Okay, I didn’t sell my Nikon D700 Digital SLR and thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment and go back to shooting point and shoot cameras.  I was actually trying to cheat time lapse movies with my camcorder and the nightmares of dealing with that caused me to find an easy way out.  While I was searching online to solve my problems I saw a video on youtube of a tilt-shift time lapse which really was simply a trick from a Canon point-and-shoot camera’s video mode.

In addition to having the cool video mode I have heard so much lately about the Canon Powershot S95 I really had to check it out.  Not taking the bulky digital SLR and camera bag had been a recurring thing when walking around Bangkok and I missed so many shots because of it.  I figured to kill 2 birds with one stone so to speak and try out a handy point and shoot that fits in any pocket.

A Face-off with what I usually Shoot with & the S95

Buying the Canon S95 in Bangkok

The choice was not easy as there were numerous attractive cameras for sale including the brand new Canon PowerShot G12 a level up from the S95.  I tried the G12 out and thought it was fabulous.  Everything from the controls to the performance were excellent.  What impressed me with the most was the close focusing as it could focus on something like my finger from a couple cm away and the photo had a perfect sharp view of my finger print.  I read that the G12 was basically the S95 with a better lens and more advanced body but when it came down to it, the G12 was just too bulky.  I already have a SLR why would I get a bulky point and shoot?

There was also the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 which boasts Leica components and is the same camera as the $800 Leica D-Lux 5.  What attracted me to this camera was the maximum wide angle (24mm) which was 4mm wider than both Canons (28mm).  What turned me off from the Panasonic was the size and the lens cap.  It was almost small enough to fit in your pocket but a little too wide.  A lens cap on a point-and-shoot is completely stupid, just something else to lose and an annoyance every time you turn it on to get a shot.  I have read and assume the Panasonic Lumix LX5 along with the Leica D Lux 5 take great photos, but again in a point-and-shoot camera pocketability is my #1 priority especially since I own an SLR and a host of lenses.

I saw on Amazon and most online retailers the S95 selling for $399.99 so I set off in Bangkok seeing if I could get a deal.  I guess the camera’s popularity allowed the stores to jack up the price because the cheapest I could find it for was 12300 baht ($411 USD).  I bought it at a new AV center which is the place I have confidence in finding all the cheapest camera equipment in Bangkok although this AV center was not in Pantip Plaza but in MBK where I found myself to be shopping for a business print shop.

One of the first 10 shots I took with the S95 after I bought at MBK

S95 First Impressions:  Things I like Immediately Liked

Besides the still cam on my old Canon HG10 HD camcorder the S95 was the first new point-and-shoot camera I have bought in at least 6 years.  I really have nothing to recent or in it’s place  to compare it to except my D700 incidentally which costs almost 10x more with a lens.  Even though I have shot with a digital SLR exclusively for the last 16 months I was still impressed by the Canon S95.  I already knew this one but I liked the size as it fit nicely in my front pocket.

As you can see by my most popular photos (according to Flickr) I love night cityscape shots.  I managed to take the photo above using the camera’s manual settings which allowed me to use an exposure of up to 15 seconds while using an aperture of f8.  I was really impressed with the ability for the S95 to take low light shots.  I also really like the menus and special effects the camera offers.  I basically bought it for the gimmicky miniature time lapse videos and still shots.

S95 First Impressions:  Things I Do Not Like

Even great cameras have faults and while it may be due to people being  nitpicky or spoiled the S95 has a few faults for me.   First and foremost is the lack of control in most of the specialty modes.  The specialty modes (SCN on camera dial) are great but many of them are in the auto-modes which do not allow changes such as exposure compensation, colors, white balance, etc.  This limits what you can create with the camera although you can use software later to edit them later.

Another thing I don’t like is the tiny mode dial on the top right of the camera.  There is very little to grip when you turn it and any sweat or grease on your hands will make it a pain to turn.  I know it is like that to conserve space and limit things protruding from the camera but it seems like it could be better.  The last thing I don’t like is the battery.  First of all it doesn’t pack too much power.  Canon says it can take 200 shots but I find that 10-15 minutes of video eats the battery life significantly.  In addition to being rather weak, the battery is perfectly rectangular and can fit in the compartment all 4 ways.  This is slightly annoying as it takes a couple seconds to figure out how to put it in.

Overall Impression

I like the S95 a lot.  I was buying it specifically to test for this blog and do a fake time lapse video (posted below) but after taking some shots I have fallen in love with the ability to pop the camera out of my pocket and be shooting within seconds without drawing attention to myself.  Do I see myself hiking to the top of a mountain to get a beautiful landscape shot of a lifetime with the S95, no.  I will still use my D700 for night cityscapes, landscapes, and anything in which I know I will be shooting a lot of photos but I my S95 will definitely be in my pocket when I’m out and about.  Stay Tuned as I took some test shots w/ the Nikon D700, Nikon N90 film camera and the S95 to compare low light photos.

Coming Soon:  Night Image Quality Comparison between Nikon D700, Nikon N90 film camera and Canon S95

Like a car, high end camera equipment needs to be maintained. My first need for camera maintenance was caused by extremely annoying dust spots. The camera has a built-in cleaning mechanism I have set to run at power on and power off as well as a dust off feature where you take a photo of a bright white light and the camera supposedly compensates for the dust spots and takes them out of the photos but they are no substitute for getting a professional cleaning job.

I was always hesitant to mess around with the interior components of my Nikon D700 but I did try a few times to blow out dust with a blower and even use a lens pen to try to clean the sensor and mirror but nothing worked. I thought about getting the camera cleaned at Calumet in San Francisco but they wanted to hold the camera for 2 days, had a ridiculous waiting list and charged $60 so I decided to wait until I got back to Bangkok.

Dust Spots which appear on Every Photo

Where to Get Camera Service in Bangkok

While camera shops are a dime a dozen in Bangkok places that I would feel comfortable bringing my expensive equipment for service are not.   I went to MBK and asked a few camera shops if they did sensor cleaning and non of them did.  I went to the official Nikon store and they referred me to Niks Thailand.  I had heard of a camera place called Niks Thailand that is one of the few if not the only official Nikon dealers in Bangkok.  After a couple google searches I found it was located on Silom Road.

SLR in hand, I hopped on my helmet-cam equipped bicycle and started peddling off to Silom which is in the vicinity of Nik’s Thailand. I didn’t really know where I was going so I ended up towards Saphan Taksin BTS station. I asked a couple people and finally made my way to a Nikon dealer which I thought was Nik’s but I was wrong.  It turned out I got the address wrong and ended up at Sunny Camera which is very close to State Tower.  The guy at the camera store gave me directions to the right place, Niks Thailand which was luckily only a few blocks away.

HOW TO GET THERE: If you’re reading this, the chances you’re going to be riding bicycle are probably slim here are the 2 easiest ways.  If you are far from a BTS or MRT station, hop in a taxi and ask him to take you to “Thanon Silom, Sofitel” or just “Silom Sofitel” as Niks Thailand is right next to it.  BTS is very easy as well.  You have to take BTS to the Sala Daeng station and from there it is around a 10 minute walk west or a 2 minute cab ride.

Niks(Thailand) Co.,Ltd. 166 Silom Road 12.

Sensor Cleaning & Lens Repair

First off, Niks Thailand is a very cool store.  They have numerous toys on display as well as a bunch of new and old Nikon equipment including some Über telephoto lenses.  In addition to the toys, there is a big screen displaying slideshows of Nikon photo contests in the lobby area which has a few comfortable seats.  The staff is very professional and proficient in English.  They charged 1000 baht (around $30USD) for the sensor cleaning which took 2 hours.  I simply went to a nice outdoor restaurant close by and had lunch while my sensor was being cleaned.  When I got the sensor back they gave me a little card which showed the locations of the dust on my sensor which was completely unnecessary but nice of them to go into detail about it.

