An offer you can't refuse..

A pre-order offer..
Canon Marketing Malaysia is offering its first 75 customers a dib at purchasing the Canon Powershot G1X at RM2,299 a pop.

An offer you can't refuse.. Only for EOS World members

The catch
If you are entitled, you have to cough up 10% up front for the purchase.
Upon remittance, Canon will contact you with further details.
But, if you get cold feet, the payment is non-refundable.

Best man wins!
Well, give and take, the goods are arriving in three week's time. So, if you are one of those competitive losers, chances are, you've already placed your order. 
Best thing to do, is to wait for a while till the dust settles and move in for the kill.. 

Now what?

I've just received a purchase offer sheet from my colleague in the photo room and Canon
Marketing Malaysia is offering some cameras for sale at discounted prices.Similary, Nikon Malaysia, now - which entirely on its own, are also offering cameras to the Press at rock bottom prices.I was a Nikon user and had some bad run-ins with the morons who represented the company.Today, they are trying very hard to recapture their lost segment of the market.As for the new pricing and offers, I shall not reveal how much they are giving but the fact that Canon is giving a sackload of freebies with the purchase of their EOS7D camera just pissed me off.I got mine without any, well, not that I am a fucking freeloader or what, the fact that they are throwing in all the carrots and cream pies just rubbed salt in the gaping wound.Spare the cheaper price, the entire package is bundled in with some books, screen protector and large capacity CF card.

Despite some subliminal efforts in promoting their ware through some of my published work, nothing came my way.

I never asked. Well, not even a word of thanks and best of all, I actually sent in a faulty Powershot G-7 for repair
and was slapped with an estimated bill of RM450.So much for customer loyalty.I am forgoing the follies and after my MPE-65 and 400mm F5.6L lens and full-frame project is completed, I might look at other alternatives.

Like Nikon in the past, Canon would be in the same predicament if they don't look after their
prime customers, especially folks from the media who are using nearly 90% of their goods.

Canon EF100mm F2.8L IS

My work, published in Starmetro's 'A thousand words' on April 20

The EF100mm F2.8L IS

Canon's EF100mm F2.8L IS macro lens is by far -- one of the most versatile close-up lenses ever to hit the shelves.But with a higher price tag compared to its predecessor the EF100mm F2.8 USM, it may not be far reaching to macro photography enthusiasts.This new lens features Image Stabilization at telefocal length, giving it a secondary function as a portraiture tool.But its primarily a macro lens with 1:1 magnification capability.And with a fast aperture of F2.8, the 100mmL is able to capture images in demanding situations.For me, this is now my primary close-up lens and I am enjoying it a lot.It gives clear and sharp images and having tried it numerous times with my Canon 430EXII flashgun, I've decided to pair it with the MR14EX ring flash.This is the 100mmL's perfect companion and its been producing some really cool shots.Like what my mentor has mentioned earlier, I need to master the MR14EX to produce even better shot.As it is, some of my work with the 100mmL has been published and I am very satisfied with the results.

Canon MR14EX ring flash

Not the best example, but you can see the ring flash catch light on the spider's eyes..

The Canon MR14EX is an affordable solution for close-up shots..

When it comes to the crunch, very few flashguns can perform especially for close-up shots.Either you modify a regular flash and use a flash bracket to get the proximity (lots of
diffusion work and mostly DIY innovation involved) or invest in a proper illumination tool.And that brings us to the subject of the Canon MR14EX ring flash.This baby can yield results and you can say goodbye to all those clumsy snoot diffuser and
brackets.Best of all, it weighs pretty decently which allows you to lug it into the jungle without much
hassle.I found that the ring flash that attaches onto the front end of the lens is more agile compared
to a flashgun with a snoot mounted.This allows you to work in tight spaces and get some really good results.All you need to learn, is the proper diffusion technique and understand the ring flash and
what it can do for you in terms of getting an evenly-lit shot.This is of course -- control and skill with the flash output.When I first toyed with it three weeks ago, I found that my shots are getting much better. Then, its a matter of getting the right diffusion and proper focal plane to get a better depth of
field.With the flash directly in front of the lens, there is no issue about weak lighting.Even the lighting ratio can be controlled to your desired effect.Frankly speaking, I still have plenty to learn about this close-up flash device and seeing as it
is, the only way is to go out and practise my lighting control techniques.

To sum it all up, the MR14EX is a good start if you demand a decent shot with Canon's range of macro lenses. The shiznit, if of course the MT24EX twin flash for macro photography..

A question of two formats..

A coupla weeks back, I was having lunch with one of our editorial artist.Then came a visualiser from the Marketing Services Department.I noticed that the lady has been taking some photos and had posted them on her facebook
account.This budding photography enthusiast is also a keen learner who is going to turn
professional.She then posed this statetment: "The Canon EOS7D is a lousy camera. My friend
recommends the Nikon D700.."I asked her is she realised that both cameras are different in many ways and that their
sensor size are also different."What is APS-C and full-frame? I don't understand," she said.The lady also added that her friend, some guy who is well off, had made some thorough
research on the Nikon system.He said the immaculate truth is that the EOS7D is an inferior product.I asked her if the guy had used or tested the 7D, in which the answer was: "No".Having summed up her findings, I conclude that most enthusiasts are fickle-minded and are
also easily influenced by personal opinions.Photography today, is a totally different game.Many enthusiasts labelled themselves as professionals because they own high-end
systems.I wouldn't consider them as pros because they don't make a living out of photography and
definitely would not agree to half assed statements like the 7D as an inferior product
because someone had combed the entire internet for an opinion to influence their purchase.Be it the D700 or the 7D, good results can only be produced by a pair of skilled hands and
eyes.Beyond that, the cameras are only tools.