And you thought I was married.
No, really, I am married. And what I love is my boyfriend of a camera.
Yes, I really do secretly kiss my camera. Okay, sometimes it’s not so secretive.
I’m sad my camera can’t take a picture of itself. What a great picture that would be. Alas, I must be content with this cell phone snap. Nikon D5100 with SB-400 bounce flash.
My boyfriend is a Nikon D5100 DSLR. He’s most often equipped with his kit lens (an 18-55mm) or a 35mm f1.8 lens, and the Nikon SB-400 flash in the bounce position. And I love him.
I could really talk about my camera for hours (pages?) and why I picked it but I’ll try not to.
I am no pro. I upgraded from a hand-me-down point-shoot, but I knew I wanted my next camera to do all kinds of cool things, so I started researching.
Why a DSLR? I settled on a DSLR instead of a more compact (and potentially blue) camera when I realized that the most important things to me were the ability to snap multiple photos quickly and the ability to use an external flash (and also to get the amazing ranges in depth of field that DSLRs can provide). Some more compact cameras have hotshoes for external flashes, but DSLRs have the quickest shooting and the most choices of accessories (flashes, etc.) And I just decided that I’d be willing to carry it around. And I have been willing. And I do carry it everywhere.
Here’s a cute snap I got of my goddaughter, because my camera’s so quick! 35mm f1.8 lens
Why Nikon? Really because Ken Rockwell told me to go with Nikon. Because he likes their flashes. The SB-400 flash is what sold me on a Nikon DSLR. Really, though, between Canon and Nikon, there’s so much quality, it’s really nit-picking when you compare.
Excuse my gruddy hair and makeupless face, but this is a great example of why I love my SB-400 bounce flash. The left picture was taken with the flash straight on and the right picture was taken with the flash bounced off the ceiling. Doesn’t it look better and so natural?
Why D5100? So, there was the D40 that seemed perfect but discontinued. Then the D3100 had come out, and Ken Rockwell told me that it was the perfect camera for me, but there were a few things about it that I was hesitant about: one being the LCD screen. So, I just waited. I had been waiting for a new camera and agonizing over the decision so long, that more waiting wasn’t hurting anything.
When I discovered that the D5100 came out (a little while after it was really released), it seemed perfect. It was definitely a little more expensive than the D3100, but the features that sold me were the better LCD on the back (so I can learn what I’m doing right and wrong as I take pictures), the articulating screen (I don’t use it all the time, but when I do, it helps me get some awesome angles), the ability to use the ML-L3 wireless remote (family photos with the remote instead of the self-timer! No more running back and forth. Just lots of fun family photos. I call it “tripod time” and my family knows what to do).
Silly family at tripod time! If you look closely, you can see my thumb pressing down on the remote. :)
When I got it, I immediately ordered these things:
SB-400 flash
Nikon NC filter
ML-L3 remote
extra battery
And a little later, for my birthday, I got this lens: Nikon’s 35mm f1.8. It’s great in low-light and produces a nice, shallow depth-of-field for those pretty blurry backgrounds.
Brandon’s grandma and our goddaughter.
Look at that nice shallow depth-of-field. And really, just another excuse to post a baby picture.
So far, that is my happy little family. I got this book and this book, which I referenced a lot at the beginning and still reference now and again. I liked that they each come with a gray card, which I keep in my camera bag.
I’m looking for a new camera bag, am planning a new camera strap, and of course, am shopping for new accessories. I’ll keep you posted on the additions to my boyfriend’s entourage!
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