Our Nikon Coolpix S9100 samples gallery is now online.

The S9100 is Nikon's top-end camera in the 'S' (for Style) range, and features a 12.1mp backside illumination CMOS sensor behind an 18x 25-450mm (35mm equivalent) f/3.5-5.9 lens. A full review will be posted soon, but you can check out some sample photos first to get an impression of how the camera performs.

Updated: More images added.

Coolpix S9100 Samples

The HL-N is basically the lens from the classic Holga medium-format toy camera ripped out and stuck on a Nikon mount, which in theory allows you to shoot Holga-style photos with your DSLR.

An interesting idea, but does it work? Is it worth the asking price? Check the Holga HL-N review to find out...

Looking to buy a new Nikon lens, camera, or accessory?  Then you might want to check out NikonPriceCheck.com first.

NikonPriceCheck is a new website that brings you the lowest prices on all Nikon equipment from a range of online stores, including B&H, Adorama, Amazon, Abe's of Maine, Ritz Camera, J&R, BuyDig.com and more.

So, don't waste your hard-earned money - before you click "buy", take a look at NikonPriceCheck.com!

Find the lowest prices on Nikon lenses, DSLRs, Coolpix and accessories.

If you've ever had problems viewing your camera's rear LCD when photographing outside in bright sunlight, this review is for you. The Hoodloupe by Hoodman is sold as a "glare free LCD viewing loupe", and is an attempt at solving this issue.

Included in the (easy to open) package is the loupe itself, a lanyard for carrying the loupe around your neck, and a padded vinyl carry case.

The device itself is basically as you would expect; an empty body with a lens at the viewing end and open at the LCD end. The body is made from stiff plastic, but with an outer rubber coating that makes the loupe easy to grip and makes sure it doesn't slip (or even worse, leave marks) when pressed up against your LCD.

Usefully, the viewing lens includes a +/- 3 diopter adjustment so the loupe can be tailored to your eyesight. I'm a glasses wearer even when shooting, and found that once adjusted correctly, the eyepoint was high enough to allow full view of a 3.0 inch LCD as found on Nikon's newer DSLRs. The size of the loupe itself means that it will work just fine on cameras with smaller LCDs (eg D5100), but with a slight control overlap that could be annoying. An option accessory is available to allow the loupe to fit 4 inch screens, but is currently unnecessary.

The supplied lanyard is pretty lightweight but strong enough to hold the loupe fairly securely, and includes a quick-release catch allowing the loupe to be detached without removing the lanyard itself. If you don't wish to use the lanyard at all, it can be completely removed by slipping its soft rubber attachment ring over the eyepiece. There has obviously been some good thought put into this design.

The carry case is a nice touch, with the loupe fitting snugly and securely. I may end up leaving this at home, as it does add a little bulk.

So, how well does it work? In a word, brilliantly. Outside in bright sunlight, I was practically unable to judge composition etc without the loupe. Bringing it into play, however, gave me a perfectly bright, large and usable display - even in the brightest sunshine. There is no distortion to speak of, and illumination is completely even. On 3-inch LCDs the loupe is a perfect fit without fouling any buttons, and the rubber end means no slipping.

It provides a 1:1 image, so the size you see is as if you were holding a 3-inch LCD up about 4 inches in front of your eye, but in perfect focus thanks to the integrated optics.

If I had any complaints, it would be that the loupe itself is a little heavy and can swing around on the lanyard in an unwieldy fashion if worn around the neck. An inconvenience worth living with.

The Hoodloupe can be purchased from Amazon, and is currently $79.95: Hoodman H-LPP3 HoodLoupe 3.0 Professional 3-Inch Screen Loupe

Pros

• Does exactly what it says on the box
• Well designed and constructed
• Diopter adjustment

• A little heavy and can be unwieldy when worn
• Somewhat expensive, but no other real option

As we all know, on 11th March 2011 the Japanese coast was hit by a massive tsunami after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, leaving many dead and many more homeless.

A group of photographers have donated prints for a set of charity auctions, agreeing to give 100% of the proceeds to the Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief Fund organised by the GlobalGiving Foundation.

This project will disburse funds to those providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. GlobalGiving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground.

The project currently needs two things;

NikonHQ is proud to support this effort. So, if you'd like to either check out some of the fantastic prints already available, or perhaps to take part and list a print yourself, please visit the project web site at Photos For Japan.

Do you use speedlights?  Then you might be interested in this new little gadget that has been kindly provided to me by Snapper Stuff in the UK.

Invented by the same guy from Enlight Photo who created the Orbis ring flash speedlight attachment, the frio (no capital letters here, thank you) is described as the "world's first and only universal hotshoe to tripod adapter with Dual Lock security".  Great, what does this all mean?

