Digital SLR Service

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

Learning the Hard Way

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

Bicycle Upgrade

I believe I told the story in previous posts but I’ll repeat it again.  I spent around 4,500 baht ($136 USD) on a bicycle from Big C which is basically Thailand’s version of Target from the USA which turned out to be a complete waste of money.  In addition to the handlebars falling off as I was riding it home, the cheap components died after the 2nd bike ride I went on.  While the bike had multiple suspension systems and looked cool, it was a complete piece of garbage.

I ended up giving the bike to one of the security guards for my apartment building and start looking for a real bike shop to get a bike I could zoom through the streets of Bangkok on.   I had ridden a bicycle through the streets of San Francisco for the past 3 years on my Specialized Sirrus Comp and felt the need to get a better bicycle if I was to ride one at all.

Probike

I found probike by searching on google.  The location was perfect because it was in a familair location right next to Lumpini Park (map above).  I bought a bicycle in the first place because of the traffic-free bicycle path which leads from my apartment to Lumpini Park (pictured above).  After getting used to the Bangkok traffic I decided that it is actually easier to ride bikes through the streets of Bangkok than San Francisco.

While there is more traffic in Bangkok than San Francisco the traffic is slower and believe it or not a little more predictable.   As I was looking around Probike’s showroom I noticed familiar hybrid style bikes which is what I wanted as well as high end road bikes, mountain bikes, and all sorts of bikes.

I started thinking that I really didn’t need a street bike because Bangkok’s geography is the polar opposite of San Francisco.  While the hills in San Francisco present a challenge for any bicyclist the almost 100% flat area of Bangkok doesn’t require as light a bike.  The unevenness of the curbs, and poorly layed brick sidewalks of Bangkok gave me the idea that a mountain bike would be a better idea anyway.

Part of the Showroom at Probike in Bangkok

Probike Service

Probike is stocked with mostly Trek and Gary Fisher bikes from what I saw.  The staff of green shirted employees was very friendly and helpful.  As soon as I pointed out the bike I wanted, without asking they immediately dropped 2500 baht ($75 USD) off the sticker price, offered me a free 1 year service plan and a bunch of discounts on accessories such as lights, locks, helmets and more.  I talked to an ex US army doctor on the way out and he told me they did the same for him saving him a lot of money as well.

I ended up spending 14,000 baht ($415 USD ) on a 2009 green Trek mountain bike (picture at top of post).  The sales guy offered me the 2008 model of the same bike for 10,000 baht ($330 USD) but I liked the green color and thought the bike’s Shimano components felt a lot smoother.  I was very surprised how fast the mountain bike was compared to my hybrid from in San Francisco.  It probably has something to do with riding on all flat surfaces past the slow Bangkok traffic.

I have went back a few times since I bought the bike to get things tightened up and tuned up a bit and the staff is always very friendly and doesn’t even ask for my proof of service plan to fix everything for free.  The shop and atmosphere reminds me of  my bike store in San Francisco Mike’s Bikes.  I highly recommend Probike for anyone looking to buy a quality bicycle in Bangkok.

The Probike website is very nice as well with tons of information about the shop as well as everything related to the bicycle culture in Thailand.  Probike.co.th

Seemingly Endless Shopping

MBK is eight stories high and 330 meters long, with 2,500 shops using a total selling area of 89,000 square meters according to Wikipedia.  It used to be one of the biggest shopping malls in all of Asia when it was opened in 1985.  Fast forward to 25 years and MBK is no longer one of the largest shopping malls but it is still probably the coolest.  Bangkok now has many bigger, newer and “nicer” malls but MBK is most people’s favorite and will always be my favorite.  MBK is located centrally and is connected to the National Stadium BTS Skytrain stop making it very easy to get to.  The walkway also connects it to Siam center a newer, more expensive western mall clone which enables you to literally walk for miles through various malls starting at MBK.

