graham_marsden

I have a D80 which I love. However I also have a shirt-pocket Casio and sometimes the decisions it makes automatically produce better results than the DSLR. Doesn't suit everything though, and the shutter delay for instance can be really annoying.

Thanks Erik, Nick, and Tommy. That was just the sort of information I had hoped for. And the book sounds essential reading. I shall look forward to it. Thanks again !!

Still fairly new to my D80 but would like to have a go at close-ups. Flower

details for instance.

 

My lenses are Nikkor 18-70mm, Nikkor 50mm prime, and Tamron 70-300mm. Advice

please as to whether extension tube is the best answer? If so, for which lens?

Hi all.

 

Ellis. I open the files in Picasa2 (which opens Raw files). If they work I can't do in there (cloning etc.,) I right-click and 'open in' Adobe Photoshop Elements 4. While in there I go file>exif info which is when I am told that there isn't any exif information in the file.

 

Richard B. - Glad I'm not alone.

 

Richard W. - Thanks for the links which I shall work on.

 

By the way, in the interim I e-mailed Nikon and had a very helpful reply.:-

 

Response (Derek Davis) 05/06/2007 03:41 PM

Dear Graham,

 

The RAW (NEF) EXIF data will be visible when using Nikon software such as Nikon Picture Project. This is due to RAW image formats requiring compatible software to read the file information, whereas JPEG is a universal format.

 

If you have any other questions please reply to my email and I'll be happy to help.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Derek Davis

Nikon Europe Support

 

I duly downloaded my unused PictureProject which came with the camera and lo and behold there was my Exif data on a test NEF file I opened. So there is probably something in Richard B's point about Nikon's intentions.

My D80 produces full Exif data for JPEGs but all it shows me for NEF files is

the pixel dimensions of the picture. This has been so since purchase in Sept

06, but I have only recently begun Raw-shooting on a regular basis.

 

I 'work-round' by using the Raw + JPEG setting in 'image quality'. But I

shouldn't need to I guess. Anybody else suffered similar and is there an easy

answer?

The Nikkor 18-70mm is a great lens. I guess I was lucky to have it bundled with my D80. Since then I've bought the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 prime which is a superb performer and so small and light too. It's available again in the UK for about ?120 (they were in such high demand, stockists ran out).

Thanks everyone. I had a go at the deepred roses in RAW (NEF) this morning and I am much more satisfied with the result. This 'Hannah' rose was the main one causing me the problem. I'm including it just to show the sort of reds that were troublesome, not because it is a show-stopper.

 

<IMG SRC="http://mars.walagata.com/w/radiogandy/3574-Adj-Rose.jpg">

 

I have a grandaughter Hannh and I needed to colours to be accurate. Thanks again Graham

I am a comparitively new DSLR user (less than a year) and my 'reds' cause me

concern. They lack depth and lustre. On my D80 I've tried the whole gamut:-

vivid, more vivid and I've been in the custom settings and gone for a high

saturation. In the in camera 'retouch' menu I've tried the colour balance

filter options. If of course I shift things to 'reds' I get a red cast. It

isn't my exposures either because the problem persists even with a beautiful

classically shaped histogram.

 

For the sake of checking I dug out some really old Pentax K1000 work, both film

and slides, and the reds were gorgeous. I resent having to resort to PhotoShop

because to use it for such a purpose would be against my religion (joke ! folks).

 

Any advice would be really welcome because our roses are in full production and

I need the reds right.!!

I spent the morning with photography chums, one of whom has just bought a D40X.

We were surprised to find that the Nikkor 18-70mm AF-S (ED) from my D80, is

not comnpatible with his camera. He could not get it to auto-focus even though

it is a modern lens. Close examination revealed that on my version there are 10

electrical contact bumps while on his there are only 8.

 

Part of his reason for buying the D40x was to be able to use his existing Nikon

lenses. Is this a fault or is it covered in Nikon's 'small print' ?

Hi Simon. BTW I live near Eastwood so we are almost neighbours. Just to add another two-pennorth to the D80 metering debate. Today I've tried > spot-meter> lock> recompose> click. Then, if necessary, I use the D-lighting Retouch facility. Too cumbersome a method for some jobs I suppose, but it suits my photography.

Although very much an oldie, I am a newbie in digital terms. I read what you all say with great interest even though some of it I don't really understand. My D80 has rejuvenated my love of photograhy. I simply have it set at -0.7EV most of the time and am delighted with my results. If in doubt I spot-meter and deal with any resultant underexposure in my beloved and speedy Picasa2. No problem, as the young people say.

MicroGlobe had some in stock. http://www.microglobe.co.uk/catalog/ but probably due to demand they are waiting too. Glad I got mine. It's super !!

I'm lucky to own the Nikkor 18-70mm and the 50mm f1.8 prime. They both make my photography seem better than it actually is ! I also have a Tamron 70-300mm which is not good. At over 200mm the results are definitely soft. But what can you expect for $150

Absolutely fair comment Tony. And I love your pictures. The bee about to 'land' is a great shot. As you have noted, I am still feeling my way at the moment but I love my D80. I'm well over 70 now and the camera has rejuvenated my photography. I'll come back to you in a year I promise. I've put a 'sticky' on my laptop !!

Oh dear! I'm a comparative newbie in digital terms and I find the guy a help not a hindrance. For instance his guide to setting up my Nikon D80 was much much better than the provided handbook. OK - he likes very saturated colours while I don't. So I simply didn't follow his advice on that bit.

 

He offends the 'pompous' which can't be bad. But, provided you use your common-sense, he rates plus not minus.

There is a super little prog http://epaperpress.com/ptlens/ which corrects almost everything - barrel/pin cushion distortion, vignetting, chromic aberation etc... Trouble is, after 10 free 'gos' you have to pay for it. But providing you are economical with its use, 10 will last you quite a while.

Tim's right. Picasa2 is great and a freebie. It is quick and works wonders. The filing system is excellent and you can use Picasa Web Albums online storage, so your little treasures are safely stored; therefore you don't need to be constantly worrying about backups.

 

It will even open RAW files and let you work on them. All it's missing is a clone tool.

The 1.8 is a super lens. One advantage over the 1.4 is that the 1.8 will stop down to f22 instead of f16. Don't ask me why.

Hi Patrick. If you were using the long end of a long zoom for instance, you can often find that the object isn't big enough to fill the 'focus-box' you have selected. I often let auto-focus do its best then flick over to manual and sharpen the image.

It worried me to begin with but don't switch it off! When you have got used to it you will value it.

 

A warning of overexposure also appears in bottom left corner of the info bar in the viewfinder.

It only happens once! and next time you don't screw them in too tight. When it happened to me, finally in despair I gave 'em a squirt of WD40. It worked although the purists would be horrified. Wiping it off was successful and doesnt seem to have harmed the filters.http://img52.exs.cx/img52/271/l9iblush.gif

The VR lenses are designed to deal with camera-shake only. They won't freeze motion in front of the lens. Your best bet would be the longest lens you can afford PLUS a monopod. And of course a high ISO setting because a little 'noise' in action shots is acceptable.

Another consideration is how many images you want to store before downloading ? I take my laptop everywhere and haven't managed to fill a 1GB card yet.