Nikon Professional Digital Camera – Every Photographer’s Dream

Nikon has proven its reputation among professional photographers, being the top choice for many of them. Don’t expect a Nikon professional digital camera to be inexpensive, but be sure that you are paying for quality, durability, functionality and reputation.

The first Nikon cameras entered the market during the early days of film photography, and were using optics from Zeiss, a German optical maker that produced some of the absolute best camera lenses. Around the middle of the 20th century, Zeiss-Nikon lenses were the standard for professional quality lenses throughout the world. Nikon’s reputation in the camera market quickly reached the top mainly thank to their excellent line of Nikon professional digital cameras.

At the time when other camera makers were quickly occupying the digital camera market, Nikon wanted to make sure it made the conversion right with their biggest base relied on a Nikon professional digital camera. As market forces changed, Nikon also tries to give amateur photographers the opportunity to have the quality professional use in a Nikon professional digital camera.

Nikon produced less expensive units of their professional digital camera, that became available for serious amateurs and those that stick to a particular brand name. Nikon’s reputation as a top camera maker is unparalleled in the photography world.

In August 2006, its amazing line of five Coolpix camera models strengthened their position at the top, and a Nikon professional digital camera became affordable to regular folks. All models can be found between $200 and $400 and they all have a five-star rating from consumers. The rating encompasses issues such as ease of use, dependability, quality of pictures among others. Their goal is to enable amateurs to have the same photo experience as those using a Nikon professional digital camera.

The Nikon D80, costing around $1,000 is not considered to be a Nikon professional digital camera, but shares many of the features. Improved auto-focus and interchangeable lenses make it an amateur’s dream. It boasts 10.2 mega-pixels, wider flash range and longer battery life.

The Nikon professional digital camera D2X is packed with all possible features, which most amateurs will hardly use in a lifetime. At $5,000, this camera has it all and does it all, being every photography enthusiast’s dream.

Never Buy A Nikon Coolpix L11 Digital Camera

Is it possible to get amazing pictures from a cheap digital camera? Buying a Nikon Coolpix L11 Digital Camera is certainly not going to break the bank. It’s currently selling for about $90 at a number of online retailers. But, can you get great pictures out if it, or will it bring you nothing but heart ache and lousy pictures. Let’s take a look at some of the less appealing features of the Coolpix L11 by Nikon, and find out.

One of my biggest complaints with digital cameras and digital camera manufacturers, is the exclusion of an optical viewfinder. Sure, we all love the cool factor of having a nice big LCD screen to view pictures with. But, not if a larger LCD means sacrificing a viewfinder. Especially on a camera the eats batteries like the Coolpix L11. Having a viewfinder, means you can still take pictures, even with dying batteries. It’s a bit of a vicious circle… bigger LCD = no space for viewfinder = batteries die sooner… and no user option to switch to viewfinder mode.

The other problem with a big LCD screen on a low priced camera, is the quality of the screen. The LCD on the L11, is somewhat grainy, but usable when used indoors. At least it’s quite readable. Going outdoors however is a different story. There is technology to make LCDs readable in bright sunlight, and it works great. I have it on my marine grade GPS chart plotter, but that’s an $800 toy. Trying to view the LCD on the Coolpix L11 on a sunny day, is next to impossible. An optical viewfinder, would of course resolve this problem (see earlier complaint).

The power saving feature, while a good idea for the L11, was not implemented very well by Nikon. The camera tends to take about a minute to shut off, when it decides it’s no longer being used. During that time, you can’t stop the shutdown, and even powering it back on, is not the most intuitive process.

A typical complaint with pretty much every camera in this price range, and even $100 more, is the big lag time between taking pictures. Primarily caused by the flash recharging, and the camera taking a long time to save the last photo to the memory card. You can get faster memory cards, and stronger batteries, but they won’t make much of a difference. Some of the faster memory cards cost almost as much as the Nikon Coolpix L11. Your better off just getting a better camera.

As if I haven’t given you enough reasons to stay away from buying a Nikon Coolpix L11, here’s a few more to ponder:

- main settings dial is too small and susceptible to operator error

- night pictures or low light pictures turn out very grainy

- the flash is not effective beyond a range of six feet

- USB connector cable is non standard (micro USB)

- older model Coolpix 2100 actually performs better

- color accuracy suffers on indoor pictures

Why I Won’t Buy a Nikon D40

I have to admit the Nikon D40 is an impressive point-and-shoot digital SLR. Particularly if you compare it to it’s siblings the Nikon D80 and the Nikon D200. You get many of the features of the D80 for quite a bit less money and for this reason the D40 has literally replaced the D80. Reviewers have pointed out that one of the D40’s shortcoming is the D40 doesn’t autofocus with non-AF-S lenses, it does however work with old pro AF-I lenses.

