Can you say almost here? well I can’‘t hear you come on I know you want to say it. Ready ok one two three..”Almost here”.Now don’t you fe…
Can you say almost here? well I can’‘t hear you come on I know you want to say it. Ready ok one two three..”Almost here”.Now don’t you feel better after saying that? Thats right my D300 is almost here, I am thinking it will arrive at my house before the end of the year. Just in time for a tax right off,cool huh. With all of its new goodies inside ill be able to really take better pics. Well it is off to the nikon site to gaze in wonder and ahhh at my new addition. It’s almost like have a baby again….”almost” but not quit.
I’m so excited I just ordered my new Nikon D300 this morning should be here soon! Bet it feels like forever before it gets here!
I’m so excited I just ordered my new Nikon D300 this morning should be here soon! Bet it feels like forever before it gets here!
I picked up my new Nikon D300 on Friday morning! and so far its everything I expected and more! I took it out for a test run that night…
I picked up my new Nikon D300 on Friday morning! and so far its everything I expected and more! I took it out for a test run that night to try some high ISO lowlight freehand shots and it was fantastic lived up to everything I had been told hardly any noise even at 3200 ISO !!!! Cant wait to test it out at my next wedding shoot!
Hot Damn what a fine camera it is too, my new D300 by Nikon. the few pics I have posted except for the baby shot is out of this new beast…
Hot Damn what a fine camera it is too, my new D300 by Nikon. the few pics I have posted except for the baby shot is out of this new beast. The file sizes are huge and the resolution is WOW! I think it is now time to out and make a living off this new toy of mine,what do you think?
I have a Nikond D80, and shooting in pubs and clubs has been a fun, exciting but often frustrating experience. Time to get with the techn…
I have a Nikond D80, and shooting in pubs and clubs has been a fun, exciting but often frustrating experience. Time to get with the technology… D3s are sexy as hell, but outside the realm of possibilities, but a D300 looks the goods. I’m not looking to be sold on the quality… what I need, is for someone that has got one, to testify to the awesome performance at high ISOs, and would be willing to call my girlfriend and explain how my life will cease unless I get my hands on one Not too much to ask right? (Steph, if you are reading this, please check the tags from the journal entry to prove that even while I’m looking at spending silly amount of money, I’m still thiking of you!)
Thanks everyone for the huge wave of comments and favortings, it’s been a real lift. I grabbed my new camera this week, and got out a…
Thanks everyone for the huge wave of comments and favortings, it’s been a real lift. I grabbed my new camera this week, and got out and about to take photos of it. I’ve got a huge few weeks coming up, so I’m cramming in as much camera time as I can to prepare. Tomorrow, I’m off to the Cherry Rock festival in Melbourne, as a photographer for www.fasterlouder.com.au… it’s my first press pass type gig, so it’s nerve racking. The fact that it’s been moved from a laneway festival, into a series of shows at the Palace due to last minute mayhem makes it more challenging. I was on “band & social” shots, but that is goig to be tough as heck in there. We’ll see how she goes. Next week is my first planned photoshoot, that might be used for a magazine cover… more on that later though, I’m to scared to think about that at the moment Back to the D300… here is some of my favorite shots so far Chord – f1.8 1/500 ISO3200 Unimaginable ISO from my D80, I knew it was going to be better…. but that image has processing no noise reduction at all City Lights – f1.8 1/50 ISO3200 This came from fooling around in burst mode. The photo was taken outside the now infamous Spleen Bar at around 2am. I was annoying Seana by holding down the shutter release, and reeling off 6 frames per second… incredibly, 10-15 excellent photos came out of it, more due to her natural grace than my skill City Lights 2 – f1.8 1/160 ISO3200 (seeing a trend here?) This is my favorite, simply due to how impossible this photo would have been for me previously. Without a flash, and only a street light to work with, the D300 made this look like I knew what I was doing. Hopefully Seana reads this, so she finds out that this was the first jump she did…. the next 4 I made her repeat was more to amuse myself than to get another shot – the candid impromptu ones always look better ;) Focused – f1.8 1/30 ISO1600 Not the most action packed or energetic shot of the night, but one that I love. I’ve always had to dull the colours with high ISO shots from the D80. This came out clean and warm, without any of the colour bleeding I’m used to seeing A bigger collection of some of th band shots taken from the night are here So Cherry Rock tomorrow, which will be an awesome opportunity to catch some seriously rocking bands and fans in action. Prepare for another wave of ISO3200 photos then… for anyone 50/50 on upgrading to a D300 from a D40/D70/D80/D200… you have to do it.. now. Hopefully I’ll come to grips with it a bit more in the coming weeks, and really start to show what it can do
I have finally ordered a D300 and it is on its way. I sold my D80 and have been without camera : ( / However happy times ahead….I wi…
I have finally ordered a D300 and it is on its way. I sold my D80 and have been without camera : ( / However happy times ahead….I will keep you all posted.
...the Nikon AF-S 70-200 2.8 G IF-ED All those letters + numbers mean happines…
...the Nikon AF-S 70-200 2.8 G IF-ED All those letters + numbers mean happiness. Pure happiness. Now for the crap bit! I got it for one third of the price of the cheapest online price from Australia, but I have to wait until I get to New York to pick it up. That’s 22 sleeps to go… bastards So now, I’m no longer just excited about 2 weeks in New York, I’m excited about 2 weeks in New York with my new life partner (PS – Steph doesn’t actually read these Journal entries, so if you could not pass on the terms of affection I use for this lens in her presence, I would appreciate it :) )
Since my last jounal entry I have lashed out and bought an original Nikon Battery Grip / on e-bay and found it to be an excellent addition…
Since my last jounal entry I have lashed out and bought an original Nikon Battery Grip / on e-bay and found it to be an excellent addition. I must say it is very well built and it probably was the comments I heard about the no brand ones being a bit plastic that swayed me to purchase the original. Anyway I paid $319 for it and it seemed to be about the best price going at the moment but still a lot of money for something that holds an extra battery and gives you 2 shots per second extra. The whole camera seems better balanced with the long lens.
