Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D e Book User’s Guide

Go beyond the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D manual with my new book, now available!

T3i Experience – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation – an eBook user’s guide and tutorial for the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D.

Learn to use your Rebel T3i / EOS 600D, quickly and competently, to create the types of images you want to capture. The T3i / 600D is an advanced tool, and this guide explains how to use it to its full potential. Take control of your camera, the image taking process, and the photos you create.

Canon Rebel T3i EOS 600D book manual download for dummies Canon T3i Experience Douglas Klostermann book guide tutorial how to instruction

This instant download Canon T3i / 600D book is for those who wish to get more out of their camera and to go beyond Full Auto and Program modes and shoot in Av mode and Tv mode. To get you started, it includes explanations and recommended settings for all Menu settings, Movie Mode Menu settings, and Custom Function settings of the T3i/600D. It covers basic dSLR camera functions and exposure concepts for those new to digital SLR photography, and explains more advanced camera controls and operation, such as using the various metering modes and exposure compensation for correct exposure of every image, controlling autofocus modes and focus points for sharp focus of still or moving subjects, and utilizing dramatic depth of field for professional looking photographs.

You can preview T3i Experience at the following link. The preview shows the Table of Contents and Introduction, a sample T3i/600D Menu Settings page, a sample Custom Functions Settings page, and a sample text page.

http://www.dojoklo.com/writing/Canon_T3i_Experience-Preview.pdf

Canon T3i Experience not only covers the various settings, functions and controls of this digital SLR, but it also explains when and why to use them for your photography. And it describes every T3i / 600D Menu setting and Custom Function setting, with recommended settings to get you started quickly, including Movie Mode menu settings. Note that it focuses on still-photography and not video except for a brief introduction to video menus and settings to get you up and running. Sections include:

  • Setting Up Your Camera – All of the Menu settings and Custom Function settings for the T3i / 600D, including movie mode menus, with brief descriptions and recommended settings for practical, everyday use. Set up and customize the advanced features of this dSLR to work best for the way you photograph.
  • Aperture Priority Mode (Av) and Shutter Priority Mode (Tv) – How and when to use them to create dramatic depth of field or to freeze or express motion.
  • Auto Focusing Modes and Drive Modes – How they differ, how and when to use them to capture sharp images of both still and moving subjects. Also how and when to use focus lock and back-button focusing.
  • Exposure Metering Modes of the Canon T3i / 600D – How they differ, how and when to use them for correct exposures in every situation. Also how to make use of exposure lock.
  • Histograms, Exposure Compensation, Bracketing, and White Balance – Understanding and using these features for adjusting to the proper exposure in challenging lighting situations.
  • Composition – Brief tips, techniques, and explanations, including the creative use of depth of field.
  • The Image Taking Process – A descriptive tutorial for using the settings and controls you just learned to take photos.
  • Lenses – Explanation of Canon lenses and choosing your next lens.
  • Photography Accessories – The most useful accessories for day-to-day and travel photography including those specific to this camera, plus recommended photography books.
  • Introduction to Video Settings – Some basic settings to get you started.

This digital field guide to the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D is a 60 page, illustrated PDF document that builds upon the information found in the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D manual, and will help one begin to master their dSLR and learn to use it to its full capabilities!

Author: Douglas Klostermann
Format:
PDF – Instant Download – can be read on your computer, printed on your printer, transferred to your iPad, Android or other tablet, Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader (see here for iPad/ iPhone transfer instructions).
Page Count:
60 pages, illustrated
Price: $9.99 Available Now!
(plus 6.25% sales tax for residents of Massachusetts)
Secure payment with PayPal or Credit card

Buy Now with PayPal! or Buy Now

 

Other versions of Canon T3i Experience e-book available for purchase:

The Kindle version is available on Amazon.com
The Nook version is available at BarnesandNoble.com
The iPad and iPhone version is available through Apple’s iTunes or through the iBooks App.

What Readers are Saying about Doug’s Previous Guide, T2i Experience:

Best Guide to using a T2i – I don’t know how I could fully take advantage of all the features the T2i has to offer without this publication! It’s well-organized, easy to understand, and succinct enough to keep your attention while still containing a wealth of tips and tricks to get the most out of your camera. I’m very happy that I found this guide.
-Nathan K.

Essential Travel Companion – Alas, a comprehensive and concise guide for hobbyists who desire to enhance their photography experiences. I highly recommend this guide to anyone who wants to ease out of auto mode and learn how to take high-quality photos. It brilliantly explains how to apply advanced techniques and tips, walks you through the daunting task of menu settings, and smoothly guides you through the image-taking process. The instructions and brief explanations are easy to follow and well organized. The guide is a portable class on digital photography! A must-have if you want to learn how to use your camera to its fullest advantage.
-Elizabeth J.

A Fantastic Book For Beginning T2i Users – This book has exactly the no frills condensed practical advice on camera settings that I was looking for. The author has a gift for separating the wheat from the chaff. I didn’t have a clue how to operate a digital camera, let alone know the definition of the technical terms. After reading this book, I now understand all the critical functions of the Canon T2i and how to take advantage of them. This is a book I plan to keep handy for years to come.
-TP

What Readers are Saying about Doug’s other dSLR User’s Guides:

This book, together with the manual that came with your camera, is all you need to start discovering all the potential of this camera.
-Max M.

It’s the first guide I’ve read which has taken me through all the settings in an understandable way. I now feel that I have control over the camera.
-Peter S.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get a quick start to using their camera. Manuals are nice, but this eBook highlights the important information and gives a quick easy to understand explanation of most all of the functions and controls.
-Ray M.

I found the (camera’s) manual good for understanding how to set things up but not much on the why – this book really focuses on the “why.” Prior to reading the book I was setting up my metering on Spot Metering thinking it was much better than Matrix (Evaluative) – the guide helped me understand why to use specific settings for specific needs. The Custom Settings sections helps to make firm decisions on how to apply settings by understanding the usage of each in addition to knowing how to set them up. I would like to thank you for saving me time – now I’m confident that my camera is well tuned!
-Benoit A.

This manual is a clearly written, concise and useful explanation of the rationale for the seemingly infinite and often confusing settings options. Used in conjunction with the (camera’s) manual I feel a bit more confident in understanding how to at last proceed in getting better photographs.
WLS

Canon Rebel T3i EOS 600D book guide manual tutorial how to instruction

dSLR Photography Gear, Accessories, and Books

In my e-book user’s guide for digital SLRs I include a list of accessories and books, complete with links to purchase these products on Amazon or from the manufacturer. However, the links don’t always work with some e-book formats, so I am posting the list here too. Some accessories may have been updated since this list was last modified, such as the Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight replacing the SB-910, or the Canon 600 EX II-RT Speedlite replacing the 600 EX-RT, so be sure to check for the latest versions of the various accessories.

Below are some accessories that are handy for general and travel photography use with any dSLR camera, plus some of my favorite photography books, and camera-specific accessories mentioned in the texts of my Full Stop camera guides. Click on the links to go to the product or category pages on Amazon.com or the manufacturer’s website. Please note that these are my referral links, and I will receive a small referral fee if you use these links to make your purchases, which helps to support my blog and my work. Thanks!

Contents:

dSLR Photography Accessories
Digital Photography Books

Nikon D780 Accessories
Nikon Z8 / Z7 / Nikon Z6 / Nikon Z 7II / Nikon Z 6II Accessories
Nikon D850 Accessories
Nikon D500 Accessories
Nikon D750 Accessories
Nikon D810 Accessories
Nikon D7500 / D7200 / D7100 Accessories
Nikon D7000 Accessories
Nikon D5600 / D5500 / D5300 / D5200 / D5100 Accessories
Nikon D610 / D600 Accessories
Nikon Df Accessories
Nikon D3300 Accessories

Canon EOS R, EOS R7, EOS R6II,EOS R8 Accessories
Canon 5D Mark IV Accessories and 5DS / 5DS R Accessories
Canon 7D Mark II Accessories
Canon 80D / 77D / 70D Accessories
Canon 7D Accessories
Canon 60D Accessories
Canon T5i, T4i, T3i and T2i (EOS 700D, 650D, 600D and 550D) Accessories
Canon 5D Mark III Accessories
Canon 6D Accessories


dSLR Photography Accessories

UV Filters – Clear, protective filters for the lenses.  You should have these on at all times to protect your lenses.  Get high quality coated ones, such as B+W, especially for higher quality lenses.   Consider the MRC multi-coated versions for highest quality lenses.  While some argue that any filter may degrade image quality, a high-quality filter will show little effect, and most know that it is cheaper to replace a $100 filter than to repair a $1500 lens.  Use the slim filters for wide angle lenses to avoid vignetting.

Circular Polarizing Filter: Use this outdoors in sunlight to darken the sky, cut through haze and reflections, and increase contrast. Do not use on a wide angle lens as it will cause the sky to change from light to dark and back again across the frame. You have to turn the second ring of the filter to create the amount of lightness or darkness in the sky that you desire, or to reduce or eliminate reflections. It works best when the sun is to your left or right, but does not have any polarizing effect if the sun is directly in front or behind you. Do not use an older linear polarizing filter with a digital camera, as it will interfere with the metering and autofocus systems.

Neutral Density (ND) Filter: If shooting video in bright lighting, you will need to use a dark neutral density (ND) filter on the lens to block light in order to be able to use dramatic wide aperture settings (such as f/ 2.8 or f/4.0). These are also useful with still photography for allowing slow shutter speeds in bright light, such as for photographing waterfalls. They are available in a variety of densities to block out the amount of light to enable you to increase your exposure settings by a certain number of stops, such as 3 stops (0.9), 6 stops (1.8), 10 stops (3.0), etc. For example, when working in M or S mode and the exposure meter reads 1/30s, f/8, ISO 100, but you wish to use and aperture setting of f/2.8 while “holding” the other settings – you can use a 3-stop ND filter and the exposure meter will now read 1/30s, f/2.8, ISO 100, allowing you to obtain the wide aperture setting and resulting shallow depth of field. There are also variable ND filters, where you can adjust one of the filter’s rings to vary the amount of density, as well as the Cokin filter system that makes use of a filter holder that attaches to the front of the lens, which then holds square filters. These are useful to landscape photographers using graduated or split neutral density filters that either gradually or sharply transition from dark to light. Using the square filter in front of the lens, you can then vary the angle and location of the transition to align with the horizon.

Nikon Lens Hoods or Canon Lens Hoods: Use a lens hood on your lens to both prevent flare and to protect the front of the lens when it inevitable bangs against something or drops. Some nicer lenses typically come with a lens hood. With other lenses, buy the corresponding optional hood.

BlackRapid R-Straps: A different, more comfortable style of strap for carrying and using your camera, especially with a larger or heavier lens. There are a variety of current models, including the Curve, Metro, Kick, Sport, and Cross Shot.

Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod Legs and Manfrotto 496RC2 Ball Head:  This is an excellent “starter” combination of tripod legs and head for the beginner or enthusiast.  They are sturdy, durable, and well built.  If you know you will be doing a lot of tripod work, such as for studio, landscape, or travel photography, it is best to invest in more advanced (expensive) versions, including lighter carbon fiber legs and a head with additional features.

Insurance: Make sure your equipment is covered by insurance. When I worked in a camera store, people came in on a weekly basis to replace the equipment that was stolen from their car, trunk, luggage, while traveling, or was in a fire. You may need special insurance or a rider if your homeowner or renter’s insurance does not cover it. I use the policy available through NANPA, though you have to join NANPA to get it. This insurance is primarily for the equipment only, so you are not paying for liability coverage geared toward a business as you are with many other photo equipment insurance plans. Please note that the NANPA membership fee covers you annually from July – they don’t pro-rate, so you will not get a full year if you join at any other time. (If you happen to join NANPA to get their insurance, mention my name as a referrer, and I save on my next membership renewal!)

Silica Packs: Keep these in your camera bags to absorb moisture. Consider using real ones that you buy in solid cases instead of the little packs that you found in your new pants pocket that may break open over time.

Sto-Fen Omni Bounce Diffuser: Works great on the optional external flash units (note some Nikon flashes come with a diffuser like this). Do not use this on your flash outdoors because all it will do outside is cause your flash to work harder. I know you see lots of people doing it. They didn’t bother reading how to use it. Don’t imitate them. Use a direct bare or gelled flash outdoors. These diffusers are designed to work as a diffuser when bounced off a surface and angled at 45 degrees or so. Not straight on, and not bouncing off the sky.

Giottos Rocket Air Blaster: Always have this manual air blower handy for getting dust off lenses in a hurry, because blowing on them with your mouth – no matter how careful – inevitably leads to spittle on the lenses. Also use for manually cleaning the sensor, carefully following sensor cleaning instructions.

Dust-Aid Platinum dSLR Sensor Filter Cleaner: If the Air Blaster does not remove all the dust during sensor cleaning, you can move to a “silicon stamp,” such as this one. This is slightly more invasive, as you will be touching the sensor with the cleaning device. Be sure to carefully read and follow the Dust-Aid instructions, as well as the manual’s sensor cleaning instructions, particularly the correct way to raise the mirror and access the sensor.

Lens Pen Cleaning System: Works great for cleaning off mysterious spots and smudges that appear on the lens. Blow dust off the lens first with the Rocket Air Blaster, brush it with the Lens Pen brush, and then follow the instructions for using the Lens Pen.

Digital Grey Card: Used to measure and set accurate custom white balance.

Rosco Strobist Collection Flash Gels: Use these to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single WB setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene. Tape them in place or use the LumiQuest Gel Holder which attaches to your flash with the Honl Speed Strap, an overpriced strip of Velcro.

Sandisk Extreme CF Memory Cards (CompactFlash for Canon 7D, Canon 5D Mk II, 5D Mk III):  I suggest getting a couple 16 GB or 32 GB CF cards to store your photos – more if traveling.  Be sure to check the Sandisk site for current rebates.

Sandisk Extreme Pro CF Memory Cards:  For an even faster CF memory card, look at the Extreme Pro version, which saves at 90MB/s over 60 MB/s of the Extreme CF cards.

SanDisk Extreme Pro UDMA 7 CF Memory Card:  This CF memory card will allow you to take full advantage of the high speed continuous shooting of the 5D Mk III (or the 7D) to capture up to the maximum 16,270 continuous JPEG images or 18 RAW images in a single burst (7D rates are 130 JPEG / 25 RAW).

SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I SD Memory Cards: I suggest getting a couple 64GB or higher capacity Secure Digital (SD) cards to capture and store your photos – more if traveling. The current version of this card is rated at up to 170 MB/s (read) and 90 MB/s (write) speed. The older version of the card, SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I SD, is rated at 95 MB/s (read) and 90 MB/s (write) speed, and is available in the smaller 32GB size.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-II SD Memory Cards: These high speed SD cards, with 300/260 MB/s read/write speeds, will enable you to take advantage of the camera’s maximum burst rate.

Eye-Fi Wireless Flash Memory Card: This SD memory card can be used to automatically upload photos wirelessly via Wi-Fi to your computer during shooting or afterwards.

Card Reader: Use this to transfer image files from the memory cards to your computer if your computer does not have a card reader built in. They may be faster than the camera’s USB cable and will save camera batteries.

Stereo Microphones: The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe.

Camera’s USB Cable: Always have the included camera USB cable when traveling, as a back-up method of transferring image files to your computer.

Lens and Body Caps: Don’t forget to have these in your camera bag, to protect lenses and camera body when switching and storing them.

Camera Wrap: For protecting your camera while carrying it around in dusty, misty, or sandy situations, or for protection when storing it.

Rainhood or Rainsleeve: For protecting your camera while using it in dusty, misty, rainy, or sandy situations.

Adobe Creative Cloud (with Photoshop and Lightroom): These software programs are essential for editing, processing, retouching, and manipulating your photographs, especially if you are shooting in RAW. Lightroom is designed specifically for photographers and is the processing program of choice for many of them, but it does not have the manipulation capabilities of Photoshop. Take advantage of Adobe’s significant student and teacher discounts if applicable.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, and sharpening.

Camera Bags and Travel Gear: For additional gear that is helpful for travel situations, including various camera bags for different situations, have a look at my travel gear blog post:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2009/12/01/assignment-guatemala-gear/


Digital Photography Books

Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photos with Any Camera by Bryan Peterson

Learning to See Creatively: Design, Color & Composition in Photography by Bryan Peterson

The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

The Photographer’s Mind: Creative Thinking for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

Available Light: Photographic Techniques for Using Existing Light Sources by Don Marr

On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography by Neil van Niekerk

Speedliter’s Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites by Syl Arena

Digital Photographer’s Complete Guide to HD Video by Rob Sheppard and Michael Gunchen.

Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide by Michael Corsentino

Nikon Speedlight Handbook: Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers by Stephanie Zettl

The New Complete Guide to Digital Photography by Michael Freeman – a comprehensive general reference guide with brief explanations of nearly every aspect of digital photography.

New Epson Complete Guide to Digital Printing by Rob Sheppard.

More Essential Digital Photography Books are listed in this post.


Nikon D780 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15b Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling, or when photographing all day, or for an event.

EH-7P Charging AC Adapter: This charging adapter allows you to directly charge the battery while in the camera, via a USB cable. Note that the camera needs to be turned off in order for it to charge, and it will not charge older EN-EL15or EN-EL15a batteries.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button, thus preventing possible camera shake.

WR-T10 Remote Transmitter and WR-R10 Remote Controller or WR-R10 Wireless Remote Adapter Set: These wireless remote accessories will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button, thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with the WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power. The less sophisticated SB-500 is also compatible.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-7 Wireless Transmitter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images and videos to an FTP server, computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. It also offers a wired Ethernet port for a wired (tethered) connection. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection, which allows you to remotely change numerous camera settings.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as a BeachTek dSLR audio adapter, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop or Lightroom, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: https://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV (or other external HDMI device), and then view images, slideshows, or video from the camera.


Nikon z8 / Z7 / Nikon Z6 / Nikon Z 7II / Nikon Z 6II Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15b Rechargeable Battery or updated  EN-EL15cIt is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling, or when photographing all day, or for an event. The MB-N10 Multi-Power Battery Pack will be offered in the future, and will hold two EN-EL15bbatteries.

EH-7P Charging AC AdapterThe Z 7 includes this charging adapter, which allows you to directly charge the battery while in the camera, via a USB cable. This adapter is also compatible with the Z 6, but is not typically included. Note that the camera needs to be turned off in order for it to charge, and it will not charge older EN-EL15or EN-EL15abatteries. This adapter is compatible with the Z 6, but is not typically included.

Nikon MB-N11 Power Battery Pack with Vertical Grip: This battery grip for the Z 7II and Z 6II accepts two EN-EL15 type batteries, while also providing a vertical grip and duplicated, customizable controls including the shutter release, AF-ON Button, Fn Buttons, and Multi Selector. Note that the thumb-joystick on the grip corresponds to the Multi Selector thumbpad on the camera body, and not to the Sub-Selector joystick on the camera.

Nikon MB-N12 Power Battery Pack with Vertical Grip: This battery grip for the Z 8 accepts two EN-EL15 type batteries, while also providing a vertical grip and duplicated, customizable controls including the shutter release, AF-ON Button, Fn Buttons, and Multi Selector.

MB-N10 Multi-Power Battery Pack: This battery grip for the Z 7 and Z 6 will hold two EN-EL15b batteries. However, it does not have any camera controls.

Nikon FTZ Adapter or newer FTZ II Mount AdapterThese lens adapters will enable you to use a large number of compatible Nikon F-mount lenses and teleconverters with the Z 7 and Z 6.

MC-DC2 Remote Release CordThis corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button, thus preventing possible camera shake.

WR-T10 Remote Transmitter and WR-R10 Remote ControllerThese wireless remote accessories will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button, thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight FlashIn addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with the WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power. The less sophisticated SB-500is also compatible with the Z 7 and Z 6.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight CommanderThis unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-7 Wireless Transmitter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images and videos to an FTP server, computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. It also offers a wired Ethernet port for a wired (tethered) connection. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection, which allows you to remotely change numerous camera settings.

Nikon GP-1A GPS UnitUse this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time. Remember that you can also make use of the camera’s wireless capabilities via the SnapBridge app, to add time and location data from your smart phone to the images on the camera, and thus perform similar capabilities as a GPS device. Here is an alternate Micnova GPS receiver if the Nikon model is no longer available.

ME-1 Stereo MicrophoneAn external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as a BeachTek dSLR audio adapter, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon Capture NX-DIf you are not using Photoshop or Lightroom, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: https://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV (or other external HDMI device), and then view images, slideshows, or video from the camera.


