lee_ricks

Enough PC stuff Richard. Don't confuse the actions of an idiot like McVey or some deranged kid with the concerted and organized efforts of a foreign terrorist organization. The are quite different challenges.

 

What we have to fear is Islamic Terrorism on a large and organized scale. The solutions to this problem are open to debate. What is not open to debate is that we can't let them destroy or civil liberties. Protecting them is what armies are for. We should bar potential threats from our shores. If that effort steps on some foreign toes so be it. We should also seek out the source of this terrorism and destroy it. And suppress all of those who support it. Screwing with a photographer won't do that.

All that stuff and the most important thing......A WhiBal. If you are digital and don't have one you will wonder how you ever did without it.

Does anyone else see how absurd this whole issue is? Does anyone really believe that a "terrorist" needs pictures of subway stations? Of what possible use could they be? Decide which trash can to put the bomb in?

 

A terrorist can cross our borders freely. Just walk. They can hop a cab, rent a car, charter a bus and go on a tour of all of the public places they want. Who cares? Who is watching them? I live near the Mexican border. They can't stop some poor farmer from sneaking in. What makes anyone here think they can stop a trained terrorist. Now imagine a scenario in which a series of still photos of the public areas of a subway station could be of the slightest use to a terrorist. This is movie stuff.

 

The NYPD and most police departments in this country are virtually out of control. Want to see civil rights ignored? Just watch any episode of COPS. Before I am willing to give up my civil rights I want the government to at least try and look like they are enforcing our entry laws and immigration laws. Currently this effort is a farce.

 

Time to bring these folks back to reality. Start enforcing our immigration and entry laws, fight real crimes, leave the pot smokers and innocent photographers alone. If the cops want to dress up like soldiers and run around with automatic weapons let them join the real military. And fight terrorism where it comes from. We harrass a photographer for taking a picture of a public building and give the entire country of Saudi Arabia a pass. Sheesh. Stevie Wonder could see what is wrong here.

You might consider the 35-70 and keep what you have. There are good examples of these on ebay for under $300.00. They are super sharp and easy to use.

 

It will become your favorite portrait lens.

 

This is a narrow range you are trying to fill.

The short answer is 1820 X 1224 is the smallest one.

 

Having said that:

 

 

Everyone ought to own or at least shoot with a D2H once in thier life. Nikon hit a home run with this wonderful camera. It takes about an hour for you to forget it is in your hand and just shoot.

 

Nikon in its idiocy has removed the recorder from all but the D3. The D300 would be a passable PJ camera if it were not for this omission.

 

If you can figure out how to batch your pictures at the end of the day....it is not hard...you will begin a love affair with this marvelous camera.

I knew there was something I needed to do.

I agree with the 20 to 30 number at the most. That allows me to keep my standards pretty high. I have a tendency to like my clients and that makes me inclined to show them too many pictures. I also think those 20 out to be finished products.

 

They are paying us for our expertise and that includes our editing ability.

 

Karen. Great site. Very well done. It is truly a sales oriented site and they are rare. (Your portraits are super of course too:)

Get a D2Hs used or Demo. It is lightning fast. It is built like a tank. It is a 4MP camera which is a definate advantage over the D300 for MOST newspaper work. (Who wants to deal with those huge files.) And it has the absolute best, you won't believe it, super cool feature. It has a voice memo. This means you can shoot all of those wild-art assignments and get the people's names for the cut lines. No more pockets filled with notes and lost pencils. Just push the button and you have your cut line info attached to the picture. It is nirvana.

 

By the D2H and you will save wear and tear on your D300. It will become your spare body and you will use it for low light. I have both and the D300 is hanging where my old D70 used to. On my other shoulder.

 

You have all of the lenses you need for now. If you are heavy into sports the 300 2.8 is nice but not necessary.

I don't think you need it. As you said, you don't need 8 FPS. (6 is pretty cool anyway). Why not enjoy your new camera for a while and see what you think.

