ralphie_jones

your mommie must be so proud.

I need to get through yosemite this weekend, and being the cheapskate

I am, I would like to avoid paying the fee (I will not be staying in

the park for any significant length of time). I'm looking for a late

afternoon/sunset spot as near to the west end of the park as possible

while still being outside the pay gates (near hwy 120 is preferable).

The goal is to drive through the park during the nite, after the

kiosks are closed. So I want to kill time OUTSIDE the park during

late afternoon/sunset so that around 8pm or so I can hop through the

park. Landscape and/or wildlife opportunities are what I am looking

for. Thanks for any help, I appreciate any responses, and apologize

for my lack of funds.

 

(please don't suggest sonora pass, or other routes, I have to go

through the park itself. thanks).

Anyone come up with a decent solution for those nikkors that don't

have extension hoods, such as the older 300/2.8, or better yet, the

400/3.5 (which I have)? I'd like to fabricate some sort of extension

hood that is simple and somewhat elegant. Anyone tried something like

this or maybe adapted a hood from another lens? Any stories or advice

would help. can hoods for newer nikkors be adapted to older ones?

Anyone come up with a decent solution for those nikkors that don't

have extension hoods, such as the older 300/2.8, or better yet, the

400/3.5 (which I have)? I'd like to fabricate some sort of extension

hood that is simple and somewhat elegant. Anyone tried something like

this or maybe adapted a hood from another lens? Any stories or advice

would help. can hoods for newer nikkors be adapted to older ones?

I don't know about eagles, but I'm sure there aren't any sheep that can fly in the Bay Area. You'll probably just have to shoot the sheep standing in the bush at the zoo.

Wanting a 2x for my 400/3.5. The TC301 is great, I've rented and

liked it but I want to get the lens P'd so I can matrix meter.

Obviously the TC301 will not pass that info along to the body (N90s).

I assume the TC20E would pass the info, and now TC20E's are cheaper

used than are TC301s. But they obviously have a different optical

design, as the TC301 has a protruding front element and it looks like

the TC20E does not. Is the TC20E an improved TC vs the 301? Is it

improved only for the afs lenses but not older ais ones? has anybody

used the tc20e on this lens? Saving money is not the biggest issue, I

want the best TC, but matrix metering potential would be a great thing

to have. TIA.

This is a little off topic, but all of a sudden a huge concern for me. I intended to be on that same road (except headed south towards Grand Canyon N Rim) in mid-may in a standard clearance AWD vehicle. Regardless of rain/snow, is that road passable without high clearance 4WD? Is it worth trying it as a shortcut from Kodachrome to Grand Canyon? Any knowledge about that would be much appreciated. thanks in advance.

Looking for a 2x TC for my 400/3.5 AIS. The TC301 is the obvious

choice, however, I am eager to have matrix metering with this lens.

Even if I have the Roland Elliot chip put in, the electronic transfer

of aperture will not go through the TC. So I'm wondering if the kenko

pro 300 might be a wise choice, given it's a modern 7 element

converter and it transfers 'D' information from a 'D' lens to a modern

body. I know the converter can't possibly transfer 'D' info from this

lens but will the converter allow for matrix metering on N90s? Thanks

in advance.

I've purchased a 300/2.8 for shooting wildlife (will get all the

TCs soon). Now I need a decent ballhead. After much debating and

searching websites and local stores I think I have decided on the

gitzo g1377m ballhead. However, I have come to realize that the money

I save getting the gitzo over the B1 (it sells for ~$190) starts

getting negated when I buy either the gitzo A-S style QR system or a

RRS/Kirk System (which would set me back >$100 for clamp and >$50 for

a lens plate). What a nightmare this all is! I was looking at a

Velbon QRA-635 clamp and plate system (the plate has a metal lip to

prevent twist) and combined with the gitzo head (both are magnesium)

it seemed a light, stable head/QR system (for alot less than the

A-S/RRS/Kirk stuff). Has anyone seen/used this velbon device? Velbon

is not exactly the name folks turn to for high quality tripod gear but

I was really impressed by this plate. Since I will only be using the

ballhead and qr stuff with this 300 lens (I prefer my 3way head for

all other photography) I really don't need a whole system of QR plates

for every body/lens combo I have. I hope someone out there has

experience with putting a 300 + 2x on either this gitzo head and/or

the velbon QR system and can offer some thoughts. I have bogen 3021

legs which I will probably upgrade soon as well. Thanks.

I've been desperately trying to find an alternative to the generally

accepted and expensive ball heads for supporting those moderately big

lenses (300/2.8 +/- TCs). Just came across this (new?) manfrotto

head, the Bogen - Manfrotto Proball Head with RC2 Rapid Connect

#468RC2 - Supports 22.1 lbs. Available for it is the 3157NR QR plate

with anti-twist lip. so for about 220 bucks this seems to be a

solution to all those problems with non A-S style QR mounts (twisting

of lens on a flat plate, etc). Anyone have any experience with this

ballhead? Thoughts on its use for 300/2.8's? <a href

= "http://www.bogenphoto.com/product/templates/templates.php3?

sectionid=8&itemid=1960">link to bogen site. </a>

Why won't you be matting your work? It's rare to see prints for sale un matted, it allows for a signature and all fine art prints should be matted anyway, so why not sell matted prints? To answer your question, I've heard $1 per square inch of print is a good figure to start with. I find that is fair yet low figure for an unknown artist. Just don't expect throngs of people to purchase prints off your website (no offense to you, I don't even know you) but from what i've seen, you've got to have a pretty big name to expect people to really have the courage to buy a print without seeing it first in person.

it looks like i have the earlier version - with the threads for a front filter. If that helps anyone provide more info, that would be wonderful. Thanks!

