Sharpness – Either it Is or it Isn’t

Yeah, if you don’t have it sharp to tack sharp when you go click, it never will be sharp! There is no fix at this time for a fuzzy image (which is just as bad as a sharp image of a fuzzy idea). There are a lot of variables in getting a sharp image and getting them all perfect every time you go click. The only way to get there is practicing them perfectly. And that takes time. One major problem of having a major website like I do with thousands of pages of information (and blogging as much as I do) is information gets buried that might be of big help. Since I seem to be talking about elements that I feel that need to be in place when you go click, I thought I should repost a previous post on what I do to get a sharp image when I go click.

From the get go, the AF settings in the D3 have confused folks (and all Nikon DSLRs since). I was no different in the beginning but lucky for me, I was able to ask two of the lovely ladies at NPS back when what to do. They told me exactly what the designer of the new AF system at Nikon told them when asked which is the best. “21 Dynamic, it’s the best!” And that’s what I use the majority of the time ever since. That means, I go into the Custom Setting Menu > Autofocus > a3 Dynamic AF Area > 21 points and then select the AF sensor I want to use. That’s how both of these images were taken. To take advantage of this selection, the lever on the back of the D3x is pointing at the middle icon, not the top or the bottom icon, but the middle icon. This is what I use for basically all my landscape, people and wildlife work and it serves me very well.

And while the power of the D3 AF system makes it possible to not have to manual focus all the time (I still manual focus a lot, old habit), it’s still only part of the equation to getting a sharp photo. The other part is spending a lot of time with gulls so when the great opportunity like the Osprey appears, I’m ready for it. I practice A LOT! Yeah, after doing this for 30yrs, I still practice this on an almost daily basis! Personally, I don’t know of any other way. Now I realize these videos are a bit old (shot before I knew anything about video), but the techniques none the less are still the same. So if you don’t know the techniques that go along with the technology, check these out.

• #1 Basic Settings
• #2 AF Sensor
• #3 da Finger
• #4 Long Lens
• #5 Hand Holding
• #6 The Burst
• #7 Panning

Now I really find personally that using the Nikon AF system is this simple, 21 Dynamic and go, it just works. If you find though the camera searching for focus alot, more times then not, it’s the pilot that’s the problem and not the system. That’s where practice kicks in. And the time I don’t use this AF setting? You’re lookin at it. When I have something in the sky, a single bird, a giant flock and I want the front of the flock sharp or planes in the sky, I switch over to Auto Area AF or what I simply call Triple A. What does this do? It gives you all the attributes of Dynamic; Focus Tracking, Focus Lock and Color Recognition but adds to this list Closest Subject Priority. Added to this is the fact you no longer have to select an AF Sensor to lock onto you subject because the ENTIRE area in your viewfinder is now one, giant AF Sensor! The beauty of this system to me is the ease of operation. All I have to do is move the lever on the back of the camera from the middle icon to the top icon. Wanna go back from Triple A to Dynamic? Don’t have to take the eye away from the action, just flip the lever. Even a Moose can handle that thought process.

Does the AF work 100% of the time? No. Do I focus on a subject, lock focus and then recompose? No! Do I use the back AF Button to activate focus? Can’t get coordinated enough to ever make that work, I’m a spaz! So then do you use the shutter firing button to activate focus? Yes, I can manage that much. Have you tried other combos? What do you think? Do you manual focus? I think I’ve answered that but to make it clear, alot! Will you modify this system since you seem to change other settings with time? I don’t think so, not with the D3 because it works for me. Will it work for you? Only is you go out and practice. If you just set these settings because you read them here and then in a week to two think you can go out shooting and every thing will be sharp, you will be really disappointed in your results. I don’t know anyway around practicing to make this technology work for you and your photography. The D3 AF system does make it possible for this important aspect of photography to take a back stage but it’s still up to you to make it sing!

