[kin0kin]

Yup, the camera is good enough. I was indeed hoping that the pictures would convince you that the camera will not hold you back as far as taking good PQ is concerned. You can take all kinds of things with it as long as you have the right lens and tools, couple it with some good skills, you're good to go. Like I've said earlier, the cams are good enough, it's just whether you need the bells and whistles of the higher end models.

 

[nogrot]

Personally, I was happy with my D70 purchase when it was available and although I could not afford the D100 at the time, I found out that there were a few things about the D70 that made it better (to me) at the time:

-better battery life (500-600 shots easily per charge)
-newly updated flash system, i-TTL, which is known for being exceptional
-much faster speed and write-from-buffer-to-card-time
-instant-on with power switch

Things that the D100 had that I wished were on the D70 were:
-metal body
-portrait grip
-better viewfinder?

D70 and D70s can be picked up for peanuts right now, and I recommend these models to my friends because of the reasons above, as well as the fact that 6mp is PLENTY of resolution for prints for most amateurs. My other main reason, is that the D70 uses two control dials (unlike the newer D40/50) just like all of their higher-end models (D200, D2*, etc.) and their film models before that. That way, if they ever want to upgrade bodies later, as I ended up doing, they will be more used to the body. Also, it seems easier to learn and experiment in Manual when you have separate dials for Aperature and Shutter speed. This is just my experience, however.

I have read some posts from D100 fans that feel they are an incredible body with image quality that is better than the D70. I haven't used one, so I can't attest to anything past the fact that it is a great body.


Switching gears, anybody read all these crazy rumors about a D3 model with a full-frame-ish (1.1x) sensor being announced at PMA? I hate to say it but I find the idea really exciting. Maybe it's good I am keeping my old primes after all.

 

[dj_mocok]

When are they gonna introduce D80s with ability to meter AIS lenses?

 

[mb3k]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif When are they gonna introduce D80s with ability to meter AIS lenses?

9 months after the D80 release?
I just got my D80 not too long ago, hopefully they don't come out with the D80S anytime soon

 

[skyline889]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you guys ever put too much cleaning solution and it actually left dried out smudges on the lens? I was using the cotton swab that comes with the Giotto cleaning kit, and as instructed, I sprayed the tip first before using the swab to clean the edge of my lens. It scared me for awhile because after wiping it, I got a circular dried smudge on the lens. Luckily I could wipe it off using lenspen. If you put too much solution, can this happen? or is it because the cleaning solution is dodgy? PS: When bored, shoot different type of things. Since you've been doing landscapes, try shooting portraits (your friends/family) or you can do street B&W photography. You'll never know what you'll come accross outside on the street, you can get lots of interesting images on the street. I love street photography and really wanna do it, but I'm too embarassed carrying my camera around in the city and shooting something that most-passerbys won't find special, I'll look like a tourist or a weirdo (try shooting hydrant or traffic light on the street). Guess street photographer needs to have fairly thick skin eh?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fureshi /img/forum/go_quote.gif you can always trying shooting with a lens of a different focal length. it'll force your composition to be different than what you've been used to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pa /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yup. All the time. That's when I go to my local library and look at the art photo books for the ways other people see and photograph stuff. Gets the juices flowing.

Thanks for the help guys. I think I might try checking into the library to find some new ideas and interesting places to shoot. Also, does the D50 do native B&W shooting? That might be an interesting venture in digital. (The only time I shoot B&W is with film.)

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif When are they gonna introduce D80s with ability to meter AIS lenses?

It's called the D200

 

[skyline889]

Got another problem for you guys. I've been having a dark spot show up in all my pictures for the past couple of months now and it's been really irritating me as I has to ps it out, if it's even possible to do that. It's not on the lens since I've tried it with multiple lenses, so I have a worrying suspicion that it may be on the sensor itself. What would you guys recommend I do? Send it in for a checkup/cleaning, or take it in to a local Nikon dealer?

Here's a pic of the problem (It only show up when a shot is underexposed):

 

[lz7j]

I don't own a Nikon, but I can tell you that your problem is a dirty sensor!!

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/es...cleaning.shtml

 

[dj_mocok]

Well, either it's dust on the sensor (can be cured using bulb blower hopefully), or it might be this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's called the D200

Hehe... that's actually almost true. Apart from the solid, bigger body, more fps, and more hard buttons, etc...

