The Neophyte's Guide to the Nikon D700

Zooming out with a slow flash

2011-02-24T20:12:00.007-06:00

Some days ago I tried this technique with some unsuspecting subjects at home... Gear: Nikon D700, AF-S 24-70 f2.8 lens, and a Nikon SB-600 flash set to bounce light from the ceiling.

Basically, it just takes setting the flash at Slow, and the ISO at 400 OR 640 (anything below 800, but then it also depends on the environmental light). With the camera in P exposure mode, I simply turn the zoom ring while the shutter curtains are open (which can be about 1 second). Here are the effects...

Edmund, the ghostly kid, prances about while I photograph him with a slow flash while zooming out a little. The effect is weird...

Here we go again... his head is blurred in the edges, as if he were a child in a Fringe episode.

This is the best of them; his head seems to blend with the book behind. He must have moved at the same time I shot, and if we add the slow zoom out, the effect is quite scary.

Why did I get into this? Because one evening, Mimi was keeping me company and it occurred to me that it would be a good moment to use her as an experimental subject. Which I did...

Unlike other warnings we find elsewhere... go ahead, try this at home. In fact, I'd like to do this at a wedding, just for the heck of it.

Of course, my other photos of Mimi on top of the chair may come up here later... just to show what happens when you point the flash head to the ceiling, or to the wall behind you.

More results of the DX-ing crop

2011-02-12T12:09:00.005-06:00

Here we have some unexpected guests, who came to sample the berries of our trees in the middle of the big February 2011 blizzard. The first two shots were done by "cropping" the image with the DX-sized sensor, with an AF 80-200 f2.8 zoom lens (this time, at f4.5 or f5.6). As a result, we have the viewing field of a 300mm lens at the long end of the zoom. Neat...

February 1st, 2011. In the middle of a brutal blizzard, these two guys (a couple maybe, but they have both the same plumage) parked on one of the trees close to the house. One of them was dangerously perched on the branches, picking out berries. The other remained on the trunk, fluffing his feathers and trying to get something out of the bark.

February 2, 2011. They're back! They survived! Here's one of them, hanging out on a branch, apparently after cleaning it from berries.

On February 3, 2011, I saw them again. This time I forgot to switch the image view from FX to DX, so you're looking at an image shot at 200mm. Not too bad... but could be better.

So, those were the news. Later on... more news!

In a pinch for a long lens? Just DX it!

2011-01-18T22:40:00.005-06:00

There are moments when you are close, but not enough. And whenever your long lens ain't long enough... Just DX it!

Here's the proof. Possum in my garden, on a snowy December day, with my AF 80-200 f2.8 lens wide open and at the longer end. Any details? Any revealing shot of the antics of Illinois wildlife? Worth the cover of National Geographic?

Of course not!

But then, what do you think of this one below? One can see the hair detail, heck, you can smell the fellow's breath!

Same lens, same focal length, just a few seconds (and some shots) after the one on the top.

Miracle trick? Easy, I "cropped" the sensor, changed the image area from FX to DX.

Easy as pie! First, you turn on the camera.
Then, click on the Menu button.
Go to the Shooting Menu.
Scroll to Image Area and click OK
You'll find an option whether to set Auto DX or to Select Image Area. Take this latter choice.
Now you can use the camera as if it had a cropped sensor (and you were using DX glass). Thus, my 80-200 became something like a 112-280mm zoom lens... and the possum was, in fact, photographed at the 280mm end.

Now, this is not rocket science and I'm sure most Nikon D700 users figured it out... but I just wanted to post the photographs of my friend the possum, and this was a good excuse.

Care for an indie rocker from Rockford IL? By the way, I didn't DX this one. I was simply very close.

Take care!

Unexpected feature, or just plain luck?

2011-01-17T19:49:00.006-06:00

One thing nobody has mentioned about the AF-S 24-70 f2.8 lens is its amazing minimum focusing distance. It's remarkable! How did I find out? On Saturday, Jan 15th 2011 we went to Chicago, meaning to take the heir to Shedd Acquarium. However, fate intervened, and we ended up going to a much less frustrating place: the Garfield Park Conservatory. There are lots of exotic plants there!

Just get a load of this...

This yellow wonder was in the children's play area, where, as you can imagine, we spent some time while my wife made sure the heir got entertained.

Right by the water exhibit, a nice illustration of composition, color and contrast. Forgot to pay attention to the name... though, to be quite honest, I didn't see any.

I must admit this is not a plant, but a toy. It was a type of maracca made out of something like a gourd, and covered with a nice lacing of thread and pebbles.

All the photographs with the exception of the last one, were taken with the AF-S 24-70 f2.8. True, they don't show how close this lens can get, but then, see this one.

If I remember correctly, this is from the Bromeliae family... And if it's not, well, it wasn't too far from the Bromeliae. In any event, I got very close to the focusing point, and may in fact venture that I was at about four or six inches away.

Did Nikon design the lens to be this way? I remember it's a professional lens, but that also makes me wonder whether professional glass is expected to be this versatile. Imagine... this is fast glass, nicely sharp, and can do macro in a pinch!

Not that it's a magic bullet. Remember: it can flare.

But, for whatever it's worth, that was a nice discovery.

So long!

Can one replace the Nikon D700?

2011-01-16T22:51:00.008-06:00

Short answer: no. However, see below...

Nice, colorful balcony near Calle de la Chichería in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

While in Cartagena, since I didn't want to slug about all the baby stuff AND a heavy digital camera (whose rubber covers are beginning to act like coming off), I purchased a Nikon Coolpix P7000, led by the good reviews and gushing comments heard all over the place.

Somewhere on the way to the Plaza Bolívar, a street light looks wistful against a weathered wall.

Let's say it's not a bad camera... but it's no dSLR either. It's a very competent P&S with an ego, and a parallax problem that only disappears when you're shooting at a considerable distance from your subject. I insisted on using the viewfinder... only to end up with a lot of unexpectedly cropped shots. As a result, I had to chimp.

These arches support "The Bóvedas," [The Vaults], which were in the past used to billet troops and store ammunition and guns. Today, there are craft- and souvenir stores instead.

Chimping is absolutely uncool (which is to say, dumb), and nothing takes the fun of photographing faster and better than squinting and struggling to see a small screen in a place as sunny as Cartagena. Only for certain type of photographs could I act as if I had a real camera in my hands.

From what I heard, this plaza used to be the main marketplace for the sale of African slaves in the days the Spaniards ruled this part of the world. Nowadays, it's a pedestrian exit of the city (takes you to the Parque Independencia), and right behind the founder's statue one finds El portal de los dulces, a place in which candy sellers offer their (delicious) masterpieces.

Then, I should not be so thankless. Despite its quirks (sometimes it won't shoot because it cannot find a pattern to hold on and focus... and at times it simply doesn't feel like shooting), when it works, it does the trick. I read in some reviews that the high ISO photographs were terribly noisy, but the one above does not confirm it. Now, if you're shooting in A mode, and change the ISO from 400 to 3200, yes, there will be grain. The fix is to set the camera to Night Landscape mode (which has a slew of settings already preset) and voilà! Problem solved.

I initially was going to sell this little gizmo... but it kinda grows on you, especially after shooting a few sunsets, which I only managed after having figured out that one turn of the easy exposure compensation dial would prevent the camera from giving me what it thought was a blue sky (it took three stops of underexposure, without going into any menu! This digital camera has actual dials!!). I don't know if I'll use it the same way I use my Nikon D700, but at least I can say it came to save the day in Cartagena.

Just take another look at the images above... and below

Another interesting window, either in the "Calle de las Damas" [Ladies Street]or in the "Callejón de los Estribos" [Spurs Alley]

I believe this is a hotel, and its privileged location makes it a place by which I walked about a lot, right in front of Plaza Bolívar.

Finally, Bitterness Street, and the arrow that dooms you to go down it only ONE way... Fortunately, it's very short.

Thanks for bearing with me!

From my (not so) old files

2011-01-15T11:08:00.006-06:00

Since we started the new year, I decided to be prepared and create some folders in my computer for future downloads... and then, found these unposted, unexplored photographs. Here you go!

