were also brought out on stage for photographers to shoot. After all this, a band came out and sang a lot of songs pretty much non-stop for more than an hour (I was amazed at the sheer lung endurance).

Canon Crusader of Light John Chua laughs the onstage antics

After the long wait (as long as judging thousands of entries on-the-spot can take), the finalists were announced and their pictures flashed on screen. The winners were announced from 2nd runner up to the 1st-placer, starting with the P&S Shoot Category, then the same for the DSLR categories. Prizes at stake were very desirable, including Canon’s current DSLR models, and the Grand Prize for the DSLR category was the EOS 5D Mk II with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens kit (valued around P150,000/US$3,000).

Ms. Jackielou Garcera won 1st place in the P&S category with her Canon Powershot SX20IS compact camera, and won a Canon EOS 600D DSLR, a trip to korea for two, benro tripod, benro bag, Lenspen and sensor cleaning kit.

Mr. Jerome Ross Lacbayan won 1st place in the DSLR category with a shot taken with his Canon EOS 50D, and won the EOS 5D Mk II and 24-105 L lens, a trip to korea for two, benro tripod, benro bag, Lenspen and sensor cleaning kit.

Canon Photomarathon 2011 Grand Prize Winner

The Canon PhotoMarathon Grand Prize-winning shot (Photo courtesy of Jerome Ross Lacbayan.

I went with my photography club, the Mandaluyong-San Juan Photographers Club (a.k.a. the MaSaJistas) and went to historic Intramuros and Rizal/Luneta Parks. None of us won this time (hehe), but we did have a lot of fun bonding and getting to know other photographers.

MaSaJistas (MAndaluyong-SAn Juan Photographers club members)

MaSaJistas Represent! (PhotoMarathon 2010 Champion Jesse Abad on the left)

What is great about the Canon PhotoMarathon is that you’re going to be sure that some of the best photographers will be in the contest as well (including past PhotoMarathon champions and first-placers of the other legs), and one gets an opportunity to see how these people “see” the same places you’ve been to. There’s nothing like an on-the-spot photo contest to make one ask “why didn’t I see that?”

Once again, Canon has hosted a successful event. The event was pretty much well-organized considering the logistics involved in dealing with more than 2,000 participants and while it is very expensive to host just one leg, Canon spent for five this year!

Congratulations to Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc., and thank you for continuing to Delight Us Always!

Cardboard Crusaders

(Note: Thanks to my fellow MaSaJista Dember Castaneda for helping me remember the themes word-for-word.)

Did you attend this year’s Canon PhotoMarathon? Want to provide feedback? Have your say in the comments box below!

Technorati Tags: canon, contest, philippines, photography, photomarathon

Framed Perspectives: Pinoy Photography’s 6th Anniversary Event

Features, News 2 Responses »

Nov 102011

The Pinoy Photography Organization recently held its 6th Anniversary event entitled “Framed Perspectives” last Saturday 5th November at the SM City North EDSA.

Almost 600 PiPho online forum members (known as “PiPhols”) had signed up for this year’s event, and there was a big crowd in attendance on the day itself. It was a day of learning, goodies and an opportunity to meet old photography and make new ones.

Free camera cleaning from Canon

There was an entrance fee of P299, which was inclusive of goodie bag, snacks, booth services and entry to the raffle. The goodies included the Participant’s ID, an ID lanyard from Canon, this year’s event shirt and brochures. These were all given in a canvas bag provided by Canon.

The sponsors also set up booths at the event. Canon had their product display as well as free on-the-spot printing on their Pixma printers as well as free camera and lens cleaning. Benro had a display of their products. Snacks were provided by KFC and every participant got a set of KFC Funshots and a drink. The Pinoy Photography Organization also exhibited some of its members’s photos in prints using Canon Pixma printers and on LCD TVs provided by Samsung.

KNJO, Jeric and Tekgik give away a printer.

Forum members KNJO and Jeric were the emcees of the event, and opened it with the presentation of this year’s PiPho.org officers, lead by 2011 President Aids Tecson (Crispyparty in the forums). Veteran members of the organization including founder Regie Fernando (Tekgik in the forums) were also in attendance. An AVP of the Org’s activities this past year was also shown on-screen.

This year’s speakers were professional photographers: John Chua, Maricris Fabi Carlos, Jay Jallorina, Wig Tysmans and Per-Andre Hoffman.

John Chua

Philippine photography legend and Canon Brand Ambassador John Chua of Adphoto started off by speaking about his advocacy, Photography With a Difference (PWD) which seeks to create awareness for the special needs of People With Disabilities (PWDs) through photography workshops and exhibits to be conducted nationwide. These people with disabilities are taught how to express themselves through photography and their bonding moments with their respective families are captured in photos. Mr. Chua talked about the fulfillment and encouraged photographers to join the cause. Many PiPho members are already involved with PWDs and it is hoped that more photographers will take this up.

The multi-awarded Maricris Fabi Carlos

Multiple awards-winning photographer and founder of the Amorsoloesque photography workshop Maricris Fabi Carlos took the stage next, and talked about how she got started in photography and about finding beauty in our everyday life in the Philippines. Her works were shown on-screen, and reminiscent of Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo’s paintings about Filipino life, whom her workshop is named after.

Chasing Light's Jay Jallorina

Expert landscape photographer, Chasing Light landscape photography workshop co-founder and Canon Brand Ambassador Jay Jallorina talked about his chosen field and encouraged the audience to re-envision scenes and shooting situations that other photographers have already shot. He said that we should embrace the opportunities and new techniques that digital technology now offer to help us develop this eye for seeing things in a new way.

The veteran Wig Tysmans

Veteran commercial photographer Wig Tysman told us about how he got started in photography during the film days, and that his original aim in accepting paid shoots was to earn enough money to buy more photography gear. His works were shown on screen and featured glamour and editorial shots over the years.

World photographer Per-Andre Hoffman

Last, but definitely not the least, world-traveling photographer and Canon Ambassador Per-Andre Hoffman took the stage and regaled us with stories on how he took his amazing collection of photographs. He asked the audience not to rely too much on photoshop and emphasized his points by showing shots that he had taken using film. He also said that he is now based in the Philippines because we had a beautiful country. His slideshow of pictures and behind-the-scenes insights certainly capped off the successful event.

Happy Raffle Prize Winner

Throughout the program, raffle prizes were being given away, and these included Canon Pixma printers, Benro camera bags, Benro tripods, copies of i-Mag Photography magazines, Canon accessories, gift certificates and more. A lucky participant also won a Canon Ixus camera given by Lightroom Corp.

There was no model shoot activity during this event, but the very informative talks by the professional speakers made up for this. The organizers also promised that there will be a PiPho photoshoot before the year ends. All-in-all it was day well-spent for.

Congratulations once again to the Pinoy Photography Organization for a successful activity, see you next year!

Where's The Learning Lensman? (Photo courtesy of PiPho.Org)

Were you at this event? Drop a line in the comments box below and let us know how it went for you!

Technorati Tags: event, philippines, photography, pinoy, seminar

The Learning Lensman Is Back

Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 092011

Hello World. I haven’t posted pretty much anything since March as I have been busy with work and a couple of other activities. Just logged into WordPress for the first time in months, and have just finished updated this site’s WordPress software and plugins. Hopefully I’ll make for that with several reviews and articles that have been in Draft status, so check in every now and then!

-The Learning Lensman

Technorati Tags: blog, photography

3rd Philippine Astronomy Convention (PAC 2011)

News No Responses »

Feb 112011

The Astronomical League of the Philippines, Inc. (ALP) will hold the 3rd Philippine Astronomy Convention (PAC 2011) on the 4th week of February 2011. The event has several activities spread across three days, with a different venue for each day.

The first day of PAC 2011 will be held at the National Museum Planetarium in Manila on the 20th of February 2011. There will be two talks/workshops on that day, entitled “How to Choose the Right Telescope and Mount” and “How to Get Started in Astrophotography”. There will also be a planetarium show called Journey to the Solar System, and a hands-on astronomy activity with the ALP members at the Baywalk for registered participants.