That’s not the reason I’m not going to buy the Nikon D40 though. Nikon chose to leave out one feature that creates a bigger problem, at least for me…

There is an emerging frontier in digital photography known as High Dynamic Range (HDR). In HDR photography you take a minimum of three images with three different exposures, one that is normally exposed, one that is 1 stop underexposed, and one that is 1 stop overexposed. Because you are taking three separate photos and ultimately merging them into one photo, they must be perfectly aligned.

To be able to pull off HDR with any reasonable amount of success one needs a camera that has the ability to do auto exposure bracketing. Which means once set and you press the shutter and the camera fires three shots with the exposure compensation incorporated into each photo. With the Nikon D40 you do have exposure compensation but each time you want to compensate exposure you need to do it manually. What this means is that to do HDR photography with the Nikon D40 you would need to use a tripod each and every time and manually (fiddle with the camera) to achieve the minimum three images necessary to create an HDR image.

Nikon chose to leave auto bracketing off the D40 feature set. The absence of this feature immediately cancels the Nikon D40 as a serious HDR candidate.

Too bad!

I would have bought this camera in a heart beat if only Nikon had included auto bracketing.

Final Note:

At Digital Camera Tracker we monitor pretty much every single review for most cameras on the market. For the Nikon D40 we’ve tracked over 30 reviews and not one single review has even made mention of the missing auto bracketing. Perhaps it is not important to everyone else but to us it was a deal breaker.

Nikon Digital Cameras Problems You Need To Know

Nikon digital camera problems are few, but they do exist. Some users of the point and shoot Coolpix digital cameras have problems understanding or using the features and functions of the digital cameras. For a beginner, the cameras might be a little intimidating, but using the manual to understand all the different functions will eliminate the confusion.

As for poor picture quality, most of the problems stem from low light areas or imaging glare from bright lights. These problems are more of a user problem than they are the cameras problems. Most manuals have tips for shooting in different light settings that are very useful.

Nikons digital camera problems are few except for the functions. You do need to know how to operate a SLR camera or you will have poor picture quality. The SLR digital cameras are not for beginners. The user’s manual does take quite some time to read and understand all the features and functions of the camera. You will need to experiment with different setting and shoot modes before taking any professional pictures. For the most part, Nikon does not have many problems with their digital cameras.

Since Nikon digital camera problems are more user error than it is the camera, you would be wise to read the manual before operating any of the Nikon cameras. The cameras themselves are excellent cameras for the money. If you have battery problems, you might need to consult with a repair person to see if there is a problem with the batteries. Sometimes on the Coolpix digital cameras, the lens will not retract if the battery goes dead. This could present a problem, but can be corrected by an authorized Nikon repair person. Other than that, you will find that Nikon digital cameras are well worth the money and deliver quality images.

Digital Cameras – Seamless High Performance

Due to the drastic changes in the field of technology, the digital cameras have come very close to the people and are helping people to capture the most precious and valuable moments of their life.

Some years ago, people used ordinary cameras to take pictures. But, those are bulky and inconvenient to handle and were not high in their performance, quality and durability. These conventional cameras are replaced by the sleek and space-conscious cheap digital cameras that allow the users to store, to record, remove and edit the pictures according to their wish and is available at low prices in the market. These cameras come in a portable size that allow the users to carry it with ease wherever they go.

When it comes to the advantages of digital cameras, these cameras come with the most advanced features and offer multi-purposes to their users. These stylish and smart cameras come with memory card that enable the users to find zoom power, to adjust the options, to review the photographs, to check the battery, mega pixel count and use of flash. The higher mega pixels digital camera are offering the best, crystal clear and blur less images to the users. As the camera world technology develops day by day, the latest cheap digital cameras come with so powerful features that they can capture the clear pictures even in low light condition. These cameras offer seamless high performance and are well-known for their clarity, flexibility and price.

