zealously into ...

In depth step to customise VQ1015 entry firmware~

2011-05-21T12:32:00.005+08:00

Hi guys,

It's been awhile since I've written any post. I'm writing this post after i received a comment from Mathias in Germany on where to download the files for customisation of VQ1015 firmware (Hi Mathias! :))

I have uploaded the files that I have used to edit my VQ1015 and so far it still works. For those who are interested to customise your VQ1015 firmware, you can download it here.

Since the editing process is kinda complicated, I decided why not I just explain on what I know on how to make this process happen. My VQ1015 model is the model without the built in memory.

Basically, when you have downloaded the files that I've uploaded, you will see three things in the zip file, one jar file named vqtest.jar and two folders ie firmware0612-2 and firmware0727-2 as per below:

The vqtest.jar file has to be opened with Java SE Binary for those who are using Windows.

Here's what you'll see when you open the vqtest.jar file:

The next step is press the 'Load' tab and this is where the two folders firmware0612-2 and firmware0727-2 will come into use.

In both files, you will see a file named YHTMMSF.BIN. However, don't be confused! Though both files contained the similar named BIN file but they are totally different. I repeat, totally different. That's why it is crucial to save each BIN file in different named folders.

This is because the BIN file in each folder contains different RGB characters. Now what does this mean?

Basically, firmware0727-2 is actually a replica of the firmware which comes with your VQ1015. This is the file you will use to customise your firmware according to your preference whereas firmware0612-2 is the firmware to use if you want to produce a black and white photo with your VQ1015.

Now, back to the process on how to customise your VQ1015 firmware, press the 'Load' tab (see the one in Red box):

Upload the BIN file contained in firmware0727-2 folder and start tweaking the RGB according to your preference!

You will be able to see the effect of the changes to the RGB in the picture on the left (as you can see in my example below).

Once you have found the result you desire, save the customised firmware that you have edited.

It is advisable to save the customised firmware in a different folder, eg edited firmware.

Also note that the file must be saved in the same name as the original file.

Now, after saving the edited firmware, here comes the process of transmitting the edited firmware into your VQ1015. This process has to be done very carefully as if it is done incorrectly, your VQ1015 could end up dead.

The first precaution is make sure that your VQ1015 is fully charged. We wouldn't want your VQ to be dead in the middle of transferring the customised firmware into your VQ.

The second precaution is take out your SD card during the transmission.

Here's the process on how to transmit the edited firmware

1. Connect your VQ1015 using the USB connection.

2. You will see DCIM folder. Open the DCIM folder and you will see the 1001IMAGE folder.

3. Place the customised firmware file in the 1001IMAGE.

4. Safely remove the hardware. Once the computer notifies that hardware can be safely removed, pull out the USB plug. Wait until you hear a long beep followed by a short beep.

5. Switch on your VQ and start experimenting your customised firmware by taking pictures to see the results!

Here's what I've got.

This is definitely not the best result that I have managed to get but it's all trial and error process until you find the perfect colour combination that you like.

Now, to make your VQ take black and white picture, simply repeat Step 1-5. However, for Step 3, instead of copy pasting the customised firmware, simply copy paste the BIN file contained the firmware0612-2 folder.

To revert to the original firmware given by VQ, repeat the same Step 1-5 however for Step 3, simply copy paste the original BIN file (which has not been tweaked) contained in the firmware0727-2.

For more information, you can go to this website: http://www.vistaquest.jp/index.php/ja/firmware

Hopefully my explanation is not that complicated and for Mathias, happy tweaking :)

a bottle of funny memories~

2011-04-02T17:09:00.000+08:00

This is a little souvenir I brought back from Indonesia just for memories' sake. Because of this little thing, I was chased by a waiter in Indonesia. I was so jakun when I saw this bottle (since in Malaysia we don't have it anymore), so I bought it and was aiming to savour each and every second of drinking out of this cute bottle and little did I know that in Indonesia, we only pay for the drink and we would have to return the bottle. So, I was drinking when somebody practically chased me to get the bottle back. I had to do a one shot on spot so that he could take the bottle. It was funny as well as embarrassing actually :) This particular bottle however, I managed to take it back after buying it at a nasi padang restaurant. I laugh every now and then when I looked at this bottle. Definitely one of my highlights thinking about my trip to Indonesia :D

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part IV

2011-03-30T12:40:00.001+08:00

Standard Number, you must be wondering right?

Got any ideas yet? Let me just let you in on the secret then~

So, what does this bag have to do with Standard Number right? Well, when you have a camera, there's always a need for a camera bag! So this is actually a Lope Lope camera bag made by a brand known as Standard Number. The picture above was actually the box accompanied when purchasing the bag. Cool ain't it? I just love it! Hihi~ Though I got a free bag when purchasing my EPL-1, the bag was just too small and frankly speaking, didn't really match my outfits. So I wanted something which looks just like a normal bag but which is suitable to carry cameras. So I found this and I totally fell in love.

Basically, this bag comes with a sponge camera divider therefore, it gives your camera extra protection when it is being carried in this bag. And the best part is, the sponge can be taken out and it can be used as a normal bag as well!

The bag is available in tan, dark brown, ivory and of course black. It is just too bad that the bag is about to be discontinued. I would really love for it to be produced in a bigger size and other designs coz it is just so pretty (for a camera bag, it is :))!

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part III

2011-03-29T22:22:00.006+08:00

This should be a short one.

Well, when one's got a basic lens, bokeh lens, what else does one need? A wide angle lens of course! Wide angle lens is a really good lens for landscape picture so that all the captivating scenes could be captured in one picture. Though a landscape might be beautiful, but capturing such landscape with basic lens would be such a waste as the detail of the surroundings could not be captured and such detail do make a difference to give a wow effect in a landscape picture. Well, this is all actually a recap of what I have read from numerous photoblogs...hehe~ But I have actually yet to capture landscape pictures or had the opportunity to use my JC Penny 28mm lens, another manual lens to accompany my EPL-1!

