Nikon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide (Digital Workflow) [Paperback]

Jim White (Author), Tony Sweet (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240521226 | ISBN-13: 978-0240521220 | Publication Date: October 7, 2009 | Edition: 1

Whilst camera-specific guides provide the how-to, manual style information on how to use your particular model of camera, this manufacturer-specific guide provides you with all the information you need as a Nikon DSLR photographer to optimise your workflow and capture great images.

Jim White and Tony Sweet show you how to increase the quality of your photos, save time and work smarter, starting with the most pressing questions: Which camera should you use? Which lens is best? Which accessories are must-haves? How can you get the most out of Nikon's Capture NX Software?

In-depth, specific features of the newest Nikon DSLRs are also covered, helping you to make your camera really work for you. Complete with practical advice, key workflow solutions and detailed images that display multiple camera functions, this book is a must have for every Nikon photographer.

Part of Focal's Digital Workflow series, this is the Nikon version of the popular Canon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide.

* A manufacturer-specific guide to DSLR photography using equipment from one of the industry's leading brands, by a Nikon 'Legend Behind the Lens'

* Shows digital photographers how to use their Nikon gear creatively and effectively to optimize workflow, save time and improve results

* Showcases the work of professional photographers from the worlds of wedding photography, fine art, travel and nature, with top tips and insights to inspire and inform

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (October 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240521226
• ISBN-13: 978-0240521220
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,268,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 7, 2009

By 

Conrad J. Obregon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nikon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide (Digital Workflow) (Paperback)

Every new Nikon digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) comes with a detailed manual explaining the camera's controls and capabilities. These manuals have little information on the practical application of the controls and capabilities to the capturing of images and are often quite technical. Many purchasers of these cameras, especially first time DSLR users, need more help in learning to use these cameras.

This book presents a general overview of the current line of Nikon DSLRs. Chapters include basic information on exposure, digital feature selection, descriptions of the usual controls on a Nikon DSLR, descriptions of a few of the current models of camera bodies and lenses, discussion of flash photography, and an overview of Nikon's proprietary image processing software, Nikon Capture NX 2. Profiles of some successful Nikon camera users are also included.

It sounds like a good idea to have a book for beginning Nikon users that shows how to use the camera to actually take pictures. Such a book needn't show all the bells and whistles available on DSLRs but it should provide enough information to enable the reader to take pictures that will make them happy with their investment. Books usually are published that explain the use of each individual model but this is one of the few books to assay an overview of the manufacturer's entire line. Unfortunately, it is not very effective in accomplishing this task.

The explanations of exposure, color space, white balance and focusing are a good introduction to those tools. However the descriptions of the cameras, lenses, speedlights and Nikon Capture NX2 just seem to be a rehash of the manufacturer's literature, without any practical information. There is no chapter on composition, which is one of the most important areas with which a new user needs help. This is particularly strange given that author Tony Sweet is one of the great photographers of our age.

The book is profusely illustrated and some of the images are quite handsome, if small. Unfortunately few of the images have captions, and only a few are specifically referred to in the text. As a result, it is often unclear what teaching point they are meant to make.

The profiles of photographers vary in usefulness. Nancy Rotenberg explains her view of the role of photography in a way that many individuals will find useful. Other profiles merely provide a resume of the photographer's career.

New Nikon DSLR users need information on using their cameras beyond that contained in the manufacturer's manual. This book does not provide it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent Product Overview, December 15, 2009

By 

Damian P. Gadal (Santa Barbara, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nikon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide (Digital Workflow) (Paperback)

(What's this?)

This book provided a decent overview of the some of the current (as of December 2009) product line from Nikon. The title "The Ultimate Photographer's Guide" is a little misleading, as this book isn't about all the mechanics of photography. It provides information to get those interested in using Nikon Products started, going over the basics of Depth of Field, ISO settings, and Shutter Speed, and explains how the three relate to each other. However the information isn't immersive enough to make this an ultimate guide.

That being said, it did provide good information to get a beginner started down the path of photography. I liked the fact that they interjected the material with profiles from working photographers. This made the book much more interesting and provided some insight into the photography world, though a couple of profiles sounded more like resumes than a philosophical summary of what photography can mean.

The book also covered RAW image capture, and the Nikon Lighting system, not in great depth, but in enough detail to give the beginner an idea of what they are, and for what they are used. Most introduction books I've seen tend to skip flash altogether. Post capture image processing was briefly covered, but is really beyond the scope of this book

All in all, this was a good read, and would make for a nice introduction/reference for the budding Nikon Photographer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More useful than Nikon's Manual, November 18, 2010

By 

Mark Shanks (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nikon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide (Digital Workflow) (Paperback)

(What's this?)

I'll admit that I am a real newb in the world of higher-end DSRLs, and the Nikon manual was just too intimidating to sit down with and try to digest all of the features. This book is more approachable, and maybe that's why it is disappointing to the more experienced photographer. I especially appreciated the explanations of exposure, color space, white balance and focusing - these are topics I hadn't encountered before and found them wee covered here. Perhaps a bit spendy for the size (it works out to 17 cents a page......), but I'd recommend it for newcomers or if someone special gave you a great camera for Christmas.