Nikon D850 Accessories

Nikon D850 User’s Manuals – For PDF downloads of the Nikon D850 User’s Manual and D850 Menu Guide, see the webpage and below:

http://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/products/359/D850.html

Nikon EN-EL15a Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D18 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use an additional EN-EL15a battery, or eight alkaline, lithium, or Ni-MH AA batteries, or an EN-EL18 battery with the use of the optional BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover. This allows you to shoot longer without having to change batteries, and can allow you to share EN-EL18 batteries with the Nikon D5 body. It also increases the size of the D850 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation. There is also an MB-D18 Battery Pack kit that comes with the battery pack, plus the BL-5 Cover and an EN-EL18b battery.

MC-30 Remote Release Cord: This corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

WR-T10/ WR-R10 /WR-A10 Wireless Remote Controller, Transceiver, and Adapter: This wireless remote set will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-910 or Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you significant flash power and control over output and direction. They have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. They can also be used as commanders to trigger remote Speedlight flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-7 Wireless Transmitter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images and videos to an FTP server, computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. It also offers a wired Ethernet port for a wired (tethered) connection. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection, which allows you to remotely change numerous camera settings. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be a more convenient and less expensive solution for wireless transmission of full sized images.

Nikon GP-1 or GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time. Remember that you can also make use of the camera’s wireless capabilities to add time and location data from your smart phone to the images on the camera, and thus perform similar capabilities as a GPS device.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as a BeachTek dSLR audio adapter, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon ES-2 Film Digitizing Adapter Set: This accessory for digitizing negatives using your camera includes holders for 35mm film strips and slides, and attaches to the AF-S Micro 60mm f/2.8G ED lens. This can be used with the Negative Digitizer feature of the D850 (accessed via the Live View i Button Menu), to more easily “scan” your negatives.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop or Lightroom, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website. (http://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/)

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV (or other external HDMI device), and then view images, slideshows, or video from the camera. By accessing the Setup Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image playback using the TV remote.


Nikon D500 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event. Be sure to use the newer Li-Ion20 type of EN-EL15 battery for best results. Nikon will replace your older EN-EL15 Li-ion01 batteries with the newer version, for free. See this link for further information:

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/19541

Nikon MB-D17 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use an additional EN-EL15 battery, or eight alkaline, lithium, or Ni-MH AA batteries, or an EN-EL18 battery with the use of the optional BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover. This allows you to shoot longer without having to change batteries, and can allow you to share EN-EL18 batteries with the Nikon D5 body. It also increases the size of the D500 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

MC-30 Remote Release Cord: This corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

WR-T10/ WR-R10 /WR-A10 Wireless Remote Controller, Transceiver, and Adapter: This wireless remote set will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-910 or Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you significant flash power and control over output and direction. They have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. They can also be used as commanders to trigger remote Speedlight flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with using the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-7A Wireless Transmitter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images and videos to an FTP server, computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. It also offers a wired Ethernet port for a wired (tethered) connection. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection, which allows you to remotely change numerous camera settings. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be a more convenient and less expensive solution for wireless transmission of full sized images.

Nikon GP-1 or GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time. Remember that you can also make use of the camera’s wireless capabilities to add time and location data from your smart phone to the images on the camera, and thus perform similar capabilities as a GPS device.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as one of the BeachTek Audio Adapters, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop or Lightroom, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: http://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/#

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV (or other external HDMI device), and then view images, slideshows, or video from the camera. By accessing the Setup Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image playback using the TV remote.

Lexar 64GB Professional 2933x XQD card: The maximum continuous burst capacity specifications given by Nikon for the D500 are based on the use of this card. When set for RAW L image files and DX Image Area, this XQD card can capture up to the maximum 200 14-bit lossless compressed or 12-bit uncompressed images, without filling the buffer and having to pause. Sony also offers numerous XQD cards that are compatible with the D500, as listed on page 385 of the Nikon D500 User’s Manual.

SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II 280MBs SD: This is a very fast SD type card that appears to be working well with the D500. There have been issues reported with SD cards from Lexar and Transcend, which are caused by the card and not the camera. Nikon has released a firmware update that creates a workaround for errors when using a problematic UHS-II card, though it reverts to using it as a slower UHS-I card. The memory card manufacturers are working to resolve this issue.


Nikon D750 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D16 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use a second EN-EL15 battery or else use six AA batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D750 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: This wireless remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-910 or Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you significant flash power and control over output and direction. They have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. They can also be used as commanders to trigger remote Speedlight flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with using the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-5A Wireless Transmitter with the Nikon UT-1 Communication Unit: These can be used together to wirelessly transmit your images to a computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. The two units can also be purchased together: WT-5A and UT-1. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection. The Nikon UT-1 Communication Unit when used alone will allow you to connect the camera to a computer or FTP server via an Ethernet cable, rather than wirelessly. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be a more convenient and less expensive solution for wireless transmission.

Nikon GP-1 or GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as the BeachTek DXA-SLR Pro Audio Adapter, or Mini Pro version, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: http://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/#

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV (or other external HDMI device), and then view images, slideshows, or video from the camera. By accessing the Setup Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image playback using the TV remote.


Nikon D810 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D12 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use a second EN-EL15 battery or else use eight AA batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D810 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation. And its use with AA batteries will enable the maximum 7 frames per second continuous shooting speed when using DX Image Area. If you wish to use the larger EN-EL18 battery (used with the D4 body) with this MB-D12 battery grip, you can purchase the optional BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover which accepts the EN-EL18 battery.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This corded remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

MC-30A Remote Release Cord: Another basic corded remote release, with a larger thumb button that enables you to hold it down to keep the shutter open for Bulb shooting.

MC-36a Remote Shutter Release Cord: A multi-function corded remote for shutter release with an intervalometer, which attaches via the ten-pin connector.

WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: This wireless remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and thus does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

Nikon SB-910 or Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you significant flash power and control over output and direction. They have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. They can also be used as commanders to trigger remote Speedlight flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with using the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WT-5A Wireless Transmitter with the Nikon UT-1 Communication Unit: These can be used together to wirelessly transmit your images to a computer, tablet, or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the computer or smart device to remotely and wirelessly release the camera’s shutter. The two units can also be purchased together: WT-5A and UT-1. You will also need Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 software for the tethered or wireless computer connection. The Nikon UT-1 Communication Unit when used alone will allow you to connect the camera to a computer or FTP sever via an Ethernet cable, rather than wirelessly. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be more convenient and less expensive.

Nikon GP-1 or GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera. More advanced (expensive) models and lavalier mics are recommended for professional use, along with an audio mixer such as the BeachTek DXA-SLR Pro Audio Adapter, or Mini Pro version, or an external audio recorder such as the Zoom H6 Portable Recorder.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG, TIFF, or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: http://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/#

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the camera to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view images and slideshows from the camera. By accessing the Setup Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image playback using the TV remote.

Nikon D810 dSLR Filmmaker’s Kit: This package, costing about $5,000, includes the D810 camera plus everything one needs to get started with dSLR HD filmmaking. In addition to the body, the kit includes three prime lenses which are all f/1.8 (35mm, 50mm, 85mm), a video recorder with HDMI cable, the ME-1 Stereo microphone, variable ND filters so that you can take advantage of wide apertures even in brighter lighting, and two EN-EL15 batteries.

Sandisk Extreme CF Memory Cards: I suggest getting a couple 32 GB or higher CompactFlash (CF) cards to store your photos – more if traveling. Be sure to check the Sandisk site for current rebates. This card’s speed is 120 MB/s, so to achieve the buffer rates of the D810 listed in the manual you will need to use the CF card listed just below.

SanDisk Extreme Pro UMDA 7 CF Memory Card: For an even faster CF memory card, look at the Extreme Pro version, which is rated at 160 MB/s, higher than the 120 MB/s speed of the Extreme CF cards. This is the minimum card needed to achieve the buffer capacity rates listed in the D810 manual on page 489.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I SD Memory Cards: If you plan to use the camera’s SD card slot, I suggest getting a couple 32GB or higher capacity Secure Digital (SD) cards to capture and store your photos – more if traveling. Review the various ways that the camera’s two memory card slots can be used with the Primary slot selection and Secondary slot function items of the Shooting Menu. Again, be sure to check the SanDisk site for current rebates. This card is rated at 95 MB/s speed, so you may need the above CF card to achieve the maximum the buffer capacity of the D810.


Nikon D7500 / D7200 / D7100 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D15 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use a second EN-EL15 battery or else use AA batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D7100 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Controller or WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: These wireless remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and thus does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The new WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 unit.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, but is attached to the camera via a cable, rather than being wireless.

Nikon SB-910 (or SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500) Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash, and with the exception of the SB-600 all can be used as commanders to trigger remote flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with using the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

Nikon WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a tablet or smart-phone as you shoot, share your images, or even use your smart phone or tablet to remotely release the camera’s shutter – all with Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility app:

Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit: / GP-1A GPS Unit (check compatibly with your camera here.) Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

Nikon ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. Other options include the Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro, which are good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe.

UT-1 Communication Unit: This unit is used with an Ethernet cable or wirelessly with the WT-5a Wireless Transmitter to connect to a network and transfer images to a computer or server, or to control the camera remotely from your computer. You can also purchase these two units, the UT-1 and WT-5a as a bundle.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, and sharpening.


Nikon D7000 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D11 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use a second EN-EL15 battery or else use AA batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D7000 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote or MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

Nikon SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, or SB-600 Speedlight Flashes: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash, and with the exception of the SB-600 all can be used as commanders to trigger remote flashes.

Nikon WT-4A Wireless Transmitter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a computer as you shoot. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be more convenient.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, and sharpening.


Nikon D5600 / D5500 / D5300 / D5200 / D5100 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL14a Rechargable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Battery Pack/ Grip: This third-party accessory will enable you to use two EN-EL14a batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D5600 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Controller or WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: These wireless remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and thus does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, but is attached to the camera via a cable, rather than being wireless.

Nikon GP-1 or GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

Nikon SB-910 or SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. And they can be used as commanders to control and trigger multiple remote flashes.

Nikon WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter: (Nikon D5200, D7100, D3200 and later cameras only) This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a tablet or smart-phone as you shoot, share your images, or even use your smart phone or tablet to remotely release the camera’s shutter – all with Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility app:

Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit: / GP-1A GPS Unit (check compatibly with your camera here.) (Not needed for D5300) Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time. Using this accessory, you images will also be automatically located on a map, such as when uploaded to the Flickr photo website.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone or ME-W1 Wireless Microphone: External, stereo mics to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera.

Nikon Capture NX-D: If you are not using Photoshop or Lightroom, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and make image adjustments such as color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This free software is available for download from the Nikon website: http://nikonimglib.com/ncnxd/#

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the D5600 to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera. By accessing the Playback Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image or video playback using the TV remote. Note that movies may not display properly, depending on the Frame size / Frame rate settings at which they were recorded.


Nikon D610 / D600 Accessories

Nikon EN-EL15 Rechargable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Nikon MB-D14 Battery Pack/ Grip: This accessory will enable you to use a second EN-EL15 battery or else use AA batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D600 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote or MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

Nikon SB-910 (or SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500) Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash, and with the exception of the SB-600 all can be used as commanders to trigger remote flashes.

Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight Flash: In addition to offering all the functions of the above flash units, this top of the line Nikon Speedlight offers optical wireless control, as well as wireless radio control (when used with using the WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter and WR-R10 Wireless Remote Controller). The radio control can be triggered nearly 100 feet away and does not require line-of-sight. The flash also contains a cooling system that will allow 100 or more consecutive shots at full power.

Nikon WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a tablet or smart-phone as you shoot, or even use the smart device to remotely release the shutter. However for certain situations and uses, an Eye-Fi SD memory card may be more convenient.

Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit: / GP-1A GPS Unit (check compatibly with your camera here.) Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, and sharpening.


Nikon Df Accessories

Nikon Df User’s Manual – For a PDF download of the Nikon Df manual, see the webpage below:

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18767

AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition Lens: This lens, with its silver ring, is specifically designed to match the retro-style of the Df – though it contains the same optics of the non-special AF-S 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Nikon EN-EL14a Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: This wireless remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and thus does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The new WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 units.

AR-3 Cable Release Cord: This remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, but is attached to the camera via a cable, rather than being wireless. In keeping with the styling of the Df, it is a “retro” cable-release with a plunger.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This is also a straightforward corded remote used to trigger the shutter of the camera, and is plugged into the Accessory Terminal of the Df.

Nikon SB-910 or Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you significant flash power and control over output and direction. They have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. They can also be used as commanders to trigger remote Speedlight flashes.

Nikon SB-400 Speedlight: This is a much smaller and less powerful flash than the versatile SB-910, and is closer to the strength of a typical built-in flash. However you can angle it for bounce-flash purposes.

SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander: This unit is mounted on the camera’s hot shoe, and will allow you to wirelessly control and trigger one or multiple remote Speedlights.

Nikon WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a tablet or smart-phone as you shoot, share your images, or even use your smart phone or tablet to remotely autofocus and release the camera’s shutter.

Wireless Mobile Utility: To get started with Wi-Fi, you will also need to download Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Utility app, which is available for both iOS and Android. Note that the iPad app is available as an “iPhone Only” app in the Apple App Store, though it can still be used on the iPad. You can find links to both versions of the app below, along with links to both versions of the Wireless Mobile Utility User’s Manuals:

Nikon GP-1A GPS Unit: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location, altitude data, and UTC time.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, sharpening, and noise. This version is in the process of being replaced with Capture NX-D.

CF-DC6 Semi-Soft Case or CF-DC5 Semi-Soft Case: The CF-DC6 is a retro-styled leatherette case specially designed for the Df, and is available in Black or in light Brown. The CF-DC5 is of a more contemporary style and materials.

Leather Strap in Black or in Brown: You can pair the retro-styled CF-DC6 case with a leather strap, available in similar colors.

Gariz Leather Half-Case: There is also a very nice looking leather half-case by a third-party named Gariz. It is available in black and brown, and covers the grip area and lower part of the Df body, but also allows you to open and access the battery/ memory card compartment and the side terminal covers, without removing the case. It lengthens the body of the camera in order to provide a replacement tripod socket (since the camera’s is used for attaching the case), and perhaps to enlarge the camera to offer a better grip.

Screen Protectors: This pair of screen protectors is specifically sized for the LCD screens of the Df. While I have not personally used them, and thus cannot vouch for their quality or usefulness, previous versions of this brand have gained good reviews.

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the Df to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view images and slideshows from the camera. By accessing the Setup Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image playback using the TV remote.


Nikon D3300 Accessories

Nikon D3300 Manuals: The D3300 Reference Manual can be obtained as a PDF file from the Nikon website at this link:

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18824

Nikon WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter: This can be used to wirelessly transmit your images to a tablet or smart-phone as you shoot, to share your images, or even to use your smart phone or tablet to remotely release the camera’s shutter – all with Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility app.

Wireless Mobile Utility:To get started with Wi-Fi, you will first need to download Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Utility app, which is available for both iOS and Android. Note that the iPad app is available as an “iPhone Only” app in the Apple App Store, though it can still be used on the iPad. You can find links to both versions of the app below, along with links to both versions of the Wireless Mobile Utility User’s Manuals:

Nikon EN-EL14a Rechargeable Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Battery Pack/ Grip: This third-party accessory will enable you to use two EN-EL14a batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the D3300 body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Controller or WR-R10/ WR-T10 Wireless Remote Controller and Transceiver: These wireless remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. The WR set communicates via radio frequencies, and thus does not require direct line-of-sight between the camera and the remote. You can even use multiple WR-R10 receivers on multiple cameras and trigger them simultaneously with one WR-T10 remote transmitter. The new WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller will allow even greater wireless control over one or multiple cameras with their own WR-1 or WR-R10 unit.

MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord: This remote will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, but is attached to the camera via a cable, rather than being wireless.

DK-5 Eyepiece Cap:When using any of the Release Modes such as Self-Timer or Remote, where your eye is not at the Viewfinder, be sure to cover the Viewfinder with a piece of tape or this optional eyepiece cap in order to prevent stray light from entering the camera and modifying the exposure settings.

Nikon SB-910 or SB-700 Speedlight Flash: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. And they can be used as remote flashes triggered by the built-in flash, and as commanders to control and trigger multiple remote flashes.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone: An external, stereo mic to record much better sound during movie shooting that the built-in mic. The Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro are also good-quality affordable external stereo microphones for recording audio while shooting video. They each mount to the camera’s Hot Shoe and connect via the External Microphone connector terminal on the side of the camera.

Nikon Capture NX2: If you are not using Photoshop, this software will enable you to process and retouch your JPEG or RAW files, and correct things such color, contrast, and sharpening.

High-Speed A to C Type, HDMI to Mini-HDMI Cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the D3300 to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera. By accessing the Playback Menu item HDMI > Device control > On, you will also be able to then control the image or video playback using the TV remote. Note that movies may not display properly, depending on the Frame size / Frame rate settings at which they were recorded.



Canon EOS R / EOS R7 / EOS R6II/ EOS R8 Accessories

Canon LP-E6N Battery or the current Canon LP-E6NH Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon LP-E17 Battery for the EOS R8

Canon BG-E22 Battery Grip: This optional battery pack and grip for the EOS R will enable you to use two LP-E6N batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. (No official Canon grip is available for the EOS R7.) The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the EOS R body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position. Note that there is a firmware update for the BG-E22 Battery Grip:

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/supplies-accessories/batteries-grips/battery-grip-bg-e22?tab=drivers_downloads

Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters: Canon offers three EF to EOS R mount adapters, which enable you to use EF and EF-S lenses with the EOS R mirrorless models, as well as extenders. The adapters are dust and weather sealed. One is a basic EF-EOS R adapter, the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. One includes a Control Ring similar to the one on the RF lenses, the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. And the Canon Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R allows for the use of a drop-in filter, including a variable ND filter or a circular polarizing filter. This adapter can be purchased with the Circular Polarizing Filter, with the Variable ND Filter, and you can separately purchase just the Variable ND Filter or just the Circular Polarizing Filter.

Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6or the Bluetooth Canon BR-E1 Wireless Remote Controller: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. Note that you must pair the BR-E1 remote with the camera, by first setting the Setup 5 Menu > Wireless Communication Settings > Bluetooth Function > Remoteoption. Then select the Pairing item in the Bluetooth Function menu, and simultaneously press and hold the W and Tbuttons on the remote, for 3 seconds. Infrared remote controllers such at the RC-6 are not compatible with the EOS R.

Canon Speedlite EL-1: This is the newest flagship flash, which replaces the 600EX-II-RT. This external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites, as well as continuous shooting support. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and includes a diffuser plus color filters for white balance. It also allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with the radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Canon Speedlite EL-5: This is a non-professional version of the EL-1 external flash. The EL-5 will provide less flash power and control, and fewer features than the top-of-the-line EL-1, however it may meet your needs if you don’t make extensive use of a flash. It also has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. It allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with Canon’s radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT: This external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites, as well as continuous shooting support. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and includes a diffuser plus color filters for white balance. The 600EX II-RT also allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with the radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Compatible with the Canon 600EX II-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX II-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the EOS R. If either one of these units is in the Hot Shoe of the EOS R, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Speedlite 430EX III-RT external flash will provide less flash power and control, and fewer features than the top of the line 600EX II-RT, however it may meet your needs if you don’t make extensive use of a flash. It also has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. The 430EX III-RT allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with Canon’s radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT or a 600EX II-RT. And the 430EX III-RT offers an optional bounce adapter and color filter.

Speedlite 470EX-AI external flash has an auto-intelligent bounce function, meaning that the flash head will rotate and swivel automatically, to be positioned at the best angle for bounce flash, based on the subject distance and ceiling height. The 470EX-AI also allows optical wireless functionality.

Canon HTC-100 HDMI cable or a similar HDMI cable Use this HDMI cable to connect the EOS R to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera.

WFT-E7A Wireless File Transmitter Version 2: This optional device enables fast wireless or wired Ethernet transfer of images from the camera to a computer or smart device such as an iPad or tablet. It also offers remote control and linked shooting capabilities, and offers built-in Bluetooth function.

Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2: This optional device can be used to automatically geotag your images with location data. If you are using the GP-E2, be sure to update its firmware to the latest version (Version 2.0.0 or later).