ThinkTank Int’l v2.0

Gotta loose weight, still! But still need to take certain amount of gear and it has to arrive safe and sound. The answer, ThinkTank Int’l v2.0. Check ‘er out!

AF Settings + Practice = Sharp

From the get go, the AF settings in the D3 have confused folks (and all Nikon DSLRs since). I was no different in the beginning but lucky for me, I was able to ask two of the lovely ladies at NPS back when what to do. They told me exactly what the designer of the new AF system at Nikon told them when asked which is the best. “21 Dynamic, it’s the best!” And that’s what I use the majority of the time ever since. That means, I go into the Custom Setting Menu > Autofocus > a3 Dynamic AF Area > 21 points and then select the AF sensor I want to use. That’s how both of these images were taken. To take advantage of this selection, the lever on the back of the D3x is pointing at the middle icon, not the top or the bottom icon, but the middle icon. This is what I use for basically all my landscape, people and wildlife work and it serves me very well.

And while the power of the D3 AF system makes it possible to not have to manual focus all the time (I still manual focus a lot, old habit), it’s still only part of the equation to getting a sharp photo. The other part is spending a lot of time with gulls so when the great opportunity like the Osprey appears, I’m ready for it. I practice A LOT! Yeah, after doing this for 30yrs, I still practice this on an almost daily basis! Personally, I don’t know of any other way. Now I realize these videos are a bit old (shot before I knew anything about video), but the techniques none the less are still the same. So if you don’t know the techniques that go along with the technology, check these out.

• #1 Basic Settings
• #2 AF Sensor
• #3 da Finger
• #4 Long Lens
• #5 Hand Holding
• #6 The Burst
• #7 Panning

Now I really find personally that using the Nikon AF system is this simple, 21 Dynamic and go, it just works. If you find though the camera searching for focus alot, more times then not, it’s the pilot that’s the problem and not the system. That’s where practice kicks in. And the time I don’t use this AF setting? You’re lookin at it. When I have something in the sky, a single bird, a giant flock and I want the front of the flock sharp or planes in the sky, I switch over to Auto Area AF or what I simply call Triple A. What does this do? It gives you all the attributes of Dynamic; Focus Tracking, Focus Lock and Color Recognition but adds to this list Closest Subject Priority. Added to this is the fact you no longer have to select an AF Sensor to lock onto you subject because the ENTIRE area in your viewfinder is now one, giant AF Sensor! The beauty of this system to me is the ease of operation. All I have to do is move the lever on the back of the camera from the middle icon to the top icon. Wanna go back from Triple A to Dynamic? Don’t have to take the eye away from the action, just flip the lever. Even a Moose can handle that thought process.

Does the AF work 100% of the time? No. Do I focus on a subject, lock focus and then recompose? No! Do I use the back AF Button to activate focus? Can’t get coordinated enough to ever make that work, I’m a spaz! So then do you use the shutter firing button to activate focus? Yes, I can manage that much. Have you tried other combos? What do you think? Do you manual focus? I think I’ve answered that but to make it clear, alot! Will you modify this system since you seem to change other settings with time? I don’t think so, not with the D3 because it works for me. Will it work for you? Only is you go out and practice. If you just set these settings because you read them here and then in a week to two think you can go out shooting and every thing will be sharp, you will be really disappointed in your results. I don’t know anyway around practicing to make this technology work for you and your photography. The D3 AF system does make it possible for this important aspect of photography to take a back stage but it’s still up to you to make it sing!

D3 Camera Settings

Recently I took an informal poll on my FB page asking what folks felt they needed to learn that I could help with. I was rather shocked when the request for camera settings kinda poured in, so much so I even received emails asking for help. I’ve had my D3 Settings posted since day one but I got the distinct feeling more was needed. I can’t see making a video on this topic, but sure can write about it easy enough. Now here’s the deal, these are the setting I use that work for my style of photography. Are these the magic settings for you? Sure, maybe…no clue! We all see, communicate and operate differently with the biggest factor, time behind the camera, all being different so read this with that filter on your mind.