Got this lens at a really good price. Can't wait to see how it will perform. So, Ad, if you are reading this t, looking forward to our tentative plan to take pictures of the sunset...wohooooo~

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part II

2011-03-28T14:36:00.012+08:00

So, after purchasing my first cheap lens...i became more greedy...and i desperately wanted to experiment bokeh with this new dslr and what better lens to do that than a 50mm legacy lens...so, after browsing ebay looking for a good deal, i found a 50mm f2 pentax-M lens. From the discussions on flickr, this lens fair just as good though some prefer 50mm f1.4 due to the high aperture. High aperture means greater bokeh but of course, high aperture means more money. so I settled for this one for now.

Now, as my pentax 50mm is a K mount lens, therefore I bought myself a K mount adapter. I've been reading about the Pixco adapter. I bought it but unfortunately, it doesn't fair that well. Maybe it's just mine that is kinda faulty. It was too tight when I first attached it and getting the lens out from the adapter was a pain as it seems stuck. I managed to get it out later. But then the trouble comes again where when I tried using it again, the lens was wobbling when attached to the adapter, making it really hard for me to manually focus. The little screw on the adapter keeps on getting loose and therefore, I decided to buy another adapter. With respect, I'm not trying to give bad repo to Pixco adapter. It's just my bad luck and I really find it a hassle to return it. Plus, finding the right adapter for certain lens is a common problem and for those who are not willing to invest on expensive ones, hence my case. So, I bought a K mount adapter called Fotasy and it was just perfect for my 50mm lens...yahoo~

Now that I've got my 50mm lens and adapter in my hands, it's bokeh time. First, I tried the basic bokeh. As we all know, in order to create bokeh, we need to have a source of light. Crank up your aperture wide open and focus accordingly. And walaaa~

Now, how do you get a shaped bokeh? It was not that hard at all actually. All you need to do is first cut any shape on a piece of black cardboard paper. Make sure the shape is in the middle of the lens and covers your lens. For those who aim on getting a perfectly cut shape, you can invest on shaped puncher. I bought mine at Daiso, The Curve.

For those who are not as lazy as me, you can make a lens hood or a lens hood where you can slide the different shaped cards for ease of use. If you followed my method, this is what you get:

Not too bad huh? :) Easy ain't it? Go and give yourself a try! It's definitely pure fun!

a new member & some to the camera family :)

2011-02-10T23:32:00.000+08:00

Finally people! I get to buy myself a serious digital camera. EPL 1 :) I know, i know ... It's not the latest M43 or DSLR camera around but what the hell, the price is getting cheaper and plus, I have made up my mind and I don't intend on changing it.

The initial tests with the camera was a struggle being my ignorance with the features of the camera which is actually kinda basic if compared to DSLR, however after watching some tutorials of AdoramaTV on YouTube (for newbies, this really helps), reading numerous discussions on Flickr (thanks to all the ppl I got to know through Flickr by answering my silly questions, u guys r the best!) and reading my Dummy's Guide for EPL 1, I finally managed! Pheww ...

Neways, together with my EPL 1, I have added some other things to compliment my camera~ Some cool lenses of course!

Despite having the kit lens (which works superb outdoors during the daylight), it seems that EPL 1 works well with manual lenses as well. Being a M43 camera, EPL 1 can be used with manual lenses using third party adapters which you can find on ebay.

My first purchase was definitely the cheapest lens I could find ... haha ... So I bought a 24mm f1.4 c mount lens, which is unbranded and small. It's a fun lens and gives a kind of lomo feel to the digital pictures taken.

taken using EPL 1 kit lens indoors unedited

Cute little thing aint it? Well, I bought mine on ebay and it was on promotion, so I grabbed it as soon as I can! hehe~ I bought an adapter for it as well~

super thin c mount adapter

Wanna see the result I got with this teeny lens?

a picture of my kit lens, macro (notice the vignetting at the edge of the pics?)

a picture of my favourite object of obsession (see the swirly effect?)

bokeh with the TV lens (bokeh was kinda harsh though)

All in all for RM60, i guess it's worth buying it if you wanna have fun once in a while and to get lomo feel to your digital pics.

Oh well, it's getting kind late. Will be continuing on the other lenses I bought later! Nite2!

i am officially healthy. :)

2010-10-31T21:09:00.003+08:00

today was overall a good day. went for a drive to my hometown. its been awhile.

i never knew there's a beach near Malacca. well there's actually one at Pengkalan Balak.

we were accompanying my mum for here 1954 class reunion whilst having a reflexiology treatment. i was announced healthy as a bee by the reflexiologist which is a relief...hihi...

Pengkalan Balak was actually kind of a good place to relax and to catch 'udang geragau' and fishes if you are into fishing. it was windy which was a bliss however there's no fancy hotel room there unlike Port Dickson but i like it. the sea water is better than PD and it was not as hot as in PD...

after enjoying the reflexiology treatment, went to Malacca town for the famous 'cucur udang' which was yummylicious.

got a few pics also. makes me feel so giddy...hihi~

chillaxing company trip

2010-10-24T18:00:00.004+08:00

had a company trip to pd...was staying at legend water chalet...the place was alright overall, we didnt stayed that long or do that much...but still it was fun time to relax with your colleagues. really love the room, the fluffy pillow and having a dip in the pool...

i am truly happy.

2010-08-02T21:52:00.004+08:00

My Sunday was definitely dreamy and lovely :)

Call me crazy but there isn't anything special that i really did...

After picking me and chatting with my mom, my boyfriend and I went for a movie marathon and watched Inception and The Sorcerer's Apprentice...

And went to find my birthday present and got a birthday cake from Mr DP...BR's peanut butter chocolate with vanilla sponge ice cream cake...super yummy :)

The highlight of my day was getting a surprise birthday card from Mr DP (you were really cute in your card sayang) and taking pictures with my instax of course! :D

Heart the results a lot!!!!

