February 3, 2025
Behind the Image Weekly - Night Vision
Behind the Image - Night Vision by David Soderlund (DaveSoderlund)
This photograph is from a IR photography workshop in Joshua Tree National Park led by Penelope Taylor. One of her specialties is night (actually, very early morning) IR photography of the desert under moonlight. Accordingly, we were on the road into the park by 4:30 am for three consecutive days.
Photographing the desert under moonlight was extremely challenging because it is impossible to see what you are shooting through the camera. Penelope would say "There's a composition over there" and we'd set up our tripods, choose an arbitrary (long) exposure, shoot, and then review the image to figure out what we'd actually photographed. Achieving some sort of acceptable composition was an iterative process of shooting, reviewing, and changing the camera position, focal length, and settings -- all while hoping that the pre-set manual focus of the lens was accurate. Needless to say, "keepers" were few and far between. By the time this photograph was taken (not long before sunrise) the stars had faded and there was enough light to see, more or less, what I was doing.
Here is the original image, with minimal processing in Lightroom: application of a custom camera profile to achieve correct white balance; adjustments to highlights (set to 0) and shadows (set to 100); and small amounts of clarity and dehaze.
Z5 (720nm IR), Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 s @ 27mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/15 sec.
I developed the image using a Photoshop workflow taught by Penelope during the workshop, which involves three successive adjustment layers: (1) Channel Mixer (red and blue channel swap); (2) Black & White (no adjustments to this layer at this point); and (3) Gradient Map (selecting "Classic" under Method and "Black and White" from the Basic options under the gradient pull-down menu). After that, I returned to the Black & White layer to make minor adjustments using the color sliders. (This is also part of my basic B&W workflow in Lightroom for both visible light and IR images.)
After these Photoshop adjustments I returned the image to Lightroom for further processing. I applied a tone curve to increase contrast and cropped the image to a square format (the left side of the image was boring!). To finish the image I applied two masks: (1) Select Sky (reduced Exposure, boosted Whites, added Clarity); (2) Radial Gradient on the large foreground rock formation (increased Highlights and Texture). The final touches were selective sharpening and a slight vignette. Here's the final image:
Posted by dm1dave at 2:00 AM
January 8, 2025
New anniversary logo needed
We are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year and our old 20th anniversary logo could need a new face. Are you a designer?
If you are a designer, or have the eye, please provide us with your proposal for a great, new anniversary logo by no later than 15-FEB-2025. Details in this post
The 25th Anniversary "Base Logo" as a basic idea for your own inspiration. Adobe Illustrator file with both the 2020 and 2025 "base logos" is available in the forum post mentioned above.
Posted by bgs at 12:30 PM
January 3, 2025
25th Anniversary Coming Up
Time flies when you are having fun! We are turning 25 years young, yeah!
April 30th 2000 is the official launch of Nikonians, making us 25 years now in 2025 and the team is planning several things. We have created a forum thread in the About Nikonians forum where we will post updates as the planning progress.
If you are interested in helping out on a project/idea, or you have an idea yourself what we should do this year to celebrate this feat of turning 25, say so in that specific forum thread.
A big, heartfelt thanks to all of you who have supported the community in all kinds of ways these first 25 years, both financially through paid memberships and via fundraising campaigns, by helping out in the forums as moderators, by being helpers in the spirit of Nikonians supporting other photographers, by writing articles, managing meetups and events, and by creating ingenious podcasts and webinars.
Posted by bgs at 11:47 AM
December 4, 2024
Your Z8 and the book
Darrell Young (digitaldarrell) is working on finalizing The NikoniansPress Mastering the Nikon Z8 book. As the smaller sister of the Nikon Z9, this camera comes with lots of bells and whistles and might be under one or the other Nikonians Christmas tree this season.
The book was rescheduled a few times and Darrell is still working on it. If you have some exceptional shots taken with your Z8, please do chime in! For the others of us, we can scroll through the posts and look at the great shots. Some are really stunning.
Z9 Setup Guide
Team member Ned (Ned_L) has released a new edition of his popular Nikon Z9 Photography Setup Guide. Ned shares it with us as a PDF and makes a note about his Z8/Z9 wildlife workshops. If you have interest in participating on his workshops, please reach out to him.
Z8/Z9 RAW mode and high-speed bursts
A member asked "Does high speed burst exposures restrict RAW files?" The key here is if you are using the High-Speed Frame Capture (HSFC) modes or not. The HSFC modes are denoted with a "C" in front of them, e.g. C30 (30 fps) or C120 (12 fps). If you are not using HSFC, your RAW setting will stay in effect and the images will be stored as RAW up to the max frame rate of 20fps. If you are using HSFC though, the images are stored as JPEG's and the quality is fixed to "JPEG/HEIF normal" (Z9 can also store them as JPEG/HEIF fine).
Special on Gold membership through December
Not on Gold yet? We have a special for a 1/3rd off on a Gold Membership through December.
Make sure you are logged in and then use the voucher code "24-AllGold" when you are upgrading. >>> Yes, I want to take advantage and save $25
Limited Edition Supports Cap 2024
The cap has been sent out to all members that participated in the fundraising 2024 with at least $150 USD total. Thank you to all of you who have participated! Your support makes it possible for us to operate and expand Nikonians.
We made a total of 100 caps. In this indeed limited series, a total of 72 members qualified for a cap so far and we have 28 caps left in stock. Want one? Read this
Posted by bgs at 6:56 AM
June 6, 2024
Gallery space increase for Gold
We have increased the gallery space available to all Gold members.
Other features as a Gold member include:
- Your own Nikonians.org email address
- Your own Portfolio
- Private gallery albums
- Receive image critique ...plus more
As a Nikonians Gold member you now have 100% more gallery space, up from formerly 3 GB to now 6 GB
Platinum members already enjoy unlimited gallery space.
We are further working on features that will benefit all members, no matter Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
Enjoy your community, and thank you for your support!
Posted by bgs at 1:43 PM
May 23, 2024
New member-to-member emails coming
We are starting a new beta for member-2-member emails.
The beta will kick of 27-MAY-2027 and will change the way we are sending emails between each other.
The main functionality coming and the motivation for doing this is listed in this post in the About Nikonians forum.
Posted by bgs at 5:22 PM
May 15, 2024
Favorite forums automatically subscribed
We have rolled out a change today that should make it easier for you to keep track of your favorite forums.
This works as follows:
You need to use the "Favorite Forums" marking feature to start with. That is the trailing star after the forum names. Marking it and it is a favorite forum. Unmarking it and that forum is no longer a favorite of yours. Favorites are grouped together at the top of the Forum Lobby.
Once you use the Favorite Forums
1. When you are using the "Favorite Forums" marking feature, you will get that forum automatically marked as being subscribed to as well. This means you'll get an email digest with the latest forum posts summarized and sent to you according to your "My Profile" and "Preferences" settings. Typically Daily or Weekly.
2. If you unmark a favorite forum, you will have the forum subscription removed from that forum as well.
3. Subscribing to a forum does not automatically set it as a favorite forum.
You can easily unsubscribe from a single forum by using the "Unsubscribe..." link at the top of the forum. You can also manage your subscriptions under "My Profile" and "Subscriptions" tab.
Enjoy!
We discuss this in the forums

Posted by bgs at 2:45 PM
May 13, 2024
Community Update May 2024
Lots of things happening in the community. Here are the main items from the last months to keep you in the loop.
The Best of Nikonians 2023
After the winners in The Best of Nikonians 2023 Annual Photo Contest were announced March 25th, 2024 by our Photo Contests Director, David Summers (dm1dave), he and Eric Bowles (ericbowles) held a webinar with the winners who talked about the details and stories behind their images. The 2023 year's contest had 109 finalist photos and our team of international judges chose 10 photos as this years winners.
The Best of Nikonians 2023 Exhibition, a virtual gallery is now open and you are most welcome in, to walk around and to discover the 56 artworks produced by the finalists and the winners. After you have visited the exhibition, please do leave a comment in the comment section below it and let us know what you liked and what you think can be improved.
Forum clean up and improvements
There are several ongoing projects to further improve our community. Some of the recent changes:
- Forum posts older than 36 months now automatically locked by a bot, preventing reawakening of ghost discussions
- Want to Sell (WTS) and Want to Buy (WTB) posts older than 6 months now automatically archived
- Search in forums now select recent posts only by default, ignoring older posts
- Your received awards (ribbons) now included at the top of your portfolio
- Forum subscriptions and topic notifications now in a new format with improved structure and HTML
- We do support RSS since long, but the RSS feeds have been improved
Fundraising campaign 2024
We are currently working on: Improving our learning content, enhancing existing features and new tools incl. photo critique & feedback possibilities.
Any amount is helpful. Contributions of $50 USD or above receive a unique, 2024 Donor Ribbon as a small thank you - Make sure you are logged in before paying. With $150 USD and above you are eligible for the new, limited black edition of our Nikonians Supporter Baseball Cap, which will be produced in two batches this year, first production in July 2024. More info
Travel story
Join Connie Cassinetto to the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula where she photograph penguins, icebergs and snow-covered landscapes. More...
Thanks for reading, and...
Go get that next capture!
The Nikonians Team
Posted by bgs at 10:44 AM
May 9, 2024
Forum subscription emails have changed
We have now changed the format of our forum subscription and topic subscription/notification emails. They used to be plain text, now they are HTML, with quite a lot of additional information and different logic behind the creation of the content, which we believe will be helpful to you.
We started a beta group 22-APR-2024 who've been very helpful identifying issues during the development.
The top items that have changed:
1) Now HTML and not plain text. You can select the format (and revert back to plain text) in your "My Profile" and
"Preferences" tab.
2) Forum subscriptions no longer contain each new post, but aggregate multiple replies into a single entry in the email and show a number how many additional replies a topic has.
3) "New post" has changed its meaning. If you are using the manual "Mark forum as read" it will now be taken into account if a post will be included in the email, or not. If you are not using that feature, new posts = since last time you received the email.
Here is a complete list of changes:
1) Send forum subscriptions as HTML instead of text. Old behavior: Sent only as plain text.
2) If member has "MARK time stamp for READ NEW messages" option in use, do only include forum posts that are newer than the last time the member marked the forum in question as have been read. Old behavior: Did not consider the marking forum as read option.
3) No posts included will be older than 90 days. Old behavior: Only date of last time email sent was considered. This new aspect should typically have no effect, rather a precaution to not create too many emails.
4) If a member has a lot of subscription messages, divide the subscriptions into multiple emails. This is same behavior as before, splitting is done at approx 8500 characters per email. When an email is split into several, indicate in each: a) If there is a continuation expected after the current email, and b) that a continued email is indeed a continuation. This part is new. The old email did not really show this in the content and the subject only contained a counter.

5) If the topic is new, do only include the topic itself, not replies. If there are new replies to a topic and the topic is not listed, include a link to the topics newest reply and use an HTML anchor to point to the reply (letting the browser scroll to that message). If there are multiple replies to a topic, only include the first reply. If topic subject is clicked, opens the complete thread.
Old behavior: Included each and all replies, making larger threads quite impossible to follow in the forum subscription email.
6) Shows a counter after topics and replies to indicate there are more replies. Uses format "(+ N)" where N is the number of additional replies. Shows a direct link to the oldest unread message, opening in a view where only that message is shown and the other messages in the topic are collapsed. Old behavior: this did not exist.
7) Does not include skeleton topics where the topic has been moved (the message states that the moderator of the forum has moved the topic). Old behavior: included these messages.

Posted by bgs at 1:55 PM
April 25, 2024
New beta for forum subscription emails
We have started with a beta sending out a new type of forum subscription email.
There are two types of emails that are being changed and tested in the beta group: One is sent when you are subscribing to a whole forum. The other is the topic notification emails. Both are now sent as HTML and a bunch of changes have been done to the emails in the way discussion threads and replies are being shown and linked.

Only members in a newly formed beta group are receiving these emails. If you want to join the group, please see the forum post in the About Nikonians forum.
Posted by bgs at 3:21 PM
April 17, 2024
Forum household cleaning
Short update on the household cleaning we are currently performing in the community forums and around.
1) Posts older than 36 months are now automatically locked by a bot, preventing reawakening of ghost discussions, among others. More info
2) Want to Sell (WTS) posts older than 6 months are now automatically flagged as SOLD and archived in the WTS archive, making it easy to search for items available for sale. More info
3) Want to Buy posts (WTB) older than 6 months are now automatically archived, ensuring items posted are likely available. More info
4) Search in forums now by default limited to posts being 12 months old at the most, ensuring posts are current and more likely relevant to your search. You can still search for "Adam and Eve" aged posts (aka year 2000 CE, the year Nikonians was founded) by just changing the search time range. More info
5) RSS feeds from forums a bit improved, now with longer summary and more entries per forum. This should help those of us who are using RSS, if any. This was done to ensure we can easily publish posts in an upcoming Nikonians app More info
6) The way forum post signatures can be used has been changed, making managing signatures easier for you and preventing, stale and eventually broken signatures. More info
7) Awards received are now included in members portfolio's making it possible for you to show your earned awards, and pride. More info
Posted by bgs at 12:07 PM
April 7, 2024
Your help is vital
With your help participating in our current fundraising, we are able to continue operate the Nikonians community while providing new content and features.
Maintaining a platform like Nikonians is not for free and we have decided against increasing the membership fees for now. These have been on the same level since we introduced them in late 2003.

There are some larger chunks of functionality we want to roll out, one that has been on the back burner since we used it in a beta testing period in 2019, allows for sharing large files (e.g. jpeg, raw, videos and other files) within the community and for members to share with others outside of the community as well. We launched that beta for a smaller group of members testing it back then, but decided after the beta period against going public, which kind of hurt but was the right decision. The technology we used was in the end not fulfilling the requirements we had, something which now seems to have been solved by the developers behind that solution. It requires integration with our platform prior of being usable (e.g. authentication, authorization, some design aspects).
Two other items relate to applications to make it easier to 1) interact with other members and stay up-to-date on what is going on in the community (partially replacing the defunct mobile gallery app and ezine apps) and 2) to upload and comment on images. For example, right now we have a Mac application for batch image uploading, but we do not have anything equal for Windows and there is no plugin for Adobe products to do the same either. Latter potentially not that high in priority though. The windows support here is really high up, even if our plain web based upload is way better than it used to be.
Next year we will acquire new servers (a serious allocation for us since we own and do not lease or rent our stuff), but that is then for the fundraising in 2025, our 25th anniversary fund raising event.
More on the maintenance of Nikonians
We are using a feature request and bug issue tracking system called Jira. We are managing all the entries in that system, which is not public. The latest entry is labelled NIKDPL-5975, where 5975 is a sequential number. A large number of these entries have been fixed, rolled out or discarded over the years and we have a total of 911 entries that are currently either "open" (not fixed, not done) or which are currently being worked on (flagged as "in progress"). Many are small improvements, some are bug fixes.
With additional funds we are able to speed up the amount of items we can approach and roll out.
Content and educational material
A part of the funds are intended to be used to grow the team of authors at Nikonians, we are also very keen on seeing more video material being created. These two areas are then not related to any new functionality being rolled out, but simply ensuring that we are getting new, good learning material.
Thanks for reading. Any amount helps. Visit the Fundraising Campaign 2024
Posted by bgs at 7:03 PM
March 20, 2024
Fundraising 2024 & more
We are revamping our donor ribbons while preparing for the 2024 Fundraising Campaign.
Nikonians that have participated in our past fundraising campaigns have had a "donor ribbon" awarded when contributing above a certain level.
Design of ribbons
We are updating the Donor ribbon designs, with a new ribbon for each fundraising we have ran in the past. As you may know, the Donor ribbons awarded to members so far did not change in appearance for the different fundraising campaigns, only the assignment text did (the text shown when you are hoovering over a ribbon).
The color scheme for the new ribbons is work in progress, so there will be some changes until finally set. Enjoy!
Assignment schedule
The donor ribbons were awarded manually in the past by the team. We are now in the process of automating this, mainly to
a) Be up-to-date on this, with less lagging between a donation and the award of the ribbon.
b) Ensure that there is total fairness for each member that is awarded a ribbon with an exact threshold when a ribbon is awarded. The threshold has been set at 50 US Dollars (which it was back in 2014 when we started with the ribbons), at which level a ribbon is awarded to the member.
Once we are done with this change, which probably will take a week plus, some members (should be a few only) that have not received a ribbon awarded for past contributions may now find themselves with a donor ribbon awarded.
Higher contributions warrant a different text when the member is awarded the ribbon, with several discrete steps. The second step after 50 USD is 100 USD.
Fundraising Campaign 2024
We are currently working on: Improving our learning content, enhancing existing features and new tools incl. photo critique & feedback possibilities.
Contributions above $50 USD receive a unique, 2024 Donor Ribbon as a small thank you - Make sure you are logged in before paying. With $150 USD and above you are eligible for the new, limited black edition of our Nikonians Supporter Baseball Cap, which will be produced in two batches this year, first production in July 2024.
The campaign is open for contributions - see the donation page to contribute.
Thank you very much! Bo, JRP and the whole team at Nikonians
Posted by bgs at 10:12 AM
December 26, 2023
Monthly Update 26-DEC-2023
This months latest Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians.
You'll find more, excellent images on the Editor's Choice page Christmas Still Life by dm1dave - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Cute little reindeer. Happy Christmas, Nikonians! just ordered 24-200mm Z zoom for Zfc and Z6 by Viking - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Wow, incredible color ad detail. Nicely shot! some images from a recent trip to the Kalahari by topper1946 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great capture of these two oryx, Judith. Like the back lighting with dust/fog in background. Elephants At Play by bryanpereira - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Wonderful composition Bryan! What kind of new photos are you getting with the Z8? by DurangoKid - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Interesting up-front capture of this Narrow Gauge steam train in a true winter landscape. Steer Wrestlen Wrangler by memason - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Perfect timing with this image, Michael. Christmas Lillies by Lucaduca - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Wonderful capture of these Christmas Lillies. This months top forum postings Nikon D500: What Causes This? by Jill Miller 18-Dec-23 03:10 PM (GMT) D500 with Sigma 70-200mm lens. Every now and then a photo has these colorful lines through it. Any ideas what would cause this? ... Nikon Z9 / Z8: Location data option being turned off - Z9 by wthalliii 26-Nov-23 02:39 PM (GMT) I asked this question before and no one was having this problem. But time has passed, and maybe someone can help me. I use the location data (GPS) and want it put into all of my images. But somehow, t... Wildlife: Sheltered - On Lookout by meadowlark2 06-Dec-23 03:18 PM (GMT) This Great Horned Owl was all but invisible concealed in an old abandoned farmstead on the prairie. Nicely shielded from view it had a perfect perch to watch for prey and not be detected. Over a perio... Landscape: Landscape... or astrophotography? by ajdooley 26-Nov-23 02:58 PM (GMT) It was chilly and cloudy hazy last night when we turned the yard lights on to let our dogs out -- and beautiful here in SW Illinois! The Moon was "enlarged" by the clouds and that's the planet Jupiter... Glamour & Portrait, Studio & Still Life: My first Still Life- Driftwood by LostHwy 21-Dec-23 02:21 AM (GMT) Bored out of mind today, under house arrest for all intents and purposes, so did a still life. Just to kill time. ... Weddings & Events: Trash The Dress by Russtopher4 04-Dec-23 03:51 PM (GMT) My apologies for submitting a link, as opposed to the actual snaps. But it is the only location where I have the set together. Thank You... PJ, PR & Street: The smoker seller by mborgare 08-Dec-23 07:18 PM (GMT) A vegetable seller in the streets of Jaipur. If you are worried about the smoke on the vegetables, you should first consider the amount of pollution is present there... NIkon Z-7ii, Nikkor Z 24-120mm ... Sports: 2023-12-17 NCSU Gymnastics Exhibition by rickcornell 20-Dec-23 03:06 AM (GMT) NC State held their annual Red-White gymnastics exhibition to showcase their team. These were shot with my Nikon Z9 paired with the Tamron 35-150 f2-f2.8. Shutter speed was 1/1000-1/1250, aperture as ... Micro, Macro & Close-up: Congratulations John McGarry! by dm1dave 02-Dec-23 01:24 AM (GMT) Please join me in congratulating John McGarry (jtmcg) for his winning image in the October Macro contest - "Leaves." The winning images will be been added to the and entered in the John McGarry... Panorama: Kofa Sunset by DeanAZ 27-Nov-23 04:30 AM (GMT) Here is my favorite from my trip this week. It is a pano of three images taken just after sunset. I was not sure how the 30 second exposure would stitch in LR but I can't see any issues so I'm pleasan... Travel: The Remarkable and Historic Abbey at Mount St Michel by voyageurfred 26-Nov-23 04:07 PM (GMT) In the summer of 2012, my girlfriend Josée and I spent three weeks travelling in France, driving through the Loire River Valley in a rental car, visiting the many marvellous chateaus and villages alo... Infrared & Ultraviolet: tree in the wetlands by Matthew Gregory 26-Nov-23 02:00 PM (GMT) Took another run to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, but the migrating birds were playing hard to get. Conditions were grey, with a sharp, bitter wind, and they were all smart enough to shelter on ... Motor Sports: Lemans Classic and Velocity Invitational at Sonoma by Press1 27-Nov-23 03:43 AM (GMT) Hello - This year, I had a chance to shoot at the two races with media credentials. Here's an article and photos I did for Victory Lane Magazine on what it was like to shoot LeMans, and a few photos... Astrophotography: Geminids and Windmills by DeanAZ 15-Dec-23 10:59 PM (GMT) I went out after work on Wednesday to drive out into the desert northwest of Phoenix. I was delayed by some road construction so I could not do any scouting for a location with the aid of the daylight... Digital Artistry: Where Sea Shells go to Die by massulo 15-Dec-23 01:27 PM (GMT) Taken at Shell Beach in the Baja.... ... Post for Critique: Eiffel TakeOff Abstract by ctnorm7 15-Dec-23 07:50 PM (GMT) Hi, Any thoughts/comments on improving this image of mine (if you think that it is worth improving!) would be appreciated. I have been experimenting with intentional camera movement and multiple expos... B&W / Film & Digital: The Corpach Shipwreck in Fog by emi_fiend 01-Dec-23 12:17 AM (GMT) Near Fort William, Scotland Z8, Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 DXO Nik 6 SilverEfex Pro Jim ... A Picture I Took: Sunset dance by mborgare 16-Dec-23 12:19 PM (GMT) These photo were taken at sunset at the Camel Fair in Pushkar India. I would be interested to get the opinion of the Nikonians about these. When I worked on them I liked the second one more, but I am ... Family & Pets: My big drooler by DeanAZ 08-Dec-23 01:23 AM (GMT) At least he was drooling outside. That's why we keep his water bowl on the back patio. I shot this with a manual focus lens holding the camera down at nose level. D500 f/5.6 1/160s ISO 560 Nikkor 28mm... I have been published!: 2024 Calendar by skibreeze7 26-Nov-23 04:13 AM (GMT) I recently received some advance copies of the 2024 Fibre Credit Union Calendar, in which they used one of my images for the month of January. The image was taken at Bird Rocks, which is at the extrem... Behind The Image: Behind the Image-Bighorn Ram by photphil 30-Nov-23 02:59 AM (GMT) Thanks to the editors for choosing my image. About ten years ago my wife and I took several trips to southern Utah, spending a lot of our time exploring Zion NP. Since we're Mainers, watching wildlife... Photo Contest Info: Contests by Lupi59 17-Dec-23 03:25 PM (GMT) How can I participate in the contests? Do I need to enter specifically one thematic one, or my photos are chosen directly from my member's gallery? Thx in advance... Special Edition Contests: Winners Segment 4 - Unique Gradients by dm1dave 05-Dec-23 05:45 PM (GMT) Please join me in congratulating the winners in The Best of Nikonians - Segment 4 - Unique Gradients All five winning images will be advanced to the final rounds of The at the end of the year. Name Un... Digital Artistry Contest (Monthly): Dec Contest - Best Digital Art of 2023 by dm1dave 01-Dec-23 12:57 AM (GMT) December theme is - Your Best Digital Art of 2023 Let's see your best work of the past year. June winner by bayouboy66 This contest will be open for entries until the end of the month. The contest man... ... and, that's it, folks! Your Nikonians Team If you want to give us feedback or have ideas on this email, just let us know in the About Nikonians forum. |
Posted by bgs at 5:40 PM
November 26, 2023
Monthly Update 26-NOV-2023
This months latest Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians.
You'll find more, excellent images on the Editor's Choice page Jetty at Cholpon-Ata Lake by JiangMX - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Nice view of this jetty during sunset, with excellent light on the water. Early Morning by Dockmure - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Feels like a movie candidate. The street lights and the lines work very well. New River Gorge Bridge by mc5522 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Fantastic fall color. I can't think of a better place to shoot in the fall. Super work!! Zion National Park by Bob Chadwick - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great landscape with a wonderful sense of depth. Favorite place in the Olympic Mountains by harrygc - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great choice to frame the falls with the trees. It gives a great sense of place. Gerber Daisy by Gupta - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Excellent partial of this Gerber Daisy, wonderful colors. Hummingbird Moth by jhr - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Excellent art work, beautifully captured. This months top forum postings Nikon D500: Nikon D500 - SnapBridge - Remote Start Video Recording by JP4N 17-Nov-23 09:03 AM (GMT) Hi, everyone. I was able to connect the Nikon D500 to SnapBridge using Bluetooth and WiFi. Clicking on the Remote Photography option required WiFi, and I was able to connect as well. Once in the remot... Nikon Z9 / Z8: The Z9 adventure begins by ch96066 11-Nov-23 10:07 PM (GMT) I have learned over the years that it is better in gear to go for what you lust (or may lust) directly rather than through meandering 'upgrades'. This is especially so if the gear involved has made a ... Wildlife: Florida Sandhill Cranes at Sunset by Second Hand Pat 31-Oct-23 11:36 AM (GMT) My photo buddy and me went to a local park to see if the sandhill cranes were returning for the cooler weather to roost in the shallows of a local lake. When we first arrived we didn't see any birds s... Landscape: Making the most of Fall! by natpat 29-Oct-23 07:30 PM (GMT) Our Kentucky fall weather has been one of the driest that I can remember in many years. Our colors have come and gone so quickly but I have tried to capture a few special moments with the Z6ii and mak... Glamour & Portrait, Studio & Still Life: Lighting to minimize wrinkles on portraits? by chasmeister 31-Oct-23 11:28 PM (GMT) I need lighting advice that will help minimize the visibility of wrinkles on a portrait of a woman in her late 70s. I have some experience doing headshots of young actors for theater programs where t... Architecture & Industrial Photography: Vancouver House I by Pics905 05-Nov-23 11:22 PM (GMT) Vancouver House is a high-end luxury condominium which was built on a site which was considered undevelopable by the City of Vancouver due it being adjacent to (and parts of it are actually below) a m... PJ, PR & Street: How do I look? by Labsmom 05-Nov-23 11:16 PM (GMT) I caught this family in Oaxaca. The young lady spent a long time combing her bangs just so before she finally chose this headdress of flowers, followed by a bunch of selfies! Debbie ... Sports: Anyone photographed skeet shooting? by Nikon32250 10-Nov-23 02:38 AM (GMT) I may be shooting a skeet shoot in the near future. I have never tried this type of photography. If anyone has photographed this sport, I would appreciate a few tips and suggestions. I imagine one wou... Stage, Clubs, Concerts & Nightlife: One Dark Night by pixures 22-Nov-23 12:51 AM (GMT) On the evening of October 27, I had the privilege of photographing "One Dark Night", aka "A Rock Symphony of the Macabre" - Featuring the awesome guitarist Neil Zaza and his Band in partnership with t... Micro, Macro & Close-up: Ten second exposure delay mode possible? by Peregrine8 30-Oct-23 02:09 AM (GMT) I am shooting a D7100. I have been using the d10 Exposure delay mode under the Custom Setting Menu for flower closeups, etc. to minimize camera shake. Is there any way to set up the camera to for a lo... Panorama: Cliff Face by DeanAZ 10-Nov-23 09:29 PM (GMT) Here is a megapixel pano from down in the Glen Canyon from my fishing trip a few weeks ago. I loved the stress fractures and tension in the cliff face while shooting across the river at a nearly flat ... Travel: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia-A Series of Images by ctnorm7 30-Oct-23 06:49 PM (GMT) A series of images made on a recent visit to beautiful Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. As always comments & suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for looking. Norm https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_f... Aviation: F-35 and Thunderbirds by smitheroosky 30-Oct-23 11:43 PM (GMT) A few more shots from the Orlando Air Show this weekend. Punching through a vapor cone https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/497268.jpg When 20 frames a second is almost not enough! //www.nikonia... Infrared & Ultraviolet: Cape May Point, NJ by Cavy2 31-Oct-23 05:58 PM (GMT) Took my new camera out for a shoot. Z7ll with Full Spectrum conversion by LifePixel; 24-70/4S Z Nikkor; 590nm Super Color Filter. #1-3 Cape May Lighthouse #4 Surfer's Beach #5-7 Abandoned Cape May WWI... Astrophotography: The Moon and Venus, early AM, Nov 9. by ajdooley 09-Nov-23 01:42 PM (GMT) The Moon and planet Venus were in conjunction this morning. One view is what you saw if you had a long telephoto -- the other is what it looked like as you went out in the pre-dawn. Both Nikon D850 ha... Digital Artistry: Congratulations Gary! by dm1dave 01-Nov-23 05:11 PM (GMT) Please join me in congratulating Gary Feinberg (gfeinberg) for his winning image in the September Digital Artistry contest - "No-Living Things." The winning images will be been added to the and ... Post for Critique: Subject Isolation by elec164 14-Nov-23 03:30 AM (GMT) When a catastrophic fire forced the Jubilee celebratory mass to be held at a local church; it turned out to be quite a find. There are numerous areas of interest to shoot. There is one alcove I found ... B&W / Film & Digital: White Sands New Mexico by LostHwy 07-Nov-23 09:56 PM (GMT) https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/497630.jpg ... A Picture I Took: Fall in the Poconos by Cavy2 07-Nov-23 11:43 AM (GMT) Taken in and around the Raymondskill and Dingmans Falls area. https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/497614.jpg https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/497616.jpg https//www.nikonians.org/forum... Family & Pets: Let me introduce you to Murphy by silverhair2048 02-Nov-23 08:32 PM (GMT) Here's a shot of Murphy down by my feet. Which is not his favorite area to be in by the way. He prefers to be along side me. I sent a sample of his saliva into the DNA lab and it came back (If I can r... Behind The Image: Behind The Image - Editor's Choice - Boathouse Fog by DaddySS 03-Nov-23 10:05 AM (GMT) To begin with I suppose, I love images of docks, and boats - there's a sort of implied anticipation in the images, especially in good light. Did they just dock, what happened during their time on the ... Photo Assignments: Nov/Dec Assignment - Holidays and Celebrations by dm1dave 01-Nov-23 07:04 PM (GMT) November/December Assignment - Holidays & Celebrations Please read the before you submit a photo for this Assignment. As we are entering the holiday season, we what to see images that reflect your cel... Macro & Close-Up Contest (Monthly): November contest - Books, Letters, and Numbers by dm1dave 03-Nov-23 02:48 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is "Books, Letters, and Numbers" This month's contest theme is "Books, Letters and Numbers" Show us some close-up or macro shots consisting of some component of a book... Wildlife Contest (Monthly): Nov Contest - Winter & Wildlife by dm1dave 02-Nov-23 01:42 AM (GMT) November theme is - Winter & Wildlife As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, let's see some examples of wildlife surviving in the cold conditions. Example 2023 November - Winter & Wildlife D... Digital Artistry Contest (Monthly): November contest - Letters, and Numbers by dm1dave 03-Nov-23 03:01 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is Letters and Numbers. Lets get creative and make some digital images featuring letters or numbers. Example -- Entrants must be Silver, Gold or Platinum members -- Post... ... and, that's it, folks! Your Nikonians Team If you want to give us feedback or have ideas on this email, just let us know in the About Nikonians forum. |
Posted by bgs at 5:49 PM
November 22, 2023
Creating a video?
Are you thinking about creating a video? Maybe a new youtube or vimeo venture?
Team member Obregon has reviewed four books on this topic and this is interesting, short reading.
The four books are:
- Introduction to Documentary, 3d Ed. by Bill Nichols
- Sound Design for Film by Tim Harrison
- Video Storytelling Projects by "RC" Concepcion
- Film Editing: Emotion Performance and Story by Julie Lambden
Introduction to Documentary
"At the risk of revealing my own insecurities, the most valuable lesson I learned from this book is that my own videos fit into the traditional definition of documentary."
Read review Introduction to Documentary
Buy on Amazon (supports the community)
Sound Design for Film
"Although I'm pretty competent with shaping the visual portion of motion pictures (film or video) in order to create a mood, I'm a little last certain when it comes to the audio portion. I can record accurate audio that sounds more or less like what you would hear if you were standing next to me. I have a hard time shaping the sound either at the time of recording or in post processing so that it sounds like anything but exactly what I heard. (It's not always easy to do that, and I probably use more audio equipment for sound than the average person.)"
Read review Sound Design for Film
Buy on Amazon (supports the community)
Video Storytelling Projects
"There are books that teach how to use tools like cameras and software and other books that show how to structure the video. This book is a good combination of the two for elementary videography."
Read review Video Storytelling Projects
Buy on Amazon (supports the community)
Film Editing: Emotion Performance and Story
"Someone asked today how to get started in film making. I was startled. There are so many crafts and skills involved. I found the question hard to answer, but I knew that it was important to understand editing. Lambden is certainly a good starting point on a long journey."
Read review Film Editing: Emotion Performance and Story
Buy on Amazon (supports the community)
Posted by bgs at 1:20 PM
November 12, 2023
Is your photo ID up to date?
We are running a new batch of the popular, classic Nikonians Photo ID's prior Christmas 2023.
Cut-off date for this batch is 06-DEC-2023. You can apply for yours online.
Posted by bgs at 1:27 PM
August 4, 2023
Getting too old for lugging all that gear?
Member mklass is thinking about selling his "trinity" of great Z Nikkor glass and replace with something lighter.
What are you currently lugging around? Is weight an issue for you? Maybe more so with getting a bit more mature?
Ever so often we are discussing how to go lighter, without losing too much image quality. Now we have a great take on this evergreen, so please do join in our discussion on this in the Nikonians Café