Basically, this small chunk of blue plastic and metal allows you to quickly and securely mount your hotshoe gear (not just speedlights, but perhaps mics, light panels etc) to a tripod or light stand.  Nothing unusual there, but this is a pretty well thought-out piece of kit.

Firstly, it's plastic.  As someone who has had many issues with speedlights mis-firing or not firing at all in wet, rainy conditions due to the contacts being shorted, I can appreciate this - in theory, shorts are less likely to happen using the frio than using my usual metal cold shoe adapters.  The 1/4"-20 screw mount of the frio is metal, so no worries about longevity there.

Secondly, this "dual lock" system.  As it's a universal mount, it has to be designed to accomodate not only Nikon speedlights, but Canon speedlites and other accessories.  There is a small detent for the speedlight locking pin, but as the position of this can vary among brands, it's not a snug fit.  To counter this there's a secondary push-click (or "Slip'n'Click' in frio terminology) catch - once the speedlight is on, it's not coming off unless you really want it to.

Thirdly, there are some nice touches such as a lanyard point to hang other accessories from (think radio slaves like Pocket Wizards or Skyports).

The shoe itself is large enough to handle the SB-900, which has a thicker-than-average foot.  It's very small and light, so no excuse not to have a few of these slung in your camera bag if you're out shooting on location.

• Weight: 13g
• Dimensions: 50mm x 25mm x 18mm
• Colour: gun-metal blue
• Screw thread: 1/4" (20 TPI) screw socket
• Material: ABS plastic

So, is the frio perfect?  Well, not quite.  Obviously it's not adjustable, so you may want to use it in conjunction with a normal light stand umbrella adapter (in fact, the frio promotional images show it being used in just this way).  It's also not quite as snug a fit as I'd like; it holds the speedlight securely enough but there's still a little play in it.

Consider this a much-enhanced and secure replacement for the tripod screw on the bottom of your speedlight's supplied plastic stand attachment, and you won't go far wrong.

Shooting in the rain. The frio should help stop hotshoe shorts in conditions like this!

We are pleased to open our latest competition sweepstakes, where one lucky person will receive, free of charge, one complete Nikon D3100 kit including 18-55mm VR lens!

The D3100 features:

• 14.2 Megapixels
• 3" LCD
• Live View
• HD 1080p Video w/ Sound & Autofocus
• 11-point Autofocus
• 3 Frames per Second Shooting
• ISO 100 to 3200 (Expand to 12800-Hi2)
• Self Cleaning Sensor
• EXPEED 2 Image Processing Engine
• Scene Recognition System

To enter, use the toolbar at the top of this web page, visit our Facebook page, or enter via Twitter. Remember to invite your friends, for each one that enters you get an extra entry yourself to increase your chances of winning.

Enter now - and you could have this amazing new camera in time for the holiday season! Competition ends Nov 30th, winner will be notified by email shortly afterwards.

Interested in the new D3100?  We have one on hand, and will be reviewing it shortly.  In the meantime, here's a quick video unboxing of Nikon's latest entry-level DSLR. The video, recorded using a D5000, is available in 720p HD format on YouTube.

Any questions you'd like to see answered in the review? Let me know in the comments.

As part of our review process, we thought it would be interesting to get the D5000 into the hands of its target market - the kind of person who may be new to DSLRs, but thinks that the D3000 might be a bit too limiting or is attracted by D5000-only features such as the articulating screen.

So, we contacted Amy Walker, who kindly agreed to test the camera out for a couple of months along with the "kit" 18-55mm VR lens. These are her thoughts, as a keen beginner photographer.

I’ve been taking pictures for a couple of months with my iPhone and have discovered a love of photography. I don’t have a decent camera myself, but was lucky enough to be given the opportunity of trying out the camera by NikonHQ.

Having never really held a DSLR before, I immediately felt the D5000 was quite bulky and heavy to hold in comparison to the P&S and phone cameras I've used before. However, after using it for a few minutes I soon got used to it and discovered that, actually, it's not all that big and not particularly heavy.

Since having the camera I have tested it rather thoroughly, doing a range of different styles of photography, including portraits, still life, landscapes and night-time photos.

The first thing I learned was how to focus on objects, using the Auto mode. The focus is super quick, and there is also a live view option, which features an LCD display which can be angled and rotated allowing you to capture an image in a difficult place with very little effort. The freedom of a creative focus allows you to achieve great close up and detailed shots. The camera has 12.3 megapixels, which provides excellent quality pictures.

Before using the camera, I was worried that it would take longer to set up a shot than with a point and shoot camera or my iPhone, but this wasn’t the case. After a few test shots I was able to start snapping away with confidence and achieve the images I wanted quickly.

I took a visit to some local ruins, which gave me the chance to try out the zoom and to focus on objects that were in the distance. This was incredibly easy and simple to do by changing the auto focus point. I was also able to zoom out to capture the grand scale of the building.

