As I blogged about Sony replacing their Alpha DSLRs as fast as changing my old stinking socks previously in May 2010, again, just one year and two months, the Alpha  α230 and  α330 will be replaced by  α290 and  α290 respectively.

Nikon D90 was announced in August 2008.  Almost two years, we still have no concrete information about D90 will be replaced anytime soon.

That’s one reason why I never like Sony Alpha.  Sony tends to replace their DSLRs as fast as compact camera, this is eventually make your investment depreciate much faster than any other competitors typically Canon and Nikon.  My first Nikon DSLR in D70 back in January 2004.  After six years, it only went two major revision. and I sold my D70 for RM1000 last year, not bad price for a five years old body, assumed I bought it at RM3,000, it depreciates at most is 66% after five years.  I doubt if I would invest in Sony Alpha, and it will get that high resell value.

Last year 24 April 2009, I blogged about the future trend of DSLR and Camcorder - Hybrid Camcorder.  It is happening now.

Sony just released its first Interchangable Lens Camcorder - Sony Handycam NEX-VG10 HD with the following features:

- Support Sony Alpha and Minota lenses (A-mount and E-mount).
- 1080p24
- 14.2 megapixel still image

The price is US$2,000 (RM6600).

Again, as I blogged about this last year, this is bad news for Canon, and nightmare for Nikon is just begun.  Canon User still have good hope as Canon has existing camcorder line; else Nikon has NO camcorder.  If I am a fresh consumer venture into DSLR or Camcorder, I will definitely go for Sony, at least all my lenses investments are interchangable between my DSLR and Camcorder.

Nikon, I hope you already prepared yourself for this tsunami

Hi Calvin

Read your comparison btwn D5000 vs D90. Good one.

I would like to ask you opinion on my first dSLR purchase (I own a film F60d before).

Actually I’m looking for a camera to take baby pictures. Since they can’t stay still and I can’t use flash on them, I need something more than a compact.

Would you consider Oly E-620/E-450? What is the latest price of D90? Should I buy with the 105mm kit lens?

Thanks Calvin.

Wong

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I received another mail from one of the readers today

Dear Calvin,

On 12 Jan 2010, I posed a question to you whether I should buy a D90 or D300s and you’ve kindly encouraged me to opt for the D90.

Well, just to inform you that I’ve bought myself the D90 recently but I did not go with your recommended Nikkor 50mm F1.8D lens.

Instead, I bought the Tamron 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 VC lens. I took your advise and bought the 16gb memory card, spare batteries, carrying case and the UV filter, as well. The dry box will be the next on my list.

I’m now shopping for a macro lens and have tested three Nikor lens:
1. AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f2.8G ED;
2. AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D; and
3. AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED.

Among the 3 lens I’ve tested, I find the Micro 105mm to be able to take the most close-up shots of pictures you intend to capture. What’s your opinion on this, Calvin?

Thanks again for your kind advise, Calvin!

Regards,
Wee Boon Han

Congratulations for owning a Nikon D90.  I am sure you will find it lots of fun playing with it,

A lens that covers 18-270 and the F3.5 dropped to F6.3, you can see the performance of this lens yourself.  The more you zoom in, you will find the image quality getting  worse and worse and to the extend at 270mm, the quality is unbearable. This lens is a day lens.  which means it can’t really perform well in indoor or at night.  Not to mention this lens covers from wide 18mm all the way to 270mm.  The sharpness is always doubtful.  In engineering point of view, it is difficult to create a zoom lens that having many moving parts inside while maintaining the sharpness of the image, not to mention covering a huge gap from 18mm (wide angle) all the way to 270mm (long range tele) which is equavalent to 15x zoom.

I encourage you to get a 50mm F1.8, not only it is cheap, it is also a great F1.8 prime lens that will be useful as a training lens.  If you set the lens at F2.8, this lens will give you an easy super sharp image compare with your existing lens, chicks will love to see those amazing quality images.

About the Macro lens. 

I remember I read the Digital Camera about a year ago about comparing the market best macro lens.  Nikon 105mm VR Macro may not be the best value-for-money macro lens, but it is surely one of the best built-quality macro lens you can buy, as a Nikon user, this is the one that you should get.

I used to own the Nikon 105mm F2.8 VR Macro.  It is a superb lens, also a great portait lens.  I sold it after I got my 70-200 F2.8 VR as I hardly use a macro lens.

Try survey around more on macro lenses, there are few other 3rd party lenses which may offer similar optical quality, more economical (compromise with the built-quality of course).  One of the issues in Digital Camera has quite details review on macro lenses in the market, I think it was one of the 2009 issues.   If you can find it, it will be great.  Good luck

Yesterday I posted about the Canon 70-200 F4 thermal mug.  Apparently there are suppliers in China selling Canon 24-105mm F4 Mug. 

