dpbours

<p>As a rule of thumb;<br>

1. All manual focus zoom lenses are parfocal (!);<br>

2. All DX lenses are <strong>not</strong> parfocal. Has to do with the crop factor chip and lens construction;<br>

3. Non-DX lenses with no fixed aperture are probably <strong>not</strong> parfocal;<br>

4. Non-DX lenses (full frame lenses) with fixed aperture are probably parfocal, but practically this will be workable at f/8 from what I read - at f/2.8 they suffer from 'barrel slop'.</p>

<p>In practice, this means you get to older lenses and mostly manual zooms.</p>

<p><em>Options can be:</em><br>

Nikon Ai-S 100 - 300 f/5.6 (pull lens)<br>

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/zoomsMF/100300mm.htm</p>

<p>Nikon Ai-S 50 -300 f/4.5 ED (not sure about the parfocal, but probably, and not a pull lens)<br>

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/zoomsMF/50300mmED.htm<br>

(Never get the non-ED version of this lens or other versions than Ai-S)</p>

<p>AiS 200 - 400 f/4 (won't be cheap!! and the Ai-S ED is a pull lens)<br>

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/zoomsMF/200400mm.htm</p>

<p>Ais 200 - 600 f/9.5 (not cheap and not light sensitive... and a pull lens)</p>

<p>There is also a 180 - 600 f/8 (pull lens) and a 360 - 1200mm manual focus (pull lens).</p>

<p>I think the 50 - 300 f/4.5 Ai(-S) ED is the best option... A quick look on ebay shows most of the ones offered are non-Ai non-ED....</p>

<p>Yep, I had the same with another HSM lens of Sigma. Works fine with my D700 now...</p>

<p>I think Sigma will probably do the work for free, since it is only a firmware issue with the lens.</p>

<p>I have to agree with Eric. And it is not only the better AF module that helps wrt sports photography.<br>

As far as I know, the D300 can - as does my D700 - lock on an object moving through your frame. As far as I know, this is not an option on the D90. The D700 can even lock and focus track on a certain colour, but I'm not sure the D300 does work the same.<br>

This is very handy, since you might have 6 race cars, but you want your focus to be locked on the red car and not jump to another vehicle.</p>

<p>Also, yes go for a lense that is f/2.8 over the entire range! I do have the 80 - 400mm, which is wonderful but not very light sensitive. With sports, I might go for my Sigma 70-200 HSM 2.8 and combine it with a 1.4x conversion ring.<br>

Also; The Sigma 70-200 is really a bargain second hand!! I got mine for around 400,- euros. There is nothing of Nikon you can get for that price. Don't go for Tokina or Tamron if that would be even cheaper. The Sigma 70-200 is price-technically the best.</p>

<p>VR is nice. My Nikon 80-400 has it. But light sensitivity in the end gives you quite some stops as well! Having a VR lens working at f/6.5 vs. a non-VR lens at f/2.8 I go for the f/2.8.</p>

 

<p>Strange... Some N90's have the option to set a fixed self-timer time between 2 - 30 seconds. Older ones only had pre-set self timer intervals. Could it be linked to a memory error wrt. these user defined self-timer times? If so, a reset of the memory used for the self-timer would perhaps help.</p>

<p>It's not with the lense. I guess you turned on noise reduction. From the web:</p>

<p><em>"The "long exposure NR" mode is a little defective in implementation. It does not automatically disable itself at faster shutter speeds where it can't help, so when selected in the shooting menu it slows down the camera when it shouldn't. At faster shutter speeds it cuts the frame rate from 3FPS to about 1.5FPS and the buffer depth halves. It only helps with exposures longer than about a second. "</em></p>

<p>I don't know if it is possible with your camera, but on my D700 I can set noise reduction in a camera profile. If I know I'll shoot < 1 sec, I change profiles. Next to that, the D700 has more internal memory, so I don't experience it that often.</p>

<p>Plus X is a fine choice in the rather hard light you will be experiencing.</p>

<p>I might shoot Tri X 320 with a neutral density filter, but that is just because I like the fact that tri x is more forgiving, ie. wider exposure latitude, and I have used it already quite often - I know how it combines with my Mamiya TLRs. You'll get less chance of clipping in the whites. Then again, if you like that specific 'effect' of Plus X, stay with plus X.<br>

For 35mm I'd go for Agfa APX100, which comes very close to Plus X but also a bit more forgiving in the whites. Another option is Rollei Retro 100. Actually this is Agfa APX100 as far as I am concerned, but Agfa does not make 120 rolfilm anymore... But again Plus X is very close to APX or Retro 100.</p>

<p>In short; Plus X is a fine choice. Rollei Retro 100 is almost the same, perhaps slightly more forgiving in harsh light. Tri X w ND will give even less chance of clipping in the whites.</p>

 

<p>I like the vodka idea!</p>

<p>In the past I would use a blowdryer to dry my reels in between developing, after cleaning them. Now I have a film-dryer cabinet that is big enough to hang the processed film as well as the cleaned but wet reels.<br>

I use a Jobo autolab with the bigger drums. Three drums that each can take two rolls of 120 film guarantees pretty much a continuous process...</p>

<p>I'm wondering; Would alcohol give more chance of dust sticking on the reel?Normally not, since alcohol is taking the dirt of the reel as well. The reels are pretty clean when coming out of the film-dryer, since it has dust filters.</p>

<p>But it's not a simple one on/off switch. Looking at the lines on the printed circuit board coming from the switch, the switch itself has 4 connections. The question is, in what way does it switch?!</p>

<p>Any way to get a switch of jobo usa? They still do repairs, so they might have some broken parts somewhere...</p>

 

<p>A broken donor on a market will probably cost 25 euros.</p>

<p>A second hand working version is around 50 - 100 euros, depending how good it is... Best to be patient and scavenge around on the internet....</p>

