tombest

I assume you understand that your current camera is not a full-frame camera and that when/if you move to a full frame you will lose reach on your lenses. It might be helpful to know what lenses you have and what you typically shoot. If you are a birder or wildlife shooter, you should stay with a crop sensor camera. if you do mostly landscapes and family events, the full-frame is probably the better choice. You are currently experiencing the 1.5 crop effect on all your lenses and will gain width at the expense of reach if you go full-frame. I recently bought a D500 since wildlife is my primary target but I will NOT sell my D7200. It's that good of a camera.

 

However... if you are accustomed to the hand room your camera gives you, you will find the D7200 pretty compact and much less roomy. Might be an issue if you have large hands.

 

Tom

I chose to upload a newer pic. I recently got my hands on a D500 and a 200-500 f5.6. and have been having a lot of fun with it.

 

Here is a little Basilisk I see frequently at a park I spend some of my lunch break at. Exceptionally colored little fellow and somewhat rarer than the brown versions. I think this guy is part dinosaur.

 

Missed attaching the pic to the post. Pic below. Sorry.

<p>I'm coming to the party late but would like to offer a few observational experiences. I have owned four tripods throughout the years of my hobby... an aluminum Bogen 3021, an Induro CT214, an Induro C413 and now a Gitzo GT3542. I, like you, wanted light weight and stability. The Bogen was heavy and noisy but pretty stable. The Induro C413 was a beast. 6 pounds of stiffness but quite a bit to lug around. The Induro CT214 was almost perfect but a shade less stiff than I thought I wanted. The Gitzo is pretty much everything I wanted in a tripod. Very light for its weight rating @ 4ish pounds, Very stiff and made very well. Not as light as the Induro CT214 but stiffer.</p>

<p>Would I buy the Gitzo again. Nope. Way too much money with absolutely no after-purchase support. I have tried three times to make contact with the company (2 towards Gitzo and once toward Manfrotto) with zero response other than the computer generated response, "Thank you for contacting..." If you need anything and your local supplier can't get it for you, you're out of luck. (B&H could not offer the part I was looking for.) It's a very nice tripod but too expensive to recommend in your situation.</p>

<p>If the Induro CT214 was a shade stiffer, it would have been perfect. Very light and compact. And I learned a lesson from moving away from that tripod that I wish I had learned earlier. The tripod is only one part of the stability equation. I had two seemingly unrelated issues that I blamed the tripod for that had nothing to do with it.</p>

<p>#1) I had battery grips attached to my cameras (D7000 & D7200) and neither provided rock solid stability due to a perceptible instability between the grip and the camera. I loved the feel of the camera with the grip but I was unable to consistently get vibration-free photos with the grips attached.</p>

<p>#2) The mounting place attached to the camera makes a difference. I had been using mounting plates with a rubberized surface between the plate and the camera bottom (or grip bottom). The rubberized surface of the plate was also contributing to the movement I was experiencing. I settled on a Kirk metal mounting plate that can be converted to an 'L' bracket and got an immediate increase in stability. </p>

<p>Now I know this doesn't address the issues you may have with your Neewer but the information might be helpful anyway. If the legs of your Neewer are pencil thin at the bottom, there is no way it can provide adequate wind resistance outdoors. Adding weight might help, but I suspect you purchased a tripod that isn't really stiff enough for what you wanted it for. </p>

<p>Since you either live or frequent NYC, I recommend you stop in to B&H or Adorama and play with what they have on the floor. It will be a fun field trip and it might help guide you into a decision about what might best serve your needs going forward. And don't rule out a used tripod. People (like me) sell their old stuff as they buy new and you might find a deal.</p>

<p>One last thing (if you're still tuned into the thread)... what camera and lenses are you supporting with your tripod? It might be helpful to find out how much support you actually need. A tripod's rated capacity and its ability to hold it <em>well</em> are two different animals.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

 