These are the top five settings that I think are essential. Since each camera tends to have these in slightly different places, I can only speak on where to find them on the D3x but your CIM will tell you where to find them in your model. The #1 setting I feel is Color Space (Shooting Menu > Color Space > Adobe RGB) which should be set to Adobe RGB, PERIOD (don’t know why, start searching the web). #2 is Sharpening (Set Picture Control > Standard or Vivid > Sharpening > 5) and I don’t care what anyone says, shooting Jpeg or Raw, this is a MUST! #3 Matrix Metering is what I’m always in! I use the Exposure Compensation / EV button zealously in combination with the Matrix Metering to capture the EMOTION I want from the light and for me, it works. #4 Exposure Mode A = Aperture Priority so I’m in control of DOF which, other then photographing flying aircraft, is the mode I’m ALWAYS in. #5 NEF (RAW) recording is set to 14bit (Shooting Menu > NEF (RAW) recording > NEF (RAW) bit depth > 14-bit). I know, I’ve read, I’ve had many a discussion that switching this to 12bit should have no real impact yet….every time I do and I make the 24×30 print I swear it’s not the same, at 12bit it’s just lacking…something. So I always shoot at 14bit despite the drawbacks (slower firing rate/bigger files).

After these, there is a lot of fine tuning one can do to make the machine work better for your style of photography. For example I’m always in CS firing mode and C focus, shooting in 21 Dynamic all the time except flying aircraft when I switch to Auto Area AF (don’t know what that is…grab the old CIM). In Custom Settings I switch the EV, Metering & ISO to 1/2 increments which I prefer in the 5 stops world digital works. I’ve been doing it that way for 11yrs and just recently I’ve been playing with going back to 1/3 increments (the only constant in my photography is, I have to be behind a camera). And White Balance, what do I use? I am all over the map there because there is NO ONE setting that does it all the time for every subject. White Balance as far as I’m concerned is just as important a quality as exposure when speaking the language of light.

What’s left? Actually there’s a lot, things like Sensor Wrap, GPS setting, World Time, LCD Brightness, the list goes on and on. The D3 Settings PDF has all that listed. Like I’ve already mentioned, these are what work for me, doesn’t mean they will work for you and that’s perfectly fine. If you don’t understand why I use the settings I use, don’t ask and write, rather go out and read and experiment and learn for yourself if they are right or wrong. How do you think I figured them out?

16Fish Basics

I’m constantly asked about the easiest way to take ultra wide images and when I answer 16Fish, the question is repeated to see if I didn’t understand the question. The 16Fish when shot with the horizon line running right through the viewfinder captures a 180degree view with just one click. No stitching, no tricks, one click pano! Now if you point the lens up or point the lens down, you get what you see above. But even these clicks can be run through a number of programs and the Fish is gone and an ultra wide pano is born. This is why I tell folks the easiest is done with the 16Fish and one click.

Think Tank Airport Security v2 – Packing

I needed help so I called my bud and expert problem solver Jeff Snyder (at Adorama). I needed a roller bag for my aviation work. He didn’t hesitate for a heartbeat, “You need the Think Tank Airport Security” and two days later, it was in my hands. I have about a dozen flights with it and to say I’m sold is an understatement.

I’m repeating myself but there are two things I wanna make sure are pointed out. You will have to leave this roller on the gateway for Ala Carte when you fly a regional jet. This means you have to wait for it to be brought up after your flight. Make sure if you are on connecting flights, you leave 15min to retrieve your Airport Security. The other is we photographers especially when we’re young think we can do anything. As we get older we pay the price and one of the bills comes in back pain from heavy bags. I have so much to say about the Airport Security it requires two vids, here’s the first.

Think Tank Airport Security v2 – The Exterior

I needed a roller bag for my aviation work and Think Tank Airport Security does a killer job! I have thousands of air miles with it and to say I’m sold is an understatement.