Making Shopping Fun

MBK draws tourists from all over the world for its deals.  If you didn’t know which country you were in and you walked in MBK you would have a very difficult guess to make.  To me it reminds me of the Star Wars cantina scene because there are so many different types of people many whom are dressed in their native garb.

What makes shopping at MBK fun is probably 90% of everything in the entire shopping center is negotiable.  The asking price is often only slightly marked up for example some knock-off T-shirts are often sold for 150 baht when they will accept 120 or maybe 100.  It is not at all like Vietnam where I was told to offer 20% of the asking price at Ben Thanh Market.  What also makes shopping at MBK fun is the number of competitors.  For some items there are literally a dozen shops selling them so you can easily walk from shop to shop and shop for the best prices.

MBK Shopping General Guidelines

If you wonder if something is a knock-off product it is 99% of the time.  If you go to MBK expecting to buy the newest and latest high tech gadget for a bargain price think again.  Most high-end, top of the line electronics cost the same if not more expensive than in the United States or anywhere else in the world.   I was surprised that my Nikon camera was no cheaper in Thailand than the US because Nikon’s lens factory is here.  The same goes for all products made in Asia such as Nike shoes.

There is less supply and competition of many high end products in Thailand than there are in the USA.  Another possible reason why the electronics are not cheaper which relates to competition is the lack of internet sales.  To my knowledge it is not as common in Thailand for people to shop at online mega stores such as Amazon.

Just because you can’t get deals on high end electronics doesn’t mean  you can’t get great deals on electronics.  MBK is loaded with last years models and other not in such high demand products such as cell phones, mp3 players and video games which the prices are all negotiable and depend on your bartering ability.

MBK Shop Factoids

If you’ve never been to MBK there is no way to explain the uniqueness of it.  You just need to go there and experience MBK shopping because it is not like a typical shopping mall experience.  Besides Tokyu department store which is an Asian incarnation of Macy’s which is on the corner of the first 4 floors there are many styles of shops that do not exist in the USA.  I lived across MBK for a month and I go there probably 10 times a month so I list my current view of what’s at MBK.

1st Floor

The first floor at MBK has a mix of everything.  There are clothes shops, banks, pharmacies, restaurants and other random shops on the first floor.  There is also a full sized grocery store called Tops market.  It is pretty much like a Safeway on the west coast of the USA.  I found Greek yogurt there which I hardly find in Bangkok and they have a pretty good bakery.

2nd Floor

The second floor is much like the first floor in that there is no real organization.  There is a GNC where I buy my multivitamins for astronomical prices which is a rip-off compared to the US prices of supplements and vitamins.  On the second floor is a place where I get my business cards and printing stuff done and it is not alone.  There are seemingly dozens of printing places on the second floor and what  seems like the alternating printing shops, tailors and jewelery shops sprinkling in the occasional clothes and hand bag shop.

3rd Floor

The 3rd floor is mostly fashion oriented.  My favorite part is the south end closest to the Patumwan Princess hotel where there is a concentrated no nonsense clothes area with cheap deals on T-shirts and other forms of non-formal clothes.  You will also find your fair share of gold & jewelery shops on the 3rd floor which I easily ignore, and tailor shops which I try to ignore as most of the time there is a semi-annoying (usually non-Thai Asian) guy trying to get you to come in and buy a suit.

4th Floor

Although there are sporadic electronic shops on most floors the entire 4th floor is electronics.  There are hundreds of kiosk like shops in the middle which is surrounded by shops lining the walls.  There is no real organization to the 4th floor shopping  madness but it seems like one side is mostly cellphones while the other side is mostly mp3 players and other electronics.  There is also a retail electronics store called Power Buy which is not that much fun.  There is also a ghetto looking food place selling Thai food and a row of food shops selling snacks next to the middle elevator.  I get a Thai Pearl Tea drink almost 100% of the time when go to MBK which costs 15 baht (45 cents).  I have spent most of my money on the 4th floor of MBK.

