Nikon D3

HonoringMike · February 8, 2009

Hello all

I just purchased a D3.

I have been able to navigate the users guide and learn the camera well. I am pleased completely with the camera - save one thing. This could very well be my own fault, but I thought you all could help me figure out what's wrong.

When I upload a photo in Adobe Camera Raw, the image data says the image was taken at 5.1 mega pixels?! WTF? I have everything set to the highest image resolution including; NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine, 14 BIT, Large image size. As far as I know, I've completed all the steps for take images with the highest resolution possible. Any suggestions as to what I could be missing?

Thanks so much.

The Mack · February 8, 2009

What lens are you using, a DX lens?
and why is this in the for sale section? lol

catspaw · February 8, 2009

What sort of compression do you have it set for? Page 68 of the manual will outline the different compression settings.

(yes I got one 1.5 weeks ago and the manual is my casual reading here at work, so it's right next to me. GEEK.)

Kyle D · February 8, 2009

HonoringMike wrote:

(resposted - posted in the wrong location)

Hello all

I just purchased a D3.

I have been able to navigate the users guide and learn the camera well. I am pleased completely with the camera - save one thing. This could very well be my own fault, but I thought you all could help me figure out what's wrong.

When I upload a photo in Adobe Camera Raw, the image data says the image was taken at 5.1 mega pixels?! WTF? I have everything set to the highest image resolution including; NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine, 14 BIT, Large image size. As far as I know, I've completed all the steps for take images with the highest resolution possible. Any suggestions as to what I could be missing?

Thanks so much.

Someone else who actually has a D3 might be able to correct me but, I believe that the D3 can detect if a DX crop factor lens is used on it. Once it has detected that it will automatically go into DX mode and make the sensor act like a DX sensor (like in a D50/D2/etc) and in doing so it only uses 5.1MP of the sensor.

So, from what you've said, I think you might have a DX lens on it, something like the 18-70, 18-135, etc. Does the lens say DX anywhere on it? What lens are you using exactly?

Kyle D · February 8, 2009

catspaw wrote:

What sort of compression do you have it set for? Page 68 of the manual will outline the different compression settings.

(yes I got one 1.5 weeks ago and the manual is my casual reading here at work, so it's right next to me. GEEK.)

I'm officially jealous! I wish I had the money/means to go from a D50 to a D3! With a D3, shooting in a dim arena at a barn wouldn't be a problem at all! How I'm ever so jealous! Care to share?

catspaw · February 8, 2009

Kyle D wrote:

Someone else who actually has a D3 might be able to correct me but, I believe that the D3 can detect if a DX crop factor lens is used on it. Once it has detected that it will automatically go into DX mode and make the sensor act like a DX sensor (like in a D50/D2/etc) and in doing so it only uses 5.1MP of the sensor.

So, from what you've said, I think you might have a DX lens on it, something like the 18-70, 18-135, etc. Does the lens say DX anywhere on it? What lens are you using exactly?

Yes it can and yes it does automatically. Page 60 of the manual will outline this in detail for the originalk poster.

catspaw · February 8, 2009

Kyle D wrote:

I'm officially jealous! I wish I had the money/means to go from a D50 to a D3! With a D3, shooting in a dim arena at a barn wouldn't be a problem at all! How I'm ever so jealous! Care to share?

refinance the house at a great rate?

I too shoot horses and horse shows -- mostly I was employed to do a series of shows and clinics this year for a very very nice part in Park City. However, I hadn't the gear to handle indoor settings and I knew I needed it. It was a business investment as far as I'm concerned (and I still adore my itty bitty teeny D50!) but doesn't mean I didn't

when I got it a week or so ago.

Kyle D · February 8, 2009

catspaw wrote:

refinance the house at a great rate?

I too shoot horses and horse shows -- mostly I was employed to do a series of shows and clinics this year for a very very nice part in Park City. However, I hadn't the gear to handle indoor settings and I knew I needed it. It was a business investment as far as I'm concerned (and I still adore my itty bitty teeny D50!) but doesn't mean I didn't when I got it a week or so ago.

I wish I had a house to refinance, but unfortunately I am a lowly poor starving university student. Plus, I don't think my girlfriend would let me refinance anything seeing as I'm $30 000 in debt because of school.

Also, for the same fact that you've had to make the business investment in the D3 because the D50 wasn't up to the task of indoor shooting, I myself have had to turn down a few shoots due to the client wanting me to photograph a lesson in the middle of winter at night in a poorly lit arena. Also, because of the somewhat limited dynamic range of the D50, shooting inside an arena in the summer with sun streaming in the open windows has made me have to give a client a "free" reshoot because I couldn't salvage any of the images. You may ask yourself, why weren't we outside? Well that's because it was nice and sunny and gorgeous, but pissing down rain like nobodies business but it stayed sunny. It would then stop raining and 5 minutes later start again, this kept up for a couple of hours. It was really weird, and just my luck, on the day of the free reshoot it did the same thing so we had to move indoors again, and again, nothing salvageable. So again with the free reshoot, but this time luckily the weather cooperated and I got some great shots of the client's lesson at sunset.

Even with a few problems like that I can't come close to justifying a D3 nor scraping up the money for one either. That's why I'm looking into possibly getting my hands on a used D2H or D2Hs. Also, do I fault my equipment for the fact that it can't shoot everything perfectly and do everything I ask it to, nope, not in the least. The D50 is a great camera and 90-95% it blows me away with its results and what it can do/handle.

*edit*: Somehow I think I sound like I'm complaining, but I'm honestly not trying to.

catspaw · February 8, 2009

Kyle D wrote:

*edit*: Somehow I think I sound like I'm complaining, but I'm honestly not trying to.

naw, we all want a D3. Heck, even the CANON guy at the camera store wanted the D3!

Definitely reasons we should all be fans of it. However, I do agree that if not for this, I'd have looked into the d300 or something alternative. Also, faster glass helped too (although even then I need ISO up to 3200 (which the D3 CAN do, the D50 cannot) to handle some of the action shots. And this indoor wasn't nearly as dark as others I've been in. Here, the ground is frozen outside in winter, so there's really just not much choice about *where* to ride, so I understand needing to shoot indoors too!

(and yes the lack of significant-other with input into finances helps me make my own decisions, gastly expensive or not!)

Kyle D · February 8, 2009

catspaw wrote:

naw, we all want a D3. Heck, even the CANON guy at the camera store wanted the D3! Definitely reasons we should all be fans of it. However, I do agree that if not for this, I'd have looked into the d300 or something alternative. Also, faster glass helped too (although even then I need ISO up to 3200 (which the D3 CAN do, the D50 cannot) to handle some of the action shots. And this indoor wasn't nearly as dark as others I've been in. Here, the ground is frozen outside in winter, so there's really just not much choice about *where* to ride, so I understand needing to shoot indoors too!

(and yes the lack of significant-other with input into finances helps me make my own decisions, gastly expensive or not!)

I mean the sand rings in my area in winter are usable if the rider/horse don't mind riding in 2-3 feet of snow.

As for shooting in arenas, most in my area that I've been in are pretty dim, which is a huge disappointment. Most of the time when I'm in an arena in my area I'm shooting at ISO 1600 and then running it through noise reduction in NX2 once I get home. Also, with my D50, shooting in dark arenas my goto lens is my 50mm f/1.8, I mean you can't get much faster than that, but unfortunately, that means my cropping has to come in post. But even with the 50mm at f/1.8 (which I don't like to do due to the thin DOF) and the D50 at ISO 1600, it's still pretty hard to get the shutter speed up to the 1/500th I like to use. Sure I'd love the Nikon 80-200 AF-D or the 70-200 VR but again, can't afford those right now nor would they be fast enough for inside. Come spring/summer/fall they'd be great but alas no money and my Sigma 70-300 APO does surprisingly well in the bright light that most summer outdoor shoes are in.

So, right now my biggest decision when it comes to my photography is whether or not I save up for the 70/80-200 or for the D2H/s and use my current crop of lenses. I mean sure, a used D2H can be had used for about $600 CAD which means I could have that faster than the $1100 80-200 or the $2000 70-200. When you think about it, I could get the used D2H and the 80-200 for the same price as the 70-200 which is approximately the same price as a D300. So decisions, decisions.

Any opinions on what you would do or recommend that I should do?

Oh, and about dimly lit barns/arenas, I had this one client that wanted me to do a shoot of her having a lesson in the arena at her barn (again, at night, in the middle of winter). I asked her if there would be any lights in it and she said yes and not to worry about that. I got to the barn and looked at the arena, I swear it was a 30'x30' shed with a single 100w bare bulb hanging from the rafters in the middle. I had no idea what to do/say to the client and it was really hard not to contain my laughter at the entire situation. Luckily for me, her coach was sick and had to cancel the lesson. So, one crisis averted, I set out and got the permission of another barn owner in the area to let us use their arena for an hour. He even offered to trailer the horse for me seeing as it was only about 2-3 kms away, but instead the client rode the horse over to the new arena. The lesson went off without a hitch, the shots came out beautifully, and the use of the arena didn't charge us anything for the use of the arena at all. I asked him what we owed him and he told me nothign and winked, sure enough a couple of days later I got an email from him saying that my client has left her old barn and gone to him. Something about her paying $50 a month more for board at a way better facility and that it would have been stupid for her not to move.

Wow, I just realized I've hijacked this thread something fierce, sorry!

catspaw · February 8, 2009

I used a Sigma 70-300 for a long time and still miss the +300 end compared to the 70-200. If you get a good one, it's a great versatile lens.

Not sure about the lens vs. camera upgrade: right now I'm not sure I could take such indoor photos on my D50 with better lenses. It just doens't handle the higher ISOs, but I also haven't pushed it and used a noise reducing program either. However, remember to factor in that if you get a new body you DO get to sell the D50 if you want (at least a few hundred there), whereas a lens upgrade will allow you to use the new lens but you might decide to keep the old lens too. So ... toss that into your debates.

Kyle D · February 8, 2009

catspaw wrote:

I used a Sigma 70-300 for a long time and still miss the +300 end compared to the 70-200. If you get a good one, it's a great versatile lens.

Not sure about the lens vs. camera upgrade: right now I'm not sure I could take such indoor photos on my D50 with better lenses. It just doens't handle the higher ISOs, but I also haven't pushed it and used a noise reducing program either. However, remember to factor in that if you get a new body you DO get to sell the D50 if you want (at least a few hundred there), whereas a lens upgrade will allow you to use the new lens but you might decide to keep the old lens too. So ... toss that into your debates.

I'm sorry, I'm never, and I mean NEVER selling my D50. It's such a great, versatile, all around camera. I love it to death, plus I have a 3 year extended warranty and my two year Nikon warranty expires at the beginning of March 2009. So, if/when I wear out the shutter, it's being replaced.

If/when I do replace it with either a D2H/s or even farther down the road with a D300/D3 or their replacements, I'll probably convert it to be a dedicated IR camera.

As for getting the 80-200, I think I'd still hold on to my Sigma 70-300 APO. I guess I got a good copy of it because it works great. Plus, I don't think I'd be able to give up the 300mm end, unless I eventually got a 1.4/1.7 TC for the 80-200. But again, the TC would be more money still.

As for the lens vs. body debate, practically everyone I've talked to has said get good glass first and then upgrade the body. But I mean, sure my glass isn't "pro" glass but they are really good copies, plus with the D2H/s I could theoretically go to ISO 6400 if I needed to (ISO 3200 appears to be usable in all the examples I've seen). Plus, the 2.5fps on the D50 and the tiny buffer (I think it's about 4-6 raw images) can't even come close to being compared with the 8fps 40 raw buffer of the D2H/s. And don't forget about the much faster/more accurate AF on the D2H/s. That's why I'm sort of leaning towards upgrading the body.

HonoringMike · February 8, 2009

Thanks to all..

Yes, I was using a DX lens! Crap.... off to the 'for sale' thread.

Matthew Saville · February 8, 2009

HonoringMike wrote:

Thanks to all..

Yes, I was using a DX lens! Crap.... off to the 'for sale' thread.

Actually, most DX lenses (the pro-grade ones at least) can be used in FX, to some extent. The 12-24 DX works great on full-frame at 20-24mm, in fact it is on-par with the 14-24 at 24mm. The 17-55 DX works great past 28/30mm ish...

Just set the D3 to NOT automatically switch to DX mode, and you can shoot in FX mode on a DX lens.

But yeah, FX lenses are of course going to be the way to go if you want to use the D3 to it's fullest potential...

=Matt=

Nikon D3

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