Dedicated Photography Discussion Thread- Cameras,Lens,Techniques. Post your photography pics too.

[jhornsby3]

Beautiful photos. What equipment?

I use a Nikon D5100 body. My "go too" lens is a Nikor 18-200mm lens. I also use a Nikor 70-300mm and a Sigma 150-500 lens.

A lot of people ask me why I don't use a bigger or newer body. Simple is I get out in some rough spots. Hiking in for fire photos or for some of the way off the beaten path landscapes. Time and again, I see folks that shoot wildland fire come back early or miss days because the ground is slippery or they are hiking in and a camera gets beat up. All it takes is one fall with any lens and the mounting ring will snap from the body. Maybe is I found a really great deal on a D850, I might get one. Some day I will get one and leave my old 18-200mm lens attached permanently.

The Fire Tankers were all taken with that trusty old lens. I was on the apron close and the drop photos, I usually got wet. Most of the time, we ( the Maintenace crews and myself) would be where the pilots lined up for the training drops. Either a direct line with us being the end point of the drop or in 'The Drift' of the drop.

 

[jhornsby3]

Here is a few more. Taken during the King Tides in December. This years didn't hit as hard as last year, in this part of the Oregon coast. But, it was still spectacular seeing the waves break on the rocks and splash over 30' to 40' off the surface.




Heading into the "Dogleg" heading out of The Worlds Smallest Harbor, Depot Bay. Oregon.


Sun over the range as we head into open water. Fresh Lingcod and Cabazon on the smoker was had after this trip.

 

[bjphoenix]

Beautiful photos. What equipment?

The photograph is created by the photographer, and a lot of the visual appeal is added by the post processing software. The camera equipment plays a pretty small part.

I use a Nikon D5100 body. My "go too" lens is a Nikor 18-200mm lens. I also use a Nikor 70-300mm and a Sigma 150-500 lens.

A lot of people ask me why I don't use a bigger or newer body. Simple is I get out in some rough spots.

I tend to be pretty difficult on my equipment. About 5 years ago I was on a construction site using a D7200 with 18-200 lens. The camera got knocked out of my bag, fell through a hole in the floor 24' to the next floor down. Neither the body or the lens survived. After awhile I replaced that body with a D750. We were Jeeping in Utah a year ago, I slipped on a steep hill and fell on the body. I killed the 18-35 lens and damaged the autofocus system in the body. I bought a low priced used D3300 and carried it this past week on a Jeep trip in Utah. For the most part its photos will be identical to those from the D750.

 

[jhornsby3]

The photograph is created by the photographer, and a lot of the visual appeal is added by the post processing software. The camera equipment plays a pretty small part.


I tend to be pretty difficult on my equipment. About 5 years ago I was on a construction site using a D7200 with 18-200 lens. The camera got knocked out of my bag, fell through a hole in the floor 24' to the next floor down. Neither the body or the lens survived. After awhile I replaced that body with a D750. We were Jeeping in Utah a year ago, I slipped on a steep hill and fell on the body. I killed the 18-35 lens and damaged the autofocus system in the body. I bought a low priced used D3300 and carried it this past week on a Jeep trip in Utah. For the most part its photos will be identical to those from the D750.

We have a D3100. Its a pretty good body. But it doesn't like the full frame lenses like the D5100 does. And it doesn't shoot as fast. When there is a jet flying past at 500+ MPH, it can't cycle as fast and ends up missing half of the shots.

The D5100 is a pretty tough body. I took a hard fall on ice, a year ago February. I went down, hit my head on the last step, camera came down and hit me on the front of my head, bounced and slid across the ice. At least that is what the forensics points too. I was out for a while and when I came to, I had the know how to call my wife on my phone. My camera was about 8 feet away from me, filter shattered, and a good gash on my forehead, making pretty red patterns on the ice. I now am never alone. That ringing in my head has only kept me awake a few nights.

 

[tsmith1315]

Getting ready for this afternoon. This is the best I seem to be able to do…

Old Canon Rebel XT, manual focus, cheap Quantaray 70-300mm.

f5.6, 1/400s, iso400, solar filter cut from film and set in a 1A filter.



At least sunspots 3628 and 3633 are visible.

 

[jhornsby3]

My true love, fixed wing aircraft.

The Boeing B-17G Nine 0 Nine, a month or so before she was lost.


Sean D Tucker in his, now retired, Oracle Challenger III cutting the ribbon.


Consolidated PBY Catalina.

 

[Michael L]

Very nice!!