5th Floor

The 5th floor is mostly furniture therefore since my apartment is fully furnished, I never really spend more than 30 seconds on it.  I’ve glanced at the furniture and it seems it is very cheaply priced and no doubt most of it is cheaply made.  There is also a book store selling mostly Thai written books and an international food court called “The Fifth Food Avenue” which is geared towards tourists.  It has a few different ethnic restaurants and a backpacker/tourist meeting lounge.  You put some money on a credit card and go in and order and they swipe your card.  I had a steak at one of the places and it was terrible but I didn’t expect much.

6th Floor

The 6th floor is mixed with clothes and souvenirs.  The entire south end is loaded with shops selling Thai handicrafts and other souvenirs.  There is some cool stuff but I don’t like to be a pack rat so I avoid picking up all the cool stuff I see.  Even when I try to buy something for a family member or friend I can never think of what to get.

The 6th floor has an extremely ghetto food court where you have to buy these tickets.  The food is pretty disgusting but if you’re hungry enough you crave the heat-lamped garbage.  Of special not is an Indian/Mediterranean place which is overpriced and absolutely terrible with microwaved nan and curry that is probably weeks old.

7th Floor

Last but not least is the 7th floor.  The 7th floor has a gigantic karaoke place on the south end and a big neon style bowling alley on the right side.  There are around 20 restaurants on the 7th floor including American chains, McDonalds, KFC, and “The Sizzler” which is very popular as every time I walk by there are tons of people waiting in line.  There is a Swensen’s dessert place and a Red Mango yogurt peddler along with many more restaurants including a couple Japanese restaurants and Asian style barbecue places.  I am in the process of reviewing MBK’s restaurants but it will be hard because I always want to go back to my favorite CocoIchibanYa Japanese curry house.

The 7th floor is littered with movie promotional stands playing clips about Thai and American movies.  There is also a small arcade and internet cafe.   In the center is the box office and there are around 10 movie theaters.  There are 3 primary types of movie theaters which I will blog about in the future but the standard movie for matinee is only 100 baht ($2.99) which compared to the USA may be the best deal of Thailand.  The theaters are all brand new and nice usually playing all current blockbusters and Thai movies.

More About Movie Theaters in Bangkok - Coming Soon

Inside at the Center of MBK

Everything I have Bought at MBK

Before I moved out of my cluttered apartment in San Francisco I promised myself I wouldn’t buy a bunch of toys only to use my favorite one and have the others collect dust along with accumulating tons of stuff that will eventually just be hard to get rid of.  Lucky for me I got a fully furnished apartment and haven’t bought too much stuff although I need to stop now or I will become a pack rat!   This list doesn’t include the dozen or so movies, meals and pharmacy items (shampoo, soap, etc.).

Rundown of all Items I’ve Purchased at MBK from April 7th to October 27th 2009:

DVD Player

MP3 Player (Sony Walkman)

Talking Language Pocket Translater

Portable DVD Player

Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera

Nikon Nikkor 70-300mm Lens

Bed Set (Sheets, blanket & pillow cases)

Camera Bag

Ergonomic Microsoft Keyboard

Bunch of T-shirts

1 Pair of Green Cotton Shorts

Bunch of DVDs

2 Nokia Cell Phones

Picture Cell Phone Vendor Lady took of me with my New Cell Phone Camera to Prove it Worked

Buying the Camera

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

Get There; Beware!

To get from Ben Thanh Market from anywhere in the backpacker’s district near Pham Ngu Lao Street you can walk in less than 15 minutes.  I was staying at Elios Hotel on Pham Ngu Lao Street and I decided to go for a morning errand run and got to Ben Thanh Market by accident just by following the park and NOT following the advice of cyclo drivers, moto taxi drivers and various other people trying to make some money off a Saigon first timer.

