Stunning Photos with the Nikon D80

For those of you haven't visited the stunning Nikon site yet, we highly recommend it. Nikon got 16 photographers together for an online and print ad campaign, and gave them a Nikon D80. (Yes, I feel sick, too.) The photographers all contributed images that were taken with the new Nikon DSLR and also took self portraits in a mirror. (It's a little humorous to see the backwards "nokiN" logos in all of the self portrait shots.)

In addition, some of the photographers participated in a more in-depth "documentary" of sorts; the photographers themselves were filmed and interviewed while they put the Nikon D80 through its paces.

Besides the print ads that are now coming out, Nikon has combined the photographers' work with the D80, the self portraits, and the interviews into a Flash site at http://www.stunningnikon.com/dslr/. And while the photos included on this site are great examples of the amazing images that are possible with this camera (not to mention what can be created when you allow a group of extremely talented people loose), the interviews are my favorite part of the StunningNikon site.

Here's why:

The Nikon D80 digital camera is one of our favorite cameras of the year. Not only does it set a new value point for digital SLR's, but the D80 is feature-rich, lightweight, and takes incredible photos. It is truly a pleasure to photograph with, and this is what the Stunning Nikon film clips and the photographers' interviews demonstrate. To watch them photographing -- spying a shot and then snapping away just a couple of seconds later -- is inspiring. It shows that great shots are all around us if we keep our eyes open, and that, with the right camera, even fleeting shots can be captured easily.

Personally, it makes me want to carry my digital cameras everywhere with me.

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Tags: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Nikon Digital Cameras, Nikon Cameras, Nikon D80, Digital SLR

First Look: Nikon D80 Digital Camera

The new Nikon D80 digital SLR could just be the digital camera value of the year. Built for both professional photographers and serious amateurs, Nikon has taken the lion's share of the impressive digital technology from the extremely popular D2X and Nikon D200, and then cut over 40% off of the D200's street price.

Along with the speculation and pre-release rumors that accompanied the announcement of the D80 in early August 2006, some early reviews have claimed the Nikon D80 SLR digital camera is basically an upgrade to the D70s. While this is one way to look at it, in reality the Nikon D80 is much closer to the D200. The most notable and obvious features should place the D80 at the top of this year's Christmas list for any serious photographer. With a 10.2 megapixel CCD chip and Nikon's high-res image processor, this camera can render and store high-quality images fast. In fact, the Nikon D80 can take continuous shots at 3 fps for up to 100 frames in sequence. The bright, 2.5-inch LCD screen with 170-degree viewing angle allows easy review of photos, even when the DSLR isn't directly in front of the photographer. And for those who prefer to compose shots through the viewfinder, the quality optics and 0.94X maginification makes this a pleasure, as well.

You can see more features and the full technical specs of the Nikon D80 digital camera at http://www.ritzcamera.com/static/nikon/d80-review.html.

The new Nikon D80 is destined to be one of the most popular cameras for the rest of the year, so if you want one, you better pre-order it early. RitzCamera.com is already taking orders for the Nikon D80 body only, as well as several packages of the Nikon D80 combined with some of the most popular Nikkor lenses, for even more savings on this digital camera value of the year.

Tags: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Nikon Digital Cameras, Nikon Cameras, Nikon D80, Digital SLR