There are two kinds of buyers in general:

1. The first would compare models with similar specifications across the different brands.
2. The second would choose a brand and then decide on the model from the preferred brand.

Choosing a system

You need to understand that when you buy a DSLR, you are not just buying a particular model. You are buying into a system. As you get more lenses and accessories for your camera, you are investing in a particular system.

Camera companies use proprietary lens mount that only allows attachment of their own lenses. For example, you can’t mount Canon lenses onto a Nikon body. The same goes for other accessories such as cables for wired triggers and flash.

When you buy a DSLR and start to accumulate equipment for the particular system, you are tied down to a particular brand. The only way to switch another brand is to sell off everything and start from scratch.

If you have friends who use the same system, I would recommend you to choose the same system. This would allow you to share equipment with your friends.

You benefit by not having to buy the same lenses if they are able to share it with you. And you have people familiar with the equipment teaching you how to use them.

They would benefit as well. When you purchase your next lens, you can choose a lens that none of them have. This would expand the group’s inventory of lenses.

Choosing a camera brand

Each camera brand has its pros and cons. You will need to weigh the different factors and decide which suits you better.

Nikon and Canon are the most popular DSLR brands. I believe this is largely due to the fact that both are reputable and well-established companies.

When you buy a camera, it is important to consider what the brand can offer in terms of after-sales services and the ease of obtaining accessories for the particular brand.

I am not familiar with the situation in other countries, so I speak from my experience in Singapore. I find that you can be assured of good after-sales and the availability of accessories for Nikon and Canon cameras in Singapore.

When it comes to brands like Pentax or Sony, it is harder to find accessories for their cameras compared to Nikon and Canon. Even things as essential to photographers like lenses can be hard to find.

On the other hand, Pentax manual focus lenses are cheap in the second hand market and they work perfectly well on their digital bodies.

As for Sony, their lenses can work with their new video cameras, making them a potential choice for people who need to do both still photography and videos.

Between Nikon and Canon, I find Nikon lenses to be a bit sharper than Canon versions. However, Nikon glass tends to be pricier compared to Canon lenses. There are some cases where Canon lenses are more expensive.

Interestingly, although Nikon has a better flash system, the Creative Lighting System, Nikon flashes are cheaper than their Canon counterparts.

Choosing a camera tier

Regardless of the camera brand, the cameras are divided into different tiers, catering to different niches in photography.

DSLRs can be divided into the consumer and the professional range.

The consumer range is made up of the entry-level tier and the enthusiast or “prosumer” tier. Entry-level cameras are for beginners or casual shooters. Enthusiast cameras target serious hobbyists and semi-professionals.

The professional range sit at the top of the pyramid, packed with power and features to meet the demands of professional photographers.

There are a few trends when it comes to choosing a camera tier:

• Buying a camera to meet your needs. This means that if you are a beginner, you buy an entry-level camera because its features meet your requirements.
• Buying a camera that more than meet your current needs. You know that there is room for you to grow as a photographer and you think that the hobby will last. Hence, as a beginner, you go for an enthusiast camera.
• Buying a camera that fits your budget. It is not a matter of what you need. You want to have the best you can afford. You are an enthusiast but you can only afford an entry-level camera.
• Buying the cheapest camera that meet certain needs and saving the money for better glass. Pragmatism rules here. Good lenses can last you for years. You rather invest the money in lenses than to spend on a camera body that might become obsolete few years later.

My recommendations

You might still be wondering how to choose a DSLR.

If you have friends who are into photography, check the brands that they are using. If they are using the same brand and they are comfortable with sharing equipment, you should buy into the same system.

Try the camera! It is important that you get a feel of the different brands and see which ergonomics you prefer. You will be holding that camera for hours and if you don’t like the feel of it then you shouldn’t buy it.

Choose a tier that would allow you to grow as a photographer. It is important that you ask yourself how far you would want to progress in this hobby. From there, pick a camera tier that allows for such growth.

