Upgrade or Downgrade

I have no idea on how did I end up with such topic. Hahaha. Seriously. So upon browsing Facebook, one of my favorite concert photographer went live on her birthday and it's been a while since I read updates from her and since I'm also busy with reality, I fail to get real time updates from people I follow. 

I wasn't able to watch her live but I saw it hours later, she  unbox her new camera and lenses. I'm aware that she already switched gear a year ago or two but I never know or read anywhere on why I just thought that it was just another work or a sponsored one, until I saw her video. 

She totally switched from Canon to Sony. She explained why she did and it wasn't a sponsored one well maybe at some point it is but she also believe in the product so it's also a personal decision. I was somehow sold and tried to do some research about the new camera line of Sony again after years.

I, on other hand switched from a Sony point and shoot to a Canon DSLR. Well it wasn't a total switch since it's more of upgrading than switching. I decided to upgrade for a lot of reason but I also ditch Sony since their early cybershot series have a vibrating problem and from my own experience, the issue with the zoom when zooming in it zoomed out and vice-versa or sometimes it doesn't work. 

One of my favorite blogger uses a Sony A series and I continue to wonder why but her photos are so good that "what is your camera" usually end up on the comment section of every post. 

It's been years since I upgraded and nowadays everyone is ditching the SLR ideas since it's heavy, it's hard to bring every now and then most especially during travels, there's no zoom in or out unless you are carrying a zoom lens. Mirrorless are the thing now and because of curiosity, I just look at the price of some popular like the Lumix or FujiFilm even before having the knowledge of the magical upgrade of Sony. 

Another person that switched was a YouTube vlogger that I just started to follow and she also total switched from Canon to Sony. She laid out her reasons and for a moment I'm sold. Hahaha

I'm thinking of switching or adding up another point or shoot with my DSLR maybe later this year or next year but the bigger problem was, I'm not usually out and about to have beautiful scenery in front of me but I'm really considering getting a Sony soon or not. lol. One more problem is, should I keep my Canon SLR or not? but I love shooting manually! Huge problem but I don't know yet. We'll see if I will switched or upgrade. Or I can still have both then figure it out later. Better have both worlds than nothing. :)

"Don't stop capturing those moments"

Double Check

When I discovered how to use Ebay late last year and when I already know how usually we can get an international package, I ordered not too much but I already bought several items from all over the place and I was never asked to pay more than 100PHP ($2.30) on the post office until the arrival of my Canon 24mm where I was charged 1,135PHP ($26).

The box says it all, its a Canon 24mm lens and I was surprised that it was already on different box sealed with a PHL POST tape not an international box when this came from Korea. I want to compare it with a used Dr. Martens that I bought from UK (which I haven't blog about) that is literally much heavier/bigger and a little bit more expensive than this lens but I was never taxed more than 100PHP. 

I'm not against on charging me more than 100PHP but it's also a bit funny and annoying at the same time most especially if I already received a huge box than this. Maybe because it's Canon but dang it the Dr. Martens (Bethan) cost more than this lens. Haha. Even it was already used but still, used docs usually have bigger value. 

I don't know on how they compute taxes and all but if it's because of the price then it's reasonable but if you will just depend on the box itself or even on the country where it is from, then they should have some reality check. 

Dr Martens (Bethan)

For now, I'm really done shopping because it's time to save up.

Happy GoPro

Too many life events from the past months that I wish I already have a GoPro but unfortunately, I have to wait and hopefully, there will be worth documenting on. When I got the GoPro mid November, my work life had been super busy. I tried in a couple of events but it just doesn't feel right to use it yet.

I got it at youpoundit because they gave a 1000 pesos off and I also got myself the 3-way just because I need it and I think I don't need any other monopod for it.

Thank you to youpoundit team and for delivering it personally. sorry if I haven't sent any feedback to you because of my busy work life but I'm happy with it. :)) THANK YOU!!! 

Hopefully, there will be an event where its worth it to be documented. Dang, if I have a car, I'll put one mount to it so I can document my road trip moments.

I can't wait to use it on something exciting and I'm still on the process of knowing it. Our status is still complicated. Haha

Happy Birthday to me!

Flashback Friday . Film Camera

I posted before about my film cameras and unfortunately, the Hello Kitty doesn't work but I'm 100% that the Canon Prima BF-800 is working. I look up to some people who are doing photography as a hobby and over the years even the technology is being high-tech now there will always some people that will choose film photography over the digital.

The digital is a blessing that you can take so many photos as you want as long as you have a huge GB of memory card unlike the films if you have 24 or 36 shots then you better control what are you capturing unless you have a lots of film in your bag.

