captain_jack

<p>Hmm I tried to insert an image using the link to already uploaded pic on photo.net. Didn't work. Let me try again.....</p>

<p>Still not working....???!??!<img src="../photo/8832772" alt="" /></p>

<p>This is from my D700 + Tamron 28-75 2.8 (now sold and replaced with Nikon 24-85 2.8-4)<br>

<img src="../photo/8832772" alt="" /></p>

<p>I love my D700. But would like to see following 2 things added (wishlist):<br /> 1. Greater dynamic range (No need for 5 exposures for HDRs)<br /> 2. Continuous Auto AF-Tune (I am having hard time tuning my zooms for AF. Primes are easy)</p>

<p>Continuous will auto-tune as you change the focal length of the lens on the camera :)</p>

<p>More than new body Nikon should seriously think about upgrading its lens lineup, to increase its customer base. How about some f/4 lenses like Canon has?<br>

A lot of people I know are sitting on the fence because of this.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I agree with most of the points Bruce has made. D700 is a ID MKIII for the price of 5DMKII.<br>

You also need to look into the lens lineup from both the manufacturers. Canon has more affordable range of lenses (f/4). On the other hand Nikon produces some great f/2.8 lenses, which are ofcourse more expensive than the Canon's. Some of the Nikon prosumer lenses are also excellent in the optics department.<br>

If you are not too concerned with megapixels, then IMHO D700 is a better choice at this time. Out of all the features, better AF (accuracy, better spread of AF points + spot metering in every focus point) of D700 wins it for me. Commander mode for remote flash is another feature, which I like very much.<br>

I would suggest you to rent both the bodies for couple of days to see, which features you like most from both the great cameras.</p>

<p>All the best.</p>

 

<p><em>>>When my camera is in M-mode, without the built-in flash firing, the exposure compensation does not change any outcome of the picture.<<</em><br>

Outcome will not change, untill and unless you follow the camera's internal exposure meter and change the aperture or shutter to get the exposure in the middle.<br>

<em>>>However, with the flash fired, the flash compensation and exposure compensation yield almost the same histogram. Does that mean that both functions are equivalent?<<</em><br>

Both functions are not the same. Look for the change in exposure, especially in the background.</p>

<p>HI dan,<br>

Do this simple test.<br>

1. Put your camera in M mode (0 EC at this time).<br>

2. Select spot metering.<br>

3. Choose and fix an aperture.<br>

4. Now fine-tune your shutter speed till you a balanced exposure. (Look for exposure vertical bar in the viewfinder. It should be in the middle of the scale). Note down the shutter speed.<br>

5. Now dial in +1EC. Repeat step 4. You will notice the shutter speed this time is different. Why?</p>

<p>Dialing in +1EC, simply tells the exposure meter of the camera to take in 1 stop of more light to mark it as NORMAL on the exposure scale.</p>

 

<p>Tested on my camera. Exposure compensation do work even in Manual mode.</p>

 

<p>The answers above have confused me a little.<br>

Someone said - "Exposure compensation (regular, not flash) has no effect if the camera is in M."</p>

<p>My initial understanding was:<br>

Flash compensation will light up the whole scene (only the front and not the background necessarily) with more light (depending on the compensation entered)</p>

<p>Exposure compensation (when used with matrix metering and not spot metering), will add the exposure to even the background. And when used with the flash (even when camera is in M mode), the flash will try to lighten up the background as well.</p>

<p>In other words, flash gun has to work harder, if EC is +1 (and no flash compensation) as compare to when flash compensation is dialed +1 (with no EC)</p>

<p>Sorry, if I have not come as clear as I wanted to be.</p>

<p>I was surprised/shocked to see the title of this thread. It had nothing to do with the AF malfunctioning, but the lack of knowledge on how to use the tool. Please do think before putting up a title like this.</p>

<p>Hi,<br>

I had tamron 28-75 f/2.8 with my D700. Which I changed with Nikon 24-85 f/2.8 - 4. There was substantial difference in IQ.</p>

<p>So, my advice would be to do a little research on 24-85 f/2.8 - 4 and see, if you like it.<br>

For me later was a clear winner.</p>

<p>My 2 cents.</p>

<p>I had been Canon user for years. May be I have been unlucky, but I always have problems with Canon setup. Quality control?? Maybe...<br>

After switching to Nikon (had bought D300 and D700 and few lenses), and never had a single problem with the setup. Now I can focus on photogrpahy, instead of wasting my time and energy going to service center to fix my photography equipment.</p><p>So, my experience had been bitter with Canon, and sweet with Nikon. So, YES NIKON SYSTEM IS BETTER. AS PER MY OWN EXPERIENCE. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY.</p><p> </p>

<p>Another one</p><div></div>

<p>Few pics with this lens.</p><div></div>

<p>In my own experience with Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. I would rather stick with Nikons. I am currently using Nikon 24085 f/2.8 - 4, and finding it much much better than Tamron 28-75. I agree with one of the other posts on this thread about sticking with Nikon glass.</p>