Canon 5D Mark IV Accessories and Canon 5DS / 5DS R Accessories

Canon LP-E6N Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip: This optional battery pack and grip for the 5DIV will enable you to use two LP-E6N batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the 5D Mark IV body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position.

Canon Remote Switch RS-80N3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. There is also the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for time-lapse or long exposure photography.

Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT: This external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites, as well as continuous shooting support. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and includes a diffuser plus color filters for white balance. The 600EX II-RT also allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with the radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Compatible with the Canon 600EX II-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX II-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the 5D Mark IV. If either one of these units is in the Hot Shoe of the 5D Mark IV, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Speedlite 430EX III-RT or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will provide less flash power and control, and fewer features than the top of the line 600EX II-RT, however they may meet your needs if you don’t make extensive use of a flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. The 430EX III-RT allows optical wireless functionality plus is compatible with Canon’s radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT or a 600EX II-RT. The 430EX III-RT offers an optional bounce adapter and color filter. The 320EX has a built in LED light for lighting video.

Canon HTC-100 HDMI cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the 5D Mark IV to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera. By setting the Control over HDMI menu item to Enable (Playback 3 Menu), you will also be able to then control the image or video playback using the TV remote.

WFT-E7A Wireless File Transmitter Version 2: This optional device enables fast wireless or wired Ethernet transfer of images from the camera to a computer or smart device such as an iPad or tablet. It also offers remote control and linked shooting capabilities, and offers built-in Bluetooth function.


Canon 7D Mark II Accessories

Canon LP-E6N Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip: This optional battery pack and grip will enable you to use two LP-E6N batteries or six AA/ LR6 batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the 7D Mark II body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position.

Canon Remote Switch RS-80N3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. There is also the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for time-lapse or long exposure photography.

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT: This most recently introduced external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and is compatible with a specially designed color filter holder and gels (see below). The 600EX-RT also allows infrared wireless functionality plus is compatible with the new radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Currently only compatible with the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the 7D Mark II. If either one of these units is in the Hot Shoe of the 7D Mark II, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Canon SCH-E1 Color Filter Holder: This plastic holder attaches to the front of the 600EX-RT Speedlite and holds the gels of the Canon Color Filter Set. Use these filters (gels) to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single White Balance setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you varying levels of flash power and control, with the 580EX II being the most powerful of the group. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video. To attach color filters to these models see the Rosco Strobist Collection Flash Gels section below.

Canon HTC-100 HDMI cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the 7D Mark II to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera. By setting the Control over HDMI menu item to Enable (Playback 3 Menu), you will also be able to then control the image or video playback using the TV remote.

WFT-E7A Wireless File Transmitter Version 2: This optional device enables fast wireless or wired Ethernet transfer of images from the camera to a computer or smart device such as an iPad or tablet. It also offers remote control and linked shooting capabilities, and offers built-in Bluetooth function. The device attaches to the base of the 7D Mark II, and is a similar size and shape as the optional battery grip.

Eh-S Super Precision Matte Focusing Screen: The 7D Mark II is able to accept this optional focusing screen, which is designed for manual focusing. However, you will need to be using a lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or larger, or else it will make the Viewfinder appear darker than the standard focusing screen. This screen will display the out-of-focus areas of the scene more dramatically out-of-focus, thus helping you to better view what is in-focus. Be sure to change the C.Fn 3 Custom Function item of the Focusing Screen for Eh-S, if you make use of this screen.


Canon 80D / 77D / 70D Accessories

Canon LP-E6 Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E14 Battery Grip: This optional battery pack and grip will enable you to use two LP-E6 batteries or six AA/ CR6 batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the 70D body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position.

Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location and altitude data, a digital compass, and UTC time.

Canon Remote Switch RS-80N3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. There is also the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for time-lapse or long exposure photography.

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT: This most recently introduced external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and is compatible with a specially designed color filter holder and gels (see below). The 600EX-RT also allows infrared wireless functionality plus is compatible with the new radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Currently only compatible with the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the 70D. If either one of these units is in the hotshoe of the 70D, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Canon SCH-E1 Color Filter Holder: This plastic holder attaches to the front of the 600EX-RT Speedlite and holds the gels of the Canon Color Filter Set. Use these filters (gels) to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single White Balance setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you varying levels of flash power and control, with the 580EX II being the most powerful of the group. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video. To attach color filters to these models see the Rosco Strobist Collection Flash Gels section just above.

Canon HTC-100 HDMI cable: Use this HDMI cable to connect the 70D to an HDMI CEC compatible TV, and then view movies, images, and slideshows from the camera. By setting the Control over HDMI menu item to Enable (Playback 3 menu), you will also be able to then control the image or video playback using the TV remote. Use the Canon AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV cable for non-HD TV sets.


Canon 7D Accessories (see also the Canon 5D Mark III Accessories section for the new Canon 600EX-RT flash and its accessories)

Canon LP-E6 Battery:  It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E7 Battery Grip:   This accessory will enable you to use two LP-E6 batteries, (or else use six AA batteries), thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries.  It also increases the size of the 7D body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6:  These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video.  (see also the Canon 5D Mark III Accessories section for the new Canon 600EX-RT flash and its accessories).

Canon WFT-E5A Wireless File Transmitter:  Use this accessory to wirelessly transmit your images from the camera to a computer over a Wi-Fi or Gigabit Ethernet connection.  It can also be used to wirelessly control the camera via a web-enabled mobile device.

Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver:  Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location and altitude data, a digital compass, and UTC time.


Canon 60D Accessories (see also the 5D Mark III section for the new Canon 600EX-RT flash and its accessories)

Canon LP-E6 Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E9 Battery Grip: This accessory will enable you to use two LP-E6 batteries, (or else use six AA batteries), thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the 60D body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video.

Canon Hand Strap E2: This hand strap provides a more secure grip and allows for easier single hand operation of the camera. It attaches on the right side of the 60D and your right hand slips between it and the camera.

Canon EF-D Focusing Screen: This is the grid focusing screen to help you keep your compositions and horizons straight and level.


Canon Rebel T5i/700D, T4i/650D, T3i/600D, and T2i/550D Accessories

Canon LP-E8 Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E8 Battery Grip: This accessory will enable you to use two LP-E8 batteries, (or else use six AA batteries), thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. It also increases the size of the camera’s body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when shooting vertically in portrait orientation.

Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location and altitude data, a digital compass, and UTC time.

Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT: This most recently introduced external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and is compatible with a specially designed color filter holder and gels (see below). The 600EX-RT also allows infrared wireless functionality plus is compatible with the new radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Currently only compatible with the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the T4i. If either one of these units is in the hotshoe of the T4i, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Canon SCH-E1 Color Filter Holder: This plastic holder attaches to the front of the 600EX-RT Speedlite and holds the gels of the Canon Color Filter Set. Use these filters (gels) to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single White Balance setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you greatly increased flash power and control compared to the built-in flash. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. All of them can be used as remote flashes controlled by the built-in flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video.

Canon Hand Strap E2: This hand strap, used with or without the battery grip, provides a more secure grip and allows for easier single hand operation of the camera. It attaches on the right side of the camera and your right hand slips between it and the camera.


Canon EOS 5D Mark III Accessories

Sandisk Extreme CF Memory Cards:  I suggest getting a couple 16GB, 32GB, or higher capacity CompactFlash (CF) cards to capture and store your photos – more if traveling.  Be sure to check the Sandisk site for current rebates.

Sandisk Extreme Pro CF Memory Cards:  For an even faster CF memory card, look at the Extreme Pro version, which saves at 90MB/s over 60 MB/s of the Extreme CF cards.

Sandisk Extreme SD Memory Cards:  If you plan to use the camera’s second card slot, I suggest getting a couple 16GB, 32GB, or higher capacity Secure Digital (SD) cards to capture and store your photos – more if traveling.  Review the various ways that the camera’s second card slot can be used.  Again, be sure to check the Sandisk site for current rebates.

Sandisk Extreme Pro SD Memory Cards:  For an even faster SD memory card, look at the Extreme Pro version, which saves at 95MB/s over 30 MB/s of the Extreme SD cards.

SanDisk Extreme Pro UDMA 7 CF Memory Card:  This CF memory card will allow you to take full advantage of the high speed continuous shooting of the 5D Mk III to capture up to the maximum 16,270 continuous JPEG images or 18 RAW images in a single burst.

Canon LP-E6 Battery:  It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E11 Battery Grip:   This optional battery pack and grip will enable you to use two LP-E6 batteries or six AA/ CR6 batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries.  The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the 5D Mk III body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position.

Canon WFT-E7A Wireless File Transmitter:  Use this accessory to wirelessly transmit your images from the camera to a computer over a Wi-Fi or Gigabit Ethernet connection.  It can also be used to wirelessly control the camera via a web-enabled mobile device.

Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver:  Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location and altitude data, a digital compass, and UTC time.

Canon Remote Switch RS-80N3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6:  These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, thus allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake.  There is also the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for time-lapse or long exposure photography.

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT:  This most recently introduced external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites.  It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and is compatible with a specially designed color filter holder and gels (see below).  The 600EX-RT also allows infrared wireless functionality plus is compatible with the new radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.  The AF assist beam of the Canon 600EX-RT is the only current Speedlite designed to be compatible with the 61 point autofocus system of the 5D Mk III.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT:  Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required.  Currently only compatible with the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the 5D Mk III.  If either one of these units is in the hotshoe of the 5D Mk III, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Canon SCH-E1 Color Filter Holder:  This plastic holder attaches to the front of the 600EX-RT Speedlight and holds the gels of the Canon Color Filter Set.  Use these filters (gels) to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single WB setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX:  These external flashes will give you varying levels of flash power and control, with the 580EXII being the most powerful of the group.  They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash.  The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video.  To attach color filters to these models see the Rosco Strobist Collection Flash Gels section just above.

Sto-Fen Omni Bounce Diffuser for the Canon 580EXII or for the Canon 600EX-RT:  Works great on the optional external flash units like the Canon 580EX II Speedlite or the newer 600EX-RT Speedlite.  Do not use this on your flash outdoors because all it will do outside is cause your flash to work harder.  I know you see lots of people doing it.  They didn’t bother reading how to use it – don’t imitate them!  Use a direct bare or gelled flash outdoors.  These diffusers are designed to work as a diffuser when bounced off a surface and angled at 45 degrees or so, not straight on, and not bouncing off the sky.


Canon EOS 6D Accessories

Canon LP-E6 Battery: It is always good to have an extra battery or two, especially when traveling or when photographing all day or for an event.

Canon BG-E13 Battery Grip: This optional battery pack and grip will enable you to use two LP-E6 batteries or six AA/ CR6 batteries, thus allowing you to shoot longer without having to change batteries. The grip replicates the controls of the body and also increases the size of the 6D body which may be more comfortable for some shooters, especially when using the camera in the vertical position.

Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver: Use this GPS receiver for automatic geotagging of your images including location and altitude data, a digital compass, and UTC time. However the EOS 6D (WG) has built-in GPS, so this accessory is generally not necessary. Ironically, the GP-E2 is not compatible with the EOS 6D (N), the model that is sold in certain regions without built-in Wi-Fi and GPS.

Canon Remote Switch RS-80N3 or Canon Wireless Remote Control RC-6: These remotes will allow you to trigger the shutter of the camera remotely, allowing either self-portraits or the ability to release the shutter without pressing the Shutter Button thus preventing possible camera shake. There is also the Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 for time-lapse or long exposure photography.

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT: This most recently introduced external flash will give you the most flash power and control of the Canon Speedlites. It has an adjustable and rotating head so that you can use indirect and bounce flash, and is compatible with a specially designed color filter holder and gels (see below). The 600EX-RT also allows infrared wireless functionality plus is compatible with the new radio wave wireless flash system when controlled and triggered by the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT: Use this radio wave wireless transmitter to control and trigger up to 5 groups of 15 flashes, up to 30 meters, with no line-of-site required. Currently only compatible with the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite.

Note that either the 600EX-RT Speedlite or the ST-E3-RT Transmitter can also act as a remote camera trigger for the 6D. If either one of these units is in the hotshoe of the 6D, another one of these units can fire the camera remotely, for a single frame, with the press of a button.

Canon SCH-E1 Color Filter Holder: This plastic holder attaches to the front of the 600EX-RT Speedlite and holds the gels of the Canon Color Filter Set. Use these filters (gels) to balance the color temperature of your flash to the color temperature of the ambient light in order to have a single White Balance setting that neutralizes the color cast of the entire scene.

Canon Speedlite 580EX II or Speedlite 430EX II or Speedlite 320EX: These external flashes will give you varying levels of flash power and control, with the 580EX II being the most powerful of the group. They also have adjustable and rotating heads so that you can use indirect and bounce flash. The 320EX also has a built in LED light for lighting video. To attach color filters to these models see the Rosco Strobist Collection Flash Gels section just above.

Viewfinder Focusing Screens: The optional Canon Eg-S Super Precision Matte focusing screen is designed to assist with manual focusing, and the optional Canon Eg-D Precision Matte focusing screen provides a grid in the Viewfinder to help keep your compositions straight and level.

Introduction of new Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D

Canon just announced the replacement for the T2i called, as expected, the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D.  It has a few upgrades from the T2i, borrowed from the 60D, including the high resolution swivel rear LCD screen, remote flash capabilities, some additional menu options, and built in Creative Filters.  Canon also introduced a new 18-55mm image stabilized kit lens to pair with it.  Read more about it here at DPReview, and I will fill in more details about it soon.  As Canon’s own press release dramatically states, Canon Empowers The Masses To Take Better Photographs And Video With The New EOS Rebel T3i And EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Cameras.  Wow!

I’ve completed a Canon Rebel T3i e-book user’s guide, following in the footsteps of my popular e-books Your World 60D and T2i Experience, titled Canon T3i Experience.  See here for more info.

image from Canonusa.com

Order your Canon Rebel T3i (EOS 600D) from Amazon now:

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

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Canon T2i vs T3i (Canon 550D  vs 600D):  If you are trying to decide between these two cameras, or deciding between the T3i vs 60D vs 7D, please see the post I wrote that reviews and  compares the current cameras in the Canon dSLR consumer line-up:  Canon T3i vs T2i vs 60D vs 7D, etc.

Set Up and Customize the Nikon D7000 – Menus and Custom Settings

I’ve spent a significant amount of time with the new Nikon D7000 as I was researching and writing my ebook user’s guide Nikon D7000 Experience. It has been interesting to contrast it with the recent Canon 60D, as they sit in a somewhat similar position in each brand’s current dSLR line-up.

They are both excellent cameras and are both highly customizable for you to set up for the way you shoot. But I have to say I’m incredibly impressed with the higher amount of customization options offered by the D7000. Nikon offers the opportunity for advanced shooters to fine-tune many settings of the D7000 – options that the 60D just doesn’t have.

Nikon D7000

Advanced settings of the Nikon D7000 include:

White Balance – many more fluorescent options and the ability to tweek any of the WB settings along the blue-amber and green-magenta axes – including the ability to make blue-amber adjustments on the fly without going into the menus by using the WB button. The 60D not only doesn’t offer this level of adjustment, it doesn’t even have a WB button on the body of the camera.

Frame Rate – The Continuous Low release (drive) mode can be set for between 1 to 5 fps. Canon only offers 3fps in Low Speed Continuous. This is not such a big deal on the 60D because High Speed Continuous is 5.3 fps. However with the Canon 7D, this would have been an incredibly helpful option. The 8 fps of High Speed is blazing fast, typically too fast for real life use as the scene barely changes from image to image yet the large files can quickly fill up a card. But then 3 fps is too slow for action use. I have long wished for a 5 or 6 fps option on the 7D.

Metering – With the D7000 you can change the size of the area metered in Center-Weighted Area metering mode if you wish for more or less precision or if you are working with a subject of a particular size. The camera can be set to meter a circle of various sizes: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, or even an average of the entire scene (Average will act like a very dumbed down Matrix (Evaluative) Metering and just average the entire frame and not take selected AF points into consideration). The 60D does not offer this ability but does offer Center Weighted metering mode and Partial metering mode (which meters a center circle that is 6.5% of the viewfinder). Both cameras offer Spot Metering for very precise metering.

Exposure – In the D7000 you can fine tune the default settings of each of the metering modes to slightly under- or over-expose. This is an adjustment done behind the scenes and not exposure compensation. This is something I would find very handy on my 50D because it always overexposes by about 1/3 a stop in Evaluative Metering mode. So instead of using -1/3 exposure compensation all the time, I finally settled on using Center Weighted Average metering. But with the D7000, you can fine tune the camera to always underexpose. For example if you were to have this slight overexposure problem in Matrix metering, you could fine-tune Matrix for -1/3 and then it would be fixed. You could use exposure compensation on top of that when necessary. You can also customize the controls for exposure compensation (EC) so that your EC adjustment applies to only the next photo taken or to all subsequent photos.

Autofocus – The D7000 offers AF Fine Tune (or AF Micro-Adjustment as Canon users may know it) to slightly fine tune the autofocus of multiple lenses if any of them are slightly back- or front-focusing. This feature was on the 50D but was disappointingly dropped from the 60D. The D7000 also allows you to choose from all the AF points or just 11 of them, which could be helpful to those just getting the hang of selecting their own AF point instead of allowing the camera to choose what it thinks you wish to focus on. (You should nearly always be choosing your own AF point!)

So as you can see, the D7000 offers many advanced customization and fine-tune options in the Menus and Custom Settings that the 60D just doesn’t offer. Keep in mind however that these are pretty advanced features, and if you are not going to be making use of them, don’t be swayed by them when choosing a camera.

For a more detailed comparison of these two cameras, see my post Nikon D7000 vs. Canon 60D.

If you would like to learn more about all the Menu and Custom Settings of the Nikon D7000 or the Menu items and Custom Functions of the Canon 60D, be sure to have a look at my ebook user’s guides for each of these cameras:

Nikon D7000 Experience – The Still Photographer’s Guide to the Nikon D7000

Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to the Canon 60D

In these books I cover all of the menus and custom settings, along with their recommended settings for general photography and travel photography use. These kinds of settings are what make these cameras very powerful and precise tools that you can – and should – set up to work for the way you photograph. They are worth learning, understanding and making use of.

If you wish to compare the Canon 60D with the other Canon dSLRs, see this post Canon 5D vs. 7D vs. 60D vs. 550D/T2i and if you wish to compare the Nikon D7000 with the other Nikon dSLRs, see this post Nikon D7000 vs. D90 vs. D300s.

Canon Lens Price Increase Feb. 01

Word on the street is that there is going to be a 5% price increase for many Canon lenses and Speedlites starting February 1, 2011.  Here is one list showing potential increases ranging from 1% to 11%.

Canon lens price increase
(I always find it a bit silly and obsessive when photographers take photos of their own gear but, well, I needed an appropriate image!)

So make that decision now and buy that awesome new lens you’ve been desiring, before the prices go up!  Don’t know which lens(es) to buy?  Be sure to check out one of my most popular posts, Best Lenses for Humanitarian and Travel Photography to get the run down on several recommended lenses (which also applies to general and everyday photography).

If you decide to purchase from Amazon.com, I would appreciate it if you use my referral links on that post, or use this link to enter Amazon and make your purchases!  Amazon will give me a little something, which helps to support this blog.  Thanks!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Yourself or your Favorite Photographer

I suppose I should join the photo blogger holiday tradition of putting together a holiday and Christmas gift guide for photographers or those who are shopping for the photographer in their life! If you plan to purchase any of these items through Amazon.com, I you can use the product links I set up throughout this post, which will bring you right to that product’s page on Amazon. (Amazon will then reward me with a small referral reward for my effort, which will help support my blog. Thanks! If you are in the UK or wish to purchase from B+H, see the end of this post for link information.) And now on to the shopping:

The first thing you are going to need is the Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens Mug or Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens Mug to drink your hot cocoa or hazelnut coffee as you are unwrapping the rest of your gifts. These extremely popular and awesomely realistic mugs, complete with rubber ring grips, have a wide f/4 or f/2.8 opening which enables them to take in copious amounts of liquid just as your lens takes in all that light. The lens caps protects your beverage when not in use – no UV filter needed.
Canon lens mug 24-105mm f/4 Nikon Lens 24-70mm f/2.8 mug

The best gift of the season for most photographers would most likely be a brand new digital dSLR camera to upgrade what they are currently shooting with – one with a few more megapixes, improved autofocus system, faster continuous shooting speeds, and some new bells and whistles.