Here is to my adventures in DeKalb, in early December 2010. No people... nobody was crazy enough to go out on a beautiful afternoon like this one. Go figure... Hence, the empty bench above.

Trees with snow-heavy branches down Linden Drive, in DeKalb, IL.

Other group of trees, which make the neighborhood look like a fantasy winter wonderland.

When it comes to the practical side of the holiday, this was the fare for Christmas Eve: prime rib, healthy veggies rendered unhealthy with smothering amounts of cheese, Italian prosecco and a star of stars, my light fruitcake (loaded with nuts).

Needless to say, Christmas morning was another story this time. And I decided to play with the zoom just for the heck of it. See the results above and post your opinion.

Be back soon!

Last Christmas

2011-01-14T18:59:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year 2011!!

Here is an image to give you an idea of what the holidays were for me.

In truth, I spent all the time baking that fruitcake in the background, playing with my newest acquisition (the Leica M5 with Nokton 35mm f1.4 visible in the foreground), and writing a paper for a conference I attended in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

I also purchased a Nikon Coopix P7000 for the trip to Colombia. Later I may upload some of the photographs I took there, but let me add something: I missed my D700 every step of the way, whenever I was not using my Leica.

But then, such is life: one has to learn to make do. In the meanwhile... Let me reiterate my wishes for a good, plentiful and well exposed 2011!

My Review of Kingston Technology 8 GB Class 4 Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card.

2011-01-13T20:09:00.001-06:00

Originally submitted at Adorama

Kingston Technology 8 GB Class 4 Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card.

Good and inexpensive card

By Professor with a camera from DeKalb, IL on 1/13/2011

Pros: Large Capacity, Great Value, Reliable Performance

Best Uses: Storing images/multimedia, Portable images/multimedia

Describe Yourself: Hobbyist/Enthusiast

Primary use: Personal

Was this a gift?: No

I purchased this card from Adorama and I am quite satisfied with it. What else is there to say? It does what it is supposed to do, and well. Best aspect of it? Price.

(legalese)

At a Concert

2010-10-22T08:53:00.006-05:00

Just images, nothing striking or particular about them, except for the fact that they were taken with the D700 during the Middlewest Festival in DeKalb, IL.

I'd like to remember the name of this group from somewhere in Wisconsin. They managed to mix rock and folk in a pleasant way, avoiding the pitfalls of each form. The string players were good, as one can see...

I was using my AF 80-200 for this series. Even though I like shooting wide open, I chose here to go a bit off the beaten path and closed it just a little. However, for the image below...

... I went all the way to f16, 1/320, at ISO 1000 (why not? This camera can do it), just to make the star visible toward the top edge. Neat, huh?

More concert images to follow... and to prove that one can always have fun with this camera and a good hunk of glass!

Recent discoveries

2010-10-18T21:01:00.007-05:00

Recent discovery: underexpose by a third of a stop when there's a lot of blue sky in the shot.

Another recent discovery: the (much maligned) AF-S 24-120 VR lens makes an excellent trip companion for the D700.

Blue skies in the Antigua Guatemala hotel at which we stayed. It was "La Quinta de las Flores" (and I don't mind linking the website here!); excellent service and the rooms were clean, nice and quiet. Now, the shot above had to be slightly underexposed in order to bring out the intensity of the colors.

Another case in which a third or two thirds of a stop of underexposure made a significant difference in the rendering of the sky. As for the red, it acquired a nicer, deeper tone, like wine.

This is the central plaza of Antigua Guatemala. I believe it's the North side, but I'm not sure. At the end of this stretch, one comes to a street known as "Calle del Arco" because there's a beautiful overpass that joins two buildings together.

Again, the old trick... and some day I'll learn how to correct the 24mm barrel distortion that my AF-S 24-120 lens causes on images like this one.

Happy wanderings... and let's hope I get back to topic (that is, "Notes," offered earlier) some day!

June 2010 out of town

2010-10-02T22:24:00.006-05:00

We had a busy summer... and it started with our son's birthday in May. He turned one, so I got myself a Nikon S2 with a 50mm f1.4 lens to celebrate. A far cry from this digital behemoth, but incredibly pleasant to use. I know it'll be even more pleasant once the rangefinder gets aligned and the viewfinder a bit cleaner... Here it is!
The camera probably was manufactured in 1955, and sold along with the lens as a kit. Those were the good ole days...

[Ironic statement]Why leave DeKalb, where I was getting images of this quality[/Ironic statement]? Well... it was the summer, we had some traveling planned, some we had to do, and some we owed to ourselves.

How many times can one photograph a chair, no matter the OOF areas? Let me count the ways...

That's why we loaded our car with stuff, clothes and all kinds of things, child included, and went to Washington DC for a professional conference. Where else could I take a photograph that echoes Gordon Parks's "American Gothic, Washington DC"? At least, that's what came to my mind when I looked at this Asian lady cleaning a house that displayed a conspicuous American flag...

Somewhere in Georgetown, not far from Georgetown University, Washington DC.

Before you get on my case and call me names for comparing myself and my snapshot to a classic work of art, allow me to reiterate that the image above reminded me of the one by Parks. I wasn't aiming at recreate it, or even top it (who can?). It was just something that came to me immediately, when I saw the lady through the window. Nothing more, nothing less. I know very well who I am, and I am not Gordon Parks.

Four young women, Antigua Guatemala.

We finished the month with ten days in Guatemala (where I'm from). From June 19 to June 29, we stayed at my brother's home and also managed to spend a week in Antigua Guatemala. We walked, ate, looked at things and I took many photographs, with gear perfectly made for traveling: my D700, with my AF-S 24-120 f3.5-5.6 VR, my AF 70-210 f4-5.6, and my Sigma AF 105mm f2.8.

See? I'm ready to update this blog a bit more often... and finally get to the topic of "Notes" at last!

Thanks for reading.

Comments? Later!

2010-06-05T23:08:00.007-05:00

I meant to post something here about how to add comments to your photographs using your D700... but I just packed it already, and feel kinda lazy to get it out of the bag. After all, we're leaving for Washington DC very soon!

Which leads me to think about travel photography.

Good experiences? Bad experiences?

The one above and all below are from Philadelphia. Chairs (50mm f1.4) from a French restaurant.

The market, when the cookies are half price... (AF-S 24-70 f2.8)

A view of a street parallel to Chestnut. There are two hotels facing each other on the preceding block (a Hilton and a very traditional Philadelphia place, whose name I cannot recall). Needless to say, that's the end of Broadway street in front of us. And a nice building to boot!

Never had a problem with anyone. Of course, I was also pushing Edmund's stroller (with him in it), so that makes a great cover for someone wishing to shoot street... views.

Again, what experiences do you have about photographing on a trip? Oddly enough, whenever I've taken my Nikons, people take me for a photojournalist. With other cameras... I'm simply ignored.

Do people give you grief? Or do you give people grief? Let's hear about it!

Having some fun

2010-06-03T23:04:00.008-05:00

Here are some photos, just for the sake of posting. Later, I'll get into adding comments to them.

DeKalb, Snowy Classics

We thought we were done with winter, but there was a last kick in February. Then, the sun came...Sunny Classics

Finally, people broke out of their homes and into the streets: summer has come!

Time to take a peek at life's little treasures...

So that's all for today, folks!

In-Camera color editing

2010-02-23T23:45:00.005-06:00

Can be done!

Here, take a peek...

Photograph with my trusty AF-S 24-70, WB at 2500ºK, set with the WB in camera. Cannot recall the ISO, but must have been nicely high (like 3000 or so).

Exact same photograph, but with the color cast corrected... in the body! No PS used in either shot.

Now, let's get to the procedure.

Here I would post photographs of my camera menus and you'd be able to see them just as I do, but since I only have ONE functional digital camera (the other, a small Panasonic, was purchased only to photograph eBay bait), my dear readers will have to contend with my prose.

Now, turn on your camera.
Push the Menu button.
Go to the Retouch Menu.
Select "Color Balance" and then click OK.
The camera will take you to your shots, stored in the card.
Select the one with a cast problem.
Click OK and you will see a screen showing the preview on the top right, with a quadrant and a pointer in the lower right side of the screen. You can move the pointer 0r cursor with the multidirectional button or with your commands; at the same time you move the cursor over a color area, you can see the changes this makes on the photograph (however small the view). Once you have reached the tone you can live with, click OK again...

