Nikon old school DX images

Here's an SOOC JPEG from a D1 and 12-24 f/4 taken this afternoon. I didn't feel like digging through the custom functions to turn on RAW. BTW, this is actual size.

 

 

And with a bit of "massaging" to taste.

 

 

I'm pretty sure this camera has less dynamic range than Velvia.

Ben I have to say, the first time I ran across a D1 I'd already been using a then current D2h (a truly bad camera) aD200 and my D1X. I decided that had the D1 been my introduction to digital photography I would have stayed with film forever. It was awful.

 

Rick H.

You're not kidding, Rick.

 

I do have to say, though, that I like the images from the D1 better than I like D2H images(the colors straight out of the camera are better than I've ever been able to get from a D2H), although the D2H is a much nicer camera to use. At least the D2H was designed to be a digital camera rather than effectively being a digital F5 like the D1. Even the D1H and D1X are an improvement in handling over the D1.

 

Of course, the D2X is a totally different story from the D2H. Aside from the fact that it looks terrible above ISO 400, it turns out both great RAWs and JPEGs. I used one as my main camera for a month or two last year and liked what I could get from it.

 

None the less, the D1 has its place as the first truly practical and affordable DSLR on the market...

D300

I'm having a bit of frustrating fun learning my way around the D1(I wasn't even into photography when it came out, and when I did get into photography it was ~6 years old, still worth a pile of money, and I didn't use Nikons). In any case, I wanted to get RAW files out of mine and couldn't figure out how to do it. I had to venture to the manual(perish the thought) to do it.

 

For anyone following/wanting to do it:

 

First, set CSM 28 from it's default value of 0 to 1. This "enables" RAW recording. Anyone who has used an F5 or an F100 will find setting the custom functions second nature, but someone who has never used one of these cameras will find it a bit non-intuitive. Basically, you flip down the little metal door next to the small back LCD and then press and hold the button that says "CSM"(bottom left). Two number separated by a dash will show up on the small LCD-the left of these numbers is the function number, and the right is its current setting. You MUST consult the manual, as the functions are indecipherable without that or a cheat sheet. In any case, while holding down the "CSM" button, turn the rear dial to pick the desired function, then use the front dial to change the setting. To enable RAW recording, spin the rear wheel until "28" shows up, and then turn the front dial 1 click to change it from 0(default) to 1.

 

Once you've enabled the ability to record RAW files, you need to go back to the quality setting to turn it on. Hold down the "QUAL" button-also under the flip-down door-and turn the rear command dial until "HI" appears on the small rear LCD. You will then have a string of seeming nonsense further to the right on the LCD which denotes the type of file-you want to turn the front command dial until "2.7r" appears. This will record as a .NEF file. BTW, the other options under "HI" are YCbCr and RGB, along with a B&W option for both of those-all of those settings record .TIFF files.

 

Nikon REALLY had a long way to go in digital UI design in those days...

 

Fortunately, the D1H and D1X recording RAW a bit easier, but make changing the quality a bit more complicated. You have to hit "menu" under the flip down door twice, then use the AF selector pad to go down to the "camera" icon menu, go right, go to quality, go right, go to "HI", go right, and then go to RAW.

 

As a side note, does the D5 still use electroluminescent LCDs? I have to admit that after I've used an F5/F100/D1 series/D2 series I always hate going back to the cheesy edge LEDs of my D800 and other cameras.

Here's an SOOC JPEG from a D1 and 12-24 f/4 taken this afternoon. I didn't feel like digging through the custom functions to turn on RAW. BTW, this is actual size.

 

[ATTACH=full]1253252[/ATTACH]

 

And with a bit of "massaging" to taste.

 

[ATTACH=full]1253253[/ATTACH]

 

I'm pretty sure this camera has less dynamic range than Velvia.

Yes it is. Its jpg size is perfect for social sharing purpose, almost no need to resize it.

 

For me, initially looking for D1X but in vain. Luckily I saw a D1H on eBay in good condition, which is low mileage by seller memory, grabbed at once.

Battery quite poor and has virtually indication issue. I have to take all 3 batteries out for a shooting session.

But what can you expect more from old schoolmate. Hehehehe.

Here he is!

