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June 28, 2017
Countdown to the Solar Eclipse
Here are some of the topics and news items we're tracking for our community this week. ---
USA Solar Eclipse less than two months away - What's your lemon test - Two cards a must? --- PLUS more....
1 -- Solar Eclipse creating gear and lodging shortages
Moderating Team member and Nikonians Academy Director Eric Bowles (ericbowles) has an update on filter availability for the upcoming Solar Eclipse event. In short, with less than two months to go, supply is having a hard time keeping up with demand.
Eric tells us: Thousand Oaks Optical is backordered on some of their solar filters. I just ordered a 77mm threaded filter, an 8-inch filter for use on my 600 f/4, and am backordered 4-6 weeks on a filter for my Tak FS-60.
Eric's post is one of many eclipse-oriented discussions currently featured in our Astrophotography Forum.
You can also check:
• Nikon guide on how to photograph a solar eclipse
• More Solar Eclipse Questions
• Lodging for total eclipse viewing...get it fast!
2 -- What's your lemon test?
When you get your brand new camera, what do you do to quickly test it? Do you have a ritual series of actions that help assure you this particular model is not a lemon?
New member Brian Rose (kbobb) asks us what we prefer to use as our "new gear test" routines. He asks about a specific model, but this topic applies equally to most of our purchases:
Hi All, Is there any special process you go through to check that all functions work properly on a new camera and images are appropriate both in camera and on the computer? Anything particular to Nikon, specifically the D750? I'd like to run through all functions before the return period expires.
Silver member Neal Nurmi (Wingman) responds with:
This is actually an interesting question. All my cameras over the years have functioned as advertised, but these things have gotten so capable and so complex that a more systematic approach does make sense. It'll be interesting to see what sorts of replies you get to this.
Do you have a testing routine or do you just start shooting and wait for something weird to happen?
3 -- This CheatSheet makes editing RAW files easy!
You know you should be shooting RAW files. But, you've always thought they were too hard to edit.
Well, this PhotoBert CheatSheet for Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) makes it easy.
Our extremely popular Adobe Camera Raw CheatSheet has been updated for V9+.
It walks you thru each option in ACR and contains everything you need to know to edit your RAW files like a pro. We also have CheatSheets for Nikons and Canon DSLRs and most Speedlights, along with some great accessories. Save 20% on our legendary CheatSheets; 10% on Helicon Photo Software and 5% on accessories.
Get the discount with this link.
4 -- Can two cards save your day?
Gold member Jim Tubman (Tubman) from Alberta, Canada wonders whether any of our members have ever had a shooting session saved by dual card slots. When the chips are down -- Is two really better than one?
Here's the question:
One of the biggest and most repeated criticisms of the new D7500 is that, unlike the preceding models in that series, it does not have two card slots. So, who among you with a two-card camera has actually had one card fail and the other saved the day?
Hear me well: I am not passively-aggressively asserting that this has never happened. I had a card go wonky in my D5300 after I had shot my daughter's high school graduation (I could not write new pictures, but I could read all the ones I had taken). I just wonder if it is freakishly rare, or uncomfortably common.
Have you had your day saved by that extra card slot? - Tell us what happened.
5 -- Great Deals on new NIKKOR's
Berger Bros. is now taking orders for the three new lenses that were announced May 31st. Nikonians will get early allocation preference and free shipping (continental USA).
The lenses are:
• AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $309.95 USD with availability in late June.
• AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1249.95 USD.
• AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4E ED -- Manufacturer Suggest Retail price (MSRP) of $1999.95 USD with availability in late June.
To take advantage of this special Nikonians offer, contact Brad Berger 516-816-4921 or Brad@Berger-Bros.com. - BradBerger@mac.com.
6 -- Fix my sky
Moderating team member Gary Worrall (glxman) from South Australia pointed his camera up at a scenic image, but his result was the dreaded "blown sky."
Gary shows he's always ready to learn something new as he asks our members what they would do to fix the photo.
Here's the question:
Hi Guys,
For the first time, I tried to get one of those "looking up to the canopy of the forest" shots. Whatever I did in LR with the blown-out sky, just went grey. Then had a play with HDR toning, (no Idea what I'm doing,) But I feel if I tone back the green and somehow squeeze some light blue in the sky, it will look OK?
Any way of fixing the sky? - Gary
If this looks like a problem you have solved in the past, feel free to show us how you made your corrections.
7 -- Gearing up for Alaska
Silver member M. Lange has a great trip coming up and he's asking for gear advice based on the location and his current inventory.
The cool part of this discussion is the number of our members who have posted images from the same destination.
Here's his situation:
I'm heading to Alaska (both cruise and inland tour), and planning to bring two bodies: a D5500 (which I like for its size) and my new D7500. I'll bring my 10-24 for landscape. I'll also want a telephoto for animals. My options are (a) carry both an 18-140 and a 70-300, and switch off as necessary; or (b) carry a 28-300. It would be great to not have to switch lenses, but if the image quality from the 18-140/70-300 combination is markedly better than that from the 28-300, I'm willing to. Would appreciate any thoughts.
Do you have advice (and Alaska pics) to share? Join the discussion.
8 -- The case of the missing images-Solved?
Silver member Jon Etkins (jetkins) from Texas, USA was trying to figure out what happened to some photos missing in his Lightroom.
It didn't take long before our members started leading him to a solid answer.
Jon described the problem: I've been using Lightroom for a couple of years now, and I just noticed that it appears to be hiding some of my images from me! With All Photographs selected and filters disabled, it's only showing me 56,092 of my 56,178 photos. Any idea why it's decided to withhold 86 pictures, and how I can go about convincing it to cough them up again?
If this has happened to you, check the discussion for more tips on how to find those files.
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That's it for this week. Make sure you grab your favorite camera and capture some images to share with family and friends (especially us at Nikonians). -- Tom Boné (flashdeadline)
Posted by flashdeadline at June 28, 2017 1:05 AM