Upgrading my optics for better pictures and video

I recently purchased a new camera with interchangeable lens. I'm still practising using the controls and framing the photos.

In addition to a tripod, I probably get a gimbal or steadycam for smoother video.

Here is my HD video of the Jetspeed 12 sound with a directional finding microphone attached for better audio.

Forehand
 Backhand


Much better optics and audio than my previous sound test of the swing sound using just a camera phone.

Before going full vlogging, I need to experiment with audio, posing, storytelling and video editing...

Stay tuned.

Yonex Japan Open 2016 completion

The Yonex Japan Open 2016 has just been completed.
The WD saw the revenge of the Danes, beating the reigning Olympic Champion and Japanese media darlings, Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo 19-21, 21-18 and 21-12.

The venue was the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (東京体育館) located in the happening area of Shibuya (渋谷).

About 3 minutes walk from the JR Sendagaya station (千駄ケ谷駅) is the stadium.

The other great match was between Lee Chong Wei vs. Jan O Jorgensen.
Lee Chong Wei beat the Dane Jan O Jorgensen in a thrilling rubber set game, 21-18, 15-21, 21-16.

Jan O Jorgensen was wearing a stylish Yonex bandana, like a tennis player.

The other matches were won by Chinese players, especially MD Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen who beat Korean pair of Kim Gi Jung and Ko Sung Hyun, 21-12 and 21-12.

Chinese players also won the WS with He Bingjiao beating Sun Yu in a rubber game 21-14, 7-21 and 21-18.

The exhausted Ko Sung Hyun who played earlier in MD partnered with Kim Ha Na in XD lost to the Chinese pair of Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen 21-10, 21-15.

As always in Japan Open, there are always new equipment debut and limited goods on sale like these shirts.

Japan in September was pretty warm with temperatures around 25-30 degrees Celcius and is considered by most guides as typhoon season. I visited in September about 2 years ago, and I remember it still feels like summer.

Maybe next time, I promise to watch either Japan Open or All England.

Indonesia Masters GP Gold 2016

I miss the opportunity to visit Balikpapan, Kalimantan in Indonesia this week.

When I think of Balikpapan, the word 'Oil' comes to mind. Admittedly, I never been to Kalimantan before, the most famous thing about Balikpapan was the Indonesian oil industry and the many multinational oil refineries located there. Besides, an interesting fact, Balikpapan is considered one of the most liveable cities in Indonesia.
In addition, it was the most important source of oil for imperial Japan during World War 2 and was bombed many times by the American USAF in order to cut off oil flow to Tokyo.

Ok, back to business.
The draw of this tournament did not see large contingent of international players.

Most of the players taking part are from Indonesia, with some from neighbouring Malaysia and Thailand.

Korea, India, Hon Kong and Japan did sent some players there.

No players from European are taking part in this tournament.

It felt like a All-Indonesia domestic badminton tournament.

The next two superseries will be Japan Open in Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium and then Korea Open.

Time to get my badminton fix.

Shoegate scandal in Olympics

A discovery albeit late of this interesting case that happened in the Olympics 2016 in Rio.

The controversy happened when the Taiwanese badminton association or CTBA was sponsored by Yonex, a Japanese sports company.

However, the player in the shoegate scandal is Tai Zu-Ying, who is sponsored personally head to toe by Victor sports.

 

She is featured prominently in the Victor website, being a local Taiwanese star who is sponsored by the Taiwanese company Victor.

Victor website lists her equipment: her racquet, shoes, bag and shirts.

However, the CTBA or Chinese Taipei Badminton Association is sponsored by Yonex specifically for the Olympics, meaning Taiwanese shuttlers are to be kitted by Yonex shirts and shoes.

She wore the Yonex shirt and pants during a match in the Olympics, with the prominent YY Yonex logos seen here.

However miss Tai Zu-Ying wore the Victor shoes instead of the Yonex shoes. However, she scratched off the Victor Logo so that it was not seen as shown below.

The shoe has black, green and red colors, and it looked similar to the SH-P9200LTD GQ model.

Miss Tai Zu-Ying claimed that Yonex sent her shoes that were not fitting and causing her feet blisters; she has left and right foot that are of different sizes.

Therefore she revert to her Victor shoes.

Under the legal contract between CTBA and Yonex, Tai Zu-Ying committed Ultra vires, a legal term meaning that she acted without the authority of CTBA. 

Hence, she broke the legal contract under CTBA. She could be ban for 1 year by CTBA.

Ref: the source, here