I thought I was done w/ Niks Thailand until I had a terrible accident with my $1500+ 70-200mm F2.8 VR lens.  The lens fell from 4 feet up in a camera store onto the concrete floor and cracked (photo at top of post).  Even though the lens seemed to work fine I was worried bout dust and moisture entering through the crack.  I planned to tape the lens but I received advice from people commenting on my flickr page to take it in for repairs so I though why not.  When I took the lens in they told me it would cost 4500 baht to fix (around $150USD) which I thought was fair.  I thought they were going to send the lens in but they said it would take 5 hours!  I told them I would pick it up the next day as I didn’t feel like going to the other side of town during rush hour.

Broken Lens?  Maybe Not

I got the lens back and the crack was fixed 100% perfect (more on that in a bit.)  They explained to me that the manual focus was “stiff.”  It turns out I failed to notice that the manual focus was FUBAR or completely stuck.  I almost never use manual focus but would like to have the option.  I also came to realize that the part I cracked on the lens wasn’t even part of the lens.  It was so easy to fix because it was simply the tripod bracket that allows the camera body to shift from landscape to portrait when the lens is mounted to a tripod.

I should have known that immediately and I’m surprised the people in the store and nobody on my flickr page pointed that out to me.  I feel I wasted 4500 baht because the lens performs the same as it did with the crack there and has no danger of taking water or dust inside the lens.

Regardless of my personal follies, I highly recommend Niks Thailand as a camera repair and camera shop.  I asked the prices and they were not cheap like Pantip Plaza but I’m sure they offered better warranties if that concerns you.  If you’re in the Silom area take a stroll over to Niks Thailand and check it out as you can enjoy looking at some equipment, contest photos and have no pressure put on you to buy anything.

Telephoto Lenses & Camera Bodies on Display at Niks

View Photo Galleries from Thailand & More

On a side note:  Even though I am happy with the D700 I am anxiously awaiting the replacement that Nikon has yet to announce.  Nikon just announced the D7000 which is a lower end model replacing the ever popular and great D90 and it looks fabulous.  The features and specs on the Nikon D7000 are any indication the future Nikon D800, D700x, D700s or whatever they decide to call it is going to be a must buy investment.

D700 with (optional) Battery Grip

D700 Digital SLR

As mentioned before I have chose the D700 and love it.  Although for me, the D90 was a slightly “funner” camera the D700 is a better piece of serious equipment which requires a little bit more know-how to get the most out of it.  Since I have upgraded to the D700 I have found the learning curve has caused me to miss more shots than the D90 but the more I use the D700 the easier and more fun it gets to use as well.  Not to mention the quality of my photos is increasing dramatically in the process.

My Current Lenses

Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8

When I first test shot this lens in the camera store on a D700 I knew immediately I wanted to buy it.  In addition to taking crystal clear photos this lens allows you to get very close to your subjects which lets you take photos from unique perspectives.  Especially while taking tourism photos, I would estimate 95% out there who are taking photos with point and shoots and SLRs would not be able to get.  I find the drawbacks to using this lens are minimal.  Even though the lens is heavy it balances perfectly with the D700 which has even allowed me to get some great shots holding the camera with 1 hand.

Nikon Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR

This enormous lens is a lens I love to hate.  While it’s one the best lenses and an absolute delight to use it is by far the worst lens to have when you’re not using it.  When I first started using this lens I would use it solely for far off objects while I used my super-wide for most other things.  I have slowly started using the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR for more of a wide variety of photos, especially controlling depth of field which gives the photos a very professional look.  The VR works flawlessly and has allowed me to get ultra sharp shots even while being sloppy and not holding the camera steady.

Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 D

In the first few months of owning this ultra compact lens I barely used it.  Leaving my camera bag behind numerous times and missing out on the opportunity to get some fabulous shots has caused me to appreciate this lens a lot more.  Now instead of leaving my entire camera bag at home or the hotel, I bring just the D700 & this lens.  I don’t have a point-and-shoot other than my cell phone camera but the D700 along with this lens allows me to get far superior shots in low light than any point and shoot although during the day the advantage is lessened, especially for shots of landscapes.

Nikon Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5

A lens I essentially got for free this is my only “non-professional” lens in my camera bag.  The focal range is handy for numerous situations and it is light enough to be a “walking around” lens.  Even though this lens is perfect for walking around while touring new places during the day I tend to only use it for its ‘macro’ ability (close up photography).   I also use it for nighttime cityscapes in which I am stuck in a location and cannot get the right shot w/ my 12-24mm ultra wide or my 70-200mm telephoto.  While the shots look great when attached to a tripod, I prefer not to use this lens handheld at night as I would have to crank up the ISO which would yield noisy shots.

Nikon Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro

At the moment I haven’t decided if I want to lug around this 1+ pound lens in my camera bag because macro photography is not my #1 passion.  That says nothing about the quality of this lens which is absolutely superb.  The photos are very sharp and the colors seem better than most other lenses.  I purchased the lens with the thought it would make my macro shots a lot better but the truth is the lens has really just shown me how very difficult macro photography is.  Taking photos of flowers is one thing but if you want to get a shot of a honey bee’s eyeball like I do, there is much more to it than simply pointing and shooting.

My Essential Accessories

Nikon MB-10 Battery Grip

I was hesitant to buy this as I had just spent a lot of money on the D700 body and Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens.  I was considering a knock-off battery grip but figured I may as well get the Nikon quality version and I’m glad I did.  It took me a while to finally use the battery grip but once I started, I almost never take it off.  In addition to the ability to use another battery, Nikon’s professional powerful battery, and a bunch of AA batteries, the battery grip allows you to get 8fps (frames per second) during continuous shooting with AA or Nikon’s pro battery.  Even though the aforementioned perks are nice, they are not the reason why I recommend a Nikon battery grip to anyone who owns a digital SLR.  The second shutter release and navigation button make shooting a lot more efficient and comfortable.  Switching from landscape (horizontal) to portrait (vertical) is seamless and allows you to frame portraits perfectly almost every time.

Nikon SB -600 Speedlight

I bought it used from Craigslist.org for $200 as opposed to buying the newer and more power SB-900.  While it has the same ability to be used remotely as the SB-900 it has less range and a slower recharge rate.  Like the expensive SB-900 the SB-600 can be used attached to the D700’s hot shoe as well as remotely on a stand.  Since I bought the SB-600 speedlight I have only used it a handful of times and look forward to learning more about flash photography in the future.

Nikon SB-900 Speedlight

Even though I have not been using flash very much as most of my subjects are landscapes and cityscapes, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the rate at which the SB-600 recharged its flash and I really want to get into portrait photography more so I decided to plunk down another few hundred bucks to get Nikon’s flagship flash.  At the time of this writing I haven’t really used the flash much but I will tell you if the instruction manual of 200+ pages is one indication, the flash is very complicated to the untrained photographer.  I have found the built in white bounce card to be very useful so far.  Using the SB-900 in combination with the 105mm Macro lens has produced very satisfying results and has made handheld macro photography a lot more fun but I’m still learning.

Lens Pen & Cleaning Kit

Anyone that owns an SLR knows the frustration of not having the right cleaning supplies to clean their equipment.  Camera equipment is very expensive and should be taken care of properly and I carry a standard lens cleaning kit with lens paper and cleaning solution, a bulb blower and a couple microfiber cloths.  I also have a lens pen which has a brush on one end, and a wet sponge-like cleaning pad on the other.  The lens pen is a must have for anyone with a digital SLR in my opinion.

Kata 123-Go-30 Camera Backpack/sling

The first camera bag I had was a compact, quick release shoulder sling which went over one shoulder.  While I liked the style the constant weight bearing on a single shoulder was causing pretty bad shoulder pain.  I found myself at Funan It Mall in Singapore where I saw a good selection of camera bags.  What attracted me to this bag was the versatility of being to switch from a right or left shoulder sling to a backpack as well as being able to fit all my gear.  The bag is built nice and is comfortable but it is lacking a couple things.  Although there is plenty of room for the aforementioned equipment, there is no way to attach a tripod or a compartment for even a small laptop computer.

