Wez's D810 thread

Just a few comments from me Wez

1). if the lens is front or back focussing - using f8 or higher would give you slightly more DOF - so maybe sharper if the lens is off

2). 36mp's minimum will emphasise any user faults the more so the longer the lens, (as you indicate)

3). I have read than with these big MP sensors - the generally advised shutter speed of "at just over the lens mm's" should be increased to 1.5 the focal length = i.e. on a 600mm lens from 1/600th sec min to 1/900th sec min

I had/have the same comments as you when using the D750 v the D810 .......... I only use the D810 on a tripod with longer lens ...... but as each day goes by I am getting more used to the D810
 
Last edited:
BillN_33 said:
Just a few comments from me Wez

1). if the lens is front or back focussing - using f8 or higher would give you slightly more DOF - so maybe sharper if the lens is off

2). 36mp's minimum will emphasise any user faults the more so the longer the lens, (as you indicate)

3). I have read than with these big MP sensors - the generally advised shutter speed of "at just over the lens mm's" should be increased to 1.5 the focal length = i.e. on a 600mm lens from 1/600th sec min to 1/900th sec min

I had/have the same comments as you when using the D750 v the D810 .......... I only use the D810 on a tripod with longer lens ...... but as each day goes by I am getting more used to the D810
Click to expand...

It certainly is a fantastic camera, tracking with the 5 point group area af really is great. My Tamron 70-200 2.8 lens on it is outrageously fast and sharp!

I only use that 150-600 lens on a tripod so pretty sure the 1.5 x the focal length doesn't matter. I don't tend to use that lens hand-held much anymore, as I know that it can be hand-held, but in the past others had advised to keep it on a tripod and the images are a lot sharper.

It is a really noticeable difference though between 500mm and 600mm. 500mm I can use it wide open but the moment I change it to 600mm wide open, it's terrible.

I suppose the only way I'll know is by getting it looked at.
 
wezza13 said:
It certainly is a fantastic camera, tracking with the 5 point group area af really is great. My Tamron 70-200 2.8 lens on it is outrageously fast and sharp!

I only use that 150-600 lens on a tripod so pretty sure the 1.5 x the focal length doesn't matter. I don't tend to use that lens hand-held much anymore, as I know that it can be hand-held, but in the past others had advised to keep it on a tripod and the images are a lot sharper.

It is a really noticeable difference though between 500mm and 600mm. 500mm I can use it wide open but the moment I change it to 600mm wide open, it's terrible.

I suppose the only way I'll know is by getting it looked at.
Click to expand...

Generally zooms are weaker at the longer end and the D810 will reveal weaknesses in lesser quality lens more than other DSLR Nikon bodies ....... it is what I have read and what tests reveal and the D7200 only uses the centre of the lens so that could account for the difference

Have you tried the D810 in DX mode and compared it with the FX at 600mm?
 
The Tamron should not be very noticeably softer at 600mm ... when I had mine it was always at 600mm and I never had cause for complaint.
 
wezza13 said:
Just reviving this as I've been out with the D810 and the Tamron 150-600 today for a few hours.

Wanted to test it some more before I sent it off to possibly be re-calibrated / f/w updated.

I left the AF Fine tune off all of the time.

If I focused on something at the other side of the pond (at infinity) at 600mm and f6.3, the result was that the subject was blurry. Stopping it down to f8 or f9 made it ever so slightly sharper.

However, when I kept it at 500mm or shorter the results were a hell of a lot sharper. And, with a budget lens such as this, I would be happy if at 600mm, it was the same as at 500mm but I knew before I purchased this lens that it was meant to be soft at the long end.

When the lens was on my D7100 and D600, 600mm was slightly softer than at 500mm and a quick bit of sharpening in PP sorted it out.

BUT, I reckon that the D810 is accentuating the long end of the focal range and making it look a lot worse than it is, due to the 36mp resolution.

Maybe this is why they require a firmware update to counteract this problem.

Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

Hi Wez,

Could you share your comparison images for us to see?

I have recently been using my 300mm PF + 2xTC for some moon shots and I eventually got an image I was happy with. Still not great but a big improvement for me.
I will be the first to admit that there were lots of different variables between the shots but I did notice that I had left the VR setting to sport. I was just wondering when you have noticed the large difference between 500 and 600mm has your VC been off? I'm not familiar with your Tamron lens so I'm not sure if it has different settings or simply on/off.

I had been under the impression that when tripod mounted VR should be switched off but recently found out that does not apply to all lenses.

Osmo
 
Have you tried it with VC on? I think i noticed an improvement for my 600mm shots with VR on, even when tripod mounted.
 
Did lots of testing with it yesterday afternoon. Also tried it with VC on whilst on the tripod but it didn't make any difference.