The present day market is flooded with numerous types of digital cameras with various features. The digital cameras manufacturer companies are taking efforts to provide the best and high-quality digital cameras at reasonable prices in the market. If you are looking for some of the best and cheap digital cameras, you can go for the Nikon COOLPIX S550 digital, Digital SLR Camera Nikon D700, Canon digital camera IXUS 80 IS, Canon Digital Camera – PowerShot A580 and Kodak easy share C613 Zoom digital camera. Before going to choose the high-performance digital camera, you should consider so many factors like image resolution, warranty, brand, price and after sales service. Among all the markets available in the present day the online market is the best one to get a good quality digital camera at a low price.

The present day market provides a wide range of choice to the customers to choose the cheap digital cameras to satisfy their needs. These cameras assist them to capture the photographs of their near and dear ones as well as to take video graphs for a long time

Review of the Nikon N50

The N50 is professional style digital made by Nikon.The camera is in the digital 35mm range, and is one of the most used cameras today. It has an auto focus with a manual option, and has center matrix metering. The N50 has a total of 35 lens options, allowing user to customize shots and adapt zoom possibility.

Ease of use
The Nikon N50 was designed specifically to be easy to use. You can manually change settings to get the exact photo you want, or you can hand it to a kid, allowing it to focus and set itself. The N50 makes taking digitals easy.

Durability
The N50 has been selling for almost ten years with minimal changes. This fact tells all, Nikon made a long lasting winner when they designed the N50. The camera is rugged and continues to perform over time.

Picture Quality
The camera continues to take great shots! If you take a look in some digital camera forums, you will quickly see that many have ten year old N50s. They continue to praise the quality of photos that they have been able to take. Shots are properly focused every time using the auto focus, the feature is finely tuned and performs exceptionally.

Shutter Speed
The N50 is a basic camera. There are cameras out there with a much higher shutter speed, and so if you need a really fast shutter, this might not be the camera for you. Nikon has an upgraded model that will take care of you there, the Nikon D200. The speed of this shutter is plenty for most.

Overall
Since the N50 won’t be on the market for too much longer, the internet has been flooded with people selling new and used N50 models. I recommend it to all beginning photo amateurs. Although the N50 is functional and takes great shots, I wouldn’t recommend it to camera professionals. The lack of features and slow shutter speed impose limitations I can’t deal with.

If you’re a beginner, it’s all you’ll need.

Using Nikon Equipment For Wildlife And Nature Photography

Choosing the Right Digital SLR for Your Nature Photography

It is very true that it doesn’t matter what equipment you use — it’s what you do with the camera that matters. However, there is no question that when you’re hiking through a thick jungle in the middle of central america you want to pack light. Even though the Nikon D2x has the prestige of being Nikon’s premier “PRO” camera, you may not find it’s the best fit for your nature work.

One of the first things you need to consider is how you’re going to use the pictures. Look up the magazines you want to publish your work. Send in for “submission guidelines” and find out their minimum mega pixel count. The same is true for stock agencies — browse around and decide which place you’d ultimately like to sell your work. Many organizations have their submission guideliens published on their websites. If you’re more interested in learning and doing nature photography for your own pleasure then by all means buy the less expensive models. There’s nothing wrong with a camera that takes a 5 or 6 megapixel image. You’ll still be able to blow it up to poster size if you want a special print made.

Choosing the Right Digital SLR for Your Nature Photography

It is very true that it doesn’t matter what equipment you use — it’s what you do with the camera that matters. However, there is no question that when you’re hiking through a thick jungle in the middle of central america you want to pack light. Even though the Nikon D2x has the prestige of being Nikon’s premier “PRO” camera, you may not find it’s the best fit for your nature work.

One of the first things you need to consider is how you’re going to use the pictures. Look up the magazines you want to publish your work. Send in for “submission guidelines” and find out their minimum mega pixel count. The same is true for stock agencies — browse around and decide which place you’d ultimately like to sell your work. Many organizations have their submission guideliens published on their websites. If you’re more interested in learning and doing nature photography for your own pleasure then by all means buy the less expensive models. There’s nothing wrong with a camera that takes a 5 or 6 megapixel image. You’ll still be able to blow it up to poster size if you want a special print made.



Magnification – Use it to your Advantage

For wildlife photographers in particular, the one advantage of shooting with any Nikon digital camera these days is the magnification factor. Rather than create a sensor the same size as one frame of 35mm film, Nikon and most other digital SLR camera manufacturers decided to create a sensor that is smaller than the 24×36mm standard frame of the older film models. Having a smaller sensor means you aren’t going to capture all the information on the left and right and top and bottom of the frame. This may sound really bad… but there is no need to worry about what you haven’t captured because the viewfinder has been adjusted so that what you see optically is what is captured in the digital file.

