my first try at action photography... a short walk to the park (700m from my house) with my favorite heron... and the D3+70-200VR+2xTC and the user manual in my head
1) I still don't get how the AF is working
2) I find a bit difficult to select the AF sensors (not too visible)
3) I had serious exposure problems (see example) in 25% of the series
I used 9/21 points 3D or not, AF-C, Ch (9/sec) some FX and some DX mode.
Here are a few examples (it was dark, 1 hour max before sunset, so I had to push ISO to 6400 for some pics)
Anyway, it will take me quite some time to master the "engine"... the D3 is like a new sports car you need to master step by step...
anybody an idea ? is there something wrong with the camera ? I have had a similar experience with the D200, see for instance this old post I copied to my website http://users.skynet.be/van.hooveld/Reviews/d200af.htm
Hi Guy,
You in London? I'm using my D3 in manual high shutter speed (1000 -1250) and f/2.8 -F/4 just letting auto iso sort out the metering. For flying erratic objects I reckon 51 points is the way to go.
Like your first Heron.
TimMunsey wrote:
Hi Guy,
You in London? I'm using my D3 in manual high shutter speed (1000 -1250) and f/2.8 -F/4 just letting auto iso sort out the metering. For flying erratic objects I reckon 51 points is the way to go.
Like your first Heron.
Tim
thanks... I've been in London very often, but I live in Brussels...
White balance looks off in 3,4,5. Too warm 4,5, too cool in 3. Set for auto WB? Any chance you fired a flash on the last shot?? Eliminate the TC, try again, perhaps a reporting issue to the camera for exposures via TC.
Just quick thoughts, hope one of them puts you on track.
impossible to answer the question of the last image without EXIF data on it . (as an aside folks need to Leave the data intact if they want opinion on issues they have / rant over)
Make sure you have it set to matrix metering. I flipped over to spot the other day by accident and it too a few shots to figure out what happened.
As for BIF shots, I suggest using the middle focus setting on the back of the camera. Single point with info from surrounding points to help. Set it to 9 or 21 if you're real sloppy! Don't forget that the camera will continue to track what ever it locked onto for a few seconds if something comes between you and your subject. If you mis-focus then let up on the release and put it 1/2 way down again once you have it on target.
I'm still not convinced the VR is good for BIF stuff....but that's a personal preference that I'm still figuring out. If you have a SS of 1/1000, you should be able to capture any bird. Set it on manual, f8 & 1/800-1/1000th and let auto ISO choose the sensitivity!
Here's some stuff I've been doing with a (lowly) d300 -
There are some other settings you should consider in the 'focus' menu. For constant focus, do you want to only activate the release if you have locked focus? I have this set. Do you want 9 or 21 focus points for tracking when your subject wanders off the selected one and onto a neighbor? I think I'll put mine back to 9. I figure this may save battery... not that this is a problem
Herons are GREAT for practicing and testing on because they are big, slow flying birds. Once you've been shooting for a while you may have to come up with a rule about shooting herons..
Oh, and the 70-200 with a 2xTC is a great combo. You can get acceptable results at f7.1 and above, maybe even lower because your photosites are SO BIG on the D3.
Enjoy! In a few years you'll be saving up for a 400mm f2.8 or a 600mm f4!
Hi Gugs, nice pictures. I see no vignetting at all. Did you some postwork in Lightroom? Can you show us some pictures taken with the 70-200 VR @2.8. Aperture 2.8 70mm and 200mm please?
Until now, no visible vignetting, but I close down a bit for that kind of pictures (and here I used the TC). I'll give it a try and post some examples later.
Thank you. I am really interested in 70mm @ 2.8 and 200mm @ 2.8 or even 50mm @ 1.4
Seems, that the D3 is getting slowly available here in Europe. We are looking forward for test pictures, you make for us. Thanks and happy shooting.
well I shot some test pictures (really nothing special) fully open, and there is some vignetting....
this is in the park close to my house.... 50 1.4 fully open (focus on the bridge), I would never shoot fully open there, but for the sake of testing....
I'll have to do some "real" testing with brick walls .... but until now I don't think vignetting is a problem with the lenses I use. I'll keep you informed. (and NX allows to correct this, even in JPEG files).
Yes, I see no vignetting at all. I have a 70-200 2.8, 50mm 1.4. I am thinking about buying an 28-70 2.8 or 24-70 2.8 and an D3 in some months. I do mostly weddings.
If you can afford it, buy the 24–70/2.8 for the D3: an exceptional lens and for events, I think the extra 4mm on the wide end is invaluable. I don't think you'll regret it.
Guy,
The exposure issues seem like something you can work around.
If I remember you also have the D2X, well how do they compare?
The images you are showing seem to have a lot of "pop" in terms of clarity. Have you taken the same picture side by side, with each camera?
For that matter I would love to see the low level noise with noise reduction set on off for both cameras. Seems someone must have done this, will keep looking.
David
