Swimming Carnival...

[Remorhaz]

I attended the school swimming carnival yesterday morning for the school my two youngest daughters attend - my youngest is as yet too young to attend the swimming carnival - next year

Whilst there I managed 475 photos for the parents and the school and even managed to take a few half decent ones of my own child this time

It was a glorious day although perhaps too sunny (for the best images) and extremely hot in the open sun. In the shade of the building where the seating was however it was excellent for portraits.

This first was there with my favourite lens for these types of portraits


NIKON D7000 + 50.0 mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm, 1/640 sec at f/2, ISO 200

This second is out on the blazing pool deck


NIKON D7000 + 50.0 mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm, 1/3200 sec at f/2.2, ISO 200

[Aussie Dave]

Really nice images Rod.
I like the DOF and the composition of each.
I really need to get myself a nifty fifty!

One query, i notice both were shot at ISO200 with quite fast shutter speeds.
Was there a reason why you didnt use ISO100 (which for these images would have still allowed you to use a fast enough shutter speed)?

I only ask out of curiosity as i'm still getting used to having ISO100 on the D7000 (the D70 only went as low as ISO200).

Cheers,
Dave

[Remorhaz]

I really need to get myself a nifty fifty!

This is a great lens (I did have the 50/1.8 first but moved to the Sigma 1.4 (heaven))

One query, i notice both were shot at ISO200 with quite fast shutter speeds. Was there a reason why you didnt use ISO100 (which for these images would have still allowed you to use a fast enough shutter speed)? I only ask out of curiosity as i'm still getting used to having ISO100 on the D7000 (the D70 only went as low as ISO200)

Yep I normally shoot at ISO 100 base when I can but I was shooting with the 70-300 just before this - shots of the swimmers swimming towards me, diving off blocks, and of kids in the crowd (in the shade) etc. The 70-300 is a variable aperture (to 5.6) lens so to ensure a good fast shutter speed I upped the ISO a bit. I just hadn't changed it back when I changed lenses

[biggerry]

This second is out on the blazing pool deck

I like this one, if she had her face angling towards the camera a fraction more it would be premo - that said, as a memory shot that is irrelevant since she is instantly recognisable by people who know her.

Further, i think teh inclusion of the end of teh pool would have been nice too, just to give the gaze a final resting point. Nonetheless a top image.

[Aussie Dave]

Yep I normally shoot at ISO 100 base when I can but I was shooting with the 70-300 just before this - shots of the swimmers swimming towards me, diving off blocks, and of kids in the crowd (in the shade) etc. The 70-300 is a variable aperture (to 5.6) lens so to ensure a good fast shutter speed I upped the ISO a bit. I just hadn't changed it back when I changed lenses

Cheers Rod. That makes sense.

It would be great if Nikon gave the ability to assign (directly) the ISO to the front function button on the D7000.
I currently have this Fn button set to "top my menu item", which i have set as the ISO menu but it would be much easier to be able to hold the Fn button in and use a control dial at the same time.....maybe one day.

Dave

[Remorhaz]

I like this one, if she had her face angling towards the camera a fraction more it would be premo - that said, as a memory shot that is irrelevant since she is instantly recognisable by people who know her.
Further, i think teh inclusion of the end of teh pool would have been nice too, just to give the gaze a final resting point. Nonetheless a top image

Thanks Gerry - I was a little constrained by this one - she'd scratched her forehead so had a nasty looking welt there so I got her to turn away a little (plus her race was about to start )

The second suggestion is a definite... next year...

It would be great if Nikon gave the ability to assign (directly) the ISO to the front function button on the D7000. I currently have this Fn button set to "top my menu item", which i have set as the ISO menu but it would be much easier to be able to hold the Fn button in and use a control dial at the same time.....maybe one day

Hi Dave - If I'm reading you correctly you can do this now - just hold in the ISO button on the back (second one up on the left) and rotate the rear control dial to change the ISO. This only works if you're "in" shooting mode and not say image review mode on the LCD (e.g. half press the shutter first to get there).

NB: I have my Fn button set to top my menu item as well but I have the Virtual Horizon as my top item so I can get it up immediately when I want it (e.g. when on a tripod for landscapes). Would be interested in what you other D7000 shooters have it set to - Gerry?

[Aussie Dave]

Hi Dave - If I'm reading you correctly you can do this now - just hold in the ISO button on the back (second one up on the left) and rotate the rear control dial to change the ISO. This only works if you're "in" shooting mode and not say image review mode on the LCD (e.g. half press the shutter first to get there).

Hi Rod,
Perhaps i should have mentioned previously i meant to make it easier as a "one-handed operation".

I am aware of the ISO button to the left of the LCD screen, but it would be nice if we could set the Fn button to mimic the same operation as the ISO button, so changing the ISO could be done with your right hand only (leaving your left hand free to continue holding the camera body/lens.

It is still technically possible to currently change ISO with only your right hand, by assigning the Fn button to the top "my menu" item (as i mentioned earlier - which is the current way I use it) which I press with my middle finger on my right hand, then use my right thumb to press the multi-direction button on the back of the camera to change the ISO setting....then by half pressing the shutter button the menu will close and the camera returns to shooting mode....but it would be much easier to just use the Fn button + rear dial.

I'm sure it would be technically possible for Nikon to do in a firmware update, but whether they will worry about it, I doubt. In my mind, ISO is just as important as aperture and shutter settings, so they should make it as easily accessible as them.

Dave

[Matt. K]

Ahhh the 50mm! Perfect optics. Rod, the first image has a touch too much yellow in it, possibly from the light reflected from her top. It makes her teeth look just a little yellow. I tried a gray balance off the whites of her eyes and it appeared to improve the colours, (on my monitor at least). It ain't much but I see it. Shooting with a 50mm at F2 or so is almost a certain formula for great bokeh...and you got plenty of that.

[Remorhaz]

Rod, the first image has a touch too much yellow in it, possibly from the light reflected from her top. It makes her teeth look just a little yellow. I tried a gray balance off the whites of her eyes and it appeared to improve the colours, (on my monitor at least). It ain't much but I see it. Shooting with a 50mm at F2 or so is almost a certain formula for great bokeh...and you got plenty of that.

Thanks Matt - I did take a look at adjusted the WB and you're right it does look better - thanks for the advice.