Change of camera

[erwinx]

Those following the buy & sell threads will know I sold my s2 Pro; some have asked why i'm changing. These are my opinions only. The S2 Pro is a fantastic camera so I'm really sad to part with it.

3 reasons:

[1] I don't have a significant investment in nikon glass (300 f/4+TCs were my big expenditure, my sb-26 is falling apart and in need of replacement)

[2] 2nd generation IS can damp mirror vibrations. No committment by Nikon to release VR in telephotos yet.

[3] Electronic mirror lockup available to amateur bodies (Nikon only the top of the line will have)

Plenty of other pluses and minuses, but its the above 3 that were important.

D60
1/90 f/6.7 ISO 400 (+0.5 EV)
Handheld
300 f/4+1.4x
EFL= 672mm (edited, my maths no good)
Full frame
Jpeg fine, sharpness/colour/etc all normal defaults
No photoshop, straight out of camera

100% crop

100% crop

Looks just as good as my S2 Pro (whew!) Contrast a bit less punchy but thats fine.

 

[Kei]

Woo that was fast.

Hope you like your new toy

 

[Falcon]

Congrats!!! D60 family is growing. Keep shooting and posting. i am sure fellow D60 members are coming in soon to welcome you.

 

[GeEkMaN]

I WANT A D60!! :cry:

 

[tomshen]

 

[megaweb]

congratulation !!!!!!

 

[tomshen]

But honestly, I CANNOT believe my eyes, kind of out of my imagination. I think Nikon users will gonna hate u:bsmilie: If u invest more on L lenses, maybe the loss in changing system can be recovered, rit?

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by tomshen
But honestly, I CANNOT believe my eyes, kind of out of my imagination. I think Nikon users will gonna hate u:bsmilie: If u invest more on L lenses, maybe the loss in changing system can be recovered, rit?

I just think its a question of intended use and the suitability of the body/system for those intended uses. Mirror damping is not an issue that many people care about.

Anyway, hope to be able to adapt to this strange and alien system. Tomorrow going Bird Shooting and will report results thereafter.

 

[tomshen]

Mirror lockup is a cool feature and I love it a lot, not only for shooting scenery but also for nature stuff. I also like the feel of D60 better than D100/S2 pro. Optical wise: no opinion:bsmilie: coz I am a Sickma fan now. But somehow I doubt u will have serious use of mirror lockup when shooting birds, maybe it's more important to u as u have demonstrated as a find landscape shooter.

Wish you have fun.

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by tomshen
Mirror lockup is a cool feature and I love it a lot, not only for shooting scenery but also for nature stuff. I also like the feel of D60 better than D100/S2 pro. Optical wise: no opinion:bsmilie: coz I am a Sickma fan now. But somehow I doubt u will have serious use of mirror lockup when shooting birds, maybe it's more important to u as u have demonstrated as a find landscape shooter.

Wish you have fun.

Mirror lockup is the best, but mirror damping is also possible from 2nd generation IS (the 300 f/4 is 1st generation). These are the 2 factors that mattered to me. These 2 features I will definitely use.

Another Canon feature - High speed flash synch seems like a luxury, don't know whether I'll use it regularly. But it might make the difference between catchlight in eye and no catchlight for some shots. But the normal sync of the D60 also has 1/2-1 stop advantage - ISO 100 1/200 vs ISO 100 1/125 vs ISO 200 1/180

I've always like the feel of Nikon cameras better :devil: d60 will take some getting used to.

 

[tomshen]

I always use high-speed syn. Once I understand the theory of Canon flash system (maybe haven't fully undertood), I like it now. I always use fill flash when shooting birds/animals, normally -1 ~ -1 2/3 direct flash no omnibounce. Sometimes I do use mirror lockup with cable release to shoot still birds/animals. Dun have any IS lens yet, so dun bother. Before I finally get a 600/f4 or 400/f2.8, will shoot more slides as well, but won't be JBP type. Still need to consult u where to find wide birds in Singapore, after passing my recent busy time...

 

[ninelives]

Originally posted by erwinx




Another Canon feature - High speed flash synch seems like a luxury

nikon does not have HSS ????????????????

 

[Knighthunter]

Originally posted by ninelives


nikon does not have HSS ????????????????

