Gary Naka

Issue, cross branding may or may not work. At school they got "brand X" batteries from Amazon for their Canon T7. Problem. The Cannon batteries would not charge in the brand-X charger, and the brand-X batteries would not charge in the Canon charger. You HAD TO put the Canon batteries in the Canon charger and the brand-X batteries in the brand-X chargers. This created a LOT of confusion with the kids. I understand that some of this has been solved with "decoded" batteries which will charge in the OEM chargers. Considering that my Nikon dSLR battery will last me the entire weekend and Monday on a single charge (no flash), I don't worry about a spare battery anymore. If the battery does not last me a day, it is time to replace it. And the Nikon battery lasts for YEARS. My D70 are still on the original battery (2005), so I don't bother with brand-X batteries. My D7200 is on it's second battery, but that is because it has shot over 90,000 frames. I wore out the first battery.

35mm = 35-105 + 35/1.8 FF/FX = 24-105 or 24-120 + 35/1.8 APS-C/DX = 18-140 + 35/1.8 (Nikon does not make a DX 24/1.8) m4/3 = 12-60 or 14-150 + 17/1.8 When I travel I pair the GP zoom with a fast wide, for those low light interior shots. But in practice, I adapt to whatever I have. When I traveled and shot with the Nikon L35AF, the fixed 35mm lens worked just fine.

The 18-55 is a good starter zoom, and the 35 is like a "normal lens." So from that perspective, both lenses are good. My first camera had a "normal lens," and that is what I used for a couple of years. It did just fine. As I said, shoot what you have, and see where you run into issues/limitations. That will tell you what you want to look at for the next lens. Example1, I don't like to change lenses a lot, so my General Purpose lens is the wider range 18-140. But the 18-140 is more expensive, larger, and heavier than the 18-55, so that is a negative of that lens. Example2, If you cannot get close enough with the 18-55, you can look at a few options screw on close up lens/filters. Probably the cheapest way to get close up. It screws onto the front of the lens, like a filter. So you need to get the correct diameter close up lens. [*]macro lens. Probably the most expensive way to get close up. IMHO, a longer focal length (90 vs 40) is better, because you don't cast as much of a shadow, and it is easier to light the subject. [*]OLD manual macro lens. You have to learn how to manually focus the lens. This may or may not be a problem for you. I don't do macro enough to justify an autofocus macro, so I bought an old manual micro Nikkor. Example3. If you want to take pics of animals at the zoo, you may need a longer lens (50-200 or 70-300), to get more magnification of the distant animal. So, again, shoot what you have, and keep notes on what limitations you run into. After a few weeks/months, look at the notes and see what the issues/limitations are. Then think if a lens to solve that limitation is worth it or not.

For what you shoot, the 18-55 may do everything you want. As was said, go out and shoot. Then if you find out that you need/want more magnification, because you can't get close enough to the distant subject, then start researching a longer lens, like a 50-200 or 70-300. Or if you find you can't do something, and need a different lens for it. The reason you bought the 35 is the WRONG way to buy a lens. You should determine a need or use for the lens before you buy it. The lens should be a solution to a problem, not a solution looking for a problem. Basically, don't buy gear until you hit a block, that you need a different lens to solve. For me the 35/1.8 is my low light lens. I use it when the light level is too low for my general purpose zoom (18-140). Specifically, I use the 35/1.8 to shoot volleyball and basketball in the gym. Were it not for that, I would not have bought that lens.

I have a Stroboframe "camera flip," but the camera flip mechanism did not hold the camera still. It kept shifting on me. So I switched to the more expensive CB camera rotate bracket. Wireless yes. TTL only if the flash supports TTL and the wireless sync will communicate the TTL info.

Yes, because I still have cameras with the screwdriver AF, both digital (D7200) and film (F4). Although I have not used a mechanical AF lens on the D7200 in a long time.

I use the CB bracket that rotates the camera. The flash stays in upright position above the camera. A Sto-Fen or Fong are simply diffusers, not a "silver bullet." Any light modifier has to be matched to the situation, or it is simply the wrong tool.

Totally agree. Unfortunately, it was worse in the school environment that I was in. Kids take very poor care of gear that is not their own.

Tip-1, paint the walls and ceiling WHITE, and use a white/light colored floor covering. This reflects the light from the safelight, so you don't need as many safelights, you don't have dark corners, and is much more pleasant to work in. The first time I saw a light painted darkroom, I was a convert, and painted mine white. But paint around the enlarger with flat black paint, to kill any stray reflections from the enlarger. Tip-2. I put the switch for the WHITE light in it's own switch box, up near the ceiling. This made it DIFFICULT to "accidentally" turn on the white light. I've seen Murphy strike several times, when someone "accidentally" turned on the white light when a box of paper was open. :eek: If the switch for the white light is next to the switch for the safelight, it should have a safety cover over it, to prevent accidentally turning on the white light. I agree about the need to filter the incoming air. Garages tend to be dusty and dirty. Mine is. When the door opens, the wind blows the dust, dirt and leaves into the garage. Put the intake side of the darkroom ventilation high, maybe head height. That will reduce the intake of dust from the garage floor. You could use two fans. #1 intake fan of a higher flow rate than the exhaust fan. Put this behind the filter, or at least behind a pre-filter, so the air is filtered before it reaches the fan. An unfiltered fan blades and motor will gradually get dirty. Some fans are really hard to clean. Note that the actual flow rate will be reduced by the filter. The door should also be sealed, so dusty air won't flow around the door into the darkroom. #2 the exhaust fan over the sink, where the chemical trays will be.

A problem that I've run into on some 2-blade easels, is that the blades are not always perpendicular to the frame. Because the blade is held on only one side, if the manufacturing is sloppy or the user had damaged it, the blades will tilt.

