D7000 Price Softens

Wow, look at that, according to www.camerapricebuster.co.uk, since it's launch in mid-October, D7000 bodies are now shifting (or not shifting?) for £850, that's 23% down on the launch price!

Fujifilm Finepix X100

A few weeks back I wrote that Fujifilm's Finepix X100 would probably have a UK price tag of around £700, and how I felt this was a bit steep and that if I was in the market, I would probably go for an entry-level DSLR and small fixed-focal lens, like Nikons' 35mm f/1.8 DX instead.

Well, Fujifilm have commercially launched the X100 now, and it's available to pre-order at many UK dealers for around £1000 (the RRP in the UK). Wow! Good luck with that Fujifilm!

We've not seen any reviews yet, but the image quality from this camera would have to be truly outstanding at this price point for it to become anything else than an expensive accessory for the style conscious person who has not yet discovered the Leica X1.

Still, if anyone from Fujifilm UK reads this and wants to ship me one for review....

Craft And Vision

If you're looking for a little inspiration for your photography, you could do worse than taking a look at the ebooks now available at Craft and Vision. The books are available to download as either PDF files or as iPad applications, if you're lucky enough to own such a device!

I tried 'Close To Home: Finding Great Photographs In Your Own Back Yard' by Stuart Sipahigil, and I thought it was well worth the $5.00 asked (a little over 3 of your British pounds). It is more of a pamphlet than a book at 38 pages, but it does contain some excellent advice and wise words from someone who obviously knows his stuff. There are also plenty of insightful quotes from the likes of Ansel Adams and Proust which nicely support the authors' points.

A great idea, and very welcome in these cash-strapped times, and likely to benefit your photography (and bank balance) more than the latest gadget will. I will be sampling a few more titles, I am sure.

Paramo Outdoor Gear

I've been using Paramo outdoor gear for about a year now, and I'm suitably impressed. Paramo take a slightly different approach to most other outdoor gear manufacturers, claiming that their garments are analogous to animal skin or fur and provide class-leading levels of breathability.

I have to say, at first, I was not that impressed by my first purchase, the Cascada waterproof trousers, as I found them unbearably warm. After a while though, I realised I didn't need to wear thermals underneath in cold conditions, and that the full length ventilation zips do really work well - if you remember to use them! Once you've adjusted to the warmth, you soon realise that these are excellent - hard-wearing, very waterproof, articulated, breathable (provided you use the zips) and priced competitively with similar products. Not the most stylish bit of gear, but bear in mind if you shop online with Naturally Paramo, they sometimes offer different colour-ways than are available through Paramo dealers.

A year on, and these have been joined by a Halcon jacket. These are expensive, and a little heavier than, say, a Goretex jacket, but once you factor in Paramo's reputation for longevity, and the fact you don't need to wear as much underneath, it doesn't look so bad. Get your under-garments right and you have a great waterproof that won't leave you soaked with sweat. The Halcon is Paramo's top-of-the-line jacket, and offers a fantastic range of pockets for filters, lens caps, shutter releases and even lenses.

Underneath the Halcon, I have a Mountain Vent shirt. This is made from a reversible fabric, meant to be worn next to the skin, and is cut a little closer than a normal fleece. Worn with the fleece-like surface inwards, it offers warmth, but reverse it and the smooth face against the skin helps to keep you cool. There are also zips for ventilation at the front of the armpits, which correspond with those in the Halcon and some other Paramo jackets.

The fourth and final element is a Torres gilet, worn over the Mountain vent shirt when conditions are colder. It's quite thin and light, but seems to offer good insulation without bulk (it even packs down into one of it's own pockets). If you prefer, you could order your gilet in a larger size and choose to wear it over your waterproof jacket.

For me, just these four garments seem to cope well with most UK conditions. I would still choose a down jacket for winter sunrises, but for just about everything else the Paramo system really seems to work, with the right layers underneath.

Here's a couple of buying tips: first off the RSPB often have good members offers in their magazine (my Torres gilet was free when I ordered my Halcon jacket); second Paramo have their own outlet store, Paramo Extras, on ebay. I bought my Mountain Vent shirt through the latter at about a third off the retail price (accepting that it was an obsolete colour and made from a very slightly heavier fabric than the current garment). Oh, and as mentioned above if you buy direct from Naturally Paramo, you may get more colour choices.

Fujifilm X100

Available in the spring, this looks like a very nice camera for the enthusiast. I've mentioned it before, but the price worries me, as at £700 (estimated), I think it's too steep. I'd probably suggest a budget digital SLR with a compact prime lens like the Nikon 35mm AF-S G DX f/1.8 would be a better and cheaper option.

In fact you could squeeze a budget DSLR, kit zoom lens and a digital compact out of that budget, if you really needed the portability.