So now that all the new Nikon cameras are released and being shot, which is the one to buy?  Hold your horses, good question, but poorly asked!  Let’s ask this question first;   What do you use a camera for?

 

Let me draw some broad categories of shooters;

 

The Full Time Sports/Photojournalism Pro:  You shoot all day, everyday, under all kinds of weather, dust, and grime.  You charge your batteries every night, and the camera barely cools down in time to start shooting again.  You need a very high frame rate, and often shoot in miserable light, but still have to get the shot.  You are rough on your gear so it has to hold up to abuse!  D4, D3s, or D3, maybe in a pinch, the D700 are your cameras.  If you have to do video, the D4 and D3s are your only choices, (the other two have no video).  The D4 is the consummate, sports camera, plenty of resolution, but gobs of speed.  If your job is tough, this camera is even tougher.

 

 

The Landscape/Nature/Wildlife/Travel/ Studio/ Wedding/ Portrait/Fine Art Photographer:  If you shoot anything that requires lots and lots of detail and the ability to make enormous prints (think feet instead of inches)!  The new D800 is the answer to your prayers.  If you simply don’t need that kind of resolution, the D700 or D7000 will serve you well.  There is one problem, once you’ve shot the D800, it will be very, very hard to go back!  The detail is addicting!!  The D800 is made to be used hard, maybe not quite up to the D4 standard, but plenty tough!  It’s lighter and smaller and easier to carry than a D3s or D4.  The D7000, even more so.  If you shoot sports the speed and buffer on the D7000 will eventually disappoint you.  The D800 is only marginally better in that it has a big buffer, but 4 fps is not a sports camera.

 

 

What am I going to buy?  Good question.  If I had to decide today, I think it would be the D800 and the D7000, I might would get a D4 if the budget permitted, but I am now addicted to 36 megapixels and I love the D7000 when weight is an issue and to stretch my lenses.  More new cameras will come in the future and we will have to see what they are, and how they perform.  One thing is for sure, the D7000 will make almost any image I ever need to make, but oh my goodness how sweet it is to look at those big, super rich files coming out of the D800.  I don’t think I can ever go back now!!

 

Life is Good!

 

The pilgrim

 

It’s Tuesday the third day of April and I’m back in the, “infamous – pie shaped room”, at the Augusta National Golf Club.  It’s the Masters and I’m in Golf Prison all week.  Now before you start feeling sorry for me, fat chance of that, let me share a thought or two.  When you give yourself fully over to God, He does as He pleases with your life.  Even more so, He does with your life, what will bring Him the most glory, or at least that’s the plan, if you co-operate!   The biggest hurdle to get over,  in life,  is seeing that the purpose He has in mind might be something completely different than what you think you are experiencing.

 

I’m not a big golf fan.  I played when I was younger, and as the old joke goes;  “I gave it up because of all the people that got hurt!”  However, the week at the Masters could hardly be called drudgery.  Hotel rooms in Augusta go for $450 + a night during the Masters, so Nikon is kind enough to rent a large, very nice home, for the three team members to stay in for the week.  The pie shaped room is air conditioned, thank goodness in Augusta in the spring!!!  The Golf Club provides good food and nice facilities for the press, so all is well in that department.  No, all is well in the comfort zone.

 

Time for a thankfulness check up!  What I do love about this week is the fellowship with people I care a great deal for but seldom get to see! My team for this event at Brien Aho, and Takawuki Abe.  Brien is a new Tech Rep and has hit the ground running, he is going to be a great one!   Abe San is a legend in the golf community, he has saved more photographers bacon than anyone can remember!  It is a pleasure working with them.  While at the Masters we get visits from lots of photographers, many of whom, I only get to see once or twice a year.  this is a dangerous game, because you will always leave someone out, and that is a shame, they are all great people, but a few always come to my mind when you say the Masters!  Dom Furore and J.D. Cuban, both of whom work for Golf Digest, their two best shooters in my opinion, are also great guys who make this week long sentence a lot more than tolerable!  Some day when I hang it up and move onto other things, I will really miss these two guys!  We always make it as tradition to go out and have a meal together and it is much anticipated by all!  Fred Vuich, formerly with Golf Magazine, and now free lancing mostly for SI, (Sports Illustrated) is not only a terrific shooter, but one of the nicest men you will ever meet, and is a brother  in the Lord as well, which is a real joy.  Of course John Beaver and Robert Beck drop by (both from Sports Illustrated), and they are great friends as well.  There are more, but these are some of my very special friends that you can find at the Masters every year.  They make this event something to really look forward too!

 

I believe God gives us people, people to love for Him.  People to encourage, to listen to, and to learn from, and maybe, just maybe, teach them a thing or two as well.  It’s the wonderful way He works, as we invest in others, it brings back the riches of friendship to us, and, in the end,  He is glorfied!

 

I may be in prison, but as Paul said, “I’m note really in prison, I’m in Him!”

 

The words of the song For the Love of God, sung by Kenny Rogers,  seems like the right way to end this entry:

 

I could follow Him, I could pledge my faith
Bound by duty I could honor and obey
But the love I found is compelling me
To serve Him from a heart that’s been redeemed

I would give my all, everything I’ve got
To the highest call, for the Love of God
Every day I live, I’d give no matter what
I will do it all, for the love of God

May I never serve from a heart of fear
Thinking only that the end is drawing near
Oh but Lord I pray, that in all I do
I’ll be driven only by what pleases You

I would give my all, everything I’ve got
To the highest call, for the Love of God
Every day I live, I’d give no matter what
I will do it all, for the love of God

No greater motivation, there is no higher cause
My one and only reason remains the love of God

I would give my all, everything I’ve got
To the highest call, for the Love of God
Every day I live, I’d give no matter what
I will do it all, for the love of God

 

Yes, I have comitted my life to him, I will do it all, for the love of God………

 

the pilgrim

 

Clever Title????  My wife’s idea!  Thanks sweetheart!

