I'm impressed by the diversity and detail of these photos. The only criticism (and it may be just me) is that the first photo is tilted, and it detracts from the impact. I tried straightening it and it was more pleasing to me. Again, this might just be a personal preference. What kit were you using? The detail and lighting were great. And, you are right, retirement is only for the strong.

The sun was bright, but there was no washout of detail. Great shots!

Jeff

I started my SLR photo journey with a Minolta SRT 101 with a 50MM lens in the mid 60’s. I have owned Nikon film cameras (still have them) and started my DSLR journey with a D80. That tank of a camera still takes great photos when coupled with a good lens. I added a D5500 to my backpack which is a much lighter camera, but very functional with the lenses I have. I bought a used D850 and a bunch of lenses earlier this year. It is a great camera, although it is very heavy. I haven’t considered going to mirrorless as I see no benefit for me. After decades of being an amateur photographer, I don’t think that any of the cameras I have owned enabled me to take better photos than the old Minolta. It always comes down to the person holding the camera, not the technology.

Beechcraft: Bonanza, Baron, King Air, etc.

I gave my daughter a really nice Nikon bridge camera (P7000). She has taken some great shots…with her cellphone. Go figure.

I just don’t get this issue. Photographers have been shooting BIFs for decades, with everything from P&S cameras, old film cameras, DSLRs, and even mobile phone cameras It takes patience, skill and practice, regardless of the kit used. If you can’t get it done with a D850, what makes you think that using a mirrorless will make it happen?

Yep, I carry my “bulky” cell phone, but not primarily for photography. I use Apple phones because the flight planning, moving map, air traffic avoidance and other aviation apps are compatible and synced between my iPads & iPhone. My phone is my backup should I have an iPad failure. If it didn’t have a camera, I would carry my bridge camera, but I don’t have to with a decent camera in the phone. However, I will use my D850 with the 28-200 Nikkor lens today for leaf peeping.

Where in Piscataway was this taken? I’m finally going to take my D850 out and get some fall shots. Next week I’m taking my SO flying and try to get some shots, maybe around the water gap.

You continually illustrate that there are beautiful places in the Garden State. Another great example. Well done!

I was not advocating for cell phones over cameras. I was saying that calling cell phone photos as less than real is BS. If it is a good photo why is the source important?

I was not advocating for cell phones over cameras. I was saying that calling cell phone photos as less than real is BS. If it is a good photo why is the source important?

I actually went to school in a one-room schoolhouse in the early 1950’s in a suburb of Albany, NY. There was a sliding divider in the middle of the building that could close off one part of the room for the older kids.

The idea that a photo taken by a cell phone is less than a photo taken by a “real” camera is ludicrous. I have seen cell phone photos that are just as awesome as those taken with a camera. If the “purists” want “real” photos, they should go back to simple film cameras with external light meters, manual focus, external flashes, nifty 50, etc. Troglodytes are not purists. BTW, I have two 35mm Nikon film cameras, an early 110 film underwater camera, a compact film camera, five digital cameras, including two point & shoots, one bridge camera (Nikon P7000 which I love), a D5500 and a D850. i love my cameras, but my cell phone is alway with me to grab an unexpected photo.

The problem is that the average person is totally uninformed and dumber than a box of rocks.

Because you can’t equate socialism with communism. While the premise of socialism is to make all services (medical, educational, social, etc.) available to everyone without regard to rank, stature, or wealth, communism is the perversion of those ideals into a repressive, authoritarian society. In a communistic country, wealth and power are concentrated in a few individuals, and services provided the masses are few and of low quality. In these countries there is always a very powerful police force subject to none of the rules normal to a civilized society. It is how the proletariat is kept from objecting to the dictatorship of their country. As my photos of Berlin depict; the wall, guard towers, shoot to kill orders, etc. are not to protect the country from invasion, they are there to keep the downtrodden citizens from escaping. That is an earmark of a communist regime.