D4 User Thread

[daredevil123]

I'm still on WT-4 so not much of an issue, it can't be used together ie: loose, or totally cannot mount onto the camera?

It's pretty sturdy IMHO.

the bottom mount, there is a slot so the L plate can slide out to accomodate the WT5, the slot is slightly shallow, so when securing will press against the WT5 too tightly. I heard the RRS one is ok but the price is really out there. Still checking if the Kangrinpoche one is ok.

 

[lenslust]

the bottom mount, there is a slot so the L plate can slide out to accomodate the WT5, the slot is slightly shallow, so when securing will press against the WT5 too tightly. I heard the RRS one is ok but the price is really out there. Still checking if the Kangrinpoche one is ok.

I see, I thought the original reason to slide out was to allow the WT-5? Hmm. I hadn't tried with the WT-5 yet, only the WT-4.

RRS is... costly. Till now I don't use the D600 for landscapes because the L-plates in the market don't fit with grip, only RRS has, USD190 *fainted*.

 

[Luminare]

RRS L bracket retails for like USD $190 + $50 shipping and after conversion of 1.27 + 2% =

the bottom mount, there is a slot so the L plate can slide out to accomodate the WT5, the slot is slightly shallow, so when securing will press against the WT5 too tightly. I heard the RRS one is ok but the price is really out there. Still checking if the Kangrinpoche one is ok.

 

[Dfive]

I see, I thought the original reason to slide out was to allow the WT-5? Hmm. I hadn't tried with the WT-5 yet, only the WT-4.

RRS is... costly. Till now I don't use the D600 for landscapes because the L-plates in the market don't fit with grip, only RRS has, USD190 *fainted*.

RRS is the best ! u get what u pay for - simple.

 

[lenslust]

RRS is the best ! u get what u pay for - simple.

Being the best doesn't simply mean it warranties the price IMHO. It's an L plate for the D600+grip, which I don't intend to keep long, probably 2 years, I'll get a new revision or the next available consumer FX, the L-plate does goes to waste in this sense. The D4 I'll keep longer, probably 4 years+ or so, anyway the Fittest-L plate I got from TK was at a good price so doesn't hurt to depreciate 4 years down with some resale value ($50?).

I'm using the D600 as an option to back up my D4 and for casual lightweight travel shooting (without tripod) so still can't bring myself to buy a L-plate from RRS for this reason. Call uncle me lazy, but removing the grip, put it back on, sounds... troublesome I didn't even get the original Nikon D600 grip.

If it's a pure photography trip, will probably bring the D4 for all the shots instead of D600. That said, I'm very pleased with the recent FX, - D600, D800, D4.

 

[Luminare]

Actually, there is nothing fantastic about the T6061 Alu used to make the L-brackets. It is more rigid and lighter than the usual Alu alloy but it still suffers from the usual damages of dents, corrosion and distortion over use although distortion would be more caused by impact as with dents.

(Caution: Engineering content)
If there is certainty that the other brand L-bracket brands have made the shot penning and stress relief treatment after machining, they'll last just as long. Only reservation is that it may not be done as stress relief can be a long process and increase the cost.

As for the slot that is a little too short:
It is possible to extent the length slighty and black anodise it and it'll look no different from new and should be able to fit the WT-5 in.

 

[daredevil123]

Well i just decided not to use the Lplate when using thr WT5.

 

[lenslust]

Well i just decided not to use the Lplate when using thr WT5.

The anal part is not finding the allen key, removing it.

It's the putting it back on, aligning it and ensuring the stupid battery chamber cover does not hit nor is obstructed by the opening.

Out of so many times, I only managed it once perfectly.

 

[daredevil123]

The anal part is not finding the allen key, removing it.

It's the putting it back on, aligning it and ensuring the stupid battery chamber cover does not hit nor is obstructed by the opening.

Out of so many times, I only managed it once perfectly.

Hmm it fits well everytime for me due to the plate angle. As for allen key, i have a lot of them everywhere...

 

[zoom3]

The D4 doing what it does best :bsmilie: For higher resolution, please click on photo.

Note the blue is from the drum's blue light.

 

[JacePhoto]

Nice. Thanks for sharing

 

[zoom3]

Nice. Thanks for sharing

You're welcomed.

Complete series here:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1313002

All shot at ISO10000, F4.0, shutter speed ranging from 1/400 to 1/800

 

[Light Machinery]

Hello D4 users.

Anyone here had used the D4 to shoot small tiny quick birds in mid flight?

Like sun birds and humming birds in mid flight / hover or when they are darting about a flower?

I tried for a few weekends with a different combinations of AF setup (AFC, Single, 9Pt, 21Pt, AUTO, 3D) & ( Focus + release, Release + focus).

The AF has a hard time tracking these quick little birds.

I used a combination of lenses, some are a little better in terms of AF but still very low yield of usable pictures.

Any comments, techniques or suggestions are welcomed.

I will try them out this coming weekend.

 

[Luminare]

I tried to photograph Sunbirds in mid flight gathering nectar.

Unfortunately, I has hand holding a 300mm f/2.8 VR II and was unable quite hand hold it and aim it at the bird as it was very small and the movement was unexpected.

I caught some photos but not sharp. I believe if the lens was on a gimbal or I was holding a 300mm f/4 AF-S, nailing it would not be a problem.

Hello D4 users.

Anyone here had used the D4 to shoot small tiny quick birds in mid flight?

Like sun birds and humming birds in mid flight / hover or when they are darting about a flower?

I tried for a few weekends with a different combinations of AF setup (AFC, Single, 9Pt, 21Pt, AUTO, 3D) & ( Focus + release, Release + focus).

The AF has a hard time tracking these quick little birds.

I used a combination of lenses, some are a little better in terms of AF but still very low yield of usable pictures.

Any comments, techniques or suggestions are welcomed.

I will try them out this coming weekend.

 

[lenslust]

Hello D4 users.

Anyone here had used the D4 to shoot small tiny quick birds in mid flight?

Like sun birds and humming birds in mid flight / hover or when they are darting about a flower?

I tried for a few weekends with a different combinations of AF setup (AFC, Single, 9Pt, 21Pt, AUTO, 3D) & ( Focus + release, Release + focus).

The AF has a hard time tracking these quick little birds.

I used a combination of lenses, some are a little better in terms of AF but still very low yield of usable pictures.

Any comments, techniques or suggestions are welcomed.

I will try them out this coming weekend.

I use the D4/D600 + 70-200VR + TC2 for Sunbirds.

Olive Backed, Brown Throated, Red-Throated, Flower peckers are mostly all the same size.

AF-C, 51 points, Release + Focus for me. AF-On is also configured, meaning my shutter buttons no longer AF, they only release the shutter. AF is continuous when AF-On pressed.

Basically, I let them get used to me, note their flying patterns, then need to be faster than them. I don't mount on a tripod because it can get slower and 400 f/5.6 hardly needs tripod also.

Another method is to MF, I finetune the AF using MF. So far so good.

The reason I can get the shot is also because I'm not sparing on using Hi-ISO (eg: 6400, 8000) when shooting with birds to achieve that high shutter speed if dark area.

Perhaps you can try it?

 

[Luminare]

Just to add on that when photographing Sunbirds, there is not need to use the BIG guns on a gimbal. The birds are more focused on their flower than us, so anything between close to 400mm is good enough to snap them in action. (ie. 80-400mm f4.5-/5.6G VR II, 300mm f/4 AF-S + TC-14E II or 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II + TC-20E III)

The key is to understand and anticipate their pattern.

Using BIG guns trying to track small BIF needs some getting used to.

If you were to look at my tread on birds I photographed in the Arctic circle, there were captured very much by MF onto the focal plane then let rip the shutter when the bird approaches. But that can only happen when you know the bird's patterns in the area that it operates:

*** Photo below was taken with D800 + Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR II and cropped.

 

[Light Machinery]

All right. Thanks for the input lenslust and luminare.

I will distil all the inputs and try them out this weekend. :think:

I have looked at all the bird pics on luminare's Flickr page. Wonderful pictures of birds. That's when it got me thinking on the setup or technique or both.

