This is going to be fun! KelbyOne Gear Conference is talking camera gear baby for and you’re invited to join the amazing line up of instructors for a great two days! I’m creating two new classes for the conference, What Nikon Camera Should I Get Next and How to Pick the Right Nikon Lenses for You! Yeah, they might sound very Nikon-centric (because that’s what I shoot) but all that I’m covering applies to any and all camera or lens. We’re going to approach the answers to these questions from YOUR point of photography, not mine! In discussing the basics and applying those to specifics, you will find in my classes and the conference what you need to design and obtain the perfect kit for your photography. Join us, it’s going the be great!

When it comes to bird photography, the old school of thought was 400mm was the minimum needed to get a decent image size. I think that’s still true but the caveat needs to be added to that, MFD. Minimum Focusing Distance makes the 400mm even more powerful, case in point. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a panic attack wrapped in feathers. Cute as can be, they simply don’t hold still. And they are tiny, about index finger size. Getting them in the viewfinder with the Z 9 / 180-400VR is a ton of fun but making the photograph required the MFD, in this case, about six feet with the 180-400VR. Being able to focus that close in a forest means you can not only get a nice image size but have no branches between you and the subject. I’m just saying, reach is good, MFD makes it great!

The struggle for our planet is more desperate than fifty-two years ago when the first Earth Day was celebrated. That first one was a call to arms to protect what we had, then. We were left with an amazing wild heritage treasure. Do we have the foresight, the willingness to leave it to future generations?

In all the excitement of the Z 9 2.0 Firmware release the release of a new, updated Z 9 Reference Guide seemed to get lost. I realize it’s not a page burner but to get the most out of your Z 9, firmware 1.11, and 2.0, I HIGHLY recommend you give it a gander. I might aid in understanding my changes to my Settings. If for now other reason than you’ve had your Z 9 for a time now and with that familiarity comes a better understanding that really helps when you read the IB. It was updated too!