You may also be interested in our articles on Hand-Holding technique:
Long lens hand-holding technique
Common camera hand-holding mistakes
Posted by bgs at 11:18 AM
August 2, 2023
Behind the image
How was that great Editor's Choice image you see on Nikonians homepage made? Which steps did the photographer take to achieve it? Are there any tips and tricks to be learnt?
We have a specific forum where the photographers talk about how they created their image which was selected as Editor's Choice of the day. We believe you will find lots of interesting aspects being discussed and hopefully lots of things to learn in the Behind the Image forum.
Posted by bgs at 3:08 PM
Nikon Z9 Setup Guide
A new version of the comprehensive Nikon Z9 Setup Guide has been published.
Member Ned_L has created a comprehensive Nikon Z9 setup guide.
Ned comments: "I think you'll find that what's most valuable in my guide are the notes of why I've made specific settings, problems with some settings in specific situations and problems encountered when settings interact with each other, as well as undocumented information, information not found in Nikon's reference guide and supplemental reference guide."
Thanks for sharing this great work with all of us in the community, Ned!
The guide can be downloaded as PDF.
Posted by bgs at 1:27 PM
July 18, 2023
Setup your own portfolio and share your best work
At Nikonians you can have your own portfolio which is being shown on prominent locations in the community. Your portfolio is a great way to showcase your best work and to easily share it with others, no matter if they are on Nikonians or not.
There is no practical limit to the size of your portfolio and you can easily select a top image to give it extra visibility.
What is the value of having a Nikonians portfolio?
Short answer: Eyeballs and pride. Your portfolio is:
1. Showcased under your own, unique nikonians.org/portfolio URL. An address which is easy to share with others, no matter if they are on Nikonians or not.
2. On Nikonians homepage
3. On Nikonians gallery homepage
4. On the portfolio overview page
5. We are also selecting certain portfolios to be showcased in our newsletter, sent out to over 200,000 readers.
Your portfolio is available on Gold and Platinum membership levels. If you are on a lower level, you can upgrade here
Your portfolio is powered by your Nikonians Gallery, accepting very large images including originals, with (practically) no limits in pixel size plus no storage limits (on the Platinum level).
More info on starting your own portfolio,
Posted by bgs at 9:59 AM
July 15, 2023
Current contests July 2023
Here at Nikonians we have 5 monthly competitions and our monthly photo assignment. Each month a new theme is presented and a thread is opened for submissions. The following month 4 to 6 finalists (depending on the number of entries, could be as many as 12) are chosen by the previous months winner and a poll is set up for all members to vote. At the close of voting the winning images are posted in our Winners Gallery. The winners will be recognized in our blog and will receive a printable Certificate of Photographic Achievement.
These monthly contests are the preliminary rounds for the The Best Nikonians Photo Contest. So, if you want to participate in this annual photo contest, Please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed below.
Our contests are open to Silver, Gold and Platinum members.
All registered members are allowed to vote in the contest polls.
All ongoing contests - details
The Best of Nikonians 2023 Photo Contest
The 2022 segment themes are as follows:
April - May: Doors and Windows --->> Winners Announced
June - July: Age of Industry (Open until July 15)
August - September: Agriculture - Lets' Go Farming
October - November: Unique Gradients
Special Edition Contests:
- Black and White Challenge - Winners Announced
- Nikonians Portrait Challenge - Winners Announced
- Nikonians Self Portrait Challenge 2023 Open through August 15.
Current Wildlife Photography Contest
July > The Predators
Current Landscape Photography Contest
July > A City with a View
Current Macro / Close-Up Photography Contest
July > Plants & Flowers
Current Travel Photography Contest
July > Wide Open Spaces
Current Digital Artistry Contest
July > Plants & Flowers
Posted by bgs at 11:10 AM
June 27, 2023
Photo Assignment: Black & White
Join us for our July & August 2023 assignment: Your assignment is to capture an artistic shot and convert it to B&W.
Some digital cameras have a B&W option and you may use that if you wish. Ideally, for everyone's benefit, please disclose how you converted your photo, and if there were steps involved, what those steps were.
Full details on the assignment
Posted by bgs at 4:19 PM
June 20, 2023
Using older Nikon gear for max results
Freelance sports photographer and team member Victor Newman talks about getting the most out of older Nikon focusing on sports, with tips & tricks on settings & button configs, including the latest cameras, the Z9 & Z8.
In this latest episode of our webinar series, Victor Newman agreed to return with a great new program about how you can make excellent images with older equipment. Victor talks more about his experiences shooting sports and auto racing, with discussion regarding how good results can be accomplished without all the newest and most expensive equipment.
Webinar on using older Nikon gear
Victor has been shooting auto racing and sporting events for over 20 years and has covered events from high school sports to the Orange Bowl and local short track racing to NASCAR and speed trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Posted by bgs at 1:49 PM
April 8, 2023
Best of Nikonians 2022
Get to know the winners of The Best of Nikonians Annual Photo Contest 2022.
In our 25th webinar held 28-MAR-2023 07:00 PM EDT, We got to know the winners, their photography and had the chance to ask questions.
Here at Nikonians we have monthly and themed contests. The winners of these contests are then eligible for the Annual Best of Nikonians Photo Contest which Nikonians has hosted each year since 2004 to showcase some of our members best work.
Posted by bgs at 12:21 PM
March 26, 2023
Weekly Update 26-MAR-2023
This weeks Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians.
You'll find more, excellent images on the Editor's Choice page Sunrise fog by archerb - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great light, color and layering! Sisters by ek44 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great color and presentation. Letters & numbers are being sucked out of the book by the tornado by anilbabbar - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Clever idea and nicely executed, Anil. Few shots from the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, 2023 by FoleyAMG - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Peak action at its best. Great shooting! Oaks_and_Fog_Donnelly_Wildlife_Management_Area_Green_Pond_South_Carolina.jp by tdcassidy06 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Peaceful image with road that takes the viewer right into the image, Tim. The fog adds an extra dimension and feeling of calm. im Wildpark by Hans Ztz - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: What a great pose. Nicely shot! Prisms 2 by Dawnacious - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Very nice, I love the pastel colors. This weeks top forum postings Nikon D500: Watson Replacement for NIkon MH26aaK Battery Charger by pqtrths 15-Mar-23 09:55 PM (GMT) Hello several months ago after much searching I found and ordered a used MH26aaK charger from a Los Angeles camera store. Been working perfectly ever since.) It's good to have a back-up just-in-case. ... Nikon Z9: EVF stops reflecting actual sensor exposure at extremes by Newshapes 26-Feb-23 04:41 PM (GMT) In have been shooting my Z9 for about a year, and in general love it. I was shooting in shutter priority in rapidly falling light recently in iso auto, and was thrilled to see how well the camera was ... Wildlife: One Golden Afternoon by AartPapaya 01-Mar-23 08:35 AM (GMT) The optics, including the coatings on our lenses are superb. I saw it and the camera faithfully capture what I saw. Even the sound is perfect. ... Landscape: Last Light by DaveSoderlund 13-Mar-23 09:51 PM (GMT) The low light of the setting sun skims across the rolling Palouse landscape in eastern Washington. I've been making a collection of my 2019 Palouse images, and I discovered this view from Steptoe Butt... PJ, PR & Street: A few from the street by hank970 20-Mar-23 03:42 PM (GMT) Each month, our local camera club issues a challenge intended to get members to explore different techniques and subjects and perhaps to get us a bit out of our comfort zones. The March 2023 assignmen... Sports: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens by DoctorBe 13-Mar-23 10:30 PM (GMT) Does this lens (Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR) focus fast enough to shoot field sports like football? Cheers, Dave... Micro, Macro & Close-up: Snowflakes by meadowlark2 06-Mar-23 01:52 PM (GMT) The temperature was just right with good light and no wind so I headed outside with to collect a few snowflakes. AF-S 105 lens with 2X AF-S Teleconverter- handheld. I would of course be interested in ... Travel: A View From the Highline by ctnorm7 01-Mar-23 08:04 PM (GMT) This is a view from NYC's Highline taken on a recent trip to the city. What caught my attention was the juxtaposition of the train yard and the skyscrapers combined with the reflections and clouds Tha... Infrared & Ultraviolet: Historic District in Infrared - Tucson, AZ by emi_fiend 28-Feb-23 11:15 PM (GMT) Z6 Full Spectrum, 720nm Z 28-75 f/2.8 Jim https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/486047.jpg https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/486049.jpg ... Motor Sports: English Porsche by mklass 18-Mar-23 03:13 PM (GMT) This is a 1953 Cooper-Porsche Mark VIII-R. Originally built for speed trials, it was later developed as a race car. With a Cooper chassis and Porsche 356 based engine, it developed 160hp from its 1600... Astrophotography: Snow Moon by danshep 01-Mar-23 07:24 PM (GMT) The full moon in February, referred to as a Snow Moon. Nikon Z7 with the old 800mm and a 1.7TC (so 1360 mm) 1/2000 sec, f/9.5, ISO 1000 Manual, Matrix metering Topaz Photo AI to adjust denoise a bit. ... Digital Artistry: Who wants to go with me? by massulo 26-Feb-23 07:02 PM (GMT) Looking for friends for this journey to Paradise!!!!! ... Post for Critique: Destination by stlsailor 04-Mar-23 08:43 PM (GMT) The name of the image is to highlight the sense of movement I wanted to capture. The large amount of negative space is to try to direct the eye toward the movement as the subject rather than the boat.... B&W / Film & Digital: Slow Roll to Starboard by mklass 01-Mar-23 04:38 PM (GMT) Two old fishing trawlers list at their moorings on Lake Union, Seattle, WA. Z50; 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR Z DX Nikkor; ISO 200; f/6.3; 1/320 sec; processed with Silver Efex Pro... A Picture I Took: The Adams Family by Greg1954 10-Mar-23 06:04 PM (GMT) Hello everyone. I feel I must explain and I appreciate that you all here humor me. For the last 2 years I have done nothing worthwhile to further photography, my learning photography, and not much for... Family & Pets: Photo Bomb by Labsmom 26-Feb-23 10:55 PM (GMT) I was trying to take a nice portrait of the old man sunning himself, when this happened. She was no where in sight, but somehow as soon as I take a picture, my "helper" shows up! I did finally get my ... I have been published!: PetaPixel article and images about Grizzly 399 by vangophotos 15-Mar-23 04:26 PM (GMT) PetaPixel published my article and images on grizzly 399 and the future of the grizzlies//petapixel.com/grizzly-399/... Behind The Image: Whooping Crane - An Honor to be EC by Grandpaparazi 10-Mar-23 01:34 PM (GMT) I was honored to find this whooping crane photo selected as Editors' Choice. Thank you so much. I've been enamored with whooping cranes since I was a young boy, and our teacher read a story of a whoop... Photo Contest Info: Contests by PhantomRose 24-Mar-23 10:05 PM (GMT) I don't know who writes the Support content on this website, but whomever is doing it is not paying much attention to clarity. I've spent 90 minutes searching all over this website, and cannot find SP... Macro & Close-Up Contest (Monthly): March contest topic--One or Two Colors by coolmom42 08-Mar-23 09:13 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is "One or Two Colors" -- a close-up or macro shot that is limited to one or two colors. Examples image by John Kirkpatrick -- Entrants must be Silver, Gold or Platinum ... Wildlife Contest (Monthly): March Contest - Seeing Red by dm1dave 28-Feb-23 04:34 PM (GMT) The March is 2023 April -April Showers May - Here's Looking at You ** If you have suggestions for future contest themes, please send me a PM or and email. Please remember to add a new title in the sub... Digital Artistry Contest (Monthly): Vote now for the February Contest Winner! by coolmom42 08-Mar-23 06:46 AM (GMT) The February contest topic was "Snow and Ice." Please vote now for your favorite image! Our members are at the center of all our community contests. Members choose the finalists and the winners. Your ... ... and, that's it, folks! Your Nikonians Team If you want to give us feedback or have ideas on this email, just let us know in the About Nikonians forum. |
Posted by bgs at 5:26 PM
March 19, 2023
Weekly Update 19-MAR-2023
This weeks Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians.
You'll find more, excellent images on the Editor's Choice page Few shots from the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, 2023 by FoleyAMG - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Peak action at its best. Great shooting! Oaks_and_Fog_Donnelly_Wildlife_Management_Area_Green_Pond_South_Carolina.jp by tdcassidy06 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Peaceful image with road that takes the viewer right into the image, Tim. The fog adds an extra dimension and feeling of calm. im Wildpark by Hans Ztz - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: What a great pose. Nicely shot! Prisms 2 by Dawnacious - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Very nice, I love the pastel colors. Cape Griffon Vulture by mc5522 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: What an awesome portrait. The vulture is both beautiful and a bit scary. A Day with the Whooping Cranes by Grandpaparazi - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Nice capture of this whooping crane, Kevin. Like how the light shines through the wing feathers. Love Is In the Air by GigHarborBud - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Wow, Great action! This weeks top forum postings Nikon D500: Watson Replacement for NIkon MH26aaK Battery Charger by pqtrths 15-Mar-23 10:55 PM (GMT) Hello several months ago after much searching I found and ordered a used MH26aaK charger from a Los Angeles camera store. Been working perfectly ever since.) It's good to have a back-up just-in-case. ... Nikon Z9: Refurbished price Z9 too good to be true? by Agee57 25-Feb-23 07:00 PM (GMT) Got an email yesterday from Nikon-they were offering refurbished Z9's at 99, 00 less than new. They never had that kind of a spread in their discounted price for refurbished, before. Is that a s... Wildlife: One Golden Afternoon by AartPapaya 01-Mar-23 09:35 AM (GMT) The optics, including the coatings on our lenses are superb. I saw it and the camera faithfully capture what I saw. Even the sound is perfect. ... Landscape: Last Light by DaveSoderlund 13-Mar-23 10:51 PM (GMT) The low light of the setting sun skims across the rolling Palouse landscape in eastern Washington. I've been making a collection of my 2019 Palouse images, and I discovered this view from Steptoe Butt... Glamour & Portrait, Studio & Still Life: Three more veterans from my project by CliffL 19-Feb-23 11:02 PM (GMT) I really appreciate the comments about my previous veteran image. Some have asked to see a few more so here are three. Two from Iraq/Afghanistan and one from Vietnam. The object being held by the man ... Architecture & Industrial Photography: Schwerin Castle - in Germany by StPeter 19-Feb-23 02:51 PM (GMT) For centuries, Schwerin Castle was the residence of the Dukes and Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg and is now the seat of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Located on the Castle Island ... Sports: NCSU Gymnastics vs UNH by rickcornell 19-Feb-23 09:40 PM (GMT) Some more gymnastics! Good news, bad news with the Z9. Good news vast majority of the images were nice and sharp. Bad news - it made it very difficult to cull! A few of my favorites from the meet. Sho... Micro, Macro & Close-up: Snowflakes by meadowlark2 06-Mar-23 02:52 PM (GMT) The temperature was just right with good light and no wind so I headed outside with to collect a few snowflakes. AF-S 105 lens with 2X AF-S Teleconverter- handheld. I would of course be interested in ... Travel: A View From the Highline by ctnorm7 01-Mar-23 09:04 PM (GMT) This is a view from NYC's Highline taken on a recent trip to the city. What caught my attention was the juxtaposition of the train yard and the skyscrapers combined with the reflections and clouds Tha... Infrared & Ultraviolet: Chinese Pagoda by rbaskin 22-Feb-23 08:53 PM (GMT) Ladson Park in Westchester County, NY has a nice (but weathered) pagoda situated on a pond. I took the essentially the same shot in both IR and visible spectrum and for me, it turned out to be a bette... Motor Sports: English Porsche by mklass 18-Mar-23 04:13 PM (GMT) This is a 1953 Cooper-Porsche Mark VIII-R. Originally built for speed trials, it was later developed as a race car. With a Cooper chassis and Porsche 356 based engine, it developed 160hp from its 1600... Astrophotography: M42 - Probably the most over-photographed nebula by Ferguson 20-Feb-23 03:50 PM (GMT) Here is a somewhat garish take on an old subject. M42 is known as the Great Orion Nebula, and very bright nebula and one of the only ones readily visible to the naked eye. It is the smudgy spot around... Post for Critique: Destination by stlsailor 04-Mar-23 09:43 PM (GMT) The name of the image is to highlight the sense of movement I wanted to capture. The large amount of negative space is to try to direct the eye toward the movement as the subject rather than the boat.... B&W / Film & Digital: Happy Birthday, Ansel! by DaveSoderlund 20-Feb-23 08:07 PM (GMT) Today is the 121st anniversary of the birth of Ansel Adams. I'm certainly no Ansel Adams, but I am continually inspired by the artistry of his black and white photography. In honor of his birthday, he... A Picture I Took: A selfie of my ghost.... by mborgare 23-Feb-23 03:21 PM (GMT) The cloister of Santa Chiara is facing the Mediterranean sea from the Parasio district in Imperia.This is an old medioeval distric full of photo opportunities (more in other posts). While visiting an ... Family & Pets: Photo Bomb by Labsmom 26-Feb-23 11:55 PM (GMT) I was trying to take a nice portrait of the old man sunning himself, when this happened. She was no where in sight, but somehow as soon as I take a picture, my "helper" shows up! I did finally get my ... I have been published!: PetaPixel article and images about Grizzly 399 by vangophotos 15-Mar-23 05:26 PM (GMT) PetaPixel published my article and images on grizzly 399 and the future of the grizzlies//petapixel.com/grizzly-399/... Behind The Image: Whooping Crane - An Honor to be EC by Grandpaparazi 10-Mar-23 02:34 PM (GMT) I was honored to find this whooping crane photo selected as Editors' Choice. Thank you so much. I've been enamored with whooping cranes since I was a young boy, and our teacher read a story of a whoop... Macro & Close-Up Contest (Monthly): March contest topic--One or Two Colors by coolmom42 08-Mar-23 10:13 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is "One or Two Colors" -- a close-up or macro shot that is limited to one or two colors. Examples image by John Kirkpatrick -- Entrants must be Silver, Gold or Platinum ... Wildlife Contest (Monthly): March Contest - Seeing Red by dm1dave 28-Feb-23 05:34 PM (GMT) The March is 2023 April -April Showers May - Here's Looking at You ** If you have suggestions for future contest themes, please send me a PM or and email. Please remember to add a new title in the sub... Digital Artistry Contest (Monthly): Vote now for the February Contest Winner! by coolmom42 08-Mar-23 07:46 AM (GMT) The February contest topic was "Snow and Ice." Please vote now for your favorite image! Our members are at the center of all our community contests. Members choose the finalists and the winners. Your ... ... and, that's it, folks! Your Nikonians Team If you want to give us feedback or have ideas on this email, just let us know in the About Nikonians forum. |
Posted by bgs at 5:21 PM
February 26, 2023
Monthly Update 26-FEB-2023
Monthly update with the latest Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians.
Below you'll find the latest Editor's Choice images and top discussions at Nikonians. You'll find more, excellent images on the Editor's Choice page Fresh From the Mud Hole by craigwilliamsdmd - Show online - Like - Comment January Contest - "Beach Time" by petermo - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Lovely light and composition! polar bear tales by topper1946 - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Wow! What an amazing series, Judith. Well captured! Frosty leaf on ice by Dubya_b - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Nicley composed, I really like the color against the dark ice. A Door With a View by RandallHartman - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great composition and B&W conversion. Z 9 on Safari by acmwallace - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Great image, Andy. Love the the reflection and darkened background. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse by mborgare - Show online - Like - Comment Editor: Perfect blue hour shot. Nice how you captured the beams of light and of course that sky is amazing. This months top forum postings Nikon D500: D500 with 500mm lens vs 32MP camera with 400mm lens by RobCS1 13-Feb-23 04:04 PM (GMT) I have a D500 (21MP) with a 200-500mm lens. My friend has a 32MP camera with a 100-400mm lens. Without out having done a head-to-head comparison wondered which set up would provide a larger subject im... Nikon Z9: Z9 Reference Guide by drmike1 26-Jan-23 02:07 PM (GMT) The Z9 Reference Guide is 948 pages long. It is only available in digital form, which I find extremely slow and cumbersome to use on my iPhone. When I asked Nikon Professional Services for a printed c... Wildlife: Tropical Kingbird by Kipmm 29-Jan-23 06:03 PM (GMT) This Bird gave enjoyment to many Photographer's and Bird watchers this later summer and into the fall on Vancouver Island. The tropical kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher. This bird breeds from sou... Landscape: Landscape Composition - Part 7: the Thing About Sky by elcee 27-Jan-23 01:07 AM (GMT) I can't vouch for this webpage, or for parts 1-6, but I'm posting this link because the topic has been on my mind since sky replacement became a thing in Ps and LrC. The links to the previous articles... Glamour & Portrait, Studio & Still Life: Three more veterans from my project by CliffL 19-Feb-23 11:02 PM (GMT) I really appreciate the comments about my previous veteran image. Some have asked to see a few more so here are three. Two from Iraq/Afghanistan and one from Vietnam. The object being held by the man ... Weddings & Events: 24-70 s F4 by nevan 15-Feb-23 04:41 PM (GMT) Hi all, i'm jumping very soon into the mirrorless world with the Z6ii !I believe I must go with the trend. I think that DSLR canvery well do the job but with the technology upgrading I think I have to... Architecture & Industrial Photography: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse by night by mborgare 02-Feb-23 04:12 PM (GMT) This one of the most photographed location at the Outerbanks. But my January Outerbank series would not be completed without a photo of this iconic location. It was a great evening, and we were lucky ... PJ, PR & Street: Edmonds, WA by mklass 14-Feb-23 04:12 PM (GMT) Just a few photos from a club street photography walk in Edmonds, WA. Z50; 20mm f/2.8 Sony; ISO 100; f/5.6; 1/125 sec https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/485382.jpg Z50; 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR Z... Sports: New Photography Business by Lorelai 10-Feb-23 02:51 AM (GMT) Hello - I have experience taking photos of youth soccer, and pro-level soccer for several years now - but always on a voluntary basis. I was recently offered an opportunity to take photos at the colle... Micro, Macro & Close-up: Cross-polarization of plastic spoon by hank970 26-Jan-23 02:37 AM (GMT) Here are some cross-polarized images of a transparent plastic spoon. The setup, as illustrated in the last picture, is pretty simple. I generated color swatches using my editing software and loaded th... Travel: Congratulations Tom Jacob by ScottChapin 01-Feb-23 10:37 AM (GMT) Please congratulate Tom for the winning capture "Street Shave" in the "Street Life" contest. The winning image will be added to the The image is also entered in the Best of Nikonians 2022 Cont... Infrared & Ultraviolet: Hot Mirror Filter for Full Spectrum Cameras by emi_fiend 28-Jan-23 09:10 PM (GMT) Does anyone have experience with a hot mirror filter on a full spectrum camera so that you can take visible light photos? I'm interested in how well these filters work in terms of color, etc. With thi... Motor Sports: 2023 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona by vfnewman 30-Jan-23 01:55 AM (GMT) I just got done shooting the 24 Hours of Daytona. This year saw the debut of a new class of prototypes with entries from Acura, BMW, Porsche, and GM. The weather was very close to perfect and the crow... Astrophotography: Elephants Trunk Nebula IC 1396 by henbo 28-Jan-23 04:51 PM (GMT) Back in October I captured a set of images of the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, but only processed them recently. If I were going to shoot the same target again, I would probably change my framing, as I wo... Digital Artistry: Midnight Horse by Second Hand Pat 26-Jan-23 01:45 PM (GMT) Playing with technique taught by Gerri Jones. ... Post for Critique: Coin Macro by elec164 04-Feb-23 02:47 AM (GMT) Spurred by Keiths recent post in the Macro Forum I tried my hand at coin photography. And quite frankly it's been quite the challenge. I always thought this special edition coin would make an interest... B&W / Film & Digital: Blizzard! by marnigirl 29-Jan-23 03:54 AM (GMT) Bison Stampede during a blizzard. Image taken in Jackson, WY. ... A Picture I Took: Sun Bathing by REBZALMAN1 05-Feb-23 08:36 PM (GMT) South Florida has had several days of cold weather. Alligators do not have an internal mechanism for temperature control and come out of the water to sun themselves. I was not happy with the compositi... Family & Pets: Lazy Laverne by Dawnacious 29-Jan-23 08:18 AM (GMT) Laverne the Tuxedo Cat lazing the day away, hope you enjoy, Thanks for looking! Dawn ... Behind The Image: Backlit Light Bulb using iPad by gfeinberg 05-Feb-23 09:29 PM (GMT) At the suggestion of Larry (Elcee) and others I am happy to share details on how this shot was accomplished..... https https//www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/484979.jpg I use a piece of foam core ... Black & White Film: Prints from Old Negatives by ColColt 28-Jan-23 03:28 PM (GMT) I couldn't find a more appropriate forum to ask this so, I thought I'd try here since I have quite a few old 2 1/4 sq. negatives of family. I printed the more important ones back in the 1980s on every... Books & Magazines: Adobe Photoshop CIB (2023 Release) by Conrad Chavez by Obregon 03-Feb-23 05:02 PM (GMT) Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book (2023 Release) by Conrad Chavez Even before I tell you why you might want to use this book, I need to qualify my advice. I've been a serious photographer for almo... Macro & Close-Up Contest (Monthly): February Contest Topic-- Snow and Ice. by coolmom42 02-Feb-23 06:58 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is "Snow and Ice" -- a close-up or macro shot, with snow or ice as a major or important component of the image. Example photo by John McGarry -- Entrants must be Silver... Wildlife Contest (Monthly): Feb Contest - Slitherin' - Snakes and,,, by dm1dave 01-Feb-23 02:32 AM (GMT) The January theme is 2023 March -Seeing Red April -April Showers May -Here's Looking at You ** If you have suggestions for future contest themes, please send me a PM or and email. Please remember to a... Digital Artistry Contest (Monthly): February Contest Topic-- Snow and Ice. by coolmom42 08-Feb-23 09:06 AM (GMT) This month's challenge theme is Snow and Ice -- a digitally manipulated photo that has snow or ice, manmade or natural, as a major component or primary subject of the image. Please keep in mind tha... ... and, that's it, folks! Your Nikonians Team If you want to give us feedback or have ideas on this email, just let us know in the About Nikonians forum. |
Posted by bgs at 5:15 PM
November 3, 2022
Short downtime 03-NOV-2022
We are going to have a short downtime for maintenance today at Nikonians, 03-NOV-2022 approx 08:00 UTC+0 (03:00 AM EST). We expect the downtime to be no longer than 10 minutes. Image (c) by 7dayimages.
Posted by bgs at 3:00 AM
October 31, 2022
Gold Upgrade - Last chance
Last chance to use this seasons Gold Membership Upgrade opportunity, coming at nice 40% off, a $30 USD value.
There are a few days left on this seasons special on a Gold Membership Upgrade in the community.
As a Gold Member you have access to the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, your own portfolio, your own Nikonians email address, private albums plus more, such as your custom made Photographer's Card.
Use the voucher "inspiration22" to take advantage of this 40% value. Make sure you are logged in before you access the upgrade page.
Jekyll Island Sunrise by Preston Moochnek (massulo)
Thank you for reading and for your support making our ad-free, independent community an even better place to be for Nikon photographers.
Enjoy the community!
Posted by bgs at 6:24 PM
October 15, 2022
IT maintenance continues this autumn
The IT team at Nikonians is working on migrating our systems and conducting maintenance as we move major functional components to different hardware.
Nikonians IT landscape is quite broad and we are running the various servers of the community in virtualized environments. As we are continuously revamping and improving aspects of our systems, we will have some shorter down times throughout this autumn. These maintenance windows will (yes, they really should) be announced up front in the forums.
A shout out to all of you on a paid membership: You are making it possible for us to stay online and to continuously improve. Big thanks!
Posted by bgs at 9:30 AM
October 12, 2022
Maintenance of our blog done
We are now done with the maintenance of our blog system. Thank you for your patience!
Should you notice something that is not working as expected, please report that in our About Nikonians ForumPosted by bgs at 2:01 PM
October 11, 2022
Maintenance in our blog system
We are doing maintenance of our blog system during 11-OCT-2022 and 12-OCT-2022. On these days, our blog pages ('news') will be offline and not available. Thanks for your support and understanding :-)
Posted by bgs at 4:43 PM
March 24, 2022
Best of Nikonians 2021 Photo Contest Winners
Nikonians is proud to announce the Winners of The Best of Nikonians 2021 Photo Contest.
Once again, the quality of the images submitted this year has been outstanding. We are extremely proud of the level of photographic accomplishment of our membership.
An international jury of seventeen talented photographers, from seven countries, were drawn from the Nikonians Team to grade the one hundred and forty-one qualifying finalist images.
Winners will receive:
The Laureate Ribbon, as Winners of an annual Best of Nikonians Photo Contest
The Nikonians Certificate of High Photographic Achievement signed by the founders.
Their images are featured in the Best of Nikonians 2021 3D virtual exhibition.
Please congratulate the winners.
Winners are...
Posted by dm1dave at 5:28 PM
December 5, 2021
Workshops
We have started with a new feature: Workshops by members, where professional Nikonians are offering their workshops and webinars to all members in the community.
First listing has been made by Florida based nature photographer Nancy Elwood (NElwood) who is taking a lucky few with her on the next trip to Costa Rica April 2023 and to Kenya, in June 2023. See the Workshops by members forum.
More Nikonian pro's are preparing to publish their webinars, workshops and photowalks in the coming weeks and we will provide a newsletter with all listings by the end of December.
Image by Nancy Elwood (NElwood)
Posted by bgs at 1:48 PM
May 15, 2021
Julieanne Kost at Nikonians
Join us in our webinar with Adobe professional Julieanne Kost, 18-MAY-2021, 07:00 PM EDT where you will learn a lot of tips and tricks for your workflow in both Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
The webinar is available to all Silver members and higher on the webinar page where you will learn how to get the most out of Lightroom and Photoshop. Please make sure you post your questions in the webinar forum so that we can ask them during the webinar.

Julieanne Kost is a Fine Art Photographer and Digital Artist.
She is the Digital Imaging Evangelist Director at Adobe, holding training sessions and sharing original techniques.
She is well-known for her unique approach to instruction, infusing practical tips and tricks with an equal amount of humor and creativity that keeps audiences entertained and engaged. Sign up for the Webinar to make sure you are not missing out on this thought-inspiring and engaging event.
Posted by bgs at 6:13 PM
April 16, 2021
Friends of Nikonians
We are starting today with a new feature, Friends of Nikonians, highlighting interesting workshops, courses and webinars provided by talented professionals, both in North America and internationally. These photographers are considered by the Nikonians team to be true friends and supporters of our organization.
We are planning to regularly highlight upcoming, interesting events held by the Friends of Nikonians.
The photographers we list do not pay us for doing this, nor is there any commission, kick-back, exchange of services or of goods. We are listing their offering at no cost as a benefit to the members of the Nikonians community.
The photographers including in this blog have all been team members at Nikonians at one point in time.
Should you have a good, or less good experience with any of the mentioned workshops, webinars or courses, please say so in the Workshops forum. As always, remember to follow our Terms of Use when you do, e.g. no bashing allowed.
If you have a suggestion for something we might have missed, please do get in touch with us and let us know.
The Image Doctors Rick Walker and Jason Odell have a series of workshops:
Oregon Waterfalls & Coastal Landscapes May 9 - May 13, 2021
Digital Infrared Photography, Portland, OR May 13, May 14 , 2021
Colorado Wildflowers with The Image Doctors, Jul 18 - Jul 21, 2021
Rick Hulbert, Fine Art Photography
Rick is running a series of virtual Fine Art Photography workshops and the latest one for April-May is already sold out. Make sure you sign up to his newsletter to stay up-to-date on upcoming courses and workshops.
Steve Simon, The Passionate Photographer
Steve has kicked-off several new courses and is going to run a workshop in Japan again, Nov 7 - 13, 2021. More on that in an upcoming Friends of Nikonians. He has started a new virtual course: The Passionate Personal Project - A transformative 5-week online workshop. The first course runs Apr 14 - May 12, 2021 and the second chance is Jun 23 - Jul 21, 2021
Posted by bgs at 9:19 AM
Video w Vincent Versace & Virtual Exhibition
We have our brand new 3D Virtual Exhibition online and the latest video from our webinar series is now available, this time with Nikon Ambassador and Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Vincent Versace.
If you are not a Gold member yet, this is your chance. Between now and April 20th, you can use the voucher GoldenSight and you'll get 50% off on a Gold Membership.
Vincent Versace discussed photography and a wide array of topics of being a photographer.
The webinar with Vincent Versace was very interesting and he covered a variety of topics. You will find the video on the webinar page. If you are interested in our earlier webinars, you'll find them all on our webinar overview
Nikonians Virtual Exhibition opens its doors with The Best of Nikonians 2020 Annual Photo Contest, displaying over 70 great artworks from the finalists and winners.
Thanks to the team members Tom Jacob (sevendayimages) and David Summer (dm1dave), our new Virtual Exhibition, featuring all of the finalists and the winners of the Best of Nikonians 2020 Annual Photo Contest is now available for you to enjoy.
Make sure you use the full screen mode in the virtual exhibition (menu is top right icon in the exhibition).
Posted by bgs at 7:30 AM
April 3, 2021
Webinar with Vincent Versace 08-APR-2021
Our fifth webinar with photographer and Nikon Legend Behind the Lens Vincent Versace will be held April 8th, 7:00 PM EDT. A video recording will be available after the live event.
His program is "The Future of a Career in Photography: Consider Arc Welding"
Vincent Versace has been a photographer for more than 40 years, and through that period has been a portrait artist, fine art photographer, author, educator, entrepreneur and entertainer. His versatility has created a portfolio of amazing images, and a unique perspective about how the industry and image making is evolving. Vinnie will share his perspective on the industry and image making for the twenty-first century in what is sure to be an energetic and thought provoking program.
Image by Vincent Versace
More information and access link on the webinar page
Posted by bgs at 11:12 AM
March 26, 2021
Webinar Best of Nikonians Video & Gold opportunity
The video from our webinar Best of Nikonians Annual Photo Contest 2020 is now available and there is a 20% discount on a Gold membership right now.
You can find the video on the webinar page and it is available to all members, no matter membership level. Please make sure you are logged in to access it.
Are you interested in meeting other Nikonians? As hopefully the epidemic gets more under control, there are members being interested meeting others face-to-face again.
Our Nikonians trips & chapter area is the place to post your interest in doing that. This is for example what silverhair2048 did, asking if there are any Nikonians in Houston, Texas interested in meeting up.
From the portfolios
The Ballerina by Gloria Matyszyk (matyszyk). Nikon D800, Tamron 45mm at 1/100th second and f/1.8
See her complete portfolio
Your own portfolio
If you don't have your own portfolio at Nikonians yet, it is easy to set up. Here's an intro on how to get going. Btw, you can use the voucher "GoldMarch21" for a 20% discount on Gold, valid until March 31st, 2021
Specials from Hunt's Photo, making our webinars possible
-Receive a 6% store credit on all Nikon camera and lens purchases (Excluding the Z6ii and Z7ii). Email Noah to inquire at nbuchanan@huntsphoto.com
-Purchase any Canon or Epson printer 13" or larger and receive a free 50 pack of paper along with it in either luster or glossy finish. Email Noah to inquire.
-Save 15% off all Think Tank bags and all Mind Shift bags
-If there is anything else you are in the market for or do not see what you're looking for on the website, please email Noah for a custom quote!
Posted by bgs at 8:00 AM
February 22, 2021
Video with Tony Sweet available
The video from our webinar with nature photographer and Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Tony Sweet from 16-FEB-2021 is now available for you to enjoy.
We had a great session with a lot of interest and Tony was digging into many aspects of composition technique, how to isolate and to simplify to get the most out of your work.
He discussed many aspects of composition and took questions. The webinar should be providing you with both knowledge and inspiration, not only for beginning photographers, but also for the intermediate and advanced photographers in the community.
Image by Tony Sweet
You find the recording on the webinar page - make sure you are logged in.
New article on previsualization
Connie has written a new piece on the importance of vision. How do you go about that? Here is hopefully some inspiration
Specials from Hunt's Photo
Hunt's is making the Nikonians webinars possible. Below are the latest deals that they provide for you as Nikonians member.
Just email Noah (nbuchanan at huntsphoto.com) for custom bundle deals on all Nikon Camera and Lens purchases. If you are interested in the specials below, or you did not find what you are looking for on their website, mail him and request what you need as well.
- 20% off on all Benro Master Variable ND Filters.
- 15% off on all NiSi variable ND filters.
- 10% off on all Pro Media Gear tripods
- 15% off on all Induro tripods
- 15% off on all Sirui tripods
- Manfrotto 230 all weather tripod shoes: $39.99
Posted by bgs at 10:33 AM
February 12, 2021
Webinar with Tony Sweet, Feb 16th 07:00 PM EST
Our third webinar with photographer and Nikon Legend Behind the Lens Tony Sweet will be held February 16th, 7:00 PM EST. A video recording will be available after the live event.
Tony's program will be Compelling Composition: Isolate and Simplify.
Many Nikonians will probably recall Tony from the interview in our very first podcast held back in June of 2005. Nikonians have also participated in his photography workshops throughout the years and read his books, and we are thrilled to have him back with us.
To access the webinar, please see the specific webinar page. The webinar is available to all members on Silver membership and higher.
Image by Tony Sweet
The program: Compelling Composition: Isolate and Simplify
The program will be a "tour de force" of compositional techniques and creative applications for greatest visual impact. The overriding concept is to learn to isolate and simplify the subject.
Among the topics discussed will be
- The power of perspectives
- The power of line in visual design
- Creating visual drama
- Using strong graphics to enhance visual interest and drama
It is the hope that this presentation increases the attendees' attention to detail in creating clean, direct and compelling compositions. Questions are encouraged throughout the presentation and at the end.
For more information on Tony and how to see the live event, or to access the webinar video recording, please see the webinar page.
Not on Silver yet? No problem, just upgrade to access our webinars series.
Posted by bgs at 9:36 AM
January 18, 2021
Video with Marsel van Oosten available
The video recording from our webinar held with award winning nature photographer and Nikonian, Marsel van Oosten is now available for you to enjoy.
There was a strong interest in the webinar with many members having questions and we were not able to discuss them all. We are planning to have a second webinar with Marsel later in the year where he shows us even more of his excellent work, digging into more details on workflow and post-processing.
The video recording of the webinar is available online and on the webinar overview page you have a list of the current and upcoming webinars, plus FAQ.
The webinar with nature photographer Marsel van Oosten (marsel)
Next webinar
Guest for our next webinar is Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Tony Sweet and is guaranteed to be interesting and entertaining. Mark your calendar for 16-Feb-2021 07:00 PM EST.
Special from Hunt's Photo
Hunt's Photo, who made the webinar possible, are running a special promotion for Nikonians members, valid through 21-JAN-2021:
If you are interested in pre-ordering either of the Nikon Z6ii or the Z7ii, they are including a Delkin 128GB CFexpress card plus reader with each order, just let Noah (nbuchanan at huntsphoto.com) know you are a Nikonians member.
All other Nikon product purchases will receive a 6% store credit to be used towards accessories such as spare batteries, memory cards and filters, etc.
If you are looking for any other equipment, just email Noah for a custom quote.
Posted by bgs at 8:55 AM
January 13, 2021
Don't miss Marsel on Thursday
Join us in our upcoming webinar with award winning nature photographer Marsel van Oosten this week, January 14th 2021,10:00 AM EST (15:00h UTC = 03:00 PM GMT, 16:00h CET)
Marsel has a very full program covering the photographs he makes, how he makes them, and a lot about his thought process. He has an upcoming book scheduled for release in April and will be including many of those images as well.
He'll also be including discussion of other images that involve interesting techniques, context and planning including his Z7 testing for Nikon with the initial release of the Z series.
One of the things he really likes is Q&A, so please make sure you post your questions to him in the Webinar Forum
The webinar will be held as a Zoom meeting. Important: The access link has changed. You'll find the link and more information on the webinar page. A recording will be made available if you can't make it for the live event.
By Marsel van Oosten
The webinar is available to all members on Silver level or higher. Not on Silver yet? No problem, just upgrade your membership and get access to all of our premium articles, assignments, contests plus more.
Great photography sites
We are starting a new project where we are capturing great photography websites on the net. We will highlight some of these sites from time to time in our newsletter and in the community.
If you know of a resource or site that should be included, please post that in the Nikonians Cafe including motivation as to why the site should be included.
Contests
The November 2020 contest winners have been announced
Posted by bgs at 10:08 AM
January 7, 2021
Webinar: Marsel van Oosten, Jan 14th
Join us in our upcoming webinar with award winning nature photographer Marsel van Oosten, January 14th 2021,10:00 AM EST (15:00h UTC, 16:00h CET)
Marsel has gathered extensive field experience shooting with the Nikon Z and DSLR cameras and will share his work with us.
Many Nikonians will probably recall Marsel as an active member and team participant in the community in the mid 2000's and we are thrilled to have him back in this webinar.
If you have questions that you want to see asked in the webinar, please post them in the Webinar Forum
The webinar will be held as a Zoom meeting. More information on the webinar page in the community.
By Marsel van Oosten
The webinar is available to all members on Silver level or higher. Not on Silver yet? No problem, just upgrade your membership and get access to all of our premium articles, assignments, contests plus more.
Posted by bgs at 1:17 PM
December 16, 2020
Nikon Z6ii & Z7ii webinar video available
The video of our webinar held December 8th with Nikon Ambassador Michelle Valberg is now available.
The video of our webinar on the Nikon Z6ii and Z7ii is available on this page
If you have not taken the chance to upgrade your membership to Gold using the voucher WinterGold20, this might be a good time to do so.
The Nikonians Gold Membership gives you access to our Premium Advice & Critique section, your own portfolio, NEF upload and more. PLUS, you can participate in our new series of webinars. Next webinar will be held January 14th with nature photographer, Nikon Ambassador and Nikonians member, former moderator Marsel van Oosten.
Talking about Gold: If you have not ordered your Photographers Card yet: Deadline for providing the data required for this years last batch of cards is Sunday 20th of December, 2020. You can order your Photographers Card under "My Profile/Membership tab" using the link "Go to create your photographer card ID".
Enjoy the precious light!
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
By John Driessen (johnnie5). See his complete portfolio
Special from Hunt's Photo
Hunt's Photo, who made the first webinar possible, are running a special promotion for Nikonians members:
If you are interested in pre-ordering either of the Nikon Z6ii or the Z7ii, they are including a Delkin 128GB CFexpress card plus reader with each order, just let Noah (nbuchanan@huntsphoto.com) know you are a Nikonians member. They also have some instant rebates on Z lenses and NPS priority delivery.
The Intimate Landscape
Connie has a new premium article out, the intimate landscape, where she discuss taking "images within images", close-ups of nature. Worth a read.
Posted by bgs at 11:32 AM
December 3, 2020
Nikonians Webinar on Nikon Z6ii and Z7ii
Several things are happening in the community: A new webinar series is starting December 8th, our Behind the Image feature is drawing attention and we have announced 15 winners in two contests. Plus, there are some good reads available to further strengthen your photographic skills and a discount on our Gold Membership.
1) Our new series of webinars starts December 8th with Nikon ambassador Michelle Valberg (Nikon Canada), moderated by Eric Bowles (ericbowles). All members on Silver and higher can participate. More info and registration link to the webinar on this page.
2) Our "Behind the image" feature is popular, providing details about the creation of a photograph. This is also a great opportunity for you as a Contest Winner or Editor's Choice participant to chime in to reach out and help other photographers.
3) If you are new to photography, or need to freshen up on certain skills, or maybe reluctant to ask a question, make sure you visit the New to Photography section.
4) Right now you get a 3rd off on an annual Gold Membership. Use the voucher "WinterGold20" when upgrading. As a short reminder: As a Nikonians Gold Member you get access to our Premium Advice & Critique section, you have your own portfolio, NEF upload and more.
Enjoy your community!
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Spring pasque flower. Pulsatilla vernalis. One of the earliest spring flowers in Sweden and not very common.
By Frode Wendelbo (frwe). See his complete portfolio
Articles
Connie (Via the Lens) writes about things to consider if you are having focus issues in her latest premium article and with Martin (Martin Turner) we can learn the various aspects of composing.
Contests
15 winners have been announced in two contests.
Posted by bgs at 10:15 AM
May 20, 2020
Importance of previsualization & 5 tips for finding gems in your archive
There is lots of activity in the community while we are celebrating our 20th Anniversary.
The 200 Limited Edition Nikonians Memento Caps in black have been ordered with the manufacturer and we will keep you up-to-date on the shipping. If you have not gotten yours yet, there are only a few left. More information in the Nikonians Cafe
Are you a Platinum or Gold Nikonian? We are running a new batch of the Nikonians Photographers Card aka "ID" and the cut-off date for the batch is this Friday. You can request yours, with your good looking mugshot, under "My Profile" and "Membership" tab.
Not on Gold yet? The voucher 'nik2020' for 50% off on a new Gold membership is still valid. Take advantage of this.
Some more members have chimed-in and celebrate our anniversary in this new, second video.
In his first part of our new premium series on photography, member and retired pro Matt (mbradley) emphasis the importance of previsualization to get the shot. Matt has written several books throughout the years and worked on assignments for the National Geographic magazine. Please let Matt now in the articles comment section what works for you, and not.
Mike (mkhurder) is sharing his workflow with us, what he is looking for to find potential gems in older images and how he is using a simple, yet effective three color labeling scheme for sorting.
Please stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy our community and the friendship.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Cornflower by Doris Johnson (DcamZ). See her complete portfolio
Community
Martin (Martinkross) asks an interesting question in the Nikonians Cafe: "I am going to put myself out there and share some uncomfortable and embarrassing feelings. Anybody have their spouse decide to take up photography too? How did that work out?"
Join the discussion
Current Contests and Online Assignment
As most of us are spending more time at home, we may need some extra inspiration to pick up the camera and get in some shooting. We have just the thing!
First we have the "Lockdown 2020 Photo Challenge" We are challenging our members to get creative and create some interesting or wall worthy photographs - without leaving home.
Any subject is acceptable, but photos must be shot in or around your home, including your yard or garden. We want the shots to be current so, all images must've been shot between March 10 and June 15, 2020.
Then, we have a perfect online assignment for shooting wile stuck at home. The theme is "In the Kitchen" and we are looking for creative photography of items found in your kitchen. This can be kitchen tools, appliances, food, or anything that you normally find in your kitchen.
There are no other restrictions except that your images must be taken during the months of May and June, 2020.
The first segment of The Best of Nikonians 2020 Photo Contest has been extended to May20th and the theme is "Nostalgia or History Today". Its focus is on things of old that are still with us today. Whether it's historical buildings, places, artisans working with traditional tools, or other remembrances of the past. You find it in our Contests & Assignments / Special Edition Contests forum.
Of course, we have our regular monthly contests as well. A list of all our current contest can be found here
Posted by bgs at 9:26 AM
April 30, 2020
20th Anniversary - 50% off on Gold
We are turning 20 years! Come and celebrate with us. Use voucher 'nik2020' to get 50% off on a new Gold Membership.
It was back in April 30th, 2000 when we officially kicked-off the community. We are celebrating this with multiple events throughout the year. Starting today thru May 20th, you will save 50% on an annual Gold Membership using the voucher "nik2020" on the upgrade page. That is a saving of $37.50 USD (regular $75.00 USD)
As a Gold Member you access the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, you have your own portfolio, your own Nikonians email address plus more, such as your custom made photographer's ID.
OK, I want to upgrade to Gold and take advantage.
Thank you for your support making our ad-free, independent community an even better place to be at for Nikon photographers.
Posted by bgs at 10:34 AM
October 23, 2019
It is (f)all in the colors - Go for Gold!
Many things have happened in the Nikonians community in the last months. Now the summer is over and we are again working more indoors, having the chance to post-process the images we have captured. Today we have a wrap-up of several articles we have written in the hope they'll help you in your photography, plus a voucher on a Gold membership.
Some of us are still outdoors though shooting great landscapes in beautiful autumn colors, such as Reed George (rgeorge911) who met up with other members on the ANPAT19 fall edition and wrote about it.
To celebrate the last days of autumn and Halloween, we have a special membership campaign for you: From now until November 1st, 2019 you'll save a third ($25 USD) on a Gold Membership using the voucher "GoldenHall19" on the upgrade page
As a Gold Member you have access to our premium articles, you can participate in our contests, get your own portfolio, access the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, your own Nikonians email address plus more, such as your custom made photographer's ID.
I am wishing you a very good rest of the week, and... may the colors be with you.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Misty Sunburst by Richard Duval (WineMan55) See his complete portfolio
Learning
David H. Roberts (dhroberts) has written a premium article on how to use focus stacking to extend the depth of field of an image while David Goldstein (dagoldst) expands on astrophotography with two new premium articles, one on types of telescopes and one on the camera and software to use.
Robert Zanzalari (zanz34) has started a new series of premium articles on sports photography. In the first part he teaches us the basics and in the second part he is bringing us a set of cheat-sheets for basketball, baseball, football (American) and football (European aka "soccer").
Using the Nikon Z
Darrell Young (digitaldarrell) has written up how to use the eye detection auto focus on the Z6 and Z7 cameras.
Community
Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has interviewed long term member Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) in this latest I Am Nikonians series while Alan Mosley (mosley_alan) is sharing some of his travel photographs from a photo trip to the Pantanal, Brazil.
Contests
David Summers (dm1dave) has announced the winners of the Best of Nikonians - Segment Three with the theme of "Symmetry".
The winning image is "Swan Lake" by Carolyn Dalessandro (nikocarol). In addition to our overall winner, we have four members earning an honorable mention. All images will advance to the final rounds of the Best of Nikonians 2019 at the end of the year. They are:
"Yellow Porsche" by William Middleton (wrmiddleton)
"British Museum--Main Hall" by Darryl Hodson (skibreeze7)
"Salt Pan" by Pakku (niknac37)
"Towering Atrium" by Jody Camacho (Jodys98Torch)
Editor's Choice
In case you have missed some of the great shots that our Editor's Choice team is selecting daily, visit the main Editor's Choice page and enjoy!
Posted by bgs at 7:49 AM
June 13, 2019
Nature Photography Day 15-JUN-2019
Join us and celebrate Nature Photography Day, June 15th.
More info in the blog.
We also have three new articles out: One on wildflower photography, a new series on printing your photographs plus one on astrophotography using tracking telescope mounts.
Enjoy your reading week!
Bo (bgs)
We have three new premium articles out, all dedicated to improving skills. Connie (Via the lens) has written a new, great article on wildflower photography with several good, inspirational photographs. Read her article
Ernesto (esantos) has started a new series on printing photographs, see the first part of his series and David (dagoldst) has written up what you should know about tracking mounts if you are into astronomy and photography. See his article
Balsam root and Sunset by Connie Cassinetto - from her latest article
This grouping of Balsam root, with the setting sun behind it, was shot with a Nikon Z7 24-70 lens at 1/1600 second at f/22, ISO 800, and a focal length of 40mm. I was attempting in this image to balance my desire to get a sun star with declining light, a lot of wind, and avoiding poison oak! Due to the f/22 aperture (to get the sunstar) I got a lot of noise in the bottom right corner; if I could do this shot over, I would be more careful with the balance of the settings to see if I could get the image with less noise. I was happy with the overall composition.
Contests
The latest winners have been announced and there are updates on the ongoing contests, in the blog.
Posted by bgs at 8:08 AM
April 14, 2019
Why life is so good being a Nikonian
This week we have a major improvement to announce in the "back-end of things": We have substantially improved the image uploading at Nikonians and it is now easier than ever to get your images uploaded and shared with others, both inside and outside of the community.
Even on the free "Basic" membership level you have your own Nikonians Gallery gaining from the improved upload, though the improvements are really felt if you are a Gold or Platinum member: On these levels you can upload NEF, DNG and TIFF files and share these as well. Your gallery creates JPG representations of your raw files on-the-fly, for sharing and for collaborating with others (ranking/rating/chatting & download).
More information about the new upload can be found here
This week we have the last episode out of Russ' great premium series on photographing Iceland, with good tips and lots of inspiring photographs, there is a promotion on Gold membership valid thru the week and Chris has interviewed pro street photographers, see below.
I am wishing you a very good start of the new week
Bo (bgs)
Travel photography - Iceland
In this final part of the series Russell Whittemore is taking us to Jokusarlon, Lomagnupur, Fjaðrárgljúfur, Vik, Seljalandsfoss and Geysir. Read his premium article

