RaymondC

Single point AF (centre) with AF-S (not dynamic). In hindsight I should hav used AF-C but with the 35-70mm the lens was clearly way out of focus and hunting back and forth. Maybe I should had stood at the baptism pool a bit to the other side so I was facing more to the person as he or she got out of the water and not wait until they turned around. If I did wait till they turned around and just before they walked off as I did on the day, would a flagship camera still be challenging in that situation?

OK ... the D3, D4, D5 and the D500 are better but would it still be challenging? Obviously I need to upgrade to a quicker focussing lens right but is the D600 still able to do the job in your view? With the better cameras I could maybe do with a F4 lens but no slower. I checked the shots that were more affected it was ISO 1600, F2.8, 1/80. Yes, maybe I could had used AF-C as well but the 35-70mm was hunting back and forth and it was clearly out of focus if the shutter released. Baptism as they got in the pool and got up and walked off, I wanted the shot when they got up and turned around and just before they walk off. Wearing black clothing. I was right up to the pool and using maybe a 40mm focal length. I was thinking about it and if that is too hard for the equipment, maybe I should had a bit more to the other side and faced the person and get the shot as they just got out of the water and not wait until they turned around.

I don't use much the mid zoom hence I got a older one. It's mainly with people and groups when I am indoors and under low light. Does the D700 have same af module as the D3? Group grab shots not bad as you have enough details and a bit more time. Once the 3 or so rows of people are lined up. It's still a 3 or 5 seconds to grab the shot before other people jump in with their phones and tablets and point and shoots. Times when the camera struggled was when gifts and certificates were passed to people and occasionally I miss the shot or the subject wasn't in focus. The area is cramped also so the front row of seats is only about 2 meters away from the stage. If group of kids are dancing etc maybe just 1 meter. So at times I get the shot with 1 or 2 row of the audience. Audience is just individual chairs as you do in a seminar room etc. Unless I sit at the front row maybe between in the middle walk path between the left set of seats and the right set of seats and use a 20mm or something.

Is the D750 the quickest other than flagship cameras? And if so how does it compare to the D3 or D4? Am I right to say the D800/810 are less in the AF department? Do most people just get a moderate level AF camera and adjust to the equipment?

Just a curious as it is near that festival time and a bit more friends and family gatherings including big groups. Although for my own stuff I shoot on a tripod. With others I am mostly indoors. I routinely shoot at ISO 1600, 1/60, F4. I have a D600 with a old 35-70/2.8. Say I eventually upgrade to a 24-120 F4 AF-S VR, would that be a substantial upgrade? Apart from the D3, D4, D5 what dSLRs are there that provides fast focus and how do they compare to a pro dSLR, I am not into the IQ so much as they are rarely printed. The other lenses I used for these events is a 70-200mm F4 AF-S VR. Edit. No flash. No where to boucce usually the ceiling is too high. 6 or 8m high and there are group shots anywhere up to 20 or 40 people. They are also quick grab shots. Cheers.

Here is an article the film guys occasional refer to .. Kenneth Lee Gallery - Scanning Tips with Epson and VueScan Software

Over the years I have limited myself to just Adobe Lightroom but I am taking the time to learn more of Photoshop now ... I've heard some pro's take footprints off sand and move trees. How much post processing do you guys do?

Over here it cost $15AU every month to use just Lightroom is that is all you use. For those who use Photoshop I guess it does make up for it cos for the same $15AU it includes also Photoshop (and also Lightroom CC as well as Lightroom Classic CC). If you're just a Lightroom user 12 months subscription is about 1 Lightroom perpetual license. Many users might not be upgrading Lightroom with every newly released version. Maybe each 3 or 4yrs so the subscription does cost more. Those who have a current version of Lightroom, version 3, 4, 5, or 6. You can continue to use it for as long as you need until you have a newer camera is not supported or you want the new features.

Lightroom 5 is different to Lightroom 6 (also known as Lightroom 2015 CC). If the upgrade offer is no longer available, I read that Lightroom 6 would still be available until when I dunno. You can use it for the next 100yrs if you want but Lightroom 6 will no longer get camera support update or bug or security fixes after 31 December 2017. Nikon D850 will be supported with its latest/last update. The reality is any RAW files from any camera that is released from 1 January 2018 cannot no longer be opened with Lighroom 6 unless you go with the subscription versions (either Lightroom Classic CC or Lightroom CC or Photoshop CC) - that is in the Adobe world.

Just interested in what software do you guys use .... Like many that I talk to I mostly use Lightroom it is more catered to more standard photography without the more manipulation ability of Photoshop although I might look into that. I haven't touched Photoshop in years. Do any of you still use standalone software - ie sharpening, noise reduction, HDR, panorama merging etc? With Adobe pushing people towards subscription and new cameras would probably need that in the future that is inevitable right and Adobe holds the industry standard ... although there are some alternatives. Do you think eventually most Lightroom users will be using Lightroom Classic CC or the Lightroom CC? The Lightroom CC doesn't have a print function and the library features are less. So that means .. more will be using Photoshop?