<p>Jack, I have the D7200 and the 1st generation 70-200 f2.8. I agree with the others who recommend the combination. It has remarkable resolution and the complaint about being soft in the corners won't be an issue for you with DX. Good luck with your search.<br>

Tom</p>

<p>Finally had a chance this weekend to wander out to the popular local wetland, Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Palm Beach County. The rookeries are in full swing with the Great Egrets, Great Blues, Anhingas and Wood Storks all busy building nests or tending to their young. This Great Egret got up off it's nest for a moment to stretch its legs and look around before sitting back on the nest. They really are beautiful birds. with the delicate plumage and green band at their beak.</p>

<p>Tom</p><div></div>

<p>oops</p><div></div>

<p>Edward, this worked out as well as I could have hoped for. The head sort of dwarfs the column but the lock-up is very good and there is zero movement. This GT3542 has a bit of a unique column grip. It tightens normally but when you go to loosen it, there is a moment when the collar lock nut feels as if it releases. A definitive change in the loosening tension that tells me that once locked, the column is very secure. And I find it odd that the 2-series Induro column fits the 3-series Gitzo. I'm not complaining but I would have thought it would have been marginally bigger in diameter. I included an iPhone shot of the column with my Nest gimbal head attached.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>News flash... I still have my short carbon column from my Induro CT214. Guess what? Same diameter, fits perfectly. Problem solved. Who knew? I'll have to invest in another spring-loaded hook for short column since the threads are different between the two but I can get 10 of them for the price of the Gitzo short column and B&H has them in stock.</p>

<p>Thanks for the push to look in another direction.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>Thanks for the tip Edward(s). I suppose if I don't hear back from them soon and can't find a venue for the parts I want, I'll knuckle under and get the stem. Had I known any of this I would have looked elsewhere for a tripod. But the planets aligned for me to get the GT3542 with the Christmastime rebate and a standing credit at B&H. I cleared out two Induros to get this, a CT214 and a C413. The Gitzo seemed to be in the sweet spot for strength & weight and with the stem being removable from the head, I thought it a simple task to ready my gimbal for a swap-n-go. Not quite buyers remorse, but almost. I can GET things in two days from Amazon, but can't get a response from Gitzo in a week. Very sad.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>Thanks Edward, but that's not the issue. On this generation of Gitzos, the column is separate from the head mount and is removable by twisting a silver collar (in the pic is has teeth). The whole metal mount removes from the column (or the column removes from the mount) and typically you would do that to get to ground level. To the best of my knowledge there is no short column available and if there was it would still need to mate with the part I'm trying to get my hands on. This could be a quick-interchangeable system if the mount were available as an assembly. As it is, Gitzo lists three parts to get what I want.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>Yes. That's where I went to make my request. It's basically a general email to them letting them know what you want (parts, service, information...). There is no order form or anything. I listed the parts I needed by part number (from their parts breakdown) and there was an automated reply informing me that they would get back to me soon in response. They haven't. Hence the shout out.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>Does anyone know where or how to obtain Gitzo parts? I bought a GT3542 for Christmas and would like to purchase an additional head mount so that I don't have to remove my ball head from the column top in order to install my gimbal head. The way the head attaches to the center column is pretty neat and makes for a really quick change as long as you can get your hands on the mount. B&H couldn't help me and now days after not hearing back from Gitzo, I'm open to suggestion. Gitzo acknowledged the receipt of my initial inquiry but that was it. I'm NOT impressed. The tripod is nice but I had heard of their dismal customer service and can relate. Is there another place I can look? I'm in the US so I'd rather eliminate the overseas component if possible. Thanks for any help you can offer.</p>

