Travelling with the Olympus Pen F is such a joy.
Photography is a very big part of my travel and I love capturing everything: What I eat, where I go, and what I do.
I brought the Olympus Pen F with me to Hong Kong last month, and had so much fun using it!
As you know, I’ve been test-driving the Olympus Pen F for quite some time now, and this gorgeous camera will steal your heart! Olympus definitely got it right with that super good-looking vintage design. Of course, a camera is more about the quality of images it produces than how it looks, but I can’t deny that this sexy camera’s exterior won me over at first glance ;D
Armed with my Olympus Pen F and my 12-40mm lens, I had a ball of a time in one of my favourite cities ever! Enjoy the photos in this post, all taken with the Olympus Pen F!
Despite having travelled to Hong Kong so many times over the past 2-3 years, there’s something about the city that keeps me coming back for more. Every trip to Hong Kong makes it feel a little more like home, and I find myself discovering something new about Hong Kong every time.
There are two things I absolutely love about Hong Kong – the food and the streets! I’ll be sharing with you my food haunts and the places I’ve visited during this trip!
For instance, Hello Kitty dimsum!
Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine
Lee Loy Mansion, Canton Rd
Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 11AM–3PM, 6–11PM
I just went about gaga when we stepped into this restaurant. EVERYTHING was Kitty-themed, from the tea-ware to the hanging lights and even embossed Hello Kitty motifs on the furniture! Of course, the food was so creatively made into Hello Kitty representations and yet managed to taste good at the same time! Definitely very, very photo-worthy too!
Hello Kitty desserts!
One of the things I love doing in Hong Kong is exploring the quieter streets and alleys, because of all the little scenes I come across. For example, I came across this roast meat shop and what caught my attention was the snaking long queue – of course, I had to take shots of the roast meat on display. Judging from the pictures below (and the queue), I supposed it must have been really good!
This photo is taken with the Olympus Pen F in regular mode (I usually use the Aperture mode or Program mode)
The Olympus Pen F comes with a Creative Dial at the front of the camera that makes photography a lot more fun because you can play with different color settings with just the twist of a dial! What’s awesome with it is that these mode settings are all “live”, and you can see the effects of these filters being applied as you shoot, making the shooting experience instantaneous and gratifying.
Here’s the same scene captured with the Olympus Pen F using Color Profile Mode 3: Chrome Film Vivid Saturation. This settings gives the image a warm dose of color and contrast which instantly makes this image pop out.
Another favourite mode that I find myself constantly switching to is the Monotone mode, which simulates black-and-white film. I love the high contrast, black and white settings that instantly adds so much mood and feel to the image!
Two more pictures of the chefs at the roast meat shop hard at work! These photos were also taken in Color Profile Mode – which made the roast meat looks sooooo good!
Speaking of roast meat, my new favourite restaurant for roast goose in Hong Kong is officially Kam’s Roast Goose!
Kam’s Roast Goose
226 Hennessy Rd, Hong Kong
If you do go to Kam’s Roast Goose, go early right before they open, so that you don’t have to wait too long! Their lunch sets are super affordable and the roast goose is to-die-for. Juicy, tender and delicious, with that crackling skin that practically melts in the mouth.
Just soooooo good I would go back to Hong Kong for this in a heartbeat! Please skip Yung Kee and do Kam’s Roast Goose instead. You won’t regret it! Just look at the above photo and it’s good enough to make you salivate – all thanks to the Color Profile on the PEN-F that brings this picture to life!
They’ve even been awarded 1 Star in the 2015 and 2016 Michelin Guide, that’s how good Kam’s Roast Goose is!
When you’re in Sheung Wan/Central area, don’t miss out on the famous Kau Kee Beef Brisket Noodles!
Kau Kee Beef Brisket Noodles
21 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong
Both their curry beef brisket noodles and regular beef brisket noodles are amazeballs and you must try both!! So satisfying, especially on a cold Hong Kong evening.
Besides restaurants, Hong Kong’s café scene is one that you have to check out too!
One of the hipster cafes that I really like in Hong Kong is Mum’s Not Home!
It’s a cozy cafe/shop located in a residential apartment in a corner of Yau Ma Tei and has got some seriously cool vibes going on. Every corner of this place is chock full of eclectic decor and quirky character. I’ve been there on two occasions over two separate trips and it hasn’t lost any of its charm!
Mum’s Not Home
1/F 302 Shanghai St, Yau Ma Tei
While chilling at the café, I decided to play with the Art filters on the Olympus Pen F and I really liked how it brought out the feel of Mum’s Not Home! Same photo but different feels!
Art Filter: Pop Art Mode
Art Filter: Pale and Light Color Mode
Art Filter: Vintage Mode
A shot of the super cool hand drawn menu at Mum’s Not Home. I love how unorthodox everything is in there!
Art Filter: Vintage Mode
I love this picture because it’s such a happening photo with the burst of colours in one frame! The settings on the Color Profile Mode really helped bring out the colours in this shot!
Our cafe-hopping brought us to Common Ground, a well-known coffee place in Sheung Wan, where I spent a great afternoon working and enjoying the relaxed cafe ambience.
Common Ground
Shing Wong St, Central, Hong Kong
Tastefully decorated space that has industrial accents but still manages to keep a cozy ambience.
I love the way natural sunlight streamed in from the windows, it was a very peaceful and well-spent afternoon.
And look at the new friend I made: Bula the Malamute! (He has his own instagram account at @bulathemalamute and is absolutely beautiful!)
This lovely majestic giant was so friendly and docile, gamely posing for my camera. Of course aided by Olympus’ trusty 5-axis image stabilization system!
Bula the Malamute with his owner, taken in Monotone mode.
Looking back at these photos really makes me miss my gastronomical adventures in Hong Kong! When I’m not busy stuffing my face with food, I took to the streets of Hong Kong and had a ball of time playing with the features of the Pen F to capture the essence of Hong Kong. Check out the following images!
To me, there’s something beautiful about the dilapidated and grimy buildings in Hong Kong. So much character and so many silent stories to tell.
The same buildings taken with the Color Profile mode immediately makes the image look more eye-catching with that pop of saturation and contrast!
While in Monotone mode, it now looks and feels like a scene from an old black-and-white movie.
Here’s another comparison between the regular shooting mode for the Olympus Pen F, along with my two other favourite modes: Color Profile (Mode 3) and Monotone.
Color Profile Mode
Monotone Mode
For the creative photographers who want more out of their Olympus Pen F, you can customise your color settings further in Color Creator Mode that allows you to tweak different colors on the spectrum to reduce or boost specific colors.
Pretty fun stuff!
I really had so much fun exploring both Hong Kong and my Olympus Pen F!
It’s my perfect camera on-the-go. Apart from all the creative color modes, the Olympus Pen F also features a swivel LCD screen that allows for easy selfies (heheh very important feature) as well as the wi-fi function that allows me to send photos straight to my phone easily for social sharing!
Hoping to fly on my next destination soon and capture more beautiful memories with the Olympus Pen F!
Before I end my post, here’s one last parting shot of Hong Kong with the Olympus Pen F in Art Filter: Pinhole mode.
I’ll be back soon, Hong Kong!