"I have now had the 4th new poster pm/email me rather than commenting on their threads commenting that it is because of you."

Hmmm... That quote would worry me... but NR seems to be made up mostly of pro or nearly pro photographers (like myself) who use this gear we all love to talk about to earn all or part of our income. This makes our passion about it is probably a little bit more personal than the average club/hobbyist, as issues about it all, directly affect our house payments, car, relationships etc. If we happen to be self employed (as many photographers are), we tend to be even more vocal and direct about these things. Self employment is not for the shrinking violet and you need a thicker skin just to survive. Thank goodness I am a staffer with an assigned role and don't have to go out and sell myself to get each and every assignment! Only some are plum roles and handed out on a 'sale' basis, but that is another matter/thread entirely!!!

"bjrichus, I hope you did not take this the wrong way, however, if it was offensive to you, I want you to know that it was meant in jest."

Casper - I have had some sharp remarks aimed at me on here too, but I also know how hard it is to convey humor using just text, so my view is not to worry too much about it. If others want to take you to task over it, then that is up to them.

"...referring to bjs wife as a female is a comment on his using a GECKO as his picture and not meant to cause any hurt, and honestly I find the GECKO is cute even though you may think my comment is not."

Man! My wife is more amused that I use one of the Geico songs (the one called "The Worst Ring Tone In The World" that has them singing: "ring-a-de-ding-ding-a-dong") as the ring tone on my cell phone for her when she calls me. First time I told her about it, I was scared that she might have been offended, but if she was, she still hasn't exacted her revenge, so perhaps she is just waiting for the right moment to say she wants that new super expensive Canon dSLR... Now *THAT* would upset me.

Enough... can we get back more towards Nikon photography please?

My wife has been using her D3100 as a point and shoot but . . . . When she went to Hawaii with a few relatives I asked her to shoot a few beaches, historic buildings and native culture scenes (at the Polynesian Cultural Center) and not just her relatives all lined up smiling. She did. Her relatives have been giving her compliments about how good the photos are and how they captured the trip so well. Now she wants to learn more. I set her D3100 on P with automatic autofocus for now. The next step is to teach her a bit about composition. Then landscape. Then portraits. Then lighting. Then macro. The "kit" lens (18-55mm with very close focus sufficient for flowers) really can cover all those basis quite well.

It is ok to let your wife use a D3100 or D5100 as a "point and shoot" camera at first. I wouldn't worry about that. If fact, it may be a necessary first step or she may find it all to complex and difficult and lose interest. When she realizes she can produce more than snapshots with her camera and she gets some complements that may well cause her to want to learn more about photography.

SkintBrit said:
Wow indeed! I might just be getting old, but I have never heard comments that I thought were deliberately sexist on this forum.

Hmmm... My wife was no shrinking violet in the degree of self criticism she used when we looked at her results. Same as she delivers for my work too! Not that I always agree with her either, but that's absolutely fine and normal.

So... What is sexist in this thread? Heavy and/or large cameras are only for men?

Do me a favor!

jonnyapple said:
I love this.

I think it's time to start a 'D7000 now or wait for the D7100' thread, bjr.

I was waiting for that from a fellow [NR] poster... Next spring/summer perhaps. As I think about where Nikon is going, it would be half the size, be 36Mp and of course come in nine shades of spew...

golf007sd said:
Thanks for sharing your situation with us bjrichus. It is always a great ...

Thanks golf... We'll see how it goes...

SBTT, I think we've got a long time to wait for the D7000 replacement! (I was joking about the D7000 replacement thread.)

lol I know you were joking, it's just sad knowing that some day my camera won't be the new kid on the block for DX Nikon's anymore.

Wow indeed! I might just be getting old, but I have never heard comments that I thought were deliberately sexist on this forum. Sometimes disrespectful comments are made by various members, and although I hope I have never been guilty of it, I understand that we are all different. I was always taught "If you haven't got anything nice to say, say nothing!" Seems to have stood me in good stead in my life. Casper, I didn't understand your Gecko comment when you made it, now you've explained it I can see the humour. I wouldn't have taken it as being sexist in any way, but if there really is an element of the forum that thinks WE are sexist, it's not what we think that matters, it's what they think. I suppose we should all use this as a wake up call, to watch our replies? I for one have really enjoyed my limited time here, and have learned a lot from all of you.

P.S. It takes a big man to appologise publicly for an offence he has been told he committed privately.

Wow, I'm sad that your comment was taken as sexist, casper—I was just envisioning the geico gecko's wife struggling to hold up a D7000. I hope no one thought I was referring to women in general when I said my wife won't use my SLR. It's a matter of personal preference for her and I have sisters (and female neighbors, and others) who are great photographers and love their SLRs—I can honestly say the thought of being sexist never even crossed my mind.

SBTT, I think we've got a long time to wait for the D7000 replacement! (I was joking about the D7000 replacement thread.)

sevencrossing said:
3. Waite for the D8000 to come out

Please don't say this, as even though Ive had my D7000 since it was initially released three days early by Best Buy, I can't stand to think about the replacement coming out already, lol. My wife will have to hide the CC very well when that day does come, however, lol.

It would be great to be able to share such a wonderful hobby together I think and christmas is coming up right around the corner! The D90 is a great little camera as well and good deals are available. The D5100 should be considered as well. Hopefully she will be pleased when she returns your camera :)

I actually thought about this the other day. I could get my wife a D5000 or similar for fairly cheap and then let her use all my stuff. She would just use it as a point and shoot though.

