Posts for: mharvey
Sep 12, 2018 23:31:33 #
I'm not susre what "store original" does...but, let's see!
Ah...I see!
First moon. 3000mm
No processing (but this could use some!). Just cropped.
I can see that I need to shoot full Manual. Leaving the decision up to the in-camera metering causes the edge to be over-exposed.
Ah...I see!
First moon. 3000mm
No processing (but this could use some!). Just cropped.
I can see that I need to shoot full Manual. Leaving the decision up to the in-camera metering causes the edge to be over-exposed.
Sep 12, 2018 22:42:38 #
There's so much to say about this camera. More than I expected. After only a couple of hours trying to get the "feel" of this beast, it would certainly not be fair to render a verdict one way or the other. I missed a lot of shots simply because I'm so "programmed" to use the congtrols of the Nikon 800 family, I dkept hitting the wrong button, using the wrong dial, etc. etc. I did, however, expand my vocabulary of vulgar language!
Even though it's way to early to be certain...I think I can safely say that, if you already have a really good DSLR or one of the top-of-the-line "Bridge" cameras...you probably won't find that the P1000 is an all-in-one REPLACEMENT.
But, it makes for a nice (if costly) EXTENSION of your kit.
The 3,000mm is really usable,with the caveat that you will probably not be using it for anything but static subjects. It may become easier to track moving subjects at the long focal length as one becomes more "user-friendly".
As a long-time amateur astronomer, I'm well aware of how atmospheric turbulence is magnified along with whatever you're trying to observe/photograph. We call it "seeing conditions". At the extreme focal lengths available with this camera (as well as the P900 and a few others) you will find that, most of the time, the 2,000 or 3,000mm is useless for truly distant subjects. Just too much turbulence to shoot through. I look forward to just being able to get that much closer to wildlife that is already relatively near.
There's a learning curve ahead, but here are a handfull of FIRST SHOTS.
The very first is a "Macro" from about 20 feet away. I couldn't get up close because of thorn shrubbery. But, I like the idea of getting images like this without having to get down on hands and knees!
P.S. - I know NOTHING about macro photography.
The second is at 3000mm. Image is SOOC. No cropping or processing. From my vantage point, this woman was close to a 1/4 mile away.
The next two are simply samples of framing. The first at 24mm and the 'closeup' at 450mm. Again, both images SOOC. No cropping or processing.I didn't try to REALLY zoom in on her because of the heat waves rising off the beach sand.
Lastly, another "long-distance macro". The flower is about 30 feet away. I should have shot at a faster shutter speed. The pistol/stamen is a bit blurred because the wind was blowing!
Even though it's way to early to be certain...I think I can safely say that, if you already have a really good DSLR or one of the top-of-the-line "Bridge" cameras...you probably won't find that the P1000 is an all-in-one REPLACEMENT.
But, it makes for a nice (if costly) EXTENSION of your kit.
The 3,000mm is really usable,with the caveat that you will probably not be using it for anything but static subjects. It may become easier to track moving subjects at the long focal length as one becomes more "user-friendly".
As a long-time amateur astronomer, I'm well aware of how atmospheric turbulence is magnified along with whatever you're trying to observe/photograph. We call it "seeing conditions". At the extreme focal lengths available with this camera (as well as the P900 and a few others) you will find that, most of the time, the 2,000 or 3,000mm is useless for truly distant subjects. Just too much turbulence to shoot through. I look forward to just being able to get that much closer to wildlife that is already relatively near.
There's a learning curve ahead, but here are a handfull of FIRST SHOTS.
The very first is a "Macro" from about 20 feet away. I couldn't get up close because of thorn shrubbery. But, I like the idea of getting images like this without having to get down on hands and knees!
P.S. - I know NOTHING about macro photography.
The second is at 3000mm. Image is SOOC. No cropping or processing. From my vantage point, this woman was close to a 1/4 mile away.
The next two are simply samples of framing. The first at 24mm and the 'closeup' at 450mm. Again, both images SOOC. No cropping or processing.I didn't try to REALLY zoom in on her because of the heat waves rising off the beach sand.
