Nikon launches D4 its flagship Digital SLR Camera

Nikon Corporation has announced the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikons lineup of digital-SLR cameras.

Hahah, cute yes? Dont worry. The actual size is not this of course!

This is actually a thumbdrive that was in our goody bags.

I thought it looked big at first, but it fits into my Aspire S3 nicely without any issues.

And heres the actual unit the Nikon D4!

Below: The D4, size as held in hand. It was a bit bulky to me but photographers at the launch assured me that for a pro level camera of this range, the size is actually acceptable.

The Nikon D4 launch was officiated today by David Ng, General Manager of Consumer Produc! ts Marke ting Department.

Speaking at the launch, David Ng said, Over the past 5 years, Nikon has achieved remarkable development & growth in Malaysia. In fact, for 7 consecutive years, Nikon has been the No. 1 DSLR brand in Malaysian and is among the top three brands in the compact camera segment.

The D4, as Nikons current flagship model, pushes the limits of what is capable in a dSLR today. Utilising Nikons newly developed FX-format CMOS sensor, the D4 is able to capture images from ISO sensitivities of 50 to 204800 (standard: 100-12800), expanding the usability for professionals and serious amateurs alike.
The 16.2 megapixel sensor also provides superior image quality under a variety of trying situations.

Specifically made for professionals capturing sports and fast-paced events, the D4 is fitted with the new EXPEED 3 image processor. The EXPEED 3 is responsible for the D4s 10 frames-per-second shooting speed, in addition to suppressing noise in higher ISO sensitivities while providing a broader dynamic range.

The Nikon D4s Advanced Scene Recognition System comes with a 91,000 RGB sensor for more accurate face detection and metering capabilities, which senses and exposes detected faces correctly. This facilitates more accurate sensing of autofocusing, exposure, i-TTL flash control and white balance aspects of photography.

The D4 also comes with 51 focus points, enabling the full frame body to focus even under dim lighting. It has 15 cross-type focus points in the centre of the frame and Nikon claims that these points can detect phase differences in lenses with a maximum aperture of f5.6 at -2 exposure value (ISO 100, 20C/68F). The autofocus system supports AF and AE tracking in FX format at maximum burst rate too.

The D4 also has a dedicated movie-record button that is placed near the shutter-release button which makes it feel more natural when shooting movies. Movie modes include FX-format, DX-format (1.5 crop), and 1080p crop. The FX-format video mode enables pleasing bokeh characteristics due to the 36mm x 23.9mm sensor size, providing cinema-like movie recording capabilities.

Like all Nikon flagship cameras, the D4 is also weather-sealed, using O-rings and a magnesium alloy chassis for a durable, robust body that can sustain professional use (and abuse). Its viewfinder provides near-100% frame coverage with a 0.7x magnification, while its 3.2-inch 921k dot LCD monitor enables the photographer to view, shoot silently in live view mode and review photographs in clearly.

The D4 is also equipped with all the bells and whistles demanded by a professional today; portrait and landscape mode optimized operation, backlit buttons for low-light shooting ease, custom white balance in 10k increments, microphone and headphone jacks, sound visual indicator during movie! shoots, dual card slots, ethernet port, a highly durable shutter (~400,000 cycles), and a time lapse photography function (viewable as a movie in-camera).

Thedual card slots & ethernet portis another of Nikons special features for the D4.
It allows the D4 torecords images to memory cards faster with built-in support for high-speed, UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and next-generation, high-speed XQD memory cards.

In addition to built-in wired LAN features, the D4 also supports high-speed image transfer via wireless LAN when the new, compact, easy-to-use Wireless Transmitter H062 (available separately) is connected to the camera. Other functions includes allowing users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

Nikon has also updated its proprietary image editing software, Capture NX 2 to version 2.3 in anticipation for the launch of the D4.

Last but not least, the question that everyones being wanting to ask : How much is the investment?
Well, UNOFFICIAL price (and not quoting anyone here) is RM16,888.
Again, according to the pro photographers at the event, it is a fair price considering the D4s features and capabilities. So, what do YOU think? :)

Christmas Eve Breakfast: Poached Egg with Summer Truffles and Truffle Oil on English Muffin

Since I didn't have time to bake a brioche as I have planned originally, we cheated a little and got these English muffins (RM2.00 each) from The Gingerbread Man in Ben's Independent Grocer. Back in the UK days, I used to get a packet of English muffins almost every weekend, lightly toast them and just eat with butter or scrambled eggs.. really good stuff!

Poached Egg with Summer Truffles and Truffle Oil

Anyway, the English muffins we got from The Gingerbread Man were decent, though it's a lot bigger than what we're normally used to. Just cut them in half and place on top of the toaster (if it doesn't fit inside the toaster) for a couple of mins until it's lightly toasted.

Since it was Christmas, we decided to get a jar of summer truffles that we saw in Ben's Independent Grocer, I was really excited. We have eaten truffles in restaurants many times but never bought them home before. This cost RM28.50 for 25g. Unfortunately it wasn't very good -- it was a little rubbery and did not taste or smell like truffles. It was more for the novelty effect than anythin! g else. Anyway we only used a little for our Christmas eve breakfast, and what Hubby did was pour in a few drops of truffle oil into the summer truffle bottle and at least when we used it the next day, it felt a little more like eating truffles. :P

Here's how to poach an egg, as mentioned previously we do it the Delia Smith way.To poach an egg, fill a frying pan with 4cm barely simmering water. Break each egg into a cup and lower into the water. Cook for approximately 2 minutes (you will know it's cooked when the egg white has set). Use a slotted spoon to remove. Place the egg on the toasted English muffin. Season with salt and pepper and add 1-2 drops of truffle oil and several summer truffle shavings.

