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Monthly Archives: January 2011

Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, AF-S DX review

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By Anthony Rampersad

I’m 28 and I live in Trinidad & Tobago. I’ve always been interested in photography but I guess its only recently that I’ve started taking my interest seriously. Somewhere in 2008 I shot my first “serious” picture and fell in love with both the process and results of the capture. I particularly enjoy nature and landscape photography and aspire to one day reach a pro-level skill even if its not accompanied by the pay.

Nikkor 18-55mm Overview

I’ve been using the 18-55mm near to 4 months now. I bought it with the aim of using the wider end of its focal length to practice my landscape shots. It’s actually a good performer and the pricing makes it a great value buy. I can see why many manufacturers choose to offer their DSLRs with the 18-55mm as a kit lens. It’s just very useful and applicable to most of your everyday shooting needs especially if you’re interested in those travel and vacation shots. I actually spent 5 nights in London taking shots with this lens (I simply do not understand how you people deal with that cold weather) and even without a tripod I was surprised at the quality of the shots. As with my previous review, all shots were taken with the Nikon D90 and I’ve arranged the review according to the below categories for easier reading:

Nikkor 18-55mm handling

I can’t say there’s anything particularly “wowing” about the handling and use of this lens except for the fact that its light, easy to carry, mount and dismount. And I certainly can’t fail to make note of the AF performance. Its quick, smooth and accurate making it almost second nature to operate. But, do try and get used to using the AF because the Manual Focus (MF) on this lens can be a bit annoying to use. Speaking strictly from experience and opinion there is much more to be desired of the MF. For a start, the very narrow focus ring is all the way out to the tip of the inner barrel. Now it may be that my fingertips were sorely numbed from the London cold but on too many occasions I found myself groping around the barrel to locate the ring in MF mode. I eventually decided to switch full-time to AF mode. The zoom ring at present feels like its lubricated with peanut butter (not the crunchy one though), just a bit sticky in places but Im assuming thats because it was still brand new. The VR is definitely one of the strong points of this lens. I managed to get night shots with speeds as slow as 1/10 sec (no tripod) that were still acceptably sharp (See sample shots).

Nikkor 18-55mm build quality

No major commendations or complaints here. Its all plastic, of course with the exception of the glass elements, and it has just that kind of feel, light and somewhat cheap. While the lens has no major weight to warrant an aluminium mount I still feel the need to be very cautious when attaching or detaching with the plastic mount. Still, it’s well put together and for the price one really couldn’t ask for more.

Nikkor 18-55mm image quality

This is where this lens makes up lost ground. It’s an excellent performer. Once you set your focus properly its sharp where it has to be and at its max aperture of f/3.5 produces nice shallow depth of field. In normal shooting situations (daylight to mid evening) the VR ensures that images are sharp and clean. The diaphragm blades on this lens are rounded so it produces a nice soft and rounded bokeh when it captures those highlights out of focus. Colour rendition is excellent. I just have to say I’m impressed. I expected a “kit lens” to be somewhat cheap and drab but the 18-55mm has certainly exceeded these expectations. I think most of my surprise had to do with the lens’ performance in night shots which is all I really had time for so far. I hope I’m equally pleased when I manage to get around to daytime shooting.

Pros

  • Superb image quality
  • Super-quick and sharp Autofocus
  • Excellent value pricing
  • No noticeable distortion
  • Good maximum aperture
  • Rounded diaphragm blades
  • Excellent VR (vibration reduction)

Cons

  • Sticky zoom ring (perhaps only when new)
  • Thin and awkwardly placed manual focus ring. Takes some time to get used to

8/10

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On location: A view of Florence

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Florence in Italy is one of the most beautiful Cities I’ve had the pleasure of visiting and what follows is a brief photo journal of the City, and surrounding areas.  On this trip I carried with me my robust, yet somewhat aged, Canon EOS 20D digital camera supported by the impressive Canon 15mm Fisheye lens.

