My fancy for photography just went up a notch last Saturday when I purchased my first single lens reflex (SLR) camera. Since I was on a tight budget (P30,000), I looked into the pool of entry level SLR digital cameras but took careful note of a friend’s advice, to invest on lens and other accessories. That way, if you upgrade in the future, you can still use the lens and accessories.THE CHOICE. The battle of the entry level SLR digicam was a toss between Nikon D40 and Canon 400D. The big differentiator was the weight and the price. The D40 weighed 475 gms while the 400D weighed 510 gms. The weight weenie in me is at work. The 400D has its advantages like 10MP compared to the 6MP of D40 but I won't be needing extra MPs or megapixels.
THE PRICE. I got the D40 unit for a bargain price of P 23,000 and the package includes a camera bag and a 2GB multimedia card worth about P 2,000. Before finally making my purchase, I surfed the net for great bargains and found some but the catch is the shops are all based in the US and shipping would be a problem. In our beloved Pinas, D40s sell for P35,000 in malls and authorized Nikon dealers. In Hong Kong, the range is about P40,000 but that includes a 200 mm Nikon lens which cost about P 9,000.
THE STORE. I got mine at the “camera capital of the Philippines” in Hidalgo St., Quiapo, Manila. The lucky store was Mayer Photo. We went to other stores but Mayer had the best bargain for D40s. The location is not the cleanest or safest in the neighborhood but what the heck, for savings of at least P10,000, I’d go there anytime!
THE NEXT STEP. Just like a little boy with a new toy, I played around my new gadget the whole Saturday night. I read the manual from cover to cover but have yet to apply what I read. The next step is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE!
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