The result is that the camera multiplies the magnification of all the lenses. Nikon’s magnification (depending on the camera you use) is around 1.5x. That means a 300mm lens is now magnified to 450mm. This is great news for wildlife photographers. The only drawback is that wider angle lenses (like a 17mm wide angle becomes a 25.5mm not-as-wide-angle lens. However, landscape photographers still have some options. I’ll get to those in a bit.

Choosing the Right Lenses

Unfortunately, no one can tell you which lenses to buy or “how to build the perfect SLR system for nature photography.” Again, it depends on the kinds of photos you like to take, your personal preference and the market where you want to sell your image.

The great advantage of Nikon cameras is that you can use older lenses on your body. This allows a lot more freedom of choice and means you can get really amazing older lenses at shockingly affordable prices.

I’ll give you an example. One of my favorite lenses is a 300mm f4 manual focus prime lens from the 1970s. It cost only $350 CAD (meaning it would be much less expensive in American dollars) and the glass is still ED! Nikon especially developed ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass to provide pricise optical colour correction. This special glass (not available in all Nikon lenses) provides the sharp, clear resolution required for superb photographs. The other advantage (at least for me since I generally hike to find wildlife) is that it weighs less and packs small.

Another example — the 50mm 1.4 auto focus lens (that’s right f1.4!) sells for only $166 CAD (again, much less in American dollars). It’s actually an 80mm on your body. That means you have a prime lens at 80mm that can take pictures in the darkest settings. And, because Nikon has been perfecting its 50mm lenses since its inception as a company (Nikon used to include a 50mm on all its bodies until well into the late 1980s), it’s one of Nikon’s very best lenses. It’s cheap because 50mm on a 35mm camera is kind of pooey. But 80mm on a digial camera is marvelous. edit

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Magnification – Use it to your Advantage

For wildlife photographers in particular, the one advantage of shooting with any Nikon digital camera these days is the magnification factor. Rather than create a sensor the same size as one frame of 35mm film, Nikon and most other digital SLR camera manufacturers decided to create a sensor that is smaller than the 24×36mm standard frame of the older film models. Having a smaller sensor means you aren’t going to capture all the information on the left and right and top and bottom of the frame. This may sound really bad… but there is no need to worry about what you haven’t captured because the viewfinder has been adjusted so that what you see optically is what is captured in the digital file.

The result is that the camera multiplies the magnification of all the lenses. Nikon’s magnification (depending on the camera you use) is around 1.5x. That means a 300mm lens is now magnified to 450mm. This is great news for wildlife photographers. The only drawback is that wider angle lenses (like a 17mm wide angle becomes a 25.5mm not-as-wide-angle lens. However, landscape photographers still have some options. I’ll get to those in a bit.

Choosing the Right Lenses for your Style of Nature Photography

Unfortunately, no one can tell you which lenses to buy or “how to build the perfect SLR system for nature photography.” Again, it depends on the kinds of photos you like to take, your personal preference and the market where you want to sell your image.

The great advantage of Nikon cameras is that you can use older lenses on your body. This allows a lot more freedom of choice and means you can get really amazing older lenses at shockingly affordable prices.

I’ll give you an example. One of my favorite lenses is a 300mm f4 manual focus prime lens from the 1970s. It cost only $350 CAD (meaning it would be much less expensive in American dollars) and the glass is still ED! Nikon especially developed ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass to provide pricise optical colour correction. This special glass (not available in all Nikon lenses) provides the sharp, clear resolution required for superb photographs. The other advantage (at least for me since I generally hike to find wildlife) is that it weighs less and packs small.

Another example — the 50mm 1.4 auto focus lens (that’s right f1.4!) sells for only $166 CAD (again, much less in American dollars). It’s actually an 80mm on your body. That means you have a prime lens at 80mm that can take pictures in the darkest settings. And, because Nikon has been perfecting its 50mm lenses since its inception as a company (Nikon used to include a 50mm on all its bodies until well into the late 1980s), it’s one of Nikon’s very best lenses. It’s cheap because 50mm on a 35mm camera is kind of pooey. But 80mm on a digial camera is marvelous.

Lenses – Pros and Cons

While I can’t tell you the right lenses to buy for your particualr needs… I can give you some feedback/impressions about the particular lenses I am using or have used in the past.

Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye: I never thought such a specialized lens could provide me with so much use. For more information, I’ve written a short article about how to use a fisheye lens in your nature photography athttp://www.naturestocklibrary.com/gallery/2472892

Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom – This lens is all right. I bought it as a kit lens a long time ago and it’s served well for the wider range. I wish I had saved pennies and purchased a 2.8 that offered a wider range (like a 12mm to 25mm).

Tamron 17-35mm f2.8: This is a great lens but, alas, I purchased it for a film camera and the magnification on my digital body means that it isn’t that useful in my photography right now. I’m planning on selling it (along with my other wide angle) and buying a 2.8 that has a wider range so I can do more with landscape photography.

Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF – This is the same lens I discussed earlier. It’s small, has a low price tag, allows you to shoot in really dark situations and it’s an 80mm on a digital camera. You really can’t go wrong.

Nikkor Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED AF Zoom – This is a fantastic lens that stays at 2.8 no matter if you are shooting at 80 or 200mm. Again, magnification means it’s actually a 300mm zoom. Zooms are great because you can adjust your focus distance depending on where your subject is located. Not so great with subjects that are always far away (like the macaws seen here), but really awesome for docile wildlife like deer. It also has a macro function that works beautifully.

Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D AF Micro, or 105 Micro for short – This is probably Nikon’s most used macro lens, probably because the lens can serve triple duty. First of all, it is a macro photography lens and it allows you to take photographs at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (on a 35mm body), which means that a 24 by 36 mm subject will fill the entire frame. Second, it makes a very good general purpose short telephoto lens. Third, it is also at least a very reasonable portrait lens (although, with magnification it may be too much of a telephoto on a digital SLR). I really love this lens for macro photography.

Nikkor 300mm f4 manual focus – While a “prime” lens doesn’t offer the flexibilty of a zoom… it’s still an ideal choice for getting the best results in your work. This is the same lens I discussed earlier and, considering it cost only $350, it’s light & the focusing is so smooth, it’s one of my favorite lenses. I never leave home without it.

Nikkor 600mm f5.6 manual focus ED Glass – Again, I paid a lot less for this lens (which is actually a hefty 900mm on a digital body and also has the famous Nikon ED glass!!) because it’s an older model and it’s manual focus. I spent $1,599 USD – but consider that a newer model would go for at least $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the f stop. Some may argue that 5.6 is a bit too narrow of an f stop but I find the compression with telephoto lenses means that I wouldn’t want to shoot a 900mm subject with anything wider than 5.6 (2.8 would make the focus far too shallow on such a far away subject). Although… for closer subjects 2.8 is magic!

In the past, I have also used the Sigma 70-300mm 3.5-5.6 and the Tamron 200-400mm 3.5-5.6 and both served well as affordable zooms while I was learning about photography. I have since sold them to pay for the lenses I currently use.

Lenses – Pros and Cons

While I can’t tell you the right lenses to buy for your particualr needs… I can give you some feedback/impressions about the particular lenses I am using or have used in the past.

  • Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye: I never thought such a specialized lens could provide me with so much use. For more information, I’ve written a short article about how to use a fisheye lens in your nature photography at http://www.naturestocklibrary.com/gallery/2472892

  • Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom – This lens is all right. I bought it as a kit lens a long time ago and it’s served well for the wider range. I wish I had saved pennies and purchased a 2.8 that offered a wider range (like a 12mm to 25mm).

  • Tamron 17-35mm f2.8: This is a great lens but, alas, I purchased it for a film camera and the magnification on my digital body means that it isn’t that useful in my photography right now. I’m planning on selling it (along with my other wide angle) and buying a 2.8 that has a wider range so I can do more with landscape photography.

  • Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF – This is the same lens I discussed earlier. It’s small, has a low price tag, allows you to shoot in really dark situations and it’s an 80mm on a digital camera. You really can’t go wrong.

  • Nikkor Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED AF Zoom – This is a fantastic lens that stays at 2.8 no matter if you are shooting at 80 or 200mm. Again, magnification means it’s actually a 300mm zoom. Zooms are great because you can adjust your focus distance depending on where your subject is located. Not so great with subjects that are always far away (like the macaws seen here), but really awesome for docile wildlife like deer. It also has a macro function that works beautifully.

  • Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D AF Micro, or 105 Micro for short – This is probably Nikon’s most used macro lens, probably because the lens can serve triple duty. First of all, it is a macro photography lens and it allows you to take photographs at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (on a 35mm body), which means that a 24 by 36 mm subject will fill the entire frame. Second, it makes a very good general purpose short telephoto lens. Third, it is also at least a very reasonable portrait lens (although, with magnification it may be too much of a telephoto on a digital SLR). I really love this lens for macro photography.