Presto!

Another way is to view the photo in your screen, and click OK. This will take you to a menu that includes D-Lighting, Red-Eye Correction, Trim, Monochrome, Filter Effects and Color Correction. Select Color Correction, and it'll take you to the screen with the color quadrant and the image preview.

Try it... and move it to your personal list of most-often used functions, aka "My Menu." Once you've done it often enough, you won't need to correct color in PS again... or at least you won't have to wait until downloading it.

Things one does with a 50mm lens

2010-02-19T01:07:00.004-06:00

Here are some samples... with a 50mm f1.4 lens, not always wide open.

Restaurant in Philadelphia, at night.

Mimi, looking out the window.

One chair from our backyard, covered in snow.

It's been a while

2010-02-17T20:18:00.009-06:00

It has been a while since my last post... and in that time, we celebrated Christmas with Edmund, the three of us went to Philadelphia in business (got some shots), and even got some additional toys to play with: a nice Nikon AF 50mm f1.4 lens.

Some results of that lens (among other toys) below.

For instance, I'm not really crazy about the OOF renderings here. Granted, they're great, but I think I got into a much larger problem than with any f2.8 lens. See these things:

First comes a cake (California citrus cake, for those who may care; it's essentially a pound cake) end, photographed with my new AF 50mm f1.4 lens, wide open.

Below, the same cake and almost the same composition, with the trusty AF-S 24-70 f2.8, at f2.8

Is there a difference?

To me, yes: it's in the detail of the cake texture. These shots are not, BTW, sharpened or manipulated at all. In fact, I didn't even resize them. At this point, I'm on the fence about this lens... probably because I bought it for the rare ocassions in which an f2.8 won't suffice.

Like this one below... also done with the 50mm lens.

The focus is on the end of the arm, that circular, capricious, metallic image of a curl. The back of the bench is already blurred, and the background... irrecognizable.

After thinking about it for a while, and comparing other (irrelevant) shots, I came to the conclusion that bokeh is an acquired taste. I do have it, but not yet that ever present, or at the expense of a certain amount of sharpness. In fact, I now believe that this lens really shines at f1.8 more than fully open... but, you know what? I'll keep it.

More on toys later. At least, as I reported earlier, my AF-ED 80-2oo f2.8 came back home, like new, from the folks at Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL. I even got the silly request for a name plate replacement (mine had lost it). They were able to find one, and now the lens looks (and works) better than ever.

So long!

New Toy, New Experiences

2009-09-27T21:48:00.007-05:00

News that occur... Things one discovers... Like the limits of an almost $3000 camera. Take a peek at the two shots below...

This one above was taken at night, at ISO 6400. It's the Cole Hall Memorial, to commemorate the five NIU students shot in February 14, 2008. The one below, however, shows an artifact in the middle of the building; that's what happens when you push the limits of the sensor.

If you can, look at the building in the middle: there is a faint line there, slightly below the row of lit windows. What is it? "Normal" reaction to high contrasts at high ISO. Go figure. At least, the camera isn't in need of repair.

Now... the good stuff.

There's a new toy in town, a Nikon AF 70-210 f4-5.6. It's a non-D lens, and you can see it here, attached to my F100. As far a lenses is concerned, it's small, compact and practical. In fact, I think it's sharp enough to do the job of bringing stuff closer. However, it is noisy and the AF isn't as fast as if it were an f2.8. One might wonder what's the use of getting a lens like this... and, to be quite honest, the price was sooooo reasonable it would have been foolish to pass.

Now, the day I was out "testing" my new toy (and I do have some photos with it, but will post them later), I saw this stand-off in the yard: Mimi chased a squirrel and forced it to go up the tree. And Ben? He was just supervising her.

Now... the last and best: Rigoberta Menchú, Nobel Peace Price 1992, came to campus in Sept 23, 2009. My wife and I were both invited to a small reception and, since we couldn't find a baby sitter, my wife, wisely, resolved to take our son Edmund with. Here he is, meeting a Nobel Prize at his ripe 4 months of age.

Wasn't this some week? More on other things (like my AF ED 80-200 f2.8 zoom's return home) next time!

Objects, details

2009-09-12T17:00:00.004-05:00

Can be so much fun... The point, or my goal, is to isolate them, detach them from what they "belong" and turn them loose into the world of meanings. What do they mean or suggest? Hmmm...
Parts, sections, elements, fraction, function... the list goes on.

So many parts, sections and details. So many functions and uses, and yet, so human all of them, as they are vaguely connected to the part of our body we operate them with. Otherwise, how to explain the thin metallic cord of the lamp above, or the firm handle of the train seat. Heck, how do we explain the whole in the center of the table all the way above, without our getting used to this furniture?

BTW, two of these items are in DeKalb. You can guess which.

'til the next one!

Backyard Studio

2009-09-05T23:28:00.006-05:00

That's how some people call their backyard, because, if it's like mine, it offers a lot of possibilities for a decent shot with a macro lens.

Now, let's cut to the chase. These are macros, done with my Nikon D700, and while all of them are, say, reasonably decent, there's a postprocessing aspect that stumps me. However, let's begin by the beginning.

My macro lens is a Sigma AF 105 f2.8, purchased in the summer of 2005. It's seen a lot of work ever since. And, in fact, it's perpetually equipped with an 812 Tiffen filter. Will that explain the wonderful tonality of these photographs?

Just kidding...

That thing above is the lonely, single petal of a sunflower. The plants in our yard are about 8 feet tall... and that makes the flowers a bit difficult to photograph. The one above is a rare case of low bloom, and instead of doing the boring and overused top, frontal shot, I chose a less boring and overused petal contrasting with the sky. They have an abstract quality about them that makes them perfect for cards.

Summer wouldn't be complete without tomatoes. We have a happy crop here... and we better hurry to pick these ones (photographed with the above mentioned Sigma lens at f9) The odd thing I've learned with macro is that a smaller aperture rarely means a large DOF. Somehow, I figured out that long lenses do not really cast a sharp focus zone the same way wide angles do, and also that DOF operates in a much more generous way the further the subject is placed. Hence, despite the small aperture, there's some fuzziness about the second and third tomatoes.

But they do taste great...

Now, this lonely guy represents a problem. Take a peek at it, click on the image and you'll see an obscene amount of posterization on the right side of the shot, right where I want the bokeh to show its beauty.

How does this happen? I have no clue...

Usually, after downloading images, I work a little on levels and exposure, then use the Photoshop Elements function "Save for web." This one has the very unexpected effect of enlarging the dimensions of the file (if originally it is, say, 5 inches, after this function it will be 15 inches long). The way I change that, so as not to post outrageously large files on galleries, is that I open the file's dimensions, and reduce the largest one by at least two thirds (we're talking inches, here, not pixels). I thought I had it down pat... until today, when this little bugger baffled me.

What to do? I will appreciate suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Darkness

2009-08-30T18:06:00.006-05:00

Ain't Chicago great?

Who needs New York when this town is so visually rich? And, let me remind you, I'm not posting shots from the overused Milennium Park...

View from the bridge behind the Civic Opera.

The stairs inside the chuch that houses the Seminary Coop Bookstore, in Hyde Park.

I believe this is the intersection between Wabash and Monroe Streets, in the Chicago Loop.

Later, some other things I've done with this camera. BTW, its purchase was lagging on my credit card statement until recently, when I sent payment for the remaining balance. In other words, I just paid off both, my Nikon D700 and my AF-S 24-70 lens.

Time to get those warranty papers on hand... Just in case!

Playing with DX

2009-08-08T22:55:00.005-05:00

In both of these images I used my trustworthy (despite being much maligned) AF-S 24-120 VR lens. However, only, one of them has the DX area setting. Which one may be? The one with the colorfully made-up girl, or the window announcement about "patriotic items" going down in price? BTW, these were images from the Swedish Days in Geneva, where we went with our son (he has to learn to travel with his parents some day...).

So, which one is it?

Try again...

Yep...

