Canon EOS 1000D (EFS 18-55mm IS Kit)

After using my Kodak CX6230 (2 Megapixels) camera for 6 years, I decided to replace it with a better camera. This time I brought an entry DSLR to satisfy my enthusiasm about photography. My Kodak camera is unable to produce the picture quality that I want and the performance is slow. Even want to take a picture, takes around 5-10 seconds to start up and the picture is often turns out to be blur and over exposed if hand shake occurs. Now, I am going to give a brief review on the camera after I have used it for almost 1 month.

There are a few camera models that I consider before I brought this camera:
1. Canon EOS 450D - have the extra of what 1000D don't have. By the way, what so special of having extra 0.5 inch of LCD screen, extra two focus points & extra two megapixels of resolution where as I can save RM1000 for that. I would think the 2.5 inch screen is sufficient to view the picture taken and may prolong the battery life if using the LIVEVIEW feature.
2. Canon Powershot G10 - More expensive that Canon EOS 1000D. Great features and performance but the picture quality still don't beat Canon 1000D. Able to capture macro photo from 1 cm distance from the object!
3. Canon Powershot SX10 IS - Great optical zoom at 24X. It will cost a bomb to have that range of zoom in DSLR but again the image quality fall short. It is as big as DSLR and weight almost like DSLR but for extra RM200, I can get REAL DSLR.
4. Nikon 60D - Good in capturing landscape and not comparable to Canon in low light area. Heard about poor after sales support.
5. Nikon 80D - Over budget.
6. Sony Alpha 200 - Really cheap (around RM1600) but picture quality is not good (many bad reviews on the net) and the lens selection is limited. Plus the body is too plastic and it is made in China. Uses CF memory cards.
7. Olympus E-420 - Cheap but Olympus makes the biggest mistake by only supporting their own x-D memory cards. Its hard to download the pictures into PC as most PC still don't support that kind of cards and I would think this type of card is more expensive as it is produced by Olympus.

Why I choose Canon 1000D?
-Great picture quality compared to other brands of the same value/class. Great after sales support when compared to Nikon.
-Many good lenses to choose from. Famous for their high end quality L lenses. The most notable is the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS.
-Attended many press conference and majority of journalist holds canon DSLR.
-Received good reviews after I survey it from a few websites.
-Support SD and new SDHC cards.
-Suits my budget level. I brought it for RM1999 with 4GB SDHC & Bag.
-They produced many EFS budget level lens which the quality is good and with image stablizer.

Spec:
-10.2 megapixels.
-comes with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit.
-Can shoot in full auto and creative modes.
-Burst mode.
-Self cleaning sensor unit.
-Support SDHC cards.

My review:
-Good performance. I took most of my Penang trip photos in a van and the quality is still good even in shaky condition.
-Colour is vibrant.
-Low noise level.
-Easy to use and light weight in its class.
-Good food photos.


Canon 1000D.

Box.

Another angle.

Exotic food stall (Keong Kei) @ Jalan Thambi Dollah, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur

This place is quite popular for their herbal soup and exotic meat such as squirrel, lizard and wild boar curry. It is quite popular and it is usually full by 7pm. Make sure to come here early if you wish to get a table.

Taste:9/10(Delicious. Their wild boar curry is the main attraction here. The curry in not overly spicy, almost like rendang style and the gravy is fragrant. Their secret ingredient makes the meat not smell like wild boar. Good stuff to eat with bread! The herbal soup in coconut shell is good also. The sour vegetable with lizard meat is a disappointment. Too much vegetables and just two small pieces of lizard meat. I would also recommend their braised mutton with bean curd. Definitely I will come again).
Price:7/10(Moderate. All the dishes shown below is priced at RM34).

This eating stall is just located opposite of Shaw Parade in Jalan Thambi Dollah.

Non-Halal


Herbal soup in coconut shell.

Old cucumber soup.

Their wild boar curry is superb.

My friend can't wait of having his old cucumber soup while I snapping pictures.

Sour vegetables with lizard meat. Not worth for your bucks.

This braised mutton I take away home. The looks is not nice but it taste good though.

GPS/Coordinate: 3.140366, 101.712394
Address: Road side stall opposite Shaw Parade, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.

Teochew Cendol Stall @ Penang Road, Penang

Taste:9/10(Great dessert and delicious. The cendol is not too sweet and it is just nice. The balanced mixture of coconut milk and pandan taste of cendol. My colleagues not only have one but two bowls!).
Price:8/10(Cheap. Each bowl of cendol sells at RM1.70).


Wow, world's famous chendul.

Cendol. So tempting.

ABC.

ABC.

Cendol shop decoration.

