aether

I would advise stick with Nikon ~ as already mentioned here, you can reverse the 50/1.8 for macro shots. You could also invest in an extension tube set, I have used the AF Kenko tubes with the 50/1.8 and the 85/1.8 and it is useful (esp. if you have back problems!) to have AF when taking macro shots.

I don't know what Shun Chung is referring to by "serious drawbacks" but I have read (even here on photo.net) a lot of praise for the S5 and I know two people who use the S5 as back-up cameras, one for his D200. I certainly wouldn't base any camera buying decision on size or magnification of view in the finder. My impressions from what I have seen, read, and been told are that the S5 can produce very smooth images at high ISOs but remember that the "real" resolution is 6 megapixels which may be an issue for you (doesn't have to be). Worth checking dpreview and also looking at popular photo sharing sites for images produced by this camera.

I don't think there is any good reason to switch to using Canon, especially as you have that excellent collection of quality Nikon mount glass. If you want new, I would suggest the D300 [DX sensor] or the D700 [FX sensor]. If considering a used body, go for a D200 [DX].

 

<i>(focal length of your lenses will be the same, whether used on digital DX or FX or on film bodies, the DX - or APS-C - sized sensors simply crop the full lens image)</i>

Bert -- the Nikkor 50/1.8 is great value and a very useful lens on all Nikon bodies. No, you won't have AF but it will meter (I presume???) and you will be able to use it even for moving subjects, having to get used to getting the best out of manual focus lenses is a good skill to practice. Some of the best lenses (thinking about the 50/1.2 in particular) only come in MF. Many users have been through this issue already with the D40 bodies and they (for the most part) just got on with it and got used to using MF lenses and then realised they could find many older lenses (all MF) which saved them a small fortune instead of spending on the latest AF lenses. The D40 series, by accident rather than by design, were also able to function with pre-Ai lenses, I don't know if that also applies to the D60 -- if it does, it opens up even more lens possibilities. Try the 50/1.8 (or indeed the 85/1.8) and I'm sure you will quickly master manual focus skills.

Cokin P-series is pretty easy to use. If you use a lot of filters it's a cheaper option also. Their polariser is a circular polariser, it is round and fits in nicely to the holder. Big advantage when using garduated filters is that with systems like the Cokin, you can adjust where the graduation lies, whereas with a screw-in filter you cannot.

Alan, I would say anything under 10,000 "actuations" (not the same thing as images taken) would be very acceptable. If more than that number, think about the price. The D200 should also be considered and with the D200 I would say it could have double or treble the number of "actuations" for the same "reliability". I believe Nikon estimate D200 shutters are good for about 100,000 "actuations".

 

The D80 is a relatively small camera so try to handle some before you buy. The more plastic feel to the D80 (compared to teh D200) may or may not be to your taste. The opinion in that dpreview thread about the D80 is a little strange, the D80 is well recognised as being very usable at high ISO.

Buy a D200, it is a tried and tested camera and well respected and capable semi-professional model. The D90 is a consumer camera and is far too new to have proved itself yet.

Sorry, first time I tried to post in one of these forums with inline images. Will try again. Hopefully, the

following will appear: (1) street musician from about 75 feet; (2) robin from about six feet (it focusses down to

about 4.5 feet); (3) goldfinch from about twelve feet with TC-201 2X teleconverter.

 

 

 

<a href=" title="packing up by mannikon, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2693546638_560bb336f6.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="packing up" /></a>

<a href=" title="a robin's eye by mannikon, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2628588988_16fe582d13.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="a robin's eye"

/></a>

<a href=" title="eye of a greenfinch by mannikon, on

Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2717504975_f007e05814.jpg" width="500" height="334"

alt="eye of a greenfinch" /></a>

I use the newer Reflex-Nikkor 500mm f/8 usually with a Nikon D200 and also (perversely?) hand-held. Here are two examples, the first was from about 75 feet away and the second was about six feet away:

<div></div>

<div></div>

I use a cable made by Adidt which is 30 feet long and works very well on my D80. Try searching for them.

Peak Imaging came recommended by many so I use them – so far so good.

