Lenses don't "could have made a difference". They DO make a difference.

If you go to the Nikon website, they have a list of lenses that perform up to the requirements of owning a 45.6MP D850/Z9. Few of the Nikon lenses perform at the level required by the resolution of the sensor.

Higher resolution sensor without an equally higher resolution optical lens??? Not a game starter. (And this is the genuine "issue" for ever higher resolution sensors of the future - the lenses must match or exceed the requirements of the sensors. Otherwise, you have an "advertising advantage" of a new camera with no actual benefit worth the purchase expense.

Some time from now, I will post some of my D850 photos. When I bought this camera, I said to myself that I had purchased an 'epic camera' and needed to require of myself making some 'epic photos' worthy of this equipment. I will post a photo of Yosemite valley looking up valley from Bridal Veil Falls to Half Dome and past it. My D850 and chosen lens showed more resolution than I could have gotten with my old Hassie 500C/Zeiss lenses on fine grain 6x6cm film - a phenomenal feat for a 24x36 mm sensor and top optics. I will include close ups of the trees standing on the far side of Half Dome, waterfalls and much more detail that can only be seen in a large image or the enlarged portions like I will offer.

I have become a confirmed "pixel peeper." I want to take the best photos that I can.

I read through the other responses first. And I'd offer these suggestions. Doing this kind of photography is quite difficult. You can't get 'personally involved' but must remain professional while personally detached.

More women photogs shoot boudoir photo shots than men. They must make the subject relaxed, trusting and comfortable. They must always have an 'air' of professionalism. If it is just the two of you, I'd see huge RED flags everywhere.

One possible suggestion is to be honest and tell her that you haven't done much of this type of photography. And suggest a series of shoots on different days instead of only one. Offer to show her pictures of potential photos that could be taken of her to discuss ones she likes and wants to make..(Get her involvement.)

Pay close attention to her eyes/face/body language. If they say that she wants something sexual more that photographically successful, find a way to decline the job without bruising her ego.

I guess I'm strange enough to see beauty in all aspects of life and death. Some of your pics were more 'artistic' and some more 'forensic' at showing the details without great concern for composition or context. I appreciate them all. Thanks for sharing.

Hi, Regardless of where in America, you want quality over 'experienced' in a once-in-a-lifetime pro to capture the wedding of your friend's son and new daughter-in-law. Look for the "book" of former recent weddings shot by this photog and/or his team. Doing stills and live video of the event requires a team. A solo photographer can't do everything in posed stills and live action video at the same time. If the photog. has a web site/pages, it might be easier for your search.

Remember that you need someone skilled in studio shots, event photos, posed groups and life action videos of the cake cutting/first dance/reception celebration/etc.

Get some idea of a budget. And be certain you then make it part of any discussion of the job as well as expected deliverables after the wedding.

Great photos. I'll get some, if I can.

Apparently a pregnant doe gave birth in my fenced backyard. There are parts of my back yard that are well hidden. And a fawn, especially a small one could stay hidden. I scared a doe out of my yard. And she went sailing over the 5 foot fence with ease. A bit later, I saw what I thought might be my first brown spotted rabbit in Georgia. A day later, I saw a very, very small fawn, probably a new born (and my brown spotted rabbit?). And I regretted scaring away the mother.

So, now I have 2 gates to my yard open. I won't scare away a doe, regardless of what plants or flowers she eats. I want her to reunite with her fawn, to nurse it, and to bring her fawn out of my suburban back yard to the adjoining yards and a stream behind my property that empties into the Chattahoochie River. - I went from self-righteous to concerned god-parent for a tiny fawn. I do hope she survives.

I don't go to Hilton Head often. But, on my next trip, I will plan on visits here in the early AM, later AM, etc. Great pictures and great inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

Though I have no doubt of the D850, like mine, I am truly impressed by an almost 8:1 zoom picture. Impressive, lovely. But, not on my shopping list as an objective for a 45.6MP sensor. Great shot. Thanks for sharing.

Although I lived in metro DC during High School and my first out of college job, I never saw the inside of the Temple. No photos? Must be protecting the "magic underwear" that protects the body, even from building fires and plane crashes. (look it up on the internet for stories.)

I've had Latter Day Saints friends in High School. Always seemed to be nice people that would truly exclude anyone not already a Latter Day Saint. Never any attempt to discuss or convert me. Nor to explain their beliefs and rituals. I felt empathy for the girls destined to what I saw as second class status throughout their lives. I thought they deserved better. But, I'm not a LDS advocate.

I, too, used to always have a UV filter on each lens (in the 'olden days'). Because I wanted the best contrast/acutance and resolution for my D800E and D850 camera body/lens combos, I bought expensive optically flat multi-coated filters. After reading this topic on UHH some years ago, I decided to test my camera/lens systems with and without the filters. Did I see greater quality without the filter or with it?

Even hundred dollar filters weren't so great! In my tests, every side-by-side shot was compared to see what benefit or detriment was created in a filter vs no filter photo. The filters literally 'lost' and I began removing them from my lenses. With digital imaging and good post production, I can duplicate almost any benefit of using a filter without the reduced image quality or distortions caused by the expensive filters.

Lesson learned. And happily shared here.

I think you missed the point. I'm in favor of replacing polluting cars, trucks, buses and factory smokestacks. I'm just opposed to poor engineering. It's nearly impossible to access Tesla batteries without literally tearing apart the vehicle. Poor engineering from the conception of the Tesla idea of what makes a passenger car.

Glad to read the comments here about Electric Vehicles. I've been fascinated by them since the beginning. I noticed that an Israeli entrepreneur got a special Reynault (sp) made for Israel with electric motor and battery trays. You can go to many, many places in relatively small Israel to get a charged replacement tray of batteries for the ones that need charging.

So, I then learned about the many problems of the current Tesla designs. And the consequences every one of us will face here in the USA in the near future. A few info tidbits - BMW announced that they will stop building gasoline engines for 2025 car models. Many other companies will compete with them.

California has a requirement of at least 5 years (manufacturer guaranteed) function from the electric car batteries. Battery 'failure' is determined by Calif. state law to be when the batteries fail to achieve at least 80% recharge capacity. This will mean that, at least for Tesla cars, the product life of an electric Tesla is 5 years and $0.00 in the 6th year because Tesla will consider the car as salvage and refuse to supply parts or service. -

Since all of my current (gasoline) cars are more than 5 years of age, think about the future value of your electric car if it can't get a fresh set of replacement batteries??? After 5 years??? And, say 'good bye' to used car dealerships, 'starter cars,' etc. Lots of money being taken off of the table and out of your pockets!!!

Great work.

Something almost 'magical' about Zeiss lenses. I fell in love with them when I bought my first Hassie 500C and then used some Zeiss optics on a 4x5 view camera.

I respect them so much that I recently bought a Carl Zeiss microscope when the chance became available.

Big Congrats. Shooting anywhere in/near NYC is usually a major problem with ambient light/light pollution. You did great! So, next time, don't "assume" and be prepared to take photos. You can be surprised - again and again. (I lived in NY metro for 14 years!)

Nice work. Thanks for sharing. I agree that the last photo is my favorite - nice detail on the moon for 200mm and the small star trails are proof of the longer exposure. Very good.

We had clouds for the day/night before the eclipse. And I feared that weather would prevent enjoying seeing and shooting it. Haven't reviewed my shots yet.

#1 is the best for me. #2 and #3 are beginning to fall apart from reduced sharpness and resolution.


Cropping can be effective for producing a great photo. But, not at the expense of the quality of the final image. Or, crop, but keep the image size smaller to de-emphasize any reduced sharpness/resolution.