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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #32

  Thank you for the comments.
  
  I have been shooting my 70-300 VR in all types/times of light conditions.
  
  Will try using AF-S mode instead of AF-C.

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• WaterEngineer Senior Member Posts: 24,412 AG

  December 2011 #33

  You need a better (faster focusing) lens. Others will argue but I speak the truth. If you like BIF, you are playing one of the most expensive photography games there is. No one promised it would be cheap.

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #34

  WaterEngineer wrote: »

  You need a better (faster focusing) lens. Others will argue but I speak the truth. If you like BIF, you are playing one of the most expensive photography games there is. No one promised it would be cheap.

  
  I know :banghead
  
  But it just bothers me that my D40 70-300VR is outperforming my D7000 70-300VR in the BIF sharpness/focus category.
  
  I just read two articles on fine tuning the focus on the D7000 to the 70-300. I will report back after I experiment.

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• Cane Pole Senior Member Stuart, FLAPosts: 10,025 AG

  December 2011 #35

  Stetson Law wrote: »

  Ok, first issue has popped up. About 1 in every 25 times I turn on the D7000 and attempt to fire away, the camera doesn't find the memory card. Each time, I remove and reinstall the card, and the camera finds the card and operates perfect for about the next 25 uses. I have not yet tried a second card, I will ASAP. I just read online that Nikon came out with firmware 1.03 recently, that addresses memory card issues. Going to have to update the firmware and try a new card.
  
  Any thoughts or comments on either issue would be greatly appreciated.

  
  Some people say you should always format a card after copying files off it to your computer.

  Live music 7 nights a week: http://www.terrafermata.com/_events
  

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• Guidenet Senior Member OrlandoPosts: 239 Officer

  December 2011 #36

  I would not use single mode. There's just no reason. Who cares if you get that confirmation beep? I put mine on CLH high and continuous. Then as the bird enters the frame and you're starting your pan, it will hopefully lock on, then fully press the shutter and let it machine gun until you run out of buffer. It doesn't take long because I'm shooting 14 bit RAW of course.
  
  When you get that early lock, the AF should stay on the bird if you keep it in the frame and have tracking turned on as you're panning.

  Nikon D800, D3S, D700, D300, Canon G1X, Sigma 15 f/2.8 Fisheye, Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6, Nikon 16-35 f/4 VR, Nikon 28 f/1.8G AFS, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Nikon 35-70 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR, Nikon 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 AFS VR, Nikon 35 f/2, Nikon 50 f/1.8 G, Nikon 60 f/2.8 G Micro, Nikon 85 f/1.4 AFS G, Nikon 105 f/2.5 AI, Sigma 150 f/2.8 APO Macro, Nikon 300 f/2.8 AFS VR, Nikon 500 f/4 -P, Interfit Stellar X complete six light studio

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #37

  Cane Pole wrote: »

  Some people say you should always format a card after copying files off it to your computer.

  
  Yep, did that.

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #38

  Well... my focus/sharpness issues continue. Today I took 100 photos of a jumping sailfish and only 1 came out as super sharp as my D40 on the same 70-300vr. (Check the SE fishing reports "Team Three Buoys". I am also not getting sharp, in focus birds like I am used to with my D40. I bought this body specifically for sailfish pics and I am extremely disappointed with its first sailfish rodeo. Any recommendations on what I should do?

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• Cane Pole Senior Member Stuart, FLAPosts: 10,025 AG

  December 2011 #39

  http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?32270-Team-Three-Buoys-Cobia-Kingfish-and-Sailfish-Photo-Report-12-29-11
  
  Most look great to me. Two of the shots are soft, but the water is in focus. Check you focusing points.

  Live music 7 nights a week: http://www.terrafermata.com/_events
  

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #40

  Today's settings:
  
  P - f8 1/1000 sec
  af-c release
  21 point af
  a3 1 short
  a5 off
  a6 af39
  b4 center 8mm
  b5 no
  auto iso max 3200 min shutter 1/500
  metering matrix

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #41

  Cane Pole wrote: »

  http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?32270-Team-Three-Buoys-Cobia-Kingfish-and-Sailfish-Photo-Report-12-29-11
  
  Most look great to me. Two of the shots are soft, but the water is in focus. Check you focusing points.

  
  As close, as prepared, as ready as I was, I should have 30 keepers in sharp focus instead of 1 (the last one in the post).

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #42

  Cane Pole wrote: »

  http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?32270-Team-Three-Buoys-Cobia-Kingfish-and-Sailfish-Photo-Report-12-29-11
  
  Most look great to me. Two of the shots are soft, but the water is in focus. Check you focusing points.

