New Lens

[waltesefalcon]

With the eclipse coming up I decided to up my game just a tad, and scrounged around on Ebay for a new lens. I came up with a Nikkor AF-S 70~300mm lens. It arrived today and I found a few things to take shots of in my side yard.
A Dandelion at 1/60, f~11, 300mm, 200ISO
View attachment _WWK6208.jpg
I left the settings the same and went after one of the outside cats, Fatso.
View attachment _WWK6210.jpg
On this one I zoomed out to 220MM but kept the other settings the same.
View attachment _WWK6213.jpg
And lastly, a kinda dark one of my silver maple's helicopters. This one is at 1/500, f~11, 240MM, 200 ISO.
View attachment _WWK6199.jpg

 

[Basil]

You say “with the eclipse coming up”. Does this mean you’re going to attempt to shoot the partial? If so make sure you have a proper solar filter.

 

[DrEntropy]

That's a good optic. I see some camera movement in the first three shots, a good "rule-of-thumb" when hand-held shooting is to keep a shutter speed at least as high as the focal length number you're using... i.e. 70 mm needs at least 1/70 sec, 500 mm, 1/500th, etc.

The longer focal lengths usually need to be considered "shutter priority" when being used hand-held. With our cameras, setting up one of the "U" settings to allow the ISO to go "auto" and you to choose shutter speed and aperture to fit circumstance is really a good answer. IMO a "noisy" shot is better than a blurry one.

Mits shot this hand-held with her 70~300, 1/125th, ∱14 with a 112mm focal length setting and ISO at 1000.

 

[waltesefalcon]

You say “with the eclipse coming up”. Does this mean you’re going to attempt to shoot the partial? If so make sure you have a proper solar filter.

It should be here by tomorrow, along with a remote shutter switch.

 

[waltesefalcon]

That's a good optic. I see some camera movement in the first three shots, a good "rule-of-thumb" when hand-held shooting is to keep a shutter speed at least as high as the focal length number you're using... i.e. 70 mm needs at least 1/70 sec, 500 mm, 1/500th, etc.

The longer focal lengths usually need to be considered "shutter priority" when being used hand-held. With our cameras, setting up one of the "U" settings to allow the ISO to go "auto" and you to choose shutter speed and aperture to fit circumstance is really a good answer. IMO a "noisy" shot is better than a blurry one.

Mits shot this hand-held with her 70~300, 1/125th, ∱14 with a 112mm focal length setting and ISO at 1000.
View attachment 96928

Thanks Doc. I'll remember that. For the eclipse I'll be using my tripod, and a remote shutter switch.

 

[waltesefalcon]

A couple more test shots this morning. I will need to clean that dirt off the lens filter.
View attachment 96970

 

[waltesefalcon]

After playing with my set up I think I may be dialed in for tomorrow. This one was shot at 1/125, f/8.0, 300mm, 200 ISO.

 

[Basil]

Bingo. When you focus, if there are sunspots, try to use them (digital zoom) to get manual focus as sharp as possible. Usually the will look dark in the Center and sort of greyish around edges.