Press Release : PRIV BY BLACKBERRY NOW RUNS ON ANDROID MARSHMALLOW

New updates added to the company’s secure Android smartphone 

Singapore – April 27, 2016 – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in secure mobile communications, has released the Android 6.0 Marshmallow (M) mobile operating system for PRIV, the first-ever BlackBerry smartphone fully powered by Android. PRIV with Android M is coming soon to major carriers offering the smartphone. Existing PRIV users will be able to upgrade to Android M by downloading the software update on their device.

Android Marshmallow on PRIV brings users more ways to improve their mobile security by providing new opportunities to monitor and control privacy with its unique DTEK app. Users will obtain greater productivity through enhancements to the BlackBerry keyboard, BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry launcher and battery performance. Updates to the BlackBerry camera will foster their creativity.

“PRIV by BlackBerry is the most secure Android device in the market and we continue to find ways to further enhance users’ security and privacy by adding new features with the Marshmallow operating system update,” ‎said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry. 

Raising the Standard for Privacy and Security 
Building on BlackBerry’s legacy of security and keeping customer data private, DTEK by BlackBerry has been updated to empower users with more ways to monitor and control their privacy – better protecting PRIV from malware, hacks and data breaches. 

Customised Personal Data Permissions – Apps demand access to personal data, even when it’s not necessary for the app to function properly. DTEK gives the power back to users to control what to share and when. Turn permissions off at any time and still continue to use the app. 

Improved Notification Settings – Users will only be shown notification controls for sensors that a given app has specifically requested access to. For example, if an application does not request microphone it will not appear in the list.

S/MIME Support – The new S/MIME feature in BlackBerry Hub adds another level of security by allowing users to digitally sign and encrypt their emails.

Enhanced BlackBerry Keyboard
The BlackBerry Keyboard has been updated to provide better predictive typing, accuracy, and control.

More Emoji – Users now have access to over 200 new and updated emojis. 
New Gesture Typing – The new swipe capability allows users to slide their fingers from key to key to enter words on the virtual and/or physical keyboard. 

Enhanced Word Prediction – Better word predictions anticipate the next word based on where users place their fingers on keys. Predictive typing now also learns words with numbers and provides better name suggestions based on a user’s contacts. 

Better Cursor Control – Activate “Cursor Control” mode on the physical keyboard for easier positioning and control. Tapping a key on the physical keyboard more accurately places the focus cursor on screen.

Know What You Want, When You Want
Customised notifications to better organise apps and manage productivity with a touch of a button. 

Mute Indicator – Users can now see the phone’s mute status at a glance via the floating phone indicator that appears when a call is active. Green for when call is active and not muted, yellow for when a call is active and currently muted.

New Apps in BlackBerry Hub – Staying connected with friends has never been simpler. Now view notifications from app favorites Instagram, Skype, Slack and Pinterest directly in BlackBerry Hub to easily manage all messages in one place. 

Updated BlackBerry Launcher – Better organise apps and widgets into Recent, Personal, and Work sections. Pop-up Widgets are now turned on by default for new users. Set a default home screen, delete a home screen, and remove apps with a flick. 

More Battery Life 
Get even more out of PRIV with updates to further improve the battery life. When PRIV is at rest, Doze automatically puts the device into a sleep state to increase standby battery life.  The App Standby feature will keep infrequently used apps from impacting the battery life. 

Engage Your Creative Side
Added tools help customers capture the perfect image with ease and add their own creative flair.

Capture Professional and Cinematic Quality Videos – Record videos at 24fps in 4k, 1080p or 720p, for high-quality footage to share on social media.

Slow Motion Video* – Capture smooth slow motion video with the PRIV’s camera that’s up to four times slower. Capture video at 120 fps, which plays back smoothly at 30 fps. The slow motion effect can be applied after taking the video and can be applied to all or any portion of the video. 
* Audio is not enabled for slow-motion video at this time.

For more information on PRIV, go to BlackBerry.com/PRIV. Follow all updates to PRIV on the Inside BlackBerry blog (blogs.BlackBerry.com). A full list of Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates can be found at: https://www.android.com/intl/en_ca/versions/marshmallow-6-0/   

Press Release : Sony Brings 4K HDR Capability to Its VPL-VW320ES Home Projector

 
The new upgrade offers users the opportunity to experience true cinema quality images, in the comfort of their living room.

