Nikon D7100

[Matt Tucker]

Well, I pulled the trigger and bought a new camera body.

[David Anderson]

Hi Matt, I just switched back from Canon to Nikon (after 12 years) and the 7100 interests me as a
back-up body to the D800e and as a good place to park a longer lens or macro.
24 megapixels in a cropped sensor, with it’s extra depth of field would have be great for photographing flies ect.

Interested to hear more of what you think of it..

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[John Bennett]

Grats Matt.  🙂
New camera’s are always great news no matter the name brand, which frankly these days means squat.

David, you though I’m surprised to hear have made a switch. I can’t imagine the aches glass are going to cause :(.

Also, between the Dx (which blows almost anything other than Nikons equally jaw dropping D4 away, a good pro friend of mine shoots both N and C, has both of them and all the glass, to him theres only a couple things to choose between the two and what/when determines whether he reaches for the D4 or Dx )

and with the new 600 RT (the only radio wireless out there…although Im sure N to will come to market)…

Since picking up a Dx Ive barely touched my 1Dmkiv..It blows, blows the mkiv away and the mkiv is no slouch :)….Im locking onto subjects in near darkness where my eyes have trouble making out subjects and shooting at ridiculous ISOs. Honest to god, I’ve got shots of Bucks I could barely see with my eyes the light was so dim……Fast, bang on focus.

For “outdoors” shooters its…..unbeatable.

Im confused. I am not going to enter some silly C>N or N>C chest thumping debate. Just curious what convinced you to switch.

[Ben Cochran]

Haven’t posted here in a good while but I think I may have read something that compels me to do so… 🙂 I could swear that I read something where my ole pal David Anderson came over to the dark side and is now a Nikon convert? I may need to take a long nap and when I awaken, come back to see if I actually made this post and did, in fact, read this revelation… 😀 😉 ;D David, welcome to the dark side and will the last Canon user please bring the flag upon your arrival. LOL

Agree with everyone about how the image quality is equal but speaking for myself, I really prefer the functionality built into the design and layout of the Nikon pro bodies. This and I have to stand by my belief in the Nikon CLS and flexibility/reliability of the nikon strobes. On the same note, it really is what each person is accustomed too and the in depth relationship that they have in both working knowledge and purposeful application of their equipment.

Congratulations Matt and would love to hear and see more of your impressions, with your new camera. 🙂

[Matt Tucker]

I took the D7100 out on Sunday to shoot my daughter’s volleyball tournament.

[John Bennett]

Thats great Matt.
Liveview can have it’s uses for stills, it’s not something Ive used a lot for stills but when I have I’ve appreciated it.
Night skies being one, few others

Wow Ben pops up to 🙂
Trust me I just about fell over reading Davids news. Each “system” has its minor advantages. Flash maybe being one but then again I have radio triggered wireless in the 600 RT. No more pains of optical or dumb triggers like Pws…full ettl if I desire, 5 groups of up to fifteen, can control any and all individually or as groups, from the camera menu. Can have some in manual, some in Ettl or change any combination on the fly. nanananna 😉

[J A Y M O R R]

This thread makes me chuckle.

[Ben Cochran]

Thanks for that feedback Matt. the D200 is still a good outfit but as you noted, it really was still in the infancy phase of Nikon Digital. 🙂

Hey John, yep, decided to pop my head up above the ground again and great seeing you here! 🙂 Not to hijack this thread but I had some curiosities with your new system. I do agree, with you, about the PW systems and that is the reason why I went with RP and modified them. Even though they do have full TTL and CLS functionality, I have never had them out of manual mode and don’t think that I will. I do couple the transmitters with Nikon SU800’s and this allows me to control 3 groups and 4 channels per SU800, while converting the IR to radio and then back to IR on each unit: THEY WORK GREAT (VERY RELIABLE!), shoot through anything and distance has been no issue. Given the fact that I have 8 RP PX units, don’t think I will be straying away from them for a while.  😉 Also, I am able to still use the IR by shooting over the the top of the transmitter window and, effectively, send IR and R frequencies down range, simultaneously.

I am curious about your 600 RT: You mentioned “5 groups of up to fifteen”. I am concluding that this means groups of “A” – “E”, is this correct? Also, does it only support up to 15 units, is that what that means or is that 15 channels?

