My new Baby...
Voilà !
I bought my first DSLR after about 4 months of nagging everybody and I do mean EVERYBODY, browsing trough hundreds of websites and thousands of sleepless nights, I went to the store.
I was in some kind of strange trance, trying to snap out of it to look more credible then a little girl buying a too expensive camera. I asked to hold the Nikon D90, D300s and the Canon 7D. (D90 just in case I wanted something more discreet)
It's kind of intimidating being surrounded by other photographers when your holding a beast you never touched before. I imitated the others and looked trough the viewfinder and took imaginary snaps around me. Then, finding myself so silly to try to convince them I really was a "photographer" and not just another chinese snapshooter that only wants the latest thing...
Then I explained to the salesman that what I really care about are the lenses. He's a nikonian at heart so whatever he told me, I just couldn't trust his objectivity.
While holding the bodies separately, I imagined I would instantly know but it just wasn't so... So I tried to look at the buttons where they are placed but it's like I had to have read the manuals already to fully know what does what. Then he showed me the difference of manipulation between the two brands. Only then did it hit me. I love those rotating command dials at the right. It felt familiar. I prefer rolling than pressing. (Similar manipulation on my G10) And it's all on top. no need to tip the cam to check at the rear too often... Well I didn't read the manual yet, I just got home. The baby's around my neck and just for now I've put back the bubble wrap on it.
I've bought the Nikkor 85 mm prime for now. Soon, I will go back to purchase a normal zoom. He confused me with the Sigma 18-50 or 18-55 mm he's very found of. I wanted the 17-70 mm OS but it's not out yet. His is f/2.4 and the one I want is f/2.4-4.5... I must reflect upon that. I like also that there's less range.
SO VOILÀ !! I'm part of the big league now ! Just have to learn to use it properly now... ;o0
I bought my first DSLR after about 4 months of nagging everybody and I do mean EVERYBODY, browsing trough hundreds of websites and thousands of sleepless nights, I went to the store.
I was in some kind of strange trance, trying to snap out of it to look more credible then a little girl buying a too expensive camera. I asked to hold the Nikon D90, D300s and the Canon 7D. (D90 just in case I wanted something more discreet)
It's kind of intimidating being surrounded by other photographers when your holding a beast you never touched before. I imitated the others and looked trough the viewfinder and took imaginary snaps around me. Then, finding myself so silly to try to convince them I really was a "photographer" and not just another chinese snapshooter that only wants the latest thing...
Then I explained to the salesman that what I really care about are the lenses. He's a nikonian at heart so whatever he told me, I just couldn't trust his objectivity.
While holding the bodies separately, I imagined I would instantly know but it just wasn't so... So I tried to look at the buttons where they are placed but it's like I had to have read the manuals already to fully know what does what. Then he showed me the difference of manipulation between the two brands. Only then did it hit me. I love those rotating command dials at the right. It felt familiar. I prefer rolling than pressing. (Similar manipulation on my G10) And it's all on top. no need to tip the cam to check at the rear too often... Well I didn't read the manual yet, I just got home. The baby's around my neck and just for now I've put back the bubble wrap on it.
I've bought the Nikkor 85 mm prime for now. Soon, I will go back to purchase a normal zoom. He confused me with the Sigma 18-50 or 18-55 mm he's very found of. I wanted the 17-70 mm OS but it's not out yet. His is f/2.4 and the one I want is f/2.4-4.5... I must reflect upon that. I like also that there's less range.
SO VOILÀ !! I'm part of the big league now ! Just have to learn to use it properly now... ;o0
Comment
-
Comment by Mao on January 28, 2010 at 10:00am -
Croila said :
Each to her own, is what I say - it's not which brand is better, but which is better for you.
I couldn't have said it better. I agree at 100% !!!
-
Comment by Croila on January 27, 2010 at 9:57am
-
Ooooh, a D300s?? How lovely! I've got a Nikon D80 which I absolutely love but I bet I'd love a D300s even more ;-)
I never got into the Nikon -v- Canon debate either. When you get cameras THAT GOOD on the market, I think it's more the photographer behind the camera that counts. However, two days before I got my D80 I actually bought a Canon 400D. Then I took it back to the shop and swapped it for the D80 because I just didn't like it. Each to her own, is what I say - it's not which brand is better, but which is better for you.
-
Comment by Mao on December 14, 2009 at 5:12pm
- Yeah I think I finally got that part pretty clear. I just have to get to know the Beast a bit more. and the lens. and get the normal zoom lens. But I also have a lot of other things to do that have nothing to do with photography and so little time... but thx for the input. I really appreciate it ! I guess I'll just keep doing like for my G10. It was so bad with noise that I always kept it at ISO minimum.