Philip Johnson and I are hosting a new group here on Redbubble called “Nikon DSLR Users Gro…
Philip Johnson and I are hosting a new group here on Redbubble called Nikon DSLR Users Group so if you own a Nikon DSLR or are intersted in finding out more about Nikon’s products, please come on over and check the group out :) We are going to try to have helpful advice and information available on all of the past and present Nikon DSLR cameras. This will be a great resource to use if you have questions or if you would like to share some of your experiences using Nikon gear. Hope to see you over there. ‘ Warm regards, / Michael
I’ve had a week with the D700 now, but I’ve only fired of a couple of dozen frames… shame on me! Here are some first impressions of …
I’ve had a week with the D700 now, but I’ve only fired of a couple of dozen frames… shame on me! Here are some first impressions of the camera, compared with the D300 Warning… nerdy technical information and uneducated bias below The Good Full Frame – The first thing I did, was slap on the 50mm and take a portrait shot of my lovely partner Steph. It floored me, I almost cried. The 70-200 2.8 is incredible on it. Obviously I’ve lost some range going up in sensor size, but nothing I shoot needs that extra reach. I toyed around with the 1.4x TC, and the results were great better than solid. Vignetting is noticeable in most shots, but is easily corrected in Lightoom/Aperture. There is some softness at the edges, but I don’t do any shooting where that would come close to being a problem. Dynamic Range – I was expecting the ISO capabilities to be the real winner for me, but in good light, strong light, or low light, it’s the depth of the colours, quality of the shadows and highlights that has impressed me the most. The way light and shadow are captured is nothing short of stunning. All the way through to ISO 6400, the Dynamic Range continues to impress. I did a few no-nos, just to see how it would perform, and even shooting with the sun pouring light towards the camera, it still finds depth and detail… you need to use it for a day to really understand how much it can pickup ISO – I haven’t had too much of a chance to push it beyond 1600 yet, other than wandering around the Crypt in the Shrine of Remembrance… trying to remain respectful while fighting the urge to say “fwaaaaah!” after reviewing each shot. The ability to shoot hand held, at basically any aperture, in any light is going to take some getting used to. I’m still limited by what I think I can shoot, so finding ways to push the camera will be a fun learning experience I don’t have much use for the Live View Virtual Horizon, but it was still cool to tip the camera from side to side and make gun noises while I pretended I was a jet fighter pilot… Okay, I didn’t really do that honestly! The Bad Same focus system as is in the D3, but… I’m used to having those 51 points cover more territory in the viewfinder, and the frame. Due to the full Frame goodness, the focus system covers less of the frame, and limits how far off center you can push the focus/metering points. I have adapted to shoot with the D300 focus system in mind, so there will be a bit of retraining on my part. I’ve let my thumbs do the focus work for a while now, and I have found it very, very useful at gigs. I will frame the shot, then thumb around to track stage lighting, and when it hits, I can meter/focus on the subject without recomposing. Sounds messy, but with light at such a premium at some venues, finding your shot, then waiting until the lighting sequence is good enough for a shot is half the battle. The ISO capabilities mean I won’t have to spend as much time looking for perfect light, so I guess I can get a bit lazy on this one Memory Card door: It might seem like a minor thing, but it’s an annoyance none the less. The D300 has a brilliant latch operated door that is robust and easy to use when fumbling around in the dark. The 700 has an extra “Info” button where the D300 latch release is. It’s nifty, shows all shooting details on the LCD, as well as giving you access to a dozen options previously buried in menus… like shooting banks, picture modes etc. Having to slide the memory card door open isn’t as intuitive as the latch system, and will take some getting used to. Since I can now shoot a gig on an 8GB card, instead of 3-4 2GB cards, it’s not a show stopper, but it’s just a silly system on such a high end bit of kit. This is a really, really basic rundown of walking around for a couple of hours with it. The torture test begins this weekend Clinkerfield at The Tote on Friday Night: Should be a belting show, as always. A rowdy crowd, less than ideal lighting and Jimmy charging around the stage like a man possessed by the still living spirit of Tom Waits. Jess and I have a bit of shooting planned for Saturday. I’m going to “try” and get a bit creative with the theme, composition and lighting. Not hard to be inspired with Ms Tremp, so I’m a little bit bloody excited to see what we come up with Tex Perkins and The Ladyboyz @ The Palm, Crown Casino Sunday night: Very eager to take the 70-200 into some decent theatrical lighting to see what I can get. The Palm has lighting up the wazoo ..so it’s almost the opposite of every other venue I shoot at. Tex is a legend of the Aussie music scene, and never disappoints. The following Wednesday, I have a small intimate indie show at Toff in Town, which will really test the ISO reach of the D700. It’s piano driven acoustic tunes, and if they hold true to form, it’ll be lit by the equivalent of 3 dimmed 60w red light globes. Normally this would fill me with dread, but now… well the D700 should have it covered :)
Yes you read it right, A guy going by the name of EOS20 Now uses A Nikon! After having problems with my 50D and having to return that…
Yes you read it right, A guy going by the name of EOS20 Now uses A Nikon! After having problems with my 50D and having to return that, I decided I would give Nikon a go, So I picked up a D300 today. After racking my brain out trying to decide between the D300 And D700, I ended up going with the D300. As much as I liked the D700, I think I will spend the extra money on building up my new lens system before getting a more expensive camera and I got a good deal on the D300 kit, So I bit the bullet and got the D300. So far I’m happy with my decision, The D300 is a fantastic camera! Puts all my other cameras I’ve owned in the past to shame! I should have made the switch sooner! LOL Here is a pic of my new toy: Now I just need to learn how to use it (And get use to all the new features and functions) And read through the 421 page manual! LOL
Well I had the D300 for a little over a week so I didn’t really get to test the full abilities of the camera, But here is my mini review …