For many photographers this will be the new Canon EOS 60D body only or the Canon 60D with 18-135mm kit lens. The EOS 60D has continued Canon’s tradition of ease of use, great ergonomics and controls, fantastic image quality and low light performance, plus added a swiveling real LCD screen. And full HD video with more frame rate options than the competitors.
canon eos 60d
For Nikon shooters the best choice is the brand new, highly sought-after Nikon D7000. The Nikon D7000 body only or D7000 with 18-105mm lens cost a bit more than the 60D, but they provide the additional features to justify the higher cost: faster continuous shooting rate, partial magnesium body, more advanced and customizable autofocus system, and two SD memory card slots to save all those shots and HD movies. Either one makes a excellent camera that is capable of producing high quality images.
Nikon D7000
Of course you are going to want some new lenses to go with these cameras. Why not step up to the professional quality lenses to see that immediate improvement in image quality, color, contrast, as well as lens and autofocus performance? For Canon this means the L series of lenses. Expand your focal range or fill in some gaps with a high quality wide angle zoom, standard zoom, or telephoto zoom.

For wide angle zooms, look at either the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM or the EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

For standard zooms, which make for a great “walk-around” lens, consider the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM or EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM


And in the telephoto zoom range, look at the EF 70-200, f/2.8L II IS USM or the much less expensive and lighter EF 70-200, f/4L IS USM

One of these lenses in each pair will be both more expensive AND heavier, so be sure and handle them first before you decide on one.

This may also be a good time to start experimenting with prime lenses. Their extra wide maximum apertures will allow you to use them in much lower light, and will create great, smooth background blurring for awesome portraits. Depending on how closely you like to work to your subject, a few to consider are the Canon 35mm f/2, Canon 50mm f/1.8 II for about $100, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (a little more costly 50mm), or the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

An extremely fun lens to work with is the Canon EF 100mm f.2.8 Macro USM. It is incredibly sharp, has dramatically narrow depth of field at f/2.8, and works as a great portrait lens too. If you have never used a macro, go try one out and experience what makes them so cool. The 60D and D7000 images just above were taken with this lens, as well as the cool close up shots of the following post comparing the Nikon D7000 vs D90 vs D300s.

If you need just one versatile lens for everyday use or for travel, the three lenses to consider are the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM in the L series lenses, or else the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS or EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS.

Of course with any of these lenses, be sure to protect them with a clear or UV filter, preferably a high quality, coated B+W brand UV filter. You can read a lot more about these lenses and how to choose between them in my earlier post, Best Lenses for Everyday and Travel Photography.

Possibly the most comfortable way to carry your camera around all day, especially when using a larger, heavier lens, is the BlackRapid RS-7 Camera Strap. I highly recommended this strap, and I use the older RS-4 version daily. They have made some steady, welcomed improvements on them, including the curved shoulder pad of the RS-7, the quick release strap, and the improved connecting hardware. The base that screws into your camera is a lower profile, stronger single piece, and the securing screw surface on the clasp ring is smooth rather than knurled so that it will no longer scratch up your camera bottom. The strap is comfortable, easy to use, quick, strong, and rugged. I often use it in conjunction with wearing a backpack, and although the straps fight for space against each other on my shoulder, it still works fine. There is also now a version designed for women, the RS-W1 plus a new woman’s version in just black. They are also introducing 2 different pieces of hardware which will allow you to attach your camera to a tripod without removing the R-Strap’s base that is already attached to your camera.

You are going to need something to carry all this equipment around in. My current favorite is the Lowepro Compu Trekker AW backpack, which is now called the Lowepro ProRunner 350 AW. I use this as both my airline carry-on and my working bag during the day. The size works perfectly for both needs. It easily fits the airline carry-on size, including smaller international requirements in some regions, yet fits more that it would first appear. With careful configuration of the interior dividers, I can fit 2 Canon bodies, three lenses, a 580EX II flash, its diffuser, 2 external hard drives in cases, a couple memory card cases, and some filters. In the outside pocket, I have a couple battery chargers, extra batteries, medium Rocket Blower, miscellaneous cords, caps, and accessories. In the rear pocket designed for a laptop, I easily fit a 32″ 5 in 1 reflector. The pack is extremely comfortable, has tons of padding on the straps and the back so that its weight never bothers me and I don’t feel the reflector in my back. I often wear it for hours a day while working, and it is never a problem. The Pro Runner 450 AW might be a better carry on size so that you could carry more gear on the plane with you (if it fits the airline’s requirements) but it would be too big for daily use. There are also rolling versions of these, with an “x” in the name, thought the retractable handles and wheels add weight and size to the bags.


For adventure videographers, the item of the year is the GoPro HD HERO Cam, which you attach to your helmet, head, mountain bike, snowboard, skateboard, motorcycle, or whatever to shoot professional quality, point of view video. It comes in a variety of packages with different mounts. Film and share your adventures in full HD video! Click the image to see it on Amazon or click here to learn more and but direct at the GoPro website.


And to save all those images you are taking, memory cards will make great stocking stuffers. I like Sandisk Extreme 16 GB SD cards. If you still use CF cards, be sure to get the SanDisk Extreme 16GB CF cards. Use a Sandisk card reader to upload the images to your computer, rather than from the camera directly, in order to save the camera batteries. This Sandisk Card Reader is for the CF cards, and the 5 in 1 reads SD cards.

And for some basic stocking stuffers, here are a few simple but essential items for keeping your camera and lenses clean:

Giottos Medium Rocket Blower in the medium or large size. Always have it handy for getting dust off lenses in a hurry, because blowing on them – no matter how careful – leads to spittle on the lenses 5% of the time when it doesn’t matter and 95% of the time when you are in the most critical situations.

Pearstone LP-1 Lens Pen – Works great for cleaning off mysterious spots, smudges, and fingerprints that always appear on the lens (this is why I always use UV filters) as well as that a-fore-mentioned spittle. There is a retractable brush on one end and a cleaning head on the other end. Twist the cap to load the cleaning tip with the carbon based cleaning material, then remove the cap and use. Please read the instructions and visit the LensPen website to fully learn how to use it properly.

For more photography equipment and accessories like those above, be sure to see this previous post Equipment for Travel (and Everyday) Photography.

To edit and save all your photos, you are going to need some hard drive space and some software:

External Hard Drives – The Iomega Ego 1TB and a Lacie Rugged USB 1TB work great both at home and when traveling. There is a FireWire version of the Lacie Rugged 500GB also. Both are built solid and sturdy, and each fit perfectly in the Case Logic Portable Hard Drive Case made for these types of drives. Get the cases in different colors so you can quickly differentiate your different drives. For storage at home, consider a couple Western Digital My Book 1TB External Hard Drives.

Post-Production – After taking all these wonderful images with your new equipment, you are going to need to organize, edit, and work on all your photos. And for that, of course you are going to needAdobe Photoshop and/ or Adobe Lightroom 3. You can start off with the trial versions that you can download from the Adobe site, but sooner or later you are going to have to get the real versions. Use that student discount if you can!

Also be sure to consider all the great photo books to help you learn to use your equipment, improve you images and compositions, and be inspired. I’ve put together a post of several of my favorites that you can read here. The most recent addition to the bookshelf is:

The Photographer’s Mind: How to See and Shoot Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman
Every time I read Freeman’s The Photographer’s Eye, I lament, usually aloud, “why doesn’t he have more books like this?” Well, my wishes appear to have been answered. His next book The Photographer’s Mind has just come out.

And don’t forget the eBooks I put together for setting up and learning to use you Canon dSLR:

Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D – an eBook user’s guide and tutorial I wrote to help get you up and running with the 60D, quickly and competently. You can learn more about it at this post here. In addition to the PDF version, which also looks great on the iPad, it is also available in a Kindle edition on Amazon.com here and a Nook verion on BarnesandNoble.com Plus, for the Rebel T2i / EOS 550D, I have written T2i Experience – a similar guide for Canon T2i / 550D users.

Purchasing: If you plan to purchase cameras, photo equipment, books, or anything else from Amazon.com I encourage you to do so through any of the Amazon referral links I’ve set up. Just click on the equipment name or book title within this post and you will be taken to that Amazon page. Or click here to go directly to Amazon or click on the Amazon.com logo below, and start shopping. Thanks, I appreciate your support!

If you are in the UK, you can click here for the UK Amazon referral link.

For those interested in purchasing through B&H Photo, Adorama, or directly from Canon, I have set up affiliate links with them as well – find them on the left side of this page.

Happy Holidays, and I hope you get everything on your list!

Nikon D90 vs. D7000 vs. D300s

Comparing the Nikon D300s vs. D7000 vs. D90:

Since the Nikon D5100 was recently announced, I have updated this post to include all the current Nikon dSLR offerings. Read the updated post Nikon D5100 vs D7000 vs D90 vs D3100 here.

Just as Canon has made the decision between its consumer and pro-sumer dSLR cameras difficult due to the fact that they all share so many features, now so has Nikon with the release of the extremely admired new Nikon D7000. Although the D7000 sits above the Nikon D5100 and between the Nikon D90 and the Nikon D300s in price and features, its impressive new sensor, increase in megapixels and resolution, improved autofocus (AF) system, and construction and controls have made it a viable upgrade not only to the D90, but it some aspects it even challenges the more expensive, semi-professional D300s. Have its impressive specs created a lame duck of the D300s?

Nikon D7000 vs D300s vs D90 macro lens
photo by the author

As I always like to point out, when you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and speculate if you really need or will use them. The latest cameras almost always have more impressive features and specifications than the preceding models, but if your needs and shooting style don’t required those upgrades then it is possible that you can save some money and be completely happy with a less expensive or earlier model.

Sensor and Image Quality: The sensor of the D7000 is greatly improved over both the D90 and the D300s in a couple of ways. The D7000 has 16.2 megapixels, where the D90 and D300s each have 12.3 megapixels. This increase in resolution allows for more intrusive editing of the files in Photoshop, the ability to crop a picture and still obtain an image with high enough resolution for printing or display, and allows for larger prints. In addition, the improved sensor, manufactured by Sony, results in better performance at high ISO settings and in low light, better dynamic range, tonal range, and color sensitivity. Have a look at dxomark.com to compare the sensors – run your mouse along the red-to-green color bar to the right of the graphs to see how these differences affect images.

Exposure Metering: The 2016 pixel RGB metering sensor of the D7000 is also improved compared to the D90 and D300s, and will result in better TTL metering performance of straightforward and complex lighting scenes and situations. All three cameras offer matrix metering, center-weighted, and spot metering. With center-weighted metering, the D90 can make use of your choice of a 6, 8, or 10mm center circle for its weighting, while the D7000 and D300s add a 13mm circle option to that.

Autofocus: The autofocus system of the D90 has 11 autofocus (AF) points with the center one being the more accurate cross type. The D7000 boasts a significantly improved AF system of 39 AF points with 9 of them being cross type. The D300s offers 51 AF points with 15 being cross type. The AF systems of the D7000 and D300s allow for you to use these points in various ways including automatic AF point selection, single point AF, and dynamic area AF using your choice of 9 points, 21 points, all points, or all points with 3D-tracking. With the D7000 you can also use a custom function to limit the AF system to 11 points, which may be more manageable for someone who wishes to manually select their AF points.

Nikon D7000 vs D300s vs D90 macro lens
photo by the author

Body, Construction and Size/ Weight: The D90 and D7000 appear very similar at first glance, but the plastic body of the D90 has been upgraded to the partially magnesium alloy body (top and rear) of the D7000. This adds slightly to the weight: 1.5 lbs for the D90 vs. 1.7 lbs for the D7000. The D300s is slightly larger than the other 2 bodies, and weighs in at 2.2 lbs, with full magnesium construction. The sturdier construction of the D7000 vs. the D90, including its nicer rubber gripping surfaces, creates the impression and feel of a more professional body. The D7000 and D300s have weather sealing at the memory card and battery doors. All 3 cameras have a 3″ rear LCD screen as well as a top LCD panel. It is worth noting that the magnesium alloy body of the D7000 does not fully extend around the front, and thus the area surrounding the lens mount, which plays an important role in supporting a heavy lens, is plastic. See this image of a D7000 skeleton next to one of a 7D for details.

ISO: As mentioned in the Sensor/IQ section above, the high ISO performance of the D7000 is greatly improved over both the D90 and the D300s. The tests at dxomark.com tell this story, along with the fact that the native ISO range of the D7000 is 100-6400 expandable up to 25,600. The other two cameras have a native ISO range of 200-3200 expandable to 6400. This means that with the D7000 you can use higher ISO settings when required, such as in low light situations, and not have as much difficulty with digital noise, particularly in the shadow areas of images. Early reports indicate that the high ISO performance is excellent.

Controls: The controls of the D7000 are similar to the D90 with some changes including the addition of the shooting mode ring under the mode dial (to change from single shot to high speed continuous to self timer, etc.), and the live-view switch with movie record button inside it. The top AF button of the D90 is incorporated into the AF switch and button at the base of the lens on the D7000. The D300s has entirely different switches, dials, and buttons than the other two cameras, however this allows for quicker and easier access to more features on the D300s since the D300s has more controls and settings directly available on the body. The D7000 also offers more white balance options than the other two cameras, plus 2 customizable user settings (U1, U2) on the mode dial, and you can assign functions of your choice to buttons such as the Fn Button.

Wireless Flash: All three cameras allow for advanced wireless lighting using the built in flash with Nikon Speedlights.

Brief commercial interruption: I would like to mention that I have written an eBook user’s guide for the Nikon D7000. After spending so much time studying, experimenting, writing about, comparing, and discussing the camera, I decided to put some that knowledge into eBook form! The guide covers all the Shooting, Setup, and Playback Menu settings and Custom Setting options – with recommended settings – plus discussions of how, when, and why to use the cameras’ settings and features, (metering modes, aperture and shutter priority modes, advanced autofocus use, focus lock, exposure lock, and more) for everyday and travel use, to help you take better photos. Click HERE to learn more about it – Nikon D7000 Experience – and to view a preview, or purchase it!

Viewfinder: The D90 has a viewfinder with 96% coverage of the actual resulting image, while the D7000 and D300s have improved large, bright 100% viewfinder coverage.

Nikon D7000 vs. D90 vs. D300s macro lens
photo by the author

Processor: The D90 and D300s have the Nikon Expeed Processor, while the D7000 has the improved Expeed II processor. This allows for more video options including full 1080p HD at 24fps, and overall faster processing of stills and video files.

Continuous Shooting Speed: The D90 can shoot 4.5 frames per second (fps) up to 100 images, the D7000 shoots 6 fps up to 100 shots, and the D300s shoots 7 fps – or 8fps with the battery grip. If you often capture action and really need the higher frame rate, such as for sports or wildlife shooting, you are going to have to seriously consider the D300s over the D7000. Otherwise, 7 or 8 fps is often complete overkill in typical real-life use.

Memory Card: The D90 uses a single SD memory card. The D7000 accepts 2 SD cards, where the second card can be used in a variety of ways: overflow, JPEG on one / RAW on the other, or mirrored backup of the first card. The D300s uses 1 CF card and 1 SD card, which also can be configured in a variety of ways. The second card can come in handy as well if one is shooting a lot of video files.

Battery: The D7000 uses the new, higher capacity EN-EL15 battery, which will last for over 1000 shots, and accepts the optional MB-D11 battery pack/ vertical grip which is constructed of magnesium alloy. The D300s uses the EN-EL3e battery and the optional MB-D10 battery pack/ vertical grip. The D90 also uses the EN-EL3e battery and its optional battery pack/ vertical grip is the MB-D80.

Full HD video: The D90 and D300s offer 720p video at 24 fps, with a 5 minute shooting time. The D7000 improves this tremendously with full 1080p HD video at 24 fps for up to 20 minutes with full-time continuous autofocus. Plus it offers 720p at 30, 24, and 25 fps.

Price: See below

Shooting Experience: The D7000 feels and performs great. After spending some time with the D7000, and getting over all its quirky differences vs. Canons – as far as menus, custom functions, and buttons/ controls – I’m really beginning to become attached to it. I actually prefer some of the controls it provides vs. the Canons plus some of the options it provides, such as the optional grid in the viewfinder, the ability to limit the AF points to 11 including the 9 cross type points – for quicker manual selection, the ability to change the continuous low shooting speed between 1 to 5 shots (I complained over a year ago that the 7D should have had that feature as its 8 fps is usually overkill for me), and the versatility to change the size of the central spot size for center weighted metering. Also, thank goodness the D7000 includes the ability to reverse the + and – directions of exposure compensation, because the Nikon default is just plain wrong!

So as you can see, the D7000 truly is an improvement over the D90 in every way, and an improvement over the D300s in many ways. Unless you have a couple very specific needs that only the D300s can accommodate – such as faster continuous shooting speeds, direct access to certain controls and settings, and a full magnesium alloy body – then it may be difficult to justify the older D300s over the new D7000.

Purchasing these cameras: If you plan to buy any of these cameras, accessories, or anything else through Amazon.com or Amazon.com UK, I would appreciate it if you use my referral links. Your price will be the same, and they will give me a little something for referring you, which will help support my blog. Thanks! In the USA, use the links throughout this post or use this referral link to Amazon. And for those of you across the pond, click here for my referral link to Amazon UK. If you are in another country, click on one of my Amazon links, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon. Thank you for supporting my efforts!

See and buy the Nikon D7000 – Body Only on Amazon $1199

See and buy the Nikon D7000 and 18-105mm Lens on Amazon $1499

See and buy the D90 on Amazon $739 body only or $1049 with 18-105mm lens

See and buy the D300s on Amazon $1449 body only

Purchasing from the UK? Use my Amazon UK referral link here. If you are in another country, click on an Amazon link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon. If you wish to purchase from B+H Photo please click the link below. Thanks!

Accessories and Books: Now that you are on your way to deciding on a camera, you should also start looking into photography gear, accessories, and books. Check out these links, dSLR Photography Gear, Accessories, and Books, which discusses essential gear plus accessories specific to Nikon cameras; Equipment for Travel Photography, which discusses useful and practical photo accessories and equipment for both everyday and travel photography.

DPReview has excellent, very thorough reviews of all of these cameras, including one just published for the D7000.

What Works for You

When one is getting more and more into photography, learning about different techniques and equipment, they may start to think – or get the impression from reading various books and blogs – that there is the “right way” or the right piece of equipment to use to achieve the best images.   For example there are dozens of flash modifiers and diffusers available, and you might start to think that one of them works the best, one of them is the one that the pros use, if you could only find the right information and figure out which one it is.  But the truth is, when it comes to photography, there is sometimes no one right way to do something.  You just have to look at all the options, experiment, analyze how you work and your resulting images, and then figure out what is going to work best for you.

Delilah and the spring

I recently got sucked into a discussion on a forum about whether or not to use a UV protective filter on your lenses.  I contend that it is always a good idea to use one.  But that is because I feel it is a wise thing to do for the way I work and photograph.  It may not be necessary for others who work differently.  I work out in the field traveling, or out-and-about in a city.  I take off my lens cap when I start working for the day and put it aside until the end of the day.  My camera is slung over my shoulder and is exposed to being banged around, touched by kid’s fingers, and to dust and mystery spots that need to be quickly cleaned off.  I don’t mind quickly wiping some dust off the front of my filter with my shirt, a blast of air with the Rocket Blower, or a quick brush and clean with the LensPen, but I would not want to do that so quickly and often with the actual lens and risk scratching it.  I feel that replacing a $100 filter is a better idea than risking a several hundred dollar repair with 4 weeks down time on a lens.

Other people walk around, carefully carrying their camera in a case between shots, or replacing the lens cap after each shot or between situations.  Or perhaps they take out their camera, put it on a tripod, and take landscape shots.  They may not need a protective filter in those uses, and may not wish to risk any minor degradation in image quality.  (If you get a coated or multi-coated UV filter like a B+W brand one, your loss of image quality will be less-than-negligible.  If you use a cheaper Tiffen filter, you risk having some issues.)  If the risk of damage to their lens is small, then it works for them not to use a filter.  However, I was in a camera store yesterday, and a woman was replacing her UV filter because her camera dropped and the filter was shattered.  The filter’s ring was dented, but there was no damage to the lens at all.  She did not intend to drop her camera – that was not part of the way she worked – but it happened.  A few dollars for a new filter saved her hundreds of dollars in repairs and the loss of her lens over the holidays.

Before you invest in various accessories that sound like they might improve your images or assist you in how you work, put some thought into it first.  If they are a hassle to use or don’t fit into your process, you may end up putting them aside and never really using them.  Analyze your needs first and then find a product that matches them.  You may read about someone touting a white balance device that seems like it almost magically improves all their photos.  You want better photos, so why not give it a try?  But have you really come across the need for it?  Are you prepared to custom set your white balance every time you enter a new lighting situation?  Or do you typically work outside in daylight or inside in standard incandescent light and really don’t need to set a custom white balance at all?