Nicely cooked poached egg

There you have it -- a simple yet decadent breakfast

Runny yolk -- beautiful :)

Full set of photos available to view here.

Kedai Makanan Zin Sin @ Taman P Ramlee, Setapak

This restaurant is sited at a dark corner of Taman Furlong now known as Taman P. Ramlee but the lights of Zin Sin are sufficient to brighten the surrounding both inside & outside.Fish cake nicely fried with right taste and prefect bites.Curry fish head is as good as the one selling next door during the day time (Peter's Curry Fish head).Fallopian tubes fried with chilli padi and small dried shrimps. You either like it of hate it.Steamed free range chicken, juicy & tender.Stir fried french beans.Oily & sinful but yummy fried roast pork with chilli padi.Satified customers and a happy pal.

Kedai Makanan Zin Sin
Jalan Angsana
Taman P. Ramlee (Taman Furlong)
Setapak, Kuala Lumpur
GPS : 3.19263,101.708317

apple sharlotka

At last, I have a new recipe for you in the heavily neglected category of Russian food. How could this have happened, you ask? Are you not married to a Russian? Does your son not respond to the question Would you like to go to the library? with Da!? Are you not still in love with all of the Russian food youve encountered in your (holy wow) 8 1/2 years of courtship? And the answer is very simple: I neednt cook Russian food because my mother-in-law does it so well.

Weekly, she brings us deliveries of stuffed cabbage or Salad Olivier (which is one of my oddball sons favorite foods) or blintzes or vegetable soups, oh, and farmers cheese, which I have come to believe Russians imbue with the healing/halo-ensconced qualities most American parents do yogurt. But, she never brings us this, and so I had to take matters into my own hands.

... Read the rest of apple sharlotka on smittenkitchen.com

smitten kitchen 2006-2011. |permalink to apple sharlotka | 17 comments to date | see more: Apple, Everyday Cakes, Photo, Russian

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

I was skeptical. Sure Ive heard people talk about beans in brownies, but really!? Must we really put beans in our brownies? Isnt that just like having a CNN news break right in the middle of Teen Mom 2? Kind of a bummer.

I was skeptical and I was dang wrong. Beans in brownies is totally not CNN! (When was the last time you typed totally not CNN?) Beans in brownies is a trick that knocks down the fat and boost up the protein (even if just slightly). Sea salt and big walnut chunks are also highly advised.so advised, that you may find yourself indulging at breakfast. Like I did. This very morning.

Three different kinds of chocolate make these brownies worth their salt.

Semi-sweet chocolate rounds, unsweetened chocolate chunks, and cocoa powder.

Black beans get pureed smooth and youre well on your way to delicious brownies!

Just look at that. Not a black bean in sight but theyre in there!

A 9-inch square pan is buttered, papered, buttered again, and floured. It may seem like a lot of work, but this trick is wonderfully helpful when it comes time to remove the brownies from the pan. Just lift the paper and ease em out!

Whole walnuts left over from the holidays. These beautiful nuts look like brains Im all about it. I leave the chunky and almost whole to top the brownies. A sprinkling of coarse sea salt is also ideal.

See the tiny specks of sea salt? Thats where delicious lives. Black beans disguised by chocolate and sugar, beauty indeed.

The nut-studded, dry and crackled top. These brownies are undeniably delicious. So good youll want to share them with friends and show off what you can do with beans.

I like to just slightly under-bake these brownies. Twenty five minutes is pretty golden, and if the center is still slightly moist, it will firm up and cook just a bit as it cools. Dry brownies are a mild tragedy.

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownie

makes 9-12 brownies

recipe from Martha Stewarts Everyday Food

Print this Recipe!

1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and pureed until smooth in a food processor

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

walnut chunks and coarse sea salt for topping (optional)

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of overhang on all sides. Butter and flour the parchment paper as well.

Fill a medium sauce pan with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Place butter, semi-sweet, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl. Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Remove the bowl from the simmering saucepan (the bowl might be hot!).

Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few moments. Whisk in the eggs and white, one at a time, until mixture is glossy. Whisk in the bean puree and vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the chocolate mixture. Use a spatula and fold to incorporate. Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with walnuts and sea salt, if using.

Bake brownies for 25-28 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few chocolate crumbs on it. The center may seem undercooked, but it will cook further as it cools. Brownies are better slightly underdone than overdone.

Let cool on a wire! rack fo r 20 minutes. Use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and slice.

Cut brownies into 9 or 12 generous pieces. Store brownies, wrapped individually, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Akari

It's astonishing that Akari has survived for longer than three years, considering the place seldom seems to have more than two or three occupied tables.

Nevertheless, the food here is indisputably good. Our favorite starter: the creamy avocado & tobiko salad with wasabi sauce.

More avocado _ this time, a sensational sushi topped lavishly with it.

Scallops with mentaiko & mayonnaise, swimming in savory succulence.

Inventive makis are among Akari's attractions. This Solaris Roll features salmon, asparagus, cucumber & crab sticks, topped with Hokkaido scallops & tobiko.

Cyatapira Roll, with eel, cucumber, avocado, bonito flakes & teriyaki sauce.

The bar stays open till past midnight, so head here if you're seeking serenity in the late hours.

Bohae Bokbunjaoo, a Korean raspberry wine best known for being featured at the 2005 official dinner of the APEC leaders' summit.

Akari Japanese Kitchen Bar,

Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6203-6885