CGrindahl wrote:
Nice to see everyone having such a good time. And welcome back Jack. Love those images. Now you can tell the secret... which lens did you use? Was an extension tube involved? I got an email reporting you'd posted on Shooting with Tubes so I'm guessing that is the case but I haven't gotten there yet... but soon. I have a 7 p.m. commitment so it will likely be a bit later. Thanks for all the photos and the gear conversation.
YES, a D3 is well worth an investment OffTrail though you can get the same sensor in a D700 for less money. But if the professional camera suits your taste you might consider going for the D3s for a bit better low-light performance. I've shot with the D700 a bit recently and still love the files it produces. 12 megapixels works just FINE. ...Show more →
I do look at D700's quite a bit, but the D3 handling is really what I'm after and I know I'd just end up wanting one anyway. Plus, I've been really interested in the film to digital transition for pro bodies, so I'd eventually like to have the F5, D1H, D2H, and D3 to play around with.
The D3s looks like a slightly better all-around camera, but the price point is just inching high enough that it's a little less appealing. And I just don't do that much high ISO shooting lately anyway. If I'm shooting in low light, it's almost always with P3200 and the FE for family/social stuff, or it's the D500 which is already plenty fine for me.
OffTrail wrote:
That's what I want to hear! I was finally going to get one about a year ago, but opted at the last minute to try a cheap D600 instead and to let D3 prices come down more. The IQ is great, especially given how little I paid, but man it's just a hateful design.
Excellent images! That last one, though... I so miss having Saigas on the market. All the fun and practicality of an SKS without any of the splinters or cosmoline.
OffTrail wrote:
That's what I want to hear! I was finally going to get one about a year ago, but opted at the last minute to try a cheap D600 instead and to let D3 prices come down more. The IQ is great, especially given how little I paid, but man it's just a hateful design.
Excellent images! That last one, though... I so miss having Saigas on the market. All the fun and practicality of an SKS without any of the splinters or cosmoline.
I am seeing the camera's disadvantages while reviewing some older photos.
With a D8xx I enjoy much improved dynamic range and resolution. No more routine exposure bracketing!
Far more flexible post processing.
Less worry about part availability should a repair be needed.
Of course this is a highly subjective 'religious' argument like Ford vs Chevy so you will have to make your own evaluation.
HCE HCE wrote:
I was glad to move on when I sold my D3.
I am seeing the camera's disadvantages while reviewing some older photos.
With a D8xx I enjoy much improved dynamic range and resolution. No more routine exposure bracketing!
Far more flexible post processing.
Less worry about part availability should a repair be needed.
Of course this is a highly subjective 'religious' argument like Ford vs Chevy so you will have to make your own evaluation.
D3 55mm f/3.5
If your shooting needs were taxing the D3's dynamic range and resolution, then it sounds like you found the better tool. No argument from me.
I suppose my own evaluation is that I'm still going to reach for a film camera 9 times out of 10 for actual photography projects, and that $600-$700 isn't going to buy any capability that I don't already have in the D600 and D500.
Enjoying the conversation everyone, thanks for chiming in.
I realized when I mentioned recently the lenses I've been using I only mentioned lenses with a fixed focal length. That was near sacreligious since so much of the fun of the last weeks has been shooting with zooms... the 50-135 f/3.5 AI-s and 80-200 f/4.5 AI. It made me think I wanted to try another zoom, one that has been a bit of a neglected step-child. Those of you who've been around for a long time will doubtless remember this lens because it was one our departed friend Ray Steele used to advantage. I'm referring to the often forgotten 100-300 f/5.6 AI-s. When I used it for a short time after buying it ALMOST NINE YEARS AGO, I was very pleased with its performance, but the range really didn't intrigue me when the 80-200 is such a great performer. But looking at the close photos I took a yesterday with the PK-13 I'm very impressed. The bokeh is absolutely delicious and color/contrast and sharpness are first rate. AND it is a STEAL. Here's a near mint copy for under $80 with free shipping from Japan!
Thanks George. It seems the perfect length for the kind of shooting I do. As I've mentioned, I don't want to get too close which happens either with a wider lens or a longer tube. I recall experimenting years ago with a variety of tubes. My first purchase was a set of Vivitar tubes which were excellent. Eventually, I invested in Nikon's tubes which have an even better build quality. Within the limits of the world as we now know it, tubes encourage me to look close in a way I wouldn't ordinarily do. I shot this yesterday and processed it the only way it made sense... narrow... for the fun of it!
Thanks Serge. We've not met before. Though you were a member of FM when we started this thread your post total suggests you didn't find this thread... either that or you're not a very talkative person. Of course, I've been seldom around the last couple of years after posting perhaps half of the posts on this thread in its first three years. Glad you're making a contribution... which comes in a variety of forms - posting photos, commenting on what appears and occasionally pulling someone's leg. That last, of course, requires a certain amount of time on the thread so you can get to know our peculiarities. When you do, leg pulling is time honored...
CGrindahl wrote:
Thanks Serge. We've not met before. Though you were a member of FM when we started this thread your post total suggests you didn't find this thread... either that or you're not a very talkative person. Of course, I've been seldom around the last couple of years after posting perhaps half of the posts on this thread in its first three years. Glad you're making a contribution... which comes in a variety of forms - posting photos, commenting on what appears and occasionally pulling someone's leg. That last, of course, requires a certain amount of time on the thread so you can get to know our peculiarities. When you do, leg pulling is time honored... ...Show more →
Hi, Curtis:
I have been around since this thread's youthful days and became a member to learn about these lenses and hoping to contribute. It was a rather steep learning curve since my knowledge of the old school Nikkors began at ground zero.
It has been a lot of fun and learned much along the way from the folks that contribute here and became confident in their use after much practice. It is now to the point that rarely use modern AF optics outside of travel.
Began contributing to this thread a couple of years back and hopefully will continue as long as can find something decent to share.
I am far more talkative in person than the print would suggest.
I dug up some B58 shots from last August. Ashland Nebraska, SAC museum again, because it is right on my route to the Sierra Nevada and interrupts the boredom of I80 between Denver and home.
Looks like she's physically isolating herself Samy, and this was BEFORE the coronavirus arrived on the scene. Lovely, moody day perfect for conversion to black and white. Digging through the archives is a smart thing to do from time to time. There can be treasures found there... Thanks for sharing.