The Canon 15mm Fisheye lens affords a different perspective on the places I’ve visited.  It’s proper home for sure would be on a full frame digital camera, nevertheless, even on one which adopts an APS-C sized sensor such as the 20D, stunning images are still possible!

A cloudy day in Fiesole.  The clouds appeared with alarming speed and completely devoured this small town on the outskirts of Florence.

When wandering the streets of Florence, it is often impossible to avoid catching a glimpse of the towering Duomo.

Right next to the Duomo, is the Campinale – Giotto’s famous bell tower.  For a small fee, it’s possible to climb the tower which affords stunning views of the City.

A trip to Florence isn’t complete without a walk across the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge, one of only  handful of bridges which incorporates shops into it’s construction.  If you manage to pick the right time, a stunning view can be had.

Nikon D80 video review

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Nikon D80 review

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The Nikon D80 is a discontinued cropped sensor digital SLR camera, originally launched in August 2006. The D80 is easy to find either refurbished or used, and is a good way to enter the world of SLR photography without spending a lot of money on the most up-to-date model.

Nikon D80 Specification

The D80 is a 10.2 megapixel camera and the body weighs 585g which is potentially lighter than many of the lenses you can attach to it. It is not surprising to find that the body of the camera is predominantly made out of plastic. The view finder on the rear of the camera is an ample 2.5 inches across and the D80 takes SDHC memory cards. It’s worth pointing out that it’s predecessor, the Nikon D70, uses Compact Flash memory cards, so with the newer model, a change in memory format is required. The shutter speed of the D80 ranges from 30 seconds down to 1/4000, which is slightly surprising as it’s predecessor and successor, the D70 and D90 respectively, can take shots at 1/8000.

Nikon D80 image quality

Below are a few examples of photos taken with the Nikon D80 using a Nikkor 18-55mm, Nikkor 55-200mm and Nikkor 70-300mm lens. These photos are un-edited and hopefully will provide a good idea of the sort of picture quality that can be expected when using this camera. The photos are very vibrant in colour, with excellent saturation levels, as well as being very sharp. The sharpness of the images, can be down somewhat to the lenses used however.

Alternative Cameras to the Nikon D80

The Nikon D80 sits between the D70 and D90 in the family of Nikon SLR cameras. The Nikon D70 is quite a bit older and uses a 6 megapixel sensor. It also has a smaller LCD screen at the rear, smaller view finder and uses Compact Flash memory.

The D90 is the current model in the Nikon family, which you buy new today. Some of the main differences between the D90 and the D80 include the ability to take photos at 12 megapixels, a larger view finder, the ability to shoot video at 720p as well a useful sensor cleaning function. To remove dust from the sensor, the D90 will vibrate the mechanism to dislodge any dust, a very useful addition to the camera!

Another camera that was launched at a similar time to the D80, is the Nikon D200. The D200 uses the same sensor, so image quality is identical, however the build of the camera (metal body) and layout of it’s various buttons is far superior.

Nikon or Canon?

Nikon’s main competitor in the digital SLR market is typically Canon. Both makes of camera produce excellent photos and generally they have the same functions across the board. It is generally a question of personal taste as to which make of camera you prefer, and it’s advisable to go into a shop and try the different makes of camera to get an idea of which camera suits you better.

Overall

The Nikon D80 is a very impressive camera considering it’s capabilities and how much it costs to buy as of today (January 2011). The plethora of buttons on the camera body can, at first, be somewhat confusing, but after repeated use, knowing which button to press eventually becomes second nature. Saying that however, The Nikon D200 is generally purchasable at a similar price, and has a superior body construction and button layout, so, it’s worth considering purchasing the D200 as an alternative. Nevertheless, you won’t be disappointed with the D80!

Nikon D80 price

Nikon D90 review

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By Anthony Rampersad

I’m 28 and I live in Trinidad & Tobago. I’ve always been interested in photography but I guess its only recently that I’ve started taking my interest seriously. Somewhere in 2008 I shot my first “serious” picture and fell in love with both the process and results of the capture. I particularly enjoy nature and landscape photography and aspire to one day reach a pro-level skill even if its not accompanied by the pay.

