Yes in WWII this would qualify as a literal "Catch 22" paradox...

The D7200 is the absolute best bang for the buck. I own three and love that camera body because it really can handle basically any task you might throw at it for the absolute best price for a brand new USA camera body. My oldest D7200 camera has over 300K shutter clicks and still working (I take care of my equipment so your results will vary).

Thanks,
Jim

Just actually uploaded the original artwork from 1948 that's just stellar IMHO...

Thanks to technical aspects of getting spot on copy table photographs right in the camera I went from having to fix WB, exposure, or other issues common with lazy photographers. Now I know how to adjust the camera to get photos that I'm proud of which makes it so much more fun. I know that it is way better to be in control rather than in the caboose hunched over a PC struggling to fixing things.

Little bit of a learning curve but soooo worth it!

-Jim

Great Fanzine pen and ink cover from 1948...

If you have photoshop goto image-adjustments-curves then select medium contrast

Next goto Filter-Sharpen-Unsharp Mask- and make these adjs: Amount- 150% Radius-1.0 Threshold 0

and my Nikon D7200 settings are usually: ISO100 / f11~16 / Speed 1/190~1/125th (longest lens you have 200mm or longer is almost required and VR if hand-held but turn off if using tripod) using daylight WB and RAW... When importing use camera neutral preprocessing

Thanks and hope that helps you...

Jim Cameron
JCStudio Photography
www.jcspics.com

I love Lego's so I totally understand that collection! This subject is one of the reasons I actually got passionate about understanding everything about Nikon DSLRs. My 600K+ Comic Book collection was needing to be cataloged and I either go all in 100% or don't start projects like that because of the engineer in me. Needless to say Copy table w/3100K static lights, 50mm f/1.8 D, and D3400 was my first setup. I ended up getting a Kodak color strip to help get colors tack on to produce photos that ended up looking as good as the big auction houses get and destroy the best eBay photos I've seen IMHO.

Here are some quick examples of my collectibles... I've taken 10s of thousands of comic book images so here's the first couple I found and hope you like them as well as the original (alien) artwork from the 1940s...

Thanks,
Jim Cameron
JCStudio Photography

IG: @jcstudiopics

X-Men Origins Deadpool #1


X-23 #1

I usually like shooting (especially portraits) when there's an overcast sky because it is a great way to defuse direct sunlight so you won't get blown out highlights or harsh glare.

And yes these are nice images and the third one is my favorite since the subject is alone and not competing with other objects as well as that great bokeh.

Thank you,
Jim Cameron
JCStudio Photography

IG: @jcstudiopics

You will need to get a lens that has f/2.8 typically so that more light gets to the sensor and you can back off the ISO. I use 4500 as a maximum amount of ISO to get photos without too much noise. The least expensive option for those lenses are the f/1.8 Prime lenses. You lose zoom however you gain about 2 full stops so you can back off the ISO.

You can push your camera control settings (Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape) in-camera for the bright adjustment settings to get more out of jpgs but remember that these don't apply to RAW images.

I like shooting Basketball with primes (35mm, 50mm, 85mm) because they allow me to get bright photos that are sharp with little/no barrel distortion and can creatively crop in post to get the story you saw in-person.

Hope that helps and thank you to everyone that said hi to welcome me to the forum!

Jim Cameron
IG: @jcstudiopics
Web: https://www.jcspics.com

Here are some that make the cut...

-Jim

Honey Bee Coming in for a Landing


25th Anniversary in the Fall


BBQing on a Grill

I wouldn't bokeh your child!?! I would bokeh my own kid if they weren't the subject of that shot...

It's all about composition: not the people or things that are blurred via AI'ed "bokeh" right?

-Jim

I haven't seen issues with my lenses it's a twice yearly ritual that takes about an hour and a half for all my lenses. I sit in the shade and watching them while they get their anti-fugal treatment. I do not let them heat up since some have special grease inside for the aperture blades.

I don't think this is for everyone. When you have tens of thousands invested in pro lenses and rely on them to make ends meet then it might be worth the time and effort.

Again just my 2 cents so try on your least used and/or easily replaceable lens and 5 minutes max. Hope this helps another starving artist trying to acquire and maintain professional "paint brushes".

Thanks,
Jim Cameron

IG: @jcstudiopics
FB: #jcspics

Gotcha... Take a look at one of these: Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G

Nikon made like a million of them and they are sharp and inexpensive. I find them being sold on Facebook with old film cameras because they were kit lenses. Since the camera isn't a DSLR they sell for $30-50 with this lens (come in silver but standard slate ones are out there). There are three in my "backyard" going for that price range and you can test/inspect before you pay.

No VR but who cares? the first 75 years of photography didn't have VR and some of my all-time favorite photos are just monochrome portraits from Life Magazine.

-Jim

One thing that I've found in my research about this is fungus grows in dark, humid, warm environments. A "real-world" and technically free preventive maintenance ritual for those that have to live in low lands/swampy places is to pick a warm summer afternoon take off the caps, open the aperture up, then allow sunshine to pass through the lens for 5-10 min which kills any live spores. (NOT ATTACHED TO CAMERA)

That seemed to pass my "sniff" test as a way to stop existing fungus from spreading using a natural method and keep it from getting a toe-hold where it isn't an issue yet. My only proof so far is that my bathroom grout has mold/fungus issues and other than an OLD 80-200mm f/2.8 that was 'out of sight-out of mind' too long (4 years in the back of a closet) my other lenses haven't show signs of mold.

Yes/No thoughts on that... I don't do this unless high temps are only in the 80s so no 104 F summer afternoon.

Thanks,
Jim Cameron
JCStudio Photography

IG: @jcstudiopics

Happy to help anyone doing serious pre-purchase research because rushing any purchase = eventual buyer's remorse. Getting the right tool the first time beats having to spend monies, time, and poor results which always means you end up spending more.

That's the basis of my favorite homegrown motto: A smart person learns from their mistakes... A wise person learns from the mistakes of others.

You sound confident in your lens repair skills. I've looked into getting the tools of that trade to de-fungus an 80-200mm f/2.8 that sat unused in a dark camera bag way too long. BTW that (heavy) Nikon lens is an EXCELLENT telephoto that's typically affordable, professional grade, rugged, and super fast Nikon glass.

Here's a link to a great site that explains FX/DX Crop Factor with more information than most people want but they are thorough and have equations that will give you the numbers you are looking for.

https://www.scantips.com/lights/cropfactor.html

Hope that helps and more information is usually better than the alternative...

-Jim

My OLD D1H with that 80-200mm lens

Thank you to everyone!

I don't know how I've managed to be a photographer this long and miss this site! It seems like a great place for sharing experience, tips, tricks, advice, and getting honest feedback as well. Most places are full of trolls and the comments expose that. My first impression is great and will recommend this to others...

Thanks again,
Jim Cameron

Portfolio/IG: @jcstudiopics