chu_bun

To me, cameras are just toys. I never feel the "need" to upgrade or keep up with the technologies. In retrospect, I should have spent the $1800 on a tennis ball machine instead of a D300 :)

Check if anybody in your area has the same lens and would be interested in doing a side by side shootting and comparison.

 

I always feel something's wrong with my equipments, but often get the same result when using the same equipments from my friends. Currently, I "think" my D300 has noise problem. Unfortunately, none of my friends upgrade yet so I still haven't been able to verify!

BL is not BackLit. Quote from the Manual

 

"Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash:

Press the Mode button to display TTL BL on the LCD panel, and Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash is performed. The flash output level is automatically adjusted for a well-balanced exposure of the main subject and background. When performing Balanced Fill-Flash, however, no BL appears with cameras in Groups III and IV."

 

I tried new bats and cleaned the contacts. I was a little bit panic and tried everything I could think of. It is a release to learn that the cam is fine. And it is strange. I never have any problem with my D70. Maybe, they are made for each other.

 

Another question, do you have a tight fit at the contact point between the camera and the speedlight? Mine wiggles a little bit.

> TTL BL Mode?

 

I think BL stand for BaLance (between flash and ambient lights). I don't really know the technical aspects of it, but get nice results using it for fill in flash.

 

Just went back from the local camera shop. the camera is fine. Something is wrong with my SB600. It wouldn't even fire on some test shots using their cameras.

I have tried all exposure modes (P, A, S, M), various combinations of metering modes, focus modes, ISOs, apertures, shutter speeds, same result. I plan to stop by a local shop and try their speedlights. I suspect something is wrong with the contact points.

For some reasons, I cannot select TTL BL mode when using SB600 with D300. There

are only two modes available, TTL or manual. I have not had much time to play

with the camera, so the only changes I have made so far are loading the D2X

picture control modes, entering a few manual focus lenses. I have tried to

reset the camera to manufacture settings, and clear all custom modes, etc, but

the result is still the same. The speedlight works fine on my D70. Any idea

what I should try next?

Like others have said, it depends on what you plan to achieve by trading up. I have friends who would trade up simply for more pixel count.

I had the D70 for a long time. Every time some new models coming out, I fetl the "itch" to trade up, but resisted it, because I think a d80 or even a d200 would not help me much in term of taking better pictures. I almost "trade-down" to a D40x due to its smaller size (and the pixel count thingy).

I ended up getting a D300 because of its "reputation" of low noise @ high ISO (also because it's Xmas time and I have been good :). With the D70, I have many otherwise good pictures ruined by noise (with my skill and my equipments, underexpose happens quite often). Hopefully, I'll get some more good ones with a D300.

I have the 24-120 and for indoor shots find myself backing up against the wall quite often. It is also not much smaller compared to the 18-200.