Upgrade to a D700? for sports??

I'm currently using a D80 usually with a 24-120 f3.5 ED VR and appear to be having some exposure problems. Another photographer I shoot around is using a Canon EOS 1D Mark II N and usually gets much better exposed shots than I. He uses a flash more than I do but even my flash shots aren't exposed correctly all the time. Our conditions are extreme. We have thick dust, rain, snow, bright sun with dark shadows and very fast moving subjects at close range most of the time.
I'm letting the Camera select the exposure and setting the flash on TTL most of the time. I'll bump the flash up or dow a couple of stops considering how dark the shadows are.

Mine
http://www.larrymayo.com/

His
http://www.pbase.com/kennyk/root

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fred on June 19, 2009 at 11:10am

What settings do you use, S, A or manual? The reason I ask is I cannot see the EXIF Data.
His EXIF data on one photograph tells me Shutter Speed 1/1000 f/6.3 and ISO 800 with flash.
Without the EXIF data I can only guess but looking at you pictures I would not think you used ISO 800 as there appears to be not a lot of noise, my D80 is terrible at ISO 800.
What flash are you using, the onboard flash ot a proper TTL unit? The onboard might be OK for a little bit of fill flash but that is it. A Nikon SB-800 (if you can find one) or the new SB-900 would be the route to go.

Two other things to think about.
D700 is a mighty fine camera and it is full frame. Consider the D300 (soon to be replaced), another fine camera and cheaper.
Get yourself a f/2.8 lens. Nikon f/2.8 lenses are very good. depending on what distance you are away from the bikes I would suggest a 70-200mm f?2.8 VR, a very good lens.
Also, just thought about it, try a monopod.

Fred

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on June 20, 2009 at 2:59pm

Thanks Doug and Fred

I appreciate your suggestions and the information on the camera. I'm new to this site and can already tell there is a wealth of knowledge here. I have a 70-200 F2.8 Nikon lens but I can only use it in wide open spaces. I'm usually panning in really tight situations so I'm lucky to get a perfect shot anyways. I try to blur the background and keep the bike or subject as clear as I can. I know zooming will do that but I can't get far enough away most of the time. A slow shutter speed or a 2.8 or 3.5 aperture will help as well.. I'm still struggling to get the camera where I need it though because when I move these settings around my exposure gets so far off that I sometimes loose the shot totally and wind up going back to a preset setting.

Fred, I have the SB 800 Nikon flash.

I usually leave my ISO on 1600, setting it from the menu on the camera so the 800 ISO information is a great help also. Yes, I really need to know more about my camera and how to set it for varying situations. I struggled for a while trying to set the white balance for the presets the camera gives and adjusting it up and or down to fine tune the balance but I never got the ultimate balance so I went back to letting the camera set it and started getting much better results.

It's like I'm struggling trying to figure out hoe it's programed. I have taken a bunch of courses on photography back in the 80's so I have a little background. Bob Saint was one of my teachers but I'll never be as good as him.

I really appreciate your time and I'll try to put a little more research into my suggestions next time..

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on June 20, 2009 at 5:41pm

FYI
It looks like I might be getting a D700 from ebay item 220434379867 for 2400.00..It was one of those impulse bids that you know someone will outbid you on. I hope it isn't refurbished. It has a bunch of cheap stuff that comes with it that I will probably not be able to get rid of but as long as the body is in good shape it isn't a really bad deal.

Permalink Reply by Fred on June 23, 2009 at 2:37pm

The D700 is an amazing camera but if your technique is out the D700 will not make a lot of difference.

I would suggest trying out a few options:
1. Switch the camera to "S" and with the available light set the ISO so that you can get a shutter speed of 1000 (remember the D80 above ISO 800 is noisy) and let the camera sort out the f/number
2. Try setting the SB-800 and the camera to iTTL.
3. If you look at pages 40/42 about flash on the D80 you could try experimenting with Rear Curtain Sync but make sure you set the SB-800 the same.
4. Talk to the other photographer about the set up on the canon. Nikon and Canon are very similar.
5. Experiment, after shooting at "S" at 1000 try shooting on "A" and f/10 and make sure you get a shutter speed of 1000.

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on June 25, 2009 at 12:43pm

I'm so glad I joined this site!!

Fred
I had no clue that the D80 was noisy after 800. I've been shooting way above that at times. I've got to figure out how to put the information back on the picture so I can remember what I'm doing. Thanks for all the very helpfull information..

Permalink Reply by Fred on June 25, 2009 at 2:43pm

If you use View NX or Capture NX, either software will tell you the full EXIF Data from the photograph.
View NX is free from Nikon and the original is on your D80 disc. Capture NX you have to pay for.

Either will take out the guess work

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on July 1, 2009 at 1:44pm

Thanks Fred
I bought Capture NX2 so now I just got to get the girlfriend to leave me alone for a while till I learn what it can do..

Permalink Reply by Gary Oyama on June 27, 2009 at 1:27am

If you're gonna go, go big.....d3

Permalink Reply by Fred on June 27, 2009 at 7:44am

I am I have got one to use for the next three months, now how do I switch it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on July 1, 2009 at 1:42pm

I wound up with a D700 from Ebay.. It's a demo but it appears to be working correctly. Looks like I have a lot to learn about this camera in a short time..

I wish I could have afforded a D3. Maybe I'll get better and sell enough to buy one next:) I just need that magic lens now..lol

Is there anything I need to know about this D700 as far as limitations or noise.etc? I'm using a 70-200 f2.8 ED VR. lens and 24-120 f3.5 ED VR and a 80-400 f4.5 ED VR.. I think that last one is correct.. I don't use it much.

Permalink Reply by Fred on July 1, 2009 at 2:03pm

With noise do not worry about it to start with, just go out there and shoot. Use A, S & Manual and get a feel for it and be very critical of your shots.

Now the D700 is full frame and you need full frame lenses. I use:

12-24 2.8
24-70 2.8
70-200 2.8

They all cost me an arm and two legs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but they are the correct lens. I am not sure about the 24-120 & 80-400, I will try and look that up on the Nikon site.

One interesting thing you can set up in the menu is (please make sure you have the latest firmware) is you can set AUTO SPEED. That is you can set a minimum speed of 500, the A is set at f/8 and the camera will sort out the actual ISO to keep that shutter speed. It will always default to the lowest ISO number. That should help you with your shots of the bikers.

All I can say is go out there and practice and really be critical of you own shots. Post some on here, we can all look at some and offer some advice.

Fred

Permalink Reply by Larry Mayo on July 1, 2009 at 4:18pm

Fred
My local camera shop told me any lens wider than 24 would not work with this camera. He told me why but I didn't listen because I didn't have one that wide.

My firmware is 1.01.. I'll go look but I'm assuming that isn't the latest version..

Thank you soooo much for all the advice and suggestions.

I've been shooting some macro stuff here at work with a SIGMA f2.8 DG MACRO lens and a Phoenix 46N ring flash. I used M, pushed the App to 32 and shutter to 60. My depth of field was still shallow so I probably had the lens set incorrectly. I got some good detail though and the color was dead on.