Kodak Brownie Twin 20

The Kodak Brownie Twin 20 looks like a cute, happy little camera and was introduced by Kodak in April 1959, it was made at first in New York, then later on in England during the early 60’s, until 1964 when it was discontinued. Cost wise in 1959, they would have been around $11 (£4.00)

I don’t think I need to go into much detail about Kodak, they are one of the biggest producers and innovators of photography and photographic equipment.

The Twin 20 is a black, molded plastic box camera with an aluminium faceplate and side panels. It is similar in style to other Kodak camera of the time, most notably the Starlet, Starflash and Starmite. 

It takes 620 film, producing 12 6x6cm negatives. The lens is a f/11 meniscus lens with continuous focusing from 4ft to infinity, marked on the lens at 3 common intervals – Close-Ups (4-6ft) – Groups (6-12ft) and Scenes (12ft-infinity). The aperture has 3 exposure values of 13 (colour film in bright sun), 14 (B&W film in sunlight with average surroundings) and 15 (B&W film exposed in bright sun, sand or snow) so there is some aperture control. The shutter is single speed and there are flash pin contacts on the side.

What makes the Twin 20 kind of special, and also gives it it’s name is the two view finders, one an eye-level sports finder on the rear of the camera, and the other a waist-level finder on the top (incorporating a 45° mirror in the body). Both viewfinders are ‘brilliant’ finders, giving crisp and bright images of your subject. The finders also have ‘Super-slide’ markings; these are raised lines on the viewfinders that indicate the area for Super Slides.

The film is loaded by sliding a button on the base of the camera to the ‘OPEN’ position and sliding the base plate out of the body. There is a second small sliding button that needs to be switched to the ‘LOAD’ position to be able to load the film  – once the film is loaded into the holder and inserted back into the camera (and locked) the small switch has to be moved to the ‘EXP.1-12’ position to be able to wind the film on. This is a double exposure prevention device, meaning; the shutter won’t fire unless the film has been advanced to the next frame. When winding to the next frame the shutter will cock and the film will stop winding at the correct point. There is no need to check the numbers through the small red window unless you need to see how many shots you have left.

The Kodak Brownie Twin 20 was a moulded plastic box camera, produced by Kodak initially at Rochester, NY, USA, and later in England. It was similar to smaller Kodak cameras in the Star series.

• Dates of production: April 1959 to September 1964.
• Film: 620, 12 6×6cm images
• Lens: Continuous focusing 4ft-∞, marked into zones; f/11, stops for Exposure Values 13, 14 & 15
• Shutter: single-speed, with flash synch.
• Screw and pin flash contacts. The instruction manual recommends the use of the Kodak Midget Flashholder or "if you want real speed and ease, ask your dealer about the Kodak Rotary Flasholder, type 1."
• Two finders: eye-level sports finder & waist-level brilliant finder, with "super slide" markings.
• Winding knob on base, cocks shutter; roller on film is supposed to stop winding at correct point.
• Double-exposure prevention.

This is a great camera, which is sturdy and well built. It handles really nicely and because of it’s brilliant view finders it is a joy to shoot with. I preferred using the waist level finder as the hole to view the eye level one is a bit on the small side. 

I am however not too keen on the double exposure prevention, there is no way around it, so double exposures (something I like to do occasionally) are out of the question but it was probably a useful feature to the average family photographer.

If you like happy looking cameras and blurry edges get yourself one of these, it’s a great little camera, and these pop up on eBay quite often for not much money at all.

EGPhotography x

Fed 5 Russian RF camera

This camera was a cosmetic redesign of the FED-4. Although there was very little change to the overall camera it looks much better than its' predecessor. The meter is very well integrated into the top deck with the rewind knob now in the center of the meter dial. The camera also has a hot shoe as well as a flash jack. The few variations existing, the export model and the 1980 Moscow Games.

Produced: 1977-1990

Development of the Fed-4 (b), but with specifications of the Fed-5B. Retractable rewind knob. Lens I-61L/D  2.8/55.

Black letters on the white face plate or vice versa. Different body coverings and nameplate markings.


Original price (in year 1986) 77 roubles.