The film that's on my camera now is my 3rd, unfortunately the first was a mess but my 2nd roll was developed couple of weeks ago and I'll put some on this post. I scanned most of it and here's a link. My mom said that I just wasted $4 but I'm not regretting it I just need to master how to use it and I should calculate the right distance when using it so most of the photos will not be a blur. It doesn't have a macro that's for sure so I think all I need to capture with that are landscape and not to use it when I want details. I still have my 600D if I want details and sometimes when not in her epileptic days, my TX5 is still good. But I'm dying to have a GoPro hopefully on my birthday. I think that's a good choice rather a new digital camera. I'm thinking if I'll sell my TX5 but I don't know if I can let go of that.  

Before I type too many unrelated stuff, here's some of the photos
    

you can also check the others here

"Some will never use it again but its a nice breather"    

Prime . Zoom and Filters

Its been a year with my 600D and it was a very long journey. I love having my camera with me on special occasion even though its heavy and bulky but at the same time I'm having a love and hate relationship with my kit lens which is 18-55mm.

Fortunately, my uncle own a couple of lens and I already experienced using a 50mm 1.8 and a 18-200mm but its also time to own a zoom and a prime. In a span of a year, I know what I'm going to get because I feel so upset couple of times for just having a 18-55mm and luckily DB Gadgets offers lenses that its cheaper than anywhere else.

Prime . 40mm aka pancake lens

I read couple of reviews about this and its a good to go lens than the 50mm 1.8 but still the nifty-fifty is on my list. 

you can check my photographs using this lens here.

Zoom . 55-250mm

I was a bit confused if I should get this or the 75-300mm but once you hit that on google, people will advice you to get the 55-250 rather than the 75-300. And I listened to them and because of IS since its a very big factor when it comes to the pictures.

Wheel of Filters from Photojojo that I purchased via Californila

If you know the story in here then you'll know what I'm pointing out when I got this despite of buying any lomo camera because its a little out of my budget as well as the film and developing part but I admire lomo users and I'm still have one film camera.

If you want to check my photographs using the filters, you can check it here

You can read on how I got the Wheel of Filters here

I got the 40mm and 55-250mm and my 600D from DB Gadgets

"If your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough" - Robert Capa

Californila Experience

Yes, you read that right, "Californila" means California to Manila. As on what I've read, they are a previous online store in Multiply and they just upgraded they're service into a magical one.

I saw them when I was browsing my newsfeed on facebook and one of my friends liked their page and I just starting to read the stuff on their website. Usually, I don't want to entertain myself with those kind of services because I'm afraid but I started to ask questions via e-mail and I've decided to get (probably) the stuff that I'm dying to have lately. There are these options if you want to use your credit card or you will let them bought the items for you using their credit card. The shipping is cheap but its also depends on the size of the things that you bought and I believe that 5-7 weeks (via sea cargo) of waiting is bearable if you really wanted the product (yeah, I know the waiting game sucks but it will be worth it once you got the product or maybe shift your shipping details to air cargo for it will arrive in 1-2weeks!)

Of course there are some rules to follow but they are very accommodating (I can't mention names because they're probably not one person who access their e-mail so...) I asked a lot of questions before I ordered my thing and every question was answered.

I ordered my stuff around October 22nd then my 2 items arrived at their address just in time and just because I think it was magical since it was the 'United States' where most of your stuff can be ordered on the internet and just wait for a few days or pay more for it to be shipped within 24 hours.

Here's the actual process that I did:

Sample product: a Dr. Martens boots (there are a lot of website that sells Dr. Martens but if your buying on a different site rather than on their own website, there are limited style that's available and prices will be either cheaper or not)

Step 1: email the link of the item you really wanted and they will give you estimate of how much it will cost you if you want to use your own credit card or you will use theirs.

Step 2: if your order is final and you already got the full estimate bill including the shipping that you choose and size of your product, you can now deposit to their bank account

Step 3: after depositing, they need a proof so, send them a picture of your deposit slip (of course it depends if you will use their credit card or if you'll use your own)

Step 4: As soon as they received the proof that you already pay the half of your bill, they will e-mail you the address and other information you need and you can now order the item (if you choose to use your own credit card) but I think if you're going to use theirs, then probably they will order it after they got your e-mail with the down payment

Step 5: the waiting game. Waiting for the product that you bought to arrive in their address for a few days since its the 'United States'. Lol

Step 6: when your item arrive, they will give you some heads up and probably the worst because they make you so excited, they send you a picture of your order! Haha

Step 7: another waiting game. Waiting for mostly the other orders to arrive in their California address then it will already be shipped to Manila.

Step 8: weeks of waiting game. 1-2 weeks if via air and 5-7 weeks if via sea

Step 9: once your order arrived in their QC address, they will send you a message that your order is finally in Manila and you have to pay your balance so it will be shipped on your house or you can also have meet ups or pick it up on QC.