Sadly Nikon only have FP flash at F100/F5/D1x nad D1h....but the catch is the FP flash only available at manual mode compared to Canon which FP (HSS) can be used in all modes by just flick or push of the button in the speedlite EX series. I am agree I also missed badly the FP flash function....(not avail for my D100 and F80). But one thing is true Nikon Matrix D flash system is slightly superior than Canon E-TTL :devil: (I just threw kerosene to burning flame.....).
Frankly speaking, Nikon D system give more constant result than E-TTL.. From my experience sometime E-TTL give 1/3 stop underexpose (but not an issue in DSLR since the final result can be tweeked in PS).
Canon E-TTL wireless flash is far more superior than primitive Nikon's wireless flash (wireless flash only avail in manual flash , can't use preflash). Canon E-TTL can control up to 3 slave flashes with 550EX and two flashes with ST-E2, the exposure and ratio can be set automatically.
I believe S2Pro doesn't have mirror lock-up since mirror lock-up is not available in F80 body. But D100 has mirror lock-up function, need to be actived by CSM (CF in Canon).
IS/VR is wonderful technology it will help handheld shot at lower speed but I don't think it will help dampen the mirror vibration since both manufacturer (C&N) recomment to switch off the IS/VR when mounted on tripod.
My first experience with IS was when I had my 75-300 IS and 300 f4 L IS, now I have it in 80-400VR. The IS/VR work the same way except Nikkor 80-400VR focusing speed is suck big time!!!!!:cry:
Just my opinion.....

 

[Knighthunter]

I also feel than Nikon shutter sound is better and crispier than Canon squeeky shutter sound.........just a tiny weenie thing....I compared my D100 sound and D60. :dent: Just personnal preference.....

 

[Jason Ho]

Congrats!!!

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by Knighthunter


I believe S2Pro doesn't have mirror lock-up since mirror lock-up is not available in F80 body. But D100 has mirror lock-up function, need to be actived by CSM (CF in Canon).
IS/VR is wonderful technology it will help handheld shot at lower speed but I don't think it will help dampen the mirror vibration since both manufacturer (C&N) recomment to switch off the IS/VR when mounted on tripod.
Just my opinion.....

(1) I believe D100 'MLU' or anti-vibration mode is not a 'true MLU' in the sense that it merely creates a delay between the mirror flipping up and the final exposure. The disadvantage (for me) is that its difficult to estimate the exact moment the pic is taken. Whereas for normal MLU, can lock up the mirror, wait for the bird to get into the pose you want, and trigger the shutter

(2) 2nd generation IS dampens mirror vibration. its well documented. MLU may be better, but for some cases MLU is not feasible.

 

[tomshen]

IMHO, dun over-emphasize the role of mirror lockup and IS. I think a good tripod combined with long-lens technique is more important. I dun see any major problem with smaller telephotos unless it's the 400/f2.8 or 500+/f4 class which have bigger form factor. I can get reasonably sharp images with 800mm equivalent at around 1/60s if the subject is not active. Very seldomly I have enough time to switch on mirror lockup or fully tighten the ballhead for moving subjects like sparrows. The key is to use one hand to absorb vibration on the lens and rest the cheek against the camera, firing one shot at a time. I have never used an IS telephoto but I dun really miss it. In most cases, it's the subject movement or my unduly handshake causing a blur shot, which can hardly be compensated by any IS IMO.

 

[roti]

we lost 1 nikon user to canon.....

 

[Knighthunter]

I am agree with Tomshen....
I think MLU is more for extended shutter speed, I belive that mirror vibration won't affect pics taken with the shutter speed 1/60 or faster. Sturdy tripod and head will abosorb the vibration. with the current design most of the modern current camera have very minimum mirror vibration.

(2) 2nd generation IS dampens mirror vibration. its well documented. MLU may be better, but for some cases MLU is not feasible.

Err......I never saw this in my EF 300 f4L IS manual as long as I can remember, I believe EF 300f4L IS is categorized as second generation IS which has mode 1 and 2 (for panning shoot). The manual recommend to swith off IS when mounted on tripod.
IMHO IS/VR will reduce any vibration as long as the amplitude not more than +/-0.5 degree.

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by Knighthunter
I am agree with Tomshen....
I think MLU is more for extended shutter speed, I belive that mirror vibration won't affect pics taken with the shutter speed 1/60 or faster. Sturdy tripod and head will abosorb the vibration. with the current design most of the modern current camera have very minimum mirror vibration.



Err......I never saw this in my EF 300 f4L IS manual as long as I can remember, I believe EF 300f4L IS is categorized as second generation IS which has mode 1 and 2 (for panning shoot). The manual recommend to swith off IS when mounted on tripod.
IMHO IS/VR will reduce any vibration as long as the amplitude not more than +/-0.5 degree.

maybe i have the generations mixed up. If the 300 f/4 is '2nd generation', then its the 3rd generation and later that are tripod compatible... the 300 f/4 and 100-400 do not have tripod compatible IS.

As for the usefulness of IS/MLU, this is an article from Fritz Poelking, another 'Nikon defector':

http://www.poelking.com/wbuch/scharf/index_e.htm