If you have the Nikon Z5II (as I do), here are a few videos produced by Nikon Creators for inspiration:

I have captured around 1,800 photos since taking delivery of the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens. Overall, I have been happy with my purchase. As others have said, it’s light and easy to hold for an 800mm lens.

Guided by her philosophy of “living the story,” Vitale has worked in more than 100 countries, often embedded for years at a time, allowing her to cultivate meaningful trust with the communities and subjects she documents. A National Geographic magazine contributor since 2008 and an Explorer since 2017, her work consistently reveals the resilience of both nature and the human spirit, reminding us that our fates are deeply intertwined. This major thematic focus has brought empathy and humanity to wildlife and conservation issues, and demonstrates a long-standing commitment to storytelling for impact and community building.

About a month prior to the Super Bowl, I received a message from Nikon Professional Services asking if I was credentialed for Super Bowl LX. I wasn’t but that email gave me an idea. I wondered if any Nikon ambassadors were attending the Super Bowl as photographers. And if so, could any of them be testing a pre-production model of the Nikon Z9II?

After receiving the Nikon Z5II, I immediately took it out for a test drive. I could not be more pleased with the results of this little gem of a camera. Check back often since I will be adding to this collection periodically.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

With yet another Z9 firmware release (ver 5.31), I thought I would put together a comprehensive guide to all 16 of the Z9 updates to date. This also serves as a historical record of how far the Z9 has come, starting with its firmware at birth with version 1.00 upon release.

Corey Rich, one of the original group of Nikon Ambassadors, shot one of the most iconic promotional photos for Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of the Taipei 101 building as seen below:

James Balog, one of the original Nikon Ambassadors, is no longer. Balog was one of the original group of 13 photographers admitted into the Nikon ambassadors program.

I have to admit that I just released Balog was no longer a member. Others photographers who were part of the original 13 who are no longer part of the program are:

In late 2025, just in time for the holidays and a family trip to Phoenix AZ, I purchased my own Christmas present, the Nikon Zf silver edition.

So far, it handles and performs just like the Z6II (that I just sold) wrapped up in a old fashion F body with manual dials and that’s OK with me. I loved the Z6II and it was most used camera body ever.

Overall, I was pleased with the performance and I think this is a long term keeper. The NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 SE edition of the lens (with the silver ring) served very well for this trip. I also have the wide angle NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 lens special SE version of the lens (again, with the silver ring on the barrel).

DPReview just announced the results of their DPReview Reader’s Choice Awards for 2025. And the winner is: The Nikon Z5II! I’m really surprised on this one. This is in addition to winning DPReview’s Gold award based on their review of the camera.

I’m not sure on the timing on the announcement but it should be soon. I could be wrong on the aperture value but I’m certain on the focal length. Tomorrow, I will post the actual graphic that should appear on Nikon’s front page after the announcement at www.NikonUSA.com.

National Geographic recently released their photos of the year for 2025. What was interesting is that none were taken by Nikon’s mirrorless cameras!

Out of 20 photos chosen by Nat Geo, 3 or 15% were taken with Nikon DSLR cameras and lenses.

The Nikon cameras and lenses used were:

2025 was a year in contrasts. On one hand, I had a banner year with my event photography business. My gross sales and the number of events has never been higher. So, good news on the business side of things which I’m grateful for. On the other hand, due to the success of my business, it left little time for my general photography interests which is what I showcase blog about on this site

Wishing all Robert G Allen Photography readers a wonderful holiday season.

I’m glad to share that Robert G Allen photography has once again, been accepted into Nikon’s Professional Services program at the professional level for 2026.

With Nikon’s latest refresh of their USA website today, the Z6II and the Z5 cameras are now just footnotes, literally (see screenshots below). If you are thinking of purchasing any of these 2 cameras, you should do it soon since both have been demoted to a small hyperlink at the bottom of their successors listing at Nikon’s website as shown below in red boxes. With both having been released in 2020, I think the current asking price is still way over their market value given how old they are.

Let me know in the comments below (no sign-in required) what you think the direction of Capture One is going is positive or negative.

This update brings the version number to 16.7.2. No catalog update is need when updating your current version to this latest version.

I was reminded recently that the winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy were only 2 months away. And 2 months seems like a reasonable timeline for the release of the Z9 II in 2026. What better timing I thought than right before the Olympic games!

We know that we wouldn’t be where we are today without the unwavering support of our clients and blog visitors. We truly feel blessed and incredibly grateful for every one of of our clients who has chosen to trust us with your photography needs. Your continued support, loyalty, and feedback mean the world to us, and we are honored to be a part of your journey.

Nikon just posted another Ambassador on Ambassador interview. This time with Rod Mar and Joe McNally. Enjoy!