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Problems with Nikon D100

Digital camera carry the ultimate light-meter - the histogram. Upon encountering a new image acquisition episode, always do a test shot, check the results on the histogram screen and use exposure compensation to place the graph comfortably between the right and left axis.

Realize that auto-exposure is a lot less "auto" than most people assume. It is strongly influenced by powerful bright or dark areas in the image. It is trying for an average. If there is an actual light source, it will try to protect your highlights at a cost to the rest of the picture.

One must be constantly aware of the relationship of the level of reflectivity of the subject in relation to the background. A dark subject against an average background will be greatly lacking in detail. See the Raven shot near the bottom of the page at http://www.larry-bolch.com/ephemeral/ There is extreme detail in the black feathers, since it was shot against a dark conifer forest in deep shadow.

Likewise, a stage performer against a black background. With full auto metering, the performer will be totally washed out and the background a middle grey. Unless one is willing to switch to manual metering, test shots and exposure compensation are the only salvation for the images. Realize with chrome film when the image brightness exceeds the base density of the film or with digital when the RGB value reaches 255, 255, 255, all detail above that level is lost forever, and there is absolutely NO way to recover it.

Cameras are incredibly stupid. Their auto exposure systems are easily fooled, and it is a very naive photographer who trusts them implicitly. The wise photographer does test shots and uses appropriate exposure compensation for every episode. Light metering is different with an auto-exposure camera from the traditional hand-held meter with film, but it is no less important. The histogram is the digital-based photographer's best friend. See http://www.larry-bolch.com/histogram/

It is up to the photographer to supply the intelligence. If the photographer is as stupid as the camera, there is no hope.

larry! ICQ 76620504 http://www.larry-bolch.com/
 
Panning can get you dramatic pictures symbolizing speed. The field of race cars pouring out of the second turn at Daytona shot at 1/2000th of a second, look like they are parked on the track. Deadly boring shot. Charging through the tri-oval with an exposure of 1/60th or 1/125th, the stands are streaks of colour, the wheels are motion blur and it looks exactly like at car going 200 mph. Up the speed to 1/500th and shoot the winner crossing the finish line. The checkered flag will still be motion blurred but recognizable, but the feeling of speed will still be in the shot.

Try a similar shot with a runner, panning to keep the face sharp, but with limbs and background motion blurred. The blurs and the intensity on the face speak of the strain of competition. Panning allows the shooter to choose what is sharp and what is motion blurred. Panning is a powerful and expressive communication tool.

A monopod is a great asset for panning, confining camera motion to the horizontal plane allowing for a high degree of sharpness for the moving subject, with straight-line blurs in the background. Through practice, you can develop a feel for the shutter speed that best expresses the impression you wish to communicate. Needless to say it varies from a running child to a horse race to racing cars. Of course, if you are shooting digital, you can do test shots on the spot and then adjust to fine tune the effect.

Photoshop does have motion blur filters, however it would be a great deal of work to try to recreate the motion of the arms and legs of a running person or animal. During the concept phase of image creation, the shooter assesses the final image and divides the tasks between the exposure phase and the interpretation phase. Some things are better done in camera and others in the processing. It varies with each shot.

larry! ICQ 76620504 http://www.larry-bolch.com/
 
> Thank you Larry for this most informative advice about panning > technique and which I must now endeavor to put into practice. Oh, how > I wish that this discussion forum will be confined on how to achieve > better photographs rather than which camera or lens is better or am I > mistaken here again. Inno'
 
No tool works better than the artist or craftperson using it. If one can not make powerful, high-quality images with a Coolpix 4500, putting a deposit on a D2X will not improve them in the immediate future. It is not the camera, but what the shooter can do with it.

I was honored to be the guest speaker at a regional new-media conference last spring, and as an introduction I did a slide show encompasing most of my career. My best work over the decades.

It was a mix of images that originated from a variety of 35mm and medium format cameras - SLRs, rangefinders, field cameras and a panoramic, plus a CP990 and CP5k digital. The film shots were all carefully scanned and everything was optimized and balanced for digital projection.

In the discussion that followed, it came up that no one could tell the camera origins of the images. The only clue that a picture was of film origin, was by deduction - digital was not available when people were wearing that style. Someone further chimed in about how it all looked like my work - and that was the key point. There were no shots with a digital or film "look". There were none with a Nikon F3 look, or a Linhof "look". There was not a rangefinder "look" to compare to an SLR "look".

These shots were about the image - the content - not what camera made them. Learn photography to the point that you can actually MAKE USE of an advanced camera BEFORE you buy it. There is no point in giving a fiddle student a Stradivarius violin. It will not improve the kid's playing one iota. It takes a top-notch master to bring out the difference, and the difference is quite subtle.

The various cameras were bought one at a time as my image-making demanded them. Nothing was ever bought because it was "cool". Each camera and each lens was chosen to do work in specific conditions that my job demanded, and not purchased until that demand could be clearly defined. Once purchased, many days of testing were spawned, learning its strengths and weakness to the point that I was totally fluent with it before it ever went on a job.

I am always delighted to discuss the making of images, and all such questions will elicit the best answers of which I am capable.

larry!

ICQ 76620504

http://www.larry-bolch.com/
 
hey all,
I got a d100 a few weeks ago and all was great- then the histogram and highlights display suddenly stopped working so it was exchanged for another new d100 and everything was fine again- then the new one could no longer display histogram and/or highlights after about 300 shots!?!?!?- anybody heard of this or know what I'm doin' wrong- the same thing happened to a friends D100 and they have no idea why- any ideas would be appreciated.....
 
I have misplaced my Nikon Capture 4 demo that came with my camea. I have tried a couple of Nikon sites, attempting to download a copy but their sites are no longer available. Go figure. Do you have a 'working' address that I can try for a copy? TIA. Gary
 
sunshine - I am a photographer just converted to D100. yesterday i got very overxposured pictures in bright sunlight. I have a shade. iso 200 (the iso couldn't be set any lower), shooting at 200 -lighting set to sun choice. At manual it called for fstop22. do i physically move to the right fstop or does it compensate.

short version - how set for very bright light? thanks
 
Tell me other settings you used for your shot.

I want to know shutter speed and aperture used.

in the sun, you should try 1/1000 and around f/14-f/16 and see what results that yields.

You can also try aperture priority mode and let the camera select the shutter speed for you.

Also, check to make sure you don't have the exposure compensation adjust incorrectly.
 
Also, tells us which lens you have, is it a "G" or a "D" or is it one of the older Nikkors? The latter two lenses have their own considerations. If you can take a look at the metadata (exposure information and other things), that is imbedded information in the photo, it will help us help you. If you use photoshop or acdsee, or nikon software, you should be able to see this information.
 
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