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chataut

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Posts posted by chataut

  1. <p>My situation is similar - I have a D300s with 24-70/2.8 and 70-200 VRII. I want to move to FF and I have been waiting for D800. But 36MP scares me :) Even while post processing a D300s RAW file - few layers in PS - easily bumps the file to 300-400MB and I can't imagine the nightmare of post processing a RAW file from D800. So for now I am thinking about getting a used D700 and enjoy shooting. May be Nikon will realize that so many wedding/event shooters are running away due to RAW file size and come up with D700s :)</p>
  2. <p>The reason I decided to do the test is because I was not very happy with some of my images. If I was a pixel peeper I would have done the test 1st hour of getting the lens and then returned/exchanged. I have had the lens for few months now and just decided to do the test after seeing some one my images. <br /><br>

    Yes, this is a crop of the original image.<br /><br>

    The paper was folded at that spot, so I will repeat the test with one that is not although 50/1.8 test does not show this issue (exact same positioning, down to the slight skew).<br /><br>

    All said, I shall repeat the test with your suggestions. Appreciate the inputs.</p>

  3. <p>Les, if you are not a pixel peeper then that does not mean I should be just like you, right? Neways, test with 50mm/1.8 did not show the same issue. Spot does have meaning - meaning single area focus (as instructed by the focustestchart.com); I just wanted to be specific. The only thing I did not mention was - I used the auto focus functionality. The lens is NOT supposed to be perpendicular to the chart - <a href="http://focustestchart.com/chart.html">http://focustestchart.com/chart.html</a> <cite><br /> </cite></p>
  4. Hi,

     

    Did some focusing test with my Nikon 24-70 and it looks like its back focusing. 2mm / 6 mm is where the focus seems to be. Also do you think it should be sharper than what it is at 2mm/ 6mm?<br /> <br />

     

    <a title="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chataut/4283782755/sizes/l/" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chataut/4283782755/sizes/l/" title="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chataut/4283782755/sizes/l/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/chataut/4283782755/sizes/l/ <br /> <br /> </a>

     

    Details: 1/60 sec @ 2.8, 50mm, flash used, ISO 200, Camera Nikon D70s, tripod used, timer used, Matrix metering, Spot focusing. <br /> <br />

     

    Appreciate comments and ideas for a better test. <br />

     

    Thanks, <br />

     

    Surya

  5. <p>I am using an older camera, Nikon D70s. I have not had time to perform another test but I will definitely pay attention to exposure. Weird thing is if I am using aperture mode shouldn't each photo be exposed properly whether I am using filters or no filters? That means TTL metering is not doing it job properly?</p>
  6. <p>I will play with the exposure and see how that affects. But even in an under exposed image I should not get any tint if the glass is ND right? I tried few shots with only one filter and found out that the cast was not there.<br>

    I did a test outside yesterday and saw the same results (without the window glass). So I doubt if that could be a factor. But to rule out everything I will try outside with proper exposure.<br>

    Thanks.</p>

  7. <p>After much research I bought the Gitzo 2541 tripod and I couldn't be happier. Its a 4 section tripod which folds down nicely and is very light. It's rated load capacity is 26lbs and the biggest lens I ever (lightly used term) plan to use is 70-200/2.8. I am using the tripod with Markins Q3 ball head which weights under 1lbs and is smooth as silk. Highly recommended combo .. next I plan to buy the Markins tripod base to gain more stability and for a even more sleek look. I definitely recommend - B&H currently has $60 off on GT2541.</p>
  8. <p>Hi,<br>

    I recently bought 0.6 and 0.9 HiTech grad ND filters (used with Cokin P series adapter) and did some testing. When I use just one filter (0.9 in my test) I do not see any color cast but if I stack the 2 filters I see a color cast. I tried auto white balance and manual white balance but the results were the same.</p>

    <p>Here are my test results (captions included)<br>

    http://picasaweb.google.com/chatautphotography/FilterTest#<br>

    Comments appreciated.</p>

    <p> </p>

  9. <p>Arash, I did more test today and one thing that I noticed is that it does not not always focus fast. I compared with my 50mm/1.8 and 50mm always focused fast but 24-70 at times made the crackling sound and at the end of may be 4-5 crackle it was able to focus. Just to let you know I always tried to focus on a spot where there was enough contrast to allow easy focus. None of my local camera shop has this lens; I wish I could compare it with another copy of it. </p>
  10. <p>Hi,<br>

    After a long wait I finally received my Nikon 24-70/2.8 however I noticed that while focusing it makes a crackling sound. The sound is not very loud but it almost seems like a lens with VR trying to stabilize. My 18-200 sounds much quieter than 24-70. Did I get a bad copy of the lens? Anyone else experience this?<br>

    Thank you for your response.</p>

  11. Ellis Vener - thanks for the kind words. Don't assume things because you do not know people you are dealing with in a forum and you are not obligated to answer my question. Its not that I don't know the basic knowledge of physics (I have a masters in EE) but I was trying to see what people have been using and what has worked well (why reinvent the wheels and why have these forums).

