camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I bought an old Nikon 70-210mm f4-5.6 lens, in excellent optical and cosmetic conditions for a mere $85, one of those rare bargains we find on our lucky days. I have been using the excellent Nikon 80-200 f4.5 from the early 70's, a much heavier lens and perhaps a bit sharper at all apertures but the lens is all metal, heavy and the zoom ring is so loose that I had to use duct tape to make it work better. Nonetheless it is one of the sharpest lenses I have but there is an end for everything.

I photographed this flower in our garden in early morning sun and I positioned the camera so that the background was in shadows. The exposure was made from the bright part of the flower opening 1 stop to compensate for the brightness using spot metering.
The camera I used was the D7000. To obtain a high enough shutter speed I raised the ISO speed to 800 while hand holding the camera, something I do not recommend to do. The correct way to do this is to use the base ISO of the camera while on a steady tripod.

Sometimes a walk around the house is all we need to find beautiful subjects if we just see our surroundings.

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Jim-Pops Loc: Granbury, Texas

Very nice picture. Appreciate all the additional information adds to the post. Always intrigued at how someone goes about getting the shot and the equipment he uses. I'm 72 and retired, but not to old to learn new tricks.

CSand Loc: Fayetteville, Georgia

Lovely shot William.

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

This is a beautiful shot and your explanation is helpful.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Outstanding work William, it's like Enrico Ferrari said: It's not the car it is the driver who wins.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Mike, you know that I admire your beautiful photography and I appreciate your comments. Jim I am 82 and also retired and I spend time around the house where I always find subjects to photograph.
Talking about my explanations of my photographs, I believe this should be a routine for everyone. I am not showing off when I explain what I use, I want others to know what I used and the technique implied. It could help to undestand my subject and the technique used to photograph it.
I thank you all for your kind comments.

AlohaJim Loc: Retired. Hawaii >> N. Arizona.

Beautiful composition.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

Let me add my pleasure at seeing your wonderful photograph and top that up with the hope, from Jeannie and me, that the incoming Hurricane Florence bypasses you!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Very nice. Great job.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Beautiful shot.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Wonderful work, William! Thanks for sharing your techniques.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Paul, thank you for your kind comments and your good wishes regarding Hurricane Florence. Florence is supposed to be pretty far from Miami on its way to North Carolina where most probably it will hit the coast as a category 4 hurricane, pretty dangerous. We do have hurricane Isaac, just in front of hurricane Helena and to make it even better we have a disturbance near the western part of Cuba that could bring torrential rains and windy conditions to our area although the chances for this disturbance to hit us directly are practically zero. It should become a tropical storm, perhaps a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and land around New Orleans most probably next week.
We are so used to hurricanes in September that we begin to take steps before any of them hit us or threatens us.
I thank you all for the kind comments.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Very nice! Many of these older lenses are superb!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

You are right and where in this world could we buy this quality for $85?