Mar 17, 2014 | Field Reports
This is the question I’ve been asked quite a bit of late and rightly so. Cutting to the chase, ya, I really like the D4s. Yes, I feel it’s worth replacing the D4 with the D4s. Now, how did I come to that conclusion? I filled 9159 images last week shooting in the Southwest. I shot everything from a 2403 frame Time Lapse, Ravens flying circles, sunrises and sunsets, portraits to high ISO (which I never do) and the results just keep impressing me. Dave Black was right, I love the Group Area Auto Focus! I have shot entirely in this mode and it rocks! I also love the the ability to custom program all the buttons on the body to do basically whatever you want it want them to do (here are my settings to see what I’ve done so far). And the image quality at high ISO is pretty impressive, the photo above was shot at ISO1600 and the image has been run through two Nik Filters which always “grows” any inherent noise. I’m only into my first week of its shake down, but there is no doubt the D4s is an advancement. I have a lot more to test, but there’s the one week update.
Mar 12, 2014 | Field Reports
Got a gear question you want answered? I want to help and answer it. Send your gear questions to me at Gear Questions and I’ll do my best every Wednesday to answer as many questions as I can. Keep in mind the answers are just my $.02 worth and you have to take what works for you and your photography and embrace it and ignore the rest. So here’s this weeks questions ….
Mr. Moose:
I just picked up D4s last Friday 3/7/14. After reading what you posted about the D4s I just have one question? Would it be possible for you to post your new settings for the D4s and how do you have it set up for your AF settings? Most of my work is in sports and some of deer for fun. Any help you can share will be helpful.
Thank you,
Larry
Larry, congrats on the D4s! Happy to help, here are my D4s settings. You’ll find in them some of my AF settings as they are customized in the menu options. When it comes to the hard setting, I’m always at AF-C and right now, shooting only in the GRP or Group Auto-Area AF and I LOVE it! Hope this helps!
Mr. Moose
I have finally set up my e-mail account that does not involve work. That means no disclaimer at the bottom of my e-mail that I did not even know was there! Question During your photo shoot at a museum in Texas, you were using the Nikon external battery pack for you off camera flash. Which batteries do you use? Why did you choose the Nikon with replaceable batteries over a Quantum battery? Also, I have the Rapid box and it is awesome for location work.
Thanks
PJ
PJ, let’s start with the end of you question. Why am I not using the Quantum? To be honest because I’m a Nikon boy and I don’t want to void my warranty. At the same time, using the SD-9 with the Enelope AA batteries in both the SB-910 and SD-9, I get all the performance I need. Now I have not heard much about the Quantum but have heard nothing but great stuff about the Bolt Cyclone compact Battery Pack. If you are looking for an alternative, I would highly recommend the Bolt to you.!
Moose
I while back I thought I say you shooting at the Reno Air Races with a 70-200 lens with what appeared to be a rubber lens shade. I should have asked you then but I’ve been looking on your site and on the net it that was even possible let alone what the shade really was. Did I see right? Can you tell me what it is? And why are you using it?
Thanks, highly confused
Rodney
Rodney, you saw correctly. I had a rubber lens shade on the 70-200, a trick I learned from my bud Joe McNally. It’s the Mamiya #2 lens shade and the reason I used it was because the shade that comes with the 70-200 is hard to pack and if you try to set the lens down on it, it is curved so the lens falls over. And while not a functional reason, it is much sexier. Hope that helps!
Mar 9, 2014 | Field Reports
One of the first things I do every time I get a new body is download the PDF of the instruction book on to my iPad. When I did this for the D4s, there was a notice on the cover for the Nikon Manual Viewer 2 for your mobile device. I didn’t know there was a 1 let alone a 2 so I went and grabbed it. It’s free, it’s cool and wanted to pass it along to you!
Mar 7, 2014 | Field Reports
The D4s features I am ~really~ looking forward to experiencing:
11fps with full tracking (for critters and aircraft, ya baby!)
25,600 ISO (Hi-4 409,600) (just because I can)
HD video at 1080p at 60fps (pushing my video capture / storytelling)
1000 Base-t Ethernet (might have to finally connect now)
New Group Auto Area Focus mode (oh, this is the BIGGIE!)
9999 frames with Intervalometer (this is just sick!)
EXPEED 4 Processing (the heart pushing all the good stuff)
and the one I’m really excited about …
Shoot 11 fps for approx. 200 shots at full resolution with AE and AF functionality (why I have the Lexar ready to go!) and increase that speed further by shooting a new smaller RAW SIZE S format.
There is so much more but I need to go shoot. Stayed tuned mtc.
Mar 7, 2014 | Field Reports
Ray Flash 2 is now out and with quite the improvements so got myself one. What’s new? As per their website “The new Ray Flash 2 introduces a universal speedlight mount, adjustable height and a lower profile. A new, universal, adjustable mount with a spring-loaded clamp allows the Ray Flash 2 to quickly and securely attach to different sizes of speedlights. The center column of the Ray Flash 2 slides up and down to accommodate variations in camera and speedlight heights. The Ray Flash 2 is also available in two different versions, long and short, to fit the tallest and shortest DSLR bodies available. Ray Flash 2’s lower profile compared to the original Ray Flash makes it even more portable for location photographers.” But we need to look at the light before getting all excited.
Can you tell which photo of my lovely bride was taken with a SB-910 with its diffuser and which was taken using the Ray Flash 2? That’s key to the whole thing, the quality of the light. I shot with the Df / 58f1.4AFS at f/8 at night. I shot in a darkened room so you could see the light not only on Sharon, but as it falls off around her. That to me is just as important. The photo shot with the Ray Flash 2 has the softer shadows under the chin, eyes much brighter and darker background. If you figured the bottom image was the Ray Flash 2 photo, you’d be right. It produces a really nice quality of light and the amount of light lost going through the Ray Flash 2 was amazingly little. In fact, Sharon mentioned how bright it is. So if you want a great “beauty dish” style light that works with your Hot Shoe flash, I’d highly recommend the Ray Flash 2!
