Point Of View

Today, I finally braved myself to upgrade my camera from a point-and-shoot to a dSLR.

After great whole 8 years with my trusted Panasonic Lumix FZ10, a 4 Megapixel camera which has been my best investment to keep me happy and enthralled all these years, I have chosen Canon EOS 450D with EF-S18-200IS Lens Kit.


Wifey and went to IT Show 2009 at Suntec City late this afternoon, right after scouting for a potential shop we wanted to set-up. With Wifey's blessings, I forked-out S$1,999.00 for my 12.2 Megapixel dSLR.

We expected the convention centre to be crowded, but was totally overwhelmed at the turn-out itself right from the entrance to the exhibition hall. After we entered, the large LCD sign flashed for visitors to come back again in an hour's time. They had to regulate the people entering the hall.

"... most probably half of Singapore is here..." I overheard a group of friends in front of us exclaimed.


From the ground floor and all the way to the 6th floor of the convention centre, there were waves of people making their way to the halls while in the opposite direction, people going back with hands either holding bags of items bought or pulling the trolleys of printers, LCD TVs and iMacs along heading home.

"I thought we're in recession..." a guy who was queuing behind me started a conversation, "it hasn't hit Singapore yet, or what?!" We were queuing for payment at the Canon counters.

With the record number of turn-outs and the news article reporting that people had spent S$12.2 million on its first day alone that started on Thursday, I have to agree with the guy!


Maybe we're answering the call by our Prime Minister and the ASEAN ministers that Asian should change their mindset and spend too. Not just relying solely on the US market to move the world economy along, at least for this part of the region forward and from bottoming out.

As for me, the concept is just too complex to decipher. A simple-minded person like me, with well... complicated needs at times, just wants to take advantage of the promotion price and the normally lofty bundles they offer at the IT Shows than even promotion sales on normal days.


After 8 years of great photos churned out by my trusted Lumix camera... well, at least for me and I know the camera did most of the fantastic job itself, I have now dive into the dSLR realm of photography... the camera is, as for me, I am going to attend the free training sessions to get up to speed with the tool I just bought.

After many opportunities Wifey and I got to manhandle the actual camera at the show, we were shocked to see with our own eyes...

"Thank you. Please proceed to the payment counter... follow the queue there." The sales person pointed to the direction where we saw the line snaking around and onward, all the way to behind the large "Cathay Photo Store" counters!


I wondered there and then if I was, together with the hordes of people queuing, taking that last stretch of "good times" mile before we buckle-down and brace ourselves for the worst journey that has yet to come.

Maybe I was taking that last mile... well, I guess I will have pictures to show.