how am I doing?

[AGSpics]

I am not sure if the D80 is going to turn out being my favorite camera. I think maybe I should have gone with the D200 for the extra moeny. Anyway, I think I am doing better with the D80... here are some images, let me know how you think I am doing:

 

[David Nall]

Nice pics. I like 1 and 4 the best. Keep shooting and posting. Dave
--
please visit my gallery at http://www.poperotzy.smugmug.com

Save 5.00 on your own Smugmug web page. Link for coupon on my website.

 

[T Gelgen]

2 & 3 look soft, are you manual or auto focusing?
Nice pictures anyway.
--
T Gelgen
D50
18-55 ED
70-300 VR

 

[Labokabouter]

Hello there,

I like the colors! Which lens did you use?

I took the one below with a Tamron 90mm DI (I know I should crop out the flower on the right side because it's distracting).
Keep shooting and posting.

Cheers,

Tom.

 

[AGSpics]

See that's the thing I am frustrated with! Yeah, they ARE soft, but this is sharp compared to the other 20 photos I threw away. I am auto focusing. I could have used a higher shutter speed but I have found that this really makes things worse for editing. You can only do so much D-lighting and brightness and contrast adjustment before an image is ruined. Maybe a VR lense is what I need after all.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[AGSpics]

I used the nikon 18-135 mm (non-VR) lense. Between the barrel distortiion below 35 mm and the definate tendency toward blur, I think it's a frustrating lense. Others may not agree, but I THINK it is. Maybe I need the nikon 18-55 or 17-35.

 

[rsmithgi]

See that's the thing I am frustrated with! Yeah, they ARE soft, but
this is sharp compared to the other 20 photos I threw away. I am
auto focusing. I could have used a higher shutter speed but I have
found that this really makes things worse for editing. You can only
do so much D-lighting and brightness and contrast adjustment before
an image is ruined. Maybe a VR lense is what I need after all.

Any advice would be appreciated.

How does a higher shutter speed impact editing?

Rather than a VR lens, I would suggest a tripod. A tripod will help with blurring due to camera movement during exposure and the loss of focus due to slightly shifting your position after focusing but before taking the photo. VR will only help the first of those problems. If there was a breeze while taking those flower photos, neither a tripod or VR will help. You need a higher shutter speed. Luckily for you, the D80 has very good higher ISO performance.

 

[rsmithgi]

I am not sure if the D80 is going to turn out being my favorite
camera. I think maybe I should have gone with the D200 for the extra
moeny. Anyway, I think I am doing better with the D80... here are
some images, let me know how you think I am doing:

The D200 would have done nothing to improve these photos. The D80 is plenty of camera.

Two suggestions:

1. If you want the entire stem of flowers and leaves to be in focus, the camera must be parallel to the stem. Images 3 & 4 you clearly intended to isolate focus on the flowers and they stand out well. In images 1 & 2, it's not clear whether you wanted the entire stem in focus or not.

2. If there is a breeze that is moving the flowers, you must either use a higher shutter speed, block the breeze to stop the movements, or take a large number of shots and keep the good ones. It looks to me like the stems were moving.

 

[AGSpics]

I think the stems were moving a bit. Thanks for the advice.

 

[AGSpics]

I meant that using a higher shutter speed can make a sharper but darker image that needs brightness and contrast adjustment, hence, editing. Of course increaseing ISO might help but then there is more noise to deal with.