Given that my last post was back in late 2009, it seemed high time that I actually made use of this blog. So here goes.

The picture above shows a pair of film SLR cameras that belonged to my dad; a Fujica AX-1 and Asahi-Pentax ES II. I just picked up a Canon EOS 550D about a month ago, while those two actually came back to Singapore with me after the Chinese Lunar New Year get together back in February. According to my old man, the pair are about as old as I am, having bought them around the time I was born.

While I do edit the top tech magazine in Singapore, I’ll be the first to admit that my skill set doesn’t reach far into photography. Yes, I used to own a string of Canon Ixus compacts since the Ixus V2, and my other compact is the Panasonic Lumix LX3. At this stage, you could classify me as the classic gear whore; owns some damn good stuff, but hasn’t done anything noteworthy since aside from going “Oh yea, I have that one as well”. My Flickr Pro account is evidence enough; one or two half decent shots by my standards, and everything else is pretty much meh. I’m no film user either, and opening the film loading bays of the Pentax and Fujica cameras above took me more than a few minutes to figure out.

So what better way to really start getting into photography than going back to the basics?

Both the Fujica and the Pentax were in pretty bad shape. The shutter seemed jammed on both, while fungus had taken up residence just about anywhere there was glass. Better yet, when visiting the Camera Hospital at Sunshine Plaza earlier today on the recommendation of Lucas, the store owner found that the pentaprisms(?) on both cameras were borked. Replacements go for about S$180 each, not counting the fee for cleaning and servicing the cameras. So I decided to just get the Pentax fixed first, and leave the Fujica for another day when I have extra cash to spare.

This more or less means I won’t be picking up a Sony PS3 anytime soon for my growing stash of Blu-ray movies, but getting down with photography might not be a bad decision after all.

Camera: Nokia N82, Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200), Aperture: f/2.8, Focal Length: 5.6 mm, ISO Speed: 100, Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

This shot was up a cliff at Tanahlot, Bali, where one of Bali’s seven sea temples is located. Also happens to be quite the popular tourist trap too.

Camera: Sony DSLR-A700, Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20), Aperture: f/6.3, Focal Length: 250 mm, ISO Speed: 800, Exposure Bias: +0.7 EV, Flash: Auto, Did not fire

Taken at Pier 39, San Francisco, a group of seals laze around under the watchful gaze of a solitary seagull in the early hours of the evening.

Camera: Canon PowerShot G9, Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25), Aperture: f/4, Focal Length: 29.2 mm, ISO Speed: 200, Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV, Flash: Flash did not fire

Closeup of Jason Wade, Lifehouse frontman, during a Nokia event held sometime in 2008. Out of the fifty or so shots I took of him in this position, this was the only one that came usable.

Camera: Sony DSLR-A700, Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50), Aperture: f/5.6, Focal Length: 110 mm, ISO Speed: 800, Exposure Bias: +1 EV, Flash: Auto, Did not fire

Taken at the furthermost edge of Pier 39, San Francisco, you can just make out the outline of Alcatraz island right behind the seagull.