Show & Tell

Two days in a row – already off to a better start than before.

No images to display yet, although there is a piece of photographic news. I’ve finally broken down and purchased a digital SLR. After working at a newspaper for nearly 6 years, using 4 different types of Nikon cameras, and here at Middle using 5 different types (in a third of the time of what I spent at the paper) I’ve purchased a Nikon D300. Why the D300 and not the D700 you ask? Well, there are two reasons. Reason one: I don’t own any long glass (I don’t consider the 500 f/8 mirrored Tokina long glass, and I don’t even think it’s in TN) so the 1.5x factor actually works to my advantage, although the widest lens I own, my 20-35 2.8 is now a 30-52 essentially. If I need something wider than that I can always borrow my 14 2.8 from work. Reason 2: The D700 body is [gulp] $3000, which is A LOT for someone who hasn’t shot any freelance in over two years (that’d be me). Those reasons, and the fact that for a few months we shot with 2 D300′s here, and they are now permanent residents of our studio, so there is no learning curve (although there wouldn’t be with the 700, either) and the comfort factor is already established. Beyond the camera, I purchased:

2 4GB 233x cards. Not UDMA – I don’t have a UDMA reader, so who cares, and the 2 512MB cards I already have aren’t quite going to cut it (I plan on shooting most everything in RAW – just used to it now).

A black Tamrac strap (just like the ones I use at work). I can’t stand the Nikon Straps. They tend to fall apart and slip like crazy, and they look like a billboard.”Look, I have a D300! Woo!” No thanks.

A Lensbaby Composer http://www.lensbaby.com/?gclid=CMrxgrXDgJsCFQa-sgod3jvjdA much to the chagrin of my fellow Middle photographer. “You’ll use that thing for five minutes and then you’ll be done with it.” To which I replied that I’d never take it off my camera. A bold statement, and not entirely true.

All of this is on its way from B&H and should arrive Friday. In the mean time, there are two days of work, and a concert in Nashville tonight and lots of anxious waiting…