The reason to do this was to crop in camera at the same time that I maximized the reach of the lens. The nice portrait didn't take me long to shoot, and it benefitted from the framelines that help compose through the viewfinder. Yes, one could claim that I "lose" information by reducing the document to 5 MP instead of using the whole shebang of this 12 MP sensor... but my concern is to get the image, reach where I want, not to produce a file of a certain dimension.

Do you do this often? I found myself doing it for this shot in California, only that instead of my AF-S 24-120 I had my AF-S 24-70.

Not bad for a beginner... At a given moment, having the DX option contributes to extend the reach, get the shot and maximize a telephoto. This image, cropped to look like something shot with a 115 or 120mm lens, simply delivers what I wanted to show: the thrill of going down in a weird, crazy machine, in a sunny, gorgeous and intensely blue day.

News

2009-06-06T17:44:00.004-05:00

We became parents on May 8, 2009. That also means I have a new model!

Edmund Julian, two days old.

Edmund, a day older than above.

Our cat, Ben, discovering his new housemate.

Of course, all the shots above were taken with the D700. The first two with WB at 2500°K, the third in Auto. I cannot recall the ISO, but in all of them it wasn't very high (just about 1600).

He's keeping us busy... especially at nights. Otherwise, I've continued with my hobbies and soon will post some macrophotography shots, taken around the garden with my Sigma AF 105mm lens.

Right now, my Nikon AF 80-200 is still in the shop (since early February!). It was returned shortly before my son's birthday, but the problem (sticky blades) continued, so I sent it back... and haven't heard from the shop ever since. I'll have to call them soon and find out.

Meanwhile, I've been considering a new lens to replace the Nikon (which is the first version of the 80-200, a push-pull). The Nikon AF-S VR 70-200 is outrageously expensive, and even more since all the prices went up, so I've been thinking about the Sigma or Tamron f2.8 alternates.

Ooops... it seems there's a diaper change coming.

Spring about to come!

2009-04-14T23:56:00.010-05:00

Sure... and it looks like a bad joke, innit?

At least, one could believe something was afoot early in March...

Until we got a white surprise in the end...

But before I continue, let me add that all of these images were made with my trusty D700. I've been working (rather playing) with it at all times, and "exposing" it to some conditions that, admittedly, are not harsh, but still demanding... like the last photograph with the hydrant (the only one taken with my Tamron AF 200-400 zoom). Temps were pretty low... but I've walked down colder sidewalks with this camera.

The tree up there is in my backyard. That was during one of the first nice, sunny days this year.

The cat here belongs to a friend who lives in Madison WI. It's a nice Maine Coon called Jiggy (she's a feisty player, and you can tell from her face).

Last shot: March 28: snow around us (about seven inches), dressing up the boring fire hydrant across the street.

Lately, I've taken to use relatively low ISO ratings. It simply happens that I am far more familiar with the images I create at ISO 200 or 400 than anything done at ISO 1600 or higher. Besides, with such luminosity, why should anyone bother with fast sensor speed?

Or does someone do that?

I am awaiting for my Nikon AF ED 80-200 to return from the shop where I left it (in Chicago's Central Camera). It turned out to be sick: sticky blades. The repair will cost me a pretty penny... but I'm trusting on getting a decent lens in the end. In the meanwhile, before getting my Nikon back, I'll keep playing with my current arsenal.

Comments welcome!

Browsing in the Menus with the command dials

2009-03-08T15:24:00.013-05:00

First off, a word about the photos below: one of these two is a shot of Santiago Calatrava's wing of the Milwaukee Art Museum. The other, is the side wall of the Chicago Lyric Opera theater. I'm sure you can guess which is which...

Now, let's go down to business. I offered a little tip last time: how to check your menus without pushing the round wheel, officially known as multi-selector, in the camera back. In fact, you should be able to navigate through it with your command and subcommand dials.

This is how you do it. Turn on your D700 first.

Now that it's on, push the Menu button. Go to the Custom Setting Menu, then to the Controls section, which is F. Now, look for F9: Customize command dials. Click OK. In the menu you will find "Menus and Playback" as one of the choices. Click on it to turn it on. Return to the Custom Setting Menu.

Now that you're in the main menu... Play with it! Let's assume you are in the Playback Menu and that your first choice, which is DELETE, is already highlighed and on top of the menu.

Now, turn your main command dial (the one in the back of the camera, right in front of you) to the right, and you will find it goes downward, highlighting selections as it goes down. Turn it leftwise and it goes up.
But you didn't want to do anything with Playback! You turned on the menus to check, say, Vignette Control. What do you do?
You turn the Sub-command dial (the one in the front of the camera, right above the grip) towards the left. Now, the cursor-selector is on the Tabs (in which the options are Playback, Shooting, Custom Setting, Setup, Retouch and MyMenu).
Turn your main command to the right just one step and you'll find yourself in the Shooting Menu.
Turn your subcommand dial to the right. This will take you from the Tabs to the Shooting Menu.
Active D-Lighting should be highlighted. If not, that's because it wasn't the last choice you used when you turned to this menu the last time.
Turn your main command dial to the right one step... and voilà!: you are in Vignette Control.
Things get better... Turn your subcommand dial to the right again...
Here you see your choices: High, Normal, Low and Off. Pick the one you prefer by rotating the main command to the right or left, and then, only then, push the OK button.

You're done... and you haven't used the multi-selector at all! Ain't that cool?

I'm sure this option must be in the manual, but I didn't bother finding it or even looking for it. I simply stumbled upon this by accidentally turning one dial while I was looking at the menus. In essence, you use the main command to navigate them, and the subcommand dial to switch around. The logic is pretty intuitive, because you turn the subcommand to the left when you want to go to the Tab, or to the right, when you want to go into a particular menu.

For another cool choice with the Nikon D700 (and I believe you can use it in the D300 as well), go to D-Town TV and watch the first episode of Scott Kelby's and Matt Kloskowski's TV Nikon camera tips show. Episode No. 1 will show you how to review your photographs in Playback without using the multi-selector, and using only the main command in your camera. The best thing is that while you can turn from shot to shot with the main command, you can review the technical information with the subcommand dial.

Goodbye to using that multi-selector again!

One important last word: check out Scott and Matt's weekly episodes and make sure to add their site to your bookmarks. You can always find them in the list of relevant Nikon links to the left of this text. They are really good; in fact, their first episode really convinced me to buy the Capture NX 2 software, even though I had pretty much decided against it. In the meanwhile, have loads of fun with your toys!

I broke down...

2009-03-07T09:12:00.005-06:00

I did... and bought a nice copy of Capture NX 2.

The deal is this: apparently, there simply is no better software than Capture to edit RAW files, or to edit images, period. I wasn't too crazy about it at first, but then, I read a couple of tutorials and its apparent simplicity ended up convincing me of the purchase.

Now, I did not pay the MSRP. The NY store Cameta Camera was selling it for about $127. Compared to the price at which one can find it at B&H or Adorama, it's a steal.

I'll continue with my experiences later. For now, I have to sink my nose in the 250+ page manual that came with the CD in a relatively large box that promptly went into the recycling bin.

Also, a couple of neat tricks for playback coming soon!

Pixel Peeping Syndrome

2009-03-06T13:53:00.003-06:00

First things first...

Below, a nice sample of what this camera can do. It's a piece of pottery from the Milwaukee Art Museum, shot with the lens wide open, at probably ISO 5000, Auto WB, and checked out some time later in the camera monitor. It looked nice...

Then, I downloaded it to my Mac... and I didn't quite like what I saw...

When I bought this camera, I already had looked at all the possible images taken with it, found in Nikon ads (their website had some), Flicker and Nikonians. One thing that really sold me was the almost absolute perfection. As a friend said once about his conversion to digital, there was no grain.

But then, how about them pixels?

Can you see the little devils? I thought I had... in the RAW file! This is too much... I want purity, clarity, sincerity, absolutely no granulosity...

Then, it dawned on me: I've become a pixel peeper.

Must admit it: before opening the daffodil above (which, by the way, was done with my SB-600 at f8, in a futile attempt at reproducing the darkening of the background that relatively fast shutterspeeds can do with flash), I looked at it really close. There they were again. Heck! There they are, under the naked eye, right above... and, alas, below too.

Same little daffodil, a bit posterized because of my clumsiness at using Photoshop.

