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glowrock Jan 31, 2012 5:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bulliver (Post 5570606)
What I mean, is that AFRAIK you cannot trigger an off-brand speedlight off-camera, and you certainly can't dial in the flash settings on your camera using CLS, therefore, your speedlight is little more than a more powerful built in. Once you start getting into flash you will soon realize that it is _very_ difficult to get natural looking photos with a speedlight sitting on the hotshoe firing directly at your subject at the same angle as the camera. Sure you can tilt the head and bounce, or get a tupperware diffuser, but it will never be close to the results you will get with that flash at arms length, at a 45 degree angle to your subject.

Perhaps, as you mention, some off-brands will fire in slave mode, but that will still require you to trigger it using the pop-up, and there's that horrible, deer-caught-in-a-headlight direct frontal flash again...

You can purchase wireless triggers separately, but if you are going to do that, might as well just get the Nikon.

The SB-600 has been superseded by the SB-700, so you should be able to find it around cheap. Definitely under $300.
With my D5100, I need to get the SB-800 to have the wireless commander capability, based upon some internet searching. Looks like I might be able to get one of those for the $350 range if I'm lucky.

Aaron (Glowrock)

photoLith Jan 31, 2012 5:35 PM
^
What are wanting a flash for?

diskojoe Jan 31, 2012 5:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by glowrock (Post 5571324)
With my D5100, I need to get the SB-800 to have the wireless commander capability, based upon some internet searching. Looks like I might be able to get one of those for the $350 range if I'm lucky.

Aaron (Glowrock)
Ouch! 3 fiddy

diskojoe Jan 31, 2012 5:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by photoLith (Post 5571333)
^
What are wanting a flash for?
Sending high quality photos of his rooster.:tup:

glowrock Feb 1, 2012 1:29 AM
No, that would not be the reason... ;) The real reason is that I think it would be very useful for macro photography as soon as I pick up a dedicated macro lens. In addition, I would like to be able to get better shots of interiors of buildings, especially.

The standard pop-up lens doesn't work for crap, especially when I have a fairly chunky lens attached. The lens effectively creates a shadow in the photo, which, well, pretty much blows... :(

Aaron (Glowrock)

photoLith Feb 1, 2012 2:52 AM
Ok well for macro a regular flash isn't too good. You can buy macro ring flashes for around 100-300. The cheap ones are led and are always on and are pretty good for macro but since they are always on they may scare bugs and such away. There's others that aren't led lights but they are a little more expensive.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-13039_7...01015_6090618_

glowrock Feb 1, 2012 3:26 PM
I think I've found a solution to the spending too much money problem on camera equipment that I've been facing. I decided against going with the Nikon 105mm f2.8 macro mainly because of the cost $800 used, $1000 new. I was looking closely at the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro, and now happened to run across the Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro. Even though I would prefer the 90mm range, I really like the fact that the 60mm is internally focused, and I like the 100mm minimum focus distance for macro without having to worry about the lens barrel extending substantially during focusing.

Best of all, I can get the lens for $370 after Tamron's $100 rebate right now. Not a bad deal, and it leaves me plenty of cash to get that flash I've been looking at! :)

So, long story short, I think I'm going to do that in the next week or so...

Oh yeah, thanks for the information on those ring flashes, photoLith!

Aaron (Glowrock)

glowrock Feb 7, 2012 9:54 PM
Just received my new Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro lens in the mail a few minutes ago. After playing around with it for even a couple of minutes, I now know why everyone has said definitely use a tripod, and manual focus will come in very handy! :) Depth of field is extremely, EXTREMELY shallow! Of course, just playing around with it taking photos of various computer plugs and ports is kinda cool, here's an example of one of my speaker wire plugs that goes into my laptop! Hahaha

Aaron (Glowrock)

--------------------------------------------------------------

http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/t...k/DSC_0829.jpg

photoLith Feb 7, 2012 10:08 PM
Sweet digs man, hope you get some awesome bug shots with that thing.

glowrock Feb 8, 2012 1:07 PM
Thanks, photoLith. Think I'll have to head to the Phipps Conservatory here in Pittsburgh to get some cool flower shots first, though. Bugs and flowers, best subjects for a macro lens! :haha:

Aaron (Glowrock)

diskojoe Feb 8, 2012 9:19 PM
A tripod is a must for macro. and flash.

photoLith Feb 8, 2012 9:34 PM
I dont use a tripod for macro, but flash is for sure a must have.

glowrock Feb 9, 2012 2:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by photoLith (Post 5572150)
Ok well for macro a regular flash isn't too good. You can buy macro ring flashes for around 100-300. The cheap ones are led and are always on and are pretty good for macro but since they are always on they may scare bugs and such away. There's others that aren't led lights but they are a little more expensive.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-13039_7...01015_6090618_
Since I was able to get a great deal on my macro lens (paid $300 for the Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro), I can probably afford to get that Nikon speedlight flash fairly soon. I know that ring flashes are best for macro photography from everything I've read both here and in the photography sites, so what are your thoughts on those adapter kits that convert the light produced by an external flash into the ring unit? This seems like a better option than having two distinct flash units, not to mentioin keeps the photo clutter to a minimum! :)

