Shopping Therapy...

Amidst the angst, I managed to squeeze in some time for shopping which I think to many it's the best therapy. I was off on Friday but I was disallowed to attend the funeral as it seems the Taoist's ceremony have some kind of pantang (forbiddance in Malay) over people with certain ages to attend the funeral. Well, I fell into one of the age category, moreover, I think my mother would want to attend it more and to accompany her cousin sister (my late cousin's mother) since she was not allowed to follow her child's hearse to Nirvana Memorial Park. Hence, I ended up chasing after my lil fart the whole morning in Tumble Tots.

I saw an advert on the papers that there is a fair happening at Mid Valley Megamall (MVM) over the weekend in conjunction with the Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival which started on Saturday. I got all excited... checked with a few friends included Reid for some advices.

Yes, finally I've decided get a new digicam... It's high time my dinosaur digicam take a back seat as it has been giving me intermittent problem on the connection between the lens and display.

I had Thursday night to do some research on the internet. Come Friday afternoon when my parents (they help me babysit my boiboi) came back, I dashed off to MVM. Tried as many digicams as possible ranging from Panasonic, Canon, Casio, Olympus, Sony etc. Quite a number of new models were available too. I zoomed down to a few models and got hold of photography enthusiast sifu, Kelvin, for some opinions. Wah I kena taruh (got chided in Malay) a bit cause he said so many people ask for his opinion but ended up never buy. If not mistaken I've only asked him twice before this hahaha. Check out his photo gallery.

So Kelvin, if you're reading this... I FINALLY GOT THE DIGICAM!!!! Yippeee!!!! Thanks for being patient with a photography idiot like me.

Anyway, just to be sure I went back home and did more searches in the internet at night. The next day I went to MVM again, yes, another trip as my lil cousin sister wanted to go there to check out some stuff for her assignment. So we shopped a while and then we stopped by the fair to make the final decision.

I was looking at SonyCyber-shot DSC-W7; Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7; Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8; Panasonic DMC-FZ5 and Casio EX-Z750.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7
I was aiming at this mainly because I was using a Sony digicam all these while. When I checked the specs in the internet, everything seems superb. So many people were against this as they said the memory sticks are expensive yada, yada, yada... They forgot I've some memory sticks on hand hahaha but nevermind... I tried the DSC-T7 too but ohhhh so slim! Both failed miserabily or did I expected more?? In terms of functions and ease of use, I was really disappointed.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX7
Since FX9 is coming out soon, they were promoting this model with lots of discounts and freebies. Major functions the same as FX8 except FX8 has twice the battery life.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8
Compact sized and was quite satisfied with the functions available.

Panasonic DMC-FZ5
The Panasonic promoter showed tempted me with this model. I was impressed!!! Later that night whilst chatting with hubby on YM, he was impressed too with its capabilty as compared with the rest but I reminded him that we can't compare this as this is not in the compact category. This one is worth the drools! However it is very bulky... it's not what something I was looking for.

Casio EX-Z750
I had remember my previous conversation with Kelvin, he did mentioned that Casio is getting pretty good and I read about the review of the EX-S500 model in Computimes on Thursday. So I spent some time at the Casio booth and find that EX-S500 is kinda too slim plus I got a comment from Kelvin about this model. I checked out the latest EX-Z750 too and I was impressed with the features this little thing hold.

You see, my lil cousin sister loved to be photographed, she went and ask the Casio promoter to take our photo and print out for her which he duly did so. My brother came by later to join us and kaypoh (busybody in Hokkien) around. Since he was using a Panasonic Lumix, I think he was pro Panasonic and he kept telling selling me the DMC-FX8 coupled with the cajoling by the Panasonic promoters. So I got these promoters to take our photos to be printed for comparisons.

So the final decision would depends on the photo quality... fair enough?

And finally... guess which model I got????



Casio EX-Z750 won hands down!!!! The photo looked sharper and natural. The Panasonic ones looked kinda digitised and the promoter said theirs looked more natural in colour with less yellow tinge but well say all they want! I find it's easier to use and the LCD is so HUGE! Wow I just love it as it's so clear since it's TFT. The thickness is just right when the EX-S500 is way too slim to be handled. Heh with this size, I can chuck it inside my handbag. Watch out for more reviews with photos in my blog! Did I mentioned that it's fast too... the shutter speed I mean. Great when you have babies. Super long battery life, in fact more than Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8.

I'm still toying with this digicam and learning how to use compact digicam as my previous model has all the buttons available on it without having to get into the menu. Will start to post up photos taken with this sexy thing later on.

In the meantime, I think I'll send my dinosaur digicam to the hospital for another check-up and hope for the best. I still like to shoot with this digicam as the flexibility of the lens gave me rather good shots rather than turning the digicam in akward positions.

BTW, the shopping craze has begun and there were droves of shoppers on Saturday at MVM... wait for what?? Bring out your credit card and start swipping!