girishmenon

<p>What are the obvious shortcomings of the Nikon D300 as compared to the latest camera bodies (purely in terms of image quality at low ISO settings)? Anything at all? If I use a Nikon D300 for making photos which need to end up as 16" x 20" prints, is there anything that I should be careful about?<br> I will be using the Nikon 24-120 F/4 VR, 85 F/1.8G, 500 F/4 P IF-ED (AiS) and the 80-200 F/4 (AiS).</p>

<p>Technically, do diffusers and flash modifiers alter the white balance of a flash?<br> For example, if I fire the flash without any diffuser, then the same flash with a bulb diffuser, and finally if I shoot it through a white umbrella, must the white balance (color temperature, tint) in each of the images be different?</p>

<p>I got the 46-49 step-up adapter. The lens hood does accommodate it.<img src="http://girishmenon.com/46-49.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /><br> Getting it on and off isn't always so straightforward though. </p>

<p>Thanks for all your replies. They have certainly been encouraging. <br> I will buy a step-up ring and report the results here. Also, at the moment I'm hopeful that the lens hood of the Olympus 17 mm 1,8 will be able to accommodate the step-up ring.</p>

<p>By mistake, I purchased a 49mm filter (instead of 46mm) for the 17mm 1,8 lens. It's an expensive filter and the vendor won't take it back. Will using a step-up ring result in vignetting at such a wide angle? </p>

<p>Hi Kenneth, I've just discovered that I can switch the pop-up flash "Off" in the RC menu on the Olympus camera. Even though switched "Off", the flash will fire and trigger the external flash, but not contribute to the exposure of the photo!</p>

<p>Indeed Peter, I am out of luck. The Sunpak PF20XD is a beautiful flash and does fire wirelessly in the RC mode, but it needs to be triggered by the on-camera pop-up flash (the pop-up 'flash' can be turned off through the RC menu so that it does not contribute to the overall exposure). So that's the best I can do.</p>

<p>Hi, I have a pocket wizard which lets my Olympus PEN fire any number of external speedlights. However, it takes up the hot-shoe which I need for my optical viewfinder VF-1.<br> Is there any way by which I can fire the Sunpak PF20XD wirelessly without having to fire the on-camera flash?<br> This is possible with Olympus speedlights, but these are expensive. Is there a more affordable speedlight that will fire wirelessly through the "RC" mode without needing the pop-up flash to trigger it?<br> Any suggestions will be welcome.</p>

<p>I use this lens regularly on a D300. Shorter lenses weren't and option for me I cannot afford the Nikon 500mm autofocus lens. These days, we have third party lenses that offer the 500mm and even 600mm focal lengths at more affordable prices but I went with this Nikon lens even though it does not autofocus.<br> Like Andrew, I'm not impressed with the sharpness at f/4 but at f/5.6, it's as sharp as any lens that I have come upon. I see no significant loss in sharpness even when I use the TC14B at f/5.6 (for example the photo below):<br> <img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t31.0-8/1966192_605928236163706_928288957_o.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> The manual focusing surely slows me down significantly, but getting my subject sharp is not so much of a problem thanks to the 'electronic rangefinder' feature (look for the green dot at the bottom left of the viewfinder, you have to keep the shutter release button half way down while focusing).<br> I have even used this lens on a Canon DSLR with the help of an adapter which had a 'focus confirmation' chip on it, that way when I keep the shutter release button half way down when focusing, the focus point would illuminate when in focus. <br> I haven't stopped down this lens past f/5.6 yet, but I'm about to now that I have the TC301.<br> I'll post some results when I have them. I'm interested to observe sharpness with this 2-x teleconverter. This photo below was made without the teleconverter:<br> <img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10604598_685580801531782_2878589564023853501_o.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="680" /><br> At the end of the day, I prefer the results of this lens over third-party lenses.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Thanks for all your replies : )</p>

<p>When using say, a Nikon 500mm f/4 AiS lens with a TC-301 on a D300/D200, should I key in 500mm f/4 or 1000mm f/8 as the non-CPU lens data?<br> Thanks in advance! </p>

<p><img src="http://www.girishmenon.com/forphotonet/BH01-13.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /><br> I have used the Nikon TC-14B on the Nikon 500mm f/4 P IF ED AiS lens with excellent results. I was considering the Nikon TC-301S but then again, I can do more with an AF teleconverter, like use it on a 70-200mm f/2.8 Tamron lens.<br> Having gone to these sanctuaries a couple of times, I feel that I need that little more to make the sort of photos that I'm aiming for. Maybe I'll get the Nikon 1.7x instead.</p>

