Telephoto for D700?

[Mitchell]

I just bought a D700. Amazing camera.
I want to shoot Ospreys and other birds flying.
I'm thinking of a 400mm and the possibility of using 1.4x or 1.7x extenders for it.

Is AS-F II much improvement over AS-F I?

It seems a Wimberly head is the way to go for panning flying birds. Does VR help with that setup?

I'm new to autofocus so I need help. I've got some decent results pre- and manual focused, but would like to get better focus and higher keeper rate.

Will focus tracking work with diving birds?

All these questions relate to getting the newest version 400 mm or something older.

Thanks for any help.

Best,

Mitchell

View attachment 13837

 

[glenerrolrd]

I asked all these questions when the D3 came out. There is a post on this forum under my user ID that covers autofocus settings on the D3 ....the recommended solution is to use the focus points and lock on using the AF-ON button rather that the shutter release. But you need to go through every setting in the AF menu . Whats recommended here is the approach used by sports photographers. I checked on several forums.

The other alternative is on Ken Rockwell s website. He recommends using the maximum amount of automated support. This works well and for some situations better than the focus point .

You will miss with either alternatives unless the subject is large and in the middle of the frame..even then you will get some with the wing tip in focus verse the fish in your picture.

You can get a lot better the more you use the system and become familiar with the alternatives.

 

[Mitchell]

Thanks for our response, glenerroid.

I found the useful thread you suggested.

I'm wondering specifically what telephoto lens you use, and whether the newer AFS-II lenses are a big improvement over the older ones, and in what way?

Also is focus tracking, with practice, effective with flying birds.

Thanks,

Mitchell

 

[JanRSmit]

I asked all these questions when the D3 came out. There is a post on this forum under my user ID that covers autofocus settings on the D3 ....the recommended solution is to use the focus points and lock on using the AF-ON button rather that the shutter release. But you need to go through every setting in the AF menu . Whats recommended here is the approach used by sports photographers. I checked on several forums.

The other alternative is on Ken Rockwell s website. He recommends using the maximum amount of automated support. This works well and for some situations better than the focus point .

You will miss with either alternatives unless the subject is large and in the middle of the frame..even then you will get some with the wing tip in focus verse the fish in your picture.

You can get a lot better the more you use the system and become familiar with the alternatives.

glenerrolrd,

Failed to find your post on the D3, can you point me in the direction?

Jan R.

IQ is Technology, PQ is YOU

 

[DavidL]

All the bird photographers I knew were 600 f4 types. I shot mostly mammals, photographically speaking, so never went to those lengths. Almost everyone was on Canon in those days so I have no real info on Nikon long lenses. However, I have heard good things via the web, except I have read some rather disturbing reports on the new 500 f4 so if you consider it you should get googleing.
David

 

[Steen]

glenerrolrd,
Failed to find your post on the D3, can you point me in the direction?
Jan R.

Could it be this thread about autofocus on a D3 ... ?

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3136

 

[glenerrolrd]

Thread on autofocus settings http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3136&highlight=autofocus+settings

sorry this looks like the search verse the thread. Do a search on autofocus settings and you will find it easily.

With the long telephotos I shoot baseball and surfing( this is Florida). I use the 200-400/4 VR .....my other alternative would have been the 300/2.8VR and the 1.4 extender...but I use the extender with the 200-400Vr. With baseball ...you have to work around your vantage point ..the 400/2.8VR would produce better IQ but allows no flexibility in a small stadium. Surfers I shoot from a pier and often a 200mm is plenty.

Birds generally require the longest lens you can handle. I shoot with one of the largest Gitzo monopods.

I am not the expert but the 500mm 4.0 is a favorite of many of the bird photographers .. Check out the Nikon Cafe ask there .. They have a group that goes to Merritt Island just for the birds . (near Cape Canaveral).

 

[fultonpics]

that D700 is full frame so you lose a lot of length right off the top. if you want birds, i'd go with as long of glass as you can afford (a 600) a wimberely is real nice to shoot off of and a mono is tougher to steady a 600 but sports guys do it. btw, if you can rent one first and make sure you are comfy with the weight.

 

[tetsrfun]

if you want birds, i'd go with as long of glass as you can afford (a 600)
***********
Good advice, however, if you are on a budget, the Nikon 300 F4 + 1.7 TC is a good combo. A 600 f4 is ~ $10,000 and the 300 + 1.7 is < $2,000. Osprey with 300 + 1.7.