D2X Setup Guide from www.OutThereImages.com

Nice starting point for different shooting setups with Nikon D2X: http://www.outthereimages.com/images/D2X_Setup_Guide.pdf

Modeling Advice - Good in for for photogs and models both

Nice link on Modeling Advice http://www.modelingadvice.com

Lighting Setups

Cool Pageant/Glamour Setup discussed on the Photo.Net "Help needed...how do I achieve this lighting". What's also nice is that the thread concludes with input from the actual photographer of the example shot

Sports Stadium lights change intensity during high FPS and fast shutter speeds

This is an interesting thread on Nikonians about "Uneven exposure in rapid sequences".

After reading the thread I know this effect is due how stadium lighting intensity changes with the power cycle. Shooting at slower speeds 1/60 and 1/125 you don't see the variation. But at faster shutter speeds you'll capture the lighting at different points in the power cycle wave of A/C current and see variation in exposure.

Lighing setups using flash / Nikon CLS, SB600, SB800 Resources

Nikon Speedlite and Flash lighting modifier resources :

1. Nikonian's Speedlight Forum
2. Soft Stone Group's fantastic SB-800 resource page
3. Julia Greer Photography's SB-800 resource page
4. FireLily Designs example Softbox setup with flash
5. StudioLighting.net - Multipl Light Portrait Setup Hints
6. Photo.net Softbox for SB800 Thread
7. FredMiranda.com - Softbox for SB800?
8. Fun SB-800 setups movie presentation from Sitbonzo
   
   
9. Dave Black Photography
   • SB-800 TTL Examples
   • SB800 Location Lighting in Mexico
     
   • SB800 Lighting - Building A Portrait
   
   
10. Happy SU-800 user on Photo.net
11. Stobist on Blogger

Lighting Products

1. Westcott's Apllo Page
2. PhotoFlex
Nikon's SU-800 Wireless Speelight Commander Product Page
3. B&H Nikon SU-800 about $300 (wonder if this will work for a master mounted inside a softbox)
4. Westcott Apollo JS Softbox with Recessed Front for Flash Only - 50x50" (127x127cm)
5. Westcott Portable Studio Lighting Kit 2 for Studio Strobe - Includes: 1- 28" Apollo, 1- 45" Round Halo Softbox, 1- Free 42" White, Silver Illuminator Reflector
6. B&H - Impact Digital Flash Umbrella Mount Kit - includes: 2 Impact 32" Umbrellas, Brackets, Light Stands - about $100
7. UmbrelSoft II Soft Box style umbrella by DynaPhos

Fun to Have

1. B&H Hensel 3000-XS Ringflash - about $1,330

Projects

1. BrainError.Net - Build your own macro ring light
2. The Feral Photographer - The Pocket Ringlight

The issue of image size

The first time I submitted a photo for publication I was literally overwhelmed by how much I didn't know about pre-press image preparation. Color gamuts, calibrations, soft and hard proofs, montior/printer/press profiles, dot gain, screens.... and so on.

I'm still learning but I'm curently working on a photo submission that has resulted in a lot of confusion over the most basic issue... size. The editor has requested a hi-res 300 ppi JPEG. Since my D2X has a 12MP resolution, full size high quality JPEGs can be pretty big.

My initial attempt to get information on image size specifics was unsuccessful so I sent full size images. The writer forwarding the images to the editor is unable to manage files this large in their email.

In an effort to explain the issue I sent them this great link at NikonDigital.info post on Image Size.

I also stumbled upon a book resource that looks interesting which I plan to read at some point.

Exploring Digital PrePress

First Edition
Author: Reid Anderson
ISBN #: 141801236X
©2007   Publish Date: 08/25/2006
Binding: SC
Pages: 320
Publisher: Thomson Delmar Learning

I've found that sometimes the people you speak with at a publication will understand their role in the image preparation process very well but have less appreciation for the steps that come before and/or after theirs. As a photographer the submission process is much easier when a publication has a well defined set of submission guidelines.

Comparing D2X Auto Focus and Manual Focus using KatzEye focus screen

I wear glasses and wanted to compare my ability to manual focus against the D2X auto focus. The setup used exposes the slightest variation in focus.

I setup a tripod with my D2X and 85mm f/1.4 Nikkor pointing down on my desk Wacom tablet, with Katz Eye focusing screen installed. All shots were taken at 1/160 sec at f / 1.4, ISO 320 using an 18 W Ott-Lite and overhead 3 bulb incandescent fixture. I pressed the shutter by hand. A future test should use a cable release for more stability.

The WACOM logo I shot measures 80 mm x 370 mm and the camera was about 3 feet away. The WACOM tablet was slightly tilted about 20 degrees or so which accounts for the lack of a flat DOF.

I shot small JPEGs with AF and MF and compared the result.

Initial test show that AF is best, but I will retest with a DK-17M at some point in the future. The logo is small and the focusing so precise that more magnification is required for me to do it accurately.

1. Auto focus

   

2. Manual focus using the diopter

   

3. Manual focus using glasses and viewfinder focus indicator