BTW, the shot above was done with a close aperture, in P, with an SB-600. My attempts at getting overexposed foregrounds and dark backgrounds are failing miserably... But I'm even more frustrated because of this stupid habit of looking for flaws and pixelation.

Is there a cure?

I guess I'll have to learn to live with it.

In any case, for whatever is worth, I placed an order for Nikon Capture NX2 earlier this week. It may be coming soon. And my Nikon AF-ED 80-200 f2.8 lens is in the shop right now.

However, life still looks good.

More about things later!

The Thing about Picture Control

2009-02-27T00:22:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the mystery of picture control!!

Here's a photograph of Mimi, with Vivid Picture Mode. It appeared striking in the monitor (very intense reds and yellows), so I was happy, despite the wild contrast between her fur and the seat of this very chair I'm on right now.

Now, the same cat, under the same light and on the same spot... but with Neutral Picture Control. The fur looked terribly flat, the colors were muted, the entire palette from the Vivid setting was gone.

So, I switched to Standard. Here I saw a type of compromise between Vivid and Neutral; an amicable middle ground in terms of color saturation and contrast.

Now... that was before downloading the files into my computer and then resizing them (hopefully better this time) for internet viewing.

Vivid... it doesn't look too vivid, does it?

Neutral doesn't sound half as bad as my description of the jpeg in the D700 monitor. I'm feeling like with egg on my face...

Standard, however, still looks like an acceptable compromise here.

Lesson learned?

Besides never to trust your monitor... the fact that these shots look pretty much the same in my monitor leads me to wonder what the effect of this setting may be on prints.

In the meanwhile, this is what I did with the files: they were all RAW (NEFs) downloaded to the computer via card reader and Nikon Transfer. Then, opened with PSE 6 for Mac, and turned into JPEGs. The consequent, intermediate JPEGs were resized in size and resolution (say, from whatever they were to 1550 on the larger side, and the resolution down to 150 dpi). After this, I did a "Save for Web" function, and set the JPEG parameters in High. Oh, and I also reopened the "cleansed" files and reduced the print size from 13 inches to 8 (on the large side). In short, all files now should be clearly viewable in almost any screen size, not just in my 20-inch monster. At no time whatsoever did I do any alteration in color or exposure here. In short, except for the file conversion and re-compression, these are the photographs that came out of the camera.

I'm interested in your reactions, and will appreciate comments. Of course, soon enough I should have something to say about the prints of these images...

Couple of Issues for Shutterbugs

2009-02-13T17:04:00.006-06:00

Here we go again...

Here is a photograph of the cats, with the SB-600 flash aiming at them. It was the best way to solve a problem I was having, as it can be seen below...

The cat in the foreground appears fairly well lit, but what about the one in the background? Ben, when photographed with the SB-600 bouncing light off the ceiling, appears nicely exposed. Mimí, behind the TV stand, was not. I had to do something I usually don't, which is to aim the flash directly at them. That was the best way to get the results I wanted. Now... a common exposure problem: exposure for highlights. Which of the landscapes below looks better? The one right below...

Or this one?

The difference between them (in case it's not obvious) is a couple of notches of underexposure. In fact, the landscape below was shot as per camera meter settings on A-mode. It did give me a good color for the snow, as it appears right before sunset in my corner of the world. So, I dialed two thirds of underexposure (thanks to the Quick Exposure Compensation feature; check b4 in the Custom Setting Menu) and shot again (with a slight change of position, so as to avoid the distortion effect of the post on the left), and... voilà! Got the colors I wanted.

Why this move? Why tinker with the exposure?

The camera is a tool, and users tend to let it dictate their end result. In this particular situation even though I wanted (and metered on) the sunset colors, the camera matrix meter dialed up the highlights. It is a tendency of all digital sensors, and from what I understand, it's in their algorithm. However, a photographer has something better: brains. That's why, after noticing the slightly singed effect on colors, I took a second shot of the first photograph but with a slight underexposure. This one allowed me to register the colors I wanted.

As for the snow? One still can tell it's snow, right?

Later on, some flash effects with this camera and the SB-600.

Still, the need to get WB figured out

2009-02-07T12:18:00.010-06:00

Still, grappling with the WB setting in the camera.

Oodles of shots later, I think I have an idea about what to do: set the thing manually.

Examples? Here's the same boring view from my kitchen window... in 2500°K. Pretty cool...

Now, the Auto WB version (which is probably down below, in the previous entry). Colors are fairly realistic, if we consider that the light is reflected by the snow, and the sun is pretty dull.

However, here's the practical use of this experiment. Since the WB at 2500°K is so cool... this is the way it works when used indoors, under incandescent lighting. To me, both in the camera monitor and later in the computer, the color rendition is highly satisfactory. Gone are the whims of Auto WB!

BTW, here's the same room... using Auto WB. A bit compensated, but the yellow cast is still there.

I think I just stumbled into the secret of incandescent light shooting happiness...

The next challenge: flash use.

Before closing, I must thank those who take the time to post comments here. In one case, I learned the solution to working with NEF (RAW) files without Nikon Capture, and it is simple: I can open the RAW file via the .dng plugin in Photoshop Elements, then save it as an 8-bit file, not a 16-bit. Once an 8-bit, it's easier to work in PSE to save it as jpeg, and then compress it enough for web posting uses.

And, when it comes to compressing... I must thank Oscar Reyna for his suggestion (see comments below). I will see how to implement them and improve the quality of these jpegs. It's the least I can do now that I have a camera, a good computer and the software to match them.

If I only had the brains... But that's just beyond warranty.

Next time: accessory flash!

The case for White Balance

2009-01-27T23:33:00.005-06:00

Things to learn about white balance...

A few days ago, distractedly, I looked out the window and took this photograph.

Shortly afterwards, when I looked into the screen, I nearly jumped when I saw the photo above. Then, I realized that the last time I picked up the camera I had set the Tungsten (white balance, that is, the little light bulb) white balance. That got me thinking... and wondering what would it be if I used the neon white balance setting.

Here it is, only a bit cool, not by much, the Neon white balance seems unnatural. Does it really need to be this cooling... Then, I considered another choice, so I dialed it in.

It was the Cloudy setting. Even though the day was actually cloudy, it doesn't seem that this setting actually helps with the color. Or am I being excessively demanding here? Given the circumstances, I switched White Balance to another setting: Sunlight.

Here's it! The same image, or at least its idea, in all the glory of Sunlight (that is, the nice sun sign).

Now, I do not intend to show any camera or software flaws, but rather present the things this camera can do if we, users, stop putting our brain on hold and take the reins.

A result of my own experiment is that I have found a satisfactory setting, even cooler than the Tungsten one: I call it the 2500 degrees view. That's it: for serious tungsten situations, just set the light temperature at its lowest parameter (2500°) and there you go with a perfectly adequate WB for tungsten lights.

"View" to the Rescue

2009-01-23T11:32:00.005-06:00

A man making a living in the Monterey Fisherman's Wharf, doint street portraits (D700, AF-S 24-70 f2.8).

Animal prints in my yard. The temperature out there was pretty low (same gear)...

Frozen doorknob inside of a garage (same gear)

Against my better judgment, I will purchase Nikon Capture, after all, just not right now.

Why? Nikon View came to the rescue!

While I am able to open RAW files with Photoshop Elements 6 (the latest one for Macs), I cannot save them as regular JPGs, but only as a format called JPEG2000, which has a strange extension: .jpf. I don't know how valid and useful it is for web purposes. Of course, I can also save files as TIFFs, but frankly, I don't know what advantage these ones have over JPGs.

In any event, at some point, recently, I opened a RAW file with Nikon View, and was able to save it as JPEG.

The truth is that since View seems to be one more image editing program, along with PS and Nikon Capture, I wonder about the real need to use Capture and add it to my computer. However, once I buy it, I may be able to remove it or keep it...

And, of course, I'll have to add memory to my machine.

Now, I'm taking a look at a serious book about PSE in the Mac, and hope it'll show me how to save better jpegs.

BTW, more about the D700 next time. I have some mildly interesting experiments with WB, and I intend to apply the results later. Who knows? I may have it all ready very soon.

Should I "Capture" or not?

