Tag Archives: cameras

Nikon 1 V1: after three weeks

I like the V1 camera. I like it a lot. It takes excellent photographs, is light weight, and is generally easy to use. It’s reasonably flexible. But there are issues. What follows is largely a discussion of things I wish Nikon had done differently, so there’s some danger you’ll think I dislike the camera. That would be a false impression.

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Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon 1: a short review

Ignoring a For Dummies guide, the currently-available (or soon to be available) Nikon 1 books are by David Busch (three books, all for sale through the usual channels) and this Thom Hogan book, which is available from the author’s website. This is the usual case for any new Nikon camera with serious intentions; Hogan typically gets his out quickly as a self-published ebook, then Busch’s book hits a few weeks later. Both authors produce books with much value, but their approaches–and their opinions–differ significantly.

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Nikon 1 V1: after one day

Joan and I have contrasting viewpoints about the Nikon 1 menu system. To Joan, coming to the J1 from a point-and-shoot background, the menues seem long and complicated. Compared to my D300 the menues seem abbreviated and occasionally disappointing. I already know I’m going to miss my D300 presets. (I’m old enough to remember IBM’s PCjr. Some of Nikon’s design decisions have that feel.)

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Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson: a review

This is not exactly a beginner’s book. The expected reader has some familiarity with photography and wants to better understand and master their camera. Advanced users may find the book useful as a review, and may find a tip or two they’d not previously seen, but may find some of the explanations annoying. That’s OK, as they’re not the intended audience.

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The Photoshop Elements Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby: a short review

A book full of useful hints about using Photoshop Elements. The book’s organized for reference–this is how to fix [whatever] problem–without a lot of explanation about why the tricks work. This is useful if you find yourself stymied by a problem with a particular photograph; it’s less useful for other purposes.

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The Wall

My office phone rang. Since it was an external call, and I didn’t recognize the number, odds were it was either a vendor or a wrong number. Nope; Lauren Morgan introduced herself as an editor with Boston Publishing, and she was working with Vietnam Veterans of America on a magazine issue. They’d found a couple of my pictures on Flickr, and wanted to use them to illustrate an article. I asked which photos they were planning to use, which she described, and I said sure. We talked about some details for a few minutes, and the conversation ended.

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Camera: Olympus Camedia C-50

I got some cash for Christmas in 2001, and earmarked it for a digital camera. What I wanted–a small, smart, high-resolution camera–wasn’t yet on the market for a price I was willing to pay, but it was clear that I’d find one within a year. About a year ago, I went shopping, and found this.

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