Street photography
Street photography is a genre that can be practiced by just about anyone, anywhere. You can grab your camera and find an interesting place where people gather and start shooting. In his latest article, Chris Horn (HotSpur369) has been interviewing multiple pro's and shares their methodical advice on how to practice the craft. Read his article
Community
What's the main benefit of a gold membership? Well, except for supporting the community...
You have your own portfolio, you can post NEF and JPG images for critique and post-processing help, you have NEF, DNG and TIFF upload in your Nikonians Gallery, you get your @nikonians.org email address and the Nikonians photographers ID, to mention the main items.
There is a promotion right now on Gold saving you a 1/3rd on the regular amount using the code "GoldSpr1953". It is valid thru 21-APR-2019. Take advantage of this
What to get: A Nikon D850 or Z7?
Gold member Gupta wonders shall he get a D850 or a Z7 ... lots of good advice in this thread
Posted by bgs at 8:30 AM
April 4, 2019
How to work with textures in Photoshop
This week Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760) teaches us how textures and texture layers can transform digital photographs into digital artwork. His article includes links to two of his Creative Commons images so that you can follow along with the Photoshop tutorial. Read his premium article
In his latest episode of photographing Iceland, which is truly full of inspiring images and information, Russ takes us to Egilsstadir, Djupivogur, Eystrahorn, Vestrahorn and Jokusarlon -- Enjoy!
We also have news regarding our Best of Nikonians contest, make sure you participate.
Enjoy the warmer weather for the rest of the week - At least that is what I am doing here in continental Europe.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Lower Falls in Yellowstone by Norm Solomon (ctnorm7). See his complete portfolio
Contests
The first segment of the Best of Nikonians is underway
This segments theme is Shallow Depth of Field, it will be open for entries until May 15 and winners will be announced no later than May 30. More info in the forums
February Contest Winners Announced
Please join us in congratulating our most recent contest winners in the blog. All winning images will be entered in the annual Best of Nikonians 2019 contest.
Posted by bgs at 6:40 AM
March 28, 2019
Why Astrophotography? Nikon HQ & improved sharing
This week we are getting into Astrophotography with David (dagoldst), there is a new episode out of Russel's Iceland travel report (episode #4) and we have an update for you regarding storing and sharing your images.
In case you've missed it, John (TokyoJohn) has shared some interesting images from the Nikon museum in Tokyo including a good capture of the lobby at the Nikon headquarters.
I am wishing you plentiful opportunities for good captures over the next few days,
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Old, dead trees in the Dead Vlei area of Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
By Michael Parmacek (parmacek). See his complete portfolio
Learning - Astrophotography
You may have seen and marveled at the images of the sky by David Goldstein (dagoldst) in the Astrophotography forum. His article helps you jump into Astrophotography: What equipment and budget is required without risking big mistakes or falling into the fangs of salesmen. Start looking up into the night sky and your vision will probably expand. Read the article
Community - Uploading and sharing just got better
Starting today you can store and share NEF, DNG and TIFF files in your Nikonians Gallery. You can also use the new forum image upload with these file formats as well, getting JPGs automatically created and included in the forum post. More info
Posted by bgs at 8:20 AM
March 21, 2019
Sharing your work with your clients, Iceland & more
As we're getting more daylight to work with on the northern hemisphere, we are digging into this weeks trove of new articles. Since our last newsletter we're having two new episodes out of Russel's Iceland travel report, while Connie thinks about what judges do in photo competitions.
We have made it easier for you to share your work with clients using private albums with ZIP downloads (more info below), and for the studio photographers in the community, Martin finalizes his series on shooting the $2 million image, this time discussing post-processing and DAM systems.
I am wishing you a great rest of the week and, let there be lots of good and inspiring light in front of your lens.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Another unplanned sunrise image taken near Welshpool, Wales, UK
Peter Taylor (PeterSVP). See his portfolio
Iceland
In this second part of his five part series, Russell Whittemore (rosewood_ltd), takes us from Reykjavik to Grundarfjodur and Kirkjufell, via Hraunfossar. A must-read with lots of tips for anyone interested in landscape, travel photography or the beauty of Iceland. Read the article
Sharing your work with your clients
We have improved the way you can share images with clients using albums in the galleries. As a Platinum or Gold member you can create private albums. Enable the "Allow ZIP downloads" for an album to allow visitors to download either individual images or all of the images in the album at once. You and your client can use the chat/comment area of an image to discuss it and when your client makes a new comment, it will show under the "heart menu" at Nikonians. Your client can use the "heart icon" and also rate images, if you have enabled that.
Private albums are password protected and the system automatically sets one for you. You can easily change the password of an album.
Images uploaded to the galleries can now be up to 100MB each.
Community
When a forum post contains an embedded video, we are now showing a small thumbnail in the topic list indicating that a video is included.
The March contests are open:
Wildlife: Beak & Talon / Fang & Claw
Landscape: Beautiful Cityscapes
Macro & Close-Up: Vintage
Travel: Roadside Attractions
Digital Artistry: Liquid
More information
Travel
Last call for the 19th ANPAT in the Spring. Don't miss the opportunity to photograph the largest bird migration in the US and more. More info
Posted by bgs at 6:13 AM
March 7, 2019
Iceland photography tips
Some of us dare to leave the comfort of our homes and venture out to far-away places, coming back to share the images captured and the knowledge gained.
One of these photographers is team member Russell Whittemore (rosewood_ltd). He has been writing up an extensive travel report with quite a few tips.
Russ takes you on a trip to Iceland in this five part premium article series, published weekly. It is a must-read with lots of tips for anyone interested in landscape, travel photography or the beauty of Iceland in general. Read the article.
Another team member that just came back from a photography excursion is my dear partner and co-founder, Ramón (jrp). He has been scouting for next years ANPAT in the Eastern Sierras, while this years ANPAT spring takes the participants to Cape May and Southeastern Pennsylvania photographing the red knots at Cape May among others.
No matter if you stay home-bound or planning a trip this spring, I do hope you enjoy the camaraderie in the community.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Wisconsin Barn by David Summers (dm1dave). See his complete portfolio.
Contests
January contest winners have been announced: Please join us in congratulating our most recent contest winners. All winning images will be entered in the annual Best of Nikonians 2019 contest. More info
Behind the image
Coming: This month we are starting a new series of articles on the process behind the creation of an image. Please stay tuned.
Fundraising
Quite a few members have joined our current fundraising -- Big thanks! Please make sure you support your community as well.
Learning is so much easier and much more fun together, letting us inspire each other and share our joy, and sometimes mistakes. We are ad-free and independent. With your support, we can improve the community further.
Throughout 2019 we want to ensure that our members are getting improved exposure of their work plus enhanced critique/feedback possibilities.
Posted by bgs at 6:31 AM
February 21, 2019
Krueger National Park & importing images in LR
Many of our members will be familiar with Aart Louw's exotic wildlife shots from South Africa and Kruger National Park. In Marsha's latest "I Am Nikonians" article she is interviewing Aart (AartPapaya) and it is well worth a read.
Connie has some good tips for us all regarding importing images into Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. Read her premium article.
I am wishing you a good, photogenic rest of the week
Bo (bgs)
Gloriosa Superba by Aart Louw
Nikon D500, 20 shots stack, 105mm f/2.8G @ f/8, 1/10s, ISO 125
Community - Easier image posting in forums
New buttons in the forums are being provided later today to simplify upload of images and to include these in forum posts. By using the button "Upload images" in the top of any forum, you can select multiple images for upload. The images will be uploaded to your gallery and linked in the post you are making.
You can also decide to not show the images in your gallery, but only in the post. In this case the images are still uploaded to the galleries, but rather than under your own gallery, they will be placed in a system-specific area.
More information on this in the About Nikonians forum.
Contests
We are proud to announce the Winners of the Annual Best of Nikonians 2018 Contest. Once again, the quality of the images submitted this year has been outstanding. We are extremely proud of the level of photographic accomplishment of our membership.
Please stop by to see the full images and congratulate the winners.
Posted by bgs at 6:36 AM
February 14, 2019
Nikon Z cameras book deadline & State of photojournalism
If you are shooting with a Nikon Z7 or Z6 and you want to get published, Darrell says the content submission deadline for the two NikoniansPress books on mastering the Nikon Z cameras is getting near. Want a chance for your image to be included? You better move fast. See our Nikon Z cameras forum.
Photography as a profession
What is the state of the art of photojournalism? Where is the profession going? Read what member Chris Horn (HotSpur369), journalist and former newspaper photographer has to say about the journey todays PJ's have to take to make a living. Read the article
I am wishing you a splendid rest of the week, with some good light and great subjects.
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Red & Black. Caught This Anhinga flying - I tried to create an abstract.
By Preston Moochnek (massulo). See his complete portfolio.
Contests
The winners of the Best of Nikonians 2018 contest have been announced. Once again, the quality of the images submitted this year has been outstanding.
We are extremely proud of the level of photographic accomplishment of our membership. An international team of Judges, from eight countries, were drawn from the Nikonians Master's Society to grade the one hundred and twelve qualifying finalist images. See all winners.
Photo trips
Several members have already registered for the 19th ANPAT in the Spring but there is still room for you. Don't miss this opportunity to capture the extraordinary birds migration into Cape May, NJ and very interesting scenery in Pennsylvania. For details check the Nikonians Annual Photo Adventure Trips (ANPATs) forum.
Posted by bgs at 6:26 AM
February 13, 2019
Best of Nikonians 2018 Winners Announced
Nikonians is proud to announce the winners of the Annual Best of Nikonians 2018 Contest.
Once again, the quality of the images submitted this year has been outstanding. We are extremely proud of the level of photographic accomplishment of our membership.
An international team of Judges, from eight countries, were drawn from the Nikonians Master's Society to grade the one hundred and twelve qualifying finalist images.
Winners will receive:
The Laureate Ribbon, as Winners of an annual Best of Nikonians Photo Contest
The Nikonians Certificate of High Photographic Achievement.
A prize from our contest sponsors or a membership extension.
Please stop by to see the full images and congratulate the winners.
Winners are...
That's My Old Rotten Salmon by Pat Husband (Second Hand Pat)
Nautical Nomad by Preston Moochnek (massulo)
Michael Kerouac (MKerouac) by Maddi in Studio
William McEwen (Wolfgang55) by William McEwen (Wolfgang55)
Death Valley Campsite by Tom Egel (tegel)
Butterfly on Flower by Geoff Baylis (GBaylis)
Coming out by Rick Moran (slopoki1)
Full Moon at White Sands by Ernesto Santos (esantos)
Crystal Mill, Colorado by Russ Glindmeier (russg)
A Walk in a Blizzard by Richard Roth (ricardo00)
Posted by dm1dave at 1:54 AM
February 7, 2019
3 tips on how to get ready for this season
Are you getting ready for this season of outdoor photography? If you are one of us not shooting outdoors already, but rather still preparing yourself we have some tips for you.
In case you are in stand-by mode, here are three tips to get yourself up-to-speed for this season:
1. Upload one or two of your 2018 raw (NEF) images to receive helpful critique and processing advice. You do this in the Premium Advice & Critique forum, available to all Platinum and Gold members. If you are not on a Gold membership yet, just use the voucher below.
2. Dust-off your gear. Make sure your lenses are clean and ready to go, and check older lenses for compatibility with your current bodies. If you have a Nikon Z7 or Z6 camera, check with your fellow Nikonians for compatibility using the FTZ adapter. Resources:- The Nikon Z cameras forum
- The Nikon Camera & Lens compatibility chart
3. Read Daniel Stainer's (spiritualized67) great article on how to chase-away the winter blues.
I am wishing you good posting, new friends & great reading!
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Salmon Berry by John Landolfi (johnlandolfi). See his complete portfolio.
Voucher to save on Gold
The voucher "SpringPrep19" is valid thru Feburary 11th, 2019 and entitles you to a significant deduction on a Gold membership ($50 instead of $75 USD). Use the voucher on the upgrade page.
In addition to the Premium Critique with NEF upload access, your new portfolio awaits you. You also have your own Nikonians email address, photographer's ID plus more.
Going professional: Taxes
If you are selling some of your work and it is more than a hobby, this discussion on taxes in the US might be of interest to you. See the complete thread.
Contests
The final polls have been closed, the winners have been advanced, and the jury has been seated. We are in the process of choosing the winners of our premier contest, the Best of Nikonians 2018. All the images that have won in our forum contests during 2018 are eligible for this annual contest. We expect to announce the finale winners before February 15th.
We have posted detailed information about the judging process in the Nikonians Blog. And, the February contests are on their way.
Are you a bird photographer?
If you are interest in bird photography, this trip might be for you. The ANPAT 19 Spring is ready for booking and takes you to Cape May and Southeastern Pennsylvania. You will also have the chance to shoot great flowers, landscape and architecture.
Dates: May 18th (arrival) to May 25th (departure), 2019. Starts at $2.999 USD
Posted by bgs at 5:35 AM
February 2, 2019
The Best of Nikonians Photo Contest Judging
How do we choose images for The Best of Nikonians Contest Photo Contest?
The contests that we run in the forums throughout the year are the preliminary rounds for our premier event, The Best of Nikonians Photo Contest. Each winning image is added to the Best of Nikonians Contest galleries.
The December contests winners are the final images to be eligible for the current years' contests. The voting for the December contests are carried out in January, so judging process is scheduled to begin on the first day of February each year.
Who makes up the jury?
The jury in for the Best of Nikonians Contest are members of the Nikonians Masters Society, a select group of highly experienced, advanced photographers, representing a wide range of photographic disciplines.
How are the images evaluated?
The images are presented to the jury without members names or any other context. Images are evaluated on their own merit as stand-alone images without bias as to the subject matter, technique, or difficulty of getting the shot.
Jurors will assign a numerical sore between 10 and 50 for each image.
A score of 50 - Indicates an Exceptional Image. This is not necessarily a perfect image, but a work of photographic excellence. The image should not have any oblivious flaws and a high level of impact on the viewer.
A score of 40 - Indicates a Very Strong Image. These images are technically correct and impactful. Image elements should work together to keep the viewer engaged. Any flaws are minor and/or hard to identify.
A Score of 30 - Indicates an above average image. These images demonstrate a strong composition and solid technical skill.
A Score of 20 - Indicates a good image. This image will have no major flaws. It will have limited impact and may not keep a viewer engaged.
A Score of 10 - Indicates a poor or weak image.
The final scores are determined by scoring each image on five criteria. Each criteria is scored 1-10, then all are then added together for the final score.
- Overall Impact:
This is about how did you feel about the image at your first look, before a close examination...
What impression does it make on you? - from dull to exhilarating, mysterious, captivating, etc.
Does the image have emotional appeal?
Was you first impression of the image 'so..so..' or 'good' or 'very good', or 'Wow'?
- Color/Tone:
If color, how does the use color impact the overall image?
Are the colors and tones appropriate for the subject matter?
If black and white, is the image toned appropriately for the subject matter?
- Composition:
Does it keep the viewer engaged? Are you drawn to the subject?
Does the image have good balance?
or Does it feel awkward or uncomfortable to view?
- Technical Execution:
Look for... Proper exposure, appropriate depth of field, quality of lighting, good focus, distractions.
- Story/Message:
Does the image tell a story?
Does the image convey a message?
Does the image stand on its own, without a title, caption or other explanation?
Can you interpret the intent of the photographer?
Does the image advance awareness of a subject or an issue?
Winners
The top ten scoring images will be designated as equal winners.
If any one member has more than one image in the top ten, then their highest scoring image is selected and any other are removed advancing the next highest scoring image.
In the end we will have ten images by ten separate members announced as winners.
Winners will be announced in mid February each year.
To see all of the eligible photo from each years competition, go to the Contest Categories in our galleries.
.
Posted by dm1dave at 11:47 PM
January 30, 2019
How to improve your photography?
To participate in photo assignments and contests is a great way to improve your skills while getting inspired by the work of others. The end of the month is approaching fast, please take some time and stop by the contest forums and vote for your favorites.
While, you are at it, please go ahead and participate with your own shots in the January 2019 contests, see below for more information on our various themes.
One of the strong points of the Nikonians community is our ability to come together and help each other become better photographers. Learning, sharing and growing together we increase the joy we find in photography.
I feel that the Nikonians Photo Assignments are a hidden gem within our community. Participation in the assignments is a wonderful opportunity for both beginners and advanced photographers to teach, learn, and to expand their photographic horizons.
The assignments challenge new photographers to build both technical, compositional, and artistic skills. More accomplished photographers will benefit from the assignments by tackling challenges that are outside of their usual photographic genre and expanding their skills.
Dave (dm1dave)
From the portfolios
Old Lady at National Memorial Chorten, Thimphu, Bhutan by Robert Wyatt (sulkyrob).
See his complete portfolio.
Learning: Can our Ability to Respond to a Scene Improve Over Time?
Connie Cassinetto is answering the question "Can mental quickness in responding to a changing photographic scenario be learned or improved?" Read her premium article
Jim Donelson helps us better understand the various trends and styles, from painting to photography demonstrating there is nothing new in the controversies surrounding our passion for photography. Read more
Nikonians Contests
Wildlife: Vanishing through Camouflage
Let see how wildlife uses camouflage to hide in their environment.
Landscape: First Light - Last Light
This is a contest for Early Birds or for the Photographer who stays after all the others have gone home. Images have to be taken very early or very late in the day with the sun just above the horizon in the Blue Hour or Golden Hour (depending time of day). You can choose to have the sun in the picture or not.
Micro, Macro & Closeup: Odonata - Dragonflies and Damselflies
Dragonflies and Damselflies are some of the most interesting and varied subjects for macro photography with interesting patterns and colors.
Travel: What lies beyond...?
Please submit your finest images of places taken round that corner, down that alleyway, over the next hill brow etc. Let's see pictures that portray a sense of intrigue about what may be just out of sight.
Digital Artistry: Invitation
Images are often used as part of, or backgrounds for Invitations--all kinds of invitations including weddings, parties, workshops, you name it. Invitations contain images and text. This month, the challenge is to create an invitation to an event. That's it. Any photographic genre is acceptable so long as the images meet the the Nikonians Terms of Use.
Making your community better
As the community for Nikon users, together we are making photography better: We know that through our continuous dedication to help each other, no matter skill-level or background, we become better.
Learning is so much easier and much more fun together, letting us inspire each other and share our joy, and sometimes mistakes.
Join our fundraising - With your support, we can improve the community further.
Posted by bgs at 8:10 AM
January 10, 2019
Winter photography plus D850 focus stacking
The team behind our community is as busy as ever, working behind the scenes to make some new, good things available to you as an amateur, semi-pro or professional photographer and videographer.
We have started a new fundraising campaign to further improve image feedback & critique possibilities, image sharing & exposure plus to consolidate our knowledge-base.
Donate today to support your community. Any amount is helpful.
A big thank you goes out to all of our past supporters, but especially the first ones in this new round.
Through your personal support you safeguard our mission to provide a friendly, vibrant, open and inspiring environment for all of you to improve your photography, to create your very own path while making new, real friends.
Join-in and support your community.
Thanks for reading and have an excellent rest of the week :-)
Bo & JRP
From the portfolios
Bobby Sox Tree by Judith Dunn (topper1946). See her complete portfolio
Wintersports photography
You might have missed Pascal Baetens in-depth learning article on how to get the most out of your winter vacation photography. He provides you with a lot of information while out in the snow. Read the article
For the ones of us looking for ideas without snow, this post about focus stacking software in the D850 forum may provide inspiration.
Membership certificates
All of you on a Platinum, Gold and Silver membership can have your membership certificate printed out (as JPG and PDF). You find the link under "My Profile" and "Membership" tab.
Contests
The latest winners have been announced.
Posted by bgs at 5:32 AM
January 3, 2019
Using Nikon Z7 for street photography
A new year has started and we are full of inspiration, kick-starting it with some great photography while learning new things.
Connie has been to Cuba using her Z7 for street photography and she shares her story with us in her latest premium article, while JRP has found a study claiming that making a picture a day and sharing it improves well being -- We both believe the authors of the study are onto something.
I am wishing you a terrific start of the new year,
Bo (bgs)
From the portfolios
Portrait of a playful Maine Coon cat by Cindie Fearnall (Gypsi) See her complete portfolio
Community
Our core values: Quite a few members have posted their thoughts on what is most important being a member. See the full thread
Want more exposure & you are on twitter or Instagram? See this post on how the community can help.
Your own portfolio: As a Platinum or Gold member you can have your best work being showcased at Nikonians at high resolution to make it look great under an easy to remember Internet address with contact possibility.
There is no limit to the number of images you can store in your portfolio, but we recommend that you include your very best work only. How to get started
Nikonians merchandise: We are planning to produce new series of our most popular merchandise, such as our Pro Camera Straps, Caps and T-Shirts. More info soon -- stay tuned.
Posted by bgs at 6:10 AM
December 20, 2018
How do you dress up in the cold for photography?
How do you prepare for the outdoor shoot when it is getting colder outside? For us on the northern hemisphere of our beautiful, blue planet this might be a relevant question this time of the year.
A basic truth for nearly any outdoor activity is that it makes sense to dress in layers. Doing so helps you to shed some insulation when you are getting warmer, and it is easier to stay dry that way.
I personally prefer fabrics made of natural fibers over synthetic ones when feasible, but there are great synthetic materials available. Gloves is one major area for us photographers. The big, warm ones can hardly be worn when shooting while the thinner ones are keeping the fingers agile only as long as they are not too cold.
You may enjoy jrp's thoughts on this topic in our articles.
The whole Nikonians Team is wishing you a great holiday season, with lots of hard parcels and golden boxes.
Bo (bgs) and Ramón (jrp)
From the portfolios
Image by Hans Ztz. You can see his portfolio here.
Contests & Assignments
Make sure that you check out the updated contests for December. These six-monthly contests are the final rounds leading to the annual Best of Nikonians 2018. All monthly contest winners are automatically advanced to the annual contest. Contest entry is open to all Silver, Gold, and Platinum members.
Voting in the contest polls is open to all registered members. Please let you voice be heard, vote for your favorite images in each of the monthly contest. Polls are now open for the November Landscape, Wildlife, Close-up/Macro, Travel, and Digital Artistry contests.
Links to all contests and polls can be found here.
Community
Chime in with your Holiday Season Greetings in the Café
What are the values Nikonians most enjoy? More
New, weekly updates coming. For the ones of us not logging in that much, but still want to stay up-to-date, this new weekly update might be of interest.
Posted by bgs at 7:00 AM
December 13, 2018
How to tackle the steep Z-series learning curve
As Nikonians, we are not merely Nikon users, but we are members of a community where we are trying our best to help each other.
What does it mean to be a Nikonian to you personally? What top five values do you think are important as a member? Let us know.
This was printed on the back of a t-shirt (no longer in production). The idea came from former team member Jason Odell (DrJay32) for the PMA in 2006 where we had a small booth.
I am wishing you an enjoyable, hopefully photogenic rest of the week
Bo (bgs)
Gear: Nikon Z-series learning curve
Nikonians team member Eric Bowles has some very good input on the somewhat steep learning curve for DSLR shooters who are starting with the Nikon Z7 (or the Z6). Read his thoughts on this in the Z cameras forum.
From the portfolios
Arches by Darryl Hodson (skibreeze7). See his complete portfolio.
Contests and Assignments
The November/December Assignment is "Animal Portrait". This is a fun assignment that most everyone can participate in. Let's see your pets, farm animals, and wildlife. Show us your creativity with some interesting perspectives on animal portraits.
Membership ID cards
We are doing the last batch of ID cards this year. All applications in by this Friday, 14th of December will be processed prior the holidays. You apply for your card using the form found in "Your Profile" under "Membership" tab, top area of the page. Our cards are printed in standard badge format and can be used with e.g. a lanyard. Available to all Platinum and Gold members. Btw, thanks to the large amount of members that have already applied for their cards in the last days, we have found and fixed some issues with the form. It should now be easier to use.
New "top favorite forums" email is coming
Starting coming week we will be sending out a weekly "top postings in your favorite forums" email, highlighting the most popular post in each of your favorite forums. We will include a small setting to disable this feature in your profile should you rather not have that weekly "top postings" email.
A forum is marked as a favorite forum by clicking on the star located after the forum name. A favorite forum is shown above all the other forums in the "forum lobby".
Posted by bgs at 5:30 AM
December 9, 2018
The specs of the next digital cameras
Our community has experienced a tremendous change on the internet, from being an early player back in the year 2000 where many were still "not connected" to today with billions of internet users.
Today we have a glut of information, provided by many for free, or paid by someone, often a less visible party in either cash, crypto-coins, equipment or favors. In this large "volume of data", whom can one really trust? What is their agenda? Why are they telling me X -- is it because they want to sell Y? What is really "good information" vs. "I am not totally, 100% sure what I am talking about, but I say it anyway" type of content?
Most platforms, and most content creators in general, are anything but independent and for nearly all it holds true that they are either A) dependent on advertisers for their survival, where the border between fact and want-to-please-the-sponsors is fluid or B) that you - as the visitor or user - are the product (your behavior and any data you have provided is repackaged and sold to third parties). Often it is C), both of the above. You are served paid content plus your data is captured and sold. Say hello to e.g Facebook, Youtube or Instagram.
There is a reason marketing professionals have been so hot on "Content Marketing" (jargon for producing content to sell you something) that it has become a commodity in the marketing industry, now easily bought from someone, somewhere where salaries are low.
"Influencers" on "Social Media" for example are trying their best to do just that, for an agenda. Did you know that each fourth image or video you see on Instagram is paid advertisement?
Our agenda is to safeguard the community's existence in this harsh environment and to become as relevant as we can be to you, to our members: To help and to provide assistance where you need it the most. To ensure we are a clean, friendly place where you can make new friends and expand your network.
We are going to send out a request to all of our members to give us feedback on this in the next few weeks. We will be doing that in the form of a short (yes, promise, a short!) survey.
Thanks for reading and for being a part of this wonderful community
Bo & JRP
Community: Upgrade to Gold
By using the voucher GoldNicholaus18 on the upgrade page, you save $25 USD on a Nikonians Gold Membership. This offer is valid thru December 12th, 2018.
As a Gold Member you have access to all of our Premium Articles, the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, you have your own Portfolio, your own Nikonians email address, your custom made Photographer's ID plus more, such as access to Contests and Assignments.
Take advantage of the voucher
From the portfolios
Blue Angels in Action by Bob Chadwick. You can see Bob's portfolio here
Gear
There is a new article available that you might find interesting: The (near) future of digital cameras by Nikonians member and digital imaging sensor professional Guy Eristoff.
More from the community
1. Homepage now loads faster - especially the many images in the "matrices"
2. Increased Smiley Liberty in your forum posts. More info
3. Politeness: Can one ask to see the original? Read the post by Ferguson regarding "Is it rude to ask?"
4. Are you interested in time-lapse photography? See our time-lapse forum where members share videos like this one by DeanAZ from Arizona
Posted by bgs at 9:00 AM
December 4, 2018
Platinum or Gold member? Don't forget your ID
Reminder to all of our Platinum and Gold members: Don't forget to request your personal Photographer's ID Card. You can do that under "My Profile" and "Membership" tab. We are doing one more batch of badges this year, prior Christmas.
Posted by bgs at 12:54 PM
November 19, 2018
Going for a Nikon Z7? Plus selling your images
A new week has begun and we have some good reading and inspirational photography for you.
Connie Cassinetto has used her Nikon Z7 for some time now and gives you her thoughts on it together with the new 24-70 in this latest premium article. She's also been trying out the adapter with her 80-400 and 24-120. Read her article
I am wishing you a terrific, productive week
Bo (bgs)
Fall Color, Hwy. 395 using the Nikon Z7, Nikon 24-70 mirrorless lens, 1/200 at f/8, ISO 400, shot at 70mm. It was the usual slightly windy day as I was looking for fall color shots off of Hwy. 395 in Northern California.
Inspirational photography
Excellent images are being selected as the Editor's Choice where the team are selecting inspirational work, posted by you in the galleries and in the forums. By participating in the discussions in the forums, including your images, you increase the chances of getting an image of yours selected. See the latest images.
Community: Say hello
As a member, please let others in the community know a bit about yourself and your photography by making a post in the New & Returning Members forum.
Going professional: Selling images to magazines
Member vangophotos asked about selling images to magazines and got some good input.
Read more in the forums
Posted by bgs at 5:39 AM
November 9, 2018
Inspirational autumn landscapes & Nikon Z7 impressions
We are entering this autumn weekend with some good, inspiring landscape photography and there is a hands-on, first impressions review of the Nikon Z7 by one of our team members.
Member Scott Ashley (scottashley) has been interviewed by Marsha (meadowlark2) in this latest part of our "I Am Nikonians" series. Scott shares some of his great landscape photographs with us.
Read the scottashley Interview
Spruce Flats Falls by Scott Ashley
Nikon D7100, Sigma 8-16mm @f/19, 6s, ISO 200, tripod
Nikonians moderator Jonathan Kandel (JonK) has written up his first impressions after having been using his new Nikon Z7 camera for a few weeks. No matter if you are considering buying your own Z7 right away or not, Jon's premium article is a good read.
Member Guy Eristoff (geristoff) has written about how he applied an analytical approach, an "in-home comparative test" to figure out which of his existing lenses would best suit street photography. Read about his test.
More good portfolios have been added by our Platinum and Gold members. Have a look at the portfolio overview.
I am wishing you an excellent weekend,
Bo (bgs)
Posted by bgs at 7:26 AM
October 11, 2018
Z7, tracking your keepers and composition for architecture
Photokina in Cologne, Germany was again an exciting show with Nikon showcasing the Z7 in all its glory with many visitors having the chance to try out a larger number of available Z7 and Z6 cameras on the stands.
Z7 and monster wall shot
The Z7 seems to be a very versatile camera while great to hold even with my large hands and it comes with splendid AF - it was a joy to use in different lighting.
One truly large exhibit wall was dedicated to a great shot done by Marsel van Oosten (Marsel) while in Africa, depicting workers on a field taken by, you guessed it, a Nikon Z7.
New Z series books
Two new books are due out mid 2019 on the Z6 and Z7 written by DigitalDarrell under our NikoniansPress banner, thanks to the US publisher Rocky Nook. The sister (or rather mother) publisher, dpunkt Verlag has scheduled two german books on the Z cameras as well. Any book under the NikoniansPress banner contains a voucher for a discounted Gold Membership at Nikonians and members have the chance to showcase their best images taken by the specific camera in question.
If you want to participate with your great shots in one of the books, make sure you keep an eye on the corresponding forum at Nikonians. Only images that are qualified through Nikonians end up in the NikoniansPress books.
Keeping track of your keepers
Talking about Nikonians Gold memberships, more members have set up their own portfolios at Nikonians available to all members on Platinum and Gold levels. This is a great way to keep track of your own, best shots while showcasing them to others under an easy to remember internet address.
3D lens for common cameras
At the photokina show I had the chance to meet up with Matthias, the founder and Klaus, the CTO of K|Lens, a startup that wants to bring out a new 3D lens plus software plugins to render the captured, three dimensional data. They have a few prototype lenses and expect to go into production in 2019.
This is definitely interesting technology and based upon that the optics will be great, this can be a very interesting product for us photographers, turning our regular cameras into 3D capturing machines with a set of new possibilities for still photography as well, such as extended DoF, tilt-shift, bokeh simulations, segmenting the image in depth-layers with editing such layers separately, plus more.
I have created a k-lens discussion thread on this technology in our forums.
Working Pro
In his second installment of the premium article series on Shooting Real Estate and Architecture, Miguel is discussing composition.
Red Knobs on Wolf Range by Miguel Lecuona
Tips & Tricks: hand-holding long lenses
My dear partner and co-founder of Nikonians, Ramon (jrp) has wrapped up the do's and don'ts hand-holding longer lenses. Read more
Inspiration
Our Editor's Choice team featured the 100th member, Voltaire (Alaz) some days back with a great shot he took.
Contest
In the final segment of the Best of Nikonians 2018, "Wonders of old and new technology" we are celebrating the 200 years of technological evolution from the industrial revolution through today.
This is a Special Edition Contest, an extension of our big annual contest and it is open for entries up until November 15, 2018. Participate with your image.
Community enhancements
Thanks to all of our supporting members on a paid membership and those of you joining our fundraising, we are capable of continuously improving Nikonians - here are some of the latest changes:
Video linking
You can now include video links in your forum posts and a video player shows when you post the link. This works for vimeo and youtube videos.
Easier avatar upload
Your avatar (preferably a "mugshot") can now be uploaded at larger size and you can crop it online prior final upload. Don't have an avatar set yet? This is a good time to do it. Just go to "My Profile" and click on the "avatar" image top center of the page.
OP date is back
Original Posting date is back for larger views (smaller views, e.g. on mobile devices do not contain it).
Member username clickable
The username of other members now clickable on many locations showing a new menu for easy visiting the members portfolio, profile, gallery or to follow the member.
Sort and filter followers and activities
It is now easier to sort and filter both the members and the activities of the members you are following and the members following you. A maximum of 90 days of activities of the members you are following is being shown.
Gallery sorting
Sorting in the galleries, semi-broken as it was, has been fixed, plus the images in your favorites collection in the galleries are now clickable again to see the larger, original image.
Private message confirmation
A confirmation page is now shown when you have sent a private message to another member.
Enjoy the weekend, may it bring you good colors and great shapes.
Bo (bgs)
Posted by bgs at 12:20 PM
September 20, 2018
Which lens with a Nikon Z camera?
Meeting other members face-to-face is a great thing and some members get the chance to do just that, either by just posting a message in the forums and asking if anyone in their area is interested in an informal get-together, or by participating in the more organized events, such as our annual photo trips, the ANPAT's.
Some members are already looking forward to meet up for a week on the ANPAT in western Colorado Sep 29th, whereas some others are meeting up at this years Photokina show starting Sep 26th in Cologne, Germany.
If you are still on a Silver or Basic membership, these are the last days to use the voucher "indiansummer18" to save a third on a Gold Membership.
As a Gold Member you have access to our premium articles, you can participate in our contests, get your own portfolio, access the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, you have your own Nikonians email address plus more, such as your custom made photographer's ID.
Photography is more enjoyable together :-)
Bo (bgs)
Working Pro
Miguel has started a new, premium series of articles on Shooting Real Estate and Architecture. In this first part, he discuss equipment.
Sunrise over the estate vineyard at Hawk's Shadow by Miguel Lecuona. Nikon D500, Nikkor 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @ f6.3, 1/1600 sec and ISO 500
Equipment
Good discussions and questions being answered on the new Nikon Z7 and Z6 in our dedicated forum for Z cameras, such as "Shall I bother to order a Z-mount lens with my new Z camera, or use my regular F mount Nikkors and the FTZ adapter?"
Inspiration
The September contest is nearly done and this month's challenge theme, chosen by Peter Milton, is "time". You may want to participate with your work.
Posted by bgs at 10:45 AM
September 11, 2018
25 USD/EUR off on a Gold Membership
Membership opportunity
From now until September 25th you'll save a third ($25 USD) on an annual Gold Membership using the voucher "indiansummer18" on the upgrade page.
As a Gold Member you have access to our premium articles, you can participate in our contests, get your own portfolio, access the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, your own Nikonians email address plus more, such as your custom made photographer's ID.
Cadillac Mountain by jrp.
Take advantage of this special Go Gold and Be Proud: You are helping our ad-free and independent community.
Posted by bgs at 1:58 PM
Nikon Z7 field test
Hope your week has started well with good photo opportunities as we are nearing Indian Summer.
Former team member Marsel has been active field testing the new Nikon Z7 in Africa. His report includes his experiences with the camera and three lenses using it on an assignment and is well worth a read.
I am wishing you a great rest of the week
Bo (bgs)
Membership opportunity
From now until September 25th you'll save a third ($25 USD) on an annual Gold Membership using the voucher "indiansummer18" on the upgrade page.
As a Gold Member you have access to our premium articles, you can participate in our contests, get your own portfolio, access the Premium Critique forum with NEF upload, your own Nikonians email address plus more, such as your custom made photographer's ID.
Take advantage Go Gold and Be Proud: You are helping our ad-free and independent community.
Inspiration
Marsha (meadowlark2) has interviewed a member who's producing good, inspirational work -- herself.
Read the article
Sparkling Strands of Crystal Beads - Moose - by Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2)
Nikon D800, Nikon 200-500mm @ f/16m 1/320s, ISO 1500, on tripod
Karen (scenicshutterbug) has produced a tile mural now decorating her outdoor kitchen area. She received good input from other members in the Digital Artistry forum in the process of creating her great looking mural.
Read how she created it.
Karen's composite image transformed into a mural
Contests
Open to all on Silver membership and higher: All of our contest themes have been updated for September.
The Best of Nikonians Segment 3 is quickly coming to a close. The theme is pretty easy and broad ranging: We are looking for photographs depicting the wonders of nature, such as mountains, canyons, waterfalls, storms, etc., all of the wonderful sights of the natural world. Let's see your best work! Participate
Posted by bgs at 12:59 PM
September 5, 2018
Nikon Z & Why bother about digital contest rules?
A lot has happened at Nikonians since last time I wrote. As you probably have read by now, Nikon has provided us photographers with two new mirrorless cameras, the new Z series. We are discussing the Nikon Z6 and Z7 in our Z cameras forum and we have a new, dedicated Z lenses forum as well.
Enjoy the available light for the rest of this week
Bo (bgs)
More on learning
Connie (Via the Lens) is discussing why there are digital photography contests rules in her latest premium article and many members have commented.
Yosemite, Morning at Tunnel View by Connie Cassinetto
Nikon D800, ISO 100, 1/45 of a second at f/22, Nikon 24-120. This shot was a combination of a shot taken for the bright early morning sun and for the foreground landscape. I used Lightroom to merge them together as an HDR image and then edited as needed. The HDR was needed to keep the sun from showing as a white blob with no detail.
My dear partner Ramón (jrp) has written a new piece in his premium articles series on the seven deadly sins in photography, this time discussing "missing distractions".
Still on basic membership?
Boost your learning now easier with a monthly Silver - You can now sign up for a monthly Silver membership at $3.90 USD to enjoy our premium articles plus more. The annual Silver is as always $25.00 USD.
Inspiration
Larry (elcee) has been interviewed by Marsha (meadowlark2) sharing his photography and background, while the team behind our popular, daily Editor's Choice have been busy selecting outstanding images.
Challenge
We have a new, special edition to our annual contest: The cell phone photo challenge and it is open for entries until September 30, 2018. More on this challenge
Community enhancements
Not only have we been active fixing issues in the community, such as solving the Apple Safari forum attachment/upload problem, but we have done a lot more. This has been possible thanks to all of our supporting members on paid memberships. Below are some of the highlights.
Read new messages improved
The "Read new messages" window now remembers your last settings used, it lets you select your favorite forums and remembers which messages are new across different devices and browsers between your visits. More info on "read new"
New "Follow members" feature
We have replaced our former "Friends" feature with a new "Follow members" feature, available to all members. Any of your former friends relationships have been converted to mutual follower connections. More info on followers
New gallery homepage
We have a new gallery homepage while the rest of the galleries will be re-designed later as well. Talking about galleries, we have fixed the issue with sharing your galleries with others using email, which now works fine.
Export of your data possible
You can export all of your data that you have at Nikonians, such as (1) your profile information, (2) all of your forum posts including attached images, (3) any article comments and gallery comments you might have made plus (4) all of your gallery images. The exported data is contained in a single ZIP file provided in two formats, XML and CSV. Latter format can be used for import into e.g. spreadsheets. You reach the export function under "My Profile" and "Membership" - top section "My Membership".
Setting your timezone
Something we have had for some time now, but often missed by many members it seems: You can set your timezone in "My Profile" top right corner. By doing so, we show all posts in the forums using your timezone, automatically adjusting for any daylight savings which might be relevant for your location.
Posted by bgs at 12:04 PM
July 25, 2018
Nikon mirrorless teaser, voucher & inspirational photography
Hope you are having the chance to get outdoors early (and late) to use the available light for your photography.
Many Nikonians are living in areas experiencing a very hot summer right now. Make sure you are well hydrated before and during any photographic trips you undertake. In digital times we do not need to worry about keeping our film cool, but electronics do like cooler temperatures as well, so do not let your gear be in direct sunlight for too long.
If you are not a Gold member yet, you can now upgrade using the 25% voucher "summergold18", valid thru August 1st, 2018. As a Gold member you have access to individual photo critique with NEF upload, your own nikonians.org email address and your photographer's ID card among others.
Hills Brothers by Tom Ferguson (tekneektom)
D800, 300mm @ f/11, 2.5s, ISO 100, Gitzo tripod
If you are still on the Basic membership level and feel you're not ready for Gold yet, there is a new Silver membership with monthly billing that you can take advantage of; First three months are $9.90, fourth month onwards $3.90 per month. Just select "Monthly" as membership duration. Upgrade to Silver.
I am wishing you some great outdoor opportunities and, in between the shooting, see you in the community :-)
Bo
Products: Nikon releases teaser video on their new mirrorless camera
A new teaser video, "Travel of light", has been released by Nikon on their site showcasing the silhouette of a new, mirrorless camera. The camera has been discussed for some time, especially after this spring when CEO of Nikon Imaging Japan, Kimito Uemura, confirmed that Nikon develops the camera.
The camera can be seen in the last seconds of the video and the lens mount seems different than the regular Nikon F mount.
We discuss this camera in our mirrorless forum where we will also keep you up-to-date on all aspects of it.
Learning: Two new premium articles available; Connie Cassinetto debates RAW or JPEG and Martin Turner provides good information on composition in his latest article in the series "Shooting the $2million image".
Inspiration: Editor's Choice
Our Editor's Choice team are selecting a daily, inspirational image showcased on our homepage and in the forum lobby. All images selected so far can be seen on the Editor's Choice overview page. By clicking on any thumbnail, you will see a larger version of the image with the comment by the team member that selected the image.
Inspiration: I Am Nikonians: Member Tom Ferguson has been interviewed by Marsha in her latest article.
Contests: Dave has announced the winners of the second segment of The Best of Nikonians 2018, "Wondrous World of Fun and Games" and the winners of our first ever Nikonians Portrait Challenge.
Read more
Posted by bgs at 8:19 AM
May 25, 2018
How to build a portfolio, Ansel Adams & more
This week is a hectic one for many sites. The reason is that a new data protection regulation kicks in from May 25th onwards. We as a community are also affected by this, so please read on.
Another important item for this week; we have kick-started our new "Editor's Choice" selection of images with an image from member Larry Mannino (Larry E30) now shown on our homepage, congratulations Larry!
Enjoy your weekend and remember to take a camera or two with you, no matter where you go.
Bo (bgs)
Inspiration
Marsha has interviewed Member Thomas Sprunger (Melman59) who shares his photography and story. Some great inspirational photography in this latest episode of "I Am Nikonians". Read the article
Mastering the art of photography
Connie's latest premium article, "Ansel Adams: His contribution to Photography and Nature" is well worth a read. It is available to all members on Silver membership or higher.
Ancient Bristlecone by Connie Cassinetto (Via the Lens)
Nikon D800, 1/500, f/16, -1EV, ISO 400, 14mm Rokinon lens.
Going Pro - Building a portfolio
Our "Going Professional" forum has an interesting discussion on wisely building your portfolio.
Gold and Platinum members showcase their portfolios here:
nikonians.org/portfolio
$25 USD voucher available
In case you have missed it, our eBook "Inspirational Photography #1" is free for all registered members and contains a $25 USD voucher for a Gold membership ($50 instead of $75).
In the book, seven talented amateur photographers share their photographs and personal stories, hopefully as an inspiration for you to further explore your own photography.
You can download the eBook in two different formats.
Your personal information
Our privacy policies have been updated to reflect the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation. We do suggest you read through our privacy policies to stay up-to-date on how we protect your personal data and more. See our privacy policies.
Editor's Choice
We are starting with a new selection of good photographs.
The Editor's Choice team will continually review images posted in both the Forums and Nikonians Galleries to identify executional work produced by the members of the Nikonians community.
The most recent image that is chosen as Editor's Choice will be featured prominently on the home page. All images will appear under the Editor's Choice tab on the homepage and in the galleries. They will also be permanently labeled with an Editor's Choice badge.
Posted by bgs at 12:34 PM
May 16, 2018
Linux for photography forum
If you are thinking about using open source software and Linux for your photography workflow, then join the discussions in our new Linux forum
Posted by bgs at 11:40 AM
May 2, 2018
Limited time upgrade offer
Between now and 12th of May 2018 you get $25 USD (25 EUR) off on an annual Gold Membership ($50 instead of $75) at Nikonians using the voucher "goldenmay18"
As a Gold member you have your own portfolio showcased at the Nikonians homepage plus under your unique address nikonians.org/portfolio/YourUserName
There is more information on how to get started with your portfolio right here.
You further have access to the Premium Critique forum with NEF and large JPG uploads, where you get advice and critique to bring your photography to new heights, plus you get your unique @nikonians.org email address.

The voucher for upgrading from Basic or Silver membership to Gold is: goldenmay18
If you are on a Silver membership now, the value left will be converted and added to your gold membership, plus you get one additional month as a bonus. We are looking forward seeing you :-)
J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) & Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs)
Founders of Nikonians
Please note: The voucher cannot be used for renewing existing Gold memberships.
Posted by bgs at 11:40 AM
April 28, 2018
ANPAT18 Spring - Day 5 images
The participants of the ANPAT18 Spring edition with its adventures in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park have spent their fifth day shooting the southern side of the Smokies. We are sharing some inspirational images from the day.
The tour is lead by Eric Bowles, the director of the Nikonians Academy in the US.
Eric says about day five: "Our first full day in the southern side of the Smokies was great. We had clearing skies for a trip to Cataloochee Valley, a tour along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a late finish at Morton's Overlook for a classic sunset. Along the way we saw fog, but also some bright blue skies. Here are a few photos - including a group photo with Big Foot."
Posted by bgs at 5:16 PM
April 27, 2018
ANPAT18 Spring - Day 4 images
The participants of the ANPAT18 Spring edition with its adventures in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park have spent their fourth day shooting landscape and traveling. We are sharing some inspirational images from the day.
The tour is lead by Eric Bowles, the director of the Nikonians Academy in the US.
Eric says about day four: "We had a great morning on Foothills Parkway in spite of dense fog at our planned sunrise location. After a quick discussion, we moved to an alternate spot and were rewarded with a magnificent sunrise.
After sunrise, we returned to the hotel to finish loading and say goodbye to Townsend. Today was a travel day. We moved from Townsend on the north side of the park, to Sylva on the south side near Cherokee and with access to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We made one final trip to the Roaring Fork area to visit a few more locations before the rains hit again. With lots of rain most of the afternoon, we used the time to change locations, get settled, and process images.
The weather forecast for tomorrow looks good with sunshine for a change. We have an early start to Cataloochee."
Posted by bgs at 3:53 PM
April 26, 2018
ANPAT18 Spring - Day 3 images
The participants of the ANPAT18 Spring edition with its adventures in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park have spent their third day shooting several interesting venues outdoors. We are sharing some inspirational images from the day.
The tour is lead by Eric Bowles, the director of the Nikonians Academy in the US.
Eric says about day three: "Another fantastic day in the Smokies for participants in the ANPAT. Our day started on Foothills Parkway and continued in Cades Cove and Tremont.
The highlight was some great looks and photos of a barred owl hunting and perched in a dogwood tree.
We continued to have rainy and overcast weather - perfect for macro and close up photography, stream photography, and some wildlife. We finished the day with some light painting at a local train museum."
Posted by bgs at 12:12 PM
April 24, 2018
ANPAT18 Spring - Day 1 images
The ANPAT18 Spring edition is currently under way and we are posting some inspirational images from the first day in this post. This photo adventure trip takes the participants to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The tour is lead by Eric Bowles, the director of the Nikonians Academy in the US.
Eric says: "We had a good first day in spite of rain throughout much of the day. We called it "atmosphere". We spent most of the day in Cades Cove for early and late photography, and in the Tremont area for stream photography."
Posted by bgs at 10:57 AM
April 5, 2018
Sigma AF fails on Nikon with latest firmware
This weeks update comes with information on issues with Sigma lenses not autofocusing on Nikon cameras using latest firmware and Connie Cassinetto sharing some excellent tips on shooting indoors in her latest premium article, using light box photography to achieve very pleasing results.
Plus, we have the monthly winners announced.
Read Connie's article "Shooting indoors - When Getting Outside Does Not Work for You"
Mixed Flowers by Connie Cassinetto. First Attempt; Nikon D800, Nikon 105mm, ISO 100, 8.0 sec at f/8.0.
Shot in aperture priority mode in natural and added light.
From the forums
Sigma Lenses not autofocusing on Nikon cameras
Some Sigma lenses, such as the 50mm/1.4 DG HSM and 50-500/4.5-6.3 DG APO HSM do not AF on latest firmware V1.13 on several Nikon's including the D4s, D610, D800 and D810. Sigma lenses on Nikon D500 seem to work all fine.
Some other Sigma lenses, such as the 50mm/1.4 Art, 120-300mm/2.8 DG HSM and 150/2.8 EX DG APO HSM do not seem to be affected.
The solution is to update the lens firmware by sending it in to Sigma. Complete discussion thread
Portrait lens recommendation using a Nikon D300
Many recommendations in the forums in this thread
Monthly winners announced
Wildlife > Ian McNicol (Scotty45)
Landscape > Tom Egel (tegel)
Macro & Close-up > James Buch (jimray)
Travel > Richard Faris (Rrfaris)
Digital Artistry > Godofredo Baylon (GBaylon)
Online Assignment > Robert Wightman (robwig)
More info
I am wishing you a very productive, photogenic rest of the week
Bo (bgs)
Posted by bgs at 1:18 PM
March 29, 2018
Give your work more exposure
We are launching several new things in the community today, 29-MAR-2018. Please give the team your feedback on this in this thread.
The main focus of our work has been to give your work more exposure, in and beyond the community.
Big thanks go out to our recently founded System Beta Group which has been working with the improvements throughout the last three months, including of course our developers and administrators.
The current improvements are:
1. Beta Homepage
To help you as a member getting more exposure of your work, we are starting a public beta (test phase) of showcasing images on the homepage of Nikonians. This is not the final version of the homepage, but rather "work in progress". The homepage will be decluttered and once we start with that, you will have a chance to see this progress as well. You can see the beta page here:
nikonians.org/beta2018
If you scroll down on that page you will find a new "image box" at the bottom with multiple tabs. One of the tabs is titled "Portfolios". This tab contains images from member portfolios.
"Image box" with multiple tabs on beta homepage.
Clicking on an image on any tab except the portfolio tab leads to either the galleries or the forums. This behavior will change in due time for images from the galleries and we anticipate you will no longer be lead to the galleries, rather you will have the chance to comment and see more information right in the popup.
Clicking on an image top left corner (icon showing for image expansion) shows a popup with a larger view of the image. Here you can navigate between images, start/stop a slide show of the images and see more information including "liking" it.
Liking an image means (a) that it is added to your favorite images in the galleries and (b) that the photographer is informed about it under the "heart icon" at Nikonians.
2. Portfolios
Portfolios are available to all members on Gold and Platinum levels. Images in your portfolio are showcased on our homepage and will be included on another site of ours, greaterphoto.com as well. That site will be available end of April, 2018. More exposure capabilities of your best work is being planned as well and some further customization possibilities of your portfolio will be available.
Your portfolio is available under the address with the format of
nikonians.org/portfolio/YourUsername
Some sample portfolios:
nikonians.org/portfolio/dm1dave
nikonians.org/portfolio/Ferguson
nikonians.org/portfolio/GBaylis

All available portfolios are shown here:
nikonians.org/portfolio
Please do start using the portfolio functionality today. Doing this ensures we are getting this right for you.
You can enable your portfolio in "My Profile" tab "Preferences". Adding images can be done directly from your gallery using the "Add to portfolio" link under your images or by using the "Add images" link on your portfolio page.
3. Editor's Choice
We will launch Editor's Choice in the next few weeks, where a team is selecting excellent photographs which then are shown on various locations, including on our homepage. There is a tab for this on the beta page as well. Currently included images on the beta page are only for test purposes and have not been going through our Editor's Choice process.
Other improvements
4. Follow a member instead of "friends"
The friends functionality will soon be replaced by a "Follow a member" functionality, a simpler way to be able to see posts and images done by fellow members, not needing a friendship request to be sent. For now, you can see the tab "Members I Follow" on the beta page, listing friends activities.
5. Worksafe browsing
We have introduced a worksafe mode, which you can set by using a small toggle in the galleries and on the beta homepage imagebox area. Any member can set the "Not safe for work" flag when uploading images into the galleries that might be sensitive for viewing in a work environment. The team can also set specific images as not being "safe for work". This is typically done for e.g. glamour-type photographs.
6. Shortcut buttons on top of homepage
For new visitors to Nikonians, we have some common "task buttons" at the top of the page currently leading to some intermediate pages, which will be improved in due time:
- Learn more about my Nikon
- Critique my photographs
- Post a question
- Display my photos
- About Nikonians
Once the buttons are no longer needed, the cross at the top right corner can be used to "collapse" the button area.
7. More menu expanded
The top menu "More" has now gotten revamped, containing all the items of the footer.
Posted by bgs at 12:28 PM
January 6, 2018
Is the Nikkor 50mm/1.2 any good?
I hope 2018 started off well for you. Snow sprinkles the fields outside my window while I am writing this years first newsletter here at the northern camp with temperatures a few degrees below zero C. The wind that made itself heard last night is resting its muscles and some black birds are fighting for top positions in a large tree nearby.
In the fifth part of "Mastering the art of photography" article series we are discussing a few more aspects of the "controlled spectrum", with thoughts on decision-making and consequences of our actions, or inactions. We are looking into taking risks, and freedom as a foundation for creativity. We are also coming back to physical exercise for helping creativity to flourish. Read the article
A ballet dancer in the Primate's Palace of Bratislava, Slovakia. By Pascal Baetens (pbaetens).
I am wishing you good reading and a terrific, photographically pleasing week/end :-)
Bo
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The other items for this week are:
Lens review
Jon is looking into what his Nikkor 50mm/1.2 achieves on a full frame DSLR body and he enjoys the results, which he shares in this premium article. Read the review
Santa in front of a tree using the Nikkor 50mm/1.2.
Photo contest
Dave has announced the winners of November's contest.
See the announcement and images
Posted by bgs at 9:41 AM
January 1, 2018
Happy New Year 2018!
A Happy New Year 2018 to all Nikonians from the team.
What are your personal goals for 2018? What keeps you motivated? And... don't forget to change the copyright settings in your camera.
On many locations where Nikonians are living the temperatures are dipping right now. This is a good time to get out and get that chilly shot.
The image below was taken by member Bump57 and shared by him in our Landscape forum. Well done, Scott!
Posted by bgs at 8:30 AM
December 21, 2017
What's your favorite image?
We have four short items for this week;
1. The voting for the monthly contest is open. Please make sure you place your vote in wildlife, landscape, macro, travel and digital artistry.
2. Wintersports photography. Read Pascal Baeten's premium article on how to shoot skiers and snowboarders. To the article.
Val D'isère, France by Pascal Baetens (pbaetens): in backlight conditions snow splashes look spectacular, shot high on a northern gradient (on the northern hemisphere). Position yourself so that the sun stands just above the horizon. Either wait for the right 'passenger', or give your model precise instructions about where exactly to pass and in which phase of turn he should be in. Ask him to watch his own shadow, it should point towards you. Don't forget to choose a safe spot, preferably at the side of a wide slope. (my good, old D70, 80-200mm/2.8 at 200 mm f9, 1/1250 sec, 200 ISO)
3. Now is a good idea to include the 18th ANPAT in the Spring on your shopping list, taking advantage of the early bird discount. More information (login required)
4. The whole team at Nikonians is wishing you and your family the very best for the holiday seasons and that you'll find plenty of opportunities to shoot some good photographs to share with others in the forums. We are back with the next newsletter January 4th, 20...18!
In the name of the whole team
Bo & Ramón
Posted by bgs at 11:54 AM
December 14, 2017
What is that "something" we take photographs of?
There is always something happening in the world of Nikonians. This week we have rolled out further improvements in the community: (1) it is now easier to see articles related to a specific topic (aka keyword/theme) (see this post) and (2) we are now showing small "overview thumbnails" of images linked into a discussion as well, not only for those that are uploaded.
Say welcome to our new writer Connie Cassinetto (Via the Lens). She starts out with an interesting article about photography rules and "Putting Our Subject in its Place".
She says: "Many people advocate that we 'throw away the rules,' or use them 'with a grain of salt.' But it is my belief that if you are a photographer, like me, who wants to go that step above the mundane or ordinary it is imperative to learn all of these compositional rules and to know them so well that they can be used without conscious thought. Then, and only then, can you forget about the rules and toss them to the wind." Read her article.
Over to Marsha who has been interviewing Karen Willshaw (Marjani) for this weeks inspirational I Am Nikonians article, coming with some great images and background info.
Manta & Divers by Karen Willshaw
Nikon D300, Tokina 10-17mm @ f/10, 1/320s, ISO 160, Seatool housing
The team is working hard on new articles and there are more good ones due next week.
I am wishing you good reading and interesting light :-)
Bo
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Posted by bgs at 11:03 AM
December 7, 2017
How do you work with other people?
Welcome to this weeks newsletter.
A new episode of Martin Turner's "Shooting the $2million image" premium article series is available. Martin discusses the "human factor" and how vital this is for successful professional photographers. He adds "One survey across many industries suggested that technical skills only accounted for around 20% of career success. The other 80% ? Ability to work with people." Read the article
This time of the year we might want to go through our gear, weed out what is no longer needed, maybe donate some of it and fine tune the arsenal in general. Ramón's article on filter systems might come in handy to answer questions you might have about one or the other filter system, which one to keep and what to get.
Ernesto Santos has a good write up on why one should bother about neutral density (ND) filters and why, if you have a circular graduated ND, you should definitely consider not keeping it: "Circular screw-on graduated neutral density filters are absolute rubbish. Do not buy one. If you own one, sell it to your worst enemy."
Final eye image by Martin Turner
We have some minor changes in the community:
1) You can now navigate between forum overview pages by either (a) using the button arrows or (b) by directly entering the page number you want.
2) If you are using Skype as a messenger and want to show other members that they can reach you via this channel as well, you can store your Skype name in "My Profile" and "Preferences" tab. The previous settings for AOL messenger and ICQ have been removed.
As always, if you have feedback on anything in the community, please do use our About Nikonians forum.
I am wishing you a good rest of the week :-)
Bo
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Posted by bgs at 10:22 AM
November 23, 2017
How to stay motivated?
Back to my southern basecamp looking through members images in our "Master your vision" galleries, something I seriously enjoy doing since it gives me a lot of good inspiration. I encourage you to do the same :)
Our Master your vision galleries contain a total of 18 main categories with everything from Astro, Glamour and Landscape to Travel, Underwater and Wildlife photography.
Please do welcome our new writer Kim Brasel (kjbrasel). She has been writing up a short article on playing tourist in your local area and that you don't need to travel far to get good shooting opportunities.
I am wishing you a great rest of the week with plenty of usable light :)
Bo
Want to make sure you get our weekly update in your mailbox? Just subscribe.
The other items for this week are:
Inspiration
Member Bill Naiman (pixures) was interviewed by Marsha for this week's I Am Nikonians article. Good photographs to get inspired by! To the article
Bald Eagle
I loved the body position as the eagle began to swoop down for a snag.
Nikon D600, Nikon 80-400mm, @ 400mm, f/8, 1/1600s ISO 320
Motivation
What is keeping you motivated? Read what other members say about staying motivated. If you have any tips & tricks, do share them (login required).
Mastering the art
In the fourth part of mastering the art of photography series, we dig into the areas we have under control vs. the ones we don't. There are also a few action items mentioned worth trying out. Let us know your thoughts - and actions - in the Café.
Nikonians Community - It is all about you
Thanks to recent member feedback, we have improved the "Read new messages" page. It now shows small thumbnails in case a thread contains images and has the new page navigation arrows as well.
We have further improved the mobile display in forums and articles, making sure that the read new link and related ones are at the top of the screen.
Do you have anything you feel we should have and that you are missing, please do let us know in the About Nikonians forum.
Posted by bgs at 9:18 AM
November 8, 2017
Is incorrect focus a deadly sin?
Hope your photography is doing well, no matter outside temperatures and the weather conditions that you might experience at your location. I am packing up at my nordic getaway heading "down south" to continental Europe this week and expect some good shooting opportunities along the way. We have lovely foggy mornings with plenty of roe deer and the odd moose out browsing and I will for sure keep some of Ramón's (jrp) "photography sins" in mind while shooting.
He has extended on his "seven deadly sins of photography" series with a new article, covering the sin of using incorrect focus. This is a premium article available to all members on Silver membership and higher. Read more
I am wishing you enjoyable photography moments behind the lens or screen for the rest of this week :-)
Bo (bgs)
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The other items for this week are:
Inspiration