So far all I got were mostly the flowers without the bird or just the tail feathers or body. :cry:

Some were in good composition but blur because the AF cant track the bird.

I think I still need to understand their behaviour because I can't decide when to hit the shutter, every time they take flight I let it rip but I only get tail feathers or half a body. Also I cant anticipate which direction they will fly thus I cant swing the lens fast enough.

The cheeky sunbirds are really teasing me. :angry:

I hope I can get one and post it here soon.

Thanks for the insights :thumbsup:

 

[Luminare]

Basically, tracking small BIF takes experience in firstly knowing how the bird operate in that area. You'll have to first observe.

The first thing to do is to observe the body language of the bird before it takes flight. There are characteristic tell tale signs. Secondly, don't look thru your view find and anticipate it to fly as you are unlikely to be fast enough to react. By the time the signal from our sight reach our brain to push the shutter button, the bird be gone. Instinct is key. When tracking small birds, they are sometimes too fast to track but you can anticipate which flower or tree the bird will dart to and fro and aim your focal plane there and let luck rule the day.

In the case of the golden eagle, the eagle is big and much slower so it was easy to track once I knew it was about to take off and I can track it easily as long as it is normal to the lens.

Small birds like this require at least 1/2000 sec to freeze its wings in motion. I suggest setting a larger DoF, a wider FoV and focus on the plane of the potential flight path of the bird and use a remote. From the tell tale signs that you observe before it flies, remote shutter in one hand and let rip 11 fps the moment you think it is going to fly.

I am just sharing what I know and hope it helps

All right. Thanks for the input lenslust and luminare.

I will distil all the inputs and try them out this weekend. :think:

I have looked at all the bird pics on luminare's Flickr page. Wonderful pictures of birds. That's when it got me thinking on the setup or technique or both.

So far all I got were mostly the flowers without the bird or just the tail feathers or body. :cry:

Some were in good composition but blur because the AF cant track the bird.

I think I still need to understand their behaviour because I can't decide when to hit the shutter, every time they take flight I let it rip but I only get tail feathers or half a body. Also I cant anticipate which direction they will fly thus I cant swing the lens fast enough.

The cheeky sunbirds are really teasing me. :angry:

I hope I can get one and post it here soon.

Thanks for the insights :thumbsup:

 

[Light Machinery]

Hi Luminare.

Thanks again for the technical insights on shooting these quick little birds.

All this while I was using the standard methods trying to photograph them, I will try the technique mentioned here.

 

[lenslust]

All right. Thanks for the input lenslust and luminare.

I will distil all the inputs and try them out this weekend. :think:

I have looked at all the bird pics on luminare's Flickr page. Wonderful pictures of birds. That's when it got me thinking on the setup or technique or both.

So far all I got were mostly the flowers without the bird or just the tail feathers or body. :cry:

Some were in good composition but blur because the AF cant track the bird.

I think I still need to understand their behaviour because I can't decide when to hit the shutter, every time they take flight I let it rip but I only get tail feathers or half a body. Also I cant anticipate which direction they will fly thus I cant swing the lens fast enough.

The cheeky sunbirds are really teasing me. :angry:

I hope I can get one and post it here soon.

Thanks for the insights :thumbsup:

You need to be more liberal with the shutter when it comes to birding. I average 500-1K shots minimally when I chase after a specific bird. You need to be faster than the bird as I mentioned earlier. You cannot wait for it to take flight before you depress the button, you need to act faster than the bird. Depress before it takes flight and ensure your shutter speed is fast enough. For sunbirds 1/200s should be pretty suffice. 11 fps! Go for it!

Birding is not just equipment, knowing their habits do help. They will hover around some other flowers or locations and land back, sometimes it takes more time for them to get used to your presence before they let you get close. Keep trying.

The reason you can't track is because the subject is too small, the sensor can't differentiate the subject from the background. Don't go directly to the bird and shoot immediately when you spot them, move slowly, and diagonally away, towards them, not directly. Birding is more than equipment.