USB 2 isn't too bad speedwise at 480MBPS. I don't know if any of the SDHC memory cards can run this fast. Don't know if the USB readers can run this fast either.

Anyone use one of these readers to plug into anew LED LCD TV? Wow what a way to view camera images!!!

I have the Nikon 1.7 that works well with the Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR lens. I also have a Tameron 2.0 that isn't nearly as good. Regardless of what you choose, the overall effect will be a slower lens combination.

Great images folks!! Please include details of equipment & technique utilized to capture these great images.

I have a Nikon T1.7 that I have used with the Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR in my D70 & D7000. I reciently shot the World Cup Offshore boat races here in Clearwater, Fl. with the D7000. The images came out fine. A few years back I shot the 12 Hours of Sebring race with the same combo but with the D70, same result.

I am by no means an expert, but I was very happy with the results with the T1.7 & 70-200mm F2.8 VR. As mentioned you need a fast lens as the converter slows everything down.

BTW I have a Tamaron T2.0 teleconverter that I never use. It is nowhere near as good as the Nikon T1.7.

John,
I used to play as well, now just hobble around on the court. Two fused vertebra, multiple fractures, nerve damage, scoliosis, arthritis and both knees gone keep me pretty much immobile. I severly pulled my right calf muscle last week, could hardly walk.

I can't figure out how this happened since I can't move!!

Porsche, Boats, Tennis...too many hobbies!!

I think the D5100 is probably the best buy for the $ now. It uses the new CMOS back side illuminated sensor from Nikon/Sony. Here's a link to compare with the Canon T3i.

http://www.digitalreview.ca/content/Canon-Rebel-T3i-EOS-600D-Compared-to-Nikon-D5100.shtml

Some folks piggyback the DSLR on top of a telescope that tracks the star movement, some folks "shoot" throught the telescope with special adapters that connect the camera body to the telescope eyepiece mount. Way back in the film days people would build what's called a barn-door. This was two pieces of wood with a door hinge connecting them. A long threaded bolt was passed through one piece of wood and butted up against the other piece of wood. The bolt had a knob (like used on old electronics equipment) on one end. The camera was attached to the wood piece with it's tripod mount and then the combination placed on a stable surface. A skilled operator would open the shutter in bulb mode, then turn the knob at a rate that caused the camera to track the stars as the "barn-door" opened.

Meade, Orion and Celestron make telescopes and adapters. SantaBarba Instruments make dedicated astrocameras. Do a Google search and you will find more than you an read in a month!

Snowbear,

Not sure about Pentax but I believe Minolta did the first in-camera stabilization. They utilized a technique that actaully moved the Image Sensor. The nice part about this is that it works with standard lenses. Sony acquired Minolta some time ago and thus has this technology now.

Canon and Nikon use in-lens stabilization and claim they can taylor the stabilization to each lens and achieve a better result than with the in-camera technique. I have never used a Minolta, or Sony or Canon DLSR camera (although I have Canon IS binoculars that work well) but have a few Nikon VR lens (70-200 F2.8 VR, 105 F2 VR macro, 18-55 VR kit and 28-105 VR kit). All these Nikon lens with VR stabilization work well and the VR can be very valuable when used properly. I am sure the Canon and Sony stabilization works well also.

Have had one for a few years. Very sharp at the corners, hard to beat the price.

I am a IC designer and somewhat intune with the semiconductor field. I understand that the D7000 and D5100 Nikon cameras utilize the new back side illuminated Sony CMOS image sensors.

Sony has, probably with some additional Nikon support, developed a new CMOS sensor technology that outperforms the present Canon CMOS sensors. Canon had developed and patented a CMOS sensor technology with localized noise canceling (very clever) that allowed them to produce a superior CMOS sensors for many years. This CMOS sensor competed well with the more expensive CCD type sensors and allowed Canon to have a lower price solution compared to others for a given performance level. With the new Sony backside illuminated CMOS technology that has changed, now Sony and Nikon have the upper hand.

I am sure that Canon is working on a new sensor technology and not sitting idle. This is the beauty of commerical semiconductor technology competiton. We the consumer get to see better and better performance and a lower price point.