Month: February 2015

Real Glass at Last…

February 28, 2015
Close-upFaunaMacro
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Well I know I will pull better with this as I go, but I will definitely say I’m happy with the Glass. My Nikkor AF Micro 200mm F4D IF-ED arrived yesterday. It’s going to prove magnificent with more practise. The focus is wonderful and sensitive, feels responsive and solid. A pity I was lacking subjects today, light a bit on the poor side while I was trying to get used to it.

Still I was lucky enough to see some native bees, Nomia I think, out the front yard for something different. Challenging shoot though because the little fellows were continually moving. I had to open the aperture enough to be able to get a high enough shutter to freeze the action, and balance precariously on the tripod to be close enough to make it worth the shot!

Think of all that Pie…

February 23, 2015
Flora
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Although it’s still Summer, you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s some sort of “neither here nor there” cross between Summer & Autumn. At least this wheelbarrow of Apples doing what Apples do when left to their own devices makes me think in that way. Seems we are getting the “budget” Summer this year.

The Cat Made Me Do It…

February 17, 2015
FurbagsMacro
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Well if yesterday was spoiling myself, today is definitely spoiling myself with double spoil! I just bought a AF Nikkor Micro 200mm F4 IF-ED! This definitely means I won’t be buying another Macro lens in the foreseeable future.

I have nothing else to say except “the Cat made me do it”.

Spoiling Myself…

February 16, 2015
BirdsFauna
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Well the new Nikon D810 arrived last week, but I’ve not had a chance to try it until yesterday. Not a particularly spectacular demonstration of it’s capabilities, as I was just getting used to the way it shoots.

These little fellows were curious, fast and exasperating to try and shoot handheld given the combined weight of the Tamron 150 – 600mm & the Nikon D810’s weight. Still I started to get used to the slightly relocated controls, the most difficult for me yesterday being the change of location for the ISO. It now sits upon the left control dial as a button on the top rather than the back of the camera. Additionally the exposure lock has and AF-on button quite close on the right, and I found myself seeking and hitting that rather than the exposure lock.

I was somewhat perturbed to find (not sure how I missed it in checking specifications pre-purchase) that the USB socket is ONLY a USB 3, there’s no Mini-USB 2 socket at all. This of course meant I was unable to use either my corded Remote Release, or it seems does it respond to my small wireless one. Fortunately I was relieved to find that my 3rd Party “Uber” Hahnel Giga T Pro II 2.4Ghz Wireless Timer Remote Control for Nikon has as one of the supplied cables the 10 pin cable that will connect to the appropriate socket and allows me to use it. It’s more likely to get the use anyway for future use. It was certainly a boon at $110 a while ago. Pricing the Nikon options proved rather frightening with the contenders $250 or $750. Say no more!

So for the rest of the week I’ll try to familiarise my self more with getting the hang of these relocated functions and hope that soon I won’t be noticing as much.