Adidas Duramo ADP6034 Digital Watch

Christmas is just round the corner, hoping to find a gift for myself.  The day before purchase I was in department selling men's apparel. There I saw a few brand. One of them, Adidas. At the same time I scan for prices. RM149 the lowest for men's digital wristwatch. Others cost more than RM200. The next logical step I have taken is to browse the internet. Trying to find other models that would be low in price too. At the same time checking on the design. I was not looking for a many functions on a digital wristwatch. Mainly for it to tell me time. And it must be in reverse color. Mean the numbers are lighter color and background is black. There are 2 model caught my interest. Nike+ GPS watch and Phosphor e-Ink digital. But these watches are expensive to me. What I like about these watches is the way the numbers are displayed. There is no lines within a number.

So on the purchasing day. I was hoping a Christmas gift from my wife. Was windows shopping to check various model available. And I met the same RM149 digital wristwatch by Adidas. Get the salesman to let me try it out on my wrist with few others Adidas model. And found I like this one not only for the lowest price but it also fitted my wrist well. The rest is history.

A box with brand logo and a manual. Just a simple box, which I have already stowed it away in the store room.

Adidas and it's logo printed in white just outside the digital box. This model is having the reversed display. Only get to see the numbers from near. On the face, I get to see time, day and date. Which is  sufficient for me.

 The 3 lines on the strap is as per Adidas logo. There are same design watches from Adidas with the 3 lines in different colours.

Side view of the wristwatch. As can be seen the straps are angled downward in 90 degree. This has gave me the comfortable fitting on my wrist. Other models I have tried on my wrist, making the wristwatches look big with gaps on both sides. This is a plus point for me. Not sure how it will fit on other people wrist.

 On end of the strap, Adidas logo is imprinted on it. The strap has 3 rows of holes but only the centre is used for buckling.

On the buckle, Adidas logo is imprinted on it too.

At the back is where the most alphabets and numbers are found. Not sure where this one is made.

On my wrist, it looks like a black straps. Or a wrist band from far.

Finally got one digital wristwatch besides my mechanical ones. Mainly to tell me time. Other functions on the wristwatch will stay in the wristwatch, except for the button for brightening the numbers, to view in  the dark. Oh, I like the lights too, it is in blue instead of yellowy white. wish it does not have the white imprints in the digital box. Maybe the white imprints can be placed on the side of the buttons. The numbers are big enough for me to see. As I am getting older, the eyes are deteriorating in quality vision.

There maybe other cheaper ones, but this one appeals to me more as of the price and design. Hope to see some same price range of wristwatches but with a smooth number displayed instead of being divided as sticks, or boxes and traingles. This is for the future, when I am looking for a replacement.

Merry Christmas !

Minorva 1898 Automatic Mechanical wristwatch

This one time piece is tracking second, minute, hour, date, day, and month. I have not own one with a month tracking in a wrist watch.

It is given a name MINORVA with year 1898 written on it. Not sure if it is meant to tell that MINORVA was around since that year. On the dial, 4 circles is displayed. One with a window to show the moving parts, where a second hand is place on it. The hand that point to months is operated manually via a given button at the side. Something I can live with. The circle at 12, has 3 hands. A pair hands for second timing, hence dual time, together with date hand.

Automatic, can be seen via a window at the back of the wristwatch. Blue screws are used. It even printed some words on the surrounding the window.

There goes the 2 buttons on right side. One for the month and the other one for the dates. The crown is shaped to display a classic look.

On the left side, one button for the day. When I got this wristwatch, it is didn't come with a tool to push those buttons. So I used a ballpoint pen to push the buttons.

Buckle, with a wide holes pin. A choice of mine.

Not sure if this is my last piece of wristwatch. Most likely not. So am waiting for something different to move me in forking out the dough.

Tasik Bera Trip

Over a weekend, a trip to Tasik Bera was organized. Which was a sudden decision made. As the start point is 1 hour away from the destination, we moved out at about 9am.

On arrival, there is a necessary to register our entry to the lake.