So, all that being said, there are several accessories I find helpful, or even essential – at least for the way I work!  I talk about them in this previous post, Equipment for Travel (and Everyday) Photography.

Canon 50D vs. 60D

I know a lot of readers are interested in a review comparing the Canon 60D vs. 50D. The EOS 60D was recently released, and has caused a lot of discussion as to how it fits into the Canon xxD lineup and progression. I wrote a bit about this comparison in a previous post comparing several of the dSLR cameras in the current Canon line-up (Canon 5D vs 7D vs 60D vs 600D/ T3i and 550D / T2i), but I will go into a bit more detail about how to choose specifically between the 60D and the 50D.

As I always like to point out, when you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and speculate if you really need or will use them.

Canon 60D vs Canon 50D

Canon EOS 60D vs. 50D: The Canon 60D sort of replaces the 50D, so I suppose people are trying to determine if they should get the latest camera (60D), or if they can save a little bit of money and go with the older model (50D), and then maybe use the leftover savings to invest in nice lenses. The 50D is no longer being manufactured, and new stock of them will only be around until they sell out. Don’t expect the price of the 50D to suddenly drop – typically, Canon doesn’t need to lower the price of the older model because they control their manufacturing and the timing of the replacement process very well.

Unfortunately with digital cameras, they are all somewhat disposable. Yes, even $1000 cameras. Within 5 years or less, your new camera will have become “old,” outdated equipment. So the problem with the 2 year old 50D is that it is already approaching that point now. (Actually, in many ways it is 3.5 year old technology, since it shares most every feature of the 40D, including the autofocus system, but with a slightly higher megapixel count.) If you start with one now, in 4 more years its technology will be absolutely archaic! With digital SLRs, I advise buying a recent model, at whatever price range you can currently afford. Of course as with everything in digital photography, this is relative. The 50D is still an excellent camera. The 40D is still an excellent camera. And I just recently went out with a 5 year old 5D Mk I and was thoroughly wowed at how awesome it still is. But camera companies have to keep coming out with new models every 12-18 months because that is what they do. The trouble comes in 2-3 years when your 50D is still perfectly good and still pretty new to you, but it can no longer compete with the latest offerings in terms of megapixels, ISO performance, and autofocus systems. Maybe you will be fine with that and perhaps the 50D will still be serving your needs. But maybe you will have advanced as a photographer and start feeling left behind, wishing you had a more current model. You are going to have to consider that now.

As far as my experience with these cameras, I use a 50D weekly, and on professional assignments. It has the megapixel count and the features I need and which make it a powerful, practical, and useful camera. I just spent several weeks writing an eBook user’s guide for the 60D, Your World 60D, so I also know that camera inside and out. I said in a previous post,

Since the Canon 60D basically replaces the Canon 50D (well, replacement isn’t exactly the right word because the 60D doesn’t really follow the 20D to 50D progression of improvements…), the 60D or 50D decision is an easy one. The 50D shouldn’t really be considered anymore. While the Canon 50D does hold a couple interesting advantages over the 60D (faster FPS in continuous mode, stronger construction, more comprehensive buttons and controls, complete lack of fun filters like “grainy black and white”), the sensor and exposure metering system have been greatly improved in all the newer cameras (7D or 60D or 500D/ T2i) and I feel these features, along with the increase in mega pixels, outweigh any other 50D advantages. I would definitely choose a 60D instead of a 50D. This is coming from experience, as I use a 50D professionally and on a daily basis. Or choose a 7D instead of a 50D if your needs require it and budget allows it.

I realize this may not be a convincing argument for some, and that they are still interested in possibly choosing the 50D. So here is a more in depth, side by side comparison:

Sensor and Image Quality: The 50D has 15 megapixels and the 60D has 18 MP. At the time that the 50D came out, a lot of people were disappointed with the image quality and claimed that they crammed too many megapixels on the 50D sensor and that its image quality and sharpness suffered, especially compared to the 40D. This may be most noticeable in a head to head comparison of images, but I haven’t had an issue with this. You need to look at a site like dxomark.com to see actual lab comparisons. It looks like they are incredibly similar, with the 60D having slightly better high ISO performance. Both cameras are capable of taking professional quality images.

Exposure Metering: This is where the big advantage of the 60D lies. The 50D has a 35-zone system and the 60D has the latest, more precise 63-zone exposure metering system. They both have 4 metering modes: evaluative, partial, spot, and center weighted. I have found that the 50D overexposes by about 1/3 stop with evaluative metering, so I always had the exposure compensation on -1/3. However, I switched to center weighted metering, and the exposures have generally been fine. From extensive experience with the 7D, which shares the same metering system as the 60D, I feel the new 63-zone system is noticeably superior and determines proper exposure 99% of the time, even in difficult and dramatic lighting situations like back-lit scenes. The 50D does not perform quite that well, and requires occasional use of exposure compensation and switching of metering modes for better exposures.

Autofocus: The 50D and the 60D share the same autofocus system, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. The 9 AF points of the are all accurate cross-type. This autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes (not the same as spot metering mode) – plus the custom settings of the 7D which will allow one to customize how the AF system works. If you are an avid action, sports, or wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, you should consider the 7D. The next, future camera in the 60D price range will inevitably incorporate a better autofocus system, as this 9 point AF system has become dated.

Construction: The 60D is slightly smaller and lighter than the 50D, in part because its construction is aluminum and polycarbonate rather than the magnesium alloy of the 50D. They both have some amount of weather sealing, for example in the battery and memory card doors. For most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of either of these cameras is far more than good enough, strong enough, and durable enough.

ISO: The 60D looks to have slightly better performance with high ISO settings. Again, have a look at dxomark.com to see actual lab comparisons.

Controls:
As with construction, the buttons and controls vary slightly with these cameras. The 50D has the thumb joystick, called the Multi-controller, used to select focus points and other things. With the 60D this control has been moved to the center of the Quick Control Dial on the back. Since I am so used to the joystick of the 50D and the 7D, I find the new 60D control a bit more cumbersome, and raised slightly too high in relation to the surrounding dial. However, it is easier to select the diagonals (corner AF points) with the 60D controller than with the 50D controller, and I have missed many shots with the 50D due to this difficulty. It may be just fine once one gets accustomed to it. The 60D also assigns only one setting to each of the top buttons and I wish they had retained the 2 settings of the 50D. However, the Q Button and Menu of the 60D make it easy to choose any setting. The 60D also has the locking Mode Dial, which prevents it from moving inadvertently. I think this is a great addition. However, it requires 2 handed operation or careful one hand coordination to change it, which has frustrated some.

Menus and Custom Functions: These allow for greater control over customizing how the camera functions. These settings on the 50D and 60D are almost the same except that the 60D also has the additional Movie Mode menu settings. Plus the 60D has the in-camera filters (grainy b+w, toy camera, etc) and processing features (RAW to JPEG, resizing, etc). However, these are all a bit gimmicky and these types of operations can be more easily done in Photoshop and in batches rather than one image at a time in the camera. Since many of the Menu and Custom Function settings can be complicated and confusing, especially to a new dSLR user, my eBook on the 60D, Your World 60D covers all of these options along with my recommended settings to get you up and running quickly!

Wireless Flash: Like the 7D, the 60D incorporates wireless flash triggering, which the 50D does not have. It allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes at different output levels.

Articulating LCD Screen: The big new feature of the 60D that no other current Canon dSLR has is the articulating rear LCD screen. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. Some users will be able to avoid buying an expensive angle finder because of this feature. There is also an electronic level in the 60D, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.

Viewfinder: The 60D has a large, bright viewfinder with 96% coverage of the actual resulting image, a tiny bit better than the 95% of the 50D.

Processor:
The 60D shares the same Digic 4 processor as the 50D.

Continuous Shooting Speed: The 50D can shoot 6.3 consecutive frames per second (fps) and the 60D shoots a slightly slower 5.3 fps in high speed continuous mode. They both also offer 3 fps continuous shooting mode. Again, if you often capture action and really need the higher frame rate, you are going to have to consider the 50D or the 7D, with its blazing 8 fps, which is actually overkill in typical real-life use.

Memory Card: The 60D uses the SD memory card like the 550D/T2i, not the CF card of the 7D and 50D.

Battery: The 60D uses the LP-E6 battery like the 7D and 5D, which is a nice feature as this battery can often last through a full day of shooting or longer. The 50D uses a slightly smaller battery with less capacity. There is also a battery grip available for the 60D, the BG-E9 which holds your choice of either 2 LP-E6 batteries or 6 AA batteries, to lengthen your shooting time and give you an easier to handle camera if you often switch between shooting horizontal and vertical shots..

Size and Weight:
The 50D is slightly larger and heavier than the 60D. Both are a comfortable size and weight, but you should check them out in person to see which feels better for you.

AF Microadjustment:
The 50D has this feature, the 60D does not. Many are disappointed that the 60D does not include the ability to micro-adjust the focus so that each lens is completely accurate. However, if you have a focus issue, send your camera and/ or lenses to Canon while under warranty and ask them to calibrate them.

Full HD video: Of course the 60D offers this capability, while the 50D does not.

Flash Sync: A Note to Strobists -the 60D does not have a PC sync flash socket to plug in PC sync cords. The 50D has this.

In conclusion, I would like to mention again that I have written an eBook user’s guide for the Canon EOS 60D (and one for the Canon Rebel T2i and Rebel T3i). After spending so much time studying, experimenting, writing about, comparing, and discussing these cameras, I decided to put some that knowledge into eBook form! Each of these user’s guides cover all the Menu settings, Movie Mode menus, and Custom Function settings – with recommended settings – plus discussions of how, when, and why to use the cameras’ settings and features, (metering modes, aperture and shutter priority modes, advanced autofocus use, and more) for everyday and travel use, to help you take better photos – Your World 60D, T2i Experience, and Canon T3i Experience. Learn more about the eBooks by clicking on their titles. As a Winter special, both books are on sale!

*****

Purchasing the 60D: If you plan to buy the Canon 60D or any of these cameras through Amazon.com, I would appreciate it if you use this referral link to Amazon or the camera links just below. Your price will be the same, and they will give me a little something for referring you, which will help support my blog. Thanks!  If you are purchasing from Amazon UK or wish to purchase from B+H Photo, please see just below for that info.

See the 50D on Amazon.
See the 60D on Amazon.
See the 7D on Amazon.

Thanks, I appreciate your support!

If you are in the UK, you can click here for the UK Amazon referral link. If you are in another country, click on one of my Amazon links, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon.

For those interested in purchasing from B&H Photo, Adorama, or direct from Canon, please click on their logos on the Gear page. Thanks!

Accessories and Books: Now that you are on your way to deciding on a camera, you should also start looking into photography gear, accessories, and books. Check out this link, Equipment for Travel Photography, which discusses useful and practical photo accessories and equipment for both everyday and travel photography. This post lists and describes Essential Books for Digital Photography, including the best user’s guides for each of these cameras.

*****

DPReview has an excellent, very thorough review of the 60D. They concluded that “for the Rebel upgrader it’s a better option than a second-hand 40D or 50D in almost every respect.” They indicate that for the 30D, 40D or 50D “upgrader,” the Canon 7D is the way to go.

As I said above, when you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around. Here is a post I wrote which discusses this, titled How to Choose a New dSLR Camera.

Was this post helpful?  Please let others know about it by clicking the Facebook or Twitter sharing buttons below, linking to it from your blog or website, or mentioning it on a forum.  Thanks!

The Difference Between f/4 vs. f/2.8

This weekend I followed my own advice, and rented a lens to try out before deciding whether or not to buy it. As I suggest in my post Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Kit Lens, if you are considering purchasing an expensive lens or want to compare a couple similar lenses to decide which one to go with, rent one or both of them for a day or a weekend, and see how you like using them. Check with camera stores near you, or look into online lens rental sites that mail the lens to you, like LensRentals.com. I went to Calumet to rent, since there is a store near me and it’s pretty cheap for the weekend rate.

(click on any product links in the text to view the lenses on Amazon.com)

I rented the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L since I’m curious how it compares to the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS. While they have a similar focal-length range and can each serve as a great walk-around lens for everyday use, they have some differences that make it difficult to choose between the two. The 24-70mm is larger, significantly heavier (2.1 lbs. vs. 1.48 lbs.) and extends externally as you zoom. The 24-105mm has an internal zoom mechanism, and also has image stabilization (IS). But a major difference is the maximum aperture: f/2.8 vs. f/4.

side by side bokeh
click here to view these images larger on Flickr – from the garden at the Longfellow House, Cambridge, MA

The wider maximum aperture of the 24-70mm makes it a “faster” lens, allowing it to be used in lower light, although the IS of the 24-105mm can make up for that shortcoming. Visually, the wider maximum aperture allows for shallower depth of field (dof) which provides more dramatically blurred backgrounds, or bokeh. While I have resisted using the term bokeh in my writing, I can’t really avoid it in this discussion because the difference between f/4 vs. f/2.8 is all in the bokeh. The above image demonstrates what that means. It refers to the “circles of confusion” of the out-of-focus areas of an image – their size, shape, edges, and quality. Both of the images are taken with the 24-70mm lens – at f/4 on the left, and f/2.8 on the right. You can see that while they both demonstrate dramatically shallow depth of field and background blurring, the image taken with the aperture set at f/2.8 shows a smoother blend of the background colors and contrasts. The images are from the garden of the Longfellow House in Cambridge, MA.

When I got my Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens, I chose the f/4 version rather than the f/2.8 IS version because it was smaller and significantly lighter, and I knew I would not dread using it on a long day of shooting as I feared I would with the 3.24 pound f/2.8 IS version. Three and a quarter pounds! (According to the Canon website. I’m not sure if that is right – Amazon says it is 2.9 lbs.) Anyway, that kind of weight might be an important consideration for someone traveling with a lens or using it for consecutive full days of shooting. I know it is a consideration for me. So, even though I got the f/4, I’ve wondered what I have been missing image-wise by not being able to open up to f/2.8. So I took these two images with the 24-70mm to see the difference, and it is more considerable than I had thought it would be.

I was very pleased with the 24-70mm. I had been concerned that I would want more range on the telephoto end, and I did end up with a lot of images taken at the 70mm focal length, but I didn’t usually feel like I needed or wanted to zoom in any closer. It really is a great range for everyday use. It is a big lens, but other than the weight, it feels great and is comfortable to use. You can’t deny its image quality, the bokeh is wonderful, but the weight is still a consideration and may dissuade me in the end.

Here is a great site at The-Digital-Picture.com to compare lenses, side by side. You can compare test images taken at various focal lengths and apertures. I will leave all the pixel peeping and debating of the merits of the 24-70mm vs. the 24-105mm to the forums, and just share a few photos I took with the 24-70mm at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the adjoining Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. All the images are hand-held, without flash, in very low lighting. The leaves and flowers in the images below are from the world renowned glass flower collection. Yes, they are made entirely of glass! Even those fall leaves. It is mind boggling, especially when viewing them in person.

If you are considering buying any of these lenses from Amazon.com, please use the links above, and I will get a little something for referring you. Or use this link to go directly to Amazon.com. I appreciate your support!

HMNH cat

HMNH bird-hawk

HMNH bird-dove

HMNH autumn leaves
glass leaves above, glass flowers below. yes 100% made of glass!
HMNH purple flowers

HMNH snake

HMNH fish fossil

HMNH Peru map

HMNH Mayan stones

HMNH Indian diorama

HMNH Indian diorama 2

Nikon D7000 vs. Canon 60D

(Sorry for the wrong link to the Essential Digital Photo Books – you can find that list HERE:
http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/10/06/essential-digital-photography-books/)

Just when you thought it was difficult to choose between the latest offerings from Canon – the 7D vs 60D vs. T3i / 600D – Nikon comes out with the D7000! The Nikon D7000 is a competitor to both the Canon 60D and some say to the 7D, and I guess it is up to the forums and early users to really figure out where it stands. (See the comparison of the Canon dSLR line-up – 7D, 60D, T2i here and the comparison of the Nikon dSLR line-up – D7000, D90, D300s – in this post.)

I spent a couple months writing eBook user’s guides to both the Canon 60D (Your World 60D) and the Nikon D7000 (Nikon D7000 Experience), so I’ve spent considerable time with each of these cameras and know their features and controls inside and out. Check out these ebook guides to learn more about using and photographing with these cameras including all of their Menu settings and Custom Function settings (with recommended settings) plus discussions of how, when, and why to use the cameras’ settings and features, (metering modes, aperture and shutter priority modes, advanced autofocus use, focus lock, exposure lock, and more) for everyday and travel use, to help you take better photos.

Canon 60D vs Nikon D7000
Image of a Canon 60D taken with a Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 – by the author

Comparing their features on paper, the Canon 60D and the Nikon D7000 are incredibly similar. One model is slightly better in one area, and the other model wins out in another area. With both models, it appears that you pretty much get what you pay for. Pay a couple hundred dollars more for the D7000, and you get a camera that rewards you for that extra cost.

Here is how the Canon 60D and the Nikon D7000 compare:

Canon 60D: (see it on Amazon)
18 megapixels
ISO 100-6400 expanded to 12800
HD Video with more fps options
3″ Articulating rear LCD screen
9 point autofocus system – all cross type
5.3 frames per second maximum burst rate
construction: aluminum chassis with polycarbonate body
single SD card
wireless flash triggering
96% viewfinder
size – slightly bigger but lighter
$1099

Nikon D7000: (see it on Amazon)
16.2 megapixels
ISO 100-6400 expanded to 25600
HD Video with full time autofocus
3″ fixed rear LCD screen
39 point autofocus system – with 9 cross type
6 frames per second maximum burst rate
construction: magnesium chassis with partial magnesium alloy body
dual SD cards
wireless flash triggering
100% viewfinder
size – slightly smaller but heavier
$1199

Here is a more in-depth exploration of these features:

Megapixels: Canon’s 18MP is more than the Nikon’s 16MP, which gives you slightly more cropping and enlarging ability with the 60D. To see how this affects images quality, you are going to have to look at the tests at dxomark.com. ISO performance is very similar, with the D7000 having a slight edge. And as far as color sensitivity, dynamic range, and tonal range, the sensor of the D7000 performs noticeable better. But, be aware that dxomark tests the sensors, but not in conjunction with the camera’s processor, so it is not a complete indication on the final image. A camera processes the images captured by the sensor, even when shooting in RAW, to produce optimal image quality – such as applying a bit of noise reduction, maybe tweeking the color. So it is likely that any “shortcomings” of a particular model’s sensor are addressed by that camera’s processor.

Nikon D7000 vs Canon 60D
Image of a Nikon D7000 taken with a Canon 60D and EF 100m f/2.8 Macro lens – by the author

ISO: You typically shouldn’t be shooting over 1600, maybe 3200 if absolutely necessary, so this is no big deal to most users. But since the megapixel race is over, ISO has become the current benchmark for comparison. It gives the pixel peepers and forum folks something to argue about. Again, check out the tests at dxomark.com to see that they show pretty similar ISO performance, with the D7000 slightly better. DPReview says the D7000 is arguably the best performing sensor for high ISO/ low noise in the consumer class (along with the Sony A55 since they have the same sensor. Did you know that little nugget? Sony manufactures sensors used by numerous other camera ).

HD Video: Canon offers 60fps which I understand is very important to videographers, and Nikon doesn’t shoot 30fps or 25fps at 1080p as Canon does. Nikon offers full time autofocus which may be slow and cumbersome and thus isn’t a big deal to videographers. We will have to see how well that works – early reports say not so great.

LCD screen: the articulating screen of the 60D could come in handy for several types of shooters. There are many times I could have benefited from a rotating screen such as when I was on my belly in wet grass trying to crane my neck to see through my viewfinder and capture a subject and her active dogs from grass level.

Auto focus system: This is a difficult comparison. The 39 AF point system of the Nikon offers both many more AF points plus customization capabilities for how it operates and tracks moving objects that rival the 7D (see Custom Functions/Custom Settings section below). However, only 9 of those points are the more accurate cross type, while all 9 points of the 60D are cross type. The 39 point system of the Nikon might be better for situations where you let the camera choose the AF points to track motion, such as sports, action, and wildlife. But you should often otherwise be choosing the AF point yourself. So with the Nikon, you may want to limit selection to 11 points (Custom Setting a6). If you want a Canon body with a more advanced AF system than the 9 points and basic tracking of the 60D, and overall more accurate than the D7000, have a look at the incredibly advanced and customizable AF system of the 7D with 19 AF points, all cross type.

