Categories
Personal Photography Shopping

The hunt for the perfect point & shoot camera

I enjoy photography a lot and I have a whole range of cameras each serving a different purpose. The problem with most of my cameras is that they are just too big to carry around all the time. While in Munich although I had a lot of fun shooting with my old Nikon FE the fact remains it weighed a ton and I had to carry it around in a shoulder bag.

I currently have two small point & shoot cameras but they’re pretty outdated. I have a cheap Canon A530 camera which I keep in the car and then I have a Sony N1 which I am currently taking when I’m traveling. Problem with the two is that A530 doesn’t fit into my pocket and the Sony N1 doesn’t do well in dim lit situations. Thats why I’ve decided to search for a replacement. What I would like to have in my perfect camera is the following:

– Small size
– 6MP and up
– Bright lens
– RAW capabilities
– Great battery life
– Great image quality
– Great high iso performance
– Camera controls on top (like SLR’s)
– Character
– Metal body
– Needs to look good
– No budget (ok not Leica M8 budget)

If I was going to get a large DSLR camera I would get the Nikon D300 in a heart beat. Its a very easy decision since there aren’t that many high end DSLR’s to choose from. With a point & shoot camera its a different story, there are like a hundred different cameras to decide from and each has a different advantage. I’ve been doing a lot of research the past few days and so far the following are the cameras I am deciding between:

G9
Canon G9
Great camera, shoots RAW, solid build but has decent high iso performance and I don’t think the camera fits into my pocket so it kinda kills the point.

GX100
Ricoh GX100
Its got a retro look, very solid build, shoots RAW, bright lens and great image quality. Problem is RAW shots take 5 seconds to save and has poor high iso performance which is a killer for me.

Sigma DP1
Sigma DP-1
This camera also has a retro look and also has a solid build. It uses the same image sensor as larger DSLR’s which means the image quality is fantastic. It has great high iso performance but the camera costs more than double the price of all the other cameras I am checking out and it only has a fixed 28mm lens which although I am a fan of isn’t really practical for my purpose.

Fuji F100
Fuji Finepix F100fd
Not really a Fuji fan but this camera has excellent low light capabilities. Iso goes up to 3200 and the 1600 iso is pretty usable judging by the pictures online. But, I think this camera is really ugly, lacks character and many people have complained about its interface.

Sony W300
Sony W300
This camera and the next one below are fairly conservative choices. The W300 is a great size, looks good and has a durable black titanium body. It also has a pretty decent high iso performance and was the camera I was going to get except for the fact many users have complained about poor image quality.

Nikon S600
Nikon S600
The cheapest camera from the bunch. Has excellent image quality, great size and looks plus a very fast start up time. Main problem with this camera is the shutter lag and no manual option.

Which camera am I going to go with? I have no clue at the moment. Its a tough choice and each camera has its advantage, I will probably do a bit more research and then decide what to get but so far I think I am leaning towards the Ricoh GX100. Once I decide I will post again here.

Update: Ok, the Ricoh GX100 which I had my mind set on will NOT fit into a jeans pocket [Picture]. I thought it was smaller than that. So now the G9, GX100 and Sigma DP1 are out of the picture. The Ricoh though looks like a great camera made for photographers. I was flipping through pictures taken by the GX100 on Flickr and all the pictures feel very film like. [Flickr Pictures]




Categories
Animals & Wildlife Kuwait Shopping

Local online pet shop

animal care

Animal Care is a local online pet shop that sells pet stuff including toys, food and accessories. They even deliver items to your doorstep. I think its a great idea specially since the only place that sells decent stuff is Sultan Center and they always seem to run out of stuff. [Link]

Thanks Rayboy




Categories
Information Kuwait Shopping Videos

The Mall of Kuwait

This is a video presentation of The Mall of Kuwait which is currently being built. Judging by the video it looks pretty big but the most impressive thing has to be the 750 seat performance hall. The mall was originally scheduled to open this year but I don’t know if thats still the target time. [YouTube]




Categories
Information Kuwait Shopping

Aramex new logo and new prices

Aramex Logo

I just got an email from Aramex regarding their new prices for Shop&Ship. Starting July 1st the new prices are as follows:

First ½ kg K.D. 3.000
Each additional ½ kg K.D. 2.500

Thats nearly a 25% increase! I also noticed Aramex launched a new identity with the prices, perfect timing. Welcome to the new revamped and more expensive Aramex… I am sticking to U Shop We Ship for my packages.