Cattle Egret by Judie Dunn
Nikon D7100, Tamron 150-600mm @ f/7.1, 1/800s, ISO 800
Member Judie Dunn (topper46) has been interviewed by Marsha (meadowlark2) for this weeks "I am Nikonians" series. She concludes that "Judie is an example of what can be achieved with careful observation of the work of others, study, making an effort to get out and find great subjects, and being alert to creative opportunities." Read more
There has been over 6,000 downloads of the community's eBook "Inspirational Photography #1" - download yours :-)
The community - It is all about you
Give us feedback, please
Ramón and I are using a serious amount of information provided to us by you, helping us prepare for our annual upcoming meeting. One important feedback channel is our survey and if you have not filled it out, please do that since it helps us improve the community further. Survey form
What makes the final image?
Member patinnv asks the good question what defines the line between enhancing an image and manipulation? See her discussion post (login required)
Thumbnails in discussion threads
Some members noticed a serious lag in showing forums heavy with images last week, such as in the contest forums. The lag has been taken care of and the pages are flying again, even when a lot of thumbnails are shown in the topic overviews.
Posted by bgs at 7:01 AM
October 31, 2017
Mastering photography (technique) vs. art
Writing this week from my nordic getaway, pretty much smack on the 60th north latitude. I am heading out to the Baltic coast today for some landscape and bird shooting and reminded myself to pack enough rain covers and cleaning cloths for the gear.
Want to make sure you get our weekly update in your mailbox? Just subscribe.
I find that extra large microfiber cleaning cloths are working very well when out in this wet kind of weather.
I read something in the D850 forum that I found interesting, a question if one should bother to fine tune AF lenses or not. Member Pics905 is wondering if it's worth to fine tune his AF lenses on his new D850 and he gets some good con's and pro's on this from fellow members.
There were some good comments on the short MF lens summary mentioned in last weeks newsletter, where member GiantTristan thinks that only with these MF lenses he can take full advantage of his cameras image capturing qualities and member nikonzen thinks MF brings a zen-like moment to photography, forcing us to slow down.
I am wishing you a great, photographic week and wish me luck out at the coast :)
Bo (bgs)
The other items for this week are:
Mastery
In the third part of "mastering the art of photography" articles, I continue to explore what mastering this art form entails, discussing "is it really art?" and the creativity required to get "artsy enough".
How long or short is the road?
It comes down to you; you are the key factor and you are more capable than you may think.
As seen by Pascal Baetens (pbaetens)
Just because one might be mastering the technique does not mean we are producing art, of course. Art is not technique; rather it is the result of creativity. I believe that truly creative artists often are not very good at the mundane, ordinary tasks of daily life. It seems to me that our specialized brain regions are not often articulated at the same time, resulting in us being either well centered in the daily life with organized schedules, or that we are less focused on those timelines and pressures while being capable of being truly creative. Read more
Your membership
We now show small thumbnails in the forum topic overviews. In case a forum post contains attached (uploaded) images, up to seven of the latest images are now shown in the topic overview. If you don't like this feature, e.g. because it takes some additional space, you can disable it under your preferences "Show thumbnails in topics overview".
Keep track on what other members you care for do by using the "Friends" function. Under "My Profile" and "Friends" tab you can send a friendship request to another member. This can be a good way to stay a bit closer in touch with some members. Any of your friends image uploads will show in the "Friends" activity box in the community, plus some other activities.
A good way to show appreciation towards other members is to recommend them. You can recommend a member by using the corresponding icon under the members image ("avatar") in the members posts. There is also an icon to send a friendship request located there.
Posted by bgs at 10:18 AM
October 19, 2017
A Nikon D850 job - What keeps us motivated?
In this weeks newsletter we are looking into what members say about the Nikon D850 and what keeps us motivated when continuing on our quest to improve our photography.
Want to make sure you get our weekly update in your mailbox? Just subscribe.
I hope your week has been good so far and that you are planning some shoots for the next few days. I am using the autumn light and turning leaves here in continental Europe to get inspired myself.
The members that were on this years annual trip (aka autumn ANPAT) are back after a week of shooting and it seems they are happy with their results. Just saw the first few shots from the Maine coast in the galleries and more should come.
The Nikon D850 is keeping many members extra active and happy. If you are interested in this camera, maybe considering even getting one, make sure you look at what members have to share in the D8XX forum. Member xtrememac did his first job using it and reports on that
Some members are comparing the output of their D810's with D850, like in this thread
Oh, and by the way. If you are interested in writing for Nikonians, see our open position on this
Talking about writing, or rather reading, if you are not one of the over 4,000 members that have downloaded your own, complimentary eBook, this is a good time to do it :-)
I am wishing you a great rest of the week with a lot of colorful leaves!
Bo (bgs)
The other items for this week are:
Mastery
Ballet dancers practicing Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, as seen by Pascal Baetens (pbaetens).
What keeps us motivated to continue on our quest to improve our photography?
In the second part of the series on "Mastering the art of photography", we are digging into selecting one photography discipline that "resonates within you", plus what keeps us motivated to continue. On to the article
Your Membership
Images being uploaded in the forums which are within certain size limits are not touched by us. If you click on the preview image in a post you will see the original image. For the size/resolution limits when resizing kicks in, see the info box in the post message window.
A small but hopefully useful change: We are now showing your username together with your location under your "avatar", clearly flagging your location as such. This should fix the problem of jrp being called "Mr. Garza Garcia" ;-)
If you let your family, friends and colleagues know about the community, you can give him or her 20% off on a membership, while two additional months are added to your Silver, Gold or Platinum. See "My Profile" and "Invitations" tab.
If you are a member on a Gold or Platinum membership, remember to request your Photographer's ID under "My Profile" and "Membership" tab. You can also have your own @nikonians.org email address set up on the same tab.
Posted by bgs at 8:12 AM
October 16, 2017
European trip autumn 2018
Are you interested in going for a week of shooting in Europe in the autumn of 2018?
Maybe combined with the largest imaging and photography exhibition there is, Photokina in Cologne, Germany which is taking place 26th-29th of September?
Before starting the planning on this, it would be great to get your feedback on this and your ideas of what you would like to see.
We could include the alps region of Switzerland/Austria/Germany to get some great shooting opportunities at castles, medieval towns, birds, wildlife in general and then to end the week at the Photokina for a day or two of tons of industry updates, photography arts and everything else around imaging.
The overall design of the trip would be in line with our regular "ANPAT" trips, but it would potentially include one additional leg of flying (e.g. from the alps to Cologne).
Please do chime in on the post to discuss this in the Café
Posted by bgs at 10:57 AM
Open position: Writer
We are expanding our team of authors - If you are interested to join, send me, bgs a private message.
This could be a good chance for those of us who love both photography and writing, and who want to work some extra hours weekly.
See the job description as PDF
This lovely photograph was taken by JRP on one of the recent annual Nikonians photo trips (ANPATs).
He enjoys combining landscape photography with his personal style of writing.
Posted by bgs at 8:50 AM
October 14, 2017
Why bother about mastering photography?
This weeks newsletter is the weekend edition. That was not planned, but some network equipment at an Internet provider in Austria, where I am located right now, decided to give up and take a long, maybe well-earned rest. Next week is back to Thursdays.
Want to make sure you get our weekly update in your mailbox? Just subscribe.
Our eBook "Inspirational Photography #1" has already been downloaded over 3,000 times in its first week. It's available to all members at no cost, no matter your membership level. It highlights seven talented photographers and includes five bonus chapters with how-to's and tips. A few members have found out there is a voucher for a discount at the end of the book as well.
The eBook is available in two formats, just download the one you want (or both) by clicking on the corresponding link below and open it in your e-Reader:
ePUB (for most eBook readers) and mobi (for Amazon Kindle)
I am wishing you a great weekend and a good start of the new week :-)
Bo (bgs)
The other items for this week:
Mastery
What does "mastering the art of photography" mean to you?
We are starting a new series of articles on "mastering the art of photography", where I want to discover the processes and methods supporting any photographer interested in consistently achieving better results.
A ballet dancer may only achieve a level of mastery of the art after many years of hard work and practice. Photographed by Pascal Baetens (pbaetens) in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia in front of the presidential palace.
"To master the art of photography", that sounds big, maybe ominous or even impossible to achieve, right? Is it a level, an outmost goal, a high or the highest plateau of skills, knowledge and execution one can reach, probably with substantial effort invested? Or, is it rather the road itself, the path that we hopefully are on and that might never end?
Join me in the article
Your membership
Since many years, photography equipment is exchanging owners in our very popular "Want to Sell" & "Want to Buy" forums. Members can take leverage of these forums compared to e.g. online auction sites. If you have some gear you are no longer using or if you want to upgrade some accessories or bodies, this might be a good time to do so.
No matter your level of membership, we are now advertising free. Let us know what you think about this in the "About Nikonians" discussion thread
Posted by bgs at 3:39 PM
October 1, 2017
Inspiration and mastering the art - We are back to weekly
Inspiration, mastering the art of photography, professional tips and industrial news: The publishing of our weekly newsletter stopped mid July after we'd experienced some unplanned changes on the team. We are now getting back on track again and expect to be publishing weekly starting coming week.
The main items from this weeks newsletter are included in this blog below. The upcoming newsletter will be structured a bit differently, but we are working very hard trying to make it an easy to read, not too long & wordy.
bgs and jrp, the two founders of the Nikonians Community, doing a podcast at the Crazy Horse Memorial.
If you are not subscribed to the newsletter and want to get inspiration, mastering the art of photography, professional tips and industrial news, sign-up for it today.
1. We are now advertising free.
The reason? The value of the advertising, for you as a member and for the community over all, is diminishing. Many of us are using ad blockers and if we do not, we hardly interact with the ads or view them. Let us know what you think In the About Nikonians forum (login required)
2. We now support (really) large file uploads in the forums
Starting right now, all of our forums allow for upload of files larger than the recommended 1200 pixel width for landscapes and max 900 pixels height for portraits. If the file is larger than 3MB in file size, it will automatically be resized as well. Motivation for this is to make it easier for you to upload files without having to bother about exact size of the original file, just because you wanted to share something. More in our blog
3. Our fundraising is up
We have already raised over $5,000 since we started early September. Our fundraising page has more info
4. Last days for the 50% discount on upgrading to a Gold membership
Last days to take advantage of a heavy discount on our popular membership level. Go head :-)
5. New, inspirational photography from members
We have some new articles up on inspirational photography and the members behind it
Kathy Cavallaro and Lawrence Treadwell
6. New functionality: Ask for critique on images directly from the galleries
We are running an open beta of a new functionality, making it possible to include images from your gallery for advice & critique. The new functionality is available to all members on Gold and Platinum. More info in the blog
7. Some more buttons, forums time-zone aware, comments on your images & more info on your membership
In case you've missed it, we now have a "Post a reply" button top right corner in the forums.
We further introduced a "Cancel" button in the post message window.
You can now set your timezone in your profile and you will see all posts with your correct time.
If someone posts a comment on an image of yours in the galleries, it now shows under the
"Heart" menu as well.
More details on your membership now showing under your profile, "Membership" tab.
Posted by bgs at 1:23 PM
September 27, 2017
Upload, share and enjoy - Now bigger than ever
Starting today, you can upload large files in the forums and share with others. And we mean LARGE. The old limits on width, height and file size are no more.
From today onwards, all of our forums allow for upload of files larger than the recommended max 1200 pixel width for landscapes and max 1800 pixels height for portraits. The reason for this, is to make it easier for you to upload files without having to bother about exact size of the original file, just because you wanted to share something.
In addition to testing for width and height of the image and eventually resize it if larger, files larger than 3MB (former max limit 1MB) can be uploaded. Files larger than that will though be slimmed down in file size, even if they might be within the 1200 pixel width, 1800 pixel height range.
Cargo trains in Indiana
In case the file is reduced in width or height, we apply a gentle sharpening. We do not apply any sharpening, if the width or height is not reduced, even if potentially the filesize was slimmed down.
If you do not want the system to reduce the width or height of the image, you can simply stay within the values mentioned and no alterations are done.
In case we are resizing the file in width or height, or slimming it down in file size, we show, a small warning "!" indication before the filename in the upload dialog window after you have uploaded it. If you click on the warning indication, you will see a short info that we have resized the file.
Some forums allow for large JPGs and sometimes NEFs to be uploaded. These individual forums are not affected by the resizing above.
To discuss this feature and to give us feedback, please use this thread.
Posted by bgs at 12:33 PM
September 25, 2017
We are advertising free

The reason? The value of the advertising, for you as a member and for the Nikonians Community over all, is diminishing. Many of us are using ad blockers and if we do not, we hardly interact with the ads or view them.
We hope this change will further lead to a cleaner design and less clutter, making the Nikonians Community an even more enjoyable place to visit.
Lake Norman Sunrise. Nikon D800, 24-70mm f/2.8 @ f/22, 20s, ISO 100, ND filter.
Lawrence Treadwell (treadwl). You can see more of his work here.
If you want to give us feedback on this, feel free to do that right in this thread.
Enjoy!
Bo & Ramón
Posted by bgs at 11:26 AM
September 19, 2017
Advice & critique on your photographs?
It is now easy for Nikonians members to ask for critique on their work. When you have uploaded an image in your galleries, just use the link in the bottom right corner, "Please give me critique on this image" to kick it off. Other members and the team will now have the chance to give you the constructive critique and advice you might need to further advance your skills.
Clicking the bottom right link "Please give me critique on this image" opens a new page for additional information.
Click the "Please give me critique on this image" link
Clicking the link, a new page shows where you can enter some additional information or questions relating to your photograph.
When any additional information has been filled out, hit submit
Hitting the submit button and your image will be posted in the Nikonians "Premium Advice & Critique" forum, including any additional information you might have added, while linking to the larger version of your image stored in the galleries.
Link changes after critique has been requested
Your image is posted and the link changes
After the "Asking for critique" process has been initiated, the link below the image in the galleries changes and now shows a direct link to the post with the request for critique in the "Premium Advice & Critique" forum instead.
You will receive notifications of new critique via email
Whenever you receive advice or critique on your image, you will receive an email notification with a link to the forum discussion on your image.
Please note
This functionality is currently in "open beta" and we will likely improve it further in the next few months.
It is available to all members on a Gold or Platinum membership.
Please do try it out and let us know what you think about it.
You can reach us by sending us an email to bo-jrp-feedback@nikonians.org
Posted by bgs at 4:03 PM
Small changes are also important

Two of the latest, albeit small, adjustments we have done to Nikonians.org are:
- Now the "post message" window has a cancel button, discarding the message and taking you back to the former window when used.
- When you are using auto-renewal of your membership, look under "Membership" tab in "My Profile" to see when the next payment is due, independent of the duration of the membership.
The new "Cancel" button in the left corner easily takes you out of the post screen
Other improvements we have recently added:
- Personal time zone settings (set yours in "Your Profile")
- Password change no longer requires you to remember your old password
- Comments on your gallery images now show under your "Heart" menu
- Improved navigation of articles on mobile devices
- Image preview slider in forums now quicker and loads more images
And, when we are not improving the site, we just love to be outdoors taking photographs!
Posted by bgs at 1:18 PM
September 15, 2017
Photo trip: Enjoy the Smokies in Spring
Join Nikonians to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Spring. Great photography and learning guaranteed.
Learn how to make impressive landscape photographs in this beautiful part of the US.
We are visiting a rich set of locations providing all of us in the group with excellent opportunities to achieve stunning photographs.
As always, our "Annual Nikonians Photo Adventure Trips" are popular and the seats are limited, so ensure you get your seat and use the early-bird discounts.
Learn more about the trip ANPAT 8 in Spring.
Posted by bgs at 1:04 PM
September 12, 2017
Save 50% on a Gold Membership in September
If you are a member on a Basic or Silver membership in the Nikonians community, you can right now upgrade to a Gold Membership at a 50% discount, giving you a full year of Gold benefits for $37.50 instead of the regular $75 USD.
As a Gold Member, you have access to our NEF skills forum, where you can post your RAW files for help on processing, receive tips and tricks.
It's a Golden Autumn
Yes, I want to upgrade now. This offer is valid until 30th of Sep 2017. The voucher to use is "GoldenSep2017". Please note, this is only valid for upgrades and reactivations, not renewals on Gold level.
As a Gold member, you also have access to the Premium Critique forum, where other photographers help you with giving you the critique you may need to bring your photography to new heights.
The Nikonians Photographers ID Card and your own, unique @nikonians.org email address are included in the Gold membership as well, to name a few more benefits.
Posted by bgs at 4:29 PM
September 4, 2017
Fundraising started
We have started our fundraising campaign September 4th, 2017 and its objective is to raise enough funds to further improve the way photographs are being managed and shared in the community.
We need your support and hope that you can contribute, any amount counts.
Here at Nikonians we are all working together to achieve mastery in our photography. We know that only through our continuous dedication, staying strongly focused on learning, we will achieve our goal of mastering the art of photography.
We know that learning is easier and more fun together, letting us inspire each other and share our joy, and sometimes pain.
A dancer high up in the air. By Pascal Baetens (pbaetens)
With your support, we can improve the learning experience further. Any amount is helpful.
Posted by bgs at 4:32 PM
September 2, 2017
Issue with accessing us fixed 01-SEP-2017
We have had "a bug in the system" resulting in some members and visitors seeing blank pages or "error 500" pages when trying to access certain areas of Nikonians.
This bug was fixed 01-SEP-2017 ca 16:40h UTC+0 (12:40 PM EDT)
It was (obviously inadvertently) introduced 16-AUG-2017 by us.
- Was not logged in and
- Was accessing us from an IP address that we could not look up and
- Was accessing the login page, the password retrieval page, the deeper forum pages or galleries. It did not happen on e.g. the homepage, wiki, blog, newsletter subscription or search (NikoScope).
For details, please see the About us forum (login required).
Our former rack system, meanwhile replaced - there is always something to do.
Posted by bgs at 12:52 PM
August 31, 2017
Some members cannot access us
We have recently been notified that some members cannot access us and see an 500 error page or a blank page in their browser, trying to access certain areas of the community.
We believe the problem relates to the infrastructure in use between us and you, since some members are plagued by this no matter which browser they use, but the issue disappears when they use another provider.
We have now made some re-configurations on our side, changes that might be relevant to the issues experienced by some. So, if you have experienced recent problems accessing the community, please try again.
Posted by bgs at 12:58 PM
August 22, 2017
Nikonians FAQ: Issues with login?
Every so often, some members of Nikonians report having issues logging in to the site. This often relates to a few, common problems. Remedies are listed in this blog, but if they did not help, just contact us.
Waves hitting the beach in Los Cabos, Mexico in the early morning hours. Nikon D300
If you have issues to login to Nikonians, this should help:
1. If you are using Safari as your browser and you see a 500 error after successful login, please enter
nikonians.org
in the browser's address field and press the return key
2. Do not use Microsoft Internet Explorer. Especially older versions are not supported by us. Microsoft Edge is probably a bad idea as well.
3. Stick to one browser you like. e.g. Chrome, Chromium, Opera, Firefox or Safari. This is especially true if you want to keep bookmarks organized and if you care about "remember my password" features.
4. If you are using an additional security/firewall software on your computer, make sure nikonians.org is set as a trusted site or granted similar trust. Security software can easily block parts or all of Nikonians to work properly in your browser.
5. Make sure cookies from Nikonians are stored and kept in your browser (cookies must be enabled in your browser for nikonians.org). Losing/deleting the cookies from us means new login required.
6. Ensure JavaScript is enabled for nikonians.org in your browser/security software. Without JavaScript, you cannot use Nikonians.
7. When you login at nikonians.org, checkmark "Remained logged on when I return later"
8. Once you are logged in, change your password to something you can remember. You do that under "My Profile".
More help can be found in our FAQs
And, enjoy the community! :)
Posted by bgs at 9:05 AM
August 21, 2017
New Nikonians Member? Where to start
Nikonians has a lot to offer and it might feel a bit intimidating to new members. If you are new to Nikonians, please take a few minutes, sit down with your favorite cup and read through the following guide, it should hopefully be helpful :)
Waiting for Old Faithful on the ANPAT16, 2016
Remember, if you have any problems with anything pertaining to the community, its forums or articles, please make a post in the About Nikonians forum, where many helpful members and the team are available to support you.
If you rather want to have a 1:1 response, e.g. the matter is about your membership and is of no interest to others, please contact us through the contact form instead.
Enjoy the community!
Posted by bgs at 2:46 PM
August 18, 2017
How to easily add months to your membership
This is something that many members miss, so let me wrap it up here. If you invite another person to join Nikonians, they will get a 20% discount on their new membership and you will get two additional months added to yours as a small "thank you" for helping spreading the word.
How does it work? It is simple, really:
1. Go to "My Profile" and click on the tab "Invitations"
2. Type in the person's email to be invited
3. Click the "Generate voucher" button
4. Now you can either click the link "Send" to send out the voucher as an email to the person, or you can print it out to personally hand it over.
There is no limit on the number of invitations you can make and you can keep track on them easily in the list shown on the "Invitations" page.
Thanks for spreading the word about the community :)
Posted by bgs at 2:20 PM
The notification window is your friend
Nikonians notifications, shown by the small heart symbol beside the "My Profile" link in the top right corner, indicates when someone likes a post you have made. If you have been recommended by another user, that shows on the heart icon as well. Clicking on the heart and your list of recommendations and likes are shown.
Coming Monday 20-AUG-2017, we are expanding on this functionality, including two more kinds of notifications:
- If someone comments on an image of yours in your gallery, you will be notified about this in the notification window
- If you are the author of an article and someone comments on your article, you will be notified about this in the notification window as well
We are including more types of notifications in the "heart window" over time.
Posted by bgs at 1:44 PM
July 11, 2017
Nikon announces newest 70-300mm zoom

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. --- Members react to new Nikkor 70-300 - Wide angle choices for DX on a trip - Airline camera carry-on bans easing up--- PLUS more....
1 - Nikon unveils newest 70-300mm zoom
Nikon has announced the newest version of their popular 70-300mm telephoto zoom, this time adding Stepping Motor Technology, making it "Nikon's first full-frame AF-P lens."
This AF-P technology brings a promise of very quiet and fast autofocus but also takes a step back on the backward compatibility scale.
Our members are already reacting, with some seeking clearer explanations on the compatibility issue:
• The recent trend has been to introduce new lenses that are not fully compatible with recent bodies, e.g. D7100 and many FX bodies.
• This new lens is not compatible with any camera that I currently own. I understand that Nikon needs to innovate, but I hope this is not an indication that all (or most) new lenses will not be usable with my cameras.
• Perhaps the silver lining is that the "old" 70-300 AFS-VR will become a bargain in the near future.
Follow the discussion to see how this lens is doing on the "announcement of release" speculation. We are already getting responses indicating added compatibility for certain cameras once a firmware upgrade is applied.
The AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR lens will have a suggested retail price (SRP) of $699.95 USD and availability will be announced at a later date.
2 - Step by step to perfection
It took a small horse to help solve a big problem for Candi Foltz (CandisCamera) from Florida, USA. While trying to nail some good images of a pony, she was running into exposure extremes. Our members have responded by giving her some valuable advice that could be of help to many others.
The discussion has touched on Auto ISO, center-weighted metering and exposure compensation.
Here's a sample:
• The matrix meter will "think" that a subject in shadow is not really the main subject. This has nothing to do with Auto ISO - if you had been using a fixed ISO, you'd have gotten the same results, as long as you were using matrix meter.
• It's not that the camera can't change ISO fast enough. Auto ISO does not correct the exposure. Any of the automated modes - Aperture, Shutter, or Auto ISO - would produce the same result.
• If the horse is in the shade and you expose it properly the background will be overexposed. But I have a feeling you don't want that.
So, if you don't have a strong flash or other lights I guess, it would be best, to just position yourself in such a way, that the horse will be on the light (and not in the shade) when you shoot it.
Take a look at the advice she has received so far, and if you have experience capturing images of fast moving animals under harsh lighting conditions, add your opinions.
3 - Celebrate Nikon's 100th with Berger Bros.
Berger Bros. is now taking orders on all 100th Anniversary Nikon gear and will give Nikonians priority and free shipping (continental USA).
The gear includes:
• Nikon D500 and D5 flagship DSLR camera commemorative editions.
• 100th Anniversary AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR telephoto zoom lens
• Triple lens set of the wide-angle AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, the normal 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, and the telephoto 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR.
• Commemorative editions of three Nikon binoculars.
These may be a good investment for future appreciation. To take advantage of this special Nikonians offer, contact Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com.
4 - Profiled: Tom Jacob (sevendayimages)
Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has posted her latest chapter in the Nikonians member profile "I am Nikonians" series of articles.
Her subject in this installment is Moderating Team member Tom Jacob (sevendayimages).
Marsha tells us:
Tom rejoined Nikonians after several years with a busy family and professional commitments. He remembers receiving his first camera from his parents when he was about 12 years old, a Praktica MTL50 with 50 and 135mm Pentacon lenses, and Tom reports, "I was hooked from that moment on."
Tom lives in Spain five minutes from a big Nature Reserve which gives him plenty of shooting opportunities.
Check out the full article, and make sure you have a look at his gallery. It includes some of the best of his street photography and macro work.
4 -- This CheatSheet makes editing RAW files easy!
You know you should be shooting RAW files. But, you've always thought they were too hard to edit.
Well, this PhotoBert CheatSheet for Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) makes it easy.
Our extremely popular Adobe Camera Raw CheatSheet has been updated for V9+.
It walks you thru each option in ACR and contains everything you need to know to edit your RAW files like a pro.
We also have CheatSheets for Nikon and Canon DSLRs and most Speedlights, along with some great accessories.
Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Photo Software and 5% on accessories.
Get the discount with this link.
5 - Wide angle choices for D500
Gold member James Baker (Jamed600) from Illinois, USA considers himself primarily an FX-format shooter, but he's got a trip coming up and he's planning on using his D500 (DX-format) camera plus a carefully decided selection of lenses. That decision-making process has narrowed down to a choice of some wide-angle glass.
Here's a small portion of his question:
With a D500 now and an upcoming family vacation to Williamsburg ... I am thinking about a lightweight kit- D500, Wide Angle DX zoom, 16-80 (pleased with this lens; possibly better than 24-120 f4 for FX) and Tamron 150-600 G2 or Nikon 300 PF + TC14 (it would be nice to have a backpack weighing less than 35 pounds).
...I've ruled out the new Nikon 8-15. I am not aware of a Tamron or Sigma DX lens that would be competitive but open to suggestions.
Can you match his needs with a lens you've been happy with under the same circumstances? If so, share your advice.
6 -- Care of Acrylic Filters - Avoid Ammonia
Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles has a timely warning for our members who are cleaning their lenses and filters during the summer months. In short: Avoid ammonia.
Here's Eric's tip:
We've had several posts about filter quality recently. In addition to glass filters, there are some companies that provide acrylic filters. In some cases, lenses are made with polycarbonate elements to lower cost and save weight.
If you have plastic or acrylic filters, be sure to stay away from any ammonia based cleaners - Windex or other glass cleaners, household ammonia, etc. Ammonia reacts with some types of acrylic and plastic causing fogging. It can't be reversed. So, avoid using Windex or any ammonia type cleaner on any acrylic surface.
If you are using rectangular filters - such as Cokin, Singh Ray, or Hi-Tech - it's important to use either water or alcohol based cleaners.
I can't speak to the impact of ammonia on coatings, but suspect some coatings may be fogged or develop a white film from ammonia. I'd use care. Also keep in mind that most filters do not have sealed edges - there is a small filter ring holding the element in place, and it might be possible for a liquid to work its way under this ring and into the coating if there is too much liquid used.
The damage from ammonia is not immediate. Normally it shows up after several cleanings - when it's too late.
Have you ruined a lens or filter with the wrong cleaning product? Tell us your story.
7 -- Shameful confession: he bought "that" camera
Gold member Jim Tubman (Tubman) from Alberta, Canada was not alarmed by some of the negative criticisms shared by our members of the Nikon D7500. In fact, he purchased one, and -- so far -- he's happy with his new camera.
Here's the introduction to his review:
I have a shameful confession to make: I bought the much-maligned new Nikon D7500. (Gasps of horror! Men faint. Women scream.)
Yes, that one. The one with no AI index pin. The one that won't accept a grip. And most appalling of all, the one that does not have two card slots. I will bare my soul before all the world (or at least, the people who read this forum in Nikonians) and plead for your mercy and pity.
With the levity out of the way, I thought it might be of some interest as to why someone might actually find that model to be a good fit to their needs.
Jim goes on to describe (in detail) why this camera may not be popular with some existing D7xxx users, but a good option for many others looking to upgrade. Check it out.
8 -- Airline camera carry-on bans easing up
Moderating Team member Ned S. Levi (Ned_L) has an update on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ban on electronic devices larger than a cellphone regarding airline flights from certain countries. Bottom-line: the restrictions are easing.
Ned tells us:
By next Wednesday, July 19, the ban will have been lifted at 8 of the 10 airports on which it was imposed. As of July 19, based on announcements made as of today, the ban will only stand at Saudi Arabia's two international airports with direct flights to the US. (Saudi Arabia has seven international airports.)
So far it appears that the UK electronics ban remains in place. From what I can tell it still is affecting direct flights to the UK from: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Read Ned's full post for more details and if you have information that expands, or contradicts his research, let us know.
-----------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:48 PM
July 4, 2017
Summer release of New Nikon DSLR expected

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Members react to new Nikon D820 rumors- May contest congrats- $25K lens reviews a hoot--- PLUS more....
1 - Summer release of New Nikon DSLR expected
Our members have been discussing recent bargain prices on the Nikon D810, and the logical conclusion seems to point towards the next camera in the D8XX series. Now, the internet is buzzing with rumors of a D820 unveiling later this month.
This discussion, started last month, starts to unravel the possibilities.
A few sample comments:
• I think it's time for an updated "800" series body and that is likely to be significantly better than the D800/D810. It should incorporate some of the improved focus and processing systems in the D5 and D500 and could be close to 50 MPX (if that is of interest).
• I will be getting a D820 or whatever the next high-resolution camera is around that price point. Skipping a generation tends to work well and produce more significant updates.
• But I'm not going to jump to a 40+ mp D820 - I'll wait for the 40+ mp D830!
Have you been holding off for a generation jump in the D8XX series? If so, what features are you holding out for?
One more thing--that image we're using of a "D820" - it's a Photoshop fake.
2 - May Contest Congrats
Nikonians Contest Coordinator David Summers (dm1dave) has posted the results of the May contests.
Congratulations to our winners!
Special congratulations go to Kathy Cavallero (Cavy2) for taking first place honors in two categories.
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.
Here are the winners of the May Contests:
1. -- Wildlife - "Interaction between animal species" theme winner Isaac Vaisman (ivaisman), from Florida, USA with his image titled Not this time.
2. -- Landscape - "Coastal Views" theme winner Darryl Hodson (skibreeze7) from Oregon, USA with his image titled Ecola Point at Sunset.
3. -- Macro - "Green" theme winner Roberta Davidson (birdied) from Louisiana, USA with her image titled My What Big Eyes You Have.
4. -- Travel - "Room with a View" theme winner Kathy Cavallero (Cavy2) from Pennsylvania, USA with her image titled Chillon Castle-Switzerland.
5. -- Digital Artistry - "Lines" theme winner Kathy Cavallero (Cavy2) from Pennsylvania, USA with her image titled Heuchera.
6. -- Assignment - "Street Photography" theme winner Dan Mitchell (danmitch) from England, The United Kingdom with an image from a series, capturing moments of quiet in busy places. .
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past assignments here.
The current (July) assignment is "The Color White."
Here is Rob's description:
It would follow of course that since last month's assignment was the color black, this month's assignment would be the color white. Like last month, my suggestion is to Google "the color white" to get a sense of this month's assignment. You will come up with a ton of ideas that are associated with this color - what it means, what it evokes, how it affects us, etc. Your job is to convert what the color means to you into a photograph. The assignment is easy, yet it will be hard.
3 - 100 more millimeters - worth it?
Silver member David Powell (DaveP142) from England, The United Kingdom is wondering if he should invest in a lens that hits the 300mm mark.
He already has a lens reaching 200mm and is looking to find out if that extra 100mm is worthwhile.
Here's the question:
My "long" lens at the moment is the Nikkor 55 - 200mm. I've been feeling that a little more reach could be handy and looking at 70 - 300mm lenses.
It seems there are three contenders. According to online reviews:
The Nikon VR - Well built, popular, but, apparently, tragically soft at 300mm.
The Tamron SP Di VC USD. Cheaper, not quite so well made but a bit better optically - but I have come across reports that this too is less than satisfactory at 300mm
The Nikon AF-P DX. Thom Hogan reckons it's the best match for a 24MP camera although he apparently hasn't given it a full lab session. I wouldn't challenge his evaluation, but I personally think that f/6.3 at 300mm could be a problem for me.
I'm starting to think that just wanting an extra 100mm isn't such a good idea in practice as the whole point of the exercise would be to use the lens at 300mm.
I understand that I might see an improvement in image quality at 200mm and below but I'm not sure how much and by the sound of things I would end up "paying" for any improvement by having to take constant care to avoid using the dodgy focal lengths.
This is all based on stuff I found on line, and much of that was four or five years old. I'd appreciate some more up to date thoughts on the subject.
Should have said: Intended use would be nature / landscape - no sports!
We've already had some enlightening responses, including positive comments on a 300mm prime option (instead of zoom). Join the discussion if you have wrestled with the same problem as you added new gear.
4 - $25,999 lens? Why not?
Scrolling through the many news sources regarding our favorite camera gear, we sometimes run into unusual (and sometimes funny) tidbits.
This is one of those tidbits.
It's an expensive lens that has drawn very interesting reviews. In fact, the reviews are getting funnier with time.
We're currently discussing the lens and those reviews which are gathering on a famous online shopping site.
Here's a sample:
• I decided to try it out at a nature park near me to look at Saturn. I got some pretty good pics (seen in images) but I accidentally set off the built-in mini nuke launcher and destroyed the entire planet of Saturn!
• This lens is great as others have already mentioned so I won't get into that detail, but there is one major flaw with this listing. The lens cap is not included!
• I got this for the camera in my iPhone, works great. I took it with me to Vegas and was using it in the casino (I know, not supposed to use cameras in the casino, but I was discreet) I was actually able to read guys security code at an ATM in Detroit.
And that's just a small sample-- wait till you read the one about the guy who uses this lens for a certain medical procedure. The links can be found here.
5 - Upgrade decisions - ready for new computer?

Silver member Neal Nurmi (Wingman) from British Columbia, Canada is researching his next computer, and his question to our members has resulted in a number of insightful appraisals. If you are also considering a computer upgrade, this is a must read.
Here's a small portion of his question:
I'm planning a new computer to replace my aging machine. I know questions like this one get posted here a lot, but I would like some advice on this. It will be a Windows 7 machine.
I've been emailing with a builder who has a good reputation. He himself is a gamer and gaming is what he knows best, but he has worked with photographers and graphic artists as well and is well spoken of by photographers in his area. When I explained my needs to him (high megapixel cameras, HDR, image stacking and panoramas etc. but no gaming and no interest in video) he came up with this possible build: ----
Neal goes on to give specs, and our members are already weighing in with further advice.
Check it out, and feel free to share your opinion Neal's perfect upgrade.
6 - Bye-bye Lexar?
Our thanks to Silver member Colin H Frydrych (colin1957) from England, The United Kingdom for his heads up on some sad news for Lexar memory card fans.
It seems the entire line of Lexar cards and accessories may be headed for extinction. Our members quickly reacted to the news.
A clarification post by Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles sheds more light on the topic:
Micron - the parent - is doing well but Lexar and other consumer products are holding them back. Camera sales are down and most smart devices are shifting to cloud storage rather than SD cards.
Micron's new CEO was a co-founder of SandDisk and left SanDisk in 2016. He was named CEO of Micron in April 2017.
It's pretty obvious that the storage business is a concern. Toshiba announced they were getting rid of memory cards last year but just sold the unit to a group including Bain Capital in June. They - like Micron - reported financial results showing the weak unit was a "discontinued operation" - and that presentation boosts operating results and stock price of the parent. So, the timing is partly for accounting presentation. They will likely sell the brand and it will likely continue in some form. There is a big difference between closing the unit and announcing it is being discontinued with plans for sale.
Do you agree with Eric's assessment? Let us know.
7 - D5 time lapse - Pool table install
Silver member Linwood Ferguson (Ferguson) from Florida, USA shares an interesting time-lapse project condensing the steps involved in the assembly of a pool table.
Linwood shares the final product as well as some tech-specs:
I tried something completely different. We were getting a pool table installed, and I set the D5 up with the Intervalometer running at 10 second intervals, and got 1632 images. Put them together in Resolve to a video, and got about a minute worth of the install.
Maybe this should go under video, but I didn't use the video feature.
Just for your amusement.
I limited it to HD (1080p) but you get really high resolution when you take stills and then make it into a video. -- Linwood
If you have a similar project in mind and you want to gather some preparation notes, feel free to ask Linwood.
8 - D7500 memory card performance review
Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) has posted a link to memory card performance specs from cameramemoryspeed.com, along with his own assessment of the results.
Here's a brief sample of Eric's thoughts on the published performance specs:
The bottom line is this confirms that the camera has a UHS-I SD card slot and gets no benefit from using newer, faster, and more expensive UHS-II cards. The SanDisk Extreme Pro 95 MB/s UHS-I cards are identified as the best value with write speed of around 80 MB/s. The fast UHS-II cards are no better in terms of write speed, but can be much faster using a USB 3.0 UHS-II card reader for downloads.
The buffer on the D7500 is quite large, so the camera can shoot 14 bit RAW lossless compressed files at 6.5 fps and zip off the limit of 100 frames before stopping. It takes a while to clear the buffer if it fills - around 12-15 seconds with the fastest cards.
Check Eric's full post for details and the link to the performance test.
-----------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 1:10 PM
June 28, 2017
Countdown to the Solar Eclipse

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
USA Solar Eclipse less than two months away - What's your lemon test - Two cards a must? --- PLUS more....
1 -- Solar Eclipse creating gear and lodging shortages
Moderating Team member and Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) has an update on filter availability for the upcoming Solar Eclipse event. In short, with less than two months to go, supply is having a hard time keeping up with demand.
Eric tells us: Thousand Oaks Optical is backordered on some of their solar filters. I just ordered a 77mm threaded filter, an 8-inch filter for use on my 600 f/4, and am backordered 4-6 weeks on a filter for my Tak FS-60.
Eric's post is one of many eclipse-oriented discussions currently featured in our Astrophotography Forum.
You can also check:
• Nikon guide on how to photograph a solar eclipse
• More Solar Eclipse Questions
• Lodging for total eclipse viewing...get it fast!
2 -- What's your lemon test?
When you get your brand new camera, what do you do to quickly test it? Do you have a ritual series of actions that help assure you this particular model is not a lemon?
New member Brian Rose (kbobb) asks us what we prefer to use as our "new gear test" routines. He asks about a specific model, but this topic applies equally to most of our purchases:
Hi All, Is there any special process you go through to check that all functions work properly on a new camera and images are appropriate both in camera and on the computer? Anything particular to Nikon, specifically the D750? I'd like to run through all functions before the return period expires.
Silver member Neal Nurmi (Wingman) responds with:
This is actually an interesting question. All my cameras over the years have functioned as advertised, but these things have gotten so capable and so complex that a more systematic approach does make sense. It'll be interesting to see what sorts of replies you get to this.
Do you have a testing routine or do you just start shooting and wait for something weird to happen?
3 -- This CheatSheet makes editing RAW files easy!
You know you should be shooting RAW files. But, you've always thought they were too hard to edit.
Well, this PhotoBert CheatSheet for Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) makes it easy.
Our extremely popular Adobe Camera Raw CheatSheet has been updated for V9+.
It walks you thru each option in ACR and contains everything you need to know to edit your RAW files like a pro. We also have CheatSheets for Nikons and Canon DSLRs and most Speedlights, along with some great accessories. Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Photo Software and 5% on accessories.
Get the discount with this link.
4 -- Can two cards save your day?
Gold member Jim Tubman (Tubman) from Alberta, Canada wonders whether any of our members have ever had a shooting session saved by dual card slots. When the chips are down -- Is two really better than one?
Here's the question:
One of the biggest and most repeated criticisms of the new D7500 is that, unlike the preceding models in that series, it does not have two card slots. So, who among you with a two-card camera has actually had one card fail and the other saved the day?
Hear me well: I am not passively-aggressively asserting that this has never happened. I had a card go wonky in my D5300 after I had shot my daughter's high school graduation (I could not write new pictures, but I could read all the ones I had taken). I just wonder if it is freakishly rare, or uncomfortably common.
Have you had your day saved by that extra card slot? - Tell us what happened.
5 -- Great Deals on new NIKKOR's
Berger Bros. is now taking orders for the three new lenses that were announced May 31st. Nikonians will get early allocation preference and free shipping (continental USA).
The lenses are:
• AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $309.95 USD with availability in late June.
• AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1249.95 USD.
• AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1999.95 USD with availability in late June.
To take advantage of this special Nikonians offer, contact Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. - BradBerger@mac.com.
6 -- Fix my sky
Moderating team member Gary Worrall (glxman) from South Australia pointed his camera up at a scenic image, but his result was the dreaded "blown sky."
Gary shows he's always ready to learn something new as he asks our members what they would do to fix the photo.
Here's the question:
Hi Guys,
For the first time, I tried to get one of those "looking up to the canopy of the forest" shots. Whatever I did in LR with the blown-out sky, just went grey. Then had a play with HDR toning, (no Idea what I'm doing,) But I feel if I tone back the green and somehow squeeze some light blue in the sky, it will look OK?
Any way of fixing the sky? - Gary
If this looks like a problem you have solved in the past, feel free to show us how you made your corrections.
7 -- Gearing up for Alaska
Silver member M. Lange has a great trip coming up and he's asking for gear advice based on the location and his current inventory.
The cool part of this discussion is the number of our members who have posted images from the same destination.
Here's his situation:
I'm heading to Alaska (both cruise and inland tour), and planning to bring two bodies: a D5500 (which I like for its size) and my new D7500. I'll bring my 10-24 for landscape. I'll also want a telephoto for animals. My options are (a) carry both an 18-140 and a 70-300, and switch off as necessary; or (b) carry a 28-300. It would be great to not have to switch lenses, but if the image quality from the 18-140/70-300 combination is markedly better than that from the 28-300, I'm willing to. Would appreciate any thoughts.
Do you have advice (and Alaska pics) to share? Join the discussion.
8 -- The case of the missing images-Solved?
Silver member Jon Etkins (jetkins) from Texas, USA was trying to figure out what happened to some photos missing in his Lightroom.
It didn't take long before our members started leading him to a solid answer.
Jon described the problem: I've been using Lightroom for a couple of years now, and I just noticed that it appears to be hiding some of my images from me! With All Photographs selected and filters disabled, it's only showing me 56,092 of my 56,178 photos. Any idea why it's decided to withhold 86 pictures, and how I can go about convincing it to cough them up again?
If this has happened to you, check the discussion for more tips on how to find those files.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 1:05 AM
June 20, 2017
Fireworks - Tips, Tricks and more

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Time to share your favorite fireworks images, tips, techniques and tricks - Seven deadly photography sins - 32-bit bites dust--- PLUS more....
1 -- Fireworks - One of the Hottest Topics we share
We are fast approaching a significant increase in fireworks oriented photography, and this means we need to re-visit one of the most comprehensive posts on the topic. Our Café now has a link to the original post, along with an open invitation for our members to share their best images from last year, along with your descriptions of equipment used, techniques, tips and tricks that made them one of your favorites.
Here are just a few of the great tips we have already gathered:
• My tip is that when you are taking fireworks photos where the scene includes buildings that are important to the image, the exposure and focus must be coordinated to get the lighting on the buildings as well as the fireworks.
• Fireworks are bright, almost as intense as an afternoon sun, so your aperture should be set as if shooting during the day. The exception will be what you do with your shutter speed.
• Don't forget to photograph the amusing people and things that happen around you. If your children are with you, have them stand still while spinning some light sticks for some great effects.
There's plenty more advice available--Check it Out.
2 -- Think Tank Teams with SKB
Our friends at Think Tank Photo have just announced an exciting new partnership with hard-case manufacturer SKB. Think Tank's designers have created internal divider sets, organizers, and a backpack designed specifically to fit within 10 SKB hard cases.
There are times when you simply must use the airline gate-check procedure with your most precious photography equipment. At moments like these, nothing will do a better job of protection than a hard case.
But, one of the downsides of hard cases is that they are basically hard shells with not a lot of other features built into them.
Think Tank's partnership with SKB solves this problem.
The result is a perfect combination matching the best of a hard case with the best of internal organization. Don't forget that with our special partnership with Think Tank that you receive free gear and free shipping when you order using our special link.
3 -- Sounds easier than it looks
Silver member Robert Metheney (bobpilot) from Utah, USA has what seems to be a simple problem. He wants to change the background on an image from a dull white to pure white.
Bob quickly tells us he's not a Photoshop expert, and he's wondering if anyone has an easy to understand step-by-step guide that will help him solve the problem.
Here's Bob's situation:
I made a photograph of sunglasses for an acquaintance. He is trying to sell them and he wants a white a white background. Nothing artistic. The photo I made has an off-white background. I made the photo with the glasses on top of translum paper with a light above and below.
We've already had a few members taking the original and transforming to the desired effect.
Check them out and see if you agree with the procedure. If not, show us your solution. Don't forget to explain how it was done.
4 -- The Seven Deadly Sins in Photography - Part 1
Nikonians co-founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) has over 50 years of photography experience, nevertheless, he makes a review of the typical errors that he has committed and shares with us the solutions to improve our photography. His newest article is therefore a confession, an act of contrition and a fast mix of easy tips.
The author tells us:
There are seven days of the week, seven colors of the rainbow, seven notes on a musical scale, seven seas and seven continents in the world; seven branches for seven candles in the Menorah. On the lighter side, seven were the dwarfs chosen by Walt Disney's for Snow White. And just as there are seven deadly or cardinal sins that may prevent us to get to the seventh heaven, there are seven sins to avoid for good photography. I know because I have committed them all and even today I may occasionally forget to avoid.
His article comes in multiple parts, and this edition explores the topic of subject centering. Here's a hint: Centering your subject in a frame tends to work against you.
5 -- 32-Bit bites dust?
Nikonians Moderating team member Jonathan Kandel (JonK) sees a technological progression that spells doom for 32-bit apps.
He looked carefully at the preliminary results of a recent Apple Worldwide Developers Conference and noticed a trend.
Jon tells us:
The next operating system for the Mac, announced at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference ten days ago but given more prominence next consumer play over the past two days is interesting -- and ominous.
The new system, called High Sierra, will be a complete 64-bit system with a new file system (faster and more secure), better graphics and VR, and enhancements to Safari and Mail. The troubling item in that last sentence is the 64-bit system.
Recent operating systems have supported 64-bit apps and 32-bit apps. High Sierra will do the same when released this coming October. But starting in January 2018 it will be no longer support 32-bit apps. Here's what I think that means (so far, more thought and research is required):
• That's the end of Nik.
• Many other plug-in and standalone enhancement apps are 32-bit -- and some are from small companies or solo practitioners who may not have the resources to rewrite code to 64-bit.
• While the major Adobe apps are currently 64-bit, some of the support software -- the desktop app and the loader app -- are not. They will obviously be rewritten to 64-bit, but I wonder if Adobe will take this "opportunity" to have the new loader not handle the standalone CS6 suite and move all Adobe software to the subscription model.
• The Microsoft Office Suite -- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook -- has not been updated since 2011. Given the Mac's place in the marketplace (7% or so) I wonder if Microsoft will invest the resources necessary to rewrite four major apps (and related support software).
There are a myriad of other apps that many of us use -- i.e., the Pocketwizard loader, Camranger, device drivers, etc. -- for which we need to be mindful.
Do you agree with Jon's analysis? Join the conversation.
6 -- 17th ANPAT (Fall) bookings gather
Bookings are moving along for our 17th ANPAT in the Fall to Acadia and Coastal Maine.
This area is a photography paradise, with rugged coastlines, iconic lighthouses, and warm tones of the northern light.
The ANPAT is scheduled for October 7, 2017 (arrival) to October 14, 2017 (departure).
October is the best time to be there; exquisite colors abound, not just on the trees, but also on the ground, thanks to the berry plants characteristic of the northern areas.
Your early booking is highly appreciated as it helps to make early deposits to keep arrangements and negotiated rates.
Practically everything you want to know about lodgings, itineraries, special arrangements and clothing suggestions are contained in our 17th ANPAT in the Fall FAQ's.
7 -- Best choices - Matrix, Spot, Manual?
Silver member Gary Pack (GaryPk) is wondering what are using us as your favorite metering mode when shooting landscapes.
He's looking at a specific style of photo:
If I am shooting two of the same landscape with one exposed for the sky and the other for the foreground due to high dynamic range, should I be using Spot Metering Mode? Thanks, Gary
Here are two suggestions pointing in different directions:
• I'll let the landscape masters give you the best answer, but for me, I would use matrix. If you have a mix of clouds in the sky, your metering will depend on where you put the spot. With matrix, you would get a better "average" of the exposure value (in my thinking). I would also move the meter around the sky to see how much it varies. You can also check your histogram to get an idea of what the meter is telling you.
• Since you are probably going to be shooting from a tripod with the head locked (to ensure the two images will correctly register) Spot should work well. You could focus on the foreground and use spot metering (which is normally slaved to the focus point) for the first exposure. Then move the focus point to the sky (without re-focusing) and take the second exposure.
What metering mode would you suggest?
8 -- Your vote matters
Moderating Team member Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760) is looking to add more votes to the month of May Digital Artistry contest results.
The theme was "Lines."
The instruction for those competing were simple:
Show us your digitally manipulated images of lines and objects in lines. Any photographic subject is acceptable so long as it meets the Nikonians terms of use. We want to see wall-worthy line abstracts, objects/people in lines, clothes lines, blurred movement lines, architectural lines, or any liney thing that tickles your fancy. Let your inner artist lead the way.
For the longest time, we had a three-way tie, but now one image has picked up steam. It's still a close call, so Dan would appreciate your vote to help make the final decision.
-----------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:40 PM
June 13, 2017
D7500 Pro and Cons gather as camera ships