  
  PS: The Kings were with my D40 18-55 kit (as are all my "in boat shots") all the sail shots are my D7000 70-300. I am loving have two cameras around the neck on the boat

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• Guidenet Senior Member OrlandoPosts: 239 Officer

  December 2011 #43

  Several things. For starters, look on the back and check if the joy-pad is locked or not. That is the little switch that has an L on one side. If it is not locked, put the camera up to your eye and half press the shutter and note what focus point/s light up. Put the camera in single point and make sure the center point lights up on something in the center. If a side point lights up, you've accidently moved it. So, move the pad until the center point ligts up on a center subject, then move that lock switch to locked. Now, whether you choose single or more, it starts in the middle. Later, you might wish to unlock it to move the focus points around but when you're done, put it back in the middle and lock it again. This causes a lot of issues because the camera is focusing on something different from what the photographer wants.
  
  Also, find a chain link fence and mark a spot on the top with chalk or something. Now at a slight angle from about 20'-30' away, focus on fire on that spot. Carefully look on the monitor and see where the fence is the sharpest. You want to know if it is consistantly back or front focusing. If it is consistantly doing so, read the manual and fine tune the camera until you have it dead on. Do this in single point.
  
  Also, post a Jpeg here that has not been through any editor. That way I can download it, put it into Capture NX and find out the active point. Most software removes that info.
  
  If none of this works, you'll have to send it back. I'd call Nikon support first. They might want the camera and lens. I'd rather have a camera and lens that went through Nikon's service than a new one. Nikon cleans and callibrates everything to spec better than the factory. I know people who send new cameras to Nikon, claiming issues just to get that callibration and setup.
  
  

  Nikon D800, D3S, D700, D300, Canon G1X, Sigma 15 f/2.8 Fisheye, Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6, Nikon 16-35 f/4 VR, Nikon 28 f/1.8G AFS, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Nikon 35-70 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR, Nikon 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 AFS VR, Nikon 35 f/2, Nikon 50 f/1.8 G, Nikon 60 f/2.8 G Micro, Nikon 85 f/1.4 AFS G, Nikon 105 f/2.5 AI, Sigma 150 f/2.8 APO Macro, Nikon 300 f/2.8 AFS VR, Nikon 500 f/4 -P, Interfit Stellar X complete six light studio

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #44

  Your wisdom is priceless!
  I will find and upload a few "raw" from the camera jpegs.
  
  Thanks,
  
  Michael

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #45

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  December 2011 #46

  Should be better?
  
  This one is my D40 18-55
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Guidenet Senior Member OrlandoPosts: 239 Officer

  December 2011 #47

  Ok, all of those have been through an editor which erased the focus point. Even cropping means that some editor did their work on the image.
  
  That said, it looks like they are over cropped. I put those long distant ones in from the first image and they pixelized with a single bump in magnification which leads me to believe they're probably postage sized crops. The edges are just so jaggedy. The second set look like they might have been closer because they don't pixelize as badly. The D40 image is right in the boat. Of course it isn't over cropped.
  
  You're going to need longer and better glass, I think. The D7000 does a fine job.

  Nikon D800, D3S, D700, D300, Canon G1X, Sigma 15 f/2.8 Fisheye, Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6, Nikon 16-35 f/4 VR, Nikon 28 f/1.8G AFS, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Nikon 35-70 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 80-200 f/2.8 AFD, Nikon 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR, Nikon 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 AFS VR, Nikon 35 f/2, Nikon 50 f/1.8 G, Nikon 60 f/2.8 G Micro, Nikon 85 f/1.4 AFS G, Nikon 105 f/2.5 AI, Sigma 150 f/2.8 APO Macro, Nikon 300 f/2.8 AFS VR, Nikon 500 f/4 -P, Interfit Stellar X complete six light studio

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• Stetson Law Senior Member HypoluxoPosts: 489 Deckhand

  February 2012 #48

  WaterEngineer wrote: »

  The Tokina is also a superb glass. I suggest taking a hard look at the 12-24 too. I chose the Tokina 12-24 over the Nikon. There is no way the Nikon is worth three time the cost at this focal length. For me, and this is just me, I wanted more throw than the 11-16 and I don't miss the 1mm on the short end.

  
  I am looking for the best landscape lens for under $1,000. I looked into the Tokina 12-24 as you suggested, and am now leaning in that direction. I don't shoot low light or indoors enough to warrant the F2.8 11-16, I don't think.
  
  Does anyone suggest I look at any other short zoom landscape lens before pulling the trigger on the 12-24?

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• WaterEngineer Senior Member Posts: 24,412 AG

  February 2012 #49

  You know the three lenses to look at. Of course I am bias but just get the Tokina 12-24. And FWIW, I use this lens all the time for recording time lapse and video on my D7K for Jennifer's street painting videos. Go to Jennifer's web page at look at the Feast of Little Italy, the Denver and the Buffalo, WY videos to see a lot of work done with the Tokina.
  
  http://www.AmazingStreetPainting.com

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