ASIA PACIFIC, 28 April 2016 – Following the arrival of the first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray film releases by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Sony is delighted to announce that it is bringing 4K HDR capability to its VPL-VW320ES home cinema projector. Continuing the momentum built from the projector´s initial release at IFA 2015, Sony is offering customers a new firmware update to ensure they’re getting the best possible image quality from their projectors. 

This upgrade highlights Sony’s commitment to developing HDR support and ultimate image quality across its home cinema portfolio. It gives the VPL-VW320ES a second life, making it the third Sony home cinema projector in the existing range, after the VPL-VW5000ES and VPL-VW520ES, to support the 4K HDR format.

Cinema enthusiasts will now get the opportunity to experience total immersion through the imagery displayed from their VPL-VW320ES projector, by enjoying HDR content with a high contrast ratio. HDR imagery is the closest representation of the reality our eyes see every day, with greater detail, high contrasts, increased colour depth, brighter highlights and deeper blacks. Watching content in 4K HDR gives customers the opportunity to view this content in a way they’ve never seen before, with 4K offering four times the detail of standard HD. HDR can produce images of such high quality and solidity, that users feel as if they are seeing the scene with their naked eye. With HDR, seeing, truly is, believing.

“We always want to provide our customers with the best possible image quality from our market leading digital cinema solutions, which is why we’re thrilled to announce this latest firmware update. With 4K fast becoming the new standard in broadcast and film, our customers increasingly expect to see this detailed crystal clear imagery reflected in their living rooms. In line with our other 4K HDR solutions offering, such as our BRAVIA™ screens and by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment´s upcoming 4K ULTRA HD Blu-ray film releases, we’re pleased to extend this future proofed technology to the VPL- VW320ES,” said Lawrence Tang, Senior Manager, Visual Presentation Solutions Division, Professional Solutions Company (PSAP), Sony Electronics Asia Pacific.

Sony has also developed a new unified control protocol for its projector range, enabling intuitive and easy integration when various models are used within the same installation.

The firmware update is available by the end of May 2016 for existing and new customers here.

Press Release : WATCHDOX BY BLACKBERRY NAMED A LEADER IN ENTERPRISE FILE SYNC AND SHARE FOR HYBRID SOLUTIONS

Singapore, SG – April 27, 2016 – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in secure mobile communications, today announced that it has been named a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise File Sync And Share Platforms, Hybrid Solutions, Q2 2016. Forrester Research, Inc. evaluated WatchDox by BlackBerry along with offerings from nine other of the most significant EFSS vendors. The WatchDox solution scored among the highest in 17 of the 37 criteria evaluated by Forrester, including Architecture, Security Capabilities, Scalability, File Access, External Sharing, Rights Management, MDM/EMM support, Mobile Protection and Technology Strategy.

According to Forrester Research, “BlackBerry embraces secure file sharing with its software-centric renewal strategy. BlackBerry’s acquisition of WatchDox in 2015 launches it into the collaboration market as it evolves into a platform for secure business communication. BlackBerry shows particular strength in the security criteria for EFSS, with integrated rights management, watermarking for confidential items, and mobile protection.” 

“The Forrester EFSS Wave 2016 validates that enterprises can rely on BlackBerry when securely handling all their sensitive documents internally and externally,” said Billy Ho, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Product and Value Added Solutions, BlackBerry. “We are pleased to be listed as a leader in the EFSS solutions market, showing that our strategy of ensuring the highest levels of security and personal privacy is helping enterprises to be more productive while protecting their corporate assets.”

WatchDox by BlackBerry stands out from other vendors in the EFSS space for its rich security and collaboration features. WatchDox is known for its document encryption controls based on digital rights management (DRM), extensive data protection and security capabilities including policy enforcements, role-based access control, and extensive secure content editing capabilities that allow for productive collaboration. WatchDox by BlackBerry offers the most secure EFSS solution, with content security capabilities that are Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 certified by the U.S. government and utilise best-in-class AES 256-bit encryption for data-at-rest and data-in-transit.

Built to meet the needs of enterprises with the highest security requirements, WatchDox by BlackBerry also offers flexibility in deployment models including on-premise and hosted solutions. WatchDox Connectors extend existing file repositories, making them available through the WatchDox interface, outside the company firewall and protected by DRM. This enables employees to easily collaborate with external contacts on their existing asset libraries and avoids having to duplicate files in the cloud.

WatchDox allows users to access documents from PC and Mac desktops, tablets, and smartphones, giving employees the flexibility to work across locations and be productive no matter where they are. Users and administrators can also track and audit who is accessing files and they have the ability to revoke access or delete files remotely. This gives organisations full visibility and control over how files are viewed, edited, copied, printed or forwarded.