Though some might feel sad turning a year older, all i can feel now is the feeling of content =)

p/s: (will be keeping the last picture close to me so that i can see you everytime that i miss you.)

fujifilm instax 7s

2010-07-31T22:56:00.004+08:00

wow! it's been quite sometime since i've blogged~

life has been busy but all in all, in a very good way.

this week has been a great week thanks to everybody around me and their wishes and celebration.

thank u so much everybody!!

well, tomorrow i'm celebrating my belated birthday and im intending to use my pink instax mini.

i bought this instax mini around end of last year and have saved on using it for special occasions only due to its kinda expensive film. the film costs around RM25-28 per box (10 instax film in each box). However, the film can be bought in bundle @ ebay and i'm guessing the price might be cheaper.

so today after months of purchasing it, i get to load the film and managed to take a few test pics :))

mr teddy, my fav camera experiment object

Actually, my scanner really didnt do justice to the real pictures. The pictures captured by instax mini is slighty warmer and saturated compared to the ones shown above. My face looks slightly white due to the flash. The flash can't be turned off. However, i dont think it's a bad thing. It is definitely better compared to not having any.

I was kinda worried when i took the picture at first coz the film was all white even though i have captured the pics. But after quite sometime, i saw the pics developed. so if it is your first time using it, dont panic like me...hehe~

My second picture was actually taken using a macro cum mirror lens that could be attached to the instax lens. It makes it really easy for you to take self potrait pictures of yourself. However, i guess i should've tilted my angle slightly lower as you can see the space above my head.

The third pic was taken using the macro lens but it didnt really appear that macro. my bad i guess...hehe...i did took the picture from the angle they suggested ie 40cm to 60cm. Maybe next time i should position my camera closer or should choose a better subject like a flower or somethg that u can really see the macro effect...but i love how the picture turned out :) Mr teddy looks just fineeee~

This camera is really worth buying coz it is not so expensive, cute and i love the business card size film. U can take a picture of your loved ones and put it in your purse or u can make a scrap book out of the films with notes on the pictures as a gift to your special one. It is definitely collectable and you wont regret buying it.

However, be wise in using the film as it is not cheap unless u can afford using it in expense. If not, use it to capturely special moments, like me :D

short vacay to penang

2010-05-31T23:55:00.010+08:00

it's been a while since i went for a vacation...

i wish i could say i did loads of things during the holiday to penang but truth to be told, it was not the perfect trip that u would imagine...there was a heavy haze at the penang bridge, bukit bendera unfortunately was under construction, most of the time me & my kakaks just ended up getting lost finding the best nasi kandar in town, which, btw, we managed to find at jalan lintang kampung melayu 2, or we ended waking up late due to late night gossiping...and yet now, when i reminisce abt how we laugh our heads off to our nite gossiping, the absolute fun we had impersonating the toy figures we saw at the toy museum or the time we sang our hearts out while we were getting lost and the sight of one of my kakak's showing off her floating skills in the pool, i feel content and felt that it was the best holiday ever and am missing the moments already!!! it was just pure joy and satisfying, and just the food to my soul :)

the wait

view from our hotel balcony

gurney fountain

komtar

otw to buy jeruk (fruit pickle)

moments~

vistana hotel where we stayed

penang bridge

on our way back thru the tunnel~

sq28m pokedigi - demonstration

2010-05-26T23:19:00.000+08:00

My colleague was so taken by how pwetty sq28m looks n the two cute colours available but i totally think vq 1015 entry gives better result despite its bulky exterior... took random pics with sq28m and my colleague too took few pics with sq28m for the first time~

his~ not bad at all...hihi~

my failed attempt using macro! arghh...ne-e-ed to get the co-rrectt focus length!

his! my team's product...aja2x fighting MLJ team!! :D

mine :P

mine~ journals v book

mine!!! :) cant believe the TNB building would turn out to look like this! nice~

vq 1015 entry - demonstration

2010-05-26T22:58:00.000+08:00

Today, i brought my vq 1015 entry to work and demonstrated some of its functions to my colleague :) and took some pics with it too!

i always see this sort-of-motorcycle bridge on my way to work

though this pic was not accurate at all (maybe coz i moved), i really love the result!

profile pic of my colleague, najib... sorry najib for being a-tad-bit inaccurate...hihi~

me & harinezumi 2

2010-05-18T20:43:00.002+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - weekday date :D

2010-05-18T20:03:00.001+08:00

Me and my DP coincidently was on our day off on Monday, so we went out for a movie (watched Robin Hood by Ridley Scott) and lunch...it was really super fun to go out on a date on a weekday coz there were less people, less traffic and it was more private...it really reminded me of our first visit to Cineleisure when we started dating...since then, both of us have been so busy and had no opportunity for quality time like this...it was heavenly~ :)

mr DP wore his new VANS iron maiden shoes...i super love it!

mr DP wore my fav t-shirt of his...JOKER~

digital harinezumi 2 @ A&W

2010-05-14T00:33:00.001+08:00

Went to A&W today to meet up with my besties~ been craving for waffles for weeks now. finally i got my wish tonite =)

mr bear :)

me, myself & i

empty plates :P

abby & my yellow vq 1015 entry

digital harinezumi 2 - @ DeLicious One Utama

2010-05-09T22:46:00.014+08:00

Watching the Japanese drama "Antique" starring Hideaki Takizawa about 4 man and a distinctive antique decor cake shop with unique yet tantalising pastries and cakes had my sweet tastebuds raging all week, so I decided to take the opportunity of this weekend's outing with my DP to treat ourselves with yummy desserts @ DeLicious, One Utama.

