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sngreen

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Posts posted by sngreen

    Olympus plans to cut 2,700 jobs over 5 years

    in Olympus

    Posted

    <p>@Gerry Siegel,<br /> HG lenses will not bring you to the top of the line. They are good, but not where you imply they could be, and even more so on the quarter of a sensor. The SHG lenses are very good, you could almost call them the top, but those who bought them are few and far in between. So what is the point of continuing with yet another body that brings almost nothing commercially. Think about it.</p>

    <p> </p>

    Should i buy this lens

    in Nikon

    Posted

    It is a good lens for the price. It has a screw-driven focusing, so I am not sure if it will work on D70. It is considerably smaller than 70-200VR although it is also a full frame lens. On cropped sensor only the center is used, which in its turn delivers the best performance out of it. It is a perfect lens for street shots and quick portraits.

     

    - sergey

    Cleaning Sensors from Nikon?

    in Nikon

    Posted

    Here in Vienna, Austria I think € 50 is pretty average price for sensor cleaning, but I do not think it is worth it. I did

    D200 once myself and did not think it was difficult. Overall make sure you do not hold camera upwards so the sensor

    would not catch more dust then you are removing from it. Make sure you have enough light in the room, the desk (or

    where you do it) is reasonably clean and uncluttered, your battery is fully charged. Gently touch the surface of the

    sensor (or rather filter that is on top of it) and move whatever on it from one side to the other (usually from left to right).

     

    Or perhaps you do not need wet cleaning at all and arctic butterfly can do the job as well. So far I have seen only

    wonders from it on my D300. Even when cleaning the focusing screen, which I thought usually was harder than

    removing specs from the sensor.

     

    - sergey

    Capture NX 2 Problem

    in Nikon

    Posted

    <p><em>Sergey, How do you "open a ticket" with Nikon? </em><br />

    <br />

    Submit problem through their web, receive confirmation number via email. Someone

    will usually contact within a day or so.<br />

    <br />

    I use NX because I think it gets me the best colors, but it gets very

    frustrating when it starts acting. <br />

    <br />

    - sergey<br />

    Capture NX 2 Problem

    in Nikon

    Posted

    <p><em>Is there are reason to have 20 files open at once? I mean, you're only

    editing one at a time anyway, right? Just use NX's browser window so you can SEE

    all 20 files, and just drag the one you're playing with into the editing space.

    20 RAW files is a lot of swap file manipulating on the part of the OS, lotsa RAM

    or not. Just try changing that workflow a bit, and I'll bet all sorts of things

    improve.</em><br />

    <br />

    I preview (by folders) in ViewNX, mark files I like, and then send them to

    Capture. A bit repetitive but works well when in a hurry. This is a

    very good advice you are giving. I must admit I never thought of using Capture's

    own browser. Just tried it and I see marked files remain marked in Capture as well. Will do it next time I use

    it.<br />

    <br />

    - sergey<br />

    Capture NX 2 Problem

    in Nikon

    Posted

    I am saving to the internal drive that has over 200G space left on a 3Gz 2core + 4G ram machine. I suspect it

    also has something to do with Vista, since the hdrives never stop spinning, but it is just as annoying

    nevertheless. I open 20 files at a time, save few till NX starts acting, close the application and start it

    again. Very frustrating. I only wish Nikon opened up their secrets so Adobe and others could produce identical

    results from the same files as well - I would never be bothered again.

     

    Another problem that has never really been solved (at least for me) is "Could not safe file Access to file

    denied" dialogs. Seems the only way to get around it is to keep the directory open and delete *.tmp file whenever

    the image file becomes "unsavable". Kind of kludgy way of working with modern software methinks.

     

    Anyways, just felt like venting out. Good ideas but duh so many problems!

     

    - sergey

    Capture NX 2 Problem

    in Nikon

    Posted

    Just opened another ticket with Nikon. When I try to save TIFF file in Capture NX2 the dialog box "Current task"

    often says saving, but it is not going anywhere. Just sits in the middle of the screen with only option to

    cancel. I wait, and wait, and wait ... nothing happens. Does anyone know of a good solution that would allow me

    NOT to use NX2 EVER !?

