October 2017

[Jim Covello]

James: Impressive. Is the snake behind glass or is she not dangerous??? With the 500D the subject distance is quite small...

Thank you, Frank.
The snake is not dangerous and is not behind glass. I used a setup similar to what is shown in the attached picture (not sure why it is sideways...). Basically, I have a hiking staff onto which I have mounted the red threaded "ball" (made by Manfrotto), attach a pair of little legs to make a sort of bipod arrangement, and use a Really Right Stuff BH-25 ballhead to hold the D800 (I had the ballhead on the top rather than out in front as shown.). I put the camera in Live View and use an MC-30 cable remote to release the shutter. (I also pop into the menu to allow the shutter button to activate focus...usually I use back-button autofocus, but that's no good here.) By maneuvering the far end of the hiking staff around I can position the camera where I want it and watch the screen to get the focus point where I want it. You can also zoom the live view image in a bit. To avoid focusing on the tip of the snake's nose I had to sort of catch the eye with the edge of the focus area; a bit tricky, but I pulled it off.

Once I get a D850, the focus shift mode would be a nice help; not so much to get images to stack, but to just focus on the tip of the nose and sweep the focus through...call it focus bracketing.
 Of course a wireless remote would be nice...perhaps even the much-maligned SnapBridge could get it done.

I also took pictures with the AF-S 20mm f/1.8G (which focuses nice and close) by the same basic method. I will be ordering the new 8-15 fish which would also be a nice option.

Since this all happened on my front porch, it was easy to run inside and toss all this together; my dream is to use the same approach (perhaps with the extension cord to the MC-30!) on a nice rattlesnake, like the one in this post:

http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,5572.msg89388.html#msg89388

(I would try the fisheye last, but I would try it!) The staff and cable give some personal standoff distance.  (The same staff + bipod arrangement works well as a tripod against boulders, trees, or the ground...handy for a hike.)

Jim

[John Geerts]

John, the orange sun was caused by the haze or dust particles in the air, I guess?  I like the atmosphere.

Thanks, Frank.  Yes it was a combination of the hurricane Ophelia, causing fearce southern winds combined with Sahara-dust and the effects of the fires in Portugal. 

[marco]

Marco. Great shot. Do you need the Lee for the 14-24G???

How do you like the D850? I am happy with mine, she does all that I expected and more.

It's such a great camera Frank although i didn't thought that i would use the touch/flip screen much i notice that in the field i use it all the time, shooting action sport (kids soccer) a lot i must say it is such an improvement on the D810 and for the Lee system, my main hobby is landscape and i use it often the Pol. and sometimes the big stopper when i want the motion in the sky/sea.
atm i am looking for a good macro lens to photograph the products that i sell (nuts and dried fruits).

all the best,marco.

[armando_m]

a bit of fun

[Fons Baerken]

Nice one Armando

[Fons Baerken]

Oktober 18



Still some rose flowering late in the season.

[John Geerts]

Bosnian Paprika dish

[Frank Fremerey]

the most film like feel I ever had with any digital camera: D850. You read it here first.

[Fons Baerken]

Oktober 19

[John Geerts]

Interview with the city poet of Tilburg- Onias Landveld

D600   105/2.8 Ai-S

[Frank Fremerey]

It's such a great camera Frank although i didn't thought that i would use the touch/flip screen much i notice that in the field i use it all the time, shooting action sport (kids soccer) a lot i must say it is such an improvement on the D810 and for the Lee system, my main hobby is landscape and i use it often the Pol. and sometimes the big stopper when i want the motion in the sky/sea.
atm i am looking for a good macro lens to photograph the products that i sell (nuts and dried fruits).

all the best,marco.

I shoot products with my Sinar, the Nikon as digiback. the easier  solution will be an 85PC

[Frank Fremerey]

i am braindead after too much work, need sleep

[golunvolo]

Brain dead is an state not easy to achieve. You made good use of it!

[armando_m]

John, Nice portrait of the poet
Frank, you do look stressed out

Here is another portrait of the warrior

[Frank Fremerey]

Thank you, Frank.
The snake is not dangerous and is not behind glass. I used a setup similar to what is shown in the attached picture (not sure why it is sideways...). Basically, I have a hiking staff onto which I have mounted the red threaded "ball" (made by Manfrotto), attach a pair of little legs to make a sort of bipod arrangement, and use a Really Right Stuff BH-25 ballhead to hold the D800 (I had the ballhead on the top rather than out in front as shown.). I put the camera in Live View and use an MC-30 cable remote to release the shutter. (I also pop into the menu to allow the shutter button to activate focus...usually I use back-button autofocus, but that's no good here.) By maneuvering the far end of the hiking staff around I can position the camera where I want it and watch the screen to get the focus point where I want it. You can also zoom the live view image in a bit. To avoid focusing on the tip of the snake's nose I had to sort of catch the eye with the edge of the focus area; a bit tricky, but I pulled it off.

Once I get a D850, the focus shift mode would be a nice help; not so much to get images to stack, but to just focus on the tip of the nose and sweep the focus through...call it focus bracketing.
 Of course a wireless remote would be nice...perhaps even the much-maligned SnapBridge could get it done.

I also took pictures with the AF-S 20mm f/1.8G (which focuses nice and close) by the same basic method. I will be ordering the new 8-15 fish which would also be a nice option.

Since this all happened on my front porch, it was easy to run inside and toss all this together; my dream is to use the same approach (perhaps with the extension cord to the MC-30!) on a nice rattlesnake, like the one in this post:

http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,5572.msg89388.html#msg89388

(I would try the fisheye last, but I would try it!) The staff and cable give some personal standoff distance.  (The same staff + bipod arrangement works well as a tripod against boulders, trees, or the ground...handy for a hike.)

Jim

Thank you. Seems to be still dangerous for me...