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I'm impressed!! As it will be too hot to do any work outside today, I'll be playing with the new toy and learning how to operate it!

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Struth and stone the bloody crows!! There's a lot to learn on these cameras!! Everything, well almost everything, I ever learned on 35mm film SLR's can be totally forgotten!

I'm mastered fully auto mode, well even my cat could have mastered fully auto in a few moments. Now the "fun part" begins, learning fully manual to get the best out the camera. At least I won't be wasting film, and I can see the results in seconds instead of days!

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I hear ya! There is a LOT to learn if you want to have total mastery. Odd thing is, even the pros often find the "auto" settings work the best! The chap in the next office to me does a decent business taking photos at high-school sports events. He uses (very expensive) Nikon equipment, and has been on two Nikon training courses - one dedicated to professional sports photographers, and he often admits the auto mode works much better - and faster - than he is able to configure and shoot manually.

One tip he will share - once you get used to it all, shoot in "raw" mode. It uses more memory space (so get lots), but allows much more ability to manipulate the image with software afterwards.

You can check out his work HERE

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Yes I can confirm that Fully Auto does most jobs.

At a recent job my supervisor questioned depth of field problems on large appartures.

The prints were perfect. There is more depth of field with digital.

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I'd say "Raw mode" would be ideal for portraits, as you say it use masses of memory, for my project I think Fine will be plenty of data for the photos.

I've been taking the Nikon tutorials on their website and they have helped a lot with plenty of examples too.

This light years ahead of my first digital camera the Casio QV70 which was bought about 15 years back now, cost was over $300 back then!!

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Some great photos on that site Eric, I see what you mean about him making a good living from it!

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one of my hobbies is photographing animals and wildlife and have always used an old Kodak 6490, a 4mb camera with a shneider kreuznach lens which has always produced good photos with vibrant colours and a crisp resolution, last year my hubby bought me an 10mp Olympus e-510 dslr to replace the old Kodak, but alas it's not been a patch on the old one, it's large and cumbersome and took me forever to sort out the miriad of settings, and although admittedly the photos it takes are good, I still like the old Kodak, and is still my camera of choice, and best of all I can fit it in my pocket with all my other junk.

anyone like to buy an Olympus?

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Alas, a pocket camera just wouldn't fit the bill for what I need one for, it has to have replaceable lenses, at least 12 mps, and has to be flexible. The Nikon fits that bill. I'm slowly picking it's functions up, some from reading, playing and taking notes, the rest from Nikons site tutorials.

My little Kodak 3.2mp "fit in the pocket" is just like a Kodak box camera of years back at side of my old 35mm film SLR's. I needed something as a "hobby camera", and one to start and finish a project ending up with a fairly large website I'm constructing. A photo tour of this part of the Ozarks called "A year In The Ozarks".

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I found the biggest drawback to the dslr was the constant need to keep exchanging lenses, nodoubt the camera buff will reel back in horror at such a statement exclaiming that is what the dslr is all about, but considering the Kodak 6490 has a 10x optical zoom, to achieve the same affect on the dslr would necessitate the purchase of an appropriate lens to suit, and then a wide angle lens, then a fisheye lens, then a macro lens, etc etc, the effect being that one is soon dragging a suitecase full of equipment around just to photograph that pretty little posy, not to mention the exorbitant cost of such a setup.

but then again I suppose it show how very little I know of the genre, but one thing I do know is that it is a most enjoyable hobby especially after taking such photos then compiling them on a dvd to distribute amongst one's friends.

the effect being that many happy hours are then spent watching said dvds whilst imbibing on the local wine, always a feature of a saturday night and sometimes a sunday morning, just depends on the strength of the wine and amount of bottles consumed.

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I used to haul a bag of equipment around in my 35mm SLR days, at least two cameras, film, several lenses, flash unit plus spare batteries etc.. Not a lot changes..

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Two cameras, Canon 400D EOS with 18-55mm macro/fisheye attatched Canon40D EOS with a 100-400mm IS USM zoom attatched , no problems encountered so far!!

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I got the two lenses, 18-55mm and 55-200mm, they are going to have to do me for a while, can't justify the cost of more lenses yet. A macro is around $250 for the D5000, true telephoto, try nearly a thousand bucks!!! My missus would kill me if I spent that much behind her back..

I suppose I could go no AV and no AF, that would halve the costs.. But these lenses are still a lot more expensive than lenses for the old 35mm SLR's. Pity my old SLR lenses won't fit and work with the new camera.....

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My old Canon bayonet mount lens's fit and work on my Canon digital cameras, (And they are about 1/2 as powerful again ie a 55mm becomes 77.5mm) So if they are the same make and connection it may be worth a try.

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All but one of mine are screw mount, the other being a Kodak bayonet mount.

From what I read, old style lenses are not compatible for Nikon bodies due to the spacing of the first section of the lens, BUT, some company has manufactured adaptors to suit, not cheap though!!

I'd also lose AF function and vibration reduction too..

I have a great Rexatar 400mm zoom lens too, hardly used, would be great if I had an adapter!!

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My old Canon bayonet mount lens's fit and work on my Canon digital cameras.

You must mean the EOS lenses Ian.

The bayonet mounts were the FD Series, which will not fit.

post-1-032309100 1281195559_thumb.jpg

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Is that the lens mount or an adapter Mick??

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In later years of the FD which was termed the Canon Breach Lock, the revolving ring was dropped but the same lens fitting was used in a twist action of the lens, instead of the ring.

post-1-019711900 1281197180_thumb.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's a great site for those interested in digital photography. Many pros, loads of first class photos, reviews of cameras etc etc...Steves Digicams.

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  • 1 month later...

Hopefully soon, I'll have time to play with the Nikon and post some pictures here.

I did get the "Nikon D5000 For Dummies" book, and have been reading through it in my odd few minutes I get during the day. Learning as I go along, still loads to learn though.

Here's a great site I found, there are some great pictures on that site too!! well worth a visit, tons of tips and information from experts and knowledgeable amateurs too! Steve's Digicameras

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That looks nice Mick , I've been sniffing around for a replacement for the 400 D and 40 D that I have at the moment , I was looking at a 7D but if that 550 is as good and does the HD thing it might be worth investing less .

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They get more amazing by the minute! You can now buy a 12.5Mp "pocket" Nikon at Sams for $99 - that is the same resolution as the EOS!

Mary bought me an Android phone for my B'day - it has a 5Mp camera - and it will surf the 'net! Bloody amazing!

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