In general, as low as possible, while still giving me exposure control. BUT, when shooting sports, shutter speed rules. So I raise the ISO to whatever level I need, to shoot at a shutter speed that I think necessary to freeze the action. Better a noisy sharp image, than a noise-free but blurry image. When shooting a scene, I make what I want the image to be, determine what camera settings I use. Just as @JDMvW said.

It is obsolete, but my wife does not make BIG pictures. 6MP is more than enough. I will probably be looking for a D5xxx, to replace it. Or switch her to Olympus.

Well, my wife may be retiring her D70 soon. It is the same problem someone else commented on another forum. The rubber covering on the grip is getting STICKY. The rubber is breaking down due to age. So unless I can get the covering material replaced at a reasonable price, it won't be worth repairing.

Unless you NEED an autofocus macro lens, I would use an older manual macro lens. That is what I do. 55/3.5 Micro Nikkor. I do not shoot macro enough to justify buying an AF-S macro lens. Other option is the used market. Check KEH for used macro AF-S lenses.

Yup, I did a 16x20 for my wife's prior company. No one was going to look at it with a magnifying glass.

Depends on what you want to do. If you are not going to print larger than 8x10, 6MP is plenty of pixels. Personally, IF my D70S did not die, I would still be shooting it, for general shooting. The only thing that limited me was when I started shooting high school sports. The D70 has a max ISO of 1600. I shoot my D7200 up at 6400 or 12800. My wife is using her D70, and it does everything that she wants it to do.

My gut reaction is that you have GAS. From what you said, I would personally just keep using your D7500. I don't see a wall, that you have hit, or will hit with the D7500. I don't do astrophotography, so I plead ignorance on that requirement. Though my gut feel is that would call for a D750 or Z6, for better low light performance. If you go FX, you have two sets of decisions to make. dSLR vs mirrorless low light vs high resolution For dSLR vs mirrorless If you are setting up for LONG term, then I would go mirrorless. But there is a LONG life left in the dSLRs. They are not going away tomorrow. I would expect to use a dSLR for at least another 5 - 10 years. [*]Lenses dSLR, F lenses You have a full suite of lenses to pick from, both from Nikon and after-market (Sigma, Tamron, etc.) Nikon Z lenses. Nikon does not have a full landscape of Z lenses, yet. If the lens you want is not currently made, then you have to adapt a F lens. But only AF-S/AF-P, not the mechanical AF lenses. Or you wait and hope that Nikon will eventually make the lens you want, in a Z mount. [*]Report are that the Z lenses are optically better than the F lenses. [*]My experience with battery life is. dSLR With my D7200, I can shoot all weekend and Monday on a single charge. I have NEVER needed to use my spare battery. [*]mirrorless I don't know about the Z6 and Z7, but with my Olympus EM1-mk2, the battery will only last about 4 hours continuous ON. So I need FOUR batteries to last me the entire day, plus at least one additional charger. The extra batteries and charger add more $$$. Mirrorless battery run time is primarily dependent on Power ON time, not number of shots taken. The EVF and rear screen are draining the battery, even if you are not shooting. Do you want better low light capability or more resolution. For low light, it is the D750/780 or Z6. These are 24MP cameras. So there isn't much improvement in resolution over your D7500. [*]For more resolution, it is the D850 or Z7. These are pretty expensive cameras. I can't afford them, and the pro grade FX lenses to go with them. If you are going to buy a high rez camera, you would be shooting yourself in the foot, if you did not get optically pro grade lenses, to match the high rez sensor. The D850 is significantly heavier than your D7500. If weight is a consideration. But, do you NEED that extra resolution? The old question, is "how big a print are you going to print?" You don't need 40MP for an 8x10 inch print. [*]The extra resolution will cost more for larger memory cards, more computer disk storage, and more CPU horsepower to process the larger files.

For packs like the Quantum and similar, I would stick to the original battery chemistry. Then you can use the original charger. If you change battery chemistry, you may not be able to use the original charger, and have to make/buy a new charger. If you know what you are doing, this is not an issue. But if you don't, you have to be careful.

If you shoot a target, I would balance it by shooting landscape or something that one would normally shoot. The reason for this is, distortion that is visible in a lens target may not be visible in "normal" shooting. I own the 43-86 pre-AI and AI. I used the pre-AI one for MANY years, for both B&W and slides, and I never had an issue with the IQ. It was "good enough" for me. My only issue was stupidly trying to use it to shoot basketball in the gym. WRONG lens. f/3.5 was way toooo slow. The more appropriate lens was the 50/1.4. I learned from that mistake and many years later, I used a 35/1.8 on my D7200 to shoot gym sports. Even today, in dim light, fast glass wins. Are you shooting FX or DX? I only have a DX camera.

Send it in for a CLA. Might simply be dried old grease on the slow speed gears or mechanism. I don't know if the F3 uses a mechanical or electronic shutter.

I would place into your letter a reference about covid. You may run into contractor and supplier delays due to covid. Your agent should be helping you deal with this, after all he was getting a policy commission every time you paid your insurance premium.

I should check with my insurance agent about that. That 6-month window could be an issue with me as well, in that situation, trying to do EVERYTHING in that time period.

Bummer. Sorry about that I would hate to have to go through that myself. I agree with Dieter. If you are planning to get an EM1-mk3 anyway, I would wait for the next generation of Nikon Z cameras. Canon just came out with their 2nd generation R, I would think Nikon's 2nd generation Z cameras would be soon.

WHEN we can get out for pleasure. Small/light gear. Micro 4/3, bridge camera, P&S or cell phone. I did pretty good when all I had was a Nikon L35AF. You make do with what you have.

Today, it might be best to take the insurance money and go do something else. It is pretty hard for a B&M store to fight low overhead internet warehouses.