In April, Nikon is opening a school in London to encourage people to embrace the wonderful world of photography. Ok it’s not free, but if you want some top quality hands on training, you could do a lot worse than go to the source – so to speak – and learn from Nikon!
The school is based at Nikon’s centre of Excellence near Oxford Circus, in London. Typically course fees are £119+, although they are currently running a £20 discount if you book before May 1st 2013.
It is of little wonder why so many people take the time to photograph birds, the natural variation present in this group of organisms together with the fact that they can be found on your doorstep make them a very accessible subject to photograph. However it can be quite daunting when you first decide you want to start photography or want to step up your hobby with the aim of getting a DSLR.
My first impressions upon opening that hallowed gold box was that this was a serious piece of kit! Compared to the mostly plastic and lightweight construction of the D5000 this felt substantial and beautifully put together. The weight was surprising at first but as soon as you attach a lens and lay your right hand around the rubberised grip it felt perfectly balanced. You find your fingers naturally gravitating towards the most useful control buttons and dials with the on/off switch, shutter release and main control wheels all obviously at your fingertips.
I’ve been using the 18-55mm near to 4 months now. I bought it with the aim of using the wider end of its focal length to practice my landscape shots. It’s actually a good performer and the pricing makes it a great value buy. I can see why many manufacturers choose to offer their DSLRs with the 18-55mm as a kit lens. It’s just very useful and applicable to most of your everyday shooting needs especially if you’re interested in those travel and vacation shots. I actually spent 5 nights in London taking shots with this lens (I simply do not understand how you people deal with that cold weather) and even without a tripod I was surprised at the quality of the shots.
Its been just about 7 months now that I’ve been using the Nikon D90. After months of online research scouring forums and retailer sites I decided to get it as an upgrade to my compact/bridge with every intention of developing my photography beyond the “hobby” level. Many folks think that their first DSLR needs to be an “entry-level” system that will help them to learn the ropes of DSLR use. I disagree. If you’re serious about photography invest in a system you’d keep for at least 3 years and learn it thoroughly.
I bought a D3 shortly after the launch and have never regretted it. It has never let me down and has been used in all sorts of weather all over Europe. It has survived at the hands of airport security and baggage handlers and just keeps on going. The build quality is second to none and the image quality is up there with the best too.
Nikon produce two 70-300mm telephoto lenses. The cheaper standard version – which this review covers – and a more expensive version which has VR image stabilisation.
This lens weighs 480g which is pretty light compared some of the competing lenses at the same focal range.
The cheap and cheerful non VR Nikkor 70-300mm lens, find out how good it is by watching this video review.
