Before heading to Alaska this summer, I decided to study-up on cameras and buy one that *might* make me proud of the pictures I would be taking in this majestic state. Figuring that Alaska might contain some photogenic scenery and wildlife, I headed to a phenomenal web site called Digital Photography Review to do research before buying one.

The proprietor of this web site is a guy named Phil Askey. He comes across as SIGNIFICANTLY more analytical than just about anyone I’ve ever met. His methodology for analyzing cameras and testing them exhaustively ensures that the reader of his reviews gets a solid and objective analysis.

If you’re in the market for a digital camera, stop by DPReview. Spend some time on the forums and get a sense what people think of the particular camera(s) you’re considering. I did…and after 40 or so hours poking around, I ended up with a Nikon D70 digital SLR, kit lens plus a zoom lens, external flash and I’m incredibly pleased.

My pictures? I guess the old saying that, “It’s not the tools but the carpenter” holds true in my case. Great camera…pictures that are just OK. I’ll keep working on it though.