On the D70 I think you cannot switch the viewfinder. On the left side is +ve exposure and the right side is -ve. Is the D600 the other way round by default?

In the past I watched a video on studio lighting and I think someone said the rear command dial was to control the aperture and how that can influence the flash. I just checked my D600 and did a CSM reset and also my D70 reverse command dials was set to off. The aperture is with the front command dial. What is with yours and do some studio folks prefer to reverse the command dials? Cheers.

Yes FP is set to on by default on mine. The FP word is on my SB800. There were blinking highlights on the face but there were no dark shadows. The best I could do ...

I only have a Xiaomi phone, so the filters are few. I use the other app to use the b/w presets and other color presets.

It's nice to me cos ... you might be out for a coffee or pickup lunch on a workday and something arises as a decent shot ..... At one point I actually did take my SLR with one lens with me every day to work and took it out every day I got out of the office for a lunch time walk, the other bag carried my work laptop and my pack lunch from home. But that didn't last long. When the dSLR got too large, I took the manual film body.

Just the 35-70mm F2.8 with SB800. So prob it wasn't blocked. A no. of test shots. One without shadows on face (and that particular time), was a direct flash with no diffuser. ISO 100, 1/2500, F2.8. No flash or exposure compensation. There was so blown highlights on face but at least no shadows.

Inspired by a friend who did this and nominated me. 1 b/w image every day for the next 7 days. One here. Post processed in phone with Adobe Photoshop Express only resized down with LR with my PC.

I know this is more a serious photography group. I have pretty much been that type stay home and only go out in good light at sunrise and sunset or walk about for some street with a manual focus SLR with Ilford HP5+. I was then asked by someone to take a b/w picture each day for the next 7 days. Can get some pretty cool images and get more involved with photography even if it is just that 3min per day. There is also Adobe Photoshop Express one can download for devices. Lots of individuals that does this style also. They say the best camera is the one that is with you right .... How much use do you get out of your camera phone? Cheers.

Thanks for that. There has been times with people and they want to stand there with this nice background also so the background cannot be underexposed and it also happens to be a summer day just after lunch at 1.30PM :-D It is what it is.

Yes, I was like under 1m from the person, focal length 70mm, direct flash with SB800 manual full power (no diffuser) the person still had shadow on his face. I had to drop the ambient -1EV before it worked, again flash direct full power. Was testing. Is this the best it could had been? I did use F5.6 to bring the flash out of FP. Would F4 or F2.8 with the ND filter helped? Any other way (not including on location studio lights)? I also tried bounce card pivoted up a bit with the flash head. At full power also didn't work. Subject was clearly underexposed.

Just a thought it's summer here now I don't use my flash often. People are often in direct sun and shadow like from trees. Underexpose the ambient light then use the flash full power if need bebto get rid of shadows. Aperture and iso controls the flash. Would it help if one shoots wide open and increase the iso and use ND filters to keep the shutter speed so it's not high speed sync. Cheers.

At times I just go for a casual wander with a 1 prime lens thing. dSLRs and their lenses have gotten larger and larger so with casual outings like after a weekend brunch or sightseeing with the others etc. i don't really want to carry an SLR kit with 3 lenses. If it was just 1 prime lens, how do they compare with some of the premium compacts? Ricoh GR, Fuji X100, X70; and the film versions of Yashica T4, Contax T2, Ricoh GR etc .... Cheers.

My camera club provided free to me: Paterson tank with reels Thermometer A few small measuring cylinders and some cheap $1 store kitchen plastic measuring cups. I use a powder film developer b/c cheaper and I don't process much rolls. This can be mixed with the normal cheap cups with water. Stop bath - i use a small cylinder as it is concentrated. Fixer - you can use the cups, i got a free larger plastic cylinder. Rinse aid - i just use a eye dropper and then pour into a plastic garden water spray bottle. Hang to dry - just some bulldog paper clips from the bookshop, hook it to the ceiling of the garage or maybe the shower cube with a horizontal bar and put on a laundry peg on the bottom and a plastic ice cream container to catch the water drips. Instead of a changing bag - I started off using just the wardrobe at night. A pair of scissors and a can opener. If you use a changing bag if you have issues don't just pull your arms out because some light can still get in and fog your film - my experience. Ask someone to help you get inside a wardrobe before you pull your arms out or you pop the entire roll in the developing tank and then take your arms out.

Fm2n, 50mm AF-D F1.8. Ilford HP5+ 400 @400 with ID-11 developer, @20 degrees celsius, 13mins.

Just curious about this. Are you using local labs or mailorder labs? In NZ they are very expensive for slide film so I have been using USA labs for some years now and just freeze them exposed film and send to them to the USA each year or two. I'm an extreme case but like to know what you guys do. Are they anyone who used overseas labs? I know when Kodachrome was down to the last lab in the world many people around the world sent them like that right but any people like this now still? Cheers.