richard_potts

<p>Fantastic responses, all. Much appreciated.</p>

<p>Greetings:<br>

In mid-May I will be spending about two weeks on a landscape photography road trip, driving to the Grand Canyon, southern Utah, and southern Colorado. I have a moderate physical handicap and cannot hike to any extent, no more than about a city block, so nearly all photography will be restricted to passenger-car-accessible overlooks, etc. I would appreciate any information and recommendations you may have about easy-to-access photo locations. I am fine with the classic "tripod hole" locations, but would like to know of any other less-cliché'd spots as well. I have a few good photo guides to these locations already, but would like to ask you for any further personal experiences, especially ones relevant to my circumstances. I have also searched this site and found several good threads. <br>

My itinerary is:<br>

- 3 nights in Flagstaff AZ, from which I will visit the Grand Canyon; my HC car tag allows me to drive into the public-restricted traffic areas.<br>

- one night in Kanab, UT, to visit the Vermillion Cliffs.<br>

- 7 nights at Brian Head ski resort, near Cedar City, from which I will visit Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante; during that week I will stay in Torrey for one night for visiting Capitol Reef; I do plan to drive on some of the better unpaved roads in the parks where possible.<br>

- one night in Moab, for seeing Arches and Canyonlands.<br>

- 3 nights in Durango, for Mesa Verde and area.<br>

Also, is anyone familiar with wildflower phases/seasons in these areas?<br>

Thanks for your help.</p>

<p>Notice that in Fig. 7, the springs are being cut and shortened (even though new retaining clips are also being installed). I did just that when I had one clip break (w/o replacing the clip). The shortened spring exerts less backwards force against the battery, and in turn against the MB200 door. As long as the door closure tab is intact, it should hold the batteries in place without the clips, and that may be a cheap fix for an 8-yr old camera grip.</p>

<p>I foresee a new market for "Lens Condoms." Only 2-stops lost, but you gain that secure feeling. ;-)</p>

<p>See this recent thread for some potential problems with those models:<br>

http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00ZbYf<br>

I too would have liked such an inexpensive alternative grip, but quality control may be an issue.</p>

 

<p>Mary, be sure to check that the camera registers the battery in the grip (if in fact there is one in the grip). I bought one of these recently, and the electronic connection was intermittent, even with the grip mounting screw as tight as it would go. With two batteries installed (one in grip and one in camera body), the battery status menu sometimes showed two batteries, and sometimes only one. I could actually flex the grip slightly and the battery menu would suddenly change from one to two batteries. I sent it back and will wait for an OEM Nikon grip. True, the price is extremely attractive, but I did not want to trust the tenuous connection.</p>

<p>"...Its sold by amazon so you know the card is real." Amazon lists some merchandise that is sold by an "affiliate" vendor (who must conform to Amazon's guidelines), and some of that stuff may be knock-offs or poor quality imitations (e.g., camera batteries). If it just says sold by Amazon alone near the price, then you should be OK.</p>

<p>The tiny D40 does benefit from the battery grip for anyone with large hands. However, be aware that it does not allow normal vertical shooting. The Targus grip's vertical shutter release button operates via a pop-up IR transmitter eye which sends a signal up the front of the camera to the IR sensor. You have to go into the release mode menu to select 'remote' for <em>each</em> shot, because after a remote shot, the camera reverts to normal shutter release. It is very limiting for anyone used to immediate and unlimited vertical shooting with a OEM grip. But, for $9.99...</p>

<p><a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~balesmachine2/dpreviewphotos/batretcliprplc.htm">http://home.earthlink.net/~balesmachine2/dpreviewphotos/batretcliprplc.htm</a></p>

<p>Yes, I have seen the site illustrating the actual repair, and it does seem somewhat involved, especially the tiny screw removal. It is a very thorough description, and if I thought that I would be keeping the D200 for a long time, I might have tried it. However, new (and greatly improved) models are calling me, after 5 years with the D200. That's why I called this a "quick fix."</p>

<p>One of the battery clips in my MB-200 broke, as has happened to many others. I tried to glue it, but I doubt that any glue will hold such a small surface which must take so much opposing force from the spring in the bottom of the battery compartment. The worst problem was that the battery door would not hold the battery in if the clip was not fully functional, and batteries popped out in the field on more than one occasion. I won't pay the cost of repair from Nikon, nor buy another one, so I figured that I may as well try a homemade remedy. I simply clipped off the top one-third of the spring, so that not as much "backwards" force is applied to the battery and then to the MB-200 door. The spring has nothing to do with electrical contact, as springs do in flashlights, etc.; it only pushes back on the battery for positioning. I also fiddled with the MB200 door latch, as it seemed to have only a tenuous hold on the little tab on the door "frame." I took off the circlip and adjusted it so that it closes in more of a 1 o'clock position, rather than a 12 o'clock position, and makes greater contact behind the door frame tab, and holds the door closed more firmly. This seems to work so far, and the battery makes full electrical contact just from pressure from the closed door, without the broken clip. If you are not willing to pay the cost of new one or repair, then this might work for you.</p>