Digipod BH-55Q Tripod

After spending thousands of dollars on lenses and camera equipment I really didn’t want to spend too much on a tripod.  I ended up going to Power Buy a retail electronic store chain in Thailand and buying a Fancier tripod which was on sale for 2000 baht.  The tripod was actually very good and although it worked okay it wasn’t designed for a heavy camera/lens combo.  On the first day of a Hong Kong trip, I ended up going tripod shopping.  Although I tested out many tripods ranging from Nikon to Manfrotto I settled on the Digipod based on the recommendation from the knowledgeable guy at the camera shop.  The things I like about the Digipod tripod is the twisting leg adjustments which allow you to quickly extend the entire leg with a single turn.  The coin tightening, sliding medal plate is also far superior at attaching to the camera body than the finger twisting quick release plates of other tripods.  This allows me to shoot portrait orientated long exposures without the weight of the camera/lens moving under its own weight ruining the shot.

One of the Few Mistake-Free Shots I've Taken

General Photography Tips:  Learn from my Mistakes

Just because I’m not a “professional photographer” doesn’t mean you can’t learn some helpful tips from the numerous mistakes I have made.  If you are just starting out with a digital SLR you will initially make mistakes but if you keep these basic ideas in mind, you can minimize your mistakes and be taking cool travel photos soon.

Always Take the Shot

Your camera does no good if it is sitting in your camera bag or hanging around your neck.  Whether you are tired from a whole day of tourism and taking photos or simply aren’t 100% sure if the shot will be cool, there is no point to not taking the shot.   When I say “take the shot” what I really mean is “take a bunch of shots.”  Take a few shots of each subject from different angles and vantage points so you increase the likelihood of getting a pleasing photo.

If people are involved don’t be timid.  If it really bothers you, ask the subject if they are okay with being photographed.  Owning an SLR gives you the advantage of being able to take hundreds if not thousands of shots so don’t be afraid to use them.  Sure, there will be some that you will not use, in fact I would probably say 90% of your shots will end up in the recycle bin on your desktop but if you never take the shot, you will never know whether or not it was good and you will not learn from experience.

Keep Going

This tip goes along with the above “take the shot” tip.  When taking photos of landscapes and cityscapes there is no worse a feeling that getting home and realizing that you should have walked a little further down the street or hiked a little further up the hill to get the shot you want.  If you want to use your DSLR to its maximum potential and be completely satisfied with the photos you take go as far as you can go when trying to get a shot.  Whether this is leaning a little further over the edge of the cliff, climbing up a few more flights of stairs or simply walking around, trying to find a better vantage point, keep going while shooting photos until you hit the proverbial brick wall and you will be happy with your photo shoot.

Try not to Fall Victim to the ‘All or None Principle’

One reason for the popularity of point-and-shoots is because carrying around a camera bag is often a burden.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve complained to myself or friends about carrying around my camera bag while profusely sweating in the extreme heat and humidity of Southeast Asia.

There have been times I wish I had a point and shoot and there are times I wished I’ve had my digital SLR gear but I can honestly say EVERY time I was without a camera I felt like I was missing out.  Whether you leave your bulky digital SLR at home and pack your point-and-shoot it is always better to have your camera than none.  My thinking in the past was “all or none” meaning if I didn’t bring my whole camera bag I would bring nothing.  Just because you have a whole camera kit doesn’t mean you have to bring your entire set of lenses everywhere you go.  Taking a small prime lens such as a 50mm f/1.4 out will significantly lighten your load as well as force you to be more creative which will improve your skills as a photographer.

Always Reset Camera to Default Settings

About an hour before writing this I was served a painful reminder of this.  I had my D700 with the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 d lens hanging out my Bangkok taxi’s window on the way to the airport to fly to Phuket and took a few shots of a large group of a few hundred Thai soldiers before they were to invade a fortified protester encampment.  What I didn’t realize is I had my ISO set on 200 which caused all the photos to be blurry and I had to delete them.  If I had did what I’m recommending I would have had some once in a lifetime shots.  Every time you change the settings on your camera most importantly ISO and exposure compensation make sure you reset them back to your desired default settings so you don’t miss an important, once in a lifetime shot.

Conclusion

I will reiterate.  If you’re not a professional photographer who gets paid for your work you likely don’t need a Nikon D700 or even any digital SLR.  Most casual photographers probably don’t want a digital SLR as point-and-shoots and even cell phone cameras get better every generation and are far more convenient.  Those of you who obsess about taking the very best photos and are constantly looking for that perfect shot can rest assured the Nikon D700 is one of the best digital SLRs in its price range.

View a Stream of my Most Popular & Interesting Photos (according to Flickr) on Flickriver

Even though I was completely happy with my Nikon D90 and lens collection I decided to make the investment and go for the D700.  For me, the decision was made because I simply had to do something about my obsessing over my camera so I decided to get what was the very best option I could afford.

The primary models I was considering in the relatively new full frame digital SLR were the Nikon D700 and the Canon 5D Mark II.  I literally read dozens of reviews of both cameras and found no clear-cut winner.  The primary arguments for the Canon is it trounces the Nikon with overall resolution which can make the final cropped image more useful and of course, has full 1080p HD (High Definition) video capabilities.

The primary advantage of the Nikon D700 was its high ISO ability and build quality.  It was the latter which led me to finally make a decision.  While some reviews explained how the Nikon “fits in your hand better” it is no excuse for going in and actually testing the camera.  I could tell when I first picked up the D700 it was perfect for me.  It really feels like it belongs in your hands and everything is placed exactly where it should be.

In hindsight holding the D90 for long periods of shooting, my fingers were always sore while after using the heavier D700 for just as long I have never felt a single pain in my fingers!  Picking up the Canon felt a lot lighter and the interface didn’t seem right.  It could have been due to my previous use of the Nikon D90 more than anything but in my case, the D700 was a clear-cut winner.

Nikon vs. Canon:  Making Your Choice

Nobody can take away from the quality of Nikon and Canon digital SLRs as they both are capable of taking great photos.  Like all sensible online reviews stated, your primary choice may be a predetermined one.  If you already have lenses for Canon or Nikon it would be a wise and less expensive choice to get a digital SLR body which uses your current lens collection.

On a side note to this story, there does exist an adaptor which allows Canon digital SLRs to use Nikon Lenses although I did not read much about them.  I’m not sure if Canon has any adaptor which allows use of Nikon lenses on their cameras.  From what I read, one of the primary reasons for this adaptor is the first lens I bought for the Nikon D700.

Nikon vs. Canon is not the only battle you should be aware of.  Multiple brands make competitively priced Digital SLRs that have the image quality that rivals anything Nikon or Canon makes.  Brands such as Sony, Pentax, Samsung, Olympus DSLRs are a viable option.  Even though 3rd party companies such as Sigma and Tamron make lenses that fit most camera brand mounts, with long running optics companies like Nikon and Canon you have a wide variety of lenses at your disposal especially with the D700s full frame sensor.

The Lenses I have used with Nikon D700

Full frame lenses are both an advantage and disadvantage of using full frame cameras.  The advantage is you are able to use a wider array of lenses dating back to all 35mm film cameras.  This means you can pick up lenses for very cheap online and even at your local garage sales for use on your Nikon D700.

You can also use all the lenses for Nikon’s DX lenses, the 1^st generation of digital SLR cameras although a crop factor of 1.5 will be factored in.  If you use ‘DX’ mode you will be shooting at less than 50% of the camera’s resolution which is stupid when you think you just paid over $2000 USD for the new full frame sensor.

The disadvantages of owning a full frame camera is if you want to buy one of the new lenses from Nikon & other third party manufacturers which were specifically designed for use on full frame digital SLRs you’re going to be paying a premium price.  Nikon’s new lineup of lenses branded with a big gold ‘N’ which signifies a special “nano crystal” coat which supposedly reduces lens aberrations are all very expensive.

Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8

The physically impressive Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 super-wide angle lens was raved about by almost everyone who reviewed it online.  Since I was already in love with super wide angle shots, this lens was a no brainer and I bought it along with my D700.  The lens is remarkably sharp, does not distort very much and works well in low light.  The only drawbacks to the lens are its inability to use filters and its size.  The inability to use filters is important for protection and creative control of exposure.  If you treat your equipment like bumper cars, this lens may not be a good idea because one bump of the bulbous front element and you could be looking at an expensive repair from Nikon or an even more expensive replacement.

Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 D

The 50mm f/1.4 D is about 3x as expensive as the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D and differs little.  The obvious better f/1.4 low light performance is the only reason to own a f/1.4 over a f/1.8 so unless you shoot in the dark a lot, the f/1.8 will do just fine.  I used the 50mm f/1.8 D on both the 1.5 cropped D90 and the full frame D700 and found very little differences in their performance.  I actually prefer the 50mm f/1.8 D because it’s lighter and seems to focus better.  Overall, depending on your budget and shooting needs, almost all pros recommend carrying a 50mm prime lens.

Nikon Nikkor 70-210 f/4-5.6 D

A friend of mine in San Francisco had this lens with an old film camera.  It was almost in brand new condition and he lent it to me for a couple weeks of shooting.  The lens was the first push-pull model I used.  The first few shots I took with this lens and the D700 I noticed the photos taken in broad daylight were very sharp and had nice colors.  The lens became almost useless as the day grew longer.  Anything handheld not shot at a very high ISO had the effects of dreaded camera shake as the lens was without either VR (Vibration Reduction) or a low maximum aperature.  I would recommend this lens for anyone who wants a cheap lens for shooting during the daytime or solely on a tripod at night.

Nikon Nikkor 35mm f/2.0

The friend that lent me the aforementioned lens from his old Nikon film camera also had this 35mm f/2.0 prime lens.  As with the majority of prime lenses (fixed focal length) this lens was very sharp.  I actually liked 35mm focal length a lot.  It seemed as if 35mm was around the same focal range as your own eyes which is good for scenery but not as good for portraits and other applications.  Since I already had the 24mm of my 14-24 f/2.8 for scenery I felt that I would’t use a 35mm prime lens very much although I do recommend the lens for anyone who likes to shoot a mixture of scenery and portraits and likes a light, fast lens.

Nikon Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8

I purchased a copy of this old professional mid-range zoom from Amazon for around $250.  At the time of purchasing I didn’t realize 2 things:  1.  It was a push-pull lens and 2.   it was not the D lens.  While I have read multiple reviews downplaying the importance of Nikon’s ‘D’ distinction which has to do with the lens sending distance information to the camera I found this lens was very poor at autofocusing, especially in low light.  The focal range I believe is more for studio work or portraits when the subject is almost always to be within a 3-15 feet away.  Although this lens would also serve well for people who enjoy shooting scenery I would recommend it (as well as lenses with the similar mid-range focal ranges) only to people who shoot events such as weddings, parties and family get togethers.  When there was enough light, this lens was as sharp as they come with very little distortion.

Nikon Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5

This older Nikon mid-range do-it-all zoom was the biggest surprise out of all the lenses I have ever owned.  It surprised me likely because I bought a flawless copy of it off craigslist.org in San Francisco for almost free!  I bought 3 lenses for $60 which I ended up selling the other 2 for $115 so I essentially got this gem for -$55!  What makes this interesting is I originally considered purchasing this lens in a camera store in Bangkok which they wanted over $200USD!  The lens is a light weight, plastic feeling versatile lens.  My most favorite thing about it is its close focusing ability which allows you to literally put the end of the lens a couple of inches away from the object you are photographing.  Close focusing requires you flip a switch to “macro” mode after the focal range goes past 70 which is a minor inconvenience but does not take away from the value of this lens.  The lens is also great for scenery and is sharp when taking my favorite shots which happen to be low light night shots.  I would recommend this lens to anyone who can get their hands on one and who hasn’t spent a ton of money on more expensive Nikkor lenses.

Nikon Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR

This is the beast of Nikon’s common lenses which is used by most professional photographers.  The lens is literally “built like a tank” with solid steel construction with no external moving parts on the outside during zooming.  The lens is big, bulky and heavy but the photos you take with it speak for itself as they are very sharp and allow you to control depth of field with precision which creates very pleasing bokeh (the out of focus area).

The telephoto zoom focal range is great for capturing a wide variety of images especially animals, sports competitors, portraits, far off scenery as well as being one of the journalist’s favorite lenses.  Although it has been replaced with the VRII version which has Nikon’s ‘N’ Nano crystal coat and costs a whopping $2200+ USD it still holds its own as one of the very best lenses money can buy.

Nikon Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro

Before I was to leave San Francisco for Bangkok I decided to take advantage of the plentiful supply of photography equipment on the SF Bay Area Craigslist one more time.  While I had fun with the 28-1055 (above) with macro capabilities, I wanted to see how a “real” macro lens would fare.  I had to choose between a popular 90mm Tamron macro lens but the fact that the lens barrel extended and retracted during focusing, had me choose the Nikkor although it was over 2-3x as expensive.  I searched Craigslist every day and it took 3 weeks before I found one of these Nikkors for sale and I snatched it right up.  I had the idea that I would sell it if it didn’t ‘blow my socks off’ and after using it a few times I still haven’t decided.  There is not doubt that for someone interested in macro shots this is a great lens.  The problem for me is while I like macro photography, to get the shots I really like (bug’s eyes) it takes more than just a macro lens.  Since I have started using the bounce flash of the Nikon  SB-900 speedlight my results have gotten a lot better but again I have only used this lens a few times so I can’t really say much about it.

Developing a Camera Kit – Part III:  The Winners; My current Camera Kit

Almost everyone has a digital camera these days. Point-and-shoot cameras are the most popular because they take great photos, are small, light and cheap. For those of you who like to carry as little as possible gear, don’t like to spend that much money and value having a camera that can go with you everywhere with very little hassle and cost, a quality point-and-shoot is everything and more than you need. My favorite is the Canon S90 which is not the tiniest point-and-shoot but has a great interface, lots of cool features and takes tremendous photos.

For those of you like myself, who aren’t satisfied with getting a great or even excellent photo but want a PERFECT photo, you will likely have to go through a trial and error process to develop a camera kit which suits all your needs. This camera kit will no doubt have a digital SLR camera body and an assortment of lenses.

Benefit from My Obsession

Use my painful and expensive method to finding the right camera gear for my bag to help you. I spent a better part of 4 months literally spending all day reading about lenses, buying them and testing them in real world situations. This was a good and bad experience for me. The bad was instead of traveling and going to new places I was inside reading about the lens options I had and taking photos of the same things over and over again.

The good was I learned a lot about photography, experienced quite a few lens and camera options and found a kit which I am 100% completely satisfied with. Testing lenses inside camera shops wasn’t good enough for me. I just went out and bought the lenses I read about and used them in real world situations.

My Experience with Camera Bodies & Lenses in the Past Half Year

Nikon D90 Camera Body

I loved the D90 when I had it and I still love it when comparing it to the Nikon D700 which I upgraded to. I actually miss the D90 on a daily basis when I’m shooting with the D700! First of all, the D90 has everything you need and then some. The buttons seem to be all in the right place and it is light but not cheaply built. I bashed the video recording capabilities when I first blogged Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera but I would like to take that back!

The video lacks autofocus which renders the camera useless for things which move in the vertical plane but it also allows you to control depth of field which is what really differentiates amateur from professional film! Watch any movie or TV show and you will see focus shift from the foreground to the background almost every scene. The D90 allows you to achieve this professional effect which is virtually impossible on all camcorders. Of course if you’re shooting anything other than small scenes for a commercial or movie such as sports or your kids playing you’re still going to want to get a camcorder but the D90 video capabilities can create some professional looking cinematic moments from your digital SLR.