 

A friend sent this to me today, it was just to good not to post! A Minister passing through his church In the middle of the day, Decided to pause by the altar And see who had come to pray. Just then the back door opened, A man came down the aisle, The minister frowned as he saw The man hadn’t shaved in a while.   His shirt was kinda shabby And his coat was worn and frayed, The man knelt, he bowed his head, Then rose and walked away. In the days that followed, Each noon time came this chap, Each time he knelt just for a moment, A lunch pail in his lap.   Well, the minister’s suspicions grew, With robbery a main fear, He decided to stop the man and ask him, ‘What are you doing here?’ The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour Lunchtime was his prayer time, For finding strength and power.   ‘I stay only moments, see, Because the factory is so far away; As I kneel here talking to the Lord, This is kinda what I say: ‘I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS Ben CHECKING IN TODAY.’ The minister feeling foolish, Told Ben, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome To come and pray just anytime   Time to go, Ben smiled, said ‘Thanks.’ He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the altar, He’d never done it before.   His cold heart melted, warmed with love, And met with Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, He repeated old Ben’s prayer:   ‘I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY. SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY.’   Past noon one day, the minister noticed That old Ben hadn’t come. As more days passed without Ben, He began to worry some. At the factory, he asked about him, Learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, But he’d given them a thrill. The week that Ben was with them, Brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.   The head nurse couldn’t understand Why Ben was so glad, When no flowers, calls or cards came, Not a visitor he had.   The minister stayed by his bed, He voiced the nurse’s concern: No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.   Looking surprised, old Ben spoke Up and with a winsome smile; ‘the nurse is wrong, she couldn’t know, That he’s in here all the while   Everyday at noon He’s here, A dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me:  ‘I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, Ben, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.  ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO Ben, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY.’ I imagine He would love for you to “check in” today! the pilgrim

 

This has been a great week!  The surprise performance of the brand spanking new D800 certainly has enhanced those feelings, but honestly the fellowship with some great friends trumps even that!!  Above from left to right; some guy that wandered into our picture (o.k. the pilgrim), my boss and friend Bill Pekala, General Manager, David Lee, Senior Executive Vice President of Nikon Inc., my freind, Scott Kelby, founder and President of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and Kelby Media, and Kelby Training, and probably a bunch of other stuff!!  José  “Fuji” Ramos, aviation photographer extraordinaire!  Scott Diussa, my boss and wonderful friend and our great repair tech and friend Francis Yeh.

 

It is a rare gift to spend your life working with such great people.  I’ve known Bill Pekala for, probably, 30 years and it has been a honor to work for him at Nikon.  Bill is a truly wonderful photographer, who has little time to practice, but when he get time to get back up to speed he shoots killer stuff, as he did this week!  David is obviously one of Nikon’s top executives in the U.S., but a really down to earth, nice guy and loads of fun to hang out and shoot with!  I couldn’t say enough about Scott Kelby, talented beyond belief, and a joy to spend time with! In recent years Scott has become an extraordinary shooter!  Personally, Scott has a great deal for me and I really appreciate him!  I first met José a few years ago and really like this young man, he is an exceptional aviation shooter and we have worked a lot of Nikon events together and he’s always a pleasure to work with!  Scott Diussa is my direct boss at Nikon and over the last several years we’ve developed a great friendship, Scott is fine young man, with many talents including, photography, video, and he’s a great guitar player as well.  Scott and I share a number of common interests and he’s been a great person to answer to at Nikon.  Francis Yeh is one of our top Repair Techs in Melville, our corporate headquarters.  Francis is a very pleasant guy and always takes great care of our customers!  I always enoy working and event with him, and we’ve done a number, including the Kentucky Derby and the Breeder’s Cup horse races.

 

So why did I go into such detail about all the occupants of the photograph above?   I truly believe that  one of God’s greatest blessings are friends and associates who make our lives far better than they would have been without them!  These guys and many others that I get to spend my work life with certainly have contributed greatly to my life.  Even though we have a lot of fun, we work hard too, but getting to be with these guys makes the work a lot more fun!  I really miss my family when I have to travel, but then, God has given me a whole new family to appreciate when I’m not with my family, at home…..

 

Thank you Father for your countless blessings!

 

the pilgrim

 

A few last shots from my glorious week with the D800!  Today I concentrated on patterns and color!

 

 

 

 

 

 

One final funny story.  The other day David Lee wanted to go to the Pilot’s Mall and didn’t know where it was, so I drove him over in the golf cart.  David just got his pilot’s license so he was like a kid in a candy store.  He stopped by the watch counter (they have great pilot’s watches and you guys know how much I love watches…).  So he selected a watch he wanted to see and I looked over his shoulder and saw that it was a  Torgoen Chronograph, a very highly respected watch.  I looked again to see the watch was on sale for $189. it normally sells for $425.  I had just seen it online the other night for the $425 price!  To make a long story short, David bought one, I bought one and then Bill Pekala saw ours and rushed over and bought one, finally Scott Diussa fell victim as well, so there we were all wearing the same watch, had to take a picture!!  Below!