I saw Sean Tucker fly at an airshow in Greeley, CO in the late 80's. He did an inverted ribbon cut that was so low I was sure it was over for "whoever that guy was". He entire performance was amazing. I'd "only" seen the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds fly and maybe some unmemorable flights of others before that. Unfortunately almost all of my aviation photography was done on film and my ex-wife tossed a lot of it after we split. I may have some in a box somewhere but film needs to be cared for so I'm not optimistic. I have a few that I scanned at some point. The SR71 is a screenshot from a video that I didn't take.

While flying with a buddy of mine (when I lived in CO and the front range wasn't inundated with housing) he heard Michael Maya Charles make a radio call. He set up in impromptu aerial shoot (1.14.14) ajd I got this. I scanned the negative and somehow managed to keep the file. Michael wrote for Flying Magazine at the time and he wrote a book, Artful Flying.

I took my kids out of school for this. We were living in Minden, LA at the time. A co-workers brother-in-law was a Crew Chief at Barksdale AFB and he gave him the heads up about the arrival of Columbia (and the SR71 at a different time). It was a public event so we were able to get on base. I think these are all scans of the print (but I kind of see the edge of a negative, or not?). Likely these were shot with a 70-200.

I guess that, since it "flies", there isn't a need to anchor it down as much as it would seem

Tiles and missing tiles

Pretty birds. Rest in Peace crew Columbia.

N7688X. Farmington, NM. By far the most fun I've had flying (instrument training is a close 2nd). First shot is on the ground. The vacuum system is a venturi and the vacuum instruments don't right themselves until just before rotation. No GPS. Minimal electrical.

Short final, Rwy 7, KFMN in "Miss XRay"

Extra points if you know this location. Points are non redeemable.

This should be easy for John Wayne movie experts.

483514/Sentimental Journey. She stopped at KFMN and did the tour / ride thing. I didn't do either.

The guy that owned "Miss Xray" is a CFI and every spring he would call me. I'd answer and he'd say "are you ready to go test your crosswind skills". Answer- hell yeah. Landing on a mesa in crosswind conditions is challenging and fun. The wind swirls around the mesa so a L to R crosswind can start switching during the landing. On this day the rotation was ccw so it would switch from left, to quartering left tailwind, then quartering right tailwind, then right cross, and so on. Literally the windsock on the landing end would be 180 degrees different than the departure end. He made the last couple of landings so I got some shots that I would have otherwise not attempted.

 

[bjphoenix]

Extra points if you know this location. Points are non redeemable.

That looks like Comb Ridge to me, in southeastern Utah

 

[Michael L]

That looks like Comb Ridge to me, in southeastern Utah

Spot on. I don't know how many time's I've driven 163 through there on my way to Valley of the Gods, the Moki Dugway, Cedar Mesa, etc. The last photo is Monument Valley, which isn't too far away

 

[bjphoenix]

Spot on. I don't know how many time's I've driven 163 through there on my way to Valley of the Gods, the Moki Dugway, Cedar Mesa, etc. The last photo is Monument Valley, which isn't too far away

I've driven 163 a few times, usually I'm driving highway 95 in that area. I've been to Utah a while lot of times and never been through Monument Valley so someday I should spend more time down there. I went through Blanding a couple of weeks ago driving highway 95 but that time I crossed Comb Ridge on the old dugway road, Posey's Trail, that's a little north of highway 95. It was very rough and I needed more ground clearance.

A couple of years ago we drove through there going east. 95 was closed east of 261 for some reason so they were diverting all traffic to go south on 261. I've done that road before but it was a long time ago. I didn't have any paper maps with me, there is no cellphone coverage down there, and the maps I downloaded to GAIA didn't cover that far south. We managed to make the right turns and go through Teec Nos Pos on our way to Shiprock.

 

[jhornsby3]

I've been through Sentimental Journey a few times. I love those old bombers. I've managed to tour SJ, Nine 0 Nine, Aluminum Overcast, Memphis Belle The Movie, Ye Ol Pub and the one at PIMA. I guess you can say I've toured Lacey Lady too, but she is still in pieces.



An evening flight. I'm not a pilot but know a bunch of them. Most being in Aerobatics. This was a flight with a friend before he stopped flying small planes and went into the Air Force to fly F-16's. This was also my wife's first flight that wasn't commercial. She did pretty good until Ben decided to inspect a grass crop up close. The second is finial coming into KMMV.