The second day of PAC 2011 is an ALP school visit and will have a talk entitled “Search for ET” at the Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong on the evening of 23rd February. The Rizal Technological University is the only school that offers a college course in Astronomy here in the Philippines, which explains the choice of venue.

The culminating day of PAC 2011 will be held at the SM Nido Fortified Discovery Center (SM Mall of Asia) on the 26th of February. There will be three lecture/workshops entitled “Cosmic Journey”, “Stories from the Stars” and “Search for ET”, as well as Discovery Center shows like “Passport to the Universe” and “Cosmic Collision”. Capping the final day is a hands-on astronomy activity with ALP members at the Astrocamp Observatory, a commercial observatory on the SM Mall of Asia.

There will be a P500 registration fee, which covers the admission to all three days of the event.

Photographers who are interested in shooting heavenly bodies (of the cosmic kind) might want to register for the 3rd Philippine Astronomical Convention and attend the astrophotography talk and hands-on workshop to familiarize themselves with the gear and techniques used in this specialized field of photography.

Those interested may contact the following ALP people below (delete the spaces between the words and “@” sign):

Andrew Ian Chan: chandyman @ astroleaguephils.org
Christopher Louie Lu: clmklu @ gmail.com
James Kevin Ty: jkty @ astroleaguephils.org

More details about PAC 2011 including synopses of the lecture/workshops and ALP contact numbers can be found in the event flyer on the ALP website here. (PDF File).

The Astronomical League of the Philippines was established in 2003 by a group of Filipino astronomers who wanted to develop the science of astronomy here in the Philippines. Visit the ALP website.

Technorati Tags: astrophotography, philippines, photography, seminar

The Learning Lensman’s 2010 New Year’s Resolution Scorecard

Uncategorized 4 Responses »

Jan 312011

In January 2010, I proclaimed that my New Year’s resolution for that year would be to be “More Photographic”. I outlined 10 things in a scorecard that I would do throughout the year in order to achieve this. A “scorecard” sounds very formal and too structured, but my experience in the corporate world has taught me that breaking down one’s primary goal into easier-to-digest chunks makes it easier to measure one’s progress.

I actually wrote down these 10 things as a Facebook note back in February 2010, but it stayed in Draft status and never got unleashed to the unknowing public. I had to meant to post this in my blog, as well as my assessments in December 2010 but it got put on the back burner as I had to attend to other stuff. Things piled on top of one another, and it’s now the end of January 2011. Well at least I still have a few more days before the 2011 Lunar New Year, so by that calendar I’m still in the previous year.

So here they are, in no particular order:

1. Read more.

Some of the stuff I got.

Books and internet sites on photography can be very inspiring. All those pretty pictures, and some books just leave you with your jaw on the floor. And there’s a lot of settings and techniques that one can try out. Internet articles and forum discussions are mostly free, and there’s a lot of good stuff out there (I have to admit that I got my basic fireworks shots settings from reading up on it back in 2007). The popularity of photography has resulted in local bookstores bringing in really nice books on photography. But books can be expensive brand new, so I also look for photography books in used book stores.

Assessment: I’ve read a quite a lot this year. In addition to being more active in the photography discussions I frequent, I’ve also followed a bunch of photography-related Twitter feeds, which means that everyday I read about something new. I also get magazines like Digital Photographer Philippines every month, and have scored a very good book on building portfolios, and an excellent one on photojournalism at a used book sale.

2. Attend photography courses.

At a printing seminar for PiPho members.

I took Jo Avila’s Basic Photography class back in 2007, several months after getting a DSLR. Prior to that, I was his student at his film photography class elective back in 1997. I learned a lot in both cases, and found that having an instructor is different from learning to shoot by just reading books or watching videos. There will be nuances and techniques that simply have to be observed in person. Having a knowledgeable mentor who can critique one’s shots in a frank manner will help too.

Assessment: I attended one of Jo’s once-in-a-blue-moon 5-day Advanced Photography course, where we learned more about studio lighting, portrait and product photography. I also sat in the Color Management module of one of his Basic Photography course this year as a refresher. Canon Philippines offered two free Print-Like-A-Pro color management seminars with Jo Avila as main speaker in Metro Manila this year and I was able to attend those. I was also able to go to two Canon-sponsored photojournalism/sports photography seminars conducted by veteran news photographer Dennis Sabangan, and a few hours at Digital Photographer Philippines magazine’s DPP Unleashed events featuring speakers like ace photographers Paco Guerrero, Jay Alonzo, Jay Tablante and Xander Angeles. Averaging each session at 3 hours each, I’ve sat down for at least 33 hours of educational sessions in 2010.

3. Shoot more.

Shooter got shot. Pic by Paolo Panganiban.

Practice makes perfect, they say. It builds familiarity with the camera, confidence in yourself, and hones composition and timing skills in a given photographic field. I’d like to shoot better landscapes, products, portraits and sports. Different techniques and perspective needed in each. There are also times that I still forget to do things, and these can be stupid mistakes… like not realizing ISO was left at 800 in bright daylight (why do I need to use f/22???) or shooting in the wrong camera mode. I think if I go shoot out more, checking these things before I click the trigger would be ingrained. More practice needed.

Assessment: I shot a lot this year. Based on my image folders for 2010 sorted by day, I have used a camera in 172 days out of the 365 in a year. I’m sure there are others who shoot more, but considering that photography isn’t my day job I think that’s still a pretty good number.

4. Get together with other photography nuts.

With a lot of photographers.

I used to go to photoshoots, EBs and photowalks before, but I’ve been pretty busy and don’t get to go out much anymore. I learned a lot by shooting with these people, learning new techniques, exchanging notes, trying out their gear (mmm… the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR is yummy, but it’s on the Dark Side hehe).

Assessment: I have gotten back into the local photography scene, posting more in the local photography forums, and meeting other photography buffs at events like Digital Photographer Philippines’ Unleashed and Pinoy Photography’s 5X events. There were also the various seminars and photoshoots where I met other like-minded people, and several photoshoots. In addition, I regularly attend Jo Avila’s Print Days and Prison Riots (former is a monthly event where his former students get-together to have fun and have photos printed for free on his high-end printer, the latter being photoshoots Mr. Avila organizes for his former students), and have joined a photography club in my area which means that I meet with other photographers on a frequent basis.

5. Maximize existing gear.

The "Brick" gets to be a walk-around again.

I have to admit that some of my gear gets used less, and ends up being left in my dry cabinet when I go shoot. Case in point would be the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, which was supplanted as my walk-around and travel lens by the EF-S 10-22mm ultra-wide angle lens when I started to travel frequently last year. My telephoto lenses are not getting used much too, which is kinda ironic since they are the more expensive lenses I have. I’ll try to shoot more sports and events from a distance.

Assessment: Late last year I acquired my first full-frame camera, and on that body, the EF 24-70mm’s focal length makes it the ideal high-quality walk-around lens for me (I found it too long on my 1.6x crop 40D). It’s now the lens that is on my main camera most of the time. I also got to use my 70-200 zoom lens more, including a couple of weddings where it earned its keep. And the icing on the cake is that the 10-22 lens still got used a lot of times.

6. Get more gear.

Oh my GAS. The Eye of Sauron.

Face it, new gear is always inspiring (my resolution to maximize existing gear above notwithstanding). I don’t have to say much about this. Getting a new lens will make me go out and shoot more. Or something. For 2010, I’d like to get a macro lens, maybe a Sigma, or a Canon. Or maybe an EF 16-35mm f/2.8L.

Assessment: 2010 turned out to be The Learning Lensman’s Year of the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Much to my wallet’s dismay, I ended 2010 with the legendary EF 200mm f/1.8L lens (A.K.A “The Eye of Sauron”, fastest telephoto lens in the world, pretty rare and no longer in production ) and a used EOS 1Ds Mark II (a professional-grade full-frame DSLR body, Canon’s flagship camera until the Mark III version came along in 2008). But I have to admit that these two things were a joy to shoot with, if a bit heavy physically. The shots with these items actually made me go “wow!” when I first saw them. I also acquired one of Canon’s flagship inkjet printers, a Pixma Pro 9500 Mark I which has 10 individual colors and can do A3+ size prints. These items were acquired with easy-to-own and quite favorable payment terms, which is why I was able to acquire them.

