Fujifilm X-T2: MINE!!!

I believe I should be one of the first in Singapore to get X-T2.  I pre-ordered the camera and got it on the first day it became available in Singapore - 8 September.

X-T2 feels very much like X-T1, but the price difference is very steep.  I purchased my X-T1 and approximately $2.2K for a kit set that comes with the XF 18-55mm F2.8-4.0R, while the X-T2 body only costs $2599.  But the difference in price could somewhat be justified; the new auto-focus system is plain amazing, resolution also increased by 50% (from 16MP to 24MP), 4K video, 1/8000 mechanical shutter speed, double SD card slots and an addition of a joystick to select focus points have been added (similiar to Nikon DSLRs) which is an extremely welcome improvement to ergonomics.  The screen has an additional angle for tilting this time around although I haven't found much use to it just yet.  

AF Joystick under the "Q" button - taken by Sony RX100Mk3

New Template Again - Should be Final

Well.... I'm fed up with looking for new responsive custom templates that just don't work when uploaded... So I decided to go back to basics and just use Blogger's default templates.  I customized the layout to achieve a clean minimalist look as best as I can.  No more being lazy getting a template, upload and use, but really squeeze my creative juices to achieve a unique look.  I think I could be a designer too.  ;p  

This should be final with occasional modifications of the widgets.

New Look!

  Love that new look.  :)

Hello End September

Been so long since I last made an entry in my blog - I got flu again, 2nd time in less than a month. Just plain amazing isn't it.... And by the way yes, I made another template change.  I'm still figuring out how to make the post date appear, the time stamp code is there but I don't understand why it won't appear.. /(>_<)\

Anyway, we celebrated mid-autumn festival this month on 15th Sept.  Chinatown is properly decorated as well with lots and lots of dazzling lanterns.  It was the right opportunity to test my recently acquired X-T2.  Oh yes I got my X-T2 already.  This camera is plain amazing.  I'll be writing about that separately.

Here are some snapshots of Chinatown in its full mid-autumn celebratory mood.

The main show piece in Chinatown - X-T2 + XF14mmF2.8R

So.... What's Up Doc?

Got myself an ASUS RT-AC88U router as my main router to replace my (close to) 2 years old D-Link DIR-868L.  It's not a bad router but when having more devices connected in the house, having faster speed is not such a bad thing: AC3100 vs. AC1750.

So far I've been getting by with that DIR-868L and a DAP 1665, which at AC1200 is really slow when I have many devices turned on at the same time.

My plan is to use the RT-AC88U as my main router and turn the DIR-868L into an Access Point.  It will be a very powerful access point at AC1750 with 6 internal antenna and smartbeam technology.

First phase is of course to install the main router which is really a piece of cake:

RT-AC88U after installation

Another Quiet Week

This week has been rather uneventful as Lindsay and I are both sick.  I still haven't recovered from my 1 week old flu while Lindsay must have gotten the flu from me; she'd been having fever for the last 2 days and still going on now.

On Saturday I decided to take the kids to Marina Bay Sands for a stroll.  My wife suggested that we should have lunch at the DC Superheroes Cafe - a DC Universe thematic restaurant in Marina Bay Sands Shoppe.  It was an interesting restaurant serving western food with DC super heroes' attributes.  The restaurant has a strong American feel (which I mean by decorations and food served).  It was an opportunity to try out new things in a new ambiance.

I had a Superman themed "Smallville Burger Set" which is not bad actually.  The nachos' dip was tasty and the burger itself was not bad.  The patty was juicy albeit tasting a bit strange since it was chicken - I reckon they should have just served a crispy fried chicken rather than mince it - but overall quite delicious.

That's my lunch!  Couldn't finish the nachos so asked for the kids' help to finish them

Finally Registered Lincoln For Primary 1

Last month was the time we had to register Lincoln for a place in Primary 1.  I had wanted to try my luck registering him in a good (or rather, "famous") school, the choices being Radin Mas primary school or Alexandra primary school.  I thought that being born in a tiger year which is not a very popular year, he might have a good chance to get into either of these famous schools.  (I don't know why I kept on typing "famouse", I guess reading Geronimo Stilton books with Lincoln really got into me!!)

When the phase for his registration was about to start, I was very hopeful because there were quite a number of vacancies left in each school, between 16% to 20% of the total available vacancy.  However, by day 2 any hopes to get into either of those school were completely dashed.  They were oversubscribed.