Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | Nikon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

end

Archive 2014 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

scottam10
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

You've taken on a serious challenge; shooting birds with a long lens is one of the toughest areas of photography; it demands very good technique that will only come with practice, and it's not fair to compare yourself to the results shown by people with lots of experience

Keep practicing, you're making good progress

Jan 19, 2014 at 09:27 PM

Enkuero
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Kell wrote:
just curious, why mess with adjusting iso instead of just setting a minimum ss ?

i handheld the camera, low ISO on a cloudy day will give me less speed that's right i have blurry pictures, increasing the ISO will give me more speed and less camera shakes.


	© Enkuero 2014

Jan 19, 2014 at 11:30 PM

Christian H
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

It's also worth keeping in mind that being fairly close to your subjects makes a big difference. The closer you are, the more detail the sensor records. Teleconverters and/or a longer lens add reach but can't fully compensate for getting close. Don't underestimate the degree to which atmospheric disturbances (a.k.a heat shimmer) can degrade image quality when shooting up (warm air near the ground, colder air further up, or vice versa) or across any surface with drastic temperature variations, like a sunny field on a winter day or a lake. The greater the distance, the greater the distorting effects of the air column.

Jan 20, 2014 at 06:42 AM

Kell
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Enkuero wrote:
i handheld the camera, low ISO on a cloudy day will give me less speed that's right i have blurry pictures, increasing the ISO will give me more speed and less camera shakes.

I'm just saying set the miminum shutter speed to what you need and the camera will raise the iso to maintain that....easy peasy

should add to save you some reading/time but it's all in the manual....set the maximum iso in the same ISO sensitivity menu (in general it seems 3200 for that camera but depends on how discriminating/tolerable your preferences are, I use 6400 on my FF) the cam will only start dropping the ss if it exceeds your max iso setting..shooting Aperture priority wide open is a good start to complement this set up

Edited on Jan 20, 2014 at 09:46 AM · View previous versions

Jan 20, 2014 at 09:07 AM

MitchSC
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Kell wrote:
I'm just saying set the miminum shutter speed to what you need and the camera will raise the iso to maintain that....easy peasy

+1
I normally set my minimum SS to 1250 for BIF
Take a test shot to determine if EV needs adjusting.

For stationary subjects (especially in forested areas) use center weighted or spot metering to get correct ISO and EV. I adjust my SS down to keep ISO decent. But it's better to have a non- blurry grainy picture. Than a blurry non-grainy picture.. It depends on how steady and particular you are.

Jan 20, 2014 at 09:28 AM

Red Rover
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

...set the maximum iso in the same ISO sensitivity menu (in general it seems 3200 for that camera but depends on how discriminating/tolerable your preferences are, I use 6400 on my FF) the cam will only start dropping the ss if it exceeds your max iso setting..shooting Aperture priority wide open is a good start to complement this set up

Or, set Auto ISO as stated and shoot in manual. You will get the exact SS and aperture you desire and the ISO will be the only setting that adjusts.

Jan 20, 2014 at 10:33 AM

ckcarr
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

It's actually easier to use "AUTO" under minimum shutter speed. It will compute what's needed based on your lens (if it's a Nikon lens). A 400mm lens should be 1/400. However, then drill in one step further and set the sliding scale over to the right a notch, and now it will become 1/800. One further becomes 1/1600 or so... Depending on the exposure the camera computes.

Jan 20, 2014 at 10:45 AM

Red Rover
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

I prefer to use manual to set 1/1250 as a constant and change the aperture manually to what I prefer for the shot, like f4, 5.6, 7.1 etc. The ISO will be the only variable and generally does not change much unless moving from bright sun to deep shade. In mixed light it works well.

Pop it into aperture priority and it will work as you described.

Jan 20, 2014 at 11:07 AM

Kell
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

ckcarr wrote:
It's actually easier to use "AUTO" under minimum shutter speed. It will compute what's needed based on your lens (if it's a Nikon lens). A 400mm lens should be 1/400. However, then drill in one step further and set the sliding scale over to the right a notch, and now it will become 1/800. One further becomes 1/1600 or so... Depending on the exposure the camera computes.

yup, really nice feature...doesn't work for me with my 70-200 for motorsports though, as even maxxing out the auto setting when zooming, say I'm at 70mm only puts it at 1/280 ss...and with VR for stills even the base auto setting is too high at times...bet the next upgrade they make is have the auto setting account for VR as well instead of FL specific....technology just keeps a rollin'

Jan 20, 2014 at 11:15 AM

DGC1
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

TC's are misunderstood by so many new to using them. They are designed to bring something that is close, even closer. They are not designed to bring something far away closer.