Go for the highest tier that you can afford. If you start off with a slightly better camera body, it would be with you for a longer period of time as you grow in this hobby. Think of it as a head start.

Don’t scrimp on the camera body so that you can use the money saved to spend on a lens. I agree that it is important to invest in good glass but it is as important to spend more on your first camera body, especially if you think that you are serious about photography.

My experience

I will share my personal experience. I first got a Nikon D40 in 2008. Back then, I was a beginner and I bought a camera that would suit my needs.

Twelve months later, I upgraded to a Nikon D90. I did not prepare for my growth as a photographer when I got my first DSLR. After a year of shooting, I realised that the lack of an autofocus motor in the camera body and the lack of a built in remote flash trigger  need to be addressed. Hence the upgrade.

When I bought the camera, I was recommended to get a D700 instead. But I did not think that I would need a full frame sensor. So I stubbornly stuck to my choice of a D90. I bought a D700 only nine months after I got the D90.

I started to do more portraits and street photography. It became apparent that I wanted the shallower depth of field and better ISO capability that a full frame sensor would give.

If I had listened and gone with the D700, I wouldn’t have wasted money getting a D90. Instead of spending SGD 3300 on the D700 body, I spent SGD 4680 (SGD 3300 for the D700 and SGD 1380 for the D90 body).

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I started working on a translation of the first chapter of Demi-gods and Semi Devils to practice writing about the culture and the setting of the wuxia world in English.

Although the translation does not flow as well as I would prefer if it were an adaptation, it was good practice. The translation was also satisfactory. I believe it is a more wholesome translation of the novel.

I have no intention to translate all fifty chapters of the novel as this project was to simply study how wuxia would be like in English. But if there are enough requests for it, I might actually commit to translating the whole book.

The problems I encountered were mainly with translation of wuxia terms. Some translators use “martial sibling”, “martial brother” or “martial sister” to translate terms like shixiong and shidi. While it fully explains the relationship, I find it too literal.

I prefer to use terms such as senior and junior to describe the relationship. In the end, I went with using the terms untranslated in the Hanyu Pinyin and annotated it to explain the terms.

The same goes for names of places. I used the Hanyu Pinyin mixed with English terms for the names of places.

At fourteen pages, it’s a little long and might be tedious to some since I chose to follow how Louis Cha wrote the scenes. Nevertheless, I hope you will enjoy the first chapter of Demi-Gods and Semi-devils.

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Duan Yu, Xu Zhu and Xiao Feng; with A'zi in the background

The dark steel blade glimmered as it caught the sunlight. The young man feigned a thrust the sword at the left shoulder of his middle-aged opponent, then he struck at the man’s right shoulder. The man parried. The swords clashed loudly and hummed audibly as the blades vibrated from the force of the impact. The swords flashed again and three rapid moves were exchanged even before the hum faded.

The older man suddenly swung his sword downwards. The young man side stepped to the right to dodge the strike, and guided his opponent’s blade with his left hand. The tip of the sword nearly pierced the thigh of the older swordsman, but he instinctively shifted his legs and retaliated immediately.

Two persons sat on the eastern boundary of the practice ring. A Daoist nun about forty years old sat ashen-faced with her lips tightly sealed. An old man in his fifties sat six paces from her. He stroked his beard, seemingly pleased with what he saw. Around twenty disciples stood behind each of them. The western boundary was lined by ten over guests. The attention of the spectators was focused on the duellists in the practice ring.

Seventy exchanges have been dealt. The moves became faster and closer to hitting the target with each exchange, but the victor had yet to be determined.

The older man suddenly misjudged the force of his strike and appeared to lose his balance. The scene was so comical that a boy chuckled. He then quickly stifled his laugh with a hand over his mouth as he realised that it was improper for him to do so.

The younger duellist struck with his palm at his opponent’s exposed back. The older man stepped forward and avoided the attack. His sword suddenly swung in a circle and he shouted, “Hit!”

