Dul

Some old memories worth publishing...

A quick recap on the weekend in Trinco..

Yellow, Orange and Green

Kandyan Dancer

Black and White Portraits

It's been a while since I made a post in this blog, and I've realized now that separating photo blogging from regular blogging is not going to be practical.. so.. here we go..

The $10 extension tube is worth the money

It's worth for $10, compared to Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor Lens for $1000.. (Heck, it was less than $800 last year.. the price go up as if it's made of gold..)

I attached the 50mm f/1.8D to it's end (It was $107 when I bought it in 2008, now it's $160.. insane!). You'll need a lens with an aperture ring (not a G) or the lens would be stuck at the lowest aperture and you won't be able to get any light in. Also, a zoom would be a bad idea due to reasons I point below. 50mm f/1.4D or the 85mm f/1.4D would be slightly better, but the 50mm f/1.8D is the most cost effective.

It's really really difficult to capture something that moves with this extension tube on, and you almost always need strobes to light the subjects. The thing is, with this thing attached, the effective focal length is probably something like 150~160mm and effective aperture at F/1.8 at the lens is probably around F/6, I don't know.. do your math.. anyhow, the DOF is razor thin at F/1.8, and at F/8 and up when you start to get a decent DOF (by decent I mean something like below, the above shots were at F/16 and up) You virtually can't see the subject through the view finder without holding a flashlight at the subject..

(I shot all these at ISO 100, 1/200s and SB600 at full power  from side and on camera flash at full power)

And it only focus to like couple of inches to the front of the lens, you can't do much other than shooting small insects and flowers..

I focus by moving the camera back and forth than moving the focus ring as that shifts the frame dramatically.

So, you get my point right? It's not an alternative for a $1000 solution at $10.. but, within a pretty limited scope, you can achieve some amazing results with it.

I bought it on ebay, but here's the amazon link.

There are much expensive tubes with auto focus. But, all you get for that extra money is auto focus, proper metering and aperture reported on your exif. But the limitations in DOF and focus distance would still be there.. At that point, you might just as well throw some cash on a cheap macro lens.

Moods of a flower

What gear you use - and what gear you want?

I have some money put aside for camera gear; and, in the recent times, I've been trying to decide want I need.

What I want is a D700 and a 105mm macro preferably with 24-70mm F/2.8 and a couple of SB-900s. But to think of, I'm doing fine with the gear I already have and I do not need any of those, unless I do real professional photography - which I don't.

I shot the above picture using the 18-200 VR on my D80; and I think it's a pretty decent macro regardless. So is the one below:







And for portraits; the 50mm f/1.8 has been producing decent enough shots.

And even the 18-200mm is not that bad:









Landscapes? 18-200mm again is enough.










I have a SB-600, which is enough to be creative with light and to light up things...










Of cause 70-300mm VR is hardly a tele, but again; for my occasional wildlife photography and outdoor portraits, it's enough.













So; what would I buy? I think nothing. May be another SB-600 if it really gets itching. But most probably nothing.

If I didn't had any of these; I would have probably bought a D700 or a D3s with 24-70mm f/2.8 and probably a 105mm macro.. I doubt if I would buy a tele and if I would, it would still be the small and light weight 70-300 VR which I already have. Not a super expensive super fast and super heavy pro lens. I'd also throw in a couple of SB-900s in to that list with a decent manfrotto tripod and a ball head.

If I was on a budget; which I probably would be, I'd settle for a D90 and a 18-200 VR together with a SB-600 and a cheap $30 tripod from Walmart. That is more than enough for some serious hobbyist photography.