Self-Portraits In 2012

there were plenty of similar self-portraitures featuring my closet mirror on film, but i liked these two from my trip to Australia so much that i had to include them.

Canon AE-1

last year i made a New Year's resolution to not buy any new cameras and/or lenses for the entirety of the year 2012. it wasn't too difficult to accomplish, seeing how i was always broke, but one camera had always been in my sights on my semi-bi-weekly visits to ebay. the Canon AE-1.

the Canon AE-1 came issued with a standard 50mm f1.8 lens and it was well within my means, but i already have (or rather, had) a 50mm f1.8 lens. i wanted something a little different - something i hadn't previously owned. so it was a choice between the 50mm f.14 or a 28mm lens.

lo and behold, i got both the lenses, plus a zoom lens and some other goodies! fortunately enough the whole bundle came under RM500, including the outrageous shipping. having said that, it was still a bargain because the camera itself when bundled or purchased separately with a 50mm f1.4 costs a lot more than RM500. one camera, three lenses, and a Speedlite for under RM500 was just magnificent!

the minor drawbacks to the bundle were the two other lenses not being Canon-made lenses. the 28mm f2.8 is a Gemini MC Auto, and the zoom lens is a 80-200mm Focal MC Auto, slightly hazy on the inside. both are Canon FD mounts, which makes them compatible with the Canon AE-1. i'm obviously not familiar with the two makes, but i presume it'll get the job done when needed.

also, the camera itself needs some minor servicing, particularly some new padding for the camera mirror when it is up, but i think it'll work perfectly fine without one. cosmetic-wise, the camera is in great shape and it looks gorgeous.

the bundle also includes a Canon Speedlite.

i guess the best part of all is that the seller decided to throw in this swanky camera bag, and fortunately the bag's inside doesn't smell horrible like the Flexaret VII's bag! that explains why the parcel the camera came in was so huge. it also explains the whopping shipping cost.

i can't complain. it only took one week for the camera to reach here from the seller's post office. i cannot wait to try this little baby out.