Discussion
Afternoon all.
I picked up a D3 last week. I've not really had much chance to use it for personal stuff that I've wanted to shoot however, I can already tell this is going to be one hell of a love affair, it's friggin amazing! Such a work horse!
Here's a pic shot at ISO1250 F3.5 1/50 in low light the day I bought it (just had to go out and try it whilst on my dinner break)..where's the grain??
Here's a pic with the new 14-24mm lens
You'll have to excuse the photo's, they're both candids. I have some Spyker photos shot with the D3 which I'll post once they've been published.
Cheers
Dean
I picked up a D3 last week. I've not really had much chance to use it for personal stuff that I've wanted to shoot however, I can already tell this is going to be one hell of a love affair, it's friggin amazing! Such a work horse!
Here's a pic shot at ISO1250 F3.5 1/50 in low light the day I bought it (just had to go out and try it whilst on my dinner break)..where's the grain??
Here's a pic with the new 14-24mm lens
You'll have to excuse the photo's, they're both candids. I have some Spyker photos shot with the D3 which I'll post once they've been published.
Cheers
Dean
It is an amazing beast isn't it 
Just going for my first recharge now after 1,200 images shot over 4-5 weeks and simply loads and loads of reviewing images on the screen. Even now the battery is down to about 10% so I could stretch it out a bit longer before recharging but am out tonight hopefully doing some longer exposure stuff so went for an early recharge.
The only downside I have found so far is that all the AF sensors are concentrated in the centralish area of the viewfinder whereas on the D2 you had ones quite a way out that I often used to use.
The upsides are that great ISO range, not specifically for low light but being able to push or pull the ISO up during the day so you can get the depth of field you want, being able to be more creative with your flash set ups as you can easily alter ISO so as to be able to affect flash useful distance. I am also finding I use very very little sharpening on the images compared to the D2, often just a curves layer set to linear contrast and no sharpening.
Final upside, my old 20mm prime is now back in regular use
Cheers
Chris
Just going for my first recharge now after 1,200 images shot over 4-5 weeks and simply loads and loads of reviewing images on the screen. Even now the battery is down to about 10% so I could stretch it out a bit longer before recharging but am out tonight hopefully doing some longer exposure stuff so went for an early recharge.
The only downside I have found so far is that all the AF sensors are concentrated in the centralish area of the viewfinder whereas on the D2 you had ones quite a way out that I often used to use.
The upsides are that great ISO range, not specifically for low light but being able to push or pull the ISO up during the day so you can get the depth of field you want, being able to be more creative with your flash set ups as you can easily alter ISO so as to be able to affect flash useful distance. I am also finding I use very very little sharpening on the images compared to the D2, often just a curves layer set to linear contrast and no sharpening.
Final upside, my old 20mm prime is now back in regular use
Cheers
Chris
CVP said:
The only downside I have found so far is that all the AF sensors are concentrated in the centralish area of the viewfinder whereas on the D2 you had ones quite a way out that I often used to use.
That really bugs me, why oh why?? Do you think it's for the auto DX Crop feature? If you have a DG lens on, then you can focus to the corners almost.Scope said:
CVP said:
The only downside I have found so far is that all the AF sensors are concentrated in the centralish area of the viewfinder whereas on the D2 you had ones quite a way out that I often used to use.
That really bugs me, why oh why?? Do you think it's for the auto DX Crop feature? If you have a DG lens on, then you can focus to the corners almost.One thing that does hack me off is that to access the sensor cleaning mode you either have to have a fully / nearly fully charged battery or connect to an external power source. That power source is a USD75 extra but I for one really need to have it as I do change lenses quite a bit and consequently get dust on the sensor even when following normal elns changing best practice. Why not just put the initial price up by $75 and include it in the box, it's not like $75 is going to chaneg your buying decision but it's very frustrating when you read the manual and realise why you can't get to the sensor cleaning mode and then it's another trip to B&H to get the external power source. Of course this costs you more than $75 as when I'm there I pick up not only the power source but also a few other goodies
It's a consiparacy I tell you.Chris
CVP said:
The only downside I have found so far is that all the AF sensors are concentrated in the centralish area of the viewfinder whereas on the D2 you had ones quite a way out that I often used to use.
