Rough Groove

Canon EF-S 17 - 85mm IS USM

A great walkaround/travel lens that’s been receiving great reviews. Despite its not an L lens, its still expensive. Got it for around P31,500 at Avenue Photo in Hidalgo from P37,500 original price in mall outlets. While the aperture is f/4 - 5.6, the image stabilizer (IS) feature makes it possible to take shots, handheld, in poor light as it affords a 3 stops equivalent exposure.

Because this is an EF-S lens, for now, its only useable in Canon’s 300D, 350D and 20D DSLRs and have an equivalent of 28 - 135mm lens in 35mm/full frame cameras.

But it would have been better if this was a faster lens.

Canon 350D DSLR

350D? 20D? 350D? 20D?

So confusing at first but considering that the 20D is scandalously expensive for the same photo quality that I finally settled for the 350D. Been reading the forums and reviews and comparisons of the two equipment but I have to go with the cheaper option. List price is P65,000.00 at Canon outlets but some stores sell it at dealer’s price. I was able to get mine for just P57,000.00 with a free Canon jacket and Canon Philippines warranty. Add to it the battery grip BG-E3 and an extra battery and it went to just P67,000.00. All from JT Photoworld. I went to Watson’s at Hidalgo near Quiapo and got a 2Gb compact flash card for P9,300.00 compared to the store just beside it at P10,500.00.

Next in the horizon: EF-S 17 - 85mm IS USM to replace the not so good EF-S 18 - 55mm kit lens. Digital photography is damn expensive!

Wireless broadband internet

My wireless broadband internet connection has just been setup a few minutes ago c/o Meridian Telekoms and its quite fast. Now, I don’t have to bring my notebook computer to the internet cafe just to download emails.

The wonders of technology!

HP Photosmart 7960

Initially, I was thinking of getting a Canon Pixma ip5000: 4 colors with additional black ink for text, 1 picolitre (!) micro nozzles, the smallest in current printers, 9600×2400 resolution and with a 12 month zero % interest if purchased via credit card. I have already read the forums and reviews and found it to be a good deal as well as enough for my current needs of printing my photos. These, plus mid priced ink and paper almost convinced me to get this baby.

Until I made a last ditch search in online articles and found Vincent Oliver’s very informative site Photo-i and came upon his review of the HP Photosmart 7960: 8 color ink with a very much touted grey ink (#59) for that faithful rendition of black and white tones that in other printers without the grey ink is bound to be cursed with a color cast. Since I will be printing usually in black and white, this capability attracted me most to this printer. Nevermind if the ink is a bit expensive and HP papers are a bit hard to find, well, I can address that, but first and foremost, I go for quality b/w prints which I believe this equipment will be able to give that.

While reading other articles, my choice got more muddled when it was said that there is the latest version of the 7960: the HP Photosmart 8450. With almost the same specs including the grey ink but this time, it has network capability and uses HP’s new Vivera inks that does not fade fast. With these in mind, I went to Glorietta in Ayala and checked prices. I came upon HP Home and Business and they had the two printers available at the same price! But the 7960 was 6 months zero % interest with extra free #59 and a webcam that whetted my appetite. Right there and then, I decided to get it. Well, I don’t need networking capability and with photoquality of the two printers just at par, 7960 was enough for me.

HP Photosmart 7960: P18,900.00 with free extra #59 grey ink, webcam and 40 sheets everyday photo paper
HP Photosmart 8450: P18,900.00
Canon Pixma ip5000: P15,000.00++

*photo from HP

Mobile service price war heats up

The cellular service price war heats up with the entry of Smart’s Smart258 service, a response to TouchMobile’s Todo Text Todo Tawag Text as well as Sun’s 24/7. These services offer unlimited voice calls and SMS for a flat rate and at a specific duration.

Launched last Friday (unlimited SMS is launched today), subscribers who wish to avail of this service need to register. Once in, subs will send the number of the person to be called to an access code and wait for a ring back and the call is connected. Talk time is 5 minutes max and has a validity period of 10 days wherein subs need to register again to avail it. Costs P115 and open to the network’s prepaid subscribers under its different brands. Unlimited SMS is valid for 6 days and costs P60. Promo is for one month.

This is, as one column of Cocktails in the business section of INQ7 put it, a mischievous dig at Sun’s 24/7.

Launched also last week but prior to Smart258, this also offers unlimited voice calls and SMS after registration but only open to Touch Mobile subscribers. Costs P300 for voice and P50 for SMS. Promo runs for a month.

The pioneer to this kind of service, which goes back to sometime in October last year, was a hit among various subscribers. Costs P100 for 10 days of unlimited voice calls and texts and P250 for 30 days. Open to postpaid and prepaid subscribers.

Because of its relatively young and small network, it was not prepared to handle the deluge of transactions in its system that its subscribers are plagued with bad quality, delayed text messages and poor service.

This recent phenomenon has rocked the very much competitive telecommunicaitons industry. Not only that, there has been a slew of “unlimited” promotions from landline voice call services to internet access. Already there are affected sectors who are complaining.

The wonders of competition. In the end, the people will benefit.

Related post: Ridiculous!