GoPro-ing Orchard

The hotel we stayed in was right at the edge of the main shopping district in Singapore, the famous Orchard Road. What better way to do the field test of the new GoPro than to take it out shopping.

With limited time on my hands, I had to plow on and learn how to use the camera practically in the fly. As I mentioned, i wasn't expecting much at the start. I got more than what I bargained for.

Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant somewhat hidden in the end of the streetWaiting for lights to turnCelebrating the Year of The DogsI spent most of the time taking photos rather than videos. I then noticed that the battery needed managing. Good thing I bought an extra battery from the off.

Weather was great. I only managed half the way down the street, turning back at the Apple Store. I also noticed that the shutter lag cost me a few shots. The learning curve was steep.

Pigeons The GoPro can't cope with the wide dynamic range and flaresAt least the weather was gorgeous

There is always time for ice-creamI really loved the wide angle fish-eye effect coming from the lens. The deep blue from the capture also caught my eye. It had problem handling the highlights though - it tended to have a blue tinge to it. The dynamic range was also limited in earnest. I had to carefully pick my angles, which could be tricky when capturing wide angles.

The lens also had issues with flares - another thing to watch out for when a opting into the sun.

A happy cellist heading for a spot on the street to buskThe architecture was a mixture of many cultural elementsMore shopping malls

Plenty to learn. And plenty to enjoy as well.

The GoPro Captures - Part II

From Part I

As for the bad parts, I'm sure there were plenty of YouTube video about them. But on a personal level, I found that the shutter lag - especially capturing RAW - can be a problem. This made the GoPro not the ideal camera for street photography. The moment may have passed on by the time the shutter clicked.

The RAW file also wasn't universal. I wasn't able to open it on my main workflow - using Aperture. Best to capture in jpg in my opinion.

You can see the flare at the topThe subject appears super-big when you come closeAn indoor capture at ISO 1100The captures may be oversaturated for some people. Luckily, using Aperture, I was able to dial down the colour making it more natural. This may be a plus though if you were doing architecture or landscape. On my cityscape photos, it worked a treat. I felt that it was a feature.

It looked like they are adamant about not parking there ...The nice contrast of blue and yellowWalking further alongFinally I find opening the doors for the charger on the GoPro could be a bit tricky. I supposed that was the trade-off since the unit on its own is water-resistant up to 10 meters. With the right technique, it was manageable.

Another indoor shot. This time inside Central Market.Waiting for my tram ride ....I can't miss a shot of the Twin Tower in the sunshine ...On balance, I was more than happy with my purchase, especially as I got it at a discount complete with a free memory card. It was hard to understand why GoPro as a company was struggling since the product was great. Moving into drone sector was a sensible move but maybe they were not able to complete with the likes of DJI. Hopefully they would continue to survive and come up with Hero 7 some time in the near future ...

Post Call Sunday

The call last weekend was a strange one. It was busy during the day but in the evening, things just chilled out. I was able to watch United's game at the lounge and had a decent uninterupted sleep.

The post- call day being Sunday also helped a lot. That allowed me to take my time doing the rounds and get on with my day. I happened to wake up early, and despite having to hop over to Ara Damansara to see a referral, I was done well before noon.

I took a quick nap during lunch time and soon got bored. The weather was pretty decent - it had been gloomy and cool in the past week - and decided not to stay in.

I first drove to APW where Riuh was going on. Had some coffee there before setting off to Bukit Bintang with my camera. Before I knew it, I was exploring the decorations and making enquiries on GoPro. All in a real nice pace. I even had the chance to have a look at iMac Pro at one the shops.

Anita prepared dinner that evening and asked me to get home early to eat. Kind road traffic allowed me to return in plenty of time. It certainly was a full afternoon ...

Dull Outing

Since I had a few hours to spear - while taking Anita out at the mall - I decided to have a walk around Bukit Bintang to see how cool the weather would be.

It was cold alright. And it was also rather dull. The light quality wasn't great and the outdoor photos just didn't have that usual pop when it came to colours.

Looking down the Bukit Bintang Entrance to PavilionThe main foyer was still being prepared ...More flowers outside ...The entrance was full of people ...

While walking, I realised that Sungai Plaza had been complete torn down. And it was not really to make way for the new MRT line. The project there was to supplement the new transport network and from what I heard, there would be a new luxury apartment cum hotel taking over the space.

A cutie ...Street performerCan't seem to catch a decent light ...Time to scuttle back ...The place was still flat with no sign of piling being done yet. Looked like the place would be a construction for a few more years ...

Merry Xmas

Or should I say "Mary Christmas" as the saying went.

I will be on call this Xmas Day - something that happened quite commonly. The Xmas Eve turned out to be a Sunday and many used the opportunity to do some last minute buys. The shopping complex was full and although I got some free time this afternoon, I didn't spent much time outside.

I took the MRT from KL Sentral to Bukit Bintang. The coaches were empty but despite that, the road were full clearly people prefer to drive in town although the traffic must have been a nightmare.

I decided to sort out my credit card payment - the main reason I had to be out - and after a quick lunch, carried on home. I ended up having a nice afternoon nap instead. So much for a free afternoon ...