Photographers: tips, tricks, equipment, etc

[Triguy]

Mister, just to make sure I'm on the same page, do you mean medium format cameras like Mamiya and Hasselblad? i'm with Bob that I always saw those for pros - and mostly those who want to print really big.

The current APS-C crop-sensor in that D7100 has great image quality coming close to full-frame in decent light. Plus, its much much less expensive for the body and lenses and much lighter.

[Canonman]

X2 with Scott. I'd recommend the full frame "35mm" sensor for landscapes, but the real medium format cameras are just too cost prohibitive for most of us. Plus the image quality isn't all that much better even at 20x30 image sizes unless you plan on opening a fine art gallery. Check out the work done by Tom Till or George Lep. I know several real shooters who have moved to the 20+ mp SLR's and have been quite happy. One thing a fellow photographer told me "it's not the arrow, it's the indian". Like Oakman said "just keep shooting until something good turns up".

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by Mister

I need a little help deciding. I was planning on jumping (back) into the SLR market after years of using cheapy digitals. I was all set on taking the plunge and getting a D7100... However I'm not thinking I may want to sacrifice the higher mega pixel count and get a medium format... What say ye, ladies and gentleman?

If you want to enlarge pics to poster size or publish pics in magazines the high pixel count is needed.
IMO high quality glass is the best investment.
I like to simply capture a moment or try to capture a feeling or try to shoot something small that most people never see.
I will not lay next to an ant hill for 2 days and I will not spend 3 hours a day for 3 days trying to get the perfect "clouds moving across the horizon at sunset" shots.
For the money I spent, the Nikon D80 with the 16/85 wide angle zoom works very well for what I shoot.

[Mister]

That's the consensus of everyone I talk to... #1 this camera (even a cheaper body, something like the D5200) will outshoot me for years. #2 the glass is the most important thing and there's good quality glass for the Nikon DX series plus its much less expensive.

Thanks for the replies. I guess what was making second guess my original decision is how fast the medium format bodies are coming down in price. BUT that still won't buy lenses and those aren't cheap!

[Rebel702]

Mister, I just looked at the D5200 on Amazon. At 24MP and 1080p video you should have plenty of capability and some change left over for some nice glass. I may have to look at this for the video. Good second body along with my D300. Good luck.

[Twisty]

I see my lens on Amazon for $629.

[bodzcampers]

Nothing in the way of pro photos, but glad I finally got my hummingbirds and sandhill cranes:
The last one says to me, "Oh Happy Days!"

[Canonman]

You gotta love summertime
Fun pics!

[chucker25]

Folks - I'm just getting back to having enough time to catch up on some of the forum talk and the photography forum is my fav as photography is my background. I see the last few posts have been regarding the Nikon D7000 and D5200 etc. If I could add a bit to the discussion - there is one very important advantage the D7000 series (D7000, D7100) has over the D3000 and D5000 series cameras and that is the ability to use the AI type lenses as well as the AF-D lenses that require a focusing motor in the camera body. The 3000 & 5000 series cannot use these lenses. This is important as spending the extra on the D7000 series (or D300, D700,D600,D800 and above) can save you big bucks down the road on lenses. For example - you can pick up a Nikkor 55mm macro lens used for under $100 - probably in the top 10 of the sharpest Nikon lenses made. Compare that to a new macro lens and in that one lens purchase you have almost saved the diff the D7000 cost you over the 5200. Then, add to the wider lens capability the fact that the D7000 is much stronger built, more weather proof etc you really have a great camera body. Now that the D7100 is out the D7000 is starting to come down in price (under $800 cdn). I am biased as I own the D7000 (and a D80) however I work with a lot of other photographers and this lens compatibility is a huge deal for all but the 'point and shoot' photographer. If your thinking about the D7000 and would like to see some images check out my FB page - it is called 'Scenics Abound Photography'. Almost every image on the page was made with the D7000.

[EJM4]

Reflection photo via iPhone. The Nikon was packed away.

[Oakman]

We just returned from Yellowstone and the Tetons. This was our 4th trip to the area over the past 12 years and my one big disappointment has always been not seeing bears. No more, I finally had the chance to see Grizzlies in the wild.

[Canonman]

Excellent, Oakman!! Really very nice and very fortunate
Where in the park did you see these guys?

[Oakman]

Actually we weren’t in either of the national parks, we were driving on hwy 26/287 in the Teton National Forest south of GTNP and the three bears were in a clearing along the side of the road. I believe we were driving the Togwotee Pass but I’m not 100% positive.

[Canonman]

No wonder I haven't seen the bears. I've never gone that route.
I would have celebrated with a tall cold one for sure

[Oakman]

I enjoyed our time in the Tetons and Yellowstone but that sighting made the whole trip for me.

[EJM4]

Originally Posted by Oakman

We just returned from Yellowstone and the Tetons. This was our 4th trip to the area over the past 12 years and my one big disappointment has always been not seeing bears. No more, I finally had the chance to see Grizzlies in the wild.

Great photos!

We visited in mid August saw almost all the animals except for the bears.

Such a beautiful place out there!

[Triguy]

Thought I'd share this photographer I found. I find him interesting because one of his focuses includes RV campers at night with a time exposure. Very nice composition and colors...



The photographer is Frank Hallam Day. Here's his website to give full credit.

[CHD Dad]

Originally Posted by Triguy

Thought I'd share this photographer I found. I find him interesting because one of his focuses includes RV campers at night with a time exposure. Very nice composition and colors...



The photographer is Frank Hallam Day. Here's his website to give full credit.

That is a really nice photo. I need to check his site out. Thanks for posting.

[Oakman]

My wife bought me a new camera for my birthday last week. It’s a Fuji Finepix S8200 with a 40X optical zoom and 2X digital. I’ve been wanting a camera with a long zoom that's relatively inexpensive and this one fits the bill (on sale $229). One feature of this camera is the burst mode (continuous shooting) and I can’t wait to try that feature in a sports setting. I haven’t had much opportunity to test out the camera but so far I’m really happy with it. Here are three photos of the same scene. In the first photo there is an Egret near the bridge (wide angle 24mm). The second photo is zoomed in on the Egret to the max 40X (960mm). The third photo is zoomed the additional 2X digital. Overall I’m pretty satisfied with the results. The image stabilization works pretty good too. Those three shots were handheld.

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by CHD Dad

That is a really nice photo. I need to check his site out. Thanks for posting.

You're welcome!

Originally Posted by Oakman

Here are three photos of the same scene. In the first photo there is an Egret near the bridge (wide angle 24mm). The second photo is zoomed in on the Egret to the max 40X (960mm). The third photo is zoomed the additional 2X digital. Overall I’m pretty satisfied with the results. The image stabilization works pretty good too. Those three shots were handheld.

Happy birthday, Bob

Can't beat another camera for a gift! I nice superzoom is very handy and a good thing to have. Amazing handheld shot of the egret from that distance.