D300 Finally Here

After seven weeks on a pre-order list with Ritz Camera, and no firm delivery commitment for this highly-demanded camera in sight, I was alerted to a small number for sale on Amazon. The buying opportunity only lasted a few hours and the supply was quickly depleted, but I was lucky enough to be in the bunch that ordered on 11/21/07. The D300 shipped on 11/23/07 and arrived on 11/26/07.

Initial impressions are that this camera is an impressive improvement over the D200 it replaces. While the D200 is still an extremely capable picture making machine, the D300 has enough improvements that it was a "justified upgrade" for me. Live view for macros, high ISO, high frame rate continuous shooting, and other features, make this a dream camera. I'll be interested in another two years to see what the D400 will look like, because if it continues along the same improvement trendline it will be a remarkable achievement.

Now I just gotta learn how to use the darn thing. The manual is an astounding 421 pages. Wish me luck...

My First Posting

Not necessarily anything to compete with Macy's parade today (it's Thanksgiving), but interesting to me on a personal level anyways—today's the first day I've had a blog (this one) and this is the first post I've made to it.

No big plans, just a luncheon brunch with Elena and mom. Come home and kick back in PJ's or whatever and vegetate the rest of the day...and for that I'm truly thankful .

On a (only slightly) more serious note, since today is a day for giving thanks, I signed up at Kiva.org to make a series of microloans to entreprenurial spirits in disadvantaged situations throughout the world. You can help others help themselves, too, though interest-free loans to people with real stories. Visit Kiva.org and find out more.