behind the camera

Here's the reason behind the purchase of a new camera:

We bought this N1k0n C00lpix 5100 before we moved here. So that makes it almost 4 years old. 2 years ago, somebody (I dont know who, coz nobody wanted to own up) broke the mechanism-thingy that closes and covers the lens when we switch the camera off.
Though 'broken', the camera was still working fine, so we did not feel the urgent need to buy a new one. It still took okay pictures. They're not professional looking, but good enough for undiscerning people like us. We just needed to make sure we wipe the lens clean before we take pictures, is all.
Can you imagine, we went to Italy with this broken down camera?

I had always marvelled at the clarity of the pictures my dad takes on his dslr camera, and had always dreamt of owning one, but we've always thought it was too expensive for us. Anyways, we already have the c00lpix, it's still working, plus it fits in my handbag.
When Lollies came to visit us, I copied some of the pictures she took with her D70 into our computer and Taufik was amazed at the difference in quality, in terms of clarity, focus and also color. It just so happens that a few weeks after that, one of our friends over here bought himself a D80 and told Taufik that the shop was having a sale. Motivating us further was the prospect of taking pictures of the pyramids.
So we went to check the shop out and Taufik tested out the D40 and D40x and we still thought the D80 was out of our league (dayummmm you could buy serious bling-bling for that amount of money!)
After a few more days of mulling and pouring over user (professional and amateur) reviews on the web, Taufik finally settled on the D40. (If it were not for the impending trip, I think we would have waited for a few more months/years before we got one)

He is now hooked!
The first thing he grabs when he comes back from work (after kissing the kids and I, of course) is the user manual, and the camera. The other day he even came home a little early to test out the camera in daylight.
Even I was not as enthusiastic about it as him.
The first picture I took with the camera was the one above.
Picture of the Nik0n D40 below, taken with Nik0n c00lpix 5100.


Can you see the difference in picture quality?


We can't take pictures like Grom yet (and I doubt we ever will), but I think we are getting a little closer :)

I still think it's bulky though.