7. Be more self-critical.

Many many many pics.

When I started out with a DSLR, I was enamored with the sheer number of pics I could take… a far cry from a film roll with 36 shots. I’d keep a lot of stuff from my CF card… stuff like multiple shots of the same subject from the same angle. I’d upload a hundred pics per batch to Multiply. I found it difficult to delete shots, even the bad ones. I have to admit that I’d still be keeping everything if it weren’t for the fact that I’m running out of space, and found that I’m too lazy to do archives and stuff. And as I started to shoot more and post-process in earnest, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of “keepers” I thought I should keep. Being able to discard bad shots immediately would save me from time-consuming sorting and processing after the shoot.So I have to cut down on the pictures I keep.

Assessment: I now screen the pics during the shoot and discard bad ones before they get transferred to my PC; I found that immediately deleting pics after an initial look-see will prevent me from being attached to them and keep them. Multiple shots of the same thing/angle are immediately screened and I only keep the best one or two for further post-processing. In short, I have become more ruthless to the pictures I take.

8. Hone Lighting and Strobist Skills.

Strobing my friends.

I love bouncing my flash indoors. Any large, reasonably flat and neutral-colored surface I see, I bounce. I bounce up, down, sideways, to the back, etc. However, bouncing with an on-board flash will only do so much, so I have to go off-camera flash the strobist way. I already have a wireless trigger and I bought one of those 5-in-1 reflectors, should I should be reasonably well-equipped to start guerrilla studio techniques. In 2010, I shall do more flash work.

Assessment: I have to say that I didn’t do so well here, I ended up shooting ambient light most of the time, and my flash was still used the same way, bounced against the ceiling or a wall. Maybe 2011 will be The Year of the Strobe for me.

9. Volunteer (as an Assistant).

Observed Mr. Avila in action during a wedding.

Being a Volunteer Assistant, or a VA, is a good way to learn the ropes from an expert photographer. There are professional photographers out there who take in VAs into their shoots. Some of them really want to impart their skills, but there are also some who just want to take advantage of a VA as an unpaid assistant cameraman. I’ve previously VA’d with Jo Avila before, and a requirement of his was no shooting by VAs. How can you learn when you don’t shoot? By watching. I learned how to use a light meter, how to position reflectors, how Brazilian models sound like when making small talk in a shoot (wait, what?), and how to use a Mongol pencil to judge light quality. VA opportunities can get snapped up pretty fast upon announcement, so I’d have to be fast on the draw. And hope my sked is free on the day itself, hehe.

Assessment: I got to be Jo Avila’s VA twice this year, given the slots announced and my availability. Once on a product shoot, and another for a wedding. In both cases I learned quite a lot by assisting observing, and not shooting.

10. Print More.

Print material on my desk.

Back in the film days, the only way you could see your picture was to develop it, or have it developed. Nowadays with all these digital technologies, we can shoot, upload, post process, and show it to the world online. I must admit that since 2005, I’ve only printed a very small percentage of my digital pictures. I was mostly content to see them onscreen, and share them by email, Flickr, Multiply and recently, Facebook. Besides, printing cost money and that’s a reason why I quit film photography before. Then I attended Jo’s Basic Photography course, and a hallmark of that course is that it teaches the whole workflow from shoot to print. If I got him right, it’s all about the print. I only got to appreciate it fully when he processed and printed out my assignment shot, A3 (almost poster-like) size, using Canon’s top printer and high quality paper. I was blown away. Then at one of his Print Days, where his former students meet up at his place and can have their stuff printed free, Jo printed one of my best shots. Again I was amazed at how much better I appreciated how detailed my pictures actually are when they’re tangible and on paper. This year, I plan to go back through my collection, and look for old pics which I can devote a little more attention to, and print.

Assessment: I’ve printed quite more in 2010. I was present at most of Jo Avila’s Print Days and always had something printed. The photography club I joined also had monthly contests which required entries to be printed. I also had prints done at my preferred photo lab, Fujifilm Digital Imaging, just because I wanted print outs of my better pictures. In addition, I acquired a used Canon Pixma Pro 9500 Mark I printer, with the aim of doing large prints, but I have to admit I don’t have a table big enough for it yet, so it’s still in its box.

How Did The Learning Lensman Do in 2010?

All-in-all, I think I nailed 9 out of the 10 objectives in my aim to be more photographic in 2010. Not a bad score, I believe. And there’s one more thing…

11. Even More Than Photographic.

Going beyond taking pictures and going into writing about photography wasn’t in my original list of 10 items back in February 2010. I actually didn’t see it coming, but one day in May 2010 I decided to pay for the domain name “thelearninglensman.com” and write original entries during my spare time about my experience with photography and the local photography scene. And so here we are, several original blog posts later. Not much compared to many other blogs out there, but I can say that thinking up and writing these took quite a significant chunk of my time, and so at this point I’d like to say thanks to all those who took their time to drop by and read the stuff written by The Learning Lensman.

Happy New Year, Lensmen and Lenswomen!

Have you made photography-related resolutions? How did you do with them? Share your experience with resolutions in the comments section below!

Technorati Tags: 2010, new year, photography, resolution

PhotoWorld Asia 2011

Features, Where-To 1 Response »

Jan 302011

PhotoWorld Asia is the country’s prime photography tradeshow, and there’s something for every photographer, from product displays to seminar sessions. For 2011, the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF)-organized event is being held from the 27th of January up to the 1st of February in Makati City. The trade show booths are set up at the Glorietta Activity Center, while the seminars are conducted at the Asian Institute of Management along Paseo De Roxas.

I went to PhotoWorld Asia’s tradeshow section on their third day of exhibition and my initial impression is that there are more visitors than last year’s edition. This reflects the recent increase in number of people going into photography for pleasure or business, and I think this is good for the local photography industry; the more buyers there are, the more great stuff gets brought in.

Quite a lot of visitors.

The usual big camera brands were there. Nikon had their latest cameras and flash on display. Olympus had their E-5 DSLR, fast telephoto zooms lens and mock-up copies of their upcoming E-PL2 EVIL camera. Camerahaus represented Pentax. Even relatively-new camera manufacturer Samsung also had a booth featuring their latest compacts and interchangeable lens cameras.

Canon had the biggest manufacturer booth there and in addition to having product displays there was free printing and free camera and lens cleaning (the latter available only on the weekends).

Canon... Delighting You Always. With a 500mm.

They also had some of their nicer lenses for visitors to touch and try, including the “ultimate walk-around-if-a-bit-heavy” 28-300 L lens, a TS-E tilt-shift lens, and the “many-a-wedding-photographer’s-favorite” 85mm f/1.2L lens. The crowd favorite was obviously the cannon-like 500mm supertelephoto lens.

My personal favorite lens among those available to try out was the EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens. I had brought a full-frame DSLR body to the event, and wanted to see what a fisheye can do. The Canon people were nice enough to let me try it out to my heart’s content. It’s a fun lens to have on full-frame. Canon Ambassador and veteran commercial photographer John Chua saw me with the fisheye lens and humorously challenged me to shoot the model with it.

My attempt at model shooting with a borrowed fisheye.

Aside from the camera companies, there were also other photography vendors such as Aperture Trading (PocketWizards, Eureka dry cabinets, Hiti printers, video and studio lighting/setup specialist), Vet Specialists (Op/Tech straps, Lowepro bags and Elinchrom lights), JT Photoworld (Sigma lenses and Tamrac bags), Island Photo (Manfrotto tripods, National Geographic bags), Abacus Computer (Western Digital Hard Disks, QNAP storage arrays and CF/SD cards), Benro (tripods). Avenue (general photography products) and Echostore (Think Tank Photo products and then some) shared a booth.

There were also booths that displayed other photography-related products, such as photographic paper, photo albums, large-format tarpaulin printers, and consumables. While these items are aimed towards those who have photography-related businesses, it’s also a great way for enthusiasts to know more about their chosen hobby.