(View from Elios Hotel Roof Restaurant) Park along Pham Ngu Lao St. Leads to Ben Thanh Market

Rip – Offs:  Getting There

Cyclo are Everywhere near Pham Ngu Lao

If you walk to Ben Thanh Market you will be under constant pressure from people trying to sell you services.  As mentioned in the overview of Ho Chi Minh City the best (and only) way to deal with the people who try to talk to you is to completely ignore their existence.  Yes, it does sound rude and against the mantra of most travelers but it is absolutely necessary dealing with the following skilled and very persistent characters roaming around district 1.

First and foremost you have cyclo drivers.  Cyclos are everywhere and while you want to ride in them the drivers have a horrible reputation for taking you to places you don’t ask to be taken and charging too much.  You also have motorcycle taxi drivers who will constantly be telling you that the Cyclo drivers will rip you off but they won’t.  They seem a little more trustworthy than the cyclo drivers and even provide testimonial books but seem pretty shady.   One thing they all have in common is they will tell you that Ben Thanh Market is expensive and they can take you somewhere cheaper, usually Chinatown.

Secondly you have shoe shine boys.  These kids who seem to be very poor and/or addicted to meth walk around and try to shine or brush your shoes with tooth brushes.  They are very very persistent and will follow you for blocks and if you talk to one, you’re likely to have a group surrounding you.  If you make the mistake of talking to them, they will likely demand several hundred thousand dong.

Lastly I ran into the Filipina women.  I was actually warned by a cyclo driver about the women and it was just in time.  I already had talked to 2 Filipina women in the park who asked where I was from in perfect English (as most Filipinos speak) and coincidentally she knew people there.  Next was talking about where you live and they gave me their phone number and asked to have lunch later.  Evidently they get tourists to trust them and somehow get them involved in gambling which can cost a lot of money.

I wouldn’t have thought twice about it at first, but I ran into 2 or 3 Filipina women on the walk who all said the same thing, “Hello, where you from? …. Oh my sister lives there…. “  It seemed to me that all the scam artists were working against each other.  I know it sucks having to suspect everyone being a scam artist but unfortunately in Saigon it seems to be the norm.  I guess you would expect this in a developing, communist country which has only been open for tourism around 25 years.

Rip – Offs:  At Ben Thanh Market

Before going over what is actually available at Ben Thanh Market you should know that you have to bargain very hard at Ben Thanh.  Not a rip-off per say but you can learn from my mistakes.  I bought some designer underwear (which I assume was knock-off) and nice Abercrombie cargo shorts and some T-shirts and I paid around 2,500,000  or more dong (around $140).

When I told this to my 2 expat friends over lunch, I received the dreaded double face palm as they painfully explained that the starting negotiating point for anything at Ben Thanh Market is 20% of the asking price!

Shop for Everything under the Sun Roof

You can literally find anything under the roof of Ben Thanh Market.  It is very big and crammed together like most markets in Asia.  There seemed to be no real organization of goods.  You could find clothes on one stall which was next to a stall selling mystery food (see picture below).  Vendors (especially young women) were often grabby when I expressed interest.  I found some pretty high quality (what I assumed to be) knock-off clothes and other products.

Name that Food

Recommendation

If you go to Ben Thanh Market take your time and bargain very hard.  You are no doubt going to visit another shopping area so compare prices and you can always come back if you don’t find what you want in Chinatown or another shopping area in Saigon or anywhere in Vietnam.

Not another Chinatown ?

If you have read my review of the Kuala Lumpur Chinatown you would know my stance on Chinatowns.  While I think Chinatown is a cool place for the most part I do not think they should be a primary destination.

I’m not sure how many people have flown across the world just to visit a Chinatown but I hope if someone wants to experience China that bad they would just go there!

Heading to Chinatown

I thought Chinatown was a bit of a journey from where I currently live because it was by the Chao Phraya which was where I stayed last time I was in Thailand.