Lastly, another "long-distance macro". The flower is about 30 feet away. I should have shot at a faster shutter speed. The pistol/stamen is a bit blurred because the wind was blowing!
Sep 11, 2018 20:54:07 #
You can pick up spare batteries and a charger on Amazon. Japanese independent companies but they’ve always proved reliable for me with other cameras. Nikon just jacks up the price ridiculously!
Sep 11, 2018 18:05:14 #
Haven’t found the cappuccino button yet!
You can buy a separate charger to charge extra batteries outside the camera, using an A/C plug or 12v cigarette lighter plug, but the setup that is included WITH the camera is for in-camera charging only, with USB.
Weather and work are delaying real testing.
Hopefully more tomorrow!
You can buy a separate charger to charge extra batteries outside the camera, using an A/C plug or 12v cigarette lighter plug, but the setup that is included WITH the camera is for in-camera charging only, with USB.
Weather and work are delaying real testing.
Hopefully more tomorrow!
Sep 11, 2018 15:16:38 #
Sep 11, 2018 14:05:26 #
That’s why I always try to buy from Amazon or Best Buy, since my local dealer went under.
30 day return privileges - no questions asked!
30 day return privileges - no questions asked!
Sep 11, 2018 13:31:11 #
So am I! 🙄
At least for certain situations...unless it turns out to be even better glass that it first appears to be.
The trade-off appears to be total resolution.
In my case that’s 46mp with the Sigma on the D850 vs. 16mp with the P1000.
I haven’t posted any images yet because of the weather (we’re getting rain and clouds from the hurricane north of us).
The beauty of the D850 is the ability to crop DEEPLY. But, with 3000mm of OPTICAL zoom, there might be little need to crop!
The mp’s may actually be close once the cropping is done.
Stay tuned!
At least for certain situations...unless it turns out to be even better glass that it first appears to be.
The trade-off appears to be total resolution.
In my case that’s 46mp with the Sigma on the D850 vs. 16mp with the P1000.
I haven’t posted any images yet because of the weather (we’re getting rain and clouds from the hurricane north of us).
The beauty of the D850 is the ability to crop DEEPLY. But, with 3000mm of OPTICAL zoom, there might be little need to crop!
The mp’s may actually be close once the cropping is done.
Stay tuned!
Sep 10, 2018 17:06:00 #
The camera arrived with a slight charge in the battery so I was able to take maybe 10-12 test shots.
As expected, low-light focus was slow and "iffy" at longer focal lengths. But at more reasonable fl's (the ones most likely to be used indoors), it was surprisingly effective...much better than any other NIKON "bridge" camera.
In brighter light, the focus was quick and precise.
The onboard flash is much stronger than I had anticipated, and enabled me to
get perfectly exposed images that did not LOOK like a flash was used, even in dim light and at a greater distance than we'd probably use for indoor shots.
I used 2,000mm (just for fun) with onboard flash, on a painting about 30' away. Although I only examined the image on the camera EVF, the fine detail and subtle colors were near-perfectly rendered.
VR was VERY effective. Hand held at 2,000mm and 1/500 was SOLID!
Had to leave for work before the battery was recharged. *From the inscrutable minds of Nikon: there is no external charger! You plug a charging device into an electrical outlet and run a USB cord (supplied) to the camera with the battery installed.
Yes, it's big! But, having used big DSLR's for years (currently a D850), I found that it felt "about right". The deep hand grip feels secure and nice (and it's a lot lighter than the D850 with a 24-120 lens).
Props to NIKON for placing the most important controls in approximately the same locations as the 850. And the shutter control wheel on the top right is a welcome feature.
OK... That's from about 10 minutes use...so, impressions may change when I've got a fully-charged battery and TIME to use it (I never even opened the instruction booklet, so I'm sure to find out much more...quickly!).