[John Bennett]

5 groups, 15 channels. All controllable from camera. For me it’s huge of a number of reasons. The less I carry the better, I can’t very well go fiddle with a unit when duck hunters are waving shotguns around, or game might get spooked etc. Will allow me to set units up, then operate, turn groups off on /all whatever. Painfull part is selling PWs, old units and re-equipping.
Suspect its the way of the future, only a matter of time before its widespread.
http://pixsylated.com/blog/canon-600ex-rt-first-impressions/

Re “stuff”. They are all just ovens after all, and one oven is much like the rest have been for a long time. 🙂 But still shocking one when makes a switch, figured this latest stuff released in the last year s was/is right up Davids alley. Curious minds.

Always around but these days we’ve all come so far, fewer questions, threads discussing bodies, how to’s, technical aspects. Good to see the crowds still around

Post some pics Matt

[J A Y M O R R]

I wouldn’t be ditching PW’s because the max sync speed on a D4 or 1DX is going to be 1/250th.

Hypersync is where its at.  It is at another level when applied in wildlife photography.  I thought you would be all for that JB?? 😉

Example: http://quickblink.photoshelter.com/package-show/Hummingbirds/P00000EJPIILxIeY

Another example: Shooting at high noon at 2.8 with creamy DoF.  Or over powering the sun with speeds at 1/8000th  😉  I strobe at high noon so for me it is a big deal.

I will be keeping my MINI’s & TT5’s in the bag  …check please.

[John Bennett]

While we wait for Matt to post some pics, hopefully a “little” hardware talk won’t be too bad.Its not like were posting pics in his thread or something. 😉

Jay you obviously missed the point and the compliment :(.
An oven is an oven is an oven and there are lots of slightly different ovens out there, all will get you to the same place. Consider what I said a slightly tongue in cheek (nanananana) 🙂 to underscore the point. One system is known for its strobes, the other offers something a little different.

Either you believe those words said to the gent with some mild “lens envy” or you don’t :)…They are all ovens.

David switching is a shock, given what he does, he “owned”…No more less, no less, for a guy that does a fair bit of outdoor strobe/studio stuff the 600s released last year (along with new bodies) might have been very interesting.

Jay, honestly, I have my TT5s and like anything, anything, be it Canon 7D or a Nikon 5100, a D4 or Dx there are tradeoffs.  Heres but one related to PWs or RPs or X.

Each TT5 takes up more real estate in the bag.  Each TT5 requires more batteries. Four “units”, you need 5 TT5s and 10 batteries plus spares.

Now I don’t know about you but when Im slugging 40-60 pounds of eq through brush and that before slugging a 8 pound rifle/shotgun, duck decoys, pop up blinds any other other gear  ounces matter. As does the real estate inside bags. Or when Im catching a beaver and am limited to 100 pounds of gear total…One assignment last year I hard time keeping my camera to 60 pounds, by the time I added fishing gear I was at 110. Didn’t leave room for underwear or a toothbrush.

As I said Jay, let me know when you can make adjustments from your camera to all your slaves, turn one group off…or on, change this or that.. ..You can’t, not without busting yourself, or getting in the line of fire..or pissing of hunters/anglers/models  blah blah

PWs are not always reliable (they are good, very good but do misfire) and further hyper has been known to fry units  :D…Been there, done that, it’s not heresy.(its a dirty little secret PW doesn’t advertise, but they are happy to repair your unit free of charge)..so thats what I think of hyper..aka not very much.

So RT units (note Im not saying any brands) and high speed sync  just fine thank you and 10 stops of light reduction via a variable ND allows me to shoot wide open up in full sun. Surprised you didn’t know that 🙂

Now given David does a fair of stuff where those kinds of “trade-offs” come into play. Yeah, it’s surprising. No more, no less.

Matt post some pics 🙂

[Matt Tucker]

Apparently, i need to post some photos or something……

seriously enjoying the hardware talk.

photos soon…

[John Bennett]

Yeah you do Matt, the we celebrate your new hardware and cheer the results.

I do appolgise if you feel it got a little sidetracked. It started off with the very very hard decision to make a trade off or 3 for something else. I don’t care what system someone has, it’s painful. The more into one system (body’s, lenses, strobes, cable releases) the more painful it is. Can be painfull enough that your better off just stepping up from a 5D to a Mkiv or Dx or to a N D4. So when someone like David makes the gut check and does it. It’s surprising.

And seriously grats and please do post pics so we can see and cheer the switch

[J A Y M O R R]

Filters have their place but they do not replace the same effects of strobing mid day wide open.  It just doesnt.