Well I had the D300 for a little over a week so I didn’t really get to test the full abilities of the camera, But here is my mini review coming from a Canon shooter and this is comparing it with my previous cameras which have been a 300D, 20D, 40D, And 50D and a Fuji S2 Pro. What I liked The D300 had a really nice build quality, It felt very solid and well built, And it felt nice to hold, With a nice sized hand grip. The viewfinder was really nice, Big, Bright and covered 100% of the frame and it was easy to read the settings. The thing with Nikon cameras, Everything in the viewfinder is done using LCD, Rather then being etched like a Canon camera. So when you look through the viewfinder, You don’t see the AF point until the camera locks AF, Then the AF points will light up. There is also a on demand grid that can be turned on and off via the menus which is handy. With Canon if you want the grid, You will have to change the focusing screen. I had the EF-D Grid focusing screen on my 40D, But it was hard to read, And wasn’t as good at the Nikon on demand grid. Also, With the Nikon camera, When you take the battery out of the camera, The viewfinder goes really dark, But once you put the battery back in, It becomes bright again! This is due to the electronics used in the viewfinder. The D300 has allot more buttons then a Canon XXD series camera! This was nice because you don’t have to go through as many menus to access functions. The D300 offers Mirror lockup via a dial and not through the menus! Canon still haven’t managed to offer a Mirror lockup button yet! The AF Was fast and snappy and was good in low light. You have a setting on the back where you can select centre point, Choose the point you want, Or use all 51 points. You can also go into the menus and change the settings so the camera only uses 11 points for those times when you don’t need the full 51 points. You also have a setting on the front of the camera where you can select between Manual focus (When using manual focus lenses) Normal AF, And Continuous AF for when your shooting sports or anything that moves and you use AI tracking. The On/Off button was nice, Its right at your fingertip just under the shutter button, So you can turn the camera on and start shooting away. I personally don’t like the Canon XXD series On/Off button, Especially on the 40D and 50D where it would sometimes seem to stick and you have two settings, One that locks the rear control wheel, And one that gives your full access to the control wheel. Sometimes you accidentally switch it to the half way point, And you loose access to the rear wheel (The aperture controls) which can be annoying! The thing I missed though is the rear control wheel (The aperture wheel) On the Canon, I didn’t like the two scroll wheels on the Nikon. With the Nikon though, You can change which wheel controls the Aperture and the shutter speed, And which direction you want to turn the wheel to make the settings go up and down, So you can customise it to your liking via the menus. Nikon offer a setting called “Active D lighting” Which brings out shadow detail when shooing high contrast scenes, You can select from 4 settings, these are, Off, Low, Normal, And High Depending on the scene your shooting. The Canon 50D also offers a similar feature, But it wasn’t as effective as the Nikon system. High ISO performance on the D300 was pretty good for a APS-C camera, But ISO 6400 was noisy and would only be good for smaller prints. The D300 was allot better then the 50D though, The high ISO performance on the 50D was very disappointing, And almost useless at 6400 and 12800. The LCD screen on the D300 was really nice! Very bright and clear to read. Nikon offers a plastic screen protector to keep the screen protected from scratches and smudges etc. I think the D300’s screen was slightly better then the 50D screen, But the 50D’s screen was also nice and clear to read. The 40D’s screen was not that great because of it’s low resolution, And images appeared soft. The menu system on the Nikon camera was good, But the best menu system I’ve used so far has been on the 20D because you could just scroll through each page by turning the rear control wheel, While all the other cameras you have to select the page, Then scroll through the pages to find the settings you want. / The D300’s settings were easy to find and there are heaps of options to select from, Much more then what is on offer by Canon in their XXD series cameras! With the D300, You can change the white balance settings after you’ve taken the shot in camera! You can compare the changes, And also revert back to the first setting if you don’t like the changes, And you can save a copy of the photo, So you can have different versions of the same shot with different settings. You can also do multi exposure shots in camera with the D300, But I didn’t get a chance to try out that feature. You can also change the white balance settings via the menus, Via a top button. The metering was good on the D300, And you can select the metering mode via a small dial next to the viewfinder. The memory card door was really nice on the D300, You open it via a switch and it pops open and felt more solid then the cheap feeling Canon memory card doors. Liveview mode was good on the D300, With two options, Hand held where the mirror would flip down to gain AF, Then flip back up, Or Tripod mode where it would use contrast detect AF. The Live view mode was better then the 40D, But I found the 50D to be a bit better, With a better contrast detect AF then on the D300. The shutter was nice and responsive, And the mirror slap wasn’t to loud, I think the worse camera so far has been the 20D, Which was really loud when it came to mirror slap. All the cameras though have had minimal shutter lag, And the D300 was ready to shoot as soon as your turned the camera on. The lens mount took a bit of getting use to, Nikon lenses screw onto the mount in the opposite direction to Canon cameras. It’s only a minor thing, But after shooting with Canon cameras for the last 4 years it was something I was unaware of (Note, I’ve had a Fuji S2Pro for a few months, So the D300 wasn’t my first Nikon mount SLR). The viewfinder provides lots of information, Far more then what you get on a Canon XXD series camera, And also the battery information is very comprehensive with statistics on the performance of each battery etc, Canon has introduced a similar system with the upcoming 5DMkII So I will comment on that when I write up my 5DMkII review in a few weeks. What I didn’t like The thing I didn’t like on the D300 was the two scroll wheels to change the shutter/aperture, I find that the way Canon have set up the scroll wheel near the shutter release, And the large rear control wheel on the back to be quicker, Especially when it comes to changing aperture settings. With the D300, I found I had to turn the wheel allot to get the settings I wanted or to make slight changes (I had it set up to on 1/2 f/ stops and shutter speeds rather then the 1/3 default settings) and the Nikon scroll wheels seemed to be a bit to sensitive when trying to make fine adjustments to shutter/aperture settings. I also found trying to change the “Mode” Settings to be a bit troublesome, You had to press the Mode button and spin the scroll wheel to change the settings, With the Canon XXD and 5 series cameras you have a top