The FED is a Soviet rangefinder camera, mass-produced from 1934 until around 1990, and also the name of the factory that made it.

FED is indirectly named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Cheka. It was his name that was given to the labour commune at Kharkiv (Ukraine) whose manager, Anton Makarenko, encouraged a workshop education for indigent children and who decided to copy the Leica in 1932.

Large-scale production began in 1934, and in the same year the factory was put under NKVD control and Makarenko was fired. Production continued until 1941, when German forces destroyed the factory, and resumed in 1946.

Until 1955, the factory made a huge number of cameras that resemble the Leica rather closely (and are often altered, given 'Leica' markings, and sold as Leicas). However, the design is cruder: for example, the rangefinder cam is pointed and not circular as in Leicas. Other giveaways are the shape of the viewfinder window and FEDs have a gap at the left side of the accessory shoe. Also, screws on the front surface are always black - not chrome - on Leicas. Leicas also have film loading instructions on the inner surface of the baseplate. Shutter release button on FEDs is also different from Leicas. Beware also of fake Elmar lenses - recreated from Russian Industars. That said, the FEDs are interesting in their own right - often very well done and effective cameras - provided you don't pay Leica money for them.

From 1955, FED began to innovate, combining the rangefinder with the viewfinder in the FED 2 and all its successors. The FED-3 added slow shutter speeds and on the later version FED-3 (b) the film advance was changed from a thumbwheel to a lever. The FED 4 (1964–77) added a non-coupled selenium exposure meter. The FED 5 marked the end of the FED rangefinder family, and was meant as a replacement for both the FED-3 and FED-4 that were in production at the time of its introduction. There were versions of the FED-5: the original FED-5 had an exposure meter, the FED-5B was a cheaper version without meter, and the later FED-5C had reflected framelines showing field of view of 50mm lens and an exposure meter. All FED-5 cameras were delivered with an Industar I-61L/D lens. Production of FED rangefinder cameras ended in the mid 1990s (Fed-5 Serial Number 545446 was made on February 28, 1994; Fed's site claims that it was in fact 1997: "Start of serial production of vertical drive for control system of tanks. Production of all types of cameras has stopped. 8,647,000 cameras were manufactured since the beginning.”)

Cosmic Symbol

PK7360. Less common to find early version of export Symbol, under name "Cosmic Symbol". The big quantity of Cosmic Symbols were released for United Kingdom market, but very few of these cameras can be found with bronze-coloured lens. Serial numbers on the shutter housing. 

PK7365. Even more uncommon variation of the particular export camera. Under name "Cosmic Symbol" again. White name markings on black background, black logo on white background. Still bronze-coloured lens. Serial numbers on the shutter housing. No otherwise different.

PK7370. Camera identical to PK7360, but with serial number stamped on the bottom plate already.

The Smena Symbol (also marked "Смена Символ" "Smena Symvol", or called Cosmic Symbol) is a 35mm camera that features a LOMO T-43 40mm f/4 coated triplet lens. It was produced from 1973-1993 by LOMO in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia. Production estimates are in the 10s of millions.

In essence, the Symbol is an improved Smena 8m with a film advance lever (replacing the knob) coupled with shutter cocking, which make the camera much faster and more convenient in use. Smoothly working shutter release lever replaced the crude button on top of the Smena 8M body, sadly the cord release socket was deleted. A flash is now synchronised by a hot shoe contact instead.

The lens - similarly to the Smena 8M - is equipped with symbolic scales: weather symbols as additional shutter speed scale, and the distance scale with distance symbols, meter values and feet values mixed. Below the lens tube is a second speed scale, a numeric one running from 1/15-1/250 + B. The weather symbol scale has a smart indexing system allowing double distance of the weather symbols compared to value distances on the numeric scale- that is, the weather symbols are apparently more widely spaced than the shutter speeds, which are on the same ring. The symbols are indexed by white squares appearing in holes beside the symbols; the holes are at two different distances from the body.

The aperture scale (inside the filter thread, so unusable if a filter is fitted), doubles as a film speed scale (marked in DIN and ГОСТ-ASA) when using the weather symbols to set the shutter speed.

EGPhotography x

ILFORD Sportsman Prontor 125; 1963

The Sportsman Prontor 125 was acknowledged by Ilford to be the UK successor to the previous Sportsman Varios and indeed, by mid-1964 it had seemingly replaced all of the lower specified Sportsman cameras; the entire UK range then consisted of the 125, the Sportsman Auto Rangefinder and the Sportsman Manumatic.

The Sportsman 125 first appeared in December 1963 (Ref: Newsdesk; 35mm and sub-miniature Photography) priced at £12.17s.6d (£12.88p). It was still on sale in spring of 1965 (full page advert in Amateur Photographer dated 24th March) when it was still priced at £12.17s.6d "practically a gift" as Ilford claimed. Then again, in the 18th May 1966 issue of AP, "If you're the sort of photographer who's keen to make every shot a winner - chances are you're already using a Sportsman 125". The price was still unchanged.

The lens is a f2.8 45mm Cassar from Steinheil of Munchen, focussing to 3.3ft (1m) in a Prontor 125 shutter, giving 1/30, 1/60, 1/125 and B. The shutter is X flash synchronised. The Prontor 125 shutter is of the self-cocking type i.e. it is not tensioned by the wind-on lever but by the user during the first movement of pressing the shutter release button. This seemingly required the shutter button to have a longer 'travel' than on other versions. The 'feel' of the shutter release is not as good as where all it does is to 'trip' the already tensioned shutter. With the Prontor initially only providing a 1/125th top speed, there seems no justification to replace the 1/200th Vario shutter, so it can only be presumed the change to a Prontor 125 shutter was for cost saving.

The Prontor 125 shutter acquired a higher top shutter speed of 1/250th sec and also 1/300th sec before the camera was superseded by the Style 5 Sportsman 300, which had the Prontor 1/300th sec shutter - though that style camera was also available with a Prontor 125 shutter, so the exact genealogy is uncertain. The higher speed Prontor shutters were 'conventional', in the sense that they were tensioned by the film wind-on lever and the shutter release merely 'tripped' the shutter's internal locking mechanism - as distinct from the Prontor 125, where the shutter was tensioned and released through the single 'press-in' action of the shutter release button. It is possible that designing the higher speed versions to operate the same as the Prontor 125 would have led to camera shake, due to the camera jerking at the moment when the pressure on the shutter button chnaged from a tensioning action into a releasing action. The greater spring tension required to achieve the higher speeds would have made this change more pronounced.

Some of the cameras have a Style 4 Sportsman fitted with the Prontor 250 shutter but this version may not have been sold in the UK (no UK adverts are known). The lens is a Color-Subitar, f2.8 45mm. Also there is a version with a Prontor 300 shutter, Steinheil Cassar f2.8 lens and grey leatherette body covering, the grey covering suggesting this will almost certainly not have been sold in the UK, only in mainland Europe. 

The exposure counter is now of the self-resetting type, on the base of the camera near the rewind release button, as shown above.

The rewind knob is now a folding rewind crank at the right hand end of the top plate, as viewed from the camera front. It is known that two types of rewind were used, one having bevelled edges to the disc into which the fold-away crank is recessed while the the other type omits the bevel.

The film type reminder dial is now flush with the camera top, at the left hand end. In the example above the film reminder dial has settings for Ilford's (then) current range of monochrome films, Pan F, FP3 & HP3. The example below, however, has its film reminder dial labelled with ASA and DIN film speeds, with no mention of Ilford's films. Possibly this arrangement was intended for selling outside the UK where Ilford's films were less accessible.

The March 1963 Ilford advert asks us "don't forget the Sportsman's good-looking all-action friends". The Sportsmaster Manumatic £44.7s.1d (£44.35p, same price as in May 1962), the Sportsman Auto Rangefinder £31.16s.1d (£31.80p, same price as in May 1962) and the Sportsman Rangefinder £13.13s.2d (£13.66p, much cheaper than the £18 asked in May 1962 and cheaper again than its price when first introduced, being almost £20 in February 1960).