I'm not asking for anything else, just add metering. I don't need 1/8000, I don't need weather-proof body, just give me metering please... then it would be my perfect budget camera.
Why they (Nikon) never thought of the ones buying their D80 (and not D200) are the ones who are mostly budget-conscious, and budget conscious can be related to buying old MF lens. So if they include MF lens metering, it would be THE camera for the budget-minded shooters.

But I guess looking from Nikon's (marketing) point of view, mainly the reason for no metering is to discourage people buying second-hand lenses and "force" them to buy new lenses eh? Not to mention it would be too close to D200 too.

 

[davidd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyline889 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Got another problem for you guys. I've been having a dark spot show up in all my pictures for the past couple of months now and it's been really irritating me as I has to ps it out, if it's even possible to do that. It's not on the lens since I've tried it with multiple lenses, so I have a worrying suspicion that it may be on the sensor itself. What would you guys recommend I do? Send it in for a checkup/cleaning, or take it in to a local Nikon dealer?

It's dust on the filter above the sensor. you can send it in to Nikon if you want and they'll clean it, but dust is such a common problem it could get annoying doing that every time you notice dust, so you should clean it yourself, either with one of those small hand-power blowers for light dust, or if your comfortable with doing it, do a wet clean following the link above, it is actually very easy to do after awhile.

 

[dj_mocok]

I took my own advice today, doing street photography, and yes it was fun, especially if you have lots of interesting things to shoot like in Mardi Gras.

I was gonna shoot with the MF Nikon, but then luckily when I went there, my common sense came to me and I suddenly realised that there's no way I can shoot parade using MF, it's very difficult and I'm not gonna risk it. So since I also got my macro AF with me, I switched and used the macro instead.

Overall, I am pretty disappointed with the result, me and my partner stood there for 5 hours in the crowd, and we stood in a wrong way, so we could only see 1 side of the parade and got stuck there (the parade was coming from 3 directions before joining onto Oxford st.)
And as if it's not enough, the guy next to me really couldn't stop moving, climbing the fence to look around, bumping me, etc. and f/2.8 is really not enough for ideal late afternoon/night photography (excuses excuses

). So I ended up with lots of blurry pictures and only a few quite decent ones.

Anyway, then to make things worse, the side we were on was actually scheduled to go last, so since we've been standing for so many hours and looked like the interesting ones were on different lanes and already gone, so we decided to go home instead.

Should've just stayed at home and watch it from tv. But at least one thing that makes me feel better is the macro is really such a versatile lens.

Here are the better ones that I took:

 

[Veniogenesis]

http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/re...nikond40x.html


Nikon D40x: Nikon D40 but with 10.2 megapixels. Hmmm...

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Lots of nice shots, but this last one is very good. Personally, I think this one shot alone justifies a day out shooting (well not that a day out shooting needs justification...

)

Best,

-Jason

 

[dj_mocok]

JJcha: Thanks. Glad that you liked that one. Unfortunately those are a few ones that I could get something nice out of them. Most of them were crap (I took 137 pictures)

. I put 4 which I think the better ones in my photo.net gallery.
Well, at least next year, If I decided to watch, I know where to stand. Gotta go early and get a nice spot.

About the new Nikon, I'm actually quite surprised that they introduced D40x, the D40 is still very new. Whatever the reason is, I really don't see much point of "upgrading" the D40 that soon, plus IMO it doesn't have that much improvement over the old D40 anyway. But I'm pretty sure there are lots of pissed off new D40 owners right about now.

 

[Contrastique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidd /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's dust on the filter above the sensor. you can send it in to Nikon if you want and they'll clean it, but dust is such a common problem it could get annoying doing that every time you notice dust, so you should clean it yourself, either with one of those small hand-power blowers for light dust, or if your comfortable with doing it, do a wet clean following the link above, it is actually very easy to do after awhile.

Sending that to Nikon would really be a waste of your money. Some good photography stores will do it for you and just make you pay for the cost of using the product for cleaning for example the sensor swab. (at least we do)
When you do try it for yourself first try out the handblowers. Most of the time they will be sufficient enough and when that's not working then try some heavy stuff. You can also get a vacuum-cleaner for cleaning up the sensor.
But before doing all that stuff do make sure your battery is full cause when he dies during the time your mirror is up you will damage the most expensive thing in your camera: the sensor.