control wheel where you can select your shooting mode. It’s only a minor thing, But having to hold the button down and scroll was a bit troublesome IMHO. Manually selecting AF points was also a bit slow because you had to navigate using the AF point selector pad on the back of the camera, With the Canon cameras you can use the joystick or the rear control wheel to select your desired AF point. The thing that I also don’t like on Nikon camera is the lack of a “True” ISO 100 setting, Sure you can “Boost” the ISO down to ISO 100, But it’s not the same as having a true ISO 100 setting. allot of my work I do I want to use slow shutter speeds, And the lower ISO settings means I don’t have to get the neutral density filters out as much, And with the APS-C sensors, You really can’t stop the lens down to much due to the diffraction limits on the crop sensors. The Lens I had the 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 VR Lens which was a decent lens considering it’s a “Consumer Grade” lens, I did try out the Canon 18-200 IS when looking at the 50D in the shops, And I can say that the Nikon version is better built, And has faster AF due to the AF-S focusing motor. VR was a good addition, However I found it to be only good for about 2 f/ stops of handholdabilty While Nikon claims it to be effective to 4 f/ stops. The lens was nice and light weight, Which is partly due to it being made of allot of plastic, But it’s good plastics. The lens is a “G” series lens, So you don’t get the aperture ring. It lens was compact when it was at it’s 18mm setting, And wasn’t really that long at the 200mm setting, But as you would expect from a 11x zoom, The barrel did extend quite a bit. The front of the lens doesn’t rotate, So using a Polarising filter isn’t a hassle. The lens had a metal mount, Unlike the Canon version which has a plastic lens mount. My copy of the lens didn’t show any signs of zoom creep which has been widely reported, And the zoom ring was nice and tight. My copy seemed ok for sharpness, It was a little soft at 200mm, But that is to be expected from a consumer grade lens, And from a super zoom lens. I found the colours seemed weren’t that good though, But then again, I’ve been shooting with Canon L series lenses for the last 4 years, So it’s a bit of a unfair comparison. The 18-200 VR was a good lens considering it was a 11x consumer zoom lens, It would make a great travel/walkabout lens, But I wouldn’t really use it for serious stuff, Especially if you plan on making large prints. D300 Vs 50D The Nikon D300 was a nice camera, Well built, And a much better buy then the Canon 50D. It may only have 12mp, But with the Canon 15mp sensor, You really need to be using top quality lenses. My sharp L series lenses were struggling with the resolution from the 50D! If your looking at a Semi Pro/Pro APS-C camera and shoot allot of sports/wildlife etc the D300 would proberly be the best camera on the market, It is very good value for money! So why am I going back to Canon? The downside of the Nikon system is the cost of good quality lenses. The Nikon “Gold Ring” lenses are very expensive, And then there is the fact that Nikon don’t offer allot of the lenses that Canon do (Fast primes with USM/AF-S, f/4 Pro grade lenses, Lack of AF-S in many of their lenses etc) For the type of shooting I do, I don’t need the expense, Size, And weight of a bag full of f/2.8 zoom lenses. I also prefer the feel and handling of the Canon bodies, I guess this is because I’ve been use to shooting with the Canon EOS system for so long, Having owned a variety of digital and film SLR’s over the past 5 years. Nikons current full framed lens lineup is also very limited, Sure you can buy used lenses etc, But for someone who wants to buy new lenses that are comparable with full framed cameras, You will have to either buy some average performing consumer grade lenses, Or fork out big bucks for top quality f/2.8 “Gold ring” lenses, Or buy primes. Nikon’s “Gold ring” lenses are also much more expensive then the Canon equivalents. So at the end of the day, I’m going back to Canon for the lenses really. But I think the 5DMkII is the perfect camera for what I shoot, Which is mainly landscapes anyway, So having 51 AF points isn’t to much of a benefit for me personally, And I prefer the viewfinders from a Full framed camera. And having a true ISO 100 with a boost down to ISO 50 is also beneficial to me and my style of photography, And having 21mp at my disposal also means I can make really large prints, Or make really high resolution stitched photos when I need to, Or just shoot at 10mp for general photography. My Conclusion While I did enjoy playing around with the D300 and taking a walk over to “The Dark Side” I just miss my Canon cameras and lenses to much to commit to a complete switch over, And the large investment in lenses that I won’t see the full benefits from (Why buy f/2. lenses when I’m shooting stopped down most of the time?) And the lack of AF-S on allot of the lenses (eg. 80-400 VR vs 100-400 IS) make me want to stick with the Canon system. Nikon’s consumer lens line is better then Canon’s though, Unfortunately a majority of those lenses are in the “DX” format and won’t be fully compatible with a Full framed Nikon camera (You can still shoot in DX crop mode, But it will be at a loss of resolution) If you plan on sticking with the DX format and your only looking at consumer grade lenses, Then the Nikon system might be worth a deeper look. So in conclusion, If your new to the game and are looking at buying your first camera, Look into the lens systems and weigh out the pros and cons from each system. And thats just my 2 cents! I hope you’ve enjoyed my mini review and outlook into the pros and cons between the two major d/SLR brands. Stay tuned for my 5DMkII Mini review in a couple of weeks.
With the new year starting I thought it’d be a good idea to have a look at how I’ve been shooting over the past year or so . For about…
With the new year starting I thought it’d be a good idea to have a look at how I’ve been shooting over the past year or so . For about the last 4 years I had been using a Nikon D70, I upgraded to a Nikon D300 in August 2008 … 61.63% of the shots currently in my Lightroom catalog were taken with the D70. and already 38.36% with the D300 (I think I’ve been bracketing much more and done a few more sports events) Lenses: 29.93% with the Sigma 10 – 20 mm / 27.94% with the Nikon 18 – 70 mm / 1.86% with the Nikon 50 mm 1.8 / and 40.25% with the Nikon 70 – 300 VR The most used aperture is f 8.0 followed by f 10.0 and shutter speed 1/500 of a sec. Its also obvious that I tend to stick to ISO 200 as much as possible, though that has changed a little with the D300. The 70 – 300 and 1/500 shutter speed can probably also be attributed to sports shooting. So now what? Not sure at this stage, but I’m hoping to get out some more and attempt a few more panoramas, as well as trying a few things from strobist ... 2009 should be an interesting year!
Anyone owing a D300 may be interested in a small collection of Tips and Tricks...
