So I’m excited. I have a new toy. It was my birthday last Monday but Rebekah and I were both so sick we postponed the celebration for a week. I’m sixty-two years old, and I’m not supposed to be like a kid about presents, but I knew what I was getting and I could hardly contain myself waiting!
As you can see it’s a camera and I am thrilled. My previous Nikon was eight years old and I’ve been thinking about something new for some time now, especially when I shoot in low light situations such as the inside of a church building on an overcast day. Up-to-date photography equipment, then, satisfies both a professional need and a personal want.
So Rebekah and my parents took me out to lunch at the Carolina Ale House and I was “surprised” by this amazing gift. (The food, by the way, was exceptional)
The Nikon D3400:
If you know anything about cameras then you already know that the D3400 is classified as “entry-level.” But it still has everything I need and far more. To be honest, I even considered leaving the world of single lens reflex and getting Nikon’s all-digital CoolPix B700 instead, but there is no substitute for the crisp mechanical action of a classic DSLR.
My new camera is faster, lighter, and quieter than the 2010 model. It’s also more powerful, offers longer battery life, shoots at 24 megapixels, and is more effective in low light.
The proof, of course, is going to be in the results. So I went out and took a few photographs of some of the amazing spring colors emerging here around Wake Forest (plus one of my parents, who were in on the gift).
I am already blown away by the quality of the images. I’ve posted just a few below (at a reduced size), and you can certainly expect to see more going forward.
Enjoy, and come back to this blog for more writing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – DEREK
Derek – great photos! I have had a Nikon D3200 for several years and love it. Be sure to check out the “animal” setting for photos of birds, deer, dogs, etc. – it acts a s a motor drive and snaps several frames per second as long as you hold down the shutter release. I still miss the “preview’ button that cameras used to have, but not sure my eyesight is good enough to really see the detail in the viewfinder anymore. Oh, yes, I usually use the viewfinder instead of the digital screen – easier to see in the sunlight and, well, old habits, you know. All our love to you & Rebecca!
Chuck and Peggy
Congratulations on the great gift! This makes me want to drive around PA with my camera, but I’ll have to wait a few weeks for those colors. Have fun!!!
Beautiful pictures. Enjoy the new toy. I specially like that gorgeous tree. Very nice!
[…] I’m posting some more images. I’m still playing with the new camera (my Nikon D3400), and I’m excited about the spring colors here in Wake Forest. Plus […]
[…] through May I wrote extensively about Wake Forest’s colorful spring (it was long and cool this year), and now summertime is coming along with its own spectacular […]