Turns out it was very close.  All I had to do was take the BTS from Phloen Chit which is a 10 minute walk from my apartment and take 2 stops to Siam.  From Siam I had to go another 2 stops to Si Lom BTS / Sala Daeng MRT station.

From Sala Deng I had to transfer to the MRT (subway) for the first time.  Two more stops in the underground MRT and I was already at Hua Lamphong station which was a 5 minute walk to Chinatown.

Using the MRT

I was a bit geeked to use Bangkok’s underground subway for the first time.  I walked in and immediately noticed it was immaculate.  Most subways I have been in are clean and the MRT was no exception.

The trains were fast and smooth, not at all like BART in San Francisco which are bumpy and very noisy.  On the doors had a sticker which said that the MRT was on its 5 year anniversary which partially explained why it was so clean.  There was also an airport style glass wall which separated the tracks and the platform which made the MRT feel much more modern and peaceful at the same time.

Chinatown

Walking from the Hua Lamphng station to the heart of Chinatown was interesting because the streets were pretty deserted.  I saw about 10 shops selling scales on one side of the street and another 10 shops selling vintage looking sewing machines on the other side.  I knew there would be more and when you arrive you can see that Chinatown in Bangkok is absolutely huge.

The first thing I saw was a bunch of fruit stands.  They had mostly imported fruits such as apples, cherries and grapes presumably from the USA which is different from most of Bangkok.  Exploring further down the narrow street with a packed mix of foot traffic, motosai (motorcycles) and trucks I found tons of little shops.  There were some shops with high end stuff and others with very low end things.

I apologize for being vague but I saw thigs I haven’t seen anywhere let alone Chinatowns.  There was a very tight corridor packed with people jockeying for position amongst the motorcycles packing boxes of goods on the back which went on for a couple of blocks with hundreds of little shops and bigger stores.   Very tight may be an understatement as there was probably 3 feet to navigate amongst possibly disastrous hot grease carts frying yummy Chinese treats.

I saw less restaurants and bakeries than I would expect as one of the prime motivations for heading to Chinatown was dim sum, namely pork buns & egg tarts my two favorites.  I managed to find a couple places and tried the egg tarts and pork buns for 15 baht (44 cents) each which was rather expensive (relatively) to most of the stuff you get in Bangkok.

Each street and alleyway seemed to have its own specialty.  Some had Hello Kitty type merchandisse while others had dried Chinese herbs and others had meat including unidentifiable animal parts, stomach, and of course the environmentalist despised shark fin.

Overall Impression

Like I said before, I wouldn’t say Chinatown in Bangkok is something to travel across the world to visit but it was pretty impressive.  I got the impression that it was actually a functioning part of Bangkok rather than a tourist dump like Chinatown Kuala Lumpur.  Another big difference is I was there for over 2 hours and did not once have a person bug me about buying something!

If you want to get some good cheap Chinese snacks, some cheap and fun souvenirs and anything else you can think of which would be in a Chinatown, Bangkok’s Chinatown no doubt delivers as it is very big.  If you don’t like huge crowds it is probably best to head there on the weekend.

Stay tuned for more about Bangkok’s Chinatown as I will definitely head back there one of these days.

Shocking Bargains in Bangkok

Bangkok is world famous for its shopping bargains.  Whether you’re walking past the designer botiques in the lavish Siam Paragon shopping center, in MBK world renowned for cheap deals or on certain streets, shopping is everywhere.  While tourists may love the fact that there is so much shopping, especially on the streets, I find that for someone who lives in Bangkok, they are extremely annoying.

Shop til you Drop Whether you Like it or Not

Going to the gym is something I try to do every day.  I hate doing cardio on machines in the gym and would rather get my cardio while going to and from the gym.  The gym is a little more than 2 miles from my apartment but running there and back on the main street is literally impossible.

The reason being is because the Asok & Nana BTS stations on Sukhumvit road the sidewalks are completely covered with shops and tourists which slows your run home to a very slow walk.  At first it was cool because you can see the products offered on the street.  It gets old after you see the same things over and over again even though some are interesting.

