UPDATE - I got the Nikon 7000 the other day. when setting it up, he asked me if I wanted to set it at RAW or jpeg. At least I knew a little on the topic with all your advice. Set it to Jpeg as I need a big learning curve.
I did not get the 'kit'lens. I got 7000 body and a Nikon 55-300 mm, and a Tokina 11-16 2.8 lens. Took a few photos of full moon and learning lots.
Yes, I can still see my P&S camera being handy, but I loved photography since 1974 when I saved enough ($250) to buy a Honeywell Pentax, and then a couple of lenses. Haven't touched them in 25 yrs,so am looking forwrd to getting back into it.
Will take all the comments/help you want to give
Nancy
My Canon DSLR has the option to shoot RAW and jpeg at the same time. If I am shooting with the intent to use my shots to sell as art photography I shoot with with the camera set to RAW. I often set to the RAW and jpeg setting and get both RAW images and a jpeg of the same shot. Windows 7 does not have built in support to view RAW images. There are a number of gallery programs that will do this - and generally one will come with the camera. If you are shooting "snapshots" jpeg is fine. If you want a serious print shoot RAW. You can always convert this to jpeg format with software and delete shots that you don't want to keep the RAW profile for. Large capacity memory cards and external hard drives are affordable and large image files should not be a problem to save. RAW has been described as having a negative that you can manipulate over and over again and never lose the negative. It is not hard to manipulate a RAW image to get exactly the image you want - and have the ability to get several different results that you may want to keep. You can also change exposure - not just brightness and contrast. There are websites that will teach you how to work with RAW images.
And yes, keep your p&S camera. I just spent the last year finding a small P&S that will give me quality shots to carry as a pocket camera when the DSLR is just not convenient.
nancyjerry wrote: UPDATE - I got the Nikon 7000 the other day. when setting it up, he asked me if I wanted to set it at RAW or jpeg. At least I knew a little on the topic with all your advice. Set it to Jpeg as I need a big learning curve.
I did not get the 'kit'lens. I got 7000 body and a Nikon 55-300 mm, and a Tokina 11-16 2.8 lens. Took a few photos of full moon and learning lots.
Yes, I can still see my P&S camera being handy, but I loved photography since 1974 when I saved enough ($250) to buy a Honeywell Pentax, and then a couple of lenses. Haven't touched them in 25 yrs,so am looking forwrd to getting back into it.
Will take all the comments/help you want to give
Nancy
Congratulations Nancy on purchasing a fine camera. The Nikon 7000 is indeed a great instrument. Practice, practice, practice until you are comfortable with all the many features. Look at the many fine lens available after you understand the camera well. A nice Speedlight flash, a good tripod, a Macro lens, perhaps a bigger telephoto and you are pretty well set. Also buy some UV filters (Tifin, Hoya) to protect your lens. It is a lot cheaper to replace a filter if the lens becomes scratched then the lens. Keep it on at all times.
The Nikon allows JPEG and RAW together, but as I pointed out earlier, there is no need for RAW period. You will find that you can do anything to a JPEG to enhance your photo that you can do with RAW. As far as multiple adjustments to RAW without loss, you have to ask yourself why? You open a photo image, make adjustments as needed and save once – done. Besides, any minimal loss to the JPEG is not noticeable to the human eye. Windows does not come with a RAW viewer imply because there is no standard RAW, it would have to incorporate each manufacturers RAW specs. Get a copy of Photoshop Elements and you will be happy.
RAW and Jpeg certainly have their place and sounds like an issue each will have to decide for themselves. I appreciate the pro/cons as a learning tool.
I will have the camera shoot in each format soon. that day he set it up, I just went easy, and with 1 card not 2 in the dual slots available.
Yes I need the tripod, a lens in the 35-50 range, and filters soon, plus a whole lot of other stuff later!
For the moment, I have a 3 yr old computer with MS on it, a version of PhotoShop my son put on, but i have not really used, and now an Ipad (3) with no photo type program. (Imovie/import but nothing else)
thanks to all including last comments by Jack..and 1775.( are you a history buff? Don't tell me its your birthday!?)
Nancy
Nancy, You'll have fun with that camera combination. The best advice you can get is to "JUST SHOOT PICTURES!" You'll learn so much with the digital pictures and if one or a whole batch is no good - JUST DELETE THEM and move on.
Photoshop CS software is very, very powerful but for 95% of all photographers you'll be very happy with Photoshop Elements. The difference in cost is about a thousand dollars or more..........Elements runs around $100 and the current CS is over a grand.
I still use CS3 (current is 5 or 6) and it is more powerful than needed.
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