My baby looks super duper tired...Nvm, i will treat you with some sweet desserts... :)

Mr DP had a slice of banana chocolate cake (Mr DP is not the adventurous type...hihi) and I tried sticky dates pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream....yummmm! but can't have a lot of it though coz its kinda sweet... The price was okay but the service was, sorry to say, kinda lousy. It took about half an hour for me n my dp to get our Cokes and the position of our table didnt help either since we were seated near to the entrance, thus the waiters rarely pass by our table. I know that the place have been packed from morning till nite, but come on people, we are not asking much. Just give us 2 cans of Coke and 2 glasses. It shouldnt be that hard right? I've seen better service at chillis and tgi friday's with lesser staff onboard. At least, give us better service, we did pay service tax you know and it aint cheap let me tell ya...I rarely get annoyed by stuff like this, but after asking for our Cokes for numerous times, who wouldn't be irritated right? Fortunately for them, I didnt bring a pen, if not, I would've wrote a long comment on their feedback form. Neways, no complaints on the food though. Btw, I did take away one of the scrumptious looking cupcakes from the cupcake mania promotion Delicious is having at the moment. Though its RM6.90 per cupcake, but i couldnt resist...after hearing 'apple crumble cupcake with butterscotch topping', who wouldnt be right? And I also packed meself a strawberry shortcake. It reminds me of the Japanese Drama "SOS" starring Hideaki Takezawa and Kyoko Fukada...haha :D

my sticky dates pudding

Love the to-go paper packaging

my apple crumble butterscotch cupcake...super yummy...the topping is a cheesy butterscotch icing...similar to red velvet cupcake...the cupcake is moist and the icing is not too sweet...just the right amount of sweetness...

my strawberry shortcake with biscuit crumbs at the bottom...kinda nice...the cream outside is not too creamy or too sweet and is very light, the sweetness of the strawberry jam in between the layers of the sponge is just nice as well

blue car

2010-05-03T21:45:00.005+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - mr cloudie and miss sunshine

2010-05-03T21:44:00.003+08:00

2010-05-03T21:43:00.001+08:00

2010-05-03T21:42:00.001+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - i wish i could stop time

2010-05-03T21:39:00.003+08:00

have u ever wish that u could stop time. i sometimes wish i can. i wish i could stop all the motion. i wish i could stop the motion of all the vehicles on the road so that i can walk out of my car, stand in the middle of the road and take a picture of the bridge which was always hectic with cars and people. i sometimes wish i had such power.

digital harinezumi 2 - intertwined

2010-05-01T23:59:00.006+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - escape.

2010-04-25T16:16:00.011+08:00

escape is not always a bad thing. sometimes u need to escape the present in order to know what u want in the future.

vq 1015 entry - b & w outing :)

2010-04-25T04:03:00.005+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - lovely photography outing :)

2010-04-25T03:51:00.007+08:00

vq 1015 entry - b & w

2010-04-22T12:30:00.001+08:00

vq 1015 entry - putrajaya tol

2010-04-22T12:29:00.001+08:00

vq 1015 entry - kemboja

2010-04-22T12:27:00.002+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - blurry tree

2010-04-22T12:26:00.003+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - yellow car

2010-04-22T12:22:00.002+08:00

Took this picture coz i love the contrast of the punchy yellow car and the blue sky :)

vq 1015 entry - customised firmware b & w

2010-04-21T18:37:00.010+08:00

well, last week i changed my vq 1015 to the b & w firmware. while the result using digi hari 2 was punchy colours, i also love the result from vq 1015 b & w mode simply coz of the nostalgia feel the vignetting effect gives to the picture.

as u can see in my pictures above, the vignetting effect is found at the edge of my pics ( the grass area).

digital harinezumi 2 - colourful animal jongkang jongket

2010-04-21T18:23:00.007+08:00

do u have one of those moments where the outcome of some things were not as u expect that it would be? today was one of those days for me. on my way home everyday, i have always wanted to capture this one tree with pretty white flowers but didn't have the chance to do so. so, i decided to go to that place again today to capture the image i had imagined in my mind. unfortunately, it was just a figment of my imagination. the result did not turn out how i thought it would be...

regardless, we can always find inspiration in other things and fortunately today, i found a few cute things just for my enjoyment... hihi...

* dolphin jongkang jongket *

* ribbit!!! i wish ppl wouldn't vandalise mr ribbit though...*

digital harinezumi 2 - read the signs

2010-04-17T21:10:00.003+08:00

Wouldn't it be cool if these signs were actually on the streets??

Imagine seeing this signs @ the zebra crossing... :D

Now this is definitely a dangerous sign to be havin' on the street :)

digital harinezumi 2 - saturday 17.04.2010

2010-04-17T20:45:00.001+08:00

Went out for a movie with my DP today...watched KICK ASS...it was definitely funny and 18PL...'Hit girl' was just cute n brutal...love her!

Well, fetched my DP at his rental condo and was bored in the car so took this while waiting~

digital harinezumi 2 - npe

2010-04-15T20:46:00.001+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - hello mr traffic...

2010-04-15T20:38:00.001+08:00

* nice ride u got there...hihi *

april gadget wishlist

2010-04-13T09:31:00.006+08:00

anti clockwise:

olympus E-PL1, fisheye lens attachment, c-mount adapter for micro 4/3, cosmicar 25mm f1.4, pentax micro 4/3 adapter

sx-70 and impossible project polaroid film

pentax auto 110 lenses

(All the pictures here are taken from various website and not one of my own)

Thanx to Mr Mijo@Mijonju from www.circlerectangle.com for answering my questions on cameras and thanx also to my flickr frens for sharing all the knowledge they have with me on cameras. without them, i am just an ignorant gal with zero knowledge about cameras...

Now that I have my list, all I need to do is win a jackpot...haha :D

i need more space!!!

2010-04-12T21:18:00.007+08:00

currently, i keep my harinezumi and toycameras in one of this purses. it is decent enough and can fit one harinezumi and 2 keychain toycameras. but im thinking of buying something tidier and sleeker though.

picture from http://8storeytree.com

came across this flip pouch while google-ing. it can fit two cameras or one camera and one charger. guess it is tidier coz the design is in square. but i wish there was something slightly bigger. plus, the price is not so cheap maybe coz it is imported from korea. dunno how harinezumi will fit in one of these though. however, love the birdie logo at the front...gives a personal touch to it. it is also available in tan and pink but i like cream colour the best.

i love looking at old-worn-out books

2010-04-12T20:33:00.002+08:00

* Mallal's Supreme Court Practice *

saying farewell

2010-04-12T20:28:00.003+08:00

Next Monday is my final day at my current company. just took a picture of my softboard for memories~

ultrafire rechargeable CR2 batteries

2010-04-11T15:06:00.034+08:00

yay!! the day i have been waiting for :) (thanx adelin)

finally i got my CR2 batteries i ordered from ebay. no more Energizer CR2 non-rechargeable batteries for my digital harinezumi 2.

