Nikon DSLRs: Get to Know the Models

Nikon is one of the world leaders in digital SLR technology. Along with Canon, Nikon defines the cutting edge of the photography world today. Like most other camera manufacturers, Nikon offers a wide variety of cameras that will work for all levels of photographers, from beginners to professionals. Let's see what the model line up looks like right now.

At the bottom of the line, we have the D40 and the D60. These cameras a very similar to each other, and provide a great, lightweight camera choice for the budding photographer. These cameras are very small, light, and easy to use. The D40 is a 6 megapixel camera, while the D60 is a 10 megapixel camera in the same body. Both cameras are an excellent value.

Stepping up in the Nikon line, we have the D80 and the new D90. These camera offer a broader range of features when compared to the D40/D60 line, while still remaining relatively affordable. The D90 breaks new ground for a digital SLR by offering full HD quality video recording, which is sure to be a popular feature. These cameras are perfect for those photographers who aren't quite ready to step up to the next level just yet.

The next level, as it turns out, is the Nikon D300/D700. These cameras are more or less than same when it comes to the body, which is a high quality, durable, professional style body that has all the features anyone could need. The main difference between these two cameras is the sensor. The D300 offers the typical cropped DSLR sensor, while the D700 offers a sensor with a coverage area comparable to 35mm, yielding a high quality picture. This also gives the D700 impressive high ISO capabilities.

The final level is the professional D3. This is a beast of a camera, offering every bell and whistle in the book. If you're looking into one of these, you probably know what it offers. This is overkill for most people, though.

I hope this brief overview has given you a good idea of what the Nikon DSLR lineup is. These cameras all take great pictures, and you can't really go wrong, but it does help to understand the different features and options available.

Caring For Your Digital Camera

Problems that occur when you're out taking pictures aren't always easy to solve.There's a good way to prevent them however!Think about this, "The best defense is a good offense.”  And the best offense here is to avoid problems with your digital camera in the first place.

 

That’s not to say things aren’t going to happen that are unexpected and unavoidable.Many common problems photographers have out in the field, however, could be avoided with just a little planning.

 

Dead Batteries

 

There’s nothing worse than missing that great picture because the camera battery died.  The easy solution is to always, ALWAYS, have extra batteries in your camera case.It doesn't make a bit of difference if you use regular or rechargeable battieries, you still need to have at least one spare on hand.. 

 

Also, bear in mind that if you’re outside shooting in cold weather, your batteries will die a lot quicker.Frigid temperatures and digital batteries aren't compatible. The batteries die a lot quicker, so it might be a good idea to keep two or more spares when out in the cold.

 

Yes, batteries are expensive, but it’s worth the spending a little extra money to keep from beating your head against the wall because a dead battery made you miss that once in a lifetime shot. 

 

 

When Cards Go Bad

 

A while back I went on vacation and took all my pictures on one card.I just knew I had lots of great photos.I knew for sure that card was filled with super shots of the trip. 

 

The scenery was indeed breathtaking, but what really took my breath away was when I tried to load the pictures onto my computer and got one of those dreaded “ERROR” messages.  The card was bad and most of the files were corrupted.With no way to access the files, all those wonderful pictures were gone, gone, gone.

 

While it doesn’t happen often, cards can and do go bad.That's the reason it's better to buy a couple of smaller cards for your digital camera than just one great big card.Get a couple of 1-GB cards, for example, instead of buying a 2-GB card. 

 

Yes, it’s cheaper to buy a huge bunch of gigabytes on one card.But losing that one card would mean losing every one of your pictures.Avoid the temptation.Losing any pictures is a bummer, but it's better to save at least part of them than to lose them all. 

 

Remember, two cards are better than one.

 

 

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

 

The weather isn’t cooperating, or maybe you just like pictures of rain.Perhaps you're in a boat or at the seashore and somewhere else with a damp environment.You want some pictures, but you don't want a ruined camera.How can you save your digital camera?

 

Well, you can buy protective gear to keep in your camera case for such times.  Places like B & H Photo or Calumet Photographic stores carry waterproof cases.If you only need waterproof casing for your digital camera on rare occasions, you might not want to spend that much money.

 

For a make-do solution, carry a clear plastic bag in your camera case to keep water off your camera.When traveling, if you forgot to put a plastic bag in your camera case, try using one of those clear disposable shower caps from a motel room.

 

Planning Ahead Saves Your Sanity

 

If planning ahead doesn’t save your sanity, it will at least improve your chances for good pictures with your digital camera.The best chance for good pictures is keeping your camera dry, the batteries charged and extra memory cards on hand.

 

And that’s why you bought a digital camera in the first place, right?

Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera Reviewed

The Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera is unlike any previous digital SLR camera in that it combines a full-frame 35-mm sized high resolution sensor with 12.8 mega pixels and includes a relatively compact body size. The EOS 5D is a professional digital SLR. This camera has the obvious professional appeal to those who want a high quality digital SLR in a light camera body.Image via Wikipedia

The sensor is 35.8x23.9 mm CMOS with 12.8 million effective pixels and no FOV crop. Image sizes vary between 4368x2912, 3168x2112 and 2496x1664. The auto-focus comes with a 9-point TTL, 6 “invisible assist AF points”, 0.5 to 18 EV working range and within the spot metering circle. Metering modes vary from evaluative 35 zone, center-weighted average, 1.0 to 20 EV metering range, spot and partial. There are number different image parameters and they include the following Picture Styles: Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User 1, User 2 and User 3. The View Finder offers 96% frame coverage and 0.71x magnification. The focusing screen can be changed also. The LCD monitor is a 2.5 inch TFT LCD with wide viewing angles and 230,000. The shutter release offers a soft touch and the histogram comes in both luminance and RGB.

There are seven different kind of shooting modes including: Auto, Program AE, Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority, Manual, Bulb and Custom. The continuous speed offers up to 3 frames per second. This camera also features a unique playback jump of 10 images, 100 images, all by date and folder on screen. There are 21 different custom functions with 57 settings. With battery the camera weighs 2 pounds and without 1.8 pounds. Images can be viewed at a larger size by a small magnifying glass icon on the bottom right corner of the image on the screen. Clicking on the image will display a larger image in a new window. To navigate around pictures, simply use the next/previous page buttons to jump to any section. To skip to a particular section, pick the section from the drop down menu or select it from the navigation bar located at the top of the screen.

The EOS 5D features a super responsive DIGIC II processor that enables quick and effortless high-quality picture taking along with a USB 2.0 high-speed transfer that is compatible with the WFT-E1 wireless transmitter.

The MSRP is $3299 and there is no doubt that this camera will be of great interest to a wide variety of photographers. Save money on the Canon EOS 5D

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Canon Digital Camera

With so many different cameras out there for you to choose from, it might be difficult for you to come to any sort of decision when you’re buying a new camera. In all honesty, whether you like an ancient manual crank-and-shoot camera!, or a new point-and-shoot digital camera, with the new breed of Canon digital cameras, you can't get it too wrong.

Since Canon is a worldwide name, the quality and excellence of these cameras is undisputed. That’s why, when you buy any one of the Canon digital cameras, you’re assured of getting the best possible camera for your money.

This also means that with Canon digital cameras, you can choose the right camera to suit your level of expertise as Canon digital cameras range from the easy to handle point-and-shoot varieties, to the more complex SLR cameras which gives you the option of taking full control of the whole picture.

Also with the many features available on many of the Canon digital cameras, whether they are the basic family types or the more professional cameras that a photographer might use, you will be certain to discover many options are included to make the experience simple and fun.

If you're a newbie photographer with sights set to get to the peak of your profession, these canon digital cameras are also very good. You are able to choose a Canon digital camera which is easy to use as well as being inexpensive and that will also assist you to take great photos that look professional.

If you look through the many Canon digital cameras available you will find that a host features such as digital macro mode, night shot, AE compensation, Exposure lock, and changeable image formats are mostly standard, as are such things as the ability to change ISO ratings, Histograms, Center-weighted and Evaluated metering, and adjustable white balance.

You also have the option of using fully automatic mode, fully manual mode, aperture priority mode, or shutter priority mode to take your photographs, along with the option available for you to use one of the pre-programmed modes such as Kids and Pets, Sports, Indoor, Beach, Fireworks, Snow, Underwater, Portrait or Night shot.

With this many features packed into the Canon digital cameras and more, you would be forgiven for thinking that the cameras would be weighty and bulky, when in fact the opposite is true. In the main, they are all very light and also designed with ergonmics in mind in order that they are easy to handle.

This being one more reason amongst the many others, which leads the world to buy Canon digital cameras.

Olympus Compact Digital Camera

Weather proof Olympus compact digital camera

Olympus Compact Digital Cameras- The Smart Way to Go!

If robust is what you are looking for in a compact digital cameras, durability, reliabilty, great picture, then an olympus compact digital camera is what you are looking for. These cameras come in the FE, Stylus, StylusSW, SP, and E series. All of which boast great picture quality, power, zoom capbility, and most importantly price! My wife and I received an Olympus Photo Camera 12 years ago for our wedding, best one we ever had, and still have to this day. Digital cameras as you know put to rest these older cameras, and have launched a new era in picture taking that can casue more memories to be taken and secured on disk for may years to come without concern of picture degradation. The E-Series Olympus compact digital cameras come with a dust reduction system that keeps your photos dust free.

If you are the adventurous sort who loves new challenges then you’ll love Olympus compact digital cameras. They come in megapixel ranges between 7 and 12, with Optical zoom ranges from 3x to 20x. The price range of these olympus compact digital cameras range from $100.00 to $1000.00. Some people do not need more than a good olympus compact digital camera that will take great pictures and one that can endure a little rough handling as well.

