Cortina dAmpezzo Venice Portofino Cinque terre Two photographers, Italy and the D80 Photographers from different fields share their impressions after shooting with the D80 on a trip to Italy. About shooting in Italy - H (Hien): I ve long dreamed of shooting in Venice. As a photojournalist, I always strive to convey the moment just as I saw it with my own eyes. This demands a great amount of footwork to get acquainted with the location, and the time to establish a rapport with the locals. Shooting early in the morning with the D80 left an immediate impression on me. There was limited light, and that was comprised of a mixture of natural and artificial light. A film camera in such a situation requires complicated use of filters, whereas the D80 was able to achieve accurate white balance and metering under mixed light sources and produce beautiful results. Y (Yves): I believe shooting in the cafe allowed m e t o c l e a r l y ex p r e s s m y f e e l i n g s a b o u t the location. I am always exploring how best to express myself based on the inspiration I draw from the actual scene. And for me, the light is the inspiration. I like to control the light in each shot, which of course includes capturing the mood of the natural light, while at times also taking advantage of reflected light or using flashes. The D80 produced images just as I envisioned them, performing perfectly throughout the trip. Images from the D80 are of the highest quality, and I can edit them freely after the shot. The D80 can even perform in-camera editing, which only adds to the creative possibilities and makes digital easier and more enjoyable for everyone. Anyone who takes photos understands the desire to capture precious moments the instant they unfold, and the need for a camera with the speed and precision to be always ready to shoot. Y: I wa s als o im p res s e d by the s p ee d an d efficiency of operation. The placement and size of buttons and controls makes them easy to use. I also find the menus easy to understand, and intuitive to use. The solid feel of the camera body denies its compact size, it was easy to carry around and simple to use from the very beginning. Hien Lam Duc Born in Laos, Hien emigrated t o France at the age of 16. He began his career as a photojournalist with a series on the Mekong River. Hien now lives in Paris and photographs around the world, with particular concentration on Laos. "The D80 is a perfect camera for every aspiring photographer and fully capable of satisfying the most demanding." ­ Hien Lam Duc H:I use the LCD monitor to confirm what I just shot and find the D80s 2.5-inch monitor very easy to view. The display is bright, colors are excellent, and the high resolution is a practical benefit. I found this combination even helps me confirm sharpness. The playback and preview features are also easy to operate. You can zoom in or out using a single button, and its easy to return to a full-frame view. Theres no doubt that the ease of operation and quality of display makes the LCD monitor a useful tool, not only for checking shots and settings, but also for communicating with the people that Im photographing. Impressions after completing the shoot - H: I was particularly taken with the quality of response, the ease of manual control, and the flexibility of settings and functions. Autofocus also delivered the precision Ive come to expect of Nikon SLR cameras. The viewfinder provides a clear view, and its easy to change focus points to match the shot. I shot with the D80 the same way I use my film bodies, and I felt completely comfortable with doing so. The D80 is a per former that transcends distinctions between film and digital cameras. Y: One of the advantages of digital is in how it smoothes the photographic process. You can change settings at any time on a digital camera that are the equivalent of changing the type of film. A good example of this is the ability to change sensitivity. Digital is also more efficient than film. You cant confirm what youve shot with film until after developing the film, whereas digital allows you to accurately confirm whatever you want as you shoot. This point really struck me as I shot with the D80. H: It sounds as though we agree that the D80 is a perfect camera for every aspiring photographer, as well as one that is capable of satisfying both a photojournalist such as me, and a commercial photographer such as you. For every aspiring photographer ­ High performance that satisfies all shooting styles · 10.2 effective megapixel CCD image sensor · Advanced image processing engine · Improved 11-area AF system · 0.18 sec. start-up and short release time lag · 2.5-inch LCD with wide viewing angle · Large, bright 0.94x viewfinder · Nikon D-SLR build quality and fine ergonomic design · D-Lighting, Filters effects and a wide range of image enhancement options About the 10.2 megapixel images - Y: Skin tones really come out great. They are accurately reproduced, even when shooting in soft light, or people with darker complexions. Im also pleased with how sharp and clear shots came out, even when shooting with little light with which to work. H: Even when shooting from the gondola in bright sunlight, the reds in my subject, the blue sky, and the black of the gondola were all accurately reproduced. I used the Landscape mode of the Digi-Vari Programs for this shot, and the outstanding quality of the contrast, color reproduction and smooth transitions all caught my eye. Theres no doubt that the D80s automatic settings can deliver satisfying results. With automatic settings like this, anyone can take professional-quality photos. First impressions of shooting with the D80 - H: All functions respond immediately. The camera is ready to shoot the instant I turn it on, shutter response is excellent, and autofocus is fast and precise. Speed is of the essence to my style of photography. Thats why the remarkable speed of the D80 captured my attention right away. Yves Paternoster Born in France, Yves studied photography i n Amsterdam and began working as a f r e e l a n c e p h o t o g r a p h e r. Currently living in Amsterdam, Yves focuses primarily on commercial photography. "The camera provided satisfying results that were sharp and clear." ­ Yves Paternoster 3 2 Ive shot from this location before, but never this early in the morning. The D80s automatic