The sword struck the young man’s left leg, making him stagger. He stabbed his sword into the ground and steadied himself to continue the duel. However, his opponent had sheathed his sword and smiled, “Zhu shidi1, thanks for going easy on me2. Are you badly hurt?”

The younger man’s face turned pale upon hearing those words. He bit his lower lips and replied, “Thank you for being merciful3, Gong shixiong4.”

“The Eastern sect has won three matches. It appears that Jianhu Palace5 will house the Eastern sect for another five years. Xin shimei6, do we still need to continue the contest?” The bearded man smiled, clearly delighted at how things have proceeded.

The nun barely suppressed her anger. “Zuo shixiong has indeed nurtured capable disciples. But I wonder if Zuo shixiong has learnt anything from the Wuliang Cliff7?”

The old man stared at her and his tone became stern. “How can you forget the rules of our school, shimei?”

She snorted with displeasure and dropped the issue.

The old man was Zuo Zimu8, head of the Wuliang Sword School’s Eastern sect. The nun was Xin Shuangqing9, head of the Wuliang Sword School’s Western sect. The Wuliang Sword School10 was split into the Northern, Eastern and Western sects. The Northern sect has been in the decline in the past decade, while the Eastern and Western sects flourished with talent. The Wuliang Sword School was founded in the southern Mount Wuliang during the reign of the fifth Tang Emperor. The head of the school resided in the Jianhu Palace on Mount Wuliang.

Since the splitting of the school into three sect during the Song Empire, these sects held a duelling contest in the practice arena of Jianhu Palace every five years. The winning sect would reside in the palace for the next five years. When the sixth year comes, the  sects would meet again to compete for the right of residence in the next five years. The winner is the best of five rounds.

During the five years between the contests, the defeated sects would train hard in hope of erasing the shame of their previous loss in the next contest. Likewise, the winners did not dare to become complacent.

The Northern sect won forty years ago but was evicted from the palace after their defeat five years later. The furious head of the Northern sect led his subordinates to the western face of the mountain, ending their participation in the contest and cutting all communications with the other  sects.

In the thirty-five years since the exodus of the Northern sect, the remaining sects had their share of victories and defeats. The Eastern sect was the champion of four contests, while the Western sect had two wins to their name.

The duel between Gong and Zuo was the fourth match. Gong’s victory gave the Eastern sect three wins. Thus, a fifth bout was unnecessary.

Guests from other schools were seated along the western boundary of the practice ring. Some of the visitors were witnesses invited by the heads of the Wuliang sects, while the others came to watch the competition. They were notable individuals from the martial arts scene in Yun’nan. The exception was an unknown youngster dressed in cyan sitting at one end of the boundary. It was him who laughed when Zuo appeared to lose his footing during the duel.

The youth arrived in the company of the elderly wushi11, Mawu De, from Pu’er, southern Dian12. As a successful tea trader, Mawu was rich and influential. He was known for his hospitality and his easy-going nature. When any wushi in the jianghu13 is in dire straits, they can count on his unrestrained assistance. This made him very popular. However, his martial arts skills were mediocre.

When Zuo Zimu welcomed Mawu De14, the latter introduced the youth with the family name Duan. That was the royal family’s name of the Dali Kingdom. Countless individuals bear the Duan family name within the boundaries of the kingdom. Hence, Zuo did not think much of the boy and assumed that he was probably Mawu’s disciple. Since Mawu’s martial arts skills were average, his apprentice would be no better. Zuo did not bother to say “I’ve long admired you”15, but simply raised his hands with his left palm over his right fist in greeting before leading them into the guest seats. Zuo did not expect the youth to have the nerve to mock when his favoured disciple feigned a move to create an opening.

