darrenbeattyphotography

Steve, I completely agree. You can only chat so much. Most of it has to be from shooting. I explain it to folks like shooting hoops to become a better b-ball player. Or just putting in laps to become a fast sportbike racer. Thats a good tip though. I have just utilized the "*looks at LCD* DELETE" function the most when photos arent up to par. I'm going to get a flash sometime soon, but it seems there are so many options, and some of the more expensive ones do not have the ability to point up or away to bounce. WHich I found weird. At any rate, seems I'll be learning all over again with settings. Camera will be here tomorrow! :D

*gulp* seems in doing some research, this model is known to have issues in its past. Hence its been retired. Yikes.....

I also bought the MB-200, sounds like i should have gotten the aftermarket model. Doh.

Exactly as the title says. Mine will be here tomorrow. SOld my D50. Im kinda

anxious!!!

Nice shot Peter :)

Typically I agree with you Lex, but sportbike racing of any sort, can run a rider off the track. I agree, hockey, baseball, basketball or soccer, shouldnt be an issue. But I wouldnt want to see a flash at any sportbike races, bowling, pool, or any event where there is extreme concentration needed. ANyway, kinda off topic.

Phil, what is image ready? I'm interested *nudge nudge*

Jack, I just saw from your personal site some skiing photography, pictures in the snow are very difficult to capture perfectly. Turn down the ISO (200) and play with manual settings. I have found if you use aperture or shutter priority in snow action shots that they typically come out overexposed. But getting the right setting in full manual mode will only take a few practice shots.

+1 to Davids comments. Which is why I am having a hard time understanding Lex! He is the flash king! Ok that sounded WRONG! But seriously, sports photography requires a steady pans, or a monopod, and no flash! Flash at what I do could run someone off the track or get them killed. Im in your same boat though, because I know nothing about flash, (well relative to folks here) and I'm learning from the bottom! Best of luck!

I have cs3 in my place, but uninstalled since its a monster program. I've been slacking on it cause im so used to my photoshop 7.0 and it does what I need. ONly thing I cant figure out how to do on the old photoshop is how to batch file reduce and watermark, which i know u can do with CS3. :-/

Agreed with Bjorn and Shun, my old D50 always got at least 25% more images than what it said it would. I went on a roadtrip and it said images remaining 576, at the beginning of the trip. I got home and there were over 750 on the card. This thread is similar to the "Help my D80 cant count!" thread

Amazingly detailed answers guys. I really appreciate you taking the time to chime in! Lex, I truely hear your point... you really know you have been avoiding using a flash, when I dont even know the terminology. :-/ Thats pretty bad. I'm going to have to learn all of this stuff eventually. Since I've taken some family shots I was asked to assist at a wedding, and I was embarrassed (and didnt tell them) but I declined because of my lack of experience with flash and indoor photography. I dont want that to happen again. :/

Sounds like you are shooting at the wrong f stop and AF selection! try a higher number f/stop by 2 or 3 stops.

Its always better to take amazing photos with a less expensive camera, than to take an expensive camera and end up with subpar photos :-) A metaphor I took from another idea that sounded right. I had a D50 for thouuuuuuuusands of images. And always heard "you got that image....with a D50?" If you are not shooting sports photography, or are printing large prints for customers, as Nick stated. I'd say stick with your D50! Or if you are upgrading go to the D40x.

So what you're saying is the flash will work with the camera in the settings so that the flash is almost always a fill type flash? Images will not be overexposed? What will help get rid of the dreaded flash shadow behind indoor portraits?

Ok. So I admit it. Here I've been taking pictures for years, started out as

everyone else. Low on the totem pole, took college classes (was forced too, and

realized how much I enjoyed photography.) So I'll just ask. I dont know

ANYTHING about flashes. I know I'm not the only guy out there that is beyond

the amateur level with his abilities, and has had these questions. I simply

havent had many situations where I have needed a flash (I started out only

doing sports photography and landscapes for 99% of my work.) So as embarrassed

as I am to admit this, does anyone have any tips to get started? I tried to see

if Thom had a write up, but he just has reviews. I am working with a D200 and

havent the foggiest clue as to reasons why I would need a SB-300,400,600,800,

or what i-ttl is, and a defuser card. To name a few of my questions. I'm .1

second away from just hitting the big X in the top corner of the screen, so

before I do that.....