2009-01-18T22:59:00.004-06:00

I have a question, or a dilemma, rather. Should I buy the Nikon Capture Software?

Skating girl on ice rink near the Ferry Building, in San Francisco, CA, late December 2008.

Smiling girls in Union Square, San Francisco CA

Sears, near Union Square, where they come up with delicious breakfast food.

All the shots above were taken with my D700 and my 24-70 f2.8, at very high ISO. If Nikon ever did something good with the D700, it was this glorious performance at ISOs above 3200.

But I won't keep gushing about the camera or the lens (which has its drawbacks, but I'll elaborate on them later). I need to hear what others have done. Right now, I'm thinking seriously about NOT buying the Nikon software, Capture NX 2, as I have updated my Photoshop Elements version to handle RAWs from the D700. With a plugin recently added, PSE can actually open Nikon's RAW files, and I can resave them as TIFFs that later get turned into JPEGs (like the photographs above). There is one feature of Capture that I like: the famous D-Lighting. It's a lighting "smart" fix that comes in handy to have for the cases in which I haven't applied it on the image while editing in the camera. Otherwise, unless D-Lighting work as the Auto Levels in PSE, I feel pretty much like I'm ready to face the RAWs. In fact, I'm more familiar with PSE (and find it a little more intuitive) than with Capture NX2.

So far, the D-Lighting is the only pro about Capture NX 2. As for its drawbacks, I must say that it does slow down your computer, that the menus and functions are, at least in my little experience, pretty similar to those in PSE, but without the intuitive quality. Since I can open RAW files by clicking on them (in both of my Macs, one with Tiger and the other with Leopard), I frankly feel like the one and only virtue of Capture got cancelled.

What do you think?

My Review of SanDisk 4 GB Extreme III Compact Flash Memory Card

2009-01-17T00:28:00.002-06:00

Originally submitted at Adorama

SanDisk 4 GB Extreme III Compact Flash Memory Card

Fast saving card

By Francisco, professor with a camera from DeKalb, IL on 1/16/2009

Pros: Fast, Lightweight, Reliable

Cons: No Cons

Best Uses: Image Transportation, Digital Capture, Digital Photography, Image Storage

Describe Yourself: Photo Enthusiast

This is, like all SanDisk cards, a very efficient and fast one, perfect to use with my Nikon D700. It's well made, and have no complaints to register. Besides, I got it for a very good price!

(legalese)

More of my town

2009-01-14T23:35:00.002-06:00

Shop window of a small, fiercely independent store (Xmas season!)

Tubas during a football game (NIU won!)

Some band players see me with my big gun of a lens...

The nice red leaves in our backyard

Here we go again... DeKalb shines! Digitally and in film.

For the gearheads, the top shot is digital, done with this Nikon D700 I blog about. Given the weather conditions (still above 0° F but below what Nikon sets as the camera's lowest tolerance), I was glad it didn't die on me.

Then, the football shots were done with my Nikon F5 and a Tamron AF 200-400 f5.6 monster that I own, on ISO 400 film. It was sunny, it was bright and our team won, but man, was it windy...

The last is also with the same film rig as the others above. I wonder what the color rendition of the D700 will be like: stronger or more discrete than film?

And, speaking of this camera, I took it to a trip to California, which, of course, will be the subject next time (coming very soon). Until then!

Our Town

2008-12-21T22:52:00.002-06:00

Where else do we begin to learn but at "our town"?

That's where we find the value of a silhouette...

And also where we learn to appreciate the telling details...

And the stuff that makes life worth living.

I live in a small, unpretentious town in the Midwest: DeKalb, IL (pop. 39,018), home of Northern Illinois University, where I teach. The town is not known for its picturesque views but for being the cradle of barbed wire and Cindy Crawford (proud DeKalb High School graduate).

DeKalb is also the place where I cut my photographic teeth. I couldn't do it in Guatemala, where I was born, simply because I had eyes, but no camera. Here, I found myself with both.

My theme for the next few entries, then, is, you guessed, my town, what it looks like, and what I've seen in it. Of course, that includes shots in film and digital. The ones above, for now, are recent additions from the D700... which is, indeed, a joy to use, and very tolerant to low temperatures (as the GM grill should prove).

Enjoy!!!

Sharpness

2008-12-19T00:12:00.008-06:00

Like many things in life, sharpness can be a blessing in disguise.

Why obsess about it? What does it bring with? Are the great photos in the world all that sharp?

And, conversely, what's with the opposite of sharp? What does it say? What can it suggest?

Long before plunging into digital photography, one very good photographer with years of excellent work explained to me his reason to drop film and buy a Nikon D200 this way: "No grain." I was still thinking about the amazing sharpness of my Leicas and some of my Nikons (especially the AF ED 80-200 I have), and decided that if grain was a problem, sharpness was overrated.

Above are some old images, made with my Nikon F5 and my AF-S 24-120 VR on Kodak tungsten film ISO 160, in December 2007, in Chicago, in the midst of a hellish winter. These images show (gasp!) grain. In fact, the grain here is just gorgeous... and makes me wonder about the reasons, the legitimate reasons why I fell in love with sharpness.

And now, one that stands out, at least to me:

In this photograph of the Dearborn Bridge in Chicago, there was a lot of grain in the lower right corner before I tinkered with it. While I was initially annoyed about it, suddently I realized that this precise aspect drew me to certain images: grain, like the painter's strokes, is not a problem here, not something to eschew, but the artist's "signature", the proof that we're not looking at nature itself, but at something that represents a particular subjectivity.

Pretty nice, huh? Grain, as opposed to what others term "coldness" or "impure perfection", separates two different media. Digital gives us a perfect image, but film is still a personal choice. Since this film has a slow ISO (just 160), what would the photos be like with, say, a typical B&W ISO 400? Grain galore... Does it mean "imperfection" or is it just an interpretive view?

What do you think now?

My menu: or the choices we make.

2008-12-15T15:30:00.005-06:00

What have you added to the "My Menu" tab in the D700?

I have decided to make a choice about activating D-Lighting if I'm going to use it in uneven lighting situations. So, that's one item (Candy jars, Sycamore, IL, with Nikon AF-S 24-70 f2.8, at f5.6, ISO 5000).

Another option I singled out and added to "My Menu" was battery order and battery information. Even though I have the MB-D10, I don't want to rely on the battery icon that appears on the LCD. In my experience, it can go from one notch below full, to very urgently low in the blink of an eye (Chicago Christmas Market, with the same gear above, but with lens wide open).

Then, I also added "Image Area" (the choice between DX and FX coverage). Why not? At times it does come in handy (Chicago, a view from the Daley Plaza, shot just like the cats photo above: lens wide open and fast ISO; only difference is that I turned off the Auto D-Lighting).

Now, the photographs above DO NOT illustrate necessarily any of the functions I added to "My Menu," and I've used them just to show what this camera can do. Oddly enough, I tend to use it more and more for very low light situations, in which the WB gets, let's say, "challenged." The jury is still out (to me) about whether it is better to use the Auto or to select a choice. In a few situations, the Auto has worked well, and given me the same results that the Tungsten choice yields (under tungsten light, of course). I also used it with the flash option, and the results seemed better than Auto. The problem I face is that choosing constantly can be a drag. Hence, Auto is the least bothering choice, and also the most convenient.

I will be using RAW sometime soon... hopefully, before I leave for San Francisco, on Dec 26. Who knows, if it is possible, I may post from there and share what can be done with RAW, even if I had to turn it into jpegs first.

Shooting in the cold

2008-12-08T11:54:00.004-06:00

In very cold temperatures...

Of course, with the AF-S 24-70 f2.8 (minuscule speck of flare fixed in PSE here)...

And with the Nikon matrix meter.

I can report that the D700 worked wonders in very low temperatures. The manual shows that the camera can work at 32°F, but then, any given camera can perform at this temperature. The fact that this one, just like other Nikon bodies, can work flawlessly at something like 12°F really means the world to me. Nice it is to add that the battery didn't lose significant amounts of power here: it left the house and came back at the exact same level. Granted, it was not a long walk... after all, I am not insensitive to cold!