Was an accessory (ie, that fastens on to the end of the integral hood)

lens hood made for the 300/2.8 AIS lens (similar to the ones made for

newer AF offerings)? If so, any thoughts on where to obtain one? If

not, any ideas on how to adapt a different one or fabricate one? Thanks.

Bob, thanks. I just checked out the Slik 800, Bogen 3038, and Gitzo 1377M at my local shot tonite. The 3038 is so heavy I don't think it's what I want. the slik didn't appear as robust to me as the other two. Does anyone have any opinions on the Gitzo 1377M? It was nice and light, smooth as silk, and a bit more expensive. But if it is up to the task of the 300 + TCs, I might be swayed because of the weight. Thanks again, guys!

I'm trying to put my 300/2.8 and TC's (2 and 1.4) on my Manfrotto 3021

for wildlife field work. I have a feeling I should be wary of

manufacturer's published weight limits. For example, the 300 with 2x

and large SLR should be in the 8 pound range, however, the fact that

I'm using a 2x makes me think I need 'twice' the stability of the 300

+ body alone. Right now I'm looking at the Giotto MH-1001 (17lbs),

the Giotto MH-1000 (22lbs) and the Manfrotto 3038 (26lbs). I simply

can't even consider Kirk and Arca Swiss ballheads because I need to

keep it under $150 for the head, $120 would be better. Am I on the

right track? Are Giottos any good? (all I hear is BH-1 or B1 for real

long lens support) Or can I get away with a ballhead with capacity of

more like 10-11lbs? I rarely intend to extend the tripod legs fully.

Thanks for your help, searched the archives but could find anything

specific enough.

I'm interested in marketing some of my nature photography to a local

non-profit trust company, as I feel I have some images that 'speak'

for their cause. Does anyone have experience doing this that can

offer advice? Will small to medium sized non-profits buy rights to

use images or do you have to 'give' them images for their use? I'd

like to get some of my stuff out there, perhaps on their posters or

calendars or the like, but I'm not sure how to approach the situation.

I don't want to give stuff away if they'll pay for it, but I wouldn't

mind tossing out a freebie or two to get my name out there, especially

if I'm getting a cut of whatever they make off selling goods with my

image(s). Any thoughts or experiences would be of great assisstance

to me. Thank you.

I keep seeing on the forums here that George Lepp did extensive 300mm

lens and tele tests. Are they posted on the web somewhere? I can't

find them, even on his website. Any guidance towards this info would

be very appreciated.

And isaac, as for handholding a 300/2.8 - I weigh twice what you do. And whatever lens I buy, it will always, always be on a tripod.

Isaac - I'm not looking for a lens I can handhold - I'm looking for one with a good combination of reach and speed. I could care less how heavy it is. The 400/3.5 is a joy to use, I love it but just can't afford it. My budget is about 800 for the lens and ~400 for two converters (1.4, 2). That sort of eliminates nikon 300s and anything longer than 300. If I outgrow the 300 down the road, then I'll think about a longer lens but for now it's going to be a 300. And as for the comment that a MF nikkor 300/2.8 can be found for less than $800, I don't believe it - all I can find are ones for at least $1500.

thanks, shun. just realized the typo - of course there are nikon mf 2.8s. 300/4 is a good option and certainly the cheapest. AF is not a huge priority for me, and for a few hundred more I could have a 3rd party MF 2.8. Logic seems to dictate that a 3rd party 2.8 stopped down would be at least as sharp as a nikon 4 wide open, but maybe not. at least I then have the option of shooting a 2.8 if need be. f/8 lenses, in my experience, are tough to work with.

Thanks Sheun. I have seen the other posts, but really, I'm looking for pretty specific info, ie, have people compared nikon 300/4s to 3rd party 300/2.8s. Budget is tight - I want the 400/3.5 but can't afford it. My longest lens is 80-200/2.8. Using FM2 and N90s. 300, 400, and 600 are key focal lengths for me. Thus a good 300 and TC set appear to be the answer. I'd like to go Nikon but Nikon 300s are too expensive. No manual focus 2.8s, also. Hence the idea for a MF 3rd party 2.8.

Want to get to the 600mm range for wildlife (no birds, mainly the big,

slow animals) in the near future, on the cheap. The question is, do i

go with AF nikon 300/4 + nikon TC or MF sigma/tamron 300/2.8 + nikon

TC? The way I see it, the 2.8 aperture would be nice, even in a 3rd

party lens, and wouldn't a 2.8 3rd party lens stopped down 1 stop be

roughly = to a nikon f/4 lens wide open? Plus, 600/5.6 is much easier

to handle for focusing than 600/8. Thanks for your thoughts and

experiences.

your mother must be so proud.