Guys, Back in Business! (photography)

[Tyr-Sog]

Just picked up a mint Nikon D4, my first pro body. A little higher shots at 74K on it but this guy took care of his equipment.
Came with everything as if it was new. Got it a couple of nights ago. What a tank with such heft but it feels so natural in my hands.
I've been a fan of Nikons 16mp sensor and having shot the DF
for a couple of years I know what to expect from it. Pure magic but now in a M1A1 tank addition.

My acquired lens so far are..

Nikon 50 1.4G
Nikon 20 1.8G

Just looking for a mid which more then likely will be the 70-200 vrii. Prices on these have came way down. Nice copies going for 6-700.
and debating on a Nikon 300 2.8 VR or Nikon 200-400 F4 VR.

[Lazy8s]

Congratulations on getting back into it! I’m dusting off (and finally committing to fully learning) my D7200. I don’t know if the f/3.5 would suit you or not, but I grabbed this lens a while back and love it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...iABEgKwRfD_BwE

I seem to remember you putting up some really beautiful photos. Looking forward to seeing more

[Tyr-Sog]

just picked up a used 70-200 2.8e.
Great deals out there on F mount equipment which I’m assuming is because many are moving to mirrorless?

I’ll pick up p the 1.4 and 2x TC for the 70-200e. I’ve been reading it plays well even with the 2x.

[Tyr-Sog]

Just received my 24-70e vr.

I picked up that and the 70-200 fl for the cost of one of these lenses new. F mount is crazy cheap because of many moving to mirrorless. I’ve got no interest in mirrorless so it works for me.

[Tyr-Sog]

Well this forum is dead lol.

Anyways picked up a used mint copy of the 300 2.8 VRii. Original box and content included.
My lens set is complete except for a 1.4 and 2x tc for the 300mm.

[dodger]

You need to post pics! Logical, Lazy, and GIBro need to send some pics this way. Have seen plenty of good examples of their work on the discord! (Especially the birb stroking its chin thoughtfully.)

[Trunks0]

I agree with Dodger, we need pics!

Congrats though, awesome piece of kit!

[Tyr-Sog]

Yeah, now it's just finding the time lol. That was the big reason why I gave it up a few years back. I guess not much has changed in that aspect
I do however have 6 weeks of vacation a year now. So that helps.
I think I'm going to do Michigan Lighthouses. I guess we have the most in the country considering we have all that coastline. Plus wildlife.
It's the oddest thing though. I must have gave it up cold turkey because I cannot believe how big mirrorless is now.
I think when I quit the Nikon 500PF was just coming out amongst the other PF lenses(600/500/400). The D850 still may have been hard to get a hold of, D6 was just coming out. The Nikon Z line was in its infancy and not getting good reviews.
Now I go to photograph forums and most posts are of all the new mirrorless gear. DSLR are referred to ancient gear lol.
I've taken pictures of my kids so far but I don't post them on the net. The pro-grade gear does not disappoint.
Hopefully I can get out on the long weekend.

[Tyr-Sog]

Boy is my technique off lol. I can't get close to anything. I'm a bit rusty.
Went out today for a quick stroll. Seen some wood ducks but of course they're skittish as all hell.
They seen me and split quick.

Took 40 shots or so and nothing to write home about.

This is about the best one and it's boring.

Nice to get out though and go on the "hunt".

The files from the D4 are oh so clean. Love them. Just not much cropability.

D4/300mm f2.8 VRii, medium crop.

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[dodger]

Yay pics! Still a nice shot even if it's "boring". GIBro wants to catch one of those while its singing in cold air so you can see its breath as it does so!

[Tyr-Sog]

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[dodger]

Wish the water was more still so it'd be a perfect mirror but nature doesn't always give us what we want! At least you were able to capture the texture of the shell with the sunlight even at this distance.

[Tyr-Sog]

Wish the water was more still so it'd be a perfect mirror but nature doesn't always give us what we want! At least you were able to capture the texture of the shell with the sunlight even at this distance.

Medium crop also with only 16mp. I forgot how short 300mm is on FF.

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[Tyr-Sog]

tern

[dodger]

The tern looks surreal. I can't tell if it's raining, your lens is wet or you standing behind a wet window. I'm guessing you're in the rain! Nice bokeh though!