The package comes with:

# 4 CR2 batteries
# charger
# cable for the charger
# 2 magnetic spacers

magnetic spacer

As you can see in the picture above, the two small metal pieces in between the CR2 batteries is what u call a magnetic spacer. Since the charger given in this package is a universal charger ie it can also be used for CR123A and 18350 batteries, the spacer is required to be used when charging the CR2 batteries to fill in the gap when inserting the CR2 battery into the charger battery compartment.

So where do we place the magnetic spacer?

The spacer is to be placed at the negative end of the battery. I tried both ways actually but i find it more convenient to place it at the end of the negative plat since the bottom of the negative plat of the battery is flat so the placement is much more appropriate and it is also proven that this position works since after 2 hours of charging, my battery charge has turned full.

For those who find it is quite a hassle to use the magnetic spacer, maybe you guys should consider buying the CR2(s) with charger especially to fit CR2 batteries.

* negative end of the battery*

* the dual charger for CR2 (with spacer), CR123A & 18350 battery*

* another choice for charger - picture from www.dhgate.com *

important pointers

Since there is no user guide, basically the important pointers on how to charge ultrafire CR2 batteries are:

# select the preferable charge ie 3.0 or 3.6 volt (i choose 3.0 volt as a safety precaution)

# insert the CR2 batteries together with the magnetic spacer in the charger compartment

# plug in the charger

# you will see the LED light blinking in red

# once the battery is fully charged, the LED will turn into green colour (usually after 2 hours of charge, the light will turn to green colour).

* goodbye energizer !!! *

* hello ultrafire~ :) *

The price

All in all, after conversion to MYR, the price for the package totals to MYR 78.00 and the shipping is free :) estimated arrival is around 2 weeks after shipping of the batteries from Hong Kong.

for the link on ebay : Ultrafire CR2 batteries

for those using digital harinezumi, it is definitely worth investing on one of these.

hopefully these batteries will last longer than the Energizer batteries.

*cross my fingers*

p/s: always remove your CR2 batteries from your digital harinezumi 2 after use. after some observation, i noticed that when u leave your batteries inside your camera after usage, the battery drains much faster. its a good practice as well to avoid any battery leakage that would permanently damage your camera.

have you seen the sunset today?

2010-04-07T21:03:00.003+08:00

vq 1015 entry - shadow tree - customised firmware

2010-04-07T20:57:00.005+08:00

i'm constantly experimenting the firmware of vq1015 entry. this is another unexpected find. it was late evening when i took it and yet it turned out b & w... i like the result :D

give me a piece of hope

2010-04-07T20:50:00.006+08:00

today was not a good day for me. due to some unfortunate issues, i was crying almost the whole day alone at my cubicle.

sounds really sad i know.

the wait for 6 o'clock pm was never ending but finally it came.

on my walk to my car, saw a tiny flower at the side of the road.

somehow, it made me smile and it gave me a tiny bit of hope.

*no low-fi toycam takes macro mode the way digi hari does *

digital harinezumi 2 - garden lifestyle restaurant

2010-04-07T14:19:00.002+08:00

some of the pics i took with harinezumi 2 at my mum's bday celebration:

* yummy... my chicken black pepper *

* purple plant macro mode *

* stirrer for my drink macro mode *

a nite @ garden lifestyle restaurant with AGFA 505-D

2010-04-07T14:11:00.010+08:00

my family and I went to the garden lifestyle restaurant in One Utama new wing to celebrate my mother's birthday. it was a slight change from our usual food escapade @ chillis.

brought my AGFA 505-D with me. since my other toy cameras was not really prone to low lights, AGFA was the way to go that day since it comes with a flash. but i didnt have the need to use it anyway that night. this camera is a great alternative for a normal digital camera. it is quite clear despite the fact that it's just 5 megapixels. however, the flash could be glaring to the eyes at times but the results is not too over flashy though.

my niece, umayra

she really loved the strawberry mouse

my niece feeding my mum a piece of her cake. cute aint it? :)

vq 1015 entry - on my way home

2010-04-06T22:56:00.004+08:00

* beautiful ain't it? *

* love the silhouete *

me looking bored as hell

2010-04-05T17:57:00.008+08:00

truly words of wisdom...

2010-04-05T17:54:00.009+08:00

neon containers

2010-04-05T17:51:00.003+08:00

went to KIEHLS and love the cutesy concept there. cute neon thingies aint it :)

a trip to the bookstore

2010-04-05T17:45:00.018+08:00

i have always loved bookstores. i always look forward for an outing with my dad going to the bookstores when i was a teen. me and my dad used to spend hours in bookstores looking at all the wonderful secrets and exploring what's in store there. i truly love the smell of books be it new or old. u see i inherit my 'bookworm' habits from my dad. when i was a baby, i think the first word that i uttered was 'book'...haha...kidding...but my mom told me, unlike other kids, i was not interested in dolls as other girls were. i always asked for books as my bday present. funny huh?

well, due to my interest in books, i always find men my age attractive if they are into books. there's just somethg interesting abt a good looking guy going to bookstores. haha...i know...

fortunate enough, i've found a guy who is into books the way i am into books... lucky me :)

I have always wanted to take a picture of bookshelves and book racks. this was taken at BORDERS.

a lady contently reading a novel~

IKEA

2010-04-05T17:38:00.008+08:00

went to IKEA today and saw these IKEA flags blowing gracefully by the wind. stopped at the side road and took this pic. people must think I'm crazy...haha :D Already got used to it~

really love the punchy colour of the flags and the almost dark blue vignetting.

photoshoot for my nizza...haha :D

2010-04-03T09:02:00.004+08:00

vq 1015 entry - my nizza zip :)

2010-04-03T08:44:00.006+08:00

2010-04-02T20:02:00.006+08:00

2010-04-02T20:01:00.007+08:00

one thing about vq1015 entry, if taking pics directly to the bright sun, u will see a small dot as per dis pic here.