With WatchDox being also part of the Good Secure EMM Suites, BlackBerry provides the industry’s most comprehensive mobile security platform, and is the only vendor to offer cross-platform device management, secure and encrypted voice, text, messaging and enterprise file-sync-and-share solutions in one EMM portfolio. 

[1] Forrester Research, Inc. " The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise File Sync And Share Platforms, Hybrid Solutions, Q2 2016, " by Cheryl McKinnon, April 26, 2016.

An Art Fair with a difference. The annual Affordable Art Fair (2016) is here again

Thanks to Jasmine for inviting me to this Art Fair. It was my first time visiting this art fair. Heard about it before, but never had a chance to visit it. I really love art. Anything that tickles my artistic senses will be welcoming. 

Seriously, this art fair is an eye opening. Do you visit art fair with a stick of ice-cream in your hand while you browses through the various paintings from all over the world. I believe most Art Fair organizer will be screaming if they see you eating something in their fair. 

Why is it called Affordable Art Fair, simply because it does not have the expensive price tags in several hundred thousand or even in millions. The price ranges from $100 to $10,000. I only get to knew this information when I met our famous local artist, affectionately know as "Tung Tung", who was at the fair. His art pieces are also available for sales. I met Tung a few times while photographing backstage at our local street Chinese opera performances. I was asking why his large paintings were not there. He told me that the price ceiling for this fair is at fixed at $10,000. Obviously, his large paintings were priced above $10,000.

At the fair, you get to see very inspiring and very interesting techniques and ideas. Simplicity, Originality and even Complexity are words that describe the works of the artists. At this fair, we also need to add the word, Affordability. Appreciating art is one thing. Investing in art is another thing. Art can only be fully appreciated if someone is there to explain to you.

I came across a booth which a friendly young lady spend time to explain to me about the painting in her booth. The paintings are done by a Belgium artist who is currently based in Thailand. His painting of lines drawn on a female face has a story behind. He spend 3 years waiting for permit to visit a tribe known as Chin which is located between the border of China and Myanmar. 

The tradition of this tribe is to have the ladies ( after puberty ), tattoo on their face. Only female are allow to have the tattoo. It is different from the Maori from New Zealand where the man wear the tattoo on their faces. The tattoo on these Chin tribe ladies identify where they came from. For example, this type of line tattoo pattern come from Toa Payoh while another line tattoo pattern come from Tampines. 

With these information, the artist created his painting beautifully. Therefore, his paintings are a result of his inspiration received from the Chin tribe. Incidentally, the word "Chin" is my home lady boss name. Hmmm....

Another interesting booth, we came across four performing artists. They are not suppose to talk but instead uses their body and expression to convey something to the visitors. The artists acted well and also responded well with the crowd. I have never seen an art fair with  live performers. Definitely something unique and refreshing. It is only when I revisited the booths again, I realized that there is an apps to install so that information such as those expressed by the artists can be understood through the apps. As some of these artist were wearing or covered with masks, our revisit of the booths help us to see the beautiful faces of these young artists who are resting well for the next performance time slot. 

Showcasing a plethora of new local and international talents from over 40 galleries,the articles of Gnani Arts includes A.Viswam, Pon Raghunathan, Dhiraj Choudhary, Praveen Upadhye, G. Raman, Laxman Aelay, Ravi Chandra, M. Jayakumar, Sheikh Hizful, Manoj Aggarwal, P. Gnana.

There are also food from Bistro 1855 to cater to your hunger needs. 

Overall, the art fair is fun and inspiring. Hope to visit again next year for more inspirations. 

The fair for public will be from 22 April to 24 April 2016 at the F1 Pit Building. 

More information can be found at 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1165644010112923/

http://affordableartfair.com/singapore/

Beautiful Music from C ASEAN Consonant Concert : The Sound and Spirit of ASEAN ( Video )

It was a night of good music as I attended an interesting concert by C asean Consonant. A collaboration between the nations of ASEAN. I am surprised that ASEAN do not just cooperate on business, they also worked together on music. 

Young and outstanding musicians from various countries in ASEAN gave their best to form a small musical group, playing their own country traditional wooden musical instruments, thus great music which I have not heard before. It sounds like  some sort of fusion music where nationality, culture all play a part in the creation of great music from ASEAN. 

Although the musicians may not communicate well due to different languages used in their own countries, but with music, languages are no longer a barrier. The event is initiated by ThaiBev and for Singapore roadshow, sponsored by F&N. 

