Dead D70 and Lightroom

Sadly, the D70 has been reduced to a paperweight.  I took it in to get the sensor cleaned (it was really dirty) and somewhere, somehow, the 'mirror actuation lever' broke.  It wasn't the camera shop's fault (just ask them), and I know it wasn't my fault, and I can't even blame Abby, so I'm going to go with poltergeists.  At least the camera shop refunded the cleaning charge.

Of course, I now have 3 lenses, a bunch of adapters (it's amazing what I find in this house when I open cabinets) and a new camera bag.  So, I am now debating between buying a used D70 body for $100 or if I buck up and buy a used D90 for $285.

No, I haven't given up on the P520.  In fact, the bridge camera is doing exactly what I want it to - I am putting a lot of time into learning a lot about the various semi-manual settings (shutter-priority, I love you!), and I'm really pleased with the pictures I'm getting.  But, I can see the value of having different lenses (I've got a 50mm f/1.8 that I am DYING to use) and I really want to play around with RAW files.

Which gets me to my other adventure.  I bought an academic (i.e. no manual but cheap) copy of Lightroom 5 (being an academic has some perks).  I have just downloaded it today, and I'm on the steep end of the learning curve.  (No 'save' button?  Really?)

But I can see the potential for the software and am looking forward to learning it.  Here are my very first attempts with some pictures taken today in very flat light.

Heehee.  Surly doggie!

 

Her face just cracks me up.  I'm not 100% thrilled with the results of  my Lightroom adventures, but her face makes me laugh.

Even surlier doggie!  I couldn't get this one 'right' either - yet another reason I want to play with RAW files....

Yes, she is wildly pretty (and there is no blue tint!)!

Fi's schnozz looks abnormally large here, but another picture from which I was able to remove all the blue tint from the flat light (which I am counting as a victory!).

So.... Cheap D70, (since, theoretically, if I can't take a good picture with 6MP, then I wouldn't be able to take a good picture with 12MP) or just put out the $$ for the D90 and get most of the latest bells and whistles...

On an unrelated note, I think I'm going to start posting my Project 365 photos here each day - I've been posting them on Flickr, but I think I'll put them here, too.  The ones during the week are taken with my little point-and-shoot, but finding interesting things to shoot at work is a great exercise for stretching my 'eye'.