Step 10. Enjoy what you bought. :D

~

If I'm going to give you advice on shopping internationally, just pick something that isn't available in here. When I browse the internet and when all of this website that I'm subscribing via e-mail, I do check reviews, I research if it is available in local stores/online stores and if not then go for it but if its available then don't go for it you can always have a time to check it on your own in the mall and some online stores do really have a cheaper price compared to mall prices. But the US websites usually have a gift code where you can score discounts and some have on-sale products for weeks!      

As on what I bought, I posted this wishlist couple of months ago and I'm really dying to have it. And since I think I need a black sneakers, this one is so perfect and since I think it will never be available in here, I decided to get it.

Vans Sk8-Hi Platform!!!!!!! I bought this product on Karmaloop (my somehow favorite website right now)

~

As crazy as I am and I don't care if you call me weird or if its pathetic, I don't care. Meet my DSLR wheel of filters!

as on my previous post , instead of getting a lomo camera (I know there's still a lot difference) but since I'm on a budget, I decided to get this. I got this on (my new favorite camera accessory store) Photojojo.com

Before they shipped it out, my aunt ask me if I know the very famous right now the 'Cookie Butter' (duh of course I know it) she want to order so I added her order and the staff of Californila is so good that they let me add some 4 jars of cookie butter last minute without asking me to deposit again because the first deposit was just 1/4 of what my total bill was.

I already tried the Krispy Kreme Cookie Butter edition but I think tasting the one that came from the jar itself is different.

Honestly, my product was going to arrive in the first week of December but last November 9, 2013, I received a text message that my order is already here in Manila. (I think an order was shipped via air and my order was just so lucky to be in it) Thank you guys! :)

I'm happy that I tried it and I will definitely will use their service again next year. :) I'm actually planning already what to buy! Hahaha (actually, I used their service again and I'm just waiting for my stuff to arrive and I'll blog about it once I got the products)

I will recommend them to my friends and of course to you too if you want to shop in the US and you're here in Manila.

Enjoy shopping!

To the whole Californila team, thank you so much for doing this kind of service and thank you for always answering my questions. More power to you guys. :)

"Its hard to find when you're looking" - Criminal Minds S08E23

Flashback Friday . Camera

Since I'm falling in love with photography every single day (unfortunately, no time to shoot once in a while.....)

Do you remember the questions in your head: if it was captured after you pressed the shutter button? If it is clear (does anybody care if a photo was blurred or not before?), nervous that your group picture was not so good, and lastly, what if you ran out of films?

If you once used a film camera before this world turned to digital, you probably know what I'm talking about.

As everyone is upgrading to digital, most especially the DSLR, some are going back to what our parents or what we didn't experienced around. Lomo cameras are very in right now as well as polaroid, the instax mini and somehow, the film cameras.

I always wanted to try lomo cameras but there's only one effect on each camera like the fish eye, it doesn't do anything more than giving the picture a fish eye effect. That makes it unique but I'm not into it full time but I want one. Sadly, my mom owned a Minolta SLR (I forgot the model) with 2 lenses. I really wanted to use it but I might spend a ton if it will be fixed, I'll just buy a lens for my DSLR rather that getting it fixed and the battery of that camera isn't even double or triple A! Its the round battery that watches have and that's a little expensive... And I'm thinking of getting an instax mini (but I don't need it....)

hopefully, this guys will still work but I highly doubt the Taz and Bugs for some reason but I found something like this and its Hello Kitty and I can tell its better than this

One or two of my friends before have a polaroid camera. I hope she still have it or maybe not and hopefully, I can turn my room upside down to see our photo from that polaroid camera. As I was opening some drawers that are not used to be open in this room, I found this Jollibee disposable camera and I'm keeping it for years now and I don't know if this really works because there's no battery slot,  just for the film, no on/off button too! Last Sept. 10, Nikka ask me to go to Mega to meet hey boy Jesse and since we haven't got to spend time together for who knows how long, I agreed and mom asked me to buy some things and I decided to buy film/s.

I just really want to try film camera again, with the thrill of what's in it or what was the result and a physical copy of the pictures again.

Before I bought my own camera, I did make sure that I will get first a laptop where can I stored the pictures and after a year or two I bought my digital camera (Sony TX5) and after two years I bought my DLSR (Canon 600D). Sure we can save if we just use digital camera so we can also choose what are the pictures we want to be printed or not because we can make those pictures a wallpaper on our cellphones, tablets and computers but as I've been following Sam Desantis (who took amazing and gorgeous photos), some band members, dudes, artist, and even ordinary people, I got inspired with how they uses a disposable camera or a lomo camera.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with using digital, we can save from not printing out thousand of photos from a certain trip but there is this thrill on using a film. Old school or not, its my choice to try it once again and I can't wait! Naaaah but no trip coming so soon.... :/ 

I already put films on the Canon and on the Hello Kitty!! I'm excited for the results but I still have 20 shots left :D 

Be inspired. Don't steal. - AEivrynRV