Laura, for shooting band gigs, you definitely need some fast glass and as already recommended, f/2 or faster. Also agree you should consider manual focus lenses (cheaper when used and there are some real gems always for sale). Depending on your budget you can go all the way up to 200mm in focal length and stay at f/2. Realistically, you should probably look at 35/2, 50/1.8, 50/1.4, 85/1.8. You might get away with 28/2.8, slower aperture but sharp and short focal length means you can get away with slow shutter speeds. Don't worry about shallow depth of field because that shouldn't matter for the shots you want. If you have a lot to spend, think about 35/1.4, 50/1.2, 85/1.4 etc.

 

One other thing which I haven't seen anyone mention – the D200 is not too good at high ISO, usually it's best to limit ISO to 800 max but you can get some good shots up to 1600, it's probably the only bad aspect of the D200. Depending on lighting conditions at the gigs, you may not need to go beyond ISO 800.

My experience is that exposure is affected if incorrect lens data is input. Using Nikkor Ai lenses I always input correct data but I noticed the exposure issue when using M42 and Mamiya lenses where you have to input aperture whenever you change it!

 

If anyone from Nikon is reading this -- could we please be allowed to manually input focal length & aperture, rather than having to choose from a list (not just thinking of non-Nikon lenses, try inputting lens data for a 75-150 Nikon E series!).

Interesting site that Harvey linked to -- looking at the expanded diagrams, I would not want to disassemble a finder! So many parts!!!

Unless someone posts an answer indicating how to disassemble an F3 viewfinder, I would advise leave well enough alone. I know it can be irritating but the risk of damage may not be worth the effort? Of course, you may have spare viewfinders, in which case you may want to experiment. What should be relatively easy (and less risky) is to unscrew the eyepiece and blow dust out from behind that?

The story says the cop admitted he was wrong and apologised. Think story like this does more to help than hinder photography. The photographer in this story stood his moral ground and won the day. The more publicity like this, the better behaved public servants should become. We need more photographers out there -- imagine if another photographer snapped the incident, would he also have been arrested? Imagine a club shoot, a whole gaggle of photographers ... :-)

Another Nikkor to consider is the 70-210 f/4 (constant f/4). I use mine wide open mostly and it's very sharp. I wouldn't say the AF is fast on my DSLRs, doubt you'll find anything without AFS very fast, Maybe your F4 has a strong AF motor (don't know, have only progressed as fas as F3 myself ...).

Agree with Kent, maybe even take test shots to see if you can find a sweet focal length? At 200mm it may be soft but you may find it's sharper at 150 ... not ideal but a sharp shot cropped is better than an uncropped soft shot!

You won't see large "previews" in Explorer ~ you need to open the image files in an application. Even with the

latest Nikon RAW codec installed, my built-in fax/image viewer only shows thumbnails for NEFs. Try FastStone

Image Viewer, that will show you "full-size" NEFs (and it costs nothing! free to download & use and excellent in

many ways ~ it's "conscience-ware", if you like it, you can send the author some money).

Lovely photo, Russ. Good review of this lens <a

href="http://www.photozone-i1.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_85_18/">HERE</a> with more outstanding photo examples

especially those taken wide open at f/1.8.

... or do you mean the 105 f/2 D DC (defocus control)? Lenses with f/2 are often shown as f/1:2. So far as I know, the 105 f/2 D DC is still available new.

If you don't use that Sigma for macro, I would say yes, go for the Nikon 85/1.8. Much faster focus than the Sigma 105. Not as close-focussing as the 105 but you know that. The 85 is a nice compact lens, great for walking about with, more than one full stop faster than the 105 and if you want to do macro shots, either get a 6T close-up to use with it or extension tubes (the Kenko AF tubes work very well with the 85). I never liked the focussing of the Sigma 105, prefer either getting very close with smaller lenses (55/2.8) or longer (200/4). The AF on the 85 is quick! and it's a sharp lens with good bokeh (9 blades). Plus it's a Nikkor, third party lenses seem to have more quality control issues. Course it also works well for portraits but lenses for portrait use are a personal choice. Apart from macro shots, I found the 85 much more versatile and useable than the Sigma 105 (Sigma is long gone but the 85 is staying with me!).

Just checked ALL my AF Nikkors and they all have "loose" focus rings when off-camera, except those that have AF/MF switches.