<p>I'm considering investing in a 400mm f/5.6 Canon lens for hand-held bird photography. However, I don't see myself using this lens more than 25 days in a year.<br> Instead, I'm considering a Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di LD [iF] for my D300 (yes, I use both Canon and Nikon gear). <br> On their official website, they tell us that the Kenko TELEPLUS PRO 300 AF 2.0X DGX will autofocus with lenses having a maximum aperture of f/2.8. I'd like to know if you have any personal experience with using such a setup especially since I'd like to avail of all the focus points available on the camera.<br> If this setup works seamlessly, the additional battery in the battery grip should help with the the speed of the autofocus, right?</p>

<p>Hi, I'd like to join an international street photographer's club for professionals, a club which is active in terms of sharing relevant content especially legal content, hosting exhibitions of its member's work, publishing periodicals and running competitions. <br> Any suggestions?</p>

<p>I'm sure every photographer will agree with me when I say that web-resolution JPG images do not do justice to a photograph. I've been playing with the audio-visual medium and I find that showing certain sections of a photo first, sections that I want you pay attention to and then zooming out to display the whole photo adds to the whole experience of "smelling the street" as a viewer, especially if you also record and overlay some ambient sound like I did here:

<p>The only lens that I have used in the past 6 years is the 16-35 f/2.8 on an APS-C camera. I think that carrying multiple lenses isn't the best option for me. I do street photography, so a tripod is rarely an option for me. <br /> I recently purchased an Olympus PEN but I haven't used it much because I'm waiting to get a good deal on the 17mm f/1.8. I hear that it's a great micro 4/3 lens.</p>

<p>Before you invest any money on a lens, I recommend that you read "The Digital SLR Expert Landscapes by Tom Mackie, William Neill, David Noton, Others". <br />This book is filled with photos, and the best part is that the authors mention the lens and focal length used to make each and every image.<br />The technique of panning and stitching that Stephen Lewis and others have mentioned mentioned is also explained in this book.<br> All the best! </p>

<p>B+W make a 'slim' polarising filter specifically to eliminate vignetting (fantastic for wide-angle lenses).<br> As far as using multiple filters goes, the best answer I have come upon was right here on photo.net a long time ago. A wise man said something to the tune of, "whether on a lens or in the bar, an additional glass is never a good idea!"</p>

<p>Thanks Andrew : )</p>

<p>Thanks Andrew. I checked the setup this morning and 'electronic rangefinder' indeed works with a TC-14B!<br> In the past, I was looking for the AF-point to light up and didn't pay attention to the little green circle at the bottom of the viewfinder. This is a relief. I can now consider the TC-301 rather than the expensive AF ones. <br> Thanks : )</p>

<p>Thanks, Andrew. I'm planning a trip soon and hope to have this working before I leave : )<br /> Some months ago, I had tried this lens + tc on Canon cameras and had posted the results here: http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00cUgN<br /> But then a month ago, I had gone on a trip to the desert and tried the lens + tc on a Nikon D300 before I left, but it didn't work. So I used the D300 without the tc to make these photos:</p> <p><img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10604598_685580801531782_2878589564023853501_o.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="680" /><br /><br /><br> <img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t31.0-8/10626296_685636101526252_8526364836757680885_o.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /><br> Sorry about the watermarks... just copied the image link off facebook :)</p> <p> </p>

<p>Hi Andrew, yes all apertures work as they should, the rangefinder works beautifully with the bare lens. It didn't seem to work with the TC-14B but I'll try again soon. Someone messed around with my gimbal head and I had to send it off for repairs. </p>

<p>I tried the TC-14B on the D300 with this lens, but the 'electronic rangefinder' didn't seem to work even in bright daylight! I'll try again. </p>

<p>Hi, if I use a Kenko Teleplus PRO 300 AF DGX 2.0X teleconverter on the 500mm f/4 IF-ED AiS CPU fitted lens on a Nikon D300, will the 'electronic rangefinder' work as it should?<br> In the past, I have used a TC-14B (Nikon 1.4x non-CPU teleconverter) along with a Neewer Nikon-Canon EOS adapter with focus confirmation chip on a Canon body and that worked great. </p>

<p>Someday, I'd like to get myself a state of the art tripod for wildlife photography. But at the moment, the costs are beyond me. I need to support the Nikon 500mm AiS lens that weighs 3 kilograms. I have a Manfrotto 190DB and Benro A350F that I use with lighter lenses and they work great. Both these tripods claim to be able to handle up to 5 kilograms, however when I mount the 500 there is always a slight movement of the vertical column (though I never extend it) and that movement becomes obvious in the photo at 100%.<br> Necessity is the mother of invention, right? I have a Manfrotto 679B monopod that's been sitting in the cupboard since 8 years! It can take up to 10 kilograms. My primary questions is, do you have any experience with using the Manfrotto 393 gimbal head on a monopod?<br> I also have the Manfrotto 488RC0 ball head and 410 geared head. What's my best bet? I don't have any more money to invest. </p>