Are you deleting files in-camera?

A lot of photographers do . . . and it ends up causing trouble, just like the image you see here.

It's best to not delete in-camera. Here's how it was explained to me:

Think of your memory card like a piece of notebook paper. When you're taking notes, you can write on the lines and everything is easily readable from beginning to end.

Now you reach the end and there's not more room to write. You may write up the side, in the margins, or between lines. Perhaps you draw lines and arrows to connect things you've written down so that they make sense later. You may even erase something you've written in order to write something else in that spot. Erasing can rip the paper or cause confusion as you try to read what you've written over something else.

With a freshly formatted memory card, all the available space is clean and your camera can write on it easily, just like a clean sheet of paper. If you delete (erase) in-camera, there are now those little open spots where your camera can write in the margin. It draws an arrow to let it know where it left off, but sometimes erasing doesn't allow it to be read easily.

Format a new card before each session. Carry additional blank cards. This will keep you from worrying about deleting info you still need space.

Before a memory card goes into my bag, it needs to be clean and formatted. That way, if I put it in my camera and see data, I know not to use it because it's probably not been downloaded yet. Yeah, I carry a ton of cards . . . but I'd much rather be safe than sorry.

Finally, remember that memory cards do have a life expectancy. It's a good idea to number them and replace them every couple of years. Sure, it's an added expense, but we're in business. It's like having backup gear in your bag or backing up files to external drives or cloud servers. Figure it into your cost of doing business.

- David

Try an LED video light to give your images some extra "wow"!

Recently, I was at a workshop where the presenter was demonstrating the use of a low-powered LED video light for use in situations where you don't want to light with electronic flash. It was intriguing to see the results of the light when used as a main, a fill, through a modifier such as a shoot-thru umbrella, or simply with a diffuser. I was curious enough to want to try one for myself.

Of course, he was selling one for $200. His was lower power, smaller and the battery was $50 extra. Rather than do my usual impulse buy, I copied the specs and did some research.

What I found was pretty amazing. There are a number of these types of lights available in places like eBay and Amazon. Taking a minute to compare made me realize I wanted one that took a higher-capacity battery than what 6 AAs provided. I also wanted something dimmable to give the unit some versatility. Most are lightweight and have a hot shoe attachment as well as a standard tripod or light stand thread.


Best of all, I found them for - get this - under $50 each, including the battery and charger.

(And . . I'm sharing the link so people don't pay $200 for one.) ;-)

CLICK HERE to find this great deal on Amazon, or look in the "Recommended by David" box.

Have fun!

- David

Tell Nikon You Want to Have the Option of Having Your Cameras Serviced Locally!

As a Nikon professional owner and user, I just signed the following letter. Nikon has announced that they will stop selling parts to independent repair facilities after July 13th, forcing you to use either the Nikon Service Center or a Nikon Authorized Center. This is like telling you that you can only have your car serviced at the dealership. I invite you to read and do the same at this link:

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

There's a firestorm running through the community of independent camera repair technicians after Nikon Inc. sent a letter to them on Monday, January 16, 2012, notifying them that the company will no longer supply repair parts to anyone except 23 Nikon authorized repair facilities (NARS), after July 13, 2012.  The stated reason is "the technology underlying today's cameras is more complex than it has ever been, and in view of the specialization of technology as well as the specialized tools that are now necessary to perform repairs on this complex equipment..."  Nikon states that they will not sell parts directly to consumers, either, so if you need a rubber grip, a battery door or a rubber zoom ring, your access to these simple parts will be restricted.  (Update: Nikon retail dealers received the same notice on February 1, 2012)