Of course 99% of people, myself included buy a digital SLR to capture still images. In order to get the still images you desire, choosing the correct lens and knowing when/how to use it is crucial. I had a chance to work with a number of popular lenses with the Nikon D90 and here is my experience with each of them.

My Lenses with the Nikon D90

Nikon Nikkor 18-105mm VR

The Nikkor 18-105 mm VR was the first lens I ever used which came with the Nikon D90 kit. I liked the lens performance initially as the focal range was good for a variety of uses and the photos turned out nice and sharp but as I started reading about the many Nikon and 3rd party SLR lens I decided to ‘upgrade’.

While I was almost 100% satisfied with this lens I figured I could get more out of a longer focal length or wider angles.  The lens is great for any Nikon SLR because of its built in motor which makes it a perfect lens for anyone on a budget who is just getting into SLR photography.

Users of the D40, D60 and D5000 will like this lens a lot more than the standard kit lens (18-55mm VR) simply because it is just as sharp and has that useful extra 50mm of zoom to work with along with the same valuable VR (Vibration Reduction).

Nikon Nikkor 18-200mm VRII

Like many people who have used the internet to find information about lenses I read the glowing review by Ken Rockwell about this lens.

I researched it and determined that the optic performance was likely the same as the kit lens I wanted to be able to cover more range and this popular lens covers 300mm equivalent telephoto.

I will admit I didn’t know enough about DSLR photography at the time I had this lens to get the most out of it.  I believe this lens is a great pickup for almost all photographers who have DX  (Nikon cropped frame) sensors.  Like Mr. Rockwell says, this truly is a do-it-all lens that can get almost everything the average travel photographer shoots with the exception of the super-wide angles.

Nikon Nikkor 50mm F1.8

Another glowing review by Ken Rockwell caused me to purchase this little lens. It was probably the easiest choice to make as it costs around $100USD and auto focuses with the D90’s built it motor. The lens is simple, light, cheap and gets great performance in even the lowest of light.

You can expect VERY sharp images when taking shots of people or animals within this range. Being a prime lens, the drawback is you have to move your feet rather than twisting a zoom ring.

Nikon Nikkor 10-24mm

Even though the D90 was giving me great images I still desired more. At the time I thought it was the camera I needed to upgrade when comparing my shots with the D90 and 18mm (27mm equivalent) and people with the new, expensive full frame cameras.

It turned out what I really was missing was the wide angle from an ultra-wide angle lens. This Nikkor DX lens was expensive and while the range 10-24mm (15-36mm equivalent) was nice, the performance didn’t meet my satisfaction after spending over $900 USD on it. While images in good light looked pretty good, when the light wasn’t there, the images almost never looked sharp, even when mounted on a tripod.

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8

I was hesitant to buy a 3rd party lens for my Nikon D90 but I read many positive reviews on Amazon and flicker about this Japanese made Tokina ultra wide. The main knock on the lens from reviews was there was a sample variation with some lenses having issues. It cost $300USD less than the aforementioned Nikkor so I decided to give it a try and I’m glad that I did.

The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 quickly became my favorite lens for the Nikon D90.  Everything about the lens was impressive from the quality of build, to the very smooth zoom ring to the great low light performance and topped off with almost perfectly sharp wide angle images.  Although some reviews criticized its focusing ability, it focused perfectly on my D90 although you should take note if your SLR body has a focusing motor or not because this lens does not have one.

Sigma 18-50 mm f/2.8

After experiencing the vast difference between a lens with a standard (f/3.5+) aperture and the professional Tokina 11-16mm with a f/2.8 maximum aperture I decided to give this Sigma a try. As I planned to sell my Nikkor 18-200mm VR I chose this lens for 3 reasons including the one I just mentioned.

Another reason was the Nikon equivalent lens cost several times more and finally this Sigma had very close focusing capabilities. I thought the macro abilities would make this a great “walking around” lens and it did, well kind of. I found when I used this lens I would only use it for close up objects at 50mm. I originally bought it for the versatility but found it wasn’t versatile at all for the kind of shooting I like to do, especially ultra-wide angles.

Part II:  Upgrade to the Full Frame Nikon D700

On my previous photography posts about choosing a digital SLR camera and the Nikon D90 I was a true Bangkok camera shopping rookie.  I had only been to MBK and the larger and newer, obviously more expensive retail malls.  In only a few months I have went from becoming a rookie to almost a professional when it comes to getting the best deals in Bangkok.

Primary Shopping Options

Besides the shops in the major shopping malls such as Central World and Siam Paragon where you can expect to pay full retail prices there are 3 primary options where you can find wholesale prices on brand new camera equipment including the top of the line digital SLR lenses from Nikon and Canon.

The three shopping locations are MBK which I have posted about numerous times.  While MBK has a whole tech floor and numerous camera and lens shops, I found the prices to be more expensive than the next two places I will mention.  MBK does have one of the better camera shops in Bangkok for gear such as filters and second hand equipment.  The shop’s name is photofile and there are 2 locations in MBK, the main store being on the first floor.  I will talk about selling SLR camera lenses later in this post.

The 2^nd shopping option is an IT mall named Fortune Town.  Fortune town is located near the Fortune Hotel near the Ratchada area of Bangkok off of Ratchada road.  I have only been to fortune town twice.  The first time I was there I bought the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens at a small camera shop for a price which I thought couldn’t be beat as it was lower than the cheapest price I could find on Hong Kong Ebay.  It turns out I went to the 3^rd shopping option for lenses and found out I was wrong.

The 3^rd and best place in Bangkok to buy digital camera lenses, not to mention all electronics including digital SLR camera bodies, computer parts, laptops, cell phones is Pantip Plaza.  Pantip Plaza is an IT mall located in Pratunam area of Bangkok.  It can be reached by a 10 minute walk from Central World and is an experience to say the least.

Bangkok's 3 Primary Camera & Lens Shopping Options

Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza has a bustling hock shop atmosphere that some people like while others hate.  It is much like most other shopping areas in Bangkok, the only difference being as you walk in you will have hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face.  As you ascent the 5 floors via escalator you will get more hardcore porn DVDs shoved in your face but if you’re looking for the best prices on Digital SLR and camera lenses this is your place.

I have read a lot and talked to numerous people about Pantip Plaza and heard many mixed reviews.  Some claim that stores in Pantip sell tainted products, products with their expensive components replaced and counterfeit products.

While I haven’t experienced any of this, I wouldn’t doubt it.  There are some smaller camera shops in Pantip that I wouldn’t fully trust but other shops such as AV Center where I buy all my equipment seems to be 100% trustful.

I mentioned I had bought the lens at Pantip and the appraiser at Photofile scoffed at me and offered me a lowball price.  Whether he was just an elitist who wanted to continue to offer absurd prices for stuff you can get for much cheaper elsewhere or he knew what he was talking about I don’t know for sure.

Looking down from the Top Floor of Pantip Plaza

AV Center in Pantip Plaza

Pantip Plaza has numerous specialty camera shops, the best I have found to be AV Center.  AV Center is actually 5 or 6 separate stores located throughout Pantip Plaza.  Each store has almost identical prices and equipment.  Ask one of the AV Center stores for a lens and they don’t have it, they will likely have it on another side.

At least 3 of the 5 AV Center stores are big with equipment on display but I would consider the primary AV center store is in the middle of the 3^rd floor and can be viewed from any escalator.  There is a nice showcase with all the equipment, multiple employees and some space to move around.  The prices are offered pretty much as low as they go.

As with buying anything throughout Asia, always try to get them to knock down the price.  With high-end camera equipment at AV center and the already low prices, they will usually knock down the price a couple hundred baht which isn’t much but will add up if you keep buying from them.

Camera Lenses & Gear I Bought at AV Center and was Fully Satisfied

Nikon D700 DSLR Body
Nikon MB-D10 Battery Grip for D700
Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens
Nikon Nikkor 10-24mm Lens
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 Lens
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM

Read about Developing the Right Camera Kit

One of Many AV Centers in Pantip Plaza

Selling your Unwanted Digital SLR Lenses in Bangkok

Photofile at 1st Floor of MBK

As you can tell by my list of lenses, unless you’re made of money, you will be needing to sell lenses as well.  You may want something a little better, lighter, more versatile which better suits your needs.  As you can probably tell by the list of the lenses I have bought in just the first few months of owning a digital SLR camera, I have had to part with lenses as much as I’ve bought them.