<p>Tom</p><div></div>

<p>Taran, nice web portfolio. You have some very nice shots there. <br>

I think the issue of a sturdy tripod can't be stressed enough. I would seriously start shopping for one soon because there really is a difference when you master your tripod technique with a good set of legs (and a remote shutter release). A couple of recommendations when you shop. I would strongly recommend that you find a head to go with your tripod that allows you to use solid camera plates with it. I learned that my camera <em>plate</em> was a source of wiggle. Over the years I purchased several systems that used cork or rubber mounting between the plate material and the camera body but discovered that the 'give' in the padding allowed for movement and vibration. I recently bought a solid plate designed for my camera body and the slight vibration I could detect from other plates went away. In my case, a Kirk plate, but there are others. Some of the complaint I had with earlier tripods might well have been the plate I had mounted to the camera. Also, I resorted to not using a battery grip because the connection wasn't rock solid.</p>

<p>If it were me, given what I know of your style and interests, I would buy the D7100. There <em>will</em> be a difference in moving from 14mp to 24mp. (Don't forget to account for the larger file sizes you will be dealing with. The new images will take up more space in your computer.)</p>

<p>An additional 'sharper' solution to your situation might be to invest in DxO Optics Pro. I found it capable of extracting an amazing level of detail from the lenses I already have or had. I use Photoshop as well but if I have a keeper, it goes to DxO first. </p>

<p>I own the Sigma 18-35 f1.8. It is a truly remarkable lens but I wouldn't consider it if I was only interested in landscape photography It's strength lies in its fast aperture which won't come into play in landscapes. For street photography and casual shots, it's amazing. But it is big and heavy. Not a problem on a tripod but probably more than you need and certainly a lot to lug around on hikes, especially if you're already shopping for a lighter tripod.</p>

<p>About ultra-wide lenses for landscape... I don't find the ultra-wides really that great for landscapes. They are wonderful for some specialty photos but frankly, I used my 18-105 VR Nikon at the Grand Canyon more than my Tokina 12-24. With ultra wide lenses you are spreading your pixels pretty thin and your perceived sharpness may not improve, and in fact it may seem worse. I was between 35mm and 50mm most of the time. You already have the 35mm f1.8, maybe the 50mm f1.8 would be a nice addition? The 50mm is blisteringly sharp - almost too sharp for portraits, but is a perfect fit on Dx and the D7100 will extract all the detail you could want from it. Used, they're a steal. As others might have mentioned, the Tokina 11-16 is an awesome lens but the zoom range isn't much... there isn't a lot of 'zoom'. </p>

<p>I suppose if I was spending your money, I would buy the D7100 and a tripod/head that cost enough to make you a little uncomfortable. Then, if I had the time, I'd use the camera and the lenses you have to determine if you are able to achieve the results you're after. And I would definitely download a trial version of DxO Optics Pro and play with it for 30 days. What you have just might surprise you.<br>

Good luck.</p>

<p>Tom<br>

</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Wow. This was a hot mess. fuzzy, dark, grainy. I opened it in DxO Optics Pro 10 1st then into PS CC for whatever magic I could think of (which wasn't much). Tried to knock the noise down in both DxO and Topaz DeNoise but miracles were elusive. And there isn't' much detail left if you take all the noise out. The patient lived... but just barely.</p>

<p>Tom</p><div></div>

<p>And a day later and a couple of miles away...</p>

<p>Tom</p><div></div>

<p>I love throwback week...</p>

<p>This is from our trip to the Canyon last May. Red Rock country is truly spectacular. we were hampered a bit by the fire in Slide Rock State Park so some of the shots were well beyond hazy. Here at Bell Rock, we caught the right wind and had some clear skies.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>However, they would have been so much better if you used a D500 .... :-)</em> Had to go there, didn't you Shun?</p>

</blockquote><div></div>

<p>It's always either spring or fall or summer here in S Florida. Gets confusing sometimes. Anyway... We had some nice fog roll in this past Saturday. I was lucky enough to get to a park before it succumbed to the sun and grab a few shots. I added the tint but the scene was otherwise as I saw it. It was my first outing with my new Gitzo GT3542. Very nice platform. </p>