     

    Yes I thought about moving the source but like you said the light source will be smaller plus I do not have a whole lot of room to move them backward. I did not think about a ND filter ... I could play with that.

     

    For now I masked the individual (mostly face) and then increased the exposure - worked fairly well.

     

    Thank you all for your time.

  12. Hi,

     

    Usually I only do 1 person portraits and I have been happy with the results.

    Recently I did a 3 person portrait and they were not very close to each other

    (intended).

     

    My setup: 2 45'' umbrella with SB-800 as key (one on top of another for full

    length portrait), 1 45'' umbrella with SB-600 as fill and 1 SB-22s as a

    background light.

     

    My question: I am using all the flash in manual mode, metered. If I meter the

    model closest to the key light then the model furtherest will be little

    underexposed and if I meter the middle or the one that is furtherest from the

    key light then the one that is closest will be over exposed. In digital better

    to underexpose than over so I went with metering the one closest to the key light.

     

    Is there a solution to this issue?

     

    Thanks for your time.

     

    Surya

  13. Let me boil all down to what am I trying to achieve - sorry for not explaining it well.

     

    I want SB-800 and SB-600 combined as the key light (one top of another with umbrella) and then I want to use the SB-22s as the background light.

     

    I have D70s, 2 SB-800 (1 burnt glass so I use that as a trigger on D70s), SB-600 and SB-22s. I have SC-17 chord and PC chord.

     

    Please help how can I achieve the setup.

  14. I just realized that if I use the SU-4 mode on the remote SB-800 then there is a delay before SB-600 fires. So I changed the setup to:

     

    SC-17 chord to connect SB-800 as master and then SB-800 connected to SB-22s via sych chord and then SB-600 in remote mode.

     

    I still have one issue how do I meter SB-600? Is there any accessory that will allow me to attach SB-600 to get PC connectivity?

     

    Thanks.

  15. Hi,

     

    I have SB-800/600/22s and I am trying to use them in manual mode by using a

    light meter to (Sekonic L-358) to read the output.

     

    My setup:

     

    D70s/on board SB-800(master)

     

    SB-800 in SU-4 mode -------connected via PC chord--------SB22s and

    SB-600 in slave mode

     

    So when I fire the on board SB-800 all of them fire - no problem. Now the

    question is how do I check the output level of each flash using the light meter

    or all flash combined?

     

    - My camera does not have a PC connection (D70s)

    - When I connect the light meter to on board SB-800 it only fires that flash and

    not the other SB-800/600

    - I can meter SB-800 and SB-22s by directly connecting light meter one at a time

    but then how do I meter SB-600?

     

    Is there a better way of the setup than what I have at the moment?

     

    Thank you all for your time.

  16. Hi Phil .. nice ... can you give me details about the shot. I am just a beginner trying to learn ...

     

    * When you say you had one umbrella on top of another what was the reason for doing that?

    * What did you use for your fill? What other lights did you use and their position?

    * How far was the model from the backdrop?

     

    Thank you.

  17. I am using a Nikon SB-800 flash; do you use your 60'' softbox with a flash? I know sites that claim to use 60'' with SB-800 but not sure about the ISO/fast lens they use. If some used flash with softbox I would appreciate if you can comment on your experience.

     

    Thanks.

  18. Hi,

     

    I would like to buy a softbox for my SB-800 but cannot really afford few hundred

    dollars for one at the moment. I saw some softbox under 100 bucks at Backdrop

    outlet and was wondering if anyone has any experience with their softbox. I am

    looking into getting a 32x48 (assuming that its not going to be too big for

    sb-800; I have read about people using 50x50).

     

    http://www.backdropoutlet.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=175_211&products_id=5424

     

    Thanks for your time,

     

    Surya

  19. If you use a light meter and then get your light ratio flash would work great. Yes you may not know exactly where the shadow falls the 1st time but after few shots and few adjustment it should not be an issue. I work with SB-800/600 and SB22s (slave off SB-800) with 45" umbrella and it works great. But if you are doing portrait work light meters are great.

     

    Great deal of information for people who want to go the strobe route:

    http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

  20. Hi,

     

    I am thinking about buying a Westcott Apollo softbox for my SB-800 but then I

    got to thinking what if later I get something like AB-800 then I would not be

    able to use this softbox with no speed ring.

     

    Is my assumption true or can you modify something like Westcott Apollo to attach

    a speed ring for AlienBees?

     

    Or do you think its better to get something with a speed ring so that in future

    if I get an AlienBee then I can use the same softbox?

     

    Thank you for your time.

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