Nikon should add Video to the D300 and D3!

I have been shooting with the Nikon D300 and absolutely love it. It is a real solid camera, low noise, great features. Nikon recently introduced the D90 and added one cool feature - 720P video! Since the D300 and D90 are VERY similar cameras, Nikon SHOULD be able to add 720P video to the D300 and D3! Especially in light of the new Canon 5D mark II also having video. Nikon has been awesome at being competitive recently. They should keep pushing the edge! Since companies are not able to add major features to their products for free (due to revenue recognition issues - this is why Apple defers revenue for the iPhone), I would be happy to pay Nikon to add the feature. Nikon would win with this - they already have my $$$$$$ for the camera, and now they could get another $100?!? out of me for this new feature. This is NEW money that Nikon would have never seen - it isn't like I am going to go out and purchase a new camera for this feature. I already paid $1800 for this camera! I know that new features come out every day - but when you pay $1800 for a camera and a few months later a $999 camera has an awesome feature, you have to think of your installed base. Give Nikon early adopters something we can use! This is called incremental revenue. Come on Nikon!

Any one else? What do you think!? Nikon should get with the plan.
Enjoy
John

Nikon D700 is here! PC-E and new SB900 Flash too

Well the rumor mill has finally come partially true.... the Nikon D700 is here. Here are some links to it. $2900 for a full frame 12Mp. I don't think I will go for it. I love the D300 and an extra $1400 for lower noise and having to toss out my DX lenses is just not worth it.

Differences here from Gizmodo:

•No rear info panel (now on main LCD)
•95 percent coverage, 0.72x viewfinder (to D3's 100 percent, 0.7x)
•Smaller battery, plus uses D300's MB-D10 battery pack
•Expanded Function button options (macro for any camera menu item)
•Less robust shutter (150,000 cycles, like D300)
•Single CF slot
•Minor menu and control differences


Enjoy!
John

Great books to checkout...

A couple of people have recently asked for for good books to look at now that they have gotten their first DSLRs. Two books come to mind. The first is a field guide from Dennis Curtin. It is a spiral bound book that is tailored specifically to the camera and what you are actually trying to do with it. There are model specific books for the Nikon Folks and the Canon Folks . There is more info including the chapters, etc from the website: http://www.shortcourses.com/store/


The other books are the "digital field guide books." There are different authors for this series of books. Nikon Guide Books and Canon Guide Books There are both good Nikon and Canon ones available.

The main thing that sets both of these books apart is they actually show you WHAT settings to put YOUR camera on to get a specific type of shot. They also walk you through some of the weird menus and dials to get shots setup.
Good luck and happy shooting!

What do I shoot with? Nikon D300 plus a bunch of lenses

A number of you asked what kind of Camera I shoot with. I just upgrade to my third camera in 3 years -- my wife, Mary, hopes this isn't a trend! I should be happy for quite a while with the current setup! (really!)

I will make the first caveat... it is the photographer, not the camera! Some of my pictures on the site were taken with my 3 Megapixel Olympus C-3040 that we bought 8 years ago! Ok, good tools and awesome toys DO help!

Equipment I am using:

• Nikon D300 Body (previously D80 and before that a D50)
• Lenses
  
• Sigma 10-20mm (fun lens for super wide angles)
• Nikon 18-200VR
• I have a few other lenses including a nice portrait lens, but those are the primary ones.
• Benro Tripod and head (This is a Gitzo clone)
• Filters
  
• Lee .9 Hard Stop graduated ND Filter
• Singh-Ray 3-stop Reverse ND Filter
• Lee .6 soft ND Filter
• Lee .9 soft ND Filter
• Lee Holders (moved to 4x6 filters now)
• Computers
• Macbook Pro 15"
• Mac G4 1G Dual Proc
• 22" Apple Cinema Display
• Printing
• Epson 3800 - Prints up to 17"x25" prints
• Paper
  
• Epson Premium Luster (REALLY nice all around paper)
• Epson Exhibition Fiber (REALLY expensive but REALLY nice black and white and color prints!) They unfortunately don't make it in 17x25 which is really dumb imho so I am not using this for my large prints.

I will do a posting later on the top things to get to be able to take nice prints -- you DON'T need all of the above if you are just starting out. I will leave you with this --- USE A TRIPOD!!! That is the best tip that I can make as a photographer starting out.

Enjoy!
John