not very good, the picture is too large.

 

Just a few thoughts...

First off, the D40 is an "awesome" camera ! Way nicer than my budget level Oly E510.

Secondly, whatever you do, if you don't want to get clowned, "do not" go on an actual photography forum and show them shots taken in "full auto" ! Oh sure, their are "spur of the moment" times, when you don't have time to set up your camera, and want to make sure you have something "marginally acceptable" to show later. But with a shot like this, theirs just no good reason to use full auto..... Because heck > even if "the camera itself" did get it spot on < this would say NOTHING about you, the photographer.

Finally, IMPO, anything man made, in a nature shot (such as that concrete stuff) totally ruins the rest of the shot.

But again, great camera. Just don't be one of those guys with a great camera, who never ends up using it for what it was built for. I'm particularly sensitive about that, as I'm a poor scrub, who does a LOT of photography, but who has to use marginal equipment

Peace,
Fish

PS, Mblouir, the dragon fly macro is great Tack sharp. Nice color.

 

I respectfully disagree.....

 

looks good. I'm looking to get a Canon Rebel XTi

 

Ha, thanks Chris, but that's not mine (it sounded like you thought it is). Note the sig on the bottom of it. I was just showing an example of what that lens can do. I'm saving for it at the moment.

Manual, how's the D3000 treating you? Hope it's everything you wanted. The more features you learn to use (and use properly) the more fun it gets. I read something once about getting into photography and DSLRs.....the first thousand pictures you take will suck. Then they get better. So motivating, huh?


Since we're sharing pictures ()...here's a few of the better ones I've taken since I've had my D90. I usually post them up over at DPS and get critique. Anything they recommend I try to incorporate into my next shot. A few random shots.












And as for the polarizing filter....here's a great example of how much color it brings out in the sky. The first one I forgot to turn it on. Then a simple 90 degree rotation put a much deeper blue into it. Really changes the picture.

 

Hey Kansas, of course their are exceptions.... But then again, I wouldn't really call your example shot a straight up "nature shot" although, it does include an element of nature.
I was mainly talking about a big ugly light pole... or concrete culvert.... etc, in a shot which is otherwise "all nature".
I do some photography of man-made stuff on rare occasion too


I still lean towards nature shots though....





Mbluoir, yes, I did think that Dragonfly was your work..... But hey, the stuff which is yours, is also very nice. That truck looks "rediculously" glossy ! For a black truck to be that dust free, you must have had your camera sitting beside the wash bucket LOL

D3000 ? If you mean, my D300, you have a great memory ! I sold that to a buddy a long time back {long story} and have been shooting with my Oly E510 for most of my photography (besides fishing photos) for the last 2 years.....

But I'm really dreaming lately of the new 7D {I could probably scrape up $1800 for the body.... but I don't even want it, if I can't have a 100-400L Canon lens too.... another $1500}.... or maybe a 50D. I will always be a MP hog ....as I love big prints !

Peace,
Fish

PS, Hey Raptor > IF < you are thinking you want to get seriously into photography, a new Canon Rebel would be an excellent choice for you ! However, I warn guys about this all the time;
Their are a LOT of guys who "mistakenly believe" that to take nice looking shots, they have to have a DSLR. Think again. In reality, some of the nicest new fixed lens cameras not only produce beautiful shots (under good, not so extreme shooting conditions) but also, they will give a much higher number of acceptable shots {keepers} right out of the gate {not such a steep learning curve}.
If you haven't seen these already, most of the shots on my photo site were taken with a point and shoot.... and it was (by modern standards) pretty much a dinosuar at that (Fuji S7000)
http://www.trophybassonly.com/id182.htm

 

Man i love those ^^ pictures.

 

I have a brand new bogen manfrotto carbon fiber tripod and bogen manfrotto magnesium ball head that I paid over $600 for. I used them once to take a couple pictures of christmas lights, then put them back in the boxes. The legs and the head were each more than $300. I would let them go for $300 total for both.

 

I got back from class that morning and just happened to turn around and look at the truck. The combination of where I parked it and the sun coming up over the other side of the house behind me created perfect lighting. I cranked the saturation up just a hair and shot in JPEG. I just try to keep her as clean as possible.


Earlier in the thread ManualF150 had a D40 (the one he took the OP photo with). A few posts later he said he traded it in for a D3000.

The 50D would be a great choice. I did some very extensive research before buying and was between the D90 and 50D (because it was my first DSLR and had no lenses...thus no preference for Nikon or Canon). Although the cameras are aimed at different markets, the negligible price difference made them comparable. The only reason I went D90 is because the menu and controls felt more intuitive. The 50D just didn't feel right in my hands. Would have loved that weather resistant body, though. It's a very nice camera. There are times I wonder if I'd be happier with the 50D right now, but then again had I gone the other way I'd be thinking the same thing.

So true. I gave my good P&S to my mother when I got my DSLR and there are times I regret it, simply because I just can't whip out the DSLR and take a quick, spontaneous photo. I don't think I'd ever go back, though.

Nice site. Those are some beautiful pictures. I really want to get some free time and go travel. The furthest I've been able to go with my DSLR so far is the SC Botanical Gardens...it's located on campus. Spring break just hit so I'd like to take my dog hiking up in NC. Maybe I'll drag the camera along.

 

Very nice shots from all here. Here's a few more.

 

Wow nice pictures guys!!!

Yes, I traded the D40 in for a D3000 (the updated version of the D40/D60) and I love it!

Here's another superb picture I took:

 

Very nice! Did you use a polarizing filter or is your saturation cranked up? Either way I like it. Great colors!

 

I think I used a Skylight 1A filter... but yeah, it came out beautiful. The colors are just nice.

 

Here's a recent... I just took this yesterday at a XC meet that I was photographing...

I used the polarizing filter on these.

Note the water droplets...

EXIF: 3872x2592, sRGB, Focal Length: 48 mm, F/5.6, ET: 1/640, ISO-200, Pattern Metering Mode, Exposure Program: Sports, 0 Exposure Comp.

Click on it to view at full res...

 

Here's a few of the fall pics I got with the D90 yesterday up in Jim Thorpe, PA. Fall foliage is almost in its full splendor. Next weekend probably would be ideal for a retake session if the weather holds.











I took this one 30 minutes after sunset, and used a 5 second shutter: