D100 Questions: Various

[David Massey]

I received my D100 and MB-D100 late last week and have a few questions.

1. Is there any way to make my Metz 40i flash work with this camera in TTL mode? I have the SCA 3401 and 3402 modules and neither will work with the camera in TTL mode. Or, am I going to have to break down and get the SB-80?

2. Is there any adaptor that fits to the 10-pin connector on the MB-D100 that allows for PC Sync for my studio flash heads? I bought the adaptor that fits to the hot shoe but am just wondering.

3. RAW? I am shooting in RAW format (not compressed). I have read here that shooting in RAW Compressed takes longer to write to memory. Is this because the camera is having to "process" the image to compress it? I have a 1qig microdrive so space is not a limiting factor for me. Can I assume that shooting in RAW (uncompressed) mode will yield the highest quality image for post processing?

4. Is there no option for shooting in Black and White only? If not, I assume that there is no way to use my red filters effectively. I print exclusively in B&W.

5. Infrared? Does anyone know if the camera has any infrared blocking between the lens and the CCD. Can you use an infrared filter on this camera?

Sorry for so many questions!

Thanks in advance for your replys.

Dave

 

[Group Idiot]

I received my D100 and MB-D100 late last week and have a few
questions.

1. Is there any way to make my Metz 40i flash work with this
camera in TTL mode? I have the SCA 3401 and 3402 modules and
neither will work with the camera in TTL mode. Or, am I going to
have to break down and get the SB-80?

Not a pro here, but everything I've read indicates that straight TTL does NOT work on the D100--so an SB-80DX is mandatory.

2. Is there any adaptor that fits to the 10-pin connector on the
MB-D100 that allows for PC Sync for my studio flash heads? I
bought the adaptor that fits to the hot shoe but am just wondering.

No, but there's a thingamabob wireless doohickey that will give it to you at a reasonable price. Forgot the name, but it's here in the recent forum posts.

3. RAW? I am shooting in RAW format (not compressed). I have
read here that shooting in RAW Compressed takes longer to write to
memory. Is this because the camera is having to "process" the
image to compress it? I have a 1qig microdrive so space is not a
limiting factor for me. Can I assume that shooting in RAW
(uncompressed) mode will yield the highest quality image for post
processing?

Yep, it's the processing time that makes it excruciatingly slow. Use plain ol' RAW/NEF without compression. That is the only unanimous consensus in the history of this forum.

4. Is there no option for shooting in Black and White only? If
not, I assume that there is no way to use my red filters
effectively. I print exclusively in B&W.

Not a clue. Get Thom Hogan's book.

5. Infrared? Does anyone know if the camera has any infrared
blocking between the lens and the CCD. Can you use an infrared
filter on this camera?

See #4.

Sorry for so many questions!

When the Group Idiot is the only one who makes a weak attempt at answering someone's questions Armageddon can not be far behind. Sell your camera and move to Antarctica.

Brendan
--

Newbie requests inspection and critique of new photos at: http://www.pbase.com/bgetchel/root

 

[RichardBaldwinUS]

4. Is there no option for shooting in Black and White only? If
not, I assume that there is no way to use my red filters
effectively. I print exclusively in B&W.

[rb] – not to get off on a tangent but… why would you want to shoot in B&W when you have so much more flexibility with a color image?

In PS, you have so much more control of your images! In fact, you have much more control than you could ever have in a dark room. Try this, and let me know what you think….

Bring your color image into Photoshop. Make a copy. Convert the copy to B&W. Switch back over to your color image. Now, go to channels and drag the Red, Green, and Blue channels over as layer into your B&W image.

What does that do for you?

Well the Red channel is the software equal of a Kodak Wratten #29, the green #58, the blue #47. Now you have a full range of tri-color separation filters to allow you to blend away. Play around this and you will see your B&W photos come to life like never before.

I learned of this technique from a recent Digital Imaging session hosted by Apple and Adobe. I can't believe how effective the technique is....

Richard.

 

[David Massey]

Group Idiot:

Thanks for the reply. I have to admit that I have not laughed that much from a posting in a long time. Your last paragraph was clasic.

Richard,

Thanks to you as well. I wondered about the B&W mode due only to wanting to use my red filters. However, I am going to give your suggestion a try as it sounds like a winner.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[VJ]

5. Infrared? Does anyone know if the camera has any infrared
blocking between the lens and the CCD. Can you use an infrared
filter on this camera?

Not sure, but I tried to take a picture of the front TV-remote control while a key was pressed, and the IR-leds showed bright purple on the picture. (just try a similar test yourself)

This would indicate that the camera is sensitive to IR, which in turn would mean that IR-photography ought to work. But I have not tested with IR-filters or such !

Jörg

 

[Richard Parkinson]

5. Infrared? Does anyone know if the camera has any infrared
blocking between the lens and the CCD. Can you use an infrared
filter on this camera?

Yes, take a look at http://www.naturfotograf.com/D100_rev_03.html

 

[Thom Hogan]

1. Is there any way to make my Metz 40i flash work with this
camera in TTL mode? I have the SCA 3401 and 3402 modules and
neither will work with the camera in TTL mode.

Metz announced a D-TTL module was coming long ago. It hasn't arrived. Thus, no, you can't use that flash in TTL modes, the shutter release will lock if you try.

Or, am I going to
have to break down and get the SB-80?

Or wait for one of the third parties to finally ship their D-TTL flash.

2. Is there any adaptor that fits to the 10-pin connector on the
MB-D100 that allows for PC Sync for my studio flash heads? I
bought the adaptor that fits to the hot shoe but am just wondering.

No. The 10-pin connector deals with camera control--it's essentially a fancy serial interface into the camera.

4. Is there no option for shooting in Black and White only? If
not, I assume that there is no way to use my red filters
effectively. I print exclusively in B&W.

Post process it. See the article on my site (or the other posts).

5. Infrared? Does anyone know if the camera has any infrared
blocking between the lens and the CCD. Can you use an infrared
filter on this camera?

It has some, as do all digital cameras, but not enough to preclude doing infrared. See the infrared article on my site. I've yet to figure out exactly which infrared filter I like best on the D100, but I'm leaning towards one that has a lower cutoff (650nm versus 690nm).

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

 

[Joseph S Wisniewski]

When the Group Idiot is the only one who makes a weak attempt at
answering someone's questions Armageddon can not be far behind.

Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him.

• Emerson

Thought it was appropriate.

Joe