My Nikon D5000 ...

[rvp]

Continuing from the intro. thread:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...ead1047-14.htm ...

I returned the first unit that I had got due to one or two spots that kept showing up in the pictures that I took, even at regular size (not 100%). I am not sure if it was the sensor or the lens, probably the sensor. I didn't have the time to verify. I will post the picture that it is visible on in a short while. Is there a way to post an 8MB file here? If not then I can email it to anyone that needs it for reference. The pared down jpeg version doesn't show the orange/reddish dot.

I went with the Nikon because of the sensor size being slightly bigger than the Canon T1i. It may not make a difference at my level but that was one of my reasons anyway. That and I am a bit of a Nikon fan.

The new unit doesn't need the PSU fix, I checked. Here's the link if anyone is interested. Scroll down to "Check Serial Number" and click on it to enter the serial # of your unit.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Service-And-...-Advisory.page

Dave, You mentioned that you need to send yours in for fixing, does that mean you got the old one? Does the above link detect your unit as one that needs fixing?

Here's another nice link for comparisons between most of the Nikon DSLRs as of today:

http://nikonusa.com/Assets/Common-As...LR_Compare.pdf

The price in Costco was $949+tax. It comes with two lenses, a carrying case, battery, charger, a book, two DVDs, all packed in a bright colored box that has everyone in the store staring at you, all the way to the folks checking your items at the exit. So it must be a good buy I waited for this kit to make a comeback in Costco as I didn't want to spend too much on lenses right from the start. That and Costco has a 90-day return policy which works for me.

LiveView: I am not sure if I am using it right but as soon as I hit the LV button at the back autofocus becomes slow just as Dave Humphries had mentioned. I don't know how LV works yet to suggest corrections/comments but the delay is bad nevertheless, and really annoying.

The lenses look like toys to me, I'm guessing it's the same w/ the other brands too in this class. I'm used to bigger/heavier lenses. The advantage w/ the new ones is that I can carry two reasonably high-zoom lenses and the body over my shoulder and not get tired. In fact, I can pack everything that came in the box, except the book and DVDs, into the bag and not feel it heavy at all.

I might go for that 18-200mm just so I don't have to keep changing lenses and get dust inside the camera, especially if I take it to India.

I got two Nikon NC filters from a local camera store yesterday. I was having trouble choosing between Hoya ($19) and Nikon ($49) + tax. I decided to go for the Nikon since I did see a difference in the anti-reflective capabilities between the two. Now I can take the camera out without worrying about dust getting on the lens, more or less.

And then, there are so many settings to get used to, they're going to keep me busy for a while.

I noticed one really bad "feature" and I am not sure who gets "credit" for this. I was importing the pictures from the Nikon to my PC using Picasa and selected to delete all the images after they're imported. One of them didn't make it to my PC and was deleted from the camera too. So, it's better to download first and then delete from the camera later.

That's about it for now.

[Colin Southern]

Is there a way to post an 8MB file here?

No - thank goodness

The pared down jpeg version doesn't show the orange/reddish dot.

If you need to show a sensor spot, don't down-sample the image, just crop it and post actual pixels (100% crop) instead.

[Dave Humphries]

The new unit doesn't need the PSU fix, I checked. Here's the link if anyone is interested. Scroll down to "Check Serial Number" and click on it to enter the serial # of your unit.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Service-And-...-Advisory.page

Dave, You mentioned that you need to send yours in for fixing, does that mean you got the old one? Does the above link detect your unit as one that needs fixing?

Yes , but I did buy it the day after UK release, so it's hardly surprising.
I don't normally do that kind of thing, now I remember why!

If there's anything about the D5000 that has you stumped, just ask, I may be able to help.

Yeah, I did warn you about the Live View AF!
The '90 days' thing could be useful if it bugs you too much, but I've got used to it and there's so much else to like about it.

On the 'delete on import'; yes indeed, I'd never trust anything like that

Cheers,

[Dirk]

what my major concern is that the screen looks and feels wobely to me , as if it might brake down , i really see one use of it as standign in a crowd and holdign the camera above the head..

but at this moment my current gear is sufficient i do not need a fischerprice 5000 ;-)

[noreast]

earlier this summer, I got a T1i, which I exchanged for the D5000 a week later. Not that the Canon was bad, it was just not right for me. Ergonomics were a factor. I just could not get used to the position of the dial just behind the shutter release button, nor its vertical orientation. The D5000's dial at the back and its horizontal orientation felt more natural to my hand. I prefer changing the dial with my thumb while my pointer finger is on the shutter release button, as opposed to moving my finger between the shutter release and the dial, but that is my personal taste.
Color was another reason. When I shoot RAW, I can fix color casts and WB in PP. However, I shoot a lot in JPEG, and I prefer the Nikon's more neutral colors. Again, a matter of personal taste.
I thought I will use Live View and the swivel screen more, having used it a lot on my Nikon E5700, but focus is so slow in that mode that I only use it for shots that can not be comfortabley composed with the viewfinder.
The swivel screen's joint feels adequately solid for my handling.
I do miss the hi-res 3" screen, and prefer to have more buttons (e.g. DOF preview).

