dSLR Dad

Vote For Your Choice

It’s that time of year again. Time to push out one year and bring in another. And on this, the last day of 2008, I offer up the nominees for dSLR Dad Camera of the Year 2008 (listed in chronological order): (more…)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Photographer: Frank P. Wartenberg

Nikon USA has published sample images from their new 24.5-Megapixel, FX-format D3x. You too can pixel-peep to your hearts content over at NikonUSA.com. All photographs courtesy of Nikon USA: (more…)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Amazon.com has the new Nikon D3x in stock and shipping (as of 5 pm eastern time).  The best part, unlike most recent releases, is the price is still at it’s recommended retail price of $7,999,95. Hey, I didn’t say it was cheap, but if you want 24.5-Megapixels of Nikon FX goodness, a dSLR Dad is going to have to pay.

Of course, this particular camera does not come as a kit with lens - surprise, surprise.  May I suggest that a dSLR Dad may want to choose:

• Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens
• Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens
• Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens

Popularity: 2% [?]

Welcome to the Party, Pal

Nikon Corporation has finally released their Full-frame, big megapixel monster. The 24.5-Megapixel Nikon D3x is aimed squarely at professional landscape and portrait photographers, or dSLR Dads who happen to have a few initials after their names.  For just $7,999.95, you too can capture 138-MegaByte images of your little rug rats frolicking about the meadow with Nikon’s flagship dSLR.  Some of the many nitty-gritty details include: (more…)

Popularity: 6% [?]

Nikon D3x Specs and Images Leaked in Own Pro Magazine

Well, I guess all of the Nikon D3x rumors have been ramping up for a reason.  Nikon’s own Pro Magazine has been mailed out and feature one very interesting feature, the new Nikon D3x.  Seb Rogers seems to be the first to publish all the details over on his blog:

• Same Pro-style, weather-resistant, Mg-alloy Body as the Nikon D3.
• 24.5 Mega-pixel FX-format, 35.9 x 24mm CMOS sensor with 5:4 and DX crop modes.
• Framerates of Five FX images-per-second or Seven 10MP DX images.
• 51-point MultiCAM3500FX Autofocus System (same as D3).
• 16-bit EXPEED Image processor, an industry first.  Helps to produce 75MB RAW files.
• ISO 100 to 1600, expandable to ISO50, ISO3200, and ISO6400.
• 3-inch, 920,000 pixel LCD Screen with Contrast-detect Live View
• Dual Compact Flash card slots written to at 35MB/sec. (more…)
  

  Popularity: 5% [?]

  Tags: full frame dSLR, full frame FX, full frame sensor, FX, Nikon D3x, Nikon dSLR

I’ve already compared both Best Buy and Circuit City’s Black Friday deals with B&H Photo Video.  So you already know about their various  Canon, Nikon, and Sony camera specials.  B&H Photo, however has some other deals that a dSLR Dad may be interested in:

• Canon EOS 40D SLR Digital Camera with Canon 28-135mm Lens for $1,006.95.
• Epson Stylus Photo R280 Inkjet Printer for $29.95.  This is a great value on an Epson printer that uses their long-lasting Claria Hi-Definition Inks.  Heck, a full set of ink would cost you $56.  Add some of the excellent Epson Ultra Premium Luster, Exhibition Fiber, or Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk papers and you will produce some fantastic prints.
• Sony Alpha DSLR-A700 Digital Camera Body for $999.99
• Olympus E-520 dSLR Camera with 14-42mm Lens and E510 Gadget Bag for $497.95.
• Free shipping on all Nikon Cameras.
• Up to $125 instant savings on various Canon Lenses and Flashes.
• Four Day Black Friday Special on 4GB and 8GB Sandisk Extreme III Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory.  These are the previous 15MB/s Extreme III cards, but they are still very fast and a great value.
• Samsung SyncMaster 245T 24-inch Widescreen LCD Computer Display for $619.95.

Popularity: 6% [?]

I’ve already compared both Best Buy and Circuit City’s Black Friday deals with Amazon.com.  So you already know about their Canon dSLR, Lenses, and Speedlite savings as well as $75 to $600 off all Nikon dSLR Cameras. Amazon, however has some other deals that a dSLR Dad may be interested in:

(more…)

Popularity: 5% [?]

This year’s Black Friday ads are beginning to pop-up around the internets.  The only question that remains for any dSLR Dad:

Will I be able to find a good deal standing in line when it’s dark and freezing cold outside, or should I just order online?

Circuit City is offering Sony DSLR-A350, Nikon D60, and Canon EOS Rebel XS dSLR camera combinations (two each) for sale.  The Olympus E-420 and Canon EOS 40D dSLR Cameras are also discounted.  For comparison, I have included both Amazon.com and B&H Photo Video prices at the time of this publication:

(more…)

Popularity: 6% [?]

This year’s Black Friday ads are beginning to pop-up around the internets.  The only question that remains for any dSLR Dad:

Will I be able to find a good deal standing in line when it’s dark and freezing cold outside, or should I just order online?

