Question on Sharpness

[Canis Vulpes]

I assume on board flash fixes shutter at 1/60th. My problem on initial TC test was shutter speed at high focal lengths. TC test using 70-200 employed higher shutter speeds due to external flash and shorter focal lengths.

I'll look forward to the shoot out between 70-200 and 300, try to use a subject with lots of detail and move 200 closer to frame the same as 300.

[Leif]

Originally Posted by prostie1200

I have just taken delivery of a AFS300 f4 and am a little dissapointed in the sharpness of the initial shots.
Here is photo of a Blackbird taken with a TC1.7E11 attatched. The camera was on a ridged tripod - ISO 200 - f6 1/40 at 500mm. it is cropped at 1467x1160 from the full frame with no sharpening or adjustments.
Would you say its down to operator error or the Lens TC combo.

I won't argue with what has already been said, but you could always try and damp the vibrations by using mirror lock up if you have it, and a cable release if not, and placing a bean bag over the lens. I'm sure a brick wall would provide a good test target for experimentation.

Leif

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by Stephen Fox

I assume on board flash fixes shutter at 1/60th. My problem on initial TC test was shutter speed at high focal lengths. TC test using 70-200 employed higher shutter speeds due to external flash and shorter focal lengths.

I'll look forward to the shoot out between 70-200 and 300, try to use a subject with lots of detail and move 200 closer to frame the same as 300.

Stephen,

If the shutter speed is set to sync speed, then flash will predominate. Although the shutter speed is low the burst of light from the flash will, depending on subject distance and of course the power of the flash, be in the region of 1/1000 sec + throught to around 1/20,000 sec if powerfull flash is used close up.

The great thing with the subject taken is it has sharply defined horizontal lines that will show any mirror bounce effect quite obviously.

Agree a comparison would be nice as the 300mm may join the wish list of the future.

Don

[prostie1200]

Well it's been too wet and cold to get out to find a wall - but here are two shots to compare.
Taken from the bedroom doorway approx 15' to a bedside table - lit only from a leaded window to the right of the pic. Light temp 4250, ISO 400, the 200 settings were 1/15 at f6.3 and the 300 was 1/20 atf8.
No adjustments to either
Spot focus point - the red nail varnish bottle (not Mine)

[Grant]

Robski,

Re your shots of the robins. What was the distance?

Thank you.

Grant.

[robski]

Originally Posted by Grant

Robski,

Re your shots of the robins. What was the distance?

Thank you.

Grant.

Hi Grant Welcome to WPF.

I was pretty close. The first shot was around 12 feet and the second was about 8-9 feet. Robins are fairly tame and will allow you to get close.

[yelvertoft]

Hi Grant,

Just noticed this is your first post. Welcome to WPF.

[nirofo]

I think if I'd taken that shot of the Blackbird with a Nikkor 300 f4, I'd have binned it, said nothing to anybody and brushed up on my technique. The Nikkor 300 f4 is a superb lens, I used one myself, it's as sharp as a pin even wide open at f4, however vibration will knock the edge off the best of lenses, in order to use the slow shutter speeds with success you have to be prepared for many failures. I use film in my cameras, I use slow speeds regularly, I expect to maybe get one good shot out of a roll of 36 if I'm lucky, sometimes I don't get any! It's just the same with digital, you have to be prepared to fire off as many shots as you can when you get the chance. Birds don't hang around for long, using shutter speeds of 1/15 second or less will get you very few shots if you just press the shutter once? Persevere with the lens, it's more than capable, hell it's a Nikkor!!

nirofo.

[prostie1200]

Hi Nirofo

Yes agree with you Nikon gear is great.

The Blacbird shot is a disgrace, but maybe I did not explain the circumstances well enough. The lens and camera were locked down solid on a very heavy all steel Manfrotto and the bird was posing for me (not a Snap shot) light was fair Cloudy.
I have deleted the Raw file, but from memory it was about 1/40 at f5.6 App Priority with Auto WB+2 ISO200 and a ML-L3 used to operate the shutter.

Saturday, I did a series of exposures, tripod mounted and electronic triggered, in the garden, bright sunlight and a stationary subject at 20ft.
I used shutter speeds from 1/500 - 1/2000 at f4 - f8 and all were no better than the Blackbird shot. Changed to the 70-200 with the TC1.7 went through the same proceedure,and all were razor sharp.

Even the best gear fails some times - I am taking the lens up to Nikon at Richmond next week for a check up.

[robski]

Make you wonder if something has worked loose ?