EGPhotography x

Kodak Brownie 127 Camera Second Model

Brownie 127

Second model

Type: Solid Body Eyelevel Rollfilm
Introduced: 1952Discontinued: 1959Film Size: 127Picture Size: 1 5/8 X 2 1/2"Manufactured: UKLens: Meniscus F/14, 65mmShutter: Single Speed 1/50 SecNumbers Made: Millions (1,000,000 By Aug 1954)
Original Price: $4.75

Description:
The Brownie 127 has a moulded smooth plastic body with broad horizontal steps and an optical direct vision finder.

Variations:
1952-1955: The first Brownie 127 camera had a plain lens face-plate.
1956-1959: The original plain lens face-plate was replaced with a cross-hatched face-plate.

The Brownie 127 was, in the UK, an extremely popular plastic snapshot viewfinder model for 127 film made in England by Kodak Ltd. From introduction in 1952, over a million had been made by August 1954, and the series continued to sell many more millions. A few (~263,000) of the first model were exported to the US in 1953-4, where they were badged Brownie Starlet - and should not be confused with the more common Brownie Starlet.

The first version of the camera was made of a black Bakelite-type plastic and had a rounded shape, where the film carrier mechanism and viewfinder were attached to the top of the camera, which lifted out the base. The base carried the lens and shutter. The sides were stepped, and there were steps beside the viewfinder tube. The second version had vertical lines on the sides and a flatter top. There were many small changes of faceplate and detailing; some had cream controls, later models having grey. An experimental white version, with a silver top, was made and only sold in Jersey in the Channel Islands - in c.1959; it was not successful, as the colour dirtied very easily. This rare variant is frequently faked by painting black ones.

The third version of the camera was made of grey plastic and completely reshaped to have flat sides, angled corners, and square, 4x4cm images. The shutter speed and lens aperture were fixed; the only controls were wind-on and shutter release. The shutter had double-exposure prevention and flash sync, and a shoe for a special Kodak flash-holder (introduced for theInstamatic range) was added to the top. The shutter release was a large white square on the front, beside the viewfinder.

The Brownie Cresta was a similar camera, but made larger (for 120 film) and with a close-focus setting, and some angles introduced.

Eumig, C5 Zoom Reflex

c1961. 8mm film, movie camera. Aluminum body.

Average: $30-40

Very Good: $40-50

Mint: $70-80

This is the first SLR camera created by Eumig.

Format: 2x8 mm

Launched in 1961.

Lens: Eumig 503 1,8/10-40 mm

The combined rotatory command of focal length and focusing looks very pleasant but it took time to get really used to.

Automatic exposure.

Electric motor (2 speeds) requires 5 AA type batteries.

With the arrival of zoom lenses the overall dimensions of 8mm amateur cameras exploded literally. The cameras before had a typical length of 12 or 13 cm, whereas the new ones now measured easily 20 to 25 cm! Eumig found a solution to this problem with the following concept: the lens is placed to a large extent inside the camera body. The film gate is located at the rear and the film rolls are both above the optical axis. That is the explanation of the pleasant shape and the relatively small dimensions of this zoom reflex camera.

EGPhotography x

Polaroid Swinger II Land Camera, c. 1965

This camera was developed by Edwin Herbert Land (1909-91). During his lifetime he was awarded six honorary doctorates. Land spent nearly all of his life engaged in research and development of optical devices. During the Second World War he developed optical and other systems for military use and proposed the retinex theory for mechanism of color perception, in addition to creating cameras and films that gave instantaneous dry photographs in black and white and colour. However, he is best remembered for the instant-photo film and cameras made famous by the company he founded, namely the Polaroid Corporation.

This camera was probably used to photograph crime scenes. 

The Polaroid Model 20 "Swinger" was a popular Land Camera produced by the Polaroid Corporation between 1965 and 1970. At $19.95 USD it was the first truly inexpensive instant camera, a fact that helped fuel its enormous popularity and made it one of the top-selling cameras of all time. The Swinger was especially successful in the youth market due to its low price, stylish appearance, and catchy "Meet the Swinger" jingle sung by Barry Manilow in a television advertisement featuring a young Ali MacGraw.

The Swinger featured an extinction exposure meter tied to the aperture which displayed the word "YES" in a window below the viewfinder when the exposure was set correctly. Earlier models also displayed the word "NO" when not properly adjusted, while later units used only the YES indicator. The Swinger also included a built-in flashgun for AG-1 flashbulbs.

