PHOTOGRAPHIC THREADS: camera queries, any photo tech stuff!

[gote]

Equivalent is the word.
Göte

[Casalima]

7dayshop don't ship to Europe and also don't stock the particular Panasonic camera battery I am looking for. Can anyone recommend another online shop in the UK or elsewhere in Europe with good battery/recharger prices?

[TC]

There are several suppliers in the UK who supply batteries, however I do not know if they ship to Portugal.  You could try Budgetbatteries.co.uk, Mail order batteries.com or Amazon
Most of these companies sell cheaper equivalent batteries to the Pansonic range.
 The best idea is to search on Google for Camera batteries, identify your battery type, check the price and then see if the sell outside the UK.  There is usually an email address on the site.

[Peter Maguire]

Chloe,
I can recommend Premier-Ink (www.premier-ink.co.uk/) - a good source of cheap, non-manufacturer batteries -   or Wex photographic (www.warehouseexpress.com/Home/default.aspx). However I'm not sure whather either of them ship outside the UK.
You could also try Speedgraphic (www.speedgraphic.co.uk) who do ship to mainland Europe, but I'm not sure whather they would have your battery in stock.
I bought from all of these companies previously and they all have a very good service.

Peter

[Lvandelft]

Chloe, an address with good recommendations on the net, where I would buy is:
http://www.replacedirect.nl/apparaat/27942/digitale-camera/interne-accus.html
They have about all batteries you may think of and I think they send EU wide, just send them a mail and ask. Dhe Dutch will mostly speak  English as well 

On the next link you will find all batteries of Panasonic:
http://www.replacedirect.nl/apparaat/48166/panasonic/interne-accus.html

[Anthony Darby]

Amazon ship worldwide, but check that the supplier puts "international shipping rates" and not "domestic shipping rates" in their ad.

[Casalima]

Thank you all for your ideas. I ended up buying what I needed via Amazon (bought last night, already "shipped" before 9.00 am), but the various links have been bookmarked for future reference. Panasonic DMC-FP1 - in case anyone is wondering. A nice little camera that has the great advantage of no protruding lens to be broken when it falls on the floor or is in daughter's jacket pocket 

[cohan]

Hi all-- hopefully I am not repeating something already covered, but I did a quick search and didn't see quite this question.....

I got a Nikon D3100 (dslr) as an early Christmas present and enjoying it so far, but I will need more than the kit 18-55 lens to do everything I am used to (my Panasonic lumix can go from macro focus right on the subject to 18x telephoto, and I use the full range all the time)... With the 18-55, I cannot get as close to the subject as I am used to, but I can get close enough, with good image quality and cropping, so that's not a big issue, but I am used to going from close-up to distance so that I can capture distant landscape features etc within seconds while shooting plants, and often go back and forth from one photo to the next...
Sure, carrying around two cameras is one solution- but not a comfortable one, nor am I keen on the idea of changing lenses in the field- where its often windy, dusty, muddy etc (if I wanted to change lenses a lot, I might get the 55-200 or 70-300 to add to my 18-55)..

So, I've been thinking about the 18-200 which should cover most of my needs- I could get a macro for use around home if needed, but really would rather have just one lens in the field...
So, -comments on my conclusions are welcome, but my question mainly is about price/source- this lens as seen locally is over $800, which is rich for my budget! Any reliable places online to buy name brand lenses for less I say online because I am not near any large city, though if anyone in Alberta knows a good place in Edmonton or Calgary, I could make a trip for a good deal)? (also, I know Amazon, of course) What about used lenses-good value or risk? Are there any cheaper compatible lenses worth the money?

[David Lyttle]

Hello Cohan,

I use a Nikon D300 which is the predecessor to your D3100. I use an 18 - 200 AF-S Nikkor DX VR. I find it a very versatile lens and quite useful for plant photography as well as landscape and wildlife photography. You can frame your shot very easily. Closest focusing distance is 0.5 m which in reality is not too much of a disadvantage.

I have a AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D for closeup work. It is relatively cheap with not too much glass to cart around. Closest focusing distance is 0.22m which means you get to grovel around in the mud quite a bit.

When I am in the field I try not to change lens too frequently which means deciding what you wish to photograph on the day.

hope this is helpful

[ranunculus]

Following David's generous info,' I tend to use a Sigma DC 17-70mm with my Nikon D80 and seldom consider changing it in the field.
I have other lenses that, like David, I rarely cart around, and they tend to remain at home in my camera bag (which is another blithering nuisance), along with my tripod (used twice in twenty years), flash unit (three times) and camera case.  Travel light is the mantra, just the camera, a spare battery and three memory cards for each day in the mountains (oh - and Sue, of course)!

[Maggi Young]

While there is talk of cameras and lenses, may I put in a word wearing my IRG Editor's hat?

We are fortunate to have so many talented photographers around the forum...but... (you knew there was a but coming there, didn't you?).... but, there is a distinct lack of photos taken in portrait format. The vast majority are taken in landacape/ horizontal format. May  I ask you folks to take a moment when out  with your cameras to give a though to this and turn your camera... whichever make and model it might be, therough 90 degrees and try some portrait/vertical style shots?

Aprat from casting a new eye on things for you... it would be a great help for me in searching for photos for the front page of the IRG!!

Yes, a vertical shot can be contrived from some horizontal format pix, but I prefer not to play around with the work of the photogrpahers in that way, if it is at all possible to avoid that. Since the  portrait format is the one which fits our IRG cover so nicely, it would be really exciting if more of you would shoot a few in that style!!  

[ranunculus]

Maggi, I'm certain that all the wonderful photographers on this forum have many fine examples of alpine flowers and their habitats in portrait format that don't tend to see the light of day because 'most' editors, publishers and designers require or demand landscape format. The unique requirements of IRG give us an opportunity to display images that have remained long hidden.  The problem is always knowing exactly what subject you might need for each edition?

[Maggi Young]

I hope you are correct, Cliff... and that millions of great shots are waiting to be used. I am finding though that some folks seem to have very few portrait shots so thought a little note  might help!

Mostly of course, a cover shot will be linked to an article though this next issue will have an unrelated shot as a cover- just "because" !!

Just as I would urge folks to submit fab pix, I would widen that to suggest that submissions of short articles for inclusion are more than welcome.  More the merrier. We try to tackler all sorts of things... our over-riding idea being to whet the appetities of the reader to  appreciate these flowers and wild places and want to make great gardens. 

[ian mcenery]

Following David's generous info,' I tend to use a Sigma DC 17-70mm with my Nikon D80 and seldom consider changing it in the field.
I have other lenses that, like David, I rarely cart around, and they tend to remain at home in my camera bag (which is another blithering nuisance), along with my tripod (used twice in twenty years), flash unit (three times) and camera case.  Travel light is the mantra, just the camera, a spare battery and three memory cards for each day in the mountains (oh - and Sue, of course)!

I agree with Cliff the 17- 70 Sigma is a great choice and is also my weapon of choice. It is a zoom and a macro all in one. Beware a longer telephoto requires much higher shutter speeds to remove the likelihood of camera shake meaning that low light shots are more challenging with longer lenses.

[Mike Ireland]

Hey Maggie I've found one!!!!!!!

Mike