2010-04-02T19:59:00.007+08:00

2010-04-02T19:56:00.003+08:00

2010-04-02T19:54:00.004+08:00

2nd experiment :)

2010-04-02T09:38:00.008+08:00

so i edited my firmware again and i got this neon like effect :)

Compare with picture taken with digital harinezumi 2:

http://zealouslyinto.blogspot.com/2010/03/brewed-coffee-supper.html

* my mouse was actually white colour *

hmm...i wonder how the pics would look like if i took pictures of people...

2010-04-01T21:44:00.003+08:00

* pic of my officemate, abg sufian. this pic was taken under fluorescent light *

2010-04-01T21:41:00.005+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

2010-04-01T21:26:00.007+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

surprisingly the pic turn out okey though it was kinda dark when i took it. using the old firmware, i might not have gotten the same result.

apples anybody??

2010-04-01T21:21:00.005+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

shaky hands while taking this... :P

vq1015 entry + macro jelly lens

2010-04-01T21:14:00.006+08:00

failed attempt, originally uploaded by aceflosu.

failed attempt. haha. maybe i was too close.

tasty drink...

2010-04-01T21:11:00.006+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

went to the market today and tested my vq with customised firmware. so far i like the effect. this pic was taken under bright light. using the old firmware, i wont get this kinda colour.

they call it 'emo shot'?

2010-03-31T16:26:00.005+08:00

I totally forgot to post this pic in my blog..haha...i have been neglecting my vq1015 lately so last week i was determined to capture pics with it. the cloud was really radical that day so i snapped away...this is the result.

hmmm...im thinking of exploring the abilities of my vq...maybe i'll edit the firmware or somethg. hope it doesnt end up in the rubbish bin though. so far the only instruction i can get from the web relating to firmware editor for vq are all in japanese...translating it was no use either since all the meaning became like 'rojak' english only...

brewed coffee @ supper

2010-03-31T07:56:00.004+08:00

dila.

2010-03-31T07:54:00.001+08:00

makan-makan @ mcd was fun guys

2010-03-31T07:47:00.006+08:00

* miss dila & me *

* abby avoiding the paparazzi (me) lol ! *

Such a fun and relax outing with my gals...Gossiping while eating hot fries and choco top have never been so goood :)

happy birthday dila!!!

2010-03-31T07:45:00.001+08:00

Sigma DP2s - Improved auto focus

2010-03-17T18:07:00.009+08:00

Huhu...just watched Mijonju's video on youtube bout Sigma DP2s camera...there was a huge camera fair in Japan and he went there exclusively to take a peek on the camera...

Previously there were a lot of complaints about DP2s elder sister ie DP2 that the auto focus on that camera was super slow and after checking out DP2s, Mijonju has kinda confirmed that the auto focus now is faster. Argghhh...a faster auto focus and a huge sensor...i am tempted....i am torn between Sigma DP2s and Olmpus E-PL1...huhu...

But DP2s's price...no news but its definitely not gonna be cheap...huhu~ wish they sell Sigma in Malaysia...sucks really... :(

Sigma DP2s * picture courtesy of http://www.slashgear.com/ *

For more info on Sigma DP2s, click here

In the meantime, enjoy this slideshow of pictures taken with Sigma DP2 and DP2s from flickr.

2010-03-14T21:38:00.004+08:00

* pardon the inaccuracy since sq28m doesnt have a viewfinder :P *

* the pic became warped coz the car was moving *

* beautiful cloud today *

* then the storm came *

* my sister driving *

* driving again *

* wind blown me! *

digital harinezumi 2

2010-03-13T08:43:00.002+08:00

digital harinezumi 2

2010-03-13T08:42:00.003+08:00

empty road

2010-03-13T08:41:00.001+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - with jelly lens

2010-03-13T08:39:00.003+08:00

digital harinezumi 2 - side by side

2010-03-13T08:37:00.002+08:00

digital harinezumi 2

2010-03-13T08:31:00.002+08:00

2010-03-13T06:43:00.004+08:00

it was raining heavily yesterday so i had to stay in the office till the rain stops before i can head on home. had nothing to do, walk ard the office and took some silly pics.

* yes, yes, i work for this company :p *

* i forgot to turn off the macro mode so the pic turned out this way *

* in colour *

Rolleiflex Minidigi AF 5.0 MP - cute minidigi with a price of its own

2010-03-12T19:13:00.014+08:00

* picture courtesy of photo.net *

cute ain't it. well don't be mistaken peeps. this is not an analog film camera...no siree...this is a replica of the rollei tlr camera however it is digital!

this is the cute Rolleiflex Minidigi AF 5.0 MP.

never heard of Rollei? Rollei is a company in Germany which is well known for its film camera. This replica however is not entirely a product of Rollei but instead is a collaboration between a German manufacturer called Minox together with a Japanese manufacturer known as Sharan.

stumbled upon this camera while i was browsing pictures in flickr.

previously it was available in 2 mps however it has been upgraded to 5 mps but i gotta say its kinda expensive for its size. add another few hundred MYR and u can get a dslr or a compact digital camera. how much does it cost u ask? it ranges from MYR 1,700 to MYR 1,900. say what??! say wat indeed... thought of considering it but after a looky at the price...naah...dun't think so. not for a toycamera i suppose. is it worth it? hard to tell~ these kinda tiny cameras sometimes can catch u off guard and u will never expect wat kinda picture it will produce. but then again are we paying the price merely for its cute design? hmmm...somethg to think about.

though it might seem that there's two lenses on this camera (that's how it got its name...rolleiflex stands for twin reflex), don't be fooled. only one is functioning. it has crack level at the side and everytime a picture is taken, you will have to turn the lever to take the next picture. guess this feature was made so to give the feel of picturetaking using a classic and vintage camera.

gotta say rollei is really brilliant by creating a cute design to this camera to draw the attention of the market and public. just look at how gorgeous it is and it's available in red too?! one might buy it just coz of its cute and retro look.

as for me, i'll just stash my cash, add in a few hundred and buy meself a compact digital cam instead. one should only invest their money for this minidigi if there's extra cash in the pocket.

click here for more info on this camera and rollei products.

see the pics taken with rolleiflex minidigi from flickr and judge for yourself whether it's worth it or not.

to do list end of this month

2010-03-12T13:32:00.007+08:00

TO DO

# buy rechargeable CR2 battery from ebay for my digital harinezumi 2 (using ad's card~) haha

# subscribing to flickr pro account (maybe) since they're making an offer (RM90 for one whole year subscription) which is WAAAYYY cheap...

