My Camera, Through The Years. The Long Overdue Dream Come True.

Do you have a camera?  My next question is…either you have or not, do you remember the model of the camera that you ever use or anyone ever used to take your pictures?

Based on the picture in my keep, I assume that the first time my photo was taken was when I was around..perhaps 1 year old.  It shows I was sitting in the verandah of our old house in mile 2 Sandakan. And I have another few other pictures during my childhood.  But  I don’t have any recollection of what camera has been used and whose camera was it.  It’s because, I am pretty sure my family never have a camera until my big brother got his first job. Even so, I don’t remember what was the model of the camera.

As someone who always enjoyed being photograph, I start to build a dream to have my own camera since I was a little girl. That time I have no awareness of any good quality camera such as SLR or DSLR.  I am not even sure if it’s already existed that time.  What I have in mind was just any simple camera available.  As long as it can take picture, I would surely be happy.  But, the dream seems so impossible for me that time.  The least I can do was borrow, borrow, and borrow.

So, talking about borrowing a camera, I have one funny, but interesting memory.  I don’t really remember what year was it but I am sure it was during my teenage years.  I am going for a local vacation with my sisters..to Kundasang Ranau to be exact.  We were so excited, but we don’t have a camera.  So, we try to borrow from my neighbor who work in ESSO and who was happen to be my relative as well.  She told us the camera is not a good quality camera.  It’s simply a free gift given to customer when they buy certain amount of petrol in ESSO.  Well, we have no complains.  It’s better than nothing right?

So..off we go with the camera.  It was a very cute camera, light in weight, red color and the body were made from some kind of hard paper. And the thing I remember most was the sound when we release the shutter button.  It’s like a sound of some kind of spring… a long ‘tengggg’ sound. But still we have no complain.  We were happy shooting each other.  It was until we went to National Park (where all climbers of mount kinabalu start their journey).  I remember there was a man, a chinese from his physical look who was so occupied with his expensive look camera…and there was a tripod some more.  When he press and release the shutter button, I know just from the sound it, it certainly an expensive camera.  The sound was soooo…. professional and sophisticated.  Err..that is the best way I can describe it. I look at my sister and whisper to her, “did you hear the sound of his camera? Better hide our paper camera.” And we all laughing. Hahahaha.  Anyway, after we develop our picture from that red color paper camera, we have no regret.  It is a good camera actually.  The only weakness of that camera that I notice was taking picture in a place that has no enough light will result in a bad photo.  But after witnessing the Chinese man in that National Park that day, it gave me a new bigger dream.  Silently, I want to own a camera like that one day. A camera that will release a professional and sophisticated sound…just like that.  

Well, seems that my dreams were granted eventually…but not as fast as I wish.  One by one, step by step.  Here I want to share with you cameras that I ever used.

Yashica (1993-2002)

Mmm…I try to find the picture of the camera on the internet but I cannot find the exact model. But it was a point and shoot film camera. The camera is actually not mine.  It was my sister’s camera.  But maybe because I keep on borrowing it from her and because she loves me, eventually she gave it to me. I use this camera during my high school, capturing memories of my teenage years..and all through my college and university life.  I even use it when I took photography courses in my diploma (Cannot afford to buy SLR).  Believe me, none of it gone wasted.  I still use it even when the flash glass has broken and small wires were visible there.  Even my photography lecturer was amaze that it’s still working. I used it until it was totally damage!  Hahahaha.

Sony Cyber Shot (2008 till today)

This pink color point and shoot camera is actually a wedding gift from a very generous friend of mine.  But it’s actually a requested gift.  The person asks me what I want and he gave me the highest price he willing to spend.  So, I ask for a camera. And this is what I get.  I am so happy.  Since I receive this camera a few days prior to my wedding day, I used this camera (ask someone else) to capture my once in a lifetime magical moments, my humble honeymoon and also…capturing the face of my little one.

Canon EOS 700D

Finally….my dream come true after dreaming it for more than 2 decades.  I just bought this last week.  This time…with my own money.  I don’t know about the look but the sound…just like the one I saw that man hold in National Park yearsssss ago. Sounds Professional and Sophisticated.  And I’ve been given a tripod too…for free!!!!!  Yeahh well..that after I made a 10cents face to the ‘tauke’.  Hahahaha.  

So, what can I say??  After dreaming for more than 2 decades and finally granted my wish…I am so thankful.  God is so good to me.  That’s what I know.  And what can I do with this camera?  A lot I guess.  So, that’s all for now.  It’s time to dream another dream.  A better lens in the near future perhaps??? *grinning widely*.