Are you in the Market For…

Every time I walk by the ‘random stuff’ stands on Sukhumvit road I wonder 3 things.  1.  Who the hell buys that crap? 2.  How would a tourist get it past customs and 3.  What if someone sold it on the street in America?  Every day when I walk by the stands I have a little chuckle about the new stuff I see there.   Here are some of the random stuff available in addition to the Thai art, T-shirts, pirated goods, handicrafts and other classic tourist items.

Cross Bows
Nothing more important to own in a large city than a crossbow.  Maybe cupid is in town as a tourist?

Viagra & Cialis
I guess cupid is in town.  Who would buy Viagra in candy cigarette boxes off the street?  Especially when there’s a pharmacy on every block?

Stun Guns
The classic 1980s stun guns w/ the bolt of lightening are readily available for those paranoid housewives.

Brass Knuckles
If stun guns aren’t 1980s enough for you can get some brass knuckles.

Porn
You can’t have Viagra & Cialis without your international porn selection.

Rambo Knives
You can pick up a large survival knife right off the street table, and “haggle” with the shop owner.

BB Guns
There are plenty of rats, stray dogs and cats on the streets at night for target practice.

Those are just some of the fine products you can buy on Sukhumvit road on the sidewalk in between Asok & Nana BTS stations.  You can see in the picture something like what it looks like and imagine how hard it would be to walk through when tourists are browsing all the stuff.

Eat your Greens

When I came to Thailand for the first time I saw the green these ground green fruits on street stands.  There are so many delicious fruits on the street stands ( which I will blog about later) that I never bothered to ask what the fruits were.  Even if I asked what they were, I would no doubt hear a Thai phrase which I couldn’t understand anyway.

Well it turns out, these green fruits about the size of small apples are one of the most common fruits in America, they just look different.  In Bangkok they taste a little different.  They have a wide variety of tastes, some sweet, some tart and they always seem to be ripe.

Green Juice ?

The juice is sold more often on the streets of Bangkok than the fruit.  The juice sometimes is very sweet and sometimes has a little tang to it.  It is sold in containers of around 400ml for 20 baht (58 cents) and 40 baht on the street, usually chilled.  It is quite refreshing on a hot humid day walking down the streets of Bangkok.

What exactly is this Tasty Green Fruit

I figured if I was going to blog about something as mundane as a normal household fruit for every American I would leave it a mystery for a bit.  The last hint about this fruit and juice is, the juice can kill you!

Have you figured out what this mystery green fruit is yet?

Oranges!

More Expensive than the USA ?

One of the benefits of living in Bangkok is the cost of living is much lower than most of the United States.   While living in Manhattan or San Francisco is much more expensive than Bangkok you have to realize that Bangkok is like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York all rolled into one for the Thais as it is the center of everything.

This being said, Bangkok which is actually the short version of, “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit,” is more expensive than much of small town USA, at least if you want to live with the things you have grown accustomed to living in the USA.

I have been thinking about this the entire 2+ months I’ve been here so far and it has never been more apparent than in the last 2 days where I have been searching and looking for a gym.

California WOW

I previously had a membership at California Fitness WOW which is the large gym chain which people love to hate a-la 24 Hour Fitness, Planet Fitness, etc. back in the states.  The positives are multiple locations (w/ certain memberships) lots of equipment and space and of course the cheapest membership prices.

California fitness is okay with me.  It has loud music and cheesy marketing everywhere along with big crowds sometimes but that’s what an iPod is for.  There are 3 or 4 located withing comfortable distance from me so they were on the table but I wanted to see what was out there as well as see if I could get a better deal than 17,000 baht ($500) for the first year and then 3000 baht  ($87) each year thereafter, more on this later.