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
D7500 cameras shipping as members share pros and cons, difficulties in photographing dogs, children and birds in flight, unintentional double exposure with a D810, travel camera decision may exclude Nikon --- PLUS more....
1 -- D7500 Pro and Cons gather as camera ships
Members are reporting the arrival of their brand new Nikon D7500 cameras.
Silver member Scott Ashley (scottashley) from Colorado, USA has been notified that his order is shipping, and our own Nikonians author Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) already received his D7500 from Berger Bros. Meanwhile, our member still "on the fence" are deliberating.
Darrell has started work on his new book on this camera and he has taken the extraordinary step of soliciting member input on the pros and cons.
If you are interested in seeing sample image gathered by Darrell check here.
If you are getting the new camera, keep in mind Darrell Young's Mastering the Nikon D7500 has already gone to the next stage of inviting our members to provide examples of photographs taken with the new camera for inclusion in the book.
This tradition of using Nikonian member images in these NikoniansPress books has been going on for many years. Your benefit is the chance to be published. All members who have a vertical image included in the book will receive a free copy of the book and be listed in a special Credits for Chapter Opening Images section with information on the tech specs (ISO, lens, aperture, shutter speed, shooting conditions, and a paragraph telling about the picture).
Details on the invitation can be found here.
2 -- Dog shooting is harder than ever?
Platinum member Iain Duncan (IainD) from Victoria, Australia has been dealing with two elusive subjects: children and dogs. He's looking for advice on equipment that would make his successful capture of these images easier.
Here's his description of the challenge:
Hello,
I shoot events at our local dog club. Each event has an indoor session for puppies, often with child handlers. There is not much space and the lighting is poor.
Flash is necessary here. The dogs move fast and it is very difficult to get good shots, but sometimes I get some! I have a Nikon SB900, which tended to overheat and shut down sometimes after just a few shots, so I got a 910. Yesterday, at a fairly slow pace of shooting, about 1/3 of my shots had little or no flash. And that was the 910.
I use Eneloop batteries, and I thought I gave plenty of recycling time.
My question is: Is there a better flash for this type of event?
I have read mixed reviews of the Quantum flashes
They are expensive and some people find them poorly made.
What do you good strobists use for this type of situation? I would be grateful to hear!
Many thanks,
Iain
Have you dealt with similar challenges? What would you recommend?
3 -- Upgrade your Shutter!
This is the most inexpensive upgrade you can make to your camera. It is incredibly simple and useful. You'll be amazed nobody thought of this before! Each package contains 2 shutter upgrades (choose RED or BLACK). Fits all Nikon DSLRs. Click here to save 5% now.
Upgrade your photography with our legendary CheatSheets. Each of our CheatSheets is a work of art. You'll find them indispensable.
We have CheatSheets for ALL of Nikons DSLRs and most Speedlights,
Get infinite Depth of Field with Helicon Software (discounted 10%).
Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Photo Software and 5% on accessories.
Get the discount with this link.
4 -- Nikon D810 unintentional double exposure
Moderating Team member Brian Wong (blw) has run into what looks like a double exposure recorded by his Nikon D810. Can you get a double exposure without planning for one with a digital camera?
Brian posted his image and give us the background:
I had my D810 doing interval shooting over the weekend, and I found this frame right in the middle of 460 other perfectly normal shots:
There was nothing unusual going on. The frames were a minute apart, and the parameters as seen in the EXIF are hardly anything too unusual.
This file, like all the rest, was recorded on a SanDisk Extreme 32GB CF card. It's not new, having served for several years in my D3x.
Initial thoughts leaned towards card read error, but Brian is not convinced.
Have you ever had this happen to you? Did you figure out a solution? Tell us your story--Better yet--If you still have it--share the image.
5 -- Great Deals on new NIKKOR's
Berger Bros. is now taking orders for the three new lenses that were announced May 31st. Nikonians will get early allocation preference and free shipping (continental USA).
The lenses are:
• AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $309.95 USD with availability in late June.
• AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1249.95 USD.
• AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1999.95 USD with availability in late June.
To take advantage of this special Nikonians offer, contact Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. - BradBerger@mac.com.
6 -- Off to Europe with or without Nikon D810?
Silver member Scott Arden (sparden) from New York, USA has a trip to Europe planned and he's wondering if he should entertain the possibility of leaving his Nikon D810 home. He's leaning towards a well-known brand with a ZEISS 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens. Good idea?
Here's the question:
Greetings all!
I have a D810, 50mm 1.4, 24-70, 2.8 and 70-200mm 2.8. I am traveling to Europe shortly with my family (London, Paris, Amsterdam) for 10 days. I am beyond excited to take photographs, however lugging my equipment around has me less than. I have no intention of bringing the 70-200mm, but I would bring the two smaller lenses, a flash and a tripod. My shoulder/back hurts just thinking about it.
I also own a Sony RX 100 III which I do not use all that much. I am considering leaving my much beloved (though much bulkier) D810 at home and just bringing the small Sony. It has received very strong reviews but I feel on such a trip I should try to optimize the photos I take (not a professional, though if I get a great one I would consider blowing it up).
Any thoughts/suggestions here? I suppose I am looking for someone to convince me one way or the other.
Thanks all!
7 -- BIF equations - do they work?
Platinum member Richard J. Kish (Dickk) from England, The United Kingdom, has started a complex discussion on a difficult photography subject. He's trying to use sound math to solve difficulties of capturing images of an erratic bird in flight (BIF).
Here's the problem:
Hello...
What are your opinions about a D5 being able to accurately track an object coming towards the camera at approx. 80ft/sec. With a shutter speed of 1/1600, my calculations show the subject moving 0.6inches during the open shutter. So, assuming the focus is spot-on when the shutter opens, I might expect a bit of blur because of the 0.6inch movement. But can I expect the focus to be spot-on when I hit the shutter release?
My subjects are flying puffins. (Incredibly exciting to attempt to capture in flight...but also incredibly frustrating). They're very erratic fliers, and difficult to keep focused, especially with a heavy wind blowing them/you/the camera around.
Are you a successful puffin BIF shooter? How do you handle it?
8 -- Lumens and lux - Research guide?
Silver member Marlin Collier (MS Photog) from Mississippi, USA is also having technical difficulties. He's looking for members who have experience with the topic of lumens and lux measurements.
Here's his dilemma:
I need help understanding how these items relate to each other. I have done some studio portrait work for years and always used a Honeywell strobe with modeling light I bought in the 1970's. This worked great for me in film days. I had so much trouble trying to use this with my D7000 because of no pc outlet. I bought an LED continuous light specified at 1000 watts equivalent. This works pretty well for portraits but is not quite powerful enough for the way I want to use it. I have been shopping for an improvement but have never done much research into how lumens and lux equate to exposure; therefore, when I get on B & H and Amazon I can't figure out what is what and what I need.
Can anyone recommend a good article on these lighting measurements? I have tried searching Nikonians but maybe I don't know what to write in the search box to find what I need.
We've had excellent suggestion so far, including one piece of hardware called Wein Safe-Sync. Check the discussion and feel free to add your own suggestion.
-----------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:33 PM
May 30, 2017
Are you a darkroom "cheater?"

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Members share views on digital darkroom enhancements, Black and White competition winners announced, landscape photography on a budget, rain gear comparisons --- PLUS more....
1 -- Are you a darkroom cheater?
Silver member Dale Williams (Tropidale) from Florida, USA wants to know where our members stand on post processing techniques that may be stretching the "truth" of an image.
The modern digital darkroom allows for endless variations on an original photo, but Dale is thinking there may be a bit of "misrepresentation" involved.
Here's a very short excerpt from his opening remarks:
Today I researched tutorials on how to get those magnificent milky way shots I have been drooling over for years. Imagine my disappointment to find that the "before" shots appear to be nothing like the edited version, just a fairly starry sky with a slightly lighter area. I was certainly expecting some adjustment, and I am sure that the video didn't do the actual original justice, but the extreme enhancements seemed a lot like 'bait and switch".
I get that photography is art, and you have a right to create whatever you like based on your skill, imagination, and tools. But it kind of bothers me when we, as photographers, misrepresent reality to such a degree that those who choose to visit a place or shoot the same subject based on what they think are representative images, end up feeling cheated when they arrive and see that they do not represent reality for viewing or photographing.
Check his full post for more points before you join this discussion. Plenty of great responses have already been added.
2 -- Best B&W contest winners
Nikonians Photo Contest Director Dave Summer (dm1dave) has announced the winner of the Best of Nikonians Segment 1 with the theme "Black and White."
Taking top honors in this round is a powerful image by Gold member Isaac Vaisman (ivaisman) from Florida, USA. His shot of a boxer, captured with his Nikon D4, is titled "Boxer's Corner."
Isaac used a Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8 lens maxed at 70mm with a 1/500 second exposure and f/4 aperture taking advantage of his ISO setting of 2000 (with +1 Exposure Compensation).
The B&W conversion was handled with Silver Effex 2.
In addition to our overall winner, we have four members earning an honorable mention. All images will advance to the final rounds of the Best of Nikonians 2017 at the end of the year.
Honorable mentions go to:
• San Juan River New Mexico #2 by Adam Perez (Adamgp) from New Mexico, USA
• Ghosts in the Ice by Russell Whittemore (rosewood_ltd) from Ohio, USA
• Morning Exercise on Exmoor by Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) from England, The United Kingdom
• Stairway to Darkness by Jeff Atchley (Graceland) from Tennessee, USA
All five images have been automatically uploaded to the Best of Nikonians 2017 Gallery.
This contest, along with the monthly forum contests, are the preliminary rounds for the Annual Best of Nikonians Photo Contest where you have the opportunity to win prizes and have your images highlighted in the Winners Galleries and published in the eZine.
3 -- Upgrade your Shutter!
This is the most inexpensive upgrade you can make to your camera. It is incredibly simple and useful. You'll be amazed nobody thought of this before!
Each package contains 2 shutter upgrades (choose RED or BLACK). Fits all Nikon DSLRs. Click here to save 5% now.
Upgrade your photography with our legendary CheatSheets. Each of our CheatSheets is a work of art. You'll find them indispensable. We have CheatSheets for ALL of Nikons DSLRs and most Speedlights,
Get infinite Depth of Field with Helicon Software (discounted 10%). Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Photo Software and 5% on accessories.
Get the discount with this link.
4 -- Landscape Photography on a budget
Gold member Wayne Lorimer (wjlorimer) from New Zealand has posted an inspirational article for those of us who do not have a massive assortment of specialized gear designed to help capture landscapes.
His premise is simple: Make use of what you already own.
In his article, Wayne contends:
Before you go off and buy that $5000 camera body, or $2000 wide angle lens, let's think about this. What I'm about to say may shock you, it may upset you (sorry about that), or it may even delight you. But it's the truth. And the truth is, a $2000 lens will NOT make you a better landscape photographer. And a $5000 camera will NOT make you a better photographer - period.
The photographers you admire may very well use the latest full frame bodies, and the most expensive ultra-wide lenses that money can buy. But that's not what makes them great photographers either. Trust me, you can take wonderful, amazing, stunning, incredible landscape pictures with an entry level or mid-range camera body and the humble kit lens. Seriously. When it comes to beautiful landscape images, it is most definitely not about the gear.
Can he prove his point? - by the looks of his sample images, it sure seems so. Check it out.
5 -- Canon kudos anyone?
Silver member Alex Rosen (klrbee25) from Florida, USA is contemplating Canon as a source for his printing needs. Now is the time for all our Canon Printer users to chime in and let him know if he is on the right track.
Here's his wish-list:
I've been shooting for many years and have amassed a collection of digital photos. However, I drifted away from printing my work, mostly due to cost concerns at the time. I'm now drawn to the high-end Canon wide-format printers to renew my enjoyment of past and future work. I've also found that I'm quite reluctant to use print-shops for my work due to the inconvenience of uploading work, waiting for the prints, and then having to repeat the cycle if I want to adjust the results and receive more prints.
I've been considering the Canon Prograf Pro-1000 to print up to 17"x24" and get excellent quality. The missing roll paper support is bummer. I'm drawn to the improvement in print-head technology to minimize clogs which were a real downer when I was using Epson products many years ago.
My thought is I could use the Canon for all my smaller print needs and to make proofs for larger prints that are beyond the printer's capabilities. Considering really large prints need some special mounting for proper presentation, I expect to use a quality print shop for those works regardless. But I'm hoping the Canon will get me back into high quality printing, fill my small print needs and serve as a stepping stone to proofing which prints go for the big presentation with professional production.
Does this make any sense? I'm not making a living with photography and the prints are for me, my family and for display in our home.
If you have experience with Canon printers like the one Alex is asking about--we encourage you to join the discussion.
6 -- Last chance for Nikon D500, D750 & D810 plus free Nikon Battery Pack Grips
Our friends at Berger Bros. Camera tell us they have never seen Nikon offer bigger Instant Savings.
If you're on the fence, these low prices should push you off! This offer expires on June 3rd.
• D5500
Two lens kit - save $550
• D500
Body Only - Save $200w/ kit lens - Save $670
Plus Free MB-D17 Battery Pack
• D750
Body Only - Save $500
w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D16 Battery Pack
• D810 Body Only - Save $500
D810 w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D12 Battery Pack
You can now pre-order the new D7500 Body at $1,249.99 or the D7500 w/kit lens at $1,749.99. Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or mailto:BradBerger@mac.com.
7 -- Rain Gear anyone?
We have a very detailed discussion on rain gear going on in our Camera Carry & Apparel forum. The depth of responses shows many of our more experienced members take water damage seriously. Specific brand names are discussed in-depth.
This is a must read if you have a trip to wet climates and regions in mind. Here are a few examples:
• It really depends on how much rain and how long. For many photographers, pouring rain is beyond the scope of decent photos so it's really light rain or showers for 15-30 minutes that is the problem. If you must get the shot and are a sports photographer, you need something more. If rather than a shower, you just have nuisance water such as heavy mist, there is still a different solution.
• I would also take a lightweight poncho. A poncho will cover you and your bag and provide temporary shelter for your camera and lens. I have a large size one that becomes a portable shelter and I have it over the tripod and shoot through the hood.
• There's a point at which you have to distinguish rain gear aimed at protecting the camera while shooting, and just protecting the camera (a big garbage bag can do the latter).
How do you protect your valuable investment in great gear? Let us know.
8 -- Think Tank Photo announces upgraded favorites
Our friends at Think Tank Photo have released a new version of their popular TurnStyle sling bags with an emphasis on stability.
The TurnStyle 5 fits a mirrorless body plus two to four lenses, and an eight-inch tablet. The TurnStyle 10 fits a standard size DSLR plus one to two lenses, and an eight-inch tablet.
The TurnStyle 20 fits a standard size DSLR plus one to three lenses, and a 10" tablet. These new version releases come in the traditional Charcoal and in a new color, Indigo Blue.
Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo's CEO and lead designer tells us:
This new version of our popular TurnStyle sling bags reinforces their reputation as the ideal "grab and go" camera bag. One thing we've learned from serving professional photographers for so long is that they always need one, pre-conformed gear kit that gives them access to their core gear. The TurnStyle is that bag.
If a combination backpack/roller is you favorite Think Tank product, they have you covered with their new version of the StreetWalker® series-- one of the most sought-after products in the photographic world.
The new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0, featuring the ability to switch from a backpack to a roller. Also released are upgraded versions of all three classic StreetWalker backpacks.
Photographers get the same comfort and quality as the original series but with new features such as increased depth for modern DSLR systems, and dedicated pockets for both tablets and smartphones.
Editor's note: if you are interested in these bags, make sure you use our links (above)-- our friends at Think Tank have arranged for the links to lead our members to free gear and free shipping with their orders.
9 -- Real Estate photographers share tips
New member Maris Lubbock (Enidan) from Ontario, Canada took a picture of a home. A realtor liked her work and now she's on the verge of entering the world of real estate photography. It's not as easy as one might think, and she's asking for advice. What would you suggest?
Here's her story:
On a whim, I send some photos of a house - interior & exterior to a real estate agent who is an acquaintance. He loved them. In a note with the photos, I asked if he could would be interested in having me photo a couple of listings. Since I am very new to all this I said I would do it for free for one or two places. They loved my photos &' I'm meeting agents tomorrow afternoon at a large older home. The agent also insists he will pay me. He & some other agents loved my photos.
If things work out, I'm not worried about the business side. I have advice from our insurance agent & accountant. What I need advice on is lighting & everything else. The photos I sent were taken with my crop sensor & my Sigma 10-20. The late afternoon was sunny and the house was beautifully lit with natural light. I know nothing about supplementary lighting, so hoping at this point I don't have to use it. I will be there in the afternoon tomorrow. Hoping it's sunny.
I would love to be able to make some money to support my expensive hobby. I'm retired and have discovered my love for photography late in life when I can least afford it. Any advice would be appreciated. - Maris
Have you been shooting real estate images? Do you have tips to share?
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:20 PM
May 23, 2017
New camera, new book, new questions

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
New book coming with member input weighed in, lens storage issues, rip stop nylon for portraits--- PLUS more....
1 -- New camera, new book, new questions
Nikonians author Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) has opened a virtual Pandora's Box while researching his next book in the Mastering Series.
He knew that before he embarked on this new project. Our members have not been too kind when reading about a new DSLR with apparently more features missing than actually added.
The camera is the new Nikon D7500, and although Darrell does not have his in hand yet, he's looking for our input:
Friends,
I have preordered the new Nikon D7500 (from Berger-Bros.com) and have been examining the camera's features on the Nikon site. There are some exciting things and some negative things that I want to talk with you about before I write our upcoming NikoniansPress book Mastering the Nikon D7500. I value your input on the camera.
What do you see that is positive and/or negative about the D7500? Is there a particular feature you like or dislike? I am looking for positives about the D7500, although I recognize a few negatives. What are your thoughts?
Editor's note: Darrell's research shows he's ready to tackle what may be the most negatively "pre-reviewed" new model since the Nikon DF. He's asking for input because he's noticed our comments so far seem to be missing some goodies. I talked to him at length before posting this, and I can assure you he's not a "fan-boy" looking to ignore negatives in favor of positives, simply to publish a book. The new book is already in the pre-order pipeline, so if you want it reserved, orders yours today.
2 -- Right side up? - or down?
Silver member Mark Stephan (Mark37814) from Tennessee, USA wants to know how you are storing your lenses. It's not as much the storage location as deciding "which side up?"
Here's the question:
I own a bunch of lenses, both AF Nikkors and many 3rd party lenses. I use a set of shelves in my bedroom closet for storage and easy access. Do I need to keep the front lens element facing up or down?
Currently all of my lenses including heavy primes and zooms are stored with the front element facing up. With my non AF-S lenses should I keep the lens aperture opened all the way (f/1.4, 1.8, 2.0 etc) or closed to the smallest aperture (f/16, 22 or 32) like my G lenses?
I know this is a silly question but I want to store my lenses in a way that doesn't hurt functionality later on.
Do you have a preferred method? Let us know, and don't forget to mention why.
3 -- Ever lose any equipment? Gear lost forever? - Maybe not!

Each IDmyStuff® label set includes includes 29 labels, in 3 sizes. Big enough for a 400mm lens to small enough for a filter ring.
3 lines of text on each label, plus a gift or coding message for each set. Up to 30 characters per line. Super weatherproof outdoor vinyl with sign grade adhesive, UV resistant colorfast thermal resin printing, laminated with tough polyester. 7 different colors--code your gear by types, storage locations, or application purposes.
Just $9.95, including shipping in USA. (International: $4.95 flat rate shipping per order.) 20% off orders of 3. 30% off orders of 10 sets or more. Typical turnaround--order to delivery--is one week or less.
4 -- Share your favorite photo storage solution
New member John O'Connell (JBOC) from Virginia, USA needs help deciding on a photo storage sharing site for his club.
Johns asks:
I have been using Dropbox for members to put their monthly theme shots in and if they come up something they like better they can pull back their shot and drop in another.
I would like to have a site where each month's work can be stored for members viewing.
I can't figure out how Flicker can be used by many and any advice would be appreciated.
We've already received comments on sites we've rarely considered. Before you share your advice, don't forget that John's usage is specialized for members of a club, (as opposed to picture sharing with family and friends.
5 -- Can rip stop nylon improve your portraits?
Have you ever considered using a light panel made of rip stop Nylon?
Portrait photographers have been using light panels made of translucent materials for years.
The versatility factor alone is worth a try.
Silver member Robert Metheney (bobpilot) from Utah, USA has been performing trial runs with the material and he's posted examples.
He has received a few suggestions (mostly about the color of the fabric) and now he's ready for the next step:
Several colors are available. Blue, Black, Charcoal gray, red, hunter green, burnt orange, brown, and a few more that I don't like. My next project, with his mom's approval, is a portrait of a teenager. He wants something modern. He showed me some examples, not of himself, and some had light gray backgrounds, and some had dark backgrounds. We can do both.
I'm thinking burnt orange then I can light from behind and make it brighter or darker, move it from orange to dark brown.
I am not good at picking background colors. Any help will be appreciated.
6 -- Don't get p****ed
Silver member Mike McLain (AUMike) from Alabama, USA was first to mention an unusual friend request:
Note to everyone....appears that a scammer has obtained email addresses of members of Nikonians. The body of the email I received from this scumbag references Nikonians.org. Not good.
Not good indeed Mike, and you were not alone. When I got mine I briefly pictured Gina Lollobrigida or Sophia Loren but my suspicious nature immediately pointed to a phishing scam.
Silver member Fred Brickenkamp (FredB D3) from Florida, USA went a few steps further and looked into some background.
He reports: This is both a dating scam and an attempt to get people's money (help me get my father's estate, and I'll share with you).
Many members have also been targeted, and our founders are planning for enhanced preventive measures.
7 -- Boundless creativity in digital darkroom
Moderating Team member Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760) reminds us to check out the current digital artistry competition because it is filling up with some amazing images.
Have a look, and let the current submissions give you inspiration to join the competition.
The May challenge is-- Lines.
This contest features images that have been significantly manipulated for creative effect. The final output can be realistic, surreal, abstract, or fantastic.
Show us your digitally manipulated images of lines and objects in lines. Any photographic subject is acceptable so long as it meets the Nikonians terms of use. We want to see wall-worthy line abstracts, objects/people in lines, clothes lines, blurred movement lines, architectural lines, or any liney thing that tickles your fancy. Let your inner artist lead the way.
This is a digital manipulation contest, so tell us a little something about how you achieved the visual effect.
Editor's note: the image used to illustrate this item was chosen at random, and does not indicate any favoritism to this entry. I'm not on the judging team. Not much time left to enter this May competition.
8 -- Pushing for perfection
Silver member Bob Levesque (BOB_LEVESQUE) wants to shoot fast action events under challenging light conditions. He needs a good camera and some good advice.
He has that camera, but now it's time for some advice.
Here's the question:
This is my first attempt at shooting boxing (also my first outing with my new D750, Nikon 28-300 3.5/5.6 VR, No flash).
Settings: AF-C, "Group", Manual 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO Auto, face detection ON, focal length used usually 300, shot from the stands (not ringside).
Read and followed all the tips in the owner's manual, other publications and local camera expert.
PROBLEM: Even with Face-detection on, and AF-C/Grp, most of the shots were focused on the Rope around the ring instead of the boxers faces. (see attached shot)
What did I do wrong?
Help and advice much appreciated as I intend to shoot a lot of low-light, fast action events, (boxing, roller-derby, gymnastics...etc.) which is why I bought the D750 to start with.
Thanks!
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:54 PM
May 16, 2017
What do you do with your photographs?

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Members share what they are doing with their photos, two photography specialties worth trying, sensor dust remedies--- PLUS more....
1 -- What do you do with your photographs?
Gold member Steve Castle (AusPhotoMan) from New South Wales, Australia has tons of images collected over the years, and now he's looking to make good use of his efforts. What have you been doing with your "keepers" when you are not sure whether to hit the delete option?
Here is Steve's question:
Hi all,
I have been shooting for many years including some time as a working pro.
These days I struggle to figure out what to do with images I take. I have limited display space at home, but some are on display. I don't have young children or grandchildren to shoot ATM, but do shoot extensively when I travel and make those images into photobooks, but that is generally once every two years.
I enjoy shooting but can't see the point if I am not doing something useful with the images. Decent competitions are expensive to enter multiple images, the main reason I see to enter comps is the prestige of getting an award but I am not one who gets off on receiving awards.
Thoughts please? -- Regards, Steve
Responses so far include printing for fun, printing for profit, posting online forums, donating prints and arranging for stock photo reprint options.
If you have a huge stack of great images, you need to follow (and perhaps contribute to) this discussion.
2 -- Drops of water equal art?
Silver member Robert Metheney (bobpilot) from Utah, USA is looking into expanding his photo skills by tackling images of water drops. Yes, drops of water. If you have never seen the unique results from this style, you really need to check out the examples posted in response.
Here's the original question:
Now that I have abandoned sports photography, I want to find a new interest. My studio is ready for use.
Today I did some research on water-drop photography. This seems like something I might like.
Because I have no experience with this type of photography, I don't know if this kit is the way to go, or if there is something better.
Bob specified a certain kit, and from the looks of it--responses so far include many options and techniques. This is not a challenge for those of us with limited patience or resources, but the results are truly amazing. This discussion has turned into a great "how-to" primer for all of us willing to take on the challenges.
Have a look, and if you are a water-drop shooter - make sure you add your best shots.
3 -- Lowest prices ever on Nikon D500, D750 & D810 plus free Nikon Battery Pack Grips
Berger Bros. Camera tells us they have never seen Nikon offer bigger Instant Savings.
• D5500
Two lens kit - save $550
• D500
Body Only - Save $200
w/ kit lens - Save $670
Plus Free MB-D17 Battery Pack
• D750
Body Only - Save $500
w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D16 Battery Pack
• D810 Body Only - Save $500
D810 w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D12 Battery Pack
You can now pre-order the new D7500 Body at $1,249.99 or the D7500 w/kit lens at $1,749.99. Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or mailto:BradBerger@mac.com.
4 -- Irritated by sensor dust?
Silver member Fay Jordan (TripleSeven) from England, The United Kingdom has been trying to resolve sensor dust issues with her Nikon D750. This is one of the most talked about topics in our forums for all DSLR's and her particular problem is drawing good suggestions.
The original question (and image):
Hi all, I have a D750 I bought at the start of last year and it's riddled with spots. It has been cleaned but, within a day or two of the cleaning the spots were back, and in force. The attached just-for-example photo shows how bad the spots are down the right-hand side of the sensor - no processing has been done, apart from resizing the photo so I could upload it, and equalizing it in Photoshop to highlight the spots (which is why the colours look a bit groovy).
What could be causing all these spots? The lens was only changed once in the time since it was cleaned, in a reasonably clean hotel room and I hadn't been in any dusty environments. My D810, by contrast, is immaculate.
Sensor dust is a fact of life, I get that, but this does seem excessive and more so as the sensor was cleaned immediately prior to the trip I was on. My previous D750 that I sold was the same, more dust than the Sahara. That said, is this dust or could it be oil spots? And, although it's a month out of warranty, would it be worth sending to Nikon UK for servicing and cleaning? Thanks in advance for your responses.
Do you have additional suggestions for her problem? Share them with us.
5 -- What the heck is a "sportrait?"
Silver member Brian Barbash (brianbarbash) from New Jersey, USA has posted a few images of an athlete (his son) while describing it in a relatively new term. His technique has drawn praise.
Brian tells us:
For about a year or so, I've been playing around with "sportraits" and compositing, creating images of my kids and their teammates. Usually I drop them into a stadium or some other kind of setting that mimics big time sports. The kids go bonkers when they see themselves like this and it's a lot of fun.
The shot (attached) is my youngest son Tyler, 8, wearing his NJ State team gymnastics uniform. He qualified to represent New Jersey in a 5-team state meet held at the West Point Military Academy in April. The team took 2nd place. While this shot isn't a composite, I did use compositing techniques to change the background to near black - the original was a dirty white muslin backdrop that just didn't work that well, but was all I had.
Any feedback or suggestions for improvement are greatly appreciated.
Responding members complimented Brian on his technique with a limited number of suggestions.
Moderating Team member Martin Turner told Brian:
Masterful use of rim lighting which is the mark of the modern sportrait. This is superb, and you haven't gone too far (which is easy to do).
Brian added an additional image showing more creativity. If you have been shooting "sportraits" please feel free to add to this discussion. And, make sure you tell us how you did it.
6 -- Comfort plus Theft-Resistance?
Can your strap keep your camera safe when traveling?
This strap, available from PhotoBert, is great for travel as it helps thwart camera thieves and is great for everyday use.
It fits any camera that has a removeable camera strap.
Don't let this strap fool you - it looks (and is) lightweight, but is incredibly strong!
It is 30% lighter than nylon/polyester, 45% lighter than aramid and 15 times stronger than steel.
(Sorry -- PhotoBert can only ship this product to US customers only.)
Nikonians Price: $37.95
Price is after discount reflected in your cart.
7 -- Mark your tripod. Best method?
Gold member John A. Meiers (Dakotaboy) from North Dakota, USA is asking for suggestions on speeding up his tripod settings. Do you mark pre-sets, and if so, how so you mark the gear?
Here's the original question:
About a year ago I purchased a used Gitzo tripod. When fully extended and a D3 attached to ballhead it is about 2 inches too high. Does anybody have any DIY tricks to marking the tripod legs for quick easy setup according to my height? It would be nice to see a tripod with tape measure type markings on the bottom legs.
We have two responses:
• The simplest solution is to adjust the length of the bottom set of legs to your eye level and then mark one or more of the legs with a sharpie so you know how far to extend them the next time you set up the tripod. You could also just remember to not fully extend the bottom section and guess the height. If you do it often enough you will get very close to eye level without having to put a mark on the leg.
• I don't recommend marring your tripod legs with tick marks, but Marty has a good suggestion. I usually extend the bottom sections of my tripod less than halfway out. For one that keeps dust and mud out of the telescoping joints, and two I can more easily adjust the top sections to set the height I need. BTW, the middle section(s) get extended out all the way.
How would you mark your favorite tripod settings?
8 -- Camera ban on air travel: updates
It has been nearly two months since Moderating Team member Ned S. Levi started tracking and reporting on recent air travel security measures that could impact our members flying with their gear. The restrictions apply to electronic devices, but believe it or not -- your Nikon gear may be included.
In a recent update, Ned shows a pessimistic viewpoint:
As to this ban that isn't really a ban, the only people who are adversely affected are law abiding passengers, many of whom who have decided that the government has gone too far and are not traveling. (Emirates Airlines has reported a $1.5 billion drop in profits since the ban that isn't really a ban when into effect. Other affected airlines are reportedly hurting similarly.)
There is no upside.
The ban has no capability to make air travelers more secure. That's not opinion. That's fact. The ban likely makes us less secure according to experts.
The result of these security measures is starting to point towards our air-traveling members investing in costly "check-in" traveling luggage from sources such as Pelican.
How are you dealing with the newest air travel security arrangements?
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:50 PM
May 9, 2017
D5 and D500 becoming extinct?

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Members speculate on the future of Nikon, 35mm lens suggestions, blending skin tones PLUS more....
1 -- D5 and D500 becoming extinct?
In an ironic twist, while we are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of our favorite camera company, Silver member Thomas Lawrence (tomlawone) from Idaho, USA is speculating on the inevitable demise of popular Nikon cameras like the D5 and D500. Responding members are countering with a measure of confidence and a glimpse of future generations.
Tom's initial post was a bit on the gloomy side:
Nikon as a camera company is dying. Sony and Fuji and Olympus and Panasonic have mirrorless, the future. The SLR generation was the 50's to 90's. That generation is now old and retired. Today big, fat, full-frame cameras go to professionals and enthusiasts who are young and will carry the weight. DX is the compromise. Does anyone see a day 5 years from now when mirrorless has not done everything the D5 or D500 can do now?
Responses so far include:
• Automotive industry is dying because only Tesla has electric cars.
That said the Sony a9 seems to be a great but also expensive camera. Nikon is not sleeping and it is expected that the D6 will be a new camera as the a9 is today. That will happen within the next 3 or 4 years.
• Truth is that mechanical devices are expensive and unreliable. The camera of the future will have no moving parts and the SLR will become the photographic equivalent of steam locomotives.
• To paraphrase Mark Twain, "The reports of Nikon's death are greatly exaggerated".
I have been hearing these stories for years each time a competitor one ups Nikon. Sure, Nikon is not as big as Canon or Sony, but cameras are also not its only business. That being the case, it is still considered one of the top makers of professional cameras.
• The dead thing is the point and shoot camera, not DSLR cameras. I wouldn't dream of buying a point and shoot; my phone is just as good. But my phone can't touch the quality of a DSLR image, except under the best of circumstances---good light, an appropriate subject for wide angle, and plenty of time to focus.
Where do you stand? Share your opinion.
2 - Which 35mm lens are you using?
Silver member Mark Virgil Stephan (Mark37814) from Tennessee, USA is wondering if he should service a good 35mm lens or perhaps start looking at a replacement.
Here's the original question:
My current lens is an old AF NIKKOR 35mm f/2D and the aperture blades are sluggish although I don't see oil on the blades. Before getting it repaired I'd like to find out which 35mm lens you're using? Is it sharp and reliable? I like to use my old 35mm on my D700 or D800.
Both of his listed cameras have full frame sensors, and our members are giving him a number of interesting suggestions:
• Have been using the Zeiss zf 35/2 for many years on D700 and D800. Very sharp wide open, beautiful colors, good contrast. This is my most used lens.
• One lens everyone raves about is the Sigma 35/1.4 Art.
• There is now a good variety of options available, the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED FX version is excellent and good value, the 1.4 and earlier f2 lenses have nice character but are not my preferred options.
Do you have a favorite 35mm lens that you would recommend? Let Mark know.
3 -- Ever lose any equipment? Gear lost forever? - Maybe not!
Label ALL your gear... BEFORE you go out to shoot!
Each IDmyStuff® label set includes 29 labels, in 3 sizes. Big enough for a 400mm lens -- small enough for a filter ring.
Three lines of text per label, plus a gift or coding message for each set. Up to 30 characters per line. Super weatherproof outdoor vinyl with sign grade adhesive, UV resistant colorfast thermal resin printing, laminated with tough polyester. 7 different colors -- code gear by types, storage locations, or application purposes.
Just $9.95, including shipping in USA. (International: $4.95 flat rate shipping per order.) 20% off orders of 3. 30% off orders of 10 sets or more. Typical turnaround (order to delivery) is one week or less.
4 -- Blending skin tones primer
Silver member Peter Conis (PC60) from Iowa, USA asked for advice on fine-tuning a portrait. He provided an original, and our members have made edits to solve some blending issues. Do you think you have a new approach?
Here's the original question:
Here's a photo from a session I conducted involving our nursing instructors.
My concern is the neckline--I can't manage to blend the tan line and reduce the color distinction between the obviously sun exposed portion of her neck and the remainder of her neck visible in this photo.
I tried dodging, cloning, and painting and I was not happy with the results.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Any additional comments would also be welcomed.
Responding members used a variety of methods, and as we all know, there a many ways to solve post processing challenges.
Take a look at Pete's original - and if you can improve on it, share your version and make sure you tell us how it was accomplished.
5 -- Moderately priced gear for panoramas
Gold member Steve Castle (AusPhotoMan) from New South Wales, Australia is interested in expanding his panorama shooting techniques and apparatus. He's already done some stitching and he's ready for the next step. Take a look at his progress so far and let him know if he's on the right track.
Here's the original post:
Hi all,
I am looking to play around with panoramas. I have been successful with hand held and single row horizontal stitches with a standard tripod pan/tilt head, but sometimes those don't blend correctly in PS. I have a Manfrotto tripod with built in level that to me is very inaccurate when check against a builder's level. The inbuilt level case also moves when the center column is set horizontally, so it can't be accurate.
I have carefully set the tripod level to be apparently level, then set the pan/tilt head which also has a level to be level, then rotated the pan/tilt head in azimuth and the level position on the pan/tilt head changed, to me a further indication the tripod level is inaccurate.
Am I doing something wrong here in setting up?
I am planning on using a macro focus rail to set the camera to the pupil entrance point, along with one of the rotating mechanisms you can buy economically from China via Ebay. Also, adding an Arca Swiss style l plate and bracket for vertical operation. I figure I can do this for about $AUD150-$AUD200. Are there any flaws in my approach, if so are there other ways to approach the problem? I simply cannot afford a Nodal Ninja or Novofelx style setup.
Attached is a 3 shot vertical stitch, shot on a tripod, not very carefully levelled and lens not at pupil entrance point, but with no foreground to cause issues. Actually, stitched with MSICE. Regards, Steve
6 -- Big lens - Big price - Big decision
Silver member Gig Marshall (Giguchan) from New York, USA is contemplating a step up to the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens. He already has the predecessor. Should he reach for his wallet?
Gig asks:
Have many of you traded up to the latest version of this lens? I have the previous version and was just wondering if any of you have made the swap to the latest version.
In other words, is the latest that much more sharp?
I was also curious to see if the change of the focus and zoom was that big of a learning curve.
I know that every other lens in the world is "normally" the other way around.
Thanks.
Many members have already answered that they would not be upgrading their 70-200's, but one who has already made her purchase says she's very satisfied:
I had the VRII, and now own the new FL. I preordered and had mine two days after BH had it in stock. The older lens is a great lens, but the latest version is really nice. It's sharper across the whole frame, sharp at 135mm (most zooms are weakest in their mid range), has even faster AF (great for sports), and is a little lighter than it's predecessor. It also doesn't have the focus breathing issue.
Is this lens appealing to your NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome)?
7 -- D5500 Fixes arrive
Nikon has released a firmware upgrade for the D5500.

This week's 1.02 version improves over the previous (1.01) by addressing issues with shutter response under certain conditions and display preferences. Nikon lists the following fixes:
• The camera would stop responding if the multi selector was pressed right with Add items > CUSTOM SETTING MENU > c Timers/AE lock selected in MY MENU.
• The shutter would sometimes not be released in response to live view touch shutter controls if autofocus was used with an SB-800 flash unit attached.
• Optimal exposure would sometimes not be achieved in photographs taken during live view with lenses that support both autofocus and electronic aperture control (type E lenses).
• If image review was enabled during viewfinder photography, the camera would sometimes display shooting information in place of the most recent picture when the user removed their eye from the viewfinder after shooting.
• The camera would sometimes fail to store the option selected for a Autofocus > a3 Built-in AF-assist illuminator in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU after the mode dial was rotated to another setting.
8 -- Fall ANPAT 17 now booking
Nikonians founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) has announced the location for our next Fall season Nikonians Annual Photo Adventure Trip (ANPAT).
The Fall ANPAT-17 will be taking our members to Acadia and the Coastal Maine and for a very limited time, we have an early bird discount. This location is a photography paradise, with rugged coastlines, iconic lighthouses, and warm tones of the northern light.
The dates are: October 7, 2017 (arrival) to October 14, 2017 (departure).
JRP tells us:
October is the best time to be there; exquisite colors abound, not just on the trees, but also on the ground, thanks to the berry plants characteristic of the northern areas. Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) will be our ANPAT Leader.
Check out the 17th ANPAT in the Fall FAQs and the official Nikonians Academy reservations page for more details.
------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:54 PM
May 3, 2017
Are you ready for the USA blackout?

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
USA members plan for August Eclipse, March contest congrats, sensor cleaning update, PLUS more....
1 -- Are you ready for the USA blackout?
Gold member Mark David (tpnaspen) from Illinois, USA reminds us the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse covering a large swath of the USA is coming in three months.

This coming August I will be within 50 miles of 100% total solar eclipse. I would love to take some photos but concerned with my own safety and my camera. I shoot a Nikon D750.
Is there a particular lens I should use? Some helpful hints would be appreciated.
Our Astrophotography forum members are known for their attention to details, and we must commend Gold member Gerry Mulligan (Gerry M) from Arizona, USA for his response, which includes a treasure chest of significant links covering solar eclipses.
The 2017 eclipse will hit land in on August 21, in western Oregon (Lincoln Beach and Depoe Bay) at 10:15 a.m. local time then proceed across the USA until it exits land over South Carolina at a barrier reef (Cape Romain) just east of McClellanville at 2:49 p.m. local time. The actual time (ignoring time zones) will be only about an hour and a half, covering 14 States.
2 -- March Contest Congrats
Nikonians Contest Coordinator David Summers (dm1dave) has posted the results of the March contests. Congratulations to our winners!
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.
1. -- Wildlife - "In the Beautiful Light at Dusk or Dawn" theme winner Aart Louw (AartPapaya) from South Africa with his image titled Good Bad and Ugly.
2. -- Landscape - "Dusk or Dawn -Sun Below the Horizon" theme winner Nick Randall (NRandall) from Victoria, Australia with his image titled Daybreak - Addiscott Beach - Great Ocean Road.
3. -- Macro - "Black and White Close-ups in Nature" theme winner Mark Thomas (Danygraig) from Wales, The United Kingdom with his image titled Sagartia anemone.
4. -- Travel - "Traditional Sports and Pastimes" theme winner Steve Piccolo (pic) from Washington, USA with his image titled Tibetan Tug-of-War.
5. -- Digital Artistry - " Animal or Plants" theme winner Roberta Davidson (birdied) from Louisiana, USA with her image titled The Swallowtail.
6. -- Online Assignments - "Old" theme winner William McEwen (Wolfgang55) from Connecticut, USA with his image titled Bus.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past assignments here.
The current (May) assignment is Street Photography.
Here is Rob's description:
My suggestion is to Google the term "Street Photography" to get a sense of this month's assignment. Wikipedia says, "street photography, also sometimes called candid photography, is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places." What do you think street photography is? Post some images to prove your point!
3 -- What is your favorite photography vest?
Silver member Marion Pavan (pqtrths) from California, USA has a birthday coming up and he's thinking of gifting himself with a photographer's vest. Marion's search is uncovering some interesting suggestions.
Here's his list of requirements:
I been thinking about this beforehand to reduce my physical profile especially in tight locations, such as entering WWII bombers, or car shows - with my backpacks, I would first drop the pack and carry it between the cars - where a backpack is a tight fit; to evenly distribute the weight of the equipment; and to provide convenient access for my equipment.
My equipment is listed in my profile. Instead of me trying to carry nearly everything in my 7x backpack, I would use the 7x, and, maybe, the 6x as storage, and selecting from the backpacks what I'd probably need.
Also, I've been using my D3x only - I want to now use my D3x and my D200 again for its crop factor.
What would you suggest? The old Tamrac company had a number of vests that I remember I liked but they're long gone. The vest's build quality and longevity is important. New or lightly used is acceptable. The vest should have attachment rings and pockets, covered or enclosed, of varied size. A fisherman's vest would also work. Questions, comments, and recommendations are appreciated.
Ok folks, if you have a favorite vest that would meet Marion's needs, share your thoughts.
4 -- Lowest prices ever on Nikon D500, D750 & D810 plus free Nikon Battery Pack Grips
Berger Bros. Camera tells us they have never seen Nikon offer bigger Instant Savings.

• D5500
Two lens kit - save $550
• D500 - Body Only - Save $200
w/ kit lens - Save $670
Plus Free MB-D17 Battery Pack
• D750 - Body Only - Save $500
w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D16 Battery Pack
• D810 Body Only - Save $500
D810 w/ kit lens - Save $1100
Plus Free MB-D12 Battery Pack
You can now pre-order the new D7500 Body at $1,249.99 or the D7500 w/kit lens at $1,749.99. Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or BradBerger@mac.com.
5 -- Does size matter?
Silver member Larry Mannino (Larry E30) from Oregon, USA is wondering if camera size (as opposed to functionality) is important to our members.
He asks:
I have had a lot of DSLR's (I especially like the jumbo Olympus E-3 with 18-180mm) but I find after using these SMALLER cameras .... I don't want to go back to FULL SIZE - for what I do.
I guess it depends on your needs - I don't have any.
What do you think is important?
Responses so far show preferences based on needs, more than size:
• I'll say what's important is that the camera/lens combo does what I need it to do. I probably shoot almost as many photos with my iPhone as I do with my Nikons but when I go out to Yellowstone I'll take a D5, D500 and a half-ton of glass.
• I find that my DSLR brick is staying on the shelf more and my smaller camera is going outside more. I am not ready to ditch the brick. When I go out specifically to engage in photography, I will take the brick.
• Depends on the situation for me. In addition to my (all DX) DSLRs, I have an Olympus E-M5 that I use a lot when traveling, and when I want a smaller camera.
• I love large size cameras because to me it feels rock solid to hold a large size camera.
Do you prefer a "hefty feel" while shooting?
6 -- When is a portrait not a portrait?
Gold member Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) from England, The United Kingdom started a "food for thought" discussion that has evoked a large measure of carefully analysis, and even the Queen of England.
Warning: Don't start reading the discussion until you are in a quiet room with a soothing beverage at your side.
In response to Geoff's observations on a recent photo contest our members said:
• I would agree that the dominant part of a portrait photograph should be the face/expression.
However, I don't know if there is an enforceable international definition that supports my feelings.
But then if portraits can be anything, why have the word portrait?
• Your definition of "portrait" doesn't seem to include any of the painted portraits of the past 800 years or more that include the entire body - not just the head and shoulders - and the floor, chair, bench, stool or throne on which the subject is sitting or standing.
• A portrait, whether close-up or environmental, is a portrait or it is not. Just like a cat is not a horse.
• For my money, as long as an image contains enough detail, particularly facial detail, to enable this sort of "character reading" I can accept and enjoy it as a portrait. Studio close up or street scene, it's the humanity that fascinates.
The above is just the tip of the iceberg on this topic. Join the discussion and give us your thoughts on portraiture.
7 -- Are you cleaning your sensors?
Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) has posted a link to a very informative article regarding a shift in sensor cleaning based on chemistry. If you have been using the Eclipse system, perhaps you need to consider Aero-clipse.
Eric explains:
Essentially some of the newer sensors have replaced glass covers with coated sensor covers to repel dust on the sensor. These coatings are increasingly vulnerable to the formulation of cleaning fluids, so original Eclipse has gone through several iterations. The latest - Aero-clipse - is driven by the coatings on the Sony sensor but will likely be useful for other sensors.
The difference is a reduction in the amount of pure methanol, and the addition of ethanol and isopropanol alcohol to provide gentler cleaning but potentially slower evaporation.
Some of the Sony sensors have had the coatings that specifically require the newer fluids. I don't know if Nikon is using those coatings, but there is little risk of using a less aggressive cleaning product. This also suggests using a light touch with cleaning fluid since evaporation may be slower. Using excess fluid remains a problem that can lead to streaking.
If you have experience cleaning sensors, we invite you to share your opinion.
8 -- Back to the good old days?
Moderating Team member Holger Wahl (Holger) from Switzerland is on a roll -- roll of film that is. Yes, he's gone back to film for a while, and so far, he's liking the results.
Here is a part of his story:
I started a project now: analog for 6 months (except official tasks), with FM2n (b/w) and F3 (Ektar/Portra), 28mm f/2.8 AIS, 50mm f/1.2 AIS (NEW!!!), 200mm f/4 and a 100-300mm zoom. Plus, some MF and LF gear, once I got started and will have time to spare (optimist....).
Hope it works, the first (very old) Velia I found in a drawer is on the way back from the lab, two HP5 Plus are waiting for me to spare some time in the bathroom, and more good old films are sitting cool and dark in the basement, waiting to get used over the weeks and months to come.
Sure, scanning and de-dusting will take more time than "producing" thousands of digital pictures in LR, but it's like working on an old wooden boat: it's not about quantity, it's about reflection, concentration, creation of unique pictures, not about technical perfection, but about vision and manual work.
Anyone tried to step back, relax and find out about himself (or herself), about the origins of film-based photography, the smell of film when you open the little plastic can, the limitation to 36 or less pictures?
So far, so good. Holger has posted some images and he's getting support from others who have not given up on film.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:01 PM
April 25, 2017
Will Sony's a9 draw Nikon fans?

