Back to SLRs and Nikon

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In 2002, when I picked up my first SLR from Mustafa`s in Singapore, I thought it would help me learn the art of photography. It did not. The Nikon F-65 was so heavy and bulky, I just did not feel like traveling with it and it remained packed with silica-gel until it became so outdated that I could barely manage to sell it at Palika Bazaar for a pittance.

At the time, I had sworn not to buy another SLR. Instead I became a dedicated point-and-shoot digicam fan, starting with a Nikon Coolpix 5600 (2006). Then came a Canon 860-IS (2008), followed by another Canon - the G11 (2009).

I was especially fond of the G11 with its articulate screen, eyepiece, and sensitivity to low-light, but, unfortunately, its rugged looks were deceptive. Durability proved to be less than impressive. After two instances of dead buttons and hang-up`s and as many visits to the Canon service center, I thought it was better to dispose the camera while it was still in the one-year warranty period. Last week, I got Y16,000 for it from the second-hand store, WonderEx-Tsukuba.

Since then, I have been agonising over a replacement. I wanted something light and compact, with articulate screens and the flexibility of detachable lenses. The options on the table were: Sony Nex5 (Yen 56k, 300g), Sony Alpha55, Olympus EP2 and Panasonic Lumix GH2 (Y101k kit 14-140mm, 492g+460g). I checked them out a few times at Yodobashi Camera and KS-Denki and it seemed like a big risk to pay so much for equipment that was neither significantly smaller - especially with the long-lenses, nor tried-and-tested.

So I have decided to play safe with an older (hence cheaper) model - the Nikon D90 with 18-105mm kit for Y80k from Kakaku.com . It is neither compact, nor light; it does not have an articulate screen that was a must-have on my list... but the biggest concern remains portability.

I hope this SLR won`t get mothballed like its older cousin.

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REFERENCES - The Camera-Hunting Trail

The background blur effect - http://www.wikihow.com/Blur-the-Background-of-a-Photograph
About four-thirds and micro four-thirds) - http://www.four-thirds.org/en/index.html
(micro four-thirds forum - http://www.mu-43.com/forum.php)
General discussion on photography - http://kenrockwell.com/tech/death-of-photography.htm
Thom Hogan - http://www.bythom.com/
Nikon-Canon DSLR comparison - http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/canon-vs-nikon.html

Comparing GH1 / Alpha-55 / Kiss - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000089559/SortID=12065266/

Competition for Nikon D90 --- Canon EOS 40D ---- Pentax K20D

Pentax K20D.......weatherproofed
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PentaxK20D/
Price - Y89k for body - http://kakaku.com/item/00491011105/

Canon EoS 40D
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos40d/
Price list - http://kakaku.com/camera/digital-slr-camera/ma_14/

Canon EoS 60D.........................................755g
Price - Y72,190 - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000141272/
Canon EoS 7D
Price - Y105k - http://kakaku.com/item/K0000055429/

Nikon D3000
Price - Kakaku - Y31,549 - http://kakaku.com/item/K0000049457/
Comparisons - D3000, D5000, D60 - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD3000/

Nikon D7000...................................780g
Review & comparison with D90, D300S - http://www.dpreview.com/previews/Nikond7000/
Price - Kakaku (30/10) - Y120,488 - http://kakaku.com/item/K0000151480/  55-300mm lens - Y28,350 http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000139410/SortID=11915700/  10-24mm Y,82,680 http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000030214/  18-105mm Y42,148 http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/10503512019/

Nikon D90
Price - Kakaku - Y55,820 - http://kakaku.com/item/00490711142/  with 18-105mmVR lens - Y81,375 http://kakaku.com/item/00490711143/?lid=shop_itemview_comparison_5#tab
Review photo.net - http://photo.net/equipment/product-detail?product_id=3284

Olympus PEN E-P1 - 335g (no batt)
Review - http://www.siftwire.com/olympus-e-p1-esia-mju-8000-digital-camera-awards.html
Review - photo.net - http://photo.net/equipment/olympus/ep1/preview/
Review - http://www.bythom.com/olympusep1review.htm
Discussion - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=33609440&q=EP2&qf=m
Price - Kakaku (29 Oct) - Body Y-58,700, Lens 14-42mm (28-84mm eq)- Y-21,375 // Lens 17mm (=34mm) - Yen 34,400
Price - Amazon (29 Oct) Y-59,800 - kit incl - camera (335g) + 14-42mm (150g) + M-17mm (71g)-
E-P2 ---- no built-in flash, no view-finder
Official page - http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1482
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusEP2/  (E-620 DSLR specs into this camera)
Review-photo.net - http://photo.net/equipment/olympus/ep2/preview/
Review - http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Olympus_E-P2/
Price - Kakaku - Y-88,143 (with M.Zuiko 17mm lens) - http://kakaku.com/item/K0000068068 / Y76,800  with 14-42mm - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000068067/SortID=11402390/
Price -Amazon - Y89,222 kit (14-42mm) Y22k for EVF; Y15k for flash -
Customer Review - http://www.amazon.co.jp/product-reviews/B0043237G0/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Comments E-P1-E-P2 - http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/olympus-e-p2-official-patches-over-e-p1-problems-and-jacks-up-t/#comments
Comments E-P2 vs. GF1 - http://www.flickr.com/groups/olympuse-p1/discuss/72157622997497133/
User Guide YouTube - http://www.mu-43.com/f42/olympus-e-p2-quick-start-part-1-a-586/
Reviews- http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EP2/EP2A.HTM?r=45976846
Review - Wired - http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/olympus-ep-2-comes-out-early-almost-no-new-features/
Comparisons- Photo.net - http://photo.net/digital-camera-forum/00VHwk
Note: E-P2 - operating temp is 0-40C only; humidity 30-90%