Anyone owing a D300 may be interested in a small collection of Tips and Tricks
Hello All - I haven’t been contributing too much to my gallery or groups lately – but that is about to CHANGE! My New Nikon D300 is…
Hello All - I haven’t been contributing too much to my gallery or groups lately – but that is about to CHANGE! My New Nikon D300 is coming today! I cannot wait! Got some killer glass coming too! Looking forward to a whole new world! Steve
Wow! This is fun! Tons of little boxes and manuals…software and packing materials. Oh, and I got some lenses & a flash too! SI102…
Wow! This is fun! Tons of little boxes and manuals…software and packing materials. Oh, and I got some lenses & a flash too! SI102045DNAF 1 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX-DC HSM f/NIKON AF / NI5014DAF 1 Normal AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D Autofocus Lens / NISB900 1 SB-900 AF SPEEDLIGHT / NI168535VR 1 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 G-VR DX LENS This is more camera than I’ve ever held in my hand before. Feels very much like age 12, alone in my room that fateful night with a 16 yr old friend of my sister…. / Yeah – it’s like that. :) Steve
A few weeks ago I picked my self up a Nikon / Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f1.8G-...
A few weeks ago I picked my self up a Nikon / Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f1.8G I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m really enjoying this lens. It’s funny how a new toy / gear can inspire you to get out there and shoot more. Why did I pick it up? The 35mm has a similar FOV on my D300 (thanks John!) to the classic normal lens 50mm on 35 mm full frame camera. I find the AF 50mm f1.8 I have too long to use for much of what I shoot. It’s also compact and light, so my friends tend to cringe a little less when the camera is pointed at them. Finally its fast, so I can bump the ISO up and get some low light shots with out having to resort to using a flash. / f2.8 , 1/13 sec, ISO 1600 This one has been processed in Light room, but I like it anyway. Taken just a few days after I picked up the lens. / / f2.0, 1/100 sec, ISO 3200 If I get the chance I will post a few test shots later …
Adobe has released support for D300 & D3000 Nikons to use ACR 5.5: Just click the …
Adobe has released support for D300 & D3000 Nikons to use ACR 5.5: Just click the link to download the free plug in for PhotoShop. Raw is a great addition for processing your Raw photos.
I finally got the opportunity to get out and have a play with my new Canon EOS 7D today so I thought I would just write about my first im…
I finally got the opportunity to get out and have a play with my new Canon EOS 7D today so I thought I would just write about my first impressions. I will write a review once I’ve used the camera for a while and try out all the features. This is definitely the best Canon camera I’ve owned, and as good as the Nikon D300 I had. The 7D is very well designed! The pictures right out of the camera really pop! Great colours and lots of detail. It reminds me of the great picture quality I got from my 5DMkII. The autofocus works great, and you can now choose “Zone focusing” where you can select a few AF points from the 19 point layout rather then use all the AF points, or having to manually select a single point, a great feature! The viewfinder is allot better then the previous Canon crop sensor cameras, and I would say it’s very similar to the 5DMkII in size, and it now covers 100% of the frame so you can see everything that will be captured in the final photo. / The new Viewfinder grid is great! Really helps with composition and getting straight horizons. There is also a electronic level built into the camera, but I haven’t used it yet (haven’t shot on my tripod with the 7D yet). The 18-135 IS lens is a nice walkabout lens on the 7D and looks pretty sharp from all the photos I’ve taken with it today, The only thing I found was, it vignettes slightly at the telephoto end (You can also see the vignetting in the viewfinder too when your zooming!) but it’s very easy to correct, and in most cases, you won’t notice it. The autofocus is decent, but not as good as one of the Ultrasonic motor lenses. There is a real manual focus ring on this lens, but it’s not a full time manual focus ring (You have to switch the lens into MF mode to manual focus) and the ring turns when the camera auto focuses. The front element doesn’t rotate though, so using a polarising filter isn’t a problem. Overall, I’m very impressed with the camera and lens combo. I will upload a few photos once I’ve sorted them out, so keep a lookout in my folio.
A couple of months ago I picked up a Nikon / Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f1.8G...
A couple of months ago I picked up a Nikon / Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f1.8G and it has hardly left the camera since. The shine hasn’t warn off this new toy just yet! This week end I took the D300 and 35 1.8 to a local gig I’m more than happy with the results, so I thought I’d post a few here. Most of the shots were shot at ISO 3200, f2.5 – 2.8, 1/100 s. I also used a feature I never really thought I’d use on my camera … live view! It’s very handy when shooting over your head, even if it is much slower than the normal auto focus. More on my Flickr page The band is Oryus
Now that I’ve had the chance to use my EOS 7D and get familiar with the new camera, here is my mini review. The Body Canon have…
Now that I’ve had the chance to use my EOS 7D and get familiar with the new camera, here is my mini review. The Body Canon have done a great job with the build quality with the 7D, it’s very solid, and well built, and it feels somewhat better then the XXD series. The camera is about the same size as a 5DMkII and feels very comfortable to hold. The body kind of reminds me of my old Nikon D300, and Canon have now made all the rear buttons larger (Similar in size as what you get on a Nikon body) and they have also worked on the sensitivity of the buttons. To delete a photo, you need to press down hard on the delete button, I’m assuming this is to prevent accidentally deleting your photos. Canon have now got rid of the 2 step on/off button found on the XXD series and on the 5DMkII and now have a separate rear control wheel lock button, and the on/off switch has now been moved to the top left corner, under the mode wheel. I find that the new location of the on/off switch is a bit annoying, now you need 2 hands to turn on/off the camera which could mean you might miss critical shots, and I’ve also found myself accidentally leaving the camera switched on. I would have preferred Canon have either left the on/off switch near where it was originally located, or put the on/off switch around the shutter button just like Nikon does. But it’s only a minor annoyance, and I guess over time I will get use to the new position. The CF door and battery door latches are much better on the 7D then the XXD and 5D series, and feels as good as the Nikon D300. A nice improvement over the flimsy doors they used on previous models and adds to the quality of this body. The Viewfinder This would have to be one of the biggest stand out features on the 7D, the new viewfinder is massive! It’s allot bigger,brighter and clearer then any other Canon crop camera by far! I would say it’s about