I suffer from NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome) and am always dreaming about the next better lens, the next better camera body and figuring out how to pay for it. But then when I have to travel someplace where I "might" be able to use it, such as on a business trip to Nairobi, I end up rationalizing that I'm better off with the cheaper, lighter, less-anguish-if-stolen-or-broken camera/lens that I gave my wife but she never uses. So I came to Nairobi and was able to get out to Nairobi National Park on Sunday morning. Camera was a Nikon D60 (10 megapixels) and the 18-200mm VR first generation lens. Frankly, once you downsize them for internet, I don't think I would have gotten signficantly better photos with my other equipment.






Some other photos of the same outing are posted in the Photo section of AR.

Great photos!

I just bought a D60 to learn more about photography, and read were the 60 is a good learner camera. I want to take pictures of full length rifles with good detail in the final product. Trying to decied on a good wide angle lens for this type of still life! Had the camera a couple weeks and got to playing a little and came up with this...was pleased with the detail I got from this camera!

Taking good pictures of rifles is not easy. Barrels are almost black, making it very hard to get detail, and most attempts at lighting result in highlights which reflect the light source and create blown out areas in the photograph.

The problem will not be the camera, and won't be the lens, it will be the lighting. With proper lighting even a Brownie will produce a good photograph.

The other problem will be distortion. Most affordably priced medium and wide angle lenses produce distortion which is visible in photographs with subjects having long straight lines, such as a rifle barrel. For Nikon cameras this can be corrected in software like Capture NX2 or DxO (which I use), and probably with some of the versions of Photoshop which I do not use. If you use a longer lens, which has the potential advantage of a narrow depth of field and less distortion, you will need the right space allowing you to photograph from several yards away from the rifle.

Whatever you end up doing, use a tripod which is solidly anchored.

quote:

it will be the lighting

Exactly. It's the hardest thing. I know Terry Weiland told me he uses natural light as much as possible and he does take some decent gun pics.

Someday I'll go to the trouble of getting the lighting right for my guns:

http://jefflynchdev.wordpress....product-photography/

You'll notice, if you opened the first link, that the white metal parts like the trigger, the magazine and the barrel are completely blown out (severely overexposed), no detail is visible at all. That is the choice of this particular photographer to get the black metal of the frame, slide and grips to be shown in detail. I've seen better examples of pistol photos which manage to show detail of both white metal and black metal parts.

And here's another link to get one down the right road:

http://www.ehow.com/set-up-photography-lighting/

Thank you for all the links. I snaped a picture of a english walnut stock with the D60 and the color came out right, my other point and shoot cameras would wash out the color on wood. Theres people on this forum that has taken some really great pictures of rifles, I'll keep playing...here is one I shot while doing some work out in the shop...

strax, what lens or lenses do you have for your D60? Getting everything in focus is the other problem (once you get the lighting right). You'll notice in your photo above that only the front scope ring is in focus, and everything else is a blur.

Yes sir, I didnt notice that until I posted the photo. It was taken off hand, I need to start getting things like a tripod and such. Lens is the 18x55 kit lens. Just starting the learning curve.

A little better on focusing in this picture, got work finished and forgot to get pictures so put gun in vise and grabbed a couple of shots. I only have the 15x55 lens now but want a wider angle for still life close ups but dont know what lens would be best at this point. Still on the learning curve and doing research...hope its not a $1800.00 lens as I'm just playing for now.

Lenses are forever, camera bodies change every year or two. I suggest you get the Nikon 10-24mm wide angle zoom, as there isn't a better wide angle zoom for any Nikon DX camera body than that one, in my opinion. I don't know how much they cost in the USA, but they ought to be less than half of your $1,800 maximum

Came back to edit: the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 DX II is also an excellent lens, and might be somewhat less expensive, around $600 at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/...mm_f_4_AT_X_124.html

In a statement above I stated others here on AR do some really great rifle photography. I hope Richj doesnt care but I think his photos I've seen here are kick ass...like this one.

OH, Thanks for the lens tip also!