 

[Michael L]

I've driven 163 a few times, usually I'm driving highway 95 in that area. I've been to Utah a whole lot of times and never been through Monument Valley so someday I should spend more time down there. I went through Blanding a couple of weeks ago driving highway 95 but that time I crossed Comb Ridge on the old dugway road, Posey's Trail, that's a little north of highway 95. It was very rough and I needed more ground clearance.

A couple of years ago we drove through there going east. 95 was closed east of 261 for some reason so they were diverting all traffic to go south on 261. I've done that road before but it was a long time ago. I didn't have any paper maps with me, there is no cellphone coverage down there, and the maps I downloaded to GAIA didn't cover that far south. We managed to make the right turns and go through Teec Nos Pos on our way to Shiprock.

I think you would like Monument Valley. It's touristy as far as lodging and all that goes. If you go in the off season it's not too bad. I don't mind the vendors. I like talking with them actually. I haven't been there in a decade or more. I lived in Farmington for 5 years (home 2 years ago) and I didn't travel by ground much (which pisses me off because I've routinely driven over 1,000 miles to get there for a week of exploring. I didn't spend much time exploring at all after the first year that I lived there. Now I'm jonesing to go back).

I did go to Chaco Canyon a few times, the Hovenweep complex, Nogales Ruin, some Chaco outliers, and some Navajo Pueblito's while I was there. I've flown down the Chuska's, landed at Gallup, taken off and flew west through the pass, then turned up the west side of the Chuska's, flew back north, and cut through the lower terrain at Red Valley, past Shiprock, and back to Farmington a few times. There's more to see traveling on the ground...

Blanding was my first choice of airports to fly to when I got checked out to fly by myself up there. The photo of Comb Ridge was from that flight. Why Blanding? Isn't it every pilots dream to announce over Unicom that they are "landing at Blanding"? No... no it isn't... but that's my sense of humor.

I have a 2000 Land Cruiser, OME lift, tires, etc. The next time I'm up that way I'm going to have to check out Posey's Trail, when it's dry. I may have already driven it but it's not ringing a bell. The dirt "roads" in that part of the world get slick when they get wet and my LC, while capable, doesn't like mud.

Have you driven from Red Valley over the Chuska Mountains to Lukachukai, Tsaile, etc? Indian Road Service Road 13 is south of Shiprock off 491. You get a great view of Shiprock from Road 13. So good that I don't have a photo online that I can share for some reason :/

and up in the Chuska's.

Switching locations, have you made it to Grand Falls when it was "falling"? It's cool. I was told that the vertical drop at Grand Falls is higher than Niagra Falls. I didn't measure it Imagine all of that water being gone. That's what it normally looks like (dry as a bone). It's on Google Earth. NE of Flagstaff, AZ and N of Canyon Diablo, AZ.

 

[Michael L]

I've been through Sentimental Journey a few times. I love those old bombers. I've managed to tour SJ, Nine 0 Nine, Aluminum Overcast, Memphis Belle The Movie, Ye Ol Pub and the one at PIMA. I guess you can say I've toured Lacey Lady too, but she is still in pieces.

Sadly Nine 0 Nine is gone. Preventable in my and others opinion. You can't shortcut maintenance on an aircraft. They aren't forgiving.

That's a very nice collection of images though.

 

[jhornsby3]

Sadly Nine 0 Nine is gone. Preventable in my and others opinion. You can't shortcut maintenance on an aircraft. They aren't forgiving.

That's a very nice collection of images though.

Mac had the most hours in type than any other pilot, EVER. And he should have delayed the flight. Shoddy work done the evening before and all but one prop in some degree of feather. The two starboard engines had almost zero pull. Yeah, I got the full report from the FAA and the NTSB before they were posted.

Everything I seen on her was not very good. Oil canned sheet metal where it shouldn't have been. Missing rivets. She was in pretty bad shape.. And that was less than two months before the incident. All, completely avoidable.

 

[bjphoenix]

A big percentage of my photography these days is at rocket launches. I was using a D810 with 70-200 lens but that's pretty heavy gear to be dragging around a launch while I'm doing lots of different things, plus I'm pretty hard on my gear. I bought a D3300 last year for hiking so I've been using it for rocket launches lately, I even bought a real cheap 55-200 lens for it which turned out to be pretty sharp. This is a lighter combo to be wagging around, with it I use a Black Rapid strap. This is 24mp vs. the D810 at 36mp, both cameras have similar frame rates at around 5 frames/second. When I shoot on continuous I get the results shown below, these are consecutive frames at 5fps and this is a fairly slow rocket. With fast rockets I only have the rocket in one frame, with slow or large rockets I might get a couple of usable frames. I like using DSLR, I've resisted the temptations of mirrorless but I had the idea that a Z6 at 12 frames per second might give me more options and used bodies aren't outrageously high. Has anybody had any experience with this? There are a few DSLR with high frame rates, not quite 12fps, but those models aren't really available for less money.
I understand that some mirrorless with high frame rates won't follow focus when shooting that fast but I always prefocus then don't rely on the camera to focus while I'm shooting.

