Thinking About A Change

[DSRay]

After years of not having a camera payment, I think it might be time for a change. Most of my serious (paid) shooting is architectural in nature (both interior and exterior) and involves serious lighting setups and composition challenges as well. As you can imagine, shooting digital is a huge advantage when working with strobes, better than Polaroid! My clientele has also been changing and the end result is that I am continually being required to produce larger and more detailed prints.

Long story short, I'm thinking of ditching my 18MP Canon APS-C for a 36MP Nikon full sensor something capable of tether shooting. I've come to the conclusion that Canon is much more interested in the hobby photographer than the working guy. This will also get rid of the focal length multiplier help cover the lower end photos and provide a much better lighting check. Now I check the lighting by transferring the SD card to my lap top.

And no, I am not going to by a digital back for my RB67 or my 4X5.

So the question is: What Nikon camera and being entirely ignorant regarding tethered shooting, a quality tutorial.

Thanks.

 

[Derrel]

What camera? The D3x has a fabulous viewfinder if you wear glasses while shooting, and is available used for around the same price as a D610 if you buy from smaller-city brick and mortar stores. Dual CF card slots, terrific auto-bracketing capabilities, very easy to shoot. The D800's finder image is not quite as good with eyeglasses, but it does have the 36MP sensor, and shooting tethered you sort of have a "viewfinder" on the computer. The D610 has a 24MP sensor, and the viewfinder image for me is difficult to see with eyeglasses on since it uses the consumer "square eyepiece" system, which is not the same as the longtime Nikon professional body's conventional ROUND, threaded eyepiece viewfinder system. I think any of the three cameras will give you a very high-quality image.

As far as resolution between the 36MP and the 24 MP sensors, DxO Mark has said it's something like a 15% resolution difference in favor of the D800, but with a significant file storage difference between the 24 and 36 MP files.

 

[DSRay]

Thanks for your input Derrel. I'm liking the D800. Now I just need to get a few lenses... this is gonna hurt, a lot. And eyeglasses, I bend, warp and break a couple every year, LOL.

 

[Designer]

Ray; the D800 will do DX mode too, so you can use the DX lenses that you have for now. And they're on sale now.

Here's another little jewel that I saw listed:

• Interface
  
  HDMI output: Type C mini-pin HDMI connector
  Headphone Connector
  NTSC
  Stereo Microphone Input
  Super Speed USB 3.0
• Wi-Fi Functionality
  
  Eye-Fi Compatible
  WT-4A

 

[Derrel]

Thanks for your input Derrel. I'm liking the D800. Now I just need to get a few lenses... this is gonna hurt, a lot. And eyeglasses, I bend, warp and break a couple every year, LOL.

Yeah...the bill's gonna be a bit more than the weekly grocery bill, fer sure,fer sure. lol. But as mentioned, there are some pretty good rebates right now; the 16-35 VR-G Nikkor is the wide zoom I spent much of today researching...it's $300 off, and finally under $1,000 after oh, three and half years on the market...I know it has terrible barrel distortion at the 16mm end, but it is described as "Simple" barrel, not "complex", so it's easily removed with software, and is a very sharp lens.

Not sure if you need one, but Samyang has a new 24mm tilt/shift lens; B&H Photo Video Digital Cameras, Photography, Camcorders

At f/8, it appears equal to much more costly 24 T/S lenses. LensRentals.com - First Look: Rokinon 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Lens ? Part 1

 

[DSRay]

Thanks again, I'm checking lenses.

I decided long ago that I was not going to buy t/s lenses. For the price of one of those I can buy a new 4x5 so If PS can't handle it, I just pull out the trusty old Calumet.

 

[bif]

Pray for cataracts!

Not really but you might look into Lasix, my sister had that done a few years ago and she had very serious astigmatism.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes last year (one at a time of course). The Dr., knowing my background as a photographer (retired pro now) recommended astigmatism correcting Toric lens implants. Great call on his part. I no longer have to wear eyeglasses except for closeup (reading).

Panasonic made the EVF on their otherwise great Lumix GH3 smaller, many eyeglass wearers had difficulty getting their line of vision "in the channel". I had minor difficulty but I "work through" such stuff, but after the surgery I put a GH3 up to my eye and whatta difference!

you might look into Lasix, my sister swears by it.