9th January 2010: I went down to Pudu Plaza (as per instructions here) for the launch of the first Sony Alpha Pro Shop in Malaysia!

It was essentially at Studio Zaloon, Mr. Chin’s shop, a favorite amongst A-mount enthusiasts due to his good stocking of premium lenses!

Kevin Wong, Alpha Product Manager, giving a speech. This shot, as well as all rectilinear (non-fisheye) wide-angle shots, were shot using my Sony Cybershot WX1 at 24mm (35mm equivalent). A live-view camera definitely helps for over-the-head shots!

With as many photographers as customers, the shop was launched!

One could see and try almost the entire lineup.

Top aisle, left to right:
Sony Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm F1.8 ZA
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 DT ZA
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 SSM ZA
Sony Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 SSM ZA
Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA
Sony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G SSM
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6G SSM
Sony 70-200mm F2.8G SSM

Middle aisle, left to right:
Sony 30mm F2.8 DT SAM Macro
Sony 50mm F2.8 Macro
Sony 100mm F2.8 Macro
Sony 50mm F1.8 DT SAM
Sony 50mm F1.4
Sony 16mm F2.8 diagonal fisheye
Sony 28mm F2.8
Sony 500mm F8 AF Reflex

Bottom aisle, left to right:
Sony 11-18mm F4.5-5.6 DT
Sony 16-105mm F3.5-5.6 DT
Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT
Sony 28-75mm F2.8 SAM
Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT SAM (2)
Sony 75-300mm F4.5-5.6
Sony 135mm F2.8/T4.5 Smooth Transition Focus

Missing were these lenses:
Sony 24-105mm F3.5-4.5 (unofficially discontinued?)
Sony 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DT (superseded by the 18-250mm and not that much cheaper)
Sony 18-70mm F3.5-5.6 DT (because you get it as a kit lens)
Sony 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DT SAM (because you get it as a kit lens)
Sony 55-200mm F4-5.6 DT (original)
Sony 35mm F1.4G (sadly, not very popular)
Sony 20mm F2.8 (hmmm?)
Sony 300mm F2.8G SSM (because it is expensive and assembled by hand!)

A small corner with photos shot from Sony Alpha dSLRs.

Registration for the lucky draw.

There was a photo challenge. (I was lazy to join this having won many cameras, printers, DVD burners, etc. before.)

As for the lucky draw, they won the exclusive Alpha Flash Light Kit!

Those empty boxes used to line the back of Studio Zaloon. Yes, there are that many people who buy cameras and don’t want the boxes!

This is what now lines the back of Studio Zaloon.

Deep inside the shop is a cave of bags!

I enjoyed the general mood of the event – somebody would ask me about the difference between the Tamron and Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 lenses, and I’d go look through the crowd for somebody I knew who had either lens (or experience with it), so they could compare!

Oddly, the giant lighter produces a flame the same size as the small one, in case you’re wondering of the feasibility of such for alternative operations.

Across the road, a bunch of them found a mamak! We love our TT sessions.

Sweet, I managed to compare my Opteka 85mm F1.4 to the Minolta 85mm F1.4G. The Minolta is just loads more saturated but has a load more spherical aberration wide open giving a more portrait-ish, soft effect. Thus I would say the Opteka is much closer to the Sony Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm F1.4 ZA (which I previously tested) in look.

From the Opteka 85mm F1.4.

Sham, shot by smashpOp. This is too funny (and, superbly sharp and well-focused at the pixel level.)

Not quite the tonsil inspection – I don’t remember who shot this with my Peleng 8mm F3.5 circular fisheye.