2/12/11

Love Affair With Cameras

That's me: shooting with the Nikon FM10 in White Island, Camiguin

For a long time now, I've had several relationships with this thing travel bloggers I know couldn't live without - cameras. It's an indispensable tool which help bring those remote destinations alive in glorious, vivid colors. Many times, the pictures alone taken by those with great talent already speak volumes for themselves. As a photo enthusiast, all I can say is, I'm still learning.

photo courtesy of Nikon USA

Most of the pictures appearing in this blog were taken with digital cameras, from point-and-shoots to DSLRs. A few, like the ones I took in Caramoan and the islands of Malapascua and Camiguin, were taken using my first and only film SLR - and my first love - the Nikon FM10. This fully-manual SLR camera taught me many basic things but sadly, we had to part as my needs changed. Talk about the digital revolution.


photo courtesy of Canon USA

The 3.2-megapixel Canon A70 was my first digital camera. Bought online from www.dell.com in May 2003, I got it for $244 at the time. The excitement of instantly seeing a picture just taken was incredible never mind if the LCD screen was a tiny 1.5 inches. The fact that I was also able to use a Compact Flash card that I could use again and again was so novel at the time. I was in digital heaven! This camera traveled with me to Palawan, Peru, Czech Republic, United Kingdom and Switzerland.

photo courtesy of Canon USA

When Canon released another camera in their G-series line - the 7.2-megapixel Canon G6, I knew this was what I needed.  This in the summer of 2004 was Canon's premier point-and-shoot and even to this day, the G-series remains formidable (it has gone up to G12!). It initially sold for $699 so I waited for months till the price went down and bought it in early 2005. The camera served me well on my jaunts to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, France and Italy.

photo courtesy of Nikon USA

My foray into DSLR began by being torn between buying a Canon or a Nikon. While I had happy memories with Canon point-and-shoots, I learned the basics from a Nikon film SLR so I eventually decided to go  back to Nikon. Luckily, the price of the 6.1-megapixel  Nikon D70s went down as it was being replaced by a newer model so I bought it online in December 2006 for $798 via www.abesofmaine.com. This first DSLR was my companion to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Hong Kong, and Batad/Sagada.

photo courtesy of Nikon USA

In February 2008, I dumped my Nikon D70s for the 10.2-megapixel Nikon D80 which at the time was also being replaced by a much newer model. In other words, I got the D80 because it had great features for a greatly reduced price. That made it an excellent upgrade. This babe shared the rigors of my adventures to Mt. Apo, Siargao, Costa Rica, India, Egypt, Morocco, Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Argentina and Chile.



Three years later, I saw this - the 16.2-megapixel Nikon D7000 - at the B&H in New York, the city's best and biggest camera store. I'm not sure if it's love at first sight but I was uneasy, excited, tachycardic. I couldn't even sleep that night. There's so much features about this drool-worthy camera that I decided  I'll be buying one for myself. My Nikon D80, just like my previous cameras, ended up being sold to B&H to augment my budget for the D7000. However, this baby is currently one very hot item - many online stores and even B&H ran out of it. So I waited. And waited. Then I finally got it. Now meet my new travel buddy. And my new love.

18 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:05:00 AM

    i fell in love with D7000 too!
    i got it as my very first DSLR inspired and driven by a senior colleague who's into photography since i was 2 years old (1978).
    now he's in charge of putting us (me and other fellow) under his tutelage in whatever he knows in this hobby called photography.

    i named my D7000 alfonso (my violin as amanda); he just turned 1 week old yesterday, btw.

    congratulations on the purchase, dennis!
    saan pang bansa pupunta ang mga paa mo at ang camerang ito? let's get it on!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! You have a long history of taking photos! I only started in 2006, when I bought my very first point and shoot, the Sony DSC-S600. It was also bought after a year of living here in Buffalo by myself, and I was so happy with the tax return money I got, so I told people my camera was courtesy of the US Department of Treasury!

    5 years later, it's getting cranky now, so I bought a better camera, still a point-and-shoot though, but a hybrid camera and more powerful, the Sony DSC-H55. This will accompany me when I go backpacking in the Visayas this May/June. I am so excited!

    I'm still learning little tricks here and there, I hope I eventually get to where you are, since your shots are marvelously awesome as evidenced by your pictures here!

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  3. Hi Nomadic! Nowadays,,I just want one who fits in my pocket and takes fairly decent pictures; I'm using the Canon G-9...

    Blogtrotter Two is showing Saint Paul de Vence! Enjoy and have a great Sunday and week ahead!!