[Warren]

I am relatively new to this digital age. I just purchased the D5000 and I have to say that I love it! I used to shot alot in 35mm, but the cost to develop was too much for me, especially when you consider out of a 24 roll film only 5 of my pictures were any good. Anyway, now that I have this camera, I can take all the pictures I want, espcially of my kids.

So, before I ramble on way too much, my question is this. Is there a quick way to delete all the pictures on the camera itself? I have backed them up in two different locations and now feel comfortable in deleting them.

Also, does anyone have any suggestions where I can learn more about my camera? I have already watched the dvd that came with it, but there seems to be much more that this camera can do. What about photo editing software? Any suggestions? I have corel 9 but never really used the photo part of it, primarily used Corel Draw.

Thanks in advance.

Warren

[Dave Humphries]

Is there a quick way to delete all the pictures on the camera itself? I have backed them up in two different locations and now feel comfortable in deleting them.

Hi Warren,

Yes, there is. This takes MUCH longer to type than do, especially after you've done it a couple of times.

In this I am either using the buttons to left of screen, or the cursor pad+OK buttons:
1) Press top left "Playback" button (on left of screen)
2) Press "MENU" button immediately beneath it
3) You need to get the active bit (yellow highlighted) in the left hand column of icons, so repeatedly press the left button on touchpad
4) Now you need to get it to the top of the column, on the Playback icon, so press the up button until that happens, then press OK button once
5) If necessary, use up button again until "Delete" is highlighted, then press OK again
6) Press down until "All" is selected, press OK
7) Use up or down to highlight confirmatory Yes to "delete all?", then (IF SURE), press OK
8) Wait for the eggtimer to go away - job done

In all cases, if quicker/closer, you can swap pressing up for down , it just cycles through from top to bottom and vice versa.

Regarding books, I found the manual quite enlightening
The other place that I have used to have things explained in a different way (which often aids understanding), is the D5000 full review on Steve's Digicams, be sure go through all the pages via the "Continue on to..." links at bottom of white panel (after the ads) and you will learn a thing or two.

Cheers,

[Warren]

Is there anyone that would recommend a specific brand/type of remote control for the Nikon D5000? Also, are all tripods created equally? If not, what are some of the pros/cons that I should consider before I buy one?

Warren

[Jim B.]

Hi Warren,
Not sure about the remote but here's a nice read on tripods.
https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...ra-tripods.htm
It will help the folks here to answer your question better with a little information like,what is your shooting preference:landscape,portrait,wildlife,macro or a combo of subjects?
Do you plan on hiking with your gear?I'm no expert on tripods,so I will let the more experienced give you some opinions and ideas.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Warren,

Short answer on tripods is "no"

A good place to start would be here;
Selecting & Using a Camera Tripod

Beyond that, a search on *tripod* in the Search dropdown/box above.

Plus I expect other's will respond here.

Cheers, Dave

btw, did you ever get the delete all to work?

[Amberglass]

Is there anyone that would recommend a specific brand/type of remote control for the Nikon D5000?
Warren

Remote for the D5000: http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Ni...frared%29.html

Where to purchase suggestion: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ansmitter.html

The link proved by Dave is a good overview of what to look for in a tripod. But yes, it's true that all tripods are not created equal, and like your gear; you should physically go to a local camera shop (that has the brands you are interested in) and try them out. There are many to brands to choose from but Manfrotto, Gitzo, and Giottos are more of the popular ones.

Height (especially if you're 6 feet plus) and capacity will significantly effect the cost of the tripods. Keep in mind the fully extended tripod (with center column lowered) with camera set up should be as close to viewfinder/eye level to you as possible.

[Colin Southern]

are all tripods created equally? If not, what are some of the pros/cons that I should consider before I buy one?

Warren

Hi Warren, we had a bit of a fun tripod discussion a few months ago.

[Warren]

btw, did you ever get the delete all to work?

Yes, I did, and it worked alot better then trying the trash can one by one. Thanks alot.

Warren

[Warren]

I have some more questions as they pertain to lens selection. I have created another photo album with some dance competition pics. I was wondering if I could get the pictures any better with the kits lens that I have (18-55 VR & 70-200 VR) or if it would be wise to get a faster lense. Most of my 'sports' photography would be in low light where no flash photography is allowed.

The first album of pics I put up, the photos were very blurry and very disappointing. Then someone on this forum suggested staying with the smaller lens and cropping photo, which I have tried to do. I got PS8 for Christmas, but I am still trying to learn the basics. So now, the second album is better, but there are still some hints of movement, and I really want to freeze the action.