Maximum burst rate: Close, but Nikon wins this one by a hair. Either rate should be fast enough for most photographer’s needs. The Nikon has the nice feature of being able to change the low speed continuous rate from between 1 to 5 fps. I had previously complained that the 7D should have had this feature since its 8 fps is often overkill. The 5.3 fps of the 60D is great, so it doesn’t really require the ability to change the fps beyond the available 3 or 5.3. Also note that the Canon will allow a continuous burst rate of 58 continuous photos in highest quality JPEG and 16 in highest quality RAW, while the Nikon is limited to a much lower 31 JPEG and 10 RAW before its buffer fills.

Construction: Nikon wins this one, but Canon saves weight with its construction. And I assure you both are more than strong enough for everyday, even abusive use. That being said, the partial metal body (magnesium allow on top and rear) and rubber grip material of the Nikon has a nicer feel and is a great detail that the 60D should have had. I think it is one of the main reasons for the increased price of the D7000 over the 60D. It is worth noting that the magnesium alloy body of the D7000 does not fully extend around the front, and thus the area surrounding the lens mount, which plays quite an important role in supporting a large, heavy lens, is plastic. See this image of a D7000 skeleton next to one of a 7D for details. Kind of an ugly sight for those trying to compare the D7000 to the 7D. Important details like this demonstrate why, in the end, the D7000 just ain’t no 7D competitor. Sorry, the name of this post will just have to remain Canon 60D vs. Nikon D7000!

SD Memory cards: I’m not sure the appeal of 2 memory cards in the Nikon, and why that might be better than just using one larger capacity card? Is it really useful or just a bell/ whistle? You can use the two cards of the D7000 in four ways: overflow, JPEG / RAW, backup, or stills / movies, so maybe that is kind of cool, but I actually prefer to be dealing with just one card at a time at this point.

Wireless, remote flash triggering: A super-cool feature available on both cameras using the built in flash to trigger off camera flashes.

Viewfinder: Nikon wins this one with slightly bigger size, though I don’t know how the actual brightness and view compares. It is a shame the 60D viewfinder view is not 99% or 100% of the actual resulting image like the Nikon. In reality, you won’t notice any shortcomings with either the 60D or the D7000 viewfinder once you start using it. The D7000 includes the option of displaying the grid in the viewfinder, which the 7D also has, and I wish the 60D did as well.

Size and Weight: Not a major difference, you will have to see how they feel in your hands.

Metering: They each have different metering systems, so it is difficult to compare. I’m sure they will both perform quite well. In addition to Evaluative/Matrix and Spot in both of them, the Canon has Center-Weighted and Partial, while the Nikon doesn’t have Partial but has the ability to change the size of the center area in Center-Weighted mode, which sounds pretty cool but may be more of a “set it once to your preference and forget it” thing. Depends on how quick and easy it is to access it in the menus, on the fly.

Processor: This is a pretty important component in the comparison and can really help resolve if the D7000 sits closer to the 7D or the 60D. I don’t yet know enough about the performance of Canon’s Digic IV vs. Nikon’s Expeed II to comment on this. The larger maximum burst buffer of the 60D may point to a more powerful processor. However the dual Digic IV processors of the 7D are able to handle much longer bursts of many more images than the single processor of the D7000 (and the 60D) – again, another very important reason the D7000 is not actually head to head with the 7D.

Custom Functions/ Custom Settings: Despite what I say below in the Controls and Menu section, the Custom Settings of the D7000 are far more sophisticated than those of the 60D, and in that respect make it much more of a contender with the Canon 7D. With the D7000, you can change the size of the center area metered in Center Weighted Metering Mode (not possible on 60D or 7D), you can change the frame rate of Continuous Low Speed between 1 and 5 frames per second (not possible on 60D or 7D), you can give buttons a “hold” feature or not, where you press and release instead of having to hold it down when turning another dial to dial-in a setting (“hold” means the camera does the holding, not you). With the D7000 you can set the autofocus tracking to be nearly as sophisticated as the 7D in terms of how to react to objects that come between you and your intended subject, and also in setting focus priority or release priority (take the picture only when focus is attained or take it immediately even without necessarily attaining focus). You can limit the number of AF points to 11 if you don’t wish to deal will all 39, you can fine-tune focus adjustment for different lenses like the 7D AF microadjustment (not possible on the 60D), plus you can fine-tune exposure adjustment for each individual exposure mode (to set a baseline compensation behind the scenes and not have to use exposure compensation every time, if you feel one of those modes is consistently over- or under-exposing). You can fine-tune the white balance for many more standard fluorescent options without having to have a Kelvin cheat sheet, as you might need to set the same temperature settings on a Canon. All very impressive, and all features that the 60D and certainly the 7D should have but don’t. Also, while I like the two rear thumb buttons of the 60D 7D for exposure and focus lock, you can set the AE-L/AF-L and Fn buttons (and preview button) of the D7000 to take on similar operations.

Controls and Menus: As a Canon user, I find the controls and menus of the Canons to be incredibly practical and intuitive. As a photography instructor, I try to be open-minded about the Nikon controls, notations, and menus, but continue to find them incredibly irritating, nonsensical, and not nearly as intuitive and user-friendly as Canons. I also think that the consistency of the controls and menus across the Canon line, from the 550D to the 5D MkII points to intelligent and thoughtful design. You can pick up any model and go to work, then quickly and intuitively change the ISO setting or metering mode. On the Canons, the controls are not scatted about in seemingly random places that change dramatically from model to model. Please don’t think I’m just a Canon guy on a rant here. Have a look at the controls on the top, back, and front of the D300s vs. the D7000 – essential controls are completely different. Why is that? Functions that are switches at the rear of one are a button at the top of the other, or marked dial switches on the rear become an unlabeled button on the front. The standard dSLR mode dial completely disappears and becomes a trio of buttons on one Nikon but not the other? I challenge you to pick up a D7000 and change the AF area mode to single point AF. The first time I picked it up I searched the camera’s buttons, switches, and menus for 15 minutes and never found it.  I handed it to my camera store co-worker and he failed as well! (Spoiler alert! It is done with the unmarked button located inside the Auto/ Manual focus switch near the lens mount in conjunction with a command dial.) Wait, so a switch that is C/S/M (continuous/ single/ manual) on one Nikon becomes AF/M (autofocus/ manual) on the other? So the same switch now partially controls a different function? Where are AF-C and AF-S (auto-focus continuous/ single modes) found now? Oh, who knows! (Actually, the same place as above, with the unmarked button and the other command dial.) As you can see, this is maddening to a photography instructor or salesperson who must deal with a number of different models and who is attempting to quickly demonstrate these very functions. I’m not even going to start on my feeling for Nikon menus!

Keep in mind, this all doesn’t really matter if you buy and use one of these cameras- you get that one and learn its controls. But I feel it does point to an intelligent consistency on Canon’s part, and as an architect in an earlier life, I highly appreciate good design and intuitive wayfinding. And also many photographers work with two bodies which are often different models of the same brand, and the ability to switch between a Canon 50D and a 5D Mk II without skipping a beat is how it should be. You can actually forget which one you have in your hands and it doesn’t matter. But once you do learn all the controls on the body of the D7000, you have an incredible amount of control at your fingertips.

edit:  After much more experience with various Nikon cameras, I no longer have any issues with their menus – once you get used to the Canon or the Nikon menu system it really is no big deal.  I still do think that the ability to seamlessly go from a 60D or 7D to a 5D Mk II with all the controls being the much the same is awesome (with the exception of the thumb multi-controller now becoming a pad on the 60D) and many photographers working with two bodies do this often – as opposed to going from a D90 or D7000 to a D300s, where there are some dramatic differences (which I do understand make sense in relation to the capability of the bodies, yet must aggravate those photographers working with two of these different bodies…).

Price: The Nikon is $100 to $200 more than the 60D (depending on current specials), and people are saying it is a cheaper competitor to the 7D. But if you study them closely, you can see that it does actually sit between the two. While the D7000 has an advanced AF system and tremendous customizing capabilities, details like the partial vs. full magnesium body construction and the single vs. dual processors of the D7000 vs 7D demonstrate why they are not exactly head to head competitors. The D7000 definitely offers at least $200 of improvements over the 60D, if not more, and is being very well received among photo enthusiasts just as the Canon 7D was last year – you pay a bit more and you get more features. Oddly, DPReview has suggested that the pro-sumer D7000 is a viable upgrade to the Nikon D300s, a higher end, more expensive semi-pro camera. So this makes the decision a bit more complicated for the Nikon D7000 vs. D300s comparison.

Quality Control: There have been numerous reports on the Internet of faulty D7000 bodies. The issues are mainly the bad pixel problem and the front/ back focusing issue. While this type of reaction seems to occur every time any new camera model comes out, there seems to be legitimacy to these complaints. My local camera store (where I worked for a time) reports that they continue to experience these issues with their customers. For the pixel peepers who insist on a clean sensor, nearly every D7000 body tested was found to have bad pixels out of the box. The firmware upgrade fixed some of cameras with bad pixels but not all of them. (What is the fix exactly? Pixel mapping?). Several pixel peeping customers also had front or back focus issues, and went through 2 or 3 bodies to find one they could accept. (see This Lens is Soft and Other Myths for an article about front/ back focus and quality control.)  Also, some of the official Nikon EN-EL15 batteries are larger than others – yes physically larger – and do not properly fit or get stuck in the D7000 body. As far as Canon 60D QC issues or exchanges: none. Zero. (But perhaps Canon customers aren’t so picky…!  Who knows.)  And for their report on repairs and customer service for Canon and Nikon in general: Repairs with Nikon cameras is a daily, ongoing issue. They see Nikons come back, both new and older models, and it sometimes takes sending the camera / lens / flash 3 or 4 times to Nikon to resolve the problem or the customer gives up by then. A few Canon models come in for repair, typically 4-6 year old heavily used Rebels that stop functioning properly. Canon repair is reported as excellent, customer service incredibly helpful, and turnaround is quick. Pile of brand new, defective Nikons returned over two month period: 15. Number of defective Canons: 0. Please note, this is the store’s report, not my opinion or bias, but I think it is worth taking this into account when choosing a dSLR system.

edit 2011-09-29: When any new camera comes out, there is an outcry of “this problem” and “that problem.” Some are exaggerated because you only read about the few bad ones and not the tens of thousands of good ones. Some are possibly over-reactions by people not fully understanding the new or advanced features or nuances of the latest model.  But I wanted to speak from personal experience while working at a camera store and comment on the issues that were being discussed in forums which proved to be real. The scope of the issues in the overall picture (of tens or hundreds of thousands of bodies made), however, should be taken into account, as well as the fact that the returns and exchanges may have been prompted in whole or in part by the internet reports, thus creating a circular chain of whatnot (I’m sure there is a term for this!).

Just keep in perspective, while your camera is a precious object to you, there are literally hundreds of thousands of the same body manufactured. It is a consumer electronics item, just a (precision) hunk of metal, plastic, and 100’s of tiny screws. It is a tool to be used towards an end goal of great photos, not an end unto itself.  (If you wish to learn to take control of your camera and capture great photos, please have a look at my dSLR camera guides such as Nikon D7000 Experience.)

Know that C and N are reputable companies and will make right any genuine issue you may encounter (within your warranty period!).  And while it is frustrating if you encounter a bad pixel, I think it is a marvel of technology that any sensor can be manufactured with 16 million pixels that all work!

Conclusion: Hey look! They are incredibly similar! (other than quality control issues) Both are capable of taking high quality digital images. They are both leaps and bounds better – and cheaper – than the same level dSLRs of just a few years ago. I do like the specifications of the expanded autofocus system, the slightly better sensor performance, the larger viewfinder, the custom setting options, and the partial magnesium alloy body construction of the D7000. Yet the 60D has the additional HD video frame rates, 9 out of 9 cross type AF points, and the articulating screen. You pay a few hundred dollars more for the Nikon, and you get a camera with body construction and features that are a bit better than the 60D. However, if you don’t actually need, understand, or wish to learn how to use all these additional features of the D7000, there is no point in paying for them. (If you are going to leave the camera in Auto or Program mode and let the camera choose the autofocus points, you definitely don’t need a D7000!) In the end, it totally comes down to which one you are more comfortable with – which one feels better, which one’s buttons and controls work best for the way you work, which one’s menus make better sense to you, which one’s custom functions allow you to make the customizations you want to make, and how much money you want to spend. Or which system you want to invest in for the long-term, as far as all the lenses, flash, and accessories you are going to accumulate. Or which camera brand your friends use so that you can go to them for help. Just choose one, learn to use it well, and get out and take photos! That’s what digital SLRs are all about.

Canon didn’t drop the ball with the xxD line, as some have said. It’s just that they reconfigured their price points and naming conventions. The 7D replaced the 50D months ago, and it was widely agreed to be a dramatic, spectacular, and successful improvement. That was very much like the Nikon D90 to D7000 improvement we see now. Canon definitely took the 50D to the next level with the 7D. But then they needed a high-end consumer model to offer between the entry level Rebel line and the semi-pro 7D. Hence the highly capable 60D. So who wins? The consumer. The digital photographer. Cheesy, but true.

If you wish to compare the Nikon D7000 vs the Nikon D90 vs the D300s, have a look at this post.

Purchasing? If you are planning to buy either of these cameras from Amazon.com (or other equipment, accessories, or simply anything else), please use the links below and I will get a little something for referring you, which will help support my blog. Thanks!

see and buy the Canon EOS 60D – Body Only

see and buy the Canon EOS 60D with 18-135mm lens

see and buy the Nikon D7000 – Body Only

see and buy the Nikon D7000 with 18-105mm lens

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Canon 5D vs 7D vs 60D vs 50D vs 550D / T2i

I previously wrote a post to compare these cameras, the Canon 5D vs.7D vs. 50D vs. 550D / Rebel T2i – with the exception of the Canon 60D – which you can read here:

http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/05/03/canon-7d-vs-5d-vs-50d-part-ii/

It still applies to helping you make the decision between these cameras, including the 60D, but it doesn’t yet address its specific new features. Those can be read about in this post. So I hope those two posts together can start to answer your questions. And until I rewrite it to include the 60D, here is some additional input.

canon t2i 550D vs 50d vs 60d
photo by author, courtesy of Newtonville Camera, Newton, Mass.

When you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and determine if you really need or will use them. I will discuss how to go about this in more detail below.

Canon 60D vs. 50D: Since the Canon 60D basically replaces the Canon 50D (well, replacement isn’t exactly the right word because the 60D doesn’t really follow the 20D to 50D progression of improvements…), the 60D or 50D decision is an easy one. The 50D shouldn’t really be considered anymore. While the Canon 50D does hold a couple interesting advantages over the 60D (faster FPS in continuous mode, stronger construction, more comprehensive buttons and controls, complete lack of fun filters like “grainy black and white”), the sensor and exposure metering system have been greatly improved in all the newer cameras (7D or 60D or 500D/ T2i) and I feel these features, along with the increase in mega pixels, outweigh any other 50D advantages. I would definitely choose a 60D instead of a 50D. Or a 7D instead of a 50D if your needs require it and budget allows it. (Find out below if your needs require it!)

So the decision now comes down to the Canon 7D or 60D or 550D / Rebel T2i. (What about the 60D vs. 5D Mk II? Just wait, I’m getting to that!) This decision has become infinitely more difficult (or perhaps infinitely simpler?), as all three of these cameras now share so many specifications and features. And because they share an image sensor that is very similar, and all with 18 MP, the image quality of these three cameras will be nearly identical. The Canon consumer/ pro-sumer lineup has never been so alike as it is now. So as I like to profess, you need to choose which camera is best for you based on your needs and experience as a photographer and based on how the advanced features, controls, and customization options fit those needs and serve the way you work.

Here is a brief, mostly serious summary to help you make this decision:

Get a Canon 550D / Rebel T2i if you are new to photography or to digital SLR photography, or want to upgrade from an older Rebel because you want higher image quality and more mega-pixels (or HD video). If you have been happy with the features and controls of your previous dSLR camera and have not discovered the need, in your use of it, for any specific additional features, there is no need to look beyond the 550D.

Canon EOS 60D

Get a Canon 60D if you have outgrown the capabilities of an older Rebel like an XTi or T1i due to your greater experience and more demanding shooting needs which require more direct or sophisticated controls and customization options. Or you have been pretty pleased with your 20D or 40D and its features but wish to upgrade for the increased image quality and mega pixels (or HD video). And/ or you need a more rugged camera for your frequent and demanding shooting and off-the-beaten-path traveling needs. Or you really like swiveling LCD screens. If you typically shoot on Auto or Program mode, you do not need a 60D. If you do not manually select your own focus point and have never used exposure compensation you do not need a 60D. If you have never used the AE-Lock [*] button to lock exposure you do not need a 60D. Please save the money or use it towards a better lens.

Get a Canon 7D if you have extensive experience with a Rebel (xxxD series like 350D, 400D) or with an older xxD series (20D, 40D) camera, and you know and understand most of the 7D’s controls and advanced custom features, and you specifically need some of them for your demanding shooting needs. If you have never used Av aperture priority mode or M manual mode, you do not need a 7D. If you have never used autofocus tracking settings to track a moving subject across your frame and worried how an interfering object would affect your focus you do not need a 7D. If you have never used spot metering to determine a critical exposure level or experimented with back-button focusing you do not need a 7D. Please save the money or use it towards a better lens. However, if you often need to take 126 consecutive photos at the rate of 8 frames per second, you do need the 7D. Immediately. Even if you just sometimes need that. Totally worth it. That’s 15.75 seconds of continuous shooting. Who doesn’t need that? You’d make Eadweard Muybridge proud.

(Please note, the 550D, 60D and 7D all have these features I just listed: manually selected focus points, exposure compensation, AE-Lock, auto-focus tracking, spot metering, and back-button focusing. I’m just using them as a determination of your experience level and needs)

Canon EOS 5D Mk II mark 2

The Canon 5D Mark II is in a separate league than the other cameras, being a full frame professional camera, and thus I’m not going to compare it to the others in this context. As I said in a previous post,

If the 5D Mk II fits your expanding and demanding needs as a photographer, you would already pretty much know that you needed a 5D after your extensive time using a Rebel or a 20D, 40D, etc. Otherwise, getting a 5D means most likely you’d be investing in far more camera than you will actually need or use.

If you don’t already know that you need a 5D, you probably don’t need a 5D. Plus, as is often the case, those who could really take full advantage of a 5D are those who can’t afford a 5D. (I’m thinking about the talented photographers I come across on Flickr, etc. who are making amazing images with entry-level Rebels.) Feel free to spend $2,500 on a 5D Mk II if you want, but unless you have extensive experience with photography and with a digital SLR, using a 5D is completely unnecessary and is unlikely to help you take “better” pictures than you will be able to with a 550D. And besides, it is becoming old technology. You should wait for the 5D Mark III.

As I said above, when you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around.

For example, I began shooting with a Rebel XT and took it on an extended trip where I shot lots of travel photos, plus outdoor festivals and dance (see the Peru and Dance galleries here for the results – those are all shot with a Rebel XT.) I soon discovered this camera wasn’t fulfilling my growing needs and I made a mental list of what my next camera needed to serve me better in the specific ways that I work and take photos:

  • more focus points which are more strategically positioned (the Rebel XT only has 7 focus points in a simple cross pattern which did not suit the way I focus and compose)
  • faster frame rate in continuous shooting mode (it only has 3 fps which wasn’t good enough for catching a good burst at the peak of action)
  • better sealed body (I ended up in several very dusty or wet situations)
  • integrated sensor cleaning (see “dusty” above)
  • more megapixels (the 8 MP of the XT just weren’t sufficient when it came to cropping and post-processing)
  • battery with longer capacity (I used it on weekend trips to the middle of nowhere but didn’t want to have to buy and take more than 3 batteries)
  • larger LCD screen to better review photos (the XT has a tiny screen)
  • grid in the viewfinder (I just can’t keep it straight sometimes)

These are the features I looked for in my next camera. I didn’t work backwards and wonder, “Do I need or will I ever need auto lighting optimizer and highlight tone priority?” If I had exposure issues on my list, I would have looked for these kinds of features, but I didn’t. I didn’t wonder, “Do I need multiple flash remote firing? Should I worry about that?” That wasn’t on my list because it wasn’t a need I ran into, ever, in months of daily shooting. I don’t even own multiple flashes and wish to minimize using the one. I didn’t ask myself, “Do I need an extensively redesigned focus system with AF Point Expansion and Zone focusing?” I nearly always choose my own focus point – I don’t want the camera choosing the closest point which is bound to be a dancer’s flying hand and not their face, so I don’t need that. No matter how awesome and advanced it is. Even if the subjects are moving. I’m pretty quick with the focus point selection. I just need more and better placed focus points. If you haven’t run into a need for certain features in your months or years of extensive shooting, you aren’t going to suddenly need it just because it is now offered on a camera. Sit down and make your list, then look at the cameras’ offerings.

