Nikon released the J2 mirrorless camera on August 9, 2012, less than a year after it debuted the CX mirrorless system with the introduction of the Nikon 1 J1 and V1. Along with the J2, Nikon also released the 1 Nikkor 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5-6 zoom lens, a very compact lens to...
Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR – Incredible!
I know that many of our readers have been patiently waiting for me to publish my upcoming Nikon 70-200mm f/4G VR Review (Update: the review has been posted right here). While the review is under way, I have a lot of gear in my hands that I need to test...
Street Photography Tips for Beginners
It is a very natural urge for photographers to document the swirling life around them. We often find ourselves drawn into, as observers, a number of situations and noticing interesting details about other people on the streets. Photographically capturing these moments is a very different thing, however. While landscape photographers...
How to Build an Affordable Photo Studio
Creative studio photography can be both challenging and rewarding. In the beginning, when we just start taking the first baby steps to improve our photography skills, we always start out by utilizing available light. It does not take very long for most people to figure out that it can be...
How to Use a Monopod
While a good, sturdy tripod is often best for stabilizing your gear, there are times when a monopod is more convenient and/or can be a big help in supporting larger camera/lens combinations. In keeping with Nasim's mention in the Focus and Recompose Technique article that we would be doing some...
What Went Wrong with Nikon 1 V1?
Bad product? Bad marketing? Predatory pricing? A simple act of desperation? Or all of the above? Nikon has just slashed the price of the Nikon 1 V1 kit (with the 10-30mm VR lens) again, down to $299. A product that sold for $899 exactly one year ago when I reviewed...
Nikon 18-300mm VR Review
This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G DX ED VR lens that was released in June of 2012 along with the Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens. Thanks to the popular demand of the 18-200mm and the full-frame Nikon 28-300mm VR lenses, Nikon decided to add another...
How to Use Prime Lenses in Low-Light Environments
Fast prime lenses offer a number of advantages. They are great tools in many situations - whether you need discretion, low-light performance, portability, or aesthetics, there's a lens for every taste. However, these strong advantages also come with certain issues. When used wide-open (meaning at maximum aperture), many prime lenses...
How to Enhance Landscape Photos in Lightroom
So, you've taken a photograph of a beautiful sunset or a peaceful, fog-covered valley. But something is missing in the picture - it just doesn't look as good straight out of camera as the scene you were seeing at the time. By using simple Lightroom tools, such as Clarity, Graduated...
Which Nikon Prime Lens to Buy First?
Using a prime lens on your camera is one of the most enjoyable things in photography. Primes usually have wider apertures so you can get shallow depth of field, and they're typically lighter and more compact than zooms. For both the Nikon Z and F mount, there are some amazing...