While craigslist.org is not the megasite it is in much of the USA, especially San Francisco, there are people who look at Bangkok craigslist for deals on used equipment.  I have learned from experience, since some camera stores are so cheap, don’t expect a quick sale.  Whoever responds to your ad will haggle to no end which may not be worth it as meeting them across Bangkok may also be a challenge.

I found 2 camera stores in Bangkok that buy used lenses and Digital SLR bodies but any store that sells second hand equipment may be willing to buy but it is worth it to get estimates from all the places.  The primary store is Photofile in MBK.  They sell equipment for much more than the stores in the IT malls and it turns out they buy lenses for more as well.

Photofile will offer you top dollar if you have the box, all accessories and a warranty card for your equipment.  The second place was a small camera shop in Fortune Town.  I asked them to give me an estimate when selling a lens and they offered me 4,000 baht ($120 USD) more than Photofile for the same lens but also offered 2,000 baht ($60 USD) less on another lens.  The moral of the story:  Get multiple Estimates if you want to get back the most for your used SLR lenses while selling them in Bangkok.

When buying a lens in Bangkok you should note that when you get a cheap price 99% of the time you will NOT get the Nikon 5 year manufacturer warranty.  You will likely get the 1 year in-store warranty which I would not have too much confidence in.

Being Cheap

Most people I know want cheap prices.  If you have no problem buying retail, spending 25% more when buying camera equipment or anything go to any store in Central World or the Siam Centers.  I have priced SLR lenses in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA and the prices in Bangkok are the cheapest I’ve found for new equipment.  If you’re looking for the cheapest prices in Bangkok, possibly in the world, just go to AV Center in Pantip Plaza, test, buy and admire your photography.

Read about Developing the Right Camera Kit

The first floor observation deck was very well laid out and spacious.  They offered a free cell phone which played information when you punched in numbers.  The observation deck had sections clearly marked with a large number and when you punched that in the phone, it would play information about what you were looking at in Taipei which included buildings, mountains, tunnels and rivers.

There was no rush as everyone was allowed all the photo opportunities that the clouds permitted.  I snapped many pictures and the picture (above) which isn’t great was the best I could do through the glass and clouds.  I’m sure on a clear day photos would be better.  I managed to bring my tripod up to the observation deck which I think was not allowed because I noticed many people get theirs taken from line but I guess they didn’t see mine.  It was no use as I had to put the camera lens against the glass in a corner of the window to avoid any inside reflections.

There is a single exit on the first observation deck which leads to a staircase.  You have the option to go up or down and I chose down which lead to the giant ball which is actually a weight damper.  It is basically a counter balance which helps the building not get blown over by a typhoon or earthquake.  It was pretty cool to look at along with the little characters but I didn’t realize at the time how much it weighed.  I actually thought about pushing it to see if it would move which is pretty stupid in hindsight because it weighs 660 metric tons or 1,452,000 pounds!

To put that in perspective the mass damper weighs as much as either 7,260 people weighing 200 pounds, 907 African elephants, 10 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks or 5 blue whales of the largest animals to ever live on this earth.

1,452,000 pounds of Insurance Taipei 101 won't Fall Over

Outdoor Observation Deck

After viewing the giant ball I walked up to the 91st floor which included the outdoor observation deck.  The ticket counter warned access to the outdoor observation deck was ‘weather permitting’ and once I stepped outside I could see why.  Typhoons are prevalent in Taiwan but the day I went it was just cloudy and misty and the outdoor observation deck was in the midst of the wind blown clouds and one half was completely closed down.

I could hear a high pitched howling as the wind whipping around the corner as two security guards stood watch.  The security guard on the left had a huge jacket as he was in the middle of the wind.  I write about this because every 10 minutes the guards would switch from right to left and exchange the jacket for the guard on the cold side.  I was wearing jeans and a button up shirt and I wasn’t cold as it felt like a day in the summer in San Francisco.  I took the following little video which will give you the feel of what is like on the observation deck.

More Shopping

A recurring theme in and around Taipei 101 was shopping.  I’m not the biggest shopper and didn’t see anything that interested me but it still looked like they were simply trying to make back the close to 2 billion US dollars which the building cost.  Before getting in the elevator to return to the bottom, there is a shopping area with art, jewelery and some fashion.  There is also little cafe which I got a hot milk tea with pearls which was delicious.

Souvenir Shopping on 91st floor of Taipei 101

Overall Impression

Being a fan of skyscrapers and photography Taipei 101 was everything I could ask for.  Getting up the the observation deck was a small headache but once there it was a pleasurable experience.  Once up on the observation deck there was no hurry or time limit which allowed me to go at my own pace taking photographs, listening/reading about the history of the building and the city of Taipei and of course waiting for the clouds to clear so I could get a decent picture.

Besides all the things that you would expect in huge tourist attraction like this skyscraper there are a few surprises which I will let you find out for yourself if you make it to Taipei 101 in the Taiwan capital.   I would recommend Taipei 101 for anyone who spends even a day in Taipei and would probably head back there if there is a next time to take a chance that I’d get better weather to take better photos.

Taipei 101 History Movie (New Years Fireworks) before Going Back Down

I lived in my apartment for around 7 months how and I can fully see Thailand’s tallest building from my window.  Usually when you think of the tallest building in any country you think of something impressive looking such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.  Thailand’s tallest building is not the coolest looking building I’ve ever seen it’s actually pretty ugly during the day with a uber tacky BMW 7 Series advertisement dominating it.  The Baiyoke tower doesn’t really dominate the skyline like many featured skyscrapers.

One day a couple weeks ago it dawned on me that I had no idea what the building even was.  Only after I bought my new Nikon D90 digital SLR and started taking pictures did I find it was a hotel.   On the top there is a brightly lit multi-colored rotating  pattern message changer.   At night it causes a most photos to come out overexposed with the top of the tower looking like a big bright light.  One night I was actually reading the messages which are displayed in Chinese and English and it said, “Baiyoke Sky Hotel” so mystery solved.

Lightning strike Near Baiyoke Tower II

Baiyoke Sky Hotel

Even though Baiyoke Sky Hotel appears rather close to my apartment, like most tall buildings it is a pretty far walk away.  Baiyoke Sky Hotel is actually Baiyoke Tower II as there is a Baiyoke Tower I which is close by the sky hotel.

Baiyoke Sky Hotel is located in Pratunam District which can be reached from Bangkok’s main road Sukhumvit Road by walking north on Ratchadumri Road (which becomes Ratchaparop Road) which is in between Bangkok’s largest shopping center Central World and Big C.

If you decide to go to Baiyoke Sky Hotel from Sukhumvit Road  it’s important you know how to walk there because many taxi drivers will refuse to take you there because of the horrendous traffic.

The Surrounding Area

The area surrounding Baiyoke Sky Hotel is rich with shopping.  There is outdoor vendor stands lining almost all the sidewalks from Central World all the way to Baiyoke Sky Hotel.

There are also a few shopping centers which kind of reminded me of MBK but I could tell they were old.  I would guess that before MBK was built, these shopping areas in Pratunam were some of Bangkok’s finest.

The area in front of the hotel and the hotel itself is absolutely loaded with tourists from all over the world so the shopping and food is probably more expensive than less touristy areas.

BEWARE:  Tuk tuk drivers near Baiyoke Sky Hotel will prey on the naive tourist, taking them on unwanted trips to tailors, jewelery stores and other places to try to get a commission.