And please be aware, none of these cameras will help you instantly create better photos. Or better yet, all of these cameras will help you take better photos, but equally so, none any better than the others. If you wish to take better photos, just chose one of the cameras and get out and shoot. Learn how to use the basic settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focusing modes and focus points, exposure metering modes, histograms) and then concentrate on composition and telling a story through your images. See the posts listed below to help you on your way.

How Pros Photograph

Deconstructing the Shot

Need a lens to go with your new camera? Read about choosing a lens other than the kit lens in this post Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Kit Lens, and learn about the Best Lenses for Travel Photography here.

If you do choose the 60D, it is always wise not to buy a Canon dSLR or lens in the first several months after it is introduced. They have a solid history of quality control and design flaws in early models, including, most notoriously, their top of the line offerings (autofocus issues with cameras, flare issues with lenses). I myself took this risk with the 7D, brought it on a trip, and suffered the consequences (see the bottom of this previous post).

 

Photographing in Natural Light

Some recent portrait sessions (see them here) have led me to the realization that it is finally time to get my flash off-camera and to expand my knowledge of lighting for portraits.  Since I’m currently working with a camera that doesn’t have built in remote flash triggering, this means I either need a cable or remote triggers.  But which one?  Expensive TTL or radio triggers?  Cheap eBay triggers?  A basic sync cord or a more costly TTL cord?  How long?  A 3′ cord for hand holding, or a longer cord for putting the flash on a stand?  Or both?  What situations am I going to be using them in at home and while traveling?

3268 LSS on beach
Jan. 2010 – Plum Island, Newburyport, MA – Canon Rebel XT, 105mm (28-105mm lens), 1/500s, f/4.5, ISO 200 – natural light at 4pm on beach

The more thought and research I put into it, the more the possibly necessary equipment began to add up:  a stand for the flash, plus maybe a Justin Clamp.  A stand and special arm for the reflector.  Perhaps then a softbox or an umbrella.  Then what else…?

I’m not a strobist.  While I admire the cool things one can do with lighting and I sometimes desire to overpower the sun, it’s just not the kind of thing that gets me excited about photography.  I have more of a photojournalist instinct.  I’d prefer to simply work without a flash most of the time, to make the most of natural light, and to capture the reality of situations in front of me.  But my experience has shown me this isn’t always possible so I decided to seek out a viable alternative for situations I assumed required flash, and to learn how to maximize my use of natural light without sacrificing lighting quality.  Thankfully I quickly discovered a book that demonstrated this was possible – Available Light: Photographic Techniques for Using Existing Light Sources by Don Marr.

Unlike countless photography books that stress the importance of looking at, understanding, and making use of natural light but then leave it to the photographer to figure out, this one leads you directly there.  It is short, simple, and intuitive – so much so that I didn’t write down a single note during my first reading.  It shares knowledge and techniques that can easily and immediately be put to use, such as with this photo I took soon after reading it – look at that glow!  100% natural light:

8772 LSS portrait
Sept. 2010 – Cambridge, MA – Canon 50D, 75mm (28-105mm lens), 1/125s, f/4.0, ISO 200 – natural light at 3pm just inside the shadow-line under a concrete overpass

While we all know to photograph in the shade on a sunny day or how an overcast day is supposed to create nice, soft lighting, with this book it suddenly all clicked and I really understood why these things are so.  When walking around outside, I’m typically always aware of the intensity, direction, color and quality of natural light.  I now realize that in itself was not nearly enough.  Now I have gained the knowledge to work with the natural light and modify it to create the softness/ hardness, direction, color, and intensity I want, whether I am working on an overcast day, at high noon, inside, outdoors, or any other type of situation.  The book also makes one very aware of the existence and potential use of natural reflectors everywhere which will help give you the lighting you want: a wall, the ground, a pole. And it explains the important concept and effective practice of subtractive lighting, used to even-out or create the desired lighting instead of turning to flash to artificially add to existing lighting. The author does not just guide you to finding and creating good light in any situation, but to light that fits your subject and the way in which you wish to portray them, whether that includes soft light or hard light, even light or deep shadows, hair light or flare – or whatever.  I would love to summarize the whole book in this post, but I think it’s better that you just go to your library or Amazon.com and get it!

Douglas J. Klostermann Photography
Nov. 2009 – San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala – Canon 7D, 135mm (70-200mm lens), 1/200s, f/4.0, ISO 1600 – natural light at 3pm diffused by the fiberglass panel ceiling/ roof of her home

I feel that this book has set me on the right path, away from what I thought was inevitable membership in the Strobist club.  While the author is not against the use of flash, and certainly not against reflectors, this book offers a refreshing and viable alternative to that never-ending accumulation of equipment and techniques, and I encourage off-camera-flash fans to read it as well so they can learn to look for beautiful natural lighting alternatives that will give them as-good or even better images, before instinctively setting up their lighting equipment and knocking down the natural light in order to rebuild it artificially.

In the process of my strobist research, I came back around to the photos of Joey Lawrence (Joey L), and in particular his images of the Mentawai.  They are wonderful images and beautiful portraits, but something about this project has always rubbed me the wrong way.  My recent research into artificial vs. natural light has helped me to think this through and start to figure it out.  I’m always disturbed when people or crews invade, er, I mean visit a culture or community like the Mentawai with a bunch of equipment and ask them or pay them to pose for photographs or footage.  There’s nothing inherently wrong with it and his subjects obviously enjoyed cooperating in his project, but I simply have a different philosophical and stylistic approach – more documentary and photojournalistic.  Plus I feel that there should be more of a unity of subject and technique.  In other words when celebrating (or is it romanticizing?) people’s close relationship with their natural environment, one should perhaps not light them with giant, unnatural, high power artificial lights!  The disharmony certainly creates stunning photos, and that kind of lighting is part of Joey L’s established style.  Possibly the contrast between the natural surroundings and the artificial light helps to emphasize the dichotomy of indigenous people living in a modern world.  But I just feel it would have been more interesting and authentic to make use of the unique natural light of that place when romanticizing, er, I mean portraying the people and their relationship with their environment.  That being said, I am very much looking forward to Joey L’s Faces of a Vanishing World TV series (starting on September 27th on Ovation TV) in order to get a glimpse into how he works in the field and see how he creates his dramatic and undeniably stunning images.

Douglas J. Klostermann Photography
June 2008 – Sillustani, Peru – Canon Rebel XT, 90mm (28-105mm lens), 1/800s, f/5.0, ISO 100 – natural light at 4pm on the altiplano near Lake Titicaca (that is a different lake in the background)

One of the unique aspects of different places in the world is their unique light:  the light at high altitude, in a desert, equatorial light, sunset in the Cinque Terre or Santorini, and of course the diffused light of a rainforest.  Why not try to capture that light as part of your images of a place?  At least, for the strobists out there, I encourage you to first look at and possibly incorporate the natural light before instinctively and blindly setting up the strobes.  In reality, I think it is probably a much greater challenge to find and shape the natural light, but it is a challenge I intend to take on for the long term.

0212 LSS Roosevelt Island portrait
March 2010 – Roosevelt Island, NYC – Canon 50D, 70mm (70-200mm lens), 1/125s, f/4.0, ISO 200 – natural light at 5pm in open area

Search Terms, Questions and Answers Part 1

Over the last several months I’ve collected some of the search terms that led people to read my blog (it is easy with WordPress to check your daily/ weekly/ monthly stats such as this). I’m presenting several of them here, along with brief but informative answers. Whenever I say Canon xxD, please substitute 5D, 7D, 50D, 60D, 550D, etc. as you see fit. They are in no particular order except for the first one, which is the most common search. This is part 1 of 4 of this series. The next ones in the series include questions on humanitarian photography, the Canon 7D specifically, and finally lenses.

0925 music ahll marquee

Compare Canon 5D vs 7D vs 60D vs 50D vs 550D – (or any variation there-of: 60D vs 50D, 7D vs 60D, 60D vs 550D, etc.)
I’ve discussed these various comparisons in depth in several previous posts. Please check out these posts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3

Should I wait for Canon xxD or buy Canon xxD?
If a new camera has been announced and will be coming out soon, or a current camera is reaching the end of its typical life cycle, I would wait for the new camera. (You can see if a camera is reaching the end of its typical life by looking at the Canon EOS Digital SLR Timeline at the bottom of this Wikipedia page.) Otherwise you are buying a model that is possibly 12-24 months old already and has been improved upon by the newer models. And then you will be using it for another 2, 3, or more years. This is particularly applicable since the new 63 zone metering system is now being used in the latest Canon cameras instead of the older 35 zone system, plus some other nice features. From experience, I can tell you the new metering system makes a difference. That being said, there will always be improvements in the newest models, so it is a never ending process. Also, unfortunately, you should wait several months after a new Canon camera or lens is released because they have a solid history of real problems and quality control issues on early models.

0975 BBGarden white flowers

How much better is a Canon 7D than a 550D?
A Canon 7D costs $1534
A Canon 550d / T2i costs $799
The difference of the two cameras:
1534 – 799 = 735
735 = m% x 799
m = 735/799
m = .92
Move the decimal point over 2 places
The 7D is 92% better than the 550D.
Or perhaps the 550D is 92% as capable as the 7D? This is actually much closer to the truth, at least when it comes to features like image quality. I guess it’s all in how you do the math.

Canon 5D Mk2 vs. 550D / Why Canon 5D instead of 550D?
As I have said many times before, these two cameras are on opposite ends of the spectrum. It is a strange comparison between a full frame professional dSLR and an entry level dSLR that, quite frankly, confuses me. If the 5D fits your expanding needs as a photographer, you would already pretty much know that you needed a 5D after your extensive time using a Rebel or a 20D, 40D, etc. Otherwise, getting a 5D means most likely you’d be investing in far more camera than you will actually need or use. Please note, there is no such thing as a Mark II camera. “Mark II” means it is the second version of a particular camera or lens. There is a 1D Mark II, a 5D Mark II, a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Mark II, etc.

Canon 50D vs. 7D for football stadium picture
It would depend on what teams are playing, what color jerseys they are wearing, which quarter it is and/ or the score, and the light temperature of the stadium lights mixed with the natural ambient light. The (very) slightly lower dynamic range of the 50D along with its tendency to overexpose by 1/3 a stop in evaluative metering mode would indicate that you would only want to use a 50D in the later quarters, when the ambient light is decreasing and the score is probably higher. Also, the digital sensors of both the 50D and the 7D have the tendency to overexpose and lose detail in areas of the color red. So if, say, Alabama was playing at home, you would want to consider using a film camera. The final consideration would be that the 7D has a built in level that can be used in Live View. If you wish to keep the playing field level, you might want to utilize this option. However, it will be hard to follow the action and keep your eye on the level at the same time. If you shoot in a more dynamic photo-journalistic style that includes tilted frames and dynamic perspectives, either camera will do.

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Canon 7D vs 5D autofocus speed
They are both more than fast enough for your needs. I promise.

How to set deep depth of field
Depth of field is determined by the aperture you select (plus, your focal length and distance-to-subject play a role too). First, put your camera in Av mode. Then turn the main dial (the one up top near the shutter button) counter-clockwise until you have the widest aperture your lens allows, possibly 2.8, 3.5, or 4.0. Then read this post:
http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/02/01/depth-of-field-simplified/

Canon 60D Tutorial

I have completed an eBook tutorial and user’s guide for the new Canon 60D, called Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation. Learn to use your 60D, quickly and competently, to create the types of images you want to capture. You can learn more about the Your World 60D eBook and how to purchase it here.

(The eBook was originally, briefly called Real World 60D – it is the same book.)

How to Choose a New dSLR Camera

When selecting a new dSLR camera, many people seem to look at the latest offerings, attempt to compare their many features, and determine which one, in or near their price range, is “better.” But this is the backwards way to approach it. Of course a continuous burst rate of of 126 JPEGs at 8 frames per second is “better” than 58 frames at 5.3 frames per second. But do you need the ability to take 126 consecutive images in 15.75 continuous seconds? Ever? Certainly the ability to to control both the method and the sensitivity of AI Servo Tracking is impressive and powerful, but do you even understand it, wish to learn about it, need it, and will you ever use it? If a camera’s features don’t fit your needs as a photographer, it is not a better camera for you. In fact, it may be a worse camera for you because its complexities and options may serve to work against you and your image making.

Douglas J. Klostermann Photography
Iquitos, Peru

When you are trying to determine which new dSLR camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and determine if you really need or will use them.

For example, I began shooting with a Rebel XT and took it on an extended trip where I shot lots of outdoor dance and festivals (see the Peru and Dance galleries here for the results – those are all shot with a Rebel XT.) I soon discovered this camera wasn’t fulfilling my growing needs and I made a mental list of what my next camera needed:

  • more focus points which are more strategically positioned (the Rebel XT only has 7 focus points in a simple cross pattern which did not suit the way I focus and compose)
  • faster frame rate in continuous shooting mode (it only has 3 fps which wasn’t good enough for catching a good burst at the peak of action)
  • better sealed body (I ended up in several very dusty or wet situations)
  • integrated sensor cleaning (see “dusty or wet situations” above)
  • more megapixels (the 8 MP of the XT just weren’t sufficient when it came to cropping and post-processing)
  • battery with longer capacity (I used it on weekend trips to the middle of nowhere with no electricity, but didn’t want to have to buy and take more than 3 batteries)
  • larger LCD screen to better review photos (the XT has a tiny screen)
  • grid in the viewfinder (I just can’t keep it straight sometimes)

Amazonia Shipibo Vendor
Iquitos, Peru

These are the features I looked for in my next camera. I didn’t work backwards and wonder, “Do I need or will I ever need auto lighting optimizer and highlight tone priority?” If I had exposure issues on my list, I would have looked for these kinds of features, but I didn’t. I didn’t wonder, “Do I need multiple flash remote firing? Should I worry about that?” That wasn’t on my list because it wasn’t a need I ran into, ever, in months of shooting. I don’t even own multiple flashes and wish to minimize using the one. I didn’t ask myself, “Do I need an extensively redesigned focus system with AF Point Expansion and Zone focusing?” I nearly always choose my own focus point – I don’t want the camera choosing the closest point which is bound to be a dancer’s flying hand and not their face, so I don’t need that. No matter how awesome and advanced it is, even if the subjects are moving. I’m pretty quick with the focus point selection, I just need more and better placed focus points. If you haven’t run into a need for certain features in your months or years of extensive shooting, you aren’t going to suddenly need it just because it is now offered on a camera. Sit down and make your list, then look at the cameras’ offerings.

And please be aware, no new camera will help you instantly create better photos. Or better yet, all of the latest cameras will help you take better photos, but equally so, none any better than the others. If you wish to take better photos, just chose one of the cameras and get out and shoot. Learn how to use the basic settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focusing modes and focus points, exposure metering modes, histograms) and then concentrate on composition and telling a story through your images. Get a book like Bryan Peterson’s newly updated Understanding Exposure to get a handle on the essential functions and relationships of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.  Or have a look at my Full Stop e-book camera guides for various Canon and Nikon dSLR cameras!  And see the following posts to help you on your way:

How Pros Photograph

Deconstructing the Shot

Pucallpa kids and boat
Pucallpa, Peru

Need a lens to go with your new camera? Read about choosing a lens other than the kit lens in this post Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Kit Lens, and learn about the Best Lenses for Travel Photography here.

If you are interested in researching or purchasing the equipment or books I use, discuss, or recommend, I would appreciate it if you use this referral link to Amazon. Your price will be the same, and it will help support my blog and my work. Thanks!  And for those of you across the pond, click here for my referral link to Amazon UK. If you are in another country, click on one of my Amazon links, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon.

Canon 5D vs 7D vs 60D vs 50D vs 550D / T2i

This post has been revised and updated to include the new Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D. Please proceed over to this post to read the most current information:

Canon T3i/600D vs T2i/550D vs. 60D vs. 7D, etc.

Like many others out there, you are asking yourself, “should I buy the Canon 7D or 60D or 50D or 550D / T2i?” It’s a difficult question because at this point the three dSLRs in the current Canon consumer line-up (EOS 60D, EOS 7D, Rebel T2i/ EOS 550D) all share a number of specifications and features, a similar exposure metering system, as well as an image sensor that is nearly the same, and all with 18 megapixels. So how do you choose between the Canon 60D, the T2i (550D) or the 7D? This decision has become infinitely more difficult (or perhaps infinitely simpler?) because the image quality and ISO performance of these three cameras will be nearly identical, and all are capable of taking high quality images. So as I like to profess, you need to choose which camera is best for you based on your needs and experience as a photographer and based on how the advanced features, controls, and customization options fit those needs and serve the way you work.

Canon T2i vs 60D vs 7D
photo by author

When you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around where you look at the new features and speculate if you really need or will use them. I will discuss how to go about this in more detail below.

Review of Canon EOS 60D vs. 50D: Since the Canon EOS 60D basically replaces the Canon 50D (well, replacement isn’t exactly the right word because the 60D doesn’t really follow the 20D to 50D progression of improvements…), the 60D or 50D decision is an easy one. The 50D shouldn’t really be considered anymore. While the Canon 50D does hold a couple interesting advantages over the 60D (faster frame per second (fps) burst rate in continuous mode, stronger construction, more comprehensive buttons and controls, complete lack of fun filters like “grainy black and white”), the sensor and exposure metering system have been greatly improved in all the newer cameras (7D or 60D or 500D/ T2i) and I feel these features, along with the increase in mega pixels, outweigh any other 50D advantages. I would definitely choose a 60D instead of a 50D. This is coming from experience, as I use a 50D professionally and on a daily basis. Or choose a 7D instead of a 50D if your needs require it and budget allows it. (Find out below if your needs require it!) Digital cameras are somewhat disposable. Yes, even $1000 digital cameras. Within 5 years, your new camera will have become old, outdated equipment. The 50D is already two year old technology, so if you start with one now, in 4 more years it will be absolutely archaic! (Actually, since the 50D was just the 40D with a couple more megapixels, it is even older technology than that.) With digital SLRs, I advise buying a recent model, at whatever price range you can currently afford. Of course as with everything in digital photography, this is relative. The 50D is still an excellent camera. And camera companies have to keep coming out with new models every 12-18 months because that is what they do. The trouble comes in 2-3 years when your 50D is still perfectly good and still pretty new to you, but it can no longer compete with the latest offerings in terms of megapixels, ISO performance, and autofocus systems. If this hasn’t convinced you and you still want to consider the 50D for cost or other reasons, I write in more detail about the 50D vs. 60D comparison here from a camera features and operation point of view.

Before I get more into it, I want to mention that I have written eBook user’s guides for the Canon Rebel T3i/ EOS 600D, the Canon Rebel T2i/EOS 550D, and the Canon EOS 60D. After spending so much time studying, experimenting, writing about, comparing, and discussing these cameras, I decided to put all that knowledge into eBook form! Each of these user’s guides cover all the Menu settings, Movie Mode menus, and Custom Function settings – with recommended settings – plus discussions of how, when, and why to use the cameras’ settings and features, (metering modes, aperture and shutter priority modes, advanced autofocus use, and more) for everyday and travel use, to help you take better photos – Your World 60D, Canon T3i Experience, and T2i Experience. Learn more about the eBooks by clicking on their titles.

Back to the Comparison:

Review of Canon EOS 7D vs. 60D vs. 550D / Rebel T2i: So the decision now comes down to the Canon 7D or 60D or 550D / Rebel T2i. (What about the 5D Mk II? Just wait, I’m getting to that! And if you haven’t yet committed to Canon and are interested in comparing the Canon 60D vs. Nikon D7000, have a look at this post.) Below are comparisons of some of the similarities and differences of these three cameras. Remember that all of these comparisons and features are relative. Of course the fact that the 7D can take 126 consecutive photos at the rate of 8 frames per second makes it “better.” Advanced features like that differentiate it from the other models and are also why it costs more. But do you ever need to take 15.75 seconds of continuous photos? Ever? (Look at your watch for 15.75 seconds right now and act like you are taking continuous photos. Now what are you going to do with all those imaginary photos?!)