By the third day of having the camera, I was using the aperture priority mode and learning how the available light affected the settings I would need to use. In bright situations for example, you would need a higher aperture to close the lens down to stop so much light reaching the sensor.

Using a camera at night or in low light situations is usually problematic, and without the use of off camera flashes and other clever lighting solutions, the only real option is the onboard flash, which I’m not really a great fan of. However, the D5000 offers fantastic lighting solutions; there are various different flash settings which are easy to switch between. It also offers D-lighting, which helps prevent over exposure and other lighting problems. This is useful as it can be applied to the shot even after the picture has been taken.

The ISO and exposure compensation are incredibly easy to adjust, making it simple to shoot in any situation. Each feature is displayed on the LCD screen. If you press the 'i' button you can access a number of menus to change these settings to your taste. The manual is very comprehensive and explains what each of the settings do, so even someone using a DSLR for the first time can gain an understanding and try some different techniques.

The camera also boasts an HD video option which I am yet to use.

One disadvantage of the camera that I have noticed compared to a point and shoot is that it can be very noisy in quiet situations. For example, I saw some rabbits that I wanted to take photos of. However, when I half clicked the shutter, the noise it made alerted them to my presence and scared them away.

As it’s a bigger camera, it won’t just slip into your pocket or handbag. Not a major issue, but because it is larger than your normal camera it can sometimes get in the way when on a day out or can become tiresome to carry around. However, I feel this is a small price to pay for the quality of the images that are produced.

It is reasonably priced and offers plenty of value for money. Its competitor is the Cannon 1000D, which is in a similar price range, but doesn’t offer video recording, making the Nikon the clear winner.

There are a lot of menus on the camera and a lot of options which could put some people off, especially those not used to DSLRs, like myself. However, the manual explains the functions in a concise manner allowing everyone to make the most of the features available.

The D5000 is easy and comfortable to hold, even for long periods, and very fast at focusing to make sure that you capture the shot you want before the moment passes.

Overall, I’d say that this was a great buy for any budding photographer, someone who wants to have a little more freedom to produce better images than you can with a point and shoot, or a photographer who requires a good quality yet compact DSLR.

View some of Amy's shots below.

1. Nikon wasn't the company's name until 1988.
   
   Prior to this, the company was officially called Nippon Kogaku K.K. - many people believe the name changed earlier, but it wasn't until the late 80's. 1st April 1988, to be precise, Nikon Corporation was officially (re)born.
   
   Of course, they had been using Nikon as a trademarked brand for many years (history suggests the name Nikon was first invented in the mid 1940's), so why did they eventually decide to switch? Well, this little story direct from Nikon's website may shed some light.
   
   

   Then-president Shigetada Fukuoka met with former French President Jacques Chirac. On hearing the name Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, Mr Chirac simply tilted his head in bewilderment. When Mr. Fukuoka said the word "Nikon," however, the Parisian mayor understood immediately.

   President Fukuoka said "From hereon, I don't want us to be limited by the name Kogaku ("optics"). Let us work toward even greater advancements."
   
   
2. Nikon didn't manufacture their first camera until 1948.
   
   Thirty-one years after the company was founded by the merging of three separate optical manufacturers in 1917, Nikon launched their first camera, the Nikon I. Prior to this, Nikon made lenses under the Nikkor brand, along with binoculars and microscopes.
   
   Demand for the camera in Japan was huge, but it wasn't without its problems. A rush to manufacture left the camera somewhat unreliable, with the film advance often failing to work, which led to many customer complaints and forced Nikon into financial difficulties. However, they rebounded with 1949's Nikon M and 1950's Nikon S, then the S2, SP and finally the classic Nikon F SLR, quality and reliability improving with each model.
   
   
3. Nikon originally made all of their now arch-rival Canon's lenses.
   
   Canon's first cameras were inexpensive Japanese Leica clones, and in 1934 it announced a 35mm rangefinder called the Kwanon. The Kwanon was just a prototype never put into production - it was followed by their first commercial camera, the Hansa Canon, in 1936. Canon had one problem, however - they didn't have any experience of making lenses, so they contracted Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, already a proven optical designer and manfufacturer, and used Nikkor lenses. The Hansa Canon actually shipped as standard with a Nikkor 50mm f/3.5 lens.
   
   In fact, a large part of the first Canon camera was made by Nikon - Nippon Kogaku was responsible for the lens, the lens mount, the viewfinder, and the complete rangefinder mechanism. Canon did start developing lenses in 1937, but they weren't available until after WWII, and they didn't launch their fast 50mm Serenar f/2 until 1947.
   
   
4. When launched in 1959, the Nikon F cost an average of three months salary.
   
   We may think that we have it bad with the price of today's digital SLRs, but the first Nikon SLR cost 67,000 Yen - three times the salary of a Japanese government employee at the time. They still managed to sell a million of them over the next 15 years!
   
