Nikon D70 Digital Field Guide
by David D. Busch
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Book Reviews of Nikon D70 Digital Field Guide
Book Review: Everything I needed in a Field Guide
Summary: 5 Stars
I really appreciated that the author realized that this book was going to be tucked into a camera backpack and taken out into the field for use as a compact, concise reference guide. It isn't bloated with useless information, nor does it duplicate all the information in the manual that is provided with the D70s.
Instead, this book does two things. In the first half it provides an illustrated summary of all the controls and the key menu choices much more clearly than is provided in the Nikon menu. If you forget how to set the burst mode or want to use the self-timer, you can flip the book open, quickly see where the controls are, and use them immediately.
The first half also does a good job of telling you exactly when to use various modes and options. For example, each of the Scene modes is accompanied by a little blurb labeled "When to Use" and "When Not to Use." You're also told to use Continuous Autofocus for sports and pictures with fast moving subjects, and to use Single Autofocus for more stationary pictures. I also liked the advice on working with flash.
The second half of the book is divided into several dozen sections on each kind of photography with a brief description of that kind of photography, advice on how to take good pictures of that type, and recommendations on what lenses and settings to use. This is exactly what I needed. I don't want a huge book to carry with me out in the field. If I want to read an entire chapter on Landscape Photography, I'll buy one of those 800 page do-everything books. As a Field Guide, this book has exactly what I needed, no more and no less.
Book Review: Forget the e-books and DVDs -- this is the one to get.
Summary: 5 Stars
There are a lot of e-books and DVDs out there that purport to tell you how to use the Nikon D70 models. Why? You can't take a DVD out with you shooting, or read an eBook in your easy chair. Those media happen to be cheaper for lazy Nikon "experts" to produce, but much less convenient for the buyer to use. I bought one of the best-selling eBooks and this real book beats it hands-down. I'm glad we finally have a guide to using this great camera.
I learned a lot from this book. I finally understand how to use my D70s's confusion flash syncrhonization modes and autofocus options. I was getting many photos that were poorly focused, but now know how to choose the right mode in different situations such as sports and closeups. I also probably saved myself some money because I didn't attach an older, non-Nikon flash unit to my camera, as it probably would have fried the electronics if I hadn't prevented that with a tip in this book.
Each mini-section on individual kinds of photography is only about 4 pages long, but there is a lot of basic information in there to help you shoot portraits or sports or other kinds of pictures with a minimum of setup. It tells you what lenses to use, what settings to make, and how to choose unusual and interesting approaches to each kind of photo.
Although the ebook I got had extra technical information, like how much current the camera uses when it is switched off, that's not the type of advice I really need to take better pictures. This book is cheap insurance.
Book Review: Much More than I Expected
Summary: 5 Stars
I am what you might call an advanced amateur photographer with a strong background in film SLRs. My reason for buying this book was to try to understand more about my new Nikon D70 camera than what is contained in the user's manual.
After reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find I had learned far more than than the technical facts of how to use my D70 than I had expected. I found that in addition to clarifying the basic operational aspects of my camera, this book was packed with information about basic photography as applied to the D70.
This book covers everything from the 'Rule of Thirds' to lighting techniques to suggested practice shots for you to go out and take. It covers the new SB600 & 800 flash units as well as natural light. It tells you how to take large group shots as well as portraits. I especially liked the recommendation for getting someone to help you with large groups. I'd never tried that and have since found that this works extremely well.
This book also has lots of great suggestions about taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets, zoos, travel, still life, street life, seascapes, panoramas, patterns, online auction photos, night, children, architecture, etc. This book really amazed me with it's wealth of information - all as applied to the Nikon D70.
So, if you are a beginner to a serious amateur with a Nikon D70 camera, I highly recommend this book.
Russ MacDonald
Book Review: Finally, a photo guidebook worthy of the Nikon D70.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been watching this book in Amazon's listings for some time, waiting for it to be finally released. It really looked like something I could use to perfect my Nikon D70 skills, because I have enjoyed this author's other photography books. I snatched it right up, and am glad to say I was not disappointed. This is the first guide to the Nikon D70 that's every bit as good as the camera itself.
Although I've already learned most of the controls, I was impressed by the large photos of the D70's key panels, all carefully annotated with labels showing what each control does. Beginners using this camera for the first time won't have to undergo the frustration I had in trying to master this camera.
What I really like, though, are the photo tips that I've found in no other book. Busch shows you exactly how to take photos in the most common shooting situations, with recommended lenses, settings, and approaches, along with some optional things to try. Each type of photography includes a little "Inspiration" blurb that is truly inspiring and which makes you think about what you can do with that particular photo type. The author is obviously a master photographer as well as a master teacher, and really knows how to show you ways to get pictures that are just as good as his. I love my D70, and I love this book!
Book Review: Great take-along guide for D70 and D70s users new and old.
Summary: 5 Stars
What I liked best about this book is that, unlike the Lark book, it wasn't just a rehash of the Nikon D70 manual furnished with the camera. In fact, it goes far beyond the original manual and shows you in great detail why you should use particular features, and how to get the most from them. As such, it isn't a complete replacement for the manual; you'll still need that to look up an obscure feature or two. If you're expecting a D70 manual with color pictures, this isn't it.
But if you want a guide you can take with you to look up features and learn how to use them, this should satisfy you. For example, instead of providing three views (top, front, back) with a zillion labels listing every button and wheel, this book offers close-up views of various "zones" on the camera, and descriptions of what the controls do. When you want to know what button to press to change thumbnail views, this approach is much faster.
Every page is in full color, with lots of example photos showing the kind of results you can expect to get if you follow this book's tips and advice. One huge chapter has several pages on the most common types of photography, from sports to outdoor portraits, and shows the settings to use in those situations. This book, my D70 and kit lens, and SB-600 flash go with me everywhere!