Olympus E-450 - smallest DSLR - 380g!
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09033101olympuse450.asp

Olympus E-30 - semi-pro DSLRs - 730g
Review & comparison between E-3, E-30 and E-620 - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse30/

Sony Alpha NEX-3 / NEX-5
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/SonyNex5Nex3
Price - Kakaku - Y-46,130 (with E-16mm lens) - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000109869/SortID=11382851/


Sony Alpha A55 - (Time 22 Nov: `fixes mirror flip problem with an ingenious translucent mirror)
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonyslta55/
- Price - Yen 56k (body) - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000140388/SortID=11807195/
- Comparison with Lumic GH2 - http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-GH2-vs-Sony_SLT-A55
- Best lens Q & A - http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101120001152AAZQ2ln
- Best lens - http://camera.downloadatoz.com/tutorials,467,top-tips-for-selecting-a-best-zoom-lens-for-sony-slt-a55.html
- Vario-Sonnar DT 16-80 Y72k, 445g - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/10506511769/SortID=10094043/
- DT 18-55 Y8.9k, 210g - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000035099 / --- recco froｍ－http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=36635716
- DT 18-250 Y44k, 440g - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/10506511878/
- Tamron 18-250 Y42k, 550g - http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/10505512012/SortID=11879495/
- Kit types - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1037&message=36557006&changemode=1  (cheaper jap-only version!)
- Kit options - http://www.aqua-feel.com/shopbrand/017/005/X/
- Video overheating problem - http://forums.sonyinsider.com/topic/26012-si-sony-a55-and-a33-dslr-cameras-can-get-too-hot-when-shooting-video/


Panasonic Lunix TZ7 / ZS3 review - http://www.dphotojournal.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-tz7-zs3-review-samples-user-manual/
Manual (English-PDF) - http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMCZS1.PDF

Fuji-Finepix - Fuji F80EXR instead of the S90 for longer reach in the lens, 27-270 vs 28-105. Lots of things in the Grand Canyon beg for telephoto. Dynamic range of EXR is better http://fujifilm.jp/personal/digitalcamera/finepixf80exr/index.html

Panasonic Lumix GF1
Price - Kakaku (30/10) - Y35,264 (body only) - http://kakaku.com/item/K0000055861/  Y38,836 (30/10) LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7  ASPH. H-H020付属 http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000055862/SortID=11631637/  Lens 14-45mm - Y 22,895 http://review.kakaku.com/review/K0000027535/ReviewCD=317025/  //
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicGF1/
Review & Comparisons - http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/panasonic-lumix-dmc-gf1/4505-6501_7-33770516.html
Review - http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_gf1-review
Review- Lens 14-45mm - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7q9nP0fKB4&feature=fvw
Review - http://www.bythom.com/panasonic_GF1_review.htm
Comparison with E-P1 - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicgf1/page2.asp
Forum - comparison with G11 - http://photo.net/digital-camera-forum/00Wp49
Forum - http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=146

Panasonic GF2
Review - http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/04/panasonic-lumix-gf2-preview/
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/news/1011/10110405panasonicgf2.asp  /// http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonicdmcgf2/
Review - http://www.t3.com/reviews/cameras/digital-cameras/panasonic-lumix-gf2-review-hands-on

Panasonic GH2
Review - http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonicdmcgh2/
Review - Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-GH2-Interchangeable-Free-Angle-Black/product-reviews/B0043VE27Y/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8
Forum - http://photo.net/olympus-camera-forum/00Xspr
Lens 45-200- Y31,868 http://kakaku.com/item/10504312024/spec/
Quote - http://seiwa-d.com/pf-dmc.htm#FS045200

Comparison with Sony A55 Discussion - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1000&message=36581476
Forum - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=36473999
Advantages l;ist - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=36430456
Lens kit 14-140 kit Y101k!(GH2 H-K) - http://pc-town.jp/fs/ptwn/gd1721  (black) http://kakaku.com/item/K0000152866/  (silver)

Panasonic LX3
Company page - http://panasonic.jp/dc/lx3/
Price - Kakaku - Y36,800 http://kakaku.com/item/00501911289/

Leica M8
Price - Kakaku - Y355,628! (1Nov) - http://kakaku.com/item/00500711066/

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LENSES
* Review of Nikon AF-S 50mm/1.8G - http://photo.net/equipment/nikon/lenses/50-G/preview/