I like Nikon because of the gigantic lens selection. You can take a nikon lens made in the 1980's and put it on your brand new $5000 D3 and it will work and more oft then not, the pictures will come out amazing. There's something about these old lenses that Nikon made, their quality stands the test of time.
So it's great that you can take a Nikon Lens from way back from the AI lens format and use it on any modern nikon camera body today. This gives us Nikon owners a HUGE, GIGANTIC selection of lenses, and because we can get old lenses, we can find some sweet deals.
Another reason why I like Nikon camera bodies is because they were designed by a guy named Mr. Giugiaro, who also happened to design the first generation Lexus GS sedan. So anyway if you take a Nikon camera and hold it in your hand... it just fits, and it fits like a freaking hand made fine italian leather glove and it feels GOOD.
Not only does the glove fit, the controls are right where all your fingers need them to be. So it is comfortable and functional. This is a special apex of the industrial design world that has yet to be caught up to by Nikon's competitors.
So to sum it up, best lens selection, best designed cameras.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
D2H
Photography is addictive. Its probably more expensive a habit than some recreational hard drugs. For example, you can get to a point in photography where you are spending $600-800 on a lens and that's normal. And then you want another, and another, and another... And then there are lenses that cost thousands of dollars and to some photographers, that's normal. Cocaine? man that's small time man. Lenses will last you a lifetime.
The Nikon D40 was definitely the gateway drug to DSLR land. After using it for less than a month I realized what I really really wanted was the Nikon D2H. The D2H is a high speed camera that can shoot 8 shots per second. It also has a built in intervalometer so you can set it up on a tripod, leave it out somewhere for hours on end and let it take pictures at specified intervals. It also has auto exposure bracketing so I can take up to 9 shots at 1ev spacing per shot with one trigger of the shutter. It also has a wireless transmitter add-on where ur shots get immediately uploaded to a computer on the same 802.11 wifi network while you shoot! The list kinda goes on...
Not to bash the D40 though, I still respect the D40 for how amazingly simple, quick to use and light it is. It will be the camera I use most of the time simply because it is simple!
But when I want to have some hard core fun I whip out the D2H.
It's like driving a honda accord to work on weekdays, then on the weekends breaking out the corvette in ur garage for some more serious fun.
The D2H is an older camera from Nikon that used to cost $3500. Now you can get a used one for about $500. So for the $500 you would spend on buying a brand new beginner DSLR kit, you could afford a real professional's camera. This camera is no joke.
The difference between a beginner DSLR and a professional DSLR is really the tweaking. A pro DSLR is for tweaking all sorts of adjustments quickly. A beginner DSLR will hide more of that away so it doesn't confuse and intimidate the heck out of beginners. I can definitely say if I had been shoved a D2H first, my learning curve would be much longer. The D40 accelerates that learning curve. It's a great way for Nikon to get more customers into the expensive world of DSLR lenses.
I would say the transition from camera types is like this:
point and shoot camera: learn how to compose your shots
beginner dslr: learn about what all the numbers mean and how to apply them
advanced dslr: use all the above and more to take photos in demanding situations such as high speed sports or covering the news in a war torn country's active battlefield.
The Nikon D40 was definitely the gateway drug to DSLR land. After using it for less than a month I realized what I really really wanted was the Nikon D2H. The D2H is a high speed camera that can shoot 8 shots per second. It also has a built in intervalometer so you can set it up on a tripod, leave it out somewhere for hours on end and let it take pictures at specified intervals. It also has auto exposure bracketing so I can take up to 9 shots at 1ev spacing per shot with one trigger of the shutter. It also has a wireless transmitter add-on where ur shots get immediately uploaded to a computer on the same 802.11 wifi network while you shoot! The list kinda goes on...
Not to bash the D40 though, I still respect the D40 for how amazingly simple, quick to use and light it is. It will be the camera I use most of the time simply because it is simple!
But when I want to have some hard core fun I whip out the D2H.
It's like driving a honda accord to work on weekdays, then on the weekends breaking out the corvette in ur garage for some more serious fun.
The D2H is an older camera from Nikon that used to cost $3500. Now you can get a used one for about $500. So for the $500 you would spend on buying a brand new beginner DSLR kit, you could afford a real professional's camera. This camera is no joke.
The difference between a beginner DSLR and a professional DSLR is really the tweaking. A pro DSLR is for tweaking all sorts of adjustments quickly. A beginner DSLR will hide more of that away so it doesn't confuse and intimidate the heck out of beginners. I can definitely say if I had been shoved a D2H first, my learning curve would be much longer. The D40 accelerates that learning curve. It's a great way for Nikon to get more customers into the expensive world of DSLR lenses.
I would say the transition from camera types is like this:
point and shoot camera: learn how to compose your shots
beginner dslr: learn about what all the numbers mean and how to apply them
advanced dslr: use all the above and more to take photos in demanding situations such as high speed sports or covering the news in a war torn country's active battlefield.
D40
Got my D40 based on recommendations that it is the best beginner DSLR.
The recommendations and research are right! This may be the only DSLR out there that actually teaches you what in the world all the settings do.
The kit lens it comes with is fantastic and can do about 80% of what an amateur or 100% of what a casual photographer needs to take pictures of.
If I ever need to just grab and get a quick shot done finished, on the web, emailed, and have it come out as nice as possible without any time spent tweaking or setting up the shot, it is from the Nikon D40. The best beginner DSLR out there. You will find it beats other beginner DSLR's with its price, especially on the used market ala craigslist or ebay.
I got one in mint condition used for 375$ and it came with the kit lens, a very nice camera bag, and a 4GIG memory card all from craigslist. Best thing about craigslist is you can just meet up in town to do the sale right then and there, no waiting for shipping or auction bidding etc...
The recommendations and research are right! This may be the only DSLR out there that actually teaches you what in the world all the settings do.
The kit lens it comes with is fantastic and can do about 80% of what an amateur or 100% of what a casual photographer needs to take pictures of.
If I ever need to just grab and get a quick shot done finished, on the web, emailed, and have it come out as nice as possible without any time spent tweaking or setting up the shot, it is from the Nikon D40. The best beginner DSLR out there. You will find it beats other beginner DSLR's with its price, especially on the used market ala craigslist or ebay.
I got one in mint condition used for 375$ and it came with the kit lens, a very nice camera bag, and a 4GIG memory card all from craigslist. Best thing about craigslist is you can just meet up in town to do the sale right then and there, no waiting for shipping or auction bidding etc...
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