I’m repeating myself but there are two things I wanna make sure are pointed out. You will have to leave this roller on the gateway for Ala Carte when you fly a regional jet. This means you have to wait for it to be brought up after your flight. Make sure if you are on connecting flights, you leave 15min to retrieve your Airport Security. The other is we photographers especially when we’re young think we can do anything. As we get older we pay the price and one of the bills comes in back pain from heavy bags. I have so much to say about the Airport Security it requires two vids, here’s the first.

Since We’re on the Topic of Flash

And why is Sharon giving me that look? Well, because she knows what’s coming, the “before” shot when her gorgeous eyes and bright smile disappear in the inky light. That, and she’s done this a hundred times for me, she’s a trooper (won’t mention how bloody cold it was)! But this first click not only set the stage to talk about the light and its deficiencies, but also the shutter speed I wanted to blur the water in Bridal Veil Creek in the background (1/4 f/6.7).

Applying flash just because you can is as useless as doing HDR just because you can. To me, there must be a purpose, something to communicate to make them useful tools. So what we went through with the group at DLWS in Yosemite was the reason why we needed flash. What’s the main issue with the top photo? The preponderance of blue! Why wouldn’t a reflector work? It would have bounced more blue light into Sharon. Understanding light is why many are scared to use flash so we simply took the logic step by step. The photographic problem is not just the light quantity, but color quality. We needed to “warm” up the light on Sharon which is where flash comes in. The flashes’ 5500k overpowers the 10,000k (used D3′s WB to determine the 10k) of the overall scene and so “warmed” up Sharon (while keeping the snow melt creek blue and cold looking). But what’s wrong with the middle photo? We took care of the color component of the light, but not the feel of the light from a light. You’ve gotta feel light! Looks like a Maglite is shinning in Sharon’s face! That’s because it’s straight, on camera flash.

So we stuck the SB-900 w/81a gel (warm that light up just a tad) in an Ezybox, placed it over the lens and tilted it up to feather the light off the jacket some (light color, didn’t want the eye going to it) and went click!. No compensation dialed in, all in Aperture Priority, all we needed to do is understand the deficiencies in the light and act on that knowledge. Technology did the rest. And for what it’s worth, even though the whole shoot only took 5min, Sharon was blue in the end, it was that cold! Lighting can be that simple, just start with understanding the problem and then solve it. And when you do that, life is good!

Pocketwizard MiniTT1 Nikon

Got a great tool for my latest project that I wanted to share with ya. The Pocketwizard MiniTT1 along with FlexTT5 and PocketWizard AC3 ZoneController really extends the capabilities of Nikon’s CLS system. I’m using these pretty cool units not to extend the range of the iTTL a great distance but rather to “see around corners” and so far they’ve lived up to my expectations. I’m still in the “testing” phase, testing not only the units but the entire set up for the project.

LensCoat LegCoat Wraps

I guess you could call this tripod day on the blog, or we just wanted to make the most of our new cove. In either case, here’s one more new product for you to check out. This is a sweet addition to any tripod, the new LensCoat LegCoat Wraps. They are very cool, check ‘em out!

Really Right Stuff TVC-33

Joe 1st introduced me to the Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod at Photoshop World but it wasn’t until I used it in the field that I appreciated the TLC put into its design. Check it out.

Really Right Stuff PG-02

With our newly installed white cove in our video studio, I have a new product to introduce you to, the Really Right Stuff PG-02 Pano-Gimbal Head (that’s a mouth full). This is a serious head doing a seriously excellent job. Check it out!

Angle is Everything…then Don’t Settle!

Damn that sun, it danced back in behind the clouds. OK, let’s get in close and use that angle to bring some drama and bad ass attitude to the helo. This is a start but looking to he background, this just isn’t strong enough yet. Time to imitate beached whale and move closer.

See those two helos in the background? I moved up to incorporate those more with the helo in the foreground showing there’s a “force” here that comes from numbers. It’s OK but when the sun came back out I quickly changed lenses and moved way back and kiss the dirt, again.

