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Archive 2016 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions

  
 
MN_Migrant
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


Not too long ago (2009-2013) I was shooting weddings to put myself through graduate school. For a majority of my work I used a Nikon D700 and the Nikon 24/1.4. During the reception I felt like I could see in the dark! I never really struggled with shooting the reception. In 2013 I sold off my gear to focus on my full time job. Turns out I missed shooting weddings so re-purchased gear to get back into it. I bought a D610, Sigma 35 art, and 58g. After working as a 2nd at four weddings now, I'm really struggling in dark churches, and especially receptions.

The D610 and 35 Art combination just doesn't see in the dark like the D700/24g. The combination does a lot of hunting for focus, and once I achieve focus the image often is front- or back-focused (even after adjustments using the USB dock). I'm also generally experiencing really variable exposure in darker spaces, but less so with the 58mm.

The D700 struggled in some situations, but never like this! Has the experience I described with the D610 / 35 art combination also been yours (or any combination of a D610 and the 35)? If so, I'm hoping you can share your insights and point me in the right direction.



Sep 25, 2016 at 11:47 PM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


I have a D600 (nearly the same camera, same AF system) and it is a dog in poor light. On paper, the D700 has the same AF sensitivity, but that doesn't really hold up in practice.




Sep 26, 2016 at 12:05 AM
heikoM
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


The D600/610 is totally crap in low light. Even when it locks on it very often backfocusses considerably.

Even Nikon acknowledged it and gave me a brand new D750 in exchange of a D600 because I complained about the AF.

The D600/610 is not a camera suitable for wedding photography.


heiko



Sep 26, 2016 at 01:39 AM
MN_Migrant
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


Thanks for this feedback. I'm still wondering if having a 35 ART attached to a D610 magnifies this problem. "I'm hearing" () on the internet that the ART lenses do struggle to focus, but this hasn't really been an issue with the 35. Thoughts?



Sep 26, 2016 at 08:29 AM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions




MN_Migrant wrote:
Thanks for this feedback. I'm still wondering if having a 35 ART attached to a D610 magnifies this problem. "I'm hearing" () on the internet that the ART lenses do struggle to focus, but this hasn't really been an issue with the 35. Thoughts?


Quite possible.



Sep 26, 2016 at 08:34 AM
MRomine
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


I think you got your answer regarding the D610 but before you give up on your 35 ART try renting a D750 and put it on that and see how it goes.


Sep 26, 2016 at 10:28 AM
eke2k6
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


I shoot in low light receptions and evening portraits very often. My D750 and 35 Art combo had zero trouble with focusing. My D610, on the other hand...let's just say it's not quite as accurate.


Sep 26, 2016 at 10:36 AM
MN_Migrant
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


Hey, thanks everybody for the responses. Looks like a D750 purchase will be inevitable.


Sep 26, 2016 at 11:37 AM
azmerm
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


The D750 is certainly better than a D600/610 in low light. However, make sure if you are having problems, turn on center point focus/AF-S and that the infrared focus assist on your flash is working if you're not doing that already.


Sep 26, 2016 at 11:57 AM
daniel4
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


I think it's more a compatibility problem with a non-Nikon lens. On my D800, the 35 Art had unreliable focus, to the point that I sold it. Now with only Nikon lenses I have virtually no AF problems anymore.


Sep 26, 2016 at 12:13 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


One of my associates has two D610's and never complains about AF ... only build quality


Sep 26, 2016 at 12:15 PM
MRomine
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


LeeSimms wrote:
One of my associates has two D610's and never complains about AF ... only build quality


Who edits his photos? Is he using a 35 ART?



Sep 26, 2016 at 12:50 PM
heikoM
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


daniel4 wrote:
I think it's more a compatibility problem with a non-Nikon lens. On my D800, the 35 Art had unreliable focus, to the point that I sold it. Now with only Nikon lenses I have virtually no AF problems anymore.


no, I am afraid.

My two D600 drove me nuts with all kind of Nikon G lenses.

Get rid of it and invest in a D750. You will not regret it.

( I have one to sell, but live in Germany... think you can get a goof´d deal on eBay)


heiko



Sep 26, 2016 at 01:01 PM
MN_Migrant
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


azmerm wrote:
The D750 is certainly better than a D600/610 in low light. However, make sure if you are having problems, turn on center point focus/AF-S and that the infrared focus assist on your flash is working if you're not doing that already.


I’ve always been a focus-recompose shooter with AF-S on focus-priority… with the D610 in this focus setup, I could rarely achieve focus lock, and when I did it was mis-focused. The only luck I’ve had with getting decent focus was by using back-button focus and AF-C. I suppose I could try the on-camera AF assist and suspect that would help somewhat (use of the AF assist from speedlight is not an option as I fire speedlights off camera).

Irrespective, my main frustration still stands though. On paper, the D610 has a newer AF system relative to the D700 (Multi-CAM 4800 vs 3500) and has the same detection range (EV -1 to +19). With the D700 I never struggled to nail focus and never needed the on-camera AF assist. Yet, the D610 for all its similarities can be frustratingly unusable.



Sep 26, 2016 at 01:27 PM
BSPhotog
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


MN_Migrant wrote:
...Irrespective, my main frustration still stands though. On paper, the D610 has a newer AF system relative to the D700 (Multi-CAM 4800 vs 3500) and has the same detection range (EV -1 to +19). With the D700 I never struggled to nail focus and never needed the on-camera AF assist. Yet, the D610 for all its similarities can be frustratingly unusable.


I feel your pain. I am going to test drive a D750 from NPS for a couple of weeks and maybe a D500 after that to see how much of an improvement there is. Honestly though, the D6x0 AF system is just one of those times when the specs don't seem to match up with the real world. It is a paradox really, having a camera with such poor low light AF paired with a sensor that does really well in the dark. It suffers from the same problem (same AF system I think) as the Df.

Good luck!



Sep 26, 2016 at 02:54 PM
SloPhoto
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


D600/610 is your issue.

Been there, done that, hated life.

I would go back to a D700 or D3 before I used another D600 for a wedding. (hated that focusing system even for the d7000) If you get your MA nailed and are careful you can make it work, but it is just too easy to make it back focus.



Sep 26, 2016 at 04:41 PM
ahaug
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


vote for d750 or just use your d700 at the reception. My d750 35 art combo is great at receptions.


Sep 26, 2016 at 06:12 PM
RSHPhotography
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


This is precisely why I think the 600 series is dead. The 750 series replaced it.

SloPhoto wrote:
D600/610 is your issue.

Been there, done that, hated life.

I would go back to a D700 or D3 before I used another D600 for a wedding. (hated that focusing system even for the d7000) If you get your MA nailed and are careful you can make it work, but it is just too easy to make it back focus.




Sep 26, 2016 at 06:55 PM
Irwin Nursoo
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


Go for the D750 even if it has mixed reviews. The Raw files are better than the Jpegs.


Oct 06, 2016 at 02:38 AM
guardado1213
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · D610 & 35 Art... struggling at receptions


I ran a pair of D600's a while back....I have to say, both struggled considerably in very dim lit churches or receptions halls, I could usually achieve focus but after some hunting so as everyone has noted, save yourself the hassle and invest in a pair of D750's or maybe a D750 & D500...I would keep the Sigma.


Oct 06, 2016 at 10:32 AM
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