Photo's by a Nit Wit with a Nikon

[The Vinyl Adventure]

this really is a bizare arguement ... use of uv filters is a matter of comon sence, i said it before ... use them when there is more likely to be danger to your lens! if you want the best out of your camera and feel comfortable taking the filter off then do so ... end of story!

on exposing ... if you are unsure about correct exposure or your camera is tending to under expose or over expose in high contrast situations (cameras vary in the way they deal with high contrast environments) use bracketing then select the best on the pc.
i cant remember if the d40 has bracketing, so if it doesnt you can do it manually useing the exposure compensation.. point your camera at the subject take a photo and check it on the screen if it looks over exposed set it to underexpose by a stop! and check again! this way you can still use an automatic exposure modes (auto, p, a, s)
thats the best thing about digital you can take take the same image at a veriety of exposures and not inflict any extra cost on your self

hope thats not to patronising have have no idea of your level of skill

i have a job in a granite machineing factory coming up and i cant wait, the oportunity to wonder around a factory taking photos is in my view a rare privalige

[Haselsh1]

Been taking photos for over 30 years. How many times have I thought "ooh, if only I'd spent a few quid more on the filter or not had a filter on at all it would have been sharper" ?

That's right. NEVER. EVER. AT ALL. WHATSOEVER.

How many times have I grateful for the filter protecting the lens from a smash? Twice.

2-0.

Unless you're expecting your pics to be put on billboards, stick a filter on. Without fail I get the cheapest (UV or skylight) filter I can buy. The only difference I've ever seen is in the colour, but that's where the computer comes in, easily tweaked. The price of the filter doesn't make a wideangle lens less wide, or a long lens any shorter.

Skylight 1B I've found to be the best, but its personal preference.

Creatively, obey the "rule of thirds" until you have the confidence to break it.

If you've got an entire factory to run around (I WISH!!!), when taking photos think about leading lines (google it) and make sure you allow for the low light (up the ISO, widen the aperture, expose for the dull not the bright - despite what some "experts" might say, and brace youself before shooting).

Love the second photo by the way, makes me think Beatles and 60s.

Question: How many times have I been grateful for a filter protecting my lens from serious damage...?

Answer: Never...!

Question: How many times have I been concerned about a cheap piece of glass corrupting my images...???

Answer: Many...!!!

[Spod]

Apologies for the confrontational tone of my post, I was a tad "tipsy" when I was posting last night. Actually, I was very "tipsy" . I'd forgotten I'd even been on here til I just looked to see what was happening in this thread. Really need to get a breathalyser fitted to this PC....

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

hope thats not to patronising have have no idea of your level of skill

i have a job in a granite machineing factory coming up and i cant wait, the oportunity to wonder around a factory taking photos is in my view a rare privalige

Hi Hamish

No probs, you are not patronising at all, my level of skill is quite low. Will have to really get to grips with the camera from a technical aspect and see what I can produce.

Andy

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hi Hamish

No probs, you are not patronising at all, my level of skill is quite low. Will have to really get to grips with the camera from a technical aspect and see what I can produce.

Andy

if your have any questions about any of the features, let me know... i must have sold about 100 of the things since they came out and despite being in the shop only 1day a week nowadays i still get people coming in and asking how to do this or that. and you know, i have never had a customer come in with a faulty one... one guy who had droped one down some concrete stairs and thought it would be coverd by nikons warantee.... but not one faulty