On winding road with possibly one car in one direction, but there are road shoulders for 2 cars from opposite direction to pass each other.

It is quiet road, mother nature are on the left and on the right. The funny thing is, I felt insecured. This is most likely because I have been in the city for too long.

On arrival to Tasik Bera, we were greeted by a big map of the lake. I felt excited to see a big lake.

Direction to places nearby, being placed on a fake tree and a fake hair.

There were butterflies flying from flower to flower. This has also excited me into taking the photo of it. It is not simple task, as they kept moving around. And I have not found a way to bargain with them for staying put while I take a beautiful picture of them.

Rooms were there for rent. Did not checked the price as we don't have any intention to stay.

A lot of tree canopies, you can choose to view those good pattern to those not so good pattern. Okay, I just don't have the right word for the canopies. But I do enjoy looking at it.

A jetty for us to take a trip around the lake, at first I thought the lake is huge and we can tour surround it.

A view, from the restaurant, of the jetty, this picture was taken after I took a leak in the restaurant. Which is also where we found out about the trip around the lake since the jetty office was closed. Oh I was there on a public holiday. And you know what, the lake don't look big after all.

I was informed that this lake used to have the fish as in the picture below. Now it seems to be less of it. With the name given to the fish, it sounded like one of our national car, which is no longer in production.

A view of the jetty. That is where we took a boat to tour around the lake.

Our tour started. Below are the photos taken while on the boat around the lake.

The fruit in one of the photos, as the tour guide pointed to us, is torns all over and poisonous. Not sure how poisonous it is. Almost wanted to grabbed it. Oops just joking. There were alot of Periuk Monyet plants around.

After the tour, only do I realised the lake is huge, Just as there were alot of plant on the lake, which has reduced the sized of the lake itself.

Okay, forgot to mention, this lake is a preserved wetland. If you were looking the photo of the lake map, you will find the lake is preserved internationally. What more to say, I am proud our country still has one wetland being preserved.

You are even allowed to do fishing on the lake.

I even joke myself, there maybe some dinosaur alife down there. But none has been sighted.

So those have not been to a natural wetland, here is your chance. Make a trip there and experienced it. Even that was the first time I have seen it myself. As most of the time the lake I have been to were cleaned.

Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f1.4

This is one of the reason I was so eager to get the NEX-5N. On discovery of bokeh lens, where it has a smaller f number, can be used on NEX-5N. The downside of it is the manual focusing.  The first discovery was the Noktor 50mm f0.95 lens. This lens is produce to mount directly to NEX series camera. From then onward I discovered more of third party lens can be fitted to NEX-5N with an adapter. Thanks to SooHK, who directed me to look at the Voigtlander brand.

  

Also there is this guy at KPLF 2011 event, shown me his lens on NEX3, and he was kind enough to walked me through on how the lens is easy to use with the NEX series camera.

After some time spend on surfing the net and some shopping. Then decided to get me one of it. 3 items by the same brand was put into my basket. The lens 40mm at f1.4, the lens hood and the most important part the adapter that allow the lens to sit on the camera. I was adviced to get the adapter by voigtlander, as it is connecting the lens and the camera tightly.

The lens is smaller compared to many lens I have come across. It is heavy, at 290 gram (lens, lens hood and adapter), 55 gram heavier than 18-55mm NEX lens. 2 rings is given, one for the apperture and the other for focusing.

As long as I have used camera, this is the first time I am taking photo through manual focusing, which I find not easy. Even with the peak focusing feature in NEX-5N, I might not get the focus at the right place. That is about 20 percent of the the shots with this lens will be out of focus. The next resolve, is using the manual focus assist. Where the NEX-5N will enlarged the focusing point, where I can ensure the focusing point is sharp enough for a shot.

It is fun to use, the weight is something I love about. And it is a classic designed. And it is still being produced. The best part, it is affordable for me. And definitely a collection.