So, do I need a faster lens? I really think a lens with an Fstop of under 2 would be the way to go, and if so, what would you recommend?

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Warren,

I think Amberglass is the clear favourite to answer this question, as she shoots the same sort of thing.

What ISO were those latest dance pics shot at?

Bear (Bare?) in mind that at wider apertures (lower f numbers), reduced Depth of Field will make focusing very critical.

I don't believe you are ever going to get them as pin sharp as you want, there just isn't enough light.
A wider lens will win you a stop (or two), but I think you'll need 4 or more to get the kind of sharpness you desire and sadly I think it just won't happen without flash, unless you really crank up the ISO, which will make them soft again.

In terms of EXIF data, I assume you can access it in your PP program or on your computer, but you are just not sure how to make it 'stick' when posting here?
To advise, I need to know:
a) what software you use? and
b) exactly how you downsize pictures to post here? and
c) what size they were on upload to the album?

Cheers,

[Warren]

In terms of EXIF data, I assume you can access it in your PP program or on your computer, but you are just not sure how to make it 'stick' when posting here?
To advise, I need to know:
a) what software you use? and
b) exactly how you downsize pictures to post here? and
c) what size they were on upload to the album?

Cheers,

A - I have Photo Shop 8

B - When I saved them, I used the PSE medium size quality....I think it was it was called.

C - They varied in size from 78Kb - 190kb.

In photo shop I did some quick editing, crop to size, adjust some sharpness and contrast levels, but nothing more than that.

Originally when the photos were taken, there were the largest and finest size my camera will allow for, but I dont know that overall dimension off the top of my head.

Hope this gives you enough information to assist me. Thanks.

[Amberglass]

Hi Warren, for your camera suggest the following primes stopped down to F2-2.8 and crank up the ISOs: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G or the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G. I would recommend the AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8D but unfortunately, it will only be manual focus on your body since you lack the AF engine. Pay attention to your shutter speeds, most dancers will require shutter speeds up to 1/320th minimum but a little motion blur (for effect) is acceptable. (Use your center AF point for panning and tracking). Your 70-200 mm f/2.8 will also work at H1, turn off noise reduction control in your camera and shoot RAW, clean up in post.

Image below taken with a 70-200 mm 2.8 VR at 70mm at 6400 ISO (H1 on yours) at f3.


ISO 4000 with 50mm f/1.4G at F3.

[Warren]

Hi Warren, for your camera suggest the following primes stopped down to F2-2.8 and crank up the ISOs

Amber, first let me say, those pictures look awesome! Do you think I can get that type of quality with what I have????

You mentioned stepping down the primes? I am not sure I follow you on this, I do not know or see a way for me to alter/change my f settings any lower than they are, and although my camera is not in front of me now, I think the low Fstop is a 3 on both my 55mm and 200mm, but it may even be a 3.5, I am not sure.

My ISO on these was at 3200 and I was in P mode, and the F setting was at 5.3, and again, I have no idea how or if I can change this. In fact I was under the impression that I cannot change it, but as with many things, I may be wrong.

[Amberglass]

In difficult low or lighting extremes, P/A/S mode will not do because the camera will always try to achieve "the best exposure" it can with the situation presented for it to photograph (also by limitation of the lens mounted). You have to go on manual (yes, M mode) and adjust your aperture and shutter speeds. The problem with your current lenses (I assumed you meant you had the AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED but I guess not) is that as you zoom in; the aperture will automatically close down (aka stop down) to create a small window of light entering the sensor chamber. Less light means the camera will have to compensate by slowing down the shutter speed (if in A mode), or auto widen the aperture if you set the shutter speed (the best it can is f3.5). Any time you see a zoom with 2 f stop numbers like 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6; 18 mm is f3.5 and 200 mm is f5.6. No, you can't make your camera set f3.5 at 200 mm. You're best solution is to go with a prime lens (as I have suggested) or single f stop zooms of f2.8 (expensive), and get there early to stake out your real estate.

Lenses with apertures/f stops of f4 and smaller are mainly used for outdoors situations where there is pretty of available light, flash is necessary if indoors lighting is not enough. Never ever shoot wide open with primes because it will result in "soft images" because the DOF is so thin.

[Warren]

Ok Amber, I think I am getting this. I may have been using M mode, I keep thinking P mode means Profession, but as you corrected me I remember it to mean Program Mode. With that said, I believe I was in M mode because I was changing alot of the settings. I do have one more question and hopefully I will stop bugging you the basics....What does the term Prime lens mean?

And you said lenses with F stops of F4 and smaller are used for outdoors etc, but I thought the lower the number, the better it would be for low light conditions, or does our terminology mean that a larger number is like F6 is smaller than F4, or did you mean that f4 and 'larger' where for outdoors??