The Swinger used Polaroid's 20-Series roll film, which was the first Polaroid roll film to develop outside the camera.

Variants included the Model M-15 "Swinger Sentinel" (the Swinger II in non-US markets), which was a cheaper Swinger without the built-in flash, and the Model 3000 "Big Swinger", which used 100-Series pack film instead of the old-style picture rolls. The Swinger name was also used on several international-market Polaroid cameras in the 1960s and 1970s.

Peak District & Bakewell Weekend Shoot

 Peak District, Cheshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

A few photographs I took in the Peak District over the last weekend! 

Cat & Fiddle Inn, Peak District, Cheshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

This photograph I took last weekend captures the Cat & Fiddle Inn which situated on the eastern fringes of Cheshire in the Peak District National Park on the A537 road just west of the Derbyshire/Cheshire county boundary, on the western side of Axe Edge Moor. It is at an elevation of 515 metres (1,689 ft) above sea level making it England's second highest pub!

Peak District, Cheshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

Cat & Fiddle Inn, Peak District, Cheshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

Bakewell River, Bakewell, Derbyshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

Locks of Love on Bakewell River Bridge, Bakewell, Derbyshire, 18th May 2014 ©Emily-Grace Photography 2014

EGPhotography x

Ensign Folding Klito No.0

Claudet & Houghton was founded in 1834 by George Houghton and Antoine Claudet, and subsequently underwent several mergers that resulted in numerous name changes.

The company was known as George Houghton & Son (1867-1892), then asGeorge Houghton & Sons until 1903, and then George Houghton & Sons Ltd.

When the company merged with Holmes Bros., A.C. Jackson, Spratt Bros. andJoseph Levi & Co. in 1904, the business became Houghton’s Ltd. 

In 1915, after establishing a partnership with W. Butcher & Sons Ltd., the company traded as Houghton – Butcher Manufacturing Co. Ltd. until 1926, when the name was changed to Houghton – Butcher (Great Britain) Ltd. 

In 1930 the business was renamed again, this time as Ensign, after their most successful line of cameras. Interestingly, the Ensign name derived from the 'N' sign logo. 

After a later merger with Elliot & Sons Ltd. in 1945 the company became Barnet Ensign Ltd.
After another merger with Ross, the company became Barnet Ensign Ross Ltd.in 1948. 
Finally, in 1954 the name was changed for the last time, to Ross – Ensign Ltd.The company discontinued the manufacture of cameras, and was dissolved, in 1961. 

c1900s-1916. 3¼×4¼'' plates/film, folding camera. Before 1912 cameras were made by Krugener and had two round metal posts holding the front front shutter assembly. After 1912 cameras have U- shaped post. Also starting 1912 double extension cameras as well as "Post Card Size" models were available. Various models:

No. 000 - Rapid Achromatic Lens, Ensign Junior Auto Shutter
No. 000A - Rectimat Symetrical Lens f11, Ensign Junior Auto Shutter
No. 00 - Rectimat Symmetrical Lens f8, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 00d - Aldis-Plano Lens f6.8, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 00k - Ensign Lens f7.7, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 00n - Ensign Lens f6, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 0 - Symplanat Rapid Achromatic Lens, Simplex Auto Shutter (w/polished ebonyzed baseboard)
No. 1 - Symplanat Rapid Achromatic Lens, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 2 - Ensign Symmetrical Lens f8, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 3 - Beck/Rectimat Symmetrical Lens f8, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 3d - Ensign Anastigmat Lens Series II f7.7, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 3k - Ensign Anastigmat Lens f7.7, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 3n - Ensign Anastigmat Lens f6, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 3v - Aldis-Plano Anastigmat Lens f6.8, Simplex Auto Shutter
No. 4 - Beck Symmetrical Lens f8, Automat or Ensign Sector Shutter
No. 4d - Ensign Anastigmat Lens Series II f7.7, Ensign Sector Shutter
No. 4k - Ensign Anastigmat Lens f7.7, Ensign Sector Shutter
No. 4n - Ensign Anastigmat Lens f6, Ensign Sector Shutter
No. 4v - Ensign Anastigmat Lens Series II f7.7, Bausch and Lomb Automat Shutter
No. 5 - Ensign Symmetrical Lens f8
No. 7 - Ensign Symmetrical Lens f8
No. 7v - Ensign Anastigmat Lens Series II No.0 f7.7, Automat Shutter
No. 7x - Ensign Anastigmat Lens Series I No.0 f5.8, Automat Shutter
Koilos shutters were also fitted for each model for extra price