     

    - sergey

    Nikon 12-24: New or Used?

    in Nikon

    Posted

    I would return the lens if I were you immediately and buy a new one from the dealer where you can go back and

    exchange it again if necessary. Once you know or think something is not right with your lens you will never be

    happy with it. As for 11-16 the first sample I got was also a dud. See my quick comparison here

     

    http://www.pbase.com/sngreen/tokina

     

    Make sure you select the original size and then toggle between next and previous.

     

    The 12-24 which I have used for over a year is flawless and the new replacement I got for 11-16 is excellent,

    simply superb, but the first variant was not sharp through the entire range. The tech support from Tokina,

    Netherlands confirmed the lens was not good and they simply replaced it. The funny part was when he told me over

    the phone they are constantly restocking this lens since it is so popular. Wow! No kidding!

     

    Not only the first and the second versions were different in sharpness but they also looked different. Strange as

    it may sound but I think they had some kind of a different coating on them. When I held both 12-24 and the first

    sample of 11-16 against the light I could clearly see 12-24 had a blue cast on the class whereas 11-16 was very

    much Pentax like green. From any angle I looked. The second copy has a bit brownish tint to it but is very similar

    to 12-24 otherwise.

     

    I do not regret that I bought this lens; can not complain about the price, it is built well and delivers

    excellent results. But the lesson learned is that it is always better to buy optics from the local dealer when I

    can walk in the very next day and exchange it. Never buy from the internet unless there is a significant saving,

    the dealer is known and you have bought from them before, or the lens can not be bought elsewhere. The hassle

    is often not worth it.

     

    Good luck to you and happy shooting,

     

    - sergey

    Cleaning Advice: D300

    in Nikon

    Posted

    Check out Thom Hogan's page first<br />

    <a href="http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm">Cleaning your Sensor</a><br />

    <br />

    This is if you need wet cleaning, which I do not think you do. Try Arctic

    Butterfly instead<br />

    <a href="http://www.momentcorp.com/review/arcticbutterfly.html">link 1</a> <br />

    <a href="http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/arcticbutterfly">link 2</a><br />

    <a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/arctic-butterfly.shtml">

    link 3</a><br /><br />

     

    I used it maybe 3 times in total on my D300 and I never see any spots on my

    images, even at f22. <br /><br />

     

    The speck that is seen through the viewfinder is most likely on your focusing screen

    (above the mirror). Use arctic<br />

    butterfly and it will be gone. Try to avoid blowing air into your camera, at

    least at the beginning.<br />

    <br />

    - sergey<br />

    Viewing Images Larger

    in PhotoNet Site Help

    Posted

    <em>I'm guessing you haven't tried clicking on the image.</em><br />

    <br />

    I think it would not be a bad idea to show the images in a size the photographer

    meant them to show and not in a size imposed by the site. But I also see how one size for all can help the site

    to look and be universally clean. <br />

    <br />

    In most of the image browsers clicking on the image (or double-clicking) usually returns the viewer to the folder

    (as one

    level above) and not to the larger version of it. Perhaps a little

    note "Click on the image to see it in a larger format" could be added as a hint, or cursor with

    the magnifying glass when over the image. Something along these lines.<br />

    <br />

    - sergey</p>

    Photos Remain?

    in PhotoNet Site Help

    Posted

    <em>I think you can put html code in your biography section to include

    specific photos on your portfolio page, I've seen it on some portfolios.</em><br />

    <br />

    Drop a link if you come across such a page. I would be interested to see it. Thanks.<br />

    <br />

    - sergey</p>

    Photos Remain?

    in PhotoNet Site Help

    Posted

    <em>Your own computer may be caching the page as well.</em><br />

    <br />

    I cleaned the cache as soon as I saw the old images, it did not help. That is why I asked. Some months

    ago I was also under an impression the images rotated in some sort of a random order.

    Now I see they do not and I think it would be good if they did. Or even better

    if the user could select the images to show in the profile.<br />

    <br />

    I just clicked on my name and I see the images are different now. So it looks

    like it took a while (at least in hours) for the  old ones to go.<br />

    <br />

    - sergey

    Sell my Sigma 105 2.8 ang get Nikon 85mm 1.8 for Portraiture?

    in Nikon

    Posted

    I would keep sigma if I were you. Nikon is a very fine lens but it does not allow as close focusing as Sigma does, and 105 (also 150) is not a bad lens at all. I do not always shoot macros but I will never let my 150 go, although I have the range covered with 70-200vr as well. I would add 85/1.8, but I would not be swapping for it.

     

    - sergey

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