Other findings: forget about perfect WB. That's not a thing with this camera alone. It's a problem with digital. I recall some of the playful shots I made with a small Lumix under different light conditions and they showed a peculiar color cast. Just in case, readers recently converted to digital (like me) expect a magical rendition of color under challenging lighting conditions... rest assured that it won't happen. Digital sensors ain't that smart.

More to come as I make a little more time.

Portraits with this combo

2008-12-01T17:17:00.006-06:00

Portraits with the D700 and the AF-S 24-70 lens.

These girls were roasting and selling nuts at the Krist Kindl Market in Chicago. While I saw one of them completely in the dark (and wondered what the lens saw to lock focus on her), the fact that I had Active D-Lighting on helped a lot. Their faces are visible... and they're smiling.

Another vendor at the Krist Kindl Markt in Chicago IL. With Active D-Lighting on and the camera on P&S mode (more on that later), it's not too bad. Problem: the color cast is simply part of the image. There's no way I can fix this without altering the white balance completely.

This one was different. The lens wasn't completely extended to the longest, and the window was letting in a fairly strong bit of sun, so I used my built-in flash here. No D-Lighting trick was necessary, as the photograph looks good on my screen and in print.

These two girls looked friendly enough to say yes to my request to photograph them. Since I was in a bit of a hurry, I focused on the one on the right, and compensated the exposure by opening it two thirds (the D700 has the Easy-Exposure feature on). That will explain the blown highlights behind them.

Portraiture does not need to be with long lenses only, and this zoom just proves that. Of course, there's the operator's skill at play here... but that's enough for another day, when we deal with urban 'scapes. In the meanwhile, I will keep using long lenses for anything but portraiture, and wide-angles for people shots. Why not?

Continuing with this Nikon lens

2008-11-28T23:24:00.003-06:00

Truly versatile, I am not missing my AF-S 24-120 VR as much as I thought...

In fact, I wonder what is it I did when I didn't have this lens... As noticeable above, while not a macro, it's remarkably close. The photo above was taken in a store at Hinsdale, IL, at a focal length of 70mm, and not quite close to the subject (farther than one foot), wide open. Yet the detail is amazing.

Of course, if to the quality of the lens we add the miracle of D-Lighting (which saved this duck from looking quite gloomy), this is some winning duo. I cannot recall the exact focal length at which this photograph was made, but it was not 70mm. Light at my in-laws's home, where this shot was taken, was natural, coming in from a window.

At the risk of sounding corny I must admit that I really cannot find fault with this lens. Any further attempt at "reviewing" it would sound sycophantic. Despite its bulk (which is severe), it's a lens to have and keep. With my AF-S 24-85 G I used to sense a bit of a warm tone through the viewfinder whenever I used the lens in my F100 and my F5. The AF-S 24-120 VR was excessively dim in the film bodies, and even in the D700. The Sigma AF 24-70 was heavy and noisy, but this one? It's perfect! Even if the zoom turns in the opposite direction of the Sigma's, the adaptation process is relatively easy. And the fact that the zoom does not change its size in noticeable form (the protrusion always stays under the hood) makes it even better. But one thing should be noted: this lens is conspicuous. It has a nice design, but it is not discrete. My theory is that professional cameras and lenses need not to be discrete because they were designed for professional image takers, who are going to be conspicuous thanks to their cameras. If the camera (and its user) can be spotted a mile away, why bother making the lens small or light?

What to say about the Nikon AF-S 24-70 f2.8?

2008-11-26T23:50:00.002-06:00

One word...

Or maybe two...

If any, which would be the first?

Illuminating, perhaps?

In short, this lens is astounding. Unlike other Nikon zooms, this one allows for a very well lit viewfinder. Granted, something like this appears when I use my 80-200 f2.8, but there more things to say about this lens and it's less expensive brethren, the Sigma AF 24-70 f2.8 (for sale, by the way).

The first is in the position and finish of the zoom ring. Like in the Sigma 24-70 f2.8, it's close to the mount and camera body. Unlike the Sigma's, it's very well dampened and smooth.

The zooming makes the lens protrude out of its casing. Like the Sigma, it is longer at its wider end (go figure...). Unlike the Sigma, the protrusion is covered by the hood. To the casual observer, this lens never changes its size.

Finally, the filter size difference is significant. With the Sigma, filters are size 82mm. With the Nikon, they are 77mm (more affordable and common size).

One big difference: the Nikon's barrel seems to be metal. Sigma has a strong, firm barrel, but it's still polycarbonate. Both, however, have a very confortable close-focusing distance, and then allow for decent closeup shots.

All these shots were made with the D700 at ISO 5000 (at least) and wide-open . The details are astounding, and the nicest thing is that this lens is surprisingly fast to focus, and extremely quiet, as it fits to any AF-S product.

I will keep trying this glass under different conditions. It's a keeper, and a very fit lens for this camera.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Exposure quick fix

2008-11-21T17:17:00.003-06:00

Last night, I spent an impressive amount of time with this camera..

While I was at it, I tinkered with some of the photos I had in my card. The one above, with the Sigma AF 24-70, did get some help from the built-in flash.

This one (same lens), didn't.

And this very grumpy Ben, wasn't really under the flash either.

So, the reason I posted them is that, in the end, all got the benefit of the D-lighting exposure remedy built in the menus of the camera. While you can have Active D-Lighting on, D-Lighting alone only comes up when you click the OK button twice while viewing a photograph in the monitor. Then, you see a choice of your photo as is, next to another one, modified with High, Normal or Low D-Lighting. It seems to be a "smart fix" that corrects shadows (in a histogram, it probably moves the midtone slider a bit, without altering the other two). My coffee mug did get some additional, judicious light, while the bottle didn't. Ben, however, got a bit of the filter treatment... but the truth is that the shot pretty much looks the same as when I looked at it first.

BTW, I'm still learning, and not blaming the camera for my mistakes. In any event, I had to realize, philosophically, that digital is not any better than film in terms of rendering an image the way we see it. Colors will change, light will have an effect, no matter what we do with WB, but in the end, the good thing about digital is... that is different.

And that's the news for today... Of course, without mentioning that my newest zoom (a financial suicide, but then, life is short) may be here on Monday, Nov. 25.

Be back soon!

Monster a-coming!

2008-11-20T19:46:00.007-06:00

All these shots were done with some lenses I have already.

This one, with my Sigma AF 24-70 f2.8 (ISO 3000)

This one, also with my Sigma AF 24-70 f2.8 (ISO 800)

And this one, with my Tamron 200-400 f5.6 in DX mode.

However, there are some small things that leave me slightly unsatisfied with this camera. First, the sharpness isn't all that's cracked up to be, and then, there's a strange cast on all the color shots taken indoors without flash. Then, the noticeable difference between both photographs with the Sigma. It may be me, it may be the ISO, it may be something else... I won't blame it on the camera, as I still need to learn what some settings do. Actually, my cat photograph below was taken with my Nikon AF 24-120 VR, of ill repute to some... and the sharpness is amazing. Go figure...

In any event, one thing kept coming up in my mind: if I managed to snag a camera like this one, the right thing is to have the best possible lens.

So, I simply went and ordered the Nikon 24-70 AF-S from Amazon today.

Actually, I am very happy with the shots from my Nikon 24-120, but the Sigma ones... aren't that great wide open. And, being used to Leicas, I simply prefer to shoot wide-open. The DOF in these lenses isn't like the German glass... I can learn to live with that, but however shallow, I'd enjoy a bit more sharpness in my open shots. We'll see what it is like when the zoom comes... And, of course, I won't take long to post some results here.

BTW, I downloaded Nikon Capture today. The 60-day trial version still hasn't won me over yet. My computers, however, could handle it well. I may use it (combined with Nikon View) to turn NEFs into JPEGs. I also played connecting the camera to my laptop and transferring around 60 photographs (a total of over 230 MB).

But first things first: the lens should be coming on November 25th. Just around the corner, right before Thanksgiving. Let's see how that one plays the trick.

Personal Camera

2008-11-19T19:29:00.003-06:00

It's amazing what this camera can do on command...

Julia Grant's Statue, overlooking Galena

The VFW sign... at night, of course.

Cadillac Trunk and Street Light

It's amazing how personal a camera can be. In the few days I've had it (just a week from today) and I'm still in awe. This one is quite complex.