The D300 is the same (actually not quite as bad due to being DX). When I saw '51 AF points including 15 cross-type' I thought 'Whoopeee!' but the moment I saw how they were arranged, I thought 'Well that's wrecked then'. I use AF points a lot, and by the time I've spooled across, the target would have gone home... I believe you can group them into 11 areas but then why have 51? Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory etc.It does seem a little odd granted. Re the AF sensors there is a whole chapter on their usage in the not to small 340 odd page manual so I'm sure I don't understand them fully but my summary goes soemthing like
1. AF single shot mode - can chose to have all 51 points, 21 points or 11 points active. The button used to move around now also allows you to go diagonally as well as just vertically and horizontally. I currently have mine set to activating 21 of the 51 and moving around is not too bad.
2. Af continuous - here the AF gets really clever and if you lock on with one focus point and the subject moves the camera automatically keeps track of the focus point you originally locked on and moves to the AF sensor that is nearest to that subject as it moves within the frame. Found this useful for animals where I want the focus on the eye and then the animal moves it's head
3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
It's a very complex system and is very very fast in practical usage I'm sure I have only skimmed the surface of what it is capable of.
I wonder whether Nikon looked at the likely usage by the Pro community when they came up with this AF sensor pattern? In the past with the D1 and D2 they seemed to be more used by the reportage folks and a lot of wildlife and sports pros moved to the Canon camp, esp with the Canon D1 series. Watching the French Open tennis last week there seem to be an increasing proportion of black lenses in the press ranks and I know of a number of wildlife folks who have returned to Nikon, mainly for the D3 and 200-400 combo, so the package must be working for their key target market.
I will say even though the AF sensor pattern is not 100% perfect for me I do love mine and I would not swap it for the world
Cheers
Chris
1. AF single shot mode - can chose to have all 51 points, 21 points or 11 points active. The button used to move around now also allows you to go diagonally as well as just vertically and horizontally. I currently have mine set to activating 21 of the 51 and moving around is not too bad.
2. Af continuous - here the AF gets really clever and if you lock on with one focus point and the subject moves the camera automatically keeps track of the focus point you originally locked on and moves to the AF sensor that is nearest to that subject as it moves within the frame. Found this useful for animals where I want the focus on the eye and then the animal moves it's head
3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
It's a very complex system and is very very fast in practical usage I'm sure I have only skimmed the surface of what it is capable of.
I wonder whether Nikon looked at the likely usage by the Pro community when they came up with this AF sensor pattern? In the past with the D1 and D2 they seemed to be more used by the reportage folks and a lot of wildlife and sports pros moved to the Canon camp, esp with the Canon D1 series. Watching the French Open tennis last week there seem to be an increasing proportion of black lenses in the press ranks and I know of a number of wildlife folks who have returned to Nikon, mainly for the D3 and 200-400 combo, so the package must be working for their key target market.
I will say even though the AF sensor pattern is not 100% perfect for me I do love mine and I would not swap it for the world
Cheers
Chris
CVP said:
Re the AF sensors there is a whole chapter on their usage in the not to small 340 odd page manual so I'm sure I don't understand them fully but my summary goes soemthing like
3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
Focuses on the closest subject surely? So if it's a dog, the tip of its nose will be sharp and its eyes soft. I've never understood why people want closest subject AF; from my POV it's a recipe for diasater.3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
CVP said:
It's a very complex system and is very very fast in practical usage I'm sure I have only skimmed the surface of what it is capable of... I wonder whether Nikon looked at the likely usage by the Pro community when they came up with this AF sensor pattern? In the past with the D1 and D2 they seemed to be more used by the reportage folks and a lot of wildlife and sports pros moved to the Canon camp, esp with the Canon D1 series. Watching the French Open tennis last week there seem to be an increasing proportion of black lenses in the press ranks and I know of a number of wildlife folks who have returned to Nikon, mainly for the D3 and 200-400 combo, so the package must be working for their key target market.