After reading lots about it on the 'net and seeing that a lot of people avoid using it at the 600mm end, I took a load of pictures and the lens stayed sharp up to the 500mm point. When it was past that focal length, that's where things weren't sharp. I stopped it down to f11 and they sharpened up a bit. F11 isn't practical though for wildlife and for the mainly cloudy cover that I shoot in. So I've consigned myself to the fact that it'd have to be used as a 500mm (which I tested at f8) and that seems to be the sweet spot.

I just think that the D810's 36mp resolution means that it accentuates the lack of sharpness at that end.

But it's nice and sharp at the long end when I shoot video on the D810!
 
I guess the same 36mp that stole the 100mm gives it back in more flexible croppability though.
 
Would you run into a similar problem though with that lens now being pushed to its maximum with a resulting sweet spot at say 400mm. I dont know, just asking. Is it known to be good at 500mm on the d810?
 
@wezza13 Interested to know if they found a fault with your Tamron in the end and if so has the repair helped?

I wondered if one of the threads D810 gurus could help me with something?
I have noticed that when I review where the actual focus point is on an image it is very rarely on what I intended it to be. On reviewing my most recent shots from both static and moving subjects I would have a better chance of hitting the exact point I wanted to have in focus by focusing randomly on something else!

I never had this problem with my D800 (or D3S) for that matter and what I hope is that I have inadvertently and foolishly changed a setting somewhere.
The focus point is rock steady in the view finder (focus assigned to AF-ON only) I then very smoothly close the shutter and almost every time it jumps and randomly chooses something else to focus on. Sometimes it even 'chooses' a featureless sky rather than the high contrast subject that was the intended target.

Any advice (other than sell your gear and buy a camera with a Fisher Price label)?
Thanks
 
Wezza

Interesting about FoCal Pro, but likeSpyerlenscal for back/ front focus I suspect you can keep making adjustments to settings which is a bind
 
Last edited:
Osmo said:
@wezza13 Interested to know if they found a fault with your Tamron in the end and if so has the repair helped?
Click to expand...

Hiya,

I got the lens back about a month ago. It cost me £30 via RMSD to send away.

In the notes that I got back from them it said :-

"Downloaded latest firmware. Replaced USD and contact circuit board. Full clean, check and test."

It's come back more or less the same though. The reason that I say "more or less" is that the AF hasn't frozen as much as it did but, where I used to be able to solve it by quickly turning off the camera and then turning back on, I now have to turn it off and detach the lens and re-attach. It's happened less than it used to though but still caused me to miss opportunities, which was a shame.

I don't use it at more than 500mm anymore. 600mm is okay within about 20 feet but further than that and it's not very sharp at all. But, then again, I've read into it more and lots of people describe exactly the same things as I've experienced. It does improve when stopped down to f8-f9 though.

It's lovely and sharp at 500mm and obviously can make it an effective focal length of 750mm by switching the D810 to DX mode.

I use my 300mm AF-S F4 with a tc 1.4 now, rather than the Tammy, as it may have 80mm less but it renders the colours and contrast better than the Tammy IMO.

I'll probably sell it as it is a nice lens but I'm angling, ultimately, for a 500mm F4.

Hope this helps.

Wez

P.S. What focus mode are you using, is it the 5-pointGroup AF? I've been mainly using Group AF for BiF's and Single point for perched birds.
 
Hi Wez,

At least its a result of sorts in that you know where you are with that lens now.

I have the 300mm f/4 PF + 1.4TC and when I'm lucky (not very often) with nailing the focus it does produce very nice images.

Like you I use Group AF for BiF and single point for perched birds and other static subjects but even in single point the focal point is 'never' where I intended it to be! :(
I'm trying to work out what I'm doing wrong or a setting ive incorrectly adjusted before I start blaming the equipment! Will save that delight for later!!
 
Osmo said:
Hi Wez,

At least its a result of sorts in that you know where you are with that lens now.

I have the 300mm f/4 PF + 1.4TC and when I'm lucky (not very often) with nailing the focus it does produce very nice images.

Like you I use Group AF for BiF and single point for perched birds and other static subjects but even in single point the focal point is 'never' where I intended it to be! :(
I'm trying to work out what I'm doing wrong or a setting ive incorrectly adjusted before I start blaming the equipment! Will save that delight for later!!
Click to expand...

Have you locked the focus point lever? The top round button where it has a "L" and a dot. Make sure it's switched to L with the lever on dial pad.

Only thing I could think of, if using single point focus with the group AF (5) it does move around on mine.
 
Last edited:
Swanseajack said:
Have you locked the focus point lever? The top round button where it has a "L" and a dot. Make sure it's switched to L with the lever on dial pad.