With regards to discounts, the discounts weren’t really immediately obvious. Elinchrom strobe sets , Op/Tech straps, picture frames, and Think Tank products were some of the items that caught my eye; none of the big camera brands had discounts on bodies or lenses. However, there were some booths who would offer discounts on items if one specifically asked. In these cases, one should always try to ask for a discount.

The seminar series, conducted by prominent professional photographers, were 10-15 minutes’ walk away at the AIM conference rooms and had applicable attendance fees. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to list up for those, so I really can’t comment on those.

Ever-friendly Canon Ambassador John Chua mixes in with the crowd.

Best of all, PhotoWorld Asia is a good place to meet fellow photography enthusiasts. One meets old shutterbug friends, make new ones, and if one is a member of the local photography forums, get to see other forum members in person. I met a lot of people I know there and had a great time catching up.

PhotoWorld Asia 2011 is the country’s biggest photography event, and while it doesn’t compare to the really big photography trade shows in other countries, there’s still really a lot of stuff here for local photographers of all levels. Hopefully the next one will be bigger.

More information on the event is available at their website.

Were you at PhotoWorld Asia 2011? How did you find it? Please do let us know in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: canon, nikon, olympus, pentax, philippines, photography, photoworld, show

The Learning Lensman’s Gift Guide for Christmas 2010 – Part Two

Features, Where-To 2 Responses »

Dec 172010

Roughly a week to go and still don’t have something to put under your favorite photographer’s tree? Want to spend more than P10,000 for that person(s), or yourself?

Let The Learning Lensman help you (spend more money)!

In Part One of The Learning Lensman’s Gift Guide for Christmas this year, the gift suggestions ranged from below P500 up to P10,000. Admittedly those are still on the lower end of the photography spending spectrum.

Lower end? P10,000 is still considered “LOWER END”?

Yessir. There are more expensive ways to gift the favorite photographer(s) in your life.

Read on to find out what’s available out there, and links are provided per item for more information.

P10,001 to P25,000

Fujifilm Finepix XP10: A 12-megapixel compact digital camera that’s built to resist water (submerged up to 3m for a limited time), shock, dust and freezing. Has a 5x Fujinon lens, and has built-in picture editing features so you can resize, make adjustments (brightness and contrast) within the camera, and instantly upload the pictures when connected to a computer with internet connection. Great for those who want a life-proof outdoors camera for a relatively low price. P10,260 with 2GB SD Card from Fujifilm Digital Imaging Megamall.
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-f/5.6 IS Lens: Canon’s entry-level image-stabilized telephoto zoom lens for 1.6x crop DSLR bodies (all Canon EOS bodies except for the 5D and 1D cameras). Ideal complement to the 18-55 kit lens that comes with most Canon DSLRs. P10,500 from Mayer.
Nikon SB-600 AF Speedlight Flash: Nikon’s mid-level flash unit. Great value, and with a flash head that can swivel and tilt for bouncing the light off other surfaces. It’s slated to be replaced by the SB-700 soon but it’s still a good first external flash for Nikon users. P11,800 from Mayer with CDSC (Official Nikon Distributor) warranty.
Canon Pixma iX4000 Printer: An inkjet printer that can print up to A3+ paper size (13″ x 19″). Has 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution and 4 individual ChromaLife100 inks. Great for those who want to print their special photos in larger sizes at home. P12,695 from Silicon Valley Megamall.
Infrared (IR) Conversion for DSLR: Infrared photographs have a very surreal quality about them, and are usually taken with infrared filters that are screwed into a DSLR lens. These are taken using long exposures, and you have to pre-focus and meter before you put the filter on. With the IR conversion, a DSLR camera is converted to shoot in infrared and one can use it the same way a normal DSLR would be used. The IR conversion is permanent, so one should have it done on a spare DSLR, unless that person really loves infrared photos. 17,000 from Filters Exchange (not including cost of camera).
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens: A step up from the budget EF 50mm f/1.8 lens, the f/1.4 version has Ultrasonic Motor autofocus for more accurate and quieter focusing, more robust construction, and more aperture blades for smoother background blur. Ideal for those who shoot indoors with available light, or those who like a nicer background blur effect. P17,500 from Mayer Photo.
Pentax Optio w90 Digital Compact: A tough 12-megapixel with 5x camera that can go down to 6m under water. Everything about it screams RUGGED, and its strap is a carabiner like what mountaineers use to secure ropes. Very good companion for those who are adventurous. P18,990 with case and 4GB SD card, from Camerahaus Megamall.
PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Wireless Flash Trigger Set: These are used to pop external flashes by remote control (you’ve probably seen this at work during weddings, where the photographer has this thing with antennas on top of his camera, and an assistant holding his flash off to his side). The MiniTT1 is a radio transmitter you put on a DSLR’s flash hotshoe, while the FlexTT5 goes under the flash unit itself (FlexTT5 can also act as a transmitter). In addition, the PocketWizard system can read the DSLR’s readings and make adjustments automatically, and also allows one to use flashes at shutter speeds much higher than the usual. There are more affordable radio trigger sets out there from China and Korea, but the PocketWizard ones are just more dependable and can be used over a longer working distance. Ideal for photographers who need a radio trigger system that they can depend on for their off-camera flash/strobe work. P21,000 for the Canon version from Aperture Trading.
Canon Speedlite 580Ex II Flash: Canon’s top-of-the-line flash. Powerful, faster-cycling, a flash head that can tilt and swivel, comes with a bounce card to put catchlights in subjects’ eyes. It is also rugged, weatherproof and can be used as a wireless commander for other Canon flashes for off-camera flash use. Ideal for photographers who need a dependable flash in all situations. P21,500 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Tamron SP 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical [IF] Lens: This is a “standard zoom” lens for Canon and Nikon digital cameras with cropped sensor, has very good image quality and has a large maximum aperture that means that it is usable for indoor available light shooting. Its focal length range of 17-55mm means that this is an upgrade for the 18-55mm kit lens that typically comes with cameras, and it is a very good alternative to the similar, but much pricier, offerings from Canon or Nikon. P21,990 for either Canon or Nikon mount, from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Olympus µ TOUGH-8010 Digital Compact: One of the latest in the line of venerable Olympus TOUGH compact cameras, this water-, dust-, freeze- and shock-resistant compact digital cameras packs 14 megapixels and 5x optical zoom in a slim and stylish body. Features improved double waterproofing that lets it go up to 10 meters under water. P22,995 with 4GB Card, Speedo watch and Olympus Lenspen from SM Department Store.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5: A worthy successor of the excellent Panasonic LX3, and regarded as one of the best point-and-shoot compact digital cameras of the year with excellent ambient light shooting capability. It has a 10-megapixel sensor (less megapixels in a small sensor = better low light performance and image quality), manual controls, optical image stabilization and a lens designed by Leica of Germany (yes, the same Leica that sells a P500,000 lens). It is ideal for those who want a great compact camera that has manual controls and very good image quality, or those who want a less-bulkier alternative to their DSLRs. P23,000 from Mayer with 1 year service warranty and 6 months on parts.
Canon EOS 1000D with 18-55mm IS Lens Kit: Canon’s entry-level 10.1 megapixel 1.6x crop DSLR camera. With Live View and will work with all Canon EF lenses. A great way to get into DSLR photography if on a budget. P24,500 at Mayer with 3-year Canon Philippines warranty.
Tokina AT-X M100 f/2.8 Pro Macro: This 100mm macro lens can do 1:1 life-sized pictures of small things, and has received good reviews. Ideal for photographers who love shooting small creepy-crawlies or fine details, and is also a very good lens for portraits. Competitively priced against the Canon or Nikon counterparts. P24,990 for either Canon or Nikon mount, from Pixel Pro Megamall.