  • Nikkor 300mm f4 manual focus – While a “prime” lens doesn’t offer the flexibilty of a zoom… it’s still an ideal choice for getting the best results in your work. This is the same lens I discussed earlier and, considering it cost only $350, it’s light & the focusing is so smooth, it’s one of my favorite lenses. I never leave home without it.

  • Nikkor 600mm f5.6 manual focus ED Glass – Again, I paid a lot less for this lens (which is actually a hefty 900mm on a digital body and also has the famous Nikon ED glass!!) because it’s an older model and it’s manual focus. I spent $1,599 USD – but consider that a newer model would go for at least $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the f stop. Some may argue that 5.6 is a bit too narrow of an f stop but I find the compression with telephoto lenses means that I wouldn’t want to shoot a 900mm subject with anything wider than 5.6 (2.8 would make the focus far too shallow on such a far away subject). Although… for closer subjects 2.8 is magic!

  • In the past, I have also used the Sigma 70-300mm 3.5-5.6 and the Tamron 200-400mm 3.5-5.6 and both served well as affordable zooms while I was learning about photography. I have since sold them to pay for the lenses I currently use.

Why I LOVE and Highly Recommend Manual Focus

I used to be terrified of focusing manually. On most auto focus lenses, the focus ring is small and more difficult to use… also there’s something really easy about just allowing your camera to do the focusing work for you. I was afraid I couldn’t react quickly enough to moving subjects and that I wouldn’t be as good as my camera’s auto focus. Now I see the errors of my ways.

For wildlife (or people), you want to make sure the main subject’s eyes are in perfect focus. You won’t be able to sell any image if the eyes aren’t in focus. If you shoot a subject 10 feet away at 2.8 and use auto focus, the camera will choose the object closer to the camera (usually the nose, cheek, or eye brow… not the eye itself). A 2.8 aperture means that you will have such a soft depth of field that the eyes will appear out of focus. The older (and more affordable) manual focus lenses have the most beautiful focusing rings you’ve ever seen. I find it much easier to use manual focus on my 300mm f4 lens from the 1970s than my newer autofocus 80-200mm zoom (using the auto focus feature). Unfortuately, I find the focusing ring on the newer models a little bit pooey… but I did want to make the case for why I think manual focus lenses from the 1970s are the greatest things since sliced bread!



Rule of Thumb for Fast Subjects

You may already be aware that your shutter speed should be at least the same as the distance of your lens. For instance, you need to shoot at least 1/300th of a second if you are using a 300mm lens or hand shake will make your picture look really blurry. And anything larger than 300mm should be put on a tripod (preferably one with a ball head for wildlife work). With magnification, you may be able to get away with shooting a 300mm (a 450mm on your digital) hand-held… at 1/450th of a second or higher…)in a pinch… but investing in a good ball head tripod will really improve your results if your lens is higher than 300mm.

Back on the subject of pairing your shutter speed with lens distance… if you are currently shooting P or Auto it’s a good idea to change to shutter priority instead. If you’re shooting with a 200mm make sure your shutter is set at 1/300 because of the magnification. All modern digital cameras will then set the aperture to pair with the shutter speed. At the same time, practicing photography on manual settings is always a good idea because it will offer you greater control.

I could write for days about shooting nature and wildlife photography with Nikon equipment but I’ll stop for now. You’re welcome to read more of my nature photography articles online at http://www.naturestocklibrary.com/Wildlife%20Photography%20Articles.

Digital Cameras Ratings Abolish Camera Comparison Guesswork

Digital cameras ratings are great tools for deciding which camera best fits your needs and budget. Ratings consider the specifications, features, camera design and test results. These facts are then analyzed and summarized to help the reader make an objective decision.

Before reading the ratings though, we must decide which type of camera fits our needs. The four main types of digital still cameras are:

  1. Ultra-Compact Digital Cameras
  2. Compact Digital Cameras
  3. Prosumer Digital Cameras
  4. Digital SLR Cameras

Top Rated Digital Cameras

This summary of top rated cameras is grouped by type, but in no particular ranking order.

Ultra-Compact Digital Cameras are pocket-sized and weigh only a few ounces, making them the perfect go-anywhere camera. Rated from three to more than seven megapixels, they produce quality photos that can be enlarged to 8″ X 10″ or larger. Most include optical zoom and other features.