 

<p>Ah, not just a switch, but from the looks of it a potentiometer with on-off switch.</p>

<p>You need to measure the resistance of the potmeter, know whether it is working linear or logarythmic and find a suitable replacement type. <br>

That can be quite difficult, since the 'feet' with which you solder it to the printed circuit board are not really standardized in their positioning. You might be lucky that is turns out to be a rather standard type. But you first need to find its specifications, by either codes on the side or measuring.<br>

Sometimes it is easier in such cases to make use of a donor machine for spares. I got a donor for my drum processor, but it is a diffirent type from the one you have here.</p><div></div>

<p>Hi Benjamin,</p>

<p>That sounds not all that complicated. Switches like that can be bought in the average electronics store. But well, you need someone with a soldering iron who knows what he is doing...<br>

I have an other type of Jobo drum processor and have taken it apart several times for problems with the outflow of fluids. These machines are pretty straightforward. But again, you need some technical knowledge and the tools....</p>

 

<p>Go for a second hand Minolta Dimage Scan Elite, or Dual IV.<br>

I used it for B/W. It's great. I only use an epson 750 flatbed for my 6x6. My African black and whites of Angola and Nigeria are scanned with my Minolta Dimage Scan Elite II.<br>

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=925812</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>My first feel is that perhaps your mirror is hanging. On the next shot it might be closing properly again. Then again, would that not impact the neighbouring pictures as well?<br>

I don't really see the flash thing. It would have been not so consistently to my opinion.</p>

<p>If you want to do some fun experiments, have a look at the following fun ways of experimenting with developing your film:<br>

Developing with coffee or Vitamin C: http://www.digitaltruth.com/data/caffenol.php<br>

Have a look on the forums of photo.net. There has been a lot of discussion on this one. Red wine and washing soda is good fun as well...</p>

 

<p>My money is on Photoshop.</p>

<p>Once you get a bigger database under NX2 it is very slow and hard to work with.<br>

DxO is great in RAW, but only 25% of my work is post-processed from the RAW. For all the others, the jpeg output is good enough.</p>

<p>I have to agree with some comments on the Sigma 150mm HSM 2.8!!<br>

I also have been going back and forth between the 105mm Micro Nikor and the Sigma 150mm. In the end I prefer the Sigma. Allthough both should be the same, it feels a slight bit more light sensitive and focus is spot on.<br>

Depending on what you are shooting, but I'd go for the Sigma 150mm HSM 2.8. Gives you a bit more distance as well.</p>

 

<p>Keep that D300s!!!</p>

<p>And don't get the 85mm 1.8.<br>

Get a 50mm 1.4. The old one is as sharp as the new one, just quicker in focus and cheaper as a second hand one.</p>

<p>I agree with Wouter.<br>

The D90 is a big upgrade, but even with 1.4 lenses the only way for low lighting is a full frame camera. I went from a D200 to a D700 and the difference is like day and night. Up to 3200 iso and still printable.<br>

I have been shooting with a D90 and the camera is due to the smaller sensor less light sensitive. For small prints, up to iso 1600 is usable, but I would stay at iso 800 and below.<br>

If you want to shoot without a flash in these circumstances, it will always be an expensive business. D700 is very light sensitive. D90 is better than D60, but you still need a flash in low light situations, even with higher aperture lenses...<br>

Two lenses I can recommend if you want to save a bit of money: Sigma 28-70 2.8 (Needs AF motor) and Sigma 70-200 2.8 (internal focus motor, no VR). Quite afforable and great on both a D90 and D700. Both are full frame lenses, so they stay with you into the future.</p>

 

<p>Do you need the extra pixels of the Mark II?<br>

Or do you need the excellent low light work of the D700?<br>

Or do you need the crop factor for shooting nature close-ups with a 400mm?Then D300.</p>

<p>If you do not need to blow up your photos and thus the extra pixels of the Mark II, go for the D700. Especially if you shoot more often in low light situations. The quality is splendid.<br>

Spend the rest of the money on some good glass. It's not worth buying any of these cameras if you have bad lenses. I got rid of some lenses when I went from D200 to D700. Lower quality lenses show clearly on the D700.</p>

<p>Yep, that is a totally different lens. The 85mm 1.4 is even better, but so expensive.<br>

I use the 85mm 1.8. It's not as good as the 50mm 1.4, a bit softer. But it surely is better than the 50mm 1.8.</p>

<p>No danger there!<br>

You off course shouldn't bath in it. But some over your hand or a bit of smell is part of the darkroom experience. Don't worry that much about it. I had it over my hand often, putting the liquids in bigger containers to bring it away. Just wash the hand with soap, no issue.</p>

<p>Well, the smell might be lingering, but you will live!<br>

It's certainly better to not throw it down the drain and it's also better to not breath it in, but it is not that bad if you would smell it a few times. Give it one or two times using the shower andit is gone.</p>

<p>Get the D700. I'm shooting with one and use the 50mm 1.4 / 105mm DC and 28-70 2.8 of Sigma.<br>

You can shoot iso 1600 and still get decent enough portraits in low light. Just keep in mind that you loose the crop factor. But I always liked to get close to people anyhow. Most of my portraits are still with the 50mm 1.4. Though if it is a very fluid situation, I'll go for the 28-70 of Sigma. The Nikon is just too insanely expensive and I already spent my money on the 14-24mm. Great lens as well.</p>

<p>Cheers, Dennis</p>

 

<p>The SB900 is overheating quickly. You can turn off the overheat protection in the menu.</p>

<p>I did, because it would lock up after 50 shots in a hot and sweaty inside environment. Then again, it won't be good for the lifetime of your camera...</p>

<p>Make the first wash with distilled water a longer one.</p>