• White Balance -- Are You RGB Savvy by Moose Peterson
    Moose Peterson

    by Moose Peterson, exclusive to nikondigital.org
    Updated by David Cardinal, September, 2010

  • HDR: When Even Magic Has Its Limits
    David Cardinal

    Used properly, High-Dyanmic Range (HDR) imaging can almost do magic. Scenes with huge contrast and uneven lighting can be turned into pristine almost studio quality images. Like many tools it can also be a great crutch. While I certainly don't take professional pride in using techniques that way sometimes it is the only option available. That's the situation I was in when visiting Niagra Falls recently. We arrived to a gray sky, mid-day, and traveling quickly. I didn't expect to get anything great, but I did want to capture some "snaps" of the falls, so here's what I did and how it worked out...

  • Nikon Announces Four New AF-S Lenses: DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, 24-120mm f/4G VR and 85mm f/1.4G
    David Cardinal

    New NIKKOR Glass Yields an Unprecedented Seven Lenses Released to Date in 2010

    MELVILLE, N.Y. Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Nikon Inc. announced four new lenses to the legendary NIKKOR line to meet the needs of all types of photographers, from those looking for the ideal lens for capturing memories of the school play to pro glass that captures client work in the studio. The new AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR, AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR and AF-S 85mm f/1.4G deliver the optical excellence and stunning image quality that consumers have become accustomed to with AF-S NIKKOR lenses. Nikon's optical engineering experience and devotion to extraordinary standards of excellence have contributed to the strength and legend of the NIKKOR brand. With the addition of these four lenses, 2010 has seen the introduction of a total of seven new NIKKOR lenses, reinforcing Nikon's role as the world leader in optics.

  • Nikon D3100 adds 1080p to 14MP for $699 with Lens
    David Cardinal

    Nikon has pushed the entry level "convergence" D-SLR bar up yet again with the D3100, more than just a minor update to the popular D3000. Now supporting a 14.2MP sensor the new camera offers the much requested 1080p video format for "true HD" along with some nice interface simplifications that will make it easier to get started with video and to have the Auto-Focus always active. They've also beefed up the Guide Mode and Scene Selection options which will will be particularly appealing to beginners. For $699 (expected in September) with 18-55 kit lens it's hard to go wrong. We do want to note though that the continuous AF with video is the mediocre "contrast AF" which is still no match for the snappy AF used in still mode. The camera also features a native ISO of up to 3200, amazing for an entry level model.

    Pre-order the Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm Lens for $699 from B&H

    Full press release follows...

  • Does Your Town Have a Mud Run? Maybe it Should
    David Cardinal

    If a mud run isn’t on your bucket list, you might want to consider it. Along with tractor pulls and cook-offs the annual run of trucks large and small through a course of, well yes, mud is a big deal in Northern Michigan. We were fortunate enough to be here this year in time for the Boyne Falls Annual Mud Run, where amateurs and pros alike took their straight up SUVs, pick-ups, and highly modified terrain warrior vehicles through a quarter mile of wheel deep mud—provided courtesy of the local fire departments’ hydrants and volunteers…edl_mudrun_0029

  • Full-frame Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens Face-off: Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 versus the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G Lens
    David Cardinal

    I really enjoyed shooting with the Nikon 14-24mm AF-S f/2.8G ED lens which was released as part of Nikon’s foray into full-frame cameras along with the D3. It takes incredible images and was a pleasure to use. But for most of us it has several drawbacks which make it a difficult acquisition. First is price. At $1800 for the US version it is a large investment for a lens that typically gets used a lot less than a mid-range zoom. Second, it is large and heavy. If you lug your gear with you the 2.2 lb. weight and 4”x5” size create quite an impact on your photo pack. Finally the “domed” front makes it difficult and expensive to use filters with it (an expensive add-on adapter is needed).

    Pl_MidwayBasinYNP_0067

    Grand Prismatic, Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
    Nikon D700, Sigma 12-24mm Lens at 12mm, f/22@1/250s, ISO 800
    Going ultra-wide is the only way to get the full scene, as the moving steam rules out a pano

  • Puffins: Comedians of the Sky
    David Cardinal

    I’m sure Puffins don’t think of themselves as funny, but it is difficult to watch them when in breeding plumage and not imagine that they are wearing a clown suit and make up. ...

    djc_2718

  • Creating A New Look For Old Bears
    David Cardinal

    After eleven summers photographing Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears (also known as “Grizzly Bears”) I’ve come up with quite a few nice shots and tried a lot of different ideas for creating compelling portraits of them. So this year I decided to try something new to give some of my favorite mammals a new look…

    dsc_3193

    Alaskan Brown Bear, Nikon D70 Lifepixel Infrared
    Nikon 200-400mm f/4 lens.