1- Will Sony's a9 draw Nikon fans?
It's a fair question. Sony has unveiled a camera that features a mirrorless system designed to rival results from high end DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) models out of Canon and Nikon, and the price is competitive.
According to Sony, the a9:
...realizes a totally blackout-free viewfinder while conventional systems can only try to reduce blackout time. A high-speed, vibration-free, silent Anti-Distortion shutter vastly extends the range of shooting situations while a mechanical system can only aim for lower vibration and quieter shutter release sound. α9 provides continuous tracking of moving subjects for foolproof AF/AE while traditional SLRs can only challenge such AF/AE performance improvements. Moreover, α9 allows its viewfinder to show not only images of the subject -- available on conventional systems -- but also the final image of a shot.
Our members have been weighing the specs, and some are not about to jump ship.
Here are some comments:
• I'm thinking this is a game changer. Won't the D5 replacement need to be mirrorless to compete?
• Sony writes a good marketing blurb but the a6500 did not fulfil their promises and my a7rii is woefully deficient to the D750 in so many ways. If Sony is shooting for the Tokyo 2020 then we will probably see some refining in an a9ii. They may also have some Sports lenses by then.
• The specs are impressive. But specs don't make a camera. Sony's interface and ergonomics are pretty awful compared to Nikon.
Are you getting ready to purchase a Sony A9? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
2- Fall ANPAT 17 now booking
Nikonians founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) has announced the location for our next Fall season Annual Nikonians Photo Adventure Trip (ANPAT).
The Fall ANPAT-17 will be taking our members to Acadia and Coastal Maine and for a very limited time, we have an early bird discount. This location is a photography paradise, with rugged coastlines, iconic lighthouses, and warm tones of the northern light.
The dates are: October 7, 2017 (arrival) to October 14, 2017 (departure).
JRP tells us:
October is the best time to be there; exquisite colors abound, not just on the trees, but also on the ground, thanks to the berry plants characteristic of the northern areas. Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) will be our ANPAT Leader.
Check out the 17th ANPAT in the Fall FAQs and the official Nikonians Academy reservations page for more details. Make sure you take note of the early bird discount on that page (deadline approaching in just one week).
3- Ever lose any equipment? Gear lost forever? - Maybe not!
Label ALL your gear... BEFORE you go out to shoot!
Each IDmyStuff® label set includes 29 labels, in 3 sizes. Big enough for a 400mm lens -- small enough for a filter ring.
Three lines of text per label, plus a gift or coding message for each set. Up to 30 characters per line. Super weatherproof outdoor vinyl with sign grade adhesive, UV resistant colorfast thermal resin printing, laminated with tough polyester. 7 different colors -- code gear by types, storage locations, or application purposes.
Just $9.95, including shipping in USA. (International: $4.95 flat rate shipping per order.) 20% off orders of 3. 30% off orders of 10 sets or more. Typical turnaround (order to delivery) is one week or less.
4- Wedding photography - Getting started
Silver member Robert Metheney (bobpilot) has a friend wanting to get into the wedding photography business. His original question concentrated on the gear, but responses from our wedding pro members are quickly adding important precautions.
Here's Bob's question:
A friend asked me what camera I would suggest for him to enable him to photograph weddings. He can't afford a camera with an FX sensor. What DX camera would you suggest?
Replies quickly cautioned against venturing into this line of photography with only one body. We also have great advice on gaining experience.
Here are some examples:
• Having photographed weddings for 37 years I must suggest two (2) D7200 bodies. NEVER take on a paying photo assignment with a single camera body.
• I personally think, the best thing for him to do first, would find a wedding photographer, that would let him go to some weddings with him or her, as their assistant, as there are far more things to being a wedding photographer than people think.
• There is a lot more homework that needs to be done. Choosing the camera body is probably pretty low on the list of decisions for a new wedding photographer.
In all fairness, Bob never mentioned if his friend had already been pulling apprentice duties under an accomplished wedding photographer. But as the replies start piling up, we invite anyone with hopes of shooting weddings to read the responses. For our wedding photography-experienced members - Do you have additional advice to share? Join the discussion.
5- Profiled--Bird Photography Enthusiast Jack Backs
Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has posted her latest chapter in the Nikonians member profile "I am Nikonians" series of articles.
Her subject in this installment is Gold member Jack Backs (jfbacks) from Missouri, USA.
Jacks' photography background goes well back into the days of film, and it was the arrival of the Nikon D100 that enhanced his creative skills in capturing two elusive subjects: children playing sports and birds.
Jack tells us:
It always amazes me how one can blaze away with a DSLR and the sound rarely spooks a bird, but make one sudden movement and they are off in a flash. My last bit of advice on getting close to birds is to find a conservation area or seldom traveled country road and take images from your car window... A lot of birds are accustomed to traffic and will be much more tolerant than if you were on foot.
Check out the full article for a look at Jack's accomplishments in capturing stunning bird images.
6- Where eagles dare
Moderating Team member John David Hutchison (Kipmm) from British Columbia, Canada shares an awesome series of eagle "fly-by" images captured while searching for an entirely different bird.
John describes the circumstances:
Sitting on a beach waiting for the tide to roll out and hopefully the arrival of an Osprey this Bald Eagle came from nowhere. Actually, there were two of them and this one was chasing the other out.
I never did see the other but I did see the shadow.
This series ended quickly as the Eagle flew right over me...
-- kip
The images were captured with his Nikon D500 and AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8 G ED VR II combined with a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E II.
If you are a "BIF" fan (Birds In Flight) make sure you jump in on the discussion and check out the other three images in this set.
7- The siren call of better glass
Silver member Dale Williams (Tropidale) from Florida, USA wants to add a new lens to her gear bag and she's seeking advice from our members.
Here's a short excerpt from her question:
I currently shoot with a D7000, primarily animals, birds, flowers, scenic, or whatever strikes me wherever we happen to be. I am a raw and manual shooter primarily, and being a bit of a zoom freak, I currently use a Nikon 18-140 and Tamron 70-300 which have been the best coverage I felt I could get for my budget. I have gotten some pretty good shots out of both, but I keep hearing the message of better glass, over and over, and have the urge to improve my results. But I am just not sure if there is an appreciable improvement to support the investment, especially if it turns out, that I am the limiting factor, not my lenses. I clearly have plenty to learn, and I know I should use my tripod a lot more. I certainly know that nobody can guarantee I will get better results with better glass, not really knowing my knowledge and skill level, but I am just trying to get an idea if an upgrade would be a very noticeable improvement or a more subtle one for image quality.
Along with reaching out to the forum, I am also planning to rent a 24-70 or 70-200 2.8 for a little comparison work. I am sure that will answer my questions as well.
Thanks for any words of wisdom. -- Dale
As you can see, Dale is not just looking for advice on specific lenses. She's also wondering if a new lens purchase is necessary in the first place. Read the full post and check out her sample images. Does she really need new glass?
8- Scooter shooter tips anyone?
Gold member Dale Lundy (stlsailor) from Missouri, USA enjoys hopping on small motorcycles (sometimes scooters) and exploring great photo sites. What he doesn't enjoy is trying to lug his gear safely, stopping at a site, setting it up, and then breaking it down. How would you handle this situation?
Dale asks:
A few days ago, I did a short reconnaissance moto shoot at Kep National Park. By moto shoot I mean I rode the moto until I came to a place I wanted to shoot. Then I'd park the moto, take off my backpack, get my camera out of it, set up and take any shots I wanted, put the camera back in the backpack, put the backpack back on, get on the moto and take off for the next shot.
It was OK the first time. After a few stops it began to be a pain. Does anyone have any tips on making this easier? When I do a walking shoot I have my camera ready, of course, and if I bring an extra lens or two, I carry them in ThinkTank pouches for easy access. But I don't want to have my camera out and risk damaging it while riding the moto, and the pouches I don't think would work well when I'm sitting on the moto. Thoughts? -- Dale
Are you a moto-shooter? How do you pack your gear for easy access? Share your tips.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:37 PM
April 18, 2017
Six reasons to stick with your DSLR

1- Six reasons to stick with your DSLR
Gold member Wayne Lorimer (wjlorimer) from New Zealand ventured into the world of mirrorless system photography for two years. It had many benefits. So, why has he returned to the DSLR realm?
The introduction to his recent article explains:
Mirrorless camera systems are all the rage, while sales of traditional DSLR's are in decline.
Many refer to DSLR technology as a "dinosaur". If you want to keep up with photography, then you should ditch all your DSLR gear and make the switch to mirrorless - right?
Hang-on. Not so fast.
Are these new mirrorless cameras all that they're cracked up to be? Or can the DSLR still give them a run for their money? Should you seriously consider a mirrorless camera as your next upgrade?
Or is it just overblown marketing hype designed to sell more cameras?
Follow Wayne as he explores his own journey from DSLR, to Micro Four Thirds, and back again
2- Do you plan to buy the Nikon D7500?
Last week we covered the unveiling of the new Nikon D7500. This week, with the help of post by Silver member Mark Virgil Stephan (Mark37814) from Tennessee, USA we're following our member's reactions and their intentions.
Some sample (and randomly selected) comments:
• I for one plan to buy the D7500, my D7100 will become a backup body. It's at a price point that I can afford and judging by the specs it has a lot of D500 DNA which makes it more attractive. The tiltable rear LCD screen was the feature I've been looking for in a prosumer Nikon dSLR. Is a 20.9 MP camera a deal breaker? No, it isn't. In addition to my Nikon's I shoot with 20.1mp Canon 6D and 70D.
• I was excited, thinking I would upgrade from my D7000, until I saw no vertical grip support. I shoot a lot of high school basketball and a vertical grip is essential. D500 or D750 for me at this time.
• I would consider it as I have the D7000, and it would be an upgrade. I have never bought a vertical grip for my D7000, 2nd card slot is nice but not sure it is a deal breaker. My only concern is I think they priced it a bit high.
• No, I would miss the second SD card slot and definitely miss the vertical grip. Unfortunately, Nikon choose not to include these important features. I was due to upgrade with this model, maybe next model.
Do you plan on buying this new camera in the D7000 series? Join the discussion.
3- Need new gear? Limited budget? Think "trade-in"
Do you want that new Nikon D7500? Berger Bros Camera is offering great trade-ins or outright purchase for your used Nikon or any brand photo gear.
They see many people trading in older heavy DSLR gear toward new Fuji, Sony or Olympus Mirrorless cameras.
They now have in stock new fabulous Olympus EM1 MKII Sony A6500, Sony A7R II cameras as well as Fuji XT2 and coming soon Fuji GFX50S medium format 50mp.
They also have spectacular deals on Nikon D810 and you can put your order in now for the new Nikon D7500.
Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or BradBerger@mac.com.
4- 100 years- and counting
Our thanks to new member Richard Haw (ricoBaby) from Japan, who happens to be in a very enviable geographical location for those of us celebrating Nikon's 100th Anniversary this year. Richard went to the Nikon Museum in Tokyo and he shares a great series of images and background information.
Richard links us to his blog:
On the first installment on this series, I will be presenting you a report of the current exhibit currently being held at the Nikon Museum. I take it that there will be more that's coming after this so please follow this blog to get updates on those.
The current exhibit showcases the prototype cameras of Nikon from the post-war years up till the late '80s. The exhibit is presented like an engineer's diary/memoir with words accompanying each surviving prototype. I take it that this exhibit was made possible by people with great passion for Nikon because collecting all of these prototypes is not easy because these were usually destroyed according to Nikon's company protocol. It is with much appreciation that I am writing this blog post in honor of the people who worked with these prototypes and to the people who archived them.
Check out his link and make sure you encourage him to give us more... a lot more.
5- What's your ghostbuster?
Are you plagued by the challenges of shooting through a fence at sporting events?
Moderating Team member Diane L. Simmons (coolmom42) from Tennessee, USA has been looking for a solution to the inevitable "ghost lines" resulting from these "Out of Focus" (OOF) obstructions.
Diane asks:
Is there any way to get rid of the almost transparent streaks from the OOF fence, in this image? (and others from a ball park.)
It's most conspicuous at the bottom of the image, but shows up as hazy streaks across the backs of the uniforms, as well.
I have LR6 for PP software.
No seats up above the fence at this level of play, unfortunately.
Suggestions lean towards Photoshop cloning, but perhaps a bit of "healing" may be the answer.
If you have conquered this pesky problem, make sure you share your solution with us.
6- How silent can you get?
Silver member Harry Cowan (DougieCowan) from Texas, USA is trying to get a clear understanding of the motors inside certain Nikkor lenses. Which is best for video and what's the actual difference?
Harry asks:
I've been happy with the SWM (Silent Wave Motor) motors on AF-S lenses but Nikon has brought out the pulse motor on the AF-P lenses now.
Nikon, of course, states that each is great so I'm wondering what gives?
Nikon's official explanation says:
AF-S NIKKOR lenses feature Nikon's Silent Wave Motor (SWM). This technology converts "traveling waves" into rotational energy to focus the optics. This enables high-speed autofocusing that's extremely accurate and super quiet.
AF-P lenses use a "Pulse" motor or "Stepping" autofocus motor and are even quieter and smoother to autofocus than an AF-S lens, making these lenses ideal when shooting video with a DSLR.
Check our responses to Harry's question and let us know if you have been using an AF-S lens for video with good results.
7-Foreground subject lost in the dark?
Silver member Ralph Magin (Fezant) from Arizona, USA is dealing with poor results when faced with subjects surrounded by bright backlighting. How do you resolve this problem?
Here is the original question:
I am new to photography and would like to take photographs of subjects in the shade with a bright background without a fill-in flash. What can you do so that the subject is not silhouetted? Thanks, Fezant
Of course, a number of responses are suggesting Ralph should reconsider his thoughts on fill-in flash. But,
When that flash is totally not an option, we have some responses point towards metering choices:
• You can use Spot Metering on your subject to determine the correct exposure.
• I select Center Weighted Metering Mode and move in closer to have the subject occupy a larger portion in the frame. When it is very bright and the subject is not too large in the frame I go for Spot metering.:
• If it were me in the field, I'd use the spot meter if assuming no flash.
What's your advice? Join the discussion.
8- Sky / area is light to dark?
Gold member Karl Lalemand (slalemand) from Maine, USA wants to get a better grip on the various lighting situations that crop up while doing panoramas. What do you do when the sky changes while capturing the image?
Karl asks:
Not sure if the title helps much, but what is or are the secrets to doing pano's when the sky / area goes from light to dark?
This seems to cause me the most problems, that and the fact I don't know what I'm doing.
Karl posted examples and he's already getting some solid advice. If you have been struggling with similar lighting challenges, this discussion is a must read.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:35 PM
April 15, 2017
Add months to your Silver, Gold or Platinum membership
This is something that many members miss, so let me wrap it up here:
If you invite another person to join Nikonians, they will get 10% off on their new membership and you will get an additional month on your current membership (Silver, Gold or Platinum) added as a small "thank you" for helping spreading the word.
How does it work?
It is simple, really.
- Go to "My Profile" and click on the tab "Invitations".
- Type in the person's email to be invited
- Hit the "Generate voucher" button
- Now you can either hit the link "Send" to send out the voucher as an email to the person, or you can print it out to personally hand it over.
There is no limit on the number of invitations you can make and you can keep track on them easily in the list shown on the "Invitations" page.
Thanks for spreading the word about the community!
Posted by bgs at 4:22 PM
April 11, 2017
Nikon announces D7500

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
Nikon unveils the new D7500, removing water spots from lens, testing your camera and lens - PLUS more....
1- New D7500 unveiled

We've been tracking rumors of the newest D7000 series camera for over a month. We invite our members to post here with their reactions to the new Nikon D7500.
Our thanks to Yale Fogarty (Bluedogs) from Oregon, USA for getting the discussion started.
The new DX-format camera uses the same sensor as the Nikon D500 (20 Megapixels), 8 frames per second capability and a tilt screen. Its predecessor, the D7200, has a 24.2 Megapixel sensor, 6 frames per second and no tilt screen.
The D7500 supports the same 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)/30p movie recording possible with the D500. The maximum recording time for movies of this resolution is approximately 29 minutes 59 seconds.
The camera is slimmer and lighter than the D7200 and demonstrates even greater agility with a deep grip that provides a superior hold and portability. It is also compatible with SnapBridge, which enables constant connection of the camera to a smart device.
2- Out damn spots!
Gold member Marc L Rosenblum (alty02) from Idaho, USA is looking for a safe method to remove water spots from a lens:
I just returned from our local waterfalls and it was flowing at a record rate, with lots of fine mist covering just about everything, including the picnic grounds, overlooks & automobiles.
The car windows were covered with fine water spots that will now need something stronger than Windex due to the fact that they dried rather quickly. Soap & water does not remove them.
A dry method of cleaning the lens will not do the job and lens cleaning fluid is not removing the water spots. I used some vinegar on a small section of my car window and it seems to work well.
Will vinegar damage the front element of a lens if used full strength? I would use a cotton swab (Q-tip) with a small amount of vinegar and follow up with a bit of distilled water, also applied with a Q-tip.
Any other recommendations to remove stubborn water spots? Thanks!
Have you solved a water spot problem? How did you do it? Share your solution.
3- Blog Views now easier
Nikonians founder Bo Stahlbrandt advises the News Blog is now much easier to read on mobile devices, and you now have a choice to view it in both white and black background modes.
Forgot how to switch?
It's easy.
Go to My Profile, look for the Preferences Tab.
On the Preferences Tab go to Preferred Skin and choose Nikonians V2.0
On the upper right corner of the screen, push the Save button.
--voilà-- it's done.
4-Comfort plus Theft-Resistance? Can your strap keep your camera safe when traveling?
This strap, available from PhotoBert, is great for travel as it helps thwart camera thieves and is great for everyday use.
It fits any camera that has a removeable camera strap.
Don't let this strap fool you - it looks (and is) lightweight, but is incredibly strong!
It is 30% lighter than nylon/polyester, 45% lighter than aramid and 15 times stronger than steel.
(Sorry -- PhotoBert can only ship this product to US customers only.)
Nikonians Price: $37.95
Price is after discount reflected in your cart.
5- Higher and higher
Silver member Paul Naish (DS256) from Ontario Canada wants to go much higher with his camera, yet maintain a stable platform:
There are times when I'd like to raise the camera above the scene for a better perspective. Examples are farm fields with colour and I want to get more of the field from a higher angle.
I've been looking online and the only products I've found are surveyors' tripods modified to accept a camera head. These can be 12 feet in height.
I realize that I'd need a wireless remote and setup could be a pain.
Looking for ideas of what others may have done. - Thanks
So--how do you elevate your camera while keeping it stable enough to avoid jittery shots? From some of our responses we've already seen suggestions regarding camera settings to go along with the higher reach. Check it out.
6- 30-thousand and counting
Moderating Team member Eric Bowles (ericbowles) alerts us to an impressive milestone:
Congratulations to Nikonians moderator Brian Wong (blw) for reaching 30,000 posts. That's an incredible milestone - especially with the information filled posts that Brian typically shares.
Thanks for all of your support of Nikonians and our community.
Here are just a few comments on Brian's contributions to the community.
• I've learned a lot from your posts, Brian. 30,000 posts is quite an achievement and even better a great contribution. Thank you!
• I always look for Brian's posts because I know that I will learn something from them. Thanks, Brian.
• And that's not counting the number of posts he may have lost at The Big Crash in the fall of 2005.
30,000 looks great. Thank you, Brian.
Brian's response was modest and pointed to a fellow member:
Glad to be a productive and valued member of the community. And I'll point out that Marty McDonough (MEMcD) is 10% past me at 33,000+ - and in several years less time!
Want to join the many members congratulating Brian? Join the discussion.
7- Camera and lens test tips
Silver member Robert Metheney (bobpilot) from Utah, USA is trying to figure out whether he may have spotted a focusing problem with a Nikon D500. He used a test method that drew a lot of responses.
Robert asked:
I want to be sure the camera and lens are in sync with focus so I set up the slant ruler test in my backyard. The camera is 60 from the target. The focus point is on the checkerboard adjacent to the number 26 on the ruler. The 600mm in on a tripod with a RRS Gimbal head and a RRS long lens support system.
The responses (and eventual answer to his problem) are a must read for those of us who want to set up a homemade test. Here are just a few examples:
• Did you use a remote release. If you do not have one for the rented body you should use "Mirror UP" and enable the 3 second delay.
• It never hurts to test/confirm at a similar distance to what you expect to use the lens at.
• Your target isn't really very good. It needs a bigger "checkerboard" plus there is low contrast lighting.
• I recommend that you slow the shutter speed to 1/500 or so and shoot at ISO-100 with the same f-stop.
Have you been using a favorite testing method? Share your results. Tell us why that method served your needs.
8- Older lens a best bet?
Bernhard Hein (localheroo) from Germany asked about a specific lens for a specific camera, and the resulting discussion covered the famous "1.5 crop factor" issue in great detail.
Bernhard asked:
As we plan a trip to Canada this year (landscape photography) I'm looking for a tele zoom lense for my D80 (Standard lense 18-70).
Is the AF-S 70-300mm (FX Format) a good choice? I saw the lense is already about ten years on the market. Is it still up to date? Thanks for any advice.
We assume the lens he's considering is the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED (product Number 2161) which is a 450mm equivalent on DX-format cameras like Bernhard's Nikon D80.
It debuted over ten years ago and is still available through online sellers, with average prices hovering in the $500 USD (470 Euros) range.
You may not be considering this lens for yourself. But, has the "crop factor" issue confused you? If so, you need to read the responses in this discussion.
9- Neutral Density Blender?
Silver member David Powell (DaveP142) from England, The United Kingdom is wondering if any of our members have used a neutral density filter that goes to extremes:
I stumbled across a passing reference to these recently which caught my attention because I had previously noticed that Formatt Hitech currently offer them and I had wondered just what they were intended for.
If you haven't come across them, what they are is a graduated filter with the listed strength at one end fading to clear at the other end rather than the mid-point.
I've been wondering if one might be useful for handheld use on those days when the sky is very bright but uninteresting. (I seem to see a lot of bright overcast when I'm not at work). Obviously, there would be no horizon line to worry about
Has anyone tried one?
Do you have "before and after" shots to share to give David an idea on how these filters can be used. Share them here.
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:06 PM
Newsletter not scam

Tom posted
a question about emails he's been getting from our Chief Editor, Tom Boné
(flashdeadline). They looked a bit suspicious and he asked:

At the top of the email is the logo without the circled R, .org or the statement under 'nikonians'. This makes me suspicious. I just delete the emails. Is anybody else getting these? Are they legitimate?
Well, yes, they are legit. We answered his question:
We've migrated to a
"quick and simple" style in the emails because the founders have
found the large number of images and links in each email (and to a very large
subscription base) was often being filtered out from the subscribers as
potential junk mail. The new style leans towards shorter emails with no images
and very few links. Instead of coming from an organization, it was decided to
take the editor out from the shadows.
The very first link
leads to more details plus images.....
You can read the full response here.
Thanks again Tom!
Posted by flashdeadline at 1:44 PM
April 4, 2017
Two new Nikon DSLR's
Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week.---
Those "new" cameras PLUS contest updates, big filters advice and much more.......1- Two new Nikon DSLR's
Nikon's 100th Anniversary Celebration (coming in July) is already spawning new cameras. They are not new exactly "new" models, but they are unique.
The company has announced Anniversary editions of their flagship FX-Format Nikon D5 and the DX line Nikon D500. Each feature exclusive centennial designs and come with a special set of commemorative accessories.
Both cameras offer:
• Metallic gray finish that expresses the camera's innovation and reliability with massive splendor
• 100th anniversary logo on a side of the camera's pentaprism portion
• Commemorative leather strap embossed with 100th anniversary logo*
• Body cap imprinted with 100th anniversary logo
• Metal case with a plate engraved with 100th anniversary logo and serial number
The Nikon D5 version also adds:
• Bottom of the camera is engraved with "NIKON - CONTRIBUTING TO MANNED SPACE FLIGHT SINCE 1971"
• Anniversary booklet to convey Nikon's contribution to the space projects
The Nikon Anniversary Product Page has details and information on other specials, including some real sweet glass.
Will you be buying one of these cameras or any of the Anniversary goodies? Join the discussion.
2 - February Contest Congrats
Nikonians Contest Coordinator David Summers (dm1dave) has posted the results of the February contests. Congratulations to our winners! Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.
1. -- Wildlife - "Wildlife youngsters" theme winner Francine Dollinger (Francine) from Colorado, USA with her image titled Love You.
2. -- Landscape - "Winter's Wonders" theme winner William McEwen (Wolfgang55) from Connecticut, USA with his image titled Diane's Pool.
3. -- Macro - "Spirals and Circles in the Natural World" theme winner Gerald Botkin (bayouboy66) from Louisiana, USA with his image titled Button Bush flower abstract.
4. -- Travel - "The Waterfront" theme winner Darryl Hodson (skibreeze7) from Oregon, USA with his image titled Raiatea, French Polynesia.
https://www.nikonians.org/forums/user_files/350814.jpg
5. -- Digital Artistry - "Soft" theme winner Godofredo Baylon (GBaylon) from Ontario, Canada with his image titled Our little Ball of Fur.
6. -- Assignment - "You Decide" theme winner Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) from England, The United Kingdom with his image titled Braving the Storm.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past assignments here.
The current (April) assignment is "Young."
Here is Rob's description:
Last month you all shot images of something "old". Well, it would follow then that this month, the assignment is to shoot something "young". Same types of issues, different subject.
There are no other restrictions except that your image(s) must be taken during the month of April 2017.
Speaking of contests:
The Best of Nikonians 2017 Segment 1 competition has already started and the theme is "Black and White." Here are the details posted by Contest Coordinator David Summers (dm1dave).
3- Sneak Preview from JRP
The Best of Nikonians 2017 contest is not to be confused with the recent Nikonians Photography Awards 2017 we partnered with LensCulture. That one is done and we have advance scoop.
Nikonians founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) advises:
We will publish an article about this special contest, including the images of another 25 photographers from around the world, selected by the jury as finalists.
In the mean time you can have a complete preview here.
The LensCulture contest page tells us:
Our jury of experts had a difficult time settling on the winners and finalists given the outstanding level of submitted work.
4- Need new gear? Limited budget? Think "trade-in"
Berger Bros Camera is offering great trade-ins or outright purchase for your used Nikon or any brand photo gear.
They see many people trading in older heavy DSLR gear toward new Fuji, Sony or Olympus Mirrorless cameras.
They now have in stock new fabulous Olympus EM1 MKII Sony A6500, Sony A7R II cameras as well as Fuji XT2 and coming soon Fuji GFX50S medium format 50mp.
They also have spectacular deals on Nikon D810 and put your order in now for the new Nikon Full Frame Body to be announced shortly.
Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or BradBerger@mac.com.
5- Big lens = big filter headache
Gold member John A. Meiers (Dakotaboy) from North Dakota, USA is facing a serious sticker-shock solution for capturing broad dynamic range with wide angle lenses. There must be a cheaper way---right?
John asks:
Eventually would like to get a good quality wide angle full frame lens to fit my full frame Nikon DSLR. Some of the really good lenses come without filter rings. How does one take advantage of using graduated neutral density (GND) filters when there is no filter ring?
His first answer sounds great, except for the wallet busting aspects. Here's a small portion:
By the time you get the filter holder ($200), an adapter ring for other lenses (say, 77mm, although these days it might take both 77mm and 82mm), a set of grads, something like a Big Stopper and a CP, you'll be looking at approaching $1000 for the filter system.
Other members suggested the problem can be solved by using multiple exposures along the high dynamic range (HDR) principal married to solid post-production. Do you have less expensive solution? Let us know.
6-Will he dump her?
New member Heinz Augustin (heinzy) from British Columbia, Canada has had it. He's frustrated because she gave him 11 good months and now she's acting up. Does he dump her or seek a remedy for their relationship?
You guessed it, "she" is a camera.
This is a brief excerpt describing his Nikon D750 dilemma:
I was more than happy with her.
Then --bang-- out of the blue, she had a heart attack! Her shutter froze open for ~3-4 seconds at every release at any and all of many setting combinations. No 'ERR' messages.
"Did you try this and that; did you do the settings reset per menu; change lenses; batteries ; did you talk nicely to her and-- and -- and" ....yes I did it all...for hours. Yet...she stubbornly kept her shutter open. Checked the net: yes, a known NIKON D750 problem.
Nikon sent him some advice, and for a brief time he thought his problems were over. But, now he's wondering what "she" will do next.
Does he dump her? Does he keep her? Read the full story (including Nikon's advice) and feel free to counsel Heinz.
7- Illiterate reader stumps moderator
Moderating team member Gary Worrall (glxman) from South Australia not only excels in dispensing advice, he's also professional enough to seek it. See if you can help him with the "mystery of the nonreading reader."
Here's his story:
Got new XQD card and a new reader, will not read the old card shown,
My old Sony card reader reads the old card
I believe the new Sony card reader is "backwards compatible" but I'm not sure about that?
If it is, may be a better option for the future
.........Gary
Have you had a similar experience with "backwards compatible" readers? Share your solution.
8- Internet videos - How are you watching?
Gold member Don Burton (Bug) from Michigan, USA is trying to view streaming video, and his TV is "dumb."
He's been using a laptop to feed a nice large screen, but that option is not always available. What should he do?
Don tells us:
I'm using my laptop to view Lynda.com videos and my wife needs our laptop when she travels.
So, Is there another method for me to watch Internet videos on my dumb TV?
At Best Buy they suggested Apple TV or an Xbox. I would hope the suggestion is something that can use my wireless internet. Thanks, Don
Suggestions so far include Roku and Chromecast, but one particular (and relatively inexpensive) alternative is gaining Don's interest. Check it out, and if you have a suggestion make sure to let us know.
----------------------------------------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:32 PM
March 28, 2017
Where is your cloud?

Gold member Ian Crook (Pics905) from British Columbia, Canada seeks the best possible "cloud" option for his images, and our members are dishing great advice.
Here is Ian's question:
Do people have any recommendations for cloud backup providers such as Dropbox or Amazon? I have three drives at home, but really would like to have off-site storage as well - all recommendations are welcome!
Responses so far include:
• I have been using Mozy home/personal version for years. It is a paid service that I use for photos and other data. It transmits and stores data in encrypted form. You can either use Mozy's encryption key or create your own strong key. I did the latter, in which case Mozy is unable to decrypt my data on their own. And I better not lose the key!
• I've done a lot of experimenting and offer a couple of observations (ok, more than a couple - get a cup of coffee -- a large cup, before reading...)
Yes-- make sure you get that large cup of coffee, because Silver member Linwood Ferguson (Ferguson) from Florida, USA replied with tons of information.
Have you been wondering which way to pursue your cloud storage solution?
You need to bookmark Linwood's well-researched post.
2- Tons of slides-- how to save?
New member David Rucker (ridinonairs10017) is dealing with a large number of old slides and he's looking for advice on how to preserve them:
I have been left with literally several thousand slides from my father. I want to digitize them as to preserve and share them with the rest of my family. What is the easiest way to do this?
I looked through this subforum briefly and noticed that many were suggesting a slide scanner or a slide copy adapter that attaches to a camera. I am not really interested in sending them all off to be copied by another company ($$$$) and would like to do it myself. Besides, there is something to be said regarding reliving old memories during the process.
David's challenge is the same many of our members have been dealing with and he's already getting some experienced advice.
Check it out, and if you have any new information to share, let us know.
3-Comfort plus Theft-Resistance?
Can your strap keep your camera safe when traveling?
This strap, available from PhotoBert, is great for travel as it helps thwart camera thieves and is great for everyday use.
It fits any camera that has a removeable camera strap.
Don't let this strap fool you - it looks (and is) lightweight, but is incredibly strong!
It is 30% lighter than nylon/polyester, 45% lighter than aramid and 15 times stronger than steel.
(Sorry -- PhotoBert can only ship this product to US customers only.)
Nikonians Price: $37.95
Price is after discount reflected in your cart.
4-Are these baseball pics garbage?
Tennessee, USA Silver member Andrew King (HonestAK) wants to take the next step in his sports photography. His subject for now is baseball:
I had a hard time capturing action on my first time shooting sports but will get another chance this weekend. There is a double header starting at noon so I will have plenty of light for a lot of innings.
Please do let me know how I can improve.
A quick read on his responses so far shows there are an infinite number of variables to consider.
Here's an example:
• Overall, I would suggest being mindful of framing and crops. For example, in Pitcher Cropped he has a great expression, but cutting off the throwing arm and glove I think takes away from that a bit. In the full version, his feet are cut off slightly which is a little distracting to me as well. Having him higher in the frame, aside from the foot issue, I think would also strengthen the composition.
Are you a baseball fan with a portfolio full of good and bad examples? Share them with us, and tell us what you have learned.
5-Sarah shines
Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has posted her latest chapter in the Nikonians member profile "I am Nikonians" series of articles.
Her subject in this installment is Gold member Sarah Boser (Sarah9) from Pennsylvania, USA.
Sarah recalls:
I joined Nikonians last year when my husband, Bob, suggested we register for the Fall 2016 ANPAT to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. He attended the Spring 2015 ANPAT to the southern marshes, swamps and beaches, and really enjoyed the trip. While it didn't take much to convince me to agree, I was a little apprehensive about whether my skills would be too rudimentary. That definitely wasn't the case. The ANPAT really is a trip that welcomes all skill levels. I learned a great deal from the others on the trip, and also had a great time in a stunning location.
The article includes images by Sarah showing us she's definitely not in the "rudimentary" category. They were captured with her Nikon D5500.
6- Looking to showcase your best images?
Nikonians Photo Contest Director David Summers (dm1dave) tells us the Best of Nikonians 2017 Contest is underway.
David has posted background information to guide you through the many options available:
Each year, Nikonians takes great pride in showcasing the inspirational work of the talented photographers who make up our community.
This year's contest will continue our tradition of recognizing all of the winners of the monthly Challenges in the Master Your Vision Forums and Online Assignments. Additionally, we will offer four themed segments, beginning in April.
In brief:
• The following forums feature monthly contests:
Landscape, Wildlife, Micro, Macro & Close-up, Travel, Digital Artistry Forums and Online Assignments.
• The four themed segments will be posted and pinned in the Annual Best of Nikonians Contest forum.
Beginning in February 2018, a panel of judges from the Nikonians Masters Society will review and score each image. Winners will be announced before the end of February.
The overall winners at the end of the year will be awarded prizes from our Sponsors.
More details are available here.
7-Think Tank Photo releases Signature line
Eleven years and an impressive inventory of photo accessories has inspired a new product line from our friends at Think Tank Photo.
They call it the Signature shoulder bag series and once again they have extended a special offer to provide our members with free gear and free shipping incentives.
The Signature Series from Think Tank is a modernized version of the classic shoulder bag.
Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo's CEO and lead designer tells us:
The new series features a modern fabric that is soft to the touch and yet is durable. In addition, the zippered flap provides full closure and security to the main compartment, or tucks away when not in use. It is a next generation design for today's discerning photographer.
Whether one is a young urban professional or corporate photographer, the Signature shoulder bag is as fashionable as it is functional. Hand sewn, advanced fabrics blend weather protection and durability with the classic feel of fine wool. Genuine leather detailing and metal hardware add character and stand up to the rigors of daily use.
8-Bigger than yours?
Ok-- we all get it.
No matter how large our personal collection of cameras and lenses, there will always be somebody out there with an even larger assortment.
We've had just such a thing happen in the English Café, where Moderating Team member Brian Wong (blw) and some friends decided to stack and photograph a pile of gear guaranteed to make us drool.
Brian explains:
Fellow Nikonian Victor Newman (vfnewman) and another one of my friends came over today to shoot a simulation of one of those "Nikon System Portraits" - you know, the sort of thing that goes into Nikon advertising occasionally. Vic and I have both been at this for 35+ years... and you can't get me together with five (actually six) fisheyes and not get a fishy picture out of it!
It's a fun exercise in satisfying what we all like to call NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome), and if you follow the post-- you'll see not all the gear in this discussion comes from Nikon.
---------------------
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:45 PM
March 21, 2017
Carry-on restrictions impact Nikonians

Moderating Team member Ned S. Levi (Ned L) from Pennsylvania, USA is following a recent security measure that will impact some of our members planning to bring their cameras as carry-on luggage for certain international flights. No cameras, no iPads, and much more.
Ned's listing of gear is extensive. It includes: Laptops, e-readers, tablets, printers, electronic games, portable DVD players, cameras and other electronic device larger than a smartphone.
He goes on to report: The ban applies to nonstop flights to the US from 10 international airports in Cairo, Egypt; Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Istanbul, Turkey; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Ned is keeping up with developments and posting them here. The ensuing discussion goes into details from members concerned with
other issues. Here is a sample:
How do they plan to deal with the lithium ion batteries in most of these devices (many of which, i.e. those in tablets and laptops, cannot be removed) and which are not allowed in checked baggage?
2- What's your Nikkor Trilogy?
Three Nikkor zoom lenses combining versatility and quality have long been known as "The Three Kings, The Nikkor Trilogy or The Holy Trinity." Most Nikonians will agree on the concept, but naming those three specific lenses can be difficult. Nikonians founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) helps clear some confusion.
He has posted an article titled What Nikon lenses to buy - The Three Big Dragons which explains why this list of lenses has changed over the years:
Each new generation brings in more improvements, more sharpness corner to corner, less distortion, better resistance to flare, improved contrast and color rendition, better definition, higher acutance, less and less chromatic aberration, wider focal range in the wide angle, more precise shutters.
Special Hint: The comments section on this article is a must read if you are preparing your own "trilogy."
3- In search of the perfect zoom?
You have two Nikon DSLR bodies. One has a full frame sensor and the other has an APS-C sensor. It's time to add a new zoom lens that will work with both bodies. How do you choose the right lens?
Silver member Mark Virgil Stephan (Mark37814) poses the question:
In the next month or two I'll be upgrading from my AF-D 80-400 to something longer with better optics. Camera will be my D700 if I need 8fps or my D7100. Plan to use the new lens for local wildlife.
Currently watching and reading all the reviews trying to decide which lens. Why did you choose the 200-500 over one of the 150-600's or other lenses?
You may have the answer for Mark, so make sure you share it with us.
4- Need new gear? Limited budget? Think "trade-in"
Berger Bros Camera is offering great trade-ins or outright purchase for your used Nikon or any brand photo gear. They see many people trading in older heavy DSLR gear toward new Fuji, Sony or Olympus Mirrorless cameras.
They now have in stock new fabulous Olympus EM1 MKII Sony A6500, Sony A7R II cameras as well as Fuji XT2 and coming soon Fuji GFX50S medium format 50mp.
They also have spectacular deals on Nikon D810 and put your order in now for the new Nikon Full Frame Body to be announced shortly.
Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or BradBerger@mac.com.
5- Sigma anyone?
Platinum member Mick Klass (mklass) from Washington, USA tells us Sigma has a bunch of new lenses that may be of interest to those of us who are not sticklers for "Nikon only" purchasing habits.
Responses so far speak well of the Sigma line:
• Sigma has indeed been making amazing lenses. A good friend of mine is doing his photography almost exclusively with the Sigma 35/1.4. This lens is outstanding, even sharper than my Zeiss 35/2, though I prefer the rendering of the latter.
• The Sigma 135 seems, for me personally, the most interesting of the Arts - saw some samples today with great looking bokeh.
• Lots of great stuff out there right now so I'm giving some thought to refreshing my lens line-up.
Are you a Sigma fan? Join the discussion.
6- Are you new to Nikonians?
Our community is large and can feel a bit overwhelming to new users, so Nikonians founder Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) has posted a listing of articles, social media sources and forums currently accessible to our Basic members.
Bo explains the purpose behind his article:
Nikonians is a large community with lots of activity in various places. As a first time visitor, we know it can feel a bit overwhelming, so here are some areas that you might want to look at for starters.
None of these require you to sign up with the community (which is free on its "Basic" membership, by the way).
Check out his article, and make sure you scroll down to the very bottom and look for a link to an overview for anyone who wants to freshen up on the skills.
7- Perfect panning 101
Silver member Bill Stewart (LightMeter) from Texas, USA is trying to perfect his panning skills. He shows some examples, along with posting his shutter speed. Can you point to any specific shutters speeds or techniques that will improve his final product?
Bill asks:
Yesterday I shot a lot of images of the bike ride. I set the camera to shutter priority at 1/80. Out of about 200 images I got 10 or so that are sharp. What can I do to get smoother panning and go slower on the shutter speed? What about a monopod? Anyone pan with a monopod?
Silver member Bob Brand (Bob32) from California, USA replies:
In panning cycling races I started out shooting at 1/60 and 1/80, but didn't have much success until I increased the shutter speed. I had better results at 1/125 and 1/160. At the last cycling races I shot on February 26 (See my March 1 post titled "Downtown cycling races") I used shutter speeds between 1/160 and 1/250. I used a D750 + 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR with VR turned on. I never use a monopod.
Do you have some samples and panning advice to share?
8- Firmware updates piling up
Our thanks to Gold member Mike Rheault (mikerofoto) from Ontario, Canada for his comprehensive listing of recent Nikon firmware updates.
His listing covers many cameras and even the WT-7 wireless transmitter.
Mike tells us the recent upgrades include:
• Nikon WT-7 firmware update version 1.1
• Nikon D7200 firmware update version 1.02
• Nikon D500 firmware update version 1.12
• Nikon D750 firmware update version 1.11
• Nikon D810 firmware update version 1.12
Check his post for brief explanations of the individual upgrades and their enhancements. Scroll down on that post for a link to The Nikon Download Center.
9- Multiple programs for same task -- redundancy or strategy?
Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles has started a thought-provoking discussion on image processing. It will be of great interest to those members who are using more than one program to accomplish the same task.
Eric explains:
Many of us use one program for 99-100% of all image processing. Among those that use multiple programs, it is usually part of a standard workflow that converts in one program, processes in a second, and does some specialty tasks in a third.
This post is for those that normally use multiple programs for the SAME task to produce different results. For example, are you using multiple RAW converters depending on the image - ACR and Capture One as an example. Or Photoshop and Capture One or Elements? What kinds of situations cause you to choose a specific product? How does this impact your personal workflow?
Join the discussion and you may find an approach that could improve your workflow.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:18 PM
March 14, 2017
What's your favorite kid pix Nikon?

Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week.
It's an unwritten rule of thumb that the person in any family who is sporting Nikon gear is the official family photographer. Number one on the shooting list will always be the kids.
Silver member Mike Poynor (MTP1) from Texas, USA has been searching for the perfect "kid" camera:
I have purchased Nikon equipment almost exclusively since 1968. My first Nikon was a Nikon FTN. I now own D200 D700 D800E.
Most of my photography is of children, (grand kids, relative's children, etc). I have been thinking about going to a D5, D810 or maybe waiting to see what replaces the D810. From what I have been reading, it seems the D5 would be the best for children and for their sports. My children grew up during the 80's and 90's.
I took lots and lots of 35mm pictures at my son's soccer games and my daughter's soccer and fast pitch softball games with various 35mm Nikons (F100 being the last one I bought). Now that their children are beginning to play sports I would like to have the best camera for their sport pictures and to chronicle my newest grandson's life who is to be born in 2 days. I would appreciate your opinion.
Thank you.
If you are the official family photographer, what are you using?
2- Too Many Images? Need a new Hard-Drive?
Gold member James Buch (jimray) from Oregon, USA has hit the ceiling on storage space for his software and images, and he's shopping around for an external hard drive. Have you solved that same storage problem?
Jim asks:
I'm about out of space for backups and will soon add an external hard drive to replace the 4TB Seagate I am currently using. Operating system is Windows10, apps and system on 256 SSD and files on an internal 2TB drive. C drive is backed up to one Seagate 2TB drive and the files are backed up on a separate 4TB Seagate. I am thinking about replacing the 4TB external drive with an 8TB drive. Is there one brand I should consider or conversely not buy? My understanding is Western Digital and LaCie are now owned by Seagate. Is there really any difference between the three?
Thanks for your suggestions and comments.
Do we have any 8 terabyte external hard drive users with an answer for Jim?
3- Help with equipment storage
Meanwhile, across the big pond in Northern Ireland, Gold member Antonio Dinis (adinis) has another kind of storage problem. His collection of photography gear is getting harder to organize. He's looking to either buy or build a solution. How do you store your gear?
Antonia describes his dilemma:
I have quite a few items that I would like to properly store. Currently I store my items between a camera backpack, sling camera bag and a drawer in my kitchen. My camera, battery grip, l-bracket and 4 out of the 6 lenses are stored in the camera backpack. This makes my backpack extremely heavy.
In the sling bag, I have 2 lenses (hoping to sell one of them soon), a flash and microphone.
In the drawer I have chargers, batteries and cables.
I'm looking for suggestions on what I could use to keep ALL of my gear in one central place, be it something I would need to buy or a DIY project.
The one good thing I would not have to worry about is humidity as I live in Northern Ireland and the weather is quite cool.
Whatever is to be suggested needs to be able to hold my largest item, the Tamron 150-600mm.
Thanks in advance and looking forward to your suggestions.
PS. I'm sure someone will suggest a Pelican case but I would like to keep cost down.
Suggestions so far include everything from closets to auto mechanic tool chests. If you have a suggestion, please try to include a photo.
4- Your path to amazing outdoor portraits and still lifes
Digital cameras can exaggerate shadows and highlights, ruining your photos with too much contrast when taken in sunlight. Those harsh shadows and highlights need to be tamed.
PhotoBert's answer is a simple double-sided reflector called "Sunlight-White."
This reflector is a convenient 22 inches in diameter when open, but folds up and stores in a 9-inch diameter pouch - perfect for most camera bags. And it weighs less than 5 ounces!
Check this link for details.
While you're at it, scroll down for Nikonians exclusive bargains on the ProDot Shutter Upgrade, the ROR lens cleaner, and PhotoBert's legendary Nikon CheatSheets.
5- Nutmeg State Nikonian in focus
Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has posted her latest member profile in the "I am Nikonians" series. Her subject is Silver member Fred Laberge (labtrout) from Connecticut, USA.
Fred tells us:
I shot film for several years in the 1970s and '80s as a photojournalist. In fact, my wedding gift from Susan in 1973 was a Nikkormat FTn, my first SLR. I've always used Nikon cameras, mostly F2's in the late '70s. But over time I transitioned into becoming an editor and writer.
Then my job at Aetna took me in a new direction, managing the company's financial and crisis communications, so my cameras and any serious photography got put on the shelf for a number of years.
Check the article for more, including samples of Fred's photography. And make sure you scroll down to the comments section and give Marsha some kind words for her great job so far on the "I am Nikonians" series.
6- Drone photogs, you bag has arrived
So-- You own a Nikon DSLR and a sophisticated drone, and your next shoot will require extensive travel.
Wouldn't it be nice if someone came up with a high-quality transport bag that could carry your drone and your camera gear?
Our friends at Think Tank Photo already have the concept covered.
They call it the Airport Helipak V2.0 backpack for DJI Phantom.
This newly updated backpack, renowned for its comfort, accommodates a DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter and similarly sized drones plus a small camera kit, 15" laptop, controller, GoPros, chargers, spare rotors, extra batteries, jacket, tools, and more
Its refined design is carry-on compatible for both U.S. domestic or international airline travel.
Use this link to get full information while using your Nikonians free gear and free shipping advantage.
You should also want to check out their special bag for the popular new DJI Mavic Pro drones.
7- Wireless remote options
Anne DePietri (adepietri) from New York, USA is looking for a decent wireless shutter release. Her research has uncovered many options.
Moderating Team Member Brian Wong (blw) posted an extensive breakdown.
If you're in the market for one of these gizmos you need to read his response.
Here is a short sample:
The Cadillac solution: PocketWizard Plus-III's. At $135 each (and you need two, plus a cable), they are not cheap.
I switched to them after the 4th YN cable died about 18 months ago. As one would expect from the gold-plated price (and by the way the cables ARE gold plated), the PWs are bulletproof. They also operate at a kind of ridiculous 5x the distance of the lower cost ones.
The cheapies all go at least 300 feet or so, which is probably enough for 98% of all applications. I've run the PW's at longer than 300' just once, although that once was close to 1500' according to Google Maps.
Like I said--that's just a short sample. Go to the discussion for the full version.
8- Need new gear? Limited budget? Think "trade-in"
Berger Bros Camera is offering great trade-ins or outright purchase for your used Nikon or any brand photo gear. They see many people trading in older heavy DSLR gear toward new Fuji, Sony or Olympus Mirrorless cameras.
They now have in stock new fabulous Olympus EM1 MKII Sony A6500, Sony A7R II cameras as well as Fuji XT2 and coming soon Fuji GFX50S medium format 50mp.
They also have spectacular deals on Nikon D810 and put your order in now for the new Nikon Full Frame Body to be announced shortly.
Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. or BradBerger@mac.com.
9- Fall ANPAT heads East
Nikonians founder J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) has announced the location for this year's Fall Annual Nikonians Photo Adventure Trip (ANPAT). Some call it the most beautiful National Park in the country, a tiny gem compared to its larger siblings.
Full details will be available soon, but for now here is the Reader's Digest version:
When:
October 7, 2017 (arrival)
October 14, 2017 (departure)
Gold member Sarah Boser (Sarah9) from Pennsylvania, USA was first to applaud the announcement:
Great location choice!
Acadia National Park is spectacular. In addition to the rugged and beautiful coast of Maine, there are also streams, lakes, fishing villages, etc. The dates are perfect for autumn color.
Stay tuned to the Nikonians Annual Photo Adventure Trips (ANPATs) forum for breaking news and updates on the Acadia adventure.
10- Sending pix 101
Andrew Armenti (aaa147) from California, USA is a new member with an old question. We've all been dealing with the same challenge ever since we learned how to send a photo with our computers instead of in an envelope. What is too big? What is too small?
The question:
What is the best way to send photos (JPGS) that were edited in Lightroom via the web without losing quality?
So far it seems like dropbox may be the best option.
Any suggestions?
Moderating Team member and Director of the Nikonians Academy Eric Bowles (ericbowles) has a detailed breakdown to share.
An excerpt:
When you get larger than 4 MB, you need to start thinking about sharing it using something other than email. Email programs and hosts vary on how large files can be. My host lets me send 10 MB files, but they are slow and are not always received. So, I normally send web sized files. For larger files, Dropbox is a good option and it is what I use. If this is something that comes up frequently related to events, some of the photo sharing sites have tools. I use Zenfolio, but there are download features in some of the others.
Check here for the full version.
11- Digital artistry, the next step
Moderating Team member Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760) from Michigan, USA is always on the lookout for ways to create examples of digital artistry from standard images. One of his most recent images sparked an interesting question. Now that you've created that image -- what do you do with it?
The question comes from new member Hilbert Nease (hhnease3):
How are some of you using these images? I'm mainly interested in if/how you print/use these. Do you print and frame them? Print on canvas? I've done some work like this, and to me they look kind of funny if I just print a "painterly" image on glossy paper. I know it would be highly variable -- for example, I can imagine some of the images would look great on metal, but I'm not sure about the more painterly ones.
Thanks, and keep up the beautiful work!
By the way -- The image we're using for this discussion topic is by ---drum roll please --- Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760). He posted it here.
That's it for this week. Make sure you follow up on our highlights above by clicking on the "complete wrap-up" link at the top, and don't forget to grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:09 PM
March 9, 2017
Your Nikon can co-habitat with your drone
So-- You own a Nikon DSLR and a sophisticated drone, and your next shoot will require extensive travel.
Wouldn't it be nice if someone came up with a high quality transport bag that could carry your drone and your camera gear?
Our friends at Think Tank Photo already have the concept covered.
They call it the Airport Helipak V2.0 backpack for DJI Phantom. This newly updated backpack, renowned for its comfort, accommodates a DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter and similarly sized drones plus a small camera kit, 15" laptop, controller, GoPros, chargers, spare rotors, extra batteries, jacket, tools, and more
Its refined design is carry-on compatible for both U.S. domestic or international airline travel.
Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo's CEO and lead designer tells us:
The contoured adjustable harness with lumbar support, articulated air-channel, removable padded waistbelt, and height-adjustable sternum strap enable comfort for travel into remote areas.
Key Features
• YKK RC Fuse zippers, 1680D Ballistic nylon bottom panel, metal hardware, and nylon webbing are the most durable, long-lasting materials on the market
• Side pocket for tripod attachment or water bottle
• Internal see-through mesh pockets for small accessories: rotor blades, screwdriver, cables, and more
• Robust handles ensure rapid and easy retrieval from overhead bins, and car trunks
• Seam-sealed rain cover helps to protect gear and stows away inside backpack when not in use
Want more details?
Use this link to get full information while using your Nikonians free gear and free shipping advantage.
You should also want to check out their special bag for the popular new DJI Mavic Pro drones.
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:27 AM
March 7, 2017
Did we help kill Popular Photography Magazine?

