Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D7000

Excellent Book on the Nikon D90

The Nikon D90 is very technical with so many options for the user, This book covers them all in detail, better then the users manual. Well worth the money and time to read it. Highly recommend it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Wealth of information in a handy size. A comprehensive manual on the Nikon D90

This book is highly recommended as a full and comprehensive how-to on using the Nikon D90 camera, and at a good price point. A good value for money, it describes each and every feature fully and clearly, with several tips and recommendations peppered throughout.

The only drawback is the total lack of colour throughout -- all the photos are in black and white, and for a book dedicated to photography and which contains several example photos, colour is essential. I found the pages to be of a heavy gauge and seemingly high quality paper which was overkill for the monochromatic content thereon. Maybe a balance could have been struck between paper quality and colour photographs while holding the price point essentially the same. Then that would make the book an excellent value for money.

Overall though, it is one of the best references on the camera and I am glad that I bought and read it. I am satisfied with this purchase as I am sure any other purchaser would be.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

If you are new to the Nikon D80 then I recommend this book

I tried reading the user manual that came with the Nikon D80 camera, which I purchased used, but like most manufacture’s manuals, it was difficult no follow, cryptic at times, and short on detail. I search Barns and Noble for books on the Nikon D80 and found several, but I have always enjoyed the Magic Lantern series, so that was the pick. The book’s author, Simon Stafford, leads you through the use of the camera by first providing an overview of the D80’s features then provides a chapter by chapter description of the many features and operations of the camera. When reading the book from the beginning to end, there is much duplication in information, but to be fair, it is a guide, not a novel. The different chapters describe the many modes that camera can be operated in from full automatic, semi-automatic, to full manual, so some duplication is expected. In addition, Simon Stafford provides his own insights into the camera including his own likes and dislikes of the D80 but also includes suggestions as to how to overcoming some of these short comings of the camera and accessories. The chapters on how the auto focus and the color engine work are very technical and may be too complex for the amateur reader, but for the professional it provides valuable insight into the camera’s operation. If you are new to the Nikon D80 and want to know all there is to know about its operation then I recommend this book be the one you purchase. Especially considering its reasonable cost and the amount of content squeezed into a compact 7.5 by 5 inch size, which allows it to fit into your camera bag.

Highly Recommended

This user guide is a very informative and helpful guide. It provides basics as well as supplementary information. It is well organized with clear illustrations and concise tables. The e-book format is especially convenient.

Best guide for the Nikon D7000

An excellent guide for the D7000, as are all of Simon Stafford's camera guides. Large enough to be comprehensive, but small enough to carry in my camera backpack. He gives recommendations for settings, which really helped me get comfortable with the camera before trying custom setups. I still carry it as a reference manual. Also, look at David Busch's Compact Field Guide For The Nikon D7000 and, if a more detailed book is desired (but definitely not for carrying to the field), try David Busch's 534-page Nikon D7000 Guide To Digital Photography.

Helps understand in more detail

Helps understand in more detail

Am I too old to appreciate new technology, or what?

A hard-copy book gives you easy access to the table of contents and the index. I like the book, though. The material is clear and easy to read.

Magic Lantern Guides are far superior to the instructions that come with the camera.

I purchased the Magic Lantern Guide for my Nikon D300 about 3 years ago and found it very helpful in becoming familiar with all the options, settings, operations and options for the camera. As soon as my D300s arrived earlier this month, I went straight to Barnes and Noble and purchased the new guide. I am a medical facility architect and a nature photographer. I refer to these guides often and rely on them to get the shot I expect time and time again. I am certain that when I upgrade again down the road I will be looking for the latest Magic Lantern Guide to get me quickly familiar with its features and use. Thanks Magic Lantern and thanks Barnes and Noble for having it on the shelf.
Jerry Baker

Lots on some, nothing on other areas

I bought this book to go with my new D700. I have had a D70s for 4 years, so am very familiar with Nikon and digital cameras in general. Knowing that the D700 is a far more complex camera I want to be able to get the most out of it and to do that requires using the menus and settings to their max.