   This was the camera that introduced us to the F mount - the very same mount (albeit with added features, especially in the electronic age) that is still in use today. This mount was revolutionary at the time, having a huge diameter in comparison to its rangefinder peers, which allowed Nikkor F lenses to be far more resistant to mechanical vignetting.
   
   
5. Nikon's first Digital SLR, the D1, was developed from scratch in just two years.
   
   We may take for granted now that a new camera will be digital, but just over 10 years ago this was certainly not the case. Although the first Coolpix (the 0.3mp Coolpix 100) was produced in 1997, Nikon's classic D1 wasn't introduced until 1999.
   
   The order to produce a DSLR came from Nikon's president in 1997, and engineers responded by saying it would take four years, three at a minimum. They were given two.
   
   The result was a 2.7mp DSLR with many features bettered by even today's entry-level cameras, but at the time it was revolutionary. The D1 quickly displaced Kodak from dominance of the DSLR market, and sales exceeded the target of 100,000 bodies per year even at its US$5500 asking price. With the D1, Nikon's market share eclipsed that of Canon. Strangely, the camera used the NTSC colorspace, not the SRGB or AdobeRGB we use today.

Footnote: As Tom Grier points out in the comments below, there were in fact Nikon-branded DSLRs before the D1. The E2/E3 series models were not pure Nikon, but co-developed with Fuji and also sold as Fuji-branded cameras. They were especially unusual in that they used a 2/3" image sensor (similar to today's high-end bridge cameras), but via an ingenious optical subsystem they captured the full 35mm field of view. Look for an article on these cameras here on NikonHQ soon.

]]>
1. Nikon wasn't the company's name until 1988.
   
   Prior to this, the company was officially called Nippon Kogaku K.K. - many people believe the name changed earlier, but it wasn't until the late 80's. 1st April 1988, to be precise, Nikon Corporation was officially (re)born.
   
   Of course, they had been using Nikon as a trademarked brand for many years (history suggests the name Nikon was first invented in the mid 1940's), so why did they eventually decide to switch? Well, this little story direct from Nikon's website may shed some light.
   
   

   Then-president Shigetada Fukuoka met with former French President Jacques Chirac. On hearing the name Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, Mr Chirac simply tilted his head in bewilderment. When Mr. Fukuoka said the word "Nikon," however, the Parisian mayor understood immediately.

   President Fukuoka said "From hereon, I don't want us to be limited by the name Kogaku ("optics"). Let us work toward even greater advancements."
   
   
2. Nikon didn't manufacture their first camera until 1948.
   
   Thirty-one years after the company was founded by the merging of three separate optical manufacturers in 1917, Nikon launched their first camera, the Nikon I. Prior to this, Nikon made lenses under the Nikkor brand, along with binoculars and microscopes.
   
   Demand for the camera in Japan was huge, but it wasn't without its problems. A rush to manufacture left the camera somewhat unreliable, with the film advance often failing to work, which led to many customer complaints and forced Nikon into financial difficulties. However, they rebounded with 1949's Nikon M and 1950's Nikon S, then the S2, SP and finally the classic Nikon F SLR, quality and reliability improving with each model.
   
   
3. Nikon originally made all of their now arch-rival Canon's lenses.
   
   Canon's first cameras were inexpensive Japanese Leica clones, and in 1934 it announced a 35mm rangefinder called the Kwanon. The Kwanon was just a prototype never put into production - it was followed by their first commercial camera, the Hansa Canon, in 1936. Canon had one problem, however - they didn't have any experience of making lenses, so they contracted Nippon Kogaku Kogyo, already a proven optical designer and manfufacturer, and used Nikkor lenses. The Hansa Canon actually shipped as standard with a Nikkor 50mm f/3.5 lens.
   
   In fact, a large part of the first Canon camera was made by Nikon - Nippon Kogaku was responsible for the lens, the lens mount, the viewfinder, and the complete rangefinder mechanism. Canon did start developing lenses in 1937, but they weren't available until after WWII, and they didn't launch their fast 50mm Serenar f/2 until 1947.
   
   
4. When launched in 1959, the Nikon F cost an average of three months salary.
   
   We may think that we have it bad with the price of today's digital SLRs, but the first Nikon SLR cost 67,000 Yen - three times the salary of a Japanese government employee at the time. They still managed to sell a million of them over the next 15 years!
   
   This was the camera that introduced us to the F mount - the very same mount (albeit with added features, especially in the electronic age) that is still in use today. This mount was revolutionary at the time, having a huge diameter in comparison to its rangefinder peers, which allowed Nikkor F lenses to be far more resistant to mechanical vignetting.
   
