Customer Reviews

The New Nikon Compendium: Cameras, Lenses & Accessories since 1917 (A Lark Photography Book)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Despite sloppy writing and editing at times (there is indeed a mysterious glut of grammatical errors), this 2004 edition of the Nikon Compendium is a valuable source of information on Nikon cameras, lenses, flashes, and accessories.

When I first opened the book, I felt both excited and overwhelmed. There was so much juicy information on Nikon products in this hardcover that I simply did not know where to start. Ok, the first Nikon I used was an FM2, so I flipped to page 60 and found lots of cool information from background to features to versions to pictures of the FM2. Then I jumped to the page on the N50 (F50 outside of North America), a consumer-oriented SLR that was the first SLR I bought. Here, I found so much information on the N50 that I wished I had read this when I was still using that camera. Next stop was the D70, which I currently own. Yes, this book is very up-to-date (as of end of 2004), and covers all current d-SLR models in Nikon's lineup.

There's also tons of information on the Nikkor lenses, the Speedlight flashes, the Coolpix digital camera line (but the latest model, Coolpix 8800, is not included), plus accessories. I don't know if this covers 100% of what Nikon has produced, but that doesn't matter. The book covers all the Nikon products that mattered in the history of cameras, and there's plenty of info on currently sold products. There's even a section on the new Coolwalker portable hard drive from Nikon, which the author cautions against buying since you don't want to "put all your eggs in one basket" should the hard disk fail.

Anyway, this book is not about photography at all, and nobody is going to become a better photographer upon reading this. The book also doesn't review the specific pros and cons of each product; it's more about specs and features. It's geared toward Nikon collectors, but also normal Nikon owners who want to know Nikon's history and product lines. It's esp. valuable when you want to buy something used. With this book in hand, you can find out what the equipment does or doesn't do, and whether there were better versions before or after its introduction. This is not a pricing guide, but it arms you with enough knowledge to make a meaningful, reasonable bid according to your needs.

The book's inside cover note says it's not sponsored by Nikon.

This update of the first edition by Hillebrand & Hauschild contains all of the original material plus coverage of the lastest Nikon eqipment. The current author, Simon Stafford, has added entirely new chapters on digital cameras (both the SLR and Coolpix series) and the content comprises all models up to the publication date. New material covering lenses and accessories has also been added. Chapters that correspond to those of the earlier edition are mostly paraphased with some errors corrected. Of particular interest, Stafford offers his opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of many items based on his use of them as a professional photographer who is interested in what works best rather than what has the highest status image. In some cases he recommends prosumer models instead of the professional level items for this reason. (You may not always agree with him, but his thoughts are worth considering when making equiment selections.) He also provides cautions about operations that could produce unwanted results. The book contains a lot of detail on the controls of the cameras and accessories--perhaps to the point where it could replace the operating manual. On the other hand, the specifics of variations of each item throughout its production cycle and photos of each do not match the detail of Peter Braczko's book, The Complete Nikon System (which predates the digital era, so does not include those cameras). This edition of the Compendium is an update of the 2003 European edition. It shows its English heritage through language useage, and the phrasing can at times sound strange to American ears. More importantly, the book suffers from a lack of effective copy editing resulting in numerous grammatical and other errors, especially in the digital sections, which must have been added at the last minute. For example, fisheye Nikkor lenses are discussed on pgs. 209-10, but the 10.5 mm DX Fisheye lens info was dropped into the middle of the perspective control Nikkors discussion. Stafford is an editor for the Nikon Owners Club, and the book ends with two pages of shameless advertising for the organization. Despite these minor glitches, the book is well worthwhile. The price is a steal for a hard cover photography book with numerous color and B&W photos. Even if you own the first edition, this book is worth buying.

Compared to the former 'Nikon Compendium' this book has a lot more pictures and was of course expanded to include all the models up to the date of publishing. I got the impression though that it has not been reviewed very well before going to press : there are quite some editing errors (line breaks in the middle of sentences or words f.ex.) and grammar errors that could have been avoided if the manuscript hadn't been rushed to the printer. I also expected more in depth comments on the lenses and some camera models - the stress has clearly been laid on the digital bodies. Some accessories have been omitted or important details have not been adressed at all (just an example : the fact that early filters had chrome rings and later black rings - a detail, but something worth noting IMO). The book missed a chance to really be THE reference book on all things Nikon. Otherwise, lots of pages and pictures for the money!

A thorough and well done work on the history of Nikon. It is better in my opinion than another book titled "Nikon - A Celebration".

An excellent resource for those tbat use the Nikon brand. This is the best book I have read on Nikon products and Amazon has the best price.

This is a very good book for someone who might be interested in the history of the Nikon camera. The only problem is that the book doesn't spend a great deal of space reviewing the development of the digital camera era. It has nothing on the newest digital cameras which is what I have (a D300 and a D3). But since the seller charges a restocking fee I find myself with a book that won't really be that useful to me.

As a collector of Nikon cameras, lenses and accessories, I find this book to be superb. The quality of the paper and printing is remarkable and the color photographs of the different Nikon cameras in mint condition will drive you to lust. Due to the number of cameras described, from the Nikon I Rangefinder to the D70 it is unrealistic to expect a complete description of each and every feature of each and every model, nevertheless the writer has done a heck of a job, highlighting the most outstanding features of nearly every camera, lens, flash unit and major accessory that Nikon had developed till the time of publication - an amazing achievement by any standard.

Do note that the date of publication was 2004, so the later Nikon products such as the D3, D90, D300, etc, are not covered.

My only complaint about this book is the glaring lack of a more meticulous editing of the English text. A couple of quotes will illustrate my point: "Nikon have provided photographers with..." (p.5); and "their focusing performance is positively agricultural compared to the present crop of AF Nikkor lenses" (p.159). What is that supposed to mean? Nevertheless, I love this book almost as much as I love my Nikon cameras and recommend it wholeheartedly.

The book covered Nikon cameras, lenses and accessories from 1917 up to D70 era (2003). It is easy to read and loaded with excellent product shots. Opinions are rather unbiased and neutral. The only drawback was that it was five years old and some comments on Nikon strategy were rather outdated. (e.g. the indication of Nikon's direction on DX format). As it is impossible to catch up with the current pace of change in the digital SLR industries, the next edition of the book could split into two volumes, one on the film era and one on the digital. The film era volume will be a an excellent historical reference.

This is a great book to get all the info related to the large variety of Nikon products. However, I had the impression that it might help me price some Nikon gear I am interested in selling. It does not. When I read the review, before purchase, my impression was it would assist in pricing my equipment. What it perhaps does, is impress you with the rarity or widely produced models, so you can try to determine if it is worth some money. Otherwise, the book lived up to my expectations of a very comprehensive collection of data on the very varied line of Nikon camera products.

I had read the early ediction, but this new is superb. This is the best companion book for all Nikon owners!!!!