as big as the 5DMkII’s viewfinder, and it covers 100% of the frame (5DMkII only covers 97% of the frame). The 7D now uses the same eyepiece as you get on a 1 series camera, and this is the first time I’ve used the stock eyepiece cover on a Canon camera! I wear glasses, and I find the 7D’s viewfinder to see though, and easy to read the viewfinder information. I had some problems being able to read the viewfinder info when I was shooting with my 5DMkII, but I don’t have any issues with the 7D, even when shooting when out in bright daylight. Canon have now followed Nikon, and now offers a transmissive LCD viewfinder. You can now add a viewfinder grid, turn on/off the spot metering circle, and the AF points are not shown when not in use, so if your shooting in single AF point mode, only the selected AF point will be shown, and when you select all 19 AF points mode, only the AF points that are used will show up. There is also a mode that allows you to view a spirit level in the viewfinder using the AF points to help you to get your camera level. Autofocus The new Autofocus system is a nice improvement over the 9 point AF system on the XXD and 5D series cameras. All 19 AF points are cross type, with a double cross centre AF point for extra precision. Low light AF is good, and the camera seems to lock focus quickly. AI AF seems quick and accurate, I’ve read some reports of some issues with the tracking AF in Servo mode, but I haven’t seen any issues so far and my camera seems to lock focus well on fast moving objects and keeps them all in focus. To select the AF points and mode, you press a rear button on the rear of the camera and then use either the multi controller joystick or rear control wheel to select a individual AF point. To select the mode, you press the AF button on the rear, and then press the M-fn button and select the AF mode from all 19 points, User selected point, or AF zone. Canon have now introduced a new feature called “Zone focusing” where you can select from a selection of AF points, rather then having to manually select each individual AF point, or use all 19 AF points. ou can select either 4 points Outer most point plus the next 3, and this can be selected in either LH, Top, RH, or bottom AF points, you can also select the centre 9 AF points. The camera can also automatically detect when you switch from landscape to portrait orientation when using one of the outer zone modes, and select the same zone when you switch orientation, for example, if you were using the left hand side zone in landscape orientation and then switched to portrait orientation, the camera will select the left hand side zone (Which would have been the top zone in landscape orientation) which would now be the left hand zone in portrait orientation. This means you don’t have to reselect the AF zone again, and then switch back when you start shooting in landscape orientation again. There is also a custom function which allows you to use “Spot Autofocus” which works like single AF point, but allows for even more accurate focusing. And another custom function allows you to “Expand” AF points when shooting in single point mode, it will also select surrounding AF points, which is useful when your using tracking AF with 1 point, but need the extra AF assistance. Shutter and drive mode The shutter on the 7D is not to loud, it does have a bit of a strange kind of plasticy sound, it’s hard to describe, but it’s not loud which is great if you don’t want to draw to much attention to yourself. There are 3 drive modes, these are: Single shot, Low speed drive, which allows you to shoot at 3 frames per second, and High speed drive which allows you to shoot at 8 frames per second! There are also 2 self timer modes, one mode has a 2 second delay, and the other mode has a 10 second delay. The Mode Wheel Finally Canon have got rid of those stupid basic automatic modes that nobody ever uses! The mode wheel is pretty much the same as the one you find on the 5DMkII, with 3 user customised modes (C1, C2, C3). The only thing I don’t like is the dedicated B Bulb exposure mode. This means if you want to shoot longer then a 30 second exposure, you now have to select the B mode rather then go from 30 seconds to Bulb exposure on the XXD and XXXD series cameras. The same B mode is found on the 5D series cameras too. The LCD The rear LCD now doesn’t have the black border around it, and it looks smaller then other cameras, but it is still the same fantastic 920,000 dot pixel screen found on the 50D/5DMkII/500D. Nice resolution, and easy to read, even under bright daylight. A real pleasure to work with! The 7D features the auto LCD brightness sensor that is also found on the 5DMkII which can automatically adjust the screens brightness to suit the lighting conditions your shooting under. You can also manually adjust the screens brightness if you prefer not to use the auto adjustment mode. The top LCD is the same as you would find in a XXD series camera, I would like to see Canon do what Nikon does, and offer a custom function to let you have the top LCD light to stay on permanently via a custom function when shooting at night! I can’t see the timer when shooting bulb exposures, and to see the timer, you either have to press the light button (At the risk of shaking the camera during the exposure) or shine a light onto the screen to see the timer (At risk of ruining your photo with stray light). I would also like to see a timer displayed on the rear LCD screen just like the one found on the 500D which was very useful! The 7D now features a electronic spirit level which can be displayed on the rear LCD to help you get your camera level which is a welcomed feature! Video mode The video mode on the 7D is great! You get full manual controls over shutter speed and aperture (Just like the 5DMkII with the latest firmware update) but you can also select the video frame rates, in 1080P you can select from 30 fps or 24 fps, and in 720P mode you can select up to 50 or 60 fps! The 7D now has a dedicated liveview/video button (You can switch between Live view and video recording mode) and it has a button to start/stop recording video. I prefer this style over the 500D which had a dedicated video mode in the basic modes via the mode wheel. The video quality looks great too! It seems to look better then the quality on the 500D, but I think it’s because I now have full manual control over the video settings, while the 500D was controlled by the camera, with only slight adjustments possible. Customisation Galore! The EOS 7D is the most customisable Canon body I’ve used! Canon now gives you the option to program buttons to serve different functions to suit your shooting style. For example: The rear control wheel can now be programmed to control the shutter speed setting, and the top wheel controls the aperture. You can change the direction the shutter speed from left to right, or right to left to suit your personal preference. The buttons that can be programmed are: The aperture and shutter controls, The Info button, AF-On Button, The rear joystick, The shutter button, The Depth of field preview button, The lens AF button, The “Set” button, the M-Fn button and the AF point selection button. They can all serve a variety of different functions which are all user programmable. The 7D now features a “Quick Control” button on the rear, which allows