<p>The same thing happened to me about 10 years ago. I had just purchased it, and had it set up on my flash, camera on the tripod, in a sunny window. I wasn't using it, just mounted and admiring it. Left it there all day, to come home and find a 1-inch track of blistered camera skin, corresponding to the sun's movement across the sky. It took me a while to figure out what had happened.</p>

Joe, as you can see in the second paragraph of my original post, I know about the d8 setting and changed it accordingly. Here is my final report: the camera functions perfectly with one EN-EL3e in the MB-D200 grip. Today I bought some 2650 mAh rechargable NiMH batteries, charged them up, put them in the grip (changed the d8 setting, of course), and everything seems to work fine. Apparently the problem was with the 1500 mAh NiMH batteries; just not enough power in them (I am still surprised at that). I guess I will just use them for the flashes (and many other devices around my home). Thanks again to all who contributed.

Many thanks for the quick and helpful responses. Despite having pored over the manuals repeatedly, thanks to Juri I went back and found the single sentence in the MB-D200 instructions which said it could use "...one or two EN-EL3e batteries.." I put it in, and everything seems to work. My 1500 mAh rechargables are a few years old, but they still charge and work well; probably been recharged only 25-30 times (out of 500 max?). It's surprising they wouldn't have the juice that the camera needs; the EN-EL3e is rated at 7.2V 1500 mAh, which is exactly what 6 of the rechargables have collectively. I don't think one of them is bad; when going through the charging cycle, the smart charger would not indicate a successful charge cycle if one was bad. Unfortunately I don't have any battery testing device. I am charging six more (of my 18-20) to see if other ones will work at all. If they don't, then I guess my option is to try higher capacity rechargables (2600mAh), or get one more EN-EL3e. Walter, what brand are your rechargables? In any case, I am greatly relieved that the camera and grip both seem to be operating as they should. Finally, Ron, I am not the Richard Potts you asked about. Thanks again to all.

On my brand new Nikon D200, I have a problem with the MB-D200 battery pack

grip. There seems to be some communication/power problem between the grip and

the camera. Here are the symptoms:

1) when using the EN-EL3e battery alone in the camera (no MB-D200 grip

attached), the camera seems to work fine.

2) when using AA alkaline batteries in the MB-D200 grip, it can autofocus

normally, but after I take one shot, the battery indicator immediately

shows "exhausted battery," and I cannot take a second shot. Turning the camera

off, then on, restores the battery indicator to "full," and I can then view

the image taken previously. Then I can only take one more shot, etc.

3) when using Powerex 1500mA NIMH rechargables (my intended option), the

camera turns on and autofocuses, but I cannot take a shot at all. Pressing the

shutter release does nothing, and the battery indicator immediately changes

to "exhausted." As with the alkalines, turning the camera off, then on,

restores the battery indicator to "full," but I still cannot take a shot. I

have conditioned and charged the batteries, so they defintely are not dead.

 

I know the part about changing the custom menu item (d8) to specify which

batteries are to be used in the grip, and obviously have selected the proper

option. I have inspected all contact points, and nothing seems amiss.

 

Please advise if you have seen this problem before. Because of the weird

pattern with two types of batteries, I cannot determine if the problem is with

the MB-D200 grip, or if the camera is not recognizing the battery type

correctly. I only have one EN-EL3e battery, so I cannot try the option of

putting two of them in the grip. I have two weeks to return grip or camera as

defective. Thanks in advance for your info.

I recently got the Bogen macro flash bracket, and it may fit your needs. I haven't used it much, but I can see its versatility. It consists of an 8"x2" central camera/lens mounting platform, and two 8" arms which swing in a horizontal plane and slide under or out from the central platform. The flashes can thus be positioned out to each side, or swung forward (and length adjusted) so that each is next to the end of the lens. The central platform on which the camera/lens is mounted hinges at one side to go vertical; together with the ballhead flopped to the side, this would allow an arrangement with flashes above and below the lens. At each moving joint (flash attach. point, arm attach. point, camera/lens plate hinge) as well as the main camera/lens mounting screw, are the handy folding D-ring bolts, making adjustment quick and easy. On the bottom of the camera platform are 1/4 and 3/8 sockets where you would mount a tripod QR plate. Another great feature: it is only $40 at Adorama! At that price, it is well worth trying out. I believe the only functional difference between it and the Lepp bracket is that the latter has additional arm joints, i.e., longer two-piece arms, and mini ball heads on each arm. It wouldn't take much to add homemade extensions to the Bogen arms if necessary.

Anthony:

 

Unfortunately I do not have an answer to your card box question, but rather a novice's question for you. How exactly are you printing your own cards? I had thought of doing it myself, but don't know the first thing about it. Are you printing on cards from a scan via inkjet printer, or are you attaching actual photos to cardstock as in the Photographer's Edge products? I think many of us would like to know the basics of the process you are using. Thanks.

