Getting Started

[KenP]

I am not sure how much equipment matters here but I will preface my question with the following: I have a Nikon D2h and just acquired a Nikon D700.Started with a v1 but it had failed electronics. I am a novice in every way and have been at this just a little while when time allows. My intent is to print and create albums as well as larger pictures to hang. Family, kids, sports events so forth and so on.

Is there a particular program that is better to get acquainted with post production? I am not great with computers to start but will learn as I go. I do not like the iPhoto application. I have an old MacBook Air circa 2012. I also have a Windows 10 computer accessible at work.

is it always better to shoot RAW if you are going to process the photo? To this point, I have only shot jpeg. Not sure if lens type matters but I have an 18-200 DX for the D2h. Great in good light so it seems. I have a 50mm AF-S F1.8 for the D700. I also have a pre AI Nikkor 85mm that has been professionally AI'd as well as a Nikon Series E 75-150. That is all my photographic equipment.

I have access to an old LR 4 program that has been gifted to me but I have not installed just yet. Sorry for the long post.

Ken

[pluton]

Shoot jpegs until you are not satisfied with how they look, then start playing with raw files.
Lightroom 4 is excellent for your purpose:  It's cataloging features make it easy to find stuff, and it's picture adjustment capabilities beat iPhoto and the like.
Books explaining Lightroom 4 can now be had cheap on the used market.  I found the Victoria Bampton's "Lightroom 4 FAQ" book very helpful---I still use it today with Lightroom 6. But there are many others that you may prefer.

[ianwatson]

Another vote for Lightroom. Another advantage is the sheer amount of support you will find online, both from Adobe and elsewhere.

Speaking of Victoria Bampton, here is her website: https://www.lightroomqueen.com

I'd suggest jumping straight in with raw files. It is no extra effort and gives you much more room to work. I especially like the flexibility to fiddle with the white balance after the fact.

[Akira]

Even you would start with JPEG, I would strongly suggest to set the cameras to "JPEG fine + RAW" mode to save the raw files for the (near) future.

The pixel counts of both cameras you own are very low for today's standard, so the memory space would not be consumed very quickly.

[ArthurDent]

LR4 should be just fine for quite awhile. I’d suggest looking for some LR4 tutorials on youtube . They will help you get up to speed much quicker.I’ve found the people on the forum to be quite helpful as well. Feel free to ask questions, you will find a great deal of expertise here to help you with anything you do not understand.

[Hugh_3170]

Even you would start with JPEG, I would strongly suggest to set the cameras to "JPEG fine + RAW" mode to save the raw files for the (near) future.

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This is extremely wise advice.



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The pixel counts of both cameras you own are very low for today's standard, so the memory space would not be consumed very quickly.

Note that the D700 can cetainly support 32GB cards (I know as I have used such cards on my D700).  I am not sure if the D700 can go above 32GB and just how big a card the D2H can support (but I suspect for the D2H it will be bigger than its instruction manual suggests).

In the case of my 12MPix D700 recording JPG fine + Raw image pairs and a empty 32GB card, you should be able to store in excess of 856 image pairs.  For a 4 MPix D2H, you should be getting around 80 image pairs per GB - say 640 image pairs for an 8GB card.


EDIT: You need firmware version 1.02 or later to use 64GB cards on the D700: http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VQYU

(Some users report slower image display times on the D700 in respect of the larger cards, although I have not be bothered in this respect.)
 

[KenP]

I do not have the D700 just yet. It should arrive this weekend and I will check the firmware. The D2h has really been all I needed to this point until I started shooting night games. The 5.6 at 200mm on the 18-200DX is not helpful. I have no experience with higher MP cameras except the V1 and I like the D2h better. I need a faster lens for night games.

I will experiment with the D700 but I may not keep it. I got it for a very good price and so I thought I would try a FF camera particularly for indoor events.

I installed LR 4 on my Mac last night. It, however crashes or "quits" when I attach my D2h to the computer. Seems after a bit of research, my Mac software "High Sierra" is not fully supported. I can move pictures from the iPhoto app to LR4 and it then works but I will have to experiment some more. I will also try and install it on my Windows 10 work computer.

I think I ca get more out of my photographs if I can learn to work the "digital darkroom".

Ken

[ianwatson]

This might be a shot in the dark but do you have a card reader you could try instead of connecting the camera to the computer?

Here is a quick example of what the digital darkroom can do for you. The first image is what came out of the camera. The second is after a little work in Lightroom.