Windows Phone 8x (HTC) Lock Screens

My "Trio" lockscreen image in action.

I recently gave up my iPhone 4s for a Windows Phone. The HTC Windows Phone 8x, in fact. I'm tired of Apple. The arrogance of their products (as well as their fanbois) just got to be too much for me. I previously had an Android based Galaxy S and liked it. But the interface of the Windows Phone, along with the true Microsoft Office apps, attracted me.

I went out this morning to play with a new lens. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm VR DX "kit" lens. It's dirt cheap, and my first VR lens. I decided to concentrate on making vertical images that would make good lock screens for my phone.

Shooting with the Quantaray / Sigma 70-300 DL Lens

"Low Water Crossing"
Nikon D80, Quantaray 70-300DL
f4.5 @ 1/500"

Back around the turn of the century, when I was still shooting film, one of my favorite lenses for my AF bodies was the Quantaray / Sigma 70-300DL Macro lens. It was lightweight, sharp, and focused pretty darn quick.

Tamron AF28-80 F/3.5-5.6

Tamron AF28-80 F/3.5-5.6
Nikon Mount

This lens came in the mail earlier this week. I've been down with the flu so have only spent a few hours (over the past two days, when I'm lucid) working with it. It was purchased from Adorama for $70. It's new with a USA 6-year Tamron warranty.

Nikon D80 - First Impressions

My daughter mixing up some fake snow.
Shot with a Nikon D80 and it's kit lens,
AF-S Nikkor 18-135 ED on full Auto

I got to open up the package with this camera yesterday. I took some test shots just to make sure everything was working and to give myself a start at getting to know the Nikon D80.

The shot with my daughter was done full auto, with the on-camera flash as fill. I'd heard good things about Nikon's flash metering, and I definitely wasn't disappointed.