General – Page 22 – Peter Tan – The Digital Awakening

AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D And The Nikon D60

Portrait of Peter Tan taken with the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED

Portrait taken with the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon D60, 1/80s, f4, ISO 400

Wuan and I went to Mid valley Megamall and The Gardens last Sunday with the intention of getting the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D prime lens for our Nikon D60. Actually, I had wanted to get her the lens as our first wedding anniversary gift. We checked around at Fotokem and Fotodata at Mid Valley Megamall. Fotokem did not have stock while Fotodata gave us a reasonable price but we wanted to shop around a bit more before deciding.

We met up with Victor Chin and family for some Peranakan kuehs at Nyonya Colours. That was the second time we met there. The kuehs there are delicious but my favourite is the leong fun drink that they serve. They are generous with the leong fun and have the mind to include a bubble tea straw for sucking up the bits and pieces of the jelly unlike other shops which use the normal-sized straws.

After having our fill, we went to Foto Flash at The Gardens to check out the lens. Unfortunately, they ran out of stock for this particular lens as it has been selling like hot cakes. We tried the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D but could not get it to autofocus with the Nikon D60. We then tried AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D and got the same problem. We then attached both lenses to Victor’s spanking new Nikon D90 and they worked like a charm. Only then did we realise that only lenses with the AF-S prefix can autofocus with the Nikon D60. The Nikon D60 does not have the focus motor built into its body. The Nikon D90’s body has built in focus motor and can therefore autofocus with the AF Nikkor lenses.

We then tested the AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED and took several shots with it. We liked the lens and the pictures taken with it but not the price. At RM2,000, it cost almost as much as the Nikon D60. I still want to get Wuan a 50mm prime lens. Nikon recently introduced the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G. This wide aperture lense has the Silent Wave Motor incorporated and will autofocus with cameras without the focus motor built into the body. And of course this lens also costs a bomb at ~~US$339~~US$439. I may consider getting one when it is available in December provided I can afford it by then.

Who Is Footing Shah Rukh Khan’s Bills?

Perhaps this question has been asked before and the answer given but just for the heck of it: Who is footing all the expenses for bringing Shah Rukh Khan to Malaysia for him to be conferred the Datukship by the Governor of Malacca Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob?

The Star
Shah Rukh Khan accepts Datukship (updated)
By MARTIN CARVALHO

MALACCA: Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan has accepted the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award from Yang diPertua Negri (or governor) Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, which carries the title of Datuk.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said that the Indian superstar would be in Malacca next month to receive the award from Tun Khalil.

“Shah Rukh Khan has agreed to accept it and this was conveyed to the Governor’s Office.

“He will try to make it in November but the date of the ceremony has yet to be fixed,” he told reporters after the launch of the RM63mil Menara TM at MITC in Ayer Keroh on Tuesday.

The conferment of the title on the Bollywood heartthrob stirred up a controversy. Some commented that the actor did not deserve the award as he probably did not even know where Malacca is situated, while others said such awards should be given to local artistes.

The Malaysian Artistes Association (Karyawan) however backed the conferment, saying it had no problem with it as long as similar or higher awards were conferred to equally deserving local artistes.

Karyawan said it was the prerogative of the state Ruler to confer awards on intended candidates, but added that it would have been better if associations were given the opportunity to recommend some names for such awards.

Mohd Ali reiterated that arrangements for the actor’s trip here is being made through former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, who was the one who mooted the idea.

He added the ceremony is not merely being held for the actor but also for those who were unable to receive their awards during Mohd Khalil’s 70th birthday on Oct 11.

The ceremony will also be held to confer the award on Honda Motors chief executive officer Tokeo Fukui who was unable to attend earlier, he said.

Mohd Ali was asked whether the state had any intention of retracting the award to the actor following protests from several quarters, as well as the issue being raised in Parliament on Monday by Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan).

“No there is no intention of retracting the award. How can you give something to a person and later take it back?” he said.

He also defended the state’s decision to confer Datukship on the actor, saying Shah Rukh Khan had helped promote Malacca to an international audinece through the film One 2 Ka 4 and the song Don on one of his CDs.

“If the state wanted to get this sort of publicity on CNN, it would have had to pay millions,” he said, adding the move to confer the award on the actor might prompt him to shoot more films here.

He also noted that local artistes were also confered awards this year, including singer Goh Eng Boon (more popularly known as Andre Goh), comedian Jantan Osman (also known as Ali Mamak) and 1960s singer Mariam Ahmad, who received the Darjah Seri Melaka (DSM) award, one which does not carry any title.

Mohd Ali added that the state would consider conferring awards on other local artistes.

“If there are those who feel that there are other artistes who were left out, they can submit their names to the state for future consideration,” he said.

Shoes For The Blogger In Me

Why does a man who has not walked for 24 years and probably never will walk again need a pair of sneakers? Actually four pair of shoes and one pair of sandals to be accurate. There is one pair of black slip-ons, one pair loafers with velcro straps, one pair of laced shoes and one pair of sneakers. As I do not walk, the soles do not wear out. None of the shoes I owned since my spinal cord injury had worn out soles. On the other hand, the linings usually give way after two to three years.

The pair of Hush Puppies sandals is the oldest of the lot. It has outlived its lifespan but I am still keeping it because it is the easiest to wear and most comfortable on the feet. The pair of black slip-ons was acquired for my trip to Tokyo to keep my feet warm and dry because it was right in the middle of winter. It is also beginning to show signs of wear and tear. I still wear it to official functions and sometimes for shopping. It is fully broken in and a joy on the feet. The next pair is Clarks suede loafers with velcro straps. I bought it to replace the sandals. I have not worn it much lately because it is a little tight at the broadest part of my feet.

When Metrojaya at Mid Valley Megamall had a sale earlier this year, I got a pair of laced suede that was being offered at a greatly discounted price. It is the on the feet and fitted nicely. I have been wearing this often. My hands are not functional enough to tie the laces. Wuan does that for me. That is my first pair of shoes with laces in a long while.

When Wuan and I were in Ipoh a couple of months back, I got a pair of maroon sneakers at the Nike shop at Kinta City Shopping Centre. The sneakers are called the Tiempo Guri IC. They sport Ronaldinho’s stamped signature on the sides and his Brazil jersey number 10 on the tongue. It was not so much the brand that piqued my interest. It was the design. That pair of sneakers just looked right. I had wanted to buy that same pair when we were in Penang just two days before that but the shop did not carry my size. This shop in Ipoh had my size and was even cheaper by RM10. I simply had to have it. Wuan paid for it as a present to me.

So, back to the question of why a wheelchair user like me needs to own a pair of sneakers? For the very same reasons why people wear shoes. They provide protection against accidental bumps to the feet. This happens very often especially when turning tight corners and opening doors. They prevent my delicate skin that has poor sensation from being nicked while I am transferring from the wheelchair into the car and vice versa. They keep my feet clean. They also to keep my ugly toes covered and away from prying eyes of curious onlookers who never fail to wonder why a man with a pair of legs is using a wheelchair instead of walking.

More importantly, I wear that pair of sneakers to make a fashion statement. Wheelchair users want to look presentable in public too. Wearing them makes me feel sporty and casual. They remind me of the time when I was active, sporty and fashionable. Even now, with them adorning my feet, I feel like I want to just go out there and live it all over again. In short, they make me feel good. Never mind that it is difficult to find clothes to match this shade of red. I love it anyway because its colour matches the theme colour of my blog. Yes, this pair of sneakers is to celebrate the hardcore blogger in me attempting to live life to the fullest. Viva la vida!