As expected, low-light focus was slow and "iffy" at longer focal lengths. But at more reasonable fl's (the ones most likely to be used indoors), it was surprisingly effective...much better than any other NIKON "bridge" camera.
In brighter light, the focus was quick and precise.
The onboard flash is much stronger than I had anticipated, and enabled me to
get perfectly exposed images that did not LOOK like a flash was used, even in dim light and at a greater distance than we'd probably use for indoor shots.
I used 2,000mm (just for fun) with onboard flash, on a painting about 30' away. Although I only examined the image on the camera EVF, the fine detail and subtle colors were near-perfectly rendered.
VR was VERY effective. Hand held at 2,000mm and 1/500 was SOLID!
Had to leave for work before the battery was recharged. *From the inscrutable minds of Nikon: there is no external charger! You plug a charging device into an electrical outlet and run a USB cord (supplied) to the camera with the battery installed.
Yes, it's big! But, having used big DSLR's for years (currently a D850), I found that it felt "about right". The deep hand grip feels secure and nice (and it's a lot lighter than the D850 with a 24-120 lens).
Props to NIKON for placing the most important controls in approximately the same locations as the 850. And the shutter control wheel on the top right is a welcome feature.
OK... That's from about 10 minutes use...so, impressions may change when I've got a fully-charged battery and TIME to use it (I never even opened the instruction booklet, so I'm sure to find out much more...quickly!).
Aug 28, 2018 13:34:16 #
These never look as good, once they are resized and processed for posting...but the original is remarkably sharp. I can't see the EXIF data but, if memory serves me, this was taken with a SONY RX10iv at full zoom. 1/500sec iso200 f/5.6
I was merely comparing it's zoom side-by-side with a superb 4" f/6.3 APO refractor. Close...but the SONY won! This image was taken on a night of "average" seeing.
Almost all moon-shots beg for a little tweaking in post to adjust exposure, contrast, shadows and highlights.
I was merely comparing it's zoom side-by-side with a superb 4" f/6.3 APO refractor. Close...but the SONY won! This image was taken on a night of "average" seeing.
Almost all moon-shots beg for a little tweaking in post to adjust exposure, contrast, shadows and highlights.
Aug 22, 2018 12:49:05 #
As you have seen...there is a wide swing of opinion!
My wife and I travel quite a bit and learned long ago that the MORE YOU CARRY...THE LESS YOU'LL ENJOY THE TRIP!
Yes, there have been a few times when I've wished I had something I'd left behind...But let me emphasize "FEW".
We do Alaska every other year, and Yellowstone (or other National park) in non-Alaska years. But those are only the "regularly scheduled" trips.
Wife is in Hawaii right now...trying to get out before the hurricane hits!
I REGRET almost every trip we took with a backpack full of photo gear.
Once modern technology gave us excellent Bridge cameras, there's just very little need to lug a load of bodies and lenses (that probably won't get used) and strain your nervous system with worry about theft or damage.
I'm leaving for the Everglades this weekend and I'll be taking a single, small, bag with a SONY RX10iv, a compact external flash and a couple of extra batteries. My wife carried the SONY RX100 and takes "snapshots" that look like professional "setups"!
We're not worried about missing anything and so glad I've overcome my "photo OCD". Otherwise I'd have (at least) the NIKON D850, 24-120, 50mm f1.4 prime, 70-200e and the 150-600 Tamron G2, big flash and a heavy RRS tripod with Wimberly head (and I'm sure I've forgotten some other useless items that I once felt the NEED for)!
Have a great trip!
Mike H.
My wife and I travel quite a bit and learned long ago that the MORE YOU CARRY...THE LESS YOU'LL ENJOY THE TRIP!
Yes, there have been a few times when I've wished I had something I'd left behind...But let me emphasize "FEW".
We do Alaska every other year, and Yellowstone (or other National park) in non-Alaska years. But those are only the "regularly scheduled" trips.
Wife is in Hawaii right now...trying to get out before the hurricane hits!
I REGRET almost every trip we took with a backpack full of photo gear.
