My thoughts on Nikon

Hi y'all, i have just reached the 1st anniversary since i purchased my D300. It has faithfully served me well and i am pleased with it's capabilities. By no means i have mastered it and there is still a long long way for me to go and i do not think i'll ever 'get there'. I don't think there is a end point for learning though. Comparing my trusty D40 and the D300 (i know it's a few fold more expensive machine) other than giving richer colours, far superior ISO performance and speed, the D40 is actually a very good camera. You can compare the results yourself in this blog. The results of the both is really quite good. The LCD on the D40 is just great, much better than the ones on Canon(eveyrthing before 450D or 50D). The only 2 qualms i have about the D40 is that there is no internal motor and there is no dail a the front of the grip. If you can live without these then please go for it. It's a really good beginner's camera. Cheap n Good! If you got a higher budget but not enough the get the D90 then by all means go get the D80. The brighter view finder is heaven compared to the tiny n dark one on the D40. No need to talk about the D200 coz it's simply not worth it getting now.

The newly launched D90 is just fantastic. It's a very good alternative to the D300. The feel of it really resembles the D80 but the technology within borrows a lot from the D300. It would be much better if it shares the same battery grip as the D300. The outdated MB-D80 is really quite a lousy grip for such a great camare to inherit. The D700/D300/D200/D90/D80 uses the same EN-EL3e battery anyway so what didn't they use the MB-D10's grip on the D90 still remains a mystery to me. Another thing that that i would like to mention is on how nikon cut cost on the D90 package by building the new 18-105VR kit lense with a plastic mounting! That is simply silly! I have seen some older lenses with plastic mounts being worn til it's loose when fitted and some where the mount just broke. Even the cheapest 50mm f1.8 has a metal mount. They should have done away with plastic mounts long ago. Well i guess these lenses are not made to last like the older or more expensive Nikkors.

Here i would like to address sour grape D90 users that swear that their babies are leaps and bounds better than the D300 or are even foolish enough to compare it with a D3. You are fooling no one but yourselves (and your group of sore-losers). If that was true, the D90 should be the D300's replacement model and not as a line below the D300. If you're not willing to face the facts then photography is not for you as you are in it to brag about how much you know about it. And in doing so, you hope to catch the attention of some bimbo that will think, 'Oh, how smart and wonderful you are!' Please stay out of forums and don't post any of your work since no one likes a smarty pants. If what I say makes you mad then you are one of them and you are not welcome to post a comment on my blog.

Anyways, not to (further) offend D90 (sour grape) users, the D90 is a very good camera (like the D40 and D80) and if you can't afford or willing to pay the extra (or to much of a cheapskate and still wants to brag) to get a D300, go for the D90 kit. You will love it and if you have some extra cash at the side, get the battery grip as well for it will really help the ergonomics of the camera. I would advice you to get the kit but sell the lense before the mounting gives way and get a tamron 17-50mm f2.8 or the famous 18-200 VR. Forget about sigma's 18-200 OS that has no second hand value and has a finishing that'll peel.

Nikon's full frame line up D700, D3 and the D3x are truely worthy cameras. Each great in their own way:
D700 - inherit D3's qualities internally but in a D300 size. Super!
D3 - Superb Pro-grade camera
D3x - Over priced D3 with more megapixels, LOL!
However, nikon do not have enough full-frame lense in their line up. I think they we making so much money from DX lenses that they didn't see the need or vision to move users to the coming full-frame trend. Yes there is a set of latest line up or the nikon 'dream team' namely 14-24mm f2.8, 28-70mm f2.8 and 70-200mm f2.8 but these lenses cost a minimum of RM5.5k for the cheapest one. That is crazy! I would say that Canon has a much better lense line up with their delicious L lenses and they cost less.

Hope you'll find what i have rant about useful and if i have offended you, i mean to.