The C asean Consonant is created with the aim of using the universal language of music to build a musical bridge that intertwines ASEAN countries' heritages together and create stronger bonds of understanding, friendship, and collaboration. It has become a platform for young generation to develop, share, learn and preserve traditional music of ASEAN.

C asean Consonant is formed by "C asean" a Bangkok-based social enterprise whose aims are to strengthen regional connectivity by promoting high growth environment for ASEAN businesses and uplifting public knowledge, awareness, and understanding on regional integration. Their main missions are to build an effective ASEAN network and community; to set a stage of showcase on business, arts, and culture for young entrepreneurs and new generations; and to build a regional hub for ASEAN knowledge center focusing on business start-ups, arts and culture. 

C asean Consonant Concert "The Sound & Spirit of ASEAN" was performed at Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall, Malaysia Tourism Centre )MaTiC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiaon 2-3 April 2016 for invitation and public respectively, and at the Shaw Foundation Alumni Huse Auditorium of the National University of Singapore on 8 April 2016.

All  photos and video are taken by me and now sit back and enjoy the video that I have created for my blog. Click below to play the video. Hopefully C asean will organise more of such collaboration in the near future. Look forward to it. 

Singtel TV scores with UEFA Euro 2016

All matches free for new and re-contracting Singtel TV customers


Singapore, 21 April, 2016 – Singtel today announced that it has secured broadcast rights for the 2016 UEFA European Championship, one of the world's most prestigious and popular international football tournaments, featuring top-notch players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Gerard Pique.

“Following the end of the Barclays Premier League season in May, football fans in Singapore can look forward to even more exhilarating football action from the UEFA Euro 2016, featuring all the top European teams and players,” said Mr Goh Seow Eng, Managing Director, Home, Consumer Singapore, Singtel. “We are thrilled to bring full live coverage of this world-class tournament to fans in Singapore. Singtel TV is indeed the ‘Home of Football’.”

The tournament will be available free to customers who sign-up for or renew their Trio, Variety or Value packs for 24 months from today. This also applies to customers who have an on-going contract. As a bonus, these customers can watch all matches from the tournament for free on the Singtel TV GO app anytime, anywhere. Match fixtures, video highlights and match replays will also be accessible via the app.

Customers who sign-up or renew their mio Stadium+ pack, including those on another cable TV platform, for 24 months are able to enjoy the matches via Singtel TV GO app on their mobile devices, or stream the matches directly to their TV screens with the app's Chromecast and AirPlay function.

The opening, one semi-final and the final matches of UEFA EURO 2016 will be streamed free nationwide to anyone who downloads the Singtel TV GO app.

“We want to share a piece of the exciting UEFA Euro 2016 action with everyone in Singapore, as it will be a bigger tournament this time with more teams competing and more matches being held,” said Mr Goh.

This is the first time 24 European teams will be competing in UEFA Euro 2016, with first-timers such as Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales competing against favourites such as Germany, England, Spain and Italy. The 51 matches will be shown on Singtel TV on a dedicated channel (Channel 141) in HD. Matches will be screened from 10 June to 10 July at 9 pm, midnight and 3 am, with concurrent matches being shown on Channel 142.

Singtel has been steadily boosting its portfolio of sports channels, including the launch of four new sports channels Eleven, Eleven Sports, Eurosport and Eurosport News last July. Customers have been able to follow the latest football action for major competitions, such as the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Serie A and FA Cup.

For more information about UEFA Euro 2016 on Singtel TV, visit www.singteltv.com.sg/FootballFever.

News Release : Sony Enjoys Record Success at 2016 TIPA Awards

α7R II

·         Best DSLR Entry Level: α68[1]

·         Best Mirrorless CSC Professional: α7R II

·         Best CSC Prime Lens: SEL85F14GM

·         Best Full-Frame Compact Camera: RX1R II

·         Best Action Cam: HDR-AS50

(SINGAPORE, 21 April 2016) – Sony has been recognised with a record five awards by the prestigious Technical Image Press Association in their 2016 awards.

Best DSLR Entry Level: α68

The Sony α68 has a 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor with an ISO 100-25,600 range. Its 4D FOCUS™ system uses a 79-point dedicated phase detection AF sensor with 15 cross points. It can deliver accurate focus in light as low as -2EV, plus constant AF tracking at 8 frames per second. For video fans, the Sony α68 can record Full HD in XAVC-S format with a bit rate up to 50 Mbps[2] and continuous autofocus with accurate focus tracking. Other attractive features include SteadyShot™ Inside image stabilisation, an OLED Tru-Finder™ with 100% frame coverage and an articulating 2.7-inch LCD monitor. Full details of the α68 can be seen here.