P25,000-P50,000

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Lens: Sigma’s equivalent of the Canon and Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. While not up to the level of the Canon and Nikon offerings in terms of image and build quality, it is very good for the price one pays for it. It is a very good fast zoom lens for those on a budget. P25,500 from JT Photoworld. HSM version (faster and more accurate autofocus) is P43,000.
Canon S95 Digital Compact Camera: The 10-megapixel S95 is Canon’s latest premium compact and has the features that put it above your average point-and-shoot: a fast f/2.0 lens (big maximum lens opening allows more light), very good low-light performance, optical image stabilization, RAW image files, and full manual control. All these in an elegant slim-profile (probably the most compact among its direct competitors). Ideal for those who want a pocketable camera with full creative control, and it can also be a good companion for a DSLR. P27,950 at SM Appliance Center.
Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Printer: One of Canon’s professional-grade inkjet printers, the Pro9000 Mk II can print A3+ size (13″ x 19″) prints at 4800 x 2400 dpi resolution. It has excellent color reproduction and long-lasting prints, made possible by 8 different ChromaLife100+ ink colors in individual cartridges. This is a very good printer for those who want to print out their special photographs in bigger sizes. P29,995 from Silicon Valley Megamall.
Nikon AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G IF-ED VR II DX Lens: This is an 11x superzoom lens with the Vibration Reduction mechanism designed for Nikon’s DX-format (1.5x crop) DSLR cameras. It is a very versatile lens and ideal for Nikon users who want to take only one lens on their travels. P32,990 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm VR Lens Kit: Nikon’s new 14-megapixel entry-level 1.5x crop DSLR, 11-point AF, 3 frames-per-second shooting, and now with 1080p high-definition video. Does not have a built-in lens motor, so only motor-equipped Nikon lenses will autofocus on this one. A great way to get into photography with the Nikon brand. P32,000 from Mayer Photo.
Olympus E-PL1 with 14-45mm Lens Kit: The 12-megapixel E-PL1 is Olympus’ third entry in the Micro Four Thirds 2x crop format, and belongs to the EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) category of cameras by virtue of having a DSLR-sized image sensor in a smaller body (made possible by eliminating the mirror box/optical viewfinder of a traditional DSLR. It has DSLR-quality images, built-in image stabilization (all lens you attach to it are automatically stabilized to reduce blurring), pretty good high ISO performance and can do 720p video. It is actually more of a compact camera with a DSLR-sized sensor rather than a shrunken DSLR, because its manual controls are relatively simplified. The E-PL1 is a good alternative to traditional and bulkier DSLRs, and can even be used as a back-up camera by those already with DSLRs. P33,995 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens: As one of Canon’s red-ringed L lenses (L for Luxury, Canon’s designation for its high-end lenses) lens is very sharp, has great color rendition, a max aperture of f/4 at all focal lengths, robust construction and is weather-sealed against the elements. Its focal range on both 1.6 crop cameras and full-frame cameras are on the wide side, and this lens is a great walk-around lens. It also happens to be one of the more affordable L lenses available . Very good upgrade for those with the Canon 18-55mm kit lens, or as an ultrawide angle lens for a full-frame camera. P34,500 from Mayer Photo.
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens: The best ultrawide angle (UWA) lens for Canon’s 1.6x crop DSLR bodies (all Canon EOS bodies except for the 5D and 1D cameras). Has professional-grade optics and is very sharp. Lens barrel is made of plastic, but it’s tough plastic and the lens feels quite solid. Ideal for those who like to take landscape shots and/or those who want to take it all into the frame. P36,120 from JT Photoworld.
Sony NEX-5 with 18-55 Lens Kit: The higher-end model of Sony’s EVIL cameras, the 14-megapixel NEX-5 has a DSLR-sized 1.5x crop image sensor in a very compact body, and offers the flexibility of interchangeable lenses. It can also do full HD video recording. A very good camera for people who are moving up from point-and-shoot cameras, or even as a back-up camera to a DSLR. P37,999 from Sony Shop Megamall.
Canon EOS 550D with 18-55mm IS Lens Kit: Canon’s latest upper entry-level 1.6x crop camera with 18-megapixel resolution, 3.7 frames-per-second shooting, 63-zone dual-layer metering system and 1080p high-definition video. Aside from being a very good DSLR, it’s also the choice HD-DSLR of many professional videographers. Excellent first DSLR, or as a backup to a higher-end DSLR. P41,500 from Mayer Photo.
Pentax K-x with Dual Lens Kit: This 12-megapixel entry-level 1.5x crop DSLR from Pentax is actually equipped with features normally found on higher-spec’d DSLRs, such as 11-point autofocus, 4.7 Frames Per Second shooting, and built-in Shake Reduction (all lenses you put on it are image-stabilized to reduce blurring). It has a small compact body and even comes in 12 different colors (Black, Navy Blue, Red and White available locally)! With the included 18-55mm and 55-300mm lenses in the dual kit, one can immediately start shooting almost anything. It is also made in the Philippines, so you’re supporting the local economy if you get it. Ideal for first DSLR, and as a compact digital body for those with old Pentax K-mount lenses. P46,990 from CameraHaus Megamall.
Canon EOS 60D DSLR Body Only: Canon’s latest advanced amateur level 1.6x crop camera. 18 megapixels, 5.3 Frames Per Second shooting speed, 1080p high-definition video, articulated screen. A great upgrade for those already using Canon’s entry-level DSLRs and have at least one lens, or you can pair this body with a lens of your choice. P49,000 with official Canon Philippines 3-year warranty, from Mayer Photo.

P50,001-P100,000

Sony Alpha A33 with Dual Lens Kit: The 14-megapixel Alpha A33 is one of Sony’s DSLR 1.5x mid-range cameras, with 15 autofocus points, Live View, 7 Frames Per Second shooting speed, Full HD movie recording, built-in SteadyShot Inside (all lenses you attach become image-stabilized to reduce blurring). It is also one of the two innovative Sony Alpha models that are equipped with a translucent fixed mirror, resulting in a more compact size than traditional DSLRs and the ability to smoothly autofocus in movie mode. It has very good picture and movie quality, and the included 18-55mm and 55-200 lens will allow one to shoot a great variety of subjects. A very good camera, ideal for those who want to start out in DSLRs and may want something different. P51,999 from Sony Shop Megamall.
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM: Canon’s fastest standard zoom with excellent image quality in terms of sharpness and color saturation. Big maximum aperture at f/2.8 means that this is usable for indoor available-light using. Professional grade and weather-sealed too. Very good upgrade from the kit lens, but might be a bit too long for use on 1.6x crop cameras. Ideal for those looking for a high-quality general-purpose lens for their Canon. P60,000 from Mayer Photo.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM: One of Canon’s sharpest, and image-stabilized, 70-200mm telephoto zoom lens. Ideal for those who need that focal length and don’t need to shoot at f/2.8 aperture. Professional grade and weather-sealed too. Ideal for Canon photographers who snipe from a distance. P54,000 from Mayer Photo.
Canon EOS 7D DSLR Body Only: Canon’s most advanced prosumer 1.6x crop DSLR. 18-megapixels image sensor, 8 Frames Per Second shooting, 63-zone metering system, very fast autofocus system and very good high ISO performance (for low-light shooting). It has a rugged and weather-sealed body, and can shoot high-definition 1080p video in 24 FPS, 25 FPS and 30FPS formats. Ideal for those moving up from entry-level Canon cameras, those who need to shoot in fast-paced situations like events and sports or professional videographers who need a tested HD-DSLR for work. Makes a nice companion to full-framed cameras. P73,000 from Mayer Photo.
Pentax K-5 DSLR With 18-55 WR Lens Kit: The 16-megapixel K-5 is Pentax’s semi-professional 1.5x crop DSLR with 11-point autofocus, 7 Frames Per Second shooting rate, 1080p high-definition video, sturdy weather-sealed body and built-in Shake Reduction (any lens attached to it becomes image-stabilized to reduce blur). The included weather-resistant kit lens means that one can immediately go shooting in harsh weather conditions, straight out of the box. As with many current Pentax DSLRs, this one is proudly made in the Philippines. A great upgrade for those who use lesser Pentax models, and those who need to shoot in adverse weather conditions. P87,990 from CameraHaus Megamall.
Nikon D7000 DSLR Body Only: Nikon’s latest DX-format (1.5x crop) DSLR model as of this writing, the 16-megapixel D7000 has 6 Frames Per Second Shooting, 39-point autofocus, high-definition video. Positioned above the D90 and below the D300S in the Nikon DSLR line-up. Very good upgrade for those moving up from other Nikon models and have at least one Nikon F-mount lens. P71,990 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Nikon D700 DSLR Body: Nikon’s most affordable full-frame (FX) DSLR. Full-frame sensors have significant advantages over the crop sensors, such as better image quality at high ISO settings, bright big viewfinder. This model has very fast autofocus and very good high ISO performance (for low-light shooting). Very good upgrade for those using Nikon DX-format (1.5x crop) cameras and want to go full-frame. P100,000 from Mayer.