# renew my passport (with all this new cameras, it's a must to travel baby!)

can i have my wish??

2010-03-12T13:09:00.019+08:00

no more cotton on, no more MYR 25 clothes in sungei wang and no more occasional visits to diary of an e-shopaholic website. i need to be stingy and save up every cent that i've got for this:

* picture courtesy of news.cnet.com*

Olympus E-PL1. Ain't it a beauty? this is what u call evolution people. As we can see, everywhere we go, people have been carrying dslrs around their necks to capture pictures and it has become a trend now in Malaysia. I love toycameras a lot, really I do, but I guess a dslr in hand would do no harm as well. I would really like to have one but for me the function is just too complicated for a newbie like me and i find it too heavy to be carried around everywhere.

Thankfully, im not the only one who thinks so. Thank god there's a genius out there who feels the same way as i do and decided to merge two elements ie the body of a digital camera together with dslr lens. and this is what u get. a compact digital camera. It is slightly bigger than a normal digital camera but definitely smaller than a dslr. With this camera, u can put it inside ur pocket and carry the lens in a small bag wherever u go and at the same time, u can capture dslr quality pictures.

Initially i really wanted a Sigma DP2 compact camera coz the picture produced by it is just way amazing due to its humungous sensor. however, some complained that the auto focus function was too damn slow and it eats a lot of the battery power. plus it is really expensive and it is not available in Malaysia. and the lens is fixed so u will not have the advantage of changing ur camera lens unlike a dslr camera. u r just stuck with one lens only. the company who produces Sigma DP2 have come out with Sigma DP2s to make up for the blunders they've made when producing DP2 however it is predicted that the camera price is gonna be around Euro 800 which is damn expensive after converting to MYR.

So, after receiving advice from an expert fellow blogger and camera-holic pal (thanx there), Olympus E-PL1 was gonna be my choice (if i managed to collect the money eventually...haha). It's gonna be launched in Malaysia this coming week and the price is kinda cheap for a compact digital camera which is around MYR 2,500. So it is quite an average budget if u are gonna invest ur money on a compact digital camera. even though the size of the sensor is not gonna be the same as Sigma's but the good side of it is the AF is much faster than DP2 and the lens of the camera can be changed. plus they have also managed to slot in a pop up flash in cases where u wanna capture pics in low light.

this camera is really suitable for newbies like me since they have provided a simplified function for dslr wannabes and there's also the advantage of live guide mode. This live guide mode enables the user to view the pictures the camera will produce if certain effects is being used prior to capturing the picture. Sounds good right? For further info on the camera u can head on to Olympus Malaysia website which also provides a virtual live guide mode for testing.

Hope I'll manage to collect the money soon. I can do it!! :)

Here's samples of pictures from Olympus E-PL1 group from Flickr

toodles lovelies~

adelin

2010-03-10T23:43:00.004+08:00

* one of my lovely bestie *

2010-03-10T23:29:00.007+08:00

2010-03-10T23:25:00.006+08:00

normally, i won't go with the noise mode when using exemode, but i kinda like the result of this pic in noise mode. maybe coz of the rainbow like effect it gives in this pic.

vivid mode macro

2010-03-10T23:20:00.008+08:00

vivid mode macro, originally uploaded by aceflosu.

the macro mode is not bad at all right?

2010-03-10T23:17:00.009+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

kinda shocked with the clarity though since i took this pic in a haste while driving

2010-03-10T23:15:00.010+08:00

originally uploaded by aceflosu.

2010-03-10T23:10:00.010+08:00

FDC01/SQ28M vivid mode, originally uploaded by aceflosu.

exemode sq28m pokedigi/fdc01 updated

2010-03-10T23:03:00.028+08:00

So i got myself a new toy camera! Yahooo!! bought it from Gala gala online shop which is the only online camera shop in Malaysia at the moment which sells this toycamera. Thanx gala2...got to tell ya, love their service. speedy and very prompt in answering my emails... :)

Neways, wat about this camera?

Actually, I've come to know abt this camera from a blog of a Japanese photographer who happens to love cameras and tells informative info bout latest cameras around the world. through him actually i've come to know about my baby, digital harinezumi 2... Arigato neh Mr Mijo@Mijonju :)

So, when i read his review about this camera (click here to see his page) and watched his video on youtube, i knew i could trust his opinion and desperately searched for the toycam. and i'm not dissappointed :D

Basically it is somewhat like vq 1015 entry, being it is a keychain camera. However, don't misunderstand my words, when i say it is "somewhat like" vq coz i don't mean it from the picture results perspective or the features though. besides the size, both are totally different keychain cams.

So which one is better?

Well, it is unfair for me to compare btwn the two coz each camera gives different effect. Based on my view though, here's the pros and cons between the two:

vq 1015

pros :

- flexibility to change the resolution of picture

- self timer

- vignetting effect

cons :

- not-so good in low light

- one mode of picture only

- uses AAA battery

- 1.3mp

exemode sq28m pokedigi/fdc01

pros :

- 4 modes ; normal, monochrome, noise and vivid effect

- no need for battery (self charged in usb mode and battery can stand till one week per charge-depends on
usage)

- 1.9 mp (slightly sharper than vq)

- takes better pics in low light

cons:

- no self timer (not that i know of)

- fixed resolution
- lags in saving pics after taking pictures
- in some pictures, a thin line might appear (if u r unlucky)

However, just so u know, for vq 1015, the mode of the picture can be changed to b & w through firmware installation provided by the creator of the toycam at their website however it must be done at your own risk. one wrong move, your camera could end up in the dustbin. besides that, there's also an editor for vq entry which allows the users to customize their own mode by tweaking the colour according to their preference. it does look interesting from the looks of the pictures in flickr but im not brave enough to try it yet. other than that, with vq, u can also experiment using IR filters or developed film to get IR effect. sounds really cool. so, vq entry is more of an experimental kinda toycamera. just broaden ur mind and maybe u too can figure out fun ways to get interesting pictures from vq.