<p>Hi Dan,<br>

Please do remember, 24 - 85 gives you extra reach both at wide and zoom end as well. It is not a slow lens at all (f/2.8 - 4 with D700). It is definitely slower than constant f/2.8. But I have never experienced any missed oppurtunities because of f/4 at the zoom end.<br>

I had to dial -10 for AF tunning for my 24-85, and it gives me very sharp, contrasty pics, almost always. I am very happy with my copy and would highly recommend.</p>

 

Another site with info http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1228104060.html

High ISO noise should not be the only factor in selecting between D700 or 5DMKII. There are other features which defines the quality of your pictures. D700 has the latest auto-focus engine, which dwarfs 5DMKII auto-focus in a big way. You cannot even start comparing the build quality between the two. Other features like remote flash system, better exposure metering, weather sealing, high fps etc.. make D700 a much better choice. D700 is a photographer's dream camera. It is built for photographers in mind and photography as an objective.

 

You should compare D700 with Canon IDsMKIII (and not 5DMKII) for its features. Which means you are getting much more in much less, if you go with D700.

 

 

Btw, I had been a canon user for a very long time and recently sold my Canon gears and bought D700. This move alone has made me a better photographer. I get focused, properly exposed images, with right amount of flash light EVERY TIME.

 

All the best in your purchase. Whatever you decide, I hope will add excitement in your photography enthusiasm. :)

Hi All,

 

I did some testing this morning. And the results are (similar to what Bill experienced or Frank was saying):

 

1. When in CLS mode, pc port on camera body in disabled. Result is Vivitar doesn't fire, but SB800 does.

2. When in CLS mode, when Vivitar connected to SB800. Result is Vivitar doesn't fire.

3. When in TTL mode. SB800 on camera hot shoe and Vivitar connected to pc port on camera body. Both flashes used to fire. But for some reason in my test this morning, Vivitar didn't fire.

 

Don't know maybe my Vivitar has gone bad. All the startup lights and high freq sound from Vivitar are still very much there, but it doesn't want to fire. If I remember correctly, using the setup# 3 earlier, Vivitar did fire, but not this morning. If my flash is bad, then it might have made the whole testing invalid.

 

I will test the pc port on camera with SB800 to see, if pc port is working. I might have to buy a new (but cheap) flash to do this again.

 

Thanks for all of your time and help.

Hi Mark,

 

OK. I will try that too.

 

Thanks :)

Hi Mark & Andy,

 

Vivitar I have, was made by dinosaurs :).

There are only 2 ways to fire it. 1) Put it on the camera body (canon), or 2) Connect it with a wire attached to the camera body sync port.

 

Currently I do not have budget to buy fancy light setup to my liking. So, was just trying to make use of any junk I am finding to better my pics. :)

 

Thanks! :)

Hi Frank,

 

Thanks for your help again.

I am NOT connecting Vivitar to SB800 at all. Also, I am not using camera hot shoe at all. Rather I am using on-camera sync port to connect Vivitar by the wire.

 

I will perform the tests as mentioned by you and report back the results.

 

Just to make one more point here:

I think I was able to use Vivitar (connected to on-camera sync port), and SB800 on camera hot shoe (in TTL mode) successfully last time when I was at a portrait shootout. But not when SB800 was off camera and in remote mode(and camera in commander mode).

 

I have my MBA classes (after work) and will perform all the tests in a day or so and will let you know.

 

 

Thanks again for taking time. :)

Hi Frank,

 

Some confusion here.

 

You wrote: CLS is totaly unaware of any additional output from incompatible flashes that could possibly be also triggered by the final CLS triggering signal.

My answer: YES. Completely agree.

 

You wrote: This signal is optical and electric when shutter is open. Optical is the last one in the CLS sequence and finally triggers remote CLS fashes (commanding was done earlier).

My answer: YES. Understood too.

 

You wrote: The electric final trigger signal is produced on the hot shoe, and on PC socket on the camera.

My answer: NOT TRUE IN MY CASE. This is exactly the problem I have mentioned in my initial post.

The trigger is not produced on PC socket on the camera, to which my wired flash is connected.

 

Sorry, if I was not clear in my initial post. :(

Hi Frank Skomial,

 

Thanks a ton for the wonderful explanation with some scenario analysis. Now, I completely understand why pc sync socket on the camera body gets disabled when camera is in commander mode. That was the key to understand this issue. Overexposure in this case, will be taken care by placing the flash at pre-determined location.

 

I would have to read again the manual included with the camera. But I am sure no manual can explain the things this detailed! :) ;)

 

Thanks again!

"The pre-flash needed to get the SB-800 light just right will cause the Vivitar to fire at the wrong time "

 

I thought pre-flash will trigger only the wireless remote flashes and not the wired ones. In my setup, Vivitar is wired to D700 body. And the problem is Vivitar doesn't get fired at all, when used along with Sb800(in remote mode).

 

So the setup is:

D700 is commander mode

SB800 in remote mode

Vivitar wired to D700 (it has no manual mode on it)