“The four disciples fielded by Xin shimei this year made impressive advancements in their swordsmanship. Especially in the fourth match, which we were lucky to win. Zhu shizhi16 is young but has made such progress in his training. With such potential, his future is bright indeed. Perhaps the Eastern and Western sects will have to swap places.” Zuo let out a hearty laugh, before abruptly turning to stare at Duan. “Brother Duan seems to disapprove when my second-rate disciple used the Staggering Step feign to win. Could Brother Duan please step into the ring and give my disciple a pointer or two? Brother Mawu has a resounding reputation in southern Dian. As the saying goes, there is no weak soldier under the command of a strong general. Brother Duan must be highly skilled.”

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photo © 2008 Dmitry Baranovskiy | more info (via: Wylio)
Water was spilled on the MacBook at night and it was only the next evening that I found it wet. When I held it up, water was dripping out from the casing. Despite turning it upside down to drain the water, as recommended by experts on forums, I was still unable to turn it on.

I brought it to an authorised Apple service provider, Sapura. They did a diagnosis and gave a quotation for the repairs. It would be cheaper for me to buy a new MacBook Air than to proceed with the repair. My MacBook is the older 2010 version. Of course, I would rather spend my money on a 2011 version than to repair it.

My plan is to try to revive my MacBook if possible. I’ll not purchase a new MacBook Air since there are rumours floating about regarding a new MacBook Pro coming soon. If the new MacBook Pro has the sleek physique of a MacBook Air, I know where my money would go to.

All my photo editing and graphics work is now done on my MacBook, so the photos from the trip are still waiting to be edited. That explains the delay for the entries on the trip.

I’ll have to bear with using a Windows 7 PC that lags like crazy when I do photo editing or graphics work. Interestingly, the PC runs Mass Effect 3 very smoothly.

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The Fujifilm X100 was a camera that I had been anticipating back in 2010. However, I was put off by the price and intial reviews of the camera. I got a Ricoh GR Digital III and was subsequently got hooked on film cameras.

In hindsight, the main reason I decided not to get the X100 was probably because the camera was not a rangefinder camera. I was also convinced that the amount of money I would have to spend on an brand new X100 could buy me several used film rangefinders.

Then I realised that I wanted a camera that is good enough for travel use. The Ricoh GRD3 is undeniably the best camera I have for discreet street shooting. My only gripe about it is the poor performance in low light. The pictures do turn out good if I use the built-in flash but once I saw the pictures from the X100 in low light without using flash, I finally appreciated the camera.

Yes, it is widely acknowledged that the X100 is far from being a perfect camera. Slow auto focus and  confusing menus being the issues I hear of most often. Yet these are problems that can be overcome once you learn the characteristics of the camera. It’s the same for all other cameras.

Before I decided to get the X100, I was actually shopping for a used Leica M6. I still am. It is a classic film camera and I wouldn’t hesitate to get one if I find one in reasonable condition and within my budget.

When the Fujifilm X-Pro1 was announced, I wanted to wait for it to be launched before I made my choice. The previews were positive and it looked great on paper. The option of getting an M-mount adapter for it is tantalising.

The prices for the X-Pro1 and initial range of lenses were announced a couple of days ago. They are overpriced, in my opinion. On top of that, many people were selling their near mint X100 in the used market at a reasonable price with loads of accessories.

I simply picked the best deal available and traded with a very pleasant guy this morning. My first shots with the camera took my breath away. The colour rendition of this camera is simply awesome. It beats my full frame Nikon DSLR. The only digital camera I’ve seen that gives better colours is the Leica M9. The camera body alone is ten times the price of what I paid for the X100.

Taken with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone 4

Of course, I would still get the M6 because it’s a Leica.

I simply held back from getting the M6 instead of the X100 because I wanted to spend more time using my film cameras. I went on a spree acquiring film cameras but I have yet to spend enough time with them. I devoted a lot of time to mastering my Nikon D40, D90, D700 and the Ricoh GRD3. I should do likewise for my film cameras.

Here’s an interesting comparison of the Leica M6 and the Fujifilm X100.

For now, I shall enjoy shooting with the X100.

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When I look back at 2011, I will remember it for the beautiful memories I was blessed with. Of course, there were moments that I’m more than eager to forget but time will make the bad memories fade away. In the mean time, those shall serve as lessons for me as grow as a person.

