Well, I have to wait for my PODS to arrive here on Dec.1st and then find my Sony cord to connect camera to computer. Why I lost touch with that and not in my computer bag, I haven't a clue. I took all these lovely pictures of my three original hosta still all pretty and nice in the garden bed covered with leaves, and duhhhhhh, there they sit untouchable in the Sony camera. The new Nikon P500 arrives on Nov 29th, I think Tuesday, and after I charge the battery, I'll be reshooting the same garden shots. As direct a comparison as I can make, provided we don't have a terrific freeze before then. I got a monopod and a tilting ball head. Incidentally, I decided on the Nikon because of my hands. I must have broken my left hand while loading the PODS to move, and it is quite painful and will not do things as it should. Not knowing if I will regain an adequate degree of use for a heavy camera, I opted to go with one having a fairly long zoom lens w/o so much weight. Being left-handed I've always been more ambidexterous than many folks who are right-handed, but some things you just MUST have both hands working right. Like pruning with hand clippers.

Dimmer results at last! A $45: CE retrofit with PAR lens from HD 3000K B $38: CE retrofit with BR lens from HD 3000K C $35: Feit retrofit with flat lens from Menards 3000K D $25: Feit bulb and baffle from Menards ($16+$9) 2700K I tested with a Lutron Diva LED Dimmer. Here's what I found... They all advertised dimmable to 5%. Yeah, right! They got nowhere close to 5%. I'd say the worst went 100%-50% and the best went 100%-30%. This is just by eye. I certainly didn't need them to go to 5%, just interesting that they advertised that they do that. 5% of 800 lumens would be 40 lumens, aka a tiny night light -- they didn't go that far. The bulb I liked least before (the Home Depot model, B in the list) is still the worst. It puts out the least light and dims the least. The other ones did better... The Home Depot PAR light and the Menards Retrofit were both "good"... they dimmed down to I'd say about 40% The one that dimmed the best was the cheap Feit bulb. It had the largest range -- I'd say it went down to about 30%. Overall, I was surprised that the Menards brand outperformed the Home Depot Brand in every test. So my model choices are easy. The Feit retrofit kit where I have new cans going in and the Feit Performance bulb where I have existing rework. Hope that helps anyone interested!

Can't say much about Nikon's camera since I never owned one. I do however, once owned the Canon XT and now the Canon 40D. Both are Digital SLR cameras (DSLR). The reason I stick with Canon is not only for its quality but also for its interchangeable lens. Lens can be expensive to invest. With Canon, I don't mind investing in their lens knowing that when I upgrade the camera body, the same lens would fit. I have an old EF zoom lens that I purchased in the mid 80's and it still work well with the Canon XT and 40D. As for DSLR a "must have", well, it depends what you're shooting at. If you have kids and/or shoot for sports, you should consider a DSLR. Once you press the shutter button, it's an instant shot. You won't lose that "kodak moment" when your child make that funny face as you would with the slow shutter lag (delay) of a point and shoot digital camera (digicam). DSLR also has continous shooting for sport events or quick actions. The only cons about a DSLR is they're big and bulky which may be an inconvenient for traveling. Then again, once you use it, you seem not to mind dragging it everywhere you go. Also, it doesn't do video clip. Though, I have an inexpensive point-n-shoot to do just that. If you're a serious photographer that want to learn further about photography, then, I strongly recommend purchasing a DSLR. Have fun with your purchase! Natalie

Do you have a sporting goods store, fly fishing shop, or sewing store nearby? For fly tying, my husband uses a pair of MagEyes that he bought at a fly fishing shop, but I found them at the Nancy's Notions website. You can get different magnitudes of lens. BTW, the photo shows the MagEyes with the support bar for the lens across the bottom. I turn them upside down so the bar is across the top. The lens stay in just fine and I'm not trying to look through the bar all the time. Nancy's has another type of magnifyer, the Mighty Bright, that hangs around your neck and rests on your chest. Here is a link that might be useful: MagEyes