EGPhotography x

Waste and Pollution Photo Contest by GreenVoice

About a month ago I submitted a photograph from my Environments project into the Waste and Pollution Photo Contest by GreenVoice on Viewbug. In this project I aimed to photograph waste left behind in beautiful parts of the countryside. My image came in the Top 30! Thank you for all that voted. 

Viewbug is the world’s best photo contest website, judged by world-renowned photographers. It is a website that allows you to be creative, be inspired, and receive recognition for your work. 

It was founded by photography buffs Ori and Jimmy, and is supported by a team of all-star advisors. Much more than just contests, they have built a unique photography community that fosters collaboration and rewards creativity. 

EGPhotography x

Nudescapes Grade

I got a 1st for my Nudescape work! Thank youu all for your support over the last semester. 

"Congratulations Emily, you have clearly found an area of practice that interests you a great deal, as you have worked very hard from day one of the module. The montages produces are well crafted and have a genuinely curious quality to them. In addition the books clearly demonstrate that the printed images are just a few from a range of images made. It is clear from reading your Practice Report that you have researched this area of practice well, from understanding the work of other makers/artists, to the more professional aspects such as copyright laws etc. Beyond the work itself, you played a full part in preparing material for the show, and helping others in the group effort that made NOVUS 14 such a great success – well done.” - Rick Barkes

Nikon D7100 Review

Today I purchased a Nikon D7100 body only from Jessops for £839 plus £100 cash back from Nikon. Offer runs from 01/03/2014 - 28/05/2014 (inclusive).

This is an amazing camera, with ultra-sharp images and fantastic colours; better colours and LCD accuracy than the D4, D800, D800E or D600. 

Many have loved the previous-model which is the Nikon D7000 from 2010 and this new Nikon D7100 is the same thing, but even better! Thus making the D7100 the world's best DX camera so far. 

The D7100 is new in that it has an ordinary 24 MP sensor, but without an anti-alias filter for added sharpness. It will not make much, if any, visible difference at less than 6-foot (2-meter) wide print sizes, and only if you use the very finest NIKKOR lenses and technique.

The lightweight Nikon D7100 features a 24.1-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, and by not employing an optical low pass filter (OLPF), the D7100 sharply captures even the finest textures in crisp high resolution. Its 51-point AF system gives you rapid and accurate image capture at a professional level. Weather and dust resistant, with magnesium alloy top and rear covers, the D7100 shoots continuously at 6 fps, gives an extra telephoto effect with innovative 1.3x crop function and has ISO sensitivity of 100-6400, bringing superb results in poorly-lit environments or fast-moving action. 

Shoot with viewfinder or Live View, apply special effects in real time for stills or Full HD movies, and send images wirelessly to your smart device for sharing on social media. 

