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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
May 18, 2007
/ 1 Sivan, 5767
Digital splendor, 74-percent off
By
Mark Kellner
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
The last time I reviewed a Nikon camera in this space was at the end of
2002. In that ancient epoch, I pronounced the 6.1-megapixel, $3,000 list
D-100 a great value that made me want to be a better photographer.
What a difference about half a decade makes: the recently released Nikon
D40x - in Nikon world, model numbers run down, not up, it seems - is
smaller, lighter and far more powerful than the D-100. At $799 for the
10.2-megapixel camera body and a basic lens, you're getting about 60
percent more pixels than with the earlier model, for roughly 74 percent
off the 2002 price.
Not a bad deal, wouldn't you agree? Especially when you consider, as with
all the Nikon "Ds," that the D40x is a digital, single-lens reflex (SLR)
camera, capable of handling a variety of Nikkor (stet) lenses. The camera
could easily be the foundation of a solid, important photography system
for a dedicated amateur, budding professional or a growing family.
The images that come out of the Nikon D40x are nothing short of amazing:
they make the shooter look very good, perhaps as sharp as the pictures
themselves. Though some claim any 5- or 6-megapixel camera can do quite
nicely for family snaps, and even for publication, having the greater
level of detail is not a bad thing.
On an outing in Virginia's Skyline National Park, for example, I was able
to grab a shot of a butterfly, and while the supplied 18-55 mm lens didn't
allow me to get as close as I might have liked, it was close enough that I
could blow up the section of the photo where the butterfly was and get a
decent image of the insect. Greater success was had with some flowers
growing out of a rock at one of the overlooks on Skyline drive; zoom in on
those blossoms in the photo and it's a joy to behold.
The camera, on its own, is good at handling outside lighting, and has a
small built-in flash both for "fill" outdoors and for some use indoors. A
more serious photographer would buy an external flash to mount on the
D40x.
A tremendous plus of the D40x is the 2.5-inch LCD display on the back of
the camera. It lets you review your work on the fly, zoom in on an image,
perform red-eye reduction on the spot, and even crop images. Just having a
large digital display of the finished photo is good enough, however.
The camera uses the SecureDigital, or SD, card format to store images. I
found a very nice SanDisk Ultra 2 Gigabyte SD card for under $30 at a
local Staples store; at the highest JPEG setting, the D40x's information
display indicated I could shoot 264 pictures, equal to roughly 7.3 of the
old 36-exposure rolls of color 35mm film. Prices for SD media are very
good; you could carry a fistful of these cards and undertake a global
photo safari with ease.
Equally impressive is the rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery; it refreshes
in about 90 minutes, and should power you through a day of shooting. The
camera's controls are easy to use and understand; the menu system is very
logical.
My only "quibble" is with Nikon's highest-quality setting, NEF, which is
that firm's implementation of a photo industry standard known as "RAW."
(stet) To get this to work with Apple Inc.'s IPhoto, you'll need the $140
"Nikon Capture" software; for me, I just used the highest JPEG resolution
and my shots flowed into IPhoto just fine.
Overall, though, I'm swooning again: Nikon has a winner here, and at a
great, great price.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.
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© 2007, News World Communications, Inc. Reprinted with permission of The Washington Times. Visit the paper at http://www.washingtontimes.com
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