With a DSLR I have to have pretty good reflexes to catch the faster rockets, BT50 and smaller rockets I usually don't even try. Surprisingly the bigger TARC rockets are also real hard to catch. Rockets like the Big Daddy on a D12 are slow to get moving so if I catch them quickly they have hardly moved. It is hard to slow down just the right amount. That is a situation where I think 12fps could help.

I've also had some interest in shooting launch videos. I'm sure I would need some practice to get acceptable videos and I'm hesitant to start because I don't want to miss the still photo opportunities.

 

[bjphoenix]

Blanding was my first choice of airports to fly to when I got checked out to fly by myself up there. The photo of Comb Ridge was from that flight. Why Blanding? Isn't it every pilots dream to announce over Unicom that they are "landing at Blanding"? No... no it isn't... but that's my sense of humor.

The past few years I've spent a lot of time in remote areas of Utah and doing research I've noticed a lot of still functioning back country airstrips. A couple of weeks ago I was at Hidden Splendor mine and there is an airstrip there. The road drives across the strip and they have clear signs posted telling people not to park, camp or otherwise block the airstrip. I'm aware of another one near Mexican Mountain and one in the vicinity of Happy Canyon. At Mexican Mountain you can get within about a mile from the airstrip in a motorized vehicle but the one near Happy Canyon is pretty far away from any roads. I don't know how many other remote airstrips there are out there but I'm sure there are more.

 

[jhornsby3]

A big percentage of my photography these days is at rocket launches. I was using a D810 with 70-200 lens but that's pretty heavy gear to be dragging around a launch while I'm doing lots of different things, plus I'm pretty hard on my gear. I bought a D3300 last year for hiking so I've been using it for rocket launches lately, I even bought a real cheap 55-200 lens for it which turned out to be pretty sharp. This is a lighter combo to be wagging around, with it I use a Black Rapid strap. This is 24mp vs. the D810 at 36mp, both cameras have similar frame rates at around 5 frames/second. When I shoot on continuous I get the results shown below, these are consecutive frames at 5fps and this is a fairly slow rocket. With fast rockets I only have the rocket in one frame, with slow or large rockets I might get a couple of usable frames. I like using DSLR, I've resisted the temptations of mirrorless but I had the idea that a Z6 at 12 frames per second might give me more options and used bodies aren't outrageously high. Has anybody had any experience with this? There are a few DSLR with high frame rates, not quite 12fps, but those models aren't really available for less money.
I understand that some mirrorless with high frame rates won't follow focus when shooting that fast but I always prefocus then don't rely on the camera to focus while I'm shooting.

With a DSLR I have to have pretty good reflexes to catch the faster rockets, BT50 and smaller rockets I usually don't even try. Surprisingly the bigger TARC rockets are also real hard to catch. Rockets like the Big Daddy on a D12 are slow to get moving so if I catch them quickly they have hardly moved. It is hard to slow down just the right amount. That is a situation where I think 12fps could help.

I've also had some interest in shooting launch videos. I'm sure I would need some practice to get acceptable videos and I'm hesitant to start because I don't want to miss the still photo opportunities.

I shoot rockets and fixed wing in shutter priority. It helps to catch the faster moving "things" clearer, for me. I have a tripod and a monopod that I find myself using more for my stability more than the camera. I use it for resting my body on and shoot offhand.

I've seen a couple of others that shoot in video and take a screen grab of the shot they like. I tried it one time and that was all it took to figure out, I don't like it.

I find the mirrorless is too hyped up right now. I also see a bunch local shops have a pretty good selection of used ones. My closest shop said that almost all of them are returns because of the dislike after using them for a little while. I refuse to spend the money on one and get it in the dust and areas I shoot from. I've had my camera soaked from the rain or from salt spray being in or near the ocean. Not places I would feel comfortable taking a high dollar camera body. That and I already have the lenses I use the most. Buying everything new again just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[FredA]

Mirrorless cameras can do just about everything a DSLR can do. Plus some.
Mirrorless cameras are sealed - I've been taking my high-end Nikon to Balls every year for decades without issue. They really only need cleaned on the outside unless you're changing lenses a lot.
Mirrorless cameras DO HAVE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FOCUS SYSTEM that is different from your DLSR and requires thought and learning which is the downfall of most buyers.