Aaron (Glowrock)

diskojoe Feb 9, 2012 5:41 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by glowrock (Post 5583704)
Since I was able to get a great deal on my macro lens (paid $300 for the Tamron 60mm f2.0 macro), I can probably afford to get that Nikon speedlight flash fairly soon. I know that ring flashes are best for macro photography from everything I've read both here and in the photography sites, so what are your thoughts on those adapter kits that convert the light produced by an external flash into the ring unit? This seems like a better option than having two distinct flash units, not to mentioin keeps the photo clutter to a minimum! :)

Aaron (Glowrock)
You could make a macro flash tube out of a pringles can and a white shirt. There was a guy that posted up how he made one in the general photo section. This way you could just get the sb 700 and do that. Cant get much cheaper or space saving then that.

Illithid Dude Feb 14, 2012 5:22 AM
Alright. I have quite a dilemma. A good dilemma, but a dilemma nontheless. So, I am looking to get a new Zeiss lens. I had the 35mm 1.4, but got rid of it to get the 25mm f2. Now, I want something less wide. Probably more for people photography. I'm looking at either the 50mm f2 macro, the 100mm f2 macro, or the 85mm f1.4. I can only get one. Any suggestions?

photoLith Feb 14, 2012 5:58 AM
Get the 85, less distortion than the 50, if there is any. I know that Nikons 50mm gives a slight distortion. But the higher focal lengths give less distortion. 100mm is good, but you have to be further back from the subject to get them in the frame.

mthd Feb 14, 2012 7:51 AM
i can't believe i missed this thread :D

i have way too much gear. it's embarrassing.

bodies
nikon d700 (d800e ordered!)
nikon d7000
nikon d300 (only sometimes functional after a salt-water incident)
nikon j1 with FT1 f-mount adapter

lenses (only a small selection, too many to list!)
nikon 12-24 f/4G DX
nikon 16-35 f/4G VR
nikon 24mm f/3.5 PC-E tilt/shift
nikon 24-70 f/2.8G
nikon 24-120 f/4G VR
nikon 28-300 f/3.5-f/5.6G VR
nikon 60 f/2.8G micro
nikon 105 f/2.8D micro
nikon 200 f/4D micro
nikon 35 f/1.8G DX
nikon 50 f/1.4G
nikon 85 f/1.4D
nikon 200-400 f/4G VR
nikon 80-400 f/3.5-f/5.6D VR

nikon 10 f/2.8
nikon 10-30 f/3.5-5.6
nikon 30-110 f/3.8-5.6

add on that the usual tripods, flashes, bags, filters, cards, etc. i typically carry the d700, the 16-35, the 24mm pc-e, maybe the fast primes, one of the mid-range zooms, and the 80-400 in a slightly modified lowepro rezo 190 shoulder bag. lately i've been throwing the j1 in the bag for fun.

of all the lenses i use when shooting cities and landscapes, the 24mm pc-e is my absolute favorite.

photoLith Feb 14, 2012 11:59 AM
^
Holy crep you have everything. I thought I had a good collection of gear; you basically have enough to open a store. Awesome gear man.

flar Feb 14, 2012 2:01 PM
You could trade that gear in for a decent car :haha:


If anyone is looking for a Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8 D, pm me. I have too many lenses and this one is the odd man out. It's an awesome lens in mint condition but I always grab my 105mm f/2.5 AI-S instead. I bought the 85 mostly for my wife so we'd have a fast telephoto prime with auto focus, but she always uses the 35mm f/1.8.


Illithid Dude: since you don't mind manual focus, I put in a good word for the Nikon 105mm f/2.5 AI-S. My favourite lens and one of the all time classic Nikkor portrait lenses, very sharp with an attractive transition to out of focus areas at a fraction of the price of the Zeiss lenses. Actually, it's so cheap you could get it and a Zeiss without noticing.

diskojoe Feb 14, 2012 4:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by flar (Post 5590059)
You could trade that gear in for a decent car :haha:


If anyone is looking for a Nikon AF 85mm f/1.8 D, pm me. I have too many lenses and this one is the odd man out. It's an awesome lens in mint condition but I always grab my 105mm f/2.5 AI-S instead. I bought the 85 mostly for my wife so we'd have a fast telephoto prime with auto focus, but she always uses the 35mm f/1.8.


Illithid Dude: since you don't mind manual focus, I put in a good word for the Nikon 105mm f/2.5 AI-S. My favourite lens and one of the all time classic Nikkor portrait lenses, very sharp with an attractive transition to out of focus areas at a fraction of the price of the Zeiss lenses. Actually, it's so cheap you could get it and a Zeiss without noticing.
What he meant to say is that you want to buy his 85mm because its an awesome lens and it will transfer magic powers from Flar to you through the mail.


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