The Nikkor 300PF is simply an amazing lens! The video pretty much says it all why I love this lens so much. I just touch on using the 300PF with the TC-14eIII. This teleconverter works so beautifully with this lens, to me it’s almost an essential combo. I don’t mention on the video the need for a tripod collar as it does not come with one. I highly recommend the Really Right Stuff LC-A12. When working out of a vehicle, I put a LensCoat on to protect it from getting scratched up. Bottomline is simple, great lens for so many purposes. You want it in your camera bag!
If you’re a Adobe CC subscriber, you know that a BIG drop happened last night. Adobe has done IMHO a big update on the entire suite. Personally, the biggie for me is the Save As when working with Smart Objects. But there is SOooooo much more. I recommend you get started by heading over to Terry’s page where he posted five great videos to get you in the know. But this is why CC rocks, love these constant updates improving how we work and the speed we can get it done!
The DJI Osmo is simply brilliant! I’ve had it now a couple of days and literally cannot put it down! You’ve probably not heard about it, it is VERY new and opens up video to us all in an unique an economic way. No, this is not a GoPro replacement, quite the contrary. This 4k video / still camera is a handheld gimbal head with power 360 rotation and stabilization. You can take this small but powerful tool to places you could never navigate in before. What I think is so brilliant is you attach your iPhone and that’s your monitor and control center. I’ve gotta run and play in the snow with it, hope to have first finished video for you next week.
So why did I finally decide to add the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens replacing the old and trusted 24-70AFS? This past weekend of shooting pushed me over the line. The new 24-70VR I’m seeing just a bit cleaner, sharper, sweeter image at f/2.8 at all the focal lengths. Having a fast zoom is only worth the price if at that fast f/stop the images are what you need. For me the overall plane shot at the top wasn’t enough to make me take the plunge.
When I started to look at the portraits I’ve taken with it though, that’s why I took the plunge. The shot of Stan who is trying his best to see out of that Stearman, the softness, cleanness of the background I really like. Is it radically better than the 24-70AFS? No, it is not and in fact, it is a tad better and that’s all. But I’ll take that edge when I can find it.
Now why does a wildlife photographer look at portrait qualities while selecting this lens? It’s because the 24-70 is the primary lens I use for portraits. I nearly always shoot portraits wide open at f/2.8 varying only the focal length. The photo of Stan was at 70mm and that of Dale & Brian around 46mm. The band of sharpness is gorgeous edge to edge just as is the out of focus. Then there were the little things. The VR versions focuses a tad closer. The VR version shade is a tad shorter and fits in the camera bag easier. I’m still not thrilled with the 82mm filter size but that just comes with the total new design incorporating VR and faster AF motor. The weight, balance, speed, VR and sharpness are incorporated into a beautiful lens that I really enjoy shooting. So, it’s in the bag now, the 24-70VR.
My love affair with the IoSafe 1515+ and Synology just keeps growing the more I work with it! I have come to rely on DS File in a way that a year ago, I would have told you I would never need. The beauty is I can access all my photos from ANYWHERE in the world if a client needs them. Then get the files to them from my iPhone using products like HIGHTAIL without ever logging into a computer! Done this twice providing quick service. Now you have to have your files organized and being anal, WRP files are all organized and easy to find. Clients typically already know the file they want having the file name, so it’s just a matter of some taps and they are in their hands. Yeap, every images has it’s own unique alpha-numeric code, a system we initiated forty years ago that you can find here that everyone is welcome to use. I thought when I went to the IoSafe to just safeguard our digital assets, had no clue how the IoSafe 1515 would rock our business!
They are nothing short of spectacular, ImageWizards 65″ metal prints. Our office is ALL ImageWizards metal prints with our latest additions the most spectacular I’ve even seen! And just so EVERYBODY can have the same experience, ImageWizards is offering Moose Fans this special Thanksgiving deal, prints 30×45 and larger, 15% off the printing and FREE wood crate (use Promo code: Moose thanksgiving 15%off)! Hell, I might have to get two more with that deal! We simply can’t get enough metal!