Once modern technology gave us excellent Bridge cameras, there's just very little need to lug a load of bodies and lenses (that probably won't get used) and strain your nervous system with worry about theft or damage.
I'm leaving for the Everglades this weekend and I'll be taking a single, small, bag with a SONY RX10iv, a compact external flash and a couple of extra batteries. My wife carried the SONY RX100 and takes "snapshots" that look like professional "setups"!
We're not worried about missing anything and so glad I've overcome my "photo OCD". Otherwise I'd have (at least) the NIKON D850, 24-120, 50mm f1.4 prime, 70-200e and the 150-600 Tamron G2, big flash and a heavy RRS tripod with Wimberly head (and I'm sure I've forgotten some other useless items that I once felt the NEED for)!
Have a great trip!
Mike H.
Jul 22, 2018 22:47:11 #
But that's all relative to your camera's resolution and what you intend to do with the images. If I was still using a 12mp camera and only shooting casual, family and vacation photos at 4X6 or 8X10 (without much cropping), I would (and did) consider it a "great walk-around lens".
Jul 22, 2018 18:39:06 #
Image-Quality-Wise.....yes! But I wouldn't keep the 70-200 AND the 70-300.
Hold onto the one that is best, optically. If it's the 70-200, don't worry too much about the missing 100mm. The increase in resolution with the 800 series will allow cropping from the 200 with negligible quality loss.
Hold onto the one that is best, optically. If it's the 70-200, don't worry too much about the missing 100mm. The increase in resolution with the 800 series will allow cropping from the 200 with negligible quality loss.
Jul 22, 2018 15:50:40 #
Loved it when I was using the D700. After moving up to the 800 series, the increased resolution began to show the weaknesses of the lens.
Looking back at shots from the D700, sized to compare with the D850 I now use, it's almost embarrassing.
If all you plan to do is print or display smaller images, or not perform much cropping, you may be satisfied.
Try before you buy if at all possible.
Looking back at shots from the D700, sized to compare with the D850 I now use, it's almost embarrassing.
If all you plan to do is print or display smaller images, or not perform much cropping, you may be satisfied.
Try before you buy if at all possible.
Jul 12, 2018 14:46:07 #
As several others have noted, the SIGMA ART f/1.4 is simply excellent.
The only downside, compared to the NIKON lens, is that it's heavier.
I tried several samples of both the NIKON f/1.8 AND f/1.4 with my D850 and sent them all back. They just didn't offer the sharpness or contrast of the SIGMA. *Its the only non-NIKKOR lens I carry.
As with other lenses in my collection, the D850 caused a re-shuffling.
The only downside, compared to the NIKON lens, is that it's heavier.
I tried several samples of both the NIKON f/1.8 AND f/1.4 with my D850 and sent them all back. They just didn't offer the sharpness or contrast of the SIGMA. *Its the only non-NIKKOR lens I carry.
As with other lenses in my collection, the D850 caused a re-shuffling.
Jun 3, 2018 01:46:18 #
That autofocus obviously makes a huge difference! As you noted, manual focusing at an airshow with one of these is problematic, to put it mildly! :)
I shoot a half-dozen or so airshows a year. And the 150-600 Tamron CAN be a handful at times.
The 80-400 Nikkor was “just about right” until I got a D850 and began to notice that the increased resolution was beginning to show the lens’ limitations. Now I switch between the big Tamron and the 70-200e f/2.8 Nikkor.
I would imagine that the colorful aircraft in that setting would render the contrast question on the Reflex lens rather moot. It was unacceptable to me on subtler scenes with less subject contrast.
I shoot a half-dozen or so airshows a year. And the 150-600 Tamron CAN be a handful at times.
The 80-400 Nikkor was “just about right” until I got a D850 and began to notice that the increased resolution was beginning to show the lens’ limitations. Now I switch between the big Tamron and the 70-200e f/2.8 Nikkor.
I would imagine that the colorful aircraft in that setting would render the contrast question on the Reflex lens rather moot. It was unacceptable to me on subtler scenes with less subject contrast.