The total ban on sales of parts to independent repair technicians or consumers has nothing to do with technology, training or even the quality of repairs.  Few repairs require specialized software, specialized tools or specialized training that are out of the scope of knowledge that trained, qualified independent repair professionals already have.  If specialized software, tools or knowledge were required for the installation of specific parts, it would make sense to restrict only those, not every screw and spring in the inventory.
While you might think that only a factory service center or NARS can provide competent repair, you would be wrong.  Most repairs going to Nikon's factory service center are sub-contracted out, some even going across the border to Mexico.  Some repairs are good and some repairs are shoddy -- on both sides of the fence.  (Check http://www.contacthelp.com/directory/Shopping/Electronics/Nikon?ListingID=48 among others and read for yourself.  Reports from the Better Business Bureau suggest Nikon's record on repairs handled through its own facility are not as good as most independent technicians. http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Commercial-Products-Manufacturer/Nikon-Inc-in-El-Segundo-CA-25750 )

No, this is not quality control.  The real story here is restraint of trade.  Nikon has been squeezing independents for years with increasingly poor parts service, poor communication, and long backorders.

What does the restriction of parts availability mean for Nikon equipment owners?  If you happen to live near one of the 23 Nikon authorized repair facilities (NARS) throughout the United States, you're in luck.  But what about the majority who are not near a NARS facility?  What about the others who use a local qualified repair professional of their choice?  It means access to repairs will become problematic, at best.  It means consumer choice and convenience in accessing repair will be reduced.  If you are a professional relying on your Nikon equipment, you might not be able to obtain fast repairs from your reliable local independent photo technician.  Repairs may be more costly since competition in the field of aftermarket service is reduced.  It also means that the value of used equipment may be reduced.

By comparison, Canon does not have this policy and does an excellent job of supplying independent repair facilities with the parts they need for fast repairs.  Are Canon cameras so much less technical and easy to repair compared to Nikon?  No, they are not.

Members of the Society of Photo-Technologists ( www.spt.info ), which has represented independent camera repair shops for more than 50 years, are asking everyone who has any interest in Nikon to urge the company to rethink this new policy.

In addition to signing this petition, please send a note to the president of Nikon Inc, Mr. Yasuyuki Okamoto, 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747-3064, letting him know that restricting parts availability to a select group of 24 Nikon authorized repair stations is bad for customer service, bad for customer good-will, and bad for business in general.  You can also phone Nikon at 631-547-4200 during regular business hours to voice your opinion.

Thanks for reading!

- David Grupa

Do You Really Need the Latest, Greatest Camera Body?

With Nikon's announcement of the D4 and D800 series bodies, photographers everywhere are drooling over this latest morsel and trying to find a way to fit it into their camera bag and checkbook. The same thing happens when Canon introduces new product.

This has been a long-standing argument with photographers; should I buy the more advanced camera body, or should I buy a better lens?

Here's my 2 cents worth (c'mon, you knew it was coming!)

Unless you're working with a very low-end consumer grade DSLR, I'm going to tell you to buy the better lens every time. When we dealt with film, I always said "the body is simply the film holder and advance mechanism. The glass is where the difference is made." I stand by that advice with digital.

Think about it like this: would you go out and invest in a Porsche but then decide "ummm, I can't afford the really good tires, but I think I have some at home I took off the mini-van." Are you nuts?!?! You now have a high-end sports car and you will NOT get the expected performance out of it with crappy bald tires. You can, however, put better tires on the vehicle you currently drive and feel the improvement in handling, cornering and even the smoother ride immediately. Is it going to be as sexy as the sports car? Probably not, but it will still get you to the desired destination while being safe and comfortable as well.

The same is true in our industry. Do you really need the latest, greatest camera body? Probably not. Sure, you may be giving up extra megapixels and not have full-frame capability, but as long as you're not photographing "professionally" with consumer-grade gear that's designed for hobbyist applications (car snobs refer to it as driving a "total POS") you will benefit more from getting better glass first. That WILL give you a noticeable improvement in your images immediately!

Whether you're a Canon or Nikon user, the coatings used in the production of better lenses will give you a distinct advantage over the ones used in the "good enough" kit lens that came with your camera. Go ahead and upgrade the body if you really need the new hardware (especially if your camera says "Rebel" on it), but investing in good quality lenses will NEVER be a mistake.

- David Grupa