One thing that I have learnt is not to be so easily deceived by others. Rather than assume good faith, I shall let others earn my trust. This is to protect myself.

I’ve learnt to be humble and try to learn from everyone and every thing that comes along.

Real friends are hard to come by and I’m blessed to have found the few friends whom I know will be there for me. Even though we are now busy with our own lives and meet up less often, I’m glad to have friends who are just a phone call away in times of need.

Best friends

We have a new addition to the family. Chewy, named after Chewbacca, is our new Golden Retriever.

Baby Chewy 2 months old

In terms of photography gear, I have increased the number of cameras I own to 13. This might fluctuate as I plan to sell a couple and I have a few shipments pending. I shot my first rolls of film and I’m enjoying film photography. I expect to shoot more in film and I will strive to achieve more keepers in my future rolls.

As for photography on the whole, I did my first wedding shoots and did several model shoots. However, I didn’t shoot as often as I would like to. I hope to find do more shoots with models to practice and to build my portfolio.

I have started shooting daily from January 1, 2012. This will be a proper Project 365 and I will be uploading the photos weekly in a Project 52. This means that I will take a photo a day and upload a collage of the photos at the end of the week.

Since the first day of the  year was a Sunday, I will kick off the project with a bang — Week 1 & 2.

And of course, the best thing that happened to me in 2011 was meeting the special one. I’m absolutely delighted to usher in the new year with her, hand in hand.

My love

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Photo by Wong Kum Kit

My good friend and fellow freelance photographer, KK, was the main photographer of the day. I decided to relax and shoot film instead. My Nikon F4S still had a roll of film in it with only a few shots used. I wanted to finish the roll so it was my camera of choice for the day. I’ve been planning to write an entry for each of my film cameras and the one for the F4S will be the first of the series. My Ricoh GR Digital III was the backup.

The film used was a roll of Fujifilm Superia X-tra 400. In hindsight, I should have brought a flash and perhaps a roll of ISO 800 film or even ISO 1,600. But the pictures turned out satisfactory.

I noticed that the film was supposed to have a red tinge but it was more obvious probably due to the low light causing a red shift in white balance.

The new SUPERIA X-TRA 400 has slight reddish tint in comparison with the current SUPERIA X-TRA 400.

Source: Fujifilm product information bulletin

It’s been a while since I finished a roll of film within a day and it felt great.

Chilling in the Vietnamese cafe with my girlfriend

Vietnamese coffee and Oreo cheesecake

Adorable decor for the ceremony

Everyone was given a red rose. I think she's happy it matches her red nails.

Advice from the solemnizer

While I was busy eating and chatting, she was fiddling with something...

Photo-ception!

Impromptu photoshoot for my love

After the dinner, we started to take some random photos. She couldn’t stop laughing because we were teasing her. She tried in vain to get a grip of herself so that she wouldn’t look silly in the photos.

She couldn't stop laughing!

But we got many hilarious shots of her anyway! Oops…

That look says "you're gonna get it from me later".

The full gallery from the roll of film is below:

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For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Participants attempt to complete a novel of 50,000 words in 30 days every November since 1999. It’s a good way for authors to force themselves to complete their drafts for editing later on. For others, it is a good way to practice writing. There are many community events held all over the world. Participants would gather together to support and encourage each other.

Writing has always been a passion for me. My love for science fiction, and later on fantasy, novels inspired me to create worlds and populate them with various characters. However, I have not been diligent enough to complete one of my many story ideas. The lack of time since I started working is a tired excuse but one that’s unavoidable nonetheless.

The longer I stayed away from writing, the harder it was for the words to flow. I had to stop more often to think of the appropriate words instead of knowing instinctively the right words to express myself.

When I chanced upon NaNoWriMo in 2009 on Neil Gaiman’s blog, I knew it was something I had to join. The concept of simply writing and not worrying about editing was liberating for me as a writer. I’m the kind of author who would fret over details, hence the lack of pace when it came to writing.

