Digital Photo Tips

We finally got around to buy a dry cabinet for the lens and cameras we have. Most of the shops we asked normally don’t carry stocks and we kept dilly-dallying until now.

The recommended humidity is 55% - 45% and so far, the reading is hovering around these figures. I just opened the cabinet to take photo and it shot up to 60%. Oh wow, must be the heavy rain we are getting now.

We got it for about RM350 for this 30 liter size. It will fit two DSLRs and a few lenses. Hopefully, all of our lens will be kept in pristine conditions until I pass them on to my kids as family heirlooms. Hehehe.

After browsing through online camera shops, a few shops in Penang and even more shops in KL, I am finally getting an original Nikon macro lens. I had pondered long and hard whether to get a Tamron, Sigma or original Nikon.

Nikon Telephoto AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR (Vibration Reduction) Autofocus Lens

Descriptions

The Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED brings the benefits of vibration reduction (VR) to the domain of Macro photography. It offers high-resolution, high-optical performance for both digital and 35mm film format SLR cameras. When used with digital cameras, equivalent focal length in 35mm terms is 157.5mm.

This lens incorporates Nikon’s second-generation vibration reduction system (VR II) that allows flexible hand-held shooting by stabilizing the image to the equivalent stability of a shutter speed that is 4 stops faster when compared with a conventional lens. This in effect eliminates image blur caused by camera shake, particularly when shooting in low-light conditions.

(source from : ShaShinKi)

So, it is going to be a Nikon. The lens costs around RM2,700 whilst Tamron is only about RM1,500 and Sigma RM1,900. Tamron is only 90 mm and all the shops don’t recommend it.

At first, I wanted to get it from Shashinki because I can dispose off my PayPal at a good rate. But on second thought, it seems more secure to buy it from my regular shop here, i.e. Merry Photo along Penang Road. Moreover, PayPal money is mine. Buying it from the shop is money from the hubby. So, yeah, smart calculations.

In total, I have two lenses now which costs more than my Nikon D40. I hope to have enough money to get a D3 one day…Ah…I can dream, can’t I?

I know I am going to love the macro lens so much because I enjoy macro photography more than anything else.

I am off to KL to get my macro lens, finally! Won’t be back till next week and hopefully with a new macro lens. Meantime, a friend asked about GPS the other day and it seems the guys I asked are not using the type that my friend wants.

So, what are the best GPS unit out there? Well according to this site, they have tthe garmin gps, magellan gps, tom tom gps, reviews here. From the look of the site, I would say they do have a wide range of gadgets that may interest the guys.

However, I doubt my friend is able to get through custom with these techie stuffs because as you know, some of these may not be allowed here. Anyway, I hope he does find something useful. Who knows, he may have his way of buying them online and have it delivered to his doorstep safely?

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We have decided on our choice - D80. But right now, still negotiating for the best offer. The best price we have is:

Nikon D80 kit with 18-135mm lens - RM4,1XX

2GB SD card - RM70 (special purchase with purchase price and no, it is not a fake SD card)

Nikon SLR bag - RM60

Tamron DI 90mm F2.8 - RM13XX

Total price - LOL, I never calculate it.

It is cash term, i.e. we have to bring the stack of money to them or wait for the cheque to clear. At that hour (evening) we definitely cannot withdraw that amount of money from the atm. So, it is back to waiting for another day when my hubby is free to arrange that. Paying by credit is 2% extra.

Almost all the shops provide the same competitive prices so we usually stick to the one which provides the best service, helpful tips and accommodate our requests the most.

For the third time. Well, the first time for the DSLR, the third time with my cameras. This time it happened while he was standing just next to me. Pulled out my CF card from the card reader, jammed it into the slot in my DLSR.

As a result, some of the pins in the reader in the camera were bended. My hubby tried to pull them straight but no amount of repairing can help. So, looks like the camera is going back to the workshop. And that will take forever.

Meantime, I am relying on my Konica Z3 which is still a very good camera. But once you have a DSLR, those just don’t measure up.

The timing was ‘perfect’ too. It was just the day before I was due to attend the Together Gather Bloggers Party and I was without a camera.

To look on the bright side, my hands are free! I could just mingle around without rushing around to capture the most important moments. I had a free night without keeping in touch with the latest programme. Just chill and chat.

Some of the bloggers whom I sat down with asked me what I did to the toddler? Oh well, he didn’t do it intentionally and he looked guilty enough when he knew he had done it again - kill my beloved camera. So, nothing and no one gets punished.

Well, that is until the workshop tells me how much changing/repairing the CF card reader will cost. I hope not much cos they are just a few pin. Dang, I hate CF cards. This is the second time the reader is spoilt. It happened to my card reader before but that was just a cheap card reader.

So, moral of the story : Avoid buying cameras using CF cards. The reader sucks. The card sucks. And nice, new laptops never give you CF card reader. I got to buy an external one. Hate CF cards.

Meantime, I don’t foresee any major celebrations/events that call for a DSLR so I am fine with it. Otherwise, I may go out and buy another one.