I got casperwb's gecko comment humor when I read his post. He is not being sexist, just trying to make a joke about an avatar. His second line makes it clear that he expects the OP to purchase a second D7000 so both he and his wife will be using D7000s.

"Way across the sexist line. And people wonder why women don't stick around here.

The continual line testing and attacks at posters displayed on most of your posts lately is getting old. It is not remotely funny or cute. The humor you are attempting is disrespectful, hostile and shameful. I have now had the 4th new poster pm/email me rather than commenting on their threads commenting that it is because of you. I enjoy this site and how people can discuss/debate topics without attacking people. Your posts are going overboard.

Please stop.

Tao "

It is not my intention to be disrespectful.
it also seems that my attempt at humor is not appreciated by some people.

bjrichus, I hope you did not take this the wrong way, however, if it was offensive to you, I want you to know that it was meant in jest.

In no way have I attacked women, on this forum or any other.

It is strange that no one has complained to me directly, only to you TAO.

referring to bjs wife as a female is a comment on his using a GECKO as his picture and not meant to cause any hurt, and honestly I find the GECKO is cute even though you may think my comment is not.

Sometimes my post has been to stimulate or stir a little life into a discussion and it seems that you do not appreciate this.

Should ADMIN reviews my post and agree with your thinking, then I will accept a Ban.

Thanks for sharing your situation with us bjrichus. It is always a great feeling to have your partner get involved in one's hobby/profession.Things of this nature pave the way for a wonderful and healthy relationship between family members, as well as, friends. I hope this leads to you both going out and shooting together. This reminds me of the day I picked up golf, despite my wife's objections at the time...only to have her get involved later and fall in love with the sport. She loved the sport so much she ended up working for Odyssey.

As for what gear you end up getting, that argument is mute. Being that photography assist in your income you know deep inside what you are leaning towards. Just make sure you don't "settle" on "the gear." I never buy something knowing that if I waited just a bit longer or saved a little more capital, I would have gotten "X." The feeling of shooting with ones' photo equipment, seeing its result and sharing it with those you interact with is very rewarding/pleasing. So get what YOU have always hungered for...fill that hole and be happy.

casperwb said:
a D7000 is too big & heavy for a female Gecko.

I love this.

I think it's time to start a 'D7000 now or wait for the D7100' thread, bjr. My wife will finally use a camera since I got a sony NEX, and I get the D7000. Good luck!

Maybe the D400 will come out soon and offer an "upgrade" path that doesn't cost $4,000 plus new lenses. We would all like that.

It could be a very good thing that she's borrowing your gear and working with other photographers. She could come back home telling you how much she enjoyed it and is understanding your passion more and more.

My biggest ally is my wife's co-worker who has a D700 and also paints. She displays her best photos and art in galleries around town. She said to my wife "if he's really into it let him do it, give him the freedom to go out and shoot." * Insert fist pump here * It's a very nice feeling.

You could get her the RED D3100!

a D7000 is too big & heavy for a female Gecko.

for $1000, seems like another D7000 is in the future.

FX, you will have to stretch that budget a bit.

@donaldejose ... photography is more than a hobby for me (plays a big part in my paycheck). I am a staffer at a university and shoot events for them.

Everyone: She is helping at a baby photo session. Nothing too complex - she is the #3 (or was it #4?) at the session, and will probably be doing no more than making sure the lights are all plugged in (it was the first job *I* ever did at a shoot about 40 years ago now - LOL!) and be actually taking a few odd shots in the background in between the main photogs.

I think I could certainly be convinced to let her have the DX kit I own if I can go for an FX body to supplement my 35mm film gear and perhaps a new lens or two next year, when the new gear is actually available. Of course, my credit cards and savings accounts would all be severely affected if I do all of that... <SIGH>... but I bet it'll be better than the D3 bodies we use at work, held together these days with duct tape and glue...

You don't say what subjects she wants to photographs or what settings she uses. If she is shooting people on auto than she will be happy with (and even perhaps prefer) something less than a D7000.

My wife is starting to enjoy taking good quality photos but wants to keep it as simple as possible and she wants the gear to weigh as little as possible. She doesn't like my D7000 with MB-D11 battery holder since she thinks it is too heavy and too complicated. So I purchased a D3100 for her and she is very happy with it, took it to Hawaii and took great photos with it there. If your wife wants greater ability than the D3100 offers but yet simple operation, consider a D5100.

If your wife wants more than a D3100 or D5100 (and knows how to use the additional features) you have to get a second D7000.

The D3100, D5100 and D7000 are the only three Nikon DSLRs I would buy new at this time since the D400, D800 and D4 should be out this winter or early next spring.

May I echo the comment that you should be glad you have a wife who has some interest in your hobby.

Every day I get closer to cracking the wife/photography hobby approval problem.

I strongly suggest you do everything in your power to convince her to pursue photography as a hobby.

As she borrows more and more of your stuff, replace it with FX gear and have her pitch in 'since she's using your old gear and you need something'.

Mine has my 18-200mm, 35 1.8 and 105mm, and is eyeing my Tokina 11-16mm.

So far, so good.

Good luck!

Get your wife to buy you one!

3. Waite for the D8000 to come out

My wife has taken my D7000 for the morning.

If the thing comes back in one piece and she likes using it, I think there are two options:

1. Buy her one.

2. By me a new one and let her keep my old one.

I am kind of leaning to the second option, but what other realistic options are there for about $1k?