Tech Friday: Travel gear

This is not a test, or a review, as a Nikon Tech Rep that is not something I should be doing, it is a frank description of how these two products will change the way I do travel photography, personally. I work for Nikon, but that doesn’t keep me from getting excited about the products we make. The Nikon engineers hit a couple out of the park this time.

For me personally, travel is all about weight and bulk. I love the D3s, it is an awesome imaging camera, but I don’t want to carry it and three or four heavy lenses on a stroll down the beach. For travel I really want two things, something that lets me make great images, but doesn’t get in the way of having a good time. I don’t do personal travel with assistants that can coral all my gear and protect it from weather and theft, I have to do that myself. On this trip these two cameras have done everything I wanted them to do and then some. I only brought the D7000 and P7000 and two lenses for the D7000, the 16-85 AFS VR (which I used 95% of the time) and the trusty old 70–300 AFS VR. I used some automatic extension tubes with the 70-300, but that was about it.
I never had more than one, of the two with me, at any given time.

I think both of these cameras are going to get a great deal of attention. The D7000 is a very sophisticated DX sensor camera that makes beautiful images, and is quiet as a mouse. The video is stunning, and it even allows an external mike to be connected. The D7000 is packed with features you would never expect to see in a camera in this price range, and it is really built well, with a full magnesium alloy frame and sealing. At 16.2 mega pixels it is a true High Res camera.

The P7000 is dream when you just want to go ultra light. The 28-200 zoom and lots of great shooting options make it usable in many situations you would consider using a compact camera.
Add to that the really great performance at higher ISO settings like 800 and 1600. This camera really works and makes gorgeous images. I still catch myself looking at the EXIF data to be sure the images were made with the P7000!

Never, say never, but I can’t see my doing serious travel with anything else for some time to come.
I have warned on many occasions that I would not use this blog to promote products, but I’m so excited about these new cameras, I just couldn’t help myself. Of course, other manufacturers make great cameras as well, but these two just might make you wish you shot with Nikons.

I’m going to take the weekend off to enjoy being with Sherelene on the last few days of our vacation, please have a great weekend yourself, and forgive my enthusiasm.

Blessings,

the pilgrim