Where To Buy the Stuff Above:

Aperture Trading: 5th Flr., Prosperity Bldg., 395 Banaue St., Quezon City Tel: 732-8991
CameraHaus Megamall: 5/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
Filters Exchange: Mezzanine-B, 632 Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City Tel: 534-9879
Fujifilm Digital Imaging: Basement Level, SM Megamall Building A, Mandaluyong City
JT Photoworld: 1082 Pasong Tamo St., Makati City Tel: 8972561
Mayer Photo: 111, 113, 115 C. Palanca St., Quiapo, Manila Tel: 733-7598, 733-7722
Pixel Pro Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
Silicon Valley Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
SM Appliance Center: Anywhere there’s an SM mall.
Sony Shop (Avid) Megamall: 5/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City

Want something less expensive? Check out Part One of this guide!

Still have money left? A lot of it? Check out what you can get for more than P100,001 and above in Part Three of this guide, watch out for it!

A few things to note:

This isn’t about saying that these are the best or only photography stuff out there, but about giving an idea of what’s out there from different shops, given a set price range. Given similar products with with different prices, it’s usually a “you-get-what-you-pay-for” condition when buying photography-related products. Do more research on the stuff you want, there are a lot of reviews out there on the web.

I’m only limiting the list to products from stores that I have personal experience with, and have actually shopped at.

Prices are for cash basis and are subject to change by their respective suppliers. Prices of mall-based stores may be higher by around 10% up, and is typically consistent with prices in their branches in other malls; one is basically paying for the convenience.

Prices here aren’t necessary the lowest, and are listed at MSRP as far as I know. Many items in this list are also under promo and may have further discounts or freebies so don’t be afraid to ask for them. Also ask about, and be clear, about warranty coverage (e.g. Canon 3-year warranty, CDSC 2-year warranty, or just “shop warranty”) and service centers, as these will help prevent possible misunderstandings should your purchase breakdown in the future.

Have any other gift suggestions? Put it in the comment box below!

Technorati Tags: buying, camera, canon, gift, guide, lens, nikon, olympus, pentax, philippines, photography, printer, Sony, suggestions

The Learning Lensman’s Gift Guide for Christmas 2010 – Part One

Features, Where-To 3 Responses »

Dec 132010

Less than a couple of weeks to go, and you still don’t have anything for the favorite photographer(s) in your life?

The Learning Lensman comes to your assistance! Here are a few last-minute suggestions for photography-related things that can be given as gifts (to others or to yourself!) , depending on budget (links provided for more information or pictures).

I’ve gone around and have come up with a list of stuff available from the shops here in Metro Manila. This is a list that’s meant for those who aren’t really familiar with photography, but would like to know what’s there to buy out there. Several items here I’ve used myself, or used a similar one, so they’re what I would actually use or at least consider.

Without further ado, here they are:

P500 and Below:

Sanyo Eneloop AA Battery: Comes pre-charged and can be used more times than your typical NiMH rechargeable batteries. Very useful for photographers who use an external flash or a camera that uses AA batteries. P100 each from Watson Photo.
LVSHI UV Filter (52mm or 58mm): Offers the 18-55mm kit lens or 50mm f/1.8 lens some protection against scratches and smudges to the lens’ front element. Good for those who have just bought a DSLR and don’t have a filter yet. P200 from Filters Exchange (either 52mm or 58mm).
Lenspen LP-1: This is the original Lenspen (not the cheap copycat). Very useful for cleaning DSLRs lenses. P350 from Filters Exchange.
Petal Lens Hood: Prevents unwanted light from getting into your lens, and protects the exposed glass part against bumps or knocks. Also makes a lens look cooler. For Canon or Nikon, P450 up from Filters Exchange.
Mini Tripod: Holds up a compact point-and-shoot camera. Some may even hold up a light DSLR and lens combination. Very portable and can be carried anywhere in a pocket. Ideal for photographers want to take long exposures with their compacts, or those who want to be in the pictures they take. P450 from Pixel Pro Megamall.

P501 to P1,000

Giottos Rocket Air Blower: Bulb-shaped blower to blow away dust from the lens, and can also be used for cleaning loose dust off a DSLR sensor. With fins at the bottom, handy for making it stand upright. Should be in every photographer’s kit. This and the above-mentioned Lenspen make a great cleaning kit. P650 from Filters Exchange.
JJC HS Series Handstrap: Strap that goes around the right hand, improving one’s grip on a bulky camera. Useful for those who have small hands, or need better grip on a large camera. P580 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Transcend 4GB SDHC Memory Card: High-capacity memory card for cameras using SD cards as storage. Everyone can use an extra one. P930 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Marumi DHG UV Filter (52mm): A UV filter with special coating on its glass element to help minimize distracting flare and ghosting (evident in cheaper filters without coating). Also provides additional protection to the 18-55mm kit lens’ front element. P1,000 from Filters Exchange.

P1,001 to P2,500

OP/TECH USA Pro Loop Neckstrap: A durable neckstrap with stretchy neoprene part that makes a DSLR feel lighter around the neck. A nice upgrade from the neckstrap that comes with a DSLR. P1,350 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Kata DP-407 Digital Pouch. A tough protective carrying case designed for point-and-shoot compact digital cameras. Ribbed internal structure puts it above the usual pouches. P1400 from Infomaxx Megamall.
Sanyo Eneloop AA Batteries (4 pcs) + Quick Charger: The goodness of Eneloop batteries plus a handy charger that can charge them fast. P1800 from Filters Exchange.
Canon Pixma iP2770 Printer: Inkjet printer with 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution, Chromalife 100+ long-lasting inks and fast printing speed. Ideal for printing photos at home, from 4″x 6″ to A4 size. P2050 from Silicon Valley Megamall.
Sandisk Extreme 4GB 200x SDHC Memory Card: High-capacity SD card that is very fast in data transfer. Ideal for those who shoot high-definition video with their cameras. P2100 from Pixel Pro Megamall.

P2,500 to P5,000

Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s: A funky film camera that immediately puts out a credit card-sized full color print. For fun-loving photographers who want instant gratification. P2,950 from Fujifilm Digital Imaging Megamall. Pack of 20 Instax Mini film P765.
Western Digital Ultraportable 320GB External USB Hard Disk: External storage that attaches to a PC via USB cable. Photographers need all the storage they can get, so this will be very much welcome. P2,995 from SM Appliance Center.
Benro A-500EX Tripod with Ballhead: Very good value tripod, will hold entry-level DSLRs, lens and flash. P3,900 at Abacus.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens: A very popular lens because it has a big maximume aperture (lens opening) that allows shooters to shoot in low light and have a really blurred background to make the subject pop out. Very sharp too, and you can use it with autofocus on all Canon EOS bodies. Good for those who like shooting portraits. Best of all is the price. P4,000 from Mayer Photo.
Sandisk Extreme 16GB (60MB/Sec) Compact Flash Card: For photographers who have DSLRs that use Compact Flash (CF) cards, usually those who have higher-end cameras. This one is ideal for those who have DSLRs that can record videos. P4,800 from Mayer Photo.
Lowepro Fastpack 250 Backpack: A lightweight backpack that can carry a DSLR with lens, an extra lens, a flash, and a 15.4″ notebook computer. Ideal for a photographer on the go. P4,885 from Pixel Pro Megamall.
Canon Powershot A490 Compact Digital Camera: 10-megapixel entry-level point-and-shoot camera with 3.3x zoom range, takes excellent pictures for the price. P4,950 SM from Department Store.
Basic Photography Workshop: Learn the basics of photography from shooting to printing with veteran commercial photographer, photography instructor and Canon Brand Ambassador Jo Avila. An excellent gift for those who are new to DSLR cameras and want to maximize its usage. Users of all DSLR camera brands welcome. P5,000 for weeknight sessions from Jo Avila Photography (other schedules available).

