dhroberts Loc: Boston, MA, USA

This park is remarkable for the variety of its scenery.

Cholla Garden

(Download)

Joshua Trees at Sunset

(Download)

Skull Rock

(Download)

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice ones.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Love the conehead rock.

Tom DePuy Loc: Waxhaw, N.C.

Nice shots...
Just watched 60 Minutes Sunday night and they had a story on the Joshua Tree National Park, rather interesting

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A very nice set.

fbeaston Loc: Vermont

A beautiful series. Thanks for sharing.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

Nice set of images.

tcthome Loc: NJ

tcthome Loc: NJ

Nice set!

spks917

Hi there, Love your photos! I currently use a bridge camera-mostly for birding (nikon p900). Since I have not used a dslr and the endless variety of lenses (it seems), would you share what you shot these with? And did you use the same lens for each photo?

I ask because I am investigating different dslrs and what I would like to shoot. The P900 is great for birding and casual posts on FBook, but I'd like to get better/clearer shots for perhaps macro (flowers/rocks/butterflies) or landscape shots. Which, as I read, are two different types of lenses.

Only if you have time to respond. I see many good photos posted here, but not as many that make me go "wow!".

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Great shots all, but I like the Teddy Bear Cholla best.

dhroberts Loc: Boston, MA, USA

Hi! Thanks for the comments on the photos. All three were taken in 2008 with a Nikon D300. The cholla was taken with a 60mm f/2.8D Nikon micro lens (their term for their macro lenses), the other two with a 17-55/2.8 DX Nikon lens (discontinued I imagine). The closest you could come today to that latter combination is the Nikon D500 DSLR with 16-80mm Lens, which is currently on sale for (only) $2100.

On the other hand, I have sold my Nikon DSLRs and replaced them with a new Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera with the 24-70 /4 and 14-30 f/4 Z-mount lenses. This is a very compact system, and produces wonderful images. You can read all about the strengths and weaknesses of the Nikon mirrorless system on the web (or see them discussed on YouTube). I made the change because my DSLRs (D800E and D4S) and their lenses (primarily the 24-70 f/2.8 G) were getting too heavy for me to transport and use easily. I'd guess that the Z7 and its 24-70 lens weigh half of what the D800E and its 24-70 lens weighed (and seem to be half their size!). (There is also the Z6 mirrorless, which differs from the Z7 only by the pixel count of the detector (24 Mpix versus 45).)

One advantage of the Z7 & 24-70 f/4 combination is that the lens focuses a lot closer than did my old system, making it useful for pretty good close-ups. For true macro work I use my older Nikon 60mm f/2.8D or 200 mm f/4D true macro lenses on the Z7 with the FTZ adapter.

Any new camera system will be a sizable investment. I suggest that if possible you go to a camera store (or box store) and actually handle the various options. Then buy what you want through the mail from a place like B&H photo in NYC - shipping will be free and they have a way for you to avoid paying any sales tax.

Good luck with your choice, and feel free to ask me any more questions you may have.

MT native Loc: Big Sky Country — Montana

Very nice set of images. That is definitely skull rock! Thanks for sharing.

spks917

Thank you so much for your reply! I have looked at that mirrorless and think they are, ideally, the way to go - if money is not an object lol. But I will file your reply away in my "dream" folder ;)