Awesome! Jaroslavas good fix sir! Brooke? Stepahnie? *taps pencil*

John, Cameta Camera is great!!! I have bought from them 3 times, and look at their prices, and look at their feedback. Only negative feedback was from an eager buyer who wanted it faster in the mail :-) My first DSLR was a D50 and I bought it there, as a demo *cough* remanufacture*, and it was brand new in my book. That battery life itsself in this cam is amazing. Something like 3 weeks left on, I could grab it and still go capture 500 pictures before it went to the last bar of life.

Jack, im an amateur, not so-pro (as I have a day job, but have paid photog jobs as well) but my easiest response without getting all technical, is that soccer, and skateboarding IMO, are two different ballgames. If you are shooting multiple people, indoors or outdoors, you want a freeze shot, or a true action shot (DOF) then these all need to be cleared up in your question, to be honest. If you want to focus on one object, and want to draw a lot of excitement out of your photo, and its skateboarding you're taking your photo of, I have found that setting my camera in the f/12 (cloudy) or f/14 to f/16 for sun, and then under your AF setting, pick the subject closest to you, and your shutter would be anywhere from 200 to 300. You will achieve a motion shot like no other. If they are coming across you, you can pre-focus your lens, so that when you shoot, its coming right at you. Again, this is back to basics of your autofocus, not worrying about contrast/wb/ and such. Just be smooth on your panning, and the more you're used too it, or get used to your skater going over the same area, you can slow your shutter as well. I take some photos of motorcyclists coming by me around 100mph and I can sometimes get a clear shot of them as low as a 125 shutter. Heres an example of one of my shots, and this was with my previous D50! I hope you appreciated my non-professional response haha. Best of luck!<div></div>

+1 to what Matt said. Its also a good idea to keep the camera going on and on, because once you hit 10,000 shots, it opens a new file. Easy way to remember, or keep track of how many actuations you've taken. Hope it works out for you! I loved my D50.

Thanks for the suggestions all. I love this site. I think I know things about photography, and I come here its amazing to see all the good feedback. I couldnt go wrong. I think this lens goes for $300+ brand new. I bought it for 40 bucks. Cant argue with it. If its soft, which I see in a few reviews, then I'll simply pass it on. I've just spent a lot of money upgrading to a D200,MB200, and 2 nikkor lenses, a prime, and a 18-55. So I was looking for something with some distance. I have a tamron 70-300, which believe it or not, i love. Only thing I dont like is the slow focus, but when im shooting racing at the track, thats avoided by prefocusing on a spot. I was looking for something with more range like the nikon 18-200. Just dont have 500 extra bones right now to do so. So i'm taking a stab in the dark!!! I'll let you know how it goes in about a week when all this stuff shows up!!! I'll hope for the best. Maybe put some samples up. This could be interesting. :-)

 

here is the e bay item number (im posting cause its already a done auction, not trying to make a sale! Dont worry moderators ;-p if anyone wanted a look. 190167319355

Wow Vivek, I didnt even think of that possibility. That there could be a possiblility that there is nothing wrong at all. Going in with the idea that there IS something wrong with the autofocus, could this lens still work in manual mode? Or would there always be something wrong. (I know i cannot get a perfect answer without the lens in my possession, or yours. Just looking for tips if you have any) thx.

Hey guys, question for you folks with the nikon knowledge. Looking at a lens

online that is NOT in perfect order. I am trying to figure out if its a good

deal or not. Basically this individual is saying on his tamron 28-200 lens

that the "autofocus malfunctions the longer you zoom." and "It focuses, but it

spins back and forth like it is having a hard time locking on."

 

Now im asking because (ok here comes my "I have no clue what goes on inside of

a lens talk) it sounds like the autofocus motor or drive is just broken. Does

that mean that you could still use this lens in manual mode? SOunds like the

blades are still in perfect order, and it works, just having focus problems in

AF mode???

you guys are amazingly helpful!!! *takes notes* (I suck at flash photography :(

I really like Tommy's suggestion/correction. I like the white balance change and the increase in sat. Also if you unsharpen mask 10pts you might get more pop out of her skin/legs/hair.