Kevin Ong
Having trained and worked as a designer in the past, it comes as no surprise how Kevin Ong’s creative mind comes into play in producing a portfolio of arresting photos. When not pursuing his own personal projects, the Singaporean photographer’s talent is also sought after by a slew of brands such as SilverKris, Adidas and more.
With the RX100 VII, I’m able to capture greater quality photos/videos compared to other smartphones without sacrificing space in my bag or pocket.
“I chose to pursue photography as a career because there are often times when moments are missed out in the bustle of life,” he shared. “I hope by sharing my snaps on my platforms, I’m able to show a certain perspective of how I see life to be.”
Kevin specialises in landscape, architectural, travel and street photography, all of which follows a ‘dark, moody, vivid’ theme. Perhaps it is his adoption of a consistent and personal style that sets himself above the rest. After all, Kevin revealed that a good photograph is able to depict a mood from how it is shot. This way, you can tell a certain story to relate to the audience.
Kevin has no qualms about relying on a smartphone when a spontaneous shot arises. But getting his hands on the RX100 VII has made Kevin use the smartphone less.
For one, the camera offers greater image quality without compromising on space. It also boasts a tiltable screen, tilting upwards by 180° and downwards by around 90°. Kevin shares this provides him great ease when it comes to shooting from low angles, before flipping the screen to check the photos without shifting his position.
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
24 mm | 1/2.5 sec | F9 | ISO 100
“Naturally when shooting street photos, subjects will always shy away when a camera is whipped out. So the RX100 VII helps in getting the shot at the right time due to its compact size,” he added
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
24 mm | 1/125 sec | F9 | ISO 320
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
40 mm | 1/500 sec | F4 | ISO 320
Furthermore, the RX100 VII comprises a high-magnification 24-200 zoom lens that lets him get closer to his subjects without physically moving closer to them. Kevin continued: “The quality is also not compromised while using the zoom function.”
Another feature Kevin likes about the RX100 VII is its super-fast AF speed. He said it helps him maintain clarity on his subjects at different speeds, alongside 90fps single burst shooting so moments will not be missed at the time of capture. A shot of a skateboarder, captured in mid-air is a testimony to this.
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
40 mm | 1/500 sec | F4 | ISO 320
Kevin’s architecture shots paint structures in an utopian way, often captured at night so that shadows shape the concrete contours while lights breathe life into the entirety. Thanks to its large 1.0-type image sensor, the RX100 VII has helped achieve Kevin’s vision with its low-light capability. Even at night, shots retain high resolution and low noise, while maintaining superb image quality with realistic-looking textures.
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
166 mm | 1/80 sec | F4.5 | ISO 640
The camera’s low-light capability performs superbly even when it comes to continuous shooting. Together with an effective Autofocus tracking, the camera lets Kevin freeze a moving taxi in place at night. Shot using the RX100 VII’s 20 FPS Blackout-free Shooting, Kevin also managed to achieve a cool blur background of light streaks to show the subject was in motion.
RX100 VII | FE 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 |
24 mm | 1/10 sec | F2.8 | ISO 800
All in all, the defining factor that made the RX100 VII a major step-up for his previous 2nd camera, a smartphone, is the image quality.
“When pre-composing my shot with the RX100 VII, I can already capture high quality photos,” he elaborated. “The long zoom range function really helps to gain a huge amount of reach without the bulk from other cameras.”
Kevin continued to vouch for the camera as a fantastic choice for daily usage as it does not obstruct your process in any way. Needless to say, the RX100 VII is highly regarded by this pro photographer.