Best Buy is offering two different Nikon D40 and Canon EOS Rebel XSi dSLR camera combinations for sale.  For comparison, I have included both Amazon.com and B&H Photo Video prices at the time of this publication: (more…)

Popularity: 6% [?]

It is a good time to be a dSLR Dad, especially if you actually have some cash this holiday season.  Amazon.com has the 10.2 Megapixel Nikon D200 dSLR Camera Body available for only $799.98!  For those dSLR Dad’s who were looking at either the Nikon D90 or an older D80, the D200 offers you a lot of value:

• 10.2 Megapixel DX-Format CCD (3,872 x 2,592 pixels).
• 11-area Multi-CAM Autofocus system (convertible to a 7-wide area AF system).
• Fast 5 frames-per-second continuous shooting (22 NEF RAW-file bursts).
• 1005-pixel 3D RGB Color Matrix Metering II system
• dSLR Dad durable Magnesium alloy chassis.
• 2.5 inch LCD.
• Screw motor drive works with all Nikon F-mount lenses.
• i-TTL Creative Lighting System build-in to command Nikon Speedlights wirelessly.

The Nikon D200 dSLR Camera is available now at Amazon.com. If you are not sure what lens to pick up, may I suggest Nikon’s new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6G ED Vibration-Reduction (VR) Zoom Lens or the ever popular and versatile AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF VR Zoom-Nikkor Lens.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Popular Photography Magazine has published their review of the Nikon D700 12.1MP dSLR Camera .  Oddly enough, they really liked it:

Does the D700 obviate the more expensive D3? Not for high-end pros: Hardcore types who find themselves shooting in the Arctic one month and the desert the next will prefer the D3’s extraordinarily tight level of weathersealing. For paparazzi, who shoot lots of vertical images and so prefer a built-in vertical grip to a bolt-on battery grip, the D3’s better. And pro sports shooters blasting off frame after frame need the faster native burst and extra CF card slot of the D3.

Meanwhile, the rest of us will be more than happy with the D700 fulfilling our full-frame fantasies.

Of course, if all your Lenses carry the DX moniker of Nikon’s APS-sized format, you should stick with the D300. After all, it basically mirrors the image quality and performance of the D700, and your DX Lenses will yield only 5.1MP images on the Nikon D700. In other words, those digital-only lenses will fit this full-frame camera, but at a cost of massive cropping — a sacrifice that hardly seems worth making on a regular basis.

But if you have some full-frame lenses or want to move toward Nikon’s FX glass, the D700 is money well spent.

You can read the entire review of the Nikon D700 over at PopPhoto.com.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Nikon has the latest NEF RAW Codec, version 1.5, available here for download.  This codec is for Windows only (XP and Vista) and supports NEF (RAW) images captured with the recently released Nikon D90 dSLR Camera. After installing this Codec, you will be able to easily view and work with Nikon’s NEF RAW images as you do JPEGs.

This Codec supports the following cameras:

• D3, D2Xs, D2X, D2Hs, D2H, D1X, D1H, D1, D700, D300, D200, D100, D90, D80, D70S, D70, D60, D50, D40X, D40
• COOLPIX 8800, COOLPIX 8700, COOLPIX 8400, COOLPIX 5700, COOLPIX 5400, COOLPIX 5000

You can also find out more about the Nikon D90 in the dSLR Dad Resource Guide.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Digital Photography Review has published their odyssey on the Nikon D90 dSLR Camera:

Almost exactly two years after the D80 was announced comes its replacement, the rather predictably named D90. The D80 has been one of Nikon’s quiet successes, and even today, despite being positively Methuselah-like in digital camera terms it continues to sell and often makes its way into our top 10 most clicked on cameras. Because it looks so similar to the D80 the D90 appears at first glance to be one of those rather subdued incremental upgrades, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find there’s plenty to keep Nikon fans happy.

You can read all 37 web pages over at dPreview.  As always, you can find out more about the Nikon D90 in the dSLR Dad Resource Guide.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Digital Photography Review has published their typical in-depth review of the Nikon D700 dSLR Camera:

When we reviewed Nikon’s first full-frame DSLR, the D3, in April this year we said it was ‘possibly the most compelling, capable and well-rounded professional digital SLR ever made.’ Only three months later Nikon announced another full-frame camera with the D700. The new model’s ‘compact’ dimensions and much more affordable price tag make it a more appealing proposition than the D3 to many professional photographers and serious amateurs alike but can it keep up the high standards that have been set by its bigger brother?

You can read all 33 web pages over at dPreview.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Nikon has published the 300 page D90 dSLR user manual.  The Nikon D90 User’s Manual - Guide to Digital Photography, can be downloaded at Nikon USA.  You can also find out more about the Nikon D90 in the dSLR Dad Resource Guide.

Note:  The Nikon D90 dSLR Camera with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens is in stock and shipping from both Amazon.com and B and H Photo.

Popularity: 12% [?]