vs. 
WE’RE BACK!!! Okay, okay, I promised that I’d post about our Hong Kong trip, but of course you have to give me some time to settle down and gather my pics and stuff. I do have quite a few stories and pictures to match. But I guess the highlight of my trip was my decision to finally purchase my 1st DSLR. I lurve my trusty Olympus C-5060:
It’s the camera that’s responsible for all the pics I’ve posted on the net – especially the holiday pics and the underwater photos – but it’s time for me to graduate to another level. It’ll still be my diving camera, but I’ve decided to finally buy a DSLR and to take up photography lessons. I’ve been thinking of getting a DSLR for more then 5 years now. So I start asking friends and friends of friends, and the eternal question came up – Canon or Nikon? More specifically, the Canon 400D or the Nikon D40X? I swear, it was like opening Pandora’s box! People either get really passionate and vote hotly for their pick, or they start hedging the question altogether and sit on the fence. It’s like Coke or Pepsi, Globe or Smart, Jollibee or McDonald’s, Kapamilya or Kapuso, RX 93.1 or…okay, let’s stop right there, you get the point. Besides, it’s RX…or nothing (hooo, biased!!!). Hey, it’s my blog! Anyway, I hemmed and hawed and vacillated from one choice to the other and back. I heard so many opinions that I totally forgot which virtue and which downfall belongs to which camera. Suffice it to say I made a last minute decision and went entirely on gut feel, bereft of any techno-wisdom. Forget the pros and cons, it was purely a decision hinged solely on feelings. Nothing more than feelings. So without further ado…the winner is:
So now I have a new baby! My next problem is to figure out how to use it. I’ve been a point and shoot guy all this time (oooh…pointing…shooting…). I have no idea what any of those buttons and levers and thingamabobs are for. It’s like I bought a car but I don’t know how to drive. So in case you guys have any suggestions as to where I can take photo lessons, feel free to suggest! And I promise to post my pics as I travel down the path of photographic greatness so you can admire the progressions of my future masterpieces! Okay…hmmm…where’s the shutter on this thing…
hi chico! good to hear u and delle are back! well, i congratulate u for your new baby.. it’s like being a dad for the first time! and you are so excited about the whole thing you cannot sleep for hours, itching to learn how to use this or that button…hehe anywys, there are a lot of amazing photography lessons out there but you should also try to be an assistant to those pro out there. nothin beats the experience! i’ll try to hook up on some of my friends who are into professional photography and ill gather from there on who they’ll recommend okay? happy pointing (?) and shooting (?) hehehe
I had the same feeling you had when I bought my Canon 350D. Sly’s almost 2 years old now and I still love every inch of him. Sly’s been witness to almost 8000 memories that hold dear to my heart. I just don’t have the time right now to continue my photography lessons but hopefully, I’ll get to do it again soon.
Enjoy your new baby! Cool choice, by the way! Welcome back! It was great to hear you and Delamar this morning. Here’s looking forward to tomorrow – it’s Monster’s Riot and Back to the Eighties! Woohoo!!
Oopsie! I think I got into a time warp. It’s only a Wednesday tomorrow and I’m thinking about Monday already! Oh my! Sorry about that! LOL! This coming is significant so I guess that’s the reason why I got it all mixed up. Oh geez! Work jitters!
i came across your blog while you guys were in hongkong. quite interesting! d’accord, congratulation on your new toy – nikon d40x. nikon had been the top slr (single lens reflex) camera…even when i was still in school. i am just not sure how well they do in digital. however, i do think you made a very good and well infromed choice. i am sure you’ll pick a very credible photography class as well. you must know the fundamentals like aperture (amount of light that comes in) and shutter (speed to control the amount of light), there’s also a technique in depth focusing. these are esssentials in creative photography. in my experience, it was a trial and error thing, even with the formal education in photography. books of famous foreign photographers would help a lot, especially those that explain the technicalities of each camera part. like all art forms – it’s about having “the eye” for things. beauty is indeed in the eye of beholder. i hope to see your masterpieces soon.
