The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 is finally in stock for the Nikon mount.
This lens gives Nikon photographers another option in place of the extremely expensive (and high-quality) Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR and the less expensive Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 (which has been known to have inconsistent quality, like many other Sigma lenses).
It has a built in autofocus motor so it will work on the Nikon D40/x and Nikon D60.
POTN has a pretty good review up by a Canon 5D user, who is quite happy with the lens in real-world shooting. Time will tell if the autofocus speed of the lens is an issue for action photography.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Photography
In the past year and a half (ever since I got a more serious camera to replace my previous basic digital point and shoot) I've been rediscovering an old passion of mine, last really nurtured back in high school in the late 1990s when I shot black & white film through a Minolta SRT-100 film SLR and developed and printed it in my school's darkroom.
Now I have an even more serious camera and a couple of lenses. As a result, I've started to really get back into photography - especially when considering the performance I can get at high ISO settings compared to what I got with film emulsions.
As a Nikon shooter, one thing that's fairly exciting for me is that Nikon has a few big things planned for July 1st. They are:
- Potential release of the Nikon D3x ($6-$8k full-frame camera with 24 megapixels, the landscape and studio shooter's dream machine).
- Release of the Nikon D700 ($2.5-$3k compact full-frame camera, 12 megapixel sensor like the D3, usable ISO 12,800. Yes, 12,800. Clean ISO 6400 and ISO 25,600 looks like 400-800 speed film in black & white).
- Potential release of the Nikon D90. This is the most shadowy of all the releases, so I'm going to give a few predictions on specs: 12.2 megapixel DX (1.5x crop) sensor from the Nikon D300 with similar high ISO performance (hello usable 3200 and acceptable 6400), 5 frames per second shutter from the D200, carry-over 11-point autofocus system from the D200. Price for body-only should be $999 at time of release.
The D90 is the most exciting to me. This should really drive down prices on used D80 bodies, which may encourage me to get a D80 body so that older Nikkor autofocus lenses with AF and I can gain wireless flash control.
Now I have an even more serious camera and a couple of lenses. As a result, I've started to really get back into photography - especially when considering the performance I can get at high ISO settings compared to what I got with film emulsions.
As a Nikon shooter, one thing that's fairly exciting for me is that Nikon has a few big things planned for July 1st. They are:
- Potential release of the Nikon D3x ($6-$8k full-frame camera with 24 megapixels, the landscape and studio shooter's dream machine).
- Release of the Nikon D700 ($2.5-$3k compact full-frame camera, 12 megapixel sensor like the D3, usable ISO 12,800. Yes, 12,800. Clean ISO 6400 and ISO 25,600 looks like 400-800 speed film in black & white).
- Potential release of the Nikon D90. This is the most shadowy of all the releases, so I'm going to give a few predictions on specs: 12.2 megapixel DX (1.5x crop) sensor from the Nikon D300 with similar high ISO performance (hello usable 3200 and acceptable 6400), 5 frames per second shutter from the D200, carry-over 11-point autofocus system from the D200. Price for body-only should be $999 at time of release.
The D90 is the most exciting to me. This should really drive down prices on used D80 bodies, which may encourage me to get a D80 body so that older Nikkor autofocus lenses with AF and I can gain wireless flash control.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Monday's roundup
From my local paper: It appears that I'm not the only Eastsider to get worked up about traffic.
NPR's Marketplace is talking about a guy who has moved into his storage unit (which is equipped with a restroom?!) Hopefully his rent will be cheaper than a 30 year fixed mortgage with 20% down on this hovel.
Speaking of which, the current housing marketplace in Seattle makes me glad that me & my significant other aren't in a position to purchase a house at this time. We could afford a nice condo or a decent townhouse, but the prospect of price depreciation scares me off from buying at this time. A friend who presumably thought she had to "get into the market" picked up a condo in this complex in a bucolic city within commuting distance to downtown. I've been reading a great local housing bubble blog, and I can only wonder how far this condominium will drop in price before housing bottoms out.
Not convinced that the housing market is completely overheated? I offer you this as an example:
From the Seattle PI:
"Park two of GMC's biggest Sierra pickups next to each other. That's a lot of truck, but a small condominium -- at least by Seattle standards.
