Nikon D3X - errr..mm

[Greg Beetham]

Sorry to say it David, but the smart money would be on the fox I think (unless he is half tame)...would be a great shot though, what with the winter coat and all....or is it the chicken buffet that is the subject?
Greg
ps. pity you couldn't flood the area with the 60 CT4...although that wouldn't be easy either....

[David Kilpatrick]

The fox I could have got the first time I saw him, but no camera, and it would have needed a long lens. And pictures of urban foxes are two a penny, some people tame them and feed them, even encourage them to make a den in the garden and raise litters of cubs. But a gory picture of a chicken eaten by a fox is not so common, and far more commercially viable. Apart from that it made a rather good subject for tilt-shift lens use

I have, of course, also done tilt-shift examples this afternoon in the studio using one of my instruments (a Canarian timple, neat small ukulele-thing styled like a 16th c vihuela) with frets to show the sharpness in depth. And, yet again, I found myself thanking Sony for their care in designing the interface. Nikon: eyepiece blind closed had to be opened between shots to allow adjustments via the viewfinder, no other easy way to change settings. The top LCD display was facing in a direction which gave me a headache bending round to try to see it, in shadow from the studio lights, too small - etc. Sony: eyepiece blind stayed closed. Big display on the rear and simple dedicated funtion buttons allowed instant alteration of settings with totally clear visibility. Took about half the time to shoot the Sony set compared to the Nikon. And PASM dial! Nikon make the D3X with a seriously inconvenient button-push plus wheel rotation, while looking through the finder or peering at the LCD, to change modes. Give me a dial any time.

David

[Greg Beetham]

Okey dokey, just the chicken, I was thinking maybe the chicken with fox in attendance as well...that would be a shot worth having as well.

Greg

[read the manual]

if you press the "info" button on a D3/D3x you get top plate info in very large scale on the 3" rear LCD. This replicates the top plate info. This also give you much more information such as colour space, ability to change focus points, type of focus mode, Continuous/Single/Manual focus, plus much more than is displayed on the top LCD.

Please read the manual.

If you have any other questions about the function of this camera i would be happy to talk you through it.

[Javelin]

is that maybe light from the VF getting in there for the macro shot?

[InTheSky]

I will add that human movement can be freeze even at 1/15 sec ... you have to wait for the good moment. By movement, I'm taking about shooting someone that is not in place and don't move. I concert show, a lot of time i cannot afford speed higher than 1/30 or 1/60 in some condition where I'm already at F/2.0 and ISO5000-6400. But i have realized that in some case, there is a kind of stopping action in the body that can be freeze .

Even a march, if you are moving with the group, the background will be blur, but the subject can be relatively clear.

This is an example of one of the horrible day of my life with no light to make a good shot ... , almost all the picture a blur, but some are acceptable : http://www.pbase.com/nadeauf/petitbig (the bar was dark, like you was not able to see where you are putting you feet on the floor, version 2.0 of A700 firmware by the way ... the noise it better now...)

Regards,

Frank

[InTheSky]

On military march, if they are really Sync in there legs movement, you can be lucky and get the moment when the leg will start to goes down, there is a small break at this moment that can result in a fraction of a freezing movement. I cannot evaluate this time, but i will try when i will have time. (sorry I'm a little bit crazy). The body is usually straight, and they are fixing straight in front of the group reading the partition on the small paper attached (if there is partition).

But you are right, let's focus on the real problem .

Regards,

Frank

[David Kilpatrick]

Talked to Nikon, and looks as if the 24-120mm (despite being the only lens they have similar in range to the 24-105mm Canon) really should not be advised on the D3X. They are seeing if a 24-70mm can be found (again, this would be the fourth time round using the 24-70mm for test purposes if they do send one).

Here's another article written in the course of current investigations:

http://www.dphotoexpert.com/2008/12/16/ ... ed-planes/

I decided this was better kept on dPhotoexpert and not here!

David

[David Kilpatrick]

if you press the "info" button on a D3/D3x you get top plate info in very large scale on the 3" rear LCD. This replicates the top plate info. This also give you much more information such as colour space, ability to change focus points, type of focus mode, Continuous/Single/Manual focus, plus much more than is displayed on the top LCD.

Please read the manual.

If you have any other questions about the function of this camera i would be happy to talk you through it.