Other lens that are similar to this, requires me to pay 6 times more. As this lens allow me to have less depth in my photos, which makes me want to use it at all time in street photography. But it is not a wide enough for some shot. Hmm... I guess I will have to wait for my pocket to fill up and get a wide angle with smaller f stop. Have not seen any below f2.

One more disadvantage of this lens, the closes distance from subject is 70cm away. I get annoyed everytime I want to take a photo of food. For potrait, the distance is okay.

Now I wish I had the black color NEX-5N...

KATA MARVELX 20 DL for NEX series

I was paging the internet for a pouch than can fit the Nex5N. Came across KATA website, after some browsing, found it in the holsters section. There is 2 type that can fit nicely for the Nex series, one is with additional pouch attached at the bottom to store additional e-mount lens (KATA MARVELX 40 DL). The other one is as shown below.

So of I went hunting for it in Lowyat, but failed to find it. And so happened KLPF was started the next day. In the KLPF event I found it, was so exicited as I can get one. Moreover I was surprised that they do has it, since it is fairly new in the market.

Front view of the bag. The material used here is different from the other 4 faces of the bag. And the logo is boldly imprint on a rubber piece and stitched to it.

 Rear view of the bag. As can be seen 2 strap for the belt. So it can be used as a belt pack. Either with your own belt or a with waist strap accessory.

Right side of the bag. I found it interesting, with a rubber hole where the bag strap goes through it. A white lining surround the rubber thing. A metal loop attached to the nylon strap, this metal loop is a thick one, and I was surprised that it is used on a small bag. Overall, it gave a luxury feel.

A close look on the left side of the bag. A zipper with a logo etched to it on both sides. I like the zipper alot. But there is only one metal zipper head as the other 2 are just plain nylon.

The left full view. The shoulder strap comes along with the bag has a clip with a safety hook to avoid the clip accidentally detached from the bag.

A opening at the top of the bag. It is closed with 2 zippers. The 2 zippers can be zipped from one end to the other end. It is nice to have the front and top as one piece. On fully unzipped, the flap can be open all the way to the middle of the front of the bag. This allows easy access the the camera and also the camera can be easily deposited into the bag. The zipper can be zipped closed to the back of the back.

There is a pocket on the left which can be opened and closed with the metal head zipper. It can store some memory cards and also the Nex standard flash unit. On putting in the flash unit and zip closed will caused a bulge. This bulged also caused a dent on the inside of the casing, the camera managed to fit nicely. This has makes me leave this compartment for memory cards only. And the flash unit stored away unused. Hmm.. actually I have never plan to use the flash unit, due to a viewable high ISO of Nex 5N.

A mini detachable pocket, for 1 or 2 memory cards. The reasons to max at 2, is that this pocket is attached under the top flap with Velcro. Since the screen of Nex camera on the top instead of at the side, it is advice not to force zipped, to closed the bag with many memory cards in the pocket and attached under the top flap. As it might gives unnecessary pressure on the camera's LCD. What I did is put the memory cards in the pocket and placed it in the side compartment together with the flash unit. The flash unit can be attached to the camera and place it into the bag and it fit snugly.

I like this bag alot. It is small enough for me to hang it at the side of my waist. And it is useful to me for quick draw and quick deposit of my Nex 5N. While it hangs at the waist, the zipper can be zipped closer to the body to avoid accidental unzipping of the zipper. There goes my choice to hang on the shoulder too.

Not to forget to mention, that I also get to carry the bag with the handle which is placed on the top of bag. Good thing about the handle is that is does not lie flat on the top of the bag. So I can easily hooked my fingers to the handle and take the bag with me. The handle is made in tube form, not the one piece nylon type, therefore it is comfortable to carry.

The one missing piece is the All Weather cover. This I found it on the Lowepro Apex 10 AW. Earlier this was one of my choice, the Lowepro. The finishing of the Lowepro is made to handle rough situation. So I was torn between the 2 bags. The nice look and lower price of Kata bag made me took it. As for the cover to protect the bag from rain, I am planing to use a shower cap.

