heimbrandt

I would probably approach this in a different manner. I would only use artificial light (flash). In order to get a ”verite” look, I would use my 190 cm Elinchrom octa. Reflections could be controlled by moving the lightsource as well as by using a polarizer on the lightsource rather than on the lens.

I just received word that the previously announced firmware updates with eye af (and other things) for the Z6 and Z7 cameras will be released on May 16. I hope this will make already interesting cameras even more appealing to use. I do know we already have a thread about the announcement itself, but is is cluttered with other news and speculation about features and the release date. Since we now have a date, I thought it could deserve a separate thread.

A red-troated loon: Nikon D850, AF-S 600/4VR, TC-14-EIII

Euroasian nuthatch Nikon D850, AF-S 600/4VR, TC-14-EIII (which is shown as 850mm)

I have visited Paris on several occasions since the 1970s. The last time was this February. I then posted an exterior photo of Notre Dame in the Wednesday thread. Here are three interior photos from 2017. Nikon D610, AF-S 70-200/2.8VRII Nikon D610, AF-S 70-200/2.8VRII Nikon D610, AF-S 16-35/4VR

Shun can always express his opinion, as can I. I firmly believe it is a good thing that administrators take an active part in the discussions. Unless otherwise stated, I always assume Shun expresses his own opinion rather than the view of CreativeLive. I for one think it is great news that Mary got compensated. Moreover, I quite understand the tone that Duracell used. They do not want more claims on their hands than necessary, but they still helped Mary. Not sure if Nikon handled the focus errors on D800, the D750's various problems, the 300PF's VR problems or the oil spots on the D600 in a more impressive way. Yet most people here continue to buy their products. Regarding standards and experience; Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. :)

How long (and more importantly, how heavy) is ”a long lens” to you? Any lens heavier than a 70-700/2,8, 300/4 or 400/5.6 should really only be the only point where you attach your strap. I never use my camera’s lugs to carry my camera when I use my 300/2.8 VR. Heavy professional lenses have strap lugs that should be used. If you do not want to use the lens’s lugs or your, say, 150-600 super zoom do not have them, always carry the lens and camera by holding the lens foot - or attach your strap to the lens’s tripod mount.

Some love from Paris: Nikon D850, AF-S70-200/2.8E FL

I have been using a black Domke 1" Gripper with swivel quick release since before the turn of the century. I was still on my first when I last summer replaced it with Domke's 1.5" model, also in black. The 1" looks like the black belt of a true martial arts master, worn, very worn, but still does the job. When visiting Grays of Westminster last autumn I bought Nikon's 100th Anniversary strap in black leather. Its Nikon logo is debossed and does not stand out in any way. It has been on my D850 since but either Domke may find their way back to my camera.