   
5. Nikon's first Digital SLR, the D1, was developed from scratch in just two years.
   
   We may take for granted now that a new camera will be digital, but just over 10 years ago this was certainly not the case. Although the first Coolpix (the 0.3mp Coolpix 100) was produced in 1997, Nikon's classic D1 wasn't introduced until 1999.
   
   The order to produce a DSLR came from Nikon's president in 1997, and engineers responded by saying it would take four years, three at a minimum. They were given two.
   
   The result was a 2.7mp DSLR with many features bettered by even today's entry-level cameras, but at the time it was revolutionary. The D1 quickly displaced Kodak from dominance of the DSLR market, and sales exceeded the target of 100,000 bodies per year even at its US$5500 asking price. With the D1, Nikon's market share eclipsed that of Canon. Strangely, the camera used the NTSC colorspace, not the SRGB or AdobeRGB we use today.

Footnote: As Tom Grier points out in the comments below, there were in fact Nikon-branded DSLRs before the D1. The E2/E3 series models were not pure Nikon, but co-developed with Fuji and also sold as Fuji-branded cameras. They were especially unusual in that they used a 2/3" image sensor (similar to today's high-end bridge cameras), but via an ingenious optical subsystem they captured the full 35mm field of view. Look for an article on these cameras here on NikonHQ soon.

]]> http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/07/13/547-5-or-more-things-you-didnt-know-about-nikon/feed 12 http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/07/09/534-top-tips-photographing-children http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/07/09/534-top-tips-photographing-children#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:08:31 +0000 NikonHQ Admin http://www.nikonhq.com/?p=534

There are many things to remember when trying to take photos of children. There are some methods that work, and some that don't - here are a few hints on how to go about capturing completely natural images that parents and relatives will love and treasure for years to come.

Don't rush it

Children can be very shy at first and it takes a real skill to get a child's trust in a short period of time. Shooting outside the studio can be an advantage here, as it means you can often meet the children at their home or a place familiar to them, which all helps to make it easier for the child to relax.

Try to spend a bit of time gaining the child's trust and breaking down the shy barriers - this is essential if you want to capture realistic, natural images. It may help to not bring out your camera equipment straight away; perhaps leave it in the car or out of sight until the kid(s!) are ready.

Timing

Not only is your timing of each shot vital but also the time of the day. Children normally run on a routine that goes like so:

1. Sleep
2. Eat
3. Play

Shooting children whilst asleep may be easier, but you can be pretty sure the parents will want something more! So, always try to schedule the shoot to take place during the child's natural playing time.

It should be fun!

If you want to capture natural expressions of joy (and who wouldn't?) then the only way to achieve this is to make it fun. Depending on the age group the way this can be achieved differs but the basic guideline is, you play by their rules. Find something that would entertain them. For example, you could try the following:

• A bubble machine
• Riding a bike
• On a bouncy inflatable or trampoline
• Playing with a toy, say a kite or a ball

You get the idea. Find out what the child likes, and go with that. If you want vibrant, happy images, it's always useful to make sure the toy is brightly coloured too. What you are aiming to achieve is a happy child who soon forgets about the camera and really is having great fun.

Don't force things

As any parent will tell you trying to get a child to do something they don't want to do is as close to impossible as things get. You can guarantee tantrums and tears follow if a child is forced into doing something they've decided against doing; the trick is to get them to want to do whatever it may be.

Constant praise is all that should come from the photographer on how well they are doing. When photographing childre, if for whatever reason they decide that they're not going to do something, just try once more and then move on to something else. Ten or twenty minutes later come back to the original pose and try it again, often this will succeed!

Be prepared

You never know what each moment will hold when photographing children, especially when you're outside. Many things can make fantastic photographs - throwing stones into a lake, patting a dog, throwing leaves - all this and more, just use your imagination. If you switch your camera off and put your lens cap on it's a sure way to miss fantastic unscripted moments.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

]]>

There are many things to remember when trying to take photos of children. There are some methods that work, and some that don't - here are a few hints on how to go about capturing completely natural images that parents and relatives will love and treasure for years to come.

Don't rush it

Children can be very shy at first and it takes a real skill to get a child's trust in a short period of time. Shooting outside the studio can be an advantage here, as it means you can often meet the children at their home or a place familiar to them, which all helps to make it easier for the child to relax.

Try to spend a bit of time gaining the child's trust and breaking down the shy barriers - this is essential if you want to capture realistic, natural images. It may help to not bring out your camera equipment straight away; perhaps leave it in the car or out of sight until the kid(s!) are ready.

Timing

Not only is your timing of each shot vital but also the time of the day. Children normally run on a routine that goes like so:

1. Sleep
2. Eat
3. Play

Shooting children whilst asleep may be easier, but you can be pretty sure the parents will want something more! So, always try to schedule the shoot to take place during the child's natural playing time.

It should be fun!