While this book covers all of the menus and options very thoroughly it skimps on what I wanted most. The D700 has four custom shooting settings. These are what I really want to know about and there just isn't much information on these. Nothing I have found even addresses how to use the Info button to get to and set the different shooting parameters. I have found much more information on certain websites on this particular detail.

Other than that. If you need information on every possible menu and setting (which is very helpful), this book is great.

Good Find!

I went from a point and shoot camera which I rarely used to the Nikon D5000. What a jump! Took the camera to Maui for a week after only having the camera for a few days. Was able to use it just fine and have plenty of great shots and video from the trip. This book was recently purchased and it is easy to read and understand. It walks you through the use of this camera. I found it helpful to have the camera nearby to play with as I read the book. This book also fits just fine in the camera case to have on hand with the camera. I am glad I purchased this book and highly recommend it!

D700 magic lantern

the magic lantrn sries is better than the manual book you receive with the camera. this is my second one. the first was for the D70. I can find answers that sometimes i don't find in the manual that came with the camera. good useful book and reasonably priced.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Book does what it says it does.

This book does exactly what it says it does. It tells you how to use the functions on the camera. What I was hoping for was actual examples of what occassion this or that feature would be helpful. The introduction got me all excited about what I would learn but it was sort of a let down. If your goal is to learn where things are on your camera, this book is for you. If you wanted more of when the function is useful, it is a let down but for what it does do, it does well.

Nikon D50 - Magic Lantern Guide by Simon Staffort

Twenty thousand digital images or so ago, I bought a Nikon D50 SLR. I already had an N5005 film SLR and was using a Cool-Pix 995 to good advantage, but I wanted to move to digital SLR. I got started, became fairly competent, but somewhere along the way I realized that the Nikon manual that came with the D50 may have been complete and accurate,but was not very clear, offered very few tips, and did not discuss any limitations or problems with the D50. It was then that I bought a copy of "Nikon D50, the Magic Lantern Guide by Simon Stafford".

This book has done what I hoped it would do for me. It has helped me to exploit the extensive capabilities of the D50 (now somewhat obsolete, but still an extremely versatile and powerful camera). Of equal importance to me is that the book has provided great understanding as to how the D50 works along with useful pointers on how to use it effectively, and how to avoid or work around problems or deficiencies of the D50. My copy is ear-marked and highlighted and I refer to it frequently. It has changed the way I use my D50 and for the better.

The only minor problem with the book is that it could have used another proof-reading, but the errors are generally grammatical and obvious so this is not a major wrap against the book.

One of my daughters and one of my daughter-in-laws are using the D50 for serious photography. I bought this book for both of them and both would agree that the book has improved their use of the D50.

I recommend this book for any D50 owners who do not have it. Almost regardless of how you use the D50, this book will improve your images.

Great alternative to the factory user guide

The Magic Lantern books have always been a cut above other guides and with the Nikon series they've outdone themselves. The information is far more complete than the factory manual for the D60 and the menu illustrations make every operation seem easy. The instructions for even the most complex tasks are clear and concise and the explanations for WHY Nikon does things the way they do are really helpful. This is not my first Magic Lantern guide-- nor will it be my last. Put the factory book in a drawer and this guide in your camera bag.

Nice supplemental manual

I don't look to manuals like this to learn things not in the owner's manual. I read them because they are often more readable than the manual. That is the case here. This is a nicely done supplement.

A essential tool for the Nikon D50 owner

It's really a very important tool every Nikon D50 owner should have. There are fantastic things in this book that nikon doesn't tell in the user's guide. I think it would be perfect if the book had color pictures and not only W&B ones.

Highly recommended. More readable than the manual.

This book is a must -- especially if you hate the fine print of the user manual. It also provides many useful tips not found in the manual. Because it is not produced by Nikon, this allows the author to be more sincere in his approach.

If you have the manual, don't waste your $

Really don't think it tells you anything significantly more than the owners manual does. Don't waste your money.

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