Nex-5N + 16mm lens - Pouch

On purchase of this gadget, a camera pouch was bundled. It fits Nex-5N with a 18-55mm lens. But the camera will be loose if it is fitted with 16mm lens.

This has triggered me into innovation mode. Wanting to make a smaller and fitting pouch, off I went in search of materials. A soft thin sponge with cloth stick to it on one side, which happened to be a A4 thin pouch with a zip, that can fit an iPad. And thin foam which are available at book stationary store. With 2 items, thread and needle of I go creating one pouch with a zipper. What trigger me into this was the size of the original pouch which took up some space in my mini backpack.

And below are photos of it.

   

As the camera also comes with a shoulder / neck strap, which I rate as cumbersome, no doubt it is useful. I would rather use a wrist loop just like those come with the compact camera that I had before, Canon S90. There on the table was a piece of nylon strap which was recently left there to rot. I was glad that it didn't went into the bin. With a few stitched the strap appeared and become a permanent to the camera.

These new accessories is home made which is not as good as those in the markets. Just because I like to do some handy work and this are the simple ones and also comes cheap. I had stitched my self another accessories to support my newly acquired camera pouch. Will put it up later.

Rasa Utara Restaurant

Thanks to this article http://soohk.blogspot.com/2011/09/restaurant-rasa-utara-at-berjaya-times.html. I was being led to this place.

I have been passing it a many times. But didn't went in as first thought is the price. From a glance at the menu which was placed just outside the entrance. The choices are more toward dishes rather than individual serving.

On the day I decided to give a try after what SooHK has experienced. I was quite excited at the indivdual meal served. So on arrival at the indoor entrance, I browse the menu, as the waitress approaching me. First I questioned on the menu, "..do you served individual meal, like fried rice, nasi lemak...". I was shown the noodle section. Which was not a lot choices (as it was lunch time). And that is the only section for individual meal. She suggested that I can order one of the dished to go with white rice. Which was not to my liking. I gave a second chance on the noodles available. I was asked to be sitted, then I ordered a Laksa Kedah, scripted on the menu is Tun Dr. Mahathir's favourite. An top with a Air Cincau Mata Kuching.

While waiting....

There goes the kitchen. Not many Malay food restaurant features their kitchen to the customer like this. One get to glimpse the food preparation.

On seeing the stairs, I was curious as to whether there were any seats up above. So I queried the waitress and was told that it was meant for those who put up a reservation. The sittings were divided into two sections, outdoor and indoor. Indoor with air conditioner, that is where I had placed myself.

There goes the noodle I had ordered. Quite interesting and simple. Mint leaves, cucumber, onion, fish, leaks, chilly, carrot and the laksa noodle. The soup was sour. But when eaten together with the noodle it is just nice. After a few spoonful of the noodle and the soup, it get spicy. At the end I sweat even in the air conditioning area. This was how exciting the Laksa has given to me. And Laksa is meant to be sour and spicy at the same time. 

Air Cincau Mata Kuching, served with ice. It is the first time I have tasted this. Most likely it is available out there somewhere, just that I didn't notice or looking for it. The taste of this drink, sweetness of mata kuching with the crispy cincau.

Entrance facing a main road. With tables and chairs on the walkways. At nite it will a nice place to sit and dine.

The breakfast set and also not to miss the evening tea break set. I might go there to try out the breakfast. As it would not be a cheap one for me. 

Here is what the outdoor entrance looks like. Abit on the kampong style with a modern touch.

This entrance is access from the inside of Berjaya Time Squares. This was where I went in the restaurant.

And the billed.

Actually this restaurant has a lot more interesting food which I would like to try. But to try it out, I need a group of people with me. Or else I have to order a dish at a time. That mean I have to visit the place as many time as the available dishes. How absurd it is.

If you have a gang who would like to take Malay food this is one of the restaurant to try out. Or if you want to know how Tun Dr. Mahathir like his food, this is your chance.

Now I have to plan my next trip there. I am wondering who wants to join me.... 

Note: The article above is based on my experience, I am not paid to produce this article.