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Posts for: BenSanford
Jul 3, 2018 07:53:03   #
First, I an in the build your own camp. That way it is easy to get 32GB of RAM without paying too much to the manufacturer for an upgrade. The manufacturer might use 4 separate 4GB sticks to build the computer with 16GB of RAM - filling all of the available memory slots. If you later want to upgrade to 32GB you'll need to throw away the 16GB installed, and then put in all new memory. If you built your own, you can just start with 32GB, or use two 8GB sticks, and later add two more.

Even if you don't build your own, make sure the manufacturer isn't filling all of the slots with smaller memory. Typically four 4GB sticks are slightly cheaper to buy than two 8GB sticks.

If you built it, you'll also know how easy it is to add additional hard drives (internal or external), and will know to get a case and power supply with additional capacity. 4, 6, and even 8TB drives are reasonably priced, and with extra drives built in, you can easily have copies of your photos and Lightroom library in multiple locations within the computer. Maybe do a back-up to one of the extra internal drives and then disconnect it until potentially needing it later. Or, use an external drive for backup.

If you spend a few extra $$'s to start with, you will actually save money because you won't feel the need to upgrade as quickly.

I also agree with the 27" monitor recommendations, and check the resolution as well. Ideally 1920 x 1200 should be the minimum resolution for a 27" monitor for photo work.

I have LR and Photoshop installed on my laptop as well, and even though it has 16GB of RAM and a high-resolution (but 13") display - It is difficult to do much in the way of serious photo post-processing on a display that small. I mainly use it on vacation to just review recently taken photos.
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Apr 30, 2018 08:08:12   #
Thanks for the thoughts on equipment. I think I will go with smaller prime lenses since they are less obvious - even the 18-35 is a fairly large lens. The 50/1.4 and an old 28/f2.8 AI lens should be fine for most shots and I'll use them in Moscow & St. Petersburg. I'll take the zooms, but consider when I carry them, and I'll leave the tripod at home.
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Apr 29, 2018 13:06:48   #
I'm going on a river cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow starting next week. Some of the shore excursions will be apparently be guided tours, so I'm not sure how much time I will have available to stop and take photos. I am trying to decide what camera equipment will be best to take, and convince my wife that I need to take. I am taking my Nikon D850 and Nikon 18-35 zoom, and probably either the 50/1.4 or the 60/2.8 micro lens. I don't plan to take a flash since they seem to be discouraged in a lot of places.

I have the 28-300 ultra zoom but it is heavy and not sure if I will need a telephoto that much.

I have been on other vacations where I really missed having a tripod, so am debating on whether to take one on this trip.

Any suggestions about equipment would be much appreciated.
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Jan 16, 2018 07:32:51   #
I just went through the process of buying a tripod, and ended up with the Gitzo 1555T, and an Acratech ball head. Expensive, but I was looking for small size, light weight, etc. Something less expensive and heavier might be the place to start, and then after a bit you will have a better idea about what your requirements really are. Even an inexpensive tripod is likely better that handheld at 1/30 second...
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Jan 16, 2018 07:13:09   #
I have both the 18-200 Nikon zoom (for DX sensors) and the 28-300 zoom (for FX sensors), which of course will also work on DX. Both lenses are excellent - for the purpose for which they were intended, but of course they are a compromise solution that won't match up to the quality of a good prime lens. Comparing it to my old 28mm f2.8 AI prime lens on identical shots, and the zoom isn't even close to being as sharp.

I used my 28-300 on a D600 and my wife used the 18-200 on a D80. It's great when I'm traveling light and can't carry a bag full of lenses.

One problem with the 28-300 is that it is a heavy piece of glass, and carrying on a DX sensor camera, instead of the 18-200 might not be worth the extra weight (unless you want more telephoto and less wide angle - I guess that the 18-200 DC is about equivalent to a 28-300 35mm view, where the 28-300, when cropped is about equivalent to a 45-450)

I just got a D850 and haven't tried the 28-300 on it yet. I took a comparison shot between the 28mm prime and the 18-35mm zoom (not the 16-35 which I now wish I had purchased), and the prime was much sharper. Both shots were with the D850 camera on a tripod.

If I want maximum sharpness (and have the time and the luxury of carrying everything), I will use prime lenses, and some of the old AI lenses are very sharp. I mostly shoot landscapes, so I don't need the fastest glass, and I'm fine with using manual focus.
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Jan 9, 2018 18:15:20   #
Last year I tried taking some landscape photos where there were cherry blossoms on trees in relatively close to the lens and then the Jefferson Memorial in the background, and then using the Photoshop focus stacking software to merge the images. It seemed that the lens I was using was shifting the lens focal length a bit as I changed the focus from near to distant, and that created problems when stacking the images.

Perhaps all lenses do it to some extent. I can't find any information concerning a particular lens may or may not behave in this manner. Is this less of a problem with prime lenses than with zooms? I have a Nikon 18-35, and also a much older 28mm AI lens that I could use.
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Jan 5, 2018 13:43:53   #
Thanks for the recommendations and suggestions about a tripod. I bit the bullet and purchased the Gitzo GT-1555 tripod without the Gitzo ball head.

For the head, I am considering the RRS BH-40, the RRS BH-30, or the Acratech GP-ss. Any thoughts on those heads or other similar ones.
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Jan 3, 2018 12:48:17   #
I have had a 6 pound STAR-D "professional" tripod for over 40 years, but because of the weight I often don't bother to carry it around. I have been looking and trying to research tripods, but that's difficult on the internet because there are so many products, and apparently some of the brands with good reputations are now selling cheaper copies of their former models, apparently with a drop in quality.

I'm looking to purchase a quality tripod, but is the Gitzo GK1555T-82TQD worth the close to $1000 price, when something like MeFOTO Classic Carbon Fiber Globetrotter Travel Tripod is available for a third of the price? I don't want to spend over around $500, but don't want to feel I compromised on weight or quality to save a few $'s

I will likely be using either the Nikon 28-300 zoom, or the 18-35 mm for landscapes. Camera with either lens is under 4 pounds, but the 28-300 does get a bit front heavy when zoomed out to 300mm.
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