But to those who are not adventurous enough or don't wanna go through the hassle, maybe exemode is for u.

As for me, i don't really know which category i fall under, so that's why i bought both! Haha.

toodles~

*updated*

after using fdc01, i find that the USB self charge feature in fdc01 could be of disadvantages as well:
1) there's no flexibility in changing batteries. so when going for travelling, it is quite a hassle since u can't change ur batteries unless if u travel together with ur lappie and there's also the hassle of bringng the usb cable as well;
2) the battery drains after one week despite the fact that the camera is turned off and is not used (I'm giving this statement based on my personal experience with my fdc01 but I dunno about others though).

together again

2010-03-10T16:46:00.009+08:00

i luv u guys ( ^ ^ ), originally uploaded by aceflosu.

* zaza, dila & abby *

now that abby is back in the circle, my life is complete again :)

me & dila

2010-03-10T16:42:00.004+08:00

me & dila, originally uploaded by aceflosu.

* my bestie dila. love u babe! *

adorable girl #4

2010-02-27T23:14:00.005+08:00

adorable girl #3

2010-02-27T23:13:00.005+08:00

adorable girl #2

2010-02-27T23:12:00.004+08:00

adorable girl #1

2010-02-27T23:11:00.006+08:00

how i met a lil girl named fatin

2010-02-27T22:58:00.008+08:00

yesterday i had wonderful outing with my besties, dila and abby and it was kinda late so we went to get our dose of coffee at starbucks.

i had an iced caramel machiatto (venti so more) which was so superb n yummy...

so, i brought my harinezumi cam with me and was just chilling and taking pics with my friends (btw, my friend dila is now kinda obsessed with harinezumi as well...she cant stop taking pics with it...haha) and people eating at a shop opposite starbucks was kinda puzzled to see such a small camera.

whilst i was slurping my machiatto (haha... coz it's just so lovely) and enjoying the advantage of using free wifi at starbucks, this lil girl of the age of 3 years old i think, with an adorable smile came all of a sudden near my window. she was smiling sweetly to me and ran back off.

then she ran back again next to me and ran back off again. so cute!

i couldn't help myself so i snapped a picture of her with my harinezumi...and snapped again and again. and i was not taking advantage of the girl i might add coz her parents was sitting ard a corner opposite us and they knew exactly what i was doing and didnt seem to mind (acquiescence by the way is considered as consent)... i mean, if u were in my position, could u really help urself but not to take at least a pic of her?? i was just trying to make an adorable lil girl happy and she was practically throwing herself at me and was impliedly asking me with her big adorable eyes to take her pics. and i think she loved getting her pics taken.

anyways, after taking her pic each and everytime (my friend and i took the pics together btw), we showed her pics to her and she came and almost sat with us... haha.

and while showing her pics, we asked, 'who is this in the picture?' and she adorably said with her cute, cute, cute voice, 'this is fatin.'

so that's how we came to know of her name. fatin. sweet name suitable for a sweet lil girl.

eventually, her parents was about to leave to head back home and we practically had to tell her her parents was leaving. she didn't want to follow and wanted to stay taking pics i think... haha.

wonderful is it how photography and cameras can connect strangers and make them become non strangers? i think there is truly magic inside this tiny plastic camera called digital harinezumi :)

* click digital harinezumi 2 to see more of her pics *

fountain

2010-02-26T00:48:00.001+08:00

zealously into ...

In depth step to customise VQ1015 entry firmware~

a bottle of funny memories~

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part IV

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part III

continued, EPL-1 and some of the members Part II

a new member & some to the camera family :)

i am officially healthy. :)

chillaxing company trip

i am truly happy.

fujifilm instax 7s

short vacay to penang

sq28m pokedigi - demonstration

vq 1015 entry - demonstration

me & harinezumi 2

digital harinezumi 2 - weekday date :D

digital harinezumi 2 @ A&W

digital harinezumi 2 - @ DeLicious One Utama

blue car

digital harinezumi 2 - mr cloudie and miss sunshine

digital harinezumi 2 - i wish i could stop time

digital harinezumi 2 - intertwined

digital harinezumi 2 - escape.

vq 1015 entry - b & w outing :)

digital harinezumi 2 - lovely photography outing :)

vq 1015 entry - b & w

vq 1015 entry - putrajaya tol

vq 1015 entry - kemboja

digital harinezumi 2 - blurry tree

digital harinezumi 2 - yellow car

vq 1015 entry - customised firmware b & w

digital harinezumi 2 - colourful animal jongkang jongket

digital harinezumi 2 - read the signs

digital harinezumi 2 - saturday 17.04.2010

digital harinezumi 2 - npe

digital harinezumi 2 - hello mr traffic...

april gadget wishlist

i need more space!!!

i love looking at old-worn-out books

saying farewell

ultrafire rechargeable CR2 batteries

have you seen the sunset today?

vq 1015 entry - shadow tree - customised firmware

give me a piece of hope

digital harinezumi 2 - garden lifestyle restaurant

a nite @ garden lifestyle restaurant with AGFA 505-D

vq 1015 entry - on my way home

me looking bored as hell

truly words of wisdom...

neon containers

a trip to the bookstore

IKEA

photoshoot for my nizza...haha :D

vq 1015 entry - my nizza zip :)

2nd experiment :)

apples anybody??

vq1015 entry + macro jelly lens

tasty drink...

they call it 'emo shot'?

brewed coffee @ supper

dila.

makan-makan @ mcd was fun guys

happy birthday dila!!!

Sigma DP2s - Improved auto focus

digital harinezumi 2

digital harinezumi 2

empty road

digital harinezumi 2 - with jelly lens

digital harinezumi 2 - side by side

digital harinezumi 2

Rolleiflex Minidigi AF 5.0 MP - cute minidigi with a price of its own

to do list end of this month

can i have my wish??

adelin

vivid mode macro

exemode sq28m pokedigi/fdc01 *updated*

together again

me & dila

adorable girl #4

adorable girl #3

exemode sq28m pokedigi/fdc01 updated