you to control camera settings on the rear of the screen (Similar to the EOS 500D). You can change shutter speeds, aperture, ISO, AF mode, Picture styles, white balance, metering mode, auto lighting optimiser, picture quality settings, focus mode, drive mode, and camera customisation mode. It also displays all your settings on the rear LCD. You can now also add personal information and copyright information which will be applied to all Exif data on all your photos. This amount of customisation reminds me allot of the Nikon D300, and makes this camera a real pleasure to work with! Picture quality The picture quality on the 7D is great, there seems to be something different from the 7D though, colours seems richer and the picture quality seems more vibrant then any other Canon camera I’ve used, it’s very similar to the 5DMkII’s output, and photos taken right out of the camera requires very little post production work to get the best from the files! ISO quality The high ISO performance on the 7D is really good, ISO 3200 is very clean and very usable, even at ISO 6400, the files are still usable with a bit of noise reduction applied. Photos taken at ISO 12,800 would still be useful for small prints or for publishing on the internet. The high ISO performance is allot better then the EOS 50D! The dual Digic IV processors work very well at keeping high ISO noise under control, and the 7D would have to be the best crop sensored camera I’ve used at high ISO’s, and has similar performance as the 5D2 up to ISO 3200 (5DMkII is still better above ISO 3200, but only slightly, and you would expect that due to the size difference between the APS-C and Fullframe sensors). The 18mp files are full of detail, and give you heaps of room for cropping, and for making large prints. I’m looking forward to printing up some large poster sized prints with this camera! Conclusion Overall I am very impressed with the EOS 7D, it is the best Canon camera I’ve owned so far (I’ve owned a 300D, 20D, 40D, 50D, 5DMkII, 500D, and now the 7D) and I would say that the 7D is very similar to the Nikon D300 in many ways, actually my first impressions was Canon had copied Nikon when designing the 7D! LOL It’s a fantastic camera, and definitely worth upgrading from one of the XXD series cameras, and the video is great too, with full manual controls and a nice selection of different usable shutter speeds, great if your looking at shooting full 1080p video without having to buy a 5DMkII. The EOS 7D is a feature packed camera, with great picture quality and a great addition to the Canon lineup! I will post a follow up to this review in a few months time, in the meantime, keep a eye out on my folio for photos taken with my EOS 7D.
I had a Nikon D90 earlier this year but never got around to writing my mini review for the camera when I had it, so here it is now! T…
I had a Nikon D90 earlier this year but never got around to writing my mini review for the camera when I had it, so here it is now! The Nikon D90 is Nikon’s “Enthusiast” model which fits in between the D5000 high end entry level model and the Semi pro D300 and would be the equivalent to Canon’s XXD series. The D90 was also the first d/SLR to feature video. The Nikon D90 features a 12.3 megapixel 1.5x crop sensor, and ISO range from 100-6400. The Body The Nikon D90, like it’s predecessors has a plastic (polycarbonate) body with a metal chassis. The build quality was very good though! Probably the best plastic bodied camera I’ve owned, and very well built. Nikon covers most of the plastic up with rubber, so it doesn’t feel plasticky, and the camera feels very solid. The D90 is also light weight compared to a similar sized body made from metal such as the Canon EOS 50D or the Pentax K20D. The buttons and switches are well layed out, and there are allot of external controls which means you don’t have to go into the menu system as much as the lower end Nikon bodies. You can also customise allot of the buttons and assign functions to suit your shooting style and personal preferences. The Nikon D90 has a built in AF motor, which means that Nikon’s screw driven AF lenses will autofocus on the D90 unlike the lower end bodies which don’t feature a built in AF motor and will only autofocus with the Nikon AF-S lenses with the built in autofocus motor, or the 3rd party lenses which feature a lens based AF motor. The D90 will also work with the AF-S lenses too. The D90 features a self cleaning sensor which is designed to reduce dust build up on the sensor (you might still get some dust build up though). The built in flash can also be used as a flash trigger for the Nikon creative lighting system (CLS) so you can use compatible Nikon external flashes off the camera body. The Viewfinder The Nikon D90 features a pentaprism viewfinder which is bigger and brighter then the lower end Nikon bodies, and is the same type found on most mid – high end d/SLR’s. The Nikon D90’s viewfinder covers 96% of the frame. The viewfinder is a good size too, and looking through it doesn’t give you that “Tunnel vision” feel that you get with the lower end models and is similar the the viewfinder on a Canon 40D/50D. There is allot of information displayed in the viewfinder which is great to see, and means you don’t need to look at one of the LCD screens as much when you need to look at camera settings. Autofocus The Nikon D90 features a 11 point autofocus system which covers a nice range across the viewfinder which makes composing off centre objects easier. Low light autofocus performance is good with very little hunting and the camera being able to lock focus quite easily. Unfortunately the D90 only has 1 cross type AF point (the centre AF point) compared to the Canon 40D/50D which offers all 9 of it’s AF points with the cross type points, but the D90 still performed well. The tracking focus worked well too, the camera locked focus and performed well when shooting fast moving objects and did very well considering it doesn’t have the added advantage of having the cross type AF points. There is also the option to use contrast detect autofocus when shooting in live view mode, but it’s very slow and Nikon recommends that you use a tripod when shooting in this mode. I tried it once, but it was much to slow to be of any use. Shutter and drive mode The shutter on the D90 was not to loud which means you won’t be attracting to much attention every time you take a photo. The Nikon D90 offers 3 drive modes which are, Single shot, Low speed continuous shooting (1-4 frames per second) and a high speed continuous shooting mode (4.5 frames per second). There is also a self timer mode. The Mode Wheel The D90 offers a similar mode wheel to most mid range d/SLR’s which offers the full range of manual settings, as well as a “Basic Zone” for beginners. The LCD The Nikon D90 features the same high resolution 920,000 dot pixel LCD screen featured on the D300, D700, D3 and D3x models and is allot better then the low resolution 230,000 dot pixel screens on the D5000 and D3000. The screen is big, bright and clear, and is useful for reviewing photos, and is useful for manual focusing when shooting in live view mode. The Nikon D90 also offers a top LCD screen which displays all your camera settings. Nikon also put in a custom function which allows you to keep the backlit LCD light to stay on permanently while the custom function