Sandakan Market with Lumix GF1 Camera Review

During a recent trip to Sandakan which is on the east coast of Sabah Borneo, I had the opportunity to visit one of the busiest markets in a town called the Sandakan Market or Pasar Sandakan. It is here that the majority of the townspeople come to buy their fresh foods and supplies.

The market is located by the sea so fresh seafood is one of the highlights here and in this article, you will see a variety of pictures relating to the busy lifestyle of the market traders and some even showcasing the fresh seafood for sale.

Lumix GF1 Camera Review Malaysia

Slipper Lobsters at Sandakan Market

Personally, I found the Panasonic Lumix GF1 easy to handle as I am a DSLR user and the functions were quite simple. The specifications are also similar to the common DSLR Cameras out in the market but in this case, it is much smaller and lighter to use.

I think female photographers would fancy this as it is not bulky and heavy. Overall, the camera can easily fit into a normal-sized handbag or knapsack with no issues.

The start-up is quick when you want instant shots and walking around the Sandakan market with this camera posed no intrusion with the traders compared to another day when I went there with my huge chunky DSLR camera, some of them thought I was a reporter covering a story and were reluctant to even look at me.

 Below are a series of random shots taken with the Lumix GF1 on a typical day at the market. Please click on the pictures to see the full size.

Trader posing with his fresh lobster

An uncommon 'gold' fish 

 At the meat section, check out the size of the chickens

Parrot Fish in Green-Turquoise

Puffer Fish the size of a shoebox

 Red Groupers and Ikan Merah (Red Fish)

Trader washing his hands

Sharks on sale 

A trader holding up an Octopus for sale

Sting Ray pieces for sale - 4 species available here

Sting Ray Skin

Stingray Tails - They are sold too

Trader showing his stingray stock

1st floor of the Sandakan Market, dry area

Lumix GF1 Specifications;

• Extended HD Movie Recording with SLR Quality
• A Peripheral Defocus Mode Gives You the Soft Focus of an Interchangeable Lens
• Full-time Live View: See How the Image Will Turn Out Before You Shoot
• iA Mode Helps Prevent Shooting Mistakes in a Variety of Situations
• Ultra-Portable Pancake Lens: LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7 ASPH.
• LEICA DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm/F2.8 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S.
• Versatile Functions and Superb Images. Uncompromising Performance in the World's Smallest, Lightest System Camera
• A Built-In Flash in a Stylish Body
• HD Photos and HD Movies with VIERA Link Networking
• Easy HD Image Viewing with the SD Card Slot

You can also check out my MalaysiaAsia Facebook page for more pictures taken with the Lumix GF1 and some beautiful Scenery Pictures around Sandakan which I took during my one week trip there in October 2010. 

Digiscoping with Panasonic Lumix Camera 

Photo by manchesterbirding.com

Another interesting thing to point out is that women who want to get into Bird Watching can opt for this unit as you can easily add on a DigiScoping unit. All because of the interchangeable lenses, you can purchase a Digiscope and fit it on to your body of your Lumix GF1 to get more zoom.

DSLR units for Digiscoping can cost you a whopping RM15-20k so if you are a beginner or just starting Birdwatching, this set up would only cost you around RM3-5k without having to mortgage your house.

Conclusion

Overall, I would recommend the Lumix GF1 to those who prefer something light and small but with the specifications of a DSLR Camera. I think women would find this camera sexy yet powerful and easy to handle due to the size of it.

The battery life was pretty decent as one a full charge, I took over 500 pictures throughout the day and still had some juice left when I got back to the hotel.

One thing that impressed me was the click sound is produced when you took a picture, it did not feel like the little compact camera sounds.  Bottom line - Great for daily and hobby use, the Panasonic Lumix GF1 actually is very nice and easy to use.