what f stop do you use..OR shouddn't !!!!!! ...

[Steve110587]

when you are shooting different scenes, so that when you get back to your PC, you don't say "OH CR@P ... that (insert object here) is out of focus... i should have used a smaller aperature !!!!!!"

in other words, do you use the smallest aperature possible ? or should you stay away from f22 or f32 (camera 2 floors down... does it have an f32 ?)
just wondering. i remember reading about problems when you stop down too much.

 

[Thom Hogan]

when you are shooting different scenes, so that when you get back
to your PC, you don't say "OH CR@P ... that (insert object here) is
out of focus... i should have used a smaller aperature !!!!!!"
in other words, do you use the smallest aperature possible ? or
should you stay away from f22 or f32 (camera 2 floors down... does
it have an f32 ?)
just wondering. i remember reading about problems when you stop
down too much.

Diffraction becomes present at about f/16 on the D70, but DOF is more important in determining ultimate acuity of edges, so I wouldn't avoid f/22 or f/32 if I needed it to bring more area into focus.

--
Thom Hogan
author, Nikon Field Guide & Nikon Flash Guide
author, Complete Guides to the Nikon D100, D1, D1h, & D1x and Fujifilm S2
http://www.bythom.com

 

[ACoyl]

When I shot a manual 35mm camera, I would engage the light meter and adjust the focus and aperture. Most of my slides or prints would turn out beautiful.

I have yet to figure out how to do that with the D70. I don't want to shoot in auto mode but is it best to shoot in P mode and let the camera do the rest for you? If I shoot in A mode, I'm only guessing at what aperture to use. The few M shots I took were underexposed.

I've read the manual cover to cover but it only confuses me. Is there some place that I can get more information on the D-70 that would straighten me out?

 

[Tony220506]

Hello!

I don't own a D70 yet, maybe very soon! But i've heard a lot about the problem you had, and found the following solution: add between +0.3 and +1.0 (or 1.7, i don't remember exactly). That shall fix your problem, but you can also set a bigger apperture...
Hope that helps

When I shot a manual 35mm camera, I would engage the light meter
and adjust the focus and aperture. Most of my slides or prints
would turn out beautiful.

I have yet to figure out how to do that with the D70. I don't want
to shoot in auto mode but is it best to shoot in P mode and let the
camera do the rest for you? If I shoot in A mode, I'm only guessing
at what aperture to use. The few M shots I took were underexposed.

I've read the manual cover to cover but it only confuses me. Is
there some place that I can get more information on the D-70 that
would straighten me out?

 

[ACoyl]

Thanks.

When I shot a manual 35mm camera, I would engage the light meter
and adjust the focus and aperture. Most of my slides or prints
would turn out beautiful.

I have yet to figure out how to do that with the D70. I don't want
to shoot in auto mode but is it best to shoot in P mode and let the
camera do the rest for you? If I shoot in A mode, I'm only guessing
at what aperture to use. The few M shots I took were underexposed.

I've read the manual cover to cover but it only confuses me. Is
there some place that I can get more information on the D-70 that
would straighten me out?

 

[Steve110587]

I just ordered your book for the D70. now that you have just given me your secret about the camera, my $50 cdn is down the drain !!!!

when you are shooting different scenes, so that when you get back
to your PC, you don't say "OH CR@P ... that (insert object here) is
out of focus... i should have used a smaller aperature !!!!!!"
in other words, do you use the smallest aperature possible ? or
should you stay away from f22 or f32 (camera 2 floors down... does
it have an f32 ?)
just wondering. i remember reading about problems when you stop
down too much.

Diffraction becomes present at about f/16 on the D70, but DOF is
more important in determining ultimate acuity of edges, so I
wouldn't avoid f/22 or f/32 if I needed it to bring more area into
focus.

--
Thom Hogan
author, Nikon Field Guide & Nikon Flash Guide
author, Complete Guides to the Nikon D100, D1, D1h, & D1x and
Fujifilm S2
http://www.bythom.com

 

[Steve110587]

I use A mode MOST of the time because a wrong DOF can wreck a picture.

If i want good depth or shallow depth, i choose the aperature acordingly and watch the speed the camera has chosen.

(of course you have to factor in the zoom too, i think because wide angle gives better depth than zoomed out. (?).

one trick i learned from the manual is to use AUTO ISO. I set my minimum shutter speed to 1/60 and choose the suitable aperature. If the camera wants to give me 1/30 or slower, it automatically chooses the next higher ISO. (only danger is... you dont know what iso it chooses until Review time.. but the noise is quite nice on the d70. anyway.. it takes practice to choose the aperature which may or may not cause the auto iso to kick in.. but if you dont have a tripod, its a GREAT feature.

 

[ACoyl]

Good Tips.

 

[Mark53]

You said with your old manual 35mm, you "engaged the light meter and set the focus and aperture". I'm assuming that camera was in aperture priority, since it seems from your statement that the shutter speed was set for you by the camera based on exposure and your aperture selection.

If I've understood correctly, I'm not sure why you can't use the D70 the same way. "A" mode (aperture priority) is exactly what you're describing. The light meter meters the scene and selects a baseline exposure. You are free to select the aperture of your choice within the limitations of the current light level and ISO setting, and the camera will set the shutter speed appropriately to achieve it's metered exposure. If you're not happy with the camera's exposure selection in A/S/P modes, you can then use exposure compensation to add exposure (if you think they're underexposed).