is enabled, which makes working in the dark easier since you don’t need to keep pressing the top LCD light switch. Nikon also offers all the camera information that is viewable on the top LCD screen on the back of the camera which is useful when shooting at night so you can easily see all your camera settings. Nikon also provides a plastic LCD cover with the D90 to protect the rear LCD from scratches and smudges etc. Video Mode The Nikon D90 offers HD video recording, but it’s only in 720p and not full 1080p HD video which is currently only offered on Canon d/SLR’s. The video quality is still good and is great for shooting video clips while out taking photos. There are allot of limitations though, you will need to manually focus your lenses (The contrast detect mode is erratic and very slow) Nikon doesn’t offer much in the way of manual controls either, and the only adjustments that can be made are just exposure compensation. There have been some rumours that Nikon is working on a firmware update which will give D90 users manual video controls, but I don’t think manual video controls will be offered until the D90 replacement. The audio quality is ok, but the D90 only records in mono, and the built in microphone picks up allot of stray sound such as the lenses AF (If your trying to use contrast detect focusing) the sound of the VR motor (when using VR lenses) and the sound of your hands if your trying to manually focus the lens when shooting video. Nikon doesn’t offer a external microphone input port on the D90. Picture Quality The Nikon D90 uses the same 12.3 megapixel sensor as the D300, and picture quality is about the same. The sensor offers nice colours and a good dynamic range and the ability to produce decent sized prints. The D90 has a ISO range of 200-3200 and offers ISO 100 and ISO 6400 with ISO expansion. There is also a auto ISO mode which works well if you prefer the camera to choose the ISO settings for you. The D90 performs well up to around ISO 3200 with a bit of noise reduction, and ISO 6400 is still usable for web or small prints with noise reduction applied. Nikon D90 vs Nikon D300 The Nikon D90 offers allot of the features from the D300 in a more user friendly body and a more affordable package. The D90 would suit someone who is either just starting out, or moving up from a lower end d/SLR and doesn’t want or need all the features that the D300 offers. The D300 has a better built body, being made of metal and offering some weather sealing. The D300 also has a 100% viewfinder and also offers 51 AF points vs the 11 points on the D90. The D300 also has a higher frame rate, and a bigger buffer which is useful for those that shoot allot of action in high speed drive mode. Picture quality wise, the D90 is pretty much identical to the D300. The D90 offers video, the D300 doesn’t (But the new D300s does). If you shoot allot of action, sports, birds etc, the D300 would be the better choice, if your just looking for a all round camera and don’t do allot of high speed photography then the D90 would be a great choice. Nikon D90 vs Canon EOS 500D I get asked this question allot! The Nikon D90 is a higher end model over the Canon 500D. The Nikon D90 offers more features and customisation over the 500D, and also a better build quality and better viewfinder. The 500D is smaller then the D90, and is also lighter, the 500D also offers 1080p Full HD video recording capabilities, but just like the D90, video recording capabilities are limited. Picture quality from both cameras are good, The 500D offers ISO 12,800 which is one stop more then the D90. The 500D also offers 3 more mega pixels which is great if you want to make large prints, and also offers the ability to crop your photos down a bit more. Both cameras are great and I would recommend that you look into the lenses and accessories that are offered from Canon and Nikon and look at what type of photography you do, and what you might expect to do in the future to determine which camera system you want to invest into. Nikon D90 vs Canon EOS 50D The D90 competes well up against the 50D, offering similar features at a cheaper price then the 50D. The Nikon D90 offers better picture quality, especially at ISO’s above ISO 800 where the 50D gets noisy. The D90 offers more customisation then the 50D and also has Video recording capabilities which the 50D lacks. The 50D has a slightly better build quality being made of metal vs the plastic body on the D90. The 50D also has some “Weather sealing” but it’s nothing more then a couple foam strips around the memory card and battery doors. The 50D uses compact flash cards (CF), the D90 uses Secure digital cards (SD). Some prefer one or the other, if your upgrading from a compact camera you might already have invested in SD cards which you could use on the D90, but would mean you would have to invest in some CF cards if you choose the 50D and don’t already have some. Which would I choose? I would choose the D90 over the 50D. The D90 was a much nicer camera to use, the picture quality was much better then the 50D, and it’s cheaper then the 50D! If you want a Canon get the 500D instead. But as I said when comparing the D90 with the 500D, I would recommend you look into both camera systems before making your final decision. Conclusion The Nikon D90 is a very good value camera and offers enough features to keep most photographers busy. Picture quality is good, the build quality is also very good, and the amount of features offered should be enough for most casual shooters and is definitely worth adding to the list for those looking at buying their first d/SLR, or upgrading from one of the lower end Nikon d/SLR’s.
I was going though my folio seeing which were the most popular art of 09 and possibly doing a bit of a end of year clean up, I noticed a …
I was going though my folio seeing which were the most popular art of 09 and possibly doing a bit of a end of year clean up, I noticed a few pieces that seemed to have gone unnoticed with no comments, and not many views. Before I remove these works forever, I thought I would show you all the work that has gone unnoticed. Smoky Sunrise Over Jandakot Airport Pelican Point – Perth Western Australia Matilda Bay Jetties At Dawn Rockingham Jetty Swan River Sunset Claisebrook Cove Night Panorama Perth City At Night Perth City Panorama Burswood Casino At Sunset Shelley Jetty At Dusk North Beach Dusk Panorama 2 Fremantle Docks At Night Panorama Western Australia Maritime Museum Building Western Australia Maritime Museum Building Low Tide At Mosman Bay Boatsheds Mosman Bay Boatsheds Panorama Mosman Bay At Sunrise Panorama Mosman Bay Boatsheds Panorama And then the rain came down….. Crawley Edge Boatshed Storm Surge Mosman Bay Jetty At Dawn Mosman Bay Boatshed Jetty Mundaring Weir Mundaring Weir Pemberton Vineyard Panorama Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs At Sunset Kalbarri Beach Kalbarri Beach Decoy At Sunrise Perth City Towers At Sunset Perth At Dawn Perth The City Of Lights Perth Skyworks 2009 – Panorama #1 Perth Skyworks 2009 Finale Bowl Of Red Capsicums Bowl Of Noodles Point Walter – Long Exposure Perth Wheel Panorama Perth Wheel Lancelin Sand Dune Champion Lakes Foothills Champion Lake Champion Lake Panorama 1 Tree At Sunset Farm Trees At Sunset Matilda Bay Brewery Panorama
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