<p>Tom</p><div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>@ Shun: For those who already have a D7200, I don't think the D500 will be that much better.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm in that camp. I have a D7200 and the D500, while impressive, doesn't offer enough in areas that matter to me to justify the cost. I am <em>VERY</em> impressed with the focus specs and love the idea of fine tuning of lenses becoming automatic, but don't shoot sports or a lot of BIF where the new autofocus will really shine. I find the D7200 remarkably capable and certainly not the limiting factor in my photography. I am. That being said, I am thrilled that Nikon built this camera and hope it sells well.<br>

Tom<br>

</p>

<p>Carla, there are a lot of great responses and you have a lot to think about. I haven't heard anyone mention it so it bears saying, some of the D7000's had a back focus issue that required a bit of tuning. I know because I had one. Mine wasn't awful but each lens I owned and used on it required a fair amount of correction to dial them in so the focus was sharp. I had the most issue with my 70-200 f2.8 VR1 and I had to use all of the available adjustment to get sharp images. I probably could have used 21 or 22 points but the 20 that were available got me close enough. If you haven't checked your two lenses (especially the 55-200) I would do that. That can make a big difference in the quality of the captures you get. </p>

<p>On the wide side, I own and use a Tokina 12-24 f4.0. It's a great lens. My son bought the 11-16 f2.8 but I think if he had it to do all over, he would have gone with the 12-24. The zoom range of the 11-16 is very narrow and functions more like a limited range f2.8 prime. Only you can decide how wide is wide enough but you'll hear a lot of people with 12-24s tell you they are at 24mm more often than at 12. Also, a 50mm f1.8 Nikon is a great lens to have. Wicked sharp, fast, very light and cheap to buy used. On a D7000 it's a very useful portrait lens that will help isolate your dogs in portraits. Good luck.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>Terri, you're in a pickle. Everything that would solve your problem is either too expensive, too heavy or doesn't fit. It doesn't leave you with many options that will result in excellence. I'm inclined to recommend that you get a D5300 and use your 55-300 with it. Results will be better than with the D3000 you have and the layout and size are very similar so the learning curve will be lessened. The D5300 has the capability to use Auto ISO and I think I would learn and use it. It will allow you to have the camera adjust the ISO automatically as needed while you manually set a shutter speed or f-stop. If your lens won't gather enough light to make higher shutter speeds possible (as it would with any of the f2.8 offerings) then you have to live with the noise from higher ISOs. It's a trade-off but there are software editing options for noise that can mitigate the degradation. There's no free lunch here. And if that is something you should decide to do and money is a consideration, can you go back to Best Buy and return the 50 f1.8? You could apply the value to whatever you buy or just get your money back. The 50 f1.8 is a very good lens, just not what you need right now.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

<p>I don't know if anyone is still checking this post, but I did decide to go with a Gitzo GT-3542. There is a rebate that takes some of the sting of the price away so I mustered the troops to chip in where they could and found a way to fund it. I sincerely hope this thing is all I expect. There is much banter around about what tripod to buy and why this one or that is as good or better than a Gitzo. Soon I will be able to comment on how they compare with the two Induros I have. Again, thanks for the suggestions and comments<br>

Tom</p>

 

<p>Fun photos this week.<br>

Patrick, thanks for the nod.<br>

Leszek, love your Rudolf dilemma. No snow, no buddies...<br>

Jose, is that for real? Those colors are insane.<br>

Tony and the rest... Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays back at you.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

 

<p>Another option is to download Nikon's app called <em>Manual Viewer</em> onto your phone. Into that you can store manuals for all your camera and flashes and have them with you in digital format regardless of your phone platform. Having had it with me has helped several times when I've gotten stuck.<br>

<br />Tom</p>

<p>After 41 years of marriage we've accumulated an interesting collection of ornaments. This one is about 35 years old and one of our favorites. Mr. Mousy sleeps contentedly.</p><div></div>