 

I like the built in grip on my D2Hs but I use it everyday and sometimes all day. I am enjoying the D300 as my backup camera now and the light weight is a major plus when it is hanging around your neck for hours.

 

If you need a spare battery just throw one in your pocket.

I would send it to Nikon and get their quote. I think it might be cheaper. Besides. Needing a new CCD sounds suspicious.

 

All you have to loose is the shiping. Besids. The D70 takes such beautiful pictures.

"As a photogrpaher, as a creator, your responsible for everything you put in (and leave out ) of your creation. But you are not responsible for viewer's reactions to it; only the viewer is responsible for that."

 

Do you really think this Ellis? Perhaps it is frequently true. There are many many pictures where it was the photographer's expressed intention to illicit a specific response to thier photograph. These are photographs intentionally staged/designed to play upon or to a specific emotion on the part of the observer. And emotions so commonly held that it is easy to construct one of these photos. Advertizing photos come to mind. Certainly nudes.

 

If I take an exceptionally bloody picture at an accident scene I know and am responsible for the shock my audience experiences. If I photograph a beautiful woman nude I know darned good and well that I am turning on a considerable number of viewers.

 

If by responsible you mean to say that the observer is required to "own" the emotion I agree. But a photographer can easily choose to manipulate the viewer. In fact. That is what we almost always try to do.

Because for forensic work sometimes the mere conversion of RAW to TIFF or JPEG is considered manipulation. As are the decisions required to get a RAW file ready for use in any other format. For those applications where no manipulation except a very few and very common in camera adjustments are allowed. TIFF is ideal for this.

 

I also have a couple of publishers that request it.

Boy did that bring backsome memories. As a fellow pre-ballpoint pen guy I can sure relate to what your post. I well remember the first transistor radio and the invention of the Carousel projector allowing us to bore our neighbors even faster than before.

 

One thing I am certian of is that the use of the word always is 'always' a chump bet. APS and 35mm size sensors are convenient for now. Technology will move on and someday the camers we consider state of the art will be relics.

 

J.T. I am interested in your comment about fixed focus fast lenses. Is it your contention that the fact that Canon makes 50 and 85 mm f1.2 lenses and Nikon makes these only in 1.4 is driving people to Canon? If this is true it is driving all 20 people in the world who give a damn about these lenses to Canon. I can't imagine, in this day of digital cameras, anyone noticing the difference between these lenses. Maybe gearheads but not many professionals. For all but the most esoteric of uses they are essentially a gimmic. And perhaps bragging rights. In the case of the 85 maybe a $2100.00 portrait lens could appeal to some but low-light? Who would have ever thought that we would be shooting very nice picutes at 1600 ASA? And it will only get better.

 

Nikon once made a 6mm fisheye. I have used it. It is an awsome lens. And we can still use them today.

 

Leica still makes an F1.0 50mm lens. Do not let the word get out. All of the teeming hordes of low light Canon shooters will jump ship.

Oops. Sorry.

Cameta has a D-80 Nikon Demo with an 18-55 and 70-300 for 1019.00. This comes with a 90 day warantee from Nikon and a one year warantee from Cameta. I have bought these demos before and they are great.

 

From Cameta you can also get a Demo D-200 with an 18-55 lens for $1299. A few bucks more and you get the 70-300 and a 3 gig card also. Check out their deals.

 

I really don't believe either of the above deals are very good at all.

If you can get a d200 and lens for the price of a D80 you ought to go for it. And to get a warantee with it is really important. Your friend needs to come down a whole lot for either camera to be a good deal.

Here is another question along these lines. To what extent does an MTF chart truly reflect the quality of a lens as a practical matter?

 

Is it bragging rights for gear heads or does it truly reflect what to expect in the real world.

 

What comes to mind is this. I was once asked to speak to a camera club. After the meeting two guys were looking at prints and discussing the quality of the lenses used to make these prints. One was printed on a Lexmark and the other on an HP single cartridge machine. It begs the question.