Jeff:

 

I have purchased Walmart's similar bundle of camo nylon material, with plans to make it into a blind, although I haven't yet. I have seen other hunting/photo blind packages made by attaching the material lengthwise to two "end poles" (with clamps, duct tape, glue, etc.), with additional poles in between to make it into a U-shaped enclosure (open back next to shrubby area and not openly exposed). Various poles could be used, including fiberglass tent pole sections, 3" plastic plant stakes (both also at Walmart), or of course bamboo sticks or hardwood sticks you find. Material and poles could roll up into a compact and light bundle. The idea of attaching the material to existing tree branches could work, but will you get the view you want AND still be hidden? I don't hunt, but it seems like a hunter just needs to be hidden for a short time while the animal approaches, then BANG! We, of course, want to remain hidden while we "shoot" for a more extended time, during which we may want to adjust our lens position for a better angle, etc., without spooking the subject. I had thought about setting the material up as described above, and also making a horizontal slit (15-18" in length ) at my preferred lens/tripod height for the lens to poke through, so I and camera would not be looking over the top in view of animal. I hope this helps; let us know what you eventually do.

I want to use the Super Clamp part of my Bogen long lens support to

mount a 3055 ballhead; I saw this illustrated for macro work in John

Shaw's Closeups in Nature book; the clamp with ballhead is then

clamped low on a tripod leg. I am assuming there must be some sort

of adaptor bolt with a small end (1/4") to screw into the super clamp

(it has a labelled 1/4" socket) and a large end (3/8"?) to screw into

the ballhead base. Is this correct? If so, can anyone tell me what

this bolt/part is called, Bogen part #, etc. If I am incorrect, how

can I mount the ballhead on the super clamp? Thanks in advance.

The most recent post to comment on the new Bogen 3435 "Pro Ball Head"

was over one year ago, so I thought this inquiry would generate some

new

experiences for the data base. I want to step up to a better ball

head than my Bogen 3055, but I am not ready/willing to shell out $400+

for Arca-Swiss, Kirk, Studioball, etc. I am not a professional

photographer, and cannot justify that much money. However, I can see

the limitations and inconvenience of the 3055. I do mostly wildlife

photography, and have attempted to do some pan shots of hovering and

soaring waterbirds; the 3055 clearly falls short, as it has virtually

no tension adjustment to allow smooth but controlled panning. Many

people have liked the 3038 in the past, but the 3435 seems to be a

better ball head. The advantages of the 3038 are price ($144 vs.

$194), bubble levels (vs. none in the 3435), and the hex plate which

fits my other 3047 pan-tilt head (vs. a smaller QR plate in the 3435).

The

advantages of the 3435 are weight (1.1 vs. 3.7 lbs), and a

teflon-coated ball (vs. bare steel?). Both have tension adjustment

and panning bases. Does anyone have experience with both, and can

you give me your recommendation between these two ball heads? Thanks

in advance.

Be aware that in the forest interior, it can be very dim even at noon, so with the films recommended above along with your f4-5.6 zoom, you are likely to have very slow shutter speeds, probably longer than is hand-holdable; thus, a light tripod is necessary, but even a light tripod is a lot of weight to carry just for the photos. You might consider some 400 speed film for the forest interior shots, and use the Velvia for landscapes out in sunny conditions. The faster film may allow you to hand hold the camera when necessary. You might also consider a sub-1-lb. mini-tripod (tabletop model) which could sit on a boulder or something, and still give you the stability for slow shutter speeds. As far as another wider lens, Nikon's 35-80mm f4-5.6 is very lightweight and inexpensive; the 35 end may give you a wide enough angle for your purposes, and the zoom to 80mm fills in the gaps up to where the 80-200mm starts.

I will be in Myrtle Beach, SC, in early June. I am interested in good

wildlife/outdoor photo locations within 60-80 miles either north or

south of MB. Can anyone tell me specifics about 1) Huntington Beach

State Park, 2) Cape Romain NWR, or 3) any good North Carolina sites

between MB and Wilmington NC? I will have 400mm lens and tripod for

non-shy wildlife; I will also be interested in and equipped for good

overall scenic locations as well. Thanks in advance.

While I do not have personal experience with the location or subject, there is a book (1996? pub.) by Tim Fitzharris entitled "Photography Hot Spots", and one chapter is on whale photography in the Vancouver sound area. He talks about photo technique mostly, but also about logistics of getting there, what boats to rent, approach techniques, behaviors to watch for, etc. I bought the book from www.half.com for less than $10.

Although I do not have direct experience with the Swamp Strap, I would feel more comfortable (secure) having the camera in a chest holster-type case. LowePro makes the Top Load AW holster, which will hold camera with medium-large lens (e.g., 80-200 f2.8) and it comes with a chest harness. It looks like a very well made and well thought out carrying system. The "AW" designation means all weather, which would likely prevent the dripping sweat problem. Mail order prices are around $50 for case and included harness.