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There’s much more to selecting a lens than focal length, maximum aperture, AF vs MF, and whether you’re looking for a prime lens or a zoom. In fact, depending upon your style of photography and the emotion you want to convey, an economical lens may be a better choice than high-end glass that’s far more costly.

You want a cutting-edge mirrorless camera system, but you don't want to pay bleeding edge prices for it? The good news is there are many excellent mirrorless cameras you can buy without busting your budget. In the following guide, we pick our seven favorite mirrorless cameras for under $1000.

Prime lenses, unlike zooms, provide only a single fixed focal length. Despite that limitation prime lenses can be versatile, proficient picture takers that are smaller and lighter than comparable zooms and often deliver superior image quality along with wider apertures.

It's often said that it's OK to make mistakes as long as you only make them once and learn from the errors of your ways. That's the topic of this quick tutorial from the Wildlife in Focus YouTube channel, specifically as it pertains to photographing birds and other forms of wildlife.

Back in the days of film photography, the polarizing filter was widely considered an essential tool for shooting outdoors. These days digital photographers often ignore this important accessory, even though it works it’s magic just as well with digital photography.

The National Park Foundation and Olympus Imaging America Inc. challenge everyone
who can point and click to grab their camera, head to a federal land, and enter
the 2008 Share the Experience Photo Contest. This year's official contest
is sponsored by the National Park Foundation and Olympus in partnership with the
National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service.



The 2008 Share the Experience Photo Contest will run from August 18, 2008 through
December 31, 2008 and showcases the more than 500 million acres of Federal Lands,
drawing entries from all across the United States.



All 2008 entrants will have the opportunity to win one of five exciting prize
packages with a total of 14 winners. The Grand Prize winner will earn the international
honor of having the winning image grace all the 2010 "Federal Recreation
Lands Pass," an annual admission that provides access to all participating
Federal Land Management Agency sites where an entrance fee is charged. Additionally,
the grand prize winner will receive an Olympus E-3 DSLR digital camera kit and
a five-day, four-night trip to a Federal Recreation Land of his/her choice.



"The National Park Foundation is grateful to Olympus for supporting the
8th annual federal lands photo contest, providing park goers with the opportunity
to discover the beauty and diversity of our nation's protected lands and
share that experience with all of America," said Vin Cipolla, President
and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "By entering in the 2008 Share
the Experience Photo Contest, individuals can take part in a truly American pastime:
helping others see the beauty and value of our national parks. The National Park
Foundation is delighted to sponsor this year's contest with Olympus to get
people out to the parks to capture great photo memories."



"Olympus is proud to be the official sponsor of the National Parks photo
contest," said F. Mark Gumz, President, Olympus Imaging America Inc. "We
offer shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof and highly portable cameras, which are
perfect for capturing the parks' elements in any season. We are committed
to respecting nature and promoting healthy, active lifestyles. We encourage everyone
to capture our nation's parks through photography while leaving these majestic
lands untouched for future generations to appreciate."



Citizens and legal residents of the United States who are at least 18 years of
age can enter by submitting up to three photo entries online at www.sharetheexperience.org;
or via mail in a hand-written, stamped envelope to:

Share the Experience Official Federal Recreation Lands Photo Contest

c/o ePrize, LLC

PO Box 8070

Royal Oak, MI 48068



All photographs entered must be taken in one of the Federal Recreation Agency
Lands between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008, must be original creations,
and must be submitted by the original photographer. PLEASE SEE OFFICIAL RULES
AT www.sharetheexperience.org.



Mail-in entries must be postmarked by December 31, 2008 and received by the close
of business on January 8, 2009. Each envelope must include only one entry. All
photos will be judged on creativity; photographic quality; visual appeal; appropriateness;
ability to show diversity and the richness of the Federal Recreation Lands.



Additionally, the public will be able to view an online photo gallery of 2008
submissions from January 9, 2009 -- January 16, 2009 and vote on their favorites
from January 17, 2009 - January 31, 2009.