munim

<p>The firmware in the Nikon 1 bodies and FT1 adapter is updated by downloading the firmware, saving the file on the SD card and rebooting the camera. Why can't Nikon apply the same method to the DSLR, I wonder.</p>

<p>And here's my 5 second twilight bird shot. Shot on my Nikon D90.</p><div></div>

I'm using a D90 with 300 f4 with TC1.4 for birding.

If I were to upgrade, it will be either the D7100 with the 80-400 zoom, or the 7D2 with then 400L5.6.

Having said that, it all depends on your style of birding. If you do a lot of bird-in-flight shots, the 7D2+400L5.6

combo is the one to get. For long exposure shots in dark places like the Malaysian rainforests here, you'd need

a Nikon, a fast lens (at least a 300 f/2.8) and a sturdy tripod. A friend of mine got good results with the

lightweight combo of V3 with the 80-400.

Pink hibiscus.<div></div>

You're better off upgrading to D7100. The extra megapixels allow you to crop more and still maintain IQ. D7100

horizontal resolution is 6000 vs 4928 pixels for D7000. So that's worth about 1.2x increase in focal length.

My first post after quite a while. A snowy-browed flycatcher.<div></div>

<p>I'm with Mihai and Skyler. Sell the D3000, 18-55 and 50/1.8, and get a Tamron 17-50. Get the 35/1.8 later.</p>

<p>Are you talking about the 70-300 G versus the 300mm AFS? Then there's absolutely no contest. I've never read any good reviews about the G version.<br>

I have the 70-300 VR and 300mm IF-ED non-AFS. At 300mm the tele beats the zoom at good light.<br>

I almost never shoot the VR at 300mm wide open. The sweet spot is between f/8 and f/11. Keeping the ISO down helps minimize the softness at 300mm. For catching birds inside trees with no tripod available, the VR is even with the tele...on the VR you can handhold down to 1/60 f/8 ISO 200 but on the tele you need something like 1/500 f/4 ISO 800. Why Nikon still doesn't make the equivalent of Canon 300 f/4 IS USM is beyond me...<br>

The zooms can't tolerate a teleconverter -- a must for birding. Add a Kenko TC 1.4, even the non-AFS version absolutely smokes the G series.</p>

I bought the 50/1.8 first, then the 18-55 then the Tamron (second version, no-VC, BIM).... After buying the

Tamron, I found little use for the both of the previous lenses save for the occasional macro shot using a

close-up attachment. Now I'm looking for people wanting to trade their 35/1.8 for the 50 + 18-55.

D7000 is only incrementally better than D90.

I'd wait for the D7000 replacement before ditching my D90.

$500-$600 is a lot of money for a minor upgrade.

I'm Malaysian and my D90 got rained on when I was in the rainforest once. I dried it, and it

almost fully recovered. It went weird for over a year...the automatic sleep feature didn't and

many times I ended with a flat battery if I forgot to switch it off. Went to NSC 3 times (twice in

Malaysia, once in Singapore) and it tested fine every time. Turned out there's a contact

problem in the on/off switch. Somehow it required over a year for the corrosion or whatever to

disappear....

<p>Whether D7000 is a better choice depends on what you have now.<br>

I have the same lens, a Kenko 300 DGX 1.4 and a D90. I notice a significant decrease in contrast when using TC, so at times I take the TC off. A brighter lens, eg f/2.8, can tolerate TCs better. Many of my birding friends permanently attach Kenko TCs to their longer/brighter/more expensive lenses.<br>

Not sure if I have this right, so do comment. D7000 has 16.2 Mpix and D90 is at 12.3 Mpix. Going from D90 to D700 will get me a 1.3x increase in horizontal x vertical resolution. But using a TC1.4 gets me a 1.4 H x1 .4 W ~ 2.0x equivalent increase. IMHO, a D90/D300/D300s user is better off using a TC. I may get the D7000 later as the price drops, though.</p>

+1 for 24/2 pancake and/or 300mm f/4 VR

A Pacific Swallow on campus.<div></div>

A common myna on the telecoms rack in front of my house.<div></div>

Seen while talking a walk just this morning. D90/70300VR, 1/30, f/6.3 ISO200<div></div>

Caught on a bird feeder on my visit to Fraser's Hill highland station. D90 & 70300VR.<div></div>

I use my CPL on my 16-85 quite often, but not my 70-300 VR. At 300mm, it can't autofocus even

in bright sunlight.

Just be aware that using a polarizer wish show the ripples on the windshield, particularly if heat-stressed. Here's my take on a beat-up Ford van. #1 w/o polarizer, #2 with polarizer

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_frnNdhBSOFY/TNpXA_eAJvI/AAAAAAAACyI/4fNbgDuKbcM/s320/DSC_7899.JPG

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_frnNdhBSOFY/TNpXbxgXhVI/AAAAAAAACyQ/omEZ1V7cajI/s320/DSC_7900.JPG

<p>Went back to my roots during Chinese New Year and captured this bird from my mom's window. D90, 70300VR, 300mm, 1/200, f11, auto ISO220. </p><div></div>

It's been raining non-stop for almost a week in this part of Malaysia. Two towns were flooded. I found this

zebra dove warming up in the parking lot of my work place late Monday afternoon. D90 + 70300VR.<div></div>

<p>D90 + 70-300VR at 280mm ISO 200 1/200s f/8.</p><div></div>

Pink-necked Green Pigeon. This bird is quite tame. I managed to get to almost 15 feet to it before it flew away, but still couldn't get a uncluttered shot. Likes to hide between branches and leaves.

 

D90+70300VR

at 270mm f/5.6 1/250 ISO800<div></div>

<p>AirAsia A320 final approach in 100% cloud cover. AirAsia is the largest single customer of the A320 with 180 units on order.</p><div></div>

Went to a small waterfall over the weekend. d90 + 16-85.<div></div>