If you want to capture natural expressions of joy (and who wouldn't?) then the only way to achieve this is to make it fun. Depending on the age group the way this can be achieved differs but the basic guideline is, you play by their rules. Find something that would entertain them. For example, you could try the following:

• A bubble machine
• Riding a bike
• On a bouncy inflatable or trampoline
• Playing with a toy, say a kite or a ball

You get the idea. Find out what the child likes, and go with that. If you want vibrant, happy images, it's always useful to make sure the toy is brightly coloured too. What you are aiming to achieve is a happy child who soon forgets about the camera and really is having great fun.

Don't force things

As any parent will tell you trying to get a child to do something they don't want to do is as close to impossible as things get. You can guarantee tantrums and tears follow if a child is forced into doing something they've decided against doing; the trick is to get them to want to do whatever it may be.

Constant praise is all that should come from the photographer on how well they are doing. When photographing childre, if for whatever reason they decide that they're not going to do something, just try once more and then move on to something else. Ten or twenty minutes later come back to the original pose and try it again, often this will succeed!

Be prepared

You never know what each moment will hold when photographing children, especially when you're outside. Many things can make fantastic photographs - throwing stones into a lake, patting a dog, throwing leaves - all this and more, just use your imagination. If you switch your camera off and put your lens cap on it's a sure way to miss fantastic unscripted moments.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

]]> http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/07/09/534-top-tips-photographing-children/feed 0 http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/06/30/480-whats-the-shutter-actuation-count-of-your-dslr http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/06/30/480-whats-the-shutter-actuation-count-of-your-dslr#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:10:18 +0000 NikonHQ Admin http://www.nikonhq.com/?p=480

All Nikon's modern DSLRs keep track of how many times the shutter has been released - in other words, a running count of the number of shots your camera has taken during it's life. However, Nikon don't make this information particularly easy to find, and have hidden it away in the proprietary MakerNote field of the EXIF information in your out-of-camera JPEG files.

If you want to find out how many shots your camera has taken (on it's current shutter at least; the count is reset if the shutter is replaced), you'll need some software that can interpret and display this field. Firstly, you'll need a fresh JPEG out of your camera. Don't use a JPEG that you've edited (or created from a RAW file) - many image editors will destroy the required information.

Windows

Windows users can download an application called iExif from Opanda. Simply load your JPEG into the application (you can do this by right-clicking on your image in Windows Explorer then selecting the 'View ... with iExif' option), click on the EXIF tab, and the Shutter Count can be read from there. Look for the field named "Total Number of Shutter Actuations".

Alternatively, Windows users who shoot in RAW can download the Preview Extractor application. A useful utility in itself, this is designed for extracting the low-resolution JPEG previews that are embedded in the RAW files, but also has a menu option to display the shutter count data stored in the EXIF.

Mac

If you're happy getting down the the command line on the Mac, the utility ExifTool (also available for Windows) can deal with the MakerNote metadata. Download and install the package, then fire up Terminal and type:

exiftool DSC_3999.NEF

where DSC_3999.NEF is the name of your own file. Note that this one also works directly on NEF RAW files.

If you don't want to use the command line, then we've written a little AppleScript for you - simply download the Extract Shutter Count AppleScript, and drop your image(s) on to it. You'll still have to install ExifTool first, as the script uses it to get the EXIF data required.






How many shots has your DSLR taken?
]]>

All Nikon's modern DSLRs keep track of how many times the shutter has been released - in other words, a running count of the number of shots your camera has taken during it's life. However, Nikon don't make this information particularly easy to find, and have hidden it away in the proprietary MakerNote field of the EXIF information in your out-of-camera JPEG files.

If you want to find out how many shots your camera has taken (on it's current shutter at least; the count is reset if the shutter is replaced), you'll need some software that can interpret and display this field. Firstly, you'll need a fresh JPEG out of your camera. Don't use a JPEG that you've edited (or created from a RAW file) - many image editors will destroy the required information.

Windows

Windows users can download an application called iExif from Opanda. Simply load your JPEG into the application (you can do this by right-clicking on your image in Windows Explorer then selecting the 'View ... with iExif' option), click on the EXIF tab, and the Shutter Count can be read from there. Look for the field named "Total Number of Shutter Actuations".

Alternatively, Windows users who shoot in RAW can download the Preview Extractor application. A useful utility in itself, this is designed for extracting the low-resolution JPEG previews that are embedded in the RAW files, but also has a menu option to display the shutter count data stored in the EXIF.

Mac

If you're happy getting down the the command line on the Mac, the utility ExifTool (also available for Windows) can deal with the MakerNote metadata. Download and install the package, then fire up Terminal and type:

exiftool DSC_3999.NEF

where DSC_3999.NEF is the name of your own file. Note that this one also works directly on NEF RAW files.