P5,001 to P10,000

Spider Holster: A different way of carrying a camera without a strap. Screw a plate on the bottom of the camera, wear the belt, clip the plate onto a heavy-duty slot on the belt. Camera hangs securely from the clip, ready to be drawn and shot quickly. P5,300 from Aperture Trading.
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Lens: Similar in purpose to the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens mentioned above, but for Nikon. The catch is that it won’t autofocus in Nikon bodies that don’t have a motor to drive the lens’ autofocus. P5,700 from Mayer Photo.
Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch 4″ x 6″: A USB-connected tablet that allows a user to use a pen to control the mouse pointer with precision. Finger gestures can also be used to control your desktop and applications, providing a similar experience to laptop trackpads that have multi-touch enabled. Very ideal for those who use Adobe Photoshop or a similar application to post-process their pics a lot. P6,390 from Villman Megamall.
Canon Pixma iP4760 Printer: A premium high-performance desktop inkjet printer with 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolution and 5 ChromaLife100+ inks in individual cartridges. Great for printing high-quality 4R to A4 size prints quickly. P6,995 from Silicon Valley Megamall
Samsung PL101 Dual Display Compact Digital Camera: 12-megapixel compact digital camera with dual displays, a 2.7″ LCD display at the back, and a 1.5″ LCD display beside the lens, so one can take easily take a self-portrait. The camera’s bottom is also angled in such a way that the lens points upwards towards the face, when set on a table. For those who love self-portraits. P9,990 from SM Appliance Center.
Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera: The maker of the world’s most popular instant camera is back with a 5-megapixel digital camera that has a built-in printer. Aside from the instant 2″ x 3″ color prints using Zero-Ink technology, the PoGo also has an SD card slot to allow saving of pictures taken, unlike instant film cameras. For those who want instant prints, yet want a digital copy to be saved. P9,995 from SM Department Store.
GE X5 Digital Camera: A very interesting 14-megapixel superzoom digital camera with 15x optical zoom range, full manual controls, image stabilization in a small bridge camera (DSLR-like) form factor at a very reasonable price. Not quite in the same league as the more expensive superzooms from the Japanese manufacturers, but neither is the price. This is a great camera for photographers on a tight budget, a walk-around alternative to a DSLR, or travellers who want something really compact but also want flexibility and control. P9,995 from SM Department Store, with free 4GB SD card, rechargeable AA batteries and charger.

Where To Buy the Stuff Above:

Abacus Computer: Unit V-350, 3/F V-Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center Ortigas Avenue San Juan City Tel: 727 3172
Aperture Trading: 5th Flr., Prosperity Bldg., 395 Banaue St., Quezon City Tel: 732-8991
Filters Exchange: Mezzanine-B, 632 Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City Tel: 534-9879
Fujifilm Digital Imaging: Basement Level, SM Megamall Building A, Mandaluyong City
Infomaxx Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
Jo Avila Photography: Unit 114, Gold Building, 15 Annapolis street, Greenhills, San Juan City Tel: Mobile (917) 530-5133
Mayer Photo: 111, 113, 115 C. Palanca St., Quiapo, Manila Tel: 733-7598, 733-7722
Pixel Pro Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
Silicon Valley Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
SM Appliance Center: Anywhere there’s an SM mall.
SM Department Store: Anywhere there’s an SM mall.
Villman Computers Megamall: Cyberzone, 4/F SM Megamall Building B, Mandaluyong City
Watson Photo (Hidalgo): 312 P. Gomez St., Quiapo, Manila Tel: 733-7697

Want to spend more? Check out Part II of this Gift Guide!

A few things to note:

I’m only limiting the list to products from stores that I have personal experience with, and have actually shopped at.

Have any other gift suggestions? Put it in the comment box below!

Technorati Tags: buying, camera, gift, guide, lens, philippines, photography, printer, suggestions

Follow The Learning Lensman on Twitter!

News No Responses »

Nov 222010

The Learning Lensman on now on Twitter! Follow me at @learninglensman or at http://twitter.com/learninglensman for updates on new posts about my photography experiences and photography news in the Philippines.

Technorati Tags: philippine, photography, twitter

Recap: Canon PhotoMarathon 2010 – Manila Leg

Features 9 Responses »

Nov 122010

The Manila leg of the Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines 2010 was held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last Saturday, 6 November 2010. The event is the culmination of the Canon PhotoMarathon for the Philippines, which had its Cebu City and Davao City legs held in the past few weeks.

The PhotoMarathon is a whole-day photography contest open to users of Canon point-and-shoot (P&S), DSLR and video cameras. Participants are given three themes to interpret via photography, and they are allowed to shoot in a given geographical area. Each of them are then allowed to submit one picture per theme, which will be judged by a panel that includes the current Canon Brand Ambassadors. Prizes are awarded for the best pictures as chosen by the judges.

Happy Canon PhotoMarathoners

Online registration was opened a couple of weeks before the actual event and was closed pretty quickly because the estimated 1000 slots allotted for the Manila leg were quickly filled up by interested photographers. However, those who still wanted to join but weren’t able to to do so were given another chance to do so: they could go to the venue on the day itself and register as walk-ins. The organizers had requested an additional email from those who registered online to confirm their slots, and those who did not comply had their slots opened to the walk-ins.

This was my first-ever PhotoMarathon, and I was really looking forward to joining this one as I had managed to miss the first two PhotoMarathons because of scheduling conflicts. Camera gear and waiver forms were prepared, and batteries were charged the night before. I also strapped an umbrella to my camera bag because rain was forecasted for the day.

25 Registration booths for quick processing

I arrived at the venue at around 6:30AM and there was already a long line of participants. I overheard that some of them had arrived as early as 5:00AM. We waited outside Hall 1 of the SMX Convention Center, and 20 minutes later the doors were opened and participants streamed into the assigned hall.

It was good to see that the organizers had set-up 25 registration booths segregated by surnames, which allowed them to efficiently process the large number of people who showed up. I went to my assigned queue and found no one to process us at the booth. This was remedied in a few minutes and I was given my PhotoMarathon kit which included the PhotoMarathon ID, T-Shirt and cap, along with brochures and foodstubs for lunch and dinner. Participants are required to wear the T-Shirt, Cap and ID at all times during the event, so I quickly put them on.

The Learning Lensman & John Chua

Tables and seats were laid out in the Hall, and I joined some of my photography friends at one. Registration was still ongoing so it was an opportunity to go around and meet people. I met a lot of old friends and met a lot of new people while going around. Some of the Canon Ambassadors like Jo Avila and John Chua were making the rounds of the table, saying hello to the participants. John Chua spotted me with the 200mm fast prime lens that I was going to field-test that day, and joked that I should be be disqualified. We all had a laugh about it; it was my first time to meet this legend of Philippine commercial photography and he’s a pretty cool guy.

There were also booths setup by Canon and their co-sponsors. As with any event where Canon is a major presence, there was free A4-sized printing for those who wanted to, and free camera cleaning. Canon also did a survey, and those who participated got a chance to get a CF card, Canon EOS magazines and other items. Lowepro, Western Digital, Great Taste Coffee, Digital Photographer Philippines Magazine and i-Mag Magazine also had booths that participants can visit and check out their products.

Canon Ambassadors from L-R: Romy Ocon, Jun Miranda, Dino Lara, Jo Avila

The Canon PhotoMarathon kicked off a few minutes before 9:00AM with an energetic number by a dance group. The hosts for the day, Canon’s Bong Donato and a lady from Canon (didn’t get the name, sorry) came up and welcomed everyone to the event. After a few minutes, the current Canon Brand Ambassadors were brought up on stage and introduced. They were missing a few Ambassadors at that time, but it was still great to see most of them in one place. Each of them offered their tips and encouragement to the participants.