Even on a tripod you have to be carefull with the 1/25th speed to avoid mirror slap. Are you actuating the shutter with your finger or using the self timer?

 

Nikon recommends turning off the VR when on a tripod indicating that the VR mechanism can induce blurr when the lens is on the tripod.

 

Try turning off the VR and shooting at and F8 with at least 1/250 shutter speed on the tripod and post that picture. That will give us a better idea of what is going on here.

Does the term "fine art" in this discussion refer to one picture or to an artist's body of work? I think it can only refer to one photo at a time. Only time will decide if a photgrapher's body of work fits into the category of fine art. And then, at least initially, it is the relative quality of each indivudual work that determines its longevity. In all liklihood the only a way mediocre photo will survive long is that was made by an artist famous for his/her best efforts. So it is the fame of the artist that makes the photo valuable. (A bad Vermeer is better than no Vermeer.)

I don't know specifically what a shutter costs but the most expensive replacement possible on a D2H according to Nikon Service Center is right at $450.00. At that price they replace anything needed, CLA, replace the rubber as needed and warrent the repairs for 6 months. I think the CLA and rubber stuff costs about $250.00. Putting this into perspective, the D300 is $1800.00. Spending a couple of hundred dollars every other year seems very reasonable to me.

 

Another pro I know sends each of his three bodies (2XD2X and 1 D2H) to Nikon for CLA every year. He considers this a reasonable cost of doing business. I suspect he is right.

If you don't buy a 70-200 F2.8 AFS VR you will find yourself sad and despondent very soon. You may resort to yoga and none of us want that for you. This is a gem of a lens and you will need some reach beyond 70 especially in the full frame camera.

 

I have found myself using it a surprising amount in the studio.

Quick queston for Raymond. How much faster is the Firewire reader to the USB2 reader I have? Is it a worthwhile upgrade?

 

Thanks

"I'll be curious to see if any pros/advanced photogs use the in camera adjustment features"

 

Sometimes I have an assignment where I am shooting pretty casual pictures. For example. The other day a customer wanted grip and grin pics of thier attendees with a celebrity guest. I Wanted these essentially done when they left the camera. They were to be printed 4X6 so the idea was just shoot them right and send them to the lab. I was very careful with my in-camera adjustments and shot JPEG Fine with a D2H. Bob's your uncle. It took about an hour to do all of the post which amounted to 'just making sure'.

 

If I am doing this kind of gig (and they are common for me) I want the shots as close to done as I can get them right from the camera. The only thing worse than shooting 4 hours of drunk rich folks throwing money around is having to spend time staring at them a second time in the AM.

NEF RAW LOSSLESS 12 bit 196

 

" " 14 bit 150

 

" " Compressed 12 bit 270

 

" " 14 bit 224

 

JPEG BASIC SMALL 7800

Sometimes in our arrogance (perhaps to strong a word) as photographers we forget who decides what is mundane. Just look at newly weds looking at their wedding albumn. It may be the most cliche, done to death collection of schmalz ever created. To them it may be pure joy.

 

Purpose, the mood of the viewer, etc are all factors in determining what is a "good" photo. Some old shots of the Presidio Cemetary I took years ago still elicit positive comments from those who see them.

 

I wish photography instructors were a little more creative and a little less didactic. There are plenty of wonderful photos still to be make in cemetaries.

Ryan. Here is what to do. Read John's comments three times. All of them. Print his list of things to do and tape it to the refrigerator. Read it every day. Do those five things and you will be head and shoulders above most people deciding to go "pro". I could add a few things to the list but I think those 5 are good enough for now.

 

One more thing. John also said, in essence, forget about yourself. It isn't about you it is about the customer. Don't let your ego kill you. Customers are mirrors. They reflect what they experience. If they start off liking you they will be far more inclined to like your work.

 

Good luck. We stare at people for a living and they pay us to make girl's eyes light up. Its a good gig.