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D3/D300 illustrated

ptomsu

ptomsu

Workshop Member
woodyspedden said:
Hey Jack

Two days ago I would have agreed with you but having shot many D3 images in the past two days since I received it I would say the D3 files are slightly better. Both cameras need some sharpening for sure but both hold up very well with the sharpening. Still hard for me to imagine carrying the D3 on my shoulder all day (I will use it primarily for landscapes) but the D300 with the 40mm Voightlander 2.0 is small, lightweight and sweet. I am anxious to try the Zeiss 50 1.4 as well.

Woody
Click to expand...
Great to hear these good things about the D3. I ordered mine a month ago and should get it in March ;)

Looking forward to be able to use all my Nikon glass again on FF :angel:

I have waited for this the last 10 years or so :D
 
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woodyspedden

New member
Peter

I predict you will love it. The files are great (if a little soft out of camera) but I also predict that after experimentation you will bias towards the Capture Nx software in spite of the fact that it is slow and cumbersome. But it produces the best colors and uses the EXIF data to real advantage. I have become a Lightroom fanatic for all other work but when I have that special image that needs work prior to printing, if it came from a Nikon body it will be processes with NX! YMMV

Woody Spedden
 
Steen

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
This framing is not so good, I had to step to the left to avoid the sun reflecting and blowing out the golden text field, but it doesn't really matter to our purpose here. The textures on the surfaces still make good illustrations as for details in the D300 image file. Here with the ZF 2/50mm.
 
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David K

Workshop Member
Sort of a windy, rainy day down here but I stopped by the beach and grabbed this shot. Not quite as sharp as I'd like but the wings almost appear to glow on the original shot (hope you can see it here). The Leica glow from a Nikon D3 and 70-200 zoom... who would have thunk it :)
 
KurtKamka

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
David, thanks for posting that last one. I'm trying to get an impression of the colors and textures from others who have shot with the DMR and Leica and Zeiss glass. Some of the images I've seen on the various forums seem very cool and clinical. The last shot that you've shown definitely has some mojo. What are your overall impressions of the D3 files? Thanks.

Kurt
 
H

harmsr

Workshop Member
Well you guys are going to have to put up with me experimenting with photos from a D3 now. After PMA, I was just floored by the files and high ISO performance of the D3. I got to use one for a while in Vegas, came home, sold the D300, and received my new D3 today.:D

Batteries are charged, menus are set how I like them, LOOK OUT TOMORROW.

Ray
 
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David K

Workshop Member
Kurt,
I was going to say that's the million dollar question... but it's probably closer to $10k. The short answer is I like them a lot. Shooting in RAW, they need work... levels, curves, and aggressive sharpening for sure. The longer answer, to a question you really didn't ask, is that I love the camera and the three zoom lenses I have (14-24. 24-70, 70-200). Once you get the camera set to where you want it, (no small task with the endless menu options), it really delivers the goods. The AF is superb and the low light capabilities are second to none. The auto exposure is as good as anything I've ever used and better than most. Back to the files. Not to sound cute, but they are great until you compare them to something better. I shot a similar subject yesterday with the D3 and today with the Aptus back and they are not in the same league... not even in the same universe. Truthfully, I think both the Leica DMR and M8 files are better but the Nikon is the better camera (at least for me). I'm able to get consistently sharp keepers in low light situations where I wouldn't even have tried the shot with my Leica gear. I've been printing a lot of 18x24 posters lately from the D3 files and they look great. If you want some RAW files to play with let me know and I'll send them to you. I think I still owe you some ZD files too :)
 
KurtKamka

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
David, thanks for the reply. I'm trying to consider all of the options available with a DSLR as a compliment to the M8 including waiting for the potential R10. In the meanwhile, it certainly would be nice to shoot some long glass again.

Kurt
 
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woodyspedden

New member
KurtKamka said:
David, thanks for the reply. I'm trying to consider all of the options available with a DSLR as a compliment to the M8 including waiting for the potential R10. In the meanwhile, it certainly would be nice to shoot some long glass again.

Kurt
Click to expand...
And to think Kurt that at one time you had more long Leica R glass than anyone on the planet. You must feel a little naked without them. If you remember I almost bought them but the accountant in my life (wife) went nuts and of course she was right. I don't make money with this endeavor, just have fun.

be well

Woody
 
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David K

Workshop Member
Woody and Kurt,
Funny thing is that Kurt's long glass wound up down here in Florida with a neighbor of mine, Roger. If there were a demographic of "most Leica long lenses per capita" we'd probably be near the top of the list. Roger is doing some amazing work with that glass shooting kiteboarders. Perhaps he'd be kind enough to share some of those images with us here. I'll ask him next time we meet.
 
Steen

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
The ZF 1.4/85mm isn't exactly a macro lens, but it was what I had on the D300 when I spotted this Mandrake Root (lat.: Mandragora). There are a lot of strange myths about this plant. I had to photograph the beautiful yellow "knobs", stamens (?) or whatever they are called in english. Not my native language as you may have noticed :)
 
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woodyspedden

New member
David K said:
Woody and Kurt,
Funny thing is that Kurt's long glass wound up down here in Florida with a neighbor of mine, Roger. If there were a demographic of "most Leica long lenses per capita" we'd probably be near the top of the list. Roger is doing some amazing work with that glass shooting kiteboarders. Perhaps he'd be kind enough to share some of those images with us here. I'll ask him next time we meet.
Click to expand...
David

I know Roger well as we were together on the Leica trip to Germany this summer with his lovely wife. He certainly has lots of wonderful glass including my old Zeiss 28 2.0 Hollywood. And a nicer man is hard to find. I hope too that he will post some of the APO/Telyt work he is doing.

Woody
 
glenerrolrd

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
I have been shooting so much ....my editing and processing is way behind. Sound familiar? I received my D3 and the same 3 zooms that David has last Thursday. So I set out to do 3 days of shooting and see what I could come up with. The goal ...shoot what I know ...no test targets just the same stuff I have been shooting with my Leicas. I will attach a few ...but I came up with 16 images out of 190 that are representative. If you can remember Nikon verse Leica on kodachrome ..its the same right out of the box...at least in Lightroom. The Leica lenses have a richness of color and an ability to separate the tones that is unmatched. The nikkors are every bit as sharp and IMHO for zoom lenses just amazing . The big difference was when I worked hard on the raw conversions(lightroom) the nikon images can be made to almost match the leica images (especially in print). Things I expected....super fast handling.. a pro point and shoot. High Iso just amazing ..you can shoot at midnight. Things I didn t expect(good). The new lenses are silent..I had to check to see if the autofocus was on. The shutter is very reasonable. I didn t see anyone flinch when I was street shooting. Its big but I forgot it in a few minutes .Things I didn t expect (bad)....I forgot full frame has a narrow depth of field. Shooting at 1/2 stop down f3.2 with a 24-70 you have to really watch the exact focus point. The very high resolution makes it easy to see the focus plane..maybe too easy. .Overall it will not replace my M8 or the DMR but now I can shoot action without trying so hard. Ok lets see if I can attach a few . And yes it is 75 and Sunny in Jupiter. :D
 
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