After the Ambassadors went off the stage, the hosts read out the rules and further clarified them. One of the notable things about the rules is the enumeration of equipment that can be used. They’ve become stricter about this since last year.

Canon Ambassadors from L-R: Edwin Martinez, Raymund Isaac & Ely Teehankee

In addition, they distinguished the still photography and video aspects of the contest: the still photography entries will be judged and awarded later that night, while the video entries can be submitted in a week’s time to allow for editing. Participants can only enter either the still photography or video contest, and not both.

This year’s Manila PhotoMarathon covered Metro Manila, which is composed of several cities. Participants could shoot anywhere in the Metro as long as they did not break any laws and trespass private property. It was announced that Canon got permits from the Manila, Makati and Pasay local governments so that the participants can shoot in those cities without being bothered by law enforcement personnel.

Canon also brought winners of the Cebu and Davao legs to shoot in the Manila PhotoMarathon, and the lady from Cebu and gentleman from Davao were called upstage and presented to the audience.

This was followed by the announcement of the first contest theme of the day: “Deep and Wide, peaks and valley go inside and outside, all the places you know. Near or far, it doesn’t matter, It’s the view that counts to the photographer.” The assignment for the video category would be to make a video of that day’s PhotoMarathon, with entries to be submitted within a week. Canon personnel were also in the PhotoMarathon, but they were given a separate theme.

Canon Photographer high up on a ladder, trying to take in approximately a thousand subjects in a shot.

Before any shooting started, everyone was gathered together for a group picture. Canon’s photographer had to climb up a tall ladder to shoot us. Hopefully, he got a thousand people into the frame with his ultrawide-angle lens. This was followed by the lighting of the ceremonial torch… and then we’re off!

Participants are given 2 hours to shoot, with another 30 minutes alloted for downloading their photo submissions at the download booth. The SMX convention center was also the venue for a major cosplay event and the World Robot Olympiad, so there were photo opportunities inside and around the venue. I didn’t stray far from the venue and just went around the Mall of Asia premises.

The weather forecast for rain that day was way wrong. In fact, it was really warm. That didn’t deter the participants from going around the metro and shoot in the heat. Good thing Canon provided everyone a brimmed cap to wear.

PhotoMarathoners doing their thing, even in the baking heat.

After the shooting period ended, the download period began and lunch was served. While people were eating (and some still lining up at the food service tables), the second theme was announced: “Big or Small we come in different sizes, short or tall we grow in spurts and phases, round and round the circle of life goes, when we stop only God knows“.

Some people stopped eating and immediately went out to shoot the second theme. I had just claimed my lunch and joined some of my friends at a table, enjoying the conversation before going out to shoot.

By the end of the second shooting period, it was obvious that the sweltering heat outside was beginning to take its toll on the participants. Canon wasn’t kidding during online registration when they warned that this wasn’t going to be easy. After submitting my image I sat down to rest for a while; I’m used to carrying around heavy camera gear but the 200mm I was field-testing was in a different weight class. I also took the opportunity to check out the major prizes that will be awarded to the best pictures: let’s see now… Canon video camera, a 60D, 7D… and a 5D MkII as the grand prize! Not only that, but each camera prize came with accessories like Lowepro bags, Benro tripods, Gorillapods, etc. They certainly didn’t spare any expenses in the prize department!

Finally, the third theme was announced: “Happy, mad – sometimes we feel the blues. Angry, glad- our moods are changing hues. Up and down or lows and highs, when we close our eyes – surprise!” Everyone set off to shoot it, even if some of them were tired.

Canon Ambassador Pilar Tuason guides a PhotoMarathoner, who can't seem to believe his luck.

While going around the seaside part of the SMX, I was approached by wedding photographer and Canon Brand Ambassador Pilar Tuason. I had seen her earlier guiding other participants, but it was still a pleasant surprise when she took me aside for an impromptu portrait shoot. We took a stranger from the street as a subject, and Pilar gave me tips on how to pose and shoot him. This was definitely the highlight of my day.

In two hour’s time, shooting ended at the PhotoMarathon, and I made my way to my download station, along with the others. After I submitted my photo, I was surprised when I was handed a box containing an official Canon EF 70-200 f/4L Lens Mug! Canon had earlier announced that they had a gift for every participant, but I didn’t expect it to be this. This item was a hot commodity and is quite expensive on the market, and it was great to get one for free.

Finally, my own lens mug!

After a long day shooting under the sun, everyone was exhausted and hungry. I had only went around the Dinner was served and while waiting for the winners to be announced, Canon hosted games for volunteers willing to go upstage. There was videoke singing, a dance-off, ramp-off, “Bring Me” (the oldest EOS, the oldest Ixus, etc), all of which was fair entertainment to the audience.

The first prizes to be awarded were for the “Youngest/Oldest” photographer, as well as for a “Shooting Family”. I believe a family of six won the latter award. The Canon Brand Ambassadors started appearing at this point, so they must’ve had already decided on the winners.

Canon printer evangelist Jo Avila was called up stage to award the “Best In Print” prize. I am not sure about the mechanics of this contest, but I believe that this contest was open to those who availed of the free A4 prints at the Canon booth. The eventual winner of the prize took home a Canon Pixma printer worth P20,000.00.

The Canon head honchos then went on stage. It was announced that the Davao, Cebu, and Manila legs drew approximately 1,350 Canon users, and that next time, the Philippines hopes to challenge Singapore for the most number of PhotoMarathon participants. A lot of participants had opined that if there were more slots allotted then there would have been more participants. We’ll see next year.

Mmmm... prizes: 5D MkII, 7D, 60D, HD videocam!

And finally, the awarding of prizes for the photography contest itself. Prizes were awarded for the best in each theme. These winners received a gift pack of camera accessories. The 60D and 7D, each with accessory kit, were awarded to the 3rd and 2nd prize winners. The much-wanted Canon EOS 5D MkII DSLR and accessory kit went to the Grand Prize winner, Jesse Abad. Jesse’s picture was already very nice with its use of geometric lines and curves with a human element, but what made it even more impressive was that it was taken within the venue premises. It was just a bit funny that Jesse wasn’t around to receive his prize, as he was tired and didn’t think he would win so he had already gone home when it was announced. John Chua received the prize on his behalf.

And with that, the Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines 2010 officially ended. I was already very tired, but I really had a great time. Looking forward to the Canon PhotoMarathon 2011.

I got in touch with Jesse to get his permission to use his winning picture here. He was kind enough to give it, and here it is:

PhotoMarathon Philippines 2010 Grand Prize Winner

Jesse Abad's Grand Prize-winning entry.

Did you join this year’s Canon PhotoMarathon? I’d like to hear how your experience went, so feel free to comment below!

Technorati Tags: canon, contest, philippines, photography, photomarathon

Older Entries

The Learning Lensman

Recap: Canon PhotoMarathon 2011 – Manila Leg

Framed Perspectives: Pinoy Photography’s 6th Anniversary Event

The Learning Lensman Is Back

3rd Philippine Astronomy Convention (PAC 2011)

The Learning Lensman’s 2010 New Year’s Resolution Scorecard

1. Read more.

2. Attend photography courses.

3. Shoot more.

4. Get together with other photography nuts.

5. Maximize existing gear.

6. Get more gear.

7. Be more self-critical.

8. Hone Lighting and Strobist Skills.

9. Volunteer (as an Assistant).

10. Print More.

How Did The Learning Lensman Do in 2010?

11. Even More Than Photographic.

PhotoWorld Asia 2011

The Learning Lensman’s Gift Guide for Christmas 2010 – Part Two

P10,001 to P25,000

P25,000-P50,000

P50,001-P100,000

Where To Buy the Stuff Above:

The Learning Lensman’s Gift Guide for Christmas 2010 – Part One

P500 and Below:

P501 to P1,000

P1,001 to P2,500

P2,500 to P5,000

P5,001 to P10,000

Where To Buy the Stuff Above:

Follow The Learning Lensman on Twitter!

Recap: Canon PhotoMarathon 2010 – Manila Leg

Follow Me on Twitter!

Recent Posts

Archives

Translate this Page