> For tripod work I thought it essential to use a cable release to help > eliminate camera shake. Why on earth has this practice been discouraged on > modern cameras by the lack of a socket? Apart from the entry level cameras (F50 & F60), when the cable release socket is suppressed, it is replaced by an electronic release socket, which serves the same purpose. I agree that electronic cable releases from Nikon are absurdly expensive, but I find myself using the self timer (set to 2 seconds) most of the time with my F601, even though it has a traditional cable release socket. >From the AF Nikon cameras, the latter have a traditional cable release socket: F4(on the MB21 battery pack, if I remember correctly), F601 and possibly F5. Hope this helps, Nicolas.