I broke down and bought the Nikon D80 a few months ago and absolutely love it. We are actually going to get a second one because having 2 photographers, 13 lens and only one decent DSLR is not working real well. Keep in mind, he's a pro and we have a slew of Nikon film SLRs around here, hence all the lenses. We have also had a Nikon digital Coolpix 960 for a good 7 years. It's on it's last legs, but is a great macro camera (no real point here, just another Nikon plug). My first "real" camera was a Olympus SLR I bought in college about 25 years ago. The first time someone put a Nikon 8008 film camera in my hands, I went Nikon and never looked back.

We've also had Sony and Kodak digital cameras, as well as Hasselblad, Leica and a bunch of other pro film cameras.

The household pro has been overwhelmed with what he gets out of the D80. The Nikon D80 is the little brother to the Nikon pro D200 but the D80 really seemed to be the better camera. The few additional features the D200 had, didn't justify the additional cost. A good photographer can manipulate the D80 to behave the same.

For macro I use a Nikkor 60mm, we also have a 105mm macro. No matter how you look at it, macro is frustrating to learn. A little point and shot with a good macro setting is far easier.

For wildlife pictures or when we are birding, he uses a 300mm and I use a general purpose 70-210mm (easier for me to hand hold and it's been my fave lens since long before digital). If you saw my space shuttle shots, they were taken with the D80 and the 300mm (from 10 miles away). I can also upload some day light shuttle shots, not taken during the launch, using a 500mm with an extension making it the digital equivalent of a 1000mm but the 300mm is so much sharper the added focal length of the 500mm with the extension isn't worth it.

When he gets done running the pics we took yesterday at the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, through photoshop (500 of them), I'll upload them to my flickr pages. The detail using the D80 with the 300mm will blow you away. I've also got some macro shots (60mm) of a scaph around here I need to run through photoshop, but the preliminary review I did of them is mind boggling, as far as the detail is concerned (now that I'm figuring out how to use it and get the depth of field right). There are a few recent macro shots I've taken with the D80 up on flickr already, they would be tagged D80, most of the rest of my orchid pics were taken using the Coolpix. If you want an idea of what I get out of it, keep in mind, I'm having to relearn how to use all these lenses on the digital SLR. I've got a ways to go yet.

Another thing, don't feel it's necessary to buy new lenses. The pros, collectors and serious hobbyists buy, sell and trade lenses all the time. You can get perfectly good lenses that are 20 years old for a fraction of what new digital lenses cost. The new digital lenses aren't any better (okay, they are lighter) and work the same. All Nikon lenses made since the 50's (I believe) work on both film and digital cameras.

That's my 5 cents.

Laura

Just broke down and bought a second D80. It was inevitable.

Since we already have two 2GB high speed SD cards and a 512 SD card, lord knows how many flashes and tripods and 13 lenses, what's the cost of a body?

Now, that 600mm lens.

Nelson, it's an illness. Run as fast as you can to knitting or underwater basket weaving.

I just got home with Canon EOS 400D and its 100 mm f2.8 macro lens. Plus a ring flash, amongst other thangs.

A boy and his toy shall be busy for days to come.

Congrats Nelson, have fun.

But hey, what about a girl and her toys... never mind.

You might find that ring flash too harsh.

If you can master a macro and ring flash at the same time, more power to ya.

Have been at it several times already last night. I slept at 3 AM.

All my photos were out of focus, overexposed, etc etc....

I am going crazy...

Try this, get out your tripod and use it. Set the ISO to between 200 and 400, use aperture priority and stop down to F32 (or a little less if that works too), and manually focus. Don't use the ring flash (I'd suggest taking it back). If you've got a flash, other than what's on the camera, you can buy cables that attach to the camera's hot shoe and the flash, allowing you to move the flash as it's not fixed to the camera. Hence, you can control the amount of light and where it's coming from. Sometimes it helps to turn the flower upside down so you aren't trying to focus on the lip. Under white balance don't set the camera to flash, even if you are using flash, use indoor, outdoor, shady, bright etc., and play with these settings to try and help with the overexposure. Don't focus using the LCD but use the view finder and set the grids to whatever is sharpest to your eye. I found it easier, at first, to shoot outside with the flash using the macro lens than inside.

Macro ain't easy. I don't even want to know how many hundreds of pictures I took before I started getting the hang of it.

When using macro on really small objects, like small flowers, you almost have to manually focus. The camera just has a hard time focusing, or even finding, really small objects.

Good luck.

I've never used a ring flash before. I have heard that they can be trying! After seeing your fantastic photos for so long, I have no doubt that you soon figure it out!
You might try the Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX! It's supposed to really eliminate many of the problems. I bought one a while back and can't wait to try it out.
My Canon EOS 400D is supposed to be here on Jan 23. I've been buying some equipment for it for a few months in anticipation!
I'm not sure that it'll fit my Sigma macro lens w/o an adaptor. I'll wait and see... perhaps try and buy it local.
I made sure that my macro could be used manually as well.

You're in Manilla, right? When I lived there as a kid, we used to go to HK for electronics, etc. I'm sure that hasn't has changed that much.

Thank you, guys.

I have been adapting to the camera set-up, Laura. I am delighted at the way the Liparis parviflora shots came out.

Scott, it is a bit difficult here as many things have to be ordered from Japan. I was in Singapore a few days ago where I had the opportunity to buy an AC adaptor for the Canon EOS400D. NO need to worry about battery recharging often...

My Canon EOS 400D got here yesterday!

I feel like a caveman.
I realize that I wanted more control, but OMG!

Although I really wanted the Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens, I'm thrilled with the one that I got.
This Sigma 180mm f-3.5 EX DG APO Macro is really great! I really like the fact that I don't have to get so close to get a shot. I can't wait to try it outside with insects, etc.

So far, all I done is played with it a little today. I took a few photos of one of my Trisetellas that is still blooming. So far, I'm thrilled!
I won't be able to get really great photos until I get my MT-24EX up and running. I haven't even started with it yet.

I love Singapore! When I was in Indonesia, visiting my parents, we went there for a week. They had doctor appointments and I had to renue my visa. They only last two months.

I'm already making a list of things that I now need.
Other than the adaptor for the macro flash, I need a remote to take photos with. Even on a tripod, my hands shake too much. Especially with that hulk of a lens!

This all comes out of my greenhouse budget, so I do need to moderate a little. ;)

Scott

Hey scott!

We're waiting for your orchid photos!