b+w is good..hoya(pro1d or HD series) is good..cz is good too.. ^^

have u already understand the concept of shutter vs aperture vs iso??DoF??Metering?? i think if u already understand those..u can probably go out n start ur practical lessons already...if not..just google for those words..im sure there r alot useful info there

kmarc, buy online. there are a few reputable sellers. i think yannick is one of them, selling B+W filters. ask him lah. KEEP is a cheap and not very good filter brand. it does the job of protecting the front element, but also at the same time degrade the IQ. want to know how much it degrades the IQ? simple take 2 shots. 1 with filter and the other without filter. You should be able to see the difference. If it is acceptable to you, then no need to buy another more expensive filter.

you can buy online.
Even Zaloon Studio can also send to Sibu, if they have what you are looking for la.

u bought for rm80? i think its expensive for cheapo brand bro.. Hoya n B+W is a good brand, but just beware sometime hoya got fake one, yannick sell original, if u got more budget go for pro1d or HD.. my advise: if u want an idea of filter price, go research 1st shashinki, yamiya website..

keep for rm80...kesian u bro...u wanna know whats the cost price for keep filter...???rm2.50 only....

BTW,what metering is appropriate when using a flash...???thanx....

no la, rm80 is decent, summore urs is 62mm thread Not 55mm(a lot cheaper)....

if hoya HD or B+W slim, easily over rm200 already for 62mm...

kmarc, dont get too poison by people to get high end filter, the 18250 is just a normal lens... a simple filter protector can already.

as for CPL, i doubt is a good idea for u to shoot indoor (ur daughter), coz it will stop down 1-2 stop, where even ur flash cant really help~ too dark.

and if u plan to get 50mm, F1.8, that is 49mm thread, the 62 CPL (assuming u buying for 18250), u cant use it, diff thread size,... unless u go buy stepdown ring, 62>55 and 55>49 2 step down... + CPL,... i am very sure at 1.8, u see terrible vignetting.

think properly bout getting CPL, coz u get cheap one, the effect not much one. expensive one, is Very expensive. and u have to get the right thread size, who knows future u buying 1750 (great indoor portrait lens too) and it's 67mm thread, u cant use the 62mm thread, even u buy step up ring, it will affect the photo frame.

why sells? because once u use sony u wont want to let it go maaa..  right?

CPL is good, but use it with cautious, many people forgot to open it back after use, than its stack up with the uv filter hard to open it.. n forgot to take out n use cpl all day along even with normal photshoot.. at the dark area also use CPL, n question why blury, hard to focus etc2 lol..

n why hardly found 2ndhand prime? thats mean our prime is good.. no want to sell it except maybe 1 to upgrade to F1.4 or CZ,   

oh yeah here go again CZ.. 

yup yup, better decision.... but very depending on the market.... it might have a lot, it might dont have at all. the A550+cz package is hot selling cake... some ppl buy the package to sell the cz (brought cheaper, sell good price, like 55-200) but also, when pair with A550, its godly. so... very depending the market has or not, a good best price unit...  goodluck
pictar sepam.... comment pls.

shot last night on the new merc E300 launching in my hometown (although KL were launched several months back)

@kmarc

not prime bro..you need flash...not enuf light for your pic

Bro kmarc, sell me your flash..hehe....ermmm F20AM got built in diffuser right?

go to flash setting...use the slow sync flash mode or you can change ur iso to 800-1000 and add some exposure

if near distance i suggest you dont use flash..haha

kmarc put F58 upward 90 degree with bounce card.. TTL mode..
        heheh...

if want potrait effect...keep some distance..maybe 50mm-100mm ...but make sure the kidz is far from the background...

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Added on January 23, 2010, 9:52 pm

hehe..is 50F14

She's beautiful. 
Is the photo post processed (PP) and cropped?
IMHO you need a wider (ie <50mm) and faster (ie bigger aperture) lense (prime or zoom).
I think, since you shoot indoors, if you have a wider lense, you'll be able to shoot a more full-er body subject (ie not just the face, but also your daughter's whole body as well). You will have more options in "cropping" and compositioning your photo.

Maybe a Tammy 1750F2.8 or 1680CZ ? hehe 
or Sony SAL35F1.4G   

y not 50f1.8? or if he can afford it 50f1.4
"saya mesti pilih!"
a better alternative is the 1750f2.8

I did not realize that you have the 18250 lens. That lense should be wide enough for your indoor photo shots... but not fast (ie refering to aperture, not AF) enough for low light shooting. You'd have to bump up the ISO (which A550 is good in handling high ISO jpg) and/or lower the shutter speed (which is not ideal for shooting kids as it is difficult to make them stay still). For outdoor and bright sunny day, the 18250 would be good. 

Bro,May i know where is the diffuser?I cant seem 2 find it when Im fondling with the F20AM at a sony center few days back.Or you need 2 do some settings 1?what i remember is there are 2 types of settings you can do : 'direct or bounce' n 'normal or tele' only rite?please advise.planning 2 buy 1..anywhere can get cheap?1st or 2nd doesn't matter as long as there's warranty..ty..

kmarc..i got mine for 399 during the offer...usually sony rec price is 599..maybe can get 520++

buy online la kmarc... murah

guys...is it a must of getting a dry box..i actualyl keep my gear and camera in the gear bag and put inside the cabinet.....is it safe enough??

if its not,other than expensive dry box..wat can i have???

pic spam.... 

if buy oso maybe go studio zaloon lor~ uncle chin give discount kah? 

btw, i was thinking, out of the blue... since sony picked up Alpha series... why not come out a Omega series? (2 line of DSLR?)

then ppl will say, sony is the Alpha and Omega of DSLR? (sony is the beginning and the end of DSLR) LOL

btw, i realize something, the younger generation (born in 1990's) they seem to 'dont know' 'nikon or canon' they know sony, and they thought sony were DSLR for very very long time.... lol, it seem, sony might not win the hearts of diehard old man nikon and canon... perhaps it will win the hearts of the next generation (1990's were my sis and all her friends... we hang out and shoot a lot of photoes, thy love sony's picture)

somehow i would probably compose it horizontally..with the silhouette placed aroun 1/3~1/4 from the left..