# Nikon 3500 - buying my first DSLR



## EugenX (Nov 8, 2019)

Hello,
I'm willing to buy my first DSLR camera, Nikon 3500. I'm not in a hurry so I would like to buy it at best price possible. I found a deal at $396.95 (bundle) but the Black Friday is coming soon, will the price drop, should I wait for a better price? Thank you.


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## jaomul (Nov 8, 2019)

Is that with a lens included?


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## EugenX (Nov 8, 2019)

jaomul said:


> Is that with a lens included?


This one:


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## jaomul (Nov 8, 2019)

I think that's a good deal, 2 lenses, bag and memory card, what specific lenses are they?


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## Designer (Nov 8, 2019)

That seems like a good deal, but you only need to wait a little while for the black Friday ads to come out.


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## EugenX (Nov 8, 2019)

jaomul said:


> I think that's a good deal, 2 lenses, bag and memory card, what specific lenses are they?


AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lens



Designer said:


> That seems like a good deal, but you only need to wait a little while for the black Friday ads to come out.


My budget is very limited, I really didn't thought of buying a DSLR camera, $400 is more that I can afford, but I'm willing to "stretch" my budget and own a good DSLR camera for a novice. I don't think I will upgrade it somewhere soon. As the Black Friday is near I think I will wait for a bigger discount I hope it will worth waiting. I'm not from US but I will buy the camera from a US store, where should I be looking for Black Friday discounts for this camera? Thank you.


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## Designer (Nov 8, 2019)

EugenX said:


> I'm not from US but I will buy the camera from a US store, where should I be looking for Black Friday discounts for this camera? Thank you.


Shipping outside the continental U.S. might be very expensive.  I don't know what stores will offer BF deals.


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## EugenX (Nov 8, 2019)

Designer said:


> Shipping outside the continental U.S. might be very expensive. I don't know what stores will offer BF deals.


I know, the ordered item will be shipped to US address.


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## JoeW (Nov 8, 2019)

First of all, seems like a very good deal.

Second, you could wait until BF deals come out but they often have a lot of restrictions or limited numbers.  And the way to look at it--for this price you'd be talking maybe (maybe) $50 cheaper.

If you do decide to get this kit, look at the Nikon 35mm DX f1.8 lens. Yeah, it's not a zoom.  But it's light, small, very tough, and a superb DX lens.  Tack sharp, auto focuses quickly.  It will probably end up being your landscape, low-light, portrait lens.


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## Jeff15 (Nov 8, 2019)

Seems to be a good deal...............


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## RVT1K (Nov 8, 2019)

I had both lenses with my first DSLR. 
Both will allow you to explore and learn and potentially grow. That seems like a good price, too. 

But since the budget is a concern, consider looking at used. I've had excellent luck buying used from both Ebay and Craigslist.


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## EugenX (Nov 8, 2019)

RVT1K said:


> But since the budget is a concern, consider looking at used. I've had excellent luck buying used from both Ebay and Craigslist.


Since my actual location is outside US, I will not be able to actually look and test a used camera, so that's not an option for me, but thanks for the tip.


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## dunfly (Nov 8, 2019)

The price looks good, but the 70-300 does not have vibration reduction, so you will have problems at the upper end of the zoom range.  I don't know why they even make that lens (although it does allow them to sell the kit cheap).  At that price, though, you can just throw it away when you can afford a better one with VR.


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## cgw (Nov 8, 2019)

Bundles, lens-wise, tend to include duds. I'd shop for a D5600 or D7200 body+35/1.8 DX AFS. The D7200 will likely be selling at a deep discount following discontinuation. Crap bags and low-end memory cards are a come-on. Think about buying informed by what/how you like to shoot rather than by packages containing stuff you don't need/want picked by a vendor interested only in pushing merch with the thickest profit.


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## ac12 (Nov 10, 2019)

dunfly said:


> The price looks good, but the 70-300 does not have vibration reduction, so you will have problems at the upper end of the zoom range.  I don't know why they even make that lens (although it does allow them to sell the kit cheap).  At that price, though, you can just throw it away when you can afford a better one with VR.



IMHO, kits like that are made to a price point.  Not with the most usable/practical lenses.

Based on my experience, @dunfly is correct.  I think you will be disappointed with the 70-300.  Hand holding a 300mm lens without VR on a D3500 will be VERY hard.  You will have to brace the camera/lens on something, to minimize camera shake.  VR would make it so much easier to use.  Of the two lenses, the 70-300 needs VR the most.  
I have both older non-VR lenses, and current VR lenses.  I would not willingly go back to a non-VR lens.
Today I would NOT buy a long lens without VR.


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## dunfly (Nov 11, 2019)

Don't know if you purchased it but I did see that the kit price went up to $446.99.  If you are looking for a good price, pick your price point and be ready to pull the trigger as soon as it comes up.  In this case, keep watching for the $396.95 price and be ready to jump on it.  Low prices don't last very long.  As far as the 70-300 mm without VR, at $396.95 it was the same as the kit price with only the 18-55 mm, so you were essentially getting the 70-300 mm free.  While it is not the best lens in the world, at least you would have one to work with.  Like I said, you can throw it away when you can afford a better one.


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## Derrel (Nov 12, 2019)

Yes I would rather have the VR feature in the 70-300 mm than I would in the 18 to 55 mm, but I own both a non-VR 70 to 300 millimeter autofocus lens made by Nikon in the 1980s, And a much newer 2005 or so 70-300 VR-G model, and the dangers of having a non-VR 70-300 are greatly exaggerated by a couple of members here. And as far as throwing the lens away... No, sell it for $75 on Craigslist

In recent years Nikon has introduced a new low-cost 70-300 millimeter lens which has vibration reduction or VR, and also has a new autofocusing protocol called AF-P. The new focusing protocol, AF-P, really works and it basically turns an inexpensive  $199 lens into one that focuses as rapidly and surely as a $2,500 lens. In the entry-level segment of the DSLR Market, there is keen competition on price, and many of the outfits like the one that you have linked to above are put together by companies looking for the absolute lowest price and then a slightly higher price, and then a top  price that they have determined is the most money that people will pay.

You have to make absolutely one hundred percent sure of which two lenses are included in the kit. If both lenses are VR lenses, then that is good.

 You may find that the most expensive kit includes two VR lenses which also have AF-P focusing. There are at least five different 70 to 300 mm lenses that Nikon has made within the past 10 years, so as I said, you must be absolutely certain of which lenses are included in a particular offer.

I have even seen a really cheap and outdated 70 to 300 G ( the old screw- drive Focus model from almost 20 years ago now) included in a kit or two from what I would call bottom feeder dealers. This lens will not even automatically Focus on any D3000 Series camera!!!!


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## Designer (Nov 12, 2019)

My first kit was a D5000 with the 18-55 VR and the 55-200 VR.  Yes, both lenses were VR.  

The 70-300 mm lens shown in the deal you posted does not have VR.  Nikon has made about 7 different versions of the 70-300mm zoom, and the one you want (IMO) is the G VR version of the 70-300mm.


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## ac12 (Nov 12, 2019)

. . . the dangers of having a non-VR 70-300 are greatly exaggerated by a couple of members here.

That is me.
Cuz I've seen how shaky many people are, when they try to hand hold the setup.  The average beginner is not trained in how to hold a LONG lens.
With a 8.6x lens, and that is a lot of shake.  Shoot at 1/1200 sec or faster, and you are probably OK, even with that amount of shake.

The other side of VR is simply aiming the camera.
I found that it is a LOT easier to hold the camera on a subject, when the subject is not bouncing around in the viewfinder.
When I shoot field sports, the value of VR is not for shooting at slow shutter speed, but to stabilize the viewing image, so that I can hold the AF point on the subject.


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## Derrel (Nov 12, 2019)

The lens runs from 70 mm up to 300 mm... even at three times the focal length at 70 m m you are at 1/210 second. At 200 mm, the old rule would be 1/200 of a second, and double the focal length would be 1/400 of a second, and three times the focal length would be a mere 1/600 second. As I said oh, I think there is some exaggeration going on here. We're not talking about people with palsy, but people who are actually trying to hold the camera steady, or who Avail themselves of a monopod tripod or other firm support when they must use slow shutter speeds

I think there is some exaggeration here about the through the viewfinder stabilizing that VR does, and in fact many times VR causes the viewfinder image to Jump Around, and does not quell movement, but in fact exacerbates it. I have been using Nikon VR lenses since 2001  and I'm not sure what you are talking about. A few months ago I bought a 1988 version of Nikon's AF 75 to 300,the Auto n Autofocus model with the built-in tripod collar And the macro focusing range. I was looking at some snaps that I took with the lens handheld at speeds as low as 1/15 of a second at 300 mm and I was quite surprised ... surprisingly Sharp.


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## Derrel (Nov 12, 2019)

A Nikon DSLR in a current model and with two kit zooms, both of which use the new AFP focusing protocol , for just under $400 is a pretty good deal in my opinion. if you wait just a few days you might be able to get a better deal with Black Friday pricing.


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## Derrel (Nov 12, 2019)

The  AFP lenses are fairly new, and require fairly new cameras to work. The 18-55 has both VR and is an AF-P, so that is a good and current lens. The 70-300 is the current AF - P lens but without the VR feature and it is a good lens. The AFP autofocusing protocol Works remarkably well and even though the lens has somewhat lower specification than the more expensive  vr- G  version of the 70-300, it is a newer Optical design and it is  better than the old VR - G, which is now over 15 years old.


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## ac12 (Nov 12, 2019)

Derrel said:


> The lens runs from 70 mm up to 300 mm... even at three times the focal length at 70 m m you are at 1/210 second. At 200 mm, the old rule would be 1/200 of a second, and double the focal length would be 1/400 of a second, and three times the focal length would be a mere 1/600 second. As I said oh, I think there is some exaggeration going on here. We're not talking about people with palsy, but people who are actually trying to hold the camera steady, or who Avail themselves of a monopod tripod or other firm support when they must use slow shutter speeds
> 
> I think there is some exaggeration here about the through the viewfinder stabilizing that VR does, and in fact many times they are causes the viewfinder image to Jump Around, and does not quiell movement, but in fact exacerbates it. I have been using Nikon VR lenses since 2001 oh, and I'm not sure what you are talking about.
> A few months ago I bought a 1988 version of Nikon af 75 to 300, deep curly on the focus model with the built-in tripod collar And the macro focusing range. I was looking at some snaps that I took with the lens handheld speeds as low as 1/15 of a second at 300 mm and I was quite surprised ... surprisingly Sharp.



The D3500 is a DX camera, so 1.5x crop.
so 1 / (FL x 1.5)  = 1/450 sec, rounds up to 1/500 sec.
Double the speed for a newbie and you are at 1/1000.

As much as I agree with you, about using support, I've seen too many people using a long lens with NO support.  
It is the exception that I see with a monopod and even less with a tripod.  And the monopods are usually under the 70-200/2.8, 300/2.8 or 400/2.8.  IOW heavy lenses.​To me that is similar to people holding a P&S or cell phone camera out at arms length, then they wonder why the picture is blurry.

OK, so we agree that we use VR differently.
I shoot field sports (football/soccer/lacrosse) with a Nikon 70-200/4 on a D7200.  
In MY experience, VR stabilizes the viewfinder image, well enough to make it a LOT easier for me to hold the AF point on the subject.  
I use single point AF, because I have to pick out ONE specific player in the several players close together, in the viewfinder.  
I have tried with VR off, and it is definitely harder to keep the AF point on the subject, when the subject is bouncing around in the viewfinder.​When I shoot field sports, I am not in the max stability stance, that I would use for a still subject, like shooting a target rifle.  Rather I am in a stance where I can track the moving players, like shooting trap/skeet with a shotgun.  VR is important to compensate for my reduced stability in that stance.

BTW you and I are not a newbies.  
15 years ago, I shot my niece's wedding, hand held (standing), a non-VR 70-210/4 lens at 210mm on a DX camera down to 1/30 sec.  That was 3-stops slower than the guideline.  It was a DIM church, and I was expecting 50-75% rejects, I got 80% keepers.  I used every trick in the book. 
We have that book and experience, the OP in all likelihood does not.


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## JTPotter (Nov 13, 2019)

Not wanting to steal this thread, butt I'm in the same boat as the OP. I am buying my first full frame Nikon, ready to pull the trigger, but really wondering if I should wait for black Friday deals?
I have always bought my stuff used, I'm going new for this full frame purchase.
Do any of you more experienced folks know if the Black Friday deals are worth waiting for?
I'm buying the D750, 
$1200 body only
$1700 w/24-120mm vr lens
In your experiences does the price get any better than this on black Friday?
I'm sorry if this is considered stealing a thread, I am not a frequent user of forums.
Thanks


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## ac12 (Nov 13, 2019)

JTPotter said:


> Not wanting to steal this thread, butt I'm in the same boat as the OP. I am buying my first full frame Nikon, ready to pull the trigger, but really wondering if I should wait for black Friday deals?
> I have always bought my stuff used, I'm going new for this full frame purchase.
> Do any of you more experienced folks know if the Black Friday deals are worth waiting for?
> I'm buying the D750,
> ...



I think that is about as low as I've seen.
But I've seen a package with the battery grip for a bit under $2k.  Don't remember the exact price.

As for black Friday price this year, who knows.  And they can't tell.
It might be lower, because the Z6 is out, and Nikon is trying to clear inventory of the D750.
Then again, maybe not, Nikon may instead lower the price of the Z6, to get more of them out into the market.


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## ac12 (Nov 13, 2019)

Now if a Z6 + 24-70/4 + FTZ goes on sale for under $2k, that would be REAL tempting.


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## EugenX (Nov 29, 2019)

I should have go with the bundle I found at first sight. Because today on Black Friday I haven't seen better offers and now all listings ~$399 aren't available. Adorama has this offer https://www.adorama.com/inkd3500k2a.html but at checkout it ads $26.30 taxes  and the price isn't interesting already. Maybe someone seen Nikon D3500 bundle at a good price? Thank you.


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## EugenX (Nov 29, 2019)

Just bought the Nikon D3500 Digital SLR Camera with AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens Black - without any bundle for $329.95. I think it's good buy. Thank you all.


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## Warhorse (Nov 29, 2019)

Congrats!

That was indeed a good buy.


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## dunfly (Nov 29, 2019)

You made a good choice at a good price.  You will probably want to add a 70-300 eventually.  Keep an eye out for a factory refurbished one like this: https://www.adorama.com/nk70300afpvr.html
Just make sure it is the VR version.


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## JoeW (Nov 29, 2019)

EugenX said:


> Just bought the Nikon D3500 Digital SLR Camera with AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens Black - without any bundle for $329.95. I think it's good buy. Thank you all.


Thanks for the closure.  So often someone posts a question or asks for advice, we all pitch in with our "2 cents" and then...silence...we have no idea what happened.  So I appreciate you taking the time to let us know what you decided.


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## Derrel (Nov 29, 2019)

Enjoy your new camera and lens!


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## EugenX (Dec 2, 2019)

JoeW said:


> Thanks for the closure. So often someone posts a question or asks for advice, we all pitch in with our "2 cents" and then...silence...we have no idea what happened. So I appreciate you taking the time to let us know what you decided.



The pleasure is all mine. Thank you all.


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## GoodIntentions (Jan 10, 2020)

THread Pirating ... 

I just purchased this camera recently while Bestbuy had the 2 lens deal for $399.      Does anyone know the largest capacity card I can put in the camera ? I cannot find it anywhere on the Nikon site or anything.. I am only doing this as an amaetuer  for fun  and partly for my real estate career , not getting into professional shooting or anything , So I would really like to just buy 1 of the largest cards I can and that should keep me set .


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## Warhorse (Jan 11, 2020)

GoodIntentions said:


> THread Pirating ...
> 
> I just purchased this camera recently while Bestbuy had the 2 lens deal for $399.      Does anyone know the largest capacity card I can put in the camera ? I cannot find it anywhere on the Nikon site or anything.. I am only doing this as an amaetuer  for fun  and partly for my real estate career , not getting into professional shooting or anything , So I would really like to just buy 1 of the largest cards I can and that should keep me set .


I have no idea how large of a card your camera will accept. While I understand your want to use just the one card GoodIntentions, that line of thought is like putting all of your eggs in just one basket. Memory cards can, and will fail at some point in time. Most photogs recommend using more than one card for insurance against such failures.


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## GoodIntentions (Jan 11, 2020)

I do have one that will be kept for Backup reasons like that .. I should have worded it better .. I just want one  card that will hold a lot of photos so I just want to purchase the largest possible and not worry about having to " Upgrade " in the future


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## dunfly (Jan 11, 2020)

I'm with Warhorse.  Decent cards are not expensive, so I'm not sure what "Upgrade" in the future means.  I never use cards larger than 32 gb in either my D5200 or D7200.

That being said, it appears that the D3500 will take up to a 512 gb SD card, which is about as big as they come.  Here is an article.  Memory size is addressed toward the end.

Nikon D3500 Memory Card Recommendations


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## Derrel (Jan 11, 2020)

Walmart has reasonable prices on 64GB SanDisk cards. As you get larger and larger prices go up exponentially I personally think that the sweet spot is either the 32 or the 64 gigabyte card


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## Designer (Jan 11, 2020)

GoodIntentions said:


> I do have one that will be kept for Backup reasons like that .. I should have worded it better .. I just want one  card that will hold a lot of photos so I just want to purchase the largest possible and not worry about having to " Upgrade " in the future


You might eventually regret that plan.  When you want to upload your photographs to your computer, a really large-capacity card will take longer than a card with less capacity.  and just finding the shot you want to look at means you will have to sort through many more photographs each and every time.  

Personally, I try to find the smallest cards, usually around 8GB, and change them out more often.  Yes, it means keeping track of what is on each card, but a small note stuck onto each one gives me a starting point in knowing what is on it.  Don't leave the note on the card when inserting it into your camera.


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## Dave Maciak (Aug 1, 2020)

Looks like a B&H bundle.  By now you'll probably have made your purchase.  Yes or no, that is a very nice kit; you should be able to make any kind of image you desire.  Practice!!!!  Photography can be both a rewarding thing or just plain frustrating!  But always interesting.  Next thing you know you'll be thinking about upgrades!!
Good luck whatever you choose!
get the image


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## Dave Maciak (Aug 1, 2020)

Designer said:


> GoodIntentions said:
> 
> 
> > I do have one that will be kept for Backup reasons like that .. I should have worded it better .. I just want one  card that will hold a lot of photos so I just want to purchase the largest possible and not worry about having to " Upgrade " in the future
> ...



Lots of merit to what you say---smaller cards---happened to my friend while traveling in Europe----made several hundred images on one card.  Card was lost; no vacation of a lifetime images.  Now, he uses the smaller cards does not put everything on one huge card.  Now you can get a camera with 2 card slots so there is another solution/idea."
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket."  Now, in all honesty--I use nothing smaller than a 32!


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## Dave Maciak (Aug 15, 2020)

One more thought:  As a child did you know how to read when a book was placed in front of you?  Did you need to learn the alphabet first? Same with a beginner's camera.  I'd guess that all the settings and menu's, are to a new to photography person (most) are mind boggling!  Learn in steps, trial and error.  Don't worry about all the technical things, use auto or "P" mode until you start to simply get the "hang" of it.  It will come.  You will eventually become proficient from simply using the camera and second nature will happen.  Remember, most of those who have responded are experienced and might be confusing however slight a beginner.  Your desire to influence a beginner should be "taking it easy" at first.  Next thing you know as a novice--you'll be looking for that upgrade!  Best of luck on an exciting journey to a wonderful thing.


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## Dave Maciak (Aug 18, 2020)

Derrel said:


> Yes I would rather have the VR feature in the 70-300 mm than I would in the 18 to 55 mm, but I own both a non-VR 70 to 300 millimeter autofocus lens made by Nikon in the 1980s, And a much newer 2005 or so 70-300 VR-G model, and the dangers of having a non-VR 70-300 are greatly exaggerated by a couple of members here. And as far as throwing the lens away... No, sell it for $75 on Craigslist
> 
> In recent years Nikon has introduced a new low-cost 70-300 millimeter lens which has vibration reduction or VR, and also has a new autofocusing protocol called AF-P. The new focusing protocol, AF-P, really works and it basically turns an inexpensive  $199 lens into one that focuses as rapidly and surely as a $2,500 lens. In the entry-level segment of the DSLR Market, there is keen competition on price, and many of the outfits like the one that you have linked to above are put together by companies looking for the absolute lowest price and then a slightly higher price, and then a top  price that they have determined is the most money that people will pay.
> 
> ...



Could not agree more!!!  I have never had problems using nonVR glass.  You have an excellent foundation based on your order.  Enjoy, and keep on shootin'!


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