You can now use Olympus compact digital cameras to capture video recording. They capture avi. file formats in a couple of FPS, frames per second modes. Quictime will be a good software to use to playback your video on computer. Other competitors like Panasonic compact digital cameras have boasted about this feature but Olympus compact digital cameras have mastered this.

Olympus compact digital cameras also boast in image quality with anti-blur and stabilization capabilities second to none. You can be sure of capturing everyone’s face with this tool. It will correctly focus on everyone’s face and ensures the correct level of exposure in group shots. You can expect the best with Olympus compact digital cameras. 

When you search at their main website for these cameras, you are suprised to see such great capabilities in a digital camera for such great prices. I mean waterproof and shock resistant? Taking pictures under water for under a $1000.00? Weather proof Olympus compact digital cameras are a great steal for anyone wanting to get started in the digital camera arena. You can't loose when they are this cheap at high quality.

Canon EOS Digital REBEL XTi 400D Camera

The Canon EOS Digital REBEL XTi 400D Camera is the successor to the best selling EOS 350D. It combines a number of highly anticipated advancements along with a few stylish surprises.

The Canon EOS Digital REBEL XTi 400D Camera now features a larger, 2.5 inch screen and Canon’s Picture Styles. This new Canon model features a 10.1 Mega Pixel CMOS sensor. This easily makes this Canon model the highest resolution digital SLR with an EF-S lens mount. The Canon digital SLR also features a self-cleaning censor which removes dust particles. Reference frames can also be tagged to images that require automatic removal of more difficult dust particles. This is achieved later on through supplied software.

These features places the Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xti 400D above it’s own higher end EOS 30D, in terms of resolution and dust-elimination technology. It has a similar nine-point AF system to the 30D’s. This camera is a much more significant upgrade than anyone had previously expected. The new sensor allows this camera to compete on the same levels against two of it’s toughest rivals, the Nikon D80 and the Sonly Alpha A100.

The Canon EOS 400D/Rebel Xti is a fantastic entry level digital SLR. It features high resolution without compromising noise levels and has a bigger screen, which doubles for detailed shooting information. The AF system offers fast overall handling. The only thing that’s missing is a lens that is bundled with Image Stabilization. The Canon 400D/Rebel Xti is a great camera that produces excellent image quality and is by far one of the best budget digital SLR camera’s to date.

Other improvements include:

-Custom auto-rotation
-Photo editing functions plus index print options
-Improved Share/Print function
-Faster image processing
-More precise 9-point AF system
-Better grip
-Improved overall interface
-2.5 inch, 230,000 pixel LCD with 160-degree viewing angle
-Picture Style settings for quick color mode changes
-Great buffer depth of 27 Large/Fine JPEGs or 10 RAW frames
-A folder that holds up to 9,999 images
-Print/share buttons
-IR detection turns off LCD to help reduce glare or battery drainage
-Picture styles makes choosing and customizing of color modes fast and easy
-Fully compatible with over 50 lenses and accessories

Ultimately, the Canon Rebel 400D Xti is an improvement of an already superb digital camera. With Canon’s latest innovations, making digital SLR photography more versatile. This camera offers great improvements, features and value, making it an excellent choice for anyone wishing to capture great-looking photography.

Wedding Photography Captures Your Wedding Day.

Doesn’t wedding tradition dictate the hiring of a professional wedding photographer to complete a wedding photography package to document the special day. For most people, they will only experience the exhilaration of getting married once in their lifetime and they would like to have the memories of the day documented by wedding photography. Having the right person doing your wedding photography on your special day is imperative towards creating and recording the memories of the day that you desire.

Compiling The Traditional Posed Shots

We all recognize that many of the most beautiful examples of wedding photography are the posed shots that are used to document the major players in the wedding party and show how beautiful the bride and handsome the groom were on the special day. There are generally several shots of the bride alone in different poses, showing off her wedding dress from different angles and the expression on her face reflecting the happiness of the day. There may also be several shots of the bride and the groom together in different settings and locations to showcase their unity and how well they look together as a couple. In some cases, these posed photographs are taken hours or even days before the actual ceremony.

It is often practiced that the posed shots for the wedding photography will be taken either just before or just after the actual wedding ceremony. These photographs include pictures of the bride with her bridesmaids, the groom with his groomsmen, the couple at the altar, the couple with their parents, and the entire wedding party together. Some people choose to have their wedding photography taken before the ceremony so that everyone still is pristine with hair and makeup in place, but some others choose to have the wedding photography conducted in the interlude between the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception.

What About Candid Shots

When it comes to wedding photography, many people like to have candid shots of their wedding as well. For example, photographs of the bride's parents on the dance floor, swaying to a love song or the grandparents of the groom holding hands as they listen to the toasts, all of which provide an intimate look into how the wedding of the couple has affected the many people around them. The candid shots may also be of the bride and groom in different positions, such as feeding each other wedding cake, raising their glasses in appreciation of a toast, or gazing into each other's eyes. Wedding photography is a great way to catch the moments of the day and provide a visual reminder that you can enjoy for many years to come.