Back To The Future

R0005448RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO100)

After a week in India I came to KL and a day later to Singapore where I met a client at the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It was like time traveling. Back to the future.

What a location! What a contrast!

I would have loved to see more of Singapore but I was there only for a couple of hours and I had two meetings. I think it was a good choice to have my second meeting here.

R0005455RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO100)
R0005474RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec, ISO100)
R0005480RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO280)

On top of the worlds most expensive casino is a giant platform that connects the three towers of the casino and hosts the world largest infinity pool and on the end that I visited a restaurant and bar.

We had dinner there which was pricey but very good but the most spectacular thing and the real reason to get here of course was the view. Almost 200 meters above the ground you can overlook the straight of Singapore, the gardens at the bay and the city. I’m not a great friend of gigantism and the waste of resources but I have to say that they have created something truly spectacular. And the best thing is that there is no need to stay in the hotel or to have a fancy dinner in the restaurant to enjoy the view. Just get a ticket and get up there. A sunset on the platform is a must see when you are in Singapore.

R0005492RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
R0005511RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/4, 1/60 sec, ISO500)
R0005528RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/3.5, 1/2 sec, ISO100)

Because I went there only for a day I left my Fuji XP1 at the hotel in KL and took only my Ricoh GR. A camera that is only slightly bigger than my old Canon Ixus II was about 12 years ago and maybe even a tad lighter thanks to its magnesium alloy body. I once was in Santorini in Greece for a week where I brought nothing but the Ixus II and a small table tripod. I enjoyed the trip and the travel light experience for the first time in my life.

This time I did not even bring a small table tripod but the real difference is that back then the Ixus II gave me 2MP JPEGs where the GR gave me super sharp 16MP RAWs. If I ever create a photo book of my travels the pictures I took on Santorini will be compromised and of noticeable lower quality than the others. The images I took in Singapore are practically as good as if I would have used my DSLR.

I was an early adopter of digital photography but I’m old enough that I shot most of my life on film. I was used to shoot Fuji Velvia at 40ASA and later to use digital compacts at their base ISO of 80. And because of that I can truly enjoy the technology we have available today. Regarding photography we are already living in the future and this future is bright!

R0005537RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO1000)
R0005542RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. GR (18.3mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO1600)