Hi Chico. Luckily, I’ve stumbled upon your blog and well, I’m hooked. Kainggit naman cam mo. Anyway, there’s this cool site I’m fond of visiting and it always makes me think of your morning show. Check it out for great ideas for the top tenssss
http://listverse.com/lists
MABUHAY Chico~!
actually meron na (ala-The Secret, you know that book naman diba?) di ko lang kinukuha sa mall.
hooowaw~! i so envy you right now.
having my own DSLR is my top priority~ am a gadget freak kasi. Am sacrificing everything now, before apple macbook air, dapat may DSLR na ko.
BTW, is Nikon D40X the latest?
well, it doesnt really matter anyway, magkaDSLR lang heaven na.
wow! a new cam! congrats!
I always wanted to buy one. you said it took you 5 years right? I guess i still need 3 years more. ^_^
here is an online tutorial
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
congratulations on your new baby!
a wise choice indeed! i’m a canon guy myself, but if i had enough money (read: won the 133 million peso lotto), i’d get myself a nikon in a flash.
hi chico! congrats on your new baby! i am currently in the same position as u were probably weeks ago because i am also contemplating between a canon 400D and nikon D40X. but i won’t be buying my first dslr until march this year. im planning to take photography lessons first with my trusty point-and-shoot canon ixus and maybe get suggestions on what dslr to buy.
im taking my lessons under Jo Avila. You might want to check his site > http://web.mac.com/misterkodaker/Jo_Avila/Welcome.html
Here are also some pinoy shutterbags’ forums you might want to browse. Lately I’ve been visiting these forums more regularly =)
http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/index.php
http://www.pinoyphotography.org/forum/index.php?action=forum
happy clicking!!
Hi Chico,
Congratulations on a new camera. I also have the same brand and model which I bought in Hidalgo. I was also contemplating on a Canon or Nikon pero ang galing nung nagbebenta sa Hidalgo who is an enthusiast himself. For the longest time, I was using my ever reliable Canon S50 point and shoot camera. I was influenced to “upgrade” by my officemate who is really an enthusiast. You should see his office which is full of his photograps carefully framed. When I bought my camera, I did not get the lens that goes with the kit but my friend sugested to get a better one which turned out to be more expensive than the camera itself. Next I will buy is a flash. Anyway, I started to use with AUTO setting muna. I was looking for a photography class din for beginners but can’t find one. I asked my enthusiast friend to maybe design a course para customized talaga.
Anyway, happy clicking.
Hi,
you could go to intramuros for a beginners class in basic photography.
The class is usually every sunday, 8am til 5pm. I took the basic class myself
and i found it very useful
Here’s the link:
http://www.photoworldmanila.com/0_wksp_bsc_what.html
online tutorial:
http://www.morguefile.com
look for the “classroom” link.
hi chico!
this may be out of the topic.
but I really need help!!!
I can’t seem to register at the morning rush forums.
the site is asking for a visual verification
but there are no letters there!!!
I tried to email the webmaster but my email bounced back!
what do I do?
I also tried listening to the letters
but the letters she always says is “xsa”
when I type it in the visual verification
an error occurs.
help pls…….
am so envious… *pout
Congratulations! Wise choice indeed!!!
I have been reading technical details and other useful information regarding this entry-level dSLR of Nikon for some time now. I have read a lot of rave reviews with this one, too. I own a Canon ‘point and shoot’ digital camera for several years now and I am planning of upgrading to a dSLR this summer. I am thinking of buying a Nikon D40x body, an 18-135mm lens (some enthusiasts suggested this lens because simply it’s better, and has just the right reach for almost all family photography compared with the 18-55mm lens that is usually bundled with the D40x body), a memory card with a bigger capacity and maybe even an SB-600 flash.
I think this is one of the best compact dSLR in the market today.
Happy clickin’
woo-hoo! pa-piktyur naman, chico!!!