Only thing I could think of, if using single point focus with the group AF (5) it does move around on mine.
Click to expand...

Simon, I think you mean have it set to the dot, otherwise the "L" locks the focus point in position :)
 
I've been having a serious think these last few days and I may trade my D810 for a D500.

I pretty much, solely, photograph wildlife and football matches. Just the ISO in low-light is keeping me from making a definitive decision.
 
wezza13 said:
Simon, I think you mean have it set to the dot, otherwise the "L" locks the focus point in position :)
Click to expand...

Yes lock it at the L position. If I have read Osmo correctly the focus point was moving around, hence locking it in position.???
 
wezza13 said:
I've been having a serious think these last few days and I may trade my D810 for a D500.

I pretty much, solely, photograph wildlife and football matches. Just the ISO in low-light is keeping me from making a definitive decision.
Click to expand...

I have been having similar thoughts, but for a D7200 and a lightweight option for going out, maybe a Fuji XT1 again as I loved that camera.. I only use the camera in the day and I should only use it in good light anyway. The new AF on the D500 is going to be better, on paper anyway, and for the ISO is there that much difference with these modern sensors over DX and FX for the type of shooting we do???

Perhaps you could rent one for a weekend and see ow you get on?
 
Swanseajack said:
I have been having similar thoughts, but for a D7200 and a lightweight option for going out, maybe a Fuji XT1 again as I loved that camera.. I only use the camera in the day and I should only use it in good light anyway. The new AF on the D500 is going to be better, on paper anyway, and for the ISO is there that much difference with these modern sensors over DX and FX for the type of shooting we do???

Perhaps you could rent one for a weekend and see ow you get on?
Click to expand...

Hmm, I was thinking about that but my usual rental site haven't got one in stock for a while
 
Swanseajack said:
Have you locked the focus point lever? The top round button where it has a "L" and a dot. Make sure it's switched to L with the lever on dial pad.

Only thing I could think of, if using single point focus with the group AF (5) it does move around on mine.
Click to expand...

wezza13 said:
Simon, I think you mean have it set to the dot, otherwise the "L" locks the focus point in position :)
Click to expand...

Swanseajack said:
Yes lock it at the L position. If I have read Osmo correctly the focus point was moving around, hence locking it in position.???
Click to expand...

Thank you @Swanseajack and @wezza13.

Maybe I didn't explain well enough. The focus point in the view finder isn't moving about. AF-S single point in the centre deliberately selected, this isn't changing which if I understand correctly the L is to lock that focal point. The issue I am having is that despite focus being achieved using AF-S single shot in the view finder when I check on on the image preview (e.g. after the shot has been taken) when I review where the 'actual' focus point was it is very rarely where it was meant to have been. Maybe it is simply that my hands aren't as steady as I though but it even happens when VR appears to have made it rock-solid and with a variety of lenses.

Thanks both for trying to help though.
 
Osmo said:
Thank you @Swanseajack and @wezza13.

Maybe I didn't explain well enough. The focus point in the view finder isn't moving about. AF-S single point in the centre deliberately selected, this isn't changing which if I understand correctly the L is to lock that focal point. The issue I am having is that despite focus being achieved using AF-S single shot in the view finder when I check on on the image preview (e.g. after the shot has been taken) when I review where the 'actual' focus point was it is very rarely where it was meant to have been. Maybe it is simply that my hands aren't as steady as I though but it even happens when VR appears to have made it rock-solid and with a variety of lenses.

Thanks both for trying to help though.
Click to expand...

I'd try it in AF-C mode then as it will continually focus where your focus point is.

I never use AF-S because of that very reason that you stated :)
 
@wezza13 forgot where abouts in Kent you are. You're welcome to come and try my d500 out and do a side by side comparison. I don't drive but I'm in South Croydon so if there's anywhere midway that you know of where we could go?
 
htid said:
@wezza13 forgot where abouts in Kent you are. You're welcome to come and try my d500 out and do a side by side comparison. I don't drive but I'm in South Croydon so if there's anywhere midway that you know of where we could go?
Click to expand...

Hi Chris, thank you very much for the offer, I'll take you up on it within the next couple of weeks, if that's okay?

I'm in Tunbridge Wells, so only an hours drive from you (y)

I'll bring my Tammy 150-600, 300mm F4 + 1.4 TC and 70-200 f2.8 and see how they perform. I'll have my D810 with me, so you can have a play around with that.

How are you finding your D500? Have you had your 500mm issue resolved?
 
Hi again,

Actually how soon are you thinking of buying? I have to move to Crawley in the next month so things may be a bit hectic over the coming weekends and I work all week. If you're happy to wait and come to Crawley instead itll be even easier for you...but that's if you're not in any rush to get a d500.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top