It's a sad day when traditions and legacies fade away.
Gold member Yale Fogarty alerted us to the passing of Popular Photography Magazine. Did online communities like ours speed up the eventual demise of this famous photo magazine?
Responses so far point to modern technology and a change in reading habits:
• My late brother-in-law had a subscription for many years, and I used to mooch his back copies all the time. The last one I read was about 10 years ago. A few months ago, I picked up a copy in a supermarket to flip through, and didn't even bother buying it. It was 75% advertising, and the content quality was mediocre. A big downhill slide from what it used to be.
• I am surprised it lasted this long. I think the days of the monthly photography magazine are long over. Magazines are a venue that is obsolete. Portability used to be one of the advantages of magazines. You could fold it up and put it in your back pocket or bag to read while you were out. But now that you can read pretty much anything on a tablet/phone, where is the actual advantage of a magazine these days?
• Sad indeed. They put up a good fight and they were our friends.
If you have a favorite Popular Photography Magazine experience, share it with us.
2- Nikon D760 on the horizon
Is it ready yet?
The Nikon D750, debuting in September 2014, came in at a suggested retail price of $2299.95 USD (body only). Currently, that same camera is showing an MSRP of $1,899.95. Does this mean the D760 is ready to launch?
Our friends at LetsGoDigital think so.
According to an article posted by Ilse Jurriën, the new camera will:
Incorporate the same 24.3-megapixel image sensor. New is the possibility to use slower shutter speeds. The current model has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000, the D760 goes to 1/8000.
Editor's Note: We chopped the last sentence in our published quote from Ilse after an alert from a Nikonian reminding us that capturing smooth flow of water and sunsets requires slow shutter speeds (not fast).This article, which has been sitting in our Resources section for over five years, clarifies the subject. My thanks to our eagle-eyed Nikonian -Tom, March 15, 2017
3- Add rubber to your Nikon
Named as one of the "Best Camera Add-Ons of 2013" by Men's Journal this tiny accessory can improve your camera handling. Best of all, it's inexpensive, easy to attach to your camera and now available at a discount for Nikonians.
Upgrade your shutter. Each package contains 2 shutter upgrades (choose RED or BLACK). Fits all Nikon DSLRs.
Also, check out the world's best lens cleaning solution used by Leica, Hasselblad, Bausch & Lomb & NASA.
Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Software and 5% on accessories. Get your discounts on all items mentioned above with this link.
4- Welcome home
If you have a habit of going straight to our forums when logging in, you are skipping our Homepage.
In that case, you are missing some new features like our new Market box, Winner's Gallery enhancement and mouse-hover hints.
Take a look at the upper right corner and you will see a prominent positioning of the portal for our Winners' Gallery.
We are all looking forward to soon see many more, excellent images being showcased here.
Then, scroll down to the lower left side, where a new box highlights our MARKET forums. This is a great resource for buying sale items posted by our members. The current listings include everything from cameras and lenses to gear bags and filters/
Finally, (and you will love this) --- Moving the mouse over any item in any box will give you a hint showing more info from the post, article or image. Give it a try.
5- If you like it -- Say so
Did you like that great post on fixing a camera malfunction or the one about improving your photo composition? Too bad we don't have a "Like" button.-- Wrong! -- We now have a "Like" button.

Nikonians founder Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) has announced the debut of our own version:
He explains how it works:
When logged in, you can find a small heart icon at the bottom left corner of each message in the forums. Clicking on it will signal the author that you liked what she shared or wrote.
Please do note: This does not replace the communication of writing whole sentences Always write and show your gratitude when you are helped, not only "liking" it.
At the top of the pages, you will find the same heart symbol again. Clicking on it will bring you to your overview of recommendations and likes.
This function has been brought to you by the hard-working back office team, specifically Zita and Dmitry have done a hands-on job.
Enjoy!
P.S. if you dislike being recommended, you can opt-out from that in your profile under preferences.
6- What's in a name?
Mary Myers (Pistil) from Washington USA is organizing her image collection in Lightroom and she's wondering if we have any personal preferences for image names.
Here is just a small portion of her many questions:
As usual, learning one thing about the camera/computer/processing brings up several other issues/problems I did not know about before. Now I am stuck on how to rename my photo files, which does seem necessary so I might as well start now. It appears I can easily do this using Lightroom, and they have a few different ways to batch name files, with sequential numbers for the individual files in a batch. (Anyone have an opinion on which way is best?)
I do like the year-month-day system (20171305 for example), and will probably start with that so the files are in date order. I plan to scan in old photo negatives and slides from my pre-digital life, I thought I can usually at least guess the year, they could be entered as 19890000 or if month is known 19890500. That seems do-able. Old historical photos I inherited from 1920's could be problematic (maybe 00000000?).
Check her entire long post and if you have any suggestions, feel free to add your advice.
7- Sticky situation
Yuck!! You pick up one of your older cameras after many months in storage and it feels like somebody sprayed glue on it. What gives?
Silver member Mark Virgil Stephan (Mark37814) from Tennessee, USA has run into "sticky rubber" and he's asking for advice:
My F100 hasn't been used for the last six months. It sits on a shelf in my bedroom closet. I grabbed it a couple of nights ago to make sure it was still working and discovered the rubber (all of it) has become sticky. I read somewhere that 91% rubbing alcohol was the cure and after rubbing with a damp rag for an hour or two while watching TV I couldn't tell a difference. I took it to my local camera store to see if they've had experience with sticky rubber and they had not.
As an experiment, I put a little bit of Armor All on a rag and gave it a good rub down. The camera looks new with shiny rubber and the rubber is less sticky. I'm still looking for a permanent cure. Do any of you with a F100 have a solution? A few years ago, my F5 developed the sticky rubber and I sent it to Nikon for a full CLA including rubber replacement and I haven't had a problem since (knock on wood).
Have you run into this problem? How did you fix it?
8- That darn Err
Gold member Don Burton (bug) from Michigan, USA has a puzzling dilemma. His Nikon D610 gives him an error message and locks up when using one particular lens. Yet... that same lens works fine with his Nikon D810. Sound familiar?
Here is his description:
I'm getting an error message on my D610 when using my Nikon 24-120 f4 lens. When I close down the aperture starting around f/10 and definitely at f/22, I get the shot but the camera locks up with an error message... then I turn the camera off & on and it's good for a single shot between f/16 to f/22. The camera and lens works great with apertures between f/4 to f/10.
Background info
No aperture problems on other lenses using my D610(all Nikons 14-24, 105mm, 70-200mm)
Yes, I used a micro cloth to rub contacts, both 610 camera and 24-120mm lens.
The pictures taken at f/22 are correct exposures, but need to turn the camera off and back on before the camera is operational.
Yes "C 1.01" & "L 2.015" firmware is current,
Here is the head scratcher......
The same 24-120 lens work great on my D810 at all f-stops.
I'm ready to ship the lens to Nikon, but wanted to check here first.
Don
Can you solve the mystery?
9- Yucks to share
We started with sad news about a favorite magazine, so let's conclude with a lighter note. If you haven't been checking out our recent Joke of the Day postings, you're missing some fun. Platinum member Hektor R. Fuster (Hektor) from California, USA started the most recent edition.
Hektor starts off with one of his favorites:
Bill walks into a post office one day to see a middle-aged man standing at the counter enthusiastically writing addresses on bright pink envelopes covered with hearts.
He then takes out a scent bottle and starts spraying perfume over them. Bill's curiosity gets the better of him and he walks over to the man and asks him what he's doing.
"I'm sending out 1,000 Valentine's Day cards signed, 'Guess who?'" says the man.
"Why on earth are you doing that?" asks Bill.
"Because I'm a divorce lawyer." replies the man.
Looking for some laughs? Looking to share a good chuckle? Join the fun.
10-Upgrades Galore

The Nikon Download Center is full of upgrades.
Here's a quick list of downloads available as of March 3,
2017:
Nikon SB-5000 TTL Flash Firmware 14.002
D500 Firmware Version 1.12
WT-7 Wireless Transmitter Firmware Version 1.1
D7200 Firmware Version 1.02
D750 Firmware Version 1.11
D810 Firmware Version 1.12
That's it for this week. Don't forget to grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:10 PM
Your "Like" will now be official
Popular in many online forums, the ability to show you "like" a post has been absent from our forums-- Until now.
Nikonians founder Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) has announced the debut of our own version:
He explains how it works:
When logged in, you can find a small heart icon at the bottom left corner of each message in the forums. Clicking on it will signal the author that you liked what she shared or wrote.
Please do note: This does not replace the communication of writing whole sentences Always write and show your gratitude when you are helped, not only "liking" it.
At the top of the pages, you will find the same heart symbol again. Clicking on it will bring you to your overview of recommendations and likes.
This function has been brought to you by the hard working back office team, specifically Zita and Dmitry have done a hands-on job.
Enjoy!
P.S. if you dislike being recommended, you can opt-out from that in your profile under preferences.
Posted by flashdeadline at 4:43 PM
February 28, 2017
Members react to Nikon's gloomy financials

Nikon, currently celebrating 100 years as a corporation, is facing financial difficulties. Gold member Gerry Mulligan (Gerry M) from Arizona, USA has started an in-depth discussion on the recent financial news regarding Nikon Corporation:

Imaging business net sales for 1st to 3rd Q (3/2017) down 29% when compared to 1st to 3rd Q (3/2016). Operating net income for same time period down 18.4%. They issued a notice of an "extraordinary loss" (their terms) for the company.
Our members added thoughtful analysis of the current news, along with predictions and wishes for the future of Nikon's imaging team. Here are a few examples:
• Nikon reminds me of Leica in the 1950's when they stuck with the rangefinders because the SLR's were a "passing fad." The company primarily responsible for bringing the venerable Leica to its knees was none other than Nikon! I would have guessed that Nikon learned from Leica's experience - apparently not.
• It is not just Nikon, it's is the whole industry. Mobile phones are hitting it harder and harder.
• My advice to Nikon's photography segment? Focus on two types of FX pro cameras; merge the DXs into two series, reduce the number of P&S cameras, and provide better service, as Canon seems to be trending to. That's my 2 cents from 55+ years of photography, almost all with Nikon gear.
Care to share your thoughts? Join the discussion.
2- Limited edition Nikon Gear

He tells us the show (called CP+ 2017) is:
Japan's version of Photokina wherein new products are showed to the public and international brands come to Japan to sell theirs here. There are plenty of newcomers but it usually consists of the usual big boys in the Japanese camera industry.
Thanks Richard for sharing your images of the new gun-metal finish gear (and your overall review of the show).

Observe measurable differences in brightness and clarity with glass or plastic lenses! 2 sizes: 1 & 2 ounce. Now on sale. (US customers only)
Upgrade your Shutter! The most inexpensive upgrade for your camera.
Each package contains 2 shutter upgrades (choose RED or BLACK). Fits all Nikon DSLRs.
Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Software and 5% on accessories. Get your discounts on all items mentioned above with this link.
4- Password change

There is no known impact on any of our members, but an ounce of safety is worth a pound of cure.
Bo assures us:
We are not using Cloudflare for payment pages. Payment related data thus not affected
Login pages are running through Cloudflare and thus are at potential risk. This issue has also been of concern to such sites as uber and yelp.
5- Advice on shooting dogs
We have a member entering the field of agility dog photography contemplating camera choices.
Gold member Beth Russell (goldogs) from Virginia, USA wants to upgrade:

The problem:
I realized after a few big shoots in the summer that I was missing key moments. These retrievers move like lightening. I need a camera with a higher FPS rate. I have sold lots of photos and a few gallery wraps. Nice. However, I see I'm my workflow that I am missing key fractions of a second. For this work, going faster makes sense to me. How to --is the question?
Do I go the financial distance and purchase a D5 or buy a D500? I'd consider buying a used D4S but only from someone I know. I crop a great deal on most shots --focusing in on the dog. I do know about noise with the D500. How substantially do you think it would impact the type of shots I've attached?
I really appreciate any advice -- Thanks
Responses to her question include some great action shots and the context could easily apply to many forms of fast-action sports photography.
6- Cowboy action
We've already mentioned action dog photography. Now, let's combine fast horses, angry bulls and determined cowboys.

This morning I looked at some photos in the Sports forum and then looked at the images I planned to post. Mine are not as good. I see the difference. So, what can I do to produce sharp images?
I hope it's all right to post four. I am not asking for a critique on each photo, the same problem exists in each one, although at different levels.
I rented a D500 and used the ruler method to check focus with my 200-400mm lens. The focus point was where it should be, no front focus, no back focus. I checked again the next day. Perhaps I didn't do it right.
Possibilities:
1. I need to pan to keep up with the forward movement of the steer and cowboy, this might explain for some of the issues.
2. I use the shutter release button, I don't believe this will produce a soft image at 1/2500
Check out his images and read the responses so far. Perhaps you have another good piece of advice to add to the discussion. Once again, the advice from this sport will be of help for many others.
7- Getting started: Custom Settings
You get a new Nikon DSLR and as you browse through you owner's manual you see hundreds of settings choices. You may be wondering what settings some of your fellow Nikonians have chosen.

I just received my D300, had the D100 many years ago. Does anyone have any suggestions for the Custom Settings, like best choice for configuring the AE-l/AF-L button, Qual setting, use of AF-ON button, etc.? Somewhat overwhelmed with all the options. Seems like more than the D100, but then again, I was 10 years younger!
Responses so far show a common theme:
• There is no best practice. You have to choose the settings that work best for you. Based on the subjects you shoot, the ambient conditions you shoot in, your preferences, and your particular shooting style.
• There's no "best practice" per se, since as Marty points out, they are settable for a reason: photographers and their situations are highly variable.
While we have agreement that perfection is elusive based on many factors, we already have a few "basic" settings being shared in this discussion and we invite you to add yours.
8- Masking Tips
Your portrait shot will need some masking during post-process but you soon find out this is easier said than done. It gets even harder with strands of hair.

Allen asks:
I am trying to swap out the background on these 2 images, but the hair is driving me crazy. I'm beginning to think there just isn't enough contrast or color difference for the selection tools to pick up.
I have used PS(CC) Refine edge brush and painting overlay blend mode on the mask, but no joy.
I have tried Fluid Mask 3, which has some amazing color selection tools but had no success.
I have tried On1 Photo RAW Perfect brush and refine edge brush, same problem.
I have tried mangling the image in black and white with contrast, structure, etc., but still can't get a good mask.
I have tried inverting the colors and then trying the above again, same problem.
If anyone could share a technique that works, I would be eternally indebted.
Look like a challenge? Allen posted images large enough for you to show him your technique. Dive in and give it a shot. And don't forget to describe your work-flow.

Silver member Raymond Lach (Ray701) from Illinois, USA asks:
Hello fellow Nikonians! I've been a member for short time and finally felt it was time to get involved. I just recently got back into photography after a long hiatus.
Not too long ago I purchased my first DSLR, a slightly used D7100. While I am getting familiar with its features and functionality, I am in desperate need of a new computer. I am very partial to laptops and I would like to get some suggestions.
My budget is roughly $1000 to $1200. I would really like to be able to attach to a monitor (does not need to be very large) that could easily be color calibrated if needed in the future. I am strictly an amateur that has never used any photo editing software. My use will be only personal with no intentions of selling any of my photos. Sorry for the long post, and - Thank You for reading.
Any suggestions? - Post your thoughts here.
That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:36 PM
February 26, 2017
Please change your Nikonians password
Due to a bug in a 3rd party system, which also Nikonians uses called "Cloudflare.com", data sent to Nikonians, specifically passwords, may have leaked. We have no indications that this is the case and this request for password change is precautionary.
Please do change your password. This can be done in your user profile. Click the "Change password" link.
More info on this bug here.
More background info:
We are not using cloudflare for payment pages. Payment related data thus not affected. Login pages are running through cloudflare and thus potentially at risk.
Posted by bgs at 2:37 PM
February 21, 2017
NiMH puzzle, D200 dead?, Triptych tips and more.....

1- NiMH batteries puzzle

Jerry asks:
I was wondering if anyone has encountered a problem trying to use nickel metal hydride batteries in the MB-D17 battery grip with the D500?
When I tried using my 2700mAh, fully charged batteries, the camera would show a full charge, then after one picture, it shows low charge and will not work. If I remove the batteries and re-insert them, the camera once again shows full charge, take one picture, then shows low charge and won't work. I called Nikon tech help and all they could tell me was I'm using the wrong brand of battery, I should use Energizer or Duracell. I don't think the camera cares what brand I use as long as they supply the necessary voltage.
I know Ni-MH batteries don't have as high voltage as alkaline or lithium, so I thought that's the reason for the three battery type options listed under MB-D17 battery type, so it would accept the lower voltage, 9.6 vs 12. Anyone have any input on this issue?
Replies to this particular question may be useful to any of our members with battery issues.
2- Nikonians Uploader for Mac v1.32 now available

The Nikonians Uploader is an application allowing you to easily upload images to the Nikonians galleries directly from your Mac by simple drag & drop functionality.
The latest version of the Nikonians Uploader works on Mac OS X Lion (Mac OS X 10.7) up to and including El Capitan (10.11).
It is available for free to Nikonians on a Silver membership or higher.
3- Pocket Watches anyone?

It all started with a simple question about a certain purchase-- and soon our members with collections started listing their favorites.
The neat part is our members used well-done macro shooting to illustrate their replies.
Here's a sample:
I own five, all family heirlooms. The ones at 12:00 and 2:00 belonged to my father, a violinist who felt a wristwatch interfered with his ability to play. The newer Hamilton was presented to him by the Women's Committee of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1959. Continuing clockwise around the circle, my paternal grandfather's watch, my maternal grandfather's watch (a college graduation gift perhaps, engraved with his name in 1905), and finally, a watch belonging to a great uncle.
All are in working order. I have no idea what their dollar value is, and I don't care.
For the record, my dad was also a Nikon man. He bought his Nikon Photomic T and a variety of lenses at the Sony Galleria in Tokyo on a CSO world tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department in 1966. He brought one back for me, too.
Join the discussion if you want to show us your favorite pocket watch.
4- D200 Disaster

Here is the original question:
Hello everybody,
I am desperate, I bought today a nice D200 second hand. I decided to upgrade the firmware.
I downloaded the file from Nikon's website, formatted a CF card (Sandisk Ultra 4GB) in camera, copied the A file to the card with a card reader in my PC and started the update.
Once he was done and told me to switch off the camera I had a PG UP warning on the top LCD.
I took out the CF card copied the B file to it and put it back in. When I tried to switch the camera back on it stayed with the PG UP warning and nothing happened. I took out the battery to restart the camera.
However now the camera is completely dead. It doesn't switch on. There is nothing on the top LCD. It just doesn't do anything.
If anyone has any idea, please let me know. Thanks a lot.
5- Jig-saw selfie

During discussion on the project he told us:
I think that the most useful feature of PS that I discovered answered one of my biggest frustrations: how to easily identify and select a particular layer within a multi-layer document...simply right click on the point in the image that you want to manipulate and a window pops up showing the stack of layers (and masks) that exists under your cursor: just click the one you want and it's selected without having to visit the layers panel.
How is it that all the tutorials I've followed didn't mention that?
If you are looking for more on how to pull off a similar digital artistry project - ask Geoff. He has been a productive member since 2012 and has many outstanding images in his User Gallery.
6- Triptych tips

Here is a sample of some comments:
• Terrific action shots, but I'd love to see more of the horses.
• I agree with Candy, more horse. Is there a chance you could change to Landscape mode, widen each panel?
• Lovely and exceptional works. My eyes visualize the scene better with the vertical presentation,it seems to flow better.
• Great attempt - and so much to work with. My two thoughts echo the other's thoughts.
The top attempt;
The middle photo is a nice composition but it took study to figure out what was going on. Also if you study the triptychs in the history of painting, you may notice there is a composition of each and a composition of all three. The composition of all three in the top group is very poor in my opinion.
The second group;
This is so much better. It is clear what is going on and the composition is more pleasing. If the center image was slightly more to the left and the top to the right, you would have the classic triangle composition.
This entire discussion shows the benefit of posting in our critique forum with an open mind, accepting the comments and then followed by a few attempts to attack the project with an alternative view.
7- February Assignment no shows

Rob tells us:
February is a short month. Rather than burden you with a specific assignment that you may or may not be able to perform during this short month, I am instead letting you decide what your subject will be.
The assignment is wide open. - You decide! Shoot anything you want. Have fun with the assignment, but make sure the image is wall worthy.
There are no other restrictions except that your image(s) must be taken during the month of February, 2017. Using images taken prior to February, 2017, is not permitted and will be deleted. Please honor the rules of the assignment.
We encourage you to grab your camera and enter your image in the February assignment today.
8- Markins Ball Heads explained

Nikonians co-founder J. Ramon Palacios (jrp) has posted an article explaining Markins ball head models and new modules.
The brief article includes the introduction of new modules -- the BV-12 which can be used on the Q10i and Q10i-Q and the BV-22 for the Q20i and Q20i-Q.
His description:
These modules mount on the ball head clamp (dropped on the open channel) and serve to constrain all camera-lens movements except for up and down tilt, allowing for use of the ball head pan capability. This makes Birds in Flight (BIF) photography and Video (hence the denomination BV) an efficient delight. In fact, the BV module replaces the need for an obtrusive Gimbal head or a Sidekick for BIF and for another head for video.
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:45 PM
February 17, 2017
Nikonians Uploader for Mac v1.32 now available
Our image gallery uploader for Mac has been updated. This new version takes care of some issues found in V1.30, such as a stall that could happen during upload.
Silver, Gold and Platinum members can download the uploader at no cost on the Nikonians site.
Posted by bgs at 10:47 AM
February 14, 2017
Congrats Top Ten 2016 -- I am Nikonians/Candi -- DL cameras cancelled

Here are some of the
topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week.
Nikonians Photo Contest Director David Summer (dm1dave) has announced the winners of the Best of Nikonians 2016 Photo Contest.
The winners are: (listed in random order)
1. John McGarry (jtmcg) from Connecticut, USA with his image titled Dew Covered Honeybee.
2. Fred Morton (Fred Morton) from Virginia, USA with his image titled Night Time in Havana
3. Peter Allinson (critidoc) from Maryland, USA with his image titled Swordfish
4. Koos Erasmus (Rassie) from Ontario, Canada with his image titled Gliding Snowy
5. Russ Glindmeier (russg) from Arizona, USA with his image titled Meadview Arizona
6. Michael Kawerninski (qanik) from British Columbia, Canada with his image titled Spring is in the Air
7. Tom Jacob (sevendayimages) from Spain, with his image titled A Bright Stare for the Photographer
8. Henning Bossen (henbo) from Denmark with his image titled Alpe di Siusi at sunrise
9. Godofredo Baylon (GBaylon) from Ontario, Canada with his image titled This face needs Photoshop help
10. Scott Ashley (scottashley) from Colorado, USA with his image titled Red Fox Peering Over Snow
The winners had gained points by entering in the Landscape, Wildlife, Micro-Macro & Close-up, Travel, Digital Artistry Forums and Online Assignments as well as themed segments covering: People, Animals, Plants and Places. Competition was open to Silver, Gold and Platinum Nikonians Members.

Speaking of winners: Congratulations to Gold member Richard Higgins (HigginsR1) from Florida, USA. He was named Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2016 by The Societies of Photographers, an international organization for serious and professional photographers based out of Rhyl, North Wales, United Kingdom.
Here is the official announcement.
The world's best lens cleaning solution, Shutter upgrades and CheatSheets are all on sale!
The world's best lens cleaning solution is used by Leica, Hasselblad, Bausch & Lomb & NASA.
Observe a measurable difference in brightness and clarity with glass or plastic lenses! 2 sizes: 1 & 2 ounce. Click here: Now on sale. (US customers only)
Upgrade your Shutter!
The most inexpensive upgrade you can make to your camera. Each package contains 2 shutter upgrades (choose RED or BLACK). Fits all Nikon DSLRs. Click here to save 5% now.
Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Software and 5% on accessories. Get the discount with this link. (discounts show in Cart).
I Am Nikonians - Candi Foltz (CandisCamera)

Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has posted her latest chapter in the Nikonians member profile "I am Nikonians" series of articles.
Her subject in this installment is Silver member Candi Foltz (CandisCamera) from Florida, USA.
Candi tells us:
I think with these images I have illustrated
a short autobiography of my history with photography and the Nikon camera. The
photos of the Iguanas and the Pug dog are a glimpse into my past when I was a
pet photographer twenty years ago using the Nikon 8008n film camera. I made all the costumes myself and most of
the backdrops. The other photos show more recent digital camera shots and my
interest in post processing artistry.
The article includes images showcasing her expertise in pet photography.
Berger Bros. great trade-ins and spectacular deals
Berger Bros Camera is offering great trade-ins or outright purchase for your used Nikon or any brand photo gear. We see many people trading in older heavy DSLR gear toward new Fuji, Sony or Olympus Mirrorless cameras.
We now have in stock new fabulous Olympus EM1 MKII Sony A6500, Sony A7R II cameras as well as Fuji XT2 and coming soon Fuji GFX50S medium format 50mp.
Also we have spectacular deals on Nikon D810 and put your order in now for the new Nikon Full Frame Body to be announced shortly.
Great Personal service: Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. - BradBerger@mac.com.
Nikon cancels DL cameras

Silver member Ron DeBlock (ron917) from New Jersey, USA has started a discussion on Nikon's announcement of a product line cancellation.
Nikon's official statement of February 13 includes:
A June, 2016 release
was originally planned for the DL series. However, with the identification of
issues with the integrated circuit for image processing, release of the three
cameras was delayed indeterminately.
Since then, everyone involved has worked very hard to develop products with which our customers will be satisfied. However, it has been decided that sales of the DL series will be canceled due to concerns regarding their profitability considering the increase in development costs, and the drop in the number of expected sales due to the slow-down of the market.
Mac software picks

New member P. F. Infante (pfinfante) from New Jersey, USA is
asking for advice on Photo
Editing software on a Mac.
We've seen this question many times in the past few years,
but for our newer members, it's worth having a look at the latest (most up to
date) replies.
Here's a sample:
• If you exclude Photos, which is better suited to cell phone shots and lightweight editing, Lightroom is probably the most popular. Ditto on Windows. A large percentage of apps are licensed to run on either Macs or Windows computers. You don't necessarily need to buy new apps. Lightroom is a good example of that.
• Lightroom is popular with Photoshop but comes with monthly subscription. You can also look at others like Luminar from Macphun, Nikon software, ON1 raw, Affinity Photo, Phase One, DxO... now a day, you can get a trial version to try them before buying.
• One should note that each time you make a change from one editing software to another, your images will not look the same as each and every one have their own algorithms and codes to produce the image, (that's a layman's explanation.
These are just short samples-- check out the full discussion for details, and don't forget to share your opinions.
Spring ANPAT in less than 3 months

Start the new year right by locking on your reservation for our Spring ANPAT (Annual Nikonians Photography Adventure Trip).
The Spring ANPAT will be held in Moab, Utah. Join us for a full week of photography, shop talk and camaraderie.
The dates this year will be:
Arrival on Saturday May 6, 2017
Departure on Saturday May 13, 2017
As with previous editions, this ANPAT is administered under the Nikonians Academy for bookings and it is for all skill levels. For more information check our FAQ's.
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:13 PM
February 7, 2017
December congrats -- Melissa is angry -- Hasselblad news -- Solar Safety
H
Nikonians Contest Coordinator David Summers (dm1dave) has posted the results of the December contests. Congratulations to our winners!
Specials congratulations go to Scott Ashley (Scottashley) who took top honors in two categories for the month of December.
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.

1. -- Wildlife - "Winter & Wildlife" theme winner Scott Ashley (Scottashley), from Colorado, USA with his image titled Red fox peering over snow.
2. -- Landscape - "Best of 2016" theme winner Scott Ashley (Scottashley), from Colorado, USA with his image titled Spotlit trees in the Smokies.
3. -- Macro - "Your Personal Best of 2016" theme winner Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) from The United Kingdom, England with his image titled Abutilon Pictum.
4. -- Travel - "Into the Shadows" theme winner Huw Thomas (HUW) from New South Wales, Australia with his image titled Into the Shed.
5. -- Digital Artistry - "Holiday" theme winner James Buch (jimray) from Oregon, USA with his image titled Father Frost Needs Help.
6. -- Assignment - "Bottles" theme winner Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760) from Michigan, USA with his image titled Wavy Glass.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past winners here.
The current (January) assignment is "You Decide" - and this one lets us choose our own artistic direction.
Here is Rob's description:
February is a short month. Rather than burden you with a specific assignment that you may or may not be able to perform during this short month, I am instead letting you decide what your subject will be. The assignment is wide open - you decide! Shoot anything you want. Have fun with the assignment, but make sure the image is wall worthy.
Melissa is angry
Silver member Melissa OGarr from Western Australia is a bit mad (actually she used a much stronger descriptive) with her Nikon D3300.
It seems the camera has gone "dead" on her and she's not happy with any of her fixing options.

Here's a small (condensed) portion of her post:
I wanted a good Macro camera, and was advised to buy Nikon. The Nikon is terrible at macro, see a previous post, now I'm stuck with four lenses that are no good to me at all and severely out of pocket). Now the hardware seems to be failing and I haven't even had it a year! I bought it in China, so getting warranty in Australia could prove difficult.
Two days ago, this Nikon stopped being able to download any pictures onto my laptop or PC. We have tried everything, to find out what's gone wrong. The cable has charge, the camera works, but I can't get any communication between camera and computer. I tried taking out the card (which I initially thought was the problem as my Canon card (only 4mths old - just suddenly died two days earlier) it was able to be read on a friend's PC, but I have no card reader on my PC or laptop. I'm a pensioner so a $300 charge and a cost to drive 400km to Perth to get it repaired is out of the question. I also thought that maybe there was a driver/windows conflict - so downloaded over 2GB worth of drivers from Nikon, which put me over my monthly data limit and now I'm throttled at a slow crawl. None of those drivers were of any use, so it was back to square one.What the hell do I do now? The camera is USELESS if I can't access the photos.
This problem has caught the attention of many of our members and we're expecting someone to come up with the best answer at any time. If you had a similar experience -- Check it out.
Hasselblad changing hands

The Nikonians community has always held quality gear from other manufacturers in great regard. Industry legends like Leica and Hasselblad are not only respected but also owned by some of our members. That is one of the reasons we found this discussion, led by founder Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) of interest:
In case you have missed it, Swedish Hasselblad now Chinese, going the way Volvo and other iconic Swedish manufacturers went.
When will we see the first Hassi with integrated propellers?
More info over at luminous landscape by Kevin Raber.
Kevin's article includes this important disclaimer: Information relayed in this article was obtained from numerous credible and reliable sources.
Although the final conclusion has not yet been confirmed by Hasselblad or DJI, I am confident in my sources and believe that a formal announcement is forthcoming.
As the discussion progressed, it was highlighted by a bit of industry background provided by Gold member Steven Licht (SteveDotNet) from New York, USA. If legendary gear is one of your passions, join the conversation. One more thing -- our image of a camera under a drone is pure imagination.
Sun Shooting Safety
We have more members planning to shoot the Solar eclipse in August, and now the conversation is shifting towards safe filters. The consensus so far comes from those who are advising extreme caution.

Here are some samples:
● Don't even think about using anything but real, purpose-built solar filters. Many are available from the astrophotography world.
● It's worse to use the wrong filter than to use no filter at all. Some ND filters do not block the full spectrum of IR and UV light. Some filters are drop in filters positioned at the back of the lens stack so light and heat is not blocked until passing through the lens.
● I would strongly recommend an external filter. While the internal filter would prevent damage to your sensor, everything "in front" of the filter could still be damaged by heat or IR.
If you have ever aimed your camera at the sun for an extended period of time, this discussion is a must read.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:09 PM
January 13, 2017
2017 marks 100th Anniversary for Nikon
We congratulate our favorite camera, lens and accessory manufacturer on reaching the 100th Anniversary milestone.
Nikon Corporation President Kazuo Ushida will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its establishment on July 25th of this year.
Since its establishment (as Nippon Kogaku K.K.) in 1917, Nikon has provided the world with unique value based on opto-electronics and precision technologies.
Our member are currently discussing this anniversary and we encourage you to join the discussion.
Nikon has established a 100th Anniversary website describing 100-year milestones, starting with the official "birth" of the company:
Nikon began as Nippon Kogaku K.K. (Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.) on July 25, 1917, at 120 Haramachi, Koishikawa-ku (present-day Hakusan 4-chome, Bunkyo-ku) in Tokyo, starting domestic production of optical instruments such as rangefinders and microscopes.
It was many years later (late 30's-early 40's before a Nikon camera surfaced from this new company, and for you trivia buffs, have a look at this historical site which tells us that the first rangefinder camera out of Japan was actually a Canon Hansa, bearing a Nikkor lens.
The historic Nikon 1 didn't debut until ten years later (going in production in 1948) and the first Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) camera from Nikon followed another ten years later (the Nikon F in 1959).
Nikon's long history in the world of photography is rich with stunning images captured on Earth and the Moon.
The 1968 Nikon Photomic FTN was the framework for Nikon's entry into space photography when the company entered into an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to support the Apollo Program in the early 70s.
Nikon's 100th Anniversary website includes a short video (less than six minutes) leading off with a nod to their space cameras.
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:39 AM
January 3, 2017
Congrats November Contest winners

Specials congratulations go to Geoff Baylis (GBaylis), who took top honors in two categories for the month of November.
Our member driven contests are unique in many ways. Unlike most other photo contests the workings of our contests are transparent. Our members choose the monthly themes, all entries are visible to the entire community as they are posted and you are the judges not an invisible behind the scenes "expert."
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners.

1. -- Wildlife - "Raptors - Big and Small." theme winner Koos Erasmus (Rassie) from Ontario Canada with his image titled Gliding Snowy.
2. -- Landscape - "Fall
Colors" theme winner Thomas
Sprunger (Melman59) from Indiana, USA with his image titled Church
in Cade's Cove.
3. -- Macro - "Food"
theme winner Tom Jacob (sevendayimages) from Spain with his image titled Garlic
Food Pin-up.
4. -- Travel - "Off the Beaten Track" theme winner Gary
Paige (JazzDoc) from New York, USA with his image titled Brown
Bear Family; Katmai NP
5. -- Digital
Artistry - "My Favorites" theme winner Geoff Baylis (GBaylis) from
England, The United Kingdom with his image titled Tender
Moment.
6. -- Assignment - "Abstract Body" theme winner Geoff Baylis (GBaylis)
from England, The United Kingdom with his image titled Eye'm
Watching You!
On the blog, each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one
of the monthly competitions listed in David
Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past winners here.
The current (January) assignment is "Fluffy" - and this one has zero input at the current publication time. Here is Rob's description:
"What more can
I say - let's start the new year with a fun assignment - submit images where
the subject is fluffy. Have fun with this assignment, but make sure the image
is wall worthy."
Posted by flashdeadline at 2:41 PM
December 13, 2016
Congrats Darrell Young -- D500 book debuts at #1
Congratulations to Nikonians author Darrell Young for debuting his latest NikoniansPress/Rocky Nook book at the number one position in Amazon's Digital Photography New Releases category.
Mastering the Nikon D500, is now in stock at Amazon.com in both printed form and Kindle (and in printed and eBook bundle on RockyNook.com). If you go for the Rocky Nook bundle, don't forget to use the coupon code YOUNG2016 at checkout for 35% off the price.
If you have a Nikon D500 or plan to acquire one, please consider Darrell Young's Mastering the Nikon D500.
Darrell tells us:
"I put a huge amount of effort into experimenting with all aspects of the Nikon D500 and there are details in my book that you won't find elsewhere. It has 656 pages of deep information--in a very understandable form--that will help you learn every aspect of using your Nikon D500.
I am amazed at the new features Nikon has added to this camera. It is setting standards for connectivity and functionality. I have never seen a Nikon DSLR this complex!
It took extra time to write the book due to the numerous extra features. Many photographers who have used Nikon DSLRs previously may not fully realize how much depth Nikon has added to this camera.
Even if you've had the D500 for several months, I think you will be surprised at the many new things you will find as you read the book with your camera in hand. Additionally, Mastering the Nikon D500 includes a 50% off Coupon for a Nikonians Gold Membership.
Thank you for considering my book." - Darrell Young
Posted by flashdeadline at 11:13 PM
December 6, 2016
Call for Entries - New Contest offers $10,000 in prizes
You are invited to participate in the First Ever Nikonians Photography Awards!
The Nikonians Photography Awards 2017 is an opportunity for photographers of all levels to enter their work and engage with peers in the photo industry, be eligible for awards including an online exhibition of your photos, and get professional reviews and critics of your work.
Prizes include $10,000 in camera gear, online learning programs and exposure of your work to a global audience. Our international jury panel will select 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners as well as 25 finalists. You are invited to enter your images.
Enter this new Nikonians Photography contest now.
Deadline: Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Submission of images will include a modest entry fee.
This contest is open to all types of photography:
LANDSCAPE • WILDLIFE • TRAVEL • DIGITAL • MACRO • PEOPLE • BLACK & WHITE • STREET • ARCHITECTURE • FAMILY • PANORAMA • SPORTS • STUDIO • EVENTS • & MORE
Get a Free Professional Review
For the Nikonians Photography Awards 2017 we are proud to be working in partnership with LensCulture, to provide each application you make with an optional free Professional Review.
LensCulture believes that every photographer who applies to the Nikonians Photography Awards deserves thoughtful feedback on their work. These professional reviews deliver insightful, critical feedback plus recommendations for improving your practice and preparing your work for such opportunities as competitions, grants, juried exhibitions, and other calls for entries.
NIKONIANS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2017 JURY
Ken Geiger - Director of Photography, The Nature Conservancy
Brendan McCabe - Photo Editor, Smithsonian Magazine
Michael Yamashita - Photographer, The Photo Society
Alexander Strecker - Managing Editor, LensCulture
Mike Hagen - Photographer, Author and Owner, Visual Adventures
David Summers - Director, Moderator and Photo Contests Director, Nikonians
AWARDS
1st Place - $5,000
2nd Place - $3,000
3rd Place - $2,000
1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning photographers will receive vouchers to purchase the camera equipment of their choice from B&H Photo Video. Cameras, lenses, drones, tripods, flashes, lighting, filters, accessaries & more are available from brands including Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Leica, Olympus, Sony & so many more.
Online Workshops and Learning Opportunities
Winning photographers and finalists will receive vouchers to select a series of their choice in classes from CreativeLive's Camera & Gear curriculum.
Plus, you will enjoy a 10% off discount good for a full year of Nikonians "in person" learning events including workshops in Galapagos, Iceland, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Tokyo, and more as well as the twice yearly Nikonians Photo Adventure Trips.
Nikonians Platinum Membership
All winning photographers will receive a free one-year platinum membership to Nikonians. With a value of over $200 this membership level is the highest offered to the Nikonians community with the most complete access to forums, galleries, content, community and discounts.
Massive Exposure to our Nikonians audience with an online exhibition
Winning images will be showcased in the Nikonians 2017 Online Exhibition, accessible by photography-lovers all over the world immediately after the results are announced as well as long after the competition closes.
Selected photographers will also be published in feature articles on Nikonians.org and published across Nikonians social media and editorial channels.
Don't miss this opportunity to let your photography skills earn you a prestigious award plus great prizes.
Enter the Nikonians Photography Awards 2017 contest now.
Nikonians has partnered with LensCulture to give you access to this organization who develops and fosters opportunities that help you move your photography career forward creatively and professionally.
Through this partnership photographers can apply to be featured in an Online exhibition as well as gain access to many opportunities for exposure, recognition and learning through LensCulture.
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:48 PM
Congrats October Contest Winners

Our member driven contests are unique in many ways.
Unlike most other photo contests the workings of our contests are transparent.
Our members choose the monthly themes, all entries are visible to the entire community as they are posted and you are the judges not an invisible behind the scenes "expert."
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners.
Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.

1. -- Wildlife "Wildlife Emotions" theme
winner Michael Kawerninski (qanik), from British Columbia, Canada with his
image titled Happiness
is.
2. -- Landscape "Wild waters" theme winner Charlie Choc (cchoc) from
Georgia, USA with his image titled Rainbow in the Mist.
3. -- Macro "Intimate
Landscapes" theme winner Dean Andersen (DeanAZ) from Arizona, USA with
his image titled Island
In the Stream.
4. -- Travel "Hustle and Bustle" theme
winner Barbara Colbert (Britbear) from Illinois, USA with her image titled Spice
Market Porter.
5. -- Digital Artistry
"Halloween" theme winner Candi
Foltz (CandisCamera) from Florida, USA with her image titled China-Pug
Witch.
6. -- Assignment ""Forests" theme winner Scott
Ashley (scottashley) from Colorado, USA with his image titled Split
trees on mountainside.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of
the monthly competitions listed in David
Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past winners here.
The current (November) assignment is "Bottles".
Check out Rob's description:
Here's a great
opportunity to photograph your favorite beverage.
It may seem easy, but
there are things you need to think about - i.e. do you want to eliminate
reflections, what kind of background should you have? - etc. Have fun with this assignment, but make
sure the image is wall worthy.
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:45 PM
November 22, 2016
Mastering Nikon D500 debuts with Nikonians member input

Darrell tells us Nikonians can use the code YOUNG2016 for a 35% discount on the bundle
The printed book will be shipping within the next few weeks.
Darrell's traditional method for sharing with the Nikonians community is to invite members to submit photos to be used as full page Chapter Opening images.
All members who have an image included in the book will receive a free copy of Mastering the Nikon D500 and be listed in a special Credits for Chapter Opening Images section of the book, with information mentioned under tech specs.
Congratulations to the following members who provided images chosen for use in this book:
Chapter 1: Big Bear © 2016 Deborah Albert (debalbe)

The image was taken in Alligator River Park in NE North Carolina. The area has an abundance of black bears.
Many are quite shy, but this big boy was not disturbed by my presence and, in fact, walked ever closer until he stood straight up to scratch his back and then stared right at me.
What a privilege to be in his presence and what a gift to have a camera like the D500 that allowed me to capture many images hand held in early morning low light.
Chapter 2: Heisman Pose in Action © 2016 Milt Wentzel (mwentzel)
![XZChapter_2_-_Milt_Wentzel_(mwentzel)[1].jpg](https://blog.nikonians.org/XZChapter_2_-_Milt_Wentzel_%28mwentzel%29%5B1%5D.jpg)
This football image captured a Colerain High School running back bracing for impact.
It caught my attention during post processing because it bears a striking resemblance to the pose of the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded yearly to the most outstanding player in college football.
Chapter 3: Jolene at the Skyhoundz Qualifier © 2016 Eric Bowles (ericbowles)
![XZChapter_3_-_Eric_Bowles_(ericbowles)[1].jpg](https://blog.nikonians.org/XZChapter_3_-_Eric_Bowles_%28ericbowles%29%5B1%5D.jpg)
Jolene is a standard poodle competing in a qualifier for a national competition.
I used Manual Exposure Mode because the background composition changed rapidly although the light was constant. Using f/4 gave me shallow depth of field, and 1/1250s froze the action, allowing ISO 280 for correct exposure.
I used short bursts of 3-6 frames to capture the dog catching the disc. Jolene is a great subject.
The D500 was perfect for this kind of action due to the excellent AF, fast frame rate, and large buffer. I used a 64 GB Lexar 2933 XQD card to maximize speed.
Chapter 4: Nesting Great Blue Herons © 2016 Howie Grapek (howiegrapek)
![XZChapter_4_-_Howie_Grapek_(howiegrapek)[1].jpg](https://blog.nikonians.org/XZChapter_4_-_Howie_Grapek_%28howiegrapek%29%5B1%5D.jpg)
I took this image in "Wakodahatchee Wetlands" in Delray Beach, Florida, USA. This area is known for nesting waterfowl native to South Florida.
The sun was getting close to the horizon providing beautiful warm light, when I spotted this pair of nesting Blue Herons in a tree about 50 yards away. They had donned their mating plumage and were demonstrating their ritual "courtship dance."
The sun was behind me and the birds were beautifully lit-- their eyes were glowing yellow. I hand held the camera, focused on their eyes, and took a few bursts of shots. I was absolutely thrilled with the quality of this image. Even at ISO 10000, there was virtually no noise.
Chapter 5: Western Gray Squirrel on Pine Tree © 2016 Stephen Weaver (sweaver)
![XZChapter_5_-_Stephen_Weaver_(sweaver)[1].jpg](https://blog.nikonians.org/XZChapter_5_-_Stephen_Weaver_%28sweaver%29%5B1%5D.jpg)
I made this image on a late April morning on the Colorado College campus in Colorado Springs, CO.
I was testing out my new D500 with my 24-120 f/4 lens and thought the numerous friendly Western Gray Squirrels on campus would make good wildlife test subjects for the D500.
This individual ran up the tree and I was attracted to the beautiful morning sun backlight on his tail and his intent look.
Chapter 6: Kiwi the Parrot © 2016 Jim Keenan (Lomcevak)

Our 25-year-old Blue and Gold macaw named Kiwi sits for a portrait in the backyard.
Chapter 7: Lilac in the Garden © 2016 Dennis Miller (dhmiller)
AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm, 1/1000s at f/5.6, ISO 1000

I was lucky enough to capture the flower in full bloom.
The Genus/species name of the flower is: Iris sibirica, commonly known as Siberian iris or Siberian flag.
Chapter 8: Crossing the Finish Line © 2016 John McGarry (jtmcg)

This was shot at the Greater Hartford Invitational Track and Field Meet held in Simsbury, CT.
Chapter 9: Woodchuck Paradise © 2016 Mark Morrison (Lunastar)

I captured this handsome woodchuck near my Minnesota home as he paused briefly outside his hollow log den on a hot, overcast June day.
Chapter 10: Tiny Grandson Smile © 2106 Robert Patterson (bobpatter)

This is a picture of my grandson and was taken in my great room with natural light and no flash.
The D500's white balance nailed the color in the shot, making it very easy to capture an image with correct skin tones.
Chapter 11: Majesty in Flight © 2016 Paul Sorrells (Rickman)

I took this photograph below the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in MD, at the top of the Chesapeake Bay.
The "Dam" is well known worldwide not only the resident Bald Eagles but also for the fall/winter influx of the many birds that migrate here each year.
The prime time for photographing eagles here is usually around Thanksgiving; however, this shot was taken on April 25th. The D500's autofocus tracking during continuous high speed shooting has drastically improved my success rate.
Chapter 12: Palouse Country © 2016 Michael R Goodman (mrginhop)

In eastern Washington state right on the Idaho border there are some amazing agricultural areas full of rolling hills called the Palouse Country.
Chapter 13: Big Daddy Dune in Namibia © 2016 Bonnie Christensen (BChrisRad)

AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4 at 16mm, 1/500s at f/7.1, ISO 320
Early morning hike up Big Daddy Dune in Sossusvlei area of Namibia in Namib-Naukluft National Park.
We were the first ones up the dune and that made for some difficult hiking.
It was a cold morning and we were initially disappointed to not have the sun, but the fog made for much more interesting photos.
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:26 PM
November 16, 2016
Why buy "old?"
Looking to add a brand new Nikon to your inventory?
As a cost-saving measure, perhaps you might want to look at some of the older models still available on various markets (including our own I Want to Buy and I Want to Sell forums).
Take the Nikon D300s for example.
Silver member Simon Wallwork (Shy Talk) from Scotland recently posted a testimonial on his "old" camera:
Just a minute guys.
I bought my 12mp D300s back in 2011. Right from the start, the thing performed like a pro.
I'd come from Olys E-series cameras, where the AF effectively made photos of fast movers a really difficult thing to do.
When I got my D300s, (£1000 with grip included) I was absolutely good to go. It did every single thing that it promised and made my Oly E-3 Look exactly like the fraud that it was.
Fast forward to today, and I'm sure the D300s is relatively old hat, but has my camera ever glitched, or let me down?
Even when getting dragged under fences, dropped on the desert, banged off raggedy bits of old airplane? Nope.
Do I look at my 300s pics and wish I'd more resolution? Sometimes- but only for 'spot the dot' types of pics.
This is one great camera. Mine is still my normal telephoto camera, and while I wish for the same quality, with 36mp, there's nothing wrong with it at all.
Equally interesting as Simon's testimonial are the like-minded responses, some with outstanding images as proof that the age of a good camera is not as important as the artistic creativity of the Nikonian behind the viewfinder.
Posted by flashdeadline at 3:59 PM
November 13, 2016
Super-duper Moon Monday Night
A reminder to our friends in the Astrophotography forum.
Our moon will be coming so close to Earth on Monday night (November 14) that it promises to be much larger in the night sky, and up to 30% brighter.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tells us:
The full moon of November 14 is not only the closest full moon of 2016 but also the closest full moon to date in the 21st century. The full moon won't come this close to Earth again until November 25, 2034.
This astro-show by our moon makes for excellent opportunities to take images like the one we have illustrating this article.
It was captured by Silver member Arlon Motsch (arlon), from Texas, USA in July, 2014 with his Nikon D800E and a 600mm lens (boosted by a 2x teleconverter).
If astrophotography is one of your interests, check your local weather, hope for the best and train your eyes to the skies on the evening of November 14.
And make sure you share your best images here.
Photo-Tip: If you are not interested in astrophotography-style "shooting the moon" you may have a favorite nighttime cityscape or landscape in mind that would benefit from an extra-large moon in the sky above it.
Your next chance to capture the moon this close will be in 18 years (November 25, 2034).
Posted by flashdeadline at 4:00 PM
November 8, 2016
Congrats September Contest winners

Special congratulations go to Roberta Davidson (birdied) for excelling in two of our categories for September (Macro and Digital Artistry).
Our member driven contests are unique in many ways. Unlike most other photo contests the workings of our contests are transparent. Our members choose the monthly themes, all entries are visible to the entire community as they are posted and you are the judges not an invisible behind the scenes "expert."
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. Each photo title serves as a link, which will lead you to explanations behind some of the photographs and an overall look at the competition.