Other Bangkok Gyms

By no means is this going to be a complete review of all the gyms in this giant sprawled out city.  I was specifically looking for something convenient to my apartment which is close to the canal and the Phloen Chit & Nana BTS stations.  I would guess most people wouldn’t want to travel an hour across the city just to work out.  The primary criteria for a gym were a low price and convenient location.  Instead of immediately getting a California Fitness membership I decided to check out some gyms in my area.

Olympic Club (Patumwan Princess Hotel)

I first checked out the Olympic Club in the Patumwan Princess hotel which is attached to MBK shopping center because I lived right next door.  I heard the gym had a basketball court so I had to check it out.  The Thai owned Olympic Club was very nice, open and not too crowded.

The gym had a rooftop swimming pool with an incredible view of neon lit skyscrapers and the Siam shopping centers.  There were also tennis courts and a 1/2 international basketball court with the trapezoidal key.

The front desk staff were s very nice and spoke English well.  The prices were high but not too high.  A year paid in full membership was something like 26,500-29,000 baht but they also had discounts for using Citibank credit cards.

My plans to join the Olympic Club were dashed a bit when I decided to move away from the National Stadium BTS stop.  It is still only 3 stops plus a walk through MBK away but I wanted something cheaper to be honest.  I don’t use any amenities other than free weights and cardio machines so the tennis court and swimming pool is a little excessive.  I also could justify paying the extra money for a basketball court so I can embarrass my by shooting airballs all day.

Overall the Olympic club is very nice and would be a cool place to join if money isn’t an option, you want to impress friends from out of town or you really make good use out of all their amenities.

Vita Life Gym (Bumrungrad Hospital)

I had to check out Vita Life Gym in international hospital Bumrungrad next simply because it was within 3 minutes from my front door step.  It was pretty small and I could see outdated cardio machines and old free weights from outside but this really doesn’t matter to me.

I went in and they ended my interest by wanting a 5,500 baht ($160USD)  joining fee then 2,000 baht ($58) a month.  They mentioned the joining fee included a meeting with a doctor but I was not interested in joining a gym which looked like a glorified cheap hotel’s fitness center for far more than what I pay in San Francisco.

Fitness First (Landmark Hotel)

My last attempt at finding a true walking distance gym was Fitness First in the Landmark Hotel which was about a 15 minute walk through traffic.  I was desperate for a workout and had just drank a couple cups of coffee.  When I got there I immediately noticed the nice Landmark Hotel and I figured Fitness First would be expensive.  First I asked how much was a month membership which I don’t remember the actual price but it was expensive.  I then asked for a day membership and it was something over 1,000 baht!

I should have saw it coming but when I asked for a year membership the next thing I was asked to sit down with a sales person which I just had it so I left.  I new California WOW was going to be my gym.

Getting to and Fro My Gym

I have the choice of going to any of the 9 (I think) locations of various sized California WOW gyms to head to.  They are usually right next to a BTS stop so getting to them means walking to a BTS station first if I don’t feel like walking 30 minutes to get there.  I decided to visit the closest gym so I first got to the (Sukhumvit 23) California WOW by taking the BTS to the nearby Asok and walking a couple minutes to the entrance.  On the way back I thought I’d be adventurous and take a canal taxi back!

I started walking in the general direction of the canal which I thought would be 5 minutes and turned out to be more like 15 picking up an iced pearl tea and friend bananas on the way.  I got to the canal and went down to catch the taxi and it was 100% full to the brim.  I didn’t feel like waiting for another so I decided to jog along the path.

Jogging along the path only took around 15 minutes but running along the not surprisingly filthy canal and its surroundings had me feeling like I should either wear a mask or go get a shot after.  The interesting thing is there are people living in shanties with mud caused by the canal, raising their own chickens right next to nice condos with Mercedes parked outside them.  I got back from the jog sweating like a swine but I enjoyed the fact that I could jog back from the Asok California Wow without getting delayed 50 times due to traffic.  Welcome to Thailand, again I guess!