  • Canon PowerShot S410, SD200, SD300, SD400 and SD500 Digital ELPH cameras
  • Casio EXILIM EX-S100,EX-Z50 and EX-Z750
  • Fujifilm FinePix F410
  • Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 and G600
  • Nikon Coolpix 3700 and S1
  • Olympus Stylus 400 Digital, 500 Digital and Verve
  • Pentax Optio S5i
  • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F88, DSC-L1, DSC-P200, DSC-T1, DSC-T7 and DSC-W1

Compact digital cameras are slightly larger but will still fit in a loose pocket or purse. Some are very inexpensive and make the perfect entry level camera. Three to seven megapixels and optical zooms are standard, with advanced features on some models.

  • Canon PowerShot A400, A510, A520, S60 and S70
  • Fujifilm FinePix A330, A345 and E550
  • Kodak EasyShare C360, CX7430, DX6340, and DX7440
  • Nikon Coolpix 3200, 4600, 4800, 5600 and 7900
  • Olympus Camedia D-540, D-580 and D-595
  • Pentax Optio 30
  • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S60, DSC-W5 and DSC-W7

Prosumer digital cameras are for the true photo enthusiast. They are a cut above the compact digital cameras, but less expensive than digital SLR cameras that professional photographers require. SLR-style TTL, six megapixels or more, image stabilization, super zooms and other advanced features are typical.

  • Canon PowerShot G6, Pro1, S2 IS and S70
  • Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P600 and EX-P700
  • Fujifilm FinePix S5100
  • Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2, A200 and Z5
  • Nikon Coolpix 8400, 8700 and 8800
  • Olympus Camedia C-5060 Wide Zoom, C-7000 Zoom, C-7070 Wide Zoom, C-765 UltraZoom, C-770 UltraZoom and C-8080 Wide Zoom
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 and DMC-FZ20
  • Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828, DSC-H1 and DSC-V3

Digital SLR Cameras offer just about anything the serious photographer could want or need. High quality optics in interchangeable lenses, top rated sensors up to 16 plus megapixels, and advanced professional focus and exposure controls make these cameras a photographer’s dream come true.

  • Canon EOS 20D, EOS 300D Digital Rebel, EOS 350D Digital Rebel XT, EOS-1D Mark II Pro and EOS-1Ds Mark II Pro
  • Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro
  • Konica Minolta MAXXUM 7D
  • Nikon D50, D70, D70s, D2x Professional and D2h High Speed Professional
  • Olympus E-1 and E-300 EVOLT
  • Pentax *ist D and *ist DS

Of the hundreds of digital cameras on the market, these rated at the top of their categories. Each camera has unique features, but all are best digital camera values.

Top 3 Recommended Lenses For Your New Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera

A new Nikon D80 body sitting beside a recently-opened box on your table is one of the most amazing sights to behold. You’d have to get one for yourself to understand the sensation.

A digital SLR camera on its own, however, is pretty much next to useless – you’d need to buy a lens (or two, three or more) in order to start taking photographs with it. The only problem is, there must be something like 1,013 lenses out there to choose from, at least, it starts feeling like it after you spend hours, if not days ,thumbing through catalogs and spec sheets, browsing forums, reading debates and arguments over which lenses to buy (or not to buy) and getting advice from one friend too many, other enthusiasts and professionals in the field.

All you’d really like to know now is, what are the best lenses for your Nikon D80?

I have some good news for you – if you’re simply coming into SLR photography for personal pleasure, as a pastime or simply to get better pictures for sharing with your family and friends, I can quickly list down 3 lenses you can get right now without having to bust your bank account. From the selections below, simply select lens #1 only, #2 only, #3 only, #1 & #2 or #1 & #3 depending on your budget.

Nikon Lens #1 – The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF lens. For $100 or less, there is no other lens out there that can give you sharper images for the money. You can buy $400 lenses which give marginally sharper pictures, but the 50mm f/1.8 lens has the highest sharpness / dollar-spent ratio in the industry. Its maximum 1.8 aperture also allows you to take great-looking portraits with a blurred background, the kind you see in some professional shots. It’s small, it’s light, it’s great for taking photos in dimly-lit locations where flash is not allowed.

Nikon Lens #2 – The Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom lens. That was a mouthful, wasn’t it? Yes, this is a zoom lens, unlike the 50mm f/1.8 mentioned above. Meaning you can take big-group shots in tight locations and include everybody into the picture, and it also allows you to go to 70mm for relatively tight portrait shots. Hunt around for $320-ish prices, and not a penny more, at your camera stores. Before the availability of Lens #3 that I’m about to mention, this glass was a firm favourite among many casual photographers who shoot travel and vacation images.

