Electronics Review: Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

What camera do you recommend? This is a question I get all the time, and my answer has narrowed down to just one word: Nikon. I have shot with two Nikon CoolPix models and two Nikon digital SLRs, and I have to say it is my favorite brand. I have also shot with Kodak, Canon, and Olympus, and I still believe Nikon is the best.
Why Nikon? If you have already made up your mind which camera you like (and it isn't a Nikon), please stop, take a few breaths, and think about a few things. First, like Canon and Olympus, Nikon has been making cameras for years. This is a brand professional photographers have relied on with few complaints. Second, look at your choices. Nikon offers low end to very high end cameras... You can't help but assume that Nikon incorporates some of its high-end technology into its lower-end cameras. Assume right. That glass in the front of the camera (the lens) is really what can make or break a camera. Nikon's Nikkor lenses are really amazing. They make an average photographer look like he knows what he is doing (trust me on this one).
So which one? I have recommended CoolPix cameras to friends and family without dissappointment. Nikon's CoolPix line is for the amateur to semi-pro photographer. They are durable, feature rich, and easy to learn. For the semi-pro to professional, I recommend Nikon's digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) line, which includes the D50 and D70. The D50 was introduced as a lower-cost digital SLR (than the D70), and is a really great camera for around $750. The main difference between the D50 and the D70 is a slightly smaller body and not quite as good of a lens. The D70 (and D70s) run around $900 to $1,100. I really can't say enough about this camera. The D70 is what I currently shoot with and has an unbelievable range of capabilities. A beginner can use the auto settings and get great results while the professional can use the manual settings and get what they would expect from a high-end camera. Both the D50 and D70 are also buildable - new lenses, flashes, remotes, you name it. It is everything you would expect from a true SLR.
Rating: An easy 5 asterisk rating. Go Nikon. *****

Missing the Target

The holiday season is upon us, and there is one less store I'll have to visit this year - Target. "Why?" you ask? It seems Target has jumped on the "bundling bandwagon" this year and joined the list of unethical retailers. Ouch, that sounds harsh. Stay with me on this one.
360 Degrees of Fury: As gamers scurry to get their hands on the impossible-to-find Xbox 360, a few retailers have decided the $299 and $399 price tags just aren't expensive enough... especially for a gaming system that has more bugs than the Amazon Rainforest. A number of retailers are taking what few Xbox 360 consoles they have in stock, and are "bundling" them with games, controllers, adapters, cords, Xbox Live subscriptions, carrying cases, and I think one bundle even comes with Bill Gates himself. Well, at least that is what I would assume with bundle prices such as $839.99, $999.99, $2,179.99, and believe it or not, higher.
This is ridiculous! Can anyone else say unethical? All together now: UNETHICAL. Good, now as consumers, STOP BUYING THE BUNDLES!
I know, I know: Now, I admit it. I actually ordered the $839.99 bundle from Target.com with plans to take back the items I did not want... until I called their customer service department. The representative informed me that I was not allowed to return the Xbox 360 or any of the accessories to a store. If I wanted to make a return, I would have to return the bundle in full to Target.com. I had heard enough. I cancelled my order immediately. I will not be forced to keep items I do not want because of high demand.
The good, the bad, and the ugly: To Target and all the other stores conveniently "bundling" items together to force higher sales, I say poor form. I think this is unethical behavior that needs to come to a stop NOW... and I think an apology is in order to the people who plan on shopping at your stores in the future (though I don't know why). And finally, my always faithful Best Buy pulls through Ethics 101 with a B-. Though Best Buy originally jumped on the "bundle bandwagon," they saw the error of their ways (with the help of a few complaints, I'm sure) and issued a formal apology on their Web site. See: Best Buy Open Letter to Customers.
Thanks you: And so, to Target I say, "Goodbye." I'm sure I can find all the items I want at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or IKEA. It is just one less store I will have to go in this Christmas.