'Tis the Season

Fall Foliage Photos

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For those film-camera fanatics holding out for that one camera to usher them into the 21st-century, the Nikon D80 is your all-digital passport. An upgrade from the intro-level D50, the D80 delivers most of the features found in the professional-grade (and more expensive) D200 model, sacrificing just a few bell-and-whistle functions that only professional photographers would miss. This slick, intuitive camera offers the full range of control you'd expect, from full-auto to fully manual settings, along with 10.2-megapixel "raw" files, the same high-grade image processing found in the D200, a 3D color matrix, 12-point auto focus, complete ISO control, in-camera editing and touch-up tools, and a ridiculously fast trigger speed. Pair it with the Nikkor 18-135mm lens, and your pictures will often end up looking better than your memory of your trip. The only drag? To fully manipulate the raw image files—the electronic format that gives you control every pixel—you'll need a specific program, and the Capture NX application (which basically amounts to Nikon's version of PhotoShop) that comes with the camera is only a 30-day trial version. Expect to shell out around $100 if you value that feature, or just go for the newly released Adobe PhotoShop CS3, which also handles raw files. ($1,300 for the kit, including 18-135mm lens; www.nikonusa.com)

Having a camera like the D80? A great thing. Looking like you're carrying around a $1,000 camera? Decidedly a dodgy thing. To avoid looking like a National Geographic wanna-be with a "Mug Me" sign taped to your back, opt for Crumpler's Sinking Barge camera bag. From the outside, it looks like a standard backpack—albeit one fed through the Aussie company's stylish filter. But inside you get a fully-padded section for your camera and various lenses, along with a padded laptop slot, and a variety of other zipper-secured pockets for anything else you may want to carry along. The bag's guts can also be yanked out and pared down if you want to transform this stealthy camera bag into a traditional daypack. ($180; www.crumplerbags.com).

For the camera itself, the hands-down best low-cost option to sheath your precious DSLR is the Soft Pouch from Op/Tech USA. These $29 neoprene cases wrap snug around your camera, much like the leather film camera cases of old, with two snaps to secure the case at the camera's base. But unlike the leather version these are lighter and stretchy, and outfitted with a short leash that wraps around the lens—simply slip off the case and start shooting, and the neoprene case dangles unobtrusively and weightlessly from the base of the camera lens. Couple the case with a Super Classic Strap ($18), made of two-inch-wide neoprene for comfortably flex with twin clips for quick removal. And finally, snag Op Tech's low-cost Rain Sleeve, ($6) essentially a see-through waterproof bag that's custom-designed for your camera. The viewfinder and lens remain free of the plastic, but the rest of the camera remains shielded from the elements. (optechusa.com).

Regardless of how you choose to lug your camera gear, be sure you include the Joby Gorillapod in your kit. It may look like a prop from some 1950s sci-fi flick, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a gimmick; this tripod is a godsend. Small enough to slide into your back pocket, the legs on the little tripod can wrap around, well, anything, and they can also stands straight as a ruler if situations demand. This little device was perfectly suited for capturing the minute details of centuries-old Celtic drawings found on the walls of a dimly-lit Irish church where flash wasn't allowed. I just curled the Gorillapod's legs around the handrail, set the timer on the Nikon D80 to prevent shake, and the long exposure came out perfectly. The tripod comes in various sizes to accommodate cameras of different weights. ($45 for the SLR model; www.joby.com)