Trying out different Nikkors on the doggies

[Letrow]

Just before Christmas I sold my D90 for a good prize and bought a D7000 as replacement. The advantage being that I now could use all my old Nikkor lenses as well. Well, TBH, all the AI's have been sold now (except for the Kiron macro) and I bought some new lenses (AF D and AFS).
So far with the dogs I have tried the 18-200mm (already had this one, but good for action), the 12-24mm and the 50mm.
Results are really different each time and it is fun to go out with the limitation of just one lens (in the case of the 12-24mm and the 50mm; the 18-200mm just covers it all) and look at the differences afterwards. Especially Bokeh is very different and I find the 50mm does this best. Almost like a watercolor.

Here are some examples:

This the 18-200mm at 200mm uncropped (just lucky with the framing this time). ISO 100, F5.6 at 1/400sec.

Second one:

This is the 12-24mm at 12mm, uncropped. ISO 5000, F9 at 1/320sec and -1/3 EV. Vivid colors.


Same lens. At 12mm uncropped, ISO 5000, F9 at 1/6400sec and -1/3EV. If you wonder about the colors, I was experimenting with Vivid mode in camera. This is a bit too strong, but it is fun to use now and then.

And finally:

This is the 50mm F1.8. Uncropped at ISO 1600, 1/250sec and F5. I like the bokeh here and although the head is blurry , the nose is sharp (is that the point of rotation when they shake?). Great focusing with this D lens.


Same lens. Uncropped at ISO 1600, 1/250sec and F5.

And one from inside the house, without flash (love the light of this lens.

50mm again. Uncropped at ISO 6400, F2 and 1/100sec.

The 18-200mm is the easiest to use of course. Close focusing is possible and it covers all lengths with one turn of the hand. Quality wise I like the 50mm best. Very sharp, good bokeh, but doesn't focus as close as the other two lenses.
Finally the 12-24. The sharpness is less evident is these pictures, but it is good. Bokeh is almost non-existent. This lens is great fun if you get really close (10cm or less) to your subject.

Would like to here any comments.

[speedneeder]

Wow, you are really pushing the ISO! I would imagine there would be some noise to see on large print, but very nice for 4x6 or 5x7 prints I would say. Makes me think I need to upgrade my camera as well

[djg05478]

Thanks for sharing the images. The ones with the Vivid color setting are interesting, I would never think to have some fun and experiment with that setting. I do agree with you and that it is a little over the top for the setting that these photos were taken, it looks like you had a nice sunny day with plenty of light. I agree the images are nice and sharp.

I like the first image best, perhaps a little more area around the dog would be nice? Although he/she looks fast, I have more than my fair share of exposures with the dog running out of the picture. The fourth one of the shake is a good capture as well, like you said the nose is still, but you can see the shake in the neck fur.

Debbie

[Hans]

Thanks Peter,
Looks like the D7000 does handle the noise quite well looking at these images. The D90 should use all the same lenses the D7000 can, but I've always thought the noise was high with the D90 at even moderate ISO settings. I had the 50mm 1.8 and it was a great little lens in a small package.
Thanks again,

[Letrow]

Thanks for sharing the images. The ones with the Vivid color setting are interesting, I would never think to have some fun and experiment with that setting. I do agree with you and that it is a little over the top for the setting that these photos were taken, it looks like you had a nice sunny day with plenty of light. I agree the images are nice and sharp.

I like the first image best, perhaps a little more area around the dog would be nice? Although he/she looks fast, I have more than my fair share of exposures with the dog running out of the picture. The fourth one of the shake is a good capture as well, like you said the nose is still, but you can see the shake in the neck fur.

Debbie

I agree with you on the dog in the first image. This was a bit exceptional as I still had the lens on 200mm and the dog ran in and filled the frame, normally I leave more space. But this was more used as an example of what the lens (and its bokeh) looked like versus the other two.

Thanks for all the comments so far.

[Letrow]

This weekend I went out with just the 12-24mm lens. Quite fun to use although you have to be careful about the saturation you use in camera. So this time I toned it down a bit. The weather wasn't too bright, we had a bit of a storm going on over the weekend.

I like this lens, especially at 12mm, which is what I try to use most of the time. But getting real close to your subject is difficult. Not only because it is dogs (and very lively ones), but also because close focus is at 10cm, so sometimes you have to get flat on your belly.

[Letrow]

[Letrow]

Today in the dunes, freezing my hands off, but had to try out a 105mm

[Letrow]

Taken with the 12-24mm at 24mm

[Letrow]

I am beginning to realise that I like the photos taken with 'short' lenses better than I like the ones that were taken with the tele. Sure, it is convenient to get the dogs close in an easy way, but the other pictures just feel better. I might be prejudiced though, as these are my dogs and I am looking for certain behavior that comes out better at the short end. Doesn't necessarily mean that it is a better photo.

[Sonny]

I really like the first picture in #6. the blades of grass frames your dog really well and draws my attention to it. It also gives me an impression of movement. The wide landscape in the background gives me a sense of freedom for your dog. So, I really like it. The last photo in #1 has fantastic bokeh. Just a thought, feel free to ignore it but do you have a lens that will give you a soft focus? If you do, try some shots with that. It can add something intangible to a photo. It's not always necessary to have really sharply focused images. Case in point; you're doggy shaking his head. Makes you wonder about the dog and imbues character into the image.

Sonny

[Letrow]

Thanks Sonny. I don't have soft focus (I think). But I do have a few lenses that are very fast, so there will be a lot of bokeh in the pictures. I like that actually and agree with you. The picture of the dog shaking was taken with the 50mm F1.8 and the bokeh looks great for me.
Might try that with the 105mm next weekend.


Taken with the 105mm at F5.6

[Letrow]

My neighbors cat happened to be in front of my 105mm VR when I was doing flower macro shots. Have to say that this lens is one of the sharpest and quickest lenses that I've got.

[Letrow]

35mm F1.8 lens at 1/160 and F10.

[Letrow]

Using the 12mm (on Nikon D7000 it equates to approx. 18mm I guess) is always fun

[xalupa]

You are comparing pears to apples.

Comparing lenses with diferent mm and f has no sense.

[Letrow]

You are comparing pears to apples.

Comparing lenses with diferent mm and f has no sense.

I think I meant something else. The 12mm would give about the same coverage on the D7000 (smaller APS c-sized sensor) as a 18mm would on a D700 (full format sensor). That is all. I am not comparing different lenses as such. Hope this is clearer than what I first wrote

[Letrow]

I guess this one could show a romantic involvement with my dog, as I remember these kind of photographs from way back in the seventies when goodlooking hippies had a role in backlit scenes like this - 50mm F1.8 lens


18-200mm lens

[Letrow]

I liked his expression on this one. A couple of times a week the doggies can run free in the dunes and they always seem pretty happy about it. Closer to home they are always on lead, because I don't want them to get run over by a car or something.

[Letrow]

1/750 sec. F/5.5 ISO200 Nikkor 105mm micro VR


Nikkor 18-200mm VR 1/350 sec F/5.7 ISO180