Chico,
Omedetou gozaimasu! It really is an exhilarating feeling owning an SLR. You just can’t wait to open that box and do a test run. For me, it’s not really the brand (though it counts) as I think all of the major manufacturers have proven themselves. It really is up to you to decide and letting your heart to speak out what you want. In my case, aside from the camera features, I look into after-sale service and something that is quite light to carry around. I wanted to get a Nikon as it is quite popular but it’s a bit heavy for me (the weight that is). I ended up buying Olympus E-500, same features with the Nikon model I am eyeing for but weighs a little bit less. Right now I am eyeing a newer baby, the Olympus E-3 though I still love my old one.
For some photography related information, you could check this one out: http://www.dpreview.com/
They have nice reviews, sample photos, and news on the latest and upcoming cameras.
Have fun shooting, pictures I mean!!
i hate you! inggit ako!
hehehe…
i want my own DSLR too. if only i had the cash… time to rob a bank! haha…
congratulations on your new baby! what’s its (her/his?) name?
Mayabang ka chics! Nakapagpanganak ka lang ng camera sa bulsa mo! Bilib ako sa’yo. Magsisimula na rin akong umire (mag-ipon) para magka-baby na rin ako! Cheers!
Mayabang ka Chics! Nagawa mo lang manganak ng camera! Magsisimula na rin akong umire (mag-ipon) para magkaron na rin ako niyan! Congrats! Apir!
Congrats chicco on your new toy. I suggest you join a Photography club and start from there. I’m sure you will learn a lot from their members and they conduct seminars as well. Ü
Hey Chico. looks like you have a lot to be thankful for. A lot of “new” stuff, and it’s just January. Excuss my worng spleeing, my kyebaord is still full of drooooool over your DLSR.
Anyway, ever thought of putting a hit counter on your site? I kinda like your page as it is, but if you wanna make extra money (you know, for your new car…) you might want to advertise on your page. Start with Google AdSense or the like.
hit counter here:
http://www.hit-counter-download.com/
If I can’t choose between both – buy them both! Huwahahahaha!
One of my dreams is to capture dramatic shots. Even with just my camera phone.
wow! how i wish I’ll have my own slr camera. it’s been a long time wish.. =)
Hey, Chico! (Sorry I had to call you that kasi I got used to it na)
First things first, CONGRATULATIONS! On having your new “baby”… your Nikon D40 Ü I can relate on how hard it is to choose between 2 known brands. I myself came to use Nikon during the FILM era on photography but now, ended up using my handy dandy Canon G5. Though I’ve had my hands on a Canon 400D during a wedding photography gig, I’m drooling over having my own DSLR! But as I’ve always said (and even texted for your Top 10 segment) “Wala sa pana ‘yun, nasa Indian!” I know you’ll figure out how to use and maximize your new baby
A little tip, though my friends hate it and even titled me “Ms. Manual”… I’ll still say it, over and over again… READ THE MANUAL. So you’ll know where’s where Ü Then, practice, practice..
May be you can ask Del to pose as your model.
I’m not as great as some photographers are but let’s say I’m a hobbyist. You can checkout my blog or multiply site… if you need a little help/tips… basic photography that’s not point and shot lang, just let me know. No charge
Take care, Sir Chico!
hi chico,
got the same thing… 1st dslr, 29 days old palang as of this writing. still got a lot of things to learn. anyway better check this out.. this is almost a substitute for the (user’s) manual.
http://nikondigital.com/d40_digitutor/eng/d40/index.html
–berniebau
As we were drooling over Chico’s new baby, Manny Pacquiao bought his own…an EOS Mark III with a 24-70mm, 2.8 lens and a 580EXIII speedlite flash gun, the most expensive Canon Camera money can buy! haaaayyyy…
Hope to see some pix taken from your D40x soon, Chico.