functions worked wonderfully, capturing the mood of the moment as I hoped to express it. ­ Yves Paternoster 4 · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED · Exposure mode: [M] 1/2.5 second, f/5.6 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 125 I tried to shoot this scene just as it struck my eye. I used the Landscape mode of the Digi-Vari Programs for this shot, and Im very pleased with how the D80 was able to accurately reproduce the moment. ­ Hien Lam Duc · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED · Exposure mode: Digital Vari-Program [Landscape] 1/125 second, f/9 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 5 It was a challenge to find a new perspective on a famous vista. The weather wasnt the best, but the D80s automatic whitebalance managed to handle the mixed lighting conditions brilliantly and I got a very good shot. ­ Yves Paternoster · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED · Exposure mode: [A] 2 seconds, f/9 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 The colors of the traditional costumes, the passion of the dance and the scenic background made me eager to capture the moment in a panoramic shot. The D80 handled the lighting perfectly, and the results are great. ­ Hien Lam Duc · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED · Exposure mode: [P] 1/320 second, f/9 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 125 I really enjoyed taking this picture. Inspired by the light and the interaction of the people, and aided by the ease with which the D80 performed, I was able to visually express my feelings about the scene. ­ Yves Paternoster 6 · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED · Exposure mode: [A] 1/60 second, f/5 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 200 · Built-in-flash: Manual With this photo, I wanted to capture the spontaneity of the moment just as I had witnessed it. It was also fun to show this photo to the fisherman on the spot and let him see for himself how well it came out. ­ Hien Lam Duc · Image quality mode: RAW (NEF) · Lens: AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED · Exposure mode: [S] 1/125 seconds, f/4 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 7 For every aspiring photographer... New high-resolution image processing engine NEW One of the key advances developed for the D80 is its high-resolution image processing engine. At its heart is a dedicated new high-performance processing chip that greatly accelerates performance on all levels, while also consuming less power than its predecessors. It also inherits advantages developed exclusively for Nikons latest professional digital SLR cameras, combining color independent analog pre-conditioning with improved 12-bit digital image processing algorithms. The result is natural-looking images that benefit from faithful color and tone reproduction. The level of performance attained allows the new engine to rapidly and efficiently process the 10.2 megapixel resolution images captured by the DX Format CCD image sensor. 1 4 5 6 2 3 1 · Lens: AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED · Exposure mode: [S] 1/60 second, f/2.8 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 200 2 · Lens: AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED · Exposure mode: [S] 1/250 second, f/4 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 3 · Lens: AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED · Exposure mode: [S] 1/60 second, f/3.5 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 200 4 · Lens: AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED · Exposure mode: Digital Vari-Program [Landscape] 1/1.3 second, f/2.8 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 5 · Lens: AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED · Exposure mode: [S] 1/400 seconds, f/6.3 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 100 6 · Lens: AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED · Exposure mode: Digital Vari-Program [Landscape] 1/200 second, f/10 · White balance: Auto · Sensitivity: ISO-equiv. 400 All photos taken with image quality mode: RAW (NEF) 1-3: Yves Paternoster 4-6: Hien Lam Duc D80 Processing System Image Sensor 2-channel rotated output ASIC (Image processing pipeline) High-speed quantization process ­ Nikkor lenses used for the preceding photos include: Optimized A/D conversion Precision V/H conversion interpolation Precision tone processing Precision color processing Faithful color reproduction with more precise pipeline quantization AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED 8 9 Beautiful results with accurate colors and sharp details 10.2 effective megapixel Nikon DX Format CCD Optimized to capture sharp details, the 10.2 effective megapixel CCD image senor yields extraordinarily high-resolution images, providing plenty of freedom to crop creatively or print impressive enlargements. NEW 11-area AF system The D80 inherits Nikons advanced Multi-CAM 1000 AF Sensor M odule that recently debuted in the D200. Refinements to this new 11-area AF system ensure consistently fast an d p re c is e fo c us l o c k under var ying shooting conditions, all while the addition of effective new focusing options instills photographers with greater confidence to get the desired shot. For example, while the system is able to use each of its 11 focus areas individually, the center sensor can also be switched to wide-frame operation for broader coverage. Refinements to the programming algorithms that control lens focus action further improve system response and focus precision, along with subject acquisition and tracking abilities. Auto-area AF mode NEW High-speed continuous shooting Capable of shooting a rapid 3 frames per second in continuous bursts of up to 100 JPEG (FINE M-size or smaller) or 6 RAW (NEF) images, the D80 makes it easier to stay on top of the action or to capture those unexpected, yet precious picture opportunities. Refinements to achieve this performance include improved processing speed, optimized buffer memory handling, as well as higher data transfer rates. Advanced Auto Exposure system Consistently dependable exposure is the hallmark of Nikons exclusive 3D-Color Matrix Metering II. Refinements for the D80 include its inheriting the advanced exposure evaluation system from the Nikon D2X and ...