I am quite aware of the functions of the D3X and have used the D3 and D700 before, and read the manuals (cover to cover, every page, followed by extensive back reference later). With the Alpha 900 you don't have to press any buttons. You just touch the shutter release, or any other control to make your next adjustment, and the rear screen comes to life (as long as you do not have your eye next to the finder). This is not unique to the 900, or to Sony. Each design has merits (Nikon's two-button card formatting shortcut is far superior to Sony's tedious menu-diving, which may or may not start with the right menu depending on what you did last etc). The Alpha 900 is, overall, faster and surer to use with gloves; if you are long-sighted or wearing distance specs as I prefer to when shooting; in the dark; and in certain studio situations where the camera is at a height or angle making viewing difficult. I know the Nikon top LCD can be illuminated all the time, but its information is difficult to read when the camera is set up for vertical shots. Even the rear screen reads sideways, the Sony automatically rotates the info.

These points are not made to criticise Nikon's design, as you get used to any camera quickly enough. They are made here mainly because the Sony camera is subjected to many dismissive, skeptical or jeering remarks in the world out there and our own users sometimes are not aware that it may even have advantages, or better aspects of design, compared to a camera from a more established professional brand name costing much more.

The other issues are real - I should not have posted an image with moving Santas, plenty with static Santas were equally poorly focused and not efficiently VR stabilised (by my standards). I've done a lot of shooting with the Canon 24-105 IS and its stabilisation has proved spot on - keepers from unpromising situations. The bellows/flare issue I had not realised was specific to the Nikon bodies. I have been struggling with it for two or three years, because all I had was Nikon bellows equipment, and I thought it was a problem with these lenses and ALL digital sensors. I bought myself an adaptor to get the bellows on to the 900 about three weeks ago, and this was the first trial use. So - I was hoping the D3X would not have the problem; it did, and fairly strong; the A900 did not, which was unexpected and proves that the reflection patch is not inevitable.

David

[David Kilpatrick]

"Should have come back with valuable, saleable pix from Edinburgh today"
From a new, untested, unfamiliar camera?

- comment made on dPreview

Answer - well, I did from the same event last years using the D3 and the Oly E-3 together Worse light, in terms of level, but better light in terms of quality I think with rain and snow. But a high proportion of completely useful, stock friendly, pass-QC type images and several have sold, apart from uses with articles (which do not count really, as the editors have no choice!).

I use new, untested, unfamiliar cameras every month and quite often I will take one or more on a trip abroad without any of my regular gear. I have to test the kit, that means real life situations. I do take a laptop and I do check as I go that nothing is seriously wrong. The D3X arrives at a time when I can not afford a week in Morocco or something like that to actually get decent subject-matter. The D3 arrived at exactly the same time last year, but with its superb high ISO ability, it was perfectly timed for winter night shots. The D3X really needs long days with plenty of light and great landscape or architectural subjects, and the best lenses.

But, I am asked to compare like with like. The Canon 5DMkII came as a KIT with 24-105mm. You might as well know I complained to Canon after the first day's shoot, which covered some fantastic conditions for winter views. I sent them files - the 24-105mm was hopelessly unsharp at the right hand end. They questioned my technique and asked for the raw files. I sent them raw files, and they agreed - the lens was at fault. They then immediately sent a 16-35mm and 100mm macro. The 16-35mm proved to be unsharp at the left hand end. I have several pictures which should be 'stock file' material which are marginal rejects as a result. If Nikon want to see files from the 24-120mm they will get them.

David

[David Kilpatrick]

Here are some references: First - the sharpest of the 24-120mm snaps of the massed Santas:


http://www.pbase.com/davidkilpatrick/image/107117659" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Secondly, a 24mm shot at ISO 800 (which I chose to work at, having tested the D3X and decided that 1600 was - with Capture NX2 or in-camera JPEG - not an option) note the level and quality of midtone and shadow detail:


http://www.pbase.com/davidkilpatrick/image/107121143" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Finally, a D3 shot from last year at 3200 enlarged to even bigger than a D3X native shot - to over 25 megapixels:


http://www.pbase.com/davidkilpatrick/image/107119028" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OK, the D3X shot used -1 exposure to get the best lights/sky balance, while the D3 shot was straight. But looking at all my shots from the D3 last year, they have a very open shadow tone and the D3X really seems to be crushing the shadows down by default. However, ACR 5.x when it appears with D3X compatibility may change that - so far ACR has always proved to yield lighter shadows (and more noise, naturally) than other processes or in-camera JPEGs.

