Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 - Muaks! Love the lens!

With my sister's wedding day getting near, it really gives me tons of reason to go on a shopping spree. :P
So, as usual, if you shooting for actual wedding day, the ultimate lens you can't afford to miss (if you are using an APS-C sensor dslr) is the 17-50mm f2.8.

There are a few choices for Canon camera:
1. Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM - The King.
2. Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] - The Longest Name
3. Sigma 17-50mm EX DC OS HSM - Best value (for me. :P)

I have always want to get choice #1, but the price always drive me away as I can actually get a Canon 70-200mm f2.8L USM with its price tag. Then, I look for choice #2, Tamron, always the cheapest in this range, but I had own Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, and I really don't like Tamron (my own problem lar).

I had never try a Sigma lens before, and from all the review I read on, seems like choice #3 really looks good. The price is not too high, the build quality also ok, IQ looks nice, seems like really value for money. So, I check out prices from Penang road and compare against shashinki and amazon, and found out that amazon is having the best deal! With my friend visiting US and coming back on time before the "Actual Wedding Day Photography Workshop", and with his permission, I ordered the lens from amazon and send to his apartment.

After 2 weeks, tada! lens in hand, kekekeke......

First impression when I hold it is -> solid! The best part is the lens come with a pouch (eventhough now the pouch perma stay in the drawer) and lens hood. The one part I always like about the 3rd party lens is got free lens hood! Unlike Canon's lens, only if you get the L lens that you are gonna get the free lens hood.


When I start to use the lens, there is one downside I straight away realized -> The zoom ring is tight! It is so hard to turn it smoothly, so no good for videography. Maybe it needs some wear and tear to make it smoother. :P


The switch for focusing and OS mechanism situated on the left side is big and obvious. So, you won't mistakenly switch it or not sure you had switch it or not when you are behind the view finder.
Another downside is the HSM, it is a micro HSM, so no full time manual focus overriding. Need to switch from AF to M for manual focusing. The motor is a bit noisy just like my Canon EF-S 18-200mm.


I always like the focusing distance window, but for the price I paid, I have to be satisfied with the marking on the focus ring. It is ok for me since I don't understand a single thing on it anyway. :P


The printing on the front of the lens.


The best part I like about Sigma -> Made in Japan! :P

Some test shots from the lens on 60D:

Custom made color gel. Learn this from a Pro -> Kevin Chooi


The tools for color gel making.


My photography buddy, and he is hardcore Nikon fans. so, Canon fans and Nikon fans can be together happily. :P


Lunch@Kim Gary, before getting a UV filter for the lens.


Test shot on a focus test chart. :P

Parkroyal Hotel Penang - Actual Wedding Day Photography Workshop

When my sister ask me to shoot her wedding day, I start to think about what to shoot. It is her big day and I won't want to screw it up. Before this, I had shoot actual wedding day photo for friends, but it is not so intense and tension since there are lots of photographers there, I mostly just do the kapsiao thing around the place.

This time is different, there is only one photographer --> me. So, there is 0 chance for me to screw it up. So, I really need more practice. Any kind of the photography is the same, the only way to improve is through guidance and practice! Now, here come the headache, wedding day photography is not like landscape, macro or portrait, it needs the whole ambience and environment, plus the bride, the makeup artist, the parents, friends and relatives to practice. Where can I get to practice????

After the "A Day with A Pro" event with the pro - Kevin Chooi. I had him as my friend on facebook, and it is really by chance he is organizing an actual wedding day photography workshop! And the best part is the charges is low (RM120)! Without any hesitation, I directly signup for it.

While waiting for the workshop, I also anxiously waiting for my Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 which I bought from Amazon and having my friend to bring it back for me. While day by day passed, more and more goodies from the workshop! Firstly, Parkroyal Hotel Penang is sponsoring the event by providing the facilities, and we got breakfast and lunch as well!

When the day come (2011-03-27), I woke up early by 6.30am, since I stayed in mainland, after prepared everything, I start to move to turtle island and head towards the hotel at Batu Ferringhi. Too bad I still reach there 30 minutes late and Kevin already started his teaching. Fortunately I didn't really miss a lot.

From the early briefing, it is really open eyes for me, as everything that I had attach to seems like in opposite direction....

My technic: shoot in RAW, half snoot flash, custom WB

Kevin's teaching: shoot in JPG, no flash, AWB

Now, my head really blur. End up I decided to follow the teaching instead of against it. So, after the bride model and makeup artist reach the hotel, Kevin split the group (20 apprentice) into 3 groups. Then, we all head up to the room prepared by Parkroyal for the preparation shooting.

While group 1 is shooting the makeup, me in group 3 is shooting the gown, shoes and rings.

The room...it is pretty spacious since it can fit more than 20 peoples and still have plenty of room to move around.


The gown.


Night gown.


The shoe.


I like this shot a lot.


The ring.


The ring and the flower.


The bed...

Finally, it is turn for my group to shoot the makeup...

Through the mirror...


Makeup in action.

Bride wearing shoe in action...








Waiting anxiously for groom...






Some random shots...




Bonus: Pre-wedding training...:P Thank you Kevin!












Really learn a lot from the workshop, and personally I had learn a lot from Kevin, since the first time at "A Day with A Pro" workshop...

For those in Penang, if you like the Parkroyal Hotel, below is the website and gps coordinate for the hotel.

Parkroyal Penang
GPS coordinate: 5°28'19"N   100°14'46"E

PARKROYAL Penang Resort

Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang
Toll-Free Reservation:
Within Malaysia: 1800 220 021

A Day with A Pro

After I saw the advertisement on facebook and the DSLR photography magazine (Malaysia version), I decided to give it a try. As there will be only 3 lucky person picked to learn from the pro, I had pray hard that I'll be the one being selected and voila, I'm selected!

This is the first time that I'm so close and get full attention from a pro teaching, and the theme is "landscape"!

After assembled at Hotel Royal around 6.30am and a short introduction to each other, we head on to Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu Expressway favorite spot for the sunrise shot.

Around 7.00am...


Another shot which I turn it into black and white.

Then, we head towards town for some cityscape shooting (since the sun is shy and hide behind the clouds).

Georgetown City Town Hall building.


Interesting cloud pattern.


Tried some slow shutter...


Penang High Court building.


Opposite High Court is the other court.


Another shots on the High Court building, using the pedestrian crossway as guiding line towards the building.




Should have slap on an ND8 filter and dial down the shutter speed, it will be more interesting...


Outside of St. Xavier school...






Penang famous Kuanyin Temple, we are having someone to chase after the pigeon...really hard to take this shot. Satisfied with the result. :)


My shot of the day.

Shutter count, how to check?

Well, Canon is well known of its shutter count hiding skills. It seems like it is impossible to check unless you send your camera back to Canon for its technician to dig out the info for you.

As always, I always believe there is another way to do it, especially I'm eager and interested to know my 350D shuttercount after 5 years of usage, I try to search through google (always my best friend) to see if there is any brilliant hacker out there had the job done.

There is a site astrojargon which has provide an EOSInfo utilities which allows us (the faithful Canon supporter) to retrieve the information. Well, eventhough not all models are supported, but at least those who own the lucky model will have a chance to know their shutter count at the tip of their finger.

The software able to show the shutter count for 5dMkII, 40D, 50D, 450D, and 1000D. Argggh! My camera model is out of luck......so, the search on google need to be continue......


Oh ya, there is a nice details guide on checking shutter count for every camera maker at digital-photography-school. Check it out! :)