You walk into Starbucks with this mug.

A Calculator Fan saw your mug and started to ask you about the mug.

“Wow! A lens mug! where you got that? How much? You use Canon too?”

“Yeah,  I converted the lens into a mug after I tried Nikon.  Should’ve done that long time ago.”

You can find the seller in http://superlemon.taobao.com

Canon Lens Mug: RM50
The facial expression from the Calculator Fan: Priceless

How many thermal mugs you got and it is free?

How many free thermal mugs you got and you actually appreciate?

Many of you own more than one of those thermal mugs but you never appreciate that you got it for free, and just take it for granted, like everyone else.

When you think about thermal mug, you think about freebies.

Thermal mugs are often given away from various companies as souvenir, you can expect to receive one of these when you attending Microsoft seminar, a free gift from the Scretch & Win scam, or freebies from the event girls in Sony roadshow you while you are busy shooting those Race Queens.

Imagine you just walked into your office pantry filling up your regular doze of caffeine, and one of your colleagues walked into the pentry is holding the same mug as yours.  The only difference is only the colour and the logo printed on top.  Perhaps his is Microsoft, and yours is Intel.

“Good morning, so, you got your mug from Microsoft Technet?”

“Yeah, and you got yours from Intel product launching?”

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This is a common question that often people asked me about which model should they start with.  I received this email earlier, and I think it is a good question that I would like to share the answer with all of you. 

Dear Calvin,

I must say I enjoy reading your columns and articles, which serves to guide and advise newbies like myself. I intend to buy a DSLR soon. As a hobbyist photographer, would you recommend the Nikon D300s?  Please note that my subject photography shall vary as I’m an outdoor enthusiast. I wish to buy the right DSLR without having to make an upgrade later. I appreciate your time in answering my email and I look forward to receiving your insightful reply soon.

Thank you.
Best regards,
Wee Boon Han

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Often I received emails from readers seeking advice in photography.  Today I decided to publish some of the emails I received, and I created a new category called “Dear Calvin” dedicated to those who wish to seek for some advice.  My consultation fee is very expensive.  Be prepared to pay one cup Teh Tarik and Roti Telur.  Feel free to email me if you have any problems regarding to photography.  Here is the first one

Dear Calvin,
May I know where to buy Nikon D300s at RM5000.00.
I am staying in Yong Peng, about 100 km away from Johor Bahru . At the moment I own D80 and D40x . My lenses are Nikon 18-200 mm VR , Nikon 50 mm 1.8D, Sigma 18-50 mm F/2.8 EX DC Hsm macro, Tokina 11-16 mm f/2.8 . Should I wait for the price to drop further eg. RM4800 or buy D700. Please kindly advise me. I thank you.

Yang Boon Cheong from Johore Bahru

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Remember I told you about the latest D300s street price was RM5300 last week?  Yes, and I also mentioned that the price is still “higher than reasonable price” at RM5300.

My blog must’ve read by Nikon CEO, Santa Claus or something, and Nikon decided to slash price further. Now it dropped to RM5000! Yes, no kidding!

Nikon D300s hit my benchmark for “the price is right”.  If you listened to my advice from my previous post, and decided to stay and wait for until it dropped to a more reasonable price, congratulations.  Two weeks of patience is not bad to save RM700.

Nikon D300 is replaced by D300s since July 2009. The remaining D300 have been snatched as soon as people heard the ridiculous price for D300s. The price was a whooping RM5700, a premium of RM1300 compared with D300. The extra premium (as high as 30%) paid is unjustifiable for the minimum upgrade. Details about the difference between D300s and D300 can be read in “Should you buy Nikon D300s or D300?”

USA and Australia already received the news on price cut for several Nikon DSLR bodies including the D300s, D700, and D3x. Amazon.com, B&H and Adorama is now selling the Nikon D300s at the newly reduced price.

The new revised price I would expect to fall in the range of RM4800 to RM4900 for Malaysia. Compared with the Nikon D300 at the price of RM4400 before EOL, an extra premium of 10% for the minor upgrade, I would say the price is fall into the just right bracket.

If you are upgrading to Nikon D300s, it would be the right price now.

Update :

The new street price I got was RM5300.  RM400 difference (or merely 7.0% dropped) .  It is 10% less than what I expected.  I shall call this as “still highter than reasonable price”.  If you are desperate looking for a new pro body, and don’t mind paying extra RM400+-, then it should be ok to get the D300s; else just stay and wait until it dropped to a more reasonable price which is below RM5000 mark.