I have the D850 and the 24-120/4 VR and here is what I think. When I had the D610 looked into the 24-70/2.8 Nikkor and the 24-120/4 VR. The lack of VR and the test results (mainly corner sharpness) made me loose interest in the 24-70/2.8. I knew the 24-120/4 VR was not perfect with its increasingly soft image beyond 70mm. But hey, it had VR and cost less. It was purchased used as a compromise. A dealer gave me a very good price for a mint sample they had on the shelf. I knew I could sell without a loss, should it prove to be a disaster. I got a D800 and soon a D800E. By that time I used the auto focus fine tune for the first time. I realised my 24-120 shifted from needing a positive value to a negative value just after 70 mm. Whatever value I would finally go for, it would not be optimal for the entire range. Still, it did produce good results. However, 24-35 mm was softer than my 16-35 mm and 70-105 mm was softer than my 70-200/2.8 VR II. Part of the latter was probably due to the lens shifting focus, but still ok. I read up on the Sigma but stumbled upon one review (that seemed credible) that found the OS to be useless and then there were talks about Sigma lenses that had issues with some D810 firmware. I then decided I had made the right choice. A friend got the Tamron 24-70/2.8 G2 VC. I found it too bulky and too limited, but very nice. Very nice indeed, about equal to the Nikon 24-70/2.8 VR (which I find too large, too limited and too expensive). I decided I was still pleased. My friend later got the 24-120/4VR as a walkabout (or actually as his go-to lens when packing light for motobike trips). He uses a D850. I have not asked him which lens he uses the most, of the two. Enter the D850 and I had to go from +4 to +1 on my D850 from 24-70 mm. By 85 mm it needs -5 and at 120 mm it wants -9 dialed in. I ended up dialing in +2, so I know it is not optimal for the longer end. Still, it does a fine job on my D850. No, it is not as sharp at 24-35 mm as my 16-35/4 VR (which is really good at35 mm). And no, it is not as sharp as my 70-200/2.8E FL at 70-120 mm, but it is still good enough for everyday use and travel. It is not for the pixel peeper. I have found that when I travel, I usually bring the 16-35, 24-120 and the 70-200. I then either bring the 24-120 or the 16-35+70-200. Selection usually depends on what I expect for that day. On last weeks trip to Paris, the 24-120 stayed at home. Having said all this, I would still recommend getting a used 24-120/4 VR. For its going price used, I would say it fits the bill and that it will not disappoint. For full retail new, it is not what I would call a bargain. It is not a lens to get exited over, but neither is any other lens in the same range. Yes, the Tamron G2 and Nikkor VR are sharper, but both require 82 mm filters, weigh more and stop at 70 mm.

Excellent timing Dieter! Recent, Matt asks, birds? Hm Here are a couple of love birds from my trip to Paris last week: Nikon D850, AF-S 70-200/2.8E FL

It does not take long at all to clean, it is a matter of seconds. So it may very well work as it should. Nikon cameras shake the sensor somewhat, so when I use the manual feature on my camera, I tilt it so the lens points towards the floor. Several Nikon cameras also remap hot/dead pixels if you activate the built-in sensor cleaning from the menys twice, which may also help reducing artifacts that can show up in your photos. For many cameras, you also have the option of leaving the shutter open to perform a mechanical cleaning of your sensor which is another feature. I hope this cleared your dust spot(s).

While the Pentax 67 with a 165/4LS would offer you an image quality that no 35mm camera can match in a (relatively speaking) handholdable package, I would advice against it. I have had it myself and loved it, but 10 frames from a film and its weight does not really make it that user friendly. It is a specialist tool to handle, even though it is kind of like a overgrown 35mm camera. If you do wear glasses, the Nikon F3 HP viewfinder will make you happy. If not, the Nikon FM2 will probably make you just as happy for less. If you require a higher flash sync speed (daylight balanced fill flash), the FM2 is the better choice, but then the F3 does offer TTL flash (automatic flash control), which is also convenient.

Here is another one of the river Seine in Paris. This one is from below Pont Saint-Michel, overlooking Petit Pont and Notre Dame de Paris: Nikon D850, AF-S 70-200/2.8E FL VR

Real estate=architecture. Have you considered the expensive but excellent PC-Nikkor 19mm f/4E? It is a tilt/shift lens that will help a lot when shooting interiors with its low distortion and large field of view. Also, a shift lens is very handy when you want to stitch images in order to get an even wider field of view. A shifted 24mm lens can give about the same perspective uncropped as you can from a 16mm lens that requires cropping in order to produce straight lines, so 19mm that shifts is really wide. Rent one before you decide. Since we are talking about paid jobs, it may well turn out to become a go-to lens for you.

Why are you considering the D4 and what are your concerns regarding the D4's lower resolution? Can you tell us more about your needs? If you already crop your photos a lot, the D4 makes no sense. Then you should look into the D8X0-series, which all produce better results when you need to crop a lot.

Some DX lenses do cover the entire FX frame; the 35/1.8 and the 10-24 Nikkors do (from ca 15mm). Probably many others too, but those I have tried myself. Vignetting is one issue, lower edge sharpness and increasing CA are other concerns that make it less appealing. May I ask why an FX lens is not an option for this job? Try shooting some frames @15-20mm, or better yet - shoot in DX crop mode and stich the photos (if possible) in order to create a high resolution file.