Jan 20, 2014 at 11:19 AM

ckcarr
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Well,
These are all just guidelines as everyone is different.
At dawn, or as the sun is sinking at day's end and your shooting critters, you just need to figure out what's best. But, going through all these exercises will get you very familiar with the camera.

Jan 20, 2014 at 11:20 AM

OccAeon
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Kell wrote:
yup, really nice feature...doesn't work for me with my 70-200 for motorsports though, as even maxxing out the auto setting when zooming, say I'm at 70mm only puts it at 1/280 ss...and with VR for stills even the base auto setting is too high at times...bet the next upgrade they make is have the auto setting account for VR as well instead of FL specific....technology just keeps a rollin'

You don't get good shots at 1/280 at 70mm? Then I think that it is your technique.

If you are looking to freeze motion, then it seems to me that you would want the same shutter speed regardless of the focal length, and you could just use the old-style auto ISO (set to whatever shutter speed you need).

Jan 20, 2014 at 11:40 AM

MitchSC
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

ckcarr wrote:
Well,
These are all just guidelines as everyone is different.
At dawn, or as the sun is sinking at day's end and your shooting critters, you just need to figure out what's best. But, going through all these exercises will get you very familiar with the camera.

Exactly. Have a good understanding of exposure. Read your camera manual and articles relating to your type of photography.Appreciate and listen to advice but take it with a grain of salt as to how it applies to you. Practice Practice Practice

Nice capture Enkuero of the Hawk being mobbed by the Crow

Edited on Jan 20, 2014 at 01:42 PM · View previous versions

Jan 20, 2014 at 12:10 PM

Andre Labonte
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Tough subjects and with long lenses wide open the DOF is not large. As others have already said, keep the shutter speed up as much as possible and practice a lot. I'll also add that a good monopod will help too. For BIF you need one that is taller than you and with a good tilt head, but what a difference it will make in your stability.

Jan 20, 2014 at 01:26 PM

Kell
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

OccAeon wrote:
You don't get good shots at 1/280 at 70mm? Then I think that it is your technique.

If you are looking to freeze motion, then it seems to me that you would want the same shutter speed regardless of the focal length, and you could just use the old-style auto ISO (set to whatever shutter speed you need).

no, I don't get good shots at 1/280 at 70 mm at National Motocross races with the fastest riders in the world, which is why I don't use this feature and set my minimum ss to 1/1000...for panning shots with slow ss I just change to Shutter priority and pick what ss I want

"doesn't work for me with my 70-200 for motorsports"

guess I should have said "wouldn't" instead of "doesn't" since I knew not to even try it

Edited on Jan 20, 2014 at 05:38 PM · View previous versions

Jan 20, 2014 at 01:32 PM

ckcarr
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Andre Labonte wrote:
Tough subjects and with long lenses wide open the DOF is not large. As others have already said, keep the shutter speed up as much as possible and practice a lot. I'll also add that a good monopod will help too. For BIF you need one that is taller than you and with a good tilt head, but what a difference it will make in your stability.

Good point, as a matter of fact, I just bought a monopod last week to try out. Will order a RRS monopod head in a day or two...

Been using tripods, but not always practical.

Jan 20, 2014 at 01:42 PM

trenchmonkey
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Handheld...one needs good long lens technique, or shoot static on sticks.

Either scenario, the results can be stunning with the AF-S 300 f4 and ANY body.

FWIW, fine tuning is unavailable on the 2nd pics D2Xs. Just sayin'...


	© riversbendphotography


	© riversbendphotography

Jan 20, 2014 at 06:44 PM

MitchSC
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

trenchmonkey wrote:
Handheld...one needs good long lens technique, or shoot static on sticks.

Either scenario, the results can be stunning with the AF-S 300 f4 and ANY body.

FWIF, fine tuning is unavailable on the 2nd pics D2Xs. Just sayin'...

Will,
My wife walked up behind me while I was admiring your pheasant shot. Her comment was "Wow ! Who shot that ?"
I have to agree. Wow!!!

Jan 20, 2014 at 07:07 PM

Jim Servies
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

@trench... Those are stunning!!

Jan 20, 2014 at 09:11 PM

trenchmonkey
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · why i dont get sharp photographs? nikon 300m f4

Thank you kindly, Mitch and Jim

Jan 21, 2014 at 06:02 AM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Nikon Forum \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.