In "M" (manual) mode you use the analog digital exposure display in the viewfinder to set a shutter speed/aperture combination of your choice. If you disagree with the camera's metering in M mode you adjust shutter or aperture for more exposure, since exposure compensation does not have any effect in that mode (only P/S/A).

Why do you feel you can't use the D70 to mimic the way you used your manual 35mm? Maybe I've missed something.

When I shot a manual 35mm camera, I would engage the light meter
and adjust the focus and aperture. Most of my slides or prints
would turn out beautiful.

I have yet to figure out how to do that with the D70. I don't want
to shoot in auto mode but is it best to shoot in P mode and let the
camera do the rest for you? If I shoot in A mode, I'm only guessing
at what aperture to use. The few M shots I took were underexposed.

I've read the manual cover to cover but it only confuses me. Is
there some place that I can get more information on the D-70 that
would straighten me out?

 

[OldSkoOL]

My general concensus is to use f8 for open landscape shots. I quite like the possible softer looking landscapes. This is for open landscapes. For landscapes with objects in relativly close by i may stop at f11 and for scenes with features close to me i'd use f16 and f22 is there was something very close that i wanted in focus too. I would probably stop down as low as possible for shots of things such as mountains with all the detail.

Sometimes it can be a juggling act in A mode which i use 90% of the time to make sure i keep the shutter speed high enough at small f stops for handhelds.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[ACoyl]

I didn't say I couldn't mimic the 35mm settings in the D70, I said I hadn't figured out how yet and was asking for information. Your explanation cleared up my confusion. Now, I have to try the different modes to figure out which one I like the best. Thanks.

 

[Steve110587]

great !. i will add that info to my bible.
sidebar:

i notice that the midtone enhanced curve produces midtones that are a little darker/contrastier than the white wedding curve. does your curve boost midtones LESS than white wedding ?
steve

My general concensus is to use f8 for open landscape shots. I quite
like the possible softer looking landscapes. This is for open
landscapes. For landscapes with objects in relativly close by i may
stop at f11 and for scenes with features close to me i'd use f16
and f22 is there was something very close that i wanted in focus
too. I would probably stop down as low as possible for shots of
things such as mountains with all the detail.

Sometimes it can be a juggling act in A mode which i use 90% of the
time to make sure i keep the shutter speed high enough at small f
stops for handhelds.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[OldSkoOL]

yup, boosts it by +0.3ev as opposed to +0.5ev from ww.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[Steve110587]

mte is nice. i also did an AUTOLEVELS on mte,ww and normal on your grassy test shots. and watched the degree of 'fixing' the command did. The greatest effect change was noted with the ww curve telling me that the mte is closer to what photoshop thinks is a good tonality.

of course maybe photoshop and my eyes are wrong ?. maybe mte for general use and ww for flash ?
thanks.

yup, boosts it by +0.3ev as opposed to +0.5ev from ww.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[OldSkoOL]

I love both curves and even normal+ is good for going back to a more normal tone way but with more detail in the highlights. ww is outstanding with flash but also good for landscapes with contrast depending on how much you need to boost. I tried dialing in +0.3ev on the flash compensation only and it gave great results. Didnt test it against ww but the shots looks 10x better than the normal tone.

hth!

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[alec quig]

add between +.03 and +1.0 where? how? sorry for my novice, but this is intriguing!

Hello!
I don't own a D70 yet, maybe very soon! But i've heard a lot about
the problem you had, and found the following solution: add between
+0.3 and +1.0 (or 1.7, i don't remember exactly). That shall fix
your problem, but you can also set a bigger apperture...
Hope that helps

 

[Steve110587]

ok, you are going to say.. you get what you pay for......

since the camera only lets you select one curve.. if i want to do a flash pic... i have to hook up my camera ... start up capture... and load in ww.. then when i'm done.. hook up the camera ... and re=load the mte curve..
what a pain...

isn't there a photoshop way to mimic these curves ?? preferably not with NEF because it takes up SOOOOO much card space and takes long time to load !.
so do I buy TWO d70's ? one with each curve loaded ?????

I love both curves and even normal+ is good for going back to a
more normal tone way but with more detail in the highlights. ww is
outstanding with flash but also good for landscapes with contrast
depending on how much you need to boost. I tried dialing in +0.3ev
on the flash compensation only and it gave great results. Didnt
test it against ww but the shots looks 10x better than the normal
tone.

hth!

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[OldSkoOL]

As i mentioned just try dialing in flash compensation to +0.3ev (only on the flash setting; press the flash button in and hold and look at your LCD). You'll need 1/2 a stop on the normal tone curve. Havent tested flash comp on the normal curve but it worked great on the v3.1.

Alternativly, load ww v35 and use the normal curve for most things and ww for flash and high contrast. You can always dial down the ev compensation too.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1

 

[Steve110587]

As i mentioned just try dialing in flash compensation to +0.3ev
(only on the flash setting; press the flash button in and hold and
look at your LCD). You'll need 1/2 a stop on the normal tone curve.
Havent tested flash comp on the normal curve but it worked great on
the v3.1.

Alternativly, load ww v35 and use the normal curve for most things
and ww for flash and high contrast. You can always dial down the ev
compensation too.

--
D70 Curve tests
http://www.pbase.com/oldskoo1