D7100 Nikon camera review: I really recommend this camera. If I can make it look good anyone can.

Well it was time to buy a new camera. My old Olympus had been having issues for a few months and when it finally bit the dust on a camping trip with the kids. I decided to go all out and treat us to a decent camera. I say us, because a good solid DSLR is for capturing family moments. So I saw it as a way of investing in the family. After much searching and a few review sites, I decided to buy theNikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR

I was a well priced DSLR and has great features, but more importantly it was compact and not as bulky as some. Being the main user of the camera, I really didn't want a huge thing to carry around.

The D7100 was obviously the timely replacement for the D7000 but for those of you with a thirst for geekery. The D7100 is the first Nikon to not have an optical low-pass filter (OLPF). This means that the 24 mega pixel sensor isn't filtered and you get the whole full fat power of the CMOS sensor. The downside of this of course is that you need some pretty special optics in front to stop artefacts appearing. All in all this was a brilliant decision. The lens on this camera is epic. I took it out of the box and charged it for 8hrs as recommended. Then decided it was time to play.

We drove out to the lake and sat watching the birds for a while, and it was a great opportunity to test out the AF. The auto focus in the D7100 has been fully revamped with technology lifted from the high end Nikons. What this means is that the auto focus is sharper and quicker to respond. We shot the Herons all morning as they landed and took off from the lake and the Nikon D7100 was a dream to use. So light and nimble despite its big boy credentials. The battery life was respectable. With a benchmark of around 1000 shots per charge the camera easily takes on most situations. One of the things I did notice. Is the screen, a punch up from 3 inches to 3.3 inches.

The increases in size isn't what makes the difference though really. It's the quality of the image, from 920k dots up to 1.2m dots. This gives you a realistic crystal clear view of your shots. A much better alternative to the older D7000 screen. Although I have to say side by side they look identical, only under the poly carbonate body is it apparent. But those subtle differences make the difference. I took some great shots at the lake and I really recommend this camera. If I can make it look good anyone can.

In photography, only two hours of daylight are considered to be special: the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. These are called the golden hours. As an alternative, you can recreate the golden hours when shooting later in the day by attaching a pale orange filter on the lens of your camera.

Get NikonD7100 Kit

....... focus on the eyes. How many times have you taken a good picture, then seen that the eyes are out of focus? The eyes are what draws the attention of a portrait picture, so get into a routine of always putting the focus on the eyes.

The most common mistake when taking portraits is laziness. Photographers are often too far away from their subject. The result is a cluttered image where the protagonist is just too small, and the viewers' eyes land on anything but the person being photographed. Move closer to the person to place focus on the face. When you are closer, it is also easier to talk to the person, which can keep them from being stiff. A relaxed person ends up in the spotlight! Do you want a smile that looks natural? Ask the model to say “Ouinnistiti.” It works wonders in your pictures!