Nikon D3100 with DX 16-85 VR lens and SB400 - Field Test

[ortega]

VR consumes more battery and the VR mechanism is (I believe) more susceptible to wear and tear, as compared to your zoom and optics mechanism. So if you want to prolong the lifespan of your lens, turn off VR when you don't need it. VR also can take up to 3 seconds to fully engage so if you are trigger happy, you are just using VR but not maximizing it.
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Awesome shots.

I am going to Tokyo and I am wondering what setup to bring.
D700 with 17-35 and 70-200 or D300 with 18-200. And if I should bring SB600 or SB900.
Or should I just buy a 28-300 to pair with D700. I need good low light performance and your shots are what I normally will take.

Seeing that you just shoot with FOV of 24-125, now I am not sure....

this will be my lens of choice if i had a FX camera

AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR

the SB900 is over kill for travel shots, what i think you might need with your D700 is just a fill flash that can bounce, eg. the SB400.
I normally like my shots with a hint of movement somewhere, it brings life to the still image.
so i shoot with a relatively slow shutter speed, somewhere around 1/15s ~ 1/25s to get some movement. add in a fill flash set to rear curtain sync and volia.

just pray for no camera shake
have a good trip

 

[hotchoco1ate]

While i agree to the fact that VR turned off on tripod makes sense, but even at high shutter speeds?

I have not tried this but i worry i will forget turning it on again during indoor shots.

Great shots btw. I myself also use a 16-85 and im loving it! Never once did i crave longer reach for travel, just the wider end. Picked this lens over the exorbitant 17-55 (not so much for the cost, but the usability of weight and VR)

 

[Junye]

ortega: u shot in jpeg ?

nice combi. when we got family and age catches up, we must 'downgrade' (travel light) to enjoy the trip.

 

[ortega]

ortega: u shot in jpeg ?

nice combi. when we got family and age catches up, we must 'downgrade' (travel light) to enjoy the trip.

on the 1st day i shot in RAW + JPEG, but my cards filled up really really fast, so i switched to JPEG for the rest of the trip

so far the only thing i confirm to shrink is the flash, still considering about the rest

 

[dacteo]

ortega: u shot in jpeg ?

nice combi. when we got family and age catches up, we must 'downgrade' (travel light) to enjoy the trip.

yeah i agree... i use to think i prefer something heavy and solid... but after my last trip to HK with a D700 on my neck with a 17-35mm, i begin to think otherwise... :cry:

 

[wmayeo]

Do you actually pick and develop those photos you like?
This series looks good with the D3100, small body but can do wonders.
And 16-85VR rocks.

 

[ortega]

What do you mean by "pick and develop"?

 

[wmayeo]

I do mean that you pick those favourite photos and print them out?

 

[Omega23]

Nice pics... Really got the feeling I m inside... If using the built in flash with diffuser even lighter set up..?

 

[ortega]

Only print those with family for memories

Nah I want to have the ability to bounce the light, so far the diffusers does not give me the quality of light that I want.

 

[coolsigg]

Really nice series taken with D3100! My take is that this setup is good if one is starting new and don't have many/any legacy AFD or AIS lenses. Otherwise, might still be better off buying D90/D7000.

Btw, did u try any shots at iso1600? I might have missed it. :embrass:

 

[ortega]

uploading the shibuya crossing video now (130MB), will post when it is done

ISO1600? i might have, not sure

 

[ortega]

Shibuya Crossing - Taken from Starbucks 2nd Floor with a Nikon D3100

[video=youtube;DbXbFyDdA50]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbXbFyDdA50[/video]

 

[styeoh]

Hi Ortega, great pics and notice the white balance is very nice as well. Was it at auto or one of the pre-set values ?

 

[ortega]

Hi Ortega, great pics and notice the white balance is very nice as well. Was it at auto or one of the pre-set values ?

It was auto

 

[ortega]

more picture samples as promised

 

[ortega]

hope you liked them

 

[styeoh]

It was auto

Thank you. Nikon's auto white balance is good, especially with fluorescent and artificial lighting.

 

[ortega]

Thank you. Nikon's auto white balance is good, especially with fluorescent and artificial lighting.

it still gets fooled sometimes

 

[champlim]

nice pictures, was undecided to purchase the canon d550 or the nikon 3100d, the pictures u too was fantastic .