Madam Kwan's @ Midvalley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur

This is my fourth time to Madam Kwan's outlet and so far it has been providing a satisfying experience and good tasting food.

Taste:9/10(Delicious. For me their beef rendang is superb. Not rubbery and quite tender and flavourful. Their nasi lemak is among the best but beware of the big portion and the 'lemak' that you need to indulge (previous visit). Their mushroom chicken rice is also good with succulent chicken and mushroom).
Price:3/10(Expensive but you get the quality and taste. Nasi lemak is priced at RM14.50, beef and chicken satay at MYR13.90, beef rendang at RM13.60 & mushroom chicken rice at RM15.70. The price however is subject to 10% service tax and 5% government tax).


Malaysian satay with mixture of beef and chicken.

Beef rendang.

Mushroom chicken rice. Portion is not that big but it tastes good.

Mushroom chicken rice with soup.

Chilli & ginger with sesame oil. Goes very well with the mushroom chicken rice.

This is what I have with my mom in Madam Kwan's.

GPS/Coordinate: 3.117909, 101.677031
Address: F-052 Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Beard Papa's @ Midvalley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur

Beard Papa's is a Japanese company founded in 1999. Their slogan is "Fresh'n natural cream puffs."

Taste:8/10(Good. I like the cold cream inside the puff. With strong eggs taste and the cream is quite smooth, not too sweet and not greasy).
Price:4/10(Near expensive. This small cream puff will cost you RM3.80 per piece).


Beard Papa's cream puff.

Vanila flavour cream puff.

Assam laksa @ Genting Cafe, Penang

Taste:9/10(Delicious. Among the best assam laksa I ever had. The prawn paste, pineapple, noodles & the fish soup is fantastic!)
Price:8/10(Cheap. RM2.50 per bowl. One bowl is not enough. I had it two just to satisfy my taste bud and hunger).

This cafe is located at Greenlane, Penang.


This is how the coffee shop look like.

The laksa stall.

Delicious assam laksa.

After stirred...

Address: Lorong Delima 3, 11700 Penang, Malaysia.

Sweet Chat Cafe @ Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur

Taste:7/10(Moderate. The taste of the tong sui is good and the peanut aroma makes it stand out).
Price:4/10(Near expensive. The food shown set me back RM18. It is just for light snacks only).


Located at ground floor Berjaya Times Square.

Herbal Treasure soup.

Tuna toast, chicken toast & scone.

Dessert (Tong Sui).

Cendol Stall @ Banting

Taste:8/10(Delicious. The cendol taste just nice. Not too sweet and the red bean is good).
Price:9/10(Cheap. Sells at RM1 per bowl).

This stall is located in a car park compound near Banting Public Bank.


Traditional way of making cendol.

Mouth watering cendol.

Gadget Man's House

A visit to my friend's house is indeed amazing. He has many interesting collections which he collected over the years. No wonder he is nearly five decade old but still single. He has so many hobbies to involve in but no time to proceed it...


Flim based Nikon camera.

Flim based Nikon SLR. No one want to use these camera nowadays as it cost a lot for the flim and the result is not instant when compared with DSLR.

Sheaffer pen collections.

Mini private library. Book worm!

Coca-cola from many countries.

The sound produced by these records are amazing. Even better than modern high-end model CD or DVD player.

Nyonya porcelien.

Back to the good old days.

Nikon camera manual. Properly framed and wrapped.

Car model collections.

Shell long service award madellion. Can see here: 15, 20, 25 & 30 years!

Private home theather system room!

Viking seafood restaurant @ Kampung Permatang Pasir, Banting

To come to this restaurant is quite an adventure. No only it is located 46km away from Klang town, the road towards the restaurant is quite narrow. However, it is worth by the taste of the food served and the quality. The seafood is fresh and the service is fast.

Taste:9/10(Delicious. The special dishes here is their soft shell crab which can be eaten whole. The crab is deep fry and taste quite good).
Price:8/10(Cheap. The price is very reasonable and the portion is quite large. Eight person with eight dishes only damage us around RM200).

No pork served.


Scallop.

Long shell type of lala.

Sweet potato leaf.

Steamed lala.

Sweet and sour mantis prawn.

Claypot taufu seafood soup.

Steamed fish.

Prawn rolls.

Soft shell crab.

Soft shell crab on my rice!

Fresh dragon fruit. Grown in Banting.

Signboard leading to the restaurant.

This is how the restaurant look like.

GPS/Coordinate: 2.829462, 101.423384 (approximate)
Address: Pengkalan Nelayan, Kg. Permatang Pasir, 42700 Banting, Selangor
Telephone: 03-31202393