The target final word count after 30 days of writing forces me to work hard to maintain my rhythm and eagerness to push forward with the story. I cannot afford to dawdle at a particular point in the story to write up back stories for a new organization or a character like I usually would. Sometimes I would even get stumped thinking of the perfect names for the more significant characters.

I hope I can focus on my writing and win this year rather than aiming for a perfect draft.

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Unbelieveable by Craig David

Always said I would know where to find love
Always thought I’d be ready and strong enough
But some times I just felt I could give up
But you came and changed my whole world now
I’m somewhere I’ve never been before
Now I see, what love means

It’s so unbelievable
And I don’t want to let it go
Something so beautiful
Flowing down like a waterfall
I feel like you’ve always been
Forever a part of me
And it’s so unbelievable to finally be in love
Somewhere I’d never thought I’d be

In my heart, in my head, it’s so clear now
Hold my hand you’ve got nothing to fear now
I was lost and you’ve rescued me somehow
I’m alive, I’m in love you complete me
And I’ve never been here before
Now I see, what love means

When I think of what I have, and this chance I nearly lost
I cant help but break down, and cry
Ohh yeah, break down and cry

Now I see, what love means

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1. Nikon FM3A

This is my favourite film SLR in terms of looks. I have never used it but I’ve heard praises being heaped on the FM3A. You can find it in mint or very good condition on ebay but due to the popularity of this model, the prices are pretty high. Higher than I’m willing to fork out at the time of writing this article.

2. Konica Auto S3 and Konica C35 FD

My favourite compact rangefinder. It has a fast lens and it is very easy to use. The only other compact rangefinder that comes close is the Minolta Hi-Matic 7SII. The Konica lets you shoot in shutter priority while the Minolta has both aperture-priority and shutter-priority. The Minolta has greater flexibility but I already own the rare black version of the Hi-Matic 7SII, hence I’m only listing the Konica.
I have an Auto S3 but it’s not in ideal condition and I passed it to my brother since he’s started to be interested in film photography. The C35 FD is the same in all aspects, except in name, as the Auto S3. The C35 FD was made for sale in Japan only while the Auto S3 was the international version of the same camera. I would like to get my hands on good conditions of these cameras for my growing collection.

3. Leica M3

There are other more advanced rangefinder cameras out there but I would like my first Leica to be the M3. It uses the modern Leica M mount but it’s not priced what I would want to invest in a camera. Just a note, I would definitely get an M9 or its successor if I want a digital rangefinder. I’m sticking to film cameras only on this list.

4. Pentax K1000

This camera has a strong following among film users and I can see why. It has a simple design and the camera just gets out of the way and let you concentrate on shooting. It’s definitely something I would want to add to my collection. The only drawback is the K mount. I don’t have any lenses for the mount and while they can be found cheap on eBay, I’m not sure if I would want to branch into another lens system. There’s always the option of using adapters for lenses of other mounts so I’m keeping this on the list for now.

5. Yashica Electro CC

It’s not a camera I would use often but it’s one I would want in my collection. The Konica Auto S3 is smaller and feels better in my hands. And I prefer to travel light when I do my photo walks.

6. Yashica Electro GX

This is the more advanced version of the Electro CC. I have not tried using it so I won’t comment on how it compares to the Konica Auto S3.

7. Yashica Mat-124G

The first TLR that I would like to own. I’m just waiting for the right time to purchase one.

8. Ricoh GR21

This is a legendary super-wide compact. It is ideal for street photography. This camera has a cult status among film shooters. It is very rare and when it dose appear in the used market, the price is insane.

9. Ricoh GR1V

The GR1V has a faster lens than the GR21 but it’s not as wide. It’s a legendary camera nonetheless and I would love to have one of these in my collection. Like the GR 21, the cult status of this camera makes it priced outrageously high in the used market.

More to come

There are many other film cameras that I would like to get but these are the top 9 at the moment.

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