Shopping: Just stepping out of Baiyoke Sky Hotel

Daytime Visit

I took advantage of a rare cloudless weekday afternoon to visit Baiyoke Sky Hotel and the rotating deck.   I walked down Petchburi Road from my apartment after walking along the rail road tracks from Sukhumvit Road.  Seeing a tall building in the distance I had no idea how far it was so I just walked in the general direction.  I had a chance to explore the area which is full of shopping and food stands.  I got lucky and even found a massage place which offered fish foot massage.

Once I finally made my way to the tower it was easy and obvious where to buy the ticket to get to the observation deck.  They charged me 200 baht ($6) which I paid without thinking about negotiating which I will talk about in the night visit section.  I was in the elevator with a few people and it took a couple minutes to go up.  Once the elevator reaches the 77th floor I believe you get out and there is a giant room with binoculars, information and souvenirs.  I took some time taking pictures through the smudged up glass when I realized that I should be on the rotational deck.

To get to the carousel you have to take another elevator up a few floors and after that, walk up one more.  The deck wasn’t very crowded during the day and I had a chance to take a bunch of photographs as well as a vide0 (bottom of post) with my Nikon D90.   I had to get to Thai class so I didn’t take as many pictures as I would have liked to but I knew I would come back to get my fish massage as well as see Bangkok from above during the night.

View from Baiyoke's Rotating Observation Deck during Day

Night Time Visit

After seeing the view from the revolving deck during the day I wanted to see it at night time as I really enjoy taking night photographs.  As I mentioned I walked from Central World after buying a new tripod and got to the hotel around 8 at night. When I got to the hotel they tried to charge me 250 baht ($7.50) which I said I wouldn’t pay and they accepted the same 200 baht as I paid the day before.  I definitely think you can get up there for even less if you remember to bargain with the ladies at the ticket counter.

It was a Wednesday night (October 28, 2009)  and the hotel was jam packed with tourists most of them I assume staying at the hotel.  Everything was a lot more inconvenient at night.  The elevators were constantly full and would beep when there was too much weight on them and people had to get off.  There was no dedicated elevator for the observation areas at the top so the elevators would stop every few floors for the hotel guests.

Everything was the same at night except the top of the tower was lit up (as in pictures at top) and it was windy.  Taking pictures during night time on the rotating deck was very difficult as I’ll explain as you read on.  There were many people who I assumed to be hotel guests either going to eat or drink at the many restaurant bars and restaurants.  In hindsight I wish I tried out a restaurant in Baiyoke Sky Tower but I went to a very close restaurant called Rave instead.

Night View from Inside Observation Deck Room (behind glass)

Photography

I was not the only one trying to get some great pictures from the Baiyoke Sky Tower.  I counted at least 4 guys with tripods and SLRs who were just as frustrated as me trying to get the perfect shot.  During the daytime the rotating observation deck was a perfect place to take pictures.  There was no glass just a thick wire mesh in which a camera easily fit through to take some good pictures.  Even though the deck is rotating the shutter speeds are fast enough that you can get clear pictures and don’t have to worry about reflection of the glass.

At night the photography situation was the opposite.  Taking photographs of the city sites on the rotating deck was virtually impossible at night as the constant movement would cause blur with the prolonged shutter speeds.  I tried to open the aperture and have a faster shutter speed but the pictures almost all turned out blurry.  I also tried to pan the camera very slowly the opposite way of the carousel but I didn’t expect my movement speed to match the carousel’s speed which is not impossible I suppose but I couldn’t do it.

I had better luck taking night photographs by taking the pictures through the glass at slow shutter speeds.  I had to experiment with different locations to avoid any reflections.  I found it best to put the camera’s lens flush against a clean section of the glass as close to the ground as possible.  After I set the camera settings I positioned my body to block as much light and reflections as I could and as you can see in the above and below pictures, they came out pretty good for being behind glass.

View from Baiyoke Observation Room (Behind Glass)

Overall Impression

If you are a tourist in Bangkok and you like the very touristy atmosphere Baiyoke Sky Hotel is the perfect place to stay in Bangkok.  I looked at the prices and pictures of rooms on Baiyoke’s website and it looks to be a bargain when you consider that you’re in an inner city luxurious tower compared to your average $15 a nigh guesthouse.  If you are looking for a place to stay in Bangkok definitely check out the Baiyoke Hotel website

There are a bunch of restaurants, bars and a whole lot more going on at Baiyoke Sky Hotel so if you’re one of those types who likes to have all the conveniences of home at your travel destination and maybe you want to meet with some fellow travelers, Baiyoke Sky Hotel has got to be on top of your list.  If you are living in Bangkok, it is definitely worth it to head to the top of Baiyoke once but you probably won’t want to go back unless you want to meet some travelers.  If you are a backpacker, you also want to pay the 200 baht or whatever you can get away with paying and get some good photos looking down on Bangkok.

In the previous post I explained the marathon of  choosing a digtal SLR camera and now it was time to find the best price.  I pulled an unusual maneuver for shopping in Bangkok and called camera places over the phone to get a general idea of the price I would be paying for the Nikon D90 Kit (lens included).  I called places in the expensive mall Central World and in the cheap mall (my favorite) MBK and the price quotes I got were all in the same ballpark.  They consistent prices I got over the phone ranged from 43,500 baht ($1,300USD) to 46,500 baht ($1,390USD) which is around what I saw in stores.

The next day I made up my mind I was going to buy the Nikon D90 although I was still doing some last minute research.  I ended up heading to MBK around 6pm and I was going to try to find the best price and if all else failed I was going to go to a recommended camera shop called Photofile.  Unexpectedly I had 2 friends who were at MBK and wanted to see a movie and they already had tickets.  The time was around 6:50 and the movie started at 7:00 and I just had the itch that I had to get the camera that day so I told them to go grab a seat while I bought a camera.

I walked down to the 4th floor and walked in the first camera place I saw and asked how much the Nikon D90 kit was expecting it to be something what I was quoted over the phone .  To my surprise they wanted only 41,500 baht ($1,240USD) for it.  The place was called Digilife and they had the usual suspects of beginner to mid-range SLR cameras so I figured I was getting a legit product.   I got the Nikon factory warranty for the new product which was distributed by Nikon Netherlands interestingly enough.  Their website is DigilifeThailand.com but is unfortunately not available in English.  I snatched the camera up for a good $100 cheaper than I was expecting to pay then ran back upstairs to catch the movie.

My Past and Present Travel Pictures

Taking Pictures:  HELP!

Since I hadn’t had any formal photography instruction in over 15 years I knew to get the full benefits from the Nikon D90 which is considered a “mid-range” digital SLR I would need some instruction.  I scoured Google for some helpful photography links and I found two which I really like and refer to quite often.  The first one is called DSLRtips.com and it is ran by the same guy who does CameraLabs.com which helped me choose a camera.  On DSLRTips.com there is some great videos in their ‘workshops’ section explaining the basics of night photography, motion photography, sunsets and much more.

The second website I refer to is a site that has been online for a very long time (in internet years) KenRockwell.com which has information specific to the Nikon D90 along with other cameras.  Another resource is the camera itself!  It has a ‘?’ button which provides an explanation (although not very detailed) for whatever setting your are browsing through.  I plan to get a book about taking digital pictures as well.

Low Light & Night Pictures

With the point and shoot cameras I’ve had I was always majorly disappointed with the night pictures.  I remember taking a bunch of pictures in Rio De Janeiro during Reveillon (New Years Eve) which is likely a once in a lifetime experience and having very few come out.  I remember taking pictures from the roof of Sao Paulo’s tallest building and they did not come out.  As I brought the camera home from the store I was hoping that a digital SLR like the Nikon D90 would help me take night pictures that were worth looking at.

The first picture I took with the D90 right out of the box was the Bangkok skyline right outside my apartment window and I was immediately astonished.  I used the factory settings and didn’t know how to use the camera at all and the clarity and colors were far better than anything I had taken before.  I took a picture of a friend in my apartment in very dim lighting and the picture came out looking like the room was in daylight without a flash.