• 24.1-megapixel DX format CMOS sensor, with no OLPF: for extreme image sharpness on even the finest details.
• EXPEED 3 image processor: for high speed operation, vibrant colour reproduction and enhanced noise reduction.
• ISO sensitivity of 100-6400, extendable to 25600: for exceptional low light performance.
• Professional-level AF system: utilizing 51 focus points, 15 of which are cross-type, for rapid and precise autofocus.
• 6 fps continuous shooting: to ensure you always capture that fast action shot.
• 1.3x crop function, expanding the possibilities of DX format: with extra telephoto effect, faster speed (up to 7 fps) and extra wide AF coverage.
• 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor with Scene Recognition: highly accurate metering for exact exposures; optimizing auto exposure (AE), autofocus (AF) and auto white balance (AWB) for supreme accuracy.
• Full HD D-Movie: 1920x1080 at 24p/25p/30p up to 50i/60i for smooth movie recording.
• High performance viewfinder: with approximately 100% frame coverage and 0.94x magnification.
• High-intensity LCD monitor: offers an 8cm/3.2in 1229k-dot wide-angle view.
• Conveniently portable: powerful features packed into a compact body weighing just 675g.
• Durable body with magnesium alloy covers: sealed for dust and weather resistance.
• Dual SD memory card slots: allow overflow and backup recording or set to record RAW and J-PEG individually.
• Accessible usability functions: improved ‘i’ button and Spot White Balance for quick and precise white balance setting in Live View.
• Active D-Lighting (ADL): retains details in highlights and shadows for well-balanced images.
• High Dynamic Range (HDR): combines two shots within a single shutter release to create detailed images of high contrast scenes.
• Effects Mode: allows selected effects to be applied to both stills and movies in Live View.
• Wireless connectivity*: compatible with WU-1a Mobile Adapter.
• Remote operation: take control of your wireless shooting with the WR-R10 wireless transceiver and the WR-T10 wireless transmitter, or advance by controlling your camera settings with the WR-1.

Little Flowers, San Luis Obispo, 6:20 PM, 11 April 2013. (2013 Nikon D7100, 2009 Nikon 35/1.8 G, f/6.3 at 1/100 at ISO 100.)

Lens Compatibility

There is a focus motor in the D7100, so it works with every AF lens made since 1986.

Moreover, there is an aperture-ring feeler, so it meters with all AI and newer (1977-on) manual-focus lenses. The D7100 also gives full-color Matrix metering and EXIF data with manual-focus lenses if you share the lens' data in a menu.

Manual focus lenses work extraordinarily well, with amazing precise and accurate manual focus, especially for ultra-fast lenses like the 58mm f/1.2 Noct-NIKKOR which tax other camera's more simple focusing systems.

You are always on your own with off-brand lenses such as Sigma. Readers have stated that their Sigma 105 Macros do not work on the D7100. Potential incompatibility with future cameras is one of the steep prices one pays for trying to save a few pounds yesterday on a cheap lens. Nikon shares nothing with its competitors about lens compatibility, so if you want to buy a Tamron or Sigma, you are gambling that it will work with tomorrow's camera.

Wildflowers, Los Osos, 6:25 PM, 12 April 2013. (2013 Nikon D7100 at ISO 100, 2008 Nikon 55-200mm VR at 175mm, f/14 at 1/15 hand-held freehand, Perfectly Clear.)

What's New?

The D7100 is similar to the 2010's D7000, with the addition of a stereo mic and headphone jack for video, a higher-resolution sensor, 51 vs. 39 AF points, a slightly larger LCD, and a first in any SLR: an OLED data display in the finder (Sony, Fuji and other cameras with OLED finders today are not SLRs).

The D7100's OLED display is just for the shooting data in the finder, not the finder image display. From the 1980s through to yesterday, all electronic Nikon finder data displays have been LCDs, usually backlit with a green LED.

There is also an inexplicably silly 1.3x crop mode, in which the frame rate climbs to 7 FPS. The 1.3x crop is inside the 1.5x DX crop to make it a total of a 2x crop factor.

In live view only, a new "spot" white balance mode.

The rear LCD adds auto brightness control. No previous Nikon's auto LCD brightness control has worked properly; so one will see about the D7100.

The D7100 is very slightly bigger than the D7000, and very slightly (0.5 oz or 15g) lighter than the D7000.

There's a new "i" button for recalling recent settings, and just like the D600, there is now a lock button in the middle of the mode dial.

What’s Missing Compared to the D7000?

Missing compared to the D7000 are the 640-pixel resolution video modes. No analog A/V output cable is included, so the D7100 may lack NTSC/PAL analog video outputs.

The finder only adjusts from as far as -2 diopters, from the D7000's -3 diopters. Both go to +1 diopters.

No LCD cover.

The D7100 has the same battery and charger as the D7000, but is rated for 10% fewer shots per charge (only 950 for D7100 versus 1,050 for D7000).

Oaks, Kynsi, San Luis Obispo. 10:31 AM, 14 April 2013.  (2013 Nikon D7100, 2009 Nikon 10-24mm G at 15mm, f/8 at 1/250 at ISO 100, built-in flash fired to no effect, Perfectly Clear.)

