Reflecting On The Sydney Opera House

I have always regarded Australia as a paradise of sorts when it comes to photography. Both my trips to Sydney and Western Australia in 2003 were fruitful ones. It saddens me to read about the racial troubles Sydney has been experiencing of late. My wish for the people of Sydney is that everything will return to peace as soon as possible during the upcoming holiday season.

The above picture is also a tribute to my most favourite P&S digital camera. My Canon Powershot G3 has been key to my continuing interest in photography right from the day I bought it in December 2003. Not only has it taught me the basics of photography, but has expanded my horizons by allowing me to experiment creatively (without incurring the costs of film processing). Although I have moved on to using digital SLRs since, I have been always adamant about not selling my G3 away. The G3 has travelled with me to Australia, the UK as well as Hong Kong, recording memories that I will always treasure.

A year ago, the camera started showing its age when the 4-way directional controller button began to give problems with intermittent contact issues. Then, just 2 months ago, the camera finally went into retirement — images were overexposed persistently despite correctly metered settings. The assessment by the Canon service centre: a faulty “video unit”. The cost of repairs: S$300+ (approximately US$200). Given that I can almost buy half a decent, modern P&S camera for that amount of money, I decided against repairing it. The camera now sits in the cabinet as a “collector’s item”, and as a reminder of the many memories that it helped to preserve. They may come a time when I might buy a new P&S camera, but none of which will replace the sentiments that I will always treasure about my G3… R.I.P.

My Canon Powershot G3 (Dec 2003 to Oct 2005)