Sandakan Market with Lumix GF1 Camera Review

Lumix Camera Review Sandakan

During a recent trip to Sandakan, 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. Here, most of the townspeople come to buy fresh foods and supplies.

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

Lumix GF1 Camera Review Malaysia

Sandakan Slipper Lobster
Slipper Lobsters at Sandakan Market

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 standard DSLR Cameras out on the market, but it is much smaller and lighter to use in this case.

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 without 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.

Sandakan Lobster
Trader posing with his fresh lobster

Sandakan Fish Market
An uncommon 'goldfish 

Pasar Besar Sandakan
 In the meat section, check out the size of the chickens.
Sandakan Parrot Fish
Parrot Fish in Green-Turquoise

Sandakan Puffer Fish
Puffer Fish the size of a shoebox

Sandakan Red Grouper
 Red Groupers and Ikan Merah (Red Fish)

Sandakan Fresh Seafood
Trader washing his hands

Sandakan Sharks
Sharks on sale 

Octopus in Sandakan
A trader holding up an Octopus for sale

Sandakan Ikan Pari
Sting Ray pieces for sale - 4 species available here

Skin of Stingray
Sting Ray Skin

Tail of Stingray
Stingray Tails - They are sold too

Sandakan Stingray
Trader showing his stingray stock

Pasar Sandakan
1st floor of the Sandakan Market, dry area

Lumix GF1 Specifications;
  • Extended H.D. Movie Recording with S.L.R. 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
  • H.D. Photos and H.D. Movies with VIERA Link Networking
  • Easy H.D. Image Viewing with the SD Card Slot
Malaysia Lumix Camera

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. 

Digiscope for Panasonic
Digiscoping with Panasonic Lumix Camer
Photo by manchesterbirding.com

Another interesting point is that women who want to get into Bird Watching can opt for this unit, as you can easily add a DigiScoping team. All because of the interchangeable lenses, you can purchase a Digiscope and fit it onto the 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 its size.

The battery life was pretty decent as one on 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 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 is very friendly and easy to use.

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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