Compare

The D7100 and previous D7000 are pretty similar. They both have U1 and U2 Instant Recall Modes, two SD card slots and 2,016-segment RGB light meters, all new two years ago on the D7000.

	D7100	D7000	D5200	D300s	D90	D3100	D40
Announced	2/2013	9/2010	9/2012	7/2009	8/2008	8/2010	11/2006
Resolution	24MP	16MP	24MP	12MP	12MP	14MP	6MP
Card Slots	TWO SD	TWO SD	1 SD	1 CF 1 SD	1 SD	1 SD	1 SD
U1 U2 Instant-Recall?	Yes	Yes	no	no	no	no	no
ADR?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	no
Image	Gen 2	Gen 2	Gen 2	Gen 2	Gen 2	Gen 2	Gen 1
Frame Rate*	6 FPS	6 FPS	5 FPS	7 FPS	4.5 FPS	3 FPS	2.5 FPS
AF with AF lenses?	Yes	Yes	no, needs AF-S	Yes	Yes	no, needs AF-S	no, needs AF-S
AF Points**	51	39	39	51	11	11	3
AF-mode selections	Button and dials	Button and dials	Menus	Levers	Menus	Menus	Menus
Finder (@ 28mm)	0.53x	0.53x	0.44x	0.53x	0.53x	0.45x	0.44x
Built-in mic	Stereo	mono	Stereo	mono	mono	mono	none
Flash Sync	1/250	1/250	1/200	1/250	1/200	1/200	1/500
LCD	3.2" 1,229k	3" 921k	3" 921k, flips	3" 920k	3" 920k	3" 230k	2.5" 230k
Remote	ML-L3 orMC-DC2	ML-L3 orMC-DC2	ML-L3	10-pin	ML-L3	MC-DC2	ML-L3
Battery	EN-EL15	EN-EL15	EN-EL14	EN-EL3e	EN-EL3e	EN-EL14	EN-EL9
Weight, wet***	774g	774g	555g	932g	710g	505g	524g

* D7100 can run 7 FPS in its oddball 1.3x crop mode, and D300s can run 8 FPS with more batteries in bigger, optional grip. Most do not care, but I have read that the D300s can only shoot at 2.5 fps at 14-bit RAW, while the D7100 can still shoot 6 fps at 14-bit RAW.

** 39 is the same as 51; they all are fields of AF points. 39 to 51 is the same as 40 to 50, which looks the same.

*** As measured by Ken Rockwell, with battery and card.

Recommendations

The D7100 is awesome. Buy one; I did.

24MP in DX is way more than enough. If you want to get brilliant sharpness you need superb lenses. The 18-55mm VR does not have quite as much resolution as this camera. 

Lenses

I would not recommend ordering this camera with the 18-105mm VR lens, as it is a boring lens for about £250 extra. Ken Rockwell states that if you want a zoom to carry around, he prefers the much smaller, lighter and less expensive featherweight 18-55mm VR.

If you insist, the 18-200mm VR II (or 18-300mm DX) is all you need for everything, except for action in low light, but either is very big and heavy.

If you need wider angles, use the 10-24mm.

Another suggestion is to get the 10-24mm and the 35mm f/1.8, and then your choice of smaller dedicated telephoto zoom. Either of the 55-200mm VR or 55-300mm VR are excellent, but for action, the 70-300mm VR has much faster autofocus. Most professionals use the huge 70-200mm VR II all day for everything.

Katie going night-night in the back of Stomper, the big Mee. (Nikon D7100,Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX, AUTO ISO 100, f/2.8 at 1/125, STANDARD Picture Controlwith +1 Saturation and 7 Sharpening, Athentech Perfectly Clear plug-in.) 

Flash

A suggestion made by Ken Rockwell is the SB-400 flash. The built-in works great, but the SB-400 recycles for each next shot much, much faster, and saves the D7100's battery life, as well as offering longer range when needed.

Honestly, before you go buying another flash, try the built-in first. It probably is all you need unless you are shooting professional sports or portraits outdoors all day at rapid speeds.

EGPhotography x

Source: Ken Rockwell