Categories
Automotive Kuwait Shopping

I sold my car with Q8car

q8car

Awhile back I wanted to sell my car and decided I would do a little experiment by listing my car on Q8car and also on Q8showroom and see which site ends up getting me a buyer. Well I just sold my car today but I didn’t get to try my Q8car vs Q8showroom experiment.

Thursday my car went up on Q8car and by Friday I had two people call me and pass by to check it out. By Saturday I got two more people call and one more person passed by. Sunday I got a call and the guy told me to meet up with him at Al Reemal Al Dahabi in Shuwaikh which is this huge ass place that checks cars. I think all the tests took around two hours and in the end the potential buyer got a printout with all the positives and negatives in the car. After that it was a done deal and we shook on it.

So as you can see I didn’t even have time to list my car on Q8showroom. Even today while doing the car paperwork with the guy I had a guy call me asking me about the car. Before I placed the car on their website I had read somewhere that if the car isn’t anything too weird it usually sells within three days and I guess thats true.

I paid KD10 to list my car on Q8car and that includes four pictures and the duration is “until its sold”. For KD5 you can list the car for one month and you get to post just one picture.




Categories
Food & Drinks Kuwait Shopping

KitKat Senses

KitKat

Last month I read on Memoirs of A Kuwaiti-Chick about a version of KitKat called Senses. Today while I was checking out the chocolate corner in Shamiya supermarket I spotted them and decided to take two to try and now I think I found my new favorite chocolate. The taste is a mixture between KitKat and Kinder’s Bueno which also has a hazelnut cream filled chocolate wafer. Downside is they cost 450fils a bar but its worth it. The chocolate section at Shamiya has a lot of imported stuff which is cool and right next to it there is the gourmet section which also has a ton of stuff not available elsewhere. If you don’t know where Shamiya Coop is its near the Sheraton roundabout and here is it on google maps. [MAP]




Categories
Information Kuwait Mags & Books Shopping

Moleskines in Kuwait

Moleskine Kuwait

Q80-Chill Girl just posted on her blog that she spotted a Moleskine stand at The Sultan Center. Judging by her picture above it looks like they have the city guides, hopefully they also have the plain pocket books and other kinds of Moleskines. Its great someone finally thought about bringing them to Kuwait but whats surprising is a supermarket brought them in instead of say a bookshop or an office supply store. Good move Sultan Center, now if only they can get a larger collection of salami… [Link]




Categories
Fashion Kuwait Shopping

Reebok Voltron’s at Athletes Foot

Reebok Voltron

I just passed by Athletes Foot in Marina Mall and noticed they got the Reebok Voltron pack of sneakers. They’re ugly and I would never wear them but at least they’re starting to get interesting stuff.

Score
Athletes Foot 1 – Foot Locker 0




Categories
Information Kuwait Shopping

Do you want to be a mystery shopper?

Last week I posted about Alshaya’s mystery shopper program and now I found out about another program by a company called Khayal Consultants. Best part is you can sign up to be a mystery shopper through their website by filling an online form and answering a few questions. No idea on how much these guys pay though and who their clients are. [Link]

Thanks Mai




Categories
Gossip & Rumors Information Kuwait Shopping

Alshaya Secret Shoppers Program

Alshaya logo

A friend just signed up for the Alshaya secret shoppers program. I don’t know if its new or not but the work involved sounds pretty cool. Basically as a secret shopper you are required to shop at Alshaya stores every week and then write about your experience. You also get two meals at Alshaya restaurants every week worth KD14 which you also need to write about. Based on your feedback Alshaya then try and improve their service.

The pay seems pretty decent too once you get more experienced. New shoppers get paid KD75 a month while silver shoppers get paid KD150 and gold shoppers get KD300. I think more bloggers should participate in this since bloggers spend a lot of time writing about their experiences anyway.

How do you sign up for it? You can’t. Its a secret program which not many people are supposed to know about (ooops!). My friend was able to sign up because he knew someone who was already a secret shopper. So ask around I guess or give them a call and try your luck? I think its really great they have a program like this and more companies should do it if they aren’t already.