But there is something in the D3 image I'm not so far seeing in the D3X, when trying to use it in similar difficult conditions. The D3 had me amazed. The D3X either leaves me no more impressed than the A900, or slightly less so where colour and tone are the most important factors. But then, I don't have any lens on the A900 as modest in performance as the 24-120mm proves to be. The closest would be the 16-105mm on the A700, but that is really good by comparison - and Nikon's own 16-85mm is even better. Howcome the 24-120mm is not every bit as good as the 16-85mm? It's almost exactly the same relative range.

David

[peterottaway]

Even considering the poor light, how well in comparison does the Nikon D3x reproduce reds ? I'm assuming that Scotland does not have it's own specification for Santa Red. Because to get decent landscapes around here good red-brown, red-gold, ochre and reds in both tone and texture are important.

Now is not the time in Scotland to be checking high intensity natural light colours. But after your studio shots I was interested if you had developed a feel for the reproduction of red shades or if they required more work with the Nikon in comparison to the Sony A900.

[PhotoTraveler]

David,

I like the comments on TS lenses. Now If I can only get folks in the other forum to believe me they are needed. I don't know what contact you have with Sony. Is there even a squirrel or 2 waking up and talking about anything on this front?

Leaves me very disappointed to see this body and no Sony TS lenses. Especially when there is a few things Sony could one up Canon or Nikon. Like letting the user push a button and rotate to put rise/tilt in the same direction, or have extra travel and marking for use on APS sensors. I'm willing to buy a nikon body and lens just for that capability, lost sale for Sony.

[InTheSky]

I'm in the High complex electronic industry, and this D3X and even the Canon 5D MarkII look really like product that have not been able to reach the quality control, but the sell department and revenue decision was to push the camera on the market.

I have seen that before with Nortel Network product, nightmare and unsleep week to work to be able to throw out a maximum of product at the end or 2001 ( now you know the rest of the story ... ). Since that time, i have lost faith in some company to really focus on quality. Quality is actually my job now: to learn and understand the product to build and after that put in place mechanism, process, software control, etc, to insure the quality asked by my customer (and most of the time to make them realized that what they are asking is not covering them to ship something suitable for buyer).

I know we now have a lot of new technology in camera (coating, new glass technology), but we are clearly seeing that this is slightly put on the side to SHIP SHIP SHIP . We will have strange find in the future of next camera launch.

I was talking with my boss today about your finding on the Nikon lens, and he was really surprise. As an old photo equipment seller 15 years ago when he was at University, he told me that for him there was nothing better than Nikon. Do you think Nikon has over estimate this time the customer loyalty on the last release of camera ? Or they are saying to customer, we have new technology and you need to change all your gear to reflect this ?

I'm to young in photography for that, and i have started with Digital (some film before, but on point and shoot ). Correct me if him wrong, but in the past on film ... the body was a good tool ... but probably with a very cheap body like a Minolta 3xi, with same exposure setup has a 9xi with the same lens, there was no difference on the result ?

My other question is, does anybody in the past have found that this Minolta lens was so good compare to other brand ? Because everybody was shooting with same grade of film (talking about professional working together). If I'm able to convert an old 58mm F/1.2 and shoot at full aperture F/16 and feel the the 24mp of my Sony is not even able to challenge the lens ... I'm just surprise that not too much people are realizing the big deal to get with a Sony body now.

OK... i will stop to write... I'm loosing my focus .

Hope you will send us new shot of the D3X soon with the very good lens.

Thanks for all your tests you are doing for use David,

Regards,

Frank

[David Kilpatrick]

Even considering the poor light, how well in comparison does the Nikon D3x reproduce reds ? I'm assuming that Scotland does not have it's own specification for Santa Red. Because to get decent landscapes around here good red-brown, red-gold, ochre and reds in both tone and texture are important.

Now is not the time in Scotland to be checking high intensity natural light colours. But after your studio shots I was interested if you had developed a feel for the reproduction of red shades or if they required more work with the Nikon in comparison to the Sony A900.

See some from a photographer last year: http://www.murphysedinburgh.co.uk/01FOL ... UN2007.htm - of course, lighting conditions may vary. They hold this run, rather persversely, just when it is getting dark.

The red channel test - yet to come - is important. Sony's colour rendering is partly achieved by extremely high A to D gain applied to the red channel/raw pixels (this does not improve the rendering of reds, but it enables the blue and green channels to improve reds). But - the noise in Sony's red channel is very high. The D3X 'Standard JPEG' sRGB colours are not all that appealing compared to the D3/D700. It is possible Nikon's entire cut in sensitivity has been achieved by not over amplifying the red pixels during readout.

David