Nikon Lens #3 – The Nikkor 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6g IF-ED AF-S DX VR.This lens is so hot. How so? Well, it’s hot enough to be out-of-stock at virtually all stores, but you can find one if you’re a walk-in customer, and Nikon is bending backwards to ramp up production to meet demand. Why is it hot? Well, because it’s the only lens on the market offering such a huge zoom range, with fast autofocus action and even a VR mechanism that helps you get steady shots without the use of flash. You’ll appreciate how useful the VR is if you’re in a museum that doesn’t allow you to use flash and tripods – the new version of the VR technology Nikon made available on this lens allows you to eliminate handshake at ever slower shutter speeds which beats out the VR capability in more expensive, but older lenses. $750 is all you need to own this lens which you can take 90% of your shots with.

So, there you have it, the lowdown on which lens to get for your D80. Are there better lenses to be had? Of course, but you’ll be paying through the nose for those, and the high prices can only be justified if you have special requirements in your photography pursuit, or if you’re an enthusiast who cannot tolerate not having the absolute best lenses on hand. Be careful though, lusting over pricier and bigger lenses without knowing how to value or profit from them is only going to mean more money down the drain.

Good luck in your decision, and enjoy an amazing photographic experience with your new D80 and lenses!

D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 Actually Refers to Two Nikon Cameras

Addressing a D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 search, this article provides a quick comparison of the Nikon D2X digital SLR and Coolpix 8800 cameras.

Nikon D2X Professional Digital SLR

Check out a Nikon D2X review or two and quickly realize this is a world class professional digital SLR. Instantaneous response and fast 37ms shutter lag allow the photographer to compose and take the photo instead of waiting for camera start-up, shutter or processing time.

The D2X sports a 12.4 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor capable of 5 FPS. Continuous mode can be increased to 8 FPS with a cropped field of view using 6.8 megapixels. The D2X SLR’s 4-channel color readout and advanced image processing algorithms deliver truer color and higher processing speeds.

Additional features such as i-TTL Speedlight technology, sYCC color profiling, and Advanced 3D-Color Matrix Metering II make the D2X digital SLR a professional photographer’s dream.

Nikon Coolpix 8800 Long-Zoom Digital Camera

An 8800 camera digital Nikon review search reveals a surprisingly compact mid-sized digital camera. With 8.0 effective megapixels and 10X optical zoom, this camera ranks at the top of Nikon’s Coolpix line. Vibration Reduction circuitry compensates for camera movement, allowing shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower without image blur.

The 8800 offers a choice of built-in flash or external hot-shoe. Nikon’s i-TTL flash technology delivers full flash zoom control with the SB-600 and SB-800 Speedlight units. In addition to fisheye, wide angle and telephoto converters, and other adaptors, Nikon 8800 filter options include neutral color, neutral density and polarizing filters.

Other Coolpix 8800 features include: 15 automated scene modes, 5 movie modes, and continuous shot modes up to 30 FPS. For the serious digital photography enthusiast the 8800 offers quality and features comparable to, but at a lower cost than digital SLR’s.

How Do These Cameras Compare?

Unlike many digital camera comparisons, comparing the D2X and Coolpix 8800 is not a true “apples-to-apples” comparison. Both models have a rugged but lightweight magnesium alloy body and high quality Nikkor lenses. And both feature i-TTL flash technology, multiple AF, scene, shot and exposure metering modes, plus aperture and shutter-priority settings.

The Coolpix 8800’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery will take up to 240 shots per charge, while the D2X’s (also lithium-ion) will take up to 2,000 photos on a single charge. DX Nikkor lenses for the D2X offer wide-angle views up to 180°, and the camera also accepts all conventional AF Nikkor lenses. The D2X also supports both WT-1A and WT-2A transmitters for wireless image transfer and full remote camera control from a computer.

But there’s a huge difference in cost. The Coolpix 8800 is available from about $550 to $900, while the Nikon D2X price is closer to $4,000. For the professional who earns a living with his camera, the D2X digital SLR is one of the best and most reliable cameras available. But for the serious photographer that can’t justify the D2X’s cost, the Coolpix 8800 offers professional quality photos at an affordable price.

For more information, see Digital Camera Comparisons