Categories
Shopping

Warehouse Deals

Warehouse deals

A friend of mine just made me aware of an Amazon website called Warehouse Deals in which they sell open-box, refurbished or slightly damaged merchandise from Amazon.com at huge discounts. I’ve just flipped through the site briefly and looks like there is a good bunch of deals. [Link]




Categories
Fashion Information Shopping

Fashion, Rain and Freezing Weather

Puma Racing

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet about Munich is the weather. It’s FREEZING, the temperature during the day is like 9 degrees and ever since I came its been raining a lot. Thats why when I passed by Puma in the evening and found their official Volvo Ocean Race gear I had to get a jacket. Pictured above is the official PUMA Race Team jacket which has a Gortex shell, a high collar and a packable hood. I wore it on the way back home in the rain and it was just fantastic.

Adidas Diesel

I also managed to find Adidas Jeans by Diesel. Diesel and Adidas teamed up for this new line of jeans and the Adidas Originals store next to my hotel had some in stock. I ended up getting the pair pictured above. I am having a hard time shopping in Munich since everything closes early (8PM). By the time I finish with work and decide to do some shopping I don’t have time. Even supermarkets close at 8!




Categories
Electronics Personal Shopping

What laptop to get?

Since my MacBook died on me I have been having a dilemma, what laptop should I get? Here are laptops I am currently considering:

MacBook

MacBook
I love the MacBook’s and even though mine died I do want to get another one. Problem is there are rumors that a new MacBook will be released in the next few months that will be a significant upgrade from the current ones. Knowing that I can’t possibly get a MacBook now. [Amazon Link]

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro
I’ve never been a fan of the aluminum Mac’s. I never liked the PowerBook’s and I don’t like the new MacBook Pro’s. But, I am typing this post out on Nat’s MacBook Pro and I have to admit I do love the screen resolution and the fact that the speakers are loud, two things I had problems with on my old MacBook. But, its huge, I find the 13″ MacBook big so imagine what I think of this 15″ MacBook Pro. I’ve also heard a lot of rumors about a completely redesigned MacBook Pro, one that will incorporate the look of the MacBook Air so I will wait and see what happens with that. [Amazon Link]

MacBook Air

MacBook Air
Gorgeous but slow and expensive. I wouldn’t mind paying $2000 if it was at least faster than the cheapest MacBook which costs $1099. [Amazon Link]

So basically with my Mac options I am just going to wait for the next updates and then decide what to get. Until the new Mac’s come out I am considering getting one of those new ultra portable laptops. I figured even if I do get a Mac later I would still have use for one of these, I could for example get a 15″ MacBook Pro and have one of these tiny laptops for when I am on the move:

Asus Eee 900

Asus Eee 900
The original Asus Eee was released awhile back but the new ones come with a larger 8.9″ screen which makes the Eee more practical. The reason I haven’t already ordered the Eee which costs $549 is the HP 2133. [Amazon Link]

HP 2133

HP 2133 mini-notebook
This is the laptop that Apple should have released. It looks like the old 12″ PowerBooks except its even tinier. The screen although only 8.9″ has a resolution of 1280 x 768 which is pretty high. The reason I haven’t already ordered this is because I am still reading reviews on it. Most say its pretty slow but all those reviews had Vista installed on the HP. I want to know how well it performs with Linux or Windows XP. Price for this is $589. [Amazon Link]

Update: After doing a lot of research I’ve decided to go with an Asus 900 for now over the HP 2133. Although the HP looks really pretty its a lot slow than the Asus, A LOT slower. So whats going to happen is Asus for now and once the MacBooks or MacBook Pro’s get revised later in the summer will get one of them.




Categories
Kuwait Shopping

Alghanim Electronics selling not for sale items

HP

A reader sent me the following pictures which he took with his phone while visiting an Alghanim Electronics showroom. It seems they are selling HP supplies which are not meant for resale. If it was a small shop in Hawalli I would expect this.. but they’re not a small shop in Hawalli.

HP Kuwait




Categories
Fashion Kuwait Shopping

G-Star Raw in Kuwait

G-Star Raw Kuwait

I was in The Avenues for lunch when I noticed that G-Star Raw opened up in the new extension. I quickly browsed through the store and I am definitely going back again and take my time. The store looks pretty cool, its cool they finally opened up in Kuwait.