If you don't want to use the command line, then we've written a little AppleScript for you - simply download the Extract Shutter Count AppleScript, and drop your image(s) on to it. You'll still have to install ExifTool first, as the script uses it to get the EXIF data required.






How many shots has your DSLR taken?
]]> http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/06/30/480-whats-the-shutter-actuation-count-of-your-dslr/feed 1 http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/06/30/474-33rd-nikon-photo-contest-international http://www.nikonhq.com/2010/06/30/474-33rd-nikon-photo-contest-international#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:09:44 +0000 NikonHQ Admin http://www.nikonhq.com/?p=474

The submission period for the 33rd anual worldwide Nikon photo contest has been announced as being from September 1 to November 30, 2010.

Started in 1969, the Nikon Photo Contest International has attracted 320,000 photographers to submit over 1.3 million images over the years. This year, there are two categories - the first being on any subject the photographer chooses, the second must be on the theme of "Energy":

Entries for the 2010-2011 contest will be accepted for two categories; The first category is a free subject category (A) and the second entitled "Energy” (B). Photos of any subject or theme are invited for the free subject category. Entries for the “Energy” category should be photos that capture the energy of sights and subjects that inspires, motivates or excites. Images covering a broad range of subject matter from throughout the world are expected for both categories. Entrants may not enter the same photo in both categories simultaneously.

The winner of this year's competition will walk off with a prize that includes a Nikon D3S DSLR, and AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED & AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lenses. Second and third place winners will receive Nikon D5000 and D3000 kits, respectively.

For more information, see the Nikon Photo Contest International website. Full press release follows.

MELVILLE, NY (June 30, 2010) – Nikon Corporation (Makoto Kimura, President) is pleased to announce that entries for the prestigious Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 will be accepted between September 1 and November 30, 2010.

The 33rd Nikon Photo Contest International is sponsored by Nikon, and provides an opportunity for photographers of all skill levels around the world to communicate and contribute to photographic culture.

Since it’s inception in 1969, the competition has steadily gained notoriety with photographers from every corner of the Earth with more than 320,000 photographers submitting more than 1,310,000 photos. More than 18,000 photographers from 153 countries submitted more than 51,000 photos for the 2008-2009 competition. These numbers represent a new record for the largest number of entries by the most applicants from the most countries ever, making the Nikon Photo Contest International a truly global event.

The Categories:
Entries for the 2010-2011 contest will be accepted for two categories; The first category is a free subject category (A) and the second entitled "Energy” (B). Photos of any subject or theme are invited for the free subject category. Entries for the “Energy” category should be photos that capture the energy of sights and subjects that inspires, motivates or excites. Images covering a broad range of subject matter from throughout the world are expected for both categories. Entrants may not enter the same photo in both categories simultaneously.

Returning once again this year is The Emerging Talent Award, designed to embrace the growing number of younger photographers and provide them with an opportunity to share their photos with the world. Each year, young photographers capture many of the photos entered, and this award recognizes the importance of the next generation of photographers.

Entry Period:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 through Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Entry Method:
Fill out the application form on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website (http://www.nikon-ncpi.com/) and transmit image data via the form.

Number of Entries:
Two photos for each category (total of four) may be submitted.

Entry Format:
Image data captured with a digital still camera (excluding that captured by medium-format and larger digital cameras) and image data created by scanning an image captured with a film camera (35mm or APS) will be accepted. Images that have been digitally enhanced or edited with software will also be accepted.

File Size:
10 MB or less per file

Image Format:
JPEG only

Awards and Prizes:
Entries will be judged by well-known photographers currently active on the world stage. A total of 53 prizes will be awarded, with one photo to receive the contest Grand Prize. From each category, 16 photos will receive first, second and third prizes. Four photos entered by photographers aged 29 or younger will receive Emerging Talent Awards, while 16 Emerging Talent Award runners-up will have the chance to exhibit their entries in the contest Mini Gallery.

Winners will be announced in June 2011 with an exhibition of the winning photographs planned.* The goal of the Nikon Photo Contest International is to provide an opportunity for photographers to express themselves and to share their own feelings and impressions with people around the world through their photographs.

The following prizes will be awarded:**


Award: Grand Prize
Number selected: 1
Prize:
• Nikon D3S D-SLR camera
• AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED
• AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Winning photo to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website


Award: First place
Number selected: 1 award from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D300S D-SLR camera
• SB-900 Speedlight
• AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
• AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR


Award: Second place
Number selected: 5 awards from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D5000 D-SLR camera
• AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR


Award: Third place
Number selected: 10 awards from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D3000 D-SLR camera
• AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR


Award: Emerging Talent Award
Number selected: 4 awards, regardless of category
Prize:
• Nikon COOLPIX P6000 digital camera
• Photos to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website


Award: Emerging Talent Award (Runners-up)
Number selected: 16 awards, regardless of category
Prize:
• Nikon COOLPIX S1000pj digital camera
• Photos to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website

*Exhibition venue and dates to be decided at a later date.
**Prizes to be awarded are subject to change without previous announcement. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

]]>

The submission period for the 33rd anual worldwide Nikon photo contest has been announced as being from September 1 to November 30, 2010.