Mirrorless cameras are NOT IMPAIRED in any way for photographing rockets - you don't use AF as ALL FAIL.
The are better than DLSR's for rocket photography as you get incredible frame rates and shutter speeds

 

[bjphoenix]

I find the mirrorless is too hyped up right now. I also see a bunch local shops have a pretty good selection of used ones. My closest shop said that almost all of them are returns because of the dislike after using them for a little while.

I shoot in manual/auto. I set the shutter speed pretty high, set an aperture about a stop down from wide open, then let the camera set ISO to match.

Maybe 3 or 4 years ago there were the "mirrorless wars". There were a few very vocal people online telling everyone that if you didn't buy mirrorless then you were a crappy photographer. There was a list given of the advantages to mirrorless, most of which didn't apply to me. I did compare my old DSLR with the best mirrorless I could find at the time (my nephew had just bought the latest Sony), I preferred the DSLR. Some of the claimed advantages of mirrorless just never materialized, others didn't matter to me. I set my camera like I said and shoot all day without ever looking at the screen on the back. After a year or so the hype died down a lot and those people went away. However I'm interested in mirrorless now solely for the high frame rate. I could get a Nikon D500 and get 10fps, or a D4 with 11fps, either for about $800-900. A used Z6 with 12fps is a few dollars less. I already have an FTZ adapter so I can use my current lenses.

 

[Michael L]

Buying everything new again just doesn't make sense to me.

I tried two different Sony (high end) mirrorless cameras and I couldn't get used to them. I passed on the Canon R5 and haven't wanted one since. And... I'm deeply invested in DSLR camera equipment and film (35mm, Hassleblad, 4xf, 5x7, and an 8x10 with a lot of lenses). I don't need the fanciest new widget (went through that phase almost 20 years ago).

 

[FredA]

I'll sell ya my D4 - collecting dust with a only 65k actuations.
My D810 collects dust too.
I gave away my D500. That was hard since it's the only "birding" DLSR, but it went to my daughter.

It's 100% Z9 for me - nothing a DSLR does better that I can find.

 

[Michael L]

I'll sell ya my D4 - collecting dust with a only 65k actuations.
My D810 collects dust too.
I gave away my D500. That was hard since it's the only "birding" DLSR, but it went to my daughter.

It's 100% Z9 for me - nothing a DSLR does better that I can find.

Will it work with a 600 f4 Canon lens?

 

[FredA]

Will it work with a 600 f4 Canon lens?

Maybe - old school lenses that were designed to focus on the back side of the mirror-box have lots of room for an adapter when there is no mirror.
The Nikon FTZ is really just a spacer. You can put you finger through the middle.
So somebody might make a Canon to Nikon converter - search.

Sell it and get the 600/6.3PF for the Z-mount. Small, light, spectacular.

 

[Michael L]

Nope. I like my long f4 lenses. I don't like converters, not even Canon teleconverters. I even like my 85mm f1.2 lens though you have to pay close attention to DOF when you use it. And I'm good with my Canon cameras.

 

[FredA]

Nope. I like my long f4 lenses. I don't like converters, not even Canon teleconverters. I even like my 85mm f1.2 lens though you have to pay close attention to DOF when you use it. And I'm good with my Canon cameras.

Then why did you ask?
It takes my 200/2, 300/2.8, 400/2.8, 300/4, 500/5.6, 200-400/4 and 600/4 F-mounts nicely too. Just use the FTZ2.
Of course the Nikkors are better - especially the Z-mount Nikkors.
I'll eventually sell all the F-mounts to get Z-mounts.

 

[bjphoenix]

I'll sell ya my D4 - collecting dust with a only 65k actuations.
My D810 collects dust too.
I gave away my D500. That was hard since it's the only "birding" DLSR, but it went to my daughter.

It's 100% Z9 for me - nothing a DSLR does better that I can find.

If I had the budget I would try a Z8, but my budget is only for a used Z6. I liked using the D810 for rocket launches because there was plenty of room for cropping. Not knowing in advance where the rocket will be when I catch it I can't frame real tight so cropping is required. I've been using a 24MP D3300 lately and it works pretty well plus I don't mind banging it around at launches on a Black Rapid strap. When I get serious right before my upcoming birthday I'll look at current pricing and see what I can get.

 

[FredA]

The Z8 is a great camera.
Only downside is battery life as the pro-level Nikon batteries are spoilers.