Nikonians Articles

In episode #138 of the Image Doctors podcast, Rick and Jason review the revised Lowepro Street and Field (S&F) modular system, a major update to a system that's been around since 1998. The S&F system is based on interchangeable components that enable a photographer to create a method for carrying their equipment in the field. It includes the option of a vest, harness, multiple types of belts, and a large number of cases. The cases available will hold lenses, grad filters, speedlights, camera bodies, and other miscellaneous components. Read more...

I had long yearned for a true micro lens. The great pictures of bees, butterflies and detailed exotic flora had me wanting. Because of an accidental misfortune I could not buy the 105mm f/2.8D Micro Nikkor when I was out there looking for it several years ago. So, no Nikon that time around. I had admired the Tokina lenses for quite some time, so an alternative was there. Allow me to explain why. Read more...

I had the opportunity to use this do-all bag for the last four weeks. I used it at one wedding, a birthday party and a personal trip to Dallas TX so, how did this hybrid bag do? Let’s find out. Read more...

What is an L-Bracket for my camera? What are the pro's and con's of using one? Read more...

Lowepro has had a lot of success with their line of Sling and SlingShot photo gear bags. The SlingShot models are built around the teardrop silhouette of traditional outdoor wilderness photo backpacks. The Sling models however have a sleek rectangular shape and come in two sizes. The larger Classified Sling 220 AW is the subject of this review. Read more...

For those who expect extraordinary photographic performance look for the Tamron SP lens. The SP designates it was delivered by engineers who are free to innovate in an uncommon atmosphere where optical performance comes before price. Read more...

When I first heard that Epson was about to introduce a desktop printer in the 17 inch-wide category and after reviewing the specifications I was a little puzzled. At the time I owned Epson’s other 17 inch printer, the 4000 Stylus Pro. What made me skeptical was that the 4000 was the first and only (at the time) pro-line printer in the Epson line that allowed for both matte black and photo black inks to be installed simultaneously. Read more...

Sometimes, being a fellow Nikonian has sparkling advantages. I had the pleasure of attending an official hands-on presentation of the brand new Epson Stylus Photo R3000 printer and it is a pleasure to share my impressions with you. "Ah, yet another printer, move on, move on," you might think. Read more...

The Epson Discproducer is a commercial strength CD-R and DVD-R Robot, which fully automates the task of copying CDs and DVDs from a master file held on computer and producing a set of copies, printed on the surface with whatever artwork you designed to suit. As such, this is a boon to anyone who relies on CD or DVD distribution for their business. Read more...

For most photographers, a telephoto lens is like a specialized tool; you don’t often have need for it, but when you do, you want it to work right the first time. Tamron’s latest telephoto zoom, the SP 70-300 f4-5.6 Di VC USD, is exactly that – a very useful lens that gets you the shot you want when you need it. Read more...

Nikonians Moderators Victor Newman and Martin Turner recently teamed up to share their thoughts on the new Hydrophobia70-200 rain cover from Think Tank Photo. Read more...

This review of the Tamron 60mm f/2 Macro/Portrait lens for Nikon DX cameras is completely subjective and concentrates on practical aspects such as usability,  bokeh and field‐of‐view characteristics. It concentrates on the "hands‐on" aspect instead of the intricate performance data used by authors who emphasize resolution figures and lab‐style technical aspects determined through the use of equipment designed to gauge, measure and analyze lens performance. Read more...

A ball head is a ball head -- right? I used to think so! I've always had the attitude that it really doesn't matter what ball head you use, since all it does is clamp the camera in the position you want. I figured any ball head that was big enough to handle the weight was good, and all that really matters is the price. Read more...

An in-depth review of the Arca-Swiss Monoball B1 tripd ballhead by Ed Alexander Read more...

"Image Doctors" Jason Odell and Rick Walker, got their hands on a new super wide-angle lens from Tamron. Jason and Rick put the new Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II to the test on their D300 bodies and compared it against some other super-wide lenses. Read more...

At less than the price of a Nikon 35mm transparency scanner, the Epson 750 offers almost equally good scans from negatives or slides up to large format, as well as excellent A4+ scans from prints or graphic originals. This is a scanner which fits very well into a graphic design studio, with smooth, even and (relatively) rapid performance. Read more...

I first heard about the Lensbaby about a year ago. I was casually surfing photo-related sites on the Internet. Strange, I thought — an accessory that deliberately causes images to be out of focus! With all talk these days about high-speed autofocus lenses with the most refined optics and technology, the Lensbaby represents a technological leap—backwards! And that, my friends, was refreshing. Read more...

A while back in an issue of the American Outdoor Photographer magazine, I saw a notice for a new brand of hard case for photo gear. The product, called Storm Case, is what appeared to be a possible rival to the well-established Pelican brand. After going to the Storm Case site, I was fairly impressed by their cases and what the said that they offered. Read more...

I'll admit, spending twice as much as my F5 for a lens was an intimidating feeling. Talk about credit card anxiety! But “big glass” doesn’t come cheaply, and I really wanted to get closer to wildlife, especially small birds. I carefully did my homework to decide on a lens that would get the job done, would be of professional caliber, and wouldn’t completely bankrupt me. When the dust settled, I got the Sigma 500mm f/4.5 EX HSM. Read more...

Over the last several years, I have progressed through a number of Epson large format printers. I have included the following brief overview of color management because I believe that anyone getting into large format printing needs to commit the time necessary to develop a personal color management philosophy, work flow, and operational procedures if they are to produce optimum results. Read more...