Started in 1969, the Nikon Photo Contest International has attracted 320,000 photographers to submit over 1.3 million images over the years. This year, there are two categories - the first being on any subject the photographer chooses, the second must be on the theme of "Energy":

Entries for the 2010-2011 contest will be accepted for two categories; The first category is a free subject category (A) and the second entitled "Energy” (B). Photos of any subject or theme are invited for the free subject category. Entries for the “Energy” category should be photos that capture the energy of sights and subjects that inspires, motivates or excites. Images covering a broad range of subject matter from throughout the world are expected for both categories. Entrants may not enter the same photo in both categories simultaneously.

The winner of this year's competition will walk off with a prize that includes a Nikon D3S DSLR, and AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED & AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lenses. Second and third place winners will receive Nikon D5000 and D3000 kits, respectively.

For more information, see the Nikon Photo Contest International website. Full press release follows.

MELVILLE, NY (June 30, 2010) – Nikon Corporation (Makoto Kimura, President) is pleased to announce that entries for the prestigious Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 will be accepted between September 1 and November 30, 2010.

The 33rd Nikon Photo Contest International is sponsored by Nikon, and provides an opportunity for photographers of all skill levels around the world to communicate and contribute to photographic culture.

Since it’s inception in 1969, the competition has steadily gained notoriety with photographers from every corner of the Earth with more than 320,000 photographers submitting more than 1,310,000 photos. More than 18,000 photographers from 153 countries submitted more than 51,000 photos for the 2008-2009 competition. These numbers represent a new record for the largest number of entries by the most applicants from the most countries ever, making the Nikon Photo Contest International a truly global event.

The Categories:
Entries for the 2010-2011 contest will be accepted for two categories; The first category is a free subject category (A) and the second entitled "Energy” (B). Photos of any subject or theme are invited for the free subject category. Entries for the “Energy” category should be photos that capture the energy of sights and subjects that inspires, motivates or excites. Images covering a broad range of subject matter from throughout the world are expected for both categories. Entrants may not enter the same photo in both categories simultaneously.

Returning once again this year is The Emerging Talent Award, designed to embrace the growing number of younger photographers and provide them with an opportunity to share their photos with the world. Each year, young photographers capture many of the photos entered, and this award recognizes the importance of the next generation of photographers.

Entry Period:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 through Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Entry Method:
Fill out the application form on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website (http://www.nikon-ncpi.com/) and transmit image data via the form.

Number of Entries:
Two photos for each category (total of four) may be submitted.

Entry Format:
Image data captured with a digital still camera (excluding that captured by medium-format and larger digital cameras) and image data created by scanning an image captured with a film camera (35mm or APS) will be accepted. Images that have been digitally enhanced or edited with software will also be accepted.

File Size:
10 MB or less per file

Image Format:
JPEG only

Awards and Prizes:
Entries will be judged by well-known photographers currently active on the world stage. A total of 53 prizes will be awarded, with one photo to receive the contest Grand Prize. From each category, 16 photos will receive first, second and third prizes. Four photos entered by photographers aged 29 or younger will receive Emerging Talent Awards, while 16 Emerging Talent Award runners-up will have the chance to exhibit their entries in the contest Mini Gallery.

Winners will be announced in June 2011 with an exhibition of the winning photographs planned.* The goal of the Nikon Photo Contest International is to provide an opportunity for photographers to express themselves and to share their own feelings and impressions with people around the world through their photographs.

The following prizes will be awarded:**


Award: Grand Prize
Number selected: 1
Prize:
• Nikon D3S D-SLR camera
• AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED
• AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Winning photo to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website


Award: First place
Number selected: 1 award from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D300S D-SLR camera
• SB-900 Speedlight
• AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
• AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR


Award: Second place
Number selected: 5 awards from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D5000 D-SLR camera
• AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR


Award: Third place
Number selected: 10 awards from each category
Prize:
• Nikon D3000 D-SLR camera
• AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR


Award: Emerging Talent Award
Number selected: 4 awards, regardless of category
Prize:
• Nikon COOLPIX P6000 digital camera
• Photos to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website


Award: Emerging Talent Award (Runners-up)
Number selected: 16 awards, regardless of category
Prize:
• Nikon COOLPIX S1000pj digital camera
• Photos to be included in the Mini Gallery on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 website

*Exhibition venue and dates to be decided at a later date.
**Prizes to be awarded are subject to change without previous announcement. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

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