Sensor and Image Quality: As I said above, all three cameras share a very similar sensor and 18 megapixels, and so their image quality will be virtually the same. All are capable of taking professional quality images.

Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn’t anything critical.

Autofocus: The 60D shares a similar autofocus system to the T2i and the previous 50D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T2i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T2i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes. These various modes address how you want to deal with and group these numerous AF points. Plus the custom settings of the 7D allow one to customize how the AF system works – how it tracks subjects, how it deals with objects that come between you and your initial subject, how quickly it responds to these changes of possible subjects that are at different distances from you, etc. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn’t dissuade you from the 60D.

Construction: As you can probably figure out from the prices, each camera is not built the same. The 60D has relatively strong construction of aluminum and polycarbonate. It is better built than the 550D but not as strong as the 7D’s magnesium alloy frame. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing – more than the 550D/T2i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of any of these cameras is far more than good enough, strong enough, and durable enough.

ISO: Since they all share a very similar sensor, the ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same for these three cameras. But don’t take my word for it, don’t be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this. As you can see, they all share the exact same overall score, and show very similar performance.

Controls:
As with construction, the buttons and controls vary with these cameras. Unlike the T2i, the 60D and 7D have nearly every control an advanced photographer needs on the exterior of the camera and they also have the top LCD panel and rear Quick Control Dial that are not on the 550D/T2i. With all the cameras, any controls can also be easily accessed with the Q button and menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the white balance (WB) button on the 60D that the 7D and 50D have, but that isn’t a big deal – use the Q Menu. Another change on the 60D is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn’t change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference. (Unfortunately, I still really do prefer the old design and location.) If you plan on using your camera on Auto or Program most of the time, then the controls of the T2i are more than sufficient for your needs.

Menus and Custom Functions: These allow for greater control over customizing how the camera functions. The 60D has many more Menu and Custom Function settings than the 550D/T2i and nearly as many as the 7D. These settings enable you to customize the operation, function, and controls to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners) and customizing which button does what. Since many of the Menu and Custom Function settings can be complicated and confusing, my eBooks on the 60D and on the T2i/550D cover all of these options along with my recommended settings to get you up and running quickly!

Wireless Flash: Like the 7D, the 60D incorporates wireless flash triggering. It allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes at different output levels. The 550D/T2i does not have this feature.

Articulating LCD Screen: The big new feature that the 60D has that the other two cameras do not is the articulating rear LCD screen. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. Some users will be able to avoid buying an expensive angle finder because of this feature. There is also an electronic level in the 7D and 60D, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.

Viewfinder: The 60D has a large, bright viewfinder with 96% coverage of the actual resulting image, a tiny bit better than the 95% of the 550D/T2i but not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D.

Processor:
The 60D shares the same Digic 4 processor as the 550D/T2i. The 7D has dual Digic 4 processors. However, if you don’t need to shoot dozens of continuous images, you probably won’t notice any processing speed issues.

Continuous Shooting Speed: The 7D can shoot a blazing 8 frames per second, in which the photos barely change from frame to frame. The 60D can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is actually a more useful rate, and is a higher rate than the 550D/T2i rate of 3.7 fps. If you need the extremely high fps for sports, wildlife, or other action shooting, get the 7D. If not, don’t be swayed by this excessive feature.

Memory Card: The 60D uses the SD memory card like the 550D/T2i, not the CF card of the 7D and 50D.

Battery: The 60D uses the LP-E6 battery like the 7D and 5D, which is a nice feature as this battery can often last through a full day of shooting. The T2i uses a smaller battery with less capacity.

Size and Weight:
The 60D is larger and heavier than the 550D/T2i, smaller and lighter than the 7D. Go to the store and hold them to get a better feel for their size, weight, and feel.

AF Microadjustment:
The 7D has this feature, the 60D and T2i do not. Many are disappointed that the 60D does not include the ability to micro-adjust the focus so that each lens is completely accurate. However, if you have a focus issue, send your camera and/ or lenses to Canon while under warranty and ask them to calibrate them. Doing AF microadjustment yourself is often a maddening, never ending undertaking. You may make a good calibration under controlled conditions, but this really doesn’t replicate real life shooting.

Locking Mode Dial: This is a new feature for a Canon dSLR, only on the 60D, that keeps the Mode dial from accidentally rotating. A nice touch, and not at all difficult to change quickly with one hand, as some people have claimed: just push the center button with your left index finger, rotate dial with thumb and middle finger.

Full HD video: Of course they all offer this capability. Note that this is not video for your kids’ parties and soccer games. It does not have continuous autofocus while shooting, as a camcorder does. It is not designed for that kind of use, but rather for serious videographers who typically manually focus. You can adjust autofocus while shooting by pressing the shutter button or the AF button, but it may have a less than desired looking result.

Flash Sync: A Note to Strobists -the 60D and T2i do not have a PC sync flash socket to plug in PC sync cords. The 7D has this.

Ease of operation: While beginners may find all the buttons, controls, and menus of any dSLR difficult and confusing at first, the additional controls and menus of the 7D and 60D are all quite intelligently designed, intuitive, and straightforward for the more advanced user.

*****

Purchasing: If you plan to buy any of these cameras through Amazon.com, (or just wish to purchase anything from Amazon) I would appreciate it if you use this referral link to Amazon or one of the camera links just below. Your price will be the same, and they will give me a little something for referring you, which will help support this blog. Thanks!  And due to popular request, if you are in the UK, here is my new referral link to Amazon UK. If you are in another country, click on one of my Amazon links, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on your country for your local Amazon. And for those wishing to purchase from B+H Photo, just click here for my referral link to B+H. Thanks for supporting my blog!

See and buy the T2i on Amazon.
See and buy the 60D on Amazon.
See and buy the 7D on Amazon.
See and buy the Canon 5D MkII on Amazon.

I wrote a previous post that also goes in-depth into comparing and choosing between these cameras, but was written before the introduction of the EOS 60D. It does however have some additional info that may prove useful: Canon 7D vs. 5D vs. 50D (Plus 550D/T2i) Part II

Lenses, Accessories and Books: Now that you are on your way to deciding on a camera, you should also start looking into lenses, photography gear, accessories, and books. Check out this link, Best Lenses for Travel Photography, which also applies to general photography, Equipment for Travel Photography, which discusses useful and practical photo accessories and equipment for both everyday and travel photography. This post lists and describes Essential Books for Digital Photography, including the best user’s guides for each of these cameras.

And to sum it all up, here is a brief, mostly serious synopsis to help you make the camera decision:

Get a Canon 550D / Rebel T2i if you are new to photography or to digital SLR photography, or want to upgrade from an older Rebel because you want higher image quality and more mega-pixels (or HD video). If you have been happy with the features and controls of your previous dSLR camera and have not discovered the need, in your use of it, for any specific additional features, there is no need to look beyond the 550D. See the T2i on Amazon.

Get a Canon 60D if you have outgrown the capabilities of an older Rebel like an XTi or T1i due to your greater experience and more demanding shooting needs which require more direct or sophisticated controls and customization options. Or you have been pretty pleased with your 20D or 40D and its features but wish to upgrade for the increased image quality and mega pixels (or HD video). And/ or you need a more rugged camera for your frequent and demanding shooting and off-the-beaten-path traveling needs. Or if you need the increased 5.3 frames per second continuous rate to shoot sports or action. Or you really like swiveling LCD screens. If you typically shoot on Auto or Program mode, you do not need a 60D. If you do not manually select your own focus point and have never used exposure compensation you do not need a 60D. If you have never used the AE-Lock [*] button to lock exposure you do not need a 60D. If you don’t understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO you don’t need a 60D. Or unless you plan to dedicate yourself to learning this camera and the principles of SLR photography and grow into this more advanced camera, please save the money or use it towards a better lens. See the 60D on Amazon.

Get a Canon 7D if you have extensive experience with a Rebel (xxxD series like 350D, 400D) or with an older xxD series (20D, 40D) camera, and you know and understand most of the 7D’s controls and advanced custom features, and you specifically need some of them for your demanding shooting needs. If you haven’t passed the above “criteria” for a 60D, you definitely don’t need a 7D. If you have never used Av aperture priority mode or M manual mode, you do not need a 7D. If you have never used autofocus tracking settings to track a moving subject across your frame and worried how an interfering object would affect your focus you do not need a 7D. If you have never used spot metering to determine a critical exposure level or experimented with back-button focusing you do not need a 7D. Or unless you plan to dedicate yourself to learning this camera and the principles of SLR photography and grow into this very advanced camera, please save the money or use it towards a better lens. However, if you often need to take 126 consecutive photos at the rate of 8 frames per second, you do need the 7D. Immediately. Even if you just sometimes need that. Totally worth it. That’s 15.75 seconds of continuous shooting. Who doesn’t need that? You’d make Eadweard Muybridge proud. See the 7D on Amazon.

(Please note, the T2i/550D, 60D and 7D all have these features I just listed: manually selected focus points, exposure compensation, AE-Lock, auto-focus tracking, spot metering, and back-button focusing. I’m just using them as a determination of your experience level and needs)

The Canon 5D Mark II is in a separate league than the other cameras, being a full frame professional camera, and thus I’m not going to compare it to the others in this context. As I said in a previous post,

If the 5D Mk II fits your expanding and demanding needs as a photographer, you would already pretty much know that you needed a 5D after your extensive time using a Rebel or a 20D, 40D, etc. Otherwise, getting a 5D means most likely you’d be investing in far more camera than you will actually need or use.

If you don’t already know that you need a 5D, you probably don’t need a 5D. Plus, as is often the case, those who could really take full advantage of a 5D are those who can’t afford a 5D. (I’m thinking about the talented photographers I come across on Flickr, etc. who are making amazing images with entry-level Rebels.) Feel free to spend $2,500 on a 5D Mk II if you want, but unless you have extensive experience with photography and with a digital SLR, using a 5D is completely unnecessary and is unlikely to help you take “better” pictures than you will be able to with a 550D. In fact, until you figure out the controls, features, menus, and custom functions of a 5D or 7D, you may be taking worse pictures! And besides, the 5D MkII becoming old technology. You should wait for the 5D Mark III :) See the Canon 5D MkII on Amazon.

*****
Lenses: Lenses for Travel Photography
Accessories and Equipment: Equipment for Digital Photography
Books: Essential Books for Digital Photography

As I said above, when you are trying to determine which camera to purchase or upgrade to, you need to first consider and determine your needs, and then see which camera fills those needs. Not the other way around. Here is a post I wrote which discusses this, titled How to Choose a New dSLR Camera.

Canon 60D Introduced

The Canon 60D was just introduced!

Canon 60D

image of 60D from Canon website

As it had been widely rumored, the 60D has the articulating LCD screen. Although it doesn’t exactly replace the 50D in the sense that it doesn’t add upon the advancement of the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D progression, it now takes that position between the 550D and the 7D. If you thought it was difficult to choose between a Canon 550D, 50D, and 7D, the choice just became infinitely more difficult, as all three of these cameras now share so many features. And because they share an image sensor that is very similar, and all with 18 MP, the image quality of these three cameras will be nearly identical. The Canon consumer/ pro-sumer lineup has never been so similar as it now becomes. So as I like to profess, you need to choose which camera is best for you based on the advanced features and customization options that are important to you and the way you work. See this post for what I mean.

Before I get into it, I want to mention that I will be selling a Canon 60D eBook tutorial, which covers ALL the Menu settings and Custom Function settings of the 60D (except movie menus), with recommended settings, PLUS in-depth descriptions of how and and why to use its settings and features in everyday use – Your World 60D – The Still Photographer’s Guide to Operation and Image Creation. Learn more about it here: http://blog.dojoklo.com/2010/09/16/canon-60d-users-guide-and-tutorial/

Strangely, the 60D takes a step back from the 50D in continuous shooting speed, in construction, and in use of an SD memory card, and lack of AF Microadjustment capability. They must have determined the smaller size and weight was an important consideration for the target consumer. But basically it is a Canon 550D/ T2i with a larger, more rugged body, advanced buttons and controls, and more advanced menu and customization options (or is it a stripped down 7D?!) One of the only functional differences between the 60D and the 550D is the faster continuous shooting speed. The elimination of the 50D’s thumb joystick and moving that control to inside the large control dial on the back is an interesting decision. While I think I prefer the location of the 50D thumb button, the new controller on the 60D may be easier to control on the diagonals, which I still struggle with on the 50D. In reality, it may just be a matter of getting used to the new control (although dpreview isn’t very pleased with it in actual use). The new 60D uses the same battery as the 7D and 5D, the LP-E6 – an unusual choice considering it is bigger than the 50D battery, but a good choice. Another great feature that Canon incorporated is the locking Mode dial, so that the top mode dial doesn’t accidentally move from, for example, Av mode to Landscape mode, which happens occasionally with my cameras as I take them in and out of their bags or as they lay against my leg hanging from the R-Strap.

Canon has added a lot of in-camera processing abilities which may prove to be useful and time saving to those who shoot a lot of photos and need fast turn-around. Most importantly, this includes the in-camera RAW processing, turning your RAW files into JPGS with the settings you desire, without opening them up and making the changes in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop or Lightroom. This also includes in-camera image resizing, while maintaining the original file. According to Canon,

“In-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. These powerful in-camera editing tools will allow photographers in the field to produce optimized images on the spot and generate JPEG files at various resolution and compression settings for immediate sharing, without affecting the original RAW data.”

“Another great new feature for photographers-on-the-go is Canon’s new image resizing function. After capturing full resolution or smaller JPEG images, the camera can generate lower-resolution copies using menu commands. New lower-resolution settings include 1920×1280 for optimal display on HD televisions, or 720×480, ideal for immediate uploading to social networking and other photo sharing web sites. The original high resolution files remain unaffected by the image resizing function.”

And also, they’ve included some new fun filters, including the unexpected “toy camera” and tilt-shift-like “miniature” filters:

  • The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
  • The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.
  • Canon’s “Toy Camera” filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.
  • Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon’s Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.

These kinds of inclusions, along with the size and weight reduction, indicate that the 60D is moving down the pro/pro-sumer/consumer scale towards the consumer end, with the Canon 7D now being the pro-sumer camera. (However, I still profess that any of these cameras, from the 550D on up, can give you professional quality images). Unfortunately the new 60D is a camera designed with product positioning (to fill a spot and a price point between the 7D and 550D and its position in relation to Nikon) and marketing (to appeal to a certain target of customers) as a priority more than with technology, innovation, and advancement in mind, which is disappointing to Canon photographers accustomed to the xxD progression of improvements.

Is it more accurately the 60D vs. 7D? Or the 60D vs. 550D / T2i? Here was my analysis and speculation from this previous post, three months ago (I know it is silly and pointless to make these predictions, but I’m pretty proud of my earlier assessment):

“It seems that it [the 60D] will sit at a new position that will no longer be a bridge between pro and consumer cameras (pro-sumer) as the 7D now fills that role (as the 50D once did), but will now be considered a very advanced consumer level camera.”

As dpreview now states,

“With the 60D Canon has unashamedly moved the X0D range out of the ‘semi pro’ bracket and instead focused on the enthusiast photographer looking to upgrade from their Rebel. As a result, it’s not the obvious continuation of the 30D – 40D – 50D pattern that its naming might suggest. Rather than being a direct upgrade replacement for the 50D, it’s perhaps better understood as a ‘Super Rebel.”

And later they call it,

“…essentially a new tier of EOS SLR, perhaps best described as a ‘high end Rebel.”

Let’s see how the actual 60D specs line up with my predictions!

Canon 60D

  • 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
  • Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 ratio LCD
  • Full HD movies with manual control
  • DIGIC 4
  • 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs
  • 9-point cross type AF System
  • iFCL metering with 63-zone Dual-layer Sensor
  • Integrated Speedlite transmitter
  • Estimate Retail Price $1,099
  • 96% Viewfinder
  • ISO 100-6400, H:12800
  • SD memory cards

My Predictions from this previous post

  • 18MP 1.6x sensor – same!
  • 3″ 3:2 LCD – articulating – same!
  • HD video – same!
  • single Digic processor- same!
  • 6 or so FPS at high speedclose but the 60D is a little slower than expected
  • 9 or so point autofocus system, less advanced than 7D – same!
  • 63 zone metering – same!
  • (I didn’t know what to predict for the wireless flash – glad to see they included it!)
  • cost: $1,100-$1,300 – same! B+H is listing it for $1,100. The kit is with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens for $1,399.
  • 98%+ viewfinder – I was off with this one. It is disappointing the 60D doesn’t have a viewfinder quite as big and bright as the 7D, but it is close. It also uses interchangeable focusing screens but it looks like it doesn’t have the nice light up grid option as in the 7D.
  • all other features of 50D (construction, custom functions, AF microadjustment, live view, etc.)- same for the most part. Slightly smaller and lighter. This is due in part to the unfortunate use of a “polycarbonate resin with glass fibre on aluminum chassis” body rather than the more rugged magnesium allow of the 50D and 7D. The 60D also eliminates the thumb joystick for choosing focus points and locates it within the large control dial on back. Again, a strange choice. The 60D does not have AF Microadjustment capability, so again this makes it closer to the 550D than the 7D. The 60D also does not have a PC terminal for connecting external flashes via a cable.
  • Doesn’t use CF memory cards – strange. Seems like a backwards step, but I suppose it contributes to the slightly smaller size.

Lack of AF Microadjustment: Since the Canon 60D does not have Auto Focus Calibration, AF Microadjustment, see the bottom of this previous post for how to deal with that. Canon is hearing from those disappointed that the 60D does not have AF Microadjustment and they may decide to update the firmware and include it in the 60D when it actually goes on sale. However, I still don’t understand why many are so adamant about AF Microadjustment. Have you ever tried to calibrate a zoom lens? Not just with the center point at one focal length, but rather to calibrate it for real life circumstances? At various focal lengths and with different focus points? It is an infuriating, possibly impossible task. AF Microadjustment is a built in admission of lack of quality control of cameras and lenses, and not a positive, much less deal-breaking, feature. I would love to hear from people who disagree because they have had positive and beneficial experiences with calibrating their lenses.

So, who is the Canon 60D for? Canon says,

“For the hobbyist looking for their first “professional-style” camera, or the enthusiast aiming to take their photography to the next level, the EOS 60D makes a sensible choice…For travelling photographers, the high resolution APS-C sensor will capture all the details while at the same time keeping the body and lenses small and light enough to avoid weighing you down.”

Fair enough, I would have to agree with that. See this other post to help you decide between a Canon 7D vs. 60D vs. 550D.

Here is a great quote from Photo.net to sum it all up:

“You can look at the EOS 60D as a Rebel T2i but with a better viewfinder, better AF, higher frame rate, a tilt and swivel LCD, an electronic level, a rear QCD, a larger capacity battery and overall better ergonomics. Alternative you can look at the 60D as an EOS 7D, but with a less advanced AF system, less weather sealing, a slower frame rate, no vertical electronic level, a smaller JPEG buffer and using an SD(HC) card rather than CF. The unique feature of the EOS 60D is the tilt and swivel LCD screen.”

See their hands-on preview here.

more info here:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1008/10082620canoneos60d.asp

If you are interested in researching or purchasing the equipment I use, discuss, or recommend, please have a look at the site I’ve set up on Amazon.com.

Please leave a comment and let me know if my posts have been helpful, and what you’d like to learn more about.

One on One Digital Photography Instruction

Digital SLR Camera Lessons

I am offering one-on-one, individual instruction (or small group workshops) in all aspects of digital photography in the Boston and Cambridge, MA area. I will create a unique lesson with you that can include topics such as choosing a new digital SLR or advanced compact camera and related equipment, learning how to use the various settings and features of your digital camera, photographic composition and taking stronger images, processing and editing your images in Photoshop, and preparing for photographing while traveling.  The lesson plan is up to you and is customized to your interests, needs, level of experience, and specific equipment.  Subjects will be explained, demonstrated, and practiced in ways you will understand, remember, and use.

Please view the Lessons page here, or under Lessons in the blog menu above, to learn more details.

Douglas J. Klostermann Photography Cambridge, MA
Central Square – Cambridge, MA – “Crosswinds” mural by Daniel Galvez

Learn to use your camera with confidence, get the most out of your digital SLR photography equipment, and learn to take better images. Get in touch with me at doug (at) dojoklo (dot) com or at 347-272-Seven Thousand.