I have CF card issue for first use since all my CF card from 4Gb, bigger than 1Gb to be allowed in D1* series (somebody says 2Gb accepted).

 

Try to see how noisy he is with 70-300mm attached at F/5.6 S1/25 ISO1600

Well, never buy the first version of anything. But I've got to say my interest in a D1 has very little to do with actually shooting it. On the other hand, my Eos 620 (approximately the first Eos - the less capable 650 has it beaten by a couple of months) was bought specifically for IR shooting because almost everything later had an IR sprocket counter - but I'm holding on to it partly because of historical interest. I can't really claim to be a collector, though. Of cameras, at least - I don't have a good reason to have a Cray supercomputer manual in the house, and I have some very elderly computer graphics kit.

I have CF card issue for first use since all my CF card from 4Gb, bigger than 1Gb to be allowed in D1* series (somebody says 2Gb accepted).

 

2gb is fine. TECHNICALLY I think you could go as large as 3.1gb, but obviously no one makes a card that size(can't recall seeing a 3gb card).

 

This is a problem with all 32 bit cameras-in Nikon land you'll run into it with the D1 series, D100, and the Fuji S1 Pro(plus the 600 series, 700 series, and earlier Kodak models).

 

If you don't have a small card, you can format whatever size you have in the camera and it will work. Just be aware that it can take a LONG time. When I bought my D100 and wanted to test it, all the camera store had handy was a 16gb card, and I'd guess it took all of 5 minutes to format it.

 

I've picked up a bunch of 512mb cards for a little of nothing. I use them both with early cameras, as well as when I'm doing something like listing on Ebay and just want to take a few photos at a time.

You guys made me want to pull out my D1x. Yeah I have to charge the batteries first.

One thing I meant to mention earlier:

 

I mentioned having a box full of D1Hs. The failure mode I most often encounter is that the camera will see an otherwise full card as empty. Along with that, the camera will refuse to format and pressing the "menu" button with the camera on doesn't bring up the menu. I've tried all kinds of things to get around the "full card" problem, including using cards in all range of sizes from 8mb to 2gb(an 8mb card should at least hold a dozen D1H images) and formatting them in a working D1H. I SUSPECT that the issue may be a bad back-up battery, but I'm working up the courage to dig into one and try changing it. The D2 series moved the back-up to a hidden but otherwise user serviceable location that's listed in the manual-the D1 series requires a tear-down to replace it.

 

Also, if one wants to use these seriously, newly manufactured batteries ARE available for around $40. If buying used, I'd suggest looking 3rd party batteries and NOT genuine Nikon ones-I rarely find a Nikon battery that will work for more than a couple of shots(although the one in my D1 now, which has a sticker indicating belonged to one of the top photographers at the local newspaper and also a hand-written label that says "New 2008" is going strong on 100 shots or so, is proving itself to be the exception) while many 3rd party ones seem to last a lot longer.

 

Also, again, read the manual. There is a specific battery charging procedure outlined. After the light on the charger turns green, the battery should be unplugged, allowed to cool down and "rest" for a bit, and then plugged back in and charged until the charger light turns green again. Also, if one hasn't been used in a little while(which for me basically means every time I use one) it's a good idea to hit the "refresh" button on the charger-this discharges the battery completely and then charges it.

Wayback: D70 with AF-D 80-400 VR

 

I see that it's so like the F5 that, as with my F5, you lost the PC and 10-pin protector caps - I begged replacements off Nikon. Let me know if you also have your eyepiece fall out. (For such a robust camera, my F5 was prone to losing bits.) I'm impressed that that D1 seems to be nearly as beaten up as my F5, too.

 

I'd kind of like a (cheap) D1 for historical reasons. They don't seem to be all that common, though, so maybe I'm not alone in that thought. The D1x is more available.

 

How old is your F5? Mine is like new. I bought it in 2002 and I think it has may be 5000 actuations or so.

Sunrise at Vero Beach Florida 2 weeks ago

, with my old but still used Nikon D 50, 18-55 lens, 1/4000, f 6.3---

How old is your F5? Mine is like new. I bought it in 2002 and I think it has may be 5000 actuations or so.

