Wordpress from now on...

All, I will probably very rarely be updating this blog from this point. Check my new blog--with every entry here imported--at http://brianricephoto.wordpress.com for new posts.

First weekend out with the D700

So here are some sample shots of the Nikon D700 in low light situations, at very high ISOs. Personally I’m blown away by the image quality the D7oo produces, at all ISOs but especially the higher ISOs. Even on the Canon 5DM2 I was reluctant to shoot above 3200 ISO in these circumstances; on the Nikon I have practically no need to reduce the noise at 3200. And images at 6400 and above, all the way to 12,800 were progressively grainy, but in a much more appealing way than the Canons. I would never use anything above 6400 ISO on the 5DM2, and rarely 6400. With the D700 I have no problem using 12,800 for online usage.

Tracii Guns (foreground) of LA Guns, ISO 3200

100% crop of above pic, ISO 3200

The Nikon D700

So I've had the D700/24-70 for a couple of days now. Haven't done any jobs with it yet; just been putting it through its paces shooting things around the house. This weekend I'll be taking it on three different shoots, so I'm looking forward to that.

Justice is coming.

The Switch from Canon to Nikon is in progress

So I have, indeed, committed to switching from Canon to Nikon, recently. After further reflection/internal debate/countless budget calculations, I ultimately decided on the Nikon D700 paired with the Nikon 24-70 2.8. Not the cheapest scenario--believe me, I tried really hard NOT to decide on this solution--but having shot with the Canon 5DM2 for the past year and a half and Canon's own 24-70...I ultimately realized I couldn't walk away from the stunning image quality that both a full frame sensor offers and that the pro grade 24-70 2.8 can deliver. It's like the difference between HD TV and standard antennae broadcast. A crop sensor camera is certainly pretty good and more than acceptable...but it's like comparing a brand new Honda to a brand new Jaguar.

Nikon d300s Impressions from a Canon 7D and 5DM2 shooter.

I've rented the Nikon d300s this past week, along with the Nikon 17-55 2.8, the SB-900 flash and the SB-600 flash (to experiment with off-camera lighting). I've been considering a switch from Canon to Nikon for a long time. Here is a link to some pics I shot with the Nikon. Below are my impressions: