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What am I doing wrong?
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Sep 22, 2017 06:36:06   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Using a D200 I took a photo at 800 ISO, 1/1600, f7.1 300mm, older 70mm-300mm lens on a tripod without legs extended. It'€™s not in focus nor sharp. What am I doing wrong?

Also when viewing a photo in Preview on a Mac Mini I no longer get the EXIF unless I go to 'Tools'€ and click 'Show Location'€™ for every photo taken with a P900. I can'€™t get 'Show Location'€™ nor the EXIF for photos taken with a D200. What am I doing wrong?

Subject was approximately 50' away.


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Sep 22, 2017 06:38:00   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Using a D200 I took a photo at 800 ISO, 1/1600, f7.1 300mm, older 70mm-300mm lens on a tripod without legs extended. It’s not in focus nor sharp. What am I doing wrong?

Also when viewing a photo in Preview on a Mac Mini I no longer get the EXIF unless I go to ‘Tools” and click “show Location’ for every photo taken with a P900. I can’t get “Show Location’ nor the EXIF for photos taken with a D200. What am I doing wrong?


Off hand, I'd say it simply wasn't in focus. Did you use manual or auto focus? I don't see any EXIF data, either.

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Sep 22, 2017 06:44:55   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
jerryc41 wrote:
Off hand, I'd say it simply wasn't in focus. Did you use manual or auto focus? I don't see any EXIF data, either.


Thanks Jerry, auto focus, Manual mode.

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Sep 22, 2017 06:52:42   #
Gitchigumi Loc: Wake Forest, NC
 
I don't know the specifics of either the D200 or the lens. But, does either have image stabilization? If so, turn it off when on a tripod.

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Sep 22, 2017 06:54:34   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Gitchigumi wrote:
I don't know the specifics of either the D200 or the lens. But, does either have image stabilization? If so, turn it off when on a tripod.


Good question, I should have mentioned that. Neither has a stabilizer.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:12:03   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Thanks Jerry, auto focus, Manual mode.


Did you use a single center point right on the feeder?

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Sep 22, 2017 07:12:49   #
Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH
 
I'm not a Nikon user, although I used one several decade ago, back in my film days.

My first suggestion is to get closer to your subject. At f 7.1, you're still on the narrow end for depth of field, but if you're going for a boken background you're going to have to balance your depth of field to accomplish that.

What do you have set for your focal points? Single or multiple? At the distance you are from your subject, which spot focus setting you choose is going to be critical to getting one of those focal points on your fast moving subject. It's a cap shoot at best.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:14:40   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Thanks Jerry, yes, I focused on the part of the feeder that the Hummingbird was feeding on.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:15:19   #
cmc65
 
I can only suggest what works for me for hummer and small fast birds. Choose center spot focus at the highest frame rate your camera allows. Your settings as stated are ok sit , not stand at your tripod and keep that center spot where you anticipate the hummer to fly in. Focus on the eye. With 300 mm you really should sit a lot closer. If you set up and sit still the hummer will come in. It's very important to gently squeeze that shutter button and pre focus with a half press or back button focus if you use it and wait.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:17:34   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Szalajj wrote:
I'm not a Nikon user, although I used one several decade ago, back in my film days.

My first suggestion is to get closer to your subject. At f 7.1, you're still on the narrow end for depth of field, but if you're going for a boken background you're going to have to balance your depth of field to accomplish that.

What do you have set for your focal points? Single or multiple? At the distance you are from your subject, which spot focus setting you choose is going to be critical to getting one of those focal points on your fast moving subject. It's a cap shoot at best.
I'm not a Nikon user, although I used one several ... (show quote)


Thanks Szalajj, Single, so I should have set it to multiple?

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Sep 22, 2017 07:23:27   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
cmc65 wrote:
I can only suggest what works for me for hummer and small fast birds. Choose center spot focus at the highest frame rate your camera allows. Your settings as stated are ok sit , not stand at your tripod and keep that center spot where you anticipate the hummer to fly in. Focus on the eye. With 300 mm you really should sit a lot closer. If you set up and sit still the hummer will come in. It's very important to gently squeeze that shutter button and pre focus with a half press or back button focus if you use it and wait.
I can only suggest what works for me for hummer an... (show quote)


Thanks cmc65, I was using center spot, speed was 1/1600, I was sitting (as I can no longer stand in one place very long). I'll move the feeder closer and try again. I do gently squeeze the shutter so that I wouldn't shake the tripod. I did pre focus. I should have added all of this info at the beginning, thanks, all good info.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:27:41   #
Gitchigumi Loc: Wake Forest, NC
 
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Thanks cmc65, I was using center spot, speed was 1/1600, I was sitting (as I can no longer stand in one place very long). I'll move the feeder closer and try again. I do gently squeeze the shutter so that I wouldn't shake the tripod. I did pre focus. I should have added all of this info at the beginning, thanks, all good info.

One more thing to reduce vibrations... use a remote trigger. That way, you don't have to touch the camera after you get all setup. When the bird arrives, press the button on the remote.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:30:34   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Gitchigumi wrote:
One more thing to reduce vibrations... use a remote trigger. That way, you don't have to touch the camera after you get all setup. When the bird arrives, press the button on the remote.


Thanks Gitchigumi, I'll look to see if there is one for the D200 & get one.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:31:53   #
Sirsnapalot Loc: Hammond, Louisiana
 
uaeluor1949 wrote:
Using a D200 I took a photo at 800 ISO, 1/1600, f7.1 300mm, older 70mm-300mm lens on a tripod without legs extended. It'€™s not in focus nor sharp. What am I doing wrong?

Also when viewing a photo in Preview on a Mac Mini I no longer get the EXIF unless I go to 'Tools'€ and click 'Show Location'€™ for every photo taken with a P900. I can'€™t get 'Show Location'€™ nor the EXIF for photos taken with a D200. What am I doing wrong?

Subject was approximately 50' away.


Your ISO is too high for such a sunny day, and f7 stop gives too much depth of field for such a small target and a lower stop will completely blur out the bright white in the background. By lowering both it will allow you to reduce shutter speed. And as already stated, use center spot focusing.

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Sep 22, 2017 07:34:28   #
uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl
 
Sirsnapalot wrote:
Your ISO is too high for such a sunny day, and f7 stop gives too much depth of field for such a small target and a lower stop will completely blur out the bright white in the background. By lowering both it will allow you to reduce shutter speed. And as already stated, use center spot focusing.


Thanks Sirsnapalot, I'll try that, cool name.

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