Best Mirrorless CSC Professional: α7R II

The Sony α7R II has a 42.4MP “Full-frame” Exmor R™ CMOS sensor housed inside a full magnesium alloy body. It features a hybrid AF system with 399 on-sensor phase detection points and 25 contrast detection points that allow still shooting at up to 5 fps at full AF and AE. The α7R II can deliver 4K video with in camera processing and recording and Full HD (1080p) video in either NTSC or PAL at 60p/30p/24p or 50p/25p using the high bit-rate XAVC S format[3]. It offers fully customisable colour and gamma controls, including the same S-Log2 and S-Log3 Gamma curves found in high-end Sony cinema cameras. ISO range is 100-25,600, with extendable ranges to ISO 50 to 102,400. Full details of the α7R II can be seen here.

Best CSC Prime Lens: SEL85F14GM

The full-frame Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens has a new XA (extreme aspherical) element plus three ED (extra low-dispersion) elements that can provide a fascinating combination of extremely high resolution of focused areas with a pleasing, soft bokeh in the background. The lens has a circular aperture with 11 blades plus Sony’s Nano AR coating, to reduce ghosting and flare. It contains a ring drive SSM (Super Sonic Wave Motor) to drive focusing and two position sensors for enhanced focus control. Constructed with 11 elements in 8 groups, the lens is dust and moisture resistant. Full details of the SEL85F14GM can be seen here.

Best Full-Frame Compact Camera: RX1R II

Sharing the same 42.2 MP sensor and BIONZ X image processor with Sony’s α7R II, the RX1R II has an integral ZEISS® Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 lens. The sensor has an impressive 399 phase detection AF points that works in conjunction with 25 contrast AF points to achieve fast and efficient focus. The camera has the world's first[4] optical variable low pass filter that can be set to off, standard or high, with low pass filter bracketing also available. Viewing is via a four-glass element in-built EVF or a tiltable 7.5cm (3.0 type) 1.2 million dot LCD. The camera can deliver Full HD video with a choice of various framing rates. Full details of the RX1R II can be seen here.

Best Action Cam: HDR-AS50

The Sony HDR-AS50 is a durable and highly portable POV video camera that weighs a mere 58g (2oz)[5] and measures only 2.42 x 4.7 x 8.3 cm. (31/32 x 1 7/8x 3 3/8 inches). It is supplied with an underwater housing that can be used down to 60 metres and can be linked with a new Live-View Remote with full camera command functionality that can be mounted virtually anywhere, including as wristwear. The camera features SteadyShot™ image stabilisation, a must for action shooting, 4K Time-Lapse Capture, enhanced Full HD video capture, a built-in stereo microphone, and a ZEISS® Tessar lens. To add to the excitement the angle of view can be varied between “Wide” and “Narrow” in two levels, plus zoom mode allows the user to zoom while shooting. Full details of the HDR-AS50 can be seen here.

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[1]   In Asia Pacific, α68 is available in India.

[2]   A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format.

[3]   A class 10 or higher SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS Speed Class 3 is also required for recording at 100Mbps.

[4]   Among digital cameras. As of October 2015 press release, based on Sony research.

[5]   Main unit only. (83g (2.9oz) with supplied battery).

Enhance your exercise experience through a reliable music player

Did you know that music has a way of affecting the way we exercise? Take for instance, fatigue. When we feel tired from exercising and want to stop, our body sends signals to the brain to take a break. If you’re listening to music at the same time, it will actually compete for our brain’s attention and override the signals of fatigue, enabling us to work out that much longer and harder. 

If you are a fitness enthusiast whose best companion while exercising is your favourite workout music, you will know how dreadful it is to arrive at the gym to find that you have forgotten to bring along your music player. This is when you realise how important your trusty music player is, especially when you engage in activities alone, such as running, cycling or even swimming.  

With a wide selection of audio players currently available in the market, how do you decide on which is the most suitable for you? Here are some useful features found in most devices today, and you can use this list to identify your ideal exercise companion! 

No tangle no hassle

It gets frustrating when cables get in the way of your workout routine. How many times have you had to stop what you were doing to untangle the cables from your arms or even legs? The most ideal solution to this is a wire-free, compact and lightweight device. There are currently a number of these players in the market now with a wrap-around headband style designed to fit tight and stay in place so can have the freedom to move as much as you want. Some audio players even enable users to make hands-free phone calls with its built-in microphone, without compromising your performance!