However, at least I managed to figure out which functions I like to use, check out or control often enough, so I transferred to "My Menu" already. I want to have control over the photographs (Picture Control), the energy level (Battery control and order), and Image Extension (to pick between using FX and DX). Other things I changed from day one were the annoying buzz (turned off), the focus-assist light (off) and the on-demand grid lines in the viewfinder (turned on).

Now... if I only could figure out how to "warm" some of the high ISO shots I've taken under tungsten light with Auto WB...

Out in Galena, IL

2008-11-16T17:55:00.001-06:00

The music of old times...

The spirits of old times...

The candies of old times...

These photographs were taken in Galena, IL, with my Nikon D700 and my AF-S 24-120 G lens, just on November 15th, 2008. It was a cool, gray day, so I set the picture mode to vivid and the ISO at 400 for outdoors, while indoors was at ISO 3200.

While wondering about, I figured out how to add custom functions to my Personal Menu, so I did put Picture Control there. Before even getting out of the car, I also had set my card to record RAW and fine JPEGs, and it gave me room for some 153 photographs in the card (buffer room for 6, but I can live with that).

So far, so good... in fact, I was really proud of having done all the updates, as now, even Photoshop Elements can read NEF files! Otherwise, the copying of files off the card and into the computer is relatively easy thanks to NX Transfer. I haven't seen in what way is NXView so good... but then, I'm fairly ignorant, so let me catch up a bit.

Will return when I have some further material developed. Thanks!

More impressive shots

2008-11-14T01:54:00.000-06:00

My photos are so lame, only this camera saves them... just a bit.

First, our youngest cat, Mimí, looking up (AF-S 24-120 VR). Then, the headless gargoyle from NIU (w/ Sigma AF 24-70 f2.8) and last, one of my first shots with this camera: my home street lamp (same Sigma lens).

First, I downloaded the images from my card with the aid of a card reader (Lexar, firewire connection). Then, after Nikon View opened immediately, I renamed them and transferred to a folder of mine. Once copied onto my computer, I opened Photoshop Elements and re-saved them as Photoshop JPEGs.

Is that how I should treat RAW files? Does ViewNX just open them and turns them into TIFFs or something?

Sure, I hear so much about the wonders of RAW files... but I still feel kinda reluctant about using them. Then, why did I get this camera? Heck, time to try. Hopefully, next time I update this blog I'll have Capture in my hard disk.

Out of the box

2008-11-13T11:08:00.001-06:00

Two shots taken with this camera, probably half an hour after I took it out of the box.

As Ellis Vener said in his own blog about the D700, it's a nice packaging job. Here's the second image...

The third does test the ISO limits... just a bit. It's my own desk.

Despite of the fact that the Nikon software scared the bejesus out of me by jumping and opening on its own when I plugged the card reader in my computer, I'm finding the whole experience kinda nice.

Let's see how this camera works with my telephotos...

More news later!

BTW, does anybody know about tutorials to understand Nikon's software?

Hooray! It's here!

2008-11-12T16:50:00.000-06:00

The Nikon D700 body I ordered came in today. Oddly enough, they didn't add a 4 GB card as offered initially... but I won't quibble. They sent the camera via Next-Day UPS shipping and that's good enough.

Now... first impressions:

The body, heavy already, feels pretty much like my Nikon F100
The battery came partially charged. It was easy to get it to work.
Menus and options are remarkably LESS complicated than I expected
Photographers used to the layout and controls of Nikon AF film cameras won't find this one any different from the F100 or the F5.
Buttons, controls, dials... are remarkably smooth

That's all for now. I've set the camera to shoot JPEGs for now, but later, once I have figured out how to handle RAW files and other quirks, I'll set it up for the job. For now, I have still room for about 250 exposures in a 2GB Lexar card.

BTW, the camera is very responsive, and can be used just minutes after getting it out of the box. In short, I'm a happy camper!

Shipped at last!

2008-11-11T16:28:00.000-06:00

My Nikon D700 has been shipped at last! After an anxious weekend and an ugly Monday (the store website didn't show anything about my order except that it was "processing"), now I got an e-mail from us1photo.com telling me the camera was sent out my way.

Funny... last night I was so upset I decided to call them, cancel my order, and buy the camera from B&H instead. Maybe I should have done that in the beginning... Hmmm... Lesson learned.

Let's spend some time scanning, writing stuff, reading the D700 manual, whatever it takes to kill time.

Friends from Argentina during the 2006 Cornfest in DeKalb IL (Nikon F100, AF-S 24-85, SB-30)

Frances (my wife) and friends at the 2006 Cornfest (same, same)

Ferris wheel operators (I owe them a print of this photograph! Same gear)

Of course they're OOF! I used the slow synchronization with the flash! For some reason, I forgot I had set it that way... and while I got the background (dark) nicely exposed, the scans are despicable and people moved while the shutter was open. But... I like them. That's it.

More to come while the other thing comes! (I know, I'm bad at puns)

First Day, Looong Wait

2008-11-09T01:37:00.000-06:00

Heck, why not? Let's post some Nikon photos...

Ready for the party (Nikon F5, AFS 24-120 VR, Provia ISO 400)

Red Leaves, Fall 08 in DeKalb (Nikon F5, 80-200, Superia ISO 200)

Our cats, Mimi and Ben (Nikon F5, Sigma AF 24-70 f2.8, Kodachrome ISO 64)

I've been swamped with busy work; I may be a professor, but I've chosen to study German and I'm on sabbatical, so today, to think of something else and not about the impending arrival of my new camera, I went all into my work. For a good part of the morning, worked on an essay for publication, and this evening (after going to see a play in campus), I just finished my presentation for my German class... on Leica cameras.

I may read another part of the Nikon D700 manual I downloaded some time ago, but then, there's a book I should read, and I haven't even started with it. Seems that I got more "entertainment" than I can handle. If things keep going this way, I'm not going to have time to enjoy my new camera, especially since we have a friend coming to visit on Friday. In fact, it was because of his visit (and our consequent trip to Galena, IL) that I decided to pull the trigger on my Nikon D700. In short, Galena will be "the maiden voyage" for my digital behemoth.

In the meanwhile, I'll keep working, and when I update this blog, I'll throw in some Nikon shots of yore...

First Things First

2008-11-08T09:41:00.003-06:00

As the title says, this is the neophyte's guide, not a guide for a neophyte. Not only is this a neophyte's guide, but also it's a guide from a neophyte to all other neophytes around. Neophytes like me, for whom digital technology is pretty much an unexplored forest.

However, I'm not entirely new to digital. In fact, I do own a very small digital camera (a small Lumix, sitting here next to me, largely unused unless I want to sell things). Also, I have a scanner and a printer and have done some scanning of slides, taken with my film gear. In fact, I do use it to post items in my other blog, one devoted to my Leica M4-2.

Despite being such a film user, I had been contemplating the purchase of a digital body and conditioned it until Nikon came with a full-frame camera, so I could use my wide-angle glass. It seemed an impossible, distant proposition when I decided over it in 2004... but they were smart in taking their time. While their first full-frame, the Nikon D3, was simply out of my reach, their second, the Nikon D700, was not as distant... and I made the decision to buy one.

Which I finally did. On Thursday, November 6, 2008, I simply went and ordered a Nikon D700 body from us1.photo (a fairly good retailer, offering a good deal on the D700 body). Shortly afterwards, as a lot of questions started crowding in my head, I came upon the idea of this blog, in which I plan on writing about my experiences with this camera, its complicated menus and the variety of customized functions (I've downloaded the manual from Nikon USA and I'm overwhelmed every time I look at it).

Will I succeed in understanding what this camera can do? Not at first. It took me a year to grasp the controls of my Nikon F80 (a grey version of the celebrated, now discontinued, Nikon N80), but at least learning to use well my Nikon F100 was a lot easier, and considerably faster was my transition into the Nikon F5. With all this "expertise" under my belt, using the "film side" of a digital camera shouldn't be too difficult.

I'm not posting photographs for now, but I may yield to the temptation as a way to kill time before the camera arrives. In the meanwhile, having upgraded the shipping, it should be arriving on Thursday, Nov 13, one week after the day I ordered it.

Let's see how I cope with the wait...