The Photography Thread

[MartyG]

This is what sky looked like outside my front door, just a few minutes ago.

And Gah! Why do leaves get in the way at the worst moments possible.

I did manage to get another shot, but not from the same perspective sadly ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/martypg13/199054255/ )

[PeteJ]

Unlucky with the leaf Marty, its otherwise a wonderful shot. The perspective is really good.

Also, that sky looks painted.

[MartyG]

I have that saturation on +mode on my D50 atm, so it makes it look a bit more dramatic. I was playing about with sepia and other colour tonings in photoshop, and you can get some interesting abstracts with it. Don't think any of them are worth uploading to flickr mind, might put some up on Picasa.

That leaf was really annoying, it blew in frame just as I hit the shutter, and I couldn't get another one the same :/

[MartyG]

Little bit more info on the new camera from Nikon here at Ken Rockwell's web site: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm

[Alastair]

For a photography site they are some rubbish pictures!

I need to get a play with a Nikon, never even held one let alone shot with one. That one looks good. What range is it in, same sort of thing as Canons 350d? Thought 4.5fps was a bit low is all but I see the price is low.

[MartyG]

It's a semi-pro body, so whatever the equivalent Canon is there. It says the photos are linked from another site.

Caved in and bought a Sigma 105 Macro lens today ( from here: http://www.cameraking.co.uk/ ). Should be delivered on Saturday for me to play with

[Alastair]

Guess it's gonna be the 20D/30D then that it's competing with. Think the $ price will end up bing the same in pounds? Sure it wont be available for ?4-500 anyway.

Enjoy the lens.

[MartyG]

I'd guess it's going to be around the same price point as the outgoing D70.

[andrewfee]

For a photography site they are some rubbish pictures!

Well it is an unreleased camera and leaked pics. Just looks like they've been scaled up for some reason though.

I need to get a play with a Nikon, never even held one let alone shot with one. That one looks good. What range is it in, same sort of thing as Canons 350d? Thought 4.5fps was a bit low is all but I see the price is low.

Nikons, in my opinion, are far more ergonomic than Canons, tend to keep you out of the menus more (more manual controls) and when you do have to use them, I personally think the menus are better too.

4.5fps isn't enough for you though!?? Most cameras in that price range are lucky to do half that, and the D200, the model up, does 5fps. (that said, I'm sure it'll have a bigger buffer and be able to sustain 5fps longer)



I'm now pretty much decided on tripods (Gitzo 1257 CF with a Kirk plate and Markins ball-head) but I'm having a hard time deciding on the camera/lenses now. (and I thought I had it all figured out...)

Initially, I was looking at getting a D200 with the new 18-200mm VR lens, but it's DX, so down the line if Nikon moves to full-frame, it won't be of any use, it's not a "critically" sharp lens, and doesn't have very nice bokeh.

The advantage of this lens is that it "does it all" so I wouldn't have to keep changing lenses, or carry more than one with me etc., but I get the feeling I would want to upgrade down the line.

So I'm thinking about the 70-200mm VR which is incredibly sharp, and has beautiful bokeh, but the closest it can focus is 1.5m away, and I'd like to do some macro photography. (but I don't know if 200mm, or throwing a TC on there as well would allow for it anyway)

If I go for the 70-200mm VR, I'd then need something else that's a bit wider for general photography, so it'd be the 18-70mm DX (a nice lens, but perhaps not up to the quality of the D200, and it's a DX lens again) or a 35/50mm prime.

...and then there's the camera itself. I was pretty much set on the D200 - the new D80 doesn't bother me, but it's between a D50 and the D200 now really. The thing that concerns me is noise on the D200 - apparently it can get quite noisy at ISO800 and above, whereas the D50 is about the best available today, even up to 1600 ISO. (but lacks a lot of the control, speed, and accuracy of the D200) I'm not really considering Canon, I just don't like the ergonomics and "processed" look to the images.

[Alastair]

Well it is an unreleased camera and leaked pics. Just looks like they've been scaled up for some reason though.

Jeez you guys, should I have put a as well as the ! on the end of that sentence? Was only being sarcastic.

4.5fps isn't enough for you though!?? Most cameras in that price range are lucky to do half that, and the D200, the model up, does 5fps. (that said, I'm sure it'll have a bigger buffer and be able to sustain 5fps longer)

Yeah I misread it as 4 frame burst not per second. 4.5 per second is plenty enough, wonder what it'll go up to though in one burst, the 30D does 30 in 1 burst but that is a higher price point.

Initially, I was looking at getting a D200 with the new 18-200mm VR lens...
...The advantage of this lens is that it "does it all" so I wouldn't have to keep changing lenses, or carry more than one with me etc., but I get the feeling I would want to upgrade down the line.

I'm no lens expert but I've never heard a good thing about 'do it all' lenses, the recommendation always seems to be that you should get more specific lenses for the job, if only money and weight was no object!!

[Ginger Tosser]

Nikons, in my opinion, are far more ergonomic than Canons, tend to keep you out of the menus more (more manual controls) and when you do have to use them, I personally think the menus are better too.

Definately your opinion, i don't have to use them at all (other than setting custom setting).

Those pics look as dodgy as the 30D pictures shortly before the release. Every launch seems to be preceded with poor quality jpgs

[Richard.John]

I read that the shots of the 'D80' were snatched from Nikon's own site shortly before being taken down. They look legit to me.

[andrewfee]

I read that the shots of the 'D80' were snatched from Nikon's own site shortly before being taken down. They look legit to me.

Yeah, I remember seeing links to them on Nikon's site, but they were down by the time I got to them.

I'm pretty sure I'd prefer the D70s/D50 to one of them though - it looks pretty much one of them with a higher res sensor - so more noise, but not a lot more features. The D200 on the other-hand, adds a lot more than just improved resolution.

[Richard.John]

I just pity all of those D70s buyers I saw at Bic Camera today as, if they waited just a little bit longer, they could get a better product. That's assuming it appears in the shops shortly after release of course and is not on back order like the D200.

It reminds of the DS Lite!

[andrewfee]

I just pity all of those D70s buyers I saw at Bic Camera today as, if they waited just a little bit longer, they could get a better product. That's assuming it appears in the shops shortly after release of course and is not on back order like the D200.

It reminds of the DS Lite!

Won't necessarily be better for everyone, it depends on your needs/uses, and it's usually a month or two after a Nikon announcement before most people get their cameras / lenses.