 

I can't say for sure, but the first time I pulled the data off my F5 it only had 30-some-odd rolls in its memory. Since I THINK that it can hold 100 rolls and if it runs out of space, it deletes the oldest(by default-this is one of those "hidden" custom functions you can change with PhotoSecretary or Meta35) sequentially, and also from my experience it doesn't "reset" the roll count when you download fresh data, I think that's probably the actual usage of the camera.

 

In any case, I don't seem to have too much issue with the eyepiece working loose on mine, although out of habit I do check it occasionally.

 

IMO, one of the best things Nikon has done in terms of "all the little things" was the eyepiece redesign with the D2 series that added a lock to them. This, of course, was also used on the F6 and all subsequent round eyepiece DSLRs.

 

Of course, by 2006 they did still make cameras without a locking eyepiece-the F5 was still cataloged(don't know if it was actively in production) along with the F100 and the small eyepiece FM3a. Post 2006, though, Nikon hasn't cataloged a round eyepiece camera without a lock.

I never lose any Nikon eyepieces except the one from my Df.

My F5 was bought in 2008, around the time I got my D700, as a backup - partly with the intent to shoot HIE (since the F5 is IR-safe). I suspect when the eyepiece fell off it was rubbing against my chest and I had the eyepiece shutter closed for IR shooting (you can't see anything anyway, you may as well not let light in) - so it might have been working loose for several minutes. I'd actually not realised that they locked (I'm glad to hear it), but it sounds as though it wouldn't have helped me in this case. I'm just a little annoyed to have lost all of the eyepiece, the 10-pin protector cover and the PC socket cover.

 

Anyway, my F5 was about £250 when I got it, and very much beaten up (so presumably a high-miler, but I haven't checked) - though it was from a reputable dealer and worked fine. For an F5, missing paint is par for the course; in case anyone mistook it for an expensive camera, I was grateful that it looked tatty. Same reason I had a silver 28-200 on my D700 for a while. These days I rely on my camera being heavy enough that a thief probably couldn't run away very fast. I've probably put fewer than fifty rolls of film through the F5 myself - I was very much a digital shooter by then anyway (in as much as I was ever a film shooter).

I can't say for sure, but the first time I pulled the data off my F5 it only had 30-some-odd rolls in its memory. Since I THINK that it can hold 100 rolls and if it runs out of space, it deletes the oldest(by default-this is one of those "hidden" custom functions you can change with PhotoSecretary or Meta35) sequentially, and also from my experience it doesn't "reset" the roll count when you download fresh data, I think that's probably the actual usage of the camera.

 

In any case, I don't seem to have too much issue with the eyepiece working loose on mine, although out of habit I do check it occasionally.

 

IMO, one of the best things Nikon has done in terms of "all the little things" was the eyepiece redesign with the D2 series that added a lock to them. This, of course, was also used on the F6 and all subsequent round eyepiece DSLRs.

 

Of course, by 2006 they did still make cameras without a locking eyepiece-the F5 was still cataloged(don't know if it was actively in production) along with the F100 and the small eyepiece FM3a. Post 2006, though, Nikon hasn't cataloged a round eyepiece camera without a lock.

 

Of the 5000 actuations I believe more than half are blank shooting without film!

Yes, I've fired my F5 quite a bit when empty. Partly when testing stuff, partly to scare people with the machine gun effect.

Shot this with the D1X and the 55mm f/3.5 Micro Pre-AI

My perennial farourite combo

 

Nikon D2Hs

17.0-55.0 mm f/2.8

ƒ/8.0 17.0 mm 1/500 200

My perennial farourite combo

 

Nikon D2Hs

17.0-55.0 mm f/2.8

ƒ/8.0 17.0 mm 1/500 200

[ATTACH=full]1253409[/ATTACH]

 

You were in Vietnam? When was that?

You were in Vietnam? When was that?

Bach Dang waterway station, Saigon riverside. In photo is Me Linh site.

(I've pinned it in GE but dont know how to post here)

 

Bach Dang waterway station, Saigon riverside. In photo is Me Linh site.

(I've pinned it in GE but dont know how to post here)

 

[ATTACH=full]1253419[/ATTACH]

 

But when were you in Vietnam or are you in Vietnam now?