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How to Find Total Shutter Actuations on Nikon and Canon DSLRs

25Aug/10
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During the last several weeks, I have received several requests from our readers about finding the total number of shutter actuations on their DSLRs. I decided to write a short article on how you can find the total shutter actuations on both Nikon and Canon DSLRs, in case you are interested in seeing how much you have been using your camera or how close your shutter speed is to the manufacturers’ rated shutter life of 150,000 (on most entry and mid-level cameras) or 300,000 (professional cameras).

1) EXIF Data

The information on the total shutter actuations on your camera is preserved in file headers, known as “metadata” or “EXIF”. If you do not know what EXIF is and what it is used for, check out my “What is EXIF” article that I wrote a while ago. Basically, your camera writes all exposure-related information such as date, time, shutter speed, aperture, ISO and a bunch of other important information into the header of each file. Some camera manufacturers like Nikon and Canon also add unique shutter actuations data fields that are used for seeing the total number of exposures or “shutter actuations” cameras have.

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Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR DX Lens

19Aug/10
1 Comment

The last announcement from today is the Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR DX lens, an update to the existing Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED VR DX lens that was announced back in March of 2007. The lens was announced together with the Nikon D3100, because it is a DX lens and will most likely be a part of the future two lens kit for the D3100.

Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

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Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

19Aug/10
7 Comments

When I first heard of a possible release of the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens for FX, I did not believe it, simply because it is extremely hard to design a superzoom lens with such range that would perform well on a full-frame sensor. Today, Nikon responded to the popularity of the Nikon 18-200mm lens by announcing the Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens for FX sensors.

Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

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Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Lens

19Aug/10
18 Comments

Another lens that has been released today is the Nikon 24-120mm f/4.G ED VR – an update to the Nikon 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR lens that has been out since 2003. The lens has been completely redesigned with a constant aperture of f/4, now coming with a gold ring around the front of the lens barrel, which is an indication of Nikon’s professional line of lenses.

Nikon 24-120mm f/4.0G ED VR

Nikon 24-120mm f/4.0G ED VR

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Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S Lens

19Aug/10
12 Comments

Along with the Nikon D3100 DSLR camera, Nikon also released the long-expected and overdue Nikon 85mm f/1.4G AF-S – an update to the legendary Nikon 85mm f/1.4D that has been our top choice for portraiture and wedding photography. The Nikon 85mm f/1.4D has always been the “king” of bokeh and because of this, has been considered to be one of the best lenses for portraiture and low-light photography.

Nikon 85mm f/1.4G

Nikon 85mm f/1.4G

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Nikon D3100 DSLR Announcement

19Aug/10
14 Comments

Today Nikon announced the new Nikon D3100 DSLR camera – an update to the existing Nikon D3000 that was released a year ago. The D3100 is not just a cosmetic update, it comes with a brand new sensor and advanced video recording capabilities that are not yet present in any of the current Nikon DSLR bodies. Specifically, there is now an option to shoot 1080p video, the absence of which has certainly been a disadvantage when compared to Canon’s line of beginner cameras.

Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100 DSLR

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Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR II Review

12Aug/10
17 Comments
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This is an in-depth review of the new Nikon 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens that was released in December of 2009, along with the TC-20E III teleconverter. In this review, I will not only provide general information about the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II and its performance, but also how it works with all current Nikon teleconverters (TC-14E II, TC-17E II and TC-20E III) and how it compares to other telephoto lenses of similar and lower classes. The lens was kindly provided by B&H – the largest photo reseller in the world that I use more than any other to buy my photography gear.

Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II

Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II

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For Sale: Nikon D300, 50mm f/1.4D and 85mm f/1.4D

9Aug/10
12 Comments

Before putting up the ads on Ebay and Craigslist, wanted to see if any of our readers are interested in purchasing some used Nikon equipment from us. We are getting rid of the following gear:

  1. Nikon D300 (US version) – our backup body that we no longer need. Lola has been using it for her recipes a little, but it has been gathering dust mostly, so we decided to sell it. I purchased it from B&H about three years ago and have never had any problems with it. The exterior has normal cosmetic wear with a couple of scratches on the bottom right side. On the right hand side under the memory card door, a small plastic part got broken off. No idea how it happened, must have hit the camera with something before. The LCD always had two covers on it – an LCD shield and the regular Nikon plastic cover, so it is pristine without any scratches. No dead pixels on the LCD either. Number of actuations: 43147, so it has a long way to go… I will make sure that the camera chamber and sensor are both clean before shipping it out. Asking $850 for it.
  2. Nikon 50mm f/1.4D (US version) – after we got the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, it has also been gathering dust and needs to go. The glass is pristine with no dust inside the lens, works flawlessly. The exterior has some cosmetic wear, but nothing major. Will give the B+W F-Pro 52mm MRC UV filter for free! Purchased from B&H about three years ago. B&H is selling it for $330, I’m asking $250.
  3. Nikon 85mm f/1.4D (US version) – have some seconds thoughts about selling it, but it also needs to go. The new 85mm f/1.4G is going to be twice more expensive, but I know that I will buy it anyway :) The lens is like new and there is no dust inside the lens and no marks, dents, scratches on the lens exterior. Bought it last year from B&H for weddings. It is currently sold at B&H for $1,225 and I’m asking $1,000

All items come with original packaging, cables and manuals.

If you buy all three, will lower the total price to $2,000 even. Will negotiate. Will only ship to US, shipping will be through UPS, insured. Buyer will have to pay for shipping and insurance. I can accept pretty much any method of payment, including checks, money orders and Paypal. Local pick-ups are welcome.

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Best Nikon Lenses for Wedding Photography

6Aug/10
19 Comments

What are the best Nikon lenses for wedding photography? This question comes up so often via comments and emails from our readers, that I was first going to include it in our Photography FAQ section, but then decided to write a separate article and elaborate on the subject a little more. Specifically, I want to not only write about what lenses I think are the best for weddings, but also why and in which cases we use a particular lens. Please keep in mind that the information I present below is a personal opinion based on my experience so far. If you have a favorite lens of yours for wedding photography that is not listed below, please feel free to add a comment on the bottom of the page with some information and pictures (if you have any that you would like to share).

1) Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S

The first on the list is my (and Lola’s) most favorite lens for wedding photography – Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S. We like it for four main reasons: it is sharp, colorful, lightweight and the bokeh it produces is outstanding.

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S

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Filed Under: Digital Photography, Lifestyle Photography, Miscellaneous, Weddings Tagged With: , , , , ,

Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II + TC-20E III

4Aug/10
21 Comments

NOTE: I have recently posted the detailed Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR II Review.

I have been super busy performing tests on over 12 lenses (more on that later), including the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II and the new Nikon TC-20E III. It was very painful to find the TC-20E III, but I got one on my hands and I have been extensively testing it with the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II. I have also been comparing the results with my Nikon 200-400mm f/4.0G VR, so I will soon publish some very interesting findings for those, who are interested in high performance telephoto gear for sports and wildlife photography.

For now, here is a sample of the Nikon 300mm f/2.8G VR II with the TC-20E III at 600mm:

Coyote

And here is a 100% crop:

100% Crop

Amazing sharpness and contrast, I am truly impressed. Here is the same coyote caught in action with the same lens combo:

Coyote eating Vole

More to come!

Filed Under: Animals, Digital Photography, News and stuff Tagged With: , ,