Saturday, May 16, 2009

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.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

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.