These guys are older, second hand, cameras. I was steered to this model as being within my price range and using readily available 4 AA batteries as the power source. One review I essentially said, "the N8008S gets the shots". My experience would agree that where I do my job, it does its job. My experience is limited to ‘moderate’ field conditions and I have never tried using them under extreme conditions. I have never had an unresolvable field problem. First, I found my N8008 and later acquired my N8008S. I came to this camera after years of using my Pentax K1000. I rarely use auto focus or the spot metering on the ‘S’ and find the cameras both a joy to use. A point and shoot user would find the body with a lens attached, monstrously heavy. Being a person who keeps my pack constantly provisioned for most any type of outing, the weight is not a serious consideration to me. Actually, I am under the impression that the considerable weight equates to durability and academically consider the mass desirable. (I run marathons so my valuation of physical exertion is at best, questionable!)

This is definately my most oft used lens (on the film bodies). This is the lens that is attached to the camera as it rides in my Lowepro Off Trail 1 belt pack. The 105mm length usually seems to be the best length for shooting the wild flowers that I encounter. In my reading, John Shaw indicated a preferance for this lens length. After personally having an old antique 105 and subsequently a modern AFD 105, I find myself heartly endorsing John's position about this being a great focal length. This is even further reinforced now that I have a D100 and find myself pulled toward my 60mm on that body where the 60mm is effectively a 90mm due the the focal length multiplying factor.

Tremendous. This is just a great lens. I however use the 105 more as this lens forces me a wee bit too close and it shoots a wee bit too wide. The 105 lets me choose a better background and shoot from a little bit further away.

On the D100 digital body, there is a 1.5 focal length multiplication factor. My 105 becomes a 157.5 (effective) and this 60 becomes a 90 (effective). So, on the D100 body, the 157.5 is a wee bit too narrow and the 90 is more useable width. On the D100, this 60 is the lens that stays on the camera!

After years of looking, I finally found a 200mm micro that I could afford. I grabbed it and, oh, it is beautiful. I acquired it the end of last season and haven’t really used it extensively yet, but I am very pleased with what it has given me so far. Tack sharp images from way, way back with a narrow field of view to ‘crop’ out background clutter PLUS a short depth of field to throw unavoidable background distractions out of focus.

It is too long to conveniently fit in my Lowepro Off Trail 1 belt pack. (Yes, I have a bigger lens bag which I have used but it hits me half way down my thigh. This is Ok, for a few miles but gets aggravating on long treks.) It has an integral rotating tripod mount. It is necessary to move the tripod mount back and forth between the camera and the 200mm when vacillating between the 105mm and the 200mm. (Does anybody else do this too?) This rotating mount is wonderful when vacillating between horizontal and vertical formats!

I sent this lens to Rolland Elliot to have a CPU installed. As he indicated, it is now fully compatible with modern cameras requiring a CPU lens including my D100 digital SLR body. My wonderful AIS 200 micro lives on! Thank you Rolland!

Landscapes aren’t really my thing but this lens lives in my field pack. Everybody needs a wide lens. Nuff said.

Another antique. I can’t claim to be particularly impressed. It works but…

This teleconverter gives me 480mm autofocus on my 300mm. I have played with this on flying birds. The results show ‘potential’. I have also handed Alison my camera with this on a 135mm f2.8 (making an autofocus 216mm) to shot me running a marathon which worked quite well.

Velvia (ISO 50) is my standard nature film. My N8008S is always loaded with Velvia.

Astia (ISO 100) is my fast/skin color film. My N8008 is loaded with Astia.

On receiving this tripod, the first time I open a leg latch, I pinched my thumb in the pivoting end of a leg latch. When a leg clamp is simply lifted, it opens with a snap, a sound. In the field, there are four seasons, one of which is cold. I wear mittens when it is cold. I would define a good nature tripod as haveing latches that would operate silently and that could be operated while leaving protective clothing (gloves/mittens) in place saving the cold exposure for the unavoidable camera operation. My impression is that the new leg latches were NOT designed by or for a nature photographer.

Why the 'N' leg clamps pinch. Opposite the lifting end, beyond the pivoting end of the clamp lever, there is an open 'V' awaiting, which will close abruptly and firmly when the clamp is opened. Anything in this 'V' when the clamp is opened will be severly pinched. I have no problem with the clamps pinching when I hold the tripod upside down (and presumably left handers wouldn't have a problem either). Alas, the camera is usually fastened to the top and I am not inclined to set that end down into the mud or dirt! With the tripod right side up, the left end of the leg latch lever is the actuating end that must be lifted (unless the user is VERY, VERY short). As you see from the picture below, I operate the latches with my right hand. I obviously lifted the latch with my thumb curled inward and had the bulk of my hand in close proximity of the 'V'. My less dexterous left hand has the job of holding the camera end of the tripod. My more dexterous right hand gets the multiple tasks of operating the leg clamp and adjusting the leg tube length.

On January 19, '02 we had a light 3 to 6 inch snowfall. Overnite there was no wind and the sun was predicted to be shining the following day. On January 20, we had winter wonderland shooting. I was busy making pictures when a leg clamp felt ignored and insisted upon being noticed. Please note the ding in the side of my middle finger on the image to the left. If you feel that making pictures should receive your full attention, these leg clamps might remind you otherwise! These clamps do bite.

I need to train myself to operate these latches so they don't pinch me. Again, my left hand gets the job of holding the top of the tripod and my right hand will run the clamps and adjust the tube length. With my right hand, I need to grasp the tripod leg palm down, with all four fingers wraping around the leg, with my thumb extending unused and the thumb pad of my palm placed on the top of the latch lever. My index and middle fingers will lift the lever and my ring and little fingers will control leg extention. To close the latch, I will push it closed with the thumb pad on my palm. Done properly, this keeps all parts of my hand out of the 'V' area.

Other than the leg latches, this is a wonderful piece of equipment.

I have a retractable hiking pole where the top ball unscrews and creates a monopod. I have used this with some success during mountain hiking.

I cursed the ‘quick’ release plate on this thing from day one. The ‘quick’ release plate requires a tool (coin/screwdriver) to attach it to the held object. Changing from the 105mm (tripod mount on camera) to the 200mm (tripod mount on lens) was very inconvenient. This change occurs in the field, where tools may not be readily available! The quick lease plate is made of plastic and is currently broken from excessive tightening (mandatory tool use makes applying excessive pressure a very real possibility).

The friction on the tilt died.

This tripod is now used to hold off camera flash.

I carried my camera in my backpack for years. Digging it out was a pain, especially when I was hiking with a large group. (You see many more shots while on the trail than while at break locations!) Many shots never got taken ‘cause the camera was not readily available. The Off Trail 1 put the camera on my waist and available. This is a BIG, BIG, BIG improvement! My biggest problem is that I many times also have a backpack on which means the Off Trail must ride in front. This isn’t too bad unless I put on a long lens pocket. That does NOT work! Another problem has been getting both waist belts(backpack and camera bag) fastened in cold weather.

Works great. I did buy VueScan software which is quicker than tweaking the provided driver on every image. I have a major DUST problem which isn't really the fault of the scanner.

el-cheapo Flat Bed Scanner

generic 1.7 GHz Pentium IV

Nikon Capture 4 (Raw Image Editor)

Photoshop 5.0 LE (Digital Image Editor)

IMatch (Image Management)

VueScan (Scanner Driver)

WebEdit by Ken Nesbit (HTML Editor)