Finally, Seattlest has a great reason not to buy a VW Passat.
NPR's Marketplace is talking about a guy who has moved into his storage unit (which is equipped with a restroom?!) Hopefully his rent will be cheaper than a 30 year fixed mortgage with 20% down on this hovel.
Speaking of which, the current housing marketplace in Seattle makes me glad that me & my significant other aren't in a position to purchase a house at this time. We could afford a nice condo or a decent townhouse, but the prospect of price depreciation scares me off from buying at this time. A friend who presumably thought she had to "get into the market" picked up a condo in this complex in a bucolic city within commuting distance to downtown. I've been reading a great local housing bubble blog, and I can only wonder how far this condominium will drop in price before housing bottoms out.
Not convinced that the housing market is completely overheated? I offer you this as an example:
From the Seattle PI:
"Park two of GMC's biggest Sierra pickups next to each other. That's a lot of truck, but a small condominium -- at least by Seattle standards.
But a local developer is betting Seattle urbanites are primed to carve out their own two-truck chunks of Belltown. The moda condos, set to break ground in October, promise "New York-style living," with units as small as 296 square feet that start at $149,950."
"Rick Hooper, policy director for Seattle's Office of Housing, noted in a moda news release that city officials want more affordable homes downtown, close to jobs and transportation.
"To find a developer who's able to put an attractive product on the market that hits that lower price range is fantastic," he said.
The building's 251 condos will range up to two-bedroom, two-bath units selling for more than $400,000. All of the condos will have such luxury touches as appliances with stainless-steel finishes, granite or limestone countertops, floors finished with cherry or walnut and tile bathrooms."
Mr. Hooper, these condos aren't homes. These are the size of hotel rooms.Finally, Seattlest has a great reason not to buy a VW Passat.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Election Night
It's happening : We're poised for a Democratic takeover in at least the Congress tonight.
Katherine Harris - the woman who was one of the key enablers (as Secretary of State in Florida) of Bush's "win" in the 2000 presidential election lost her campaign for the Senate seat in Florida. Miserably.
Joe Lieberman - aka Fox News's favorite Democrat unfortunately won election in Connecticut after being defeated in his primary election and then running as an independent. I would personally rather have a honest Republican in the CT Senate seat than this turncoat.
Out west, I'm excited by the prospect of Jon Tester winning the Senate seat in Montana and defeating a firefighter-hating opponent.
Great news just now from my home state, with Maria Cantwell knocking off Mike! McGavick in the Washington Senate race. McGavick's DUI didn't help his cause out.
Katherine Harris - the woman who was one of the key enablers (as Secretary of State in Florida) of Bush's "win" in the 2000 presidential election lost her campaign for the Senate seat in Florida. Miserably.
Joe Lieberman - aka Fox News's favorite Democrat unfortunately won election in Connecticut after being defeated in his primary election and then running as an independent. I would personally rather have a honest Republican in the CT Senate seat than this turncoat.
Out west, I'm excited by the prospect of Jon Tester winning the Senate seat in Montana and defeating a firefighter-hating opponent.
Great news just now from my home state, with Maria Cantwell knocking off Mike! McGavick in the Washington Senate race. McGavick's DUI didn't help his cause out.
Wow, this is serious
From the Seattle Times :
"As rivers across Western Washington neared or exceeded record flows Monday, evacuations were ordered in a handful of cities and neighborhoods, and emergency officials braced for what could be the region's most severe flooding in a decade.
One man was killed in the flooding, and two other deaths were attributed to rain-slicked roads."
I don't think the bucolic little Sammamish River where I commute should give any issues, but if it does, maybe I should look into picking up one of these bad boys .
"As rivers across Western Washington neared or exceeded record flows Monday, evacuations were ordered in a handful of cities and neighborhoods, and emergency officials braced for what could be the region's most severe flooding in a decade.
One man was killed in the flooding, and two other deaths were attributed to rain-slicked roads."
I don't think the bucolic little Sammamish River where I commute should give any issues, but if it does, maybe I should look into picking up one of these bad boys .
Monday, November 06, 2006
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