Nikon D7000

We can just say I'm in love.  The only aspect I have an issue with at this point is that it's more like a tablet computer with a big lens on it than a camera.  I'm not sure what I'm here for except of course my marvelous eye for composition.

I just bought strawberries because I have an idea for the cover of NLM2 and without going to any particular trouble and put them in a jar.  In shade, I took about 10 shots.

Here is a completely unprocessed image, directly from the camera.

I looked at it on on the monitor and said "Holy Moly."  I don't think you can see how extremely sharp this is, but in Photoshop it's obvious.

Then I decided let's run it thru the sharpening action and see what happens.

Yes it's sharper.  Wow it's sharper.  But at this level of sharp, I don't know if that's better for me and I love being able to say that.

I had another idea for the cover and I'm working/waiting on the prep work right now.  If it works, it will be striking, even if not pastry.  It does harken back to something that happened in the book even if not exactly.

I guess the bottom line of this post is that if you're going to go to a semi-pro camera, the Nikon D7000 will be a very pleasant tool.

I thought it was reasonably priced.  Yes, I did have a lens for it so I could get away with just buying the body.

And a memory card.  But I spent essentially the same for the Nikon D70 kit 6 (whatever) years ago.  It's far less camera for the money.  And according to the reviews you'll get the same images with the D5100 and for several hundred dollars less.  I didn't go with the 7000 for the bells and whistles, I went for issues related to my eyesight; the same set-up isn't offered with the D5100.  So if your eyesight is terrific, you can save some $.