When you see city lights night pictures the sky is usually black and that is what I would strive for on my pictures but a lot of times the sky appeared gray and I wondered if my settings weren’t right in the camera.  It turns out (I think) that the camera is picking the mixture of smoke, clouds, fog and smog which is constantly hovering around Bangkok.   In the first couple weeks of owning the D90 I think I have taken some very good pictures of Bangkok at Night and Bangkok Nighttime long exposure pictures which stream car lights together.  At the time of writing this, my next task is to figure out how to take motion pictures, specifically pictures that show movement by blurring backgrounds or subjects.

Typical Bangkok Night Exposure with Nikon D90

Video:  Unnecessary Feature?

First of all in this context a feature is defined as:  1.  A prominent or distinctive aspect, quality, or characteristic, 2. An item advertised or offered as particularly attractive or as an inducement.

When I first heard about the Nikon D90 it was mentioned that it was the first Digital SLR to record video.  My question was why?  Just as the limited still camera built in camcorders does not hold a candle to digital SLRs, the video recorder mode which claims to be HD does not even come close to even the average camcorder.  This being said, it could still be handy for situations where a video is more telling than a picture although I would have much rather the D90 had an extra feature, a higher resolution, or anything else which could help improve picture quality than a video recorder.

Video Examples

This video demonstrates the shortcomings of video on a digital SLR like the Nikon D90.  Keep in mind that unlike camcorders, there is no autofocus during video mode so if you are trying to record an object which is moving towards you, it will become out of focus and you will have to manually adjust the focus which is clumsy at best.

Here’s an example of something that the video could be good for. I took a bunch of pictures of this odd mask clad Thai rock band and none of them really showed the on-stage antics and look of this odd couple of singers so I decided to take a short video.  You can see since the band is not coming toward or going away from the camera, they are in perfect focus for the duration of the video.

The message I’m trying to make is for anyone interested in the Nikon D90.  If you are buying this model specifically because it is capable of recording video you may want to reconsider your purchase as the video may not even be considered a “feature” at all.

Impression so Far

In the first couple weeks I love the Nikon D90!  Even though I paid the equivalent of 4 months of rent in Bangkok for the camera plus another month of rent in accessories I am fully satisfied.  The only thing I am slightly disappointed with is the camera is slightly too small for my (average sized) hands and the compartment where the SD memory card slides open accidentally too easily.  The picture quality has been amazing and I can see myself using this camera for the next few years to come unless I can comfortably afford a semi-pro model like the d700 or a professional model such as the D3.  Since the price tag of the D3 body only is around $5,000USD I doubt I will be looking through it’s viewfinder any time soon.

Check for the Best Deals on the Nikon D90 at Amazon.com

Towards the end of September, 2009 I took a trip to Vietnam from Bangkok where I live armed only with my Canon HG 10  high definition camcorder.  I had been using the built-in still camera for the past few months after I lost my last point-and-shoot camera’s charging cradle which rendered it useless.  It was actually very handy to have the still camera built in the camcorder because I love taking videos too.   I think I got some good pictures of the Petronas Towers when I went to Kuala Lumpur with the HG10′s still camera but it wasn’t until I got back from Vietnam when I decided I needed to get a new camera.

I saw some beautiful scenery in Vietnam and thought I got some amazing photos by looking at the camcorders 3 inch viewfinder but when I finally uploaded them on my computer I was less than impressed.  The pictures were always either washed out, too dark or too bright and even though I know if I knew the settings on the camcorder better I may have taken better pictures, but that wouldn’t fix the underling issues.

One of the problems with the camcorder’s built-in still camera (as with most point-and-shoots) is it takes a while for the camera to load and focus after each and every picture.  Not to mention that the automated settings are usually unreliable and the manual settings are usually complicated and slow if not difficult to access.  These two issues makes it difficult (with a point-and-shoot camera) to take enough shots of a subject to get one which is just what you are looking for and I thought  a digital SLR would be the solution.

My Photography & Camera Lineage

My Pictures with Multiple Cameras

When I was a youngster my father was an amateur photographer who routinely had his photographs placed in exhibitions and won awards.  One photograph of his was even displayed in the California governor’s mansion for a period of time.  Naturally I wanted to take pictures and I remember using those square cameras with the plastic cartridges when I was little.

Fast forward to high school and I took photography class for a few quarters because it was fun and it let you leave campus and go anywhere to take pictures.  There I learned about ISO, aperture and shutter speed as well as the chemical process of developing film and making prints.  By the time I graduated high school in 1997 digital cameras were just coming out to the consumer market.

My first digital camera I purchased in college was a Fuji Finepix model which was mid-range at 2 megapixels at the time.  For the occasional snapshots and Ebay auction photos the Fuji digital camera lasted me all the way up to around 2005 when it finally died from being old.  It actually died just before I was supposed to leave on a trip to Costa Rica so I had to find a suitable replacement fast.  I didn’t do much research so I just found the smallest, newest and most popular point-and-shoot camera which happened to be one of the first 10+ megapixel digital cameras the Casio Exilim.

The Casio lasted me numerous trips from Asia to South America to New York and back to Thailand.  While I got some good pictures with the Casio Exilim, they were mostly when the lighting was perfect like in the bright sunlight.  Even when I used the manual settings the pictures with the less-than-perfect lighting turned out to be grainy at best and sometimes just plain bad.

I had purchased the Canon HG 10  high definition camcorder f for my website’s exercise videos and I had not used it for still pictures until I moved to a new apartment in Bangkok and lost the charging cradle which was a flaw of the Casio Exilim model I had, because without the cradle, the camera was useless.  Instead of immediately buying a replacement cradle I transitioned into using my camcorder’s still camera.  Finally as I described at the top of this post, I was disappointed with the quality of the pictures I got in relation to the scenery I tried to capture so I decided it was time for a digital SLR.

Help Along the Way

A professional photographer friend of mine who helped do the pictures for the redesign of my San Francisco Personal Trainers website FitSF.com recommended I get the Nikon D90 the week before I left to Thailand.  I was amazed at the pictures he took as they showed me how great photos can look when taken with an SLR.   Since he recommended the D90 it was always on the top of my list even though the price tag was pretty hefty.

I wanted to get the best camera for the money so I spent the most part of two or three days shopping around for the right digital SLR for me.  I did some research online then went to every camera shop in MBK to check out my options on 3 separate occasions.  I had narrowed down my camera to 4 models including the  Nikon D90 and  D5000, the Canon Rebel T1i and the Pentax K20D which was weatherproofed.  They were all mid-range Digital SLR cameras.

How did I know they were mid-range Digital SLR cameras?  I used this wonderful website called CameraLabs.com The website had great videos reviewing all major camera models explaining everything you needed to know.  CameraLabs has very comprehensive reviews and all the information you could want to help you.  The editor/narrator Gordon Lange explains everything in very understandable terms and give you the option to decide.

Making a Decision

I never have an easy time making a decision especially when it comes to buying something  Like I said before, CameraLabs.com gave all the helpful information but they didn’t make a decision for you.  There were four primary models I was considering and it really was between the Nikon D90 and the Canon because I’ve used a friend’s Canon SLR before and love my Canon camcorder.   I still had to find a place to buy it and bargain hunting is not as easy as it is in the USA.  Most high-end consumer electronics are just as expensive as retail products in the USA and mail order involves a lot of extra charges.

I made my decision that I wanted a digital SLR and I wanted it soon.  I wasn’t willing to order it or have a friend buy it in the states and bring it here to Thailand.  After tons of research and debating I was leaning towards getting the Nikon D90 which was my first choice but the Canon was still on my mind until I was finally influenced by the oddest of things.  I was watching Fashion TV which is this channel where they play 1/3 fashion shows, 1/3 fashion parties, and 1/3 fashion photo shoots 24/7 to house music when I noticed that every photographer was using a Nikon.  Not that Canon have inferior optics or just because the photographers on Fashion TV use Nikons means that the D90 will be a good camera for me, but it was a spur of the moment thing and I was going to the mall the next day and buying that camera!

Read about Buying & Using the Nikon D90