2008 World Pyro Olympics Starts Today!

After several delays, World Pyro Olympics is finally here! Hope to get good
shots using my Canon EOS 450D :D

DATES
The 2008 World Pyro Olympics III will be held on the following dates:

May 3, 2008 - China,Germany
May 10,2008 - Canada,France
May 17, 2008 - Italy,Venezuela
May 24, 2008 - Fellowship of Fire - Collaboration of all countries with the Philippines

LOCATION
The World Pyro Olympics III will take place once again at the Esplanade behind SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

See you at the bay!

[via World Pyro Olympics]

Starbucks Earth Day Promo

Starbucks is giving Php40 discount on hot or cold beverages if you bring your own tumbler in replace of disposable cup in line with the celebration of Earth Day :D

I Got a Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi!

After months of thinking whether to buy or not my first ever DSLR camera, I finally decide that I really need to have one!

At first, I'm thinking of buying Canon EOS 400D which is 25% cheaper in Hong Kong compared to Manila. Inspite of the big savings, I let it passed simply because I'm still undecided. Come this Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi which was released just 3 weeks ago. After trying out the actual unit, I told myself that it's time!

Below are Canon EOS 450D main features (lifted from Canon website):

12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor
The 12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor gives you plenty of detail for poster-size prints and extra flexibility when cropping. Sensitive in low light and virtually noise-free, Canon’s CMOS sensors are also remarkably power-efficient.

3.5 fps shooting
The EOS 450D captures up to 3.5 frames per second for a continuous burst of up to 53 large JPEG images (6 in RAW).

9-point wide-area AF
The 9 AF points are spread out across the frame to better accommodate off-centre subjects. The central AF point is a high sensitivity cross type sensor for quick, accurate focusing with f/2.8 and faster lenses.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
Canon’s built-in dust prevention system uses three methods to keep images blemish-free. (1) Specialised materials reduce dust generation within the camera. (2) A Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit shakes dust from the sensor each time the camera is turned on or off. (3) Stubborn dust spots are mapped for easy removal in Digital Photo Professional.

3.0" LCD with Live View mode
The bright 3.0" LCD provides sharp definition for checking focus and composition, with 10x magnification for finer details. When shooting from awkward positions, Live View mode gives you the option of framing the image from the LCD, and a choice of focusing modes.

DIGIC III processor
Renowned for its white balance accuracy, DIGIC III renders colours with brilliant, true-to-life precision. Captured images are processed in 14-bit colour depth for finer tonal gradations. DIGIC III works efficiently to minimise power consumption while maintaining ultra-fast response times.

Large, bright viewfinder
A large viewfinder gives a bright and clear view for easy composition of the scene.

Total image control
Gain easy control over image processing parameters with Picture Style presets. Contrast, sharpness and saturation can be customized in-camera or through the supplied Picture Style Editor software. After the shoot, Canon’s RAW processing software Digital Photo Professional provides everything you need to manage and process your RAW images.

Compact and lightweight
Ergonomically designed for natural and intuitive handling, the EOS 450 is housed in a compact body that weighs in at just 475 grams.

EF lenses and accessories
The EOS 450D is compatible with over 60 EF/EF-S lenses and all EX Series Speedlite flash units.

The next thing to do is study all the nice features of this camera and start creating beautiful pictures :)

Lenten Break

Tomorrow is the start of 4-day Lenten break. Have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week to all! :D

Back from Hong Kong, Back to Reality

Ros and I just got back from a short vacation in Hong Kong. We enjoyed this trip a lot! We tried to visit as many place as possible, but the chilling rainy weather last Saturday prevented us to do so.

As an alternative, we just looked for good bargains in the mall. The prices are really cheap!

Hong Kong is a very nice place. But for me, Singapore is still better. The transportation system in these territories is very efficient. You can go anywhere using train (really really good), bus and taxi. I'm really hoping that someday, Metro Manila will transform into somewhere near Singapore and Hong Kong (don't lose hope please).

I will be posting some pictures soon, so keep posted :)

Hong Kong Here I Come!

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow for a much-deserved vacation! Ros is already there since Monday, attending a company sponsored training together with three of her colleagues. The training will end tomorrow… after that… it's vacation time!

I'm excited because this will be my first time in HK (same with Ros). Temperature is around 10C to 12C so it's a bit cold. The weather forecast shows that I should expect a cloudy skies with some rain showers (…no!). I hope the weather will improve in the coming days (…more sun please). We will try to visit as many place as we can till Sunday morning.

I will be posting pictures when I'm back.

Well, talking about pictures, I'm seriously considering buying a DSLR camera right now. I'm looking at Canon 400D. Based on my research, this is one of the best entry level DSLR in the market today. I hope I can find a good bargain there :)

Microsoft Philippines TechFest 2008

Microsoft Philippines TechFest 2008 is here!

WHERE: Rizal Ballroom, The Shangri-La Makati
WHEN : January 22, 2008
TIME : 8:30am (Registration Opens at 7:00am)

Register now for free! Check out Techfest 2008 official website for more details.