The Spectacular Z600f4TC

May 16, 2023 | Moose's Camera Bag

Z600f4TC w/ Z 9 attached

The Z600f4TC is gorgeously spectacular! It is the sharpest telephoto I’ve ever shot with if not sharpest lens period! It’s not a secret that I love long glass, shooting with them all over the decades, including my treasured and all-time favorite, the 800f5.6 AFS. And while it’s hard to come to this realization but as I get older, the romance of carrying big, heavy gear isn’t as romantic as it once was. That’s why I first requested the loan of the Z600f4TC from NPS to see if it was a good fit for me and my photography. I’ve shot and owned all the 600f4s in my day starting with the manual version. And of all the long glass I’ve shot, without a doubt, the Z600f4 is the best! Did I mention it’s really sharp! Here’s the real biggie for me though when it comes to the Z600f4TC. It is four pounds lighter and focuses five feet closer than the 800f5.6 AFS! Four pounds lighter and focuses five feet closer … oh my! That’s a monstrous improvement that my back and photography truly appreciate! The Z600f4TC has an internal 1.4 that engages with a flip of a lever. The vast majority of the time I have it engaged so I’m shooting at 840mm f5.6 which is my favorite focal length. And it’s really sharp! And it feels like a zoom as I can disengage the 1.4 and be at 600mm. And if I need even more reach, I add the Z1.4x or Z2x delivering outstanding image quality. The wait to buy one is long, 4-6 months minimum but to me it is so worth it. The latest addition to the kit is the spectacular Z600f4! mtc

It’s Not the Size that Counts!

May 4, 2023 | Moose's Camera Bag

What’s the most important tool, that you already own, for the perfect photograph? It’s the exact same tool you need to improve your photography too? I’ve become quite aware of late that there is a perception it’s the size of the camera bag that counts. Rather, it’s the size of your heart that counts! It pumps the passion through your photography! The most important tool is the one between the ears which is empowered by your heart! I remember fondly when I went to the camera counter at Fedco with my hard earned cash in hand to buy my first camera. I knew I would be buying a Minolta SRT202 but it was what we call a “kit” lens was the big question. You had the option of the 50f2, 50f1.8 or the 50f1.4 – it was the most expensive. I didn’t have the money for the f1.4 (which was my choice) with sales tax. My dad stepped in and covered the extra from sales tax so I walked out with that body and one lens. For the next year, that was it, my total kit and it taught me so much. I’ve written many, many times that when I get a new body or lens, I marry myself to it for weeks and weeks just shooting with it. This comes from my first purchase. You’ve probably read my words advice when folks ask what lens they should buy next. If you find yourself backing up all the time, get a wide angle. If you find yourself getting closer all the time, purchase longer. This comes from my first year with that 50f1.4. You might notice my preference to shooting wide open. Yep, that comes from that first year with the 50f1.4! And yes, I still love and own a 50mm, now the Z50f1.2. I’ve been very fortunate throughout my carrer having the work that pays for my passion permitting me to have the kit I require to tell my visual storytelling. And while that kit has changed many, many times in my years and is changing, again, there is one tool that has been in the kit since the very beginning. The most important one we all have, our heart! Look at what you do have in your kit and empower it with your heart and you’ll see just how much gear you really do have. You don’t need every lens in the store or your friends kit to be successful and for your photography to grow. It’s the size of your heart that counts, not the size of your kit. It’s not the size that counts!

Settings Need Muscle Memory

Apr 21, 2023 | Moose's Camera Bag

My Menu on my Z 9 … you can click to see all the options

If you have a Z 9, D6 or any Nikon body, you know what I’m talking about. There is a boat load of options / features / tools available to us with the push of a button. It is after all a very complicated computer we’re using to bring back to share our visual stories. But I gotta tell ya I’ve picked up a few photographers camera and push a button and I felt like I was launching Starship and with kinda the same results … rapid disassembly! Most definitely we need to experiment with the feature we associate with a certain button to see how it aids our photography but there is a time when we need to stop experimenting and get to shooting. The biggest issue I’ve come across with photographers is, there are TOO many available options! How to narrow them down, that’s the challenge. What I recommend is finding the top ten and making those your primary. Why ten? Because we have ten fingers and when it comes to muscle memory, that’s most folks limit. Programming buttons with features is only as good as your remembering IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE which finger hittin what button makes what feature come to life.

I state quite honestly that I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. It’s knowing my own limitations combined with the photographs I want to bring home that I set up all my settings and program the various buttons as I do. We all have a different logic system, physical abilities and most importantly, passion to tell our stories. The settings I have listed below while being my everyday settings, they are just a starting point for you. Think through those top ten you depend on most and use that as a starting point and then put the power of Nikon’s engineering and craftsmanship in your hands! Literally!!

I hope this helps you jump start your Nikon body experience!

 

ProGrade PG05.5 Screamer Reader

Apr 7, 2023 | Moose's Camera Bag

The ProGrade PG05.5 Dual-slot reader

I went looking for the fastest reader I could find to compliment the speed of the MacBook Pro Max and there was for me a clear winner. The new ProGrade PG05.05 Dual-Slot Card Reader is a screamer! Using AJA System Test I got average speeds of W903 / R662 with peaks of W1775 / R1245! In this process I tested seven other CFexpress Type-B readers with the PG05.5 clearly the fastest. Does it really matter? I comes down to your shooting and workflow habits. For me, time is precious with anything I can do to be back out behind the camera and not the computer is worth the expense. The small size, light weight and speed, it was a no-brainier adding it to the kit. I’m telling ya, the ProGrade PG05.5 is a screamer reader!

Ear Protection – A Must!

Apr 5, 2023 | Moose's Camera Bag

Vanguard & Howard Leight for the protection

Hearing is a precious thing! This is a real simple post, wear ear protection and airshows! I was amazed a week ago the lack of ear protection I saw not being warn by folks especially standing in front of the area where the jets warmed up. I always have Vanguard Military Ear Plugs (good to 26db) with me. No one can see them when warn. They are the light blue plugs above. And often I have the Impact Sport Howard Leight (over the ear) when all I’m doing is loud noise and close to jets. It’s such a simple thing, an important thing. Protect your hearing!

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