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on Jul 17, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

Nikkor 180-400VR – a vid

I didn’t see it coming, but I’ve fallen in love shooting with the new Nikkor 180-400VR. Its sharpness is what started the affair because this is one sharp puppy! But it’s the versatility of the built-in 1.4x that really makes it for me. Being able to switch to 560mm without even a perceivable move of the finger so even the shiest critter won’t know I’m now closer. In the video I show a still of my hummingbird rig used for the stills in the video. The gear in that still is: D5 180-400VR SB-5000 2x SD-9 2x Impact Quikbox...

on Jun 28, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

Multiply the fun by 1.4x!

I set out shooting with two goals: vastly improving my baby Yellow-pine Chipmunk photos and test the new 180-400VR with the 1.4x TC-14eIII attached. In years past I’ve shot with the 800mm, 600mm, 300PF and 200-400 and hands down, the 180-400VR did the best job for a number of reasons. The biggest is its flexibility (its sharpness with the 1.x attached is amazing!). I need to explain that one. In order to get the shot, I needed to be flat on the ground. I mean, flat (that’s a challenge for me!) So I grabbed the Platypod Max, RRS BH-55 and headed out alongside the side of the house and laid down with all the critters (the ants up my pants were delightful and the caterpillar on my pant leg, charming!). While there might be as many as two dozen chipmunks buzzing around, because they are greased lightning, getting glass on one long enough to arrange elements, focus and fire requires gear flexibility. The Platypod Max, RRS BH-55 provides stability...

on Jun 3, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

The Beautiful 180-400VR

When the 180-400VR was first announced, because of my gear addiction, I instantly wanted it. I’ve had the 200-400VR since it was first introduced, then upgraded to the 200-400VR2 when it came out. So “upgrading” just seemed the thing to do then I looked at the price. Gulp! I looked through my files for the last 18 months to see how much I shot with the 200-400, not enough to justify the upgrade and so I wasn’t going to buy one. It’s how gear acquisition works in the office. Then two big game projects hit the calendar, a couple of ground to air projects and with that, the math worked out and volla, B&H got the lens to me and now this gorgeous lens is now in the locker. And simply put, it’s spectacular! What’s the upgrade in the 180-400VR? First is the lower focal length limit is 180mm, the other is the built-in 1.4x teleconverter. So the lens is a 180-400VR f/4 at 1x and with the 1.4x...

on Jun 21, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

The Takeaway

Learning that improves our mind and hearts moves our photography forward! 1. Get it right in the camera! So much easier (and quicker!) to get a final image that is representative of what you see. 2. Go as long as you can or you will come up short. There was more that one occasion where I wished I had more reach. 3. Keep learning how to use my equipment better. I have downloaded Snap Bridge and am learning how to use it as an example. There are many more. 4. Exposure, exposure, exposure! Be aware of how light is changing and adjust accordingly. 5. Be nimble and use your knowledge of behavior and biology to get the best shot. Don’t follow the “herd,” especially in places like Yellowstone and the Tetons. The best bear shots I have are a result of your anticipation of where the bears were headed and not where everyone else was standing. 6. Be cognizant of heat shimmer and adjust as best you can. My...

on Apr 3, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

Saying Real Large with Real Short

The DC-3 #43-48950 of our Normandy Bound project is a BIG bird! Its wingspan is 96 feet in length! That’s a lot of plane to visually talk about. The process of restoring it back to its WWII glory as a C47 starts with removing its previous life as a mosquito sprayer. While it sounds simple, it’s anything but as tanks, hoses, feed lines, wiring, Dell clamps, that are squirreled away with great care from inside wings and fuselage are carefully removed. It’s a helluva process that the dedicated folks at Turin Aviation are taking on with the greatest professionalism. At the same time, the Turin crew sets about stripping out other old wiring and replacing the windows. For them, it’s just another day at the office wrenching on aircraft. And for us at Peterson and Sons Productions, it’s the kind of target rich arena we live for! That brings us down to the simple challenge of telling this story visually to you. Our D850s during this three-day on-site work...

on Mar 22, 2018 in Moose's Camera Bag

D850 … 6 Months Later

D850 is for shooting video! In fact, that’s the main reason we have a couple of them in the great locker. But it’s just plane old fun shooting with it that has so caught my imagination, that I forgot to even mention its video abilities in the video! It’s file quality especially when working with the Flat Picture Control, is really quite stunning. And that just goes to show how much I’ve been swayed by the D850, all I talk about in the video is its still image abilities. An important finding once the MB-D18 arrived was its extending Time Lapse capabilities. I found that I can do the 7hrs 59min Time Lapse just using the EN-EL15a in the grip and have 10% left in the camera battery and 90% left in the grip. That’s huge for me. Hope the video helps and answers a few questions for your photography. And here are my D850...

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