I have a different opinion regarding PW’s and for me they do not take up any room at all.  I am not packing 10 of them into the field…..I am packing two for a single strobe for fishing or wildlife in most cases. Than on the other hand I am not rolling with lots of  different filters either, nor do I like putting them over my precious tack sharp NANO!  🙂  (to each their own)

As far as making adjustments to slaves in the field for the groups you mention …..You previously stated that weight in your kit is an issue and refer to filters as a substitute,  do you honestly ever use this feature in the field JB for the light groups you are referring to?

Sure, their is a savings and a little convenience in not having to use remote triggers with a 1Dx but I am not relying on ND filters for the kind of work that I do.  

Units frying are extremely rare and they are very reliable.  I know because I shoot with them every day in studio and so do thousands of others 😉

And while we are talking shop….hahahaha  the QXD system on the D4 will shoot 200 RAW files before filling the buffer at 11fps.  That is over 20 full seconds.   Tell me how that buffer is on the 1Dx wildlife images you are getting JB….do you like the 4 seconds results?   😀  

1 thing you and I can agree on is that every second counts with buffer when birds or fast action is bombing in.

[Mike Livingstone]

I am also looking into the D7100. i have a question. Is this camera considered a full frame digital camera?

[J A Y M O R R]

Mike the 7100 is a huge upgrade from the 7000 and is a APS-C image censsor (Crop).  It is not full frame however, built around a new 24.1-megapixel image sensor and the same Expeed 3 image processor that drives the full-frame D4.

It is a very nice camera that will burst out 6FPS and has a 51 point auto focus system.  

It will work nicely with your 10-24.  It is a tough choice between the 7100 and the D600.  The 7100 is a 24.1MP but you can set it to shoot at 15.1.

My opinion….full frame bodies are coming down in price and with the launch of the D600 and D800, both full frame bodies, I would have a hard time investing in DX glass only to upgrade when you go the full frame route.  

Hope that helps.  Either way the D7100 is a very nice crop body and much improved over the D300s which I still use as a back up to my D700.  

Oh one more thing, the LCD on the D7100 is tack! Probably the best LCD Nikon has put out to date.  Good stuff.

For the cost you could also purchase a full frame used D700 which is very solid.

[Brett Colvin]

Mike – today’s DX bodies are stellar and you should not think twice if you are eyeballing the D7100.  My simple take: If you can afford it, go full frame.  It’s now the professional standard and will continue to be.

Generally FX glass will be more expensive and the bodies will be physically larger, where in the DX consumer world light plastics and increasingly compact size are the norm.

I shot with the D300 for many years and was happy with it – the D7100 far outclasses that body in every way.

Ultimately I’m so happy with the results I have been getting from my full frame bodies that I never shoot crop anymore – but it’s just a function of having FX in the arsenal already.  

A few recent images from the Nikon FX:

[Mike Livingstone]

Thanks for the input guys, those are some great images as well. The reason for wanting to stay with the DX is that I already own two DX

[Ben Cochran]

The reason for wanting to stay with the DX is that I already own two DX  lenses. I am not familiar with the full frame format and do not know the pros and cons of that. Understand that the 7100 will be an upgrade from the D70s, so, wow, what a jump eh? Still doing some research and trying to make the right decision. Thanks again!

Mike, please don’t allow yourself to get caught up into thinking of full frame as an upgrade or any sensor sized sensor as an upgrade to a smaller. The DX sensor is placed into a professional body for a reason, the same as the full size sensor = they are professional tools that serve a specific need.

Truth of the matter: The Con’s of one sized sensor are the Pro’s of another sized sensor. The main character traits, that differ in the two sized sensors, are: Field of View and DOF. For wide shots, the full frame sensor, especially a medium format sensor, are the better tools. For reach, the DX sensor functions better. Between the two cameras, you will find a variance in the hyperfocal distance, as well as the mentioned DOF. One of my considerations, in which tool to use, has always been my distance to subject and desired DOF. When I use the term DOF, I am referring to the desired focus zone and placement of same.

These are the major considerations in choosing which sensor size to use, as a proactive tool. They all serve as tools in a professional setting, as a carpenter might say “One sized hammer will NOT do all things equally, the correct hammer to reach the desired results for a specific job.” The image quality is equal between the mentioned sized sensors, the art and beauty of the shot

[tim johnson]

Just read a 25 page review on the 7100 here http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d7100

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