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I’ve been having a string of bad lucks when it comes to digital cameras.

First, I had my one-year-old pocket-sized Sony T9 stolen. At least I thought it was stolen.
Actually I had carelessly misplaced the camera and couldn’t find it for a month. By the time I found it, I had already stupidly forked out cash for a Sony T10 to replace it. D’oh! So I ended up having two similar Sony cameras side by side.
I had plans to sell off my old T9, but then my brand new Sony T10 was stolen.

It was New Year’s Eve and I was out partying in crowded places. My camera was clipped on to my belt. One moment I was happily snapping photos of my buddies, next moment, it was gone. 🙁
It sucks bad enough that your camera is stolen. but when your 2-month-old baby is stolen – damn, that sucks even worse than an Electrolux vacuum cleaner.

I couldn’t get over the fact that I lost a new camera. My impulse told me to immediately get another Sony T10 to fix my broken heart. But then I have a slim camera in my arsenal already, so why add another similar one to it?
After a bit of research, I decided to spend a bit more to jack up my weapon to a larger digital SLR instead.

This is the Nikon D40 dSLR camera I bought for myself a few weeks ago.
I went for a Nikon because almost everyone I know who are serious about their photography uses a Nikon. Even the people who depends on their camera to fed them like Joyce Wong, Kid Chan, and Alvin Leong all shoot with a Nikon.

The camera isn’t yet available in Kuching. I got mine from a shop at Sungai Wang Plaza in KL, and even then many shops there have already sold out the Nikon D40. Some even jacked up their prices unreasonably high just to piss potential customers off. Dammit I hate people like that.
There’s a reason for this camera’s popularity. The Nikon D40 is the smallest and lightest digital SLR camera on the market. It is also the most affordable, which is good for cheapskates like me.

Previously, if you want a dSLR you gotta be prepared to pay a starting price of around RM3,000. The Nikon D40 comes with a price tag of less than RM2,200 and comes bundled with a camera bag and a 1GB SD card.

Look at how good the camera is. This shot is taken with a Sony T9.
Compare that with a similar shot taken blow with the Nikon D40.

There’s really no comparison between the two. The dSLR is in a whole different league of its own. Image quality-wise, the Nikon D40 is leaps and bounds ahead of any camera I have ever owned.
I especially like its ability to focus so quick and so good.

On the downside, the Nikon D40 is so freaking humungous that I cannot possibly carry it around everywhere I go.

Where am I gonna hide this camera, man? In my pocket?
Still, I’m taking this baby whenever I can and learning it slowly. Right now, there are too many manual controls that a casual photographer like me are clueless of and would have to take time to figure out.
What “shutter speed” what “aperature priority”? I catch no ball.

It’s an expensive hobby lah, this whole photography thing. I don’t even have aspirations to be a professional photographer. I just wanna take better pictures than I currently do.
The good this about having a SLR is that when my photography skillz go from n00b to l33t, the option to upgrade the camera is there.

I can even zhng my camera with different types of lens!
Here are a few more reasons why an SLR camera kicks bigger arse than a normal digital camera.
1. An SLR camera takes a lot better pictures.

In Malaysia, ‘Dilarang Membuang Sampah’ means ‘You’re welcome to chuck your rubbish here anyhow you like’

Even a rubbish dump looks good when it’s taken with an SLR camera.
You don’t see professional photographers for magazines or weddings going around snapping photos with pissy Sony T10s. They all use big black cameras. The BIGGER the camera, the BETTER. And if you’re not using your BIG camera to take pictures, you can always use it to hit people.

2. You look way cooler holding an SLR camera.

And chicks are gonna dig you.
Why? Because an SLR camera is big. And chicks dig guys who carry around a big equipment.

3. You can go to concerts or events for free by dressing up as a reporter.

The security aren’t gonna know diddly squat about cameras. They’ll just think people who hold small cameras are fanboys trying to harrass the celebrities and those who hold big cameras are reporters trying to do their jobs. Instead of getting chased away by angry burly men, you can sneak into the restricted zones and take up-close photos of the celebrities as much as you like. After all, you’re just a reporter “doing your job”, right? 😉 Hur hur hur.
(Disclaimer: kennysia.com does not encourage sneaking into concerts. Please seek your mommy’s permission before you do so. kennysia.com will not be held liable for any damages, including damages done to your face when you’re caught by security)

4. Finally, your subjects are happier if you take pictures of them with an SLR camera.
Last time, if you use a normal camera to shoot them, they would say NO.


Now, if you use an SLR camera to shoot them, they pose for you!

Such is the power of a dSLR camera.

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