[Tyr-Sog]

The tern looks surreal. I can't tell if it's raining, your lens is wet or you standing behind a wet window. I'm guessing you're in the rain! Nice bokeh though!

Out in the rain.

[Tyr-Sog]

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[Tyr-Sog]

RWBB. this is the 300 with the 2x TC on it for 600mm. IQ actually surprises me._DSC4139.jpg

[dodger]

Was this pic hard to get? I heard TC's steal a ton of light especially the 2x as opposed to the 1.4 and get things fuzzy but the birb is sharp!

[Tyr-Sog]

Was this pic hard to get? I heard TC's steal a ton of light especially the 2x as opposed to the 1.4 and get things fuzzy but the birb is sharp!

Wasn't hard at all. The area I got this shot is a marsh in a park with a boardwalk off of lake St Clair. Tons of birds here. I'll leave there after a few hours from 500-1000 pictures shot.
Here these guys aren't too skittish like other areas and they are all over the place. This guy was a pretty close shot and in good slightly muted sunlight. Perfect scenario when using the TC, especially the 2x. Small crop here too.
You're right though, the TC's need light and the right conditions to excel. I've been learning when to use it and when not to.

I did however sell the D4 and picked up a D5(under 10k clicks, $2k). I just got back from a very quick outing(1st time) with the D5 and OMG, as good as the D4 is, it's whole different experience!
I had the D500 and I know they "share" the same AF and a lot of people say the D500 is just as good, but I say no way(pro bodies I believe are tweaked, that's what $6500 new gets you). The D500 from what I remember isn't this good in the AF department.

[Tyr-Sog]

One of the first handful of shots with the D5. Again my first outing with this so a bit unfamiliar with all the AF options and how I want it set up for myself.

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[dodger]

Wow, that's a fast upgrade. Is there a reason you are sticking to DSLR and not moving onto mirror-less? I imagine it's due to lenses which I get but it seems like hardly anyone is making those anymore.

[Tyr-Sog]

Wow, that's a fast upgrade. Is there a reason you are sticking to DSLR and not moving onto mirror-less? I imagine it's due to lenses which I get but it seems like hardly anyone is making those anymore.

Simply cost to performance ratio currently. MILC is just so expensive still where the urgency for many to move to mirrorless has caused prograde F-mount prices to drop substantially.
The only current Nikon cameras to meet my needs in the Z9($5500) and the Z8($4000). My birding setup now is the D5 at $2100, the 300 2.8 vrii at $2100, and the 2xTC at $250. Of course all used prices.
Z mount stuff used is still like buying new, so not much discount there. I just watched a mint condition Nikon 600mm F4 FL on ebay sell for $5600. I wish I would have snagged it. 500 F4 FL's I see routinely for $4400 like new.
Although I do now see the Z9 selling for $4400 like new so there's that. The Z 600mm F4 is $16000 lol.
Also I just don't like EFV. Granted I haven't looked through any current models EVF so I'm sure they've improved since I was shooting the XT2.
Many claim that the DSLR still has an advantage in AF in certain areas like acquiring initial AF, busy backgrounds, and low light AF. The other reason
I choose single digit D line is they are low light monsters. There's nothing in the Z line up that compares shooting at higher ISO's. I also thought I read that Z's still struggle in low light for AF?
What interests me with mirrorless is complete sensor coverage AF, no AF fine tuning(tbh I've never done this on my DSLR's), eye autofocusing(although does this take some of the fun out of it?), and
in general just being newer tech as I'm kind of a techie.

[Tyr-Sog]

Tern in dive mode. Unfortunately he didn't break water and pulled up. D5 had zero issues tracking the entire sequence. I have dozens al the way to the pull up, all in focus.

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[dodger]

Awesome photos. Would be curious whenever you make your way to the modern mirror-less cameras if it really does make it less fun to an experienced person like you. All the camera reviews I've seen recently include a section on the eye AF with folk spinning around or briefly hiding their face behind something or looking away and seeing how fast the AF finds their eye again and I have to admit unless they're going over the top and being really fast and jerky that focus box locks on to the eyes pretty fast and will follow the eyes all over the screen.