New member from Kansas

24megapixseal · Oct 26, 2024

Hi everyone. I'm a 63 yr old retired Boeing/SpiritAero Quality Assurance Inspector.
In high school I was in the photography class, shooting Pentex cameras and BW film, developed film in a darkroom and printed in same darkroom....I liked photography but after HS it was cars and girls...never really going back to SLRs, just using point-n-shoots for travel, vacation stuff.
After marriage and kids, I got a Nikon D70s and really liked the whole digital photography thing...because you could take 1000s of photos for free!
Upgraded to D200 with a 70-200 2.8 VR and got into senior photography for awhile...got a D40 for hiking and traveling, and really loved the smaller body....after retiring at 56 yrs old, started traveling in the RV for months at a time, upgraded to a D3500, the recently to D5600...still loving the smaller bodies and the AF-P VR lens...have the AF-P 10-20 VR, 18-55 VR and 70-300 4.5-6.3 VR.
Early Nikon years was using desktop LR and PaintShopPro ...after getting the D3500/D5600, I used my phone and Snapseed...last year I went with LR Mobile and I'm really loving it.

During our RV travels, I guess I became a birder...lol...and wildlife photographer

I kinda like the challenge of using "entry-level" gear to get really spectacular photos.... contemplating buying Nikon 200-500 but just can't pull the trigger, due to costs, plus my compact lil' camera would become more burdensome.

But I enjoy reading forums and learning things that improve my skills and photos.

Looking forward to exploring here!

otherprof · Oct 27, 2024

24megapixseal said:
Hi everyone. I'm a 63 yr old retired Boeing/SpiritAero Quality Assurance Inspector.
In high school I was in the photography class, shooting Pentex cameras and BW film, developed film in a darkroom and printed in same darkroom....I liked photography but after HS it was cars and girls...never really going back to SLRs, just using point-n-shoots for travel, vacation stuff.
After marriage and kids, I got a Nikon D70s and really liked the whole digital photography thing...because you could take 1000s of photos for free!
Upgraded to D200 with a 70-200 2.8 VR and got into senior photography for awhile...got a D40 for hiking and traveling, and really loved the smaller body....after retiring at 56 yrs old, started traveling in the RV for months at a time, upgraded to a D3500, the recently to D5600...still loving the smaller bodies and the AF-P VR lens...have the AF-P 10-20 VR, 18-55 VR and 70-300 4.5-6.3 VR.
Early Nikon years was using desktop LR and PaintShopPro ...after getting the D3500/D5600, I used my phone and Snapseed...last year I went with LR Mobile and I'm really loving it.

During our RV travels, I guess I became a birder...lol...and wildlife photographer

I kinda like the challenge of using "entry-level" gear to get really spectacular photos.... contemplating buying Nikon 200-500 but just can't pull the trigger, due to costs, plus my compact lil' camera would become more burdensome.

But I enjoy reading forums and learning things that improve my skills and photos.

Looking forward to exploring here!

Welcome to the Forum! Looking forward to seeing some of your work.

Jeff15 · Oct 27, 2024

Hello and welcome ....

Strodav · Oct 27, 2024

Welcome and enjoy the forum.

cgw · Oct 27, 2024

You'll be fine. All here are under strict medical/psychiatric supervision and agreeably sedated--mostly.
Let your gear shape what you shoot. Do it differently. Shoot what's in front of you.

snowbear · Oct 27, 2024

Welcome aboard.

jeffashman · Oct 28, 2024

Howdy and welcome!

Scott Whaley · Oct 29, 2024

welcome. We always need more members on the forum. Look forward to seeing your photos.

Digger... · Oct 29, 2024

G'day there

...

Original katomi · Oct 29, 2024

Hiya welcome

KJ_North · Oct 30, 2024

Great to have another new face on hear Welcome!

21limited · May 15, 2025

Welcome… my uncle was Chief Electrical Engineer at Boeing for more than a quarter century.

I do much of what you do, my gear still being Pentax. The whole birder, wildlife thing seeming ot be the retirement activity path for a growing number of retired people. I look forward to seeing your photos.

So if you were still shooting Pentax, I’ve found my D Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.5–6.3 ED PLM WR with 1.4 TC a great walk around lens of wildlife/birding without being very expensive. I’m not sure what the brands have to offer. The big advantage beng it gets me from about 80mm to 420 mm in good light with excellent image quality fora weight of about a pound, plus the TC. On APS-c that is enough to shoot even bears safely being 600mm equivalent, but light enough to carry with a neck strap, and shoot hand held without a tripod.

As far as I can tell, there really hasn't ben much improvement in IQ sine the Pentax K5 , Nikon D7000 sereis cameras( they used the same sensor) MY wife is still happy with her 10 plus ysear old K-5iis. Im still happy with my K-3, no 9 years old. I could buy my every day kit now for under $1000 on the used market. There’s no need to spend a lot to get great results.

My flickr page is here.