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  4. Nikon...good choice...
    I am jealous of your D7000. I hesitated to buy it because it can do a lot more than my actual D200.
    But then I fear the body of the D7000 might not be as heavy duty as I might need.
    I am intensively using my camera in some extreme situations... so I am waiting for the replacement of the D700.
    Once you have the camera that you like... it is also worth to invest in a prime lens.
    I noticed that the lens is in fact more important than the body.

    Anyway, enjoy your D7000... as I said... I am jealous !

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  5. docgelo,
    Wow, you got a big one for a first DSLR! Bilib naman ako. Now you know how it feels to own a D7000. There's a wealth of features to explore but I'm sure, with your mentor, you'll learn more.

    Linguist-in-Waiting,
    Now that you mentioned tax refund, I do hope I'm getting something good this year to help finance an upcoming trip.
    Looks like we're headed in the same direction eh?

    Trotter,
    I have full respect for Canon's G-series - my G6 gave memorable shots too!

    Sidney,
    I had goose bumps when I saw this thing in flesh - very solidly built with a plethora of features some of which can only be found in pro-models. I agree - with a camera body this good, we need a good lens. I only have one prime, a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 so I'm still dreaming about the big ones :)

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  6. woot!
    so where are your old cameras? wala bang auction na magaganap? hehe

    i like the range, 18-105 tama? gandang walkaround. may other ka pa?

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  7. OMG---I am also a nikon user and I have been dying to have d7000 kaso in my dreams yan.hahaha.cool gadget you have.sarap!!!

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  8. I'm sure your new love will serve you well in your travels. Keep shooting and share your travel photos with us.

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  9. if i'm not mistaken they alreayd have nikon d100000 out. so quick to upgrade - so to speak.

    still frustrated that i haven't been able to get my own "macho" man named canon :)

    point and shoot canons in my opion and experience perform better than their nikon counterpart.

    ReplyDelete
  10. D7000 - when I read the reviews re this camera, nagpalpitate ako. Talagang gusto kong bumili kaagad. Buti na lang walang stocks sa Hidalgo, kundi napagastos ako ng wala sa oras. Haha.

    Sa video reviews ako nabenta sa camera na ito. I read this being used for MTVs also ng ibang mga directors.

    Ito pa din ang next na camera na inaasam asam ko soon.

    All the best sa mga kukunan in the future. Can't wait to see it.

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  11. dami mo na rin palang nagamit na camera at kamangha mangha naman talaga ang mga kuha. experience wise.

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  12. I really like the feel and look of an old film camera, it reminds me of my mother's camera that witnessed a lot of good memories since my childhood.

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  13. Chyng,
    Naku wala ng auction. Bago ako bumibili ng bago, nabenta na sa B&H yung luma. Meron akong isang prime na Nikkor 35mm f1.8, gusto ko pa sanang dagdagan wala na sa budget :(

    pusang kalye,
    When I first read about it, kinabahan ako. Mahal kasi pero alam kung gustong gusto ko ito.

    bertN,
    This will surely be traveling with me. In the meantime, I'll be doing some 'road test' in NYC.

    Photo Cache,
    Was it a typo you wrote too many zeros on a Nikon model? wala kasi noon, hehe. This model is actually perched between the D90 and the D300 in terms of features/price.

    Rizalenio,
    I haven't ventured into videography but I hope to try - I saw the ones done by Chase Jarvis using the D7000 and it's so impressive!

    dong ho,
    Thanks Dong. Coming from someone like you, it's an honor :)

    lakwatsera de primera,
    I have this pinch of regret having sold the FM10 - I could have just used it for display but then, space in a New York apartment is at a premium.

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  14. I'm drooling over your new purchase. Nowadays however, I find myself bringing along my G11 over my Canon dSLR just because I it to be too bulky for some travels. I also recently got myself an Olympus waterproof camera which I always bring and which comes in so handy when it starts to rain or when I'm anywhere near water (sea or river).

    Love your blog, by the way! I envy your travels. :-)

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  15. i'm a fairyly new owner of a nikon d3000. isn't it wonderful to live in the digital age? who knows what other technological improvements they'll come up with next?

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  16. Jenn,
    I've also contemplated on a weather-sealed point-and-shoot camera for rough trips. For now, this new baby has to learn how to walk so to speak. Thanks!

    fortuitous faery,
    For sure, something new will come out next year, most likely during the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

    Z Joya,
    talaga. hehehe. salamat.

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  17. from FM10 to D7000! Congrats!

    Ako tsaga pa rin sa S3is and D80 hehe

    ReplyDelete

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