• Nikon cuts off mom & pop repair shops–fair or foul?
    Name: David Cardinal

    Nikon USA has decided to stop supplying camera parts to any repair shops which are not Nikon Authorized Repair Stations (NARS). As explained by customer service Director David Dentry on dpreview, this move is designed to improve service quality and timeliness for Nikon-toting photographers. Predictably this has caused a bit of a dust-up, but it is hard to say whether detractors are making a mountain out of a molehill. In my case, I wouldn’t normally have thought much about it – NPS is an overnight package away – but since Nikon will not repair Infrared-converted or otherwise modified cameras, I did have to find an alternative….

  • Digital Light Shed: A photo accessory that will pay for itself
    Name: David Cardinal

    Impact Digital Light Shed - XLNearly everyone has at least a box of used electronics and camera gear sitting someplace in their house hoping for a better home. With cellphones, computers, and cameras being upgraded more frequently than ever, they can pile up faster than we can find friends or family members who might want them. In many cases, those electronics are still worth real money, so sending them off to one of the new “e-Cycling” ventures seems like a waste. eBay seems like the obvious answer, but taking good product pictures is such a hassle that many of us don’t take the time to do it – even if we take pictures for a living. That’s where the Digital Light Shed comes in…

  • Canon’s New S100: A shirt-pocket camera to drool over!
    Name: David Cardinal

    Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Camera (Black) If you want the ultimate shirt pocket camera, and can stand one in a little bit larger form factor than the ultra-tiny Elph series, Canon has kicked its “S” family up another notch by replacing the excellent S95 with the brand new S100. Available from B&H as of this morning for $429, it is almost impossible to believe the combination of quality and features in a camera this easy to have with you all the time…

  • A morning with OWS: Why it is important that they don't have any demands
    Name: David Cardinal

    He's been there every day but is feeling left out as other assume the public face of the effortOur lives are bombarded 24x7 by talking heads on cable TV, op-ed pieces in the newspapers, and political ads telling how the world can solve its problems. And so far they haven't gained us much. So it is amazingly refreshing that the OWS (Occupy Wall Street) crowd has no specific goals. Instead, as an amalgam of at best loosely coupled ideas and initiatives, they have started a national conversation on topics that previously were confined to sound bytes and one-way lectures…

  • How to Introduce Children to 3D Photography by Adam Leavi
    Name: David Cardinal

    Would you like to sneak an interest in photography into your child’s life?

    If you would, the Nintendo 3DS may be just what you need. With a recent price cut and many retailers are falling over one another to sell at a lower price, this is a great time to get your hands on a cheap 3DS.

  • Extreme Value Nikon D7000 Vertical Grip Now Available (Neewer/Meike Grip, $40!)
    Name: David Cardinal

    _djc0028A big reason I’ve waited so long to buy a Nikon D7000 even after my enthusiasm with my review unit earlier this year was the new format vertical grip. I wasn’t looking forward to carrying two vertical grips since I’d also want my current one for use with my Nikon D700 and Nikon D300s. But I also didn’t want to shell out the cool $219 for the OEM Nikon MB-D11 Vertical Grip (when they are in stock), since I already had one vertical grip. I’d had good luck with Zeikos “knock-off” grips before but at $99 the Zeikos alternative vertical grip didn’t seem like enough of a savings to justify going with a lesser product. Enter the amazingly priced Neewer Vertical Battery Grip for Nikon D7000…

  • Nikon Unleashes Nikon 1 competitor to Olympus, Panasonic Micro 4/3 Systems–Nikon J1 and Nikon V1 Cameras
    Name: David Cardinal

    BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP: THE NIKON 1 SYSTEM BALANCES SPEED, STYLE AND SIMPLICITY TO CREATIVELY CAPTURE ALL OF LIFE’S SPONTANEOUS MOMENTS

    The New Nikon J1 and V1 Cameras as Well as Four New Ultra-Portable Lenses are Engineered for Expressive Living

    MELVILLE, N.Y. (Sept 21, 2011) – Nikon Inc. today announced a revolutionary new digital imaging system built from the ground up to empower users with new ways to tell stories through photography, driven by imaginative next-generation technology. The iconic new Nikon 1 system is designed to become one with the user and their lifestyle, providing a unique form of expression with amazing image quality, speed and portability.

  • B&H New York City–The Ultimate Camera Store And Then Some
    Name: David Cardinal

    Pl_BHPhoto_0015The last time I was able to visit B&H’s “superstore” in Manhattan was several years ago so I was excited when I got the “cook’s tour” as part of my presentation on wildlife photography there last week. I was blown away not just by the size and selection (after all we live in a land of large box stores) but by the thoughtful presentation and retailing strategies used. The experience is night and day different—and better—than visiting a Best Buy or Fry’s electronics, or even many local camera stores.

    First and foremost no one is on commission. So they are there to help you shop but are happy to suggest less expensive options or leave you alone if you enjoy puttering through the numerous exhibits yourself. And the exhibits are organized more like a contemporary museum of technology than like a typical slap dash retail display. Items are all in working order, clearly labeled, and organized in such a way that you can make intelligent comparisons. The HDTVs for example are all adjusted so that they have a similar viewing angle from eye level and you can actually compare their images. Try doing that at Best Buy or Frys!

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