Comfort while exercising

Being comfortable while being plugged in is very important as it allows you to focus on your workout and nothing else. Other than checking out music players that come in sleek and compact housing, you should also pay attention to how the player fits around your head as well as the type of earbuds it has. Look for devices with earbuds that fit snugly and stay in place, even when the going gets tough. It is also a bonus when the device comes with interchangeable earbuds to cater to different ear sizes. 

Customization playlist to suit your mood

Make full use of your device’s storage capacity by customising it with music that you love. Download different playlists that you can choose for different types of workout sessions. For instance, choose different BPM tracks – high tempo for pounding the treadmill or mid-tempo for a stroll along the beach. 

Track your progress

Good portable music players come with a range of features that you can utilise to the fullest. Choose a device that would allow you to download useful applications that sync seamlessly with your smartphone. For instance, running apps can help you keep track of and manage your workout progress. You can even choose specific ones that fit the goal you are trying to achieve. 

Durable for different occasions

It would not feel like the end of the year if you don’t take a holiday or two, but that is how your usual workout routine gets disrupted. Want to exercise while you’re on a trip to the beach or exploring the wintery north? A durable music player is essential to withstand the elements of nature — choose one that is waterproof, dustproof, and tolerable to saltwater and extended temperature.

Be conscious of your surroundings

Communication is key. That is why it’s important to be conscious of the voices and noises around you so that you can respond when needed. Ambient Sound mode is a new feature found on the new WS410 Walkman® by Sony, which uses an in-built microphone to pick up surrounding ambient sound, allowing you to interact with people without having to lower the volume of your music player or even remove it altogether. It makes communicating so much easier! 

We should make use of new technologies found in today’s audio devices to ensure that we not only have enjoyable workout sessions, but also productive ones. It is time to plug in, crank up the tempo and get your sweat on! Do not load yourself with gadgetry, but instead, choose wisely and concentrate on that one product that will motivate you, and keep you on track to achieve your fitness goals.

Sony Tips & Tricks: Top Tips for Low Light Shooting

Photo taken during i light Marina Bay 2016 by Derrick See ( Seed Image ). Nikon D750, 24mm, f22, 39 secs, ISO 100

Shooting in low light can be terribly frustrating if you do not know how to make the most of the situation. While the use of a flash is the biggest solution to low light photography, not all situations will benefit from it. Watch this video for some tips on how you can capture the best pictures when there isn’t much light.

1.       Use a tripod whenever you can

Shooting in low light means you need longer exposure so that your camera sensor can capture all the light detail. Using a tripod will achieve image stability and help eliminate any camera shakes that will risk ruining your photo. You can even use the built-in self-timer in your digital camera to trigger the shutter after you’ve pressed the shutter button to avoid any possible shakes.

2.       Bump up your camera’s ISO

ISO settings in your camera determine the sensors’ sensitivity to light. If you want to capture more light, you need to increase the camera ISO to make the sensor collect light faster. But the problem with most cameras is when you increase your ISO level, you introduce sensor noise which will make your final photo look gradient. With Sony’s α7S and α7S II that were built specifically to handle high ISO photography, you can record images in spectacular and subtle detail, from shadows to highlights, with barely any noise.

3.       Use a fast lens

The speed of a lens and how ‘fast’ it is refers to the maximum aperture of the lens. The larger the maximum aperture the faster the lens is. The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 lens has a 55mm focal length and large F1.8 maximum aperture that allow you to take very fast exposures in low light. In other words, you can shoot handheld in low-light conditions while still getting outstanding sharpness and clarity.

4.       Use an app

There are many apps out there in the market that work with your camera. For example, you can download Sony’s PlayMemories Camera Apps for low-light shooting directly onto your Wi-Fi compatible Sony camera to make it more convenient. One such app is the Star Trail app that allows you to shoot a series of starry sky still images at intervals then combines them into one movie – you don’t even need to use a computer or an editing software to do so! Or you can use the Light Trail app to capture light trails from fireworks or the headlights of moving cars in a single magical photo.

Knowing these tips on low light shooting can give us the maximum picture quality in situations like stargazing or watching the sun set. You don’t have to be afraid to pull out your camera when it gets dark!

Using high ISO and fast lens to capture this low light photo. Photographed by Derrick See ( SEED IMAGE ) during Christmas Light-up at ION in 2015. Awaiting for the Singapore President Tony Tan to arrive. Nikon D750, 14mm, f2.8 1/200, ISO 1600. Photoshopped.