Overview

Its been just about 7 months now that I’ve been using the Nikon D90. After months of online research scouring forums and retailer sites I decided to get it as an upgrade to my compact/bridge with every intention of developing my photography beyond the “hobby” level. Many folks think that their first DSLR needs to be an “entry-level” system that will help them to learn the ropes of DSLR use. I disagree. If you’re serious about photography invest in a system you’d keep for at least 3 years and learn it thoroughly. For the purposes of organization this review is broken up into categories and addressed as follows:

Nikon D90 handling

From the moment you wrap your hands around the D90’s body you get the feel of an intuitively designed ready-to-use system. Though heavier than a compact it seems to be made with comfort in mind. In use at times I find myself in some very awkward shooting positions yet the camera manages to keep a firmly balanced feel and grip in my hands. With a 50mm prime lens you can shoot hand-held for hours without numbing your arms to that trembling point where your pictures appear both shaken and stirred.

Nikon D90 controls (ease of use)

Moving from a compact/bridge to a DSLR system can be a challenge. Naturally a thorough reading of the camera’s manual can be expected to make things easier. This was a cinch with the D90. It may have taken just about 30-45 minutes to fully grasp how the controls work. The menu is structured similar to a compact’s with main shooting or settings categories broken into hierarchies and sub-categories. Key to mastering the controls of the D90 is getting comfortable with the main command and sub-command dials found to the front and back of the right hand-grip very intuitively placed to allow quick and easy adjustments of shutter speed and aperture. For an added touch of simplicity, Nikon added menu assistance screen hints for every menu item so you can reference before adjusting.

Nikon D90 build quality

The D90 is all around solid and you can easily get that impression from the weight and rigid feel when handling. I had the misfortune of dropping the camera from about 3 ft while on vacation in NY once. After it fell to the wooden floor I picked it up expecting to hear or see a trail of broken parts. It survived with just a tiny crack to the plastic just below the power button and with no consequence at all to any of its functions. Note: Do not leave your D90 in an open backpack on top your packed luggage.

Nikon D90 sample photos

OK, so Im guessing this is the part you’re most interested in. Well read on with pleasure. My initial research on the D90 (prior to buying) gave nearly notorious acclaim to the D90’s distinct high image quality. I was not disappointed. I bought the D90 with the 50mm f/1.8 AF lens so this section will review image quality with this combination. The sensor produces crisp, sharp wonderfully colour-rendered images.

At the low-mid ISO settings, images are super clean and noise-free, granted of course lighting is suitable to the ISO being used. Whether shooting Vivid, Neutral, Portrait, Landscape or Standard you can expect great quality shots. I usually shoot in Neutral and post-process to achieve the right amount of saturation. Shooting in RAW/NEF also gives an added touch of control over the quality of your shots as the camera allows for in-camera RAW processing. Colour saturation and gamma can be altered through your choice of any of the above mentioned shooting modes with noticeable differences in image quality. My preferred shooting mode is JPEG/RAW and I hardly ever use the jpegs. But its really only after you sit down to process the NEF/RAW files that you realize what a wonderful job the D90 already did in capturing crisp clean colour and detail in your frame.

Nikon D90 Functions

The D90 while catering to the amateur user market simultaneously captured the needs of a mid- level/prosumer market. Quite simply its loaded with functions that make the shooting experience for a user of either category sheer joy. The top panel LCD is very convenient. You’d also find that the sensor-cleaning function on the D90 comes in seriously handy if you find yourself changing lenses in less than ideal environments.

Pros

  • Superb image quality
  • Solid build
  • Great high ISO performance
  • Intuitive menu and controls
  • Fast shooting and processing speed.

Cons

  • No mirror lock-up feature
  • Priced above competing models

10/10

Current Nikon D90 best price