2. -- Landscape "Landscape with a single tree" theme winner Russ Glindmeier (russg) from Arizona, USA with his image titled Meadview,
Arizona.
3. -- Macro "Liquids"
theme winner Roberta Davidson (birdied) from Louisiana, USA with her image
titled The
Dandelion Seed.
4. -- Travel "Iconic Landmarks" theme
winner Henning Bossen (henbo), from Denmark with his image titled Memorial
- Reichstag reflection.
5. -- Digital
Artistry "Color" theme winner Roberta Davidson (birdied) from
Louisiana, USA with her image titled Dahlia
Loving Ruby.
6. -- Assignment "Environment" theme winner Mike
Rheault (mikerofoto) from Ontario, Canada with his untitled image of Power
Lines.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his recap of past winners here.
The current (November) assignment is "Abstract Body" - and this one has zero input at the current publication time. It's a tough one to visualize, so here is Rob's description:
"For a sense
of what this month's assignment is, I recommend you Google "Abstract Body
Photography". It is fascinating, really. The human body presents untold
photographic opportunities. Whether you are photographing the entirety of the
body, or a part, use your imagination to make the image interesting. Careful
use of light, shadows or motion will make the image more abstract. Black and
white is often used to intensify the image and make it grittier.
The goal of this
assignment is not NSFW (Not Safe For Work) images,
however, they may be included if they are tasteful and appropriately referenced
as such in the title. This is a challenging assignment and I hope you all
produce some great, wall-worthy images."
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:17 PM
November 1, 2016
Nikonians Academy Update
Nikonians Academy Director Mike Hagen is headed to Tanzania for his annual African Photo Safari. He has already scheduled the next Safari for November 2017.
Mike tells us:
We are limiting the size to 12 participants and this number includes your Tour Leader.
One of the best aspects of this trip is that we are only allowing three photographers per vehicle. This means that each person will have an entire row to themselves with one seat for their camera gear and the other seat for themselves.
There will be plenty of room to move around and everyone will have perfect access to all photo opportunities.
Down the Road:
Join Steve Simon for one of his two workshops to Cuba this December and January.
The US Government continues to reduce restrictions on travel to Cuba, which means the flood of tourists isn't far behind. If you've wanted to visit before the massive changes take place, then join Steve Simon and Nikonians Academy in December or January for his workshop, Cuba: The Passionate Street Photographer.
Steve Simon has been running photography workshops to Cuba for quite a few years and is uniquely qualified to show off this beautiful country to visitors. These two workshops are open to travelers whether or not you are a US Citizen. We'd love to have you along on the trip no matter where you are from.
This intimate six-day masterclass (limited to 10 students) will take you to some of the most picturesque, interesting and exciting locations on and off the beaten path in Havana and beyond.
Steve has been traveling to Cuba for many years now and has a great knowledge of this country.
His workshops are based on the concepts from his best-selling book, The Passionate Photographer, and work to take the student from good to great. Steve's next trips begin December 10th and January 16th.
------------------------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert is running a really fun workshop to Budapest, Hungary in May, 2017.
His class will be a photographic exploration of this beautiful city that straddles the banks of the Danube River. This is a true photography workshop and Rick will be working with participants to improve their photography of urban areas, including buildings, man-made spaces, and street photography.
Rick stresses that you won't need fancy equipment to enjoy this trip. In fact, any and every brand of camera will work. So, feel free to bring your Nikon (of course!), Canon, Fuji, Pentax, Sony or iPhone.
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:24 PM
October 18, 2016
Build a DIY Home Studio - New CreativeLive class
In an ongoing effort to bring our Nikonians.org members value, we are running another free online workshop with CreativeLive on Monday, October 24th.
Our Nikonians Academy Director, Mike Hagen is teaching a new class titled Build a DIY Home Studio. In this practical, hands-on broadcast, you'll learn:
- How to find and create grip equipment by shopping at your local hardware store
- How to create a tabletop studio in your home
- How to put together and light a portrait studio on a budget.
Invite your friends and camera club members to watch live so you can interact with Mike as he is giving tips and tricks to help you create a great home studio at a low cost.
You don't have to have your own studio space or purchase thousands of dollars worth of equipment to build your portfolio of images.
Join Mike as he gets you expanding your portfolio so you can gain the clients to eventually purchase the gear you want to own!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Down the Road:
Join Steve Simon for one of his two workshops to Cuba this December and January.
The US Government continues to reduce restrictions on travel to Cuba, which means the flood of tourists isn't far behind. If you've wanted to visit before the massive changes take place, then join Steve Simon and Nikonians Academy in December or January for his workshop, Cuba: The Passionate Street Photographer.
Steve Simon has been running photography workshops to Cuba for quite a few years and is uniquely qualified to show off this beautiful country to visitors. These two workshops are open to travelers whether or not you are a US Citizen. We'd love to have you along on the trip no matter where you are from.
This intimate six-day masterclass (limited to 10 students) will take you to some of the most picturesque, interesting and exciting locations on and off the beaten path in Havana and beyond.
Steve has been traveling to Cuba for many years now and has a great knowledge of this country.
His workshops are based on the concepts from his best-selling book, The Passionate Photographer, and work to take the student from good to great. Steve's next trips begin December 10th and January 16th.
------------------------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert is running a really fun workshop to Budapest, Hungary in May, 2017.
His class will be a photographic exploration of this beautiful city that straddles the banks of the Danube River. This is a true photography workshop and Rick will be working with participants to improve their photography of urban areas, including buildings, man-made spaces, and street photography.
Rick stresses that you won't need fancy equipment to enjoy this trip. In fact, any and every brand of camera will work. So, feel free to bring your Nikon (of course!), Canon, Fuji, Pentax, Sony or iPhone.
Posted by flashdeadline at 5:56 PM
October 6, 2016
CreativeLive workshops online
Watch them live for free. You can also purchase previous workshops from them on hundreds of different topics.
Our Nikonians Academy Director, Mike Hagen has recommended a variety of workshops for Nikonians members focused on Travel, landscape and nature photography here.
He has also taught a number of live classes for CreativeLive that you might be interested in, such as:
► Photographing Panoramas for Large Prints
► Nikon Wireless Flash for Creative Photography
► Using The Nikon Autofocus System
------------------------------------------------------
Join Steve Simon for one of his two workshops to Cuba this December and January.
This intimate six-day masterclass (limited to 10 students) will take you to some of the most picturesque, interesting and exciting locations on and off the beaten path in Havana and beyond.
Steve has been traveling to Cuba for many years now and has a great knowledge of this country.
His workshops are based on the concepts from his best-selling book, The Passionate Photographer, and work to take the student from good to great. Steve's next trips begin December 10th and January 16th.
------------------------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert is running a really fun workshop to Budapest, Hungary in May, 2017.
His class will be a photographic exploration of this beautiful city that straddles the banks of the Danube River. This is a true photography workshop and Rick will be working with participants to improve their photography of urban areas, including buildings, man-made spaces, and street photography.
Rick stresses that you won't need fancy equipment to enjoy this trip. In fact, any and every brand of camera will work. So, feel free to bring your Nikon (of course!), Canon, Fuji, Pentax, Sony or iPhone.
Posted by flashdeadline at 4:24 PM
October 1, 2016
German Nikonians meet in Innzell, Bavaria
A group of the Nikonians in Germany meet up 16th-18th of September for photography and camaraderie in this splendid corner of Bavaria. See some of the images they took, which are shared in the galleries. Images from Innzell, Bavaria
Posted by bgs at 1:08 AM
September 30, 2016
Image sharing forum now takes 50MB images
The image sharing forum "A picture I took" at Nikonians now allow for large image uploads. You can attach images of up to 50MB each to your post. If the image is larger than 1800 pixels widest side, it will be reduced to that size.
For smaller devices and screens, the image is automatically reduced to fit the screen.
Enjoy your community!
Posted by bgs at 6:59 PM
September 6, 2016
Congrats Nikonians July Photo Contest winners

Congratulations to our winners!
This month we have two winners in the Wildlife category.
We encourage you to click on the links to each image for a closer look.
All Silver, Gold and Platinum members are eligible to participate in any and all theme categories of the monthly forums contests and online assignments.
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for
the names of the winners. The image titles include links to the winning entries
along with a look at the competition in each category.

1-A - Wildlife
- "Small Feathered Friends"
theme winner Roberta Davidson (Birdied), from Louisiana, USA with her image
titled Female
Red Winged Blackbird.
1-B - Wildlife - "Small Feathered Friends" theme winner Jesse Martinez (jesse101) from Montana USA with his image titled Red winged Blackbird.
2 - Landscape
- "Sunrise or sunset with water as a significant feature" theme
winner Nicholas Randall (NRandall), from
Victoria, Australia with his image titled Capturing
the Rising Sun - Point Addis.
3 - Macro - "Jewels or Jewelry" theme winner Jesse
Martinez (jesse101), from Montana USA with his image titled Jewels.
4 - Travel - "History through a Nikon" theme
winner James Reynolds (reynja), from
Texas, USA with his image titled Corsair
Wreck - Oahu, HI - USA.
5 - Digital
Artistry - "Water" theme winner Darryl
Hodson (skibreeze7), from Oregon, USA with his image titled Dew
Drops on Web.
6 - July Assignment
- "Isolation" theme winner Dan Wiedbrauk (domer2760),
from Wisconsin, USA with his image titled Defeat.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly
competitions listed in David Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his assignments updates here.
The current September Assignment is "Environment."
Your challenge is to use your photographic skill to focus
attention on environmental issues.
Wall worthy images that evidence pollution or ecological
damage would be perfect, as would images demonstrating the positive effects of
responsible environmental management.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:15 PM
August 30, 2016
Nikonians Academy and CreativeLive newest videos

A CreativeLive blog by Justin Katz titled Back Button Focus Will Change the Way You Use Your Camera includes video workshop amplification by Mike. With over 20,000 views already, this teamwork approach to a complicated topic is helping many photographers improve their techniques.

In this workshop Mike Hagen helps you understand how to configure your camera's autofocus system for portraits, sports, wildlife, and landscapes.
Relying on autofocus will also let you concentrate on lighting and composition, and help you take advantage of those fleeting moments.
------------------------------------------------------

September is a busy month for three of our Nikonians Academy
instructors. Steve Simon is running his sold-out workshop Cuba
- The Passionate Street Photographer.
This intimate six-day masterclass (limited to 10 students) will take attendees to some of the most picturesque, interesting and exciting locations on and off the beaten path in Havana and beyond.
Steve tells us:
"Everything will
be taken care of for you so we can concentrate on making amazing images of the
people and the culture in Havana. We will explore vibrant, visually rich places
and neighborhoods in Old Havana, often outside tourist areas for unique photo
opportunities.
We will have great access at a local outdoor boxing club with great light-a place where some of Cuba's best known boxers have trained. We will visit and photograph the National Ballet & Dance Company. Old Havana is spectacular at night and we will go out night shooting as well. With the recent warming of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, change is inevitable making now a perfect time to visit."
------------------------------------------------------

Mike Hagen leaves for Galapagos on September 17 with 9 intrepid photographers to shoot stunning pics of wildlife from their chartered yacht.
There are some seats still available (and going fast).
Mike describes each day beginning with:
"An early 6:00am
breakfast followed by the first shore excursion. We return for lunch followed
by a siesta while the vessel navigates to the next island.
Mid-afternoon, we disembark for the second excursion and return to the boat by sunset.
Before dinner, we hold
a briefing for the next day's shore excursions. In the evenings, we motor to
the next island arriving early in the morning for a new adventure."
------------------------------------------------------

Rick Hulbert is running his top-notch Urban and Street Photography Workshop in Chicago, Illinois September 22-25. Rick still has a few seats available for the September workshop, so don't delay if you want to attend.
This workshop is designed to improve your photography regardless of whether you consider picture taking a hobby, or you are a serious enthusiast, professional photographer, or earn your living as a member of the global real estate, design, and construction industries.
There are accepted principles for photographing buildings and other man-made structures. Knowing these principles will make you a better photographer. Understanding the science and art behind these principles will allow you to learn how to "break rules" in a deliberate, meaningful way.
You will learn how a basic understanding of Street Photography will assist in your architectural and urban photography.
------------------------------------------------------

In conclusion, Mike Hagen reminds us:
"Our workshops and trips are an incredible amount of fun.
Our participants always learn practical skills, have a wonderful time, and come home thousands of beautiful images.
We've already begun adding new workshops for the remainder of 2016 and 2017. Join us in Africa, Utah, Hungary, Italy and much more."
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:15 PM
August 23, 2016
Academy Spotlight: Chicago, Elephants and CreativeLive

The first points to one of our most popular workshop series, hosted by Rick Hulbert.
The second spotlights your opportunity to join Mike at one of the ideal locations for photographing elephants in Africa.
The third update highlights online classes available to the community through our partnership with CreativeLive.
-----------------------------------------------------------

We have one month to go until Rick Hulbert's Chicago Urban
and Street Photography Workshop.
Rick is one of our Academy success stories and does such a
wonderful job on his workshops.
He's thought through all the details for this workshop and
has created a curriculum that's truly one of the best in the world.
There is no requirement for fancy equipment. Any and every brand of camera will work, so we strongly encourage participants with Canon, Sony, Fuji, Leica and other camera brands to attend. The principles taught will also apply to point and shoot cameras, new mirrorless cameras, and yes. . . even camera phones!
---------------------------------------------------------

Tanzania's elephant population is one of the more robust in the world. One of the best places to photograph these giants is in Tarangire National Park. Mike Hagen has designed this November's photo safari to take full advantage of the park in order to maximize elephant photography.
Mike tells us:
"Tarangire is one
of my favorite places to photograph elephants. Here, you are able to compose
herds of elephants against giant acacia trees, babies interacting with their
mothers, all from just a few meters away."
One of the best aspects of this trip is that we are only allowing three photographers per vehicle.
This means that each person will have an entire row to themselves with one seat for their camera gear and the other seat for themselves. There will be plenty of room to move around and everyone will have perfect access to all photo opportunities.
Join Mike on this year's safari (November 4-15, 2016).

Our online workshop partnership with CreativeLive, includes
these three topics which are sure to of interest to the Nikonians community:
►Learn how to make panoramas
for large prints
►Using the Nikon Autofocus
System
►Using the Nikon Wireless
Flash System
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:07 PM
August 2, 2016
Congrats Segment Two "Best of Nikonians" winners

Check our image legend below and scroll down for background information:

1. Winner - "My
little assistant" by Leb Annamaria-annie (annie_j) from Romania.
• D40, Nikkor 18-105 mm VR, f/5, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, post-processed with Adobe
Photoshop CC and Lightroom 4
2. Honorable mention
-" Black Bear Cub In Meadow" by Mark Morrison (Lunastar) from
Minnesota, USA.
• D500, Nikkor 200-400/ f/4 lens w/14TC @ f/6.3, ISO 800, 1/2000SS
3. Honorable mention
- "Otis My Black Pug Dog" by Candi Foltz (CandisCamera) from Florida,
USA.
• Nikon D7100, 50sec, 400 ISO, 300mm f/3.5 VR Lens
4. Honorable mention
-" Puffin against the sea" by Henning Bossen (henbo) from Denmark.
• Nikon D810 | Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 VRI @ 260mm
ISO 360, -0.7 EV | 1/400s, f/4
5. Honorable mention
- "Bugling Elk" by Pete Wilson from Michigan, USA.
• D2X | 200-400 f/4.0 @ 400mm | f/4 | 1/60 sec | ISO 640
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:36 PM
July 19, 2016
Nikonians Academy spotlight: Iceland and Chicago
Nikonians Academy Director Mike Hagen sends this week's update from Iceland, where he is leading a group of photographers through Iceland's landscapes and bird sanctuaries.
His group is now photographing geothermal sites, glacial lagoons, birds, landscapes, volcanoes, lava fields, waterfalls, and basalt columns. Mike also included a photo tour of Reykjavík that includes buildings and architecture.
Mike tells us:
"Puffins in flight are some of the most difficult birds to photograph. I'm working closely with our photography group and so far, everyone has taken keepers of this beautiful maritime bird."
Mike's image (at left) was taken this week with his Nikon D800 and AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens. He shot at 1/2000 sec, with an f/5.6 aperture and ISO of 1600.
Next year's Iceland trip will run July 16-24, 2017 and Mike will have it posted to the Nikonians Academy website immediately upon returning to his office.
To learn how to master Nikon's autofocus system to capture bird-in-flight shots like the ones shown here, check out Mike's CreativeLive workshop titled The Nikon Autofocus System. Here's the direct link.
Mike will help you configure the autofocus system for portraits, sports, wildlife, and landscapes. Relying on autofocus will let you concentrate on lighting and composition, and help you take advantage of those fleeting moments.
--------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert's Urban and Street photography workshop concentrates on the other end of the photography spectrum.
Rick's next stop will be Chicago in September.
He takes participants through an amazing instructional process to help them see and understand urban landscapes.
His specialty is teaching attendees how to capture people in the built environment. You're going to love this class.
This workshop is designed to improve your photography regardless of whether you consider picture taking a hobby, or you are a serious enthusiast, professional photographer, or earn your living as a member of the global real estate, design, and construction industries.
If you are returning participant to Rick's Urban and Street Photography Workshop, Rick would like to offer you a special 25% off deal. We'll send refund details after you sign up.
Posted by flashdeadline at 9:19 PM
June 15, 2016
Congrats April Contest winners

Congratulations to our winners!
We encourage you to click on the links to each image for a closer look.
All Silver, Gold and Platinum Members are eligible to participate in any and all theme categories of the monthly forums contests and online assignments.
Check our winning images legend below and scroll down for the names of the winners. The image titles include links to the winning entries along with a look at the competition in each category.

1. Wildlife - "Spring is in the Air" theme winner Michael Kawerninski (qanik), from British
Columbia, Canada with his image titled Spring
is in the Air, are just.
2. Landscape - "Reflections in a Landscape Setting" theme winner Russ Glindmeier (russg) from Arizona, USA with his image titled Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park.
3. Macro - "Spring Fever" theme winner Tom Ferguson (tekneektom), from Wisconsin, USA with his image titled A sure sign of Spring - Pussy Willow.
4. Travel - "Travels to the Edge" theme winner Darcy Shelanskey (dshlink)) with her image titled Muenzenberg, Germany.
5. Digital Artistry - Digital Composite theme winner Godofredo Baylon (GBaylon) from Ontario, Canada with his image titled This face needs Photoshop help.
6. April Assignment - "Feet" theme winner James Buch (jimray) from Wisconsin, USA with his image titled Little feet.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If
you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly
competitions listed in David
Summers' contest guide.
---------------------------------
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio (rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his assignments updates here.
The current June Assignment is "Low Contrast."
This one is simple (and it is the opposite of last month's assignment) - a wall worthy, low-contrast photograph that does not exhibit much difference between the lights and the darks - i.e. not a broad range of tones.
The image may be color or black and white. An image of a subject shrouded in fog is a great example. The photo you submit must be taken in the month of June 2016. That's why they call it an assignment. Go get it - - don't search your hard drive.
Posted by flashdeadline at 1:42 AM
May 31, 2016
Academy Director hosting two free online workshops
Get ready for a double dose of Nikonians Academy Director Mike Hagen teaching new live workshops with CreativeLive.
Mike's workshops are coming this week and they are aimed directly at Nikonians members around the world.
Join us live online for free. Or, you can purchase the workshops for future viewing at your convenience. CreativeLive produces some of the best online training classes in the world.
We are proud to partner with them and know that this will bring excellent value to the Nikonians.org family.
Workshops brief:
June 9th - Photographing Panoramas for Large Prints. Mike will be teaching an intensive full-day class on ow to create and print large panoramic prints independent of what camera you use. He'll show field shooting techniques from a real-life photography session including using some of the top panorama gear in the industry. Back in the studio, Mike will demonstrate how stitch the images together, then go through a full printing workshop using high-end Epson inkjet printers.
June 10th - Nikon Wireless Flash for Creative Photography. Mike will go through all the details around setting up your Nikon cameras to work with the Nikon wireless flash system.
He'll be showing off the new SB-5000 and D500 camera as well.
We are also shooting another class next week called Using the Nikon Autofocus System where Mike will be showing how to configure your Nikon DSLR for all kinds of real world shooting scenarios. This class will be recorded and will go directly to their catalog, so as soon as the class is published, we'll send a link so you can access the workshop.
You can watch the live workshops for free. Also, you can purchase the workshops for your own use at any time in the future.
-----------------------------------------------
Time is running out to register for our Iceland Birds and Landscapes photo adventure.
This trip runs July 17-24, 2016 and is timed to coincide with beautiful weather, great wildlife and stunning summertime light.
Because we'll be traveling as an independent group, our guides and drivers are dedicated to getting us to the best locations in the most incredible light.
Our travel group is small (limited to a maximum of 10 participants), but the landscapes are huge! Prepare to be awed by the size and scope of the Icelandic topography. The memories of this trip will last a lifetime.
-----------------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert's Chicago Urban and Street Photography workshop is your opportunity to learn urban photography in an environment brimming with great images.
This is a four-day workshop with a maximum enrollment of 10 people.
This class has been praised as one of the best in the world on the topic of photographing the built environment. Rick has spent years perfecting his curriculum so that it incorporates the perfect mix of art and science. He likes to refer to his classes as "Workshops for Smarties." You're going to love this class.
Join us September 22-25, 2016 for this intensive workshop from one of the best instructors in the industry.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:08 PM
Weekly Hot-5 - May 31 - 2016
What's "hot" this week in our forums?
Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 and Trending Blog encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.
We start with this image by Silver member Larry Jordan (ljordan316) from Florida, USA.
Larry was responding to a question seeking comparisons between the Nikon D810 and D500.
Other replies include one member who decided to get both:
"No one camera is ideal for each and every situation. Far better to have a two camera kit and not try to find the single perfect camera as it does not exist. For me at the present time the best combo is the D810 with the D500.
Both use EN-EL15 batteries and both can use SD cards is very advantageous for general field use and when traveling. Being able to buy both cameras and spend $1800 less than the cost for a single D5 camera also makes them a better value."
Do you have a comparison example between the D810 and D500 to share?
------------------------------------------------------
Silver member Douglas Amsbury (dglas_1) from Washington, USA has a question in the Nikon D810/D800 forum regarding the AF-area mode. The answers so far are very informative. Check it out.
------------------------------------------------------Silver member Jesse Smith (Jesse Smith) from Montana, USA has a unique situation going on when he's out taking pictures:
I've spent most of my life NOT living in town. I have some property in town and I hate to even do yard work there because I feel like I'm on display for all the neighbors. I'm sure they don't actually care about me or what I'm doing, but that's just the sort of feeling I have when doing stuff out in public view like that.
Similarly, I find myself driving somewhere after work to take pictures and then going somewhere else instead, because there's already people there and I feel like they are going to be watching me the whole time. Wondering why I'm taking a picture of whatever it is, or thinking me a fool for laying on the ground to get a certain angle, or whatever. Worse yet, they might ask what I'm doing and then I'd have to tell them I have no idea.
I'm kind of embarrassed to even admit this here, but I'm wondering if others felt the same way when they started photography and did you get over it?
------------------------------------------------------Nikonians founders Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) and J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) advise they have switched Nikonians main areas to use our white theme as default.
If you do not like it, switch to our classic, black theme using the top right corner arrow icon. Your preferences are automatically stored in your settings.
Which version do you use most often (and why)?
------------------------------------------------------New member Robert Young (youngres3) from the England, The United Kingdom is looking for lens advice.
I'm contemplating the purchase of a new 'standard' zoom lens to go with my Nikon D3s. I have been happy with my 24-85mm f3.5/4.5G ED but have been talked into perhaps replacing this with the much bulkier 24-70mm f2.8G ED - as I'm told the quality is much better. This is an expensive piece of glass (even second-hand) so I'm contemplating the older 28-70mm f2.8 IF ED that it replaced. Is this earlier lens of the same quality as its replacement? What is the advantage of the new lens?
Any advice very welcome.
Robert
If you have a similar question-- check the replies on this so far.
Posted by flashdeadline at 5:26 AM
May 25, 2016
Academy spotlight on New York City and Iceland
Nikonians Academy Director Mike Hagen tells us Steve Simon has scheduled another of his world-famous Passionate Street Photographer workshops for New York City, June 16-21.
This workshop is designed to help you go from good to great and will be set in the bustling metropolis of New York.
Check out what Gold member Herb Brail (hbrail) has to say about Steve's workshop:
"Steve is an incredibly talented photographer and phenomenal teacher. The workshop exceeded my expectations and was an extraordinarily valuable experience. I particularly appreciated the specific assignments rather than simply being told "go out and shoot".
Even though I considered myself a fairly advanced amateur, this workshop was of tremendous benefit to me.
With an appropriate mixture of both shooting and critiques with feedback and suggestions, I learned not only from Steve, but from the styles and techniques of the other participants.
New York City offers a dazzling array of photographic venues that were significantly enhanced by Steve's guidance and instruction.
His passion as a teacher to reach out to every participant in order to maximize the workshop experience was evident each and every day."
--Herb Brail, Dearborn, Michigan, USA
---------------------------------
Meanwhile, Mike Hagen is preparing for his July photo adventure to Iceland.
The itinerary includes special access to wildlife sanctuaries, boat tours, and island bird reserves.
During summer, Iceland is truly the land of the midnight sun as it never truly gets dark. The evening light lasts forever and sunsets go on and on and on.
These sunsets are especially spectacular at the Glacier Lagoon, where the group visits multiple times during the week in order to maximize opportunities for great images.
For Mike, the key to success is proper planning in advance:
"We work hard to get you into the right places at the right time for the most beautiful Iceland photographs you can imagine.
We still have room on our July trip and would love to have more Nikonians and Nikonians spouses along for the adventure."
--------------------------------
Interested in learning more about Nikon lenses?
Check out this free 13 minute CreativeLive video segment from John Greengo's class, "Nikon Lenses: The Complete Guide."
You can purchase the entire class at CreativeLive's website. This week you'll get 30% off all CreativeLive workshops using this link.
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:30 PM
May 24, 2016
Weekly Hot-5 - May 24 - 2016
What's "hot" this week in our forums?
Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 and Trending Blog encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.
We start with this image by Gold member Aart Louw (AartPapaya) from South Africa. In his post titled A few Impala studies he shared interesting images taken at Kruger National Park with his Nikon D810.
------------------------------------------------------
AArt explains:
"Impala is by far the most common antelope in the KNP and is therefore not regarded as worthy of a photo. They are however graceful and well worth spending time with."
------------------------------------------------------
Moderating Team member Jonathan Kandel (JonK) posted a link to the description of a newspaper photo shoot featuring a political candidate.
You will recognize that candidate (Donald Trump), but that's not why Jon posted it.
In fact he wants you to ignore the politics: "Seriously, forget who the candidate is. Just enjoy this shoot, the concept of confetti, buying it, picking out one color, cutting rectangles into squares, "distributing" it -- and cleaning it all up after the five minute shoot."
------------------------------------------------------
Gold member John Wilson (Travjohn) from North Carolina, USA has started an informal name that lady session:
"A face that has graced every digital Nikon that I've owned, standing patiently while the same boat sails behind her. I wonder if she even has a name -- if not, maybe we should give her one."
Check it out.
We already have some interesting suggestions.
------------------------------------------------------
Can you capture great images involving boats without going out to sea?
Moderating Team member Armando Heredia (Covey22) proves the answer is a solid yes with a series photos taken at a shipyard.
He was using his Nikon D7000 on this shoot.
------------------------------------------------------
Gold member John Hernlund (Tokyo_John) from Japan has been following economic trends affecting the photo industry in his area and shares his thoughts in a post titled Nikon business in a tough period.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:10 AM
May 19, 2016
Nikonians app for iOS updated
Our iOS app has been updated. Browse images, tag favorites, see latest discussions, upload images easily to your gallery and share with others.
Download for free from iTunes app store.
Posted by bgs at 12:53 PM
Golden May - 50% on Gold
Between now and 31st of May 2016, you get 50% off on a Gold Membership at Nikonians.
As a Gold Member, you have access to our NEF skills forum, where you can post your RAW files for help on processing, receive tips and tricks.
Use this voucher to upgrade to Gold today:
You also have access to the Premium Critique forum, where professional photographers help you with giving you the critique you may need to bring your photography to new heights. Last, but not least, you get deductions on various products and services, such as 10% off on used gear at UsedPhotoPro.com
Posted by bgs at 10:43 AM
May 17, 2016
Weekly Hot-5 - May 17 - 2016
What's "hot" this week in our forums?
Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 and Trending Blog encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.
We start with this image from the I have been published forum:
------------------------------------------------------ Congratulations to Silver member Lindrel Thompson (lindrelt) from Texas, USA for scoring his first cover shot.
He posted his cover of the Galveston Monthly Magazine.
Lindrel tells us: "The picture was taken at Pier 19 after some returning fisherman released leftover bait fish.
I saw a flurry of Pelicans splashing and fighting over the fish.
Not until back home and reviewing the pictures taken at a fast shutter speed did I realize what had happened.
While Brown Pelicans dive for fish, the White Pelican scoops them right out of the water with their impressive pouched bill!"
Have you had an image of yours appear in print or published on a web-site (not your own of course)?
Share the good news with us in our I have been published! forum.
------------------------------------------------------ Reading and writing posts, articles and critiques at nikonians.org does more than just share information.
In many ways, members have embraced the original concept of our founders, making Nikonians not just a knowledgeable and friendly environment but a family environment.
We like to call it a community, and as such we should also have a look at the backgrounds of some of our fellow members.
Moderating Team member Marsha Edmunds (meadowlark2) has started an ambitious series of articles aimed at providing that background.
The series title is "I am Nikonians" and at the heart of each article will be Marsha's goal of letting us know more about these family members we share our time with during each visit to nikonians.org.
Check out the first edition, featuring Silver member Monte Comeau (BCRose) from British Columbia, Canada.
In the coming months, don't be surprised if you get an email from Marsha, asking you to participate.
------------------------------------------------------ Silver member Steven Greenbaum (Steve6344) from Florida, USA is looking for suggestions on saving large files in Photoshop.
The answers so far may help fellow members with a similar problem.
------------------------------------------------------ We have brisk and informative conversation going on regarding Nikon Batteries.
Silver member (Richard Walliker) from Wales, the United Kingdom kicked it off my asking about high battery drain with the Nikon D500.
His question has evolved into a deeper look at who is actually making batteries for Nikon use, and numerous comments about assorted battery life experiences from fellow members.
Some are happy and some are not.
------------------------------------------------------If you post your raw NEF photograph in our NEF processing skills forum, we will help you improve it. The forum is open to all members on Silver or higher membership.
A good example is this photo of a Goldfinch, taken by Gerry LoSardo (JerryLoSardo) from Maryland. Gerry invited our members to have a look and tweak it for sharpness.
Gerry tells us:
"I recently purchased a Nikon 300mm AF-S II (non-VR) and a TC20EIII and have begun the long (but enjoyable) process of learning how to use this lens/TC combo. My post processing efforts in LR (see attached jpeg) have resulted in an image where the bird is too soft, so I'm trying to see if I can create a sharper image."
Remember, don't upload JPEG images. Just RAW images.
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:17 PM
May 14, 2016
Get post processing help - post your NEF
If you post your raw NEF photograph in our NEF processing skills forum, we will help you improve it. The forum is open for all members on Silver or higher membership.
Posted by bgs at 4:52 PM
May 11, 2016
Hulbert heading for Italy


If you are looking for a completely original, unique photography experience, then this is for you.
Triora is a photographer's delight. In every direction, the Italian Alps rise around you, and in every direction other delightful tiny towns cling to their own mountains.
With architecture that is hundreds of years old, the interior of the town is off limits to cars. Small, covered, cobblestoned lanes wind their way between the residents' houses, their stoops colorful with pots of flowers and herbs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick also just sent a note
about a date change for this Fall's urban and street photography workshop in
Chicago.
"Date change announced
for Rick Hulbert's Chicago 4 Day Urban and Street Photography Workshop this
Fall
September 22-25, 2016

It is a great time of year to be in Chicago!
We will be photographing along the Chicago River front, in Millennium Park,
along the historic "L" Train Loop, and in a location providing a dramatic
waterfront skyline view of the City Core. We will allow for opportunities to
photograph during the best light available in the early mornings along with
late afternoons and early evenings. All in all, we will combine a serious
photographic learning experience with being able to return home with some great
images of a world class urban environment.
We have been able to book a more affordable downtown hotel for us all to enjoy
the daily lecture/discussions and image reviews.
Our host hotel will be the Comfort Inn:
Comfort Suites Chicago on
Michigan Avenue
320 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601
Our host hotel is in a super
convenient location, just one half block from the Chicago River in the heart of
downtown, and just 3 blocks from Millennium Park.
Should you decide to stay at the host hotel, speak with their Director of
Sales, Daniel Grajdura, and tell him you are registered with "Rick Hulbert's
Photography Workshop" to request the best room rate available. Of course,
should you prefer, there are numerous other hotel options in and around Chicago
from which to choose.
Hope to see you this September in the heart of Chicago."
--Rick
Hulbert
--------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Simon's Passionate Street Photographer 6-Day Workshop in New York City will challenge even the most experienced photographer to see the world in a new way.

The workshop helps photographers develop
their vision and works closely to help them go from good to great. Join Steve
in New York at his studio from June 16-21, 2016.
He will be teaching you new and powerful street photography techniques guaranteed to push you from your comfort zone to new heights in your work.
Steve will share his street-shooting philosophies gleaned from a lifetime of wandering urban places with his camera.
He will help you find your own unique vision and street style through assignments created to get you past photographic fears and cliches to capturing lyrical, poetic and decisive moments that communicate the energy of the streets.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Nikonians Academy Director Mike
Hagen wants you to join him in Iceland this July.

Mike says, "This is the perfect trip for traveling
spouses or friends who want to explore a new section of the world.
The scenery is stunning and the wild birds are
bountiful. Photos rarely do the scenes justice as many of the landscapes seem
to be from a different planet. Our trip
runs from July 17-24, 2016 and we have a few open seats available for intrepid
travelers."
This workshop is strictly limited to a maximum of 10 participants. This means that you'll receive hands-on training from your workshop leaders every single day. Our goal is to help you capture incredible images and our small group size ensures you are well taken care of.
Posted by flashdeadline at 1:21 AM
May 10, 2016
Weekly Hot-5 - May 10 - 2016
What's "hot" this week in our forums?
Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 and Trending Blog encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.
We start with this image from the Online Photo Assignments Forum:
----------------------------------------------------- Are you in a rut, need some motivation or inspiration? Give our Online Assignments a try.
The online assignments are a great place for both beginners and advanced photographers.
Beginners will become more familiar with their cameras and the fundamentals of photography by completing the Online Assignments. Advanced photographers can use the assignments as a way to find inspiration and to try new things. We offer a new assignment each month.
Please drop by and join us in the Online Assignments forum!
This month's assignment is simple - a wall worthy, high-contrast photograph that includes strongly contrasting elements. The image may be color or black and white. Use of the latter medium is a great way to provide high contrast images - sharp blacks and whites, with minimal gray. A high-contrast color photo would also include both bright and dark elements.
-----------------------------------------------------
Silver member Lynn Watkins (LE49Wat) from South Carolina USA is wondering "It's time to buy!--or is it?"
He has his NAS-influenced mind set on a Nikon D750 but he's also aware that time sometimes provides bargains:
"Should I wait a bit longer? Will the D750 go on sale in July when the new cycle for electronics emerge?
I don't have a wide angle FX lens anymore; should I buy used and get a decent lens also? Or should I look at another FX camera used?"
What advice would you share with Lynn?
-----------------------------------------------------Ray Heslewood (Hessy) from Western Australia has started an interesting round of discussion with his question about in-camera noise reduction.
It's a good read, but we warn you to make sure you have your thinking cap on before you open this discussion.
-----------------------------------------------------
Silver member Michael Tyler (Mike_in_ME) from Maine, USA posted an image a while ago that has been drawing the attention of our Aviation Forum members.
It shows a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor flying with a P-51 Mustang called "Fragile but Agile." The Mustang is part of the Heritage Flight program featururing modern day fighter and attack aircraft flying alongside World War II, Korea and Vietnam-era aircraft in a dramatic display of our nation's air power history.
Heritage Flights are flown at events ranging from open houses and air shows to sporting events, parades and funerals.
-----------------------------------------------------
We are fast approaching the deadline, May 15, for Segment 1 of the Best of Nikonians 2016 contest.
The theme is simple -- People -- any image with a person or people as the main subject is eligible.
The contest is open to all Silver, Gold and Platinum members. The deadline for submissions is May 15th, by the end of the day. Winners will be announced on May 30th.
We will choose one winner and multiple honorable
Posted by flashdeadline at 7:30 AM
May 9, 2016
Tackle the challenge of night photography
Think back to some of the best photos you ever produced and ask yourself this question:
How many were taken at night?
Odds are most were not.
There is an easy explanation for this. Daytime is full of the most important ingredient necessary for great images -- Abundant light.
If you go fishing you naturally travel to ponds, lakes, streams and oceans known to be well stocked with fish.
As a photographer you naturally follow the same logic, looking for a subject bathed in all manner of light such as an exquisite sunrise or dramatic sunset.
Nikonians Team member Dusan Labuda (DusanLabuda) from Slovakia takes the hunt for great images into the most challenging of situations.
He calls it the Night Shift.
Deliberately shooting in the low light world requires you to "shift" you're thinking about the gear and the techniques you plan to use.
Dusan describes it like this:
"Low light, an unusual ratio of highlights and shadows will force a photographer to think a bit more than before a common daylight shooting. The hunt for light will force you to use your gear to the fullest potential."
Read his article titled NIGHT SHIFT - Introduction to night photography and you are guaranteed to improve your chances of coming back in the morning with a few great "keepers."
Posted by flashdeadline at 8:58 AM
May 3, 2016
Congrats March 2016 contest winners

Congratulations to our winners!
We encourage you to click on the links to each image for a closer look.
A great example is the "Things found in a kitchen" theme used in the Micro and Macro forum. It clearly shows you don't even have to leave your house to exercise your creativity.
All Silver, Gold and Platinum Members are eligible to participate in any and all theme categories of the monthly forums contests and online assignments.
Check our winning images legend posted below and scroll down for the names of the winners. The image titles include links to the winning entries along with a look at the competition in each category.

1. Wildlife
"Action with Water" theme
winner Peter Allinson (critidoc) from Maryland, USA with his image titled Swordfish.
2.
Landscape "National or State Parks" theme winner Scott
Ashley (scottashley) from Colorado, USA with his image titled Redwoods
in Fog.
3. Macro "Things found in the kitchen" theme winner Dean Andersen
(DeanAZ) from Arizona, USA with his image titled Lemon
Slice.
4. Travel "Fishing" theme winner William McEwen (Wolfgang55) from Connecticut, USA with his image titled Fishing Derby.
5. Digital Artistry "Camera-based Manipulation" theme winner Darryl Hodson (skibreeze7) from Oregon, USA with his image titled Aspens.
6. March Assignment "Hands" theme winner Tom Ferguson (tekneektom) from Wisconsin, USA with his image titled Dirty Hands - B&W.
Interested in submitting your photos?
If you want to participate, please be sure to enter one of the monthly
competitions listed in David
Summers' contest guide.
The Online Photo Assignments category is coordinated by Rob Migliaccio
(rmigliaccio) from Rhode Island, USA. You can check his assignments
updates here.
The May Assignment is "High Contrast". This would be a high-contrast photograph that includes strongly contrasting elements. The image may be color or black and white. Remember, the assignments category has a central and important emphasis. The photo you submit must be taken in the month of May 2016.

That's why they call it an assignment.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:36 PM
April 26, 2016
How are we performing?
How do you like our new servers at nikonians.org? We have migrated to improved hardware, new disk arrays and other cool stuff. You should feel the improved response, do you?
Let us know how your access to Nikonians works.
Posted by bgs at 11:47 AM
Weekly Hot-5 - April 25 - 2016

Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 Blog encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.
We start with this image:


Check his post for a closer look at his sample photo to see why Larry calls his new D500 "one bird shooting machine."

He titles his post: The D610 rocks! Initial impressions.
If you are still looking for member reviews on the Nikon D610, this is a good read.


But, in his case, with his level of experience and the gear he is using, he shouldn't be having this problem. Have a look at his post, along with the sample image, and see if you can help him out.


If you have been thinking about trying out your skills at IR portraiture, read his post and replies.
Want to learn more? Check this post for technical background.


If you are new to aircraft in flight photography,"prop blur" may seem like a strange goal. It's desired because a slight blur shows motion.
For more background we have an entire series of posts by members discussing the technique.
Posted by flashdeadline at 6:17 AM
April 21, 2016
Fundraising crosses 20k barrier
Nikonians fundraising campaign has just reached 20k USD.
Thanks to all who have contributed so far, and don't miss out on the special challenge we have for today and tomorrow.
Posted by bgs at 6:27 PM
April 20, 2016
Fundraising challenge 21st - 22nd of April 2016
One of our existing donors to the Fundraising Campaign has issued a challenge: the member will match the total of all donations received on Thursday April 21st and Friday April 22nd.
Here's a chance to double the impact of your contribution at no additional cost to you. There is an upper limit to the total match, but let's see if we can exceed it!
When making your contribution, be sure to let us list the amount of your contribution, even if you want to remain anonymous, so that we can maximize the match.
Our Fundraising Campaign page.
Posted by bgs at 11:57 AM
April 19, 2016
Nikonians Academy Spotlight - Simon, Hagen, Hulbert

Nikonians Academy Director Mike Hagen tells us the coming months will feature some of the most popular workshops and adventures on the curriculum for 2016.
Steve Simon has three upcoming Passionate Street Photographer workshops in May and June.
Join him in New York City or in Havana, Cuba for some of the best photo inspiration money can buy.
Steve bases his workshops off of his best-selling book, The Passionate Photographer, Ten Steps Toward Becoming Great.

His upcoming classes are:
► May 13-15 - New York City
► May 28-June 3 - Havana, Cuba
► June 16-21 - New York City
---------------------------------------------------------------

"We keep refining our trip to make the most of the nesting puffins and the stunning landscapes.
After having led many trips to Iceland, we know the area well and are able to provide trip participants with a unique Icelandic adventure they'll never forget."
Join Mike and his business partner, Tim Vollmer for this Summer's Iceland trip, July 17-24, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------

We still have a couple of seats available for individual photographers or for traveling couples.
This is our premiere photo trip and is a journey into wild savannas, dense forests, and towering acacia trees.
Prepare to shoot thousands of photos per day during our trip and watching in awe over the incredible diversity of birds, mammals and reptiles.
Our trip runs November 4-15, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------

We'll be hosting our 4-day workshop in downtown Chicago at the Chicago River Hotel.
This beautiful hotel is located in the heart of the city and will provide a perfect base for our daily classroom sessions and field photography sessions.
Sign up for the workshop here.
Posted by flashdeadline at 10:49 PM
April 18, 2016
Weekly Hot-5 - April 18 - 2016

Our editorial staff and Moderating Team members run across much more topics and images than the average member, and we realize a lot of very interesting material deserves to be highlighted and shared in our community.
The Weekly Hot 5 Blog, posted on Mondays, encourages you to join in the discussions, or have a look at a photo that we think will inspire you to grab your Nikon gear and capture equally outstanding images.








Posted by flashdeadline at 2:38 PM
April 17, 2016
White background at Nikonians
As you probably know, you can select if you want to have black or white background in the Nikonians forums by using the top right arrow icon.
We are introducing this "theme" aka "skin" selector for more parts of Nikonians in the coming days. Next area to get this treatment is the article section.
Posted by bgs at 7:46 AM
April 12, 2016
Nikonians Academy Steve Simon's First Look: Nikon DL's

Steve Simon just finished up
shooting the promotional campaign for Nikon's new camera release, the DL
series.
See Steve's DL camera report here.
Read more about the Cuba workshop here

--------------------------------------------------
Rick Hulbert's Urban and Street Photography workshops are some of the best in the industry.
Last week,
Rick and Mike Hagen ran a series of workshops in The Woodlands Texas where
attendees spent two days learning Rick's unique approach to photographing
architecture and people.
At right are a couple of shots
from his class using techniques Rick taught to the workshop participants.
Rick's next Urban and Street
Photography workshop is set for Chicago
Illinois (September 15-18, 2016) and we'd love to have you along for the
trip.
This workshop has a maximum enrollment of 10 people.