Now I’ve made the click that I want! It might seem it took a while to get here but actually I knew where I wanted to be from the get go. I just saw the opportunity with the dancing sun to perhaps helps some out with this basic principle with a number of illustrations. The bottom line is to always ask yourself, “What’s the subject?” and then do the dance to eliminate unwanted elements while including those that tell the story. It’s a combination of lens, light and photographer that makes it all come together.

Photos captured by D3x, 24-120VR2/70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Angle is Everything…When You Get it Right!

I am really surprised I wasn’t called out on my Facebook wall with yesterday’s posting about Angle. Because those two images were to put politely, damn weak. They might have been a start though if you recognize it’s a weak angle before you leave the photograph! Great light can only help so far so when the sun slipped behind a cloud again, I walked around the helo looking to the right angle for the length of the helo. This click here. But it’s no better then a “I was here shot” which in my book is a notch above shit.

So the first thing I went for was seeing light was coming out was if I could make the helo look bad ass. I went down low and lined up all the lines so you can’t help but make contact with the cockpit. Real clean background, dramatic clouds and soft light (barely see a shadow on the side of the helo) so I was happy with this click. But better can be had.

OK, sun came out making it a little brighter so I darted back over to the side, hit the ground and made the click. We are getting much better but…but we should never settle so we keep looking for the better shot. mtc

Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Angle is Everything!

The rescue group plays a very important part to both NAS Fallon and the local community. They have painted on their sides silhouettes of those they’ve saved which includes dogs and horses. Pretty darn cool and like many of our service folks, don’t get thanked enough for their service!

The light was pretty darn cool, the background clouds even cooler so I grabbed the top shot on the run because the light was dancing in and out. Then once that was in the can moved to my left and further away to capture the bottom image. I missed the shot of the personal working on the helo which kinda ticked me off so I went lookin to make up for the missed shot. So off I went looking for the photo. mtc

Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Long Lens DOF

Click Here f/28
Click Here f/16

Along the same lines as this morning’s post in regards to sharpness comes depth of field (DOF). Both of these shots were taken with the 70-200VR2 at 200mm focused on the closest helo. One image was shot at f/2.8 and the other at f/16. Being over a hundred yards from the closest Helo and shooting with a 200mm lens, you can see the little gain in depth of focus between f/2.8 to f/16. It’s not that much and if you are having a hard time getting a sharp handheld image then closing down to f/16 thinking you’ll have a sharper image when you’re at the same time dropping your shutter speed, might not be working for you. The gain in shutter speed and the increased sharpness might just out weigh any gain you get with DOF in this scenario. How do you find out if it will help you? Simply go out shoot a test and see for yourself. You might just fine the faster shutter speed gets you the sharpness you’re seeking.

Seriously, Really Sharp Handholding?

Click Here 200-400VR2

Click Here 70-200VR2

Let me attempt to kill two questions with one post. Is the 200-400VR2 and 70-200VR2 really sharp, and, do you really get sharp results handholding these two lenses? These two lenses which are cornerstones of my photography right now for both wildlife and aviation keep generating these questions. So I thought I would take a moment to put up a couple of Zoomify images (Click on the Click Here). If you don’t know what Zoomify is, just search this site, I’ve provided the definition many times in the past. Bottomline for my photography, theses lenses along with my well practiced handholding technique provides all the sharpness I require. Search Hadnholding to read about the technique I use. Hope this helps and provides you a measure for what tack sharp should look like.

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 / 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Nikon 24-120AFS

I think the 24-120AFS is so hot, we filmed this segment in 10degree temps (seriously!). The more time I spend with the 24-120AFS, the more I’m really turning to it and finding it as a valuable tool! I think the video says it best, but I’ve come to rely on the 24-120AFS for a lot of day to day photography and entirely for my aviation photography. I’ve come to really depend on this lens.

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