Big Boys Toys

People say boys never grow up…. mainly because they will always have their toys. When I’m not busy being a manic-depressive-mentally-unstable-obscure-writer, or all-in-one-jack-of-all-trades-engineer-cum-salesman-cum-office-boy, I’m usually busy being a typical guy drooling and fantasizing over his favourite Victoria Secret Model IT gadget / toy….For me.. it’s mostly cameras, computers and mobile phones… Here’s the typical monologue I have with myself...

*WARNING: GEEK TALK BELOW*

9.30am : [Wake Up] I am SO going to get the new Nikon D3100 with 18~55mm zoom lens. And the 35mm f1.8 AFS..

10.30am : Just saw a few unboxing and review videos on youtube of the D3100.. AWESOMENESS! [Salivating]

10.40am : Nikon said available mid September… How come its not available at stores yet? [Impatient]

10.45am : [Checking out Shashinki] WOW, D90 prices have dropped because of the new D7000! Maybe I should get the D90 instead… Hmm….

11.00am : WHATS THIS?! D3000 selling for RM1700 plus only? O.M.G… maybe I should just get that…and wait… D5000 is only 2400 plus.. and has a swivel screen! That’s not bad too! [Start of headache]

11.05am : D3000 has no video and live view… But I don’t really want that.. or do I?

11.06am : Maybe I should just get a cheap body and buy better lenses. Ken Rockwell did say that the camera doesn’t matter.

11.07am : But Ken Rockwell ALSO said that the D3000 is hopeless and recommends the D5000 instead.

11.08am : But that cool Afro Hair guy, along with everyone else, says Ken Rockwell is an idiot.

11.09am : Yes, Ken Rockwell is an idiot.

11.30am : Ken Rockwell is a genius.

11.31am : Nope… Idiot…

11.32am : Ok… Maybe he’s an idiotic genius….

12.00pm : Haha… this FroKnowsPhoto dude is cool… I like that he gets his grandma involved. Maybe I should get an afro hair too.

1.00pm : OK, FroKnowsPhot dude is officially the coolest photographer I’ve ever come across…

2.00pm : So OK, let me try to summarize….

D3000 is better than what Ken Rockwell says, and its dirt cheap… and rightfully I SHOULD be able to take good pictures since its still a DSLR… But no live view, so the wifey may find it hard to use.

D5000 has a good CMOS sensor and a swivel screen, but external controls are limited… image quality same as the D90…Everythings seems half baked..

D90 is the uber choice.. old model, but solid body, great design, pentaprism viewfinder, commander mode on flash, sturdy.. not to mention so cool to carry around… but can’t afford it… and its HEAVY.

D3100… best bet still… new sensor, better controls, new Expeed 2 processor, good low noise performance, programmable function button! And affordable! But damn its taking so long to come out.. plus should I buy it without reading the reviews first?

Ken Rockwell gives practical advice, but is somewhat a genius bordering idiot. But he has won awards, so you can’t say he doesn’t know his stuff…

Jared Polin of FroKnowsPhoto is like…. super cool with his Afro hair. But he tells everyone to shoot in RAW.. permanently.. which I’m totally against…

Hmmm…..

3.00pm : What’s this? Canon EOS1000D selling for RM1588?? WTF?!!! That’s SO CHEAP! Maybe I should get that? And that 550D… man.. that looks pretty good.

3.05pm : But Canon doesn’t have Nikon’s cool 35mm f1.8 lens… which with after crop factor.. really makes it a 50mm equivalent…which is PERFECT… Hmmmm…. But Nikon takes out the focusing motor on the entry level cameras.... forcing everyone to buy their AF-S lenses….In some sense.. Nikon is EVIL..

3.20pm : [Reads the 35mm f1.8 lens review for the 10th time] I’m SO going to get this lens!!!

3.30pm : Nah, screw you Canon! It’s Nikon for me baby!!!

3.45pm : [OK, I so need to get back to work]

5.00pm : You know what….. forget about it. I’m not buying a camera. I shouldn’t. I should just learn how to be happy with my cute little Lumix…. after all, it’s working just fine, it has great zoom (x18 baby!), it has served me well….. and its really really small…

5.30pm : Ya. Just use the Lumix till it gives way. After all, it’s the PERSON who takes the pictures, not the camera. If I can’t take good pictures on this camera, it ain’t gona happen on a better one either. I should just let go of this obsession with DSLRs… [Contemplating + Headache]

6.00pm : [Moment of major life decision] *sniff sniff* Good bye dream.. I’m letting you go… Maybe some day I’ll have pockets deep enough and skills worthy enough… but for now… I can’t afford to have you in my life…. oh Digital Single Lens Reflex…Goodbye!

6.01pm : [Instant U-Turn] But damn.. the Lumix is hopeless in low light la..… noise levels are unbearable… and the depth of field… too wide.. Can’t do any bokeh… Can’t blur backgrounds…I think I STILL need a DSLR leh!!! I just want good pictures, not too much to ask kua… Even a clanky old D80 will do lah!

6.02pm : [Resurrecting the dream] Welcome back dream! It’s alive! It’s alive! Hallelujah! Aduh... =_=”

11.00pm : [Going to sleep] I am SO going to get the new Nikon D3100 with 18~55mm zoom lens. And the 35mm f1.8 AFS..

[Repeat next day...]

I swear I’ve gone through this thought pattern like……..a hundred times.

But it’s nothing new really… I confuse myself on a daily basis…

(If you don’t understand a word I typed.. don’t panic… it’s really just camera talk)