I suspect it's for the FF sensor and famously low noise. Even on the D200 half the AF modes are beyond my comprehension and I wonder whether the Nikon geeks put them in just because they could, as some kind of software functionality rather than anything a photographer might use.Edited by Simpo Two on Thursday 12th June 19:59
Simpo Two said:
CVP said:
Re the AF sensors there is a whole chapter on their usage in the not to small 340 odd page manual so I'm sure I don't understand them fully but my summary goes soemthing like
3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
Focuses on the closest subject surely? So if it's a dog, the tip of its nose will be sharp and its eyes soft. I've never understood why people want closest subject AF; from my POV it's a recipe for diasater.3. AF continuous closest subject - uses all 51 AF points and swaps between points as necessary
I'm agreed with you, I believe there's an awful lot on the average modern camera that is in there to prove how clever the engineers are rather than what a photogrpaher can really use.
I don't know about the rest of you guys but I would honestly say my camera spends 80% of its time in Single shot AF, single shot frame advance, matrix metering and aperture priority so I can set it to take the picture I want. The other 20% is for high speed frame advance (flying and running things), spot metering, +/- EV compensation, mirror lock up and shutter priority. That leaves masses and masses of tweaking available but very rarely used.
Chris
There is some commentary on the sensor in various reviews. The focus sensor is the same on d3 and d300 hence being more spread on the d300 with its smaller image sensor. I've actually seen more reviews complaining about that d300 spread though, and saying how the d3 focusses better and faster for targets in the centre as it can marshal more of the sensors in normal usage?
DanH said:
There is some commentary on the sensor in various reviews. The focus sensor is the same on d3 and d300 hence being more spread on the d300 with its smaller image sensor. I've actually seen more reviews complaining about that d300 spread though, and saying how the d3 focusses better and faster for targets in the centre as it can marshal more of the sensors in normal usage?
Weird I would like a slightly larger spread, I guess it's always a bit of a compromise, what works for one peron's style might not work for another. However agree 100% with the D3 focussing comment, it really locks on so fast.Chris
CVP said:
RobDickinson said:
Just be carefull with it in the rain...
?? Is there something we should know?? The build quality seems top notch 
Probably because of a defect in the weathersealing? Sent to Nikon who say its not a warrenty issue and want £300 to fix it (and havnt been prompt in their 'help' either) lotta stuff 'corroded' inside.
RobDickinson said:
CVP said:
RobDickinson said:
Just be carefull with it in the rain...
?? Is there something we should know?? The build quality seems top notch Probably because of a defect in the weathersealing? Sent to Nikon who say its not a warrenty issue and want £300 to fix it (and havnt been prompt in their 'help' either) lotta stuff 'corroded' inside.
RobDickinson said:
CVP said:
RobDickinson said:
Just be carefull with it in the rain...
?? Is there something we should know?? The build quality seems top notch Probably because of a defect in the weathersealing? Sent to Nikon who say its not a warrenty issue and want £300 to fix it (and havnt been prompt in their 'help' either) lotta stuff 'corroded' inside.
For what it's worth I would echo Mr Carter's comment, my D2 and D3 really look very well sealed. It must have been a bad one. I suspect he must be livid at Nikon's attitude in this case.
Chris
Well considering he's recently switched from pro canon gear to nikon and sells a fair amount of nikon gear too...
Heres the thread on avforums :
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77...
Dont think the issue is over it breaking its the claim its not going to be fixed under warrenty and they way they've handled it thats the big issue.
Heres the thread on avforums :
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77...
Dont think the issue is over it breaking its the claim its not going to be fixed under warrenty and they way they've handled it thats the big issue.
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