Wow, I was overwhelmed with the flood of comments for this post! I never knew there were so many camera buffs! Thanks for all the suggestions. My problem now is how to choose which lessons to take among the so many choices I now have! Hehehe…I hope I choose a good teacher. Rastaman, I checked out the site, but I didn’t know where to paste the code I was given (Sorry, I’m such a techno-idiot). But I did find a stat counter widget in WordPress, so if you notice I have their stat counter on my sidebar. But hmmm…you piqued my curiosity about the google ads thingy…
Ei, Congrats on your new cam, Good choice!
I took up Leo castillo’s photo workshop and he is really great. He has classes at DPI ortigas in Astoria and also DPI makati.
Congrats and and have fun shooting!!!
here is a site i found very informative and practical. just watch the vids if you don’t wanna read (just like me)… picked up alot of stuff here. i don’t know if you’re still a novice like myself in digital photography. just thought you might want to take a look-see…
http://help.cnet.com/digital-photography-learning/
Hey Chico.. CONGRATS..
I have the same issue with the D40 and D40x and still struggling with what to buy… temp we bought 350D..
and true look for Jo Avila’s trainings or the forums that Archiekins posted… best way to learn for free
http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/forum/index.php
http://www.pinoyphotography.org/forum/index.php?action=forum
hope we could have a rushes photoshoot
like an EB 
create a gallery like in http://www.flickr.com/ or in http://picasaweb.google.com/ or in http://www.deviantart.com/
here’s mine http://fer-ny-jen.deviantart.com/
teacherjeny
ei, congrats on your new purchase!! ako din, i just bought my nikon d40x last weekend…hindi ko pa sya alam gamitin! hahaha and worse, the included manual is all in chinese (i’m based here in china kasi) now i’m downloading an english version. i’m soooo excited kaso hindi pa ko mkapag post ng pics! hahaha.. i’ll wait for your dslt pics!! ciao
Just an update, I enrolled in a class already! Don’t worry, I’ll post all about it when classes start! Wish me luck!
hey, chico. like u guys, m also thinking of buying a digital slr camera, though i already have the conventional nikon f2 slr camera which i bought from hk almost 10 years ago, when my kid was still a baby. though i admit i seldom use the nikon f2 anymore, since i also had a canon ixus 50. which i always bring whenever we go out. my choice is also between the canon 40D and the nikon d40x, which was recommended to me by the owner of the store where i usually bought my photography needs. anyway, please enlighten me more on the nikon d40x and hopefully before our next family trip, i had already decided which one to choose. again, thanks and regards to del.
ps. guys, do u know i still had copy of u’r first tv guesting at miss d??
Hi Chico, I’ve been a silent fan of your show. I love listening to you and Delamar since college. Anyways, you might want to check our PCCI (Philippine Center for Creative Imaging)http://www.pcci.com.ph/ They have photography classes there and a whole lot of other courses that will help you improve on your photography skills.
Xempre nagbackread ako ng mga posts mo! My dSLR is the Canon 400D!!!
Pics are at my multiply site…:) Pero practice practice pa lang…:) I have friends naman na yung Nikon ang binili…hehe…wala naman yata diff…mahal lang accessories sa Canon…hehe…
Kung may pera ka pa, buy a telephoto lens din….super sulit siya sa akin….next plan ko, macro lens naman…:-D
chico i bought na my first dslr! a canon 400D. counterpart of nikon 40Dx. still studying. galing mo nga e, ganda na ng mga shots mo. what lens have you bought na? or are us still shooting using the lens that came with the kit?
hi chico! this message may be too late already. but still, welcome to nikon family. my friend just posted this blog because, like you, i jumped ship from point-and-shoot to DSLR just 2 months ago and decided to get the D40 with kit lens and 55-200mmVR zoom lens. btw, been a listener of your program with delamar but moved to winnipeg, canada 4yrs ago. again, enjoy and shoot, shoot, shoot.
I was so happy when IT suddenly lifted the block of your site since I told my friend who is eternally looking for a good 1st camera that she should read your entry and after so much searching we finally saw this entry! I told her because your pictures are very rich in detail and colors are vibrant! Kudos and hopefully my friend is decided after reading your post. She really love your pics by the way.