-
Comment by Michael on December 14, 2009 at 11:31am
-
I'm not sure where you are in your learning process regarding ISO. But keep in mind that your sharpest photos are generally produced at your lower ISOs. For my camera ISO 100 will give me the sharpest photos with the more tonal range and contrast. Which is why even when I shoot night photography I use the lowest ISO setting I can get away with. Rarely do I ever you ISO settings beyond 400. In a situation where I have low light and motion I will use 800-1600 because I'm forced to make the sensor more sensitive to light so that I can close the shutter more quickly to prevent blur and freeze the motion. I was paid to photograph a concert this weekend and that was the case. Under condition like those is generally the "ONLY" time I go beyond ISO 400. Of course better cameras handle higher ISOs much better. You have a great camera and it will handle ISO up 3200 pretty well. But even as good as it is and as good as the lens that you may be using is you will still not get the quality that you would with a lower ISO. The reason the manual will recommend using a ISO of 200 when lighting is bright and a large aperture is because the sensor is not very sensitive to light at 200. All that means to you is if you are going to use ISO 200 when you don't have bright light is that you are going to have to find a way of getting more light on to the sensor.
Translation: bigger aperture and longer open shutter time. Or if you don't use a bigger aperture you will have to leave the shutter open even longer. I do both of these all the time. You mentioned on more than one occasion that you like the clarity and depth of my night shots. I achieved those results by shooting in manual mode and using a lower ISO, smaller aperture, and very slow shutter speed. Although I didn't mention it I will assume you know I am also using a tripod under those conditions.
I said all of that to say ISO 200 also works great when it isn't bright and you aren't using a big aperture as the manual stated. The manual is just giving you starting point and most idea condition scenario.
-
Comment by Mao on December 14, 2009 at 8:13am
-
OH ! forgot to say That for now on I will write the info under my pics so for the test shot (a bit dark but really amazed with the bokeh) :
Nikon D300s
Lens 85mm-f/1.8D
ISo-800
1/50s-F/1.8
-0.3V-color Temp. (2560k)
dist.-about 3 feet
-
Comment by Mao on December 14, 2009 at 8:04am
-
Steve... Aaawww ! Thx You ! very too kind !! Never say too late ! You sound like all the photographers : We are perfectionists and in our inspiration to get better, we focus on our flaws. In a way it's not a bad thing for our progress but we still have to acknowledge more what we do right. Remember that, well for me, what keeps me interested in photography is that there always something to learn. At the end, the "process" is more important then the result and for seeing yours, I too, envy you ! ;]
Michael... ¦D Thx my friend ! I didn't have time to play to my liking with it this week end. I just took one test shot just to see. For the ISO, I have "Lo 0.3 to Lo 1" equivalent of 160-100. In the manual, they recommend 200 or higher and also mention, it would give more contrast. They say, it's for larger aperture when lightning is bright. I know it will take me a while to get to know this beast. For now, I just figured out how to change the settings and have to practice the finger dance to be faster but there's also new features very intriguing. The manual has 400 pages !! I have endless hours of fun awaiting me ! ;p
Here's my first test shot (no pp of course)
-
- Well Happy Birthday and CONGRATULATION! I'm very happy for you. And for your first DSLR let me say that you really went for the big gun getting a D300S. I'm on my second DSLR in as many years and I have yet to make it pass entry level. If you are anything like I was it will be months before you fully understand this new companion and can flow effortlessly from one group of setting to another. But that will also be part of the fun and excitement of getting to know this new friend and growing comfortable with it. Likely the first thing that is going to blow you away is the quality of the images. Tip: 85mm on a cropped sensor is over a 100mm so make sure you are shooting at a fast enough shutter speed to compensate for any slight hand shake. And when possible shoot at ISO 200 on your camera. I think that is your lowest ISO on the D300S? That will give you the sharpest results. "HAVE FUN!!!!".
-
Comment by Steve Reehl on December 11, 2009 at 8:10pm - Congrats on your new 'Baby'. One thing for sure, you don't have to convince anyone on this site as to your photographic skills. You have a true gift and I for one envy you. Too late for me to develope the kind of talent you have, but I'll keep trying. I never got into the discussion about Nikon vs. Cannon because I think both are fabulous pieces of equipment.
-
Comment by Mao on December 11, 2009 at 7:23pm
-
Thx Claud ! I hear you ! it's freezing outside ! The cam can handle the cold more than I ! lol ! I too have little time to shoot these days and I'm not sure if I want to bring my new baby tonight at the party... I don't really have the proper bag for it. (I ask one for xmas)
Are your projects interesting at least ?
-
Comment by Claudcw on December 11, 2009 at 7:15pm - The d300s is a sweet body, add a battery grip and you are set, like I said look in to the Nikkor 18-150mm and the 18-200mm both VR... it gives you a great range....and again congrats and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! lol I am so dying to shoot but got so cold and busy with a few projects that i cant :(
© 2010 Created by D2 Admin.
You need to be a member of Digitally Devoted to add comments!
Join Digitally Devoted